Full text of "Racine, belle city of the lakes, and Racine County, Wisconsin : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement"

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RACINE

BELLE CITY OF THE LAKES

AND

RACINE COUNTY

WISCONSIN

A Record of Settlement, Organization,
Progress and Achievement

FANNY S. ^TONE

Supervising Editor

ILLUSTRATED

VOLUME I

CHICAGO:

THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHINC COMrAW

1916

THE NEW YORK

Plclic library
9I)225R

Ar-O?.. Lfv.jx AND

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I

PHYSICAL FEATURES

LOCATION AND BOUNDARIES — AREA — WATERCOURSES — GEOLOGICAL
SURVEY — THE GLACIAL EPOCH— THE GLACIAL DRIFT — MORAINES

— ARTESIAN WELLS — EROSION — ECONOMIC GEOLOGY — ALTITUDES

— SURFACE AND SOIL 1''

CHAPTER II
ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS

THE MOUND BUILDERS — CHARACTER OF THEIR RELICS — WHO WERE
THEY? — WORK OF THE UNITED STATES BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY —
DISTRICTS IN THE UNITED STATES — RECENT THEORIES — MOUNDS
IN RACINE COUNTY — THE INDIANS — TRIBAL DISTRIBUTION AT THE
CLOSE OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY — WISCONSIN TRIBES — CHIPPE-
PEWA — MENOMINEE — SAC — FOX — OTTAWA — POTAWATOMI — WIN-
NEBAGO — INDIAN TREATIES — INDIAN TRAILS — REFLECTIONS. . 27

CHAPTER III
THE PERIOD OF PREPARATION

EARLY EXPLORATIONS IN AMERICA — SPAIN, ENGLAND AND FRANCE —
LAND GRANTS TO THE LONDON AND PLYMOUTH COMPANIES — THE
JESUITS — MARQUETTE AND JOLIET — LA SALLE — OTHER EARLY
FRENCH EXPLORERS — CONFLICT OF CLAIMS — THE FRENCH AND
INDIAN WAR — PONTIAC'S CONSPIRACY — THE REVOLUTIONARY
WAR — THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY — WISCONSIN UNDER VARIOUS
JURISDICTIONS — WISCONSIN TERRITORY — WISCONSIN AS A STATE
— RECAPITULATION 49

CHAPTER IV

SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTY

THE FIRST WHITE MEN IN RACINE COUNTY — ST. COSME'S ACCOUNT OF
THE ROOT RIVER — JAMBEAU'S TRADING POST — CAPTAIN GILBERT
KNAPP — THE FIRST DWELLING — LIST OF EARLY SETTLERS —
PIONEER LIFE AND CUSTOMS — THE HOUSE-RAISING — THE FURNI-
TURE — SWAPPING WORK — OBTAINING SUPPLIES — PASTIMES —
CHARACTER OF THE PIONEER — THE OLD TRAPPER'S SOLILOQUY. . 6.5

CHAPTER V

RACINE COUNTY ORGANIZED

CONDITIONS PRIOR TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY — HOW
CLAIMS WERE MADE — CLAIM ASSOCIATIONS — CONSTITUTION OF
THE MILWAUKEE UNION — ENFORCING THE LAW — ORGANIZATION
OF THE COUNTY — ELECTION OF CAPTAIN KNAPP TO THE LEGISLA-
TURE—THE ORGANIC ACT — KENOSHA CUT OFF FROM RACINE —
THE FIRST ELECTION — INAUGURATION OP GOVERNMENT — ELEC-
TION PRECINCTS AND JUDGES — EARLY FINANCES — THE LAND
SALE — THE COURT-HOUSE — THE COUNTY JAIL 81

CHAPTER VI

TOWNSHIP HISTORY

TOWNSHIPS OF TWO CLASSES — ORIGIN OF THE CIVIL TOWNSHIP — ITS
PLACE IN HISTORY — THE NINE CIVIL TOWNSHIPS OF RACINK
COUNTY — BURLINGTON —CALEDONIA — DOVER — MOUNT PLEAS-
ANT — NORWAY — RAYMOND — ROCHESTER — WATERFORD — YORK-
VILLE— HISTORICAL SKETCH OF EACH — EARLY SETTLEMENTS —
PERSONAL MENTION OF PIONEERS — DATE OF ORGANIZATION —
MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS — POPULATION AND WEALTH — A
RETROSPECT 101

(MAI^TEIx' VII
THE CITY OF RACINE

LOCATION — ORIGIN OF THE NAME — EARLY SETTLEMENT — PLATTING
THE TOWN — STREET AND PROPERTY LINES — POSTOFFICE — EARLY
MAIL ROUTES — THE VILLAGE INCORPORATED — THE CITY GOVERN-
MENT— LIST OF MAYORS — FIRE DEPARTMENT — POLICE DEPART-
MENT — PUBLIC PARKS — WATERWORKS — GAS AND ELECTRIC
LIGHT — MISCELLANEOUS 133

CHAPTER VIII

CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES

TOWNS LAID OFF BY SPECULATORS IN EARLY DAYS — WHY SOME SUC-
CEEDED AND OTHERS FAILED — LIST OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES IN
RACINE COUNTY — THE CITY OF BURLINGTON — ITS HISTORY —
' HISTORICAL SKETCH OF EACH VILLAGE — POSTOFFICE OF 1916. . . .157

CHAPTER IX

EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS

THE FIRST TEACHER — FIRST SCHOOL HOUSE — FIRST SCHOOL DISTRICTS
— FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING — GROWTH OF THE PUBLIC
SCHOOL SYSTEM — LOOKING BACKWARD — OLD THIRD WARD SCHOOL
THE WINSLOW SCHOOL — HIGH SCHOOL OF 1854 — SIXTH WARD
SCHOOL — RACINE FEMALE SEMINARY — ITS SUCCESSOR, RACINE
COLLEGE — RACINE ACADEMY — AN EDUCATIONAL ACRE — MRS.
M'MYNN'S SCRAP-BOOK — HIGH SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS — BOW-
MAN'S ACADEMY — LUCRETIA MAY'S SCHOOL — THE HOME SCHOOL —
INDUSTRIAL AND CONTINUATION SCHOOLS — WISCONSIN BUSINESS
COLLEGE 177

CHAPTER X
RACINE PUBLIC LIBRARY

M'MYNN'S COLLECTION OF BOOKS — RACINE JUNCTION LIBRARY — RACINE
PUBLIC LIBRARY — ITS EARLY HISTORY — NEED OF A HOME — CAR-
NEGIE'S DONATION — DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING — BRANCH
LIBRARIES — TRIBUTE TO CHARLES H. LEE 205

CHAPTER XI

THE NEWSPAPERS

THE FIRST NEWSPAPER — THE RACINE ADVOCATE — RACINE COUNTY
ARGUS — SLOVAN AMERIKANSKY — MISCELLANEOUS EARLY NEWS-
PAPERS—THE JOURNAL-NEWS — THE TIMES-CALL — THE WISCON-
SIN AGRICULTURIST — FOLKETS AVIS — RACINE CORRESPONDENT —
RACINE NORDEN — BURLINGTON STANDARD-DEMOCRAT — BURLING-
TON FREE PRESS — BURLINGTON GAZETTE — WATERFORD POST —
UNION GROVE ENTERPRISE 215

CHAPTER Xn

FINANCIAL HISTORY

COUNTY FINANCES — BONDED DEBT — FINANCIAL CONDITION IN 1915 —
PRINCIPAL ITEMS OF EXPENSE — RACINE CITY FINANCES — OUT-
STANDING BONDS — CONDITIONS COMPARED WITH THOSE OF 1848 —
INCOME AND EXPENDITURES — VALUE OF THE SECURITIES — BANK-
ING INSTITUTIONS — EVOLUTION OF THE BANKING BUSINESS —
BANKS IN RACINE COUNTY — RURAL BANKS — TOTAL DEPOSITS-
AGRICULTURE — STATISTICS RELATING TO CROPS AND FARM VAL-
UES — THE FARMER'S PLACE AS A CITIZEN 227

CHAPTER Xin

COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURING

FIRST MANUFACTURING — J. I. CASE THRESHING MACHINE CO.— J. L CASE
PLOW WORKS — HORLICK'S MALTED MILK CO. — MITCHELL-LEWIS
MOTOR CO. — RACINE WOOLEN MILLS CO. — S. FREEMAN & SONS —
J. MILLER CO. — T. DRIVER & SONS — RACINE IRON & WIRE WORKS —
S. C. JOHNSON & SON — HIGGINS SPRING & AXLE CO. — RACINE TRUNK
CO. — CHICAGO RUBBER CLOTHING CO. — GOLD MEDAL CAMP FURNI-
TURE MANUFACTURING CO. — F. J. GREENE ENGINEERING WORKS —
RACINE PAPER GOODS CO. — AMERICAN SEATING CO. — AMERICAN
SKEIN & FOUNDRY CO. — RACINE SHOE MANUFACTURING CO. —
ARNOLD ELECTRIC CO. — RACINE MANUFACTURING CO. — RACINE
RUBBER CO. — WALLIS TRACTOR CO. — RACINE MALLEABLE &
WROUGHT IRON CO. — LAKESIDE MALLEABLE CASTINGS CO. — HART-
MANN TRUNK CO.— INDUSTRIES OF 1879 — MANUFACTURERS OF 1910 —
OTHER RACINE COUNTY INDUSTRIES — INCUBATOR COMPANIES —
BELLE CITY MALLEABLE IRON CO. — BELLE CITY BASKET CO.—
HAMILTON-BEACH CO. — HILKER-WIECHER CO. — EISENDRATH TAN-
NING CO. — BELLE CITY MANUFACTURING CO. — M. M. SECOR TRUNK
CO. — GEORGE GORTON MACHINE CO. — F. W. GUNTHER CO. — ALUMI-
NUM SHOES 241

CHAPTER XIV
TRANSPORTATION

EARLY HIGHWAYS — RAILROADS — RACINE, JANESVILLE & MISSISSIPPI —
PASSENGER AND FREIGHT DEPOTS — CHICAGO & NORTHWESTERN —
CHICAGO & MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC RAILWAY — MARINE HISTORY —
EARLY LAKE COMMERCE — FIRST DOCKS AND PIERS — RECOLLEC-
TIONS OF A. P. DUTTON — MOOT MARINE COURT — LIGHT HOUSES —
NEW PIERS AND WAREHOUSES 269

CHAPTER XV

THE BENCH AND BAR

THE FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT — SKETCHES OF EARLY JUDGES — FIRST
COURT IN RACINE COUNTY — THE FIRST LAW SUIT — MARSHALL M.
STRONG — OTHER PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE RACINE BAR — NO
DEARTH OF LAWYERS — PERSONAL MENTION — PERSONNEL OF THE
PRESENT BAR 283

CHAPTER XVI

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION

EVOLUTION OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION — HOME-MADE REMEDIES OF
EARLY DAYS — CHARACTER OF THE PIONEER DOCTOR — HARDSHIPS
OF FRONTIER PRACTICE — EARLY PHYSICIANS OF RACINE COUNTY —
MEDICAL SOCIETIES — MEDICAL LEGISLATION — PRESENT DAY PHY-
SICIANS 30'?

CHAPTER XVII

MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS

THE OLD TIME SINGING SCHOOL — MUSIC IN CHURCHES — AMERICAN
BUGLE BAND — THE GERMAN BAND — OTHER BANDS AND ORCHES-
TRAS— J. P. WEBSTER AS A COMPOSER — A CITY OF MUSICAL
CULTURE 323

CHAPTER XVIII

SOCIETIES AND FRATERNITIES

OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY — TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES — MASONIC FRATER-
NITY—ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR — INDEPENDENT ORDER OF
ODD FELLOWS — DAUGHTERS OF REBEKAH — KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS

— THE ELKS — GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC — WOMEN'S RELIEF
CORPS — LADIES OF THE GRAND ARMY — OTHER PATRIOTIC SOCIE-
TIES—CATHOLIC SOCIETIES — TRADES UNIONS — COMMERCIAL CLUB

— YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION — YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRIS-
TIAN ASSOCIATION — MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES — THE LEADING
CLUBS 329

CHAPTER XIX

CHURCH HISTORY

BAPTIST — CATHOLIC — CONGREGATIONAL — EPISCOPAL — EVANGELICAL
— JEWISH — LUTHERAN — METHODIST EPISCOPAL — PRESBYTERIAN —
UNIVERSALIST — MISCELLANEOUS 359

CHAPTER XX

CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS

THE POOR FARM — COUNTY INSANE ASYLUM — SUNNY REST SANATORIUM

— HOME FOR FEEBLE-MINDED — SAINT LUKE'S HOSPITAL — SAINT
MARY'S HOSPITAL — TAYLOR ORPHAN ASYLUM — OLD LADIES' HOME

— CENTRAL ASSOCIATION 377

CHAPTER XXI

NOTABLE PIONEER HOMES

CAPTAIN KNAPP'S CABIN — JOEL SAGE — A. P. DICKEY — THE FLEMMING
HOUSE — CAPTAIN GUILBERT — CHARLES HERRICK — THE TERBUSH
HOUSE — TIMOTHY WELLS — THE PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE — THE
BRYAN HOUSE — THE CLANCY HOUSE — L. S. BLAKE — DR. B. B.
GARY- WILLIAM H. LATHROP— MOSES VILAS — ELDAD SMITH —
THOMAS J. EMERSON — HOTELS OF EARLY DAYS — THE BAKER HOME-
STEAD — OTHER OLD TIME HOUSES 391

CHAPTER XXIT

LETTERS FROM GUERNSEY PIONEERS

PURPOSE OF THIS CHAPTER — N. LE PREVOST — JOHN COLE — PREVOST'S
SECOND LETTER — ALEXANDER BURCH — THEIR DESCRIPTIONS OF
THE COUNTRY 407

(UlAI^TKi; Win

MILITARY HISTORY

SLAVERY IN WISCONSIN — FIRST UNDERGROUND PASSENGER — THE
GLOVER CASE — FIRST LINCOLN CAMPAIGN — RACINE WAKES UP —
RACINE'S FIRST COMPANY — FLAG RAISINGS — FIRST MEETINGS —

WAR PREPARATIONS — IN THE COUNTY — CAMP UTLEY — FOURTH
OF JULY, '61- UTLEY GUARDS LEAVE FOR THE FRONT — SOLDIERS'
AID SOCIETIES — BEN BUTLER'S CONTRABAND OF WAR — COLONEL
UTLEY AND RUNAWAY SLAVES — TESTING THEIR METTLE — YOUNG-
EST SOLDIER IN THE UNION ARMY — RACINE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT
— SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR — COMPANY F OFF FOR THE WAR —
HOME AGAIN — IN THE PHILIPPINES — RACINE COUNTY'S FIRST
MILITIA — FIRST STATE MILITIA — BELLE CITY GUARD — RACINE
LIGHT GUARDS — GARFIELD GUARDS — SPANISH WAR MONUMENT. 425

CHAPTER XXIV
MISCELLANEOUS HISTORY

SOME FIRST EVENTS — WOLF HUNTS — UNLOADING A VESSEL — MORE
HARD TIMES — PASSENGER PIGEONS — TOM O'SPRIG'S OXEN — CAR-
ROLL'S MASS MEETING — FRUITION OF A HOPE — AN OLD LAND
MARK — A DISASTROUS FIRE — A SLIGHT CORRECTION — FAMOUS
RACE HORSES — SOME HISTORIC STORMS — A RACINE MUSE 481

CHAPTER XXV

STATISTICAL REVIEW

STATISTICS RELATING TO POPULATION AND WEALTH — OFFICIAL ROSTER
— MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE — CHRONOLOGY — SUMMARY OF
EVENTS — POSTSCRIPT 499

History of Racine

City and County

History of Racine County
Wisconsin

CHAPTER I

PHYSICAL FEATURES

LOCATION AND BOUNDARIES — AREA — WATER COURSES — GEOLOGICAL
SURVEY — THE GLACIAL EPOCH — THE GLACIAL DRIFT — MORAINES

— ARTESIAN WELLS — EROSION — ECONOMIC GEOLOGY — ALTITUDES

— SURFACE AND SOIL.

Racine County is located in the southeastern part of the state,
in what is kno^\■n as the Great Lake Basin. It is bounded on the
north by Milwaukee and "Waukesha Counties, on the east by Lake
Michigan, on the south by KenosL.. County, and on the west by
the County of Walworth. Its greatest length from east to west
is about twenty-eight miles, and its greatest width from north to
south sixteen miles. The area of the county is 323 square miles.

WATERCOURSES

The largest stream in the county is the Fox River, which flows
in a southerly direction through the western part. It crosses the
northern l)oinKlary about four miles from the northwest corner,
passes through the towns of Waterford, Rochester and Burlington,
and enters Kenosha County near the southwest corner of Section
23, Townshi]) 2, Range 19. Its principal tributary in Racine
County is the Muskego Creek, which falls into it near the village
of Rochester. Sugar Creek, a smaller tributary, comes from the
northwest and empties into the Fox near the City of Burlington.

The Root River enters from Milwaukee County, about five
miles west of the northeast cornei', and flows southwardly through
the towns of Caledonia and Mount Pleasant until it empties its
waters into Lake Michigan within the corporate limits of the
City of Racine.

The South Fork of the Root River rises in the northern part
of Kenosha County and flows in a northerly direction through the
Towns of Yorkville and Raymond, entering Milwaukee Count}^

18 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

near the center of the north line of Section 3, Township 4, Range
21. These streams, with their minor confluents, afford good nat-
ural drainage to all parts of the county. The Root River is navi-
gable for lake steamers, which make frequent calls at the port of
Racine, bringing in or taking out goods.

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

On March 39, 1873, Gov. C. C. Washburn approved an act of
the Wisconsin Legislature "to provide for a complete geological
survey of Wisconsin," and Dr. I. A. Lapham was placed in charge
of the survey. In February, 1875, Dr. Lapham was succeeded as
chief geologist by Dr. O. W. Wight, who served liut one year,
when he was succeeded by T. C. Chamljcrlin. :Sh: Chamberlin
made some investigations in Eastern Wisconsin and published the
results of his observations in connection with the reports of Lap-
ham and Wight, in Volume II of the Reports of the State Geolog-
ical Survey, from which most of the facts relating to the geology
of Racine County, as given in this chapter, have been adapted.

THE GLACIAL EPOCH

What is called by geologists the Glacial or Pleistocene period
— sometimes designated as the "Ice Age" — includes the latter
part of the Tertiary and the earliest portion of the Quarternary
period. During the closing years of the Tertiary period there was
a gradual lowering of temperatures throughout the greater por-
tion of the north temperate zone. These falling temperatures were
caused by the heavy snowfall of one season not all melting before
another winter came and added to the great mass of snow already
upon the earth's surface. The weight of each successive snowfall
lieing added to the huge mass Ijelow, compressed it into a body
of solid ice, called a glacier. During the warmer portion of each
year the water from the melting ice found its way to the bottom
of the glacier and formed a smooth or sli])])ery surface upon the
bed I'ocks. so that in time the entire glacier began to move slowly
towai-<l ;i lower altitude. As it moved along it dislodged soil,
bowldci's, etc., and carried them far away from the place where
they were fii'st laid by the hand of Nature. Through their greater
weight and solidity, these dislodged materials worked their way
to th(' bottom of the glacier and became the agents of erosion.
The surfaces of the bed rocks, where exposed to this glacial action,
were smoothed and mai-ked with scratches (called striae), hills

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 19

were made to assume a more rounded form, and valleys were
widened and deepened. Through these valleys the water from
the melting glacier ran in streams, thus forming creeks and rivers.
From the striae left upon the bed rock, geologists have been able to
determine the course of the glacier's movement. In Eastern
Wisconsin striae have been found trending to the southeast, south
and southwest.

One of the greatest glaciers in North America covered the
entire region from the Rocky Mountains to the Great Lakes and
extended as far southward as the central portions of Illinois and
Indiana. It included the whole State of Wisconsin and left abun-
dant evidences of its presence in the ninnerous small lakes, depos-
its of glacial drift, etc. The Glacial Epoch or invasion was the
last important geologic event to precede the present age and leave
a wide influence upon the physical features of the earth. -lust
how long ago that invasion occurred is not certain, but from data
obtained by geological research, the investigators think that the
ice retreated from the northern part of the United States at least
25.000 years ago. Equally uncertain is the length of time the
glacial ice covered the surface of that region before it all melted
away, some geologists placing the duration of the Ice Age at
500,000 years. As the ice disappeared the temj^eratures rose
again, but the surface of the glacier was a barren plain, without
either animal or vegetable life. The action of the winds and rain
leveled down the rough places and the heat of the sun warmed the
surface until plants made their appearance, and in time the great
glacial plain became habitable for animals and men. It was by
this process that the surface of the eastern part of Wisconsin was
fonned.

THE GLACIAL DRIFT

As the ice of the glacier gradually dissolved under the influ-
ence of the slowly rising temioeratures, the solid matter, such as
soils, disintegrated rocks and bowlders, was deposited upon the
bed rocks of the region in the form of drift, till or older diluvium,
generally included in the term "glacial drift," which forms the
soil of the present age and varies in depth and fertility. Along
the eastern border of Racine County, extending back from Lake
Michigan an average distance of about one mile, the surface shows
sand and gravel, mixed with clays and marly material. The
gravel is usually fine and much waterworn, and is rarely over

20 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

twenty i'eet in depth, the average being about ten feet. At the
base of this deposit, along the lake shore, numerous springs issue,
the clay below being impervious to water. Some of these springs
are strongly tinctured with iron. In the neighborhood of "The
Point," just north of the City of Racine, the drift rests directly
upon the bowlder cla,y. In excavating the laminated, compact
clay at the base of the gravelly deposit separates easily from the
hardpan or impervious clay below. The western limit of this drift
deposit is marked by a low ridg<\ beyond which the drift is deeper
and of a somewhat different character. Most of the small lakes
in North America owe their existence to glacial action. As the
ice melted, the water that was unable to find its way to the run-
ning streams settled in the low places and formed lakes. Several
of these glacial lakes are to be seen in Racine County, viz.: Wind
Lake, the largest body of water in the county, is situated in the
northern part of Norway Township; Brown's Lake, about a mile
northeast of the City of Burlington, is the next largest; Bonner's
Lake, in the southwest corner of Burlington Township; Eagle
Lake, just south of the center of Dover Township; Long Lake, a
short distance north of Burlington; Waubeesee, a small lake just
west of Wind Lake; Tishigan Lake, in the eastern part of Water-
ford Township, and Starkey Lake, a small body of water in Sec-
tion 23, Towaiship 4, Range 19.

{,. MORAINES

The rocks and other inorganic substances dislodged and carried
along by the glacier were deposited, as the ice melted, in ridges
called nK.raines. Along the edge of the glacier the ridge thus
formed is known as a "lateral moraine"; where two bodies of ice
met the ridge is usually distinguished by being larger and con-
taining a greater diversity of minerals and is called a "medial
moraine," and where the last deposit was made, that is, where
the glacier came to an end, the ridge is called a "terminal mo-
raine." In these moraines the character of the bowlders indicates
that they have been brought there from a distance. This is espe-
cially ti-uc of the granitoid bowlders, conunonly called "nigger
heads," which are entirely different in structure from any rocks
found in the natural deposits where they occur.

One of the largest and best defined moraines in the State of
Wisconsin is the ridge known as the "Potash Kettle Range," the

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 21

iinrth(>™ torininus of which is in Kewauneo County, not far from
the littk' town of Casco. From this point the range trends south-
westward, through the Counties of Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Fond
du Lac, Waukesha, and the northern part of Walworth. There
it divides, one branch running southward through Richmond and
Darien, thence eastward to Lake (leneva, then via Burlington
southward into Kenosha County, and traces of it have been noted
beyond the state line in Northern Illinois.

There is no potash to be found anywhere in the ridge, the
name having been applied on account of the numerous "sinks,"
"potholes," or funnel-shaped depressions resembling the kettles
used in the extraction or eva})oration (^f potash from waters sur-
charged with that substance. Some of these depressions are quite
shallow, appearing as though they had been formed by pressing
a great saucer into the soft earth, and others are sixty feet or
more in de^jth. The elevations or knolls along the moraine corre-
spond in shape to the depressions, resembling inverted saucers
or kettles. The composition of the ridge is chiefly clay, sand,
coarse gravel and bowlders. A few bowlders of Archaean rock,
irregular in shape, have been found and have been recognized by
geologists as belonging to the Paleozoic Period. The fact that
there are no known Archaean formations near is regarded as con-
clusive evidence that the Kettle Range is of glacial origin and
morainic in character. Near Burlington Mr. Chamberlin noted
an exposure of a thin-bedded, argillaceous dolomite, not found
elsewhere in the range, containing considerable munbers of the
Trilobite and a few other fossils. Pure dolomite consists almost
entirely of carbonate of calcium and magnesium, while argillace-
ous dolomite contains clay in greater or less quantities, which
renders it unfit for or inferior as a building stone. Native copper
has also been found at various places in this range, but in small
quantities. At Smith's quarry, near Burlington, Mr. Chamberlin
looked for striae, but found none sufficiently pronounced to deter-
mine the course of the glacier. At other places they were well
defined and showed that the direction was south in some places
and in others southwest, indicating that the range is a medial
moraine.

ARTESIAN WELLS

The geological formation of Racine County, below the glacial
drift, is pretty clearly shown by sections of artesian wells, of

22 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

which several have been drilled in the county. Chamberlin, in his
Report on the Geology of Eastern Wisconsin, mentions a well
of this character at the Western Union (Chicago, Milwaukee &
St. Paul) Junction (now Corliss), about five miles west of the
City of Racine, where the following data were obtained:

Glacial drift 147 feet

Niagara limestone 233

Cincinnati shale 200

Trenton and Galena limestones 285

St. Peter's sandstone 100

Lower magnesian limestones 141

Potsdam sandstones 157

Total depth of well 1,263 feet

The surface of this well is 144 feet aliove Lake Michigan,
hence the bottom is 541 feet below the sea level. A small flow of
water was struck in St. Peter sandstone and a much stronger flow
in the sandstones of the Potsdam gToup, where the drilling was
stopped. When the drill was withdrawn the water rose to a height
of forty feet above the surface, or 184 feet above the level of Lake
Michigan. Says Chamberlin: "As only a few points in the east-
ern part of Racine and Kenosha Counties exceed that elevation,
this well has demonstrated the possibility of obtaining fountains
over a considerable area."

Another artesian well is that known as the "First Ward
Well," on JMonument Square in the City of Racine. Dr. P. R. Hoy
reported a section of this well to the State Geological Survey,
showing the geological structure at this point to be as follows:

Glacial drift 115 feet

Niagara limestone 305

Cincinnati shale 185

Galena and Trenton limestones 283

St. Peter's sandstone 48

Lower magnesian limestones 100

Madison sandstone 47

Mendota limestone 31

Red sandstone 110

Hard sandstone 10

Soft sandstone 6

Total depth of well 1,240 feet

In this well the strata from the Madison sandstone downward
belong to the Potsdam group. As in the former well, the first
flow of water came while the drill was in the St. Peter sandstone.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 23

It was increased in the Madison sandstone and still further aug-
mented in the soft Potsdam sandstone, where work was sus-
pended. The record of this well was regarded as peculiarly
valuable by Mr. Chamberlin, in that it shows the existence of three
\\ater-})earing strata above the middle Potsdam.

What is known as the Stephen Bull well is located on the
lake shore, not far from Eleventh Street, in the City of Racine,
and there is also an artesian well at the woolen mills. Some years
ago a deep well was bored at Union Grove. At a depth of about
( me thousand feet the water rose almost to the surface. Drilling
was continued in the hope of making it a flowing well, but appar-
ently the drill pierced an underground outlet, the water disap-
peared and the w^ell was abandoned. No sectional data concerning
these wells are obtainable.

The deepest artesian well in the county is the one bored for
the county insane asylum. It was first bored in 1891, but was
deepened to over fourteen hundred feet in 1901. A section of this
well for the first eight hundred feet shows:

Glacial drift 180 feet

Niagara limestone 300

Cincinnati shale 160

Trenton and Galena limestones 160

800 feet

Below this depth it seems that no detailed record of the strata
was kept, the drillers reporting that they passed through sand-
stone and limestone fonnations until the well was completed.
From the sections of the wells given it may be seen that the geo-
logical structure of the county is about the same in all parts where
borings have been made, the only variations being in the thickness
of the different strata. The depth of the glacial drift varies from
115 feet in the First Ward well to 180 feet in the well at the
insane asylum, while the Trenton and Galena limestones vary
from 160 feet in the asylum well to 285 feet in the well at the
Western Union Junction, or Corliss.

EROSION

In connection with the physical features of Racine County
there is one phenomenon not to be found in the inland counties.
Along the lake shore, where the banks are steep and high, and
foi-med of clay, sand and gravel, those banks are being constantly

24 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

undermined by the action (»f the waves. Just north of Racine,
whei'e "The Point" projects into the U^ke, this erosion or en-
croachment is considei'able. Dr. P. R. Hoy, who, it seems, was
deeply interested in scientific research, investigated tliis subject
and rejjortcd tlie erosion to be about four feet annually.

S. Gr. Knight, of Racine, was employed by the State Geological
Survey in 1874 to measure the section lines frf)m the nearest cor-
ner or quarter post to the lake shore, and compare their length
with that given in the original Government Survey of 1836. He
carefully reviewed the lines and re^xtrted that the annual erosion
varied from six inches to six feet four inches, the average along
the shore in the vicinity of Racine being about three feet four
inches, thus bearing out the estimate of Dr. Hoy some years
previous.

ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

There are but few mineral deposits in Racine County of com-
mercial importance, the principal ones being the clay beds and
the Niagara limestone formations. When ]\Ir. Chamberlin made
his survey of this jjart of the state he fomid the clay deposits at
"The Point" were being utilized in the manufacture of brick, the
two yards of Erskine & Morris and Burdick Brothers turning out
from 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 brick annually. The l>riek were cream
coloi-ed and were made from the red clay and a layer of sand from
the overlying beach deposit. In recent years the manufacture of
brick at Racine has proven to be unprofitable and no brick are
made in or near the city at the present time.

The Niagara limestone about the mouth of the Root River
consists of two beds — the Guelph and the Racine. The latter is
distinguished as a blue, gray or butf brittle dolomite, of uneven
texture and frequently stained with iron oxide. Fossils are more
abundant in the Racine than in the Guelph beds of this stone.
Ki'oiii its piu'ity the Niagara limestone is well adapted to the mak-
ing of a fine quality of lime. This fact was discovered early
thi'oughout the eastern part of the state and kilns were established
at many of the exposures. Forty years ago nearly half a nullion
barrels of lime were made annually from the Niagara formation
in Racine and some of the other eastern counties. One of the
largest jiroducers was the firm of Horlick & Son, who maintained
a branch in Chicago, their annual output ranging from 60,000 to
75,000 barrels. The Vaughan kilns turned out from 600 to 1,000

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 25

barrels every week, aud the Beswick kilns produced 20,000 barrels
per yeai'. With the iru-reasing demand for concrete construction
the burning of lime has l)een discontinued and attentitm turned to
crushing stone for building purposes and macadamizing highways.
At the Niagara exposures near Racine large stone crushers are
constantly at work preparing this material, and thousands of car-
loads are shi|)ped away annually.

All the limestone formations of the state are capable of Ijeing
used as building stone. This is especially true of the Mendota and
the Lower Magnesian limestones of the Potsdam formation, which
are quarried at a number of places in the eastern part of the state.

ALTITUDES

The following table shows the altitudes of places in different
parts of Racine County. These altitudes were determined by
engineers in the construction of railroads, and by survej'ors em-
ployed by the State Geological Survey. The figures in the first
column show the elevation in feet above Lake Michigan, and in
the second cohmni above the sea level:

C. & N. W. Railroad Station, Racine 40 618

Racine Junction 43 621

State Line 90 668

Caledonia 128 706

Western Union Junction 144 722

Eagle Lake 186 764

Wind Lake 190 768

Bonner's Lake 200 778

Burlington 203 781

Kansasville 240 818

Waterford 246 824

From these figures it will be seen that the surface of the
county is either level or moderately undulating, and the soil, which
is of glacial origin, is generally fertile. Probably the most pro-
ductive soil for agricultural purposes is found in the Fox River
Valley, in the western part of the county, but there is no portion
of Racine County where crops adapted to this latitude will not
thrive. Statistics regarding the prinr-ipal crops will be found in
another chapter.

CHAPTER II

ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS

THE MOUND BUILDERS — CHARACTER OP THEIR RELICS — WHO WERE
THEY? — WORK OF THE UNITED STATES BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY —
DISTRICTS IN THE UNITED STATES — RECENT THEORIES — MOUNDS
IN RACINE COUNTY — THE INDIANS — TRIBAL DISTRIBUTION AT THE
CLOSE OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY — WISCONSIN TRIBES — CHIP-
PEWA — MENOMINEE — SAC — FOX — OTTAWA — POTAWATOMI —
WINNEBAGO — INDIAN TREATIES — INDIAN TRAILS — REFLECTIONS.

Nearly a r-entuTV and a half elapsed after the first white settle-
ments were established along the Atlantic coast before attention
was drawn to the fact that the interior of North America had once
been peopled by a peculiar race. Says one of the reports of the
United States Bureau of Ethnology: "During a period beginning
some time after the close of the Ice Age and ending with the com-
ing of the white man — or only a few generations before — the
central part of North America was inhabited by a people who
had emerged to some extent from the darkness of savagery, had
acquired certain domestic arts, and practiced some well defined
lines of industry. The location and boundaries inhabited by them
are fairly well marked by the mounds and earthworks they
erected."

The center of this ancient civilization — if such it may be
called — appears to have been in what is now the State of Ohio.
Iowa may be regarded as its western frontier, though a few relics
have been found west of the Missouri River. From the mounds
and earthworks they left, the name of "Mound Builders" has been
given to this race by archaeologists. Most of the mounds are of
conical shape and when opened have generally been found to con-
tain human skeletons, hence they have been designated as burial
mounds. Others are in the form of truncated pyramids — that is,
square or rectangular at the base and flat on the top. The mounds
of this class are generally much higher than the ordinary conical
or bm-ial mounds and are supposed to have been used as lookouts
or signal stations, a theory which is supported by the fact that
charred wood and ashes have been found upon the summits of
several of such mounds, indicating that signal fires had once been
lighted there. Here and there are to be seen well-defined lines of

28 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

earthworks, apparently havino' been thrown n]i as places of de-
fense ai>ainst invading enemies. In a few instances, the discovery
of a lai'ge nionnd, surrounded by an embankment, outside of
which are a number of smaller mounds, has given rise to the theory
that such places were centers of religious ceremony or sacrifice.
Who were the Mound Builders? The question is more easily
asked than answered. Among the earliest arch;i?ologists to study
the subject were Squier and Davis, who, about the middle of the
Nineteenth Century, published a work entitled "Ancient Monu-
ments of the Mississippi Valley." Between the years 1845 and
1848 these two investigators opened over two hundred mounds, the
description of which was published by the Smithsonian Institu-
tion. They advanced the hypothesis that the Mound Builders
first established their civilization in the Ohio Valley, whence they
worked their way gradually southward into Mexico and Central
America, where the white man fomid their descendants in the
Aztec Indians. Other early investigators accepted this theory,
but Baldwin, in his "Ancient America," published in 1874, takes
a different view: Says he:

"Careful study of what is shown in the many reports on these
ancient remains seems plainly to authorize the conclusion that
the Mound Builders entered the country at the south and began
their settlements near the Gulf. Here they nuist have been very
numerous, while their works at every point on the limit of their
distribution north, east and west indicate a much less numerous
border of pojjulation. Remains of their works have l)een traced
through a great extent of country. They are found in West Vir-
ginia and are spread through Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa to
Nebraska. They are found all over the intermediate and more
southern country, being most numerous in Ohio, Indiana, Wis-
consin, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louis-
iana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Texas."

WORK OF THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY

Pi'ior to the establishment of the United States Bureau of
Ethnology, the investigation of the Mound Builders' relies was
conducted by individuals, and nuich of it was done in a desultoiy
sort of way. Soon after the l)ureau was organized it began a sys-
tematic study of the remains left by this ancient race and dis-
covei'ed many things that private investigators had overlooked.

lBi!l,:Ba!.iMi ' ,.

IIAKMOK Sl'KNKS, liAl'INE

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 29

Prof. Cyrus Thomas, of the bureau, divided the region inhabited
hy the Mound Builders into eight districts, each of which is
marked by certain characteristics not common to the others. Be-
ginning at the eastern part of the country, these districts are
as follows:

1. The Huron-Iroquois District, which embraces the countiy
once inhabited by the Huron and Iroquois Indians, including the
lower peninsula of Michigan, a strip across Northern Ohio, the
greater ])art of the State of New York, and extending northward
into Canada. Burial mounds are numerous throughout this dis-
trict, a few fortifications or earthworks have been noted, but the
"hut rings," or foundations of ancient dwellings are more plen-
tiful here than elsewhere and form the distinguishing feature of
the district.

2. The Appalachian District, which includes the mountain-
ous regions of Eastern Tennessee, Western North Carolina, South-
western Virginia, and the northern part of Georgia. Abundant
evidences were found in this territory to show that it was inhab-
ited by a tribe different in many respects from the i)e()])le of other
districts. The mounds are of a different construction, stone
graves are numerous, and among the relics discovered are a num-
ber of more or less ornamental tobacco pipes and utensils of
copper.

3. The Tennessee District, which includes Middle and West-
ern Tennessee, Southern Illinois, nearly all of Kentucky, a strip
through the central part of Georgia, and a small section of North-
ern Alabama. This district is marked by fortifications with cov-
ered ways leading to streams or springs, indicating that they were
constructed with a view to withstanding a siege. Pottery is plen-
tiful, especially the long-necked water jar, and several stone
images, believed to have been worshiped as idols, have been found
in the mounds of this district.

4. The Ohio District, which takes in all of the State of Ohio,
except the strip across the northern part that is included in the
Huron-Iroquois District, the eastern half of Indiana,and the south-
western part of West Virginia. In this district both the burial
mounds and fortifications are mnnerous. The former are larger
than the burial mounds found (>lsewhere, frequently having a
diameter of one hundred feet or more and rising in a few instances
to a height of eighty feet. The Grave Creek Mound, in West

30 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Virginia, is one of the greatest lookout or signal station mounds
so far discovered, and the Great Serj^ent, a fortification in the
form of a snake, situated on a bluff in Adams County, Ohio, is one
of the most perfect specimens of this class of works. There are
also a number of sacrificial mounds, surrounded by embankments.
One of these, situated on a bluff near Anderson, Indiana, is con-
nected with the White River by a subterranean passage, the re-
mains of which can still be clearly seen, though the timbers with
which it was once walled have long since rotted away.

5. The Illinois District, embracing the northern and central
parts of Illinois, Eastern Iowa, Northeastern Missouri, and the
Avestern half of Indiana. About the only relics found in the
moinids of this district are decayed human bones, fragments of
pottery, flint arrow and spear heads, and stone chips. The great
mound near Cahokia, Illinois, is a fine example of the truncated
pyramid variety and is one of the largest of that class known.

6. The Wisconsin District, which includes the state fnim
which it takes its name, the northeastern corner of Iowa, ^Linne-
sota. and the Dakotas. The distinguishing features of this district
are the effigy mounds, Avhich are given the form of some bird or
animal. Professor Thonuis, in the Twelfth Annual Report of the
Bureau of Ethnology (p. 31), says: "Effigy mounds are almost
limited to the Wisconsin District, the only exceptions known
being two or three in Ohio and two in Georgia." These mounds
represent birds, bears, foxes, etc., though the bird effigies are by
far the most munerous. They are believed to have represented
the totem of some tril»e, or some living creature that was an
object of veneration. Near Prairie du Chien is a bird mound that
juc^asures sixty feet from beak to tail, one hundred and two feet
aci-oss the outstretched wings, and is about three or four feet
high.

7. The Arkansas District, including the State of Arkansas,
))a)'t of Northern Louisiana and tlie southeastern corner of Mis-
souri. Pottery has been found in aliundance here, hut rings and
villag(> sites have been noted, though the liurial mounds nre com-
paratively small and few in number, often containing but a single
skeleton.

8. The Gulf District embraces the country bordering upon
the Gulf of Mexico. In this district are a number of fine truncated
]iyramids, some of them with terraces. The entire district is

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 31

rich in pottery, polished stones, Avcapons of obsidian, etc. Skele-
tons have been found in caves and others buried in bark coffins
and a small mound erected over the remains. Some writers think
the terraced mounds were "battle mounds," the Avarriors on one
terrace having- been able to hurl missiles over the heads of those
on the terrace below into the ranks of their assailants.

RECENT THEORIES

All the early writers on the subject of the Mound Builders
held to the theory that they were of a different race from the
Indians found here by the white man, and that the period when
they inhabited the country was more or less remote, some con-
tending that they had been extinct for centuries before Columbus
discovered the New World. Baldwin, who was one of the last of
this early school of archseologists, undertakes to prove great an-
tiquity by the large trees found growing upon some of the mounds,
the crumbling state of the bones found in them, the change in the
course of the streams upon which the mounds were built in some
cases, and the ignorance of the Indians regarding the earthworks.
On page 60 of his work he says: "There is no trace or probability
of any direct relationship whatever between the Mound Builders
and the barbarous Indians foimd in the country."

In more recent years, especially since the exhaustive research
made by the Bureau of Ethnology, archteologists are practically
a unit in the conclusion that the Mound Builder was nothing-
more than the ancestor of the North American Indian. Early
French and Spanish explorers in the southern part of the United
States foimd that the chief of the Natchez always dwelt in a lodge
erected upon an artificial mound. Pierre Margry, one of the early
French writers upon America, says: "When the chief dies they
(Icinolish his cabin and then i-aise a new moinid, on which they
build the cabin of the chief who is to replace the one deceased m
this dignity, for the chief never lodges in the house of his prede-
cessor."

How long this cvistom prevailed no one knows, but it might
be the reason for the large number of small artificial mounds in
the coiuitiy once inhabited by the Natchez and their ancestors.
The Yamasees of Georgia built mounds over those slain in battle,
and Charlevoix found among the Canadian tribes some who

32 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

erected earthworks very similar to the relics of this character
found, ill the Huron-Iroquois District of Thomas' division.

Ill the early exploration of the mounds, some surprise was
expressed at the presence of a large number of small mounds in
which were found charcoal and burnt or baked clay. Subsequent
investigations have disclosed the fact that among certain tribes,
particularly those of the lower Mississippi country, the family
hut was built upon an artificial mound, usually of small dimen-
sions, and that the house was constructed of poles and plastered
with mud. Upon the death of the head of the family, the body
was l)uri('d under the center of the hut, which was then burned.
This custom, practiced perhaps for many generations, would
account for the great number of small mounds, each containing a
single skeleton.

Another thing that tends to refute the argument in favor of
a se]')arate race and great age is that white men have found some
of the southwestern tribes making pottery very similar in design
and texture to that taken from some of the ancient mounds. And
the traditions of these tribes are that such pottery has been made
by their people farther back in the past than any one can deter-
mine with certainty. In the light of these discoveries, and others
along the same line, it is not surprising that the leading archaeolo-
gists of the country have abandoned the theory of separate race
and great antiquity and have come to the conclusion that the
Mound Builder was nothing more than the ancestor, more or less
remote, of the North American Indian.

MOUNDS IN RACINE COUNTY

While much of this general history and description of the
Mound Builders is not directly a])i)licable to Racine County, it is
hoped that the reader will find it of interest, inasmuch as it throws
sonic light upon the peoj)le who formerly inhabited this section
of the counti-y and enables him to understand better the character
of the mounds found in Southeastei'u Wisconsin. Originally,
Racine County offered a I'icli field for the archieologist. But many
of the mounds have been ruthlessly destroyed by relic hunters,
most of whom could not understand or appreciate the ethnological
im])ortance of the relics they carried away. Added to this, the
plow of the husbandman has done much to level some of the monu-
ments of this aboriginal people.

SCENE JN M0UNI1 CEMETERY

at'

-jy..j

INDIAN MOUND AND MONUMENT. MOUND CEMETERY

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 33

Dr. I. A. Laphain, in liis "Antiquities of Wisconsin," thus
describes a group of mounds and some earthworks on tlie high
ground overlooking the Root River, about a niilo and a half from
Lake Michigan:

"They consist mostly of circular biuial mounds, of no great
size or height, with one circular enclosure and several tapering
ridges. There are also two semicircles opening on the edge of the
l)luff towards the river. The group of very numerous and remark-
able UKiunds represented at the lower part of the plat was sur-
veyed with some minuteness, with a view to determining the order
of arrangement upon which they were constructed. The result
shows very clearly that no order or system was adopted. Each
person biiried was placed where chance might lead the relatives or
friends to select the spot. No three mounds could be found on
the same straight line; indeed, it seems as if it were the intention
of the builders to avoid all appearance of regularity. Ijarge
mounds are interposed with smaller ones, without regard to sym-
metry or succession."

Dr. P. R. Hoy o])ened one of the mounds of this group and
found several skeletons in a sitting posture, facing east. The
skulls, except one, probably that of a woman, were remarkably
thick and solid, but the other bones were very much decayed. The
skeletons were found in a basin shaped excavation in the original
soil, about eighteen inches deep, and were arranged side by side.
No ornaments or utensils of any kind Avere found. This group is
near the old })lank road that led from Racine to Rochester and
Burlington. Subsequently, Dr. Hoy made further investigations
here and found two pottery vases in one of the mounds. They
were unearthed in a gravel pit about two and a half feet below
the original surface and with them were two skeletons. One vase
was of cream colored clay and would hold about five quarts; the
other was reddish in color and was aboiit half as large. Upon this
mound was a burr oak stump, in which Dr. Hoy counted 250 rings.

The group of moiuids from which Mound Cemetery takes its
name, about a mile west of the City of Racine, has been described
as "the most numerous and extensive group in the county." Here
Dr. La])ham and Dr. Hoy made rather extended investigations
and in his report the former says: "We excavated fourteen of the
mounds, some with the greatest possible care. They are sepulch-
ral, of a uniform construction, and most of them contained more

34 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

than ono skeleton. In one instance we fonnd no less than seven.
We could detect no appearance of stratification, each mound hav-
ing been built at one time and not by successive additions. During
the investigations we obtained sufficient evidence to warrant me
in the following conclusions: The bodies were regularly buried
in a sitting or partly kneeling posture, facing the east, with the
legs placed under them. They were covered with a bark or log
roofing, over which the mound was built."

Here, as in the former mounds, the skeletons were found in
a basin excavated in the natural soil to a depth of two or three
feet, and the mound erected over them.

On the point of a bluff near the Root River, north of Mound
Cemetery, was found a mound about six feet high, in connection
^^^th which was an embankment 235 feet in length, two feet high,
twelve feet wide at the end nearest the mound, and tapering to a
point at the west end near a sj)ring. Farther east, on the same side
of the river, is a single low mound called the "Erskine Mound,"
and on the opposite side of the river is a cluster bounded on the east
by a lizard mound eighty feet in length. North of this, on a bluff,
were found three lizard mounds, six conical mounds, an oblong or
oval mound and two semicircular embankments about two feet
high and ten or twelve feet broad. Three-fourths of a mile south
of this group, on a sandy ridge, is the "Slausson Mounds," eight
in number. Near the east end of Mound Cemetery and not far
from the Root River, is the "Teegarden Croup," one of the most
interesting in the soi;theastern part of Wisconsin. Here is an
embankment 235 feet long, varying from two to twelve feet in
width and about two feet high, tapering to a point at one end.
Another work in the same form is about thirty-five feet long and
between these eni])ankments are two conical mounds.

On the northeast quarter of Section 6, Township 22, Range 4,
in the Tdwn of Caledonia, is an old village site, and another village
was located on the shore of Lake Michigan, about two and a half
miles southeast of Tabor Station, on the Chicago & Northwesteni
Railroad. A little south of this is an old burying ground. Around
these places have been foiuid arrow and spear heads of flint and
a nun)])er of other interesting relics.

Near the center of Raymond Township, in the northwest cor-
ner of Section 15, a short distance west of the South Fork of the
Root River, are two small momids, and in the north half of Sec-

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 35

tion 3, near the Milwaukee County line, stone axes, flint arrow
points and other implements of stone have been found in abun-
dance. On this site the Potawatomi Indians once had a cornfield.

In the Town of Norway, in Section 8, Township 20, Range 4,
on the west shore of Wind Lake, were five mounds known as the
"Jjapham Group," but they are now almost obliterated. In Sec-
tion 17 of the same township an old village site was discovered
and a number of stone axes, arrow points, etc., collected. This
was a favorite camping spot of the Potawatomi. Sentinel Mound,
at the extreme southwestern extremity of Lake Wanbeesee, in
Section 18, was originally fourteen feet in diameter and nearly
four feet high, and in Section 19, about a mile and a half farther
southwest, are the remains of the Indian Hill Mounds, two in
number, each thirty feet in diameter and three feet high. In the
southwest quarter of Section 8 are the Larson ^Mounds, and in
the northwest quarter of the same section are the Bensene
Mounds, both small.

On the bank of the Fox River, near the City of Burlington,
was found by Dr. Lapham a series of mounds in irregular forma-
tion, the largest of which was ten feet high and fifty feet in diam-
eter, connected with the adjoining mound by an embankment.
West of Burlington can be seen the remains of an oval enclosure
around which large numbers of arrow points, stone axes and other
relics have been gathered by collectors. At the junction of the
Fox and White Rivers are three mounds from four to six rods
apart, fonning a triangle. The largest is six feet high and twenty
feet in diameter, and the two smaller ones are each about three
feet high and fifteen feet in diameter. In these mounds were
found several implements of obsidian — a material not to be found
in Wisconsin, the nearest deposits being over one thousand miles
away.

One of the finest collections of Mound Builders' relics knoAvn
was that of Frederick S. Perkins, of Burlington. Part of this
collection was sent to the National Museum, part of it to the
Wisconsin State Historical Society, and is now on exhibition in
the Historical Library IMuseum at Madison, and some of it was
left at Racine. Dr. P. R. Hoy also had a fine collection of arrow
points, flint knives, stone axes, celts, etc., gathered at various,
points in Racine County.

36 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

THE INDIANS

When the first white iiien came to this country from Europe,
they found the continent of North America peopled by a race of
copper colored individuals unlike any they had ever seen before.
Believing that Columbus had circmnnavigated the earth and that
the country was India, they gave these people the name of In-
dians. Subsequent explorations corrected the error in geography,
but the name given to the natives still remains. This race was
divided into several groups or families, each of which was distin-
guished by certain physical and linguistic characteristics. In the
extreme northern part of the continent were the Eskimo, a tribe
that has never played any consj)icuous part in history, except to
serve as guides to explorers in the Arctic regions.

The great Algonquian family inhalnted a large triangle,
roughly bounded by the Atlantic coast line from Labrador to Cape
Hatteras, and lines from those two points to the western end of
Lake Superior. Within this triangle lay the present State of
Wisconsin. In the heart of the Algonquian country, along the
shcu'es of Lake Ontario, were the Iroquoian tribes — the Cayugas,
Oneidas, Onondagas, Mohawks and Senecas — which formed the
confederacy known as the "Five Nations." Later the Tuscarora
tribe was admitted to the confederacy, when it became known as
the "Six Nations."

South of the Algonquian comitry, in the southeastei'n part of
the United States, lay the territory occupied by the Muskhogean
group, the principal tribes of which were the Cherokee, Choctaw,
Creek and Chickasaw. To the northwest, about the sources of the
Mississippi TJiver, were the fearless, hardy, warlike Siouan tribes,
of which there were quite a number, while the comitry farther
west was inhabited by the fierce Apache, Ai-apaho, Cheyenne,
Comanche and kindred tribes, closely allied to the Sionan group
in appearance, habits and dialect. In the far Southwest Avere a
number of tribes living in pueblos and differing in many respects
from any of the others. The principal trilx'S inhabiting the terri-
tory now compi-ising the State of Wisconsin were the Chippewa
(or Ojihw.i), Menominee, Sac, Fox, Ottawa, Potawatomi and

Winneiiago.

THE CHIPPEWA

A tribal tradition says the Chippewa originally dwelt along
the shores of l^ake Huron, their country extending northwestward

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 37

to Lake Superior, and that they were part of a great Alg-onquian
tribe which included the Ottawa and Potawatonii. When the
white men first came in contact with those tribes they were living
in a sort of loose confederacy known as the "Three Fires." The
word Ojibwa, the Indian name of the tribe, means "to roast till
puckered up," and was given to these Indians on account of their
way of making moccasins with a seam that puckered the leather.
The tribe was divided into five phratries, or brotherhoods, and
these were divided into twenty-three gentes, or clans, the most
imj^ortant of which were the Turtle, Bear, Beaver, Loon, Catfish,
Swan and Snake. In early days they were engaged in a war with
the Sioux for several years over their hunting grounds in North-
ern Wisconsin, Init they persistently maintained their ground and
continued to occupy the country until after the United States
Government extended its jurisdiction over it, when hy successive
treaties their right to the region was recognized. In course of
time they ceded their lands to the United States and accepted
resei'vations in some of the northern counties of the state.

THE MENOMINEE

This trilic^ was one of the Algonquian group, though the dia-
lect differed greatly from that of the other tribes, having peculiar
guttural sounds, accents and inflections, so that for a long time
they were supposed to have a distinct language. The Menominee
wci'c known as "wild rice men," the wild rice that grew along the
streams forming a large part of their food. The harvest time for
this rice was in the month of September. The harvesters paddled
tiieir canoes along the streams and shook or beat the grain into
a bark receptacle. To clear the rice of chaff it was put to dry
upon a sort of lattice work al)ove a small fire, where it was kejDt
for several days. Wlien it was thoroughly dry, it was placed in
a leather bag and tramped until the chaff was freed from the
grain, when it was easily winnowed. The rice was then pounded
into meal and made into a kind of bread, or it was boiled in water
and seasoned with grease. They were also skillful fishermen and
hunters. The French called them Folles Avoines.

One of their traditions points to an emigration from the East
at some remote period in the past, but their first habitat known to
white men was on the Bay de Noque and along the IMenominee
River. Those living on the bay were called by the French the

38 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Noquet Indians. According to the Jesuit Relations, the tribe was
first visited by Mcolet in 1634, when he found the main bod)
living near the mouth of the Menominee River. He sent some
young Winnebago Indians in advance to notify them of his com-
ing, and on his arrival he wore "a robe of Chinese damask and
carried thunder in his hands." The thunder was a pair of pistols
and when they were discharged the women and children fled in
terror. At one of their feasts mentioned by Nicolet over four
thousand peoj^le were present and 120 beavers were eaten. The
Relations of 1671 tell of the Menominee having been driven from
their country, "the lands of the south next to Michilimackinac,"
when they went to the country about the shores of Green Bay.
This statement is no doubt based upon the report of Father Claude
Allouez, a Jesuit missionary, who visited the tribe in May, 1670,
and found it a "feeble one, almost exterminated by war." Allouez
remained with them but a short time and was succeeded by Father
Louis Andre, who built a cabin on the Menominee River and took
up his residence. His work was evidently fruitful, for when
Father Marquette visited the tribe in 1673 he "found many good
Christians among them."

The principal gentes of the tribe were those that liore the
totems of the Bear, Eagle, Crane, Wolf and Moose. When the
French post, at what is now the City of Green Bay, was surren-
dered to the British in the fall of 1761, the Menominee claimed the
land upon which the fort stood and for a time it looked as though
they were going to make trouble for the English. But when they
found out that they could purchase supplies from them at nuich
lower prices than they had been accustomed to pay the French,
they became reconciled and remained friends of the British, fight-
ing with them against the American colonists in the Revolution-
ary war. They also fought against the United States in the War
of 1812. In July, 1816, a force of United States troops arrived
at Green Bay to take possession of the country and the connnander
asked the head chief of the tribe for permission to build a fort.
To this request the chief replied as follows:

"My brother, how can we oppose your locating a council fire
among usi Even if we wanted to oppose you we have scarcely
got powder and l)all to make the attempt. One favor we ask is
that our French Ijrothers shall not be disturbed. You can choose
any place you please for your fort and we shall not object."

HISTORY OP' RACINE COUNTY 39

The commander was diplomatic enough to make a reply that
won the confidence of the chief and the friendship thus commenced
was ureatly strengthened l)y the treaty of peace concluded on
^larcli 3U, 1817, in which the Government recognized the JVIenom-
inee title to the lands occupied by them and established boundaries
between them and the adjacent tribes. The friendship was still
further strengthened when the British failed to make their annual
contribution of cloth, copper kettles, utensils, etc. After that the
Menominee were known as "American" Indians instead of "Brit-
ish" Indians. As late as 1831 this tribe claimed "all the land from
the mouth of the Milwaukee River to the mouth of the Green Bay,
and on the west side of Green Bay from the height of land between
it and Lake Superior, to the headwaters of the Fox and Menom-
inee Rivers." Although they made no claim to the lands south of
the Milwaukee River, there is abundant evidence that the Menom-
inee hunted there at times and there is no question that they fre-
quently visited the country now included in Racine County.

THE SAC

These Indians, also called the Sauk or Saukies, were known
as "the people of the outlet," or "people of the yellow earth."
They belonged to the Algonquian family and according to their
traditions were once a very powerful people. They are first men-
tioned in history by Father Claude Allouez, who found them in
the lower peninsula of Michigan in 1665. Two years later he
wrote: "They are more savage than any other people I have met,
great in numbers, and appear to have no permanent dwelling
place." In December, 1669, the same missionary visited a Sac
\illage upon the shores of Green Bay, and the following year
found some of them upon the Fox River of Green Bay, "four
leagues from its mouth." From their traditions it is believed that
they once lived east of Detroit, perhaps as far east as the shores
of Lake Ontario, but were driven out of that country by the pow-
erful Iroquois and finally drifted westward to what is now the
State of Wisconsin.

The Sac tribe was divided into fourteen gentes, viz.: Trout,
Sturgeon, Bass, Great Lynx, Sea, Fox, Wolf, Bear, Potato, Elk,
Swan, Grouse, Eagle and Thunder. Marriages between men and
women of the same gens, while not positively prohibited, were
extremely rare. They had numerous feasts and ceremonies, the

40 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

most important of which was probably the initiation into the
"Grand Medicine Society" — a ceremony that is said to have
l)('en a severe test of the courage and fortitnde of the candidate
who underwent the ordeal. After locating- in Wisconsin they
gained something of their former j)restige and again became a
powerful tribe, especially after their alliance with the Fox
Indians.

THE FOX

Evidence, traditionary and otherwise, shows that the Fox
Indians, in the early part of the Seventeenth (Jentury, lived on
the Atlantic coast, in the vicinity of Rhode Island. They were
an Algonquian tribe, the Indian name of Avhich was Mesh-kwa-
ke-hug, which was corrupted into Musquakies, and after their
migration westward they became known as the Outagamie. The
name Fox originated with the French, who called these Indians
Reynors. They called themselves "people of the red earth." Of
all the North American Indians the Fox was the only tribe that
had a coat of arms. It consisted of "an oblique line, representing
a river, with a fox at each end on opposite sides." It was a sym-
bol of victory and after a successful raid was painted on rocks
or carved in the bark of trees as a warning to their enemies. Their
gentes were the Fox, Wolf, Elk, Big Lynx, Buffalo. Swan, Pheas-
ant, Potato, Eagle, Sea, Sturgeon, Bass and Thunder.

Driven westward by the warlike Iroquois and their allies, the
Fox came to Wisconsin and first settled upon the shores of Green
Bay, where Nicolet found some of tliem in 1634. Theii' presence
there was not agreeable to the Menominee and they moved on to
the Fox River. In the spring of 1670 Father Allouez visited their
villages there and on the Wolf Ixivei-, a northern tributary of the
Fox. Concerning these Indians he wi-ote: "The nation is re-
nowned for being numerous, having moi'e than four hundred men
bearing arms. The number of women and children is greater, on
account of polygamy which exists auKmg them — each man hav-
ing connnonly four wives, some of them six, and others as high
as ten."

Ill 1712 a large number of the Fox warriors took part in the
attack on the French i)ost at Detroit, but were defeated with
heavy loss. The remnant of the war party returned to the Fox
River and a few years later the Dutch and English traders oper-
ating in Wisconsin and Noi^thern Michigan formed an alliance

HISTORY OF RACINE COrXTY 41

with them for the purpose of driving out the French. As a
defensive measure the French traders enlisted the aid of the
Ottawa. Potawatomi, Huron and some minor tribes. Again the
T-'oxes were defeated and sought a refuge among the Sacs. A
French officer named De Villiers, with a force of French soldiers
and Indian allies, marched to the Sac village and demanded the
surrender of the refugees. The demand was refused and a battle
ensued which lasted for several hours, the Indians finally being
defeated, but the refugees were not surrendered. The Sac and
Fox then formed an alliance and from that time they have been
regarded as one tribe, though their alliance was more in the
nature of a confederacy, each tribe maintaining its identity, even
when one chief ruled over both. Two of the greatest chiefs in
the history of the North American Indians belonged to these
allied tribes. They were Black Hawk and Keokuk, both bora of
Sac parents yet acknowledged chiefs by the Foxes. During the
war of the Revolution the Sacs and Foxes were friendly to the
British. In 1804 they ceded to the United States the last of their
lands in Wisconsin, though they afterward wielded considerable
influence upon the history of the state.

THE OTTAWA

The Ottawa belonged to the Algonquian family and according
to their ti'aditions were originally four or five separate tribes,
which became united for purposes of defense against their ene-
mies. They were known among the other tribes as "the traders,"
because they were always ready to barter anything they possessed
for something that they wanted. In 1615 Champlain met with
this tribe on the shores of the Georgian Bay, where they w^ere
drying huckleberries for their winter food. This is the fii'st men-
tion of them in the white man's history. Father Claude Dablon,
writing of these Indians in 1670, said: "We call these people
the Upper Algonkin, to distinguish them from the Lower Algon-
kin, who are loAver down, in the vicinity of Tadoussac and Quebec.
People commonly give them the name Ottawa, because, of more
than thirty diiferent tribes which are foTmd in these countries,
the first that descended to the French settlements were the
Ottawa, whose name remained afterward attached to all the
others."

From the time this was written until about the beginning of

42 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

the Eighteenth Century, the Ottawa lived with the Huron Indians
about Detroit. The.y then moved up to Saginaw, where they
formed an alliance with the Potawatomi and gradually moved
westward until they reached the western shore of Lake Michigan.
In the French and Indian war the Ottawa, Potawatomi and Me-
nominee all fought on the side of the French and rendered con-
spicuous service in the battle of the Monongahela, in which the
British General Braddock was so ingloriously defeated. After
the treaty of 1763, which concluded that war, the French troops
moved f»ut of the country about the Great Lakes and the British
came in. This increased the dissatisfaction of the Indians and the
Ottawa chief, Pontiac, planned the general uprising against the
British posts. Certain chiefs of the Ottawa, Chippewa and Pota-
watomi were to collect their warriors where the City of Milwau-
kee now stands and lead them against the whites. But the
Menominee refused to enter into the conspiracy and their chief
warned the British, for which service he was awarded a medal.
Some of the Ottawa and Potawatomi warriors living in what is
now Pacine Coimty were enlisted in this movement.

THE POTAWATOMI

The name of this once powerfid Algonquian tribe is spelled
in vai'ious ways, but the form adopted in this work is that used
by the United States J^ureau of Ethnolog}\ They were known
as "the people of the place of fire," or the "Nation of Fire."
Their traditions claim that the Potawatomi, Ottawa and Chippewa
were originall_y one people, living north of the Great Lakes; that
they separated at Mackinaw, though they remained friendly to
each other and afterward formed a sort of loose confederacy for
their mutual protection against their enemies. As early as 1667
Fatlici' Allouez found some three hundred of them at Chaquame-
goii Bay, and three years later he encountered another band ab(mt
the mouth of the (Jreen Bay. After the Revolutionary war some
of them moved down into the Miami country and established sev-
eral villages along the Wabash River, in what is now the State
of Indiana.

i\Ir)i'gan, of the Bureau of Ethnology, divides the tribe into
the following gentes: Wolf, Bear, Beaver, Elk,i Loon, Eagle,
Sturgeon, Carp, Bald Eagle, Thunder, Rabbit, Crow, Fox, Turkey
and Blackhawk.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 43

During the Revolution the Potawatomi fought on the side
of the British. Their chiefs signed the treaty of peace concluded
at Greenville, Ohio, on August 3, 1795, but they afterward violated
the treaty ajid fought against the United States in the War of
]812. A portion of this tribe once inhabited the region now in-
cluded in Racine County.

THE WINNEBAGO

The Winnebago belonged to the Siouan family and was inti-
mately related to the Iowa, Otoe and Missouri tribes. When
Nicolet visited the country about the Green Bay in 1634, he
found some of them along the shores, where they informed him
they had always dwelt. Although a Siouan tribe, the Winnebago
generally kept on friendly terms with the neighboring Algonquian
nations and on several occasions formed alliances with them for
offensive or defensive operations against their common enemies.
The name "Winnebago" first appears in the Jesuit Relations for
the year 1640, where they are referred to as a tribe calling them-
selves "the people of the parent speech." At that time the main
body of the tribe was living about the Green Bay. From there
they removed northwai'd to the shores of Lake Superior, but
returned to their old habitat on the shores of the Green Bay about
the middle of the century. Jonathan Carver, in 1778, foiuid a
large body of them dwelling along the west side of Lake Winne-
bago, where ten years later one of their principal villages was
located. From Lake Winnebago they moved southwest to the
.Mississi])pi River and formed a friendly alliance with the Sacs
and Foxes.

Dorsey says the tribe was divided into two phratries — one
known as the "Upper Air," and the other as "The Eai-th." The
former was divided into four gentes called Thunderbird, War
People, Eagle and Pigeon, and the latter into the gentes of the
Bear, Wolf, Water-Spirit, Deer, Elk, Fish and Snake. Men of
the upper air phratry generally married women of the earth
phratry, and vice versa. There was no tribal law or established
rule to that effect, but it was the prevailing custom. Their prin-
cipal ceremonials were the Medicine Dance, which was celebrated
in the sinnmcr, and the Big Feast in winter.

Although the Sac, Fox and Wiimebago tribes never inhabited
that i)art of the state in which Racine County is situated, their

44 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

history has ])(H'ii ,<>iveii because they played a conspicuous part
in the events which k'd to tlie negotiation of the treaties by which
the Indian titk' to the hinds in that region was extinguished and
the country turned over to tlie white men. During the Black
Hawk war of 1832, the last battle of which was fought upon
Wisconsin soil, the Winnebago secretly aided the war party of
the Sacs and Foxes led by Chief Black Hawk. After the war the
United States forced the Winnebago to cede all the lands claimed
by them on the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers and remove to the tract
known as the "Neutral Groixnd," in what is now the State of Iowa.
The remnant of this great tribe is now living on a reservation in
Eastern Nebraska.

INDIAN TREATIES

During the colonial period numerous treaties were made with
the Indians by the French and Bi-itish authorities, but they Avere
merely treaties of friendship or alliance. The English claimed
the land by "right of discovery" and did not recognize the neces-
city of purchasing it from the occupants. The French were inter-
ested chiefly in the fur trade and cared nothing for the land. It
therefore remained for the United States to inaugurate the sys-
tem of treaties by which the Indians gave up their lands and
ren K ivcd t( » another part of the country. Article IX of the Articles
of Confederation provided: "The United States, in Congress
assembled, have tlic sole and exclusive right and power of regu-
lating the trade and managing all affairs with the Indians not
members of any of the states; provided, that the legislative right
of any state, within its own limits, be not infringed or violated."

The Federal Constitution, which superseded the Articles of
Confederation, conferred on Congress the same power, and on
March 1, 1793, President Washington approved "An act to regu-
late ti-ade and intercom-se with the Indian tribes." Section 8
of this act provided:

"That no })urchase or grant of lands, or any title or claim
thereto, from any Indians or nation or tribe of Indians, within
the bounds of the United States, shall be of any validity, in law
or equity, unless the same l)e made by a treaty oi- convention
entered into ])ursuant to the constitution."

On the last day of April, 1803, Robert R. Livingston and
James Monroe, ambassadors of the United States, concluded the
Treaty of Paris, 1)y which th(> French Province of Louisiana be-

HISTORY OF RAOl.NI-: ("OINTY 45

came the pr()])L'rty of tlie United States. Article VI of that treaty
pledged the Federal Government "to execute such treaties and
articles as may have been agreed between Spain and the tribes
and nations of Indians, until, by mutual consent of the United
States and the said tribes or nations, other suitable articles shall
have been agreed upon."

By an act of Congress, approved by President Jefferson on
March 26, 1804, Louisiana was divided into two territories. Sec-
tion 15 of that act reads as follows: "The President of the United
States is here))y authorized to stipulate with any Indian tribes
owning lands on the east side of the Mississippi Kiver and resid-
ing thereon, foi' an exchange of lands, the property of the United
States, on the west side of the Mississii)pi, in case the said tribe
shall remove and settle thereon, but in such stipidation, the said
tribes shall acknowledge themselves to be under the protection
of the United States, and shall agree that they will not hold any
treaty with any foreign power, individual state, or with the indi-
viduals of any state or power."

This law took effect on October 1, 1804, and under it and
subsequent supplementary acts all the treaties of cession aff(!ct-
ing the Indian title to lands east of the Mississippi have been
negotiated. The first cession of lands within the present State
of Wisconsin was made by the ChippcAva, Ottawa and Potawatomi
Indians in a treaty made at Prairie du Chien on July 29, 1829,
when those tribes relinquished all their claims to a tract in the
southwest comer of the state, extending back from the ^Mississippi
River thirty miles. Prairie du Cliien is in the northwest corner
of this cession.

Two days later, at the same place, the Winne])ago ceded a
tract inunediately east of the above. Of this tract the Wisconsin
River formed the northern boundary. The eastern boundary was
described as a line from the portage between the Fox and Wis-
consin Rivers to the headwatei-s of Sugai- (^reek and down that
stream to the Illinois line.

Mention has been made oi' tli<' treaty foi-ced upon the Win-
nebago at the close of the Black I lawk war. 'i'liat treaty was
concluded at l^'ort Armstrong (Rock Island), Illinois, September
1"), 18.32, when the tribe ceded all lands claimed by it within the
following boundaries: "Beginning at the mouth of the Pee-kee-
tol-a-ka River; thence up Rock River to its source; thence with

46 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

a line dividing the Winnebago Nation from other Indians east of
the Winnebago Lake to the Grand Chute; thence up the Fox
River to the Winnebago Lake and with the northwestern shore
of said lake to the inlet of the Fox River; thence up said river
to Lake Puck-a-way and with the eastern shore of the same to
the most southeasterly bend; thence wath the line of a purchase
made of the Winnebago Nation by the treaty at Prairie du Chien
(»n August 1, 1829, to the place of beginning."

The eastern boundary of this cession passes through or near
the present cities of Janesville, Jefferson, Juneau, Fond du Lac
and Oshkosh. From Winnebago Lake the boundary is a devious
line to near Portage and the western boiuidary runs west of the
City of Madison. By the negotiation of this treaty the southeast-
ern part of the state was left in the hands of the Lidians and
steps were soon afterward taken to extinguish their title. The
chiefs of the Chippewa, Ottawa and Potawatomi confederacy,
which claimed the lands in question, were invited to Chicago,
where a treaty was concluded on September 26, 1833, by which
those tribes ceded to the United States "all their land along the
western shore of Lake Michigan and between this lake and the
land ceded to the United States by the Winnebago Nation at the
treaty of Fort Armstrong, made on September 15, 1832; 1)ounded
on the north by the country lately coded by the Menominee tribe
of Indians, and on the south by the country ceded at the treaty
of Prairie du Chien, made on July 29, 1829, supposed to contain
about five million acres."

In return for these lands the confederated tribes were to
receive a reservation of equal extent west of the IMississijipi River,
but were given permission to retain possession of their old hunt-
ing grounds for three years, or until they were needed for white
occupation. They requested the Government to place them where
they could be together, as they had been in the i)ast, but the
request was not granted, the Ottawa and Potawatomi being given
reservations in Kansas and the (liippewa in Northern Minnesota.
The tract ceded extended from the Illinois line to the Milwaukee
River, and from Lake Michigan to the boundary of the Winnebago
cession of the preceding year. It included the present Counties
of Kenosha, Racine and Walwoi'th, and parts of Milwaukee, Wau-
kesha, Rock and Jefferson.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY * 47

INDIAN TRAILS

Within the limits of Racine County there were at least five
well defined Indian trails when the first settlers came to this part
of Wisconsin. The most important was doubtless the one leading
from riiicago to the Milwaukee Rivei'. This trail passed up the
west bank of the Desplaines Kiver and the west bank of the South
Fork of the Root River, through Kenosha County and the present
Towns of Yorkville and Raymond, in Racine County. It was
used by both the Indians and the white traders and early settlers.

Another trail ran from the lake shore near the present City
of Racine, via Skunk Grove, in Mount Pleasant Township, to
Waukesha Springs. It crossed the Root River near the old Vil-
lage of Thompsonville, not far from where Claque's bridge was
afterward built, through the present Town of Norway, and crossed
the western boundary of Racine Count_y near the northwest
corner.

A third trail ran from about where the City of Racine now
stands to the Fox River and from there to the Rock River. It
passed near the present Village of Rochester and followed closely
the line upon which the Racine and JanesAdlle plank road was
afterward built.

The fourth trail started at the Fox River near Burlington and
ran northward, via Rochester and Watei-ford, to Big Bend, in
what is now Waukesha Comity. A branch left this trail near
the Village of Rochester, passed by Indian Hill and along the
west shore of Wind Lake to the mouth of the Milwaukee River.

The fifth trail might be considered a "main traveled road,"
as it connected the Indians of Green Bay with those living near
the head of Lake Michigan, following the shore of Lake Michigan.
The Chicago & Ncjrthwestern Railroad follo\^•s the line of this
trail from Chicago to Milwaukee. In some places traces of these
old trails may still be seen.

With the conclusion of the treaty of 1833, what is now South-
eastern Wisconsin became the domain of the white man. The
lands once used as hunting gro.unds by the Ottawa and Potawat-
omi are now cultivated fields. The whistle of the locomotive has
supplanted the war-whoop of the painted savage, and the Indian
trail has become an improved highway. Great steamers pass
back and forth iipon the waters of Lake Michigan, where once
the Indian paddled his bark canoe. The howl of the wolf has

48 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

given way to the lowing of kiue and the hum of peaceful industry.
The primeval forest has disappeared and the giant trees have
been manufactured into lumber to build homes for civilized man,
or into furnitiu'c for his comfort. Where once stood the totem
pole the ehiu'ch spire now points toward the skies; the school
house, has taken the place of the tepee; halls of legislation have
superseded the ti'ibal council, and in the place of the Indian vil-
lages have been built cities with paved streets, electric lights,
public libraries, street railways, and all the evidences of modern
progress. And all this has been accomplished within a period
of four score and two years. To tell the story of this progress
is the province of the sul)sequent chapters of this history.

CHAPTER III
THE PERIOD OF PREPARATION

Tlio people of Raciiie County today enjoy all the comforts
and many of the hixuries of modern civilization and development.
Surrounded by all these evidences of progress, do they pause to
consider the lony', tedious process of evohition l)y which they were
obtained '? The old sayinu; "Rome was not built in a day," applies
with equal a]ipi'(>])riateness to every city, every i^olitical division
or subdivision, in the civilized countries of the world. Long before
Racine County was ever dreamed of, the discovery of America
by Christopher Columbus formed the first link in a chain of events
that led to the establishment of the Republic of the Utiited States .
and the division of the central part of North America into states
and counties. It is, therefore, deemed advisable to give a brief
account of these events, in order that the reader may form some
idea of the maiinci- in which the State of Wisconsin and Racine
County came into being.

In 1498, the year after Columbus made his first voyage to
America, the Pope granted to the King and Queen of Spain "all
countries inhabited by infidels." At that time the extent of the
continent of North America was unknown to Europeans, but the
inhabitants were regarded as "infidels," and in a vague way this
papal grant included the present State of Wisconsin.

It was not long until other European nations began to con-
test with Spain the ownership and possession of the newly dis-
covered continent. Hemy VII of England, in 1496, granted to
John Cabot, an Italian, and his two sons authority to fit out an
expedition at their own expense "to search for islands or regions
inhabited by infidels and hitherto unknown to Christendom; to
take possession in the name of the King of England; to enjoy for

50 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

themselves, their heirs and assigns, forever, the sole right of
trading- thither; and to pay to the King of England one-fifth of
all the profits of such trade."

On the 24th of June, 1497, the Cabots sighted the Atlantic
coast near the southeastornmost point of Labrador, and were the
first to discover the mainland of the continent. During the next
two years they explored the coast as far south as Cape Hatteras
and made discoveries upon which England, at the close of the
Fifteenth Century, claimed all the central portion of North
America.

Farther northward the French, through the discoveries of
Jacques Cartier in 1534-35, laid claim to the Valley of the St.
Lawrence River and the region about the Great Lakes, from
which they subsequently pushed their explorations westward
toward the headwaters of the Mississippi River and southward
into the Valley of the Ohio.

No settlements were founded by any of these nations for
many years. Spain undertook to strengthen her claims, under
the grant of the Po])e, by sending Ilornando do Soto into the
interior to ascertain and report the character of the country. He
left Havana in May, 1539, and arrived at Tampa Bay a few days
later. From that point he marched north, then west, and, after
fighting several engagements with hostile tribes of Indians, dis-
covered the Mississippi River, not far from the present City of
Memphis, Tennessee. Moving westward, he reached the vicinity
of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and followed the course of the Arkan-
sas River down to the Mississippi, where he died and was buried
in the great stream he had discovered. The remnant of his band
finally reached the coast and ultimately retvu'ned to the Island
of Cuba. About 1565 a small Spanish colony was planted at
St. Aiigustine, Florida.

In 1604 Samuel Champlain assisted in bringing out a munber
of cohmists from France and tried to estal)lish a settlement on
Dochet Island. After many hardships they moved to Nova Scotia
and settled w here Anna]iolis now stands, but their settlement was
broken up by the British in 1G13. The oldest permanent settle-
ment in Canada is Quebec, which was founded by Champlain
in 1608.

Early in the Seventeenth Century, two companies known as
the London and Plymouth Companies were chartered by the Eng-

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 51

lish crown and authorized to establish settlements in America.
The former planted the English colony at Jamestown, Virginia,
the year before Quebec w^as founded by Champlain, and the latter
was expected to occupy the country farther to the north. When
the London Company was granted a specific tract of land by a
new charter, dated May 23, 1609, the Plymouth Company asked
for a similar charter and received what is known as the "Great
Patent," granting to that company "the whole of North America
from the fortieth to the forty-eighth degrees of north latitude,
excepting, however, all places possessed 1)y any other Christian
prince or people." This "Great Patent" included all the present
State of Wisconsin, though no attempt was made to establish
settlements in the region by its possessors.

THE JESUITS

As early as 1611 Jesuit missionaries from Quebec and the
other French settlements in Canada were among the Indian tribes
along the shores of the Great Lakes, but it was not until 1634
that the first white man set foot upon any portion of the territory
now comjirising the State of Wisconsin. In that year Jean Nic-
olet, who had been in Canada for some sixteen years, was sent
as a delegate to the Winnebago Indians, who were then at war
with the ITurons, to negotiate a peace between the tribes, a mis-
sion in which he was successful. One account of Nicolet says he
passed up the Green Bay and the Fox River, crossed the portage
and descended the Wisconsin River, "until within three days of
the Mississippi."

Nearly a quarter of a century passed after Nicolet's visit
Ijefore the next white men came to Wisconsin. In the fall of
1658 two fur traders penetrated to the southern shore of Lake
Superior, where they spent the winter, trapping and trading with
the natives. They remained in the country until the summer of
1660, when they returned to Quebec with sixty canoes laden with
furs and accompanied by about three hundred Indians. This
was the beginning of the great fur trade of the Northwest, though
it was several years later before any further explorations were
made in that direction.

In 1665 Father Claude Alhniez, one of the most zealous of
the Jesuit missionaries, went among the tribes of Northern Wis-
consin and established a mission. He erected a small chapel —

52 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

the first strueturc of any kind ever l)uilt by civilized man in
Wisconsin. On Oct()l)er 1, 1665, he held a council with repre-
sentatives of the leading Indian tribes of the Northwest at the
Chippewa village, near where the City of Ashland now stands.
At this council were chiefs of the Chippewa, Sioux, Sac, Fox,
Potawatonii, Ottawa and Illini. Allouez promised the Indians
the protection of the great French father and thus opened the
way for a profitable trade. At the council some of the Sioux and
Illini chiefs told the missionary of a great river farther to the
westward, "called by them the Me-sa-sip-pi, which they said no
white man had yet seen (they knew nothing of De Soto's expe-
dition), and along which fur-bearing animals abounded."

At La Pointe, in what is now Ashland County, Wisconsin.
Allouez established the mission of the Holy Ghost, and in 1668
he and another missionary, Father Claude Dablon, founded the
mission of St. Mary, the oldest white settlement within the present
State of Michigan. The reports carried back to Quebec by Nicolet
and the missionaries led the French authorities in Canada to send
Nicholas Perrot as the acci-edited agent of the Government to
arrange for a grand council with the Indians. The council was
held at St. Mary's in May, 1671, and before the close of that year
Father .lac(|ues Marquette, another Jesuit missionary, foinided
the mission among the Huron Indians at Point St. Ignace. For
many years this mission was regarded as the key to the great
unexplored West.

MARQUETTE AND JOLIET

Father Marquette was born at Laon, France, in 1637, and at
the age of seventeen years entered the Jesuit Order. In 1666
he was sent as a missionary to Canada and two years later estab-
lished the mission at Sault Ste. Marie. Soon after coming among
the Indians about the Great Lakes, he heard of the great river
and was filled with a desire to discover it, but was deterred from
doing so until after Perrot 's council, which resulted in establish-
ing friendly relations between the French and Indians. In the
spring of 1673 he received autlioi'ity fr()m the Canadian officials
to make the attempt, and Tjouis Joliet was a])pointed by the
French governor to accom])any him.

.loliet was born at Quebec in 1645 and was educated for the
priesthood, I)ut became a fur trader. He joined Marquette at

HISTORY OF RACINE COIXTY 53

Micliilimackinac, where they began making preparations for their
voyage. It is said that friendly Indians there tried to dissuade
them from the inidertaking by telling them that the Indians along
the great river were vindictive and cruel, and that the river itself
was the abode of mighty monsters that could easily swallow both
canoes and men. If these stories had any effect upon the two
intrepid Frenchmen it was only to make them more detennined,
and on ]\Iay 1.3, 167.3, accompanied by five voyageurs, or boatmen,
in two large canoes, they left Michilimackinac. Passing up the
Green Bay to the mouth of the Fox Eiver, they ascended that
stream to the portage, crossed over to the Wisconsin River, floated
down that stream and on June 17, 1673, drifted out upon the
lu'oad bosom of the ^Mississippi — the first white men ever to cross
the State of Wisconsin.

Turning their canoes southward, they descended the Missis-
sippi, carefully noting the landmarks as they passed along, until
they reached the mouth of the Arkansas River. Here they met
with some Indians whose language they could not understand,
and, knowing that they were approaching the territory claimed
by the Spaniards, they decided to return to Canada. Upon arriv-
ing at the mouth of the Illinois River on the return voyage, they
passed up that stream, crossed the portage, and reached Lake
Michigan near the present City of Chicago. Following the west
shore of the lake, they arrived at an Indian village on the shore
of Grreen Bay late in September, having traveled over two thou-
sand five hundi-ed miles in their frail canoes. On their voyage
down the lake shore they passed near the present City of Racine,
and who knows but they may have landed somewhere in what
is now Racine County? Father Marquette remained at Green
Bay, while Joliet went on to Quebec to make a report of their
discoveries to the authorities.

In 1674 Father Marquette again passed up the west shore of
Lake Michigan — this time with ten canoes — for the purpose of
founding a mission among the Illinois Indians. The following
year he. started to return to his mission at Point St. Ignace, but
fell ill and died before reaching Michilimackinac.

LA SALLE

Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, was bom in France
in 1643. the son of a wealthv merchant of Rouen, but bv becoming

54 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

a Jesuit novice he forfeited the right to inherit his father's for-
tune. In 1667 he came to Canada and was granted a large tract
of land on the St. Lawrence River, about eight or nine miles above
Montreal. From stories told by the Indians he learned of the
Ohio River and in 1669 descended that river to about where the
City of Louisville now stands. Two years later, acting under
authority of the French Canadian officials, he led an expedition
to discover the Mississippi, but it ended in failure. He then went
to France and in 1678 Louis XIV, then King of France, gave him
a patent "to explore the western part of New France." Accom-
panied by Henri de Tonti and twenty men, he passed up the east
shore of Lake Michigan in 1679, built Fort Miami at the mouth
of the St. Joseph River, ascended the St. Joseph as far as he
could, crossed over to the Kankakee and went down that river
to the Illinois. Near the present City of Peoria, Illinois, he built
a fort (Fort Creveeoeur), where he left Tonti and a few men and
returned to Canada. On his return voyage he passed down the
west shore of the lake and doubtless saw the country now included
in Racine County, though there is no account of a landing in
Wisconsin. One of the twenty men with La Salle on this voyage
of exploration was the friar, Louis Hennepin, who ascended the
Mississippi from the mouth of the Illinois to St. Anthony's Falls,
and was no doubt the first white man to explore the western shore
of Wisconsin. On his return he passed up the Wisconsin River
and down the Fox, fianlly arriving at Green Bay.

In May, 1681, La Salle and Tonti met at Michilimackinac for
another voyage to the Mississippi. This time La Salle's efforts
were crowned with success. On February 6, 1682, the expedition
reached the mouth of the Illinois and began the descent of the
great river. On the 6th of Apiil it arrived at the head of the
delta, where the river divided into three branches. Dividing his
men into three parties. La Salle sent one down each of the arms
of the river and all reached the Gulf. They then returned to the
head of the delta, where La Salle, on April 9, 1682, took formal
possession of "all the territory drained by the Mississippi and
its tributaries" in the name of France, giving the country the
name of Louisiana, in honor of the French king. Under this claim
all that part of Wisconsin drained by tributaries of the great
Father of Waters became a French possession.

HISTORY OF R.ACL\E COUXTY 55

OTHER EARLY FRENCH EXPLORERS

France, through an agent, Daumont de St. Lusson, had taken
fdniial possession of the country about the upper Great Lakes in
1671. After the discovery of the mouth of the ^lississippi by
La Salle, de St. Lusson 's claim was considered somewhat indefi-
nite, and in the spring of 1689 Nicholas Perrot, acting under
authority of the Canadian governor, was sent to the Upper Mis-
sissippi Valley to lay clain) to that part of the great valley. On
April 8, 1689, he reported that he had followed instructions and
had built a fort and trading post on a river, to which he gave the
name of St. Nicholas. To extend the dominion of New France
"over places more remote," Jean Francois de St. Cosme was sent
up the west shore of Lake ^Michigan in 1699, and a year later
Le Sueur yjassed up the Mississippi seeking some lead mines,
which Indian traditions said existed somewhere along the river,
but it was not until many years later that the mines were discov-
ered by white men. Thus matters stood at the close of the Sev-
enteenth Century.

CONFLICT OF CLAIMS

During the Seventeenth Century the frontier of civilization
was pushed gradually westward. The Hudson's Bay Company,
which Avas chartered by the English Government on May 2, 1670,
sent its trappers, traders and agents into all parts of the coun-
try about the Great Lakes, in spite of the French claim to the
territory. In 1712 the French Goverimiont granted to Antoine
Crozat, a wealthy merchant of Paris, a charter giving him ex-
clusive control of the trade with Louisiana. He sent his agents
to America to open up the trade, but found the Spanish ports
on the Gulf of Mexico closed to his vessels, because Spain, while
recognizing the claim of France to the Territory of Louisiana,
was jeahnis of French ambitions.

Following the usage of nations, Spain, France and England
all claimed certain lands in America "by right of discovery."
As no definite boundaries could be determined, it is not surprising
that in course of time a controversy arose among these three great
European powers as to the extent of their domain. At the end
of five years, Crozat, unable to overcome the Spanish opposition
in a way to render his trade profitable, surrendered his charter.
He was succeeded by John Law, who organized the Mississippi

56 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Company, which collapsed in 1720. It has become known in his-
tory as the "Mississippi Bubble." On April 10, 1732, he surren-
dered his charter and Louisiana a.t;ain l^ecame a crown province
of France.

In the meantime the English traders had been extending
their operations into French territoiy. In 1712, the same year
Crozat received his charter, the English incited the Fox Indians
to hostilities against the French. The first open rupture l)etween
France and Enoland did not come, however, until in 1753, when
the former nation began building a line of forts from the (Ireat
Lakes to the Ohio River to prevent the English from extending
their posts and settlements west of the Allegheny IVIountains.
The territory ui:)on which most of these forts wei'e Iniilt was
(daimed by Virginia. Governor Dinwiddle of that colony sent
Oeorge Washington, then just turned twenty-one, to demand of
the French commandant an explanation for this invasi(m of Eng-
lish domain while the nations were at peace. The reply was inso-
lent, according to the British point of view, and the following
year Washington, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, was sent
with a detachment of troops into the disputed territory.

FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR

Washingtcm's instructions were "to comj)lete the fort already
connnenced by the Ohio Company at the forks of the Ohio, and
to capture, kill or drive out all who attempted to interfere with
the English posts." This aroused the indignation of France and
in May, 1756, that nation formally declai-ed war against Oreat
Britain. The confiict which followed is known in European his-
tory as the "Seven Years' War," but in this country it is univer-
sally referred to as the "French and Indian War." For seven
years the American colonies of both nations and the Indian tribes
were kept in a state of turmoil, and during that jK'riod but little
progress was made toward the development of the country.

The war was concluded by the preliminary Treaty of Fon-
tainebleau, November 3, 1762, in which France agreed to cede to
Great Britain "all that ])art of the Province of Louisiana lying
east of the Mississippi River, except the City of New Orleans and
the island upon which it is situated." This treaty was ratified
by the Treaty of Paris on February 10, 1763, at which time it was
announced that, by an agreement previously made in secret, that

HISTORY OP' RACINE COUNTY 57

portion of Louisiana lying west of the Mississippi was ceded to
Spain. Thus the jurisdiction of France, in what is now the United
States, was l)rou,t;ht to an end and Wisconsin became a part of the
British possessions in America.

Many of the Indian tribes, who had been firm friends of the
French, were dissatisfied with the turn of affairs which surren-
dered the tei'ritory to the English. Pontiac, the leading chief of
the Ottawa Nation, formed a conspiracy to drive out the English.
Wily, brave, and a good general, he went cautiously to the chiefs
of other tribes and enlisted their co-operation. The general up-
rising came in June, 1763, but after a short and fierce struggle
Pontiac and his followers were forced to }ield to the superiority
of the white man's anus.

Prior to the French and Indian War, the French had estab-
lished several trading posts in what is now the State of Wiscon-
sin. They were mere stockades, without artillery, mainly for the
protection of the traders, and were not intended for military occu-
pation. One of these posts, where the City of Fort Howard, in
Brown County, is now located, was occupied by the British in
Octol)er, 1761, and a Captain Balfour, with a small detachment
of troops, was left to garrison the place. The post was called by
the British Fort Edward Augustus, but it was abandoned in Jime,
1763, when the garrison learned that the fort at Mackinaw had
been captured by Pontiac.

In 1766 Jonathan Carver, in his journey across Wisconsin
and up the jNIississippi River, noted the ruins of Fort Edward
Augustus in his report. About that time independent English
trappers and traders visited the country about the Great Lakes
and the Upper Mississippi Valley. They operated without the
sanction and support of the English colonial aiithorities and were
not always strictly within the limits of the law in their transac-
tions. This was the beginning of the Northwest Fur Company,
which a few years later contested with the French traders for the
patronage of the Indians of the Northw^est. This company estab-
lished a nmnlier of trading posts about the Great Lakes, a few
of them in what is now Wisconsin.

THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR

Following the French and Indian War, the British occupied
most of the French posts in the territory ceded by the treaty of

58 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

1763 and established some new ones, the most important of which
were at Detroit, Vincennes, Indiana, and Kaskaskia and Cahokia,
Illinois. Then came the American Revolution, which again
changed the map of Central North America. When the people
living in that part of Louisiana that was ceded to Great Britain
by the Treaty of Paris learned what had been done, many of
them refused to acknowledge allegiance to the new government
and removed to the west side of the Mississippi. Shortly after the
beginning of the Revolutionary War a large number of these peo-
ple recrossed the river and allied themselves with the colonists in
their struggle for independence.

A large part of the ceded territory was claimed by the Colony
of Virginia, Avhich was one of the thirteen that rebelled against
British oppression. Early in 1778 the Virginia Legislature au-
thorized General George Rogers Clark to lead an expedition
against the British posts of the Northwest, and voted a smn of
money to defray the expenses. Clark rendezvoused his little
force on an island in the Ohio River near Louisville, from which
he started on his campaign. Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Vincennes
surrendered without serious opposition, and by the reduction of
these posts the western boundary of the United States was fixed
at the Mississippi River by the Treaty of 1783, which ended the
Revolution and established the independence of the American
Republic. The territory now comprising the State of Wisconsin
was therefore added to the domain of the United States through
Clark's conquest of the Northwest.

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY

Although the British did not evacuate the last of their posts
in the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys and aboxit the Great Lakes
until in 1796, Congress induced Virginia and all other claimants
to cede to the United States their rights, such as they were, to the
country north and west of the Ohio River, and in 1787 was passed
the famous ordinance for the establishment of a government "over
the territory of the United States, northwest of the River Ohio."
The boundaries of the Northwest Territory, as defined by this
ordinance, included the i)i'esent States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
JNlichigan and Wisconsin, though provision was made for its divi-
sion into territories or states, "whenever Congress shall deem it
expedient."

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HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 59

General Artliur St. Clair was appointed governor of the
Northwest Territory. On August 15, 1796, after the last of the
British posts was evacuated, the governor issued a proclamation
establishing Wayne County, which included the following terri-
tory: "Beginning at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, where it
flows into Lake Erie; thence up that river for a distance of forty
miles; thence west to the junction of the St. Joseph and St. Mary's
Rivers (where Fort Wayne, Indiana, now stands); thence in a
northwesterly direction to the southernmost point of Lake Michi-
gan; thence northwest to the divide between the streams that flow
intd Lake Michigan and those flowing into the Mississippi, and
northward along said divide to the northern boundary of the ter-
ritory of the United States."

Wayne County, as thus created, included the present Racine
County, as well as all that part of Wisconsin in wdiich the streams
flow toward Lake Michigan. Hence, the first political subdivision
of which Racine County formed a part was "Wayne County,
Northwest Territory," though at that tune there was not a single
white man living within its limits, except the straggling settle-
ment near the head of the Green Bay. South of Wajnie County
was the County of St. Clair, which embraced the greater portions
of the fjresent States of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.

WISCONSIN UNDER VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS

By an act of Congress, which took effect on July 4, 1800, the
Territory of Indiana was created. It included all the present
States of Indiana. Illinois and Wisconsin, nearly all of Michigan,
and a portion of Minnesota. The seat of government was fixed at
Vincennes, f)n the Wabash River, and General William H. Harri-
son was appointed govei-nor. There were now two settlements
in Wisconsin — Green Bay and Prairie du Chien — and the terri-
torial authorities of Indiana appointed a justice of the peace
for each.

On the last day of June, 1805, the Territory of Michigan was
set oif from Indiana by an act of Congress, but its western bound-
ary was defined as "a line drawn from the most southerly bend or
extreme of Lake Michigan through the middle of said lake to
its northern extremity, and thence due north to the northern
boundary of the territory of the United States." The establish-
ment of Michigan Territory did not affect Wisconsin in any way.

60 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

It remained a part of Indiana nntil the Territory of Illinois was
erected hj the act of March 2, 1809.

The new Territory of Illinois included "all that part of the
Territory of Indiana lying- west of the Wabash River and a line
drawn dne north from Post Vincennes to the territorial boundary
between the United States and Canada." By this act of March
2, 1809, Wisconsin became a part of the Territory of Illinois.
When Illinois was admitted into the Union as a state in 1818,
"all the territory of the United States northwest of the River
Ohio, north of the States of Indiana and Illinois, and west of
Lake Michigan," was attached to and made a part of Michigan
Territory. Here was another change in jurisdiction for Wiscon-
sin, which remained a part of Michigan for nearly twenty years.
During this period the first Wisconsin comities wci-e organized.
Soon after the admission of Illinois, Lewis Cass, then governor
of Michigan Territor.y, issued a proclamation establishing three
counties in the newly attached territory — Michilimackinac,
Brown and Crawford. This proclamation was issued on October
26, 1818.

The County of Michilimackinac included all that part of the
present State of Wisconsin north of a line passing through the
head of Little Noquet Bay, extending eastward to Lake Huron
and westward to the Mississippi River. Michilimackinac Avas
named as the comity seat. South of the County of Michilimack-
inac, the remainder of the state was divided into two counties.
Brown County extended from Lake Michigan westward to a north
and south line passing through the middle of the portage between
the Fox River of Green Bay and the Wisconsin River. Green
Bay was designated the county seat. West of Brown and extend-
ing to the Mississippi River was the County of Crawford, with
Prairie du Chien as the county seat. By this proclamation of
Governor Cass, the territory now embraced in Racine County
formed a ])art of Brown County.

The new counties were organized, officers being appointed by
Governor Cass, county courts were established, consisting of one
chief and two associate justices, any one of whom might hear
and decide cases in the absence of the other two. This was the
beginning of civil government in Wisconsin.

The Black Hawk War of 1832 culminated in a treaty by which
the Sac and Fox Indians ceded to the United States a large tract

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 61

of land in what is now tho State of Iowa, where no eivil govern-
ment existed. Ou June 28, 1834, President Andrew Jackson
approved an act of Congress extending the jurisdiction of Michi-
gan over a large expanse of country west of the Mississippi, from
the northern bomidary of Missouri on the south to the line divid-
ing the United States from the British i)ossessions on the north,
and extending westward to the Missouri River. Two counties
west of the Mississippi — Dubuque and Des Moines — were cre-
ated by the ^Michigan Legislature in September, 1834, and about
the same time ^Milwaukee County was set off from Brown and
Iowa County from Crawford. The territory now included in
Racine County formed a part of the County of Milwaukee.

WISCONSIN TERRITORY

About the close of the year 1835, the people living in that
part of ^lichigan Territory lying between Lake Huron and Lake
Michigan started a movement for admission into the Union as a
state. This influenced those living in the country west of Lake
Michigan to consider the question of asking Congress to establish
a new territory. On January 9, 1836, the members of the Michi-
gan Legislatui'e representing the districts west of Lake Michigan
met in a sort of infoi-mal session at Green Bay and prepared a
memorial asking Congi-ess to organize a new territory west of
that lake. The memorial was unanimously adopted and for-
warded to Cf)ngress, where it received jDrompt consideration.

George W. Jones, or "General" Jones, as he was familiarly
known in Michigan, was then the territorial delegate. He was
interested in the development of the country west of Lake Michi-
gan and the Mississi])pi and worked early and late for the erection
of the new teri'itory. The following story has been told of some
of his political tactics to secure the i)assage of the l)ill : John C.
Calhoun, of South Carolina, had freely expressed his opposition
to the measure, and Jones decided to procure the absence of Cal-
houn when the bill was called up for final action. To this end he
cultivated the acquaintance of a lady who was a friend of Mr.
Calhoun and showed her so many attentions and courtesies that
she expressed the hope some opportunity might arise for her to
reciprocate. This was just what the General had been scheming
for and replied: "You can, if you will, do me the greatest favor
in the world." He then explained his territorial bill and the

62 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

opposition of Mr. Calhoun to its becoming a law. "Now," said
he, "this bill will come np on snr-h a day. When I send yon my
card, call out Mr. Calhoun and on some pretext keep him out for
an hour or two." The lady was equal to the emergency. She
called Mr. Calhoun from the house just at the right time and the
bill was passed while he was absent.

On Ajiril 20, 1836, President Jackson affixed his signatiire
to the bill establishing the Territory of "Wisconsin, with the fol-
lowing boundaries: "Commencing at the northeast corner of
the State of Illinois; thence through the middle of Lake Michigan
to a point opposite the main channel of Green Bay; thence through
that chamiel and the bay to a point opposite the mouth of the
Menominee River; thence up that river to its head, which is near-
est the Lake of the Desert; thence to the middle of said lake;
thence doAvn the INIontreal River to its mouth; thence with a direct
line across Lake Superior to where the territorial line of the
L^nited States last touches the lake northwest; thence on the
north, with the territorial line, to the White Earth River; thence
by a line drawn down the middle of the main channel of that
stream to the Missouri River; thence down the middle of the main
channel of the last mentioned stream to the nortliAvest corner of
the State of Missouri; and thence with the boundaries of the
States of Missouri and Illinois, as already fixed by act of Congress,
to the place of beginning."

As thus created, the new territory included all of the present
States of Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota, and a large part of
North and South Dakota, 1)ut the organic act contained the pro-
vision that the territory might be divided into two or more, should
Congress so determine.

On April 30, 1836, Henry Dodge was commissioned governor
of the new territory by President Jackson; John S. Horner, sec-
retary; Charles Dunn, chief justice; William C. Frazer and David
Irwin, associate justices; W. W. Chapman, attorney, and Francis
Cehon, marshal. Pursuant to the pi'ovisions of the organic act,
Governor Dodge ordered a census taken, which showed a joopu-
lation of 22,214, nearly one-half of whom lived west of the Mis-
sissippi River. After the census was taken, the governor appor-
tioned the members of the Territorial Legislature, which con-
sisted of thirteen councilmen and twenty-six representatives.
Milwaukee County (of which Racine was then a part) showed a

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 63

population of 2,893, and to this county were apportioned two
councihnen and three representatives. At the election for mem-
bers of the Legislature on October 30, 1836, Gilbert Knapp and
Alanson Sweet were chosen councilnien, and Charles Durkee,
"William B. Sheldon and ^NFadison W. Cornwall, representatives.
The first session of the Territorial Legislature of Wisconsin was
convened at Belmont on October 25, 1836. During this session
fifteen new counties in the present State of Wisconsin were
created, viz. : Calumet, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green,
Jefferson. Manitowoc, jMai'qiiette, Portage, Racine, Rock, She-
boygan, Walworth and Washington.

WISCONSIN AS A STATE

On August 6, 1846, President Polk approved "An act to
enable the people of Wisconsin Territory to form a constitution
and state government, and for the admission of such state into
the Union." Under the provisions of this act 124 delegates to a
constitutional convention were elected in Sei^tember. Racine
County was represented in the convention by James H. Hall,
Edward G. Ryan, Marshall M. Strong, James B. Carter, Victor
M. Willard, Frederick S. Lovell, Elijah Steele, Chatfield H. Par-
sons, Haynes Finch, Stephen O. Bennett, Daniel Harkin, Chaun-
cey Kellogg and Nathaniel Dickinson. The convention met on
October 5, 1846, and continued in session until December 16, 1846,
but the constitution was rejected by the people.

A second constitutional convention assembled on December
15, 1847, and completed its Avork on February 1, 1848. Racine
County's delegates to this convention were: Theodore Secor, S.
R. ]\[cClellan, James D. Reymert, A. G. Colo, Horace T. Saunders,
Frederick S. Lovell, A. B. Jackson and S. A. Davenport. The con-
stitution was submitted to the people at a special election on the
second Monday of March, 1848, and was adopted by a substantial
majority. In Racine County the vote was 1,363 for the constitu-
tion and 2,474 against it. Under this constitution Wisconsin be-
came one of the sovereign states of the American Union.

RECAPITULATION

To the casual reader, much of the matter in this chapter may
seem irrelevant and not directly affecting the State of Wisconsin
and Racine County. But every event is a cause that produces

64 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

some effect, and the three and a half centuries following the dis-
covery of America present an unbroken chain of such events,
"without any one of which the history of Wisconsin might have
been entirely different. Under the papal grant of 1493, to the
King and Queen of Spain, the territory now comprising the State
of Wisconsin became subject to Sj^anish authority. True, that
authorit}' was never exercised over the region, but had Spain been
as active in the matter of explorations as France, what might
have followed can only be conjectured. By the discoveries of
Marquette and Joliet and La Salle, Wisconsin was subject to
France from April, 1682, to February, 1763. From that tune to
the close of the Revolutionary War, it was a dependency of Great
Britain. It then became the territory of the Uiiited States, and
in 1787 was made part of the Northwest Territory. From 1800
to 1809 it formed a part of the Territory of Indiana. For the next
nine years it was i^avt of the Territorv of Illinois, and in 1818
was made a part of the Michigan Territory, where it remained
until erected into the Territory of Wisconsin in 1836. Twelve
3^ears later it was admitted to statehood. Thus, step by step,
event followed event, until Wisconsin's star was added to the
American constellation of states.

CHAPTER IV

SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTY

THE FIRST WHITE MEN IN RACINE COUNTY — ST. COSME'S ACCOUNT OF
THE ROOT RIVER — JAMBEAU'S TRADING POST — CAPTAIN GILBERT
KNAPP — THE FIRST DWELLING — LIST OF EARLY SETTLERS —
PIONEER LIFE AND CUSTOMS — THE HOUSE-RAISING — THE FURNI-
TURE—SWAPPING WORK — OBTAINING SUPPLIES — PASTIMES —
CHARACTER OF THE PIONEER — THE OLD TRAPPER'S SOLILOQUY.

No doubt the first white men who ever beheld the shores of
what is iioA\- Racine County were Marquette and Joliet and their
five voyageurs, as they returned from their discovery of the Mis-
sissippi River in the late summer or early autunm of 1673. It is
possible that La Salle and his companions saw this part of the
Wisconsin coast in 1679, though no mention of such fact is made
in the Jesuit Relations for that year.

About the middle of September, 1699, Francois Joliet de
Montigny, Jean Francois Buisson de St. Cosme, Antoine Davisson
and Thaumer de la Source, accompanied by a lumiber of voyag-
eurs and guided by Henri de Tonti, left Michilimackinac to seek
a shorter passage to the Mississippi River. In their canoes they
passed up the west shore of Lake Michigan and on the 7th of
October arrived at the Indian village where Milwaukee now
stands. They were told by the Indians that by ascending the
Root River, and then making a portage of some nine leagues to
the Fox River of the Illinois, they could reach the Illinois. On
the 10th they came to the mouth of the Root River, where they
found Francois ^lorgan de Yincennes, a French officer, with a
small detachment of troops and Indian guides, on his way to the
country of the Miami Indians. After a few days the two parties
separated, Yincennes pursuing his journey and the others at-
tempting to ascend the Root River. In a letter written by St.
Cosme, the writer stated that they found the river skirted with
pleasant praries, but so scant of water and filled with obstructions
that they feared the Fox would be equally troublesome and aban-
doned the attempt to reach the Illinois by that route. This letter
is the only account of the expedition, but it is almost certain that
these Frenchmen were the first white persons to set foot upon the
soil of Racine County, though no settlement was formed there
until more than a century and a quarter later.

66 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

JACQUES JAMBEAU

Prior to 1832 the country between Lake Michigan and the
Rock Kivei- contained no white settlers, except here and there a
trading post kept by some half-])reed Frenchman or an agent of
one of the great fur companies. These posts could hardly be called
settlements, as neither the trader nor the fur company which he
might represent owned the land upon which the post was sit-
uated. All he and his few white associates wanted was the priv-
ilege of cultivating a few vegetables, and this privilege the Indians
cheerfully granted, without relinquishing their title. One of these
trading posts was established at Skunk Grove, in the northwest-
ern part of the present Mount Pleasant Township, by a French-
man named Jacques Jambeau. Just when he located there is
not certain, but he was there at the time of the Black Hawk War
in 1832, and may have been there for three or four years before
that time. He married an Indian Avoman (as did many of the fur
traders) and was still located at Skunk Grove when the first
actual white settlers came to the county. His establishment, like
all those trading posts, was not intended as a permanent settle-
ment, though his ca])in and trading house were doTibtless the first
structures of any character erected by civilized man in what is
now Racine Coimty.

CAPTAIN GILBERT KNAPP

On December 3, 1798, there Avas boi-n at Chatham, Massachu-
setts, a boy that was destined to play a conspicuous part in the
early history of Racine County and city. That boy was named
Gilbert Knapp. His parents, John and Sarah (Smith) Knapp,
came from England in the early ])art of the Eighteenth Century
and settled at Horseneck, Connecticut. When the Revolutionary
War broke out, John Knapp entered the Continental army and
remained in the service until the independence of his country was
assured. He was then master of a merchant vessel, which traded
with European ports, and upon retiring from the sea engaged in
the mercantile business at Poughkeepsie, New York.

Gilbert Knapp attended the schools of his native borough
until he was about fourteen years of age, when he shipped as a
sailor before the mast on a vessel commanded by Captain Childs,
an imcle by mari-iage. His first voyage lasted nine months, and
upon his retuin home he found the United States at war with

1. Gilbert Kn;tpp. KouikIlt of Uaciiif. ITDS-KSST.

2. Sarah Millijian. First white woman in Hacine, 1835. 1791-1877.

3. B. B. Gary. First postmaster and first physician. 1801-18C0.

4. M. M. Strong. The first lawyer in Hacine.

1. John Bangs. First Dane in Racine. Preacher.

2. Anthony Hanson. Early Danish settler. Grocer.

3. Frederick Nelson. Danish settler. Killed in Rebellion.

4. Peter C. Lutkin. I'loneer Dane.

1. Catharine Davis. Welsh settler of 1841.

2. Margaret Lewis. Welsh settler of 1841.

3. .lames Pugh. Welsh settler of 1841.

4. Jeanette Pu^'h. Welsh settler of 1841.

HISTORY OF-^ RACINE COUNTY 67

Great Britain. Ho imniodiatoly shippod as master's mate on
board the Leo, eomnuuided by Captain Besonne. The Leo had
been chartered by the United States Government to carry
despatches to France; carried seventeen guns and a crew of 150
men, and was provided with h'tters of marque, which enabled her
to prey upon the enemy's conunerce. To enter the French ports
it was necessary to run the English blockade, and in this young
Knapp found all the excitement that an adventurous lad of fifteen
could desire. He made three successful voyages with the Leo and
was several times engaged with British cruisers and armed mer-
chantmen.

Toward the close of the war, Captain Knapp formed the
acquaintance of some naval officers who had served with the
commodore, Perry, on Lake Erie, and through their influence he
transferred his marine operations to the Great Lakes. In 1818
he went upon a government cutter and for over a .year was em-
ployed in visiting and studying the harbors and tributary rivers
of the lakes. He was then placed in command of the cutter
A. J. Dallas and at the same time was promoted to captain. For
ten months he was stationed at Detroit. At the end of that time
he was sent to break up a smuggling trade in furs that was going
on about Mackinac, in which he was eminently successful. Just
before retiring from the government service in 1828, while on
one of his cruises up the west shore of Lake Michigan, he dropped
aixchor off the mouth of the Root River and went ashore "to take
a look at the country." Then and there he made up his mind to
make a more extended examination, with a view to establishing
a settlement, but the land was still in the hands of the Ladians,
and this fact, with other circumstances, prevented him from car-
rying out his intention until several years later.

Not long after his visit to the mouth of the Root River, Cap-
tain Knapp quit the lakes and went to a small town on the shore
of Lake Erie, in "Western New York, where he engaged in the
forwarding and commission business. "Wlien he learned of the
treaty of September 26, 1833, by which the Lidian tribes clauning
the lands in Southeastern Wisconsin had relinquished their title,
the old desire to fomid a settlement at the mouth of the Root River
was revived. The treaty gave to the Lidians the right to remain
upon the ceded lands for three years, but Captain Knapp con-
cluded that he would rather take his chances in going upon for-

68 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

bidden ground than to lose the coveted site through the activity
of some other claimant. Accordingly, early in the summer of
1834, he sold his interests in the State of New York and went to
Chicago. There he succeeded in interesting Gurdon S. Hubbard
in the i^roject and secured his co-operation. Leaving Chicago on
hoi'seback, with no companion but an Indian guide, he made an
uneventful journey to Jambeau's trading post at Skunk Groye.
There he obtained the services of another guide and spent two
days in examining the shores of the lake and the river, to ascer-
tain the possibility of establishing a harbor.

Returning to Chicago, Captain Knapp made a report to INlr.
Hubbard which was evidently satisfactory, as that gentleman
agreed to bear his share of the expense in locating a claim and
starting a settlement. In November, 1834:, Knapp returned to the
Root River, bringing with him from Chicago the materials for a
ca})in and three men to assist him in liuildmg it. Those men
Avere A. J. and "William Luce and a man named Welch. Soon after
the cabin Avas erected, Knapp left the Luce brothers as his agents
to hold the claim and went back to Chicago. After a consultation
with ^Ir. Hubbard he went to Buffalo, New York, where one of
his friends, Jacob A. Barker, expressed a desire to become a part-
ner in the enterpi'ise. Captain Knapp returned to Chicago and
submitted the proposition to Air. Hubbard. Under date of March
30, 1835, he wrote to Mr. Barker, offering him a one-third interest
for $1,200. The offer was accepted and the three men — Knapp,
Hubbard and Barker — laid claim to the east fractional half of
Section 9 (the government survey had not then been made), con-
taining 140.98 acres, of which seventy-four acres were on the
north side of the river and the remainder on the south side. Upon
this claim the proprietors established the Town of "Port Gil-
bert," the first Avhite settlement in Southeastern Wisconsin.

EARLY SETTLERS ~ •

Rumors of the great fertility i>f the sdil in the new "Indian
Purchase" spread rapidly through the older states and started a
tide of immigration to the Northwest. From New England, from
New York, from the Ohio Valley, came home seekers, singly or
in little l)ands, and before a year from the time Captain Knapp
and his associates built their little cabin at the mouth of the Root
River, there were a hundred or more actual settlers in what is

1. John C. Smith. German. Located in Racine in 1S42.

2. Georf^e Wustum. German settler of 1844.

;i. Barbara Ortner Wu-tum. Wife of George Wustum.

4. John Krantz. Settled here in 1S44.

1. A. Constantine Barry. Came to Racine in 1^46.

2. Achas P. Dutton. Located here in 1841.

3. Elihu D. Filer. Came in the '30^.

4. Rosweli Park. Came to Racine in 1S52. Founder of Racine College.

1. Lucius S. Blake. Settled in Racine in 183o.

2. Eldad Smith. Came to county in 1835.

3. Dr. Elias Smith. Came in 18:i6. First president of village.

4. Reuben M. Norton. Game to Racine in 1842. First Mayor.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 69

iK.w Kaciiic ('(luiity. 'l'(M-(iiii|iilc ;i list of those early settlers, after
a lapse of four score years, Wduld he iiiii»ussil)le. But from vari-
iius sources, such as old tax records, the membership roll of the
Old Rettlei's' Society, etc., a lar^e number of the names of those
who settk'd in the county during the three years immediately
following the advent of Captain Knapp has been collected. It is
not claimed that the list is cdinplctc. but it is believed that it
contains the names of practically all who left their im])ress upon
the county fi-om the time of its first settlement to the time of its
organization.

Settlers of 1835 — Edward Adams, John Adams, Joseph
Adams, Samuel N. Basey, Elam Beardsley, JNIai-tin Beardsley,
James Beeson, Hiram and Hugh Bennett, A. H. Blake, C. H.
Blake, Levi Blake, Lucius S. Blake, Sanford Blake, Isaac and Nel-
son Butlei', Joseph Call, Stephen Campbell, Richard Carpenter,
Alfred and Dr. Bushnell B. Cary, Walter Cooley, Henry F. Cox,
Samuel Daniels, John Davis, Tristam Davis, Harrison Fay, Alan-
son Filer, Eugene Gillespie, E. J. Clenn, Levi Godfrey, Thomas
Green, Thomas Hood, Joel Horner, Samuel Kerr, Joseph Knapp,
Sheridan Kimball, Paul Kingston, Silas Lloyd, Joseph S. Long-
well, Samuel Mars, Levi Mason, Sarah Milligan, Marilla Morse,
Alva, A. (i. and Zadock Newman, D. N. Niblack, F. H. Niius,
B. C. Perce, Andrew, Thomas and William Place, Benjamin Pratt,
Alvin and Elisha Raymond, Joel and Nathaniel Rogt'rs, Daniel
B. Rork, Joel Sage, William Saltonstall, Stephen Sandford, Tim-
othy Sands, A. B. Saxton, William See, Eldad Smith, Dr. Elias
Smith, Lemuel Smith, Moses Smith, Amaziah Stebbins, John B.
Wade, James and Nelson A. Walker, Edmund Weed, William
Whiting, Daniel AMaitmore.

Settlers of 1836 — Benjamin F. Barker, Hiram and Levi
Barnes, J. O. Bartlett, Nelson Bentley, Levi and Rufus Billings,

Edward and Bradley, Orson Bmiip, David Bushnell, George

Bushnell, James Busscy, The Buttles Family, John Brewer, Jo-
seph and Tyler Caldwell, Samuel E. Chapman, William A. Cheney,
Amma Clark, Norman Clark, Archibald Cooper, Nathan H. Dar-
ling, Charles Dewitt, Lewis G. Dole, A. W. Doolittle, Joseph
Drake, Thaddeus Earl, Elisha and Osborne L. Elms, Benjamin
Felch, Charles and Jared Fox, G. W. Gamble, Calvin Gault, James
Graham, William Holmes, Emanuel Horner, Gilman Hoyt, E. R.
Hugenin, Stephen N. Ives, Lorenzo Janes, Orrin Jerome, Nathan

70 HISTORY OF RACIiNE COUNTY

Joy, Albert G. Knight, Saiiniel G. Knight, Timothy Knight, Sam-
uol Lane, Theodore S. Lane, Fordiee Lineohi, Alfred Lockwood,
Alexander Logan, H. D. Morse, Wesley jNInnger, John M. Myers,
Austin, Henry, Philip R. and Wallace Mygatt, James Nelson,
Cyrus and George Nichols, Charles Nobles, Samuel Ormiston,
Hiram Page, John T. Palmer, Newton and Silas Peck, Origeu
Perkins, Rev. Samuel Pillsbury, Seneca Raymond, Abram Res-
sigue, Ira A. Rice, George F. and Henry B. Roberts, John Rogers,
Reuben Rogers, Samuel C. Russ, Sidney A. Sage, Stephen H. Sage,
Daniel Salisbury, Adney Sampson, Eseck B., Luther R. and Wil-
liam Sears, J. Sellers, Charles and Lyman K. Smith, Jonathan M.
Snow, Thomas Spencer, Marshall JNl. Strong, Enoch Thompson,
Paul W. Todd, John T. Trowbridge, Henry and Stewart Trow-
bridge, Caleb J. True, R. M. Walker, Thomas Warner, William
H. Waterman, Arad Wells, Simeon Wliitely, L. O. and Martin
AMiitman, Enoch Woodbridge, Adney and Daniel Wooster, Peter
Wright.

Settlers of 1837 — E. G. Ayer, Orrin Barry, Benjamin and
Philander Bartlett, Robert Beatty, Philo Belden, Robert Bell,
("'orneliiis Bi'ezee, Archibald Brown, Jefferson Brown, William
Brown, Edward Buchan, William Bull, Stephen Bushnell, Dyer
Buskirk, Jacob Bussey, Owen Campbell, Joseph Clark, John
Coggswell, Philander Cole, James, John and J. S. Cooper, William
Crierston, L. R. Darling, William S. Derby, George E. Duncan,
Pi-anklin Emerson, E. D. Filer, Benjamin and Royal Flanders,
David M. Fowler, John Freelove, Horace Frost, T. W. Gault,
J. H. Gipson, Alexander Graj^, Ebenezer Heald, S. F. Heath,
George W. and Tristam C. Hoyt, Roland Ives, John Jones, Austin
Kellogg, Patrick Laughrin, Jason Lothrop, William F. Lyon,
George and Robert McKey, Israel Markham, Louis D. Merrills,
Henry Miller, William O. Mills, James H. Morgan, Ruel Nims,
Isaac G. Northway, Nelson R. Norton, Thomas O 'Sprig, Pliny M.
Perkins, Benjamin and Ransom Reynolds, Lewis Royce, Zach-
ariah Sands, (^harles, George, Dr. John E. and Reynolds Scofield,
James Scott, Alonzo and Annis Sears, Elisha S. Sill, Daniel Slau-
son, David Smith, Alonzo Snow, George Stebbins, Oren Stephens,
O. Van Valen, Samuel C. Vaughan, William Wade, C. E. Waite,
Seth Warner, Frederick A. and Harvey Weage, DaAad Yells,
Sautell and Sela \Vhitman, Victor M. willard.

Many of these men brought their wives and children with

Photo furnished by Billings

STEPHEN BULL
Pioneer of Racine

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 71

them, but they are not includod in the above. In 1840, six years
after the first settlement was made at Port Gilbert, the popula-
tion of Racine County (which then included the present County
of Kenosha) was 3,475. In the chapters on Township History and
City of Racine will be found an account of most of the early set-
tlers, where they located, what they did toward building up the
community, etc.

PIONEER LIFE AND CUSTOMS

Looking back to the fall of 1833, when the United States
commissioners met the Chippewa, Ottawa and Potawatomi chiefs
at Chicago and negotiated the treaty by which Southeastern Wis-
consin was opened to settlement by the white men, it occurs to
the writer that the young people of the present generation might
be interested in knowing how the first settlements were made and
how the pioneers of Racine County lived. Imagine a vast, un-
broken tract of country stretching away westward from Lake
Michigan to the Mississippi River. Here and there were dense
forests from which there "was not a stick of timber amiss," and
between these woodlands were pleasant prairies, untouched by
the plow and never trodden by the foot of civilized man. It was
into this primeval wilderness that the Racine County pioneers

came —

"Not with the roll of stirring drums,
And the trumpet that sings of fame,"

but with brave spirits, axes and rifles, they came to conquer and
subdue the Wisconsin wilds, build roads, open farms, erect
churches and school houses, fomid cities and build up a state that
ranks second to none in the American L^nion.

The first duty incumbent upt)n the settler was to select and
mark the boundaries of his claim. In choosing a location, soil,
timber and natural advantages were the first considerations. If
a tract of land with a good spring upon it could be found, it saved
the time and labor of digging a well. Without chain or compass,
the pioneer measured his lines by counting his steps, guiding his
course by the sun. So many steps on each boundary meant 320
acres, more or less, and as he went along he blazed the trees with
his axe or carved his initials in the bark with his jack-knife.
Where trees were absent he drove stakes bearing his initials and
sometimes the date when the claim was made. Such lines were
often far from correct, but they answered the pui-pose, for the

72 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

sottlci's understood that when the lands were surve.yed all ine-
qualities would be riyhted. If a claimant lost some of his land
on one side by the riuming of the section lines, he was almost cer-
tain to acquire an equal area somewhere else along his boundaries.

After the claim Avas selected, the next thing Avas to provide
sh(>lter for himself and family. Until this was done, they lived
in an inii)rovised cam]) and slept in the covered wagon, perhaps
the only home they had kiiown during their journey from the old
home to the western frontier. The pioneer's home was usually
small in dimensions and without any architectural adornment.
But the style of the home was not ujtpermost in their thoughts —
any kind of shelter that would shield them from the weather was
sufficient. Frequently the first home would be a "cat-faced"
shed, i. e., a small cabin built of poles that the meml)ers of the
family could handle, with the roof slanting in one direction. These
were generally known by the Indian name of "wickiup." Some-
times two or more families would come at the same time. In such
cases one cabin or wickiup would be built, in Avhich all would live
together until each settler could stake out his claim and erect his
owui dwelling. As the population increased and neighbors drew
closer to each other, better log cabins were built. And what an
event was the "house-raising" in a new settlement!

After the settler had cut his logs and dragged them — more
than likely with a team of oxen — to the site selected for his cabin,
he invited his neighbors, some of whom often lived several miles
away, to the "raising." When all were assembled at the place,
foui' men were chosen to "carry up the corners." These men
were skilled in the use of the axe and were possessed of a "me-
chanical eye," which was the only jilumb line relied on to keep
the Avails perpendicular. They took their stations at the four cor-
ners of the cabin and as the logs were pushed up to them on
"skids" they cut a "saddle" upon the top of each log and a notch
in the mider side of the next to fit upon the saddle. The man
having the "Initt end" of a log was required to cut his notch a
little deeper than the man at the top end, in order that the walls
might be carried up about on a level, but as the butt and fop ends
of the logs Avere generally alternated, the Avork Avas pretty equally
distributed. No o])enings Avere left for doors and Avindows, these
being cut out Avith the ax or saAv afterward. At one end an
opening Avould be made for a fireplace, just outside of Avhich was

HISTORY OF RACIXI-: ("orXTV 73

constructed .-i cliiiiiiicy of stone, oi'. it' stone was not to he had
conveniently, of logs and ehiw 'I'he I'oof was invai'ial)ly of clap-
boards, split or rived from a white oak with an implement called
a frow. The floor — if there was one — was of puncheons, or
slabs of timber, split as nearly the same thickness as p()ssi])le and
smoothed off on the upper sui-face with an adz after the floor
was laid. The door was also made of thin puncheons, or clap-
boards. Nails were a luxury and not infrequently a cabin would
be completed without a single article of iron being used in its
construction. The door wovfld be fastened together with wooden
pins, hung on wooden hinges and provided with a wooden latch,
which could be lifted from the outside by a thong of deerskin
passed through a small hole in the door. At night the thong was
drawn inside and the door was locked. This custom gave rise to
the expression, "Tlie latch string is always out," signifying that
a visitor would be welcome at any time. The clapboards of the
roof were held in position by i)oles riuniing the full length of the
cabin and fastened to the end logs with wooden pins.

After the "house-raising" came the "house-warming." A
)iew cabin was hardly considered fit to live in imtil it had been
l^roperly dedicated. In almost every frontier settlement there
was at least one man who coifld play the violin. The "fiddler"
was called into requisition and the new cabin would become a
"sound of revelry by night." On such occasions no tango, maxixe,
one-step or hesitation waltz would be seen, but the old Virginia
reel, the stately minuet and the old-fashioned cotillion, where
some one "called the figures" in a stentorian voice, were very
nnich in evidence. It is quite probable that the guests at a presi-
dential inaugural ball never derived as nuich genuine pleasure
from the event as did these simple-hearted folk of the frontier at
a house-warming. If the owner of the cabin had conscientious
scruples against dancing, the house would be warmed by a frolic
of a different character, but custom demanded that it be
"warmed" in some way before the family took full possession.

THE FURNITURE

The furniture of the cabin was of the "home-made" varietv
and was of the simplest character. ^lost (jf the pioneers came
from distant parts of the coimtry in wagons, through a region in
which there were no real roads, and to transport factoi'y made

74 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

furniture such a great way was out of the question. Holes bored
in the logs of the cabin were fitted with pins, upon which were
laid clapboards to form a "china closet." If the housewife was
fortunate enough to possess an extra sheet, or a few yards of
calico, the china closet might be provided with a curtain in front.
A similar contrivance in another corner of the cabin served as
a "wardrobe," where the extra clothing of the family was laid
away, carefully folded, until required for use.

Benches made of puncheons, or three-legged stools, took the
place of chairs. The table was made of boards battened together
and supported l)y two trestles. When not in use, the trestles were
set on to]) of each other and the table top leaned against the wall,
or set outside of the cabin to make more room.

In one corner a bedstead would be constructed in the follow-
ing manner. About four feet from one wall and six feet from the
other would be planted a stake, with forks as nearly at right
angles as possible, the upper end of which extended to the joists,
to one of which it was fastened. In the forks were laid poles,
the other ends of which rested in the cracks between the logs,
or in holes bored with a large auger in one of the logs, and boards
were then laid from the long pole to the cabin wall. Upon these
boards the tidy housewife jolaced her straw tick, or a feather bed,
if she had brought one with her, and covered it with her cleanest
sheets or a patchwork quilt. Sheets hung upon the walls back
of the bed served as tapestry. Springs there were none, but after
a hard day's toil such a bed provided a comfortable place. Such
a bedstead was sometimes called a "prairie rascal."

Stoves were unknown and the cooking was done at the huge
fireplace, an iron teakettle, a long-handled skillet, a large iron pot
and a coffee pot with a copper bottom being the principal utensils.
Bread was baked and meat fried in the skillet, and in the large pot
was cooked the "boiled dinner," consisting of generous portions
of meat and several kinds of vegetables. Often "johnny cake"
was made by spreading a stiff dough of cornmeal upon one side
of a smooth board and propping it up before the fire. When one
side of the cake was baked, it would be turned over, so that the
other side might have its inning. A liberal supply of johnny cake
and a bowl of sweet milk often constituted the only supper of
the j)ionoer, and it was a meal which no settler blushed to set
before a guest, should one drop in unexpectedly.

1. Lorenzo Janes. Second Lawyer in Racine. 1S3T.

2. Bethea Sapre. Located here in ls:U).

3. Alfred Gary. Settled here in 1S3:>.

4. M:try Knik'ht Cary. Wile of Alfred Gary.

1. Charles Jonas. Bohemian settler of is^ii. Afterward lieutenant-

governor of Wisconsin, and consul-general to Crefeld, Germany.

2. Anthony Kroupa. Bohemian settler, 1.S49.

3. Frank Korizek. Moravian settler of 1S.'J4.

4. M. M. Secor. Bohemian. Came in 1S52. Trunk manufacturer.

1. Ann N. Sellem. The lirst Norwegian settler, 1S4L

2. Torbjorn Gunlenson. Norwegian settler, 1846.

3. Thora Gunlenson. Wife of Torbjorn.

4. Betsy Torbjorn. Daughter of above.

HISTORY ()!• RACINE COUNTY 75

To one of the joists or against the wall of the cabin were
[)inned two hooks, formed from the forks of small saplings, for
a "gun rack." Here rested the long, heavy rifle of the settler,
and suspended from its nnizzle, or from one of the hooks, were
the loathern bullet-pouch and the powder-horn.

SWAPPING WORK

In these earl}' years of the Twentieth Century, with plenty
of currency in circiilation, when any one needs assistance he hires
some one to help him. It was not so in the '30s, when the first
white settlements were established in Racine County. Money
then was exceedingly scarce, but the pioneers overcame this diffi-
culty by helping each other. As soon as the cabin was built, the
next step was to clear a piece of ground (unless a prairie formed
jiart of the claim) upon which to raise a crop. The trees were
felled and the logs cut into lengths that could be handled, when
the neighbors would be invited to a "log rolling." An invitation
of this kind was rarely declined, because each man in the commu-
nity realized his dependence upon his neighbors and knew that
the time would come when he would be compelled by force of
circumstances to invite them to a similar function. Every pioneer
provided himself with a "handspike" — a small sapling of some
tough wood, from which the liark had been removed, and pointed
at the ends — and armed with his handspike he repaired to the
"clearing," where the logs were to be piled in heaps so they could
l)e burned. Two men who boasted of their physical strength were
chosen to "make daylight," that is, place a handspike under one
end of the log and lift it high enough for the others to get their
spikes imder it, six, eight, and sometimes more men being re-
quired to carry a large log to the "heap."

While the men were rolling the logs, the women folks would
get together and prepare dinner, each bringing from her own
store some little delicacy that she thought the others might not
be able to supply. Bear meat and venison were common on such
(occasions, with a bountiful share of vegetables, corn bread and
lye hominy, dried fruits, etc., to romid out the bill of fare. By
the time the meal was ready the men had a good appetite, and
when they arose from the table it "looked like a cyclone had
struck it." If the weather was warm, the dinner was often served
out of doors, under the shade of the trees, and while the men

76 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

ate, one of the woiiu'ii would wave a small green bough over the
table to "shoo off the flies." But each family had its turn and by
the time the woi'k of the neighborhood was all done, no one was at
any disadvantage in the amount of pro\asions consumed.

The same system prevailed in harvest time. After wheat
fields made their appearance it was no unusual sight to see ten
or a dozen men in a field, some swinging their cradles, the others
binding and shocking the sheaves. When one field was cared for,
the whole crowd would move on to the next one where the wheat
was ripest, and so on until the crop of the entire community was
made ready for threshing. No threshing machines had as yet
come to the frontier and the first wheat grown in Racine County
was threshed with the Hail or trampled out l)y horses or cattle on
a smooth piece of grdund, or upon a barn floor, provided the set-
tler was f'oi-funate enough to h;ive a barn with a floor suitable
for the purpose. After the grain was separated from the straw
by the flail or the tram])ing process, it was winnowed by throw-
ing it up into the air on a da}^ when there was a good breeze, which
cari'i(Hl away the chaff. A few years later came the "ground-
hog" thresher and the fanning mill. ^lany a boy has grmnl)led
because he had to turn the crank of the fanning mill at a time
"when the fish were biting good."

OBTAINING SUPPLIES

Many of the early settlers lu'ought with them small stores of
floui', Inicon, salt, sugar, and such other things as they deemed
necessary, but even by the practice of the most rigid frugality
these supplies were in time exhausted. The first year's farming
was mainly the cultivation of a "truck patch," where a few bush-
els of corn, potatoes, turnips, etc., were raised and stored for
winter use. Often the first crop proved insufficient for the needs
of the family until another could be raised. Game was plentiful
in the surrounding forests, and the trusty rifle was depended upon
to furnish the supi^ly of meat.

Just now it is an easy matter to telephone the grocer to "send
up a sack of flour and a l)ushel of potatoes." Init then there were
neither grocer, flour, ])otatoes n<ii- telephone. Mills were few and
far apai-t Jiiid, if the settler liad ]»U'nty of coi'ii, he would frequently
have to go such a distance to get it ground into meal that the
greater ])art of a week would l)e requii'ed to make the trip. To

HIS•|•()R^• ()|- RACINE C(X'.\TY 77

avoid these loiiii', arduous journeys to mill, various methods of
makiuii- corn meal — the principal breadstuff — were introduced
at home. One of these was to build a fire upon a lar^e stump of
some hard wood and keep it bui-nini;- until a deju-ession was made,
thus foi'inint;- a "mortar." The chaiTcd wood was then carefully
removed, a small quantity of corn poured into the mortar and
l)cnten with a hard wood "pestle" until it was reduced to a coarse
meal. This was a slow process, but it was often resorted to in-
stead of a trip of forty or fifty miles to the nearest mill.

In the fall of the year, before the corn was fully hardened,
the "grater" was frequently used. The grater was an implement
made by })unchin,<i- holes close together through a sheet of tin and
then fastening the sheet on a board, with the rough side outward,
so that the tin was slightly convex on the outer surface. Then the
ear of corn would be rubbed back and forth over the rough surface,
the meal would pass through the holes and slide down the board
into a vessel placed to receive it. Another slow and tedious proc-
ess was this, but a boAvl of mush made from grated corn, with a
bountiful supply of good milk, fomied a common repast in those
days, and one which was not to be despised.

Matches were hardly ever seen on the frontier and the set-
tlers were careful not to waste the few that found their way into
the neighboi'hood. Somewhere about the cabin a little fire was
always kept "for seed." In the fall, winter and early spring the
fire was kept in the fireplace, but when smumer came and the
weather grew so warm that a fire in the house would be uncom-
fortable, one was kept burniiig out of doors. If a heavy rain
extinguished it, or through negligence it was allowed to die out,
one of the family would have to go to the nearest neighbor's for
a blazing brand or a shovelful of coals to renew the supply.

Wliat a simple matter it is at the present time to enter a
room, push a button and flood the whole place with electric light.
But when the first settlers came to Racine Coimty even the kero-
sene lamp had not been invented. The housewife devised a lamp
by using a shallow dish partially filled with lard or some other
kind of grease. Into this grease was dropped a loosely twisted
cotton rag, one end of which was allowed to project a little way
over the side of the dish. The projecting end was then lighted,
and while it gave light enough to enable the woman of the frontier
to attend to her duties, such a lamp emitted both smoke and odor

78 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

that Avould cai;se fastidious persons now to "turn v;p their noses."
Next came the tallow candle, made in moulds of tin, usually con-
sisting of six or eight fastened together. Occasionally only one
family in a settlement owned a set of candle moulds, but they were
freely loaned and passed from house to house until all hud a sup-
ply of candles laid away in a cool, dry place for future use. Dur-
ing the long winter evenings the family would often have no light
except that which came from the roaring fire in the great fireplace.

No one wore "store clothes" in those days. The housewife
carded her wool by hand with a pair of broad-backed brushes, the
wire teeth of which Avere all slightly bent in one direction; then
spin it into yarn on the old-fashioned spimiing wheel; weave it
into cloth on the old hand loom, and make it into gamients for
the members of the family with a needle. A girl sixteen years
of age who could not spin her "six cuts" a day or make her oaati
dresses was rarely seen in a frontier settlement. Yet how many
girls of that age now can make their own gowns, or how many
young ladies who graduated from the Racine High School in 1916
know what "six cuts" means'?

All scraps of grease and the ashes from the fireplace wei'e
saved for the soap-making season, which was generally in the
early spring. Then the good man would build an "ash-hopper"
of clapboards sloping downward to a trough. Into this hopper
the ashes would be placed, water poured on and the lye drained
into pails. Then the lye and grease would be boiled together in a
huge kettle until converted into soft soap. The soap thus manu-
factured might be lacking in perfume, but it would take the dirt
out of the clothes, and that was the main consideration.

PASTIMES

But if the pioneers had their hardships, they also had their
amusements and entertainments. Too busy to visit during the
day, one family" would often go over to a neighl^or's to "sit until
bedtime." On such occasions the women Avould either knit or
sew while they gossiped, the men would discuss crops, church
affairs or politics, and the children would crack nuts or pop corn.
And bedtime did not mean a late hour, for all nuist rise early the
next morning for another day's work.

Old settlers can recall the shooting matches, when the men
met to try their skill with the rifle, the prize for the best marks-

C02<^-if9^'

(yi^oc<^j^ 0?^^^ ^^^- / nJ — fl

/>-->->-

a-rr-

-«^<

^^,

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/i-T.^'^

ONE-THIRD or RACINE FOR $1,2U0

A reproduction of Gilbert Knapp'a letter to Jacob A. Barker of Buffalo, in March, is:!",, offering one-
third interest in the new town for $1,200.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 79

man being a turkey or a haunch of venison. At these matches
some wonderful scores were made, and there was hardly a settler
who could not have qualified for a sharpshooter in the anny.

On grinding days at the old mill a number of men, while
waiting for their grists, would pass the time in athletic contests,
such as running foot races, wrestling, or pitching horseshoes.
Then there was the husking bee, in which pleasure was combined
with profit. On such occasions the corn to be husked was divided
into two piles as nearly equal as possible; two of the guests would
"choose up" and divide the assembled company into two sides.
The wiimer would then select his pile of corn and the contest
was on, the object being to see which side would finish first. Men
and women alike took part and the young man who found a red
ear was permitted to kiss the lassie next to him in the circle.
"Many a merry laugh went round" when some one found a red
ear and the lassie objected to being kissed. The young men some-
times did not play fair, for they passed a red ear covertly from
one to another.

'Wlien the orchards grew old enough to bear fruit the "apple
cutting" became a popular form of amusement, when a number
would gather at the house of some settler to pare and slice enough
apples to dry for the Avinter's supply. The hiisking bee and the
apple cutting were frequently followed by a dance, the orchestra
consisting of the one lone fiddler in the settlement. He might not
have been a classic musician, but he could make his old fiddle
bi-ing forth such tunes as "]\Ioney Musk." "Turkey in the Straw,"
"The Irish Washerwoman," or "The Wind That Shakes the Bar-
ley Fields," and he never grew tired in furnishing the melody
while others tripped the light fantastic toe.

After the public school system was introduced, the evening
spelling school offered both entertainment and instruction. At
the close of the exercises the young men could "see the girls
home" — provided they did not "get the mitten" — and if these
acquaintances ripened into an intimacy that ended in a wedding,
it was usually followed by a charivari, or, as it was pronounced
on the frontier, a shivaree, which was a serenade in which noise
took the place of harmony. The serenade was nearly always kept
up until the bride and groom showed themselves, and the affair
ended all the more pleasantly if the members of the shivareeing
party each received a slice of wedding cake and a glass of cider.

80 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

One would naturally suppose that the early settlers, after
they had toiled to build up a home in the wilds, would be content
to remain in that conununity and enjoy the fruits of their labors.
This, however, was not always the ease. Some men were pioneers
by nature and disposition. As it has been said of Daniel Boone,
they wanted to live where they could hear the crack of no man's
rifle except their own. They preferred the freedom of the fron-
tier to the older conuiuniity, with its conventionalities and oft-
times burdensome taxation. Consequently, some who settled in
Racine County in early days, actuated by this spirit and caught
by the Avanderlust, crossed the Mississippi and became pioneers
a second time. Such men are well described in Brininstool's
beautiful poem:

THE OLD TRAPPER'S SOLILOQUY

I've taken toll from ev'ry stream that held a furry prize,

But now my traps are rustin' in the sun ;
Where once the broad, free ranges, wild, unbroken, met my eyes,

Their acres have been civilized and won.
The deer have left the bottom lands, the antelope the plain.

And the howlin' of the wolf no more I hear,
But the busy sounds of commerce warn me of an alien reign.

As the saw and hammer echo in my ear.

I've lived to see the prairie soil a-sproutin' schools and stores.

And wire fences stretch on every hand;
I've seen the nesters crowdin' in from distant foreign shores,

And the hated railroads creep across the land.
My heart has burned within me, and my eyes have misty grown,

As Progress came, unbidden, to my shack;
My streams have all been harnessed and my conquest overthrown,

And I've been pushed aside and crowded back.

I've seen men come with manners and with customs new and strange.

To take the land which I have fought to hold;
I've watched the white-topped wagons joltin' on across the range

With those who sought to lure the hidden gold.
I've seen the red man vanquished and the buffalo depart.

And cowmen take the land which they possessed.
And now there's somethin' tuggin' and a-pullin' at my heart,

And biddin' me move on to'rds the West.

There ain't no elbow room no more to circulate around,

Since Civil'zation stopped beside my door;
I'll pack my kit and rifle and I'll find new stompin' ground.

Where things is like they was in days of yore.
I've heard the Great West whisper, and the old, free wild life calls.

Where men and Progress never yet have trod ;
And I'll go back and worship in my rugged canyon walls.

Where the pine trees croon and Nature is my God.

CHAPTER V

RACINE COUNTY ORGANIZED

CONDITIONS PRIOR TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY — HOW
CLAIMS WERE MADE — CLAIM ASSOCIATIONS — CONSTITUTION OF
THE MILWAUKEE UNION — ENFORCING THE LAW — ORGANIZATION
OF THE COUNTY — ELECTION OF CAPTAIN KNAPP TO THE LEGISLA-
TURE—THE ORGANIC ACT — KENOSHA CUT OFF FROM RACINE —
THE FIRST ELECTION — INAUGURATION OF GOVERNMENT — ELEC-
TION PRECINCTS AND JUDGES — EARLY FINANCES — THE LAND
SALE — THE COURT-HOUSE — THE COUNTY JAIL.

Ill older that the reader may have a elear uiiderstandiug as
to hoAv Raeine County as a separate political division came into
existence, it will he necessary to go ])ack a few years and hriefly
review the events that occurred prior to its organization. As
stated in a former ('ha])ter, the territory now comprising Racine
County was made a i)art of Brown County, by proclamation of
(jovernor Lewis Cass of Michigan Territory in 1809, and the
Territorial Legislature of Michigan included it in Milwaukee
County some years later. It was therefore a part of Milwaukee
County at the time Captain Gilbert Knapp made his claim at
the mouth of the Root River in November, 1834.

Captain Knapp Avas soon followed by others. No official
survey of the lands purchased from the Chippewa, Ottawa and
I'ota^^•atomi Indians in 1833 had l)een made, so each settler
selected and marked the claim he desired — the word "claim" in
this connection meaninc,' both the tract of land selected and the
right to hold it against all comers. There was no way of describ-
ing or designating the tract with sufficient exactness to form a
legal recoi'd, hence the settlers asserted their rights to the lands
upon the same principle that nations claim islands or parts of
cf)ntinents — the right of discovery and possession. As a plain
matter of fact, the settlers who went upon the public domain
before the lands were surveyed and offered for sale were tres-
passers, and liable to expulsion by government troops. They
were called "squatters," and "squatters' rights" became an issue
in more than one political campaign along in the '30s and '40s.
Only in a few cases were they driven from the lands by soldiers,
the government officials recognizing the fact that the squatters,

82 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

as a rule, were honest, industrious men, who would develop the
resourees of the country and in time become good citizens.

All over the new West there was a sort of unwiitten law that
each squatter might select a certain quantity of land and hold it
until the government survey was made and the lands offered for
sale, when he must enter it in the regular way, or his "claim title"
would no longer be respected. Tn Eastern Wisconsin this un-
written law permitted each squatter, who was the head of a family
or a male person over eighteen years of age, to select 160 acres
of prairie and 160 acres of timber land as his claim. In other
localities the unwritten law was less liberal, each claimant being
permitted to select and hold only 160 acres.

In the event of a controversy between claimants, over the
ownership of a given parcel of land, both the disputants were
without means of legal redress, as the squatter was technically
a trespasser and had no standing in law. To illustrate: "A"
might locate a claim and measure his 320 acres as accurately as
he could by using a pocket compass and pacing the distance along
the boundaries, marking his name and date of making the claim
upon his stakes, or, if the land was timbered, upon the blazes on
the trees, after which he would return to his old home to bring
out his family. Upon again arriving at his claim he might find
that during his absence "B" had settled upon the land, or, in
other words, had "jumped his claim." As neither the original
claimant nor the "claim jumper" could appeal to the law for
]»rotection, "A" was forced to assert his rights and recover his
land by such means as lay in his power. To avoid violence in
such cases the settlers established a court of their own, before
which all disputes could be carried for adjudication. The first
coiu'ts of this character were known as

CLAIM ASSOCIATIONS

Hence, the first settlements in Eastern Wisconsin were ruled
by a pure democracy — the -whole populace uniting to make the
laws, and each citizen assuming his share of the responsil)ility for
their enforcement. At first, each neighborhood had its own asso-
ciation or club, composed of practically all the settlers, which
made rules and regulations for the establishment and protection
of claims. Such organizations were formed at Milwaukee, the
settlement on the Root l^iver, the Pike 17iver cojonv, and at Oak

HISTORY OF RACINE COIXTY 83

Crook and Skunk Grove. Difforonco in tlio regulations adoj^tod
in these several localities, and the uneortainty as to how far the
boundary and jurisdiction of each association extended, soon
resulted in confusion, which threatened to annul the good work
of the associations. As all were in the County of Milwaukee,
it was suggested that a county iniiou be formed, to the end that
all the settlements should work under the same rules. A mass
meeting or convention was therefore called early in the year
1836, at which a committee was appointed to draft a constitution
and report the same at an adjourned meeting of the convention.
At the adjourned meeting, which was composed of delegates only,
the report of the committee was adopted as the

"CONSTITUTION OF THE MILWAUKEE UNION

"That we, the undersigned, as settlers of public lands within
the County of Milwaukee, deem it of vital importance that there
should be, for the interests of the settlers, cordiality of feeling
among them; that should Congress refuse to extend the pre-emp-
tion law, our whole dependence is upon union and our respect for
each others' rights. If we go on contending and striving one
against the other until the day arrives when it shall be decided
whether we are to have a home upon this spot that we have
selected, there will lie no hope of success. And now let us come
forward, detennined to protect one another, and our success will
be complete; let not the imprudence of any one destroy the fair
prospects of the whole. AVhat must be the condition of those
who have expended their last farthing in reaching the spot they
claim, if they are to be driven from their temporary refuge by a
mob or the unfeeling speculator? To the instigator of the mob
we would say, beware ! — to the speculator, remember the moin-n-
ful feelings of the emigrant, sobbing adieu to the tombs and tem-
ples of his fathers, his toils and suffei-ings in building up a new
habitation and gathering the manna from heaven, like the Israel-
ites, from the bosom of the wilderness.

"And now, as American citizens (and there is a charm and
magic in the word), we pledge ourselves to support and protect
each other in holding our just and lawful claims against all ojipo-
sition; also to support and abide liy the following resolutions: For
the support of this we solemnly avow to each other and call upon

84 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

God to witness their truth and sincerity, and invoke disgrace
upon our heads should we prove guilty of duplicity:

"Article I. Resolved, That the county be divided into two
districts; that the first district shall include all that jiart of the
county north and east of the towaiship line of Township No. 4 —
the second, all that part of the county south and west of the north
line of said township.

"Article II. That each district shall be entitled to a register,
who shall be a surveyor, legally appointed by the county sur-
veyor, by the reconunendation of the district in which he may
reside, whose duty it shall be to make a correct plat of his district
and record the same upon a book of record, which said surveyor
shall keep for the recording of claims; which shall be subject to
the inspection of any person holding or wishing to make a claim,
who has or may hereafter sign this constitution. Said surveyor
shall attend to all calls to examine and survey any premises ap-
plied for, and in case there is no previous claim upon said prem-
ises, the surveyor shall make a survey of same and keep a record
of all such surveys, and give a certificate to the said applicant for
said premises to the same effect; which certificate shall be filed
in the treasurer's office of the same district; and upon application
to the treasurer to file said certificate, the party applying for it
shall pay to the treasurer two dollars, and it shall be the duty of
the treasurer to give a receipt for the same.

"Article III. To constitute a claim, there shall be a house
erected on the same, at least twelve feet square, with roof covered
with boards or shingles; also, if in timber lands, there shall be at
least one acre chopped for cultivation and fenced seven rails
high, and if on the prairie, there shall be at least two acres fenced
as above ; all to be performed within f ( irty days from the adoption
of this constitution — the first claimant shall be the person who
shall have made the first improvement without evident signs of
relinquishing the same, by absence, or by making other claims —
that within forty days from this time, or forty days from the tune
of making the claim, (he) shall have the same recorded by the
district recorder, and pay the sum of two dollars into the district
treasury.

"Article IV. That all male citizens over the age of eighteen,
and females over the age of sixteen, shall be entitled to hold a
claim by complying with the foregoing resolutions.

LOOKING WEST FROM COURTHOUSE TOWER. 1S83

LOOKING WEST I-'ROM TOP OI CITY HALL TOWEH, l.sss

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 85

"Article V. That every person wishing to make or hold a
elaini within this county, shall make such claun in person and
comply with the second and third resohitions, except females,
who shall reside within the county, who may employ an agent in
making a claim and be protected by this constitution and resolu-
tions; in case of leaving th(> same, they shall employ an agent to
reside on said claim.

"Article VI. A treasurer shall be appointed in each district
by their own delegates to this convention, who shall receive all
money paid into the treasury and give a receipt for the same,
a coi)y of which shall be filed in the office of the recorder.

"The treasurer shall keei:» a true account of all moneys re-
ceived and expended by him, applied to the purposes ordered by
this constitution, and if the same shall not lie wholly expended
when the land shall be obtained by sale or jDre-emption and all
difficulties settled, h(> shall refund the remainder to each person
who has signed this constitution, in propf>rtion to the amoimt
received from each individual. Said treasurer shall give to the
board of arbitrators a good and sufficient bond amounting to $2,000.
Each treasurer shall provide himself with the books sufficiently
large to record all claims and enter upon the same all testimony
and decisions of the committee, with the certificate of the presid-
ing officer within his district, which shall be kept and subject to
the inspection of all persons as specified in Article II. He shall
l-ceep in his possession this constitution and resolutions, and every
j)erson shall, before paying in his money, sign the same — any
person complying with the foregoing shall be considered a member
and equally protected by the same. Said treasurer shall be enti-
tled to twenty-five cents for each certificate he may legally issue;
and for all recording the same fee as the coimty recorder, to be
])aid by each individual who may require such recording to be
done.

"Article VII. Resolved, That a board of arbitrators con-
sisting of five shall be selected by the people of each district. The
duty of said arbitrators shall be to attend to all summons legally
served, coming from a .judge or justice of the peace, to sit as a
board of arbitrators, to hear and try any case brought before
them, within the meaning of this constitution. The judge or
justice issuing the same shall preside over said board and record
all testimony and decisions of the same. A majority of the said

86 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

arbitrators shall constitute a quorum and proceed to business
after being duly sworn according to law; and in case the whole
ninn])er of arbitrators are present, each ])arty may have the ])rivi-
lege of rejecting one member of said board; and in case that one
party has no objection to any one member, the other may reject
two of the same, the oldest claimant so contending shall have the
preference, provided he has made a legal claim; and in all cases
the decision of the board shall be the same as if rendered by a
court, and the judge or justice shall proceed accordingly; and
each member summoned and appearing to sit upon any such case
shall be entitled to two dollars.

"Article VTTT. Resolved, That each member and clerk of
this convention shall be entitled to two dollars per day while
attending, including the time of going to and returning from said
convention, to be i)aid equally out of the funds of each treasury
of the districts sending the sanie, by the members presenting a
<'ertificate signed by the president and clerk of this convention.

"Article IX. That all decisions of the board of arbitrators
in conformity to any of the foregoing resolutions, shall be put in
foi'ce and complied with, peaceably if can be, and forcibly if must
be. In case forcil)l(> means shall be resorted to, all reasonable
ex])enses so made shall ])e paid out of the treasury of the district
where such exi)enses are made.

"Article X. Rescilvcd, That in case any difficulties should
arise in regard to claims not comprehended in the foregoing reso-
lutions, the ])oard of arbitrators shall have universal jurisdiction
over the same and thcii- decision shall be final, as provided in the
foregoing resolution.

"Article XL Resolved, That any person who has a family
of three or foin* children shall be entitled to hold one claim for
six children, provided the oldest of such children does not exceed
the age of eighteen or sixteen yeai'S, and that he or she shall have
complied with the foregoing resolutions."

The delegates who adopted this constitution were as follows:
Milwaukee — Alanson Sweet, Albert Fowler, B. W. Finch, Henry
C. West and Horace Chase; Root River — Gilbert Knapp, Levi
Mason, Walter Cooley and William Luce; Pike River — Jason
Lathrop, G. P. Post, Waters Towslee and George W. Griffin;
Oak Creek — J<jhn Fowle and John P. Haight; Skunk Grove —
Syiiunes Butler. Gilbeii Knapp was chosen chainnan of the eon-

HISTORY OI' RACINE COUNTY 87

vention, and Dr. Bushiu'll B. Cary and J. C. Knapp were secre-
taries. By order of the convention the constitntion was printed
hy Jason Lathrop, at Pike Kiver, and it was widely circulated,
t'orniint;- the basis of the constitutions of similar organizations all
over Wisconsin.

ENFORCING THE LAW

Some trouble was experienced in the enforcement of the regu-
lations of the claim associatimis, which constituted practically the
only law known to the squatters, and no doubt exercised a whole-
some influence throughout a region which otherwise might have
become the prey of lawless men. Once in awhile some one would
come into a new settlement, knowing that the rules of the associa-
tion were Avithout sanction of state or national law, and undertake
to pre-empt a claim that had already been chosen by some squat-
ter. These "claim jumpers," as they were called, were looked
upon with great disfavor by the actual settlers and severe punish-
ment was often inflicted upon them for their disregard of the
self-made laws of the community. The following paragraph,
relating to the customs of early days and the difficulties that
occurred over the claim question, is taken from a little pamphlet
l)ublished in ^Milwaukee in 1842, after the trouble was all over:

"By mutual concession and an honorable adherence to neigh-
l)orhood regulations, claim making was governed by a pro tem.
law, which answered the purpose of general protection for the
homes of the settlers until their lands came into market. So gen-
eral did this become, and so united were the interests of the
settlers, that it was deemed extremely hazardous, as well as
highly dishonorable, for a speculator or stranger to bid u]>(>u a
claim, even though it was not protected by a 'pre-emption right.'
j\Iore than one 'war' was waged when such attempts as that Avere
made, almost invariably resulting in the rout of the interloper.
In some instances blood was shed in defense of the recognized
rights of the settlers. When it was clearly understood what im-
provements constituted a claim, and when the settler conformed
to the 'by-laws' of his neighborhood, it was just as much resi>ected
for the time being as if the occupant had the government patent
for it. If he chose to sell his claim, he was at perfect liberty to
do so, and the purchaser succeeded to all the rights and immunities
of the first settler."

88 HISTORY OF RACINE COrXTY

ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY

Such was the state of affairs when the machinery of the Ter-
ritorial Government of Wisconsin was started on July 4, 1836.
At that time there were but three counties in that iDortion of the
territory now comprising the State of Wisconsin, viz.: Brown,
Towa and Milwaukee. As stated in a fomier chapter. Henry Dodge
was appointed governor and soon after lieing installed in office
he issued a proclamation for election of members of the Legisla-
ture. Milwaukee County, which then included Racine, was enti-
tle(l to two members of the upper Itranch and three of the lower,
to be elected on October 10, 1836. From an old Chicago news-
paper the following account of the political campaign is taken :

"The sachems and wise men of Racine considered it of the
greatest importance that one of their citizens should be elected
to the council, because they had in mind the organization of a new
county and the location of its seat of justice. Besides that, there
were many visions of improvements floating in the minds of far-
sighted men, who even ventured the assertion that railroads were
practicable. Captain Gilbert Knapp, the first settler in this
lovely and prosperous region, had won the esteem of his fellow-
citizens, and was chosen as the man to represent the County of
Milwaukee by the Racine voters. A convention to nominate a
candidate was called at Rochester and delegates attended from
all parts of the district, making the tiresome journey thither on
horseback. Captain Knapp 's friends were successful, but now
came the rub. Milwaukee was sorely displeased and a formidable
ticket was placed in the field in opposition to the captain. The
excitement of that time was no less profound than that of many
a succeeding campaign. Electioneei's on horseback penetrated
to the farthest settlements and urged the importance of their re-
spective causes. Every possible means was resorted to by the
opposing factions and the election day dawned upon a thoroughly
aroused people. The result was the triumphant election of Cap-
tain Knapp."

There is a slight error in this account of the campaign, in
that the writer overlooked the fact that Milwaukee County was
entith'd to two coimcilmen. Captain Knapp and Alanson Sweet,
of Milwaukee, were the nominees of the convention, but the ]ieople
of Milwauk(>e wanted both covnicilmen to come from that part
of the county. William See, the proprietor of the saw-mill at the

HIST()R\' OF RACINE COIXTY 89

Rapids, was induced to run against Knapp, the Milwaukeeites
hoping to divide the vote of the southern part of the county, but
Kna])]) was too well intrenched in the esteem of his fellow-citizens
and See's defeat was overwhelming. Alnnson Sweet Avas elected
as Captain Knajjp's colleague.

The convention at which Captain Knapp was nominated was
held at the log tavern of Levi Godfrey and during the campaign
it was frequently referred to as "God-fry's Convention." In
anticipation of a large attendance, Mr. Godfrey went to Skunk
( irove and bought an ox for beef with which to feed the delegates.
It is said that some of the delegates got lost in the wilderness and
failed to find Godfrey's tavern. Dr. Bushnell B. Cary presided
over the convention and some of the delegates remained at the
tavern for two nights. Judge Dyer says they "slept in their
blankets on the floor at night, and dreamed over democratic reso-
lutions as sw^eetly as if Potawatomi Indians were not slumbering
in an adjoining camp."

The jollificati(jn in Racine, that followed Captain Kna])])'s
election, was an event long remembered by old settlers. Sharing
the joy of his friends and grateful to them for their support, the
successful candidate made coj)ious demands upon the tavern keep-
ers of the village and invited all to make merry after the fashion
of the day. Racine was alive with excitement. Dignity, staid
])ropriety, and even temperance pledges were forgotten in the
rejoicing of the moment. A tar barrel was taken to the foot of
IVIain Street and fired, and in the light of the bonfire a number
of citizens, dressed in fantastic costumes, danced an Indian pow-
wow. Dinner bells, sleigh bells and even cow bells added to the
din; anvils were fired; charges of powder were placed in stumps
and exploded with great noise; speeches were made, and the rev-
elry was kept up until the "wee sma' hours," by which time many
of the merry-makers were so intoxicated that they had to be
assisted to their homes. It was a great occasion and was often
i-ef erred to as a noted event in the history of early days.

The Legislature met at Belmont on October 25, 1836, with
Gill)ert and Alanson Sweet representing Milwaukee County in
the council, and Charles Durkee, Madison W. Cornwall and Wil-
liam B. Sheldon in the house. Captain Knapp was interested in
the fonnation of a new coimty from the southern part of Milwau-
kee, and when a l)ill was introduced i)roviding for the establish-

90 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

ment of fifteen new counties in the territory — one of which was
"Racine — he gave the measure his undivided support. The bill
l»assed both houses and was approved by Governor Dodge on
December 7, 1836. Section 2, which relates to Racine County,
was as follows:

THE ORGANIC ACT

"Section 2. Townships numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4 north, of
Ranges 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 east of the fourth principal meridian,
shall be and the same are hereby constituted a separate coimty,
and be called Racine, and the seat of justice of said county is
hereby established at the Town of Racine. The Covmty of Racine
shall be organized from and after the passage of this act, and the
inhabitants thereof be entitled to all the rights and privileges to
which by law the inhabitants of the other organized counties of
this territory are entitled to; and the said county shall continue
to be a part of the Third Judicial District and a District Court
shall be held therein, at the seat of justice, at the court-house or
such other place as may be provided. Two terms of the District
Court shall be held annually after the organization of said county,
on the first Monday in July and third IMonday in November; and
the several acts concerning the District Courts in the Territory
of Wisconsin shall l)e and they are hereby made applicable to the
District Court of the County of Racine; and the Counties of Wal-
worth and Rock shall be and are hereby attached to the Coimty
of Racine for judicial purposes."

By tracing the boundaries as above described on a sectional
map of Eastern Wisconsin, the reader will notice that the present
county of Kenosha was embraced therein. That county remained
a part of Racine until January 30, 1850, when (Jovernor Nelson
Dewey approved an act. Section 1 of which reads as follows:

"All that part of the present County of Racine lying within
the following boundaries, to wit: Connnencing at the southwest
corner of said county, and i-unning thence east on the state line
to the C(!nter of Lake Michigan and the southeast corner of said
county; thence northerly through the center of Lake Michigan
to the town line between towns two and three; thence westerly
on said town line to the eastern line of the present Town of Bur-
lington; thence southerly on said eastern line of the Town of
l>u)-litigton to the southeast corner thereof; thence westerly on
the south line of the said Town of Burlington to the east line of

Photo lurnishiil liy Rilliniis

STEPHEN SAGE
Pioneer of Racine

HISTORY Ul RACl.XE COUNTY 91

the County of Walworth; thenco southerly on said east line of
the Comity of Walworth to the jjlace of beoinnin<f, be and the
same is hereby set off into a separate county to be called Ke-
nosha."

By that act Racine County was reduced to its present form
and dimensions. When first erected in 1836, the county not only
included the present County of Kenosha, but the Counties of
i^ock and Walworth were attached to Racine for judicial and
election purposes.

THE FIRST ELECTION

The first election was held in the district composed of the
Counties of Racine, Kenosha, Rock and Walworth on Api'il 4,
1837. The board of elections consisted of the justices of the
peace, who had been previously appointed in the different locali-
ties. Joel Sage was chairman of the board; Walter Cooley, clerk;
and the other members were Samuel Hale, Jr., Eldad Smith, Rich-
ard Miller, Hiram Ball and Alfred Cary. William H. Waterman
was elected register of deeds; Eugene Gillespie, treasurer; A. W.
Doolittle, district surveyor; Alvin Raymond, coroner; Benjamin
F. Barker, Isaac Butler and Samuel Hale, Jr., supervisors (com-
missioners); David D. Wells, tax collector; William Luce, Lemuel
Smith, Cephas Weed and Seneca Raymond, assessors; Benjamin
C. Perce, Amma Clark and Sidney S. Derbyshire, school conunis-
sioners; John Coggswell, town clerk; Walter Cooley, Elisha Ray-
mond and Austin Kellogg, highway commissioners; Levi Blake,
Orrin Jerome and Niles Bentley, fence viewers; Benjamin Felch
and Walter Cooley, directors of the poor. In addition to these
officers, thirteen constables were elected, viz.: L. R. Darling,
Thomas Warner, Silas Peck, S. A. Walker, Henry Miller, William
Holmes, Nelson Butler, Franklin Emerson, Daniel Salisbury,
David D. Wells, Hiram Bennett, E. S. Blake and E. C. Duncan.
The total number of votes cast at this election was 193, and thii-ty-
seven officers were elected, hence nearly 20 per cent of the voting
population was elected to office.

INAUGURATION OF GOVERNMENT

A few days after the election, the supervisors, or commission-
ers, as they were then called, met for the purpose of completing
the organization of the county government. Their first act was
to issue certificates of election to the above named officers. At

92 HISTORY OF RACINE COIXTV

tlii.s iiiet'tiug, wiiirh was hold at Racine, it was voted to hold the
next annual town meeting at the house of Benjamin Feleh, in the
Pike River settlement, "provided the county is not divided into
townships prior to the date of said meeting." The officers to whom
election certificates were issued immediately entered ujDon the
duties of their respective positions, and Racine County had a
goverimient of its (»wn. David D. Wells failed for sonic reason to
perform the duties of tax collector, and a special election was
called at the house of Charles Leet on October 9, 1837, for the
])ur])ose of electing his successor. Albert 0. Knight was elected.

Dui'ing the summer of 1837, the principal business of the
board of commissioners was the hearing of petitions for the open-
ing of I'oads, highways being, perhaps, the greatest necessity of
the new county. Roads were ordered to be opened from the Town
of Racine to the United States Road; from Racine to William
See's saw-mill at the Rapids; from the house of William Bull to
See's saw-mill, and thence to the north line of the county; be-
tween Racine and Pike River, and from Racine to Rochester, as
well as several others of less importance.

Although no record of an election in 1837, except the one
already mentioned, is in existence, when the board met at the
second annual meeting on April 2, 1838, the commissioners were
Samuel Hale, Jr., Hammond Marsh and Nathaniel Bell. The first
Imsiness transacted at the meeting was the acceptance of the bond
of Henry Cox, Jr., in the sum of $5,000 as county treasurer. Next
came the division of the county into election precincts, designating
the voting j^laces and appointing judges of election. The district
so divided consisted of what are now the four Counties of Racine,
Kenosha, Rock and Walworth, and it may be inter{>sting to the
reader to know just where the voters of each settlement were
to hold their elections, and who were the members of the election
boards, so the list of voting places and judges is here reproduced:

Pleasant Prairie (in the southeast corner of Kenosha
County), election at the house of Daniel Stevens; John Dexter,
Abel W. Dimmick and Alvin 0. French, judges.

Salem (also in Kenosha County), election at the house of
John Bullen; Gilbert R. Lindsay, Asahel Benham and John Bul-
len, judges.

Foxvillc (in the Town of Rochester), election at the house of

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 93

Ruel Xiiiis; Origt'ii Perkins, Silas Peck and Stephen J. Bnshnell,
judges.

Village of Rochester, election at the house of George E. Dun-
can; Joseph Call, Levi Godfrey and Martin C. Whitman, judges.

Mount Pleasant, election at the house of Poland Ives; Isaac
Butler, Zadock Newman and Chauncey Kellogg, judges.

Town of Racine, election at the Racine House; Lorenzo Janes,
Eldad Smith and Alfred Gary, judges.

Southport (now Kenosha), election at the school house in
the village: Hiram Ball. Benjamin Felch and William BuUen,
judges.

Geneva (in Walworth County), election at the house of
Greenleaf S. Warren; Israel Williams, Daniel E. Bradley and
Greenleaf S. Warren, judges.

Delavan (in Walworth County), election at the house of Sam-
uel F. Phoenix; Luke Taylor, William Hollingshead and William
Phoenix, judges.

Elkhorn (in Walworth County), election at the house of Asa
Blood; Joseph Bowman, Samuel Miller and Henry Rosecrantz,
judges.

Troy (in Walworth County), election at the house of Othney
Beardsley; Adolphus Spoor, Jesse Meacham and Robert Hibbard,
judges.

Spring Prairie (in Walworth County), election at the house
of A. A. Hemenway; Peter Merrick, Isaac Williams and David
Pratt, judges.

Beloit (in Rock County), election at the public house in the
village; Nathan Hackett, James E. Field and Dr. White, judges.

Janesville (in Rock Comity), election at the public house
kept by Mr. Nevins; Hiram Brown, Daniel Smiley and Henry F.
Janes, judges.

EARLY FINANCES

The first financial statement of Racine County available is
the report of the county treasurer, Henry F. Cox, Jr., which was
filed with the board of commissioners on January 8, 1839, and
covered the transactions of the preceding year. It showed the
total receipts to have been $2,985.83, which included a balance
of $27.71 turned over to him by Eugene Gillespie, and the dis-
])ursements amounted to $2,914.44, leaving a balance of $71.39 in
the treasury. Just think of the four populous and wealthy Coun-

94 HISTORY OF RAOIXE COUNTY

ties of Southoastern Wisconsin yielding a total revenue of less
than three thousand dollars in 1838, and ('()ni]);ire the statement
of Treasurer Cox with the tax levy of the hoard (»f eounty super-
visors of Racine County alone for the year 1015, when the total
amounted to $325,191.49, or more than one hundred times as nmeh
as was paid hy the four counties seventy-eight years ago.

THE LAND SALE

And now comes aii event that was of vital importance to the
settlers of Racine County. The government survey was completed
in 1837, and President Van Buren issued an order for a puhlic
sale of the lands at Milwaukee in the fall of 1838. In the event
the lands were not sold at auction, they were to hecome subject
to personal entry. Many of the settlers, who, it must be remem-
bered, were technically trespassers, had made valuable improve-
ments, and there was danger that many of them would lose all
the results of their la))or, in cons(M]uence of not having the ready
cash to bid in their claims. In this emergency a plan was hit
upon to raise the necessary fimds. A public meeting was held,
at which it was resolved that all the settlers of the covmty should
enter into an agreement to mortgage their lands, after procuring
the title therefor, and that delegates be sent to the eastern cities
with these agreements to negotiate a loan of $50,000. Nearly
(wery settler signed the agreement, a full list of the names, with
the value of the improvements each one had made, was prepared,
as well as the amount of money each settler required to purchase
his claim. These lists and agreements were placed in the hands
of Michael Myers and Nathan Joy as the delegates, but after
several weeks' absence they returned with the disheartening in-
formation that not a single dollar coiild be borrowed upon any
or all the lands in Racine County. Fortmiately, the sale was post-
poned from November, 1838, to the spring of 1839, which gave
the squatters a little more time to make their ])reparations. The
following extract, descriptive of the conditions and incidents
attending the land sale, is taken from the pamphlet of 1842,
already quoted in the early part of this chapter:

"Many are the ominous indications of its approach among
the settlers. Every dollar is sacredly treasured up. The precious
'niint-dro])s' take to themselves wings and fly away from the
merchant's till to the farmer's cupboard. Times are didl in the

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 95

towns, for the settler's home is dearer and sweeter than the mer-
chant's suj^ar and eoffee. At length the wished-for day arrives.
The snl)nrbs of tlie town have all the appearances of a military
camp. The settlei's have fldcked from far and neai'. The hotels
are thronged to overflowing. Bar-rooms, dining-rooms and wag-
ons are metamorjihosed into ])ed-rooms. Dinners are eaten from
a table or a stnmp, and thirst is qnenehed fi'om a bar or a brook.
The sale being announced from the land office, the township ])id-
der stands near l)y with the registry Ixxtk in his hand, in which
each settler's name is attached to his respective half or quarter
section, and thus he bids off. in the name of the whole township,
for each respective claimant. A thousand settlers are standing
by, eagerly listening when their quarter shall be called off. The
crier passes the well known numbers; his home is secure. He
feels relieved, for the litigation of 'claim jmnping' is over forever.
He is lord of the soil. With an independent step he walks into
tlac land office, opens the time-worn saddlebags and counts out
$200 or $400, silver and gold, takes his certificate from the Gen-
eral Government and goes away rejoicing."

The minimum value fixed by the Government was $1.25 per
acre. No bid less than that |n'ice Avould be entertained, and the
settlers turned out in large numbers to sec that speculators and
land-grabbers did not take advantage of the actual settlers by
bidding higher prices. If such a bidder appeared upon the scene,
he was quickly made to understand that his competitive bidding
would not be tolerated. If he failed to heed the warning and
])ersisted in "running up the price," he was hustled away with
more haste than ceremony. Yet, when one takes into considera-
tion the fact that more than five thousand inhabitants dwelt
within the district sold at IVlilwaukee in the spring of 1839; that
many improvements had been made upon fanns; that villages
had been founded; that mills and factories had been built, and all
without legal title to the lands, it is surprising that so few serious
difficidties were encoimtered.

THE COURT-HOUSE

The first court-house in Racine County was built by Captain
Gilbert Knapp and his associates, the original claimants to the
site of the city as squatters. A few months before the passage
of the act creating the county. Captain Knapp, not being fidly

96 HISTORY (^F RACINE COUNTY

satisfied as to liis ri<iiits to tlic lands upon which he had stalled
his claim, procured from Jacques and Louis Vaux a "float" title,
based upon a receipt froiu the receiver of the land office, dated
June 19, 1834, under the pre-emption act of that year. On July
25, 1836, Jacques Vaux assigned his receipt to Gurdon S. Hub-
bard, covering that part of the town site north of the Root River,
and the same day Louis Vaux assigned to Mr. Hubbard his receipt
for that portion south of the river.

In the winter of 1835-36 Racine had been laid out into blocks
;iik1 lots. A little later Congress passed an act jiroviding "That
no right of pre-emption shall be granted to actual settlers upon
lands Avithin the limits of any incorporated town, or to any por-
tion of lands which have been actually selected as sites for cities
or towns, or specially occupied or reserved for town lots."

Under this act the float title to the village site was declared
to be invalid, notwithstanding Louis and Jacques Vaux had ob-
tained said title some two years prior to the passage of the act,
and some good lawyers maintained that the decision was of an
ex post facto character. But the Territorial Legislature of Wis-
consin found a way out of the difficulty. By an act of Congress,
approved by President Monroe on May 26, 1824, any county in
the United States was given the right to select and pre-empt a
quarter section for a seat of justice. By the organic act of De-
cember 7, 1836, the seat of justice of Racine County was located
at Racine, though the county did not exercise its right to pre-
empt the site. Pursuant t(» the ])ro visions of the act of May 26,
1824, he Legislature of the Territory of Wisconsin, on January
2, 1838, enacted a law authorizing the county commissioners of
Racine County "to sell and convey the right and title of the
county, in ancl to the east fractional half of Section 9 to Gilbert
Kna]ip, his heirs and assigns, upon his paying to the board, within
two years from the date of conveyance, at the rate of ten dollars
per acre therefor, with ten per cent interest."

The act further provided that the county commissioners
should inunediately enter the land and secure the pre-emption to
which the county was entitled, and that the money received from
Ca])tain Knapp should be expended in the erection of county
buildings, according to the act of Congress. .

For some reason not plain, the county authorities failed to
carrv the law into effect literally, though an arrangement was

Ilisroin OI RACIXK COINTV 97

rt'aclu'd in IS:!!), Iiy wliicli the (irii;iii;il |i|-(i|n'ict(irs (if the town —
Knapp, Hiihli.ii'd .-ind l^arker — wove in erect, nv eniise to be
oi'octed, county huildinus, "c<insistinu of ,1 coui't-liouse, a jail.
and a building; toi' county oHices," and upon tlie completion of
such buildings, to the satisfaction of the board of county eonnnis-
sioners. they were to convey the county's interest in the town
site to the original claimants. Tnnnediately after this agreement
was entei-ed into, a conti'act was awarded to William H. Water-
man and Roswell Morris to Imild a coui't-house. which was com
pleted early in the year 1840.

Tlie court-house built by Waterman & Morris continued in
use until tlu' present structure was erected, though in 1842 a
supplementary ])uilding was constructed for the offices of clerk
and register of deeds. In the fall of 1875 the board of su])ervisors
took the iirst ste])s towai'd the erection of a new court-house.
The board at that time was composed of W. W. Vaughan (chair-
man), James Hay, M. T. Hayes, W. B. Stetson, J. T. Rice, L. C.
Klein, H. T. Taylor, Michael Savage, H. W. Wright, T. Powers,
Adam Apple, John BoTistow, W. C. Smith. J. R. Brown and J. O.
Bartlett. H. C. Koch, an archite<'t of Milwaukee, was employed
to make plans and the contractors were John Bentley & Son. The
cornerstone was laid with a])pi'opriate cei'emonies on Jidy 4, 1876,
and the building was completed in Fel)ruary, 1877. Its cost was
$P>9.450 and about five thousand dollars were ex])ended for furni-
ture and fixtures for the various offices.

A movement for a new court-house was started in 1911, and
liell, Tyrie & Chapman, a firm of architects in Minneapolis, Min-
nesota, submitted plans for a building to cost $165,000. The plans
were accepted by the board, but the ])ro]iosition to build was
afterward reconsidered and the old court-house was remodeled
so that it will accommodate the business of the county for several
years before a new one will be actually necessary.

THE COUNTY JAIL

The first jail in Racine County was a rough but substantial
l(»g building, wliidi was erected on the west side of the public
square in 1837. Four years later Captain Knapp and his asso-
ciates built a new jail, in connection with the old log jail, which
served the county for several years, when a brick jail was erected
on the square, northwest of the court-house. The great increase

98 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

In population, with a corresponding increase in the number of
prisoners confined in the jail at various times, made it apparent
to th(> board of supervisors in 1890 that some other and better
arrangements would have to be made for earing for prisoners.
A committee was appointed on November 24, 1890, "to examine
the structure known as the Racine County jail, to see if it was
practicable to remodel it, so as to conform with the requirements
of the state law, also to secure options on two or more convenient
sites to build a new jail, and report at the November session
in 1891."

The committee made a thorough examination and advertised
for proposals for a site for a new jail. On October 22, 1891, the
State Board of Control visited the jail and practically condemned
it as unfit for the purposes for which it was being used. On
November 11, 1891, the board's committee reported that it was
"neither practical nor expedient to expend money on the present
structure, with a view of trying to conform with the state require-
ments." Six sites had in the meantime been offered for a new
jail. The board visited the various proposed sites and on No-
vember 25, 1891, voted to accept the offer of J. W. Spence for
the lot on the southeast corner of Fifth Street and College Ave-
nue for $4,000.

Nothing further toward the erection of a new jail was done
until November 27, 1892, when Mr. Phillips offered a resolution
to appropriate $2.5,000 for that purpose. Three days later a com-
mittee reported a visit to the old jail, which they foinid "pure
and sweet," and reconnnended "improvements to be made which
may seem necessary to maintain our present state of cleanliness
and purity." The report was adopted, but at the afternoon ses-
sion of the special eon)mittee, to whom had been referred the
matter of issuing bonds in the smn of $25,000 for a new jail,
reported favoralil}' and the board ordered the bonds to be issued.
On January 11, 1893, the plans for the new jail were submitted
to the state board of control and were approved. Bids were then
advertised for and on February 21, 1893, the contract for the
erection of the jail and sheriff's residence, "according to the plans
and specifications of J. G. Chandler," was awarded to Josiah
Hocking for $20,889. On December 15, 1893, the architect, J. G.
Chandler, reported that Mr. Hocking had completed the building
"acccn-ding to the ])lans, specifications and contract." Some

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 99

extras were allowed, which brought the total cost of the jail and
sheriff's residence up to $21,3491)6.

A history of the poor farm and the county insane asylum will
be found in the chapter on Charitable Institutions, and events
connected with political history and financial mattei^s will be
found in other chapters. In this chapter the object has been to
give an account of the conditions immediately preceding the
organization of the county, the introduction of civil government,
the erection of public buildings, etc. How well that object has
been carried out the reader must determine.

99225R

CHAPTKR VI

TOWNSHIP HISTORY

TOWNSHIPS OF TWO CLASSES — ORIGIN OF THE CIVIL TOWNSHIP — ITS
PLACE IN HISTORY — THE NINE CIVIL TOWNSHIPS OF RACINE
COUNTY — BURLINGTON — CALEDONIA — DOVER — MOUNT PLEAS-
ANT — NORWAY — RAYMOND — ROCHESTER — WATERFORD — YORK-
VILLE — HISTORICAL SKETCH OF EACH — EARLY SETTLEMENTS —
PERSONAL MENTION OF PIONEERS — DATE OF ORGANIZATION —
MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS — POPULATION AND WEALTH — A
RETROSPECT.

Townships in the United States are of two classes — con-
gressional and civil. The congressional township forms the basis
of land descri])tioiis and records. Theoretically, it is six miles
square, bounded by township and range lines, and divided into
thirty-six sections, each one mile square and containing 640 acres.
But sometimes the converging meridians of longitude, or an eri-or
on the part of the survevoi', results in a township of this class
being slightly larger or smaller than six miles square, thus causing
"fractional sections" to appear in the records. The civil town-
ship is a political subdivision and, while it frequently corresponds
in extent to a congressional townshij), its boundaries are not con-
fined to the lines of the government survey. Natural features,
such as rivers and creeks, often form the boundaries of a civil
township. Another difference is that the civil township is dis-
tinguished by a name, while the congressional township is always
described by the number of township and range lines.

The civil townshi]) is the older of the two. Soon after the
Pilgrim Fathers settled at Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620.
they began to develop a system of local government, modeled after
that of the Anglo-Saxon "tunscipe," which had been copied after
the Teutonic "mai'k." In both the mark and the tunscipe the
people cfmstituted the source of all political power, so far as local
questions were concerned. The "tunmoot," or town meeting, of
the Anglo-Saxon gave every citizen of the tunscipe an opportunity
to express his \aews, and the "tunreeve," or headman, was bound
to cariT out the wishes of the people. The tumnoot was trans-
])lanted to New England soon after the lirst settlements were
founded in that section. The first town meetings in this counti'v

102 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

were held in the settlements of Plymouth, Boston and Salem,
Massachusetts. Other settlements copied the system and during
the colonial period of American history the town meeting, or
"folkmoot," as it was sometimes called, was a distinguishing
feature of New England. Fiske says that the form of local gov-
ernment adopted by the New England colonies was the nearest
approach to a pure democracy ever known.

In the beginning the township meant "merely a tract of land
granted to persons who intended there to settle a town and gather
a church." After the settlement was started it was called the
"town" and the outlying or unsettled portions of the grant were
called the "township," but after a time the two tenns came to
be used synon>nnously. These grants or townships were incor-
porated by the colonial authorities and given well defined powers.
In the town meeting the people were empowered to elect officers,
called selectmen, to manage the affairs of the township; a field
reeve, whose duty it was to impound stray animals until the
owner could be foimd; the hog reeve, who was charged with the
task of seeing that every hog running at large had a ring in its
nose; and a constable, who was to enforce the mandates of the
selectmen. In some settlements the selectmen made it the duty of
the constable to "tickle the noses of those who were inclined to
go to sleep during church services, and keep them awake for the
good of their souls." The town meeting also levied taxes, made
appropriations for the support of schools and the building of
roads, etc. The famous military organization known as the
"Minute ISIen" had its origin in the town meeting. Some of the
resolutions adopted by the town meetings of the New England
colonies contained the germs of liberty which afterward found
expression in the Declaration of Independence. As an example
of the influence wielded l)y the town meeting, note what Thomas
Jefferson said of it in 1807: "How powerfully did we feel the
energy of this organization in the case of the Embargo. I felt
the foundations of government shaken under my feet by the New
England townships. There was not an individual in their states
whose body was not thro's\ai with all its momentum into action,
and although the whole of the other states were known to be in
favor of the measure, yet the organization of this selfish com-
munity enabled it to overrule the Union."

Notwithstanding this defeat of the purposes of the Embargo

THE ISLAND. BROWN'S LAKE, lU'RLLNGTON

THE ANTLER-S PAVU.ION. HKOWNS LAKE. BURLINGTON

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 103

Act, and in the end of the act itself, Jefferson says of the town
meetings : "They have proved themselves the wisest invention
ever devised by the wit of man for the perfect exercise of self-
government and for its preservation."

In establishing the township system in New England, town
meetings were at first held fi-equently. Some of the settlers, who
were busily engaged in the work of developing the resources of
the new country, complained that this took up too much of their
time and an annual meeting was ordered, with the provision that
special meetings could be called whenever necessary to decide
some impoi'tant question. Boston did not abandon this form
of local government until 1820, when the seven thousand voters
of the city made the town meeting such an unwieldy institution
that representative government was introduced. The principle
of representative township, county and municipal government
was first worked out and applied in the State of New York. From
that state it worked its way westward and southward. In the
Southern States the county is the unit of local government and
the township is practically imknown. In the states of the Mis-
sissippi Valley the township system is a combination of the New
England and New York ideas. As the New England town meet-
ing elected delegates to the General Court, or Assembly, so each
civil township in the State of Wisconsin elects a supervisor, who
becomes a member of the county board. This county board cor-
respcmds in many of its essentials to the General Court of New
England. Racine County is divided into nine civil townships
(called towns), to wit: Burlington, Caledonia, Dover, Mount
Pleasant. Norway, Raymond, Rochester, Waterford and York-
ville.

BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP

This township occupies the southwest corner of the county.
On the north it is bounded by the Town of Rochester; on the
east by Dover Township and Kenosha County; on the south by
Kenosha County, and on the west by the County of Walworth.
It is six miles, wide from east to west and seven miles in extent
from north to south, having an area of forty-two squares miles.
The surface is pleasantly diversified, the Fox River flowing from
north to south through the central portion, and in this township
are three pretty lakes — Long, Brown's and Bonner's.

The settlement of the township began about the middle of

104 HISroRN' OF RACINE COl'NTV

Dccciubi'i', 18:55, wIr'Ii Muses Smith ami William Whiting located
claims near the present City of Burlington, Whiting selecting his
claim (111 the cast side of the Fox Kivcr and Smith on the west
side, near the place where the Perkins mill was afterward erected.
Their claims were what the ])ioneers called "jack-knife" claims.
the lioiuidai-ies being marked by cutting their names in the bark
of trees, with the date when the claim was made. Such a title
would hardly have been respected some years later, but in 1885
land was ])leiitiful and new comers had no difficulty in locating
claims without infringing Tipon the possessions of their neighbors.

Smith and Whiting were soon afterward joined by B. C. Perce
and Lemuel Smith. Judge Charles E. Dyer, in an address deliv-
ered before the Old Settlers' Society at Burlingt<»n, February 22.
1871. says: "On the 27th of December, 1835, Moses Smith, Wil-
liam Whiting, 1>. C. Perce and Lemuel Smith built a shanty in a
little grove in the river bend on the east side of the Fox River.
They cut a large white oak tree neai' whei'c Ahith's Brewery
now stands, built a i-ude log hut on the present farm of David
Bushnell, spent three days prospecting and surveying on both
sides of the river, and iinally constructed a cabin on the \\est
side."

The following month Enoch D. Woodbridge settled on the
east side of the river and built the body of a log hcmse, which was
afterward completed and became part of the tavern kept by Rnel
Nims. in February, 1836, Nathan H. Darling made a claim on
what was afterward known as the Rookei' farm. He was acting
as the agent of Nelson K. Norton, who perfected the title and
im])roved the claim. Other settlers of 183(i were: James Nelson,
David Bushnell, Origen Perkins, lleman Loomis, Silas Peck,
Greorge Newman, Charles and Jared Fox.

.lames Nelson came in May and built a log house and a blatdv-
smith shoj) on the east side of the river, near where Durgin's
bi'idge was afterward thrown across the stream. He was the
first blacksmith to ply his trade in that pai-t of Racine County.
David r.iishnell came in Jidy and his first I'csidence was the log
hilt which had been built by \¥hiting, Perce and the Smiths the
previous winter. This he reconstructed and lived in it until he
could e]-(!ct a better house. It seems that all the parties inter-
ested in building this hut had abandoned their claim except Whit-
ing, whose interest was purchased by IMr. Bushnell, and at the

HISTORY OF RACIXK CorN'I'N' 105

land sales in 18:]9 the land was bonyht by StephcMi Bushnell.
Oriuen Perkins located his elaini in An.ynst and hnilt a hxj; house,
to which he bn)Ui;lit his family early the following year. ll('nian
Loomis came in September and located a claim southeast of the
present City of Burlington, which claim afterward became known
as the Loomis farm. Silas Peck arrived with his family a little
later and built his cabin on the claim adjoining that of B. C. Perce,
(ieorge Newman and the Foxes came later in the year.

Among those who came to Burlington in 1838 were: William
F. Lyon, Ruel Nims, Stephen Bushnell, Pliny M. Perkins, Sam-
uel r. Vaughan and Lewis Royce. Mr. Lyon remained but a few-
months, at the end of which time he removed to Walworth
County. Ruel Nims acquired the log house that had been started
by Mr. Woodbridge two years before, occupying it for the first
time on January 10, 1837. He subsequently opened a tavern —
the first established house for the entertainment of travelers in
Burlington. Stephen Bushnell came in March and afterward
purchased the land claimed by David Bushnell as above stated.
Pliny M. Perkins first came in May, bi-inging a drove of hogs
and cattle from Joliet, Illinois, but did not become a resident at
that time. He returned the following year, however, and took
a claim. Sanuiel C. Vaughan formed a partnership with Moses
Smith and they built the first mill, which was known as the "up
and down saw-mill." The mill building is said to have been the
first frame structure in Burlington. Lewis Royce was a New Eng-
lander. He arrived in Burlington on the first day of September
and soon afterward established a lime kiln, burning about three
hundred bushels before the close of the year. Mr. Royce was the
first lawyer to locate in Burlington, but there were few lawsuits
in those days and he found his lime kiln more productive than
the practice of his profession, though he was learned in the law.

The year 1838 witnessed the ai-rival of Liberty Fisk, Ephraim
S. Sawyer, Heiu'y Edmonds, Nelson R. Norton and a few others.
Mr. Norton came in February and took possession of his claim
that had been made for him two years before by Nathan H. Dar-
ling. Li the spring following he built a frame house, bringing
llie lumber from Chicago, where he had formerly lived. It is
said that he built the fii-st bridge over the Chicago River. Mr.
Sawyer bought 275 acres of land at the land sale and lived upon
Ills fann for many years. Henry Edmonds built a small log black-

106 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

smith shop near the mill. The first school in the town of Bur-
lington was taught in the summer of 1838 by Sarah Bacon.

The first towns (townships) in Racine County were estab-
lished by the act of January 2, 1838. Under the provisions of
this act the territory now comjirising the Town of Burlington
was included in the Town of Rochester. On March 9, 1839, Gov-
ernor Henry Dodge approved "An act to establish certain to^^^ls
in the Counties of Milwaukee, Brown, Racine and Walworth, and
to provide for the election of officers therein."

Section 21 of this act i^rovided: "That the comitrv Ixnnided
on the north by the Towns of Rochester, on the east ]\y the Towns
of Racine (Mount Pleasant) and Southport, on the south by
the Town of Salem, and on the west by Walworth County, be,
and the same is hereby set off into a separate town by the name
of Burlington; and the polls of election shall be opened at the
house of S. Nims."

As originally created, the Town of Burlington included all
the present Town of Dover, in Racine County, and a large part
of the present ToAvn of Brighton, in Kenosha County. The re-
turns of the election held at the house of Mr. Nims cannot be
found, but it is known that Origen Perkins was the first justice
of the peace. The following incident, illustrating "Squire" Per-
kins' methods of transacting legal business, was told by Judge
Dyer in his address to the Old Settlers' Society: "On one occa-
sion a man called iipon him for a warrant with which to make
an arrest. He found Mr. Perkins digging a ditch. The complaint
must be made then and there, but the justice had neither paper,
pen nor ink. Perhaps Mr. P. did not deem the offense a very
grave one, but in the emergency of the case he pulled off one of
his boots, took from his pocket a piece of chalk, wrote the com-
plainant's statement on the boot leg, made him hold up his hand
and swear to it, and then told him he would issue a warrant as
soon as he went to the house."

The first white child born in the town was a son of George
Newman, who was born in May or June, 1837. The first marriage
was that of William McLaughlin and Amanda (or Alvira) Hayes.
Mrs. McLaughlin died a few months after her marriage and was
the first white ])erson to die in the township. The first crop of
grain was harvested by Moses Smith, in 1837, and in the fall of
that year the first bridge was built over the Fox River, It was

PINE STREET, BURLINGTON

HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING. 111. Ul.lMMXIN

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 107

floored with hewn logs. The first scliool house was built in 1839.
For several years the growth of Burlington was "slow but
sure," but with the completion of the Racine, Janesville &
Mississippi (now the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul) Railroad
to the Village of Burlington in 1855 the development was more
rapid. Burlington is now one of the most ]Mipulous and wealthy
townships in the county. In 1910 the population, exclusive of
the City of Burlington, was 1,129, and in 1915 the property (not
including the city) was valued for tax purposes at $2,871,043. A
history of the City of Burlington will be found in Chapter VIIT.

CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP

The Town of Caledonia is situated in the northeast corner of
the county. On the north it is bounded by Milwaukee County;
(•n the east by Lake Michigan; on the south by the Town (^f ]Mount
Pleasant, and on the west by the Town of Ra^nnond. It includes
all of Congressional Township No. 4, Range 22, and fractional
Township No. 4, Range 23, having an area of about fifty square
miles. The Root River flows in a southeastwardly direction
through Caledonia, and with its tributaries affords good natural
drainage to the township.

Elam Beardsley always claimed to have been the first settler
ill the town, though it is quite probable that John Davis was the
first to "stake out" a claim. Mr. Beardsley came to the county
in January, 1835, and his wife was the first white woman to be-
come a resident of the county. He and John Davis both settled
in Caledonia early in that year. Not far behind them came Levi
Blake and his three sons — C. H., E. S. and Lucius S. Blake.
Judge Dyer relates the following adventures of the Blakes in
looking for a home in Wisconsin:

"They set out from their home near Niles, Michigan, for —
some place, they scarcely knew where. They arrived at Chicago
on the 10th of February, where they provided themselves with
supplies, and a Mackinac blanket. They left Chicago and at
night arrived at Grosse Point, eighteen miles north, and were
hos]ntably entertained by the French traders. The next moniing
they set out for the next point of prominence, which was Skunk
Grove. It was a cold winter's day. The snow obscured the trail
on which they were traveling, and they had a long, long, weary
day, with apprehensions of a still more dreary night. Night found

108 HISTORY OF RACTNE COIXTY

them in a liiMvc ab(»ut thrcf iiiik's west of the present City of
Wauk(\uan. The cold was intense; they kindled a fire with the
last iiiatcli that was left them. They spent the night standing
aininid the tire and constructing, a sled. In the morning, leaving
behind them their wagon, they i)roceeded on their journey. At
noon their eyes were delighted with the sight of a human being
leading a pony. On his approach, he informed them that he and
the ]>nuy were the United States route agents, on tlie way fi-oni
<'liicag(i to (ireen Bay with the mail. He gave them directions
and informed of the landmarks that would guide them to Skunk
(irove. wliicli they reached after the darkness of night had fallen
on them, and after nuich suffering from the severity of the
weather.

"Arriving at the trading post at Skunk (Irove, they were
the recijjicnts of the hospitality of Jacques Jambeau and his
s(piaw. and remained over night. On the next morning they
began explorations for a place to locate. At a point on the river,
three miles northwesterly from Jandjeau's, they foimd John
Davis, Avho had entered a claim and was residing upon it. They
remained with him several days and looked over the country.
The representations of the country which they had heard from
others proved truthful. They took exceptions only to the cli-
mate, but Mr. L. S. Blake thinks the winter of 1835-36 the coldest
he ever experienced in Wisconsin.

"On the loth day of February they made their claim. They
staked out, as they supposed. I'uough land for four; but when
the survey was made, it was found that they had cmly secured a
sufficient (juantity of land for two claims. They then visited the
Kapids and found there Mr. See, who was building his mill. Upon
returning to their claim, they built a log shanty without a window
in it. They soon returned to Michigan and I'emoved to Chicago,
whei'c the family lived for two years. Meanwhile, Lucius S. Blake
and liis bi'other. A. H. Blake, came back to the claim and resided
in tlieii' cabin two seasons. They plowed a ])ortion of the land,
made some fencing, and held the claim by actual occupancy until
Levi Blake removed to it with his family in the fall of 1837.
Captain IJIake's capacious log house, which he built on his prem-
ises, was a landmark in the country. It was always open to the
settlers and the hospitality of its proprietor gave it the appro-

II IS TORN' ()[■ RACIXK (OrNTY 10''

lii'iat(> uamo of 'Oni' House.'' Tlic farm now oaviuhI Ity -laiiios
Wilson constituted a part of the Blake claim."

Early in 1835 Edward Bradley and his brother located claims
ill Caledonia. Walter Cooley came to Racine in May, IB)');"), and
The t'ollowinii September located in Tnledonia, accompanied by
Kldad Smith and Elisha Raymond. Sr., and his family. Eai'ly in
IcSlJG Mr. Cooley discovered that he had located on another man's
i-laim and removed to another tract, which he occupied for a nuni-
))ei of years and after removint;' to the city of Racine called it
his country home.

Eldad Smith built a ])eculiai- looking; house by rollini;' some
lo.i^s together and putting on a roof made of white oak boards.
\\'hile it was not an architectural masterpiece, it served to pro-
tect the inmates from the cold winds that came from Lake Michi-
gan. ^Iv. Smith broiight two barrels of flour from Chicago that
fall, and enough other ju'ovisions to last the family through the
winter. He occupied this house for the first time on November 1,
1835. and lived there until 1841, when he removed to the Village
nf Racine. During the winter of 1835-36, three bands of Potawat-
(•mi Indians encamped near his house and the wolves caused him
some annoyance. But to offset these undesirable neighbors, Mr.
Smith said that in those days they had neither rats, beggars nor
thieves in the new settlement.

Other settlers who came to Caledonia in 1835, or early in the
year 1836, were: Hugh and Hiram Bennett, Tristam Davis,
Simeon, Isaac and Thomas Butler, Sheridan Kimball, Daniel
Wooster and his son Adney, Joseph Adams, John Wheeler,
Joseph Cannon, Ezra Beardsley (father of Elam), Tra Hurlbut,
the Fowler and Stillman families, and a few others.

In the summer of 1835, Sheridan Kimball, then living in
Chicago, heard of a settlement on the Root River that offered
splendid o]>portunities to those seeking homes in Wisconsin. The
following December, accomjjanied by Stephen Sandford, Sanford
Blake and anothei- man, he set out for the Root River country.
The first night out from Chicago they stayed at Petterson's tav-
ern, having made only about eight miles, and the next morning
resumed their journey upon a new wagon road through the woods.
This road had previously been an Indian trail, and as they jour-
neyed along they noted the coffin of a dead Indian child among
the branches of a tree by the roadside. That night they reached

11(1 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Sunderland's tavern and late on the afternoon of the next day-
arrived in the Root River settlement. Taking breakfast the next
morning with John Davis, they went on to the house of C. H.
Blake, where they rested awhile, and then pushed on to the house
of S^^nmes (or Simeon) Butler, on a small stream called Hoosier
Creek. There they passed the night and when they were pre-
paring to leave the next morning Mrs. Butler said: "When you
get out in the woods, you will know the reason why my husband
is so ragged; he has been running through the woods so much he
has left a rag on every bush." Mr. Butler may have been ragged,
but he was hospitable, and that morning guided the party to a
district where they could locate claims.

Mr. Kimball selected a claim and in February, 1836, went
to Chicago to bring his parents to the Root River. Leonard Kim-
ball, a brother of Sheridan, came in advance to make preparations.
About the middle of March the family left Chicago with a wagon
drawn by three yoke of oxen and were two weeks on the road.
Mr. Kimball's first house in Racine County was a rude cabin, with
shake roof, stone chinmey and a floor of elm bark. At the land
sale in 1839 he acquired a perfect title to his land, built a better
house and lived there for several years, when he removed to the
City of Racine.

Daniel Wooster and his son, previously mentioned, left the
Town of Derby, Connecticut, on New Year's Day, 1835, to seek
a location somewhere in the West, where he could make a home
for himself and family. Traveling with a team and wagon through
New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois,
he reached the Root River settlement in March and located in
what is now the Town of Caledonia. A little later his son Jvilius
and the other members of the family came via Buffalo and around
the lakes. Daniel Wooster lived in Caledonia until his death,
which occurred in 1867.

Among those who settled in Caledonia in 1836 were : William
and Luther R. Sears, James Bussey, Joel and Emanuel Horner,
Alexander Logan, Thomas Spencer and Rev. Cyrus Nichols.
Judge Dyer says that Mr. Nichols "had previously lived in Mis-
souri, and there had but one room in his house and that the
kitchen. On coming to Wisconsin he resolved to have a parlor.
He kept his resolution and had a parlor, and lived in it; but that
was the only room in the house." Once, while conducting relig-

HISTORY OF RACINE {X)UNTY 111

ious services at Skunk Grove, he rebuked a number of the i)i()-
ueers, who brounht their rifles with them to church, but the
settlers felt that it was always well to be prepared for emergencies
in a country where the Indians were likely to give trouble at any
time and accepted the rebuke of the minister in a friendly spirit.
In June, 1837, Daniel B. Rork came to Caledonia and bought
the claim of Jacques Jambeau, the trader. Jambeau asked $2,000
for it, but finally accepted $525. Mr. Rork had come to the Town
of Burlington about a year before and made a claim, where the
City of Burlington now stands. Other parties "jumped his
claim," l)ut he succeeded in holding it and before removing to
Caledonia sold it to Silas Peck for $200. Jambeau had fenced his
claim in 1834 — the first claim, so it is believed, to be fenced east
of the Rock River.

The first white child born in this township was Maria, a
daughter of Joseph Adams, her birth occurring on September 2,

1835. She grew to womanhood in the county and married a man
named Bacon. "William See's saw-mill at the Rapids was the
first saw-mill in Racine County. The first drove of hogs brought
to the town was brought by James Kinzie in January or February,

1836. They were of the species known as "prairie racers," but
they afforded the settlers an opportunity to supply themselves
with pork.

Section 5 of an act approved by Governor James D. Doty
on February 7, 1842, pro^aded: "That all that part of the Towns
of Racine and Mount Pleasant comprised in Town 4, in Range 22
East, shall be and is hereby set off into a separate town by the
name of Caledonia." The act also ordered that the first election
should be held at the house of Levi Blake.

Two lines of railroad pass through Caledonia — the Chicago &
Northwestern, in the eastern part, and the Chicago, Milwaukee
& St. Paul, about five miles farther west. These lines connect
Chicago and Milwaukee and afford excellent transportation facili-
ties to the people of the town. The Chicago & ^Milwaukee Electric
Railway also passes through Caledonia and its frequent trains
give the people ample opportunity for visiting Racine, Milwaukee
or Chicago. The popiilation of Caledonia in 1910 was 3,073, and
the property was valued for taxation in 1915 at $5,409,081,
exclusive of that lying within the limits of the incorporated Vil-

112 HISIORY OF RACINE COINTY

\i\<j;r (if ("di'liss. wliicli is on the line brtwt'en Calcdoiiia and Mount
Pleasant.

DOVER TOWNSHIP

Dovci' 'I'owiishii), one of the sontlicrn tier, is coextensive
with ( 'on.nressional 'l^ownship No. 3, Ran,!ie 20 East. It is bounded
on the north by the Town of Norway, east by Yorkville, south
1)\' Kenosha Countv, and west bv the Towns of Burlington and
b'oi-liester. Its area is thirty-six square miles. Eagle Lake is
situated a little south of the center. Its outlet and the Muskego
Creek, which crosses the northwest corner, are the only water-
courses in the toAvnship.

The first settlei- in Dover was Captain John T. Trowbridge,
who brought his family, consisting of a wife and two sons, to
Racine County in 1836. Prior to that time he had been a sea
captain for some t\\('nty-five years, had been (nigaged in whaling,
and had been a prisoner at Calcutta and Dartmoor. His two-story
l(ig house, which he (>rected in the Town of Dover, became a land-
mark and sheltered many a traveler over night. He laid out a
town and named it Brighton, after the place from which he came,
and was the first postmaster when an office was established there.
He also served as justice of the peace and \vas a member of the
lower branch of the Territorial Legislature in 1843.

In August, 183(i, Samuel Ormiston and J. Sellers located
claims near that of Captain Trowln-idge. Elizabeth, daughter of
Mr. Ormiston, born November 12, 1838, was the first white child
born in this townshijj. Mr. Sellers settled on the tract of land
afterward known as the Bryce farm. -Judge Dyer tells the fol-
lowing story of an experience that hap})ened to Mr. Sellers soon
after taking up his residence in Racine County: "He started
one morning to go to Pike Crove and on his journey called at the
house of George Nichols, in Yorkville. He tarried l)ut a few
jiioments and, bidding his friends 'good morning', set out on his
travels. He journeyed to the end of the day and at evening found
himself at the house of Mr. Nichols; nor could he be made to
lt(li<'ve that he had not arrived at Pike Grove until he was intro-
duced to the hospitalities of Mr. Nichols' cabin and was told that
on a prairie without roads, guiding posts or human habitations,
a bewildered traveler sometimes made a circuitous jonrney, arriv-
ing at the precise ])lace from which he started."

HISTORY OF RACIXK COrXTV 113

Duriiii; the next two years a ihuiiImt of settlers located in
what is iKiw the 'I'liwii of Ddvcr. AiiKHiii,' them wci-c: .Inhii
DuiTus, Ai'chibald Brown, Peter Manny, l^)bert Beatty, Thomas
(Jreen. Cieorj^e and Robert MeKey, James Balloek (or Ballaeh),
Aaron Putnam, Joseph Scott, James (iraham and William Cruik-
shank. Samuel Stenhouse came a little later, some time in 1840.

.lulin Duffus, Archibald Brown and Peter Manny selected
rlainis tliat adjoined each other. Mr. Duffus built a cabin, or
shanty, 10 by 12 feet in dimensions, on his claim, in which all
three lived. 'NAlien his son and daughter arrived in March, 1839,
they also found quarters in the shanty, giving it fiv(> i-egular
inmates, with an occasional guest or two now and then. But there
was "always room for one more" in the home of the pioneer, no
matter how Inunble it might be. The shanty had no flooi- and
the roof was a makeshift affair that afforded but little protection.
Elsie Duffus did the cooking for the "men folks." One day,
while she was baking bread, having just placed the dough in a
skillet, which she set upon the coals in the fireplace, a sudden
gust of wind carried away the roof. A heavy fall of rain followed
and the family went without bread that day. Elsie Duffus after-
ward became the wife of Nicholas D. Fratt, who was for many
years prominently connected with the banking interests of Pacine.
Her sister, Maragret Duft'us, married Peter Manny, their wedding
being the first ever solemnized in the township.

The writer has been imable to ascertain just when the Town
of Dover was established as a separate jurisdiction, 1)nt it was
some time subsequent to February 2, 1846, for on that date Gov-
ernor Dodge approved an act defining the boundaries of the Town
of Yorkville. which included the eastern half of the present Town
of Dover.

Dover Township is one of the most beautiful and fertile fann-
ing sections of Racine County. The Chicago, Milwaukee &
St. Paul (foi-merly the Western Union) Railroad crosses the
southern portion and there are two stations within the town
limits — Kansasville and Dover. The popidation in 1910 was
820, and the assessed value of the property in 1915 was $2,377,787.
or nearly three thousand dollars for each man, woman and child
living in the township.

114 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

MOUNT PLEASANT

AVlion the first civil townships in Racine County were created
liy the act of January 2, 1838, all that part of the county in frac-
tional Range 23 and two miles of Range 22, extending across the
entire county from north to south, were included in a township
known as Racine. By the same act the boundaries of the Town
of Mount Pleasant were defined as follows:

"Commencing at the southwest corner of the Town of Racine;
thence due west to the southw'est corner of Township 3 North,
of Range 21 East; thence north to the north line of Township 4;
thence east to the northwest corner of the Town of Racine, and
thence south to the place of heginning."

The act also provided that the first election should be held
at the house of George F. Robinson, in the Village of Mount Pleas-
ant. The boundaries as above described were re-enacted on
March 3, 1839. They included all the jiresent Towns of Raymond
and Yorkville, and a strip four miles wide across the western part,
of the Town of Caledonia. By the act of February 7, 1842, that
part of the Town of Racine lying in Township 3 North, Ranges
22 and 23 East, was added to Mount Pleasant and the northern
part of the Town of Racine was added to Caledonia, which was
then erected with its boundaries as they are at present. At the
same time the Town of Yorkville was cut off from Mount Pleasant.

If the present l^oimdaries be taken into consideration, the
first settlers in Mount Pleasant were Captain Gilbert Knapp,
the Luce brothers and the man, Welch, who came to the mouth of
the Root River in November, 1834. Harrison K. Fay and a man
named Carpenter settled at the Rapids soon afterward, where
they were joined in January, 1835, by William See and Edmund
Weed. Mr. See located at the Rapids, but Mr. Weed selected a
tract of land that afterward became known as the Fratt fann.
Carpenter soon afterward went to Captan Knap])'s claim and
settled on the north side of the Root River, within the present
corporate limits of the City of Racine, where he died a few months
later. Judge Dyer says: "After his death, his widow removed
I'lirtlu'r north and continued to occupy what ^vas long kncnvn
among the old settlers as 'the Widow Carpenter's claim'."

James Walker came to Racine on a vessel with Captain
Kna])]) in April, 1835, and made a claim in Moimt Pleasant, where
he Iniilt a calnn, ])urchased the land at the sale in the spring of

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 115

1839 and lived upon his farm for many years. He made the coffin
for Mr. Carpenter, who was the first white man to die within the
limits of Mount Pleasant or Racine, and who was buried "on the
bank of Duck Creek, in the deptlis of the forest." Mr. Walker
established a turning- lathe at the Ra])ids, where William See
erected a saw-mill and also laid the original foundation for the
dam at that place. Mr. Walker was likewise a member of the
first jury ever convened in Racine County.

Early in 1836 Andrew Place and his son Thomas, with Alva
and Zadock Newman, left Chicago with ox teams for Racine
County, where Andrew Place and the Newmans had selected
claims about a month before. At Grrosse Point they fell in with
Daniel B. Rork and the whole company traveled together to Skunk
Grove, where Thomas Place found employment with Jacques
Jambeau as a clerk at the trading post. The following winter
the elder Place and the Newmans went to St. Joseph, Michigan,
for a supply of flour. Their oxen were slow travelers and they
were gone for two months. In 1836 they went to a mill on the Fox
River, a distance of sixty miles. Mr. Place used to describe the
burial of an Indian chief which he witnessed. First, a pen was con-
structed large enough for the body and chinked up with moistened
clay and other material. Then the dead chief was placed therein,
in a sitting posture, surrounded by some of the weapons and orna-
ments of his race. The pen was left open and for some time after-
ward the followers of the chief would visit the place, where they
moaned and wept, jxiuring whiskey upon the head of the deceased
as an offering to the (ireat Spirit. There were a large number
of Potawatomi Indians then living in the neighborhood and they
frequently visited the trading post. Twice a year they had their
great corn dance, when fervent prayers were made to the Great
Manitou for a good crop of corn. Near the present Mound Ceme-
tery was an old Indian burying ground.

In November, 1835. Alanson Filer, Samuel N. Basey, Silas
Lloyd, Orville W. Barnes and one or two others settled in Mount
Pleasant. About the same time James Kinzie came to the Rapids
and became a partner of Mr. See in the saw-mill. Knapp, Hub-
bard and Barker, who made the first claim at the county in 1834,
also erected a saw-mill at the Rapids and brought a stock of goods
to that place. The mill and store were both in "full blast" before
the close of the year 1835.

116 HISlOKV UF RACINE COUNTY

Wallace Mygatt settled at the place afterward known as
•'Mviiatt's rornors" in the early part of 1836. He built a small
frame house on an elevation, and on a clear day his residence
could be seen for several miles, which led the other settlers to
call it the light house. Philip R. and Henry Mygatt also came to
the "Corners" not hmg after Wallace. In Jime, 1836, Nathan
Joy came from Buffalo, New York, to Chicago in the first three-
master that made a voyage around the lakes. From Chicago
he came to Racine on a little schooner called the Llewellyn, and
bought a claim in what is now Mount Pleasant. Another settler
of 1836 was Lewis C Dole, who built a log house and conducted
a tavern on the farm afterward owned by Orville W. Barnes.

Among the settlers of 1837 were William Bull, Daniel Slau-
son, Jonathan M. Snow and E. I). Filer. Mr. Snow had visited
the country the preceding year and selected a claim near Dole's
tavern, upon which he had built a frame house, or shanty. INIr.
Bull remained but a short time in Mount Pleasant, when he
removed to the Town of Caledonia. In the spring of 1839 he
bought the claim of Mr. Snow, above mentioned, and became a
I'csident of Mount Pleasant. Daniel Slauson purchased a claim
from a sister-in-law of Sanmel Mars and planted some fruit trees
••-probably the first orchard in the townshi]), if not in Racine
County. Mr. Filer also bought a claim on which was a poorly
constructed log house. As he could not find a cook-stove in
Racine, he did his cooking over a fire kindled against the side of
a log near his cabin. He afterward assisted in building the first
court-house at Racine and in the construction of the harbor. One
Sunday morning, in the dead of winter, Mr. Filei- took his rifle
and started out to overtake a wolf that had been causing him some
annoyance, but had not gone far Avhen he met an elder of the
church, who remonstrated with him for going himting on Sunday.
After Mr. Filer had explained the situation, the elder agreed that
he might go on in pursuit of the wolf, on condition that he proved
himself a good marksman and gave the elder a good dinner. He
used to tell the story and laugh over how he bribed a good church
member to permit hhn to "desecrate the Sabbath."

The Town of Mount Pleasant occupies the southeast corner
of the county. On the north it is boimded by the Town of Cale-
<b)nia; on the east by I^ake IMichigan; on the south by Kenosha
<'ounty and on the west by the Town of Yorkville. Its area is

HTSTCmV OF RAriNE COl'NTY 117

approximately fifty scpiare miles. The Root River flows in a
southeasterly direction across the northeast corner, and the head-
waters of Pike River are in the southei'n part. The City of
Racine is located in this township and about six miles west of
Racine is the incorporated Village of Corliss, at the crossing of
two divisions of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad.
The population in 1910 was 4,219 (exclusive of Racine and Corliss)
and the taxable property was vabuMl in 1915 at $7,479,335, with
the same exceptions.

NORWAY TOWNSHIP

The Town of Norway is one of the northern tier. Tt is
hounded on the north by Milwaukee County; on the east by the
Town of Raymond; on the south by Dover, and on the west by
Waterford. Its area is thirty-six square miles, embracing Con-
gressional Township 4 North, of Range 20 East. In the north-
western part are three lakes, the lai'gest of which is Wind Lake.
Muskego Creek, the outlet of Wind Lake, is the only watercourse
of consequence in the township. It flows southwardly from the
lake through Sections 16, 17, 20, 29 and 32, and crosses the south-
ern boundary about a mile from the southwest corner.

In September, 1838, Thomas Drought came from Lower Can-
ada with a wagon and team of oxen seeking a new home in
Wisconsin. After looking about for a few days he selected 160
acres in Section 12. and Avas the first white man to settle in what
is now Norway Townshiji. His sister came with him and other
members of the family followed. They located near and thus
what afterward became known as the "Drought Settlement"
s})rang up in the northeast corner of Norway. James Ash located
in the township in the fall of 1838 and Alfred Thompson and
(Jeorge Drought came in the spring of 1839.

Quite an addition was made to the ])opidati(m in the summer
of 1839. A vessel arrived at Milwaukee with about forty Norwe-
gians on board, who had heard in their native land of the won-
derful opportunities offered in America and had come to seek
their fortunes iii the New World. Before leaving Norway they
had selected Illinois as their destination, but were detained at
Milwaukee for a short time and there they were met by George
Walker, who endeavored to persuade them to locate in Wisconsin.
Mr. Walker was evidently something of a politician. Blessed

118 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

with sood health and a ruddy appearance, he pointed out to the
immigrants a man from Illinois who had been a victim of fever
and ague to such an extent that his covmtenance was sallow and
his figure somewhat emaciated, and argued that the climate was
the cause of the difference. The Illinois man urged the Nor-
wegians to adhere to their original intention, but Mr. Walker
won the day.

Unfortunately, their interpreter was accidentally drowned in
the river at Milwaukee a few days after they landed, but they
secured guides and sent out a party to look for a suitable location
for the colony. This exploring party selected a site near Mus-
kego Lake. Says Jvidge Dyer: "It was a dry season and the
marshes resembled prairies in their appearance, surroimded by
forests. Cabins soon sprang up on the hill sides aroimd the
marshes, but the bright hopes of the settlers were quenched when
the spring floods came and converted the promising prairie into
lakes and morasses. This caused a removal of the colony further
south and west. Mr. Halver Thompson settled on the banks of
Wind Lake; John Nelson, another of the party, settled on an
adjoining claim, which he improved considerably, and from which
he subsequently removed to Koskenong Prairie."

Soren Backe and Johannes Johansen, two intelligent Nor-
wegians who came to this country in the fall of 1839 and spent
the winter in Illinois, visited the Wind Lake settlement in the
spring of 1840, with a view to bringing a number of their coun-
trymen. The cluster of beautiful lakes were swarming with fish,
the surrounding forests, in which there was an abundance of
game, the fertile soil, and the presence of a Norwegian settlement
already commenced, all met their approval. They built a cabin
on the shore of one (if the lakes and sent word to their friends in
Norway to come on. Early in the fall a large company of immi-
grants arrived under the leadership of Evan Hansen — or Evan
Hansen Heg, the name Heg having been derived from the place
where the family lived in Norway, or the farm which they pos-
sessed, which was known as "Headquarters."

It seems that Soren Backe was possessed of a considerable
sum of money, which he invested in a large tract of land. When
the colonists arrived, he sold this land in small parcels to them
(jn favoral)le terms. Among these colonists were : Ole Ander-
sen, Hans and Peter Jacobsen, John Larsen, Niels H. Narum,

Phuto furnished by Billin^rs
The Old Side-Wheeler "Sheboygan" and Goodrich's Steamboat Dock, burned in the early '80s.

RIVER VIEW ABOVE THE DAM

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 119

Sivert Ingerbretsen, Knud Arslarkscn, Johannes Evensen, Gur-
der Giirtesen and Ole Plogensen, all sturdy men who were not
afraid to encounter the hardships of frontier life and well calcu-
lated to build up a new country. Johannes Johansen, Soren
Backe and Evan Hansen Heg were regarded as the founders of
the first pennanent Scandinavian colony in Wisconsin, the first
named receiving the ai)pellation of "King."

In a short time the colony increased in numbers and became
the center of Scandinavian immigration to the state. A trading
post was established on Mr. Heg's farm, where the colonists
purchased their supplies and received their mail. One of the
early dwellings occupied by some of the families was made by
excavating a tumiel into a large Indian mound and roofing it
over. Here several of the pioneers lived with their families until
other and better quarters could be provided. One of the early
settlers in Norway was James D. Reymert, who published a news-
paper in the Norwegian language called the Nord Lyset (North-
ern Light), which is said to have been the first Scandinavian
newspaper in Wisconsin, if not in the United States. Mr. Reymert
served as a member of the Asseml)ly in the legislative sessions of
1849 and 1857. and in the session of 1854-55 was in the State
Senate.

Nearly all the colonists were Lutherans and in 1845 a log
church was erected near the center of the settlement. In the
churchyard many of the original foiuiders of the colony lie buried.
Here also rest the remains of Hans C Heg, son of Evan Hansen
Heg, who was colonel of the Fifteenth Wisconsin Infantry in
the Civil War. He was severely woimded while leading his regi-
ment into the Battle of Chickamauga on September 19, 1863, and
died the next day. His bi'other, Ole Heg, was quartermaster of
the same regiment.

On February 11, 1847, Governor Dodge approved an act of
the Legislature, Section 16 of which provided: "That Township
Number 4 North, of Range Number 20 East, in the County of
Racine, is hereby set off into a separate town by the name of
Norway, and that the first town meeting in such town shall be
holden at such place in said Town of Norway as the town clerk
of the Town of Raymond shall by three written notices direct;
and it shall be the duty of said town clerk to cause said notices
to be posted up in three of the most public places in said Town-

120 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

ship of Norway, at loast threo weeks l)ef()re the first Tuesday of
April next."

The town derives its name from the nationality of the early
settlers. It is an agricultural community, having no railroad nor
any villages within its limits. In 1910 the population was 888,
and in 1915 the ]U'operty was assessed for taxatiou at $1,987,372.

RAYMOND TOWNSHIP

Northeast of the center of the coimty lies the Town of Ray-
mond. It is bounded on the north by ISIilwaukee Toimty; on the
east by the Town of Caledonia; on the south 1)}' Yorkville, and
on the west by Norway. It is coextensive with Congressional
Townshi}) 4, Range 21, and its area is therefore thirty-six square
miles. The Root River just touches the northeast corner, and
the South Fork of the same stream flows in a northerly direction
through the central part, so that the township is well watered-
The surface is gently undulating, the soil is fertile, and some of
the finest farms in the county are in Raymond.

The first settlers iu this township were probal)ly Nathaniel
Roger and his son Joel, who located there in the spring of
summer of 18.35. About the middle of S(^ptember of the same
year they were joined by Klisha Raymond and his son Alvin, who
came from Chicago on the Agnes Barton, the crew of which con-
sisted of one Frenchman and two Indians. Flisha Raymond
bought a (daini already made (lt)0 acres) for twenty-five dollars,
upon which he built a rude cabin, where he spent the winter of
1835-36. His son Alvin went to work for William See, in the
saw-mill at the Rapids, and remained in liis employ for about a
year, beginning in October, 1835.

On June 20, 1836, Seneca Raymond, another son of Elisha,
arrived at Racine, having come aroinid the lakes from Oswego,
New York, hiinging with him his own and his father's family.
Innnediately after the arrival of his wife and children, Elisha
Raymond built a large two-story log house, to take the place of
the cabin in which he had passed the preceding winter. The
house liad a stone chimney and was one of the best in the county
at the time it was finished and occupied. Seneca Raymond
bi'ought with him twenty bushels of ])otatoes, which he planted
on the fourth day of July and in the fall of 1836 dug 150 bushels.

Other settlers in this township in 1836 were: Joseph Drake,

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 121

John Brewer, Orson Bunip, John and Reuben Rogers, Timothy
Sands and Nelson Bentley. The hist named left Manlius, New
York, with a twohorsc team and watjDn on the same day that
Seneca Raymond and his I'ulks embarked on the vessel at Oswego,
and by a curious coincidence they both arrived at Racine on the
same day, each making the journey in exactly six weeks.

In 1837 Caleb J. True, William O. Mills, John Jones, Zach-
ariah Sands, Frederick and William Schwartz and the Scofields —
Cliarles, George, Dr. John E. and Reynolds — all settled in what
is now Raymond Townshij^. Dr. John E. Scofield was the first
physician to practice his profession in that part of Racine County.

Among the settlers of 1838 were: Leonard Upham, Walter
Shumway and Loring Weber. Mr. Weber arrived at the house
of Elisha Raymond on the 12th of May and lived with him for
about six weeks, or until he could make a claim and erect a
dwelling of his own. He built the first frame house in the town-
ship, obtaining his lumber from ]Mr. See's saw-mill at the Rapids,
and lived in it until about 1869 or 1870, when he left the county.
He also assisted in building the Congregational Church, which
was the first meeting house in the township. Soon after he was
comfortably settled, he and Elisha Raymond went to Illinois and
returned with thirty head of cattle and fifteen hogs, some of which
they sold to other settlers in the neighborhood.

When the first white men came to this part of Racine County
Indians were plentiful and sometimes they gave the settlers
trouble, not by open hostility, but by their begging and petty
thievery. The Raymond settlement was not far from Jambeau's
trading post, to which the Indians made frequent visits. If they
were successful in obtaining a supply of "fire-water," they were
in the habit of committing little depredations on their return to
their camp, so that the settlers had to be on their guard to see
that nothing was carried away from their premises by the drunken
savages. On one occasion Alvin Raymond happened to fall asleep
in the field where he had been cutting grass, with his rifle by his
side. He was suddenly awakened and discovered thirteen ponies,
with two or three Indians astride each pony. Grasping his rifle,
he sprang to his feet, but the Indians showed no disposition to
resent his hostile demonstration. They merely inquired if he
had a squaw and a wigwam and went directly to his house. But
all they did was to ask for something to eat, a request that Mrs.

122 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Raymond was afraid to deny, and after a hearty meal they de-
parted. White children were few, and Charles Raymond, Alvin's
son, played so much with Indian children that he could speak the
Potawatomi language when only three years of age.

The first marriage in Raymond was that of Willard Flint and
Miss Eliza Rajnnond, which was solenmized on May 27, 1838.

On February 2, 1846, Governor Dodge approved an act of
the Territorial Legislature, one section of which provided : ' ' That
all that district of country comprised in Township 4 North, of
Range 21 East, and the east half of Township 4 North, of Range
20 East, in Racine County, be, and the same hereby is organized
into a separate tow^n to be called Black Hawk, and the first town
meeting in said town shall be held at the house of Elisha Ray-
mond."

This section was repealed the next day by an act, Section 1
of which reads as follows: "That all that part of the Town of
Yorkville, in the County of Racine, lying north of Township 3
North, in Ranges 20 and 21 East, shall be and is hereby set off
into a separate town, by the name of Raymond, and the first town
meeting shall be held at the house of Elisha Raymond."

The repealing act, although written in different phraseology,
included the same territory in the Town of Raymond that had
been incorporated in the Towai of Black Hawk the day before.
As originally created, Raymond included all the present township
of that name and the eastern half of Norway. It was reduced to
its present dimensions by the act of February 11, 1847. The
population in 1910 was 1,512, and in 1915 the assessed value of
the property was $2,422,827.

ROCHESTER TOWNSHIP

The Town of Rochester is the smallest in the county, as it
is comprised of the north half of Congressional Township 3, Range
19, and has an area of only eighteen square miles. It is situated
in the western tier; is bounded on the north by the Town of
Waterford; on the east by Dover; on the south by Burlington,
and on the west by the County of Walworth. The Fox River
Hows in a southerly direction through the eastern half of the
township and it is joined near the village of Rochester by the
Muskego Creek, the outlet of Wind Lake. The outlet of Eagle
Ijakc touches the southeast corner and falls into the Fox River

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 123

in Section 14. A little of the north end of Long Lake lies in this
township and there is a small lake between it and the Village of
Rochester.

Levi Godfrey and John B. Wade came into what is now
Rochester Township on foot in the fall of 1835. To the former
belongs the honor of being the first white settler. He was looking
for a water power and finding a i)laee that looked suitable for
his purposes near where the Village of Rochester now stands,
he made a claim on the west side of the Fox River at that point.
His shanty, sixteen feet square, was the first structure erected
by a white man in the township. When it was completed he
brought his wife to their frontier home early in 1836. Mrs.
Godfrey did not see a white woman during the first six weeks
of her residence in Racine County. Her nearest female neighbor
was Mrs. Betsy Call, at Call's Grove, in what is now the Town of
Waterford.

Mr. Wade also made a claim and his wife was the first person
to die in the township, her death occurring on New Year's Day in
1837. In that year Levi Godfrey opened his hotel in Rochester.

A few settlers located in Rochester during the year 1836.
among whom were G. W. Gamble, Gilman Hoyt, John T. Palmer,
L. O. and Martin Whitman and Mary Skinner. The first bridge
over the Fox River at Rochester was built in the fall of that year
by Ira A. Rice and John T. Palmer.

Quite a number of immigrants came to the township in 1837,
among whom may be mentioned Cicorge E. Duncan, George W.
and Tristam Hoyt, Benjamin Flanders, Alonzo Snow, James H.
Gipson, Thaddeus Earl, David M. Fowler, Joseph Clark, Philan-
der Bartlett, Benjamin Bartlett, Horace Frost, Royal Flanders,
Patrick Laughrin, John Freelove and Sela Whitman. Toward
the close of the year John Freelove, Sela Whitman and Seth
Warner also settled in Rochester. Seth Warner's son, Henry, was
the first white child born in the townshiiD.

In 1838 Horace Andrews, Calvin Earl, I. O. Parker, H. S.
Hurlbut, Hilliard Hely and William G. Lewis all made claims
in the township, and the next year the population was increased
l)y the arrival of Obed Hurlbut, G. M. Hely, Eleazer Everit, Jacob
L. Myers, Jedediah Healy, Henry Cady, Luther Whitman, Abial
\Miitman, J. H. Hickox, Richard E. Ela and Pinkston Wade.

A saw-mill was built at Rochester soon after the first settle-

124 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

incuts were started, and when Eleazor Everit arrived in 1839 he
decided to have a frame house. He therefore cut and hauled two
saw-logs to the mill and had them sawed into boards. Then he
cut down four small trees and planted them firmly in the ground
for corner posts. To these posts he nailed the l)oards and also
used some of his Imnber for a roof. The house was not exactly
"a thing of beauty," but it served as an abode for himself, his
wife and two children on the farm Avhere he afterward built a
substantial residence and made other improvements second to
none in the county. The first season he occupied his farm he
sowed six acres of wheat, which yielded a good crop. In market-
ing his ^\•heat he was especially fortunate. Southport (now in
Kenosha County) was the most convenient market town and to
that i)lace he hauled a load of wheat, for which he received thir-
teen dollars in currency, l)ut upon trying to pass the money
learned that the l)ank which had issued it had been in bankruptcy
for two years.

Some idea of the hardshii^s encountered by young women on
the frontier may he gained from the experience of Emily Hoyt,
daughter of Tristam C. Hoyt, who came with her father and
brother to Rochester in 1837, when she was only thirteen years
of age. She was the housekee])er for the family and after pre-
paring breakfast on suiniiier mornings she would hurry up with
her woi-k, fasten the door of the cabin as well as she could and
g(( with her father and brother to the field, where she would re-
main all day following the plow, rather than stay in the cabin,
because Indians in considerable munbers were cimstantly prowl-
ing about the neighborhood and she was afraid to be by herself.

The first i)hysician in Rochester Township was Dr. Solomon
Hlood; Seth Warner was the first justice of the ])eace; Rev. C.
C. Cadwell was the first resident minister, who preached for the
Baptist Chui'ch, organized in 1837, which was the first religious
society. Philo Helden built the first brick chinmey, hauling the
brick from a yard at the mouth of th(^ Root River, a distance of
about twenty-five nules. Martin Whitman began the improve-
ment of a water power on Muskego Creek in the fall of 1837, and
in January, 1840, Oren Wright i)ut in a turning lathe. He manu-
factured chaii-s, tables and bedsteads — the only furniture of that
description made any place within a radius of many nnles. The
first marriage was that of a Mr. Cole and a Miss Fowler. The

HISTORY OF R.\{"1\K COUNTY 125

sj,i'()(iiii walked to Raciiic Inr the iiiai'iMaj;c license, which cost him
tcnir dollars.

\\'hcn Rochester Township was first established by the act
of Jamiary 2, 1838, its boundaries were described as follows:
"Conunencing at the southwest corner of the Town of Mount
Pleasant; thence due west to the line dividing Racine and Wal-
worth Counties; thence due north to the north line of Racine
("ounty; thence east to the northwest corner of the Town of
Mount Pleasant, and thence due south to the place of beginning."

These boundaries included all the present Town of Rochester,
the Towns of Dover, Norway and Waterford, and the north half
of Burlington. The next Legislature passed an act, approved by
(iovernor Dodge on March 9, 1839, creating a number of new
townships in the state and modifying the boundaries of those pre-
viously established. Section 21 of that act provided: "That the
country included within the following limits, to wit : Commencing
at the northwest corner of Racine County; thence due east to
the northwest corner of the Town of Mount Pleasant; thence due
south to the northeast (southeast) corner of Section 13, in Town-
ship No. 3 North, Range 20 East; thence due west to the line
dividing Racine and Walworth Counties; thence due north to the
])lace of ])eginning, be, and the same is hereby set off into a sep-
arate town by the name of Rochester."

As thus described, Rochester included the Towns of Norway
and Waterford, the present Town of Rochester and the northern
half of D(jver. There is clearly a misprint in the eastern bound-
ary, where the northeast corner of Secticm 13 is given as its south-
ern terminus. The southeast corner of that section is on a line
with the southern boundary of Rochester as it is at present, and
was unquestionably meant. This theory is borne out by the fact
lliat the Town of Burlington was created by the same act, its
northern boundary being fixed as the "Town of Rochester," and
there is no i-ecord of the north line of Burlington having been
changed.

In the act of January 2, 1838, the })laces of holding elections
were designated as the house of Stebbins and Duncan, in the
Village of Rochester, and IMoses Smith's house, in the Village of
Burlington. When Burlington was estalilished the next year, the
house of Stel)bins and Duncan remained as the voting place for
Rochester.

126 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Although the smallest township in the county and without a
railroad, Rochester is not behind in other respects. The popula-
tion in 1910 was 766, and the assessed valuation of property in
1915 was $1,297,385, or nearl^y seventeen hundred dollars for each
person living in the township.

WATERFORD TOWNSHIP

Situated in the northwest corner of the county is the Town
of Waterford, which includes Congressional Township 4 North,
of Range 19 East, and has an area of thirty-six square miles. The
F'ox River enters it from Waukesha County near the middle of
the northern boundary and flows in a southerly direction, leaving
the township near the Village of Waterford. In the northeastern
part, in Sections 11, 12, 13 and 14, lies Tishigan Lake, a beautiful
little body of water about one mile in length. The surface is
slightly undulating and the soil is generally fertile.

The settlement of this part of the county began in May, 1836,
when Sanuiol E. Chai)man, P. R. Mygatt, Ira A. Rice and Arad
Wells made claims in what is now the Town of Waterford. Chap-
man and Rice brought their wives with them and were the first
to establish homes. Levi and Hiram Barnes came a little later;
Benoni Buttles and his family arrived in June; Hiram Page came
in August; Archibald Cooper in September, and before the close
of the year Henry and Austin Mygatt, Elisha and Osborne L.
Elms, Alpheus Barnes, Samuel C. Russ and Adney Sampson had
located in the neighl)orhood. Joseph and Tyler Caldwell settled
in the northwestern part, whore a postoffice called "Caldwell's
Prairie" was afterward estalJished. They Avere soon afterward
joined by Abram Ressigue, William A. Cheney and Calvin Gault,
and in the fall Charles Hewitt, Paul W. Todd and Wesley Munger
settled upon the prairie.

During the year 1837 a number of pioneers came to the Town
of Waterford. Among them were: Louis D. Merrills, Frederick
A. and Harvey Weage, Israel Markham, Orrin Barry, James and
John Cooper, Sautell Whitman, Dyer Buskirk, William Wade,
J. S. Cooper, Lorenzo Ward, Victor M. Willard, T. W. Gault,
William Jones, John Fisher, and a man by the name of Burbank.
The following year Nelson II. Palmer, Elijah K. Bent, Jefferson
Brown, Ira Coleman and a few others came into the township.

The first settlers located on or near the Fox River. Samuel

HISTORY OK RACINE COUNTY 127

E. Chajnnan bnilt his house on the site of an old Indian eouneil
house called "Cadney's Castle," not far from the present Village
of Waterford, of which he was one of the founders. Ira A. Rice
went a little farther from the river and located his claim in Sec-
tion 27, where he developed a fine faiin, upon which he continued
to reside for many years. The Caldwells, when they first came,
built a small shanty, but in 1837 Joseph built a frame house,
which was probably the first in the township.

Concerning the manner in which these pioneers lived, Judge
Dyer, in his address to the Old Settlers in 1871, said: "The hard-
ships of these pioneers, during the first seasons of their settle-
ment, were often severe. They had not only to contend against
thieving Indians, but were obliged to transport their provisions
and seed with ox teams from Racine, Southport and Chicago.
There were no roads in the country; streams had to l)e forded,
marshes traversed, and all the difficulties of travel which prevail
in an unsettled region encountered. At some seasons, hunting
and fishing afforded the chief means of subsistence. The men
worked days, and lumted game and speared fish by torch-light
at night. But amid all their privations the settlers were happy,
for they enjoyed the freedom and independence of their rugged
life. New comers were always welcome to their humble hospital-
ity; every cabin and shake-roofed house was open; friendship and
brotherly love prevailed. There were no drones in those days.
Every man and woman had work to do, and did it, and when one
of the settlers had a job on his hands that he could not manage
alone, all his neighbors gave him their gratuitous assistance."

The first crops raised by the settlers in this part of the county
were potatoes and rutabagas. Archibald Cooper used to tell how
he and his family lived for two weeks upon rutabagas alone. He
also said that the first johnny cake he ate after coming to Racine
County was made of corn meal ground in a coffee mill at the house
of Osborne L. Elms, and the molasses they had with it was made
from watermelons. Flour was a luxury. Lotiis D. Merrills paid
twenty dollars for the first barrel of flour that he bought after
coming to the county, and paid for it by splitting fence rails. He
sowed the first crop of winter wheat in the fall of 1836, and the
following summer made the cradle with which it was harvested.

The first white child born in Waterford was Louisa, daughter
of Israel Markham, who was born in 1837. The first justice of

128 HISTORY OF RA(T\E COUNTY

the jjcaci' was Sanuiel El. Chapman, and the first physiciaB was
a Dr. Blanchaid. Harriet Caldwell taught the first school in 1840.
The first saw-mill in the settlement was huilt in the fall of 1837,
when a number of pioneers joined together and built a dam across
the Fox River to furnish the power. In 1840 Samuel PC. Chapman
erected a grist mill at the same place. The first mill-stone was
only twenty-two iiu^hes in diameter. It was kept as a relic by
Mr. Cha])man for many years after the mill ceased to do business.
Levi Barnes was the hrst preacher. He was not a doctor of divin-
ity, but he was not afraid to rebuke the sins of those who listened
to him. Some of the settlers were in the habit of going fishing
(in Sunday, and it is said that Mr. Barnes, in one of his sermons,
i-eproved them for this practice, as follows: "Pioneers and sin-
ners! I come to call you to repentance; and as one so called, I
declare to you that unless you repent of your sins, you are gone,
hook and line, bo]) and sinker." The language was certainly more
forcible than elegant, Init it is not known what effect it had on
the recreant fishermen.

Ira A. Rice succeeded Mr. Chapman as justice of the peace.
While he was magistrate, a man was ])rought before him on the
charge of stealing a sheep. The evidence was conclusive, the
(•ul])rit was found guilty, and "Squire" Rice sentenced him to
twciity days' hard lalior. The prisoner served out his time in
helping to build a bridge across the Muskego Creek, which was
then within Rice's jurisdiction. The sentence may not have been
strictly according to law, l)ut the offender evidently did not know
it and no one else offered any objection.

Mr. Rice was also the first captain of the Waterford militia,
of which Archibald Cooper was first lieutenant. Samuel E. Chap-
man had formerly been a captain of light infantry and when the
Waterford (■omi)any assembled for drill he presented himself with
a wooden sword "al)out six feet long," apparently intending to
take command. But Captain Rice disarmed him and reduced him
lo the ranks.

Just when Waterford was set off from Rochester is not cer-
tain, as a careful search through the session laws of Wisconsin
fails to reveal any act establisliing the township as a separate civil
jurisdiction. It was probably created about the same time as
Norway, which was in February, 1847. The township has no
laili'ond and the Village of Waterford is the only one within its

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HISTORY OI' RACIXF, COrXTY 12<;

limits. In 1910 tlie population (exclusive of the village) was
935, and in 1915 the assessed value of the property was $2,640,682.

YORKVILLE TOWNSHIP

The Town of Yorkville is one of the southern tier. It is
Ixninded on the north by the Town of Raymond; on the east by
.Mount Pleasant; on the south by Kenosha Comity, and on the
west by Dover Township. It embraces Congressional Township
4 North, of Range 21 East, and has an area of thirty-six square
miles. The South Fork of the Root River flows in a northerly
direction through the central part, and this stream, with its trib-
utaries, affords good natural drainage to the entire township.
The surface is generally level, or slightly rolling, and the soil is
alxtve the average in fertility.

To Joseph Call belongs the distinction of having been the
first settler in Yorkville. He located at what is now known as
Ives' Grove in the sununer of 1835. built a log house, and after-
ward conducted it as a taveni. The fall after he located there
he sold 160 acres of his claim to Nelson A. Walker, whose family
came the following March. When Mr. Walker bought his claim
in the fall of 1835, there was not a single house between Ives'
drove and the settlement at Rochester, and Mrs. Call was the
only white woman in the Town of Yorkville. Other early settlers
were Samuel Daniels, Daniel Whitmore and Samuel Kerr, who
all lived together in one cabin, though each had a claim of his
own. In 1838 Mr. Walker sold his claim nad removed to Mount
Pleasant.

Charles Nobles and (ieorge Nichols settled near the Grove
in 1836. Late in that year or early in 1837, Marshall M. Strong,
of Racine, and Stephen N. Ives purchased Joseph Call's claim,
including his tavern, and in May, 1837, sold it to Roland Ives,
from whom the name of the grove was derived. About that time
John Nobles settled at Ives' Grove and L. S. Blake made a claim
in another part oi the townhisp, but soon afterward sold it to
Cornelius Brezee, who settled upon it in June, 1837, and there
passed the remainder of his life.

Alexander (^iray, accompanied by Charles Waite, came in
1837. Other settlers of that year were: Robert Bell, Edward
Buchan, Ebenezer Heald, Owen Campbell and Col. P. P. Lincoln.
Colonel Lincoln had been here in June, 1836, and selected his

13U HISTURV OF RACINE COUNTY

claim, but did not become a permanent settler until in September,
]837. Tn the early days he traveled through the different settle-
ments threshing wheat with a flail, in the use of which he is said
to have been an expert.

In April, 1838, Reuben Waite, father of Charles E. Waite,
located near his son. He was one of the most public spirited of
the early settlers. Late in the year 1839 he concluded that the
children of the neighborhood ought to attend school, so he fitted
up part of his house for a school room and employed Levantia
Baruum at his own expense as a teachei'. Eight scholars attended
the school, which ran through the greater part of the winter.

Another settler of 1838 was Arba B. Terrell, who located at
Ives' Grove. He was a carpenter by trade and had no troul^le in
finding employment. One of the buildings he erected was the
first barn of Elisha Ra.ymond, in the Town of Raymond. He was
something of an elocutionist, a great mimic, full of good humor,
and was quite a favorite at entei-tainments.

Tn the fall of 1838 Owen Campbell purchased Nelson A.
Walker's claim for $1,000, Mr. Walker removing to Mount Pleas-
ant, as above stated. Mr. Campbell had first come to the county
the year before with Roland Ives. Forty acres of his claim had
been improved by Mr. Walker. His family consisted of a wife
and ten children. One of his sons. Homer Campbell, aftenvard
studied medicine and practiced his profession for years in Racine
County. Owen Campbell was one of the eai-ly justices of the
peace of Torkville.

The first white child born in the township was Mary Jane,
daughter of Nelson A. Walker, who was boi-n on May 13, 1838.
A few months later her parents removed to Moiint Pleasant,
where she grew to wonianho(xl and married a man by the name
of George.

Yorkville Township was first erected by an act of the Leg-
islature, approved on February 7, 1842. Section 4 of the act
provided: "That all that \n\Yt of the Towns of jNIomit Pleasant,
Burlingt<m and Rochester comprised within the following limits,
to wit: Connnencing at the southeast corner of Section 25, Town-
ship 3 North, Range 21 East; running west to the southwest cor-
ner of Section 27, in Township 3, Range 20; thence north eleven
miles to the north line of the County of Racine; thence east on
said line to the northeast corner of Section 1, in Township 4,

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 1.^1

Uange 21; thence south to the pku-e of begimung, shall be and
is hereby set off into a separate town by the name of Yorkville."

The l)oundaries as above described iiichi(h'd all the present
Town of Yorkville, except a strip one mile wide across the south
side, all of Raymond, the eastern half of Norway, and the eastern
half of Dover, except Sections 34, 35 and 36. The act also stipu-
lated that the first election should be held at the house of E.
Adams.

When the Town of Raymond was set off by the act of Feb-
ruary 2, 1846 — under the name of Black Hawk — Section 10
provided: "That all that district of country comprised in Town-
ship 3 North, Range 21 East, and the east half of Township 3
North, of Range 20 East, in Racine County, be and the same is
hereby organized into a separate town to be called the Town of
Yorkville, and the first town meeting in said town shall be held
at the house of E. Adams."

By this act the southern boundary of the town was extended
to what is now the Kenosha County line, and when the Town of
Dover was created Yorkville was reduced to its present area. A
division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway system
runs across the southern part of Yorkville and there are two
stations in the township — Sylvania (foiTnerly called Windsor),
near the eastern boundary, and Union Grove, in the southwest
corner. The latter is an incorporated village. In 1910 the popu-
lation of Yorkville, not including the Village of Union Crove, was
1,146, and in 1915 the jn-operty was assessed at $3,164,022.

A RETROSPECT

Looking backward over a period of four score years, one can
not help recognizing the fact that the present generation owes to
the pioneers of the several townships of Racine County a debt
of remembrance and gratitude, that can only l)e paid by studying
their achievements and cherishing their memory. They lived in
rude cabins, wore homespun clothing, dined on homely fare,
fought prairie fires, contended with prowling wolves and pred-
atory Indians, and often suffered for the commonest necessities
of life. But they conquered the wild wastes, improved their lands,
opened roads, bridged the streams, built up villages and cities,
estal)lished factories, inaugurated civil government in county and
township, and gave to their posterity the splendid civilization

132 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

that the people of the present day enjoy. All honor, then, to the
pioneers, whose conquest of a trackless wilderness is as much
deserving of a place in history as the conquests of Alexander the
Great, or the victory of Wellington over Napoleon at Waterloo.

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CHAPTER Vn

THE CITY OF RACINE

LOCATION — ORIGIN OF THE NAME — EARLY SETTLEMENT — PLATTING
THE TOWN — STREET AND PROPERTY LINES — POSTOFFICE — EARLY
MAIL ROUTES — THE VILLAGE INCORPORATED — THE CITY GOVERN-
MENT—LIST OF MAYORS — FIRE DEPARTMENT — POLICE DEPART-
MENT — PUBLIC PARKS — WATERWORKS — GAS AND ELECTRIC
LIGHT — MISCELLANEOUS.

Rucine, the seat of justice of Ivaciiic County and the second
largest city in the State of Wisconsin, is located on the shore of
Lake Michigan, in the Town of Mount Pleasant, and at the mouth
of the Root River. Actual surveys show that the court-house is
situated in latitude 42' 43' 45" north and longitude 87' 47' 01" west.
The name "Racine" is of French origin and was in all prol)ability
lirst applied to the locality by the Jesuit missionaries when they
visited the locality in the Seventeenth Century. It means, as
nearly as can be determined, "a river filled with tangled roots,"
and was given to the river that flows into Lake Michigan at that
point, though the Indian name of the stream was "Chip-pe-cot-
ton," which means "root." Philo White, writing on the subject
of the name in 1845, says: "Racine, in French, means not only
I'oot as applied to trees, shrulis and plants, but also signifies the
principal, the ))ase, the source, the; foundation; and hence a French
writer says, 'Je crois qii'il veut prendre racine ici.' " This ex-
pression Mr. White translates as "I think he desires to take up
his quarters here," a translation that signifies a desirable place
to dwell, which is borne out by the fact that the first white settlers
in the county locat(^d at the mouth of the Root River.

EARLY SETTLEMENT

As narrated in Cha}jter IV of this work, the first actual set-
tlers in what is now the City of Racine were (rilbert Knapp, A. J.
and William Luce and a man named Welch, the Luces and Welch
l)eing employees of Captain Knapj). After staking out his claim
(all the land comprised in the original plat of Racine) and building
a small cabin near the mouth of the river in November, 1834,
Captain Knapj.) returned to Chicago, leaving his hired men to
look "after and protect his interests. During that winter and the

1,U HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

following spring he interested Gurdon S. Hubbard, of Chicago,
and Jacob A. Barker, of Buffalo, New York, in his project of
founding a town at the mouth of the Boot Biver. A name being
necessary, the proposed town was called "Bort Gilbert," in honor
of the original settler, but that name was soon abandoned in favor
of "Bacine."

There is a story to the effect that a trading post of the
American Pur Company was established several years before the
arrival of Captain Knapp. Augustin (irignon, for many years
associated with the affairs of the company, in his reminiscences,
published in the Wisconsin Historical Collections (Vol. XX, p.
218), says that James Kinzie, a son of the well known Chicago
trader, John Kinzie, was in charge of the company's post at Mil-
waukee in the early '20s and had a branch at the mouth of the
Boot Biver. This James Kinzie was born at Detroit in 1793,
but went to Virginia in his childhood and lived with his mother's
] )('(>] )le imtil he was about twenty-three years old. He then re-
turned to the West and was in the employ of the American Fur
Company until the post at Milwaukee was closed. In 1833 he
built the "Green Tree Tavern" in Chicago, and was the first
sheriff of Cook County, Illinois. From Chicago he went to Iowa
County, Wisconsin, and died there on January 13, 1866. Just
how much truth there is in this story, or just where the Bacine
post was located, is somewhat problematical.

On January 2, 1835, Stephen Campbell, William See, Paul
Kingston and Ednnnid came from Chicago for the purpose of
locating claims somewhere in the neighborhood of the Boot Biver.
They found the Luce brothers in the cabin erected by Captain
Knapp 's direction the fall before. William Luce pointed out the
boundaries of the claim they were holding and warned the new
comers not to trespass. Mr. Campbell went back some distance
into the dense woods, cleared a small space and built a shanty,
but discovered that he was upon the Knapp claim. He then went
farther west and built a second cabin in what afterward became
the "Har])or Addition." Mr. See went on up the river to the
B-ajjids; Mr. Weed staked out a claim that was afterward owned
and occui>ied by Nicholas D. Fratt, and Mr. Kingston staked out
a claim just south of Knapp's, as he supposed, l)ut learned when
it was too late that he was a trespasser. After some conflict, he
surrendered his claim there and it l>ecame the Knapp homestead.

WISCONSIN AND FOURTH STREETS FIFTY YEARS AGO

JOSEPH Rowr

NORTHWEST CORNER MAIN AND FOURTH STREEETS IN THE TiOi

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 135

In the spring of 1835 Joel Sage set out from Massachusetts
to seek a new home somewhere in the West. Upon arriving at
Chicago he met Captain Knapp, who {)rovided him with an Indian
pony, ui)on which lie made the trip to Racine. He arrived at his
destination in May and began looking about for a satisfactory
location. West of the Root River an Indianian had made a claim,
which Mr. Sage bought, and of which he took inunediate ])os-
session. His log house stood on top of the bluff, at a point
that is now almost the exact center of State Street. During his
absence one day in the fall of 1835, some evil-minded person or
jiersons tore down his house, hoping, no doubt, to frighten him
away and get possession of his claim. But jNlr. Sage was not that
kind of a man. He inunediately rebuilt his cabin and finnly
asserted his right to the 107 acres inehided in his claim. In his
address to the Old Settlers in 1871, Judge Charles E. Dyer said:

"Joel Sage, in retaining his claim and title to the 107 acres,
upon which he located, was spared the trials and troubles which
congressional legislation had brought to other settlers. But he
had a long and discouraging conflict with fraudulent float holders,
who sought, l)y all means that were not honest, to oust him of his
possessions. He journeyed to Green Bay and there resisted their
pretenses; he went to Chicago and employed lawyers to assist
him in his warfare, and with a just conception of the first great
light and duty of an actual settler, he took good care to maintain
actual possession of the lands upon which he had located. His
theory was that his cabin was his castle; that possession was nine
points in the law, and, adhering with courageous ])ertinacity
his position, fraudulent floats and bogus titles could not prevail
against him. His rights culminated in actual title in 1838, ]\v
virtue of pre-emption."

On February 7, 1836, Joel Sage's two sons — Sidney A. and
Stephen H. — arrived in Racine, and in August his wife, Bethiah
Sage, came with Rev. Cyrus Nichols and family. When Racine
began to spread out, the 107 acres of Mr. Sage's claim gained the
appellation of "Sage Town," by which title it was known for
many years. ^Ir. Sage died in September, 1840, Imt some of his
descendants still live in Racine.

During the summer and fall of 1835 E. J. Glenn, James
Beeson, Levi Mason, Amaziah Stebbins, Alfred and Dr. Bushnell
B. Cary, Samuel Mars, John M. Myers, Eugene Gillespie, Joseph

136 HIST()R\- OF RACl.XE CUUNTY

Knap]!, Henry F. Cox, William Saltonstall and a man named
Stilwell arrived and began the work of buildin,t>- homes. Dr. Elias
Smith, the seeond physician in the town, arrived in December.
In the meantime five or six frame houses had been erected, one
(if which was a two-story structure used as a tavern. It was
built l)y .John Pagan and the hotel was kei)t by Amaziah Stebbins
and John M. Myers. Mr. Myers afterward went to Milwaukee,
where he was engaged in the hotel business until his death. His
son, Henry S. Myers, was the first white male child born in the
City of Racine, a daughter having been born to Levi Mason and
his wife a short time before. By the close of the year 1835 there
was an atmosphere about "Port (Jilbert" that indicated the town
had "come to stay."

The year 1836 witnessed a considerable increase in the pop-
ulation. Besides Rev. Cyrus Nichols and the family of Joel
Sage already mentioned, William H. Waterman, Norman Clark,
Alanson Filer, Marshall M. Strong, Timothy Knight and his son,
Samuel G., Jonathan M. Snow, Enoch Thompson, Seth Parsons,
Samuel Lane, William H. Chamberlin, Stephen N. Ives, Lorenzo
Janes, James O. Bartlett, Charles Smith, Lyman K. Smith and
a number of others settled in and around the village.

Marshall M. Strong was the first lawyei-. He came with
Charles and Lyman K. Smith and Stephen N. Ives on the "Penn-
sylvania," one of the first steamers on the Great Lakes. Soon
after his arrival he formed a partnei'shi]) with Stephen N. Ives
and they opened a store under the firm name of Strong & Ives.
Previous to that time Caj^tain Knapp had kept a small stock of
goods to supply the immediate wants of the settlers, but the first
established store in Racine was that of Cilenn & Mason. Eugene
(iillespie was the second merchant. Dr. Elias Smith and William
11. Waterman opened the third mercantile house, and the firm of
Str(mg & Ives was the fourth concern of that line. Concerning
the year 1836, Judge Dyer says: "The year was, as all know
who experienced its business history, a remarkable year. The
mania for speculation raged wildly. Speculators were traversing
the country looking for water powers and village sites; farmers
and mechanics threw aside their work and began to buy and trade
in village lots that were located in an unbroken forest. Racine
was to be a great city, even three years before the land sales,
and I have in my possession the estimated value of the town lots

AN OLD VIEW IN SIXTH STREET, TAKEN FROM WHERE THE ROBINSON BLOCK NOW STANDS.
THE BLAKE BUILDING STANDS TO THE RIGHT OF THE PICTUliE.

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LOOKING WEST ON SIXTH STRE?:T IN 1915

HISTORY (W R.\ri\E COrXTV 137

in Racine, made September 17, 1836, which discloses the interest-
ing fact that, at that time, the value of the property in what is
now the ori.t-inal plat of Racine, was $348,100. Upon the strength
of such an assessment as that, wliat a })ity they didn't issue some
city bonds in anticipation of a railroad, via Ball's Bluff, a charter
for which was obtained in 1838!"

Samuel Lane was the first shoemaker. Soon after his arrival
in 1836 he opened his shop in the old claim shanty that had been
built by Captain Knapp. William H. Chamberlin, the first l)lack-
smith, also began business in this year, and Benjamin Pratt,
who came in 1835, established a brickyard, from which came the
bricks for the chimneys of the Racine Hotel and the old light
liouse. The first school was taught in the winter of 1836 by a
man named Bradley, in a little house sixteen feet scpiare, which
stood on the lot where McClurg's Block w^as afterward erected.

When Racine County was created by the act of December 7,
1836. Alfred Cary and Joel Sage were appointed justices of the
peace. It is said that Mi-. Sage did not desire the honor and
declined to qualify until Alfred Cary, wh(j was a warm friend
of Mr. Sage, announced his intention of getting married and re-
cjuested i\lr. Sage to perform the ceremony. To acconunodate
his friend he took the oath of office and his first act in an official
capacity was to solemnize the union of Alfred Cary and Miss
Mary Knight, a daughter of Timothy Knight. The marriage
occm-red on December 29, 1836, and was the first wedding in
Racine.

The great event of the year 1837 was the building of the
Racine House — the town's first "big" hotel. It was erected by
Alfred Cary at a cost of over ten thousand dollars. The site was
in the woods and a clearing had to be made before work on tlic
hotel commenced. Albert G. Knight hauled the lumber from
See's saw-mill at the Rapids; Lucius S. Blake burned the lime,
and Benjamin Pratt furnished the bricks. ^Mien the frame was
ready everybody in the community turned out to an old-fashioned
"raising," and the skeleton went up with a rush. When the
hotel was completed a celebration was held and "in the dancing
room, which had been particularly prepared, from close of day
until early morn a hapjjy crowd danced away the night under
the inspiration of music furnished by a hod earner on a three-
stringed fiddle." John M. Myers was the first landlord and con-

1.S8 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

ducted the house for some time before his removal to Milwaukee.

PLATTING THE TOWN

Various statements have l)een made regarding the first survey
of Racine. Judge Dyer says, in his Old Settlers' address: "In
the winter of 1835 and 1836, the City of Racine was laid out into
lots and lilocks" — a statement that is repeated in Chapter V
of this work. The History of Racine and Kenosha Counties, pub-
lished in 1879, says, on page 361: "The first survey of the village
north (if the river was made by Milo Jones; that south of the
stream by Joshua Ilatheway," but does not give the time.
Franklin Ilatheway, who was one of the government surveyors
in Racine Comity, and a nephew of the Joshua Hatheway men-
tioned above, in an article on "Surveying in Wisconsin," pub-
lished in the Wisconsin Historical Collections (Vol. XV, p. 391),
says: "We left Milwaukee on Christmas Day (1835), on foot,
and before the end of the year were actively at work. Two months
sufficed to complete the survey; about the first of March, 1836,
a portion of the party was dismissed and the others spent about
a month in surveying and laying out the future City of Racine,
under the lead of David Giddings."

While Mr. Hatheway's statement does not altogether agree
w ith the others, it does not seriously conflict, and as he was one
of the party he should be regarded as competent authority. The
survey he speaks of as having been completed in two months
included Townships 1, 2 and 3 North, of Ranges 19, 20, 21, 22
and 23 East. This district embraced all of the present County
of Kenosha and the southern half of Racine.

After ihv survey was completed, a map or plat was drawn
by Joshua Hatheway. On this original plat the streets running
uoi'th and south, beginning next to the lake, were Michigan, Chat-
ham, Main and Wisconsin, which extended both north and south
of the Root River, while west of Wisconsin Street south of the
i-iver were BarnstalJe and Chippeway Streets. From the river
noi-th the east and west streets were shown as Dodge, Hamilton,
Hubbard, Barker and Kewaunee; south of the river were Water,
Front, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Streets. Running
along the east bank of the river from Chippeway to Water Streets
was West Street. A number of the names of these streets have
since been changed; for example, Barnstable Street is now College

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MUKED, NEALKD A-^D UELITED^D | (

IN PRLVENCG <"' w; ■ J.

DKKl) TU (UI.ISKUT KNAl'P BY HOAKI) OF CUMMISSIONEKS OK KACINK COUNTY
OF OKIOINAL I'LAT OF KACINE

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 139

Avenue, and Chippeway Street is Park Avenue. The public square
is shown as being comprised of one tier of lots on the west side of
Main Street, from Fifth to Sixth Streets, and the opposite tier
on the east side of Main Street, with that street running through
the center.

The official plat of the town, as made by Mr. Hatheway, was
l<ist (supposed to have been destroyed by fire) many years ago,
but Captain Knaj^p had a copy, which was reproduced by John
W. Knight in 1887, and from which the above description was
taken. In one corner of the sheet Mr. Knight wrote: "Copy of
the plat of Racine, Wisconsin, in possession of Captain Gilbert
Knajjp up to the time of his death in the year 1887. I have taken
great pains to make this a correct and faithful copy of the plat
of Racine held by Captain Knapp, which is supposed to be a copy
of the original plat of Racine Ijy Hatheway, as Captain Knapp
was a large owner of lots at that time. The plat gives no dimen-
sions and has no certificate attached. Irregular dimensions of
streets, lots or blocks on this plat are copied from the other, and
(are) not errors by me."

STREET AND PROPERTY LINES

The loss of the original plat caused a great deal of trouble
in laying out additions to the city, which is now fully twenty
times as large as shown on Hatheway 's plat of 1836. Concerning
this condition of affairs, David H. Flett, foniier municipal judge,
has prepared the following statement:

"Considerable trouble has been experienced in Racine in
correctly locating the street and property lines. Especially is
this true of Section 16, generally known as the School Section.
The section itself was originally surveyed and the lines located
!)>• the United States Government surveyors. Under the Federal
Jaws, this section became the property of the state, the proceeds
of sale to be used for school purposes. The section was resurveyed
and platted in 1848 by Moses Vilas under the direction of the
State of Wisconsin.

"At the time of both surveys, the land was more or less
covered with trees and brush, and neither survey was very accu-
rate. By the first survey the section was not a perfect square,
the south side being somewhat longer than the north side, and
the west side being somewhat longer than the east side.

140 HISTORY OF RACIXE COnXTV

"This gave rise to twn luethods for the establishing of street,
l)lock and lot lines. One of the local surveyors adopted Seventh
Street for the base line for thc^ noi'th and south streets, rurniing
them all at right angles to Seventh Street, and Main Street as
the base line for the east and west streets, running them all at
right angles to Main Street. This, of course, had the effect of
ci-eating some quite large blocks in the southwest corner of the
section. The other local surveyor took the position that the sev-
eral blocks should be of uniform size, as far as possible. This
gave rise to much controversy and uncertainty as to lines.

"To make matters still worse, v(>ry few original government
monuments remained and each surveyor, from time to time,
established monuments in different places in accordance with his
own theory. The situation became so acute that in 1882 (me
Beniset Williams, of Chicago, was employed to resurvey and
endeavor to establish the true lines. His work was a ccmipromise
between the theories of the other two and a map was prepared
showing the lines as located by each of the three surveys. There-
upon an ordinance was enacted by the City Councd, in accoi'dance
with the Williams survey, and all surveys made by the city since
that time have been governed by this ordinance."

THE POSTOFFICE

On February 25, 1836, a postoffice called "Root River" was
established, with A. B. Saxtcm as postmaster. Some authorities
state that this postoffice was at the Rapids, but that statement
cannot be fully verified. Mr. Saxton was succeeded, on May 19,
1886, by Dr. B. B. Cary, who made his tirst report on the last day
of June, showing the total receipts of the office since its estab-
lishment to be $122.69, and the postmaster's commissions $37.79,
or a little less than ten dollars a month. After the passage of
the act by Congress creating the Territory of Wisconsin, the
name of the office was changed to "Racine, Wisconsin Tenitory."

For many years the jxistoffice was kept in such quarters as
could ])e ol)tained by the different })ostmasters. At one time it
was in the Blake & Elliott Block, on Main Street, and from there
it went to the Cordon Block, on the corner of Main and Fifth
Streets. Several efforts w^ere made to have C(mgress appropriate
a sum of money for a postoffice building and, finally, through
the persistency of the membei' (tf Congress from the First Dis-

R. M. NORTON

REUBEN DOUD.

D. A. OLIN.

H. BRVAS.

R. H. BAKER.

E. K. COOLEY. W. H. WATERMAN

W. W. VAUGHAN. '•EO. f- NORTHKOf. ALVIN KAVMOSU.

G. MEACHEM. ERNST HL'EFFNER.

f. L. MITCHELL. ADOLPH WEBER. JACKSON I. CASE.

.'»/ I-*WJ f^M.K /

MAYOJtS UF RAClNi;

HISTORY OF RACTNE COUNTY 141

trict and the representations of inlliieiitial citizens of Racine, an
appropriation of $50,001) was made. This snm was found insuffi-
cient for the purchase of a site and tiie erection of a suitable build-
ing- and a second api)roi)riation was secured, which swelled the
amount to over $100,000. The Hakei' proi)erty, on the southeast
corner of Sixth and ^lain Streets, was then purchased and the
present building erected thereon. It was occupied in the fall
of 1898. The cost of the building was $100,000 and the site is
now valued at $50,000.

In 1850 the office was made ])residential, and in 1882 the free
delivery system was inaugurated, with five carriers. At the close
of the fiscal year on June 30, 1916, there were ninety-two ])eople
employed in connection with the office, to wit: Postmaster, assist-
ant postmaster, 38 clerks, 2 sul)stitute clerks, 35 city carriers,
6 substitute carriers, 4 rural carriers, 3 engaged in carrying the
mails to and from the railroad stations, and 2 janitors. The
receipts in 1915 reached $382,000 — quite a development since
Dr. Gary made his first report on Jime 30, 1836, when the receipts
amoimt'ed to $122.69.

Following is a list of postnuisters, with the year when each
was appointed or entered upon the duties of the position: A. B.
.Saxton, A\ho served from February 25 to May 19, 1836; Dr. Bush-
nell B. Gary, who took the office on May 19, 1836; Elias Smith,
1841; Bushnell B. Gary, 1845; Eldad Smith, 1849 (Mr. Smith Avas
the first postmaster appointed by the President; he was confirmed
by the Senate on September 28, 1850) ; Tallmadge Stevens, 1853;
Bushnell B. Gary, February 23, 1854; N. H. Joy, I860; John Tap-
ley, 1861; William L. Utley, 1869; Henry W. Wright, 1877; Norton
J.' Field, 1881; Glarence Snyder, 1886; Hiram J. Smith, 1890;
Andrew Simonson, 1894; Jackson I. Gase, 1898; Hiram J. Smith,
1902; Ghristopher G. Gittings, 1906; James E. Pritchard, 1910;
George H. Herzog, 1915.

EARLY MAIL ROUTES

About the time the Root River postoffice was established, or
perhaps a little later, an act of Gongress authorized a mail route
fi-om Ghicago to Green Bay, passing through the present Towns
of Evanston, Waukegan, Kenosha, Racine, Milwaukee, West
Bend, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Neenah, Menasha, Appleton and
Kaukauna. The carrier on this route was Alexis Glermont, who

142 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

had served during the Black Hawk War as one of Colonel Tyler's
"home defense" men at Port Howard. Pierre B. Grignon was
the contractor and employed Clermont to carry the mail. He
made his trips on foot, accompanied by an Oneida Indian. They
depended on the Indian villages along the route and what game
they could kill for their food, though each always carried a bag
of parched corn "to fall back on" in case game was scarce or they
were delayed in reaching one of the Indian villages. It required
about a month for the roimd trip and the wages ranged from
sixty to seventy dollars per month, owing to the season of the year.

In 1892, when in the eighty-fifth year of his age, Alexis Cler-
mont walked the entire distance over his old mail route from
Green Bay to Chicago, a distance of 240 miles. He was dressed
in the same kind of costume that he wore when carrying the mails
sixty years before, and carried with him the mail pouch, his ilfle
and the bag of parched corn. His object in making the journey
was to raise money enough to "smooth his jjathway to the grave,"
but the receipts did not come up to his expectations. Friends in
Chicago sent him back and he died at DePere, Brown County,
Wisconsin, February 8, 1899.

In 1839 a Concord wagon, drawn by two horses, was put on
the mail route between Chicago and Milwaukee. In favorable
weather the trip could ho made in two days. The mail driver
also took passengers, which added to his income. The first night
out from Chicago the stage reached Kenosha — sometimes after
darkness had fallen — and by leaving there early the next morn-
ing the driver and his passengers could take breakfast in Racine.
Prom Racine they went west, crossed the old ])lank road (or
where the old plank road was afterward biiilt), alxiut tw(^ miles
from the village; then turned north and crossed the Root River
on a bridge at Beardsley's tavern, where horses were changed;
thence three miles or so in a northwesterly direction, and struck
the Milwaukee road neai- the north line of the county.

Another mail i-oute ran from Racine Avestward to IMineral
Point, where it connected with routes running to Prairie du Chien
and Dubuque. The first postoffice in this route was at Foxville
(now Burlington). From that point the mail carrier passed
through the present Towns of Whitewater, Jefferson, Madison
and Dodgeville. On the return trip he followed a route farther

W. T. KlCHiMOND.

W. P. PACKARD.

D. IHcUONALO.

CEO. WUSTUM.

THO.MAS FALVEY. 1 JOSHUA W. HART.

C. A. THOMSON.
M. M. SECOR.

.M. B. ERSKINE.

f"i'l /•..-«. /S,*/. /SJ>.f

JOSEPH MILLER.

DAVID C. .JAIVES. FREDERICK GKAHAM . MICHAEL HIGGINS. Jr. PETER B. NELSON.

M.'^YOHS OF RACINE

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 143

south, through Darlington, Montict'llo, Jant'sville and Elkhorn
to Burlington, and from there to Raeine. Eastern mails were
carried on vessels around the lakes. In the summer months a
letter from New York would reach Racine in about two weeks,
but in bad weather it soniotinies woidd be a month, or even more,
before the vessel reached the mouth of the Root River on its way
to Chicago.

THE VILLAGE INCORPORATED

During the years 1839 and 3840 there was quite a tide of
immigration to Wisconsin and Racine received its share of the
new comers. Among those who settled in the village in those
two years were: S. B. Peck, John A. Carswell, Consider Heath,
Delavan Wood, Eli R. Cooley, Truman G. Wright, Lucius S. Blake
and Isaac Harmon. According to a statement in the first city
directory (1850) Racine had a population in 1840 of about three
hundred. The first number of the Racine Argus was issued on
February 14, 1838, with Delavan Wood as editor. A few weeks
later the paper contained an editorial setting forth the advantages
of Racine, as follows:

"We have a jail, two fine public houses (the Racine and the
Fulton Hotels), a number of stores, dwelling houses, mechanics'
shops, etc. It was first settled about three years ago. Its growth
since that time, although not as rapid as some others, has been
gradual and pennanent. While many places that, during the
rage of speculation for the last two years, have outstripped us
now retrograde, or at least have to stand still, for the country
which sustains them to settle and improve, our march, not having
been in advance of the surrounding country, which is now rapidly
settling, ^vill continue onward.

"A number of farmers in the immediate vicinity of this place,
who struck the first blow on their farms only two years ago, have,
during the past season, raised from one thousand to two thousand
bushels of grain. No finer beef cattle can be found than those
which graze on these prairies. Our Legislature at its last session
Ijassed laws incorpcn-ating a bank here, with a capital of $200,000;
a mutual fire insurance company; a railroad from this place to
an extensive stone quarry about three miles distant, and also a
railroad to Rock River, about sixty miles west. Congress last
winter made an appropriation of $5,000 for a light-house at this
place, which is to be erected this spring; and the committee re-

144 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

poi'tcd ill I'avdi' (if a harhor licrc, hut the hill did not bccouic a law.
The United States engineers reported that a harbor can be made
here for $55,000. There is nijt a place in the Territory that prom-
ises a more ra])id and ])ermanent growth."

With the increase in population, and the citizens holding such
optimistic views as those expressed in the Argus, the sentiment
in favor of the iucor})oratioii was a perfectly natnral one. A
movement to that end was started in 1840 and on February 13,
1841, Governor Bodge approved "An act to incorporate the Vil-
lage of Racine, in Racine County." An election for village officers
was held early in April and resulted as follows: President, Dr.
Elias Smith; Trustees, Alanson Filer, Sidney A. Sage, Marshall
M. Strong and Consider Heath; Clerk, Levi S. Cary; Assessor,
Amaziah Stebbins.

The first meeting of the Village Board was held on April 12,
1841, when Dr. Smith and Mr. Stebbins tendered their resigna-
tions as president and assessor. The resignations were accepted
and Alanson Filer was chosen president i)ro tem. But little busi-
ness was transacted. Alfred Cary was appointed assessor, a tax
levy of $300 was ordered for the expenses of the current year,
and a special election was ordered for May 5, 1841, to elect a
village president. Charles S. Wright was elected and was the
first active pi-esident of the village. At a siibsequent meeting
Levi S. Cary resigned as clerk and on November 13, 1841, Isaac
Harmon was appointed to the vacancy. He continued to serve in
that capacity as long as the village government lasted.

During the first year, the principal business of the board
was to improve the streets. When the town was first laid out a
heavy gi'owth of timber marked the site. Trees were cut down,
hut the stum]js were left standing in the streets, and in some
of them the brush-wood had not lieen burned at the time Racine
was incorporated. The first contract for street im{)r()vements
was made with Socrates Hopkins, who agreed to remove the
stumps and turn2)ike Main Street, from Second to Seventh, 125
rods, for $1.00 per rod. S. H. Fenn was awarded a contract to
remove the stumps from a portion of Sixth Street, and an appro-
|)riation of $14.00 was made for sidewalks on Main Street, from
Third to Fourth. Tlie clerk received $10.00 for his first year's
services.

Officei'8 were elected annually. The last election imder the

COLLEGE AVENUE AND RIVER STREET, LOOKING NORTH
View taken in '60s, showing ferry, warehouse, the Star Mills and old bridpe

LOOKING NORTH FROM NORTH END OF COLLEGE AVENUE TODAY

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 145

village charter was held in April, 1848. Those who served as
]iresidents of the hoai'd while the village goveriiineiit was in
existence were: Charles S. Wright, 1841 ; Bushnell B. Gary, 1842;
M. B. ]\Iead, 184:1; Warren Cole, 1844; John A. Carswell, 1845;
C. W. Spafard, 1846; C. W. White, 1847; VM R. Cooley, 1848.

At the beginning of the year 1848 the population of Racine
was estimated at nearly three thousand. Wisconsin was admitted
to statehood on May 29, 1848, and a week later the first State
Legislature assembled at Madison. Philo White was a Senator
from Racine County, and in the House were Samuel E. Chapman,
Julius L. Gilbert and David McDonald. Through their influence
a bill was passed authorizing the incorporation of Racine as a city.

THE CITY GOVERNMENT

The bill incorporating the City of Racine was approved by
Governor Nelson Dew^ey on August 8, 1848. It contained fifty-
eight sections and defined in detail how the city government
should bo inaugurated, the duties of the various officers, etc. The
president of the village was authorized to "designate some time
in the month of October, 1848, for holding the first election, and
shall appoint three suitable persons in each ward of the city to
1)e judges of the first election under the provisions of this act,
and also two suitable persons as clerks thereof in each ward."
The act also defined the Ixiundaries of each of the five wards
and further provided that the "Board of Trustees of the Village
of Racine shall determine who shall have been properly elected
at the first election; and the president of the Board of Trustees
of said village shall administer the oath of office to the first mayor,
and such mayor shall administer the oath of office to the several
aldermen who have been declared to be dulv elected, and also to

all other officers in said citv

The officers to be elected were a mayor, clerk, treasurer, mar-
shal, two aldermen from each ward, chief engineer of the fire
department, and one assessor for each ward. At the election
Reuben M. Norton was chosen mayor; Isaiah G. Parker, clerk;
Charles G. Collins, treasurer; William L. Utley, marshal; William
K. ]\Iay, S. C. Yout, Alanson Filer, Roswell IVIorris, Moses Vilas,
Lucas Bradley, Sidney A. Sage, S. S. Hurlburt, Hosea L. Allen
and George D. Fellows, aldermen; S. S. Dickinson, chief fire engi-
neer; Alfred Gary and John W. Gary, assessors (only twT) elected).

146 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

On October 6, 1848, the City Council met for the first time.
Mayor Norton was sworn in by Eli R. Cooley, president of the
Board of Trustees, who then retired from office and turned over
the reins of oovernment to the new mayor. Marshall M. Strong
was appointed city attorney and Moses Vilas was made city sur-
veyor. The trustees submitted a statement showing the financial
condition of the village, which was accepted, and the funds on
band were turned over to Treasurer Collins, after which the
meeting adjourned.

Prom that time to the present the ordinary business and
legislation of the city have gone forward in about the same man-
ner as in other cities of the same class. The original charter has
been amended; a Board of Puljlic Works was estaljlished that has
charge of all public improvements; also a Fire and Police Com-
mission that looks after the protection of the citizens and their
property; and in 1905 a Park Board was created. Following is
a list of the mayors of Racine from 1848 to 1916, with the year
in which they entered upon the duties of the office, and each
served until the election and qualification of his successor: Reu-
l)en M. Norton, 1848; Henry Bryan, 1849; Eli R. Cooley, 1850;
William H. Waterman, 1851; William T. Richmond, 1852; David
McDonald, 1853; George Wustum, 1855; Jerome I. Case, 1856;
John W. Cary, 1857; Jerome I. Case, 1858; W. W. Vaughan, 1859;
Jerome I. Case, 1860; George C. Northrop, 1861; Alvin Raymond,
1862; George C. Northrop, 1863; Thomas Falvey, 1864; Joshua
W. Hart, 1865; George A. Thomson, 1866; M. B. Erskine, 1869;
Reuben Doud, 1872; R. H. Baker, 1874; Reuben Doud, 1875; John
G. Meacham, 1876; Ernest J. Hueffner, 1879; M. B. Erskine, 1880;
W. P. Packard, 1881 ; T. G. Fish, 1883; M. M. Secor, 1884; Joseph
Miller, 1885; D. A. Olin, 1886; M. M. Secor, 1888; F. L. Mitchell,
1889; Ad()li)h Weber, 1890; Jackson I. Case, 1891 ; David G. Janes,
1895; Frederick Graham, 1897; ^Michael Higgins, 1899; Peter B.
Nelson, 1904; A. J. Horlick, 1907; W. S. Goodland, 1911; T. W.
Thiesen, 1915.

FIRE DEPARTMENT

The first move toward the establishment of a fire department
was made while Racine was still under the village government.
At a meeting of the Board of Trustees on January 22, 1843, the
constitution and by-laws of "Fire Company, Engine No. 1," were
presented by Alanson Filei% and the l)oavd adopted a resolution

HISTORY OF RAC^INE COUNTY 147

recognizing the company as authorized by the village to extin-
guish fires. It was a volunteer company, and it may be interest-
ing to the people of Racine to know who were the first men in
the city to offer their services in ease of fire. Following is the
j-oster of the company: Foreman, Ludlow F. Lewis; members,
W. R. P. Armstrong, Albert H. Blake, Edwin S. Blake, Edward
Brink, William D. Busbee, Louis Butterfield, J. R. Carpenter,
Jr., William F. Cole, Edwin Colvin, Eli R. Cooley, Lucius Cooper,
Henry F. Cox, Jr., Ira Dean, Sidney S. Dickinson, George D.
Fellows, Alanson Filer, Elihu Filer, G. C. Flagg, Edwin Gould,
S. F. Heath, H. D. Hott, John J. Humphrey, Benjamin Kelley,
Joseph C. Knapp, Samuel G. Knight, A. H. Lee, C. M. Mann,
Henry L. Marsh, ]\Iatthew B. Mead, F. H. Orvis, I. N. Parker,
Benjamin K. Perkins, John Ramsdell, William T. Richmond,
Charles F. Rogers, F. M. Rublee, A. C. St. John, Charles Smith,
Edward W. Smith, C. W. Spafard, James M. Sprague, George
G. Stevens, Marshall M. Strong, James M. Titus, J. A. Titus,
Moses Vilas, William H. Waterman, Chester W. WTiite, Theo.
J. Wisner.

In this list will l)e recognized some of the most prominent
men of that day. Three members of the company afterward
served as mayors of the city, four as presidents of the Village
Board, and Marshall M. Strong and Alanson Filer represented
Racine County in the Legislature. The company was equipped
with hand engine of the crank piston variety, built by Russell
Skinner, of Racine, and a limited supply of hose. Such a fire
company now would be a laughing stock, but old "No. 1" was
the ])ride of Racine at the time it was organized.

On February 23, 1843, at a special meeting of the Board of
Trustees, the constitution and by-laws of "Hook and Ladder
Company, No. 1," were presented by B. B. Jones. By resolution
of the board, the company was made a part of the fire department,
but the membership of the company was limited to forty.

The Racine Engine Company was organized early in the year
1846, and on the 25th of Ai)ril it was accepted b}^ the Board of
Trustees. At the same time the hook and ladder company was
reorganized. Thus remained the Racine fire dejiartment until
after the incorporation of the city in 1848. Sidney S. Dickinson
was elected chief fire engineer at the first city election, though lit-
tle was done in 1848 toward the reorganization of the department,

148 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

farther than the passage of an (irdinanee defiuing the duties of
the chief engineer and his assistants, etc. In 1849 Elijah N. Aikin
was elected chief engineer and the real fire department can be
said to date from this year.

In June, 1849, the No. 1 Company was reorganized, with C. W.
Spafard as foreman and fifty-three members. The old Riissell
Skinner engine was discarded and one of more modern type
purchased. The hook and ladder coni])any Avas also reorganized
under the name of "Protection Hook and Ladder Company,
No. 1," with Thomas W. Wright as foreman and a membership
of thirty. Engine Company No. 2 was oi'ganized a little later,
with sixty-one members and Sterling P. Rounds as foreman, and
before the close of the year a third company was organized. It
was composed almost entirely of ^^'elshmen, numbered forty
members and was under the foremanship of Evan Lewis. Three
new engines were )>urchased in 1849. They were l)uilt by Ij.
Button & Company, of Racine. The one Avhich took the place
of the old Skinner engine was called the "Racine"; Company
No. 2 called their engine the "Fire King"; and Company No. 3
christened theirs the "Star of the West". A little later three
engine houses were built for the three companies. No. 1 was
located on the corner of Fourth and Wisconsin Streets; No. 2,
on Main, near Second; and No. 3, on Seventh, between Main
and Wisconsin.

On January 4. 1866, about fou]- (('cldck in the morning, fire
was discovered in a blacksmith shop on the north side of Fifth
Street, not far from Wisconsin Street. A keen northwesterly
wind was blowing and the flames were soon conmuuiicated to
Buffham's paint shop, next door east, and in a short time the
adjoining buildings were ignited. The mercury was below zero
and the department worked at gi-eat disadvantage in their efforts
to control the flames. The Racine House, the old historic tavern
erected in 1837, although across the street, caught fire and the
flying sparks from that building ignited St. Luke's Church. All
the buildings from the hotel to the court-house were burned, and
the total loss was estimated at nearly two hundred thousand
dollars. This was the most destructive fire in Racine up to that
time and it demonstrated the fact that the fire department as
then cdiistituted was unable to co])e with a real conflagration.

Dvn'ing the spring and summer following the great fire, vari-

OLD No. 4 HAND PUMP I'lRE ENGINE AND COMPANY

RACINE'S FIRST CHEMICAL l-IRE ENGINE

HISTORY OK RACINE COUNTY 14';

ous snsgcstions woro mado for the inii)i'(»vement of the depart-
iiieiit. and on 0('t()l)ei' 1, 1S(J7, the II. ('. Silsl).v Company, of
Seneca Falls, New Yoi'k, brought a steairi fire engine to Racine
and tested it in the presence of the committee appointed for the
purpose by the City Covmcil. Thv. test was reported as "entirely
satisfactory," so the engine was ])nrchased and named the "Gem
of the Lakes." It was placed in the hands of the old No. 1 Com-
pany, whose hand engine was taken to the Fourth Ward and
placed in service there as the "Racine No. 4," a new company
having been formed to take charge of it, part of the old company
following the engine to its new quarters. The first time the steam
fire engine! was called into service was at the Clancy fire, corner
of Main and Fourth Streets. Owing to the fact that no provision
had been made for taking the "Gem of the Lakes" to fires, it
was drawn to the Clancy fire In^ hand. This, coupled with the
inexperience of the men in handling steam engines, caused so
nmch delay that the old "Star of the West" Company had a
stream of water playing on the fire before the steamer could get
into action. So nnich sport was made of the new engine, from
which so much had been ex])ecte(l, that the company disbanded.
Men were then constantly employed to take charge of the steamer
and a team was engaged to draw it to fires. This Was the first
step toward a paid fire department.

On April 6, 1868, the council passed an ordinance establish-
ing fire limits, within which buildings must conform to certain
regulations. Engine House No. 2 was remodeled for the steamer
and the old hand engine there was sold to the Town of West Bend.
In 1871 the council purchased a second Silsby engine, which was
known as "L. S. Blake, No. 2"; hand engine No. 3 was sold to
Savannah, Illinois, and the "Gem of the Lakes" was renamed
the "John Vaughan." After several more years of service it was
considered unfit for further use and turned back to the Silsby
Manufacturing Company as part payment for the steamer "John
G. Meacham." In September, 1877, the fire marshal sold hand
engine No. 4 to the Town of Burlington, Wisconsin, and a chem-
ical engine — the "Henry Mitchell" — took its i^lace. It was a
good piece of apparatus in its day, but the improvements in fire-
fighting machinery finally relegated it to the scrap pile.

In 1883 the department was made a full paid institution and
since that time the city has not depended upon "volunteers" to

150 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

extinguish fires. The hist puhlished report of the City of Racine
shows six engine houses, with forty-three men on the pay-roll,
which amounted to $42,810 for the year. The equipment was
valued at $50,526, exclusive of the value of the buildings and
grounds. INIore than half of the fire apparatus of the city is now
of the auto-motor type and of the most approved designs.

Today fire-fighting is a regular business, but the members
of the paid fire department miss many of the pleasurable inci-
dents of the old volunteer days. Sterling P. Rounds, who was
foreman of the old "Fire King" Company, and who afterward
went to Chicago, in writing to a friend in Racine, recounted a
numl>er of happenings wdiile he was comiected with the company.
He says:

"It was comjiosed of the young business men and 'live' boys
of the town. It was named 'Fire King,' after the crack company
of Buffalo, of which its foreman had recently been secretary. The
neat brick engine house at the foot of Main Street was built for
it. The first trial of the engine, on its arrival at Perry Button's
pier, was a success and the boys w^ere delighted. Very soon after
it came, a fire occurred on the hill (since graded down) west of
the engine house and, as the boys had to take water from the
river, a very long distance, there was some delay. One of the
aldei-men, who had opposed the purchase of the engine, impa-
tiently remarked: 'Now that we want firemen, they are not on
hand; where is this boasted new company?' The words were
scarcely out of his mouth when the stream of water filled the
long line of hose, and Bill McCarty, who held the pipe and who
had listened with disgust to the 'blowmg' of the old fraud, turned
the nozzle upon him. His hat went one way, the aldennan the
other, and he was fully aware where the new company was.

"At the great tournament which took place at Chicago in
the fall of 1850, where were gathered the crack companies from
Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, St. Louis, Milwaukee and other cities,
both the Racine companies were present. The sixty wide-awake
young fellows of No. 2 attracted much attention. After the
parade, and at the competition, though seventh in the line of
twenty-two companies, at the word, 'Break line and take water,'
we divided the honors with No. 9 of Buffalo of having the first
water through the hose, and at the burning of the old 'Tremont,'
the following night, had the first water on the fire, though Sol

151

11.*—^" - Y 9r !i^,

-!.

^^* "^^ ^

FIRST RACINE MAIL CARRIERS

WiUiam Weinecke, Thomas Buckley. Erastus Packard, Elias Pritchard and George Covert.

Seated. Richard Thronson.

RACINE POLICE FORCE, 1880

Top Row : C. Anderson, T. Miller. P. Matson. J. Rowan, L. Groebel, C. Sorenson and G. Ruber.
Lower Row: H. Pritchard. T. Clark, W. Mills and J. Drew.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 151

Cather and 'Dar' ;Nrunr()e did fall in the fistem when 'taking
suction.'

"The Racine companies went to Chicago and returned by
boat. Tliey arrived at Racine about midnight, but somehow the
news of the honorable record made at the tournament had pre-
ceded them and it seemed as if the entire population had turned
out to welcome the boys home. Bonfires were lighted, the old
cannon was brought out, and salute after salute was fired as the
steamboat hove in sight, while cheer upon cheer greeted the boys
as they landed at the pier, and followed them to their engine
houses. Nor were they allowed to go to their beds. Groups
gathered at the 'Empire,' the 'St. Charles' and other popular
places of resort, and as the story was repeated the enthusiasm
grew wilder and more noisy until daylight appeared."

POLICE DEPARTMENT

When Racine was incorporated under the act of August 8,
1848, the only police officer provided for was the city marshal.
As the city grew, the marshal was authorized to appoint deputies
from time to time. For ten years the marshal, his deputies and
the county sheriff discharged all the duties of a police force, but
on October 18, 1858, the City Council voted to establish a police
system. Ten days later Andrew Dusolt was appointed chief of
police: William Finch was appointed patrolman on November 5,
1858, and F. E. Clark was made the third member of the force
on January 3, 1859.

About a week after the great Chicago fire in October, 1871,
owing to the excitement and the great demand for precautionary
measures, a number of extra patrolmen were ajopointed and w^ere
under the control of Lewis Dickinson, the city marshal. This
arrangement was only temporary, however, and after the excite-
ment quieted down the extra men were dismissed. During the
next nine years an additional patrolman was appointed now and
then, xmtil in 1880 the force consisted of the marshal, chief and
nine patrolmen, or eleven men in all.

According to the last published report of the Board of Fire
and Police Commissioners, the Racine police force now consists
of thii'ty-five men, to wit: One chief, one captain, three sergeants,
two detectives, one lineman and twenty-seven patrolmen. The

152 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

cost of the force for the year 1914 — the year included m the
report — was $33,218.74.

Few cities the size of Racine are better provided with fire
and police protection. And it is greatly to the credit of the city
that some years ago a pension fund was started for the firemen
and policemen, so that when a man grows old in the service he
can be retired with the assurance that he will not be in absolute
want in his old age. At the close of the year 1914 the firemen's
pension fund amoimted to $20,134.85. of which $19,000 was in-
vested in interest bearing seciu-ities, and the police pension fund
had reached $16,279.84, with $15,000 invested in Ixmds.

PUBLIC PARKS

Prior to 1905 the C'ity of Racine had no public parks. In his
annual message of that year to the City Council, Peter B. Nelson,
then mayor of the city, called attention to the need of public
parks, in order to get the matter in tangible shape, on January
25, 1905, Mayor Nelson appointed the following citizens members
of a park conunission: C. R. Carpenter, Michael Iliggins, A. C.
Hanson, F. L. Norton and Andrew^ Simonson. At the April elec-
tion following, the question of issuing bonds to the amount of
$50,000 for the purchase of lands and the establishment of ]niblic
parks. The ])roposition was defeated by a vote of 2,237 to 1,473.
Racine was therefore in the peculiar situation of having a park
commission with nothing to do. The outlook was certainly not
encouraging, ])ut Mayor Nelson and the park commission refused
to give up the fight for public i^arks. As a beginning, the board
])etitioned the City Council to set aside for park purposes a strip
of land off the east and south sides of Mound Cemetery, extending
fi'(,ni West Sixth Street to 1A\-elfth Street and from the top of
the bluff to the Root River. The petition was granted and the
ti-act of land was named Riverside Park.

In June, 1905, the board asked the council to appn)priate
$1,000, on condition that the board raise a like sum by subscrip-
tion, which tlie council agreed to do, and the canvass for funds
began. Before the close of the year $4,000 had been subscribed,
one of the first and largest lieing that of the Woman's Club of
$1,000. With this $5,000 as a working fund the board secured
an option of Horlick Park, north of Sixth Street, which was
finally purchased l\v William Horlick and donated to the city.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 153

hence the name. Jens Jensen, a hnndseape gardener of Chieago,
was engaged to outline a general plan for a park system.

The next stej) was to secure an ()])tiou on ten acres of gntuiid
lying hctwccii Ilorlick Park <iii the west and the Root River for
$5,000. The day before the option expired the subject was
])rought to the attention of William Mitchell Lewis, who ])ur-
chased the tract and i^resented it to the city for a playground.
Later Mr. Lewis gave $5,000 toward the improvement of the park,
which is now known as Lewis Field.

As early as October 24, 1905, the park board entered into a
lease and o})tion of purchase with Charles Erskine for the forty-
seven acres comprising AVashington Park. The lease was to run
for three years from September 15, 1905, and just before its
expiration the boai'd exercised its option and purchased the
ground for $20,487.50, giving to the city a park of unusual beauty.
In his report inunediately following the purchase, A. A. Fisk,
sujjcrintendent of parks, said: "Washington Park will ever l)e
the popular picnic park because of the natural w-oodland. The
woods should ever be retained in its wild condition. Its natural
beauty far surpasses anything that eoidd otherwise be created."

The North Shore or Bathing Beach Park was purchased from
James Cape & Sons in July, 1908, for $10,000, and money for the
erection of a suitable bath house was raised by subscription within
a week. A life line was strung on ])osts, which were driven into
the bottom of the lake, and a life boat was anchored at a con-
venient point for use in emergencies. The operating expenses
have been met by the small rentals received for bathing suits,
towels and dressing booths, and the bathing beach is one of Ra-
cine's popular resorts during the warm weather.

Lake Shore Park, fronting the lake between Thirteenth and
Sixteenth Streets, was donated to the city by Andrew Simonson,
r. R. Carpenter, W. M. Lewis and George D. Fellows, giving to
the city more than two blocks on the bluff overlooking the lake
at that point. This is not a large park. Itut it has proved to be
a popidar restini;- place for the people in that section of the city.

On July <i, 1905, Judge J. E. Dodge donated to the city 170
feet on Wisconsin Street, between Seventeenth and Eighteenth
Streets. This was named Dodge Park. Other small parks are:
East Park, West Park, Monument and St. Clair Squares, Colbert
and Simonson Parks, Lutz Square, and the ends of Seventh,

154 HISTORY OP' RACINE COUNTY

Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Ekivonth and Seventeenth Streets, from
Lake Avenue to the lake. These will never become as popular
as the larger parks, with their golf links, tennis courts, etc., but
when the plans of the park commission are carried out each one
of them will become a beauty spot foi" the people of Racine to
gaze upon with pleasure.

The general system of parks, as outlined by Mr. Jensen and
approved by the park board, contemplates the connecting of the
larger parks by driveways, such as Riverside Drive and Carlisle
Boulevard, and when completed the city will have a park system
of which every citizen — even those who voted against the bond
issue in 1905 — may well be proud.

WATERWORKS

On March 12, 1882, J. S. Foster, of Chicago, addressed the
Racine City Council on the subject of waterworks. At that time
the city had no authority to put in waterworks along the lines
suggested by Mr. Foster's address, and on the 14th a committee
of the council, to whom the matter had been referred, recom-
mended legislation that would enable the city to enter into a
contract with any cf)mpany to build a system that would supply
the city with water. During the legislative session, in the winter
of 1882-83, a special law was enacted giving the city the desired
authority, and on May 7, 1883, the council passed an ordinance
granting to the Holly Manufacturing Company, of Lockport,
New York, a franchise for twenty-five years to build, equip and
operate a waterworks plant for the purpose of supplying the
City of Racine with water, and including the exclusive privilege
of laying mains upon the streets of the city.

The Holly Company failed to exercise the privileges granted
by the franchise ordinance, and on March 18, 1886, a franchise
was granted to the Racine Water Company. This ordinance was
api)roved by Mayor Joseph IMiller the next day and was accepted
by A. II. Howland, president of the comjjany. The new company
went to work immediately upon a plant. A pumping station was
built on the lake shore just north of the Root River, a stand pipe
of steel with a capacity of 330,480 gallons was erected on Tenth
Street, and a twenty-four inch cast iron pipe was run out 7,240
feet into the lake, where the end was turned up and is encased
in a crib. The stand pipe was afterward encased with brick,

VIEW OF RACINE LOOKING EAST FROM CORNER OF MARQUETTE AND LIBERTY

STREETS IN THE '50S

FROM THE SAME VIEWPOINT TODAY

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 155

with a roof of conerotc and a castellated toj). The daily pnni])iii,2:
capacity of the plant is 8,500,000 gallons. The first section of
main was laid on July 1, 1886, water was first turned into the
mains on January 11, 1887, the water tower was filled on the 27th
of the same month, and on February 1, 1887, the first private
consumers were supplied.

The franchise granted by the ordinance of March 18, 1886,
was for twent3'-five years. Upon its expiration in 1911 some of
the citizens expressed themselves in favor of having the city pur-
chase the plant and give Racine a municipal waterworks, but
nothing definite along that line has been done up to this time.
It is probable, however, that within a few years the works will
be owned by the city.

GAS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT

On February 24, 1855, Governor William A. Barstow ap-
l)i-oved an act of the Wisconsin Legislature incorporating the
"Racine Gas Light and Coke Company." A meeting of the stock-
holders was held on April 16, 1855, when A. P. Button was elected
president; J. B. Rowley, secretary, and G. C. Northrop, treasurer.
At a second meeting, held on May 9, 1855, the president and sec-
retary were authorized to make a contract with the firm of
Parkins, Harper & Company, of Chicago, for the erection of a
gas works for $40,000. In 1866 the Legislature annulled the char-
ter of the company and passed an act incorporating the "Racine
Gas Light Company," which purchased the works and began
business with a capital stock of $41,000. The capital stock was
increased to $100,000 about 1877 and continued to furnish the
people of Racine with gas until the comjoany was merged into the
Wisconsin Gas and Electric Company, a few years ago.

On June 20, 1887, the City Council passed an ordinance
granting to John Rodgers, "his heirs, associates or assigns,"
the right tf) use the streets and alleys of the city for the erection
of poles and the nmning of wires to supply the people with
electric light. This was the first move toward an electric light
plant in Racine. Mr. Rodgers evidently failed to establish his
plant in accordance with the tenns of the ordinance, for on March
11, 1892, the Belle City Street Railway Comj^any was granted a
franchise to furnish electricity for lighting purposes. The light
plant established under this franchise was afterward turned over

156 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

to the Milwaukee J'^lectric Railway (ii Light Cuni})any wlieu it
acquired the Belle City fStreet Railway system.

MISCELLANEOUS

111 addition to the uiuiiicipal utilities and advantaj;'es enu-
merated in this chapter, the City of Racine has a substantial
city hall, erected in 188;'> on the southeast corner of Main and
Third Streets, in which are the city offices, council ('liainl)er, etc.
At the close of the year 1914 the sewer system included over
eighty miles of sewer, put in at a cost of $649,642.62. There are
thirty-five miles of brick and asphalt paved streets, which cost
$1,311,271.15, and many miles of excellent cement sidewalks. The
city has a fine piddic library, with about ten thousand volumes
of well selected books, a number of fine school t)uildings and
church edifices, and many jjretty residences. Its manufacturing,
mercantile and banking interests compare favorably with those
of other cities of its size. With a po])ulation of over forty thou-
sand and property assessed at $55,770,026; with a wide-awake,
jjrogressive people; with its excellent transportation facilities,
both by lake and railroad, Racine has well earned the appellation
it has so long l)orne of "The Belle City of the Lakes."

CHAPTER VTir

CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES

TOWNS LAID OFF BY SPECULATORS IN EARLY DAYS — WHY SOME SUC-
CEEDED AND OTHERS FAILED — LIST OP TOWNS AND VILLAGES IN
RACINE COUNTY — THE CITY OF BURLINGTON — ITS HISTORY —
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF EACH VILLAGE — POSTOFFICE OF 1916.

In the settlement of the states <>f the MidcUe West there
developed a sort of mania on the part of speculators for laying
off towns, the prineipal object having been the sale of lots to
new comers, or to people in the older states. Through some for-
tunate circumstance, such as the location of a county seat, the
building of a railroad, or the development of a water power, some
of tliese towns grew to be business centers of considerable im-
portance. Others, less favored, became small railroad stations,
neighborhood trading posts or postofifices for a certain locality.

Racine County was not as badly afflicted with this craze as
some localities, though a number of towns were laid out within
its limits. A few of these have survived, others have disappeared
from the map, and it is quite probal)le that none of them has meas-
ui'cd u]» to the expectations of the founders. From a careful ex-
amination of old records, plat-books and atlases, the following
list of towns — past and present — of Racine County has been
compiled. The list includes every village, rural postoffice, or
settlement that has been distinguished by a name, to wit: Beau-
mont, Burlington, Caldwell Prairie, Caledonia, Corliss, Dover,
Poxville, Franksville, (Jatliff, Honey Creek, Horlicksville,
Husher, Ives Grove, Ives Station, Kansasville, Kilbournville,
Kneeland, Lamberton, Linwood, Noi-th Cape, North Racine, Ray-
mond Center, Rochester, Rosewood, Sylvania, Tabor, Thompson-
ville. Union Church, Union Grove, Waterford, Willow Creek and
Yorkville.

Not many of the places in the above list have a recorded
liistory. Fewer than a dozen of them were officially laid out and
the plats filed in the. office of the register of deeds. The others,
like Topsy in "Uncle Tom's Cabin," "just growed." Only one
has attained to the rank of a city, and but four others are incor-
porated villages according to the laws of the state. Some have

158 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

entirely perished, and in a few instances the exact location of
the town as originally contemplated is uncertain. It is, therefore,
ini})()ssible to give a fnll and authentic history of each one, but
such facts concerning them as the writer could gather from avail-
able sources are given below.

BEAUMONT

Seventeen miles west of Racine, in Dover Township, was
once a rui-al postoffice called Beaumont. Its exact location was
in the south side of Sections 2 and 3, Township 3, Range 20. The
postoffice was discontinued upon the introduction of the rural
free delivery system, and the people living in the northern part
of Dover Township receive mail through the office at Kansas-
ville. There is little left of Beaumont except the name.

BURLINGTON

With the exception of Racine, the history of which is given
in the preceding chapter, Burlington is the only city in the county.
It is pleasantly situated at the junction of the Fox and White
Rivers, in the western part of Burlington Township, about twenty-
five miles from Racine. According to Judge Charles E. Dyer,
the first white men to settle in that part of the county were Moses
Smith and William Wliiting, who came to the Fox River Valley
in Decemljer, 1835, and the former is credited with having built
the first house within the present city limits. He located his
claim on the west side of the Fox River, where in May, 1836,
he built a log house, having passed the winter in a hastily con-
structed shanty on the east side, in company with Mv. Whiting,
B. C. Perce and Lenuiel Smith. In connection with Samuel C.
Vaughan, he built a saw-mill, with a v\m of l)uhrs for grinding
corn. It was not much of a mill, as compared with the flour mills
of the present day, but it could "crack corn" and soon became
laiown for miles aromid.

Late in the year 1838 Pliny M. Perkins, a miller by trade,
canu" to Burlington and l)ought the mill and water power from
Smith & Vaughan. He had a little capital and built a frame mill
with "three run of stone," two of which were grinding wheat
and one for corn. Eight years later he built the "big mill," as
it was called — 40 by 60 feet and four stories in height. It was
destroyed by fire in 1864, but he immediately rebuilt. Again he
was burned out in 1874, though he had retired three years before.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 150

k'uvinii; the mill iu charge of his two sons, Edward and James.
Then a large stone mill was erected that at the time it was com-
pleted was considered the l)est in Southeastern Wisconsin and
which was for many years one of Burlinii+on's leading enterprises.
Mr. Perkins was the first miller in Wisconsin to ship flour to
New York, \ia the lakes, and Milwaukee depended largely upon
Burlington in those days for its bread supply. Subseq-uently the
Burlington Mills shipped floui' in large quantities to European
countries.

At the land sale in Milwaukee, in the spring of 1839, the
original site of Burlington — the northeast quarter of Section 32,
Township 3, Range 19, was purchased by Silas Peck, who em-
ployed A. W. Doolittle, then county surveyor, to plat the town.
The survey was made by Mr. Doolittle on May 21, 1839, and at
the same time Mv. Perkins employed him to lay out "Pliny M.
Perkins' First Addition." Both i)lats w^ere filed with the register
nf deeds three days later. Perkins' second addition to Burlington
was filed on April 9, 1850.

Quite a little settlement had grown u]), however, before the
town was regidarly laid out. In January, 1836, Enoch D. Wood-
bridge built a log house on the east side of the Fox River. It
was afterward occupied by Ruel Nims, who came about a year
later, enlarged the house and opened the first tavern in what is
now the City of Burlington. James Nelson, the first blacksmith,
opened his shop in May, 1836, and the following nu)nth B. C.
Perce erected a building for a store on the bank of the river
overlooking Smith & Vaughan's mill pond. Silas Peck, who aft-
erward became the proprietor of the town, also came in 1836
and built his house next to Perce's store. Early in the year 1837
a ])(»stofifice was established under the name of "Foxville," and
Moses Smith was appointed the first postmaster. It was on the
mail route from Racine to Mineral Point and received mail
weekly. Before the establishment of the |)ostoffice the settlement
was known as the "Lower Forks," the "Upper Forks" being
where the Muskego Creek enters the Fox River, at the present
Village of Rochester.

After the removal of the Indians to the west side of the
Mississippi River in 1837, the settlement of Racine County went
forward with greater strides, and the little colony at the "Lower
Forks" received its share of immigrants. Lewis Royce, a lawyer

160 HISTORY OF RACINE fOUNTV

from \"cini(mt, caiiic to i)iirlington and built his house a short
distance west of wliere the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Rail-
road Station was afterward established. Not finding many cli-
ents, he built a lime kiln and burnt about three hundred bushels
the first year he was engaged in the business. Origen Perkins
also located there in 1837. He built his house near the place
where the brick yard was later opened and was the first justice
of the peace. Among those who settled in the village in 1838
were Liberty Fisk and Henry Etbnonds, the latter opening a
blacksmith shop not far from the mill. Miss Sarah Bacon taught
the first school in the smnmer of 1838, in a house that faced the
public square, but was afterward removed to Chestnut Street.
She was engaged by Lewis Royce, who was later a member of
the first Board of School Commissioners.

Dr. Edward (1. Dyer, the first physician, came in 1839, about
the time the town was platted by Mr. Doolittle, and took up his
residence in the log house built by Origen Perkins, who had
removed to his farm. Other settlers of 1839 were Richard Brown,
L. O. Eastman and E])hraim Perkins, the father of Pliny M. and
Origen Perkins. On July 4, 1839, a "(irand Celebration" was
held in the grove on the east side of the Fox River, probably the
first in that part of Wisconsin. Stephen Eushnell furnished the
dimier and Rev. Jas(m Lothro}) delivered the principal address.
Thus these pioneers, far from the "busy haunts of men," did
not forget that they wei-e American citizens, and demonstrated
their loyalty to the })rinciples of the Declaration of Independence.

Although B. C. Perce erected a building for a store in 1836,
he did not engage in business as a merchant. The honor of being
the first merchant in Burlington belongs to Pliny M. Perkins,
who put in a small stock of goods in the log house built by Moses
Smitli. He began business in 1839, l)ut the following year he
and Hugh McLaughlin erected a large frame building, the west
half of which was used by Mr. Perkins as a store and in the
east half Mr. McLaughlin opened the "Burlington Hotel," which
he kept for several years. The building was dedicated on New
Yeai-'s evening, in 1840, by a gi-and l)all.

(lame was plentiful around the village and a large ])art of
Mr. Perkins' trade was in powder, lead and shot, taking in ex-
change muskrat and other skins. In the winter of 1839-40 David
Bushnell counted 105 deer in a single herd, as they forded the

I t It tt

.mli

''<4i-, iMf

l.UUKING NORTH 1 ItU.M MARKET SQUARE IN 1X60
Buildinp: in left foreground was Titus Hall, on site of present Manufacturers' Bank

THE SAME VIEW IN lillG

HISTORY OF RACINE COIXTN' 161

river near liis claiiii. Lun^-hillcd snipe, jn-airie chickens and
other small game fowl were abundant and afforded a fair mark
for the hunter.

In 1843 Pliny M. Perkins erected the first woolen mill in
Racine County on the bank of Fox River, directly opposite his
grist mill. It was 35 l)y 60 feet and two stories high above the
basement. Thii'ty years later he enlarged the building to 50 by
100 feet and added two stories to its height. With its enlarged
cajiacity Mr. Perkins used from 75,000 to 100,000 pounds of wool
amuially.

In 1855 the Racine & Mississippi Railroad (now the Chicago,
Milwaukee & St. Paul) was completed to Burlington and the
town experienced its first boom. Some twenty years later the
Chicago & Fond dn Lac Division of the Wisconsin Central was
Imilt and not long after it was completed the preliminary steps
were taken to incorporate Burlington as a village according to
the laws of Wisconsin. The incorporation \Vas not completed,
lidwever, until 1886. On July 28, 1886, a census was taken and
showed a population of 1,744 within the territory it Avas proposed
to include in the village limits. A petition was then filed with
the circuit court on the 27th of September. The court granted the
petition and ordered an election on the question to be held on the
3d of November. The proposition was carried by a substantial
majority and on November 30, 1886, the first village officers were
elected, to wit: E. ^lerton, president; F. Reuschlein, clerk; Hubert
Wagner. J. B. Bnell, Frank Schemmer, B. Brehm, C. W. Wood
and R. T. Davis, trustees.

Early in the year 1900 Burlington was incorporated as a city.
The first city election was held on April 3, 1900, and resulted as
follows: G. C. Rasch, mayor; George W. Waller, city clerk;
L. J. Brehm, city treasurer; Louis A. Reuschlein, assessor; Wil-
liam A. Colby, R. M. Aldrich, S. M. Reinard and F. G. Richard-
son, supervisors — one from each of the four wards. There were
also elected two aldermen from each ward, viz.: First Ward, C. B.
Wagner and Edward F. Rakow; Second Ward, William Meadows
and Charles A. Jones; Third Ward, John Reynolds and Charles
Schemmer.

Following is a list of the mayors of Burlington, with the year
when each was elected: G. C. Rasch, 1900; Edward F. Rakow,
1901: Charles B. Wagner, 1903; J. G. IMntter, 1904; Edward F.

162 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Rakow, 1907; H. E. Zimmerman, 1908; Edward F. Rakow, 1912;
H. A. Runkel, 1915.

Waterworks — On October 12, 1889, the Villa<;e Board passed
an ordinance submitting to the voters the proposition to issue
bonds to an amount not exceeding $20,000 for the purpose of
establishing a system of waterworks. A majority expressed
themselves in favor of the bonds, but, as is usual in such cases, •
some delay was experienced in the building of the plant. The
supply of water conies from artesian wells and is noted for its
purity. Very few cities of similar size are better supplied with
water of as fine a quality. The plant is owned by the city.

An electric light plant was built by a private company about
twenty years ago. When the ^lilwaukee Electric Railway &
Light Comj^any built the interurban line to Burlington it acquired
the local light plant and is still operating it, after making a num-
ber of needed improvements.

The Burlington Gas Comjiany was established in 1907. The
officers in 1916 were: H. A. Runkel, president; W. H. Bushman,
secretary; Edward F. Rakow, manager. The company has a
modern plant, about twelve miles of mains, and is now operated
in connection with the Wisconsin Gas & Electric Company.

The postoffice previously mentioned as having been estab-
lished in the early part of 1837, under the name of Foxville, has
developed until the receipts for the fiscal year ending on June 30,
1916, amounted to $15,515.68. Free city delivery was introduced
on June 15, 1908. Besides the postmaster and assistant post-
master, the office now employs three city carriers, one parcels
t)Ost carrier, six rural carriers, one substitute carrier, five clerks
and one substitute clerk, or nineteen persons in all. The Burling-
ton office is also the source of a star mail route, which carries mail
to the postoffices at Rocliester and Waterford. Congress recently
made an appropriation of $72,000 for a new postoffice building.

Among the Burlington manufacturing interests are a brass
foundry, a large veneer and basket works, a blanket factory which
has recently established a branch in Chicago, brick and tile works,
a condensed milk plant, a vending machine factory, and a number
of smaller concerns, such as cigar factories, etc. The city has
well ])ave(l streets, good sidewalks, a number of fine churches,
a good public school system, two banks, two weekly newspapers,
a telephone exchange, good hotels, an opera house, a Business

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 163

Men's Association, and a number of cozy homes. The popula-
tion in 1910 was 3,212, an increase of 686 during the preceding
decade, and in 1915 the assessed valuation of the property was

$4,230,848.

CALDWELL PRAIRIE

Old maps of Racine Covmty show a postoffice by this name
in the northwest corner of the county, located in Section 5, Tot\ti-
ship 4, Range 19. It took its name from Joseph and Tyler Cald-
well, who settled there in the spring of 1836. Caldwell Prairie
was never platted as a town and the postoffice has long since been
discontinued. The jieople living in that section now receive mail
by rural free delivery.

CALEDONIA

A few miles north of Racine, on the Chicago & Northwestern
Railroad, is the little Vilage of Caledonia, in the township of the
same name. It was never officially platted and was formerly
known as "Stern's Crossing." Polk's Gazetteer of Wisconsin for
1915 gives the principal business interests of Caledonia as two
general stores, a coal yard, a harness shop and the express office.
The postoffice has three rural rovites, which supply the surround-
ing country with mail daily.

CORLISS

The incorporated Village of Corliss is situated in the western
part of ]\Iount Pleasant Township, seven miles west of Racine,
at the crossing of two divisions of the Chicago, Milwaukee &
St. Paul Railroad. It was formerly known as "Western Union
Junction." The village was surveyed by Samuel D. Austin on
August 13, 1901, for the Brown Corliss Engine Company of Mil-
waukee, of which Julius Wechselberg was president and W. S.
Whiting was secretary. Three days later the plat was filed in
the office of the register of deeds under the name of "Corliss."
The company l)uilt a large factory for the manufacture of Corliss
engines, but after a time reverses came and the works were closed.

On July 20, 1907, a new survey of the village was made by
T. H. Knight, c<iunty surveyor, and on September 14, 1907, a
petition was filed in the circuit court asking for the incorporation
of Corliss. An election was ordered for October 28, 1907, at which
182 voters expressed themselves in favor of the incorporation and
only three votes were cast in the negative. The coiu't then issued

164 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

the order declaring Corliss to l)c ;ui incorporated village, accord-
ing- to the laws of the state.

Corliss has gas, electric light, a good system of waterworks,
a liank, two hotels, two physicians, several general stores and
small shops, a pnblic school and a nursery. Being located at the
junction of two lines of one of the country's great railway sys-
tems, the shipping facilities are unsurpassed by any village of
its size. In 1910 the population was 525, and in 1915 the property
was valued for taxes at $683,630.

DOVER

This is a flag station on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul
Railroad, twenty-one miles west of Racine and in the township
of the same name. It was laid out by Captain John T. Trowbridge,
the first settler in Dover Township, and was first known as
"Brighton." Captain Trowbridge was the first postmastei*.
Subsequently the name was changed to Dover, which is still the
name used liy the i-ailroad company, but the postoffice has been
changed to Rosewood. Some gi-ain and live stock are shipped
from Dover, which is its greatest business activity.

FRANKSVILLE

Located in the southwest quarter of Section 33, Township 4,
Range 22, is the little Village of Franksville, a station on the
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, seven miles from Ra-
cine. It was surveyed by S. G. Knight in April, 1874, for Daniel
B. Rork and H. B. Roberts, and the plat was filed with the register
of deeds on the 25tli of May following. Franksville has a postoffice,
express and telegraph offices, a telephone exchange, a hotel, a
blacksmith and wagon repair shop, and maniifactures cement
blocks, sauer kraut and drain tile. There are also two general
stores and some smaller business establishments. The Wisconsin
(Jazetteer for 1915 gives the population as 180.

GATLIFF

This place can hardly be called a village. It is a small station
on the Chicago, INIilwaukee & St. Paul Railroad about three and
a half miles west of Racine, established there for the accommoda-
tion of ])ei'sons visiting the Racine County Insane Asylimi, which
is located a short distance S(»uth of the station.

HISTORY OF RACTNP: COUNTY 165

HONEY CREEK

Honey Creek is a village on the Wiscniisin Central Raik'oad
oil the west line of Rochester Township. The greater part of
the village is in Walworth County; the bank, postoffice and sev-
eral of the leading business concerns being west of the line divid-
ing the two comities. William Child made the survey of Honey
Ci'eek on September 14, 1895, for Eeniamin and Esther S. Heme-
haugh, Charles Babcock, Georgiana Prout and Frank Baldwin,
and on Octol)er 5, 1895, a plat of that part of the town lying in
K'acine Coimty was filed in the office of the register of deeds.
While not a large place, it is a trading and shipping point of con-
siderable importance for the people in the western part of Racine
and the eastern part of Walworth County.

HORLICKSVILLE

About two miles northwest of the City of Racine, in Moimt
Pleasant Township and on the line of the Chicago & Milwaukee
Electric Railway, is the little hamlet of Horlicksville. It was
never regularly surveyed and platted, but has grown up near the
Rapids of the Root River, where one of the earliest settlements
in Racine County was established. The place takes its name from
the Horlick family, several members of which live in the vicinity.
Tile well known Horlick malted milk is made here. There is a
general store and a few minor concerns, but the principal busi-
ness is the operating of the stone crushers in the quarries along
the Root River.

HUSHER

On the line between Sections 9 and 10, Township 4, Range
22, in Caledonia Township, is the miofficial Village of Husher.
It is one of those neighborhood trading posts and rallying centers
that grow up in nearly every county of the Union and has no
s|>ecial history.

IVES GROVE

One of the early settlements of Racine County was made at
Ives Crove in the sununer of 1835 by Joseph Call. The Grove is
situated in the eastern part of Yorkville Township, in Section 12,
Township 3, Range 21, on the road leading from Racine to Roch-
ester. In the latter part of 1836 or early in 1837, Joseph Call
sold his claim to Marshall M. Strong and Stephen N. Ives, who
in turn sold it to Roland Ives and soon after that a postoffice

166 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

was established there and given the name of "Ives Grove," by
which the place has ever since been known. The postoffiee has
been discontinued and the inhabitants now receive mail by rural
carrier from Union Grove.

IVES STATION

Ives Station, or "Ives," as it is conmionly called, is on the
line of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, three miles north
of Racine, in Caledonia Township. On November 23, 1896, the
village was surveyed and platted by Harry I. Orwig for W. K.
Cook, George Bald\Vin, John O'Laughlin and Benjamin Barrett,
and the plat was filed with the register of deeds on December 5,
1896. At that time and for some years afterward a large stone
crushing business was conducted here, but in recent years Ives
has found a formidable competitor in that line in Horlicksville,
with the result that it has lost some of its former activity.

KANSASVILLE

This little village is located in the southern part of Dover
Township, on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad,
eighteen miles west of Racine. No plat of the village was ever
filed with the register of deeds. Among the early settlers in this
part of the county were Samuel Ormiston, James Ballack, Aaron
Putnam and the McKeys. Kansasville grew up after the railroad
was built and received its name when the postoffiee was estab-
lished there a little later. It now has a general store, a hotel, a
creamery, a blacksmith and wagon repair shop, a public school,
telegraph and express offices, a Congregational Church, and some
other institutions. The Wisconsin Gazetteer for 1915 gives the
population as 300, but this is probably too high an estimate. From
the postoffiee two rural routes supply daily mail to the surround-
ing country. Considerable quantities of grain and live stock are
shipped from this point.

KILBOURNVILLE

In Section 18, near the west line of Caledonia Township, is
the little hamlet of Kilbournville, where a postoffiee under that
name was established in early days. The office was discontinued
some years ago and mail is now delivered by rural carrier from
Caledonia, a mile and a half east, which is the nearest railroad
station. A church, a public school and a general store, with a
few scattering dwellings, are about all that is left of Kilbournville.

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SCENES IN HORLICK PARK

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 167

KNEELAND

This is another postoffice that was discontinued when the
rural free delivery system was inaugurated. It is situated in the
west side of Section 10, in Raymond Township, a short distance
west of the South Fork of the Root River. The principal busi-
ness enterprises are a general store and a blacksmith shop. Mail
now comes daily by rural carrier from the postoffice at Caledonia.

LAMBERTON

In the northeast corner of Caledonia Township, near the
county line and on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, is the
rural postoffice of Lamberton, so named from one of the early
settlers in that part of the county, William E. Lamberton, who
was for many years one of the prominent citizens of Racine
County. As a village, Lamberton is insignificant and about its
only importance is the postoffice.

LINWOOD

On the Root River, in Section 23, Township 4, Range 22, is
a thickly settled neighborhood u])on which has been conferred
the name of "Linwood." It has never been platted as a village
and a public school near the line between Sections 23 and 26 is
the only institution worthy of mention.

NORTH CAPE

The rural Post-Village of North Cape is situated near the
western boundary of Raymond Township, in Section 30, Township
4, Range 2L Although about seven miles from Union Grove, the
nearest railroad station. North Cape is a place of considerable
business activity. It has a money order postoffice, telephone
connection with the surrounding towns, a flour mill, a general
store, a tile factory, a physician, a dealer in agiicultural imple-
ments, a public school, Methodist and Lutheran Churches and a
population of a])out 100. North Cape has furnished four members
of the State Legislatiire — Knud Adland, Hiram L. Gilmore,
Patrick G. Cheves and Adam Aj)ple. Mr. Apple afterward sei-ved
also in the State Senate.

NORTH RACINE

The Town of North Racine was surveyed and platted by
Edward F. Leidel on September 21, 1905, for the Great Northern
Realty Company and the plat was filed the same day it was com-

168 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

picted — Sept('inl)('r 21, 1905. It shows a town of some preten-
sions, eonsistiui; of twenty-three blocks and a total of 839 lots,
h)eated m Sections 15, 16, 21 and 22, in Caledonia Township, but
as the basis of its establishment was speculation it has not come
up to the expectations of its founders.

RAYMOND CENTER

In the settlement of Raymond Township a little village grew
up in the exact center, which in time became known as "Raymond
Center." A postoffice was established there in the late '80s or
early '40s by the name of "Raymond" and the word "Center"
was finally dro]:)ped. For some time it was a trading point for
the people of the township, l)ut when the postoffice was discon-
tinued most of the business interests sought new locations. A
Congregational Church was established here at an early date
and the old church and school house still mark the site of "Ray-
jtiond Center" after the greater part of its glory has departed.
Among the early settlers were Stephen O. Bennett, Joseph Nel-
son and Thomas West, all of whom afterward represented Racine
County in the State Legislature.

ROCHESTER

The incorporated Village of Rochester, in the Township of
the same name, is pleasantly situated on the Fox River, twenty-
three miles west of Racine and four miles east of Honey Creek,
which is the most convenient railroad station. Franklin Hathe-
way, in his "Reminiscences," published in Volume XV of the
Wisconsin Historical Collections, says his uncle, Joshua Hathe-
way, who was one of the government surveyors in Racine and
Kenosha Counties, was the first to select this place as a townsite.
In his survey he became acquainted with a Potawatomi Indian
who informed him that the word Waukesha was the Potawatomi
for "Fox." When the surveying party reached the banks of the
Fox River at the mouth of the Muskego Creek, Mr. Hatheway
was so impressed with the site and the possibilities of water
power that he decided to locate a town there at some future time.
In this project he was joined by Mr. Cox and Mr. Myers, two
others of the surveying party. Mr. Hatheway then took his
hatchet and blazed an oak tree, and upon the white surface of
the wood wrote the word "Waukeeshah," the name select(Ml for
the future citv. He afterward claimed that this was the first

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 169

time that word was ever written in English. That was early
in 1836.

Unknown to Hatheway, Cox and Myers, Levi Godfrey and
John Wade had visited the same spot and selected claims in the
fall of 1835. In 1836 ]\[r. Godfrey brought his family to the
f'laim he had selected and began housekeeping in a shanty six-
teen feet square and so low that he had to stoop in entering
the doorway. A little later he built a larger log house and opened
a tavern, which l)ecanie historic as the place where the conven-
tion was held that nominated Captain Gilbert Knapp for the
TjCgislature in the fall of 1836. Godfrey's original shanty was
the first structure erected by a white man within the present
village limits.

In 1837 Mr. Godfrey enlarged his tavern, Alonzo Snow opened
a general store, and Martin C. Whitman built a saw-mill. The
settlement was then known as the "Upper Forks," to distin-
guish it from the one at the mouth of the White River, which
was called the "Lower Forks" (now Burlington). Early in the
fall of 1839, A. W. Doolittle, the first county surveyor of Racine
CoTuity, was emjjloyed by the owners of the land at the "Upper
Forks" to survey and lay out a town. As most of the ])roprie-
tors — Martin C. Whitman. Levi Godfrey, Obed and Hiland
Hurlburt and Philo Belden — were from Western New York,
they selected the name "Rochester" for their town, and the plat
was filed with the register of deeds in October, 1839. Henry
Mygatt, Elias Smith, David Anderson, Consider Heath and ]\[ar-
garet A. Cox, who owned some of the adjoining lands, filed the
plat of their addition on June 16, 1840.

Mary, daughter of Levi Godfrey, was the first white child
born in Rochester. The first marriage was that of John Cole
and a Miss Fowler, which was solemnized in the fall of 1836. Mr.
Cole walked to Racine for his license, which cost him four dollars.
Mrs. John Wade, who died in February, 1837, was the first death.
The first school house was built in 1840 and the first teacher was
a daughter of Dr. E. G. Dyer, of Burlington. Peter Campbell
huiit the first brick house, in which he conducted the "Union
Hotel" until his death in 1856.

A man named Foi'd started an iron foundry on a small scale
near Martin Whitman's saw-mill. AVhen the mill was destroyed
by fire in 1839 the foundry was slightly damaged. Philo Belden

170 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

theu built a mill on the Muskego and in 1842 added a flour mill.
Two years later lie bought out Mr. Ford and added the foimdry
to his business. A little later Richard established a wagon fac-
tory, which did a good business for several years, but finally
ceased operations.

On June 27, 1912, a petition, signed by Thomas Edwards,
H. C. Wood, J. E. Jackson and others, was filed in the circuit
court, praying for the incorporation of Rochester. A census
previously taken showed a population of over one hundred and
fifty, as required by law. Judge Belden granted the petition,
provided a majority of the citizens were in favor of incorporating,
and ordered an election to give the voters an opportunity to ex-
press themselves. J. E. Jackson, George Ela and A. A. Burgess
were appointed inspectors to conduct the election, which was
held (m August 20, 1912. The proposition to incorporate was car-
ried by a vote of 41 to 36, and under the order of June 27th
Rochester was declared an incoi-porated village.

The principal business interests of Rochester are the flour
mill, two general stores, the hotel, a creamery, a blacksmith and
wagon shop, and a florist. There is a good public school building
and the usual number of small shops to be found in villages of
this class. According to the Wisconsin Oazetteer for 1915, the
])()pulation is estimated at 256, and the same year the property
of the village was valued for taxation at $181,992.

SYLVANIA

This is a small railway station on the Chicago, Milwaukee &
St. Paul Railroad in the southeastern part of Yorkville Township,
ten miles west of Racine. It was formerly known as Windsor
Station. A few dwellings in the immediate neighborhood and the
little station building constitute the entire village.

TABOR

When the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad was built be-
tween Chicago and Milwaukee, a station was established in Cale-
donia Township, about five miles north of Racine, and given the
name of "Tabor." For some time it was a trading and shipping
lioint of some importance, but was gradually outstripped by the
adjacent and all that is left is the name on the map and recollec-
tidus of its former prestige.

HISTORY iW RACINE COUNTY 171

THOMPSONVILLE

On the line ht'tween Caledonia and Raymond Townships,
abont ten miles northwest of Racine, is the old Village of Thomp-
sonville, so named after one of the early settlers in that locality.
Located at the junction of three highways, it is easy of access
and in early days was the chief trading point for the farmers in
that section of the c(nuity. Then came the railroads, which
diverted business to other points and Thompsonville began to
decline. The postoffice there was discontinued and mail is now
l)rought daily by carrier from the postoffice at Franksville. A
general store, a blacksmith shop and a creamery are now the
principal business enterprises.

UNION CHURCH

About a mile and a half southwest of Wind Lake, in the
western part of Norway Township and on the road leading to
Waterford, old maps of Racine County show "Union Church."
It was never platted and, strictly speaking, is not a town or
village. The Norwegian immigrants who settled this township
were mostly Lutherans, but as settlers of different religious views
came in they all joined together in the erection of a building that
should be free to every denomination. A settlement grew up
about the church and a postoffice was estal)lished there mider the
name of "LTnion Church." The postoffice has been discontinued
for years, and as the several denominations grew stronger each
built a house of worship of its own. A tew years more of progress
and the old Union Church settlement will have been forgotten.

UNION GROVE

The incorporated Village of LTiiiou (ii-ove is located in the
southwestern part of Yorkville Township, on the Chicago, Mil-
waukee & St. Paul Railway, fifteen miles west of Racine. The
first settler here was a man named Dunliam, who built a frame
house on what is now Main Street. The second house was built
by William H. Reid. Mr. Dunham remained but a short time,
when he Sf)ld out to P. P. Faber, who opened the first store aboiit
the time the railroad was built. William H. Reid was also en-
gaged in merchandising and was one of the early postmasters.
The third house in the village was built by John Roche, who
occupied part of it as a shoemaker's shop, being the first to ply
that trade in Union Orove. Other earlv settlers were Dr. A. P.

172 HISTORY OF RAOINE COUNTY

Adams, who was the tirst physician, James Russell, IS. II. Skewes,
J. H. Ilitehcook, Erasmus D. Caldwell, Gideon Morey, Richard
Goldsworthy and William C. Bartlett.

On January 26, 1856, a mass meeting of the citizens was held
and an associatiim formed for the ])urpose of laying out a town.
Of this association Dr. A. P. Adams was president; James Rus-
sell, vice-president; Gideon Morey, secretary, and S. H. Skewes,
treasurer and sales agent. C. M. Sprague was employed to make
a survey and plat and he completed his work on February 21,
1856. On March 18, 1856, th(> Union Grove Company was incor-
porated by act of the Legislature, with an authorized cai)ital
stock of $50,000. A number of lots were sold by Mr. Skewes
and Union Grove began "to ])ut on airs," as one of the residents
expressed it at the time.

For some reason the survey made by Mr. Sprague was not
satisfactory and in the summer of 1859 Sayrs G. Knight -was
employed to make a new plat, which was filed in the office of
the register of deeds on August 27, 1859. Since then the growth
of the village has been steady and in 1910 the population was
616, an increase of 96 during the preceding decade.

Union Grove has been incorporated for about twenty years.
It has waterworks, electric light, a telephone exchange, telegraph
and express offices, a bank, a flour mill, a weekly newspaper (the
Ent('i-])i-ise), an oi)era house, a large jiickling works, a branch
of the Wisconsin-Pemisylvania Oil Company, a number of well
stocked mercantile establishments, a brick factory, a creamery,
a hotel, and a number of neat residences. The Old Settlers' Park
is located about half a mile south of the village, where reunions
are held annually. In 1915 the pro])erty was valued for taxation
at $()21,762. A great deal of grain and live stock are shipped.

WATERFORD

The Village of Watei'ford is situated in the southeast corner
of the township of the same name, on the Fox River and twenty-
three miles west of Racine. The tirst settlers w^ere Samuel S.
Chapman and Levi Barnes, who <-anie in the year 1836 and made
claims about where the village now stands. Mr. Cha})man w^as
from Indiana and after locating his claim so it would cover the
water power in the Fox River went back to that state for his
family. He became a permanent resident in 1838. Not far be-

HISTORY OF RACIXE COrXTV 173

hind riia])iiiaii and IJai'iics came a man named Bccbc, who hiid
claim t(i the water pdwer, tuiilt a shanty near the river and tried
to hold it, but Chapman and Barnes bought him off and erected
a saw-mill. The next year they built a grist mill with two run
of t)uhrs, one for wheat and the other for corn. This mill was
sold in 1848 to Andrew B. Jones, who ran it for about six years,
when he removed to Janesville. The first house within the pres-
net village limits was erected by Ephraim Barnes. Quite a mnn-
ber of innnigrants came to this part of the county during the
years 1838 and 18:)!), and in the latter year S. C. Kress opened
the first tavern. Six years later he erected the "Waterford
House," a nnich lai'ger building, which was one of the first brick
structures in the village.

The first white child ])oi'n in Waterford was Helen, daugh-
ter of Samuel E. Chapman. She was born in 1838, soon after the
arrival of the family from Indiana. The first death was that of
an infant son of Hiram Barnes, in the winter of 1837-38. The
first inhabitant to get married was Ira A. Rice, who went to
Kenosha (then Southport) for his bride in 1837. A. B. Jones
was the first merchant, and the first school was taught in 1840
by a ]Miss Caldwell. The postoffice was established in 1843, with
Samuel C. Russ as the first postmaster. Mail was then carried by
stage from Kenosha to Janesville and the office at Waterford
I'cceived mail from the east and west on alternate days. There
is now a daily mail stage from Burlington.

In April, 1845, Moses Vilas was employed to lay out the
town and made a plat. His employer was Samuel C. Russ, who
then owned most of the land included within the village lirnits.
Mr. Vilas had made a survey in March, 1839, but the plat was
not filed with tlu^ register of deeds. The revised plat was filed
on Jime 3, 1845.

In 1864 George Gale came to Waterford and built a paper
mill, which he operated for three years, when he was compelled
to close for lack of power. John Beck started a brewery in 1876.
with a capacity of 200 barrels per day, and did a profitable busi-
ness for several years, but lack of adequate transportation facili-
ties placed him at a disadvantage and the business was discon-
tinued.

On Deceml)er 23, 1905, a petition asking for the iucoi'poration
of Waterford was filed in the circuit court. A census that accom-

174 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

pauied the petition showed a population of 352. The court ordered
an election for January 23, 190G, and appointed as inspectors
John T. Rice, Christian Berger and William Sheukenberg. The
election resulted in 118 votes for incorporation and only 25 against
the proposition, lleturus were made to the court and Waterford
was declared to be an incorporated village.

Waterford has two banks, a flour mill, two cigar factories,
several well stocked general stores, hardware and hnplement
houses, kmiber and coal dealers, a telej^hone exchange, a weekly
newspaper (the Post), two hotels, a creamery, churches of dif-
ferent denominations, excellent public school l)uildings, and its
"high and dry" location makes it an ideal residence village
The population in 1910 was 581, and in 1915 the assessed valua-
tion of the property was $717,910.

WILLOW CREEK

Modern maps of Racine County show a settlement in Cale-
donia Township, a short distance southeast of Tabor, as "Willow
Creek." It is merely a thickly settled neighborhood, with a
public school in the midst, and was never platted as a village.

YORKVILLE

The old postoffice of Yorkville was established at an early
date a little north of the center of Yorkville Township. It was
on the old mail route between Racine and Mineral Point and a
little hamlet grew up there, but no plat of a village was ever
officially made or recognized by the authorities. The postoffice
was discontinued some years ago and the people of that section
now receive their mail by rural carrier from the postoffice at
Union Grove, which place is the nearest railroad station. York-
ville, as shown by the Wisconsin Gazetteer for 1916, has a general
store, a dealer in hardware and agricultural implements, a
nursery, a creamery, a blacksmith shop and a few dw' elling houses.

POSTOFFICES

As a conclusion to this chapter the following list of postoffices
in Racine County at the beginning of the year 191G is given. The
figures in parentheses after the names of some of the offices show
the number of rural mail routes emanating therefrom, to wit:
Burlington (G), Caledonia (3), Corliss (1), Franksville (3), Kan-
sasville (2), Lamberton, North Cape, Racine (4), Rochester,

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 175

Rosewood (formerly Dover), Uniuu Urove (3), Waterford (2).
The office at Racine has independent stations at Cooper and
Racine Junction and three sub-stations. All the offices issue
domestic money orders, good in the United States, and the offices
at Burlington, Corliss, Racine, Union CJrove and Waterford are
authorized to issue international money oi'ders, good in foreign
countries.

St. John's Lutheran

Jetforson
Wushinffton

Franklin

Hi^h School
SCHOOLS OF UACINE

Lincoln

Howell
Winslow

CHAPTER IX

EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS

Racine was but a mere liamk't, with a few inhabitants and
a house scattered here and th(n'e when the settlers began to pro-
vide for the education of their chiklren, in the best way possible
and according to their limited resources and means. As in all
new localities the subscription school took the initiative in edu-
caticmal matters, and it is to a little select, or subscription, school,
jiresided over by a pedagogue named Bradley, that the people of
Racine I'cvert when the beginning of things educational is on the
tapis. The first Iniilding erected for school purposes was a primi-
tive structure of frame, l)uilt on the northeast corner of Main
and Third Streets in 1836. Here the children of the little settle-
ment gathered and were taught the rudiments of an education
])y Mr. Bradley, the first schoolmaster of Racine.

On the 12th of June, 1837, the county commissioners divided
the county into scdiool districts, and placed the Town and Village
of Racine in District No. One; as a matter of course, the first
school building was in this district. Under the territorial session
laws of 1839-1840, which were revised in the session of 1840-01,
Racine held her first annual town meeting on the fifth day of
April, 1842, when Marshall M. Strong, Eldad Smith and Lyman
K. Smith were elected the first school conunissioners for the town.
Their duties were to take charge of the school district, to collect
the revenue therefrom and to a])])ortion the same to the several
school sections in the town. Section 16 was located in the village
• and proved of great value to the community. Other duties de-
volving upon the commissioners were to divide the town into
school districts, to examine and license public school teachers,

178 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

and to supervise the schools generally. Each district was pro-
vided with three trustees, a clerk and collector, who were
authorized to levy and collect all necessary school taxes, and to
jnanage the affairs of their districts, the village and town authori-
ties having no jurisdiction in snch matters. The Town of Racine
was divided into four districts, one of which comprised the village,
and one on the north, on the south and on the west of it.

FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL HOUSE

Lots situate on Section 16, in which is the Second Ward, were
selected for the location of the first i)u])li(' school building, and
on this site, near the corner of College Avenue and Seventh Street,
a one-story brick sti'ucture was erected during the snmmer of
1842. This was the beginning of the many public buildings in
1-iacine, put up and maintained for school purposes by the people
of the town and, while very modest in design and dimensions,
it answered the requirements admirabl_y for a time at least. Sam-
uel W. Hill was the first one to preside over the pnpils of this
schdol, and liegan his ministrations in the year the house was
built. His successor was Simeon C. Yout, who for many years
remained a citizen of the place. In a very short time the children
began to increase in such numbers that the little one-story brick
])uilding became overtaxed and in 1844 a frame one was erected
on the east end of the lot, to which the girls and small boys were
assigned. Miss Margaret Carswcll (later Mrs. Samuel G. Knight)
was placed in charge.

During the village organization and the first three years of
the city rule (1842 to 1852) the pul)lic schools were managed under
"the general laws of the territory and state by trustees and other
district officers, as neither the village nor the first city charter
made any provision for maintaining them. The last to^^^l meeting
was held Ajn'il 4, 1848, preparatory to AVisconsin becoming a state
and Racine taking on the dignity permitted a city. No town offi-
cers were elected at this meeting and, as a consequence, the old
officials held over. On A])ril .3, 1849, at an election held at Slau-
son's cooper shop, Floyd P. Baker was (4ected town superintend-
ent of schools, and Isaac J. UUman, Thomas J. Emerson and
'f'hdiiias (!. Burgess continued as town school commissioners.

Owing to the considerable growth of Racine between the
years 1H41 and 1852, a demand for more schools became impera-

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 179

tive and as a result the village was divided into three districts,
on the north, south and west sides of the river, in which schools
were established. The school on the west side. Marquette Street,
between Liberty and State Streets, enrolled over 140 pupils in
1849. By that time the building was too small and many of the
children were compelled for comfort's sake to resort to the shade
trees then prevalent in that locality, where they studied their les-
sons. Tn this year A. Constantine Barry became by election the
first superintendent of schools in Racine. H. G. Winslow, long a
superintendent, spoke of Mr. Barry as a "man of good attainments,
of versatile talents and of various callings — a preacher of some
reputation in the Universalist Church, the editor and publisher
of the 'Old Oaken Bucket' (the organ of the Sons of Temperance),
and an educator of considerable pretensions." He became state
superintendent of schools in 1855 and held the position until 1858.
In 1861 he became chaplain of the Second Regiment, Wisconsin
Volunteers, and served as such until the end of hostilities.

A complete reorganization of school affairs took place in
Racine in 1852, owing to general dissatisfaction that had appeared
above the surface. On April 14, 1852, a school law affecting Racine
alone was enacted by the Legislature and modeled after the school
system then in vogue in Rochester, N. Y. By this law all public
schools of the city were consolidated into one district, and ample
powers were placed in the hands of a board of education, con-
sisting of two commissioners from each ward, and a city superin-
tendent. The first board of education under the new law was
organized in April, 1852, and was composed of Robert Cather,
president; A. C. Barry, clerk; Orville W. Barnes, Robert Cather,
Edwin Gould, "Warner W. Wardsworth, Charles Herriek, Nathan
Joy, John Osborne, Seneca Raymond, Kdwin A. Robey, Sidney
A. Sage, commissioners; A. C. Barry, city superintendent. Also,
in this year, the City Coimcil passed an ordinance authorizing the
issuance of bonds in the smn of $6,000 for the erection of a high
school building. The site was already in the possession of the city
and upon it was erected a lu-ick building, 50x75 feet, two stories
in height, with a basement. This was located in the Second Ward
and was an excellent structure for the times, ranking with the
best in the state. John (i. ^[c]\I.vnn, then a successful teacher in
the Kenosha public schools, was called to the principalshiji, and
his wife, Mrs. Ella Wiley McMynn, accepted the position of assist-

180 IIISIURV UF RAflNE COUNTY

aiit, which she retained with entire satisfaction to all concerned
five years. Kev. M. P. Kinney was elected city superintendent
in April, 1853, and for four years thereafter served the school
interests of the city with fidelity and a high degree of ability.
He planted the elm trees that still adorn the walks around the
high school, and "contributed not a little to the success of the
system and the Racine High School soon became the pet and pride
of the city." This is evidenced by the following excerpt of the
suijerintendent's repoit foi' the yeai' 1858: "It is now nearly
five years since the present plan of organization went into opera-
tion. Previous to this period, interest in education was confined
to a few of our citizens. Under the district system, which was at
first adopted, it was seen that no efficiency could be secured, and
little progress could be made. School accommodations were ]ioor
and limited. Teachers were embarrassed and their well laid ])lans
often thwarted by apathy or opposition. Schools, public and
])rivate, were numerous but not permanent; teachers were quali-
fied and self-denying, l)ut not successful; and, while money was
liberally provided, it was uselessly expended, so that many began
to look with disfavctr up(m public schools, and if not unwilling
to try the experiment of a thorough organization, they were not
willing to co-operate and earnestly labor to carry it to a success-
ful issue." In another place the superintendent, Rev. O. O.
Stearns, continues: "During the past year a new school library,
consisting of over a thousand volumes, has been purchased and
placed within the reach of the scholars and parents. * * * At
the close of the last term (December, 1857) a class of two young
gentlemen and eight yoimg ladies graduated from oui' high school
and received aj^jropriate dii)lomas. That was an event of too
much importance to l)e overlooked in oui' annual report. The
day of their graduation was a proud one for our city schools,
and could all of our citizens have been present on that occasion,
they would have felt amply repaid for the sacrifices they have
been called upon to make to sustain them."

The "event of too nnich im])ortance" will be more readily
understood and apju'eciatcd by the present generation when it is
stated that this was the first high school graduating class in the
history of Wisconsin. The incuihers of that class were Horatio
(i. P>iilings, William H. Myrick, Christia A. Sinclair, Julia CJ.
Wheldon, Anna Byrne, Lucy A. Cather, Antoinette J. Russell,

AP.OVK THK DAM. RACINE

RI\F,K \II-;\V. I<\< INK

HIST()K\" ()!• RACIXK COrNTV 181

Elizalx-tli J. I^utterfield, Angelina Wells and Marion F. Clarke.
With the exception of a few years within the decade begimiing
ill 1859, the high school has furnished a class of graduates each
year of its existence. "When the year of the rebellion broke out
ill ISiil, and during its continuance, the high school responded
nolily to the country's call, riiniishing from thirty to forty S(»l-
diers, and many of the older pupils from the ward schools in-
creased the number largely. Six members of the high school lost
their lives in the cause and a marble tablet preserves the names
and memory in golden letters (m the walls of the high school study
room. Principal McMynn also volunteered and went as major
of the Tenth Regiment of "Wisconsin Volunteers; and, after doing
soldierly service in the war in Kentuck,v, Tennessee and Alabama,
returned as colonel of his regiment."

Selim H. Peabody was one of the early principals of the Ra-
cine High School and after retiring from that position he made
his valuable educational talents a leading and commanding factor
in the ra])id progress of the Chicago High School. He rose to
various high positions in educational circles, among which may
be mentioned the presidency of the Illinois State University.
Special mention also should be made of (ieorge S. Albee, O. S.
AVescott, and Colonels E. Barton Wood and Henry S. Pomeroy,
both of whom attained distinction as commanders in the Civil War.

There were about 700 pupils in attendance and thirteen
teachers employed in the schools of Racine in 1853. The schools
consisted of five primaries, one high school, and a grannnar school,
which was then and for several years after combined with the
high school. Crowded rooms and lack of conveniences had been
dinned into the official ears of the authorities for some time, but
it was not until the year 1855 that the City Council ])rovided
means for the erection of three school buildings, and during the
fall and winter they were built, the Third, Fourth and Fifth
A^'ards each getting one. The structures were constructed of
brick, two stories high and 40x50 feet in ground dimensions. In
each of these biiildings were organized an intermediate school
with four teachers and about 200 ]nipils. From this time until
1887 the general plan for providing increased room was by mak-
ing additions to the old buildings, except in the erection of the
Sixth Ward school house, a building designed to seat about 400
cliildrcii. Plans were perfected in 1887 by Superintendent H. (>.

182 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Winslow and the school l)oai'd for the croetion of a ward school
building on advanced lines and in March, 1891, the idea met its
fruition in the construction of the building in the southwestern
part of the city, which was named the R. P. Howell School. This
was the first reall.v pretentious school building of Racine. Pre-
vious to this hapi^y consummation, owing to the increasing num-
ber of children demanding attention and for many of whom there
were no adequate provisions and accommodations at the school
houses on the north and west sides of the river, the committee
mentioned above caused to be erected on the corner of North-
western Avenue and Prospect Street a school building in 1889.
The Lincoln School was built and occupied in April, 3891. It
had a capacity of 400 and was built with a desire to observe more
than the ordinary efforts toward beauty and artistic architect-
lu-al lines.

H. G. Winslow assumed the duties imposed by the office of
superintendent of the Racine city schools in May, 1881, when
there were 40 teachers employed and the enrollment for the year
was 2,388. In 1883 a full pamphlet report and manual of in-
structions for teachers was issued, the first of the kind since 1858.
The booklet contained about 100 pages of useful educational and
statistical matter and this was followed in 1891 by a more com-
plete one.

In June, 1881, A. R. Sprague, a graduate of Beloit College,
and a teacher of wide experience in Wisconsin, was appointed
principal of the high school and held the position eight years.
He resigned to accept a place in the Milwaukee High School.
His successor was A. J. Volland, who began his work here the
school year of 1889.

LOOKING BACKWARD

A pioneer, who signs himself "One of the Old Boys," recalls
the early school days in an article which appeared recently in a
local paper, and in part relates: "The school facilities were
hardly adequate to the needs of the place. There were private
schools here and there, and different attempts had been made
to start academies, but with only temporary success. T remem-
hov Mr. Slater kept a select school in the old Sol Heath house,
corner Seventh and Chatham Streets (it had not then arrived
at the dignity of Lake Avenue, and indeed the street was of so

THE OLD THIRD WARD SCHOOL
Erected in southern part of town in 1S56.

HISTORY OF RACINP: COUNTY 183

little account at that time that v(M-y few knew it had a name,
hut were content to designate it as the 'l)ack street.'). Mr. S. C.
Yout had an academy in a huilding- standinj^,' on the site of the
late Universalist Church. Then David Conger started what he
cahed a 'high school' on the corner of Eighth and Wisconsin
Streets. I can recall among the boys there were Sayers Knight,
Ham Utley, James Fink and Garrett Van Pelt.

"Miss Emma Jane Winters had a school on Wisconsin
Street; Miss Robinson taught on Barnstable Street; Mahlon and
Melville Barry were among the pupils.

"Old Mr. Jones had a small school (m Wisconsin near Elev-
enth Street. I can remember it was one of the rules of the school
that a scholar was to be forgiven once for any offense, but not
the second time. It was always a successful plea that the culprit
made, to say, no matter how grievous his fault, 'You never for-
gave me for this,' and justice yielded to mercy. The dear old
man! He nnist have been nearly seventy years old, and yet he
had that trust in human nature that hoped, the first offense,
(ince forgiven, would never be repeated. Perhaps the old man's
theory would be the right one.

"Mr. Stowe taught in the basement of the old Baptist
Church. Henry and Anson Doolittle, Henry Jones, Orley Cates,
'Egg' Jameison, Ham Utley and Walter Stone were pupils of his.

"W. W. Carroll taught in the little brick school house on the
southwest corner of the present Second Ward School grounds.
Walter Clough is the only boy whose face I can no\v recall be-
hind his desk."

THE OLD THIRD WARD SCHOOL

When the old Third Ward School was built it was located
at the extreme southern limits of the city and there were few
houses in the immediate vicinity. The ground on which the build-
ing was situate was part of the first cemetery, and in June, 1855,
the City Council ordered the disposal of the poor house and of
some of the cemetery lots, to provide funds to build three new
schools — in the Third, Fourth and Fifth Wards.

On the purchase of Mound Cemetery in 1852, the City Coun-
cil ordered the removal of all bodies buried in the old cemetery
to the new grounds, stipulating that after April 15, 1853, all that
i-emained would be removed by the cemetery committee. Despite

184 HISTORY OF RACIXE COUNTY

the cave taken. Imiiiaii skeletons liavc hern exposed to the light
wlieiiever excavations have lieen made in that block.

THE WINSLOW SCHOOL

The suceessor of the old Third Wai'd buildini; is the Wins-
low, named in honor of one of the tx-st friends of edneation
liacine ever had. The structure stands on the site of the (dd one,
in the nndst of one of the finest residence districts of the city.
If asked, any one of the nearby I'esidents would declare it to be
the finest. In 1891), when the lliird Ward School was rebuilt,
it was given its present name. The building i-ontains fourteen
rooms, including a kindergarten and auditorium. There are
twelve teachers and about 4r)() ])U]iiIs enrolled.

HIGH SCHOOL OF 1854

The Innlding erected in Racine in 1853 and occu])ied in 1854
for high school purposes w'as considered to be the finest and most
])]'etentious school building in the State of Wisconsin. Many
educators from distant cities paid special visits to Racine to see
the structure and the jx'ojde of the conununity were elated and
quite "chesty," to use a modern expression, over having so noted
a public building. Tol. J. (!. McMynn, who was the first
principal of the school, superintendent of the city schools and
later state superintendent of schools, and whose influence on the
puMic educational institutions <if the state was greater than any
other man, in speaking of the high school on one occasion, in part
said: 'Toming to the state only a few months after its admis-
sion into the Union, T worked in the pul)lic schools of Kenosha
(then Sonthport) until Se})tend)er, 1853, when I came to Racine,
influenced not a little by the superior school house, then near
completion, and which still remains now (1891) an object of less
adnni'ation than it excited thirty-eight years ago. Some of those
present may recollect that we partly organized the high school
in the })asement of the old Baptist Chui-ch, where we remained
until iho high school building was finished during the last month
of the year. The erection of such a scIk^oI building had attracted
the attention of the whole state. It was even sui)erior to the new
school house in Kenosha, which l:)efore oui's was built had no
rival in the commonwealth.

"On examination for admission to the high school, Mr.

IllSroRV OF RACINK COIIXTV 1X5

Mahlon Bai-ry, ^liss Anna Byrne, Miss Lucy father, JVfiss
Marion Clarke, and Miss Mary Sherman were found qualified,
and they were the first re.iiular hi<>h schocd scholars in the state.
A considerable iiiunhcr was added in a short time frdin tliose
wild were conditioned."

SIXTH WARD SCHOOL

The Sixth Ward School was tinished in .January, 1870, and
the plans upon which it was built marked a forward step in
school construction, as it was the finest school biulding- in the
l)lace. Tncludinii' the site, the total cost was $21,132. L. W.
Urii^gs, who is an instructor in th(^ State Normal School at Osh-
kosh, was the tirst principal. At the expiration of a year or two
he was followed as principal by Prof. Bridges, who in tui'ii had
for his successor Martin L. Smith, who assumed his duties in
1875 and still is holding the position with the greatest satisfac-
tion to all concerned. Prof. Smith contributes very much to the
interest of this article by his relation of the details here appended:

"In 1875 the Sixth Ward School consisted of an upright
building of six rooms — three on the first floor and three directly
over them on the second, one of them a large assem1)ly I'oom
(•a])able of seating seventy pupils. At that time there was no
kindergarten room and none of them was decorated; all were in
the natural color of plaster, with here and there a crack in the
wall, and a very few cheap pictures.

"The force consisted of six teachers, including the principal.
All of the rooms were over-crowded with children. The enroll-
ment was 350. But in 1899 came a change for the better; an
addition was built to the school, doubling the seating capacity,
and transforming it into a modern building which, in the opinion
of the present ])rincipal, has no superior in the state. The name
now was changed to that of the Franklin School. There are
twelve rooms, including (me for the kindergarten department,
decorated and further adorned with pictures. Foiu- sanitary
drinking fomitains without cups are used in the building, which
also contains a recitation or store room, a principal's office, a
teachers' rest room and a room for the niamial training classes.
TTnder the entire building is a basement with cement floor, which
contains separate toilet rooms. At present a corps of fourteen

186 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

teachers is enijjloyed, including the principal and two kinder-
gartners. The enrollment is about 575."

RACINE FEMALE SEMINARY

]\Irs. Emma L. Hopkins Cartlidge, daughter of the founder
of Racine Female Seminary, now living at Redlands, California,
on request of E. W. Leach, the versatile local historian, prepared
a short sketch of the Racine Female Seminary for this work,
which is given below, "with the addition of names of pupils of
the school gathered from other sources:

In the autumn of 1845, several prominent citizens of Racine,
among whom were members of the First Presbyterian Church,
of which Rev. T. IVl. Hopkins was then pastor, learning that Mrs.
Hopkins had lieen a teacher, urged her to open a school for girls.

After thorough consideration of many plans, a school was
o])ened some time in the spring of 1846, in a building on the
corner of Main Street and — I do not know the mnnber of the
cross street — but the building -was diagonally opposite the resi-
dence of Hon. M. M. Strong, which residence was burned during
the ^^dnter of 1845-46.

The earliest record which I have is "for three months end-
ing August 28, 1846," and includes "rent paid for school house
three months, for desks, for assistant" and "for three months'
advertisement." If y(»u are able to consult the files of the weekly
paper published at that time, you may find the advertisement.
Some friends advised incorporating the seminary, but ray
mother preferred to keep it inider her personal control and the
name "Racine Female Seminary" was given and the Register
of Names was begun Seijtember 21, 1846. The first assistant
teacher was Miss Humphrey, a graduate of Mount Holyoke
Seminary. Two more were engaged for a few hours each week
during this term. Just how long the sessions of the school were
held in their early (puirters I do not know. No mention is made
of any rent paid after December, 1846, but I think it was one or
two years later that my father purchased a lot on the northwest
corner of Eighth and Wisconsin Streets and built a two-story
frame dwelling with large, airy rooms. In this building the ses-
si(ms of the school were held until my mother left Racine in
May, 1852.

Associated with her dm-ing this time were Miss Rich, of

THE SIXTH WARD SCHOOL
Completed in January. LsTO. Remodeled in ISiUi.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 187

Bangor, Maine ; ]\liss M. Evelyn Smith, of Williamstown, IMassa-
chusetts, and ]\Irs. Hunt, of Eacine, who was the first teacher
of French in the school. The course of study included arithme-
tic, mental and practical; algebra, geometry, history — ancient
and modern — botany, physiology, astronomy with "Geography
of the Heavens," a thorough course of reading, writing, spelling,
composition and English grammar. French was added after the
fii'st (piarter. There were charts for use in physiology, globes for
geograjihy, and an "Orrery" for aid in understanding the
position and orbits of the planets. Regular classes in calisthen-
ics, always practiced with singing, were conducted daily, and
every member of the school was expected to belong to one of
tliese classes.

On the register for 1847 and 1848 are also given the names
of several boys who attended the school for a few months. Be-
ginning "because their sisters came there" and parents wished
thcni "to go together," the experiment was not thought suffi-
ciently successful to admit of its being made a permanent feature.
My remembi-ance is that the yomig lads grew restless under the
guardianship of a "female seminary." The discipline of the
school was good, no ferrule was ever used, no chastisement al-
lowed by any teacher, and detention after school was the worst
]iunishment inflicted.

The hours of study were eight, beginning with reading a
few verses from the Bible, a short prayer, and often one of the
school songs. A recess of fifteen minutes came at 10:30, a noon
recess from 12 to 1, then recess at 2:30, and books laid aside and
school closed at four o'clock. With the astronomy class my
mother made many evening excursions, "star gazing"; with the
botany class, walks in the woods for the wild flowers which might
he pressed in an "herbarium." For the little girls my father
had laid out many small flower beds, which we were allowed to
call our own, to plant what we chose, and of the lady's slippers,
larkspurs, four o'clocks and escholtzias which we planted, some
grew and some faded.

An advertisement in the local papers of date March 22, 1849,
announces the increasing prosperity of the Racine Female Sem-
inary imder the leadership of its principal, Mrs. Hopkins, and
states the terms of the institution to be as follows: "From $3

188 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

to $5 per (luartcr; Latin, French and drawing, extra. Music on
the piano or seraphine, $8 per quarter; use of instrument, $2.
Vocal music and calisthenics daily." Calisthenics was an exer-
cise facetiously dcsiL^natcd l»y the youni;- ladies of the school as
' ' Presbyteria 1 1 dancing. ' '

Among the i)Ui)ils were: Frances Bull and Mary Slausson,
•'who used to walk to school, except in bad weather, when they
wt're brought there by their fathers on horseback. Their farms
joined each other and a l>oard fence with a Ixiard (Hi tdp ran
along the road. The roads were in l>ad condition a good deal of
the time, and Miss Bull used to walk along this board on top
of the fence l)etween her house and the Slausson residence. The
girls woi-e heavy boots on their way to town and at the house of
a friend changed to light shoes for the school room." There
were also Abby Whitney, Isabel, Augusta and Helen E. Dorches-
ter, sisters of J. C. Dorchester; the last named ])Ui)il married a
Mr. Hessler, an artist of note. Sophia Smith, Julia Wheldon,
r^ucy rathei', Elizabeth Wickham, sister of William Teagarden,
whose father was a grocer; Mary Teft; Kate Teft, married Wil-
liam Rushton; Amelia Sexton, Harriet Sexton, Alice Porter
CMi-s. B. B. Northrop). Harriet Peck (Mi's. James Walker\
Hannah Rubely (Mrs. George Vaiitine), :Mary Reilly, Helen
TTauley, J\lary Slanson (Mrs. r.eorge Murray), and Frances Gib-
son, who also attended a singing school conducted by Mrs. James
T. Manchestei-; Mary Hice, Frances A. Bull (Mrs. John P. D.
Gibson), Mary Loi.mis (^Irs. Ghauncey Hall), Cassandra Thnmi)-
son (Mrs. Monroe), Marioii Clarke (]\lrs. J. G. McMynn), Jane
Knight (Mrs. Simeon Whiteley), ^Maggie McNaughton, Judith
Sinclair, Zerlina Wing and Daniel Wing, Frances Kidder, Mary
Kidder (Mi-s. Harry Dean), IVIary Cary, Anna Cary, Lydia and
Kate Hurlbut, both nf whom met a sad death by drowning; David
H. Ilnrlbut, Mary Aim llemy, Susan T. Bryan, Sarah :McNaugli-
ton, Ellen Catharine McNaughton, Eliza Wells, Phoebe Hurd
(Mrs. Sniveley), Emeline and Mary Janes, Emily Hines, the
Misses Goodsell, Finances Hopkins, daughter of Mrs. Hopkins;
Emma H()i)kins. anothei' daughter of the principal of the school;
Calvin Sinclair, Lcnmel Hall, Augusta Howes, rated as "the
bi'iglitest girl in school"; Delia Hanley, now a widow living in
Chicago.

HISTORY OF RACIXE COUNTY 189

RACINE SEMINARY

Rafiiio Sciiiiii.iiy was successor td K'.K-iiic Fcuialc Seminary,
and ])egaii operations A})i'il 12, 18r)2. in tlic Imildiiiu kiidwii as
"tlic ITo]>kins Scliool Bnildinii." Tlic Scuiiiiai-v was in cliai-uc of
1). X. Conger, ^jrincipal: Roland Hakci-. associate principal: Miss
K. Searle, instructress of the female dcpai'tment. The tei-ms
were: :^?> {'nv The tii'st (|iia I'tcr: then $4. $5 and $7, for each snc-
i-eediim- quarter.

RACINE COLLEGE

The educational institution IvUown as Racine College, located
in Racine, Wisconsin, was founded in the year 1852 and received
a charter from the Wisconsin State Legislature in the same year.

The question of an K]iiscn])al College in the Diocese of Wis-
consin first arose in the convention of the church asseml^led in
.Milwaukee in 1851, with the noted Bishop Kemper in charge, it
was then decided that immediate steps should be taken for the
establishment of such an institution, and that it should be given
to the first (die of the lake cities which should secure a site of
six acres of land and pledges of not less than six thousand dollars
for a building to be erected thereon. Gen. Philo White, in a
letter which is I'ecorded in the niitintes of the trustees, claims for
himself and Reverend ('die, president of the Nashotah House,
the sponsorshi]) of the idea. The business was put into the hands
of a committee of men consisting of the above named two and
Jacob Morrison.

The church in Racine was not at this time in a very Mnur-
ishing condition, but. aided by considerable public spirit, it
entered into the contest for the location of the college with vim,
and directed its efforts particularly against its strongest rival —
Milwaukee. Two prominent citizens of Racine, namely: Dr.
Elias Smith, a trustee for many years, and Marshall .M. Strong,
also a later trustee, took hold of the matter and in a very short
time had executed the requirements of the convention, in that
they secured a site of ten acres and subscriptions to the amount
of $10,000.00 for a building. In this way Racine won in the fight
for the location of the college. The site was donated by Charles
S. Wi-ight and his brother, Truman (i. Wright, and was located
about a mile and a half south of the central pai't of the citv.
This site having been secured and the sul)scription in hand for
the ])roposed building, application was innnediately made to the

IW) HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

State Legislature for a charter, which was granted by that l)ody
in session on March 3, 1852, and entitled, "An Act to Incorporate
the Trustees of Racine College." The names of the incorporators
given in the chai'tcr are as follows: Uoswoll Pai-k, Klias Smith,
Isaac Taylor, Philo White, Isaac J. Ullman, .Matthew B. Mead,
Nelson Pendleton, Marshall M. Strong, Joseph H. Nichols, Jack-
son Kemper, Benjamin Akerly, Thomas J. Ruger, William
Adams, Eleazor A. Cireenleaf, J. Bodwell Uoe and Azel D. Cole,
and it was provided that they should choose their own associates
and successors.

The first meeting of the board was held on March 10, 1852,
and was ])resided over by Rev. Joseph H. Nichols, the rector of
St. Luke's Church at Racine at that time. At this meeting it
was ordered "that the corner-stone of the fii'st building be laid
on the 5th of May following." This was done with adequate
ceremony and an address by Reverend Nichols. At a subsequent
meeting the building in progress of construction was named Park
Hall, in honor of Rev. Roswell Park, then contemplated as the
first president of the institution. At a meeting of the board of
trustees, held about the first of November of the same year, Dr.
Park was unanimously elected to the oifice of president and he
immediately entered ux)oti his duties. On the 15th day of the
same month he opened the school with nine scholars in a hired
room inider the name of Racine College.

At a special meeting held on the 18th of July, 1853, the fol-
lowing were added to the faculty: Rev. Joseph N. Nichols, A. M.,
jn-ofessor of English Literature; Marshall M. Strong, Lecturer on
Political Science, and P. R. Hoy, M. D., Lecturer on Physiology
and on the Natural Sciences; also three young men as assistant
teachers. On the 28th of the same month the first collegiate year
•dosed with thirty-three students, and the first commencement
was held. Benjamin A. Segur, B. S., and Elijah Y. Smith were
the first graduates of tlu^ school.

At first Racine College comprised a full collegiate depart-
ment and a preparatory department for boys.

On the 14th of September, 1853, Park Hall was finished and
ready for occupancy and within its walls the second year of school
began. In his catalogue, the first one, Doctor Park describes
the btiildiiig as follows: "The edifice is built of ]»ale brick, in
(lothic style, and is 120 feet long and 34 feet wide. The central

MARTIN L. SMITH IN 1S75 AND 1915
For forty years principal of Sixth Ward School.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 191

j)art, which projects to the front, contains four hirge reception
rooms, besides a chapel, with open roof, occiipyino- the whole of
the upper story, and a kitchen and dining room in the basement.
There are ten rooms in each wing designed for sttidents' dormi-
tories." The interior of this building was subsequently re-
uiodclcd to a great extent. To the abov(^ description the doctor
adds the following: "The building was erected under the direc-
tion of a committee appointed by the subscribers, and consisting
of Dr. Elias Smith and Isaac Taylor and John M. Cary, to whom
the thanks of this couununity are eminently due for their assidu-
ous, judicious and gratuitous prosecution of the work to a suc-
cessful close."

For the next three oi- four years nothing much occurred in
the development of this school, outside of the fact that subscrip-
tions were urged, the building was improved, library enlarged
and various equipment added.

In the spring of 1857 so prosperous had the institution be-
come a second building was declared necessary. The citizens of
Racine assisted liberally and in November of the same year the
announcement was made that $12,000 had been subscribed. The
corner-stone was laid on July 4th by Bishop Kemper. The build-
ing was located about 240 feet south of Park Hall.

In September, 1859, Racine College effected a union with
St. John's Hall, a small institution located at Helafield, Wiscon-
sin, Dr. Park resigning the presidency at the time of the union.
Dr. James De Koven, former head of the St. John's school, be-
came the new president of the Racine College.

In the year 1864 Park Hall, with the exception of one wing,
was ])iu^ned to the ground. The people of Racine again contrib-
uted to the restoration of the building, which was accomplished,
also a separate building, designed as a chapel, was constructed.
The corner-stone of the latter was laid on August 18, 1874. This
was located on a line half way between Park and Kemper Halls.
Another step of the year was the eidargement of the college
domain from ten to ninety acres. The additional land was pur-
chased from the estate of Marshall M. Strong.

In October, 1866, Mrs. Isaac Taylor died and in her will be-
queathed to Racine College the sum of $65,000, $30,000 nf which
was to be used for the erection of a new building, the remainder
in various other ways for the good of the institution. The corner-

192 HISTORY OF RACIXE C()\-\TY

stone of Taylor Hall a<-c(ir(liii,niy was laid .luiic 22, 18(57, and the
buildino' finished and (M-cupied before the following Christmas.
Tt was located on the northwest corner of the (inadrangle. The
buildinsj,' was burned in 1875, but soon after restored. Nelson
Pendleton was also a strong contributor to Raeine College.

A building for the i»iii'])ose of a dining hall was erected in
1871. The funds wci'c secured through subscriptions and by an
endowment.

As stated before, at first the school comprised a full collegiate
department and a preparatory school for boys. In the year 1889
the trustees, feeling that the endowments would be insufficient
to maintain the high standard of education which had character-
ized the college, decided to discontinue the work of the collegiate
depai'tment, and since that time the institution has been con-
ducted as a high class school for boys. The name remains \m-
changed, being in conformity with the original meaning of the
word and with the usage of many institutions of similar grade
in this country and in England.

Racine College is situated at the soutlu'rn limit of the city of
Racine on a bluff ovei-looking Lake Michigan. Its elevation
allows a ])erfect drainage and the lake insures a moderate tem-
perature both in winter and summer. All of the buildings, con-
structed after the English scholastic style of architecture, are
situated on three sides of a spacious (piadrangle. On the east
side are Park and Kemper Halls and the intervening schoolrooms
and dining hall, all presenting a continuous front of 500 feet.
Taylor Hall is on the west side, the gymnasium and swimming
pool ai-e at the southwest corner, and the chapel stands in the
middle of the quadrangle. A little to the south is a new laundry
and a home for the servants, also, some distance away, is an isola-
tion hospital.

One of the features of the school at the prt'sent time is the
military drill. There is a modified military system which has
been worked out with the view of attaining all the good results
and of eliminating all the undesirable features. Tt is kept in
subordination to the general work of the school.

The institution is governed by a president and a board of
trustees, the latter consisting of twenty-eight members, of whom
the following act now as an executive committee: Alfred J. Limt,
Frederick Robinson, E. B. Belden, A. Hasell Lance, Arthur

TAYLOR HALL. KAClNp; COLLPX.E

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY U),S

SiiiKiii.soii, 11. F. -Jdluisou and Warren J. Davis. There are eleven
members of the facility.

The attendance (if this schudl. while of small in'oportions
comparatively, is of substantial character and made up of well-
selected youths. Flach year brings a satisfactory increase in en-
I'dllment and warrants the assertion that Ixacine College will live
and maintain liei' standing among dendminational schools for
an indefinite jieridd.

RACINE ACADEMY

After Col. John (i. McMynn had resigned from a responsible
position in the office of the J. I. Case Threshing Machine com-
pany in 1875, he was asked by several prominent Racine gentle-
men to prepare their S(ms for college. Among these were Judge
C. K. Dyer. John T. Fish, Stt'idien Bull, J. 1. Case and Robei't H.
Baker. In the fall of 1875 scholars began coming for recitations
to Col. McMyim's home, corner of Wisconsin and Tenth Streets,
until the numbei- became too large for accommodation, even in
an unusually commodious dwelling. It was })roposed that a suit-
able building be erected by interested jiatrons, but as Col. Mc-
Mynn owned a vacant lot on College Avenue and Tenth Street,
he built for himself an ideal school house as a home for Racine
Academy. Early in January, 187G, a formal dedication of this
building occuri'cd. at which interesting remarks of congratula-
tion were made by H. (t. Winsk)W, Father Matth(>w, John T. Fish
and others. Seats in the main assembly room were all taken
before the formal opening of the school, and a younger class were
in waiting for the preparation of a lower room with similar ac-
commodations.

In the year 1876-1877 there were enrolled 98 students, terms
$100 for the acad(!mic course and $60 foi- the preparatory class.
There were three courses of study, towit: The English conrse,
the classical course and the commercial course, the last named
being intended for young men who desired a practical business
education. Several young ladies entered the academy and four
of these formed the first graduating class in 1877, viz.: Miss Ida
Canfield, Miss Clara Fratt, Miss Sarah Morrison and Miss May
Sampson.

Various teachers were employed during the first year,
amongst whom were the Misses Root, May, Morrison, Sweetser
and Sampson. W. W. Rowlands was given charge of the pre-

194 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

paratory department. After the first year the corps of teachers
were: John G. McMymi, A. M., principal; T. L. Smeder, A. M.;
W. W. Rowhmds, A. JM.; ]\Irs. Marion jVlcMynn, preceptress; S.
W. Vance, instrnctor in French, (ilernian and elocution; Robert
Hindley, lecturer on chemistry. From one of the early catalogues
of "Racine Academy" we make the following quotation:

"The object sought in the establishment of this school is to
afford to young men and to yomig women the facilities for obtain-
ing such training and instruction as are necessary to prepare
them for business pursuits or for entering college.

"The n;miber of students is limited, while the number of
teachers and instructors is sufficient to secure for each student
the special training so necessary to rapid progress in study.

"Daily lectures are given on subjects relating to manners
and morals, and the attention of students is daily called to cur-
rent events of importance as published in periodicals and news-
papers.

"The school is under the careful supervision of the principal,
who will give personal attention to the ability and character of
each of his pupils. Individual interests will not be subordinated
to gradation and classification."

In May, 1882, Col. McMynn suffered a severe attack of in-
somnia, and his partial deafness, the residt of military service,
gradually increased mitil he felt obliged to give the school into
the hands of T. L. Smedes, who had served as vice principal. The
personal atmosphci-e of the Academy now was gone and the in-
stitution declined in influence. From 1889 to 1892 were its last
efforts to survive, under the guidance of Prof. Rowlands.

The term was completed and diplomas were awarded by
Col. McMynn to those who had finished the required course of
study, making in all fifty-three graduates of Racine Academy
during the seven years, from 1875 to 1882. Many of these entered
various colleges, amongst which were the State University, Wil-
liams, Princeton, Beloit, Lawrence, Harvard and Yale.

Many of the best known business and professional men of
Racine attended the Academy, and attribute their success largely
to the thorough training of that institution. Arthur M. Corwin,
a Chicago physician; J. C. Cribb, a real estate dealer in Los An-
geles, and many others have gratefully acknowledged their in-
debtedness to Col. McMvnn as an ideal teacher.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 195

Mrs. Marion (Clarice) McMynn, wife of the founder of Ka-
cine Af'adeniy, relates in an intcn-esting manner how Col. Mc-
Mynn came into possession of the lot on which the institution
was built. She gives to her sketch the title of

AN EDUCATIONAL ACRE

Away back in the '50s Judge Doolittle came to my father,
Norman Clarke, with a proposition looking to a four years' course
(if study for his son, Henry, in Harvard.

Judge Doolittle had accepted an acre of land, out on the
prairie northwest of Chicago, as compensation for legal services.
He proposed deeding that land to m_v father, valuing it at $1,600,
receiving for it that amount in four annual instalments of $400
each to be devoted to the education of his son. This transaction
was duly consununated and proved eminently satisfactory to both
parties. Some years later, after the Civil war. Col. McMynn pur-
chased the home of Isaac J. Ullman, on the corner of Wisconsin
and Tenth Streets, where he and his family resided imtil 1886.
Back of this property was a lot owned by Lucius Blake. My
father made an exchange, deeding to Mr. Blake an imdivided
quarter of his Chicago lot (acre) for the College Avenue lot, add-
ing it to the family homestead.

After Col. McMynn resigned his position in the office of J. I.
Case & Co., where for seven years he had been an important
factor, several prominent citizens of Racine asked that he would
prepare their sons for college. Col. McJNIynn was glad to re-
sume his chosen jirofession of teaching. As his residence was
large, he allowed students to come there for recitations until
about twenty, both boys and girls, were coming daily to the house.
As the number was increasing, his friends proposed putting up
a house for the accommodation of his school.

His wife suggested using the College Avenue lot for this
purpose, and Col. McMjTin erected his (»wn building, paying for
it from tuitions, the first year.

From Racine Academy over sixty entered college and car-
ried with them the results of the thorough preparation which
gave the school its deservedly high reputation. After seven
years of successful teaching Col. McMynn retired, having closed
the interesting history which gave me a title for this sketch, "An
Educational Acre."

196 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

MRS. M'MYNN'S SCRAP-BOOK

The (nistdin df keeping a scrap Ixiok oi' a diary was prevalent
ill the cai-ly days, especially among members of the weaker sex,
and to this custom the readers of this sketch may consider them-
selves indebted for a few notes herein, culled from a scrap book
of Mrs. jNIcMynn's, relating to educational matters and deemed
by that most excellent woman woi'thy of preservation. Observe
the following:

"From a newspaper cli]>])ing, midated but published prob-
ably in the '40s, was an account of an (>xamination of teachers
by the superintendent and school connnissioners, held at the
'brick school house' in the Sixth ward, and lasting one day. The
board met in the evening after the examinations and voted to
allow the male teachers thirty dollars per month for their serv-
ices, and the female teachers were allowed sixteen dollars per
month.

"In accordance with a notice published in a previous issue
of this paper, the teachers of different parts of the state of Wis-
consin met in the city of Racine August 31, 1852, for the purpose
of taking into consideration the propriety of calling a convention
of teachers for the Stat(^ of Wisconsin. Rev. A. C. Barry was
called to the chair and R. Baker chosen secretary. The commit-
tee selected to draft the call reported as follows: Resolved, That
the undersigned, teachers and friends of educaticm of the State
of Wisconsin, believing that the interests of education require
a greater concert of action on oui' ])ai't. would respectfully name
Elkhorn as a suitable place, and the 20th and 21st of October
next as the proper time for holding a convention for the purpose
of organizing a state teachers' association, and to transact any
other business pertaining to the interest of education. Signed.
M. W. Carroll, chairman.

HIGH SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS

On .June 1, 1855, students in the high school were examined
ill algebra, arithmetic, analysis of language, etymology, geog-
rai»li\-. ])liysiology. chemistry, (lireek, Latin, French and read-
ing. In those days it was the custom for officials of the city to
grace all occasions of this character, and this examination was
no exception to the rule, as the scrap book notes the presence of
Ma\dr Wiistum, several aldermen and most of the school com-

WKST PARK. KACINE

ixstt

EAST PARK. KACINE

HISTORY OF RACINE COl'NTY 107

iiiissioners. M. P. Kinney, city snpoi'intcndcnt of sciiools, and
Rdswcll Park addressed the gathering. Also appeared on this
iiKinientons bi-ain test, as was the invariable rule, visitors of an
unofficial character mid pai-ciits of the jmpils. Visitors were al-
lowed to examine the boys and girls, and Dr. P. R. Hay, Rev. G.
M. S. Blauvelt, IT. G. Winslow, Rev. Dr. Pai-k and Rev. M. P.
Kinney asked them some questions. Pupils down on the pro-
gram for compositions were the Misses K. L. Winters, C. A.
Sinclair, L. A. Gather, S. Sinclair, Emily Butterfield, F. M. Robin-
son, H. F. Sexton, S. M. Skinner, A. Wells, A. E. Norton, A. T.
Porter, Eliza Raymond, L. E. Searle, M. F. Clarke, E. S. Butter-
held; declamations: George A. Stearns, Thomas E. Caley, Charles
Upham, Chris A. Lefler, T. W. Bull, Ole Nelson, Theodore Lees,
W. H. Mcintosh, John W. Stearns, W. R. Hill, Alfred L. Gary,
Tloratio G. Billings, Elgbert Jameison, Jr. The topics of com-
positions for the examinations of 1857 were quite suggestive.
That selected J)y Emily C. Lynde had for its title "High-Heeled
Shoes"; "How Prof. Stoddard Teases Me" was graphically and
no doubt huomorously treated by Kate A. Carpenter to the de-
light of her auditors; "M,y Forest Hcmie" was the theme of Mary
\Vhip]ile's essay, and "Gold, Its History," that of Lucretia May.
"The Two Old Oaks" was the selection of Sophia Smith, and
"Cuba" was remembered by Eliza Smith.

"A flag raising in the Fifth ward school yard attracted a
large concourse of people to that locality in 1861. J. G. McMynn
was the chairman of the gathering. Among others who spoke
at this time were H. G. Winslow, W. P. Lycm, N. H. Dale and
Rev. W. Peterson of the Scandinavian church."

SEMI-PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Mention already has been made of the first school taught
in Racine, but it is highly probable that more than one person
had under his or her tutelage children of settlers who were in
circumstances pemiitting them to engage private tutors, and
thus prepare their son or daughter for an eastern college or semi-
nary. But Racine hardly had been out of her swaddling clothes
when subscription schools were opened and the town took on
cosmopolitan airs, when "the female seminary" was opened.
Mrs. Gilbert Knapp, wife of the first settler of Racine county
and founder of the City of Racine, taught several of the young-

198 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

sters of the new town in 1840, in a room on the second tioor of a
building near the foot of :\Iain Street. Miss F. Bull and Mary
Slausson Avere among the girls then under Mrs. Knapp's care, and
owing to the bad state of the roads were taken to school on horse-
back by their fathers. In the year of 1850 the "Old Oaken
Bucket" had the following advertisement: "R. Baker will com-
mence giving lessons Monday evening, October 26, 1850, in the
basement of the Methodist church. Terms, only 75 cents for
twelve evenings."

Mrs. Ennna L. (H(jpkins) Cartlidge, in a eonnnunication to
E. W. Leach of recent date, believes "the Misses Searle opened
a school for young ladies in a building innnediately in the rear
of and joined to the First Congregational church, then on Main
Street near Sixth. A night school was held in the same building
on certain nights in the week, and the l)uilding and church were
burned in the winter of '51 and '52.

BOWMAN'S ACADEMY

The first session of Bowman's Academy was opened on the
morning of April 1, 1852, by Rev. John A. Bowman, principal,
and Mrs. M. W. BowTnan, principal of the female department.
The pupils were matriculated under a board of examiners com-
posed of Rev. William Rollinscm, Rev. A. C. Barry, Dr. P. R.
Hoy, Dr. Elias Smith, Hon. W. E. Wording, S. D. Cushman, Rev.
L. M. Humphrey, Dr. S. W. Wilson, Major Israel J. Ullman,
James R. Doolittle and John W. Gary. "Terms per session of
eleven weeks: Preparatory department, $3; junior class, $4;
senior class, $5; Latin, Greek and French, $2 extra; drawing
(extra), $2. Academic building now being fitted up on Barn-
stable Street (now Gollege Avenue), opposite the West public
square. Students received at present on the corner of Wiscon-
sin and Tenth Streets." The academy started out under very
favorable auspices, and the board of examiners united in a letter
strongly recommending the academy to the people of Racine and
vicinity. Like its predecessors and later schools of a private
nature, the institution long since has gone into history as a thing
of the past.

LUCRETIA MAY'S SCHOOL

Miss Lucretia May after a jx'riod of two years as a teacher
in the public scliools "decided in 18(57 to open a private school, as

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 199

the public schools were so crowded that some of my friends dis-
liked the idea of sending- their little children there," to use her
own way of giving her reason for the innovation. Miss jMay
rented a room at the corner of Eleventh Street and Lake Avenue,
and it was anticipated by her that she would have about from
ten to fifteen pupils, "but to my surprise," she says, "my school
opened with twenty-five pupils, and except for a few weeks at a
time in midwinter I never registered a smaller nmnber. In warm
weather I often had as many as forty scholars."

After the school had been running two years Miss May's
father built for her a house on Wisconsin Street between Eleventh
and Twelfth. Here the children were given better accommoda-
tions; their ages ranged from six to fourteen years and some-
times they were somewhat older. A sister (now Mrs. Bryan)
assisted in the instructions until her marriage took place, and
after that event ^liss Kate vSmith. now of Minneapolis, became
the assistant.

In relating her methods Miss May states: "I was particular
to use the same text books as those used in the public schools, so
that scholars could easily go from my school to the city schools,
and the principals of the high school were very kind in letting
me know when a change in books was to be made. I also made
my hours of study, length of term and holidays conform with
those of the city schools, and I believe much of my success was
due to my observing these rules. At Mr. McMynn's request I
left my school in charge of my sister and taught for a year at the
McMynn Academy, but my sister marrying in 1877 compelled me
to go back to my own school, where I remained until 1880."

At the request of J. I. Case, and Messrs. Erskine and Baker,
who were trustees of the Home School, Miss jNIay transferred her
school to the building on Park Avenue, which they had bought
for the principal, ^Irs. McMurphy, and the children were made
a part of the preparatory department of that institution. She
took with her forty-two boys and girls, and remained in charge
of her classes until 1882 and then retired from teaching. ]\Iiss
May's memory recalls among her best known pupils, "all the
children of Stephen Bull, Judge Dyer and B. B. Northrop; the
three daughters of J. I. Case, and Mr. Fuller's two sons; Judge
Lyon's son and daughter; Mrs. A. J. Lunt, A. J. Horlick, Mrs.
Olympia Brown's son and daughter; Arthur and Frank Guil-

200 HISTORY OF RACINE COrXTY

bert, (U'orgc and -Joseph Ijukcs, and the late Mrs. Mary Gilman.
Others who may ])e mentioned were Emma Goold, Gilbert Mc-
Clurg, Eva and Kate Cooley, Ella Beswick, Anna Hanson, Clara
Lyon. John Williams and George Williams.

THE HOME SCHOOL

The Home School, a l)oarding and day school for girls, was
fonnded in 1877 by Mrs. Mary L. McMurphy, whose financial as-
sistance came from snch well known citizens as J. T. Case, M. B.
Erskine and R. H. Baker. This establishment, which was sit-
nated at 928 Park Avemio, soon became an accredited preparatory
school, its gradnates l)eing accepted n])on certificate at the lead-
ing colleges of the east. During its continuance it numbered
among its lecturers and teachers some very distinguished in-
structors. Among them were Dr. Alexander Falk, instructor in
German; Prof. Nicholas Bische, graduate professor of the mii-
vei'sity at Nancy, Lorraine; Prof. Montonnier, from the Univer-
sity of Paris; Messrs. l\olfe and Eldridge of the School of P^'ine
Arts, Paris.

The school closed its work in 1894, while still under the man-
agement of Mrs. Mc]Mur])hy. Among the graduates now living
in Racine are Mrs. Herbert Miles, Mrs. C. J. Richards, Mrs. Mor-
timer Walker, Miss Lutie Warner, Miss Nettie Roe, Mrs. John
PL Dickson, Mrs. F. A. Morey, Mrs. E. B. Belden, Mrs. J. S.
Keech, Mrs. P. M. Wackerhagen and Mrs. F. L. Norton.

INDUSTRIAL AND CONTINUATION SCHOOLS

The Racine Industrial and Continuation School was estab-
lished in October, 1911. It was the first school organized in Wis-
consin under the new Continuaticm School law of that year. The
first classes for boys wci'c held in rooms rented from the Y. M.
C. A. At that time one hundred and fifty boys under sixteen
years of age were rounded up and bi'ought into the school for
instruction in citizenshi]), mathematics and mechanical drawing.
These boys had left thi' regular schools to go to woi'k. They had
been laid off or lost their jobs, but had not returned to the regular
schools. Many were loafing about the streets, and getting into all
kinds of mischief. This pioneer work in Continuation School in-
struction was carried on under the handicaj) of lack of precedent
and of understanding by the comiiumity of the ])ur]iose in view.

HISTORY' OF RACIXIC COUNTY 201

But the fact that it serves to take hoys troin the streets to apply
themselves to useful forms of study in itself constituted a j^reat
good for the comuuuiity, as well as for the boys themselves. At
the same time rooms wei-c ))rovided, through the com-tesy of the
Chicago Rubber Company, for the instruction of gii-ls between
fourteen and sixteen years of age who had left the regular schools
to go to work. The gii'ls were taught sewing, cooking, hygiene
and citizenshi]).

September 1, 1913, the two top doors of the Secor block were
rented and the activities of the school were further developed by
the oi'ganization of a woodwoi-king department. This instruction
followed the lines of manual training.

In 1914 a machine shop was fitted out with lathes, milling
machine, drill press, gas engine, forge and sheet metal tools for
the purpose of providing instruction related to metal trades. The
character of instruction was changed. Competent teachers for
sho]^ practice and mechanical drawing were obtained from one
of the large corporations of Tfacine. These teachers vauk as
skilled \vorkers in their department, and are fully conij)etent to
instruct young and old in pattern making, general wood\vorking,
machine shop practice, sheet metal work, gas engin(> ])ractice,
electrical work, mechanical drawing and shop mathematics. The
work in the school shops assumed a productive character. In-
stead of exercises, boys were given work to do making articles
for use. Progress so far along these lines has been so satisfac-
tory that it is only a matter of time when the Industrial and Con-
tinuation school will ]iossess the distinctive character of an "Ed-
ucation Sho})."

The range of instruction provided for permit workers for
both l)oys and girls, English, citizenship, physiology and hygiene;
for girls, <'ooking, sewing, millinery and commercial subjects,
and for boys, pattern making, cabinet work, carpentry, machin-
ist, sheet metal work, forge practice, printing, mechanical draw-
ing, shop mathematics and electricity.

APPRENTICES

Some a])])rentices have been obtained for attendance on the
day insti-uction live hours each week. The Arnold Electric Com-
pany is the first firm in Racine to indenture an apprentice under
the n(>w apprentice law of 1911. A boy was selected from the

202 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Iiulustrial and Continuation School and placed as a toolniaker
apprentice. The Case Plow has an apprentice in the toolroom
attending the day class. The Horlick Malted Milk Company has
an api)rentice in the power department, an electrical worker ap-
prentice in attendance on the day instruction. The Hartman
Trunk Company has two workers over sixteen years of age at-
tending the day class.

Other employers have indicated their intention to employ
apprentices and co-operate for part time attendance on instruc-
tions ]irovided in the school. The instruction is in related draw-
ing and mathematics. There are over twenty apprentices in the
evening school, in the pattern making, machinist and carpenter
trades.

EVENING CONTINUATION SCHOOL

Over 500 are in thi' English and Citizenship classes, held in
the high school, and there are nearly 500 additional in the Stephen
Bull evening school. The interest displayed by those in attend-
ance is a promise of good citizenship. It is the custom to have
an assembly of all pupils on Friday evenings in the auditorium
to listen to a talk by some representative citizen or city official.
During the last year the mayor of the city, the Municipal Court
judge and other prominent citizens have spoken to the pupils.
There is no more powerful influence at work in this city making
for good citizenship than the instruction afforded in the evening
classes in English and citizenship.

JANITORS' EVENING COURSES

One activity of the evening school which has been heralded
all over the country is the class for janitors in ventilation and
heating. The secretary of the board of industrial education has
received over 100 inquiries from east and west regarding the
course, and the Chicago Record Herald had an illustrated article
witli illustrations descriptive of this most practical work.

The co-operation of the university extension is shown in
the development of this instruction. This department of the uni-
vei'sity secured a trained teacher for the work and had him make
an investigation of school conditions for the pTn'i)ose of making
the instruction apply definitely to the needs of janitors. The
results have been wonderful. The janitors are enthusiastic and
grateful for the improvement they obtained by means of this

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 203

instruction. Tho ventilation and heating- in the public sc1k)o1s
has shown a remarkable improvement, which makes for the
health and comfort of the children of the city. Nothing could
illusti'ate the practical nature of the educational work of the In-
dustrial and Continuation school better than this course.

SPANISH INSTRUCTION

A class has been organized in Spanish. It was found that
in many of the firms in the city there was need for knowledge
of Spanish in handling business in South America. Two com-
petent teachers were o])tained. one from the export dei)artment
of a Racine corporation and one, a teacher of Spanish in the city.
There is an enrollment of about 150, most of whom are from the
offices of business and manufacturing firms in Racine. The
World's Work Magazine, the only magazine printing an edition
in Spanish for distribution in South America, sent the school
copies for use in the classes, at the request of Mr. H. E. Miles,
president of the state board of industrial education.

INDUSTRIAL BOARD

President John Wiechers, W. G. Clittings, J. W. Dearsley,
C. W. Miller, Secretary B. E. Nelson, superintendent of schools,
member ex-officio.

FACULTY

A. R. Graham, supervisor; Elizabeth Fratt, domestic science;
Tvah Gish, sewing; Mrs. Harry Orth, academic subjects; A. J.
Dremel, mechanical drawing; Anton Petersen, pattern making;
Julius Schultz, machine shop; Mary Moyle, printing; Marian
Corse, commercial and office assistant; G. L. Sprague, Stout In-
stitute co-ordinator for apprentices and evening industrial or-
ganization and instruction.

WISCONSIN BUSINESS COLLEGE

The Wisecmsin Business college is one of Racine's institu-
tions calling for special mention in a measure. It was estab-
lished by Charles F. Moore in August, 1902, at 403 Uam Street,
and i-emoved to 415 1-2 Main in 1915. At the beginning the school
had an attendance of fifty-seven pupils, which by 1907 was in-
creased to 108, and since then as many as 180 names have been
on the roll at one time. Prof. Moore came to Racine from Indiana
and has been quite successful in his enterprise.

CHAPTEK* X
RACINE PUBLIC LIBRARY

M'MYNN'S COLLECTION OF BOOKS — RACINE JUNCTION LIBRARY — RACINE
PUBLIC LIBRARY— ITS EARLY HISTORY -— NEED OF A HOME — CAR-
NEGIE'S DONATION — DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING— BRANCH
LIBRARIES — TRIBUTE TO CHARLES H. LEE.

There is an iiisuperaltle difficulty in the way of preparing
an altogether satisfactory history of Kacine's public library. De-
tails, such as names, dates and locations, ai*e not to be secured
with an al)s(ilutc degree of detiniteness, and much that has been
accepted can only be related as of general significance.

It is a well known fact that the inception of the present pub-
lic library was made possible by a movement started in that direc-
tion in the fall f)f 1895, but just when the first public lilirary in
Racine came into existence is not certain. Be that as it may, it
is recorded in the annals of Racine that socm after J. 0. McMynn
took charge of the public schools here he conunenced (or caused
to be commenced) a collection of books as a nucleus of a library
for the high school, which in the passage of time grew to several
hundred volumes. This collection of books eventually found its
way into and became a ])art of the present library.

RACINE JUNCTION LIBRARY

Barring the high school library, perhaps the one long main-
tained at Racine Junction may be given credit for taking the
initial steps in the direction under ccmsideration. And it is
mainly owing to the organization of the Presbyterian Simday
school ill that locality that a renewed interest in the subject was
given impetus. It came about in this way: V. (r. Durant, who
had moved the present Racine Hardware Company's plant from
Kenosha to Racine Junction in 1874, at (mce realized the neces-
sity of having a Sunday school in that neighborhood, and soon a
movement towards the establishment of (me resulted in the ac-
complishment of the desired pur]»<ise. The first and many other
meetings of this Sunday school were held in the union depot at
the Junction, "the pupils faithfully carrying the little wooden
benches back and forth from under the high platform outside the
building, and the teachers, equally as faithful, carrying their arm-

206 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

chairs back and forth from the hardware company's office, which
was then nearly at Sixteenth Street." In course of time the Sun-
day school was in possession of a house of its own and then the
library was started. At that time the only library in the city
was a collection of worn and musty books belonging to the high
school. The school of the church had no money with which to
buy books or put up shelves for their reception when obtained, so
that with commendable zeal the young people erected a few-
shelves with lumlxT donated l)y friends of the Sunday school,
and on them carefully and lovingly |)laced a varied assortment
of old volumes w^hich had been generously contributed. Then
the enthusiasts gave an entertainment, more books were secured
and five cents a week was charged for the use of each volume.
Increasing demands for books pressed upon the management of
this worthy enterprise to that extent that recourse frequently
was made to the life giving benefits of festivals and other diver-
tisements to secure the ready and ahvays necessary cash. The
library gre\v in importance, in necessity and in the hearts of
the comnuuiity, and when Wednesday nights and Saturday after-
noons came around — the times for collection and distribution of
books — the popularity of the library was ahvays manifest by the
numbers of patrons waiting their turn at the librarian's desk.

Among those most closely identified with the library and of
the active workers may be mentioned Alice Hamilton and Ella
Phelps, now deceased; Lura Cogswell, Sarah Cogswell, Mary Ord,
Carrie Paul, John Bickel, F. W. McAdew, Allan Terry, F. Ma-
loney, William Bell and John Corce. There were others ever
ready to assist the library when entertainments were given to
secure funds for its support. The names of all cannot be recalled,
but those now remembered are Mary Clancey Staples, who always
esteemed it a favor to be asked to help with her music any w^orthy
cause, and Alice Kranz Tyrell never failed when asked for the
help of her beautiful voice. Then there was Susie Roberts Bol-
ton and her brothers, and the quartette of the Methodist church,
Messrs. McAdew and Leach and Misses Roberts and Sproat. For
many years the Presbyterian Sunday school library was one of
the institutions of the Junction, J)ut now its identity is lost. Some
time since the books were turned over to the Racine public library
and are now a i)art of that most excellent benefaction.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 207

RACINE PUBLIC LIBRARY

In the autumn of 1895 an invitation was extended to all
ladies of Racine who were interested in a i)ublic library to meet
witli Mrs. A. W. Guilbert, and at that meeting a committee was
appointed to confer with members of the Business Men's Asso-
ciation, the result of which and other forces led to the formation
of a library association in January, 1896. with a membership of
218. Charles H. Miner was selected for president of the asso-
ciation; jNIrs. J. C. McMurphy, vice president; Charles Carpen-
ter, treasurer; Mrs. C. S. Beebe, secretary. This body undertook
to arouse a favorable public sentiment and so far succeeded that
the council, in compliance with that sentiment, at the following
municipal election submitted to a vote of the })eople, the ques-
tion of levying a tax for library purposes, the result of which
was favorable to the project. In the meantime the state library
association had held a successful district convention here, and
some enthusiasm was aroused and much knowledge regarding
approved methods gained by those who attended the meeting. At
about the same time the Woman's Club was organized and a sec-
tion of its constitution reads: "It shall be one of the objects of
this club to aid all movements towards the establishment of a free
public lil)rary." The influence of the members of that woman's
society had a great deal to do with the success of the enterprise.

In eomplicance with the requirements of the state library
laws David G. Janes, mayor of the city, appointed nine directors
(all of whom were confirmed by the council), made up of the fol-
lowing esteemed men and women: C. H. Lee, Thomas ]\I. Kear-
ney, Charles Giesler, Martin Clancey, A. J. Volland, L. Shaffer.
Mrs. J. C. MclVIurphy, Mrs. George W. Hopper and Mrs. C. S.
Beebe. At a meeting of the board of directors, held July 24. 1896,
Charles H. Lee was by that body elected president; Charles Gies-
ler, treasurer; Mrs. C. S. Beebe, secretary.

The fund derived from taxes levied for library purposes
was found to be insufficient even for running expenses, not to
mention the purchase of books, but through the generosity of
the representatives of the Erskine estate, Charles H. Lee and
William Horlick, the sum of $2,500 was promised on condition
that $2,500 additional should be secured within a specified time.
Then came a business depression which militated against the

208 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

pro^j'css of the undcrtakiiii^ until tlu' valiant efforts of Mcsdames
W. W. Din^ee and A. W. (luilbert and others swelled the book
fund in the hands of the board to $5,112. A room in the Seeor
lilock was then occuitied and Miss Elizabeth Clarke installed as
lil)rai'ian. The libi-ary was formally opened Sept. 19, 1897, and
that fall, upon the i'esi.i;nation of Miss Clarke, a lady was in-
stalled as librarian who retains the responsible position at this
day, Miss Mary Calkins. She at first was assisted by the Misses
Rikenian and Eager, and assembled and classified 3,439 volumes
of books of a multifarious eharacter. These included 647 books
from the old high school library, 51 from the ({erman Ladies'
Aid society, 40 from the A¥oman's club, and 840 contributed by
other societies and individuals. After appiopriate exercises the
Racine jniblic library set forth on its career with the good will
of a ])leased comnnniity, September 9, 1897.

NEED OF A HOME

Like all cities, Racine's public spirited citizens having the
enterprise in hand, fomid their resourcefulness and courage
taxed at times to the bi'caking point, in the effort to keep the
library running in a manner connnensurate with the importance
of the growing city and hei' ever increasing demands for more
library room and api)roved publications as they appeared on the
mark-et. The crowded condition of the library became a matter
foi' conuncnt on every hand, and the fact that the city had not
1)ought a book for the institution from its foundation up to the
year of 1900 awakened its friends t(» the gravity of the situation,
and, in 1900, to meet the immediate needs, a timely gift of $500
was received from a coterie of citizens consisting of Stejjhen
Bull, W. H. Crosby, H. E. Miles, H. M. Wallis, C. H. Lee and
E. L. and C. H. Baker. Pi'evious to this hai)i)y turning of the ways
the Woman's club, in 1898, "again came to the aid of the library
by opening two reading rooms for children, one at Racine -Func-
tion and the othei- on North Wisconsin Street." The lilu-ary tax
of one-fouitli mill on the dollar about this time had been increased
to three-tenths, giving an income of $3,138.45 in 1900.

In 1900 O. W. Johnson, H. E. Miles, E. L. Baker, the Horlick
Food Company, IT. M. Wallis, C. IT. Lee and F. L. Mitchell, hav-
ing the interests and welfai'e of the lil)rary in mind and desiring
to see the institution in a home of its own, offered $10,000 for a

I'hoLo furni^lieil by Billings

LAYING THE CORNER STONE OF RACINE PUBLIC LIBRARY

I'UBLIC I.IHKAKY, RACINE

HISTORY OI" RACINE COUNTY 209

library building, oii condition that $15,000 more should be sub-
scribed and that the West Park should be the site; the city au-
thorities were also to obligate themselves to levy an annual tax
not less than one-quarter of a mill on the assessed valuation of
the taxable ])roperty of the city. However, many and great were
the objections set up against the park being diverted from its
original use, and the City Council was thereby prevented from
meeting its part of the provisions of the offer. This seemed to
be a body blow to the hojics of the city having a library building
for years to come, but alxtut this time "The Laird of Skibo" was
in the full tlush of his desired etfoi'ts to die a poor man, and Car-
negie libraries were popping up hitlici- and yon like iiiushi'ooms
in the night season. Letters had been in the hands of Mr. Car-
negie's secretary, in which certain TJacinc people had asked the
philanthropist to consider Ivacine as willing to take advantage
of his ])enefactions, and that a library building was fervently de-
sired and badly needed in this growing and prosperous town on
the lake. After the lapse of a year's time R. F. Franks, financial
secretary to the iron king, in a letter acknowledging the request
of Racine, stated that Mr. Carnegie woud be pleased to extend
his good offices to Racine and, with the inevitable conditions, ex-
pressed his willingness to give the city $50,000 for a library build-
ing. Congressman Cooper, representing this district, also re-
ceived a letter from Secretary Franks to the same effect, which
communications were laid before the board of library directoi's
in December, 1901. Mr. Carnegie's conditions that go with his
gifts fo]' library buildings are stereotyped and are the same in
purport wherever made and accepted. These conditions were
in due time given to the community at large and in substance
were as follows: That the city of Racine furnish a suitable site
for the proposed library building and guarantee for the support
of the library a sum of money annually at least equal in amount
to 10 per cent of the donation. The requirements of Mr. Carnegie
were agreed to and the gift was legalized by the passage of an
ordinance by the city council in January, 1902, accepting it and
providing for the maintenance of the institution by an annual
tax of $5,000.

PUBLIC LIBRARY BUILDING

Having $50,000 at its command, the library board had on its
hands the difficult task of selecting a site for the proposed build-

210 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

ing, and at a regular sitting of that body a building committee
was appointed with Thomas M. Kearney as its chairman. At a
later meeting, February 11, 1902, the chairmen of the three stand-
ing committees were empowered to confer with the citizens' com-
mittee. In March of the year last mentioned about $10,000 had
been subscribed towards a stated amount for the site and the
board of directors recommended to the council that the north-
west corner of Wisconsin and Fifth streets, valued at $12,500, be
selected as a site, and that the city be asked to appropriate the
sum of $2,500 needed to make up the stipulated price of the
grounds desired. But certain members of the citizens' committee
were not in favor of this site, .so that the council failed to act
favorably upon the request of the library committees. There-
upon the negotiations in progress with Mrs. Mary E. Hall were
renewed and the site of the library was purchased of her for the
sum of $15,000, of which Mrs. Hall very generously donated
$1,000.

The next step was to secure an architect and the choice hap-
pily fell upon John Lawrence Mauran of St. Louis, whose plans
were accepted, presented for the criticism of the Western Library
Association at Madison in August, and were pronounced by that
body *'The Library Beautiful."

The contract was let to A. H. Harcus & Co. for $41,000 and
the work of excavation commenced February 10, 1903. On Dec-
oration day. May ?>(), 1903, the corner stone of the building was
laid with the impressive ceremonies usual on like occasions. The
. late Charles H. Washl)urn was master of ceremonies and the
stone was placed under the direction of Governor Harvey Post,
G. A. R. Hon. Charles E. Dyer was orator of the day.

Racine is possessed of one of the most beautiful and sub-
stantial lil)iary buildings in the country and she may well be
proud of it. The structure stands on the southeast corner of
Main and Seventh Streets, has a frontage on Main Street of 97
feet and a depth of 80 feet. It is two stories in height and has a
high basement. The material used is Bedford cut stone, pressed
bricls: and trimmings of terra cotta. On the main floor are two
large reading rooms, rooms with modern appliances for books,
offices of the libra I'ian and other apartments; on the second floor
is an assembly room, and museum; the basement is given over to

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 211

the storage of newspaper files, toilet rooms, furnace and boiler
compartments and other uses.

When the library was ready for the public in 1897 the event
awakened in the community every sentiment that marks for re-
joicing, and the world, Racine's world, certainly knew that a
ceremony of an unusual character was on. For, be it known, the
rooms in the Secor building, arranged for the library, were for-
mally thrown open and mider the inspiration of a carefully pre-
pared program directed by Charles H. Washburn, master of cere-
monies, the people of the city were welcomed to their own and
the Racine public library was declared open. But not so with
the new — the "Library Beautiful." Blare of trumpets and high-
sounding speech there were none. On the contrary, quietly and
proudly, one may say, the big front doors of this storehouse of
learning of the ages were opened wide and the rich and the poor,
the learned and the unlearned, the haughty and the meek, in fact,
the whole world was asked to enter its portals and partake of
the rich abundance of mental pabulum provided for a reading
public. The ever notable day was March 16, 1904, and it is marked
on the calendar as one never to be forgotten "in these parts.

)»

BRANCH LIBRARIES

To the Woman's club is due all credit for the movement re-
sulting in the final estal)lishment of the ISTorth Side Branch library.
In 1898 the members of this club opened in that locality what was
then known as the Children's Reading rooms, which continued as
such until October, 1906, when it became the North Side branch
of the Racine public library, with rooms in a rented building at
1619 Milwaukee Avenue.

The South Side branch was ojxmed May 30, 1914, in a beauti-
ful new Carnegie building, which cost $10,000, and stands on the
corner of Washington and Hamilton Avenues. The opening was
a ceremonial affair, and that part of the city enjoys all the bene-
fits of a book supply accorded the central district. Referring to
this utility in her annual report for the fiscal year of 1915, Miss
Calkins had this to say: "Any doubts as to the need of a branch
library on the South Side near the Junction district must give
way before the fact that the people in that part of the city have
responded in so encouraging a manner to the library advantages
offered to them. The circulation of books and magazines at the

212 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

south brancli for the year was 89,403. Tliis is more than the rec-
ord for the first year of the the pul)lie lil)rary, as it was then only
about 31,000. Of the books read at the South Side two-thirds are
juvenile, but the ))i'()]Mirti<iu of adult reading' is very good, 14,655
having been taken by the 'grown up' patrons. Nearly all the
^\■ork for the South branch has been done by INIiss Lottie Ingram,
the branch librarian, and Miss llazcd Buck, her assistant." In
addition to these auxiliaries it should be stated that the main
library circulates many Ixioks from stations established at eight
of the public schools, among which is the Continuation school.
To again revert to Librarian Calkin's report, it is learned that
"the Continuation and Indiistrial schools are very grateful for
the books sent to them, and the field of usefulness in that direc-
tion is very large. Many of the students would never read if
the books were not near at hand, and the teachers feel that the
library is a great heljj in the further development of their pupils
who are out of school, but yet are not old enough to be steady
workers at trades. The evening classes of foreigners are also
much helped by the books of easy reading, which enable them
more easily to acquire our language, and they soon come to be
steady patrons of the library. Of the numl)er of books in foreign
languages that have been read, the German ranks first, 2,202 vol-
umes in this language having been circulated. The Danish-Nor-
wegian class comes next, having 1,487, and the third largest is
liithuanian, which numbers 812." The total munber of with-
drawals from the main librai'v, its branches and the schools
amounted to 152,601, an increase of 26,093 over the previous
year's record.

TRIBUTE TO THE LIBRARY'S BEST FRIEND

In closing his annual icpoi't for the fiscal year 1915, John
B. Sinnnons, president of the library board, remembered the
services of a citizen, whose heart and hand were ever o])en to
the best interests of tlu; library. He has I'ecorded in the archives
of the library these words of praise and ai)pi-eciation: "It is per-
haps needless to say at this time that the libraiy and library
work in this city has sustained an incalculable loss during the
year in the death of (Charles II. Lee, late president of the board,
who had served in that capacity from the very beginning of its
existence — yet I, who have had the priAalege to succeed him in

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 213

that (jffice, cannot refrain from i)aying this final tribute to his
memory by reminding your honorable ])ody and the people of this
city that to him more than to any other citizen of Racine do we
owe the advantages afforded by this valuable civic institution."
Board of directors for IDIG: John B. Sinnnons, president;
Sarah Morrison, secretary; Dr. J. S. Keech, Fred H. Schulz, Ed-
ward Hollister, Henry Hartman, Adolph R. Janecky, Susan Por-
ter, Arthur Simonson, Miss Mary J. Calkins, libarian; Lillian E.
Jones, Helen D. Gorton, Minnie Olive Hill, Miss Pearl Snell, Miss
Ruth McTntyre, assistants; also Miss Hazel Buck and Miss Louise
Boardman of the south branch library.

CHAPTER XI

THE NEWSPAPERS

THE FIRST NEWSPAPER

The first newspaper to be published in Racine was the Ra-
cine Argus, bearing the date of Feln-uaiy 14, 1838. This paper
was a five column folio, under the editorship of N. Delavan Wood.
Advertisements were confined to a half column and the other
column spaces which required filling at various times were
utilized for the publication of state, territorial and national
statutes. Among the few advertisers in the first issue were a
notice of the Racine House by J. M. Myers ; Marshall M. Strong,
attorney; C. R. Alton, district surveyor; Lorenzo Janes, attor-
ney; F. S. Lovell, attorney; Knight & Capron, drapers and tailors;
Heath & Parsons, cash dealers in merchandise; a sheriff's sale
advertised by E. R. Hugunin, potatoes being the article mentioned
for sale; and a notice of the sailing of the sloop, "Commodore
Baron," A Leice, master, the following June. The first page of
this first issue was taken up with prosaic reading matter, includ-
ing an "Ode to Columbia." The second page was devoted to
notices of the Canadian troubles and news from China. Presi-
dent Van Buren and the proposed pre-emption laws were treated.
The third page held the information that the Argus was owned
by J. M. Meyers, A. Carey, Gilbert Knapp, Stephen Ives, Lorenzo
Janes and M. M. Strong. The paper was stated to be Jeffersonian
Democratic in politics and would not be delivered to anyone with-
out the "ready coon," the i:)opular expression for money. Some
discussion was made as to the weather, recording that the coldest
day of the season had been 13 degrees below zero. The arrival
and departure of mails was published by Postmaster B. B. Cary.
Eastern and northern mails arrived on Monday, "Wednesday and
Friday, usually in the evening, and departed upon the following

216 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

inoriiiiiu-. Western mails arrived Monday eveninc; and were sent
out Tuesday niornine,-. The names of Samuel Hale, Jr., Roland
Ives, Seth Warner, Origin Perkins and Adna Lam])Son were given
as justices, and Lorenzo Janes, Henry F. Cox, Jr., and F. S. Lovell
as notaries. There were just eighteen numbers of the Racine
Argus issued, covering the period from February 14 nntil October
H, 1838. At the latter time the paper died from want of financial
sup])ort and the difficnlty in getting paper and other supplies.
While it did last, however, the editors, Marshall M. Strong and
Lorenzo Janes, made it a very creditable sheet. The material
was removed to Madison, Wisconsin, and nsed in esta])lishing
the Wisconsin Enquirer.

THE RACINE ADVOCATE

The paper called the Racine Advocate was established on
November 23, 1842, by Thomas J. Wisner, editor and ])ro]:)rietor,
and F. B. Ward, printer. The office of the Advocate was located
at the comer of Wisconsin and Sixth Streets. On August 12,
1843, Mr. Wisner died of tyi»hus fever and the paper was left
without an editor until October 31st of the same year, when Mar-
shall M. Strong assmned the office. On December 17, 1844, Philo
White became editorial and business manager during Mr. Strong's
absence as a member of the Territorial Council. On March 24,
1846, Ml-. White s(.ld the Advocate to J. C. Emmer and O. A.
Stafford, the former acting as editor. The first issue under the
new management contained for the first time a "local", depart-
ment, which was very small. On January 19, 1848, after two
years of doubtful value, the Advocate was enlarged to a seven-
colmnn paper. Tt then sui)p()rted Martin Van Buren for the
Presidency and advocated free territory princijiles.

After Bvmner and Stafford the next editor was John W^.
Trowbridge. On April 16, 1851, the names of Bunner, Stafford
and Trowbridge again appear as proprietors of the i)aper. Hi
August of the same year the firm of Bunner & Trowl)ridge again
ai)iK'ars as an editorial caption. On December 21, 1851, John A.
Harrison purchased the interest of Mr. Trowbridge. December
15, 1852, Mr. Bunner retired from the editorial staff and Mr.
?Ta7"i-ison became sole i)i'oprietor. Mr. Bunner removed to Dela-
van, where he estal)lished the Walworth County Journal.

With the beginning of the eleventh volume of the Advocate

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 217

on January 26, 1853, Charles rieniont ))()U<;ht the interest of
Mr. Harrison. On May 11th a daily edition of the paper was
started and continued for about two years. On November 29,
1853, Andre Matteson became associated witli Mr. Clement, but
by April 24, 1854, Mr. Clement was again acting alone, but only
luitil the end of the year. He sold his newspaper plant to A. C.
Sandford. In .January. 185(), John Tapley became associated
with Mr. Sandford in the publication. With the beginning of
the fifteenth volume the proprietors commenced the publication
of a morning edition at a penny per copy. This daily did not
make a success and in ^lay the owners discontinued it and
devoted their energies to the improvement of the weekly issue.
On January 1, 1862, Mr. Tapley retired from the Advocate and
Mr. Sandford became sole editor and proprietor. On January 2,
1867, the form was changed from that of an eight-colunni folio
to a six-colunm quarto.

From October, 1884, until February, 1888, Eliza E. Batchelor
edited the paper, with ^[r. Sandford as manager. Then Racine
Franklin Guild took charge, in company with Eliza E. Batchelor
and E. 0. Hand, with Albert F. Eansom as editor. The paper
was suspended soon after this.

In early years the paper was Free Soil Democratic, then
Anti-Slavery and finally Republican.

RACINE COUNTY ARGUS

The Racine County Argus, Democratic, was established Sep-
tember 1, 1868, with William Innes Martin as editor. Z. C. and
H. ]\I. Wentworth were afterwards editors of this sheet. On
Octo])er 5, 1871, H. ^\. Wentworth retired from the paper, l)ut
on March 8, 1872, he again took an interest in the publication.
On July 31, 1873, Z. C. Wentworth became the sole proprietor,
and on August 13, 1874. associated his sons with him in the man-
agement. In A])ril, 1877. Mr. C. F. Ceorge purchased the concern
and continued as proprietor vmtil April 4, 1878, at which date
E. A. Egery bought the office. Mr. Egery continued until Decem-
ber, 1880, and shortly after the paper suspended publication.

SLOVAN AMERIKANSKY

This paper was the first to be published in the Bohemian lan-
guage in America. It was established in Racine on January 1,
1860, by Frank Korizek, editor and ])ublisher. During the first

218 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

year it had an averajic circiilaticm of about 400 copies and was a
small folio sheet. On October 30, 1861, the name was changed
to Slavie, or Slavia, which meant the ideal mother or the personi-
fication of the wlidlc Slavonic race. The size of the pajjer was
increased and the form changed to a small quarto. Korizek con-
tinued as pul)lisher and V(_)yta Masek became editor. On June 1,
1863, Charles Jonas assumed editorial control of the paper. Dur-
ing the following years there were several changes in the owner-
ship, and from April, 1870, to December, 1872, the paper was
edited by Vaclav Snyder. Charles and Frederick Jonas were
sulisequently publishers of the Slavie. During the first year and
a half of this paper's existence it was the only Bohemian news-
paper upon this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Other publications
were also issued by this firm, among them being the Amerikan,
a weekly, devoted to the wants of newly arrived Bohemian set-
tlers. There was a dictionary of the English and Bohemian lan-
guages issued here, which book was comi^iled by Charles Jonas
in part in 1876. It is said that this was the first English-Bohe-
mian dictionary ever published.

MISCELLANEOUS EARLY NEWSPAPERS

The Racine County Wliig was established by Edward Bliss
in the spring of 1846.

A paper named the Racine Express existed about 1852, but
evidently did not survive for any length of time, as very little
record is obtainable of it.

The Hyrde Stemmen, a Danish paper, was published in
Racine by Rev. Chr. Freider and C. Eltzholtz in 1876 and in the
fall of 1877 is was removed to Chicago.

The Dannebrog, also a Danish publication, was started by
T. Sornson in 1876. It was simply a campaign paper.

S. Cadwallader at one time published the Press.

The Racine Independent was started in November, 1877, by
Wentworth Brothers, who sold it to A. C. Arveson, after which
it died in April, 1879.

One of the earlier college papers published here was the
College Mercury and it bore a good reputation.

A i)ul)lication known as the Ladies' Reporter once existed
in Racine for a short time.

The Son of Temperance was started in January, 1877, by

vol. 1

ARGUS.

MTES STATES L«WS'Br ArTHOSlJf

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tl ^liAClNB, W. T..»E"u.VBal)- <.y^l KHmWRY 14. 1838.

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u r.^ «Hr<« jm, II. a»7.

THE FIRST RACINK NKWSPAPER

Portion of front page of Number 1, Volume T, of first newspaper published in Racine. The px'oprietors
were: J. M. Myers, Alfred Gary, Gilbert Knapp, Stephen N. Ives, Lorenzo Janes and Marshall M. Strong.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 219

William R. Bloonifield, who conducted it for one year and then
sold (lilt to Levi K. Alden. The paper lived for two years, but
financial non-support caused its demise. It was the official organ
of the Sons of Temperance, an organization which was strong
here at one time.

The Daily Herald was started December 16, 1878, by Levi
K. Alden & Company and ceased its career on April 24, 1879.

The New Deal was started by Col. William L. Utley as an
organ of the Greenback Party on June 1, 1878.

The Dansk-Luttnrsk Kirke l^lad was started in August, 1877,
by arrangements made with the Norwegian-Danish Conference.
It was i)ul)lished by the Danish pastors of the society and edited
by A. M. Anderson, pastor of the Scandinavian Evangelical Lu-
theran Congregation of Racine.

The Racine Agriculturist, edited by A. C. Fish and published
by George S. Bliss, was a prominent early paper in Racine.

About the year 1849 Dr. B. B. Cary began the publication
of an eight-column weekly called the Democratic Union. He
removed it to Milwaukee in 1850. The paper was printed by S. P.
Rounds, who also published a temperance paper called the Old
Oaken Bucket, which was edited by Rev. A. C. Barry and was
the official organ of the Sons of Temperance of Wisconsin. It
was printed in quarto form, with double sheets.

The Commercial Advertiser, published first by Butterfield
& Warren as an eight-colunni })ai)er and devoted to the intei-ests
of the Whig Party. It was Ixiught in the fall of 1850 by Judge
William R. Perry, who associated with him his son George. After
the election of a Democratic President in 1852 the paper died,
due to the cessation of political advertising from Washington.

The Wisconsin Farmer was published by Mark Miller, but
was afterward removed to Janesville.

The Wisconsin Rode, published by Kohlmann Brothers in
1850, existed for just one year and was, according to record, the
first German paper in Racine. Then came the Racine Volksblatt,
first published in 1855 by Mr. Erdmann, who was succeeded by
Henry F. Hillgard, at which time the paper bore the name of
A. Winter & Company as publishers. At this period Samuel
Ritchie became interested in the paper and subsequently became
its sole proprietor. About the same time the National Demokrat
made its appearance, published by C. Lohmann, with whom M.

220 HISTORY ()!• RACINE COUNTY

Orahl was interested. It finally passed into the hands of Fred
Krahe and Avent out of existence after one year.

The Wisconsin Volksblatt, published by A. Winter, contin-
ued for three months. In 1860 a paper called the Volksfreund
was started and lasted until 18G3. The Omni))us, published by
Henry Boini, was started in 1869 and stayed thii'teen months.
There was also the Racine Post, which came out in 187G and was
discontinued after nine months' life.

THE JOURNAL-NEWS

The present Journal-News was started as the Journal in the
spring of 1856 by Hulett & Harrison. A weekly paper was issued.
Subsecpumtly the firm changed to J. A. Oarswell, Harrison &
(\)m])any and for a time John Ilawkes conducted it. About 1861
it passed into the hands of (Jharles Clement. During the Rebel-
lion a daily issue was i)ul)lished for a time, but was disc(mtinued,
as the conditi(ms of the tiuie were such that a daily could not
pay its way. In the spring of 1862 Mr. Clement disposed of the
pa])('r to Charles W. Fitch, who conducted it as a Democratic
sheet for a few years, when it again reverted to Charles Clement,
who changed the politics to Rei)ublican. At the close of the war
Col. W. 1j. Utley and his son, Hamilton, bought the Journal and
gave to the paper more character and quality than it ever had
before. In December, 1873, Mr. F. W. Starbuck purchased the
hair interest of Colonel Utley and with Hamilton Utley continued
the ])ul)lication of the sheet, together with the job printing busi-
ness. A year later Starbuck bought out the younger Utley also.
Meanwhile the new firm had greatly increased the facilities of
the ])lant, putting in new i)i'esses and steam power, and moving
to the third fioor of the Manufacturers' Bank Building, having
the business office on the second Hooi-. In 1883, owing to its in-
creasing business, a lease was made with the owners of the Belle
City Hall, giving them a fiooi' space of 110 feet by 80 feet. Here
the business steadily increased and in 188(i the Journal was in-
corporated under the name of The Joui'ual Printing Company.

In January, 1881, the Daily Journal was stai'ted as a six-
column, four-page paper. The plant was yet in the Manufactur-
ers' Bank Building when this change was made. Th(^ growth
from this time surpassed anything ex})ected, due in greater part
to the excellent news service given to the public. The paper has

HISTORY ()!• R.\( INK C'OUNTY 221

maintained the Associated Press rejxjrts sinee the beginning.

An opportunity was soon offered to })urcliase the present
building and ground at 328 Main Street. This was done and on
July 4, 1891. the removal was uiade. In 1895 a huge perfecting
press was installed.

The Journal started as a six-column, four-page paper, and
subsequently an enlargement was made to eight-column, 24
by 40. This sufficed for a while, then the length of the col-
uuiH was iucreased two indies, making the sheet 26 by 40.
I'he four-page paper was continued with eight columns imtil
April, 1894, when a fui'thei- enlargement was made to an eight-
])age. six-colunm paper, or twice the size of the original sheet.
"When the Scott perfecting stereotyping press was put into the
Journal office in the spring of 1895 the size of the press enabled
a seven-colunm. eight-page paper to be printed.

In 1911 the question of consolidating the Journal and the
Racine News was brought up, and as a result the two sheets were
combined, making the present Journal-New^s. The merger was
effected in January, 1912, and the first issue run off the ])resses
January 8th. The Journal-News maintains the same manage-
ment and is a live, up-to-date publication, carrying associated
])ress service and a h\\\ editorial and reportorial force for the
local work.

THE TIMES-CALL

The Racine Daily Times was founded in the month of No-
veml)er, 1883, by William L. Utley. In March, 1884, there came
into existence a company known as the Times Publisliing Com-
]tany, consisting mainly of ]\Ir. Utley and J. H. Willis, who had
lately entered the business. Willis was business manager of the
publication until his death in 1893, then his wife, Mrs. Olympia
Brown, assumed the office. The paper was edited by W. L. Utley
until his death in 1887 and then by Hamilton Utley until 1900.

In 1900 the paper passed into the hands of W. L. Goodland
and V. W. Lothrop, who conducted it until 1904. After this,
or until IMarch 4, 1910, it was edited and owned Mr. Lothro])
alone. At the latter date a stock company was formed and the
Times Publishing Company incoi-porated, with V. W. Lothrop
as editor and manager. At this time the paper was independent
in politics.

In November, 1915, the Times was consolidated with the

222 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Racine Call, the latter a publication which had l)een started three
years prior to this time and which was pul)lished by the Call
Publisliing Company, a corporation. The first issue was placed
before the people in the last week of November of the above men-
tioned year. W. L. Haight was the first editor of the new com-
bination and was recently succeeded l:)y W. I. Goodland, who had
formerly been connected with the Times.

The Times-Call plant is a modern one and the efforts of the
force, editorial and mechanical, are centered upon the publication
of the daily paper alone. No weekly issue or job printing is done
,at this establishment.

THE WISCONSIN AGRICULTURIST

This paper was first issued at Racine, Wisconsin, January 1,
1877, under the name of the Racine Agriculturist. An introduc-
tory on the first page, signed by A. F. Sweetser, states that it is
the object of. the proprietor to benefit the farmers of the county
"as much as possible in inserting in its columns such articles as
will be of special interest to them in their business and by offer-
ing such suggestions as may lighten the labor of the farm." It
is frankly stated that the colunnis of the paper would be largely
devoted to advertising, but only such articles would be presented
as were known and proved to be first-class. The proprietor said
that, as he believed "that all work and no play was not conducive
to the healthy inci-ease of the mental capacity of poor Jacob,
such selections would at times be introduced as would provoke
the good humor of all." Much of the advertising was that of Fish
Brothers & Company, and that the paper was really owned by
this firm was shown in the second issue, in which the heading
contained a portrait of A. C. Fish and the name changed to The
Racine Agriculturist. The original subscription price was fifty
cents a year and the paper was issued monthly. The first num-
ber contained eight pages of 9 by 14 inches of type matter each.
It had articles on fresh American beef in Europe, on the profit-
ableness of farming, a story and some humorous matter, but not
much of real agricTiltural value. The second issue, however,
showed considerable imi^rovement and contained an interesting
communication from Prof. C. D. Granger of the Wisconsin State
University, besides some creditable agricultural and live stock
matter. In the issue of September, 1878, the name of George

A RIVEK SCENE AT KACINE

RIVER AT CEDAR REND. RACINE

HISTORY OP' RACINE COUNTY 223

S. Bliss appears as publisher and that of A. C. Fish as editor.
Considerable improvement had been shown by this time. The
leading article told of numerous emphatic signs that farming in
this country, especially in the great West, was taking a new
departure. In the future grain was to be gro'WTi, even by the
average farmer, more with a view to raising stock and the pro-
duce of stock. The fann, it was stated, will be made the feeding
ground of beef and mutton. The editor said: "We are conjuring
no illusion; we are stating the undeniable fact." This issue also
shows that the ])aper now contained twice as many pages as the
first issue, each issue having sixteen instead of eight, as formerly.

In July, 1883, the Agriculturist was purchased by the pub-
lishers of the Racine Manufacturer, a monthly which had been
established in January of that year. The two papers were there-
fore issued as one publication under the name of The Racine
Manufacturer and Agriculturist by the Manufacturers' Publish-
ing Company. Andrew Simonson was the editor. In 1885 the
name of Manufacturer was dropjDed and the paper became the
Racine Agricidturist, only to be changed again in May, 1886,
to the Racine Wisconsin Agricidturist.

In January, 1890, the publication was changed from monthly
to a semi-monthly, the subscription price remaining the same —
fifty cents a year. It was now published by the WiscoUvSin Agri-
culturist Publishing Company, a corj^oration organized for the
pui-])ose of increasing the scope and usefulness of the paper,
which had by this time become considerable. On February 1,
1892, it assumed its present name. The Wisconsin Agriculturist,
by dropping the word Racine from the heading.

On January 1, 1897, the paper became a weekly and the next
year the subscription price was increased to sixty cents a year.
On January 1, 1907, it was advanced to seventy -five cents a year.
In 1902 The Wisconsin Agriculturist absorbed the Fann, Field
and Stockman of Winona, Minnesota, and in 1906 it took over the
Fanners' Sentinel, which made it the only English general farm-
ing paper being published in the State of Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Agriculturist is now, as it has been for many
years, owned by the Wisconsin Agiiculturist Publishing Com-
})any. Andrew Simonson, w^ho had been connected with the pub-
lication in various capacities since 1883, was the ])ublisher mitil
his death on June 6, 1907. At this time his son, Arthur W. Simon-

224 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

son, took cliart^c, and Chark's 11. lilviTett has been the editor-in-
chief for the last fifteen years. The pajier's weekly circnlation
of 65,000 copies is practically all in the State of Wisconsin. The
paper bears the reputation of being one of the best, if not the
loading, pa]ier of its kind in the United States and is one of the
most iniijortant teaching factors and guides to which the farmer
and stockman of today has access.

FOLKETS AVIS

The Folkets Avis Publishing Company was tirst established
in the year 187G, but after running a short time abandoned the
publication of the pajx'i'. The company was reorganized, how-
ever, in 1905, with a capital stock of $6,000.00, and the issue of
the paper started again. Hans Olscn was the editor and manager
of the paper when it was revived.

RACINE CORRESPONDENT

The Racine Correspondent was founded in 1883 by W. F.
Weber and conducted by him until the year 1886. Charles Schar-
pano managed the issue during the next year, and then came
A. T. Falb from 1889 until 1894, in connection with his son in
1889. Emil Wittsock conducted the sheet from 1895 until 1899,
and was succeeded by Henry Bonn in the latter year. Mr. Bonn
continues the publication at this time. It is a weekly newspaper,
devoted to the interests of the German population.

RACINE NORDEN

The ])a])er known as the Nordcn was founded in January,
190.3, by P. B. Nelson, F. L. Norton and Ivar Kirkegaard, in a
com])any called The Norden Publishing Com])any. The first issue
was in June, 1903. The pa])er was edited and owned by Ivar
Kirkegaai'd after November, 1907.

BURLINGTON STANDARD-DEMOCRAT

This pajter was started in the Town of Burlington in Octo-
ber. 1863, by L. E. Smith and named the Burlington Standard.
The i>resent name was assumed after March, 1886. L. E. Smith
was the ])ublisher and edit(n- from 1863 until 1866 and was suc-
ceeded by Henry L. Devereux, August, 1866- June, 1883, in con-
nection with J. (i. Hamlin from October, 1874, until December,
1875. Michael Wagner held the editorial reins during the years

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 225

188:5-6; JaiiK-s 1. Tones, 1886-9, and 11. E. Zimniermau from 1889
until the present, the firm, however, becoming that of Zimmer-
man & Son in 1912.

BURLINGTON FREE PRESS

The Free Press was founded in November, 1879, and was
conducted by W. A. Colby until December, 1891; then by William
R. Devor. The paper is Republican in politics and is issued
weekly.

BURLINGTON GAZETTE

This now extinct paper was established in Burlington in
May, 1859, by H. W. Phelps and was suspended in December,
IcSGO. and removed to Horicon.

WATERFORD POST

The Waterford Post was founded in November, 1877, by
C. M. AVhitman and conducted by him until September, 1880.
Then came Edward ^lalone in the management of the business
and he continued until January, 1907, when the firm of Malone
& Miller started. The Post is issued to the people weekly.

UNION GROVE ENTERPRISE

The Union (Irove Enterprise was established in the year
1887 by A. P. Colby.

CHAPTER XII

FINANCIAL HISTORY

COUNTY FINANCES — BONDED DEBT — FINANCIAL CONDITION IN 1915 —
PRINCIPAL ITEMS OF EXPENSE — RACINE CITY FINANCES — OUT-
STANDING BONDS — CONDITIONS COMPARED WITH THOSE OF 1848 —
INCOME AND EXPENDITURES — VALUE OF THE SECURITIES — BANK-
ING INSTITUTIONS — EVOLUTION OF THE BANKING BUSINESS —
BANKS IN RACINE COUNTY — RURAL BANKS — TOTAL DEPOSITS —
AGRICULTURE — STATISTICS RELATING TO CROPS AND FARM VAL-
UES—THE FARMER'S PLACE AS A CITIZEN.

COUNTY FINANCES

Although Racine County now has an unquestionable reputa-
tion in the matter of public credit, and her bonds, when she has
occasion to issue any, command a premium in the market, such
was not always the case. As narrated in a fonner chapter, when
Nathan Joy and Michael Myers went east in the fall of 1838 to
borrow $50,000 upon the claims and unprovements of the settlers,
to enable them to purchase their lands, eastern capitalists refused
to loan a single dollar "upon any or all the lands in the County
of Racine." However, the postponement of the land sale from
November, 1838, to March, 1839, gave the settlers an opportunity
to raise the needed funds to purchase their lands and perfect
their titles. Then the development of the natural resources
began in earnest. This development, with the corresponding in-
crease in wealth, was reflected upon the public financial status,
with the result that Racine County's credit is now unsurpassed
by that of any county in the state.

Another thing that has contributed to the county's present
financial standing is the fact that her credit has never been
abused by wanton extravagance. Bonds have been issued from
time to time, but they have always been issued for permanent
improvements and have been paid when they fell due. At the
beginning of the year 1916, the only county bonds outstanding
were $65,000 of the bonds issued some years ago for the building
of the county insane asylum at Gatliif, and ample provisions have
been made for their redemption as they mature. According to
the last published report of the county treasurer, these bonds
and a floating debt of $2,936.69 constitute the entire indebtedness

228 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

of the euuuty. The same report shows the general financial con-
dition of the county to be as follows:

Balance on hand November 1, 1914 $103,255.48

Receipts during the year 445,024.66

Total income $548,280.14

Disbursements 508,108.75

Balance on hand November 1, 1915 $ 40,171.39

Owing to the repairs on the court-house and the purchase
of some additional land for the insane asylum fami, the disburse-
ments for the year were heavier than usual. The principal appro-
priations made by the Board of Supervisors were:

Court-house repairs and furniture $ 22,639.81

State highway aid 25,619.25

Land for the insane asylum 17,000.00

Land and support, agricultural school 12,800.00

Bridges and highways 14,800.00

Maintenance, insane asylum 7,800.00

County farm 4,000.00

Motor truck (for use on highways) 5,000.00

Bonds redeemed 6,500.00

Interest on public debt 2,686.43

Sunnv Rest Sanatorium 3,500.00

Soldiers' relief 3,500.00

Aggregate of twelve principal items. . . .$125,844.49

The remainder of the disbursements was for the salaries of
county officers and their clerks, court expenses, the maintenance
of industi'ial schools and Home for Feeble-Minded, supervision
of the poor and sundry miscellaneous expenditures. It is a far
cry from 1839, when the total income of the county was less than
three thousan'd dollars, to 1915, when the income was over half
a million, but the figures tell the story of Racine County's won-
drous advancement in the industrial and financial world.

RACINE CITY FINANCES

, To some it ma}' seem strange that the bonded indebtedness
of the City of Racine is nearly fifteen times greater than that of
the county in which it is situated. But it nuist ])c borne in mind
that the incorporated city has many demands upon its revenues
that are unknown to the small villages and the rural districts.
Fire and police departments must be maintained for the protec-
tion of person and property; the former must be equipped with

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 229

costly apparatus for extinguishing tires and buildings in which
such apparatus can be kept; conservation of the public health
requires a sewer system; streets must be improved; school build-
ings erected, and in the modern city public parks are regarded
as a necessity. All these, and many other things, must hv provided
at pu])lic expense. There is probably not a city of 4( ),()()() pop\i-
lation in the United States whose income is sufficient to meet
all these demands, and the easiest way to provide them is t
mortgage the future l)y the issue of bonds. According to the
statement of the city clerk, the bonds outstanding on January 1,
1916, consisted of the followin

"(^ ■

School bonds $321,000

Street improvement bonds 168,000

Paving bonds 34,000

Sewer bonds 168,000

Refunding bonds 82,000

Garbage incinerator 28,000

Bridge bonds 44,000

Park bonds 47,000

For lake shore protection 16,000

Cemetery bonds 16,000

Fire apparatus 16,000

Total $940,000

Under the laws of Wisconsin, a city can issue bonds equal
to 5 per cent of the assessed valuation of the property. In 1915
the property of Racine was valued at $55,770,026. Five per cent
of this is $2,788,501.30, which represents the amoimt of bonds
the City of Racine could legally issue. As only $940,000 of bonds
were outstanding at the beginning of the year 1916, the city has
an unused debt-incurring power of $1,848,501.30, so it may be
seen that the city government has not been extravagant in the
matter of bond issues.

When the city was incorporated in 1848, the village govern-
ment turned over the following balances:

Harbor fund $ 314.42

General fund 98.53

Special fund 771.46

Total $1,184.41

A report of the financial transactions for 1848 showed the
amount of special tax collected to be $562.31; corporation tax,
$585.64; tax certificates on hand, $1,006.78V2; paid out on harbor

230 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

orders during the year, $965.61. The last published report of
the city treasurer (for the year ending on December 31, 1914),
shows the total receipts for the year as $1,491,258.69, which in-
cluded a balance of $78,393.57 from the preceding year and
$282,000 as the proceeds of a bond issue. The disbursements
amounted to $1,316,884.27, leaving a balance in the treasury on
January 1, 1915, of $174,374.42. Compare these figures with
those of 1848 and some idea of Racine's progress may be gained.
The principal items of expense for the year 1914 were as follows:

General government $ 50,456.29

Public safety 100.486.63

Health and sanitation 36,254.22

Streets and bridges 53,605.48

Charities 19,023.39

Education 236,883.59

Recreation 16,7.52.05

County tax 125,494.51

State tax 108,001.70

Total $746,957.86

The remaining $569,926.41 of the disbursements included
interest on the bonded debt, redemption of bonds, appropriations
to the public library, improvement of the public parks, care of
the cemeteries and divers miscellaneous expenses.

VALUE OF THE SECURITIES

In addition to the $940,000 of city bonds and the $65,000 of
county bonds outstanding on January 1, 1916, the City of Bur-
lington, the incorporated villages and the several townships also
had some outstanding bonds. The exact amount of these bonds
<'ouId nt)t be ascertained, but it is approximately $100,000, making
a total bonded indebtedness of the county and its corporations
of a little over $1,100,000. As the entire property of the county
is liable for the payment of these obligations, and the assessed
value in 1915 was $90,334,138, it can be clearly seen that the
holders of the bonds have a lien upon ninety dollars of collateral
for each dollar of debt. Surely no better security could be asked.
And if the actual value of the property be taken into considera-
tion, the proportion is still greater. Under these circumstances
it is not surprising that the bonds of Racine Coimty and city
are regarded as "gilt-edged" investments.

Photo furnished by liillinu^ AFTER THE HK; SN(J\V I-KHRMAKY l',. isns

I'hoto furnished by BilliriKs

JUDGE CHARLES E. DYER'S HOME
An early I'olnnia! residence

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 231

BANKING INSTITUTIONS

Banking, in some form or another, is almost as old as civiliza-
tion. Explorers among the ruins of ancient Assyria have found
evidences that the money lender existed there and that something
like the modern bill of exchange was issued by them. In Greece
and Rome, several hundred years before the beginning of the
Christian era, there were bankers who received money on deposit
and made loans. The earliest public bank of which history takes
note was the Bank of Venice, which was established in 1171 and
continued until the dissolution of the Venetian Republic in 1797.
Deposits in this bank were guaranteed by the government.

Modem banking ideas were first used by the Bank of Flor-
ence in the Thirteenth Century. Loans were made by this insti-
tution to the Italian Government and it carried on a regular loan
and discount business. The Bank of St. George at Genoa was
also a great financial institution in the latter part of the Thir-
teenth and early part of the Fourteenth Centuries.

In 1609 the Bank of Amsterdam was established under the
guarantee of the city. It was called into existence by the fluctua-
tion and uncertain values of the currency then in circulation and
its chief function was to give a fixed value to any bill on Amster-
dam. Worn coins were accepted by the bank at their face value,
less a small charge for recoinage. For many years this bank
was one of the great financial concerns of the world. Then it
fell into the hands of speculators, who exploited its resources to
such an extent that it collapsed in 1790.

The first public bank in Great Britain was chartered in 1694.
It was the outgrowth of a company organized under an act of
Parliament to float a loan of £1,500,000 to carry on the war with
France. "William Patterson came forward with the proposition
to organize a bank with power to issue notes and the result was
the Bank of England, which is now one of the greatest financial
institutions in the world. The Bank of Scotland was organized
about a year later.

Banks of issue have played a more conspicvious part in the
United States of America than in any other country. During
the colonial period there were a number of banks established
with power to issue notes to individuals. They were not banks
of deposit. After the Revolution the Bank of New York and
the Bank of Massachusetts were both chartered in 1784 and

232 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

issued hills until tlie aduptiun of the Federal Constitution, which
provided (Article I, Section 10), that " no state shall coin money,
emit bills of credit," etc. The stoppage of state bank circulation
by the Constitution caused a clamor among- the people and on
February 25, 1791, the first Bank of the United States was char-
tered by act of Congress for a period of twenty years. Its author-
ized capital stock was $10,000,000, of which the Government took
twenty per cent.

It was soon discovered that one institution could not well
transact the banking business of the entire country. To over-
come this difficulty Congress passed an act authorizing the estab-
lishment of state banks with power to issue notes that should
pass current as money. When the charter of the Bank of the
United States expired by limitation in 1811, these state banks
were opposed to granting it a new one. The Covernment having
disposed of its interest in the bank, hearkened to the plea of the
state banks and denied the national bank a new charter. During
the next five 3^ears the number of state banks multiplied.

On April 3. 1816, the second Bank of the United States was
authorized by an act of Congress, with a capital stock of $35,000,-
000, and again the Federal Government took tw^enty per cent
of the stock. In 1830 there were 246 state banks, with an aggre-
gate caiiital of $145,000,000. In July. 1832, President Jackson
vetoed the bill granting a new charter to the Bank of the United
States and instructed the secretary of the treasury to order all
deposits in the bank to cease. This the secretary refused to do,
when Jackson removed him and appointed another who woidd
carry out his instructions. This was the end of the Bank of
the United States.

Then followed the famous era of "wild-cat hanking." dur-
ing which th(> Territory of Wisconsin and Racine County were
organized. At the Ix'ginning of 1837 there were 788 banks in the
country with an authorized ca])ital of $291,000,000, less than
half of which was actually paid in. During the year 1836 specu-
lation ran rife and many of these banks made loans upon qiies-
tionable collateral. The result was the \nuuc of 1837, which
forced many of the hanks to close their doors. In their failure
banks otherwise solvent were dragged down to ruin. For a few
years bankers heeded the lesson taught by the crash, the number
of banks was reduced and loans were made upon a more conserv-

HISTORY OF RACIXK COIXTY 2.S3

ative basis. But after a tinic auotlu'r ei'a of speculation eanic
and was followed hy the panic of 1857.

In 1862, while the Civil War was in progress, Congress passed
a national banking law and at the same time decreed that issues
of notes by state banks should cease. Since that time the only
l)aper currency in this country has been issued by the national
banks, or by the Government itself, in the forai of gold or silver
certificates or ti-casury notes.

BANKS IN RACINE COUNTY

The Racine Argus .)f March 1(1, 1838, says: "Our Legisla-
ture at its last session passed a law incorporating a bank here
with a capital of $200,000." That is the first mention to be found
of a bank in Racine County, but it Avas never established. It is
said the project failed l)ecause the great panic of the year before
had rendered the peojyle cautious about making investments and
the stock could not be sold.

In ]\rark Miller's City Directory of 1850 apj^ears the advei--
tisement of an "Exchange, Banking and Collection Office" by
the firm of McCrea, BellcS; Ullman, located at 152 jMain Street.
The firm was composed of Augustus L. McCrea, William J. Bell
and Henry J. Ullman, none of whose names appear in the direc-
tory. Isaac J. Ullman is given as a merchant and James Ullman
as a clerk, both in business at 154 Main Street. In the adver-
tisement the firm gives as references banking firms in Boston,
New York and Philadelphia and announces "Sight drafts on New
York, Boston and Philadelphia at one per cent premium."

On February 1, 1853, the Bank of Racine was incorporated
l)y act of the Legislature and succeeded to the business estab-
lished by McCrea, Bell & Ullman. The authorized capital stock
was $50,000 and the following were the first officers: Henry J.
Ullman, president; Daniel Ullman, cashier. These two officers,
with George H. Carpenter, William W. Vaughan, Ernest Hnetf-
nei', Marshall M. Strong and S. C. Tuckerman, constituted the
first board of directors.

In 1859 the private banking house of Byron B. Northrop &
Co. was opened. On March 16, 1871, it was consolidated with
the Bank of Racine to fonn the Manufacturers National Bank,
which on that date was granted a charter by the comptroller of
the currency. Four days later the new bank opened in the old

234 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Baker House (now the Merchants Hotel), on the east side of
Main Street between Fourth and Fifth. On November 20, 1872,
the l)ank leased the building at the northwest corner of Main
and Fifth Streets of Vaughan & Williams, and in 1876 purchased
the property. The first officers of the Manufacturers National,
when it was organized in 1871, were: J. I. Case, president; E. J.
Hueffner, vice president; Byron B. Northrop, cashier. On the
board of directors were William C Allen, Robert H. Baker,
Lucius S. Blake, Henry T. Fuller, Edward McEnery, Thomas D.
Pitts, James R. Slauson, John Yaughan, Henry J. Ullman and
the officers above named. Mr. Case continued as pi-esident until
1891, when he was succeeded by M. B. Erskine.

The original capital stock of the Manufacturers National
Bank was $100,000, which has since been increased to $300,000.
A statement issued by the bank at the close of business on March
7, 1916, shows a capital stock of $300,000, surplus and undivided
profits of $258,194, and deposits of $2,928,778.03. The officers
of the bank at that time were as follows: Otis W. Johnson, presi-
dent; David H. Flett and William Van Arsdale, vice presidents;
E. W. Ra])ps, cashier; M. E. Erskine, assistant cashier.

The Racine Comity Bank was incorporated in Jamiary, 1854,
with a capital stock of $200,000; Reuben M. Norton, president;
Curtis Mann, vice president; George C. Northrop, cashier. Be-
sides these officers, the board of directors was composed of John
W. Cary, Nicholas D. Fi-att. Horatio B. Munroe, John Thomp-
son and L. W. Munroe. It began business on the corner of Fourth
and Main Streets.

On May 16, 1864, the stockholders of the Racine County Bank
voted to liquidate and reorganize undei- the national banking
laws. It was therefore reorganized as the First National Bank,
with the charter munber 457, and is therefore the oldest national
bank in the county. The first board of directors was composed
of John Thompson, John G. Conroe, Nelson Pendleton, W. H.
Lathrop, Darwin Andrews, Nicholas D. Fratt, William W.
A^aughan, W. II. Baker and Horatio B. Miuu-oe. During the fifty-
two years of its existence as a national bank the First National
has had but two presidents and four cashiers. Nicholas D. Fratt
was elected president in 1864 and served until 1909, when he
resigned and went to California, where his death occurred on
November 17, 1910. He was succeeded by Frank L. Mitchell,

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 235

who still holds the ixisition. Darwin Andrews was cashier from
1864 until his death in 1877. Horatio B. Munroe was then cashier
until his death in June, 1892, when George N. Pratt was elected.
In 1915 he was elected one of the vice presidents and A. F. Erick-
son was made cashier.

The original capital stock of the First National Bank was
$100,000. On November 5, .1892, it was increased to $150,()()0 and
in 1909 to $200,000 by a stock dividend of 33 1/3 per cent. From
1864 to 1880 the bank was located in the (juarters formerly occu-
pied by the Racine County Bank at the corner of Fourth and
Main Streets. Tn 1880 it removed to a new building just south
of the court house, facing east on Monument Square, and in 1913
this building was torn down to make way for the present hand-
some and commodious structure, into which the bank moved on
August 1, 1914.

A statement issued by the First National on May 1, 1916,
gives the capital stock as $200,000; surplus and undivided profits,
$198,066; deposits, $3,847,053.02. The officers of the bank then
were: Frank L. Mitchell, president; George N. Fratt and David
G. Janes, vice presidents; A. F. Erickson, cashier; E. D. Koster-
man and B. R. Jones, assistant cashiers.

The City Bank of Racine was incorporated in January, 1854,
with a capital stock of $50,000. Alexander McClurg was presi-
dent and James J. Ullman cashier. These two officers, with
William McConihe, constituted the board of directors. For a
time the bank was located at No. 151 Main Street, but later
moved into a new building on the corner of Main and Third
Streets. After several years of fairly successful business the
bank wound up its affairs and closed its doors.

In Decembei', 1856, the Conunercial Bank of Racine was in-
corporated with Henry S. Durand, president; J. W. Moore, cash-
ier; William C. Allen, George Wilkinson and Gordon Chapman,
with the president and cashier, composed the first board of direc-
tors. The authorized capital stock of this bank was $100,000. It
was located at No. 180 Main Street, but has long been out of
existence, having liquidated its business and closed. William
C. Allen was afterward one of the directors of the Manufacturers
National Bank.

The Union National Bank of Racine was incorporated under
the national banking laws in 1881, with a capital stock of $100,000,

236 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

whicli was subse(|U('iitly iiicrcased'to $150,000. Ainon^- the local
(capitalists interested in this l)ank were O. \V. Johnson, now presi-
dent of the Mannfaeturers National; Frank K. Bnll, of the J. I.
Case Threshing Machine Company; H. E. Redman, of the Mitchell-
Ijewis Wagon Company, and A. P. Starr, who was at one time
cashier. In 1900 the entire interests, good will and fixtures of
this hank were sold to the First National Bank.

In 1892 the' Commercial and Savings Bank of Racine was
organized mider the state laws, with a capital stock of $100,000,
and the following officers: L. S. Blake, president; Charles R.
Carpenter, cashiei-. Eight years later the bank rejiorted resources
of nearly $1,000,000 and deposits of $803,298. A handsome three-
story building was erected on the northeast corner of Fifth and
Main Streets and the bank continued to wear an air of prosperity
until S<'])teinbei' 17, 1914, when adverse circumstances compelled
it to close its doors. The state banking department sent a man
to wi)i<l u]) its affairs and he was still in charge on July 1, 191G.

The K*acine City Bank, located at Racine Junction, was or-
ganized in 1907. It has a capital stock of $;■)(),( )()(), surplus and
undivided pi-<itits of $16,000, and deposits of $430,000, accordhig
to the Bankei\s' Directory of March, 1916. W. C (Jittings is presi-
dent; F. W. G until er, vice president; and H. H. Bacon, cashier.

The P"'armers and Merchants Bank was organized in 1915.
Its capital stock is $50,000, and in March, 1916, it reported a sur-
plus of $5,000 and deposits of $50,000. John Wiechers is presi-
dent; L. J. Breylinger, vice president; and H. A. Diestler, cashier.

At this writing (July 1, 1916,) two new banks are in process
of organization in the City of Racine. They are the American
National and the American Trades and Savings banks. Arrange-
ments have been made for the latter to occupy the building for-
merly occupied b}^ the Commercial and Savings Bank and to
guai-uitee to the depositors of that institution the full amount
of their deposits.

RURAL BANKS

Outside (J' the Cit\- of Racine there were six banks in the
count}' on April 1, 191(5, to-wit: Two in Burlingtcm, two in Water-
foi'd, one in ITnion (irove and one in Corliss.

Tile tii'st rural baidv in the <'ounty was the Peo})le's State
Savings Hank at Burlington, which was organized about 1870
with an authorized capital stock of $50,000, of which only $15,000

HISTORY OF RACIXE COrXTV 237

was ()ai(l in. At'tci- a sdinewhat doubtful career for about six
years John Reynolds was appointed a receiver to wind up its
affairs.

The Bank of Burlington began business in 1871 and is now
one of the substantial tinancial concei-ns of the county. It occu-
pies a handsome three-story stone building on the northeast cor-
ner of Pine and Chestnut Streets, which was erected in 1909. In
March, 1916, it reported a capital stock of $75,000; surplus and
undivided profits, $25,000; deposits, $1,100,000. At that time
C. R. McCanna was president; L. H. Rohr. vice president; (i. A.
Uebele, cashier.

Diagonally across Pine and Chestnut Streets from the Bank
of Burlington is the JNleinhardt Bank, which was opened i:i 1891.
It has a capital stock of $25,000, a surplus fund of $50,000. and
deposits of $(J80,000. Albert Meinhardt is presideiit; Elisa Mein-
liardt, vice president; Eda Meinhardt, cashier.

The State Bank of Union Grove was organized in 1870, about
the time the People's Bank of Burlington opened for business,
but its history is quite different from that of its contenipoi'ary.
For more than forty-five years it has been conducted along con-
servative lines and it now is one of the best country banks in the
county. The officers in March, 1916, were: J. E. Hamilton, presi-
dent; C. E. Mueller, vice president; H. C. Wilke, cashier. The
cai)ital stock is $35,000; the surplus and undivided profits, $8,000;
and the deposits, $200,000.

In 1903 the State Bank of Waterford commenced business
with a capital stock of $10,000. In March, 1916, it reported a
surplus fund of $6,500 and deposits amounting to $185,000. At
that time John T. Rice was president; Kldward Malone, vice presi-
dent; William Sanders, cashier.

Noll's Bank, at Waterford, began business in 1907. It has
a capital stock of $25,000, a surplus of $3,000, and deposits of
$305,000. L. Noll is president; Charles H. Noll, \nce president,
and Louis L. Noll, cashier.

The Corliss State Bank, the youngest bank in the county,
was organized in 1914 with a capital stock of $12,000; Henry
Harmon, president; C. O. Frisbie, vice president; Louis Krad-
well, cashier. The officers were the same on April 1, 1916, when
the deposits amounted to $25,000.

If bank deposits are an index to a community's prosperity,

238 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

IvaciiK" ('(Aiiity has cause for connratulation. The total deposits
of the l)anks amount to nearly $11,()()(),00U, or almost $200 for each
man, woman and child, if the money could be so distributed. Not
majiy counties can show a better average.

AGRICULTURE

The manufacturing industries and commercial interests are
treated in another chapter of this work. But the business which
represents the greatest investment of capital, produces the larg-
est proportion of the wealth, and has contributed the most to the
county's prosperity and financial standing, is that of agriculture.
From the small clearing in the timber or the sod cornfield of the
latter '30s, the agricultural interests have been developed until
practically every acre of farm land has been brought under cul-
tivation or is utilized for pasture. Resorting once more to sta-
tistics to show the progress in this resjiect, the following tables
have been compiled from the United States census reports for
1910:

FIELD CROPS

Acres Bushels

Corn 28,489 1,114,944

Oats 22,613 881,379

Wheat 631 13,789

Barley 5,157 ' 167,945

Rye 878 16,788

Potatoes 3,347 354,416

Total 61,115 2,549,261

The above table includes only the inincipal crops. There
was a small crop of buckwheat raised, and upon the inunerous
"truck" farms were produced large quantities of small fruits,
vegetables, etc., that found a ready market in the cities of Racine,
Milwaukee and Chicago. Of the Avheat crop, 122 acres were so^v^l
to winter wheat and the remainder was of the spring wheat
variety.

HAY AND FORAGE

Acres Tons

Timothy hay 17,867 24,316

Timothy and clover 9,769 13,888

Clover 1.255 2,011

Alfalfa 1,467 4,418

Wild grasses 9,794 11,640

All other forage 5,509 14,523

Total 45,661 80,796

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 239

Of the severity-one counties in the state, Racine stood fif-
teenth in the production of corn, thirty-sixth in oats, forty-third
in barley, thirtieth in potatoes and thirty-third in hay, though its
wheat crop was below the average. Upon the whole, area con-
sidered, Racine has no cause for complaint over her showdng.

LIVE STOCK

Number Value

Hogs 21,449 $ 189,722

Cattle 27,992 941,730

Horses 8,670 982,347

Mules 26 2,830

Sheep 9,856 39,031

Poultry 154,310 89,884

Total value $2,145,544

Estimating the value of the field crojis, the products of the
truck farms aod orchards, at the average prices that prevailed
for the year, and including the value of live stock, dairy products,
etc.. the farmers of Rar-ine county produced in 1910 in the neigh-
borhood of $8,0UU,U0U, while the farm lauds, improvements and
personal property represent a iDermanent investment of more
than $30,000,000. According to the census report, the number
of farms in the county in 1910 was 2,203. These were divided into
classes as follows :

Under 10 acres 122

10 to 19 acres 178

20 to 49 acres 416

50 to 99 acres 671

100 to 174 acres 573

175 to 259 acres 186

260 to 499 acres 53

500 acres or over 4

Total 2,203

Of these famis 1,695 were operated l)y the owmers, 489 by
tenants and 19 by managers. The total number of acres of farm
land was 199,412, of which 147,369 acres were under cultivation
and 52,043 acres were in woodland and pasture. With his large
investment in Iniid, improvements, implements and machinery,
and his industrial ar-tivity. the farmer is a factor that must be
considered in any account of the financial progress of Racine
County. A large portion of the bank deposits is held by the farm-
ers. And the farmer of today is a different type of man from the

240 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

farmer of 1835, when the first settlers came to Racine Comity.
He no longer tills his land blindly as he did before the establish-
ment of agricultural colleges and farmers' institutes, which have
brought scientific information concerning agriculture to his very
door. Highways have been improved, which gives him better
access to the markets. The introduction of the telephone and
the establishment of the rural mail route have brought him in
closer touch with the outside world. He has his daily paper de-
livered to him at his home. If he needs supplies he telephones
his order and the parcels post does the rest. All these agencies
working together have metamorphosed the farmer from the
"rube" of former years into an educated man. The County of
Racine has established an agricultural school and experimental
farm for the farmers of the future, and district agricultural fairs
are held in the rural schools throughout the county. Manufac-
turing and banking concerns flourish largely because of the
farmer's prosperity. He is a potentate because he feeds the
world, and it is certain that for some years to come "com is king"
in Racine County.

l*hoto furnished liy Billin^^s

J. I. CASE
Pioneer of Racine.

CHAPTER XIII

COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURING

P^IRST MANUFACTURING — J. I. CASE THRESHING MACHINE CO.— J. I. CASE
PLOW WORKS — HORLICK'S MALTED MILK CO. — MITCHELL-LEWIS
MOTOR CO. — RACINE WOOLEN MILLS CO. — S. FREEMAN & SONS —
J. MILLER CO. — T. DRIVER & SONS — RACINE IRON & WIRE WORKS —
S. C. JOHNSON & SON — HIGGINS SPRING & AXLE CO. — RACINE TRUNK
CO. — CHICAGO RUBBER CLOTHING CO. — GOLD MEDAL CAMP FURNI-
TURE MANUFACTURING CO. — F. J. GREEN ENGINEERING WORKS —
RACINE PAPER GOODS CO. — AMERICAN SEATING CO. — AMERICAN
SKEIN & FOUNDRY CO. — RACINE SHOE MANUFACTURING CO. —
ARNOLD ELECTRIC CO. — RACINE MANUFACTURING CO. — RACINE
RUBBER CO. — WALLIS TRACTOR CO. — RACINE MALLEABLE &
WROUGHT IRON CO. — LAKESIDE MALLEABLE CASTINGS CO. — HART-
MAN TRUNK CO. — INDUSTRIES OF 1879 — MANUFACTURERS OF 1910 —
OTHER RACINE COUNTY INDUSTRIES — INCUBATOR COMPANIES —
BELLE CITY MALLEABLE IRON CO. — BELLE CITY BASKET CO. —
HAMILTON-BEACH CO. — HILKER-WIECHERS CO. — EISENDRATH TAN-
NING CO. — BELLE CITY MANUFACTURING CO. — M. M. SECOR TRUNK
CO. — GEORGE GORTON MACHINE CO. — F. W. GUNTHER CO. — ALUMI-
NUM SHOES.

FIRST MANUFACTURING

Probably the first concern in Kacine which conld properly
be called a manufacturinii; estal)lishinent was the saw mill at the
Rapids, constructed by See & McKenzie in the year 1835. In the
same year, also, Capt. Gilbert Knapp, the founder of Racine, and
Barker & Hub})ard built another saw mill. In 1844 J. B. Wilson
and C. C. Burgess established the pioneer foundry and in the fol-
Idwing year Russell Skinner constructed a plant for iron work-
ing. These manufactories would seem pitifully small were they
to be viewed in comparison with the many concerns of mammoth
pi'o]»ortions now operating in the city of Racine. They were suf-
ticicntly large, however, for the care of the business of the day
and were, no (l(iul)t. considered notable improvements eighty
years ago.

The increase in transportation facilities marked the inaugu-
ratidu of great growth in manufacturing. When the settlers first
came to the coiuitry now embraced in Racine County their com-
modities and tlicii- materials for manufacturing had to be carried
to the settlement either by stage, wagon or by })oat. The former
metliod was very expensive and consequently a luxury which
was uncommon. Schooners frequently stopped off the port of

242 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Racine, whore ]3assengors and diverse cargoes were unloaded
upon yawls or "lighters" and drawn to the shore; the absence
of a harbor in the early years prevented the ships i'nmi coming
close to land. Lvunber was more often dumped into the water
and floated to the shore. The coming of the railroad obviated
many of these difficulties and prospective manufacturers, hitherto
skeptical of the locality, were encouraged to come to Racine.
Jerome I. Case, after building his first machine in a kitchen at
Rochestei', Wisconsin, came to Racine and erected his first shop
in 1849. The ^litchell & Lewis Comj^any, by the late Ilonry
Mitchell, established a wagon factory in 1855; Fish Brothers'
wagon factory was located here in 1862; Racine Woolen Mill in
1865; S. Freeman & Sons Manufacturing Company in 1867; J. I.
Case Plow Works in 1876; Racine Hardware Manufacturing
Company in 1874, and the Racine Wagon & Carriage Comjiany
in 1877; and so on, until at the present time there has been added
factory after factory until the City of Racine ranks as one of the
largest and most important manufacturing centers of the Middle
We^st.

The figures compiled by the Industrial Commission of Wis-
consin, in co-ordination with the United States Census of 1910
give some interesting statistics U])on the manufacturing in Racine.
By this account there were 142 estalilishments in the city; capi-
tal invested, $36,326,0()<).()0; cost of mat(>rials used, $11,512,000.00;
salaries and wages, $7,169,000.00; miscellaneous expenses, $3,728,-
000.00; value of product, $24,673,000.00; value added hy manu-
facture (product less cost of materials), $13,161,000.00; number
of salaried officials and clerks, 1,892; average number of wage
earners employed during the year, 8,381. These figures represent
an increase of 299^' from the year 1904 until 1910, and can be
taken as a pi-oper ratio of the increase from 1910 until 191(5.

The railroads which enter and leave the City of Racine oper-
ate under their own management ncai'ly 15.000 miles of tracks,
and by traffic arrangements with other roads i-each more than
12.000 stations. Freight rates are on a par with other large
cities of the Middle West. Switch tracks are laid in every ])art
of the city and daily complete trains of manufactured goods,
including Ihi'eshing machines, steam engines, wagons, plows,
boilers, fanning mills, trunks, boats, launches and autcmiobiles
are sent in everv dii'cction. Not only do the railroads care for

a
o

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 243

these large shipments, but several steamship lines, operating on
the Great Lakes, carry large cargoes to other markets and dis-
ti'ibuting centers.

In a list of manufactured articles compiled by the Racine
Club are the following products which are made here in the city:
Plows, shoes, boots, tents, tools, leathei-, art glass, automobiles,
show cases, dental supplies, sash, doors, blinds, veneers, baskets,
pulleys, pumps, tanks, hangars, blank books, agricultural imple-
ments, automobile tops, tires, bodies, wheels, chasses, accessories,
cushicms, cement building blocks, artificial stone, threshing ma-
chines, rubber clothing, traveling bags, buggy tops, gravel roof-
ing, cotton goods, paper boxes, steam launches, saddlery hard-
wai'c, {dated goods, camp furniture, electrical goods, wood stain,
wire works, metal stamped goods, rubber stamp»s, store and office
fixtures, letter presses, alarms, vibrators, pop, beer, soap, cakes,
rugs, flour, brick, shirts, skirts, trunks, cari)ets, boilers, engines,
wagons, buggies, desks, seats, lumber, harness, tinware, patent
medicine, malted milk, shirt waists, incubators, carriages, springs,
axles, piano stools, duet benches, overalls, japanned ware, skeins,
hardwood floors, brass goods, gray iron castings, wrought ii'on,
malleable iron, bar iron, wind mills, separators, cigars, moiui-
ments, ice cream, brooms, bits, snaps, anvils, jack screws, steel
warehouse trucks, trucks, steel wagon hardware, brooders, bank
and church fixtures, harrows, cultivators, fajming mills, corn
harvesters, haying tools, whififletrees, neck yoke irons, hand coi'n
planters, feed cutters, seed sowers, hay loaders, parquetry floors,
floor stain, hat pins, curry combs, steel shoes, third seats, pencil
sharpeners, floor cleaners, health coffee, potato planters, potato
diggers, road rollers, hay balers, hay knives, coat hangers, gas
engine castings, motorcycle cylinders, automobile engine cylin-
ders, crank cases, and puttyless windows. It is probable that
many other commodities could be added to this already imposing
list, but the above is sufficient to give the reader an idea of the
varied and important articles manufactured in Racine.

J. Sewell Mather, in the booklet called "Greater Racine,"
comments: "Cities are like men. They are either strong, weak
or indiffei'ent. They will either manifest constructive ability
with varying degrees of success or else lead a shiftless or inactive
existence. They will either round out their own possibilities, or
else drift with the stream of time. Just as men mav be endowed

244 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

with physical stroiiutli and intellectual gifts, so cities may be
.surroniided with natural advantages. Just as men may bring
their gifts of mind to the highest plane of useful activity, so
cities may realize their advantages in the largest possible man-
ner. The character and importance of a city can, in a large meas-
ure, be judged by the good streets, handsome business blocks,
large factdi'ies. tine churches, well eciuipped school houses, and
comfortable homes which it possesses. In these exterior mani-
festations, the discei'ning stranger \\ill read the progress of the
l)eople — their enterprise, energy and industry. Racine de-
sei'ves to be designated as a metropolis of the progressive type.
Its people have availed themselves of the natural advantages
with which the city is so richly endowed and have built a large,
thrifty and metropolitan city."

J. I. CASE THRESHING MACHINE COMPANY

Jerome I. Case, the founder of this company, was one of the
pinmH'r settlers of Racine (\)unty. He was l)orn December 11,
1818, in Williamstown, Oswego Comity, New York, of English
parentage. In the spring of 1842 he purchased six small thresh-
ing machines cm credit and brought them to the West, lie dis-
posed of five of his machines and ke])t one for his own purposes
and (Minvenience. In the spring of 1843 he found that his machine
was becoming worn out and he set to work to reconstruct it,
emliodying in the woi'k some of his own ideas as to its improve-
ment. His finished product proved to be better than he could
purchase in the East. Thus he laid the foundations for the larg-
est manufacturing concern of its kind in the world. It is told
that he made his first model in a kitchen at Rochester, Wiscon-
sin. Shortly afterward Mr. Case occupied a small shop in the
Village of Racine and undertook the manufacture of a limited
mnnber of his machines. His business constantly grew and in
1849 he erected his first shop, near the site of the present factory.
It was a biick building, in dimensions 30 by 80 feet and three
stories in height. He continued to build up the trade and to make
nioi'c machines initil 18G3, when the increased size of his estab-
lishment warranted the organization of the J. I. Case & Company,
fonning a partnership with Messrs. Stephen Bull, R. H. Baker
and i\I. B. Erskine. From that time forward the trade steadily
expanded. "The year 1897 proved to be the beginning of a new

OFFICES OF .1. I. CASE THRESHING MACHINE COMPANY, RACINE

bi^^"

■=-m.

VIEW ON MAIN STREET, RACINE, SHOWING THE I'OSTOKFICE AND HOTEL R.\CINE

HISTORY OF RA( INE COl NTV 245

epoch in the history of the eompany. The process of develop-
iiieiit was gradual, keeping pace with tlie world's onward march
of i)rogress. In 1880 the copartnership organized in 1803 was dis-
solved, the name being changed to the J. 1. Case Threshing Ma-
chine Company and was so incorporated. In 1897, to meet mod-
ern conditions, an entire change in the management of the com-
pany was effected, yonnger men, many of whom had been trained
for years in the modern school of business, assuming active
coiiti'ol of the management of its aifairs. The wisdom and wise
l)usiness policy of the new management, who assumed control at
this time, is evidenced by the fact that in the nine years prior to
liiOG (when the article was written) the output of the Case product
had exceeded the combined output of more than half a century
I»rior to that time."

Along with the development of the concern many new types
of machines have been invented, including the Case traction
engine, while the improvements made iipon the Case threshing
machine result in threshing out the grain at the rate of from
4.000 to 6,000 bushels per day, which machine not only gets all
the grain, but weighs, measures and places it in wagons. The
time required for the sowing, reaping and threshing of a bushel
of wheat had declined from thirty-two to two minutes.

The factory at Racine covers about sixty acres of ground,
and more space is constantly being acquired and new buildings
constructed. The administration building was begun in 1902
and finished in 1904, the cost, including equipment, being about
$200,000.00.

The officers of the company in 1916 are: Frank K. Bull,
chairman of the board; Warren J, Davis, president and treas-
urer; E. J. Gittins, vice-president; M. H. Pettit, vice-president:
William F. Sawyer, secretary; Stephen Bull, assistant secretary;
C. J. Farney, assistant treasiirer; R. P. Howell, assistant treas-
urer. The directors, all elected to serve one year, are: Frank
K. Bull, Warren J. Davis, E. J. Gittins, Stephen Bull, Francis
E. Hine, M. H. Pettit, A. O. Choate, W. E. Black, Frederick Rob-
inson, William F. Sawyer and C. J. Farney. The company has
a general sales manager and four district sales managers, whose
headquarters are at the general offices in Racine. It has eighty
branch houses, all under the direct management of the home
office, sixty-six in the United States, scattered over thirtv states.

246 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

seven in Canada, one in Mexico, four in South America, and two
in Europe, where the products of the company are on exliibition
and where it carries a stock for quick delivery, repair parts,
extras and supplies, the branch house managers being on salary
and giving their entire time and attention to the business. Each
year the general representatives of the company meet at the
home office for a conference. This meeting sup]dies the oppor-
tunity for a thorougii discussion of the business methods to be
employed in the business and advice is given to the many travel-
ing salesmen in the various territories. Fully 6,000 agencies are
handled by this remarkable system.

The company sells and manufactures all-steel grain-thresh-
ing machines for threshing wheat, oats, barley, rye, buckwheat,
clover, rice, seeds, etc.; steam traction engines from 30 to 130
horsepower, farm steam engines, gas tractors, steam road rollers,
rock crushers, ensilage cutters, farm gas engines, steam-lift gang
plows, road sprinklers and automobiles. The company also sells
road rooters, dump wagons, spreading machines, road graders,
corn shellers and wheelbarrows. This company is the only organ-
ization in the entire world manufacturing all-steel threshers. Its
gas tractor has already assumed the same connnanding i^osition
among its competitors which has ))een occupied l)y the Case steam
tractor for so many years. At a recent poAver plowing contest
ill connection with the exposition at Winnipeg the Case steam
and gas tractors won nine out a possible ten gold medals against
all competitors, the steam tractor scoring the highest number of
points in all classes. Its limited line of automobiles has been
profitable to the company and is a valuable addition to its gen
cral lines.

All the property and assets of the business are owned directly
by the company; it has no subsidiary companies, except the Com-
pagnie Case de France. The book value of the company's real
estate, buildings, machinery, equipment, rolling stock, furniture,
etc., is $9,680,1 68.00, based on an appraisement of Racine prop-
erties made in 1907 by Coats & Rurchard, appraisers, of Chicago.
The book value of its patents, designs, devices, etc., is $1,026,-
118.29, as of December 31, 1913. The main plant at Racine is
situated on navigable water, having the advantage of both rail
and lake transportation of raw materials and the distribution of
finished products. The main ]>lant occupies about forty acres of

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 247

ji^i'oimd and has more than forty acros of floor space; it is well
equipped and modern in every way. It has an annual capacity
of 4,000 to 4,500 threshers, 2,500 steam engines, 200 road rollers,
2,000 gas tractors, 300 com shredders, 500 hay balers, and 1,100
road making machines. The company owns, in addition to the
main plant, a tract of land comprising 100 acres just outside the
City of Racine, upon which during 1912 and 1913 additional
buildings have been constructed. The branch house properties
have an appraised value of about $2,600,000.00. During the year
1913 a total of $1,923,000.00 was spent toward the erection of
the new plant above mentioned and in additions and improve-
ments to the main works and motor works.

For the purpose of testing chemically all the raw materials
which enter the Case plant the chemical and physical laboratoiy
was installed some years ago. The following materials are tested
chemically: Pig iron, steel, copper, zinc, lead, paints, oils, tin,
aluminum, babbitt metal, coal, coke, clay, asbestos, etc. A sat-
isfactory test on various materials can only be obtained by means
of a physical test, and in such case the chemical test is not used.
Leather belting is an example of this, where the physical test
shows the tensile strength of not less than 700 pounds per inch
of width, which is all that is necessary. In the physical test are
machines for testing breaking strain, shrinkage, chill and frac-
ture of cast iron and steel; also for determining the tensile
strength of wire, leather, twine, paper, cotton duck and cloth.
Babbitt and other bearing metals are tested on a friction machine,
which records the friction, rise of tem]>(M-ature or heating jires-
sure, wear, revolutions and distance traveled. There are other
appliances for testing the hardness of steel, cast iron and brass.

The total number of the company's employes nnis from 3,000
to 4,000. An Employes' Benefit Association was organized on
January 1, 1909, the membership being confined to the employes
of the company at Racine. The membership is voluntary.

At the main plant a hospital is maintained, where a surgi'on
and trained nurses are in attendance at all times and where free
medical and surgical treatment are given to employes. At the
same time the ])olicy of "Safety First" is rigidly observed.

Reference may be made to Volume II of this work for fur-
ther details of the Case Company.

248 HISTOKN' OF RAfIXE COUXTY

J. I. CASE PLOW WORKS

Tlic J. I. Case Plow Works v^vvw from a small, obscure black-
smith slio]) in the rear of a fainiiiiii,- mill factory and now occupies
over twenty acres of space. The business was organized in 1876
by ,1. I. Tasc under the name of the Case-Whiting Company, his
])ni-tnei', Mr. Whiting, being the inventor of the center walking
plow. Two years later iMr. Whiting sold his interest in the con-
cern and the name was changed to the J. I. Case Plow Company,
which remained the firm style until 1884, when the business was
I'eoi'ganized, the capital increased and the name changed to the
J. I. Case Plow Works. In 1890 J. T. Case withdrew from the
Inisiness and his sou, Jackson T. Case, succeeded him as presi-
dent of the company and held that ofifice for two years. Tn 1892.
however, H. M. Wallis, who became general manager of the busi-
n(>ss in 1885, was made treasurer and president, and he is still
serving as chief executive of the corporation. The other officers
are: William Sobey, vice-president; L. N. Burns, secretary and
sales manager, and William ^1. La Venture, treasurer. The com-
]iany is now one of the largest independent implement concerns
in the world and its products are sold all over the United States,
through the Dominion and in other foreign countries. The com-
pany employs about ()<>() men. all of them skilled mechanics, and
there is a system of rigid ins])ection which begins when the raw
material is brought into the factory and which is completed when
the finished tool is ])ronounced worthy of the "Plow in Hand""
trade mark.

One of the most important depai'tments of the company is
the experimental department, in which exjx'rt mechanical engi-
neers are constantly seeking to design more efficient farm machin-
ery. A 300-acre farm south of Racine is maintained, upon which
ex'ei-y new tyi)e of farm machine is tried out thoroughly before
i1 is permitted to go on to the market. If a machine fails to do
eflicientl>- the work foi' which it was designed it is returned to
the factory, where the defects ai'c corrected and it is then tested
and I'c-tested until it gives absolute satisfaction.

The factory buildings are up-to-date in construction and are
protected by a modern si)rinkler system. The machinery is pro-
tected so that there is a mininuim of danger to the employes.

HISTORY ()!• RACINE COUNTY 249

HORLICK MALTED MILK COMPANY

One of tile most popularly known industries in the United
States is that of the Horliek Malted Milk Company of Racine.
The company was organized in 1875 and was incorporated in
1878 as the Horlick Food Conijiany by William and James llor-
lick, brothers, who established their plant in the outskirts of
Kacine. in Mount Ple;!sant Townshi]). They began to mainifact-
ni'e a product known as Ilorlick's Food, which was a prepai'cd
food for infants, invalids and the aged, and which was to lie
mixed with conunon milk. ''Their sales at that time covered onl.v
Chicago and vicinity. William Horlick, however, realized the
great disadvantage for all foods for infants that required the
addition of fresh milk, owing to the difficulty of obtaining good
milk and keeping it fresh. He thei'efore began experimenting
with the intention of producing a pure food product con-
taining an adequate proportion of })ure. rich milk — a food
that would be complete in itself, that would keep indefinitely
in any climate and would be free from all the dangers aris-
ing from the use of milk that is impure, adulterated, laden
with disease gei'ms or in any way rendered unfit for use.
Moi'eover, he desired that this food should be not only safe, but
very nourishing and easily digested by the most delicate infant
or invalid, while it should contain at the same time all the ele-
ments of nutrition. In carrying on the work of experimentation
Mr. Horlick met with many disappointments and leading chem-
ists claimed that it was both a chenucal and mechanical impossi-
bility to perfect such a food, advising him to abandon the idea.
He did not relinquish his set purpose, however, and in 1887 he
])roduced for the first time in the world's history a dried milk,
combined with an extract of malted barley and wheat, that would
keep indefinitely. The value of such a product was at once
apparent and the business grew 1)y leaps and bounds. New build-
ings of reinforced concrete were added from time to time and
today the plant of the Horlick Company covers an area of fifteen
acres. In 1902 Plant No. 2 was built, being a duplicate of Plant
No. 1, and in 1905 Plant No. 3 came into existence. Since then
all the old Ituildings have been rebuilt in concrete and steel, the
sanitary conditions, ventilation and space being the principal
features of the plant. Tn 1915 the company erected a new milk
house, which is one of the largest in the country. About 350

250 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

people are employed in the factory. A. J. Horlick owns person-
ally several farms npon which are several hundred head of cows
and he also buys milk from 150 fanners.

The process employed in the manufacture of the food con-
sists in boiling the milk in a vacuum, which enables them to boil
it without heating above 140 degrees, for milk cooks at 156 de-
grees. This results in removing all water without cooking. The
company has a plant at Slough, England, equal to the No. 2 plant
of Racine and supplies from that point Europe, Africa and a part
of India. The product today covers the entire world, shipments
leaving for all quarters of the globe every week. Every Arctic
('X])lorer for the past twenty years has carried a supply of Hor-
lick 's ^Malted Milk in powdered form, for it supplies more nutri-
tion to the bulk than any other food and people have lived fifteen
years with no other food. It is a standard food with the armies
of the world.

In 1889 James Horlick went to New York, where he estab-
lished a branch, and in 1890 opened the English branch, where
he has since been in charge. He is the president of the company.
William Horlick has charge of the home plant and has always
lived in Racine. He is the secretary and treasurer of the com-
pany, and has two sons actively engaged in the business with him,
A. J. as vice-president, and William, Jr., as assistant manager.
In 1906 the name was changed to the Horlick's Malted Milk
Company .

MITCHELL-LEWIS MOTOR COMPANY

The ]\Iitchell-Lewis Motor Company was established under
its present fonn in 190.3 by W. T. and W. M. Lewis, who began
the manufacture of automobiles, using the motor invented by
.John W. Bate. Long prior to this the name of Lewis had figured
in connection with manufacturing interests in Racine. In 1854
Henry Mitchell, a ]iioneer wagon mamifacturer, established his
business here and later was joined in partnership by his son-in-
law, W. T. Lewis, who purchased an interest in the business in
1864. They were maiuifacturers of farm wagons and after the
})artnership had been in existence for two years the firm style
of Mitchell, Lewis & Company was assumed. Although the com-
pany suffered losses through a disastrous fire which completely
(histroyed their fact<n'y in 1880 they at once rebuilt on a larger

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 251

and better scale and the business was resumed with renewed
energy. In 1884 the company was incorporated with Henry
i\[itchell as president, W. T. Lewis as vice-president; Frank L.
Mitchell, secretary; C. 1). Sinclair, treasurer, and Henry G.
Mitchell, superintendent. With changing conditions there devel-
oped the automobile industry and the Lewis Motor Company
sprang into existence. The manufacture of wagons was contin-
ued and in 1910 the two companies were merged and consolidated
under the style of the Mitchell-Lewis Motor Company. Today
they have a plant covering twenty-five or thirty acres and over
2,000 men are employed. The buildings are of cement construc-
tion, supplied with a sprinkler system and equipped with electric
power furnished from a central plant.

RACINE WOOLEN MILLS COMPANY

The Racine Woolen Mills Company was organized to take
over a business that was founded in 1863 by L. S. Blake and
John S. Hart and was conducted under the name of Blake &
Company at Bridge and Ontario Streets. They started business
I in a small scale in a little building. In 1877 the business was
incorporated with L. S. Blake as the president, John S. Hart
as treasurer, James J. Elliott and A. W. Tillapaugh as stock-
holders and dii'ectors. Afterward the business was incorporated
under the name of the Racine Woolen Mills, Blake & Company
as i)roprietors. The company originally made shawls and blan-
kets, and in later years made cloth foi- clothing. Today their
output includes Indian blankets which are sold throughout the
couutiy. The factory covered 4.5,000 square feet of floor space
and at one time about 150 people were employed. Mr. Blake
remained as president of the company until his death in 1894,
when he was succeeded by L. J. Elliott, who continued in the
office until 1911. In 1912 the business was reorganized with
Sands M. Hart as president; H. H. Hart, treasurer, and John
S. Hart, secretary. With the death of Sands M. Hart in 1915
H. H. Hart became the president, with John S. Hart as secre-
tary and treasurer. Owing to a combination of circumstances,
the Racine Woolen Mills Company has suspended business re-
cently and closed down the plant.

252 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

^. FREEMAN & SONS MANUFACTURING COMPANY

The S. Freeman & Sons Manufacturing Company was estab-
iislicd ill 1S()7 by S. Freeman, who in a small way began manu-
factui-iiig and rei^airing boilers. A few months later he entered
into i)artnership witli William E. Davis and opened a small
machine sho]). In 18(58 they admitted John R. Davies to the
partnership, at which time iNfr. Davies was operating a foundry
ill tlic old Star Mills, located where the William Pugh coal yards
are now situated. At that time the firm style of Davies, Free-
man & Davis Machine Shop & Foundry was assumed, but after
a lu'ief existence the new undertaking faced failure. Tn the fall
of 1869 Mr. Freeman again established a l)usiness on Bridge
Street, where he opened a machine shop and foundry and con-
ducted a small Ixiiler shop. ITe be<'ame engaged in the manufact-
ui'e of gray iron castings in c(mnection with his other work. In
1871 the firm of J. I. Case & Company began the manufacture of
boilers and engines for threshing machines and Mr. Freeman
took a contract to build the boilers. He continued this through-
<iut his remaining days. In the uiachine shop he also began
the manufacture of a fanning mill patented I)y (!. F. Clark
and gradually he added other implements until the (uititut
now includes a large line of fai'm imphnneuts and machin-
ery Fn 18S() the business was incoi'iiorated inider the name
of S. Freeman & Sons Manufacturing Company, with S. Fi'ee-
iiian as the president; Charles Freeman as the secretary,
and Michael N. Freeman as treasurer. Their first factory was
on Bridge Street, near the plant of the Case Company, and in
1894 they built a boiler plant at th(> foot of Reichert Court,
facing Ilainilton Street on the north. In 1895 the entii'e ])laiit
was removed to the ]»resent location, where the coni])any has
six acres of land. The l>uildings cover three acres. The boiler
shop is of brick and steel construction and is sup])Iied with a
spi'inkler system. The company has its own electric plant; also
a hydraulic and pneuiiiatic |)ower system. They employ 300
men, mostly skilled labor. They manufactui'e boilers, both power
aiul lieating, of the tubulai' type; also boilers internally fired and
of the water tube ty]")e. Their product includes all kinds of steel
pipe, smoke slacks, ensilage cutters and carriers, coi-n shellers.
steel windiiiills and towei's, fanning mills and broadcast seeders.

.Til"' ^ M i 1 1 1 ■ r

Mi»Pi~ yTm |r ltrn •»;( | --iT" i '., i r"; i 1-ri - jSmBmrntm ■ ^-»1

iTijTiTnt! r

RACINE WOOLEN MILLS AND FOURTH STREET BRIDGE IN THE 'COs

The mill was destroyed by fire Christmas niirht. IS70. The bridse was replaced Ijy an iron britige
about IK70.

H1SI'()R^■ OF racinp: corxTY 253

J, MILLER COMPANY

ffosepli iMilliT, tlic fdUiidcr of tliis l)iisiii('ss, entered Ujjoii
nil apprenticeship with the firm of McDonald & Roby, shoemal?-
ers. in tlie spring of 1848, mastered the trade, and was afterward
iiKuh' foreman. In 1857 he purchased the business of his former
('iu]iloyers. TTis busin(>SR continued to develo]) until January 5.
18GG, when he suffered heavy losses through a disastrous fire.
He resumed operation on a small scale. In 1872 Mr. Millei- de-
cided to devote his entire attention to the manufacturing business
and sold his interest in the store. In 1875 he admitted Charles
'P. Schweitzer and Rush S. Adams to a ]>ai'tnershi]i under the firm
name of J. Miller ic ("^ompany. In 1875 All'. Miller and his asso-
ciates moved the firm to Dubuque, Iowa, but Racine capitalists,
on hearing of this, offered him a building and grounds for his
factory at the corner of Fourth Street and Lake Avenue if he
would return. He returned on the provision that he should be
able to buy the property, which he did several years later.
Larger quarters were soon obtained at the corner of Third Street
and Lake Avenue. Again heavy losses were suffered by fire in
1882 when the greater part of Racine was swept by flames. How-
ever, he succeeded in getting a new start and erected a larger
manufacturing plant under the name of the J. Miller Conqiany.
It was in 1882 that the business was incorporated under that
name with Joseph Miller as president; 0. T. Schweitzer, vice-
president; Frank J. Millei', treasurer; Heiu'v C Miller, superin-
tendent; CJeorge W. Miller, secretary, and Joseph F'. Miller,
bookkeeper. The business constantly developed until 375 opera-
fives were employed in the plant.

T. DRIVER & SONS

T. Driver & Sons Manufacturing Company is one of the old
established industrial c(tiiceriis of Racine. The business of sash
and door manufacturing was begun in 1867 by Thomas Driver.
At that time he bought out Lucas Bradley, who had established
the business in the '40s and was then located at Sixth and Camj)-
bell Streets. After Mr. Driver took possession the plant was
destroyed by fire on January 17, 1870. Mr. Driver rebuilt his
luill at 212 East Second, now State, Street. In 1896 the company
again suffered a loss by fire and as quickly it was rebuilt.

After purchasing the business from Lucas Bradley Mr.

254 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Driver cdiitiiiiied alone for a few years, but in 1875 was joined
by a son, at which time the business was reorganized under the
firm name of Thomas Driver & Son. Still later a further reor-
ganization occurred and the firm name of Thomas Driver & Sons
^lanufacturing Comi)any was assvmied, three other sons, Andrew,
Ohai'les and S. M. having joined the firm. The business was in-
eori)orated in 1884. The father continued at the head of the
business until his death, when J. C. Driver was made president,
with John M. Driver as secretary and treasurer, and S. M. Driver,
sui)erintendent. There was no further change among the officers
until June, 1915, when S. M. Driver bought out the interests of
his brothers and is now president of the company.

The plant consists of two buildings. They manufacture a
full line of sash, doors, stairs, cupboards, etc. From fifty to sixty
men are employed.

RACINE IRON & WIRE WORKS

This is another of the oldest manufacturing plants of the
City of Racine. The ])usiness was organized and established in
1870 by Charles fJoehner and after a number of years a corpora-
tion was formed which bought out Mr. Goehner in April, 1906,
(i. L. Buck being elected president and treasurer of the company,
with J. P. Hochgurtel as vice-president and Charles W. Peck
as secretary. In 1879 the business was known as the Racine Wire
Cloth Works.

The plant occupies a building 129 by 45 feet, of three stories,
of mill construction, and modern in every respect. The company
manufactures chemical fire extinguishers, weaves brass and
copper cloth, makes wire and iron rails and fences, wire protec-
tions for machinery, also various household specialties. From
forty to fifty men are carried on the ])ayroll.

S. C. JOHNSON & SON

Under the name of S. (\ -Johnson & Son is carried on one of
the most important manufacturing enterprises in Racine. The
business was established in 1882 by S. C. Johnson, who began
the manufacture of hardwood flooring. Gradually the trade was
developed along another line and the company now specializes
in the ]>roduction of wood finishes, one of the principal ])roducts
being Johnson's Prepared Wax, which is sold through jol)bers

Photo furnished by Billings

W. T. LEWIS

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 255

over the entire world. Today the company has its own offices
in Ijondon, England, and Sydney, Australia. Two hundred peo-
ple are employed regularly in the Racine plant. The buildings
are of modern construction, equipped with automatic machinery
and sprinkler system. This is the largest cstalilishment of the
kind in the world, the output being 5,000,0U0 pounds of wax
each year.

HIGGINS SPRING & AXLE COMPANY

This company is the successor of the Anstcd & Higgins Spring
Company, which was established in 1884 by Michael Higgins and
E. W. Ansted. Their plant was located at Racine Jimction and
thei'e they began the manufacture of springs, putting upon the
market a product which found immediate favor, as indicated by
the rapid growth of the business. This led to the establishment
of a branch plant at Connorsville, Indiana, which was aftenvard
taken over by Mr. Ansted and the partnership was then dissolved,
^Ir. Higgins remaining in charge of the Racine establishment.
The com]:)any was incorjiorated under its present form in 1892,
with i\lrs. ^lary Higgins as the president, James Higgins as sec-
retary, and Michael Higgins, treasurer. They are engaged in the
manufacture of springs and axles and the output is sold all over
the United States. Employment is given to about 180 people
on the average and the plant covers about a half 1)lock. The
Iniildings and machinery are of the latest type.

RACINE TRUNK COMPANY

This company was organized April 1, 1885, by J. F., H. C.
and H. O. Wadewitz, together with A. B. Augustine. The busi-
ness was carried on under the firm organization until 1895, when
it was incorporated with J. F. Wadewitz as president; T. C.
Wadewitz, vice-president, and Herman O. Wadewitz, secretary
and treasurer. No change has occurred since, except that ]\Iiss
M. A. Wadewitz has succeeded T. C. Wadewitz in the vice-presi-
dency, the latter having sold out in 1901. The business was
begun with a force of three or fovu" workmen and the factory
established at 1007 Superior Street in a building 40 by 80 feet.
Since that time four l)uildings have been added, all of modern
construction. The plant is operated with steam power and they
manufacture trunks, traveling bags and wood novelties of all

256 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

kinds. Al)uut sixty employes are kept on the payroll. The busi
noss is clone entirely throut^h dealers.

CHICAGO RUBBER CLOTHING COMPANY

The Chicago Knbher Clothing Company was established in
December, 1886, by Mr. and Mrs. Laughton, who brought the
works here from Chicago. Mr. Laughton died in 1893 and the
business management then fell to ]\Irs. Laughtcm. This plant
now, located at the corner of Albert Street, the Northwestern
tracks and Forest Avenue, controls the second largest establish-
ment of this kind in the United States. The company has four
acres of ground space, its buildings covering two acres. These
structures are of the latest pattern. About 200 people are em-
ployed, 50% of them men. T\ul)ber raincoats are manufactured.

GOLD MEDAL CAMP FURNITURE MANUFACTURING COMPANY

The (iold ]\ledal Cam}) Furniture Manufacturing Company
had its inception in a l)usiness started by R. B. Lang in 1890 and
incorporated in 1892, the first officers being: R. B. Lang, presi-
dent; W. G. Gittings, vice-president; J. C Teall, secretary. This
fonipany manufactures all kinds of camp furniture and outing
outfits, although at the beginning the output consisted of only
a few articles, among which was the Gold Medal cot invented
by Mr. Latour. About 1894 they removed to their present loca-
tion from their old quarters on Thirteenth Street. They now
occupy about two entire blocks, which includes the lumber yard.
Their buildings are of modern construction and supplied with
the lat(;st types of machinery. Two hundred people are em-
ployed. The Gold Medal cot has been adopted as the standard
by the United States army and navy, also a chair bathtub and
stool used by the medical de])artment of the LTnited States army.
The company supplies the National Guard with cots. The pres-
ent officers of the corporation are: C. C. Gittings, president;
K. E. Bailey, vice-president; W. C. Gittings. secretary, and Ward
Gittings, treasiirer.

F. J. GREEN ENGINEERING WORKS

This plant has been in existence since 1892, when the busi-
ness was estal)lish('(l by Fred and Geoi'ge Hodges under the firm
style of Hodges & Son. In 1894 F. J. Green purchased an interest
in the business and about 1902 he bought out George Hodges

Photo furnished by Billings

HENRY MITCHELL

llISroRN- OK RAC'INK COrXTN' 257

and the firm style df Tlodges & Green was assumed. That rela-
tion continued until 1904, when Mr. (ii-een bought out Fred
Hodges, and sinee that time the firm lias been the F. J. Green
Manufacturing Works. The phmt is located at the corner of
Douglas and Prospect Streets and the property is 215 by 220
feet in dimensions; the three-story buildings are all of mill con-
struction, with sjirinkler system. About sixty men are employed.
They manufacture s]K'cial machinery for structural iron work,
also general job work and repairing, plating, stamping and screw
machines.

RACINE PAPER GOODS COMPANY

This company was (»rganized in 1894 by Lucius J. Elliott,
Byron B. Blake. KMchard T. Robinson and O. L. Parmenter. This
pai'tnership coiicei'u was located at 612 Wisconsin Street. They
manufacture ])aper cigar pockets patented by O. L. Parmenter.
The company was incorporated in 1902 with L. J. Elliott as
president; R. T. Robinson, vice-president, and O. L. Parmenter,
secretary and treasurer. The company also manufactures pack-
ages for putting uj) silk, candy, chocolates and silverware. The
product is sold all over the \vorld. Seventy-five employes are
maintained in the Racine factory, another factory is operated
also at Toronto, Canada. They have their own printing plant
and use machinery invented by Mr. Parmenter.

AMERICAN SEATING COMPANY

The American Seating Company of Racine Avas incorporated
imder the laws of New Jersey in 1899 as the American School
Fm-niture Comjjany, but the name was changed to the American
Seating Company in 1906. In the former year they took over the
plant of the Thomas Kane & Company at Racine, that company
having been organized in 1894 by Thomas Kane and his l)usiness
associates. Prior to that date the business had been carried on
under the name of the Racine Hardware Manufacturing Com-
pany. It w^as instituted and organized about 1876 by F. H. Hear.,
Thomas Kane, E. G. Din-ant and I. C. Clapp of Kenosha. Tliis
company failed in 1893, but the business was reorganized in 1894
under the finn style of Thomas Kane & Company. Three hun-
dred people are employed by this factory, most of them skilled.
The buildings are of mill construction. The output of the plant
includes school furniture and veneer opera chairs. Tliis was the

258 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

first ('()ni]»;uiy in Kacine to cstaiilisli the Saturday half lioliday.

AMERICAN SKEIN & FOUNDRY COMPANY

This l)usiiiess was established in 1900 under the name of the
Kacine Steel & Iron Works, but was reori;anized under the pres-
ent firm name in 1904. The business was originated by G. N.
Prentice and others, while the present officers are: Walter F.
Walker, president; W. B. ]\litcliell, secretary and treasurer. The
])lant is located at Twenty-third and Racine Streets and covers
five acres. The buildings are modern in construction. About
170 people are employed in the plant, most of which is skilled
labor. The output is sold all over the United States.

RACINE SHOE MANUFACTURING COMPANY

The Racine Shoe ]\Ianufacturing Company was organized in
1902 with Sands M. Hart as president; L. J. Elliott, secretary and
treasurer, and Fred C. Goff, general manager. The plant of the
company was located originally at the corner of Wisconsin and
Seventh Streets, but with the demand for larger quarters a re-
moval was made in 1906 to 1?.20 Clark Street. In 1914 Mr. Goff
was elected president of the company and in 1916 Jens Jensen
liecame president, with Fred C. Goff as secretary and treasurer,
and L. J. Elliott, vice-president. The plant includes 35,000
square feet of floor space, occupying a building three stories in
height. They manufacture a special line of men's Goodyear
welt shoes and the product is sold in this country and in many
foreign lands. Aliout 200 workmen are employed by this com-
pany, most of which is skilled labor.

ARNOLD ELECTRIC COMPANY

The Arnold Electric Company was organized April 19, 1904,
as the United States Standard Electrical Works Company and
business was started in a small way on the fourth floor of the
Secor Building in Racine, in one room. They manufactured elec-
trical devices under the trade name of Arnold. This company
was the flrst to place upon the market the small type of vacuum
cleaners f(ii- household use and they were also the originators of
the ])ortable massage vibrators, electric hair dryers, electric
di'ink mixers, washing machines, electric signs and phonograph
motors. They manufacture small power motors for various uses.

On November 20, 1914, the name was changed to the Arnold

HISTORY OF RACINE COl'NTY 259

Elcctrif Company and the capital st.ick to $100,000.00. Fii 1907
the business was moved to a small building known as the Collier
Building, at Washington Avenue and the Northwestern tracks.
Tn 1909 an entire city block was purchased, upon which a three-
story building was constructed, giving them 50,000 square feet
(if tloor si»ace. They have their own tool making department and
employ about 100 people, most of whom are skilled workers. The
officers are: George C. Schmitz, president and manager, and J. A.
Schmitz, secretary and treasurer.

RACINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY

The business now conducted under the above name was or-
ganized al)out 1910 under the present fonn, but was established
about 1902 under the name of the Racine Novelty Company by
George W. Jagers. The business was conducted until December,
1909, when the plant was destroyed by fire, and in 1910 the com-
pany was reorganized with George W. Jagers, F. K. Bull and
Fred F. Blandin as the incorporators. Since that time several
changes in ownership have occurred. The plant, located at Sixth
and I\Iead Streets, is devoted to the manufacture of automobile
bodies, which are sold over the whole United States. The
factory contains over 500,000 square feet of working space and
there are three four-story buildings, all modern in construction.
Fully 900 employes are maintained and the plant is continually
worked at full capacity. Many of the leading automobile factories
of the country use the bodies put out at this plant.

RACINE RUBBER COMPANY

The Racine Rubber Company was organized INIarch 12, 1910,
its first officers being: C. F. U. Kelley, president; Frank L.
Mitchell, vice-president; Stuart Webster, treasurer, and J. H.
Dwight, secretary. The work of building the factory commenced
on June 6, 1910, and was completed April 1, 1911, since which
time further additions have been made, until now the plant cov-
ers three and one-half acres. The buildings are of modern con-
struction and three stories in height. The output of the plant
includes automobile, bicycle and motorcycle tires. The "Racine
Tire" has become famous and the production of the plant now
runs about 1,300 tires per day. From 800 to 1,000 people are
employed by this firm.

260 HISIORY Ol- RACINE C-Ql'NTV

WALLIS TRACTOR COMPANY

The Wallis Tractor Conii)aiiy was organized about 1912, with
H. IM. Wallis as president and treasurer; H. M. Wallis, Jr., sec-
retary, and O. P. Conger as director. The company manufactures
fai'iii and road tractors and eini)loys 200 ]K'ople. The factory
was at one time located in ('leveland, Ohio.

RACINE MALLEABLE & WROUGHT IRON COMPANY

The business of this establishment was started in 1870, when
Jens Jensen turned out work for various wagon companies. The
c(mipany was incorporated in 1883 as the Jensen Manufacturing
Company and in 1886 the interests of Mr. Jensen were purchased
and the name changed to the above caption. The immense shops
of the company were located at the corner of Milwaukee Avenue
and Prospect Streets until July 13, 1898, when the main struc-
tures were destroyed by fire. Not long afterward a site was
purchased at Lakeside, south of the city. Here an extensive
factory was built. About 300 people are employed at this plant.

LAKESIDE MALLEABLE CASTINGS COMPANY

This large industry, now em])loying al)out 250 men, was
started in 1899. The product of the company has a sale over the
whole United States. An entire block of land is covered by the
factory buildings, which are of the latest construction and ade-
quately protected. The first officers of this plant were: William
Tlorlick, ]U'esident; David (i. Janes, secretary and treasurer, and
Walter A. Driver, manager.

THE HARTMAN TRUNK COMPANY

Of all the products of Racine's many factories, perhaps no
one bears more universal popularity or is better known than the
Hartman trunks. The brand of trunks manufactured by this
company bears a reputation of durability and convenience un-
surpassed. The Hartman Trunk Comi)any was incorporated in
1889, with a capital stock of $200,000.00. The present officers
of the concern ai'c: Joseph S. Hartman, president; Henry S.
Hartman, vice-president; Sam J. Hartman, treasurer, and Hugo.
Hartman, secretary. About 190 ineii ai'c <'m])loyed by this com-
])any.

INCUBATOR COMPANIES

There have been and are several incubator companies located

WILLIAM SEE'S SAW-MILL

Built at the Rapids in the spring of 1S35. Dislodged by flood of 1S64 and floated down the river to
the George Wustum Farm.

HIST()R\' OF' RACIXK COINTV 261

ill the City of Racine. The Belk; City Iiienbator Company is one,
of tlie largest of this number, employing upon an average about
loO men, and is devoted solely to the manufacture of incubators,
wliich are sold over the entire country and abroad. Other com-
])anies are: The Kommon Sense Incubator Company, the Na-
tional Incubator Comjiany, the Progressive Incubator Company,
and the Iron Clad Incubator Company. The last named is the
yoiuigest of the group, having been incorporated in the year
1916, with a capital stock of $60,000.00. The Wisconsin Incu-
bator Company was also capitalized in 1910. Th(mias J. Collier
is president of both of the latter companies.

BELLE CITY MALLEABLE IRON COMPANY

This manufacturing instituti(m is devoted to the making of
various iron products; it is a large, complete and extensive iron
foundry employing upwards of 400 men. The Belle City Mal-
leable Iron Company was incorporated in the year 1892 with a
(•ai)ital stock of $500,000.00. J. A. Chapman is the president;
J. II. Dwight, vice-])resident and general manager; C. S. Ander-
son, secretary and treasurer. The plant is located at 1500 Ke-
waunee Street.

BELLE CITY BASKET COMPANY

The Belle City Basket Company, located at St. Patrick Street
and the Northwestern tracks, while not one of the largest manu-
factories of Racine, is distinctive. This plant manufactures
baskets of all descriptions. The average payroll comprises about
fifty men. The plant itself is modern and equipped with the latest
style machinery for the Avork.

HAMILTON-BEACH MANUFACTURING COMPANY

The Hamilton-Beach Manufacturing Company is one of the
largest mamifacturers of electrical specialties in Racine. About
seventy-five men are employed. This company was incorporated
in 1910, with $16,000.00 capital stock. F. J. "Osius is the presi-
dent; M. Osius, vice-president; Albert .1. Druse, secretary and
treasurer. The plant is located at Rapids Drive and the North-
western Railway tracks.

HILKER-WIECHERS COMPANY

The Ililker-Wiechers Manufacturing Company employs 350
men in the production of workingmen's clothing. The plant of

262 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

this large company is located at 1232 Mound Avenue. The com-
pany was incorporated in 1899 witli a capital stock of $10,000.00.
This amount has subsequently been increased. The following-
are the officers: William Hilker, president; William F. Hilker,
vice-president; John Wiechers, secretary and treasurer. The
equipment of the ])lant is modern and adapted to efficiency and
quality of production.

B. D. EISENDRATH TANNING COMPANY

This large concern, lucated on West Sixth Street, and with
an average payroll of 125, had a small beginning in the early
'90s, but has in later years grown to its present proportions. The
company was incorporated under the laws of the state in 1897
and at that time carried a capital stock of $100,000.00. Jacob
Sehnadig is the president of the company, S. Haas the vice-presi-
dent, and D. B. Eisendrath the superintendent.

BELLE CITY MANUFACTURING COMPANY

This is one of the oldest manufactm'ing concerns in Racine,
having been established in the late '70s. The company was in-
corporated as early as 1882 and was capitalized recently for $300,-
000.00. The plant is devoted almost exclusively to the manu-
facture of agricultural implements of all kinds and about 175
men are given employment throughout the year. The officers of
the company are: John Reid, Jr., president; John H. Jones, vice-
president; Walter J. Tostevin, secretary; Milton M. Jones, treas-
urei". The factory is located at Seventeenth Street and Junction
Avenue.

M. M. SECOR TRUNK COMPANY

The l)usiness of this concern was started by Martin M. Secor,
a native of Bohemia, who came to Racine in 1852. He gained
prominence here as mayoi- of the city and also as one of the
largest trunk manufactui-ers in the country. The company was
incorporated in 1888. Over 100 men are employed by the com-
pany at the plant, which is located at 401 Lake Avenue. The
officers at present are as follows: A. T. Perkins, president and
treasurer; Mrs. F. E. Secor, vice-president; Charles Kristerius,
seci-etary. M. M. Secor, the founder of the business, died in
Racine on January 5, 1911.

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HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 263

GEORGE GORTON MACHINE COMPANY

While not among the larger concerns of Racine in point of
the number of men employed, this company has gained national
reputation owing to the quality of the Gorton prodiicts, the in-
ventions of George Gorton. Milling machines are the staple
product and they are of luiexcelled quality. About fifty men are
employed at the plant located at 1107 Thirteenth Street. The
company was made into a corporation in 1895, with a capital
stock of $50,000.00. The present force of officers includes:
George Gorton, president and treasurer, and S. (lorton, vice-
president.

p. W. GUNTHER COMPANY

This company represents an industry distinctive to the local-
ity. This is the canning of sauer kraut and other staple special-
ties. The tremendous yield of cabbage in this part of Wisconsin
has made the l)usiness possible and the sauer kraut industry has
grown to large proportions. About fifty men are employed by
the Gunther Company. The jjlant is located at 1715 Asylum
Avenue.

ALUMINUM SHOES

The manufacture of steel and alumiinmi shoes is another
of Racine's prominent industries. The Overland Shoe Company,
tlic Racine Aluminum Shoe Company and the Steel Shoe Com-
pany are representative of this work here. From twenty-five to
sixty men are employed by these factories. The Fiebrich-Fox-
Hilker Company and the Monarch Shoe Company are both large
concerns manufacturing shoes for workiugmen. Over 150 men
are employed l)y the former.

INDUSTRIES OF 1879

In the year 1879 the factory was the feature of Racine. There
were many of them and it was estimated that over $7,000,000.00
in ca]>ital was invested.

The principal establishment was the J. I. Case & Company.
Then came Fish Brothers & Company, manufacturers of every
variety of farm, freight, plantation, quarry and header wagons,
together with a full line of phaetons, trotting Iniggies, road
wagons and spring wagons of every descri])tion. This institu-
tion had been started in the fall of 1862 under the firm name
of Fish & Bull. The Racine Wagon & Carriage Company, which

264 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

liad been iiicoiiMiratcd in 1877, was tbt'ii building up a business,
also tlio Hello City Novelty Carriage Works, which had been
established in 1874. The J. I. Case Plow Company had been in
operation about three years. The Seaman Chilled Plow Company
was just erecting its factory plant. The Racine Silver Plate (\mi-
pany, manufacturers of gold and silver plated ware, Britannia
ware, cutlery, etc., bad been iii('oi'])orated in 1875 and were doing
a creditable Inisiness. Henry W. Wright was manufactui'ing
sash, doors, blinds, mouldings, fanning mills, etc. He erected a
factory in 1872. Thomas Driver & Son were making the same
articles as Mr. Wright on State Street, close to the Western Union
Depot. Mobn & Stecbei''s planing mill was started in 1876. The
Racine Woolen Mills, which had been started in 1865, were run-
ning at the corner of Bridge and Ontario Streets. Gunther &
Son were making post-hole angers. The Racine Cotton Batting
Mill, William Baumann, proprietor, established in 1871, was
located on Douglas Avenue. The Racine Twine & Cordage Woi-ks
was located on Chestnut Street and covered three acres of ground.
The Racine Basket Manufacturing Comi)any, which had been
opened in 18()9 by Elliott & Wetherell, was then doing a growing
business. The Belle City Soap Factory, a small concern, was
situated on Chippecotton Street. The Racine Wire Cloth Works,
formerly Charles Coebner's Wire Works, established in 1869,
Avere mamifacturiiii; on Suix-rior Street, north of State. The
Nortln\'estern Trunk & Traveling Bag Manufactory had been
started by M. M. Secor as a harness business in 1861. In 1877
the lirm was styled M. M. Secor & Company, Joseph and Anthony
Hayek having l)een admitted. The Racine Linseed Oil Works
were started in 1872 by Emerson & Company and were doing
business. The Racine Pumi) Factory, Winship Brothers, which
had been started in 1864, were rumiing at the corner of State and
St. Clair Streets. Jens .lensen was manufacturing wagon hard-
ware and malleable iron. Hodges and Mutter were making
wooden cisterns and tanks. The Racine Hardware Manufactur-
ing Comi)any were in operation at Racine Junction. Hurlburt
& ('ompany commenced the manufacture of a patent lock for
wagon ))rakes in 1870, and were then manufacturing several types
of locks. The Vinegar & Pickle Factory, George Bucher, was
eslablished in 18()7. Thr Racine Iron Works, S. Freeman & Son,

HISTORY OI" RACIXK CorNTV 265

had shops located on Bridj^e Street. F. EckJiardt was a piano
inanufaetiirer on Sixth Street.

The fanniiit;- mills were represented by the firms of Blake-
Beebe Company, Haeine Agricultiu-al Fonndry & Machine Works,
Daniel Bull. E." P. Dickey, T. & N. Altrin^ei-, "llu.uhes & Williams,
Tostevin & Le Ray, Johnson & Field, and ir^'reeman & h]vans.

The breweries were those of Fred Heck, the City Brewery,
the Star Brewery, the North Side Brewery and W. H. Weber.

There were two flouring mills, those of P. A. Herzog- and
J. H. Roberts, called the Racine Star ]\Iills, and the State Street
Mill, Peter Zirbes and Lambert Weiss, proprietors.

J. Miller & Company were engaged in the manufacture of
shoes; also Anthony (i. Pcil and the L. W. Phillu'ook & Company.

The tanneries were ojjerated by F. Platz & Son, Bevier &
Reid. Jacob Kawelti, A. JNIadson, j\Iai'k Nelson and L. W. Phil-
l)rook & Company.

J. A. Horlick & Sons and William Beswick were lime manu-
facturers.

Among the brick manufacturers were: Meidinger & Com-
pany, Morris Brothers and Burdick Brothers. The lumber yards
at this time were <jperated b,y Daniel Slauson, George Farns-
worth, Durand & Hill, Isaac Taylor, N. Pendleton and R. Canfield.

MANUFACTURERS OF 1910

The United States census of 1910 gives among the more im-
portant manufactures of Racine the following, with the number
of men employed in each: E. H. Adams & Son, hardware special-
ties, 10; Advance iManufacturing Company, hardware specialties,
25; Charles Alshuler Manufacturing Company, clothing, 325;
American Seating Comijany, 200; American Skein & Foundry
Company, 200; Art Furniture Manufacturing Company, 6; Badger
Manufacturing Company, 100; Badger Foundry Company, 20;
Beffel Manufacturing Company, 10; Belle City Basket Company,
42; Belle City Incubator Company, 55; Belle City Malleable Iron
Company, 450; Belle City Manufacturing Company, 150; Belle
City Skirt Company, 25; R. R. Birdsall, 30; A. C. Bye Company,
12; Brannum Lumber Company, 20; Broecker Paper Box Com-
pany, 20; Carroll Coal Company, 25; Chicago Rubber Clothing
Company, 110; Chalmers & Company, iron foundry, 10; Case Broth-
ers, 10; J. I. Case Plow Works, 600; J. I. Case Threshing Machine

266 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Conipany, 2,000; John Bean i\ranufa('turing Company, 10; Thomas
Driver & Sons, 40; Domestic Manufacturing Company, 20; B. D.
Eiseudrath Tanning Company, 100; Fiebrich-Fox-Hilker Shoe
Company, 200; Flegel Manufacturing & Plating Works, 15; Pos-
ter & Williams Manufacturing Company, 50; Freeman & Son
Mamifacturing Company, 300; George B. Freeman Manufactur-
ing Company, 20; Gold ^ledal Camp Furniture Company, 100;
F. J. Green Engineering Works; Grey Manufacturing Company,
soap, 10; F. W. (iunther Company, sauer kraut, 40; Hartman
Trunk Company, 190; Hamilton -Beach Manufactiiring Company,
100; Harvey Forging Company, 30; Higgins Spring & Axle Com-
pany, 150; llilker-Wiechers Manufacturing Company, 350;
Holbrook-Armstrong Iron Company, 90; Horlick's Malted Milk
Company, 500; Imperial Bit & Snap Company, 45; S. C. Johnson
& Son, 165; Johnson & Field ]\Ianufacturing Company, 30; J. H.
& F. R. Kelley, 30; Kelley-Racine Lmnber Company, 400; Kranz
Broom Factory, 20; Lakeside Malleable Castings Company, 250;
Lang Manufacturing Company, 20; N. R. Lindorff, art glass
works, 20; J. Miller Comjjany, shoe manufacturers, 275; Mitchell-
Lewis Motor Car Com])any, 2,400; ^litchell-Lewis Company,
wagon manufacturers, (iOO; McCrum-Howell Company, 200;
Progress INIanufacturing Company, 15; Pierce Motor Company,
500; Racine Auto Top Company, 35; Racine Brass & Iron Com-
pany, 90; Racine Economy Spring Compau}', 25; Racine Engine
& Machinery Company, 50; Racine General Manufacturing Com-
pany, 20; Racine Foundry Company, 50; Racine Heel Protector
Company, 55; Racine Iron & Wire Works, 20; Racine Malleable
& Wrought Iron Company, 275; Racine Manufacturing Company,
hardware specialties, 500; Racine Paper Goods Company, 60;
Racine Shoe Manufacturing Comi)any, 135; Racine Steel Casting
Company, 50; Racine Trunk Comj)any, 50; Racine Woolen IMills,
100; Racine-Sattley Company, 500; Secor, M. M., Trunk Company,
900; Dr. Shoop Laboratories, Inc., 75; Standard Electric Works,
100; Wisconsin Incubator Company, 100; Steel Shoe Company.
60; Weber-Baheman Company, 60; E. C. Tecktouius Manufactur-
ing (\»mpany, 12.

Since this time there have been added many other industrial
concerns to Racine's imposing list of manufactures, among them
being: The Racine Electric Company, American Mangle &
Roller Comi^any, Racine Tool & Machine Company, Racine Trav-

BURNING OF RACINE BOAT COMPANY'S PLANT

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 267

eling Bag Coinpniiy, Kar-ine Pnttyless Window Company, Racine
Auto Tire Company, Racine Carriage Company, Racine Hosiery
Company, Perfex Radiator Company, Levine Gear Company,
Ajax Auta Parts Company, Christensen Silo Company, Common
Sense Trunk Company, George Gorton Machine Company, E. R.
Harding (\im])any, Hilker Brothers Brick Manufactory, Ironclad
1 iicubator Company, Jorgenson-Clausen-Krogh Company.

OTHER RACINE COUNTY INDUSTRIES

Manufactni'ing in the Town of Burlington had its inception
in 1836, when Moses Smith and Sanniel Vaughan erected a saw-
mill and attached to it a mill for grinding wheat. This was the
start of the later stone mill. A large trade was done early in the
career of this mill with Scotland and Germany. A Mr. Perkins
erected a woolen mill in 1843 on the bank of Fox River. In the
year 1852 Jacol) Muth erected a large brewery. It was a frame
i)uilding and cost $2,500.00. He ran it until 1872, when he tore
it down and built a lirick and stone malt-house, which he operated
until 1877, when he sold out to the People's State Bank. This
lu'ewery, with many additions and modern improvements, is now
the Finke-Uhen Brewing Company. The old wooden mills are
now engaged in the manufacture of horse blankets exclusively.
The Wisconsin Condensed Milk Company is a leading factory of
IJui'lington, with B. and Charles R. McCanna as the officers. Here
there are also a l)rass foundry, a brick and tile works, vending
machine factory and several smaller mills.

At the former Town of Western Union, the Brown Corliss
I*]ngine Company of Milwaukee erected a large factory in 1901.
Julius Wechselberg was president of this company and W. S
Whiting, seci-etary. The name of the town was at that time
changed to Corliss. Three days after the survey the plat was
filed in the office of the register of deeds. However, for many
reasons, the undertaking at Corliss was not a success and a re-
currence of revei'ses caused the company to abandon the plant.

RACINE HARBOR IN THE 'TOs
View I'l'um tup uf Krit- Street Hil), showing Kt'ain elevator erected in IStlT aiiii destroyeti by tire in 1HS2.

CHAPTER XIV

TRANSPORTATION

Ill all new st'ttlcmciits in this country the first thiiii; to he
(lone after the pioneer had put up his crude log cabin and ])lanted
a patch of ground with a little corn and potatoes, was to mai'k out
and construct a roadway to his neighbor's, if he was lucky enough
to have one, and then, with that neighbor and others, build a
temporary road to the nearest market town. For he must have
])rovisions for himself and family and a place to market the pro-
ductions of his farm in the new settlement. This may be said
to l)e the beginning of transportation facilities in this great
country. As has been clearly presented by the late Judge Dyer,
all the land within the limits of Racine was left by Nature cov-
ered with a dense forest. The lowland just west of the river and
bordering it was covered with maple trees in 1837, and converted
into a sugar camp. It was the abiding place of deer and prairie
wolves. These and other obstacles were but a part of the diffi-
culties overcome by the frontiersman, and amidst them he built
ills home, cleared and cultivated his farm, built highways and
blazed the trail over which thousands of hardy men and women
traveled to the new country and made this county and city what
they are today, among the richest and most prosperous localities
in the State of Wisconsin.

A class of people settled in Racine County that was frugal,
industrious and possessed of heaven-born talent for getting
somewhere. This ])e()j)le prospered, taking from the rich lands
bounteous annual crops. Others ai)plied their time and talents
ill fashioning the raw material furnished by the husbandman,
liunbei-man, miner, and the like, into various useful articles for
the markets, and to get them there the roads, and the rivers and
the lake, were utilized. Soon came the railroad t(. com])ete with
that great natural highway. Lake Michigan, and for a time it

270 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

was a struggle. But eventually the steam horse on his steel-laid
road won out.

RAILROADS

The Racine, Janesvillc & ^lississii^pi was the first railroad in
Racine; it was finished to Burlington in 1855, and the settlers in
that village organized a celeliration of the event and the mayor
and other officers of the City of Racine were invited guests on
that occasion. George Wustum was Racine's chief executive at
that time and he and others made speeches felicitating the citi-
zens of Burlington on the completion of the road to that place.

In those days it was the Racine, Janesville & Mississippi
Railroad, then the Racine & Mississippi, later the Western Union,
and still later the Southwestern Division of the Chicago, Milwau-
kee & St. Paul System. About the year 1855 the railroad com-
pany established at Racine extensive car and machine shops,
which were located north of the tracks, between Campbell and
Howe Streets. Hundreds of freight cars and dozens of passenger
coaches were made there, also some locomotives. It should also
be stated that the car and engine repair work for the railroad
was done in these shops and a large crew of men was employed.
General offices for the road were opened in Racine, in the old
McClurg Building, now the Secor Block, corner of Main and
Third Streets. But when the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul
Railway Company purchased the property the general offices
were transferi-ed to Milwaukee.

When railroading was in its infancy in Racine the engines
all were w^ood burners, with big, flaring smokestacks, and it re-
quired a tremendous lot of w(»od to snp]ily all the locomotives on
the road with fuel. Racine being a terminal point, a large supply
of wood was always kept on hand here, and a wood-yard, contain-
ing thousands of coi'ds of hardwood of all kinds was located on
the south side of the river, on the ground occupied by a warehouse
of the J. I. Case Threshing Machine Company. The wood piles
were invariably eight feet high and the yard was a great stamp-
ing gi'ound for the ])oys of the neighborhood. They learned to
select a sli])pci-y chn stick by looking at the end and when a good
stick was located it was gotten out and stri]i])ed of its bark, even
if it became necessary to throw the whole i)ile down to get at it.
There were sometimes from fifty to one hundred of these piles
of wood, each of which was several hundred feet in length.

PRESENT DAY HARBOR VIEW
View taken in May, 1915.

Lake Shdrt- Railroatl Trestle bi;i t in . ^..4 to carry the railroad now the C. & N. W. In 1S75-6 the
trestle was filled in with earth and an iron bridge erected over the river. In 1910 the bridge and fill wei*e
double-tracked and the present structure erected.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 271

Switc'hiiij,^ ill the yards of the iviiliMad cdinpany was done
by horse power, and it is remembered that .John Cary, who after-
wards became ehief of jjolice, did the switchinu; with his own
tcaiii, one ear at a time. It is not reeaUed just how hnig this
[iriniitive method of switching ears was employed, but it was
for a time adopted. The locomotives in use were not very power-
ful, or at least they seem not to have been, as one recalls them
and malvcs a comparison with one of the leviathans of the present
day, and they used frequently to get stalled in trying to pull ten
()!• a dozen cars of comparatively small dimensions up the grade
to the Junction, in which case they would be obliged to back
down, get up a good head of steam, and try it again. Sometimes
it was necessary to split the train into small sections in order to
negotiate this grade. But, to give the old "bulljines" their due,
it is matter for mention that the line between Racine and Corliss
— then and until quite recently known as Western Union Junc-
tion — was a rough one on which to ride and when a train was
enroute to the Mississippi River it would be compelled to stop
a half dozen times to take on wood.

PASSENGER AND FREIGHT DEPOTS

The Racine & Mississippi Railroad depot at the foot of IMain
Street, long since replaced by another, was built about 1855, and
was used for the accommodation of passengers and the receipt
I if freight. Its site is "made land," likewise all of the land north
of Second Street to the river channel.

It was during the year 1854 that the first locomotive for the
road was landed at the railroad dock from a lake steamer and
transferred to the tracks of the company. This was a small
engine, called "The Tiger,' which was joined the same day by
another, the "Beloit," which came over the tracks of the North-
western. A small round-house, to shelter these monsters (?) of
iron and wood, was erected just west of the old station near the
dock at the end of Wisconsin Street.

An old tannery, which stood on the east bank of the river,
about where the line of State Street now is, was purchased by
the railroad company when it got the right of way, and was util-
ized for some time as a car shop, where several flat cars were built
for transporting rails and other railroad materials, which arrived
at the railroad dock bv wav of the lake.

272 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

The depot l)uilt by this coiupauy at the foot of Wisconsin
Street in 1854 was used for general purposes for some time. The
site on which it stands is also "made land." At the time of the
first settlement of Kacine, the hill that follows the bank of the
river, from the end of Park Avenue northward, was well covered
with a growth of timber, mostly cedar, and maintained its height
of about thirty feet all the way to Second Street and swung
around at about that point to the lake shore, to the east side of
Chatham Street, and continued south.

THE CHICAGO & NORTHWESTERN

One of the greatest systems of railroads in this or any other
coinitry is the Chicago & Northwestern, which by one name and
another came into possession of roads building in the early '50s
and, in 1855, adopted its present corporate title. In 1853 the
(ireen Bay, Milwaukee & Chicago Railroad Company was char-
tered to build a road from Milwaukee to the state line of Illinois,
to connect with a road from Chicago, called the Chicago & Mil-
waul^ee Road. Both lines were completed in 1855 and run in
connection until I860, when they Avere consolidated under the
name of the "Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad Company." To
prevent its falling into the hands of the Milwaulvce & St. Paul,
the Chicago & Northwestern secured it by perpetual lease. May
2, 186(j, and it is now operated as its Chicago Division. So that it
was but a short time after the Racine & Mississippi Road was run-
ning its trains in and out of Racine until the Chicago & North-
western was doing likewise. The road enters the county on
Section 1, Caledonia Townshi]), and running along the lake leaves
it at Section thirty-one, Mount Pleasant 'I'ownship. The }>assen-
ger and freight traffic on this road is inunense and to go into
details would be confusing — and interesting to but a few. Suffice
it to mciilion that about twent_v trains for passengers alone go
each way in and out of Racine daily, and the service, both through
and local, cannot be surpassed. A handsome and modern depot
stands on West State Stre(^t and extends to the next sti'cct on
the south.

The Chicago iS: Milwaukee Electric h'ailway, which has been
in existence a munber of years, runs eighteen i)assenger trains
from Racine to Evanston daily, there connecting with the Chi-
cago' ti'ains on the elevated railroad, and the same service is <riven

CHICAGO. iMILWAUKEE AND ST. PAUL DEPOT. RACINE

CHICAGO AND NORTHWESTERN RAILWAY STATION. RACINE

HISTORY' OF RACIXF, COl'STY 27.S

fi'diii K'aciiic t<i .Milwaukee. The M ilwaukee-Racmc-Kenosha
Hleetrie Road runs passenger trains from Haeine to Milwaukee
every lioui' and from Racine to Keuoslia there are twenty trains
a (lay. Many trains cm the Milwaukee enter and depart from
Racine daily, for points in ahnost every direction, and in all the
passenger trains leaving Racine daily total about one hundred
and foi-ty.

MARINE HISTORY

Before the da\-s of railroads and the natural thoroughfares
wei'c in the making, Root River and its outlet — Lake Michigan
— were of vastly more importance to the industrial and commer-
cial interests of this comnnniity than the present generation can
I'ealize. When the pioneers came, Root River looked good to
them and its possibilities were a great inducement for them to
remain. A fine stream with an entrance to the lake that made
foi' a desirable harbor, it presented to the future builders of this
splendid manufacturing city all that Nature could do in giving
to mankind a roadway to the markets of the world.

Vessels i)lying on Lake Michigan touched at this ])ort as
soon as the settlement was established and a few houses were in
evidence, Mrs. T). H. Flett, in her very valuable monograph on
"Land-marks and Early History" of Racine states: "A. G.
Knight came to Racine in 1836, walking all the way from Chi-
cago. His family came later in a sailing vessel. On account of
the sailors' fear of the Indians, they refused to bring their yawls
to the shore and when wading distance was reached Mr. Knight's
luothei- and wife were carried ashore on the shoulders of the
men." This crude method of "delivery" was the only one for
some time after the town had commenced to grow; but the infer-
ence is not to be di'awn that all i)ersons coming by way of the
lake were carried to the land. Most of the cargoes were loaded
and unloaded, however, by such primitive means and the need of
a hai-l)or soon made itself felt.

According to the late Judge Charles E. Dyer, as early as the
year ^H'^(') a survey of the har])or had been made, for which the
citizens paid $100. "Subsequently the mouth of the river was
dug out on a straight cut and the peo]ile of Racine assessed their
property 15/' to build piers and to keep the harbor open, so that
lighters could come in. The assessment was made at a })ul)lic
court-liouse meeting, and Levi Blake is remembered to have said

274 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

at that lueetiiig: "It'll uuly cost us another lot; let us have a
harbor."

All steamboats in the early days came to anchor and landed
passengers and freight on scows, that would take out a load of
wood for the vessel. At times the mouth of the river became too
shallow to permit the scows drawing two and a half feet of water
to pass out, and then men and teams with scrapers would go at
it and make a sufficient channel. This was a crude way of doing
things, indeed, but effectual. And how vessels were loaded is
best described by C. L. Fellows, who some years ago wrote th\is
of his early experiences: "The lightering of grain was done on
wood scoAvs. There were large hoppers built on the docks oppo-
site the warehouse with spouts in them, with a bag nailed over
each spout. A lioy standing on the dock held a bag on the spout,
which Avhen filled would be taken away onto the scow; a smart
boy could 'hold sp(^ut' for at least eight men off bearing the grain.
The bags mqyc not generally laid, but set on end and as soon as
the scow was loaded she was taken out to the vessel at the pier
end or at anchor in the lake and another scow was put under the
hopper. When a large quantity of grain was to be lightered there
were three or four scows in use, so there was one at the vessel
and one at the hopper all the time. My father was largely en-
gaged in the wood business and had several scows, and he was
always called on for some of them when there was any wheat
loading to he done; and I generally got the job of 'holding spout'."

The first effort in the way of building jjiers commenced in
the year 1840 and continued in a slipshod manner until 1844,
up to which time the citizens had spent about $6,000. The work
was all of a tem})orary nature, owing to the studied neglect of
Congress to consider the needs of the port. The town was stead-
ily growing and sliippiiig was on the increase. A good and ])er-
manent harbor was an imperative necessity. Finally, on the
16th of March, 1844, a meeting was held at the court-house, when
a subscription of $10,000 was raised to build a dock that would
be of some real use and permanency. On the 17th the first piles
were di'ivcii for the improvement with a hand machine. This
Avas the actual beginning. The people issued bonds for 25,000
dollars to carry on the harbor work and then, when the General
(iovernment awakened to the fact that Racine intended having
her wants supplied even if they were paid for out of her citizens'

BOAT LANDING AT THE RAPIDS. RACINE

lr'V<BPl^*•.^^

SOUTH KEACH, RACINE

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 275

private purses, the munificent sum of $12,500 was appropriated
for work on its own water way; not, however, until the patience
of Racine had been fully tested. In the years following Congress
has lieen more alive to the importance of this port and more
liberal in its allowance for its improvement. Hundreds of thou-
sands of dollars have been appropriated and today Racine's lake
and river fronts show what has been done for them by the hand
of man. In the heyday of her maritime prosperity railroad traffic
was in its infancy, and in fair competition could not meet lake
rates. Fifty years ago freight transportation by way of the Great
Lakes was a tremendous business, most of which was done in
sail vessels, although there were many side-wheel and propeller
steamers. At present the only bulky freight coming into Racine
l)y water is coal, which is brought in barges of capacity of from
one thousand to five thousand tons. The total number of sail
craft that have been owned in Racine is more than three hundred.
Not a single one hails from this port now, the last vessel — the
.1. B. Newland — having been sold in the summer of 1914 by her
owner, Captain C. Nalied.

RECOLLECTIONS OF A. P. DUTTON

One of the men prominent in shii)ping circles in and about
Racine in the halcyon days was the late A. P. Button, who often
wrote for publication of his exj)eriences and remembrances of
the times when Racine was a very busy and important inland
seaport, some of his communications to the press having been
;i])pended for the edification of many interested in the subject.
Writing in 1897, he said:

"From Chicago north there was no village at all initil yoii
reached Waukegan, and that was a mere 'dot and go.' Then,
fifteen miles further, you would come to Southport, quite a smart
little village, where one could get a good dinner, after which you
went north ten miles and stood upon the spot of all others on
the west shore of the most beautiful lake that man's eyes ever
discovered. Here was a small band of brothers, banded together
in pioneer love that seemed to be inspired. The members of a
Methodist Church could show no more brotherly love for each
other. Here could be found Captain Knapp, the master of the
revenue cutter, when the Whig Party was in power, but he had
to walk the plank and give up the compass to Captain Bobbing.

276 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Then a Dcniocrnt took the chair. Doctor Oary, the standing
applicant for the jjostoffice, was the best posted man in the North-
we.st as to the politics of our country and state. He went to every
steamer that landed and inquired of every man that got off the
boat whei'e he came from and whether he Avas or was not a Demo-
crat. If the man was a Democrat nothing was too good for him,
but if he were a Wliig or Abolitionist all conversation was at an
end. It was Democrats he was looking for."

At another time Mr. Dutton embellished the pages of Ra-
cine's history with this bit of maritime gossip, which is quite
pat for this purpose: "The report of 1840 shows the imports to
have been $599.44 and the exports $5,750. I think this was wrong
bookkeeping and that the imports should be changed to exports,
for I find importations in 1842: 175 tons of merchandise, 2,000
barrels of salt, 2,423,000 feet of lumber, 1,405 biuidles of shingles,
850 tons household furniture, 350 tons of machinery and farm-
ing tools.

"The pcoph' had connnenced to build a i)ermanent harbor,
and up to this time they had already exi)ended in its construc-
tion $43,352. Congress had apiiropriated $12,500, making a total
tor harbor purposes $55,852, and yet no outside bridge. The piier
was the stopping place for all of the lake steamers and all steam-
ers then called at Racine. The river was adapted for a tirst-
class harbor. A good channel could be made up to Cedar Bend,
nearly two miles, and as the business should require the channel
could be dredged. The river banks did not wash down much, if
any, and the trouble about tilling up was at the mouth of the river.

"You will often hear people talk about the river running into
the lake at Sixth Street, near where the light house was those
days. But that is all wrong. The natural moutli of Root River
always was near where it is now, or a little south of the present
mouth. At that time, when a heavy blow from the northwest
caiuc up, the mouth of the river would bar up so that the writer
often crossed on the l)ar without wetting his feet. The water
inside the bai' would rise until it broke out and a rush of current
would often cut a channel six or eight feet deep.

"As llir hai'boi- ])iers were put in they formed a current
I'unning south, which carried away the beach that had accumu-
lated. When the first plat was made, by Moses Vilas, I think,
the map showed Michigan Street as far north as Second Street,

ROOT RIVER LIGHT HOUSE

Estalilisheil in l-<:i9.
the

Located on lake bank, twenty feet south of
iouth line of Seventh Street.

HISTORY Ol' RACINE COUNTY 277

and a tier of lots outside of Michigan Street. These lots and the
street disappeared year by year as the harbor piers were ex-
tended. At this time in several places the sand beach seems to
he coming back, and the question will arise as to who owns the
jiroperty. The great washing of the banks in front of Racine was
on the north. Early in the '40s the lake came up quite near to
the Lathrop brickyard and \\henev(u- a northeaster came, the seas
would roll west clear to North Main Street. As soon as the north
pier was put in a sand beach began to appear and from year to
year the beach has increased to several acres.

"At the time the Ward Line of steamers, the 'Pacific' and
'Sam Ward,' ran between New Buffalo and Chicago via Milwau-
kee and Racine. Captain Cooper was master of the 'Pacific'
On one occasion, when the steamer was loaded to the guards and
having on board an immense crowd of passengers, she encoun-
tered a terribly heavy sea and the rudder chains parted. The
steamer fell into the trough of the sea and it seemed as if she was
doomed. Captain Cooper called his crew together and asked
which one would volunteer to be lowered over the stern and make
an effort to mend the chain. No one said a word. Captain
Cooper then adjusted a rope around his body and, taking several
turns around the deck rail, gave the mate orders how to lower
him into the boiling sea, with the result that when he was again
hoisted on deck the chain was mended. He then mounted the
I)ilot house, unconcerned, brought the bow of the boat to the sea,
and went on to the port of destination, without any loss save
that of time. Captain Cooper was lionized from one end of the
lake to the other f(»r this brave and fearless chance taken to save
his passengers and boat.

"Capt. John Printerville was the first man to pilot a sailing
vessel into the harboi-, which at that time had scarcely any piers.
Our people were so delighted to see a vessel in port that they
gave the captain a great ovation, while some one made him the
l)resent of a city lot on the North Side. In after years, however,
the captain could not find anything on record to show that he
was ever a real estate owner in Racine. Captain Printerville
became known far and wide on the whole chain of lakes and
<dways was a great friend of Racine.

"Solon Cather piloted the first steamer that ever entered
Root River. It was the Chesapeake, Captain Kelsey, master.

278 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

At the time, which was July 14, 1844, the vessel had for passen-
gers bound for Racine, William H. Lathrop and wife and Chaun-
cey Lathrop. The Chesapeake was the first steamboat to enter
this or any other artificial harbor within the limits of the State
of Wisconsin. Captain Kelse_v had written ahead that if the
weather was fair when he arrived he would bring the steamer
into port, and everybody consequently was on the lookout for
the boat. She did not heave in sight until Sunday morning, just
as people had gone to church. The first notice given was the
booming of cannon on the lake front at Sixth Street, and ten
minutes later no one was left in the church except the preacher.
Everybody went down to see the steamer Chesapeake and for
the whole day all forgot that it was the Sabbath, and many for-
got where to find their homes. The steward of the boat had
settled as to what kind of people were biiilding uj) Racine, and
so he had closed the regular bar and opened up one in a wash tub,
that he had filled full of something that made a fellow's head
crack in a very short time. Some of the boys did not get over
the celebration for several days. The Chesapeake was a fine boat
and she and her master were great favorites in Racine."

MOOT MARINE COURT

"Marine law was discussed during the long winter months
at the Racine Exchange, then kept by the Raymonds, where there
seemed to be an extra tribunal on marine laws. Many vessels
laid up at the port and many of the captains wintered here and
boarded at the Exchange. The 'court's' session lasted from the
close of navigation until the Mackinaw Straits opened in the
spring. Jack Brown seemed to be the chief justice. At all events,
he knew not only every point of the compass on water but he
knew just what the rights of a sailor were.

"In the spring of 1849 or '50, this court had just cleaned up
a full docket. 'Chief Justice' Brown had been busy all winter
and his com-t had sat every day. Along towards spring the docket
was well cleaned up and then the crowd discussed the subject
of wlien the Straits would ojx'ii; what the freights would open
at, and which Racine vessel would ai-rive at Buffalo first. Well,
th(> writer had an interest in the schooner Tempest and he thought
he had about as fast a master as was on the lakes, and so he bet
$200 on tlie Tempest outsailing the fleet from Racine to Buffalo.

KACINE RKEF LIGHTHOUSE
(Three miles from shore I

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 279

Tlu> Tempest, Outward Bound, Cherokee and two or three other
vessels were loaded and the masters had all sails set ready to
hoist. The mates were told to keep the crews in sight night and
day while they, the masters, would look out for news of the
Straits being open.

"The 'court' held that when a man had once been appointed
master of a craft the owner had nothing to do or say about the
vessel until she laid uj) in the fall and that the master was the
sole director of the vessel in and out of port. The masters de-
clared that they had the right to insure, hold all funds, give no
trip sheet, or send in any statements until they settled up after
the vessel went into winter quarters. They passed on the value
and speed of craft, and thousands of dollars were wagered dur-
ing the winter months, but no money was put up. This 'court'
sat regularly each winter from about 1845 to 1855, and as Racine
then had no place of amusement, the bar-room of the Racine
Exchange was as full as the courts now are when one of the star
cases is up in a justice court.

"At last the news came that the Straits were clear of ice,
and at once all the sails on the vessels went up, and with a fair
wind they were soon out of sight of port. Within twenty-four
hours of sailing a heavy storm came on, fearful in character.
Snow squalls were frequent all the day and fears for the safety
of the fleet were felt by owners of the vessels. When the storm
abated news of the loss of the vessels came in and it was a fearful
I'cport of the loss of life as well as of property. The Outward
Bound had gone to the bottom with all hands on board. The
Tempest was ashore on the Sleeping Bear, and what had be-
come of the other vessels the writer has forgotten. But he recol-
lects most distinctly that the Tempest was not the first vessel
into Buffalo, and he also remembers that the Tempest threw over-
board all the wheat, except 2,400 bushels, in order to get off and
afloat, and that it cost the owners of the vessel nearly $4,000."

LIGHT HOUSES

The history of light houses in and about this port is inti-
mately connected with that of the shipping and of the city itself.
The light-house keepers were of a retiring avocation if not of
that disposition, and their compensation was far from commen-
surate with the responsibilities assumed. The first man to follow

280 HISTORN' OF RACLNE rOl'.NTY

this calling' in Racine was Amaziali Stchhins, who, on August 31,
1839, was i)hu-('d in charge of the Root River light house, which
was the first light house established in the port of Racine. It
was located (in the shore of the lake about twenty feet south of
the south line of Seventh Street and almost exactly at the edge
of the shore as it is at ])resent, for at this point of the shore line
the bank has not receded more than twenty oi- thirty feet. The
light house was a round tower affaii', built of brick, made by
Benjamin Pi'att. who was the first to engage in that industry in
Racine. Tlie walls wei'e two feet ten inches thick at tlu' bottom
and two feet at the top. Its outside diameter was sixteen feet
eight inches at the base, and nine feet at the to]). To the light
from the ground measured thirty-four feet, and over all the struc-
ture was forty feet high. Within was a spiral stairway, lighted
by three windows at intervals from bottom to top. This structure
and the land on which it stood was sold in 1866 to the firm of
Blake & Elliott and finally passed into the hands of the junior
member of the concern, James T. KUiott, who demolished it in
1876 and used the brick in the erection of a house that now stands
on the corner of Lake Avenue and Seventh Street. The keepers
were Amaziah Stebbins. August 31, 1839; Capt. John T. Tro-
bridge, February 2, 1846; Abner Rouse, May 8, 1849; Isaac B.
Gates, April, 1853; John Fancher, March, 1857; Milton Moore,
March, 1861.

The (Jovermuent built a light house cm the north piei' in
1866, the material being bi-ick, and placed a fixed white light
in its tower. James McCiinty was the first keeper. In 1903 the
light was removed to a steel tower at the end of the pier, which
is forty feet high, and a fixed red light installed. The second
keeper was Capt. Lan'v l\asson; then came (icorge Ltirson and
Mai'tin Knudson.

The Wind Pinnt or North light house was built in 1880 and
cost about $100,000. It has a white light, which flashes its warn-
ings and assurances of watchfulness at intervals of every min-
ute, and its fifth-order red light is arranged so that it may cover
tlie Racine Reef. For foggy weather a siren lun'n of latest de'V'ice
is at the hand of the keeper. A tower for the main light shoots
up in the air 112 feet and the red light is up 104 feet. Capt.
Julius Peterson, in charge.

NORTH POINT I.IGHT-HOUSE, RACINE

WATER TOWER, RACINE

HISTORY OF RACIXE COUNTY 281

Two miles east of the harbor is the Racine Reef crib or li,tz;ht
house, the initial steps for the bnildini;- of which were taken in
1899. The crib and pier were square in shape, built of brick
and cement. I^pon this fomidation a skeleton steel tower was
I'l'ccted, at the top of which was a small deck for a lantern, carry-
ing three cylindrical gas tanks, all above the water fifty-seven
f(M't, and costing- about $40,000. This lit^lit in course of time
proved of but little force in great emergencies, so that in 1905
tile present light house was constructed at a great outlay of labor
and money.

A few years ago, owing to the great danger to shipi)ing that
might l)e entailed by currents and seas running into the river
during storms, the federal authorities built a breakwater out-
side the harbor piers. On this structure a red light Avas placed
thirty feet above the lake level, on a post. Since that time a
tower was erected and with the pier light a range of light is
formed for vessels approaching this port.

PIERS AND WAREHOUSES

An interesting phase of the development of lake ship]iing
facilities in Racine was the building of the two bridge piers that
wei'c ])ut in at the foot of Third and Fourth Streets, in connec-
tion with warehouses at their shore ends for the receipt and
storage of freight. The first one was built at Third Street about
1850 by Gilbert Knapp, Wm. A. Murphy and A. P. Button, under
the firm name of Knapp, Murphy & Button, and extended into
the lake about four or five hundred feet. Two rows of piles were
driven into the lake bottom, and timbered and planked in the
stanchest manner and tracks with band rails laid, on which cars
for the transi:)ort of freight between warehouse and ship were run.

When these piers were projected, ship captains were skep-
tical as to their ability to stand the strain of a boat's line in a
lake swell, but were convinced later by demonstration that the
piers were all right.

Of course they could be made no use of except when the
lake was comparatively quiet; when a gale was blowing, a ship
was obliged to lie off shore, in deep and safe waters; there were
other times when it was unsafe to make the pier, but passengers
and freight could be unloaded onto scows and taken ashore in
'■omparative safety.

I'lioli. Iiunisheil l.y Hillintrs

CITY HAI.I.

CHAPTER XV
THE BENCH AND BAR

The Counties of Racine, Kenosha and Walworth compose
the first judicial district and it is one of the original six circuits
formed and defined by the constitution (.)f the state in 1848. At
that time it was ('omi)osed of the Counties of Racine (which then
included the County of Kenosha), Walworth, Rock and Green.
Its limits remained as fixed by the constitution until the year
1871, when the twelfth circuit was formed and the Counties of
Rock and Green were detached from the first circuit and placed
in the new circuit.

The circuit courts have original jurisdiction in all matters
civil and criminal within the state not excepted in the constitution
and not thereafter prohibited by law; appellate jurisdiction over
all inferior courts and tribunals; a supervisory control over the
same, with the power to issue writs, such as writs of habeas
corpus, inandanuis, quo warranto, certiorari, and others neces-
sary to carry into effect their orders, judgments and decrees, and
i;ive them a general supervisory power over inferior coui'ts and
jurisdictions.

The first judge of the circuit court was Edward V. Whiton,
who served as such from August, 1848, to June, 1853. During
tliat time the circuit judges constituted the Supreme as well as
Circuit Court. The separate Supreme Court was organized June
1. 1853, and Judge Whiton was elected chief justice, where he
served with eminent distinction until his death in April, 1859.

Wyman Spooner served for part of the year 1853, after the
separate organization of the Supreme Court. Judge Spooner
was a native of Wooster, Mass., where he was born July 12, 1795.
At fourteen years of age he went to Vermont and became an
apprentice in a printing office. Some seven years later he com-
menced the publication of a weekly newspaper, which he con-
tinued for nearly twelve years. He then began the study of

284 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

law and was admitted to the bar in 1833. Nine years later he
I'ciiioved to Wisconsin and in 1843 settled in Ellvhorn, Walworth
Connty, Avhere he resided until the time of his death. In 1846
he was elected judge of probate, which he continued to be imtil
the Probate was merged into the County Court. In 1853 he was
appointed circuit judge, which position he held until the elec-
lioii of Judge Doolittle. He was elected to the Assembly in
1850, 1851 and 1857, and was. during the term of 1857, s])eak('r
iij' that liody. He was elected state senator for the term coniju'is-
ing 1862 and 1863, was president of the Senate during the latter-
session and became lieutenant governor when Mr. Salomon
succeeded to the executive chair. In 1863, '65 and '67, he was
elected lieutenant governor and by virtue of that office presided
aver the Senate six consecutive years.

James II. Doolittle, of Racine, who administered the first
circuit as successor to Judge Spooner, remained in office until
elected to the United States Senate some three years later. Judge
Doolittle was born in New York State, January 3, 1815, grad-
uated from Ceneva College, New York, studied law in New York
(^ity and was admitted to the bar of that state in 1837. There
he also practiced, serving as district attorney of Wyoming
County for a number of years. He removed to Wisconsin in 1851.
and settled at Racine, where he contimu'd in a<'tive practice until
elected judge of the first circuit, in 1853. He was a member of
the "peace congress" in 1861 and was re-elected to the Senate
in 1863, his term ending in 1869. At the close of his senatorial
career Judge Doolittle entered upon the practice of his profes-
sion at Chicago, although still continuing his residence at Racine.
He was not only one of the distinguished men of the State of
Wisconsin, but his reputation was nation-wide. Judge Doolittle
stood as Racine's most cniincnt citizen, and his memory is cher-
ished in its archives.

C. M. Baker succeeded .Judge Doolittle on the bi'nch of the
first judicial circuit and administered the high function one year.
lie was a native of New York, where lie was boi'ii October 18,
1804. He began the study of law in the office of S. G. Himtington,
at Troy, New York, Avith whom he remained until his admission
to the bar some three years later. After practicing for some time
in N(!w York he moved west in 1838, locating at Geneva Lake,
Walworth Comity, Wisconsin. In 1839 he was appointed district

^f\

'^^QH

K^''';-*'"' , 'S

SEN. J. K. noOMTTLE

NICHOLAS D. KKATl'

nil. .1. O. MEACHUM

RACINE PIONEERS

HISTORY OI' RACINE CorNTY 285

attorney of the county; was a nicnihci' ol' the territoi'ial council
foi' the Counties of Wahvortli and K'ock for four years, com-
mencing in 1842, and was also a delegate to the first constitutional
convention in 1846. In 1848 he Avas ap])ointed by the governor
as one of the three commissioners to revise and codify the statutes
of Wisconsin, and in March, 1849, was elected by the Legislature
1o superintend the printing of that vohnne in New York. He was
appointed to succeed Judge Doolittle in 1856, l)ut declined re-
election upon the expiration of the term. During the Civil War
he was judge and advocate under Provost Marshal I. M. Bean.
in the first district of Wisconsin. Judge Baker died at Geneva
ill January, 1873.

The next judge of the first circuit was John M. Keep, who
remained in office two years. His successor was David Noggle,
of Janesville, who having completed Judge Keep's unexi)ired
tei-m was re-elected to that position. Judge Noggle was born in
Franklin County, Pennsylvania, October 19, 1809. He was ad-
mitted to practice by the Su])reme Court of Illinois in 1838, and
in the following year located at Beloit, Wisconsin, where he en-
gaged in the practice of his profession. In 1846, he was elected
a member of the first constitutional convention from Rock County,
and in 1854 was elected a member of the Assembly from the City
of Janesville, to which place he had removed in 1850. To this
]>osition he was re-elected in 1857. In 1860 he was appointed
chief justice of the territory of Idaho, which position after five
years of service he was ccmipelled to resign on account of failing
iiealth. He died at Janesville in 1879.

William P. Lyon, who eventually sat on the supreme bench,
succeeded Judge Noggle in the first circuit, continuing in that
position for nearly six years. He was followed by Rol)ert Hark-
ness, for four years; Ira Payne, for pmi of one year; John T.
Wentworth, foi- eight years; John B. Winslow, seven years, and
Fi-ank M. Fish and E. B. Belden, sketches of whom will be found
in the second volume of this work.

FIRST CIRCUIT COURT IN RACINE

But little, if anything, of real interest relative to the early
courts and cases of Racine Comity is of record, hence that phase
of the subject can occupy but small s])ace in tliis chapter. Dur-
ing the territoi'ial i)erio(l the office of judge was, at best, by no

286 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

means a sinec-ure, the iiuiiieruus and diversified conditions aris-
ing, as is generally the case in the opening up of a new country,
giving rise to much litigation. This created an endless amount
of work for the judiciary during the earlier period of its exist-
ence, it being almost impossible to estimate the length of time
during which the courts woiild remain in session. This "is evi-
denced in the fact that during the year 1842 the first and third
districts were open during the greater part of the year." As a
single instance we may refer to the records of the thii'd district,
which show that no less than 8,000 cases were disposed of from
1842 until the closing of the territorial government. Criminal
cases also were particularly numerous during that period. But
the local records are too obscui-c to warrant a detailed account
of any of the proceedings.

It is knoA\n that Judge William C. Frazier convened the first
session of court in Racine and Judge Charles E. Dyer is authority
for the statement that "at the July term, 1838, of the District
Court, Judge Frazier presiding, the court sat but four days, and
only four days had been occu])ied by court in the three terms held
chn-ing eighteen months." Who were the first jurors and first
litigants cannot be said, as their identity is lost with the missing
records containing their names.

THE FIRST LAW SUIT

As related by Judge Dyer, the first controversy brought to
an issue in a court of law in Racine County grew out of a squirrel
hunt. "Norman Clark and jVfarshall M. Strong, as the respective
leaders, had chosen sides. On one side Avere Mr. Clark, Doctor
(^ary, iMigene Gillespie, and others; and on the other side were
Mr. Strong, Charles Smith, Joseph Knapp, and others. It was
arranged that all kinds of game should be hunted — a squirrel
to count a certain numlx'r, a muskrat another, a deer head count-
ing three hundred, and a live wolf one thousand. They were to
obtain their trojJiies by any means, foul or fair. Clark and
(Jillcspic licard of a deer hunter on Pleasant Prairie who had a
good collection of heads. Appropriating a fine horse owned by
one Schuyler Mattison, who was a sti'anger in town, they trav-
ersed the snow drifts, found the hunter, and obtained their troph-
ies. Meanwhile, Mr. Strong's party had heard of a live wolf in
Chicago. It was sent for. Its transportation was secured in a

t'hoto furnished by Billings

JUDGE CHARLES E. DYER
Pioneer of Racine

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 287

stage sleigh. Hut, while at a stopping place at Will's tavern a
party of sailoi-s with one Captain Smith at their head came out
from Southport, and Captain Sniitli killed the wolf with a bottle
of gin. Meanwhile, also, Mr. Strong went to JNIilwaukee and got a
sleigh load of muskrat noses, which outcounted everything. The
squirrel hunt was broken up. Mr. Clark had ruined Mr. Matti-
son's horse and had to pay seventy-five dollars damages, and Mr.
Strong brought suit against Captain Smith for killing the wolf
with the gin l)ottle. Norman Clark was on the jury. Verdict,
six cents damages and costs."

But this had nothing to do with the courts of record. Mar-
shall M. Strong, however, figured quite largely therein, and this
is what Judge Dyer had to say of him, in an address before the
Lawyers' Club of Racine, May 7, 1901:

"As senior at the bar in age and residence stood Marshall M.
Strong. I wish you could have known him. He was an ideal
lawyer and none excelled him in the State of Wisconsin. He was
tall, though somewhat stooping; slender, and as clear-cut as a
model in marble. His head and face were as purely intellectual
as any I ever saw. His great eyes shining out of his pale face
looked you through and told you that his mind was as clear and
bright as a polished scimiter. When he made manifest his intel-
lectual power, in ai'gmnent or in conversation, he made one think
of the description on the old Spanish sword — 'Never draw me
without reason, never sheathe me without honor.' No matter what
demonstration of opposing intellect he encountered, he was as
cool and inqiassive as a statue. In law and in every department
of knowledge he was a philosopher. He was quiet, urbane, earnest,
unimpassioned, and his logic was inexorable. I do not think I
ever heard him laugh aloud, but his argument was so persuasive
and his smile and gesture so gentle and winning that when once
the listener yielded his premises, there was no escape from his
conclusion. Discomfiture was foreign to him. He nev(>r exhib-
ited depression in defeat nor exultation in success — a true rule
of conduct for every lawyer. Once I saw him in a great case,
when Matthew H. Carpenter swept the covu't room with a tor-
nado of eloquence. He sat unatfected, self-controlled, betraying
not an emotion, not a fear — only a cheerful smile of derision.
Then he arose to reply, as confident as if he were presenting an
ex parte motion, and before he finished Carpenter had not a leg

288 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

to stand on. lie had an interesting history and heli)ed to I'oiuid
the state. He came to Racine in Jnne, 1836, and was the first
lawyci- wlio settled in the county. Although educated in the law,
he became on his arrival here a merchant and opened a country
store with Stephen N. Ives, imder the firm name of Strong &
Tves. But he coupled law with merchandise until he abandoned
the latter entirely. He tried the first law suit in Racine, whicli
grew out of a squirrel hunt. In October, 1842, Mr. Strong took
the editor's chair in the office of the Racine Advocate, which was
established in that year, and at the head of the columns he put
the stirring motto, 'Westward the Star of Empire Takes Its Way.'

"I have said that he was one of the founders of the state.
An act was passed liy the Territorial Legislature in 1838 to
establish the University of Wisconsin, Avhich was to be governed
by a board of visitors, and by the act he was made one of the
board. He was a member of the Legislature in 1843 and was
president of the council. Again he was in the Legislatures of
1845 and 1846, and dm-ing the latter session his dwelling house
in Racine was destroyed by fire and his wife and two children
|)erished in the tlames. When this event occurred, both houses
immediately adjourned, filled with symi)athy and grief on account
of the great calamity which had befallen their associate. Albert
G. Knight was the messenger who conveyed the overwhelming
news to Mr. Strong and Mi". Knight told me that during the entii"e
journey fi-oni Madison to Racine, which it then took nearly thi'ee
days to make, Mr. Strong scarcely uttered a word. Mr. Strong
also was a mendx-r of the convention which convened on October
5, 1846, for the formation of a state constitution. He very ably
and strenuously ojiposed some of the ])ropositions embodied in
that instrument, and after recording his vote against them he
left tlu' hall of the convention and returned no more. But he
was heard from later. F'or, when the constitution was submitted
to the peo]ile he took the stumjt against it and it was defeated
l)y a majority of over six thousand.

"It was hardly to he sup])osed that a man with the tempera-
ment and |ihihisoiilii<-al and judicial (lualities of mind of Mr.
Strong would excel at nisi jirius Ix'forc a jury, yet he did. He
was simph' in choice of h-niguage, cogeid in expression and always
ai'gnmentativc. Thci'cfore jui'ies listened. He had an acute sense
of riiiht and w roiiti. 1 rcmemhcr that one dav when I was in need

HISTORY or RACINE COINTV 289

(if clients, lie cainc td my office and presented me to a very respect-
able looking man, wearing a fine growth of black whiskei's, who
had been the victim of an assault at Union ( irove and had thereby
lost a handful of that handsome adornment. In my hesitation in
bringing a civil action for damages, lest the case should fall
within the principle of de mininuis non curat lex, Mr. Strong
argued with me very earnestly that no greater indignity could
!)(' offered than for one man to pull another's wdaiskers, and that
the case was a clear one for damages. So, with courage screwed
to the sticking point, I brought the suit and it resulted in $150
damages, fi'om which I got a $25 fee.

"Mr. Strong was also a man of fine literary tastes and ac-
complishments. During the Rebellion he wrote letters to Mr.
Lincoln and Mr. Stanton on the conduct of the war. "When John
Brown was hung he called a meeting on his own responsibility
at the old court-house and made a speech in defense and eulogy
of the old hero. When Ralph Waldo Emerson once delivered a
lecture in Racine, which now is in his published works, ISIr. Strong
entertained him, and 1 recalled with pleasure the gratitude T
felt upon being invited to meet Mr. Emerson. Thus he was a
patron of literature and friend of humanity, as well as an ex-
pounder of law. He died in 1864."

PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE RACINE BAR

Among the many brilliant men who graced and gave luster
to the Racine bar was Judge Charles E. Dyer, who was long a
I'csident of Racine. He was an eminent jurist, a man of irre-
|)roachable character, of courtly l^earing and of thoughtful kind-
ness. When but five years old he was brought by his parents to
Wisconsin from Onondaga County, New York, where he was
born October 5, 1834. His father, a physician, settled in Bur-
lington, Racine County, and practiced his profession there a
numljer of years. Young Dyer acquired the rudiments of an
education in the district schools of Racine County, and, being of
a studious disposition, stored his mind with a rich fund of knowl-
edge that became of great use to him after he had chosen a pro-
fession. When sixteen he went to Chicago and entered the office
of the Western Citizen to learn the art preservative. Within a
year he was in the office of Rice Harper, clerk of the Court of
(\)mmon Pleas, and for some time thereafter applied himself

290 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

ti) a private (■(uirsc in the classics and higher iiiatheiiiaties. While
here lie became ac(|naiiited with Ebenezer Lane, tlieii an eminent
lawyer of Sanduslvv, and turmer judge of the Supreme Court
of Ohio. Through his influence Dyer began the reading of h^w
and was admitted to the bar in 1857. He practiced a while in
the Buckeye State and then, in 1859, returned to Wisconsin and
located at Racine, which place continued his lidme until he had
quit his legal practice. After going it alone several years he
fonned a ]iartnershi]i with Henry T. Fuller, which continued until
Januar\', 1875. In the years of 18GU and 18(J1 he held the office of
city attorney and on February 10, 1875, he was appointed judge
of the United States District ("ourt for the Eastern District of
Wisconsin. From his first court work, when clerk at Sandusky,
he evinced a remarkable ability as a reader and a writer of the
journals of the court and his memory proved so accvn'ate that
judges and lawyers alike appealed to him for information con-
cerning the different cases and seldom found him wanting in
accuracy. During his early years at the bar he was an advocate
so accom|)lished in oratory, so able in repartee, so erudite, so
brilliant, few relished him as a foeman. His high ideals of
morality and integrity, so faithfully carried out in his exem]>lary
life, gave confidence to all who knew him and no one questioned
his word any more than they did his ability. To profession and
client he was faithful, yet so modest in his own estimation of
himself that when he was elevated to the bench he questioned
liis ability to hold the high office worthily, and it took the earnest
and strenuous endeavoi's of his admiring C(aifreres to persuade
him to accept it. That he gave his best efforts to the faithful
discharge of the duties of that office the records of the court show.
His decisions commanded respect and were miiforndy the result
of his com])relu'nsive knowledge and careful research. As a mas-
ter of English he had few }>eers. His sentences, clear and stately,
AV(M'e almost classic in construction, and the rules of perspiciiity
were never violated. His logic was without fault. His term of
service covered thirteen years, and his fame, not alone as a great
lawxcr and judge, but as an upright, honorable citizen, spread
fai' beyond the confines of his court. Early in the year 1888,
Judge Dyer resigned from the bench and began his connection
witli the Northwestei-n Mutual Life Insurance Company, whicli
continued until his death, November 26, 1905.

HISTORY OF RACIXE COUNTY 291

111 Iftol, .lu(l>;(' Dyci' i)rc]»;ii'c(l niid rc.-id a paper (Hi tlic cai'ly
liciicli and liar dl' IJaciiic (\iiiiity. wliidi was piililislicd in paiii-
plilct fdnii. Being so well know n Inr accuracy of statement and
carcriil preparation of details, the reminiscences brought out are
liiglily prized by the memliers of the bar for their intrinsic inter-
est and historic value. So iniicli so, in fact, that a large part of
the pa])er is eml)odied in this ai'ticle. In his exordium he said:

"It happens that niy rei-dllections of Wisconsin lawyers now
extends back over a period of forty-two years. At that time and
long before, many a young lawyer, born and educated in the New
Kngland and ^Middle States, had inscril)ed upon his professional
shield that significant word, "Emigravit", and had cast or was
casting his fortunes in the fertile land of promise, which em-
braced the whole outstretching domain between Ohio and the
Mississippi River. Wisconsin was then especially regarded a
field where i)lenteous rewards were awaiting professional en-
deavor. Racine was one of the favorite localities. The popula-
tion of the town was about 8,000 — perha])s 8,500. It had con-
tributed from its j^urse, in the form of liorrowed money, much
nioi-e than it coidd afford to Ixn'mw or pay. It is interesting now,
to any one who participated in })ul)lic affairs in those days and
yet sui'vives, to recall the fact that the mmiicipal indebtedness,
to say nothing of accumulated interest, was then $374,000, con-
sisting of railroad bonds, school bonds, harbor bonds, plank road
bonds and liridge bonds. An'd as the spirit of litigation, if not
jiositive repudiation, began to assert itself, coupled with some
suggestions of compromise, it is also interesting to note that a
lawyer, of whom I shall speak, ]\Iarshall M. Strong, in his advo-
cacy of honest conduct in meeting financial engagements, plainly
t<ild the people that they were riding on a stolen railroad, sailing
their water craft in a stolen harbor, traveling over stolen I'oads
and bridges, and sending their children to stolen schools — all
of which meant that Racine, to be honest, must pay her debts,
in short, it was a gloomy time, and it would be naturally supposed
that a young lawyer casting his fortunes in the West would give
Racine a wide berth. But the accidents of circumstance often
control onr destiny and he took the chance of dropping anchoi'
and making this his home.

292 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

NO DEARTH OF LAWYERS

"At that time — January, 1859 — there were tweBty-one
hiwyers engaged in the practice of the law in this town, and it
befell me to increase the number to twenty-two. Let me call
the roll of the twenty-one: Marshall M. Strong and Henry T.
Fuller, composing the firm of Strong & Fuller; William P. Lyon
and John B. Adams, of the firm of Lyon & Adams; John W. Gary,
A. W. Farr and Lewis W. Evans, of the firm of Gary, Farr &
Evans; Ida G. Paine and Nelson Millet, of the firm of Payne &
Millet; Horace T. Sanders and Mr. Ladd, of the firm of Sanders
& Ladd; William E. Wording and Peyton R. Morgan, of the firm
of Wording & Morgan; George B. Judd and Shelton L. Hall,
composing the firm of Judd & Hall; A. S. Spooner and Nicholas
IL Dale, composing the firm of Spooner & Dale; Nehemiah H.
Joy, Ghampion S. Ghase, G. W. Hall and Joseph C. Botsford.
There were others here then, who had been admitted to the bar
as early as 1848, 1851 and 1853, among whom were Thomas J.
Emerson, Lorenzo Janes, George G. Northrop, William G. Mar-
shall and George Q. Erskine. But I do not recall that they were
in active practice. The list I have given should include James R.
Doolittle, but he was then in the Senate of the United States and,
although a meml)er of'the Racine bar, I do not remember to have
seen him engaged in the trial of causes at that period — nor until
he left the Senate, which was at a much later time.

Henry T. Fuller was adnntted to the bar of Racine Gircuit
Gourt October 16, 1848. He studied law in Rochester, N. Y., in
the office of Judge Jerome, an eminent lawyer in his time. At
the conclusion of his law studies he went to the City of New York
and was there admitted to the bar. In 1847 he came west and
located in Milwaukee. Subsequently he removed to Racine and
entered into {)artnership with Marshall M. Strong. The partner-
ship continued until 1864, a period of seventeen years. In his
prime Mr. Fuller was a tireless worker, a vigorous thinker, a
wise adviser. In the days of which I speak the foreclosure of
mortgages was a large and lucrative business. Nearly every
farmer along the line of the newly constructed Racine & Missis-
sippi Railroad had mortgaged his farm to aid the building of the
road. Many of these mortgages passed into the hands of eastern
people, who were clients of Strong & Ftiller, and most of them

LORENZO .JANES

DR. A. L. BUCHAN

';:mn

JUDGE H. f;. WINSLOW

JAMES R. AI.ANSQN

RACINE PIONEERS

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 293

had to be forcclosod. I have seen Mi-. Fuller nnnv into coui-t with
a Hood-sized baski'tful of (ndcrs of reference, referees' reports
and decrees, and occupy the full iiKH'iiint; Ikiui' taking the signa-
ture of the judge, this occurring not on an occasional day, but
many tiiues during the term. After the liour was s])ent and it
was time to call the jui'v. the judge would ask, 'Have you any-
thing more, Mr. Fuller'?' and Fuller would answer, 'Not any-
thing more this UKirning, your honor,' i)lacing ]iarticulai' em-
phasis (in the 'this'. It was eiidugh to tui'u a starving young
lawyer's eyes green with envy. Mr. Fuller was attoi'ney and
vice-president of the Western Union Railroad Company and per-
formed great service in promoting the successful operation of
the road fi-om Racine to Savannah, and in the construction of th(^
extended line to Rock Island. He was loyal to Racine and in his
days of health none exceeded him in })uhlic spirit.

"It was my fortunate lot to become professionally associated
with iNIr. Fuller after the death of Mr. Strong, and for ten con-
tinuous years the most intimate business and social relations
existed between us. It needed not a word or writing for eithei-
the formation or dissolution of the partnership. We simply shook
hands and said 'Now we are partners,' and again we shook hands
when with mutual regret we separated. To such an extent did
unity of feeling and interest prevail between us that the spot
where he now lies buried was originally acquired under a joint
title; and when the battle of life shall be over with me, as it is
over with him, there, under the boughs of the tree we planted
together, we shall repose near inito each other, tenants in com-
mon of God's acre.

"William P. Lyon came to Wisconsin in May, 1841, passing
through Burlington to Walworth County. Much of the time
from 1841 to 1846 he worked on a farm in the Town of Hudson
(now Lyons), but, with a passionate fondness for law reading,
he mingled Blackstonc and Kent and some other antique law
books, now quite out of fashion, with agriculture. His natural
bent was towards the law and this disposition was fostered by
his mother. In this instance, maternal approval was rather re-
markable, since his mother was a Quakeress and therefore of the
order that stands for 'peace and good will among men.' He be-
came a student in the office of Judge George Gale, then a prac-

294 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

tieiui;- lawyer at Elkhorn. and afterwards the author, I believe,
of a treatise on })ri)l)ate practice. Later he entered tlae office of
Judge Charles M. Baker, of (icneva, and father of our lamented
Robert Baker, and remained tlici'c until admitted to the bar of
Walworth County in 1846. He was lawyer, justice of the jDeaee
and town clerk in Lyons from that time on until 185U. His
receipts for professional services for the first year were $60, the
second year $180, and the third $400. In 1854 he was elected
district attorney and in the fnllowing year moved to Racine.
Plolding that position until 1859, he meantime came into com-
mand of a large general practice and became one of the recognized
leaders of the bar. At the next election after the expiration of
his term as district attorney he was elected to the Assembly as
the memlier from Racine and, although without previous legisla-
iive ex]ierience, he was made s^X'aker. While serving his coun-
Tr\' in the Civil War, in 1865, he was elected judge of the first cir-
cuit, and connnenced his judicial duties in December of that year.
According to the records, he held his first tei'ni in Racine County
in February, 1866, and was appointed l)y Governor Fairchild to
the Supreme Court in January, 1871. Concerning his careei' on
the circuit bench, I quote the connnents of another, which 1 can
personally verify: 'He made an admirable nisi prius judge, and
his i)opularity with the bar and suitors, jurymen and the public
generally was matter of universal connnent.' CVmcerning bis
incumbency of the bench of the Supreme Court, it is only neces-
sai'y to refer to his judgments in the published reports. He be-
came chief justice on January 4, 1892, and continued in that
position until he retired in Januaiy, 1894.

"A painstaking lawvei' was John B. Adams, the office mem-
bei- of the law firm of Lyon & Adams. He had little relish foi'
the contentions of the court room and was best adapted to the
more retired but not less important duties of adviser and office
counsel. He was a painstaking lawyer of inflexible integrity
and was so highly respected and esteemed that later he was
elected county judge and thereafter never resumed active prac-
tice. His administration of that im])ortant office was most highly
approved by the ])eo})le of the county. In 1868 he removed to
South Fjvanston, Illinois, and became connected with the title
and abstract business in Chicago. Some years ago he removed

HISTORY' OF RACIN'I': ("orXTY 295

to Saugatuck, Michigan, wlici'c lie succossfvilly cniiducted a i)rti-
(luctive fruit farm.

"One of tho most brilliant men who shed luster, not only on
the bar of Hafinc. but also on the hai- of the state, was Horace
'r. Sanders. Tic i-anic Iroiu (Iciicscc (^)unty, New York, and was
thoi'oughly (Miuipjicd as a lawyer when he entered upon the prac-
tice of the pi'dfessioii in iiaciiic in 1842. He combined brilliancy
and time intellectual power, lie was a niciiiher of the second
constitutional convention of 1847; took a conspicuous part in the
general debates and proceedings of that body, and rendered very
useful service in framing the constitution under which we live
today. He was richly endowed with native talent and. nioreovei-,
was educated in the classics. He was negligent in attiic and
iiiannei's to the ]ioint of slovenliness, but one forgot that when he
I'ose in ]»ublic address. He Avas vehement, eloquent and power-
ful. He knew liow to draw a pleading and to draw it perfectly,
but he had no patience with details and wanted an associate who
would attend to pleadings, notices of trial, knowledge of wit-
iK'Sses and all such drudgery, so that he should find the equi])-
ment conq)lete at the trial in which he was to be pre-eminent.
The first contested suit I had after 1 came to Racine was an
action of ejectment, to recover four inches in width of ground
lying between two buildings on the west side of Market Square.
Time, it was I'athei' a small quantity of real estate to make much
ado al)out. but I had my case carefully ])rei)ai'ed and to me it did
not matter just then whether the subject of the suit was a thou-
sand acres or the smallest minimum in (piantity. Sanders was
against me at the trial. Our respective clients were sitting by
'lur sides. I made what I thoi;ght was a fair opening statement
to the jury and sat down. Sanders then spoke for the defence.
Now^, four inches in width of ground lying between two houses
and elongated seventy feet is rather a narrow strip, and Sanders
liegan his address after this fashion:

" 'Gentlemen of the Jury: This is an action, brought by the
plaintiff, on the advice of his counsel, to recover four inches of
gi'ound, inaccessible to either party, which the plaintiff desires
to use as a cow pasture.' But while Sanders was satirizing my
case, his client was offering us adequate propitiation behind his
hack, and when he concluded, I informed the court and jury that

2Q6 MISTORV OF RACINE (T)rXTV

the case was settled l»y nii agreement to pay my client an accept-
able consideration fur the urouiul.

"Mr. Sanders was a Democrat and believed in Donglas, the
Little (liant, as the ocracle of democracy, and, like Douglas and
Carpenter, when secession trained its guns on Fort Sumter, he
was for his country and the I^uion, party or no party. He was a
member of the famous Legislature of 1853, and was chosen one
of the Assembly's managers to conduct the impeachment of Judge
Levi Hubbell before the Senate. Associated with Edward G.
Ryan as assistant prosecutor, he discharged his duties at the trial
with great ability, and on the twenty-eighth day made the open-
ing argument for the prosecution. In a review of the trial, which
lasted thirty days, he told me that, in his opinion, if it had not
been for the terrific invective of Ryan, judgment of conviction
would have been secured.

"Horace T. Sanders served in the Civil AVar with distinction
and was mustered out as a brigadier general of United States
Volunteers. In 1863 he was president of a military commission
and provost judge. At the close of the war Colonel Sanders came
back to his little home in Racine, broken in health, but proud and
brave in spirit. He never again was able to resume professional
work and cherished hope of recovery to the last. He steadily
wasted away and died in October, 1865. Like many another law-
yer with brilliant talents, Colonel Sanders died poor. His wife
and a large family of little girls survived him and the bar con-
tributed liberally to their innnediate wants. He and Matt Car-
penter were great friends, and CariJenter under the impulse of
friendshij) and true affection, such as prompted him to many a
generous deed, went upon the Hoor of the Milwaukee Chamber
of Commerce and made, in behalf of the family, an appeal so elo-
quent and i)athetie, in which he pictured the little girls, protected
only by the arms of a devoted mother, as 'lilies of the field, for
they toil not, neither do they spin,' that it induced spontaneous
response in the form of a purse of $(500.

"Mr. Ladd was the office lawyer in the firm of Sanders &
liadd. He was an agreeable and diligent man, but while in Racine
never took a jn-ominent part at the bar. When Colonel Sanders
entered the military service, the firm was broken up, and at some
period during the war Mr. Ladd removed from Racine.

"John W. Carv was for fortv-five vears a lawver in Wiscon-

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 297

sin. He was a X'ci'iiKiiitcr by hiilli; was a ,i;i'aduat(' of Uni(m
College, Schenectady, New York: was admitted to the bar of the
Supreme Court of New York in 1844, and also became a solicitor
in chancery in the court of Chancelloi' ^^'alworth. He came to
Racine in 1850 and formed a partnership with James K. Doo-
little, which continued until 1853, when Mi'. Doolittle became
judge of the first circuit, in 1857 and 1858, he was head of the
firm of Cary, Fan- & Evans, and my recollection is that when I
<'amc to Racine from Ohio in January, 1859, the i)artnership was
still in existence. jNlr. Cary was a memlx'r of the State Senate
at the time of tlic iiupcachnicnt of Judge Plubbell in 1853. He
was mayor of Racine in 1857. In the eai'ly pai't of 1859 he re-
moved to Milwaukee and became the counsel of the La Crosse
& ^Milwaukee Raili-oad (^)mpany and spent the remainder of his
life in the service of that corporation and of the successive cor-
porations wliich ultimately became, by consolidations and organ-
izations, the present Chicago. Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad
('om|)any. He was a bold, manly, coui'ageous lawyer and one
whose sense of l)road equity was very strong. At one term of the
Su])reme Court of the United States he argued fourteen causes
and won them all, against such men as Caleb Cushing, Matthew
H. Caprenter, and other eminent lawyers. He was thorough and
conscientious to the last degree in the preparation of his cases,
a virtue always to be emulated and without wliich the highest
success is not attained. He was a very finely balanced man. In
the beautiful tribute ])aid to his memory by Burton IIans(m, it
w as said of him that he became a member of the bar at Racine,
than which none iji the state was more brilliant. It included
such names as Ryan, Strong, Doolittle, Lyon, Sanders and Fuller,
and 'among such men, it is high praise to say that as a lawyer
Mr. Cary was their peer.'

"When A. W. Farr located in Racine I do not know. He
removed here from (ieneva, where I think he had practiced his
profession several years. He was admitted to the bar of the
Supreme Com-t at its first session in 1853. He was a man whose
acquaintance was not readily made and so I did not come to know
him well for some time after I located in Racine. He was then
city attorney. He was an excellent all-round lawyer. He was
plain, sensible, clear-minded, and presented his cases to the court
always with clearness of ajiprehension and with fidelity to the

298 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

interests (if liis clients. He enlisted in the War of the Kebellioii
in the 'I'liird Cavalry, became quartermaster of the regiment,
and was killed in action October 6, 1863.

"Lewis M. Evans, one of Mr. Gary's partners, was a bright,
stirring young lawyer when T knew him, but he left Racine early.
J think he moved to 13uft"alii.

"Ira 0. Paine was one of the nnicjue characters of the old
Racine bar. He came from the Western Reserve in Ohio and
was of good stock. He was a brother of General James H. Paine,
who in his time was a distinguished lawyer in Milwaukee, and
was uncle of Byron Paine, one of the justices of the Supreme
Gourt, and, moreover, one of the ablest that ever sat on the bench
of that court. Our i\Ir. Paine had tlie title of major and we all
knew him as 'Major Paine,' but how he got that title I never
knew. He was an impulsive, exphisive man, })ut full of good-
heartedness and good nature. As a lawyer he had grown up in
tile common law pi'actice. Tidd and Ghitty and the English
conmion law i-eports were his law books, and he hated the code
with a hatred that glowed in his face when a fiiendly word was
spoken of it in his presence. He was the only lawyer that had
a desk within the court room bar, and it was his own. An inci-
deiit illustrated his contempt for the code. Fuller had brought
suit to recover rent upon a written lease. He had embodied in
his complaint the entire lease, in liaec verba. The Major discov-
ered a provision in the code permitting a motitin to strike out
redundant and irrelevant matter from a pleading, and, thinking
it a])plied to Fuller's complaint, as it did, he assailed the plead-
ing by such a motion. He argued his motion vehemently, but
-Judge Noggle, who was a code judge, overruled it on the spot.
Major Paine retired to his seat by the desk in utter disgust and
settled into meditation.. The more he meditated, the deeper grew
the crimson in his cheeks. Like Tam O'Shanter's 'sullen dame,'
he 'nui'sed his wrath to keep it warm.' Getting hotter and hotter,
and repeating to himself, sotto voce, the offensive word 'redun-
dancy,' ' redundancy,' several times, he at last br<ike into a volley
of volcanic and ])i'()fane expletives that it would not do to repeat
in this presence.

"Y(»u may have heai'd of his I'ctort in the Sn[)r('nie Gourt,
prompted )>y a remark of Ghief Justice Dixon, for it has gone
the rounds of the state and has come d<nvn as one of the tradi-

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 299

tioiial stoi'ics of tlic (lid liai'. Ho and a iiuiuhcr of the Racine
la\v}'('rs had set (Hit i'nr .Madison in udod time, as they believed,
to attend the eonit and aiuiic their cases. But they were badly
delayed by a snowstorm, and on arrival found that the Racine
cases, which were in a ,i;roU}). had been called and ^one to the
foot of the ealendai'. His brethren put the jNlajoi' foi'ward to
plead in extenuation of their late appearance and foi' the rein-
statement of their eases. The coui't, consisting of Dixon, Cole
and Paine, heard him attentively, and then it happened that the
chief justice said: 'You know, MajorPaine, there is nothing' more
uncei'tain than the time when a case wull be reached in this
court.' 'Yes, there is; yes, there is,' retorted the Major in a
shrill voice; 'it is a good deal more uncertain how the case will
be decided when it is reached.' It is needless to say that the
court inunediately reinstated the cases.

"Ira C. Paine was judge of the first circuit a short time in
1875. lie held one term in Racine, perhaps two, and at not a
rrnnote time thereafter passed beyond the twilight's purj^le hills.
His {)artner, Nelson ^lillett, a good many years ago removed to
Columbus, Nebraska, where he died, leaving a son, who, I believe,
is living and a lawyer at that place.

"William Vl. AVording was county judge when I came to
Racine and continued such a good many years. In the eai'ly
fifties his court had civil jm-isdiction and he held several trial
terms. He was a man of good mind, rather eccentric in manner
and, unlike most lawyers, had a talent for making money. He
liad what Judge Gresham used to call 'the money sense,' in high
degree. The scorched and ]>artially burned papers to be found
in the old files in the present County Court were rescued from a
tire that burned Judge Wording's office. His partner for many
years was Peyton U. Morgan, who came from Massachusetts
and was a gentleman in the best sense. Neither member of the
firm of Wording & Morgan apjjeared much in court. But they
had ([uite a lai'ge business, especially in foreclosures. ^Ir. Mor-
gan's wife came of a distinguished family in ^Massachusetts and
was a highly accomplished woman. She was a daughter of Gen-
eral James Apjjleton, who fought under General Jackson at New
Orleans, in the Wai' of 1812. A son of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan,
James Appleton Morgan, is living near New York City.

300 HISTORY OF RAOINE COUNTY

"(lorcc 15. JiuUl (';iinc from llcrkiuier County, New York,
and in an eminent (le^ree was a I'epreseutative of the old har of
that state. He was a most courteous geuth'man of the good old
style, of dignified bearing, and withal one of the nio.st industrious
in the trial of a case I ever knew. Those were days that ante-
dated sten(\graphers and typewriters, and the copious notes
Colonel Judd was al)le to make as a trial |ii-oceeded always ex-
cited my surprise and admiration. Never a point escaped him
and ft'om his notes alone a bill of exceptions could be made. He
was persistent, untiring, thorough. Incivility was to him like a
breach of hospitality in your own home. Old associations and
love of his old home sometimes led him to forget himself for the
moment and to address the jury as '(Jentlemen of Herkimer
(\)unt3'.' He always wore a dress suit, which emphasized his
gentlemanly bearing, and to me it seemed extremely appropriate.
as in Ohio I had l)een accustomed to see lawyers thus dressed,
particularly during the sessions of court. Colonel -ludd's prac-
tice extended to the Ru]n'enie Court, where he was not infre-
(piently heard in imi)ortant cases. His professional career is an
imjjortant ])art of the history of the bar of Racine.

"His jiartner for a considerable time was Shelton L. Hall,
who still (1901) has a home in Racine. He long since retired
from active laboi' and has attained the ripe old age of eighty-
eight years. His wife was a sister of Mrs. Morgan, of whom 1
have spoken, and they were cousins of the first wife of the poet,
Longfellow. Samuel K. Hall, son of Mr. and Mrs. Shelton L.
Hall, is a lawyer pursuing his professicm in Chicago.

"Nicholas H. Dale began the practice of the law in this
comity. His home was in the Town of Yorkville, where, before
his admission to the bai' in IS")?, he had worked on a farm and
taught school. At what time precisely he removed to Racine T
do not know, l)Tit he was here in Jaiuiaiy, 1859, and we had ad-
joining offices. He was a man of very positive traits of character;
ti-ied a case vigorously; was not wanting in self-confidence, and
was a speaker of no mean parts. He enlisted in Company (i.
Second Wisconsin Cavalry; was subsequently })romoted to be
lieutenant colonel, and died at Neosho, Missouri. His partner
was A. C. Sjiooner, who came here from Delavan. After the dis-
solution of the firm, he ictui-ned to Delavan, where only a few
veai-s aao he died.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 301

"Neluuniah H. Joy was a Vormoiitor. His father lost his
life ill tlu' War of 1812. Ambitious to beeoine a lawyer, he studied
l.iw ill the offices of Judge Uiulerhill, in Chelsea, Veniioiit. He
was a(hiiitted to the bar in (irnton, in 1840, and in 1844 lie re-
iiKivcd to Jackson, Michigan, in 1858 he came to Wiscosnin and
locjited in Kenosli;!. In 18"),') lie I'ciudvcd to Racine and became
a nieinber of the bar of this county. lie practiced law here from
that time until 18()8, when he died at the home of his daughter,
Mrs. George H. Paul, of JMihvaukee. He was at one time district
attorney and subsequently was appointed to and held the office
of postmaster in Racine. iMr. Joy was well grounded in the law;
was Hueiit in speech and strong in discussion,' and always pre-
sented his cases to the court and jury with exceiitional force.
He was agreeable and interesting in conversation, and I remem-
ber him as a lawyer of excellent attainments and kindly nature.
After the dissolution of the firm of Judd & Hall Mr. Joy became
a partner of Colonel Judd, and the firm of Judd & Joy was well
known and prominent throughout the county.

"Champion S. Case was one of the lawyers of Racine in the
times of which 1 speak. He was in active practice several years
before 1859, as a member of the old firm of Butterfield & Chase.
He removed to Omaha many years ago and later became mayor
of that city.

"There are four lawyers who came to the bar of this county
;it a somewhat later time than that having immediate relation to
my subject. l)ut yet in such proximity to that joeriod that I should
not omit to say something of them. I I'efer, in the order of their
admission to the bar, to Judge E. O. Hand, Frederic ITllman,
Charles 11. Lee and John B. Winslow.

Judge Hand was reading law in the office of Lyon & Adams
in January, 1859, when I came to Racine. At one time his father's
family lived in Burlington. In the spring of 1849 he went to
California and spent four years in digging gold. He entered a
Michigan college in 1853, graduated in 1858, and in 1859 he grad-
uated from the State University of Wisconsin. He then came
to Racine, pursued his law studies, was admitted to the bar on
April 23, 1861; became a member of the firm of Lyon & Adams,
and after Judge Lyon was elected circuit judge the firm was
reorganized as that of Adams & Hand. This firm continued until

302 HISTORY OF RACIXE COUNTY

Judge Adams left Racine. Judge Hand was appi)iiitrd county
judge in September, 1868, and held that office for thirteen years.

"Frederic Ulhiian, Ixnii, reared, educated and niai-ried in
Kacine, where also he entered upon his professional career, began
his law studies in the office of Strong & Fuller, but as those were
war times, he broke away to join the army of 'three hundred
thousand more' Returning at the close of the war, in the fall
of 1865, he resmned his studies in the offices of Fuller & Dyer,
and there continued until about August, 1866, when he began
attendance at the Albany Law School, graduating in the summer
of 1867. On his return to Racine he was admitted to the bar,
formed a partnership with ( ". AV. Bennett, and they practiced
together until 1869, when they removed to Chicago, continuing
the partnership there until the great fire of 1871. To nt) lawyer
in Chicago has been more generously and deservedly awarded
the confidence, respect and esteem of the courts and bar than to
Mr. Ullman. Plis carecu- has been one of honorable and unvary-
ing success. He has been president of the Chicago Bar Associa-
tion and his distinction in the i)rofcssi(»n has been otherwise
long recognized.

"Like Mr. IHlman, Charles H. Lee was 'to the manner Itoi'u'
and unlike some of us, he has never deserted his native heath.
I knew Mr. Lee's father — Alanson H. Lee — before I knew him,
and no more honoral)le, high-minded and respected man ever
lived in Racine than he. He was a merchant — one of the good
old style — and <if all the merchants who either preceded or suc-
ceeded him in this town to the present time, he was facile prin-
ceps. Charles H. Lee began to read law in the office of C. W.
Bennett in the s])i"ing of 1866. Tn September of that year he
became a student and assistant in the office of Fuller & Dyer,
succeeding Mi'. Ullman, who had gone to law school. He re-
mained there until August, 1868. Then he, too, went off to the
Albany Law School. He was admitted to the New York bar in
May, 18()9. and to the Racine bar in June of that year, when he
rctiinied to Fuller & Dyer's office, remaining there imtil April,
1871, when he became associated with John T. Fish. The fiim
of Fish & Lee c(tntinued luitil 1878, when he liecame special coim-
sel of the J. 1. Case Threshing Machine Company and remained
in that position and as treasurer of the company until December
'M, 1896.

HISTORY OI' RAC^IXE COrNTY 303

"Joliii I!. W'iiisltiw hc^nii the study ol' tlic law in .Judge
Hand's office in January, 1872, where he i-eiuained until -June,

1873, when lie. lilce his two inuiiediate })re(h'cessors, came into
Fuller & Dyer's office and continued there initil about September,

1874. lie then entered the law school at JNladison, took a year's
coui'se, tii'aduatint;' and bein^ admitted to the bar dune 17, 1875.
For a year thereafter he was in the office of Fullei' & Harkness,
and when dud^e Harkness removed to Salt Lake City he became
a pai'tner of Mr. Fidler. lie continued in that relati<»n until
Decendjer, 1877, when he opened an office alone. In 188U he
formed a partnershi|) with C. A. Brownson, a most worthy law-
yer, who died prematurely and mu(di lamented — and this part-
nership continued mitil Judi;e Winslow was appointed to the
circuit bench, where he remained vnitil May 4, 1891, when, to the
great satisfaction of the bar. he was promoted to the bench of
the Supreme Court.

"Samuel Ritchie's career as a mendter of this bar })resses
cldse upon the period of which I have been speaking. He was
admitted to the bar in ]87o, and although retired from actual
[•ractice has held contimious association with the profession.

"Successor of most of those of wdioin I have spoken and asso-
ciate of some, this occasion should not pass without allusion to
one who now rests fi'om his labors, John Tracy Fish. He began
humbly, he toiled unceasingly, and completed his life work a
recognized leader of the Wisconsin bar. Beginning in a little
hamlet in Walworth County, admitted to the bar in 1859; giving
more than four years to the service of his country as a soldier,
then resuming his profession in Burlington; elected district at-
torney, removing to Racine in 1868; he fi'om that point in his
career moved steadily onward and upward, closing his life work
as general solicitor of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Rail-
road Company, and later as local counsel within the State of
Wisconsin of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company.
Of his great ability, of his remarkable advancement and success,
enduring record has been made, l)oth in the form of achievement
during life and memorials after his death, in the Supreme Court
of the state and in the CircTiit Court of this county.

"Passing n(tw to Bui-lington, 'loveliest village of the ])lain.'
I name first Lewis Rovee, because he came in 1837 and was the

304 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

first law yci' located in the town. My impression is he emigrated
from \"('nuoiit. He was educated in the law that relates back to
-Justinian, and Ix'^an his professional work in Burlington by
building a lime kiln and burning liuu'. J^aw vers in those days in
rural localities did all sorts of things and combined all sorts of
trades. 1 wish you could have known Mr. Royce. He was a
veritable 'green bag' lawyer, for when he came to court he always
carried his papers in a green bag. He answered perfectly Car-
lyle's characterization of Dryasdust. He was a legal Dryasdust.
If you consulted him on some modern, every-day question of
contract or trespass, oi- boundaries of land, or mill-dam rights,
or, foi- that matter, any otlici' question, he took you back to the
Pandects; brought you down to Coke on Littleton; then Black-
stone, with his Black Acre and White Acre; th(!n Lord Hard-
wicke, and tinally the Supreme Court of Vermont, so that at the
end of the interview you felt like a man who had lived in the
middle ages, and that you had gone through processes of evolu-
tion that would be new even to Darwin. To speak the truth,
Mr. Royce was a lawyer of great learning. His embarrassment
was in the practical application of his learning to professional
work. He was a legal antiquary and if we could imagine such a
thing as a law nuiseum, wherein there might be exhibited person-
ified curiosities of the law, our good old friend would be entitled
to a first place among the most antique specimens.

"Caleb P. Barnes had given up the law^ before 1859. Yet
his ])revious relations to the bar justify allusion to him. He was
a man early and entirely thrown upon his own resources. His
law library comprised perhaps fifty or a hundred of the old stand-
ai'd law books, mostly elenumtary. Naturally, and from habit,
he reasoned fi'om ])rinciple almost entirely and needed few liooks.
His intellect was acute; his style of speech terse and pithy, and
withal be clothed his tboughts with a quaint and indesci-ibable
hiunor that lent interest to everything he said, and made his
com])anionship a joy and charm. I have heard some of the old
lawyers say he was the best cross-examiner of witnesses they
ever saw.

"C. W. Bennett was one of the Burlington la\vyers of which
1 speak. He was the son of a farmer in the Town of Duanesburgh,
New Yoi-k. He entered the Albany Law School in January, 1856,
and graduated in A))ril, 1857. In September of that year he came

HISl'ORV Ol- RA( INK COUNTY 305

to Wisconsin and located in Bnrlinnton. J. O. Cnlver, a friend,
came about that time and they formed a partnership. They were
))ooi', as every younu- lawyer should be, and under the stimulus
of circumstances and ambition they set to work. Mr. Bennett
was admitted to the bar of the county. ()ctol)er 20, 1857, and Mr.
Culver, December 24 of the same year. Later Mi'. Culver re-
moved to (ii-eeii Bay. In May, 18()(), Mr. Beiuiett I'emoved to
Racine, where he remained until Jinie, 1869. On coming to
Unciiie lie formed a partnt'rship with A. W. Farr. He was dis-
trict attorney se\-eral terms between 1860 and 1869. In June,
1867, he formed a i)artnershii) with Frederic Ullnian, and they
practiced together until 1869, when they removed to Chicago. He
lost all he pt)ssessed in the great fire of 1871 and then moved to
Salt Lake City, where he became the head of one of its successful
law firms. Mr. Bennett was one of the most able lawyers that
ever came to the Racine Comity bar and he has been recognized
as one of the ablest and most distinguished west of the Rocky
Mountains.

"Judge Robert Ilarkness resigned from the circuit bench in
1875 and became associated with Henry T. Fuller in the practice
of the law. The partnershi]) continued until Ai)ril, 1875, when he
removed to Salt Lake ('ity.

"I remember very well the first time I met Judge "VNTiiton
and it was the only time, 1 think. My recollection is it was in
1849. He was then judge of the first circuit. The occasion was
a murder trial in Southjxjrt, the Caffrey case, simiewhat famous,
because it was the first in which cajntal punishment was adnnnis-
tered in this state. S. Park Coon was prosecuting and Fred
Lovell and K. W. Evans were defending. The notoriety of the
case and an eager curiosity impelled me to visit the court room.
I remember how the bearing of the judge on the bench and the
pleas of the lawyers impressed me and T may add tliat my inter-
ests in the case did not cease until I saw the convicted man hung
oil the ])rairie west of Southport.

"If I were to go back to a time which antedates my ])ersonal
knowledge, I shcmld enumerate as practitioners at this bar Fid-
ward G. Ryan, Thomas Wright, Chester Bush, Hubl)ell W. John-
son, Moses Butterfield, Horace N. Chapman, Jackson B. Nutting,
Lewis Smith, David L. Eastman, Joseph F. Jones, Samuel E.
Chniiniaii. At one sitting of the court, in 1848. twentv-five law-

306 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

vers were admitted to the bar in this county, among whom were
Isaac N. Stoddard, O. S. Head, E. W. Evans, H. H. Towslee, J.
Bond and Andrew G. Chatfield, all of Southport, which was then
in Racine County. If I were to refer to others admitted in 1858,
1859, 1860 and 1861, and whom I knew, I should mention M. Kelbe,
N. N. Trombley, James F. Lewis, I). A. Pierce, Warren .1. Dur-
ham, L. L. Wainwright, Egbert Jameison, Aitlnir R. Lacey and
William E. Strong."

At this time the conauou law and chancery practice existed,
the code not being adopted until 1856.

PERSONNEL OF THE PRESENT BAR

At this time the personnel of the local bar is matter of com-
ment, as it retains the high standard for ability, integrity and high
aims advanced and maintained by the master leaders of former
days. No special mention of them shall ap])ear in this chapter
for the reason that most of them, if not all, will have a place in
the biographical volume of this history. However, the names of
the members are hereto appended:

RACINE COUNTY BAR

Ahrens, Otto E.; Beach, Paul M.; Beck, Thorwald M.; Ben-
son, Guy A.; Burgess, E. Roy; Collins, Edmund R.; Emmett,
Shirley L.; Flett, David H.; Foley, Jerome J.; Gillen, Martin J.;
Gittings, C. C, Racine; Gittings, Jt)hn T., Union Crove; (Jit-
tins Elmer E.; Hand, Elbert B.; Hardy, Thomas P.; Harvey,
Richard G.; Heck, Max W.; Hueffner, Martin M.; Ingalls, Wal-
lace; Janecky, Adolph R.; Judd, A. Gary; Kearney, Thomas M.;
Kearney, Thomas M., Jr.; Knoblock, Milton J.; Krenzke, Charles;
Lee, William E.; Liegler, John H.; Lunt, A. J.; Myers, Peter J.;
Owen, John W. ; Palmer, W. C. ; Quinn, Lewis J. ; Rohr, Louis H.,
Burlington; Sander, William, Waterford; Simmons, John B.;
Smieding, Henry G.; Smieding, William, Jr.; Storms, William
W.; Thompson, Fulton; Thompson, W. D.; Walker, M. E., Racine;
Waller, George W., Burlington; Wehmhoff, E. John, Burlington;
Wentworth, John T.; Whaley, Vilas H.

■ LAW FIRMS

Gittins & Burgess; Gittings, Janecky & Beach; Hand, Hand
& Quinn; Heck & Krenzke; Simmons & Walker; Storms, Foley &
Beck; Thom])son & Harvey; Thompson, Myers & Kearney.

CHAPTER XVI
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION

Medicine is undoubtedly the oldest of the learned profes-
sions. The first man who suffered some bodily ailment probably
sought for some plant to relieve his pain and, having found one,
communicated his discovery to his neighbor. This was the begin-
ning of a pharmaca?pia that through the succeeding centuries has
been built up to its present wonderful proportions. The practice
of medicine as a profession is old in India and still older in China,
where its origin is lost in tradition and fable. The best authorities
attribute the introduction of the healing art in China to the Em-
peror Hwang Ti, who ruled about 2687 B. C. Although the
Chinese physician knew nothing of human anatomy or the cir-
culation of the blood, he had elaborate rules for noting the pulse,
and his remedies were a curious collection of ingredients from
the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms. His surgery, if he
])racticed any at all, must have lioen crude, his chief reliance hav-
ing been placed in plasters, poultices, etc. Little improvement
was made in medicine in China until after missionaries began to
visit the country, taking with them ideas from other nations.

The Egyptians are credited with having been the first people
to reduce the practice of medicine to a system or profession.
There the priests were the first physicians, but from old docu-
ments and papyri it is evident that, besides those engaged in
general practice they had specialists, such as g}Ti£ecologists, sur-
geons, veterinarians and even oculists. One papyrus dates back
to the Sixteenth Century B. C, and the Egyptian medical lore
was preserved in the last six volumes of the "Sacred Book."
Baas, in his History of Medicine, says: "They treated of anta-
omy, general diseases, instruments, diseases of the eye and dis-
eases of women, and in completeness and arrangement rival the
Hippocratic collection, which they antedate by a thousand years."

308 IllSlDRV OF RACIXE COUNTY

In tho early history of the Hebrews disease was looked upon
as a i)unishnient for sin and therefore beyond the power of man.
After the Egyptian captivity, many of the healing methods
learned from their captors were practiced among the Jews,
though the priests regarded the custom as a dangerous innova-
tion and the ])hysician never became a popular individual in
Palestine.

Cireece fui-nishes the best records of medical development
in its early stages and after Egypt the Greeks were the first
to have regular physicians who practiced according to system.
C'hii'on, the Centaur, is said to have been the first (ireek to claim
the jiower of being able to heal the sick. His pupil, ^Esculapius,
founded a school of medicine, but after a time it degenerated into
su])erstition and mysticism to such an extent that its usefulness
was destroyed. Hippocrates, who was born about 460 B. C, w^as
the great Greek ])hysician. He wrote treatises on hygiene,
surgery and other topics, classified diseases, though he had no
])ractical knowledge of anatomy, and has been called "the
Father of Medicine."

About the beginning of the Christian Era, Telsus, a Roman
writer on medicine, appeared in the arena. He followed the
teachings and philosophy of Hippocrates. Celsus was succeeded
l)y Galen, who wrote over one hundred works, some on the sub-
ject of anatomy. The systematic study of anatomy did not begin,
however, until in the Sixteenth Gentury, when the first dissection
was conducted by Vesalius, an Italian physician and surgeon.
After the discovery of the circulation of the blood by Harvey,
and the develoiunent of the science of chemistry, the science of
medicine went forward with greater celerity and the physician
began to connnand a greater respect from the people.

It was a long time, though, before the doctor won the place
in society to which he was justly entitled. Voltaire defined a
[jhysician as "a man who ci-aiiis drugs of which he knows little
into a body of which he knows less." That may have been true
of a certain class of French empirics at the time it was written,
but since Voltaire wrote the science of medicine has progressed
])y leaps and bounds and the ])liysician of the Twentieth Century
is generally a man who occupies a high standing in the commu-
nity, ])oth for his ]ti'ofessional skill and his general reputation as
a citii^en.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY M>')

HOME-MADE REMEDIES

111 every early settleineiit throughout the central part of the
Ignited States, eaeh family kept a stock of roots, herlw and barks
\'nv the treatment of comnion ailments. In cvci'v neighborhood
there was some elderly woman who was often called upon to
visit the sick and ]ii<'sci'ihe one oi' more of these "liome-made"
i-emedies, for tlie nearest doctor was ])erlia])s many miles distant.
'Plios(> who have reatl Kggleston's "Iloosier Schoolmaster" will
I'ccall "(Jranny Sanders," who was bold enough to advise a pi'o-
fessional physician how he should treat his patients. Granny
Sanders was an extreme ease, but old residents can doubtless
I'emember the boneset tea, the burdock or snake-root bitters, the
decoctions of wild cherry or hickory bark, or the poultices and
plasters that "(irandma" or ''Aunt Peggy" w<inld prepare with
scrupulous care and a])ply — internally or externally, as the exi-
gencies of the case might demand — with as much solemnity as
that shown by the surgeon of the i)i'(\seiit day, when he cuts into
a ])atient and robs him of his appendix.

This was the state of affairs in the frontier settlement when
the first regular physician arrived, and probably no addition to
the population was received with a more cordial welcome. Yet
the life of a physician was no sinecure. About the only induce-
ment for a doctor to locate in one of the new and scattering com-
munities was that he might be able to "get in on the ground
Hoor" and establish himself in practice before a competitor
arrived in the field. Money was a scarce article on the frontier
and his fees, if he collected any at all, were frequently paid in
such produce as the farmei' could spare and the doctor could use.

CHARACTER OF THE PIONEER DOCTOR

The old-time doctor was not always a gi-aduate of a medical
scho(jl. In a majority of cases his professional education had
been acquired by "reading" for a few months with some estab-
lished i)hysician and assisting his preceptor in the treatment of
his patients. When the young- man felt that he knew enough
about medicine to begin ])ractice for himself, he began looking
about for a suitable location. A new settlement frequently
appeared to him as offering the best opportunities. Of course,
there were maii}^ exceptions to this rule. An old physician,
ali'eady established in practice and perhaps a graduate of a med-

310 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

ical college, would "pull up stakes" to seek a new location and
cast his lot with a young and growing community.

If the professional and technical education of the early phy-
sician was limited, his stock of drugs and medicines was equally
limited. Duncan, in his "Reminiscences of the Medical Profes-
sion," says: "The first requisite was a generous supply of Eng-
lish calomel." To this were added some jalap, aloes, Dover's
powder, castor oil and Peruvian hark (sulphate of quinine was
too rare and expensive for general use), and these constituted the
principal portion of his Materia Medica. In cases of fever it
was considered the proper thing to relieve the patient of a
qiiantity of hlood, hence every doctor provided himself with one
or moi'c lancets. If a drastic cathartic, followed by blood letting,
and perhaps a "fly blister," did not improve the condition of the
patient, the doctor woiild "look wise and trust to the sick man's
rugged constitution to pull him through."

But, greatly to the credit of these pioneer physicians, it
can be tiaithfully said that they were just as sincere and con-
scientious in their work, and had just as mv;ch faith in the rem-
edies they administered, as the most celebrated specialist has
in his remedies today. It can further be said that most of them,
as the population of the new settlement increased and their jjrac-
tice grew more extended, refused to remain in the mediocre class.
Many a physician has attended a medical school, even after hav-
ing been for yeaivs engaged in practice, with a fair degree of
success.

Over and abov(> his professional calling and |)osition, the
doctor was usually a man of prominence and influence. His
advice was frequently asked in matters entirely foreign to his
business; his travels about the settlement brought him in touch
with all the latest news and gossip, which made him a welcome
visitor in other households; he was often the one man in the
comnuniity who subscribed for and read a newspaper, and this
led his neighbors to follow his judgment and opinions in matters
jjolitical. Look back over the history of almost any county in
the Central United States and the names of physicians will
a])pear as members of the Legislature, incumbents of county
offices, and in a number of instances as the representative of his
district in Congress. Many a boy has been named for the family
physician. When he i-alled to see a patient near meal time, he

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 311

was always invited to partake of "such as we have," and on
these occasions the largest ])i('ce of chicken and the juiciest piece
of pie would almost invariably find their way to the doctor's
plate.

AVhen the first doctors began to practice their profession
ill Racine County, they did not visit their patients in automo-
biles. Even if the automobile had been invented, the roads —
where there were any — were in such a condition most of the
time that the vehicle would have been practically useless. Con-
sequently the doctor put his trust in his faithful horse to carry
him upon his round of visits. His practice extended over a large
dictrict, some of his patrons living thirty or forty miles away,
with no road to follow but the "blazed trail." When he made
calls in the night, he often carried a lantern with him, so he
could find the road in case he lost his way. If he did not remain
with the family until morning, on his way back home he would
drop the reins upon the horse's neck and trust to the animal's
instinct to keep the trail.

There were no drug stores then to fill prescriptions, so the
doctor carried his medicines with him in a pair of "pill bags"^
a contrivance consisting of two leathern boxes divided into com-
partments for different sized vials and connected by a broad
strap that could be thrown across the saddle. Capsules were
unknown and the "heroic" doses of bitter, nauseating medicines
were given in various kinds of mixtures to disguise the taste.
There seemed to be a tacit understanding between the doctor and-
the patient that "the nastier the medicine, the quicker the cure."
Besides the lancet, the pioneer doctor's principal surgical instru-
ment was the "turnkey," for extracting teeth, for he was dentist
as well as physician. A story is told of a customer once com-
plaining to a negro barber that the razor pulled, to which the
darky replied: "Yes, sah, I know dat, boss; but if the razor
handle doesn't break de beard am 1)ound to come off." So it
was with the old-time doctor as a dentist. Once he got that
turnkey firmly fastened on a tooth, if the instrument did not
break, the tooth was liound to come out.

And yet these early doctors, crude as many of their methods
may now appear, were the forerunners of and paved the way for
the eminent specialists of the Twentieth Century. They were
unselfish to a fault, and if one of them discovered a new remedy,

.^12 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

oi a new w.iy of adniiiiistci'ini;- an old one, he was always ready
t(i impart a kiidwlcd^c of his discovery to his professional breth-
icii. Ill doiuu so there was little ostentation or appearance of
pe(hintry, his chief aim beiny,' to relieve the afflicted and advance
the interests of his chosen profession. If one of these physicians
of the early days conld come back to the scene of his earthly
labors and walk into the office of one of the leading specialists
of the present generation, he wonld doubtless stand aghast at the
array of scientific instruments, such as microscopes, stethoscopes,
X-iay apparatus, etc., and might not realize the fact that he
had phiyed his humble part in bringing about this mai-cli of
progress; yet it is even so.

EARLY PHYSICL4NS OF RACINE COUNTY

In December, 1835, Br. Bushnell B. Cary located at the little
village of l\acine and was the first man to practice medicine in
what is now Racine County. He was born in Addison Comity,
Vermont, December 21, 1801, and received a fair common school
education in his native town of Shoreham. He then read medi-
cine with a Doctoi" AVoodard and at the age of twenty-one years
was graduated at the Castleton Medical College. Socm after
I'eceiving his d(\gree of M. D., he married ]\Iiss Arminda Crocker,
a native of Connecticut, and a little later removed to St. Law-
rence Comity, New York, where he began practice. After a
short residence there, he went to Hannibal, in Oswego County,
where he practiced until 1875, when the Western Emigration
Company began the work of organizing a colony to go to what
is now Southeastern Wisconsin.

Doctor Gary joined the colony and left Oswego in a schooner
and on August 13, 1835, landed at the mouth of Pike River, near
the present City of Kenosha. There he lived until the following
December, when he located in Racine, as al)ove stated. He made
a claim on the southeast side of the Root River, on Avhich the
stand-pipe of the Racine Waterworks was afterward erected,
fliongh he lived in the woods near the ])i-esent Fourth Street
bridge. While living there a man named Hari'is undertook to
"jump his claim." The doctor and a few of his neighbors went
to order off the intruder. As the part.y approached, Harris fired
njxin them and the ball passed through Doctor Cary's right arm
and lodged nnder the sliouldei- blade, inflicting a serious wound.

HISTOm- OI' RACINE COUNTY .^1.^

The nearest surgeon was at Milwaukee, and the only road was the
(lid Indian ti-ail, hut a nicsscnuci- was despatched "])(ist haste"
t(i hring a ddctor, and eventually feturned witli a young and inex-
]»('i'ien('ed surgeon. ?Te went to work with a will, however, and
with his ])atient's suggestions, checked the How of blood and
saved Doctor <\iry's life, though the hall was never extracted
and he caii'ied it with him to the grave, some twenty-five years
later. Ilai'i'is made his esca]»e and was nevei' seen again in
Racine.

Doctor ('ary was an enthusiastic Denioci'at in his jxilitical
affiliations. In May, l.S;>(), he was appointed i)ostmaster at Racine
and held the office until in April, 1841. He was again appointed
postmaster in July, 1845, and served for four years. In February,
1854, he was appointed for a third time and served until his
death. He was one of the incoi'porators of the Racine & Missis-
si|)pi Railroad <"oiu]iany and also of the Racine Seminary. In
April, 1842, he was elected as the second president of the Village
Board, after Racine was incorporated. He also served as county
supervisor, alderman and county treasurer, and took an active
part in public affairs, though he never forgot that he was a phy-
sician and that his j^atients had the first claim upon his time and
skill. He was a i)rominent mend)er of the Masonic fraternity and
was the first worshipful master of Racine Lodge, No. 18, when it
was organized in November, 1847. His death occurred on Feb-
ruary 15, 1859.

The second physician to locate in Racine County was Dr.
Elias Smith, who came to the settlement at the mouth of the
Root River in December, 1835. Nothing can be learned of him
pi'ior to his coming to Wisconsin, but after establishing himself
at Racine he built uj) a lucrative practice and became an active,
public spirited citizen. He was the first president of the Village
Board when Racine was incorporated in 1841; served as i)ostmas-
ter from April, 1841, to July, 1845; was the first president of the
Racine & Rock River Plank Road Oomi)any; was chairman of the
County Board of Supervisors in 1851, and was one of the incor-
porators of the Racine & Mississippi Railroad Company. Tlie
"Racine Register, Business Directory and Advertiser," puldished
by Mark Miller in 1850 — the first city directory of Racine ever
compiled — gives Doctor Smith's residence as 171 Main Street.

Dr. E. O. Dyer first came to the county in 1836 and selected

314 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

a location at Biirliniitoii. He walked most of the way from Chi-
cago, following Indian trails. Toward snnset each day he would
begin keeping a lookout for the cabin of some settler, where he
could pass the night, a hospitality that was never denied, until
finally, late one afternoon he arrived at Foxville. That night he
slept with seven others in a shanty 10 by 12 feet, with no bed
save the puncheon floor. In 1839 he brought his family and took
up his residence in a little log cabin that had been built by Origen
Perkins three years before. Doctor Dyer was the first to prac-
tice his profession in the Town of Bin-lington. His son, Charles
E. Dyer, was afterward judge of the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

In 1837 Dr. John E. Scofield came with several other mem-
bers of his family to the Town of Raymond and was the first phy-
sician in that part of the county. About the same time Dr. Solo-
mon Blood located in what is now the Town of Rochester. Little
can be learned of either of these men, further than Doctor Blood
did not remain long in the covmty and Doctor Scofield continued
in ]ii'actic(' for several years.

Dr. Francis Paddock came to Racine Covmty in 1839 with
his ])a rents and settled in what is now the Town of Salem, in
Kenosha County. He was born in the State of New York on
Se])tember 15, 1814, and studied medicine with Doctor Hamilton
at Auburn, New York, before coming west. It was his intention,
as soon as the family were comfortably settled, to return to
Michigan and engage in practice, but .the illness of his father
compelled him to remain in Wisconsin to look after affairs. After
Kenosha County was cut off from Racine in 1850 he continued to
practice in the latter coimty, where he had a munber of families
who employed him as their physician. In 1855 he was elected to
the State Senate and for several years he was a justice of the
peace. His death occurred on March 29, 1889.

The fii'st physician to locate in what is now the Town of
Watei-ford was a Doctor Blanchard. He remained but a short
time and afterward practiced in Racine for a while, when he left
the county. What became of him no one knows.

Dr. George F. Newell came to Waterford in 1842. He was
a native of Vermont and a graduate of Castleton Medical College
of that state. After practicing at Waterford for a few years he
went to Racine, but soon returned to his old location, where he

SCENE ALONG THE SHORE I'ATH OF RIVERSIDE PARK

\1KW IN RIVERSIDE PARK

HISTORY OF RACINE COl'NTY 315

continued in practice until only a short time before his death,
with the exception of the Civil War period, when he served as
assistant surujeon of the Fifteenth Wisconsin Infantry. He had
a high rei^utation as a physician and surgeon, and after the war
refused to accept any fees for treating the widows and orphans
of soldiei's. Under the old town system he was superintendent of
schools, and in 1847 was elected a member of the lower branch of
the Territorial Legislature. He died at Rochester, Racine ('ounty,
starch 5, 1898, aged eighty-two years. His father, Oliver Newell,
\\ as a i)hysician; his sons, George E. Newell and Henry B. Newell,
both took up that professsion; and a grandson, Frank F. Newell,
is also a physician, making four generations of the family to
follow that calling.

Dr. Philo R. Hoy, who is well remembered l^y the old settlers
of Racine County, was boi-n in Richland County, Ohio, November
3, 1816. His father, Ca])t. William Hoy, was a native of New
York. In the War of 1812 he commanded a company of infantry
and took part in the battle of Plattsburg, New York. In 1840
Dr. Philo R. Hoy received his degree of M. D. from the Ohio
Medical College at Cincinnati, though he had been engaged in
practice for about a year previous to that time. After receiving
his degree he located at New Haven, Ohio, where he married
Miss Mary Austin, and in September, 1846, came to Racine, then
a town of 2,200 people. He built a residence on Main Street,
near Second, considered at the time to be the best house in the
town, and was soon engaged in active practice.

Doctor Hoy took a keen interest in the advancement of sci-
ence, especially the study of geology and archaeology. He was
at one time president of the Wisconsin Academy of the Arts and
Sciences; served as a member of the Geological Survey; was an
honorary member of the Philadelphia Academy of Science; an
active member of the Chicago Academy of Science; a member
of the Wisconsin Board of Health, and wrote several works on
the Mound Builders in Wisconsin, etc. Although interested in
l)ul)lic questions, he never took an active part in politics, though
he held the office of fish commissioner by appointment for several
years.

His son. Dr. A. H. Hoy, entered the army as a medical cadet
and dm-ing the Civil War held the rank of acting assistant sur-
geon, having charge of the hospitals at Cincinnati, Ohio, Coving-

316 HISTORY OF RACIN'E COUNTY

toll and l^ouisvillc. Kentucky. After the war he went to FiUrope
and studied in the hospitals, after which he returned to Racine
and engaged in [nactice. He held degrees from the Ohio Medical
("ollege and the l\ush Medical College of Chicago.

Another })hvsician who came to Southeastern Wisconsin in
184(i was T)r. A. P. Adams, who came from New York and located
in what is now the Town of Paris, Kenosha County. He had a
large pi'actice about Union Grove and folknved his profession
until just befoi'c his death on .Tune 8, 18()9. aged seventy-three
years.

His son, Henry D. Adams, read medicine in his father's office
and in Fehruai'y, 1852, was gi'aduated at the Rush Medical Col-
lege of Chicago, though he had assisted his father foi' some time
before going to college. On March 29, 1847, he married Miss
Priscilla, daughter of Rev. E. S. Cradwell. Both father and s(»n
were successful and respected physicians, and although not i-esi-
dents of Racine County as it is at present, they had quite a
num})er of patrons in the 'ro\\ns of Hover, Yorkville and Blount
Pleasant.

The first city (lii'e(-t<iry of Racine, published in 18r)(), shows
the following ]iliysicians then living in the town: William l>aum-
bach, Bushnell B. Cary, E. Everett, Samuel H. (iraves, Pliilo R.
Hoy, Egbert Jameison, John L. Page, James S. Shei)herd. P]lias
Smith, C. Si)iegle, S. S. Stevens, Joseph B. Talcott, :\Iathias R.
Teegarden, John Thompson and Warren Wadsworth. Most of
these men passed away without leaving a sufticient record of
themselves from which to compile any accurate account of their
]irofessioual career, though one of them — Br. John L. Page —
is known to have been a physician of more than usual prominence.

Dr. John L. Page was born at the Town of Heerfield, New
Hampshire, March Ki, 1815. While still in his boyhood, his ])ar-
ents removed to Newburyport, Massachusetts, where he received
a good education in the academy, and upon leaving school began
the study of medicine. For some reason he changed his mind
and t(»ok up the law and in 18H8 came west with a view of ])rac-
ticing that profession. He soon discovered that he was "not cut
out for a lawyer" and resumed the study of medicine. In 1845
he I'cceived the degree of iM. 1). from tlu' medical department of
the St, Ijouis University, after which he spent some time in the
hospitals of New Yoi'k. In 1848 he located at Racine. In 1854,

HISTORY (JF RAflNE COUNTY 317

when the clidlcra cpidcinic hrokc out in Chicago, lie went to that
city and won a national I'cputation hy his methods ol' treatment.
He was then called to the chair of materia nu'dica and thera])eu-
tic8 in the Iowa Medical College, hut upon the hreakini;- out of
the Civil War rctui'iied to Racine and was made surgecm of the
Fourth Wisconsin Infantry. After the wai' he was foi- a time
surgeon of the National Soldiers' Home at Milwaukee, lie was
a prominent memher of the Masonic fraternity; helonucd to
St. Luke's Episcopal Church; served as county physician and as
pi-esident of the Racine Board of Health, and was for years a
member of the Milwaukee Board of United States Ivxaminin-
Surgeons for Pensions.

His brother, Ur. Kdwin A. C. Page, also practiced for some
time in Racine and had the reputation of being a skilled physi-
cian. Dui'ing the excitement that followed tlic discovery of gold
in California he started for the T^icitic Coast, but returned to
Racine after a short absence and resumed his ]n-actice. He was
also a member of the Masonic fraternitw He died suddenly in
Fel)ruary, 1860.

In 1853 Dr. Joel H. Coopei- located at Burlington. He was
born in Windsor County, Vennont, Api-il 20, 1821, and was edu-
cated in the Wesleyan Uniyersity at Middletown, Connecticut,
after which he studied medicine. In 1844 he came west, first
locating in Illinois. The next year lie removed to Spring Prairie.
Walworth County, where he practiced medicine and kept a drug
store, and was elected to the Legislature in 1852. He then came
to Burlington, where he engaged in the practice of his ])i-ofession
and took an active part in public affairs. In 1861 he was ap-
pointed postmaster at Burlington and held the office until 1874.
His son, Henry A. Cooper, was elected to represent the First
Wisconsin District in Congress in 1892 and has been elected at
each succeeding election to 1914. Like his father, he is a Re])ub-
lican in his political afifiliations.

Dr. John G. Meacham, who came to the City of K'acinc in the
fall of 1862, was born in Somersetshire, England, May 27, 1823,
and came with his parents to the United States in 1H:',1. Ten
years later he took his first course of lectures in the (Jeneva
Medical College and in 1843 was graduated at the Castleton Med-
ical College. Castleton, Vermont. After practicing at Warsaw,
Xew York, foi' sevei-al years he took a coui'se at Hellevue Ilosjutal

318 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

College, in New York City, and then came to Racine. During the
Civil War he was enrollment surgeon for the Wyoming District,
and was for one year the surgeon in charge of Camp Utley at
Ra(dne. Doctor Meacham was a member of the American Med-
ical Association; president of the Wisconsin Medical Association
in 1881; served as president and secretary of the Racine County
Medical Society; was a member of the Brainerd Medical Society
and the Wisconsin Academy of Arts and Sciences, and wrote a
number of articles for the leading medical journals. He was
mayor of Racine for three terms and was one of the founders of
St. Luke's Hospital. His death occurred on February 1, 1896.

His son, -John (i. M('a<-h;nii, Jr., graduated at the Rush l\Ied-
ical College at the age of nineteen years and is now a practicing
physician of Racine; and a brother, William G. Meacham, grad-
uated in the medical department of the University of New York
in 1855. He practiced at Warsaw, New York, until the breaking
out of the Civil War, when he entered the army as assistant sur-
geon of a New York regiment and was with General Sheridan in
the Shenandoah Valley. In 1869 he came to Racine County, but
never practiced after his arrival. He is now living in the Town
of Mount Pleasant at the ripe old age of eighty-six years.

Among the pioneer physicians of Racine County may be men-
tioned Doctor Darling, of Bui'lington; Dr. Clark Nettleton, who
owned a farm in the To\\n of Raymond and practiced there and
in Racine; Dr. D. P. Wooster, a son of Daniel Wooster, who came
to the county in 1836; Doctor Schneider, a German physician;
Dr. J. ]\1. Tillij)augh, whose widow still lives in Racine, and Dr.
C. S. Duncombe, who was probacy the first homeopathic physi-
cian in the county. Dr. Homer Campbell, son of Owen Campliell,
one of the early settlers of Yorkville, was also one of the old-time
doctors of Racine County.

Others who came at a later date and practiced here forty or
more years ago were: Samuel J. Martin, a homeopath, who came
in 1869; Doctor Ozan, another homeopathic jjliysieian, who settled
in the nortlici-n })art of Kenosha County at a comparatively
early date; Dr. A. A. Kitchingman, who located in Raymond in
1870, and whose son, Ray S. Kitchingman, afterward became a
physician; Dr. F. R. Garlock, who came in 1874; Dr. Charles
Egan, in 1875; Dr. P. J. Pope and John G. Achenbach, in 1876.
Some of these doctors are still practicing in the county.

HISTORY OF RACIXE COUNTY ,^19

MEDICAL SOCIETIES

About the time the State of Wisconsin was admitted into the
Union in 1848, a State Medical Society was organized, a few of
the Racine County physicians becominc; members. During the
war of 1861-65, this society went down, but it was reorganized in
1867, some of the doctors in Racine County taking part in the
reorganization.

A Racine County Medical Society was organized many years
ago, but it was allowed to perish and its records have been lost.
About the beginning of the present century the American Med-
ical Association adopted a rule that, in order to be a member of
that association, a physician must belong to a recognized county
medical society. Following this ruling of the national associa-
tion, the present Racine County Medical Society was organized
on May 1, 190.3, at which time the following officers were chosen:
Dr. Walter S. Haven, president; Dr. Thomas N. Schnetz, first
vice-president; Dr. John ]\Ieacham, second vice-president; Dr. C.
F. Browne, secretary; Dr. Soren Sorenson, treasurer, Drs. F. J.
Pope, S. C. Buchan and F. R. Garlock, censors.

Meetings are held quarterly, in ]\rarch, June, September
and December, and the officers are elected annually at the De-
cember meeting. Since the organization of the society the con-
stitution and by-laws have been amended to dispense with one of
the vice-presidents and the offices of secretary and treasurer have
been consolidated. The officers elected in December, 1915, were:
Dr. Samuel C, Buchan, president; Dr. W. A. Fulton, vice-presi-
dent; Dr. Susan Jones, secretary and treasurer; Drs. Walter S.
Haven, George W. Nott and F. A. Malone, censors; Dr. J. S.
Keech, delegate to the state convention; Dr. F. F. Newell, alter-
nate. At the close of the year 1915 the society numbered forty
members. The meetings are usvially held at the rooms of the
Commercial Club or at the Hotel Racine, and are conducted along
the lines suggested by the American Medical Association. A
paper pertaining to some phase of medical practice is read by one
of the members, and is discussed by those present, after which
the meeting becomes informal or more of a social character.
Through these meetings the doctors of the county have become
better acquainted and a more fraternal feeling developed.

320 HIST()R^• OF RACIXK COUNTY

MEDICAL LEGISLATION

Throunii the influence (if the State ^Medical Society and the
\-aii(ais county medical societies of Wisconsin, the Legislature of
1897 passed an act providing for the establishment of a State
IJoard of Medical Examiners, to he appointed as follows:

"The Governor shall ai)point a Board of Medical Examiners,
to he known as the 'Wisconsin State Board of Medical Examin
ers,' consisting of eight members. Such appointments shall be
made from separate lists presented to him every year; one list
of ten names ])r('sented by the Wisconsin State ^Tedical Society,
one list of ten names presented by the Homeopathic Medical So-
ciety of the State of Wisconsin, one list of ten names presented
by the Wisconsin Eclectic Medical Society, and one list of tivc
names presented by the Wisconsin State Osteopathic Association.
In case any of said societies or associations fail to present such
list of names, the Uovernor may fill vacancies in the board by
appointment from the last list hied by such association or society
previous to the occurrence of such vacancy.* * * Three mem-
ijers of said board shall be allojiathic, two shall l)e homeopathic,
two eclectic, and one osteopathic, and shall all be licentiates of
said l)oard."

All persons Ix'ginniug or desiring to begin the practice of
nu'dicine in the state, according to any of the schools recognized
by the law, must ap])ly to the state board for a license and pre-
sent a diploma from some accredited school of medicine. The
applicant is then examined by the member or members of the
board representing that system of practice in materia medica.
therapeutics and practice, and if found ([ualified a license is
issued, which nmst be recorded with the county clerk in the
county whei'c such applicant intends to practice.

The law fui-lhei' ])rovi(les that no license shall In- issued to
any one "guilty of inniioral. dishonorable or unprofessional con-
duct," such as advei'tisiiig along certain lines, accepting fees for
and guaranteeing the cui-c of known incurable diseases, or divulg-
ing a secret obtained while serving in a ]>rof'essi(inal capacity,
nor shall any license be issued to ])ersons addicted to the use of
iiai'cotic (li'ugs. The tendency of this hiw has been to place the
medical |ii-ofession u])on a higher ])lane and protect the jjhysician
from the competition of irresponsible ])ractitioners.

IIIST()R^• ()|- RACIXE COUNTY 321

PRESENT-DAY PHYSICIANS

Following- is a list of the doctors of Racine County at the
beginning of the yeai' lf)l(). 'riiis list has been eonipiled from
various sources and is believed to contain the name of every
licensed physician in the county, though it is possible that the
name (if some one has lieeii omitted, or that the list contains
the name of one who has since left the county.

City of Racine — -Tens Andersen, (Jeorge Brazeaii, H. E.
I>reckenridge, Henry J. Brehm, Theodore G. Brehm, C. F.
Browne, Samuel C. Buchan, Frederick Christensen, William P.
Collins, John T. Coor, Frank L. Faneher, Lewis E. Fazen, James
Fitzgibl)on, Argo M. Foster, jMaynard A. Froney, Conrad K.
Hahn, Jorgen W. Hansen, William C. Hanson, John H. Hogan,
Walter S. Haven, William (!. Hyde, Susan Jones, J. S. Keech,
Robert A. Kitto, Thomas J. McCroiy, Gilbert M. McNitt, John
Meacham, John G. Meaeham, Albert L. Nelson, George W. Nott,
Francis J. Pope, F. W. Pope, Rali)h A. Rugh, William P. Sal-
breiter, Luther N. Schnetz, John Schulze, Soren Sorenscm, Ed-
ward A. Taylor, Robert C. Thackeray, Emil L. Tompach, E. Von
Buddenbrock, William G. Wheeler, Alexander J. Williams.

City of Burlington — W. A. Fulton, L. W. Hicks, Charles
Meyst, Frank F. Newell, George E. Newell. J. W. Powei-s, W. A.
Prouty, W. E. White.

Caledonia — Edward Schriber.

Corliss — F. G. Peehn, L. P. Valentine.

Franksville — Henry Goebel, L. Schriber.

North Cape — H. b". Keland.

Union Grove— R. W. McCracken, C. A. Obertin.

Waterford — Elmer A. Carberry, M. S. Corlett, F. A. Malone.

CHAPTER XVII

MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS

THE OLD TIME SINGING SCHOOL — MUSIC IN CHURCHES — AMERICAN
BUGLE BAND — THE GERMAN BAND — OTHER BANDS AND ORCHES-
TRAS— J. P. WEBSTER AS A COMPOSER — A CITY OF MUSICAL
CULTURE.

Tht' elevating influence of music and its powers to please and
ihann long have been recognized in Racine's social life. To give
vent to the craving for expressions of joy, sorrow or humor in
song is an innate attribute of the soul and, while the community
was but a collection of a few modest little homes, the family
circle was the only medium foi- a collective blending of instru-
ment and voice. Before a great while came the singing school
and when the settlement became of sufficient note and importance
traveling companies of song birds were announced to appear to
an eager and enthusiastic public. Many of the first residents of
Racine were of cultured stock and the refining attributes of
music were essential to their being. So that any one of the place,
of talent in this direction, could count on the symi)athies of his
audience, and the singer or musician from the outside world was
always welcomed.

Early in the '40s and '50s singing schools were the vogue.
In 1844 the Misses Mary Slauson, Frances Gibson, Mary Rice,
Phoebe Copeland and others were pupils in music under Mrs.
James T. Manchester, and Mrs. Hopkins' School and the Racine
Female Seminary had special classes in vocal and instrumental
nuisic. The seminary advertised lessons on the "piano or sera-
phine" at $8 per quarter. On August 28, 1852, appeared the
nnnouncement that "Mr. A. Tibbetts and lady would open classes
in vocal music, at the vestry room of the Presbyterian Church,
on Saturday, September 4, at 7:30 o'clock P.M. Terms of tui-
tion: Juvenile class, term of twenty evenings, 50 cents; adults,
$1.00." Mrs. McMynn is authority for the statement that these
teachers of music had quite a large and successful class.

Instrumental music in the churches was endured if not
entirely countenanced by the more radically inclined members
against "that instrmnent of the devil," the organ. For it must

324 HISTORY OF RACIXE COUNTY

l)c' known tliat to many good sonls of the church in primitive
times, to bring a nuisical instrnment into the sanctuary of the
l.oi(i was a desecration of His holy temi)le. Perhaps there are
men and women living in Racine today wlio remember wlicii they
first saw a melodeon or an organ in a house of religious worship.
They will then call to mind the exiDressions on the faces of the
"hardshells" or "conservatives." And, no doubt, a comparison
will attend their trij^ back into the past in recalling to the mental
vision the queerly diminutive organ of that day and the great
])il)e organ of the present generation, costing its thousands of
dollars and now considered "an indisijensable" in every and
any temple of the Most High, that thinks anything of itself and
has the price.

Singing societies, orchestras and brass bands were a part
of the advanced civilization of Racine when the place was but a
hamlet, and as early as 1853 a band was organized and named
after its leader, Jacob Esser. This organization afterwards was
known as the "Governor's (luards" Band, named for a company
of militia which had been organized a short time before by George
Wustimi, who was made cajjtain over the company, which was
composed of German citizens. The "Guards" and its band had
a hall f)n the west side of Seventh Street, between Main and
Wisconsin, but it burned down about 1852, and their headquar-
ters were transferred to a hall ovei- the Wustum store at 408
Main Street; later Kawelti's Hall was the rendezvous. The band
had for members J. Esser, leader; Hiram Retter, William Horn,
Ghristian Ritt, Theodore Ritt, Hubbard Brown, Thomas Evans,
John Happ, Fred Lersch, Frank Kammerer.

Jacob Esser came to America and then to Racine in 1844, and
at the time was unmarried. He bought a lot, on which was a log
cabin, at the southwest corner of Villa and Thirteenth Streets,
where his daughter, Mrs. Bernhard, is still living. He was a
stone mason, and cooper in the winter seas(m. It is said that
when St. Mary's Church was first built he played the clarionet
to lead the singing, before that congregation had an organ. A
little later he was assisted at the church by other musicians.

In 1858 the American Bugle Band was organized by its first
leader, John P. Jones, and a list of the meml)ers follows: John
P. Jones, John R. Davis, A. Kellogg, E. Pritchard, F. Gibson, J.
Prii)yl, C. Haas, A. Schneider, R. Daniels, L. C. Wentworth, E. P.

HISTORY OF RACIMC COUNTY .525

» 5

T.owell, D. C. Washl)iii-ii, II. M. Weiitworth, R. Jones. "Bui-U
was added to the name because of the then noteworthy fact that
the in.sti-unient phiyed by John R. Davis was a solid silver bugle
which cost $150. When the Civil War broke out this t)and often
played at ])atriotic gatherings to I'ally recruits and stir up enthn-
siasni; its services always were tendered on these occasions with-
ont a remuneration. The band was often fomid on hand at college
functions of various kinds.

The German (not "the little Gennan Band" of ti-adition)
l>an(l was organized in 1865 and Charles Heyer was the leadei-;
other members, John and Henry Broecker, Charles Haas, Jacol)
Esser, Paul Bohn, Christian Retter and others. Competition
between these bands was very lively whenever they hai)pened
both to be out at the same time. Dui'ing one of the stin-ing cam-
paiuiis shortly after the Civil War, the Democrats and the Re-
publicans were having each a procession on the same day. the
American Band heading the Republicans, and the German the
Democratic hosts. The German Band l)oasted that it would blow
the American tooters off the streets if ever it had the chance,
so the news came. At any rate, the Republicans, headed by the
Amei'ican Band in a wagon, had been parading over in the Foiu'th
Ward and, returning to J\Iarket Square, found the German Band
installed on the c(nirt-house steps, entertaining a large crowd.
Mr. Davis, leading the American Band, ordered the wagon driven
to the middle of the square, to the accompaniment of a quickstep,
and warned the players that the tussle of their lives was on.
The (piestion then to be decided was, which band could out-play
and out-stay the other. The personel and political partisans of
each encouraged the contestants in every w^ay to hang on. J. I.
Case was particularly anxious that the Republican band should
win. and the crowd was amused for two and a half hours before
the German Band was blown out and retired, leaving the Bugle
Band to play a final fanfare in token of victory.

Other bands there were and many of them. There was the
Racine Cornet Band, formerly the Racine City Band, originally
oi'ganized in 1859. This, no doubt, was the German Band just
alluded to. It was reorganized in 1877, with the following mem-
bers: Charles Evanson, leader; Charles Bettray, Clarence Toste-
vin, G(!()rge Creighton, Tliomas Rogan, James Wood, Anthony
Hayek, W. H. Sumner, Jacob Hettrick, Erick Noren, Lafayette

326 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Pataillot, Louis Lawsoii. Then cainc nn for roeognition the Tem-
ple of Honor Brass Band in 1878.

Adolph KSchultc (irj^anizcd a band in 1876 and was its director
until 1881, when he left the city; Hendrie (t Smith's Orchestra
came into the field in 1876, and the band of that name was formed
some time later. Broecker's Band and String Orchestra was also
((I'^anized in the '70s.

Porter Hu Hendrie 's Orchestra and (Quadrille Band was organ-
ized in 1873; Klein's Orchestra and Quadrille Band in 1877;
Hendrie & Smith's Quadrille and Reed Band in 1877. Before
this, however, Lawson & Ha^vek's Orchestra and Quadrille Band
was organized in 1863, l)y Louis M. Lawson and reorganized iu
1873, with the above title.

Perhaps it is not generally known that a former citizen of
Racine composed the music for that ever popiilai- gospel song,
"The Sweet Bye and Bye," but such is its history. J. P. Web-
ster, a member of the American Bugle Band, was a fine nuisieian
and composer, and while a resident of Racine, alxiut 1860, wrote
the air to the song, and the first time it was sung in public was
at a concert ))y the band, when Mr. Webster sang the beautifvil
comi)(»sition as he accompanied himself on the piano. At the time
the song was written its author was in the saloon business with
a man named (iills(»n, another mem])er of the band.

Sonic time previous to taking up his residence in Racine,
Mr. Webster was associated with a high class traveling musical
organization and, being of a sociable dis})osition and altogether
a lovable fellow, who made friends easily, he was led into habits
of drink that accomplished his ruin. He realized his disgrace and
became subject to fits of melancholy and despf)ndeney, during
which he would drink himself into a condition of oblivion to any
sense of responsiliility. He was a man naturally of fine and high
sentiments, with a sanguine temperament, and was capal)le of
giving it fit expression, and it was a monstrous pity that such
a man, "who was winged for flight, should have been impelled to
crawl."

How the music to the song liapi)ened to be written by J. P.
Webster is told in Ira D. Sankey's "Story of the Hymns," by
S. h'illmore Bennett, the authoi' of the words t(» the "Sweet B_ye
and Bye." He says:

"Mr. Webstei', like manv musicians, was of an exceedingly

e
z

HISTORY OF RACIXK COrNTY 327

iici'Vdiis and sensitive nature, and subject to periods of depres-
sion, in which he looked upon the dark side of things in life. I
had learned his peculiarities s(i well that mi nieetiiiu- him I ciiuld
tell at a u'hince if he was in one of liis melancholy moods, and i
fdund that 1 could rouse him from them by giving him a new
song or hymn to work on. On such an occasion he came into my
place of business, walked down to the stove and turned his back
to nie without speaking. I was at my tlesk writing. Pi'csently
1 said, 'Webster, what is the matter now f 'It is no matter,'
he replied, 'it will be all right bye and bye.'

"The idea of the hvmn came to me like a flash of suidight,
and I replied:

" 'The Sweet Bye and Bye. would that not make a good
song'?'

" 'Maybe it would,' he answered, indifferently.

"Turning to my desk, I penned the three verses and the
chorus as fast as I could write. In the meantime two friends,
Mr. N. H. Carswell and S. E. Bright, had come in. I handed the
liynm to Mr. Webster. As he read it his eye kindled and his
whole demeanor changed. Stepping to the desk he began writing
the notes in a moment. Presently he requested Mr. Bright to
hand him his violin, and then he played the melody. In a few
moments more I had the notes for the four parts of the chorus
jotted down. I think it was not more than thirty minutes from
the time I took my pen to write the words l)efore the two gentle-
men, and Mr. Webster and I, were singing the hymn."

Hezekiah Butterworth's story gives Webster's date of birth
as the year 1819 and death as 1875, and credits him with wi-iting
the nmsic to the hymn in 1868.

A CITY OF MUSICAL CULTURE

There luis been no attempt to give in this article a complete
histoi'y of nmsical oi'ganizati(»ns in Racine. To do that would
take more space in this volume than could well be afforded. But
the reader is assured that the subject is a very pleasant one to
the writer and he fain woidd dwell upon it to a greater length,
hut, noblesse olilige. However, the city has maintained and en-
couraged many musical associations and individual artists by
its ])atronage.

The Danish and Welsh people of Racine, of which there is a

.^28 HISTORY OF RACINE COIINTY

large and inlliK'iitial contingent, are probably the foremost in
nnisieal circles in the city. The people of both nationalities love
iiinsic and it is boiii and bred of their fibre. They have their
societies and contribute to the i)leasures of all by skillful rendi-
tion and interpi-etation of refined and classical selections from
noted composers of the world. The Dania Society is one of the
])opular (n-ganizations and is a prominent factor in the promotion
of musical entertainments. Some years ago the Dania erected a
handsome home, where its members meet and devise ways and
uicans to benetit themselves and others in the social amusements
sdught by people of refinement and good taste. The Dania Broth-
erhood also should be spoken of in this regard and the Belle City
Male Chpr-us has a special place in the esteem of the community,
.\s it has been a leading attraction at the annual Eisteddfod, held
by the Welsh ])eo})le of the States of Illinois and Wisconsin, and
at which the chorus has taken many prizes. In 1902 the Treble
Clef, a woman's choi-us, was organized by Danish talent, with
forty voices. And these sweetly singing Danes have another
chorus, the Ilandet Singing Society, organized forty years ago by
Professor Theodore Elberg, a noted Danish editor and nnisical
director. Then there are the Cerman associations, most of which
have music for their fetich. The members ai-e among the most
prominent of the citizens here and have their Deiitscher Frauen
Verein and the Deutscher Maenner Verein. The Scotch have
their Caledonian Society.

CHAPTER XVIII

SOCIETIES AND FRATERNITIES

OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY — TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES — MASONIC FRATER-
NITY—ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR — INDEPENDENT ORDER OF
ODD FELLOWS — DAUGHTERS OF REBEKAH — KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS

— THE ELKS — GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC — WOMEN'S RELIEF
CORPS — LADIES OF THE GRAND ARMY — OTHER PATRIOTIC SOCIE-
TIES—CATHOLIC SOCIETIES — TRADES UNIONS — COMMERCIAL CLUB

— YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION — YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRIS-
TIAN ASSOCIATION — MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES — THE LEADING
CLUBS.

From a historic point of view the Old Settlers' Society of
Racine County is doubtless the most important society ever or-
<>anized within the county limits. About the close of the Civil
War, whenever two or three old residents would get together to
exchange reminiscences of pioneer days, the subject of organizing
an association of old settlers would come up for discussion. But
it was not until early in 1870 that any definite action along that
line was taken. Then a few persons met and decided that the
time was ripe for such an organization. They prepared and
issued the following call for a preliminary meeting:

"All residents of Racine County, who have been in the state
for more than thirty years, are invited to meet at the court-house
on Monday evening, March 14, 1870, for the purpose of organiz-
ing an Old Settlers' Society.

"By request of

"MANY OLD CITIZENS."

At the appointed time quite a number of old residents assem-
bled in the court-room. Lorenzo Janes was elected chairman and
S. B. Peck was chosen secretary. A motion was made and carried
that the chairman a])point a committee of five to prepare a con-
stitution and present it to the meeting for adoption. The proba-
l)ilities are, as is usual in such cases, that something in the way
of a constitution had been prepared in advance of the meeting,
ill anticipation of this action. However this may have been, Mr.
Janes appointed as a committee John A. Carswell, Archibald
roo})er, Alanson Filer, Benjamin Pratt and C. J. True. While
the committee was out working on the constitution Eldad Smith,

330 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

L. S. Blako and others entortaiiicd the meeting with recollections
of early incidents in Racine County. Within a reasonable time
the committee retm-ned to the court-room and reported the fol-
lowing:

"Preamble — For the purpose of reviving old associations
and renewing the ties of former years, the midersigned do hereby
unite in an association, to be known as the 'Old Settlers' Society
of the County of Racine,' and adopts the following

CONSTITUTION

"Article I. Any person of good moral character, who has
resided in the state for more than thirty years and is now a resi-
dent of Racine (\)unty, may become a member of this society
by signing his or her name and paying an initiation fee of
fifty cents.

"Article 11. The officers of this society shall consist of a
president, three vice-presidents, a secretary, a treasurer and an
executive committee of five members.

"Article III. The president, vice-presidents, secretary and
treasurer shall perf(»rm such duties as usually pertain to their
res])ective offices, but all matters relating to the society shall be
under the control and management of the executive committee.

"Article IV. The officers of this society shall be elected by
ballot on the second Monday of January in each year.

"Article V. New members may be acbnitted by the execu-
tive committee, provided that thirty years shall have elapsed
since the applicant's first residence in the State of Wisconsin.

"Article VI. The executive committee shall give notice,
through the newspai)ers or otherwise, of the time of the funeral
of any of the deceased members, and all members, if possible,
shall attend said funeral, wearing the society badge.

"Article VII. Whenever seventy-five persons shall have
signed this constitution, they may elect officers and organize the
society; and it is understood that women may become members
of this society Avithout paying the initiation fee.

"Article VIII. This constitution may be altered or amended
at any annual meeting, by a majority of the members present."

The constitution was ado])ted, after which the following pei"-
sons came forward and affixed their names. They may therefore
be called the "charter members" of the Old Settlers' Society:

—-7 ^IP 1 ' ' - -

»iV»':J

mutii:»nii£

■ . ;^K^

SOME PIONEERS OF RACINE AT FIKSl OLD SETTLERS' I'lCNIC IN JUNE, l,s7y.

From left to right are: L. S. Blake. Alvin Raymond. Nelson Gatliff, A. H. Blake, Nelson Walker,
Mrs. J. O. Bartlett, Mrs. Alanson Filer, Alanson Filer and grand-daushter, Elsie Wentworth ; Gilbert
Knapp, Benjamin Pratt, James Walker, Alfred Gary. Sheridan Kimball. Stephen Campbell, Thomas Place.

HISTORY OF RAdNE COUNTY 331

R. H. Baker, J. O. Bartlett, L. S. Blake, Norman Clark, Archibald
Cooper, Angus B. Crane. William S. Derby, James T. Elliott,
John A. Carswell, Alanson Filer. J. PI. (lijison. AV. H. (iresitt,
Samuel Huod, William S. Hoyt, Lorenzo Janes, Nathan Joy,
Sheridan Kimball, Sanmel G. Knight, Seth P. Phelps, Benjamin
Pratt. Alvin Raymond, H. Raymond, Eldad Smith, C. J. True,
Thomas Place, Adney Wooster, S. B. Peck and Levi J. Billings.

Of the twenty-eight who signed the meml)ership i-oll at that
lirst meeting, seven came to the covmty in 1835; nine, in 183();
three, in 1837; one, in 1838, and eight, in 1839. After the adop-
tion and signing of the constitution the meeting adjourned. The
executive committee or, rather, the committee that drafted the
constitution acting as such, began a canvass for additional mem-
bers. When the required seventy-five were enrolled, another
meeting was held, at which the following officers were elected:
Lucius S. Blake, president; Benjamin Pratt, William S. Hoyt
and Thomas Place, vice-presidents; S. B. Peck, secretary and
treasm-er; Archibald Cooper. R. H. Baker, J. O. Bartlett. Alvin
RaynKmd and Pliny M. Perkins, executive committee.

On motion, the secretary was instructed to furnish each of
the newspapers of the county with a (•oi)y of the proceedings of
the meeting for publication. A motion was also carried instruct-
ing the executive connnittee to tix upon a time and place for
holding an "Old Settlers' Meeting." The committee reported
that Racine had been selected as the place and the first Wednes-
day in Jmie as the time, and on that date the first old settlers'
meeting in Racine County was held. It was largely attended
aufl great interest was aroused in events of early days.

The meeting was held in Belle City Hall, in the City of
Racine, and was called to order promptly at 10 o'clock A. M. by
President L. S. Blake. Rev. Cyrus Nichols offered an appropriate
]nayer, aftei' which Rev. M. P. Kinney, of Rockford, Illinois,
formerly superintendent of the Racine pid^lic schools, delivered
the principal address. Capt. Gilbert Knapp, Samuel E. Chap-
man. Lewis Royce, W. C. Allen, Elam Beardsley and Hon. J. R.
Doolittle also spoke briefly. A connnittee on resolutions, con-
sisting of J. A. Carswell. Seneca Raymond and J. O. Bartlett,
presented a series of seven resolutions that were mianimouslv
adopted, the society voted to hold the next meeting at Burling-

332 HISTORY OF RACIXE COl'XTY

toll, after which the assemblage sang "Aiild Lang Syne" and
adjouTUcd.

On .laimarv 9, 1871, the tii-st reguhir aniiu.il meeting, as pro-
vided for in tlie constitution, met at the court-liouse at Kaeine,
for the purpose of electing officers. Court happened to l)e in
session and the Old Settlers' Society adjonrned to Lawton's
Hall, whei-e the first business transacted was the adoption of an
amendment to the eonstitntion increasing the execntive comit-
tee to seven members. The following officers were then elected:
President, Nelson R. Norton; vice-presidents, Alanson Filer,
John Newman and Eleazer Everit; secretary-treasurer, S. B.
Peck; executive committee, J. A. Carswell, Charles Waite, Archi-
bald C()o]>er. Willinm B-illack, E. 1). Filei'. T. I). Mnrris and
J. O. Bai'tlett. By a vote of those ])resent the executive com-
mittee was instru('te(l to call a meeting of the society at l>ur-
lington (tn Febi'uai-y 22, 1871. and to "provide speakers and
make all arrangements for the same."

The new executive connnittee met in the supervisors' room
in the court-house at Racine on January 20, 1871, and perfected
arrangements for the Burlington meeting by securing the serv-
ices of Judge Charles E. Dyer to deliver a historical address.
An account of the Biirlington meeting says:

"The ]u-esident then introduced Hem. Charles E. Dyer as
the orator of the day, who gave a most interesting discourse on
the early history of Pacine County, beginning with the City of
Racine and then taking the towns in their or<ler. The narrative
was one of deep pathos, interspersed with scenes of the ludi-
crous and mirthful, which held the attention of the aTidience for
more than two hours."

At the close of .fudge l)yei''s address a song was rendered
in German l)y the Teutonia Club of Burlington. A unanimous,
vote of thanks was then given Judge Dyer for his "eloquent and
instructive address," and the following resolution was adopted:

"Resolved, That a subscription be taken up and the proceeds
placed in the hands of the executive committee to procure the
publication of the address in pamphlet form; and, further, that
every subsci-iber shall be furnished said ])amphlet at cost for
the amount of their subscriptions; and also that the connnittee
a7'e requested to add further items of history, mider the super-
vision of Mr. Dver."

HIST()R^■ OI" RACINE COl'NTY 333

Oil motion, the following named gentlemen wei'c appointed
a committee to solicit additional suliseriptions: Alanson Filei-,
-I. A. Carswell and Samuel Hood, of Raeine; T. W. (Jault, of
WatertVn-d; 8anniel Onniston. of Yorkville; Franklin Nims and
Pliny iM. Perkins, of Jinrlington; Joshua Pierce, of j\Iount Pleas-
ant; Evan Kaepscadt, of Norway; F. E. Hoyt and R. North, of
Rochester: II. T.. ({ilniore, of Raymond, and T. T). Moi-ris, of
Caledonia.

The conmiittee raised a considerable simi of money and the
i-evised address of Judge Dyer, with some additions, was ]>ul)-
lished in the form of a neat pamphlet and widely distributed
(iver the county. If the Old Settlers' Society had never done
anything else it would have rendered itself inunoi'tal, for the
address of Judge Dyer, delivered at Burlington on February 22,
1871. contains the gist of the early history of the county. It has
l>een the nucleus of all the history that has since been written,
and will form the basis of pioneer historical research for years
to come. But the society has gone on holding its annual picnics
from that time to the i)resent. On July 14, 1902, the society was
incorporated by David H. Flett, C. M. llambright and John S.
I>lakey. with a capital stock of $2,500, in shares of one dollar
each, under the name of the "Racine County Old Settlers' Soci-
ety." The principal reason for the incorporation is explained in
Article I of the articles of incorporatif>n, to wit:

"The object, business and purposes of such incorporation
ai'c and shall be the promotion and advancement of the social
and moral well-being of all old settlers of Racine County, the
holding of periodical meetings for mutual benefit and improve-
ment and other educational and benevolent purposes exclusively,
and the purchase and holding of real and personal property inci-
dent to the business of such corporation."

Soon after the society was incorporated the executive com-
mittee purchased a tract of land just west of the Village of UuioTi
drove for an "Old Settlers' Park." Here, in a beautiful grove,
a pavilion has been erected and meetings are held every summer.
The meeting for 191(i was held on June 15tli, at which time the
ti-casurer rej)orted a balance of $422.30 in the treasury, indi-
cating that the society is in a prosperous condition. It is
expressly provided in the articles of incorporation that no stoek-
liolder shall ever receive dividends or pecuniary profits from his

334 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

stock. Tlu' officers at the beji,iiiniiig of 1916 were: John S.
Blakey, president; John T. Gittings, secretary; H. J. Smith,
treasurer.

TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES

Soon after the close of the Civil War in 1865, a wave of
"tem])('rance reform" spread over the country and in neai'ly
every village and city temperance societies were organized. The
oldest of these were the Sons of Temperance, which Avas intro-
duced in Racine County by Stejohen Crosby, who had joined the
order in Western New York before coming to Wisconsin.
Through his influence Belle City Division, No. 4, was organized
on March 20, 1867, with fifteen charter members, and Dr. Crosby
was elected the first worthy patriarch. It was organized in the
Odd Fellows' Hall and met there until Jmie 14, 1870, when it
moved into a hall of its own. In December of that year the
(Jrand Division of Wisconsin met at Racine. There were then
thirteen subdivisions in the state, witli a total membership of
548. In 1871 the outlook was far from encouraging, but Mr.
Crosby and a few faithful followers held meetings in the session
room of the Presbyterian Church. Among those were W. P.
Burbeck, John E. Davis, L. H. Miller, M. J. Higgins, William
Street and Z. C. Wentworth. Through their energy and persist-
ence the "Sons" finally made themselves felt, and during the.
next three years a number of subdivisions were organized by the
members of Belle City.

A division of the Sons of Temperance was organized at
Waterford on February 12, 1872, with twenty-eight members and
Dr. George F. Newell as the first Avorthy patriarch. The order
reached the zenith of its power about 1878, when there were
about six thousand members in the state. Belle City Division
then numbered 122 members and the one at Waterford had over
thirty. These were the only two divisions in Racine Comity of
which any history can be obtained.

In the early '7()s the Indepcudent Order of (iood Templars
made its appearance as a temperance organization. Owing to
its mysticism of a seci-et work, with signs, grips and passwords,
and the showy regalia worn by the officers of the lodges on
public occasions, it made rapid growth for a few years, while
the S(ms of Tem])erauc(' declined.

The first lodge of (iood Templars in Racine County was

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 335

organized at Roehoster in January, 1872, with .1. I). Wrif>ht as
worthy chief templar and Lucy E. Nash as vice-teniplar. Racine
Lodge, No. 106, was organized on Novemlx'r 11, 1874, with L. A.
Harrington, worthy chief t('ni])hu'; Lizzie Cape, vice-tenii)lar;
E. C. Waterhouse, secretary; Mrs. L. R. Harrington, treasurer.
The lodge started with sixteen charter members and grew to a
membership of over fifty. A lodge of Good Templars was also
organized at Union Grove, about the same time, and there were
a number of lodges that met in the school houses throughout the
county. The growth of the Good Templars was like a mushi'oom
and its existence was of the same character. After a few years
the members apparently grew tired of attending the lodge meet-
ings, charters were surrendered and the order perished, except
in a few localities, where it lingered until about the beginning
of the present century.

Almost contemporary with the Good Templars was the order
known as the Temple of Honor, which was similar in nature and
purpose. On March 28, 1876, Temple of Honor, No. 4, was
organized at Burlington and was the first in the county. It
started with twenty members and in a short time grew to sixty-
five. Among those who were active in promoting its work were:
H. A. Sheldon, C. G. Foley, T. M. Martin, G. W. Stone, C. A.
Jones, F. H. Nims, J. B. Hall, W. P. Goff and J. G. Wilson. At
one time this temple had nearly four hundi-ed dollars in its
treasury.

On November 16, 1876, a number of members from Burling-
ton went to Rochester and organized a Temple of Honor there
with a membership of thirty-one. W. B. Stetson \vas the first
presiding officer and among the members were: J. E. Jackson,
E. B. and Robert Adams, James Bell, John Gleason, G. H. Blake
and Joseph Sunnners. Two days later the Temple of Honor was
organized at Waterford by parties from Burlington and Roches-
ter, with seventy-four charter members. Dr. George F. Newell
was the first presiding officer and Charles Palmer was secretary,
or recorder.

Racine Temple of Honor, No. 76, was organized on November
20, 1876, by Grand Worthy Chief Watrous of Milwaukee. The
temple started with thirty-one charter members and W. T. Lewis
as the presiding officer. A Temple of Honor was also organized

336 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

at L'uioii (ii'dvc ill the tall of 187(), hut its liistdi'v can not he
ascci-taiiK'd.

All tlicsc various tciupd'anee societies have passed into liis-
tory as "things that were." How nnich good they accomplished
while they were in existence it would lie difficult to determine.
The niend)ers used their influence to induce men to give up tlie
drink hahit, numhers signed the ])ledge under this influence and
many of those who signed lived u]» to theii' ])ledge and lived
solx'T lives.

MASONIC FRATERNITY

Of all the secret fraternal orders Freemasonry stands first
in ]ioint of senioi'ity. Just when and where the order originated
is not definitely known. A Masonic tradition says it was intro-
duced in England by Prince Edwin aliouf 92(5 A. D., hut does not
make plain where Prince Edwin gained his knowledge of the
fraternity. There are Masonic documents dated hack to 1.390,
and Mother Kilwinning Lodge of Scotland was organized in
1599. As it has been in continuous existence since that time, it
is the oldest known lodge in the world. In June, 1717, the Grand
Lodge of England was organized and it is the mother of all
Masonic bodies throughout the English-speaking world.

Tn M'AO Daniel Coxe, of New Jersey, was appointed by the
English (irand Lodge "Provincial (Irand Master of the Provinces
of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in America." About
the same time a provincial grand master was appointed for the
New England colonies. Before the close of the year 17^50 a
lodge was organized at Philadelphia and one was established
in New Ham])shire, each of which (dainis to have been the first
lodge in America. After the Revolution a different system was
adopted in this country. A grand lodge was organized in each
state. Charters were issued to Masons in the new territories
from the nearest grand lodge, and when a sufficient number of
lodges had been organized that territory or state would form a
grand lodge of its own, so that now each state constitutes a grand
jurisdiction of its own.

Masonry was introduced into Racine County by the organ-
ization of Racine Lodge, No. 18, which was instituted under
dispensation on November 22, 1847, with Dr. B. B. Cary, wor-
shipful mastei'; Isaac J. Ullman, senior warden; J. C. Howell,
Junioi- warden; A. C. Barry, secretary; James H. Hall, treasurer;

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 337

H. T. Sanders, senior deacon; O. A. Stafford, junior deaeon; J. B.
Gates and H. N. Chapman, stewards; N. D. llaslvcll, tiler. The
lodge received a charter from the Wisconsin Grand Lodge on
January 15, 1848. This lodge is still in existence, has a strong
membership, and holds its regular meetings on the first and third
Mondays of each month in the Masonic Tem])le at 505-511 South
Main Street. The officers at the beginning of the year 1916 were:
F. L. Norton, worshipful master; Henry M. Thomas, senior
warden; A. B. Welty, junior warden; James Mainland, secretary;
A. F. Erickson, treasurer. It had 359 members on December 31,
1915.

The next Masonic lodge to be organized was Burlington
Lodge, No. 28. It was granted a dispensation on February 7,
1849, and was instituted under a charter dated December 15,
1849. For a time this lodge met in the Odd Fellows' Hall, but
later secured a hall of its own. The last report of the Wisconsin
Grand Lodge gives the number of members as 117.

Belle City Lodge, No. 92, began its career under a dispensa-
tion dated June 11, 1858, and received its charter on June 9, 1858.
The first officers under the charter were: Henry Burbeck, wor-
shipful master; Richard Cole, senior warden; A. Tyrrell, junior
warden; Enoch Strother, secretary; II. Ludington, treasurer;
L. W. Faulkner, senior deacon; G. A. Ludington, junior deacon;
Elisha Norton and William Copeland, stewards; William Smet-
hurst, tiler. The principal officers for 1916 were as follows:
A. B. Clifford, worshipful master; Charles C. Nelson, senior
warden; Hugo W. Ott, junior warden; Albert C. Mickelson, sec-
retary; William H. Bell, treasurer. This is the strongest Masonic
lodge in the county, having 421 members, according to the last
Grand Lodge report. Regular meetings are held on the second
and fourth Thui'sdays of each month in the Masonic Temple on
Main Street.

Temple Lodge, No. 96, Free and Accepted Masons, was or-
ganized at Waterford under a dispensation dated April 20, 1856,
with Samuel E. Chapman, worshipful master; Hiram D. JNIorse,
senior warden; Nelson II. Palmer, junior warden; George W.
Sproat, secretary; Charles Moe, treasm-er. The lodge started
with eleven members and the first meetings were held in a back
room in Mr. Chapman's residence. In 1862 a hall was secured
over Palmer & Moe's store. At one time this lodge had over

338 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

fifty uiciiilxTs. l)ut thf last (ii'uiul Lodge report gives the luuiiber
in 1915 as forty-one.

In 1865 eight Master Masons at Union Grove signed a peti-
tion to the Qrand Lodge for a dis])ensation to organize a lodge.
The petition was granted and a lodge was organized, with B. R.
Clark, worshipful master; T. H. Carlton, senior warden; Garn
Hulett, junior warden. A eharti-r was subsequently granted to
the lodge, but after a struggling existence of several years the
charter was surrendered and the lodge passed out of existence.
The present ^fasonic h)dge at L'^nion Grove was organized under
a dispensation dated April 4, 1904, and on the 15th of June fol-
lowing this lodge was chartered as Union Grove, No. 288. It has
about forty members and is in a tidurishing condition.

Orient Chapter, No. 12, Royal Arch Masons, of Racine, was
organized under dispensation on December 4, 1854, and chartered
on February 7, 1855. The first officers under the <'harter were:
James Bullen, high priest; I. J. Ullman, king; (J. Bronson, scribe.
The chapter now luuubers over two hundred members and holds
regular meetings on the first and third Friday evenings of each
month at the Masonic Temple. The high priest in 1916 was
William F. Kisow, and Leo I. Redmond was secretary.

Racine Commandei-y, No. 7, Knights Templars, received a
dispensation to organize on August 7, 1865, and at the next
annual meeting of the Wisconsin Grand Commandery, at Mil-
waukee, January 3, 186(), a charter was granted. J. A. Horlick
was the first eminent connnander; Julius Wooster, the first gen-
eralissimo, and E. D. Filer, tlu> first captain-genei-al. This com-
mandery now has a strong meml)ership and holds meetings in
the Masonic Temple on the first Wednesday evening of each
month. The principal officers in 1916 were: TlKmias W. Leslie,
eminent commander; Louis Thronson, generalissimo; George A.
Platz, captain-general; Milton W. Jones, secretary; Byron B.
Northrop, treasurer.

Racine Council, No. 5, Royal and ISelect Masters, meets
quarterly in March, June, September and December, in the Ma-
sonic Temple, and the Masonic Relief Board, which was organized
in January, 1875, meets when occasion requires. The board in
1916 was c.miiK)sed of J. W. Hall. J. J. IToernel and E. E. Gittins.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 339

ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR

The Order of the Eastern Star is a sort of "side degree" to
Freemasonry, to which the wives, mothers and daughters of
Master ^Masons are eligible. Local organizations are called chap-
ters, of which there are three in Kacine Comity.

Racine Chapter, No. 45, was organized under a dispensation
gi-anted on February 7, 1893, and (Ui the 23rd of the same month
received a charter. From a small charter membership the chap-
ter has grown until the last report of the Crand Chapter credits
it with 487 members. Regular meetings are held in the Masonic
Temple on the first and third Thursdays of each month. The
leading officers for 1916 were: Stewart AV. Chamberlin, worthy
patron; Mrs. Caroline Kammerer. woi'thy matron; Mrs. Lydia
Hanson, secretary.

Union Grove Chapter, No. 71, was granted a dispensation
on August (), 189."), and was instituted under a charter dated
February 20, 1896. According to the rirand Lodge report for
1915, it then had thirty-four members, with Royal Hilme, worthy
patron; Mrs. Mary Scott, worthy matron; Miss Minnie Thomp-
son, secretary.

Burlington Chapter, No. 153, was instituted under a charter
granted on February 23, 1905, though it had been organized
imder dis])ensation on December 28, 1904. In 1915 it reported
140 members, with Theo. Lightfield, worthy patron; Pearl Ow^en,
worthy matron; Gertrude Wood, secretary.

INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS

The origin of this order can be traced back t(j about 1745,
when it made its appearance in England imder the name of the
"Ancient and Most Noble Order of Bucks," in the ceremonies
of which were many features found in modern Odd Fellowship.
About 1748 Aristarchus Lodge, No. 9, held meetings in the Globe
Tavern in London. Such meetings w^ere proscribed by the Eng-
lish Government and about 1773 the order declined, though a
few of the "Bucks" still met secretly, and about 1778 the words
"Odd Fellow" first occur in the ritual. In 1809 a lodge at
Manchester declared its independence and held meetings in
defiance of the government proscription. Seeing that this lodge
was not molested, several others joined with it in 1813 in form-
ing the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows. Not long after this

340 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

the; Older was transplauted to Aiueiica by the organization of
Shakspere Lodge, No. 1, in the City of New York. It soon went
down and the first permanent lodge in the United States was
organized in 1819 l)y Thomas II. Wildey, of Baltimore.

To the Odd Fellows belongs the distinction of having been
the first fraternal society to organize a lodge in Racine County.
As early as 1843 ten Odd Fellows got together in Burlington
and formed a lodge, which was subsequently chartered by the
(Jrand Lodge of Wisconsin. Fred Loven, of Kenosha, was the
first noble grand, and James Catton, vice-grand. ^^H^iile the
growth of the lodge was not rapid it was permanent, and in a
few years it was able to acquire a good hall over Kantz's hard-
ware store. Among those who assisted materially in building
up this first lodge in the county Avere James Edmonds, Richard
Weygard, Thomas Marsland, J. W. Edmonds and E. S. Voorhees.
It is now in a flourishing condition and the members are proud
of belonging to the first lodge ever established in the County
of Racine.

Racine Lodge, No. 8, was organized by David McDonald
and a few others in the fall of 1845, and Avas regularly instituted
under a charter dated April 30, 1846. In 1858 it surrendered its
charter and records to the Grand Lodge, so that its early history
cannot be oljtained. On July 1, 1859, a new^ charter was granted
to the lodge, giving it the original name and number, and it was
reorganized with thirteen charter members and the following
officers: Alexander Griswold, noble grand; William H. Jenks,
vice-grand; George Foster, secretary; David McDonald, treas-
urer. Under the new charter the lodge x>i"<»spered and in a few^
years owned property at 417-421 Wisconsin Street valued at
$5,000. The present Odd Fellows' Hall occupies the same site,
where the lodge meets on Tuesday evening of each week. The
officers at the begimiiug of 1916 were: James Larson, noble
grand; Louis Steele, vice-grand; Chris Pach, recording secretary;
L. A. Williams, financial secretary; Andrew Ruger, treasurer.

The next Odd Fellows' lodge to be organized in the county
was at Rochester. In April, 1849, Jesse Stetson and a few other
citizens of Rochester held meetings in the school house to de-
noiniee secret orders in general and the Odd Fellows in partic-
ular. Now, it so happened that there were a small number of
Odd Fellows living in the vicinity, among Avhom were C. J. True

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 341

and Ilciiry Cady. The action of Mr. Stetson and his associates
brouuht a vigorous protest from the Odd Fellows, and on July
18, 1849, a lodge of about sixty members was formed. Hihmd
Hurlburt was the first noble grand; Wallace Ilurlburt, vice-
grand, and Doctor Boyee, secretary.

(iermania Lodge, No. 70, was organized on fluly 15, 1853,
and was composed exclusively of Germans. Joseph l^ackner
was the first noble grand; Ferdinand Ehnlinger, vice-grand;
Simon Wile, secretary; Christopher Wustum, treasurer. In
1803, owing to the fact that so many members had enlisted in
the army, Germania was consolidated with Racine Lodge, No. 8.
On January 19, 1872, a new charter was obtained and Germania
was reorganized and eight years later had nearly two thousand
dollars' worth of property. It continued for some years longer,
when it finally disbanded, the members uniting with the other
lodges in the city.

^[cDonald Lodge, No. 137, in the City of Racine, was organ-
ized mider a charter dated December 27, 1867, with the following
officers: L. W. Botsford, noble grand; Frank J. Gibson, vice-
grand; M. P. Barry, recording secretary; S. P. Gilbert, financial
secretary; C. B. Ticknor, treasurer. This lodge has had a steady
and substantial growth from the beginning and now holds meet-
ings regularly in Winters' Hall, at 412-416 West Sixth Street,
on Thursday evening of each week. The officers at the begin-
iiing of the year 1916 were: Oscar Petersen, noble grand; Clyde
B. Willeson, vice-grand; Charles Cook, recording secretary; J. J.
Wiertz, financial secretary; Arthur Johnson, treasurer.

Star Encampment, No. 4, Independent Order of Odd Fel-
lows, was organized in the fall of 1855 and received a charter
dated January 18, 1856. The records of the encampment have
been twice destroyed by fire, hence the early history cannot be
learned. The encampment now meets on the second and fourth
Friday evenings of each month in the Odd Fellows' Hall. At
the opening of the year 1916 Ole II. Anderson was chief patri-
arch; F. A. Botsford, high priest; R. W. Llansen, senior warden;
O. C. Nielsen, junior warden; George A. Hartman, scribe; I.
Buresh, treasurer.

DAUGHTERS OF REBEKAH

Connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows is
a ladies' degree called the Daughters of Rebekah, the members

342 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

of whicli arc generally spoken of as "Rebekahs." The fix'st
lodge of this degree in Racine County was organized in connec-
tion with (icrniania Lodge on December 3, 1874, under the name
of Thusnelda Lodge, No. :?9. When (iermania Lodge was finally
dis))anded, the members of this Rebekah lodge found a home in
the Lily of the West Lodge, No. 33, which now meets on the first
and third Wednesday evenings of each iiioutli in the Odd Fel-
lows' Hall on Wisconsin Street. The officers of this lodge at the
commencement of 191(! were: Mrs. Cassie Ketchingman, noble
grand; Mrs. U. Hansen, vice-grand; Mrs. Kate Jones, recording
secretary; Mrs. 13. Bnrcsh. financial secretary; ]\Irs. Jennie
CamjJx'll, treasurei-.

Success Rebekah Lodge, No. 216, meets on the first and third
Wednesday evenings of each month in Winters' Hall, on AVest
Sixth Street, the meeting place of McDonald Lodge. This lodge
was organized on Feln-uary 29, 1912, with i\Ii"s. Margaret Pierce,
noble grand; Mrs. Margaret McNanghton, vice-grand; Mrs. Mary
Chambers, recording secretary; Mrs. Helen Peterson, financial
secretary; Mrs. Nellie Winto-s. treasurer, and eighty charter
members. At the begiiming of 191() the pi-inci})al officers were:
Clara Koch, noble grand; Mamie Myers, vice-grand; Margaret
Pierce, secretary; Nellie Winters, treasure!'.

KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS

On Februai-y bl. bS(i4, five uiemhers of the Arion (ilee Club
of Washington, I). ('., met and listened to the recital of a ritual
of a new secret order. They were Justus H. Rathbone, Dr. Sulli-
van Kimball, Robert A. Champion, AVilliani II. and David \j.
Burnett. The ritual, which is founded upon the story of the
friendship of Damon and Pythias, was Avritten by Mr. Rathbone,
who is regai'dcd as the founder of the ordei'. Four days after
these five men adopted the ritual and decided upon the name
"Knights of Pythias," Washington Lodge, No. L was organized.
The Civil War was then in i)rogress and for the first few years
the growth of the order was slow. About 1869 a number of new
lodges were formed and within a few years from that time Pyth-
ianism spread to all parts of the Union.

Since the organization of the order several new features
have been added. The lodge reiiresents the fraternal; the Uni-
form Ivank, the military; the Endowment Rank, the protective,

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 343

and the Dramatic Order. Kni,t>-hts (if Khorassan, the social side
of life. There is alsd a ladies' auxiliary known as the Pythian
Sisters.

The only Knights of Pythias Iodide in Kaeine County is
Racine Lodge, No. 32, whicli lias over five hundred members.
The lodge has recently iiurdiased the old Young Men's Chris-
tian Association Building, on the northeast corner of Sixth
Street and College Avenue, which is being remodeled for a
Castle Hall, when the Knights of Pythias will remove from their
old quarters in the Baker Block to a home of their own. The
officers of the lodge for 191() were as follows: George A. Gary,
chancellor commander: Cuy A. Benson, vice-commander; H. F.
Kdmunds. keeper of the records and seal; Joseph J. Patrick,
niastei' of finance; George N. Fratt, master of the exchequer.

In 1878 the Uniform Rank was formed. Racine Company,
No. 1. meets on the second and foiu'th Wednesdays of each month.
Of this comjjany F. L. Wright Avas captain in the spring of 191G;
T. .1. Pryce, first lieutenant: F. W. Kever, second lieutenant.
W. 11. Armstrcmg, of Racine, is colonel of the First Wisconsin
Ivcginient, Fniform Rank, which meets on call, and J. G. Eager
is adjutant. In the Spanish- American War the Uniform Rank
furnished to the Government over eight thousand enlisted men,
700 captains, 44 majors, 28 colonels, and 4 brigadier-generals.

The Endowment Rank is not an integral part of the order
and it is optional with the members whether they carry insur-
ance in it or not. It has about one hundred million dollars of
insurance in force and pays out about one and a half millions
annually in death (daims. Joseph Schroeder was president of
the Racine Endowment Rank in 1916, and John G. Eager was
secretary. Annual meetings are held in December.

Aden Temple, No. 159, Knights of Khorassan, was organ-
ized on December 2, 1911, with 100 charter members. It now
numbers over five hundred, who hail from about fifty cities of
the state.

Belle City Temple, No. 29, Pythian Sisters, holds meetings
on the first and third Friday evenings in each month. The offi-
cers at the beginning of 1916 Avere: Mrs. Cornelia Foster,
M. E. C; Mrs. Alma Nelson, E. S.; Mrs. Ella Hanson, E. J.;
Mrs. Charlotte Bartell, M. of R. and S.; Miss Mamie Hyde,
M. of F.

344 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

THE ELKS

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is the out-
growth of a el 111) of "good fellows," which was organized in the
Citj^ of New York in 1868. At first the meetings were informal,
the time being passed in singing songs, "swapj^ing yarns," etc.,
but after a little while a permanent club was formed under the
name of the "Jolly Corks." The principal ami was to have a
good time and the meetings were more of a social than a busi-
ness character. Some months later, when it was proposed to
found a secret order, the name "Jolly Corks" was objected to
as not being sufficiently dignified. A committee was therefore
appointed to select and report a new name. The committee
happened to visit Barmnn's Museimi, where they saw an elk and
learned something of that animal's habits. They then suggested
the name of "Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks," which
was adopted. The initials B. P. O. E. are sometimes iuterjjreted
as meaning "Best People on Earth." The motto of the Elks is:
"The faults of our In'ethren we write upon the sands;. their vir-
tues upon the talilets of love and memory." In 1915 there were
over twelve himdrecl lodges in the United States.

Racine Lodge, No. 252, was organized on Januar}' 6, 1893,
with E. C. Dean as the first exalted ruler. Meetings were at
first held in the Knights of Pythias Hall. In 1912 the spacious
and magnificent (-hil) house on the lake shore at the foot of Sixth
Street was erected. It is one of the best appointed in the coun-
try and presents all the features of the finest club houses of the
larger cities. B. E. Nelson was the exalted ruler in the early
part of 1916, and J. S. Adrion was secretary. The lodge now
numbers considerably over five hmidred meml)ers, and has a
strong marching club that attends Elks' conventions and never
fails to attract its share of attention.

GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC

This order was founded at Decatur, Illinois, April (i, 1866,
by Dr. B. P. Stephenson and W. J. Rutledge, who had served
as surgeon and chaplain of the Fourteenth Illinois Infantry
during the Civil War. Its membership is composed of the sol-
diers, sailors and marines who fought on the side of the Union.
The objects are 'To maintain and strengthen the fraternal feel-
ings which l)iiid together the soldiers, sailors and marines who

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 345

united to suppress the Ee1)e]li()n; to perpetuate the men k try and
history of those who have died; to lend assistance to the needy
and to their widows and orphans, and to eolleet and preserve
relics and docmnents relating to the war of 18(>l-65." Each state
constitutes a de})artnient and the local organizations are called
posts. The order reached its highest membership about 1890,
when there were about half a million Grand Army men in the
United States. In 1915 the number was about one hundred and
seventy thousand, the death rate l)eing about twelve thousand
a year. National encampments are held annually and Wisconsin
has furnished two national commanders — Lucius Fairchild in
1886 and Augustus (i. Weissert in 1892.

The Department of Wisconsin was organized on June 7,
1866, and shortly after that a post was formed in Racine, with
Henry Wright as commander, but it Avas of short duration and
none of its records can be found. Governor Harvey Post, No. 17,
was organized on January 24, 1881, with nine charter members
and L. C. Porter as connnander; R. M. Boyd, senior vice-com-
mander; George E. Smith, junior vice-commander; P. Marshall,
quartermaster; R. Augustine, officer of the guard; E. B. Sage,
surgeon; A. W. Smith, officer of the day; J. C. Huggins, chaplain.
This post is still in existence and meets on the second and fourth
Tuesday afternoons of each month in Casino Hall, on the corner
of Fifth Street and College Avenue. The officers for 1916 were:
Jacob Sneeberger, commander; Newton Pelch, senior vice-com-
mander; Lute Place, junior vice-commander; Joseph Cooper,
adjutant. Robert B. Lang and Hiram J. Smith of this post were
honored by being elected department commanders of Wisconsin.

Luther Crane Post, No. 201, located at Burlington, was or-
ganized on August 6, 1885, with thirty-four charter members,
and on January 26, 1886, George B. Lincoln Post, No. 215, was
organized at LTnion Grove, with a charter membership of twenty.
The three posts — Governor Harvey, Luther Crane and George
B. Lincoln — are the only ones ever organized in Racine County.
The posts at Burlington and Union Grove have been so weak-
ened, as the old "Boys in Blue" answer the last roll call, that
meetings are no longer held regularly, though the surviving
members meet on Decoration Day to place wreaths upon the
graves of their fallen comrades, or upon call, when occasion
requires.

346 IllslORV OF RACINE COUNTY

WOMEN'S RELIEF CORPS

Diiiiun the <'ivil \\';ii' sdidicrs' aid societies were organized
ill almost every town and village of the Union. They raised
funds and distrilmted hospital and sanitary supplies among the
vai'ioiis coniniands. At the close of the war those societies were
dis])anded, l)ut after the (irand Army of the Republic was placed
upon a firm footing, many of the patriotic women of the nation
saw that their services were again needed and in several states
1li(- aid societies were revived as auxiliaries to the (irand Army.
Ohio and ^Massachusetts were the first states to form permanent
organizations. In Ohio they Avere called Post Ladies' Aid Socie-
ties, and in Massachusetts the Women's Relief Corps. A^T^ien
the national encanipincnt was held at Denver, Colorado, in .luly.
3883, Paul Van der V^oort, then national cominander, extended
an invitation to all these societies to attend the meeting and
form a national s(»ciety. Delegates came from almost every,
state and the Women's Relief Corps was organized.

In Racine County the Governor Harvey Relief Corps, No.
29, was organized on Octolier 8, 1885, as the auxiliary to (iov-
crnor Harvey Post. Twenty-four charter members were en-
rolled. Mrs. Eleanor Jones was the first president; Mrs. Eliza-
beth Gary, senior vice-president; Mrs. Ennna Bones, junior vice-
president; Miss Ollie Eadus, secretary; Mrs. Emma IVIarsh, treas-
urer; Miss Ida JMarsh, conductor; Mrs. j\Iary Anderson, cha])-
lain. Meetings ai'c held on the second and fourth Tuesday aft-
ernoons of each month in the post hall. In June, 191G, the offi-
cers were: Mildred Heiberling, president; Aima Snyder, senior
vice-president; Laura Crane, junior vice-president; Hattie Cov-
ert, seeretar^y and treasurer. At one time this corjis numbered
over seventy-five members.

Luther Crane Women's Relief Corps, No. 62, was organized
at Burlington on December 5, 1893, with twenty-six charter
members; Myra Sp<ior. president; Augusta Holmes, senior vice-
president; Hattie Zininiennan, junior vice-president; Frances
Goodwin, secretary; Julia Mills, treasurer; Lillian Jones, con-
ductor; Margaret Wilson, chaplain.

George B. Lincoln Women's Relit'f Corps, No. 99, the aux-
iliary to George B. Lincoln Post, at Union Grove, was organized
on Mai-<-li 17, 1897, with a charter membership of thirty.

HISTORY OF RACINE roiXTV 347

LADIES OF THE GRAND ARMY

111 18(57 the patriotic wdiiicii u\' Poi'tlaiid. Maine. < ruaiiizcd
a society called the Loyal Ladies' League. Subse(iueiitl> the
name was clian<;-ed to the Ladies of the (iraiid Anii\- of the
lic])ublie. Its purpose is similar to tliat of the ^\'oiiicn's K'clicf
Corps. The lirst state department ori>aiiized was that of \e\v
Jersey, in 188L The Dcpartnieiit of Wisconsin was organized
in 1893, ))ut no circle was organized at Kacine until March G,
1!)15. On the evening of that day, Robert T. Pugh Circle. Ladies
of the Grand Army, was organized at (luild Hall with eighteen
charter menibers. Mi's. Fl(Ji'a Suiitli was the lirst president;
Mrs. Robert E. Miller, senioi' \ice-pi'esident; Aliss (leraldiiie
Pugh, junioi' vice-president: .Miss Lillian Du Four, treasui'er.
and Ina Kingsley i)u Four, chaplain.

OTHER PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES

In 1907 the Daughters of the Grand Army was organized
and the national headquarters located at Detroit, ^lichigau.
Local societies are called fortresses. Lincoln Fortress, No. 2,
De])artnient of Wisconsin, was organized at Hacine on January
5, 1910, with thirty-six charter members and Mrs. Laura M.
Buck as the tirst commander. The object of the society is "to
transmit the honor that belongs to Union veterans of the Civil
AVar to their families; to preserve with sacred fidelity the mem-
ory' of the noble deeds and sacrifices of those who fought for the
preservation of the nation in the great war of 1861-65; to unite
with loyalty and love for each other; to practice the precepts of
true fraternity toward all sisters of the order, thus emulating
the spirit which unites onr fathers, husbands, sons and broth-
ers; to honor the memory of those fallen, and to perpetuate and
keep forever sacred Memorial Day."

The 8ons of Veterans is similar in character and purijose to
the Daughters of the (irand Army. The membership is com-
]»osed (J' sons of honorably discharged Union soldiers. Local
organizations are called camps. Charles Filer Camp, No. 31, at
Racine, was organized on October 20, 1896, with thirty-two char-
ter members; J. F. Mills, captain; R. E. Browne, first lieutenant;
George Snyder, second lieutenant; L. H. Fisher, chaplain.

At Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1883, a society of women
was organized as an auxiliary to the Sons of Veterans and was

348 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

officially reorganized and recognized hy that order in 1884. The
first national encampment was held at Aki"on, Ohio, in 1887.
Charles Filer Auxiliary was organized on May 9, 1899, with
twenty-fdiii" charter nienibcrs and is now in a flom'ishing con-
dition.

William A. Bancroft Camp, No. 16, United Spanish War
Veterans, was organized on June 6, 1905, Avith fifty-two charter
members, which number has been increased to about seventy.
Charles F. Cramer, a native of Racine, Avas elected national com-
mander in 1915, though he was then a resident of Cleveland,
Ohio. In connection with Bancroft Camp is Bancroft Auxiliary,
composed of the wives and other near female relatives of the
veterans. It was organized on December 16, 1905, with forty-
one charter members; Edith Olson, president; Daisy Sugden,
senior vice-president; Fannie Casterton, junior vice-president;
Nellie M. Olson, secretary.

The Daughters of the American Revolution marks its begin-
ning from October, 1890, and Washington, D. C, as its birth-
place. One of the founders was Miss Eugenia Washington, a
great grand-niece of Gen. George Washington. The objects of
the society are: To perpetuate the memory and gallant deeds
of the men who fought for and achieved the independence of the
United States; to mark by moninnents or tablets historical sites;
to encourage historical research in matters pertaining to the
Revolution; to collect and preserve relics, docmnents, etc.; to
promote patriotism by encouraging the celebration by proper
ceremonies of all national anniversaries, and to carry out the
injunction of Washington in his farewell address 'to promote
institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge'."

On June 8, 1891, the society was incorporated by act of
Congress for the District of Columbia, Avith INlrs. Caroline Scott
Harrison, wife of Benjamin Harrison, then President of the
United States, as the first i)resident-general, or national pre.si-
dent of the organization. Within a few years the organization
spread to nearly every state in the Union, and as only those hav-
ing Revolutionary ancestors are eligible to membership, to be
a Daughter of the American ReA'olution is considered a mark
of lioijor. In 1915 Wisconsin reported twenty-eight chai)ters.
Th(^ chapter at Racine Avas organized on Februarj^ 22, 1899, and
now Ii;is about fiftv members.

HISTORY OF RACLXE COUNTY 349

CATHOLIC SOCIETIES

The Catholic Knights, a f'ratciiial insurance society that ad-
mits men and women on the same footing, was founded in 1877
at the suggestion of Bishop Feehan, of the Nashville (Tennessee)
Diocese. The Catholic Knights of Wisconsin was organized at
Green Bay on January 21, 1885. Local lodges are called branches.
of which there are four in Racine and one in Burlington. Since
the order was established in the state about five million dollars
have been paid out in death benefits.

The Knights of C(»luiiil)us originated in the City of New
Haven, Connecticut, in 1882, to assist sick or disal^led members,
pay death benefits, etc. Racine Council, No. 697, was organized
on August 3, 1902, Avith fifty-six charter members, and has always
been active in the charity work of the city. Meetings are held on
the first and third Wednesday evenings of each month. There is
also a council in Burlington.

The Catholic Order of Foresters was fomided on May 24,
1883, "to promote friendship, unity and true Christian charity
among its members." Local organizations are called courts. In
Racine there are five courts, viz.: Salzmann, No. 140; St. Cecilia,
No. 162; St. Rose, No. 195; St. Mary's, No. 211, and St. Francis,
No. 427. Burrington has a court with a strong membershi]). The
order originated in Illinois and was at first confined to that state,
but has since spread to all parts of the Union. Since it was first
established it has paid out alxiut twenty millions of dollars in sick
benefits and to the widows and orphans of deceased members.

TRADES UNIONS

In working-men's parlance, Racine is known as a "union
town." The various occupations are well represented, the em-
ployees in the numerous manufacturing establishments and other
lines of business being organized into unions, which are nearly all
connected with some national or international association. A list
of the Racine trades unions includes the bakers and confectioners,
barbers, bartenders, boot and shoe workers, brewery workers,
building laborers and hodcarriers, building trades council, car-
penters and joiners, carriage, wagon and automobile workers,
chauffeurs, cigarmakers, electrical workers, journeymen tailors,
lathers, longshoremen, machinists, metal polishers, molders, mo-
tion picture machine operators, musicians, painters and decora-

350 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

toi's, jiattcni niakfi's, plumbers, printing pressman, sheet metal
woi'kei-s. staji'o em])l()yeos, trades and labor council, the typo-

uraiiliical uiiinii and the united garment workers.

COMMERCIAL CLUB

One of tlu' luaiu reasons why the business men of Racine
liavr l)een successful is that they have learned to "])ull together"
for the connncm good of all. As early as 1858 the city had a Board
of Trade, which included practically all the leading merchants
and manufacturers, as well as a number of prt)fessional men. The
city directory of that year gives the location of the board as "the
coiner of Main and Third Streets," with Elisha Raymond as
president; S. C. Tuckerman, vice-president; John R. Rowdey, sec-
retary; Salmon F. Heath, treasurer. The board of directors was
(■oni])()sed of Gilbert Knapp, S. W. Spafard, J. W. Moore, H. P.
Wliitheck, A. C. Sandford, George C. Northrop, James Tomlinson,
Nelson Pendleton, A. G. Hartshorn, S. F. Heath, Isaac Taylor,
Jolni Dickson, Eldad Smith. S. C. Tuckerman and J. A. Carswell.
All these men have passed from the stage of action, but the
])recedent they estal)lishcd has been followed by other organiza-
tions, culminating in the Racine Commercial Club of the present.

The Connnercial Club was first discussed by the members of
the "Six O'clock Club" in June, 1912, and on November 14, 1912,
the club was formally organized with 417 members. The first
officers were as follows: F. Lee Norton, president; W. F. Mc-
Caughey, first vice-president; Peter T. Stoffel, second vice-presi-
dent; A. J. Horlick, treasurer. For the first four months the club
occupied quai'ters in the Schulte Building. It then removed to
the rooms foi-merly occupied by the Elks on the second floor of
the Connnercial and Savings Bank Building, on the northeast
coi'nei' of Fifth and Main Streets. The new^ quarters were opened
on the last day of April, 1913.

In the meantime, on March 8, 1913, the directors employed
\\'alter H. Reed, of Schenectady, New^ York, as secretary. Mr.
Reed had served as secretai-y of the Schenectady Board of Trade
and hioiight with him to IvaciiU' an experience that has proved a
valuahh; asset to the <'onnnercial Club. He still holds the office
and is in charge of the (dul)'s work, as outlined l\y a board of
fifteen directoi-s, which includes the leading business and profes-
sional men of the eitv. The officers of the club for 1910 were:

RACINE Y. M. C. A. BUILDING

HISTORY UF RACINE (.UlNTY 351

Walter C. Palmer, president; George N. Fratt, first vice-presi-
dent; M. E. Walker, second vi('e-i)r('sid('nt: Walter II. Reed, sec-
retary; A. J. llurlick, treasurer, in October, liJ15, the club made
a special campaign and took in over three hundred new members,
increasing the membershi}) to 757.

From the beginning of its career tlic cliil> has been active in
promoting the material interests of the city. During the week
beginning on June 9, 1913, it held a "Made in Kacine" exhibi-
tion, which was visited by 65,000 people. The exhil)it was a reve-
lation to many of the citizens of Racine — people who had lived
there for years, yet had no idea of the magnitude and variety of
the city's manufacturing industries. Another exhibition of the
same character was conducted for a week (June 7 to 12) in 1915
and was attended by thousands of people, some of them from a
distance. The club holds "get together" meetings and dinners,
for the purpose of developing a greater fraternity among the
business men, so that all will work in harmony for the betterment
of the city. The gocjcl roads movement lias received the club's
support in a substantial way, $12,000 having been raised to aid in
the construction of six miles of concrete highway, and through its
influence mile posts have been established upon all the principal
roads leading to Racine. ^Mien the proposition to issue bonds for
the erection of an armt)ry came before the people of the city, the
Conmiercial Club worked for the cause, and through its influence
the Home ft)r Feeble-Minded was established at Union Grove.
It has helped to bring new industries to Racme; promoted the
first municipal Christmas tree; encoui-aged school and garden
contests; gave $200 in prizes for the greatest amount of vegeta-
bles raised upon a given area of ground; maintains a traffic de-
partment that works for the reduction of freight rates; has always
supported measures for the improvement of the harl)or; and, in
fact, has been influential in im^jroving industrial conditions in
many ways.

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

The Racine Young ^Men's Christian Association was organ-
ized on August 9, 1875, with fifty members and the following
officers: W. T. Lewis, president; C A. Weed, vice-president; "W.
T. Bull, corresponding secretary; Robert Howard, recording sec-
retary; J. S. Hart, treasurer. Meetings were at first held in the

352 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

hall occupied by the Temple of Honor, and hi the first four years
increased the number of members to about one himdred. In
188() the association purchased a plat of ground 100 feet square
on the northeast corner of Sixth Street and College Avenue and
erected thereon a substantial brick building three stories high,
with basement luidcn- the entire structure. The association used
the ])asement for shower baths and a sw'inuning pool; the main
floor was divided into store-rooms which were rented to mer-
chants; on the second floor were the offices, club-rooms, gymna-
sium and reading-room, and the class-rooms and a few bed-rooms
were on the third floor.

In June, 1914, the association, then numbering over five
hundred members, began a campaign for a new building. The
campaign was conducted under the direction of Louis C. Brad-
shaw and in less than two weeks the sum of $175,000 (including
the equity in the old building) was raised. Ground for the new
building on the southeast corner of Fourth and Wisconsin
Streets was broken by Judge E. B. Belden in March, 1915, the
corner-stone was laid on June 26, 1915, and in June, 1916, the
new home Avas occupied by the association. The building was
designed by Guilbert & Funston, and the building committee
that superintended its construction was composed of C. C. Git-
tings (chairman), F. A. Morey, George IST. Fratt, John Wiechers,
J. F. Bickel and E. B. Belden. The lot upon Avhich the building
stands is 120 by 175 feet and the building is 112 by 130 feet,
leaving an athletic field 45 by 120 feet. In the basement is a
cafeteria, a locker room for members, shower baths, a tile lined
swimming pool 20 by 60 feet, four modern bowling alleys and
two handball courts, besides the boiler room. On the main floor,
to which there are two entrances — one on Wisconsin and one
on Fourth Street — are a large lobby, reading room, a billiard
and pool room large enough for four tables, a gymnasium 55 by
75 feet, general offices of the association, a room for chess and
checkers, and a small banquet room. The second floor are the
class rooms, directors' offices, a large banquet hall, and the
assembly room. The third and fourth floors are chiefly occupied
by bed-rooms. The association now has about eight hundred
mem})ers. The old building on the corner of College Avenue and
Sixth Street was sold to the Knights of Pythias in April, 1916.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 353

YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

This association was organized in 1893 and its first home
was in a small room in the Young Men's Christian Association
Building on College Avenue. Three years later it moved into
larger quarters on Wisconsin Street, whoro it remained for about
two years, when the membership had increased to over two
hundred and a larger home became necessary. The association
then moved to No. 408 Main Street and the first gymnasium class
^vas organiz(Hl. In 1905 the first trained secretary was employed
and the association was incorporated. That same year a new
location was leased in the Elliott Building and a physical direc-
tt)r was employed. The membership passed the five hundred
mark in 1907 and the next year a domestic science department
was inaugurated. A lunch room was opened in 1910. In 1911 the
association underwent a thorough reorganization, the member-
ship having drop])ed to 341. With the new board of directors
and the introduction of several new features the association
began a healthy growth and in 1914 numbered 1,000 members,
an event that was celebrated with a]>proiiriate observances. In
1912 the present quarters at No. 424 South Main Street w'ere
occupied for the fii'st tune, and in February, 1916, the association
celebrated the fifteenth anniversary of the founding of the first
Young Women's Christian Association by a "Jubilee Pageant"
at Dania Hall. The association owns a lot at the intersectif>n of
Fifth Street and Lake Avenue and is living in hopes that it will
soon be able to erect thereon a suitable l)uilding for a permanent
home. The officers of the association for 1916 were: ]Mrs. W.
F. McCaughey, president; Mrs. E. E. Cahoon, first vice-presi-
dent; Mrs. W. W. Storms, second vice-president; Mrs. Jacob
Lund, secretary; Miss Edith Schultz, treasurer. The active work
of the association is under the management of Miss Faith Par-
melee, general secretary; ]VIiss Margaret White Winslow, exten-
sion secretary; ]\Iiss Amy K. Garner, physical director, and Miss
Lydia Boernke, office assistant. In January, 1916, the associa-
tion began the publication of a little monthly periodical called
"The Association News," edited and C(jnducted by committees
of the members.

MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES

In addition to the various organizations above mentioned
there are in the county a number of fraternal societies, the prin-

354 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

cipal feature of which is the payment of benefits in case of sick-
ness and a certain sum to the family of each deceased member.
It would l)e impossible to describe each of these societies in de-
tail in a single chapter, though the good work they have done
and arc doing forms a part of the history of Racine County.

Kacine Council, No. 220, Royal Arcanum, was organized on
December 19, 1878, with forty cliarter members and (ieorge W.
Scanlon as the first regent. It now has over six hundred mem-
bers. Connected with the council is Racine Court, No. 27, Royal
Ladies, which Avas organized on June 19, 1908, and now has
about one hundred members.

Racine Tent, No. 43, Knights of the Maccabees, was organ-
ized on December 5, 1893, with Frank G. Ticknor as the first
commander. Regular meetings are held in the Odd Fellows'
Hall on the second and fourth Thursday evenings of each month.
Clover Hive, No. 29, Ladies of the Maccabees, the ladies' auxil-
iary of the tent, meets at the same place on the second and fourth
Wednesday evenings of each month.

Racine Aerie, No. 281, Fraternal Order of Eagles, holds its
regular meetings in Eagles' Hall, No. 309 South Main Street,
every Wednesday evening. At the beginning of the year 1916
W. H. Armstrong was president, and Joseph C. Hamata, secre-
tary. The ladies' auxiliary meets in the same hall on Tuesday
evening of each Aveek; Mrs. Marie Schweitzer, president; Mrs.
Laura Dick, secretary.

Lakeside Camp, No. 379, jNlodern Woodmen of America, was
organized on July 13, 1887, Avith fifty-four charter members and
now numbers nearly six hundred. About one hundred and fifty
thousand dollars have been paid to the families of deceased
members of this camp since its organization. Connected with
it is Hawthorne Camp, No. 1884, Royal Neighbors, Avhicli is the
ladies' auxiliary of the order. It was organized in November,
1899, and now has nearly two hundred members.

Belle City Camp, No. 39, Woodmen of the World, was in-
stituted in July, 1898, with a charter membership of twenty.
D. O. Hibbard Avas the first consul commander. It now has
about three hundred members and holds meetings in Winters'
Hall on the second and fourth Monday evenings of each month.
Jasmine drove. No. 9, of the Woodman Circle (the ladies' de-
gree) Avas organized in 1899 and noAv has a large membership.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 355

Court Belle City, Ko. 1450, Independent Order of Foresters,
was formed in Decenilx'r, 191:}, by the consolidation of three
courts previoush' orj-anized. Andrew J. Nelson, of this court,
was elected high chief ranger lor the State of Wisconsin in 1914.
Companion Court Eva, No. 278, composed of the wives and
daughters of the Foresters, was organized on December 29, 1899.

Racine Lodge, No. 437, Loyal Order of JNIoose, was organized
on January 26, 1911, with fifty charter members. Its growth
has been rapid and it is now on(> of the strong fraternal societies
of the county. Regular meetings are held on the first and third
Thursdays of each month in the hall in the Baker Block on Main
Street. In 1916 John G. Eager was dictator and J. A. Ferguson
was secretary. The ladies' auxiliary meets at the same place
on the first and third Wednesday evenings of each month.

The manufacturing concerns and jobbing houses of Racine
employ a lunnber of traveling salesmen. In 1906 fifteen of these
salesmen met and organized Racine Council, No. 337, of the
United Conunercial Travelers. James E. Bush was the first
senior coimselor; E. E. Scott, junior counselor; W. H. Gebhardt,
secretary and treasurer; I. L. Easson, Thomas Addison, W. E.
Bain and J. F. Johnson, executive committee. The j^rincipal
feature of this order is the payment of indemnity in case of ac-
cident, the benefits ranging from $25.00 per week to $10,000.
Meetings are held in Winters' Hall on the first and third Satur-
day evenings of each month. The officers for 1916 were: J. O.
Kennedy, senior counselor; W. H. Gebhardt, secretary and
treasurer.

Isaac Taylor Lodge, No. 236, Sons of St. George, meets on
the first and third Tuesday evenings of each month. This order
is composed of men of English birth or descent. It was founded
at Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 1870.

Lodges of the Mystic Workers, the Royal League, the
Equitable Fraternal Union, the Beavers Reserve Fund Frater-
nity and the Jewish Order of B'nai Brith have been organized
in the City of Racine, and some of the orders in the foregoing
list have lodges at Burlington or in the principal villages of the
county.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians had its boginnmg in a
society organized in the days of Cromwell to keep alive the
Catholic faith in Ireland. After the fall of Cromwell and the

356 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

repeal of the penal laws, the organization has been kept alive
for tlic pui-pose of fostering- Irish nationalism and aiding the
Irish jK'oijle. The first organization in America was established
in New York City about 1836. Since then it has spread over
the United States and Canada, wherever there are people of
Irish extraction. Racine Division was organized in 1879 and
has included in its membership practically all the leading Irisb-
mr-Ti of the city. During the thirty-six years of its existence it
has paid out several thousand dollars in charital)le work. In
this it has been aided by the Ladies' Auxiliary, which was
organized on February 9, 1897, with ninety-two charter mem-
bers.

THE LEADING CLUBS

The Racine Woman's Club was organized on March 13,
1896, with thirty-one charter members and now numbers about
three liuiidred and fifty. On April 16. 1896, it joined the gen-
eral federation and on the 21st of ()ctol)er following it l)ecame a
member of the state federation of women's clubs. On April 13,
1904, it joined the American Civic Association. The first presi-
dent of the club was Mrs. J. G. MeMurphy. From the begin-
ning, the club has been active in assisting every movement for
the Ix'tterment of Racine. It established a reading room for
young people, which was the forerunner of the public lilirary;
inaugurated a "cleaning up day"; gave $1,000 to the park board
in 1905 to aid in the establishment of the public park system; and
has acquired the reputation of accomplishing whatever it starts
out to do. The officers of the clul) for 1916 were: Mrs. D. H.
Flett, president; Mi's. (i. F. McNitt, first vice-president; Mrs.
William Van Arsdale, second vice-president; Mrs. James Gil-
son, recording secretary; JNlrs. (i. W. Scott, corresj^onding sec-
retary; Mrs. Frank J. Miller, treasurer. The meetings of the
club are held in the Buffliam Block, on Main Street.

The Twentieth Century Clul), another organization of wom-
en that belongs to the federation of Avomen's clubs, is similar
in character to the Woman's Club, and like it has been instru-
mental in promoting the general welfare of the city along moral,
social and civic lines. Meetings are held at the homes of the
niendiers on the second Monday afternoon of each month. The
officers of the club for 1916 were as follows: Mrs. J. O. Owen,

RACINE COUNTRY CLUB

HISTORY Ol' RACIXK COUNTY 357

president; jNFrs. E. K. Ilerrick, record itii; secretary; Mrs. TT. E.
Breckeiirid,ti,(', c(»rrcs]M)ndiiin- se<'retar\ ; Mrs. J. Keimedy, treas-
urer.

The oidy other federated diih of wdiiicii in tlic city of Racine
is the Tuesday Reading Circle, wliich, as its name indicates,
holds its meetings at the homes of the mendjcrs on Tuesday
afternoons. It is devoted largely to literary work, studying the
best authors, etc.

On :March 28, 19()(), tlie Florence Nightiiigale Society was
organized by Mesdames C. Jorgensen, P. Ostergaard, A. Beck,
I. Jacol)son. C. Nelson, ]\Irs. Johanson, and JMisses Carrie Johan-
son and Margaret Jorgensen. The constitution at that time
adopted declares the object of the society to be "the mainte-
nance of a free bed or beds, room or rooms at the hospital known
as the St. Luke's and Alice Horlick Memorial Hospital, for
charity patients, and to raise funds for that purpose and such
other charities as the association may determine."

The society now numbers about two hundred and fifty mem-
bers and is active in the charity work of Racine and the vicinity.
The otBicers for 1916 were: Miss Mae Burgess, president; Mrs.
F. C. C.otf. vice-president; Mrs. T. W. Fuller, recording secre-
tary; ]\Irs. S. L. Phippen, corresponding secretary; ^irs. Paul
Ostergaard, treasurer.

The Racine Country Club, the largest and most important
social club in the comity, owns a handsome club house and
grounds noi'thwest of the city, and among its members are a
large nund)er of the men and women prominent in Racine's
social life. The grounds are equipped with golf links, tennis
courts, etc., and the Country Club is the scene of frequent card
parties, golf parties, social dances, dinners and all the other
fimctions that belong to such an organization. The officers of
the clul) for 1916 were: A. A. Oilbert, president; H. F. John-
son, vice-president; A. J. Lunt, secretary and treasurer.

The Dania Society, composed of men of Danish birth or
extraction, meets on Tuesday evening of each week in Dania
Hall, on State Street. Andrew Dahlstrom was president of this
society in 1916; Nels Christiansen, vice-president; Einar Strand,
secretary; Charles A\'. Johnson, treasurer. The Danish Ladies'
Society meets in the same hall on Wednesday evenings. The
nfficei-s of this so<-iety for 1916 were: Mrs. Volga Engelbreth,

358 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

president; Mrs. Paul Ostergaard, vice-president; Mrs. Fred An-
derson, secretary; Mrs. S. Sorenson, treasurer. Another Danish
organization is the Danish Brotherhood, which owns a neat hall
and clubhouse on Sixth Street and Grand Avenue.

Among the minor clubs may be mentioned the American
Study Club, which meets the third Thursday evening of each
month in the offices of the American Seating Company; the
Kacine Yacht Club; the North Side Social Club; the Monarch,
Maskokee and Somerset clubs; several German and Bohemian
clubs, and a number of women's clubs connected with church
work, such as the Catholic T.adies, the Jewish Ladies, etc.

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CHAPTER XIX
CHURCH HISTORY

BAPTIST — CATHOLIC — CONGREGATIONAL — EPISCOPAL — EVANGELICAL
— JEWISH — LUTHERAN — METHODIST EPISCOPAL — PRESBYTERIAN —
UNIVERSALIST — MISCELLANEOUS.

BAPTIST

In the winter of th(> year 1840, at the request of Charh's S.
Wriyht, Jason Lothrop, the pastor of the Southport (Kenosha)
Baptist Church, visited Raeine and began to hold a series of
meetings in a vacant room in one of the Main Street stores. The
success of these gatherings encouraged them to attempt the
formation of a regular Baptist society in Racine. Accordingly,
on April 11th, a meeting was held for this purpose, and eleven
men and women organized themselves into a conference, and
having adopted the Articles of Faith and the Church Covenant
of the New Hampshire Baptist Convention, letters were sent
to the Baptist Churches in Southport, JMilwaukee. Burlington
and Prairieville, inviting them to be present on the 25th of the
same month and, if they thought best, to recognize them as a
Baptist Church. On the day appointed the coimcil convened
and the following persons were organized and recognized as a
church under the name of the First Baptist Church of Racine:
Charles S. Wright, ]\Iary Wright, Lydia Wright, Lucy W. Fay,
Elijah Fay, Martha Fay, Benjamin Ames, Charles W. Sawyer,
Abram D. Eveland, Lorin Webber, Sally Webber, Semantha
HarnKjn. Shortly after the organization of the church, the fol-
lowing were received: Levi Blake, Caroline Morehouse, Charles
Bunce, Eveline Fay, Polly Blake, Elbridge E. Fay, Moses Vilas,
Charles H. Blake, Albert Knowlton, Winslow E. Fay, Warren
BrcAvster, Sarah Milligan, Lorenzo Janes, making the entire
number of members twenty-eight. The services of Rev. Jason
Liithrop were then secured for half of the time, the other half
being spent in Southport. He continued this arrangement until
1842.

In the early part of 1844 the church purchased the property
upon which they erected a house of worship. Previous to this
Rev. S. Carr had become the pastor. In February, 1845, Rev-

360 HISTORY UF RACINE COUNTY

ereud Carr resigned from his position and in the same year was
succeeded by Rev. Silas Tiu-ker. The f'hi;rch numbered at this
time ninety-five members. Uiu-ing the winter of 1845-6 the
church held a series of revival meetings, which resulted in a
substantial imicase in the membership. Until this time the
congregation had worshijjped in the building used as an academy
and a pai't of the time in the courthouse, but in 1846, having
completed the basement of their house of worship, they com-
menced holding regular services therein. In 1848 the walls of
a second edifice were erected, the building constructed, a steeple
put up and supplied with a bell weighing 1,600 pomids. In
June, 1848, Reverend Tucker resigned his charge and for sixteen
months the pulpit was supplied in greater part by Rev. M. B.
Tremaiii. In 1849 Rev. William Rollinson came. In 1850 the
house of worship was completed and was dedicated on July 2d
of the same year. In 1852 Rev. J. W. Fish came to the pulpit,
and then came Rev. O. O. Stearns in 1854-7. Following Stearns
canic Revs. H. K. Stimson, Howard Jones, William Rollinson,
N. F. Ravlin, Joseph IJo\\lc\-. II. L. House, W. B. Cullis, David
Spencer, Henry Clarke.

On JNIay 1, 1862, the church building was destroyed by fire.
The h(tuse was innnediately rel)uilt, the lower part being used
for stores, the u])per ])(»rtion serving as the meeting place. The
cornerstone of the new church structure was laid on Thanks-
giving Day, November 30, 1876. The Sunday School i-ooni was
occupied for services in December, 1877, and the house, com-
pleted, Avas dedicated in June, 1878. The property was valued
at $30,000.00. In 1900 the church building at the corner of
Sixth and Main Streets was razed, to make room for the brick
])uildiiig now occujued by the Kradwell Drug Tompany.

The Scandinavian Baptist Church was organized April 5,
1877, with the following officers: J. Hanson, P. Peterson and
J. C. Nelson, trustees; Thomas P. Christenson, treasurer; J. C.
Nelson, clerk. The following twenty-nine members were the
constituent members: P. Peterson, Mrs. Peters(m, N. Christo-
])herson, Adoli>h .Icnson. Amiie E. Knudsen, J. Christopherson,
M. Anderson, Tliomas P. Christens<in, Mrs. II. Christenson,
Martin Christenson, Mrs. M. Christenson, J. IIans(m, Mrs. K.
Hanson, K. Hanson, Carrie Hanson, Tiawrence F. A. Hanson,
li. Olson, Mrs. H. Olson, H. Johnson, Mrs. S. Johnson, A. C.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 361

Johnson, Miss T. Juluison. R. Cliristianson, Mrs. G. Christian-
son, Dorthea Pdiils^n, Lottie Poulson, J. C. Nelson, Mi-s. M.
Nelson. The liduse of worshi]) was erected and ready for use
by June 3, 1878, and eost the sum of $2,700.(10. On Api-il 21,
1879, the name of the church was changed to that of the State
Street Baptist Church.

The First Scandinavian Ba])tist Church was organized on
May ol, 18()4, with live members only, namely: P. II. Uam, K.
Nielsen. Karen Marie Petersen, Thomas P. Christianson and
Anna Karn. P. H. Dam was the first pastor of this small so-
ciety. Their first church building was completed in September,
1867, and was dedicated in November of the same year. The
Fii'st Scandinavian Church is now located at the address of
1326 State Street and is in charge of Rev. M. C. Jensen. The
membership, while not extremely large, is comprised of active
and strong Baptists.

The Gennan Close Union Baptist Church was organized
December 5, 1854. Rev. John Eschmann was its tirst minister
and the following were the original members: Rudolj^h Haab
and wife, Franz Hubachek and wife, Mr. Ordemann and wife,
Herman Mitsch and wife, Babetta Egli, Katherina Egli, Caspar
Egli and Julia Amann. The first house of worship Avas erected
in the summer of 185(i on Villa Street, between Eighth and
Ninth Streets. In 1878 a new brick church building was con-
structed on Huron Street, and dedicated Septendjer 8th of that
year.

The Colored Union Baptist Church was organized Mai-ch
22, 1857, at a meeting held at the house of Charles Ware. The
first members were: Charles Ware, Lewis Price, William ^NIc-
Gee, Sarah Ware, Louisa Price and Ailsey Thomas. They
bought the frame school house at the corner of Main and Tenth
Streets and moved it to Campbell Street, between Eleventh and
Twelfth, which they used as a house of worship. The lot was
donated by Charles Ware.

The Burlington Baj^tist Cliuidi was organized in 1843 with
about fifteen persons, and Rev. AV. R. Manning as pastor. The
services were held in the old schoolliouse until 1851, when the
Free Church was built. That was erected by a coalition with
the Presbyterians and Methodists, and meetings were held

362 HISTOR\' OF RACINE COUNTY

.iltciiiatcly, Itiit ill 1S()1 the Baptist Society ])ui'('hased it. Tt
was a stone hiiildini; and cost .$1,700.00.

The Danish 1 baptist Church at Union Grove was built in
Decenil)er, 1S72, thirty people at that time belonging to the
cliiii-ih. Ivc\". Olc -laiiseii t(»ok charge.

CATHOLIC

The work aiuonn tlie ( atliolic people (if the district now
iiichided in St. Mary's Pai'isii lie^an in the yeai' 1838, and for
fiiur years thereafter they were visited l)y mission priests, in-
cludint;- Rev. Thomas Morrissy, who first visited Hacine in 1838,
at which tinu' there was no Catholic Church in the county.
Following the arrival of Rev. Martin Kundig in 1842 the Cath-
olics began the erection of a little frame church on Fifth Street,
on the present site (»f the Times-Call Building and the telegrajili
bureau. This church was completed in 1843 and dedicated in
May of that year by Father Kundig, with the permission of the
Bishop of Detroit, and over the church Father Kundig presided
foi' a peinod of three years. To this church came the Catholics
(»f all Southei-n Wisconsin, so that at the end of two and a half
years the Racine church proved too small and Mr. Reardon, a
member of the congregation, donated two building sites at the
southwest corner of Eighth Street and Lake Avenue for the
erection of a larger structure. The old church was removed to
this site in the spring of 1845 and was reuKideled and enlarged
to accommodate more than 300 persons. It served the entire
Catholic ])opulation of the district vmtil 1852. It had been
dedicated as St. Ignatius Church in the fall of 1845 and in
Septembei', 1S4(). Rev. Franz Prendergast became the first resi-
dent pastoi'. lie was unfamiliar with the (icrman tongue, and
in -Iinie, bS47, was succeeded by Reverend Kundig, who was
himself succeeded ill the following December by Reverend Fander,
who cdiitiimed in charge until August 20, 1849.

It then seemed advisable to separate the (ierman and English
speaking members of the congregation and Archbishop Henni
named a committee to select a site for a new church. They chose
the present location of St. Mary's at the corner of I'^ighth and
College A\'eiiiie. A good residence and practically a new ])usi-
ness block occupied the property. The residence served as a
parish house from 184!) and the other structure was remodeled

OLD HkWT M. E. church IN RACINp:

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 363

for school ])ni'pos('s. The sciiool-hoiiso was twenty l)y forty feet
in dimensions and was first opened in 1850. Because of the
poverty of the ])arishioners, the erection of the new church for
the Germans was not uiidrrtakcn iiiilil 18r)2. In Aui>ust, 1849,
Rev. Fander was succeech'd hy Rev. Carl Schraudenbacli, who
served imtil the appointment of Rev. AV. Norris on Novend)er 15,
the latter eontinuinn' to serve St. Ignatius C'hurcli until August,
1852.

In January of tliat year Aichlnsliop Ilcnni named Rev.
Simon Bartosch as pastor of St. Mary's, and in April of that
year the erection of St. Mary's Church was begun, the comer
stone being laid by Archbishoj) Hemii on June 27th. In August,

1852, Rev. Martin Kundig was appointed priest of St. Ignatius
and of St. Mary's and served l)oth congregations until Decem-
ber 10, 1853. He completed the new church and in November,

1853. was succec^ded l)y Rev. J. N. Peiffer, who served both
congregations until January, 1854, when Reverend Kundig was
again installed. In February of the same year Rev. Franz
Fusseder was appointed pastor of the two congregations, and so
continued until June, 1855, when Rev. Fabian Bermadinger be-
came ])astor of St. Mary's (^hurch. He so continued until Sep-
temljer. 1857, when he was succeeded l)y Rev. F. X. Sailer,
whose pastorate continued until September, 1862. He Avas fol-
lowed by Rev. Franz Ulilemayr. who continued until July, 1867,
and mider his direction was erected a new school-house fifty by
thirty feet and three stories in height. His successor, Rev. F. X.
Etschmann, continued until April, 1870, and the Rev. J. A.
Birkhauser until Septendiei- 8, 1873. The latter purchased two
building lots at the corner of Eighth and "Wisconsin Streets in
order to erect a new parish lu)use. On September 10, 1873, Rev.
(Jeorge Strickner became pastor of St. .Mary's, and it was dur-
ing his ])astorate, which extended luitil August 1, 1877, that St.
.Iose])h's congregation was separated from St. Mary's. From
the end of July until the beginning of September, 1877, Rev.
.]. A. Birkhauser again served St. Mary's for Rev. Peter De-
Berge, who had l)een named pastor in June of that year. The
latter took charge in August and under his direction the pres-
ent handsome j)arish house was erected in 1878. In December,
1877, he celebrated his silver .jubilee, but in November, 1880,
illness caused his resignation. Rev. William Engel, who was

364 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

appointed, died soon at'tcrwai-d and was succeeded by Rev.
Joseph M. Albers, under whose pastorate a new church building
was erected, 135 by 60 feet, at a cost of $28,000.00. This was
dedicated August 15, 1886. After sixteen years' faithful service
'Reverend Albers resigned August 22, 1896, and the church was
then supplied hy different priests until Rev. Theodore B. jNIeyer
tfHik charge in November of that year, remaining as i^astor to
the ju'esent time, covering a period of twenty years of faithfid
service to his flock.

St. Rose Catholic Church, of which Rev. .lolni M. Navightin
is the pastor, was established October 6, 1885. The cornerstone
of the church was laid at this tim(\ The sti-ucture was dedi-
cated January 31, 1886. This was only regarded as a temjiorary
Inulding, as the growth of the congregation soon demanded a
larger chui-ch. The cornerstont' of the present edifice was laid
May 24, 1903, and the dedication occurred February 14, 1904.

The Holy Name Catholic Church was started in 1884, when
a church building A\'as constructed on the corner of Fifteenth
and Villa Streets. This building is now used by the Holy Name
School. Til 1914 the large new church of this congregation was
erected adjoining the old building. Rev. Ignatius A. Klein is
the pastor of the Holy Name Church.

The Sacred Heart Catholic Society, located opposite the
HoiTick factories, was organized the first of the year 1916, and
in August of the same year a handsome brick church was dedi-
cated. The cost was $18,000.00. Rev. Peter Enrietto is the
jiastor of this congregation.

Mt. Carmel (Italian) Catholic (Tiurch is located at the
northwest corner of Blake Avenue and Kewaunee, St. Casimir
(Tjithuanian) Catholic Church is located at 815 Park Avenue
and is in charge of Rev. Peter Vaitonis. This latter society pur-
chased the Park Avenue Congregational Church in 1913 for
$8,(100.01). The liolieniians worship at St. John's Nepomuk
Church at 1917 Green, whicli pastorate is in charge of Rev.
A. (i. Weiler. St. Joseph's Church is located at the corner of
Erie and St. Patrick: Rev. W. J. Heder is the rector. St. Pat-
rick's Catholic Church is another growing society in charge of
l\ev. A\'illiaiii l'\ McCnrtliy. St. Stanislaus (I'dlisli). located
at 17:57 Center, is under charge of Rev. B. P. Burant.

he first church to be oruaiiized in the town of BniTinoton

'"1^1

HISTORY Ol- RACINE COUNTY 365

was the St. Mary's Roman Catholic. This occurred in the year
1844 by some members of the clnircli who came from Detroit,
Michigan. They were joined by K'everend Kundi.n, of Milwau-
kee, and in the same year erected a small stone ])uildiii,^- whicli
was also the first stone house put n]^ in Ijurlington. They used
this as a chui-i-b until 1859. when a larger edifice, of stone, was
constructed.

The Catholic Church at Waterfoixl was established in 1850
and within two years the mem])ership had grown to one hun-
dred and fifty. A stone churcli was built then, costing about
$2,()00.0n. Rev. Matthew (leriibauer was the first pi-iest bere.

CONGREGATIONAL

In the spring of the year 1850 Rev. Timothy M. Hopkins,
then acting pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Racine, began
a series of sermons in the old court-house, intending to (trganize
a Congregational Church. The organization was effected in
Februai'y, 1850. There were thirty-eight members, most of
them with letters from the Presbyterian Church. The society
named their church the First Congregational Church of Racine.
The first pastor was Rev. Timothy M. Hopkins, and the first
deacons were Henry Sheldon and I. G. Parker. On the 21st of
the following May a further organization took place and the first
trustees elected were A. P. Dickey, Philip Brethwait, T. P.
Bruce, Mark Miller and Floyd P. Baker; I. (i. Parker was clerk.
Wliile a house of worship was being constructed on the ground
later occu])ied by the Episcopal Cliurch the members wor-
shiped in the court-house and in the Ladies' Seminarv Build-
ing. After the frame work of the new church was completed
and the roof placed a storm destroyed it. The work went on,
how^ever, and the finished structure was dedicated February 5,
1851. Again the churcdi met Avith disaster on November 2, 1851,
when flames leveled the church building to the gi'ound. By this
time the society was in financial distress and was compelled to
accept the gift of a clnu'ch lot from Mr. Sidn(>v A. Sage, and
thereon began to build another house of worship. The corner-
stone of this house w^as laid with befitting ceremonies on Octo-
ber 9, 1852; the dedication occui'red on November 7, 1854. Great
assistance w^as rendered to the society by friends and members
of chiu'ches m other commiuiities. The church was redecorated

366 HISTORY OF RACIXF. COrXTV

in 1908. Some of the early pastors of this church were Revs.
T. M. TIoi)kins, U. P. Kinne}^ Lewis E. Matson, Stephen P.
Peet, T. E. Davis, (i. W. Sargent, Norman IMcLeod, T. P. Sawin
and William II. Hinckley. Following these have been Revs.
Clarendon A. Stone, David R. Anderson, Charles H. Percival,
H. L. IJichardson, Julius Marks and J. T. Chynow^eth.

Among the charter members of the First Congregational
Church were the following named: D. C. Vantine, Almira
A'aiitine, G. C. Flagg, Mary Flagg, Emily Stone, Nancy S. Hop-
kins, Sarah E. Paul, Mary Hurd, A. P. Dickey, Sarah A. Dickey,
I. 0. Parker, Lois E. Parker, Philip Brethwait, Ann Brethwait,
L, P. Thayer, Isabel Thayer, N. D. Smith, J. E. Lockwood,
Mrs. A. S. Lockwood, R. J. Munu, Louisa ^lunn, William Bruce,
Sarah Bruce, F. P. Baker, Harriett Baker, Phelee Freeman,
Henry Sheldon, Mrs. Henry Sheldon, S. K. Sheldon, William
Smith. Mrs. William Smith," Mrs. M. Field, Mrs. N. A. Walker,
Mrs. D. P. Putney, Mrs. David Hurlbut, INIrs. Fisher and Mrs.
S. Comstock.

The Plymouth Church, Congregational, otherwise the Park
Avenue Congregational Church, was organized in 1904. The
pastors of this church have been Revs. D. Ellis Evans, Albert
J. Buxton and S. T. Kidder, the latter acting pastor diu-ing
Reverend Buxton's leave of absence. On Sunday, June 8, 1913,
the Plymouth Society dedicated their new house of worship,
which is one of the most sightly and modern of Racine's
churches. On July 30, 1913, the old church on Park Avenue was
sold to St. Casimir's Catholic Congregation for $8,000.00.

A Welsh Congregational ('hurch was organized in Racine
in December, 1847, with fourteen members. A church building
was erected on College Avenue. This church is inactive at
present.

The First Congregational (Ihurch of Union Grove was
organized on September 8, 1844, by Rev. C. C. Cadwell, as mod-
erator, at the schdol-house. L. C. Northway was appointed clerk.
There were at first just twelve members. The first pastor who
attended the clnu'ch was Rev. Lorain Rood. The meetings were
h(;id alternately al the Salisbury and White School-houses.

The first church to be organized at Waterford was the
Congregational in 1851, Levi Barnes being the exhorter. A
church building was constructed in 1857 on land donated to the

EAST SIDE OF MARKET SQUARE IN 1857
Showing Episcopal and Universalist Churches

,Sii^

THE SQUARE IN INGO, SHOWING BAPTIST CHURCH

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 367

society l)y S. ('. ('liai)iu;iii. Tlic tii'st I'cuiihir p.-istoi' <>[' this
church was Kcv. K*. K*. Sikiw. wlio i-ciiiaiiicd I'ur a pciadd <il' ten
years.

The ('()ii,i;rei;ati()ual ('liiiii-h at Ivochester was ori^aiiized in
1840 with about fifty niciiihers. ITntil 1845 they held their
meetings in the old scliodl-hdiisc and then cdiisl riidcd a brick
clnii-cli Iniilding.

EPISCOPAL

Tlie first 10pisc()[)al Society of Kaciiic, now St. laike's, held
services as early as 1839. These were conducted by Reverend
Hull <jf Milwaukee. In 1840 services were held every two weeks,
Reverend Allison of Waukegan officiating. In 1841 Revs.
Adams, Breck and llobart conducted the services and in 1842
a regular parish, called St. Lidvc's, was organized, Rev. William
Walch taking charge until Ainil 1, 1843. Rev. P. W. Hatch
officiated a part of this time. In 1844 and 1845 Rev. Ebenezer
Williams conducted the services and early in the latter year the
first church Imilding was erected on the east side of the market
square, which was used by the society until the fire of 1866,
when, with the Titus Hall, Racine House and other buildings, it
was destroyed. After the erection of the building the rectorship
was filled by Revs. S. Marks, A. D. Cole, James De Pere, James
Bowman, Josei)h H. Nichols, Roswell Park, A. D. Benedict,
Edward C. Porter, Arthur Piper, Walter G. Blossom and Fred-
erick S. Peufold.

After the destruction of the church by fire in 1866, the
society purchased lots on the corner of Main and Seventh
Streets, and in July of the same year the corner-stone of a new
building was laid. Bishop Kemper of Kenosha officiating.

The other Episcopal societies in Racine are: Holy Inno-
cents, Owen and Washington Avenues, Rev. Charles A. Cap-
well; Immanuel, 1309 North Wisconsin, Rev. R. H. M. Baker;
St. John's Collegiate (Racine College), Rev. W. P. Shero; St.
Stephen's, Prospect and North Avestern Avenues, Rev. R. C.
Hindley.

EVANGELICAL

The First Church of the Kvangelical Association of North
America in Racine was organized in 1845 by Rev. M. Hauert.
The original members were as follows: John Niebergall, class
leader; Barbara Niebergall, Henry Yung, J. C. Schmidt, Cather-

368 HISTORY OF RACINE COrNTY

ine Scliiiiidt, II. Hess, Mary Hess, P. Herzog, J. C. Hoffman.
In 1847 the congregation constructed the first church, which
was a small frame, in size 25 by 30 feet. In July, 1848, the
church was dedicated. The membership at this time had grown
to sixteen. In 1855 the building was enlarged by twenty feet.
The second house of worshijt was erected by the society in 1870
on the old ground on Chippewa, between Seventh and Eighth
Streets, adding a half lot to the property. The church building
is now numbered as 725 Park Avenue.

The pastors who have served in the ])ulpit of this church
are, in the order of their service: Revs. Matthew Hauert, An-
dreas Nieolai, (leorge Blank, Christian Lintner, J. (t. Escher,
Benjamin Epley, Christoph Ko})p, S. A. Tol)ias, (J. Fleischer, John
Riegal, George A. Blank, Christoph Augenstein, Oswald Ragatz,
Israel Kutei-, Henry Huelster, x\ugust Huelster, J. CI. Escher,
Ernest Sehultz, Peter Massueger, P. Kurtz, J. M. Hammeter,
F. W. Huelster, C. P. Zinnnermann, C. P. Pinger, J. P. Viel,
J. L. Stroebel, M. WitteuAvyler, C. Schneider, C. P. Reiehert,
H. Uphoff, C. Schneider, L. P. Emmert, II. E. Erffmeyer, P. W.
Umbreit, W. G. Raddats and William C. Uebele.

There is also the Chiesa Evangelical Italian Church in
Racine, located at 1621 All)ert Street, and in charge of Rev. G.
Busacca.

JEWISH

The Jewish Church is represented in Racine by a single
society, organized in the '9()s. This is the Congregation Sons of
Juda, under charge of Rabbi Max Aronin. The temple is located
at 810 Superior Street. There are about fifty mendiers of this
society.

LUTHERAN

The First German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of
Racine was organized in 1848 by Rev. John Weiumann, a native
of Wurtemberg, who lost his life in the Ijurning of the steam-
ship "Austi'ia" on September 13, 1858. For the period of one
year the society worshiped in a district school-house until the
latter part of the year 1859, when the first church edifice was
dedicated. At that time the congregation numbered twenty
families. The fii'st ti'ustees were: George Wustum, C. P. Bliss,
Ernst Hueffner, Henry Anthes and Michael Schulz. The church
belonged to the Wisconsin Svnod. This is the mother chiu'ch of

HISTORY OF RACIN'E COUNTY .369

all the German Protestant Churches in the City of Racdne, as
all the rest of them came into existence by separation from this
original church. The church is in [jrosperous condition, with a
good membersliii). It is in charge of Rev. Theodore Volkert at
the present time.

The German Evangelical St. Paul's congregation began as
a departing body from the First (ierman Evangelical Lutheran
Church, having been organized in March, 1873. The cause of
this separation dates back to the establishment of the latter
church, the founders of which, in their native coimtry, belonged
partly to the Evangelical and partly to the Lutheran Churches.
About fifteen members became convinced that they should sep-
arate from the church, Avhich they did. Among the number
were the following: A. Kaltenschnee, C. Braeh, George Hergen,
IMessrs. Reitenmeyer, Rr.. also Jr., F. Miller, Bliss, Lattich,
Rapp and Baumann. The first religious services were held by
the new congregation in the court-house. Reverend Lamprecht, of
Chicago, officiating. After the church had formed a connection
with the Evangelical Synod of North America, Rev. S. Weber
was called as the first pastor. In 1874 a house of worship and a
parsonage were l^uilt on a lot previously purchased, located on
Liberty Street.

The Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of
Racine was organized on August 22, 1851. There had been a
considerable number of Li;therans settled in Racine from Nor-
way and a number of them had been holding religious meetings
previous to the organization. They soon desired a regular for-
mation and accordingly a meeting was held at the house of John
Larsen, which resulted in the organization. The following
trustees were elected: John S. Bangs, John Larsen and An-
drew Johnson. On Jamiary 15, 1852, a certificate of organiza-
tion was filed. Rev. Ole Anderson, who was present at the
above meeting, was selected as the first pastor of the society.
In addition to the members already named, there were the fol-
lowing in the first congregation: O. I. Halstad, Helge Simonsen,
Endre M. Surly, Finkel Kiukelsen, Niels Olson, K. Knudsen
Boude and K. A. Riugheim. Steps had already been taken at
the organization meeting toward the erection of a church build-
ing. A lot was purchased on State Street, where Fish Brothers'
Wagon Works were afterward located. By 1853 a meeting

370 HISTORY OI" RACINE CUUXTY

house had been erected thereon and was being used by the
society. In the spring of 18()7 the chiu'ch building was moved
one block east, and in 1868 an addition was made to it at a cost
of $l,2()n.()(). In 1871 Rev. Adam Dan, a native of Denmark, at
the time a missionary to Palestine, Jerusalem, was called to
this pastorate and in July of the same _vear he was ordained.
After having served for about one year, several members of the
congregation considered that he was preaching doctrines in op-
position to the Lutheran Church and the Confession of the con-
gregation. An accusation of false doctrine was made against
him. He opposed this charge and a schism resulted. When the
members siding with Reverend Dan claimed the right to the
church pro2:»erty a lawsuit ensued. The case was decided De-
cember 12, 1874, and the pastor was found guilty of preaching
false doctrine, but the j^arty of the church in favor of him be-
ing in the majority, the court gave them the property and the
original name of the congregation. The defeated members,
wishing to maintain the Christian and Lutheran doctrines of
the founders of the congregation, organized themselves into a
sei^arate society and formed a connection with the Conference of
the Norwegian-Danish Clnu'ch of America in 1875. Numerous
pastors of that society served the new congreation. On January
13, 1877, the society was incorporated under the name of the
Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Racine,
Wisconsin, and on the 2oth of Marsh the new church edifice
was dedicated.

The Danish Evangelical Lutheran Enimaus Church of Ivacine
was organized August 22, 1851, with twenty-four m(Mn))ers,
mostly from Norway. Rev. O. Andrewson was the first ])astor.
The church was built the same year and located on State Street,
between LaSalle and Marquette. In 1855 the church was en-
larged and a Sunday School organized. During the years 1860-3
there came a division in the society and tlic church ])uilding was
sold. For some time the congi-egation was without religious
services of any kind. On August 10, 1863, thirteen members
of the congregation united and repurchased the church for
$525.00 and the society was reorganized as a part of the Nor-
wegian Synod. The old house of worship was sold in 1876 and
a new brick edifice erected on IN found Avenue, costing $9,000.00.
Then followed, a short time hiter, the trouble over the pastor.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 371

Keverend Dan, which is narrated in a ])reeeding paragraph. Tlie
(le})arting nionibers fVjrmed themselves into a new congregation
after the court finding that Reverend Dan's adherents owned
the church i)ropei'ty, and the latter continued under Dan's pas-
torate. The new Emmaus Chni'cli was dedicated Jannni-v 27, 1(S78.

The Evangelical l^utheran St. John's Congregation of the
Unaltered Augsburg Confession was organized in Racine County
on June 30, 1862, and was first served by Revs. Friedrich Loch-
uer and Ferdinand Steinbacli. The first members of the con-
gregation were: Thimotheus Moritz, August Baumann, George
P. iNIohn, Andreas Reukauf, Peter Stoffel, Johann Kino, George
Steel, George F. Sehulz, Johann (Jeorge Friedrich, Johann
George Rueck, Caspar Reukauf, Johann Shoenleben, Carl
Strauss, Jacol) Ilancrcr. Johann Dennis, Johann Stecher, Johann
Herchenroeder, Joseph Ritter, Johann Foertseh and Traugott
Flocter. Rev. W. P. Engelbert was the first pastor of this
church. On Jul.v 28, 3862, the congregation coiududed to erect
a school building, which they also used as a house of worship
until November 18, 1866, when the new chiu'ch building was
dedicated. Connected with the church was the Evangelical
Lutheran St. John's School, which was started by the pastor.
A. 0. Gertenbach was the first teacher, with forty scholars. The
first school-house was superseded in 1877 by a two-story brick.

The other Lutheran Churches of Racine are: The Bethesda
(Norwegian), State and La Salle Streets; Church of the Atone-
ment, Wright and Quincy; Enunaus (Danish), Mound Avenue
and Madsen Court, Rev. C. H. Jensen; Lnmanuel (German),
High and Superior, Rev. Oscar Samuel; Immanuel (Danish),
Oak and Lafayette, Rev. Michael O. Block; Our Savior (Danish),
1200 Racine, Rev. Julius N. Bing; Trinity Evangelical Lutheran,
1330 ^Milwaukee Aveime, Rev. F. C. Eseinan; Zion (Norwegian),
423 Randolph, Rev. O. L. Torvik.

St. Peter's German Lutherau at Waterford was organized
in 1860 with about forty members and in 1884 the society erected
a large stone church, costing $2,000.00. The land upon which it
stands was donated by Mr. Schentzenberg and in 1866 he made
a claim to the church. The congregation brought suit against
him and in the same year a judgment was rendered in favor of
the church. The first minister to preach at this church was
Rev. Enclebrecht.

372 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

METHODIST EPISCOPAL

The first Methodist minister to arrive in Raeine was Samuel
Pillsbury, who, in the fall of 1836, was sent to Root River ^lis-
sion by the Illinois Annual Conference. After coming- here he
lived on the east side of Main Street, near Seventh. However,
prior to this time, there were Methodists here. The first four
men to settle in Racine after Ciilbert Knapp located his claim in
November, 1834, were Stephen Campbell, William See, Paul
Kingston and Edmond Weed, all devout Methodists. They came
January 2, 1835. Harrison Fay and Mr. Newton arrived about
the same time and for several months these men were the only
JNlethodists here. There were other regular ministers who
preached here before the coming of Pillsbury, but the latter
was known as the first appointed preacher to this charge. Mai-k
Robinson and Mr. See preached here at intervals. Robinson
hailed from Milwaukee. The first account of a camp-meeting in
Racine or vicinity is in the Argus of August 15, 1838. Almost
all of the early preachers were circuit riders, among them 1)eing
Daniel Slauson. According to reliable authorities, the people
composing the first class at Racine were: Paul Kingston and
wife, William See and wife, A. Filer and wife, and Ste])licn Cmnp-
bell and wife.

It is supposed that the early Methodist Society here used a
small log building, with benches, as a house of worship, but this
knowledge has never been confirmed. Joseph Knapp constructed
a house on the west side of Main Street, near Second, as a for-
warding house. The Methodists rented this building in which
to hold meetings. The houses of Jonathan ]\I. Snow and Paul
Kingston were utilized previous to the erection of this build-
ing. Later the meetings were held in the old schoolhouse and in
1840, when the coTU't-house was finished, the meetings were trans-
ferred there. The erection of the Pearl Street building was ac-
complished in 1845; the building was of frame, many of the oak
timl)ers having been hewn at the Rapids and sledded down the
river. The land was conveyed by deed by Benjamin B. Jones
and his wife, Nancy, under date of September 26, 1842, to Alan-
son Filer, Daniel Slauson, William Bull, Edwin W. Smith and
All)ert (i. Knight, in consideration of $75.00 in specie, lot 6 in
block 24 of the original plat of Racine, in trust, that they should

HISTORY OK RACINE COUNTY 373

l)uil(l thereon a house of worship for the chni-ch society. The
building was 36 by 52 feet in dimensions.

i\t a nieetinu- of the l:>(iard i>\' Trustees, held P^'bi'uai'v 28,
1870, it was resolved to sell ibc old cbincli pi'opei'ty and erect a
new chui'ch. This was done on November 5, 1870. A lot on
the corner of ]\Iain and Eighth Streets was purchased A])ril 1,
1870, of George Q. Krskine for $3,000.00. Building operations
were hegim and on June 25. 1870. the corner-stone was laid. The
dedication occurred duly IG, 1871. The completed building cost
a little less than $40,000.00. On February 5, 1882, fire destroyed
the greater part of the church, but it was iunnediately rebuilt
and rededicated February 4, 1883. The church building was
torn down in July, 1913, to make wa_y for the present $60,000.00-
structure, which was dedicated October 18, 1914.

The pastors of the First Church have been, in the order of
their service: Revs. Samuel Pillsbury, Otis F. Curtis, Salmon
Stebbins, Leonard F. Moulthrop, Henry Whitehead, James
Mitchell, Milton Bourne, G. L. S. Stuff, "jidius Field, Warner
Oliver, Matthew Bennett, Abram Hanson, Alexander Pope Allen,
Jonathan W. Putnam, C. C. jNIason, Wesson Gage Miller, Caleb
1). Pillsbury, Philo S. Bennett, A. C. Manwell, J. C. Bobbins,
Rufus H. Stinchfield. William H. Sampson, William Page Stowe,
O. J. Cowles, J. W. Carhart, George Channing Haddock, A. P.
Mead, F. S. Stein, Sanuiel Newell Griffith, Thomas Clithero,
F. G. Updik(>, Plenry Faville, J). C. John, John E. Fanner,
F])hraim L. Eaton, J. S. Lean, Henry P. Haylett, R. K. Manaton,
AN'illiam Rollins, William Preston Leek, Thomas G. Cocks, and
C. F. Spray.

In the spring of 1909 the Methodists living in the southwest
))art of town began an agitation for a church or Stniday School
in that neighborhood. On March 3, 1911, they decided to con-
struct a church of their own and organize an independent
society. The (li-auge Avenue Chui'eli is the result of this move-
ment. The clnmdi 1)uildiiig was dedicated Fel)ruary 4, 1912.
The i)i-op(M'ty is valued at $13,000.00.

In the early days there was a Welsh Methodist Church with
a building located on the rear of the lot at 845 Villa Street,
fronting on Ninth, between Park and Villa, at 514 Ninth Street.
It was a small frame structure, 25 by 30 feet, and is now located
at the northeast corner of Villa and Thirteenth Streets. Shortlv

374 HISTORY OF RAC IXE COUNTY

at'tei' tlic war. however, this church dwindled and in lH(i7 was
joined with the Welsh Talvinistic Thni-ch.

Tlie Union Methodist E])isco[)al Cliurch, or Second Clnn'cli,
was the outgrowth of a Union Sunday School Association, which
was beij,un and maintained liy niendx'rs of the Methodist and
other Protestant churches of the city, at the corner of North
Wisconsin and St. Patrick Streets, in a building which they pur-
chased ?ilay ;]. 1858. The deed of conveyance of the ])ro])erty
tells that for $3n().0n Albert (!. Knight and ^Martin Clancy, with
tlii'ir wives, and Eliphalet Ci-nn. conveyed the property to the
trustees of the Fourth Ward Union Sabbath School Association,
namely: Moses Adams, Thomas B. Talcott, Aaron C. Lyon,
John Bull, William H. Jenks and Thomas Driver. There was
occasional preaching in this building and the Sunday School was
maintained until the tire of the s])ring of 1881, when the Imild-
ing was leveled to the ground. The Union ^Mission was then
given in charge of the Methodist Episcopal ("hur«di. In 1881
Rev. Thomas Sharpe was ai)pointed pastor and in the same year
the new church building was ei'ected. In 1900 Union Chui'ch
and Berryville were made one assignment. The following pas-
tors have sei'ved: Revs. Thomas Sharpe, William C. Renter,
E. .7. Symons, L. H. Nickel, A. R. (irant. Otto Anderson. Zim-
mermann, E. D. Kohlsted, T. H. Downs, W. H. Leeter, E. Kaneen,
Richard A. Levin and B. W. Kramer.

The Scandinavian Methodist Church had its first local
preacher. Rev. Samuel Anderson, in 1853. Prior to this time
a society existed, but no record exists of its history. The regular
organization occurred in 1853. By 1855 a house of worship had
been completed sufficiently for the use of the society and l)y 1861
i1 was finished. It was dedicated in the fall of the year. A
■tl (),()()( ).U0 house of worship was constructed in 1904.

The Colored Methodist E]>iscopal Church of Racine was or-
ganized about 1869 by Rev. John Melone.

The German Methodist Church of Burlington was organized
in 1864 with ]\lr. and Mrs. Fred Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand
Smith, Ml', and Mrs. Jacob Kellai', Mr. and Mrs. Fred Selke, and
a few others. A small brick chni'cli was purchased fi'oui the
English niembei's and used until 1874, when a large frame
chui'ch was constinicted. The fiist jiastor was Rev. Ilei'uian
Reichter.

Trinity English Lutheran

German Lutheran Immanuel

Immanuel iJajitist

Park Avenue Evanj^elical

CHTTRCHES OF RACINE

German Lutheran
St. Luke's Episcopal

HISTORN' OF RACIXE COUNTY 375

'^I'Ik' Methodist Cliiircli at riiioii (Ji'dvc was ov^aiiizcd pi'ini'
t(i IHGl, the (late of tlic l)llil(lill^ of the cliiircli. l>cr()ix' tliis
iiKH'tiiias had hccii held in tlic nld sclKioldidiisc. 'I'hc new chiu'cli
wa,- siipplicd ])}■ (-ii'cuil ridci's, hiil in ISli:; K'cv. S. IjWj: caiiic to
tlic pulpit.

Tlic W'atcrfni'd Methodist I'^piscopal ('hiireli was organized
ill 1S712 with about twenty iiieiiihers. Sei-\iees wei-e held in the
( 'oiiureiiational ('iiun-li tor a few months, al'ter which a (dmreh
was Imilt. It was of frainc and cost ^2, ;")()(). 00. The first ])astor
was l>c\-ei'eiid Painter, a stiuh'iit IVoiu hlvanstoii, and lie was
f<illowc(l hy Iicvcreiid Ilalsey.

The (lennan Methodist Churcji of W'atcrford was ortj^aiiized
in 1(S71, also witli twenty niembers.

'ilie Y(ukville Methodist Episcopal Church was established
in 1840 |»y a party from Cornwall, England, among them being
the Shephards, Moyles, Skewes, Howes, Hays, Loeys, Lnggs and
Foxwells. A church was built in 1842. A second church was
constructed in bS.Ki and the present brick (diurch in 1014. Rev.
^^'illianl iwillins was the first pastor.

PRESBYTERIAN

The First Presbyterian Church of Racine was organized on
IV'bruary 13, 18:19, and consisted of twenty-one members,
iininely: Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Cary, Mr. and ]\lrs. Elias S.
< ;![u-oii. Mr. and Mrs. Heman Rice, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin (i.
Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Wells, Julius Cotton, Nelson A.
\Valk( r, doel Sage. Mrs. Sylvester Mygatt, Mrs. J. P. Hurlbut,
Mrs, Cyrus Nichols, Mrs. Sophronia L. Wells, Miss Susanna
Traber and ]Miss Sarah C. Hall. The house in vhich the organ-
ization meeting was held was located on the west side of JNlain
Street, between Second and Third; it was originally (U'signed
for a store, but was used as a school-house. Rev. Cyrus Nichols,
wh<; had Iteeii preaching here and in Kenosha since the fall of
18?)(), moderated the meeting of organization and continued to
preach in the church until Ajiril of the same year, when he was
succeeded by Rev. N. Kingsbury. Aftei' the latter the rollowing
past(n-s served the church society: Revs. C. C. Cadwell, Hiram
Foote. T. M. Hopkins, Z. M. Hmnphrey, (ieorge M. S. P>lauvelt,
Hawley, ,J. Ambrose Wight, C. J. Hutchins, Walter S. Alexan-

376 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

der, Daniel E. Bieree, Eli ('<ir\viii, Charles S. Nickerson, George
M. Colville, C. S. Nickersdii.

Preaching was early held in the court-house and when tl'is
grew too small the society met in the second story of the jail.
In the fall of 1842 stei)s were taken towai'd the erection of a
church building and the finished building was dedicated in Feb-
ruary, 1843. The corner-stone of the second house of worship
was laid May 6, 1851, and the building dedicated on June 10,
1852.

UNIVERSALIST

The First Universalist Society in Racine was organized
October 2, 1842. The meeting was held at the house of Lnnian
Parmalee and the following were present: Amaziah Stebl)ins,
Luman Parmalee, Ransom Cole, George Perkins, Reuben Chad-
wick, Asa Palmer, Thomas J. Wisner, S. H. Norris, B. R. Per-
kins, Jacob Ly Brand.

With the assistance of 11. II. Watson regular services were
held every Sunday in the frame school house until September 6,
1846, when Rev. A. C. Barry of Fort Plain, New York, was
installed as pastor. Up to January, 1847, sixty-nine members
had signed the constitution. The original membershi]) of the
society numbered twenty -four. The society continued to hold
services in the court-house until 1851, when a clnu'ch building
on Market Square was erected by them, and dedicated October 9,
1852. Some of the other early pastors of this church were Revs.
E. Case, D. L. Webster, B. Mason, R. (!. Hamilton, E. Fitzgerald,
J. S. Fall, A. C. Fish, S. AV. Sutton, 11. M. Sinnuons, Olympia
Brown Willis. Rev. A. C. Barry served several terms as pastor.
Rev, John W. Carter is the present incumbent.

MISCELLANEOUS

Other cluirch societies in Racine ai'c: The Holland Chris-
tian Reformed, at 1:529 Blake, Rev. P. W. DeJonge; Cnnnvh of
God, 3320 Lindermann Avenue, Rev. Charles R. Miller; Penta-
costal Church of the Nazarene, Washington and Hayes Avenues,
Rev. Ernest J. Fleming.

CHAPTEK XX

CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS

THE POOR FARM — COUNTY INSANE ASYLUM — SUNNY REST SANATORIUM

— HOME FOR FEEBLE-MINDED — SAINT LUKE'S HOSPITAL — SAINT
MARY'S HOSPITAL — TAYLOR ORPHAN ASYLUM — OLD LADIES' HOME

— CENTRAL ASSOCIATION.

Ill the early sottleinciit <it' Racine ('(nmty. tlic iiioneers AV(>rc
nearly all people of hardy ('011x1111111011, blessed with t^ood health
and used to hard kiioeks. While all were poor, they were williiii;-
to work, and those who needed assislanee usually received all
that was necessary from their ueighhors. Consequently, it was
several years before the question of carint;' for the unfortunate
])oor became one for consideration by the county authorities.
Then a home for the indii^ent was established in the Village of
Racine, to which all the poor, resident or transient, were sent.

THE POOR FARM

This system continued until 1851, when the Board of Super-
visors decided to establish a county poor farm. On September
27, 1851, William Hunt and his wife conveyed to the County of
Racine a tract of eighty acres in Section 7, Township ?>, IJange
21, for that purpose. The land thus })urcliased by the county
supervisors is situated in the Town of Yorkville, about three
miles north of the Village of Union (J rove. Subsequently Ezra
Burehard donated forty acres adjoining, giving the county a farm
of 120 acres. For moi-e than three yeai's after the purchase of
the farm the poor continued to be cared for in Racine. In Feb-
ruary, 1854, the Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution to
erect suitalile buildings on the farm, but no appropriation for
the pui-pose was made until the following November, when the
sum of $7,500.00 was appropriated. The pooi' house was opened
in January, 1855, for the rece])tion of [laupers. At the same time
the county was divided into three districts, from each of wliicli
a commissioner was appointed to look after the management of
the institution. .lulius Wooster rei)resented the eastern district;
C. K. McEachron, the middle, and N. R. Norton, the western.
This system of caring for the ])ooi' continued until 1861, when

378 HIsrORY OF RACINE COUNTY

tlic people in some of the towns objected, on the gronnd that they
wei'e jjayinf;- mure than their just jjroportion of the cost of main-
tenance. A special meeting (jf the Board of Supervisors was
held til consich'i' the objections, and it was decided to adojit the
town system of sup})orting the paupers, by which each town was
to ])ay oidy for tlie support of its own. H. D. JMorse, C. J. Bryce
and (leoi'ti'e Herrick were apiDointed poor conunissioners, with
instructions to eniiiloy an overseer for the farm. This provision
was Hoi carried out, liowever, until 18()3, when Thomas (jraham
was appointed overseer.

The buiklings erected in 1854 are still in use, and it can be
easily imagined that they are somewhat "behind the times."
Ill A])ril, 191(), Walter Petersen, chairman of tlie Board of Su-
per\-isors; Edward ^lahnie, of Waterford; Rol)ert Mutter and
I. (). Mann, of Racine, all members of the board, were appointed
a conunittee to visit the county asylums for the insane and the
])oor houses at Madison, Elkhorn, Janesville and Waukesha.
After making tliei]' visit, they reported that the Racine asylum
for the insane was sujjerior in completeness and efficieiu\v to any
of those visited, but "there was not a single poor house in as
bad condition as that of Racine County — that is, from the stand-
point of buildings."

C'oncei-ning the repoi-t one of the Racine newspai^ers said
editorially: "The conunittee appears to be imanimous in tin-
opinion that the two institutions should be united. There was
some talk about the poor house buildings being remodeled, but
when the State Board of Control made the statement that the
liuildiugs would be condemned, this idea was dropj)ed. Addi-
tional land lias heeii bought in connection with the Racine
County Asylum aiul at the next meeting of the Comity Board
no doubt favorable action will lie taken for the erection of new
buildings and the removal of the poor farm, thus connecting the
two institutions."

Owing to some ojjposition that developed, the "favorable
action" pi-edicicd by the editor did not materialize at the next
meeting of the iJojiid of Supei'visors. But there is no question
tiiat the sentiment in favoi' of the removal of the ])oor farm to the
insane asylum grounds is growing, and it is (»nly a question of
time when the arram^cmeiit will he carried out.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY M9

COUNTY INSANE ASYLUM

As early as 1855 the Poor Coimnissioiiers r('i)orte(l lluit thci'c
were two insane persons in the poor house and asked the IJoai'd
of Supervisors to erect a separate building for their accoiniiioda-
tion. The board appropriated $600 for a building for insane in-
mates of the poor house, but it was several years before an}'
movement was inaugurated for the establishment of an asylum
to be used for the eare and treatment of the insane of tlic county.

In 1882 a proposition to ereet such an asylum eame before
tlie Board of Supervisors, several of whom were in favor of
proceeding at once to erect a building. Nothing was done, how-
ever, until about six years later. On November 26, 1888, the
board voted to issue bonds to the amount of $40,000, in denomi-
nation of $500 each, payable at the rate of $5,000 annually, and
bearing interest at the rate of 5 per cent. The proceeds of the
sale of such bonds were to be used to erect an asylum for the
insane. A suitable tract of land near Gatliff, in the Town of
Mount Pleasant, was ]iurcliased and the work of erecting the
buildings was pushed forward with such energy that the insti-
tution was opened on December 18, 1889, with three patients.
The first Board of Trustees was composed of L. C Klein, John
T. Kice and N. Lytic. In May, 1890, the number of patients had
increased to fifty-four.

On the night of February 19, 1904, the asylum was com-
pletely destroyed by fire. There were then 133 patients in the
institution and some of them were rescued with great difficulty.
But through tlie heroic efforts of Sui^erintcndents Oversen and
Harden and their wives, all were saved. It was a cold night and
some of the inmates, after they were brought from the liurning
building, tried to get back to their warm ])eds. Others wandered
away during the excitement, and still others danced with glee
as they watched the flames consiune the only liome they had
known for months. The morning of the 20th saw the insane asy-
lum a heap of smoldering ruins. The Free Will Baptist Ohurch
at Mygatt's (Corners, near the asylum, was opened to the trus-
tees and a nmnber of the inmates were quartered in the church
mitil more permanent arrangements for their care could be
made. Farmers in the neighborhood took several of the milder
cases into their homes. Before the close of the day following
the fire all were accounted for and comfortably housed.

380 HISTORY OF RACINE COrNTY

The origin of the fire is not certain. It was the I'ule of the
institution that the patients retire at eight o 'chick in the even-
ing. A]K)ut half an hour after all had retired, Albert Terhuno,
one of the patients, came rushing into the dining-room and noti-
fied Supt. Frank E. Oversen that there was a fire in the attic.
All the fire-fighting apparatus possessed by the institution was
at once brought into requisition and the employees did all they
could to save the building from destruction. Seeing their efforts
futile, they turned their attention to saving the contents of the
office and such rooms as they could reach without danger. The
records and much of the furniture were thus saved. Doctor
Oversen gave it as his opinion that the cause of the fire was a
defective hot air pipe from the furnace and stated positively
that none of the patients were permitted to have matches in the
attic, or anywhere else about the building.

Inunediately after the fire the Board of Supervisors took
steps to rebuild.' On April 18, 1904, the firm of Chandler & Park,
architects, were connnissioned to prepare plans and specifica-
tions, and on May 2d bids were advertised for, pro])osals to be
received mitil the lOth of .Tuly. On July 13, 1904, the contract
for the new building was awarded t(t Hanson & Lester, of Chip-
pewa Falls, Wisconsin, for $81,841.77. The cost of the old asy-
hun — the one destroyed by fir(^ — was $58,841.86. so it can be
seen that the boai'd, in rclmilding the asylum. a<-tc(l u]ii;u the
theory that it was better to build for the futui'c as well as the
present.

On Xovciiihcr '_'9, 1904, the board authorized the issue of
.$1(10,0(1(1 ,>\' asylum bonds, payable at the rate of $(),r)Ol) annually
and lieai'iiig interest at the i"ite of 4 per cent ])er annum. The
last of these bonds fall due in 1928. Hanson & Lester hastened
the completion of the building as rapidly as it was possilile to do.
and in the new asylum K'acine County has one of the best institu-
tions of that class in the state.

SUNNY REST SANATORIUM

111 1911 the Wisconsin Legislatni'e ])asse(l an act authorizing
County l)o;ii'ds of Sujiei-visors to purchase sites and erect hospi-
tals or sanatoriums for tlie cai'c of persons afflicted with tuber-
culosis. It was also provided that all sites should be approved
by the State lioai-d of (^tntrol before buildings were erect(>d

HISTORY OF RACINE COrXTV 381

thereon. Under tliis act the IJuaid cf Supervisors ])ureliased
twenty acres of ground in tlie Town of Mdutit Pleasant, about a
mile southeast of the County Insane Asyhuii, whidi site was
approved by the state board, and made an ap|n-(ti)riation for the
establishment of an institution to be known as the "Sunny Rest
Sanatorium." The building, which cost about thiily thousand
dollars, was opened for the reception of patients in August, 1913.
Originally, accouunodations were provided for twenty-four pa-
tients, but by uiclosing some of the porches additional room was
obtained, and in July, 1916, there were thirty-six patients in the
sanatorium.

Upon the opening of the institution a board of three trustees
was appointed, and the same board was in charge on August 1,
1916. George X. Fratt is president; John B. Simmons, secretary,
and the third member of the board is S. M. Reinardy, of Bur-
lington. Dr. Jolui H. Hogan is the physician in charge, and Mrs.
Elizabeth Carpenter is the matron. The establishment of the
Sunny Rest Sanatorium is another evidence that the people of
Racine County are fully alive to the requirements of modern
civilization in caring for unfortunates. The equipment of the
Rest is of the most approved character and the treatment of
patients is along lines suggested by the most eminent specialists,
who have made a special study of the "Oreat "White Plague."

HOME FOR FEEBLE-MINDED

Although this is a state institution, it is located within the
limits of Racine County, and is therefore entitled to recogni-
tion among the county's charitable institutions. In 1912 the
State Board of Control, in a \isit to the Home for Feeble-Blinded
at Chippewa Falls, observed that the institution was veiy nuu-h
crowded and recommended the establishment of an additional
home. The Legislature of 1913 acted up>on the ])oard's recom-
mendation and made an approjiriation for the purchase; of a site
and the erection of suitable buildings.

Immediately after the passage of the act, some of Racine's
active business and professional men set themselves to work to
secure the location of the new home in the county. Three of the
five members of the State Board of Control visited the site
selected by the Racine men, which selection was indorsed by the
Racine Commercial Club, and expressed themselves favorably.

382 HlSr()R\' OF RACIMi COUNTY

rii

riic result was tliat ")(!,') aci'cs in Section 25, Township 3, Range
20, were purchased hy tlie state as a h)cation for the home. This
tract lies in the suutheastern part of Dover Township, about a
iiiih' and a half Avest of Union Grove and directly north of the
('iiica^o, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. Thi'ough the influence
of the citizens of Racine, the railroad company agreed to build
a switch ]-unning into the grounds, a fact that no doul)t had
some influence upon the state l)oard in the selection of a location.
The appropriation of 19i:> was not immediately available
and some time elapsed before the work of building was com-
menced. On August 1, 1916, a feAV of the ])uildings were com-
])leted and work was being pushed forward on the others with
a view of having the institution ready for inmates by January 1,
1916. The site is one of the most desirable in the county, if not
in the state, the tract of land lying upon the ridge that separates
the waters of the Root and Fox Rivers, with a I'olling surface
and the very best of drainage.

SAINT LUKE'S HOSPITAL

Tn 1871, Rev. E. ( '. Porter, Rev. James De Koven, Dr. John
(i. Alearham and a few others co-operated in renting a small
house and o])ening a hospital. The first patient was received on
Christmas Day, 1871. At first, the hospital was supplied with
but two beds, but soon after it was opened two others were added.
During the first year twenty-one patients were treated. On
Ai)ril 15, 1872, the founders incorporated under the laws of the
state and the institution took the name of St. Luke's Hospital,
Tor the reason that most, if not all, the incorporators were mem-
bei-s of St. Luke's Episcojtal Church. The beds, bed-clothing and
furnitui'c wei'e given by the women of Racine and Racine College.

The success of the hospital during the first year of its exist-
ence awakened considerable interest and on Christmas Eve, in
1872, a meeting was held in St. Luke's Church to consider ways
and means of making it a permanent institutiim. Speeches were
made by Charles E. Dyer, Doctor De Koven and others, but it
was not until the lollowing JNIay that anything definite was accom-
})lished. 'i'lien A. (1. llai-tshorn and a few others tui'ued over to
the hospital -fSOO, with one yeai-'s interest, a part of the fund
i-iised the preceding autumn for the I'elief of sufferers from the
great Chicago fire. A liltle later the German School Society

ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL. RACLN'E

THE SHORES OF LAKK MICHIGAN

HISTORY OF RACIXK rorX'n' 38,1

added $350 to thi' hospital fuiKl. Other cniit lilnit inns, ihiic n'\
them very large, came in tVom time to time and a coiiiuiittcc was
appointed to examine building sites, with a virw df pnrcliasiiiL;,
and report as to the best loeatioii for a hospital building.

Thus matters stood at the beginning of the year 1875. On
January 17th of that year another meeting was licid in St. Luke's
Church at which the following conunittee was a[)pointed to
s(dicit siibscriptions to a l)uilding fund: l\ev. K. ('. Pm-tei'.
Simeon "Whiteley, Frank Schneider, 11. T. Fuller, T. (i. Fish,
William M. Kay and W. T. Lewis. In April, 1875, Rev. E. C.
Porter and wife offered to donate two lots on the coa'ner of Thir-
teenth Street and College Avenue for a hospital site on two
conditions: First, that within five years a ])uilding to cost not
less than five thousand dollars should be erected on the premises;
second, that said binlding, when completed, should be used ex-
clusively for hospital purposes for five consecutive years. About
this time George H. Clarke, an architect of Chicago, sul)mitted
plans for a hospital building, with a capacity of forty beds, the
estimated cost of which was $12,000. After modifying the plans
to reduce the eost, a campaign was started to raise the money
necessary for the erection of the building. The amount I'aised
was not sufficient to binld according to the i)lans submitted hy
^Ir. Clarke, and W. H. Amos, of Racine College, came forward
with a new plan for a building to cost not more than $5,500.
His plans were adopted and the corner-stone was laid (Hi Sep»-
tember 21, 1876, by Rev. Arthur Piper. The cost of the building
when it was finished was $5,500.49, only forty-nine cents more
than the original estimate. It was opened in February, 1877,
with eleven beds.

During the first fifteen years of the hosi^ital's career, nearh'
all the i^atients treated were charity cases, so that the expense
of the institution had to be met by contributions. The Ladies'
Guild Society of Racine College and Mrs. E. C. Porter each
contributed $250 per year for several years.

In 1891 the hospital was leased to the Danish Hospital Asso-
ciation, which remained in control for about fifteen years, when
the institution ])assed back to the original management. During
the time the Danish Hospital Association was in charge, William
Horlick built the addition known as the Alice Horlick JNFemorial
Hospital, at a cost of about ten thousand dnllars. Also, during

384 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

this time, tile Floi'ciice Nightingale Society of charitable wonieB
was organized for the juiipose of "maintaining a free bed or
beds at the hospital known as the St. Luke's and Alice Horlick
Memorial Hospital, for charity patients." The fund contrilnited
by the Florence Nightingale Society was used for the establish-
ment of the department known as the "Maternity Home."

When tile old organization resumed control of the hospital,
it assumed the liabilities of the Danish Hospital Association,
which were all discharged in course of time, and the hospital is
now in a more prosjjerous condition than at any time in its his-
tory. A training school for nurses has been established, with a
three years' course, an addition to the Maternity Home was
made in the summer of 1916, doubling its capacity, giving it
sixteen beds. The i)roperty is now valued at $50,000. St. I^uke's
and the Alice Horlick JNLemorial Hospital has no resident medical
staff, but is open to an}' regular licensed physician for the treat-
ment of patients or the performance of operations. Miss Marie
Villman, a graduate of the St. Luke's Training School and a
registered nurse under the Wisconsin laws, is in charge; the
chief nurse in the operating room is Miss Julia Pavek, also a
graduate of St. Luke's and a registered nurse; and Miss Louise
Brown, a graduate of the nurses' school in Milwaukee and legally
registered, is in chai'ge of the maternity department.

SAINT MARY'S HOSPITAL

This hospital, conducted by the Catholic Sisters of the Fran-
ciscan Order, was started in 1882 as a branch of St. Anthony's
Hospital of St. Louis, Missouri. It is located at the corner of
Sixteenth Street and Grand Avenue, and from a small begin-
ning has grown to be the leading hospital of Racine. The orig-
inal building was enlarged in 1889, another addition was made
in 1897 on account of the pressing demands for more room, and
since the beginning of the present century still greater demands
have been made, bringing the institution up to its present pro-
portions.

Although a Catholic institution, so far as ownership and
management is concerned, it receives patients without regard tt)
their religions affiliations. The hospital now has accommodations
for eighty patienits. In connection is a training school for niu'ses.
Sister M. Angela is the superior and the training school is in

I^STOR^• ol- RACINE COUNTY 385

charge of Sister M. Bernarda. 'I'licrc is ik. mcdii-al staff, hiit tlic
hospital is open to all reputable physicians, wIk. have the priv-
ilege of visiting patients there just as if they were in their own
homes. When fii-st started, the institution was aided l)y dona-
tions and subscriptions, but in recent years it has been self-
sustaining, the number of pay patients far outnumbering the
rliarity cases.

TAYLOR ORPHAN ASYLUM

A short distance southeast of the City of Racine is tlie Taylor
()r])han Asylum, which was founded ))y Mrs. Emelinc; A. Taylor,
widow of Isaac Taylor, in jmi'suancc ol' his wishes. In licr will
she left a fund of $30,000 to be held in ti-ust to erect an orphan
asylum and support the same, and named as trustees Mrs. Sarah
E. I)yer, Mrs. Sylvia Goold, Mrs. ]\Iargaret Ferine, ^Frs. ]\Iary
Murray and Mrs. Charlotte Tapley. Then, after disposing of
certain property, the Avill "gave and devised all the residue of
the estate to the Taylor Orphan Asylum." The will further pro-
vided that the women should elect annually four men to act witli
them as a board of directors.

On June 8, 1867, the trustees named in the Avill organized as
a corporation, when William P. Lyon, Dr. J. G. ^leacham, Sr.,
William T. Van Pelt and James H. Kelley were elected annual
members of the ])oard. The asylimi was opened on July 17, 1872,
the birthday anniversary of the founder. Since then it has re-
ceived, housed and cared for nearly four hundred children and
has expended in this work over three hundred, thousand dollars.

On June 2, 1875, eight years after the incorporation of the
institution, the l)oard reported a fimd of $132,354.70, invested in
first mortgage securities on real estate and municipal bonds. Five
years later, through good management, the fund amounted to
$140,000, which included the direct bequest of $.30,000 and the
residue of the Taylor estate, above mentioned. The institution
has not only been self-sup^jorting, but the income has been large
enough to increase the pennanent fund to nearly two hundred
thousand dollars. Much of this prosperity has been due to the
wise investments made by Chai-les H. Lee, who \\'as for twenty-
five years connected with the asylmn.

The asylum has always l)een conducted along the lines laid
down by its founder and benefactor for the orphan and half-
orphan children of Racine County. Among the features of the

386 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

institution are a c()niforta))lc school-room and a chapel, in which
religious services are held rej^ularly on Sunday afternoons, the
aim of the managers being "to give to the children under their
care such instruction as will make them self-reliant and indus-
trious; to surround them by influences which will develop their
moral character and make them useful members of society; to
give them such a home that they will always remember with
gratitude and affection the names of Mr. and I\Irs. Taylor."

The trustees named in ]\[rs. Taylor's will were appointed for
life. As they were called away by death their successors have
been appointed by the survivors. The trustees in 1916 were:
Mrs. C. R. Carpenter, Mrs. A. J. Lunt, Mrs. Wililam E. Lewis,
Mrs. May Wackerhagen and Mrs. J. G. Chandler. The male
memljers of the board of directors were: David (i. Janes, Wil-
liam E. Lewis, Joseph Hocking and Frank AV. Tjovejoy.

OLD LADIES' HOME

This institution, also known as the "Palmeter Home for Old
Ladies," was founded by Jolni IL and Eliza D. Palmeter, a child-
less couple, who felt that their property could be left to no
better purpose than to found a home for old women. Before
Mr. Palmeter's death he and his wife often talked the matter
over. His will left the estate to his wife, with the understanding
that upon her death it was to be conveyed to a l)oard of trustees
to be applied to their long cherished aim. Before the death of
Mrs. Palmeter the Old Ladies' Home was incorporated, with
Mrs. Eliza D. Palmeter as president; Miss Sarah M. ^Morrison,
Mrs. Charlotte Tapley, Mrs. (liarles H. Lee, Mrs. F. M. Fish,
Stephen Bull and E. C. Deane as the first board of trustees.

The estate was valued at $()(),( )0n, about one-third of which
was used to erect a st(n-e Imilding, the income from which was
to be used for the maintenance of the home, and the remaining
$40,000 was to bi' held in ti'ust as an endowment fund. Among
the |>i'(ipci'ty owned by the Pahiieters was the parcel of ground at
the corner of Sixteenth Street and College Avenue, where the
home now stands. No buildings were erected luitil the income
from the endowment fund was sufficient for that purpose, the
trustees desiring to hold tlie principal of the fund intact.

In March, 1905, the home was completed and opened for the
recejitioii of inmates. Accoiiiiiiodations are provided for twelve

HISTORY Or-^ RACMNE COUNTY 387

old ladies and the institution is now tilled to its capacity. Mrs.
Otis W. Johnson spent about one thousand dollars in beautifying
the grounds and the charitable women of Racine raised money
for the purchase of furniture. Aside from these donations, the
institution has been supported by the Palmeter bequest. This
home and the Taylor Orphan Asylum are the only endowed char-
itable institutions in the county and are really more philanthropic
than charitable. Each inmate of the home is required to possess
money or property to the amount of $300. If she owns more than
that amoimt the balance is invested by the management and the
income paid to the occuj^ant. In 1916 the management of the
home was vested in Miss Sarah M. Morrison, president; Mrs.
Charles H. Lee, vice-president; Mrs. George Miller, David G.
Janes, Mrs. William Van Arsdale, ]\Irs. H. E. Redmond, C. G.
(liftings, C. E. Wells and Fulton Thompson. Mr. Janes is
treasurer and Mrs. Emily Ratcliffe is the matron in charge.

CENTRAL ASSOCIATION

One of the most unique institutions in Southeastern Wiscon-
sin is the Central Association, w-hose work is along different lines
and conducted in a different manner from that of the ordinary
charity organization. It dates from 1910, when representatives
of the Associated Charities, the Ncn'th Side Boys' Club, the Day
Nursery and the Big Sister movement met for the purpose of
amalgamating all these social service activities and j^lacing them
under the control of one ])oard of directors. The result was the
"Central Association." About two years later the association
purchased the old Sidney A. Sage homestead on Wilson Street,
to which were added rooms for a gymnasium and the day nursery.
The projjerty, including the new additions, is estimated to be
worth $25,000.

The work of this institution is divided into departments,
viz.: The family department, which in the early pai't of 1916
was under the management of Miss Jane M. Knight and Miss
Kleanor Schoenberger; the Big Sister department, under the man-
agement of Miss Kate L. Mehder; the day mu-sery, of which Mrs.
John R. Evans has control; the boys' department, under the
charge of Samuel Lewenkron, and the girls' department, at the
head of which is Miss Stella Blake. The last named department
was added after the association was formed by taking the Girls'

388 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Club chihs iiitn the arrangement. Much of the success of the
association is due to the efforts of Miss Lydia C. Wallis, who vis-
ited eastern cities to study the plans and methods of settlement
workers, and who was the executive secretary of the association
for two years or more after it was organized. On August 1, 1916,
Miss Gladys Blocki was the general office secretary.

Among the featm-es of the association house is a "hospitality
room" for homeless wayfarers, who can there find a place to rest
until they obtain employment. Meetings of a social character
are held on Sunday evenings. In the •winter months these meet-
ings are held in the house and during the w^arm weather upon the
lawn. Foreigners are taught the p]nglish language and the duties
of citizenship, and the boys and girls, from the youngest up, are
taught industrious habits. When old clothes come into the asso-
ciation house, they are ripped to pieces by the older children,
that they may be made over into garments. Younger children
are kept busy by having them cut pictures from newspapers and
magazines and paste them into scrap books, but the association
proceeds on the theory that "the devil finds some mischief still
f(»r idle hands to do," and all must work.

The boys and girls who enjoy the privileges of the gynmasium
and reading rooms are recjuired to pay an annual fee of five cents.
The amount thus accumulated is small, but it makes the youth
feel that they arc paying for their privileges and does not rob
tliciii of that spirit of independence which is the heritage of
every American citizen. Women who are compelled by circum-
stances to work away from their homes during the day, have
learned that their little children will receive good care in the
day nursery department, and it is said that many little ones
seem happier in the inirsery than they do in their homes. If a
boy is forming bad associations and taking his first lessons in
vice, Mr. Lewenkron, or sonae member of the Boys' Club, seeks
him out and endeavors to have him join the ranks, where he \vill
be surrounded by better influences. The Big Sister department
does the same thing for wayward or incorrigible girls. In fact,
the whole work of the association is based upon the hypothesis
that it is better to reform the youth than to punish the criminal
after he or she has grown up to mature years.

The association is supported by voluntary contributions and,
although it is onlv aliout five vears old. nearlv one hundred of

BATHING SCENES AT NORTH BEACH

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 389

the Racine nianufacturci-s have rcco-iiizcd its value as a sueial
service organization and pay to the association five cents per
month for each of their emiDloyees. And the greatest phase of
the work is that it teaches the beneficiaries to help themselves.
Such charity as the association gives is not doled ont in a way
to humiliate the recipient, bnt in a way that p(!rmits him to
retain his self-respect and strive for better things.

CHAPTER XXI

NOTABLE PIONEER HOMES

CAPTAIN KNAPP'S CABIN — JOEL SAGE — A. P. DICKEY — THE FLEMMING
HOUSE — CAPTAIN GUILBERT — CHARLES HERRICK — THE TERBUSH
HOUSE — TIMOTHY WELLS — THE PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE — THE
BRYAN HOUSE — THE CLANCY HOUSE — L. S. BLAKE — DR. B. B.
GARY — WILLIAM H. LATHROP — MOSES VILAS — ELDAD SMITH —
THOMAS J. EMERSON — HOTELS OF EARLY DAYS— THE BAKER HOME-
STEAD—OTHER OLD TIME HOUSES.

BY MRS. D. H. FLETT

The antlior of a nioiioi^ra])]! ciuhraciiin- tlic above title is
the Avife of one of Racine's foremost lawyers, David H. Flett.
The subject is an allurint>- one and has l)een ably discussed by
a trenchant and fascinating writer. Under the title of "Land-
marks and Early History of Racine, Wisconsin," this valuable
and very interesting contribution to Racine's literary archives
was read before the Woman's Clul) of this city on January 11,
1905, and afterward printed. The "i)aper" called for many
high compliments and its worthiness makes for a place in this
wdi'k, wliich is cliecrfully accoi'ded it "verbatim et literatim."

Til coiiipiling this record of early homes and early times the
matei'ial used has been gleaned for the most part directly from
th( old settlers thems(^lves. This city of over 30,000 inhaliitants
has made its growth in just seventy (1905) years from the
l)uilding of the first log cabin, by Cajtt. (lilbert Knapp in 1834,
to the present time. Knajip's claim constitutes the original
])lat of Racine. Mrs. Milligan, a sister of Taptain Knapp,
caiiic here in September, 1835, with her three daughters and
lived with her brother in the original log cabin until a frame
h(jme near the corner of Main and Second Streets could be built.
The log cabin was located near the corner of Lake Avenue and
Second Street, about where the Palica Trunk Factory now
stands. Captain Knapp married a second time and in 1842 Iniilt
a house on Seventh Street, which was afterwards sold to Simon
Wolff in the early '60s, and when the McMynn School was built
this house was moved to Carroll Street, where it now stands.
Both Captain Knapp and his second wife died at the home of
Mrs. McClurg on Main Street, now the home of M. H. Wallis.

392 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

The socoiid rlaiiii of territory in Racine was that of Joel
Sage, purchased hy liiiii in May, 1835. This claim of 1<)7 acres
hiy west of Knapp's chum and had the river for its eastern and
.snuther7i Ix.nndaries; West Street for its northern homidary,
tlie section line for its western boundary, and constitutes that
l)art of the city known as "Sage Town." Shortly after its pur-
chase Mr. Sage iMiilt his cahiii in the midst of heavy timber on
a l)luff in the center o±' what is now State Street, and lived there
alone until the arrival in February, 183(), of his two sons, Sidney
and Steiilu'ii. Ilic latter being the father of two of the brightest
members of the Woman's Clul). They kept bachehn-'s hall in
the cal»in that winter and in the spring hauled logs from their
cjaini to the Rapids to be sawed into lumber for their new frame
house. This was completed in 1838 and stood solitary in the
forest i»i'imeval, the first frame house on the west side of the
i-iv(T. Meantime, Mrs. Sage had come and the house became the
center of generous hospitality, as the home of the Sages has al-
ways been. As at first located it stood in the middle of what is
now Huron Street, al)out 200 feet south of State Street. It has
been moved three times, but it now stands on the s<iuth side of
State Street, a little west of Superioi-, ti'uly one of the land-
iiiai-ks. for it is nearly as old as the city itself.

There are three other buildings on the west side of the river
that arc oT interest. One is the shop of the Dickey Fanning
Mill Works, Imilt in 1842, located innnediately west of Fourth
Street Bridge, and directly across the street from the woolen
mills. This is llie original building and it now stands and is
used for factory purposes just as it was in that early day eight
years after the city was fomided.

A. I*. Dickey came to Ivacine from Ni'W York with his fam-
ily in 184") and lived first in a house on Main Street that stood
wliei'c II. M. Wallis' House now stands. In 1851 James Spence,
fatliei' of James W. Spence. built the house on Seventh Street,
adjoining St. Luke's (liiild, foi- Mr. Dickey. Here the second
Mi-s. l)icke\- came as a bride in bS5(), and here ]Mrs. Oharles
Taylor, Mrs. John ^^'. O'Hai'i-ow and Charles Dickey were born.

The second building i-efei'red to was the first schoolhouse
on the west side, it was huilt in 184(5 on IVlarquette Street on
a lot donated by Mr. Sage. It was a long, low building and in
aiiont 18.')(i was abandoned as a schoolhouse, cut in two, one-half

THE SAGE HOUSE
Built by Joel Sage and two sons in 1S3S a little
State and Huron Streets. It is still standinc.

;outh of the present junction of

HISTORY OF R.\( IMC COUNTY 393

moved to ^Mound Avenue and the other li.ilf to State Street, ad-
joininu: the (iarfield School (ii-ounds. where it now stands. In
the sunnner of 1849 the school had 140 pupils and some of them
had to sit undei' tlic shade trees, in the early '50s Mrs. Margaret
Carswell Knight taught here, and ammm the ])upils were her
two little children, Margaret and .Mai\v (aftei-wards Mrs. Near),
and Mrs. D. J. Morey.

The third building referi'cd to now stands at the corner of
LaSalle Street and Jjihei'ty, and is owned hy Mrs. Alexander
Horlick. It was built on the tiats nortli of the river, near the
office of the J. I. Case Threshing ^lachine Company, about 1846,
by a painter named Flemming, who, with his brother, l;ept a
paint-shop on Main Street. J. I. Case was an early occu[)ant of
the house, living here for about six years, from 1857 to 18G3, and
here Mrs. Fuller, Mrs. Wallis and ]\Irs. Crooks were born. It
was a beautiful place at that time, having a garden stocked with
choice fruits, a large yard with forest trees, green and leafy, and
the river flowing clear not far away. Mr. Case bought the
"Reuben Norton House," the present home of the Case family,
and moved to Main Street. The house was then occupied suc-
cessively l)y Stephen Bull, who, after a short residence, moved
to Main Street to his present home; then by Reuben Doud, who
also moved to Main Street after a year's residence, and then by
]\Ir. Robens, wlio moved it to its present location. He also in due
time took up his residence on Main Street. There is a tradition
that it is a lucky house and that whoever occupies it will be-
<'()me prosperous and move to Main Street.

There is a little grou}) of early homes at the corner of Wis-
consin and Fifth Streets, on what is known as the "Guilbert
property." On the corner is the two-story house binlt by Cap-
tain Ouilbert, Arthur Guilbert's grandfatlier. and Albert (iuil-
bert, his son, father of the i)resent Arthui'. was born there.
Afterwards Professor Heyer, well remlienibered as a music
teacher and devotee of the game of whist, occu])i('d the house
during the greater part of his residence in l^acine.

West of the (juilbert House, on Fifth Street, is a cottage,
the early home of Charles Herrick. Here Henry F. Heriick
first saAv tlie light of day something over a half century ago.
North of the Guilbert House are t\v(j small houses — one the
"Nick Miller House," the oldest of the old. It was in-obably

394 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

built ill the '30s, and was considered old fifty years ago. It has
l)laelc walnut siding, sills of hard wood and oak floors, but has
no j)artieu]ar history so far as I can find. The house next, north
of the .Millci' Ilduse, knuwii as the "Terbnsh House," was prob-
ably built about the same time. Moses Miller and wife, parents
of William Henry and L. D. Miller, boarded here with a Miss
Perine foi' I'uur oi- five years, and here "William Henry was
born. .Mr. and Mrs. 'rcrlmsli occupied the house for more than
fifty years.

('(iiif inning in this locality several earl}' houses of interest
.still survive. One is the "Wells-Peck House," the first dwell-
ing imi-lh (if Fourth Street. It was built about 1838 by Timothy
Wells, .-ind old I'esidents all agree it was headquarters for the
young folks. There was always something for them, the finest
tea parties and the latest news. In 1843 their son, David Wells,
while huntuig, was caught in a prairie fire and perished in the
flames. In 1839 Mr. S. B. Peck, a son-in-law of Mr. Wells, but
then a widower, i-anie to Ivacine from the State of New York,
t(jok up his residence with his deceased wife's parents and after-
wards mai-ried their sec(md daughter, and here Mrs. Sprague
and Dr. Peck were born. Mrs. Wells was a fine, energetic
woman, and when the present Presbyterian Church was being
erected, boarded a number of the workmen to pay for her sub-
scrijjtion. Among her boarders at one time were D. W. Emerson
and his wife. Mi-. Kmersoii came t<j Racine in 1846 and, with
his hidllier, Lyman, kept a lumlier yard for twenty years, and
f()i- lirtccii years i-endered efficient service on the boaixl of educa-
tion.

Another house, known as the "Pennsylvania House," is also
located on Wisconsin Sti'cet, just north of Stajile Brothers'
l-'ccd Store, it was imilt by Consider Heath about 1840, and at
tlie time was the liiiest and most pretentious residence in town.
Mrs. Heath, who was a daughter of Amaziah Stebbins, was a
very beautiful and atti-active woman, and their home during Mr.
Death's lifetime was a social center. Mr. Heath died here in
danuary, 1848, and his widow has since that time twice remar-
i-ied, and the last known of her she was living in California as a
Mrs. Smith. Ste])hen Hull afterwai'ds occupied the house for a
shoi't time.

The "Bryan House," on the north side of Fifth Street, be-

HISTORY OF RACIXE COUNTY 395

tween College Avenue and ^Vis(•(lllsill Htrcet, is also worthy of
notice. It was probal)ly built l)y licvi HIakc and was purchased
by Judge Bryan in the eai'ly '40s t'oi- a l)oai'ding house, but not
for Lis own use. He came from the East with some means and
took that way of investing it. When gold was discovered in
California he joined tlic nisli to the gold fields, but was not suc-
cessful, and could not even send money for the support of his
family. Mrs. Bryan moved into the house, took in boardei's and
bravely brought up her family of boys and girls. Some years
after Judge Bryan returned broken in health, and a yeai' later
died in this house. Two sons, an adopted daughter and Mrs.
Bryan also died there of consumption. The last surviving s(jn
married Miss May's sister and moved to Kentucky. Later the
Silloways, Mrs. White's parents, lived there, and still later Airs.
Mills, the dressmaker.

The house next door west, on the corner of College Avenue
and Fifth Street, known as the "Clancy House," was built in
1847 and purchased by Martin Clane_y, Sr., about 185U. Here
eight of his children were born, and two daughters, Mary Staples
and Agnes Winslow were married.

On the corner of Wisconsin and Sixth Streets once stood
the early home of L. S. Blake, built in the early '40s. Before
-Mrs. Blake, who was Caroline Elliott, would consent to go to
housekee})ing, provisions for a year were bought and stored —
a barrel of beef, a barrel of ])ork, a barrel of Hour, a l>ox of
raisins, a sack of salt, green coffee and whole spices to be ground
in hand mills. ^Ir. and Mrs. Blake spent the early years of
their married life here and here their childi'en were born. When
the Blake Block of brick stores was built, the house was moved
to Irving Court and its present address is 1100 Irving Court.
Mr. Blake's Fanning ]\lill Sho}) was built on Wisconsin Street,
hack of the house, about 1840, later moved, remodeled into a
dwelling and later occu})ied by Miss Stella White, No. 715 Lake
Avenue. In this shop the little Blake children played under the
watchful eye of Charles liunce, a faithful employee, who never
worked for any one else but the Blake family from the time he
came to Racine in 1838 up to the time of liis death several years
ago.

Levi Blake, grandfather of A. J. Blake and Mrs. Sands Hart,
moved from Caledonia to Racine in 1839 and built and opened

396 HISTOR^■ OF RACINE COUNTY

n tavern on Wisconsin Stu'ct, between i^'ouitli and Fil'tli. In
the late '4()s he gave np the tavern and hnilt a home on the cor-
nel- of College Avenne and Eighth Street, where Jolin P. Davies
now lives. Later this J'ranie house was moved and now stands
on College Avenne, jnst north of St. LiUie's PTos])ital, a two-
story house and very respectable looking even at this day. Levi
Blake's cabin in Caledonia was known as "Our House," an ex-
pression which fittingly described the spirit of the times. An-
other house built by Mr. Blake, stUl standing, is No. 423 Water
Street, now owned l)y Mrs. JMcDonald and used for a store-
house. It was built for his son, Albert, Avho first lived in it,
followed liy his son, Ldward, cousin of A. J. Blake; later it was
uceii|iied l)y Cliailes Naylor's grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Crow-
ston, who both died there. At one time it was occupied by T). W.
Emerson, who lived the later years of his life on Superior Street.
This is really an interesting house — the floors of wide oak
boards, said to polish up vei-y white, tlie tinil)ers rough hewn
with the broad a\e and the laths of split boards. Down stairs
there are two living rooms, a tiny l)edroom and a hall. The
ceilings are very low. I)ut the ])laster is all on, except where a
partition has been knocked out, and very white l)ecause made of
good lime. Iliey say. Only the front door is missing. If you
moved about in that locality of a morning in an early day, think
of whom you would meet! Doctor Cai'v, Captain (Juilbert,
Charles lleri-ick, Moses Miller with his jolly stories. Beacon
Peck. Ml'. Tei-busli, Levi Blak(> and his two sons, Lucius and
Albei-1. and |K'i-lia|is bi'isk Mrs. AVells sweeiung the snow fi'om
her fi'ont steps, or even a peep at pi'ctty Mrs. ( 'onsider Heath
at the window.

Until about twcl\-e yeai-s ago. Dr. 15. B. Cary's first home,
also his office, in which the ])ost office was kept, still stood on
^\'isconsin Street, between Eourth and Fifth. Doctor Cary came
to liacine in 1K:'>(), was |)(istinastei' and held the pxisition a num-
ber lit years. In 1S;!(), in derendiug his claim on Tenth Street
against a s<pia11ei-, who bad taken possession, he was shot
through the left lung, but I'ecovered and built the bouse occu])ied
by -Janies ('(U'se. It lias l)een greatly added to, liowever, since
that time.

'I'be Latlirop House, on Lake A\'euue, between Fifth and
Sixth Street, is vei'v old. It was built in bs:',!) bv a Mr. But-

HISTORY OF RACIXK rol-\TV 397

tci'ick, a hiitcliiT jiiid |i;n1ii('i- lA' ('h.-ii'lcs llcrrii-k. ;iii(l artcrwards
] lurchasccl by JNlr. Latliidp. ll was (iriginally oii Main Street,
hut in about 1880, when the J^athrop busiiiss block, now .Masonic
TcnipU', was built, it was moved back towards Lake Avenue.
W. II. Latbrop lived in it continuously tr(»ni the time of liis ])ur-
eliasc until his new bouse on Main Street was completed, about
1883.

AVilliam H. Lathrop and wife and Cbauncey Latbrop, then
a young man of 17 years, came to Kacine in 1844 on the steamer
Chesapeake, the first steam vessel that ever entered this or any
other artificial harboi- in the State of Wisconsin. Although the
arrival was made on Sunday morning about church time, they
were greeted by the firing of cannon, the ringing of bells and
other demonstrations.

In 1848 Chauncey Lathrop built a homestead at the south-
west corner of Park Avenue and Sixth Street, on the site occu-
l)ied by Jacobson & Beck. Here he lived seven years and in this
house his three children Avere born.

Second door south of the Presbyterian Church is an old
house, the early home of Moses Vilas. It was built about 1841
i)y Hophni Ilurlhut, a cousin of Miss Georgia Hurbut's father,
who occupied it two or three years. He was followed by Moses
Vilas, who held the office of Govenmient Surveyor. He re-
siu'veyed the "Original Plat," surveyed and platted Sage's addi-
tion in 1842 and the school section in 1848. His wife Avas brought
up in the family of Doctor Gary and his son, Albert, supposed to
be liA'ing in Salt Lake City, Avas born there.

On College Avenue, the little broAvu house just south of the
jail, Avas the first home in Racine of Eldad Snnth, father of
Mrs. Doctor Meachem. He moved to K'acine from Hood's Bridge
in about 1841, and liA'ed in this house two or three years, then
built at the corner of College Avenue and Eighth Street, on the
present site of the Meachem residence. This last old house,
Avhere Lizzie Smith ]\Ieachem Avas born and married, Avas moved
more than twenty years ago to the corner of Howe and Thir-
teenth Streets, where it noAV stands. Mr. Smith Avas a merchant
and forwarding agent and in 1841 l)ought the first wheat brought
to Racine for shipment.

Thomas J. Emerson canu' to Racine from jNlaine in 1844 and
in 1845 he became school conunissioner, an office he held many

398 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

vcars. Duriiiu" this time lie worked actively for the schools,
seekint;- to orj;auize them and to place them on a som:d tinancial
hasis. Throuuh his co-oi)eration the services of J. G. McMynn
were secured to tlic schools. In 1848 he built a homestead on the
site of the O'l^au.nhlin home on Main Street, and a portion of
it still remains. lie lived there seven years and then sold to
Marshall M. Stroii.u, who died there. His widow sold to Henry
Mitchell, who added to the house very greatly. Mr. and Mrs.
Milclicll (.(■(•upicd the house the remainder of their lives and
afterwards it was sold to John O'Laughlin.

The liouse on the east side of Wisconsin Street, l)etween
Sixth and Seventh Streets, and later used by the Augustines
Wiv a store, is old and interesting. It formerly stood on the
ciiiiici' (if Wisconsin and Sixth Streets and was built by Mr.
Perkins, whose widow lived on Lake Avenue a number of years
after his death. -Mrs. Elisha Raymond, then Mrs. Simmons, oc-
eu|iied it as a boarding house, and among her boarders were
N. I). Fratt, Roswell JNLorris and John Hamilton, at that time
all \(iung men. This was the h(mie of Senator Doolittle for a
time, and here Mrs. Prindle, his youngest daughter, was born.
Somewhat later it was occupied by the Scribners, and here the
marriage ceremony of (ieorgi' W. Slauson and Emily Scribner
was solemnized. 'I'liere is a tradition that President Lincoln
came to liacine at one time to see Senator Doolittle and that in
this house an imjxirtant state paper was drawn, but this I have
been unable to verify. The nearest ai)proach is the fact that
Mrs. Lineuin, with hei' son "Tad," a boy of 12 or 14 years, spent
one sumniei- in lva<-ine, boai'ding at Congress Hall.

The "Kxchange" was a famous hotel and a landmark of
Southern Wisconsin, and the building is still in existence. It
stood near the eoi'iiei- of College Avenue and Sixth Street and
was built by Arhy Tyicll in the later '40s, later purchased by
L. S. IJlake. who I'emodeled it and named it the Blake House,
l-'oi' a long time it was headquarters for the farmers, some of
whom, owing to the lack of railroads, were obliged to drive
forty or fil'ty miles <o exchange grain and produce for the mer-
chandise brought by the boats. About a quarter century ago
this I)nil(ling was bought by Kriiardt Schelling, moved to the
corner of (ii-and Avenue and Sixth Sti'eet, donated to the Fran-
ciscan Sisters foi' a hospital, and was used for that purpose

HISTORY' OF RAflXI-: ("OrXTV .vw

about three years. During that time tlic cyclone occuncd jiiid
fourteen cyclone sufferers were nursed thci-c. In ISSii tlic old
!)uilding was sold, to conii)k'te its sphere of iiseruhiess as a
lodgint; and tenement house on Seventh Street.

Prominent among the hotels were the Kacini' House, located
at the corner of Monument Square and F'ifth Street, where
David Lawton's Building now stands, built by Stebbius & Meyer
in 1837, at a cost of $1(),()()(), and "Congress Hall," located at the
corner of Lake Avenue and Third Street, built by Loi'enzo -Janes
and opened by Mr. Mapes, afterwards the founder of Ripon, hut
both were destroyed by fire.

The "Racine Exchange," located on Main Sti'ccl, near the
site of the Racine Water Company's office, 321 Main Street, was
kept from 1844 to 1850 by Alvin and Elisha Raymond. Board
here was two dollars a week, good and abundant — plenty of
game and fish, bread from home ground flour, buckwheat cakes
and maple syrup from the sugar camp in the Erskine Grove on
Twelfth Street, then owned by Lewis G. Dole; or from the larger
camp in the Slauson Woods, noAv a part of the Doctor Shoop
Farm. Both places call u}) sweet memories to old residents,
some of whom would remain in camp for weeks boiling sap,
"sugaring off" and entertaining the sugar })arties that came
out from to\\n. There was also a sugar camp in Sage's Woods.

The Fulton House was an early public hostelry, built by
Smith & Waterman. Every few miles in the country there was
a tavern. The first one in going west from the city was on
^Vashington Avenue, between Eleventh and Twelfth Streets,
called the Frontier House, kept by John Carswell, brother of
Mrs. Robert H. Baker. The next was where George C. Peter-
son afterwards lived, opposite Lindenman's, called the "Bull's
Head." There was also one at Mygatt's, one at Gatlift", one at
Ives' (irove.

The Old Baker hoiiiestead. that once stood ;it the coi'ner of
Main and Sixth Streets, was built al)out 1841 or '42 l)y Capt.
Thomas J. Cram, a govermnent toiiogi'apliic;iI engineer, and a
graduate of West Point, sent here in 1838 to survey the harbor.
He lived in the house for a number of years and the littl(> build-
ing that now stands on the cornei' of Lake Avenue and Sixth
Street was built for his office. It stood in the rear of what is

400 illMURV UF RACINE COUNTY

iinu tlic i)()st office lot and was filled with maps, charts and sur-
vcviiiii- instrnniciits. It is very tiny and has two pillars in front,
and now beloni^s to Mrs. Tcetiarden. In 1850 Doctor Foster,
Mrs. II. Raymond's father, Ixiu^ht CajDtain Cram's house and it
became the scene of iiian\' gaieties. The office was moved to the
north side of the lot and here Doctor Foster extracted teeth
without anaesthetics and practiced the most modern methods
of dentistry. Since 1 began this paper one of the pillars has
fallen, wliirh gives the little building a quizzical expression, as
though with one eye closed, it silently laughs at all Avho pass.
After a few years Doctor Foster sold his home to J(jhn C. Camp-
bell, the superintendent of the Racine & Mississippi Railroad
Company, who in about 186!) sold to Robert H. Baker, of the J. I.
Case Threshing Machine ('oiiii>any. Here Edward Baker was
boiii and li\'e<l foi' many years. When the post office was built
the dwelling house was divided and moved to Sixteenth Street,
the front part to the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Sixteenth
Street and the rear ])art was converted into a saloon.

\\'illiam IJailack and Thomas Graham of the Town of Dover
made green blinds for the Cram House, and they were the first
blinds in the city. Messrs. Ballack and Graham came to Wis-
consin as early as 1840 and settled in the town of Dover. Mr.
(ii-iham was a millwriglit, and he and ]\[r. Ballack built the first
grist mill at llie Ivajnds. Mr. Ballack, who was a fine finisher,
built the staii'wny in the Dui'and House on Alain Street. These
stairs were considered VQvy remarkable and were visited by
many other l)uildei's and used as a model by them. Robert
Gather owned this hous(> at one time and also a Mr. Farnsworth,
a lumlier mei-chant from Sheboygan. Captain Cram also built
the "Ilerrick House" on Twelfth Street. This house was oc-
cupied for a time by the bi'otlier, Eliphalet Cram, of the firm of
Knight & Cram.

Captain Cram surveyed the Racine & Janesville road for the
construction of which the ITnited States Government appropri-
ated $in,()(lll. ;in(l 1liis money was e.\])en(le(l upon it in 1839 under
Captain Ci-am's direc1i..n. In 18-18 the b'acine & Rock River
Plank Road Company was oi-ganized and 1he consti-uction of a
phink road was at once conuuenced, from Lxacine west on the
Mygatt's Corners Road. The plank for this road was brought

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CONGRESS HALL

Early Racine Hotel built by Lorenzo Janes in l,s4y as a home. Located at southwest corner of Lake
Avenue and Third Street, facing lake. Burned in 1S>;2. Marcus Weed was the first landlord.

VIEW FROM CORNER OF MAIN AND SEVENTH STREETS IN 1841

Old Courthouse in left center: H. J. Smith residence at left: Paul Kingston house at riKht.
Racine House at corner of Market and Fifth Streets.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 401

ffdiu ^luskegoii hy ('apt. Lariy Easson in the schooner "Union,"
and he and James Bcaiiiirand handled nearly all of it. A little
later the Racine & Wihnot Plank K'oad (\)m])anY was organized
to con.struct a phmk road from Kacine t(i Wihnot in Kenosha
County, and proceeded at once to build such a I'oad along what is
now Asylum Avenue and extending for ten or twelve miles into
the country. The Kacine & Raymond Plank Road r()mi)any
also built a plank road for some distance out of the city, frcjm
the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company depot to the
Rapids, along what is known as Northwestern Avenue, and
thence west towards Frauksville.

Toll gates on all these roads were set short distances apart —
one being on Washington Avenue, between the Howell School
and John Bolton's, kept by Carrie Paul's father, another near
the site of the "Bull's Head," and another near the Beebe
School-house. One of these toll gates was kept for a time by Dr.
Gilbert R. Tait's grandfather, and the regular toll was about
2 cents a mile for a wagon and team, all persons, however, at-
tending a funeral or religious meetings on Sunday, were ex-
empt.

The house that once stood on the corner of Main and Sev-
enth Streets, long known as the "Chavnicey Hall House," had
but two occupants up to the time of its removal — Lorenzo Janes
and the Hall family. It was built by Mr. Janes for his owna.
home about 1846 or 1847, and into it both Mr. and Mrs. Janes
put the best that they could create, or remember of the houses
to which they had been accustomed. Every portion was well
built, that a good home might be left for their children and
grandchildren. David G. Janes and his sister, Mrs. Doctor
Egan, were born there, and George Janes, their soldier son,
brought home from a Southern hospital, died there after an ill-
ness of two Aveeks. To the family luiusual memories cluster
about this house and the site of their dear old home seems a fit-
ting place for the public library. The house is now located on
Park Avenue, near Fifteenth Street. It was built by Lucas
Bradley, who came to Racine at an eai-ly date. He designed and
constructed a very large number of buildings, among these, still
standing, in addition to the Chauncey Hall House, being the
Presbyterian Chui'ch and the residence of Doctor Kark on Sixth
Street.

402 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Thei-e stands a house on Lake Avenue, between Fourth and
Fifth vStreets, that is a characteristic old house with its porch
and piUars against the huikliuu and narrow windows about the
front dooi'. It was built on .Main Street al)()ut IS-tO by Mr.
Chadwick, a raipciitcr. latci' moved ti» Sixth Street, and when
Robert II. Hakei' wished to build his barn John C. rain})liell,
who then owned it, moved it to its j)resent location. Doctor
AVilson, a pai-tner of Ur. P. R. Hoy, lived here at the time Hugh
Gorton's oldest child was born.

There are two old houses on Lake Avenue, between Third
and Fourth Streets, once the homes of the owners of docks and
warehouses, that were formerly on the lake front at Second and
Thii'd Streets. There is the frame dwelling, No. 320, built by
William 'rui-iibuU for a sash factory, remodeled by Patrick
Mur])hy, of the firm of Raymond, Button & Com])any, for his
dwelHng, and sold in 1850 to Alvin Raymond, who lived in it as
a home until his death in 1893.

These docks were not built until the haiixir was completed
in 1844. Previous to that time passengers and freight had been
conveyed to the vessels in scows and lighters. The building of
railroads caused six elevators and two bridge piers to fall into
disuse. The bridge piers, the one at Second Street, owned by
AVaterman, and the one at Third, owned by Raymond, Button
& Murphy, are worthy of note. By means of piles they were
built out into the lake until the water had a depth of twelve or
fourteen feet. Tli(\v were four or five hundred feet long and
eighteen to twenty feet wide and greatl.y facilitated traffic, en-
abling teams and wagons with their loads to be driven directly
to and i'l'om the vessels.

The other house stands next door north. No. 316 Lake
Avenue, and was built by Seneca Raymond of brick bought of
Heath & Dickinson, from their yard where the J. I. Case Plow
W(»rks now stands. He lived there mitil he embarked in the
lintel business as pi'oprietoi' of the "Racine Exchange," from
184(i to 1850, and tlieii of "Congress Hall."

lentil recentl\- the house of A. P. Buttcm, built in 1846, and
ficcupied by him fi-om that time until his death, a period of over
fifty years, also survived, but it now has been torn down to
make way for M. M. Secor's factory building.

HISTORY OF RAC INK COL.\ TY 403

Daniol Slauson caiiic to Racine in 1S37 and his family in
May, 18158. lie i)urcliasc(l a claim of Kid acres from Mrs. Milli-
gan. During the sunmier the family lived in a log shanty and
in the fall moved into their tVame house erected on the site of
the present brick house now owned hy Thomas M. Kearney.
The lumber for this house was sawed here, but the windows,
sash and doors were shipped from New York City. In about
1867 this frame house was m(»ved across the street to the north
side of Washington Avenue and latep was moved fartliei- l)ack,
and at last used for a stable by (ieorge Teall. The log house on
the Kearney Street property was built for a coo])er slio]). and
at the time was the only one in the vicinity, so all the pork bar-
rels for the farmers and butchers for miles around were made
here. This shop was also used as a fdace for the animal town
meetings and as a polling place for many years, and is worthy
of preservation.

The old ))rick house on the south side of Sixth Street, be-
tween Park Avenue and Villa Street, known as the "Ives
House," Avas the tirst brick house in Racine. It was built about
1840 by Ira Dean, the first brick mason in Racine, for Henry F.
Cox, who was the tirst clerk of court for Racine County. His
health failed and he went south, where he died. He left the
property to his sister, Jane Cox, who had married Stephen Ives,
and they occupied the house for many years.

About 1844 of 1845 Roswell Morris built himself a house on
Sixth Street, about where the office of the Racine Gas Company
now stands. About 1850 this was purchased by Ljanan Muuroe,
grandfather of Louis P. Munroe. Mr. Munroe occupied the
house up to the time of his wife's death, when it was sold and
later movd farther west, and you may now see it second door
frcmi the corner of Sixth Street, on Stannard Street, facing east.

Roswell ^lorris and William Waterman built the Old Court-
house in 1839, the Old Jail in 1841, and the Register of Deeds'
Office in 1842. These buildings were erected for Captain Knapp
in fulfillment of an agreement with the officers of the county to
the effect that they were to convey to him a clear title to his
claim of one hundred and forty-one acres, and he in return was
to build the county buildings for them.

In 1841 Racine, with a population of about 400, was incor-
])orated as a village with Dr. Elias Smith as its first president.

404. HISTORY OF RACINE COUiNTY

Doctor Smith came from near Cleveland, Ohio, in 1835. He
never en,ua^ed actively in his i)r(tfession, bnt with William
Waterman, who came with him, opened a store in 1836 imder the
name of Smith & Waterman. This fii-m also built the Fulton
House, wliii-li preceded the Racine Exchange. In 1841 he built
the Hubacheck House, No. 113 Fifth Street, and lived there
many years. Later he moved to the McCalman House, on INIain
Street, that once stood where Mrs. Jackson I. Case's House
now stands. Here he spent the last years of his life. This house
is now the rear portion of W. W. Rowland's home on College
Avenue.

Doctor Smith was very much interested in old relics and
especially in the Indian mounds, and co-operated with Dr. Philo
R. Hoy in opening and examining several of them, and he him-
self is bm-ied in Mound Cemetery, immediately adjoining one of
these mounds, which Doctor Hoy describes as "containing seven
skeletons, all in a sitting position and facing east."

Ill 1848 Racine was incorporated as a city with Reuben M.
Norton as its first mayor. ]\lr. Norton was \vith Mr. Tillapaugh's
uncle. He came here in 1840 and soon after built a home for
himself at the corner of Washington Avenue and Center Street,
later used as an office building by the Mitchell-Lewis Wagon
Company, then moved across the street, remodeled and used
as a dwelling. Mr. Norton was a lumber merchant, who later
Ix'came wealthy and built the homestead now occupied by Mrs.
,1.1. <'asc, (in Main Street. Su])sequently he met with reverses,
Idst bis property, removed to Chicago, formed a partnership with
his son-in-law, Augustus Gray, under the name of Gray & Com-
pany, and was again successful.

11. S. Durand came to Racine from Hartford, Connecticut,
in 1843, and in 1844 he occupied the house at No. 512 Park
Avenue, now owned and occupied by Mrs. Sanders. He after-
wards built the handsome residence on Main Street, later pur-
chased and remodeled by Frederick Ro])inson. He at once en-
gaged in the wholesale and retail mercantile business, under the
tiiin name of Dnrand & Hill, and in the insurance business with
his brother-in-law under the name of Durand & Miller, both
duly advertised in tlie "Racing Argus," the first newspaper
puljlished in Racine, and for thirteen years he was president of
the Racine & Mississippi Railroad Company.

Photo furnished by Billings

CORNER OF MAIN AND l-'IFTH STREETS, RACINE. 1881

Photo furnished hy BillinKs MAIN STREET. RACINE. IN THE 'GOs

Southeast corner of Main and Fourth Streets

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 405

The hmiso, which oiico stood near the corner of Sixth and
Main Streets, and which was moved by Messrs. Bnll and K'ol)-
inson to make way for their barn, was built by Thomas Wiiuht
in the early '40s. He did not live very long and his widow mar-
ried J. Y. Scammon of the Record-Herald and moved to Chicago.
It was next occupied by (Jeorge A. Thompscm, president of the
Racine & Mississippi Railroad Company. Afterwards it was the
home of W. T. Lewis for four or five years. Mrs. Fixen was
born there. Mr. Morris, of Morris & Pugh, also lived there.
When the Hotel Racine was built the old house was purchased
by Miss Scribner and moved to Wisconsin Street, and then
again moved to make way for the barn.

The "Dr. Martin House" on Main Street was built by Nel-
son H. Pendleton in the late '40s, and occupied ))y him luitil
about 1850. He sold to Marshall M. Strong, who after a few
years sold to Simeon W. Spafford. It was afterwards purchased
by Dr. S. J. Martin and occupied by him for a period of over
thirty years.

The "Hunt House," that formerly stood at the <'orner of
Main and Ninth Streets, was erected about 1840. Mr. and Mrs.
Hmit were both musicians, fond of social entertainments, and
frequently had large companies at their home. It was after-
wards purchased by H. (1. ^litchell, enlarged and occupied by
him and his family up to the time of the completion of his new
home a few years ago, and was then moved back and now fronts
on Lake Avenue. The windows, sash and doors for this building
were shipped from Buffalo.

A. G. Knight came to Racine in 183G, walking all the way
from Chicago. His family arrived later in a sailing vessel. He
kept the Racine House in 1838, was Register of Deeds from 1841
to 1843, and Clerk of the Court from 1844 to 1848. In 1851 he
engaged in the real estate and abstract business, in which he
continued until his death. He was one of the incorporators of
the "Racine Seminary," and captain of the first militia com-
pany. For a time he lived on Superior Street, south of State,
and afterwards built on the corner of College Avenue and Fif-
teenth Street, where he lived for many yars. This liousc was
moved away a few years ago to make room for ^Mrs. Knight's
new house.

406 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Br. Philo H. Hoy cnnio to Rafiiic in tlu' sinmiRT of 1846,
and at once took jxissessiuii of a s(niatt('r's deserted house that
stood on the presi'iit site of llic William Ilciiry Miller House,
on M.nn Street, eoruei- of Ninth. Shortly after he built a new
bouse here, usinu' the old part for a kitchen. Here for a lout;-
series of years he i)racticed his profession and })ursued his scien-
titlo studies, and here l)()th he and his wife died. Here also two
of his children — Mrs. Miller and Philo Hoy — were hovi\, Mrs.
Miller was manned, and her two children were born. The old
house has been ]-enioved and now stands on the east side of
(J rand Avenue, between Fifteenth and Sixteenth Streets. It is
quite unchanged, and even the windows, with their small panes
of imperfect glass, remain.

The "Eddy House," 724 Main Street, is also an old settler.
Tt was pro])al)iy luiilt by Doctor Blanchard. Mrs. Milligan and
family occupied the house at one time and her nephew, Robert
Knapp, who afterwards married her daughter, boarded with her.
The family afterwards moved to Shawano, Wisconsin, where
Mrs. Milligan died, and where most of her children and grand-
children still live.

CHAPTER XX IT
LETTERS FROM GUERNSEY PIONEERS

PURPOSE OF THIS CHAPTER — N. LE PREVOST — JOHN COLE — PREVOST'S
SECOND LETTER — ALEXANDER BURGH — THEIR DESCRIPTIONS OF
THE COUNTRY.

This chapter is devoted to the descriptions of tliis (-imiity,
sent across the waters of the Athmtic by venturesome men (A
the Isle of Guernsey. These men came here early in the histoi\v,
not only of the County of Kacine, but also of Wisconsin Territory
and the state. They left comfortable homes in their native land
and courageously tempted fate and tni'tunc by crossing the wide
exi)anse of water separating them from the laud of the free and
of unlimited opportunity for those who dared and had the spirit
and stamina of the pioneer home builder and conqueror of new
Avorlds.

Racine County was very young, in fact she was still in her
swaddling clothes, when the (luernseyman heard of the wonders
of the land and forests and lakes and rivers of this great domain,
which is a part and parcel of the State of Wisconsin. His lot
ill the mother country Avas one of unceasing toil, with little op-
portimity to gain much in the way of a home that he could call
his own. He was a renter and always would be a renter as long
as he remained satisfied with conditions that had obtained for
centuries in Britain. Learning of the unlimited resources of the
new world and the hitherto unheard of facilities for securing
land at a nominal cost, these people from Guernsey early made
their appearance in Racine County and, by their letters back to
relatives and friends in the old country, induced many of their
countrymen to join them here and do that for themselves which
they could not do in their native land: Make a home for them-
selves and their progeny.

In the letters herein reproduced from an old diary, the
reader will have the good fortune of learning at first hand the
appearance of this locality, the nature of the soil, prices of land
and of its products, which obtained Avhen inhabitants were few,
land cheap and money scarce. The customs of the country are
graphically described and difficulties are hardly noticed. Mr.

408 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Lr i'lL'Vdst, however, very modestly is often given to a denial of
any intention of persuading his correspondents across the water
to accept his description of the country, as he kept in mind that
he might possibly be prejudiced in its favor. He certainly did
not stint his subject of adjectives when describing his new home
in Wisconsin Territory. However, he was a man of high recti-
tude and ever mindful of all the virtues, of which truth is not
the smallest, and the reader of the present can now see Mr.
Le Prevost did not over-color his pictures in linming the beauties
of Hacine County. Let it be ol)served from the letters them-
selves how closely he kept to the shore of facts in expressing his
unbuuiidod delight in his new surromidings.

Copy of letter written by Mr. N. Le Prevost, on arrival in
United States, dated Racine, Wisconsin Territory, Sptember 12,
1840, received at Guernsey, November 6, 1840:

We left New York the 6th of July at 5 o'clock evening, ar-
rived at Albany the 7th at 11 a. m., 160 miles. We embarked at
noon of same day on a canal boat. Arrived at Buffalo on 13th
July, at 8 a. m., distance 369 miles. On same boat, dragged by
two hoi'scs, we passed a number of towns and villages, among
them were Troy, Utica, Syracuse, Palmyra, Rochester and Buf-
falo, all fine towns. The 13th of July, as above, we embarked
on board a steamboat for Cleveland in Ohio, and we arrived the
14th, being the next day at 9:00 in the morning. Distance 196
miles.

We arrived at our cousins, Mr. James Mansell, at 4 o'clock
past meridian, which person was quite overjoyed at seeing us,
as also his wife and daughter — distance 12 miles. Our cousins of
the Paysans are always together and of good record.

1 decided :ni(l left my family at Mr. Mansells on the 19th
of July, and went to Sandusky, on ai'i'ival there I was informed
that this part was not healthy — that people were subject to
tiT'nd)ling fever. From there, I i)roceeded to Toledo — it was
item — ])ut as 1 had heard speak greatly in favor of Milwaukee,
in the Wisconsin — It was my route to pass by Detroit, where I
ai'i-ived the 21st July. Th<> country of Michigan is not very
healthy-^1 embarked on 22ntl, in the Steamboat Illinois for INIil-
waukec, at which place I arrived 26th July — distance from my
wife 800 mih'S. 1 remained there two davs.

HISTORY OF RACIXE COUNTY 409

I saw several lands or estates for sale at nindcrate prices,
and I agreed with a cooper for employment, until Feb. 1841, in
expectation of passinc^ winter in town with niy laiuily. 1 tixik
my departure next day; rejoined my family at Ohio, where 1 ar-
rived on the 1st of Aug., and left our cousins and their families
on the 7th for Milwaukee, at which place we arrived on the 11th
at 5:00 in the evening — distance straight line from ]\lr. Mansells,
754 miles.

The next day I went to the cooper, who iniornied me he
could not employ me for want of wood.

Up to this time all the lands that I had seen were woody
and the fanns cleared and for sale, were at $10 to $30 per acre;
but I was informed that at Racine there were Government lands
called Prairies to sell at $1-1/4 the acre.

I left my family on the 13th and proceeded to Racine, dis-
tance 25 miles, Avhere I saw those Prairies. Oh! the beautiful
grounds, not a tree and full of grass about 15 inches high, and in
the lower parts 3 feet high — but as there is wood required for
fire and building, and it has to be purchased second hand at from
$5 to $8 per acre, and from 3 to 5 miles distance of the Prairies,
I got discouraged.

I saw several farms for sale at from $5 to $12 per acre, one
in particular pleased me, for which it was offered me at $6-14
or $500 for 84 acres.

I rejoined my family on the 15th, and on my report of the
estate and the ajopearances, we decided upon going to establish
ourselves there. In short we purchased a fine mare of 4 or 5
years old for $70 and a wagon for $75, so as to carry my family
to see the farm.

We left Milwaukee on the 18th, and we hired a house in
town for one month for $5 per month. We drove out to see the
farms with our horse and wagon most every day — as much on
one side as the other.

I made an offer for the farm I had in view as above men-
tioned, but they would not accept my proposal, I appeared quite
careless and told them I was offered- some farms from right to
left. We went to them several times but still could not agree. A
la fin the 1st of Sept., they came and offered it at my price, the
gold tempting them, and the 2nd Sept. passed the contract, and
I have paid the amount.

410 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Now 1 have to iiil'onn yovi that we have a farm r-oiitainins; 80
acres of land, but to make you understand better our farm meas-
ures Guernsey Vergies of land; it has 126 perches or i/o mile in
length, and 63 perches or 14 mile in l)r('a(ltli all joining together
and situated at 3I/2 niilcs distance of the town of Racine, on the
Lake Michigan side, and 55 miles north of Chicago — 10 miles
north of Siiuthport and 25 miles south of Milwaukee.

Of the 1!»H A'crgies 18 perches there is about 100 where
there is not 10 cart loads of timber.

Those Prairies are not of a wet soil, but the greatest part
laboui'able, because the ground is what is termed Voultante. In
the middle of the Prairie I have a beautiful platen for hay, of
which r cut myself 7<)8 tons last week. On both sides of the
field there was fine wheat and Indian corn, potatoes, cabbages,
etc.

There is about 50 vergies enclosed — the rest is not. In the
middle of the farm there is a run of water that does not dry and
that separates the Prairie from the Woodland.

'I'lic \\d<Kl consists of oak, nut trees and hickory — the black
soil is from 1 to 2 feet deep — not like Ohioh — which 1 have
seen is imT 4 inches deep with a soil of clay beneath.

1 know dear Amit, that you are anxious to know what T
have paid for it in all.

In the first place 1 nuist tell you that there is a log house,
and 2/3 of the produce; 2 ticks of wheat containing I suppose
about 700 sheaves equal to the Guernsey ones, and the wheat is
fine; the Indian coin is not yet cut, but I expect to have 40
Bushels barl(\v iiicasurc; and about iJO Inishels potatoes, and 400
cabbages, onions etc: a (juantity of melons and pumpkins, to
feed the cattle on and the (tnly cow they had on the estate.

I have paid for all, farm, crop, cow, etc., and etc., 81 sov-
ereigns, which makes $405, for the sovereigns are worth .$5, at
New York they are worth $4.84.

I have purchased 5 old rams. 3 pigs (me year old, 3 pigs
2 months old, one heifei' IS montlis old — the whole for 6 sov-
ereigns or $30; and I am 011 the point of purchasing a yoke of
oxen 3 ycai's old foi- $40 so that we can labour our land and
eat bread and meat, without being anxious about our rents.
The only tax we have to pay is $6 per year. i\lay God bless
(Juci'nsev with all its slaves.

HISTORY OF RACINK CorNTN' 411

My dear Aunt, if there are an_\- (liicnisc\- iiicii wlm wisli 1m
quit their uidthci-, to come to America, tn purcliasc laud, let
them come straight lu-re, without stopping elsewhere; tiUed
farms are too dear, and those that are not cleared i^ecjuii-e a
great deal of labour; but hei-e they arc tm- the most part
Prairies, which are easy to clear and at service. The land is
very cheap and we can keep as nuu-h cattle as oiie jileases. 'They
have the run of the woods and ])raii"ies, that are not closed,
and the hogs fatten on the acorns and nuts, and all the animals
find themselves near the house at night. It is only in the win-
ter season that a person must be cautions to have a good supply
of hay, according to the quantity of cattle kept, and it' ;i person
has not a sufficient on his own grounds he can cut on the (lov-
ermneut \\ithout j^aying anything.

At Guernsey it seems there is nothing in America !)ut thieves,
barbarians and Indians.

To prove the contrary the way we have passed, we have seen
merchandise, tools, etc. in the street night and day, and nobody
complains of Ijeing robbed; besides we are the oid\' house who
close our doors with lock and key. In the country houses they
have not even an overlatch at their doors.

There are Indians in these parts, but they have taken oath
to conform themselves to the laws of the state. They neither
say or do anything to any person. They are of a yellow taint
and long black hair. They paint their faces and have rings in
their ears, and some even in their noses, for ornament. Their
dress consists of a blanket, to envelope them, some wear trou-
sers, and others stockings, others have knee breeches, and a
waist band ornamented with beads; and they make baskets etc.,
A\ith ash splits, which they sell for a livelyhood; they kill game
for their is no want of it hear: in 3 hoiu's I shot 15 pigeons, and
3 ducks all wild.

I have written to our counsin Mansell and i expect him
in 15 days, for he promised to visit us when we would be estab-
lished, for he does not like the Ohio land and I am sure he will
purchase here, for we seem to be on Guernsey land.

There is only five years that this land is inhal)ited by the
whites and it is astonishing the luunber of people already set-
tled here, but most parts have purchased from Government with
borrowed monev, and there are some who pay as high as 50%

412 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

fur tlicii' hoiTdwed iiKincy, the least they leud money for is 7%.

The i)i'()(hice is eheaj), viz — Flour at $2^4 per 100 pounds,
or 220 lbs. flour for £1.

'I'lir licet' is at 3c per pound, pork 4c, Mutton 4c, potatoes
1/- per bu. so that large amounts are not realized. They are
oblig(>d to sell their farms at little profits or lose them. This
is a favorable time to purchase.

I' am satisfied of my bargain, for our produce \\ill go by
water to Nev^^ York, which is and will always be better than at
New Orleans.

We can go to New York in 13 days from here, by water
without putting foot on shore.

They arc erecting flour mills here so that they will require
flour barrels.

My deal- Aiuit, there are all species of fruit, and we have
strawberries on our Prairie, raspberries, phuns, apples and
grapes, gooseberries and currants in the woods.

The other day I proceeded, accompanied by Betsy, Man-
sell, Deborah and Louisa, to fetch 3 Bushels of wild apples, and
two bushels of nuts (small), we had a great many large ones.

Margaret and Mary have more work for the ladies than
they can do.

We are well respected here.

We have a Prcsbytci'ian, Anglican and Baptist Churches
etc., etc.

My daughters have H/- Guernsey mone.y for making a gown,
4/- for a ])(ninet, 3/() for each man's shirt, which is double the
Avages they have at Guernsey for the same work.

In America there is no distinction — a poor man is as much
respected as the richest — behavior causes the liberty and
ecjuality.

\Vc ai-c seven in llic family; we had 3(5 hundred in weight
of baggage; for cartcrage, })orterage, draggage, canals, and lakes
.since our depai'fui'e from Giuernsey u]> to our arrival here, with-
out reckoning oiir victuals, provisions that we took from Giiern-
sey — , if has cost just 107 sovei'cigns or i:l5:(J:0 each person, and
we have lost nothing of oui- effects, and although it has ruiit
us foi' the tT'anspiu-fafion of our luggage, it still comes cheap.

Ill <1h' Weekly Dispatch, printed and published at No. 139

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 413

Fleet Street, London, April 11, 1S41, is the following copy of a
letter from John Cole, farmer, late of Alenliss, Somerset, to his
friend, Mr. Gibbons, of No. 2 Arbor Street, Commercial Road,
East London:

Wisconsin Territory, Nov. Ki, 1840.

Dear Sir: I promised when I left England to bettci- my
condition ])y emigrating, and that if successful I would write
to you. At length T have been as good as my word.

I had a fair passage from Bi-istol to New York. After
remaining here a few days I began my labors in this wide
country and traveled through the whole of the northern states
(the Canadas), l)ut could see no chance for a farmer of small
capital to begin farming ujjon new land in these heavily tim-
bered countries, to bring about anything like comfort in my
life time. Every rod of ground is covered with timber, the work
of a man's life time to clear a small farm, and cleared fanns are
very dear — entirely out of ni}' reach — so I began to think of
returning to England again; but seeing a great emigration in
this countr}' from the other states and Canada, I resolved to
go back and look at it, and believe me, I found it as much before
any other country here as it is possible to be in every point of
view. This country is as handsome in appearance as any part
I have seen in England. If any industrious person with £100
to £200 does not get a good independent and certain living here,
it must be entirely his own faidt. I am located three miles from
the seaport town of Racine. The land all about this part is
of the best quality — principally black loam, and already fit for
cultivation — not a stick, bramble, or stump in your way. The
timber is in clumps or groves, aboiit one mile apart; enough for
fuel or building purposes only, and there are tamarack nearly
fit for rails, without splitting, to fence in your farm in any
quantity (a great advantage not to be found in any other part),
as a person can fence in his farm with very trifling trouble.

There are no land speculators here, or land companies
puffing nwt their flattering delusions, to get a high price and
profit for their land, like they are in Canada, Australia and New
Zealand. The (lovernment office is open daily foi- the sale of
any of the vacant lands, at $5 per acre and no more, title deeds
included. I Purchased eighty acres, and the whole of my taxes
do not come to more than seven shillings per year, including

414 HISTORY OF RACIXE COUNTY

school tax. No poor vatos and none wanted; no tithes, no police-
man lurkinj;- about your peaceal)le homes, inquiring what you
have in your pot for dinner, nor is there any need of them.

1 will just state how rapidly this couutiw is settling by
emigration from (\xnada and other states. It is now four years
since the Indians left this territory (about the size of England).
The capitol, Milwaukee, was then two log huts, now it is a large
town with twenty-four taverns, and churches, court house, gaol;
many large offices for government j)roffessional men too; many
shops of every kind, and three newspapers, j^rinted weekly, and
a reading room, with English papers there at present 23 days
old. Four steamboats and several large vessels lying in the
harbor. Shop goods, take one thing by the other, about as cheap
as in ijoiidoii; mostly American manufactures. Sugar, soap, and
candles you can make yourself, only for your labor.

Farming stock is very plentifid, the old settlements are so
vciy near, (iood cows $16 each; horses $30; piggs you may have
foi- almost nothing, they are so plentiful; and almost every kind
ol' lisli, too, particularly trout, showing that the Avatcr is of the
best kind.

Tills is the best watered country I have ever seen — eqiial
to any part in England — so that you can locate in any part,
all having water ]>rivileges; not like Australia, where you can
only locate in cei'tain spots, for want of water; and a healthier
country there cannot be. I have seen no sickness these two
years I have been here from the effects of the climate (very
(liffei'ent to the other parts I have seen), from its being such a
line open hill and dale country; no long levels or stagnant waters
w liicli cause eveiy kind of sickness in America. There is winter,
il is tiMie. but it is not longer or more severe than it is in Eng-
land, and we have ]ilenty of fodder. T have at least three tons
of hay per aci-e in the meadows.

Yon will |ii-ohal)ly think I am speaking very flatteringly of
this country. Iml indeed I am not. 1 declaiv I have no interest
or benefit in the wcu'ld in giving an untrue statement. I have
no land for sale and am confident that if no person comes here
from England, the lands will soon be bought and settled ujxtn.

T am truly thankful to jorovidence, that directed me to this
line coniitr.v, and I never wish to leave it. It is so adapted to

HISTORY OF RA('I\F. COrXTV 415

an English constitution: and al11i(iin;Ii I liavc Itccn here s(i short
a time I have all the (-(unrorts 1 could lia\c in a village in
T^^ngland.

There are several places of \v()rsiii[> within three miles, one
only half a mile from this ])lace, and we nnister 300 or 400.
Several saw and grist mills within two oi' Ihi'cc miles, and plenty
of society. More than I could hav(; in l^]ngland, as wc; are pretty
much on an equality, all farmers, having i)]enty of provisions of
every kind and nothing to pay; so we can ait'ord to visit each
other.

You may think we have uo market for oui' i)roduce, ])ut yes
we have and always shall, at Racine, three miles from us. We
have always vessels waiting to take the produce to New York
(via Buffalo ), but at ^^resent the new settlers take all we can get.

I have been induced to give some account of this country,
believing it to be almost unknown in England. The emigrants
for the far west have passed it by there having been no landing
place until the last six months. I send inclosed in this letter
a book written here, giving every particular for the information
of an emigrant, should any of your countrymen be inclined to
throw by their prejudices in favor of their own colonies, which
settle at a snail's pace.

I have a neighbor who has been in Australia and returned
here again. He says that one acre here will produce as much
as three there, and where he found l^^nglishmen 30 or 40 miles
from any human being, for want of water to locate progressively.

You can come from Quebec or New York in 8 days by wat(M'
at a cost of £3 for an adult.

Extract of a letter from N. Le Prevost, dated November
22, 1841:

Tlie produce is partly bartered or sold for eastern bank
notes; but they have no confidence in Ohio, Michigan or Illinois
notes. They are seldom received with respect to morals. A
newcomer must keep his eyes open with respect to dealing, etc.,
etc. The first settlers had little or no money; their moral actions
were similar, but they are selling off rapidly and another set of
more civilized men are daily increasing. In one year no less
than 12 farms have been sold in our neighborhood, within 3
miles on either side of us. Among the newcomers are <> A\'elsli

416 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

families direct from "Wales; they have bought two farms one
mile west of tis. They contain together 985 acres with part of
the (^(11)8 and a few head of cattle for the smn of £858.10. They
are dividing tliciii between the families and what is remarkable,
is that the |M(i]>lc traveled tlii'ough Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and
Iowa and tlien came to Wisconsin and settled here on account
of the market (the lake), good soil and healthy climate. God
forbid that L should praise this country more than it deserves,
but I must say that this i)art is healthier than Guernsey. The
soil is good if well tilled, and requires no manure for years, if kept
from weeds; but unfortunately it is not the case with Americans,
neither do they sow seed enough. Many of your countrymen
will say that J boast, and perhaps say that I do not say the
truth. i-Jut as Mr. I. Ozanne of the Great Wind Mill of St. Mar-
tin's is coming, he will write to Guernsey how he will find this
country, as I am persuaded they will like it, provided they come
here before harvest. I mean to accompany them on a visit to
Messrs. Toriiuh' of Illiiinis, and to ^Ir. Le M. of Prairie du Sac.
I must say that we are as healthy here as at Guernsey.

Ill Se])tembci' there will be a great demand for winter wheat
at one dollar j'er bushel; spring wheat 1/ less. In October
winter wheat 6/, spring, 5/ cash. At present little demand, no
exportation. Price for winter wheat 5/ in goods; l)arley, 3/;
spring wheat. 4 (J in goods; oats, 1/6; potatoes, 2/; turnips, 1/
pel' busheh Kggs, 1/; butter, 1/6; the above are American
shillings at six pence each.

**********

A lettei- from N. Le Prevost to a friend in the Isle of Guern-
sey, dated Oakhmd Farm, Racine County, Wisconsin, 14th March,
3841 . Ill part he says:

By a view of the map, the whole territory will be seen at
once, and as to the climate it appears to be the healthiest —
winters are rather cokler than in Europe, but very dry and
healthy. Five bushels of good wheat will give 200 pounds of
fine Hour, of whidi one eight is given for grinding. In Illinois
and Indiana there arc rarnici-.s who cultivate maize (corn), as
it does not cost in hiboring and sells for 25 cents the bushel,
whereas here it sells for 371/2 cents.

Our country (Racine) being a new country, there is not

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 417

much cultivated tor the market, which is the crmsoqnence of the
low price of land — j^ovenunent price $!'/( an acre. Six years
ago the territory was surveyed, measured and divided in ranges,
townships and sections. All lands IVoiii government are to be
paid for in gold or silver. ,

Three lots of land were sold since I purchased mine, as
follows: one of 80 acres of prairie and 35 of timber, but no
improvements for $250. Another of 160 acres, same qiuility
as what I purchased, but no improvements, for $400. Another,
80 acres of timber and 100 of prairie, no improvements, $500.
The two first were offered me but I preferred the first for $500.
The advantages here are that vast quantities of land can be
purchased for little money, and you improve it and cultivate
it at your leisure. But more east the land (wild) is not so cheap
and all wood, and the improved land is too dear. There is not
a farmer out of ten that has a stable for his cow nor other
buildings; some have sheds, open on one side. There is still a
great quantity of land to sell in ouv environs cheap during this
year, but later it is supposed the price will change as commerce
grows better. There are also parts of large farms to let, pay-
able in produce, no money. Here we have the lands prepared
from the original state for cultivation for $3^/^ per acre, without
touching it yourself. We often see visitors from the different
parts. We have also had the visit of two of Mr. N. Tarade's
sons, brother to Mr. Tarade at deBoui-g, in Guernsey. They
have been 22 years in the United States, and at present are
visiting in Illinois, 66 miles south of us (Chicago). They have
remained with us 3 days. They have 406 acres of deeded land
and have laid claims on one section and one quarter, or 800
acres, which they expect will come to market this year. They
are prepared to buy them, for I have it from a neighbor who
told me they had plenty of money loaned out. They are the
father, mother and three cliildrcu; one of them who ])aid us a
visit, named Peter, has been magistrate for four years from
the year last, and the other, riiarles, had not seen rinernsey for
the last 21 years.

We are all well satisfied of our situation. We arc not in
a palace, our house is of wood, the custom of the country. In
our kithchen we have a fire-place at one end and a cooking
stove in the middle, and when it is very cold we have a good

418 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

lire in each. Gucid wheat to make bread and cake; good meat
of our rearing; we have fallowed four pigs weighing together
net meat 750 pounds. We make our leaven with hops and
flour; we also make our soap and candles. The education of our
children does not cost as much with us as with you. We have
district schools during winter. There is a certain quantity of
land in each township sold for the benefit of the schools, and
each i)upi] fiii'nishes his proportion of wood for fire, and the
master l)oards a certain time at each pupil's house. We have
religious societies of all denominations. We have mills for
grinding corn and sawing timber, four miles from us on Root
river. We cany large logs of timber on sleighs in winter. This
goes when there is snow, and goes much better than by roads.
The wood for firing is done the same way. A good blacksmith
and armorer would do well here. Iron sells at 5 cents a pound;
the cost of shoeing a horse anew is $2. A good deal of chain
is used l)ut no cordage. There is not much work as yet for
carpenters, cabinet makers, tailors, masons and all the other
trades, but females, milliners that would be good to make bon-
nets in straw and plat could find continual employment and at
a good pi'ice. Tailors for man and woman have a great deal
of work at double the Guernsey prices. There is no dead season
here. However, of all the i)rofessions the fanner is the most
independent here, and as little as 80 acres can be procured of
the government, or of second hand as little as 40 acres in sort
that a iii.iii having a little understanding, with a little money
and willingness can estal)lisli himself here, live and bring up
his family with more contentment and ease than he can in
]<]urope. All I write is n(»t to encourage any to come here, but
I have traveled here until 1 found a place to my satisfaction
and not too close to Oucrnseymen. Not that I detest them, liut
on the cctntrary. l>ut it would seem that one cannot live unless
he is close to the other. If any should come out here to settle
or take a visit, trip, we will do to them as we would be done by.

* * * * * * # # .)f Af

111 a leUcj' written by N. I.c Prevost, dated at Oakland J^^irm,
iv'aciiic (\)unty, Wisconsin Territory, 18th July, 1842, the writer

had the follow iiig to say:

.Mr. .lames Ozanne and lainilx- arrived at Racine the 22nd

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 419

of June, 1842. They lunubcivd 17 as follows: Mr. O., his wife,
three sons and a daut;hter (Louise Carre'), et leui- cousin James
Ozanne, son of John, formerly of (DesLisle) an Catel, Mr. AUe
IJulsh, his wife and four children, Sam Boone, his wife and
Mr. Kaife and wife, all in perfect health.

As soon as they saw the beautiful i)rairies in our neit^hbor-
hood they were quite charmed, and Mr. Ozanne informed himself
of farms that were to be sold, their price, quality, etc. He saw
several. As we were on our departure, my wife and myself,
on a visit to friends, Mr. and Mrs. Torrade of Illinois, I asked
My. Ozanne to accompany us to see that part of the U. S., and
then we should pay Mr. Le Messuries of Prairie du Sac another
visit previous to our returning home; but he was so charmed
with our country and the proximity of the market, either for
New York by the lake, or for New Orelans l)y the Illinois canal
and down the Mississippi!

He informed me that he had spoken to several jjersous on
his passage to New York here and they were all against Illinois,
and to take it all together it is an unhealthy place. He also
spoke to them about Wisconsin River and Prarie du Sac; they
told him there was no better market than New York and other
eastern ports and New Orleans, and all were of opinion that
east of Wisconsin bordering Lake Michigan was preferable to
rivers that were not navigable only in spring and autumn. Con-
sequently, he told me he was decided to purchase as he desired
to have a farm containing half a section, which is 320 acres, viz:
two quarters side by side, which makes one mile long and half
a mile in width. There were only 3 for sale in oin- neighborhood
of this size. If it had been two quarters cornering he might
have found twenty farms. Of the three above half sections one
was offered for $2,000. Another for $3,500, and the third, which
contains 15 acres more, that is to say, 325 acres, for $4,000.

I accompanied Mr. O. to see the farms and compared the
advantages ^^'ith the disadvantages of the whole of them, and
finally the balance was in favor of C. Marsh, Esq., meaning 325
acres, of Avoodland of which there are 115 acres, and of the re-
maming 220 acres of prairie 130 acres are cleared but without
crop. Therefore Mv. Ozanne purchased without crop for the
simi of $4,000, and takes possession of the land as fast as the
crops shall be removed from off it.

420 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Mr. Ozaniie and ianiil}', the l-tth inst., proceeded to inhabit
a farm house on the estate luitil the latter end of September,
until tlie otlicr house would be empty. The above mentioned
farm house is not comprised in the purchase and will be trans-
l)oi'ted. The alxtA'e estate is four miles S. W. of us, which makes
it 8 miles from Kacine town, and 5 miles from that of Southpoi-t.

Mr. O. has also purchased a half section <if land from gov-
(iiiiiKiit at three miles distance of his estate, and his cousin,
.James, son of John, has purchased of the government 80 acres
joining the other. Mr. O.'s estate cost about $12 per acre,
which is dear, considering the prices which they have been sold
during the last year; but he has the finest estate in Racine
county, and after all it only cost £1 per bergie.

Alexander Burch, to iiis Aunt and Cousin at (Juernsey:

Pike Drove. Southi)ort, 19 Dec. 1842.

In my last letter to my mother and friends I promised to
write to you the next packet and let you know how we got on
in this country; 1 now fulHl my promises and hope they will
find you all in good health as it leaves all at present, thank God
for it. You have, 1 make no doubt, by this time seen my letters
concerning this country and our voyage; we still continue to
like this place, and find it nnich easiei' to maintain oiir family
in this than the old covmtry.

My last letters will give you a faithful description of this
part of Wisconsin, which T can assure you is not more highly
colored than the reality will warrant. When I Avrote last in
November we had very fine weather; the week following we
had a I all of snow which lias continued on the ground ever since.
We have had 2 or 3 very cold days indeed; nu;ch colder than
1 ever found in fJuernsey; our milk, water, bread, beef, and
indeed everything was frozen at night in the house. Now 1
fancy I see you pitying and saying, "poor Jane" and the chil-
dren," but T can assure you they are all safe and comfortable;
we have got a good warm house, and plenty in it; we have got
a good stove in the middle of the room, which I take care to
pi-ovi(lc with lirewood; as for .lane and tht' cliildi'cii — they do
not feel the cold as much as they did in Guernsey.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 421

I have worked ever since I have been here, so far; carpen-
ters keep stoves in their shops, and they are more comfortable
than in Guernsey. This is most beautiful weather; the sun
shines bright all the day long. This is the time for visiting,
and I am now writing at 6 o'cldck in the evening, and the Misses
LePrevost have just called to invite us all to spend our Thrist-
mas holidays with them. They have come more than three miles
in a sleigh; almost every person has got his sleigh out drawn by
horses, decorated with bells ringing away so mei-i-ily. On the
whole we like this winter much better than in (iuernsey; we
have had but two days of rain this winter.

There is plenty of game to shoot; there are deer and sand-
hill cranes — a bird that stands 4 feet high — & praire hens, and
quails and a great many more; the pi-airie hen is as big as a
connnon hen. There are pigeons in thousands, and every person
is free to shoot if he has an inclination to do so.

My business now lays with Peter; I nmst say that I wish
him very much to come out to me. I am sure that he could do
Tuuch better here than in Guernsey. This is a new place and
yours is an old one; you have every thing built, and we have
everything to build. When I look over the immense extent of
country west of us, and see how fast it is settling, and at the
lake, where the whole of the produce of these immense prairies
has to be shipped down to the sea, I feel confident that these
rising towns, that seven years ago were forests, and now contain
from 1,200 to 1,400 souls, will rise quickly to be places of great
importance. Now many chances offer to us if I could embrace
them, but situated as I am with Mr. O. I cannot do a thing as
yet; I could have taken many jobs if he had been here; the
towns offer us tine chances; we can buy building lots of ground
cheap, and we can build the whole of the houses ourselves; no
masons or plasterers are wanted with us. Tlic house I live in
I built myself, from the foundation to the ridge, plastering and
all; there is not a house nor a room to let in either town.

I should like when I leave Mi'. O. for ns to take jobs together;
the wages are four shillings per day; (»r if he engages by the
month, about $160 and board j)er year; if not boarded the wages
are from 5 to 6 shillings per day. I do not say that he would
l)e sure to get this on landing, ])ut I tell him what others get;

422 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

they do not always get all in money, but sometimes they get
goods or land which is as good as money. Neither do I advise
any other jjerson to come here unless he has money, as it takes
some time to get acquainted with the country. But Peter must
come to our house; never mind if he has not a penny in his
pocket; i \n ill uiaintain him free of cost until we get something
1() do: lie shall be welcome, and we will treat him as one of our
ow 11. there is not a house painter in either town; do not let him
stay ill (iuernsey, as I am siu'e that if he comes here, that we
shall be enabled to do something to our umtual advantage.

Tile next thing is the expense of coming here; now, if T
had not to pay ^Nlr. O the whole of my expense from New York,
1 could already have assisted him oitt, as I have paid him a
consideraljle sum on account, l)ut my hands are tied for one year
at least; it will cost from £10 to £12 to nnm' here; Mr. O's cousin
\vli(. came with us, told me it cost him £10, and we stopped 10
days in New York, — pi-ovisioiis and all.

Now I think that you. aunt, could raise that sum amongst
youi' friends; consider what a thing it is to see a young man
"losing his young days in such a place as Guernsey, with nothing
hut the prospect of the poor-house before him; exert yourselves,
and do not rest until you have collected that sum; it will be an
opening likewise for Charley hereafter; his trade is very good
here; I am sure you can collect the money if you like; he will
be very different when he comes to us; when he arrives he will
have a home to come to.

To Peter 1 would say, — come by Portsmouth; you will find
some beautiful ships whicJi I have seen; it will cost £5; you must
find a chafT bed; take plenty of potatoes, cheese, ham, coffee, tea,
a little jelly, and a few nice things, — apples 6cv. and medicine;
keep yourseir clean and you will do veiw well.

When you arrive at N. Y., eiKpiire for the quay where the
lake boats stop, and enquire for ('apt. -lames Bright; he belongs
to the lake boats; try and make a bargain with him or the agents
to take you to Buffalo; if you fail, put your baggage in the
steamboat for Albany, where you will find many boats going
up the canal i'or liuffalo; keep the remainder of your brisket
of provisions to make use of on the canal; the bread along the
canal is not very good. Find yourself when you arrive at Buf-

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 423

falo; seek for a steamboat going to Southport, put your baggage
on board, and bargain with the captain to take you; try and have
not too much higgagc; put your clothes in your tool-chost, if you
can, — -you arc allowed about 100 lbs. in weight — tlic rest you
must pay for. lii case you run short of money, you can get your
passage for helping to wdod the shii), but it is hard woi'k, and
I would not reconunend it, only as a last resource. Kind your-
self on the lakes; it will take you one week to ascend the canal,
and foiu' or five days the lakes, and .you will be delighted with
your passage'.

When you arrive at Southport, euciuire for Mr. Marsh,
butcher, and he will inform you where we live; we live five miles
from him; leave your baggage there and couie to me. T would
rather that you came witliout a tool or anytliing else than to
remain in Guernsey; I have seen many in America that have
been assisted out, doing well; do not mind that, or hearken to
the many stories you hear.

We have no Guernsey mechanics Avithin perhaps 1,000 nnles
of us, so their stories cannot affect us. All I can say is that
we have plenty of everything that we can wish for except fruit,
as the country is too new to grow any yet, except wild; but the
old settlers have planted trees, and foui' oi' five years will make
a great difference in that respect.

Mr. Bone, Mr. Roisscy and ourselves, have got a good quar-
ter of beef hung up to freeze, from which we cut beef-steaks
every morning for breakfast, and we have paid 8 shillings
Br't'sh. per cwt.; (can any mechanic in Guernsey do that?)
If you have not many clothes, do not let that trouble you, as
the difference in price is not as much as you would think. If
you have any old warm coats, bring them, as they will be useful
to you on your passage and here. Ask William Wells to get you
some hay seed from some good hay, and bring them to me.

I should like you to ask some of my friends to send me
some of Redstone's views of Guernsey to show the Yankees, and
some needles. Be sure to pay attention to this letter, and l)ring
it with 3a)U. Take care of your money, and try and rebate on the
prices they will ask you; you ought to have :'. pounds left when
you arrive at Buffalo. Do not stay at New York more than a
day, as it is very expensive. Always eu(iuire what it will cost

424 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

vou before you engajic in aiiything-, as they are very apt to take
ill strangers if they can. i do not think 1 can say any more on
this subject. If you make up your mind, do it quickly. You
will receive this about the beginning of February, and will have
plenty of time to get ready by the month of March. I would
advise in that iik tilth or A])ril; however if you cannot so early,
come later.

CHAPTEIy' xxiii

MILITARY HISTORY

BY E. W. LEACH

SLAVERY IN WISCONSIN — FIRST UNDERGROUND PASSENGER — THE
GLOVER CASE — FIRST LINCOLN CAMPAIGN — RACINE WAKES UP —
RACINE'S FIRST COMPANY — FLAG RAISINGS — FIRST MEETINGS —
WAR PREPARATIONS — IN THE COUNTY — CAMP UTLEY — FOURTH
OF JULY, '61 — UTLEY GUARDS LEAVE FOR THE FRONT — SOLDIERS'
AID SOCIETIES — BEN BUTLER'S CONTRABAND OF WAR — COLONEL
UTLEY AND RUNAWAY SLAVES — TESTING THEIR METTLE — YOUNG-
EST SOLDIER IN THE UNION ARMY — RACINE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT
— SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR — COMPANY F OFF FOR THE WAR —
HOME AGAIN — IN THE PHILIPPINES — RACINE COUNTY'S FIRST
MILITIA — FIRST STATE MILITIA — BELLE CITY GUARD — RACINE
LIGHT GUARDS — GARFIELD GUARDS — SPANISH WAR MONUMENT.

If ever a people was justified in making war, the North,
in the Re1)elIion, had a righteous cause. A small minority arro-
gantly demanded the right to dominate the whole, and to fasten
permanently on the country an institution abhorrent to the
great majority of its people. That war was the meeting of two
antagonistic civilizations under (me government, in battle for
mastery; an aristocracy based on slavery and slave lal)or, and
a democracy founded on liberty and universal labor. The con-
ditions bred an "irrepressible conflict," which could not have
been settled until settled aright. Years before it transpii'ed,
statesmen saw the inevitable, and after the event anybody could
see the steps by which the country approached the catastrophe.

^^Tlile slavery was the underlying cause of the war, its
immediate exciting cause was the threat of disunion, which came
soon after the election of Abraham Lincoln to the pi'esidency.
This event was recognized by the South as sounding the doom
of their pet institution, and with it of tlicii' most cherished hope
of dominion. The slave states seceded, one aftci' anotlicr. and
thus furnished a clear-cut issue on which the North could unite.
"The Union must and shall be preserved," was the battle cry
(»n which the war was begun and fought to a successful conclu-
sion, the emancipation of the slaves being an incidental, though
inevitable, emergency war measure.

426 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

SLAVERY IN WISONSIN

Th(> first foncertcd move in Racine County against slavery
was the prcsentatidii tu Congress in 1845 of the following
menmii.il, most of the signers of wliicli were citizens of Racine.
It is evidence of the fact that the early settlers here understood
the nature of ilic "institution" and wished to take no chance
of its getting a lootliold in the territory:

"To the Ilonoraltic, the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the U. S., ill ( 'ongress assembled:

"The undersigned, inhabitants of the Territory of Wiskon-
sin, having learned that a numl)er of slaves are reported from
this territory in the census of 184U, and l)elieving that it is the
pur])ose of same, who regard not the natural rights of our fellow
men, llic tiiic interests of our territory, and our general welfare,
to intlict upon us tire terrible curse of slavery; and believing
that the introduction of slavery into this territory would be in
violation ol' the ordinance for the government of the Northwest-
ern territory, and the constitution of the United States;

"Respectfully jjray your hcmorable body to take measures
for the unconditional liberation of the said slaves, and to free
us from the odium now resting upon us as slave-holders, and
also etfectually to protect, forever, this territory from the intro-
duction of slavery, and the consequent evils and curses of that
evil system.

"Jacob Ly Brand, Edwin A. Roby, Amaziah Stebbins, Joel
\i. Carpenter," F. W. DeBerard, Joseph Adams, H. W. Fuller,
L. I'aiiiielee, .John l\ Flyuu, K. S. Cajjron, Anson Jones, Reuben
Chadwick, (ieorge S. Wright, W. H. (iillespie, S. W. Wilson,
Samuel W. Hill, Thomas E. Parmelee, A. T. Briggs, J. W. Vail,
A. C.. Young, William F. Cole, Edward S. Blake, Chester Bush,
lieiiiy Hewitt, H. H. H. Briggs, W. H. Lathrop, Albert H. Blake,
Henry S. Diirand, Ceorge H. Carpenter, E. S. Capron, Ira A.
Uice, Iliiam Koote, .James (). Bartlett, J. B. Jillson."

The aliove and thii-ty-five other names were signed to the
memorial.

I'revious to the war there was interminable controversy
between the North and llie South about many things, all of them
related, directly or indirectly, to the "institution." One of the
dramatic, tragic phases of that controversy was that connected
with the capture and return of fugitive slaves. For many years

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 427

[>rior to the war an increasing!; iiumbor of tlu-sc iinrurt iiiiatcs
were making- thcii- way tliiduuh the Xortlicrn States to Canada,
where, imder the British tiag, they were free. There grew up
aniono- the a])olitionists of the North an organized assistance
to this movement — animated by humanitarian motives alone —
by means of which the runaway slaves were secreted, fed,
clothed, transported, and in every possible way forwarded in
their flight. Their Southern masters could easily follow the
fugitives to ceiiain points in the free states, when all trace of
them would be suddenly lost. "There nnist be an underground
railroad," was their conclusion, and from that time "under-
ground railroad" was the name by which that system of help
for fugitive slaves was known.

The passengers on the "underground railroad" were above
the average in intelligence and in 2jhysical prowess. They were
men and women \\lio were determined to have liberty, even
though they lost their lives in the attempt, as they fretpiently
did. The slaveholders did all that they could to put the fear
of the consequences into their slaves. ^\Tien one of them ran
away from the plantation, those remaining were never permitted
to kiKjw the result of the dash for liberty. If those who took
up the chase returned without him, they never reported a fail-
ure, but always success. "They had caught the rimaway and
had sold hun south"; or, "they had killed him," was reported,
so that those remaining would be impressed with the wisdom of
staying where they were.

Of course this organized effort to free the slaves enraged
the slave owners, and in 1850 they procured the passage through
Congress of a "fugitive slave law," by the terms of which it
became the duty of United States marshals to arrest and return
rimaway slaves wherever found, upon a warrant issued by a
United States Court. It provided, also, that anyone hindering
the arrest of a slave, or attempting the rescue or concealment
of a fugitive, became subject to a fine not exceeding One thou-
sand dollars, or imprisomnent not exceeding six months, and
was also liable for civil damages to the party injured, in tlic
sum of one thousand dollars for each slave so lost.

"In aiding fugitive slaves, the abolitionist was making the
most effective protest against the contimiance of slavery; but
he was also doing something more tangible, he was helping the

428 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

oppressed — he was eluding the oppressor, and at the same time
he was enjoying tlie most romantic and exciting amusement
open to men who had high moral standards. He was taking
i-isks, defying laws, and making himself liable to punishment,
and yet could glow with the healthful pleasure of duty done."*

"Social disdain was brought on the 'railroad' workers.
'Black abolitionist,' 'Niggerite,' 'Amalgamationist' and 'Nigger
thief were some of the epithets used."

Notwithstanding the dangers involved, the names are known
of 3,200 persons in the North and l']ast who were engaged in this
work, among whom are listed the following from Racine County:
James O. Bartlett, William L. Utley, A. P. Button, AVilliam H.
Waterman, S. B. Peck, George S. Wright, Charles Bunce, Elder
Fitch, General Reed, Dr. Secor, Dr. E. G. Dyer of Burlington,
Captain Steele and ]\Ir. Peffer, and there were certainly others.
Tliese men were known as those who could be trusted with infor-
mation concerning the operation of the "road," and who could
be depended upon to do all in their power to help along a fugi-
tive slave. Few people knew at the time that they were so
engaged, for "the penalties of the law, the contempt of neigh-
bors, and the espionage of persons interested in the return of
fugitives to slavery made secrecy necessary." Their names now
constitute a roll of honor for their children and for the City and
County of Racine.

A common method of getting these fugitives to Canada was
l)y means of steam and sail boats on the Great Lakes, and all
of tlic ])orts oil the west shore of Lake Michigan were made use
of, more or less, as stations of the "underground railroad." A.
P. Dutton had a grain warehouse and knew all of the captains
wlio made this port. Among them were the following who were
friends of fugitives and who transported them free to Canadian
liarl)ors of refuge: Capt. Steele, of the propeller Galena; Capt.
Kelsey. of the Chesapeake; Capt. A})pleby, of the Sultana. The
boats of (Jeneral l\eed, touching at Racine, also received them
witliont fare, as did the Madison, the Missouri, the Niagara and
tile Kevstone State. "Mr. Dutton knew these vessels and their

'Albert Bushnell Hart, in introduction to "The Undersrround Railroad," by
W. H. Siebert.

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 429

officers and fni' twenty years shipped I'linaway slaves as well
as cargoes ul i^nnn fVom liis dock in l\a('ine."*

FIRST "UNDERGROUND" PASSENGER

The first passenger on the "road" thnm,L;li Wisconsin Ter-
ritor}' was (^indinc, a young woman I'ugitive slave, whose
patronymic was never disclosed, if it were known. She was
successfully "conducted" on this trip by Lyman (ioodnow of
Waukesha, and it was a journey full of hardship and peril last-
ing live weeks, during the sunimci- of 1842. They were hunted
and followed all the way by United States officers and other
slave chasers, but eluded them all. Dr. E. G. Dyer of Bui-ling-
ton, father of Charles E. Dyei- of Racine, was one of the agents
of the "road" who contributed time and money in assisting Mr.
Goodnow in his humane, l)ut illegal, luidertaking. Di-. Dyer
might properly have been called one of the general officers of the
"undergroiuid" in this secticm, for he was enthusiastic, resom-ce-
ful, courageous and unremitting in his labors in behalf of the
fugitives.

THE GLOVER CASE

Although slave-hunters had at different times been in Ra-
cine in pursuit of their detestable business and incidentally of
their l)lack victmis, only once were their hands laid on a negro
in this town, with the purpose of retm-ning him to slavery, and
that attempt failed. About the year 1852, a negro named Joshua
Glover appeared in Racine and soon found a home up the river
near the saw-mill of Rice & Sinclair, about four miles from
town. In the winter of '53- '54 he worked in the mill. On the
evening of March 10, 1854, a little before dusk, eight men, in
two ^\•agons, drove from Racine to within about one hundred
yards of Glover's cabin, where they left their outfit and pro-
ceeded on foot. These men were Deputy Marshals Charles Cot-
ton of Milwaukee and John Kearney of Racine, a man named
Garland from St. Louis, who claimed he owned the negro, Glover,
and five other men. Cotton alleged that he had a warrant for
(jlover's arrest, issued by Judge Miller of the United States
Court, ]Milwaukee, but he did not serve the paper.

Through the connivance of a colored man named Turner,

* "The Underground Railroad," by W. H. Siebert.

430 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

wild had ingratiated himsolf into the confidence of (ilovei% and
wild, with another colored man named Alby, was in Glover's
cahiii on that evening, the door was unbolted at once at the
knock of that marshal. Glover was promptly knocked down
and, after a desperate struggle, manacles were placed on liini.
Alby fled. Turner Avas an interested si^ectator. Glover was
put into one of the wagons and the party started toward town.
One wagon was put up at the M. G. Armour livery, where it
had been hired, and the other, containing Glover, Garland and
the deputy marshal, was soon surrounded by indignant citizens
who had learned of the attempt. There was not time enough
for the indignation to develop into concerted action before the
officers got out of town on their way to Alilwaukee, where they
did not arrive until the folloAving (Satm-day) morning at 8
o'clock, having lost their way in the night, which resulted in
their traveling many miles in the wrong direction. At 9 o'clock
on Saturday morning word came by wire from Milwaukee that
(tlover had ])een placed in jail there. It is evident that the
indignation and excitement must have increased over night, for
on receipt of this news the court-house bell was rung to call the
people together and the largest assembly that ever had gathered
in the town up to that time filled the court-house.

T. E. Parmelee was made chairman and R. W. Rowe, secre-
tary. Gen. C. S. Chase stated that the object of the meeting
was "to consult in the matter of the abduction of Joshua Glover
from the premises of Duncan Sinclair, and who was now in
Milwaukee jail, and to adopt measures to secure for him a fair
trial." D. Sinclair, C. S. Chase and Wm. H. Waterman were
a])i)ointed a conmiittee on resolutions. In the absence of this
committee addresses were made by Rev. C. D. Pillsbury, Charles
Clement, Dr. S. W. Wilson, and later by Wm. H. Waterman and
C. S. Chase, in which the opinions of the people of Racine on
the fugitive slave law and the slave chasers, with their high-
handed m(>tliods, were given free and full expression. Men of
all i)arties and creeds were there, and the votes on the resolu-
tions adopted, and on every motion put, were unanimous, not a
dissenting voice being heard in the meeting.

The following resolutions were then read and adopted:
"Whereas, A colored man by the name of Joshua Glover
was kidnaped four miles from our city last night about 8 o'clock.

HISTORY Ul" RACINE COUNTY 431

lie has bocii and was at work for one of our citizens (a riiitliful
laborer, and an honest man).

"l^esolved, That we look ni)on the arrest of said (llovcr as
an outrage upon the peaceful rights of this assembly, it having
been made without the exhibition of any papers, by first clan-
destinely knocking him down with a chih, and then binding him
by brute force and carrying him off.

"Resolved, That we, as citizens of Racine, demand foi' said
Glover a fair and impartial jury trial, in this, the state where
he has been arrested, and that we will attend in person to aid
him, by all honorable means, to secure his unconditional release,
adopting as our motto the Golden Rule.

"Resolved, That, inasmuch as the Senate of the United
States has repealed all compromises heretofore adopted by the
Congress of the United States, we, as citizens of Wisconsin, are
justified in declaring, and do hereby declare, the slave-catching
law of 185U disgraceful and also repealed."

A finance committee was next appointed, consisting of W.
H. Waterman, E. R. Roby, N. S. Storrs and Mr. Burnham. An
adjournment was then taken until 1 o'clock, at which time the
meeting reassembled and resolved to send a delegation to .Mil-
waukee to carry into effect the resolutions ado^tted. The d(dega-
tion consisted of one hundred men, who. with .Mi'. Watei-man as
leader, took the afternoon boat* and airived in Milwaukee at
5 o'clock. They were at once escorted to the mass meeting
which was in session in the court-house square. They had been
there but a little while when an attack on the jail was made, the
doors battered down, and Glover released and spirited away.

A writ of habeas corpus had been issued by Judge Ghai-les
E. Jenkins of the County Court, but neither the sheriff noi' the
United States marshal would obey the writ and produce the
prisoner. "The great writ of freedom had failed indeed, but
a power more effective than any si)ii'it, the righteous wi-atli of
an outraged people, had accom])lislie(l its pui'})ose.t

Entrance to the jail was elTected liy the use of a long, heavy

*No railroad was in operation here at that time, except the "Underground."
t John B. Winslow, in "The Story of a Great Court."

432 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

piece of timber, which was lifted on the shoulders of as many
men as could get under it and used as a ram, being driven end-
wise with as much speed as could be made, into the doors, and
of course they yielded.

There was a high state of feeling all day Saturday in Racine
and when, in the evening, dispatches were received telling of
Glover's escape, "bonfires were lit, cannon were fired, l)ands
of music paraded the streets, and every other sort of demon-
stration in evidence of the gratification of the people at the tri-
umph of humanity over brutality and the slave-driver" was
indulged in.

In conunenting on these occurrences, The Daily Morning
Advocate of ]\larch 13, 1854, said, among other things:

"The fugitive slave law is not the law of Wisconsin; a
higher and better rule of conduct governs us here.

"The fugitive slave law cannot be enforced in Wisconsin;
this the minions of the slave power may as well learn sooner
as later; the people will not suffer it; they understand too well
that great charter of rights \\hicli is the birthright of every
man."

Charles Clement was editor of The Advocate and he and
William H. Waterman and Oeorge Wright were arrested for
their part in this affair, but there is no evidence that they re-
ceived any punishment.

Commenting on his arrest, Mr. Clement said, in his paper:
"We have not been alarmed or unhappy on account of it for a
UKiiiient. We nnist be permitted, however, to express our pro-
found, immitigated and sovereign contempt for the law which
we are charged with violating, and the puppets who are tinkling
their bells in hopes to aimoy us."

(iarland, the slave-owner, was also arrested on a warrant
issued in Racine, on a charge of assault, but managed also to
esca|i(' puiiisliiiiciit, being released (in a writ of habeas corpus,
issued by Federal -ludge Miller (if Milwaukee. Sherman M.
Booth of Alilwaukee, who, it was alleged, instigated the attack
on the jail, was convicted of the charge and sent to a federal
prison, where he was confined, more or less continuously, until
the spring of 1861, when he was pardoned by President Buchan-

HISTORY OF-^ RACINE COUNTY 433

an, which deed of mercy was ahmit the last act of his admini-
stration.*

In his address to the court in the snmniino- np of his case,
after denying the charge (of unlawfully aiding and abetting the
escape of Olover), Mr. Booth said:

"T am frank to say — and the [)rosecution may make llie
most of it — that 1 sympathize with the rescuers of (ilovci', and
I rejoice at his escape. 1 rejoice that in the first attempt of
the slave hunters to convert oui- jail into a skive pen, they liave
been signally foiled, and that it has been decided, by the s])on-
taneous uprising and sovereign voice of the people, llial no
hiunan being can be dragged into bondage fi'om Milwaukee. And
1 am bold to say that rather than have the great constitutional
safeguards and rights of the people — the writ of habeas c(U'pus
and the rigid of trial by jury — stricken down by this fugitive
slave law, I would i)refer to see every Federal officer in Wisconsin
hanged on a gallows fifty cubits higher than Hamau's."

The sentiment was loudly cheered l)y the spectators in the
court room, though the speech and the demonstration scandali/ed
the court.

The refusal of the sheriff of Milwaukee County to recognize
the writ of habeas corpus, or to permit its execution, in the case
of Glover, was the legal excuse of the leaders of the moli wliicli
made the riotcms demonstration at the ^lilwaukee jail, and
released the negro. There was a well-grounded fear, based on
a previous experience in that city, that should the fugitive not
be freed before Sunday, w^hen Monday morning dawned he and
his alleged owner w^ould be well out of the state and beyond the
jurisdiction of our courts, and the hope of helj) from our citizens.

On Saturday morning Mayor McDonald telegraphed to S. M.
Booth at Milwaukee a brief account of the affair at Racine.
Booth soon learned that Glover was in jail there, wliicli news
he in turn telegraphed to Racine. He also issued an "extra,"
detailing the facts, and advising the citizens to watch the jail,
the marshal and the coui't, to make sure that Glover was not

* Sherman M. Booth was editor of the "Wisconsin Freeman," afterward called
the "Free Democrat," an abolition paper. He rode on horseback through the streets
of Milwaukee that day, calling the people "to the rescue," and announcing the gather-
ing in the court-house square.

434 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

spirited away. At 12 M. another message was sent to Booth,
telling of the great meeting held here and the strong resolutions
adopted, whereupon he issued another "extra." Then it was
reported that (ilover was to Ix' hi-ought before Judge Miller at
2 o'clock ;ui(l delivered uj) to (Jarland, so it was thought best
to have a pul^lic meeting, and as there was no other way to
advertise it in time, Booth rode through the streets on a horse
announcing the meeting and calling the people "to the rescue."

The meeting was held in the Coiu't House Square, with Dr.
E. B. Wolcott, chairman, and A. H. Bidtield, secretary, where
Booth in an impassioned speech explained the state of affairs,
read the telegrams from Racine, and urged all to stand firm in
their determination to see justice done to the poor fugitive.
The meeting then adjourned, subject to call by the ringing of
bells. At 5 o'clock the Racine delegation arrived, and with them
Sheriff Murrison with warrants for the arrest of Garland and
Cotton on the charge of assault and battery. The bells were
rmig, the people reassembled and before they dispersed again
Glover was free.

John A. Messinger, a staunch Democrat, was out driving
that day, and, it is said, happened along near the jail just as
Glover was taken out — his face and hair streaked and matted
with blood. Messinger 's s.ym})athy was aroused and he offered
to take him away. He had a good horse and started for Wau-
kesha, and, although followed by officers and other men cm foot,
horseback and in carriages, he out-distanced and eluded them
all. Arriving at Waukesha late at night, he drove to the home
of Winchel I). Bacon, an alxilitiouist, who secreted ({lover in a
room in his house, but, fearing that it would be unsafe to keep
the fugitive in the village, Mr. Bacon called Vernon Ticheuor,
Dr. W. D. Holbrook, Gharh'S Blackwell and one or two others
in consultation. It was decided to take the fugitive to the home
of Moses Ticheuor, father of A^'i'iiou Ticlienor, who lived about
two miles south of town, (ilover was entrusted to Vernon
Ticheuor, who took him across the fields, in the dead of night,
followed at a little distance b_v several men, to make sin-e that
they were not molested, to his father's barn, where lu; was
hidden until Ghauncey C. Olin had made arrangements to convey

HISTORY Ul" RACINE COUNTY 435

liiiii to Racine, from which place, in pi'opcr disguise, he to()k a
l)oat and escaped to Canada, never to be recaptured.*

The house of Winchel D. l^acon at Waukesha, where CHover
spent the "first night after," was later a portion of the famous
Mansion House of that city. Judge Miller, who did everything
ill his power to deliver Glover to his master, and to }>uiiish Booth
and Rycraft, visited this room in 1873, in company with Salmon
P. Chase. He then admitted that twenty years had modified his
opinion of slave-holding and slave-hunting, and that men's loy-
alty to party was often stronger than their love for the right.*

John A. Messinger, after delivering Glover in Waukesha,
was overwhelmed with anxiety over the possible results to
himself of his impulsive action. He did not know then, what
later proved to l)e the fact, that no one but his close friends had
recognized him when he got away with the fugitive. He drove
from Waukesha to Racine, where he stayed a day or twf) with
friends, who could not understand his disturbed mental con-
dition, for he walked the floor all night. His death, which oc-
curred five months later, August 17, was hastened, without
doubt, by his mental sutferings.

The kind of opposition that abolitionists were "up against"
in Wisconsin in those days, and its extent, may be miderstood
when it is stated that on March 15, a few days after the release
of Glover, Sherman M. Booth was pu])licly ])urned in efifigy in
^Milwaukee by pro-slavery men.

The interest in the Glover case was widespread, and the
feeling became so intense that during the weeks immediately
following, ]»ul)lic meetings were held in many towns of the
county and all over the North, in enthusiastic approval of Mil-
waukee's and Racine's successful defiance of the Federal at-
temi)t to enforce the fugitive slave law in Wisconsin, and in
sympathetic greeting and in assurance of supj)ort and assist-

* After this account was put into print, the writer received the following state-
ment from Mrs. Walter Derthick, a pioneer settler of Spring Prairie:

"Glover was brought to Spring Prairie, where he staid about four weeks. His
head was bandaged. He was taken first to Deacon Britton's, and from there to Jesse
Mills' house, and put in the west room upstairs. Jesse Mills was my uncle. From there
he was taken to David Pratt's, after which I don't know what became of him."

* This account of the Glover escape was made up from the story in the "History
of Milwaukee."

436 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

aiice to tliuse in the hands uf the hiw, or likely to be, for such
defiance.

On the evening of March 17, a large meeting held at the
Free Church, Burlington, with Mr. Z. Bliss, chairman, and
W. P. Lyon, secretary, was addressed by Rev. H. H. Aniringe
and others, and adopted a series of strong resolutions of thanks
and sympathy for citizens of Racine and Milwaukee, it was
also "resolved, that the fugitive slave act of 1850 is a violation
of the rights of the citizens guaranteed by the constitution, and
is not the law of the land; and the rescue of (xlover demon.strates
that the law cannot be enforced, and is therefore virtually re-
pealed in Wisconsin."

A meeting was held in the Congregational Chnrch at Union
Grove on the 17tli of ]\Iarch. and one at Raymond on April 6, at
both of which meetings resolutions in condemnation of the fugi-
tive slave law, and in commendation of the "rebels" who foiled
the officers in its enforcement, were adopted.

In Syracuse, New York, where they had had a similar ex-
perience, a large public meeting was held, presided over by the
president of the council, which sent greeting and congratulations
to Racine and Milwaukee, and heartily thanked them "for the
smnmary, yet truly lawful, act by which thev applied the only
remedy that could meet the case," and wished to join with those
cities in a solenm pledge that never again shall a friendless and
broken-hearted fugitive be consigned to slavery from the North
"under the accursed act of 1850."

In the legal aftermath of the Glover case, which included
court decisions up to the United States Supreme Tribunal, the
Wisconsin Courts sustained the contention of the abolitionists,
that the Federal Government could not compel citizens of a free
state to deliver runaway- negroes to slave-chasers from the
South, and in consecpience Wisconsin put itself on record as
one of the original "state rights" states, and was in direct con-
flict with the Federal Government.

Just before the war, the Colored Baptist Church in Racine
advertised in the local papers, the fact that their preacher and
officers were al)out to solicit subscriptions from the pidilic for
the ])ur])ose of I'aising money to pay for some needed rej)airs on
tiieii' church building. During the succeeding two or three
weeks there was great excitement in Chicago and nearby towns

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 4.^7

on aeeoiint of tho presence and activity of niunerous slave-
eliasers in that city. About a month after the first announce-
ment of the colored brethren, appeared another to the effect
that they regretted to hr dbliged to state that they had l)een
com])elled to discontinue tlicii' ])uilding ])hins, as several prom-
inent meniliers of their churcli had Hed to Canada because of the
fugitive slave excitement.

An event which excited nation-w idc interest, and which
had significance infinitely beyond its seeming importance, was
the capture l)y John Brown, with the help of sixteen white men
and five negroes, of the United States Arsenal at Harper's
Ferry, Virginia, October IG, 1859.

John Brown was the fanatical endxidiment of the anti-
slavery idea, and his audacious exploit with its tragic sequel
a few weeks later, compellingly challenged the attention of the
world, and esiiecially of the South, to the uncompromising na-
ture, and the heroic purpose, of those who were engaged in its
propaganda.

The newspajiers all over the North kept the people in-
formed con( erniiig the progress of the trial of Brown and his
co-conspiratcn-s, and their execution — Brown on Decendier 2,
and Cook and Copeland on December 16, 1859. The editorial
comment and the public sentiment were divided concerning the
matter, although there was probably more reprobation than ap-
proval of John Bi'own's I'aid. But there were some men in
most Northern communities who not only liad the vision to
see the significance of that outbreak, but who had also the
moral courage to honor the hero who held his life cheap that
he might do something to promote the cause that his heart held
dear.

John Brown was sentenced to be hung on Friday, Decem-
ber 2, 1859. In Racine a meeting was called for Thursday night,
December 1, at the court-h(aise, to take action with reference
to the execution of this sentence. M. Adams was made chair-
man and S. C. Yout, secretary. Norman Chii-k offered a reso-
hition, which was adopted providing for the "appointment of a
connnittee to make arrangements for the proper celebration of
the execution of John Brown, by a pul)lic meeting at some future
time, and also to see that the bells of the city were tolled, and

438 HISTORY OF RACIXE COUNTY

the flags of the shipj^ing displayed at half-mast toinorrdw in
honor of his memory."

H. P. Witbecki Noinian Clarke. Dr. 8. W. Wilson, Dr.
Rufus Clarke and M. Adams were appointed as such committee.
The meeting was addressed Wy William Perm Lyoii. Dr. S. W.
Wilson, H. P. Witbeck, Dr. Rufus Clarke, M. Adams and others.
Many public and othei- buildings were draped in mourning on
December 2nd, and the bells were tolled from 12 to 2 o'clock. On
the Sunday following the pulpit of the Baptist Church was
draped in mourning as a memorial of John Brown.

We have been told that during the John Brown excitement
in Racine a firm of Democratic lawyers having offices in the
Titus Hall Block — now the JNIanufacturers' National Bank
Building — had a banner thirty to forty feet lung stretched across
the front of their offices, facing JMarket Square, on which was
l)ainted in large letters, easily read across the square:

"DEATH TO TRAITORS,"

which sufficiently well indicated their sentiments.

The head of this firm of lawyers was Horace T. Sanders,
and he supported the policies of the Democratic party until,
led l)y its Southern wing, it undertook to disrupt the Uinon in
1861, when he became an ardent "war democrat." We are in-
formed by competent judges, who knew him well and heai'd
him often, that he was the greatest "stunq) speaker," or "spell-
binder" that the city has produced and used his ability in this
direction very effectively during the early months of the war,
in promoting eidistments. In the spring and summer of 1862
he organized the Nineteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, one
company of which was made up largely from Racine County,
and went south as its colonel. He did good service in the w-ar
and came home a brigadier general.

On the evening of the day that Cook and Copeland were
hanged, December 16, 1859, the coiii't-liouse was filled to listen
to addresses l)y Marshall M. Strong, Rev. Mr. Fellows and
others on the meaning of the recent events in Virginia. Another
meeting was held at Titus Hall the following night, with (ieorge
S. Wright as chairman, and addressed by Rev. Mr. Brown and
others, all of which indicates that thei'c was great ])ublic inter-
est in Racine in these events.

HISTORY OF RACIXE COUNTY 439

111 an (.'xtciulcd account of the cxt'cution of John l!i-o\vii in
the Daily Journal of December 8, 1859, occurs this statement:
"On the \\ay to the scaffold, John IJiowii wrote the following
and handed it to Mr. Ilirani O'Bannoii: '1 am convinced that
the <;reat iniquity that hangs over this country cannot be purged
without iniiiieiise l)loodslied. When I first came to this state 1
thought differently, l)ut am now (•(uiviiiced that 1 was mis-
taken.' " lie had prophetic vision at the last.

THE FIRST LINCOLN CAMPAIGN

The national cainpaigii of 18(30 was carried on with tre-
mendous enthusiasm, under intense excitement. It was real-
ized that a crisis was at hand, and Racine City and County, in
common with the country at large, was stirred as it had never
been befcn-e. Almost evei-y man and boy in the town belonged
to some marching or other political clul), the Republicans being
called the "Wide Awakes."

Bands, singing clubs, drum corps, semi-military organiza-
tions and every other known method for arousing interest and
enthusiasm were utilized. The marching clubs were uniformed
and carried banners and torches, which martial exhibit made
a strong appeal to the boys and young men. On the occasion
of some lug demonstration, the Republican paraders would
march through all the principal streets, not forgetting or neg-
lecting the "enemies' country," the "blood}' Fourth" ward,
which was the city's Democratic breeding place, and which, be-
fore the parade got back into "town." was ])retty sure to do
something to justify its appellation.

A tyi^ical rally of that campaign was that held l)y the Re-
publicans on Ooctober 16. It was an all-day affair. "Wide
Awake" marching clubs from out of town began arriving early
in the forenoon, with l)ands of music and drum corps. The
"Lincoln Rangers" on horses were a picturesciue feature. J. I.
Case was marshal of the day, and led the grand parade all
through the city, including the "bloody Fourth," where one of
the paraders, a ])()y, Avas hit on the head by a brick and nearly
killed.

At 1 o'clock the parade arrived at East Public Square, now
East Park, where a stand had been erected for speakers, from
which James R. Doolittle and "Long John" Went worth of

440 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Chicago, in English, and Dr. Lieb and a Mr. Lindemann in Ger-
man, addressed the multitude. Owen Lovejoy of Illinois and
Congressman John F. Potter of Wisconsin were on the program,
but could not be present. In the evening a big torchlight pro-
cession was held, ending in a fine display of fireworks.

STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS IN RACINE

Three days previous to this rally, on Saturday, October 13,
Stephen A. Douglas, the "Little Giant" of the Democratic party,
spoke to the citizens of Racine for eight minutes from the plat-
form of his car, while the train waited at the Lake Shore Rail-
road Station, but he was hoarse and could scarcely be heard
twenty feet away.

The election of Abraham Lincoln on November <>, 1860,
satisfied the slave oligarchy that there was no hope for their
institution" in a continued union with the North, and they
began at once to take the necessary steps for the formation of
a Southern Confederacy. On December 20, South Carolina
seceded, followed in rapid succession by Mississippi, Florida,
Alabama, Louisiana and Texas. When the news of the secession
of Louisiana reached Washington, John A. Dix, Secretary of
the Treasury, telegraphed the treasury agent at New Orleans
the historic message, "If any man attempts to haul down the
American Flag, shoot him on the spot." On February 9, 1861,
the Southern Confederacy was organized at Montgomery, Ala-
bama, with Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens as presi-
dent and vice-president, respectively, and the rebellion against
the Government was in full swing.

The ti'uth about the situation began to filter slowly through
tlie North, which came soon to realize what it had been loath
to believe — that the South really meant to fight — had, in fact,
been engaged in acts of aggression against the Government for
months. The Racine Journal of ^larch 27, 1861, contained the
following editorial paragra])h: "Going, going, gone; Icjok at
tlie Govermnent property, forts, revenue and money already
colle<'ted at the South. Look at tlic easy steps l)y which the
sti'ong fortifications in the harbor at Charleston have fallen
into the hands of traitors. Let every person in the North who
has the spirit of a man, run in the house and get under the bed."

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 441

RACINE WAKES UP

Under these cireuinstances the people of Racine began to
gather in public meetings, in an effort to understand the mean-
ing of events, and to try to determine what was the right course
of action to pursue. The imminence of war was the chief topic
of conversation wherever two or three or more were gathered
together.

On Friday, February 22, a Union meeting was held at Titus
Hall, addressed by (ien. Halbert E. Paine of Milwaukee; a com-
mittee composed of N. H. Dale, J. P. Wooster, A. P. Button,
William P. Lyon and Dr. S. W. Wilson, reported some vigorous
I'^nion resolutions, which, before adoption by the meeting, were
hotly objected to l)y li. T. Sanders and other Democratic lead-
ers present, tht)ugh without effect.

A "war" meeting, which was held in the court-house on
February 24, was characterized by Editor Clement of the Jour-
nal as a political move by the Democrats, and there was evidence
to support the charge. WTiatever the purpose of the organizers,
the result was the adoption of a series of strong resolutions in
support f)f the administration. The court-house was filled to a
"jam" and the meeting was addressed by Chas. Clement, a
fav(»rite speaker; H. T. Sanders, the best spell-liinder in the
state; N. H. Dale, M. M. Strong and others. Half a dozen sets
of resolutions were presented — by M. M. Strong, A. G. Harts-
horn. E. Cram, A. P. Dutton, (I. B. Judd and William P. Lyon.

On April 1.5, the President issued a ]»roclamation calling
for 75,000 volunteers, only 1,000 of which number were asked
of Wisconsin. The first company offered from this state was
the "Park City (ireys," of Kenosha, which volunteered on the
17th inst.. and which went into camp at Milwaukee on the 26th,
the "Belle City Rifles." Racine's first organization, being at
the Lake Shore Station to salute and cheer them as they passed
through this city.

The first week aftei' the bcgiiniing of war was one of tre-
mendous excitement in Racine. The firing on Siunter had acted
as a precipitate of the various opinions and theories as to what
should be done; now every loyal man knew that we had to fight.

Those were testing times for Racine men and women; neu-
trality was not tolerated; it was demanded that they should
l)c either for or against the Union. Flag raisings were everv day

442 HISTORY OF RACTNE COUNTY

events and were (•ciciiKuiidus affairs, for the stars and stripes
looked good and meant much to loyal Americans in the days
when I'ebellion was rampant and treason in the air. The very
existenoe of onr eonntry was at stake, and the question as to
wliether or not tills people was worthy of a free government
was to be put to the i»roof. We shall see how Racine County
men and women met the test.

RACINE'S FIRST COMPANY

The following call was printed in the local papers April 17,
five days after the tiring on Sumter:

"Our country is in peril. Young men, are you ready — have
you any- love of justice — any sense of right — any fire of jjatriot-
ism burning in your breast?

"The undersigned invite the young men of our city who
are willing to unite in the formation of an independent rifle
company to meet them at Titus Hall this evening.

"The President has called for one regiment fr(mi Wiscon-
sin; are you willing to show yourselves good citizens, devoted
patriots and living men?

"William E. Strong, N. J. Field, Jesse L. Burch, H. Utley,
William Rowlands, William L. Parsons, Sam Manderson, John
Baunian, (leorge Baunian, Fred G. Lacy, Walter Gregor}^, S. A.
Seaman, .lames 11. Hinds, Mahlon Barry."

On the evening of the same day at Titus Hall, a monster
war meeting was held, attended by all classes of citizens, men
and women. Mayor (ieoi'ge G. Noi'throp was president, Wil-
liam K. May, secretary, and the following men acted as vice-
presidents: Thomas Falvey, I'L \l. ( 'ooley, Thomas .1. Fmerson,
L. S. Blake and Elisha Raymond. The inevitable connnittee on
resolutions was ap])ointed, of which Charles K. Dyer was chair-
man. Pending the repctrt of this committee, the band played
"Yankee Doodle," and speeches were made by Senator James
R. Doolittle, Thomas Falvey, Henry S. Dui'aiid", H. G. Winslow,
Di-. Kiia].]), !))■. .1. !.. Page, Charles E. Dyei' and J. G. i\Ic]\[ynn.

FLAG RAISINGS

A United States Flag was observed floating from the tower
of St. Pati-icl<'s Church, on St. Clair Street, on the morning of
Ajii-il 'JO. and on the aftei'uoon of that day a thousand citizens

HISTORY OF RACIXE COUNTY 443

fdi'incd ill ]ir(n-('ssi(iii (in Market S(|ii;irc and luarclKMl over to
cheer the Fhig, and to tliank Father (iihsdii for liis |iatri(jtie
action. On arrival at the church, an infonnal niectinn' was licUl,
speeches being made by William L. Utley, Father (iibsoiu Wil-
liam P. Lyon, H. T. Sanders, Charles Clement and Dr. T. P,.
Lacey. After the speaking, repeated cheers were given U>v the
Flag, when the procession reformed and marched back to the
cdurt-honse.

On Tuesday morning, April 23, at 10 o'clock, there was a
tlag-raising at the German Catholic Church, with speeches by
J. R. Dooiittle, W. P. Lyon, H. T. Sanders, C. S. Chase, Abner
Eouse, H. S. Durand and Fathers Gibson and Seller. Mr. Beffel
also, in a few remarks, called on the Gennans to raise 'a com-
pany.

Other flag-i'aisings during April, with public exercises, were
those at the Fifth Ward school-house and at the residence of A.
C. Barry.

On the afternoon of Monday, the 22nd, flag-raising exercises
wore held at the railroad round-house, where a 75-foot pole had
been erected. A large crowd of citizens, accompanied by the
Bugle Band and Major Throup's Artillery, assembled there and
listened to short speeches by Major Northroj), W. P. Lyon, M.
M. Strong, Kev. A. C. Barry, Senator Dooiittle, C. Clement and
X. H. Joy. The crowd cheered the Flag; the band played; the
camion roared and an altogether iuspring program was carried
through.

On Sunday, Ai»ril 21, patriotic sermons were ^ireached, in
the course of which the duty of Christian citizens at this crisis
was clearly set forth. In the afternoon of that day a iniion
prayer meeting was held at the Baptist Church, which was
crowded Avith the Christian people of the city. Addresses were
made by Senator James R. Dooiittle, Judge Wording and others.

On Monday night an adjourned war meeting was held at
Titus Hall, with ]\Iajor Northrop in the chair, and addresses
by Dr. Roswell Park, Circuit Judge David Noggle and Rev.
A. C. Manwell were heard. Dr. M. R. Teegarden offered his
services as a gift during the war "to the family of every man
who shall enlist." Subscriptions to the amount of $4,000 for
the relief of families of volunteers, were made at this meeting,

444 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

which was tlu' hirgest gathering of Racine's citizens wliich had
ever assembled up to that time.

ALLEGIANCE SWORN

A significant and impressive ceremonial was ()])served in
Market Sqnare during an early morning hour of April 23, 1861.
At the war meeting at Titus Hall the night before, Circuit Judge
Noggle had ann(»unced his determination to administer anew
to the members of the bar and tlie county and Federal officials,
the oath of fealty to the constitution, and at 8:30 in the morn-
ing a large crowd of peo|)le liad gathered before the court-house
steps t(t witness tlie ceremonies, wliicli were opened witli music
by the American Bugle Band. Stirring, patriotic addresses
were then made by H. T. Sanders, N. H. Joy and P. B. Ladd.
The oath was then administered to Judge Noggle by County
Judge W. E. Wording, after which the other county officers
and lawyers subscribed to tlie same oath, adniinistered by Judge
Noggle. '

The entire gathering then, at their own request, were
sworn with uplifted hands, to stand by our beloved country
in her time of trial, against all foes. The scene was as solemn
as it was significant, and never to be forgotten by those who
participated in, or witnessed it. The week previous Judge
Noggle had ordered the Sheriff to procure and display the Fed-
eral ensign over the court-house during the term of court.

The form of oath administered was varied to suit the differ-
ent officers, and was drawn by Wm. P. Lyon, N. H. Joy and Ira
C Paine, who were appointed by judge Noggle, a connnittee for
that purpose.

At Titus Hall on Monday, Api'il 2L\ before an innnense as-
semblage, the young ladies of l\acine, with impressive cere-
monies, presented a silk Hag to the Belle City Rifles, the com-
])any marcliing into the hall at the right moment to the enliven-
ing music of the American iJugle IJand. The presentation was
made for the ladies by Senator James K*. Doolittle, and the flag
was accepted for the company by Capt. William F. Strong, in a
soldierly speech, marked by nnich feeling. John ( i. McMynn then
delivered an address to the volunteers, which was full of sound
sense and timelv advice. II. T. Sanders was called out and made

HISTORY (W RACINE COUNTY 445

a brief talk, exhorting the young men to he time to the Flag, and
to show no mercy to traitors.

On Thursday, xMay 2nd, the (•onii)any left the eity for Camp
Randall, at Madison, a great number of people asseudjling at
the station of the Lake Shore Railroad to bid them "God-
speed." The Bugle Band led the mai'eh to the train, and H. T.
Sanders, being called on, made a tinal address containing advice
and cheer. This was the first company from Racine to leave
for the South, and its going brought close home to the mothers,
fathers, sisters, brothers, sweethearts and friends, a solemn
sense of the reality of the war.

Up<m arrival at Camp Randall, the boys were given a
taste of camp life and the serious business of military drill.
They were then asked to volunteer for three years, when some
few of them concluded to quit, and Lieut. Anson Doolittle re-
turned to Racine and recruited enough new men at once to till
the company's quota.*

OUR FIRST MARTYRS

The boys remained at Camp Randall preparing for active
service in the field until June 20, when they left for Washing-
ton. On July 18, less than one month from the time they left
Wisconsin, they were in battle ^\■ith the Rebels at Blackburn's
Ford, Virginia, and again, three days later, at Bull Run, where
the first casualties of the rebellion among Racine County men
were suffered, in the death of Charles Filer and Henry E. Ben-
son, and the wounding of William H. Upham and many others.
"No one who has not seen the anxiety depicted on nearly every
face since the moment news arrived of our regiment heing in
the late bloody battle, can form any idea of it," was the editorial
comment of the Racine Advocate, July 31, 18G1.

The early reports included William H. Upham among the
killed, and for some weeks it was accepted as a fact, and on
August 4th. memorial services for the Racine dead in this bat-

*The Second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, of which the Belle City Rifles was
a part, was notable on three accounts: It was the first Wisconsin regiment to be
mustered in for three years. (See Adjutant General's Report, 1865.) It was the first
regiment of three-year men to appear at Washington; and it was the regiment that
suffered the greatest percentage of "killed and died of wounds," of any in the Union
army. ,

446 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

tlo wore hold at the First PToshvterian ('Imivli l»y Kcv. J. C.
llutchins.

WAR PREPARATIONS

With the departure of the l^ellc City Rifles — Company F,
of the Second Regiment — citizens turned their attention immedi-
ately, with redou])led energy, to the formation of other com-
panies. M. W. Carroll organized and drilled the "Carroll
Guards," a company of eighty men, with headquarters in the old
railroad offices, in Durand's Block, and their services were of-
fered to the Government. The "Racine Union Guard," officered
by E. Cram, captain; Henry T. Fuller, first lieutenant, and
James F. Lewis, second lieutenant, drilled regularly and soon
became proficient.

The "Scott Grays," under Capt. William P. Lyon, an-
nounced on April 29th that it was fully oi'ganized and intended
to be a permanent institution, and on May 15th tendered its
services to the Government for three years. Captain Lyon be-
came Colonel of the Thirteenth Regiment August 5, 1862. After
the war he served his state as Judge of the First Circuit and as
Chief Justice of the SujDreme Court.

The Welshmen were also drilling a company in preparation
for active service.

IN THE COUNTY

While the city was thus rapidly preparing to do its part in
supporting the Federal Ciovernment, the country towns were
not Ix'hind in patriotic enthusiasm. In Burlington, Waterford,
Union Grove, Norway, Caledonia Ccntci', Mt. Pleasant and
other toAvns, public meetings were held, addressed by local and
other speakers, in which the urgent need of the Government of
the loyal support of all its citizens was strongly presented,
and the young men urged to enlist. To this appeal came a
S2:»lciHli(1 response, and within a very short time squads of "sol-
diers in the making" might have been seen in all sections of the
county marching and counter mai'ching, in pre])aration for the
serious business of war.

In Watcifoid, Ira A. Rice marshaled the l)oys who were
ready to enlist, and in a few weeks had eight.y men enrolled
and niarching through the town, headed by a brass band. In
this town, out-door meetings were held, addressed by S. F.
Chapman, Dr. (i. J-''. Newell and others. On May 3rd, at Shum-

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 447

way's School-house in Raymond, and a^ain on the 10th, war
meetings were held by the young men of the town, the latter
being addressed by Reverend iVlillard, Charles Davis, Charles B.
Butler and H. Shumway, and it was resolved to form a company.
A few days later another meeting was held at the Center School-
house, at which N. H. Dale. W. Nobles. B. McCoy and others made
speeches.

On September 4th, the large school-house at Caledonia Cen-
ter was filled to (tverflowing to listen to addresses by James O.
Bartlett and ]\1. J. Carroll of Racine. At the Waltermire School-
house, Norway, on September 21st and 28th, large meetings were
held, at which P. G. Cheves, Adam Apple, William Whiteley,
J. S. Jones, Captain Johnson and others took a ijromincnt part.
At Union Church, Norway, on October 12th, another large meet-
ing was held, of which P. 0. Cheves was chairman; P. Adland,
secretary, and Doctor Kitchingman, orator of the evening. Be-
fore the war was six months old, 6 per cent of the entire popula-
tion of the Town of Norway had enlisted.

CAMP UTLEY

In 1861 William L. Utley, of Racine, was Adjutant (ien-
eral of the state, and was therefore at the head of the military
affairs during the first nine months of the war. During his ad-
ministration of that office, the state put 13,606 men into the
field, besides getting five regiments of infantry, three regiments
of cavaliy, and several artillery companies .in i^rocess of organ-
ization.

In June, 1861. a camp of rendezvous was located at
Racine, through the influence of the Adjutant General, which
was called Camp Utley. Then the stern realties of the war
were brought to the very doors of Racine people. The Fourth
Regiment of Infantry was the first to be quartered here, and it
came in June, Col. H. E. Paine in command. From that time on
there was always "something doing" at the camp as long as the
war lasted.

Camp Utley was located on the farm of Truman (i. \\'riglit,
and comprised seventy-five acres of land on the bank of the
lake, extending from Sixteenth Street, south to the grounds of
Racine College. The soldiers were quartered in the tents at first,
but the kitchen, dining room, commissary and quartermaster's

448 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

departments were in plain wooden structures, which were de-
signed by S. D. (Plough, of Racine, wlio was the first commissary
in charge.

A few days before tlie ariival of the regiment at cam]), the
ladies of Racine were invited to meet Quartermaster McCoy and
Commissary Clough at the camj:) ground to make towels for the
troops soon to be quartered there, the material for which was
already on the ground. The ladies responded to the request
with, enthusiasm, and on many other occasions, during the course
of the war, did nuich in mitigating the rigors of camp life for
the soldiers, and in caring for the sick in hospital.

It is woi'thy of note that on the coming of the first soldiers
to Camp Utley a march was composed for and dedicated to the
Fourth Regiment by John J. Jones, a well-known musician of
Racine, whose memory is still honored by the older Welsh and
other residents of the city.

When the Light Artillery came in the winter of 1861-2,
some of the men were obliged to sleep in tents, because of the
lack of accommodations elsewhere, but they were fed in the
dining hall. There were a))out fifteen hundred of them lici-c that
winter. Eight of the thirteen batteries of light artillery from
Wisconsin were organized and I'cndezvoused at Camp Utley.
They had two ranges for target practice, one down on the river
bottom, near Fox's Farm, a half nule southwest of Milman's
bridge, oi- about the same distance northwest of Luther College;
the other was located on the prairie a little southwest of Gatliff,
where earthworks were thrown up to stop the solid balls. Occa-
sionally they would fire a few shots at cakes of ice in the lake,
from which they would richoehet, and once in a while come dan-
gerously near getting back ashore. On holidays, the artillery-
men, with their guns, would come down town and fire salutes
for the si>ecial benefit of the citizens. The people in the binld-
ings nearest the guns on these occasions learned to open their
windows during the firing, as that was the only way to safe-
guard them fi'om breakage.

it is related that on one holiday afternoon, a company of
these artilh'rymen on horseback came racing up and down Main
Street to Third, and as they passed, hundreds of men and boys
between Fourth and Fifth Streets began snowballing them from

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 449

the sidewalks. Tt was great fun for all ('(Hiceriied, until on the
last run Sduth, the horscMuen took to the sidewalks, di'ivini;'
everybody into the doorways or the street, from which position
the bombardment was eontimied until they were out of range.
It was rather rough sport, but good-natured all the way through,
and nobody was seriously hurt.

FOURTH OF JULY, '01

In the spring of 1861 the Legislatui'c, by enactment, made
the Fourth of July a legal holiday, and the celebration in
Racine that year was of an unusual character. The ladies of
the comity provided and served a splendid dinner for the Fourth
Regiment at Camp Utley. Committees had been appointed
from every ward in the city, and from every town in the county;
the farmers brought in provisions, J. I. Case furnished tifteen
bushels of strawberries, and the ladies were there to serve.

In August, Governor Randall called for five regiments of
infantry and five artillery companies, and earnest effoi't was
made to get another full company ready for service in this city.
The following notice appeared in the local papers August 7th.

MILITARY NOTICE

"The undersigned, having been appointed a connnittee for
the inu'pose, have opened a recruiting office in the armory over
the Racine County Bank, where one or more of them will be in
constant attendance to receive enlistments in a military com-
pany to be raised in this county to serve during the war.

"Those enlisting will not be called into active service be-
foi-e the 20th day of August.

"The committee earnestly solicits the influence and as-
sistance of the citizens of Racine County in furtherance of this
ol)ject.

"JAMES O. BARTLETT,
"J. (J. IMcMYNN,
"W. P. LYON,

"Racine, August 6, 1861."

On September 5th they had sixty enrolled and went into

quarters in the city; two days later they elected officers, William

P. Lyon, captain; Albert E. Smith, first lieutenant, and James

O. Bartlett, second lieutenant. A number of volunteers from

450 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

Walworth County joined with the compan}' to fill its quota, and
Lieutenant Smith was one of that lunnhev. On September 16th
they left the city for Camp Kandall, Madison, and became Com-
pany K of the Eighth Regiment. The residents of Union Grove
made some arrangements to salute them as they passed tln-dugh
that village on their way to Madison, but some secession sympa-
thizer stole the gun and hid it so well that it was not found until
too late for that service, which caused great indignation among
the patriots of the village.

Some effort was made in October of this year to organize
an Irish comj^any here, to be called the "Mulligan fiuards,"
and to be part of an Irish regiment under Col. M. Maloney.
Pat. Geraughty, James Fielding and Gregory Flinn were di-
rected to get recruits for this company. They made diligent
effort to do so, but for some reason were not very successful.
Colonel Maloney went out in command of the Thirteenth, but no
company from Eacine was in it. Pat. Geraughty later became
captain of Company F of the Seventeenth, which was made up
largely of Irishmen.

UTLEY GUARDS LEAVE FOR THE FRONT

Reports of the progress of the several companies that were
drilling were made from time to time in the local papers. On
September 11th the Utley Guards, of Burlington — Company C,
of the reorganized First Regiment (three-year men) — reported
eighty-five men enrolled. A German company in the same town,
the Burlington Rifles, Company E. of the Ninth Regiment,
thirty to forty men. A week later the Utley Guards reported
one hundred and ten men and the Rifles sixty, and on the 25th
inst. the Guards left Bm-liugton for the war, esccu'ted to the
train by the German company, the German brass liatid and a
great ci'owd of citizens. Robert Hill was (•a]>taiii. A\'illiaiii E.
Gibbins, first licTitenant, and 11. A. Sheldon, seeon<l lieutenant
of this company.

SOLDIERS' AID SOCIETIES

In August. J8(il, several big Ixpxes tilled with wi-iting |i;i|ier,
eiivelo]ies, tobacco, ginger snaps, jellies, etc., were sent l»y cit-
izens to the "Belle (^ity Rifles" at the front: dozens of di'awei's,
nightshirts, handkerchiefs, stockings, n;i|)kiiis, dressing gowns,
i.'illows, fans and large (piantities of jellies, jams, wines, etc.,

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 451

were also sent to the Sanitary Coininission at Washington dur-
ing- the same month.

When our armies had been in the field for a few months,
word was received from the Sanitary Conunission that organ-
ized assistance from the home folks was urgently needed in
the militar}- hospitals. When accounts began to drift back to
Racine from the front of the sufferings of the sick and wounded,
(lur boys among others, because of the lack of proper food, cloth-
ing, bandages and other necessaries and comforts, it was quick-
ly determined that something should be done at once to better
these conditions.

On the evening of October 17, 1861, many people meeting
at the office of C. W. Bennett, steps were taken to organize
n Soldiers' Aid Society. At this meeting, H. G. Winslow being
president and J. P. Lewis, secretary, conmiittees were ap-
pointed. At another meeting, iicld Friday, October 25th, a
constitution and l)y-laws were adopted and the following of-
ficers elected: President, B. B. Northrop; secretary, James F.
Lewis; treasurer, William Burbeck.

An executive conunittee was also appointed, consisting of
Thomas J. Emerson, chairman; Mrs. J. R. Doolittle, Mrs. L.
Bradley. :\lrs. H. Warner, :Mrs. S. A. Sage, Jerome I. Case and
Thomas L. Williams. The purchasing committee was com-
jx.scd of Mrs. William E. Wording, Mrs. S. N. Ives and Mrs.
JJoctor Shepard. Thirty-seven Avcnnen and thirty-two men
signed the constitution at once and paid their dues, 20 cents per
week for men and 10 cents for women.

Meetings for business and entertainment were held weekly.

When there was special urgency the ladies met every day
to sew, pull lint and prepare packages and boxes for shipment.
Long lists of cash and other conti'il)utions of every description
were published periodically in the local papers, as well as let-
ters of acknowledgment from company and regimental officers
in the field, and surgeons in hos|)itals, thanking the society for
the large amoimts of clothing, fof)d delicacies and hospital neces-
saries collected and forwarded by them.

The use of the hall in the Masonic Building, where their
meetings were held, was donated by Isaac Taylor. Sanford &
Tapley furnished the light and heat, and \\u[. IJlow installed

452 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

the gas fixtures. W. H. Buffliam and John Caven papered the
hall, and Smith & fFones wliitewashcd the ceiling, all free of cost
to the society.

On January 17, 1862, Bayard Taylor lectured in Racine un-
der the auspices of this society, which netted tlicni $42.90. On
January 25th a grand soiree was given, realizing $200.00. The
society was reorganized in April, 1862, with A. G. Hartshorn,
president; George S. Wright, secretary, and C. H. Uijham,
treasurer. An entertainment in Titus Hall on April 28th, to
inaugurate the work of the new society, netted $1()0.00. The
American Bugle Band, John R. Davis, leader, furnislied the
nuisic. A festival held June 19th realized $250.00.

Similar organizations were foi'mcd in Vnidu (Jrove, York-
ville, Burlington and other towns of the county, and the value
of the aid thus fui-nished was incalculable. These societies con-
tinued their operations while the war lasted, and they were no
inconsiderable factor in bringing the conflict to a successful
conclusion.

BEN BUTLER'S "CONTRABAND OF WAR"

Early in September, 18()1, reports of General Butler's vic-
tory in North Carolina, where he captured Forts Clark and
Hatteras, reached Racine. General Butler had but recently
made his famous decla]'ati<iii that slaves were "contraband of
war," and in celebration of this declaration and the victory of
his arms. Major Throup's Artillery fii-ed a salute of eight guns
and a few extra rounds for good measure. The boys of the city
built a big bontii'c on the scjuarc on the evening of the second,
and a multitude of rejoicing people gathered.

The crowd insisted that the court-house be "lit uj)," and it
was lighted. The people filed in until the building was packed,
and listened to patriotic speeches by Doctor Tillapaugh, Judge
Doolittle, Judge Wording, 11. G. Winslow, Reverend Pillsbury,
Thos. Fuller and Lieut. Harry Jjee, of Milwaukee.

The first week in F(>bruary, 18(52, it was announced that
Cai)t. Patrick Bennett, of Waterford, was having success in
enlisting men for his company for the Nineteenth Regiment.
He had thirty men at this time and two months later he had his
roster full, and they were nuistered into service.

When the news of the surrender of Fort Donelson, February
15, 1862, came, there was more rejoicing in Racine. In the

HISTORY ()!• RACINE COUNTY 453

evening anotlici- large crowd assenililcd nw the square and sev-
eral batteries of artillery tVoin (amp I'tlcy tired salulcs in
celebration of the victory, while the people sang "John Brown's
Body Lies a'Monldering in the Grave, Bnt ITis Sonl (iocs March-
ing On," and other patriotic songs.

At this time there was a feeling in many quarters that the
I'chellion could not last much longer, and in a call foi' "lots of
workers" at the next meethig of the "Aid Society," the plea
was made, "Come friends, sixty days more, with God's blessing,
will close this terrible struggle. In the meantime let us do
A\hat we can to relieve our brave boys." Perhaps it was just
as well they did not know that it had but just begun.

During the latter part of March, 1862, bills were i>osted
about the city containing the announcement that "Captain P. H.
Sheridan is in the city for the purpose of purchasing horses for
the United States Army, and will remain until April 4th; none
l)ut the best quality of horses need be presented." Captain
Sheridan got two hundred horses while in this neigh Itorhood
and shipped them to St. Louis, but did not stay out his time,
inices asked being too high. He left Racine and made Chicago
his headquarters, finding there a better market in which to pur-
chase.*

During the spring and summer of 1862 there was nnich
fighting on many fields. Beginning with the battle of Shiloh, or
Pittsburg Landing, April 6th and 7th, where the Union losses
were more than 13,000, the North received reports almost every
week of sanguinary battles, some of which were victories and
(tthers defeats, hnt all of them accouqianied ])y long lists of
killed and wounded.

Enlistments were not coming in fast enough to kee}) the
I'anks filled and a draft was ordered. The conditions of the
di'aft were su<-li that each ward in the city and each town in
the county was required to furnish a certain proportion of its
l)opulation for the army, and enlistments secured from a given
town or ward, reducing by so many the number to be drafted
from that community.

War meetings began to be held in the city, and through-
out the county in order, if possiV)le, to make the draft unneces-

* From "Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan."

454 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

sary. On Friday, August 1st, at a large meeting at the (■•mrt-
liouse, speeches were made by C. W. Bennett, J. M. Tilhipaugh,
A. P. Dutton and J. T. Case. Mr. Case offered to give $10.00 to
each of the fii'st hundred men who enlisted. This offer was made
good a month later, when on the muster-in of Company A, of
the Twenty-second Regiment, volunteei's to the number of one
Inmdred and one, each received a ten-ddllai' bill from the hand
of .Mr. Case.

On August 12th an enthusiastic war meeting was held at
Union (irove, addressed by Doctor Park, Judge Noggle, Senator
Doolittle and others, when twenty recruits were enlisted for
Captain Williamson's Comi)any.

On August 12th a large and ins])iring war meeting of the
Welsh citizens was held for the purpose of securing recruits
for Owen (iriffitli's Company of the Twenty-second. Speeches
were made by Kev. W. J. Hopkins, Owen Griffith, W. (;. Rob-
erts, Robert O. Jones, .bihn Bowen and W. W. Vaughan.

(\nnmittees were appointed at this meeting to solicit funds
and volunteers among the Welsh citizens at Skunk (Jrove and
at Pike Grove.

During the week of August 11-1(1. the business of the city
was practically suspended, wliih- its citizens gave their attention
to the pron:otion of the war spii'it. Beginning on Wednesday,
a i)rotracted war meeting was held niglit and day until Saturday.
On Friday afternoon, at East Public Square, an immense crowd
assenililed and was addi'essed in English by Judges Hubbell and
McArthur, and in Gei-nian by I)i'. Fessell, the same speakers
addressing a coui't-house niet'ting in the evening. The patriotic
citizens of Racine weri' determined to leave nothing undone to
secure our quota without a draft, if jtossible.

7\t a war meeting hehl August 22, lleni'y S. Durand offered
$25 and a life insurance policy which he agreed to keep in force
as long as the volunteer was in service, to each of the first tive
men who enlisted. Thi'e(> acce])ted his offei'. August was a
stilling month in the city. Diu'ing the last w'eek the Twenty-
second Regiment went into (luarters at ('amp Ctley, with three
companies frmii Racine ( 'oinity — ('(Uiipany A, the ''Union
(iuards"; Company F, the "(Jand)rian (liiards," and Com])any
TI. "Racine Countv Farmer l?ovs."

HISTORY DF RACIXE C'OrXTV 455

On September 22, President Lincoln issued his Emancipa-
tion Proclamation and (luiiiiL:,- the followint;- week a mass nicet-
inn of Racine's citizens was lield to t^ive ex])ression to tlic publi''
sentiment concerning it. (icorge C. Northrop was president of
the meeting; Senator Doolittle, Col. H. T. Sanders and Rev. A. C.
Barry making stirring addresses, after which strong resolutions
of endorsement of the President's action were adopted. In
Noveml)er came the draft. L. S. Blake was commissioner in
charge and Dr. M. R. Teegarden was surgeon.

One cold night in the first week in December, 1862. the
tire bells Avere rung on account of a blaze that was seen out
toward Camp Utley. It proved to be at the old barracks on the
camp ground, which was totally destroyed, as the soldiers in-
tended it should be, for it evidently had been set afire in three
idaees by the drafted men who occupied it. It seems that there
had been strenuous complaint that the l)arracks were crowded;
at least the occupancy of the Innd^s by the soldiers was contested
every night and all night, and they took this summary method
of exterminating the contestants. In discussing the fire, the
local pa]iers admitted that there were extenuating circumstances.

On New Year's Day, 1863, the Racine "Zouave Cadets"
made their first appearance on the city streets, officered by
Frederick Ullman, captain; S. A. Covell, first lieutenant, and
Winfield S. Tefft, second lieutenant. They made a fine appear-
ance and i)arade(l up .Main t(t Tenth Street, then to West Park,
where they drilled. The Zouaves, a few months later, became
a part of Company C, First Heavy Artillery, under Captain John
R. Davies. This battery was chosen to fire the signal gun which
oi)ened the battle at Missionary Ridge and at its close was also
selected to tire a national salute of twenty-one guns in token of
victory.

On ^larch 4 and 5, 1863, in a battle at Thompson's Station,
Tenn., several hundreds of the men of the Twenty-second Regi-
ment were captured, and just three weeks later the remnant of
the regiment fell into the hands of rebel General Forest at
Brentwood. About three hundred Racine men, within a few
months from the time of leaving home, were thus thrust into
Libl>y Prison. Chaplain Pillsbury of the regiment was not held
and he wrote letters home giving details of the captures and
making severe strictures on the commanding generals.

456 HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY

The writer was told by one of the prisoners that on the way
to Richmond, as they were marched through the streets where
the aristocratic people of Lynchlnirg, Va., lived, finely dressed
women called them "damned Yankees" and otherwise cursed
them in vile language, in which they were imitated by four-
year-old children. Of considerable interest in this connection
is another story which Congressman H. A. Cooper, in an address
before the Racine Commei'cial Clnb, during the Avinter of 1915,
told of meeting a young Southern congressman who confessed to
him that he was twenty-five years old before he discovered that
"damned Yankee" wasn't a single word.

After the TAventy-second was captured. Chaplain Pillsbury
came home and lectured through the county, and in June was
back with the army, the prisoners of his regiment having been
exchanged within a few weeks of capture, and after a brief fur-
lough at home, returned to the service.

Early in May, 1863, Dr. J. ^I. Tillapaugh was appointed
Provost Marshal for the First Congressional District, including
Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, Walworth and Waukesha Coun-
ties. He innnediately appointed one enrolling officer from each
ward in the cities, and from each town in the counties, whose
duty it was to make a complete list of all able-bodied men in
their territoiw between the ages of nineteen and forty-five years.

The Racine County enrolling officers were:

Racine — First Ward, C. H. Upham; Second Ward, John
Wilson; Third Ward, George H. Carpenter; Fourth Ward,
Thomas Fuller; Fifth Ward, Stephen H. Sage. County — Mt.
Pleasant, Charles EUerson; Yorkville, William Stock; Dover,
Benjamin Pierce; Burlington, A. (i. Cole; Rochester, Orrin
Wright; Waterford, Ira A. Rice; Norway, Plans J. Jacobson;
Raymond, Joseph Nelson; Caledonia, Courtland Bones.

Tlic r('])oi-t of the work of these officers was jjrinted in
The Advocate of July 29 and contained the names of 2,5()() men
who were liable to draft under the act of Congress entitled "An
Act for enrolling and calling out the national forces, and for
other puri)oses," approved March 3, 18(53.

Ill lelters Froin ( '. 1). Pillsbiu'v ahoiit .July 1, it was related
that tile band of the Twenty-second had been ]n'esented by the
I'egiiiieiif with a coinplete set of new instruments, purchased in

HISTORY OF RACINE COUNTY 457

St. Louis, all of German silvci-, and eostins $567. He also told
liow some of the men, while the regiment was passini:,- tlii'onj>'h
Brentwood on the way to Fraidvlin, Teiin., recovered some arti-
cles, revolvers and other portable ])ossessions, which they had
hidden at the time of their capture there a few weeks before.
The chaplain himself recovered a volume of manuscript seraions,
left there in a trunk, which a kind-hearted native had saved.
On July 8, '63, Chap