Bios transcribed by Kay R. & History by Jan Cortez
Butte des Morts
This village - the scene of the sanuguinary conflict which resulted in expelling the fierce Foxes from the valley - was also a favored Indian haunt. Here it was that Father Marquette landed, and first learned from the Mascoutins of the great river which flowed toward the south. In 1818, Augustus Grignon and James Porlier established a trading-post one mile below the site of the village. A son of the latter still lives upon the site of the old trading-post, and is one of the most prominent and intelligent residents of Butte des Morts. In 1832, L.B. Porlier, the gentleman referred to, succeeded Robert Grignon, a nephew of Augustus, as agent of the post, his father James Porlier, being a resident of Green Bay. Augustus Grignon lived formerly in Kaukauna, a short distance below Appleton. In May 1846, George Bell and family settled in this vicinity, and after them a few weeks, Greenbury Wright and family, with his brother Dr. A.B. Wright. They took up land upon the present site of Butte des Morts. During the same year, Julius Ashby, Stephen Allen, William Calkins and others, swelled the settlement. In 1849, a post office was established and Augustus Grignon appointed Postmaster. The Postmaster, not content with the "emoluments of his position." put up a house which he called a hotel. F.F. Hamilton opened a general store in the first frame building erected in the village, which saw the light of day also during that year. The village had been platted during July of the previous year, and, in 1849, Augustus Grignon and other leading villagers (as have been previously detailed), made another and final, and unsuccessful effort to have the county seat fixed at Butte des Morts. This failure appeared to be the rock upon which the village split as a really progressive burgh, and she is now looked upon as a curious momentio of a noted historical point in the historical valley of the Fox. Among the oldest settlers still living within the limits of the village are Thomas B. Patford, L.W. Hull, Samuel L. Odell, Whitman Brown, J. Neubiert and Peter C. Peterson.
In early times, Butte des Morts was busy as a lumber market. In 1851, Smith & Vibbert erected the first mill. In 1868, after lying idle four years, it was rebuilt by Allan Vosburg & Co., who continued the business until the mill burned in 1871. During this period, her dealings in wheat were also quite large. But later the village became chiefly known for the enormous traffic which it carried on in muskrats, the transactions amounting to thousands of dollars annually. Butte des Morts has a number of thriving general stores, an Episcopal MIssion under the charge of Rev. John Blyman, and is accommodated by a good district school.
Page 1191 - D. W. HULL, retired, Butte des Morts first located here in 1855, bought a saw-mill and engaged in the manufacture of lumber ten years; then bought real estate, speculated, etc. He was elected County Treasurer of Winnebago Co. in November, 1878, held the office one term and refused a second nomination unanimously in his favor. He was born in Stonington, Conn., June 26, 1828; was married to Miss Phebe E. HEWITT, who was born in North Stonington, same State, March 23, 1831. He was married at the latter place Sept. 1, 1851. They have three children - Erastus Hewitt HULL, at home, Jesse York HULL, proprietor in company, Boston 99-cent store of Oshkosh, Wis., and Frank Henry HULL, at home.
Pages 1191 & 1192 - Peter C. PETERSON, Butte des Morts, dealer in general merchandise and all goods found in a country store, also Postmaster; established in 1858; sales amount to about $5,000 per annum. Mr. P. settled in Butte des Morts, Wis., in 1855, and clerked some time, then engaged in business in company with T. TOUNESON, which continued until 1860. Mr. P. then bought the entire interest and conducted the same until 1863; sold out to T. NEILSON and went to Virginia City, Nevada; engaged in the grocery trade two years; sold out and returned to his present business. He was born in Christian Sand, Norway, Dec. 29, 1829; emigrated to America in 1855; married in Butte des Morts, Jan. 30, 1876, to Miss Bertha BOGK, who was born in Germany July 18, 1853. They have one son, Percival Charles PETERSON. Mr. P. has been Justice of the Peace of his town six years, also Notary Public, and is a member of the Lutheran Church.
General Town History
In 1843, the town of Butte des Morts was changed to the town of Winnebago, which embraced the whole county. In 1847 it was divided into five towns - Winnebago, Butte des Morts, Brighton, Neenah and Rushford. From the subdivision of these five original towns, have been created the sixteen which now comprise the county. In 1850, the town of Brighton was changed to Nekimi, and in 1852, Winnebago to Oshkosh, and Bloomingdale (formerly Butte des Morts), to Omro. The salient facts forming the history of the towns have already been given.
[NOTE: This above paragraph is from the book - but, it is noted that: "The correction is Bloomingdale was changed to Omro......Butte des Morts still exists. Butte des Morts and Omro are not even neighboring communities as you either have to go thru Winneconne or Oshkosh to get to Omro (or if you have a boat you can go thru the lake and then follow the Fox River)"]
Page 1192 - Mrs. Isabelle DARROW, relict of the late Daniel Cady DARROW, was born, reared and married in New York State; married Dec. 29, 1841; in 1846, they removed to the present place, and have been actively identified with the development of the agricultural industries of this place ever since; in 1862, June 5, Mr. DARROW died and is buried in the Neenah cemetery, aged forty-six years. Mrs. DARROW was formerly Miss Isabella MURRAY, whose people were among the very early settlers of this locality. The family consists of three sons and three daughters living, two sons and one daughter buried in Neenah Cemetery, and one son died in hospital; he belonged to Co. I, 21st W.V.I.
Page 1192 - D. L. McCORPIN, farmer and stock-raiser, P.O. Neenah, town of Clayton, was born in Todd Co., Ky., Feb. 26, 1815; in 1841, he came to Racine Co., Wis., and after a stay of a few years there, and one year in Fond du Lac, he came here in 1846, and has been prominently identified with the development of the agricultural industries of this locality since; in October, 1847, he was married to Miss Tacey WILSEY, who was born in New York State. They have a family of two daughters - Phoebe and Elizabeth, now Mrs. Douglass ARNOLD, of Arcadia, Wis.
Page 1192 - Mrs. George CLARK, town of Vinland, P.O. Vinland. Mrs. CLARK is the widow of the late George CLARK, who was born in Lincolnshire, England, 1810, and came to Wisconsin in 1843. She was Miss Catharine BAIRD, born in County Mayo, Ireland, and came to Wisconsin in 1840; in 1844, they were married in Waukesha, and came here in 1846 and settled upon the present place, where Mr. CLARK passed away this life in 1872, and is buried in the family cemetery here, leaving a family of five daughters, all grown to the woman's estate and married.
Page 1192 - Francis GILLINGHAM, farmer and stock dealer, Sec. 2, town of Vinland, Winnebago Co., P.O. Neenah; was born in Dorcetshire, Dec. 14, 1829; came to America in 1850; lived in Monroe Co., N.Y., until he came to his present home, in October, 1854; besides farming he has dealt in stock extensively every year; for five years he was in partnership with John HUNT, in pork and beef packing business in Neenah; for the last three years he has carried on the same business, his son, Francis J., being in partnership with him. Mr. G. was first married at Genoa, N.Y., in 1853, to Elizabeth MILLER; she died in January, 1864; they had six children, four of whom are now living - Francis J., Alma S. (now Mrs. Geo. PHIPPS, of Baraboo, Wis.), Letta May and John M. Mr. GILLINGHAM's present wife was Mary QUATERMAS; they were married in Vinland, Jan. 1, 1865; they have one child - Fred D.
Page 1192 - John HART, town of Vinland, Sec. 12, P.O. Neenah; was born and reared in Lincolnshire, England; in 1837 he was married to Miss Mary A. HUDSON, in England; in 1848 he took passage for America, and lost his wife on the voyage, by whom he had five sons and one daughter; in 1849 he was married again to Miss Mary TAYLOR, who died Jan. 30, 1869, leaving a family of five daughters; in May, 1870, he was married for the third time to Miss Mary A. DALBY; Mr. HART came to Wisconsin in 1848, and began the life of a pioneer in Waukesha Co., which he successfully carried on for nine years, after which he came here and has been actively engaged since.
Page 1192 - W. H. SCOTT, town of Vinland, farmer and stock raiser, Neenah P.O. Mr. SCOTT was born in New Hampshire, May 16, 1816; at the age of twenty he went to Livingston Co., N.Y. where he followed the lumbering and milling interests until 1846, when he came to Wisconsin and settled upon the present place, where he has had an active pioneer experience of thirty-five years; in 1841 he was married to Miss Mary ENOS, who was born in Madison Co., N.Y.; they have a family of two sons and two daughters, all grown to man's and woman's estate
