Among the very first settlers in Raymond were Nathaniel Rogers and his
son Joel Rogers. They were living there, on the arrival of
Elisha Raymond Sr., and his son, Alvin Raymond, who made their settlements
in the town on the 22d of September, 1835. Mr. Raymond Sr., and his son
Alvin came on the vessel "Agnes Barton" to Chicago, and from Chicago to
Racine, on a little schooner manned by a Frenchman and two Indians. Upon
their first tour into Raymond, they found the branch of Root River,
which extends into the town, a full, clear stream, with a gravelly bottom,
pleasant banks and unbroken current. Mr. Alvin Raymond in the following
October went to the Rapids and labored a year for William See.
Mr. Elisha Raymond bought a claim already made, covering a quarter section,
for $25. He immediately rolled up some logs in cabin shape, put on some
shakes for a roof, and lived there through the winter of 1835-36.
On the 20th of June, 1836, Seneca Raymond, son of Elisha Raymond Sr.,
landed at Racine. He came on a vessel from Oswego, with his own and his
father's family, and at once joined his father.
Nelson Bentley also arrived and settled in Raymond, in June, 1836. He drove
a double team and wagon all the way from Manlius, N. Y. He and
Seneca Raymond left Manlius on the same day, and both arrived at Racine
on the same day, one coming by water from Oswego, and the other by his
own conveyance, each making the journey in precisely six weeks.
In the summer of 1836, Mr. Raymond, Sr., built a capacious two-story
log house on his claim. A stone chimney was built in the house from
the ground floor, and it gives one a happy feeling to know of such
comfort in a wilderness as was afforded in that house by the great
old-fashioned fireplace with which it was provided.
Timothy Sands, Orson Bump, Reuben Rogers, John Rogers, Joseph Drake,
and John Brewer settled in Raymond in 1836; Caleb J. True, Niles Bentley,
William O. Mills, John Jones and Zachariah Sands in '37; Walter Shumway
and Leonard Upham in 1838, and Thomas E. Parmalee and Daniel McPherson,
in 1839.
On the 12th of May, 1838, Mr. Loring Weber came into Raymond. He and his
family remained at the house of Mr. Raymond six weeks after their arrival.
When I saw Mr. Weber he could recall none of the settlers yet remaining
in Raymond who were there when he came, except Mr. Nelson Bentley and
Mr. Timothy Sands.
Mr. Weber made his claim in May, 1838, and continued to occupy it as his
homestead until he recently left the county. He built the first frame house
in the town with oak lumber which he procured at the Rapids.
Among the other early settlers were Philetus Crandall, who settled in
1840, and Christian Frederick and William Schwartz, who settled in 1837.
Reynolds Scofield, George Scofield, Charles Scofield and
Dr. John E. Scofield also settled in Raymond in 1837. Dr. John E. Scofield
was the first physician who located in the town.
In September, 1839, James T. Elliot settled in Raymond. Peter Reynolds
in '38 and William Elliot in 1840.
Like the early settlers in other parts of the county, those of Raymond
were subjected to dangers and inconveniences. They had to grind corn
in their pepper mills for their bread, and suckers, rice, and codfish
were staple commodities. Some, however, brought supplies with them
to meet emergencies. Seneca Raymond brought twenty bushels of potatoes
with him, planted them on the 4th of July, 1836, and had a good crop
of one hundred and fifty bushels. At one time, also, Mr. Weber and Elisha
Raymond, Sr. went south and brought into the settlement thirty head of
cattle and fifteen hogs. Later in 1841 Mr. Raymond raised three thousand
bushels of grain on one hundred acres of land.
The Indians were troublesome. The Raymond settlement was not far
distant from Jambeau's trading post, and the Indians with their
thieving propensities and meddlesome dispositions, annoyed the
settlers.[sic] NOTE: Transcriber only includes this paragraph because
it is part of the published text. The KenGenWeb in no way believes
that this statement is correct or is a worthy representation of actual
occurances between Native Americans and settlers.
On one occasion Mr. Alvin Raymond fell asleep in the field where he had
been cutting grass. He had his rifle by his side and was suddenly awakened.
Thirteen ponies with two or three Indians astride of each pony, was
the sight which met his eyes as he awoke. He grasped his rifle, and
upon their inquiring if he had a squaw and a wigwam they all went
directly to Mr. Elisha Raymond's house. Charles Raymond, son of
Alvin Raymond, at the age of three years could speak the Indian language.
The first religious society in Raymond was the Congregationalist.
Mr. Loring Weber assisted in building the first meeting house.
The first marriage in Raymond was that of Miss Eliza Raymond to
Willard Flint, which was celebrated on the 27th day of May, 1838.
The town of Raymond was first called "Black Hawk" by act of the
Legislature in 1846, but at the same session an act was subsequently
passed, reorganizing the town, and giving it the name of Raymond,
for the pioneer who had so sturdily established and maintained
his settlement in the town.
|