1890 Portrait & Bio Album of Green Lake, Marquette & Waushara Counties
Waushara County
The first settlement within the present limits of Waushara County was made September 24, 1848. At this time Isaac and William Warwick, brothers, who had just been discharged from the Mexican War, made a claim to a piece of land, now section 2 in the town of Marion. They built an 8X10 shanty, and in the fall Isaac went, with two yoke of oxen, to Steven's Point, and secured lumber for the erection of a larger and more convenient house. This settlement was made on the Indian lands, and although the Warwicks were repeatedly ordered to vacate their claim by both the Indians and the Indian agent, they managed by hook or by crook to appease their wrath, and became permanent settlers. In 1849 a new road was opened from Berlin to what is now Wautoma. At the latter place, Phillip Green had built a shanty during the winter of 1848 and 1849. This claim was later (in 1849) sold to Mr. Atkins, who kept a tavern during the winter season for the accommodation of the lumbermen going into the woods above.
During 1849 and 1850, settlers began to gather in and make settlements in many parts of the present county. In the first mentioned year, John C. Williams, William F. Chipman and family, and John H. Detrick and family, arrived, followed soon by Lewis H. Bagg and Mr. Shepard. These all settled in the southeast part in the present town of Morrow. A school, the first in the county, was started in this town in 1849, the teacher having been Mrs. Diana Carr, who lived in Mr. Bagg's family, and the tuition having been paid by subscription.
The first claim made in the town of Leon, in the eastern part of the county, was in 1849, by a bee-hunter by the name of Worden. He came from Neenah, and went back there after a short time. His claim was made on what is now Van Aernam's prairie. In the same year E.W. Alverd and William Tibbett settled in Mount Morris, in the central part of the county. The first settledment in the west end of the county was made in 1849 by Thomas Kelley and his son, William N. Kelley, who located in the town of Plainfield. W.W. Beach and Leonard Wilcox followed him in the same year, locating in the second tier of towns from the western end of the county. William Lord came about the same time and settled in the same part of the county. He kept a tavern in the town of Oasis. The Shaws came about the same time. C.E. Waterman and Charles Hamilton came in the winter of 1849 and 1850, and located at the site of the present village of Plainfield.
All these early comers began farming, and most of them brought with them their families. So, at the beginning of 1850, several settlements had been started at different points. During this yearnumerous others joined the new settlement, a few of such being Rev. William Bassenger, who was the first preacher; John and Charles Shumway; Dr. Moses Barrett, the first physian in the county; Martin Becker, John Howell, Solomon Mundinger, Joel Howard and M. Aman. Cartwright, Firman and many others came within the next two or three years, so that neighbors were not far removed from each other. Many of the original settlers are still living and occupying the places upon which they located on their arrival. Such as have remained are well-to-do or possessed of more than a comfortable competence of this world's goods.
Pioneer Tragedies
The Cartwright Firman tragedy - - killing of Firman by Cartwright at Wautoma, and the lynching of Cartwright at Princeton -- is elsewhere related in detail. Another tragedy of the pioneer days occurred in the town of Aurora. John Shonts had pre-empted a quarter-section of land and built a shanty on it, and then gone back to Illinois to get some money due him there. In Illinois he was taken with fever and ague, and was prevented from returning in time to "prove up" on his claim. In the meantime John Leahy, with his wife, had taken possession of the property and moved into Shonts's house. When he came back Shontz explained the circumstances of his detention to Leahy, and asked him to resign the claim to him. Leahy sought advice, and it seems to have been bad advice that he found, for he refused to comply with Shontz's request. Shonts, with some sympathizing neighbors, went to the claim in Leahy's absence, and upon Mrs. Leahy's refusing to vacate the house, they took it down, leaving her and her belongings on the bit of ground which had been its floor, but offered her no other molestation. Having completed the work of demolition, they went to dinner. When they came back that saw that Leahy had returned also, and was awaiting their coming gun in hand. As they approached, Leahy called out to Shontz, "If you come, I'll shoot you!" Shontz dropped on one knee and brought a shotgun
which he carried to his shoulder, and fired with fatal effect, killing Leahy almost instantly. Shontz was arrested and tried for murder, but was cleared, self-defense being claimed, through the influence and good management of his attorneys, Ezra Wheeler and J.V. Swetting, of Berlin.
Old Settler's Union
In pursuance of a previous call, a meeting of the old settlers of Waushara County, of the year 1850, was held in the Congregational Church at Pine River, Jan. 28, 1871. The meeting was called to order by George Hawley, of Poysippi, Dr. J.S. Ewing was made Chairman, and Dr. D.B. Jewell, Secretary. A prayer was offered by the Rev. D. Campbell; George Hawley presented the draft of the constitution, which was adopted. George Hawley, E.W. Daniels, J.A. Williams, F.E. Noyes and F. Dewey, were appointed a committee to nominate officers for the union for the ensuing year, and reported the following: President, J.S. Ewing; Vice Presidents -- E.W. Daniels, Aurora, George Hawley, Poysippi; Joel Howard, Bloomfield; Oliver Pierce, Saxville; B.F. Frisbie, Leon; T.S. Chipman, Warren; T.F. Metcalf, Marion; George Marshall, Mt. Morris; J.A. Williams, Springwater. Secretary, J.J. Hawley; Treasurer, B.D. Jewell. The President gave some interesting reminiscences of early settlement, and closed with a feeling eulogy of some early settlers whose lives had been sacrificed in the late war -- Capt. Edward Sax, Cooley Smith and Nathan K. Barker. The meeting adjourned to Marshall's hotel for supper. The following gave in their names as members of the union: S.A. Kimball, Anna M. Kimball, B.F. Frisbie, P.C. Frisbie, E.W. Daniels, Elizabeth Daniels, George Hawley, Isabel G. Hawley, J.S. Ewing, Betsy Ewing, Silvia Cole, Ella Marshall, B.D. Jewell, Olive Jewell, Eva Jewell, Jacob Van Aernam, Mary Van Aernam, J.J. Hawley, Helen M. Hawley, R.F. Sax, Alice Dewey, J.A. Williams, Laura Williams, Fred Dewey, Lucy Dewey, F.E. Noyes, Hannah Noyes, D.A. White and F.C. Clark. It was voted that all settlers of 1851 be invited to become honorary members of the union. At the third annual meeting at Pine River, Jan. 28, 1873, the following additional names were signed to the constitution: J.H. Carter, Nelson Nelson, D.C. Perkins, W. Williams, T.S. Chipman, H. Lang, J. Howard, H.E. Frisbie, T.F. Metcalf, F.D. Broce, N.L. Gill, T.S. Case, B. Sears, O. Pierce (with those of their wives) A.J. McGowna, S. Westoner, Isabel McMillan and Susan Skiff. The following new members were admitted at the fourth annual meeting, held at Auroraville, Jan. 27, 1874: Rev. D. Hale, D. Willman, A.A. Daniels, D.W. Cate, F. Chamberlain, S. Ward, S. Culver, William Covill, G.W. McIntyre, H.W. Berray, M. Carter, G. Spoor, A. Prutsman, N. Harrington, F. Terrill, J.J. Wood, L.C. Jordan, A. Strang,H. Stowers, William C. Wait, C.H. Gill, M. Ream, N.W. Milliken, L.J. Shumway, M. Hollowell and their wives, Mrs. E. Sax, J.B. Jordan, Nancy Howard, Mrs. W. Galloway, Mrs. Shumway, W.F. Chipman, T. Sears, George B. McMillan, A.W. Davenport, Mrs. M. Russell, E. A. Jordan. At the fifth annual meeting held Jan. 28, 1975, the following members were admitted: John Maitland, S.S. Brown, William Warwick, A.A. Cole, William Stratton, Emma Stratton, Betsy Lamphear, Albro Parker, Sarah Parker, Charles Russell, Nellie Russell, I.R. Lathrop, E.J. Davies, Anna Davies, I.L. Parker, Harriet Parker, John Leach, Betsy Leach, Venlora Cole, E.W. Alvord, Mary Alvord, Hiram B. Terrill, Joseph Matthews, Lydia Matthews, R.H. Graves, D.H. Davis, C.W. Virgen, B.A. Cady, T.L. Hall, Henry Hitchcock, Julia Hitchcock, N.B. Holcomb, Emeline Holcomb, Sam Havener, Alvina B. Cole, Mrs. A.C. Berray, Mrs. J.F. Millken, Amanda Clark, Harriet Waite, M.L. Cary, William Murphy, Yorty Burtzell, Robert A. Havener, Rosa Havener, Barbara Norris, Lester Stevens, Jacob Cady. At the sixth annual meeting, held at Poysippi, Jan. 28, 1876, the following named persons were admitted to membership: William A. Hamlin, Mary J. Hamlin, J.M. Cover, Mary Cover, Martha Brown, Sumner Brown, Alida Vanlindy, Elihu F. Corse, Betsy Corse, John MOtt, Frances Mott, John Palen, Charles Hawley, Bertie Hawley, May Hawley, Selim S. Putnam, Susan Putnam, Eugene Leach, Thomas Farran.
The following new members were admitted at the seventh annual meeting, at Willow Creek, Jan. 27, 1877: Charles W. Smith, John D. Williams, Mary Ann Williams, Henry Jockling, E.J. Stewart, J.C. Stewart, L.H. Covill, Sarah Covill, S. Parker, S.L. Briggs, Mrs. S.L. Briggs, J.M. Whitman and wife, A.S. Rogers and wife, A.S. Barnes and wife, Phil Walker and wife, I.C. Herrick and wife. At the eighth annual meeting, Jan. s8, 1878, at Auroraville, Charles J. and Hattie L. Davis, DeWitt L. and Louisa M. Davenport, Bennett T. Davenport, Charles F. Jewell, A.H. and Melissa Wheaton, F. Livermore, John R. and Mary Heffernon and Clark Daniels were admitted to membership. The following, among others, were subsequently admitted: Abbie L. Jewell, John Griffin and wife, Jane Allen, Frank D. Pierce, Mark H. Pierce, Mrs. Polly Clark, T. Jewell, R. Blanchard, F. Blanchard, Hannah Davis, A. Kittenger, J. Walters, J.W. Carpenter, G.W. Baxter, John P. Perkins, Dan Borst, Lavina Borst, T.H. Patterson, Belle Patterson, George Stetson adn wife, Minor C. Wilson and wife, B.S. Williams and wife, Mrs. T.H. Hall, W.S. Skeel, Hattie E. Kimball, Mrs. Nathan Kimball, John D. JOnes, W.T. Williams, P.B. Membran and wife, John C. and Isabel Rice, William Pierce and wife, Joseph and Flora Brigham, A.W. Heavely, James Bolton and wife, J.W. Coon, Marie Warren, E.M. Owens, Nettie Graves, Mrs. L.B. Vosburg, Cora M. Prutsman, Willard E. Carpenter.
Early Experiences
The exercises at the annual meetings of the society have been varied and interesting. From time to time members have read papers or delivered addresses replete with historical interest. Without giving dates and names of places at which they were read or delivered, as such information is of but secondary importance, we give in the following pages such extracts as it is deemed will add to the historical calue of this chapter.
Hon. George Hawley said that he visited what is now Waushara County in 1850 and made his claim, putting, as the custom was, a blaze on a tree. He reviewed at length the condition of the east half of Waushara County, in an early day, with no roads, no bridges, no schools, no homes, etc., and the circumstances of the first settlers. They were all poor; the most favored had but scanty means. He remembered how the old settlers watched the first potato patch for the first potatoes, and the little cornfield for the first ear of corn, and the wheat field for the appearance of the first head of wheat. He thought the old settlers had realized their most sanguine expectations and might well feel proud of their work. He mentioned at some length the present products of Waushara County that are annually shipped to other places -- her thousands of cords of wood, of hewed lumber, of oak, pine, tamarack, etc.; her wagon timber, including boxes, felloes, spokes, etc. "quantities of which are made into wagons at Racine to be shipped to Japan;" her basswood, sent in large quantities to VErmont, manufactured into articles and sent back within a dozen miles of home; her farm products of all kinds, especially her buckwheat, saying that he thought his friend, JOhn A. Williams had "made buckwheat flour enough to make a slap-jack that would reach round the world;" her maple sugar; her cranberries, saying that he believed all the Berlin cranberries excepting a very few bushels, were raised in Waushara County, making a total of production more than equal that of the same number of towns in adjoining counties.
Dr. J.B. Jewell spoke of the death of one of the old settlers, referred to the little band of heroic men who made the early settlements, and whose garden patches had grown to large fields, saying that once a wilderness had now six thriving villages, with churches, schools, houses, stores, and "too many doctors," but wanted to see railways and river improvements.
W.F. Chipman said he made the first settlement in the county north of Willow Creek; Isaac and William Warwick, John C. Williams, and one other were elsewhere in the county. He moved his family from Milwaukee with an ox-team, but on account of the mud made only fourteen miles a day. He made his claim the 9th of May, 1849, and helped to cut out the Berlin and Wautoma road. He believed the first two children born in the county were George Williams and Amelia Chipman.
Dr. Ewing said, "You remember, old settlers, the condition of things in 1848-49. People in the State turned north because the land had all been taken up in the southern part of the State. Fox River was a barrier that could not be crossed because the land was yet owned by the Indians. At that time there was a great desire to see the country north and west of Fox River; was one of a party who went out to explore the country; found one or two houses across the river from Sacramento, one house in Wautoma and one or two others elsewhere. Many people had collected at and near the towns along the Fox River, and had often expended their all before getting there and in waiting for the Government to extinguish the title to Indian lands. Some of the settlers were comfortably well off, but most of them were miserably poor. One man earned three shillings by a day's work, and in the night walked to Berlin from Poysippi to expend the amount for food for his family, and retuned in time to begin another day's work. Claims were made to lands by the first settlers, and when the land came into market they did so suddenly and unexpectedly that people were not prepared. Fillmore was then President, and he appointed a man some of you probably remember registrar of the land office at Menasha. This man was a particular pet of the President. Some thought the land had been brought into market for the sake of this pet, others that the pet was here for the sake of the land. Around the land-office were many Shylocks, land-grabbers who would take eight acres for laying a land warrant on 160 acres, or else take $25 or more per forty acres, besides Government price of $1.25 per acre, giving the settlers a bond for a deed in case of payment. The speaker had known much about this as he was a Notary Public at this time and was often called upon to put his official seal to the papers. When he had entered his land and was on his way home on the boat among many settlers were only two who had paid for land with their own money. Some of them were not able to pay for their lands, and the accumulating interest, and left them and went away, while others sold out and it took others years to finally settle up.
According to promise, wrote Mrs. J.S. Ewing, I will tell this audience about the first settlement of the Indian land. I am the oldest surviving female now (1875) resident in the Town of Leon, Poysippi, Saxville and Bloomfield. The first settlement of Leon and Poysippi was commenced by Jan. s8, 1850, by Mr. Hawley, Mr. Becker, Mr. Evans and J.S. Ewing. The autumn preceding a company of five men left Waukau for the purpose of exploring the Indian land. The Doctor and Mr. Eckley were of that number. They crossed Fox River at Berlin -- then called Strong's Landing -- took a northwesterly direction until reaching the place now called Wautoma, where they found one solitary log house, and a saw mill in contemplation. They went east until they came to the headwaters of Willow Creek, where they camped the third night after leaving home. Their next camp was near a lake which they called Lone Pine, from the circumstance of there being a solitary pine beside it. Here they remained awhile, killing ducks, hunting bees and deer, and examinging for a sufficient inducement to form a settlement. Not finding anything satisfactory and their search being continued with much difficulty, being obliged to wade the marshes and ford the streams, they concluded to return. The Doctor and Eckley determined to see more, not being satisfied with what they had seen. They shouldered guns and packs and kept still east, following the trail that crosses Van Aernam's prairie until they came to a black ash swamp near Mr. Cady's, when night overtook them. This was the most unpleasant night since they left home, and they were least prepared for it. It had been one of our glorious Indian summers, with a full moon to add to its splendors, and they had often continued their hunt until midnight. They kindled a fire, spread their couch and watched alternately. In the night Eckley awakened the Doctor, assuring him they were near some settlement, as he had heard some one calling. They came to the conclusion that it was a lynx near them instead of a settlement, but he did not molest them. The next day they came to Willow Creek, which had swollen to quite a stream since they left it. Here they had the good fortune to find an Indian with a canoe to carry them over. Soon they came to another stream -- what is now called Pumpkin-seed Creek -- and a little Indian girl undertook to bring them a canoe. In recorssing, Eckley, in adjusting his gun, upset the canoe and alarmed the poor girl, but, they succeeded in bringing her safe on shore. So much for a savage ferry; when they reached home they looked more like savage than civilized men. The Doctor, after making the above observations, concluded there must be a stream not far from Van Aernam's prairie that would make it a desirable place to settle. Accordingly he pictured in glowing colors the beauty of the Indian land, in order to beat up a new recruit, as his fall compatriots were to well settled in winter quarters to venture out. Mr. Hawley was the first volunteer. Being at his house, I remarked, "It's hard to get up another expedition to the Indian land, but it must be done before it thaws out." "Why don't the Doctor ask me to go?" "You wouldn't go." "Yes, I would,"
said he. There was a starter. Others fell in and they were soon on their way. The second night they camped on the north bank of the Pine River, near a mile west of where we live. Here they found some one had preceded them, for "c-l-a-m-e-d" was written several times in the space of a mile. Near the present site of the school house were a few logs thrown together -- an attempt to build a shanty -- but nothing fearing the men proceeded to write under the above "c-l-a-i-m-e-d," and concluded those that who worked fastest would win, and accordingly hastened home for lumber, and the next day but one, several loads of lumber were on the ground and several shanties were soon built. The men occupied them three weeks before moving their families, examing all the resources of the newly acquired territory, and entertaining travelers who now began to come with a rush to see the "promised land." Twenty slept in our shanty, which was only 12X14. February 20, the Doctor and Mr. Hawley brought their families. It was a cold day and it was a tedious ride, seated high on wheels, fo there was no sleighing at that time. We passed but one place that was inhabited and that was soon after leaving the Fox River. There was a log house at Auroraville, but it was deserted. The road seemed twice as long as now, winding among the trees, and happy were we to reach our rude shanty on the banks of the Pine River. Mr. Hawley had preceded us, and also all the teams. I shall never forget the cheerful look that lighted up a shanty, filled to overflowing, allin the height of enjoyment. I was nigh frozen and had not seen a fire since morning. Mrs. Hawley (deceased) was very enthusiastic in our new beginning. She had the teakettle boiling and the board spread with luzaries such as the wilderness had never seen. When morning came, and she took a view of the surroundings, her exclamation was "Beautiful!" I had nearly forgotten. There was one unhappy poor "puss" we had brought in a sack, for we would not desert him, that was put upon a shelf the men had secured to the side of the shanty. Then he watched the people, thinking his time had come. Fred begged to take him down, but no one was allowed to touch that poor disconsolate, mourning the loss of his quiet home. That night he made his escape and did not return until the second night, when he came to the door and scratched and we bade him to come in and be welcome.
The first settlement made within the limits of Waushara County, (quoting from an historical address) so far as we have been ablt to learn, was made Sept. 24, 1848, by Isaac and William Warwick, two brothers who had just been discharged from the United States service (4th Regiment Indiana Infantry Volunteers) in the Mexican War. Their claim was made to a piece of land now on section 2, in the town of Marion, and in making it out by marking a line around it, they tried to go round so large a piece, that they could not find the point started from until they had followed the glaize back. They first built a shanty 8X10 feet on the ground, and gabled to a point at the top, leaving out a few of the under logs on one side for a door, and covered it with sods. Later in the fall Isaac went to Stevens Point with two yoke of oxen, and brought back a load of lumber with wich they covered the shanty. As soldiers with the army blue on were known in the settlement on the other side of the Fox as "the Soldiers," and their claim, which was near to the Territorial road from Strong's Landing, on the Fox River to Stevens Point, as the "Soldiers Claim." The brothers lived in the shanty during the winter on rather rough fare, but toward spring found a bee-tree, from which they took a large amount of honey, left the tree standing, and took it up the next fall, and the next spring commenced to open up a farm. When their claim was made, the Menominee tribe of Indians owned what is now Waushara County, and other lands on the west side of the Fox River, and some negotiations had been made looking to the purchase of the same, but the contract was not completed until the spring of 1849. At one time the brothers were ordered to leave, by an Indian agent stationed somewhere on the Fox, and all whites forbidden to enter upon these lands, of the Indians as settlers. They were also ordered to leave by the chief of the Menominees, who was known since amond the whites as "Menominee John," but compromised with him by breaking some land for a cornfield near what is known as John's Lake -- sometimes called Jo's Lake -- in the town of Mt. Morris.
In the spring of 1849, settlers began going west of the Fox. A new road was cut out, about the first of May, from Strong's Landing to what is now Wautoma, where Phillip Green had built a shanty during the previous winter, where he staid a part of the time, and a part of the time at his father's, two and a half miles beyond Strong's Landing (Berlin). This claim was later sold to a Mr. Atkins, who kept a tavern on it in the winter, but not in the summer (living on his farm south of "the Landing" then) to accommodate lumbermen who were going to and returning from the Little Pinery, leaving the old Territorial military wagon road in many places, but especially that part of which went by way of Willow Creek, the new one, which is now known as the south road, going from three to five miles south of it.
At the bend in Willow Creek -- now near Richardson's Corners, and not far from the "Soldiers Claim" -- had been a great camping ground on the old road, on account of water and feed, and a claim was made here in May. It had been the custom of the Indians to live during the winter and spring in the "Big Timber," or timber lands in the eastern part of the county, camping here and there along Willow Creek, Pine River and the other small streams, and the custom was continued for many years after the land had come into possession of the whites. In the fall, hundreds of Indians were to be seen winding their way along to the woods, their ponies loaded with a few cooking utensils, their flag tents, squaws, pappooses and old Indians, follwed by some of the squaws carrying part of the baggage, and by a large number of dogs. Their trails or paths were sometimes deeply worn, as they often went the same route, following one another in Indian file. During the winter, hunting parties went out in the openings or in the timber to hunt, as occasion required. The principal game was deer, of which there was an abundance, droves of fifteen or twenty often being seen together in the deer season. There were also some wolves, the gray and the black, though not many as compared to other localities at that time, and a good many bears, coming principally from the region of the pines for "shack" or acorns in the fall, many partridges, some grouse, a few prairie chickens, badger, otter, muskrats, marten, mink, etc. There was an abundance of wild rice growing about Poygan Lake, and in and along the lower waters of Willow Creek and Pine River, which the INdians, or rather the squaws, as they always did the work, gathered for food. Great quantities of huckleberries grew in many of the openings, both the blue and black, which were gathered in their season by the squaws and dried.
Menominee John lived to be quite an old man. Among the Menominees were a great many Pottowatomies and some Chippewas, scattering members of the old Chippewa tribe, of Michigan. Nearly all lakes and streams had names by which they were known to the Indians. Willow Creek was called by the Menominees "Keetah Shawagun Sapa of Sippi," the latter term having been used by many to designate a river. Fox River was called "Nonaccogun Sippi;" Pine River, "Poygan Sippi." from Poygan Lake, Poygan meaning pipe, from the shape of the lake, and Wolf River running into it, which bore in form a remote resemblance to an Indian pipe. In the spring the Indians made maple sugar, catching the sap from the maple trees in little birch bark troughs that held from two to twelve quarts each. Troughs were sometimes made of elm bark. Fish -- suckers, pickerel and red horse, were then plenty in all the streams, coming up every spring to spawn. They were often caught by putting across the stream a rack or dam of timber and stakes so close together that the fish could not pass through, so that it was an easy matter to spear them. After the building of mill dams by the whites, large quantities of fish were caught every spring for a number of years. It is related that they were so thick at one time below the dam at Poysippi, that people caught them in their bare hands, and carried them away by the wagon load. The first roads were built on the routes which could be made with least labor. Among the first were the ones already mentioned, leading from Strong's Landing to Wautoma, one was cut out from Poysippi westward, around the timber land, and also one from Pine River southward, the two uniting at Willow Creek; also one from the Soldier's mill to Saxville;; also one to Mt. Morris. The streams were forded before bridges were built. There was a ford on Willow Creek, near the "Soldier's Claim."
Pioneer Women
Much may be said (to quote from a paper by J. Matthews on "The Pioneer Women of Waushara County"), in praise of the fortitude of our pioneer women, who were willing to leave comfortable and pleasant associations, and come with their families to build up homes in this, then, wilderness, trod only by savage beasts, and still more savage men. Among the earlies inhabitants of this county, were representatives of about every Northern State and every civilized nation. These settlers were not of the lowest, and perhaps not of the highest, but of the middle class that make up the bone and sinew of our country. Many of them were well educated, intelligent and refined, and I think I am justified in saying that Waushara County's first women were, as a class, well fitted for laying the foundation of a new society, in a new country. I believe they were led by a holy ambition to come here to build up homes for themselves and their children. How often we have heard the mother say: "We would never have left the old home and come here, if it had not been to get land for the boys." For this they willingly endured the hardships and privations of pioneer life. Many had to go without suitable clothing to protect them from the severity of this Northern climate, and often with insufficient food. Some were obliged to cross the Fox and help carry provisions home on their backs to their families, and often they were found doing the work on the litle patches of land cleared, and in many cases their own hands helped to chop and burn the timber from the land. Once accustomed to comfortable, well-furnished houses, they here found that rude log cabins or board shanties were the best that could be afforded, and in place of horses and carriages and sleighs, the ox lumber-wagon and log sleds were substituted. But while suffering so many privations, toils and hardships, that strength and endurance sometimes failed, and death was a welcome relief from the weary struggle of life, there was a brighter side to this picture. Hope and courange were theirs, for were they not toiling for a spot of earth they could call their own? And when the land comes into market, and the father or eldest son starts for Menasha with the carefully hoarded money for which they toiled so long, with what anxiety the mother awaits the return, and when the paper which secures to them their home is placed in her hand for safe keeping, what a thanksgiving goes up from the family circle. The best supper for the happy family is prepared by the tired but willing hands of the mother. The next day everything looks brighter, the birds sing sweeter, the hills and valleys look more dear. The home is secured! All honor to the brave hearts and willing hands of our pioneer women. Yours was the hardest task, your sacrifices, trials and hardships were the greatest, but you bore them with true Spartan courage. Many of your number have passed over the mystic river, but their names are cherished as holy household words, and their memories treasured among things immortal. Many of you are enjoying the fruits of your labors in good, pleasant homes, your children grown up to honor and bless you. I think that you can look back with satisfaction on the past, and feel a consciousness that you have acted well your part, and that you have merited the approbation of all who are interested in the advancement of civilization in our land.
