Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1857-07-11
Notes on Movements in IS33-'3E
BLACK Hawk vFar-G0vern-
mental Asanoyanc6s, &c.

I
canoe, as they tell us, there were
north of the Des Moines no white settlers,
lexcepting a few Indian traders, between
I this river aud the Columbia. Later in the
same year, Dr. r. s. Lewis, with half a
dozen other a1venturers, came here from
| Dol9eville, Wisconsin, and he thinks that
at least two hundred persons were in the
mines during that season. It was the first
ripple of the wave of emigration on the
western shore of the Mississippi; but that
wave WAS destined immediately, though
Icnly temp yrarily, to recede That part
Of the Territory Of Michigan, now known
as Iowa, had not been purchased of the
Indians, and consequently The tniners were
trespassers Early in july, Col. Iafter
ward Gen.) Taylor, then commander of
the United States forces at Prairie du
Chen, came down and ordered them to
recross the river, which they finally did,
though with much reluctance, and moi till
Colonel T. caiiIe d second tiH.e with troops.
Three of tie miners who were little tardy
in their movements were captured, though
they soon made their escape.
A military force was now stationed here,
and a few Of the Foxes stole back to these
Idiggings and under projections Of s6lliers,
toiled at the lodes previously discovered
By the more industrious whites. During
this year, vast quantities Of ere were OBJ
tanned, and disposed of to traders on the
east side of the river.
The breaking out Of the Black Hawk
war early in 1882, caused the withdrawal
of the soldiers. who were sent to destroy
the same tribe of Indians, whose land
they had been protecting. The ternina-
ton of that war by the battle Of Bad Axe
and the treating at Rock Islands which
resulted in the Black Hawk purchase, anil
which included the eastern portion of this
State, tempted the Adventures to cross
tie great rieer, even before the treaty was
confirmed. Captain John Parker, one of
the heroes Of Bad Axe, tells US that he was
one Of them. He came hither from Min
era Point. Wisconsin, in the autumn of
1882, anu built the first log cabin III the
mines for permanent settlement, though
others came with him, and some OF them
were only few days behind him in the
occupancy Of their huts. f. McCraney,
then lad, and now, like himself, living
here, hauled the logs to build his humble
dwelling. Captain 2. spent the following
winter here with bis young wife, who had
but little society of her own sex, and a
fair opportunity 10 test the comforts Of pi-
oneer life.
With the rest of his neighbors, Captain
| p. had to leave early the next year. They
were ordered off by Col. Taylor, whom all
who knew here, describe as .enient to
tie miners, yet prompt in the discharge
Of his orders from head quarters. Years
afteTward, when President OF the United
States, he told at the White House, IN a
facetious way, to one of the original tres
passefs, that the Dubuque miners were
worse to manage than the Semlnoles or
even the Mexicans."
The treaty held with Keokuk by GEN
eral Scott and Others at Rock Island, was
not confirmed till June, 1888; at which
time Mr.. John 2. Sheldon, arrived here
with a commission from the general gov
eminent to grant permits to miners and
license TO smelters. These permits and j.
censes were source Of annoyance. Each
miner was r stricted in the range OF his
operations to certain number OF square
wards of earth, and had to deliver his min
| era to licensed smelter; and the latter
was required to bind himself topay a GER
tain per cent. of the snelted metal for
governmental use. This requirement, the
1.-THE miners and smelters always regarded
unjust, and refused to pay the tax. Gov
ernlnent for a while relinqulshed Its claim.
But in 1912, an effort was made to revive
the system of leasing the mines. The MI
ners and smeltsrs however resisted, and
Congr ess was memoralized by the citl-
zens generally, 10 have such OF the iands
Eof this country, as had been reserved from
sale as mineral districts, brought into mar
ket on a footing with other lands. But
government was stubborn aud her agents
lexacline. Miners aud smelters were ar
raigned and tried as trespassers, the Jnry
invariably bringing damages to the amount
of five cents! 1t was not till 1916, that
The unsold lands were brought into mar
ket and secured te the inhatltants by the
friendly Offices of"Claim Societies. t
Atthis period and tor two or three years,
the principal settlers were miners and ira
ldels, for it was theE thought that the Gil.
innate was not propitious for agricultural
purposes. This must have been owing to
the circumstance that the winter OF 1882
t,3, Ike the past two winters in these parts,
was extremely cold. 1t was not Til about
1886 that settlers began to take up farms
they having then ascertained, by timid ex-
IperInents, that almost every kind Of grain
common III the extrome Northern States,
would grow here. Several Of the miners
at the period of which we are speaking
had the good sense to put their money IN
/ TO lands, from which those who were wise
1 enough to retain them, received handsome
returns. a few of them are among the
present thrifty farmers Of Dubuque Coun-
Ety.
, We are informed by Gen. Warner Lew
is, / another emigrant from Mineral Point
IL. A