Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1858-02-25
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On the following morning Turner dis

On the following morning, Turner dis
lowered an Indian canoe lying near
the shore, the idea at once occurred to
him to explore the river upward, with
the view Of ascertaining its magnitude.
Seated in the canoe, by the aid of
pole, he sounded the depth for a quarter
of mile up the stream. The shores
were bold, and upon a casual survey of
the land adjoining, he found it APP
parently well adapted for a town site. -
His mind was now fully made up
that he had discovered an admirable To-
cation for commercial city. He pre-
ceeded to Racine, and having procured
an axe, and a few other implements,
returned the next day to Pike river,
and marked off his claim. In q few
days, he had succeeded in erecting up
on it small log house, which he cover
ed with bark. Having arranged things
to establish his claim, which he deemed
essential in compliance with claim laws,
it became necessary for him to return
to Oswego county, New York, to settle
some affairs before laying off his pro-
posed town into lots. As it was a re-
Equisite of claim law, that some person
should keep possession during his alb
senee, he arranged with DIR. Bushnell
b. Cary, of Racine, to stay in his cabin
until his return. Turner. was unex-
pectedly detained in the State Of New
York until the following spring, and
upon his return was greatly astonished
to find his agent, DIR. Cary, had been
foreibly elected from his cabin; besides,
Pike river had no longer the appearance
of wild, unbroken wilderness. The
place during his absence had been sur
veyed out into streets and lots,and quite
number of persons were on the ground,
who refused to recognize him as the
rightful claimant; moreover, he was
plainly told that his presence was unde-
sirable, and that if he persisted in re-
naming at Pike river,unpleasant conse-
quences might ensue. 9geal .gg9D
The cause of this revolution in the az
fairs of Turner,was simply this;theagents
Of the Emigration Company, had, du-
ring his absence, examined the locality
he had chosen, and were strongly i'm
pTeSeeo Will VIC lIui'oioSHSo "a ITO Si1-
uation; they accordingly, without delay,
proceeded to take possession OF it,alleg-
ing in Justification of the act, tat Tur-
.ner had no right to disconnect himself
from the Company at the time he did;
that he was lawfully part of the Com
Hpany at the time he made his claim at
Pike river, and therefore the claim made
by him must of right belong to the
Company. Turner perceiving that it
would be of no avail for him, to contend,
single-handed, for the recovery of his
claim, against such strong array of
force, proceeded to Milwaukee to pro-
cure aid. AT this period, Wisconsin
formed part of the Territory of Mich
igan, and sheriff had been appointed
by the authority of Michigan, residing
in Milwaukee. BY the advice Friends,
Turner procured sort of writ of eject
q pike ' river We: would be ousted at once.
This document was put into the hands
of the sheriff, who, having provided
himself with a suitable number OF at
PENDANTS to enforce his authority, set
out for Pike river. On his arrival, he
found the cabin OF Turner strongly for
tilted, and garrisoned by halfdozen
or more of men; the sheriff demanded
them to surrender their fortress; the be-
siegedreplied by uttering terrible threats
ofviolence upon thefirst man who should
presume to enter the enclosure. Where
upon the sheriff made speech, in which
he strove to impress the resistants, with
the important legal prerogative of his
Office, and the fearful consequences Of
of disobeying one so high in authority
as himself. This had the effect to cool
very considerably the courage of the
men in the cabin. After a long par
ley, it was finally stipulated, that the
possession should be given up to Turner
for the time being, and that the parties
should abide the decision of properly
constituted claim tribunal This being
arranged, the men in the cabin capitu-
lated, marched out, and Turner entered
in, and found himself one more fully in
stalled in his little castle. The matter
of dispute between the parties was f.
nally adjusted, when it was determined
that Turner was the lawful claimant
Turner subsequently purchased the prop
erty at the Government land sale, in
May, 1899, and continued to hold and
reside on the premises to the time Of
his death, which occurred in 1851.
Pike Creek Resumed Sous
AS has already been stated, the Yves
tern Emigration Comp amy fixed upon
its location at Pike creek, (Kenosha,)
in June, 1885. AS soon as the news
Preached Oswego CO., of the selection
of this place, Immediately preparations
beganto be made by stock-holders,to en-
igrate to the newly chosen home. About
fifteen families mostly from the town of
Hannibal, came on during the summer
and fall of 1885. : A part Of these, how
ever, were not members Of the Emigra-
ton Company, and on their arrival made
claims on lands in the vicinity of Pike
creek, for the purpose of pursuing the
business of farming. Eight families,
members of the Company, settled at
Pike creek; viz: David Doolittle, Wa
| tiers Towslee, /. G. Wilson, Hudson Ba-
| con, David Crosit, Amos Grattan, Sam
uel RESCUE and Michael Van De Bob
CART. These, with the members of their
| households, thirty-two persons in all,
comprised the population of Pike creek
during the first winter of its settlement.
Their habitations were rude shanties
built of logs, and covered with bark.
| N. r. Allen and John Bu.len erected a
frame building in the fall of 1885, being
the first frame building erected in the
place; this building, however, was not
completed until he following year; it
was located on the Lake shore, near the
present south pier of the harbor.