Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1858-03-04
EARLY HISTORY on KENosHA


consin State Historical Society Collec-
tons, recently published.
Il lCoUTINuED FROM LAST WEEK
4 An early settler held claim on a
piece of land, now included within the
limits of the third ward of Kenosha.-
One morning this claimant, while pas
sing over his claim, near the present
residence of Judge Samuel Hale, was
overwhelmed with astonishmentto linda
piece of his land enclosed with a fence,
and within the enclosure the ground cul-
tivated, and corn growing upon it. The
matter was inexplicable; the possible loss
of his claim made him feel extremely
) uncomfortable. His supposed posses
sion by virtue of claim law, had, to all
human appearances, passed into the
hands OF some more successful squatter.
The unhappy man Immediately notified
the Committee of Arbitrators, of the state
of the case, and solicited their atten
ton forthwith to this strange affair. The
Arbiuators came, and sure enough, there
was the fence, the cultivated ground,
and the young corn some four inches in
height, apparently thriving luxuriantly
The claimant made his statement, al
leging that he had, within the past week,
walked over this very piece of ground,
and saw no fence or signs of improve
ment The Arbitrators were greatly
perplexed, and sat down on log to de-
liberate. The case was discussed for
some time, but no satisfactory conclusion
being arrived at, the conversation re-
Ilapsed into silence-each seemed in
volved in his own CONCENTRATIONS as to
the instability of human affairs, especi-
ally in the matter of claim titles. AT
length one OF the Arbitrators sprang
suddenly upon his feet, apparently hav-
ing seized hold of a new idea; he pro-
ceeded to take',downaportion of the fence
so as to remove the bottom rail: this be-
ing done, he burst forth into an exultant
laugh-the revealment of the mystery
now flashed across the minds Of all pres
eHt. The grass, which had been press
ed down by the bottom rail, was still
fresh and green, demonstrating that the
fence had not been built more than
twenty-four hours, and disclosing further
more, the probability that the corn had,
within the like period, been transplanted
to its present location. 1t was subse-
quently ascertained that the corn was
brought from field on the neighbor-
ling prairie, and carefully planted here
This ingenious contrivance to jump the
claim of Pike Creek squatter, was I'M
animously declared by the Arbitrators
to be n piece of outlawry, and the
complainant was adjudged to be the
rightful possessor of the ground. The
claimant, who had been greatly alarmed,
since his discovery of the mysterious
corn field, now breathed freer-went
home to his cabin in happy mood to
greet his wife with the news of his tri-
unph.
Il Although the settlement at Pike Greek
during the fall of 1885, was quite small,
there was considerable business astir in
the place. Among the public wants,
was a tavern for the accommodation of
strangers. Travellers frequently stop
ped at this point, and found indifferent
! quarters. Judge Peter d. Hugunin Wis
tied the settlement in July, 1885; he was
directed to the house of John Bullen, las
affording the best accommodation Of
any III the place. Bullen resided III a
small log building, with bark covered
roof, on the north side of the creek
1t so happened, that family of emf
grants stopped at the same time with
the Judge, to obtain nights lodging
The sleeping arrangements were as fol
Ilows-the Judge and children were
closely slowed i'll the cabin on one side,
and the women on the other side; the re-
mainder of the company slept outside
on the ground. The Judges experiences
in western travel were related next day
! July 4th) at Racine; here he learned that
an Independence dinner was to be eaten
at one of the principal places of entertain
{ ment in the place. The Judge liked the
idea of a patriotic dinner in a new
country; SO at the appointed time, he
went to the dining place, and sat down
with six other patriotic citizens. Three
: savory dishes graced the 6odrd-pork,
rice, molasses. To these were added
} bread, and the usual condiments Of pep
per and salt.
i, To meet the wants of the settlement
at Pike Greek, Sam'l. Resique,i jim August
1885, opened a tavern in small log
!, house on the Island. Resique's tavern,
though kept in an insignificant looking
! building, soon became very popular. -
But few men knew better how to cater
to the appetites of their guests than
: RESCUE; his table was provisioned with
! the best wild game the surrounding
; country could furnish; and the economy
!, with which he was accustomed to stow
, away his numerous guests on a given
area in his little garnet, was truly as
, tonishing. Resique's success was so
/ Unexpectedly great in the line of tavern
keeping, that he concluded to enlarge his
! business; accordingly, in the following
month, he opened a store in an adjoin-
: ing cabin, under the firm of "Resique 81
: Noble"
J, During the season of 1885, there were
a few trips made by steamboats, between
Detroit and Chicago; no steamers, how
ever, that year, stopped at Pike Creek;
three sail vessels anchored off the place
during the season, and sent boats ashore.
In the season of 1886, the steamer "De-
troit' came to anchor half mile from
the mouth of the Creek, and landed pas
sengers and freight; number of sail
vessels stopped during that ear In the
following season, 1887, the town had be-
come more generally known abroad, and
the number Of arrivals of steamboats,
: and vesses was largely increased.*
The method of landing passengers
and freight from steamboats, and YES
sells, was such as is generally practiced
r on lake or sea coasts, where no harbor
+ or wharf facilities exist A Fighter -