Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-07-23


Churches chools-Court House - Ho.
tells Mercantile Houses Manufactures
Nurseries Military onumental-So
cieties r. Doctors = Lawyers - Historical
--"Old Sartinty of Governor
Dodge.
The first settlements in Grant Co.
were in 1861 The County was or
gained by the Territorial Legisla-
ture at its first session in Belmont, in
the year Of 1896 Henry w. Hodg-
es and Thoma5 Shanley were the first
settlers in Lancaster They came to
the mines in Beetown in 1927, and to
Lancaster in 1881. Judge II. X. Colt.
er settled within mile Of the present
village in 1887. Mrs. Berks came in
the summer Of the same year, and
Mrs. Pepper, now Mrs. Shrader,-in
1888, Hon. J. Allen Barber settled
here Sept. lst, 1888, Gov. Nelson
Dewey came in the spring of 1888,
and was the first Register Of Grant
County, having been appointed by
Gov. Dodge in 1887.
The first Assemblymen from Grant
County were Thos. Stanley, Jas. P.
Cox, and JAS. r. Vineyard first
Senator, SEQ. w. Lakin, from Platte
vile, now Of Milwaukee.
EARLY "REMINISCENCES
"About 1881 the War Department
notified us that we were trespassing
upon the treaty between the govern
ment and the Indians, and that we
must have Iowa at the end of two
weeks. This order was obeyed with
so much reluctance, that, partly de-
ceived by the secret landing Of the
forces sent to remove us, two of our
friends, Vosburg and Leeman, were
captured. These prisoners were tax
en- to Galena, on their way, as was
alleged, TO trial at Fort Crawford -
This, however, was all pretence, as
the sequel showed got up to prevent
miners, if possible from repeating
their encroachments upon Indians.
While al Galena, the two prisoners
were purposly allowed to escape
One Of them, Samuel Leeman, was
really fast on foot, and although a
very cOrpulcnt man, was eXtreemly
hard to beat. In the confusion OF
the moment, and believing himself
hotly pursued, he took the high prai-
RE ridge in the direction Of Hard
Scrabble and they say the way he
ran, with hat, coat and boots off, was
Il caution to all competitors ever af-
terward The race will live in song,
as long rs miners continue to be
bards, and history will 10 doubt
chronicle it's renown."
IL. A. Wiltzic in Grant County
Heraid, July LIST, 1913.
DUEL At SHORT RANGE.
Major Glcndowcr NJ, Price, one OF
the carIy settlers Of Grant County
settled at Casvile and entered a
great deal Of land. He, in company
with DR.. Moore bought the site OF
Lan,caster aud laid it out in 1857
At the time jeff. Davis was stationed
at Fort Crawford, Major Price had a
difficulty with him at Cassvillc. Jeff.
challenged him and Price accepted
and named pistols as the weapons
jeff asked him at what distance, and
Price replied, "With the muzzle OF
my pistol in your mouth, sir, and the
muzzle Of yours in mine" This
backed down the courageous jeff. as
eiicctualiy as John +. Potter once
did the chivalrous Roger A. Pryor.
The County Seat of Grant County
was located at Lancaster in January
or February, 1887, by H. w. Hodges
Jas. Gilmore, Il. +. Brock, Orris Nc
Cartney and +. G. kirkpatrick
commissioners appointed for that pur
pose by the Legislature. John S
! Fletcher was the first Clerk of the
Court, appointed by Chief justice
Charles Dunn, United States Judge
Of the Territory. He was also The
/ first Postmaster. and carried the Post
Office in his hat. He never made ;
return to the Department at Wash
ington and after being repeatedly
warned, at the end of eighteer
months he gathered up all the way
bills and sent them to Postmaster
General Kendall with the reques
that, as he had plenty OF clerks, h,
would make out his bill and send i
to him and he would pay it.
POPULATION.
The population OF the village 0
Lancaster by the census of 1868, wa!
653-of the town outside the village
1858 totol, Pill That of the coun
ty, 33,618. Both have increased
much since that time.
FARMING AND MINING.
: Lancaster is essentially a farming
town, and most fertile soil, wei
wooded and watered There ar,
two Touring mills and one oil mil
here Three miles southwest of tn
village are the Pigeon Diggings
which have been worked grea
while, and are even now very pro
ductive. The yield up to 1860 wa
j upwards of twenty million pound
Of minerals. Recently, a new lod
has been discovered on S. GriswoId'
land which promises to enrich tn
proprietors.
CHARACTER OF PEOPLE.
The leading minds Of the village
those who give tone and character t,
society-aro Of the New Enrlan,
type and the place itself has NOR
the appearance OF II Now Englan,
. village than any other in the state
It is laid out with taste and regular
ity, and presents neat appearance
1t may be interesting for Milwaukee
ans to know that, for years past hog
have been outlaws here, and hav
not been allowed to run in the streets
There is marked degree Of intelli
gence and neighborlv feeling among
the people, and an entire freedom
from the chickering's and quarreling'
which disfgure the social life anC
mar the happiness OF 50 many com.
mnnities They are very conspicu-
ons for their interest in the cause o.
education The hotels have no bar,