Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-10-08

AT IL o'clock IN. the Old Settlers,
under the marshalship of Gen. John
B. Calls, formed in procession and
marched to the Masonic hall, where
dinner was prepared by the ladies.
After dinner the association was
called to order by the President, John
Rountree.
Hon. j. Allen Barber was called
upon for few remarks, but declined
on account of indisposition.
Hon J. II. Mills was called out,
who attempted to excuse himself, and
wanted to step down and out, but the
Old Settlers would not allow it. Said
he was glad to see so many present
and enjoying the day; made fine
reference to the advancement of the
country in education, agricultural pur
suits, mechanical developments, ETC.;
in older times the persons who could
read and write were few, now all un-
der the stars could read and write;
said be would desire an album filed
with pictures of Old Settlers, with the
President of the association in the
center; referred to his early impress
sions upon entering the country in
1885; spoke of the individuality of
the people, their growth and progress;
said the history of the past belonged
to the masses.
Several papers were submitted to
the society referring to the early his.
tory of the county, but the limited
time allowed prevented their reading,
and the same were ordered to be put
upon record as a part of the proceed
lngs of this annual meeting. Among
them lengthy and readable article
from the pen of our townsman, Mr..
James A. Jones, formerly of Hazel
Green, gives photograph of the con-
dition of things in Southern Grant
third of century ago, with personal
sketches of the lives of some of the
early pioneers in that first settled re-
gion of what is now termed Grant
county. For the want Of space we
omit this paper from this issue of the
HERALD, but promise its appearance
in future number. A very interest
ing account of the hardships and
struggles incident to the early settle
ment of the county, by Mr.. Samuel
Druen, of British Hollow, we here
copy in full:
] came to Grant countyon the 10Th of April.
1882, passing my hrst night on Wisconsin soil
at Sinsnawa Monnd, where some two or
three cabins had been erected The mex
morning | learned that party of U. 8 sur.
veyors had made rich disco veries Of lead ore
at Po:esi, and started thither at once. having
neither track nor path to follow or guide me
| crossed Big Platte River at its Confluence
with Little Platte, place known as paris.
composed of a smelling establishment and
small store owned by a Mr.. De rantahy -
Proceeding on my way, came TO a place
where dozen men or so busily engaged in
building caoin-the first white mao,s strnct.
are ever erected on the present site of potosi.
anu tue property OF Messrs. Ham ana DEAN
tabar, the former of whom, / believe. rss;d,.
at Dubuque atthe present time. A number If
US pitched our tent and went to'work. potos;
grew, and Its population, mostly miners ran.
idly increased. By the first of Inns ,hare
were upward of hundred persons n ,bs
piace-the square, | might almost saw. If the
original number found there on the d., ~
April preceding. ~''' -
All went on prosperousIy until one night
about eleven o'clock, when man rode w;l3Iy
into camp bearing the news OF Stilln,n,s de,
feat by the Indians at Rock River. 49,
AL badly scared, turned tail, and asd soms |
toward Galena, some toward jamestown ard |
some toward the Platte. Only two mar hsd |
me courage 10 stand their ground and r;sk
their scalps. The next dsy we rsca,..sd
rom our fright, assembled in cans;daranis
force, and held a sort of council NJ 49,
Some were in tor building fort right tbsrs IN
tne oiggings, others thought il w6ud he -.
tner good thing to go 20 Galena us,,;a0
mar company was organizing ar Cssss,;iia'
three others and my self set out for IT,. 80.
al once. Where British Hollow no,v go
we found cabin occupied BY Terrsn.s cl;T
ms wife, and three children, and At Hnrr;. 80,
tne shanty of Messrs. Hodges and SbanIsv
Stood open to receive US Then an ~ "an ,
across the hills and far away, ford,ng Gu,
river ana entering Beetown. then ro',.s,s;n,
oh'y aoout three cabins, all told, and mr. h,t'
60 pilncipaI:y by an elderly gentleman nanad
Arthur. Had the nlaca - =. e" name"