Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-03-11
PIONEER LIFE IN WISCONSIN
FORTY YEARS AGO.

Pioneer life in reality, not merely
the name; many persons think that
they are entitled to the name of pio-
neer, although they came here ten OF
fifteen wears later than the two ladies
of whom intend writing.
Early one beautiful September
morning, in the fall of thirty one, there
might have been seen by all who
CHANGED to look, very quiet wedding
party, vending their way to sold
Squire phompson's" residence. The
bride was very lovely, jet black curls,
rosy cheeks, finely formed features,
and bright, black eyes. The young
man so soon to become her husband
was also fine looking. Sandy hair,
fair complexion, small and delicate
feet and hands which plainly indicat-
ed entire ignorance of all kinds of
work His family were healthy, in
fact quite as aristocratic az any to be
found in the clean and orderly "city
of brotherly love"
Almost Immediately after the cere
mony the young couple started for
their western home.
Going west was not then what it
now is. The trip which can now be
made in a few days, at that time con-
sumed months of unpleasant travelling
by steam, stage and canal.
The boat in which they assembled
the Mississippi lay six weeks on the
rapids. 1t was the "Old Science"
the first that ever landed at Cassville,
Grant county, Wisconsin.
There were few log dwelling
houses and one building intended for
store in the place The dry goods
and groceries, which had been pur-
chased by the young bridegroom (Ma
jor Z. Just before leaving Philadel-
phla, were soon neatly arranged on
the shelves of the log store, much to
the delight of the few inhabitants of
Cassville.
There were few houses at that time,
where the large and fourishing city
OF Dubuque now stands. Lancaster,
the county-seat of Grant county, Wis
consin, was wilderness. There were
| but two or three farms between Cass-
vile and Prairie du Chen.
What change for beautiful GIRL
who had been born and reared in
large city. Yet she rather liked it;
the wild, free life, the entire absence
of any thing like etiquette, the grand
and delightful scenery of the west,
had a charm for her bold, fearless ma
ture, which city life could not posi-
bly, have. 1t seemed to the young
wife like some piece Of amusement
gotten up for her especial benefit
But with the breaking out of the
Black Hawk war, she began to real
ize her dangerous position.
Major L. was one OF a small party
of pioneers to whom the friendly In
dians looked for protection. They
stood in mortal fear of the Sioux and
Foxes. Major P. on one occasion
having gone to Prairie du Chen on
business, left his wife to get along as
best she could. There was an old
log house which had been fixed as Sc
cure as possible for fort. Into this
all the women and children, except
Mrs. p, crowded at the least approach
Of danger. Late in the evening of the
day on which Major P. left home
there was heard by the whites and In
dams long low whistle peculiar to
the hostile Indians There was an in
slant stampede and the little fort was
soon full The poor, frightened In
dams came crowding around captain
Price Gas they loved to call Mrs. P)
begging her to protect them from their
foes, not thinking of her own danger.
She let them in, and barred her doors
and windows, and there in her big log
kitchen she counted upwards of fifty
Indians, men, women, and children.
but before midnight they were reliev.
ed of their fear. The whistling had
been done by a mischevous fellow,
who wanted to see how the people
would act in case of an attack. All
was explained to the frightened say.
ages and they were prevailed upon to
vacate Mrs. P's kitchen and return to
their wigwams.
1t would have been hard task, had
not the scouts came in and reported
the hostile Indians at least twenty five
miles distant
About this time there was a little
girl born in the fort, and for the great
kindness and attention of Mrs 2. the
mother of the child called the little
one after our heroine.
At another time during the war
when Major p. was from home, the
alarm was given that large body of
Indians were preparing to surprise
them the next night. Not knowing
what would become Of them with so
few protectors, Mrs p wrote an order
to the commanding officer at Prairie
du Chen for more soldiers, aud order
ed man to mount swift horse and
set ont Immediately. All night long
the lady walked the floor, her mind
| harrassed by fear of the Indians AMI
fear least it was false alarm. Early
the next day the soldiers arrived with
one of their superior officers. Mrs =.
had found out by this time that it was
a false alarm, and made every apollo
gy for causing the officer and his sol
ders so much trouble. Bat he would
not listen to her, telling her that her
courage and forethought alone would
have saved the helpless inhabitants
from certain death.
Often, when little girl, have
heard one of those pioneers Major
Anderson tell the following incident;
There were n small number of Winnie
bago Indians and whites who accident
ally came across each other near the
| Wisconsin river. The order was given
TO shoot all men, women, and chill
dren. Among others, he himself shot
a boy about ten years old who was
eating honey out of a hollow tree with
a spoon. He shot off the boys hand
| which hold tho spOOn : soon ~ the