Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-12-18
slE HERALD.
The Great Ssals OF Wisccnsin-Orf.
GIN Of the Term Badger"

From the State Journal
Young ss Wisconsin IL, much that
is Intimately connected With her
territorial existence, and even her
early career as State, lie begin.
ming TO be shrouded in the mis,s of
tradition. As is too often the case
with pioneers. the founders Of our
common wealth preserved but few
and unsatisfactory annals, and many
an interesting feature of their ex.
periences and their work has never
yet been recorded, and consequent
ly 10 fast passing even out OF mem
cry. Strange as it may seem, it lie
q fact that even the historic. Of the
Great Seals of Wisconsin Territory
are to-day largely traditional. Will
Information concerning the origin
of the present Great Seal OF the
State can be obtained but by close
personal enquiry - information
which, unnoted, might in another
year or two likewise pass into the
region of the problema.ical. II is
also true that but limited plumber
of persons in the State are really
aware of the reason for the selec
lion of the very crest of our coat of
arms, and the popular designation
of it's people-Bsdger. With view
to collect and per maneDtly RECORD
fast fitting information relative 10
the State seals, and cur armuriai
plan.igrade-tbe badger-tbe State
Journal has looked no The records
and interviewed snoh officials and
pioneers as we're presumably posted
thereon.
Wisconsin was organized 81 Ter
riLory on the 4th OF July, 1886 Up
on that day, minute was maos up
on page 3 of the original executive
territorial records,b by John s. Horn.
err, Secretary of State. to the effec'
that "upon consultation with His
Excellency, Henry Dodge, Govern
or,he bad devised ard engraved the
annexed seal Of Wisconsin Terri
tory, as emblematic OF the mineral
resources of Wisconsin. Cost, 400
Annexed to this minute, is a thick
wafer impression Of the seal. l.. is
2f inches in diameter upon the
scroll eurmounting the seal. are the
words "Greet Seal of Wisconsin
Territory" miners arm projects
from the left, grssping pick and
suspending it over u pile of mineral
ore under the base lire are the
words; "4th day of July, ammo Do
mino 1886" Documents on file, show
that this seal was used as late as
October Z, 1888.
Upon q document dated August
9th, 1889, q new seal appears. This
second territorial seal ia more elab.
crate than the first. 1t is % inches
in diameter; upon the surm uniting
scroll are the words The Grea
Seal of the TERRITORY Of Wisconsin
in the foreground is farmer, pillow
ing; in the centregrouDd. on land
scape, are q sheaf of wheat, a cob
house of pig metal, and an Indian
erect; on the left side, in water, ia
a steam bost--on the right, is a scud-
ding yacht; in the upper distance,
right hands q Touring mill in thu
upper center IA the old Capt. OIL
while above is the motto "Cipih
tas sgcceSsit bGr6arum" II is known
that this seal was used as late a. |
October 1st, 1849.
The third scotland the first used |
by the State--was precisely like tb
preceding one, with the words ate
substituted for "Territory" This
was frat used on the lat of March,
1850; the description was not filed
until March 25th. 1t was in use a.
ate as November 9th, 1851. The
'eal itself, with It's two pre6eces.
,ors, cannot to. day be found, only
thereof, attached to
public documents, being in existence
among the archives of the State.
The second Great Seal OF the
State, is the one now In use; de.
'cription thereof was recorded De
,ember 29th, 1851, but Ia regard 80
he origin of the design, the reoords
IRE silent. IL appears. however, up
,n careful investigation, .hst the
zeal was procured by Gov. Neison
Dewey in 1851, during biz second
ERIN as the first Governor of the
State, and the description deposited
with and recorded by the Secretary
If State, VIM. A. Barstow. Ii seems
hat Governor Dewey. evid ntly
considering the old territorial seal
which had been revamped for State
purposes, TO be clumsily arrau geG
flair, had applied to Chancellor
Lathrop, of the University Of Wis.
,onsin, to design an appropriate
State seal. The Chancellor com
olied with this request, but ell re
nembrance of the character VI the
iesign furnished by him has paesed
away, except the fact that it con
aimed q Latin motto. Governor
Dewey being in New York city,
'ooD after, was about to have seal
therefrom-indesd d, was OF
,ls way to the eugravsr's Office
when he CHANGED to meet in Wall
Itreet. the Hon, L. G.. Ryan, at pres
mt Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court of the State. Stepping into
IN office hard by, with bis Wiscon.
lin friend, the Governor produced