The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-09-26
THE RETROSPECT.

ton of home, after which followed as soon
as possible the breaking of little land and
the fencing. The first settlers in this county
and Racine generally preferred to build
their houses in the groves for several rea.
sons; groves were numerous and desirable.
especially for shelter from prairie fires. for
shade in summer and protection from winds
in winter. Some Of these houses were
cabins with one room, puncheon floors and
shake" rosfs. Owing to the vicinity to
the lake and lumber vessels, the larger num-
Der were OF boards. The building of a house
when it had to be cut of logs by your own
strong arm, or, il of boards, where thew had
| to be transported many miles through the
| sloughs. or over unbridged streams, was an
achievement of supreme Importance in the
family economy. The first year was usually
given to the cultivation of ANAL patch in
what was called truck farming while
breaking the larger piece Of land for the
next year. During this period the settlers
were dependent for supplies by boat or wag
on on Chicago. When these failed, as
they sometimes did in winter, there was
want and dismay in many q household.
Pork, meal and molasses were Injuries then,
for which they gladly exchanged the deer,
prairie chickens and wild turkeys, at that
time at certain seasons quite abundant
Corn was sometimes ground by the family in
coffee or pepper mills or wooden of stone
mortars, but all who had teams to carry their
grain preferred to 60 to mill and convert it
to fgrist' or "grits' in the usual manner.
The nearest mills were long Sees mill on
the rapids of Root River in Racine county,
or the mill at Richmond or Geneva. The
going to mill through sloughs and streams
before bridges were built, and then to wait
your turn for week. working out mean
while to pay expenses, was an undertaking
scarcely less formidable than Stanley s
Tourney through "the Dark Continent -
Our settlers were much relieved in this part
of our county when mills were opened at
Burlington and by Mr.. Benham at Wilmot.
1t was dreary day when after the long
journey hither the settler put down his
family In the cabin on the bare prairie or
beside the grove, or camped near By in the
wagon while he built the cat-face" shelter
that was to constitute their home Many a
tear was shed as the clock or table, or some
choice vase, the relics Of their eastern home,
was placed in their cabins. .Dreary enough
to look around on the boundless prairies or
hear the wolves howl dismally at might.
But there was excitement in the new ar
rivals, in the new farms breaking. the new
fences, the buildings going up. Pleasant to
: see coming nearer and nearer the smoke fo
the neighbours chimney, the CLEAN across the
prairie at night from the light in a friendly
dwelling. With delight we saw the wheat
and corn field, the clover displacing the
} savage luxuriance of the wild grasses, the
rose bushes. the locust tree, the Lombardy
oplar, the old attendants of our Eastern OF
European civilization. bringing around us
the look of home. The dreariness of the
situation was relieved by the universal So
ciability and friendly sympathy of all. The
latch string always hung out" and in joy
and sorrow distance did not divide, but for
miles around all were neighbors in the high.
est Christian sense of the word. Wherever
human hearts are found there will soon be
found also all the incidents ofkuman history.
There was soon marrying and giving in mar
riage. On the arrival of a new fashion there
was as much Of sensation for many miles
as at the opening now il our towns of the
much heralded importations of the modes
from New York or Paris. Little strangers
came to bless many household, and, strange
to say, hearts which had most longed for
home as they laid some of their number in
new grave felt for the first time strange
sense Of home-ike content In the thought
that they could never leave these behind
them.
There was no trouble with the Indians,
who for some time continued to wander
through the country. fishing or hunting, and
there was little fear of them. An incident
1 ri ab svn 60 L. IL n
IPIaine, which was told me many years ago
by The interested party, illustrates the
life at that period. There came one
day to this. house several Indians who
had been fishing and wished to buy meal
or some article of necessity. There was a
pretty daughter of the family then in her
teens, and as they stood around bargain
ing, the father, in joke. said to one of
the Indians that if he would give him two
or three ponies he could have the young
girl for his sqnaw. Unfortunately, as it
proved, the Indians of all people on earth,
have the least conception of joke. and
sure enough the next day the Indian ap.
peared gaiIy attired with one or more com
rades. and his ponies. and demanded his
''squaw." Happily, some other settlers came
in about that time, or the alteration which
followed might have had serious conse-
quences As it was, the aspiring groom
considered discretion the better part of
vaior aud retired.
By degrees the machinery of government
and law was brought in, and society assum-
ed its usual settled form. High ways were
opened, lanls we're generally fenced bridges
were built. The school-house appeared. The
children at Grst were taught in private
} houses by some capable and large-hearted
: ladies. The first school-house in The coun-
ty, outside the village CT Southport, or one
of the first, was in the township Of Bristol
Hear Kingman's corner. The churches be.
gan TO lift their towers and spires, suggest
ing the higher life. The first in the county
IN the country, or among the first, were the
one at Kellogg's corner and Asbury chapel.
Preachers went around from school-house to
school-house. monthly or more frequently
assuming charge of all spiritual interests, as
the we'll known physicians. DR.. Mcclellan,
DR.. Adams, DR.. Paddock, Doctors Walker,
: Hatch and Groesbeck, had the care Of the
, bodies
There were justices and law suits as in
the old east. Men could aspire to be iury-
men, school trustees, supervisors and path
masters, as of old, and our settlers began
then to feel at home. Some celebrated trials
occupied several days. In one of our town
ships controversy about a straw bonnet
which had been hung out to dry, and was
eaten by some passing swine, convulsed
the community, and but for little com.
mon sense on the part of the jury, had
made as great sensation in the world as
the stolen bucket of Modena.
i Our justices we're, 10 the credit of the
county, never compelled for want of PEN
Imanship to resort to the device of the one
at Green Bay, who made his well kno wn
lJack-knife serve the purpose of warrant
which every culprit was bound to respect
at sight. 1t is said that one of our most
eminent local jurists in Southport was ac
customed 10 keep his Office in his dry goods
store, and often while Mr.. Lowell. Mr.
French or Mr.. Divine, the lawyers of that
early period, presented testimony or pour
ed forth their legal lore and eIoquence. if
any customer came in the court would take
recess, measure off the muslin or tame.