The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-09-04
EARLY HISTORY OF KENosHA,

EARLY HISTORY OF KENOSHA.
Continuation of the early history of
the city and county of Kenosha,
written by Rev. HI. Nj. Simmons, in
consecutive numbers, for the press
in the summer of 1875:
SPRING OF 1885.
Early in the spring the previous set
tiers returned to their claims, and
others came to make new ones. Among
them we find Daniel Stevens returning
to Pleasant Prairie, with descendants
in two or three generations and in
fabulous numbers. Also Christopher
Derbyshire, with family scarcely less.
There in Daniel Stevens house, out by
the Milwaukee road, all these were
sheltered for a time,-twenty-fve in
number, the legend says with some
times dozen travellers lodged besides,
all in log house with single room
below, and a garrett above, which had
to be entered horizontally.
About the last Of April the first
white native of the county saw. the
light, in the wretched foorless shanty
Of Garrett Post, southeast of the present
Hastings place. 1t was not birth of
good omen, for the death of Mrs. Post,
the first death in the county, came a
few days after. and the child soon fol-
lowed its mother. They were buried
on the knoll south of Col. Howe's
present residence. which remained the
little needed cemetery for two years.
May 10th, Mr.. Bullen's new schooner,
the Van Buren,. arrived with welcome
provisions for the settlers. It also
brought seeds for the planters; and a
few days thereafter Mr.. Persons mem
orandum shows him hopefully sowing
onions up on the river bank.
A FORTUNATE STORM.
The summer OF $50 was a rough one
on the lake,-like so many others the
toughest ever known,"-the captains
say. But one of its worst storms
should be remembered with gratitude
by the citizens of Kenosha. Toward
the last of May, Mr.. E. r. Hugunin
tells me, he left Chicago with a
schooner on which were Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles Durkee bound for Milwaukee
to settle there. Storm after storm met
the vessel, and at the end of a week it
was only off Pike River. In the close
quarters of the schooner the sickness
had become intolerable; and Mrs. Dur
kee, we'll nigh dead, and preferring to
risk life rather than 60 further, was
sent ashore with her husband over the
fierce breakers. The happy relief of
land, and the attraction of Pike River
decided Mr.. Durkee to locate here in
stead of at Milwaukee. His choice
determined that Of his relatives, Har-
vey Durkee and r. H. Deming. who
followed later in the ssme season. So
much does KenOsha owe to north
easter. Verify "'tis an i'll wind that
blows nobody any good"
e. r. Hugunin also came in the same
storm. About the same time Samuel
Hale and Orlando Foster arrived on
foot from Chicago. The spring of 1885
brought also DR.. David Walker and
DR.. D. P. Stryker.
CLOSE OF 1886.
During the remainder of 1885 many
other settlers arrived, among whom
we notice r. H. Deming, Harvey
Durkee, A. D. Northway and Geo. III.
Kimball. Nor should we omit the
name of Daniel Harkins, afterwards
Justice of the Peace in Pleasant
Prairie, but who came late in the fall
of '36, poor, and homeless, and dug a
hole in the sandy bank of the creek,
where he wintered with his family.
Many settlers came into the country
also this fall, among whom we notice
Chauncey Hannahs, with his sons. Viii.
liam, Thomas and Frederick, and his
daughter, afterward Mrs. A.. w.
Doolittle. These located in the south
ern part of Pleasant Prairie, at Spring
Brook; and among the services they
rendered the settlement should bel
noticed the crank mill which they got
that winter, and in which the neigh.
boring settlers ground their corn.
Here at Pike River new activities
appeared this fall Charles Durkee
and r. III. Deming built store where
Mr.. Baldwin's coal Office now stands,
and not only traded, but lived in it;
while Orlando Foster opened shoe
shop in the basement. Coggswell &
Aver opened another store little to
the south. One day a steamer stopped
off shore the first time-the Detroit
and sent to land some passengers and
freight. William Bullen this fall
built on the Island, near the present
Sykes house, two-story residence,
which the legends say was then the |
finest in Wisconsin. This was signal !
for the renewal of the Resigue war,
and the new house was in danger of |
being torn down for time; so that |
find in Thomas Persons account book |
a charge for watching it certain nights |
But the dispute was at length settled, |
and peace finally established on the Is
land.
Domestic life also began to look
more promising, this fall; and Nelson |
oy apd Moriotto Toxvcloo ooJobro4 4 Il