The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-08-07

OZanne's house now stands, seems to
have been the first in our county, and
built at least early in March, 1886. Mr..
Montgomery remained there eight
years or more, somewhat famous
among pioneers as "a hunter, and then
moved West to disappear from our his
tory. So, the honor of the first settle
ment in Kenosha county belongs to
Jacob Montgomery and the town of
Somers.
Mr.. Longwell located where he still
lives, and having built his cabin, went
for his family. Before he returned
with them, Benjamin Fulch and his
son, Alison, had also come and located
where the family still resides. Alison
Fulch and Hugh Longwell remain to-
day the oldest residents of the county.
The others who came with Mr.. Long
well settled near-Garret Shuart. Bar.
net Shuart, Mr.. Griffin and Mr.. Hague
but they only remained few years.
Indeed many of those old settlers were
German pioneers, feeling crowded
when they could see the smoke from
another cabin, and even pushing West
ward only to stop from necessity in
California.
PLEASANT PRAIRIE.
The next settlers we find in Pleasant
Prairie. | received only last night a
letter from Abner Barlow, a pioneer
preacher, now living at Stoughton, Wis.
He writes that ON June or 2, 1886,
he and three others left Chicago for a
trip northward. They came along the
lake shore to Waukegan, which con-
sisted then of zone shanty and coffee
mill nailed to stump" They then
lstruck inland and follow the trail
north, finding the Montgomerys and
Fulchs as we have seen them. Thence
| they passed down to the mouth of Pike
| river, and crossing over to the island,
made fire and ate dinner there. This
was June 3 or 4, and no settlers had
yet made mark here Thence strik-
ing southwest, they found Horace
Woodbridge and his family already oc-
cupying cabin little beyond Fitch
A. Higgins present residence, This
substantiates what had already heard,
that Horace Woodbridge was the first
settler in Pleasant Prairie. On the re-
turn to Chicago, Mr.. Barlow met Mr..
Boughton and Henry Miller, then on
the way to settle On Miller creek, early
in June, 1885.
| Pleasant Prairie received another
accession Of settlers July 7th, when
Alvin G. French, VIM. Barlow, Daniel
and Orrin Stevens came along the trail
from Chicago and located not far from
the present Milwaukee road. Some OF
them, after building, returned to Hin
OILS for the winter. But Mr.. French
lremained, and, keeping bachelor hall
with Mr.. Barlow, spent the summer
and fall cutting hay, and going about
with five yoke of oxen and breaking
pillow to turn little patches for the set
tiers to work their claims. Somewhat
later in the season came John Will
liams, R. B. Barnes, Thomas Rowland
and son, Newton Bacon and Alonzo
Burroughs. @.at
~ MORE SETTLERS.
Thus far the settlers had all come on
| foot OF by wagon. But August 18th,
schooner coasted ca utiously along in
search of Pike river, and sent some
| passengers ashore, most noticeable
among whom were Jason L0throp and
his two children. A poem of his, writ
tenafter the arrival, With very dim
light and the quill OF an OWL"
describes the four weeks voyage from
Oswego, and tells the yoyagers that a
sailor cried out: An orchard ahead ;"
EMr. Lathrop was a Baptist minister,
but adapted himself to pioneer wants
+ by opening a boarding house in that
little shanty south of the creek, where
we soon find him writing letter "with
fifteen sleeping around him." The
same vessel brought DR.. B. B. Cary, the
first phi ysician in the county, who, how
ever, la ter in the season moved to Root
river. In the same vessel, August 18th,
came Austin Kellogg and family, who
located mile north on the bank of
the river, and built the log house which
still stands as relic of 1885.
There were other notable arrivals
the same Week. August 18th. Alvin
French, moving marsh hay on his
claim, stopped to greet young stran-
ger who came walking from Chicago.
It was Nathan r. Allen on his way to
Pike river, where he has steadfastly
remained, and is now the oldest resi-
| dent Of the town. August goth, came
Thomas d. Persons, who fortunately
| for this historian, Straightway began
to keep an account book, little thinking
lit would be used forty years after to
verify dates. Mr.. Persons and Jonathan
Pierce were the welcome carpenters
of those days; and one is surprised to
see the rapidity with which houses
were turned off, and the low prices got
for them.
FIRST STORE.
Hitherto the houses had been built
of logs. Some say a cargo of lumber
arrived in July, though find this dis
puted. But cargo certainly came
about the last of August, and N. r.
Allen informs me it was pitched loose
ly into the lake in NORTHEASTERN, and
he had men stationed up and down the
beach who caught it asst fioated ashore,
:" and saved every board" Now frame
houses appeared. j. Lothrop writes
that the first one was. his, built not far
from the spresent engine house. This
is both confirmed and. disputed. But
at any rate, by the sure evidence of
Mr.. Persons account book, there was
raised September It'll, near the north
east corner of the insulator factory, a
frame store, the first in the county.
Here John BulIen and N. r. Allen
soon commenced the commerce of
KenoSha. This building, too, after
various fortune, still stands not far
from Mr.. Harrison's planning shop.
INDIANS.
September was marked by visit of
Indians. Three hundred, or more, pass
ing in canoes were weather bound on
the island for three weeks. 1t caused
the settlers some anxiety, and indeed,
their demands for provisions and
whisky were sometimes more violent
than pleasant. But the worst thing
find recorded Of them is marching
one night in solemn nrOce Ssinn to that