The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-06-19
FACTS IN THE HISTORY OF 7,HF
CITY OF. KENOSHA

HACIC IN The HISTORY OF THE
CITY OF KENOSHA. !.
This being the half-centennlal wear
OF settlement of what is now the CITY
of Kenosha, at the suggestion of some
of our citizens, we republish, with
some few additions, historical facts
which appeared in this paper few
years ago. These facts relate only to
the early formation of village and
subsequent organization of city govern
ment. Southport was the name origin.
ally given to this place.
Before Southport had two hundred
inhabitants, the subject of village
incorporation began to be agitated. In
the fall of 1889, at a meeting of citiz-
ems, a committee was appointed to
draft a village charter. That being
done, tue proposed charter was for
warded to Madison. to Hon. William
Bullen, then resident of Southport,
and member of the Territorial Coun.
Gil. The act of Incorporating the vii.
lage of Southport was passed February
9, 1S41, with proviso that it should
first be submitted to the legal voters
within the limits of the proposed cor
poration for approval before becoming
a law. An election was held in March
1841, at which time the question of ac-
ceptance of the charter was voted upon,
and 80 votes were given in favor, and
6 against. The names of all those who
voted on the question at that election
are found regis tered in the village re-
cord now in the Office of the City Clerk
Of the number who voted for the
charter only one is now living in this
city-N. r. Allen and, as far as
known, four ffths of The others are not
now living, Of the six who voted
against, all are dead except III. Durkee.
On the first Monday in April, 1S41,
the first election for village officers
was held. The village was divided in
to two wards, the harbor dock dividing
it into North and South wards. David
Crosit, Chancey Davis and F. S. Lowell
were elected Trustees in the South
ward; j. Bullen, A. d. Northway and
William Seymour, Trustees in the
North ward. Only two of these trus-
tees are now living-Northway and
Davis.
The following were the Presidents
of the village of Southport in the
order OF their elections:
1910, M. Frank; 1871, William Bull
len; 1912, John w. Mccoy; 1S43, John
W. Mccoy; 1914, Serene Fisk; 1916,
Serene Fisk; 1916, Theodore Newell !;
1S47, John W. Mccoy; 1s4S, Michael
Holmes; 1s49, William S. Strong. All
Of the village Presidents are now dead
out TWO. S&
At the session of the Legislature in
1850 the county of Kenosha was set
off from Racine county, the name of
Southport changed to Kenosha, and
incorporated as city. The first cleo
ton for city officers was held on the
first Monday of April, 1850.
The following are the names of those
who held the Office of Mayor and the
years in which they served:
1850, M. Frank; 1851, D. G. Gaskell
1852, G. G. Sholes; 1853, G. g Sholes
1854, G. G. Sholes; 1856. G. G. Sholes
1856, Volney Hughes; 1857, G. FL. Paul;
1858, G. I'll. Paul; 1859, Asahel Farr
1860, I. w. Webster; 1861, M. HI. Pet
tit; 1862, F. Robinson; 1868, F. Robin
son; 1854, Asahel Farr; 1866, M. HI
Petit; 1866, Dennis ]. Hines; 1857, M.
Fl. Petit; 1868, I. w. Webster; 1869
F. Robinson; 1870, M. H. Petit; 1871
Asahel Farr; 1872, Asahel Farr; 1873
Asahel Farr; 1874. I. w. Webster
1875, o. G. King; 1873, J. V. Quarles,
ST.; 1877, Asahel Farr; 1878, Asahel
Farr; 1879, F. Robinson; 1880, A. G
Sinclair; 1881, III. Williams; 1882, III
Williams; 1883, 0. S. Newell; 1884, z
G. Simmons; 1886, z. G. Simmons.
There have been during the thirty-fvt
years of city government sixteen city
Mayors, of which number six are dead
viz, Gaskill, Sholes, Hughes, Webster
Petit, Quarles ST..