The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-09-11


family still live, and soon after opened
another tavern on the Milwaukee road
This year E. B. Pierce built in Somers
what he calls the first farmers barn in
| the county.
In Paris before the end of the season
we find Patrick Malarky, FIR. Weeks
james Clark, Mr.. Stanley, Fir. McGinn
Rufus Marston, and others; also S. B
Myriek, who came from Paris. N. Y.
and so gave that name to the town.
Bristol in 1887 received many new
settlers to keep Rollin Tuttle company
Among these we notice Mrs. Tourte
| lotte and family, Harmon Marsh, Levi
Grant, Charles and Thomas Cutting, S
S. Fowler, Joel Walker, Will Etheridge
A. B. Jackson, Luman Epson and
Elihu Philips. At a meeting at the
house of A. B. Jackson in November
it was decided TO name the town Bris.
tol, from a place in New England
whence several of the settlers had
come.
In the spring of 1887 John Dodge
went from Southport and settled in
Salem, near what was afterWard
known as the Bass Ball." Also AL
fred Bullen, General BulIen and Others
went over to Fox River to build the
city which had lain on Jason Lothrop's
map for year. A hopeful "hotel''
was erected and other improvements
made; but of any further movements
in Salem or in Wheatland and Randall
no reports have come to me.
Here at Southport in 1887 was much
activity. The hotel business especial
ly took new start. Deacon Hollis
Whitney built log tavern near the
site of Il. Bain's present hardware
store. This was the first building on
Main street, and afterwards became
famous as the "City Hotel" deacon
Whitney, like good deacon. held fast
to the religious opinions of his day
and one of his Sunday school scholars,
whom / recently met in Michigan, tells
ne how the deacon, showing him one
day the fires in brick-kiln, improved
the occasion, and described how much
hotter the fires in the next world were
goirg to be.) Seth and A. w. Dooiittle
also built, in 1887, the Wisconsin
House, on the south side of the creek,
near Wallace Mygatt's present resi-
dence. Mr.. Crossit also built, near
Head & Sutherland's hay barn, house,
which he this year occupied as resi-
dence, with Philander Dodge keeping
a tailor shop up stairs; but which
'afterward became the Kenosha Cepee
House. In the summer of 1887 the
first house on Market street was built
by Orlando Foster just west of the
present American Hotel. The settle
ment also pushed slowly to the south,
and it seems to have been this year
that Jared Lake, having purchased the
tract now occupied by the southwest
lern part of the city, built log house
lin the corner of it, near where O. S.
Heads house now stands. Nor should
we forget to notice, in our view of 1887,
a little house standing in the south
western part of the present park, occu-
pied by Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Durkee
a frail and rough cabin, but, like many
Of those times, not merely finished in,
but largely constructed of oak and
black walnut.
But most notable of the buildings
of 1887 was the famous "Block School
House." It was the second structure
on Main street, and stood little south
of the present Simmons Hail." Here
in this little room, surrounded by its
continuous bench, on which the pupils
revolved to face outward or inward at
command, Mrs. DR.. Allen (afterward
Mrs.J. V. Quarles. Sr.) is soon found
teaching school. But the house served
not for school alone; there the sermons
and debates were heard; there cleo
tiOns, caucuses and communion were
held; and there was the general
gathering-place for many year.
The historian should by no means
fail to chronicle the progress Of the
fine arts in a community. And we are
glad to notice in 1887 the singing school
which Nathan Dye taught, and the
band of music which Orlando Foster
organized.
In 1887 the movement for a harbol
was begun, and Charles Durkee was
sent to Washington in it's support
Through his influence a special bill
passed the Senate, allowing settlers to
pre-empt and purchase Village lots, the
proceeds to be applied to the harbor
For few days after they heard of il
the settlers were busy fencing the al.
lowed lots. But soon came news OF
the defeat of the bill in the House, and
the work was suddenly stopped. Still
the harbor question continued to agi.
tate the public mind through those
early years. So eager were the people
of Southport to prove it a port that q
am told) they one day, taking advan.
tage of freshet that opened the mouth
of the creek, succeeded, by help of high
water and wind and a few yoke of
oxen, in getting a schooner into the
bay. They came near having to keep
it there, too; but at length, by anchor
and capstan, the captain succeeded in
getting his vessel back into the lake
again. So slow was the harbor in COM
ing. And for many years the lighters,
of which A. D. Northway built three
at different times, remained the only
means of landing freight. The old
settlers still tell with kindling eye how,
at the we'll known cry from Samuel
Hale, whether at busy noon Or dead of
night, every citizen started to launch
the lighter as if it were religious
duty.
The Territorial Legislature of 1887
sat at Burlington, and Charles Durkee
went again as representative of South.
port.
Toward the close of 1888 occurred the
death of Mrs. Charles Durkee. She
was buried on the lovely knoll south
Of the town, which had been fayorite
resort with her when alive; and thus
began the beautiful cemetery which
her husband afterward donated to
Kenosha.
1888.
/ Prominent among the arrivals of
1888 are noticed the names of Wallace
Mygatt and Volney French. This year
we find Harvey Durkee building his
store (what is now known as the Mrs.
Whitcomb house, and beginning his
housekeeping in it. This and the Ben
nett store, building at the same time,
were the first stores on the North side.
The same year Mr.. Dana built the large