The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-10-16

brother, Charles j., who Ind preceded him,
became nurse and and constant attendant to
Henry, and with the doctors able help and
the kind care Of the family, he recovered,
Charles had built carpenter shop on the
west side, near where Shulers warehouse
stood, west of the "cut." The brothers
worked together two years, till Charles went
away TO visit smother brother and was take
sick and died. Henry was alone now, and
though he felt the loss of his brother great
ly, he pitched in alone. Ottawa was then
doing considerable building. Mr.. Reed
built the first "Mansion House," in 1884;
helped to put up the Fox River House in
1886, and worked on the second court house.
The second year he was here he was deputy
under Sheriff Stadden which place he held
for two years and has been ever since citi-
zen of Ottawa, highly respected for his ex-
cellent qualities, his manlness and perfect
honor in all his dealings with every one
He lives in q comfor able home on his farm
on the Dayton road, near the city limits, and
has enough of this worlds comforts about
him to enjoy his old days in peace and
plenty.
MITCHELL AND REED.
As these gentlemen were Jointly inter.
viewed we give below their joint recollec
tions of Ottawa in the early day of their ar
rival here.
Mr. Mitchell says the officers in charge of
the fort here were very lax in their disci
pline, and allowed pretended friendly In
dams to go and come as they pleased. These
privileged characters were permitted thereby
to carry news to and fro and to keep their
friends posted as to the intentions and move.
ments of the whites, and often brought the
officers false reports as to Indian schemes.
The fort, which was put up by the white
settlers to protect their wives and children
against the savages, stood in South Ottawa,
near the bluff, about thirty feet east of the
road leading up the bluff through that por
tion of the city, and was for years after used
by Mr.. PAYER rs a stable. Among the early
pioneers here who came to town to secure
the protection of the fort were the Penn
brooks, Vermets, lIoldermans, and Hull
and Davis, who were afterwards massacred
Mt Indian Creek were awhile in the fort but
did not remain long The fort was large
log building, with port holes around the
sides between the logs, and surrounded by a
fence.
Davis, whose sad fate has been previously
mentioned, was fearless and reckless man
He knew no danger, and was induced against
his will to bring his family to the fort, and
each day of his stay chafed and worried him.
He thought his conduct cowardly in tleein e
from invisible foes, and they only red skins
whom he could drive before him like flock
Of geese. He compelled his wife and child
to 60 back to Indian Creek, where they soon
became central figures of a fearful tragedy
The Hall girls, as the settlers then under
ha pf hat nj
washing clothes in the creek, and perceiving
house voluntarily to die with the others.
NORTH OTTAWA IN 1892.
In 1882 the only houses in North Ottawa
were two, one small cabin where the Otta.
wa house now stands, and the other at about
the terminus of the side cut. VIM. Mitchell
used the former for carpenter shop. Sam
uel Tyler afterwards built another nearly
opposite where the Clifton house now stands.
DR.. Walker built a frame house with a
log kitchen in 1888, and both Mitchell and
Reed boarded there. 1t was in the rear of
near where Sticfel's store is, or on Mill street,
further southeast. The doctor died in Sept,
1882. DR.. r. and his brother, J. Wood
worth, opened the first store on the North
Side in 1888. 1t stood where Griggs' or
NdlIluSoT DTlCk DlOCk now Is.
SOUTH OTTAWA IN 1889.
Mr.. Mitchell arrived in Ottawa in May,
1882. The principal features of South OF
tawa were fort, log house under the bluff
where DR.. Walker then lived. Also Joseph
Clouds log house. Here Mr. Day had the
first store in this region, in South Ottawa.
Mr.. Bergen came with another few months
after, in 1888. Among the settlers here then
- a. L..
W. and VIM. E. Armstrong, the latter de-
ceased John s. Armstrong was at Mission
Point and somehow was not molested by the
Indians.
COURT HOUSES.
ssThe first court house, says Mitchell was
built IN 1888. partly in the streets at north
west corner Of the present court house
square. Mitchell moved down the grass to
make space for its foundation. Wilbur
Walker had made a contract with the com
missioners to build 1t for Sl25, and fearing
he would lose upon the bargain wanted to
throw it up. Mitchell took it off his hands
and completed the JOB. 1t was about 22x3O
feet, frame, two stories high 1t was
moved and became Gays carriage shop.
The next was built in 1888 or 80, by
Alison Woodruff, after he went out of the
office of sheriff. This building had a Jail
under it, The Jail for the first court house
stood on the banks Of the Fox river, near
where the old Fox river brewery stands, on
the edge of the street. The second was Is
or 30 feet by 45 or 80 feet, two stories high,
and did duty till the old brick structure su-
perceded it. This last of these old land.
marks, the b ';ck court house was blu 1t by
Mr., Flagg
THE FERRY.
The first ferry consisted of canoe or two
and small boat, which would carry two
horses ifthey would stand still, A part Of
Mitchelrs company from Indiana crossed
over this ferry in 1892. In 1884 Charles
and William Simmons had a fatboat ferry
and a skitf, and were succeeded by Freden-
burg and Rogers, and the latter by Freden-
berg alone, and he ran it a good many years
The ferry rope ran from about where the
north abutment of the present bridge stands
to a frame shanty at the mineral spring.
That spring even in those days had credit
for medicinal qualities.
THE DOCTORS AND LAWYER.
The doctors in those days were DR.. r. p
r. p Woodwork, DR.. Walker, DR.. Moth.