Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-07-03

Settlers society of Jefferson county,
held June 20:
FRIENDS AND FELLow-SETTLERs: [
have been requested to make few re-
marks at this our annual gathering of
the old settlers of Jefferson county.
My intention is to be very brief, al
though my experiences have been very
long and varied.
My native state was Vermont, from the
borders of which | departed in the year
1886, and tfty-four years ago next No
vember | arrived at the little village of
Milwaukee, which has since grown to
be our metropolis. At that time it had
but three or four stores and one hotel;
in FACT, fit was but little trading post.
In the months of November and Decem-
ber worked up the Milwaukee river,
about five miles from the village, getting
out wharf timber for a party by the
name Of Drake. In the last days of
December my brother Luther, a Mr..
Hyland and myself made rough sled
and loaded it with three barrels of -four,
for which we paid $40 a barrel, and two
barrels Of pork, costing $40 a barrel,
and with two yoke of oxen we started
westward for Watertown. Our first
days journey brought us to Prairie
vile, now called Waukesha; from that
point to Watortown there were no other
settlements. Our second day Is journey
brought us to Bark River then called,
but now Delaield. At the end of the
third day we camped in little shanty
with only three sides and few poles
for roof, this place was then known as
Battle Greek, and now as Concord. and
after four days journeying we arrived
at Watertown, which at that time con-
tanned but one family, that of Timothy
Johnson, who resided in a log house.
There were four other men there be-
sides Johnson, by the name Of Miller,
Newcemb Baldwin and Griswold, and
this constituted the entire population
of Watertown at that time.
AS can be easily imagined there were
no streets; houses were scarcely COM
Portable log huts; all was dense will
derness. The first night after our ar
rival we stopped with Mr.. Miller,
bachelor. The government had al
ready surveyed the lands, and our lit
tie company Of three commenced the
next day to stake out our claims. We
were in partnership at that time, and
continued IN that relation for five years.
The first important event occurring
in the settlement was some time in the
month of February, 1897, when James
Rogan (whO has since gone to his final
rest came to WatertOwn, accompanied
by three men named Dolliver, Seaton
and Bass, to build log house on the
west side of Rock river. They, like us,
were compelled to rough it In log hut
on the east side of the river These
men were in the employ of MIR. Rogan,
who furnished them with whiskey and
provisions. and during one of their
drunken revels the man Bass got into
fight and was thrown into the fire and
his arm was burned off; in fact, he was
burned to death, as he was found the
next morning dead, and laying where
the fire had been. We were all young
men at the time and did not know what
to do with Bass. My brother Luther
went over to Aztalan to get Mr.. Bray
ton, who was an elderly gentleman, to
come over and help us out. There was
no way to get word to Aztalan, except
to wade through the snow and dense
forest. Mr.. Brayton came over the
next day and said he did not know
what to do with Bass except to bury
him; SO / and another party went to
work, felled a Eastwood tree, split out
some boards as best We could and made
him a coffin, and we then buried him
on the east bank of the river. While
we were waiting for my brother and Mr..
BraytOn to come over from Aztalan, we
concluded to let Mr. Bass remain in the
place where he was found until their
arrival, as some held to the idea that
we had no right to move him without
the sanction OF some legal authority; so
Dolliver and / slept in a shanty near
where Bass lay. l never shall forget
how the wolves howled about that
cabin during the night, but as l have
said when Mr.. Brayton came we con-
cluded to bury him. Brayton was sort
of a Presbyterian deacon, and he made
a prayer and conducted the funeral
services. Afterwards the murder be-
came known in Milwaukee, when the
authorities of that county sent out four
or five men, who took up Bass's re-
mains, took the testimony of all our
citizens, arrested Dol,iver and Seaton,
and took them to Milwaukee, where
they were tried for the murder, but
were acquitted, the proofs not being
sufficient to convict them.
In 1887 the crops were good, but
everything was very high, seed potatoes
selling at$5 per bushel The only work
we had to do was to clear up land and
till 1t, In the summer, and in the winter
get out timber and float it down Rock
river to Janesville, Rockford and other
places. Our little company worked to-
gether for five years, and during all
that time we put in nearly eighteen
hours day, summer and winter, ex-
cept when we were shaking with the
fever and ague, and when we did get
shake it was a good one.
In the latter part of 1887 Goodhue &
Co. built saw-mill and commenced
operating it, and in 1888 few frame
houses were built.
There was nothing here to be had in
those times for convenience or comfort
except what you could make. remem-
Der making for my use a washboard
and tub, churn, baskets and other
things, and this remained so up to about
the year 1889, when my brother Luther
and myself built store-the first one
here-which we stocked up with about
one thousand dollars worth of goods.
During working hours the store was
locked up and we were at work, and
early mornings and nights if any one
wanted anything they would then come
and get it. This continued for two
years, WheAmy brother bought me out.
Then | built a new store on the north
side of Main street, which | ran for fif-