Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-12-22

| pointed old man and picturesque
| character IN Juneau.
In connection with this discussion
| of Wisconsin history it is interesting
| to note that the old commissary
building at Portage of historic
Fort Winnebago has just been torn
down. The statement was published
that this removal destroyed the last
of the old fort buildings. hut this is not
correct. The cd Ird an agency build
ing still. stands ana IS used by E. S.
Baker as farm resi1 - and the orig
inal doctors quart rs sti stand and is
still occupied by w. Il. Gray as a resi-
dense.
Used as Barn.
The west wing of the hospital is used
as a barn at the fort farm and the
south half of the commissary building
still remains on the original spot it &C.
cupied when Fort Winnebago was
fort. The home of c. L. Dering on
Cook street in Portage is one of the
original fort buildings and August
Pfuehler uses another of the original
| buildings a. granary on his farm near
the fort. Others of the original build
ings may also still remain. One of the
most valued acquisitions of the Wiscon-
was history of Fort Winnebago by
Andrew Jackson Turner, the Portage
statesman. The history is interesting
in throwing light on many soldiers who
served at the fort in the Black Hawk
war and later became famous in the
Mexican or civil wars or in civic fields.
In touching on these individually, Mr..
Turner begins with Count Agostin
Ia cytb Inv ha n lett
ian political refugee, who had con-
tract with the government for supply
ing fuel to the garrison. His headquar-
tiers were in the marsh a few miles
north of the fort on one of the so-ca,led
islands," Haraszthy was one of the
most romantic Adventures that ever
figured in Wisconsin history.
Sketch of the Fugitive.
In foot note in Mr.. Turner's history,
Reuben G. Thwaites, secretary of the
State Historical society, gives a brief
sketch of the life and varied fortunes
of the fugitive of which permission is
granted to reproduce:
Colonel Cor COUNT Agostin Haraszthy
was born in 1912, in the comitat of
Bacska, Hungary, his family having
been prominent in Hungarian annals
in the law, he was at the age of is
| member of Emperor Fredinand's body
guard (of nobles) later being chief ex-
ecutive of his (Haraszthy's) district,
and then private secretary to the Hun
garian viceroy. Upon the failure of the
Liberal movement of 1S39-40 in which
he was engaged, he was compelled to
| fly to the United States. After extensive
"a q
| book Gin Hungarian) intended to en-
| courage his fellow countrymen to emil
CRATE to America. In 1S40-41 he set
| tied in Wisconsin, near Portage. Here
| he had a large tract of waste land,
which he improved at much cost, max
! ing necessary roads and ferries. Gain
| ing permission to return temporarily
to Hungary, to surrender certain i'm
portant state papers to that govern
ment he succeeded in saving $150,000
| from his confisCated estates, together
with considerable amount of family
| plate and paintings.
Returned to Wisconsin,.
With this fortune, he returned to Wis
| consin QS42-43) and founded what is
now Sank City, where he planted the
| first hop yard in our state and encour-
J aged others to do likewise; he was
| highly successful with this crop. He
became the head of an emigrant asso-
| citation which brought to Wisconsin
| large and successful colonies of English,
| German and Swiss. In 1S4S, he made
! considerable contributions of arms, sup
| plies and money to his revolutionary
compatrots in Hungary. The follow
| ing year QS4O he removed to California,
| being elected sheriff of San Diego coun-
| ty. He was for many years a promi-
| nent citizen of that state, holding i'm
| portant state and national offices. He
| is called the father of viniculture in
| California and published much on that
subject-in 1861 being appointed by the
| governor as special commissioner to
| visit European vineyards and report
thereon; the result of his report was
the introduction of 400 distinct virie-
ties of grapes into the Golden state. In
1868, he went to Nicaragua, where, at
the head of a company of friends, he
obtained valuable privileges for the
manufacture of wines and spirits, sugar
and Understanding 100000 acres of
| some of the best land in Central Amer
| lea.
Drowned by an Alligator.
1t was upon his plantation, the Haci-
enda San Antonio, near the port of CO.
| rinto, that he met his death July 6,
1870, in a peculiar manner, being
drowned by an alligator while crossing
! lagoon.
When Haraszthy returned to America
in 1928, he was accompanied by his
mother who died at Grand Gulf. Miss,
1S44-45: and his father (Charles). who,
| at the age of so. was buried at sea on
| his return to San Francisco from CO.
rinto (July %, 1870. Colonel Harasz-
| thy's wife (nee Eleonora Dodinsky)
died at Leon, Nicaragua, July Is, 1863;
his son, Colonel GAIA Haraszthy died
on the family plantation in Nicaragua.
Dec. II, 1878, aged As; his sons Attia F.
and Arpad were born in Hungary and
| now C1S9S) live in California; another
surviving son (Beba) was born in Sank
City, Wis; of his two daughters, Ida
was born in Peoria, Ills. and Otelia in
| Madison, Wis.
Doll Over ia Years Old.