Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-11-03
DEATH OF A PIONEER.
Sketch Of the Life of Francis
Martell, Sr.

tbs htSt employment IN life was as 4
farm hand for his uncle, his wages
being 30 cents per month, At the age
OF IL years he commenced to learn, the
trade OF millwright in the locality
where. he was born, He went from
there to upper Canada and worked
three years for his brothcr-iu-law, and
then went to Buffalo, y. ", where he
finished his trade; or, at least he was
discharged because he was too faith
full to his duties. An attempt was
twice made by incondiarics to burn the
mill in which he was working, and he
succeeded both times in putting tho
fire out, For this vigilance II seems
he was discharged, as there was some
object in having the mill burned,
which was accomplished in about ten
days after he was discharged, and his
employers collected the insurance ON
II. After his discharge from the mill,
he returned home foi n short visit and
then in the summer OF 1896 he left to
come to the United States, coming
direct to Chicago, and from there IN
company with two others travelled ON
foot to milwaukee, which at that time
was only n trading post, He stayed
there short time and found employ
ment in loading wood on n scow for
the boats, He left there in company
with others and travelled to Green
Bay, and ON their journey they were
Obliged to follow the Indian trails
through the woods and swamps, lay
ing out all night in the woods without
tent or blanket, and built fires to keep
themselves warm, whilo ono stood
nd ~ VIA
the wolves aud panthers which were
plenty at that time. They reached the
post at Green BAY where they stayed
short timo engaged IN such employ
ments NJ they could procure, for the
purpose of getting money to pay their
board, rs money was very scarce Mt
that time.
From Green Bay he went to Port
age, staying there u few days looking
for employment, but finding none, he
bought bark canoe, and in company
with James Gordon and others started
down the Wisconsin river, To old
Helena, where the shot tower was
afterwards built. When night came
on, they went ON shore and turned
their canoe over and all turned in for
the night, short distance below
Arena, At daybreak they put their
canoe back into the river and started
out In search of breakfast, and In u
short time came to the end of their
journey. They were beginning to feel
the need OF food by this time which
was soon supplied by the innkeeper of
the place, Mr., Culver. Here he sold
the eanse and they all started for
Mineral Point, which thoy reached
that day in the latter part OF October,
1896. The next morning he commenced
to work on the streets, II being the
first work ever done on the streets of
Mineral Point, and when the ground
froZc and the work closed, he worked
Mt odd Jobs around the land Office,
carting specie In hewclbarrow TO the
bank In 81 900 boxes.
In the winter Of 1896 ~, he got the
use Of team, and chopped wood and
hauled II to town for Sl.m per load.
The next summer he worked for Mart
in Burris Mt Belmont, and IN the fall
he helped TO move Gen, VIM. Il, Smith
from Illinois to Mineral Point, when
the now Hon. j. M. Smith was then
an infant In his mothers arms.
In the winter of 1897 3S, he worked
in the pinery. and scarcely ever wore
a hat during the winter. In the winter
OF 1899, he drove team between Madi-
son and Portage, and boarded with
Captain Lowe. The Captain said To
him one day: "Well, Frank, how did
you like your boarding place In Mad
ison?n "Well, Captain he replied,
In broken English, 81 ate Is feet OF
the table and then got up hungry IN
morning"
In the summer OF 1910, he com
menced to run the Hickcox mill, which
was the first mill In Iowa county Of
any account. He bached part OF the
time the first three years and then
boarded with VIM. +. Ruggles.
In 1874 he was married To Rosie
Linn and that put an end To bachlng.
While he was yet baching, Clabe Hig-
gins went to supper with him one even
ing, and n black cat belonged TO the
cabin which occasionally would steal
la, and he apologizcd TO Higgins,
saying, "Therc Is that cat again, and
now ] will fix him So he picked up
n stick OF wood and let drive ut the
supposed cat and knocked the old
black coffee pot all out OF further Use
fulness! He also ran sawmill at the
same place. and Captain VIM. +. Rug
giles now has some black walnut lum-
Der In his barn that was sawed nj that
time. He run the mill for nine years,
and at the end OF that time he moved
to Ridgeway and kept the first hotel
on the road between Mineral Point
and the Mounds, which became sta
ton on the stage route for changing
horses.
In 1850 he went to California In
company with Clark Hickcox who
now lives in Dodgcville), starting In
April. They got as far M Council
Bluffs and stayed there until the wag-
on train got large enough to proceed
In safety and also for the grass TO get
started, and on the 18th day Of May
they started on the long tedious Jour
ney and went through without having
any trouble, having nothing TO eat the
last two or three weeks but corn meal
and sugar, One evening while in
camp. Mr.. Hickcox heard some little
children crying and went over TO their
wagon and said to the woman "What
Is the trouble with the children" She
replied: "They are hungry: they have
4. 4