The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-06-17
EDWARD WEST.
Sketch OF the Life of a Pennsyl.
vanian Who Went West i'm
Early Life.


The following sketch of Edward, brother o
Rev. DR.. West of this place, is taken froma re
cent issue of an Appleton (wis) paper.--ED
Edward West, one of the early
pioneers of Appleton, the earliest
developer of an organized system
of improvements for the great
water power of Appleton, and the
first teacher of a public school IN
the territory of Wisconsin, died
at II o'clock this morning at his
home on Prospect street. after an
illness of a few weeks. Deceased
was aged 85 years, two months
and seven days, and is survived
by a widow, two daughters and a
son.
Edward West was born March
20, 1918, in Perry county, Pa
His father William West, was a
farmer and surveyor, and Edward
lived on the farm assisting in the
work of the place and helping his
father in surveying until IA years
of age, gaining considerable
knowledge of farming and sur
veying. In 1882 he entered Wash
ington college, Pennsylvania,
where he studied three years, in
the meantime perfecting himself
in surveying. When 18 8years old
he started west, arriving at De-
troit April 10, 1886, and from
there determined to go to Mil
waukee. Finding that it would
be several days before a vessel
could get through the Straits of
Mackinac, he left his trunk to be
brought by the first vessel that
should sail, and started on foot
across Michigan to the lake. He
travelled the distance to st. Joseph
200 miles, IN five and one-half
days, and at st. Joseph took a
schooner for Milwaukee, arrived
there in the night, and finding no
accommodations in the little VII
lage except a shake-down tavern
kept by man named Childs.
During the night he learned
from the conversation of his nu-
merous bedfe]lows on the tavern
floor that there was unpre-empt-
ed land to be had nearby, and
next morning joined their party
and took up claim about 4 miles
from Milwaukee and with his
own labor built cabin on 1T. His
entire cash capital when he land
ed in Milwaukee was So, but he
almost at once secured work as
surveyor, and thus supported
himself while improving his
claim.
immigration to Wisconsin was
at that time, comparatively speak
ing, large, and the little village of
Milwaukee grew quite rapidly
The only schools IN the territory
OF Wisconsin up to the fall of 1887
We're private or parochial schools,
and as the number of inhabitants
of Milwaukee increased it was
deemed advisable to establish a
public school. One day in the
early fall Mr.. West was visited at
his claim by the recently elected
school trustees and rendered the
position of public school teacher.
lie accepted, and as soon as a
building could be erected he
entered upon his duties, thus be-
coming the first teacher of the
first public school in the Terri.
Tory of Wisconsin. Because of
his youthful appearance"he was
Known as "the boy teacher" His
pupils numbered forty during
the first year, but the next year
the mum ber was increased by
new comers until he had an en-
follment of 20, about one half his
pupils of both sexes being as old
OF older than himself. There
We're not nearly enough books to
20 around among the pupils, and
scarcely any two of those avail
able We're alike. No school books
We're available nearer than De-
'ro't, a long journey distant by
.he lakes. Night after night he
iabored in the school room until
midnight, setting copies for the
next day, making and mending
qn'll pens for the whole school.
ana laying out work for the vari.
'us classes of his ungraded