Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1904-07-08
BACKIN TIE FORTIES

W. B. Naylor. Of Tomah. Tells Of
his Early Experiences In Grand
Rapids, l842.185l..
ut was in 1842 when I made my
first trip to what is now known as
Grand Rapids" said w. B. Naylor in
an interview the other day. 1t was
in the fall just at the time when the
corn and prairie chickens were p!enti-
ful that father and / left Quincy,
H., with two wagons loaded with
dry goods, groceries and -four TO trade
with the indians and lumbcrlnen in
Wisconsin.
At that time roads were In poor
condition and ten barrels of -four was
considered a good load. Our road
took us through Galena, H., and
thence to Point BauSse, where we
disposed OF our goods, wagons, teams
and all. For these we received lumber
''and wooden dollars, which were
lunches Of shingles, put up in half
thousands, ia those days. After
receiving our lumber and shingles we
returned home on the river floating
down on our lumber which was built
into RATS. Our food on our trip to
Point BansSe consisted mainly OF
crackers, corn and wild chickens
brought down by a trusty shot gun
and keen eye as we Travelled on.
Upon arriving at Point BauSse we
put up at Makely'S, stopping
place for lumbermen and where meals
we're to be had. It WAS here that we
did our trading. We traded under
Mr.. Wakely's license for in those days
every one could not trade with the
indians without licenses. Here one
meal was served day, beginning at
a. m. and ending at II p. N. Mrs.
Wakely was strong woman, ever
willing to help where she was needed.
From Point Bausse we travelled on
foot up the river to Port Edwards or
Frenchtown where we crossed the
Wisconsin river to the west side and
thence to the mill site run by George
Kline Jr. Nelson Strong and
Sam Mccartney built the first hotel
In Grand Rapids, Of hewed logs. While
the hotel Was being built Nelson
Strong and family lived in board
shanty sixteen feet square. 1t was
here that E. S. Minor, the first post
master, of Grand Rapids, boarded
and his goods at that time would pro-
badly fill wheel barrow. He after
wards kept store. At the Strong
home many lumbermen were fed.
Domestic help was not as plentiful
then as now, SO it required good
deal of strength and patience On the
part of Mrs. Strong to prepare meals
for these men.
Mr.. MAYORS trip from Illinois to
Grand Rapids was largely through an
unsettled country. This territory
was all through Dane county at that
time. Portage city was one of the
principal stopping places till they
reached Grand Rapids. Sixteen
miles this side OF Portage, Jared
Waulswarth had settled on a home
stead, married an indian woman,
kept travellers and did some hunting
and fishing. This indian woman was
known over large scope of2country
especially by the french as being an
excellent nurse and quite skillful as
a doctor.
The first Jail and court house to be
located in this northern country was
at Plover, and it was one of the most
economical established in new
country as a man confined in this
Jail seldom remained there long
enough to require single meal, as he
would dig out through the sand
underneath the building. This was
in l845, but at Mr.. MAYORS first visit
at Grand Rapids in 1912 there was
about ten or twelve people located on
the Centraiia side occupying two log
houses. They were operating a saw
mill driven by water power with an
up and down saw that could average
about 1000 feet Of lumber per day.
At this time indians were plenty
along the Wisconsin river but entirely
peaceable. Game OF all kind was
found 10 great abundance, and the
Hudson Bay Fur company agents
were frequently seen trading with the
indians.
Mr.. NaylOr made several of these
visits and trips until 1851 when he
permanently located here. In 1849 he
was married. and in 1850 he started a
store which was located where the
present city hall and library stands
on the east side, but it was not until
1851 that he brought his wife here.
The size of the store was 12xN feet
and therefore would not compare
very favorable with that Of Spaff0rd,
Cole & Co. s of today.
Mr.. and Mrs. NaylOr are at present
visiting with Mrs. M. j. Warren and
enjoys good health. He recalls his
boyhoOd days as we'll as his manhood
with great pleasure and delights in
seeing the progress being made today
in the country which was very heavily
timbered and sparsely inhabited
L ho Erc