Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-05-10
FIRST TEACHER OF MADISON.
Louisa NJ Brayton Sawin, Grand
Mother of G. B. Bird, of This City.

Louisa M. Brayton Sawin, Grand
Mother of G. B. Bird, of This City.
Last Tuesday evening, May Sd, 1904
the board of education of the city oi
Madison renamed their public schoo
buildings and one of them was named
after the first teacher of that city
Louisa Nj. Brayton" 1t was the
maiden name of Mrs. Geo. Sawin, who
still resides in Madison and is the
mother of Mrs. Geo. w Bird of that
city, and grand mother of Claire b
Bird, of this city The Madison Demo.
crat of Wednesday, published an his
torical article concerning the capital
city's first teacher and the family OF
Col. Geo. w. Bird, and as all are well
known 10 our people, portions of the
same will be interesting to the readers
of the PILoT
Louisa NJ Brayton. now Mrs. Louisa
| M Sawin, is the mother of Mrs Geo.
w Bird and is member of her family
She was born in wilma, Jefferson coun-
| ty New York, on the 23d day of May,
| 1876 Her father was Deacon Jeremiah
Brayton, who moved from WilnatO to
| Cleveland, Ohio, in 1885, and in 1887
emigrated to Wisconsin and settled on
the banks of the Crawfish river, near
AZtaton, in Jefferson county. The
article goes on to give detailed ac-
count of the Brayton family, consisting
of parents, three daughters and one
son, coming to Wisconsin. They came
to Milwaukee by way of the lakes, and
| from there, by the assistance of Solo
mon Juneau, and with about nine or
ten others who had joined the party,
secured six ok teams, and with prairie
schooners reached their destination
Early in 1887 e. A. Bird passed
through from Milwaukee TO Madison
with his party, TO build the capitol.
Later in the same year he brought his
family to Madison, and Mrs. Bird being
somewhat nervous at the thought OF
going into the interior, induced one
of the Brayton girls to 60 with her
Miss Lavina Bray ton. In 1888 the fol-
lowing named were present at a meet
ing TO consider the matter of opening a
school A. A Bird, John Stoner,
Eban Peck and Prosper Bird, all heads
OF families, having children of school
age, and were deeply interested, as
their children were becoming quite
familiar associates with the Indian
children and rapidly acquired their
rowing ways and habits. A school
was directed to be opened, and upon
consultation with Miss Lavina Brayton,
it was decided to send for her Older
sister, Miss Louisa, and have her take
charge of the school.
In the meanwhile tall Winnebago
Indian had quietly slipped into the
room, and stood back up against the
wall, watching the proceedings and
listening attentively.S Although he
could talk little English, his natural
keenness soon enabled him to compre-
hend what was going on, and especial
ly what was wanted, and he offered to
go and bring the girl. He made known
that he knew where the Brayton family
lived--that he had been there some
days before and was anxious to take his
pony and 90 and bring the girl at once.
To impress his good faith on his hearers
he explained with much pantomime aud
iesticulation where they lived, the num-
Der in the family, and somewhat of
their habits and surroundings. Then
with much eagerness he tried to ex
plain something he had seen there that
had evidently made decided impress
sion on him. He beckoned them to the
door-pointed up at the sun, then drew
his finger slowly down the sky to the
eastern horizon, then struck his fist five
or six times in his hand, uttering an
"Uphr' with each strike. Then he
traced his finger up the sky and at in
tervals stopped and struck his hand
with mis- fist as before, but with an ad-
ditional strike at each stop, until he
reached the zenith when he made
twelve strikes. Then he swung his
hand slowly backward and forward,
uttering 'tick-tock, tick-tock." At
once young Lavina told him he was
describing the tall, old fashioned Seth
Thomas clock they had in their little
log house at home. All were satisfied
then that he had been at the Braytons.
His kind offer to go and bring the girl,
however, was declined, and it was de-
cided to send Charles HI. Bird, young
er brother of A A. Bird, on the mission.
Such was the first school meeting held
in Madison, and native Indian of the
forest took a striking part in it.
The article then goes on to say that
at different times on their way they
saw skulking through the woods, a
large Winnebago Indian evidently keep
ing pace with them, who proved to be
the same one that took part in the school
meeting. He had evidently gone un
hidden to the mission for the teacher
and was now returning to see that she
was safely brought to her destination.
The school opened the first day with
twelve scholars, among them were j
w. Stoner and his two sisters, Serena
and Minerva; Thenodyne and Franklin
Bird and their sister, Marion; Victor
Peck; Prosper Bird and Ed George.
The article closes as follows
I'm January, l843, she was married to
Mr.. George Sawin, of LaPorte, Indiana.
Two children were born TO her there
one son, Albert B. Sawin and one
daughter, Maria s. Sawin. The son was
a private in Company f. of the 26th
regiment in the civil war, and died in a
hospital at st Louis, the mother reach
ing there just as he expired. The daugh-
ter is Mrs Geo w. Bird of this city
Mr.. Geo Sawin died Jan 9th, 1853, and
the daughter was married to Col. Geo.
w. Bird in Oct, 1864, and since len
Mrs. Sawin has lived in their fauni'v.
She is now over 81 years of age and ID
the enjoyment of remarkably good
health
The old clock that the Winnebago
Indian so graphically described in the
first school meeting stands at the head
of the stairs in Colonel Birds residence,
and Mrs. Sawin, every night as she re-
tires, passes to the head of the stairs,
draws up the weights and thus keeps 1t
running Although g wooden clock, it
has now been keeping time for over 80
years, and after such long service is as
reliable as any clock in town except the
special clocks at the University. 1t has
a clear striking bell, that rings through
the house, and strong tick that makes
itself constantly known. No wonder it
made an impression on the Indian.
Every housekeeper should know that
If they will bnv Defiance Gold Water