Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-07-24
Tribute to Ex-Governor Dewey, 1882.

travelled by stage to Buffalo, on the
steamer Michigan to Detroit, and
by stage to Schoolcraft or Round
Prairie, in Michigan. There he
visited friend for a month and
then came on in lumber wagon to
the mouth of ST. Joseph river,
thence by a sail vessel to Chicago,
and thence by stage TO Galena, ar
irving there June 10. 1886. From
there he went to Dubuque by
steamer and thence up the river
bank on horseback and foot to Cass-
vile. Ferried across the river in a
Hat boat by William Walker, and
stopped at the hotel then kept by
| William Estes and Robert r. Read.
The night before the party reached
Cassville they camped out in the
woods and rain, having missed the
Indian trail, which was the road
from Dubuque to Turkey River.
Mr.. Dewey's first position in the
new country was that of clerk and
bookkeeper for Daniels, Denniston
| 81 Co, owners of the tOwnsite in
1886 and 1887. The county being
organized March 4, 1887, he was
elected the first register Of deeds of
Grant county, and the same summer
was appointed justice Of the peace
by Gov. Dodge. He removed to
Lancaster, the new county seat, in
the autumn, where he lived until
1856, when he moved back to Cass
vile.
AS justice, Mr.. Dewey was just
but firm. Linsey Evans, Jacob
Derrick and William Colley, who
were brought before Justices Dewey
and James Bonham, for the killing
Of Jim Crow in February, 1888, at
Potosi, (then Snake Hollow were
| held for murder and committed to
the Crawford county Jail without
bond. Grant county had no Jail at
| that time They afterward got
out on bail by order Of Judge Dunn.
J. Allen Barber prosecuted this
case, and Thomas P. Burnett, I. S.
Wilson and d. L. Anderson defend
ed the prisoners.
Mr.. Dewey was elected to the
House of Representatives of the
Territorial Legislative assembly in
1888, the first legislature TO meet in
Madison in Novemb bel, 1888; chosen
speaker in 1910; reelected in 1910;
elected to the Legislative Council in
1912 for four years, being president
of same one session. He was clerk
Of the Board of Supervisors one or
two years in the '4O's, and also dis
trict attorney a year III the same
period.
He was one of three commission
ers appointed to survey, lay out and
sell the section on which POtosi
stands, which was granted by CON
gress to aid in digging the canal
from the Mississippi river to Grant
river slough. Also he was one of
the commissioners who surveyed
the lots and settled claims Of pre-,
emptors of 200 acres of the townslte
OF Beetown.
In May, 1848, Mr.. Dewey was
elected the first governor Of the
state of Wisconsin, and qualified
June 5, at Madison. He was re-
elected in 1S49, and served during
the years Of 1849, 1850 and 1851.
In 1853 he was elected state senator
from Grant county by three MAORI
ty over Orsamus Cole, the wing
candidate and afterward Chief
Justice of the state supreme court.
While in Lancaster he was the
director of the school board and
built the first school house in the
village. Was one year chairman OF
the Town Board of Supervisors and
the same year was chairman of the
County Board.
In the spring of 1855 Gov. Dewey
returned to Cassyille for three
years, thence removing to Platte
VILE. where he lived five years
While IN Platteville he was director
of the school board of the north
district several years, during which
time the brick school house was
built. Was also president Of the
village board three years, during