The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-08-12
EDUCATIONAL.
HISTORY or MANITOWOC COUNTY
BY JOHN NAGEL,

BY JOHN NAGEL,
The earliest mention we find made
of Manitowoc, is by Col. A. Edwards,
who made trip in 1918, from Green
| Bay to Chicago. in u canoe. He says
when he arrived at Manitowoc, many
Indians were ont in canoes spearing
white fish. =" The first murder of a white
man in the county, was in the spring of
| 1881. DR.. w. S. Madison, the surgeon
of the troops at Green Bay, obtained
leave of absence to visit his family in
Kentucky, He was accompanied by
two soldiers. When near the site of the
city of Manitowoc, and while the sol.
diers were short distance in advance
on foot, "A Chippewa Indian in ambush
shot the doctor from his horse, the
whole charge lodging in the back of his
neck. One of the soldiers mounted the
doctors horse and returned to Green
| Bay for aid. A number of officers and
soldiers started for Manitowoc. but on
their arrival found the doctor dead,
No Indians We're to be seen. The body
was carried to Green Bay and inferred
there The Indian, whose name was
ke tau -kah was delivered mp by his
tribe, some time after. He confessed
the murder but assigned no reason
even stating that the whites had always
been his friends. He was sent to De-
| troit for trial, was found guilty and eN.
ecuted the 2;th day of December, of the
same year. In the same year Col Eben
eZer Childs with party of two men
went from Chicago to Green Bay.
Childs took passage on II Mackinaw
boat as far rs Manitowoc. One of the
men made the trip as far as Manitowoc
with horse. Childs landed here and
proceeded on horse back to Green Bay.
One of the men being unable to walk
was provided with a shelter, some wat
er and provisions, and left somewhere
in the vicinity of the present city until
assistance was dispatched from Green
! Bay. In the year 1928, Col. VIM. $.
| Hamilton, son of the renowned Alexan.
der Hamilton, passed through Mantle
voc with drove of cattle, To supply the
| garrison at Green Bay. General Ellis
says in his Recollections, that in 1922,
| there was ~ trail from Green Bay to Man
| itowoc, and thence to Sheboygan, Mil
waukee and Chicago In the year 1876,
Moses Swan and Isaac tlaertel as com
panions in trade, made n voyage along
the western coast from Green Bay, with
n Mackinaw boat of goods and traded
with the Indians at Manitowoc, Sheboy-
gan and Milwaukee. They made this
trading voyage each spring for seven
years. Col Chidsagain passed through
Manitowoc in 1927, with drove of 2lO
head of cattle for the garrison mt Green
Bay. When near Pine River, in this
county, an old blind pack hosre which
he had fell down the high bank near
the lake and was killed. In 1888 Dan.
iel lie Roy, NJ. L. Martin and =, b.
Grignon, explored the country from
Green Bay south ~ far rs Milwaukee,.
They speak of an Indian village at Man
itowoc.
The United States Land survey in the
country WAS completed in the summer
of 1885, 10y A. e. Ellis, father of Judge
Ellis of Brown county. A land office
was established the previous year AT
Green Bay At this Office the first en-.
tries of land were made for this county.
The first entries of land made in the
county, were by Louis Fi2ette and VIM.
Jones, ut Manitowoc, the former in Aug
ust Bird, the latter, Sept. 10th, Of the
year 1885, and ut the Rapids 10y Francis
Laframbois and VIM Jourdaiu respect
lively on the Bird and 9Th of August, 1889.
The years 1856 were remarkable for
the spirit Of speculation which swept
over the entire country. 1t extended
over Europe and the United States and
in the wilderness manifested itself in
eXtravagant entries of land. People
entered into the widest schemes and
town plats were laid out hundreds OF
miles from the abOdea Of man. Fabul
ous prices were asked for land supposed
to be favorably located for the site of
prospective towns. The site of the pres.
ent city Of Manitowoc was supposed to
have advantages which would insure
the growth of large and prosperous
town. Rumors of u projected railroad
to the Pacific, enlvened speculation in
lands in this county and many entries
We're made. Sartoris made heavy pur.
chases in and around the town of Cato.
Fizette sold bis lands in Manitowoc to
Arudt Of Green Bay who Immediately
disposed Of it ut 800 per acre. The
land in the possession of Jones extended
three miles along the shore south from
the Little Manitowoc, and to the pres
ent line separating Manitowoc Rapids
from the town of Manitowoc.
: In the spring Of 1896, Jones, Clark 4;
Go. sent gang Of five men, Mark How.
ard, Il. l., Abbot Farnham, f. L. Allet
and d. s. Munger to clear site for a
town. They cut down dense tamarack
forest which skirted the river near the
foot of Sixth and Seventh street4 Those
trees were Cut into steamboat wood and