Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1921-03-16
Interesting Pioneer Charac-
tiers; Early Day Mine
Accidents.

Another well known man who came
to the Snake Hollow mines was Rich
ard Willmers He came here from st.
Louis in 1886 and settled in Van Bur-
Ion. then the rival of the thriving vii
lage of La Fayette and entered in the
grocery business. In 1889 or 1910 he
built what was then called a large
brick building and enlarged his bus
mess to general store and saloon.
The first story was used for the store
and saloon and the second story was
hall used for shows, dances and other
amusements After the marriage OF
Mr. Willmers sometime in the early
fifties the second story of the building
was converted into living rooms and
was occupied by him and family to
the time of his death in about the year
1871 Mr. Willmerx enjoyed good
trade with his store and saloon and
amassed quite competency. He was
deaf and had to use an ear trumpet
when conversing and was called
deaf Dick.
Wild fowl were plentiful in early
days and attracted many hunters to
the rivers and ponds. Willmer's store
and saloon was on the way to the
hunting grounds and hunters would
stop at his place in the early morning
to buy their ammunition and get their
TASKS filled mot powder flasks.) Mr..
Willmers was liked by everyone for
his cheerful disposition and honor
able character He loved a good joke
and was always ready to give and
take The historical old building
that he had erected in 1889 and stood
for eighty years, became unsafe for
occupancy in 1919 and was torn down
and the material sold by an heir to the
property. Mrs. Willmers died few
years after the death of her husband
leaving a son, Richard Willmers, a
bright and intelligent young man who
died in Dec 1887 A daughter, Eliza
beth, entered a convent and for many
years was sister of charity. 1t is
said. however. that she discarded the
garb of sister and got married a few
wears ago.
Henry Webster was another we'll
known man who landed to the mines
in 1889 Professionally he was prac-
teal steam engineer, and for many
years during the summer months was
engineer at the Kinney and Augustine
OL0duI saw HILL III TIC WlillcI
he devoted his time to mining and
struck what was known as the Web
ster Range. 1t is related that on a
certain occasion steam boat landed
at the Potosi landing on day i'll July
1916 that was owing Potosi mer-
chants for lost goods which they could
never get settlement for. When it
became known that this boat was at
the landing a warrant of attachment
hands of Constable Bluford Stone for
service. The constable summoned Mr.
Webster to accompany him, and after
service was made on the Captain, and
the boat attached, Mr.. Webster, as
precaution to prevent the boat from
leaving the landing, removed some
minor parts of the engines. The en-
gineers of the boat looked on
in amazement, and expressed them
selves in wonderment, where the dirty
and ragged old miner learned so
much about an engine. The merchants
claims and costs were paid and
the boat proceeded on its way. Mr.,
Webster in later years removed to
the Beetown mines, where the writer
believes he died.
Rufas Hall, man with a very
stentorian voice came to Potosi with
his family in 1S47. He brought a
large yoke of oxen with him and fol-
lowed teaming, hauling lead, ner-
Chandise, etc. His voice when driving
his team of oxen could be heard for
a long distance, and everyone knew
that Rufe was coming. When leaving
the landing with a load of goods, his
gee, wo, hau, Buck and Bright could
almost be heard up in the business
center Of the village, two miles away
He built, or purchased, small frame
house a little below the ST. John cave,
that he occupied with his family up to
about 1860, when he moved away. That
frame house still stands and is the
property of Mr.. George Stoll.
1t is strange to relate, that with
the vast number of men engaged at
mining in the Snake Hollow or Potosi
mining district there were but three
fatal casualties. The first was that
OF John Adams, an industrious and
highly thought of young man. who
with his wife and a little wee daugh-
ter, Lizzie, lived in the Isaac Whit
taker log cabin up on East street hill. |
The lot upon which it stood is now
owned by w G. Hymer Mr.. Adams,
at the time of meeting with death. |
December 5, 1851, was engaged at
work in a pump shaft but a short
distance up the hollow from where
he lived. The crevice in this shaft
was somewhat wide and filled with
clay, sand. rock and some lead ore.
Both ends of the shaft were supposed
to be safely timbered, but on this
fatal day the timbers gave way in the
west end letting loose large quantity
stopping the pump from further work
of debris that slid into the shaft,
Other men who were at work in the
shaft escaped by climbing the pump
pipes, but poor Adams, who was
nearest the slide was buried beneath
it. The rescue work began at once,
under difficulties, and it was some
time before the lifeless body of John
Adams was brought to the surface.
The widow, some years later, was
married to Joseph Thomas, of Brit
ish Hollow, and became mother Of S.
A. Thomas, now of Duluth, Mimi,
Joseph Jr., of Calumet. Mich, Mrs.
Alice Webster, and Mrs. Susan Hop
kins. of Scales Mound, Ill. and one
daughter deceased. Both Mr.. and
Mrs. Thomas have passed away.