Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1923-11-01
Prescott Brigham
Read Before the Sank County Historical Society," April
9, 1923, by Mrs. S. Promo of Prairie du Sac.

WI. biaSHau was erected nrSC regis
ter of deeds in Sank county and served
three years.
Several persons. among them Mrs.
LYDIA Hawkins of Postville, Iowa, and
Mrs. Marilla Johnson of Baraboo re-
members hearing Mr. Brigham make
patriotic speech at Prairie du Sac,
July 4.
After several years, Mrs. Brigham's
health having failed, they sold their
farm on the East Baraboo road and
went to live with their son-in-law and
daughter. Mr. and Mrs T. B. Cowles,
on the farm by the Sumpter church,
owned and occupied by Garth Promo.
Here Mrs. Brigham died Oct. 20, 1916.
In 1855, Mr.. Cowles sold that farm,
intending to move to Minnesota, but
at that time came the dread Indian
massacre at New Ulm and Mrs Cowles,
who always had terrible fear OF In
dians, refused to go so they purchased
the farm in Cowles' Pocket now owned
Ny <1llAS w dSAS!. lie ploCS olA1A
retains the name Cowles' Pocket.
Mr.. Brigham was a fine musician
and when in Massachusetts led the
choir in the Presbyterian church in
his home town. In his declining years
he delighted in getting his grandchil-
dren together and teaching them the
songs and anthems he used to sing,
drilling each in his part.
He was intensely interested in the
Civil war. He owned pony which
he frequently drove to Prairie du Sac
after his mail. On May 90, 1852, he
went for the mail as usual, reaching
home at s O'Clock p. m. Previous to
! going to town he had shot rabbit
On arriving home he warmed himself
by the fire while Mr. Cowles read hilh
/ the war news partook of hearty
supper, part of it consisting of the
rabbit, and repaired to his room.
The hired man entered the room
| shortly after to inform him he had
cared for the pony and found him in
4 his favorite splint- bottom chair before
the fireplace. dead. The rocker, a
! generation older than Mr.. Brigham
is still in the possession of his grand
! son.
Prescott Brigham sleeps in a beau
| tifu1 spot in the Pioneer cemetery at
/ Kerr's corners; a location selected by
! himself Beside him lie his wife and
/ his son, Ebenezer Prescott Brigham,
over whose grave the stars and stripes
i wave each Decoration Day. A beauti-
! F.1I cherry tree shades the spot !. and
the lot is surrounded by an iron fence
| place7 there by Mr.. Brigham
/ requested picture of him for the
Historical Society and Mrs. hawkins
kindly had copy made of the photo
! graph in her possession, the only one
! in existance. In writing of the picture
/ Mrs. Hawkins said: "Since my earliest
recollection he wore shirts made of un-
| bleached muslin, collar seWed on as in
! the picture. Mother did not know he
was to have the photo taken or she
/ would have arranged the collar but
we liked it as it is. 1t seems more
natural that way"
A sturdy strong pioneer life was his;
/ brave he must have been to assist SO
materially in carving home from the
4 dense forest populated only by wild
i animals, rattle snakes and the savage
4 red man. He must have been just in
/ his dealings with the crafty Indians,
! Else he had not lived long in that lone
/ wilderness. It was his glory that he
bad Iabored hard and long to lay a
foundation upon which other men
/ might build more easily because Pres
colt Brigham mad been their prede-
cessor. His ardent desire was to be
a benefit to his community. A few bro
ken arrows and wigwam sticks were
ell that the first settlers, the Sank
Tndians. left as souvenirs Of their many
years of occupancy-that was Their
roonunent to posterity. Prescott Brig
hams name ranks high among those
who fought, bled and died that this
country migt blossom as the rose.
"They stunned not labor when twas
due,
They wrought with right good will
And for the homes they won fol
them,
Their children bless them STILL"
Mrs. Stephen PremO.