Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-02-21
EARLY DAY LEADERS CAME
FROM STATES SOUTHWEST

tire time of the rebellion. Wisconsin
then paid him its highest honor, in
electing him governor; and when he
died in the spring Of 1882, in the
strength of his manhood, an in the
midst Of his usefulness, the whole
state paid the most touching honors
to his memory
Adventures Attracted.
81 have spoken Of the discovery Of
lead ore in the Fevre rived lead mines
in 1920 and 1921. The Developments
there of great mineral wealth attract
ed large numbers of adventurous men
in search of sudden wealth. For many
years there was a great influx of min
ers and prospecto.a and ON the LII
mediate country about FeyIe rive
they spread over the surrounding
country and into the Indian posses
sions of Michigan territory.
what l have said is merely pre-
liminary, and to connect with Wiscon-
sin the name Of Henry Gratiot, an
early settler Of the then territory of
Michigan, an enterprising and we'll
known business man, who won an
hOnOred name as a god citizen, and
made an impress on his time by the
extent of his affairs, the probity of his
conduct, and the great and exception
al services he rendered to the people
in their early struggles, and during
the Black Hawk war.
Col Hercules L. Dousman, so we'll
know to all your early settlers as con-
nected with the American Fur COM
pany, and so long the manager of its
vast trading establishment at Prairie
du CHEN, and as a business man with
out an equal during his day and gem
GRAFTON in the northwest, once told me
that in dealing with the Indians what
they had to guard against with the
greatest vigilance was to avoid any
possible deception when dealing with
them If by any accident or mistake
a blanket or a gun or any other ar
ticle was not up to the standard, was
sold to an Indian, the utmost pains
would be taken to exchange the faul-
ty article, and replace it by the most
perfect one at the earliest moment,
without regard to trouble or expense.
And such was always the rule OF the
American Fur company in all OF its
colossal transactions with the Indians
over half a continent, and it was that
which enabled it, during its entire eX-
istence, to hold such a control over
the Indian tribes.
"The two most important Indian
treaties concluded in the then north
west, were the treaty concluded with
Chippewas, Ottawas and PottaWato-
mics, executed July 27, 1929; and the
treaty with the Winnebagoes, executed
August 1, 1929. These treaties were
negotiated with the various tribes OF
Indians at Prairie du Chen. The
commissioners were Gen. John NC
Neil, an officer of the United States
army. Pierre Menard, ex-lieut. Cover
nor of Illinois, and Caleb AtWater, a
weak and inoffensive old man from
Ohio, Charles S. Hampstead, Tor many
wears my law partner at Galena, was
the secretary of the commission. Inc
country purchased was OF vast lmpor-
lance. embracing the region from
Rock Island to the Wisconsin river on
the north, and to Lake Michigan on
the east, and taking in all that is now
in northern Illinois and southern WIS
consin, and, in fact making the United
States the possessor of all the indian
cnuntry from the Gulf Of Mexico to
the mouth of the Wisconsin river.
Had Tribes Confidence.
"The first person in civil life to
whom the attention of the commits
sioners and others interested in MAX
ing a treaty was directed was Col.
Gratiot, as man having more infiu-
ence with the Indians than any other
in securing the object sought for. The
high estimation in which he was held
bv the Winnebagoes brought to him
the confidence of the other tribes, who
eagerly sought his advice and sugges-
tons.
From the friendly relations exist
ing between the Indians and Col. Ora
tot he had been enabled to exercise a
great influence in arranging the In
dian troubles of 1S27-28; but it was
not till the Black Hawk war broke out
in 1888 (Which drew the Winnebagoes
into its vortex, that his full influ-
ence was felt. IL the annals of those
times, few names more frequently APP
pear than that of Col. Gratiot, and no
man throughout the whole trouble ac-
complished more than he