Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1925-05-28

in mortal combat in grove of
quiyering aspens upon the banks Of
the Baraboo Both were slain; each
died from the effects of the others
knife wounds. Near their lifeless
forms lay the carcass of a deer
killed with arrows, it's flesh s,lll
hot and jerking. A deep silence
manifested the tragic scene, but
no explanation Of the cause was
needed. 1t was the result of an
ardent chase. Over hills and crags,
through thicket and across streams.
the 1.-the hunters had given pursuit
to the deer, each bent upon its
capture. After finally Staying the
animal they had quarreled over
it's possession; quarreling, they
fought, and fighting they had died
Had they been wise men they would
have divided the spoils, one taking
the hide and the other the meat;
but the smiles of an Indian maid
en- deepened the result, and TO
each one death was sweeter than
loss Of the trophy Of the hunt.
The fallen braves were buried
side by side on the crest of a
large mound where now stands
the Reedsburg Sanitarium. Here
for many years the sorrowing
members of the tribe gathered to
mourn over the death Of their fall
len heroes. Among the mourners
who came most frequently were the
mothers of the dead hunters; and
it was from the lips of them that
the story Of the tradgedy was re-
peated to the earliest white set
tiers of this vicinity. Recollections
of the mothers lamentations at
the gravv5 of their sons were re-
called by citizens as late as 1909.
In the center of the mound, it is
related, stood a tamarack pole, fiji
teen feet high and five inches in
diameter nearest the ground. On
top of the mound, around the
graves of the dead Indians, a trail
several inches deep had been worn
by the feet of the mourners, who
came in large numbers and walked
in circle about them, singing and
crying piteously.
1t was a sad day for the faith
full frequenters of this lonely spot,
when the graves of their honored
dead were desecrated by the white
man who by use Of pick and AK
cleared away the timber and later
erected a building.
The earliest known inhabitant
of the region of Reedsburg was
the Indian whose moccasined foot
prints can no longer be seen. But
despite the fact that his foot prints
no longer serve as a memento to
his early habitancy, still history
tells us that at the time when the
earliest white settlers came they
found his tribe in larger numbers
than was often comfortable for
them.
In the fall of 1874 the first
white settlers, Don C. Barry and
Henry Perry, who were exploring
southern Wisconsin in search of
numbering locations discovered
traces of copper where Reedsburg
now stands They Immediately stalk
ed claim in order that they might
prove their possession and Perry
was left in charge while Barry
left only to return the following
summer with two experienced min
ers from Mineral Point.
During the time that Mr.. Barry
was away James w Babb and his
son John who with a modest for
tune in search of more fertile land
than could be found in their native
state of Virginia CHANGED upon a
point overlooking the prairies from
Narrows Creek Gap and proceeded
further up the river until they
reached what is now known as
Babb's Prairie; here attracted by
the rich soil and the grandeur of
the scenery they staked their claim.
Arriving in May of the year 1916
the immediately started breaking
the land and soon had seventy
acres under cultivation, and raised
enough buckwheat and potatoes to
supply them for the ensuing year.
AS soon as was possible they erect
ed a double log house two stories
in heibht and sixteen feet square,
separated below by an open space
twelve feet wide, but with the
upper story extending the full
length The building was covered
with pine shingles from forests
further west. During the summer
of his first year Mr. Babb walked
to Baraboo, purchased sufficient
lumber with which to build