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Link to file on Cole home
Cole Family
John and Luther Cole [ brothers ]
Watertown
Daily Times, 08 17 2000
The Cole
family name is not heard of much in Watertown these days, although members had
a prominent hand in city development. Longtime residents recall the origins of
Cole Street and the Cole Hall associated with the
Watertown Public Library, but no family members remain residents of the
city.
Cole
family members will hold a reunion in the city this weekend to see and hear
some of the accomplishments of their forebears, although family ties to the
city are a bit of a stretch.
John
and Luther Cole were prominent city pioneers and businessmen, but other members
of their family are less well known. The
Cole family members attending the reunion this weekend are descendants of Zenas
Cole, brother of John and Luther.
Foster
Cole of Minneapolis, Minn., has organized the gathering here, although he said
he really doesn't know much about Zenas.
"John
and Luther were my great- great-great uncles," he said, in a telephone
conversation from his home. "Zenas was my great-great-great-grandfather
but I'm not prepared to give any background on him."
Noting
that he has never been to Watertown, Foster said he was encouraged to visit the
city by a favorite aunt related to the Coles by marriage. She died last year,
but her inspiration has remained.
Foster
said, "Aunt Norma Cole suggested that we find out more about our
ancestors. She lived in Michigan for many years and was a retired school
teacher. She moved to Kentucky where she built a log cabin and was always
telling old stories about the area. She was a local historian who connected
people back to their roots."
Norma
was also an author of children's books, and in appreciation of her inspiration,
Foster Cole is donating a set of her books to the Watertown Public Library.
"She was a Cole by marriage, and she and her husband were divorced.
However, they remained close and her ex-husband, Harold, who lives in Kentucky,
is coming to the reunion," Foster said, noting that the event will be
attended by about 17 family members.
In
addition to Harold, Foster and his wife Elaine will attend the reunion with
Foster's parents, Ann and Jack Cole of Minneapolis, two of Foster's three
sisters, two cousins from Michigan and other family members.
Cole Home
On
Saturday, they will tour the former Cole home at
802 N. Fourth St., now owned by Ken and Donna Grugel. The family will visit the library, Oak
Hill Cemetery where Cole family members
are buried, and also take in other sights around town. The weekend reunion will conclude on Sunday
afternoon with a visit to the Octagon House where the Watertown Historical
Society is holding its annual ice cream social. Some furnishings formerly owned
by the Cole family are on display at the Octagon House.
"John
willed $86,000 to the city of Watertown when he died. Part of the money was used to build Cole Hall
at the library, part of it was put in a children's book fund, and part was used to build the Main Street bridge,"
said Foster, who added, "I'm not terribly interested in history, but Norma
inspired us all."
Although
he claims that he is not a history buff, Foster has managed to trace the Cole
family back to the 1600s when members arrived in Massachusetts. "I don't
know the nationality or where they were from, but somehow the family went from
Massachusetts to Vermont. John, Luther, Zenas and another brother, Ebenezer,
came here from Vermont, but two sisters, Lucy and Persis, stayed in
Vermont," he said, relating information gathered from Mormon Church
genealogy records.
John
and his brother Luther opened the first general store on Main Street in
November, 1841; it was located on the southwest corner of Main and Second
streets. They also built another store on Main Street in 1854. John and Luther are considered the first
settlers of Dodge County, and they lived out where the country club is now
located. They were farmers, so if people needed something from the store during
the day, they had to make an appointment. The Coles opened the store at night
for customers.”
John
Cole became owner of Tivoli Island for a
time. Jesse DeCoy told John's wife,
Elizabeth (Fisk) in the 1840s that if her first child was a boy, the Coles
would be given the deed to the island.
The child was indeed a boy and the Coles became owners of the
island. They sold it to the Concordia Opera Society sometime
between 1860 and 1870.
John
and his wife are buried in Oak
Hill Cemetery.
John Cole
Watertown
Historical Society Collection
Following derived in part from: The History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin
by C. W. Butterfield, 1879
Ebenezer
John W. Cole, Watertown; is the third son of
Ebenezer Cole, and brother of Luther A. Cole, was born the 28th day of
December, 1814, in Charleston, Orleans Co., Vt.; until the age of 22, he worked
upon the farm of his parents, and with his father at his trade of carpenter and
joiner.
In the fall of 1836, he started West, and first came
to Milwaukee, where he remained until January, 1837, cutting timber on the Milwaukee
River, when he moved to Watertown, making the trip with ox-teams, carrying
flour and pork, and with his brother, Luther A., and five others, kept what was
called the “bachelor’s distress” for four years.
He engaged with his brother in the general
merchandise business, having built the first
store in Watertown. Having
dissolved partnership with his brother, Mr. Cole built a store on the northwest
corner of Second and Main streets, and carried on a general merchandise
business for about fifteen years, part of this time being also engaged in the
manufacture of saleratus and potash.
In 1854, he built the block of stores on the
southeast corner of Second and Main streets, since which time Mr. Cole has
lived retired from active business in Watertown. For two years he held, in Osage Co., while
living there, the office of County Commissioner.
In 1855, he held the office of Mayor of Watertown,
and has also been Supervisor of Jefferson Co.
He married Miss Eliza C. Fisk (daughter of James L.
and Laura Fisk, of the State of New York) Nov. 19, 1844; they had three
children, one living – Oscar A., and two deceased – one named Johnnie, the
other dying in infancy.
1840
Among some of the people mentioned in the record as
having been present at the first Fourth of July
celebration here are those of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Cole.
1867
05 01 JOHN
COLE’S BUILDING AT 116 E. MAIN
An
old Landmark Disappearing
Yesterday the workmen commenced pulling down John W.
Cole’s old building which is situated on the [NW] corner of Main and Second
Street [116 E. Main]. This establishment
is one of the oldest in our city, having been built by Mr. Cole in 1843, twenty
four years ago [actually 1841], when Watertown was in its infancy, and a large
portion of the present limits of the city was covered with a dense forest. Since then a great change has taken place,
and a great city has grown up on the site of this little hamlet in the woods.
This old store has stood for a long time in the
heart of our town, and with the old feed store opposite, on the south side of
the street, often reminded us of the primitive days.
Last winter the old feed store was swept away by the
fire, and now this last old landmark is being taken away to give place to a new
brick block, which Mr. Cole intends to erect on its site this summer.
Farewell to the old, welcome the new. The Watertown Republican, 01
May 1867
_______________________
This 116 E. Main building was constructed by John W.
Cole in 1867 and housed his saloon and store here until around 1880. (Between this time and prohibition, this
building housed a saloon owned by a number of different persons. After prohibition, the building housed a soda
fountain, a grocery store, and a drug store.)
This building was
constructed by John W. Cole. However,
his large Cole's Block, kitty-corner across the street, has the most
significance to his career in downtown Watertown.
_______________________
Back in the days when John W. & Luther Cole
operated the city's first merchandise store at what is now N. Second & Main
Streets, business was run a lot different than it is today. The Coles arrived here in 1837, a year after
Timothy Johnson, the first white settler in what is now Watertown, came to this
region. The store in question was a
small red building and what is now Main Street was little more than a path.
During the daytime the store was closed most of the
time because the brothers were busy with other matters, and the towns people
did their buying at night in the glare of old-fashioned oil lamps or
candles.
The brothers then were also operating a farm in the
northern part of Watertown and came "down town" only by appointment
to take care of the needs of their customers during the daytime. The store was open each night, however, and
that is when the biggest business was done.
They handled about everything the pioneers needed, from feed to
household supplies, cloth and primitive footwear. The Coles were natives of Charleston, Vermont. – from 02 14
1941 WDTimes article
1894
03 05 JOHN W. COLE’S WILL
John
W. Cole's will disposes of his property about as follows: The executors and trustees named therein are
Christian May, C. B. Skinner and Oscar
Cole, to whom the residence of the estate is given, and after paying expenses
one third goes to Mrs. Cole and two thirds to Oscar Cole. His residence is to be deeded to the city for
an old ladies' home at the discretion of the trustees. A farm at Lake Mills and lots in the first
ward go to Mrs. Cole and Oscar in fee simple.
The trust continues during the life of Mrs. Cole and son; after Oscar's
death the farm north of this city in Emmet is to be used as a city driving
park. All the property on the death of
Mrs. Cole and son goes to the city for the purpose of maintaining a public library, business men's club and a home for aged
and poor people. Should the city refuse to accept the property, the next of kin
are entitled to it.
At the
death of the son, Oscar, $86,000 from the Cole estate was turned over to the
city of Watertown. Of this amount the Public Library
was to receive half. $38,000 was put
into the library addition, the balance, $5,000 was invested. The interest is used for children's books and
a suitable book plate has been provided.
At the
time of the dedication of the John W. Cole Memorial addition in May 1930, all
the flowers which had been presented in his honor were taken to Oak Hill
Cemetery and placed
on the Cole lot.
1895
04 03 MRS. COLE VISITED MONTGOMERY
Mrs. John W. Cole has shown us
some curiosities from the South, among them a bunch of garden flowers recently
plucked, a genuine hoe-cake, a specimen of butter white as snow, some preserved
figs of a delicious flavor, and a branch of magnolia. She brought them with her on her return from
her visit at Montgomery. WR
09 18 COLE WILL VALID
After having the matter under advisement for
several months, Judge Bennett, of the circuit court, on Monday at Jefferson
handed down his decision in the John W. Cole will case. He finds the will valid, and thus the city of
Watertown is made the beneficiary of an estate amounting to nearly $80,000 for
the purpose of establishing various public institutions, as directed in the
testament. The property is nearly all
realty, and the provisions of the will, as is generally known, are that a
certain portion of it shall be sold at the death of the legal heirs for the
erection and maintenance of a public library and business men's club; that the
farm north of the city is to be set apart and maintained for a public driving
park and agricultural grounds; that twenty acres in the Seventh ward are to be
used for a home for the aged and poor people of Watertown, and that the
homestead in the First ward is to be adapted for the purpose of an old ladies'
home. Provision is also made for the
maintenance of these institutions. WR
1898
12 14 MRS. ELIZA COLE [Cole, Elizabeth
C., b. Oct 14, 1826, d. Dec 12, 1898]
The death of Mrs. Eliza Cole, which occurred at
her apartments in the Cole block last Monday evening, removes from our midst
the earliest pioneer of Watertown who still remained among us. The men of '36
and '37 had all preceded her, and one of the few women of those early days,
Mrs. Jane Chadwick, was called hence last April. Mrs. Cole's residence covered
a continuous period of about sixty-two years a record that was probably not
equaled by any of her contemporaries of either Dodge or Jefferson Counties. Article goes on to give the history of her
life. WR
Luther Cole
1860
07 05 General L.
A. Cole started for Pike’s Peak on the 3d inst.
We wish him a pleasant journey to the land of gold, disappointment, hard
work and speculation, and hope those Denver City lots have “gone up some” since
he invested there, and his “pile” is ready for him. WD
Following derived from: The History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin
by C. W. Butterfield, 1879
Luther A. Cole, Watertown, was born in West
Charleston, Orleans Co., Vt., Nov. 1, 1812; his father, Ebenezer Cole, was the
fourth settler in that town.
At the age of 22, he started West, and landed at
Detroit in 1834; the following June he took passage in the schooner Supply, a
little craft of but fifty feet keel, for Green Bay and Grand River. The passage to Green Bay occupied twelve
days; after remaining there two days they started for Grand River, which they
reached the fourth day, making sixteen days’ sailing from Detroit. He remained at Grand River, and in its
vicinity, for about eleven months, being employed most of the time at building
saw-mills and log houses.
He then resolved upon visiting Wisconsin, and taking
passage at Grand Haven, at the mouth of Grand River, in the schooner White
Pigeon, in company with Philander Baldwin and Elisha M. Osborn, reached Chicago
after a sail of about twenty-four hours.
Two or three days afterward they started on foot for Milwaukee,
following Indian trails most of the way, and finding on the route but an
occasional settler.
They arrived at Milwaukee on the 10th day of May,
1836. There he worked at the carpenter
and joiner business until December, when, taking his blanket and provisions
upon his shoulder, he started for Johnson’s Rapids (now Watertown) passing over
the road which had been cut out by Mr. Johnson a few week’s previously,
arriving on the evening of Dec. 27, 1836.
Amasa Hyland accompanied him.
A few months before, Mr. Cole had, through the
agency of a friend, made two claims at the Rapids, one covering the farm now
owned by John W. Cole, and the other the farm now owned by heirs of Benj. A.
Morey. About the same time, he also made
a claim three miles south of Prairieville.
In January following, he purchased, at Milwaukee,
three barrels of flour, and three of pork.
He paid $20 a barrel for the flour, and $40 a barrel for the pork. Building a cabin, in company with Mr. Hyland,
and his brother, John W., they commenced keeping what they called “bachelor’s
distress,” which they continued for nearly four years.
In the season of 1837, Mr. Cole worked on the saw-mill
and dam of Charles F. H. Goodhue & Son, at Watertown. From that time, until the fall of 1839, he
was occupied mainly at lumbering and farming.
In November of the latter-named year, in company
with Mr. Hyland, John A. Chadwick, David Griffith, William P. Owen, William
Stanton, Jr., Brice Hall, John Dimick, he started for Arkansas for the purpose
of spending the winter in chopping steamboat wood. They floated down Rock River in skiffs, and
were eight days reaching the Mississippi.
They remained in Arkansas until the following spring, each making a
clever-sized “pile,” when they returned to Watertown.
The same season, Mr. Cole, in company with Mr.
Hyland, Mr. Stanton, Edmund S. Bailey and his brother, John W., purchased 400
acres of land on what is known as Hyland Prairie, in Dodge Co. There was then no inhabitant in the town of
Fairfield, in which that prairie is situated.
The only thing in the shape of a road, at that time leading north from
Watertown, was an Indian trail.
In 1841, he and his brother, John W., erected the
building on the corner of Main and Second streets (now occupied by August
Fuermann as a saloon and restaurant), and opened the first store in
Watertown. The next year, Mr. Bailey and
Mr. Cole purchased of Seeley Kidder 750 acres of land on the east side of the
river, at Watertown, including the present site of the village, as also the
mill and water-power. They were to pay
1,000,000 feet of lumber, to be delivered at Beloit within seven years. They associated with them the next year Linus
R. Cady and his brother, Ebenezer W., and in three years and a half from the
date of the purchase, made the last payment; since which time the general
business of Mr. Cole has been milling.
Selling out his interest in the mills at Watertown, in 1854, he carried
on the “Rough and Ready Mill,” one mile east of Watertown, up to 1865.
In 1866, he went to Nebraska with Mr. Lyons, and
built a saw and grist mill forty miles above Omaha, on the Missouri River. In 1867, he also built a mill on Platte
River, ten miles south of Denver. In
1869, he sold out his interest in milling, having engaged in it for
twenty-eight years of his life, since which time, having retired from active
business, he has resided at Watertown.
Mr. Cole married Miss Mary Jane Brackett (daughter
of Jerry C. and Uranah Brackett, of Vermont) Aug. 29, 1842, at Charleston,
Orleans Co., Vt.; they have four children, two living – Guy L. and Uranah B.
(now wife of F. L. Clark, of Watertown), and two deceased – Guy G. and Martha.
1859
03 17 Profile of Luther Cole, Wisconsin
legislature WD
1861
03 14 Thirty-three barrels of flour,
contributed principally by the citizens of Ixonia, and ground by L. A. Cole,
“without toll,” at the Rough and Ready Mills,
were forwarded to Kansas last week by W. H. Clark. This is a generous donation. Jefferson County has nobly answered the
appeal that has been made for the relief of Kansas. In a few day we learn that Mr. Munson, of
Waterloo, will send another lot of some twenty-four barrels of flour, to the
same destination.
06 13 The Committee of Highways and Bridges to whom was referred the Petition
of L. A. Cole and L. J. Kadish, reported in favor of allowing them $200 to
apply on their contract to build Plank Road bridge;
report accepted; moved by Ald. Prentiss that the clerk is hereby directed to
issue an order of $200.00 in favor of L. A. Cole, on the City General Fund;
Carried. WD
1865
10 12 REAL
ESTATE
J. W. Cole sold lot and
building on Main Street to R. Racek for $3,000.
J. W. Cole sold lot and
building on Main Street to Mr. Goeldner for $3,000.
J. W. Cole sold to J. Salick, house and lot in Second ward for
$4,500.
L. A. Cole and J.
Richards sold Rough & Ready Mills, in First
ward, to Christian Koenig and Julius Blenkendorf for $15,000. WD
1876
Luther Cole was
president and orator for the day, U.S. Centennial observance
1899
06 06 Another
hearing in the Cole will case was held before Judge Grimm at Jefferson. The point now in contention is an effort on
the part of the city of Watertown to establish the fact that Mr. Cole when he
died was possessed of a great deal more personal property than the executors'
inventory showed. Under the provisions
of the will this property is to be used along with the realty for the devises
made by the will, the instrument alluding in several places to securities,
interest monies, etc. Testimony was
given Friday to show the amount of Mr. Cole's estate, and the case was
adjourned to a later date this month, when it is expected that Oscar A. Cole,
who is now at Mr. Clements, Mich., will be present and appear on the witness
stand. WR
07 18 With
the rendering of the decisions in the matter of the final settlement of the
estate, and the entering up of the judgement in accordance with the findings,
the long-drawn-out litigation on the celebrated John W. Cole will case is at an
end, unless the trustees conclude to appeal from Judge Grimm's ruling, which
action, it is reasonable to expect if histories repeat it some, will be
taken. But it is quite improbable that
the trustees can hope to gain anything by such a course and it would be wise to
desist from further controversy. When
the litigation was first started it was claimed to be merely for the purpose of
obtaining a proper construction of the will to see if it was valid and if the
desires could be carried out. As is now
well understood the case gradually became a bitter contest between the trustees
on the one side and the city on the other.
The latter has had to fight at every turn for the retention of its
interests in the trust estate, but it has been victorious in every instance. .
. . WR
1905
08 30 The
attention of the Republican reporter
has been called to the condition of the sidewalk along the part of the property
belonging to the Cole estate on Second Street north from Main Street. It certainly needs looking after by the
committee on streets and bridges, and the beautiful grass growing there removed
that the street at that place may look less rural. WR
1908
11 20 John Habhegger's petition, 1908, that
he be discharged as trustee of the John W Cole estate.
1914 Mrs. Luther A.
Cole, [Mary J., b. 1825, d. 1914]
09 03 Mrs. Luther A. Cole, one of the early
pioneer settlers of Watertown, died last Saturday at the home of her daughter,
Mrs. Uranah Clark, Seattle, Wash., at the age of 90 years. The body was brought to Watertown for burial
Thursday over the Milwaukee Road.
Services were held in the Congregational church and the burial was in Oak Hill
cemetery. Mrs. Cole’s maiden name
was Mary Jane Brackett, and she was married to Luther Cole at Charleston, Vt.
August 29, 1842, her death occurring on the seventy-second marriage
anniversary.
Two children survive: Guy L. Cole, Neck City, Mo.
and Mrs. Uranah Clark, Seattle, Wash.
Mrs. Cole came to Watertown in 1842, following her
marriage, and endured the hardships of pioneer life, residing here until 1885,
when she moved west. Her husband was one
of the founders of Watertown, coming here December 27, 1836, a few months
after Timothy Johnson had blazed a trail from Milwaukee. WG
1916
09 09 STUDEBAKER
BOUGHT BY OSCAR COLE
A
Studebaker automobile manufactured in 1916 and purchased that year by the late
Oscar Cole is still in operation here.
The ancient vehicle is owned by Orville L. Wesemann of 1008 South Ninth
Street, a member of the board of education.
Mr. Wesemann has had the car for 23 years. Every so often he takes it out for a
spin. It can do as much as 35 miles an
hour and it still has one of its original tires. In its 50 years the car has traveled not
quite 3,000 miles, since the original owner cared more for horses than for
cars. Oscar Cole was the son of John W.
Cole, the city’s first merchant who built a magnificent home which still stands
at 802 North Fourth Street. The original
Cole store was on the site of the present Lewis and Clark Apothecary. WDT 09 09 1966, 50 years ago.
1930
05 16 COLE'S HALL LIBRARY ADDITION DEDICATED
Mr.
and Mrs. R. E. Evanson have returned from Watertown, where last evening they
attended the dedication of the new unit to the Watertown Public Library which
was dedicated in memory of Mrs. Evanson's grandfather, John W. Cole. Mr. Cole, a wealthy and prominent pioneer
resident In Wisconsin, was the second white man to settle In Watertown.
Mrs.
Evanson is the only surviving relative of Mr. Cole and as such was given a
place of honor at the program last evening.
A number of speeches featured the program in which glowing tribute was
paid to the man who had made the new building possible. It Is interesting to note that Miss Florence
C. Hays, who was formerly on the staff at the local library, is librarian in
Watertown.
The
new addition has a large assembly hall on the first floor and the second floor
Is given over to the children's department and is most attractively appointed. The Oshkosh Northwestern, 16 May 1930
05 17 JOHN W. COLE REMEMBERED AT DEDICATION
The
bouquets of flowers sent to the library for the night of the dedication were
taken to the grave of the man who made it possible, John W. Cole, at the Oak
Hill Cemetery. WDTimes
1936 CHILDREN’S PARADE,
CENTENNIAL; note in caption regarding donations to Octagon
House
Children’s
Parade
Memories of Early Watertown
January,
1851
Narrative by Luther A. Cole, given at the second annual Pioneer Festival
at Fort Atkinson in January of 1851. It
was later published in the Watertown
Chronicle.
“Before entering upon a relation of my ‘experience'
in this state, I ask this audience to bear with me a few minutes while I refer
to my still earlier history.
“I was born in West Charleston, Orleans co.,
Vermont, on the 1st day of November, 1812.
My father (Ebenezer Cole) was the fourth settler in that town. At the age of 22, I started for the west, and
landed at Detroit in Dec. 1834. The
following June I took passage in the schooner Supply, a little craft of but 50
feet keel, for Green Bay and Grand River.
Our passage to the Bay occupied twelve days. After remaining there two days, we started
for Grand River, which we reached the fourth day thereafter - making sixteen
days' sailing from Detroit.
“I remained at Grand River and in its vicinity about
eleven months, being employed most of the time at building saw mills and log
houses. For about two months of this
time, however, I was afflicted with the ague, ‘the old fashioned way' - only as
that complaint can develop itself in Michigan!
I then resolved upon visiting Wisconsin; and taking passage at Grand
Haven, at the mouth of Grand River, in the schooner White Pigeon, in company
with Philander Baldwin and Elisha M. Osborn, we reached Chicago after a sail of
about twenty-four hours. Two or three
days afterward we started on foot for Milwaukee, following Indian trails most
of the way, and finding on the route but an occasional settler. We arrived at Milwaukee on the 10th day of
May, 1836.
“At that time Lake Michigan had been visited but two
or three times by steamboats - the object of these boats thus in straying so
far from the usual channels of commerce at that day, being to provision the
U.S. troops at Green Bay, Mackinaw and Chicago.
There were a few schooners on the lake.
During the season of navigation, one of them may have passed from Grand
River to Milwaukee, every two weeks, on an average. They were principally engaged in the lumber
trade.
“I worked at the carpenter and joiner business until
December, with the exception of about two months which I devoted exclusively to
the ague. Taking my blanket and
provisions upon my shoulder, I then started for Johnson's Rapids, (now
Watertown,) passing over the road which had been cut out by Mr. Johnson a few
weeks previously -- Amasa Hyland accompanied me. A few months before I had through the agency
of a friend, made two claims at the Rapids, one covering the farm now owned by
John W. Cole, and the other the farm now owned by the heirs of Benj. A.
Morey. About the same time I also made a
claim three miles south of Prairieville.
“In January following, I purchased at Milwaukee
three barrels of flour and three of pork. I paid $50 for the flour, and $100
for the pork. Building a cabin in
company with Mr. Hyland and my brother John W. we commenced keeping what we
called ‘bachelors' distress,' which we continued a greater part of the time for
four years. The peculiar luxury of this
method of living, can only be appreciated by those who have enjoyed it. I will only say here, that we made it a point
not to wash our dishes until we could count the mice tracks upon them!
“The season of 1837, I worked on the saw mill and
dam of Charles F. H. Goodhue & Son, at Watertown. From that time until the fall of 1839, I was
occupied mainly at lumbering and farming.
In November of the latter named year, eight of us - Mr. Hyland, John A.
Chadwick, David Griffith, Wm. P. Owen, Wm. Stanton, Jr., Brice Hall, John
Dimmick and myself - started for Arkansas, for the purpose of spending the
winter at chopping steamboat wood. We
floated down Rock River in skiffs, and were eight days in reaching the
Mississippi. The weather was cold, and
being obliged to camp out nights, our sufferings were most severe.
“We remained in Arkansas until the following spring,
each one of us making a clever sized ‘pile,' when we returned to
Watertown. The same season Mr. Hyland,
Mr. Stanton, Edmond S. Bailey, my brother John W. and myself, purchased 400
acres of land on what is now known as Hyland Prairie, in Dodge county. There was then no inhabitant in the town of
Fairfield, in which that prairie is situated.
The only thing in the shape of a road at that time leading north from
Watertown was an Indian trail.
First
Store in Watertown
“In 1841, my brother John W. and myself erected the
building on the corner of Main and Second streets, (now occupied by Wm. V.
Ament,) and opened the first store in Watertown.
“The next year Mr. Bailey and myself purchased of
Seley Kidder, (he having previously purchased of the Goodhues,) 750 acres of
land on the east side of the river, at Watertown, including the present site of
the village, as also the saw mill and water power. We were to pay 1,000,000 feet of lumber, to
be delivered at Beloit within seven years.
We associated with us the next year, Linus R. Cady and my brother
Ebenezer W. and in three years and a half from the date of the purchase, we
made the last payment.
“My general business since then, as most of my
acquaintances are aware, has been milling.
“I will conclude this sketch by relating a few
incidents connected with the early history of Watertown:
“A few weeks after settling in that village, a man
by the name of Thomas Bass was burnt to death in
a cabin standing near the present wagon shop of Virgil D. Green. He and two other men, Charles Seaton and Ezra
Doliver, who were in the employment of James Rogan, had passed a drunken
afternoon and evening, and in the morning Bass was found near the fire a
corpse, one arm being nearly burnt off, and other portions of his person badly
charred. A coffin from hewn pieces of
basswood was prepared, and the remains interred a short distance from where the
old school house now stands. A prayer on
the occasion was made by Wm. Brayton, of Aztalan. Rumors of violence having been the primary
cause of the death, a coroner from Milwaukee was sent for, the remains
disinterred, an inquest held, Seaton and Doliver and arrested, tried at
Milwaukee, and finally acquitted.
“In June or July following, a company of about
fifteen of us causewayed Battletown marsh and other smaller marshes between
Watertown and Summit, and otherwise improved the road. We were thus employed eight days, ‘working
for nothing and boarding ourselves.' We
camped at night in the open air. I have
read of mammoth mosquitoes, but never saw any equal in size and voracity to
those we encountered at Battletown. They
‘bit like a serpent, and stung like an adder!'
“In the spring of 1838, provisions and money were
scarce. We had but little pork in the
settlement, and subsisted mainly upon fresh fish, with which the Rock
abounded. Our flour having failed us at
one time, we were nearly a week without bread.
“The Winnebago Indians committed many petty thefts
for some time after Watertown was first settled. One of them having stolen a watch from Mr.
Griswold, a pair of mittens from Peter V. Brown, and a quantity of tobacco from
me, we thought it best to make an example of him. Forming a ring and stripping him of his
blanket, Griswold and I took turns in applying the lash to his back. But we tempered justice with mercy. No blood was drawn. The expedient worked to a charm. After that Indian thefts were hardly known in
the settlement.
“The first frame barn in the county of Dodge, was
erected in March, 1839, on the farm of my brother John W., a short distance
north of the north line of the village of Watertown. It was framed by Wm. H. Acker. It was raised
by 25 or 30 of us, and though it snowed hard all the while, we were only about
two hours in putting it up. Two gallons
of high wines had been provided, and many of the company not knowing the ‘bead'
the liquor carried, soon found themselves in the very best of spirits. After completing the task, about one-half of
us adjourned to the cabin nearby, and had a right merry time of it. When the party finally broke up, a tin cup
full of the liquor remained unappropriated.
“I have frequently been asked, if in any of my
adventures in this country, when new, I ever came in contact with wild
beasts. I never did. I may say, however, that upon one occasion I
was thrown into as close proximity with them as was agreeable to me. About 8 o'clock one evening, in the winter of
1837-38, being at that time deputy sheriff of Milwaukee county, to which county
Jefferson was attached for judicial purposes, I started from Watertown on foot,
to serve a writ of attachment upon a man who had left Johnson's Creek for
Milwaukee about six hours previously, with a horse and jumper. With the exception of Mr. Sacie's shantee, in
the present town of Concord, there was no occupied building between Watertown
and the tavern then kept by Major Pratt, and now by Samuel Putney. Upon reaching the marsh near the present
tavern of Mr. Kellogg, the wolves opened their concert. With every step I took, their music seemed to
increase in volume and terror. I
increased my speed, but still I appeared to be in their very midst. It was dark, and I could not see them, nor
did I desire to. I was quite willing
that they should keep at elbow distance, and only feared that they would insist
upon a closer acquaintance. Arrived at
the eastern end of the causeway across the Battletown marsh, some three miles
from the spot where the wolves first greeted me, I considered the Rubicon as
fairly passed, and breathed more freely.
They followed me no farther, and upon reaching Mr. Pratt's, I found the
man I was in search of snugly stowed away in a bunk, and taking up my quarters
on the floor, I awaited daylight for the service of the writ.”
Cross
Reference:
L. A. Cole, No. 1, was locomotive on the
Milwaukee & Western RR
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin