Читать книгу Memoirs of Milwaukee County, Volume 1 - Jerome A. Watrous - Страница 9

COUNTY REDUCED IN SIZE — 1836 A MEMORABLE YEAR — NUMBER OF LAND CLAIMS — FINANCIAL DEPRESSION OF 1837 — SETTLERS ORGANIZE FOR PROTECTION AGAINST SPECULATORS — SECOND ELECTION FOR COUNTY OFFICIALS — PERSONAL MENTION — DIVISION OF THE COUNTY INTO TOWNS POPULATION AND OTHER CENSUS FIGURES OF 1840 — WILLIAM A. PRENTISS — SKETCH AND EARLY LETTERS OF DANIEL WELLS, JR. —REMOVAL OF THE INDIANS — LAND SALES — TOWN SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT — GEORGE H. WALKER AND OTHER PERSONAL SKETCHES — CENSUS OF 1842.

The fact should be borne in mind that Milwaukee county at the time of the convening of the first territorial legislature comprised all that vast scope of territory extending from the lake on the east to what is now the western boundary of Rock county on the west, and from the state line on the south to the line between townships 11 and 12 on the north. In other words the dominion extended over what is now the southeast portion of Columbia county, the greater part of Dodge, Washington and Ozaukee counties, all of Dane county east of a north and south line drawn through the city of Madison, and all of Jefferson. Waukesha, Milwaukee, Rock, Walworth, Racine and Kenosha counties. But at this first session of the legislative council, by an act which was approved on Dec. 7, 1836, the territory above described was divided. Townships numbered one, two, three and four north, of ranges fifteen, sixteen, seventeen and eighteen east of the fourth principal meridian were constituted a separate county, to be called Walworth. This created Walworth county, in extent of territory, exactly as it is today. Townships numbered one, two, three and four north, of ranges nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two and twenty-three, east, were constituted a separate county and called Racine. This included what is now Racine and Kenosha counties. Townships numbered five, six, seven and eight north, of ranges thirteen, fourteen, fifteen and sixteen east, were constituted a separate county and called Jefferson, and this erected Jefferson county exactly as it stands today. Dane county was formed with its present limits as to territorial extent, and all of the present Columbia county, which was then a part of Milwaukee, was taken from the latter and made a part of Portage county. Dodge and Rock counties were erected in limits the same as they are at present, and Washington county was created with the territory now embraced in the counties of Washington and Ozaukee.

Thus shorn of a great portion of its original territory, Milwaukee was reduced in size to what is now embraced in the counties of Milwaukee and Waukesha. This arrangement existed until 1846, when, at the fourth annual session of the fourth legislative assembly, which convened at Madison on Jan. 5, the county of Waukesha was formed, comprising all the territory in Milwaukee county west of range 21. It was provided that the act creating Waukesha county should not become effective unless approved by a majority of the voters of the proposed new county. The requisite majority of votes was cast, however, Waukesha county was organized and Milwaukee county was thus finally reduced in extent of territory to its present limits. At the time of their creation the counties of Washington, Dodge and Jefferson were attached to Milwaukee county for judicial purposes and remained so attached until they were organized at a subsequent session of the territorial legislature.

The year 1836 was a memorable one for Milwaukee. Says James S. Buck in his "Pioneer History of Milwaukee": "The tide of immigration had now commenced to flow into the embryo city like a river, speculation was rife, every man's pocket was full of money, lots were selling with a rapidity and for prices that made those who bought or sold them feel like a Vanderbilt. Buildings went up like magic, three days being all that was wanted, if the occupant was in a hurry, in which to erect one. Stocks of goods would be sold out in many instances before they were fairly opened, and at an enormous profit. Everyone was sure his fortune was made and a stiffer-necked people, as far as prospective wealth was concerned, could not be found in America. Nothing like it was ever seen before; no western city ever had such a birth. People were dazed at the rapidity of its growth; all felt good. The wonderful go-ahead-itiveness of the American people was in full blast, neither was it checked for the entire season. Some sixty buildings were erected, many of them of goodly dimensions. Streets were graded, ferries established, officers of the law appointed, medical and agricultural societies formed, a court house and jail erected, and all in five short months."

The number of claims entered in the towns of Lake, Greenfield, Wauwatosa and Milwaukee, as appears from the old claim record, up to January, 1838, were as follows: Lake, 119; Greenfield, 148; Wauwatosa, 154, and Milwaukee, 8. This fact, taken in connection with the number of settlers that were actually "on the ground," might seem incredible; but the explanation is that many of these parties had made from one to four claims, selling out to others, and then making new ones, while the fact that so few claims were in the town of Milwaukee was in consequence of the land there having nearly all been purchased at the Green Bay land sale in September, 1835, or entered after the sale, leaving none upon which claims could be made. The population of the village of Milwaukee at the close of 1836 is estimated to have been about 700, and this estimate would not be greatly increased by taking in those who resided in other portions of the county. The floaters had left with the close of navigation for their homes in the then distant East, leaving as a permanent population only a comparatively small band of earnest pioneers, by whom the foundations of the queenly city and surrounding country were laid. No doubt existed in the minds of these pioneers that the growth of the community during the coming year would be equal to or greater than that of the one just closed. Cut a great financial embarrassment (the panic of 1837) convulsed the whole country, putting an end to all improvements, particularly in the West, and leaving Milwaukee, for a season, upon the rocks of commercial bankruptcy and despair. The spring brought no relief, and the speculators and capitalists remained in the East, the immigrants were few and far between, and a wave of disappointment rolled over the pioneer settlement and blasted completely their extravagant hopes. The wealth that many supposed they possessed took to itself wings and flew away. James S. Buck is authority for the statement that "lots and lands for which fabulous prices had been paid in 1836 were now of no commercial value whatever." But notwithstanding the stagnation all over the country a number of immigrants arrived, and with the passing away of the lowering clouds in the financial world, the city and county took a new start and improvements were visible on every side.

An important event in the early settlement of Milwaukee county and those attached to it took place in the early part of 1837, and it is deemed appropriate to give the facts here somewhat in detail, as it resulted without doubt in the most perfect organization for mutual protection that ever existed in any country under like circumstances. By the second section of an act of Congress, approved May 29, 1830, it was provided that when two or more persons were settled on the same quarter section it was to be equally divided between the first two actual settlers, and each should be entitled to a pre-emption of eighty acres of land elsewhere in the same land district, so as not to interfere with other settlers having a right or preference. Such rights of pre-emption "elsewhere" were called "floats," and were in very great demand by speculators in lands, for the purpose of securing desirable locations in advance of the public sales. The pre-emption laws in force at the time of the land sales in August and September, 1835, required that the settler, to entitle him to a pre-emption right, should have cultivated some part of his land in the year 1833. In a great many instances settlers had gone upon lands with their families, in good faith, to make homes for themselves and their children, in the hope that the preemption laws would be extended to them. But as the bill for this purpose had failed they were without protection of any pre-emption law, and a serious and widespread fear existed that they would be deprived of their hard-earned possessions by the greed of heartless speculators. However, at the Green Bay land sales, a spirit of justice and honorable dealing proved to be paramount to the demands of grasping rapacity, and by a mutual understanding the claims of settlers were respected by the speculators, and the former were allowed to purchase their "claims" at the minimum price. But the settlers did not care to depend upon the chance of similar good fortune at the future land sales. They asked to have the preemption laws extended or renewed, but their efforts in that direction were fruitless, as a bill for this purpose, after passing the Senate, was defeated in the House. But even this bill required occupancy of and residence on the tract before Dec. 1, 1836, and cultivation within the year 1836, so that if it had passed it would have been practically valueless to the great mass of those who had made "claims" in this district of lands subject to sale at Milwaukee.

On Feb. 27, 1837, an anonymous notice was published in the Milwaukee Advertiser and in hand-bills, that a meeting of the people of Milwaukee, Washington, Jefferson and Dodge counties would be held in the court house at Milwaukee on March 13, "for the purpose of adopting such rules as will secure to actual settlers their claims on principles of justice and equity," and stating that in the absence of pre-emption laws it was the duty of the settlers "to unite for their own protection when the lands shall be brought into market." Before noon of the appointed day the number of settlers assembled in response to this notice astonished every one present, and no one more than the settlers themselves. The most reliable estimates placed the number at not less than 1,000, while many thought it was much greater. It was not a rabble of lawless "squatters," but earnest and patriotic pioneers, who assembled on this occasion to protect their "claims" and improvements against the rapacious greed of avaricious speculators. The meeting was organized by the election of Samuel Hinman, president; Samuel Sanborn and Sylvester Pettibone, vice presidents; and A. O. T. Breed and I. A. Lapham, secretaries. A committee of twenty-one was appointed to report rules and regulations for the consideration of the meeting.

After a recess of two hours the committee reported with a preface or preamble, which recited that the settlers of Milwaukee county and the several counties thereto attached had removed to and settled in this section of country for the purpose of bettering their condition by agricultural pursuits. That the Congress of the United States, by the repeated passing of pre-emption laws, had impressed them with a reasonable belief that the same policy would continue to be pursued for their benefit. That in order to secure the fruits of their labors in a peaceable and equitable manner it was necessary that certain fixed rules and regulations should be adopted by the settlers, whereby the right of occupancy should be determined. Therefore it was resolved that they adopt and would to the best of their ability sustain in full force of obligation the rules and regulations adopted.

These rules and regulations prescribed that any person who had prior to that date made a claim on one or more quarter sections, not exceeding in the whole one section, and made improvements thereon equal to fifty dollars for each quarter section, should have the right to retain such claims, and the future right to make such claims was also recognized; but such rights were subject to the right of improvement and cultivation in the mode and within the time prescribed by the rules, which also contained definitions of what constituted cultivation and improvement. The rules also provided for the appointment by the meeting of a central executive committee of fifteen, whose duty it was to fix the limits of the different precincts, the people in each of which precincts were to appoint a judicial committee. A clerk of the committee and a register of claims were to be appointed, and eight or more members of the committee constituted a quorum, a vote of a majority of the members present deciding all questions, including appeals. The judicial committee in each precinct was to decide all disputes between claimants in each precinct to the same tract of land, subject to an appeal to the central executive committee. It was provided that all existing claims should be entered with the register of claims, and that any one not entered by the first day of May should be considered as no claim, and might be occupied by any person who might choose to take it, and that all claims thereafter made should be entered with the register within ten days, or be considered vacant and subject to be entered by any other person. If any claimant neglected to make the improvements required by the rules within the time limited therefor, he forfeited his rights, and any person might take possession thereof in his own right. When any person purchased a claim from another he was required to give immediate notice thereof to the register and have the transfer made in his name. The party in whose favor any decision was made by any judicial committee, or by the central committee on appeal, was to receive a certificate thereof, on presenting which to the register of claims he was to enter the tract of land therein described in the name of such party, any previous entry to the contrary notwithstanding, and such party was thereupon entitled to take possession of such tract without any further judicial proceedings.

But the essence of all these rules and regulations was contained in rule No . 9, which was as follows: "Whenever the lands shall be brought into market, the executive committee shall appoint an agent to bid off the lands in behalf of the settlers whose claims are entered on the book of registry, and no person shall in any case be countenanced in bidding in opposition to such agent.

The moral sentiment of the whole community was all in one direction, and it was well known and felt by all to be abundantly adequate to protect the agent against any competition in bidding at the land sale, and to secure to the settler his claim at the government minimum price.

Not to be "countenanced" was a mild mode of expressing the deep-seated determination of the pioneer settlers, but it was quite as effective as if it had been in the form of a threat of lynching, which would have been an unseemly mode of publishing an unlawful combination and conspiracy to prevent competitive bidding at a public sale of the lands of the United States.

The central executive committee appointed by the meeting consisted of A. A. Bird, Solomon Juneau, N. F. Hyer, Samuel Brown, Albert Fowler, D. H. Richards, A. O. T. Breed, Samuel Hinman, William R. Longstreet, H. M. Hubbard, James Sanderson, C. H. Peake, Daniel Wells, Jr., Byron Kilbourn, and Enoch Chase. At a meeting of this committee the next day the following officers were elected: A. A. Bird, president; Byron Kilbourn and Samuel Hinman, vice-presidents; William A. Prentiss, clerk, and Allen O. T. Breed, register of claims. It was ordered that in deciding appeals from precinct committees the central committee would proceed according to the practice of courts of equity, and that it would meet on the first Monday of every month. It was also ordered that the territory to which the rules and regulations were applicable be divided into ten precincts, the townships in each of which were definitely specified. At a meeting of the central committee, held on April lo, I. A. Lapham was appointed register of claims, vice A. O. T. Breed, resigned.

The mode provided for determining disputed claims between settlers and its administration appeared to give great satisfaction to all parties interested, and the provisions of the organization, when adhered to. never failed to protect the settlers and foil the speculator, for they were strictly enforced prior to and at the different land sales. When a claim was once entered in the record book it was a guarantee that the occupant would get it at the sale.

On April 3, 1837, the second election for county officials was held in Milwaukee county, and according to Buck's "Pioneer History," it was a very exciting one. "It was a beautiful April morning, the voters marching to the polls in procession, with music and banners, under their respective ward captains, H. N. Wells, George D. Dousman and Josiah A. Noonan being very active at the polls. But the fun was in the evening, when a barrel of liquor was rolled into the street in front of what is now 400 East Water street, the head knocked in, some tin cups procured, and the crowd told to help themselves, which they needed no second invitation to do. Every man of them seemed anxious to examine the bottom head of that barrel, and were not long in bringing it to view, a barrel of liquor standing as poor a chance then as it would now. It was amusing as well as instructive to watch the effect that liquor had upon the crowd. Many of them when full, seeming to forget that election was over, commenced at once to repeat, showing that they had been there before; others commenced to sing something about not going home 'till morning, and if my memory is correct, they kept their word in that respect; in fact, some of them did not go then, having forgotten where they lived."

The result of this contest at the polls was the election of the following gentlemen to fill county positions: Register of deeds, Cyrus Hawley; coroner, Pleasant Fields; treasurer, Henry Miller. And at about the same time the governor made the following appointments, to hold until the assembling of the next legislature: Justices of the Peace: William A. Prentiss, Asa Kinney, N. F. Hyer, Lot Blanchard, Thomas Hart, Samuel Wright, Thomas Sanborn, and Ivy Stewart; notary public, N. F. Flyer; inspector of provisions, B. W. Finch; auctioneer, C. D. Fitch.

Cyrus Hawley was born at Hampton, Fairfield county, Connecticut, June 12, 1802; came to Milwaukee Aug. 30, 1835, and at once became prominent in the young and rising city. He held many important offices, was elected as the second register of deeds, was the first man who performed the duties of clerk of courts in Milwaukee county, Albert Fowler having only nominally held that position. Mr. Flawdey filled the position for many years, giving universal satisfaction. These continued mental labors finally impaired his health and he retired to his farm, where he spent the remainder of his days in watching the steady advance of the city, and the constant increase in land values made him one of the wealthy men of Milwaukee. Upon the organization of the Republican party he became a believer in that political faith and was very active in the political contests of the times in which he lived. In religious faith he was an Episcopalian, and was one of the staunch pillars of the old St. Paul's church, being a member of its official board for years. He was an active member of the Old Settlers' Club, and took a great interest in the objects for which it was organized. He died in 1871 and was buried at Forest Home cemetery.

Henry Miller came to Milwaukee from Lee, New York, in 1836, and opened a store at the northeast corner of East Water and Michigan streets, where he remained until early in 1837, when he associated himself with William Brown, Jr., under the firm name of Brown & Miller, their store being on the southwest corner of East Water and Michigan streets. Later in life Mr. Miller went to California and became very wealthy as a banker in Sacramento, but he still retained property in Milwaukee. In political faith he was an old-line Whig, but later became a Republican, and as a politician was very active, holding several important offices, among which was that of Deputy United States Marshal. At the first election held on the "east side" in the town of Milwaukee, when the local government was organized in February, 1837, he was chosen as one of the assessors, to which position he was re-elected in 1838. In September of the latter year he was elected coroner of the county. Mr. Miller was born at Providence, Rhode Island, April 15, 1806, and died at Sacramento, California, Feb. 23, 1879. He was buried at Milwaukee in Forest Home cemetery.

The second session of the first territorial legislative assembly convened at Burlington (in the present state of Iowa) on Nov. 6, 1837, and a number of acts were passed pertaining to local affairs in Milwaukee county. Among these was the first division of the county into towns for the purpose of local government. An act, which was approved Jan. 2, 1838, provided in section 2 "That the country included within the following limits, to-wit: beginning on the shore of Lake Michigan, at the southeast corner of Milwaukee county, thence west to the southwest corner of town five north, range twenty-one east; thence north to the northwest corner of town six north, range twenty-one east; thence east to the shore of Lake Michigan, thence southerly along the shore of said lake to the place of beginning, be, and the same is hereby set off into a separate town, by the name of Lake; and the polls of election shall be opened at the house of Elisha Higgins, in said town."

Section 3 provided "That the country included within the following limits, to-wit: Beginning on the shore of Lake Michigan, at the southeast corner of township seven north, of range twenty-two east; thence west to the southwest corner of town seven north, of range twenty-one east; thence north to the northwest corner of town eight north, of range twenty-one east; thence east to Lake Michigan; thence southerly along the shore of said lake to the place of beginning, be, and the same is hereby set off into a separate town by the name of Milwaukee; and the polls of election shall be opened at the court house of Milwaukee county." This divided the present limits of Milwaukee county into two towns, Lake comprising the present towns of Franklin, Greenfield, Lake and Oak Creek, and Milwaukee took in all of the territory now included in the towns of Granville, Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, and the city of Milwaukee. At the same session of the legislative council an act was passed organizing a board of county commissioners in each county in the territory, and among the enumerated powers of these several boards was one to "alter, amend, or set off any new towns, or locate any of the towns established before the board of commissioners, acting for the time being, came into office, on petition being presented, signed by a majority of the qualified voters of such town or towns, applying for the same." But is seems that the commissioners of Milwaukee county never exercised their powers in this direction. At the first session of the second territorial legislative assembly, or rather at the adjourned session which convened at Madison on Jan. 21, 1839, an act was passed, the third section of which follows:

"Sec. 3. That the country included within the following limits, to-wit: beginning at the southeast corner of town five north, of range twenty-one east; thence west to the southwest corner of town five north, of range twenty-one east; thence north to the northwest corner of town six north, of range twenty-one east; thence east to the northeast corner of town six north, range twenty-one east; thence south to the place of beginning, be, and the same is hereby set off into a separate town by the name of Kinnikennick."

The above act was approved on March 8, 1839, and by its provisions the town of "Kinnikennick" had domain over the territory now included in the towns of Franklin and Greenfield. The next division of the county was made by an act which was approved on Dec. 20, 1839, and which provided as follows:

"Section 1. That all that part of the town called Kinnikennick, in the county of Milwaukee, which is comprised in township five north in range twenty-one east, shall be and the same is hereby set off into a separate town by the name of Franklin."

Again, by an act approved on Jan. 13, 1840:

"Sec. 2. That all that part of the town of Milwaukee comprising township eight north, and range twenty-one east, be and the same is hereby set off into a separate town by the name of Granville."

By an act approved on April 30, 1840:

"Sec. 1. That all that part of the town of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee, which is comprised within the limits of township seven north, in range twenty-one east of the fourth principal meridian, shall be and the same is hereby set off into a separate town by the name of Wau-wau-too-sa."

And by another act, approved on Aug. 13, 1840:

"Sec. 1. That all that part of the town of Lake, in the county of Milwaukee, which is comprised in township five north, in ranges twenty-two and twenty-three east, shall be, and the same is hereby set off into a separate town, by the name of Oak

This marked the last division of the county into towns, and the last mention of that nature in legislative annals was in an act, approved on Feb. 19, 1841, which provided as follows:

"Sec. 1. That the town called Kinnikinnick, in town six, range twenty-one east, in the county of Milwaukee, shall hereafter be called Greenfield."

Milwaukee county was now fully organized, so far as township government was concerned, the divisions being exactly as they are today, and which are more accurately described as follows: Franklin, township five, range twenty-one; Granville, township eight, range twenty-one; Greenfield, township six, range twenty-one; Lake, township six, range twenty-two; Milwaukee, all of township eight, and so much of township seven, in range twenty-two, as is not included within the limits of the city of Milwaukee; Oak Creek, township five, ranges twenty-two and twenty-three; and Wauwatosa, township seven, range twenty-one. The history of these several divisions will be found in succeeding chapters of this volume. The population of these towns in 1840, according to the United States census, was as follows: Franklin, 248; Granville, 225; Greenfield, 404; Lake, which then included Oak Creek, 418; Milwaukee, 1,712; and Wauwatosa, 342, making a total of 3,349 as the population of the territory now included in the county. These figures, of course, include the population of the city of Milwaukee. In the same year, according to the census, there were in the present limits of the county 225 horses, 2,202 neat cattle, 368 sheep, 3,362 swine, one iron foundry, two printing offices; and in 1839 the amount of produce was 6,341 bushels of wheat, 4,313 of oats, 13,757 of Indian corn, 28,497 of potatoes, and 31,115 pounds of maple sugar, The amount of money received at the Milwaukee land office in 1840 for sales of public land was $138,661.02, and there were 174 steamboat arrivals at the Milwaukee harbor. The effects of the financial depression of 1837 were rapidly disappearing and the county was well started on its remarkable growth.

The year 1838 opened with prospects in general much brighter than they had been during the year preceding. The great financial cloud which had covered the country was broken to some extent, and the dawn of another period of prosperity was visible. In the village and community of which we write everyone was at work, new buildings were commenced, immigrants began to make their appearance, new farms were opened here and there by the hardy sons of toil, who, seemingly with a magic touch, "made the wilderness to blossom like the rose" — and all these forces contributed to the development and upbuilding of the pioneer community. Roads were opened, leading west and south from the future metropolis, and at convenient distances new locations for town sites were selected, to the building of which the owners put forth all their energies; and it may truthfully be said that from the beginning of the year 1838 Milwaukee county dates its rapid growth and development.

In making his annual appointments, the governor of the territory favored Milwaukee county by making William A. Prentiss justice of the peace; Joshua Hathaway was appointed public administrator in place of C. H. Larkin, removed; and William Brown was made inspector of provisions. The last named gentleman was from St. Clair, Michigan, and came to Milwaukee in 1836. He had been a clerk for the American Fur Company in his youth, in which capacity he had been over the entire northwest before the advent of the whites. He was a good business man; strictly honest and conscientious; was much in public life in Milwaukee's early days, and was the partner in business of Henry Miller, who has been given a more extended mention on a preceding page. Mr. Brown was one of the first assessors elected at the time of the organization of a village government for the East Side, Milwaukee, and in April, 1837, he was elected as one of the supervisors of the township government. In 1838 he was one of the trustees for the East Side, and in 1841 he was elected treasurer of the county. Mr. Brown died June 17, 1862, of apoplexy.

At the election for county officers, held on March 6. the following gentlemen were elected: As the first board of county commissioners, William A. Prentiss. H. C. Skinner, and John Richards; assessor, William R. Longstreet; treasurer, George D. Dousman; coroner. Charles Leland; constables for the town of Milwaukee, George S. Vail, James H. Wheelock, George S. Wright, and I. T. Brown.

William A. Prentiss was a very distinguished gentleman, who filled many important official positions in his adopted county and state. He was born in Northfield, Mass., March 24, 1800, to Dr. Samuel and Lucretia (Holmes) Prentiss. He received a common-school and academic education, and while yet a boy engaged m mercantile pursuits, intending to make that his life work. He spent one year with his brother, at Cooperstown, N. Y., thence went to Albany, where he remained one year, and then spent five years in the employ of Pomeroy, Prior & Brown, of Northfield, Mass. In 1822 he began business for himself in Montpelier, Vermont, and two years later removed to Jericho in the same state, where he was engaged in merchandising until he removed to Milwaukee in 1836. While residing in Jericho he served eight years as chairman of the board of selectmen and overseer of the poor, was justice of the peace several years, and in 1829 was a member of the Vermont legislature. In the summer of 1836 he came to Milwaukee, which was at that time a mere village, and a month after his arrival here formed a co-partnership with Dr. Lemuel W. Weeks, and engaged in general merchandising in a primitive store room, twenty by forty feet in its dimensions, located on what is now East Water street. This partnership lasted nearly two years, when Mr. Prentiss withdrew from the firm and for many years thereafter gave a large share of his time and attention to the discharge of official duties which he was called upon by the people of Milwaukee and Milwaukee county to perform. Early in 1837 he was appointed by Governor Dodge, justice of the peace for Milwaukee county, and the office was one giving him jurisdiction throughout Milwaukee county in both civil and criminal cases. In the early history of the county the position was an important one, and Mr. Prentiss continued to discharge the duties of the office with marked ability until the organization of the state government in 1848. He was also elected a member of the county board of commissioners in 1837 and served three years as chairman of that board. In 1838 he was elected a member of the council, at that time the upper branch of the territorial legislature, and served four years as a member of that body. During the session of 1840 he served as president of the council and wielded throughout his entire term of service an important influence in shaping the legislation of that period and perfecting the organization of the territorial government. In 1837 he was chosen a member of the board of trustees of the village of "Milwaukee on the East Side," but although his interests were largely in this portion of the city, he took a broad and liberal view of the situation and advocated a policy which would mold the two sections into a harmonious whole, under a system of government which would enable all good citizens to do their utmost for the growth and prosperity of the entire community. During the entire period of the existence of Milwaukee as an incorporated village, he continued to represent his ward as a member of the board of trustees, serving several years as chairman of the board and contributing largely through his enterprise and executive ability to the improvement and general upbuilding of the city. After the incorporation of the city in 1846 he served in both branches of the city government, and in 1858 was elected mayor, retiring from that office with the enviable record of having been one of the most capable and efficient mayors the city has ever had. In 1866 he was elected a member of the general assembly of Wisconsin, and was re-elected in 1867. He was connected with the city government as a member of the council the greater part of the time up to 1872, when he retired from official life, giving himself up to the enjoyment of his comfortable fortune, devoting himself to his private business affairs and to the perusal of choice literature, of which he was always a great lover, and of which he was a wide reader in the course of his life. Originally an old-line Whig in politics, when the Republican party was organized he became a zealous member of that organization, and always interested himself actively in advancing its principles and policies. In 1888 he was a distinguished figure in the Republican national convention held in Chicago, at which time he was the oldest person present. Mr. Prentiss was practically the founder of the "Pioneer Association," which was formed in 1877 AS an outgrowth of the "Old Settlers' Club" of Milwaukee. Tie took an active interest in all the gatherings of his old associates and contemporaries, and appeared last in public at the annual banquet of the Pioneer Association, given at the Plankinton House on Feb. 23, 1891. His death occurred on Nov. 10, 1892. and when he passed away the fact was generally recognized throughout the state that one of the most interesting and useful men who had settled in Wisconsin during the pioneer period, had gone to his reward.

The territorial legislative assembly convened in special session at Burlington, in the present state of Iowa, on June 11, 1838, pursuant to a joint resolution adopted in the preceding January, and William B. Sheldon, a representative from Milwaukee county, was chosen as speaker of the house. The session was a short one, lasting only two weeks, having been held mainly for the purpose of making a new apportionment of members of the house of representatives, based upon the census taken in the May preceding. The population of Milwaukee county as then constituted, shown by this census, was 3,131, and on July 13, the governor issued his proclamation, making the apportionment, in which Milwaukee county was given two members of the council and five members of the house. The time fixed for the election was the second Monday in September. Party lines had not yet been drawn, and the members were chosen without reference to, and perhaps in many cases without a knowledge of their views upon national politics. But a spirit of rivalry ran rampant in Milwaukee county, and after a heated contest the election resulted in sending Daniel Wells, Jr., and William A. Prentiss to the Council, and Augustus Story, Ezekiel Churchill, William Shew, Lucius I. Barber, and Henry C. Skinner, to the House of Representatives. At the same election Frederick B. Otis was chosen for commissioner, J. Y. Watson as assessor, George D. Dousman as treasurer, and Henry Miller as coroner.

Daniel Wells, Jr., was born at Waterville, Kennebec county, Maine, July 16, 1808, and was the son of Daniel Wells, a well-to-do farmer of that region, who also owned and managed a custom carding and cloth dressing mill. From his New England ancestry he inherited the industry, frugality and rugged honesty which were distinguishing characteristics of his career, and he combined with these the broad enterprise and intense activity of the Western man of affairs. He passed his boyhood at his father's home, dividing his time between farm labor and work in the mill, attending school only during the winter months of each year. Limited as were his educational advantages, he made such use of his opportunities that he had qualified himself to teach school and had taught two terms before he was twenty years old. While teaching school he gave a share of his attention to the study of navigation and acquired considerable knowledge of that science. Self-reliant and ambitious, he entered upon a business career as soon as he attained his majority, and the following extracts are from an account of his subsequent life written by one admirably qualified for the task by a long and intimate acquaintance with Mr. Wells: In 1830 he invested his savings in a stock of apples, cider, butter, cheese, dry goods, etc., which he took to Magnolia, near St. Marks, Fla., where a New England colony had settled. Going thence to Tallahassee he chanced to meet one Robert B. Kerr — a private tutor in the family of General Butler, surveyor-general of Florida — who had been offered a contract for surveying, a large tract of government land in eastern Florida, but lack of money prevented him from accepting the offer. Ready for any honorable enterprise, Mr. Wells agreed to furnish the money needed, and disposing of his stock of goods at a handsome profit, he purchased the required outfit. The survey began on Dec. 25, and Mr. Wells — making good use of his knowledge of navigation and mathematics — with the help of Mr. Kerr, became proficient in the science of surveying. In September, 1831, he engaged in business at Palmyra, Maine, having shipped thither a stock of goods which he purchased in Boston. He conducted this business with success until the spring of 1835, and while a resident of Maine held at different times the offices of justice of the peace, selectman, town clerk, assessor and overseer of the poor. Becoming impressed with the possibilities of development in the West, he came here in company with Winthrop W. Gilman, also a native of Waterville, and made considerable purchases of land and lots in Wisconsin and Milwaukee in 1835. Returning to Palmyra after a time, he arranged to move his effects to Milwaukee, to the great regret of his eastern friends, who regarded the departure from them of one who had been so public spirited as little less than a public calamity. Accompanied by his wife, he left his home in April and arrived in Milwaukee on May 19, 1836. He now turned his knowledge of surveying to good account in the young city, which was expanding in all directions, and soon became known as a trustworthy and enterprising citizen. Recognizing his abilities, Gov. Henry Dodge, on Aug. 2, 1836, appointed him justice of the peace for Milwaukee county, comprising what is now Milwaukee, Washington, Ozaukee, Jefferson, Racine, Walworth and Kenosha counties. On March 13, 1837, he was elected a member of the Executive Committee of the Claim Organization, formed to protect the "squatter" until he could get title to his land from the government. In 1838 he was made one of the trustees for the East side of Milwaukee, and on Sept. 4 of that year was appointed probate judge. In 1841 he was elected one of Milwaukee's first fire wardens, his associates in office being Alexander Mitchell and Maurice Pixley. He rendered efficient; services as under-sheriff in 1842, and on April 3 of that year was appointed commissioner in bankruptcy, and held the office until the repeal of the bankruptcy law. He also held the office of county supervisor and town surveyor. He made the first survey and plat of town lots on the South Side in what is now the Fifth ward of the city of Milwaukee. He also surveyed and platted tracts in the First and Seventh wards. But of all his varied services in those early days, that as a member of the Territorial Council, to which he was elected in the fall of 1838, was perhaps the most important. Mr. Wells served on the committee on territorial affairs, finances, ways and means, schools, territorial roads and enrollment. His efforts were especially directed to secure measures beneficial to his own city, and among the important measures whose passage he secured was that authorizing his county to build a bridge across the Milwaukee river. He also secured the passage of a law as a protection to actual settlers and against non-resident land holders who had monopolized large tracts during the land excitement of 1836, for speculative purposes, to the effect that taxes should be assessed against the land alone, and not against the improvements thereon. Another important service by Mr. Wells that should not be overlooked, was in preparing and framing the passage, through a legislature hostile to banking in any form, of the charter of the Wisconsin Marine & Fire Insurance Company. Although elected for four years, Mr. Wells resigned at the end of his fourth session, which closed Aug. 14, 1840. His next public office was as commissioner from Wisconsin to the World's Exposition, held in the Crystal Palace, at London, in 1851. While abroad he visited Scotland, Ireland, France and other European countries, and returned home in March, 1852. In his political affiliations Mr. Wells was originally a Whig, but after settling in Milwaukee and the organization of the state government for Wisconsin he acted with the Democratic party, though not always supporting its measures. He opposed the Kansas-Nebraska policy of his party and during the Civil war was an earnest supporter of the Federal cause. In 1852 he was elected, as against Mr. Durkee, the nominee of the Free Soil party, and Mr. Durand, of the Whigs, to represent the First district of Wisconsin in the Thirty-third congress, which assembled on Dec. 5, 1853. The following were among the early measures introduced by him: "A bill giving right of way and granting alternate sections of the public lands to the state of Wisconsin and its grantees and assigns to aid in the construction of a railroad from Milwaukee to Prairie du Chien, on the Mississippi river;" "A bill giving the right of way and alternate sections of land to the state of Wisconsin and its grantees and assigns to further the construction of a certain railroad therein specified;" and "A bill giving right of way and granting alternate sections of public lands to the states of Michigan and Wisconsin and their grantees and assigns to further the construction of certain railroads therein specified." He also introduced a bill providing for the purchase of a site and the erection of a suitable building at Milwaukee for a post-office and custom house, and secured an appropriation of $50,000 for that purpose. During the same session he introduced a resolution instructing the committee on post-offices and post-roads to report a bill reducing ocean postage to a uniform rate of ten cents each on letters not exceeding one-half ounce in weight, and followed it by securing the passage of a joint resolution by the Wisconsin legislature relating to cheap postage. He also introduced a measure relating to foreign and coasting trade on the northern and northeastern and northwestern frontiers. At the session of 1854 he introduced bills making appropriations for the improvement of Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha harbors, and secured an additional appropriation of $38,000 for the Milwaukee post-office and custom house. In appreciation of his great service, he was re-elected to the Thirty-fourth congress, which opened Dec. 3, 1855. In the contest for the speakership of the House of Representatives at that session, Mr. Wells, having regard lor the good of the whole country, went quietly to work among his friends and secured eleven Democrats, beside himself, who were willing to vote for a plurality rule, and Mr. Banks was elected. Chiefly by his influence and efforts were secured the valuable land grants for railroads in Minnesota in the congress of 1855-57. At the end of his second term he declined to become a candidate again, though strongly urged to do so, feeling that his private affairs demanded his whole attention. Through his early purchases of land he became one of the most extensive dealers in real estate, and was from an early day a promoter of public improvements. In 1844 he built the present Kirby House, which was opened under the name of the City Hotel, from 1847 to 1849 he was a member of the firm of Dousman & Wells, engaged in shipping and storage, and also in buying and selling grain and other farm products; during that time in 1848, he was one of the organizers of the Madison, Watertown & Milwaukee Plank Road Company. From 1849 to 1856, associated with Horatio Hill, under the name of Wells & Hill, he conducted a large trade in grain and wool. Beginning in 1847, when, in connection with another gentleman, he built the large lumber mill at Escanaba, Mich., he was largely interested in the lumber trade, and besides his interest in that plant, he was a large shareholder in the N. Ludington Company, the Ludington, Wells & Van Schaick Company, the Peshtigo Lumber Company, the H. Witbeck Company, and the I. Stephenson Company. In banking circles he was prominent for many years. He was a stockholder and director in the Wisconsin Marine & Fire Insurance Company until its reorganization under the state law; for many years president of the Green Bay Bank, he held the same office after that institution became the First National Bank of La Crosse. He was vice-president of the old Board of Trade during its short existence, and for many years was a member of the Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce. He was a director of the Northwestern National Insurance Company, and always favored all measures tending to the development of railroads in the Northwest. The Northern Pacific Railroad had no firmer friend than he, and as early as 1847, when a bill to incorporate the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad passed the Wisconsin legislature, he was named as one of the commissioners therein. He served in a like capacity in securing the Milwaukee & Watertown Railroad, which afterward became the La Crosse division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul. He was president of the La Crosse & Milwaukee Railroad, and was also president and a director of the Southern Minnesota and of the St. Paul & Minnesota Valley Railroads. For many years Mr. Wells declined to take public office of any kind, but his interest in the welfare of his adopted city and state was not abated. He died on March 18, 1902.

The following extract from a letter written at Green Bay by Mr. Wells, on Aug. 30, 1835, to an Eastern friend, will convey to the reader an idea of the conditions at Milwaukee then, as Mr. Wells viewed them:

"I have purchased considerable real estate at Milwaukee, mostly village property. The land about Milwaukee is the best in the territory, and as Milwaukee is the only harbor for some distance either way on the lake it must of necessity become a place of great importance. It is now laid out in lots for two miles north and south and one and a half miles east and west, which lots will, I think, sell immediately for from $100 to $1,000, and much money has been made speculating in lots already. I think money can be made here in the lumbering business if one had capital, as all kinds of lumber sell readily and for high figures. The winter is the same here as in New England or nearly the same. The settlers will all get their claims for $1.25 per acre, as it is considered very mean to bid against them; some of them have already sold their claims at high figures, in one case for $8,000. I have also entered a few lots of land at ten shillings per acre. There is a mill at the mouth of the Menomonee owned by Farnsworth & Brush, which they wish to sell, together with a large quantity of pine land of the best quality, for $40,000; have been offered $30,000."

Three years later, on Aug. 5, 1840, he wrote a letter to his brother Charles, who was then a student at Yale College, from which we take the following extract:

"I am doing a little farming this summer and also sell some lumber on commission, which, together, give me a very comfortable living, though this year instead of a benefit I have suffered a heavy loss, as my crops were utterly destroyed last week by a tremendous hail-storm, an account of which you will see in the papers sent you. T had let out my farm to a young man to cultivate, at the halves, and I had about twenty-five acres in crops, eight of corn, five of oats and twelve in wheat; and the outlook for a good crop was fine, when, last Thursday, the storm came, extending over a tract about a mile in width and some ten miles in length. The hail continued to fall for about five minutes, accompanied with a tremendous wind. I never saw anything half equal to it. The glass and sash were broken out of the windows, even on the lee side of the house, and the bark beat off the trees. Three of my pigs were killed by the hail and all my crops utterly ruined. The loss to me will be about $300; but I think I shall live through it well enough."

Another letter, also addressed to Charles Wells, was dated at Milwaukee, April 7, 1841, and contained the following:

"Money matters are in rather a bad state in the west. All the banks have suspended specie payments and all bills on western banks are 12 per cent, discount. Western bank money generally passed at par, and eastern money and specie is from 10 to 12 per cent, premium. I am doing but little business at this time, nor is there much prospect that I shall engage in any active business for some time to come, as I am still crippled with old liabilities contracted in 1836 and how they will be cancelled it is now difficult to say. I do about enough business to pay present expenses, which are quite small. I start to go to Rock river tomorrow in order to sell some lumber owned by myself and Mr. Brown (at Dixon's ferry); shall be absent about two weeks. The farmers out here are doing a hard business as produce is so low. Wheat is worth only 40 cents; corn, 31 cents; oats, 20 to 25 cents; and pork, 2 ½ to 3 ½ cents per pound. All kinds of business is in a bad state, and how long it will so continue is uncertain. The people must fall back on their old habits of industry and economy and do away with all extravagance and then the country will start ahead again. A new start of prosperity must be the work of years to be permanent."

A third letter, which is dated at Madison, Jan. 25, 1842, contains the following:

"The winter so far has been fine; we now have about a foot of snow and the sleighing is splendid. Wheat sells for 75 cents per bushel; oats, 23 cents; corn, 31 cents; pork, 2 ½ cents per pound. The territory is on the gain and we expect a larger immigration next summer than any previous year. Milwaukee is improving very fast and a railroad is about to be started (the one mentioned in 1836) from there to the Mississippi river, through the center of the territory, via the lead region, and in a few years we shall have a continuous railroad from Boston to the Mississippi river.

Lucius I. Barber, who was chosen as one of the members of the territorial House of Representatives at the election heretofore mentioned, was a prominent man in early times. He was a native of Simsbury, Connecticut, returned there about 1850, or perhaps later, and he died at that place in 1888. He was very prominent in early legislation, but was never a business man. He was elected as one of the first board of trustees when the West Side changed from a township government to a village organization, in January, 1837, and in April of the same year he was elected to the position of assessor. In 1839 he removed to Jefferson, where he was one of the early settlers, and he lived there several years.

Among other notable things accomplished in the year 1838 was the removal of the Indians west of the Mississippi river, which event occurred in the month of June. They were collected at the old Indian fields, near the Layton House, where they were fed at the expense of the government until preparations could be made, teams procured and supplies collected in compliance with the treaty made at Chicago in 1833. The contract was given to Jacques Vieau, Jr., who was compelled to press into service every available team in the county in order to accomplish the removal of the red men. This cleared the country of all the Pottawattomies and Menomonees, with the exception of the Shawano band and a few others, who, on account of inter-marriage with the Creole-French, were permitted to remain at Theresa, Horicon, and other places along Rock river, leading the wandering nomadic life they so much preferred. This year also witnessed the opening of a road to Madison, a government appropriation having been made for that purpose.

The second territorial legislative assembly commenced its second session at Madison on Jan. 21, 1839, to which time it had adjourned on Dec. 22. preceding, and Lucius I. Barber, of Milwaukee, was elected speaker of the House of Representatives. The county was also recognized by the governor in the appointment of Horatio N. Wells as attorney-general for the territory.

Horatio N. Wells came from Burlington, Vermont, in 1836. As a lawyer he was both prominent and successful; was of a quick and nervous temperament, a ready speaker and in political faith he was an uncompromising Democrat, taking a deep interest in political affairs. He served as mayor of Milwaukee, was also in the territorial legislature, where he at once became a leader, and his last office was that of county judge. Says the historian, J. S. Buck: "Mr. Wells was a warm friend, a bitter enemy; made no concealment of his political views or opinions; was strictly honest, and generous to a fault; he knew not the value of money, but spent it freely; was at one time very wealthy, but at his death was poor." At the time of the organization of the East Side into a village government, Mr. Wells was elected as the first village clerk, and in 1847 he was chosen mayor of the city. He died Aug. 19, 1858, a victim of intemperance.

The political campaign of 1839 in Milwaukee county, like that of 1838, was hotly contested. The election was held the first Monday in August, and resulted in re-electing practically the same officials, as follows: Territorial Council — William A. Prentiss and Daniel Wells, Jr.,; House of Representatives, Augustus Story, Adam E. Ray, William R. Longstreet, William Shew, and Horatio N. Wells.

The public sales of the government land in the Milwaukee land district were first proclaimed to take place at Milwaukee on Nov. 19 and Dec. 3, 1838, but in accordance with the general wish of the settlers, as expressed in their petitions, the sales were postponed by proclamation of the President of the United States, until Feb. 18 and March 4, 1839. The sales took place on these dates, and during the first week averaged $25,000 per day. There was no competition at the sales, nor any attempt by "greedy speculators" to interfere with the claims of the settlers, who adjusted all conflicting disputes by arbitration, and the capitalists found it more for their interest to loan money to the settlers on the security of the land purchased by them than to invest it in the land themselves. Thus all apprehensions on the part of the settlers in obtaining title to their claims proved to be groundless, and very few lands were bought on speculation. As a consequence a great portion of the best lands in the district were subject to entry at $1.25 per acre by the throng of immigrants that soon afterward peopled the entire country. Among these immigrants was the first installment of Germans and Norwegians — the advance guard of thousands that were to flock to Wisconsin's soil in search of homes. The effect of the arrival of these foreign-born home-seekers was very refreshing to the hardy pioneers of Milwaukee county, as they brought with them gold and silver with which to purchase homes, and money now became more plentiful. The spring of 1840 opened with brightened skies, as the country had become largely self-sustaining, and the best land had nearly all been taken for farms. Provisions of all kinds were much cheaper than the previous year. The political atmosphere of Milwaukee county in 1840, in common with the country in general, was filled with storms. But oi course the issues in Milwaukee were local in their nature, as the territory had no voice in national affairs and therefore could have but a sentimental interest in the great conflict being waged with the presidency as the prize. The election for members of the territorial legislature and for county officers was very hotly contested, and as this was the first election in which the Germans participated, a determined effort was made by both factions to secure their support. The result of the election was as follows: Council, J. E. Arnold and Don A. J. Upham; House of Representatives, John S. Rockwell, Joseph Bond, Jacob Brazelton, W. F. Shepherd, and Adam E. Ray; county commissioner, William A. Barstow; collector, Horace Chase; treasurer, George D. Dousman; assessors, Cromwell Hills, Ira Bidwell, and George Watson.

Don A. J. Upham, who is here mentioned as a member-elect of the legislative council, took a prominent part in the building up of Milwaukee. He was a lawyer by profession, and during his active career was a legislator, speculator, and a man who was a general favorite with the early settlers. He came to Milwaukee from Northfield, Vermont, arriving on June 15, 1837. James S. Buck describes him as follows: "In person he was tall; had a large head, blue eyes, brown hair, strong powerful voice; spoke slow and distinct, with a lengthened sound upon the last syllable of each word; walked slow, with his eyes fixed constantly upon the ground, but at the same time was cognizant of all that was being enacted around him; was courteous and dignified in manner, but fond of fun and mischief, few men more so, and usually on the watch for it; was a good public speaker and a prominent Democrat." He served two terms as mayor of the city of Milwaukee, and was also a candidate for the governorship in 1851, when, in the opinion of many, he was fairly elected but counted out in some unaccountable manner, and L. J. Farwell was given the position. He was one of the first to join the Old Settlers' Club upon its organization in 1869, and in the organization of the Pioneer Association in 1879 he also took an active part. Few men in the state were better known than Don A. J. Upham. He was born at Weathersfield, Windham county, Vermont, May 31, 1809, died June 15, 1877, and was buried at Forest Home.

The first session of the third territorial legislative assembly convened at Madison on Dec. 7, 1840, and the most important act of its deliberations, so far as Milwaukee county was interested, was the "Act to provide for the government of the several towns in this territory, and for the revision of county government." The New England and ,New York system of local self-government is what may be called the town system, while that of the western and southern states is what may be called the county system. Milwaukee county, during the first four or five years of its existence, rapidly became settled with a population largely imbued with the ideas of New England and New York, in which they had been educated, and a desire was manifested that the system of local government should be changed to conform to their ideas. The act mentioned above, and which was approved on Feb. 18, 1841, contained a complete system for the organization of towns, and specified all the details of town government. It provided that the legal voters should at the next general election vote for or against the provisions, and if a majority of the electors in any county should vote in favor of the adoption of the act, the county so voting should be governed by and be subject to the provisions of the act, on and after the first Tuesday of April, 1842. The result was that in Milwaukee county the town system was adopted, and the board of commissioners was succeeded by the board of supervisors, after the date above named. At the April election in 1841, however, an entire new board of commissioners was elected, the successful candidates for these and other positions being as follows: County commissioners — Charles Hart, Thomas H. Olin, and Peter N. Cushman; county clerk, Uriel Farmin; register of deeds, Henry Miller; collector, John T. Haight; treasurer, William Brown; assessors, Jared Thompson, Benjamin Hunkins and William Shew; surveyor, George S. West; coroner, John Crawford. Jonathan E. Arnold, having been nominated as the Whig candidate for delegate in Congress, resigned his position as a member of the territorial council from Milwaukee county, and the vacancy was filled by the election of John H. Tweedy.

John H. Tweedy was born at Danbury, Connecticut, Nov. 9, 1814, and graduated at Yale College. In October, 1836, he came to Milwaukee, where he at once became active and prominent in the building up of the young city. In political faith he was an old-line Whig, and, in common with William A. Prentiss, shared in all the public offices of the city, except mayor. In 1841 and 1842, he was elected a member of the territorial council, and he was also prominent as a member of the convention that framed the constitution of the state. He was by profession a lawyer, but was more prominent in the legislative halls than in court. He was also prominent in all of Milwaukee's early railroad enterprises, and realized the enjoyment of wealth and influence. He had a fine legal mind, was a ready and fluent public speaker, and in 1847 was elected territorial delegate to Congress, being the last incumbent in that position. He also represented the city of Milwaukee in the state assembly in 1853 and was considered in every respect an estimable citizen. He retired from actual business a number of years before his death, but he never lost his interest in the growth and prosperity of the city and state of his adoption, in the founding of which he took so prominent a part. He was a member of the Pioneer Association, and was twice elected as its president. Milwaukee has had no better or more highly respected citizen than John H. Tweedy. He died on Nov. 12, 1891.

The following appointments in Milwaukee county were made by the governor in 1842: Joseph Ward, sheriff; D. Wells, Jr., deputy sheriff; Sylvester W. Dunbar, judge of probate; Joshua Hathaway, public administrator; John A. Messenger, justice of the peace; Louis Francher, Cyrus Hawley, Charles Delafield, Henry Miller, Levi Blossom, L A. Lapham and D. Wells, Jr., notaries.

At the session of the legislature in the early part of 1842 a law providing for the enumeration of the inhabitants of the territory was passed, and the governor was instructed to make an apportionment of the members of the Council and the House of Representatives among the several election districts in accordance therewith. The number of inhabitants in Milwaukee county was shown to be 9,565, those of Washington county 965, and together they were given three members of the Council and six members of the House of Representatives. The ensuing election was probably the most hotly contested one that had been held in the county up to that time, and the successful ticket was as follows: Hans Crocker, Lemuel White and David Newland, members of the Council; Andrew E. Elmore, Benjamin Hunkins, Thomas H. Olin, Jonathan Parsons, Jared Thompson and George H. Walker, members of the House; Charles C. Savage, register of deeds; Clark Shephardson, treasurer; George S. West, surveyor;' Leveret S. Kellogg, coroner.

Hans Crocker came to Milwaukee from Chicago in 1836, and at once commenced the practice of law, his first partner being Horatio N. Wells, and he afterwards was associated with J. H. Tweedy. He was a good political wire-puller, and took a prominent part in all of the contests of those pioneer days, and served for a considerable length of time as a member of the territorial council. He was also canal commissioner under the old canal system, and was connected with the various railroad enterprises pertaining to the formation of the present Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul system. He served one term as mayor of the city. Upon the organization of the territorial government of Wisconsin he was selected as the private secretary of Governor Dodge and officiated in that capacity for some time. Upon the organization of the Wisconsin Marine and Fire Insurance Company, in 1839, he was appointed by the legislature a member of the first board of commissioners of that institution. His death, which occurred March 17, 1889, left a void not easily filled, as his peculiar personal characteristics were such as to make him prominent in any capacity or position he chanced to occupy.

George H. Walker was a native of Virginia, born in Lynchburg, Oct. 22, 1811. When he was fourteen years old his father removed to Gallatin county, Ill., so that he may be said to have been brought up in the West, and to have begun his career as a pioneer in early boyhood. He was an Indian trader at eighteen years of age, and was only twenty-two years old when he first penetrated the wilds of what was then Michigan territory, as far north as the site of the city which he helped to build in later years. After visiting Juneau's trading post in the fall of 1833, he turned back and spent the winter of 1833-34 at what was then known as "Skunk Grove," about six miles west of the site of the present city of Racine. His first visit to Milwaukee must, however, have impressed him favorably with that location, because in 1834, after spending some time at Chicago and other frontier trading posts of this region, he returned to this place with the intention of locating here permanently. He accordingly selected a tract of land lying south of that portion of Milwaukee river which runs eastward to the lake, on which he established a trading post, and to which he laid claim as first settler and "squatter," no survey of the land having been made at that time. The first improvement which he made on the land to which he hoped to acquire title in due time, was to build a small cabin, not unlike that which Juneau was occupying at the time, at what is now the intersection of South Water and Ferry streets, the site being that at present occupied by the Ricketson House. From 1835 to 1845 he divided his time between trading with the Indians, as a rival of Juneau, and fighting off the "squatters" who attempted to "jump his claim." It was not until 1849, after Wisconsin had been admitted into the Union as a state, that Walker finally obtained a patent from the Federal government for 160 acres of land, which cleared the title of all clouds. In 1845 he was appointed register of the Milwaukee land office, and held that important office until 1849. He was elected to the territorial legislature in 1842. and was made speaker of the lower house. In 1844 he was again chosen to represent the city at Madison, and was again elected to the speakership. In 1850 he was elected mayor of Milwaukee, and held that office for one term. In politics he was a Democrat, but at the breaking out of the Civil war he took a decided stand in favor of the preservation of the Union. The city was largely indebted to him for the building of the Milwaukee & Mississippi railroad, he was at one time president of this railroad company, and long a member of the board of directors. He built the first street railway in Milwaukee at a considerable loss to himself, and thus laid the foundation of the present splendid system. One of the last public acts of his useful life was to aid in securing the location here of the National Soldiers' Home, and his arduous labors in that connection undoubtedly shortened his life. He died at his home on Biddle street, Sept. 20, 1866.

At the census taken in 1842 for the purpose of legislative apportionment the returns showed the population of the towns which now constitute Milwaukee county to be as follows: Franklin, 448; Granville, 356; Greenfield, 667; Lake, 356; Milwaukee (2,500 in the village and 285 in the town), 2,785; Oak Creek, 389; Wauwatosa, 512; making a total population of 5,513. In 1840 it was 3,349, an increase in two years of 2,164.