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 A HISTORY
-OF-

Manitowoc County
-BY-

RALPH G. PLUMB.

COMPLETE AND ILLUSTRATED.

BRANDT PRINTING & BINDING GO.

1904.
 Copyright, 1904. by
Brandt Printing & Binding Co
Manitowoc, Wis.
BENJAMIN JONES
 PREFACE

A brief explanation as to the purpose of this book may not be out of place.
Some years ago when the author first resided In Madison, his attention was
attracted to the vast accumulated material on the subject of local Wisconsin
history, gathered together in the city, and
State Historical Library at that
particularly to the hundreds of newspapers. At first he was
bound files of
led to a cursory browsing in the early volumes of certain Manitowoc county
weel<lies and the discovery of much interesting and generally forgotten in-
formation led to a more detailed and systematic reading of the files. The in-
terest in the pioneer existence of the lake shore region thus aroused became
more and more intense as this study progressed and the final result was the
determination to gather from all possible sources as much material relating
to the history of Manitowoc County as could be found and the condensation
and combination of it into a fairly readable account. Old records, interviews
and miscellaneous works have been valuable adjuncts to the newspaper files
in furnishing the basis of the work and, although the problem of selection
presented was often a most difficult one, an attempt, at least, has been made
to follow approved historical methods in the recording and interpretation of
facts.
This, then, is the aim of this history. No claims are made for its literary
merits. On the other hand the author has more largely devoted his eiforts
towards securing correctness in point of fact than elegance of style. Differ-
ent phases in the county's history are treated topically also, instead of an at-
tempt being made to write one connected story of the entire existence of the
county, as it was thought true prospective "would thus be better afforded. It

rhay be objected that too many dates have been inserted. From the literary
standpoint this is it must be remembered that
doubtless true, but above all

the idea in writting this work was the recording in some permanent form of
many facts which in future years may
be useful as well as interesting, in re-
gard to the beginning and progress of the county. The older generation is
rapidly passing off the stage of action and the original evidence of historical
value, such as landmarks, is being obliterated year by year. To preserve at
least a partial account of the changes made by the course of time was the
task the author set before him. Without further apology he submits the result
to the reader. Ralph Gordon Plumb.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTERS PAGE
I. Descriptive 1
II. The Indians 8
III. Early Settlement 16
IV. Growth and Foreign Immigration 32 )

V. Means of Communication 42
VI. Marine 55
VII. Ilailroa,us 85
VIII. Military 112
IX. Politics 133
X. Village and City Government 167
XI. Churches 183
XII. Societiesand Organizations 227
XIII. Education 243
XIV. The Press 255
XV. The Professions 278
XVI. Banks and Banking... .....'..; 281
XVII. Business and Industry 288
Appendixes 293
Ii.dex
 DEDICATION
To.'the pioneers whamadeMan-itowoc County what it is today this work
. is.dediGated./by.the Author.
 CHAPTER I.

DESCRIPTIVE.

The territory embraced withia§tlie present limits of the

—
county of Manitowoc is situated as follows: from the shores
of Lake Michigan on the east to Calumet County on the west
and from Sheboygan County on the south to Brown and Ke-
waunee Counties on the north, all of the boundaries being
regular with the exception of the lake line and also the
northwestern corner where Brown County makes an indenta-
tion. The county lies in 44 degrees, 36 minutes, north
latitude and its area is 612 square miles. It is divided into
eighteen townships, the northern row being composed of
Cooperstown, Gibson, Mishicott and Two Creeks, that next
south of them, Maple Grove, Franklin, Kossuth and Two
Rivers, then a tier composed of Rockland, Cato, Manitowoc
Rapids and Manitowoc, south of them another, composed of
Eaton, Liberty and Newton and the tier furthest south being
made up of Schleswig, Meeme and Centreville. The largest
of these is Kossuth which comprises forty sections of land,
while the smallest are Two Creeks and Manitowoc, which
contain about fifteen sections apiece. Cooperstown, Maple
Grove, Franklin, Catb, Rockland, Rapids, Liberty, Eaton,
Meeme and Schleswig correspond in size to the legal town-
ship, viz., thirty-six sections.
 The county is. all within the territory covered by the
Lake Michigfan g-lacier in prehistoric times, this fact having-
had its effect upon the conformation of the land. The latter
is gradually sloping- from the western boundaries to the lake,
the Kettle Moraine which beg-ins in Door County, traversing-
the western gportion in a southwesterly direction, thus form-
ing- a watershed between the streams running- into the Fox
and its tributaries and those flowing- into Lake Michigan.
This range of hills extend in a loop, through the south cen-
tral part of the state, the western arm extending upwards as
far as Langlade county. The underlying strata of the county
are of rock of a variety which is denoted by geologists as
Niagara limestone. Layers of this are exposed along the
course of the West Twin River in the townships of Gibson
and Cooperstown and several caves are there found. These
attracted but little attention until the eighties, when, how-
ever, they became widely known as curious formations. The
prevailing soil is clay strongly impregnated in places with
limestone and with gravel in the nortjiwestern part of the
cotinty. Sand is abundant along the river valleys and on the
lake shore, the latter being particularly adapted for building
purposes. The limestone is of a fine whitish variety and sev-
eral quarries, notably at Grimms Station, have been opened
in order to utilize the product. In some places it is of such a
fine-grained quality that in an early day it was mistaken for
marble. Thus a discovery of supposed marble upon the Nacht-
wey farm in the town of Gibson was once much heralded and
several years before the Baker marbles were widely known,
being named after the discoverer, a resident in the town of
Rapids. The stone was remarkably compact and uniform in
crystallization. In the early thirties gold deposits were ru-
mored to have been found in what is now Kewaunee County,
creating much excitement, it being supposed that this prec-
ious metal would be found in that section of the state in con-
siderable amount. Such hopes, however, proved without foun-
dation in fact. As early as 1850 one Joel Smith, brother of
P. P. Smith, while at work in the present township of Gib-
son, discovered specimens of what was believed to be copper
quartz, but owing- to his subsequent blindness the vein was
not located. At intervals of a few years similar discoveries
were made, leading- finally to the sinking- of a shaft on the
farm of Adolph Hudson, which,' after fruitless endeavors of
several months induration, was abandoned. Finds were later
made on the Robinson farm in the same vicinity, while sim-
ilar discoveries have been made at times in the town of Mani-
towoc Rapids. The clay in certain parts of the county, not-
ably near the city of Manitowoc, is of a peculiar variety,
which can be manufactured into cream colored brick and this
industry has been an important one. On several occasions
small veins of natural gas have been struck, notabty in New-
ton in 1865 and later in Manitowoc Rapids, not of sufficient
mag-nitude, however, to be of commercial value. A peculiar
black sand in the town of Two Creeks was early made use of
in the manufacture of matches and larg-e quantities have con--
tinned to be exported. With these exceptions the couhty has
been without dceloped mineral resources.
The surface of the county is gently undulating, being the
highest in the northwest and southwest portions. The high-
est point in the county is in Township 21, Range 21 in the
town of Schleswig, which is 359 feet above the level of the
lake. The average levels of various of the towns are as fol-
lovvs:— Cooperstown 210 feet, Gibson 9b, Mishicott 60, Maple
Grove 200, Kossuth 100, Two Rivers 29, Cato 250, Manitowoc
Ra'^pids 120, Manitowoc 50, Franklin 300, Meeme 200, Schles-
wig 290 and Centerville 60. A portion of Katon and Cato and
a large part of Rockland are swampy, but as a whole there is
very little waste land. The county is well drained, thus add-
ing greatly to its fertility. The principal stream is the Mani-
towoc, after which the county was named, which is forty-five
miles in length and drains about four hundred square miles.
It rises in Calumet County and after a winding course through
Rockland, Eaton, Liberty, Cato, Rapids and Manitowoc, it
finally empties into Lake Michigan, its descent being 262 feet
Numerous small tribu-
in the last fifteen miles of its course.
taries swell its flow, notably the north branch which flows
into it in the western part of the town of Rapids, after drain-
4

ing a groodly portion of the northern part of county, the

North Mud Creek, which joins it in the town of Rockland and
which flows through Reedsville, and the South Mud Creek.
Good water power was afforded ajt an early day at eight
places along- the course, notably at Murphy's mills and at
Manitowoc Rapids. The stream was then much higher than
at present and was navigable for canoes nearly to Lake Win-
nebago, as Lapham says in his description of Wisconsin,
written in 1844. At about this time a canal was proposed to
connect it with Lake Winnebago, which would require, it
was estimated, thirty-seven locks biit the project never re-
ceived much attention. High water and floods were often
causes of great damage, those of 1881, 1885 and 1888 being
particularly destructive to property, including many dams
and bridges. At the mouth of the river, where it entered the
lake, sand bars formed before improvements began and the
lands in the vicinity were very low and marshy, necessitating
much filling in improving the village of Manitowoc.
The next largest streams of the county are the Twin
Rivers, the Neshoto or West Twin and the Mishicott or East
Twin, which unite a few rods from the point, where they
enter the lake. The East Twin is the shorter and rises in the
town of Montpelier in Kewaunee County, flowing southward
after being joined by Mauvais Creek, while the West Twin
rises in Brown County and flows through Cooperstown, Gib-
son and Kossuth southeastward into the lake. Good water
power was once utilized on both, notably at Mishicott and
Neshoto. The Sheboygan River flows southeastward through
the town of Schleswig and receives several tributaries from
that portion of the county, among themMeeme Creek. Water
power was also early utilized on this stream. Besides these
principal rivers there are several creeks, emptying into the
lake at points along the shore, among them the Little Mani-
towoc, whose mouth is in the northwestern part of the city
ofManitowoc and whose course is largely marked by marshes
and bayous. Silver and Calvin Creeks, three and four miles
south of the city respectively, Point Creek, seven miles south
and Cenlerville Creek, running through the village of that
name. The southern and western parts of the county are
dotted with small lakes. Among- the largest are Cedar Lake
in the town of Schleswig, English Lake in Newton, named
after a surveyor who is said to have fallen in that body of
water, Pigeon Lake in Liberty, Silver Lake in Rapids, Long-
Lake in Rockland and Prairie Lake in Meeme. These, as well
as the rivers and creeks, are fed by numerous springs of pure
water. In fact the water supply of the county is unvarying-
in quantity and high in quality. At Manitowoc the nearness
of the lake made unnecessary to dig artesian wells but the
it

domestic wells used before a waterworks system was installed

were very satisfactory and the veins seemed inexhaustible.
At Two Rivers, however, it was necessary in one instance to
dri^ 1700 feet before a flow was obtained and in several por-
tions of the county wells for farm purposes have been drilled
to a considerable depth.
When the first settlers came to the county they found it
an almost impenetrable wilderness. Pine was the prevailing
timber, great forests of it growing along the banks of the
Manitowoc and in the northern part of the county. Hemlock
was also growing in great quantities, particularly in the north-
eastern part around Two T?ivers, while the tamarack filled
the swamps in the western portion. The hard varieties, such
as the beech, elm and maple were also of abundant growth and
the wild crabapple, willow and sumach fringed the banks of
the streams. The hand of the lumberman in twenty years de-
vastated this virgin forest but even up to the present day the
county has been fairly well wooded, particularly in the north-
ern and western portions. In the past the thick growth of trees
offered in many respects an excellent opportunity for the
spread of fire and the fear of this danger was not the least of
the anxieties of the pioneer. The most destructive of the
great forest fires, which Wisconsin has experienced, that in
1871, touched the northern portions of the county and result-
ed in great loss of property.In other years also, among them
1864 and 1895, considerable damage was the result of these
conflagrations. The native vegetation of the county origin-
ally was that usually found in the northern states. Wild
6

grape vines clung- to the trees, berries were hidden under the
pine needles, wild rice g-rew in the marshes and 'the open
places were carpeted with all the various kt*ids of grasses.
The hand of man here too soon made itself felt and 'as the
years rolled" by waving- fields of g-rain and ricl meadows
spread in extent until Manitowoc's present reputation as an
agricultural county was established. Hard wheat was the
first chief product of the cultivated soil but the softer varie-
ties and oats, barley and rye soon supplanted it, while hay
was always an important crop. "Vegetables find the. proper
qualities in the soil to bring forth abundant crops and the re-
sult has been that pease, beans, cabbages and potatoes have
been raised in great quantities. Manitowoc County pease, in
particular, have, as canned products, gained^^a wide reputa-
tion. Fruits too, principally apples, cherries and plums,- are
raised to a considerable extent.
In the early days wild animals roamed at will through
"the forests primeval." Bears subsisted on nuts and berries
and|were seen in the county as late as the sixties quite fre-
quently. In 1859 a lynx was shot within a half mile of Mani-
towoc and deer were numerous even at a later period. The
wild ducks and geese visited the wild rice fields in the au-
tumn and the rabbit, gopher and squirrel made their perma-
nent habitation in the trunks of old trees and beneath their
roots. Snakes were never very plentiful and those of a harm-
less variety. In the streams fish were abundant, including
bass, pickerel and "bullheads", while in the lake whitefish,
trout and herring were caught in quantities, Two Rivers be-
ing the center of that industry. In the rivers of the northern
part of the county, particularly in Kossuth and Gibson, clams
are abundant and several valuable pearls have been "found.
Crawfish are also numerous at the mouths and along the cour-
ses of the streams.
In climate Manitowoc County has much, for which to be
thankful. The mitigating influences of the lake have pre-
vented extremes of heat and cold and, although the springs
are frequently somewhat raw and inclement, the autumns are
most pleasantly prolonged and frosts are often postponed un-
tillate October. The county has never been visited by a se-
vere cyclone or destructive winds and has in a remarkable de-
gree escaped floods and droug-ths. On the whole Nature did
much in providing- so favored a reg^ion for a community to
work out the results, of which the account is given in the suc-
ceeding pages.
 CHAPTER II.

THE INDIANS.

How far back the American Indian dates in history is al-

together a matter of speculation. And yet Manitowoc like
most other American communities is interested in such a dis-
cussion, for the very name of the river and county sugg^est the
race which gave them an appelation. Various significations
have been given to the word by Indian philologists, but the
best seems to be thatit is an abbreviation of the form Munedo-

owk, which in Ojibway and Chippewa means "habitation of

the good spirit". It was originally applied to the river and
as early as 1844 Lapham in his "Wisconsin" speaks of it as
signifying "the river of spirits" and the territorial legisla-
ture very wisely applied this aboriginal name to the civil di-
vision which itformed in 1836. Whether good or evil spirits
were intended was long a subject of controversy but in a let-
ter to the Prairie du Chien Verdict in June 1847, A. Benson,
an authority on Indian languages, seems to have settled on the
former interpretation and it has since been followed. He also
stated that in his opinion the change from the original Ojib-
way word was due to the misunderstanding of it by the Me-
nomonees and those tribes who later inhabited the region.
What legend or story may have been connected with the
name is wrapped in mystery but, knowing Indian nature, as
modern students do, it seems certain that there must have
been one. Other names in the county also afford a field for
philological study. Mishicott has been translated as mean-
ing "hairy leg", Meeme as signifying "pigeon" and Neshoto
as an Indian name for "twins", a name suggested by the riv-
ers of which it was one.
 Whether or not the mound builders existed in the county
also g-ives rise to interesting speculation. Certain mounds
and implements have been found at_various places in the
southern part and in Sheboyg-an County. These have borne a
resemblance to simple breastworks, being about four feet in
height and twelve feet in width at the base. Little investiga-
tion, however, has been made concerning these primeval in-
habitants in this portion of the state. Whatever may be true
concerning them, of a tribe of Indians, more ancient than
those with whom the first white settlers came in contact,
traces have been found. Particularly is this true on the
shores of the lake northeast of Two Rivers, where at various
times numerous remains have been discovered. In June 1893
mounds were opened which contained six skeletons and many
copper implements, all of which were sent to the Smithson-
ian Institute for preservation. H. C. Hamilton of Two Riv-
ers has been an indefatigable collector of these relics of an
earlier race and the size of his gatherings betokens the ex-
istence of many an ancient community within the confines of
the present county. It has also been said that the Indians,
who in the early forties resided near Two Rivers traced
their lineag'e to this more ancient and, it seems, more aristo-
cratic tribe of aborigines. The former, although extremely
poverty-stricken, despised the reservation Indians and lived
wholly by fishing along the Mishicott and Neshoto Rivers.
Who, if any, of the early French explorers ever touched
upon what is now Manitowoc County also lies in the realms
of mystery. Many of them coasted the shores of the lake and
it maynot be impossible that they landed at the mouth of the
little river,where so natural a harbor was afforded. Mar-
quette and Joliet, the very first among these adventurers, are
said to have skirted the lake from the Illinois line to Green
Bay in 1673 and it is not improbable that their voyage was
frequently punctuated by landings on Wisconsin soil. How-
ever that may be, a century passed before the first specific

reference was made to the region. During this time, how-

ever, a remarkable shifting of the Indian population of Wis-
consin was taking place. The inhabitants of the eastern part
 10

in the seventeenth century had been Foxes, Sacs and Mas-

coutins, but in a report to the secretary of war made by Jede-
diah Morse in 1822 it is said: "Major Swan informed me on
the authority of Col. Bwyer and an old Ottawa chief, living
at Mainitouwauk, the river of the bad spirits, that more than
a century ag-o (before 1727) the Fox and Sac Indians, who
were then inhabitants of the country on Green Bay and Fox
River were conquered and driven away by the Menomonees,
'
aided by the Ottawas and Chippewas, that the Menomonees
held the country by conquest' and that their title is admitted
to be g-ood by the Sacs, Foxes, Chippewas and Ottawas."
This authority, nevertheless, did not seem to extend as fully
towards the lake as it did westward, for within the present
limits of the county there was a conglomeration of tribes,
consisting of Ottawas, Menomonees, Winnebagoes,Fottawata-
mies. All of them with the single exception of the Winneba-
goes, were of the Algonquin stock and before 1830 this tribe
had disappeared from the county and the other tribes had
coalesced to a great extent. The presence of these aborigines
in large numbers along the shores had attracted the attention
of the hardy French "couriers du bois" and it is by one of
these that the firstprintedreference to any point in Manitowoc
County is to be found. One Samuel Robertson in 1779 under-
took a voyage on Lake Michigan on the British vessel Felic-
ity and embodied his experiences in a book called "A Voyage
On Lake Michigan." On Thursday November 4th of that
year, while off the present site of Milwaukee he wrote: "The
Indians also told us' that they had sent for Monsieur Fay,
who is at Twin Rivers, eighteen leagues north
a place called
of Milwaukee; he had two canoes of goods from the commit-
tee, but he said it was against his orders to go among them,
and they supposed so as no trader had ever entered at that
place." This somewhat obscure reference seems to indicate
that there was an understanding between Fay and the Brit-
ish, who were then in authority, as indeed had most of the
French traders in both the war of the Revolution and that of
1812. This Monsieur Fay is said to have been located at Twin
Rivers at intervals until 1780.
 11

The next heard of Manitowoc was in 1795, when the

Northwestern Fur Company sent one Jacques Vieau, some-
times known as Jeau Vieau, from Mackinac to establish trad-
ing- posts at various points on Lake Michigan. Accompanied
by his family and a clerk, named Michel de Pelleau, this har-
dy Frenchman proceeded as far as a point w.here Two Creeks
now stands and there, making- a landing and strapping their
packs on their backs, the party marched overland in a south-
westerly direction to a point, where a little stream, chris-
tened Mauvais (Bad) Creek, a tributary of the East Twin, en-
ters that river. On Section 27, of what is now the town of Gib-
son, a trading post was erected and an agent left in charge,
after which Vieau detoured to the lake, skirted the shores un-
til the Manitowoc River was reached and, ascending it to a

point near the Rapids, another post was established. Then

resuming his journey southward he visited the present sites
of both Sheboygan and Milwaukee. The next spring Vieau
and his family returned to Mackinac gathering furs and skins
enroute. These annual trips were made for many years and
Solomon Juneau, the founder of Milwaukee, was one of Vieau's
clerks in 1818. The settlement was of an intermittent char-
acter, however, and the only important results seems to have
been the familiarization of the Indian, by contact, with his
white brother. The Indians were numerous in the region and
must have aiforded a lucrative field for exploitations. Says
Abram Edwards in "Western Reminiscence", in which
Col' incl
he described a journey on the lake: "At Twin Rivers and
Manitowoc the shore of the lake was lined with Indians —
near Manitowoc many were out in canoes spearing white-
fish".

At about this time travel began to utilize old Indian

trails in finding a way from Green Bay to the east and in
that way many army ofiBcers passed through the county. In
1821 the first tragedy enacted in the county took place, in
which an American ajmy surgeon was murdered by a savage.
Dr* Madison, stationed at Green Bay early in that year re-
ceived leave of absence to visit his family in Kentucky and
taking two soldiers with him started for the south. The story
12

is told by Col. Ebenezer Childs in Volume V of the "Wiscon-

sin Historical Collections as follows: "When near Manito-
woc and the soldiers a short distance in front on foot, the
doctor was shot from his horse, the whole charge lodging- in
the back of his neck. The soldiers instantly returned and
found him badly wounded, whereupon them mounted
one of
the doctor's horse and returned to Green Bay for help. A num-
ber of officers and soldiers started for Manitowoc, but when
they arrived the doctor was dead. There were no Indians to
be seen and they carried the body to Green Bay for inter-
ment. It was some time before the murderer was taken; he
was sent to Detroit for trial, together with another Indian,
who had killed a Frenchman about the same time. I had to
go as a witness; both Indians were found guilty and execut-
ed at Detroit." The murderer of Dr. Madison was named Ke-
taukah; he was a Chippewa and no motive was ever ascribed
for the crime.
The next known reference to the region was made in
1825, when Colonel W. G. Hamilton traversed the trail and in
a description given of his journey he remarks that there was
no settlement between Milwaukee and Manitowoc, but that
there was an Indian village at Manitowoc and one at Two
Rivers of different tribes, mixed peoples, Chippewas, Ottawas,
Menomonees and Pottawatamies. These villages were again
mentioned by Morgan L. Martin two years later in descript-
ions of a journey through the region. These Indians seem to
have been well disposed, and traded with the travelers. From
1826 for seven succeeding years two wanderers, Moses Sein
and Isaac Haertel made annual visits to the mouth of the
Manitowoc to secure furs and peltries in return for the trink-
ets and bawbles, so fascinating to the Indian eye. Colonel
Childs of Green Bay passed through the county in 1827 with a
drove of cattle designed for use at that post. Five years later
Joshua L. Boyd was licensed by the Indian agent at Green
Bay to trade with two tribes residing on the lake and took
out an outfit worth $117.89. He was, however, murdered for
refusing to give credit to a Chippewa.
Thus matters stood when in 1833 the Potta-watamies and
MICHAEL KELLNER
 13

Menomonees by the Treaty of Chicago deeded aWay all the

lands at the mouths of the various rivers emptying- into Lake
Michigan. The Manitowoc Indians were represented by Wau-
megesako, the chief of the mixed tribes at the mouth of the
river, of whose connection with the early settlers more will
oe said. The Indians, notwithstanding the cession of their
land to the settlers remained in considerable numbers about
Manitowoc County, fishing in the summer and hunting in the
winter. In the early thirties also a few, mainly Chippewas,
began the cultivation of the land near Cato Falls, the women
raising meager crops of maize. It was over these Indians that
chief Waumegesako or Mexico ruled, a man of great intelli-
gence and a sincere friend of the whites. The first perman-
ent settlers saw little of the aborigines but a few years later
the latter returned to their haunts and by 1840 were more
numerous than the whites. The first Indian scare occurred
in 1842, when it was reported by a drunken squaw that the
Cato Falls Indians were planning a massacre to take place in
two weeks. Immediately preparations were made for defense,
the mill hands armed and bullets molded. A Frenchman by the
name of Pat Thebieau and E. L. Abbott volunteered to act as
scouts but found nothing suspicious. Finally Chief Mexico
came into the village of Rapids and reassured the settlers. At
this time the Indians had not become the physicial degenerates
that whiskey later made them, many of the Pottawatamies be-
ingof noble proportions. Mexico was greatly respected by the
settlers and received a medal jirom the government for settling
numerous disputes. This medal, which was worth about fif-
teen dollars, was often pawned by the redskin for necessities
but was always scrupulously redeemed. The chief wasasigner
in the treaties of Butte des Morts in 1827, and Green Bay, en-
tered into the following year. His picture was painted by an
Irish artist, George P. Healy, and a copy was presented in
1857 to the Wisconsin Historical Art Gallery. It shows an
aged man, clad in the usual garb of a chief, with considerable
strength of character evidenced in his tawny face. The old
leader died, in 1844 and was buried by the settlers with due
honors in the town of Rapids, at a point overlooking the river.
14

The g-athering' of wild rice was the favorite occupation

of the Indians during- the forties and early fifties and camps
along- the rivers were numerous. Then, too. the band of fish-
ers near TwoRivers eked out their precarious existence, un-
der the lead of their chief, Old Katoose. These latter aborigf-
ines were often quite lawless, particularly when under the in-
fluence of liquor andmany were the scares they g-ave the set-
tlers.In the southwestern part of the county also there was a
band of Menomonees, under the leadership of a chief named
Solomon, which maintained a planting ground in Schleswig-
as late as 1859. Another such cemetery was situated in the
present town of Gibson on what was later the Smith farm,
while others were found near Cato and Two Rivers. Across
the line in Calumet County the Indians were very numerous,
particularly along the upper course of the Manitowoc. The
nearness of the early settlers to these redskins must have
added strang-e color to the pioneer life of tl.e county. The
deadly enemies of the Indians, which led to his gradual exter-
mination in Manitowoc County, were three in number, whiskey,
cholera and smallpox. The cholera attacked the various
tribes in 1850 and drove many of them out of the county,
while the indulgence in "fire water," led to a fatal end in
many cases. All of the eastern Wisconsin tribes left or were
exterminated in the course of time, except the Menomonees,
who still have been retained within the borders of the state on
a reservation near Shawano. It must be here remembered
that the Calumet County Indians were not natives but impor-
tations from New York, which was also true of the Oneidas
in Brown County.
As late as 1862 Manitowoc in common with other Wis-
consin communities suffered from an Indian scare, so long
had the redskin been the "bete noir"' of pioneer life. It was
in the darkest days of the CivilWar, when gloomy forebod-
ings were natural and the scare came on the heels of the news
of the Indian massacres in Minnesota. It was on the morn-
ing of September 2nd, that rumors flew through the county
that the Indians were coming. The report seemed to come
from the westward and g-ained credence as it passed from
 15

mouth to moutli. At the village of Branch where the fright

seems to have progressed so far as to assume the size of a pan-
ic it was said that a few miles to the west the redskins were
mercilessly robbing, pillaging and murdering. Families gath-
ered together their valuables and made haste towards the
county seat. The terrormanifested was something most curi-
ous and many were seized by it despite their incredulity and
their knowledge that there were none but a few peacable In-
dians in the vicinity. A few men, scoffing at all fears, re-
mained in the little settlements, but all the women and|chil-
dren, even the sick, were transported hurriedly to town. Here,
too, panic reigned for the influx of the terror-stricken seemed
to have driyen the inhabitants into a frenzy. The first to
bring the news of the uprising were settlers from the Branch.
Although the reports were somewhat discredited, doubt soon
turned to belief when a boy rushed to town, reporting that a
comrade had been captured a mile from the village. Prepara-
tions were then made for defense; some gathered at the Court
House, while the women prepared boiling water, with which
to overwhelm the invaders; others spoke of boarding vessels
and sailing out into the lake, while still others formed com-
panies to spy upon the enemy. It was one of these parties
that had frightened the boy, who spread the later alarm, in-
to believing that a comrade had been captured. This party
returned, reporting having seen Indians but it was later re-
vealed that the supposed foes were but another band of skulk-
ing villagers, searching for the elusive redskins. Reports
came from Kellnersville of a terrible massacre at that place.
Several hundred men marched from Manitowoc to the scene
of carnage but on arriving found it to be a hoax. By this
time it was ascertained that the entire scare had been with-
out cause and the settlements soon took up their routine ex-
istence, albeit somewhat shamefaced over the affair. This
may well form an end to a chapter on Indian life in Manito-
woc County, for in a few years there were none of the race
left within its confines.
 CHAPTER III*

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The beginnings of actual settlement in Manitowoc Coun-

ty date from 1836, but certain events of the year before are of
importance as explaining the character of this settlement.
Four villages, Manitowoc, Manitowoc Rapids, Two Rivers
and Neshoto sprang into existence almost simultaneously and
the early history of each is replete with interest. The specu-
lative and expansive tendencies of the year 1835 first brought
the unsettled regions of northeastern Wisconsin into promin-
ence. Gold deposits were rumored near Kewaunee and it was
even suggested that a metropolis would grow up in the re-
region. Three surveyors from Green Bay, Daniel Le Roy, M.
L. Martin and P. B. Grignon in 1833 made a cursory exami-
nation of the locality. Two years later a land office was
opened at that place and A, G. Ellis was deputized to make
a survey of the region now included in the county. On the
sixth of May President Jackson issued a proclamation for
land sales to be held in Green Bay, which signified the open-
ing of all this portion of the state to settlement. The first
entries in the territory latercomposing the county were made
by William Jones of Chicago and Louis Fizette on August
3rd. at what is the present site of Manitowoc city and by
Francis Leframbois and William Jourdain at the Rapids.
Fizette sold to C. P. Arndt, also of Green Bay, soon after.
Said the Green Bay Intelligencer in its issue of April 9th
1835: "The Yankees, anticipating a day of sale have pene-
trated as far north as the Manitowoc River, thirty-seven miles
south of this place, seizing upon all the choice and command-
ing mill sites and making claims. Exploring parties have al-
 It

so been on the Manitowoc River recetitly, where it iS prob-

able that a saw mill and other improvements will be com-
menced this coming- summer." The speculative mania then
became rampant, Arndt selling- his recent purchases at $100
an acre, and many who had never visited the region invested
heavily. It is from this time that the Jamieson heirs, who
laid claim to certain lands in the city and county in 1896,
based their title, one Lieut. Jamieson having- purchased con-
siderable property at the time. The Green Bay Intelligencer
in speaking of this speculative tendency remarked, on '.March
2nd, 1836,"The principal points now sought are at the Mani-
towoc and Rock Rivers. A year ago Milwaukee was suspect-
ed of having some pretensions to its own site but we have
done speaking of that place now. The speculators are now
past that place. It is old. The rush now is down the lake.
Sac Creek (Port Washington), Sheboygan and Manitowoc
are at this moment all the rage. Within a month the lands
at Manitowoc have risen from $10 to $250 an acre and they
are talking- of a communication with Fort Winnebago." It
was in the spring of this year that an actual beginning- was
made at settlement in three places.
And first as to the founding of Manitowoc, at|the mouth
of the river of the same name. The first entry of land in this
locality had been made, as said before, in 1835, including- all
of the land, south of the mouth of the Little Manitowoc for
a distance of three miles and west from the lake to the pres-
ent line separating the towns of Manitowoc and Rapids. Ear-
King & Co., otherwise known as
ly in 1836 the firm of Jones,
the Manitowoc Land Company was formed in Chicag-o. A
town plat was made of the proposed city by one Alexander
Martin and hig-h hopes were entertained of its future great-
ness. The two leading members of this firm were brothers,
William and Benjamin Jones, and of these the latter is more
properly the founder of Manitowoc, since he later took the
Wisconsin property as his share, while his brother remained
in Chicago, where his holdingsmade him immensely wealthy.
Benjamin Jones was of Massachusetts stock, having been
born on 'July 24 1795, and at the age of sixteen fought in the
 19

"war of 1812. Marrying- in 1825, after some years in the east

he determined to bring- his family to Chicago, then but just
founded. He arrived at his destination via the Great Lakes
on the schooner United States in the fall of 1833 and built a
house and store on what is now South Water Street, near
Dearborn. Chicago then had 3000 inhabitants and the pion-
eer supported his large family, which consisted of a wife and
twelve children, by keeping a small stock of merchandise.
Speculating in land he laid up a comfortable sum and the re-
sult was the purchase of Manitowoc land in 1835 and 1836,
some two thousand acres in extent. The Jones brothers early
in the latter year determined to realize on their investment
and accordingly sent up from Chicago a large number of men
on a vessel, the party arriving on May 5th. The reception
accorded them by the dark pine forests and storm-tossed
waves seemed to inspire a sentiment not unlike terror in their
souls. By night out of the party but five remained. Some
walked to Sheboygan settlement by way of the beach and •

thus in the course of time found their way back to Chicago,

while others struck off on the Indian trail to Green Bay.
Three of the men, however, E. L. Abbott. Mark Howard and
a third by the name of Farnham, remained at the place all
winter, occupying themselves with the construction of a rude
log cabin at the foot of what is now Seventh Street and in
cutting timber for shipment the next spring. Before the win-
ter was over they had cleared away a large tract of land near
the mouth of the river and then waited for their employer,
who set out overland from Chicago to visit his new acquisi-
tions in February 1837. I'he latter part of the journey is de-
scribed by A. Noon an in the Wisconsin Historical Collec-
J.
tions as follows: "When I started from Milwaukee to Green
Bay I went with the mail carrier, an Indian half-breed named
Powell and two or three of the firm of Jones, King & Company,
who were gfoing to visit their embryo city, where Manitowoc
now stands. The mail carrier as well as the Chicago men were
on runners. A gentleman from Buffalo and myself were on
horseback. At Sheboygan the only house was a hotel, erected
by the company owning the village plat. There was no house
 ,

20

between there and Manitowoc and the only building-s in Mani-

towoc County were a saw mill and two dwelling's at Manitowoc
Rapids, owned by Jacob Conroe. The road was a trail cut out
the width of a wagon track." Upon their arrival Mr. Jones re-
warded his faithful workmen by presenting them with $100
apiece besides their wages and assured them that they would
be speedily joined by other settlers. Abbott remained in Mani-
towoc until 1 856, marrying Maria Smith a sister of P. P. Smith
,

this being the first ceremony performed in the county, but the
other two men left soon after.
The new settlers arrived on the schooner Elwellyn on
April 17 1837, about forty all told. Among them were Oliver
C. Hubbard and D. S. Muuger with their families, Moses
Hubbard, and others. Include^l in the party were the' four in-
fant sons of O. C. Hubbard, Giles, Harvey, Frank andErwin.
All of the pioneers were hardy persons and soon accustomed
themselves to the arduous duties of their new life. The}- lived
at first in the rough log house that the laborers had built the
fall before but soon more substantial quarters were secured,
the Mungers building a home just south of the present site of
the M. E. Church, while the Hubbard family also found per-
manent quarters. On July 17 the schooner Oregon arrived
from Chicago with the family of Benjamin Jones, consisting
of his wife, son Alonzo and two daughters, together with Per-
ry P. Smith, a brother-in-law, who had arrived in Chicago
from New York State the year before. Mr. Jones soon had
a comfortable dwelling ready for his family at the corner of
York and Seventh Streets and the little settlement was soon
in a prosperous condition. The old boarding house used by
the settlers continued to stand as a landmark untill887, when
it was destroyed by fire. By the end of the summer there was

a clearing made between Chicago Street and the river and

oats had been sown early in the spring, some fifty acres be-
ing under cultivation. The first white child born in the coun-
ty made it appearance at the home of D. S. Mungrer in Sep-
tember 18^7. The infant, who was named Charles, remained
in the village until 1846, when with his parents he moved
away, being now a resident of Orleans, Indiana. One month
H. F. HUBBARD.
22

later a daughter was born to B. Jones, who became the wife

of Dr. Bla^e, a prominent surgeon.
Although the Rapids settlement was much larger, the
residents at the mouth seemed confident of the future until
the effects of the panic of 1837 commenced to be felt. The
speculative values immediately disappeared, the mill which
B. Jones had built was obliged to suspend and general disas-
ter seemed imminent. One by one the settlers moved away,
only the Jones, Hubbard and Munger families remaining.
Other places were also affected and Manitowoc gained one
inhabitant by the arrival of Peter Johnston, who had lived at
Kewaunee, which place was now deserted. In 1838, however,
lumber shipments were resumed, schooners being loaded and
sent to Chicago. The early forties witnessed little if any
growth at Manitowoc. In fact Two Rivers until 1850 seemed
to have much more of a future. Mr, Jones left his colony for
a year and a half about this time, during which interval P. P.
Smith attended to his interests. Increase A. Lapham in his
book "Wisconsin," published in 1844 speaks of Manitowoc as
a village of twenty or thirty buildings, and mentions it as a
depot for lumber sent down from the mills above. However a
pier and a lighthouse had been erected and, as he remarks,
"The interests and safety of lake navigation require a per-
manent harbor at this point, which it is hoped will soon be
constructed by the general government." After 1845, how-
ever, prospects seemed to brighten. Immigration began to be
resumed, sturdy New England lumbermen and English set-
tlers coming first. In 1846 Perry -Smith brought the first
stock of groceries to the little settlement, building a store
where the Smalley Manufacturing, Company's plant now
stands. By this time the German influx had commenced and
a large number of that nationality settled in the little vil-
lage, making it assume more and more importance as the
years passed. Said the Green Bay Advocate on August 4th
1847: "Manitowoc has many claims as a lake port but is far
too modest in urging them, or perhaps as we suspect, is
shrewdly holding back and mustering energy for a prodig-
ious and successful heave upward, Emigration has begun to
 23

seek that point and with the fine country, climate and other
material advantages, its chances are among the first of the
towns on the west shore". But it was still some years before
the little town at the mouth of the river gained sufficient im-
portance to become the county seat.
Of the settlements of the county that at Manitowoc Rap-
ids was the earliest in point of time. Here eastern prospect-
ors in IS-^S looked over the grounds and the result was the
purchase of many hundreds of acres in that year by Jacob
W. Conroe and later by his brother John G. Conroe, both of
Middlebury, Vermont. The former reached his new holdings
by way of Green Bay in the spring of 1836, taking with him
about thirty men to build a mill. The lumber for this struct-
ure was purchased at twenty dollars a thousand, plus five dol-
lars for freight from Chicago and landed at the mouth of the
river. It happened that at Green Bay during the fall Conroe
met Captain J. V. Edwards, who had just arrived from New
Jersey and was desirous of going to Chicago. When he heard
that there was a schooner about to sail for Manitowoc with
supplies for Conroe's mills he shipped on board, thinking to
get nearer to his destination and upon reaching Manitowoc
in November was induced by Mr. Conroe to remain for a time,
at least, in his employ. It was Mr. Edwards who built the
scows which enabled lumber to be taken from the Rapids out
into the bay and to be loaded into vessels for transportation,
thus being the first ship builder in the county. Jacob Con-
roe's brothers, Horace, John and Levi soon joined him in his
enterprises as did also Mrs. Conroe, who -v^as the first white
woman in the county. The mill was well started by the spring
of 1837 and continued to run throug-h the panic period, al-
though il was the only one to do so. Horace Conroe endeav-
ored to cultivate five or six acres about a mile north of the
mill during the summer, but gave up in disgust and returned
to Vermont a year later. Chief among the lieutenants of the
Conroes was Pat Thebieau, a Frenchman, who had been at
the Rapids from the very first and continued to reside there
until his death in the eighties. Walter Mcintosh, Francis
Plinn, William McCrady and Joshua Burns came up from
PERRY P. SMITH.
MRS. PERRY P. SMITH.
 Sheboyg-an in 1837 and joined the little colony. Another mill
was soon one J. L. Thayer.
started, it being- the enterprise of
On May 1, 1837 a party consisting of Thayer, Pliny Pierce, H.
McAllister, Samuel Martin, Joshua Sequoin, William Hol-
brook, Joseph Sequoin and wife, Frank Pugh, C. Severin. Amps
Robier, Deacon Lyman, John B. Oas, B. Doyle, Jessie Btir-
nell and a Mr. Wheat started from Waddington, N. Y. with
Manitowoc County as their destination. Reachihg Detroit
they chartered a boat to carry them and their belongings to
Green Bay, from whence they tramped three days along the
Indian trail, finally arriving at the Rapids. Pushing up the
river they soon after constructed a mill and a log boardinj^^
house, calling the settlement Thayersville, the property beiiig
owned by the firm of Thayer, Rouse and Thompson. The
littlesettlement numbered about twenty souls. The effects
upon the enterprise, ho;^-
of the panic were very destructive
ever. Thayer became bankrupt and all the settlers gradually
« disappeared except McAllister and Pierce, who were given
lands for their compensation. The former immediately went
to farming and became the first actual agriculturist of the
county, a fair crop of oats being raised in the fall of 1838.
The first wheat ground into flour came from his farm, it being
transported to Green Bay for that purpose. Joseph La
Counte, who came to the Rapids in 1837 and worked with
Thayer, also did some farming, planting potatoes, whichj
however, proved to be no larger than nuts. Another early
settler was E. Lenaville, who resided near Branch. The win-
ter of 1837-1838 was one of great hardship; the flour in the
settlement became moldy and the pioneers were obliged to
live largely on salt fish with an occasional haunch of venison.
In the fall of 1837 Mr. La Counte's family joined him, com-
ing up from Milwaukee on the schooner Jessie Smith and in
the next summer Pliny Pierce went back e^ist and brought
his wife and children, Alonzoand Jerome, both of whom have
since resided in the county. He
traded the Thayer lands for
a mill site above the Rapids and soon built the Pierce mill.
In succeeding years he constructed another mill at Coopers-
town, which was later sold to W. H. Bruce of Green Bay, fin-
 2t

ally becotnlngf tte Aldrict mill. Oliver C ttubbatd feinoved

from Manitowoc to Rapids in 1839, where he built a house
and soon after engaged in the business of making sash, doors
and blinds, using a part of the Conroe mill. In 1847 he built
a mill of his own near the Rapids, which he continued to op-
erate until his death in 1855. The mill at Thayersville was
soon reopened, John G. Conroe having a large interest, and
by him it was run for four or five years, aftei: which it was
owned and operated by H. H. Champlin, stol later passing
into the hands of Wyman Murphy and being known as Mur-
phy mill. In these early years the Rapids was easily the cen-
ter of industry aftid life in the county and consequently it was
there that the county government had its seat. The Conroes
sold out and left the village in 1845. Levi died of consump-
tion at Racine in 1850, while his brother John continued in
business in the same city until 1855, when he too died, at the
age of forty-five. Said the Racine Advocate: "To the world
ai large Mr. Conroe was a rough, stern man, but those who
knew him;best recognized the kind heart beneath that out-
ward garband the poor and distressed never appealed to him
in vain." From this time, although some new blood was re-
ceived by immigration, the Rapids continued to decline and
by 1850 had been distanced by Manitowoc, which three years
later became the county seat. Jacob Conroe, the founder of
the settlement, returned to Vermont in later years, where he
spent the reclining days of his life.

The third settlement to be considered is that at Two Rivers.

Here anbther element, besides lumbering, that of fisheries
enters into the story of its foundation. The first entries on the
present city sit6 were made by D. Wells, Jr., of Milwaukee,
Morgan L. Martin, of Green Bay and S. W. Beal, of Fond du
Lac, in September, 1835. In the same year a Frenchman,
.

Oliver Lougrine, who was ordinarily called J. Lonzo, entered

320 acres for settlement. This man, however, did not defin-
itely locate upon the land until late in the next year, when he
was employed by Robert M. Eberts, Judge George Lawe and
John P. Arndt, of Green Bay, who bought up the site, and
erected a mill with which to take advantage of the water
28

power afforded by the Misliicott and Neshoto rivers, the struc-

ture being- completed in the spring- of 1837. Lumber was
plenty, the hemlock forests near by affording an almost inex-
haustible supply and by the end of the year fully forty people
had gathered at the hamlet. It was in the same year that
Captain Edwards started a fishery at Two Rivers in a small
way, walking- to Green Bay to get the twine for his seines.
Taking with him a man from the Rapids, his son Henry,
then thirteen years old and P. P. Smith, he established him-
self on the shore and dropped his seines about half way be-
tween Manitowoc and Two Rivers. The first haul brought
him ten barrels of the finny tribe and this success determined
him to follow the business for a livelihood. But others were
on the field also during the same year. J. P. Clark, a Detroit
fisherman, arrived in Wisconsin at about this time and enter-
ed fishing sites at several places along the shore, including
Two Riyers and Whitefish Bay. Later he sent twenty men
to the former place on the schooner Gazelle and a regular
business was begun. Captain Edwards was then taken into
the partnership, he remaining at the Little Manitowoc while
the Clark camp was fitted out two miles north of Two Rivers.
Clark's schooner visited the place monthly, loading a cargo
and carrying it to Detroit and returning promptly with sup-
plies. Fishing was carried on entirely by seines, varying in
length from forty to one hundred and sixty rods, the nets
being set from boats and being hauled in by means of wind-
lasses. The business was a profitable one, since the catches
were large, one haul bringing in fish sufficient to fill 175 bar-
rels, holding two hundred pounds apiece, the annual catch at
all of the Clark camps being about 2,000 barrels a season. The
product sold in Detroit at that time for* twelve dollars a barrel.
J. P. Clark, himself, moved to Whitefish Bay in 1838 but con-
tinued to look after his interests at Two Rivers until four
years later when his brother, Isaac C. Clark, carried it on, the
pursuit being profitably continued until 1853. J. Lonzo ran
the Two Rivers mill until the results of the panic of 1837
compelled it to be shut down. For some time it was idle but
in 1843 Andrew J. Vieau took possession of it under the di-
 29

fection of Judg-e Lawe of Green Bay, who now' owned the

property. At that time Two Rivers was but a small fishing'
village of eig-ht or ten houses and about twenty-five inhabit-
ants. Says Mr. Vieau in an article on the subject: "A part
oi the time I ran the mill myself but leased it for the most
part, to Bascom and Wail, in 1844, to Daniel Smith, in 1845,
to H. H. Smith of Milwaukee, who finally (1847) bought the
plant. I also did some trading with the Indians while at Two
Rivers." This H. H. Smith was in reality the founder of
Two Rivers L.nd it is from his arrival in 1845 that progress
begins. He had been a lumberman on a large scale in west-
ern New York, but meeting with reverses he had come to Wis-
consin to retrieve his fortunes. For six years he engaged in
the lumbering business, at the end of which time he turned
towards manufacturing, forming the company of Aldrich,
Smith & Co., the predecessors of the present Two Rivers
Manufacturing Company.
The fourth settlement in the county was that at Neshoto,
eight miles from the mouth of the West Twin river, where
there was good water power. An interesting story is con-
nected with its foundation. In April 1837, a Mr. Burnham
of Detroit settled on the land without entering it or pay.ng
for it at the government office. Lumber was ordered to be
shipped on a schooner from Chicago for his mill and in due
timj arrived. Some of the young men at Manitowoc, desir-
ing to do the pioneer a good turn, trudged to Two Rivers on
the beach and from thence up the river to Neshoto to inform
Bufnham of the schooner's arrival. He received the news
stolidly and without a word of thanks, —
an ingratitude which
prompted, the youths to revenge. Knowing him to be a squat-
ter, one of them, Howard, hurried to Green Bay with $350
and had entered in his own name three eighty acre tracts on
which the mill site was located. On his way back he met
Burnham and obliged the latter to pay $2,000, half in cash
and half by a note, before he would part with his rights.
The firm of Stringham & Burnham was formed and before
.

winter set in the mill was completed. J. G. Conroe also

bought up considerable property in that section of the county.
30

The Neshoto mill continued to be run by the first owners un-

til 1841, when it was sold to Frederick Borcherdt, the first

German settler in the county. He ran the mill for seven

years, being in the wilderness with no white neighbors until
later in the forties, when he induced some Germans to settle
in that portion of the county. Removing to Two Rivers in
1848 he sold the miJL to Taylor & Pendleton, who in turn
soon transferred their interests to Jones & Cooper. The
village of Neshoto was laid out in 1858, at which time great
hopes were entertained for its future.
The population of the whole county in 1840 was 240, in
1842 263, in 1845 about 600. By the census of 1840 it was
shown that there were but eleven horses and eighty neat cat-
tle in the county and the aggregate of all crops raised was but
a few hundred bushels. In fact it was not until 1847 that
there were sufficient food stuffs raised in the county to do
away with the necessity of sending south or to Green Bay for
the winter supply of flour and dairy products. Said the Mil-
waukee Sentinel in December, 1848, speaking of Manitowoc:
"The inhabitants of that region are neither very extensive
tillers of the soil or producers of beef and pork. The staple
and principal products of that section are pine and hemlock
the former of which, when manufactured into boards, consti-
tutes the most important part of lake commerce and city and
—
county enterprise the lumber trade." The immigration to
the county was practically nil up to 1845, when a large num-
ber of New England lumbermen arrived, among them Lyman
Emerson, H. H. Smith, Daniel Smith and others. Before
this little advancement in settlement was made beyond the
four places described in the preceding pages. True, in the
early forties several taverns were built along the line of the
Green Bay road, notably that of Joseph Edwards, built in 1841
near the present site of Cooperstown and that of Joseph Po-
quin in the present town of Kossuth, established two years
later, he being the first settler in that township. In 1844
Daniel Smith founded a settlement at Mishicot, building a
lumber mill at that place, where there was then good water
power. The mill was operated for some time by Ira P. Smith,
jf..
^'/^Q^yi^/jj^-iiiri'.it6iiJufjyy2.

0. TORRISON
 31

wiio two years later built anotliei. In 1847 the first settle-
ment within the town of Cato was made by a
limits of the
man by the name of Burns, who was
later arrested and con-
victed on a charge of counterfeiting-r R. M. Brown settled in
,

the same place about the same time but did not remain per-
manently. In the spring of the next year the first settlement
was made in the present town of Gibson by Edward Brown,
who died two years later. By this time Cooperstown had also
received several settlers, including Joseph Allen, John Arndt
and King, while Pierce and Bruce built a sawmill there in
C.
1847. The first settlement in the present town of Two Creeks
was also made at about this time, P- Rowley establishing
himself there in 1842
 CHAPTER IV.

GROWTH AND FOREIGN IMMIGRATION.

From 1847 the growth and settlement of the county, be-

yond the few lumbering- villages, commences and the change
to the agricultural stage begins to be apparent. This was
due in large part to the German immigration, induced by the
political troublesthen in progress in that country. As before
mentioned Frederick Borcherdt was the first German to set-
tle in the county, coming in the year 1841. Among the other
early settlers of Teutonic birth were L. Katzmeyer, Ludwig
Alsweide, Nicholaus and Valentine Meyer and Henry Grube,
all of whom established themselves in Kossuth before the end
of 1846 and George Dusold, a Bavarian, who moved to Mani-
towoc from Milwaukee in 1846 and was employed at the
Rapids for some months as a tanner under G. Musson, at
that time county clerk. A year later he moved to Manitowoc
and was one of the first German settlers on the south side of
the river. It was in that year that the rush of German im-
migration first began to make itself felt. In 1846 the popu-
lation of the county had been 629, while in 1847 it was in-
creased to 1285. Among the first Germans to arrive were a
group from Holstein, whom F. Borcherdt had induced to set-
tle in Mishicott and Two Rivers. Next came fifteen families
of Saxons, who soon after settled in Mishicott, and then a
number of Rhenish Prussians, who sought the southern part
of the county, principally the township of Newton, some forty-
seven families settling there, including F. Truettner, who is
said to be the first settler in that town, Frederick Schmitz,
C. Schmitz, H. Meyer and others. Some of the Prussians
were induced by C. Esslinger, a Bavarian, who had been in
America since 1837 and was the Buffalo agent of Jones &
 33

Allen, to take up their abode at tiie village of Manitowoc

and they thus aided to bring that center into prominence.
Others went to Kossuth, while many of them moved to She-
boygan county. A large number of these earlier immigrants
were Lutherans. At about the same time (1847) many arriv-
ed from Lippe-Detmold. being directed from Milwaukee to
Manitowoc and Sheboygan counties by Frederick Reiniking
and settling in the former district, principally in the towns
of Newton and Centerville, the city of Manitowoc and a few
iu Cooperstown and Kossuth. Many of them were extremely
poor and worked in the saw mills. A large part of them were
members of the Reformed Church. The first settler in the town
of Centerville was W. N. Adams, who had arrived in 1847,
but in a few months the land was largely taken up by immi-
grants from Saxony, some of whom were Lutherans, while
others were Roman Catholics. It will be noticed that this
early influx of settlement seemed to center' in the eastern and
southern parts of the county. As time went on, however, the
Germans gravitated westward, notably the Pommeranians,
who were quite a factor m the early settlement of Cato,
Franklin, Maple Grove and Rockland. Mecklenburgers and
Hanoverians largely centered in Manitowoc, although many
from these regions were to be found scattered in various town-
ships also. Some West Prussians also found their way to
Maple Grove, Oldenburgers to Liberty and Two Rivers, West-
phalians to Kossuth and Newton, while Bavarians were scat-
tered through the county. In 1854 the colony of Badenese,
mentioned elsewhere, settled in Eaton, founding St. Nazians
under the leadership of Father Oschwald. A pamphlet on
Wisconsin's advantages and those of Manitowoc county in
particular, written by Gustav Richter, was printed in 1849
and gained a wide circulation, doubtless being a considerable
factor in determining the destination of many immigrants.
It will be seen from the above descriptions how heterogen-
eous was the nature of the early German settlement, every
partion of that land being represented, a fact which doubtless
had most beneficial influences on later development. The
emigration of the fifties and sixties was largely from the
34

northeastern part of that country. This element in the popu-

lation has always been a strong one in the county, nearly 25
per cent of the inhabitants being- of German nationality and
an even greater proportion of such parentage.
Another considerable element in immigration, early in
evidence was that of the Norwegians. The first Norwegian
resident of the county was Soren Ballensted, who came in
1843 and who was followed by his brother AUie a few years
later. In 1848 0. Torrison settled at Manitowoc Rapids, acting
as a elerk in the mercantile business for some time. In that
and the next year following tha influx of Norwegians was
great, many settling in the town of Liberty and Eaton, being
the first to come to that region, while others remained in the
village of Manitowoc. The first settlement in Eaton was by
a Norwegian, O. Swenson, in 1849 although C. Eaton built a
sawmill there soon after. Among the eai^ly settlers of Liberty
were J. Stephenson, O. K. Gigstad and K. O. Oppen. As a
sturdy and law abiding people they had no equal and much
of the county's prosperityis due to their efforts. Another
element in the immigration of the later forties were the Irish.
The present towns of Maple Grove, Rockland, Cato, Meeme,
Liberty and Franklin were largely settled by them during
that period. Among the early settlers of Maple Grove were
T. Morrissey. T, Watt and Ava Smith, the last named being
an Englishman and enjoying the distinction of having named
the township. He built a small house also in 1848 in what is
now the town of Franklin and soon a large number of Irish
settlers were grouped there, among them were P. Mullins, J.
Doolan, J. Kirby and also "William Playfair, a Scotchman.
In Rockland D. B. Knapp was the first settler arriving in 1849,
closely followed by J. Woodcock, L. Cooney and a large
number of English families. At about the same time a large
number of English pioneers, including William Eatough,
James Robinson, C. Hall and J. Squirrel settled in Kossuth
and the northern part of the town of Manitowoc. The north-
ern part of Meeme was almost entirely an Irish community.
The town was first settled by H. Edson in May 1847, he hav-
ing been formerly a resident of Rapids, and among the early
 35

Irish settlers were D. Nag-le, Peter and Henry Mulholland

J.Doolan and P. O'Shea. Scotch and En g-lish were scattered
through the count in smaller numbers, most of them arriv-
ing between 1848 and 1853. French Canadians also came to
the county and settled in and about Two Rivers.
The census of 1850 showed the population to be 3,720 of
which 1378 were of German, 246 of Norwegian, 175 of Irish,
129 of British and 165 of Canadian birth, while there were in
all 255 foreigners from other European states in the county.
Of the native born inhabitants 409 were of Wisconsin and
376 of New York birth while 742 came from other states.
The tremendous gain of 200 per cent, in numbers since 1847
shows the extent of immigration and also explains much of
the activity of the later years. The division of the popula-
tion among the then existing townships is also of interest,
—
being as follows: Cooperstown 84, Centerville 210, Manito-
woc 766, Rapids 966, Meeme2l0, Newton 522, Two Rivers 924.
It was in 1850 that the first scourge of cholera broke out in
the county. The disease had been in evidence in Milwaukee
the year before and it was in August of the following year
that it appeared in Two Rivers. On Sunday August 5th,
the Indians at that place had been having a celebration; the
next day many fell sick and six died. Six more succumbed in
another twenty-four hours and the bodies were hastily buried,
all in one pit. Within a week the little settlement received
three distinct shocks and out of three hundred people then
living there fifty died while many more were taken ill. H.
H. Smith, the father of the village, was himself stricken with
the disease and a son died, as well as eight of his mill hands.
The last shock occurred on Monday August 13th, when a boat
was expected, upon which most of the surviving settlers pre-
pared to embark. Its arrival was, however, delayed three
days and as soon as it reached the dock, a stampede occurred,
Mr. Smith furnishing the funds for the exodus of many of his
employees, most of whom sought refuge at Sheboygan. The
disease also spread to Manitowoc, where twenty two settlers
died and two Indians living near the Rapids also succumbed
and were left unburied vintil H. F. Hubbard aud Lyman Em-
36

erson volunteered to inter the corpses. On September

4, 1850

H. H. Smith had a notice, dated at Two Rivers,

placed in the

Sheboyg-an Mercury, which read as follows: "No new cases

of cholera have occurred at this place for the last ten days.
It may now be considered as healthy and all absent from the
place mayreturn with perfect safety." It was, however, sev-
eral years before the villag^e regained its forriier position.
Four years later another sieg-e of the plague was encountered
and this time proved particularly virulent on the north side
of the river at Manitowoc. The epidemic lasted four weeks
and many died, including Judge Ezekiel Ricker and District
Attorney James L. Kyle. The cemetery was then on Park
Street and many were the new graves dug during those few
terrible days. Doctor Preston was the only physician in the
village and his faithful and wearing service during the panic
was long remembered. Several also died of the disease in
Kossuth and other portions of the county at this time. A vil-
lage board of health, consisting of D. A. Reed, F. Langen-
feld, G. Dusold, K. K. Jones, P. Glover and E- R. Smith, were
appointed in July, but were unable with the means at hand
to do much in combat of the deadly disease.
The growth of the county in population, so rapid from
1847 to 1850, continued unabated in the succeeding years. By
1855 the county numbered 13,050 inhabitants, again of 10,000
in five years. The influx of settlement was mainly made up
of Germans, although many of the immigrants, were Irish,
Norwegian, Scotch and English. Then, too, another element
was added by the entrance of the Bohemians on the field.
The first of this race to come to the county was Michael Kell-
ner, who purchased a home in the western part of the t(jwn of
Kossuth in 1846. After working for some time as a tanner in
Green 'Bay, Sfpending an occasional Sunday at home, he built
a tannery of his own at whatlatei became Kellnersville, later
adding a mill and store to his property. In 1852 fifteen Bo-
hemian families settled there and soon after a Catholic church
was started. A few years later another colony of Bohemians
was established in the southern part of Kossuth and after a
time large numbers of that race found their way to various
 37

parts of the county, notably Gibson, Two Creeks, Coopers-

town and Manitowoc Rapids. A number of Welsh settlers
also established themselves in the southern part of Meeme
shortly before 1855. During the early fifties the first inhab-
itants of the present town of Schleswig made a settlement,
among- them being D. Able, after whom the town was in its
first years of existence named and others. The village of
Kiel dates from 1856, at which time the founders, H. F. Bel-
itz and F. R. Gutheil purchased a large part of the present
site. Clarks Mills was also established in the early fifties,
the village growing up around the mill built there by Ira
Clark. To show the rapidity of growth of the county's popu-
lation it may be remarked that in 1854 three steamers alone
brought two hundred immigrants from Buffalo. Accompany-
ing this growth in settlement there was also a remarkable
increase in the amount of agricultural products raised in
Manitowoc, the wheat crop alone rising from 214 bushels in
1849 to 38415 bushels in 1855.
Village life was also progressing during this period.
Manitowoc by 1855 had 2185 inhabitants, of which 1385 were
of foreign birth. This was divided as follows: First ward,
1507, Second ward, 678, showing that the north side had by
that time lest its earlier ascendency. The depression in the
lumber trade, which the market experienced in 1851 and 1852
did not seem to affect local prosperity to any great extent and
trade in many commodities showed a rapid increase. Even as
late as 1851, however, the commerce of Manitowoc did not
equal that of Two Rivers, the exports of the latter place in
that year being §112,762 while those from Manitowoc were
$72,122, the imports from Two Rivers being $106,721, while
those into Manitowoc amounted to $115,010. This fact was
largely due to the increasing industrialism at Two Rivers.
Cyrus Whitcomb and Rufus Allen had organized the Wiscon-
sin Leather Company in 1850 and an extensive tannery under
the management of the former was soon in operation. In
lumber also Two River's exportation was almost double that
of Manitowoc, while that of shingles was about four times as.
large. .Said J. Gregory in his book, Industrial Resources qi
38

Wisconsin, published in 1853; "The lumber trade of Two

Rivers must be considerable, when at a very, early season
5,500 log-s have been got out, ready to float down the river.
When sawed, these will make ten million feet of lumber.
Shingles and cedar posts to an enormous amount have been
boug-ht for the Chicago market, which depends entirely on
other states for its supply of lumber." The population of the
town of Two Rivers was 1852 in 1855, double that in 1850,
although of course a part of this increase was outside the
village, which at this time had not been set off from the town.
On the other hand the village of Rapids had ceased to grow,
the whole township gaining but 78 inhabitants in the five
years elapsing between censuses. Neshoto, however, still re-
tained its importance, the exports in 1854 from that village
being 3,500,000 feet of lumber, 50,000 feet of lath, 400,000 feet
of pickets, 850 cords shingle bolts, 24,000 railroad ties and
700,000 shingles. Mishicott also thrived, the mills of Messrs.
Smith and Sprague doing a pro'^perous business. Branch
was one of the villages that grew rapidly at this period, too,
the mills of Charles McAllister and K. Lenaville being thriv-
ing institutions. The former was sold to the firm of Lee &
Cain in 1854. A.t about this time mills were built at several

other places in the county, and in 1853 the largest of these

plants, that of B. Jones & Company, was constructed at Man-
itowoc, it employing fifty men.
The county cannot be said to have changed from a lumber-
ing to an agricultural community until at least 1865. While
of course before tMs time the farm land had gradually acquir-
ed greater and greater extent, the lumbering industry still led
in point of financial returns and the county accordingly con-
tinued to be regarded as a source of supply. Thus fronj 1855
to 1860 the number of mills increased .argely and many settle-
ments grew up around them. This was true at Reedsville,
where Klingholz, Reed and Stupecky built a mill in 1856
and at Cato where Lyon and Chamberlain started a similar
enterprise.Other mills were started at Branch by Pierce and
Slye, at Meeme by Weeks &
Co., while Pierpont, Hall & Com-
pany bought up the Taylor and Pendleton interests at Two
 39

Rivers, making' them one of the largest lumber dealers in the

county. The depression in the lumber ttade in 1858 some-
what affected the county, but nevertheless a larg-e increase in
the amount of exports was noticeable all through the fifties,
the county being the ninth in the state as regards this indus-
try. In 1857 the total exportation of the product was 31,400,-
000 feet, valued at $314,000, while as late as 1865 the exports
of Two Rivers alone amounted to 12,255,737 feet. The tim-
ber supply was being rapidly depleted, however, and thus it
was not many years before mill after mill ceased running and
as time passed, only a few vestiges of the former industry re-
mained.
Manitowoc County's population in 1860 was 22,412, the
gain since 1855 having been somewhat smaller than in the
preceding five years. Nearly one thousand of this increase
had been in Manitowoc village, which now had a population
of 3065, divided between three wards of 1051, 1109 and 90S in-
habitants respectively. Two Rivers gained somewhat
more slowly, registering 1340 inhabitants in its two wards.
Large gains had been made in vaiious of the rural townships
also, notwithstanding many had been decreased in size by the
setting off of new ones. In ten years also the acreage in im"
proved lands had increased from 1122 to 26,177, while that of
unimproved farm land had also risen from 6927 to 40,936, the
total valuation reaching $801,102 in 1860 in comparison with
$49,500 in 1850- Wheat was the leading product and accord-
ing to the census of 1860 the total yield was 135,147 bushels,
betokening a remarkable agricultural growth. Yet the fact
that the county was largely in its original state is proved by
the abundance of wild game, bears and deer being shot with-
in a few miles of the lake shore hamlets. Due to the course
of the war the Increase of population from I860 to 1865 was
small, being but 4330, the inhabitants of the county in the
latter year numbering 26^742, the village of Manitowoc in-
cluding 3398 and that of Two Rivers 1300. But notwithstand.
ing the war material progress here, as elsewhere at the North
ctmtinued unabated. It wars at this period that the village
of Two Creeks was founded due to the establishment of at-afl-
40

nery by G. Pfister & Co., at that place. The villag-e of Kiel

also prospered but seemed to be much more tributary to She-
boygan than to Manitowoc markets, due to better transpor-
tation facilities. Another Schleswig- villag-e, Rockville was
also established, a grist mill being located there. In fact the
grist mill at this time took the place of the lumber mill in
many settlements, several being constructed in Manitowoc,
Two Rivers, Mishicott and Rapids. In 1866 the village of
Ccnterville was given birth, largely from the fact of the erec-
tion of a brewery by C. Scheibe, and the erection of a pier
two years latter. Grimms station also dated from this period
as does Tisch Mills. A large number of Bohemians and Nor-
wegians poured into the county in the sixties and in the lat-
ter part of the decade the Poles commenced to arrive also,
settling most largely in the southwestern part of Manitowoc,
the village of Two Rivers and in the towns of Newton and
Two Rivers. By 1870 the county's population had reached
33,369, of which 5168 was credited to Manitowoc and 1365 to
Two Rivers, the latter place having received hardly any in-
crease in ten years.
By 1875 the population of the county had increased to
38,456, a gain of over five thousand in five years. A large
part of this growth was in the urba i communities, the popu-
lation of Manitowoc being 6724, and that of Two Rivers 1951
the increase being largely due to increase in manufacturing
and the new railroad facilities offered by the Milwaukee.
Lake Shore and Western. The latter also increased the im-
portance of the little hamlets that happened to lie along its
line, including Centerville, Newton, Branch. Cato, Grimms,
Reedsville, and Pine Grove. Kiel was also given a healthy
impetus by the Milwaukee and Northern, which was
built at that time. In 1875 fully one-half of the population
were foreign born although this percentage declined in later
years. Sti ange to say the years 1875-1880 witnessed a de-
crease of 1050, the census of the latter year showing a popu-
lation of 37,506. Most of this falling off was due to the
movement westward on the part of the American settlers
from various of the rural portions of the county. But the ur-
 41

ban centers suffered also, Manitowoc losing- 357 inhabitants,

although Two Rivers g-ained a few, her population in 1880
amounting to 2052. Manitowoc suffered because of the re-
moval of the railroad shops. Nevertheless by 1885 she had
recovered herself, then having 6881 inhabitants. Two Rivers
also gained, registering an increase of 512, while the county's
population had increased to 38,692, although the migration
westward continued. Many of the farms thus left idle were,
however, bought up by foreign immig-rants and the sum total
of agriculturists was njt decreased. Between 1885 and 1890
another decrease in the county's population was noticeable, it
falling off to 37,831. although the inhabitants of Manitowoc
and Two Rivers had increased to 7710 and 2870 respectively.
This shows the decline of the agricultural communi1:y in a
marked way. Nevertheless the amount raised was constant-
ly increasing, while the horticultural and dairy interests be-
came increasingly profitable. By 1895 the county was iagain
seen to be gaining, the population being 40,802, most of this
increase taking place in the two cities, Manitowoc having ac-
cording to this census 9427 inhabitants and Two Rivers 3593.
The gain continued in the succeeding five years, the last cen-
sus of the nineteenth century giving the county's population
as 42,261, of which the city of Manitowoc included 11,786 and
Two Rivers 3784, while the villages of Kiel and Reedsville
numbered 924 and 528 inhabitants respectively. The city of
Manitowoc has expanded above all as a commercial and not
as a manufacturing center. Two Rivers, on the other hand,
has pursued the opposite line of developement, its manufac-
tured products being great in quantity and of wide exporta-
tion. A comparative table of the products of the county ac-
cording to each census will be found in appendix "A". Of
the growth of the county's commercial and manufacturing in-
terests the story is told later.
 CHAPTER V.

MEANS OF COMMUNICATION.

Before a single white settler had made his habitation

within the present confines of the county of Manitowoc it was
traversed from north to south by many a pioneer. This was
true because of an Indian trail, which existed as ea:rly as the
twenties from the Milwaukee' trading- post to Green Bay.
Later, when a regular mail carrier was placed on the Green
-Bay route, at times the Manitowoc road was used and some-
times that west of Lake Winnebago. With the influx of
settlement this trail was more and m(ire utilized and naturally
it occurred to the settlers that the road should be improved.

It was by this that the Conrocs secured their men and

way
supplies from Green Bay. The condition of the thoroughfare
fn 1837 is described by a traveler in the Collections of the
Wisconsin Historical Society as being most crude and unsat-
isfactory. For military reasons it was deemed advisable for
a United States road to be built and reports were ordered itota
the government engineers as to the practicability of the im-
provement, upon resolution from Delegate Jones in Congress
on December 26, 1836. Captain Cram in his report of January
30,1840 recommended the continuance of the project, then
already begun. He described the trail as the principal mail
route east and south from Green Bay and told how the mail
was carried on foot three times a week from that place to
Milwaukee, a distance of 114 miles, remarking that it took
four days to carry it from Green Bay to the southern boundary
of the state. Fifteen thousand dollars was appropriated for
the project in 1838, but it was not drawn upon until the next
year due to difficulty experienced in surveying the route. Said
Captain Cram in his report of 1840; "This road has been locat-
ed nearly all the way through the greater part of its length,
 43
Cottstruction has commenced and it expected that the con-
is

tracts for cutting- and clearing- the road will be completed by

the first of January next (1841)" The original estimated
cost of the road entire from Milwaukee to Green Bay was
$48,381, that of the section between Sheboyg-an Falls and
Manitowoc Rapids, twenty nine miles in length, including
the building of 67 bridges and culverts, being $5941.8^, while
that of the section between Manitowoc Rapids and Green Bay,
thirty-four miles in length and necessitating 34 bridges and
culverts was $6774.71. At first there was no settlement be-
tween these two points and it was impossible before the road
was improved to drive a two-wheeled vehicle north of Milwau-
kee. When completed the road was the principal means of com-
munication by land to the outside world and upon it all mails
were carried. It was not a pretentious highway, being but
four rods wide and banked in the middle to the width of but
one rod. Due to mismanagement much work was wasted^
planks lying on the side of the road rotting, when they should
have been used in the road itself. The bridges, too, were not,
completed as required by the estimates. Settlement gradu^
ally spread along the thoroughfare but at first it was slow,
as late as 1846 the only stops on the section between Rapids
and Green Bay being a little tavern at French Creek and two
taverns, kept by Joseph Alle and Clifford King about half,
way on the route.

This government enterprise, important as it was, could

not meet the local needs of the settlers and even before it ^yas
built the latter had taken steps towards securing lines of com-
munication. The territorial legislature in December of 1838
passed a bill, whose object it was to lay out and establish a
road "'from the town of Manitowoc on Lake Michigan to Man-
itowoc Rapids, thence to. Thayer's mills on the best and most
direct route"* and thence to Clifton on Lake "Winnebago, B.
Jones. Pliny Pierce and Horace Conroe being chosen com-
missioners to lay it out. Although a rough trail connected
the first two places, the county board also took up the matter
at its first meeting, and on March 15, 1839; it appointed John
Watson, Horace Conroe and J. G. Conroe commissioners to
 44

survey the route. The road was soon built as far as Mur-
phy's Mills above the Rapids, being constructed north of the
river, it now being- known as the River Road. In the same
year a road was being- considered by the board, from Manito-
woc to Two Rivers, but was not built for some months. At
the leg-islative session of 1839, three territorial roads were
mapped out, the first being- from the mouth of the Manito-
woc River to Green Bay, B. Jones,P. Pierce and J. G. Knapp
being- chosen commissioners; the second from Manitowoc
Rapids to Sheboygan Falls, David Giddings and Charles Cole
of Sheboygan and Hiram McAllister of Rapids being ap-
pointed commissioners, and the third from Rapids to the Fox
River, Horace Conroe being one of the commissioners. The
first two were made unnecessary by the U. S. Road soon after
built, although the road was not chopped through to Sheboy-
gan until 1843, Joseph La Counte being the contractor. The
third project never advanced beyond an incipient stage. In
1839 J. W. Conroe had been appointed county road superinten-
dent, but at the January meeting of the board the county was
divided into three districts, the first under S. C. Chase, the
second under D. S. Munger and H. McAllister and the third
under J. G. Conroe. A few months later it was decided to
build a county road from Two Rivers to Neshoto, thence to
connect with the United States road, and it was constructed
under the guidance of R. M. Eberts, S. C. Chase and A. Rich-
ardson. Roads between Manitowoc and Two Rivers and from
Manitowoc to the United States road were also built in 1841.
Then followed a long period of inaction, which the sta-
tionary condition of the county's population necessitated. It
was in 1846 that the next action was taken, which commenced
the history of the second important thoroughfare of the coun-
ty, the Calumet Road. The legislature in February of that
year appointed Paul Champlin, E. L. Abbott and P. Pierce
to lay out a territorial road from the town of Manitowoc "to
intersect at such point or place as such commissioners may
select or determine, the U. S. road leading from Green Bay to
Fond du Lac". The survey took place in the fall. Perry
•

Smith acting as one of the party. As a public road the pro-

 45

ject was not pushed, although Stockbridge was fixed as the

western terminus. In 1850 the legislature incorporated a
company to carry out the project, knownasthe Calumet Plank
Road Company with $100,000 capital, among the incorporat-
ors being H. H. Champlin, A. McNulty, O. C. Hubbard and
P. Pierce. On Februry 12, 1851, a public meeting was held
at the Merchants Exchange Hotel and the next month the
stock books were opened for subscriptions. Although a mail
carrier was placed on the proposed route during the summer,
the work of construction was delayed. It was, however, par-
tially built during that year and A. Baensch, A. McNulty
and Eaton were chosen commissioners to improve it in 1852.
C.
The amended the charter so asio
legislature of the next year
permit the towns along the route to assist in building the
road, and in 1855 the time of completion was extended two
years, and S. A. Wood, C. W. Fitch, W. Bach and J. Lueps
were added to the list of commissioners. Chilton residents
were interested in the project and meetings were held there
as well as in Manitowoc during the succeeding years. Fin-
ally in 1856 a fresh incorporation took place, K. K. Jones, G.
Kremers. T. Clark, H. Berners, and W. Bach representing the
county and in a few years the latter assumed charge of the
thoroughfare.
Another project was launched February 11, 1847, when
the legislature appointed Evander M. Soper, Loyal H. Jones
and James D. Doty to lay out a territorial road from Manito
woe to Winnebago Rapids, later known
as Menasha. This,
and the next year the Nee-
too, as a state enterprise, lapsed,
nah and Manitowoc Plankroad Company was organized by
Harrison Reed. George W. Lawe, Charles Doty and Cornelius
Northrup of Ncenah and E. M. Soper of Manitowoc as incor-
porators. The capital stock was fixed at $200,000, made up
of ten dollar shares and a board of directors were to be chosen
annually. In that year and again in 1850 Congress was ap-
pealed to for aid and books were opened for public subscrip-
tions early in the latter year. By the end of that year five
miles of the Manitowoc end had been completed, although
the whole distance was forty miles. A state road was also
46

projected to Menasha, via Stockbridge, in 1850 and D. B,

Knapp, p. W. Halstead and D. H. "Whitney .were chosen
commissioners but the plan did not materialize sufficiently to
militate ag-ainst the private enterprise. Georg-e Reed was
made secretary of the latter company and work was pushed
late into the winter of 1850-1851. The Evening- Wisconsin of
June 10, 1852 contained the following item, "G. Reed, Esq.,
passed through this city Saturday, on his return from the
east, where he has successfully negotiated the funds of the
ManitOT^oc and Menasha Plank Road Company. The road
will be completed forthwith." It was not, however, although
towns which it was purposed to traverse were given authori-
zation to vote aid to the company, and forty men were placed
at work, a steam mill being erected to furnish the planks.
The project clashed somewhat with the Manitowoc and Mis-
sissippi Railroad and George Reed's interest in it was one of
the reasons leading to discord in the railway management.
Annual elections were held by the road company, H. McAllis-
ter being president for some time, but the highway was not
pushed much beyond the McAllister farm, near the intersec-
tion with the Green Bay road, although the way opened was
made a toll road. The thoroughfare, however, was com-
pleted during the. latter fifties by the county through Branch
Cato and Reedsville, touching several important mills, and
from time to time commissioners were appointed to see to its
maintenance, while later a state road from Maple Grove to
Appleton was made to connect with it. In 1862 the legisla-
ture reduced the number of directors to three and three years
later authority to lease or sell the property of the company
was given. Daniel S. Conley purchased its rights in 1866.
and maintained the piece of road for many years, but in 1899
the county board bought the thoroughfare for $4,000, this be-
ing one of the last toll roads in the county to be purchased.

In the later forties and early fifties other roads were also'
projected and the county built bridges at Two Rivers, Mani-
towoc and Manitowoc Rapids. Among the former projects
was the territorial road, authorized in 1848 from Port Wash-
HENRY MULHOLLAND, Sr.
 47

ing'toti to Manitowoc, of which E. M. Soper was chosen a

commissioner, but it was not built at that time. On Febru-
ary 9, 1850, the Manitowoc and Manitowoc Rapids Plankroad
Company was organized with a capital stock of $10,000, the
incorporators being Alden Clark, P. Pierce, O. C. Hubbard,
T. A. H. Edwards, E. H, Ellis, R. Klingholz, T. A Baker,
Martin Heywood, T. Fenton and M. S. Morse. During- the
next two years this company constructed a plank road on the
south side of the river, known as the South River Road, it be-
ing completed in the summer of 1852 and thus affording a sec-
ond means of communication between the two villages. It

_ later became a county road. In the same year, 1850, the Two
Rivers and Green Bay Plankroad Company was formed by H.
H. Smith, C. P. Daggett, H. C. Hamilton, of Two Rivers, D.
Smith of Mishicott and four Green Bay men, with a capital
stock of $100,000. This was considered an urgent necessity,
although some dispute arose as to where it should connect
with the U. S. road. The subscription books for this project
were opened July IS, 1851 and by August 1852 nearly $14,000
had been subscribed, but although a mail line was established
between the termini, the pompany was not successful in its
projects. In 1850 A-ssemblyman Malmros had presented pe-
petitioiis for a state road between Manitowoc and Two
Rivers, but this not being forthcoming, a private corporation
was organized two years later and a charter secured. The
promoters were C. W. Fitch, J. H. W. Colby, C. Esslinger, J.
Edwards, S. A. Wood, R. E- Glover, P. P. Smith, W. Rahr,
and P. Glover of Manitowoc and C. Kuehn, H. II. Smith, V.
Kaufmann, A. Lamere and H. C. Hamilton of Two Rijrers,
the capital stock being fixed at $5,000. A
toll road was built

and maintained, albeit not as well as it might have been, un-

til 1876 when the legislature authorized its purchase by the

two towns of Manitowoc and Two Rivers, upon the payment

of $800. The inroads made by the lake in the ninetiesupon
this road, where it crossed the Little Manitowoc, occasioned
much town authorities being obliged to build a
trouble, the
breakwater. Four years after the incorporation of the road
three of its promotors, P- Glover, H. H. Smith and H. C.
48

Hamilton joined with Chauncey Gilbert, W. Boot, Alfred

Smith, Daniel Smith, L. S. H<)Use'aHd R. Klingholz in form-
ing the Two Rivers and Mishicott Plankroad' Company with
a capital of $10,000, which was maintained as a private enter-
prise for some years. The year 1852 also witnessed the ih-
corporation of the Manitowoc and Green Bay Plankroad Com-
pany by James Bennett, A. W. Preston, A.Baensch, O.Koch,
i. E. Piatt, G. Othersoll, J. H. Jerome, G. Bennett, J. Spen-
cer, J. C. Leist, H. Riley, J. Praquin, J. Alle and Clifford
King of Manitowoc County and H. S. Baird, A. G. ElHs and
John Day of Green Bay. The purpose was to connect with
the ^old U. S. road and to repair the latter, and the capital ,

was fixed at $100,000, which led to the construction of the

Town Ivine road. A second corporation of the same name
was chartered in 1870, among the promotors being Richard
Klingholz of Manitowoc. The charter was repealed, how-
ever, three years later, this being the last enterprise of the
kind organized in the county.
In 1855 H. F. Belitz of Kiel was one of the commissioners
to lay out a state road from the town of Herman, Sheboygan
county, to Menasha, touching the southwestern part of this
county. At about the same time S. Blake, R. Wheeler, A.
Buchanan, Jr., and J. M. Sherwood,' were authorized to lay
out a state road from Depere to Manitowoc and a similar line
of travel from De Pere to Two Rivers was proposed. A year
later the North River Road which was extended to Clarks
Mills was in need of repair and D. B. Knapp, T. C. Cunning-
ham and C. Gustaveson were chosen by th^ legislature to su-
perintend the reconstruction. As early as 1851 a memorial
had been presented to that body for a' state road from Two
Rivers to the Door Peninsula and six years later one was
authorized to be built to Big Sturgeon Bay, S. B. Sherwood
and F. Walsh representing Manitowoc county. In 1859 an-
other route was authorized from Mishicott to Ahiiapee, Man-
itowoc being represented on the board of commissioners by
J. N. Struthers and J.Killen. H. Schlichting of Kiel was a com-

missioner of a state project for connection between Kiel and

Fond du I^ac at about the same time. During the sixties road
 49

building- was schemes in the southwesterly

chiefly directed to
portion of the county. On IS, 1861 the Chilton and
April
Manitowoc Plankroad Company was organized by Calumet
county men' with a capital of $200,000 and townships were
authorized to aid the project. Immediately after the war a
state road was ordered laid out between Kiel and Manitowoc,
W. Bach, A. Krieger and P. P. Fuessenich acting as commis-
sioners and another from Manitowoc to Taychedah, via Kiel,
H. F. Belitz being one of the incorporators. It was the fail-
ure of the latter project that caused the incorporation of a
private company in 1870, the Manitowoc and Kiel Plankroad
Company by Schuette, T. Windiate, R. H. Hoes, H. Bern-
J.

ers, C. S. Samuelson, A. Schad and E. B. Treat,

Gustaveson,
with a capital stock of $30,000. The days of plank roads and
private enterprises were soon over, however, and one by one
these were incorporated by county or township, both these
units now having full charge and maintenance of all the
thoroughfares of the county. The Kiel and Sheboygan
turnpike was the last to be made free, the event occurring in
1900.
Closely connected with road building as a means of com-
munication was the development of the postal service and
mail routes. As was said before the old Green Bay trail was
the first mail route in the county. Before 1840 J". G. Conroe
and later T. Baker were postmasters at the Rapids, then the
only office in the county, their successors being P. Pierce, O.
C. Hubbard, J. P. Champlin, E. H. Ellis and E. D. Beardsley,
who held office during the forties and fifties. In nine months
of 1840 the total income of the Manitowoc postoffice was only
$57.56, ot which half went as compensation to the postmaster.
In 1847 the Manitowoc postoffice was established, J. H. Colby
being appointed postmaster. Francis Flinn and Henry Ed-
wards carried the mail from the south during these early days,
trudging the weary distance to Green Bay on foot. When
night overtook Flinn he would pursue his lonely journey with
a lighted Ikntern swinging from side to side, and once he
made the trip from Rapids to Green Bay and return without
sleep. He' passed away February 22, 1855 at the age of fifty-
50

six years, one of the picturesque figures of pioneer days. For

many years there were but three -postoffices in the county,
Manitowoc, Manitowoc Rapids and Two Rivers. Among the
first postmasters in the forties at the last named place were
Andrew J. Vieau and H. H. Smith. One Oscar Burdicke car-
ried the mail in 1846 from Manitowoc to Two Rivers, his com-
pensation being the revenue of the route. In 1846 Meeme
was added with Henry B. Edson as its first postmaster and
later in the year Cooperstown also, A. A. Cooper being the
first ofiicial at the office, which was at that time in Brown
county. With the addition of these two new offices new mail
routes were made necessary and were accordingly put in oper-
ation. In 1851 routes from Manitowoc to Green Bay via Two
Rivers and Mishicott a,nd from Manitowoc to Stockbridge
were added, while thenextsummerdaily mails were instituted
by boat from Chicago to Manitowoc. At about the same time
the government was memorialized to change the Green Bay
route back to the original road through Francis Creek and the
line was later re-established. The anxiety of the inhabit-
ants for mail facilities was manifested by frequent petitions
sent Congress during the next year, including requests for
lines from DePere to Manitowoc, by way of Morrison, Brown
County, from Chilton to Manitowoc, from Sheboygan to Chil-
ton by way of Schleswig and from Mishicott to Door county.
In the course of time all of these lines and many others were
established.
J. H. Colby, Manitowoc's first postmaster was succeeded
by James L- Kyle, a Whig appointee, the office being located
in the store of J. E. Piatt at the corner of North Seventh and
Commercial streets. James Bennett was Kyle's successor and
he in turn gave way to S. A. Wood who surrendered the place
in 1857 to A. Wittmann, President Buchanan's appointee.
During Wood's administration the office was at the corner of
Franklin, and Eighth streets, but later was removed to the
present site of the Victoria Hotel. From
1854 the establish-
ment of postoffices in the county was In June of that
rapid.
year P. M. Falrich was appointed the first postmaster at
Mishicott; in August the Maple Grove post office Was opened
 51

with Joseph H. Cheney as postmaster and in October Branch

P. O. at McAllister's Mills, W. R. Williams being the first
postmaster. In August 1855 Newton P. O. was established,
John Meyer being appointed to the place, followed by that at
Oslo the same year and in Januarj- 1856 by the of&ces at
Eaton, Niles, Francis Creek and Centerville. In the next ten
years offices were opened also at Larrabee, Paquette, Clarks
Mills, Hika, Kasson, Kiel, Mosfield, Neshoto, Reedsville,
Rosecrans and Two Greeks. The postoffice at Oslo was abol-
ished in 1860 but re-established ten years later. Among the
early postmasters at Two Rivers were B. J. Van Valkenburgh,
C. P. Daggett, P. Phillipps and A. Bemis. William Conine
became postmaster in 1870 and remained so until his death in
1885. At Manitowoc Charles Esslinger was appointed in
1861 to succeed Wittmann and held the office twenty-five
years. At first the office was at the corner of South Seventh
and Franklin Streets but in 1866 a small building was erected
on South Eighth street near the bridge for its occupancy, in
which it remained until the new brick structure it now occu-
pies was finished in 1891. As to mail facilities many were
the complaints in the latter fifties and early sixties. Partic-
ularly was this true in the winter, when the stoppage of lake
navigation well nigh shut Manitowoc out of the world. Even
as late as 1866 but three mails a week were received from
Milwaukee, one from Menasha and three from Appleton,
stage lines carrying them. A new line was placed in opera-
tion to Menasha in 1863 by Thomas Windiate, while, Davis
and More operated the lake shore stage for many years.
In the latter sixties the postoffices of East Gibson,
Mann's Landing, Elk, Nero, Prag and Wayside were estab-
lished, three of which, Prag, Elk and Mann's Landing were
in later years discontinued, as was also Mosfield P. O. In the
early seventies the buDding of the M. L. S. & W. greatly in-
creased mail facilities, the route being at first to Milwaukee
"ia Appleton. The ^growth of the newer portions of the
county also called for the establishment of new offices, in-
cluding Cato, King's Bridge, North eim, Kellnersville, Mill-
home and later Grimms, Greenstreet, Steinthal, Tisch Mills,
52

Osman, Louis Corners, St. Wendel, School Hill, Timotliy.

Rangeline, Taus and others, some of which Ai7ere abolished

after a few years of existence. In 1885 under a Democratic
administration, A. Piening became postmaster at Manitowoc
succeeding- Esslinger and U. Niquette succeeded Mr. Conine
at Two Rivers. Postmaster Piening in turn gave way to
Judge R. D. Smart, a Republican, in 1890, but that gentleman •

died in June, his wife remaining in charge of the office until

1894. At Two Rivers W. Hurst followed Postmaster Ni-
quette, giving way to George Wehausen in 1894, who in turn
resigned in favor of Frank Riley four years later. Free de-
livery was instituted in Manitowoc on March IS, 1893, three
carriers being utilized, the number being later increased- by
three. Henry Vits became postmaster in 1894 and after four
years was succeeded by H. G. Kress. The growth of the lo-
cal business was very rapid during this later period, having
increased from $7809.79 in 1889 to $14,326.92 in 1899. Among
the new offices established in the county during this decade
were Collins, Eastwin, Zander, Melnik, Stark, Cleveland,
Valders, Whitelaw, Wells, Menchalville, Clover, Rief, tQuar-
ry and Bleser. On March 15, 1900, the first rural mail de-
livery in the county was established with John Houghton
as carrier, the route being westerly from the city and south
of the river. Six other lines were planned and instituted
within a few months, three diverging from Manitowoc, one
from Kiel, one from Valders and one from Cleveland.
Another means of communication, which is of importance
is the telephone and telegraph. Early in the sixties -.a tele-
graph line to Green Bay had been proposed and partly estab-
lished but was later abandoned. In December 1864, however,
the poles and wires for a line to Milwaukee were put in by
the United States Telegraph Company and the connection
was made February' 1865. The first message was sent by
Editor Crowley of the Pilot to Editor Robinson of the Green
Bay Advocate in the following words: "The Pilot's compli-
ments to the Advocate and is happy to be connected by
telegraph." To which a reply was made: "Here is to you by
telegraph. Let the old Advocate, and. Pilot have a social.
 63

bumper together. The world moves." Later telegraph lines

followed the extension of the railroads and soon, also tele-
phone lines were placed in operation, the first being the Wis-
consin Telephone Company. When the Bell patents expired,
however, independent companies were possible and in the
nineties a system of connections were made, touching nearly
every villag^e and hamlet in the county. The Manitowoc and
Western Telephone Company, being particularly energetic in
this regard. , .

Allied to the movements, whose object it was to extend

means of communication, were those which aimed to reclaim
the waste swamp lands in the western part of the county.
These lands were largely in the towns ot Eaton, Liberty,
Franklin, Rockland and Maple Grove. Zvluch of it was sold
in the fifties and made tillable by private enterprise but it
was seen that this was not a rapid or a profitable method so
the state took a hand. Certain sums were set apart by it
from the proceeds of swamp land sales as a drainage fund.
In 1859 this fund amounted to $1575 for th,e county and the
average per. year was about that sum. The legislature in
1860 passed an act for the disposal of the fund in the repair-
ing of roads and bridges under the direction of the county
supervisors. Two years later drainage commissioners were
authorized to be appointed for Calumet and Manitowoc coun-
ties and the funds to be used for draining certain lands desig-
nated. A year later the swamplands were granted to the
county and the supervisors were directed to elect a commis-
sioner to hold office for four years, he, with the Calumet coun-
ty commissioner, to superintend the expenditure of the drain-
age fund. In 1865 this act was repealed and a joint board of
commissioners from the two counties provided for. Another
alteration took place in 1866, the legislature granting fresh
lands to the counties, M.Mahoney and J. C. Eggers being se-
lected to represent Manitowoc county and W. Watrous Calu-
met county. The committee met at Clark's Mills on July 11,
but refused to accept the grant from the state, although it
was found that about 21,000 acres, worth then only 4Q'cents
64

an might become areable at a small expense. A year

acre,
later D. B. Knapp, L. Faulhaber and P- Brennan were cre-
ated trustees of the land in question, together with O. R.
Potter and A. Watrous of Calumet county, by whom the lands
were administered until 1870. Mr. Potter was very active in
the work and devised extensive plans for the utilization of the
swamp along- the course of the river. At about this time a
dam was placed in the river at Cato and this raised the water
so much that much of the reclaimed land was damaged
greatly. The farmers under the lead of Captain Potter tore
out the dam and this proceeding, oft repeated, finally induced
the owners to secure an injunction against them. After some
years, in which unsuccessful efforts were made to buy the
water power out, a bill passed the legislature authorizing the
removal of the obstruction. In 1873 W. Carey succeeded P.
Brennan as a trustee from Manitowoc county and T. Ker-
stens of Calumet and A. Piening of Manitowoc were added.
New commissioners were chosen in 1874, those from Manito.
woe being J. Behnke, J. Franz and Ira Clark, Behnke being
succeeded by J. Halloran three years later and J. Stephenson
being added in 1878. In 1883 the trust created in the com-
missioners was terminated by the legislature and the lands
left undisposed of were authorized to be drained and sold,
power being given to the commissioners to carry out the pro-
visions of the act. Since this did not prove an altogether
successful means of disposing of the subject eight years later
a billwas enacted, under which those land owners who might
be benefited by the drainage of lands, could borrow money
from the trust funds of the state, the act being applied to
residents of the towns of Eaton, Cato and Rockland. Finally
in 1893 it was provided that whenever twenty-five owners
petitioned for the appointment of a drainage commissioner
such an officer should be appointed by the circuit judge.
This drainage movement meant much in the development of
the western part of the county and there are still funds in the
state treasury, ready to be devoted to this purpose.
 CHAPTER VI.

MARINE.

Situated as it is upon the lake, one of the most import-

ant phases of Manitowoc county history is that of. its harbors,
lake commerce and transportation facilities. This is particu-
larly true in regard to the city of Manitowoc, since it may be
said in all truth that its position on the lake has enabled the
town to become the thriving center it now is,and how impor-
tant has been the result of this natural and advantageous
outlet upon the back country is beyond calculation. The
subject of marine history, as taken up in this chapter, natur-
—
ally subdivides itself in the following subheads: ^Harbor de-
velopment, transportation facilities and shipbuilding and
marine disasters. This line of division, then, will be fol-
lowed.
HARBOR DEVELOPKMENT.
There are within the county .two harbors, those of Mani-
towoc and Two Rivers. Besides these two other points,
•

Two Creeks and Centerville, capable of limited development,

have undergone some improvement under private initiative.
Chief among of course, in natural advantage is that of
all,

Manitowoc, situated, as it is, about eighty miles north of

Milwaukee in the recesses of a wide and deep bay, offering
safe anchorage without artificial protection and occupying a
position where boats from the lower lakes begin to near the
shore. Its natural advantages were early recog-nized and
there is no doubt that even in the early thirties schooners
sought shelter in the bay. That the reputation of the har-
bor was good from the first, is attested by an extract from a
letter written to the New York Courier and Express in 1865
as follows: "I was told last Augiist on my approach to this
pla<;e, by an old and experiened navigator of the lakes, Cap-
56

tain Chamberlain of the steamer Lady Elgin, that Manitowoc

was the only point on the west side of Lake Michigan, where
there was any real safety for vessels in a southwest g-ale.''
It isnot then remarkable that the efforts of improvement
should have begun almost coincident with the first settlement
of the county.
The message of the first governor of the territory in 1836
suggested "the propriety of asking Congress for an appropri-
ation sufficient to cover the exf enses of surveying all the ne-
cessary harbors on Lake Michigan and the construction of
lighthouses and harbors." In answer to this suggestion the
leg-islature did ask Congress in that year (1836) for an appro-
priation of $25,000 forManitowoc and $6,400 for TwinRivers as
it was then January 1837 a resolution was presented
called. In
in Congress by Delegate Tweedy, then representing Wiscon-
sin Territory, requesting the survey of the "Manitowoc, She-
boygan and loway rivers" and a Senate resolution to the same
effect was offered later. The result was the report of Engi-
neer John M. Berrien submitted to the War Department in
October, 1837, and brought before Congress at its December
session. Manitowoc was one of the five harbors examined
and of.it he said: "I have the honor to transmit to you the
map and report of the Manitowoc River, together with an es-
timate for its improvement. The Manitowoc, which ranks
next in size to the Milwaukee river upon the western shore of
Lake Michigan, has its source within six or seven miles of
Lake Winnebago in a low and marshy country. It is occa-
sionally broken by rapids, as it approaches Lake Michigan,
but it is supposed to offer by far the most direct and practic-
able route for communication between the waters of Lakes
Michigan and Winnebago. The rapids offer no serious ob-
stacle and above these the stream is represented as deep and
sluggish. Its valley is fertile and abounds in valuable timber
of all kinds, especially pine. It empties itself into Lake Mi-
chigan about twenty-five miles north of the mouth of the
Sheboygan and is the first point north of it capable of im-
provement. A
reference to the map will show that it is pe-
culiarly adapted to improvement, compared) with mouths of .
 57

streams generally. Its discharg-e is direct and but little obr

structed by bars. There appears to be no deposit of any
amount by tlie stream; the bar indicated upon the map being
formed by the wash of the lake. Should the contemplated
improvements upon the river be made, rendering the means
of communication with Lake Winnebago, its commercial im-
portance would be much increased, but its value as a refuge
for the shipping of the lake is alone sufficient to warrant Ihe
improvements. It is proposed in the accompanying plan to
carry the piers into the lake to fourteen feet water, where
they are strengthened by pier heads. The mode of construc-
tion, which experience has proved to be capable of resisting
all storms upon the lake is minutely represented by the ac-
companying drawings. Within the piers the channel is to be
dredged to a depth of ten feet. As no work of any extent has
yet been made at this point the precise cost of materials is
difficult to arrive at, but it is believed that those adopted are
sufficiently liberal. Timber of all kinds is found near at
hand and in the greatest abundance. I know of no stone
quarry in the immediate neighborhood as much search has
not yet been made, but I have no doubt that, on a more care-
ful examination, sufficient will be found within a reasonable
distance." The specifications accompanying this report went
into details as to the mode of piers to be built, the amount of
dredging necessary, the cost of labor, etc., the final conclu-
sion being that the entire cost of the improvement at Manito-
woc would necessitate the expenditure of $82,979.44, while
similar plans proposed for Sheboygan and Kewaunee were
even more costly.
No action, however, resulted from these recommendations
although memorials and petitions kept pouring in. Delegate
G. W. Jones on Dec. 28, 1838 presented a memorial to Congress
for the improvement of the Manitowoc, Twin and Sheboygan
rivers and on the same day offered a resolution asking for
further surveys. The only practical result gained in these
years was the erection of a brick lighthouse near the harbor
mouth at Manitowoc, constructed in 1840, among the first
keepers being Peter Johnson and M. Burlingame. On Janu-
58

ary 24, 1840, the leg-islature presented an appeal asking for

$30,000 for Manitowoc, saying-; "Manitowoc and Sheboygan,
situated north of Milwaukee, are each places of considerable
importance, possessing a water power which furnishes three
or four millions of feet of lumber annually. This lumber is
all taken on board of vessels by means of lighters at great
risk and expense." The bar at the river mouth gave much
difficulty and in 1843 P. P. Smith, then a lad, spent three
days in scraping the sand away sufficiently to permit of the
entrance of the schooner Solomon Juneau. In 1844 another
survey was made but still no action followed. It was March
5th of the same year that Delegate Henry Dodge presented a
petition of 76 citizens of the territory of Wisconsin asking
Congress for an appropriation for a harbor at the town of
"Manitowic on the western shores of Lake Michigan." It
was in that year that Racine and Southport (Kenosha) secur-
ed their first appropriations. When Delegate Dodge became
governor inhis first message delivered in 1846 he touched upon
Manitowoc's needs as follows: "Estimates have been made
under direction of the War Department for the harbors at tbe
mouth of the Manitowoc and Sheboygan Rivers, where towns
have been commenced and are increasing in commercial im-
portance, and the country settling rapidly in the interior with
enterprising inhabitants, who merit the aid that can be de-
rived from the most secure navigation of the lakes." In De-
cember of the same year through Delegate Tweedy, citizens
of Wisconsin again prayed for the construction of a harbor at
the mouth of the Manitowoc river and in fact an 'item for the
project was included in the harbor bill of that year, which
was vetoed.
Private enterprise had, in the failure of government aid,
not been absent during this time. In 1843 a bridge pier was
extended out into the lake at the foot of what is now Frank,
lin street and was long maintained by the firm of Case &
Clark, being sold in April, 1852 to Edwin C. Hubbard, by
whom it was used forwarding business for many years.
in the
Disgust and exasperation at the delay of Congress in improv-
ingvWisconsin harbors rapidly increased. Said the engineer's
 59

report in 1847, speaking of Manitowoc and Sheboygfon: "Noth-

ing- has been done at either but to make surveys, plans and
estimates. These harbors are extremely essential to the
commerce of the lakes as steamboats after leaving- the Manitou
Islands make for the western shore of the lake but at the
present time find no harbor or port of refug-e short of Milwau-
kee, 160 miles distant from the islands by the shortest line."
The legislature again memorialized Congress in 1850 and in
December of that year the Weekly Herald remarked tersely:
"The schooner E, Henderson beat about the bay two days be-
fore getting in. She succeeded at last, — no thanks to Con-
gress." Two years passed, however, without any move be-
ing made. By that time citizens were seeing the absolute
need of better facilities, and decided to make a start, at least,
themselves. Thus at a meeting held in January 1852 the
villagers resolved to raise $15,000 by a loan, levying a tax of
one per cent to m et the interest. They applied to the legis-
lature for the desired permission, which was granted and by
the same act the office of harbor master was created, while
the body also memorialized Congress to add $25,000 to the
sum to be raised by thelocality. The Milwaukee Wisconsin in
commenting on the action said: "The commencement of a
harbor will be more likely to aid in obtaining an appropriation
from the general government, which we trust it may be the
good fortune to get this very session." The wish was realiz-
ed in a limited manner for in that year Congress did grant
$8,000, scarcely enough to commence work, although it had
as an effect the failure of the village to appropriate the money
voted by it. In thisyear also Two Rivers secured a lighthouse
the property being bought of H. H. Smith and he doing the
work of construction. A further survey of Manitowoc harbor
was taken in 1852 and under the supervision of Temple Clark,
the local agent and U. S. Engineer Graham the work proceed-
ed. Since the plans called for an expenditure of $60,000 it is
easily seen that the sum actually expended did not go far,
merely paying for the laying of a few cribs and the dredging
of a twelve foot channel. In 1853 the legislature had asked
for $15,000 in order that the work might be continued but no
60

further aid was forthcoming-, notwithstanding- frequent efforts

to that end. An appropriation of $12,500 failed of passage in
1855; another in 1856 shared the same fate. In February of
the same year Senator Dodge asked leave to introduce separ-
ate bills for Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Milwaukee, Racine and
Kenosha, and such leave being granted, the share of Manito
woe was fixed at $12,500. Senator Seward offered an amend-
ment, striking out that sum and inserting $627780.92, in order
that the entire project might be completed. This was agreed
to but the bill in its final form failed to become a law. In 1858
a special appropriation for Manitowoc was introduced by Con-
gressman Billingshurst but it was pigeon-holed. Thus it
came to pass that no further action was taken by the govern-
ment in improving Manitowoc harbor until after the civil war,
as that conflict during its progress put a damper on all pro-
jects of such a nature.
Manitowoc was made a port of entry in 1854, C. W. Fitch
being chosen the deputy collector and a fog bell was
first

placed at the river mouth during the same year. That fall
Col. K. K. Jones began the construction of what was known
as the north pier at the foot of Chicago Street. It was 950
feet in length and was built by Capt. Rouse at a cost of $6000.
Mr. Jones continued to run the pier until 1861, -^srhen he sold
it to Peter Johnston. A bridge pier was also built at Two
Rivers in 1854. With these limited facilities, two bridge
piers, a lighthouse and a shallow channel, citizens of Manito-
woc began to wake up to the importance of action and had it
not been for the war something might h'ave been done much
sooner. The Pilot estimated that the village had lost in the
single year, 1860, by not having a harbor, the sum of $150,-
000. It was this feeling that prompted a harbor meeting,
called February 5, 1861. S. A. Wood officiated as president,
C. Esslinger was secretary, while remarks were made by H.
Berners, P. P. Smith and A. C. Pool.' 11 was decided to ap-
point a committee, consisting of J. Bennett, H. McAllister,"
H. Berners. S. A. Wood and H, MulhoUand, Sr,, to draw up a
bill authorizing the county to raise a harbor tax of $30,000.
At another meeting held in April much discussion over the
 61

proposed bill took place, Assemblyman Joseph Stephenson

opposing it strenuously, being- ably assisted by Assemblyman
Graves of Calumet county, both of whom represented the in-
land interests. The matter remained in abeyance until
January 1864 when another meeting was held to discuss
the same project. In Jahuary 1865 the village board
petitioned the legislature to allow the town to raise
$60,000, the result being that on March 11 the latter
body did pass a law authorizing the village to issue
$30,000 in bonds at seven per cent., running twenty years, to
be paid in taxation. The bond issue was to be voted on at a
sptecial election, which was not to take place unless the coun-
ty, excluding the towns of Two Rivers and Two Creeks voted
a like amount for the same purpose. Harbor commissioners
—
were named by this act as follows: J. Vilas, H. Berners, Ja-
cob Grimm, F. R. Gutheil, Ira P. Smith, Hansen Rand and J.
Taugher, representing the various portions of the county,
these men being empowered to choose a superintendent of the
work. Construction was to cease in case the national govern-
ment appropriated a sufficient amount to complete the work.
The plan came to naught, however, since the, village board
refused to allow the matter to be voted upon, claiming that
taxation and not a bond issue was desired, although for this
decision the members were roundly scored. In 1866 the legis-
lature amended the act materially. The town of Manitowoc
was by the later law permitted to raise during the years 1867
1868, and 1869, $20,000 annually. The terms were much the
same as that of the preceeding act, although in this instance
the board of harbor commissioners was to consist of eight
members, viz. J. Vilas, T. C. Shove, Charles' Luling, Jacob
Halverson, John Schuette, H. Berners, W. Rahr and H. Becker.
Application was made for government aid and the money was
to be expended under the advice of the government engineers.
Another act permitted any town by a majority vote to raise
not more than $1000 .annually for harbor improvement during
the same tlireeiyears, but this was repealed the next year.
The town of Kossuth, however, did vote in favor of a $3000
tax in April. The election in the town of Manitowoc was
62

held on February 13, and resulted in an overwhelming- majo-

rity of 304 out of 393 votes cast, in favor of the proposition.
The g-overnment in the meantime had ag-ain taken a hand.
In 1865 Congress had been memorialized by the state legisla-
ture to continue improvement at Manitowoc, "the most access-
able and surest harbor on the coast." In 1866 an extensive
harbor bill had been p-epared and was passed, one of the items
being $52,000 for Manitowoc. Col. Sitgreaves arrived in the
city in April to survey the harbor and the government soon
advised the citizens to utilize the $20,000, raised by taxation
in the construction of a dredge and in preparing the channel,
the harbormasters acting on the suggestion. The dredge was
built and in the spring of 1867 the government began to get
the material ready for the work, the actual construction be-
ing begun in June at the north side of the river entrance.
The original plan of Major Wheeler, prepared in 1866, was
to extend two parallel piers to twelve foot water and this
was made possible by liberal appropriations in 1867, 1868
and 1869, it being completed in 1871. The legislature re-
pealed further authorization of special village taxes in 1867
but from that time much money was nevertheless spent in
dredging, in 1867 47,070 cubic yards being excavated, in 1869
20,000, in 1870 19,000, in 1871 18,000, in 1872 41,490, in 1873
33,665 and in 1874 32,700. Docks were also put in along the
lower river frontage at a cost to the abutting property hold-
ers and to the city of $50,000, an amendment to the village
charter in 1868 having given the latter power to enforce
docking and dredging. The new piers were so far advanced
by 1871 that the old bridge piers were abondoned and dis-
mantled. In thi's period great gratitude was felt by the citi-'
zens towards Senator S. O. Howe and Congressman Philetus
H. Sawyer for their championship of the harbor and their
assistance in securing appropriations .J. D. Markham went to
Washington in 1868 also to assist in interesting the national
authorities in Manitowoc, while the harljor commissioners as
a whole were most active in their co-operation until 1870,
when they were dissolved as a corporate body and their pow-
ers transferred to the board of aldermen. The first city chart-
 €3

er conferred extensive harbor powers upon the latteir body,

>

provided for a harbor master and throug"h a later amendment

permitted of municipal dredg-ing- projects.
In 1872 the channel had reached a depth of thirteen/feet
and Eng-ineet Houston, then in charge, estimated the cost of
an eig-hteen foot channel at over $75,000. It was in this year
also'that a breakwater was suggested as a means of deaden-
ing the effects of the swell up river. From 1870 to 1880 the
gfovernment appropriated $100,500 and cribs were sunk at
the rate of four or five a year until in 1879 the north pier was
1620 feet long' and the south pier, commenced eleven year's
before, was 1550 feet in length. From 1879 to 1881 one
hundred'feet were added and the plan to make the depth 13
f6et with 18 feet at the entrance was carried out. A cha-tigte
in the project occurred in 1881, it being decided to extend the
piers to 18^ feet water and to dredge the harbor to a depth,
varyingr froin 14 to 18 feet, thus making the total estimited
cost of improving the harbor $308,000 of which $247,000 had
already been expended. H. Truman went to Washing'toh',
at this time to present the city's Case but the appropriation
secured was not as large as expected and therefore the citjr iil
1882 dredged about 9000 cubic yards outside the harbor at
its own expense, in order to facilitate the work, a favor which
was later reciprocated by the government engineers. An
effort was toiade by Mayor John Schuette to induce the g*ov-
ernment to dredge a 15 foot channel up as far as the bridge
at Eighth Street but this the latter refused to undertake. "It
'

however, recognized the importance of the harbOr, th6 en-

gineers calling it in 1885 "one of the most important harbors
north of Milwaukee". In 1885 the north pier was completed
according to the original plan of the engineers,' although
much of it was rebuilt in years following while the south
pier was completed in 1887. The continued extension of the
shore line, due to accretions made necessary further exten-i
sions in succeeding years. From 1880 to 1890 $59,000 was
appropriated by the government for the harbor and it was
the geneiral comment of the engineers that the work acCom-
64

pushed had been successful in charactef. In 1890 anew project

was' tecommended in the construction of an extension break-
water, running- northwest and southeast near the north pier
entrance. An interior harbor of refug-e was also considered
by the engineers but only the former scheme was deemed ad-
visable. J. D. Markham was again sent to Washington and
secured Congressman Brickner's aid but no appropriation
sufficiently large was secured that year. In 1892 and 1894,
largely through the efforts of Congressman Wells the neces-
sary $40,000 was procured and the construction took place
in 1895, the Wisconsin Dredge and Dock Company doing the
work.
In May 1895 the city council by ordinance fixed the dock
lines above the Main Street bridge, an action made necessary
by the new railroad improvements and in February of the
following year a meeting of citizens was called to discuss
dredging along the upper course of the river. Joseph Vilas
presided and among those present were President Abbott,
General Manager Whitcomb, Vice president Greenleaf and
Attorneys Gill and Abbott of the Wisconsin Central and Land
Commissioner Thayer of the C. & N. W, ,A commitee yvas
chosen, composed of Mayor Torrison, G. G. Sedgwick and A.
J. Schmitz, to present the matter to Congress and if possible

to secure aid. They were successful, an appropriation of

$44,440 being made, with which the government extended
the south pier 500 feet to the twenty foot contour and dredged
a twenty foot channel from the harbor line outward. In May
the War Department granted the C. & N. W. the right to re-
move 320 feet of the south pier for their car ferry slip and in
turn the company built 2000 lineal feet of protection piling
along the lake front. Dredging in 1896 was the order of the
day. The city in June appropriated $25,000 for this purpose
and with this sum excavated 273,400 cubic yards, thus afford-
ing a twenty foot channel from the inner end of the harbor
pier up river 5500 feet. A turning basin was constructed in
the upper course of the river and in 1896 the removal of 200,-
000 cubic yards of earth was authorized. The Manitowoc
 65
'
terminal Company also did a lafg-e amount of dredging and
the channel resulting- was one of the deepest on Lake Michi-
gan, that of South Chicago alone approaching it. In 1899 a
survey was ordered to inquire into the advisability of extend-
ding the breakwater and the building of an injier harbor of
refuge. The former project was reported by the engineers
to be possible by the expenditure of $37,000 but the latter
was deemed by them impracticable. The Congressional Riv-
er and Harbor Committee inspected the harbor in August 1900
while on a tour of the Great Lakes, being entertained by the
city. A year later up-river dredging ag-ain came up for dis-
cussion, it being urged that the boats, which for many wint-
ers had made it a practice to lay up in th^ harbor and which
brought large sums into circulation, could be better accom-
odated. A mass meeting was held, plans drawn up for the
dredging of the river to a twenty foot depth around the so-
called Lueps Peninsula and the contract for a part of the
work let in the autumn. On the whole the citizens of
Manitowoc have not been slow in realizing that it is the har-
bor, in which lie hopes of future commercial ascendancy and a
spirit of liberality has always characterized them when call-
ed upon for financial aid, sums- aggregating over $100,000
having been expended by the municipality since 1866.
A summary of government appropriations follows:
YEAR SUM YEAR SUM
1852 $ 8.000 1880 $ 7,000
18h6 52,000 1881 ,
4,000
1867 45,000 1882 10,000
186S 17,500 1884 .*.
1S,00Q
1869 17,820 1886 : 15,000
1870 20,000 1888 8,000
1871 11,000 1890 8,000
1873 20,000 1892 28,000
1874 10,000 1894 20,000
1875 10,000 1896 44,440
1876 8,000 1899 3,300
1878 15,000 1901 45,000
1879 6,500
Total $448,560
m
iuu; T^vTOiRiViefs soon afier tke war closed, also irmde efforts

a't'i'ftit'ro'v'enien'tl In. 1867 the Packard pier was constructed

and in 1870 government made b. survey, which was backed"
t'lie-

tit)''th-fe'ne5t;t'^ea'r by i legislative memorial to Congress.

The
ai-st''^lkm'app:t^(ii)ri'ated, in 1871, was $25,000 and the original

|)toj^ct'Was't(!) build two parallel piers. 260 feet apart, extend-

iii^^' to the 18 foot curve and to drfedge a channel, crossing
the
out^r sAnd bars, the total cost of which was estimated at
$265,588.' Appropriations were made from year to year and
the work continued under difficulties, much trouble being ex-
perienced with shifting sands. This fact made sand-proof
revetments necessary, greatly increasing the expense, and the
piers also changed the' shore line. In 1874 the Two Rivers
lighthouse Was built and private parties did considerable
docking. A
volunteer life saving service was' estaMis)i-ed,
the station becoming a permanent one with a paid force in
1878. Captain Scove first commanded the station, being stic-
eeeded by Capt. Piloniu 1880. By the latter year there h^d
been expended about $132,000 on the^ harbor, but the results
on account of the shifting sands, were rather unsatisfactory,
a ten foot channel being with difficulty maintained. In 1882
this too was and Henry Mann
also obliterated, trade fell off
offered to pay the expenses of running the U. S. Dredge in
order to better matters. Later in the year the city and gov-
ernment co-operated with each other, removing 47,000 cubic
y^jrdp of earth at a cost of about $4,000. Since the lake com-
merce of the port remained, the appropriations made became
iibthitial, being sufficient only for maintenance. The pier €x-
tinsicjn was completed in 1884. since which time portions of
tjifieiin have become dilapidated. In 1894 a great assistance
y^^s rendered navigators by the erection by the government
ofithfe'-World's Fair steel tower, 110 feet high, at Two Rivers
Pdint, a few miles' north of the city and the placing on it of
a strong beacon light, which can be seen for a distance of 20
n;iil,es., A siirvey for extended improvements was made in
1900 at Two Rivers, but the report of the engineers was not
favorable,, the eleven foot channel being deemed sufficient for
t.he needs. df the port. The river divides 'at' theidaputhiitttOl i

two branches, neither of which ha,ve been dredg-ed, £or <any!

g-reat distance. The Sums appropriated by the U. S,.- g-overmi
.

ment from time to time are as follows, [,;),;

'
,
:

YEAR .

SUM YEAR -.aXM:

1871 $25,000 1882 $1S,00Q
1872 ..25,000 1884 ..,:... 8,000
1873 :... 25,000 1888 .... .... ., . . . , 2,500»
1874.. 15.000' 1890
'

.-. 3,0*00
1875 15,000 1892.. '..,.. 3,00Q
1876 ; , 5,000 1894. ...:,.=,..-. -S,000
1878. 10,000 1896..: 5,000*
1879 ..20,000 '1899 ; : 8,000
'•'
1881 15,000 . \ '.

Total..' $222,500
Thevillage of Centerville in 1887 and the years inim'e'-'
diately succeeding- had high hopes of. securing- a harbor^ The'
sum of $4,000 was raised for docking, half of the amount at a'
public meeting, but despite all exertions government aid' was
not forthcoming and the project was soon given up. In 1866
two small piers had been authorized to be built at the' place
proved sufficient for all needs.
arid these Similar structiires
were maintained by the' firm of G. Pfister & Co. at Two
Creeks.
TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES AND' SHIPBUILDING; '

The harbors at Manitowoc and Two Rivers were oF

course only a means towards an end. Of themselves they
were of little value but the commerce and better transporta-
tion facilities that they brought about were of vast ihiport'-
ance to the welfare of the two cities. The first intercourse
with the outsid'e world was necessarily by the arrival of some
trading schooner and it was only natural that these should
play an important part in the early life of the community. It
wasby this means that the earliest settlers reached the'ir ticyf'
homes, and the arrival of one of these "hookers" was a great
event. In' the latter thirties only an occasional schooner

would drop anchor in the bay. By 1840, however, many of

68

the little had regular routes, the schooner Milwaukee,

traders
Captain Andros, trading- between the city after which it was
named and Manitowoc, and the schooner Liberty, Captain
Guyles, making voyages to Two Rivers. In the next year
more vessels visited both places, averaging perliaps two or
three a week, chief among them being the schooner Colum-
bia, Captain Morgan, which traded at Manitowoc, and the
Ocean, Captain Guyles, at Two Rivers. In 1842 still more
called at th€ two villages, including the Gazelle, Milwaukee,
Savannah, Jessie Smith, Wave, Meeme and Mechanic. In
the shipping lists of 1845 are noticeable frequently the names
of the schooners Solomon Juneau, Captain Quin; Eagle, Capt.
Pach; Baltimore, Capt. Cotton; D. Whitney, Capt. Fleming;
and the E. Henderson, Capt. Henderson. As the years passed
it became possible for a steamer to stop off the mouth of the

river at Manitowoc in calm weather on its way from Buffalo

or Chicago, if there were any passengers or freight for the
place. But for a long time the sailing vessel was the chief
means of communication. That it was utilized needs no- fur-
ther proof than a reference to the marine lists appearing in
the Milwaukee papers of the time. Four schooners clearing
in, one day for Two Rivers was not an unusual occurrence,

these little craft bringing lumber down and carrying produce

back on the return voyage. It was a Strange fact that,
whereas up to 1846 Manitowoc led as a trading center, in that
year and for two or three succeeding, Two Rivers ranked
highest in the amount of tonnage, although when steamboat
connections were made the number of schooners trading at
both places fell off. ,
The first attempts to run the former
style of craft regularly to Manitowoc were made in the sea-
son of 1848, when the propeller Rossiter made trips from Chi-
cago as far north as Manitowoc, stopping at Milwaukee and
other intermediate points. The round trip occupied about
nine or ten daysj including stops and after one summer the
line was discontinued. A
year before the first schooner built
in the county was constructed by Capt. Joseph Edwards,
christened the Citizen and being a craft of sixty tons burden.
 ea
Five years elapsed before another was built, but thereafter
shipbuilding became one of the principal industries of the
county.
By 1850 a regular steamer line was again in operatioil,
this time one of greater permanence. The craft was the
Champion, Captain Howe, of 270 tons and it left Manitowoc
for Milwaukee Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at
seven o'clock, stopping at Sheboygan enroute and connecting
with the Buffalo boats at its southern terminus. These also
began to stop at Manitowoc in case they had any very large
number of emigrants desirous of being landed, the flood of
travel having by this time turned Wisconsinward. The Lady
of the Lake, which was at that time plying between Green
Bay and Chicago also stopped at Manitowoc, P. P. Smith
being the local agent. The steamer Detroit, somewhat larger
than the Champion, was placed on the Manitowoc line by the
Ward Company, who owned the steamers, in 1851 and was in
turn succeeded by the steamer Arctic, a craft of 857 tons, two
years later. By this time commercial activity in Manitowoc
had been greatly increased. Said Philo White in a commun-
ication to Congress in 1850 upon Wisconsin lake towns: ''Man-
itowoc is vieing with her neighboring ports in the enterprise
of her citizens, in the onward march of her improvements and
in the rapid development of her material resources. She ex-
ported in the items of lumber and fish to the value of $72,726
during the last season and her imports were $117,826. There
are five schooners owned there. Two Rivers has also asserted
her claim to be inscribed in the Ijst of lake ports by contrib-
uting to swell the aggregate of lake commerce. As long ago
as 1847 she exported lumber and fish to the value of $53,747
in that year alcne." Shipbuilding began in 1852 to take on
an important aspect, three or four schooners being constructed
in that year and double the number the next. Said the Weekly
Herald: It is perhaps no breach of modesty to say that
Manitowoc is capable of furnishing more and better lake
schooners than any town of its size west of Bufi'alo. And
while our hand is in we might as well add that Two River?
70

and this place can furnish employment for double our fleet.
With unabated energy the construction of little schooners
progressed at both ports down to the opening of the Civil
War, the largest built up to that time being the Mary Stock-
ton, constructed by Bates & Son in 1853, which had a capac-
ity of 275 tons. Other shipbuilders of the day were Joseph
Edwards, J. Hughes, E. Sorenson, G. S. Rand of Manitowoc
and James Harbridge of Two Rivers. It was the last named
who built the schooners Gertrude and Joseph Vilas.
Steam, however, in the meantime was being felt as a fac-
tor in local transportation. In 1854 facilities were greatly in-
creased. The Read line of Buffalo steamers established a
Manitowoc agency and the Collingwood line of steamers also'
touched at Manitowoc, the Lady Elgin stopping at the har-
borquite frequently. Thesteamer Queen City, forwhich K. K.
Jones- was the local agent, left Manitowoc for Pault Ste Marie
on Wednesdays and for Chicago on Saturdays, while' the Fash-
ion stopped enroute from Milwaukee to Green Bay. The next
year (1855) Manitowoc was visited regularly by the Buffalo
liners. Lady Elgin, Niagara and Keystone State, while the
little steamer Lady of Sheboygan plied between that city and
Manitowoc. The Superior, Captain Tomkins. made tri-
weekly trips to Chicago and also touched at Two Rivers. She
was, however, burned the following year on Lake Superior.
The report for the year shows that 82 steamers and 102 sail-
ing vessels called at Manitowoc and 74 steamers and 41 sail
vessels at Two Rivers. The year 1856 witnessed the inaugu-
ration of the Goodrich Line, which has played such an impor-
tant part in Manitowoc life ever sitice. The line had been
organized the preceding year and the steamer Huron, of 348
tons, placed upon a route including Milwaukee, Sheboygan,
Manitowoc and Two Rivers, daily trips being'instiluted. Said
the Herald in November: -'We hope that Captain Goodrich's
experience will induce him to try the route another season
and that his efforts to accommodate our bdsiness community
will be diily appreciated." K. K. JbneS was' the Manitowoc
agent of the Una aal Pierpoat, Hair& Co. the Two Rivers
 7,1

representatives. Besides the Goodrich line Manitowoc, ^as

also touched by the Collingfwood line, including- the Niagara
which burned off Port Washington in September 1856 and
was succeeded by the Planet, the Queen City, Buckeye
State and Keystone State and by the Ward steanier Cleveland
built in 1852, which ran to Green Bay ports. During- the next-
year facilities remained the same, the Arctic, Captaiin Dou-'
g-all taking the place of the Cleveland in September In 1858
the Ward line ran both the Cleveland and the Traveler on
the Manitowoc route, the former making- tri-weekly -trips,
while the Arctic still called en route to Green Bay. The
CoUing-wood liners, five in number also continued to stopdur-
ing this* and the two succeeding seasons, furnishing- means of
transportation east once a week.
In 1858 and 1859 Captain Goodrich put the propeller
Og-ontz on a line running- from Green Bay to Chicago,' Capt.
Flood commanding. During the latteryear and 1860, however,
the best facilities were offered by the Wards, the Gazelle,
Capt. Butlin making daily trips to Manitowoc and Two Riv-
ers, but this line finally withdrew, leaving Captain Goodrich
a clear field. By that time the latter had disposed of the"
hull of the Ogontz to Racine parties and had purchased the
Wabash Valley, but as he sold her to the Milwaukee and
Grand Haven Transportation Co., he was compelled to have
btiilt at Newport, Michigan, the Comet, a steanier of 385 tons
placing her in command of Captain Pabst, the later well
known Milwaukeean. She remained in possession of the line
until 1870, being' transferred to the Grand Haven route. It:

«fas on this craft that so many Manitowoc soldiers were car-

ried away from their homes during the earlier years of the
civil strife. The energetic captain soon purchased the stea-
mers Lady Franklin and Sea Bird, which were placed on the
Green Bay and Lake Superior routes respectively, the
former being sold to Chicago parties after two years.
' In
1860 Manitowoc first began to furnish craft for thi** line, con-
tracts being let to Bates & Son for the building of the propel-
lars Sunbeam and Union. The latter was launched in Aprjl,
72

1861 and was fitted out at a total cost of $25,000, having- the
eug-ines of the oldOgontz put in her. The Sunbeam costing
$40,000, was launched in June and was placed on the Manito-
woc route the next season but foundered on Lake Superior a
year later. An attempt had been made to fit her out with the
so-called Whittaker side-wheel apparatus, but it proved a fail-

ure. The Union was sold in the latter sixties to parties who
ran her on Green Bay. During the war Captain Goodrich
bought the Ward Steamer Planet, 1164 tons, and the May
Queen. The former was placed in the Lake Superior trade,
calling at Manitowoc, but was later dismantled and sold to
the Peshtigo Lumber Co. The May Queen ran on what was
known as the west shore route, touching Manitowojc, Two
Rivers, Sheboygan and Milwaukee and sank off Sheboygan
on September 17, 1865, the hull being later destroyed by fire.

Commercial interests during the war remained largely at

a stand still, in Manitowoc at least. However, the first di-
rect grain shipment east was made May 31, 1861, on the
schooner Joseph Vilas, Captain Albrecht. The cargo of 8000
bushels was made up by Piatt & Vilas, O. Torrison, J. Ben-
nett and S. Gooduow, and the event marked a stage in the
development of Manitowoc county, viz: the change from a
lumbering to an ag-ricultural community. That Manitowoc
was recognized as having an. interest in eastern shipping- was
witnessed by the appointment of Joseph Vilas in 1863 as a
Wisconsin delegate to the Canal Enlargement Convention,
held in that year. Sliipbuilding too had languished during
the war, a few schooners alone being constructed. At the
end of that struggle, however, a great impetus was given to
the industry, in which Manitowoc shared. A new and ener-
getic firm had been established under the management of G.
S. Rand, and he soon secured contracts of importance. The
Orion, a 600 ton sidewheeler, was his first work of magnitude
being launched December 6, 1865, and the engine of the stea-
mer Michigan, purchased by the Goodrich line the year be-
fore, being placed in the craft. The boat continued to make
trips on the west shore and later on the Grand Haven route
 73

until 1871, when she was dismantled and became a lumber

barge. In 1866 the Goodrich interests were incorporated as
the Milwaukee, Sturgeon Bay and Green Bay Transportation
Company, but the name was changed two years later to that
oftheGoodrichTransportationCompany, with AlbertE. Good-
rich, W. J. Whalling, G. Hurson, A.ConroandS. A.Hasbrouck
as incorporators and Manitowoc as the home port. In 1866 the
line purchased the propellors G. J. Truesdell and Ottowa, and
on November 15 there was launched the second steamer from
the Rand yards, the Northwesc. The launching was a great
event for the village, a thousand persons witnessing it. The
steamer used the Planets engines, was 250 feet long, 33- feet
beam and had a measurement of 1200 tons. She was placed-
on the west shore run in May of the year under the command
of Captain Williams and was considered one of the finest
boats on the lakes, a deserved tribute to Manitowoc industry.
Among the other shipbuilders of the time were E. W. Pack-
ard and Jasper Hanson, who later associated with himself H.
Scove, the firm some years afterwards removing to Two Riv-
ers.. Small schooners were also constructed in the later six-
ties at Neshoto and Mishicott.

Captain Goodrich kept the propeller Truesdell for about

thirteen years, running it on the Green Bay route but the

Ottawa, after being on the same run for two years, was sold
to shipowners in Detroit and the magnificent Northwest, too,
after a short service on the Manitowoc route was purchased
by the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company. On Aug-
ust 17, 1867 builder Rand launched the sidewheeler Manitc'woc
and the event was a memorable one, the city presenting the
craft with a set of colors. The Manitowoc was 218 feet long,
33 feet beam and measured 569 tons, being fitted out with the
May Queen's engines. She ran from Chicago to Mainitowoc
for five seasons and was then displaced by abetter craft, being
turned into a barge. In this year- (1867) the Goodrich line
had a rival in the shape o# the steamer Hippocampus, which
ran tri-weekly from Milwaukee but the venture did not prove
very successful and the line was soon discontinued, That
 ,

yeatthte Goodrich cbmpany bottg-ht theirs present d.dck !p!rop-!

erty'and W. Thombs was installed as local, agfent, aposi-;
J.

tionhe held utStil 1891. The company also commenced to la;y;

u-p its vessels at Manitowoc in the winter season. Then not,
'

only did:the city have a reputation arising frdin- its shipbuild-

ing-but as a ship owning: center,- the JManito Woe fleet c6ti-,
alfeo

sisting- of 37 craft, including 7 Goodrich boats, 1 tug, 9 barques,

1-' scow and 17 schooners. By the sad loss of the Seabird,,
chronicled latei" in these pages. Captain Goodrich was sadly

cdppledand so purchased the Alpena in Detroit for t80;000'.;

The craft was rebuilt in 1876 and was owned by the line until
the time of her sinking- four years later off Grand Haven.- In
1869 the sidewheelers ShebOyg-an and Corona were launqhed;
for the line from the Rand yards. Theformer: was particu-
larly admired at the time, her upperworks being constructed
in Detroit at a great' expense. The engines for the craft were'
second-hand, ^conjing from the old City of Cleveland. :Both
w6re for years on the west shore, the former 'being rebuilt'in.
1896.' She is still a staunch craft in active service,; while the,
Corona was sold in 1892 to Buffalo parties to be used- as an.
excursion boat and butned in the Niagara River soon after.
Tosuch an extent had lake interests at Manitowoc grown
by 1870 that the subject of securing a dry dock was much
under discussion. A company was formed, with Jonah Rich--
ards as president, C. H. Walker secretary and George Cooper
treasuirer, which met the following Januarj' to organize. The
company was a stock corporation and many citizens subscribed"
for shares to aid the project which was soon after happily
coiisummated, G. S. Rahd being chosen superinten-dent. 'The
docks were maintained by the company until 1887 when H.
Buirger' purchased them, lengthening them sdme .years later.
Mr. Rand in May, 1870 turned out another Goodrich steamer,
the side wheeler Muskegon, built for the Orion's machinery
and in 1872 added the propellers Oconto and Menominee to his
list. The steamer Muskegon was regularly rua until 1897,.
when she was wrecked while undergoing irepairs in a Milwau-
}iee drydock, being later abandoned, The Oconto w^s dj§.-
 T5
posed of by sale, while the Menominee after running for
twenty-three years was rebuilt and leng-thened fifteen feet,
taking- the name of the Iowa. After 1870 a great increase in
the number of schooners built was noticeable and new firms
of builders came into the field. Hanson & Scove, P. Larson, J.
—
Butler, S. Jorgenson, ^all did much in the line. of construc-
tion and in 1873 the firm of Rand & Burger was formed, whose
name was widely known on the Great Lakes. Besides the
Goodrich work, thieyundertook the construction of many tugs,
lumber barges apd vessels of all kinds and descriptions and
the. employment thus afforded to labor was both steady and
lucrative. Next to. the Goodrich interests as owners, Jonah
Richards ranked next, his fleet being widely known on thie
lakes. ,, ;

In 1873 Rand & Burger launched the Goodrich propeller

DePere which continued in service until its sale, it later be-
cothing the Barry liner. State of Michigan, sinking off Grand
Haven in the fair of IWl. In 1874 the side-wheeler Chicago
came out, taking the Manitowoc's cabin and engines and
under the command of Captain Sweeney was for many
years a familiar sight in the harbor. The boat is still

in active service. Three years later Manitowoc secured new

connections, the boats of the Lake Michigan and Lake Super-
ior Transportation Company stopping at the Truman & Morse
docksl The line was composed of the steamers Peerless, Fre-
mont, Hurd and Duluth and ceased calling at Manitowoc in
the early eighties. As early as this hopes were also entertain-
ed for connection wiih Michigan via Flint & Pere Marquette
steamers but they remained ungratified for many years. Out-
ride of the' building of steamers after 1880 the business of con-
struction manifested a rapid decline, due largely to the sup-
planting of the sailby steam and thus Rand & Burger, which
became Burger & Burger by the death of Mr. Rand in 1885,
soon had the field to themselves. Manitowoc also lost the
Richardsi, fleet of eight craft by the death of the owner in 1881
and the Goodrich fleet, too, changed its hailing port to Ken-
osha soon alter, owing to some misunderstanding as to l<>cal
76

taxation. The ptopeller Luding'toQ, launched by Burg-er &

Burger in 1880 was the only Goodrich steamer to be built at
Manitowoc for nineteen years and was a very staunch and
well-modeled craft, being- rebuilt and refitted as the Georgia
in the winter of 1897-1898. In 1881 the Goodrich company
turned for its craft to another source, having the steamers
Michigan, Wisconsin and City of Milwaukee built at Wyan-
dotte, Mich., but possession of the last two was not retained
for long and the Michigan sank off Grand Haven. Ca:ptain
Goodrich, whose name was linked with the progress of Mani-
towoc as a marine center passed away at his Chicago home in
1888, having for forty years been one of the notable figures of
the Great Lakes. In the years succeeding the company was
ably conducted by the captain's successors and in 1888 the
work of construction of a new and costly fleet was begun.
The first steamer to be built was the City of Racine, which
was launched at the Burger yards in the presence of three
thousand people in 1889. Ninety persons from Racine were
present and Captain Butlin was the recipient of a set of colors
from them. The craft'was 217 by 35 feet and proved a most
profitable investment, being placed on the Chicago-Grand
Haven route. The second steamer of the fleet appeared in
1890, being christened the Indiana and was the last large
steamer to be built at Manitowoc. The company a year later
had the palatial Virginia and Atlanta constructefl in Wyan-
dotte, Mich., and in 1898 added by purchase, the whaleback
Christopher Columbus. In 1896 the company constructed re-
pair shops at Manitowoc and has since continued to enlarge
its machinery and supply shops, used in refitting the boats
during the winter season, thus giving employment to much
high-priced labor. In the later nineties the steamers Atlanta,
Sheboygan, Chicago and Georgia have made regular runs on
the west shore, stopping regularly at Manitowoc and during
much of the time at Two Rivers also and both the freight and
passenger business has been large. Henry Pates succeeded
Mr. Thombs as local agent until 1895, when C. F. Canright
was chosen to fill the now important position, and upon his
decease George Houghton was appointed agent.
 77

The shipbuilding- industry at Manitowoc manifested a

steady increase during- the nineties. Althoug-h the -work was
largely in repairs, Burger & Burg-er have built during that
period the steamers Petoskey, Fanny Hart and numerous
smaller craft. As early as August 1887 there were rumors
current of the establishment of a steamer line to Ludinglon.
A petition was numerously signed in the city asking for such
connections to the east and forwarded to the F. & P. M. of-
ficials in January- of the following year. The latter visited
the city in June and seemed favorably impressed with the fa-
cilities offered but no definite aciijn followed until 1890, when
the line was established, F. P. Gaines being appointed local
agent. It was thought that a new line might lead to .more
liberal harbor appropriations and great satisfaction, was felt
upon the arrival of the first through shipment on the steamer
F. & p. M. No. 1, on January 10, 1890, the event being the
occasion of the booming of cannon. Said the Pilot: "For
over thirty years Manitowoc has been looking for this con-
summation." At first a round trip was made every two days
but as business grew a second and in February a third and
fourth boat were placed on the line. At about the same time
the C. & N. W. built a large warehouse on the south side of
the river entrance for this new line and flour from the west
soon filled the building to its utmost .capacity,, coming in at
the rate of over one hundred carloads a day. The route was
essentially a winter one and during the summer of the three
succeeding years the large steamers were withdrawn ajid the
propellor R. T. Stewart placed on the line. In the spring. of
1893 regular trips on the route were discontinued and for
several years trans-lake shipments were few. An experiment
was made in the summer of 1893 in bringing pulp wood rafts
from Canada to Manitowoc, thence to be shipped to the paper
mills of the Fox River valley, but the attempt did not prove
successful and was given up as impracticable. In December
of the same year the first whaleback to enter the harbor, the
Pathfinder, unloaded coal at the C. & N. W. Docks.
After a period of depression, as far as harbor interests
:78

were concerned, a .reawakening- took place with tlie entrance

of the Wisconsin Central. Buffalo g-rain steamers of a size
never before entering Manitowoc beg-an in the summer 6i
1896 to. visit the. port, the deep water then attained by
dredging- making it possible for them to unload. at, the Central
freight docks, built that spring above the Main street bridge.
The first of this class to arrive were the Wetmore and Globe
and in 1896 the, Great Lakes Steamship L,ine was regularly
scheduled on the ManitowocTBuffalo route, consisting of the
steamers Olympia,, J. W. Moore, Globe, Charlemagne Tower
and Pascadena. To accommodate this new class of transpor-
tation it became necessary for the Northern Grain Company,
a Chicago corporation, to build two mammoth elevators, A
Wisconsin Central
land B, the former being constructed in the
yards in 1896 and the latter on the south side of the river near
thieC..&N.W. depot in 1898. The grain capacity of these
two structures is very high and they were built at an approxi-
mate cost of $600,000. The first shipment of grain from the
elevator system took place on May 1, 1897, the steamer Moore
taking a cargo of 50,000 bushels. Although the Great Lakes
Line was discontinued in the fall of 1898 steamers of other
lines and of a large capacity have continued to transport car-
goes of grain to Buffalo and the business seems likely to have
a great future. A profitable feature of these new facilities
for Manitowoc has been the fact that many of the large liners
have made it a practice to lay up for the winter in the upper
harbor, on account of the cheap and spacious accommodations
offered.. A large amount of money has thus been put in cir-
culation through the purchase of necessary supplies, repairs,
etc.- In, 1902 the Barry line of steamers commenced to touch
at Manitowoc, running the Empire State and Badger State on
the west shore route.
A
few words in regard to the growth of the carferry sys-
tem. This novel method of transporting freight withou't
breaking bulk was initiated by the Ann Arbor line between
Kewaunee and Frankfort in the early nineties. The steam-
ers Nos. 1 and 2 commenced calling at Manitowoc in 1896
J. D. MARKHAM
 19

and have continued to mate the port more and more regularly
as local business warranted, connecting- with< both railroads.
Slips were built to accommodate the craft at the C, & N. W.
and Wisconsin Central yards and in the winter of 1895 the F.
& P. M., which by this time had resumed the Manitowoc
route, had 'built for their use at West Bay City, Mich., the
carferry Pere Marquette, later known as Number 16, the
largest in the world. It was launched May 19, 1896 and was
fitted to accommodate 32 cars and 156 passengers, being 263
by 56 feet in dimensions. Its first arrival at Manitowoc took
place on the morning of February 16th of the next year and
from that time it ran regularly between Manitowoc and Lud-
ington, often making two round trips in a day. During 1897
the Big Four carferries called for some months at Manitowoc,
the other terminus being Benton Harbor, but the distance w^s
too great and the plan was given up. In 1900 the F. & P. M.
was obliged to construct another carferry, the No. 17, in order
to accommodate increasing business. It was of the same
dimensions as the older craft and made its first appearance in
Manitowoc on August 25, 1901. Another carferry the No. 18
was added to the line in 1902. This mode of transportation
has been successful beyond all hopes and has raised Manitq-
woc to a high position as a center of through shipment.
A revolution in the ship building industry at Manitowoc
occurred in the summer of 1902 when the Manitowoc Dry
Dock Company was incorporated with the following officers:
—
President— Elias Grinnell; Vice-President T. J. Prindeville;
Secretary and Treasurer— S. E. Gier; General Mainager
Charles C. West. Steel repair outfits were installed and the
Burger yards purchased and refitted. The company soon
sought contracts for building steel vessels and much is ex-
pected of the new departure.

As tending to show the growth in commerce a table, tab-

ulating the clearances and tonnage of the craft at both Man-
itowoc and Two Rivers is given under the head Appendix B.
A list of the craft built at Manitowoc, with their tonnage, is
also appended.
§0

mArINE IDISAS'TER^.
In codeluditlg- the record of the marine history of tlie coiltl-
ty some space should be devoted to disasters, both those that
have taken place in the vicinity and those in V7hich Manitowoc
was a particular sufferer. The first loss of importance on the
lake in the neighborhood of Manitowoc was the burning- of
the steamer'Phoenix on November 21. 1847. The craft had
arrived at Manitowoc on the morning of the 20th and had on
board two hundred passengers and a large crew, the former
being bound for Milwaukee. Only about thirty were Ameri-
cans, the rest being immigrants from Holland. The boat
laid at the south pier all day awaiting calm weather and, left
late at night. At about four in the morning, while eight
miles from Sheboygan and four from land, fire was discovered
and in a few moments the craft was all ablaze. The flames
were discernable in Sheboygan and the propellor Delaware,
that happened to be in port, started to the rescue, as did also
a schooner and thus about one-quarter of the number on board
were saved, the rest perishing by water or the flames. The
captain was ill with a broken leg at the time but was safely

conveyed to the rescuing boat. The disaster caused wide-

spread sympathy in the lake towns and was long remembered.
On tlie same day the schooner H. Merrill went ashore at Man-
itowoc and a Mr. Woodward, who was on board, was drowned.
Two years later the brig Ontario was beached on Two Rivers
point but got off after some difficulty. In a storm on Novem-
ber 27, 1850, the schooner Jeanette wa'^ driven high and dry
on the beach near Manitowoc, and other vessels, among them'
the Gleaner, had narrow escapes from the breakers. A se-
ries of years then passed without any accident in the vicinity.
In a gale in November, 1885, the brig J. Irwin was lost off
Two Rivers and the schooner Amelia off Manitowoc. Three
years lati;r the schooner Andromeda was lost about forty miles
northeast of the latter port. In the loss of the Goodrich
steamer Lady Elgin off Waukegan on September 8, 1860, on-
ly one man from the county, Fred Haeffner, of Two Rivers,
lost his life. Seven years then passed without any notable
wreck, but then came a series of them. On November 24,
 SI

1867 the barque Tubalcain wetit down off Two Rivers with
18,000 bushels ofwheat on board, the loss amounting- to $20,000
and in December the propellar Adriatic went ashore near
Manitowoc.
Then came what, for Manitowoc, was perhaps the great-
est marine disaster ever experienced, viz., the burning of
the Seabird. The terrible accident occurred eig-ht miles
from Waukegan on the morning of Thursday, April 9, 1868.
The steamer was one that Captain Goodrich had purchased
from the Ward line and was nine years old at the time. The
crew and passengers numbered thirty-five and a majority
of them were from Manitowoc and Sheboygan, en-route to
Chicago. It is thought that the fire originated from coals,
scattered from thfe stoves, which the porter was engaged in
cleaning. When the blaze was first discovered the boat was
imprudently headed for the shore and the wind which was
northeast, sent the flames forward and soon reached the ma-
chinery. The engines became so heated that they stopped
and the four small boats, capable of holding ten persons,
could not be lowered, while it was too late to receive any assis-
tance from the shore. The terrible news of the disaster was
soon abroad and the wires conveyed it to Manitowoc, the
whole village being thrown into consternation by the tidings.
R. D. Smart was dispatched at the head of a party to search
for bodies along the shore, but very few traces of the acci-
dent were ever found. Only three persons escaped, two She-
boygan men and JamesH. Le jnard of Manitowoc. The loss to
the north side was particularly heavy. Among those from
Manitowoc who lost their lives were George W. Emery, a
prominent merchant. Captains N. T. Nelson and John Soren-
son, vessel owners, James A. Hodges, clerk of the craft,
Charles Reicher, foreman of the Goodrich repair shops, Jo-
seph Dawcett, a grocer. Miss Theresa Olson, a seamstress,
James LeykomJ August Wilde, Richard Flossbach, William
Barter, John Melke, Casper Kleiner, John Fuchs, Herman
Jaccby, P. C. Danahy, Amos Meyer, Henry Meinam besides
MartinRogezginter andWenzel Hartichek with their wives and
children, these latter being on their way to Nebraska as col-
82

onists, Capt. Nelson was on his way to purchase a tug- in

Chicag-o, while Capt. Sorenson and Mr. Emery were also on
business trips. The terrible happening- left an impress on the
people of the villag-e, that was deeply felt, particularly by
those whose friends had been thus wrested from them. In
September of the same year the steamer Richard Roe sunk
near the Manitowoc harbor pier and on October 30th the
schooner James Nevagle went down off Two Rivers. Capt.
Joseph Gagnon and nine others of the volunteer life saving
crew then in existence made a heroic rescue of the cVew of the
doomed vessel. On board the Nevagle were 15.000 bushels
of wheat en-route to Oswego, N. Y. from Milwaukee, all of
which was lost. In December, 1871, the schooner Industry
sunk about midway between Two Rivers and her destination,
Manitowoc, a carg-o of produce being lost.
The year 1875 witnessed the loss of the schooner Cornelia
D. Windiate, which in December went down between Manito-
woc and Milwaukee with her crew of nine men and a cargo of
21,000 bushels of wheat. She was built by Windiate and
Butler in 1873 at a cost of $20,000 and had a capacity of 332
tons, being one of the finest schooners on the lake. , On No-
vember 8, 1877, the Canadian schooner Magellan, bound from
Chicago to Toronto, with 20,000 bushels of wheat on board,
was lost off Two Rivers. Nine sailors were drowned, the
bodies being waished ashore some days after the occurence.
The schooner Joseph Duval shared the same fate at the fame
place in July, 1880, while en route from Kewaunee to Chicago
with 140 cords of bark, seven were drowned and the vessel
which had been built by Rand & Burger in 1875 at a cost of
$7,000 proved a total loss. In a terrible storm on October 16,
of the same year the Goodrich steamer Alpena went down on
the east shore, carrying seventy-five passengeas and a crew of
twenty-six to a watery grave. Arthur Haines, the clerk and
William Shepard, the steward, were both Manitowoc young
men and their death cast a gloom over the city. In the suc-
ceeding March the treacherous Two Rivers Point claimed
the barge Grace Patterson, the crew, however, being saved.
On December 3rd a terrible storm was the cause of the wreck
 83

of the Goodrich steamer DePere, between Manitowoc and

Two Rivers and the schooner Oliver Cutler near the latter
place. The DePere was in a perilous position for months
and it was
thoug-ht that she would be a total loss, but by well-
directed efforts she was saved from destruction the following-
spring- and rebuilt.
Another terrible disaster, longto be remembered, occurred
off Two Rivers Point on October 28, 1887 ipi the loss of the
screw steamer Vernon. The Vernon was owned by the North-
ern Michig-an Transporlation Company and was enroute from
Charlevoix, Mich., to Chicag-o with from thirty to fifty per-
sons on board, only one of whom, Alfred Stone, a fireman,
survived. He was insane for the remainder of his life, having-
suffered terribly, so the true story of the accident was never
known. It is supposed that the accident occurred by some
mishap in the stearing gear while the steamer was trying to
make Manitowoc and that the boat was swamped in the
trough of a tremendous wave. A schooner passed through
the wreckage and saw some persons clinging to boards but
was unable to give assistance. Fishing tugs picked up nine-
teen bodies during the succeeding days, besides much wreck-
age. An inquest was held before Justice Walsh at Two Riv-
ers and nine of the bodies were interred in potter's field at that
city, others being identified by friends. Several relics from
the disaster were preserved, beingon exhibition at the Tcren's
Musgum at Mishicott. The Vernon cost originally $75,000
and was commanded hj Captain Thorpe at the time of the
disaster. An accident occurred at nearly the identical spot
on November IS, 1890, when the steambarge Nevada, found-
ered, the crew being picked up by the steamer Manchester.
The. craft was eight years old and was valued at $50,000.
The steamer Wetmore suffered a similai fate off Centerville
in November 1894 and in 1898 the schooner L. B. Shepard
went ashore off Two Rivers after being waterlogged, the loss
being $3500. A more recent marine disaster was the sinking
of the scow Silver Lake by collision -with the carferry Pere
Marquette a few miles east of Manitowoc in March 1900.
The collision took place in a fog and the crew of the scow.
84

whose home was in Racine, lost their lives. On the whole

Manitowoc has borne her share of the sorrow that always
comes at frequent intervals to a people dwelling- near waters,'
upon which they seek a livelihood.
 CHAPTER VII.

RAILROADS.

Few chapters in the history of Manitowoc county present

such a series of failures, disappointments and blighted hopes
as that concerning- its railroads. For twenty years a contin-
uity of misfortunes of various natures postponed the consum-
mation of the desires of the people and it was not until the
county seat had become an incorporated city that the first
whistle of the locomotive was heard. Fate also remained un-
kind after this first success and it was only in the year 1895
the date of the construction of the Wisconsin Central, that
the city took the place as a railroad center that it should
have attained forty years before. Situated as it is on the
lake, in an almost direct line from the great wheat-growing
region of the northwest to the markets of the east, it certain-
ly possessed from the beginning elements of natural strength
that should have told earlier for advancement.
With the rapid development of Wisconsin in the latter
and the early fifties came the desire for
forties better trans-
portation facilities. Internal improvement is and always has
been the summum bonum, towards which all new regions
strive and the virgin Badger State was no exception. In this
desire Manitowoc shared from the first. Diverted from the
earlier and more chimerical schemes of canal and river systems
the minds of the progressive turned toward the rails and the
iron horse as their Jiope of future advancement. Capital was
however, scarce and schemes of great trunk lines offering- hy-
pothetical returns were numerous, few of which saw a pract-
ical fruition. The Milwaukee and Mississippi, later a part of
the St. Paul system, was the only remarkable instance of the
latter class. In 1851, however, the legislature granted two
charters that touched Manitowoc's interests vitally. The
first was that to the Chicago, Milwaukee and Green Bay Rail-
road Company, granted on March l3th, of which, among
others, George Reed and K. K. Jones of Manitowoc, atid E.
Fox Cooke, of Sheboygan, were incorporators, the balance
being Wisconsin and eastern capitalists. It was the plan of
this company to co-operate with the road also contemplated
between Chicago and Milwaukee and to extend the latter
northward to Manitowoc at least. There it was calculated
that the road should connect with the Manitowoc an Missis-
sippi Railroad, the charter for which was granted on March
15th, two days later. The
incorporators of this project were
nine in number, viz;— George Reed, H. McAllister, Peleg
Glover, GustavusRichter and C. E. Esslinger, of Manitowoc,
Charles Doty, Curtis Reed aud J. Keyes of Winnebago County
and T. Coukey, J. Hanchett and Oscar Clark of Outagamie
County. The capital stock was fixed at $1,500,000 in shares
of $100, t\^o thousand of which were required to organize.
Five per cent of the shares was required to be paid in at the
time of the subscription and twenty per cent, was fixed as
the maximum call, sixty days being the length of notice and
each share carrying with it -Three years was granted
a vote.
for the commencement and ten years for comple-
of the road
tion, ten miles to be completed before opening it to traffic.
The usual provisions as to reasonable rates, le.'erence of
disputes to commissioners, fixing of termini, eminent domaiq
and annual reports were also made. Its original western
terminus was designated as LaCrosse but greater latitude qf
choice was afforded by a charter amendment passed in 1854.
This, then, was the form of organization which for so
many years engrossed the attention of Manitowoc citizens.
With the line from Milwaukee connecting with this tra-ns-"
state route it was thought that a system would be secured that
^ould mean much to the future qf the region traversed,
 87

In the meantime those in favor of the two lines were co-

operating-, largely throug-h the efforts of Mr. Reed. In 1852
Congressman Doty presented a bill to Congress for a land
grant to the Manitowoc and Mississippi, which although it
came to naught, betokened the spirit of the times. George
Reed throughout the year agitated the question of improve-
ment through the columns of the public press and laid par-
ticular stress on the Milwaukee road. The year 1852, how-
ever, passed without definite action. On January 1853 a
grand mass-meeting was held in Milwaukee to push the pro-
ject of a northern extension, to which representatives from
the northern counties were invited. Letters were read from
Manitowoc and Sheboygan promising that each would take
$75,000 in the stock of the road, besides furnishing depots and
water supplies. From Manitowoc there were present C. W.
Fitch, B. F. White, Benjamin Jones, J. Medbury and J. M.
Sherwood, the last named being one of the vice-presidents of
the meeting, while Ezekiel Ricker was chosen as the coun-
ty representative lo act on a steering conimitte in the
state legislature. George Reed was one of those who were
present also and in an address he mentioned the Manitowoc and
Mississippi as a connection westwardT But the lake shore re-
gion was not alone in desiring the road. There were delegat-
es from Fond du Lac and Oshkosh present also, who urged
their interests and, being more influential, in the end they
won. The section of the road from Chicago to Milwaukee
was built during 1853 and 1854 and another element was pre-
sented in the fact that a railroad had already been chartered
under the name of the Fox River, Milwaukee & Fond du
Lac Company, which would contest the ground with the
Chicago, Milwaukee & Green Bay, should the latter take
the more westerly route. The natural result was a combina.
tion of the two schemes, which was successfully accomplish-
ed, thus forming a powerful check to any hope for the lake
phore counties.
On the other hand interest in the Manito woe & Mississippi
remained unabated. Its charter was amended in 1853 so as to
pern;|t it to borrow money ^nd to receive land grants and in
88

April an act was passed allowing towns and counties' along-

its route to hold elections to decide upon the question of
granting aid to the project. The latter was largely the
result of Mr. Reed's efforts, he having suggested to the vil-
lage authorities that they ought to apply for such an act
from the legislature and he also proposed that the village
issue $50,000 in coupon bonds, to be sold in sums not less than
$500, running twenty years at 7 per cent., payable semi-annu^
ally. The first directors were chosen in October of this year,
consisting of George Reed, C. Klingholz, ;C. Esslinger, Curtis
Reed, B. Jones, S. A. Wood, H. A. Palmer, E. D. Smith and N.
P. Clinton. But this action did not mean the actual commence-
ment of construction for dallying with the Chicago, Milwau-
kee & Green Bay continued and other schenies arose as
well. Chief among the latter projects was the charter grant-
ed to the Michigan and Wisconsin Terminal Company on
February 28, 1853. Among the Manitowoc men figuring as
stockholders of this road were P. P. Smith, C. E. Esslinger,
P. Glover and George Reed and there were besides fourteen
outsiders interested in the plan. The capital was fixed- at
six millions, at $100 a share, business to be commenced only
when $200,000 had been subscribed and 5 per cent, paid in, a
condition precedent which of course was never met. The pro-
posed route was from Manitowoc to the northern part of the
state, east of the Lake of the Desert, having its terminus at
Keeweenaw Point in Hougliton Co., Mich., and branches to
the mouth of the Ontonagon River and Iron Bay on Lake
Superior, practically the route of the present Superior Divis-
ion of the St. Paul system. Fifteen years were given for its
coinpletion and subscription books were opened in July at
Manitowoc, Menasha and other places. Congressional aid*
was confidently expected but the company never _ got beyond
an incipient stage. Yet it was in the charter of this road
that the legislature made its first attempt to regulate rates
in Wisconsin. Another road on paper that came to nothing
in that year was the Two Rivers and Green Bay Railroad
Company, to which a charter was granted on April 2nd.
Jts stock was fixed at $800,000 and the applicants for the.
Gharter were H. H. Smith, Jl Medbury, W. Aldrich, _HoraCe
Hamilton, W. B. Medbury, Lemuel House, C. Kuehn and S.
A. Alden,— all of Two Rivers, D. Smith of Mishicot, E.
Ricker of Manitowoc and H. S. Baird, T. O. Howe, later a
U. S. Senator, and J. S. Fiske of Green Bay. The incor-
poration shows ah evident desire on the part of Two Rivers
for railroad connections independent of her sduthern neigh-
bor, as it was totally unconnected With the other plans.
In the meanwhile matters had been progressing- with the
other projects. In Decenlber 1853 the village of Manitowoc
granted the right of way to the M. & M. on Quay, Commer-
cial and Water Streets. On April 11th of the year following
it was decided to vote upon the question of extending village

aid in the shape of $150,000 in 7 per cent, bondk The result

was 92 votes in the affirmative and only 6 in the negative, while
Menasha on May 31st voted a similar amount by 41 majority.
All then seemed bright and a ratification meetiilg was Called
at Franklin Hall in Manitowoc, on June 3rd, at which C. Ess-
linger acted as chairman and S. W. Smith as secretary, the
following resolutions being passed.
Resolved, That the projected railroad connecting Manito-
woc and Menasha is of the first importance to the interests of
the two places. ' - '

Resolved, That this meeting hails with pleasure the

triumph of t-rue Menasha in securing for the pro^
friends of
position of the M. & M.
R. R. Co., a majority at the recent
election and respond to the greetings of Menasha with our
warmest congratulations. '

Resolved, That the citizens of Menasha have evinced a'

praiseworthy regard for the interests of the village by the.
endorsement of an enterprise of importance.
Resolved, That Manitowoc extends to Menasha the righ^
hand of fellowship with the earnest hope that the union
cemented between the two places by iron bands may be ac-
complished at an early day and be as lasting as the, eternal
hills.
Definite plans were now under way. President Reed mak-
ing every effort to push matters. It was even rumored iu
 —

90

the early part of 1854 that the road would be completed

in a year. On April 7th Mr. Reed made an exhibit of his
plan to the village trustees, which resulted in a vote of con-
fidence by that body and was one of the instrumental causes
in the favorable popular vote on the bond issue four days
later. According- to his estimates the cost of the road as far as
Menasha would be $924,326, an average of $22,008 for each
of the forty two miles, including an equipment consisting of
five locomotives, three baggage, eight passenger and fifty
freight cars. These figures were on the basis of estimates
furnished by C. R. Alton, the consulting engineer. Mr. Reed
made his report to the directors in October 1854 in its final
form, in which he gave an extended account of the road's past
and present. By this time the survey had been completed to
Lake Winnebago and, although the total distance to the
Mississippi was 284 miles, it was thought best to attempt
this first portion only. In speaking of the advantages the
road had there were mentioned the Fox River Valley Re-
gion thus made tributary, the openitig of fourteen rich
counties with a population of 17,672 by means of the intersect-
ing plaakroads, the connection with the Chicago, Milwaukee
and Green Bay at Manitowoc and with the |Pere Marquette
line then being proposed in Michigan by means of a boat line
and finally with two proposed roads from Menasha to New-
port and Ripon. The rtsources of the road were stated as
follows:
Subscriptions paid in 5 per cent, installment $100,000
Menasha and Manitowoc Village Bonds 300,000
Bonds of County to be secured by First Mortgage. . 420,000
Additional Stock required 120,000

940,000
Entire Cost 924,000

Balance 15,674
Of the $120,000 was thought $100,000 might easily be dis-
it

posed of in Germany through Charles Klingholz, the com-

pany's agent, then in Europe. The first year's receipts,
estimated at $262,520 would also, it was expected, assist U\
 91

making- up any discfepaticy. This was the roseau- hue that

the project assumed in the latter part of 1854. But troubles
soon commenced. As was said in January 1855: "The basis
of the road is stock sul)Scriptions amounting to $100,000,
$300,000 in bonds not yet issued and negotiated and a first
mortgage on the road amounting to $420,000, which is yet to
find a market." Confidence' in President Reed was not as
great as it might have been and even as early as March 1855
he offered to vacate the position if any one else willing to
undertake the work would assume his duties. Hopes in the
extension of the Chicago, Milwaukee & Green Bay had not,
however, ceased and on March 3rd a meeting was held at
which D- H. Van Valkenburgh acte as chairman. Mr. Reed
1

addressed the meeting, stating that its object was to complete

the road to Milwaukee and Chief Engineer Alton of the road
was also present. A committee of fifteen was appointed to
push the matter, consisting of O. H. Piatt, P. P. Smith, F.
Borcherdt, J. Lueps, S. A. Wood, E. D.' Beardsley, H. F. Hub-
bard, D. H. Van Valkenburgh, B Jones, G. L. Lee, F. Salo-
mon and C. Klingholz. On March 14th a county convention,
to discuss the building of the road was called and F. Bor-
cherdt was chosen chairman, H. C. Hamilton of Two Rivers
acting as secretary. Vice presidents were chosen as follows:
Manitowoc, >r. Rand; Rapids, G. Clawson; Mishicott, D.
Smith; Two Rivers, C. Kuehn; Kossuth, J. Edwards; New-
ton, William Griebling; Maple Grove, J. Sharp. Resolutions
were adopted as follows, pledging the meeting to the support
of a loan:
Whereas, We deem the extension of the Lake Shore
Railroad to some point within the county a measure of vital
importance to the agricultural and manufacturing interests of
the northern portion of the state and especially of Manitowoc
County, whereby our pupulation is to be increased, the value
of our property advanced, our resources developed and the
facilities of a cheap and easy inter-communication at all sea-
sons of the year with other portions of the state and the
Union afforded us, and whereas we are informed that the Lake
Shore R. R. Co. proposes to extend their road to some point
within the cotlnty immediately, provided they receive frotil
the county sufficient aid and encouragement to enable them to
do so, therefore
Be it Resolved, That for the purpose of enabling- and in-
ducing- the Lake Shore R. R. to complete their road to some
point within the county it is expedient that the county of
Manitowoc loan its credit to said company for the sum of
s 300,000, if such sUm
be found necessary to accomplish the
work proposed, provided said company g"ive satisfactory secu-
rity for the payment of the interest and principal of said loan
as the same may fall due. Resolved that a committer of one
from each town in the county be appointed to correspond with
the Lake Shore Company and obtain from them a definite
proposition as to the amount they will need the credit of the
county for and the security they will return for the same.
The committee of correspondence was according-ly ap-
pointed bui all energ-y was wasted for by this time the road
in questio.n, which later became the nucleus of the Northwes-
terly system had already decided to extend northward through

the Fox River Valley region.

However as the summer wore on the matters of th^ Mani-
towoc & Mississippi advanced. The contract was let to A.
P. Graham & an eastern firm, but they lacking confidence
Co.,
in the ability of the owner? to compensate them assigned it to
N. p. Moulton & Co. in July. Ground was broken by the
latter^firm on June 10, 1855, but the year dragged on without
any continuance of the work. New directors were elected as
usual in July, S. A. Wood and J. E. Piatt representing the
village interests and George Reed being re-elected president,
Ja,cob Lueps, treasurer and George L. Lee, secretary. On Oc-
tober 8th a mass meeting was held in the village for the pur-
pose of raising the deficiency in the stock subscriptions.
Among the speakers were, A. W. Buel, recently arrived from
De:ttoit, President Reed and Secretary Lee, but the only re-
sult was the appointment of a committee to secure the sub-
scriptions. In the succeeding March Secretary Lee resigned
and A. Ten Eyck was elected to fill the vacancy. In May the
contract with N. P. Moulton & Co., was rescinded, since it
GEORGE REED.
94

was seen that they were too timid to continue the work and
on the 14th of the month Barker & Hoes secured the job,
g-uaranteeing- to complete the construction by October of the
year 1857. Time wore on and on July 7th the date for holding
the annual director's meeting arrived. Dissentions had been
g-rowing- and it was soon seen that a faction, headed by Ben-
jamin Jones, who was a surety for the contractors, was clear-
ly opposed to the Reed manag^ement. This faction was at
first successful, scoring' a point in having- a motion passed that
only full paid stock should be represented. This permitted
them to control the meeting- and Charles Cain, a Milwaukee
mill owner, was chosen president, S. A. Wood, vice president,
C. Essling-er, treasurer and A. Ten Eyck, secretary; while the
board of directors comprised C. Cain, B. Jones, J. E. Piatt, S.
A. Wood, E. D. Beardsley, M. Fellows, all of Manitowoc and
C. Doty and J. Turner of Menasha. It was decided to put
iforth a grand effort to complete the road by November as far
as Branch Mills. But the Reed partisans, consisting- of George
and Curtis Reed, C. Klingholz and H. L. Palmer, who had
been summarily ejected from the directorship, wouldnotdown
and bolted, forming an organization of their own with George
Reed as president. Feeling grew high, the Manitowoc press
vituperating Mr. Reed and his friends for opposing the pro-
gress of the road. J. Lueps, however, with great skill secured
a vote of confidence from the village trustees in the Reed
,

management, much to the chagrin of many of the latter's

constituents, since popular sympathy in Manitowoc seemed to
be with the Cain faction. In fact the representatives from the
second ward, I. Parrish and H. Rand, were the objects of a
public remonstrance, signed very numerously, appearing in
the weekly Herald on August 9th, to which they also replied
jn justification. The vote of confidence had its effect never-
theless and a temporary compromise was effected by which
the Cain directors gave way to the Reed management.
Though work was resumed and continued throughout
that fall and the following spring, by May 1, 1857, one year
after the contract had been let, Barker & Hoes had only com-
pleted one third of the grading on the eastern end and no
JOSEPH VILAS, SR,
 95

depot grounds had been fixed. It was in the spring- of that

year also that the legislature chartered the Manitowoc and
Fond du Lac Railroad Company, another scheme that came to
nothing. The projectors were C. Kuehn, W. H. Glover, W.
Bach, N. Wollmer, B. Jones, C. W. Fitch, T. Clark, C. H.
Walker, all of Manitowoc and several Fond du Lac parties.
No steps toward further organization were taken however.
As to the Manitowoc and Mississippi, confidence began to dis-
appear and the Green Bay Advocate said in April: "It is our
honest conviction that the M. & M. railroad when completed
to Menasha, will not pay for the oil necessary to lubricate, it.s
car wheels." Manitowoc parties, who acted as guarantors of
the contractors, became exercised at the progress and a final
coup was decided upon, by which it was planned to grant the
first allotment of shares to the contractors in order to facili-
tate matters. This was done partially by givingthemsixhun-
dred $100 shares against the protest of President Reed at a
meeting held on June I7th. The contractors thereby gained
a control that Mr. Reed and his friends claimed they had not
earned. The Reed partisans thus ousted, held a directors,
meeting on July 1st and organization was effected as follows:
President, George Reed; Vice-President, Jacob Lueps; Sec-
retary, R. Klingholz; Treasurer, N. Wollmer; Stock Agent,
Jacob Lueps; Directors, G. Reed, N. Wollmer, Curtis Reed,
B. J. Sweet, J. Lueps, R. Klingholz, A. Baensch and C. H,
Walker. The Cain organization met five days later and, the
Barker & Hoes shares being in the majority, put in C. Cain
as president, W. Bach as vice-president, and S. A. Wood as
secretary, B. Jones, J. E. Piatt and S. A. Wood representing
Manitowoc on the board of directors. Thus it came about
that two organizations were in existence aiming to build the
same road and at sword's point with each other. Work con-
sequently came to a standstill, the Cain organization hinder-
ingrin every way Hewitt & Co., who had been hired by George
Reed to commence the Menasha end of the road. Taunts
and recriminations flew fast through the summer of 1857 and
when Jacob Lueps who was in Germany for the purpose of
selling the bonds of the road, heard of the turn affairs had
96

taken he refused to continue his ag-ency and soon after return-

ed home. To add to the company's distress the panic of 1857
came on, business was at a standstill and the road was advei*-
tised for sale for the non-payment of 13,130 interest due on
the first mortg-ag-e and Menasha bonds, the former of which
had been issued to Azariah Flag-g- and James Horner, New
York capitalists. President Reed opposed this sale, but bis
opponents had the books and refused to show them up. Suits
were commenced by the Cain organization against tbeir op-
ponents for the proceeds of what bonds had been sold and also
for other stock. The two Menasha members of the organiza-
tion, Messrs.Doty and Turner, became frightened and placed
themselves in the hands of D. F. Pulling, Cain's attorney,
with instructions to get what settlement could be effected.
Itwas decided to postpone the sale finally but this was not
the end of complications.
The Menasha residents, having so much became
at stake,
restive and at a public meeting- called there on January 9,
1858 it was decided to appoint an investigating commixtee,
since certain charg-es were made against Reed's management.
The committee appointed reported in a few weeks, completely
exonerating- Reed from all charges and expressing- it as their
opinion that he could prosecute the work better than anyone
else. It also censured the action of Doty and Turner as also
that of the Cain supporters at Manitowoc. It was claimed
that all members of the latter had -'axes to grind" in wishing-
the railroad project harm and that the members of the Cain
board had no confidence in each other or in their ability to
build a road. The financial condition of the project, it was
reported, was g-ood and all would be well if dissensions could
be hushed. The statement made was as follows:
ASSETS:
Cash Subscriptions S 31,700
First Mortgag-e Bonds 426,0(i0
Manitowoc and Menasha Village Bonds 274,000
Grading, Bridging, Ties, etc 360,000
Due from Contractors (.Overdrawn 52,000
Farm Mortgages, Interest on Sartie 6,800
Lueps' Subscription conditional on Reed's Management 50,000
Total ;....,.. ..$1,200,500
 9,7

LIABILITIES.
First Mortg-ag-e Bonds in hands of Contractors. . . . . .$ 89,000
Interest on Bonds 4,000
Miscellaneous 500
7,

Taxes 500
Full Paid Stock 140,000

Total $ 241,000
At this time the road had been graded as far as Reeds-
villeand iron had been ordered for the first twenty miles. It
was then that George Reed made the following proposition to
the committee:
"Gentlemen: —In answer to. your inquiry as to what we
will undertake to do towards carrying forward the work of
the M. &
M. we will state lhat if the authorities of the vil-
lages of-Menasha and Manitowoc within thirty days will
treat with and recognize the "Reed organization" so called in
contra-distinction to the "Cain organization" and agree to
carry out in good faith the contract as representatives of the
company and if the village of Menasha and the stockholders
of Menasha will sustain Hewitt & Co. in their contract with
the company in prosecution of the work between Menasha
and Spring Creek, we have the whole line of the
will agree to
first division of the railroad prepared and completed, ready
fbr the iron rail, as early as the first of July next, and also if
we can command the securities of the company, will agree to
have the iron purchased and the track laid by the first cf
October, or as soon thereafter as possible.'' Yours Respect-
fully, George Reed, J. Lueps, C. Klingholz, C. Reed."
This offer was, on the recommendation of the committee,
accepted by the village trustees of Menasha at their meeting
on Jan. 29tli. Finally, however, since no progress was being-
made during the spring President Reed resigned and, auth-
orized by a special act of the legislature, the stockholders
met on July 5, 1858, and elected a new management, in which
both factions were recognized as follows: President, Jacob
Lueps; vice-president, B. S. Heath, of Menasha; treasurer,
H. Rahr; secretary, S. A. Wood; chief engineer, F. Salomon;
 .

98

directors, J. Lueps, J. M. Sherwood, R. Klingholz, Gerard

Kremers, S. A. Wood, J. E. Piatt, of Manitowoc and B. S.
Heath and S. M. Bronson of Menasha. Prospects seemed
brig-ht again and steps were taken toward immediate com-
pletion, it being hoped that the road might be in running or-
der by the next July. The governor appointed as a board of
inspectors Dr. M. F. Davis, F. S. Lovell and Judge Howe in
order to settle all disputes, but the spirit had departed from
the enterprise and work was not resumed because of lack of
funds. On April 21. 1859, the interest on tlie old issue of
bonds and also on another issue, made in 1858, remaining
unpaid the road was advertised for sale and bought in by
Jacob Lueps and B. Jones for 8100,000. In July P. Latimer, a
New York capitalist, appeared upon the scene and made a
proposition to Lueps and his associates that he would build
the road, shipping the iron within fifteen months, if the vil-
lage would issue its full amount of bonds Besides the bonds
of the two villages, still unissued amounting to $274,000 he
also asked $450,000 in first mortgage security and $242,000 in
second mortgage bonds, a total of $977,000. A meeting of
citizens was held to discuss the proposition on August 10, S.
A. Wood acting as chairman and F. Borcherdt as secretary.
While the village did not desire to go ahead and build the
road itself, it did not favor Mr. Latimer's proposition and the
majority report of the committee on resolutions was adopted
as follows:— "Resolved, That the board of trustees of this
village be advised by this meeting not to issue any of the
bonds of the village to the M. and M. Railroad Co. upon the
contract signed with P. Latimer, submitted to this meeting
under date of July 30 and to no other person or company un-
til sufiScient guaranties are given by them that the principal

and, interest of such bonds will be punctually paid and not

until such contract in all its bja.rings and provisions be sub-
mitted to the people of this village in meeting assembled."
G. L.Lee and J. D. Markham signed this report while Tem-
ple Clark offered a minority report, favoring Latimer.
J. E. Piatt went east in September to confer with capit-

alists and reported on his return to the village trustees that

 §9

ttey had advised the formation of a new company and an is-

sue of bonds. Contractor Barker at about the same time of-
fered to build and equip the road for $874,000, but the resolu-
tions passed by both the Menasha and Manitowoc trustees,
favoring- the issue of $75,000 in bonds by each village were
not a sufficient encouragement. During- the fall and succeed-
ing months J. Lewis, a financial agent from Toronto looked
over the road as did also a Mr. Grant, but no offer of comple-
tion resulted. The Menasha people in the meanwhile blamed
the Manitowoc stockholders for blocking Mr. Reed's projects,
he, it was claimed, being the only one capahle of completing
the road. In May and June of 1860 two Canadian capitalists,
Messrs. James Beachell, of Toronto and R. Bell, of Ottawa,
inspected the road, becoming favorably impressed. They
might have come to a definite proposition had it not been for
an injunction, which had been pending since March 24, se-
cured by George and Curtis Reed and aimed at any purchas-
ers of the road. It seems that certain legal requirements as to
the publication of notice of the sale had hot b'eeh'met and
Judge Whiton sustained the restraining order. Thfe Reeds re-
'

fused to settle the matter and feeling aga:in'6t'them'waS ag-'aiii

very high on the part of those who desired to transfer the'
property. It was proposed in June that there should' bfe ah
election and re-organization but the fears then entertained on
the part of the Menasha people that the destination of the
road might be changed to Appleton interfered with such an
arrangement. Ni officers had been elected since 1858 and in
the threatening days, so full of political excitement, in
the latter part of 1860, further interest in railroad matters
seemed to lapse, although feeble attempts were made afre-
organization the succeeding spring. The Reed organization
continued to hold adjourned meetings, lacking a quorum,
throughout the war, thus leading an anomalous existence,
with headquarters in Menasha.
After the issue of the war had been decided attention was
again turned towards railroad matters. A proposal was made
in January 1864 that all stockholders place their shares on a
common basis to be disposed of to some eastern men with
loo

capital encmgli to construct the road.Mr, Reed also had pro-

posals to make he having- effected an un-
at about this time,
derstanding with Jacob Lueps, the purchaser of the rights of
Vay. Two years passed, the Reed organization still maintain-
ing its legal existence. Then on April 4, 1866* the charter of
the M. & M. was consolidated, the new incorporators being
George Reed and Jos. Vilas of Manitowoc; Henry Hewitt, R.
M. Scott and Curtis Reed of Menasha. George Reed was
chosen president and Joseph Vilas vice-president and oo
March 1st an act was passed providing that whenever the
company should deposit in the First National bank $100,000
and release the village from the $37,000 in bonds then due
the clerk of the village should deposit $100,000 of the village
bonds subject to exchange for stock in the company. Two
years more passed without definite action when, on March 6,
1868, the, Manitowoc and Minnesota company was organized
to succeed to the corporate rights of the old M. & M. The
promoters were Henry Hewitt, Curtis Reed, R. Klingholz, I.
S. Buck and George Reed and the capital stock was fixed at
ten millions. It was given the power to enforce the bonds of
its predecessors and the first directors were to be elected in

May 1869. It was expected that the aid of such capitalists as

Hiram Barnard and S. J. Tilden of New York could be en-
listed and it was planned to include Appleton on the route
and to reach the Mississippi. Judge Reed thought to take
advantage of an old grant of a right of way to Lake Superior
via Stevens Point, a distance of about three hundred miles in
all, —eventually the line of the Wisconsin Central. Eastern
connections with the F. & P. M., which had been urged as
early as 1857, were again proposed also. In September the til-
lage board put the question of advancing $100,000 in village
bonds to aid the project and the election held on the 22nd re-
sulted as follows: For proposition, 304; against, 80, a major-
ity of 224. The usual delay resulted, however, and *by this
time attention was turning in another direction.
It seems that a grant had been made to a company
known as the Milwaukee and Lake Superior railroad in 1856,
its rights being extended ten years in 1866. Capitalists had
 101

taken up which kad been allowed to lapse so long

tliis project,
and on March 1869 it was g-iven permission by the legis-
5,
lature to build its road through Cedarburg-, Grafton, Port
Washington, Sheboygan, Manitowoc and Green Bay to some
point on Lake Superior. F. W. Horn, the president of the
road, visited Manitowoc in October 1869 in its interest and a
railroad meeting was held on November 13. Captain Guyles
acted as chairman, F. Borcherdt as secretary and among the
speakers were J. D. Markham, E. B. Treat, C. E. Esslinger,
S. A. Wood and D. Smoke. Committees were appointed, and
soon Joseph Vilas, always a master organizer, was attracted
towards the new plan as a most practicable project. Mr.
Reed, however, did not remain inactive and in December asked
'

further aid for his road to pay the expense of a survey and
other preliminaries. A vote on the question of advancing it
was taken, resulting in 103 for and 188 against the proposi-
tion and it was thus seen that Manitowoc was not favorable to
his plans. The railroad committee, appointed in November,
went to Appleton and found the people there very enthusiastic
over the prospects of a new outlet. Another meeting was
called for January r9th, 1870 at Klingholz Hall. Captain
Guyles again acted as chairman and the principal business
was the receipt of a letter from Milwaukee, asking what as-
sistance Manitowoc would give. A second committee was ac-
cordingly appointed, consisting of S. A. Wood, C. E. Ess-
linger, J. Lueps and J. D. Markham to go to Madison and .as-
sist in securing a charter. The struggle was a hard one, the
opponents of the project being the Milwaukee & Northern and
the Wisconsin Central, the latter of which was now being
built with George Reed asoneof its principal promoters. The
committee representing Manitowocworked hard and long but
their efforts at first met with disappointment for on March
2nd the assembly by a vote of 43 to 41 voted against the char-
ter. A few days later, however, an amendment was assented
to changing the name from that of the Milwaukee, Manito-
woc, Mississippi & Minnesota company, which had been pro-
posed, to the Miljvaukee, Manitowoc & Green Bay and, as
such, articles of incorporation were granted to it on March
102

lOth. The capital stock was fixed at five tailliotis, with auth-
ority granted to double the amount and the incorporators
were Joseph Vilas, Charles Cain, I. M. Btan. D. Taylor, t.
Hilg-er, J. W. Vail, S. W. Cozzens, Levi Blossom, R. C. Har-
rington, W. S. Chandler and Jacob Lueps, most of them out-
side capitalists. Authority was g-iven to towns, villages and
counties along its route to grant aid also. In the same month
organization was effected by the election of the following of-
ficers:— President, Charles Cain; vice-president, S. W. Coz-
zens; secretary Joseph Vilas; treasurer, R. O. C. Merrington.
Thus all the elements, it will be seen, that were present in
the older railroad efforts in the county were in the new or-
ganization; minus Mr. Reed, who opposed this new project
strenuously in the legislature and outside it.
'
Alarge mass meeting was held on March 23rd at which
it was decided without a dissenting vote tc submit to the

citizens the question whether or not the county should sub-

scribe $250,000. In the meantime a meeting was held of the
directors of the old Appleton & New London Railroad com-
pany; which had existed for some years on paper and Joseph
VilJls-'Kfas' elected president, so that the management of the
tWd' t-'ibads became almost identical. The charter of this latter
road had been so amended that it might connect with the
other at some point on Lake Michigan and from 1870 on it
and the Milwaukee, Manitowoc & Green Bay were one pro-
ject. The vote in Manitowoc county was taken on April 12th.
Manitbwoc city and town voted in favor of the bond issue; al-
most unanimously, 1,493 ballots being so cast and majorities
favorable were secured also in the towns of Rapids, Kossuth,
Cato, Newton, Franklin and Rockland, amounting to 2,544
wMle an aggregate majority of 1,921 against the issue was
theireisult in Two Rivers, Mishicot, Gibson, Meeme, Maple
Gtove^ Liberty, Cooperstown, Centreville, Two Creeks and
Schleswi g. The aid voted was divided, $150, 000 to the Apple-
ton and New London and $100,000 to the Milwaukee, Manito-
woc & Green Bay and the result of the total vote was 597
majority for the latter and 661 for the former proposition. In
the words of the local press: "Now one more railroad cbm-
 103

patiy has got all it has asked for from the county and we are
waiting- for them to fulfill their part of the contract." Br6wn
county also signified a willing-ness to aid the project, if as-
surances would be given that the road would touch that sec-
tion.
Work began on the road north of Milwaukee in May and on
June 4th Port Washington voted to take $30,000 of stock in
the Milwaukee, Manitowoc & Green Bay by 210 majority. Di-
rectors were elected in July and the following ofiScers also
—
chosen: President, Joseph Vilas; vice-president, C. Cozzens,
of New York; secretary, R. Mcrrington; treasurer, C. C.
Barnes. During 1870 and 1871 the Milwaukee & Northern
Railroad company was also pushed and the town of Schles-
wigbyalarge majority granted $15,000 in aid to the road.
Joseph Vilas, president of the other road, was in the meatiT
while making frequent trips to New York, interesting capital
there and getting matters in final shape for the construction.
It was his persistent efforts more than anything else that
brought about a successful consummation of the plans so
soon. Other projects were still considered, however, and in
January 1871 George Reed called a meeting at the courthouse
in the interests of the old Manitowoc & Minnesota, promising
to build the road to Menasha in a year, providing the city
would get the right of way ready for the rails. Another
meeting was held by O. II. Waldo and other promoters of a
scheme to build a road from Milwaukee to Manitowoc via
Cedarburg and Sheboygan Falls but neither this nor the for-
mer proposition were favorably received, the Manitowoc and
Minnesota a few months later becoming consolidated with
the Wisconsin Central and George Reed being elected presi-
dent of both corporations. Thereafter his interest in Manito-
woc railroad projects was at an end. For twenty years had
he been identified with them and there are those who believe
that had he been allowed to proceed unhampered at the first
the Manitowoc & Mississippi might have been built and in
active operation before the Civil war.
In the meanwhile work was being pushed on the Apple-
ton & New London, between Appleton and Manitowoc, the
104

part first to be built. Presidetit Vilas in April, 187l, ptlf*

chased 1500 toas of iron rails, a locoihotive and several plat-
form cars, the rails arriving- May 30. In the early dawn of
Sunday inorning-, June 22, the first locomotive, named th«
Benjamin Jones, after the city's founder, v\^as brought into
the harbor on board the two-masted schooner Mediterranean,
having been shipped on the craft atBuffalo. All day a stream
of visitors gazed upon this herald of a new day ai^d hopes for
the future seemed now near realization. The lofty railroad
bridge near Branch Mills was constructed in this month and
in July at a meeting of the stockholders all was reported as
prosperous. Joseph Vilas was re-elected president, Henry
Mann chosen vice-president,. C.Luling, secretary, C. C. Barnes,
treasurer and eleven directors, two from Milwaukee, one from
Port Washington, three from Sheboygan, besides Jacob
Lueps, J. D. Markham, M.. Fellows, C. H. Walker and Joseph
Vilas, were elected. It had now been definitely settled that
Appleton was to be upon the route and upon the advice of Hi-
ram/Barnard, the iNew York capitalist, that city extended
considerable aid. The satisfaction expressed by the rapidity
of the work on the Appleton division was augmented, when
in;September news reached the city that work north of Mil-
waukee would be pushed immediately. In June the company
askedfor further aid, $75,000 of the city of Manitowoc and
fc5,000 from Two Rivers. The latter was to be in considera-
tion of an agreement to .build a branch to that city along the
line granted the year before (on March 24, 1871) by the legis-
lature to the Manitowoc & Big Sturgeou R. R. Co. the incorpo-
,

rators of which were J. Vilas, John Schuette and C. C Barnes

of Manitowoc; H. H. Smith of Two Rivers and W. Wya;tt of
Kenosha. Meetings were held to discuss this new proposal
:

and sentiment seemed to be so in favor of the extra aid that an

election was held on June 7th, resulting as follows in Mani-
tuwoc:. Wards, For Against
I. . 152' 77
'

II. 99 17
III. 232 39
IV.' 125 -54
'

Total, 578 187

 106

f la Two Kivef s tte vote was taken on the 24th of Jaly and
resulted in 299 votes being cast in favor of the proposition as
against 96 against it, a result which met with enthusiastic
acclaim. Sheboygan cit}' also voted $50,000 and the county
$80j000 in aid of the project, the sum total of the amounts
voted by the lake shore counties to the road being $480,000.
In the fall of 1872 the road from Manitowoc to Appleton was
opened for business. Work was also progressing north of
Milwaukee, being completed as far as Sheboygan by the time
winter set in, under the able management of engineerH. G. H.
Reed, in charge of the construction. The panicof 1873 did not
interrupt the work, due to the efforts of President Vilas, and
on September 22nd of that year the road was formally opened
to Milwaukee, the Two Rivers branch being completed the-
following year. During 1872 and 1873 the officers remained
unchanged with the exception of the addition of Charles Lu-
ling, who acquired interests in the project at about this time.
The name Milwaukee Lake Shore & Western was assumed
in 1873 as the designation of the consolidated system.
Trouble soon arose, however, the road being unable to meet
its obligations held by eastern capitalists and early in 1874 it
became necessary to turn it over to the bondholders. Direc-
tors Fellows, Lueps, Markham,
Elwell and Colzhausen
stepped out and L. Wells, W. EL Guion, S.' S. Sands and S.
H. Knox pf New York City; I. C. Horning of Philadelphia
and R.. Bard of Baltimore, who had bought the bonds, filled
the places vacated. On May 6th a re-organization was effect-
e4, F. W. Rhinelander of New York succeeding Mr. Vilas as
president and Henry Mann of Milwaukee being chosen vice-
president. Old obligations were then settled, claims adjusted
and the road extended westward from Appleton from year to
year until the Lake Shore system became one of the best
equipped of the smaller roads of the state. Joseph Vilas and
Charles Luling were at this time and for many succeeding
years the only Manitowoc men interested in the road, being
directors. . . ,

- can scarcely be said that Manitowoc received all the

It
benefit it had expected from railway connections. The much
106

hoped fot eastern lake route did not materialize and, altiiougli
the division railroad shops were located at Manitowoc at first,
even these were removed to Kaukaunain 1883 much to the cha-
grin and detriment of the city. In 1884 rumors to the effect
that the Two Rivers branch would be extended to Kewarnee
were rife and again in 1887 the Milwaukee and Northern con-
templated an extension from Kiel to Kewaunee, public meet-
ings to consider the project being held in the country towns
but no action resulted from either project. In the meanwhile
the city and county were beginning to realize that the mon-
ey subscribed for stock in the railroad companies had, by the
reorganization of the M. L. S. & W- become a debt and noth-
,

ing more. The county board in January, 1884 appointed a

committee,- consisting of Supervisors Stoker, Schmitz and
McCarty, to investigate the matter and see if any relief was
possible.. At that time $216,000 of the county subscription
was still unpaid and all the money advanced by the cities of
Manitowoc, and Two Rivers was owing. An attempt had been
made in earlier years to come to some agreement, notable in
the efforts being John Carey, but the cities had been back-
ward in co-operating, wishing to ascertain what were the
compainy's motives. Two lawyers were consulted by the com-
mittee and gave their opinions, Michael Kirwan holding that
the county had no redress and was bound to pay the bonds
while F. W. Gotzhausen of Milwaukee maintained an exactly
contrary position. It was finally referred to Attorney Joshua
Stark of Milwaukee, who upheld Judge Kirwan's opinion.
The county bonds became due on July 1, 1890, being held in

New York, Sheboygan, Manitowoc and elsewhere, selling in

1888 at a premium of five per cent. In that year another com-
mittee, consisting of J. P. Nolan, of Maple Grove; J. Mur-
phy of Cato and F. Sohuette of Manitowoc, was chosen by
the board to ascertain the best method of paying ofE the debt.
Discussion continued at intervals until the November session
in 1889 when the proposition of County Treasurer Gielow was
adopted, by which the bonds were to be refunded and an ar-
rangement made to pay $18,000 annually for fifteen years.
The townofSchleswig was meeting with similar questions with
 107

regard to its Milwaukee & Northern bonds and made a settlement

somewhat similar, agreeing to pay $1000 for thirteen years.
During the twenty years these bonds had run Schleswig had
paid $24,000 in interest, nearly twice the amount Of the orig-
inal aid extended. The bonds of the cities of Manitowoc arid
Two Rivers became due in 1892 and the former refunded the
i?35,000 then remaining due in twenty year bonds. Two Riv^
ers making a similar arrangement. On several occasions talk
arose of possible connections between the M. L. S. & W. and
the Wisconsin Central but nothing definite came of it.
In 1889 the former asked the city council of Manitowoc for a
franchise, granting the right of way on Franklin and Quay-
streets from their depot to the lake front, promising the city
much benefit from proposed impirovements at the latter point.
Much opposition arose, however, and General Maqager Whit-
comb and Mr. Thayer representing the road were called up-
on to address the council upon the matter. The right of way
was finally granted after the imposition of some conditions
as to the use of the same. Damage suits were then brought
by abutting property holders, which dragged on for many
years, the attorneys for the plaintiffs, Sedgwick, Sedgwick &
Schmidt, finally securing a decision in the fall of 1901. The
railroad company had bought the Hinckley and Allen prop-
erty, consisting of nineteen acres, on the lake shore for $13,-
000 but year after year passed without any of the promised
improvements being made with the exception of the building
of a warehouse for the transferring of freight to the F. & P. M.
liners. In 1891 steps were taken looking toward the incorpor-'
ation of the M. L. S. & W. into the Chicago & Northwestern
system. By this time no Manitowoc capital was invested in
the former road and the change, perfected August 19, 1893,
would have been immaterial had it not injured the city's fa-
cilities by the fact that many of the through trains were
thereafter run over the Wisconsin instead of the Ashland di^
vision, as the Lake Shore was now called. About the time of'
the change a depot was built, which filled anlong felt -need,
the new structure being a neat and commodious one, costing
$15,000, AHhough the C. & N. W. continued through ship^
 '

108

ments across the lake in 1892 business fell oif and the panic
of the next year still further depressed trade. The Kewaunee
short line, established at about the same time was also a dis-
turbing factor affecting- local business. It was at this linpro*
pitious time that the Northwestern asked for the vacation of
the lake front street ends on the south side, thus raising- a
question that vexed the city fathers all during the summer oft
1893. Upon showing that it was purchasing the right of way
for a proposed belt line around the southern limits of the city
the company was unanimously granted the privilege after
much opposition. The belt line was, not, however, completed
until five years later.
And now in the time of deepestindustrial depression, when
Manitowoc seemed to have little future before her there
came to a head as magnificent a scheme of transportation as
the city had ever hoped for. The old desire to be. located on a
through line to the east, which had been entertained as early
as the fifties, was finally obtained and that through the me-
dium of the Wisconsin Central, by the strange irony of Fate,
the successor to the very privileges granted to the Manito-
woc & Mississippi. The rumor of an extension of the
earliest
Central eastward from Menasha gained currency through the
columns of the Milwaukee and Menasha papers in January,
1894, although it later came to light that ha 1 it not been for

the panic the road would have been built in 1892. In Decem-
ber 1894 the Superior & Southeastern filed articles of incor-
poration, of which Ex-State Treasurer Hunner was one of
the projectors, with Manitowoc or Sheboygan as its projected
terminus. The plan although it did not go beyond the stage.
of incorporation preceded by a few weeks certain peculiar ac-
tions that continued to mystify citizens for three months.Op-
tions were taken on city property just above and north of the
Main street bridge, surveyors were seen in the neighboring
country and wild rumors were afloat. Some thought that the
land was being secured by the C. & N. W., others that the
Inter-Ocean Transportation company was seeking property
and still others attributed the actions to the Wisconsin Cen-
tral but the result w^s that the price of lots wept up ftp4
 109

Manitowoc experienced something' of a boom. Zan-

real estate
der & and others sold their
Co., planing- mill proprietors,
property on what was known as "the flats" and condemna-
tion proceedings were filed on March 20th by a corporation
calling itself the Manitowoc Terminal company against
many of the neighboring tracts. The true facts of the case
did not come out until April 18, when in a special edition of
the Manitowoc Pilot the whole matter became public inform
nlation. It seems that the Wisconsin Central had been re-
sponsible for the activity and that as channels of action there
were two corporations, the Manitowoc Terminal company
and the Milwaukee & Lake Winnebago Railway companj-.
The former secured quietly all of what was known as "Ship-
yard Point" and "Lueps' Island"while the latter had been
obtaining a right of way westward to Hilbert Junction. Con-
tinuous dockage and acres of track space were thus afforded
and it was announced that the depots would be placed near:
the Main street bridge. The vastness of the project was ear-
ly understood; in the language of a newspaper of. the time:
"It evident that these lines are not to be built to se-
is self

cure local business but have in view eastern connections.''

But most remarkable of all the company ^sk6d no bonus,
merely requesting the vacation of the streets on the "fiats."
Fear that it might be the C. & N. W. in disguise was quieted
by the arrival on May 8, of E. H. Abbott, president of the
Central; General Manager Whitcomb, Chief Engineer Tweedy
and P. S. Abbott. The project by this time had become wide-
ly advertised and Manitowoc received much notice. Attorney
Gill appeared before the council upon the question of the va-
cation of the streets on May 13th and President Greenleaf of
the Manitowoc Terminal company communicated with that
body concerning necessary co-operation by the city in dredg-
ing the river soon after.
The contracts for the grading of the new road were let to
Evans & Richards of Minneapolis in a month and the work
was completed by May 1, 1896. Sub-contractors took the job
of digging the deep cuts, one of which required the excava-
tion of 158,000 cubic yards of e^rtji. A commencepignt a.t tjjg
110

gradin-g- of the terminals was made in November 1895 and

dredg-ing continued during the fall and succeeding spring.
Railroad ofiEicials were frequent visitors during the spring
months in order that they might keep in touch with the
work being done. At last the rails were laid and the first train
crossed the new jack knife bridge, which had been erected near
the ship yards, at 3:10 p m. on June 24, 1896, the last spike
of the road being driven by Captain Carle of the Manitowoc
police force. W. Vandegrift of Appleton was chosen local
agent and the road was formally opened on July 2nd. The
train bearing the officials arrived, in charge of Conductor
Scott and Engineer Nolan oh the morning of that day and
speeches were made upon the depot platform by Mayor Torri-
son. President Abbott, Joseph Vilas and H. G. Kress. Freight
sheds were soon constructed and a passenger service of two
trains daily in each direction established. Little villages,
such as Potters, Valders, Madsen and Collins sprang up along
the route forming centers of shipment for farming commun
ities. Extensive yards were established north of the Manito-
woc river and it was not many months before they were filled
with cars enroute to the east. All this railroad activity led
to increased marine facilities, the establishment of elevators
and also of carferry routes, referred to in the preceding pages.
The energy displayed by the Central in opening termin-
als at Manitowoc seemed to have an inspiring effect on the
Chicago & Northwestern as well. Early in 1895 rumors were
abroad that the latter would utilize the carferry system and
build slips on its lake front property. It was finally decided
by that company to improve its facilities and in May 1896 a
slip 450 by 110 feet was constructed. CoaJ docks with a capac-
ity of 250,000 tons were" also added, being managed and oper-
ated by eastern firms, until sold to the Reiss Company in
1899. With all these improvements business naturally in-
creased at a rapid rate until in 1900 that done through the
local office of the Northwestern was greater than at any point
on the system outside of Chicago and Milwaukee.
What the future has for Manitowoc in the way of rail-
foad deyelopment it would be difficult to tell, Jt i^ well
THOMAS WINDIATE
 Ill'

known that some corporation has purchased the right of way

over the submerg-ed property from the north side of the river
entrance to the mouth of the Little Manitowoc and it may be
that some day another belt line may be added or. indeed facil-
ities may be increased in a different way. Rumors have been
prevalent in years past of the entrance of the Illinois Central,
the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul and other lines, but defin-
ite results have not been forthcoming-. Nevertheless the city
need have no fear of the future when it is considered how
much money is invested in terminal facilities. In truth it
seems as if "the dreams of the village founders were at last
approaching consummation.
Manitowoc has been somewhat tardy in securing street
railway facilities. In September 1887 a franchise was asked
for by P. S. Tillson and Henry Schmidt, of Manitowoc and
H. Saemann of Sheboygan. The matter was not pushed,
however, and it was not until the summer of 1900 that it was
revived. At this time Thomas Higgins of Menasha and
Henry Higgins of Marinette, both street car promoters, asked
for a franchise under the name of the Manitowoc & Northern
Traction Company, proposing to run an interurban system
between Manitowoc and Two Rivers with possible later ex-
tensions to Kewaunee and other northern points. After some
discussion and competition by other promoters the Higgins
brothers were granted a thirty-five year franchise by the cily
council of Manitowoc on October 13th and by that of Two
Rivers soon after. Construction was begun the following
June and the road was opened for traffic in the spring of 1902.
Some activity was also manifested throughout 1900 and 1901
by a traction company, which proposed to extend a line
northward from Sheboygan through Manitowoc county to
Green Bay. Votes favorable to the project were taken in sev-
eral of the townships but no definite action followed.
 CHAPTER Vlll.

MILITARY.

The American always rejoices in the annals of his mili-

tsiry achievements. That the valor of the nation has stood
the test of many a conflict is sufficient cause for such a feel-
ing. Such a pride loses nothing of its essence but is in fact
enhanced when history is narrowed down and brought home
to any community. Thus the part played by Manitowoc
county in military affairs o.f over a half a century is of inter-
est, the more so since all of the actors were known as neigh-
bors and many of them linger still in the form of sad memo-
ries in the minds of the older generation.
When Wisconsin was organized as a territory the old
southern militia system, wherein every able bodied citizen
within certain age limits was enrolled, was adopted. Of
course in such a newly settled region it was impossible to
mobilize the force or to hold any drills but the system ex-
isted on paper nevertheless. As early as the later thirties
Manitowoc county was assigned as a part of the Second regi-
ment, remaining so for some years. Reorganization took
place in 1839 and in 1842 the county regiment system was
adopted, whereby each county was made a unit of military
organization, Manitowoc being a part of the First Bat., Sec-
ond Reg., First division. According to the records on Febru-
—
ary 17, 1842 Company E was constituted as follows: Captain,
Pliny Pierce; first lieutenant, Alfred Wood; second lieuten-
ant, P. P- Smith. In 1847 T. A. H. Edwards was made colo-
nel of the Manitowoc county militia, C. H. Champlin, lieu-
tenant-colonel and A. D. Soper major. Then came the Mexi-
can war, causing a general reorganization in military circles.
 US
Manitowoc coutity was too far in the wilderness to take a
part in this strug-g-le, althoug-h a few of the later settlers,
notably S. W. Smith, had served in it. The Wisconsin mili-
tia regiments were brigaded at about this tinle and in 1848
Daniel Eolles was made colonel of the county regiment. Such
appointments continued during the fifties, among those hold-
ing military commissions being J. M. Sherwood, W. Lozier,
S; W. Smith and Temple Clark, the latter becoming partic-
ularly prominent as major-general of a district composing
Manitowoc, Calumet, Brown and Kewaunee counties, known
as the Eighth division. Reverend M. Hoyt was division chap-
lain in the later fifties, Colonel A. Wittman, quartermaster,
Dr, White of Two Rivers surgeon and H. C. Hamilton of the
same place aide to General Clark. _
In the first brigade were
Manitowoc and Calumet counties under command of Briga-
dier-General S. W. Smith, F. Borcherdt acting as aide and
Dr. A. W. Preston as surgeon. Manitowoc county composed
the Thirteenth regiment under Colonel F. Salomon, Lieuten-
ant-Colonel W. A.ldrich and Major C. Rates. Under this sys-
tem, which obtained until 1861, there were about 2,600 en-
rolled militia in the county.
An end was put to this more or less amateur soldiering by
the approach of the dark clouds that portended serious civil
struggle. The crash came suddenly and in the county as in
fact throughout the whole north it was almost stunning in
its effect. Busied with plans of material development the
settlers along the lake shore had not realized the imminence
of war until Sumter was fired upon. But thett like thousands
of other communities enthusiasm and interest was at a high
pitch. Six days after the first gun had been fired the first
war meeting was called at Manitowoc in the courthouse. It
was convened by President Collins of the village; J. F. Guy-
les was chosen chairman aud E. D. Beardsley and S. W,
Smith secretaries. Speeches were made by Temple Clark,
Henry Baetz, B. Anderson and Dr. Preston and then the
committee on resolutions, consisting of C. C. Barnes, J. D.
Markham and Jere Crowle}', brought in a report. Some dis-
agreement arose, Mr. Crowley not signing the report favored
114

by the other two members, he being- at the time a sympath-

izer with the south. Inflammatory speeches followed by C. C.
Barnes and W. M. Nichols but Mr. Crowley, when called up-
on, refused to express his opinions, introducing- instead a Mr.
Wright of New York, who happened to be in the village.
The latter was a strong- Secessionist and made bold to say
that he would fly the Palmetto flag from his sailboat, which
was in the harbor, but the crowd would have none of him'
and he was hissed to his seat. Resolutions were then offered
bv P. P Smith favoring Lincoln and recommending the rais-
ing of a company. These were passed after a wordy battle
and volunteers were called for. The meeting was one Of the
largest ever held in the village. Similar gatherings were
held in Two Rivers and interest was high there also, it being
stated on April 24th that "the volunteers from Two Rivers
will more than fill a company." Two days before forty' men
had enlisted at Manitowoc and this number was increased by
fourteen the next day. Judge Thayer of the circuit court was
at the time holding a term at Manitowoc and in his charge
to the grand jury referred feelingly to the stirring times. On
the evening of the 22nd another rousing meeting was held, a
procession being formed to escort Judge Thayer to the court-
house, where he addressed the citizens. J. F. Guyles acted as
chairman and S. W. Smith and Otto Troemmel as secretaries
while among the speakers were Reverend Engle, J. A. Bent-
ley, J. D. Markham, Temple Clark, C. C. Ess-
C. C. Barnes,
'

linger and A. Wittmann. The company then mobilizing was

soon denominated the Manitowoc County Guards and on April
—
2ith it elected officers as follows: Captain, Temple Clark;first
lieutenant, Horace Walker; second lieutenant, Peter Scher-i
flus, after which Banker M. V. Adams made a patriotic
speech. Three Mishicot young men. Lafayette Smith, James
W. Langworthy and Horace Price, together- with D. A. Shove
and G. E- Waldo of Manitowoc, did not await the calling out
of the Manitowoc Guards and accordingly went to Milwau-
kee and joined the First Regiment, being the first from the
county to enlist and see active service.
C. ESSLINjtiR
 115

All throug-h the county by this time the people were

aroused. At Branch Mills a flag raising afforded the occasion
of expressing enthusiasm and a similar occurrence took place
at the Second ward school in the village of Manitowoc. In
the meanwhile interest centered in Captain Clark's company,
the support given to it being unanimous. A private subscrip-
tion was raised amounling to $1800 to form a soldiers' fund
as a further inducement to enlistment. In the list were $100
gifts from C. C. Barnes, W. Goodenow, Piatt & Vilas, J.
Lueps and B. Jones & Co. and $50 donations from T. C.
vShove, W. Murphy, T. & J. Robinson, M. Fellows, J. Ben-
nett, Collins & Co., Louis Sherman, J. A. Koehler, T. Wind-
iate, S. Hill, J. Richards, McDonald & Bros., Beer & Kern,
C. Esslinger, J. S. Guyles, A. Wittman, J. D. Markham, T.
G. Olmstead, H. Berner, J. Roeffs, E. Haywood, W. Hand,
G. Glover, H. Baetz, W. H." Nichols, R. Klingholz and O.
Torrison. Said the Weekly Herald: "If every man in the com-
pany wants the Herald for his parents, wife or sweetheart
while he is fighting he shall have it." On May 1st 1861 Cap-
tain Temple Clark issued the following proclamatio;i to citi-
zens: "The company of volunteers from this county has been
accepted by the governor and the officeris commissioned. The
company will be clothed and equipped at the expense of the
state as soon as they are assigned to a regiment and ordered
to rendezvous; in the meantime they will be kept under con-
stant drill and such of them as do not belong in the village
will be boarded at the expense of the state. One of the most
necessary articles for the equipment of the soldier is the
blanket. The enormous demand for these renders it impossi-
ble for the state to procure them in sufficient quantities to
furnish the volunteers in the state unless aided by private
all
contributions of this article and we are obliged to make a call
upon all our patriotic citizensto contribute from their priyate
stores as blankets as they can spare towards supplying
many
this necessary want of our company. Respectfully Yours,
Temple Clark. "
The result was the formation among th® ladies of the vil-
lage of societies for the preparation of necessaries for the
116

soldiers. The Guards in the meantime were fearful lest the

war mig-ht be brought to a sudden termination and thus they
be deprived of an, opportunity to show their valor. At last
after several weeks of weary waiting- Captain Clark received
orders on May 2lst to his company to a full quota of 100
fill

men and to be ready to march upon a moment's notice. Six

days' later a third mass meeting- was held and stirring ad-
dresses made, patriotism being foremost in minds. Still no
all

word came for the company to move. On June

12th Colonel
Emery arrived and mustered the company into the state ser-
vice. During the same week a beautiful ceremony took place
in the presentation of a flag to the company made by the' la-
dies of the village, the presentation address being made by
Mrs. Collins and the captain replying in a few feeling words.
The flag was captured at Cold Harbor- but was later retaken
and after an exhibition at the Centennial was placed in the
Capitol at Madison.
Then came command to mobilize at Madison and on
the
Sunday evening, June 23rd, 1861, the Manitowoc County
Guards embarked on the Goodrich liner Comfet and were car-
ried southward. The largest crowd ever assembled in the vil-
lage was present at the pier and the scenes enacted were of a
nature never to be forgotten as partings were said, in
many instances for the last time. Upon arrival at Camp Ran-
dall in Madison drilling was the order of the day and on July 13
the men were mustered into the United States service as
Company A., Fifth Wisconsin infantry. Said the Madison
Journal of the company: "They are strong, hardy men from
the lumbering districts, who have been well drilled in ma-
chinery but have not been exercised in the manual of arms."
This paper also described graphically the surroundings of
the company's quarters. White pebbles had been utilized to
make inscriptions giving the name of the organization and
in front of the captain's tentwerethe words: "Captain Clark,
God Bless Him," while three flags floated above this portion
of the camp. The record of the Fifth during the war was a
noble one. After the battle of Bull Run the regiment with
others was hurried to the front and the first engagenjeijt in
 117

which it was that at L,ee's Mills, Va., on April

participated
16, 1862. Captain Clark was transferred in a short time, being-
promoted for bravery at Corinth and occupying a position on
the staff of General Rosecrans. l^hus the command early de-
volved upon Captain "Walker, who through the troublous
Virginia campaigns under McClellan, McDowell, Burnsides
and Meade, led his men until at Rappahannock on November
7, 1863 he was struck down by a bullet. The company, how-
ever, continued its career until July 1864 when it was mus-
tered out, its three years of service being at an end. Many of
the members re-enlisted in other regiments while the remain-
der returned home. During its service twenty-three men on
the muster roll were killed outright, ten were reported miss-
ing and twenty-seven were seriously wounded. Thus it hap-
pened that out of the 106 men that left Manitowoc on that
June evening only 36 returned. Among these names later well
known were those of J. S. Anderson, W. Rickaby, F. Stirn,
J. Mill, J. Gilbert, D. Buboltz, F. W. Borcherdt, J. L. Cox,
J. Enert, A. B. Gibson, J, R. r_,eykom, G. B. Engle and J. H.
Leonard.
The first company sent to the war had not left the vil-
lage before it became evident that the struggle was to be a long
one and that the nation's resources would be taxed to the ut-
most. In the early part of May the German residents of the
village organized the "Home Guards," Frederick Becker be-
ing chosen captain and Colonel Baetz assisting in the re-
cruiting. It was soon announced that the Guards were to
form a part of the Ninth Wisconsin. This was not, however,
the only organization for which recruiting was in progress
during the fall of 1861. In August F. Borcherdt was author-
ized to raise a company but did not succeed and another at-
tempt was made a month later by Jere Crowley to get to.
gether an Irish company, the Meagher Guards, which was
similarly unsuccessful. D. A. Shove and G. E. Waldo in the
meantime had returned from their three months service with
the-First Wisconsin and plunged actively into the work of
enlisting a company for the Fourteenth and soon Colonel K.
K. Jones commenced similar efforts among the Norwegian
118

residents of the county, intending to make his command a

part of the Fifteenth Wisconsin which was being raised ex-
clusively among those of that nationality. Other agencies
were active also. The county board assembled and appropri-
ated $1,500 for the relief of indigent soldiers' families while
in Two Rivers the Ladies Relief Association was formed, the
officers being: —
President, Mrs. Van Valkenburgh; vice
president, Mrs. Joseph Mann; treasurer, Mrs. J. Burns and
secretary, Mrs. Alanson Hill. Kindred organizations were
formed at Manitowoc and Cato.
Captain Becker's companj^ leftthe city on October 3nd for
Milwaukee and Manitowoc was honored in the choice of one
of its citizens, Frederick Salomon, as colonel of the regiment,
the Ninth, of which the company was a part, it becoming
Co. B. Colonel, afterward General Salomon rose higher per-
haps than any other Manitowoc man and the village al-ways
delighted to honor him. On the day before his departure he
was presented by the German citizens with a beautiful
charger which he used throughout the war. There were many
men outside of Co. B from Manitowoc county in the Ninth;
several from the town of Schleswig were in Co. Awhile Co. K
was made up entirely from men from that and surrounding town-
ships under the command of Captain H. F. Belitz and in Co.
I there were several soldiers from the towns of Newton and
Manitowoc. The reginiLUt was mustered into service at
Camp Sigel at Milwaukee October 18th and left for the west
the succeeding January, being a part of the Army of the
Frontier, serving in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska until
mustered out in January 1866. During the first year the of-
ficers of Co. B were:— Captain, Frederick Becker; first lieu-
tenant, A. F. Dumke and second lieutenant, Gerbert Guetz-
loe, of Newton. In May 1862 Captain Becker resigned and re-
turned home to engage in business, thus causing changes
among his subordinates, Hugo Koch becoming second lieu-
tenant. Captain Belitz resigned his command at about the
same time while several months later C. H. Schmidt became
a captain of Co. I of the same regiment. The men in this or-
ganization although not in many battles saw mucl; hard ser-
 119

vice, such as scouting-, g-uarding- trains, etc. After their gal-

lant colonel had been promoted to a generalship in Septem-
ber 1863 he visited his old home and was given an ovation
by his townsmen, a public meeting- being- called at which
many complimentary addresses were made. About twenty-five
of the Ninth returned to Manitowoc in December 1864 upon
the expiration of their service but many re-enlisted for the
two succeeding- years.
Later in 1861 two more companies left Manitowoc. The
part played by the mets. from the county in the Fourteenth
regiment was a large one._ It was Company E of this organi-
zation that was commanded by George E. Waldo and D. E.
Shove, who were made captain and first lieutenant respect-
ively, while Daniel Ramsdell was commissioned as second
lieutenant. The regiment gathered at Camp Hamilton, Fond
du Lac, under Colonel Wood and was mustered in January 30,
1862, leaving for St. Louis three months later. There were a
few men from Manitowoc in Co. F also, James La Counte
acting as first lieutenant for the fi st two years of the service.
The regiment after reaching the south was soon plunged in-
to the baptism of fire. At one of the first battles in which it
participated, that at Shiloh, the gallant Captain Waldo was
struck down, being brought home a corpse. He was a young
man of great popularity, a testimonial of which had been
presented to him in the shape of a sword before he left the
village, and the feeling of loss occasioned by his death was a
personal one to every resident. Joseph Smith succeeded him
as captain of Co. E and remained such until the end of the
war. In the same year B. F. Goodenow became first lieutenant,
while among the Manitowoc men to occupy ofl&ces in the regi-
ment were W. F. Eldridge, sergeant-major; John M. Read,
sergeant-major and adjutant-major. Rev. G. B. Engle of St.
James, who in 1864 became chaplain and Dr. S. E. Zeilley,
who was the surgeon of the regiment. The regiment saw sev-
eral years of hard service, fighting at Vicksburg, Champion
Hills and in many other battles. Their service expired in
January 1864 but a majority, after enjoying a furlough, re-
enlisted. The men in Company E returned home in October,
120

1865 and their duties done, were soon eng-ag-ed in their vari-
ous occupations. The Fourteenth formed a regimental asso-
ciation in 1880 and has held frequent reunions. The other
company to leave in 1861 was Co. F of the Fifteenth Wiscon-
sin, known as the Norwegian regiment. The men took their
departure for the rendezvous at Madison on the 10th of De-
cember, and K. K. Jones was given a commission as lieuten-
ant colonel of the regiment, Hans Heg being the colonel. An
interesting fact in this regard was that Colonel Jones during
the war carried the sword that his father, William Jones,
one of the promoters of the Manitowoc Land company in
1835, carried in the war of 1812. Company F was wholly from
Manitowoc county, being commanded by Captain Charles
Gustaveson of the town of Rapids, a former soldier in the
Norwegian army, while the second lieutenant was also a
Manitowoc county man, Svend Samuelson of Eaton. The
regiment was mustered in at Camp Randall on Feb. 14, 1862
and a month later was transferred to. St. Louis. It served
faithfully for three years, being engaged at Sione River, in
the various battles before Atlanta and remaining in Tennes-
see until December 1864, when the men were mustered out. A
few soldiers from the county went into the Sixteenth regi-
ment and fully half a company in the Nineteenth was also
made up of Manitowoc men, W. W. Bates, the shipbuilder,
being captain of Co. K, serving ably throughout the Atlanta
campaign.
The next full company to be sent forth was Co. K of the
Twenty-First Wisconsin, the recruiting for it commencing in
the spring of 1862, with headquarters at C. H. Walker's of-
fice. By this time it was seen that there were sericus difficult-
ies in the way of subduing the foe and volunteers were not as
numerous as in the earlier days of the war. A draft was ru-
mored as the summer dragged on and Manitowoc county's
quota was fixed at 889 under the call of President Lincoln
issued in August. The draft was then definitely ordered and
on August 15th and 19lh meetings were held to secure volun-
teers in order that the quota might be met without resorting
to such severe measures. Speeches were made by Colonel
 121

Sweet of the newly authorized Twenty-First, P. P. Smith,

Judg-e Taylor and G. N. Woodin. Enthusiasm was high and
J. E. Piatt offered $50 and forty acres of land to the first re-
cruit. Michael McGuire, a clerk, secured the prize but relin-
quished it to a second, who in turn g-ave it to a third. Thus
the company was with sturdy young- men, leaving seven
filled
days later on the steamer Comet. In the meantilne the draft
had been postponed although Joseph Vilas had been chosen
commissioner of the county to supervise the drawing while
Dr. A. Schenke was appointed examining surgeon. Company
—
K was officered as follows: Captain, C. H. Walker; first
lieutenant, Wyman Murphy; second lieutenant, Joseph La
Counte and it was mustered in at Oshkosh on Sept. 5, 1862.
Five days later, under command of Colonel Sweet, the regi-
ment left for the south and within a month it had partici-
pated in its first battle, that of Perryville. Here Colonel
Sweet was wounded and Colonel Harri&on C. Hobart suc-
ceeded him. After Perryville the regiment went south and
participated in the Atlanta campaign, in the march to the
sea and in further arduous service, being mustered out on
June 17, 1865. Among the officers which the county fur-
nished the regiment were Quartermasters H. C. Hamilton
and B. J. Van Valkenburgh, Quartermaster-Sergeant G. T.
Burns and Lieut. F. W. Borcherdt of Company D. Mr. Ham-
ilton died of typhoid fever in April 1863 and his body was
brought home to Two Rivers and buried with military hon-
ors. He was thirty-six years old and had always been prom-
inent in the village of his abode, haviqg served in the county
board, the assembly and as first president of the village.
Captain Walker was promoted to the position of major in
1864 and was succeeded as captain by Lieut. La Counte. The
Twenty-First regiment, organized as an association in 1868,
being one of the first to do so but no regular reunions were
held until beginning with 1887. Among the officers of the
association hailing from Manitowoc have been J. F. Reardon
and F. C. Ostenfeldt and in June 1896 the reunion was held
in the city, a program of much interest being carried out.
During the summer of 1862 Messrs. Pizzala and Baetz
122

were also busy recruiting- at Manitowoc for the Twenty-

Sixth,,otherwise known as the Sigel Regiment, headquarters
being statioiled at Klingholz Hall. Company F was raised in
the county and was officered as follows:— Captain, Henry
Baetz; first lieutenant, Charles Pizzata; second lieutenant, A.
Waller, of Milwaukee. Captain Baetz was later promoted to
the position of major and after a period of faithful service
the second commander, Capt. Pizzala was killed in May 1863.

The regiment was mustered in at Milwaukee in September

1862 and saw much service, fighting at Gettysburg, Mission
Ridge, Resaca, Atlanta and participating in the march to
the sea. It was mustered out in June 186S. Among the other
Manitowoc men serving as officers of this organization were
W. H. Hempschemeyer, who became captain of Co. I, and
Lieutenant N. Wollmer, who was killed before Atlanta, his
burial occurring at Manilowoc on August 30, 1864. The fun-
eral was a military one since many soldiers were home on a
furlough, including General Salomon, Colonel Olmstead,
Major Baetz, Captains Goodwin, Rankin and Dumke and
Lieutenants Murphy, Wimpf and Markham, all of whom acted
as an es.cort. Mr. Wollmer was an early settler and was en-
gaged in the banking business before the war.
Recruiting went on for the Twenty-Seventh as well as
for the Twenty-Sixth in the summer of 1862. Manitowoc
county responded nobly, furnishing all of the members of Co.
K and half of Co. D. The recruiting was under the supervi-
sion of T. G. Olmstead, who became lieutenant-colonel of the
regiment, Joseph Rankin, who was commissioned captain of
Co. D and Peter Mulholland, who later became captain of Co.
K but who at first was a first lieutenant in the other com-
pany. The men left the village on Sept. 18, 1862, Captajn
Rankin being presented with a sword by his fellow citizens
on the occasion of the departure. The regiment was mustered
in at Camp Sigel in March of the next year and under Colonel
Krez participated in the Vicksburg campaign, later being
active in Arkansas and finally being mustered out in Septem--
ber 1865, the survivors arriving in Manitowoc on the 28th of
that month. Among the men from the county who served as
WILLIAM BACH
 12S

officers in this reg-iment were Surgeons Saltzmann and

Hutchinson, Lieutenants T. McMillan, N. Hanson and M.
McGuire. During 1864 considerable 'recruiting was done for
the Twenty-Seventh in the county and on October 27th of
that year a number of new tnen were sent to the front to join
that organization. The Thirty-Second Wisconsin was organ-
ized at about the same time as the last mentioned regiment.
being mustred in on September 25, 1862. It drew about one-
half of one company, G, from Manitowoc, among the officers
being Lieuts. Oscar B. Smith and H, H, Markham. The regi^
rueut saw hard service with General Sherman around Atlanta
and then remained in Mississippi until mustered out in June
1864, This was the last regular organization to which the
county made contribution of her sons for some months.
The first draft, as was said before, had been postponed
owing to inaccuracies and general unpreparedness. The
return as made by Commissioner Vilas in September 1862 was
as follows:
Town
124

The town of Manitowoc had filled its quota so it becaiile Uil^

iiecessary to consider that in the estimates. A volunteer fund

of $1613 had been raised early in the year and this was used
to buy the services of substitutes. After a final examination
held in December on January 2; 1863 the draft was carried out
at the Court House under the direction of Captj Weischner,
U. S. A. The result was not satisfactory as many drawn
were exempt and only about one hundred and twenty re-
cruits were in reality secured and of these many failed to re-
port. One hundred of the men drafted resolved to test the
being doubted by lawyers of ability;
leg-ality of the action, it
and Attorneys Nichols, Pierpont, Reed, Woodin and Bach
were retained by them. These g-entlemen secured the able
assistance of E. G. Ryan, later chief justice and the case came
before the supreme court in the January term under habeas
corpus proceedings, the claim being made that the draft was
void as outside any legal authority. The court, however,
sustained the United States and decided the draft to be
proper. The case is known as In Re Greiner and is found in
the 16th Wisconsin at page 423.
Hardly had the excitement aroused by the first draft passed
away when a second one was ordered.- Citizens of Manitowoc
met on July 21st and .formed a draft club, of which Joseph
Vilas was chosen president and treasurer and H. F. Hubbard
secretary. Each member paid in fifty dollars, and received
$300 if drafted, with which he might purchase a substitute,
if he so desired. This second draft took place at Green Bay
on November 23rd and was attended by the Manitowoc County
Board. The county's quota was 388 men, not all of which
was raised however, although under J. F. Guyles, who had
been chosen provost marshal of the county, an efi&cient
police system was organized. This having passed, another
draft was announced to .take place at Green Bay on Jan. 25th.
At its December session the county board by resolution in-
structed J. Pellet. J. Carey and A. Wittmann to represent
Manitowoc interests at the the proceeding and these gentle-
men accordingly attended. The quota of the county at this
draft was 232 men, which also was not even approximately
 126

feachedi In the meantime the practice of raising- bounty

funds increased. The town of Manitowoc voted $100 per re^
cruit oti Feb. 1 1864, while at about the same time Two
Rivers raised $5000 for the same purpose, Mishicott $3000,
while Manitowoc Rapids offered $125 and Cato $100 per re-
cruit. These g-rants were later leg-alized by the state leg-is-'
lature. In Aug-ust 1864 the quota for the next draft, which
Was announced for thenext month, was published as follows:
--Two Creeks 13, Coopers town S3j Maple Grove 34, Kossuth
60, Mishicot 34, Gibson 38, Franklin 36, Two Rivers 54, Man-
itowoc 61j Rockland 18, Centerville33, Meeme 39, Schleswig-
12, Eaton 32, Newton 34, Cato 25, Liberty 48 and Rapids 45,
Excitement was intense and at an election held in Manitowco
on the 26th a proposition to vote a village bounty of $200 per
recruit was defeated by 93 majority. Superhuman efforts
were made, however, both there and at Two Rivers so that
before the 28th of September, the date of the draft, the quotas
of these towns were filled. In the former place this result
was accomplished larg-ely by a second draft club, which was
formed with G. N. Woodin as president and A. Witimann as
secretary, each member being- required to pay in twenty dol-
lars. In the restof the count}- the draft bore most heavily,
there being no means of obviating- its hardships. Feeling-
ran so higfh in Two Creeks that a recruiting- officer barely es-
caped being- mobbed. The draft took place at Green Bay as
usual and there were present A. Wittmann and the county
board.. The drawing- did not fill the quota and a supplement-
ary draft took place on December 22nd for all towns except
Manitowoc, Two Rivers and Centerville, which had furnished
the required number. By this time the list of those not ex-
empt had been exhausted in Eaton and Franklin and the same
condition was rapidly approaching in the other towns, only
two or three dozen eligible men remaining in each. Then
followed the announcement of what proved to be the final
draft. The town of Manitowoc upon hearing the news voted
at a special election held January 2, 1865 the sum of $12,-
000 as bounty money, paying $300 per recruit, one of the
largest local bounties in the state. The bounty club was also
l26

reorg-anized.In February a mass meeting- was lield to raise

stillmore money and Joseph Vilas, J. D. Markham, T. C.
Shove, S. A. Wood and E. K. Rand succeeded in doing so,
earning the gratitude of their fellow citizens. The first
named was presented with a valuable tobacco box by his ad-
mirers after the war closed in appreciation of the services
rendered during these troublous times,
The quota for the last draft was finally announced as fol-
lows: —Manitowoc 59, Eapids 35, Meeme 11, Cato 20, Rock-
land 15, Centreville 25, Liberty 24, Newton 10, Schleswig 12,
Two Creeks 4, Mishicot 8, Gibson 28, Cooperstown 37, Maple
Grove 10, Kossuth 6 and Two Rivers 54, that of Franklin
and Eaton having already been exhausted. The. war, how-
ever, came to a close before it was necessary to rendezvous
those drawn and in April 1865 Captain F. Borcherdt, then
marshal of the county, received orders to arrest no more de-
serters.
During the last two years of the war there were organ-
ized several companies in the county that took the field for
their country. In 1864 recruiting went on actively for the
Forty-Fifth regiment of which in October Henry F. Belitz
of Kiel was chosen colonel. Company B came larg-ely from
the towns of Centerville and Newton, being commanded by
Capt. Jacob Leiser, while many were in Co. D also. Among
the other Manitowoc county men acting as of&cers in the
regiment were Captains C. H. Schmidt of Co. E, Reinhard
Schlichting of Co. A, Bernard Schlichting of Co. C and
Lieuts. C. Kerten of Co. C, Charles White of Co. D and Peter
Ruppenthal of Co. A. The regiment was sent- to Nashville
in the fall and was disbanded in July 1865. In February of
the latter year the Forty-Eighth regiment rendezvoused at
Milwaukee, in it being Co. D, Captain A. Wittmann, con-
taining men from Two Rivers and other parts of the county.
The regiment was dispatched to Kansas and served in garri-
son and scout duties until February 1866, when it was mus-
tered out. A few recruits from the county were also enlisted
in the Fifty-Second regiment, Captain S. W. Smith com-
manding Co. D. This regiment got as far as St. Louis but
was there returned and soon after disbanded.
MANITOWOC RIVER ABOVE BEND 1896
 .ia7

Thus Was the bloody strug'gfle hfoug-ht to a close,, Matl-

itowoc county had furnished nine full companies and parts of
three others, aboyt twelve hundred men in all besides those
who enlisted independently in various org-auizations or as en"
g-ineers, cavalrymen or artillerymen- AH through 1865 a,nd
even in the spring- of the next year the blue-coated veterans
qame strag-g-ling- home and warm was their welcome, A. fes-
tival had taken place in the WindiateHousein, Februaty 18£|4
in honor of the return of the three year men and similar funpr
tions followed in 1865,, among^ them a g:rand, reunion given ty
the Ladies Soldiers' Aid society held in February, one half
of the proceeds of which went for the support of indig-ent
soldiers' families and the other half to the State Soldiers.'
Home. A similar affair was held at T? wo Rivers a month or
so later, five hundred dollars being realized. In fact the
work of the women, who, strove to b,e of service at hqme, was
as heroic as that of the men in the, field. During the war
twenty-two large boxes of supplies were forwarded by the
Manitowoc Ladies society and five by the organization in
^Two Rivers. , ,
'

Then came the sad and sudden death of Lincoln. Meetr

ings of the returned soldiery were held immediately for the
arrangement of a fitting commemoration of; his .life ,aqd on
April 29th one of the most imposing cerempnies. that, the vil-
lage ever witnessed took place. A
procession qne mile long
wasformedin the following order, marching thrqugh the n^ain
streets: —
I. Manitowoc Brass band; II. Cqmn^ittees; III. Cqm^

pany of returned soldiers under Captain Gqqdwin; IV. Hearse

and Urn; V. Village officials; VI. Masons; VII. Odd fellows;

VIII. Sons of Herman; IX. Good Templars; ,X., Torrent EJjit

gine Company„No. 1, Hook and Ladder Company, BuckftCo.;
XI. School children and ladies. At Union Park Reverend
;

Smith delivered a funeral ^qration and the assemblage; then

broke up. Thus did Manitowoc honor the memory o,f the ,

immortal president. Soon after thp draft club made its fin^,!
report, the total receipts since its formation having been
$16,558, of which a balance ol $2038 remained in the treasury.
It was first proposed to put this money in the harbor fund but
128

it was later decided to divide it pro rata amotig- tlie Mettibef-

ship. Naturally the returned soldiers kept up the associa-
tiofls that had solorfg- held them together, the result being-
,

the formation in Manitowoc of a post in July 1868. C. H.

Walker was chosen commander, W. I. Gilbert senior vice
commander, John M. Read post adjutant and A. J. Patchen
quartermaster. This organization, however, dissolved in
the course of time and it was not until April 22, 1881, that
Horace M. Walker Post No. 18 of the Wisconsin G. A. R.
was formed. Since that time it has led an active existence
with a large membership and good equipment. Among the
post commanders have been J. S. Anderson, E. R. Smith,
Frank Stirn, Richard McGuire, F. Ostenfeldt, H. Hentscher,
C. E. Spindler, J. F. Reardon, H. Schmidt and J. D. Schuet-
te. Gen. Lytle Post No. 190 was formed at Kiel on Dec. 27,
1884 and Joseph Rankin Post No. 129 at Two Rivers June 16
1886. The commanders of the former have been P. Mattes,
F. Krieger, P. Jergenheimer, L. Gutheil, C. Beck and C
Peschke; those of the latter W. F. Nash, W. Henry, W.
Wagner and Louis Hartung. Several local meimbers have
held important positions in the state organization.
Naturally military affairs after the war were given little
attention for some time. In the summer of 1868, however, the,
Manitowoc Volunteer Militia company was formed with over
sixty members. On August 9th Frederick Becker was chosen
captain, W. H. Hempschemeyer first lieutenant -and Henry
Schweitzer second lieutenant. It was made part of the state
militia as Company A Second regiment, remaining so desig-
nated until 1894, when it became an independent organiza-
tion. The twenty-fifth anniversary of the company was cele-
brated with great festivities on July 10, 1893,, speeches and
parades making up the program. The captains of the com-
pany from its formation were F. Becker, A, C. Becker, Emil
Schmidt and Henry Schweitzer. Reorganization took place in
the nineties and many of the company went into the new
Rahr Guards, of which Captain Joseph Willinger has been
for some time the commander. An independent company was
formed in the seventies among the Polish re sidents of North-
 129

eiiH, formed a bril-

being- ktlowti as the Pulaski Guards, that
liant feature on several public occasions but they disbanded
after a short existence. On December 29, 1881 a new com-
pany was organized at Manitowoc under the name of the
—
Rankin Guards. The first ofBcers were: Captain W. H.
Hempschemeyer, first lieutenant, Ole Benson; second lieuten-
ant, Emil Baensch. The company soon became incorporated
into the state militia as Company H, Second regiment, and
the rivalry between the two organizations in the city was a
healthy one. An event of interest was the encampment at
the County Fair Grounds in August 1886 of the members of
the Second Regiment, ten companies being present. Captain
Hempschemeyer was succeeded in command of Company H
by Emil Baensch, he by William Kunz and he by William F-
Brandt. In the nineties William Abel was chosen captainalld
remained such during the Spanish-American war. That
struggle, suddenly thrust upon the nation for the sake of hu-
manity, called forth a burst of patriotism among young and
old. Manitowoc was not behind other communities in this re-
spect and the company of soldiers already in existence in the
city was recruited and frequently drilled as the war clouds
grew thicker. Finally late in April came the orders to mob-
ilize the state troops at Camp Harvey, Milwaukee, and on
the 28th Company H
left the city amidst demonstrations of
patriotism almost unprecedented. Mustered in at Milwaukee,
one hundred and nine strong on May 5th the troops were
transported to Chickamauga Park, where they remained a
month, later being transferred to Charleston, S. C. Here
Captain Abel became seriously ill and command devolved
largely upon Lieuts. Knudson and Stahl. The company, em-
barking on the transport Grand Duchess, arrived in Ponce,
Porto Rico July 28 and spent a month and a half in arduous
service on that isle. Peace, however, was soon at hand and
the Manitowoc guardsmen were with the remainder of the
regiment returned, to the United States, reaching Milwaukee
September 17th. The next morning they were the recipients
of an ovation on the part of their fellow citizens, being ten-
dered a banquet at the Turner Hall and participating in a
mi
a, l&iig-.thy All but four of the company returned. Her-
parade.
ber't Coville, F. C. Schwalbe, F. Eng-el and William Hein
g-jving up. their lives for their country. The prog-ress of the
war was watched with great interest by the residents of the
county and its happy termination hailed with joy. Many
yqi^ng men from the qounty serve<l in Various organizations
aside, from Company H throughout the struggle and later
siey€|ralwere with the troops in the Philippines, fighting the
i;cisur,gents. The Spanish-American War veterans formed
C9,mp Henry W. Lawton on Feb. 10, 1%0, with a membership
of forty„,the officers being: —
Commander, Ernst Heide; vice
commanders, M. Jergenson and C. Richards; adjutant, J. C-
Jjirikowic: quartermaster, Wm. Abel; chaplain, H. C. Berndt;
officer of the day, H, Woerfel; officer of the guard, C. Schu-
macher. The first reunion of the camps of the northeastern
,

part of the state occurred at Manitowoc in July of the follow-

ing year. In the spring of 1900 a military company, the
Twin City Rifles, was organized at Two Rivers, making its
first public appearance on Memorial day.
I^inked inseparably with military heroism is patriotism
and it is well that certain days such as the Fourth of July
and Memorial day have been set aside for the proper com-
memoration of the past. These have been observed regular-
ly in the county, the Fourth particularly, from the earliest
days- T^he. manner in which that holiday has been cele-
brated as the years have passed is most interesting. In ante-
bellum days speeches, banquets, balls and parades were the
ordef of the hour. The feature of the Fourth in 1854 was
an excursion to Two Rivers, while two years later a grand
celebration was held at Clarks Mills, Judge Lee delivering
an address. The program in 1859 was the first elaborate one
given in the county. It opened with a federal salute and at
noon a procession was formed which, marshalled by W. H.
McDonald, I. P, Smith, G. S. Glover, J. P. Barnes and A. L,
Pierce, riioyed to Union Park. In line were the fire compan-
ies, the agricultural societies, school children and citizens
and when the park was reached a bounteous banquet was
spread by the ladies of the Social Circle. The toasts re-
 '181

sponded to were varied and instructive, being as follows:-^

"Ladies of Manitowoc," "The Day We Celebrate," "The
Teachers of Our Villag-e." "Our Natidnal Anniversary,"
"Italy," "Ladies Social Circle," "Manitowoc and Mississip-
pi Railroad," "The Press and the Union" and "Written on a
Shingle -Manitowoc Currency, May it Never Fail." Cele-
brations were usually held at Union Park during- thi^ early
period, although later Washington Park was tte scene of
festivities. In 1861 on account of the war feeling was high
and at a celebration at Cato an aged resident was hissed from
the platform for supposed Secession utterances. Because of
the close of the war an outburst of enthusiasm took place' on
the Fourth in 1865 and Manitowoc was no exception to the
rule. The county board appropriated 1300 and with this
sum a banquet was tendered the returned veterans. The
feast was held at the National Hotel and was presided over by
Joseph Vilas, toasts being responded to as follows: "The —
President," C. E. Esslinger; "Memory of Lincoln," J. D'.

Markham; "Ofacers and Soldiers," C. H. Walker; "The Day

We Celebrate," H. Sibree; "The County Board," Jason Pel-
lett; "Memory of the Fallen." G. N.Woodin; "The Press,'"
C. H. Schmidt; "The Clergy," Rev. L. N. Freeman and
"The Bar," E. B. Treat. At Two Rivers' a magnificent lib-
erty pole was raised and a lengthy parade formed, after
which Rev. Herman Bartels delivered an oration. In the
years succeeding parades were art annual feattire and among
the orators were Rev. W. J. Stoutenburgh, J. B. Sherwood,
B. R. Anderson, C. E. Esslinger, A. Wittmann and R. D.
Smart. In 1872 the new railway was utilized and an excur-
sion to Kaukauna successfully enjoyed. Then came the
elaborate celebration of the Centennial Fourth. A monster
parade in three divisions was the feature of the day, John
Bibinger, G. F. Barker and P. J. Pierce acting as marshals.
In line were two veterans of the War of 1812, B.^Jones and
F. C. Kapple, the Pulaski Guards of Northeim, numerous
symbolic floats, fraternal organizations and the fire depart=
ments. Exercises were held in Union Park, C. Esslinger
acting as orator of the day and Reverend C. B. Stevens as
132

chaplain. In the evening- a public display of fireworks wit-

nessed by hundreds crowned the glorious day. Two Rivers
also commemorated the occasion fittingly. During- the suc-
cieeding few years the celebrations were very quiet and each
community in the its own instead of centralizing
county held
at the county seat. In 1883 the celebration at Manitowoc as-,
sumed considerable magnitude and again in 18<)l, in the lat-
ter year the city entertaining many visitors from neigh Dor-
ing towns, a magnificent parade and a $1300 display of fire-
works being features. Exercises were held in Washington
park and Judge Emil Baensch delivered the oration. Since
that year, however, no great effort has been made to cele-
brate the day in a public manner.
Memorial day has also, since its institution, been ob-
served with proper ceremonies in the county. In Manitowoc
after 1883 the practice arose of securing outside orators of re-
pute to address the citizens and among the number who have
done so have been General F. C. Winckler, Colonel Watrous,
Senator Spooner, Senator Quarles, Congressman Esch, Eu-
gene S. Elliott, President S. Plantz of Lawrence University,
Reverend Walter E. Cole, Reverend G. W Ide and Reverend
Fraser. Along the line of patriotic movements should be
noticed the imposing statue placed in 1900 in the public
square at Two Rivers in honor of the soldier dead.
 CHAPTER IX.

POLITICS.
When the territory of Michig-an was org-anized it in-
cluded what is now the state of Wisconsin. In the thirties
this latter section of the western country was divided into
counties and the whole northeastern part was known as
Brown county, what is now Manitowoc being- embraced with-
in its confines. On December 7 1836, however, soon after
Wisconsin became a separate territory Manitowoc county was
constituted, althoug-h not at first including' the present towns
of Gibson, Cooperstown, Two Creeks or township 21 of the
township of Mishicot, this territory remaining- as part of the
orig-inal county of Brown until February 1850, when it was
annexed. The county seat of Manitowoc was fixed at Man-
itowoc Rapids but no definite county government was estab-
lished until two years later. In January 1838 an act was
passed to the effect "that the county, contained within the
boundary lines of Manitowoc County be and hereby is set off
as a separate town by the name of Conroe and the polls of
election shall be opened at Conroe's Mills." Finally in De-
cember the counties of Manitowoc and. Sheboygan were or-
ganized by the legislature "for all purposes of county gov-
ernment," the first election for town and county officers being
fixed to take place on the first Monday in March, 1839 and it
was further provided that the county commissioners of
Brown county were to canvass the vote and issue certificates
of election. It remained dependent on the latter county jud-
icially, however, until 1848, Thus Manitowoc became a po-
 a

134

study of its political complexity as the

litical unit, enabling- a
varying local, state and national issues evolved and disap-
peared. And first as to its attitude on national questions
from the time of its organization until the present day.

NATIONAL POLITICS.
the outset it should be noted that Manitowoc county
At
as a whole has always under normal conditions been a Demo-
cratic stronghold. The majority of that party has not been
so ^reat as to make changes in political complexion impossi-
ble when came to the front but the above
particular issues
statement borne out by a careful investigation of the votes
is

for presidential and congressional candidates. The first op-

portunity for a division on national questions was that of-
I
fered by the election of a delegate to congress from Wiscon-
sin Territory in 183'^. Forty votes were cast iti the county, of
which J. B. Doty, the Democratic candidate, received twenty-
nine, while Bennett, the chief opponent, received but nine.
In 1841 a delegate Was again to be chosen; the total vote was
increased by sii, Henry Dodg'e, the Democratic candidate
receiving twenty-seven as compared with nineteen for J. E.
Arnold, the representative of the Whigs. In 1843 Dodge
again carried the county receiving twenty-iline votes as
against three for the Whig candidate, W. Hickok. M. L.
Martin, also a Democrat, in 1845 received forty majority and
in 1847 M. W. Strong, Democrat, received sixty-seven votes
to sixty-four' received by J. H. Tweedy, Whig, showing'
closer division than hkd existed theretofore. In fact from
1846 to 1852, by which time many German Democrats had
immigrated to the county, the balance between the Democrats
and Whigs was about even. A year after this last vote for
delegate Wisconsin became a state and Manitowoc was placed
in the I'hird Congressional district. The presidential elec-
tion then cb.me on, the first in which Wisconsin voles cuuld
be cast and that Manitowoc was relied on for a Democratic
majority is evinced by the following from the Green Bay Ad-
vocate: "Well, as what is wanted is to carry the state for
Cass and Butler if the 'old North county' can't bring it up
 135

we will call in the aid of our sisters, Manitow;oc and Calumet

—and if all these don't do we will finally g-ive up all claims."
The result in the county was —
as follows: Cass, Democrat,
159; Taylor, Whis:, 77; Van
Buren, Free Soil, 30; while the
congressional vote was, Doty, Dem., 169; Howe, "V^hig-, 67;
Judd, Free Soil, 30. Two years later Mt." Doty ran- for, con-
gress again, receiving 420 votes, while 165 Went to Harrison
C. Hobart, the i-ndependent candidate, thus showing a great
increase in the Democratit vote, despitfe a disaffection led
against Mr. Doty by George Feed and others- ;

The presidential election of 1852 then approached-.

Pierce and King the regular Democratic nominees received a
majority of over five hundred above all others, the vote being
as follows: Pierce, 874; Scott, Whig, 209; Hale, Free Soil,
9. The congressional fight resulted sin^ilarly, James B.
Macy, Democrat, receiving 843 votes and J. M. Sbaftet,
Whig, 243. In 1854, towever, the Democrats of Wisconsin
suffered a schism and as a resiilt in the Third district two
candidates were placed in the field, Turner the straight and
Macy the bolting nominee, while Charles Billingshurst re-
ceived the united support of the then new Republican party.
The result was a victory for the last named all along the line,
the, vote in the county being: Billingshurst 750, Turner, 374,
Macy 125. This defection from the Democratic ranks was
due largely to the question of free soil in Kansas and Neb-
raska and was not of a continuous character for in 1856 the
Democrats appeared stronger thah ever. In the meantime
the county had greatly increased in fopuiation and the presi-
dential campaign took on almost modern form. In 'August a
Republican rally was arranged for in order to make a dem-
onstration against slavery extension, the call being signed by
C. Roeser, C. Esslinger, J. Bennett, [N. Preston and others,
several of whom had, formerly been Democrats. An organisa-
tion was formed with P. P. Smith as president and J. Ben-
nett as treasurer and a similar movement headed by >R.
Klingholz and H. Baetz took place among the German Re-
publicans, while other clubs were formed at Rapids and Two
Rivers, A. C. Pierce and H. Billings being presidents of tne
136

respective org-anizations. The Democrats were equally act-

ive and the result was that in Manitowoc two monster dem-
onstrations were held by the two parties on October 11th.
People from the rural districts came in with ox teams and a
hickory pole was raised with g-reat acclaim by the Democrats,
a Buchanan flag" being hoisted upon it. A parade was then
formed, led by the Sheboygan and Schmitz bands and con-
taining fully fifty wagons full of voters and their families,
who proceeded to the Franklin House, where from the bal-
cony Colonel E. Fox Cooke of Sheboygan addressed them up-
on the issues of the day. The Republican demonstration was
led by Colonel K. K. Jones, one of the features of the parade
being thirty-two ladies on horseback while many of the
sterner sex rode in the rear decked out in all the finery of
feathers and plumes. Finally the campaign came to an end,
Buchanan carrying the county, his vote being 1907 to Fre-
mont's 1177, Hobart's majority over Billingshurst being about
the same for congress. Mr. Billingshurst carried the district
however, and was returned to Washington, where he contin-
ued to represent his constituents ably. In 1858 Manitowoc
county came forward with its first candidate for congression-
al honors, William Aldrich of Two Rivers being prominently
before the Republican convention of the district, but he re-
ceived but six votes for the honor. Representative Billings-
hurst was renominated and Charles Larrabee chosen by the
Democrats to be their standard bearer. Both candidates
stumped the county but Billingshurst was defeated, his vote
being 1086 and that of his opponent 1598, Larabee also
carrying the district by a heavy majority.
And then came the thrilling and momentous campaign
of 1860. When the news of Dc^uglas' nomination by the
northern wing of the Democracy reached Manitowoc on June
24th great rejoicing occurred among the Manitowoc Demo-
crats, among whom were many who' considered ''the Little
Giant" the greatest statesman of the age. A flagraising,
bonfire, parade and ball were a few of the varied modes of
welcome which the information received, prominent among
the. participants being E, K, Rand, C, C, Barnes, T. Robin.!
 137

son, W. D. Hitchcock, H. Berners, A. Wittman, Temple

Clark and (others. The fact that at the time Lincoln was not
as widely known somewhat dampened the enthusiasm of the
Republicans until later in the campaig-n, when the candidate
beg-an to prove his worth. The Democrats were, however,
not united since several of the prominent leaders supported
the Breckenridge ticket, put up by the southern wing- of the
party. Chief among them were H, S. Pierpont and C.
Kuehn of Two Rivers, C. W. Fitch, editor of the Herald and
C. A. Renter of Manitowoc. In choosing delegates to the
congressional convention a compromise was effected whereby
Mr. Pierpont, a Breckenridge and Joseph Vilas, a Douglas
Democrat were chosen. The split was injected into county
politics as well and as the year advanced the chances of
Democratic victory decreased proportionately. However or-
ganization was perfected on both sides and the struggle went
on unabated. As early as July the German Republicans or-
ganized a club with H. Baetz as president, followed by the
Scandinavian Republicans, who chose Jacob Halverson as
their leader, the Two Rivers Republican club and finally the
Wide Awakes, a Republican organization formed in Manito-
woc, whose distinctive insignia, oilcloth caps and helmets,
made them conspicuous in all public demonstrations, A. §cott
Sloan and Judge Larrabee, the candidatesof theRepublicanand
Democratic tickets for congress canvassed thecounty thorough-
ly. At Two Rivers a parade was formed by the supporters of the
former, attended by thirty farmers from Cooperstown carry-
ing "a rail symbolizing allegiance to Lincoln" and in which
many "hard fisted factory operatives" as they were flatter-
ingly called participated. Democratic clubs were also active
and thus the campaign progressed with parades, speeches
and illuminations. Finally the eventful November day ar-
rived and Manitowoc registered its vote against slavery in no
uncertain manner, breaking over accustomed party lines so to
do. Lincoln received 2041 votes, Douglas 1947 and Brecken-
ridge a meager 9, while for congress Sloan received 2078 and
Larrabee 1948. The vote clearly showed that what Brecken-
ridge sentiment there had been in the county earlier iji the
138

year had been dissipated by the threats of secession. The

Republicans celebrated the victory by an enthusiastic dem-
onstration on November 17, in vs^hich a parade headed by
Marshal Robert Blake was a feature. The war then broke
put and tnen's minds necessarily turned from mere politics, all
supporting the government in its struggle for existence.
The Republicans, however, lid not retain their control of the
county, a fact shown by the election of 1862, in which Wheel-
er, the Democratic candidate for congress, received 795 ma-
jority over Browne, his Republican opponent The county
was now in the Fifth district together with Calumet, Winne-
bago, Green Lake, Marquette, Waupaca, Outagamie, Brown,
Kewaunee, Door, Oconto and Shawano counties. Both H. S.
Pierpont and George Reed were mentioned as possibilities
for congressional honors in the Democratic district conven-
tion of that year, which was presided over by the former.
Opposition to Lincoln grew steadily owing to the length
of the war and the campaign of 1864 was in reality started a
year earlier. In February 1863 a Democratic club was or-
ganized at the Courthouse,, with the protection of the consti-,
tutionas its aim and "Conciliation and Peace" as its motto.
Among the promoters were F. Becker, W. Ba.ch, J. Crowley,
A. Bleser, W. M. Nichols, J. C. Eggers, G. S. Glover, P. J.
Blesch, M. Kiihl, R. O'Connor, A. Wittmann and George
Reed, the last named being elected president. Similar clubs
were organized throughout the county also. The movement
was met by the Republicans in March in the formation of
the Union club, which met at Klingholz Hall weekly, among
the members being S. A. Wood, J. F. Guyles, Oscar Koch,
P. P. Smith, S. W. Smith, Rev. Mead Holmes and O. H.
Carpenter. Many Manitowoc Democrats attended the Na-
tional convention of their party held in Chicago in August
1864, which nominated General McClellan for the presidency.
The campaign which followed was a hotlj^ contested one, al-
though party lines were changed considerably as a result of
the war and the issues arising therefrom. Joseph Vilas was
put forward by the local Democrats for the congressional
nomination but received only fourteen votes in the convention
 13&

ag-ainst twenty-nine for Gabriel Bouck of Oshkosh. The

result of the electioa was a landslide for the Democrats, the
home vote being- 2248 for McCliUan and 1179 for Lincoln,
somewhat reducing- the
the vote of the soldiers in the field
former's majority. Colouel Bouck secured a similar lead over
Philetus Sawyer in the county, although the latter carried
the district. By 1866 due partially to the latter's interest
in Manitowoc harbor improvements the Republican, vote in-
creased to 1737, Martin, the Democratic candidate receiving
1891 votes.
The campaign of 1868 was a closely contested one in
Manitowoc. Seymour and Blair clubs divided honors as to
enthusiasm with Grant and Wilson organizations and several
prominent speakers, including Gov. Fairchild and George B.
Smith visited 'the county. At the congressional convention
Joseph Vilas was nominated on the first ballot and he car-
ried on the fight with great vigor against Philetus Sawyer,
whom the Republicans had renominated. The vote for pres-
ident was very close, Seymour receiving 7640 votes and Grsutt
2605. For congress, however, Mr. Vilas, ran greatly ahead
of his ticket, receiving 3204 votes as against 2043 forSawyer
and also carrying Calumet, Kewaunee, Marquette and Outa-
gamie counties. He was, however, defeated in the district
as a whole, his total vote being 12431 against Sawyer's 16816..
In 1870 another change took place and Sawyer, popular in
the county on account of his championship of the harbor,, re-
ceived 3000 votes, a majority 6f 1473 over Stringham, his
Democratic opponent. By 1872, however, the Democrats had
resumed their control of the situation and were able to;put up
a strong and winning fight for Greeley. Another Manito-
woc man was in the, congressional fight this time in the per^
son of Henry Baetz, who was the Republican nominee.;
Manitowoc by the new apportionment was, still in the Fifth
district, which now included the counties of Dodge, Fond du
Lac, Manitowoc and Sheboygan. The result of the election
was as fellows:— Grant 2289. Greeley 2677; for congress,
Eldridge 2526, Baetz, 2443. Mr. Baetz was also defeated by
a heavy majority in the rest of the district. In 1874 Bur-
140

chard, the Democratic nominee for congress, received 3lS?

The next
votes, Barber, his opponent,/ polling- only 1923.
campaig-n was a memorable one. A Hayes club, of which A.
D. Jones was president was early organized and among the
speakers secured by the Republicans were ex-Governor Salo-
mon and Matt Carpenter. The result was an overwhelming
victory for the Democrats, Tilden receiving 3908 votes to
Hayes' 2700 while Bragg for congress received 3913 against
2692 for G. W. Carter, his Republican opponent. During the
long electoral struggle that followed the election excitement
was intense, the Democrats holdijag mass meetings in protest
against the final decision of the electoral commission. In 1878
Gen. Bragg secured another large majority of 1085 for con-
gress over Smith, his opponent, which was reduced in 1880 to
630 over Colnian, Republican.
The presidential campaign of 1880 was somewhat fea-
tureless in the county. Gen. Hancock, the Democratic nomi-
nee carrying it by a somewhat reduced majority, his vote be-
ing 3676 while that for Garfield was 2988. Two years later a
Manitowoc man again ran for congress and this time secured
the prize. He was Joseph Rankin, a Democrat and one of
the most popular and straightforward men that Wisconsin
has ever sent to national council halls. In the eighties the
Fifth district included Manitowoc, Kewaunee, Sheboygan,
Ozaukee, Calumet and Br^wn counties. Rankin received
3228 votes in the county and 12,933 in the district, while his
opponent, HowJand, received 1483 votes in the county and
6108 in the district. The Prohibition district convention
was held in Manitowoc that year and at the time about one
hundred votes, the maximum of the party's strength, were
polled in the county. In 1884 CongressmanRankin ran again,
this time against Charles Luling, also of Manitowoc and de-
feated him by a majority of 1353 in the county and 6241 in
the district. As elsewhere in the country the Blaine-Cleve-
land fight of 1884 was a bitter one but the latter's majority
was very large, the vote being Cleveland 4203, Blaine 2525.
Congressman Rankin died early in 1886, greatly lamented at
Washington as well as at his home and it became necessary
 141

to hold a special election tofill the remainder of his term.

Charles Luling was nominated by the Republicans and Jos-

eph Vilas put forward by Manitowoc Democrats before their
party convention but their claims were rejected, largely
through the action of the Sheboygan delegates. Thomas R.
Hudd of Green Bay received the nomination, the vote being
Hudd 16, Vilas 8, Horn 3, Timlin 3. Local Democrats re-
sented this action of their convention and the result was that
Mr. Luling carried the county, his vote being 2338 as against
Hudd's 1586, although the latter's majority in the district
was 3781. Hudd carried the county in the fall at the regular
election, his majority over Kuesterman, his Democratic op-
ponent, being 1534. The Cleveland administration recog-
nized Manitowoc Democracy by appointing William A.
Walker United States district attorney, that gentleman
thereupon removing to Milwaukee.
The presidential campaign of 1888 in the county was one
of great enthusiasm, parades being frequent. The result
was another majority for Cleveland, reduced somewhat but
still substantial, his vote being 4218 against 2713 for Harri-
and 19 for Fish, Labor,
son, 127 for Streeter, Prohibitionist,
George Brickner, the Democratic candidate for congress de-
feating Kuesterman by about the same majority. Brickner
again carried the county in 1890 by a majority of 1285 over
T. Blackstock, a Republican. In 1892 a long deadlock oc-
cured at the Democratic congressional convention held at
Fond du Lac. The delegates from Manitowoc supported A.
J. Schmitz as did many others but after scores of ballots

Owen A. Wells of Fond du Lac received the nomination.

Manitowoc was now in the Sixth district, including the
counties of Marquette, Fond du Lac, Winnebago, Calumet,
Waushara and Green Lake. The Republicans in this cam-
paign placed Emil Baensch in the field for congress. The
result of the campaign was easily discernible by men of po-
litical experience even before the vote had been taken. The
feeling against the McKinley tariff bill was strong and par-
ticularly so in the west. The Cleveland landslide was tre-
mendous, his vote in the county being 4349 as against Har-
 '

142

rison's 2276, a majority of 2073. Owing- to ttie popularity of

candidate Baensch he ran about six hundred votes ahead of
his ticket, but failed of election in the district. The county
sooii underwent a general political change, due perhaps to

the stringency of the times and in 1894 the contest for con-
gress was 9.gain close, Wells receiving 33(58 votes while S. A.
Cook, the Republican nominee received 2923, he carrying the
district. The Populist party about this time became a fac-
tor and secured many adherents in the two cities of the coun-
ty, detracting la,rgely from the Democratic strength. The
silver came to the front and many prominent
issue then
Democrats, including John Nagle, editor of the Pilot, bolted
the Bryan ticket. This defection spread throughout all por-
tions of the county, causing a great change, which was
dpubtless augmented by the able speakers, such as General
Brag-g, Senator Quarles and others who were sent to the
county to address the citizens. The resul,t was a Republican
victory, the first on natioual issues since 1860, the vote being
a^ follows:— McKinley 4431, Bryan 3917, Palmer 163, the
last being the Gold Deniocratic vote. J. H. Davidson, the
Republican nominee for congress, also carried the county
by a majqrity somewhat smaller over W. F. Gruenewald.
In 1898 lylr. Davidson and J, Stev^art were opponent^,
Davidson losing ihe county by 206 votes. In 1900 silver
plug expa-usion was again before the peopleiand Manitowoc
couiity reinained in the Republicg.n column. The local camr
paign was a hard fought one and McKinley's majority w^s
somewhat teduced, the vote being as follows:— McKinley,
4317,. Bryan 4167, Debs 169, Wooley 65, IVJallory 4. Conr
gressman Davidson also carried the county by a majority of
241;Over his, Democratic opponent, Mr. Watson of Fond.du
I^ac, and in 1902 he was again re-elected, carrying Manitowoc
county by 418 votes over Thomas Patterson. Summarizing
it, will be seen that the Republicans have carried the
county
in but three out of fourteen presidential campaigns, and in
only seven out of twenty-seven congressional struggles.
PETER JOHNSTON
 143

STATE POLITICS.
Manitowoc county has voted for governors of the state
larg-ely as it voted for presidents of the nation. It is of in-
terest, hovirever, tonote how and by whom the county has
been represented in the legislature and on the state tickets of
the various political organizations. In territorial days Man-
itowoc was represented in the council and assembly largely
by strangers, mainly from Brown county. The vote of the
county in 1837 was called into question in a contest for a
seat in the council. At this election the county gave J.
Dickinson 32 votes and A. J. Irwin 2. In 1840 J. W. Conroe
was elected to the lower house from Brown county and held
the position for several years, being the sole representative
from Manitowoc until statehood was reached. C. V. Arndt
of Green Bay, who was a representative of the Manitowoc
interests was shot by another legislator in 1842 and the news
of the tragedy created considerable stir when it reached his
constituents. W. H Bruce, then a resident of the Rapids
.

and a friend of the murdered man, made a trip to the state

capitol in the dead of winter in order, if possible, to assist in
avenging the dastardly act. In 1843 a vote concerning the
adoption of a state govefnm^nt was taken, the vote in the
county being 5 for and 6 against the proposition, showing
that little interest was taken in the matter at the time. On
August 7 1846 the question again cameup and Manitowoc
registered its vote as 23 for and 4 against the proposition.
A constitutional convention was called in 1847 and Kvander
M. Soper was sent to represent Manitowoc county. He
served on the committee on banks and banking but otherwise
took no prominent part in the proceedings. The labors of
this convention were rejected in the state when the constitu-
tion was put to a popular vote, although it carried the county
by a vote of 96 to 45, Manitowoc also registering her vote
against the equal suffrage of the negro at the time. A sec-
ond constitutional convention was called as soon as the work
of the first had been rejectedt and this time the people ac-
cepted the document, Manitowoc county giving 122 votes for
and 5 against the proposition. It was represented in this
144

convention together with Sheboj-gan by Silas Steadman, an

old settler of the town of Sheboygan Falls.
Then followed the first election. Manitowoc was placed
in the First Senatorial district tog-ether with Brown and
Sheboygan counties and H. C. Hobart of Sheboygan was
chosen the first senator, becoming a leading member of the
upper house. The vote for assemblyman resulted in a tie be-
tween D. Smith of Mishicot and Ezra Durgin. K. K. Jones
in a letter to the Manitowoc Pilot published in 1860 describes
the first state election in the county as follows:— "Within
about threi we^ks after my arrival (May 1848) we had an
election for a representative to the first state legislature.
Col. Ezra Durgin and the lamented and noble Daniel Smith
of Mishicot were opposing candidates. The result was a tie;
a new election was called by John Plumb, a deputy under-
sheriff of Brown county. We, the Smith men, denied the le-
gality of the call and generally staid at home and the Durgin
men had it all to themselves. Next week under a call from
the coroner, the late Hubbard, Uncle Dan's friends went in
on their muscle and had an election all alone in their glory.
I believe we claimed more votes cast at our election than
theirs. However Col. Durgin took his seat and a very in-
fluential and energetic member he made. If Manitowoc nev-
er had a worse one to represent her she may well be proud of
them all. The good old Whig party of those days in the
county consisted of James L. Kyle, James, Bennett, Harvey
Case, Pliny Pierce, Daniel Smith, Alfred Smith, H. H.
Smith, Fred Borcherdt and perhaps a half dozen others,
whom I do not now remember, excepting our old friend Mc-
Nulty who, was then one of us. I was also counted in that
squad. Col. Sherwood used to say he admire.d our courage
but had a poor opinion of our discretion. Yet we used to
make a heap of trouble in your wigwams at every election."
At this same election Dewey, the Democratic nominee for
governor, carried the county by twenty votes over Tweedy
his Whig
opponent. «

Until 1857 Manitowoc was represented in the state sen-

ate by men from other counties, ingluding Samuel Goodel of
 14fi

Stockbridge, Theodore Conkey of Appleton, H. N. Smith of

Plymouth and David Taylor of Sheboyg-an. In the assembly,
however, during the same period the county remained as one
of the units of representation. Charles Kuehn was unani-
mously elected in the fall of 1848 and the succeeding- fall de-
feated James L. Kyle, the Whig- candidate, by a vote of 182
to 132. In the election of 1850 G. C. O. Malmros received
229 votes for the position as ag-ainst 214 cast for J. M.
Sprag-ue and 68 for A. W. Preston while in 1851 and 1852 E.
Ricker defeated S. B. Sherwood and B. F. White respectively.
In the fall of 1853 the Whigs were victorious, James L. Kyle
receiving 543 and J. M. Sherwood 416 votes, although Bars-
tow the Democratic candidate for governor carried the coun-
ty by over 600 majoiity In that year also the county gave
618 votes against and only 319 for the prohibitory liquor law
then before the people. In 1854 a three cornered struggle
occurred in the county for a seat in the lower house. James
Bennett was placed in nomination by the newly organized
Republicans, Lyman Emerson by the Democrats and J. M.
Sherwood by the Independent Democrats. Bennett was
elected, receiving 616 votes, while Emerson received but 313
and Sherwood 308. Manitowoc county played an important
part in the formation of the Republican party in the state of
Wisconsin during this year. It may be well said that the or-
ganization took definite form at a People's State convention
held in Madison on July 31st. C. Roeser was a delegate to
this convention from the county and was made the candidate
of the new party for the position of state treasurer in 1855,
he and Charles Kuehn his successful opponent in that year
being the first men from Manitowoc to attain places on a
state ticket of any political organization. The Democratic
majority for governor was 376 and C. H. Walker, a Democrat,
was sent to the assembly by an even lar.ger vote. Charles
Kuehn served two years as state treasurer and made a very
efficient officer. By the new apportionment going into effect
in 1856 Manitowoc and Calumet counties were placed in one
senatorial district while the former was divided into two as-
sembly districts, the first including the towns of Two Rivers,
 146

Mishicot, Kossuth and Manitowoc while the second comprised

the towns of Rapids, Maple Grove, Franklin, Eaton, Newton,
Meeme, Schleswig- and Centerville. Both candidates for sen-
atorial honors in that year were from Manitowoc, Temple
Clark the Democratic nominee defeating O. H. Piatt by about
570 votes and in the assembly districts C. H. Walker and T.
Cunning-ham, both Democrats, were successful. In the suc-
ceeding- year these men were followed by H. C. Hamilton and
J. B. Dunn, also followers of Jeffersonian doctrines, Hamil-
ton giving- away in 1858 to a Republican, William Aldrich,
the defeat of the regular Democratic candidate being largely
due to the independent candidacy of S. A. Wood, who re-
ceived 111 votes, thus cutting down the vote of Temple Clark,
the regular candidate of the party, to 741. For senator S. H.
Thurber, a leading merchant, was successful in defeating Dr.
Preston, his Republican opponent. Assemblyman Aldrich
soon became very prominent in the legislature and was high-
ly regarded over the state. The gubernatorial election of
1859 was a bard fought one between Alexander Randall and
Harrison C. Hobart, the nominees of the Republican and
Democratic parties respectively. Arrangements -were made
for a series of joint debates between them during the cam-
paign and Manitowoc was chosen as the scene of one of the
forensic struggles. Mr. Randall was unable to be present
but sent as his representative Carl Schurz, who came to Man-
itowoc for the occasion. Each was given an hour and the
debate was an event long to be remembered by all present, it
being said that the result might well have been declared a
draw. Hobart was not elected although he carried the coun-
ty by 1430 majority and both districts sent Democrats to the
assembly, Joseph Rankin from the First and Peter Mulhol-
]and from the Secpnd. In 1860 owing to disaffection in the
Democratic camps both returned Republicans, J. L. Fobes re-
presenting the First and Joseph Stephenson the Second,
while B. J. Sweet, a Republican from Calumet county carried
the county by over 400 majority for senatorial honors.
Then came another apportionment, the senatorial dis-
trict, now known as the Nineteenth, remaining unchanged
 147

but the county being divided into three assembly districts;

the first including- Centerville, Meeme, Schleswig-, Eaton,
,
Liberty, Newton and Rockland; the second Rapids, Cato,
Maple Grove, Franklin, Kossuth and Cooperstown and the
third Manitowoc, Two Rivers, Mishicot, Gibson and Two
Creeks. In two of the three in the fall of 1861 Democrats
were chosen by small majorities, the favored ones being- J.
Cahill of the second and S. K. Rand of the third district. In
the first, however, S. Rounseville a Republican was elected
by 8 majority. The vote for governor was also Democratic
that year. Edward Salomon of Manitowoc was the candid-
ate for the Republicans for the position of lieutenant g-overn-
or and by the death of Gov. Harvey in 1862 the former be-
came the chief mag-istrate of the state, a position which he
held until January 1864, he being- one of the first of his na-
tionality in the western states to hold such hig-h office. In
1862 both Messrs. Rand and Cahill were reelected by increased
majorities and D. Shanahau, a Democrat, succeeding- Mr:
Rounseville in the first district while Joseph Vilas, also of
that party, became state senator. In 1863 the Democrats lost
ground ag-ain, P- P. Fuessenich a Republican being sent to
Madison from the first district, althoug-h T. Thornton and D.
Smoke, both Democrats, represented the remainder of the
county. H. S. Pierpont was the Democratic candidate for
state bank comptroller in this campaign but went down in
defeat with the others of his party. It was in this yfar also
that the town of Maple Grove went unanimously Democratic,
a feat which called forth considerable comment and the pre-
sentation of a Sag- on the part of the Democratic ladies of the
county. The campaign of ]864brought aboutother changes,
the first and second districts returning Democrats, H. Mul-
hoUand and M. Murphy while the third elected C. B. 'Daggett
of Two Rivers, a Republican. George Reed secured a grati-
fying majority for the senatorship and immediately occupied
a prominent place in state affairs. He held the place six
years, being reelected by large majorities in 1866 and 1868
and was particularly valuable as a member of the committees
,on finance and banking, In the fall of 1865 the state decided
148

the question of negro suffrage, the vote in, the county being'
840 for and 1858 against the proposition. In the first district
that fall three candidates were in the field, H, Mulholland,
P. J. Pierce and N, Dittmar, the first two being Democrats
and the last named a Republican. The result was that Ditt-
mar was elected although the second and third districts re-
turned Democrats, William Eatough and David Smoke.

No changes were made' by the apportionment of 1866 as

far as the county was concerned. Mr. Dittmar was reelected
in the first and M. Murphy and T. Robinson chosen in the
second and third districts. In the next year John H. Bohne,
Richard Donovan and David Smoke, all Democrats, repre-
sented the various districts and a strong majority was regis-
tered for Tallmadge, the Democratic nominee for governor
as against Fairchild. In the fall of 1868 the representatives
from the first and second were reelected but in the
districts
third J. L. Fobes, a Republican, defeated D. Smoke by sixty
votes. A year later Henry Baetz was chosen by the Repub-
licans as their candidate for state treasurer and was elected,
although the county of his residence went Democratic.
Three Democratic assemblymen, John Barth, Michael Fitz-
gerald and C. H. Schmidt were also chosen. The political
struggle for legislative positions in 1870 was a bitter one.
Three candidates for senatorial honors were placed in the
field, J. Carey by the Republicans, although he had been and
was later a Democrat, W. Bach by the People's party and C.
H. Schmidt by the Democrats. Schmidt was elected, receiv-
ing 2141 votes to Carey's 1411 and Bach's 1011, and was re-
elected two years later by a somewhat smaller majority, the
number of the district then being changed to the Fifteenth,
which it has since remained. For the assembly S. Samuel-
son, a Republican was successful in the first district, M.
Fitzgerald was reelected in the second and Joseph Rankin
chosen in the third. Assemblyman Rankin was again hon-
ored in 1871 but Samuelson gave way to Peter Reuther,
another Republican, and Fitzgerald to Martin McNamara, a
Democrat. A year later there were elected C. R. Zorn, O. S.
 149

Davis and J. Rankin and in 1873 W. R. Taylor the Democrat-

ic nominee for governor secured a larg-e majority and in all
three assembly districts Democrats were chosen to the assem-
bly, C. R. Zorn, B. S. Lorrigan and Joseph Rankin, the ma-
jority of the last named being over 800. John Schuette was
the next incumbent of the senatorial position, defeating Jos-
eph Vilas in a hard fought contest in 1874. B. Lorrigan
was reelected in the "second assembly district but C. R. Zorn
was superseded in the first by Fred Schmitz, a Newton
Democrat, while in the third R. D. Smart, a Republican was
selected. The next year Democrats were chosen to fill all the
positions, the winning candidates being C. R. Zorn, T. Mohr
and "William Tisch. Senator Schuette was one of the Re-
publicans who supported Don A. Cameron in the heated
struggle for the United States senatorship and did much to
make that statesman's election possible.

The apportionment of 1876 ehanged the outlines of the

assembly districts of the county considerably, Cato, Maple
Grove and Franklin being taken from the second and added
to the first, Centcrville and Newton from the first and
added to the third, Rapids from the second and added to the
third and Gibson, Two Rivers, Two Creeks and Mish-
icot changed from the third to the second. Thus constituted
the first district returned Thomas Thornton, a Democrat, the
second Thomas Mohr, another Democrat and the third Peter
Johnston, a Republican. Senator Schuette ran again but
was defeated by Joseph Rankin, who remained the represent-
ative of the Fifteenth for six years thereafter, defeating
Charles Luling in 1878 and H. H. Smith in 1880. Senator
Rankin gained an enviable reputation at' Madison, one which
later lifted him into a seat in the national council chamber
He was chairman of the Democratic state central committee
for two years during his incumbency as a state official. In
1877 Manitowoc gave 600 majority for the Democratic can-
didate for governor, J. A. Mai lory and chose three men of
the same faith to represent it in the assembly, Thomas
Thornton, W. F. Nash and Henry Vits. John Carey, Demo-
IBO

crat, became the representative of the first district a year

later, another Democrat, William Zander in the second and a
Republican, W. H. Hempschemeyer in the third. Carey and
Hempschemeyer were reelected in 1879 but F. Pfunder, a
Democrat, succeeded Zander in the second. In 1880 a new
set of men were sent to Madison, Thomas Gleeson from the
first, Ira P. Smith from the second and C. E. Estabrook from

the third, all Dem>crats but the last named. He was re-
elected a year later, but Gleeson gave way to Peter Phillips,
a Republican and Smith to Henry Goedgen, a Democrat. In
1882 since Senator Rankin was running for congress it be-
came necessary to choose his successor. The Republicans
placed D. Nottage of Two Rivers in nomination, the Demo-
crats J. Carey and the Prohibitionists E. J. Smalley, Carey
winning by over 500 votes. He remained in office until his
death in 1887, being reelected in 1884 and 1886. The assem-
blymen elected with Carey in 1882 were J. Miller, H, Goed-
gen and W. T. Albers, all Democrats. The first district re-
elected their representative in 1884 but Messrs. Goedgen and
Albers were succeeded by John Robinson, Democrat and G.
E. Estabrook, Republican, thelatter defeating his Democratic
apponent, John Franz by a close margin of four votes. By
this tirne the elections for governor was changed to the even
years and the assemblymen were elected as the senators had
been formerly, that is to say biennially, while the senators
were chosen every four years. In 1886 Manitowoc was quite
prominent in state politics, C. E. Estabrook being chosen at-
torney general as the candidate of the Republicans and W.
A. Walker acting as chairman of the Democratic state central
committee. To the assembly the three districts sent D.
Tracy, Isaac Craite and Keinhardt Rahr, all Democrats.
According to the apportionment which went into effect
in that year Manitowoc and K vvaunee counties were com-
bined in one senatorial district and W. F. Nash of Two Riv-
a strong Democrat, was elected in 1888 by a large majority
over C. F. Smalley. In the assembly apportionment the three
districts were retained but many changes made, Centreville
being'transferred from the third to the first and Maple Grove
 161

and Franklin from the fir^t to the second, thus reducing- the
third district to Manitowoc, Rapids and Newton. The towns
of Franklin and Carlton in Kewaunee county were also made
a part of the second district. In the first district, thus con-
stituted, E. P. Scheibe, a Democrat, was chosen, in the sec-
ond Isaac Craite reelected and in the third J. S. Anderson, a
Republican, selected. In 1890 the Bennett law, compellitlg-
public school education, was an issue in Wisconsin and feeling-
among the supporters of the parochial institutions ran hig-b.
The result inManitowoc county was a phenomenal majority
of 2182 for George W. Peck as against W. D, Hoard for gov-
ernor, a most sweeping Democratic victory and for the as-
sembly three Democrats were also chosen by large majorities,
P. J. Conway,- J. P. Nolan and William Croll. Then by the
apportionment of 1892 Calumet was again attached to Man-
itowoc instead of Kewaunee and the number of assembly dis-
tricts was reduced to two, the first including the towns of
Centerville, Cato, Eaton, Liberty, Meeme, Rockland, Schles-
wig. Rapids, Kossuth, Franklin, Maple Grove and Newton
and the second comprising Manitowoc, Two Rivers, Mishi-
cot. Two Creeks, Gibson and Cooperstown. Senator Nash
held office until 1894, being succeeded by J. McMullen of
'

Calumet county. In 1892 P. J. Conway and W. Croll were

returned as assemblymen and two years later the latter was
reelected although Mr. Conway -was succeeded by F. C.
Maertz, another Democrat. In that year, (1894) Manitowoc
was well represented on state tickets,, both the candidates of
the Republican and Democratic parties for the office of lieu-
tenant governor, Emil Baensch and A. J. Schmitz, being resi-
dents of the city. The vote for lieutenant governor in the
county was Baensch 3223, Schmitz 3165, the former running
several hundred votes ahead of his tidket and being success-
ful in the state as well, securing an office which he held with
great credit to himself for four years. Henry Stolze received
356 votes in the county.
: , The. Republicans gaining control another apportiontnent
took place in 1896, Cato, Centerville, Libertj, Meem^, Rapids,
Newtoa and Manitowoc composing the firsthand the rest of
152

the coanty the second district. Charles W. Sweetiflgf, a Re-

publican, was chosen to represent the first and Mr. Maertz
was reelected by his constituents in the second district that
year. In 1898 Sweeting- was succeeded by Joseph Willott,
another Republican, who was again elected in 1900, while in
the second district Jonas Gagnon of Two Rivers was chosen
twice to serve its interests. For the senate the choice fell
upon Norman A. Knudson, a young Republican who gained
the district by 19 majority. The apportionment of 1901 left
the assembly districts unchanged with the exception of the
transfer of the town of Cato from the first to the second dis-
trict. Among the candidates for state ofiSces in 1900 were
George Dicke of Two Rivers and Max Goeres of Kiel, the
nominees of the Social Democracy for the positions of lieuten-
ant governor and insurance commissioner respectively.
Joseph Willott succeeded himself as assemblyman in 1902
while Mr. Gagnon made way for another Democrat, N. Ter-
ens of Mishicot. Senator Knudson not being a candidate for
reelection, W. A. Knauf of Chilton was placed in the field by
the Republicans while Samuel Randolph, Jr. was nominated
by the Democrats. The latter carried both counties by a
close vote and was consequently the chosen representative of
the district in the Senate. For governor however the county
registered its preference for Robert M. LaFoUette. The
Social Democratic vote of this year was considerable, amount-
ing to over four hundred, and the county was represented on
the state ticket of the organization.

COUNTY POLITICS.

As was stated before the county of Manitowoc was organ-

ized as a separate political unit for all except judicial pur-
poses in December 1838. The first election was held accordr
ingly on March 4 1839 at the residence of P. P. Pierce near
the village of Rapids. O. C. Hubbard and Horace Conroe
were judges of the election and Peter Johnston and J. F. Este
clerks. Two parties were in evidence even in this primeval
community, the one composed of the partisans of B. Jones,
who resided at the mouth of the river and the other made up
 153

of Conroe's followers. There were only thirty-five votes cast

and as the Conroe party numbered seventeen their ticket was
chosen as follows: — County commissioners, Horace Conroe, J.
G. Conroe, J. Rig-by; assessor, O. C. Hubbard; register of
deeds, J. W. Conroe; collector, Peter Johnston. Under the
law then in existence the county commissioners corresponded
to the present county board but were elected from the county
as a whole, — a system which obtained in Wisconsin until
1849 and again from 1861 to 1870. The office of collector
corresponded to the modern county treasurer. The other
county ofiicers such as sheriff, district attorney, clerk of the
court and county judge did not become necessary until Man-
itowoc was organized judicially while the county clerk was
chosen by the commissioners. These latter met first on
March 15, choosing J. W. Conroe as clerk and J. G. Conroe
chairman. The principal business was the appointment of
three constables, Joseph Estes, W. Flinn and Chauncey Cal-
houn. At about the same time the legislature of the terri-
tory changed the name of the township from -Conroe back to
Manitowoc and provided that polls should be established at
the steam sawmill at the Rapids and at '^'the public house"
at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. In May two precincts
were laid out, W. T. Sheppard, S. C. Chase and John Glap
being chosen judges of election in the Two Rivers and J. W.
Conroe, H. McAllister and B. Jones in the Manitowoc pre-
cinct. Thus was the county legally established and in 1840
J. W. Conroe constructed a one story county and town house
at the northern limits of the village of Rapids, it being 24 by
38 feet in dimensions. This structure remained for twelve
years the seat of government. For ten years the county
board was composed of three members, one retiring ajinually.
The principal business before that body was the laying out of
roads and school districts and the appointment of constables
and other minor officials. Among the latter were Constables -

p. S. Munger, S. Peake, E. L. Abbott, J. Hoisted, H. B. Ed-

son, J. Edwards, F. Laduke and L. D. Sackett; Tax Collectors
D. S. Munger, E. D. Beardsley, P- P. Smith and Evander
Soper. The county was sparsely populated and little gov-
154

ernment, even of a local nature, was needed for some time,

the work done being- largely ministerial. The men who
composed the board were, however, leaders in the community
and served their constituents well. In October 1839 Horace
and J. L. Conroe were succeeded by Benjamin Jones and Jos-
eph Edwards, showing that "the mouth" was in the ascend-
ant, although a year later J. G. Conroe was returned instead
of J. Edwards while Rigny, one of the first board after sever-
al year's service gave way to R. M. Eberts, the founder of
Two Rivers. No change in the personnel of the board then
occurred until 1842 when Conroe was succeeded by Oliver
Clawson and in 1843 Eberts gave way to H. McAllister, who
was soon succeeded, however, by Evander M. Soper, while
Joel R. Smith succeeded Benjamin Jones. In 1844 A. Hoyt
took the place formerly held by Evander Soper and the next
year H. H. Champlin that of O. C. Hubbard, who had served
one year instead of Mr. Clawson, the latter however again
giving way in 1846 to Daniel Smith of Mishicot. In 1847
the board was made up of Oliver Clawson, Daniel Smith and
Charles McAllister, the first named followed by E. M. Soper
the next year. The last board under this county system of
representation was and consisted
elected in the fall of 1848 of
J. M. Sprague, Albert Wheeler and Peter Poh.
The year 1848 witnessed several important changes in
the county government. The county officials, who prior to
this time had been appointed or elected annually were now to
hold for two years. The township county board system,
which had been optional in Wisconsin Territory since 1841,
was now made compulsory and finally by legislative act of
March 2 1848 Manitowoc coumy was judicially separated
from Brpwn county, the act taking effect after the second
Tuesday in April. The county was made a part of the Third
Judicial Circuit under Judge A. "W. Stow and it was ordered
that proper rooms should be provided for the court at an ex-
pense of not exceeding $100 per year. The first terra of court
was held by Judge Stow on September 15 1848. O. C.
Hubbard was chosen sheriff and E. Ricker clerk to act until
the first of the following year; E. H, Ellis, J. W. Colby ^ud
 155

J. L. Kyle were admitted to the bar and an indictment was

found for trespass on state lands. The records having- to do
with the county were removed to the Rapids from Green Bay
also in this year, the work beingf under the direction of John
P. Champlin. In the fall the first biennial election for coun-
ty ofi&cers took place. Several candid9.tes were frequently in
the field for the same ofBce in these early days and the per-
sonal more than the partisan element predominated for some
time. In fact it may be said that it was not until 1854 that
the various candidates for local office g-enerally alligned
themselves under the banner of Fome political party. The
ofiELcers chosen in this first election were as follows: —
Sheriff,
George W. Durgin; county treasurer, Pliny Pierce; register
of deeds, A. W. Preston; county clerk, E, H. Ellis; clerk of
court, Ezekiel Ricker; surveyor, E. D. Beardsley; coroner,
Joseph Edwards; county judge, J. H. W. Colby. Elections
were held in the odd years for several of the offices at the be-
ginning and thus it was that in 1849 Adam Bleser became
treasurer, and P. P. Smith clerk of court. In the same year
a jail was built at a cost of $235.

By the county organization formed in 1848 four town-

ships, Manitowoc, Manitowoc Rapids, Two Rivers and
Meeme were set ofi^ and the first session of the counly board
occurred June 28, 1849, the members being Andrew J.
Vieau of Manitowoc, John Stewart of Two Rivers, Charles
McAllister of Rapids and T. Cunningham of Meeme. The
polls in the four towns were respectively as follows:
'

The American House, the h'^me of Spbastian Boldus, the

Courthouse and the home of H. B. Edson. Early in 1850 the
towns of Newton and Centerville were formed, the first elec-
tion being held in private houses and in the fall Maple Grove
was added. The first representatives from these towns were:
— Centerville, Charles Koehler; Newton, F. Hacker and
Maple Grove, M. C. Brown. In 1850 a full set of county of-
ficers were elected with the exception of couuty clerk, that
official being chosen in the odd years until 1883. It was in

this year also that the legislature, added the slice of territory,
156

now composing- the northern tier of townships', to the county.

The towns of Kossuth and Eaton, or as it was first called,
Valders, were formed in 1851 with William Eatough and
George Monroe as their first representatives, Kossuth being
set off from Rapids. The board at about this time adopted
the county poor farm system which continued in use for over
ten years when the more popular township system of main-
tenance supplanted it. Little interest was shown in the po-
campaign of 1852, most of the officers being elected
litical
unanimously or as independent candidates. In this year the
county suffered a serious loss in the burning of the courthouse
at the Rapids. The fire was set on April 30th by an insane
man named Benjamin E. f^ynde, who was confined in the jail
and both the structures were a total loss, although the rec-
ords were fortunately saved. The fire and the fact that
Manitowoc had by tar outstripped Rapids led to the agitation
for the removal of the count}' seat to the former place. The
matter came to a vote on April 14 1853 in accordance with
legislative permission granted a month earlier. Ten town-
ships registered their opinion in the matter, Mishicot, or as
it was first called, Saxonburgh, having been organized with

F. Borcherdt as chairman late in 1852. The vote resulted in

an overwhelming majority in favor of the change, being as
follows:—

Town
 157

Strange to say, however, the battle was only half over

when the removal was decided upon for the question immedi-
ately arose on which side of the river the structure should be
placed. The people residing on the north side suggested
Union Park but the site finally chosen on South Eighth
Street was a strong competitor from the first. The legisla-
ture of 1853 authorized a loan with which the building should
be erected at a cost of not to exceed $5000, which sum was
raised to $10,000 two years later after several public meetings
bad been held to consider the wisdom of the increase for the
proposition had met with considerable opposition. Delays
followed and for three years the question of a site was a
mooted one in village politics. Finally, however, the south
side triumphed and in 1857 the courthouse was constructed,
John Meyer being the architect. An attempt had been made
at construction a year or two before under the direction of a
building committee but a defect had been found in the found-
ation and a new committee, consisting of G. Lee, E. P.
Beardsley and S. Hill was appointed under whose direction
the work was completed.

The campaign of 1854 was a- most bitter one. By this

time the Republican party was a factor and many who had
formerly been Democrats flocked to the new organization.
To make matters more complicated a well defined movement
of defection occured in the Democratic ranks. The county
convention of the party was a scene of discord and after it
was over independent nominees were placed in the field for
the of&ces of county treasurer, district attorney and sheriff.
The Republicans thus succeeded in electing their entire tick-
et with the exception of the register of deeds. The vote is
an interesting one as illustrating that men and not the party
was the principle of division at the time. It was as follows:
Office Rep. Dem. Ind.
Sheriff F. W. Adams 536 A. McCullom 369 S. Carpenter 338
Treas. G. Kremers 682 W. Bach 520 S. Kelley 58
Register of deeds
F.Salomon 481 A.N.Baker 755
158

District attorney
W. Hamilton 836 N. Wollmer 394
Surve3^or F. Armsby 1248
Coroner S. Bates 881 A. Preston 581
County clerk
C. Roeser 714 C.A.Eeuter 506
The Democratic party in the county soon, however, re-
covered from its internal dissensions and in 1855 elected C. A.
Reuter, their candidate for clerk of court by a large majority,
while in 1856 they were victorious all along- the line, not-'
withstanding the fact that there were independent candid-
ates for both the oflB.ces of sheriff and county clerk. In 1855
the town of Schleswig, or as it was first known, Abel, was
formed and H. F. Belitz chosen as its first representative in
the county board. Cooperstown, Rockland and Franklin
were also set off soon after, being represented respectively by
J. R. Weber, Louis Faulhaber and Alanson Hickok. In 1857
the various wards of the villages of Two Rivers and Manito-
woc were recognized as units of representation in the board,
there being at that time three such divisions in Manitowoc,
although the first and third together were given but one sup-
ervisor at first, and two in Two Rivers. Thereafter as the
towns grew each ward was given representation as it came
into existence, thus preserving the balance between the rural
and urban interests. In early judicial affairs politics were
largely tabooed. Judge Gorsline received the almost unani-
mous support of the county in the spring of 1856 for the cii--
cuit bench and at his resignation the year following Judge
David Taylor of Sheboygan was appointed. At this time
Kewaunee county was attached to Manitowoc for judicial
purposes. As county judges the successors of Ezekiel Ricker
whose death occurred in 1854 were George Reed who resigned,
then George C. Lee who also relinquished the oE&ce after a
short incumbency, Isaac Parrish, who served until 1858 and
Charles H. Walker who defeated Parrish for reelection by a
majority of 1013 votes.
The Democrats retained their power in 1857 when they
elected their candidate for clerk of court and in 1858 when al-
C. p. MUNGER
 159
f<,

most the whole county ticket was victorious. During the

latter campaign there was again disaffection in the ranks,
not sufficient to change the result at the polls however.
Prominent among the bolters were Col. Sherwood, G. W.
Barker, W. F. Eldredge, "William Eatough, M. Playfair and
Patrick Flynn and they placed D. H. Van Valkenbuirgh in
the field as sheriff against Louis Kemper, the regular Demo-
cratic nominee and A. N. Baker as register of deeds against
Jere Crowley. The votes for these two independent candid-'
ates, however, did not much exceed one hundred, although
Baker's vote caused the election of Henry Baetz, the Repub-
lican nominee for register of deeds. On the other hand the
Democrats secured almost exclusive control of the county
board, all but five of the members being followers of the
party. In 1858 Cato, Gibson and Liberty, the last first
known as Buchanan, were created and given representation
in the board, the first chairmen of the towns being'Alanson
Hickok, Jason Pellett and Ole Oleson. Finally in 1860 the
town of Two Creeks, first called Rowley after an earlier set-'
tier, was set off it being the last of the eighteen townships to
come into existence. H. Luebke was its first supervisor. In
that year also the county board authorized the building of a
bricks structure for the county of&ces, as an annex to the court-
house. B. Jones secured the contract for SSOOO and the
building was erected on the southeast corner of the square.'
The year 1S()0 witnessed more factional strife and bitter con-
tests in county politics, the campaign being perhaps the most
virulent in Manitowoc's history. At the Democratic convention
the trouble first began to show itself, largely from the fact
that some, among them Editor Crowley of the Pilot, openly
asserted that the gathering was in the hands of the Brecken-
ridge followers and that they were trading with the Republi-
cans. Judge Pierpont, as leader of the Breckenridge support-
ers, presided over the convention and Renter, the regular
nominee of the party for treasurer, was also of that factioh.
The result was that the bolters placed M. Kuhl in nomina-
tion for the position of county treasurer as opposed to Renter
and P. Hogan to oppose Alanson Hickok, the regular nom-
160

iuee for county clerk. T^hus handicapped the Democrats

went into the strug-gle ag-ainst the Republicans and the re-
sult was a defeat in the case 6f every nominee by majorities
ranging from two to seven hundred. Candidate Kuhl devel-
dped a remarkable strength, considering that he was an in-
dependent nominee, receiving 786 votes while Renter received
1260 and his victorious Republican opponentj O. Koch 1907.
S. A. Wood, the Democratic candidate for district attorney
was about the only one on the ticket that secured anywhere
near the regular party strength. The war then beginning
led to many changes in local politics. The Breckenridge
and Douglas Democrats drew together gradually and this
fact» allied to that of the opposition of H. S. Pierpont to har-
bor taxes led to his election to the office of county judge in the
spring of 1861, In the meanwhile the Union Democrats, in-
cluding such men as Henry Sibree, Lyman Emerson and oth-
ers joined the Republicans on all issues and gradually became
an integral part of the party. In the fall of that year Con-
rad Bates was pat forward as the Union candidate for clerk
of court but was defeated by Jere Crowley, his Democratic
opponent by 192 votes. The first election of a county school
superintendent also occurred at this time, B. J. Van Valken-
burgh, the Democratic nominee defeating Fred Borcherdt,
whom the Unionists supported.
By this time another change had been made in the sys-
tem of county government in the state. By act of March 28,
1861 the county boards were made to consist of three super-
visors, one elected froqi each assembly district, while the
chairmen of the towns retained only such functions as per-
tained to the eCj^ualization of taxes. Under this law the first
board was elected in Manitowoc in November. In the first
district John Carey, Democrat defeated F. R. Gutheil, Union.
In the second district Lyman Emerson was chosen unani-
mously while in the third Nels Sorenson, Democrat defeated
S. A. Wood, Union. The board met in the spring of 1862
and elected Mr. Emerson president but soon both he and Su-
pervisor Sorenson resigned, necessitating the calling of a
special election, which resulted in the choice of Alanson
 161

Hickok in the second and Jason Pellett in the third district,

both being- Democrats. J. O'Hearn succeeded Hickok in
November 1863 and as thus constituted the board continued
to exist until 1866. The campaign of 1862 was somewhat of,
a complicated one. Men that had recently changed political
allegiance were placed on tickets in strange companionship
and the result was a remarkable divergence in the number of
votes received by the candidates for different ofl&ces. There
was no open bolting, however, and the Democrats elected all
their officers except the county treasurer for which position
Oscar Koch defeated H. S. Pierpont by a narrow majority.
As the war proceeded the Democratic party continued to grow
stronger in the county, only the towns of Manitowoc, Kos-
suth, Gibson, Liberty, Eaton and Rockland giving majorities
for the Republican ticket in 1862, of which three, KosSuth,
Gibson and Liberty, went over to the opponents a year later.
During the war a number of tesignations occurred among the
county of&cers due to enlistments- for military service, among
the number being Sheriff Murphy, Superintendent of Schools
Van Valkenburgh, County Judge Walker and Register of
Deeds Baetz.
In 1863, 1864 and 1865 the Democratic county tickets
were entirely successful by large majorities, due partially to
the fact that many of the Republican candidates were former
Democrats. In the fall of 1865 a new county board was chos-
en consisting of F. Schmitz, B. S. Lorrigan and G- Damler,
who administered affairs ably. After the war had closed the
Republicans regained considerable strength and in the fall of
1866 succeeded in electing Henry Baetz as county treasurer,
besides making a very respectable showing in the contest for
the other offices. The following fall according to an amend-
ment of the county supervisor law a supervisor at large from
the county as a whole was chosen to sit in the county board,
the Democratic candidate, J. S. Eggers, carrying the election
by seven hundred majority over C. W. White. Messrs. Gal-
logly, Mohr and Koehilke were also added to that body from
the first, second and third districts respectively by virtue of
another amendment to the law, which increased its total
162:

membership this action being- taken for fear that

to seven,
dictatorship might the result of too cloSe a corporation.
be,
The board thus constituted remained in office until 1870 when
a return to the system, whereby each township was repre-
sented by a superyisor, was made.
The county election of 1868 was another close contest.
The Republicans developed considerable strength, reelecting
Henry Baetz as treasurer and putting in office P. P Fuessen-
ich as county clerk and Fayette Armsby as surveyor while
the Democrats elected the rest of the ticket. In the spring
of that yearJudge Taylor, the Democratic candidate for the
circuit bench had also been defeated by Campbell McLain.
On the other hand W. W. Waldo was chosen county judge by
2500 majority over H. Sibree, the Republican candidate, in
the judicial election of 1869 while Democratic successes in
the fall also presaged a change. The campaign of 1870 was
nevertheless a very bitter one. This time both the .Demo-
cratic and Republican camps suffered defections in the form
of a third or People's partymovement. I'his faction placed
Ira P. Smith in nomination for sheriff, A. Chloupek for
treasurer, J. Garry for register of deeds, G. A. Woodin for
district attorney and J. Oswald for coroner, endorsing J.
Thombs, the Democratic nominee for county clerk. The re-
sult of the election was unsatisfactory to all, the division of
officesbeing about even. Quirin Ewen, P. P. Fussenich and
F. Armsby, Republican nominees for treasurer, county clerk
and surveyor were successful while from among the Demo-
crats John Franz, A. Wittenberg, E. B. Treat and F. Simon
secured the positions of register of deeds, sheriff, district
attorney and coroner. Then came the Fiiessenich scandal,
the only deep blot on the history of Manitowoc politics,
which had an injurious effect on Republican success for many
years as well as casting a shadow on several leading Demo-
cratic politicians. Rumors that P. P. Fuessenich, the county
clerk had not been using honest methods in the discharge of
his duties led to an investigation early in 1871 and it was re-
vealed by a committee of the county board, appointed to in-
vestigate the matter, that for six years a system of illegal
 163
«
appropriation of public funds had been going- on. It was
proved that over $20,000 of the county money had thus been
squandered and it came to lig-ht that Fuessenich, the chief
offender had made away with other sums besides. Before
hearing- the testimony the clerk handed in his resig-nation
and fled the country, nothing- further ever being heard from
him. The matter created much excitement at the time and
led to the institution of many reforms in the alministration
of public business.
Fuessenich's resignation made a special election neces-
sary in the fall of 1871, Gilbert Burnet being chosen by 63
majority over H. S. Pierpont, the former being a Republican.
Considerable trouble was experienced over the refusal of the
county board of canvassers, through some irregularity, to
count the returns from Cato and Pierpont was at first de-
clared elected. On quo warranto proceedings, however, the
vote of the town was admitted and Mr. Burnet seated. De-
spite the effects of the Fuessenich scandal the contest in the
fall of 1872 was most intense and the result was another divi-
sion of of&ces. The People's party of the county held a con-
vention, H. S. Pierpont being the leading spirit but ho nomi-
nations were made. P. J. Pierce was announced as an inde-
pendent candidate for sheriff but later withdrew. R. D.
Smart, the Republican candidate for that office ran several
hundred ahead of his ticket and was elected over Edward
Conway. A. M. Richter, another Republican, was. chosen
county clerk and the vote for treasurer resulted in a tie be-
tween Quirin Ewen, Republican and A. Wittenberg, Demo-
crat, e3.ch receiving 2458 votes. The rest of the offices went
to' the Democrats. The tie in the case of treasurer made a
special election necessary and one was accordingly held in
December in which Mr. Ewen defeated his opponent by 101
votes. On the other hand the Democratic majority in 1873
increased to over 2000 on the vote for clerk of court and in
1874 their ticket was successful with the exception of county
treasurer, to which position Quirin Ewen was again elected,
this time by 256 majority over G. Damler. Ewen, however,
<3ied before his term expired find his opponent was chpsen b^
164

the county board to fill the vacancy. From this time on un-
til1882 only three Republicans were succeessful in securing'
county ofSce, the Democratic majorities being- in theneig-hbor-
hood of one thousand and in some cases, as in the election of
county judg-e in 1877, there being- no opposition. The first
of th'ese three exceptions -was Prof. G. F. Viebahn, -who in
1879 was chosen school superintendent over John Hussey by
a majority of 561. The second was R. D. Smart, who owing
to his personal popularity and disaffection in the Democratic
ranks defeated J. P. Wickert for countv judge in the spring
of 1881 by 870 votes. The third was John Bibing-er, who in
1882 was elected sheriff over W. Wieboldt. A year before
Judge Norman Gilson had been chosen circuit judge over
Campbell McLain, his Republican opponent, by a majority of
3102, one of the largest ever g-iven in the county for any can-
didate. In 1882 the Prohibitionist put up a county ticket
but did not deVelop essential streng-th. At this time the odd
year elections for county superintendent and clerk of court
ceased and thus political energ-ies could be more centralized.
Early in the eighties many Manitowoc county men, not-
ably William Rahr, urged the building of a county asylum
for the care of the insane and at a meeting of the county
board in May 1884 $25,000 was voted for that purpose. A
three story brick structure was built on spacious grounds
southwest of Manitowoc and the institution was opened
in January 1885 with Gustav Mueller as superintendent.
The asylum has since been managed by trustees and has
proved most successful, many patients from other counties as
well as the local insane being cared for. A county jail was
erected in the early nineties and the old courthouse remodeled,
the count-y oflSce annex being removed. The latter part of
the decade 1880-1890 saw as few Republicans in of&ce in the
county as had the earlier years of it. County Judge C. H.
Schmidt, who had defeated Judge Smart in 1885 died in 18i8
and Emil Baensch, a Republican was chosen to fill the va-
cancy. A year later, his term having expired, he defeated
Hubert Falge by 1253 votes, the most decisive Republican
victory f6r some time. Democratic landslides occured in 1890
 165

and 1892 but by 1894 the beginning of another change in

county politics came about and the years of exclusive Demo-
cratic rule were brought to an end. In that year the Popu-
lists put up a county ticket, which secured about three hun-
dred votes, forming no inconsiderable element as the first
third party movement in the county since the Prohibition
ticket of 1882 with the exception of a few local candidates on
the Labor ticket in 1888. The Democrats secured every of-
fice with the exception of sheriff, to which Henry Schmidt

was elected over Daniel Tracy. Then came the campaign of

1896. resulting in a victory for all of the Republican nomi-
nees except the county clerk. In 1898 a reaction took
place, the Republicans securing only the county treasurership,
10 which Peter Kaufman was elected, but in 1900 the party
again gained grctund, electing the sheriff, county clerk, dis-
trict attorney, treasurer and surveyor while the Democrats
secured the register of deeds, coroner and clerk of court, the
county superintendent being chosen on a non-partisan basis.
Owing toan error in the returns from the fourth ward of the
city of Manitowoc E. S. Schmitz, the Democratic nominee
for district attorney, was seated by the board of canvassers
but after continuing in office for two months and after some
litigation had been commenced a compromise was effected,
whereby the Republican candidate, A. L. Hougen, took the
position. A municipal court was established in the county
in 1895 and both this and the probate court were for some
time governed by non-partisan principles, owing to the bal-
ance existing between the two parties in the county but in
1901 the matter was again taken into politics, a Republican,
A. P. Schenian being chosen municipal judge and a Demo-
crat, John Chloupek becoming judge of the probate court.
Michael Kirwan of Manitowoc succeeded Judge Gilson on the
circuit bench in 1899, defeating Attorney Prescott of Sheboy-
gan by a swee[ ing majority.
The election held in the fall of 1902 again witnessed an
almost equal division of the spoils, the Democrats succeecjing
in electing the sheriff, register of deeds, clerk of court and
coroner, while the Republicans chose the county clerk, treas-
166

urer, district attorneyand surveyor, while for county school

superintendent Fred Christiansen received support from both
parties. The Social Democrats put a full county ticket in the
field and made a very considerable showing-.
Thus in summarizing- it will be noted that the Democrats,
with few exceptions, have been victorious in county politics.
And yet the divisions that have occurred in the apportionment
of the offices within the gift of the people show very clearly
that the true test that has been applied was the man and not
the party. Factional strife that was so bitter in earlier days,
leading to scurrilous abuse and insult through the columns of
the public press has largely ceased of late years. On the
whole the study of the political complexion of the county in
its varying- chang-es is an interesting one and the record of the
public officials has been with some few exceptions fairly good.
Particularly might this be said of the members of the county
boards, who, it may well be admitted, have been representa-
tives in the best sense of the word. A list of the various offi-

cials of the county, the members of the county board and the
chairmen of that body will be found in Appendix C.
 CHAPTER X.

VILLAGE AND CITY GOVERNMENT.

Manitowoc county contains two cities, Manitowoc and
Two Rivers and two villag-es, Reedsville and Kiel, that have
been incorporated under the state laws, the former under spe-
cial statutes and the villages in accordance with general laws.
Both Manitowoc and Two Rivers had twenty years of village
existence before entering upon a civic life. It is the purpose
of this chapter to study the political and administrative his-
tory of each of them.
Manitowoc.
The village of Manitowoc was an integral part of the
,

township of the same name and indistinguishable from it un-

til March 6, 1851 on which date a law was signed which

3.uthori?ed its incorporation. Even earlier this step had been

proposed as the township, because of the fact that there was
no other leg?.! entity, wa? obliged to do muph improvement
outside of the scope of a rural community. Thus the trfivel
p.cross the M3,nitowoc river' bec3.me sq important that in lg4S
it became necessary to supersede the primitive ferry by 3,
tiridge. In this first bridge, which was an inexpensive struc-
ture, there was no draw siqce at the time there was no necesr
sity for one. At this time the business portion of Manitowoc
was almost entirely on the north side and as many families
fesi4?<i PQ the oppositg side a ready means pf coramunicatiofl
168

was very necessary. The charter provided that the village

should be divided into two wards, that portion south of the
river to be known as the first and that on the north side as
the second. A president, marshal and treasurer for the whole
village and three trustees and one assessor from each ward
were to be chosen the first Tuesday of each April. The town
supervisors were to appoint a polling place for the first elec-
tion and all who were qualified voters of the town within the
limits defined were given the suffrage. The president's dut-
ies were enumerated, including the keeping of the seal, sign-
ing licenses, justice of the peace powers and casting votes in
case of a tie in the village board. General ordinance powers
were conferred upon the board and it was annually to appoint
a clerk, street commissioners in both wards, four fire wardens,
a sealer of weights and measures, sexton, harbormaster and
chief engineer of the fire department.
The first election was soon held, George Reed being
chosen president, Gustavus Richter treasurer and A. Witt-
mann marshal. On May 12th the first meeting of the village
trustees was held, the chairman of the county board adminis-
tering the oath. The membership of this first board con-
sisted of C. Hottelmann, J. F. Zinns and Evander M. Soper
of the first and M. Fellows, J. Bennett and Jarvis E. Piatt of
the second ward. At the first session a map of the village
was ordered to be made, by-laws were drafted and S. A. Wood
was chosen clerk. The work of the board for the first few
years was largely along pioneer lines. A cemetery had early
been established at what is now the corner of North Eighth
and Park streets, but this being too near the center of popu-
lation a movement for a new one was early on foot, under the
name of the Evergreen Cemetery Association. It was incor-
porated in 1856 and its rights the village bought out some
years later. The ground purchased overlooked the Manito-
woc river and has since been used for burial purposes; The
grading of streets was another problem pressing for solution
 169

was centered on York and Commercial streets, which were

laid out much wider than any of the others.
George Reed was succeeded as village president by James
Bennett in 18S2 and the latter was reelected a year later.
During his term authorization was received for the draining
of extensive marshes east of South Ninth and north of Jay
'

streets and much improvement took place. Fire companies

made up of volunteer bands of male residents were organiied
and, although at first there was little apparatus, nevertheless
the needs of the day were met. A public square was laid out
between North Seventh, Park and North Sixth streets, later
christened Union Park, the ladies of the city raising enough
money in 1852 to fence it in. A few years later Washington
Park was set off on the south side, surrounded by Eleventh,
Washington, Marshal and Twelfth streets. Mr. Bennett
was succeeded by William Bach, a Democrat of considerable
popularity. He in turn, after a year of service, gave way to
Charles Esslinger in 1855, who remained in of&ce two years.
As the treasurer of the Manitowoc & Mississippi at the time
he received a hearty support from men of all parties although
the elections were contested in the early days, as later, ac-
cording to national party lines. A public meeting was held in
December 1856 to ask for incorporation as a city but little
came of the movement and the panic of the next year, coupled
with the failure of the railroad plans to materialize, put a
damper on municipal hopes. Up to March 1857 four amend-
ments had been made to the village charter. The first and
second, in 1852 and 1853, changed minor clauses in the origi-
nal document, the third in 1856 altered the boundaries and
the fourth in 1857 provided that each ward should .elect a
representative to the county board. In the last named year
James Bennett was again elected president, this time on the
Republican ticket. The year witnessed much dissatisfaction
as to the proportion of taxes the village was obliged to pay
under the equalization made by the county board and an in-
junction was secured against paying over the funds but it
was dissolved later. It was during Bennett's term also that
the village purchased two new hand fire engines at a cost of
170

$5000 and an eng-ine house was constructed on the north side.

The Badger Engine company was formed to man the appara-
tus, purely voluntary in character, and in February, 1855 a
bucket company was also organized with E. K. Rand as fore-
man and C. Essling-er as first assistant. A complete plat of
the village was made by Fred Salomon in 1857 being accepted
by the village trustees as official.
President Bennett gave way in 1858 to Charles Esslinger.
An amendment passed by the legislature in that year created
the third ward, although it and the first were united for
some years as far as representation in the county board was
concerned. By another amendment passed the next spring
the board of the village was given increased powers over the
highways. It was seen by this time that a better bridge
across the river was a necessity and on August 10 1859 a
public meeting was called to consider the question. As a re-
sult a new structure with a draw was thrown across the river
on Eighth street, being opened to the public the following
February. Bridges were authorized the same year by the
legislature at Ninth and Commercial streets but they were
not constructed, nor was that at the west end of York street,
authorized two years later. The next president of the vil-
lage after Mr. Esslinger was S. A. Wood, who was elected
twice on the Democratic ticket. During his incumbency the
fire companies, now two in number, reached a more complete
organization, gaining a recognized place socially as well as
in their field of usefulness. Their annual reviews and balls
-wpre among the events of the year and it was not an infre-
quent occurrence for them to receive and pay visits to and
from similar organizations in neighboring towns. The Bad-
ger company temporarily disbanded in 1861 but was succeeded
in the second ward by the Clipper City Engine company,
with Eours Kemper as foreman.
In the spring of 1861 two village tickets were placed in
the field, G. B. Collins representing the Republicans as can-
 171>

witligreat ability and was succeeded in 1862 by James Ben-

nett,now for the fourth term president. New streets were
graded rapidly at this time and an amendment to the charter
was secured fa'cilitating such action. At the next election
Oscar Koch, the Republican candidate, succeeded in defeating
Joseph Vilas although the latter carried .the second ward and
in 1864 A. D. Jones was honored with the confidence c^f his
townsmen, he also being a Kepublican. The activity of the
village was consumed mainly at this time with the raising
of bounties and interest was centered in the war. A new
fire company was organized in the second ward during the
year, known as the Union Engine Co. No. 1, Jonah Richards
being- chosen foreman aijd among the members being enrvJlled
many of the most prominent villagers. In 1865 Joseph Vilas
and O. Torrison were. the opposing candidates for the village
presidency, the former carrying all three wards, owing to his
championship of the harbor projects then pending. During
the last months of his term the charter of the village was re-
codified and passed by the state legislature. "Few changes,
of importance were made, the principal features being the
making of the marshal an appointive instead of an elective
office and the addition of several powers to those already pos-
sessed by the trustees, including that over the improvement
of parks and increased financial discretion. In the election
of 1866 S. A. Wood, the Democratic candidate, was elected
president, carrying all but the second ward, in which J. D.,
Markham, his opponent, was successful.
As the effects of the war disappeared village activity be-
gan to take on a more definite character. Great interest was
manifested in the volunteer fire department which at this
time had reached a high standard of efficiehcy. It consisted
of Badger Engine company No. 2, stationed on the south side,
of which F. Becker acted as foreman. Phoenix Hook & Lad-
der company, G. Phillips, foreman and- Protection Bucket
company, A. Pfeffer foreman. This mode of enlisting citi-
zens in public service was a beneficent one and formed a re-
markable feature of the times. An important change was
made by an amendment to the village charter passed in
^72
March 1867 by which it was pfovided that the office of village

treasurer and marshal should be abolished, the town treasurer

and constable filling- their places and the assessors were made
appointive instead of elective. The latter chang-e was per-
manent but the former only temporary, the original provi-
sions being" restored a year later. After a year's service Mr.
Wood was defeated and therefore succeeded by Henry Baetz,
the latter remaining- in office two years, carrying the village
in 1868 over William Bach by a large majority. The legisla-
ture g-ranted the village a new
Charter in the spring of that
year, which was much more complete than any previous one.
Among other things it provided for the creation of the fourth
ward out of territory formerly comprising- the western part of
the second ward, for the annual election of a police justice,
for the choice of a fire chief by the department itself and for
the appointment by the trustees of a village attorney. The
powers of the board were also considerably augmented, they
being given control of the harbor, succeeding the commission-
ers, of whom mention is made elsewhere and being assigned
the duty of acting as street commissioners in their respective
wards. Among other provisions were the power to raise a
tax for a bridge on Tenth street and to utilize one fourth of
the time in the public schools in instruction in foreign lan-
guages and the creation of a board of equalization, consisting
of the president, treasurer, clerk and assessor. Another
amendment was passed a year later providing for the appoint-
nient of one street commissioner per ward and also authoriz-
ing a vote to be taken on the question of consolidating the
village into one school district and of erecting a central high
school. An interesting question came up in President Baetz's
administration. An alley in block 262 was vacated by the
trustees and it was sought to legalize the act by means of a
spfecial act from the legislature, which was accordingly
granted. Governor Fairchild, however, vetoed the act after
which the senate immediately passed the bill over his head
by a vote of 2^ to 3 and the assembly took similar action by a
vote of 6b to 22. The next and last president of the village
was Charles Luling, a Republican. Even before this the
 173

question of incorpoi'atioti as a city had been agitated and as a

result of efforts along- this line the legislature on March 12,
1870 finally granted a charter. The document comprised
forty-eight pages in the statute book of that year and was
quite complete.
It provided for annual elections on the first Tuesday in
April at which a mayor, treasurer, police justice and three
aldermen, one justice of the peace and one constable for each
ward were to be chosen by the voters. The board of aiders-
men was given the power to appoint a clerk, marshal, police"
men, harbormaster, assessor, bridge tenders, sexton, sealer of
weights and measures, fire chief, city attorney, surveyor,
fire warden and one street commissioner per ward and at first
the mayor had no veto power. The four wards remained as
theretofore and four school districts were also authorized.
Limits of taxation were fixed, that of the ward funds being
two per cent and the board of equalization was made to con-
sist of the mayor, clerk, treasurer and assessor. Petitions
for the laying out and vacation of streets as well as for pub-
lic park improvement were provided for and full powers over
the harbor were defined. The first election under the charter
occured as specified, the candidates for mayor being Peter
Johnston. Republican and C. H. Schmidt, Democrat. John-
ston carried all four of the wards and thus became the first
magistrate of the newly created municipality. Otto Troem-
mel being chosen treasurer. Mayor Johnston was reelected
in 1871 over John Franz, the latter carrying only the third
ward. With the beginning of city life came much activity.
An iron bridge was begun over the river at Tenth street,
which reached completion in October 1872, the total cost be-t
ing $25,000. This structure was 450 by 31 feet and was the.
first iron bridge in the county. Considerable improvement
at the cemetery was also acctimplished, efforts made at drain-
age on the south side, notably near Sherman's Creek and a
new steam fire engine, the Manitowoc, purchased in 1872,
after which public cisterns were placed at convenient places
throughout the city. Loans were necessary to carry out
these improvements and legislative authority to borrow was
174

easily secured. By an amendment to the charter the city

was divided into four districts for street purposes, each under
the charge of a commissioner, appointed by the board and by
another adopted in 1873 methods of fixing- salaries were pro-
vided and the power of maintaining a dredge given to the
municipality. River improvement and the fixing of dock
lines played an important part in city affairs at the time as is
elsewhere pointed out.
In 1872 Charles Luling defeated S. A. Wood for mayor
by 50.8 majority and was succeeded a year later by another
Republican, A. D. Jones, who was reelected in 1874 by 412
majority over George Pankratz, in 1875 by 267 majority over
John Franz, in 1876 unanimously and in 1877 by 80 majority
over E. K. Rand. During Mayor Jones' administration the
work of public improvement continued. A new bridge was
constructed at Eighth street at a cost of $27,000, another
steam fire engine, the A. D. Jones, added to the department,
being stationed on the north side and new engine houses were
provided. The department was reorganized on a more mod-
ern basis with Fred Seeger as chief engineer, consisting of
Steam Engine Company No. 1, Steam Engine Company No.
2, Badger Engine Company No. 3, Torrent Engine Company
No. 2 and Protection Bucket company. Within a few years,
however, the old volunteer organizations, the Torrent, Bad-
ger and Protection companies disbanded. Some changes in
government were made by an amendment to the charter in
1875, the police justice being made appointive from among
the justices of the peace and powers over street lighting and
the regulation of railways being granted to the council.
Two years later the legislature also changed the provision in
'

regard to constituency of the board of equalization, one alder-

man from each ward being added. Complaint was again
loud at about this time as before in the fifties as to the in-
justice with which the city was taxed by the county board.
..The city election of 1878 was very close, John Schuette,
a Republican defeating Adolph Piening, the Democratic
nominee, by 36 majority. This marked the beginning of Mr.
Schuette's six years at the helm of city affairs for he succes-
JUDGE H. S. PIERPONT
 175

sively defeated Ed watd Conway, Henry Muliiolland and Georg-e

Pankratz, besides being- unanimously chosen in 1881. His
administration was' marked by great advances, particularly
in street improvement, drainag-e, fire department affairs and
harbor improvement. T^he city charter was completely re-
vised by C. E. Estabrook in 1879 and, as amended, was fSassed
by the leg^islature. By this charter a city physician was
added to the list of appointive officers, the office of police
justice was abolished, the policemen took the place of the fire
wardens, salary limits were fixed and the veto power given
the mayor. In 1882 an amendment was passed in reg^ard to
the public gfrounds, streets and sidewalks, the council's pow-
ers in these regards being consideraoly augmented. Later
in Mayor Schuette's term the question of instituting a sys-
tem of waterworks was much agitated and a public meeting
called to discuss the proposition but so much opposition was
manifested that the project was dropped temporarily. In the
spring of 1884 George Pankratz, the Democratic nominee for
mayor defeated Mayor Schuette by 156 votes, carrying all but
the first ward and a year later he defeated R. D. Smart by
127 majority. His successor was also a Democrat, Reinhardt
Rahr, the youngest of Manitowoc's mayors, who defeated F.
Sixta by 328 majority. The principal issue during his ad-
ministration, which was an able one, was the waterworks
question. In 1886 eastern capitalists appeared and at a pub-
lic meeting held on October 18th it was decided to plit the
matter of granting a franchise to a popular vote, which was
accordingly done on June lltbof the next year. By this time
Thomas Torrison was mayor, having been elected by a ma-
jority of 141 votes over Reinhardt Rahr. The city divided
on the waterworks question as follows:
Wards For Agaipst ^

First 248 24
Second 56 31
Third 283 52
Fourth 136 49

Total 713 156

176

With this populaf endorsement the franchise was granted

and Manitowoc Waterworks Company formed by the pro-
the-
moters, the system being installed during the succeeding two
years. The pumphouse was constructed on the lake front
near the south city limits, cribs and filters sunk out
in Lake Michigan and a steel reservoir erected on North
Water street. From time to time the system has been en-
larged as patronage and public needs made extension neces'
sary. Mayor Torrison was reelected in 1888 without opposi-
tion and continued his work in the advancement of the city's
interests. Efforts were made to get a government building
during his term and although unsuccessful, led to increased
postal facilities. Saloon licenses were raised in amount to
$200 at about this time but notwithstanding this fact for
many years the city led all in the state as to the number of
these institutions in proportion to population. It was decided
that the city should be lighted by electricity and in February
1889 bids were received for that purpose. John Schuette was
given the franchise and within a few months had a first class
incandescent system in operation. The new waterworks sys-
tem also led to a reorganization of the fire department and
this was accomplished under the administration of Fred
Schuette, who was elected in 1889 and again in 1890 and 1891
without opposition The old steam fire engines were retired
to reserve duty and a brick fire station was erected on Frank-
lin street, a small sub-station containing a hose cart being
placed on the north side. A system of electric fire alarms
was also instituted and the entire department changed from
a volunteer to a partly paid service. By legislative authoriz-
ation a sewage system was put in, which was extended from
year to year as necessity arose. A
new charter was granted
the city by the legislature in 1891 under which, with the ex-
ception of certain portions of the general law the council has
adopted, it has since operated. Aldermen were reduced
to two per ward by this act and the elections for city of&cers
were made biennial. Considerable appointive power, includ-
ing that over the chief of police, surveyor and attorney, was
conferred upon the mayor and a board of public works was
 17:

and attorney
also instituted, consisting of the clerk, eng'iueer ;-

Paving-, parkimprovement and bridge construction were pro-

vided for and other minor changes were designated. The
limits of the city were extended also, the board soon creating
the fifth and sixth wards, the former being the western por-
tion of the third and the latter the western portion of the
fourth ward. In the same year the legislature authorized
the city to borrow $30,000 for the building of a new iron
bridge across the river at Eighth street and accordingly the
work was entered upon, the contract being let to the Wiscon-
sin Bridge Company. The bridge at Tenth street was also
rebuilt soon after. In 1892 the seventh ward was set off,
consisting of that territory embraced in the extreme south-
west portion of the city.
The election of 1893 witnessed a partisan contest for mayor
Joseph Vilas representing the Democrats and Joseph Willott,
Jr., the Republicans. Theformer was elected by 451 majority,
carrying all but the second ward. City progress was largely
retarded by the effect of the bank failures and the general
panic during the years of his administration but towards the
end the Wisconsin Central projects awakened a new interest
in the future. Municipal ownership of lighting and water-
works was much discussed at the time, although no results
followed in the way of a general public movement. Mayor
Vilas was defeated by Thomas Torrison in 1895 by a major-
ity of 424, the latter carrying every ward but the seventh.
He was reelected two years later without opposition. During
his term of office the city was particularly active in harbor
improvements, the river being dredged at the expense of
many thousands and extensive docking projects being carried
out, of which ment.on is elsewhere made in these pages.
Other Improvements also went on apace. In 1899 the Demo-
crats placed William Rahr in nomination for the mayoralty
and he defeated George Burger, the Republican candidate, by
790 majority. Two years later Mr. Rahr was renominated,
this time by the Republicans and defeated Henry Mulholland,
his Democratic adversary, by 841 majority. His administra-
tion was one of remarkable vigor and was marked by great
Its

advancement. Aiiiong- the improvefnents instituted were tlie

.

reorganization of the police department, the installation of

the police telegraph system, the placing of arc lights on the
main streets, the renovation of the city parks, the paving of
Eighth and Commercial streets with vitrified brick at a cost
of nearly $40,000, the building of an engine house on North
Eighth street at a cost of $10,000, the granting of street Gar
and gas franchises and the opening of a public library, The
question of building a new city hall was agitated but it was
Uot thought advisable to go to that expense, although the
rooms used for the city offices were thoroughly remodeled.
Harbor improvements were also continued and additions made
to Evergreen cemetery. On the whole the watchword of the
city in recent yearshas been progress. In the spring election
of 1903 Dr. G. Kemper, a Democrat was by a compromise
W.
agreement, unanimously chosen as mayor while the Repub-
licans secured the city treasurership, the former incumbent,
John Mahnke being reelected. Chief among the projects of
moment engrossing the opening of his term were the build-
ing of the $25,000 Carnegie Library. A list of city officials
of both Manitowoc and Two Rivers will be found in Appen-
dix D.

TWO RIVERS.
The village of Two
Rivers was set off from the town of
the same name and a charter granted to it on March 31
1858. It was divided into two wards, Washington street be-
ing the line of demarkation and the first Tuesday in May
was fixed as the annual election day. The elective officers in-
cluded a president, marshal, treasurer and three supervisors
and one assessor per ward, while the clerk, harbormaster and
minor officers were made appointive. According to the char-
ter the first election was held in May 1858 and H. C. Hamil-
ton, a He was succeeded by
Democrat was chosen president.
H. Pierpont in 1859, Edward Mueller in 1860, J. B. Burns
S.
in 1861, David Smoke in 1862 and then by John Oswald, who
served as president three years. During this time the village
was progressing rapidly. In 1862 the legislature authorized
5:
O
H

a
 179

on the East Twin at Main street and over the West

bridg'es
Twin at Washing-ton, Jefferson and Monroe streets. This
act was repealed two yearslater and the villag-e trustees giv-
en authority over bridges, an authority which they soon
all
acted upon, for the only bridge then in existence wg.s that on
Washington by the county in 1849. Structures
street erected
at a cost of $3600 were built at Washington and Walnut
streets in 1865, J. Mann being the contractor. Street im-
provement was also pushed and adequate means of fire pro-
tection devised. Joseph Mann was elected president in 1866,
after whom E. Mueller served another term, John Oswald two
terms, Andrew Baetz one and J. M. Conine one. Then in
1872 B. F. Richter was honored, after whom Mr. Conine was
again elected for two terms, serving until 1875.
In December 1868 the Two Rivers Excelsior Engine com-
pany was organized with H. Smith as foreman and also the
I)exter Hook & Ladder Co. with George Burnell as foreman.
A fireman's tournament was held in the village a year later
and these organizations were very active factors for several
years. In 1871, however, a steam fire engine was purchased
and the department reorganized, a new fire station being
erected in 1874 at a cost of $5000, the building also being .

used as a town hall. Several amendments to the charter

were made during these years, one in 1868 in regard to the
duties of the clerk and treasurer, one in 1870 containing mi-
nor provisions and one in 1871, changing the election day to
the first Tuesday in April. Louis Zander became village'
president in 1875, then J. M. Conine served another term and
he in turn was succeeded by B. F. Richter in 1877. A move-
ment was then on foot looking towards the securing of a city
charter and efforts in that direction were rewarded by the
legislature in the grant of such a document on March 18
1878. By this charter three wards were created, Jefferson
street being the dividing line between the first and the sec-
ond and the third consisting of that portion of the city west
and south of the West Twin. Annual elections were to be
held on the first Tuesday in April at which a mayor, assessor,
treasurer and two aldermen, pne constable and one justice of
180

the peace for each ward were to be elected. Each ward was
g-iven representation in the counly board, this being- a change
from the system that had prevailed since 1870, by which the
village as a whole was given but one representative in that
body. The mayor was given no veto power but could cast a
vote in case of a tie. The council was given the power of ap-
pointing a clerk, marshal, harbor master and other minor
officers and also possessed the qsual powers given to similar
bodies. The city was constituted as one school district and
one school commissioner was appointed by the council to re-
present each ward in matters pertaining to education. The
first election held under the charter resulted in the choice of
M. Maloy as mayor and E. Hammel as treasurer ancl the coun-
cil was constituted as follows: —First Ward, U. Niquette and
H. Lohman; Second Ward, R. E. Mueller and Joseph Schwab;
Third Ward, Peter Stout andA. Wehausen. For many years
the city officers in Two Rivers were kept out of partisan
struggle, each spring a general caucus of citizens determining
who should be the candidates and the election being merely a
form of ratification. Mayor Maloy was reelected in 1879 and
was succeeded a year later by W. F. Nash, Mr. Maloy being
again chosen in 1881. Next Andrew Baetz held the office for
two years, his administration witnessing the construction of
anew bridge on Washington street and other improvements.
Considerable money was also spent at and before this time in
dredging the harbor. Mayor Baetz wassucceeded by William
Hurst for two years, who in turn gave way to B. H. Wilkens,
who served four terms or until 1890, when B. F. Richter was
chosen for a year. In 1891 two tickets were placed in the
field, L. C. Traverse being the candidate of the Union Party
and R. E. Mueller of the Democrats. The latter was elected,
carrying all but the third ward. In this year the charter
was wholly revised. Among the changes made were the cre-
ation of the offices of police justice, surveyor and school com-
missioners, five in number, the latter to be elected by the peo-
ple and to hold office for three years, and the institution of a
board of review, consisting of the mayor, assessor, clerk, and
one alderman from each ward, whose duty \t shovil4 be to
 181

equalize the cit}- tax

roll. Added powers were also g-iven to
the ccuncil in theway of maintaining- parks and soon after
improvements were made on the public square.
Mayor Mueller was reelected in 1892 and was succeeded
by J. E. Hamilton, who held the office two terms and in turn
g-ave way to William Luebke. During- Mayor Hamilton's
administration an election was held to decicje upon the ques-
tion of voting- $17,000 for a new bridg-e at Walnut street and
for harbor improvements. The project was carried by a vote
of 241 to 132 and the bridg-e was built the next year at a cost
of $14,000. The Populist party g-ained considerable strength
in Two Rivers during- the early nineties and in 1896 they
placed a ticket in the field for the municipal offices. The
campaig-n was an enthusiastic one and the new party suc-
ceeded in electing- its candidate for mayor, Louis Zander, be-
sides placing- in office a majority of the councilraen. In 1897
Peter Gagnon was selected as mayor and has served several
years, being- succeeded by Peter Schroeder. Two wards were
added in 1897, making- five in all. In 1900 a vote was taken
upon the question of granting- a franchise for a waterworks
and electric lighting plant. and the proposition was carried,
but owing to delays on the part of contractors the systems
were not installed until 1902. A street car franchise was also
granted at the opening of the new century. On the whole
the city has been well governed and progressive.

REEDSVILLE.
The village of Reedsville was incorporated under the
general law on January 29 1892, having reached the required
size to enable it to become a separate entity. The*vote taken
on the matter resulted in 86 for and 24 against the proposition.
The village had been in existence since early days, having
been named after George Reed but it did not grow until it
was made a station on the M., L. S. & W. At the first elec-
tion W. H. Noble was chosen president and August Schmelter
treasurer and. soon the village government was well started.
The following gentlemen have officiated as village presi-
dents:
182

1892-1894 W. H. Noble
1894-1896 A. C. Maertz
1896-1897 J. E. Schultz
1897-1899 F. C. Stelling:
1899- 1901 F. C. Maertz
1901-1903 F. F. Stelling.
1903 Dr. Louis Falge.
KIEL.
On June IS, 1892 the village of Kiel in the town of
Schleswig was incorporated and as such was given represent-
ation in the county board. Considerable public improvement
has taken place and the locality has been served by its best
men in public offices. The following is a list of the presi-
dents of the village since its organization:—
1892-1893 Charles Heins
1893-1895 Simon Hollensteiner
1895-1897 William J. Guetzloe
1897-1900 John Duecker
1900-1901 Michael Wagner
1901 H. J. Ammann.
1902 J. B. Laun;
1903 H. J. Ammann.
 CHAPTER XI.

CHURCHES.

Church life is an essential feature in the growth of every

community. The stories of the struggles of a small but
faithful congregation in the early years of existence is al-
ways interesting and there is often an element of the heroic
in it. Manitowoc county has a past in this respect that will
bear comparison with any similarly situated community and
the growth of its spiritual interests has been from the begin-
ning marked and rapid. An attempt is made in the follow-
ing pages to describe the onward progress made by each de-
nomination represented in' the county.
EPISCOPAL.
As the oldest in point of continuous existence as an organ-
ized society the history of St. James Episcopal Church first
demands attention. The Episcopals were early in the mis-
sionary field in Wisconsin and the efforts of Bishop Kemper
will live in reitiembrance as long as that of the record of the
state itself. One of his ablest coadjutors was Richard F.
Cadle, who came to Wisconsin as missionary on the Oneida
Reservation in 1834. In the latter thirties, probably in 1839,
he visited the Rapids settlement and held what was the first
Protestant service in the county. In his report submitted in
February 1843 he speaks of a second visit as follows; "Ori
184

the evening- of Tuesday, December 7th (1841) I preached \o a

congreg-ation of about sixty persons in a private house at
Manitowoc Rapids, the county seat of Manitowoc county and
situated on a river of the same name, three miles from its
mouth. At the settlement where I officiated the population
amounts to about. sixty persons and at the mouth of the river
the population is represented to be about three fourths of

that number. Previous to this visit there had been no relig--

ious services at Manitowoc Rapids for the period of about a
year and a half."
IJight years passed with an occasional visit by a mission-
ary, among them two or three by Rev. Melaucthon Hoyt in
1844. In February 1848 Bishop Kemper was making a tour
of the Wisconsin parishes under his charge, being accompan-
ied by a young Swede, Reverend Gustavus Unonius, then a
recent graduate and the first of Nashotah Seminary. Upon
reaching Sheboygan two members of the church, residing in
Manitowoc arrived wiih the request that the bishop visit
Manitowoc. This was impossible for him to do, so Reverend
Unonius was despatched and held divine services. On the
next day, February 28th, the resident members of the church
met and organized a parish, naming it St. James Mission.
The meeting took place at the home of Lemuel House, Col-
onel T. A. H. Edwards, the lighthouse keeper and Alden
Clark, a merchant, being chosen wardens. It was decided to,
call Reverend Unonius to the parish and he accepted, assum-
ing his duties on April 20th. At that time there were six
families in the parish or twenty-seven communicants in all,
including Lemuel House, E. H. Ellis, Richard Steele, Alden
Clark, S. H. Sherwood and Colonel Edwards and the average
congregation numbered about forty or fifty souls. The meet-
ings were held in the upper rooms of a house, the l&wer part
of which was occupied by the pastor and his family. Rever-
end Unonius remained in charge of the parish for a year, un-
til April 1849, when he resigned and left for Chicago, where

he organized a Swedish church. Born in Finland August

10, 1810 he came to America in 1845, going direct to Wis-
consin and settling at Pine Lake. After several years of ser^
 185

vice at Chicag-o he returned to his native land in 1858 and

was rewarded by a gift of 3000 kroner from the Swedish gov-
ernment in recognition of services rendered his countrymen
in America. He also held office in the customs service until
1888 when he retired on a pension and is now (1902) living
on a farm near Stockholm, beloved by all. In 1862 he pub-
lished in the Swedish language a book entitled "Reminis-
censes, Seventy Years in the Northwest of America," which'
contains many interesting references to Manitowoc. It was
a noticeable fact that the Scandinavians who came to the
county and settled near the Rapids in 1848 and 1849 at first
united with the Episcopal church since the pastor was of
their race, -eight of the original parish being Norwegians.
As soon, however, as there were sufficient of them they sep-
arated and established a church of their own, the Lutheran,
denomination. During Reverend Unonius' term four members
were gained by immigration and six lost by death. By his
resignation the church was left for some time without a rec-
tor as was also the Sheboygan mission, which he had at-
tended. Said Bishop Kemper in his report in 1850: "Rev-
erend Unonius was in this county about a year ago and is
remembered with much respect. When invited to .a larger
sphere of action and particularly among his own countrymen
I readily consented to his departure from Wisconsin, notwith-

standing that this diocese had peculiar claims upon his ser-
vices. No one as yet succeeds hiln and yet Manitowoc and its
neighborhood present a scene of much usefulness to a self-
sacrificing and laborious minister of the Gospel."
During the interim the Rapids communicants managed
to keep up occasional services and a regular Sunday school
but it was not until June 23 1851, the date of the appoint-
ment of Reverend G. P. Shetky that much interest was mani-
fested. This clergyman was a very devout young man, fresh
from his theological studies, being ordained at Manitowoc.
He was however full of ambition and his first aim was the
building of'a church. In the summer of 1851 he visited the
east to secure contributions and in a year $1074 had been
raised with pledges of $295 in addition. Plans were made hj
186

Architect R. A. Gilpin of Philadelphia for an edifice that

would seat two hundred and fifty persons to cost about $1,500
and 3 hundred foot lot at the corner of North Ninth and
Chicag-o streets was donated by Benjamin Jones. The corner-
stone was' laid, all being- in readiness, on November 24,

1851, Rt. Rev. Jackson Kemper, the missionary bishop offici-

ating. Several presents were made to the church by eastern
friends, the communion service being- donated by acquaint-
ances of Rev. Shetky residing- in Germantown, Pa., the cop-
ies of liturg-y coming from Philadelphia and the font from a
gentleman in Albany, N. Y. In the meanwhile meetings
were held bj- the congregation in the schoolhouse, the aver-
age attendance being about eighty and the communicants
amounting to forty-three, while fifty children were in the
Sunday school. Once in two weeks Reverend Shetky made
trips to Two Rivers and held services at that village, the
first taking place on October 19, 1851, attended by fifteen
persons. The village of Rapids was visited at similar inter-
vals, there being six communicants while Branch was the
scene of monthly services. At a point fouiteen miles west
from Manitowoc there were s^ven Irish communicants who
met occasionally to receive spiritual instruction from the
minister, ten others usually attending, and there was a similar
gathering occasionally in Meeme. In speaking of these vis-
its later Reverend Shetky remarks in his report: "The im-
possible condition of the roads at this season obliged me to
discontinue these monthly visits. I —
have no horse, am too
poor to keep one and am therefore obliged to perform all
these journeys afoot." The strenuous life led by the young
clergyman soon told upon his strength and, after a vacation,
he returned only to resign April 1 1853. When he left a
month or so later there were fifty-two communicants in his
charge, twenty-eight of whom resided at Manitowoc. The
church in the meantime had been completed, M. Fellows be-
ing the contractor, and it was consecrated July 25 1852 on
the occasion of the festival of St. James. Rev. Shetky at first
moved to Memphis, Tenn., and later attained prominence as
a pastor in South Bend, Ind., Bay City, Mich, and in Phila-
delphia.
MANITOWOC RIVER BELOW CATO FALLS
 187

Another short interim followed his resig-nation lasting-

until the arrival of Rev. Georg-e W. Thompson, in August
1853, he coming- from Cincinnati to take up the -work. At
this time a mission was maintained at Robinson's "settlement
and the local church included thirty-three communicants.
His ministry, however, was short for in 1854, while nursing
cholera patients he fell ill of the dread disease and died on
October 14th, his body beingf interred at Everg-reen. After
two months he was succeeded by Rev, Melancthon Hoyt, who
had been in Wisconsin as a missionary since the early forties.
A man of g-reat energy he soon bad the church in a very sat-
isfactory- condition and in the next year Bishop Kemper con-
fiimed a class of eleven at Manitiwoc and four at Two Rivers.
At the latter place there had been organized St. Paul's Con-
g-reg-ation and the cornerstone of a church was laid on Sep-
ifember 3 1856. The first officers of the church were William
Aldrich, senior warden; J. N. Fisher, junior wardenj L. S.
House, J. Teele and M. McDonald, vestrymen and servi<es
were held every Sunday afternoon. At Manitowoc the wor-
shippers at St. James soon paid off the $500 debts still outs! and-
ing and additions were made to their structure at a consider-
able cost. During- Rev. Hoyt's ministry the communicants
increased to forty-three and the Sunday school remained
prosperous. In the latter part of 1858 he resig-ned, continu-
ing his labors in other fields for many years, finally removing-
to Dakota Territory. In April 1859 Rev. W. H. Cooper was
sent to Manitowoc and remained until the following- March,
when he removed to Waukeg-an, 111. He, also, officiated at
Two Rivers, where the church had been completed", so as to
seat three hundred persons, the last of the debt incurred in
its construction being paid off some four years later.
The next clergyman to officiate was Reverend G. B. Engle,
who came from Michigan in 1860. In his ministry services
were held at Clark's Mills for some time. The great civil
strife then broke out and Rev. Engle gave .up his pastoral
duties for a time to become chaplain in the Fourteenth Wis-
consin, he being an ardent patriot. The -war had a detri-
mental effect on the church life and St. Paul's congregation
188

atTwo Rivers became so depleted that the church was sold

on May 14 1864 to the German Lutherans. In that year
also Manitowoc was taken off the mission list, it thereafter
being obliged to be totally self-supporting. In order to econ-
omize Rev. Engle, as he said in his report, sold his horse and
discontinued his visits to Clark's Mills and soon after he re-
signed, moving to Indiana where he long resided. His suc-
cessor, who took charge in January 1865, Rev. Lyman N.
Freeman, came from Illinois and was most energetic. There
were in that year nine baptisms and the Sunday school was
comprised of twenty-two teachers and one hundred and thirty-
sevetl scholars while there were three hundred persons in
church connection. His ministry Was injured, however, by
certain charges made against his .conduct, which were
brought up before 'the standing committee at its meeting at
Janesville in November. Investigations by Revs. Eastmann
and Davis followed, as a result of which Rev. Freeman was
cited to appear before the court of the diocese in June. This
ecclesiastical trial, unique in character took place in the
courthouse. Rev. Ashley of Milwaukee acting as president,
there being besides four other judges. The accused was ably
defended but was found guilty and withdrevp from the minis-
try. He was followed by Rev. F. ,B. Dooley, formerly of the
Michigan diocese, whose efforts were of a high order. Dur-
ing his incumbency a rectory was built, a parish school es-
tablished with over fifty scholars, which was maintained for
some years and the attendance at church largely increased.
Rev. Dooley returned to Michigan in January 1870 and after
a month or so, in which Rev. Ward supplied the pulpit. Rev.
E- Peake assumed charge, he however removing to Missouri
within a year. Several months passed without a pastor,
when Rev. F. R. Haff of the Missouri diocese was appointed
to Manitowoc. It was abotit this time that the charch was
called to mourn the loss of the venerable Bishop Kemper,
whose relations with St. James had always been most amic-
able. Reverend Haff removed to Green Bay in the spring of
1873 and has since held a leading place among the Wisconsin
clergy, officiating later at Trinity Church, Oshkosh. His
 189

successor was Rev. De Forest, who 'had that year been or-
dained and for three years he continued his ministry at Man-
itowoc.
In 1874 St. James, which had hitherto been in the Mil-
waukee diocese was transferred to the new Fond du Lac dio-
cese. After Rev. De Forest's removal to Missouri the parish
was placed under the guidance of Rev. M. E. Averill of Green
Bay, who remained until 1881. The church and Sunday
school membership had somewhat decreased during the latter
seventies but the church was fairly prosperous and a mission
was maintained at Branch. After Rev. Averill's service at
St. James was completed, Rev. H. C. E. Costelle, who came
from Albany, N, Y. took up the work. He revived the Two
Rivers mission and did much for the advancement of the
church at Manitowoc as well. During his ministry the
Lydia E. Conroe bequest, comprising several acres of land
in Manitowoc Rapids, was sold. Rev. Costelle left for Arkan-
sas in March 1883 and died several years later in Quincy, 111.
Rev. H. T. Bray next assumed charge and remained until
April 1886, being a man of fine scholarly attainments and an
ardent worker. His successor was Rev. David Laseron,
during whose pastorate of three years missions were sustained
at Branch and Two Rivers. In December 1887 Rev. B. Tal-
bot Rogers was appointed to St. James. By this time the
parish numbered 250 souls and over 100 scholars were in the
Sunday school. During the years of his ministry the number
was vastly increased and the Two Rivers Mission was reor-
ganized in 1901 with thirty members together with a Sunday
school of about the same number. Recognized, however, as
a man of great ability and attainments he was offered and
accepted in 1894, the position of warden of Grafton Hall at
Fond du L,ac, where he lias since maintained a high reputa-
tion as an educator. His successor was Rev. S. R. S. Gray,
who came to St. James from the Milwaukee diocese on April
21 1895 and has since officiated. It was his aim to see the
congregation have a new church edifice and funds sufficient
for the starting of the enterprise were forthcoming in 1901.
A site was chosen on the corner ,of North Eighth and State
190

streets and the cornerstone of the new structure was laid ori
August 14th, the services being conducted by Rt. Rev. Wel"
ler, bishop-coadjutor ot the Fond du Lac diocese amidst ap-
propriate and elaborate ceremonies. The structure is of
stone and cost in the neighborhood of $35,000. St. James
church is today as at the beginning the only church of the
denomination in the county and has an increasing member-
ship. Several guilds made up of the ladies of the church are
doing active work.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL.
The early history of the Methodist Church in the west is
one of struggle and in that struggle Manitowoc has played
its part. Owing to a rule long prevailing in the denomina-
tion that a pastor should not remain in one situation more
than two years there was not the opportunity for any one of
the long list of resident ministers to identify himself with
the community in any very large degree yet there are many
of them whose memory will long be cherished. In 1837 Rev.
Hiiram W. Frink was appointed to a mission at Sheboygan
which took in Sheboygan and Manitowoc counties and the
villages of Brothertown and Stockbridge. There is. how-
ever, no record or probability that he ever formed any classes
in the county and the mission was discontinued after the
panic of 1837. In October 1843, however, Rev. David Lewis
was assigned to the Manitowoc and Sheboygan mission and
held services at the two places on alternate Sundays. He
had two stations in Manitowoc, four in Sheboygan and two
in Washington county. To reach these widely separated
places Rev. Lewis was obliged to make long journeys on foot
through the forest and often forded the Manitowoc river at
Rapids when the feat was a dangerous one. A class of eleven
members were formed at Manitowoc, among whom were P.
P. Smith. The meetings were held in the upper story of B.
Jones' warehouse in the summer while in the winter the con-
gregation gathered at the home of Lighthouse Keeper John-
ston, who was a Baptist. In July 1844 Rev. Lewis was suc-
ceeded by Rev. Garret N. Hanson, an earnest young man.
MANnoWOC W1V£R NhAR RAPIDS
 191

upon the profession. After six yekrs in Wis-

just enteritig-
consin he retired and died in 1856 at Fall River, Mass. Iti
1845 he was followed at Manitowoc by Rev. Samuel W. Mar-
tin at the end of whose term the villag-e was dropped from
the conference rolls.
In 1849 in company with Rev; Allen Mcintosh Rfev.
Lewis was reappointed to Manitowoc and Sheboyg-an Counties,'
Services being- held at the Rapids in the Court House and at
Manitowoc and Two Rivers in the schoolhouses. The next
year Rev. Lewis alone was assigned Manitowoc County
and he preached occasionally at Manitowoc Rapids, Two
Rivers, Neshoto, Riley's and Mishicott, a small class beirig-
formed at Two Rivers. The pastor boarded with Henry
Edwards and with his own hands during the fall and wintet'
erected a parsonage, working upon it when not engaged in
pastoral duties. Rev. Lewis was in later years the agent of
the American Bible Society, then pastor at Fond du Lac and
tnally in 1874 retired, since residing in Sturgeon Bay. Born
in New Jersey November 25 1815 he forms one of the striking
examples of those hardy pioneer preachers whose heroism
was only excelled by their practical piety. His successor was
Rev. R. W. Barnes, who led a most successful ministry, the
church membership increasing from 13 to 35, the Sunday
school attendance from 24 to 50 and a library of 2,50 volumes
being accumulated". Rev. Barnes was instrumental in secur-
ing funds for St. Paul's Church, a frame structure 35 by 40
feet which was erected on North Seventh Street during the
succeeding years. He removed to Sheboygan Falls in 1853
and was succeeded by Rev. W. Sturgess. who remained a
year and later officiated as pastor at various Wisconsin vil-
lages, being succeeded at Manitowoc by Rev. N. J. Alpin.
In his ministry the church was dedicated. Prof. Cook of Law-
rence University delivering the address on that occasion,
May 3 1856. Rev. Alpirr was born in Batavia, N. Y. in 1821
and was ordained while at Manitowoc. After forty years in
the ministry he was superannuated, spending his last years
iu Waukesha. Rev. William Rowbotham took charge of St.
Paul's in 1856, being followed by Rev. A. C. Squier a year
192

later. Rev. Rowbotham removed to Mellette, South Dakota

when he retired while Rev. Squier died at Sturg-eon Bay.
In 1859 Rev. C. C. Symes was assigned to Manitowoc by
the conference, which met that year at St. Paul's, he having-
charge of Two Rivers also. An Englishman by birth he was
twenty two years old at the time and had been in America
six years. After a year at Manitowoc he preached at Berlin,
Lake Mills and Columbus and died at Manitowoc November
13 1870. For the following two years Rev. Rositer C. Par-
sons was the pastor, coming from Green Bay to assume his
duties. He was born in Georgetown. N. Y. May 30 1817 and
with his parents early moved to Ohio, where he attended
Allegheny College and in 1854 came to Wisconsin, preaching
at Port Washington, Milwauke and, after his Manitowoc
pastorate, at Whitewater, Lake Geneva, Spring Prairie,
Menomonee Falls and East Troy, finally passing away at
Lyons, Wis., July 27, 1887. He had under his charge two
churches, one built at Maple Grove some time during the
later fifties and St. Paul's. His successor was Rev. L. N.
Wheeler, who also remained two years and under his able
management the church grew rapidly. Rev. S. S. Smith
followed and the church, formerly in the Fond du Lac, was
placed in the Appleton district. Rev. Smith was in 1899 the
pastor of the Zion Church near Oshkosh. In 1867 Rev. Alex-
ander C. Huntley assumed charge which he retained two
years. He was another New York man, having been born
December 27 1819 and moving to Ohio at the age of thirteen,
entered the ministry in 1843. He preached in New York un-
til 1857 when he removed to Wisconsin and for twenty eight

years labored at various places, dying at Fond du Lac at the

age of sixty six years. During the two years following the
pulpit was filled by Rev. Lofen L. Knox, a former Lawrence
University professor, who had been in Wisconsin for ten
years. Rev. Knox later retired and has lived many years in
Evanston, 111. His successor at Manitowoc for two years was
Rev. James Lavelle, who in 1873 was transferred to Ripon
and the next year withdrew from the conference. The wish-
es of the Manitowoc congregation were then gratified in the
 193

reappointment of Rev. L. N. Wheeler. He occupies a unique

place in the history ofMethodism in Wisconsin. Born in
Waukesha June 28 1839 he entered the ministry at the age of
nineteen, his first charge being Two Rivers. After his first
Manitowoc ministry he was 3ent to China to take charge of the
Foo Chow Mission, where he arrived after a long journey via
Africa. He was instrumental in starting The Missionary-
Record and in a few years returned to America, Manitowoc
again seeking and securing his valuable services. Later he
preached at Lake Mills and Janesville, became the presiding
elder of the Fond du Lac district in 1879, returned to China
for three years and then preached at Beaver Dam, Bay View,
Evansville and Fort Atkinson. In 1890 he went to China a
third time in the interests of the American Bible Society and
died at Shanghai April 9 1893. He served as chaplain of
the Fifty First Wisconsin during the Civil War and was the
author of several works, am mgthem "A Foreigner in China."
Then came the ministry of Rev. Philo S. Bennett, 'also
a leader in Methodism. Of New York birth he entered the
ministry in 1837, coming to Milwaukee nine years later. Af-
ter securing an advanced degree at Beloit he was made pre-
siding elder of the Appleton district, acted as financial agent
of Lawrence University and preached at Racine, Waukesha,
Grand Rapids, New London and other places. He was a
writer of power, having been a bitter opponent of slavery and
in 1890 together with Rev. Larson published the "History
of Methodism in Wisconsin." He died in Appleton after sev-
eral years of retirement oh April 5 1895. The church
membership of St. Paul's during his incumbency numbered
sixty-six, but it was increased to seventy-two by his suc-
cessor, Rev. J. W. Olmstead, who remained in Manitowoc
two years. In recent years Rev. Olmstead has acted as agent
of the Children's Home Society. In 1878 Rev. C. N. Stowers
commenced a two years' pastorate, coming from Dakota Terri-
tory. He was born in Maine in 1835 and came Xo Wisconsin at
the ageof thirty -three years, acting for some years as professor
of Lawrence University. He died some years since in Minne-
apolis. His successor, Rev. G. H. Moulton, who also remained
194

but oue year was a Canadian by birth and after his transfer
from Manitowoc became the presiding elder of the Fond du
Lac district, later removing to Nebraska. He was followed
by Rev. J. F. Tubbs for a year and then came Rev. H. Stone
Richardson, another commanding figure in Wisconsin Meth-
odism. Born in New York on June 27 1827 he was early
left upon his own resources and drifted to Albany, where he
made his way through the State Normal School. For some
years succeeding he traveled around the world, visiting Italy;
Cuba, Texas and at one time being one of the Texas Rangers;
In 1849 he visited California as a gold seeker and led a life of
atdventure for several years on the Pacific coast; serving for a
time in the legislature. When the war broke out he enlisted
as chaplain of a regiment and later became a major; After
the conflict was over he entered the ministry and held charges
in many Wisconsin cities, retiring after a successful ininistry
at Oshkosh. He passed away after a short illness February
9 1899.
The next Methodist pastor was Rev. J. D. Foote, a man
of Connecticut birth and a graduate of Lawrence University.
He entered the field in 1858 and in 1860 was made a regent of
the state university, later becoming the chaplain of the Fif-
teenth Wisconsin. After some years spent in Kansas and
Texas he returned to Wisconsin in 1883 and came to Manito-
woc from Fort Howard. Later he visited California for his
health and died at San Diego July 29 1899. His successor
at Manitowoc was Rev. J. Wills, who is still in the active
ministry and it was during his incumbency that the church
was repaired and rededicated September 5 1886. The con-
ference then sent Rev. William Clark for a year, who later
removed to Sharon, and was succeeded by Rev. A. L. Whit-
comb, who in 1888 was transferred to Oshkosh. During that
year the church was served by Revs. E. B. Service, J. N. Fun-
ston and J. D. Cole. By this time the membership had
reached eighty and there were over one hundred children in
the Sunday school. For two years following Rev. J. H.
Tippet officiated as pastor, then for two years Rev. T. D.
Williams acted as such, followed for a year by Rev. H, J.
 195

Duecker and then by Rev. O. P. Christian for two years, Rev.

C. F. McGaha for one year and Re|,,, J. E. Garrett for a year.
All of the last named six are stilBi* the ministry in Wiscon-
sin, except Rev. Duecker, transfettthla to the Southwest Kan-
sas conference in 1896 and Rev. McGaha transferred to the
East Ohio conference a year later. In 1898 the present pas-
tor, Rev. William Hooton, assumed his duties at Manitowoc
and has been very successful in his ministry. The church
numbers about eighty members and a thriving- Sunday school
with one hundred and thirty pupils is an important adjunct
as is also a ladies society. An Epworth League was started
in connection with the church and the convention of the Ap-
pleton district of the society was held in Manitowoc in June
1898. The Woman's Missionary Society, in existence for sev-
en years, is an active association and the district convention
of the society was held in the city in May 1897.
As said before missions were early established at various
points in the county. In 18SS Rev. L. N. Wheeler was sent
to Two Rivers and Gibson, being- succeeded by Rev. Walter
McFarlane in 1860, who also remained two years. By this
time an $800 church had been erected at Gibson and two
Sunday schools -were maintained by the minister. Reverend
McFarlane was an ardent worker born in 1819 in Glasgow,
Scotland and entering the Wisconsin ministry in 1856. After
twenty years of pastoral service he retired and pagsed awa}'^
at EvansviUe, Feb. 9 1896. During the war services at
Two Rivers were discontinued and the Maple Grove charge,
formerly dependent on Manitowoc, was combined with that
at Gibson. A. C. Elliot acted as supply in 1864 but the con-
gregation there grew smaller steadily and a few years later
both were dropped from the conference list. An effort was
made in 1870 to revive the Two Rivers class by W. Rose, a
local preacher but after a year or so the attempt was given
up. The Gibson church was again active in 1883 occasional ^

services being held by Rev. H. Stone Richardson. The pul-

pit was later filled for several years by supplies, among thtm
W. C. Morris, J. R. Joslyn, Alfred de Ford, F. Robertson and
George A. Cooke. In 1886 under the last named the congre-
196

gation numbered thirty members and a Sunday school of

seventy-five scholars wasMaintained but soon after the church
was finally discontinue& { Thus today St. Paul's is the sole
Eng^lish speaking- Methoifirst church in the county.
The Methodist church has always been expansive in
character and thus it was not strange that an effort should
early be made to establish its doctrines among the German
immigrants who came to Wisconsin in such large numbers in
the latter forties. Manitowoc and Sheboygan counties were
made a working unit in this effort and as early as 1849 these
two counties were on the Illinois Conference rolls although
no regular pastor was sent to the region until 1851, when
Rev. John Bischoff came to Manitowoc county and gathered
together fourteen converts. After his departure a year later
Rev. H; Senn assumed charge, succeeded in 1854 by Rev.
Frederick Kluckholm, the German Methodists in the two
counties then being eighty-two in number. It was Rev. Kluck-
holm who. in reality was the founder of the church in the vil-
lage of Manitowoc, the small building which for many years
was used by the congregation being constructed in his pas-
torate. In 1856 he was succeeded by Rev. H. Withorn. By
this time Shebcygan county had been taken from the circuit
and efforts were made at the establishment of other churches
in the county, notably in the town of Newton, a church being
builf there. In 1858 Rev. S. Schilfsgard assumed charge of
the village work while Rev. C. Schneider looked after the in-
terests of the country congregations. Later however the cir-
cuit was consolidated, Rev. John Salzer serving for two years.
Rev. John W. Roecker for two and Rev. F. Feistkorn and
Rev. Richard Fickenscher for one year apiece, followed by
Rev. C. Leiprandt's two year pastorate, commencing in 1865.
By this time the churches had been placed in the Chicago
Conference and there were three congregations outside of the
one in Manitowoc, having a large aggregate membership.
This led to a division of the county in 1867 into two charges^
Manitowoc and the Manitowoc circuit. In that year Rev. C.
Stellner was assigned to the former and Rev. Henry Over-
beck to the latter. Rev. Stellner remaining two years while
 19^

the latter was succeeded by Rev. Conrad Eberhardt. In 1869

"Revs. Theodore Strauble and C. Eberhardt shared the duties,
the former remaining two years but the latter being- trans-
ferred elsewhere, leaving- the circuit vacant for some time.
In 1871 the work was assigned to Revs. J. J. Sandsmeier
and Conrad Lampert, the former taking- the city charge. Rev.
Lampert soon left, being succeeded by Rev. Michael Enz-
minger while the city church was put under the ministry of
Rev. Carl F. Allert in 1873, he remaining three years. Rev.
Charles Rakow served two yearvS (1874-187(1) in the circuit
after a year's interim being succeeded by Rev. E. Drescher,
who also served two years. In the meantime Rev. B. Becker
had become pastor of the city church and remained such until
1879 when Rev. J. J. Keller succeeded him for a year. By
this time the circuit had diminished in size, only the Newton
church being left with fifty members, while the Manitowoc
church numbered seventy-five. Rev. Peter Schaeffer had
charge of the Newton church in 1879 but in 1880 the two
were combined. Rev. Charles Irwert assuming charge. It
was he, whose efforts brought about the construction of a
new brick church home at the corner of South Ninth and
Hamilton streets, the cornerstone of which was laid in Juiy
1882. His successors have been Revs. Anton Meixner (1883-
1885), Ernst Fitzner (1885-1886), C. Roehl (1886-1891), A.
F. Fuerstenau (1891-1895), J. F. Romoser (1895-1902) and
Rev. J. F. Mueller the present pastor. The conference of the
church met at Manitowoc in 1885 and again in 1900.
A Norwegian Methodist church was organized in Man-
itowoc in 1869, Rev. C. Jensen being chosen the first pastor.
The charge included a church at Sheboygan also and both
were placed under the Northwest Norwegian Conference. A
small frame church was erected on North Sixth, street and
the membership was at first nineteen in number, gradually
increasing as the years went by. Rev. Jensen was succeeded
by Rev. B. Johansen in 1872, who retained the charge for
two years, his successor being Rev. Charles Omann, who re-
*
mained for a like period. In 1876 Rev. O. Wiersen was as-
signed to Manitowoc and Sheboygan, and was succeeded a
198

year later b}' Rev. Gustafsen, who in turn gave way to Rev.
O. h. Hansen after a year's ministry. Since 1880, however,
there have been no regularly appointed ministers, occasional
visits being- made by itinerant evangelists. Reverend Peter-
son of another denomination of faith occupied the pulpit for
some time in 1900.
PRESBYTERIAN.
Among the churches in Manitowoc the First Presbyter-
ian has always been prominent. The history of the organi-
zation dates back to June 26, 1851 on which day the church
was founded at the home of Frederick Borcherdt in the vil-
lage of Manitowoc Rapids The instigating spirit in the
movement was Rev. William Herritt, who was sent to the
county as a home missionary in August 1850. Rev. Herritt
was a g^raduate of Lane Seminary and had been licensed to
preach a year before enteri:ig on hisduties at Manitowoc. His
first efforts were at Two Rivers, where he established a Con-
gregational Church the following January but later he broad-
ened his work so that the Rapids organization assumed life.
The charter members were F. Borcherdt, Mrs. Wilhelmina
Borcherdt, James and I'^abella Patterson, Mrs. S. D. Herritt,
M. E. Hall, Margaret Allen, Abigail Sherman, J. S. Reed, E-
A. Sherman, D. M. Thomas, Moses Tufts and Misses Eliza
and H. A. Tufts. For a little over two years Rev. Herritt
had charge, making a circuit of over twenty miles each Sab-
bath on foot at first, although later he purchased a horse.
Mrs. Herritt, who was an educated woman, later wrote a book
containing the family's experience in Wisconsin entitled "A
Keepsake," which contained many interesting facts concern-
ing their life in the county. The Herritts removed in 1853,
the husband dying at Quincy, 111., January 19, 1867, being
survived for many years by his wife, who made her home
in Kansas City.' In 1852 the church was removed to Manito-
towoc and in the same year the Milwaukee Presbytery met in
the latter village. The church was connected with that body
from the beginning.
After meeting in the schoolhouse for sometime it was*
decided that a churcli should be built. It was on the 30th of
 199

March 1854, at a meeting- presided over by Frederick Borch-

erdt, that the matter was definitely settled. Five trustees,
since the organization perfected by Rev. Herritt had fallen
into desuetude, were then chosen as follows: — Louis Sher-
man, James Patterson, Frederick Borcherdt, Hanson Rand
and Georg-e Reed. On July 16, 1855 a contract was entered into
by which arrangements were made for the construction of a
building- at the corner of North Ninth and Chicago streets,
and it was not long before it was completed at a cost of $490,
being known as "The Tabernacle." The efforts of the Enter-
prise Ladies Society of the church provided furnishings for
the new house of worship at a cost of $100 and the structure
was duly dedicated in November. In May Rev. Mead Holmes
had been engaged at a salary of $600 a year and he entered
upon his duties soon after. An energetic worker he soon had.
the little congregation in a flourishing condition. He paid
particular attention to the Sunday school, later in life being
a leader in this line and this important feature of church life
was added in the same year. After four years of ministry at
ManitowocRev. Holmes resigned and was succeeded by Rev.
M. C. Stanley, who had been in Wisconsin since 1856 and
who had been for some time pastor of the Congregational
church at I'wo Rivers Rev. Holmes continued to reside at
Manitowoc a number of years as a religious worker and wri-
ter, among his works being a volume entitled "A Soldier of
the Cumberland," descriptive of his son's experiences in the
war. Later the family moved to Rockford, 111. where the
venerable clergyman still resides- Rev. Stanley was a man
of great integrity and strong principle, —
a sturdy advocate
of liberty before the war, attracting much attention in the
village by his sermons against slavery.
Early in 1860 he removed to Milwaukee and was suc-
ceeded by Rev. John H. Dillingham, formerly of New York.
Three years later he was, in turn, followed by Rev. A. G.
Beebe, who served the congregation ably until 1865 when
Rev. W. J. Stoutenberg assumed charge. In 1868 upon his
removal to Michigan a new era was inaugarated by the call-
ing of Rev. C. B. Stevens of Hancock, Mich. An energetic
200

and yet practical leader he decided that the church should

immediately seek better and more commodious quarters, giv-
ing largely of his own means to Fee that end consummated.
In January a lot at the corner of North Eighth and State
streets was purchased from Hiram McAllister for a consider-
ation of $1500 and two years later the construction of the
building began. In the meantime the church had increased
in membership and the Sunday school under the charge of O.
R. Bacon reached a high standard. The cornerstone of the
First Church as it was called was laid on June 21, 1870 with
solemn ceremonies. A parade, in which the Odd Fellows,
Masons, Sons of Hermann and musical societies participated,
was formed and when the site was reached President Louis
Sherman opened the service. Songs, prayers and the reading
of a text by Rev. Wilson of Two Rivers followed; then E. B.
Treat of the building committee read the figures giving the
cost and dimensions of the structure and a brief response was
made by J. D. Markham, representing the trustees. The
stone was then duly laid, taps of the trowel being adminis-
tered by Mayor Peter Johnston, Rev. Stevens, Rev. Knox of
the M. E. Church, Rev. Windemuth of the German Reformed
and H. A. Raine of the Masons. In 1872 the structure, com-
pleted at the cost of $20,000 was ready for occupancy and for
five years Rev. Stevens had the pleasure of preaching in the
edifice, which his efforts had made possible. Then, in 1877
he resigned, being succeeded for three years by Rev. W. F.
Cellars. In 1880 a call was extended to Rev. J. M. Craig, a
very able and eloquent clergyman of Scotch descent, liberal
in opinions and learned in the classics. .During the next six
years the church enjoyed great prosperity and it was with
genuine regret that his Hock received his resignation in July
1886, in order that he might accept a call to Holyoke, Mass.
After a few months interim the congregation called Rev,
Guido Bossard, then a young man fresh from theological
studies, whose scholarly attainments soon gained him general
respect. He was ordained February 7, 1887 and remained un-
til September 1890 when he left for Oconto, later establishing

himself at La Crosse. In 1889 the Milwaukee Presbytery

 201

again met at Manitowoc. At this time the elders of the

church were E. K. Rand, H. F. Hubbard and W. Thombs,
L. M. Sherman succeeding' the last named later and C. F.
Smalley being added in 1892. Rev. O. H. Chapin of Delevan
was called in 1890 and was a most popular pastor during his
four years of service. In November 1895 he resigned to ac-
cept a call to a Milwaukee church, his successor being Rev.
Emmet Rankin, who served from February 1896 to July 1899.
Rev. Rankin was born in Paoli, Kansas in 1869 and grad-
uated at the age of twenty from Parks College, Kansas City,
later doing post graduate work at Princeton, besides pursu-
ing theological studies at the McCormick Seminary in Chi-
cago. Three vears after leaving Manitowoc he resigned
from the ministry to assume the editorial chair of a leading
agricultural paper. The next pastor was Rev. Walter John-
ston, who came from Ironwood, Mich., a man of great elo-
quence and power. His ministry, however, was short as he
accepted a call from Logansport, Indiana. His successor, the
present pastor. Rev. D. C. Jones assumed his duties in April
1901. The church is largely attended and maintains a Sun-
day school. A society of Christian Endeavor was organized
in 1887 and for many years it has led a successful existence,
the convention of the Winnebago district being held in the
city in March 1898. A Junior Endeavor is also an adjunct to
the church as are also a ladies society and a young womans'
guild. Extensive improvements to the church edifice were
made during the winterof 1902, and the Presbytery met there
in the spring of 1903,
On November 26, 1858 the First Presbyterian church of
Eaton was organized, trustees being elected as follows: J. —
M. Curtiss, J. Mott, G. Monroe, E. A. Brown and J. Tyler.
This continued in existence for some time but during the war
'interest lagged and the services became infrequent. lu 1869
a Presbyterian church was established at Cato, the elders be-
ing S. D. Robinson, later succeeded by R. McNutt, N. Dar-
ling, D. Robinson and O. Davis. No regular pastor served
the church until 1893 when Rev. A. Rederus was called from
Sioux City, Iowa. On May 19th two years later he revived
i202

the Eaton church at Niles, M. Johnson and W. Tyler being

chosen elders. He continued to minister at both places until
1898 when he resigned, since which time the pulpits have
been vacant. The Hope Bohemian Presbyterian Church was
Started at Melnik in 1892 by Rev. Joseph Balcar, who was or-
dained at Manitowoc, but he left after two years service for
Ely, Iowa, being succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. F. T.
Bastel. Occasional Presbyterian services in that language
are held in Manitowoc also.

ROMAN CATHOI.IC.
The part played by the Roman Catholic Church in Man-
itowoc county has always been a large one and in member-
ship the congregations professing that faith far outnumber
all others. The parishes in the county are partly in the Mil-
waukee and partly in the Green Bay diocese, the latter hav-
ing been founded in i860 with the Manitowoc and Fox Rivers
as the dividing lines. Green Bay was the center of early
activity along missionarj^ lines in Wisconsin and thus it was
that Rev. Joseph Brenner w.as sent to Manitowoc county in
1850. An occasional visit from a Jesuit wanderer had been
made before this time but it was not until Rev. Brenner's ar-
rival that definite pastoral work began and perhaps no man
better fitted could have been chosen for the work. Energetic
and zealous at the end of his four years of service he had es"
tablished congregations at Manitowoc Rapids, Two Rivers,
Cooperstown, Meeme, Maple Grove and French Creek, hold-
ing services and building churches in each of these places.
This was a wonderful accomplishment considering the cir-
—
cumstances, the newness of the community and the poverty
of the parishioners. The congregation at the Rapids in-
cluded for some years the members of the faith at Manitowoc,
the latter being obliged to go to the county seat to attend
services, a church being erected at the Rapids in 1852. In
the next year Father Brenner was called ^way from his dut-
ies and later left for the island of Java in the East Indies. A
member of the Jesuit order the clergyman was forty-five years
of age when he came to Manitowoc, having for some years
 2oS

previous resided at Green Bay where lie gained a reputation

as a linquist and writer. He died in the midst of his labors
at Bombay, India in January 1885. His successor, Rev. H.
J. Nuyts had also been previously stationed at Green Bay and
upon assuming- charge decided that a church should be built
at Manitowoc. Accordingly the first St. Boniface, a frame
structure 40 by 70 feet, was erected on a lot on Marshall
street, it being capable of seating seven hundred people and
soon after a small parsonage was built and a &ve acre burial
site purchased at a point some distance south of the city;
Rev. Nuyts continued in service at Manitowoc and Rapids
for three years, when he left for Grant County, from where
soon after he returned to his native Holland, dying at a ripe
age.
His successor Was Rev. Michael Beittnerj who came in
1856 and ofSciated for a year. Father Beittner was of Bavar^
ian birth and was ordained by Bishop Henni, officiating at
New Coeln and Potosi before being sent to Manitowoc. Af-
ter serving as pastor at Brighton, Jefferson and Racine for a
time he returned to Bavaria, where he died May 28 1895.
From April to August 1857 Rev. Joseph Maly was the priest
of St. Boniface. He was born in Bohemia in 1828 and gradu-
ated from the Budweis Theological School at the age of
twenty-eight, coming to America a year later. After a short
residence at Syracuse, N. Y. he came to Wisconsin and for
many years was engaged in work in Manitowoc- County and'
later in Kewaunee county. In the fullness of age he then re-
tired to a farm in Dane County. On August 23, 1857 he was
succeeded in Manitowoc by Rev. Mathew Gernbauer, who re-
mained until July 1859, being followed a year by Rev. Max
de Becke, both serving ihe Rapids ch arch as well. During
the earlier sixties Rev. J. M. Pfciffer acted as priest, resign-
ing to take a trip to Germany and dying at sea on his return
voyage September 30, 1863. During his absence Rev. E. A.
Van Steenwyk of Two Rivers had officiated but the vacancy
caused by the former's death was filled by the appointment
of Rev. James Staehle, who remained in Manitowoc until
1868. During the next ten years Rev. Joseph Fessler was
204

the resident priest. He was a German by birth and came to

America in youth, studying- at St. Francis Seminary. He
was larg-ely instrumental in the foundation of the convent at
Alverno and after leaving- Manitowoc went west, dying- at
Beaverton, Oregon June 20, 1896. On March 17, 1878 Rev. H.
Jacobs assumed the duties of the parish and held the pbsition
until March three years later. He was born in Germany in
1841, came to America at the age of nineteen and soon grad-
uated from St. Francis. After traveling in Europe he began
<

his work in Fond du Lac County, where he returned to die

after giving up his Manitowoc parish. For three months
Rev. George Fessler of Alverno filled the vacancy and in May
Rev. W. J. Peil the present incumbent assumed charge. Born
in Racine October 3, 1849 he was ordained after a course at St.
Francis, in 1872 and acted as assistant at St. Joseph's in Mil-
waukee for some months, later being stationed at Caledonia.
A man of indomitable energy he soon made his influence felt.
At his arrival there were one hundred families connected with
the parish while at present there are about four times that
number. His first aim was the building of a church as the
older structure was becoming too small. The cornerstone of
the new St. Boniface was laid May 5, 1885 with due ceremony,
a>ddresses being delivered by Fathers Willmes and Cleary,
while the consecration occurred Nov. 25, 1886, Bishop Heiss
officiating. The totol cost of the structure, which was 136 by
60 feet with a spire 136 feet high, was $30,000, the frescoing
and other decorations being elaborate. The old church was
used as a school for a time. Father Fessler having started
such an institution in his ministry. An important adjunct
to the church has been the St. Joseph Benevolent Society
formed May 15, 1874. The first officers were: President, T.
Mohr; Vice President, Adam Bleser; Secretary, N. Gentgen;
Treasurer, C. M. Peters. It was incorporated two years later
and celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary in 1899, the event
being attended by many thousands. During its existence it
has expended over $12,000 in benevolence. Branches of the
Catholic Knights, Catholic Order of Foresters and Knights
of Columbus are also connected with the church. The pres-
 205

ent constituency of the congregation is mainly German and

Irish and the work has become so extensive that for several
years it has been necessary to have an assistant, Revs. Muel-
ler and Salbreiter having filled the position.
Another of the oldest Catholic organizations of the coun-
ty is St. Luke's at Two Rivers. In 1851 R. M. Eberts and
wife donated three lots in Block 51 to Bishop Henni for a
church and accordingly Father Brenner established a mission
on July 16, a frame structure being built to accommodate the
worshippers. A. niajority of these were French Canadians
although many Germans and a few Irish were in the number,
necessitating representation of the variousnationalities among
the priests. After Father Brenner departed the following
of&ciated:— Revs. W. De Yonge 1856-1857, Peter Menard
1857-1858, J. C. Perrodin 1858-1860, S. Senner 1860-1861, J.
M. Pfeiffer 1861-1863, E. Van Steenwyk 1863-1864, Bonaven-
turade Goey 1864-1865, N. Hens 1866-1867, Jacob Gauche
1867-1870, J. F. Zawistowski 1870-1873, J. Gauche 1873-1877,
A. Bogacki 1877-1879. The next pastor. Rev. George J.
Veith, died suddenly October 1, 1881 while visiting in Green
Bay and was succeeded by Rev. Mathias Welbes, who in 1891
was transferred to Kewaunee, being succeeded by Rev. J. A.
Geissler. After two years Father Geissler departed and Rev.
John G. Dries became pastor. On March 16, 1898, however,
he died and Rev. Geissler was recalled, having since served
the congregation. Father Dries was born in Luxemburg
July 6, 1852 and came to America at the age of thirty, some
years after entering the priesthood and at first ministering to
congregations in Brown and Kewaunee counties. Father
Geissler was born in Patterson, New Jersey April 4, 1854 and
spent his early years at school in Belgium. His place in the
hearts of his parishioners high and he has done much for
is

their advancement, the church now numbering 370 families.

The cornerstone of a new church was laid July 12,, 1891 and ,

the structure, a fine stone one costing $25,000 was dedicated

in October the year following. A benevolent society, taking
the name of St. Joseph, was organized in 1872 and has done
much good. A branch of the Catholic Knights also exists.
206

Another of the orig-inal churches of the cotlnty is thkt,

known as St. Patrick's, in the town of Maple Grove. Four-

teen Catholics met at the home B. S. Lorigan in 1850 and
formed a church, which was visited at first by Rev. Brenner.
A frame church was Duilt and occasional services held by the
priests in charge at Manitowoc until 1861 when Rev. Sebas-
tian was made a resident pastor. He was a sincere patriot
and did much towards filling Maple Grove's quota during the
civil struggle. His successor in 1865 was Rev. Sugene Mc-
Ginnity now of Janesville and largely through his efforts the
building of a new church was undertaken, the cornerstone
being laid November 1, 1868, the structure when completed
being 100 by 46 feet. The succeeding pastors having been
Revs. James Mahoney 1868-1870, Andrew Seubert 1870-1874,
Louis Cornelius 1874-1875, C. Lemogie 1875-1879, Roman
Schotter 1879- 1881, W. J. Rice 1881-1887, Conrad Seule 1887-
1893 and the present pastor Rev. T. J. Ryan. Father Ryan is
of Irish birth and became a priest in 1884, ministering inOmro,
Winneconne and Ripon for some time. A branch of the C.
K. W. is in existence in connection with St. Luke's.
A fourth church to be established by Father Brenner was
St. James' at Cooperstown. A building was erected in 1850,
six years after the first permanent settlement in the town-
ship. Until 1865 it was visited by Father Brenner of Man-
itowoc and Father Maly of Francis Creek but in that year
Rev. Auguslin Lang took up his duties at the parish, suc-
ceeded in two years by Rev. William Mahoney. Rev. Euse-
bius Henzle, who came to the church in 1868, died February
20, 1870 and was. succeeded by Rev. James Gauche now of De
Pere for three years. A new church was erected in 1871,
made possible by the energetic efforts of the building com-
mittee. From 1876 to 1884 Rev. August Rossochowitz, an
exile from Germany officiated, being succeeded for a few
months by Father Stirn of Francis Creek. The later priests
have been Revs. J. A. Duermeyer 1884-1887, John H. Holz-
knecht 1887-1892, F. X. Steinbrecher and F. W. Geier 1892,
John D. Schwartzmeyer 1892-1895. In 1895 Rev. G. J. Pelle-
grin assumed charge, a man of extraordinary attainments, of
o
o
p

<
S
 207

Belgian birth and a Born in 1846 he

ling-uist of reputation.
came to America age of nineteen and is a graduate of
at the
St. Francis Seminar^'. His successor was the present pastor,
Rev. F. W. Geier. The congregation was incorporated in
1883 and now, numbers one hundred and twenty-five families.
Branch No. 101 C. K. W. is made up of members of St. James.
Father Brenner also organized St. Ann's at Francis
Creek, the first church being built by his successor. Rev.
Joseph Maly, Rev. F. X. Steinbrecher became the pastor in
1877 serving until 1^5.. Later Rev. William H. De Haan, a
native of Amsterdam, Holland assumed charge, removing to
Aniwa in 1896 and being succeeded by Rev. Lakoney, who in
turn gave way to the present priestr Rev. J. Vorlichek. The
congregation numbers seventy families.
St. Isidore's Church in the town of Meeme is another mon-
ument to the organizing ability of Father Brenner. In the
fall of 1850 a few religionists gathered at the home of John
Maltilor and formed a church. Henry Mulholland, Sr, do-
nated a three acre plot upon which was constructed a chapel
50 by 30 feet. Bishop Henui naming it. It was visited b}'
priests from surrounding churches until 18f)2 when Rev.
Lawrence Kenney took charge. He induced his people to
build a new structure, which was completed in 1864 and
blessed by Bishop Henni on his memorable trip through the
county that year when a total of 910 were confirmed at the
various churches. Rev. Konney died while at St. Isadore's
and was buried under the new church. Rev. McGinnity of
Maple Grove then looked after the parish for four years until
the appointment of Rev. Thomas McDoneell who also died in
the midst of his labors February 24 1869. After a vacancy of
a year the following pastors officiated in the order named:
Revs. E. R. Goss 1870-1871, Dennis Tierney 1871-1874, J. R.
Briller 1878-1879, Thomas Corry 1879-1880, R. J. Roche 1880-
1882, A. J, Gerhard 1882, J. J. Smith 1883-1885,' E. E. Graves
1885-1886, E. F. Pitt 1886-1890, M. B. Norton 1890-1894 and
Rev. E. Henderson. The church numbers 500 families, large-
ly of Irish descent. Branch No. 68 C. K. W. was esta'olished
at Meeme April 14 1887.
208

The next church to be established in the county Was St.

Joseph's at Kellnei-sville. In t852 fifteen Bohemian families
settled at that village,— originally all Catholics. For six
years they were attended by Rev. Joseph Maly of Francis
Creek and a log church was built in the town of Cooperstown,
dedicated to St. "Wenceslaus, there being 150 families in the
parish. After various vicissitudes a dispute arose over the
property and the church, led by Rev. Gideon Manazek, be-
came schismatic, the pastor being suspended from the priest'
hood. Reverend Manazek died in 1873 and was followed for
four years by Reverend Sadimir Klacel, who continued the
church in defiance of the diocesan authorities. Reverend A,
Cipin of Carlton at last brought about a reconciliation and a
new church was then built, one mile south of St. WenceslaUs
and dedicated to St. Joseph. Among the later priests have
been Revs. Ignatz Lager, J. Maly, F. Privoznek, W, Koerner,
J. Jiranek, A. Cipin, R. Lakomey and F. Just. A division
occurred during Rev. Koerner's ministry, several families
withdrawing. Reverend Just is a^ Bohemian by birth and
came to America at an early age. He also has a mission at
Greenslreet under his charge.
In no community in the county has religious and secular
life been more closely allied than at the village of St. Nazianz.
Rev. Ambrose Oschwald, a native of Baden, a man of high intel-
lectual order with tastes tending somewhat toward asceticism,
was responsible for the founding of a colony at that village,
communistic and religious in character. Gathering around
him one hundred and fourteen of his followers, mainly from
his parish in the old world, he set out for a new country in
order that he might found a Utopia. He arrived in Milwau-
kee in A.ugust 1854 and was there induced to purchase 3840
acres of land in the town of Eaton, paying $3.50 per acre.
Arriving at their new home on the 26th of the month the set-
work hewing down the wilderness and among the
tlers set at
first was a church, St. Gregory's. A convent
structures built
for the women was soon constructed and in 1864 a monastery
of the Franciscan order was added. The land was owned
and worked in common and the whole domestic economy was
 209

under tlie guidance of Father' Oschwald, The latter has

been described as "intimate with the classics and history,
learned in medicine and eloquent as a divine" and he was
above all a consistent communist, A common treasury was
established and certain rules and regulations adopted for the
government of all. Father Oschwald was somewhat of an
architect and his design of the settlement buildings were un-
ique. The sisters' convent was a large three story building
situated on Main street, plastered on the outside and painted
a delicate pink. One wing was used as a chapel, containing
two galleries and was capable of seating a large number of
persons. The brothers' monastery was similar in construc-
tion and also contained a chapel. Around the grounds were
various "stations," boxes on posts containing representations
of sacred scenes and upon the summit of a little hill was
erected a small chapel, resembling and named after the fa-
mous Mount Loretto, the interior decorations being quite
elaborate. The first church soon became too small for the
increasing number of the c .lonists" and accordingly a larger
one was built. The parishioners themselves engaged in dif-
ferent occupations, some tending in the fields while others
made articles of straw, sho2s, fancy work and a certain kind
of cheese that became immensely popular in the market. All
prospered until Father Oschwald's death, which occurred on
February 27, 1873, whereuiwn dissensions arose and many of
the communal features were abandoned. The sarcophagus
containing the remains of the dead priest still lies in the

basement of the monastery always guarded by a lighted

lamp. Rev. P. A. Mutz was his successor, he having been
ordained as one of the graduates of St. Francis some years
before. The present pastor is Rev. Diebl. The village is
still full of the old world atmosphere and
religious influences

are great. A branch of the C. K. W., exists in connection

with St. Gregory's.

Among the older churches of the county is that of the Nati-
vity at Tisch Mills. Founded by Rev. J. Maly it
remained as a

and dates of the rural prieste of the

The author desires to state that he owes the names
in Wisconsin.
county to that admirable work, the Catholic Church
210

mission connected with Carlton, Kewaunee coiinty until 1893.

Among- its pastors have been Revs. August Lang-, A. Cipin,
Joseph Kirpal, A. Vychodil and E- Kabat. Since its separa-
tion from Carlton Revs. F. Shimonek, F. Windisch, F. Kolen
and Li. Ulauschek have had charge of the parish in the order
nanied. The church numbers ISO families.
In 1861 Father Schrauderbach of Sheboj-gan established St.
Wendel's in the town of Centerville: Rev. Kleiber, a Bavarian,
Was the first resident priest, folldwed a year later by Rev. P.
StUecki bi Sheboygan, -who died Feb. 4 1863 and was buried
hear the Chtirch. A log structure was erected at first, then a
iraine buildirLg in 1864, which burned down thirty years later
and was replaced by an elegant new church in 1895, A mis-'
sion at Centerville was established also in 1861 by Father
Schrauderbach and another, St. Fidelis', in the town of
Meeme by Father Korfhagein 1872, both of which have since
been under the care of the priests of St. Wendel. The pias-
tors since Rev, Stuecki's death have been: —Revs, J. Welter
1863-1864, Bernhard 1864, M. Weiss 1864-1865, A. F. Zuber
18()5-187l, H. F. Korfhage 1871-1875, Thomas Breiker 1875-
1877, C. Schilling 1877-1880, J. P. Van Treek 1880-1882, H.
T^lelfstern 1882-1893, Rudolph Ollig 1893, William Dejalle
1893-18')9, and W. Wolf, the present pastor. About 100 fam-
ilies are under his charge.
St. Augustine's congregation in the town of Kossuth, made
up of the settlers of Bohemian nationality who early game to
the town, was started in 1S62. The church is attended by
priests from Francis Creek and Kellnersville. The congre-
gation numbers about one hundred families.
In 1865 Ira Clark gave two acres for a church site at Clark's
Mills and upon it was built the Church of the Immaculate
Conception. Before 1865 occasional services had been held
by priests from Maple Grove but it was not until that year
that a priest was assigned the locality regularly, Father
Fessler serving the congregation for some time. Then for
some years it was a mission of St. Nazianz and Maple Grove
until 1875 when Rev. John Wernert was assigned the parish.
A brick structure, 75 by 13 feet costing $4000, was then erect-
 2U
ed and a parsonag-e completed. The succeeding- pastors were
Revs. Gerhard Hornish 1878, Clement Lau 1878-1879, Joseph
Rhode 1879-1885, John Holzknecht 1885-1887, J. A. Duer-
meyer 1887-1890, George Brenner 1890-1895, E. Kabat 1895-
1899. The present pastor is Rev. Ulrich. Branch No. 146
C. K. W. is located at Clark's Mills.
The Church of the Assumption was built by the Bohe-
mian residents of Reedsville in 1866, there having- been origin-
ally twenty-five families in the parish. It was first attended
by priests from Francis Creek but in 1876 Rev. Julius Stroehlke
assumed charge, beingf succeeded the next year by Rev. Maly
for a few months, he in turn being- followed by Rev. T. Spun-
or. During- the latter's pastorate the cornerstone of a new
church was completed by Rev. John Videnka,
laid, it being-
who died in the midst of his labors on May 29, 1885. During-
the term of his successor. Rev. William Kraemer a branch of
the Catholic Knights was established and a parochial school
started and in 1896 Rev. Adelbert Cipin assumed charge.
Rev. Cipin is a Bohemian by birth and entered the priesthood
in 1873, serving at Ahnapee and Kellneisville before being
transferred to Reedsville. Holy Trinity church at Kasson
was established as a mission from the Assumption in 1S75
and has since been so connected.
A Polish church, named St. Casimir's was established in
1868 at Northeim in the town of Newton. Fire destroyed the
first structure in 1880 but it was rebuiltis now a substan-
and
tial edifice. The pastors of the cong-reg-ation have been Revs.
B. Buwzynski 1868-1870, F. X. Kralczywski 1870-1871, P.
Koncz 1872-1873, Alexander Michnowski 1873-1874, Simon
Wieczorik 1874-1877, C. Goerik 1877-1878, R. A. Bukowski
1878-1879, J. Musulwicz 1879-1880, Aenitas Goch 1880-1881,
Georg-e Fessler 1881-1882, Felix Ozechowski 1882-1884, J.
Deilkicaworz 1885-1887, J. Horbacz 1887-1888, John Maczvn-
ski 1889-1891, Z. Luczycki 1891-1893, Henry Cichocki 1893
and the present pastor, Ig-natz Paluch.
St. Mary's Polish Church was organized at Manitowoc
February 24 1870. The frame building used formerly by
the German Lutherans of the city was purchased three years
212

later and removed September 6

to "tlie Hill," being- dedicated
1874. The cong-reg-ation g-rew rapidly until now
it embraces

three hundred families. In 1888 an orphan asylum was

founded and placed under the care of the Polish Felician Sis-
ters and it has since become an important benevolent institu-
tion. In the same year it was decided to begin the construc-
tion of a new and costly church but after the foundation had
been laid funds g-rew scarce and it was ten years before the
structure could be completed, the dedication ceremonies oc-
curring- October 1 1899. The list of pastors of the church is
as fo]lows:-Rev. F. X. Kralczywski 1872, Peter Koncz 1872-
1873, A. Michnowski 1873-1874, Simon Wieczorik 1875-1876,
Erasmus Bartkiewicz 1878. Joseph Musylwicz 1879-1882,
"Felix Orzcechorisk 1882-1884, Joseph Deiticwicz 1884, Ladis-
laus Zuczcki 1886-1890, C. Monczysk 1893. Henry Cichocki
1893-1894. As the chronolog-y shows there have been fre=
quent vacancies but a new era of prosperity was inaug-urated
upon the arrival of Rev. Wenceslaus Krzwonos, the new
priest, on October 1 1896. Born in Bouk, Galicia, September
28 1852 he was educated at Rycszow and at the age of twenty
entered the Cracow Military Academy, later graduating and be-
coming a lieutenant in the Fortieth Austrian Infantry for four
years, at the expiration of which time he came to America.
After entering a Benedictine Monastery in Missouri he was
ordained a priest and served at St. Joseph, Missouri and later
at South Chicago. He left the church on account of factional
troubles in April 1903. There are connected with the church
St. Adalbert's Society and the Ho^y Rosary Society, both large
in membership.

Michael's at Whitelaw or Pine Grove was established

St.
in 1872, a church being built a year later. It was a mission
of the Clark's Mills congiegation until 1876 when the first
resident pastor, Rev. Godfrey Noever was transferred from
the Rapids church, the latter at the time being discontinued
and its congregation divided. Later Clark's Mills priests
again had St. Michael's utider their charge but Rev. Joseph
Heninier assunied the duties of priest at the place in 1896, ber
 JJ13

ing succeeded the next year by Rev. Joseph Mack. A branch

of the C. K. W. was organized at Whitelaw in July 1894.
On November 9 1869 Rev. Joseph Fessler of Manitowoc in-
duced four sisters to take the vows and steps were immediate-
ly taken towards the building of a convent at Alverno, the
structure being completed in September of the following
year. Sister Odelia was the first mother superior and the
number of sisters gradually grew until it reached twenty five
or thirty. To accommodate these and also the inhabitants of
that part of the county St. Joseph's Church was constructed
in 1874 and placed for a time under the care of Father Fessler
of Manitowoc. On his removal from the state'in 1880 Rev.
George Fessler assumed charge, which he retained until 1885
when on May 28th he died at the age of thirty seven. Dur-
ing his pastorate, on September 1 1881, theconvent burned, the
loss being about $65,000 but by dint of great effort the structure
was speedily rebuilt and continued its successful existence,
many hundred young people receiving instruction. A chapel
was built in 1890 to accommodate the sisters. The successors
of Father Fessler have been Revs. A. J. Gerhard 1885, I. P.
Van Treck 1885-1887, H. Neihaus 1887-1888. P. H. Welbes
1888-1890, M. Oberlinkels 1890-1892. Rev. Norbert W. T3ic n-
inger assumed charge in 1892.
Among the churches later established was St. Peter's and
Paul's at Kiel. During several years it was a mission of St.
Anna's in Sheboygan County but in 1892 Rev. G. Weisse was
appointed, followed in 1896 by Rev. M. J. Schmitz, who had
just graduated from St. Francis.
On May 10 1889 the Poles at Two Rivers, who were a part
of the congregation of St. Luke's, separated and established
Sacred Heart Church. Rev. F. Luczycki was the first priest,
being succeeded by Revs. Chelkocki, Bozwiacki, Geruss, Pod-
licki, Mozejuski, Kubazeski and Pociecha. A new church
was erected by the congregation in 1899. A church at Mishi-
cot which, since its foundation in 1866, had been connected
with St. Luke's also separated in 1898, Rev. A. Bastian and
Rev. P. St. Louis being the first priests.
A Catholic hospital, named the Holy Family, was erfct^d
 .

214

in Manitowoc a great expense and

in the latter nineties at
forms one of the most important public institutions in the
county, having- been designated as a marine hospital bj' the
United States Government.
Sacred Heart Congregation composed of Eng-lish speaking
Catholics was organized in 1902 in Manitowoc under Father
O'Leary's guidance. The building formerly known as St.
James' Episcopal was purchased but efforts were immediately
put forth to secure a site for a larger church, land being- pur-
chased at the corner of State and North Seventh streets.
LUTHERAN.
Many German settlers who came to Manitowoc
of the first
County were members of the Lutheran denomination and it
was only natural that efforts should early be made at the es-
tablishment of a church. Thus it was that in the summer of
1«51 the residents of the town of Newton formed a congrega-
tion, led by Rev. C. F. Goldamm^r, a man of great spiritual
g-ifts who saw many years of useful ministration in Wisconsin.

A rougfh church was built and the worshippers, althoug-h few

in number, took rajch interest in the enterprise. Rev. Gold-
ammer was not a man to limit his usefulness and as early as
1851 he came to Manitowoc every second week to hold services
with a few families. For years these gatherings took place
in the old district school at the corner of South Seventh and
Washington streets. Finally on April 4 1855 St. John's con-
gregation was organized in the village with thirty families
in church connection and it was decided to call Rev. Goldam-
mer to the parish. He accepted and a church, parsonage and
school were completed the following year the latter being
enlarged in 1859 to meet the growing demands. The church
was a frame structure 35 by 50 feet in dimensions, which was
capable of seating about four hundred people. In 1858 R^v.
Goldammer left for Burlington, Wis. and Rev. Philip Koehkr
accepted the work and responsibility for the next nine years.
In 1861 the congregation had a membership of ninety-one
families; in 1865 the report shows 184 families and 193 child-
ren in school attendance. By act of the legislature March 23
}866 the congregation was incorporated and in the same year
 215
a new school was erected, which continued to do duty for
twenty-five years until it was taken away to make room for
the present structure. Rev. Koehler left in 1867 and was
succeeded by Rev. M. Quehl. It was during his pastorate
that, the old church proving- utterly inadequate, it was de-
cided to build a new brick structure. The building- was com-
pleted in 1873 at a cost of $16,000 and is one of the most com-
modious in the city. By this time Rev. K. Huebner had taken
up pastoral work in the city but after two years' service he
gave way, in 1874, to Rev. G. Thiele, later of Milwa.ukee.
Rev. F. Pieper assumed charge in 1876, followed by Rev. R.
Pieper in 1878. Two years later the Synod of Minnesota a,n.d
Wisconsin met at St. John's and the church was again chosen
as the gathering place in 1894. In February 1891 Rev. Karl
Machmueller, the present pastor, assumed charge and has as-
sisted materially in the development of churbh life. The
congregation numbers 435 families and there are 250 children
in attendance at the school. A thriving ladies' society is
maintained in connection with the church.
As early as 1861 occasional Lutheran services were held in
the village of Two Rivers but it was not until 1863 that St.
John's Congregation was organized by Rev. H. Barthels, a
missionary pastor of the church. In the same year "the little
brown church" built and owned by the Episcopals was pur-
chased from Bishop Kemper and was used as a place of wor-
ship by the new congregation. Rev. Barthels remained until
the latter part of 1865 and was succeeded by Rev. Braun and
under his pastorate a parsonage was built. In October 1869
Rev. Braun was succeeded by Rev. Zuberbier, who died in the
midst of his activities in 1872, whereupon Rev. C. Jaeger as-
sumed pastoral duties for six years, he now being a resident
of Racine. His successor was Rev. P. Lucas, who passed
away at Two
Rivers July 28 1881, Rev. J. P. Koehler then
taking up the work. He remained seven years, at the end of
which time he resigned to accept a position as professor in
the Northwestern Theological Seminary at Watertown. It
was under his' guidance that the congregation decided to
build ?. new chprch edifice, I'he building operations, howt;
 —

216

ever, were carried on by his successor, Rev. A. F. Siegler,

the dedication taking- place in 1889. In September 1892 the
present pastor. Rev. C. A. F. Doehler, assumed charg-e of the
church and under his leadership- it has prospered, numbering-
now about nine hundred communicants. The school, started
at the same time as the church, was for ten years under the
care of the pastors but from that time on teachers were hired
and the institution now numbers 160 scholars. Two frame
structures are utilized for school purposes, one of them being
the old church.
The Newton church, the oldest in the county led a very
successful career, celebrating its golden anniversary in Sep-
tember 1901. Among the pastors have been Revs. C. Wagner,
E. Strube, A. Pieper and Christian Sieker. In the town of
Centerville two churches of the Lutheran denomination exist
St. John's Congregation was orga iized in 1860 with forty
members and a church was built the next year. Seven years
later St. Peter's was organized and a church built. One pas-
tor has continued to serve both, the list being as follows:
Revs. M. Quehl 1862-1867, C. Dowidat 1869- 1875, F. Pieper
1875-1877, J. Haase 1877-1883, C. Jaeger 1883-1887, P.
Sprengling 1887. St. John's numbers seventy-two members
and St. Peter's forty-six.' Among the other early churches
was that established at Reedsville. Rev. Goldammer held
occasional services in the neighborhood during his Manitowoc
pastorate and in the early sixties Revs. C. Gauschwitz and C.
Braun were sent to the parish, the latter leaving in 1865 to
take up his duties in Two Rivers. There were about twenty-
five communicants at the time and under Rev. A. Kluge, who
came in 1865, the congregation was increased and in 1869 St.
Johannes and Jacobus Church was organized. Rev. Kluge
remained fifteen years and in 1879 a new church was erected,
replacing the earlier one built twenty years before. Rev. A.
Topel served as pastor for seven years, at the end of which
time the present minister. Rev. Phillip Brenner, was called.
A parochial school with seventy scholars is maintained. In
1878 a church was established in the town of Gibson with C.
Jfieger ^s pastor, Jie t»eing- siiccee^ed by Rev. P. Kionjsa,
 217

The L,arrabee church dates from 1884, the pastors since that
time having- been Revs. H. Prohl 1884-1888, H. Bruss 1888-
1890, and the present minister, H. Mueller. The same year
also witnessed the beginning- of a church at Rosecrans, served
consecutively by Revs. A. W. Kubel and Christian Sieker.
At Niles in the town of Eaton a church was started in 1893
by Rev. W. Schlei, who has since officiated as pastor and in
the same year Rev. H. Zarwell began his ministrations at
a church established at Rube, being transferred to the Liber-
ty Church later, his successor being Rev. F. Weertz. Rev.
Schlei officiates at present, also, in a church built at Collins.
A mission church has existed for some years at Mishicott
being served by Two Rivers ministers. Of late, however.
Rev. Vater, a resident pastor, has had charge.
Not only were there many German settlers of the Luth-
eran faith but a large number of the Scandinavian race as
well. In the latter forties many Norwegians settled in the
towns cf Liberty and Eaton and a few joined the Episcopal
Church under Rev. Unonius. However they soon became
strong enough to form a society of their own at Gjerpen,
which was one of the oldest Norwegian settlements in the
state. The church was organized October 4, 1850 and Rev.
H. A. Stueb was called as the first pastor. Rev. Stueb
was born in Bergen, May 13 1822 and came to America at the
age of twenty-six and for many years was a leading figure in
Wisconsin Lutheranism. After two years he was succeeded
by Rev. J. A. Otteson, who was twenty -seven years -old at
the time, having come directly from Norway to his charge.
Within three years he had established congregations at Man-
itowoc, Liberty, Maple Grove and Valders, making the cir-
cuit of the churches at as close intervals as time would allow
him. Both Revs. Stueb and Otteson are still living and the
former was present at the semi-centennial exercises held at
Gjerpen in October 1900. In 1864 a church, the largest then
in existence in the county, was dedicated at Liberty. The
structure was 90 by 40 feet in dimensions and cost $4000, it
being the scene of the Lutheran Synod two years later. Rev.
b^ time undertaken pastoral "work in
L, M, Biorn had this
218

the county, having the five churches under his supervision.

For years the Manitowoc society met in the district school but
in 1865 the construction of a church at th.e corner of North
Eighth and State streets was commenced. When completed
and ready for occupancy on Christmas day 1867 the building-
had cost $5000 and was capable of seating tve hundred peo-
ple, being 50 by 70 feet in dimensions. It was rebuilt and
greatly beautified in 1899.Rev. Biorn continued as pastor of
the church until 1879, when he resigned and was succeeded
by Rev. C. F. Magelson. In 1880 the Synod of the church
met at Manitowoc. In February 1893 Rev. J. A. Haugen as-
sumed charge of the 'city congregation, remaining five years.
At the end of his pastorate the congregation was divided,
those denoted as the Mi^sourians retaining the old church
and calling Rev. P. R. Thorsen as pastor while the Anti-
Missourians formed a new organization under the name of
St. Paul's. This division, however, merely emphasized the
separate organizations which had existed since 1874. The
original St. Paul's Congregation had been organized on Feb-
ruary 24th of that year and had constructed a church at the
corner of North Seventh and St. Clair streets although the
same pastor preached in the two churches for many years.
In the fall of 1898 a new brick church was constructed by the
parish three blocks west of the old site at a cost of $10,000,
being dedicated March 19 1899. Rev. E. T. Rogne of Austin,
Minn, was called to the pastorate and the congregation has
led a very harmonious existence.

St. Paul's maintains a very successful branch of the

Luther League, the Wisconsin convention of that organiza-
tion being held in the city in the summer of 1901. A branch
of the Luther Alliance is an adjunct of the older church and
active ladies' societies are connected with both. A new Luth-
eran Church was erected at Valders during the fall of 1899,
while the church at Gjerpen, which had been constructed in
1856 was thoroughly reconstructed in the same year at a cost
of $10,000. Rev. C. Alfson has for some years past had charge
of the country congregations.
 219'

CONGREGATIONAL.
When Rev. W Herritt came to Manitowoc County in
1850 lie set about establishing- at Two Rivers a Congrega-
tional Church. On January 17th of the next year the plans
were consummated by the foundation of the First Church,
which was attached to the Milwaukee district, later beiiig
transferred to the Winnebago district. At first the congre-
g-ation numbered but fourteen members although the averagfe
Sunday school attendance was' about seventy. After Rev.'
Herritt's removal D. Pinkerton acted as pastor until 1857,'
when he was succeeded by Rev. M. C. Stanley. Just before
the latter's arrival a church had been erected, one of the old-
est in the county now standing. The pastor was called to
Manitowoc a year after beginning his ministry and was suc-
ceeded by Rev. H. Pierpont, the father of Judge Pierpont,
who increased the membership to nearly fifty and maintained
a thriving-. Sunday school. From I860 on, however, the
church declined and having- no pastor, finally passed out of
existence. Rev. Pierpont removed to New York and died at
. Rochester in 1871. In 1867 Rev. Charles W. Wilson, a mis-
sionary of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of America
arrived in Two Rivers and reestablished the congregation.'
After ten years of faithful labor he passed away and Rev.
Thomas G. Pearce was called, he again instituting Congre-
gational forms. The church membership at the time was'
but eleven. In November 1877 he was succeeded by Rev. I).
M. Wooley, who in turn gave way to Rev. Sidney B. Demar-
est in March two years later. Rev. Demarest was a native
of New York and was fifty-five years of age at the time he
assumed pastoralduties at Two Rivers. He was a graduate
of Western Reserve College and the Chicago Theolog-iral
Seminarry and officiated at several points in Wisconsin before
his death, which occurred on August 14 1887 at Waupaca.
His successor was Rev. David B. Spencer, Two Rivers being-
his first charg-e. He was an energetic young- man and in a
few months had increased the membership to fifty but in
June he left for Hartland and the church discontinue ser-1

vices for a number of years.

220

In 1890, however, another effort was made, described in

the Cong-reg-ational Report as follows: —"At Two Rivers
there was once a church but the life has gone out of it and its
name removed from the names of the living. There has
been this year a new church organized on the spot out of
Methodists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists and Episco-
palians under most happy auspices. Complete harmony ex-
ists among the Christians. They have sustained services five
months, have called Rev. Alexander Chambers and will raise
among themselves the larger part of his salary. This is
practically a new church and the only one in the English
tongue in a population of 3500 souls." Rev. Chambers ac-
cepted the call and soon the church was a thriving one of
thirty members. He was succeeded by Rev. John N. David-
son, a local histprian of some note, in 1893 and two years later
a branch was started among the English residents of Two
Creeks. Rev. Davidson resigned in February 1901 to accept
a call from Dousman, Wis. and was succeeded by Rev. T. W.
Cole, of Ivanhoe, 111. The church today numbers about fifty
members and a Sunday school of over one hundred pupils is
maintained. A Christian Endeavor Society was established
in 1893 and later another in connection with the Two Creeks
church.
ACongregational church was established in Maple Grove
in 1853 with fourteen members. Rev. Israel C. Holmes,
father of Rev. Mead Holmes, was the first regular pastor and
soon had a thriving Sunday school established. After about
seven years, however, the services were discontinued and the
congregation dissolved.

BAPTIST.
Although the Baptist denomination has not played a very
prominent part in Manitowoc county there have been several
churches of the sect within its borders. The only one in
which the English language was used was established at
School Hill in 1856 by Rev. Joseph Jeffreys. Rev. Jeffreys
was a Welshman by birth and was ordained in Wisconsin.
—
In his first report he said: "This is an entirely new field
 221

amotig otlr Welsh peoplcj settled in tlie forests along the lake
shore" and told how "the Macedonian cry for help" had been
sent to the Baptist convention of 1855. The pastor preached
in Welsh at the morning- and in English at the evening ser-
vices but during the first year the congregation gained but
one member* The minister remained two years, and then
there was an interim of seventeen years, in which there were
no regular services held with the exception of a short time in
1863 when Rev. P. Work officiated. A new church was con-
structed in 1873 and two year's later Rev. H. A. Sears was
sent to the parishes of School uill and Plymouth, Sheboygan
County. He was born in Springfield, N. Y. in 1818 and had
been in Wisconsin since 1843. He died at Beaver Dam soon
after leaving his pastoral duties in Manitowoc. During his
three years of ministry the congregation increased from thir-
ty to fifty and a thriving Sunday school was established.
Rev. W. H. Whitelaw was the pastor in 1879 and then
there was a vacancy until 1881, when for three years Rev. A.
T. Miller of Sheboygan Falls officiated on alternate Sab-
baths, being succeeded by Rev. Edward Jones in 1884. Rev.
Jones died while engaged in his duties a year later and after
a!n interim of three years Rev. J. Phillips assumed charge for

some time. In 1792 Rev. Miller of Sheboygan Falls resumed

his visits to the church, being succeeded in 1894 by Rev. A.
Goodwin, in 1895 by Rev. S. W. Wiltshire of Sun Prairie and
in 1898 by Rev. Thomas Davis, sermces being held every
fourth Sabbath. The church at present numbers over thirty
members and is situated in the Milwaukee district.
A German Baptist church was established on South Sev-
enth Street in the village of Manitowoc in 1866 by Rev. C.
Kleppe, a missionary. He held meetings at various points
in the county but died at his work in 1867. He was succeeded
by Rev. Theodore Klinker, the church numbering then about
fifty members and in 1872 Rev. R. Haab assumed charge,
which he retained for two years, being followed by Rev. A.
Freitag for a year. After a vacancy of five years Rev. J.

Miller of Watertown became the pastor and soon a Sunday

school was started. After four years he gave way to Rev. M.
222

Schwendener of Kewaskum but the latter'sstay was briefand

a long- vacancy ensued. Rev. Freitagf establisted another
German Baptist church in the town of Kossnth in 1875, which
soon grew to a membership of sixty. It was served jointly
with Manitowoc until 1887, when Rev. M. Schwendener as-
sumed charg-e. After a vacancy of five years Rev. G. Engel-
inann of Freedom, Wis. came to the church in 1892 but re-
mained only a year. In 1896 Rev. P. Hoffmann of LeRoy be-
came the pastor and has since acted as such.
GEEMAN REFORMED.
The first attempt at the org-anization of a church of the
German Reformed denomination in the cqunty occurred in the
town of Newton in 1851, at which time a church was built,
served for three years by Rev. Goldammer. A church was
also built at Centerville and the two were served by Revs. J.
F. Klug-e (1854-1858) and Chr. Schiller (1856-1862) but on
March 10 1862 they separated. The organization in Newton
isknown as the Reformed Salem Ebenezer Congregation and
has been served by the following pastors: —Revs. J. Blaetgen
1863-1866, T. Grosshuesch 1867-1873, G. Zindler 1874-1879,
W. Walenta 1879-1883, T. Grosshuesch 1883-1887 and D. W.
Vriesen 1887 on. A new church building was erected in 1876.
The ministers of the Centerville church have been Revs.
Jean Grab, F. Nullhorst, John Blaetgen, E. Scheidt, H.
Schenk, W. Lienkaemper, E. W. C. Brueckner and R. A.
Most. In 1867 a church was built at Kiel, Rev. Praikschatis,
being the first pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. Schoepfle,
who in turn gave way in 1871 to E. W. Zenk. For twenty
years the latter faithfully served the church and under his
pastorate a new edifice was erected in 1889. His successor
was the present pastor, Rev. John Roeck.
The church in the city of Manitowoc dates from March
25 1868, on which date the congregation was formed by twelve
families. The first preacher was Rev. Jacob Lotka, who re-
mained but a few months. During his pastorate a lot was
purchased and a small frame church costing $800 was
erected. —
Rev. Lotka's successors have been: Revs. George
Windemuth 1869-1870, Paul Schoetke 1871, Henry Ruster-
 MRS, S. C. BLAKE
First White Girl Born in Manitowoc County
 225

holz 1872-18^4, E. W. Henschen 18^5-1880, G. Zindler 1881-

1886, D. R. Huecker 1886-1889, C- Bonekemper 1889-1891 and
L. W. Zenk, the present pastor. In 1889 it was deemed nec-
essary to build a new church and a brick edifice costing- $700^3
was according-ly erected. The present membership is about
350. A mission was established hj Rev. E. W. Henschen at
Branch in 1879 and a church built there, which is still in use.
The membership is about sixty.

EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION.
In 1856 Rev. William Siekoreik, a missionary of the
Evangelical Association \ isited Two Rivers and succeeded in
forming- a nucleus, which on July 16 1859 became a duly or-
ganized congreg-ation. A church was built that year on Pine
Street and Rev. Peter Held called to the pulpit, which he oc-
cupied for two years His successors during the sixties and
early seventies were Rev. William F. Schneider, J. Banzhaf,
J. H. Hammetter, E. Bockermuehl, L. G. Stroebel, W. Witten-
weyler, J. Koch, G. Schwaiites, D. Herb and F. Dite. Rev.
George Hun, the next pastor was succeeded by Rev. F. Huel- •

ster, under whose guidance a new church, 60 by 40 feet, was

erected. His successor was Rev. J. C. Runkel, who left for
Milwaukee in May 1885, being succeeded temporarily by Rev
Nickel and then permanently by Rev. M. Finger. The latter
left for Berlin in 1888 and then Rev. J. G. Kern took up the
work for two years, when Rev. Richard Eilert assumed
charge. After three years service he left and his place was
taken by Rev. Droegkamp of Sister Bay and later by Rev. F.
J. Siewert. The present pastor, C. W. Schlueter has brought
the congregation up to a large number, it now embracing 180
members. Two churches of the denomination have been
maintained for some years in the town of Cooperstown, they
being attended by the resident pastors of Morrison, Brown
County, Rev. A. Lutz being the present minister. Another
church at Reedsville, is a part of the Calumet parish and is
administered at present by Rev, H. W. Lutz of that county.
Meetings are occasionally held in Rockland and Eaton as
well.
224

GERMAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH.

Late in the eig-hties a mission of the German
Evang-eli-
cal Church was organized in the town of Meeme, Rev. J.
Holzapfel of Mosel, Sheboygan County officiating. This has
been since maintained and is still a mission. On January 4
1891 Rev. J. K. O. Ritzmann, now retired, organized the St.
John's German Evangelical Church at Manitowoc. The first
pastor was Rev. Emil Albert, who left in the fall of 1893, ac-
cepting a call to a charge at Oshkosh where he still resides.
His successor was Rev. John Heinrich who remained until the
summer of 1896. For the succeeding two years the church
was connected with other charges, being served successively
by the pastors of Oshkosh and Brillion but this not proving
practicable, the church again received a pastor in the sum-
mer of 1898, Rev. M. Rosenfeld. He remained until the fall
of 1900, the present pastor, Rev. Carl Nagel, then in Ohio,
taking up the work on November 1st of that year in answer
to a call by the missionary board of the synod. In 1901 the
church building was moved to the corner of South Fifteenth
and Marshall Streets and completely reconstructed. The
membership is rapidly growing. Another church of th& syn-
od is located at Reedsville, being under the charge of the
Brillion pastor. Rev. E. J. Fleer.

JEWISH.
During the later nineties the city of Manitowoc became
the home of a goodly number of Jews, sufficient at last to,

warrant the holding of services. After a few informal gather-

ings, on March 14 1900, the Ansha Polia Sadik Society was
incorporated by I. Green. M. Stein, J. Sklute, M. Green, M.
Phillips, M. Davidson, A. Schwartz, J. Phillips, D. Balkan-
sky, S. Salicavitz, P. Schorney and J. Golden and regular
meetings have since been held. In 1902 a synagogue was
built.

CHRISTIAN.
Ui uhe winter of 1895-96 revival services were held
by the t istian or Campbellite Church at Manitowoc. An
.

immersion of a number of the converts of the sect occurred

 22^

Manitowoc I'ebruary 28 1896 and since that time

at the Little
the members have met regularly at private homes, F. J'. Ives
acting- as leader for a time. During- 1901 Elder Stark of
the church made frequent visits to the congregation.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE.
Interest in the doctrines of Christian Science was awak-
ened in Manitowoc to a considerable degree in the decade 1890-
1900 and the result was the formation of a society in 1899. A
hall was rented and regular meetings have since been held.
Miss Jerauld has officiated as local reader and outside speak-
ers haVe frequently been secured.

MISCELLANEOUS.
There have been in the count}- several societies doing
Christian work along interdenominational lines, whose record
is of interest. Among the earliest of these was the Manito-
woc Bible Society. This was organized at Manitowoc Rap-
ids at a meeting held in the courthouse February 18 1849, its
object being the distribution of copies of the Holy Book. O.
C. Hubbard was chosen its first president and E. H. Ellis its
secretary and treasurer. Its second meeting was held in the
Manitowoc schoolhouse, among those present being Rev. D.
Lewis and Rev. Herritt. It has continued a useful existence
ever since, many copies of the Bible being distributed. In
1860, for instance, when Gary was the agent, 1197 were
B. B.
placed in the homes of the county. Annual meetings are
still held and C. F. Liebenow acts as the agent. A similar
society was organized in Two Rivers in 1873.
Another important society was the Manitowoc County
Sunday School Association. A preliminary meeting for the
formation of this society was held at the Presbyterian Taber-
nacle on Tuesday June 24 1861, which was opened by prayer
by Rev. Mead Holmes. Rev. J. H. Dillingham was chosen
permanent chairman and reports were received to the effect
that there- were forty Sunday schools, numbering 1500 schol-
ars, a goodly proportion in a county which then had but 24,-
000 inhabitants all told. Messrs. Carey, Groffman and Can-
right were chosen a committee on permanent organization
m
—
and the following- were the officers first elected: President,
C. S. Canright; Vice President, Georg-e Groffmann; Secretary,
Rev. Mead Holmes; Treasurer, H. A. Shove. A vig-ilance
committee was appointed in each township and for some years
annual meeting's were held in June. The org-anization, how-
ever, was but short lived.
A branch of the Young- Men's Christian Association was
organized in Manitowoc in February 1888 and led an active
existence for some years, using the Jones Library rooms.,
—
The first officers were: President, Louis Sherman; Vice
President, Gottfried Esch; Corresponding Secretary, Dr. J.
T. Martin; Recording Secretary. Eugene C. Smalley; Treas-
urer, H. Esch, Jr. The organization disbanded in the early
nineties. A Sabbath Observance League in Manitowoc led
an equally short career a little later.
 CHAPTER XII.

SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS.

In the history of every community the part played by the

social,benevolent and fraternal orders is always of the ut-
most importance and in that regard Manitowoc County pre-
sents no exception. There is no doubt that organizations of
this kind promote a feeling of interdependence and social
cohesion that very salutary in its effects. Many of the or-
is
ders in Manitowoc have in the first years of their existence
been compelled to undergo struggles to maintain their life
but that fact has made their development in later years all
the stronger.

FRA.TEENAL.

MASONIC.
Most prominent among fraternal organizations are the
Masonic orders. On February 16 1856 a dispensation was
granted for the formation of Manitowoc Lodge No. 65 F. &
A- M. The first officers elected were Rev. Melancthon Hoyt,
Worshipful Master; Peleg Glover, Senior Warden; Thomas
Windiate, Junior Warden; John L,. Lee, Treasurer; D. F.
Austin, Secretary and J, H, Roberts, Tyler, Tfee original
228

number of brothers were tweaty: — W. H. Glover, Michael

Fellows, C. W. Fitch, W. W. Waldo, F. W. Nolan, A. Witt-
mann. H. Rassel, G. S. Glover, D. H. Van Valkenburgh, W.
J. Potter, Charles Palmer, E. D. Beardsley, S. W. Carpenter,
W. Barber, T. C. Shove, P. P. Smith, E. K. Rand, R. B.
Musson, M. Backus and P. Reiley. This lodge has contin-
ued in existence ever since, with a constantly increasing
membership. In 1875 there, were sixty-three members, in
1880 eig-hty-two, in 1885 the same, in 1890 eighty-four and in
1895 ninety-one. Rev. Hoyt was honored by being chosen
grand chaplain of the state in 1856, a position held by anoth-
er Manitowoc brother, Rev. Engle in 1863 and F. Borcherdt
was Grand Pursuivant in 1860.
On June 17 1858 a dispensation was granted to Tracy
Lodge No. 107 F. & A. M., composed of twelve German Ma-
sons, largely taken from the ranks of the older lodge. While
the general committee did not recommend the establishment
of a second lodge in so small a place as Manitowoc then was,
the Grand Lodge permitted it and the lodge continued to ex-
ist for some years, the charter being taken back, however, in
April 1868. The first officers were F. Borcherdt, W. M.; D.
Gerpheide, S. W.; and August Wittmann J. W. Two Rivers
secured a lodge, when a dispensation was granted July 15 1874
for Two Rivers Lodge No. 200 F. & A. M., the officers being
Dr. A. J. Patchen, W. M.; A. Hudson, S. W.; E. W.' Young,
J. W.; J. M. Conine, Treasurer; H. G. Fischbein,. Secretary;

Evan Evans, Tyler. Among the other members were J E.

Hamilton, C, H. Jennison, D. Nottage, D. Van Nostrand, Jr.
and Alexander Wood. Grand Master Cottrill installed the
lodge and it has increased in membership until it numbered
in 1900 about forty.
Manitowoc Chapter No. 16 Royal Arch Masons was
founded by a dispensation granted April 4 1857 by the Grand
Chapter. About fifteen gentlemen were among the charter
—
members and officers-were elected as follows: Rev. M. Hoyt,
High Priest; Ury Blake, King and W. R. Marvin, Scribe. A.
W. Bowman, a member of the chapter was chosen Grand
Principal Sojourner of the state in 1859. Depletion in the
 229

ranks, however, caused the chapter to be dropped ia 1863, but

it was ag-ain revived with nine members eleven years later.

Among the members who have occupied positions in the

Grand Chapter are Dr. J. F. Pritchard, G. B. Burnett and
Clarence Hill. At present its membership numbers about
eighty. The Masonic Lodge in Manitowoc occupies an ele-
gant suite of rooms in the National Bank building.

ODD FELLOWS.
the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin Odd Fel-
In his report to
lows in 1849 Grand Master Baird said: "In the county of
Manitowoc there is as yet no lodge of the order but probably
application will before long be made for the formation of one,
as I am informed there are several member^ of the order re-
siding in the county." As proof of his prediction there came
about the application and granting of a charter to Chicker-
ming Lodge No. 55 in July 1850 and oh April 16 1851 the
lodge was instituted by Deputy Grand Master Adams and
Godfrey Stramm of Sheboygan and Mark Brainerd and W.
H. Cole of Sheboygan Falls. The membership numbered ten
and upon the next day the following ofi&cers were chosen:
Noble Grand, W.W.Waldo; Vice Grand, E. D. Beardsley;
Recording Secretary, J. L. Kyle; Treasurer, P. P. Smith.
Said the report of that year, "The prospects of Chicker-
ming Lodge, I think, are very good. Some of the best men
of Manitowoc are members of the lodge." Among these
"best men" were W. Bach, E. L. Abbott, G. W. Durgin, A.
Baensch, K. K. Jones, Dr. Zeilley, W. Murphy, L. Sherman,
O. Torrison, F. Salomon, C. W. Fitch and G. E. Lee. Among
the earlier Noble Grands were E. D. Beardsley, J. L. Kyle
and M. Fellows and soon the lodge became prominent in the
grand lodge of the state, S. W. Smith being Grand Master in
1864, H. F. Hubbard in 1868 and Rev. J. M, Craig in 1885,
the last two named also being representatives of Wisconsin
in the Sovereign or National Grand Lodge. For two years
in the later fifties there were few meetings held and during
the war it was with difficulty that the lodge survived but
since that time it has led a remarkablv successful career. In
230

1875 membership was 11, in 1880 114, in 1885 145, in 1890

its
127, in 1895 120 and in 1900 114. The lodge has owned its
own hall for a number of years.
In 1853 Two Rivers Lodg-e No. 66 was instituted, meet-
ing Saturdays. W. Aldrich was prominent in the order and
in 1857 became the Grand Master of the state. The corner-
stone of an Odd Fellow's Hall was laid on February 28 1874
a,nd numerous festive occasions have been given by the Two
Rivers lodge, to which Manitowoc brothers have been in-
vited. The lodge numbered in 1875 59 members, 71 in 1885,
46 in 1895 and 36 in 1900.
Many of the Odd Fellows were Germans and thus in 1871
,

Manitowoc Lodge No. 194 was instituted by them, C. Zander

being chosen Noble Grand and A. Grcve Vice Grand. The
lodge in 1900 numbered about sixty members. In 1872 Kiel
Lodge No. 212 was organized, being consolidated with the
Manitou Lodge of Rhine, Sheboygan County in 1900. There
were in 1900 about thirty members. On February 16 1894
Reedsville Lodge No. 237 was instituted and the following
officers chosen :r-W. H. Noble, N. G.; W. G. Hagenow, V. G.
J. F. Shay, Secretary; J. Dumas, P. S.; W. Mueller, Treas-

urer. A lodge of the Rebecca order was organized by the

German ladies of Two Rivers in 1871 under the name of Lydia
Lodge No. 22, but it was dropped after an existence of seven-
teen years. Fredonia Lodge, Daughters of Rebecca No. 58
atManitowoc, organized in 1891 lasted but seven years. Its
were Lena Stolze, N. G.; M. E. Reardon, V. G.;
first officers

Addie Boecher, R. S. and for a time it had about fifty mem-

bers.

I. o. G. T.

Manitowoc county was the scene of much activity on the

part of the Independent Orikr uf Good Templars in early
days. The earliest lodge to be organized was that at Two
I

Rivers, where on July 19 1855 Evening Star No. 3 began it&

existence, it being one of the
first in the state. After a life
of eight years surrendered its charter. At Manitowoc
it

Phoenix Lodge No, 119 was organize^ M^rch 12; 1859 by Lo'
 231

cal Deputy Ramsdell but its existence numbered but four

years. On February 9 1861 Good Intent Lodg-e was organ-
ized at Branch by Local Deputy Whelan, among the members
being Bryan Mason, Jane Eatough, David Greenman, Sarah
Linscott, W. Eatough, G. Gibson, J. Mclvor, J. Smith, El-
nathan Phelps, Charles McAllister, Sarah Gibson, Caroline
Smith and N. Pierce. The lodge discontinued meetings in
1864. Union Lodge No. 257 was organized at Manitowoc in
1862 but had scarcely begun its existence before it was
dropped. In 1866 two more short lived lodges were instituted.
Oasis No. 364 at Maple Grove and Olive Branch No. 365 at
Cato. In the latter village another, Phoenix No. 163 was
called into being in 1879, although it, too, soon ceased to
have animation. Another attempt in the city of Manitowoc
was made in Jane 1880, when Sprague Lodge No. 231 was in-
stituted, C. F. Smalley being the local deputy but by 1884 it
was dropped from th,e list. Briar Lodge No. 154 at Two Riv-
ers was equally short lived as was Lodge No. 345 in the same
city, organized by Professor Marsh in 1889. Two others,
Larrabee No. 95 at Larrabee and Crystal Fountain No. 77 at
Cato, also failed to remain active. Niles Lodge No. 358, or-
ganized in 1894, however, is still in existence. Various ju-
venile lodges have been in existence in the county also.

SONS OF HERMANN.
It was on June 19 1856 that twelve German residents of
the village of Manitowoc met together and organized Thus-
nelda Lodge No. 7 of the Order of the Sons of Hermann, one
of the earliest to be organized in the state. It was not, how-
ever, the very earliest in the county, since Two Rivers Lodge
No. 5 antedates it by some months. Within a few years
lodges were also started at Mishicot and.Kiel, while a second
lodge, Koerner No. 24 was instituted in Manitowoc. This
was combined with the older organization in the later nine-
ties, the joint membership being about seventy. The annual
State convention of tlie order was held at Manitowoc in 1899
and John Schreihart, a member of the local lodge, has been
price n. njember of the grand lodge of the stg.te,
232

A. O. U. W.
Clipper City Lodg-e No. 148 of the American Order of
United Workmen was organized at Manitowoc November 26
1878, followed by Mozart Lodge 'No.made up of German
2^i,

residents, on August 21 1879. W. A. Walker was the first

district deputy of the county and in 1884 became grand fore-
man of the state, a year later being promoted to the position
of Grand Master Workman. By that time Clipper City Lodge
had over seventy members. Interest in the work of the order
has been kept up with the passage of the years and the Mo-
zart Lodge is still active.

MISCELLANEOUS.
Manitowoc Lodge No. 86 of the Knights of Pythias was
organized on December 4 1890 and has since led a very suc-
cessful existence. The original membership was less than
thirty but it had reached about sixtyby 1901.
Royal League No. 42 was organized March 7 1888 with
twenty-nine members and its record has been one of rapid
growth, the membership in 1901 having attained eighty-
seven. F. Schultz, a member of the local lodge, has been a
member of the state advisory council.
Manitowoc Lodge No. 69, Temple of Honor, organized in
1876 for many years was active but lapsed in the later nine-
ties.
The
only representative of the order of Royal Arcanum
in the county is Lake Shore Council No. 505, instituted in
1881, whose membership has been quite large.
Lakeside Tent No. 65 K. O. T. M. was organized in 1895
with about twenty members. Its numbers greatly increased
until by 1901 it had in the neigliborhood of ninety members.
Another lodge of the Maccabees was organized at Two Riv-
ers in July 1901 while a ladies' hive was established at Man-
itowoc the same year. H. Hallock a member of Lakeside
Tent has been honored with the position of State Finance
Keeper.
A branch of the Catholic Older of Foresters was organ-
ized at Manitowoc in December 1894, Joseph Simon being
 233

chosen Chief Rang-er. The order grew rapidly and it was

not long- before a branch was connected with almost every
Roman Catholic con g-regation in the county, as shown in the
chapter on church history, the same being also true of the
Catholic Knights of Wisconsin, of which order Henry Mul-
holland of Manitowoc was one of the founders.
A more recent Catholic order, the Knights of Columbus,
has also succeeded in having established in 1902 at Manito-
woc a most energetic chapter.
In 1898 a local branch of the Equitable Fraternal Union
was established at Manitowoc and the membership in a few
years reached over one hundred.
The lodge of Modern Woodmen to be instituted in
first
the countywas Minnehaha Camp No. 1285, which was.started
at Manitowoc in 1890 by Deputies Bull and Lincoln. A few
months later a camp was started at Two Rivers and since
1898 camps have also been added at Kiel, Reedsville, Coopers-
town, Gibson, Centerville, Mishicot, Cato, Eatoji, School Hill
and Two Creeks. The first county convention was held in
January 1899, Halvor Halvorsen acting as chairman and the
first county picnic occurred at Mishicot on August 26 1901.
Youngest, but not least, among the fraternal orders of
Manitowoc rank the Elks, organized with great festivity on
April 19 1901 with Ernst Wagner as Exalted Ruler of the
local lodge. The membership soon reached a large number.
Among the various other fraternal organizations, which
have in the past filled a place in local life, have been Clipper
City Lodge No. 9 of the order of Druids, Hope Lodge No. 363
Knights of Honor, Manitowoc Council No. 1150 of the Le-
gion of Honor and the National Fraternal League No. 28.

LITERARY ORGANIZATIONS.
One made at self improvement along
of the first efforts
literary lines was due to a coterie of Manitowoc young men,
who in the year 1856 organized the Young Men's Institute,
it being incorporated by the legislature. The promoters
were A. Ten Eyck, K. K. Jones, I. H. Parrish, G. L. Lee,
W. Bach, B. Jones. E. D. Beardsley, C H. Walker, W. H.
234

Glover, O. H. Piatt, C. W. Fitch, S. A. Wood, A. Wittmann,

E, K. Rand, S. "W. Smith and G. W. Glover. The object was
the holding- of annual courses of lectures and in this aim the
society for a number of 3ears.
was successful The first course
offered —
included the following- lectures: K. K. Jones on
"Manitowoc, Its Past History, Present Prog-ress and Future
History," Rev. M. Hoyt on "Master Moderate," I. H. Parrish
on "Russian War," W. W. Bates on "Menjitowoc History and
Shipbuilding in All Ag-es" and A. Ten Eyck on "The Sand-
wich Islands." Later courses comprised such speakers as
Rev. Camp, of Sheboygan, Col. C. Robinson of Green Bay,
Professor Bent of Boston, besides B. R. Anderson, Dr. Easton
and Rev. Engle of Manitowoc. In 1859 the Manitowoc Lit-
erary and Scientific Society was formed by Jacob Lueps, S.
A. Wood, W. Bach, W. Yette, C. W. Fitch, C. Hottelmann,
R. Klingholz, H. Baetz, C. Walker and F. Salomon, the work
of the society being interrupted by the war, which so soon
broke out.
A peculiar and yet most successful organization was the
Burns Society, made up of many of the older Scotch residents
of the count}', which was formed in January 1S60 to celebrate
with story and song each recurrence of the birthday of the
popular poet, Henry Sibree was chosen president, Peter
Johnston vice president and G. W. Burnet secretary. For
seven or eight years the association gathered at some con-
genial spot to do honor to their countryman. Among the
members were Robert McGavin, John Robinson, E. K. Rand,
J. W. Barnes. T. E. Sullivan, J. Vilas, G. S. Glover, R. Mc-
Guire, H. Mulholland, and M. Mahoney, some of whom, it
will be observed, turned Scotch for the occasion. Similar to
this was the gathering of old English settlers at the Windi-
ate House in 1872, although the association formed was not
kept up. The Nordcn, a Norwegian literary semi-fraternal
association has also led many years of prosperous existence.
Among the more recent literary societies have been the
Friday Night Literary Club, the Newman Club and the
Drummond Club. In 1890 the Clio Club, an association of
ladies, began its work and has since been the leading- organj-
 235

zation of kind in the city, having become affiliated with

its
the State Federation of Women's Clubs. The Two Rivers.
Historical Association, whose purpose is evident from its
name, was formed in February 1898 during- the Wisconsin
Semi-Centennial movemint. Literary societies have also
been organized in the two cities and in a large number of the
country districts in connection with the public schools.

MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS.
It was only natural that amongso many of the Teutonic
race music should early be recognized as a bond that makes
heart and soul akin. As an evidence of the realization there
was formed in Manitowoc in the fall of 1847 a musical society,
John Zins being chosen conductor. The first concert was
given on Washington's Birthday of the following year. The
singing society after seven years' existence was incorporated
as the Freier Saengerbund in 1855, among the promoters be
ing W. Rahr, A. M. Richter, A. Richter, J. Roemer, J. Lueps,
A. Berner, O. Troemmel, G. Schulz, P. Leubner, Henry
Baetz, H. Lohe, J. Scherflus, F. Seeger, M. Vollendorf and
W. Bach. The governor vetoed the bill incorporating the
society for some reason but it passed over his head in the Sen-
ate by a vote of 21 to 8 and in the Assembly by'a vote of 62
to 9. In a few years two more societies, Concordia and Har-
monia were formed and in Two Rivers still another, Lieder-
tafel was instituted. The Bohemians at Manitowoc also
formed a singing society and they secured the state festival of
similar organizations in 1888. The P''ourth Annual Saengerfest
of Eastern Wisconsin was held in Manitowoc in June 1897,
the event being largely attended, while Kiel, which also has
a musical society, entertained the gathering in 1901.
Other musical organizationshave also played an important
part in the past. The earliest band organized was that of
the Schmidt brothers, residents of Newton, succeeded by Prof.
Bieling's Band, organized in the sixties, later led by Prof.
Urban, the Lutheran Band, the Acme Band, Prof. Wein-^
schenk's numerous orchestras, the North Side Brass Band, or-
ganized in 1868 and the Polish Band,— all of Manitowoc,—
236

the Two Rivers Cornet Band and various smaller org-aniza-

tions throughout the county. Among- the miscellaneous mu-
sical societies of past and present may be mentioned the
Monday Musical Club, organized in 1899, the Glee Club, the
Lake Shore Mandolin and Guitar Club in existence during-
the latter nineties, and the various church choirs and choruses.

DEAMATIC ORGANIZATIONS.
To
the German residents of the county, also, Manitowoc
owes the development of what has been done in the amateur
dramatic art. In an article, appearing in the Nordwesten,
A. Wittmann once told in a graphic manner of the first at-
tempt to hold a German play in the village of Manitowoc. It
was on Christmas Eve in 1848 that the attempt was made, all
the actors being youngmen recently arrived from the Father-
land. The play chosen was, "Eckenste, der Nante" and in
the cast were A. Bodenstab, C. Malmros, Richard Klingholz,
W. Bach and A. Wittmann. A vacant room in tHe store of
Bach and Klingholz afforded an improvised theater, the dress-
ing room being a side bedroom. The whole village turned
— —
out to see the production, even the "Yankees" and the af-
fair, which was a grand success terminated with "schnaps."
Thus^ passed the first effort at amateur dramatics in Manito-
woc. It was not long before the German Theatrical Associa-
tion was giving popular plays. In the sixties the Bohemians
also began to give occasional amateur productions in their
language, a practice which they have since continued. The
Manitowoc Dramatic Association was organized in 1874 and
for some years gave dramatic entertainments, while in the
latter nineties the Young Peoples' Dramatic Club led a suc-
cessful existence.

ATHLKTIC ORGANIZATIONS.
Physical developments was an end early sought by the
German residents of Manitowoc County and the result was
the formation of the Gymnastic Association on May 17 1854
at Franklin Hall, the charter members being F. Salomon.
Jacob Lueps, Col. W. Lozier, T. Clark and W. W. Waldo.
Six years afterwards an association was incorporated as Der
 237

Turnverein, the incorporators being Charles Frase, F. Ebbert,

J. Hoyer, C. G. Heingart, W. Hempschemeyer, J. Deubler, H.
Woerfel, G. Schweitzer, H. Schweitzer, H. Eckert and W.
Leverenz. In 1865 a hall was built at the corner of South Sev-
enth and Washington streets at a cost of $8000 and in this
hall gymnastic classes were started in 1872, having been
maintained under the guidance of competent instructors till
1900. State Turnfests have been held at Manitowoc in 1867,
1883 and 1895, the last being attended by three thousand
visitors.
Jn June 1857 a Turnverein was organized at Two Rivers
and a large hall was erected by it ten years later. Another
similar organization was founded at Centerville by the Ger-
man residents in 1857 and societies have also existed at Kiel
and Mishicot. The Bohemians of the city of Manitowoc also
took an early interest in gymnastics and in 1864 built a small
hall for this and theatrical purposes. Two years later the
society known as the Slovanska Lipa was incorporated by Al-
bert Fischer, F. Kostomlatsky, W. Kostomlatsky, J. Janecek,
F. Stupecky, V. Stupecky, J. Brandeis, J. Falda, C. Salak, J.
Mazena, V. Clement, D. Sternard, S. Skarywarda, M. Wahr-
haneck, J. Skarywarda and L. Shimoneck. A new brick hall
was- erected on North Eighth Street in 1884, being dedicated
on November 1st with formal ceremonies, addresses being de-
livered by Carl 'Jonas of Racine and L. J. Nash.
Among the various athletic sports of the county shooting
early took a. prominent place. In February 1870 the legis-
lature incorporated the Manitowoc Schuetzen Gesellschaft,
composed of Fred Becker, A. Berner, G. Bloquelle, Fred Car-
us, P. P. Fuessenich, A. Grosstueck, W. H. Hempschemeyer,
E. Hollander, R. Klingholz, P. Leubner, F, Stupecky, C. H.
Schmidt, P.' Wieboldt and W. Bach. The year preceding the
Mishicot Schuetzen Verein had been formed, among the pro-
moters being Louis Koehnke, H. Beyer, J. Lindstedt, S. C.
Selk, P. Rau, W. Tisch and F. Halberg. The State Schuet-
zenfest was held at the village in 1876. In 1880 the Manito-
woc Shooting Club was formed, succeeded nine years lat;r by
the Manitowoc Gun Club, which was active for some years.
 238

The Two Rivers Gun Club was formed at about the same
game preserves near that
time, the club stocking- extensive
city.
Baseball was popular in Wisconsin, from an early time.
In 1868 the papers recorded a game between the Manitowoc
and Sheboygan Falls teams, in which the score was 104 to
59 in favor of the former, the victors being Clark, Sherman,
Smith, Enert, Nelson, Powers, Guyles, Reed and Woodin.
In 1874 the Clipper Boy's Club was organized and a year later
the Lakeside Baseball Club. From that time on the national
game gained in interest and teams were formed at Two Riv-
ers and other points in the county, interest being particularly
high in the early nineties. Football enthusiasm arose in
1895 among the high school students and has since increased,
there having been three or four teams in the county each fall.
In 1884 the Manitowoc Bicycle Club was organized, succeeded
when the "safety" came into general use by a similar club
with a large membership. In 1885 boating was much in
vogue and the Manitowoc Boat Club was formed, of which
,G. Burnet was president and Albert Landreth vice president.
A tennis club was formed in the nineties, a court on private
grounds being utilized, and there have been also various oth-
er miscellaneous organizations, such as the Tenpin League,
the Skat Club, the Riding and Driving Association, etc.

AGRICULTURAL A SOCIATIONS.
Perhaps no one kind of societies has done so much for
the advancement of the county's interests as those, which
have, in the past, had charge of the various county fairs.
The first meeting of the Manitowoc County Agricultural As-
sociation was held on June 23 1857 and in October of that
year the first fair was held, the site chosen being Washing-
ton Square. For nine successive years fairs were held at this
spot and the association thrived, its presidents in order |of
service being Jacob Lueps, C. Esslinger, J. F. Guyles and H.
McAllister. In 1869 an attempt was made to reorganize and
D. J. Easton was elected president but it met with little suc-
cess. Five years later the Central Agricultural Society was
MR, AND MKS, PETER STOKER
 239

formed and for a number of jears the fairs were held at

Clark's Mills. These, however, failed of success and in No-
vember 1883 the Manitowoc Industrial Association was formed
with the following- officers:--President, F. Schuette; Secre-
tary, W. A. Walker; Treasurer, O. Torrison. A plot of
thirty-seven acres was urchased northwest of the city of
]

Manitowoc for $3150 and building-s erected, the first fair be-
ing" held in October of the next year. Governor Rusk honor-
ing- the occasion by his presence. Thereafter the fair became
an annual institution and played an important part in the
agricultural life.

During- the Grange movement in 1874 a number of asso-

ciations were formed the farmers including one in Meeme.
bj-

A County Dairy Association was formed in 1886 with W.

Danforth as president and in 1898 the State Dairymen's As-
sociation met in the city. Governor Scofield being present.
Since the organization of the Farmers Institutes many have
been held in accessible places in the county, proving of much
value. In this connection it is interesting to note that it was
a Manitowoc man, C. 33. Estabrook, who, when in the legis-
lature, fi.rst introduced the system of institutes in Wisconsin.

LABOR OKGANIZATIONS.
Perhaps the earliest labor movement in the county was
the formation of the Mechanics' Association of Manitowoc iii

September 1859. C.Canright was chosen president, W.

S.
Rahr vice president, J. Crowley secretary and E. J. Smalley
treasurer. A committee on resolutions was made up of T.
F, Hodges, K. S. Auberg, F. Schneider, D. Wallace, J. N.
Perry, H. Westphal and J. Hurst and the position of the so-
ciety on such matters as store pay was stated. As Manito-
woc, however, was not a manufacturing center, such move-
ments did not thrive and many years passed without witness-
ing another. In Ttvo Rivers, where there was much man-u-
facturing from the beginning, labor was unorganized until
1894. In the spring of that year the Mann Mutual Aid As-
sociation was formed, consisting of tliree hundred members
and in the fall a union of wood workers was organized. In
 —

2-10

September of the following- year the first strike was inaug-a-

rated among- the employees of the Two Rivers Manufacturing
Company, one hundred men going out. The grievances, how-
ever, were finally coHipromised. Another strike took place
in April 1897 but the difficulties were soon amicably adjusted.
These frictions naturally led to a considerable organization
of labor in Two Rivers and a similar tendency was noticeable
in Manitowoc gi year or so later. Among the laborers organ-
ized in the latter city were the longshoremen, who instituted
two unions, the cigarmakers, masons and their tenders, car-
penters, brewers, moulders, barbers, machinists, painters,
clerks, typesettersand engineers, both stationary and marine.
A central trades council and a branch of the American Fed-
eration of Labor were also organized during the summer of
1901. The first observance of Labor Day occurred in the fall
of the sime year.
BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.
Aside from the various denominational aid societies there
have been and still exist several benevolent societies, princi-
pally in the city of Manitowoc. In November 1865 the Char-
itable Association was formed with the following officers:
President, Mrs. M. Fellows; Vice President, Mrs. H. Rand;
Treasurer, Mrs. J. D. Markham and Secretary, Mrs. W. J.
Stoutenbergh. The organization continued its g'ood work
for many years. The South Side Ladies Aid Society was or-
ganized in 1883 and a similar society among the north side
ladies soon after. The absence of poverty, however, has not
made great efforts in this direction very necessary.
BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS.
In July 1885 a number of the business men of Manitowoc
gathered together and formed the Business Men's Associa-
tion, electing E. K. Rand president. After some years the
association Was revived in 1891 as the Manitowoc Improve-
ment Association with 147 members. T. C. Shove was elect-
ed president, G. B. Burnet vice president, Emil Baensch sec-
retary and W. D. Richards treasurer while the board of di-
rectors was composed of F. H. Haley, F. C. Buerstatte, F.
Schuette, W. I). Richards and Ernst Wagner. After the
 241

panic and depression caused by the bank failures had been

somewhat alleviated the business men of the city formed an Ad-
vancement Association, which was quite active in the dredging
and other improvements. The Merchants' Association of Man-
itowoc is an organization of later birth. The Two Rivers Ad-
vancement Association was formed in December 1890 with J. '

E. Hamilton as president, P. Gagnon and Leopold Mann as

vice presidents and E. Manseau as secretary and treasurer,
the organization proving to be of much 'benefit to that city.
Several associations of a business nature, having for their
object mutual benefits have played an important part in the
later development of the county. In the seventies there
were founded the Manitowoc Rapids Fire Insurance Company,
of whom the chief promoter was Charles Klingholz and the
Mishicot Feuer Versicherung Gesellschaft. In IStO the leg-
islature incorporated the Manitowoc Fire Ins.urance Company
with a capital of $100,000 the incorporators being Joseph
Vilas. C. H. Walker, J. Mann, F. Schultz, F. Kostomlatsky,
C. H. Schmidt, Jacob Halvorsen and A. Piening. Similar
institutions as protection against fire were formed in various
t jwnships of the county among the farmers, notably in New-
ton, where a society has been in existence since the fifties.
In 1879 the Mutual Life Insurance Company of Manitowoc
was formed, Carl Gelbke being chosen president and G. Du-
sold vice president. More recent and working along some-
what different lines has been the Manitowoc Building and
Loan Association, organized in 1890 with a capital of $50,000
which has enabled many to construct homes of their own.
MISCELLANEOUS.
There have been several classes of organizations, deserv-
ing of mention that it would be difficult to classify. Among
those devoted to con\riviality might be mentioned the Heydey
Club, organized in Manitowoc in February 1889, which, after
an existence of eleven years disbanded, the Calumet Club, an
organization similar in nature, formed the same year, whose
life was still shorter and the various minor dancing and card
clubs. An organization, which should have survived, but
unfortunately did not was the Manitowoc County Old Settlers
241

Club, formed on January 16 1879. The meeting- was called

by H. H. Smith, the father of Two Rivers, J. D. Markham,
W. W. Waldo, W. Bach, and C. Essling-er and P. P. Smith
was chosen president and William Bach secretary. A grand
banquet was held on February 21st, which was largely at-
tended and it was then decided that there should be a per-
manent organization, with vice presidents for each township,
—
the list being made up as follows: Schleswig, J. Barth, F.
Krieger; Centerville, P. Werner. E. Rossberg; Newton, F.
Schmitz, C. Wernecke; Meeme, H. Mulholland, J. H. Bohne;
Eaton, Patrick O'Shea, Fred Swenson, Maple Grove, W.
Zahn, M. Finlan; Franklin, Bryan Lorrigan. G. Betzer; Rap-
ids, R. Donovan, H. Wills, N. Fitz; Kossuth, Casper Ewen,
William Robinson; Liberty, J. Stephenson, M. Taugher;
Rockland, D. B. Knapp, S. Hagenow; Cato, Ira C'ark, Jacob
Grimm; Two Creeks, Pf under; Cooperstown, Henry
Fred
Nachtwey; Mishicot, Julius Lindstedt, John Terens; Gibson,
Jason Pellett, Manitowoc, J. Fliegler, E. J. Smalley, R.
Klingholz, P. P. Smith, W. Burmeister, M. Fellows, G.
Pankratz, C. W. White. S. A. Wood; Two Rivers, J. M. Con-
ine, A. D. Farnum, Leopold Mann, Joseph Schwab. With
all this complete organization, however, the association did
not live beyond its birth, no further meetings being held.
In 1866 during the anti-English movement among the
Irish residents of the United StateSj Manitowoc was the home
of a Fenian Circle. —
The officers were: Center, Michael
Mahoney; Secretairy, John Langtry; Treasurer, R. O'Connor;
Committee of Safety, E. Sullivan, G. G. Dwyer, Jere Crowley
and Emmett Crill and weekly meetings were held in Glover's
Hall. The circle was revived in 1869 but soon passed out of
existence.
In March 1892 the Manitowoc Humane Society was
formed, Emil Baensch being chosen president and P. J. Pierce
officer, later Richard McGuire occupying the latter position.
The society, however, soon ceased to be active. Several or-
gcinizations among
the Bohemians of the county, with frater-
nal features, have been important features of their social life,
notably the C. S. P. S.
 CHAPTER XIII. -

EDUCATION.

The interest shown in education in a community is, per-

haps, the best test of the character of that community.
There is no place where the future can be so shaped as in the
schoolroom. Manitowoc county has good reason to feel
proud of her past in respect to her educational history, for it
is a matter of common knowledge that she has stood among

the foremost counties of the state and that her efforts have
gained wide recognition. As regards her public, private and
parochial institutions of learning there has always been a
spirit of enterprise prevailing. The self-sacrifice of the pio-
neer in giving his child an education in the face of almost in-
surmountable difficulties, is worthy of emulation and forms a
peculiarly American characteristic.
The school established in the county succeeded the
first
first settlement by a year. It was in the winter of 1837-1838
that a few pioneers at the mouth of the Manitowoc decided to
light the torch of knowledge. This was done by the raising
of a private subscription a"nd the hiring of one S. M. Peake
to instruct the children of the community, twelve in number,
P. P. Smith being the oldest. The primitive school held its
sessions in the Jones warehouse at the corner of Sixth and
Commercial Streets and instruction continued only through
244

the winter months. In the spring Mrs. L. M. Potter, who

had formerly been a teacher in the government school at
Green Bay, opened a school at the Rapids, which continued
in existence for some time, among the pupils being P. P.
Smith and others from Manitowoc. Two years later a public
school was established at the Rapids, the town hall being
utilized for thepurpose. A gentleman by the name of Beards-
ley was the teacher and among his pupils were Dr. La
first

Counte, P. P. Smith, D. Sackett, Giles and Erwin Hubbard

and Joseph 'La Counte. In 1844 the county board chose E.
L. Abbott, O. C. Hubbard and Oliver Clawson school com-
missioners and divided the county into three districts: Two —
Rivers, Rapids and Manitowoc, schools being established at
each and elections for district officers were .held on October
10th. During the next five years the population remained ai-
most stationary and as late as 1849 there were only seven
school districts in the county. The Manitowoc school dis-
trict, known later as by that time had grown to such
No. 1,

proportions that a commodious building was necessary and in

1848 the legislature authorized it to levy a tax of $350 for a
new school. The money was accordingly raised and the next
year a two story frame structure erected on North Seventh
Street. This building for many years was the usual public
gathering place for the villagers as well. In the same year
a private German school was established in the town of Kos-
suth and George Peterson started a similar institution in the
village of Mishicot, both being supplanted by public schools
a few months later. At that time the average school year in
the county was seven months and only a little over one half
of the children attended regularly, owing to long distances
and poor roads. The first gathering of the county teachers
and those interested- in education occurred at the courthouse
at the village of Rapids in May 1849. Albert Wheeler acted
as chairman and K. K. Jones as secretary. State Superin-
tendent Root was present and addressed the pedagogues, rec-
ommending new plans and particularly the system of teach-
ers' institutes. The meeting adopted resolutions favoring
the formation of a county organization and the following
 245

were chosen officers:— President, James Bennett; Vice Presi-

dents, P. Pierce, of Rapids and B. F. Sias of Two Rivers;
Treasurer, William Ham, of Manitowoc; Secretary, E. H.
Ellis of Rapids; Directors, H. H. Smith, of Two Rivers, W.
F. A.dams, of Meeme, Alden Clark and K. K. Jones, of Man-
itswoc. Some attempts were also made at the introduction
of the g-raded system of schools soon after.
The extensive Irish and German immig-ration of the early
fifties had an important influence on the county in an educa-
tional way since the favor, with which both nationalities
view the school, is too well known to need remark. These
sturdy pioneers rapidly settled both the rural and village
communities and the log schoolhouse was a necessary attend-
ant upon their advent. By the end of the year 1850 the first
schools in the present limits of the townships of Centerville,
Cato, Newton, Rockland, Meeme, Mishicot and Liberty had
been established and within a few years the starting- of schools
in the other townships followed. The reports ot the state
superintendent of public instruction show a remarkable
growth in one year alone. In 1850 90 out of 169 children in
the county attended school, in 1851 633 out of 769; in 1850
there was received from the state funds $118; in 1851 the
amount was. $560. Much of the state school lands were sit-
uated in the county, there being 22,321 acres as late as 1852.
The wages paid teachers in the county at this time averaged
$23.50, which was higher than that maintained anywhere in
the state. Among the pioneer country school teachers were
Mrs. G. W. Burnett, Misses Theresa Mott, Harriet Higgins
and Jane Jackson and Asa Holbrook, James Evers, John
Stuart and J. Cohen. An atmosphere was created favorable
to education in the Irish settlements in Meeme, particularly
under the tutelage of Henry Mulholland, Sr., and Patrick
O'Shea, resulting in the pro.duction of a coterie of bright
minds, whose names became well known in educational circles
of a later period. In the village of Manitowoc progress was
also rapid. The growing needs resulted in the formation of
several private schools, among them one taught by A. Witt-
mann in 1854, another in connection with the German Lnth-
246

eran Church started in the same year and a third taught by

Rev. Melancthon Hoyt of St. James Church, established two
years later. School District No. 1 was ably served in the
early fifties by Jos. Vilas, who had just arrived in Wisconsin
and in 1856 O. R. Bacon, one of the chief figures in the edu-
cational history of the county assumed charge. He was
thirty-five years of age at -the time and was a man of consid-
erable ability. After six years at the head of the school he
resigned, serving as a paymaster during the war and later
went into business at Manitowoc, dying June 18 1882. By
1856 the village had become so large that a new district be-
came necessary and Dr. A. C. Gibson was hired by the resi-
dents on the south side of the river to open a school, which
waS^done in the Esslinger building on Franklin Street in May.
Later a frame building was erected for its occupancy at the
corner of South Seventh and Washington Streets. Dr. Gib-
son remained in charge until the fall of 1858, when he ac-
cepted a position in the Two Rivers school and was succeeded
by Jared Thompson, who was a man of high scholarly at-
tainments. The interest shown in education is evidenced by
the large attendance at a teachers' gathering held at Sheboy-
gan in 1859, the following from Manitowoc County particir
pating. Misses A. Birchard, S. E. Butler, C. M. Cooper, E.
Tucker and Messrs. O. R. Bacon, C. S Canright and Jared
Thompson, all of Manitowoc; Henry MulhoUand of Meeme,
Joseph Stevenson, of Buchanan and Misses C. Honey and C.
Williams and Messrs. J. B. Lord and J. W. Peck 'of Two
Rivers. In the fall of the next year the teachers of the county
held a convention in the Presbyterian Tabernacle at Manito-
woc.
By
1860 according to the state report there were 86 dis-
average school year was six mouths,
tricts in the county, the
3971 out of 7887 children of schoul age attended and S4972
was received from the state. Thj value of school buildings
was at that time $15,769, while the average teacher's wages
were $2^.24 for males and 315.42 for females. By way of
comparison the report of 1870 is taken, showing the result of
ten years growth. At the latter date 7810 out of the 14254
 247
children of school ag-e were in attendance, the state aid had
increased to $5647, the value of school property to $35,760
and the average teachers' wag-es to $40. 36 for males and $26.-
85 for females, there being- 183 teachers in the county. In
the First Ward School Professor Thompson was succeeded in
1860 by W. F. Eldredg-e, C. S. Canright acting as assistant.
The former served until October 1861, when he entered the
army. He was a young man of great popularity and after
years of honorable service for his country he moved to Yank-
ton, Dakota where he died in 1895. During the war the first
district school was taught for some time by O. F. De Land
but later was under the joint charge of four ladies, Misses
Warbuss, Burritt, Squires and Bennett. The office of county
superintendent of. schools was created by legislative act in
1861 and in that year Manitowoc county elected the first in-
cumbent of that position, B. J. Van Valkenburgh being the
Democratic and Fred Borcherdt the Republican candidate.
The former won by a majority of 280 votes but resigned to go
to the, war in October of the next year, C. S. Canright being
chosen to fill the vacancy temporarily until the fall election,
at which J. W. Thombs, the Democratic candidate defeated
Henry Sibree. Superintendent Thombs was succeeded by
Jere Crowley, who was elected in 1863 over W. F. Eldredge by
608 majority. Crowley served in this office until his death
five years later, being elected over Joseph Smith in 1865 and
over A. M. Richter in 1867. Under his supervision education
was systematized and regular examinations introduced, the
county being divided into five districts for that purpose.
Seventy-four teachers' certificates were granted in the county
in the first year of his incumbency, which number had in-
creased to 93 in 1870, to 152 in 1880 and decreased to 114 in
1890.
The war marked a great increase in educa-
close of the
In Manitowoc a Lutheran school was erected
tiona,l facilities.
in 1866 and a year later a Roman Catholic school started.
Private schools were maintained by Mesdames S. Hill and
Barnes and by Miss Maria Martin. In February 1865 J. F.
Silsbee became the teacher in the south side district. It was
248

during his incumbency that an order from the state superin-

tendent closing- the German department in all schools that
maintained such instruction created so much adverse com-
ment. After some months he was succeeded by Prof. Mc-
Mullin, who in ttirn gave w; y to Prof. Scudder, a graduate
of the University of Wisconsin. At Two Rivers $5000 was
voted for a new school in 1S66 and a year later the new build-
ing was dedicated, J. F. Silsbee having charge. On October
29 1866 the Third Ward School in Manitowoc was started in
a brick building 35 by SO feet on South Tenth street with
Miss Minnie McGinley as principal. The condition of the
other schools also became so crowded that the small buildings
were totally incapable of holding the pupils, so that on the
north side the primary department was divided and taught
by C. M. Barnes and Miss Mary Shove in two private house's
on North Sixth street and on the south side the intermediate
and primary departments were removed 'o the corner of South
Seventh and Jay streets. A sub-primary or kindergarten
was also established under Miss Anna Metz at about this
time.
Michael Kirwan was elected county superintendent in
1 869 over C. S. Canright by over seven hundred majority an
two years later defeated O. R. Bacon, being elected a third
time to the office in 1873 by a unanimous V9te. During his
six years of olEce the condition of the schools was much im-
proved and the esprit du corps among the teachers maintained
at a high level. Large teachers' were held an-
institutes
nually, that in 1870 being the which great interest
first, in
was manifested, over one hundred pedagogues being in at-
tendance. During this time O. H. Martin, D. F. Brainerd,
J. F. A. Greene, L. J. Nash and later J. N. Stewart had

charge of the North Side High School, while on the south side
B. R, Anderson and C. A. Viebahn were successful teachers
in the First Ward and W. A. Walker and J. Luce in the
Third Ward. At Two Rivers among the teachers during
this period, that is down to 1875, were J. S. Anderson, G. A.
Williams, W. N. Ames, Charles Knapp and John Nagle, the
latter acting as principal until 1877, in which year also Two
 249

Rivers voted in favor of the establishment of a free high

school. In Manitowoc an effort was made to consolidate the
schools and to establish a central high school in 1869 but it
signally failed when put to a vote.
The early seventies were also an era of schoolhouse build-
ing. In 1871 the First Ward School was constructed on
South Eighth and Hamilton streets, the structure being dedi-
cated on January 29th of the succeeding year. In 1868 the
state legislature passed an act enabling the first or north
side district to levy a tax not to exceed $25, .000 in order to
provide for the 'erection of a new school, which was then
found a necessity. It was, however, four years before the
residents of the district saw their way clear to build the
structure, the cornerstone being laid with great ceremony on
July 25 1872, orations being delivered upon the occasion by
Judge Anderson, Hubert Falge and others. Principal Ste-
wart, who was then at the head of the school later became
the president of the State Teachers' A-ssociation, was the
author of several educational works and taught for many
years at Janesville. His successor was Hosea Barns, who
had charge of the school from 1874 to 1877, later entering the
Baptist ministry and finally retiring to his home in Kenosha
County afler a life of usefulness. By the last year of his in-
cumbency at Manitowoc the new brick building below Union
Park was ready for occupancy and the high school was duly
instituted. Two Rivers also erected a school in the seventies,
the value of the two structures then possessed by her being
$12,000. Many parochial schools were started by the Catho-
lics and Lutherans throughout the county, including the Ro-
man Catholic School at Two Rivers in 1877, which has al-
ways been particularly well attended, St. Ambrosius Acad-
emy at St. Nazianz and the girl's school at Alverno. In
1875 W. A. Walker, who had been a teacher in the Third
Ward, was elected county superintendent over A. M. Richter
and served two terms, being reelected without opposition.
By the end of his incumbency there were 108 schoolhouses in
the county, valued- at $104,366, besides nineteen private
schools. The funds received from the state in 1880 were
260

$6528, the averag-e teachers' wages being $44.13 for males

and $30.15 for females, while out of 15,919 cliildren of school
age, 8428 attended the. public schools.
Efforts were made in September 1872 to form a county
teachers' association, but although officers were elected, — C.
A. Viebahn being selected president, W, A. Walker vice
—
president and Miss Emma C. Gu;yles secretary, the organi-
zation did not prove successful. Reorganization took place
in 1875, however, Hosea Barns being chosen president, John
Nagle secretary and Miss Alice P. Canright treasurer, since
which time annual meetings have been held 'and the associa-
tion has played an important part in educational affairs. The
instructional forces of the city schools underwent many and
frequent changes during the later seventies and early eight-
ies. In the Third Ward School Prof. Luce was succeeded by
J, A. Hussey in 1876, who in turn gave way to O. S. Brown.

In 1879 Principal Hussey ran for county superintendent on

the Democratic ticket but was defeated by Prof. Viebahn of
the First Ward School by 561 majority. Two years later Mr.
Brown was the Republican candidate but met defeat at the
hands of John Nagle, the Democratic nominee by a narrow
majority, the latter having already filled out the term of Prof.
Viebahn, since the latter had in 1881 accepted a position in
the faculty of the Whitewater Normal School, which he has
since held. Prof. Viebahn did mUch for education in Man-
itowoc County and was once honored with the presidency of
the State Teachers' Association. Prof. C. E. Patzersoon be-
came the principal of the Third Ward School and under his
guidance it advanced rapidly. On the north side Prof. Barns
was succeeded for two years by J. P. Briggs, who in 1880
gave way to Prof. McMahon. The latter resigned to go
abroad for study a year after he had accepted the position and
J. M. Rait, who had been a teacher at Two Rivers, then as-
sumed charge of the school for two years. In the first ward
the vacancy caused by the resignation of C. A. Viebahn was
filled by the selection of F. G. Young in 1880. After serving
the district only three years he resigned, took a post graduate
course at John Hopkins University and later became a pro-
 2S1

fessor in the University of Oreg-on. His successor was John

Miller, who later resig-ncd and the vacancy filled by the ap-
pointment of P- H.Hewitt. The latter for eight years con-
ducted the school, placing- it among- the foremost by his in-
cessant endeavors. Ill health compelled him to resign in
1894 and a year or so later he died of consumption. At Two
Rivers J. M. Rait acted as principal of the high school from
1877 to 1881, being succeeded by A. Thomas for three years,
he later giving way to Arthur Burch, who in turn was suc-
ceeded by C. O. Marsh in 1887. Mr. Burch was another
county teacher who attained th^ presidency of the State Teach-
ers' Association. A new high school was built in the village
of Kiel in -1884 and among the principals, who have been in
charge of the institution, are P. H. Hewitt, J. C. Kamp, A.
W. Dassler, G. M. Morrisey and A. O. Heyer. About fifty
pupils are in regular attendance. All during the eighties
John Nagle was county supeiintendent of schools, being se-
lected unanimously in 1884 and 1886 and defeating A. Gutt-
mann in 1888 by 1354 majority. His administration was a
strong one and he became known throughout the state as a
leading educator, being chosen president of the state associa-
tion at one tims. By 1890, the end of his administration,
the state aid had increased to $17,543, 7430 of the 14,891 child-
ren of school age were in attendance at school and the value
of the, buildings was S141,869, while the average of teachers'
wages had reached the highest point attained before or since,
being $49 for males and $32 for femarles, there being 155
teachers in the county at the time.
The history of education in the county during the last ten
or fifteen years of the nineteenth century was one of rapid
development. In the first district Prof. Rait resigned at the
end of the school year in 1883 and moved to Minneapolis and
as his successor E. R. Smith of Burlington was chosen. A
man of wide experience and great intellectaal power for seven
years he continued to exercise a beneficial influence on the
school and when he resigned to embark in business great re-
gret was felt. His successor, C. Fredel, remained but two
years and gave way to H. J. Evans, an energetic instructor,
252

who introduced many reforms in the school and soon had it

on the accredited list of the state university. The district
had grown so large that at the annual school meeting- held in
1891 it was decided to build another structure, which was ac-
cording-ly done. The building committee consisted of L. J.
Nash, G. G. Sedgwick and A. J. Schmitz and a site was chos-
en at the corner of North Main and Huron streets, the school
being named after Chas. Luling. An addition to this school
was built in 1899 at a cost of $12,000. In 1901 the average
attendance in the high school was 180, in the Park School as
a whole 569 and in the Luling School 360. In the fall of 1902
Prof. P. G. W. Kellar the present principal assumed charge.
The First Ward School by the resignation of Principal Hew-
itt found it necessary to cast about for another man and Prof.

C. E. Patzer was accordingly chosen, continuing at the head of

the institution for three years. Mr. Patzer had served four
years as county superintendent, defeating A. Guttmann the Re-
publicancandidate in 1890 and being chosen unanimously at the
next election. He was a man of much administrative ability
and secured a position for his school on the accredited list.
Resigning in 1897 to accept a position as professor in
the Milwaukee Normal School, he was succeeded by W.
Luehr, who proved to be a very able instructor. In the third
ward Albert Guttmann became principal in the fall of 1886
and during seventeen years of able service he has done much
for the school. The old facilities proving inadequate in 1891 a
new schoolhouse was begun on South Twelfth street, being
completed in the course of a year at a cost of $25,000. In '

1900 still another building was erected, this time in the Fifth
ward on Twenty-First street at a cost of $20,000. In the
fourth district, a small division in the southern part of the
city set off in the seventies, a new school was also erected at
about the same time. All the schools of the city are main-
tained under the old district and school meeting system, al-
though much talk of consolidation, particularly in regard to
the high school, has taken place.
Among the principals of the Two Rivers High School in
the nineties were A. W. Dassler, E. R. Smith, F- B. Carr, O.
 258
B. O'Neil and C. W. Van de Walker. For the county super-
intendency A. Dassler was successful in 1894 but after one
term was defeated by E. R. Smith, who was a Republican.
After an able administration he was in turn defeated in 1898
by F. C. Christiansen who was reelected twice without a
partisan contest. According to his report of that year the re-
ceipts from the state were $15,674, 8733 children attended
school out of 15,783 of school ag-e and there were 171 teachers
in the county, the average wages being $44 for males and $31
for females. A county training school for teachers, the third
in the state, was opened in September 1901 under charge of
Prof. F. S. Hyer and Miss Rose Cheney in the Fifth Ward
School and much interest has-been taken in the innovation.
Parochial schools have also kept in the van of progress. A
new building for the Roman Catholic School in Manitowoc
was constructed in the later eighties and the German Luther-
ans completed a similar structure in 1891. In nearly every
village and hamlet there are church schools, the Lutherans
maintaining ten in the county and the Roman Catholics an
even larger number. A private school entitled the Lake
Shore Business College was estaMished by Prof. C. D. Fahrney
in Manitowoc in 1891 but suspended after five years of exist-
ence. Some years later the Wisconsin Business College was
established and led a successful career under the able in-
struction of Principal C. F. Moore. A school for the deaf
and dumb was instituted by the city with state aid in 1893
but itceased to exist after seven years.
Libraries always play an important part in education.
On January 23 1868 in a letter to C. H. Walker, Col. K. K.
Jones, of Quincy, 111. offered to give Manitowoc a library,

provided an association was formed and the maintenance of

the institution assured. The offer was accepted with eager-
ness and a public meeting held on February 1st, of which
Joseph Vilas acted as chairman and Henry Sibree as secre-
tary. A committee was appointed, consisting of O. B. Smith,
H. Sibree, D. J. Easton and A. D. Jones, to make final ar-
rangements and an association was formed on February 29th
with C. H. Walker president, J. F. Guyles vice president,
 254

Peter Johiistoii treasurer and O. B. Smith secretary. The

association was duly incorporated by the legislature, the
charter providing- for a board of nine directors, to be elected
annually, any subscriber to the amount of four dollars being-
gfiven the privilege to vote at the meetings. The library -was
installed in a building on York and was well supported
street
and patronized for many j^ears, many social and literary func-
tions being given for its benefit. It was maintained until
1888, when the several hundred books it then possessed passed
into the temporary care of the Y. M. C. A., being later trans-
ferred to the rooms of the Calumet Club and then to the
north side school until added to the new city library. Al-
though attempts were made to revive the enterprise from
time to time Manitowoc was without a library until 1899,
when as the result of the work of Miss Stearns of the State
Library Commission, assisted by many of the local ladies, in-
terested in education a favorable sentiment was created and
sufficient funds accumulated for the opening of the institu-
tion. The following -were, in November, appointed the first
city library board: —L. J. Nash, E. Schuette, N. Torrison,
Dr. John Meany, John Nagle, Dr. A. C. Fraser, F. C. Can-
right, Mesdames J. S. Anderson and Max Rahr.. Rooms
were secured in the Postoffice Building and thelibrary proved
a most successful enterprise. Andrew Carnegie donated
$25,000 for a city library in 1902 and the work of erection was
soon decided upon.
In January 1891 Joseph Mann of Milwaukee donated
$1000 to the city of Two Rivers for a public library and about
$2100 was raised by others in support of the institution. It
was opened soon after and has been well patronized, receiving
at various times considerable municipal support. District
school libraries have been quite generally established through-
out the county also, forming a valuable adjunct to the regu-
lar facilities.
JOHN NAGLE
 CHAPTER XIV.

THE PRESS.

Few realize the iufluenee of the public press upon the

history of a communitj'. It does, not, however, require much
consideration to perceive its importance as a factor, acting
in its dual capacity as a director and mirror of public opinion.
It is easily seen, also, how important, particularly in the
.

study of local history, it is to peruse carefully the columns of

the newspapers, for throuyfh them we have not only, the
principal but often the sole means of a true understanding- of
conditions and development. Manitowoc County has been
fortunate in having- in past and present men of influence, of
intellectual capacity and hig-h integ-rity connected with its
various news publications. The names of such as Fitch,
Olmstead, Smith and Nag-le are not soon forg-otten by those
who for years have had the opportunity of reading their com-
ment on current events. The newspapers of the county have
always been remarkable for the prominence given their edit-
orial departments, the true test of a paper's individuality.
The newspaper history of Manitowoc County begins
properly with the year 1850. True it is that from such ex-
pressions as "our Manitowoc readers,'' appearing in 1S49 in
the Green Bay Advocate indications are given that it had a
local constituency and Milwaukee and Chicago papers were
taken bv a few of the more opulent. The Madison Express
256

too, did what little county printing- was to be done in the

forties. But on November 30 1850 appeared the first number
of the Manitowoc County Weekly Herald, established by C.
W. Fitch, a pioneer resident of Kenosha. This gentleman
was of New Jersey birth, being- thirty-one years of age at
the time he came to Manitowoc and was well educated and
possessed of considerable editorial talent. The type and out-
fit used was shipped to the city on the steamer Champion and

had been purchased of Editor Cramer of the Milwaukee Even-

ing Wisconsin, being sold later by Fitch to a Naperville, 111,
firm. The paper started out in modest form and the first is-
sue contained the following salutatory:—
"When we agreed to hazard the undertaking- we had nev-
er set our foot upon the soil of Manitowoc or seen an inhabi-
tant of the county. We did so from reliable representations
of its past history, present population, business advantages
and prospective advancement. These, to our ken, were not
overrated and are sufficient to warrant the commencement
with the promise of a liberal recompense. If we are all right
in these conclusions and we know we are unless we have
greatly overestimated the enterprise and foresight of the peo-
ple, we shall not have cause for regret." In politics it was
announced that the Herald would be liberally Democratic,
the principles enunciated being as follows: "Politically we
advance the doctrine of the Democratic party and the time
honored custom demands that we should make some exposi-
tion of our faith. One of the most prominent articles of the
Democratic creed in the western states is the exclusion of
slavery from free territory. To this we most cheerfully sub-
scribe. As a matter of principle and policy we are in favor
of preserving the free soil of our country from the reproach
of human bondag-e. We are in favor of cheap postage, a low
rate of duties and economy in the administration of the gov-
ernment. We are opposed to banks and in favor of an inde-
pendent treasury. We are in favor of river and harbor im-
provements, of granting public lands to actual settlers with
proper limitations, at the lowest possible rates and of reason-
able exemption laws."
 257

It is thus easily seen that the doctrines of the new pub-

lication were extremely healthy and likely to have a benefi-
cent influence on village life. Of the venture the Milwaukee
Daily Wisconsin said in its issue of December 2nd: "The
Manitowoc County Herald is the title of a newspaper just
published at the thriving- village of Manitowoc by Charles
W. Fitch, editor and proprietor. It is Democratic in politics,
of the Jeffersonian stamp and is one of the neatest papers is-
sued in the west. It is bound to succeed so long as the editor
makes as good a local paper as he does now. Our brief per-
sonal acquaintance with Mr. Fitch has been of the most
agreeable cast and we welcome him to our state and the pro-
fession with our best wishes for his prosperity as a man, a
citizen and an editor. We trust the people of Northern Wis-
consin will give him a liberal support." In those days per-
sonal jibes and shots at fellow editors were much more com-
mon than now and the pages were enlivened by many a
friendly tift with the Green Bay Advocate and the Sheboygan
Lake Shore Journal. The Herald was immediately made the
official county paper, remaining so until 1855. For four
years the sheet held the field uncontested and in April 1854
it was enlarged and from that time on copies were sent to the

State Historical Library at Madison and have since been pre-

served, the only file in existence.
On the 25th of April of the same year, however, competi-
tion appeared in the shape of the Manitowoc Weekly Trib-
une, of which S. W. Smith officiated as editor. Mr. Smith
had for some years been a resident of the village ard re-
signed as manager of the National Hotel to assume his edit-
orial duties. Smith and Roeser was the name of the propri-
etors but the latter retired from the firm in October. The
paper started out with the statement that the publication was
"a step not taken without consideration," adopted as its mot-
to "Ever Onward" and notified subscribers that subscriptions
were payable in wood and other merchandise. It was at first
independent in politics,— Smith having been a Democrat with
strong Abolition tendencies,— then became Free Democrat in
policy and by 1857 was definitely ranked as a Republican
258-

newspaper. Editor Smith was an interesting writer and the

series of articles appearing- in 1854 on "Sights and Shadows
of a Soldier's Life," detailing incidents in his career as a vet-
eran in the Mexican war, was ably written. Some years lat-
er when he took trips to Chicago, Cincinnati and Washi|ngton
his descriptions of the journeys were indicative of great skill
as a writer. In July 1854 Carl Roeser, Sr., who had been as-
sociated with Smith in the establishment of the Tribune
started the first German paper published in the county, known
as the Wiskonsin Demokrat, Smith and Roeser appearing as
the first proprietors and later Roeser & Co. By this time that
nationality was much in evidence in the newly opened re-
gions and the paper filled a need that had long been felt.
It was strongly Free Soil in its proclivities and Roeser being
considerable of a politician and a candidate for the position
of state treasurer of the new Republican party in 1855, the
paper was given over largely to controversy on public ques-
tions. It preached the doctrine of violation of the laws of the
land in regard to the escape of fugitive slaves while the Her-
ald counselled moderation. This radical position of the
Demokrat opened the way for the establishment of a paper in
the German language, taking opposite views on these burn-
ing questions and accordingly the Weekly Nordwesten was
started in September 1855 by Carl H. Schmidt. The princi-
ples advocated by it were stated by the Herald as Democratic
principles, coupled with ''denunciation of Know Nothingism
and Abolition fanaticism." Another German paper was also
started by Carl Pflaume in the same year as the Nordwesten,
being entitled Der Buschhauer but after twenty-four months
existence it was discontinued, the editor returning to Ger-
many. With all these publications in the field a struggle for
county printing was the natural result, the Herald being
superseded by the Tribune in 1855, the latter enjoying the
patronage until it again reverted to the Herald in 1860. The
Tribune suffered by fire in December 1856 but the damage
was soon repaired and J. N. Stone acquired an interest which
he retained for two years, later removing to Neenah where
he still edits the Neenah Times, being one of the veteran fig-
ures of the Wisconsin press.
 259

The years 1857 and 1858 saw many changes in the news-
paper field. Editor Roeser sold an interest in the Demokrat
in April of the first named year to A. Wallich and himself
removed from the city some years later, dying in Washington,
D. C. in November 1897. Roeser was present at the initial
meeting of the Wisconsin Press Association in 1857 and was
chosen second vice president. In October Editor Schmidt of
the Nordwesten tried an experiment in making his paper a
tri-weekly, continuing it as such until April 1859, a Dr. Vette
being associated in the editorship in 1858. Another innova-
tion took place in 1858 in the establishment on May 31st uf
the Manitowoc Daily Tribune, published by Smith & Stone.
In the words of the salutatory: "The issue of a daily paper
is an event in the history of a village or city," and it might
have been added as was done by the Madison Democrat in
commenting on the venture: "A daily paper in a town the
size of Manitowoc is a somewhat hazardous experiment."
The sheet was a small one with little space devoted to local
news and the price was fixed at twelve cents a week or five
dollars a year. One of the first items it contained was that
of the marriage at Two Rivers of Conrad Bates and Miss •

Dorothea A. Phillips, by Rev. M. L- Stanley, commenting

upon "the liberal fee enclosed for the marriage notice." The
Weekly Tribune in the meanwhile continued publication and
another competitor was introduced the following year when»
on July Manitowoc Weekly Pilot
11 1859, the first issue of the
appeared. Jere Crowley, a veteran Irish newspaper man was
the proprietor, coming from Neenah, where he had edited the
Advocate. A vigorous writer, who had been reared, as it
were, in a newspaper ofiice, having occupied all positions
from that of "devil" upwards, he formed a valuable addition
to the journalistic coterie. The Pilot was from the begin-
ning strongly Democratic and maintained its political stand
through its entire existence.
The was thus occupied when the campaign of 1860
field
came on, unparalleled as to its bitterness. The various news-
papers represented the various shades of opinion in that cam-

paign most characteristically. At one extreme was the Man-

260

itowoc Herald, flaunting- the names of Breckenridg-e and Lane,

the candidates of the Southern Democracy, upon its editorial
pag-es throughout the campaign. The Pilot on the other
hand supported Doug-las, bolting certain nominees of the
Democratic party in the county because of their Breckenridge
sympathies. In a position mediate between the two was the
third Democratic weekly, the Nordwesten. The Tribune
and Demokrat, Republican candidates.
of course supported the
The on a personal aspect in many respects and
conflict took
General Smith was particularly attacked, being nicknamed
"Tin Horn Smith" on account of certain experiences he had
underg-one in the northern wilds of Wisconsin. It seems that
he was sent by the state to the fastnesses of Shawano County
ill January 1860 to protect certain timber lands from depreda-

tions. In preparing- for the expedition he made elaborate

plans, taking- with him four men besides two teams, loaded
with stores and impedimenta, ftirnished by the state. The
bill for tin ware alone was $51.04, the schedule including
three tin lanterns, one red signal lantern and a tin horn five
feet long-. Some one sig-ning himself Enquirer sent a com-
munication to the legislature asking for an investigation and
remarking: ''If this expedition is an invading army sent out
to conquer Shawano County and annex it to Manitowoc I sol-
emnly protest against any change in our county boundaries,"
The incident was the occasion of much discussion in th-at
body. Smith being attacked by Gabriel Bouck and Col. El-
more and being as ably defended by Col. Cobb. Smith, him-
self,always denied the charges and in fact it later transpired
that he had only misconstrued orders but the nickname clung
to him despite all. Editor Crowley, too, considered himself
aggrieved in the campaign. His race and record had been
used against him and efforts had been made by a member of
his own party to oust him from the position of Deputy United
States Marshal, which he then held. The decision of the
political struggle did much to quiet the controversies and the
Civil War brought many changes.
In January 1861 Otto Troemel established another Ger.
mat} weekly X4nder the n^me.The Union but as -the war clouds
 261

gathered he surrendered the pen for the sword, consolidating-

his publication with that of Editor Roeser under the appela-
tion "Union Democrat." In the absence of the latter in
Washing-ton on business during- 1861 F. Kuemler occupied
the editorial chair but after three years of varied existence
the paper suspended in Aug-ust 1864. The Herald had, early
in 1861, come out for Lincoln, turning in a direction exactly
opposite from its former course and even the Pilot seemed to
consider that the president should be supported in his efforts
to sustain the union during the early part of the war. It had
become the official county paper by this time, a position it
long occupied thereafter. This loss as well as the reduced
circulation due to the war was a hard blow to the Herald and
it grew less and less influential, although it supported the

Republican candidates in 1862, until finally it was obliged to •

suspend on March 26 1863, the last issue, printed at Sheboy-

gan, containing the following valedictory: "The truth has
long been apparent that we have in Manitowoc a superabund-
ance of newspapers. We have only some thirty-five hundred
voters in the county and three fourths of the patronizers of
local papers require those printed in their own languages.
The support of the remainder is divided between three Eng-
lish papers, the entire amount of which is only sufficient for
one. We confess that we have no ambition to pursue a busi-
ness that does not pay a reasonable profit upon labor and cap-
ital and this will suffice for a full explanation of the course
we have taken. Our suspension will be brief. We expect to
resume it very soon in a less crowded field, where we shall
call upon our editorial brethren of the state for a renewal of
those liberal courtesies so characteristic of the Wisconsin
press. With our readers we part reluctantly and, in closing,
the memory of long years of pleasant intercourse, of kind-
nesses innumerable, of cheering words and gracious deeds,—
makes the task harder than we would wish, harder than they
will ever know. May the shades of adversity's night never
fall Upon their hearts or homes. From all we bespeak
forgetfulness of past grievances and here, at this resting
point, we bury the hatchet of old dissensions." The outfit
262

was sold to the Tribune and Editor Fitch at first moved io

Racine, where he started the Journal in November. Later,
in 1867, he took up his residence in Washington becoming a
prominent correspondent, being- employed by the Pittsburg
Chronicle and Boston Post; still later he acted as confidential
clerk of Senator Sawyer. He died in Washington October 2
1899. Mr. Fitch was one of the ablest writers that have ever
been in the journalistic world in Wisconsin and was honored
by being chosen vice president of the State Editorial Associa-
tion in 1861 and president in 1863.
The war had a depressing effect on all of the papers in
the county. Subscriptions fell off and the
offices were con-
stantly being depleted by enlistments in the army. The
Daily Tribune, which had battled for success so nobly, suc-
cumbed in November 1861, becoming at first tri-weekly, then
semi-weekly and at last in August 1863 being merged in the
weekly edition. The daily edition was again started in 1865
but continued only a few months and another attempt made
by the same publication during the Franco-Prussian War met
a similar fate. During the sixties the Tribune underwent
many changes of management. In 1864 Editor' Smith ac-
cepted the position of quartermaster in the Thirty-Ninth
Wisconsin and his chair was occupied by Rev. L, N. Wheeler,
then pastor of the Methodist Church, and H. Sibree. The
former retired in September as did the latter soon after when
the editor turned the duties over to Julius Enert and Thomas
Sullivan in April 1865. In October General Smith, after sell-
ing out to O. B. Smith ^ Co., the principal member of the
firm being his brother, left for Warsaw, Missouri, where he re-
sided until his death in October 1890. In partnership with
John -M. Read, formerly of Manitowoc also, he established
the Warsaw Times which he continued to edit for many years.
As an editor, politician and soldier he ranked high and Man-
itowoc sustained a loss in his departure. O. B. Smith and J.
Enert continued to control the Tribune until June 1869 when
they sold it to Fred Borcherdt, the next prominent figure in
in county journalism. Both the old owners moved south es-
tablishing the Knpxville, Tenn. Tribune and in 1889 O. B.
 263

Smith became a state senator in Florida, having removed to

that state;
During- the troublous times of the war the Nordwesten
had been suspended, no paper being issued from 1861 until
February 1865 when Editor Schmidt, who had been at the
front, again took up the pen. In 1867 he commenced the
publication of ,a Sunday story edition which has been Con-
tinued as a feature up to the present day, proving remarkably
successful. The Pilot, in the meanwhile, had perhaps held
the leading position. An opponent of Republican principles
and of I^incoln and his policies it had incurred the enmity of
many radicals, who considered opposition as disloyalty. On
the night of May 12 1863 the ofBce was broken into and much
of the type thrown into the lake, affording the [boys royal
sport diving for lead for some days. This warning, however,
did not cause Editor Crowley to, abate his opposition and in
the next issue he offered fifty dollars reward for information
regarding the perpetrators of the outrage and remarked edit-
orially: "If the scoundrels who have comrditted the dastard-
ly act have not already repented we hope that Hell will one
day find them in one of its hottest provinces." Soon after
the war closed Mr. Crowley began to grow feeble and he was
assisted. in 1866 and 1867 by W. R. Kelley and in 1868 by J.
M. Read, later of Kewaunee. In 1869 he retired definitely,
selling the publication of which he had been ten years the
editor to E. B. Treat. G. C. Skeen, a former Milwaukee
Sentinel editor, was employed by Mr. Treat as editor for
some time but in August he assumed charge himself. In
April 1870 Jere Crowley passed away, mourned by all as a sin-
cere and honest man. It is due to him that the Pilot was
given such a prominent position at the outset, so thq,t its lat-
er success might be easy. Soon after the war A. Wallich and
C. Troemmfel had taken up the broken threads again and re-
established the Demokrat, this time under the name of the
Zeitung, the first issue appearing in June 1868, Republican
in politics, as before.
Thus it was that by 1870 the personnel of the editorial
fraternity of Manitowoc had entirely changed, the old- figures
264

having- disappeared with the exception of C. H. Schmidt.

Nor did the chang-es stop there. In August 1870 Mr. Treat
relinquished the Pilot to J. C. Bollmeyer, who then acted as
editor until his office was destroyed by fire on March 2 1871.
Soon after Ten Eyck G. Olmstead purchased the plant and
continued to manag^e it alone until he associated with him
John Nagle in the spring- of 1876. Mr. Bollmeyer moved to
Ohio where he edited the Wausion Expositer for some years
and died in December 1898. The Tribune in the meantime
was managed by F. Borcherdt but upon his appointment as
consul to Leghorn, Italy in 1874 his son Edward assumed the
editorship. For six months in that year it changed to a semi-
weekly but resumed its old form in September, after which
time John B. Miller was for some months associated in the
management. The elder Borcherdt died abroad in 1877 and
in April of the next year the Tribune discontinued publica-
tion, thus leaving the Republicans without an organ. Its
valedictory was terse, stating in reference to reasons for the
paper's suspension: "It is unnecessary to enumerate them,
but the fact is that it does not pay to continue its publication."
Edward Borcherdt became associated with John Nagle and
together they purchased the Olmstead interests in the Pilot,
the first issue under the new management appearing April
25 1878. Changes had also taken place among the German
papers. Editor Troemmfel of the Zeitung died in February
1873 and the sheet was accordingly sold to Henry Baetz and
Col. Wedelstad, the latter acting as editor until July 1875,
when he removed to Milwaukee, later taking a position in the
state treasurer's office. Fred Heinemann ptirchased the pa-
per, changing the name to Manitowoc Journal, but did not
Ipng continue its publication and in the latter seventies
the German Republicans lost their organ. On March 8
1871 the legislature granted a charter to the Nordwesten
Printing Company, John Franz, C. G. Schmidt, C. H. Schmidt,
Henry Schweitzer, A. Piening. H. Menge and M. Ketten-
hoffen being the incorporators. Four years later Menge &
Schweitzer took up the management of the paper, Mr.
Schmidt still retaining the Editorial chair and soon alsp r^-
 265

suming entire control. In 1878 the Nordwesten and Pilot

were the only newspapers in the city. Two Rivers, however,
had by this time secured a publication, the Manitowoc County
Chronicle, established in 1872, in the championship of the so-
called People's Party, then active in politics. Judge H. S.
Pierpont was the first editor but did not remain long at the
head, being succeeded temporarily in 1874 by George N.
Woodin and selling his interest in April of the following
year to William F. Nash, the present proprietor. Mr. Nash
has made a reputation state wide as an editor and has served
the people of the county ably in the state senate. The paper
is Democratic in politics. The city maintained a second
paper, the Weekly Tribune edited by Robert Boehm and Re-
publican in politics, for some time in 1900, but it soon dis-"
continued.
On April 24 1879 appeared the first number of the new
Manitowoc Tribune, revived by Henry Sandfordof Racine and
published by W. Christie of that city. It was Republican in
politics and immediately took up the struggle against the
Pilot. The latter had, however, a tremendous advantage due
to a long and continuous existence, careful management and
a circulation of over two thousand. The Tribune, first pub-
lished at Racine, was soon located in Manitowoc but Christie
severed his connection with it, starting the Manitowoc Jour-
nal on June 15 1880, a three quarto Republican weekly ap-
pearing Saturdays, that existed a little over a year. Editor
Christie was a former Chicago Tribune employee. In June
1881 a new German paper, the Post, was founded by A. Witt-
mann, independent in politics and in October of the same
year the Lake Shore Times made its appearance, the outfit of
the Journal having been purchased by Haukohl & Baensch,
This, too, was Republican and continued under the same
management until 1884, when J. S. Anderson purchased it.
Under the latter's able editorship, and assisted no less ably
by his wife, the paper took on a dignified and literary tone
which made it very popular. In 1887 it was sold to H. G.
Kress, who for two years was its editor, discontinuing its public
pation in order to engage in business in Spokane, Washing?
266

too. Other chang-es also took place in the eig-hties; Edward

Borch'erdt retired in 1888 from the Pilot manag-ement and in
January of the same year Editor Schmidt, the veteran of
Manitowoc journalism, passed away. Under his manage-
ment the publication had taken a prominent place among the
German weeklies in the state and it was largely due to his
efforts that the German Editorial Association held its con-
vention in Manitowoc in 1883. The paper was continued by
a stock company from 1888 until 1893, H. Falg-e and later C.
G. Schmidt, a brother of the deceased, acting as editors. In the
latter year it was sold under administration proceedings to
Mrs. C. H. Schmidt and for some months H. E. Kummer was
the editor, after which C. G. Schmidt again resumed his dut-
ies, later associating with him his son Adalbert Schmidt. In
the Post management William F. Brandt was for some years
associated, retiring in 1892 to engage in business independ=
ently. Editor Sandford in the meantime continued to conduct
the Tribune until in 1895 he secured a position at Madison.
For some time he edited it from that city but in March 1897
sold the plant to G. G. Sedgwick, Rev. Emmet W. Rankin
and E. R. Barrett of Kansas City, MissQuri. The paper was
soon incorporated with the St. Nazianz Weekly, a six column
folio that had been in existence since June 1895, the editor of
the latter, H. C. Olson forming one of the new corporation
then organized under the name of the Citizen Publishing
Company. The name of the Tribune was also changed to
the Citizen. C. W. Roberts of Racine later purchased Olson's
interest and became the editor of the Citizen, Editor Barrett
removing soon after to Missouri.
A new publication appeared on December 14 1893, issued
from the office of the Brandt Printing & Binding Co., entitled
the Manitowoc Times-Press, of which H. G. Kress was the
editor, it being in reality a continuation of the old Lake Shore
Times. It, too, was Republican and has since continued to
be such and Mr. Kress has continued to direct its editorial
policy. The paper was published for some time independ-
ently by Mr. Kress and a daily edition of short duration was
put forth in the fall of 1898. The years 1894 and 1896 wit^
 267

Messed the addition of two German weeklies in the county,

which have since maintained themselves vs^ith credit, viz.,
the Wahrheit, edited and owned by C. Otto Schmidt, appear-
ing- first in the last named year, being- Democratic in politics
and the Kiel National Zeitung-, started in 1894, owned at first
by Halhnek & Landen, being edited by the latter and later
being transferred to H. A. Kuenne. It is independent in
politics. Editor Wittmann of the Post was honored by being
chosen president of the German Press Association in 1890.
In May 1896 he sold his interests to Emil.Baensch and Will-
iam Gennrich and a year later he passed a-way after a life of
usefulness. The paper after his death became Republican in
politics. On. March 21 1900 one of the saddest chapters in the
history of Manitowoc journalism was recorded. John Nagle,
editor of the Pilot, after a short illness, succumbed to an at-
tack of typhoid fever and passed from mortal scenes. Be-
loved by all, staunch to friends and convictions he presented
a notable figure. He had at one time been honored with the
presidency of the State Editorial Association and his opinions,
as they appeared week by week, were widely copied. His at-
titude in the Bennett Law controversy, where he took a stand
opposite to that of his part^-, also marked him as a man of
convictions and gave him a wide reputation. Soon after his
death a company was fo; med, which purchased the Pilot and
placed Sydney T. Pratt, formerly of the Milwaukee Sentinel,
in the editorial chair. He remained in this position and was
a part owner of the enterprise until May 1903, when the
Nordwesten a'nd Pilot were combined, E. W. Mackey becom-
ing editor and Adelbert Schmidt business manager.
It was the occasion of much remark that for so many
years a town of the size of Manitowoc should have no daily
paper. The project was often considered in the early nine-
ties but it was not until October 19 1898 that the Brandt
Printing & Binding Co. issued the first number of the Mau-
. itowoc Daily
Herald. M C. Gettings of Monroe was the first
.

editor and was succeeded after a few months by E. R. Bar-

rett and then by E. W. Mackey, also of Monroe, who has
ably conducted its columns. After a hard struggle it
268

gained a distinctive place in the popular favor and has a cir-

culation of over a thousand. In October 1899 the Herald-
Press Publishing- Co. was formed with H. G. Kress as presi-
dent, Horal Nelson as vice president and W. F. Brandt as
secretary and treasurer, the company publishing- both the
Daily Herald and Weekly Times-Press. The former is inde-
pendent in politics. On May 12 1900 another daily, The
News, appeared for the first time. Republican in politics with
C. W. Roberts as editor, he having- acquired the interests of
the Citizen Publishing- Company. For a time F. Ellis Reed
was connected with the manag-ement and finally John Mc-
Farlane of Racine purchased the paper and has since con-
ducted it and the Weekly Citizen in a most satisfactory
manner.
There have been more or less of what might be called
ephemereal publications in the county. A relig-ious weekly,
Concordia by name, was published in Manitowoc during- 1875
and 1876 but was later removed to Green Bay. Rev. Roehl
of the German M. E. Church edited a monthly desig-nated Der
Hausbesucher in 1888 devoted to pastoral affairs. Rev. Rog-
ers and Rev. Gray of St. James during the nineties also edited
The Diocese, another church periodical. A Polish weekly,
Wezyotko Jezusa published by local priests was established in
1887 and attained a wide circulation but the hard times of
1894 caused it to suspend. Another Polish publication, the
Biblioteczka Rodzinna, met the same fate after a five
months' existence in 1903. During 1896 Walter Wittma;nn
edited a Populistic weekly entitled the New Broom, published
at the office of the Manitowoc Post. Amateur talent has also
found means of expression in the publication of The Picket
by the pupils of the North Side High School in 1883 and 1884,
the New Era and So-To-Speak by the pupils of the same school
and the various other small miscellany. On the whole the
progress of the press in the county has been one of the bright-
est phases in its history.
 CHAPTER XV.

THE PROFESSIONS.

Manitowoc County has had in its existence many men in

professional life, who have gained distinction and an honor-
able .place among- their fellows. Some of them have been
sought out for public service and broader fields of usefulness,
while others have led a quieter but no less honorable exist-
ence in the sphere of their choice, many being laid to rest af-
ter lives of service to the community amidst general regret
and deep sorrow.
BENCH AND BAR.
Such isthe case particularly with the men who have rep-
resented the legal profession. And not only has the bar been
a strong one in the past but the courts have maintained a
standard of dignity and impartiality, that has been most
creditable. In the earliest days there was little or no litiga-
tion and as a result the county was judicially a part of Brown
County until 1848, when upon Wisconsin's arrival at state-
hood Manitowoc was given complete autonomy. On Septem-
ber 10th Circuit Judge Alexander Stow opened the first term
of court at Manitowoc Rapids. Little legal proceedings en-
gaged his attention except the admission to the bar of E. H.
Ellis, J. L. Kyle and J. H. W. Colby, Manitowoc's first attor-
neys. Mr. Colby was immediately elected county judge,
receiving 163 votes, while E. M. Soper received 113, and E.
270

H, Ellis was chosen district attorney of the county. This

marked the first judicial organization, althoug-h of course
even before this time there had been justice courts, some of
the early justices, appointed by the governor, being B. Jones,
P. Pierce, Peter Johnston, Frederick Borcherdt, D. S. Hung-
er and S. W. Sherwood.
Mr. Ellis, the first was a son of A. G.
district attorney
Ellis, the editor of the Green Bay Advocate, the first paper
published west of Lake Michigan. He remained in practice
at Manitowoc for some years, being succeeded in his ofiice by
Mr. Colby, who was unanimously chosen in the fall of 1850,
dying three years later. The fourth of the early lawyers
wasEzekiel Ricker, who had been the first clerk of court and
he succeeded Mr. Colby as county judge, defeating the latter
by 177 majority in the fall of 1849. He died at the time of
the second cholera scourge in 1854, as did also Jarties L. Kyle,
who had been chosen district attorney after Mr. Colby's
death. Judge Ricker was of Maine birth and was only thirty-
three years of age at the time of his death. He had studied
law in Lebanon, Maine with Attorney General Clifford of
that state and came to Manitowoc in 1846, serving in the as-
semblj' for two years after his term as county judge expired.
Mr. Kyle was five years his junior, having been born in
1826 and had arlso served in the legislature. Said the Madi-
son Argus of him: "He was a noble hearted nlan, incapable
of dishonesty, of fine and portly proportions and nobility of
intellect." Kyle was succeeded as district attorney by N.
Wollmer, who had been in the county since 1847 and remained
there until his enlistment in the service of his country, losing
his life before Atlanta in August 1864. It was in the incum-
bency of his successor, C. H. Walker, who was admitted to
the bar at about this time, that the first murder trial took
place in the county. Judge Gorsline of Sheboygan presided
over the circuit court at this period, he having succeeded
Timothy Howe, who was the first regular judge of the dis-
trict. The defendant in the case was an immigrant and he
was charged with the murder of th,e barkeeper of the Frank-
lin Hotel, it appearing that there had been an altercation be-
H. H. SMITH
 271

tween them. The defense was in the hands of N. Wollmer,

assisted by E. Fox Cooke, of Sheboygan, while the district
attorney was aided by J. M. Shaffer of the same city. After
lasting- some days the trial resulted in an acquittal.
By 1855 the number of lawyers had increased consider-
ably and many of those, whose names were later prominent,
were admitted to the bar. George Reed had located in the
village at an early date and in 1853 became county judge,
succeeded later by George C. Lee, who in November 1856 re-
signed, Isaac C. Parrish being chosen to fill the vacancy.
A.11 of these men were lawyers and led long and honorable
careers. S. A. Wojd and W. D. Hamilton were also admitted
to the bar at about this time. Hamilton defeated Lee for the
position 'of district attorney in 1856 and C. H. Walker suc-
ceeded Parrish as county judge two years later. J. D. Mark-
ham, who had been admitted to the bar shortly before, settled
in Manitowoc in 1856 and began his long, years of successful
practice. Among the other lawyers of the time were W. H.
Hammond, W. M. Nichols, Rice and Sweet, L. T. Warren,
John A. Daniells, Parrish and Esslinger, of Manitowoc and
Conrad Bates, D. W. Buncombe and William Aldrich of Two
Rivers. Some remained in the county but a short time but a
majority of them were permanent residents. As district at-
torney George Lee succeeded W. H. Hamilton, but after two
years in ofSce gave way to J. D. Markham, who served two
term's or until 1863, when W. M. Nichols, the Democratic can-
didate defeated him. The fight for the position of county
judge in 1861 was a three cornered one, B. R. Anderson and
S. A. Wood of Manitowoc and H. S. Pierpont of Two Rivers
being the candidates. Anderson and Pierpont were then new-
comers to the county and for many years were prominent at
the bar and in all political controversies. Judge Pierpont
was successful and held the office until his resignation in
December 1864. Up to the time of the draft cases of 1863, in
which the entire legal talent of the county was engaged and
of which mention is made elsewhere in these pages, no very
important litigation arose in the county. There had been,
however, several murder cases, including the Burkhart-John
 —

272

trial in 1856, the Peg-low-E^rarttz and the Hig-g-ins-Gariimel

trials in 1857, the Erling-er-Zioler and Gage-Packard trials
in 1860 and the Smoke-Shreve case in 1864, the last being- a
particularly prominent trial, J. D. Markham and G. Woodin
acting- as prosecutors an I George Reed and Charles "White
defending the accused. Mr. White had opened an office in
the village the year before. Many of the attorneys left the
county during the war to fight for their country, among them
N. WoUmer, C. H. Walker and Charles White and many, -who
later became attorneys, served in the great conflict. G. N.
Woodin, who had been admitted to the bar but shortly before
was elected district attorney by the Democrats in 1864 and
served two terras, while George W. Barker succeeded H. S.
Pierpont as county judge in the same year, holding the office
six years. Among those admitted to the Manitowoc County
—
bar in the sixties, most of them immediately after the war
were W. E. Hoye, C. A. Boynton, H. Sibree, C. -W. Morse,
W. M. Ross, E. B. Treat, T. G. Olmstead, T. C. Shove, D.
E. Markham, W. F. Eldridge, Arthur Wood, W. A. Place,
R. P, Eaton, R. P. Cook and W. Bird. Hamilton, Treat and
Nichols, Lee and Walker and later Lee and White associated
themselves together in co-partnerships. In 1868 E. B. Treat
was elected district attorney on the Democratic ticket, defeat-
ing C. Y'7. White, and W. W.Waldo the following spring was
elected county judge over H. Sibree, being succeeded by T.
G. Olrnstead, another Democrat, four years later.
Among the new men to enter the legal field in the seven-
ties were Michael Kirwan, J. S. Anderson, L. J. Nash, O. F.
A. Greene, W. A. Walker, C. E. Estabrook, W. J. and H. G.
,

Turner, G. A. Forrest, W. H. Hempschemeyer, ,W. Glover,

W. Bach, A. J. Schmitz, D. A. Shove, W. G. Lueps, G. By-
ron and H. F. Belitz, the last named being a resident of Kiel.
Of these Messrs. Estabrook, Walker, Turner and Schmitz in
later years transferred their residence to Milwaukee, Mr.
Estabrook becoming attorney general of the state. On the
other hand Messrs. Anderson, Nash ^nd Forrest have re-
mained for many years among the leaders of the local bar.
After remaining in the city a brief space of time in company
 2'7S

with L. J. Nash, O. F. A. Greene removed to Boulder, Col.,

where he died in 1899. Through death the county lost sev-
eral able lawyers in the decade under consideration. C. H.
Walker died on Dec. 14 1877 after a life full of usefulness,
during- which he had served as a soldier, a legislator and
judge. "In the same year George Woodin and D. E. Markham
passed away and in that succeeding Col. T. G. Olmstead, who
had served as county judge until 1877, when Michael KiTvfa.n
was unanimously elected to that position. Col. H. F. Belitz.,
of Kiel, who had also been admitted to the bar bat seldom
practiced, died at about the same time, while the death of E.
B. Treat occurred some two years later. His record also as a
teacher, soldier and attorney was of the highest order and his
demise was greatly regretted. He had been succeeded as dis-
trict attorney in 1873 by W. J. Turner, who had defeated his
Republican opponent, J. S. Anderson, by a flarrow majority.
H. Sibree, who was the next incumbent of the office was also
a Democrat, defeating C. E. Estabrook in 1874. Two years
later another Democrat, A. J. Schmitz, then recently admitted
to the bar, was successful over J. D. Markham and was re-
elected in 1878, defea:ting J. S. Anderson. Since 1868 Camp-
bell McLean had been circuit judge of the district, compris-
ing Manitowoc, having succeeded Judge David Taylor. His
successor, Norman S. Gilson, of Fond du Lac, chosen in 1880,
filled his position with great dignity and impartiality, secur-
ing the respect alike of the bar and the public.
In 1880 a valuable addition to the Manitowoc bar was
made by the removal from Kewaunee of G. G. Sedgwick to
the former city. E. G. Nash, another prominent local law-
yer commenced practice with his brother a year later. 0th-
eis, who during the eighties were admitted to practice, were
H. L. Markham and R. H; Markham, sons of J. D. Markham,
Bfron Oakley, who di^d soon after, C. A. Blesch, Emil
Baensch and R. D. Smart. Judge Reed, who had long been
the Nestor of the county bar lost his life in the terrible New-
hall House Milwaukee on January 10 1883. He
disaster in
had always been prominent in local and state affairs and his

death was a heavy loss to the community. Henry Sibree,

 .

274

another legal luminary, passed from earthly scenes in April

of the same year after thirty years spent in practice at Man-
•

itowoc. In the death of H. S. Pierpont, which occurred May

6 1890 Two Rivers lost her leading lawyer. Judge Pierpont
was of New York birth and was admitted to the bar of that
state, afterwards practicing in Illinois. Coming to Two Riv-
ers at an early day he engaged'first in mercantile pursuits
but later turned his attention to politics, being a candidate
for attorney general and bank examiner on the Democratic
state ticket. As a county judge he was considered very able
and later as the founder of the Two Rivers Chronicle gained
a wide reputation as a writer. R. D. Smart, who had been
elected county judge in 1881 over J. P. Wickert, also passed
away in 1890. He was a man of very attractive personality,
a fact attested by his repeated election to office, although a
Republican, in a'strongly Democratic district. His successor
as county judge was C. H. Schmidt, who although he was
not a lawyer, was a very able gentleman, having for years
been editor of the Nordwesten. He died in 1888 and was
succeeded by Emil Baensch, then a young lawyer of rising
reputation. All during the eighties A. J. Schmitz and W. A.
Walker held the district attorneyship, defeating successively
G. G. Sedgwick, E. G. Nash, H. L. Markham and G. A. For-
rest, their Republican opponents. Mr. Walker was chosen
United States district attorney in 1887, removing to Milwau-
kee to enter upon his duties.
Judge Baensch's successor as county judge was F. E.
Manseau, who with Isaac Craite had established himself as
an attorney in Two Rivers in the early nineties. The former
was obliged to resign, however, on account of ill health in
August 1895 and J. S. Anderson was appointed his successor,
serving continuously until 1902, when John Chloupek was
elected to fill the position. The latter had been admitted to
practice ten years earlier and had become district attorney
upon the expiration of the term of A. J. Schmitz. The Re-
publican landslide of 1896 put A. P. Schenian into the office,
an able attorney, who had up in practice in Man-
recently set
itowoc, although theretofore he had been an attorney in the
 275
west for several years. He in turn gave way to E. S.
Schmitz, a brother of A. J. Schmitz, and in 1900 after some
legal difficulty over the returns another young- lawyer, Albert
Houg-en, was elected to the of&ce by a small majority. A
municipal court for the county was created in 1895, being
first presided over by Isaac Craite, but he was succeeded in
the spring of 1901 by A. P. Schenian, a Republican. Among
the lawyers, who were admitted to the Manitowoc County bar
in the nineties were E. S. Schmitz, A. L. Hougen, E. J. Ons-
tad, C. H. Sedgwick, A. H. Schmidt, Adelbert Schmidt, E.
L. Kelley, A. h. Nash, C. D. Fahrney, R. C. Burke, W. H.
Joyce, Victor Pierrelee, Arnold Alexander and J. Healy, of
Manitowoc; F. W. Dicke of Two Rivers and A. J. Chloupek
of Melnik. In the same period Manitowoc attorneys, who
passed away were W. Bach, W. H. Hempschemeyer, C. Ess-
linger, A. Manseau and H. G. Turner, the last named having
for some time been a resident of Milwaukee. In 1898 Mi-
chael H. Kirwan was honored with an election to the circuit
bench of the district, including Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Ke-
waunee and Fond du Lac Counties, being the first of the
Manitowoc bar to gain that distinction.
In the last twenty years of the century there was a large
number of important cases in the county, which gave an op-
portunity to bring out the legal talent of the bar. Among
the litigations of importance have been the various criminal
and civil trials growing out of bank failures, the Quay street
railway damage cases and several lengthy murder trials. A
Manitowoc County Bar Association has been formed, being a
means of mutual helpfulness among the lawyers of the coun-
ty. Several of the attorneys in the county have in the past
written on legal subjects, notably L. J. Nash, who has on
several occasions addressed the State Bar Association. He
has also held the position of state bar examiner.

PHYSICIANS.

The practice of medicine, one of the highest callings,

which men have taken up, has had some able representatives
in the county, many of whom have reached eminence in their
276

profession. Dr. A. W. Preston was the first regular physi

cian to take up his residence in Manitowoc, arriving- in 1847.
He was a man of considerable ability and his services in the
cholera epidemic of 1854, when he was the only physician in
the county, are worthy of much admiration. When the war
'

broke out he enlisted as a surgeon in the Sixth Wisconsin

and after serving three years secured a furlough to visit
friends in New Hampshire, where he died in December 1864.
His was a life worthy of emulation, full of sacrifice and ser-
vice for others. Another of the earliest physicians was Dr.
Ransche, who in the later forties, established himself for
some time at the Rapids. Soon after 1850 Dr. H. E.
Zeilley arrived at Manitowoc, while Dr. John Oswald set-
tled at Two Rivers, where he led a long and honorable
career. He was born in Germany, was educated at Goet-
tingen and Berlin, settled first in Pennsylvania, then in
Ohio, then in 1852 came to Two Rivers, where he died in
1878. He was many times chosen village president and was
elected county coroner in 1868 and again in 1874. Dr. Zeilley
was a surgeon in the Fourteenth Regiment in the war and lat-
er removed to Chilton. Other physicians, who commenced
practice in ante-bellum days, were A. C. Gibson. R. H. Col-
bourn, C. Mueller, J. C. Saltzmann, D. J. Easton, C. Schenk
and H. S. Balcom. The last three named served as surgeons
during the war but of all only Drs. Balcom and Easton re-
mained in the county for any length of time. Dr. Easton
lived in the city until his death, which occurred in 1880 and
was always prominent. A graduate of the Albany Medical
and Philadelphia Homeopathic Colleges, at his settlement in
Manitowoc he was the first physician of that school of medi-
cine in the vicinity. Among his contemporaries in the county
were Dr. H.W.Tucker of CI arks Mills, who although somewhat
older came to the county the ^amo year as did Dr. Easton, Dr.
C. Creutzberg, of Rapids, Dr. Kellogg, of Branch and Drs. F.
Simon, J. Steger, and B. F. White of Two Rivers, of whom
only Di". Simon was a permanent resident of the county. .He
rempved to Manitowoc later and served six terms as a coro-
ner. Dr. Tucker passed away in 1878;at a ripe old age, whil^
 277

Dr. Kellog-g- removed to Wrig-htstown, where he spent the re-

clining- years of his life.
At the conclusion of the war the medical fraternity re-
ceived several accessions. In 1865 Dr. J. A. Brown settled in
the villag-e of Manitowoc. Born in Hartford, Connecticut,
in June 1816 he graduated at an early ag-e from the Scientific
School at Lima, N. Y., matriculating- later at the University
of Michigan. After ten years practice in Illinois he removed
to Manitowoc where he spent the remaining- years of his life,
dying- November 25 1893. Another newcomer was Dr. Scliall-
ern. He was a Bavarian by birth but fled from the Father-
land after the revolution of 1848, becoming- a surgeon at
Ward's Island, N. Y. Later he served in the 51st Ohio dur-
ing the war, after which he located at Manitowoc. Return-
ing to Mount Vernon. N. Y. he died in 1878. Drs. Balcom,
Simon and Easton continued in pralUce after the war, each
finding an extended field of usefulness, while Dr. C. C. Crock-
er established himself at Two Rivers, where he continued to
practice for many years. Dr. Coakley, a graduate of the Chi-
cago Medical College, in 1872 also decided to locate in the
county. He was killed nine years later by an unfortunate
fall from his carriage, while enroute to visit a patient. Dr.
Balcom had also passed away some years preceding. Dr.' R.
K. Paine opened an office at Manitowoc in 1874, being then a
recent graduate of the Hahnemann Homeopathic School at
Chicago. He was born in Fond du Lac, was educated at
Wayland Academy and served in the Twenty-First Wiscon-
sin. In a few years he had built up a very lucrative practice
and has been honored by an election to the presidency of the
Wisconsin Homeopathic Society. Dr. J. F. Pritchard also
came to Manitowoc in the seventies and soon proved himself
an able practitioner, being appointed later a division surgeon
by the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company and being
honored in 1891 by the vice presidency of the State Medical
Association. Another physician, who practiced at ManitOT
woe at the time, was J. C. Oviatt.
In the next few years several more were added to the list
pf the county practitioners. In 1878 Dr. Dawley started an office
278

at Mishicot but his usefulness was cut short by death two

years later. Dr. H. M. Hittner was his successor at that vil-
lag-eand after twelve years of practice he too passed away.
Dr. R. Currens came to Two Rivers in the later seventies
J.

and built up a large practice, which he has since maintained.

As a member of the State Board of Medical Examiners he has
gained considerable prominence. Dr. F. S. Luhmann, a suc-
cessfulManitowoc physician, established himself in that city
in 1880 and Dr. W. G. Kemper, another of the allopathic
school began work soon after. Dr. Luhmann was elected
coroner for seven successive terms, beginning in 1882, defeat-
ing among others Drs. O'Conncll, A. C. Fraser and J. F.
Pritchard and was again chosen to the.position in 1898 by 268
majority over A. C. Fraser. Dr. Fraser, a graduate of Mc-
Gill University, Montreal, came to Manitowoc in 1881 and
soon gained an extensile clientage. He served as coroner in
1897 and 1898 and was chosen as attending physician of the
nfarine hospital in 1900. Others, who established themselves
in the county at about the same time were Drs. S. C. Blake,
P. E. Nagle, A. V. Smith, A. J. Schweichler and H. Menson
of Manitowoc, all of whom have removed to other fields, the
first named being a physician of wide repute in Chicago, C.
Bodenstab of Reedsville, R. S. O'Connell of Cato, C. W.
Stoelting of Kiel and C. H. Oswald and Calvin Barnes of Two
Rivers. Both Oswald and Barnes died early in their careers,
the former in 1884 and the latter in 1887. In October 1882 a
county medical society was formed, ten physicians being
present at the first meeting. Dr. J. F. Pritchard was chosen
president. Dr. J. A. Brown vice president and Dr. W. G.
Kemper secretary. Meetings were held every three months
and the organization has since proved very helpful. In the
later eighties and early nineties an unusually large number
of physicians located at various points in the county. Among
them were Drs. W. E. Buschmann. J. Rehrauer, E. Tilison
and J. D. Moraux of Two Rivers, the last three named not
remaining permanently however, Oliver Hebert and R. Witt-
mannof St. Wendel, the latter removing to Kiel, J. P. Hayes
and P. J. Taugher of St. Nazians, C. Bossard of Kiel, Eouis
 279

Falge and P. G. Kuetisel of Reedsville, W. H. Vosburg of

Cooperstown and H. C. Thiehle and Gilbert Karnofsky of
Manitowoc. Dr. Thiele died in 1888 after eight years of suc-
cessful practice. Still later Manitowoc was selected as a
field by several other physicians, among them C. Jacobs, who
became city physician, J. F. MulhoUand, a throat, nose and
ear specialist, J. A. Roberts, who moved to the city from Ke-
waunee, J. E. Meany, who was elected coroner in 1900,
H. E. Bahr, an osteopath, Walton C. Hubbard, C. Gleason,
H. Thurtell, G. W.Patchen, J. E. Barnstein, Max Staehle, C.
F. Fuhrmann and A.- N. Kittelson. The last two named,
however, remained but a short space of time. In the county
—
the following also established themselves: J. B. Rick at
Larrabee, J. Hoyer at Tisch Mills, A. F. Hahn and G. L.
Karnopp at Mishicot, Jacob Marti and H. Schaper at Kiel,
Charles Schaper, who died at Franklin in December 1901,
James Burke at Hika, C. W. Schmitz and T. O'Brein at St.
Nazians and E. C. Christianson, H. Farrell, F. A.'Greiner
and A. Jekelfalusy at Two Rivers.

DENTISTS.
The first member of the dental profession to establish
himself at Manitowoc was Dr. E. M. Thorpe, who arrived in
February 1857. He remained in practice until the war broke
out. In 1862 Dr. A. J. Patchen moved to the city and com-
menced a practice, which he continued for many years. Born
in Hadley, "Vermont in 1830, Mr. Patchen came to Fond du
Lac in 1849 and served during the war in the Fifth Wiscon-
sin, later being captain of Company G of the Thirty-Ninth.
As a dentist he remained in practice until 1887, when he was
succeeded by Dr. H. L. Banzhaf. He died ten years later.
Another dentist of the early days was Henry Van Winkle,
Not till the eighties did others enter the field permanently,
the first being Drs. Charles and Ernst Seeger, who soon
gained a lucrative practice and later associated with them-
selves Dr. Joseph Miller, formerly of Kaukauna. E. H. Wat-
rous also located in Manitowoc for some years at about this
time. Dr. Banzhaf took into p9,rtnership Drs, Martin and
280

Hoover but neither remained permanently. Dr. Louis F.

Manitowoc in 1890 and was soon
Seeg-er opened an office at
joined by Dr. G. E. Henry, but the former died in a few
months, leaving the latter to conduct theJbusiness until 1897
when he removed to Port Washing-ton, being- succeeded by C.
J.Reinfried. Another dentist, who in the nineties started in
the practice of his profession in Manitowoc was Dr. C. E.
White, but he too removed from the city in 1900. Others
who have started offices in Manitowoc of recent years are Drs.
E. M. Kapitan, E. J. Eisen, Frank Gehbe, E. M. Blumenthal,
J. McMillan, H. A. Simon, M. L. Bast, J. Huwatschek, C.
W. Seehaase, C. C. Wernecke, Albert Vits and N. T. Ziglin-
ski. In 1900 Dr. Banzhaf was honored by being- chosen as a
member of the state board of dental examiners and in 1902
moved to Milwaukee to take charg-e of a dental school. In
Two Rivers E. J. Soik and Egg-ersBros. opened dental parlors
at about the same time, while in Kiel L. E. Wiesler com-
menced the practice of his profe; s'on.
 CHAPTER XVI.

BANKS AND BANKING.

The history of the various banking- institutions that have

formed a part of the business life of the county is not alto-
g-ether without its deplorable and unfortunate chapters. , It
was several years after the settlement of the village that
Manitowoc's commercial needs justified the establishment of
such an institution but as business grew a bank became an
obvious necessity. That it was early considered is witnessed
by the fact that a correspondent of the Evening Wisconsin of
Milwaukee in speaking of a rumored foundation of a bank in
1850 condemned "the idea as a wild cat absurdity." The ab-
surdity of the idea, however, soon wore off and within a few
years there were several small depositaries, among the first
being that of N. WoUmer, which grew up gradually out of a
notary public and land business. The building was located
at the corner of Quay and Eighth streets and the business
was continued until the spring of 1858, when it failed. An-
other institution that met a similar fate at about the same
time was that of William Bach. But the loss of these small
and primitive offices made the need of other and better banks
obvious, a need which was met by the organization of three
in the latter part of 1858. The first was the Lake Shore
Banl?, which opened its doors on Deceniber 18th in the building
282

west of the present site of the Manitowoc National. H. C.

Adams was president of the institution and G. W. Adams
cashier. It started out in a successful manner, with re-
sources estimated in 1859 at $61,618 and after two years it
was removed to Two Rivers, but there after a year's existence
it At the time of its suspension the amount of its cir-
failed.
culation was $22,680 and the value of its security about 66>^
per cent. G. W. Adams, the cashier was arrested after the
failure on a charge of obtaining' money under false pretenses
but the prosecution never came to a definite result. The sec-
ond bank was that of T. C. Shove, who had been a clerk in
the WoUmer Bank, and the third was the Bank of Manito-
woc, which opened its doors December 22nd with C. C. Barnes
as president and J. C. Barnes as cashier, with a capital of

$100,000. In 1858 the Manitowoc County Bank was started

at Two Rivers, which after some years of existence in that
citywas removed to Manitowoc in July 1861 where it con-
tinued in the place of business of the old Lake Shore Bank.
C. Kuehn, formerly state treasurer, was the principal in this
enterprise and at one time the bank had a circulation of over
$90,000. After a few years, however, it too was obliged to
suspend, being able to pay but 45 cents on the dollar. This
business reverse led to the premature death of Mr. Kuehn,
which occurred at his home, half way between Manitowoc
and Two Rivers, on November 2 1865. These early failures
were not felt so heavily in the county since depositors were
few, most of the pioneers of the day being struggling farm-
ers. Barter was the general substitute for money and the
more so since the currency was uncertain.
The Bank of Manitowoc and the Shove Bank, however,
weathered the stress of the war period, although the former
was twice obliged to get legislative permission to reduce its
capital, After the national banking act was passed, the
Bank of Manitowoc was reorganized and in 1866 became the
First National Bank of Manitowoc. For years these two
banks sufficed to fill the financial needs of the whole county
and it was not until January 1 1884 that the Manitowoc Sav-
ings Bank was opened at the corner of South Eighth and Jay
 283

Streets with a capital stcck of $50,000, owned by John Schuet-

te, Henry Schuette, J. Staehle and C. Estabrook. In the
same year the Shove Bank was reorganized into the T. C.
Shove Banking- Company, including several new stockholders
and with a capital of $45,000. Seven years passed without
an addition in the number of banks, at the end of which time,
in 1891, the Bank of Two Rivers was opened to satisfy the
growing commercial needs of that city. The original capit-
al was $10,000 and the proprietor was Edward Decker, whose
banking interests in Northern Wisconsin were quite extensive.
The next year witnessed the. beginnings of a series of
disasters which caused misery untold, the echo of which was
years in dying away. At 10:45 p. ni. of the 11th of April
1892 fire, caused by an explosion, broke out in the plant of
the Manitowoc Manuf acting Company and in a few hours the
leading industry of the city, employing two hundred men,
was no more. The loss was $175,000 and the insurance but
$60,000. On the following morning the doors of -the T. C.
Shove Banking Company were closed. It then transpired
that the latter concern had been carrying the factory for
large amounts, the factory being in reality under the same
management as the bank. It was thought at first that the
misfortune was not so great as it proved to be and it was
hoped that Assignee Pieuing would be able to pay the depos-
itors, who represented $400,000, at least 80 per cent. But
matters soon showed up in a darker hue. The Manitowoc
Manufacturing Company made an assignment to W. D. Rich-
ards and on April 13th the Wisconsin Central Mills, another
company backed by the bank, assigned to J. Staehle for the
benefit of creditors. It was then realized that much of the
assets of the bank, which were originally reckoned at $500,-
000, was worthless paper. In the bank was county money to
the amount of 151,282.83, deposited by Treasurer Gielow and
a part of the city funds, amounting to $10,000. The former
sum included $11,573 of the courthouse fund, the balance be-
ing a part of the general county funds. The bondsmen of
the county treasurer were H. Truman, G. Cooper, Max Rahr,
W. Rahr, R. Rahr, T. C. Shove and Mr. Gielow himself.
284

Many of the ottief depositors Were farmers, since tlie bank

always paid a high rate of and the stringency of
interest,
money that followed was very noticeable. As the factory of
the Manitowoc Manufacturing Company was almost an es-
sential institution to the industrial life of the city, efforts
were early made to rebuild it. On April 12th a committee
was appointed by the Advancement Association to meet the
assignee, consisting of J. W. Barnes, H. Esch, Jr., T. E.
Torrison, G. B. Burnett, H. C. Richards, J. Nagle, J. Schuet-
te and D. Boehmer. A meeting was held three days later
but no action taken, although workmen were rapidly leaving
the city, leading Editor Nagle to remark in that week's edi-
tion of the Pilot: "Died, on Friday evening April I5th 1892
of inanity and lack of enterprise the city of Manitowoc." In
f^ct the magnitude of the disaster had seemed to paralyze all
efforts. Soon, however, a committee was appointed to raise
subscriptions for a new plant and by May $75,000 had been
subscribed.
As April wore on, however, the true condition of the
bank became evident. The liabilities were made pujalic at
$473,084 with assets amounting to $536,805.07, of which'
$374,207.84 was in paper, much being almost worthless, if
not entirely so. Of the assets $224,206 was due from the
Manitowoc Manufacturing Company and the condition of'
that concern was thus the determining factor in the size of
the dividends. The inventory of the assignee revealed the
fact that there were about $40,000 in liabilities besides the
amount owing the bank, while the total assets amounted to
only $193,000, including $60,000 insurance money, for which
the assignees of both the bank and company receipted, there
being much question as to its application. The liabilities of
the Wisconsin Central Mills consisted of $75,000 in loans from
the bank, $16,000 in mortgages and $3000 in accounts, the
only assets being the mill property and some accounts. With
these conditions revealed feeling grew high and on May 10th
the creditors met at the Turner Hall, electing E. K. Rand,
president and H. L. Markham secretary. Upon legal advice a
committee was appointed, consisting of Dr. R. S O'Connell,
 285

H. Stolze and H. Baeruth, who looked over the books and on

May 20th a second meeting was called, two hundred deposit-
ors being present. Another committee was appointed, con-
sisting of Emil Baensch, S. A. Wood, T. E. Torrison, H.
Vits and C. Hanson, who hired an expert accountant to ex-
amine the books. In the meantime the assignee had made as
advantageous settlements as he could with the other heavy
debtors of the bank. The expert's report submitted in July
revealed the fact that only $35,000 of the $50,000 capital had
ever been paid in, that no stockholders' meeting had been
held and that other irregularities were present. The ar-
bank followed later in July and af-
rests of the officers of the
ter many trials the president of the concern was found
guilty, the supreme court refusing to reverse the decision. -

In the meantime dividends were paid in installments of 10, 15

and 4j4 per cent, a total of 29% per cent. Much collateral
litigation grew out of the failure. The county sued the
bondsmen of the county treasurer for the loss it sustained, be-
ing represented by Attorneys Schmitz and I^irwan of Man-
itowoc and Gen. Winckler of Milwaukee, ^hile Nash and
Nash of Manitowoc and Gabriel Bouck of Oshkosh appeared
for the defendants. The suit had been begun only after
much consideration at the spring meeting in 1892 and was
conducted on the part of the county by a committee consist-
ing of Supervisors Gleeson, Niquette, Danforth, Rand and
Burt. The county was greatly pressed for funds during this
year on account of the failure. It won .the suit in both the
circuit and supreme courts but finally the bondsmen asked for
a compromise. This was granted, with only two negative
votes, by the county board and the county received $12,000 or
about one third of the net loss. By April 1896 Assignee
Richards of the Manitowoc Manufacturing Company an-
nounced a final settlement of the affairs of that concern, the
dividend being about Syi per cent, the insurance having been
transferred fjnal'y to the bank. A final settlement of the
Shove affairs was made in the summer of 1900 and Assignee
,

Piening was discharged from duty.

On December 26 1891 the First National Bank of Manito-
286

woe liquidated and the State Bank of Manitowoc was formed

by the stockholders, a fine new brick structure being erected
on the corner of North Eighth and York streets. Increased
business followed and everything bore the outward semblance
of prosperity until the spring of 1893. As early as May 18th
a run began and on the morning of June 6th the following
notice was posted on the bank doors: "Owing to a run on
the bank, which has continued for three weeks, its of&cers
have concluded lo make an assignment for the benefit of all
the creditors. This has accordingly been done and the presi-
dent of the bank, C. C. Barnes, has turned over his private
means and property, including his homestead to be used for
the same purpose. J. W. Barnes, Assignee."
The day before the suspension $60,000 had been with-
drawn from deposit and in the preceding week ^ total of
$110,000. It developed that the bank had not the capital it
had been supposed to have possessed and that it had lost
heavily in lumber deals. The result of this failure was a run
upon the other two banks in the county, which the Manito-
woc Savings Bank easily averted by a display of its magnifi-
cent backing and to which the Bank of Two Rivers tempo-
rarily succumbed, making an assignment lo J. E. Hamilton.
Business was greatly hampered by this condition of affairs
and as summer progressed industry became well nigh dead.
The assignee of the State Bank made a report on June 29th,
which showed the assets to be $237,254, of which about $100,-
000 was in worthless paper, while the liabilities were $157,-
755.25. Ten days earlier the bank of Two Rivers had re.
opened for business and it was soon seen that its suspension
had been more a measure of caution than of necessity. In
July at the suit of certain depositors both the president and
cashier of the defunct institution were arrested but the death of
both, occurring soon after, put an end to the legal proceedings.
Assignee Barnes settled up the affairs of the bank with
great dispatch and by May 1894, a final settlement was made,
the cre;ditors accepting 62 per cent.
The banking necessities of the city, crippled by these
two failures, opened the way to a new institution, which
SCENE NEAR RAPIDS
 287

started business in the building- formerly occupied by the

State Bank on May 7 1894. It was known as the State Bank
of Manitowoc and was incorporated with a capital of $50,000.
On Aug-ust 30th it was reorganized as the National Bank of
Manitowoc with L. D. Moses as president and Clarence Hill
as cashier and a capital increased to $100,000, the directors
being all, with the exception of L. J. Nash, outside men.
Cashier Hill was succeeded by G. J. Moses in 1899, who in
turn gave way to F. T. Zentner a year later. Another bank
was added March 6 1901 by the opening of the German-
American on the corner of Jay and Ninth Streets, a new brick
and stone building 30 by SO feet being erected for its occu-
pancy. It was incorporated with a capital of $100,000; L.
D. Moses was chosen president, and F. T. Zentner cashier.
The opening of the twentieth century also witnessed the es-
tablishment of a new banking institution in the village of
Kiel under the name of the State Bank of Kiel with C.Heins
as president and R. Kiel as cashier. Two Rivers was chosen
as the location of a second bank when on January 1 1902 the
Savings Bank with a capital of $25,000 opened its doors.
 CHAPTER XVII.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY.

The growth of a community in commercial and manq-

facturing- interests is always difficult to describe since it is
well nigh impossible to balance properly the weight which
different factors have had in the shaping of industrial forces.
To the agricultural growth reference has been made and, of
course, this was a most important element in making the
county a center of export. Of the development of transporta-
tion facilities by both land and water sufficient has also been
said. There remains, however, to be given a brief outline of
the progress of the manufacturing and business industries of
the county.
One of the earliest industries to be started was that of
the brewing of beer, in which Wisconsin as a whole, even be-
fore the Civil War, had taken a leading place. In 1848 there
were established the Rahr brewery at Manitowoc and the
Mueller brewery at Two Rivers. The former burned to the
ground some years later but was rebuilt and has since been en-
larged year by year until it ranks among the largest in the
state. In the next succeeding years the Pautz brewery, the
predecessor of the present Schreihart Brewing Company was
also established on a firm footing. Other breweries were
started by Kunz & Bleser, C. Fricke and F. Willinger in
 289

Manitowoc, J. Lindstedt at Mishicot, G. Kunz at Branch,

Gutheil Bros, at Kiel, A. Chloupek in Kossuth, M. Schmidt
in Rapids and C. Scheibe at Centerville. Of these otily the
Kunz & Bleser brewery and the Gutheil brewery at Kiel are
still in existence. In 1900 a new industry alotig- this line
was started in the erection of a malting- plant and elevator by
the Manitowoc Malting- Company, of which ex-Mayor Wil-
liam Rahr is the |)resident.
Of the begiuningfs of the Two Kivers factory system
mention has been inade. It has achieved a world wide repu-
tation as regards the sale of its woodeuware and type. The
I'wo Rivers Manufacturing- Corhpany was organized by H.
H. Smith in 1860, although the manufacture of tubs and
pails had been commenced by him previously, when in 1851
he and W. H. Honey had built a factory. Later Messrs.
Smith and H. C. Hamilton worked up the industry to a most
successful point and they were later joined by the Mann
brothers, Joseph, Henry and Leopold, who in later years ac-
quired the sole interest in the plant. Additions were fre-
quently made and the factory now employs a small army of
men. The business of wood type manufacture was started by
J. E. and Henry Hamilton in 1881 and has since grown to ex-
tensive proportions. Although the lumber industry has
largely disappeared from the eastern section of Wisconsin
planing mills are still numerous in the county and it\ 1886 a
beginning was made along these lines thatmeant much for

the future. In that year the mill of Hubbard and Noble, de-
voted to the manufacture of staves, hubs and similar articles,
was started in Manitowoc and in two years the concern
was bought out by the Manitowoc Manufacturing Company,
of which F. Haley became the manager, local capital being
interested to a large extent, the object being the manufacture
of school seats and furniture. This concern soon established
an enormous business, considering its small means and em-
ployed several hundred skilled laborers under Managers Haley
and Smith but the destructive fire before mentioned led to its
insolvency and dissolution. Another extensive plant -was
290

erected a year later by private subscription, which after ex-

isting for a number of years as an independent corporation,
was finally absorbed into the American School Furniture Com-
pany. Other plants of a similar nature in the county are the
Eggers Veneer Company of Two Rivers, the Kiel Wooden-
ware Company, the Manitowoc Building & Supply Co., the
Western Toy Co., and the Noble Mfg. Co., of Reedsville.
Woolen mills were established in the sixties by P. Pierce
at the Rapids and by J. Vilas & Company at Manitowoc but
the water power was not sufficient or steady enough to make
the venture a success. In 1881 a similar institution was open-
ed by Denway & Pautz at Manitowoc but it was destroyed by
fire after a short operation. The Two Rivers Knitting Com-
pany organized more recent attempt at the manu-
in 1901 is a
facture of articles in clothing. Tanning has always been an
important industry in the county as well. The Wisconsin
Leather Company, organized by C. Whitcomb and R. W. Al-
len, Milwaukee capitalists, was the pioneer along this line
and erected a plant near Two Rivers in 1851, maintaining it
for many years and at Two Creeks G. Pfister & Co., also of
Milwaukee, early established itself. In Manitowoc the Sher-
man Leather Co., started in business in 1854, the Schultz tan-
nery seven and the Vits tannery ten years later, ^hile the
Dobbert plant was built in 1865. Other concerns have since
been opened but a majority of them have discont nued. A
new industry was started at Manitowoc in 1902, that of the
manufacture of mattresses, the Manitowoc Mattress Co. being
the name of the corporation. Glue is also an important prod-
uct of the city, the Manitowoc Glue Co. being the founder of
the industry. The Stolz Mfg. Co. and H. Drost Paper Box
Co. help to make the city known by their products, tinsel and
paper goods. Cigar manufacture, too, is an important indus-
try.
The
iron industry in its various forms has also engaged
a considerable part of local capital. Among the earliest
foundries to be established was that of E. J. Smalley, later
known as the Smalley Manufacturing Company, started in
1857. It was burned out in 1875 but reorganized eight years
later and comrdeticed tlie ttlatiufacttlre oi {ee& cutters and
agricultural implements on a larg-e scale. The Dumke found-
ry was opened in 1861 while the Richards Iron Works owes
its orig-in to a small shop started by Jonah Richards soon af-
ter, and it in turn was closely followed by the establishment
of a shop by Prochazka & Chloupek. The Manitowoc Boiler
Works was started by William Hess and F. Vader in the lat-
ter eighties and has since been conducted and enlarged by the
former, the labor employed being entirely of the skilled varie-
ty. The manufacture of axes was also commenced by Martin
& Willott in 1872, since which time it has grown steadily,
now being controlled by Joseph and William Willott. Along
the line of metallic products must also be mentioned those
made of aluminum. Two factories, the Two Rivers Alum-
inum Co. and the Manitowoc Aluminum Novelty Co. are de-
voted to this industry. In the early nineties the manufacture
of pearl buttons was an important industry in Manitowoc,
there being at that time several factories but changes in the
tariffmade it no longei: profitable to engage in it. The
manufacture of bricks was introduced into the county by F.
Ostenfeldt, then of Calumet County, in 1876 and since that"
time some half dozen companies have started in the business',
notable among them the plants owned by the Manitowoc Clay
Co.
Manitowoc County has also taken an important place in
the manufacture of food products. For many years its flour
mills were famous. Among the- first to commence an exten-
sive business was the Oriental Mills, established by John
Schuette and A. Wahle at Manitowoc in 1869. The Wiscon-
sin Central Mills were built by A. Wahle and L. Haupt sooh
after and came into the possession of Jacob Fliegler, being
discontinued after the panic in 1892. In the same year the
Manitowoc Mills owned by Truman and Cooper and estab-
'

lished in 1874 were discontinued. Other institutions of this

kind were the Wehausen Mills at Two Rivers, built in 1878,
the Klingholz Mills at Rapids and several smaller ones in
various parts of the county. In 1875 residents of Mani-
towoc formed the Citizens' Wheat Buying Association and
29'2

subscribed $12,000 for thebitilding- of art elevator at the foot

of South Seventh street; The structure was later leased and
then sold to private parties. In 1870 A. M. Richter com-
menced the manufacture of vinegar, which has since been
a most important product of local export. iBut chief
jllnong food products orig-inating- in Manitowoc are canned
veg-etables and particularly peas. The establishment of this
industry was due to Albert Landreth, an energetic seedsman,
who in 1883 built a warehouse in Manitowoc. After many
years spent in dealing in seed peas he conceived the idea of
canning the sweet varieties of that veget-able for the market
aijd built a factory for that purpose which commenced opera-
tion in 1890. His brands became famous, and the industry
soon grew to enormous proportions. Several companies have
been formed to prosecute the business, among them the Man-
itowoc Pea Packing Co. in 1898, the East Wisconsin Canning
Co.in Manitowoc two years later, the E. J. Vaudreuil Canning
Co. of Two Rivers and the St. Nazianz and Centerville Can-
ning Cos. Some of these have placed in the market other
varieties of canned vegetables and the soil of the county has
proved very adaptable to their growth. In 19C0 the Manito-
woc Pickling Company started operations and a year later
the H. Johannes Co. of Two Rivers was organized for similar
purposes. A large seed business has also been built up by
the Madsen Seed Co., and the Manitowoc Seed Co.
In its mercantile life Manitowoc County has been well
represented by men of integrity and business acumen and its
retail and wholesale establishments are a credit to them. Two
of the former, O. Torrison Co. and Schuette Bros., have had
a phenomenal growth of over fifty years. As a jobbing point
it is represented by Plumb & Nelson Co., wholesale grocers,

the Rand & Roemer Hardware Co. and the T. Schmidtmann

Sons Co.
 293
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 Appendix b.

MARINE STATISTICS.

CLEARANCES AND TONNAGE.

Year Clearonces Tonnage
Manitowoc Two Rivers Manitowoc Two Rivers
igoi 2II2 2,069,720
1900 2o8g 1,724,000
1899 1990 '
1560 1,671,523 436,384
98 1943 1566 1,592,727 336,190
97 1643 1644 2,083,799 255,713
96 iioi 814 609,811 239,400
95 740 959 466,260 202,405
94 965 2104 482,010 316,420
93 886 1937 415,594 80,155
92 1174 794 600,596 93,275
91 1040 316 546,136 43,928
90 99S 416,317 24,628
89 652 447 225,637 41,350
88 614 419 205,551 29,540
87 678 211,853
86 573 280 177,625 22,960
85 670 307 202,595 23,450
84 953 392 285,696 26,236
83 1030 421 305,984 27,600
82 1191 320 418,081 16,060
81 793 258 269,907 12,280
80 ,... 829 130 288,857 7,500
79 886 410 301,665 124,000
 is.... 873
77....
•76....
74-...
73-..
72...,
71...
69....
66....
59-. -
53....
51...
50...
49...
 CRAFT BUILT AT MAlStlTOWOd.

Year Craft Tonnage Builder

1847 Sghr Citizen 60 Joseph Edwards
52 Challenge 6S Bates & Son
Defiance no W. Ham
Convoy 64 Joseph Edwards
53 Mary Stockton 275 Bates & Son
Piatt 25 Joseph Hughes
North Yuba 140 Bates & Son
Lomira 120 C. Sorenson
William Jones 154 Joseph Harbridge
Blackhawk no Bates & Son
Gesine 99 H. Rand
Col. Glover 123 Bates & Son
54 Transit 121 H. Rand
Toledo 100 C. Sorenson
Clipper City 126 Bates & Son
North Star 175 C. Sorenson
E. M. Shoyer 120 C. Sorenson
5? Anna Thorine 89 C. Sorenson
56 Guido 116 C. Sorenson
Belle 118 Bates & Son
S.Bates 139 Bates & Son
57 Trial 36 H. Rand
El Tempo 213 S.Goodwin
A. Baensch 75 G. S. Rand
H Rand 130 G. S. Rand
60 Two Charlies no R. L. Bell
63 Chicago Boardof Trade 422 R. L. Bell
Sea' Gem 103 S. Bates
64 Nabob (Waukesha) 310 G. S. Rand
66 S.A.Wood 314 H. Burger
67 Fleetwing 344 H. Burger
A. Richards 285 J. Richards
68 J.Phillips 147 E. W. Packard
69 L. McDonald (Lily E) 210 J. Hanson
C. L. Johnston 199 E. W. Packard
70 J.A. Stornach 143 J. Hansork
].B. Newland 173 C. Henderson
Industry 55 P. Larson
Eva 15 W. McCullom
H. E. McAllister 237 J. Hanson
 29t

71 ,... K. L.Bruce 34 Hanson & Scove

Espindola 54 P. Larson
G.Knapp 186 P. Larson
W. Keller 263 J.Hanson
L. Meeker 312 Hanson & Scove
C. Neilson 315 Hanson & Scove
72 Willis 260 P. Larson
C, B. Windiate 332 J. Butler
* M. A. Muir 347 Hanson & Scove
Minnehaha 60 M. Ornes
T. H. Rowland 299 Hanson & Scove
M. L. Higgle 310 Hanson & Scove
City of Manitowoc 310 J, Richards
73 C. C. Barnes ,582 H. Burger
Blazing Star 279 J. Richards
L J. Conway go Larson & Son
Felicitous 199 P. Larson
Woodstock (R. Kanters) 164 P. Larson
Falmouth 234 Hanson & Scove
Hunting Boy. 55 Captain Christianson
Lydia 83 Rand & Burger
C Luling 233 P. Larson
George Murray 790 G. S. Rand
Mystic Star 339 J. Butler
G. Pfister 694 J. Hanson
H.C.Richards 700 H. Burger
H. M. Scove 305 Hanson & Scove
Thistle 363 Rand & Burger
G Trumphoff
C. 347 J. Butler

74 ,.
J. I.Case 828 Rand & Burger
J. Duvall 132 Rand & Burger
Julia Larson 59 P. Larson
Merchant 66 P. Larson
Mocking Bird 159 J. Richards
Rap 8 J. Hanson
Ramadary 22 Capt. Worden
David Vance 774 J. Butler

75 H. B Burger 214 Rand & Burger

J. V. Jones 236 Rand & Burger
L. A Simpson 227 Rand & Burger
Success 161 Capt. Jorgen son

76 Lottie Cooper 265 Rand & Burger

Rover 23 W. Dow
Tennie and Laura 57 Captain Jorgenson
 77 H. Esch 4« j. Sutler
.'
B.Jones 45 Capt. Knudsoii
80 Penobscot 260 Rand & Burger
May Richards 511 Rand & Burger
81 Isolda Bock 70 Capt. Jorgenson
Melitta 83 Hanson & Rand
E. B. Maxwell 360 Rand & Burger
Olga 308 Rai^d & Burger
T. L. Parker 628 Rand & Burger
Tallahassee 760 P. Larson
Lalla Rookh 60 P. Larson
82 Alice 307 Rand & Burger
Burt Barnes 134 Rand & Burger
W. A. Goodman 324 Rand & Burger
J. L. McClaren 286 Rand & Burger
Mishicott 73 Rand & Burger
83 Emm L. Nielson 90 Rand & Burger
84 G. J. Boyce 319 Rand & Burger
Linerla 77 Rand & Burger
85 James H. Hall 100 Rand & Burger
88 Lizzie Metzner 77 Rand & Burger
W. e. Kimball 33 Rand & Burger
89 Cora 381 Burger & Burger
90 S. O. NefE 346 Burger & Burger
Actor 30 Roeber Bros.
92 Myrtle Camp 49 Burger & Burger
1861 Strs. Sunbeam 450 W. Bates
Union 434 W. Bates & Son
66 Northwest (Greyhound) 621 G. S. Rand
Orion 600 G. S. Rand
68 Manitowoc 569 G. S. Rand
69 Sheboygan 624 S Rand
Corona 470 S Rand
70 Norman 996 S. Rand
71.. Muskegon 618 S. Rand
72 Oconto 505 S. Rand
Menominee (Iowa) 796 S. Rand
73 ... J De Pere (Michigan) 736 Rand & Burger
74 Chicago 747 Rand & Burger
79 Imperial 68 Rand & Burger
80 Ludington (Georgia) 842 Rand & Burger
81 Rube Richards 815 Rand & Burger
Thomas H. Smith 281 Rand & Burger
82 J. C. Perrett(Ames) 537 Rand & Burger
R. A. Seymour, Jr. 131 Rand & Burger
 299
86 Marinette 61
87 E. M. Tice
A. D, Hayward
Rand
'. . . Francis Hinton
88 Mark B. Covell
Petoskey
Fannie Hart
89 City of Racine
J. E. Hall
Isabella J. Boyce
90 '
Indiana
City of Marquette
Eugene Hart
91 Edwin Buckley
94 Sydney O. Neff
Lotus
1903 Chequamegon
1879 Barges I. Stephenson

80 S.M. Stephenson
Henry Whitbeck
81 A. A. Carpenter
 APPENDIX C.

COUNTY OFFICERS OF MANITOWOC.

COUNTY JUDGES.
1848 1849,
 301

1839
HARBOR VIEW IN 1900.
MANITOWOC RIVER ABOVE BEND 1903
 35^
CLERKS OP COURT.
1848 i§4§, Eiiekiel Rickef, tJfeth. 1866 1867, P. J. Pierce, Dem.
1850 C. A. Renter, Dem. 1868 i86ci, J6seph Francl, Dem.
1850 1851, P. P. Smith, Whig 1870 1877, Adolph Piening, Dem.
1852 F. Ulrich, Dem. 1878 i886, Hubert Falge, Dettl.
1853 Fred Borcherdt, Dem. 1887 1892, John Chloupek.iDem.
1854 1857, C. A. Reuter, Dem. 1893 1896, James P. Nolan, Dem
1857 1861, T. G. Olmstead, Dem. 1897 1898, Gulic Hougen, Rep
i86i 1863, Jere Crowley, Dem. 1899 P. J. McMahon, Dem.
1864 1865, Joseph Francl, Dem.
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS.
1849 1850, E. H. Ellis, Dem. 1873 1874, William J. Turner, Dem.
1851 1853, J. H. W. Colby. Dem. 1875 1876, Henry Sibree, Dem.
1853 1854. James L. Kyle, Whig. 1877 1880, A. J. Schmitz, Dem.
1854 N. WoUmer, Dem. 1881 1886, William^H. "Walker, Denj.
1855 1856, W. H. Hamilton, Rep. 1887 1892, A. J. Schmitz, Dem.
1857 1859, George L. Lee, Dem. 1893 1896, John Chloupek, Dem.
1859 1862, J D. Markham, Rep. 1897 1898, A. P. Schenian, Rep,
1863 1864, W. M. Nichols, Dem. 1899 1900, E. L. Schmitz, Dem.
1865 1868, George N. Woodin, Dem. 1901 A
L. Hougen, Rep,
1869 1872, E. B. Treat, Dem.
SURVEYORS.
1841 David Giddings. 1868 P. Brennan, Dem.
1844 1845, E. D. Beardsley, Dem. 1869 1872, Fayette Armsby, Rep.
1846 1848,, Pliny Pierce, Whig.
,
1873 1874, John O'Hara, Dem.
1&49 1850, E. D. Beardsley, Dem. 1875 1876, C. Tiedemann, Dem.
1851 H. L. Allen, Dem. 1877 1882, John O'Hara, Dem.
1852 1856, Fayette Armsby, Rep. 1883 1884, C. Ertz, Rep.
1857 1858, C. Palmer, Dem. 1885 1896, John O'Hara, Dem.
1859 i860, P. Brennan, Dem. 1897 1898, Louis Pitz, Repj
1861 1862, Charles Wimpf, Rep. 1899 1900 John O'Hara, Dem.
1863 1864, P. Brennan, Dem. 1901 Louis Pitz, Rep.
1865 i868, J. B. Burke, Dem.
CORONERS..
1848 O. C. Hubbard, Whig 1867 1868, Franz Simon, Dem
1849 1850, Joseph Edwards, Dem 1869 1870, John Oswald, Dem
18=1 C. W. Durgin, Dem 1871 1874. Franz Simon, Dem
1852 1854, Lyman Emerson, Dem 1875 1876, John Oswald, Dem
1856, Stephen Bates, Rep 187: 1882, Franz Simon, D^m
1855
F. S; Luhman, Dem
1857 1858, Hanson Rand, Dem 1883 1896,
1859 i860, Thomas Robinson, Dem 1897 1898, A. C. Fraser, Rep ,

1861 1862, Jacob Halvorsen, Rep 1899 1900, F. S. Luhman, Dem

1863 1866, Thomas Robinson, Dem 1901 J. E. Meany, Dem ,

304

SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS.
1862 B. J. VanValkenburg, D 1880 1881. C. F. Viebahn, Rep
1862 1863, C. S Canright, Rep 1881 1890, John Nagle, Dem
1863 J. W. Thombs, Dem iSgt 1894, Conrad E. Patzer, Denl
1864 1869, Jere Crowley, Dem 1895 1896, A. Dassler, Dem
1870 1875, Michael Kirwan, Dem 1897 1S98, E. Smith, RepR
1876 1879, William A. Walker, Dem 1899 Fred C. Christiansen, D
MUNICIPAL JUDGES.
1895 1901, Isaac Craite, Dem 1901 A. P. Schdnian, Rep
CHAIRMEN COUNTY BOARD.
1.839, J. G. Conroe, 1863 Alanson Hickok, Cato,
1840 Ben. Jones & R.M.Eberts 1864 1865, Jason Pellett. Gibson,
1841 R. M. Eberts, 1866 1867, G. Damler, Two Rivers,
1843 Oliver Clawson, 1868 FredbcJimitz, Newton
1844 Joel R. Smith, 1869 Louis Koehne, Mishicott,
1845 Oliver Clawson, 1870 Jacob Grimm, Cato,
1846 Joel R. Smith, 1871 Richard Donovan, Rapids
:847 Oliver Clawson, 1872 H. F. Hubbard. Rapids,
1848 Charles McAllister, 1873 1875,, G. Damler, Two Rivers,
1849 J. M. Sprague, 1876 C. H. Walker, Rapids,
Andrew J. Vieau, Man. 1877 . Fred Schmitz, Newton,
1850 S. W. Sherwood, Rapids 1878 Thomas Thornton, Cato,
1851 William Bach, Man. 1879 Thomas Mohr, Kossuth
1852 Peleg Glover, Man. 1880 J. Lindstedt, Mishicott,
1853 John F. Sinns, Man. 1881 John Carey, Meeme,
1854 Peleg Glover, Man. 1882 1883, J. Lindstedt, Mishicott,
1855 Adam Bleser, Rapids 1884 1885, John Carey, Meeme,
1856 W. Aldnch, Two Rivers 1886 Thomas Mohr, Kossuth,
1857 C. W. Fitch, Man. 1887 1889, James P. Nolan, M. Grove
1858 H. C. Hamilton, Two R, 1890 1894, Henry Goedjen, Two R
1859 Alanson Hickok, Cato 1895 1898, Henry Lehrman, T. Creeks
i860 1861, A. C. Pool, Eaton, 1898 igoi, W. C, Maertz, M. Grove
1S62 Lyttian Emerson, Rapids 1901 1903, Henry Lehrman,TlCreeks
MEMBERS OF COUNTY BOARD.
CATO.
1858 1859, Alanson Hickok 1885 B. Amunds
i860 Jacob Grimm 1886 1S88, John Murphy
1861 W. H. Tucker 1889 B. Amunds
1870 1871, Jacob Grimm (x) 1890 1893, P. J. Conway
1872 1876, B. Amunds 1894 1895, Frank Wilhelm
1S77 1878, Thomas Thornton 1896 M. Pankratz
1879 1881, B. Amunds 1897- 1898, Riley Olson
1882 1884, John Halloran 1899 1901, L. P. Grimm
(x) County system 1861-70 1901 • Peter J.Murphy
 305
CENTERVILLE.
1850 Charles Koehler 1870 A. Mill
1851 J. Schwarz 187I 1873, J. Mill
1852 Charles Ulrich 1874 1877, D. Schneider
1853 1854, M. ReiflE 1878 1879, Pe'er Werner
1855 E. EichoflE 1880 1881, Jacob Kestley
1856 C. F. Uhlig 1S82 J. Mill
1857 H. Poppe 1883 1887, Jacob Kestiey
185S F. Schulte 1S88 1891, Joseph Schneider
1859 F. Greiner 1892 1894, Jacob Kestley
T8bo Henry Poppe 1895 1901, Fred Jacobi
1861 Phillip Schneider 1902 John Reinemann
COOPERSTOWN.
1858 1859, J, R. Weber 1886 1887, William Bruss
i860 1861, John Touhey 1888 John Touhey
1870 Thomas Jaraneck 1889 A. Ganger
1871 1875, John Touhey 1890 1892, J. W Wanish
1876 1877, AGanger 1893 Albert Krieser
1878 John Touhey 1895 Albert Arens
1879 AGanger 1897 1899, R. Drews
1S80 1883, John Touhey 1900 John Wanish
1884 1885, A. Ganger I90I Albert Krieser
EATON.
1852 George Monroe 1878 Fred Swenson
1853 Ole Oleson 1879 Fred Schwalbe
1854 A. C. Pool 1880 1882, Fred Swenson
1855 N. R. Johnson 1883 1886, M. Rauch
1856 S D. Clark 18S7 Fred Swenson
1857 A. McNulty 1888 Theodore Wolf
1858 F. Boucher 18S9 1891, Thomas Hoppe
1859 M. McGuire 1892 1895, Fred Schwalbe
i860 1861, A. C. Pool 1896 1S97, F. Schad
1870 1872, Anton StoU 1898 1899, , J. Johnson
1873 P. O'Shea 1900 1902, John F. Koeck
1874 1876. Fred Swenson 1903 Fred Schwalbe
1877 J. Roemer
FRANKLIN,
1856 1857, Alanson Hickok 1878 Peter Stoker
185S 1859, William Playfair 1879 1880, August Gans
i860 Michael Driscoll 188I 1884, Peter ^-toker
1861 James Mclvor 1885 1892, P. Cahill
1870 1872, Peter Stoker 1893 1894, Charles Pinger
1873 1874, William Playfair 1895 P. Cahill
1875 Max Boehm 1896 1900, J. A. Kellner
1876 1877, M. Keehan 1901 Charles Pinger
 GIBSON '
(•

1858 i860, Jason Pellett 1884 1885, Adam 'Tischer

1861 A. J. Westgate 1886 W. Zander
1870 Luther Pellett 1887 1888, John Johnson
1871 R. McCollum 1S89 1890, C. Sleinbrecliet'
1872 C, Johnson 1891 1892, Pierre Burt
1876 J. Shara 1^93 1894, William Schmidt
1877 1878, C. Steinbreclier 1895 1900, August Stueck
1879 W Zander TQOt Albert Honey
.18S0 1882, C, Steinbrecher 1902 AMathieson
1883 W. Zander
,
 301

1857
308

FOUETH WAKD- -CITY

1870 1871, J. W. Barnes 1885 1887, John Boecher
1872 M. Gilbert 1888 OvScar A. Alter.
1873 F. Kostomlatsky 1889 John Boecher
1874 E. K. Rand 1890 Michael Kirwan
1875 J. W. Barnes 1891 E. J. Smalley
1876 E. K Rand 1892 1893, E. K. Rand
1877 C. W. White 1894 1896, Oscar A. Alter
1878 George Cooper 1897 Frank Zeman
1879 1880, C. W. White 1898 W. Krainik
1881 J E Piatt 1899 Frank Zeman
1882 George Cooper 1900 1901, Frank Vraney
1883 Sam Hall 1902 Frank Zeman '

1884 A. J. Schmitz 1903 Frank Vraney

FIFTH WARD— CITY
1890 1891, Henry Boettcher 1898 1901, Walter Pellett
1892 1894, J. Meyer 1902 Oscar Lindholm
1895 F. Gerpheide 1903 Ferdinand Veith
1896 1897, Ot'o Gerpheide
SIXTH WAED— CITY
1891 Jacob Pliegler 1896 1898, J. Boecher
1892 John Boecher 1899 L. J. Nash
1893 1894, Gustave Torrison 1900 A. P. Schenian
1895 W. Beasant 1901 Edward Mohr
SEVENTH WARD— CITY
1892 Peter Mazurkowitz 1898 C. Monk
1893 M. Pankratz 1899 1900, Frank Mrotek
1894 F Werner 1901 Gustav Mueller
1895 1896 0. Wachowitz 1902 C.Otto Schmidt
1897 John O'Hara
MANITOWOC KAPIDS
1849 Charles McAllister 1874 Richard Donovan
1850 1851, S. W. Sherwood 1875 1876, Charles H. Walker
1852 T. W. Baker 1877 Richard Donovan
1853 C Klingholz 1878 Henry Wills
1854 Lyman Emerson 1879 1882, B. Roemer
1805 Adam Bleser 1883 R. Klingholz
1856 Wyman Murphy 1884 T. Osulson
1857 Adam Bleser 1885 R. Klingholz
1858 Richard Donovan 1886 1892, Charles Gustaveson
1859 Adam Bleser 1893 1897, David Sheldon
1860 Richard Steele 1898 1899, Oscar Lindholm
1861 Lyman Emerson 1900 1901, David Sheldon
1870 1871, Richard Donovan 1902 E. S. Bedell
1872 1873, Harvey F. Hubbard 1903 David Sheldon
309
310

NEWTON
1850 F. Hacker 1878 C. Wernecke
1851 Rudolph Von Carnap 1879 1880. H. Strodthofl
1852 J. Steveoson 1881 C. Wernecke
1853 William Griebllng 1882 T. Teitgen
1854 1855, Fred Schmitz 1883 1885, Fred Schmitz
1856 William Griebling 1886 C, Wernecke
1858 DanShanahnn 1887 J. Ruechoeft
1859 F. Hacker 1888 1889, P. J. White
1860 1861, Fred Schmitz 1890 1895, A. Rodewald
1870 1873, Pi-ed Schmitz 1896 1897, Thomas Gretz
1874 1875, C. Wernecke 1898 1900, A Rodewaia
1876 1877, Fred Schmitz 1901 Thomas Gretz
ROCKLAND
185H 1861, Louis Faulhaber 1879 F. Euboltz
1870 John Braatz 1880 E Thompson
1871 L Rusch 1881 1884, George Miller
1872 L. P. Nichols 1885 1887, M. L. Cooney
1873 L. Rusch 1888 1893, T. Gleeson
1874 Louis Faulhaber 1894 1895, E, Thompson
1875 M. Mason 1896 1900, A. Moede
1876 1878, E. Thompson 1902 Martin Rappel
SCHLESWIG
1856 1857. H. F. Belitz 1882 J. D. Brockert
1858 1859, F. R. Gutheil 1883 1884, John Barth
1560 John Earth ,
1885 C. R. Zorn
1861 Herman Gutheil 1886 1887, August Goerbing
1870 1871, Louis Gutheil 1888 Louis Senglaub
1872 John Earth 1889 August Goerbing
1873 1876. C. R. Zorn 1890 1894, P Zastrow
1877 1878, John Barth 1895 1898, C. R Zorn
1879 1880, C. R. Zorn 1899 1902, W Reinhold
1881 John Earth 1903 O. R Zorn
TWO CREEKS
1860 H. Luebke 1877 1879 Fred Pfunder
1861 J. C. Eggers 1880 G. Taylor
1870 1871, Fred Pfunder 1881 1883, H. Johnson
1872 Fred Vogel 1884 1885, Joseph Immler
1873 H. Reiss 1886 1890, H. Johnson
1874 T. Bartosch 1891 1898, Henry Lehrman
1875 J. Ruse 1899 1900, J. C. Naser
1876 W. Taylor 1901 Henrv Lehrman
 311

TWO BIVERS
1849 John Stuart 1872 B. Wilfeens
1850 Charles Kuehn 1873 1876, G. Damler
1851 1852, W. B. D. Honey 1877 1878, H. Goedjen
1853 Timothy Harrington 1879 E. Stollberg
1854 N. Kaufmann 1880 1881, H. Goedjen
1855 1856, William Aldrioh 1882 1883, F. Schwartz
1857 H. S Pierpont 1884 1885, H. Goedjen
1858 H. C. Hamilton 1886 George Dieke
1859 C. Whitcomb 1887 1894, H. Goedjen
1860 Conrad Baetz 1895 1896, T. J. McCarthy
1861 H. H. Smith 1897 1900, J. Sechrist
1870 B. Wilkins 1901 1902, William Zander
1871 H. H. Smith 1903 Robert Schubert
TWO HIVEES VILLAGE
1870* H. H. Smith 1874 B. Wilkens
1871 1872, G. Damler 1875 1877, Richard Mueller
1873 H. H Smith
FIEST WARD, CITY
1858 William Aldrich 1886 J. Gagnon
1859 H. C. Hamilton 1887 1889, E. Mueller
1860 1861, H. S. Pierpont 1890 1892, U. Niquette
1878 1883, U. Niquette 1893 1896, Edward Courchene
1884 Edward Lamere 1897 J. Gagnon
1885 U. Niquette 1898 J. Geimer
SECOND WARD, CITY
1858 H. B. Allen 1883 18S4, E. Evans
1859 John^H. Brown 1885 1891, Jonas Gagnon.
1860 J. G. Burns 1892 1894, Peter Sohroeder
1861 B. J. Van Valkenburgh 1895 B Wllken-*
1878 R. Mueller 1896 F. Schwab
1879 B. Wilkens 1897 1898, Jonas Gagnon
1880 1882. William Hurst 1899 William Boehringer
THIRD WARD, CITY
1878 Peter Stout 1888 W. Wegner
1879 H, Wilger •
1889 1890, William Luebke
1880 1881, G. Breunig 1892 1893, C. Hoffmann
1882 Henry Wilkins 1894 1895, W. Wegner
1883 M. Maloy 1896 F. Tegen
1884 1887, G Breunig 1897 W. Wegner
FOURTH WARD, CITY
1897 W O'Hara 1900 John J . Schroeder
1898 1899, Louis Harvung
*From 1870 to 1878 the village of Two Rivers was represented by
one member in the county board, although from 1858 to 1861 each ward
had been represented.
SL2
APPENDIX D.
314

1879
^881
 .

316

EPtRATA AND ADDITIONS.

Pa,g6l6 TheiBarry.Line discontinued its west shore runs, noMli
of Milwaukee in April 1903.
"
Page 80 8th line from bottom of page should read ''1855
Page Should read "Judge Taylor" instead of "Judge Thayer."
114
Page 151last sentence of paragraph should be added "he, being-
To
the candidate on the Populistic ticket for insiir.andei .commissior^r."
Page 195 The present pastor of St. Paul's M. E Church is Rev. C.
'

E. Weed. ' '^.

-
.

Page 201 Name should be "J. W. Thombk." '^7

^ ;.

Page 206 The present pastor at Maple Gfoye is Rev. T. O'Cfennell.

Page 210 Last line, '33 instead of 13 feet. ^ ,[

Page 212 Rev. Joseph Chylewski is Mani-

the pi-ea^nt'ptieat of thg
towoc Polish R. C. church. '
1
'
.; \.'. '
.^
'

Page 230 Should read in first line "membership in 1875 was 111."
' Page 233 In February 1904 a large aerie of Ragles ^^was estaljlished

in Manitowoc. [^
Page 235 In 3rd line in last paragraph snould read "Schmitz" in-
stead of "Schmidt." -• "
'
'
-V,
Page 298-9 The list of craft built at Manitowoc was compiled some
six years ago for a local w^kly and upon more recent investigation it
has been found that several errors were made therein. Hanson & Scove
builders, should have had credit for building' the schooners Maxwell,
Parker, McLaren, Linerla and Hall and the' steamer^ Hinton and J. E.
Hall. J.Butler superintended the builditig of the May Richards, Lalla
Rookh and Rube Richards. To the list should be added
Schr. H. C. Albrecht (Thos. Hun^e) 309 tons, 1880, Hanson & Scove
Schr. Mary R. Ann, 20 tons, 1874.
Tug Dione, 9 tons, 1874.
Barge Daisy Day, 124 tons, 1880, Hanson & Scove.
Schr. Glad Tidings, 71 tons, 1883, J. Butler.
Scow Farrand H. Williams, 94 tons, 1883, Capt. Williams.
Tug Marinette, 30 tons, 1885, Rand & Burger.
Tug Grace Williams, 46 tons, 1885, Rand & Burger.
At Two Rivers during the early seventies the following schooners
were built by Hanson & Scove: John Schuette 289 tons, Mike Corry
380 tons, Granger 366 tons and Bertie Calkins 256 tons.
 INDEX
Abbott, E.L 13, 19. 44, 153,229,244
Agricultural Associations 238, 239
Aldrich, Wm 89, 113, 136, 146, 187, 230, 271
Alverno.. 213
Ann Arbor Line 78,79
A. O. U. W . 232
Arndt (family ) ; 16, 21, 143
Athletic Organizations , 236

Bach. W..46, 95, 124. 138, 148, 169, 172. 229, 233, 235-287. 242, 272, 275, 280
Baensch (family). 45, 48, 129. 132, 142.151, 164. 229, 240, 266, 273, 274, 285
Baetz, H. .113, 115, 117, 122, 135, 138, 139, 148, 159, 161, 162, 172, 234, 235.
264, 267
Banks and Banking 281
Baptist churcb 220-222
Barnes (family) 104. 113, 115, 136, 234, 282,286
Beardsley. E. D 49, 91, 94,. 113, 153, 155, 157, 228, 229 233
Bench and Bar 269-275
Benevolent Societies 240
Bennett, James 50, 60, 72, 115, 135. 144, 145, 168, 169, 171, 245
Bohemian Settlement 36, Societies 235, 237, 242
Borcherdt (family) 30, 32, 91, 98, 101, 113, 117, 121, 126, 144, 160, 198, 199
228, 247, 262, 264, 270
Boundaries 1

Branch 15, 26, 38, 40, 49, 51. 115, 186, 189, 231, 276. 289
Business Associations 240, 241
Business and Industry 288 292
Carey (family) 54, 148. 150, 160, 22S
Cato 1, 3, 13, 14, 31, 33, 84, 42, 46, 51, 54, 102, 106. IIS. 125. 126. 146. 162.
159, 231, 2.33. 242 245, 278
Centervllle township 1, 3, 33, 35. 40, 125, 126, 146, 152, 155, 210, 216, 222,
242, 245
Centervllle village .40. 67, 51, 55, 83, 233. 237, 289. 292
C. &N. W. Ry 77, 79, 85-111
Cholera , , , 351
Christian Church 224
Christian Solenee ,
225
Civil War 114-128
Clark, T ; 59. 95 9B. 113, 117. 136, 146. 2.36

Clarks Mills 37,51. 63, 130, 187,210,212, 276

Cleveland 52
Clover 52
Collins 52, no, 217
Congregational Church 219. 220
Conroe (family) 20, 23, 27. 29, 42 44. 49, 133, 143. 152
Cooperstown 1, 2. 3, 4, 30, 31,, 35, 37, 50, 102, 125 W3.
137. 146. 152. 1-58.
202, 206,208. 223, 2.33, 242, 279
Creeks 4
Crowley. Jere 52, 113, 138, 159, 160, 239, 242, 247, 2'9. 260, 263

Dentists 279.280
Drainag-e 53, 54
Draraatic Organization" 236

EHst Twin River 4, 9, 11, 28. 179

Eaton 1, 3,34, 51,53, 54,102,125.126,146 152, 1.^5, 161, 211.217, 223, 233.
242
Eberts. R. M 27. 44, 154, 205
Edwards (family) 23, 28. 30. 47. 68, 70, 152. 191
Education 243-2.54
Ellis, E. H 47, 49, 154. 184. 225, 245, 270
Emer.soD, T.yman .30, 35, 145, 160
English settlements 34
Episcopal Church 183 190, 246
Esslinger, C, 32, 47, 51, 60, 86, 88, 89, 94, 102, 114, 131, 135, 169, 170. 238,
242, 245, 275
Evangelical Association 223, 224

Fellows, M ; 04, 104, 115, 180, 228, 240, 242

Fisheries 28
Fitch. C. W 4\ 47, 60, 87, 95, 137, 228, 229 234, 255, 257, 262
F. &P. M Ry. Co 75v77, 79, 100 107
Foi'rth of July 130
Franklin 1, 3,33, 34, 53, 102 ]25, 146, 153, 2-12. 279
French Creek 43. 50 51, 202, 207, 208, 210, 211
French Exploration 9-11
Geology , i ... , ^
German EvanKelical Church , 225
German Imigration ....32,34, Societies 2.38, 235, 237, 231
German Reformed Chuych 33. 222, 223
Gibson 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 11, 14, 31, 37. 51, 102, 125, 126, 133, 152, 159, 161, 195,

216,2.33.242
Glover (family) 36, 47, 86, 88, 95, 115, 130, 138, 227, 228, 234, 272
Goodrich Line 70 79
G A. R 128
Greenstreet 5. 208
Grimms Station 2,40,51
Hamilton (family).. 9, 47, 89, 91, 113, 121, 178, 181, 238, 241, 276, 286. 289
Harbors 55 67
Hika 51,279
Hubbard (family) 20, 22. 27, 36, 45, 47, 49 ,58, 91, 124, 144, 152, 155, 201,
.223, 229, 244, 279, 289

I O. G. T .230, ,231
Indians : 8-15
Irish Settlements 34, Societies 224

Jewish Church 242

Johnston, Peter 60, 149, 173, 200, 234, 254
Jones, A. D 20, 140, 171. 174, 253
Jones, Benjamin 17, 20, 22, 38, 43, 44. 87, 88, 94.95, 98, 115, 152, 154, 159
; 186, 233, 270
Jones, K. K...,36, 45. 60, 70, 86, 115, 117, 120, 136, 144, 229, 2,33, 244, 245
;..... 253
Jones, William 16, 17' 120

Kasson 51, 211

Ke Inersville 15, 36, 51, 208.210
Kiel.. 40, 43, 49, 51, 52, 106, 126, 128, 182, 213, 222, 229, 231, 233, ;36, 237,
•
,
278,880,287,289,290
Kings Bridsje ,
51
Kirwan, M 106, 165, 248, 272, 275,^ 285
Klingholz (family) 47, 48, 68, 91, 94, 95, 97, 98, 115, 135, 234, 236,237| 241
^4^
Kossuth 1, 3, 6, 4, 30, 32, 34, 36, 61, 91, 102, 126, 146, l.i2, 1.55, 161,
210, 222, 242. 244, 289
Kuehn, Charles 47, 91, 95, 137, 145, 282

Labor Orfianizations 239

Lake Michigan 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 55 84
Lakes 5
Land Speculation i ... 16, 17
Larrabee .........51,217,231,279
Liberty 1, 3, 5, 33, 34, 53, 68, 102, 125, 126, 146, 152. 159, 161, 212, 242, 245
246
Litettiry Organizations 233, 236
Louis Corners 52
Lueps, J 45. 91, 92, 94 95, 97, 98. 101, 102, lOt, 105, 234, 272
Luliiig, C 61. 104,105, 140. 141,149 172, 174, 252
Lumbering -. . .W 31, 38
Lutheran Cliurch 33, 214 218, 245, 247. 253

McAllis-,er (family) 26, 38, 44. 46, 60, 8ii, 153, 155, 231, 238
Mailseti 110
Maiiiiovvoc ciby See topics aod cbapiei s
IHaniiowoc Hn'pi'i'^. lownship 1, 2. 3, 4, 5, 13, 34, 35 37. 91, 120, 125, 126,
146-r)2, 155, 189, 241, 242
Manitowoc Rapids, village 11, 16, 20. 23, 40, 43, 46-49, 135, 183-186. 191.
198 202, 203, 212, 223, 224, 276, 289, 291
Manitowoc Uiver 3. 11, 16, 57. 58. 190
Manitowoc & .Mississippi Ky. Co ^5 HI 169
Mann (family) 66, 179, :^.39, 241, 22, 254.289
Maple (ii-ove 1, 3, 33. 34, 46, 50, 53, 91, 102, lOii, 125, 126, 116-52, 155, 192,
202, 206, 210, 217, 220, 231, 242
Marine Disasters 80-4
Markbam (family) 62, 63, 98, 101, 104, 105, 113, 115, 122, 123, 126, 131,
171 271, 274, 284
Masonic Orders 227-8
Mreme 1. 3, 8, 34, 35, 38, 55. 102, 125, 120, 146-52, 155, 186, 202, 207, 210,
224, 239 242, 245-6
Melnik 52. 20 2 ,275
Memorial Days 132
Menclialville 52
Methodist ("hurch 190-8
Milliome 51
Militia System 112, 113. 128, 129
Mishicot township 1, 3, 8, .33, 91, 102, 115-6. 133, 146-52, 155, 241 2 244-6
Mishicot village 4, 30, 38, 48, 50, 73, 83, 114, 191, 213, 217, 231, 2,33. 237.
278 279 2S9
Mound Builder.- 9
Mulholland (family) 35, 60, 122, 146, 148, 175, 177, 207, 234, 242, 245-6, 279
Munger, D. S 20, 22, 44, 153, 270
Hui-phy's Mills 4, 27, 44
Musical Organizations 235, 236

Nagle, John 142, 248, 250, 251, 254, 264, 267, 284
Nero 51
Neshoto 4, 8, 16, 29, 38, 51, 73. 191
Newton 1, 3, 5, 32-3, .35, 40, 51, 91, 102, 118, 125, 126, 146-52. 155, 196, 211,
214, 216, 227, 235, 241, 242, 245
Niles 51, 202, 217. 231
Northeim 51. 129, 211
Norwegian Settlement 34, Societies 234
Odd Fellows Order ,. . . .229,, 2.30
Olinstead, T G 115, 122, 265, 2,64, 272, 273
o«io ...;..., ,51
Osman..!.... ^...! 52
Physicians . . . , ,275-279
Piei-ce (ramili) 26, 31, 43, 47, 49, 112, 130, 135, 144, 148, 152-6, 163,

.245, 270, 290

Piei-pout (family) 32, 70, 124, 137, 138, 147, 159-61, 163. 178, 219 265, 291-4
Plait (ramily ) 48, 50, 72, 91, 92, 94, 95, 98, 115, 121, 146, 168, 234
Polish !~eMli lueiu 40
PolltiU'* National 134-42, Stale 142-52, County 152-60
Posioffices atul l^)s Routes 49-52 •

Presbyluriiin Cliiireh 198 202, 246

Press, Tlie. 255-68
Ruhr (family). . .47, 61, 97, 150, 164, 170, 175-7 23r), 239, 2-54, 283, 288. 289
llai'ruads 85-111
Rand (fauiily) 72 5, 91, 94, 126, 186, 147, 170, 174, 199, 201, 228, 234, 240,
284, 285
Rankin, Joseph » 122, 140, 146. 148-50
Reed. Geoige. ...'. 46. 86 103, 124, 138, 147, 158, 168, 181, 199, 271 3
Roedsville 4, 38, .40, 41, 46, 51, 181. 211, 216, 223, 224, 229, 233, 27« 9, 290
Reif , .52
Rivers 4
Roads 42 9
Rockland 1, 3, 4, 6, 33, 35. 53, 54, 102, 125, 126, 146-52, 158, 161 223, 242
Rockville ...40
Roinun Catholic Church .33, 202-14, 247, 249, 253
Rosecrans 51,217
Rube ;....; .217

Sainl Nazianz 33, 208, 210, 249 278, 279, 292

Saint Wendel.. ..:.. .52, 2i8
Salomon (family). 91, 99, 113, 118, 122. 147, 229, 234, 255, 257 62
Sohleswig.;.l, 3, 4, 5,l3, 14, 37, 40, 50, 102, 103, 107 118, 125, 126,146-52.
: ;. 158, 242

Schmidt (family). . .118, 120. 131, 148, 164, 173, 237, 241, 255, 259, 264, 266,
267,274 275
Schmilz (family) 32. 64, 106, 136, 141, 149, 151, 161, 165,234, 242, 252j
272-5, 285
School Hill 52, 220, 221, 233
Schuette (family) 49, 61, 63, 106, 149, 174-6, 239, 240, 254, 283-4, 291, 292
Sheboygan River 4
Shove (family). .61, 114, 115, 117, 119. 126, 226, 208, 240, 248, 272, 28^. 285
Smart, R. D." 51, 81, 131. 149, 163, 164, 175. 273, 274
Smith, H. (family).. 29, 30, 35, 44, 47, 48, 50, 59. 89, 144, 149,179, 242, 289
Smith P. P. 2, 20, 22, 28, 47. 58, 60, 69. 88, 91, 112, 114, 120, 135. 138, 152
155, 190, 228, 229 242, 244 ,
 Smith, S. W 89, 113, 126, 138, 229, 234, 255, 257, 260, 262
Societies and Organizations 227-242
Sons of Hermani ; 231
Spanish W
ar 129, 130
Stark , , 52
Steinthal 51
Street Railways Ill

Taus 52
Telegraplis and Telephones 52, 53
Timothy 12
Tisch Mills 51, 209, 279
'

' Torrlson (fam ly) 34, 64, 72, 115 175, 177, 229, 239, 254, 284, 285, 292
Transportation and Shipbuilding 67, 80
Treat, E. B .49, 101, 131, 162, 200, 263, 272, 273
Two Creeksl, 3, 11, 31, 37, 39, 51, 53, 61, 67, 102, 125, 126, 133, 146, 152,
159, 220 233, 242. 290
Two Rivers, city See Topics
Two Rivera, Township 3, 33, 61,' 102, 126,127,145,163, 195, 244, 245
Valders ;
•.
52, 110, 217, 218
Vegetation. 5, 6

,
,
Vieau, J 11, 28, 40, 155
Vilas, Joseph, 61 63, 72, 100, 107, 110, 124, 126, 131, 138, 141,147, 149,
171, 234, 241, 246, 290

Walker (family). .75, 95,104,120, 121,141, 141, 145, 146. 161, 233, 234,
24.1, 253, 270, 272

Waume^jesako 13
Wells 52
Welsh Settiament .>
37, 220, 221
West Twin River 1. 4, 9, 28, 29, 179
Whitelaw 49, 52, 212
Windiate (family) 49, 51, 82, 115, 127, 227, 234
Wisconsin Central Ry 78 85-111
Wittman, A. 50, 113, 115, 124, 126, 131, 136, 138, 228, 234, 236, 245, 265,267
Wood, S. A. 45, 47, 50, 60, 88, 91, 92, 94, 95, 97, 98, 101, 126, 138, 146 160,
168,170,174. 234,242,271.285
Zander , 52