In unnamed Wisconsin : studies in the history of the region between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi

Prefatory Note

If, ill the pages that follow, sons and daughters of Wisconsin Hnd reason for deeper interest in the history of their own state, and for increase of honorable civic pride, I shall be glad. But if any reader look for the indifference, real or affected, that treats of men and causes, good and bad, as if all were alike merely curious, he will surely count what I have written as most unphilosophical, if indeed he take the trouble to think about it.

Most of my story is of a time when there was no Wisconsin ; when this region was only an undefined portion, first of New France and in part, perhaps, of Louisiana ; then of the province of Quebec ; next of Virginia, when she was passing from the condition of a colony to that of a state; then of the old Northwest Territory and, afterward, successively of Indiana. Illinois and Michigan. In the course of my study one thing has been made clear to me: They who first settled on this soil were not the founders of Wisconsin. There was a wide difference between those who would have had this region remain a part of Canada,- — whether under France or under Britain, — and those who established here the institutions of an American state.

One thing I hope, — that good done by humble and unpretending men and women may, by these pages, become a little more widely known and that they who did it may receive somewhat more of honor. Their cheeks will not flush now, if we speak their praise. For one of them filial love has prepared a memorial that is fittingly appended to the record herein given of her own and of others' faithful service.

The knowledge that this work was in progress brought to the writer, even after the first few chapters had been sent to the press, certain material which, had it been found earlier, might have been better used. Hence, notwithstanding the awkwardness of so doing, there was reason to add some closing ])aragraphs containing statements that properly belong in the narrative itself.

Among those who, in Wisconsin's early days, came hither from a land that we can scarcely call foreign, was one who, by precept and by life, gave me a faith from which I have found no reason to depart; who taught me that "man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever;" who, without effort and almost unconsciously, showed me that the eternal things are as real as those that perish with the using; who, through all my life, has upheld me with a strong tenderness. They who read thus far will say "his mother," and to her, witliout permission, this book is dedicated with a son's reverent love.

Two RiVKKs, Wisconsin, July, 1895.

ILLUSTRATIONS AND FACSIMILES.

RLV. CUTTING MARSH

facing page 116.

REV. .LEONARD HEMENWAY WHEELER

facir|g page 165 MRS, HARRIET WOOD WHEELER

facing page 229.

FAG-SIMILE pages of Muh-hie-ka-ne-ev/ booklets. See end of

volun^e.

Chapter I. Discovery And Exploration

Settlement of the Northwest Territory — Discovery of the Wisconsin region — Death of Jean Nicolet — Radisson and Groseillers — Their Discovery of the Upper Mississippi — Voyage on Lake Superior — Their "Foi"t" on Chequamegon Bay — Their Explorations in what is now Minnesota — Return to the French Settlements and Escape thence to Boston — They enter English .Service ..... 1_()

Chapter II. Early Missions

Renaliis Menard — His labors with the Ottawas — His death — Claude AUouez — Jacques Marquette — Mission at t)eY)ere — Proces-verbal at Sault Ste. Marie — Nicholas Perrot — Accusations against the Jesuits — Louis Hennepin — Coureurs de Bois — The Outagamies - - 7-lG

Chapter III. The Outagamie War

Plundering the Traders — "Siege of Detroit" — Attempted Destruction of the Outagamies — Building of Forts St. Francis and Beauharnois — A Summer of Horrors — Effect of the Outagamie War - - 17-23

Chapter IV. End Of French Dominion

Perriere Marin — Massacre of Outagamies — Treaty of Paris — The British take Possession of Green Bay — French Kings who ruled in the Wisconsin Region - - - - - - 24-27

Chapter V. Rritish Dominion

Keeping the Western Posts — The "'Quebec Act" — Carver's Travels — Langlade — Events of the Time of the Revolution- — Dr. Manasseh Cutler — Ordinance of 1787 — Settlement at Marrietta — Witchcraft — Slavery — Events of the War of 1812 — Amei-icans take Possession of the Wisconsin Region - - - - - - 28-44

Chapter VI. The Ion A Ok Our Inland Seas

Michilimackinac — David Bacon and his Mission Work — The American Fur Company — Expedition to the Pacific — Dr. Moi-se at Mackinaw — Mission Re-established there — Appeal for a Mission among the Ojibways — Robert Stuart ...... 45-51 vi CONTENTS.

Chapter VII. Dr. Morse And His Errand In The West

First Protestant Service in what is now Wisconsin — Projected Indian Territory — The "New York Indians" — John Metoxen - - 52-61

Chapter VIII. Oneidas And The Brothertowns

Samuel Kirkland — Eleazar Williams — John Clark — First Methodist Church- Building in Wisconsin — Samson Occoni ... 62-72

Chapter IX. The Muh-he-ka-nk-ok

Their Legendary History -^ Their Language — Settlement at Stockbridge, Massachusetts — John Sei"geant — A Total Abstinence Movement — David Brainerd — Specimens of the Mohegan Language — British Gifts to the Stockbridge Mission — Wars with the French — Jonathan Edwards — Dr. Stephen West — John Sergeant, the Younger — Muh-he-ka-ne-ew Service in the Revolution — Removal to New York — Council in Indiana — Tatepahqsect — Removal to Indiana - - - 73-108

Chapter X. Statesburg And Stock I Ridge

Removal from Indiana and New York to Fox river — The first Congregational Church in Wisconsin — Rev. Jesse Miner — First Protestant Church-Building in Wisconsin — First School-Mistress here — Rev. Cutting Marsh — Commissioner McCall — The "Orchard party" of Oneidas — A Booklet and a Psalm in the Mohegan Language — Letter to Jefferson Davis — Mission Work Begun among the Sioux — An Indian Temperance Convention — Letter by Chauncey Hall — Mission Trip beyond the Mississippi — Stockbridge (Wisconsin) Built — Capital Punishment by Indian Tribal Authority — The Muh-he-ka-ne-ok are made Citizens — Divisive Religious Movements — Removal to Shawano County — Present Condition of the Tribe 109-145

Chapter XI. Among The Ojibways

Legendary History — Trading-Station at La Pointe — Alexander Henry — The Cadottes and the Warrens — Alvin Coe and J. D. Stevens "Manner of Traveling on the Upper Waters of the Great Lakes " — Mission begun at La Pointe — Jeremiah Porter and W. T. Boutwell — Naming of Lake Itasca — First Book written here — First Organization of a COjOgregational Church in Wisconsin — Meeting-Houses at La Pointe, Congregational and Roman Catholic — Missions in Minnesota — Fight at Pokeguma — Murder of Benjamin Terry and Mrs. Spencer — Ojibway New Testament — Rev. L. H. Wheeler — Odanah founded — Mission Work by the Methodists — Rev. Alfred Brunson — Attempt to remove the Ojibways — Effect of the War — Rev. Frederic Baraga — Death of Mr. Wheeler — Covenant of the Ojibway Churches - - - 146-174

Chapter XII. — By The Mizi Sibi

Louisiana — Religious Intolerance — Prairie du Cbien — Fort Crawford — Mr. Lockwood's Narrative — First Sunday-School in Wisconsin — Rev. Aratus rOXTENTS. vii

Kent David Lowrey — Abolitionists from the South - 175-186

Chapter XIII. — Among The Mines

An "Island in a Sea of Drift "— Discovery of Lead — The Winnebago War

— Surrender of Red Bird — Dr. Newhall's Letter — Father Kent comes to Galena — Black Hawk and his "British Band "—War— Henry Dodge becomes Governor - - . - - - 187-200

CHAPTER XIV. — Wisconsin's open door

Permanent Settlement at Green Bay — British leave the place— Fort Howard

— A.G. Ellis and other Early Teachers — First Methodist Services in the Green Bay. Region — Rev. R. F. Cadle - Episcopal Mission — Organization of the First Presbyterian Church of Green Bay - 201-20C

Chapter XV. — Fort Winnebago

Topography- "Wau-bun"— Rev. A. L. Barber — " Portage of the Siskoinsin"— Transportation there - - - " 207-210

Chapter XVI. By The Lake And On The Prairie

A Sloop of War at "Millwakey "—Threat by Robert Dickson— Joliet and Marquette — The Brothers La Framboise — Jacques Vieau — Juneau — Samuel Brown — Reports from the "Home Missionary "— Protestant Episcopal Service at Milwaukee — J. F. Ostrander — Organization of the First Presbyterian Clmrch— First Protestant House of Worship for Whites in Wisconsin — Rev. Gilbert Crawford — Settlement of Racine — Scarcity of Food — Jesse Walker and Cyrus Nichols — Settlements formed at Kenosha and Beloit— Madison — Rev. -S. A. Dwinnell — His Account of Chicago and Wisconsin in 1836 211-226