Early explorations in the lemonweir valley

By A Resident of Juneau Co.
The Elroy Head Light, Elroy, WI
dated 25 Mar 1875

In the Fall of 1836, Samuel B. PILKINGTON and the writer, the former a native of Ireland, while at Helena, on the Wisconsin river, heard mention of a very extensive forest of pine timber and a splendid water power on the Lemonweir river, about twelve miles from the mouth.  As the Winnebago Indians had just sold their lands on the south side of that river to the government, we conceived the idea of making an exploration in that direction to ascertain the truth of those reports, intending if matters were found as represented to engage in the lumber business, but not then being just ready the make the trip we concluded to wait until the next year.

Accordingly, in the month of December in the following year, 1837, we packed our Indian pony and started from Racine to explore the valley in question.  Our outfit consisted of a Mackinaw blanket and butcher knife, an ax, a box of matches and provisions for a week, besides the necessary camp fixtures, including a small fly tent.  Fire arms and ammunition we considered of no particular use and carried we none.

We found but few settlers after crossing Fox river, thirty miles east of Racine, two or three at Spring Prairie, Luke Taylor and one or two others on Turtle Creek near the present location of Delavan, a Mr. Johnson on the east edge of Rock Prairie and Mr. JAQUES, living in a log house on the east bank of Rock river, near the present site of the city of Janesville. From Rock river to the Four Lakes, now Madison, no signs of the white man but a blazed line of trees indicating the future capital of the State.

There being six or eight inches of snow on the ground we did not reach Madison until about 9 o'clock on the second morning after leaving Rock river.  Here we found a Mr. PECK and family, Col. A. A. BIRD, and several other men putting up the frame of a house for a hotel, and also some materials on the ground for the capitol building then in course of erection.  From Co. Bird we obtained the proper directions by land marks to reach Mr. ROWENS's trading post, on the military road twelve miles from Fort Winnebago and near the present village of Poynette.  On the route from Madison and ten or twelves miles out, we passed the body of a log house, afterwards completed and occupied by a Mr. LAWRENCE, but no other marks of improvement were noticed.  We reached Rowen's late in the evening, tired and glad to find a comfortable place for the night for ourselves and the pony.

Following the military road we reached Fort Winnebago about noon of the next day, and found a stopping place at the Indian Agency house, owned by the government, but then kept as a tavern by an Italian name UBALDINE.  Ubaldine had an Irish woman for a wife, and during our stay there of a week or more we found the wife "a better man;" at least Ubaldine was willing to acknowledge such to be the fact whenever any little family difficulty occurred, which was not infrequent.

Visited the Fort the next day.  Met Captain Lowe, then in command and also Mr. Henry MERRILL, now of LaCrosse, who kept a sutler's store near the Fort.  Procured a supply of provisions to last for six or eight days and leaving the pony with Mr. Ubaldnie we proceeded.  Passed the trading post of a Mr. WALWORTH, situated at the high point of land near the present railroad bridge over the canal.  Followed the Point Bausse trail, a road about fifteen miles to a cluster of bark wigwams, then deserted, situated on the land afterwards owned and occupied for several years by James WALWORTH. Camped here over night.  Snow about a foot deep and weather extremely cold.  Tried the experiment of camping in a wigwam, but found it a bad one on account of not being able to keep up a sufficient fire.

The next morning continued on the trail three or four miles and then struck west across the head of Dell Prairie and reached the Wisconsin river at the foot of the Big Dells the evening of the second day after leaving the Fort, but finding the ice running in the river and the crossing impractible, we continued along the east bank of the river until we found wood convenient and a good shelter from the wind and camped for the night.  In the morning we started on our return to the Fort and reached there next day.

We remained with Mr. Ubaldine about a week, and until the river closed sufficiently to cross on the ice and again started on our explorations.  Reaching the wigwams before mentioned we struck across the south end of Dell Prairie, striking the Wisconsin river opposite McEven river.

During our week's stay at the Fort there was quite a heavy fall of snow and after leaving the Point Bausse trail we found the traveling both slow and difficult.

Before leaving on this second trip, mother Ubaldine handed us a bottle of medicine with the remark: "If you get frost bited, try this - it came from Ould Ireland."  Feeling grateful for the kindly feelings which we knew accompanied the gift, we received it with thankfulness.

 The first night after leaving the Fort we camped about a mile from the east side of Dell Prairie.  In the morning we again started, but now without a trail, snow two feet deep and weather extremely cold.  Proceeding a few rods we noticed a singular mound of snow, a short distance out of our direct course.  Examined it and found a one horse sleigh, left a few days before by Robert BLOOMER, on his way to the Grand Rapids. In the sleight we found a couple of smoked hams, some bread, crackers and cheese.  Made a note of it as a good place to obtain a supply of provisions on our return if needed.

Arriving at the edge of the Prairie and facing a cold west wind, we soon felt unmistakable evidence of the frosty atmosphere, so much so that we concluded to halt and try the remedy in the bottle, but here we found a difficulty - how to apply it.  After mature consultation and reflection we concluded to try an inward application, and I must say the result was equal to our highest expectations.

And here I will digress so far from the narrative as to say that although we found repeated occasion to try the medicine, and always with the most satisfactory results, yet I would not recommend it as a remedy for constant use, but only on occasions when you are making your way on foot through snow two feet deep with a week's provisions in your pack.

The second day we made across the prairie, and camped only two or three miles from the camping place the night before. The third day we crossed the Wisconsin, and camped that night on the higher part of land at the foot of the Big Dalles. Made three or four miles in distance this day.  Weather continued extremely cold.  Made our first and only experiment with dry fire wood, to keep up our fire during the night.  Midnight, wood all gone, almost perished before morning.

Fourth morning , up very early, made the Lemonweir about noon but were in considerable doubt, owing to the crooked nature of the channel, and the numerous sloughs, whether we had found the river we were looking for or not.  Finally to settle the matter beyond doubt, we concluded to follow the stream down to the mouth, and finding the country to answer the description given us before, we retraced our steps on the ice, and camped that night on PROVONSAL's trading post, about tow or three miles above the mouth of the river, which we found unoccupied.

The Lemonweir had frozen over after the late heavy fall of snow on the ice, and this made the traveling comparatively easy.

The fifth and sixth days we followed up the river on the ice, broke through two or three times, went ashore, built fires and dried our clothes, and then continued on.  On the morning of the seventh day we ate our breakfast, consisting of two crackers each, on the present site of the village of New Lisbon, and then started on our return down the river for Fort Winnebago.  Following the other trails or slides cutting the bends of the river found the distance greatly shortened, tightened our belts two or three times a day, dreamed at night of the good time coming, examined our depot of supplies in the sleigh, but found that some "good Indian" had been there before us.  Continuing on our journey we arrived at the Fort in the afternoon of the third day after turning back, weaker but not much wiser men.  Only learning that our extensive pine forest was a myth, and that our anticipated lumber speculation was a failure.

On the west side of the Wisconsin, we saw no signs of the white man, except the abandoned trading post above mentioned.  And no signs of the Indian except canoes covered up on the bank of the river.

(Written by J. T. KINGSTON)

Contributed by Jackie Hufschmid