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beyond question; because some of them-like Mr. Meader, D. D. Huff, and others, who came as early as 1851-are still living on the land they selected in that year. These lands, however, did. not really come into market until a year or two later, so that settlers could acquire title. For this reason they were assessed, if at all, with "personality" only. A list of these will complete, what I believe to be the most perfect list that can be obtained of the really "first settlers"-those who were here and took part in the organization of the county. In the foregoing lists, as well as in the following, there are doubtless some non-residents; but these cannot, at this late day, be selected out. The names that follow are those of persons of the latter classes, who cannot be assorted into townships as a whole. Many of them, however, can be readily located by the reader:

Erick Anderson, John Anderson, Toleff Avins, James Ackerson, Erastus V. Andrus, John Bush, John Brandt, William Banning, Jeremiah Brisco, Joseph Brown, Lewis Bachel, Benjamin Bear, L. W. Bisby, Madison Brown, Ole Benson, Samuel F. Brush, John Bateman, Phineas Banning Alva Chase, Richard M. Carson, Hamilton Campbell, James G. Chase, James Cross, Cornelius Callahan, Oscar C. Dexter, Thomas Dickerson, John DeCow, D. Davidson, Christian Everson, Hover Everson, Gilbert Erickson, David Frasier, Acles H. Fannon, Nelson Fisher, Orson Graudy, Benjamin Goodwater, K. Goodmanson, George Gulbranson, Josiah Goddard, George Helmer, Andrew Hoverson, Ole A. Hanky, John Halvorsen, Torger Halvorsen, Peter Halvorsen, Phillip Husted, D. D. Huff, Thomas J. Hazlitt, Anthony Huber, Geo. Herzog, H. Harkins, Ole Herbranson, Henry Holm, Benjamin Hollenbach, John R. Howard, Knud Herbranson, William Horton, Phillip Howe, Moses Hostetler, Christopher Hoverson, Halvor Johnson, John Johnson, Ever Johnson, John R. Johnson, John G. Johnson, Andrew Johnson, Martin Johnson, Michael Johnson, Raid Knudson, Andrew Knudson, Toleff Knudson, William_Klontz, A. L. Kincaid, Elmar Knudson Charles Krech, G. S. Krumm, G. L. Krumm, Theophilus Krumm, J. N. Klein, James Kelley, Ever Knudson, James Lyon, Ellick Larson, John Livengood, Knud Larson, Valentine Larkins, Halgrim Larson, Phillip Lathrop, James R. Moore, James F. Moore, George Miers, Ezekiel E. Meader, William Meyer, Casper Meyer, J. N. Miller, G. Nelson, Ole Olson, (five of 'em) Barney Oleson, Magnus Oleson. Andrew Olson, Hover Olson (two), Christian Olson, John Olson, James Oleson, George Oleson, Arne Oleson, Herman Oleson, Knutson Oleson, J. Ostrander, William Painter, Ole Peterson, D. W. Pierce, William Padden, David Reed, Daniel Reed, John Ruller, Abraham Rosa, John Reams, Conrad Riley, S. Riddle, A. Russell, John Stuart, William Sharpe, John Shafer, M. B. Spencer, M. B. Sherwin, Ole Simonson, Geo. W. Tate, Michael Townsend, Ole Thoreson, Jacob Torgrimson, Sebastian Thaat, Ephraim Thompson, Nelson Torkleson, George Thaat, Mykle Toreson, Isaac Underhill, John Vail, John H. Varnall, John Williams, Silas Wheeler, Harrison Wheeler, Justus Wilson, Anna Yans.

Perhaps it would be well to follow up the list of the first taxpayers with a list of the early settlers, so far as such is obtainable. Such a list is necessarily, in a great measure, a repetition of what has been given in previous chapters. Through the kindness of Mr. A. K. Bailey, I am permitted the use of the old settlers' cards, taken as admission tickets at the door of Steyer's Opera House at the time of the organization of the Old Settlers Association, July 4, 1876. It was the object of the inventor of this mode

of gaining admission, not only to make the cards serve that purpose, but also to give a condensed history of each individual; and in order to serve this purpose to the best advantage, printed cards, with blank spaces to fill, were used. The person gaining admission by this means was obliged to fill the blank spaces left for that purpose, and which, when filled, would give his age, when married, to whom and what year, and the date of his settlement in the county, as well as the number of the section on which he settled.

The following list of the very early settlers is quite complete: Hamilton Campbell and his wife, Sarah, came to Winneshiek County June 7, 1848, and settled on sections 23-26, Bloomfield Township. Hamilton Campbell was born in 1802, and married in 1838.

Gotlob Krum and wife came to Winneshiek County on the 29th of June, 1848, and settled on the N. W. Q. of Section 17, in what is Washington township.

Gotleib Krum, June 29, 1848. Washington.

David Reed and wife settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 25 August 15, 1848, Bloomfield Township.

Daniel Reed settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 25; August 15, 1848, Bloomfield Township.

John N. Topliff settled on the S. E. Q. of Section 25, of Bloomfield Township. April 1, 1848.

Andrew Meyer and wife came to Winneshiek County on the 1st of April, 1849, and settled in Washington Township on Section 23. Phenas Banning settled on the N. W. of N, W. Q. of Section 5, in what is now Bloomfield Township, in June, 1859.

William Day and Elizabeth, his wife, came to Winneshiek County and settled on what is now Decorah, on the 10th of June, 1849. John F. Day, same. Richard V. Day, same. Claibourne Day, same.

Ö. W. Emery came to Winneshiek County on the 20th of August, and settled on the N. W. Q. of Section 17, Canoe Township Josiah Goddard, Jr., October 10, 1849, Decorah.

The following are settlers who made a permanent settlement in the county in 1850:

David Kinnison and his wife Henrietta, who settled on the N. W. Q. of Section 7.

John DeCow and his wife Mary D., who settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 1, in Bloomfield Township, June 29.

A. O. Lommen and his wife, Seigie, who settled on the E of N. W. Q. of Section 2, in Springfield Township, June 12.

Erick Anderson settled on the S. E. Q. of Section 24, Springfield Township, June 12.

A. K. Anderson came to Winneshiek County on the 20th of June, and settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 23, Springfield Township.

Tolef Simianson and his wife Betsy, came to Winneshiek County July 2, and settled ou the N. E. Q. of Section 1, Springfield Township.

Russell Dean, April, Bloomfield Township.

Ole G. Johnson settled on the S. W. Q. of Section 31, Glenwood Township, July 2.

Nelson Johnson and his wife Hannah came to Winneshiek County on the 2d of July, and settled on the N. E. Q. of Section. 36, Decorah.

Orin Simmons came to Winneshiek County on the 3d of July, and settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 23, Decorah Township.

E. G. Opdahl came to Winneshiek County on the 4th of July, and settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 14, Springfield Township. Albert Opdahl settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 14, Springfield Township, July 4th, and his wife, Mary H., settled on the N. W. Q. of the N. W. Q. of Section 13, Decorah Towhship, July 25.

John W. Holm came to Winneshiek County on the 30th of July, and settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 33, Canoe Township.

Benjamin L. Bisby came to Winneshiek County on the 1st of August, and settled on the S. W. Q. of Section 29, Hesper Township.

Peter K. Langland and his wife Emma, came to Winneshiek County in August, and settled on the N. W. Q. of Section 10, Pleasant Township.

John Evanson came to Winneshiek County on the 25th of September, and settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 32, Madison Township.

Christopher A. Estrim and his wife Juger Caroline, settled on the S. half of S. E. Q. of Section 5, on the 3d of September, Frankville.

John Fredenburg settled, the 20th of October, on the N. W. Q. of Section 6, Canoe Township.

William Padden and wife settled 25th of November, Section 28, Frankville Township.

John Rosa came to Winneshiek County with his father, and settled on the Washington Prairie.

Jacob Duff, Frankville.

Edward Tracy, Decorah.

Walter Rathbun and his wife Welthie came to Winneshiek County in March, and settled on the N. W. Q. of Section 16. The following is a partial list of the pioneers who came to the county in 1851:

E. C. Dunning and wife settled on settled 16, Decorah Township, June 20th.

Geo. Blake, April, Bloomfield Township.
Russell Dean, April, Bloomfield.

E. E. Clement, Springfield, settled March 1, on the S. W. S. W. Q. of Section 1, Springfield Township.

D. D. Huff and his wife Anna settled April 26, on the S. E. Q. of Section 29, Hesper Township.

Peter E. Haugen came to Winneshiek county on the 12th of May, and settled on the N. W. Q. of Section 31, Decorah Township.

Simeon M. Leach and his wife settled on the 12th of May, on the S. W. Q. of Section 17, Canoe Township.

A. V. Anderson and wife, Parmelia, settled the first part of June, on the N. E. Q. of Section 24.

Torket Hansen and his wife, Sophronia, came to Winneshiek county about the 15th day of June, and settled on the N. E. Q. of Section 25, Decorah Township.

Christopher Evans settled the 15th of June, on the N. E. Q. of Section 32, Glenwood Township.

Iver G. Ringstad and wife settled in Madison Township on the 30th of June, on the S. half of Section 29.

Herbrand Onstine settled in Madison Township.

Helge Nelson Myran settled in Madison township, on the S. W. S. W. Q. of Section 8.

Ole M. Asleson and wife settled July 12, on the N. E. Q. of Section 8, Madison Township.

William Birdsall and his wife, Mary, settled on Section 28, Frankville Township, on the 13th of August.

Gulbrand Erickson Wig, settled in September, on the S. E. Q. of Section 36, Madison Township.

Gulbrand T. Lommen settled on Section 33, Decorah Township.

Ole Kittleson and wife settled on Section 17, Decorah Township.

Philip Husted.

W. L. Iverson, Mount Pleasant.

Isaac Birdsall, Frankville.

Ole Toleffson Wig, and his wife, Thora, settled on Section 31, Decorah Township.

Geo. V. Putney settled on Section 30, Burr Oak Township.
A. K. Drake, Decorah.

Erick Olsen Bakke and wife settled on Section 5, Frankville Township.

Nathan Drake settled on Section 7, Glenwood Township.

Rolland Tobiason and wife settled on Section 10, Springfield Township.

CHAPTER II.

The Winnebago Indians; Our County and County Seat Named after their Chiefs; Early History of the Tribe; their Career in Wisconsin; Removal to Iowa, in Winneshiek County; Fort Atkinson; the Chiefs Winneshiek and Decorah; the Grave of the Latter, and Re-interment of His Remains; Indian Traders and Whisky Selling; Bloody Tragedies; Indian Customs and Habits.

As our county and county seat have taken their names from the chiefs of the Winnebago Indians, it will be of interest, as well as of historic value, to trace the history of our historic predecessors on this soil, even though we have little clue, except by the remains left by the mound builders, of the races of the prehistoric ages of the past. It is now about two and a half centuries since the civilized world began to gain knowledge of the existence in the Far West of a tribe of Indians known as the Winnebagoes, that is, "Men of the Sea;" pointing possibly to their early emigration from the shores of the Mexican Gulf or the Pacific. Northern Wisconsin and the upper northwestern peninsula of Michigan were in early times inhabited by several tribes of the Algonquin race, forming a barrier to the Dakotas or Sioux, who had advanced eastward to the Mississippi. But the Winnebagoes, although one of the tribes belonging to the family of the latter, had passed the Mississippi at some unknown period, and settled upon the head waters of Green Bay. Some historians claim that they came from Mexico, whence they fled to escape the Spaniards.

The

Here the "sea tribe" as early, it is believed, as 1634, was visited by an agent of France, and a treaty concluded with them. tribe afterward called themselves Hochungara, or Ochunkora, but were styled by the Sioux Hotanke or Sturgeon. Nothing more is heard of the Ouenibigoutz or Winnebegouk (as the Winnebagoes were called by the Jesuit missionaries, and the Algonquin tribes, meaning men from the fetid or salt water, translated by the French, Puants) for the next thirty-five years, although there is no doubt that the tribe had been visited, meanwhile, by adventurous Frenchmen, when on the second of December, 1669, some of this nation were noted at a Sac (Sauk or Saukie's) village on Green Bay, by Father Allouez. As early, at least as 1670, the French were actively engaged among the Winnebagoes trading. "We found affairs," says one of the Jesuit missionaries, who arrived among them in September of that year, "we found affairs in a pretty bad condition, and the minds of the savages much soured against the French who were there trading; ill-treating them in deeds and words, pillaging and conveying away their merchandise in spite of them, and conducting themselves toward

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