There are general stores by Shreiber & Forman, T. H. Tower. and several other mercantile houses, including P. J. Huber's hardware store, and J. C. Morris' jewelry store. The hotels are the wellknown Warren House and the Summer's House. We gather much of the following from Sparks' History:

The fort bearing the name of the successful Indian General, Atkinson, the hero of the Black Hawk war, was commenced on the 2d of June, 1840, A company of mechanics, about fifty in number, contracted to do the work. Among the number was James Tapper, residing at Monona. These men were escorted from Fort Crawford, Wis., to the place selected for the Fort, by Company F., 5th U. S. Infantry, commanded by Isaac Lyon. A captain of artillery named Sumner, who became the illustrious Gen. E. V. Sumner of the late rebellion, superintended the building of the fort, aided by Happy Jack. his First Lieutenant. Sumner held command of the fort until the Mexican war, when he was detailed to fields furnishing more active service.

The fort was built for the protection of the Winnebago Indians from the hostile and predatory tribes surrounding them, as well as for the protection of the pioneer settlers. It was stone masonry work, situated on an eminence north of the present town of Fort Atkinson, and originally consisted of four main buildings, and two gun houses, as represented in the following diagram.

[A, B, C and D, Barracks or Main Buildings; F and H, Gun Houses; E, Powder House; G, Flag Staff.]

The fort was built in the shape of a square, inclosing an acre of ground, the material of which it was built being prepared at Fort Crawford. The cost o making a wagon-road, the same ever since known as the Old Military, and transporting the material to its place of destination, augmented the cost of building the fort to the enormous sum of $93,000 It was afterwards sold at auction to private parties for $3,521. In 1845 Capt. Sumner still held command of the fort. The force at that time consisted of a company of infantry and one of dragoons. In 1846 Capt. Sumner left for Mexico, and the fort was then garrisoned by two companies of volunteers. Capt. James Morgan, of Burlington, succeeded to the command of the infantry, and Capt. John Parker, of Dubuque, to the command of the dragoons. In 1847 Capt. Morgan's company was mustered out of the service, and Capt. Parker given entire charge of the fort until the removal of the Indians, in 1848. It was found necessary to use force to compel them to vacate the country. Captain Knowlton, afterwards Judge Knowlton, was detailed to assist the command under Capt. Parker.

After the removal of the Indians, in 1848, there was no further necessity for keeping up military appearances, consequently the fort, as a military rendez

vous, was dispensed with: yet the government did not entirely abandon it. A man named Alexander Faulkner was appointed to look after it. Soon after, Faulkner was relieved by Geo. Cooney, a well-known citizen of the county, who is yet living in the vicinity of the old fort.

In 1853, after the removal of the Indians, the fort became useless as government property, and the administration then in power decided to dispose of it at public auction.

On the reception of this news, in July, 1853, one of the Day boys visited Mr. Cooney at the fort and informed him that, the fort would be sold at auction the next Wednesday. This intelligence was sad news to him; he undoubtedly would have much rather heard of somebody's wedding. By previous agreement he had promised to inform certain parties of the sale when it should take place; and he immediately dispatched a messenger with the intelligence to H. D. Evans and S. A. Clark of Prairie du Chien, and another to the Bishop at Dubuque. On the morning of the sale these parties were present bringing with them $4,000 in gold to purchase it with. John M. Flowers, Capt. Frazier, and a gentleman from White Pigeon, were also on the ground in hopes of purchasing the fort.

The Flowers were extraordinary characters, and played no little part in the history of Fort Atkinson. There were two brothers of them, and were classed with Charley Clark, Coleman and Tavernier, as "the Canadians." These Canadians came to the fort with the intention of making a living easily. They had somehow got the impression that Fort Atkinson was destined to be a great city, and thought it afforded a rich field in which to exercise their wit and shrewdness to benefit themselves. In language not to be misunderstood, they were sharpers.

Flowers wanted to get possession of the fort property. and induced a widowed English lady by the name of Newington to purchase it-he bidding the same off. As the bidding progressed and the price advanced in the Fort, Flowers became fearful that he would not be able to make the purchase, and asked those bidding against him, what they would take to stop where they were. Clark, Evans and the others held a consultation, and as a result agreed to take $25. Flowers said he would give it, and accordingly wrote his note for the amount. Said note read as follows:

"I owe you $25 for value received.

"Dated Fort Atkinson, 1853."

"J. M. FLOWERS.

Four years after this note was given, Mr. Evans placed it in Mr. Cooney's hands (who was a justice of peace at the time) for collection. Three years later Mr. Cooney got his pay out of Flowers in sawing.

The fort was sold to Flowers for $3,521.

In 1857 a grist mill was commenced on the site where the Ames Mill now stands. Finkle & Clark were the builders, and they received a certain portion of the town-plat for building the mill, getting a warranty deed for the same. Mr. McMillan, a resident of Fort Atkinson, who resided, previous to 1857, in Canada, and an acquaintance of Finkle, was induced by Finkle to accompany him to the United States, and aid in the construction of the mill, with promises of a fair remuneration. The mill was completed in November, but, owing to some miscalculation of the architect in laying out the foundation, when the water was let through the floom it undermined the wall, and rent the mill in twain, precipitating a portion of it into Turkey River. The mill was reconstructed shortly afterward.

It is estimated that in 1857, when the Fort was at the summit of its grandeur, it had a population of 500 souls. A public school, of course, would be a necessary adjunct to so thriving a community. Consequently one was organized, and an estimable and capable teacher was found in the person of Dr. E. Hazen, now a professor in the medical department of the State University, and generally acknowledged as standing at the head of his profession in the state. To Dr. Hazen belongs the credit of teaching the first school at the

Fort. The Doctor had met Mr. McKinney and wife, at the commencement of Oberlin College, and was advised by them to emigrate west. He was then a young man and had graduated. Mr. J. P. McKinney, assisted by his wife, taught the second term of school at the Fort. The school session was held in one of the fort buildings, and their enrollment of scholars numbered nearly 100. A Mr. Sharp, from Fayette county, kept the first hotel in the place. He dispensed his hospitality in one of the fort buildings.

Martin Bachel was the first Constable elected.

J. P. McKinney was the first Notary Public.

The new town of Fort Atkinson was commenced in 1869. The same year the railroad entered the place, J. T. Clark's Addition was made to the town, Aug. 28, 1869. This addition was formerly known as the Tavernier Farm, and was sold to J. T. Clark at sheriff's sale several years previous. Its location is on the southwest quarter of Section 8, Town 96, Range 9. Main Street is eighty feet wide. All the other streets are sixty feet wide. The blocks number from 1 to 14, inclusive.

About this period the first church building was erected. It was located north of the old fort, and built by the aid of subscriptions. The Methodist church was built soon after. It is located on the old town site, and was built by the aid of S. B. Dunlop, a wealthy farmer residing near by, and largely with his money.

The J. P. McKinney, several times referred to in the above sketch, of Fort Atkinson, and who, with his wife, taught school there, is now a resident of Decorah, and is mail agent on the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway between McGregor and St. Paul. Mrs. McKinney is a zealous female suffrage advocate, and a leader in that cause in this part of the state.

On the 15th of June, 1878, Congressman T. W. Burdick, of Decorah, had an interesting conversation with Rev. J. L. Elliott, of Washington, D. C., who was the first chaplain at Fort Atkinson. He went there in the fall of 1844. The Mission School was five miles away, where Supt. Lowry had a school for boys and girls, and also taught sewing, the cutting of garments, etc. Chaplain Elliott taught the post school at the fort, consisting of children of the officers and men, and ranging from 22 to 25 pupils; he preached on Sunday, and sometimes exchanged with Mr. Lowry. Henry M. Rice, afterwards U. S. Seuator from Minnesota, was sutler. In 1848 the Indians were removed to Blue Earth, Minn., Indian reservation. Mr. Elliott's office was vacated and the post abandoned early in 1849.

MILITARY TOWNSHIP-OSSIAN.

Military township adjoins Washington on the east. The Chicago, Milwaukee anc St. Paul railway runs through the northeast part of the township-population 1,521. The thriving village of Ossian had, by the census of 1880, a population of 444, which has increased somewhat since that time. It is on the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railway, about one mile northeast of the center of the township. It is 12 miles south of Decorah, on a broad prairie, beautifully rolling and richly productive. Among its prominent business institutions are the Ossian Bank, Meyer & Carter proprietors, one of them M. J. Carter, an able practicing

attorney; two elevators, a hotel kept by R. A. Kennedy, the general store kept by H. A. Baker & Bro., H. A. Baker being present state senator; and a number of other stores and places of business, a Methodist and a Catholic church, a school being connected with the latter, of wich Rev. Tierney is pastor. Ossian has a good public school, with an average daily attendance of over 100, of which J. C. Murphy is principal and Miss Sarah Owens assistant. The Ossian Creamery, C. W. Williams & Co., proprietors, makes about 800 pounds of butter a day on the average. The largest amount made in any one day 1,650 pounds.

The present officers of the town are: Mayor, J. Malloy; Recorder, C. J. Mills; Treasurer, (). Thompson; Trustees, D. Jack, J. Becker, T. R. Winn, John Collins, P. H. Mills.

T. B. Wood, who removed there from Calmar, published Ossian's first newspaper, which lived but a short time, as did also the one started in 1876 by one Morey. The Ossian Independent was started in 1878 by E. L. Howe, and was published something over a year. The Ossian Herald was started August 19, 1880, by L. C. McKenney. It was purchased in the summer of 1882 by T. B. Hanna, who died in September, but the paper will probably be continued. The first number of the Herald gave the following brief history of Ossian:

"Ossian, the second village in Winneshiek county, was settled by John Ossian Porter, a native of Pennsylvania, in the year 1850. The next settlers in this vicinity were the Brookses, who came eighteen months later. To Chauncey Brooks and wife was born the first white child in the township, a daughter whom they named Mary. Mr. Porter erected the first house, a log cabin 18x20, which was for many years used for a hotel and stage station. Erick Anderson was the first merchant, aud John Case the first teacher; he taught a select school over Anderson's store. In 1870 a commodious brick school-house was built, which has since furnished ample accommodations for the scholars attending school. Thomas Larsen started the village cemetery, being killed by a runaway ox team. In March, 1876, the village was incorporated, with the following officers: Mayor, George McWilliams; Aldermen, James Kennedy, H. C. Burgess, Carl Eiler, S. D. Hinckley and J. J. Smith. Clerk, James Maloy."

John Ossian Porter, the first postmaster, and afterwards county sheriff, now lives on a farm in Springfield township.

Spark's History gives the following additional particulars of the founding of Ossian:

"The original town site of Ossian was laid out by its founder, John Ossian Porter, on the southeast corner of the section. It consisted of three blocks, in all fourteen lots. It was acknowledged by J. O. Porter and wife on the 13th of April, 1855, and was filed for record in the Recorder's office of Winneshiek county on the 30th of April, the same year. Mr. Elijah Middlebrook did the surveying. Two years later, on the 8th of April, Capt. C. E. Brooks achnowledged the plat of the first addition to Ossian, which was accordingly placed on the proper record. It consists of six blocks, containing sixty-three lots. On the 8th day of October, 1864, Capt. C. E. Brooks acknowledged the plat of his second addition to Ossian, which consisted of thirty blocks, divided into lots. This plat was properly recorded. On the 4th day of May, 1869, he laid out ten additional blocks, and called it Brooks' Western Addition to Ossian. This, so far as the records show, was the last addition to the place, and, minus the vacaion of a few blocks by Mr. Brooks, is the Ossian of to-day.

"The year 1865 marked a new era in the history of Ossian. That which was the death blow of Frankville-the railroad-gave fresh life to Ossian. During this year the railroad was built past its door. Thevear before, C. E. Brooks made a fresh addition to the place, which was far-sighted, for town lots were in demand immediately. The following year the construction of numerous dwellings was commeneed, and business interests of various kinds multiplied.

"Ossian was nearly twenty-one years of age before a single church edifice had been erected. The Catholics erected a building for worship, which was the first, about the year 1869. About two years later the Methodists built a church.'

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP-CASTALIA.

This is the southeastern corner township of the county. The headwaters of Yellow River flow through its northern part. Population, 1,010. Castalia village and postoffice is about a mile southwest of the center of the township, and is on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, which reached there October 12, 1864. The population of Castalia by the census of 1880 was 108. It has two churches. A. W. Kramer, postmaster, keeps a general store, and there are other branches of business.

The history of Moneek, in a preceding chapter, is an early history of the settlement in Bloomfield township, in which it was located; as is also the brief mention of Rattletrap, the name given to Castalia in early times. Hamilton Campbell and wife, claimed by some as previously recorded-to be the first permanent settlers in the country, came there and settled sections 23 and 26 on June 7, 1848. David Reed and wife, and Daniel Reed, settled there August 15, 1849. Other record of early settlers is found in that of early settlers of the county, in a previous chapter, John N. Topliff and Russell Dean, being among them.

GENERAL REMARKS.

It will be seen that no attempt has been made to enumerate the churches and school houses in the different villages and townships. but only prominent ones. The general enumeration has been given in a preceding chapter. Some of the finest churches are situated away from villages and are prominent landmarks on the rolling prairie, their location being such as to accomodate the residents of the country about them.

The voting places at general elections are one to each township, except Calmar, which has its first voting precinct at Calmar, and the second at Spillville, and Washington township, with its first precinct at Festina and the second at Fort Atkinson.

And right here the attention of the writer is called to the different spellings of the county "Winnesheik." The printer of this volume has caused the word to be spelled Winneshiek; it is so spelled in Sparks' history of the county, and in Tuttle's History of Iowa. But the people of the county almost invariably spell it "Winnesheik," and it is so spelled in Andreas' Atlas of Iowa. But, however the spelling may be, it is pronounced as if spelled "Win-ne-sheek," with the accent on the first syllable.