This is taken from the journal of Increase Allen Lapham
as he rode from Milwaukee to Green Bay Wisconsin during the winter of 1843.
On Monday, February 20, A.D. 1843, very early in the morning I took leave of my wife and family, being duly supplied by her with overcoats, cloaks and furs sufficient for a winter exposure at the North Pole, and left Milwaukee for a jaunt to the north in my cutter drawn by my favorite horse "Adelaide". As I passed through the streets but few signs of life were to be seen, at least human life; for at this early hour only the most industrious and enterprising (like myself) had shaken off old Morpheus and commenced their daily occupations.
Soon after passing the corporation line the moisture in the atmosphere began to congeal and fall in the form of hard round drops of snow or hail, which upon striking against me left a kind of sting which can be compared only to the bite of a mosquito. These drops gradually became larger and less compact until we had a regular built snow storm and I found my umbrella a very useful article ...
By following some partially beaten tracks through the woods and by small clearings I soon gained the main road and set Adelaide going in earnest for Fond du Lac, the first town of much importance to be met with on this road. The quantity of saw logs, fire wood and other products of the forest and the farms brought down this road is such that a very smooth and hard track is made over which we glided swiftly and easily having only, to be careful to avoid striking the stumps and logs that are very close to the road. I crossed the east branch of the Menomonee and passed a sleigh load of men, at the same time, all covered with snow which was falling.
At fifteen miles from Milwaukee I passed in sight of the saw mill at Menomonee Falls, an interesting little water fall, which I did not see and consequently will not describe. Abundance of excellent lime stone may be quarried here, some good as building material.
Made the next halt at Vaughn's, seventeen miles from town where there is a very copious spring of pure water. Such springs are common here. From this place the settlements began to be more scarce and the distance between houses to increase rapidly. All exhibit indubitable evidence of recent construction, indeed, one year ago scarcely any improvement could have been found beyond this point. At two dined at Case's Half Way House, being just thirty-two miles from Milwaukee and the same distance from Fond du Lac, agreeable to the road survey made last summer.
Fourteen miles further brought us to Rock river at the point entered by Mr. Juneau. (Solomon Juneau had a trading post on the Rock river in the 1830's and he moved there permanently in 1852. Around the trading post the modern village of Theresa grew). With one or two slight exceptions the country passed over today is covered with forest trees of the same kind that constitute the woods at Milwaukee.
Several places showed where deer had trampled down the snow, and dug holes in it to procure acorns in a manner similar to swine, indeed had it been a more thickly settled part of the country the hogs would have had the entire credit of making these holes.
As we approached the river, the signs of Indians became more and more frequent and finally I met two squaws. Several abandoned wigwams had been seen during the day consisting of poles bent over and united at the top so as to form, when covered, a hemisphere and towards evening several sugar houses in a state of neglect and decay were seen. These are made of split logs and are of much larger dimensions and have more the appearance of a house than the wigwam. Several scaffolds were seen, made of crotched sticks supporting poles laid horizontally against one or more trees. These are said to be for various purposes, but especially for a hiding place when an Indian lies in await for the approach of deer that are thus unconsciously brought within reach of his unerring aim. Dead bodies of their distinguished men are sometimes placed in similar situations....
About one hundred Indians constituting one of the twelve bands of the tribe called "Menomonees" or "Wild Rice Eaters" are now living near this place, subsisting upon venison and fish and preparing to make maple sugar in the spring. During the evening several of these Indians came to Mr. Darling's house where I was stopping in the famous village of Fond du Lac, which consists of two houses, one a blacksmith shop! Among these Indians was the chief of the band whose name is Saugum or "He Who Scares Everybody", a tall good looking man except when he smiles and shows his fine row of pure white teeth in a most ludicrous manner.
During our last war with Great Britain this man took an active part against the United States at Mackinac and Chicago. At the latter place he assisted in the horrible massacre of the garrison. He relates, as I am informed by Mr. Narcisse Juneau, that the whites would not have been arrested in their march but for the interference of a "Half Breed". Historians inform us that the fort was surrendered with all the public property on condition that the whites should be allowed to go home unmolested, that the powder was, contrary to this agreement, thrown into the well and the liquor thrown away by the soldiers before they left, fearing to trust these things in the hands of the savages, and that as soon as the Indians discovered this want of faith they followed the retiring garrison and killed every one of them! But Mr. Juneau says the Commandant at the Fort had, before leaving, given each Indian a shirt as a present and that the half breed above mentioned, told them that the smallpox was in every shirt and that they were given to the Indians for their destruction. Immediately the war cry was raised and the pursuit commenced. The Commandant was the last to share the fate of his companions. Mounted on a horse with his daughter behind him, he ran from the horrible scene and for some unknown reason, he directed his course back towards the fort. His motive for this was immediately supposed, by the Indians to be to kill all the squaws, who were left unprotected at the fort, before the men could return, and thus revenge the loss of his own life and that of his companions. His daughter was first shot and fell from behind him, next his horse and finally he was shot by some secret foe. Many interesting facts might probably be gathered from this aged man relative to the war and the state of the country at this time....
After leaving Darling's I rode three and half miles across the prairie where I saw Indian mounds. Found a ridge running parallel to Lake Winnebago to Tacheeda, (sic) where there is a store and five or six neatly painted frame houses. Lake Winnebago is covered with ice, I could not see the north coast. I came very near perishing last fall on this lake about one mile from shore in a shallow place.
Beyond Tacheeda I met teams hauling limestone from the "Ledge" giving evidence of enterprise and improvement. Overtook two Brothertown Indians, one with a wooden leg, took them into the cutter, they were very polite, intelligent and thankful for the short ride.
Limestone similar to that of Milwaukee, destitute of organic remains. The road goes along a ledge above the tops of the trees in the bottom near Lake Winnebago. Crossed a deep valley and brook on both sides of which are high mounds. Ten miles from Tacheeda I passed Pipe Village, where there are three houses and a blacksmith shop.... Half a mile further passed a new frame house, immense cornice, no trees or other appearance of taste. Stopped at Fowlers seventeen miles from Fond du Lac, forty-two from Green Bay and sixty-four from Milwaukee.
I left Fowlers on the 22nd at 8 o-clock. The weather clear and cold, I needed all my furs. First eight miles all basswood, sixteen miles began to see Pine with other trees, it soon became common and continued to Green Bay. Struck the Neenah (Fox) river fifteen miles above the Bay, it is a broad stream, banks high and bold and continued so to the Bay.
DePere a pretty town-some aircastles. Dam partially repaired, sawmill in operation. Thence to Green Bay, appearance of an old country, many houses decaying. Put up at the "Astor House" kept by Mr. Green on the 22nd. The three following days attended to business. . . .
Sunday the 26th. Last night a severe gale with snow commenced which continued through this day and night, the severest storm of this winter. The Astor House was made in the day of speculators, does not stand plumb, rooms cracked, large snow drifts forced through cracks in every window and door, well furnished and as well kept as can be at Green Bay. Town very dull, very little business. Too far ahead of the country, which is none of the best and consequently will be filled up but slowly. When that is done the town will again improve. The citizens live in the hope of the improvement of the Neenah and Wisconsin rivers from which they expect much. Went to Church, which (in some measure owing to the storm) was but poorly attended. Church highly ornamental, a poor place to learn humility. Good sermon, the clergyman disapproved of children making opposition to their parents, churches to their clergy and people to their governors.
Started for home at 3 o-clock February 27th, rode twenty-four miles to a tavern. Here the storm which commenced at Green Bay in the night, did not commence until about noon-singular for it blew in this direction. S. W.
On the 28th I rode to Juneau on the Rock river fifty-five miles, reaching home, forty-six miles on the first of March.
Written by Increase A. Lapham