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WATER REVIEWEDby Mrs. E.G. Zellmer for County Meeting in Center(The following historical and geological record of Fair Water and vicinity was prepared in 1922 by Mrs E. G. Zellmer, the former Lau-Riemer, and read by her at theraFond du Lac”,area to Brownmeeting of the Fon Du Lac County Historical society at its meeting in the Civic Center Monday evening.)At the time of the creation of Fon Du Lac county, but one family lived within its borders, that of Col-wert Pier, and for that reason no provision was made for its organization. Hence, all that could be accomplished by the legislature wasthe establishment of boundary lines, designating the county seat “at the town of and attaching the county for judicialIt was not untilthat an act was approved designating boundaries “for the purpose of county government only”. The territorial legislature on Jan. 6, 1840detached all that territory north oftownships 16 N in ranges 14, 15, 16, 17 east to form a portion of Winnebago county.The same act took from Calumet county fractional townships 17 N in ranges 18, 19 east and added them to Fon Du Lac county, whichconstituted nearly the whole of the present town of Calumet.purposes.March II, 1839Set County Limits in 1848By the provisions of act approved Jan. 22, 1844 “all that por-:ion of Lake Winnebago lying south pf a direct line drawn from the xiint where the southern boundary if the Brothertown Reservation en-ers said lake on the east, to the ownship line between townships 16*nd 17 on the west side of said lake” was made a part of Fon Du ^ac County. A legislative act March , 1848 established the present lim-ts of Fon Du Lac county.The region now comprising thecounty of Fond du Lac was visited by the French traders as early as1787 when a trading post was established at the forks of the Fon Du Lac river by Jacob Franks of Green Bay. His clerk, Franks of Green Bay. His clerk. Jacques Poltier, was placed in charge of the stock of goods. Franks sent his nephew, John Lawe, to manage the post in 1791.Shortly after Franks established his trading post, Augustin Grignon set up an Intian trading post on the west branch of the river below the first rapirds. About 1819, Peter Grignon, nephew of Augustin, passed the winter in a shanty which stood between Forest and West Ii-vision street.districts were created. Green Bay and W isconsin.Land Cost $1.25 AcreGreen Bay to New OrleansBrisbois,also wasIt is reported that about 1781 white men traded with Indians of the Winnebage tribe at their village near the present I aycheedah. Other Indian tribes gathered at the place to exchange pelts for gewgaws and whiskey with their white brothers of the French nation.Some of their names have been recorded. Laurent DuCharme, a Canadian named Chavodreuil, who was killed by a jealous Indian:Joseph Rolette, Michael and Ace, a Spaniard who killed by a red man.The practise of these traders was to ascend the Fon Du lac river in canoes laden with merchandise, Portage to the Rock river,' than descend that stream to the Mississippi,which brought them to the Indian villages along its banks.The U.S. Government commenced a survey of the land in1818. By the end of 1833, a large portion of what is now southern and eastern Wisconsin had been surveyed, and, by an act of congressapproved June 26, 1834, two landFon Du Lac county was included in the Green Bay district in whichtown a government land office was established where a posted notice informed all that the lands surveyed were for sale. The sale was heldearly in 1835. Lands not disfxisedof at that time became open for entry. A large |ortion of F'on IXj Lac County was thus obtained fromthe government by early settlersand speculators at $1.25 an acre.Colwert Pier became the pioneer of the county in IHi6 through an arrangement with a land company formed to exploit the area. The first cabin built by a white man in the town of Metomen was by Col.Mansfield in 1844 hut he did notbring his family until several otherhouses were erected.ITie first entry of land was madeMay 29. 1844 by ( I) I ligley, butthe first home was founded by Daniel F.ggleston, who brought his family the latter part of June, 1845 and settled on what is now the Beilke farm, a mile north of Fair-i Water. All government land had |been claimed by actual settlers two years later.1846 A Busy YearHie town of Metomen was organized April 7, 1846 at the F. I).Bowman house. Samuel Carter was chairman and A. C. Robbins, clerk. The towns of Waupun and Alto also were a part of Metomen at this time.The first birth in the town wasthat of Franklin French on Oct. 26, 1845 in the unfinished cabin ofJacob Carter on what is now the Herman Korth farm. The first sermon was preached in the spring of(Condnuod on Pag# Thr#«)r,
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Brandon Times
Brandon, Wisconsin, US
Thu, May 19, 1955
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Joe W.
WI, USA 25 Sep 2020
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