Iowa County Genealogical Society (WI) Chronology

1816 - When Indiana became a state, the territory of the United States northwest of the River Ohio, contained Ohio and Indiana, the territories of Illinois and Michigan, only, so the narrow strip, formerly a part of the Indiana territory, lying east of a line drawn due north from Vincennes (Indiana) and west of the western boundary line of the Michigan Territory, belonged to neither, and was left without any organization. However, upon the admission of Illinois into the Union in 1818, all the territory of the United States, northwest of the River Ohio, lying west of Michigan Territory and north of the States of Indiana and Illinois, was attached to and made a part of the Michigan Territory; by which act the whole of the present State of Wisconsin came under the jurisdiction of the latter. During the existence of the Territory of Illinois, a kind of jurisdiction was had over the two settlements in what is now Wisconsin.
On the 26th day of October, 1818 Lewis Cass, governor of the Territory of Michigan, proclaimed three territorial counties: Michilimackinac, Brown and Crawford. The county of Michilimackinac not only included all of the present State of Wisconsin lying north of a line drawn due west from near the head of the Little Noquet bay, but territory east and west of it, so as to reach from Lake Huron to the Mississippi River. Its county seat was established "at the Borough of Michilimackinac." The whole area in Michigan Territory south of the county of Michilimackinac and west of Lake Michigan formed the two counties of Brown and Crawford: The former to include the area east of a line drawn due north and south through the middle of the portage between the Fox river of Green bay and the Wisconsin; the latter to include the whole region west of that line. Prairie du Chien was designated as the county seat of Crawford; Green Bay of Brown County.
In 1824, the lead ore in the southwestern part of Wisconsin began to attract attention. From 1826-1830, there was a great rush of miners to this region, somewhat like the Pike's Peak excitement at a later date. The lead-producing region of Wisconsin covers an area of about 2,200 square miles, and embraces parts of Iowa, Grant, and LaFayette counties. Ø On the 22nd of December, 1826, a county named Chippewa was formed from the northern portions of Michilimackinac, including the southern shores of Lake Superior throughout its entire length, and extending from the straits leading from that lake into Lake Huron, west to the western boundary line of Michigan Territory, with the county seat "at such point in the vicinity of the Sault Ste. Marie, as a majority of the county commissioneres to be appointed shall designate". Embraced within this county, its southern boundary being the parrallel 46 degreees 31 minutes north latitude, all the territory of the present State of Wisconsin now bordering on Lake Superior.
For a long time it had been known that there were lead mines in what is now the southwestern portion of the State; but it was not until the year 1825, and the two following years, that very general attention was attracted to them, which eventuated in the settlement of different places in that region, by Americans, who came to dig for lead ore. This rapid increase of settlers awakened the jealousy of the Winnebago Indians, at what they deemed an unauthorized intrusion upon their lands, which, with other causes operating unfavorably upon their minds, aroused them in June 1827 to open acts of hostility. Murders became frequent. Finally, the militia of Prairie du Chien was called out. On the twenty-ninth of August, Brigadier-General Henry Atkinson of the United States Army, with a strong force of regulars, ascended the Wisconsin River to put an end to any further spread of Winnebago distrubances. He was joined on the first of September by one hundred and thirty Galena volunteers, mounted and under command of General Henry Dodge. The Winnebagoes were awed into submission. Thus ended, the "Winnebago War." It was followed by the erection at the portage of Fort Winnebago, by the United States. After the restoration of tranquility, the United States proceeded by treaty with the Indians, to secure the right to occupy the lead regions. This was in 1828. The next year, the General Government purchased of the Winnebagoes, Southwestern Wisconsin, which put an end to all trouble on account of mining operations. On the ninth of October 1829, a county was formed by the legislative council of the Territory of Michigan, comprising all that part of Crawford County lying south of the Wisconsin River. This new county was called Iowa. The county seat was temporarily established at Mineral Point. Following this treaty in 1831, with the Menomonees, for all their lands east of Green bay, Winnebago lake, and the Fox and Milwaukee rivers. In June 1832, a new force had been raised and put under the command of General Atkinson, who commenced his march up the Rock river. Before this, there had been a general "forting" in the lead region, including the whole country in Southwest Wisconsin, notwithstanding which, a number of settlers had been killed by the savages, mostly in Illinois. Squads of volunteers, in two or three instances, had encountered the Indians; and in one with entire success - upon the Pecatonica, in what is now LaFayette county, Wisconsin - every savage (and there were 17 of them) being killed. The loss of the volunteers was three killed and wounded. Atkinson's march up the Rock river was attended with some skirmishing; when being informed that Black Hawk and his force were at Lake Koshkonong, in the sothwest corner of what is now Jefferson county, Wisconsin, he immediately moved thither with a portion of his army, where the whole force was ordered to concentrate. But the Sac chief with his people had flown. Colonels Henry Dodge and James D. Henry, with the forces under them, discovered the trail of the savages, leading in the direction of the Wisconsin river. It was evident that the retreating force was large and that it had but recently passed. The pursuing troops hastened their march. On the 21st of July 1832, they arrived at the hills, which skirt the left bank of that stream, in what is now Roxbury town, Dane county. Here was Black Hawk's whole force, including women and children, the aged and infirm, hastening by every efforts to escape across the river.
1829 - large part of the Winnebago Indian land was in the SW where it laid between the Sugar River and the Mississippi river and extending to the Wisconsin river. This was sold to the General Government and 3 years later all the residue lying south and east of the Wisconsin and Fox river of Green Bay.
The survey of public lands by the General Government; the locating and opening of land offices at Mineral Point and Green Bay, the erection of Milwaukee county from a part of Brown to include all the territory bounded on the east and south by the east and south lines of the present State, on the north by what is now the north boundary of Washington and Ozaukee counties and farther westward on the north line of township numbered twelve, and on the west by the dividing line between ranges eight and nine; and changing of the eastern boundary of Iowa County to correspond with the western one of Milwaukee county - are some of the important events following the close of the Black Hawk war. There was an immediate and rapid increase of immigration, not only to the mining region but in various other parts of what is now Wisconsin, more especially in that portion bordering on Lake Michigan. The first sales were held at Green Bay and Mineral Point in the year 1835. The sale at Milwaukee was in 1839. From the reports of the general land office, it appears that from 1835 to 1845 inclusive, there were sold at the three land offices from public sale, 2,958,592 46/100 acres, amounting to $3,768,106.51. All three of these land offices were closed by the year 1881. By the provisions of law, when the number of acres of land in any one district is reduced to one hundred thousand acres, subject to private entry, the secretary of the interior is required to discontinue the office, and the lands remaining unsold are transferred to the nearest land office, to be there subject to sale.
At the public land sales at Mineral Point, held in 1835, all those tracts on which lead was found, or on which it was supposed to exist, were reserved to the United States, and were leaded under certain regulations by the government for a rent of ten per centum of all the lead raised. The quantity of land thus reserved was estimated at one million acres. Considerable difficulty was found in collecting these rentsm and subsequently it was abandoned, as the amount expended in collecting exceeded the value of the lead collected. In the period of four years the government suffered a loss of over nineteen thousand dollars.
Between 1829 and 1839, the production of lead increased from 5,000 to 10,000 tons. After the latter year, it rose rapidly, and attained its maximum in 1845, when it reached nearly 25,000 tons.
The establishing of a separate and distinct Territory west of Lake Michigan, was the result of the prospective admission of Michigan into the Union (an event which took place not until the 26th of January 1837), as the population, in all the region outside of the boundaries determined upon by the people for that State, would otherwise be left without a government, or, at least, it would be necessary to change the capital of the old Michigan Territory farther to the westward; so it was thought best to erect a new territory, to be called Wisconsin (an Indian word signifying wild rushing water, or channel, so called from the principal eastern tributary of the Mississippi within its borders), which was done by an act of Congress, approved April 20, 1836 to take effect from and after the 3rd day of July following. The Territory was made to include all that is now embraced within the State of Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and a part of the Territory of Dakota.
For the new Territory, Henry Dodge was, on the 30th of April 1836, by Andrew Jackson, then President of the United States, commissioned governor. John S. Horner was commisioned Secretary; Charles Dunn, chief justice; David Irvin and William C. Frazer, associate judges; W. W. Chapman, attorney and Francis Gehon, marshal.
In the summer of 1836 a population census of the new Wisconsin Territory was performed. The population for the Territory was found to be 22,214 with Iowa County representing 5,234 of the territory. The apportionment, after the census had been taken, made by the governor, gave to the counties 13 councilmen and 26 representatives. Iowa received 3 councilmen and 6 representatives.
The banks in Green Bay and Mineral Point went into operation just in time to play their part in the great panic of 1837. The bank at Green Bay soon failed and left is bills unredeemed. The bank at Mineral Point is said to have struggled a little longer, but both these concerns were short lived, and their issues were but a drop in the great flood of worthless wild-cat bank notes that spread over the whole western county in that disasterous time.
The election held on the 10th of October, 1836 was determined to provide answers to the following questions: the permanent location of the capital, the division of counties, and the loction of county seats along with the voting in of the councilmen and representatives. In Iowa County, the results for councilmen were Ebenezer Brigham, John B. Terry and James R. Vineyard; representatives included William Boyles, G. F. Smith, D. M. Parkinson, Thomas McKnight, T. Shanley, and J. P. Cox. Belmont, in the present county of LaFayette, then in Iowa County, was, by the governor, appointed the place for the meeting of the legislature; he also fixed the time - the 25th of October. A quorum was in attendance in both branches at the time decided upon for their assembling and the two houses were speedily organized. Each separate divisions of the government - the executive, the judicial and the legislative was now in working order, except that it remained for the legislature to divide the Territory into judicial districts and make an assignment of the judges; and for the governor to appoint a Territorial treasurer, auditor and attorney general. The act of Congress establishing the Territory required that it should be divided into three judicial districts. The counties of Crawford and Iowa were constituted by the legislature the first district, to which was assigned Chief Justice Dunn.
On the 26th day of November 1838, the legislature of the re-organized Territory of Wisconsin met at Madison. Governor Dodge recommended an investigation of the banks then in operation (one at Green Bay, one at Mineral Point and one at Milwaukee), and amongst other things, the justice of granting to all miners who have obtrained the ownership of mineral grounds under the regulations of the superintendent of the United States lead mines, either by discovery or purchase, the right of pre-emption.
The census of the Territory taken during the year 1838 showed a population of 18,130 an increase in two years of 6,447
In 1840 the US Census was taken and showed that the Wisconsin Territory now comprised of 37,744 an increase of 19,614 in just two years. Iowa County represented 3,978 of this number in population.
April 27, 1841 Moses Strong was succeeded by Thomas W. Sutherland as United States attorney for the Territory
September 27, 1841 James Duane Doty and Henry Dodge exchanged politcal offices. Doty was now the new governor of the Wisconsin Territory while Dodge took on his seat in the House of Representatives
June 1842 - Wisconsin Territorial census stood at 46,678 - an increase of nearly 10,000 is 2 years
The term of two years for which Henry Dodge was elected as a delegate, having expired at the close of the third session of the 27th congress, he was, on the 25th of September, 1843, re-elected, taking his seat for the first time on his second term at the commencement of the first session of the 28th congress, Monday, December 4, 1843.
Governor Doty having persisted in spelling Wisconsin with a "k" and an "a" - Wiskonsan - and some of the people having adopted his method, it was thought by the legislature of January 1845 a matter of sufficient importance to be checked. So, by a joint resolution, the orthography Wisconsin, employed in the organic act, was adopted as the true one for the Territory, and has ever since been used
James K. Polk having been inaugarated president of the United States on the fourth of March 1845, Henry Dodge was again put into the gubernatorial chair of the Territory, receiving his appointment on the 8th of April 1845. On the 22nd of September, Morgan L. Martin was elected delagate to the 29th congress as the successor of Henry Dodge.
The fourth and last session of the fourth legislative assembly was organized on the fifth of January 1846. This session, although a short one, proved very important. Preliminary steps were taken for the formation of a State government. The first Tuesday in April next succeeding was the day fixed upon for the people to vote for or against the proposition. When taken, it resulted in a large majority voting in favor of the measure. An act was passed providing for taking the census of the Territory, and for the appointment by the governor of delegates to form a State consitution, based upon the new enumeration.
Census figures for June 1846 showed the population of the Territory to be 155,277
The act of Congress, approved July 11, 1846, authorized the sale of the reserved mineral lands in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, and provided that, after six months public notice, the lands should not be subject to the rights of pre-emption until after the same had been offered at public salem when they should be subject to private entry. The law also provided, that, upon satsifactory proof being made to the register and receiver of the proper land office, any tract or tracts of land containing a mine or mines of lead ore actually discovered and being worked, would be sold in such legal subdivisions as would include lead mines, and no bid should be received therefore at less than the sum of two dollars and fifty cents per acre, and if such tract or tracts should not be sold at such public sale, at such price, nor should be entered at private sale within twelve months thereafter, the same should be subject to sales as other lands. This act was changed by an act approved March 3, 1847, providing that any one being in possession by actual occupancy of a mine discovered prior to the passage of this act, who should pay the same rents as those who held leases from the secretary of war, should be entitled to purchase the lands prior to the day of sale at five dollars per acre. Mineral lands were to be offered for sale in forty acre pieces, and no bids were to be received less than five dollars per acre, and if not sold they wee then to be subject to private entry at the same price. In 1847 or 1848, the reserved mineral lands were all disposed of at that price.
The constitution was formed was submitted to a popular vote on the first Tuesday of April 1847 and rejected.
Census figures for 1847 showed a population of 210,546
In 1847, the foundation of the present well-known firm of Marshall & Ilsley was laid by Samuel Marshall, who in that year, opened a private banking office in Milwaukee, and was joined in 1849 by Charles F. Ilsley. This concern has always held a prominent position among the banking institutions of our state. About this time, at Mineral Point, Washburn & Woodman (C.C. Washburn and Cyrus Woodman) engaged in private banking, as a part of their business. After some years, they were succeeded by Wm T. Henry.
A second constitution was drafted and voted on by the public on the second Monday in March 1848, and was duly ratified
On the 20th of March 1848, J. H. Tweedy, delegate from Wisconsin, introduced a bill in congress for its admission into the Union. The bill was finally passed; and on the 29 of May, 1848 Wisconsin became a state.
The State of Wisconsin, thus bounded, is situated between the parallel of forty-two degrees thirty minutes and that of forty-seven degrees, north latitude, and between the eighty-seventh and ninety-third degrees west longitude, nearly. For a portion of it's northern border it has Lake Superior, the largest body of fresh water in the world; for a part of its eastern boundary it has Lake Michigan, almost equal in size to Lake Superior; while the Mississippi, the largest river in the world but one, forms a large portion of its western boundary. The State of Michigan lies on the east; Illinois on the south and Iowa and Minnesota on the west. Wisconsin has an average length of about two hundered and sixty miles; and average breadth of two hundred and fifteen miles.
New congressional districts were created with the creation of the state. The first district is comprised of the following counties: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Jefferson, Racine, Walworth, Rock and Green. The second district is made up of Washington, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Calumet, Brown, Winnebago, Fond du Lac, Marquette, Sauk, Portage, Columbia, Dodge, Dane, Iowa, LaFayette, Grant, Richland, Crawford, Chippewa, St Croix, and LaPointe - the counties of Richland, Chippewa and La Pointe being unorganized.
Henry Dodge and Isaac P. Walker, both Democrats, were the successful candidates for the first Wisconsin State legislature
During the first legislative session in 1848, the state congressional districts were again changed. This time to create a third district. The new first district includes the counties of: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Walworth and Racine. The 2nd district now includes the counties of Rock, Green, LaFayette, Grant, Dane, Iowa, Sauk, Richland, Crawford, Adams, Portage, Chippewa, LaPointe, and St. Croix. The third, of the counties of: Washington, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Brown, Winnebago, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Marquette, Dodge, Jefferson and Columbia.
The State's five judicial circuits were comprised of the following counties: 1st: Racine, Walworth, Rock and Green, as then constituted; 2nd: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Jefferson, and Dane. 3rd: Washington, Dodge, Columbia, Marquette, Sauk and Portage as then formed; 4th: Brown, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Fond du Lac, Winnebago and Calumet. Mortimer M. Jackson was chosen as the judge for the 5th circuit, which included the counties of: Iowa, LaFayette, Grant, Crawford and St. Croix, as then organized. The county of Richland being attached to Iowa County for judicial purposes.
By the revised statutes of 1849, Wisconsin was divided into three congressional districts, each of which was entitled to elect one representative in the congress of the United States. The counties of Milwaukee, Waukesha, Walworth and Racine consituted the first district; the counties of Rock, Green, LaFayette, Grant, Iowa, Dane, Sauk, Adams, Portage, Richland, Crawford, Chippewa, St. Croix and LaPointe, the 2nd district; and the counties of Washington, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Brown, Winnebago, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Marquette, Columbia, Dodge and Jefferson, the 3rd one.
January 1, 1850, Moses M. Strong was elected speaker of the assembly
The United State Census figures for the State of Wisconsin showed population to be over 305,000 an astonishing increase in two years of nearly 95,000. This addition transcended all previous experience in the settlement of any portion of the New World, of the same extent of territory. It was the result of a steady and persistent flow of men and their families, seeking permanent homes in the young and rising State. Many were German, Scandinavian and Irish; but the larger proportion were, of course, from the Eastern and Middle States of the Union. The prinicipal attractions of Wisconsin were the excellency and cheapness of its lands; its valuable mines of lead, its extensive forests of pine, and the unlimited waterpower of it numerous streams. The population of Iowa County was 9,522.
The year 1850 to the agriculturist of Wisconsin was not one of unbounded prosperity, owing to the partial failure of wheat crop. In the other branches of agriculture there were fair returns. The State was visited by Cholera
In 1851 the first Agriculture society was established in Iowa County with H. L. Leffingwell, President; Henry M. Billings, Levi Sterling, P. O'Dowd, John Hand, F. J. Dunn and G. Goldthorp as Vice-Presidents; Samuel Crawford, Treasurer and William K. Smith. This society was then supplemented by the Southwestern Agricultural Society and headquartered in Mineral Point.
The "Mineral Point Railroad Company" was chartered in 1852 to build a road from Mineral Point to the state line, in township number one, in either the county of Green or LaFayette. It was complete to Warren, in the state of Illinois, thirty-two miles in 1855, making a connection at that point with the Illinois Central, running from Chicago to Galena. Iowa County loaned its credit and issued its bonds to aid in its construction. It was sol under foreclosure in 1856. Suits were brought against Iowa County to collect the amount of its bonds, engendered, the supervisors of the county having been arrested for contempt of the decree of the court. Geo. W. Cobb, of Mineral Point, is the general manager.
Fall of 1854 and again in November 1856 - C. C. Washburn, a Republican, was elected to Congress to represent the 2nd district.
The population census for Iowa County shows 15,205 people
Spring of 1856, Luther Hanchett was elected to Congress. Hanchett died on the 24th of November 1862, when, on the 20th of December following, W. D. McIndoe was elected to fill the vacancy. Both were Republicans
March 1857 - Henry Dodge is succeeded by James R. Doolittle, a Republican as the next legislator
The year 1857 was a disasterous one to Wisconsin, as well as to the whole country, in a financial point of view. Early in the Fall, a money panic swept over the land. A number of prominent operators in the leading industrial pursuits were obliged to succumb.
In 1857 the Miners' Cooperative and Protective Union was started in the area. It was composed of miners from Green, Dane, LaFayette, Iowa and Grant counties. The society was intended to benefit wives and families of deceased miners, to assist them in illness and generally to protect individual mining interests. This association did not survive the 2nd year.
Fall 1858 - C. C. Washburn is again elected to Congress.
Population for 1860 was over 770,000 in Wisconsin and 18,967 in Iowa County.
In 1861 the Congressional Districts were split again - this time into 6 districts. The 1st being the counties of: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Walworth, Racine, and Kenosha; the 2nd being the counties of: Rock, Jefferson, Dane and Columbia; the 3rd of: Green, LaFayette, Iowa, Grant, Crawford, Richland, and Sauk, the 4th of Ozaukee, Washington, Dodge, Fond du Lac, and Sheboygan; the 5th of Manitowoc, Calumet, Winnebago, Green Lake, Marquette, Waushara, Waupaca, Outagamie, Brown, Kewaunee, Door, Oconto, and Shawano; and the 6th of Bad Axe, LaCrosse, Dunn, EauClaire, Clark, Marathon, Chippewa, Dallas, Polk, Burnett, Douglas, LaPointe, and Ashland.
1861 - the beginning of the Civil War
Population in Iowa County in 1865 is 20,657
The Dubuque, Platteville and Milwaukee railroad was completed in July, 1870 and extended from Calamine, a point on the Mineral Point railroad, to the village of Platteville, eighteen miles, and is operated by the Mineral Point railroad company.
Iowa County's population figure is 24,544 people for 1870. Of this number, 15,366 people were US born, 346 were British; 3,897 were English/Welsh; 1,239 were Irish; 86 were Scottish; 1,447 were German; 21 were French; 1,647 were Norwegian/Swedish; 343 were Bohemian; 31 were Swiss; 31 were from Holland and 3 were from Denmark.
Jan 1872 brought eight Congressional Districts from six. Iowa County was still in the 3rd district.with J. Allen Barber, a Republican, as representative.
Nov 1876 Republican Henry S. Magoon was elected to the 45th Congress of the United States
The 1875 Wisconsin State Census notes the population of this state to be 1,236,729 and included all persons except Indians who were not entitled to the right of suffrage. The population of Iowa County was 24,133.
In 1876 the whole amount of taxable property in Wisconsin, is set down at $423,596,290 of which sum $337,073,148 represents real estate and $86,523,142 for personal property
November 7, 1876 - George C. Hazelton, a Republican, is elected to the 45th Congress.
The year 1876 spurred a general and spontaneous exhibition of patriotic impulses throughout the length and breadth of Wisconsin, on the part of both native and foreign-born citizens, at the commencement of the centennial year, and upon the fourth of July. The interest of the people of the state generally, in the Exposition at Philadelphia, was manifested in a somewhat remarkable manner from its inception to its close. By an act of congress, approved March 3, 1871 a provision was made for celebrating the 100th anniversary of American Independence by holding in that city, in 1876, an exhibition of arts, manufactures, and the products of the soil and mines of the county. A centennial commission, consisting of one commissioner and one alternate commissioner from each State and Territory, was authorized to be appointed, to carry out the provisions of the act. David Atwood, as commissioner and E. D. Holton, as alternate, were commissioned by the president of the United States, from Wisconsin. This commission gradually made progress in preparing for an international exposition. "The commission has been organized," said Governor Washburn, in his message to the legislature in January 1873, "and has made progress in its work. The occasion will be one to which the American people can not fail to respond in the most enthusiastic manner". The president of the United States, by proclamation in July 1873, announced the exibition and national celebration and commended them to the people of the Union and of all nations. "It seems fitting" said Governor Taylor, in his message to the Wisconsin legislature in 1874, that such a celebration of this important event, should be held, and it is hoped it will be carried out in a manner worthy of a great and enlightened nation." By the close of 1874, a large number of foreign governments had signified their intention to participate in the exhibition.
The sulphate and carbonate of zinc aboud in great quantities with the lead of southwest Wisconsin. Owing to the difficulty of working this class of ores, it was formerly allowed to accumulate about the mouths of the mines. Within a few years past, metallurgic processes have been so greatly improved, that the zinc ores have been largely utilized. At La Salle, in the state of Illinois, there are three establishments for smelting zinc ores. There is also one at Peru, Ill. The works mentioned made in 1875, from ores tamostly taken in Wisconsin, 7,510 tons of zinc.
The legislature of Wisconsin, at its session in 1875, deeming it essential that the State with its vast resources in agricultural, mineral, lumbering, manufacturing and other products and industries, should be fully represented at Philadelphia, passed an act which was approved March 3, 1875, to provide for a "Board of State Centennial Managers." Two thousand dollars were appropriated to pay its necessary expenses. Governor Taylor appointed Eli Stilson, J. I. Case, J. B. Parkinson, T. C. Pound, and E. A. Calkins as member to this board.
By section five of article seven of the constitution of Wisconsin, the counties of the State were apportioned into five judicial circuits; the county of Richland being attached to Iowa, Chippewa to Crawford, and LaPointe to St. Croix. In 1850, the fifth circuit was divided and a sixth circuit formed. In 1864, Crawford and Richland were made part of the fifth circuit. By an act, which took effect in 1854, a seventh circuit was formed. On the first day of January 1855, the sixth circuit was divided, and an eighth and ninth circuit were formed, the county of Columbia being made a part of the last mentioned one. In the same year was also formed a tenth circuit; and in 1858, Winnebago county was attached to it; but in 1870, that county was attached to the third circuit. In 1858, Kewaunee County was attached to the fourth circuit. An eleventh circuit was formed in 1864, from which, in 1865, Dallas County was detached, and made part of the eighth. By an act, which took effect on the first day of January 1871, the twelfth circuit was formed. In 1876, a thirteenth circuit was "constituted and re-organized."
At that time, the whole sixty counties of the State stood apportioned in the thirteenth judicial circuit as follows: First: Walworth, Racine and Kenosha; second: Milwaukee and Waukesha; third: Green Lake, Dodge, Washington, Ozaukee, and Winnebago; fourth: Sheboygan, Calumet, Kewaunee, Fond du Lac, and Manitowoc; fifth: Grant, Iowa, LaFayette, Richland and Crawford; sixth: Clark, Jackson, Monroe, LaCrosse and Vernon; seventh; Portage, Marathon, Waupaca, Wood, Waushara, Lincoln, and Taylor; Eighth: Dunn, Pepin, Pierce and St. Croix, ninth: Adams, Columbia, Dane, Juneau, Sauk and Marquette; tenth: Outagamie, Oconto, Shawano, Door and Brown; eleventh: Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Chippewa, Douglas and Polk; twelfth: Rock, Green, and Jefferson; thirteenth: Buffalo, Eau Claire and Trempeleau. Marinette and New are now in the tenth; Price is in the seventh.
Wisconsin has many attractive features. It is a healthy, fertile, well-watered and well-wooded State. Every where within its borders the rights of each citizen are held sacred. Intelligence and education are prominent characteristics of its people. All the necessaries and many of the comforts and luxuries of life are easily to be obtained. Agriculture, the chief source of wealth to so many nations, is here conducted with profit and success. Gerneally speaking, the farmer owns the land he cultivates. Here, the laboring man, if honest and industrious, is most certain to secure a competence for himself and family. Few States have made more ample provisions for the unfortunate, the deaf and dumb, the blind, and the insane, than has Wisconsin. Nor has she been less interested in her reformatory and penal institutions. In her educational facilities, she already rivals the most advanced of her sister States. Her markets are easily reached by railways and water-navigation, so that the products of the country find ready sale. Her commerce morality and religion, her standard is high. Her laws are lenient, but not lax, securing the greatest good to those who are disposed to live up to their requirements. Wisconsin has, in fact, all the essential elements of prosperity and good government. Exalted and noble, therefore, must be her future career.
Copper is not raised in Wisconsin, except at Mineral Point, where chalcopyrite, the yellow sulphide of copper and iron, are found in the crevices of Galena limestone. Copper in small quantities in pyrites, can e found all through the lead region, but the return will not pay for exhaustive explorations.

Treasures Within

WI & Iowa County History