Tosa in Pioneer Days - September 9, 1900

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An article from a 1900 issue of the Milwaukee Sentinel telling about the early history of Wauwatosa.

Milwaukee Sentinel, September 9, 1900

WAUWATOSA IN PIONEER DAYS.

Wauwatosa is now a populous and popular suburb of Milwaukee and will appear in thr census returns of 1900 as a city of more than 3,500 people. The town was incorporated as a village in 1892 and as a city in 1897. Of its growth and of the attractions it presents for pleasant home life and surroundings it is proud, but the older residents still look back with satisfaction to the pioneer days which, with all their hardship, afford much for pleasureable recollection. Wauwatosa was the birthplace of a goodly number of men and women who are now taking an honorable part in the affairs of the world. Two men prominent in railway circles, a Milwaukee judge, one of the ablest preachers in California, a woman missionary in China, and many others who are identified with some of the most prominent business interests in the country claim Wauwatosa as their earliest home.

As in many localities, the river was here the centralizing influence, and in 1839 it was a beautiful stream winding its way among overhanging forest trees and tangles of wild plum, alders, hops and grapevines. Where are now the comfortable homes with their smooth lawns and drives the gigantic oaks, maples, basswoods, ash, ironwood, cherry and a few pines stood in all their native grandeur, their roots extending deep in the soil and offering a formidable resistance to settling.

First Residents.

The first three men to settle in the village (1837) were Jonathan M. Warren, Charles Hart, and Thomas B. Hart. Then came Joseph Warren, Benson Brazee. L. B. Potter and Hendrick Gregg, whose claim was on the site of the present poor farm. In the country about, others were on their respective claims, as Longstreet, Ross, Riddle, Fellows, Morgan, Fowler, Breed, Johnson, Underwood, Swan, Barber and some others. These settlers were from the states of Massachusetts and New York.

The United States road, where the electric car line now runs, was cut through in the winter of 1838-39. The process was a long and tedious one; the huge stumps were everywhere. The road when chopped out was full of them, every vehicle winding its way in and out among them and over their roots. As an instance of their resistance, and longevity, the roots of a white or burr oak stump still remain on the residence lot of W. A. Hart, on Warren avenue. The tree was cut and the land cleared sixty-two or sixty-three years ago.

Early Business Ventures.

J. M. Warren owned the first grist mill in Milwaukee county, haying arranged with Charles Hart, owner of the sawmill at that time, for the privilege of putting in a small run of stone for grinding grists. The outcome of this was a mill that by grinding over a grist the second time made a very creditable brand of flour. Four-horse Concord stages carrying the mails and passengers ran through regularly at a very early date after the road was opened. The product of the lead mines from Platteville and Mineral Point was hauled through here, each large covered wagon having from four to six yoke of oxen and one driver.

the construction of the Plank road from Spring street bridge, Milwaukee, to Wauwatosa was a great enterprise. It was planked with three-inch oak planks eight feet long, and it was well patronized; as many as ninety teams loaded with grain for Milwaukee were counted in sight at one time. Of course the railroad coming through a few years later changed all this. It is worthy of note that the first five miles a locomotive ever run in Wisconsin was from Milwaukee to the unfinished bridge across the river here. The first postoffice was in the sitting room of Mr. N. Wesson's house. From New England and New York, the place of home letters, the postage was 25 cents (unpaid) the single sheet, and it was at times difficult to pay for a letter from Eastern friends, already received and lying in the post office for delivery.

The first dwelling house erected and finished with pine lumber was built by William Somers for Charles Hart and on the spot where James Lefeber now resides. It was afterward moved across the "common," remodeled, and is now occupied by Mrs. Lucy Underwood. It was a very comfortable house, rather more pretentious than some that were built later. In the building of log houses the closest economy was used. One old record says: "A person was thought extravagant who paid more than 75 cents in money, which went for sash glass, one board for a door and nails for the same."

Naming of the Town.

The place was originally called "Hart's Mills," but in 1841 it was decided to rechristen it. Various names were proposed, among them Bridgeport, Rushville, the latter in memory of the Eastern town from which so many of the settlers came. At last, Mr. Daniel Proudfit proposed "Wau-wau-to-sa," a name found in a book on "Treaties With the Indians," which book was in the library of Mr. Byron Kilbourn, Milwaukee. This name was approved, and Mr. Longstreet being in the territorial legislature, presented the bill. Through some error the "u" of the second syllable was omitted, the word be-legalized as we now have it, "Wauwatosa." It is generally supposed to have been the name of an Indian chief.

First Schools and Religious Meetings.

Seven pupils comprised the first school ever organized in the village. It was held in Mr. Wale's log house just across from the present county farm, and about a rod east of where the electric cars stop now. The teacher was Miss Elizabeth Denny, now Mrs. Hiram Wheelock of Hartford, Wis. The first summer school was held in Benjamin Hart's house, the first select school in the Rev. L. Clapp's sitting room and the first winter school had a place in Mr. Charles Hart's log house. Mr. Wenzell and Mr. Cyrus Damon both taught excellent schools here at an early date.

The first preaching service was held at the house of Mr. J. M. Warren. Mr. Quaw and the Rev. Mr. Crawford were probably the first preachers. Meetings were sometimes held in the bar room of the tavern, built in 1842, the bottles and decanters forming a rather unusual background for the minister conducting the services. One of the first sermons preached in the town was from the text found in Matt. 3:10. "And now also, the axe is laid at the root of the trees." After the schoolhouse was built it was the meeting house for all denominations; that is, the Methodist, Baptist and Congregational church in 1845, and the Rev. E. D. Underwood of the Baptist church at about the same time. They were both faithful pastors and worthy preachers of the gospel. in the absence of drug stores a supply of general remedies, perhaps more powerful than potent was kept in each house. The settlers' wives had most of them, a good knowledge of "simples" and the healing properties of various herbs and plants, and felt themselves able to cope with any ordinary ailment. In case the patient required some kind of heroic treatment , such as bleeding, etc., Dr. Castleman of Milwaukee was sent for. As in all new countries, people helped each other, watching with the sick and giving aid as lay in their power.

Some of the Hardships.

One of the pioneers thus relates his experience:
"In the spring of 1837, I came to Milwaukee with my parents, but there was then no city to be seen. We had an eight days' voyage around the lakes, and came to anchor out in the bay near the mouth of the river. Soon they hurried all the passengers into small boats, and pulled for the shore. After a long search we found a log house where they kept travelers. We stayed there over night, ate our own provisions and slept on our own beds. They charged father $9 for the privilege of sleeping on the floor under cover of that log house one night. The second day we found a man who owned a flat boat, and for $5 he agreed to take us up to where Chestnut street is now, if father would help pull the boat."

Another says:
"It meant hard work to clear away a little field in order to plant some corn and potatoes to live on the coming winter. There were no farm teams then. We cut down trees, rolled them together, and burned them on the ground. We had to dig up the soil with hoes, by hand. Those first years were hard to endure. Provisions were scarce and high. I remember one winter that some of the supplies gave out in Milwaukee. One was salt. There was none to be had. Many poor families had to live on bread and potatoes without a grain of salt. My father managed to procure a small box containing about three pounds; we were very saving of it."

One settler, the first winter, lived on turnips and a few squashes. Another neighbor ground the first year forty bushels of buckwheat to make bread for his family. Nearly all had a cow after the first year or two, which grazed in the woods. The butter had a peculiar taste, and it was necessary to eat an onion with it to make it at all palatable. Again "Money was scarce and interest high — 12 and even 25 per cent — and produce low; dressed beef $2.50 per hundred; pork $1.25 per hundred; butter 8 and 10 cents and wheat 48 and 50 cents, when drawn to Milwaukee or a lake port, then the only markets."