EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BIG FOOT PRAIRIE - a Walworth
County Biography

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Christy Hall
Thompson  <  blondie2jt@aol.com  >

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  "About the 1st of February, 1837, I started from my home in
Trumbull County, Ohio with a valise on my back, to find a home
in the far West.  Passing through Chicago to Crystal Lake,
where I expected to stop and make a claim on Government land
for my future home, I found a few families from Virginia had
settled there the year before, and stopped with one John McLure
for a few days.  I expected to stay longer, but one night a very
gentle-looking man called to stay overnight, and in conversation
told me his home was at the head of Geneva Lake, about twenty
miles distant, in Wisconsin Territory.  He had been to Chicago
and sold part of his claim for $4,000, getting $2,500 cash down.
He appeared to think it was an almost inexhaustable amount of
money, it being in bills of small denominations.  He had them
loose in his pockets, frequently pulling out handfuls of bills
and making a wonderful display of them, saying he expected
to make a mark in the world yet.  He was dressed in a new suit
of clothes, with a tall stovepipe hat.  He had a map, and with a
string could show the head of Geneva Lake was in a direct line
between Chicago and the Four Lakes at Madison, also between
St. Louis and Milwaukee. And so on between any two places
That were likely to be of importance most anywhere in the
West.  He said it had been the home of Big Foot, the chief of
the Pottawatomie Indians, the largest tribe in the West.  The
trails centering there from every direction, consequently it must
be a very important place in the western country, and urged me
very anxiously to come and see Big Foot Prairie, the very Eden
of the world, for myself."

  "About the 25th of February, it being a clear, cold morning, I
started alone for the Promised Land.  There had been a thaw
a few days previous, so as to get the water running in the
streams, and then it turned cold.  Making very fair walking on
the crust. The snow being about ten inches deep.  I soon came
to a stream of running water, with no alternative but wade
through, and probably find more of the same sort, or go back.
Pausing for a few moments I soon decided to go ahead.  On I
went, the ice holding me until I reached near the current, then
in I went, wading through, the water being about three and a 
half feet deep for some twenty feet, passing on to find several
others to go through the same way.  Finally, it began to grow
dark and knowing full well if I didn't find a house in a few
minutes, I was deemed to cold lodging for the night, not very
pleasant to think of, I hurried on.  In a few minutes I saw the
smoke curling up through the trees from Van Slyke's cabin.
I need not say to you, it was a very pleasant sensation.  I
found two families living in the cabin, it being about 14x16,
and not a sawed board in about the place.  I was very kindly
entertained for the night.  The beds being all occupied I slept
on the floor, it being made of split logs and laid on the ground,
with a small blanket over me I slept with feet to the fire.  The
fire being at one end of the cabin, and a hole at the top for the
smoke to escape."

  "I found there, in that rude cabin kind, warm-hearted friends
indeed.  After living with one of the families for several years
afterward, I ever cherish in my memory the kindest regards
for them.  The next morning, I went to look around and see
what sort of a place I was in, the little cabin in which I had
been so kindly entertained being the only one in the town of
Walworth.  Everything around seemed to have a wild, romantic
appearance. No make of civilization to be seen, but the rude
cabin.  The beautiful, clear waters of the lake were hidden 
under the ice and snow.  A little way from the house could be
seen the deserted wigwams of the Indians, they having been 
moved some three or four months before.  Big Foot's wigwam
was far superior to the others.  A few yards from there in the
top of a tree, which is now standing, was deposited the body
of a boy about fifteen years of age, a son of the chief.  His
remains were in a butternut log, very nicely prepared for that
purpose.  His features were all perfect at that time.  Some
ruthless had torn it down and robbed him of his ornaments.
After looking around a little, my first work was to make a
three-story bedstead in the corner of the room, with one post
only.  The only tools to do it with were two augers and an ax.
The beds were made of prairie feathers, commonly called
marsh hay."

  "In a few days, travelers wanted to be accomodated, and
there being a lack of room, we stuck tree poles across the
room overhead and took a bard off from Big Foot's tent and
laid it across them.  I slept on it for about five months."

  "Our post office was at Chicago for the first year, and the
next it was a William Phoenix's, a little way from, the East
End, of Delavan Lake.  Many a time I followed an Indian
trail there and paid 25 cents postage on a letter from home."

  "When warm weather came, emigrants came also.  About the
last of June I helped build the first house of Big Foot Prairie,
for Mr. Thomas Godfrey, and in the course of two years there
was a goodly number of families in the town of Walworth, but
they are not here now. They have gone to different Counties."

  "Those names by Mr. Bell were the earliest settlers of the
town, but were by no means all who came in and took up land
that summer.  Bell himself died some years ago in Kansas.
John Reader, Marcus Russell and Thomas Godfrey have since
Died."

  "Among those who came prior to 1840, the following are
remembered, and their first location given from the memory
of those still living:                                                                                                                                       

Cyrus Church oldest living settler.  February 1837, on section
21.
Jake G. Saunders, on section 22, in 1837, removed to Illinois
many years ago.
P. Vanslyke, on section 14, made the first lamimmede in town
in fall of 1836, moved away many years ago.  Present where-
abouts unknown.
Marchus Russell, in 1847, of section 15, died in 1875.
Robert Russell, in 1837 on section 15, now living in Iowa.
J.C. Church, in 1837 on section 10, died in Delavan.
Thomas Godfrey, in 1837 on section 20, died in 1877 or
1878.
John Reader, 1837 on section 18 died in 1879.
James A. Maxwell, in 1837 on section 27, moved to Nevada.
Israel W. Starr, in 1837 on section 13.
Amos Bailey in 1837 on section 11.
Jonathan Ward in 1837 on section 13.
William Bell, in 1837 on section 16 moved to Elkhorn then to
Kansas, where he died some years ago.
D.C. Porter, fall of 1837 on section 24 still living.
C.L. Douglass, in 1837, first on section 26, now living on
section 15.
Mrs. E. Clark and L.N. Wood, in 1837-38, both settled on
section 23, first physicians in the town and among the
earliest in the county, both deceased.  Their widows living
Matthiss Mohr, in 1837, bought a piece of Van Slyke's claim
on section 14.  Still living in the town.
John Cummings and John Cummings, Sr. in as early as 1838.
Joseph Bailey in 1838 on section 21, died in the town many
years ago.
Bartholomew, in 1838, section 14, moved to Iowa where he
died.
Jonathan Fish in 1838, section 33, died in Walworth in 1881.
Jesse Bowman in 1838 or 1829, section 18, deceased, place
now owned by G. Webber.
T. Waddle in 1838, section unknown, moved to Illinois.
David Davids, in 1829, section 27, now living in Baraboo,
Wisconsin.
William Reed in 1838 section 34.  Mr. Lake still lives on the
place. 
Lucius Smight in 1840, section 28.
Newell Crooks came in with the Douglas Family in 1838 and
married one of the daughters and settled on section 15.
Milla Church in 1838, on section 28, now in Mo."

  The very full biographical sketches of present residents of
the town many of whom are the descendants of early settlers
will supplement any omissions in the above list, which is as
full as could be obtained.

Reference-Wisconsin #w History of Walworth County,
Wisconsin
Published in 1882.
By:  Cyrus Church.

This is one of a few biographies of Walworth County.  My
Great Great Great Grandfather Henry Hall came to Walworth
County with Cyrus Church.  Although there is no mention of
him here Mr. Henry Hall was on section 29.  Cyrus Church's
son Eugene L. Church married Henry Hall's daughter Anna
Eunice Hall.

If anyone is interested in any more information concerning
this biography, please don't hesitate to e-mail me at:
blondie2jt@aol.com