About 1853, Levy built a warehouse, and, becoming agent for the steamboat companies, conducted a large forwarding business. This he continued until 1857, when he opened a bank, and in a few months failed, with thousands of other business men, paying, however, every dollar which he owed depositors. In 1858, he engaged in the grocery trade, but afterward sold his interest to Charles B. Solberg. He then engaged in real estate operations, which he continued until the autumn of 1876, when he again became a forwarding and commission merchant. At sundry times during these years, Mr. Levy had many buildings erected, some for his own use and some to rent. He built the Augusta House in 1857, and was receiving the rent of it when, in March, 1862, it was swept away, together with a dozen other buildings owned by himself, and three times as many owned by other parties. Although he has met with frequent reverses, he has never become disheartened. No man in La Crosse is more plucky, or full of business. He saw the last wigwam disappear long since, and where, thirty-six years ago, he found but three families, he now sees a city of 16,000 inhabitants, who justly look upon him as one of the fathers of La Crosse, as he is at present the oldest living resident. He has been elected Mayor three times, has been an Alderman about eight years, and has always looked well to the interests of the city. Though not partisan in his politics, he has very pronounced views, and has been a firm upholder of the Democratic faith. He is prominent in his connection with the Masonic fraternity. He was Grand Treasurer of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons eleven years; has been Treasurer of both the Lodge and Chapter in La Crosse, and is the oldest member, in point of time, in joining them. He is also one of the trustees of the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith, a Jewish secret society.

SAMUEL T. SMITH.

Samuel T. Smith, the first man to run a temperance and anti-gambling steamboat on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, was born in Delaware County, N. Y., May 9, 1801. His maternal grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier. His father, Noah Smith, was a native of Long Island, and his mother of Lyme, Conn. His father lived in Delaware County until 1812, when, with six other families, he moved to Ohio. Reaching Wheeling, W. Va., they built a flat-boat and floated down to Cincinnati, reaching there in October.

The next year, he moved to a tract of land three miles from the city, and opened a farm; Samuel, at the same time, becoming a clerk in a store, remaining in and near the city, merchandizing and farming, until 1828. In April of that year, he visited the Galena lead mines, and, during the next month, went into Wisconsin-at that time part of the Northwest Territory. Stopping about half way between the present sites of Potosi and Platteville, he built a cabin and engaged in mining for one year.

He afterward went to Galena and taught school two years, and there, in 1831, organized the first Sunday school in that part of the country. Returning to Cincinnati in 1832, he farmed a short time, and subsequently engaged in the mercantile trade in that city, and continued it until 1840. He then built his "Sunday-keeping" steamboat, and ran it and others for nine years on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and tributaries of the latter.

In 1849, while his steamboat was at the St. Louis Landing it was burnt, with twenty-two other steamboats and seven blocks of city buildings. Immediately after this calamity, he opened a dry-goods store in that city. In July, 1851, he removed to La Crosse, then a village of about fifty genuine settlers. Here he continued the mercantile trade between two and three years, and, in 1853, opened the land agency, which he has continued ever since, at the same time engaging more or less in farming. Mr. Smith was early taught that riches take to themselves wings, and he was impressed with the truthfulness of the Scriptural statements, when, in the crash of 1837, he lost a round $100,000, and half that sum in a similar visitation in 1857, to say nothing of the sudden reduction of his steamboat to ashes, just as he had painted it and was about to sell it, and minor losses in La Crosse by fires. Pecuniarily Mr. Smith is in comfortable circumstances. His wealth, however, is not all of this world-he is "rich toward God." Few Christian lives have been more consistent or more noteworthy. When he landed in what is now the State of Wisconsin in 1828, he knelt down alone, in the solitude of the forest, under a large oak tree, and

took possession of the land in the name of his Master. Shortly after reaching La Crosse on the 22d of January, 1852, he gathered the few Baptist people (fourteen in all), and a church was organized at his house. He brought with him to La Crosse three or four families, seven members of which were Baptists. He was chosen the first Deacon, and has held that office for nearly thirty years. The Congregationalists met at his house on the same day and at the same hour, and the ministers present assisted each other in organizing the two churches. On the 22d of January, 1877, the two Christian bodies again met, and observed their quarter-centennial, upon which occasion Deacon Smith read an intensely interesting history of the Baptist Church. has had two wives, the first being Miss Martha Ellen Longley, of Cheviot, Ohio, to whom he was married in 1827. She died in 1834, leaving two children, one of whom is now living. To his second wife, Miss Sarah Hildreth, of Cincinnati, he was married in 1835. They have had eleven children, of whom five are living. Orrin L., the only child by his first wife now living, is married and residing in La Crosse. The eldest daughter, widow of the late Jacob P. Whelpley, with her three children, is living with her father; another daughter is the wife of W. L. Card, of La Crosse, and a third is the wife of Spencer Way, of Rockford, Ill.

He

Of the many interesting anecdotes of Deacon Smith's nine years of steamboat life, we mention the following: As he was starting on his first trip from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh, two fast young Southerners came on board, and before the boat was fairly under way began to inquire for the card table and the bar. Capt. Smith politely informed them that there was nothing of the kind on board; that neither drinking nor gambling was allowed on his boat; that he had a good library, and he hoped they would make free use of it, and that when they reached Pittsburgh, if they were not satisfied with their accommodations, he would refund the money. They used his books very liberally, one of them reading through Knowles' Life of Ann H. Judson, and both becoming thoroughly absorbed in literary recreations. When near Pittsburgh, they went on the hurricane deck and reminded the Captain that they were near the end of the voyage, and he asked them if they wanted their fare refunded. They told him frankly that when they came on board and found no bar, they made up their minds to jump off at the first wood-pile landing; that on the whole, however, they had been greatly pleased. actually delighted with the trip, and that if they had occasion to make the same trip again, if necessary they would wait three days for the sake of getting his boat.

PETER CAMERON.

Peter Cameron, born in Deerfield, Oneida Co., N. Y., about 1810; son of Donald Cameron. When young, about seventeen years old, he clerked for Colin McVean, in Caledonia, Livingston Co., N. Y.; at twenty-two he came West; he peddled all the way from Utica, N. Y., to the Mississippi. In Michigan, he met Mrs. Emma Clayton, a woman with a career and a history, even then, at that time, having a third living husband. She joined Peter, and together they came to La Crosse. To this day, it is claimed by many residents that they were never married. The writer has assurance from the very best authority, that they were married by H. J. B. Miller, the event being brought about by prudential reasons; in other words, to avoid threatened criminal prosecution. In 1843, Maj. Coons and Mr. Scott made a claim adjoining that of Myrick and Miller. Leaving it for a time, it was jumped by Peter, who succeeded in holding it. The claim extended from Mount Vernon, Division street. to Fifth and Sixth street, and became very valuable. It is now occupied very largely by mills and manufacturing establishments. He also owned land across the river in Minnesota directly opposite; as both fronted the river at a common crossing, the spot became known as Cameron's Crossing. After his arrival in La Crosse, he gave his time and attention to real estate. died in 1855, at his residence below La Crosse, the old house still remaining.

JAMES M. GARRETT.

He

An emigrant to La Crosse in 1846, coming on the steamer Falcon, Capt Morehouse commanding. The nearest settlement was at Winneshiek, so called after an Indian chief, now

known as De Soto. The site of the city was most unpromising, consisting of barren land for half a mile from the river. The only residents here then were Miller & Myrick, E. A. Hatch, their employes, Dr. Bunnell, Dutch Charley, Husk Carrel, John Somerville, the two Nagles, and Henry Atchison, a refugee from the patriot war in Canada. The Indians were numerous, but the Winnebagoes were the only tribe in this vicinity, though an occasional Sioux came to trade or to fish and hunt. No trouble arose between the settlers and the Indians. There were four ladies, Mesdames Myrick, Miller and Cameron, and a daughter of Dr. Bunnell. The Falcon made three trips during the season, from St. Louis to St. Paul. Capt. Orrin L. Smith, now of Chicago, was then running the Nominee from Galena to St. Paul. He was a rigid observer of the Sabbath, tying up his boat at 12 P. M. of Saturday till the same time Sunday, regardless of his stopping place. Crops were raised with difficulty and consisted mostly of potatoes and Syrian corn. Garret and Carrel were hired by J. M. Levy, at a dollar a day and board, for two weeks, to shoot blackbirds and preserve the corn of a five-acre field. Charles Solberg, who was at work for Levy at $8 per month, was put to the work of gathering it. The first cemetery was on the spot now occupied by Powers' pump shop, corner of Third and Badger streets. It was in use ten years or more. In warm weather, mails came by steamer, and in the winter were usually taken to and from Prairie du Chien by some half-breed.

MRS. BERKENMEYER.

Mrs. Berkenmeyer came to La Crosse in July, 1847, with five French families who took farms in this vicinity. There were eleven children among them. None of the original settlers of these families are now in La Crosse. At the time of her coming there were but three log houses here, viz.: Myrick & Miller's, near La Crosse River, Asa White's, an Indian trader with a squaw wife, on Front street, and Dr. Bunnell's, about where the International Hotel now stands. For a dozen squares back from the river the land was a waste of sand ridges and hollows. Mr. Ollivier, husband of Mrs. Berkenmeyer, died within three weeks after their arrival. There was no preacher here or religious services of any kind. The first Catholic priest was Father Tappert. Wheat was raised and sent to Galena to mill. It was almost impossible to raise corn, owing to the depredations of coons, blackbirds, etc. The Nagle Brothers lost a field of forty acres in this way, about 1850, not getting back from it the amount of seed planted. The meal obtained was so coarse they had to sift it through a mosquito bar. The first mill was built in Mormon Cooley by a Mr. Ehler.

COL. THOMAS B. STODDARD.

To none of the early settlers is La Crosse so much indebted for making the advantages of this location known to the world as the subject of this sketch, with whom it was the great aim and object of his being. He was a son of Richard Stoddard, of Le Roy, Genesee Co.. N. Y., of which he was one of the original proprietors. He was the first Sheriff of Genesee County, when it embraced all of New York west of the Genesee River, viz., Erie, Niagara and Chautauqua. He won great personal popularity, and was a leading politician of the Federal party of that section. Thomas B. Stoddard was born in 1800, December 11, at Canandaigua. His mother was a very superior woman, and had received a classical education. His only sister, Catharine, married John B. Skinner, of Wyoming, Genesee County, in 1830, and died in 1833. In his youth, he passed some time in the lodge of the celebrated chief, Red Jacket, where he learned to speak the Seneca tongue most fluently. He was always held by them in great esteem, and was employed by them to settle their claims with the Government. He was very precocious, and at the age of seventeen wrote the play, "Fortune Favors the Brave." This drama had a run of fifty nights at one of the leading theaters in New York City; at nineteen, he was a graduate of Columbia College, and at twenty, of Yale. He studied law in the office of the noted Aaron Burr. He was on intimate terms with such distinguished men as Chancellor Kent and son, Judge Spencer, Silas Wright. De Witt Clinton, and had the esteem and confidence of Presidents Jackson, Van Buren and Polk.

He practiced law for a short time in Buffalo, and lived for a brief time at Cattaraugus Creek. In casting about for a location in the West, he was impressed with the favorable location of La Crosse as a point destined to become of great commercial value, and this fact he was never weary of trying to impress on all with whom he came in contact. He early gave it the name of the "Gateway City," and predicted the building of every railway that has since been extended to this place. He came here in 1851, and was instrumental in having the county organized and set off from Crawford. In company with A. D. La Due, he bought a half interest in White's original claim of sixty-three acres, of J. M. Levy. They sought to have the survey made by Myrick & Miller of their original plat extending through their land, thus making continuous and uniform straight streets. This was not done, and as the survey was made parallel with the river, while subsequent ones were made to run with the points of the compass, an angle has been formed at the intersection of all streets, outside of the Myrick and Miller plat, extending from La Crosse River to Mt. Vernon street on the south, and Fifth street on the east. He located a claim on what was known as the Steven's Addition, and left Peter Burns upon it to hold it while absent on a trip to Sheboygan for his family, consisting only of his mother and an adopted sister, Miss Susan de France. In this interval, his claim was jumped by F. M. Rublee and C. A. Stevens, who drove Burns away. A litigation of three years ensued before the Colonel secured his claim.

He formed a partnership with H. E. Hubbard in the practice of the law, and on the organization of the city was made its first Mayor, being elected thereto by one vote cast for him by his opponent, J. M. Levy. He had no political aspirations, his attention being given to the material interests of the place. He was a candidate for the Assembly in 1862, and was defeated by Hanchett, who died shortly after his election.

Previous to coming to La Crosse, he was interested in a mining scheme in Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh, where the company of which he was a member had a claim of eight square miles. At one time, they had 100 men employed. The failure of a prominent capitalist brought matters to a standstill.

Col. Stoddard was tall, spare and straight, fully six feet in height, with brown hair and eves, and very nervous and quick in his movements. He was very athletic, a good shot, and a person of quick, high temper. He was a strenuous advocate of the code, known as the duello, and had three affairs of honor, if not more. One of these was occasioned by some parties who spirited his carriage away while he was attending a theater, with two ladies in charge. As was expected and designed, the Colonel promptly challenged the offending party, who, having choice of weapons, chose knives and a dark room, probably expecting a back-down. Stoddard accepted without hesitation and disabled his rival. In all these affairs it is not known that he received a greater injury than the disabling of a little finger.

SUSAN E. DE FRANCE.

This lady was the adopted sister of Col. Thomas B. Stoddard, who might well be styled the benefactor of La Crosse. Her parents, Christopher and Elizabeth (Fevre), were both natives of France. They emigrated to Buffalo, N. Y., where the subject of this sketch was born. Her father died November, 1846, at the early age of thirty-eight, in Irving, N. Y., while in Government employ as Superintendent of Cattaraugus Harbor. She became a member of the family of Col. Stoddard in the spring of 1847. The Colonel came to Wisconsin prior to 1850; his family, comprising only his mother and Miss De France, followed in 1851. going to Sheboygan from Buffalo by steamer, thence by team to Tychida on the Fox River, thence to Portage on the Wisconsin; here they took passage on the steamer Onaota, having a very tedious trip, as, on account of low water and the many obstructions in the river, the boat was obliged to lay by at night The journey from Sheboygan to La Crosse occupied eleven days. The first view of their future home was anything but inspiring; a long reach of glistening, barren sand skirted the river front, behind which was a rank growth of coarse grass, and innumerable sand burrs; closer inspection, however, was rewarded with the sight of prairie

flowers in great variety and profusion. The land now embraced between the river and Front, Second and Third streets was marked by sand hills and corresponding hollows. There were but five or six houses all told within the present city limits. The first residence occupied by Col. Stoddard was the cabin of Asa White, an old Indian trader, with a most uncouth sample of a Winnebago squaw for a wife. He and Asa Snow, another trader, followed the Indians a year or two previous to their going to their reservation on Crow River. The condition of the cabin he left was one calculated to appal the stoutest nerves. The walls were black and grimy with smoke, dirt and grease, so that it was necessary to scrape them down with a hoe to get at the original surface; it possessed but one room and a loft. One corner was partitioned off for Mrs. Stoddard, the loft was given to Miss De France, and the remaining room was in turn a kitchen, sitting-room, parlor, office, bedroom, etc. The stairway was a steep ladder, and Miss De France was often made an unwilling prisoner in the loft by the protracted call or visit of persons who had business with the Colonel. A "lean-to" was soon added, which relieved the pressure upon the common sitting-room; here they remained for two years and a half, when a new residence was built on the corner of Third and Ferry streets in 1854. It was built by A. D. La Due, and was one of the first erected out on the prairie.

HON. GEORGE GALE.

This gentleman was a native of Burlington, Vt., the youngest son of Peter and Hannah Tottingham Gale, and was born November 30, 1816. He had the advantages of a good commonschool education, and, while not a graduate of any college, acquired an excellent knowledge of the higher branches of mathematics and the sciences. Commencing the study of law in March, 1839, he was admitted to the bar in 1841, during the last two years discharging the duties of Postmaster of Waterbury Center, to which office he had been appointed in 1840. Removing shortly after to the Territory of Wisconsin, he settled at Elkhorn, Walworth Co., where he began the practice of his profession, though still pursuing his studies with great diligence. During his residence he was elected to various town offices, being at one time Chairman of the Town Board, and also of the County Board of Supervisors.

In the fall of 1847, he was elected a member of the Convention to form a State Constitution, and served on the Judiciary Committee. The same fall, he was also elected District Attorney of Walworth County, and, in the fall of 1849, a State Senator for two years. The first year

in the Senate, he was Chairman of the Committee on Privileges and Elections, and the second year, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

On the 4th of July, 1851, he received from the Governor of the State the appointment of Brigadier General in the militia. In the fall of that year, he removed to the Upper Mississippi and settled at La Crosse. That fall, he was elected County Judge for the term of four years for the counties of La Crosse and Chippewa, the two being combined for judicial purposes. Having jurisdiction in common law as well as probate, the office was an important one. This position he resigned January 1, 1854, and in April, 1856, was elected Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, composed of the counties of Buffalo, Clark, Jackson, Monroe, La Crosse, Vernon and Crawford, for the judicial term of six years, commencing January 1, 1857. The duties of this office he discharged with ability, and served the constitutional term.

During Judge Gales's residence at La Crosse, he urged very strongly on the citizens of that place the importance of establishing there a college or institution of learning of a higher order, but the country being new, the project did not find favor with the people, and nothing was done to carry out this design. He shortly after determined to found a town and college on his own. responsibility. In 1853, he purchased about 2,000 acres of land, including the present site of Galesville with the water-power on Beaver Creek, and in January, 1854, he procured from the State Legislature the organization of the new county of Trempealeau, with the location of the county seat at Galesville, and at the same time obtained a charter for a University, to be located at that place. A Board of Trustees was organized in 1855, and the edifice commenced in 1858. In June, 1854, the village plat of Galesville was laid out, and subsequently mills were erected.