A FEW OF THE FIRSTS

excerpts from

Business History of Fond du Lac, by A.T. Glaze, 1905

(The following facts appear In the Business History of Fond du Lac with Incidents and Anecdotes of Early Days by A.T. Glaze, published in 1905)

The first brewery in this county was a small one built by Mr. De Hass onthe shore of Wolf Lake, in the town of Marshfield. Ex-Sheriff Kunz knows something about it.

The first newspapers sold from a news stand in Fond du Lac, was in 1852, by Geo. W. Weikert after he became postmaster.

The first term of court in the old courthouse was held by T.0. Howe. The first term in the new one was held by N.S. Gilson.

The first stone sidewalk in Fond du Lac was laid by Joseph Stow in front of the bank of Darling & Co., late the Wells Bank, corner of Main and First St.

The first farm machinery sold in Fond du Lac was by Lyman Phillips, at the corner of Main and Forest streets, in a long shed. H.P. Brown was afterwards in the same business at the same place.

The first type writing machine used in this county was doubtless the one brought to Ripon in 1864 by William Dawes. It was made by C.L. Sholes of Milwaukee. It was a crude affair, but Mr. Dawes used it.

The first type set in Fond du Lac was in 1846, when Henning & Hooker unpacked the material for the Fond du Lac Journal, by Mood Case, an Ohio printer visiting Edward Beeson.

The first fountain pen worthy of the name, appeared here about 1883. Before this the miserable stylograph pen was used some, but is now gone out.

The first bread baked for the public in a bakery was by William Chandler about 1848. He had a small bakery and pie shop on Main street.

The first carriage and wagon blacksmithing done here and making of steel plows, was by R.N. and Asa Pierce, who started their shop on Division street in 1846. They had a fine shop in later years on Macy street.

The first sale made at Curran's drug store, when it was opened in 1847, was a box of Brandreth's pills and W.A. Dewey was the purchaser. Dewey used to tell Curran that he opened his business here.

The first six wheel truck passenger car on the Northwestern road was put out of the old car shops in Fond du Lac in 1854. The writer of this rode in it nearly to Oakfield with Mr. Strong, Mr. Hull, Mr. Manley and Mr. Peabody to test its running. Previous to this the trucks had but four wheels. Ben Garvin ran the engine.

The first news stand was started by Geo. W. Weikert, when he was postmaster.-The New York Ledger was the principal paper sold.

The first barber shop here was that of John Reilly, a negro with an Irish name. He came in 1848. The first white man barber was T.M. Bowen.

The first carpenter and jobbing shop was that of Esek Dexter in 1848. Isaac Brown, John Beeson, the Ryders, Hurds and others worked in the buildings under construction, in barns or out under trees.

The first undertaker was Joshua Barnett, in 1847. Before his coming, coffins were made by any woodworker, the hearse was a farm wagon, and the funeral conductor the neighbors of the deceased.

The first weddings were in charge of John Bannister. The services of a clergyman was seldom available and Mr. Bannister was the only qualified Justice of the Peace in the vicinity.

The first piano teacher was John F. Burger, and the first singing school teacher W.W. Robinson. These men sold the first pianos.

When Edward Pier and Colwert Pier came over the Indian trail from Green Bay in 1836 they found Jo. King as one of the French Voyageurs at Brothertown, and he informed them that he came up the Fox river in a batteaux as early as 1832, and that he was on the east shore of Lake Winnebago that year. It is therefQre very certain that Jo. King came to this region pretty early. Gen. Ellis told the writer that he ran two lines as government surveyor, through this region, in 1828. Jo. King was with him part of the time in his surveys.

Mr. and Mrs. Colwert Pier were the first residents of Fond du Lao county1 and the first year of their residence were here alone. And what wIll timid ladies of today think of the fact that Mrs. Pier was for some time here alone among Indians and wolves.

Mrs. Pier's death was the first in this county and hers the first funeral. This death of Mrs. Fanny Pier was greatly lamented by the settlers.

The marriage of Alonzo Raymond and Miss Harriet Pier was the first marriage in Fond du Lac county.

The birth of John A. Bannister, son of John Bannister, was the first birth in Fond du Lac county.

Miss Harriet Pier taught the first school in the county.

The first livery stable in Fond du Lac was owned by Mr. Finney, father of Ed,. Finney, for many years as now, a resident of Oshkosh. He was for a time Steward of the Northern Hospital The Finney barn existed as early as 1847 and was located near the present gas works, with a shanty office Out on Main street.

The first bridge over the west branch of the river inside the present city of Fond du Lac, was at Western Avenue, in 1848. Previous to that time Orossings were made by fording it above the present Wisconsin Central bridge.

The first bridge across the east branch was the bridge of the then military road, but now Military street as far as it remains. In 1846, when the bridge was built, and untIl 1851, Military street was straight from the five points to Forest and the bridge crossed the river diagonally at the Robbins' livery property.

The first resident of that part of the city east of Park Avenue and north of Third street was Wm. J. Ransom, who lived at the present home of the Smead family. Old residents remember Mr. Ransom for his ability to talk. That part of the city was the Ransom farm in 1850.

The first brid~e over the east branch at Forest Ave. was a log. A tree had fallen across the river south of the old home of Gen. Hamilton, and people crossed on it for about a year.

The first dancing hall was at the home of Reuben Simmons. When he built his house, Mr. Simmons put in a movable partition, and on occasions of dances, religious meetings, singing schools or other gatherings, the partition was taken out and the result was a hall 22 by 38 feet.

The first hall in the city for public use was the school house on Fifth street, near Main, which was built for a court room, for meetings of all sorts, as well as for a school house. It was built in 1848.

The first wagon shop was owned by William Mumby.

The first harness shop was that of Lyman Bishop, at the corner of Main & 3rd.

The fIrst cabinet shop, Joshua Barnett.

The first shoe shop, Ernest Carpenter.

The first carpenter shop, Esek Dexter.

The first tailor shop, A.H. Clark.

The first stone mason, Joseph Stow.

The first insurance agent, W.T. Gibson.

The first bookbinder, Edward Sickles.

The first hatter, David Sickles.

The first milliner, Mrs. John Bonnell.

The first piano teacher, John F. Burger.

The first telegrapher, William Ellsworth.

The first singing school in this vicinity was in 1847 at the house of Reuben Simmons, in the town of Fond du Lac, and the late W.W. Robinson, of Ripon, was the teacher. He came from Sheboygan every two weeks for $5.00 a trip.

The first regular preaching was by Rev. John Halsted (Methodist) and he came around the circuit every two weeks. He preached in school houses, dwellings or any convenient place, receiving in payment flour, meal or anything the settlers might have. He received no money for they didn't have any.