Box 1, Folder 1: Autobiographies

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Question no. 8: On the 1st day of July 1836 I came to Milwaukee with a view of making that place my permanent home, and have resided here since that time. Wisconsin was then a portion of the Territory of Michigan; the organic law of the Territory of Wisconsin did not take effect until the 4th of that month.

Question no. 9: Besides the duties of my profession as an Engineer, I have since my residence here, as a matter of business, and as affording means of support for myself and family, had charge of large amounts of real estate.

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Question 10: There has been no leading incident in my business career & my progress in a business way has been steady & uniform; avoiding poverty on the one hand & the burden of super-abundant wealth on the other. This has enabled me to devote portions of my time and attention to other matters of interest & importance.

Question 11: I was born among the society of 'Friends' and have seen no good reason to change my views from my youth up.

Question 12: Past and present political views identical; always on the side of most advanced party - culminating in what is now known as the Republican.

Question 13: Have had no military record. During the war I performed for the general government the duties of an Assistant Assessor of Internal Revenue.

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Since my first arrival in Wisconsin, I have endeavored to study and by various publications make known the physical features, topography, geology, natural history, meteorology, antiquities etc. of the state.

Question 16: My travels have not been of much importance ; confined to my own country and Canada; Northward to the Red River of the North; Eastward as far as Salem, Mass., and Montreal in Canada; Southward to St. Augustine, Florida; and Westward to San Francisco, California.

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Question 17: I was married October 24th 1838 at Marshall, Michigan to Ann M. Allcott, who died at Milwaukee February 25th 1863; since which time I have remained unmarried. My children now living are five; Mary Jane, Julia Allcott, Henry, Seneca G., and Charles. Two others died young, and are buried in Forest Home, a cemetary near Milwaukee. Family records show my direct ancestry as follows: I. John Lapham, a weaver born in 1635 in Devonshire England; settled in Providence Rhode Island where his house was burned in the King Phillp's War. II. John Lapham, who married Mary Russell. III. John Lapham born October 3d 1703 married Denise Howland. IV. Benjamin Lapham born January 15, 1727. V. Pazzi Lapham born October 22, 1750 - married Bethany Foster. VI. Seneca Lapham, my father, born in Dutchess County New York, June 10, 1784; married Rachel Allen; died in Champaign County Ohio December 30, 1853.

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The animal shaped mounds of Wisconsin early attracted my attention and I made a survey of the 'turtle mound' at Prairie Village (Waukesha) before it was destroyed. I afterwards made an extended survey of these mounds and the results were published in the Smithsonian Contributions, 1855. My travelling expenses while on survery were paid by the American Antiquarian Society. The Memoir covers 95 quarto pages with 55 plates.