Newspaper Clipping from the Plymouth Reporter, ""Wisconsin Pioneers,"" March 4th

[1873, Mar. 4]

News. Saturday, March March 4, 1873.

Wisconsin Pioneers.

Personal reminiscences of Solomon
Juneau, Judge Stowe and Jas. G. Perci-
val.

The Plymouth Reporter is publishing
a series of reminiscences and anecdotes
of the early settlement of that town,
which are alike readable and interesting.
They reflect credit upon the intellect and
qualities and powers of observation of
the worthy writer.

In the last number of the Reporter is
the following anecdote of Solomon
Juneau, who stopped the winter of
1846-7, at the house of G. W. Taylor —
a temperance hotel at Plymouth:

Taylor, (handing Juneau a glass of wine.)
"Mr. Juneau, will you try a glass of Ma-
deira."

Juneau, (taking the wine and smelling it,)
"It is really wine ain't it."

Taylor. "Yes; it is some that I brought
from the East."

Juneau." It is excellent. Mr. Taylor,
do you drink wine?"

Taylor. "Yes, I like a glass of good
wine occasionally."

Juneau. "I do not know when I have
seen so good wine; wine is the best to drink
of all the liquors. I have not seen so fine a
quality of wine in the territory." (Puts
the wine down without tasting it.)

Taylor. "Try the wine, Mr. Juneau."
Juneau: "Thank you; I have brandy in
my sleigh.

The same number contains the follow-
ing notices of two citizens, both noted
for their intellectural qualities, their ec-
centricities, and celibacy:

A few more reninscences and this chap-
ter is written. In the spring of 1841 M. M.
Flint was register of Deeds of Sheboygan
county. It was alleged that there had
been some informality in the proceesings,
and that he was liable to be ejected from his
position. Almost every early settler in Wis-
consin is familiar with the name and remark-
able characteristics of Judge Stowe. He
was a personage in whom were combined
superior gifts of intellect with such personal
habits as unfitted and indisposed him for the
company of his equals. He was a gour-
mand, beside being too fond of the
bottle to be always a safe or agree-
able companion. Nevertheless Judge
Stowe, when "clothed and in his
right mind," was a gentleman in spite of
all his unhappy vices. His opinion on
questions of law was eagerly sought for
long after he had retired from the bench
and was living in ignoble state near
Taycheedah. Mr. Flint had sought the
opinions of lawyers in Sheboygan on his
case, all of whom were adverse to him. He
in company with his brother-in-law, H. N.
Smith, determined to seek the advice of
Judge Stowe. Accordingly, one very
muddy spring day, they went to Taychee-
dap [dah] to see him. Arriving there, Mr.
Smith, who knew the Judge, wrote a note to
see him on important legal business; asking
him if it would be his pleasure to see them
at his house or at the hotel, to which Judge
Stowe characteristically replied:

Mr. Smith: — It is not my pleasure to see
either you or Mr. Flint at my house or any-
where else, on the business spoken of. I
should be happy to meet you at my house
as friends.

A. W. Stowe.

In the morning Messrs. Smith and Flint
called on the Judge. They were met at the
door by Hon. Moses M. Strong, to whom
they explained the matter in question. As
breakfast was nearly ready they retired
until it was over, Mr. Strong giving his
opinion rather guardedly until he should
have time to look up authorities. Return-
ing half an hour later, the Judge could not
in common decency refuse to see his guests,
and came into the room giving a very gruff
good morning to his unwelcome and persist-
ent visitors.

Mr. Smith, (loquitur.) "We are sorry,
Judge, that we cannot consult with you upon the
matter which brought us here; but we de-
cided at least to call upon you, after our
long drive in the mud."

Judge Stowe, (growing purple and moving
impatiently in his chair.) "Well, what is it;
what is the matter?"

Then Mr. Smith explained the matter
concisely. A pause followed.

Judge Stowe, (turning to Mr. Flint.)
"Mr. Flint! go back to Sheboygan; go into
your office and attend to your business;
and if anybody comes into your office and
attempts to meddle with your books kick him
down stairs!"

The gentleman retired in good order, and
Mr. Flint served out his term of office to his
satisfaction and that of his constituents.

Judge Stowe was often seen at this time
driving through town with a Rosinante
whose nose was very near the ground and
tail proportionately depressed; the harness
tied up with strings, and with tow strings
for reigns. A pair of tow cloth pants and a
dubious looking shirt, with a coarse straw
hat, completed his costume for a warm day,
while shoes and stockings were discarded as
superfluous articles of effeminate civilisation.
This was the first Chief Justice of Wiscon-
sin. He was an intimate friend of S. B.
Ormsbee, and at his house we once met the
Judge at a dinner party, well
dressed, and as agreeable a companion as
possible. At other times we have seen him
when he was an object worthy of aversion
and contempt. A friend of ours once saw
him, on a warm summer afternoon, back of
the Quitquioc House, with bare feet and in
the costume described above, busily engag-
ed in dressing white-fish which he had
brought from Sheboygan. We have no
manner of doubt but they were cooked after
a recipe of his own, under his especial sup-
ervision. He was the terror of land ladies,
especially of those wretched parties who
provided their guests with "salt risings"
and saleratus biscuits; his anathemas were
terrible at such times. But enough of poor
old Judge Stowe. With all his faults, away
down under the layers of selfishness and
intolerance perhaps there was a heart of
flesh. Who knows?

One more reminiscence of the old time.
In 1854 James Gates Percival was appoint-
ed State Geologist. Perhaps some at this
time may not be aware who this remarkable
man was. He was a graduate of Yale Col-
lege; he also received the degree of M. D.
from Yale medical school. He was a poet
who has received too little appreciation. In
the opinion of many whose names are writ-
ten in blue and gold, far above their merits.
He was a ripe scholar, familiar with both
modern and ancient languages. He pub-
lished many poems and poetical translations
from many modern languages. He is said
to have met with an early disappointment
which saddened his whole life. Henceforth
he shunned society, especially the company
of women. He lived in a house in Hartford,
Ct., which had no entrance except at the
back. Here, with his books, he lived and
studied. It must have been in the summer
of 1854 that he visited this part of the coun-
try and dined at our house. He had been
examining the remarkable formation known
as the "Kettles," between this place and
Fond du Lac. He was animated with his
subject, and to us he was as interesting
and agreeable as he was shabby and thread-
bare. He was at that time nearly sixty
years of age; his head was bald — a few
straggling locks of unkempt hair only re-
mained. A very much worn suit of cor-
duroy, a ragged oil-cloth cap and a pair of
old shoes made up his exterior; yet, with all
these disadvantages, a very short acquain-
tance convinced us that he was unmistaka-
bly a gentleman. His eye was bright, and
his head and the contour of his features no-
ble and refined. His manners, though quiet
were far from ungenial. It was a lovely day
in summer, and if we mistake not we had
honey and blackberries for dessert. He
seemed to enjoy the sunshine and the dinner
and the shade of the trees in the yard with
all the zest of a child. His pockets were
full of "fossils" and he was full of his sub-
ject. It was with a feeling of more than or-
dinary interest that we heard of his sad and
lonely death. He was a beautiful and pure
character. There are few such in this
world, where "fraud and wrong are crown-
ed kings."