Wisconsin,
One of the
Western States of the
United States, lying between lat. 42° 27′ and 47° N. and long.
86° 53′ and 92° 53′ W., is bounded on the north by
Lake Superior and
Michigan, on the east by
Michigan and
Lake Michigan, on the south by
Illinois, and west by
Iowa and
Minnesota, the
Mississippi and St. Croix rivers marking almost the entire boundary-line on the west.
Area, 56,040 square miles, in sixty-eight counties.
Population in 1890, 1,686,880; 1900, 2,069,042.
Capital,
Madison.
Jean Nicolet, interpreter at
Three Rivers, explores the
Fox River......1634
Sieur Radisson and
Sieur des Groseilliers, French traders, winter in the
Green Bay country......1658
Radisson and
Groseilliers ascend the
Fox River......1659
Radisson and
Groseilliers build a stockade on
Chequamegon Bay, where
Ashland now is......1661
Jesuit missionary to the Hurons,
Rene Menard, loses his life near the
Black River......June, 1662
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Father Claude Allouez establishes a mission at La Pointe, on
Chequamegon Bay......1665
Mission established at the
Rapids de Pere on the
Fox River, near
Green Bay, by
Father Allouez......1670
Father Marquette and
M. Joliet from Michilimackinac enter
Green Bay and pass
Fox River portage to the
Wisconsin River, June 10, and down the
Wisconsin, discovering the
Mississippi......June 17, 1673
Marquette coasts
Lake Michigan from
Green Bay, reaching the site of
Chicago......Dec. 4, 1674
La Salle, leaving his ship the
Griffin at
Green Bay, sails up the coast of
Lake Michigan......1679
Daniel Greysolon Duluth ascends the
Bois Brule from
Lake Superior, and descends the
St. Croix to the
Mississippi River......1680
Father Louis Hennepin, with
Duluth, journeys from
Lake St. Francis to
Green Bay by way of the
Wisconsin and
Fox rivers......1680
Pierre le Seuer reaches the
Mississippi River via the
Fox and
Wisconsin......1683
Nicholas Perrot, appointed commandant of the
West, winters near Trempeleau, which he reaches via the
Fox and
Wisconsin rivers from
Green Bay......1685
Father St. Cosme visits site of
Milwaukee on his way by boat from
Green Bay to the
Mississippi River......Oct. 7, 1699
Le Seuer discovers lead mines in
southwestern Wisconsin......1700
Marin, the
French leader, sent by the Quebec government, attacks the
Fox Indians at Winnebago Rapids (
Neenah)......winter of 1706-7
De Louvigny, sent to destroy the
Fox tribes, leaves
Quebec, March 14; fights the battle of Buttes des Morts on the
Fox River, and reaches
Quebec again......Oct. 12, 1716
Francis Renault engages in mining on the
Mississippi above the mouth of the
Wisconsin......1719
De Lignery makes a treaty with the Sacs, Foxes, and Winnebagoes, by which the
French may cross
Wisconsin to trade with the
Sioux on
Lake Pepin......June 7, 1726
Cardinell, a French soldier, and his wife, settle at
Prairie du Chien......1726
Fort Beauharnois, on
Lake Pepin, established by the
French, with
Sieur de la Perriere as commandant......1727
Fort St. Francis, at
Green Bay, on site of
Fort Howard about 1718-21, is destroyed, to keep it from the Indians......1728
Expedition fitted against the
Fox Indians by the
Marquis de Beauharnois ascends the
Fox River, burning deserted Indian villages......August, 1728
Expedition against the
Fox Indians under
De Villiers......1730
Fort La Baye built by the
French on the site of
Fort Howard......1730
Expedition against the Sacs and Foxes by the
French under De Noyelle......1735
Legardeur Saint Pierre, commandant at
Lake Pepin, evacuates his post, fearing massacre by the Indians......1737
Massacre of eleven Frenchmen at
Green Bay, by the
Menomonee Indians......1758
Wisconsin becomes English territory......Sept. 8, 1760
Captain Belfour and
Lieutenant Gorrell with English troops occupy
Green Bay, which
Belfour names Fort Edward Augustus......Oct. 12, 1761
English abandon Fort Edward Augustus on account of the
Pontiac War, cross
Lake Michigan to L'Arbre Croche and thence to
Montreal......June 21, 1763
Trade with the Chippewas at
Chequamegon Bay reopened by Henry, an English trader......1765
Augustin de Langlade and his son
Charles Michel settle permanently at
Green Bay......1766
Jonathan Carver, exploring the northwest, by way of
Green Bay and the
Fox and
Wisconsin rivers, reaches
Prairie du Chien......Oct. 15, 1766
John Long, an English trader, visits
Green Bay and
Prairie du Chien......June, 1780
Bazil Girard,
Augustin Angi, and
Pierre Antaya settle
Prairie du Chien......1781
Laurent Barth engages in the carrying trade at the portage from the
Fox to the
Wisconsin rivers......1793
Trading posts established at
Kewaunee,
Sheboygan,
Manitowoc, and
Milwaukee, by
Jacques Vieau......1795
Western posts surrendered by
England to the
United States......June 1, 1796
Wisconsin included in the
Territory of Indiana, created by act approved......May 7, 1800
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Judge Charles Reaume appointed justice of the peace at
Green Bay by
Gov. William Henry Harrison, of
Indiana.......1803
By treaty of
St. Louis the united Sacs and Foxes cede to the
United States land, a portion of which lies in
southern Wisconsin......Nov. 3, 1804
Wisconsin included in the
Territory of Illinois, created by act approved......Feb. 3, 1809
Thomas Nuttall and
John Bradbury, naturalists, explore
Wisconsin......1809
Governor Clarke takes possession of
Prairie du Chien and builds Fort Shelby......1813
Fort Shelby surrendered to the
British under
Colonel McKay......July 19, 1814
United States troops occupy
Prairie du Chien and commence Fort Crawford on the site of Fort McKay, formerly Fort Shelby......June, 1816
Fort Howard, on
Green Bay, built and garrisoned by American troops under
Col. John Miller......1816
First grist-mill in
western Wisconsin built at
Prairie du Chien by
John Shaw......1818
Solomon Juneau arrives at
Milwaukee......Sept. 14, 1818
Wisconsin attached to
Michigan Territery upon admission of
Illinois into the
Union......Dec. 3, 1818
Winnebago Indians massacre three whites at
Prairie du Chien......June 28, 1827
Treaty concluded with the
Menomonee and other Indian tribes at
Butte des Morts......Aug. 11, 1827
Fort Winnebago built at the portage between the
Fox and
Wisconsin rivers......1828
Battle of Wisconsin Heights; Black Hawk attacked by
Illinois troops under
Gen. James D. Henry, and
Wisconsin rangers under
Maj. Henry Dodge......July 21, 1832
Black Hawk's band destroyed by United States troops and crew of government steamboat
Warrior, at mouth of
Bad Axe River......Aug. 2, 1832
Black Hawk delivered to
General Street, agent of the Winnebagoes, by his captors, Cha-e-tar and One-eyed Decorra......Aug. 27, 1832
Treaty with the Winnebagoes at
Rock Island, ceding to the
United States their lands east of the
Mississippi and west of
Green Bay......Sept. 15, 1832
First newspaper, the
Green Bay Intelligencer, published at
Green Bay......Dec. 11, 1833
Land offices established at
Mineral Point and
Green Bay......1834
Military road from
Fort Howard to Fort Crawford begun......June 1, 1835
First steamboat makes port at
Milwaukee......June 17, 1835
Territory of Wisconsin created by act of April 20, and government organized at
Mineral Point......April 20, 1836
Milwaukee Advertiser published at
Milwaukee......July 14, 1836
First session of the Assembly held at
Belmont,
Iowa county......Oct. 25, 1836
Real-estate speculation at
Kewaunee, owing to discovery of gold, at its height......1836
First permanent settlement of
Madison......April, 1837
Corner-stone of capital at
Madison laid......July 4, 1837
Governor Dodge, of
Wisconsin Territory, by treaty with the Ojibways at Fort Snelling, obtains cession to the
United States of the pine forests of the
valley of the St. Croix and its tributaries......July 29, 1837
Assembly meets at
Burlington, Des Moines county......Nov. 6, 1837
Legislature assembles at
Madison......Nov. 26, 1838
Portage canal, connecting
Wisconsin and
Fox rivers, begun by the
United States......1838
Mitchell's bank at
Milwaukee established......1839
“The
Wisconsin phalanx,” a community on
Fourier's system, established at
Ceresco, now
Ripon......May, 1844
Mormon colony, an offshoot from
Nauvoo, led by
James Jesse Strang, is founded on
White River at Voree......1845
Enabling act for the
State of Wisconsin passed by Congress......Aug. 6, 1846
State constitution prohibiting banks and banking, framed by a convention at
Madison, Oct. 5–Dec. 16, 1846, is rejected by the people......April, 1847
Troops from
Michigan and
Wisconsin leave
Detroit by boat for
Vera Cruz, enlisted in the
Mexican War......April 24, 1847
First railroad charter in
Wisconsin granted to the
Milwaukee and Waukesha Railroad Company......1847
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Convention assembles at
Madison, Dec. 15, 1847; frames a constitution and adjourns, Feb. 1, 1848.
Constitution ratified by a popular vote of 16,442 to 6,149......March 13, 1848
Wisconsin admitted into the
Union by act approved......May 29, 1848
First State legislature convenes June 5, and officers take the oath......June 7, 1848
First telegram received at
Milwaukee from
Chicago......Jan. 17, 1849
State Historical Society organized at
Madison......Jan. 30, 1849
Amendment to the constitution conferring suffrage on colored men receives a majority of votes cast, but not a majority of all who voted for State officers, and the canvassers declare it rejected......Nov. 6, 1849
Lawrence University at
Appleton chartered and opened......1849
University of
Wisconsin at
Madison, chartered 1848, opened......1849
First railroad train between
Milwaukee and
Waukesha......February, 1851
Question of banks or no banks submitted to the people of
Wisconsin by act of March 5, 1851, 31,219 votes in favor to 9,126 opposed......1851
Capital punishment in
Wisconsin abolished......July, 1853
Meeting at
Ripon, called by
A. E. Bovay,
Jediah Bowen, and others to organize the Republican party, and
Mr. Bovay suggests the name “Republican” ......Feb. 28, 1854
Title “Republican” adopted for the party at a mass convention in
Capitol Park at
Madison......July 13, 1854
Act passed to extinguish the title of the
Chippewa Indians to lands owned and claimed by them in
Wisconsin and the
Territory of Minnesota......Dec. 19, 1854
A negro,
Joshua Glover, claimed as a slave by a Missourian named
Garland, being forcibly released from prison in
Milwaukee, federal and State authorities dispute on the legality of the fugitive slave law......1854
Sherman M. Booth, of
Milwaukee, convicted in the federal district court of
Wisconsin of violating the fugitive slave law by aiding in the liberation of
Glover, and fined and imprisoned, is discharged by the Supreme Court, which pronounces the law unconstitutional......Feb. 3, 1855
William A. Barstow, Democrat,
ex-governor, and
Coles Bashford, Republican, each claiming to be elected governor by the people, take the oath of office, the one at the
capitol, the other in the Supreme Court room......Jan. 7, 1856
Assembly recognizes
Barstow as governor and the Senate as governor de facto......Jan. 10, 1856
Supreme Court of
Wisconsin summons
Barstow to show by what authority he claims to hold the office.......Jan. 17, 1856
Supreme Court decides that
Barstow has been counted in upon fraudulent returns;
Lieutenant-Governor McArthur fills the office for four days, when
Coles Bashford assumes office......March 21, 1856
First railway reaches the
Mississippi River at
Prairie du Chien......April 15, 1857
First Wisconsin Regiment mustered into service......May 17, 1861
About 700 Confederate prisoners are received at Camp Randall,
Madison......April, 1862
Governor Harvey dies on his way to the battle-field of
Shiloh to look after the welfare of
Wisconsin soldiers......April, 1862
Personal liberty law repealed......July, 1862
Negro-suffrage amendment to the constitution rejected by vote of 55,591 to 46,588......November, 1865
Home for soldiers' orphans opened Jan. 1, 1866; established by private subscription, becomes a State institution......March 31, 1866
Fourth Regiment Wisconsin Cavalry mustered out after a service of five years and one day, the longest term on record of a volunteer organization......May 28, 1866
Alexander W. Randall appointed
Postmaster-General......July 25, 1866
Supreme Court sustains the amendment to the constitution giving suffrage to colored men, as ratified by the people in 1849......1866
Northern University at
Watertown, opened 1865, chartered......1867
Legislature ratifies the Fifteenth Amendment......March 9, 1869
Northwestern branch of the
National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, near
Milwaukee, dedicated......October, 1869
A “whirlwind of fire” 10 miles in width
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sweeps over the counties bordering on
Green Bay.
Loss of life, 1,000 persons, burned, drowned, or smothered; of property, over $3,000,000......Oct. 8-9, 1871
State board of charities and reform appointed by
Governor Fairchild; four men and one woman......1871
Act punishing intoxication by fine and imprisonment......1872
First State meeting of the American Constitutional Union, 666 delegates, at
Milwaukee......Aug. 7, 1873
Potter railroad law, relating to railroads, express, and telegraph companies, fixing rates of transportation, and providing for railroad commissioners......March 11, 1874
St. Paul and Northern railroads announce to the governor that they cannot obey the Potter law......April 27, 1874
Supreme Court sustains the Potter law......September, 1874
Real estate of soldiers' orphans' home transferred to the regents of the State University for a medical college.......1875
Supreme Court rejects the application of
Miss Lavinia Goodell for admission to the bar, as a calling inconsistent with the duties of the sex......January, 1876
Potter railroad law of 1874 made much less stringent......Feb. 18, 1876
Legislature enables women to practise law......1877
State park established in
Lincoln county by act of legislature......1878
National German-American teachers' seminary at
Milwaukee opened......1878
Legislature passes a compulsory education law......1879
Death of “Old Abe,” the
Wisconsin war eagle, belonging to company O, 8th Wisconsin Infantry......March, 1881
Timothy O. Howe appointed
Postmaster-General......Dec. 20, 1881
Milwaukee day school for the deaf at
Milwaukee opened......1883
Science Hall of the State University destroyed by fire; loss $200,000......Dec. 1, 1884
William F. Vilas appointed
Postmaster-General......March 6, 1885
Women empowered to vote at school elections......1885
Legislature appropriates $5,000 yearly to hold farmers' institutes......1885
Anarchist riots in
Milwaukee......May 5, 1886
William F. Vilas appointed
Secretary of the Interior......Jan. 16, 1888
Jeremiah M. Rusk appointed
Secretary of Agriculture ......March 5, 1889
Annual meeting of the Grand Army of the Republic held at
Milwaukee......Aug. 27, 1889
Acts passed to secure a secret ballot at elections......1889
Local option law passed, providing for a vote on the question of license on petition of 10 per cent. of the voters in any town or village......1889
Ex-Secretary Vilas chosen
United States Senator......Jan. 27, 1891
Bennett school law of 1889, requiring schools recognized by the
State to teach reading, writing, arithmetic, and
United States history in
English, is repealed......1891
Ex-Gov. Harrison Ludington dies at
Milwaukee, aged seventy-eight......June 17, 1891
Charles Kendall Adams,
ex-president of Cornell University, accepts the presidency of the
University of
Wisconsin......July 30, 1892
Legislature in special session to reapportion the
State......Oct. 17, 1892
Destructive fire in
Milwaukee; over 300 buildings destroyed and ten lives lost; loss of property over $5,000,000......Oct. 28, 1892
R. L. D. Potter, author of
Potter railroad law, dies......Nov. 9, 1893
Ex-Gov. J. M. Rusk dies at his home in
Viroqua......Nov. 21, 1893
War history of
Wisconsin completed......1893
Panic resulting by failure of Plankinton and other banks in
Milwaukee......1893
Experience
Estabrook, one of the framers of the
Wisconsin constitution, dies......March 26, 1894
Disastrous forest fires in
northern Wisconsin......1894
Peter Parkinson, last survivor of Black Hawk War, dies......March 30, 1895
Chief-Justice Harlow S. Orton dies......July 4, 1895
Milwaukee celebrates its semi-centennial......Oct. 16, 1895
State census taken, giving
Wisconsin a population of 1,937,915......1895
Gen. Lucius Fairchild dies......May 23, 1896
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Milwaukee celebrates centennial year of her settlement.
Free travelling-library system initiated by
Senator J. H. Stout......1896
The great
Yerkes telescope dedicated at
Lake Geneva, Wis......Oct. 21, 1897
Semi-centennial of
Wisconsin as a State celebrated......June 28, 1898
Wisconsin raises and equips four regiments for American-Spanish War.......1898
Great strike of wood-workers at
Oshkosh, accompanied by rioting and bloodshed......1898
Disastrous forest fires in
northern Wisconsin during September; many lives lost......1898
Milwaukee public museum opened in new building......Jan. 23, 1899
Wisconsin Historical Society celebrates fiftieth anniversary ......Feb. 22, 1899
Tornado in
Minnesota and
Wisconsin (over 250 persons killed at
New Richmond, Wis.)......June 12, 1899
J. V. Quarles elected
United States Senator......1899
Gen. Henry Harnden, capturer of
Jefferson Davis, dies at
Madison......March 17, 1900
Ex-Senator Philetus Sawyer dies at
Oshkosh......March 29, 1900
“
Belle Boyd,” the woman spy in the
Civil War, dies at
Kilbourn......June 12, 1900
Wisconsin State Historical library building dedicated......Oct. 19, 1900
David Giddings, member of
Wisconsin Constitutional Convention, dies......Oct. 24, 1900
Wyoming