Tempero Tells of IndianTrail In Town of Lisbon
by Charles J. Tempero
Printed under “The CountyHeritage” column in the Waukesha Freeman, Feb. 23, 1938
Transcribed by Michael R. Reilly
updated 06/24/2013
In 1885 my father moved ontothe farm on which I now live, NW 1/4 Section 34, Town of Lisbon. I was then alad of 11 years and loved to roam in the back fields, around the old pond holes,and up and down the creeks.
At that time it was not anuncommon thing for a person to walk several miles and many a time I walked toSussex by way of crossing the Richard Craven Farm on Section 27.
On these cross lot trips inthe marsh lands lying either side of the creek on the Craven farm . I oftennoticed a narrow strip of land which was higher, dryer, and continuous from oneside of the marsh to the other excepting where the creek passed through.
Told It Was Old Indian Trail
In after years, mygrandfather-in-law, Alfred S. Weaver, told me what it was all about. He told meit was an old Indian trail. The trail came up from the Fox River and the S. W.corner of the Town Of Menomonee and entered what is now the Town of Lisbon aboutthe center of Section 36 running slightly to the north of west and crossed thesouth end of his farm on Section 35.
It entered Section 26 slightlywest of the center of those two sections, east-to-west, crossing the SussexCreek about 1/8 (?) mile north of his father’s homestead. There was also a gradepath across this marsh.
The trail continued westerly,passing south of the hill on Section 28 towards the Town of Merton; beyond thispoint he never told me, but it was the trail that ran from Milwaukee to Portage.
This trail must have been ofgreat importance to the Indians because of its running so near a straight lineand the amount of work that must have been done building the grades across themarshes. And to my observation it kept to almost level land.
Tempero Tells More About Indian Trail, byCharles J. Tempero,
Waukesha Freeman, March 30, 1938
Transcribed by Michael R. Reilly
Since writing the article on the Indian trail in the town ofLisbon, I have learned, on very good authorship that the angling parts of theroad between Waukesha and Merton, in the main, is the result of followinganother old Indian trail.
In abiography of the late Hon. John N. Cadby, who in 1842 settled in Merton – then avillage of six or seven cabins, there is an account of a Pottawattomie orWinnebago Indian village of seven or eight lodges then located east of Merton onthe farm now owned by Jacob Schlicher in Section 18, town of Lisbon, just southof Bark river.
Accordingto the adage of “two and two make four”, it is reasonably correct toassume that the two trails junctioned at or near this village.
More About Local Indian Trails
Transcribed by Michael R. Reilly
Waukesha Freeman Dec 8, 1937 – December 1, 1837 marks onehundred years since Stephen Warren, a young man of twenty-two years old startedfrom his father’s home near Ann Arbor, Mich. to walk west into the wilderness toestablish a home for his father and mother and thirteen brothers and sisters. Heworked along the way earning his keep and a little besides and landed inMilwaukee, Feb. 1, 1838. A little later he started west on the Indian Trailwhich later became Watertown Plank road, landing in Hartland, April 1, 1838,which was then an Indian Settlement, called by them Sha-ba-qua-nake, meaninggroups, bundles, bunches, or what have you. Thus was the beginning of ourbeautiful and prosperous little city.
Feb. 1, 1838 marks one hundred years since Stephen FairchildWarren came to Milwaukee, he having walked from his father’s home near AnnArbor, Mich. He stayed in Milwaukee for two months, then started west on theIndian trail, now Highway 19, and landed in Shabaquanake, now Hartland.Hartland will probably celebrate in some way this event during the year 1938.Your correspondent, is a granddaughter of this man, being one of four childrenborn to Myron H. Warren, only child of Stephen Warren. Waukesha Freeman,Feb. 9, 1938. Editor’s note – Which date is actually the correctone? Perhaps that written by his granddaughter?
Charles B. Sheldon, the first white man to settle in Oconomowoc,died at his home on Wednesday. Mr Sheldon was born in St. Lawrence county, NewYork, in 1812. In 1834 he turned his steps westward. He was in Iowa during thatwinter, but in the spring of 1835 went to Mineral Point, Wis. where he worked atmining. In 1837 he followed the Indian trail from Prairieville to Oconomowocand built a pioneer shanty upon the claim of 160 acres which remained hishomestead until the day of his death.
Waukesha Freeman, June 11, 1891
George W. Rowell, Sr., intimately connected with industrialinterests in this city for a number of years, died early this morning at thehome of his daughter, Mrs. Fred Ellingson, 2128 N. 40th St., Milwaukee. Mr.Rowell observed his ninetieth birthday in April of this year and had been inactive health until within the past year. He spent several weeks this summerwith his daughter, Miss Maria Rowell, in this city. Mr. Rowell was born at lakeFive in this county, April 13, 1843, and had spent the major portion of his lifein this county. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ira Rowell, natives of New York State,had come to Wisconsin in 1842, purchased government land in the town of Lisbon,near lake five, and entered upon the arduous life of the pioneer. The family,comprising at that time the parents and eight children, lived in their wagon untiltheir first crude home was constructed. It stood not more than two rods from theold Chicago and Winnebago Indian trail and the red man was a frequentvisitor.
Waukesha Freeman, Nov. 1, 1933