the Fess Hotel in Madison. Her body lies in the Fess lot in that city.

I had attended school in Ireland, but of course there was no school in Irish Hollow for me to attend in 1851. My father had bought new schoolbooks for me before we left Ireland, and for some time he taught me at home as best he could. The first schoolhouse in the Hollow was a little log building on the west side of the river not far from the Kesler cabin. A collection was taken up among the settlers to defray the expenses of the school. Frances Dutcher was our first teacher for a short time. Then her cousin, Frances Corey, taught the school. There were seventeen pupils representing six different families. It seems to me but yesterday they sat there on those rude benches: Henry Wesley and Hazard Zwingli Roby; Watson, Daniel, Malvina, Violet, Eliza Jane, and Milton Avery; Emma, Myranda, and Irene Kesler; Lavantia and Abigail Corey; Samantha Morley and her two little sisters whose names I have forgotten.

I spoke and read with a broad Scotch brogue, and my spelling greatly amused the other children, much to my embarrassment. My "a's" were "à's," my "e's" were "a's," and my "j's" were "gaw's." You can imagine the teacher's surprise when she asked me to spell "Jane" and I promptly-for I was a good spellerreplied: "Gaw-a-n-a." But since I did not like to be laughed at, I soon learned to pronounce both words and letters in the accepted English of the time and place.

It was not long before the log building was razed and the logs were used in constructing another schoolhouse on the east bank of the river near the Morley cabin. Because my memory of school days in that location is so very hazy, I think they must have been few. Sanford Scott was using the building as a cooper shop when it burned down.

All of this must have happened before 1854, when the state legislature by special act created Joint School District Number 4 of Exeter and New Glarus towns, and the Wallace school came into existence. Most of those early pioneers had large families of keen-witted children. It was not long before the Wallace school demanded teachers of exceptional ability. In its spelling schools, singing schools, and literary society this army of young

people was given training far above the average in district schools in those days. I can count sixty-five teachers who were trained in District Number 4 before the Swiss finally bought out most of the Scotch-Irish farmers.

But let us get back to 1854 and the school building itself. A little ten by ten frame structure was at first set up at the foot of the hill across the road from the present schoolhouse. In this, that first summer, school was in session long enough to entitle the district to a share in the public school fund. In the meantime the permanent building was under construction a short distance to the east. I think the men hauled the lumber from Janesville. When completed it housed the school until the present building was erected. The little temporary room was sold to Uncle Elison and became the nucleus of the Moore house on the old homestead. The sand from the hills washed down and filled in around the building in that location; so in 1870 it was decided to move it to the opposite side of the road. That has been the schoolhouse site ever since.

Sarah Thayer, the first teacher in the new building, came from New York City to visit her uncle, Lee, in Exeter village, but remained to teach our school. She brought us many eastern ideas: she made leather flowers into bouquets covered with domeshaped glass receptacles; she wore short sleeves and low necks in her dresses. I recall her introductory speech the first morning and how stylish we big girls thought she looked.

Abigail Corey, Malvina and Violet Avery, and I were the "big girls," and we made life miserable for the next teacher. He was a mere boy, Earl Richmond, of Dayton, and such a bashful boy! We were cruel and heartless, but we may have done him a good turn, as he gave up the unremunerative work of teaching and became a successful merchant in company with his brother Ransom.

Some of the other very early teachers were Mahala Woodruff, Hiram Heistand, Mary Hitchcock, Melissa Ellis, Minnie Ray, Anna Broderick, and Emma Thomas.

DOCUMENTS

A TRIP THROUGH WISCONSIN IN 1838

BISHOP JACKSON KEMPER1

[July] 18 [1838]...We started [from Dubuque] at 51⁄2 [A. M.] crossed the river in a row boat. For a time we were among small islands between which the water was sluggish and no air was stirring. These islands may make Dubuque unhealthy. Massachelli the R. C. priest has had built here a handsome stone chapel and is now building one at Galena-he officiates at both places.2 At Dubuque a presbyterian is partly finished but there is no clergyman there now-and the minister of the Methodist Church is going away. When we got into the middle of the stream there was a fine breeze. We breakfasted at a house whose keeper was tavern keeper and stage agent. The place is called on the map Riprow-by the people Menominee3-but it has I believe only one house. Started at 7 in an open wagon-distance 18 miles-undulating prairies with occasional groves on the table land fine breezes from the south-and with our umbrellas we were quite comfortable. Stopt at Mr. Jones, member of Congress for Wisconsin1-his house on S[insinawa] Mound, a natural elevation

-he has not yet returned but expected soon-the house halfway up-the view from it beautiful and extensive. His sister Miss Jones from Whales [Wales] belongs to the Church-Mrs J. a R. C. born at St. Genevieve [Missouri]. A drink of raspberry shrubMrs J. with us to Galena. Met the Prairie du C[hien] stage. Arrived here [Galena] soon after 11. Bought some medicines and flannels. Dined with Capt G[ear] and took tea with him.

1 Bishop Kemper's first visit to Wisconsin occurred in 1834; his journal of that visit was published in Wis. Hist. Colls., xiv, 394-449, under the title: "Journal of an Episcopalian Missionary's Tour to Green Bay, 1834," and is accompanied by a sketch and a portrait of the author. Upon his visit four years later Kemper approached the territory from the southwest, coming up the Mississippi from St. Louis. We publish this interesting document by permission of Bishop W. W. Webb, of Milwaukee.

2 For Father Samuel Mazzuchelli, an Italian missionary to Wisconsin, see Wis. Hist. Colls., xiv, 155-157.

3 In Menominee Town, Jo Daviess County, Illinois.

Gen. George Wallace Jones was first territorial delegate from Wisconsin to Congress. See account of his career in Wis. Mag. of Hist., iii, 365-366.

Went with Rev. Mr [Henry] G[ear] and family to a weddingmany present-very warm-when they began to dance Mr and Mrs G. and I came away

19 July-thursday The most oppressive morning I have yet felt. Many preparations as to carriage &c. We started at 81⁄2. The kicking of the Major-driving of Capt Gear-tin cupscrackers-&c. A little Englishman by name of Morgan our driver. The carriage handsome and easy. A high hill back of the town— diggings-extensive and beautiful prairies-12 miles stopt at Curtis's where we found Col: Stephenson and his wife dg [daughter] of Mrs. Kyle. The Col consumptive from a wound received in the Black Hawk war. The horse Major under Morgan's driving goes on well. Passed Sinsinawa Mound on our left. Afterwards saw the 3 Platte Mounds on our right-they are natural hills, with rocks on their sides and do not even appear like tumuli. We crossed the Platte river and 14 miles brot us to Platteville. Mr. [Henry] G[ear] carries his gun-shot 2 birds, which we had for supper tonight. Crossed another Platte river, little and big- went for seven miles thro timber-rode 18 miles after dinner and stayed for the night at Lancaster, county town of Grant Co[un]ty-new-a few houses-handsome court house. Fine breezes on the Prairies-the weather is changing and becoming cool. A shower during the evening

20 July. My own dear boy Sam was 11 yesterday. May he be preserved thro' divine grace in purity. I slept well in a dirty bed. We started at 51⁄2-before starting and after I had entered the carriage the gun went off near my head and made a hole in the top of the carriage. God's holy name be blessed for my preservation. We rode 12 miles, lost our way, stopt at a small house on the prairie where we got breakfast-Episcopalians-Mr Dodge one of the Church wardens of Cassville-made an appointment with them for next week at Cassville-would take no pay. Met with a delicious spring from which Mr. G. helped me 4 times. Stopt at [Page] Blakes from New Hampshire-a fine spring. We dined on our crackers. Entered a ravine which brot us to the For the services of Col. James Stephenson in the Black Hawk War, see Wis. Hist. Colls., x, 192.

See note on Samuel Kemper in Wis. Hist. Colls., xiv, 396.

'J. E. Dodge of western Grant County, not Col. Henry Dodge, for whom see post.

Wisconsin-the banks of which were overflowed. Now 14 miles from Dodges-a tedious time before we were ferried over. Soon after we met Cadle and Lt McKissen' coming out in a carriage to meet us. 6 miles from the river to the Prairie. We passed thro' another ravine called colée by the french and descended into a pretty and long Prairie-drove to fort Crawford-and were very kindly rec'd by Dr. Elwes10 the surgeon of the garrison and by his wife, formerly a Miss Thomas of Elizabeth-town, N. J. and a communicant of the church. The fort or cantonment is a square of buildings, one story with a basement-north and south for the officers, the others for the soldiers-the officers apartments equal to the accommodation of 20 families. There are here now not more than 50 soldiers with Gen. Brooke,11 whose regiment the 5th is scattered over this country at St. Peters, here, Green Bay, Winnebago &c. Gen B, Mr Hooe,12 Mr McKissan, Mr and Mrs Lockwood,13 Miss Hooe &c called

21 July. A comfortable room, nice bed &c to myself. We are all, horses &c entertained by the Dr. Family prayers and grace. A riding party up the Prairie to Rouletts mill14 Called at Mr. Lockwoods-his wife from Wilkesbarre, her mother with her, aged, Mrs Wright a com[municant], mother of Dr W at St. Peters and of the husband of Mrs W. of St Louis, the dg [daughter] of Mrs Christy. Called at Gen Street's agent for the Winnebagoes 15-met there Rev. Mr. Lowrie who has a mission of the Cumberland Presbyterians 10 miles up the river among the W[innebagoe]s supported by Government.16 He preaches here about every third sunday and has organized a congregation of which Gen: Street is elder. He gives way to me this afternoon

8 For Rev. Richard Cadle, at this time a resident of Prairie du Chien, see Wis. Hist. Colls., ii, 147; xiv, 401; his portrait is in ibid., xiv, 412.

Lieut. William M. D. McKissack, a graduate of West Point (1831), lieutenant in 1835 of Fifth Infantry, stationed at Fort Crawford.

10 Dr. Alfred W. Elwes, assistant surgeon in the army in 1825, was appointed surgeon in 1836, and died in 1842.

11 Gen. George M. Brooke, commander of the Fifth Infantry, was at Fort Howard, Green Bay, when Kemper was there in 1834. See Wis. Hist. Colls., xiv, 417.

12 Lieut. Alexander S. Hooe, for whom see Wis. Hist. Colls., vii, 350; his wife was Emilie Rolette, of Prairie du Chien.

13 For James H. Lockwood and wife, see Wis. Hist. Colls., ii, 98-196; v, 325.

14 See description of the building of Rolette's mill, in Keyes's journal, Wis. Mag. of Hist., iii, 355-360. For sketch of Joseph Rolette, see Wis. Hist. Colls., xix, 140. 15 Joseph M. Street is noted in Wis. Hist. Colls., xi, 356.

16 Rev. David Lowry, for whom see Wis. Hist. Colls., xii, 405.