Mix’s architecture was significant because it brought cosmopolitan influences to the midwest. Seeing Villa Louis in its midwest setting is surreal as it is so far temporally and physically from European intellect.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut May 13, 1831. -New Haven Connecticut is a literary and architectural center. Mix had a literary, printing press and naval family background.
Worked as a draftsperson for Sidney Mason Stone 1848
Married Mary
B. Hayes on 7 May 1854,
Moved to
Chicago in 1855 – worked with William W. Boyington briefly
Arrived in Milwaukee in 1856
Solo practice
began in 1857
Mix learned architecture through books:
“he used his books extensively in his practice” (Wood, 1999)
+Robert W. Billings, Illustrations of the Architectural Antiquities of the County of Durham (1846)
+Cesar Daly’s L’architecture prive au XIXme siecle sous Napoleon III
+Cesar Daly’s Motifs historiques d’architecture et de sculpture d’ornement V 1& 2
Mix’s style of architecture revolved around the clients needs. It was a Mix of styles catering to the customers aesthetic wishes. An architect that understood service to the client as the focus.
Styles included: Italianate, Queen Anne, Gothic Revival, Second Empire, and Richardsonian Romanesque.
Technological progress was also part of Mix’s influence on a building. At Villa Louis, indoor plumbing was installed and some electrical service.
Builder of Villa Louis was Bentley & Sons – from Milwaukee
Mix bridged the world of architects as journeyman to architects as white collar professional men separated from the trades who built the buildings.
Incorporation of Milwaukee as a city
Connection to the fur trade.
Yankee architect for Yankee Clients (the Dousman’s)
References:
Mary N. Woods. From Craft to Profession (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999)
John R.
Burrows. “The Work of E. Townsend Mix from 1856-1890: A Study of
Carlen (M.A. Thesis, University of Virginia, 1980). A second extensive paper, unpublished, challenging some of the ideas put forth in Burrows thesis exists.
Hatala, “Edward Townsend Mix and Alexander Mitchell Four Commissions.” (March 1982).
UPDATE: The building was demolished by the Village of Potosi Board in January 2019 despite 230 signatures in a petition: https://www.change.org/p/potosi-wi-oldest-historic-building-stop-threatened-demolition-razing-of-107-n-main-st
Left image taken by author.
Sepia toned image has an unknown source: Photographer is unknown. Contact https://potosiwisconsin.com/passage-thru-time-museum/ for more information.
In 1833, a Wisconsin/Iowa territory Plat map showed a “new dig”, for mining, in Section 34, Range 3 West, Township 3, Fourth Meridian. (Williams, 1833)
This is the location of the port of Potosi, on the Mississippi River, and was the center of mining and retail activity in 1837. Snake Hollow, Potosi was the business district that housed and serviced the permanent and transient residents. Snake Hollow was “booming” in the 1830-40’s (Holford,1900) as a bustling urban center with services where many travelled. People from Galena, Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago, New York, Dubuque, etc..came for mining, trading, professional services and general supplies. On February 19, 1841, the Village of Potosi (Snake Hollow) was incorporated. (Holford,1900)
The 1842 Iowa County Census shows the Langworthy’s and the Whites as well as new people including William Henderson (1914 – unknown date of death) and George Bell in Potosi.
On October 29, 1842, George Bell, carpenter, and William Henderson, stonemason, created a legal contract for building the Henderson building. The contract was drawn up by Orasmus Cole and William Biddlecom. The contract document defined specifics for a building Bell and Henderson were planning to build in partnership. The court document recorded such as the basement being 32’-0” wide in front , 29’-0” in depth, 35’-0” wide in rear, 18” thick walls that are 7’-0” high. The first, second and third floor walls were to be 8” thick brick. (Court Docket, 1842) These specifications were describing the Henderson Building at 107 N Main Street, Potosi, Wisconsin.
When the building was completed, in the summer of 1843, “the building was celebrated”. (Holford, 1900) The Henderson building brought the celebration of American Independence to the town of Potosi. A majority of the people from the town had immigrated to America and were connected to fighting for American Independence. Bunting and flags, to name a few items, were proudly displayed on July 4.
Pre-Wisconsin statehood (May 29, 1848), the three-story, Federal style, Henderson Building is the oldest example of an urban multi use building in Grant county. The uses included residential housing, a blacksmith shop, general store, professional service offices of law, dental, photography, hotel, and a newspaper.
The Henderson Block sits on a plinth which consists of a, two story, limestone Blacksmith shop and a, three story, (Henderson building) First, the two story stone blacksmith shop was built by James White in approximately 1841. (Holford, 1900) James came, with his wife Mary, to the region as a miner and later flourished as a blacksmith. (Holford, 1900) The two story limestone building has been partially demolished as the south wall for the stone building is a party wall to the three story brick Henderson building. The blacksmith shop and the Henderson building share a party wall.
The Henderson building has three separate entrances. Two Retail entrances on the north and south, of the facade, entering into the first floor shops. The third entrance, a center door, between the two retail entries, brings professionals and residences up the stairs to the second and third floors. The façade is topped with a bracketed, metal and wood, corbelled fascia and a central pediment rising in the middle.
The Henderson building’s facade has six double-hung wood windows inset in masonry brick openings with a stone sill and lintel.
The roof of the building is a flat roof with parapets on three sides.
The land tracts recording citizens settling in Potosi had not been recorded until 1845. Nelson Dewey was the Grant County recorder of deeds and owned land next to the Henderson building.
William Henderson, is shown to have owned lots 234 and 236 (The Henderson Building) James White owned lot 238 (The Blacksmith Shop). Today these three lot numbers are combined as one parcel when sold. In June 1842, a map of Grant county, Wisconsin territory, visually recorded Potosi, Snake Hollow. (Wiltse, 1842) Three years later a map visually defined the lots of land in Potosi, Snake Hollow. (Wiltse, 1845)
In 1843, the law offices of Cole and Biddlecom opened in the Henderson building. Orasmus Cole (1819-1903) was William Henderson’s lawyer. Cole is known for his anti-slavery stance, being Nelson Dewey’s opponent for Chief Justice in 1853 (State Bar Association of Wisconsin, 1885) , and having one of the longest terms as a Wisconsin state supreme court justice (1855-1892).
Orasmus Cole lived in the Henderson Building with his family from 1849 through 1855. He worked in the Henderson building from 1843-1848. He, and his family, may have also lived in the building pre-1848.
William Biddlecom (1820-1860) became district Attorney of Grant County in 1851. He was a well respected citizens of Potosi.
In 1843-44 the first general merchandiser of the building was Bricknell, Haines and Hollub. William Henderson worked and resided in the Henderson building.
The newspaper, Potosi Republican, was on the third floor of the Henderson Building. (Potosi Republican Advertisement) It was a weekly, democratic, newspaper. It was first edited by J. M. Denton, followed by James W. Seaton and finally Edwin Paul. The demise of the newspaper came because of the exodus of miners to California approximately 1854-55.
James W. Seaton (1824-1904) was “one of the most prominent men that ever reside in Potosi”. (Wilmot, 1920’s). He studied law in Rome, New York and Chicago. He began working for Cole and Biddlecom in 1847. He also became the superintendent of the Potosi Public Schools and held many local Village offices.
In 1847, George Bell and wife had a case against William Henderson. Orasmus Cole represented Henderson and William Latamer represented Bell. During the case proceedings William Latamer provoked a duel against Colonel White. The duel took place in front of the Henderson Building and Latamer died from losing the duel.
To satisfy the plaintiff, in February 1848, Henderson, through a sherriff sale, sold parts to Cole and Biddlecom and Solon Langworthy. William Henderson still owned shares in the building as he William Henderson sold a property share to James W Henderson in Potsdam, St Lawrence, New York for $ 2000, on january 20, 1849.
In 1850, William Henderson reside in the Henderson building with a personal property value of $6000.00. (1850 US Census)
In 1854, James White August 25, 1855) and his wife, Mary White opened a, Public House, White’s House in the building. The advertisement in the newspaper read:
Public House
James White has opened his house, located on North St. Potosi, for the accomodation of the travelling community, and for the reception of transient and permanent boarders. He will endeavor to keep a good stable, as the times will permit at reasonable charges. Horses provided for a good stable, and by attentive Ostlers. (1854)
James was from Vermont and Mary was from Massachusetts, the idea of a Public House was typical and colonial from where they came from.
James died in 1855. The left Mary White as the women in the frontier as a business owner. She never remarried. Her and her daughter – Ellora White built the hotel to be one of the “most popular hotels this part of the state” (Wilmot, 1920’s) Many significant contributors to American history including:
Supreme Court Justice Charle Dunn (1799 – 1872) a United States judge and politician that helped to draft the Wisconsin State Constitution in 1848. His daugther married the first Governor of Wisconsin, Nelson Dewey.
Governer Nelson Dewey (1813-1889) a United States politician who held many significant roles in forming the state of Wisconsin within the USA. He was the first governor of Wisconsin (1848-1850).
Governer Alexander Randall (1819-1872) a United States politician who was the Governor, from 1857-1861) during the beginning and part of the Civil War.
General George Wallace Jones (1804 – 1896) An American Indepence War soldier, a congressional delegate for the Wisconsin territories, and entreprenuer.
Ulysses S Grant (1822-1885) Commanding general of the Union Army during the Civil War. He became the 18th President of the United States (1869-1877) It has been said he made a speech off of the balcony of the White’s Public House.
Other permanent residents included:
Henry Wright, 31, a photographer who brought the daguerreotype camera to Potosi in 1855. His offices were in the third floor. (Potosi Republican,1855)
School teachers for the Potosi Public Schools like a nineteen year old, William Likins.
For several years, in Grant county, the Henderson Building was the only three story, mixed use, building. Ending this reign, in 1848, a the three story brick building was built and called the T.M. Barber retail building in Lancaster.
In Potosi, the Henderson building is one of two examples of Federal Style, still in existence. The other Federal example, still standing and inhabited, is the William Hunt Building, 106 North Main Street, Potosi Wisconsin, 53820. Both the Hunt and Henderson buildings, were built before Wisconsin statehood. Wisconsin statehood was established on May 29, 1848. The town of Potosi, which includes Snake Hollow, Van Buren and Lafayette was also established in 1848.
Both, Hunt and Henderson, buildings have survived three fires in the Snake Hollow village. The fires in 1900, 1916 and 1918 destroyed many buildings.
After the Henderson building was built no building took place in Potosi because of the economic decline. (Butterfield, 1881)
Other elements to the timeline of 107 N Main St., Potosi, Wisconsin:
In 1868, The White’s House was managed by Ellora White, Mary Whites daughter. (Gray, 1868)
In 1869, Dr. T.L. Graham lived, with his family, and practiced in the Henderson Building. Taylor L. Graham, A. B., 1846; M. D., 1849, Jefferson Med. Coll.; Physician. d. Potosi, Wis., March, 1882.
He began partial ownership of the Henderson Block lots in 1869. Orasmus Cole and William Biddlecom both sold their property shares to Dr Graham. Former Governor Dewey owned a large sum of property, adjacent to the building, at the time.
` In 1920, the owners of the building, R.H. and Josephine Durley, renovated the Henderson building to two stories for $65,000. (County Treasurer) The Henderson building name changed to the Durley Building. The blacksmith shop still remained, at this time. It is unknown when the limestone blacksmith shop was demolished. Today, what is still standing, is the south stone wall of the Blacksmith shop. This stone wall is shared with the Henderson Building north, brick wall, as a structural party wall.
In 1945 the Durley’s sold the parcel to the Maah’s. The Maah’s family started the bar and restaurant called The Blue Spruce. This establishment is known to the present citizens of Potosi today. The building is referred to as the Blue Spruce not the Henderson or Durley Building.
In 1996 the building owners, Clarence G. Reese sold the building to Mark Carl. The building was used and inhabited but came into disrepair with illegal activities. The Village of Potosi condemned the building in 2004 and Mark Carl sold the building to Dennis Sharkey- the current owner.
In 2013, Dennis Sharkey, patched the roof, mended windows and surfaced walls in order to respond to the Village of Potosi’s threats to raze the building if maintenance improvements were not done. (The Village of Potosi is next door to the Henderson.) The improvements were made but the Village still threatens razing.
The building’s past two owners have been negligent and the building is in severe disrepair of the internal structure, about paying property taxes and the village of Potosi is threatening to demolish the building.
Significance:
The Henderson Block to the economic viability of the community in Potosi. It has been retail, hotel, legal, doctor and dental offices for mining industries that flourished in Potosi in the mid to late 19c. It has always maintained a retail and hotel presence.
The Henderson Block represents many ethnicities that travelled and immigrated from afar. The euro american influx to Potosi worked and lived at the Henderson building.
Many important historical american contributors lived and worked in the Henderson Building. It is associated with many key contributors to American History.
Amongst other nationally registered places including:
Within 50 ft of the Henderson building is St John’s Mine, which placed on the National Register in 1979.
Down main street, approximately a mile, The Potosi Brewery National Register in 1980.
The Badger Huts National Register in 1996.
The Henderson Block was built as a Federal Style building before Wisconsin statehood
References:
Angeli, J. March 2 2006, July 16, 2015 Feb 16, 2007 Grant County Herald Independent –
Bieder, R. E. (1995). Native American Communities in Wisconsin, 1600-1960: A Study of Tradition and Change. University of Wisconsin Press.
Butterfield, C.W. 1881 History Grant County Wisconsin, Western Historical Society
Court Docket (1842) Wisconsin Territory, Grant County . Agreement between William Henderson and George W.H. Bell . 29 Oct. 1842.
Cutler, M. (1787). Map of the federal territory from the western boundary of Pennsylvania to the Scioto River laid down from the latest informations and divided into townships and fractional parts of townships agreeably to the ordinance of the honle. Congress passed in May 1785. Boston: publisher not identified.
Ehlen, S. July 1986 History of Potosi
Gray, W., Pattengill, G. D., & Ferd. Mayer & Co. (1868). New map of Grant County, Wisconsin. New York: Ferd. Mayer & Co.
Grant County Centennial Sept 1936 “Potosi”
Grant County Herald, published Post Office Records April 15 1843
Grant Country Register of Deeds
Holford C.N., 1900 History of Grant County Wisconsin
Potosi Republican Jan 20, 1848, Sherriffs Sale Langworthy gets half of lots and objects are sold at sherriff’s auction in Lancaster February 12, 1848.
Parrish, R. (2008). Historic Illinois: The romance of the earlier days. Whitefish, Mont.: Kessinger Publishing.
Snyder, Van Vechten & Co., David Rumsey Collection., & Cartography Associates. (1878). Map of Grant County, state of Wisconsin. (Historical atlas of Wisconsin, 58-59.)
Sanborn Maps (1894, 1900, 1906)
Shopping News, (2000) Faces and Places of Grant County
Shopping News, (2004) Faces and Places of Southwest Wisconsin
State Bar Association of Wisconsin. (1885). Proceedings of the State Bar Association of Wisconsin. Madison, Wis: The Association.
Telegraph Herald Dubuque October 21, 1973 Potosi Photo Album
Wilmott and Wolfe “With the Potosi Pioneers” not published.
Wiltse, H. A., & Freeman, J. E. (1842). Map of Grant County: Wisconsin Territory, 1842. Wisconsin: Board of County Commissioners.
Wiltse, H. A. (1845). Map of the survey of section thirtyfour: In township no. 3 north and range no. 3 west of the 4th Principal Meridian, Grant County, Wisconsin, into in and out lots … being a part of Potosi. Place of publication not identified: publisher not identified.
WISCONSIN, State of. (1862). Report on the Geological Survey of the State of Wisconsin … James Hall on General Geology and Palæontology, and J.D. Whitney on the Upper Mississippi Lead region. Vol. 1. New York.
Young, J. H. (1832). Western states & territories. Philadelphia: Malte-Brun.
On October 29, 1842, George Bell, carpenter, and William Henderson, stonemason, created a legal contract for building the Henderson building. The contract documented specifics for a building Bell and Henderson were planning to build in partnership. The basement was to be 32’-0” wide in front , 29’-0” in depth, 35’-0” wide in rear, 18” thick walls that are 7’-0” high. The first, second and third floor walls were to be 8” thick brick. (Court Docket, 1842)
When the building was completed, in the summer of 1843, “the building was celebrated”. (Holford, 1900) The Henderson building brought the celebration of American Independence to the town of Potosi. A majority of the people from the town had immigrated to America and were connected to fighting for American Independence. Bunting and flags, to name a few items, were proudly displayed on July 4.
Pre-Wisconsin statehood (May 29, 1848), the three-story, Federal style, Henderson Building was the oldest example of an urban multi-use building in Grant county. The uses included residential housing, a blacksmith shop, general store, professional service offices of law, dental, photography, hotel, and a newspaper.
The Henderson Block sits on a limestone plinth. The plinth held a, two buildings, a blacksmith shop, built of limestone, in 1841, and the three story brick Henderson building. The blacksmith shop and the commercial Henderson building shared a limestone structural wall.
The commercial Henderson building had three separate entrances. Two Retail entrances on the north and south, of the facade, entering into the first floor shops. The third entrance, a center door, between the two retail entries, brought professionals and residences up the stairs to the second and third floors. The façade was topped with a bracketed, metal and wood, corbelled fascia and a central pediment rising in the middle.
The Henderson building’s facade had six double-hung wood windows inset in masonry brick openings with a stone sill and lintel.
The roof of the building was a flat roof with parapets on three sides.
In 1843, the law offices of Cole and Biddlecom opened in the Henderson building. Orasmus Cole lived in the Henderson Building with his family from 1849 through 1855.
The newspaper, Potosi Republican, started on the third floor of the Henderson Building. (Potosi Republican Advertisement) It was a weekly, democratic, newspaper. It was first edited by J. M. Denton, followed by James W. Seaton and finally Edwin Paul. The demise of the newspaper came because of the exodus of miners to California approximately 1854-55.
In 1847, George Bell and wife had a case against William Henderson. Orasmus Cole represented Henderson and William Latamer represented Bell. During the case proceedings William Latamer provoked a duel against Colonel White. The duel took place in front of the Henderson Building and Latamer died from losing the duel.
For several years, in Grant county, the Henderson Building was the only three story, mixed use, building.
In Potosi, the Henderson building was one of two examples of Federal Style. The town of Potosi, which includes Snake Hollow, Van Buren and Lafayette was also established in 1848.
In 1945 the Durley’s sold the parcel to the Maah’s. The Maah’s family started the bar and restaurant called The Blue Spruce. This establishment is known to the present citizens of Potosi today.
The Henderson buildings survived three fires in the Snake Hollow, Potosi. The fires in 1900, 1916 and 1918 destroyed many buildings. Sadly, it did not survive the demolition of the Village of Potosi board members in January, 2019.
At the Potosi Brewery, Wisconsin, there is a parking lot directly south of the old brewery building. The back of the parking lot has a, roughly, eleven foot high by seventy foot long limestone block wall. This wall is a retaining wall for the steep bluff sloping up behind it. The wall also contains a door, a recess and an opening. The wall was definitely meant as a part of something larger than what is shows itself today.
Left over ” Rock Wall” just south of the Potosi Brewery. Photo: By Author.
Potosi was first settled by lead miners that lived, at first, in dirt mounds. They used the slope of the hill and dugout into them. This is seen at the nationally historic registered Badger Huts a mile north of the brewery. The miners, as well as, the auxiliary businesses needed living quarters. Possibly people lived behind the door of the wall until their home was built.
The wall was part of a larger building known locally as the Rock House. The wall was the back foundation and first floor support for the two and a half story stone building with an attached one story stone shed.
The land on which the rock house was built upon was first documented to be owned by Samuel E. Lewis, an Austrian immigrant. Then, around 1840, the two lots on which the house sat was owned and lived in by Joseph and Mary Jarratt, and his family. Both of them English immigrants. Joseph was a butcher and later became a farmer. The Jarrat’s owned the house and lots until about 1855.
Gabriel Hail and Joseph Albrecht, both German immigrants, built the two story Hail Albrecht brewery in 1855. The Jarrat’s must have rented the house to the Hails until Gabriel Hail bought the house and other pieces of land. An 1868 map shows Gabriel “Hale” lived in the house his wife Elizabeth and their family.
The Rock House did have some alterations through the years but it no longer survives except for its back structural wall in the Potosi brewery parking lot.
The women, most importantly, “Jane”, were essential for the existence of Villa Louis, Prairie du Chien. Jane had lived her entire life at Prairie du Chien. She probably played on the mounds, forest and swam in the Mississippi. She knew and was known by the other settlers/immigrants and native americans. Her ancestry was well connected to the foundations of Prairie du Chien – both as an anglo-saxon and native American breed. She, also, knew of the wealth the fur trade brought to the world and to Prairie du Chien – as her grandfather, father and later husband’s were rain men in business.
a.k.a. Jane Fisher, when researched, has many names:(and probably more than the list below)
a.k.a Genieveve Fisher
a.k.a. Jane Fisher Rolette
a.k.a Madame Jane Dousman
a.k.a. Jane Fisher-Dousman
a.k.a Jane F. Dousman was born sometime around 1803-1804 at Prairie du Chien. Her birth date on her grave index certificate states 12 Apr 1804.
She is the daughter to Captain Henry Monroe Fisher (1776- May 21,1846) (Scottish/British) and Madeline/Magdeleine de Verville (May 1779 -1812(1809?)) (French Canadian/Native American). Madeline and Henry also had a son George Fisher.
Jane’s mother, Madeline de Verville. Munro Fisher, was a descendant of the the famous French Indian, fur trading, families in the Northwest. (Flandrau, 1890) Madeiline’s father, Claude Charles Gauthier (Gauthier) de Verville (born February 3, 1738, died 1803). Claude Charles Gautier was a trader in Prairie du Chien. He is also know to have had many children with many women of different native american tribes.
On January 1, 1779, Claude married Madeiline Paschal/Chevalier at Prairie du Chien. They had two daughters Magdeline Gautier (Jane’s mother) and Domitille Madeline Gautier born 1781 (Jane’s Aunt and who married Michael Brisbois jr.)
Jane’s father, Henry, was born on November 14 1776, in Hebron, Washington County, New York, United States. He was a descendant from a wealthy Scottish family.
Henry was the command captain and translator to the native american’s at Fort Shelby, Prairie du Chien approx September 1805 (Durrie,1872) Translators were required for the French and Englishman to negotiate with the tribesmen.
In her childhood, Jane saw many battles including:
The War of 1812. British/French Canadian and Indian Allies kept control of Prairie du Chien – not the Americans.
1814 “Battle of Prairie de Chien” Battle for Fort Shelby US Forces surrender after 3-day bombardment. (Boundaries, Page 65)
She also saw many prosperous times for Prairie du Chien.
The fur trading post and warehouse of the American Fur Company was built, in 1815, by Michel Brisbois, Uncle of Jane Dousman.
In 1816 Fort Crawford was built by American soldiers.
In 1818, Joseph Roulette (24 Sep 1781 (Grave Index States this date)- 03 Dec 1842) a French Canadian fur trader, married a thirteen to fourteen year old Jane (Genieveve) Fisher. Jane bore three children: Frederick, Virginia and Joseph Jr.. (Frederick and Virginia died young. )
1818 Col. John Shaw built a grist mill at Fisher’s Coulee, four miles above the prairie, where the Dousman mill now stands.
June 19th, 1819 to Sept. 14th, 1819 Rolette goes to Mackinaw by canoe and boat. Possibly takes Jane with him ?
August 5 -15, 1825, the US government (William Clark) and the tribes from Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Mississippi River Valley met at Prairie du Chien for an inter-tribal council.
In her adult years, she experienced and saw many losses personally and publicly:
In 1834, the American fur company collapsed and diversified their business into real estate and fishing (Bieder, 135)
In 1836, Joseph Rolette and Jane Fisher, were legally separated, but not divorced, as they were of Catholic faith. As part of the settlement, Joe Rolette built, what is today known as, the Brisbois House for his estranged wife, Jane, on Water Street, St. Feriole Island, Prairie du Chien, WI. Jane Fisher Rolette, a relative of Michel Brisbois, who upon her second marriage, transferred the title of the property to her cousin Bernard Walter Brisbois.
In 1837 deadly smallpox epidemic possibly lead to the 1840’s near economic collapse at Prairie du Chien.
In 1840, Joseph Rolette owned lots 16, 19, 20, and 21. The American Fur Company owned lots 14 and 18 in 1830, and Hercules L. Dousman owned lots 13 arid 17, as well as several lots to the north, in 1840.
The 1820 and 1840 census says he lived in the Wisconsin territory at Prairie du Chien. No one was listed in Joseph Rolette’s household.
In 1834, Joseph Rolette bought lot 16 at the auction of Bouthellier’s estate. Before he died, he built, on it, a two-story residence and a stone store used by the American Fur Company. In 1840, Rolette mortgaged lot 16 and other real estate to B. W. Brisbois, in trust for his wife, Jane Fisher Rolette, in order to guarantee her annuity of $800 agreed upon when they separated. This act mentions that village lot 16 and 100 feet on the south side of lot 15 were the same site “on which the store of the American Fur Company is now located.” This store was probably the largest building in the main village when it was built about 1835. Popularly referred to as the Hudson Bay Company store, although there is no evidence that they ever owned it, the building was two and one-half stories, stone, rectangular, and had five bays with a center door and twin gable-end chimneys. In 1842, Joseph Rolette sold to his daughter Elizabeth “all within the east and west boundaries of lot 16, and south of the line drawn six feet south of the stone store aforesaid (American Fur Company), and to include the new frame dwelling house now being erected by me.”
In 1842 Joseph Roulette (03 Dec 1842 Grave Index states) (and his daughter, Elizabeth died. They were buried in the Frenchtown cemetery. Jane Fisher became the heir of her estranged husband’s property.
Women at this time were not meant to be single with property. It was best to find a husband.
In 1844 Jane Fisher married Hercules Dousman. Hercules and Jane had a son, their only child, Hercules Louis Dousman II, in 1848.
The first house built, by HL Dousman, atop the mound was called the “House on the Mound” was built in 1843-44. Designer unkown …north of Brisbois house on the site of old Fort Crawford (CITY OF PRAIRIE DU CHIEN HABS No. WI-302) 85,000 red bricks were used – probably brought by steamboat and carriage as the railroad had not yet arrived in Prairie du Chien. An ice house, barn, root house, back house also built at the same time in1844. Madame Jane Dousman called her house “Chateau Brilliante” b/c of the 1000’s of candle lit on the porch.
American Civil War Apr 12, 1861 – May 13, 1865
Her son William H. Fisher, Joseph Jr. ?, died in the civil war and she became a war dependent pensioner. He was a part of the Veteran’s Military Unit 12 Wisconsin Infantry Veteran’s Military Company E
Her occupation in the 1880 US census was “keeping house”. She did manage the house along with Louis Luboun. She had several servants from different parts of the world.
1850 Census
Hurcules L Dousman M 47 Michigan
Jane F Dousman F 46 Wisconsin
Hurcules L Jr Dousman M 2 Wisconsin
George Hoffman M 40 Germany
Caroline Anderson F 18 Norway
Louisa Marsh F 12 Wisconsin
Hannah Preston F 30 Missouri
Hercules L Dousman senior died 12th day of September, 1868.
1870 Census
H L Dousman M 22 Wisconsin
Jane Dousman F 66 Wisconsin
Louis Leboun M 38 Canada
Bernard Brisbois M 61 Wisconsin
1880 Census
Penelope Mcleod Other F 62 Scotland
Louis Le Bron Other M 48 Canada
Hakina Johnson Other F 29 Norway
Mary Johnson Other F 40 Norway
Joseph Drew Other M 70
Daniel Swingle Other M 28 Canada
Jane Fisher Dousman died (13 Jan 1882 Grave Index states) at home and was buried beside, not below, her husband, HL Dousman in the Calvary cemetery donated to St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church.
Ponder the idea of Jane Fisher being born, into the same family, as a boy.
Considering Jane was a woman in a time when women had very little public power, I believe the fact that she survived was the backbone to the story of Villa Louis. Without Jane Fisher there would have been no Villa Louis. Whether her gender was a boy or a girl the fact that she had the property and connections in Prairie du Chien made her an asset to the town.
(Writing this Part II of the story of Villa Louis has been difficult in that not much has been published on the women. Most has been published on the men. For example, I would like to know where Jane Fisher went to school and what was her favorite subject ? Did she enjoy sports? How devout was she as a catholic? Did she have any hobbies? Did she travel to New York City ? How did she decorate her first and second homes ? Did she want to be an architect ?
If readers of this part know of any information it would be added to this blog writing. This writing is a living document which will hopefully shed more light onto a very important person in the history of Villa Louis – but one that doe not get talked about when you tour the property. )
The entry gate looking out over the eastern part of “St Feriole”Island
Villa Louis built upon the conical Dousman’s mound
Judging and dismissing a place, hastily, might make for a missed serendipitous experience. The city of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, USA is not a place that is commonly known in global travels. In the case of Prairie du Chien, certain people and events made the place significant to global history. Influences from around the globe were imbibed into Prairie du Chien’s historical making. The history of the area and the house of Villa Louis at Prairie du Chien is a succession of extremely significant events for the city, the state of Wisconsin, and the United States. Today, Villa Louis stands dignified looking at the Missippippi River as a product of its assembly and owner’s aspirations in life.
Ancient Tribes and their Work
The site of the villa is on very ancient lands. The land in the driftless area of USA was created by the last glacier which retreated about 15,000 BC to 17,000 BC (Bieder, 1995). The landscape in this driftless area has not been carved and flattened by the glacier’s power and push. But the Mississippi river was created after the glacier receded.
Approximately 12,000 BC to 10,000 BC, Paleo Native Americans dwelled in the area now known as Prairie du Chien. The proof we have of this are the tools that are dated to this time.
Also, circa 8000 BC-4000BC, the first known inhabitants occupied north eastern Iowa/southwestern Wisconsin as evidenced by mounds, rock shelters, and other artefacts discovered and dated by archaeologists.
Approximately 800 BC, early Woodland tribes made clay pottery, stored food and built conical, round, burial mounds for their dead. (Janes, 2002)
The Mississippi River and ancient conical mounds
The Mississippi is an ancient river and one of the largest in the world. The tribes who dwelled in the Mississippi river valley made conical shaped and later effigy mounds. One such mound that was excavated and recorded was the Dousman mound located on the island called St Feriole, at Prairie du Chien. “Dousman’s” mound was explored and described by Cyrus Thomas, in 1890-1891. Dousman’s mound is seventy five feet in diameter and five feet tall. The mound was a burial place for three skeletons and their burial accessories. The house of Villa Louis was built upon the Dousman mound.
Wisconsin was traversed first by “New France”, French-Canadian, Europeans due to the alliances formed between them and the native American tribes: Menominee, HoChunk (Winnebago), Dakota (Sioux), Huron, Ottawa, Algonquian and Ojibwe. The native American tribes had been living and dwelling at the “Messippi” for thousands of years before the rivers European “discovery” on June 17, 1673. The native American tribes helped Father Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette down the Wisconsin river into the Mississippi this was the first time Europeans had discovered and recorded, in Europe, the Mississippi river. This was due to Count Louis Frontenac wanting French domination West to the Gulf of Mexico. (Bieder, 1995)
The British were also discovering the area, at this time, too.
Fur Trading: French Fur Trade 1634 – 1763 / British Fur Trade 1763-1815
When French Canadians began fur trading and dwelling with the native Americans they lived among and traded furs for goods exclusively with the tribes. Furs traded included beaver, elk, buffalo, raccoon, otter, fox and muskrat in exchange for liquor, issuing credits and other amenities. (Bieder, 1995) European amenities included: metal hatchets, knives, kettles, traps, needles, fish hooks, cloth, blankets and jewelry (Maas, 4) The French followed the tribes to their hunting grounds to trade so it became less difficult for the tribesman. Otherwise the tribes would have to go all the way to Green Bay. (Bieder, 1995) Green Bay was the first trading post in Wisconsin.
Prairie du Chien – early fur trading post in North America
Prairie du Chien is the second oldest fur trading post in Wisconsin. In,1680, Robert Cavelier and Sieur de La Salle, built a trading post. The main leaders for the fur trade travelled from Mackinac City. People from Mackinac city were connected to New York City, Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison. The French Canadians were connected with the king of France. The British connected to their rulers.
The name, Prairie du Chien, came from the area’s annual inter-tribal fur trade. The tribes came together through the branches of the Mississippi to the site of Prairie du Chien. (Butler, 1815) The name of the area/town came from Colonel Joseph Brisbois translating the Fox tribe Chief’s name. The chief’sname translated to “dog”. The Fox tribesmen occupied the prairie when French would visit. The word for dog in French is Chien, thus the name of the region, Prairie du Chien.
The village of St. Feriole began sometime in the1670’s on the mainland of Prairie du Chien, the island, where Villa Louis was built, was a floodplain. (Antoine, 2015)
In 1685, Nicholas Perrot, fur trader and mediator between French and tribes, established Fort St. Nicholas. Tribesman were being abused by the new influx of Europeans. In 1696 the fur trade was curbed, because of this abuse, and a number of trading places reduced. (Bieder, 1995)
There were struggles for both the native Americans and the new pioneers from Europe. Translators were required for the French and Englishman to negotiate with the tribesmen. Carver Henry Fisher, a translator, came to the remote site of Prairie du Chien, to work and begin their families. The fur trade brought wealth and later luxury to living at Prairie du Chien.
Mapping
A map, Le Cours de Mississippi, that included Prairie du Chien was made in 1718 by a French cartographer Fer.
Wars
The French Indian War took place between, 1754 – 1760. The war’s purpose was the French and Native American tribes fighting together against British. Some of the tribes sided with the British. Some other tribes fended for themselves and sided with neither – like the Iroquois. The US first president, George Washington, was a soldier in this war. After the war, populations were scarce so tribes like the Winnebago and French/British inter-married each other.
In 1760, the French defeated by the British at Montreal.
After the war, the British still remained, owning and navigating the land even after Americans won the 1776 American War of Independence. (Bieder, 1995)
Separating and Placing Ownership
“Thence by a Line to be drawn along the Middle of the said river Mississippi” –unknown
The Americans won the war of Independence but there was still work to be done to established the country. One of those issues was land ownership. The people living in Prairie du Chien and St Feriole did not have title/deeds to the land they had been living on for decades. In 1781, the British of Prairie du Chien helped people gain title to their lots by creating paper deeds/titles for the land. Colonel Michel Brisbois was one of those who was instrumental in “authenticating” the land ownership for the people of Prairie du Chien. (Antoine, 2015)
The Paris treaty was signed on September 3, 1783 and the British relinquished Wisconsin to the Americans. The treaty did not become effective until May 12, 1784.
In 1785, Colonel Michel Brisbois married a Winnebago woman and had three children: Angellic, Michel and Antoine. She lived with her Winnebago family and he did not.
Michel then had a second marriage on August 8, 1796, which was to Domitelle (Madelaine) Gautier de Verville. They had a son Bernard Walter Brisbois was born in Prairie du Chien in 1808. Michel died in Prairie du Chien on April 1, 1837.
This background story is important as the de Verville was the family lineage for one of the main characters of Villa Louis – Jane Dousman (1804-1882). The other main character was Hercules Dousman, born in 1796, Mackinac City.
End of Part One
Map 6F G4042.M5 1718 F4
Le Cours du Missisipi ou de St.Louis
Fameuse Riviere del Amerique Septentrionale avue Environs de laquelle se trouve le Paris appelle Louisiane…1718
Nicolas de Fer
scan of 4×5 film @ 2400 dpi in two parts and stiched together
date 1-24-07
Map 6F G4042.M5 1718 F4
Le Cours du Missisipi ou de St.Louis
Fameuse Riviere del Amerique Septentrionale avue Environs de laquelle se trouve le Paris appelle Louisiane…1718
Nicolas de Fer
scan of 4×5 film @ 2400 dpi in two parts and stiched together
date 1-24-07
Map 6F G4042.M5 1718 F4
Le Cours du Missisipi ou de St.Louis
Fameuse Riviere del Amerique Septentrionale avue Environs de laquelle se trouve le Paris appelle Louisiane…1718
Nicolas de Fer
scan of 4×5 film @ 2400 dpi in two parts and stiched together
date 1-24-07
Map 6F G4042.M5 1718 F4
Le Cours du Missisipi ou de St.Louis
Fameuse Riviere del Amerique Septentrionale avue Environs de laquelle se trouve le Paris appelle Louisiane…1718
Nicolas de Fer
scan of 4×5 film @ 2400 dpi in two parts and stiched together
date 1-24-07
Villa Louis built upon the conical Dousman’s mound
The entry gate looking out over the eastern part of “St Feriole”Island
References:
Antoine, M. E. (2011). Prairie du Chien. Charleston, S.C: Arcadia Publishing.
Antoine, M. E. (2015). Legendary locals of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
Bieder, R. E. (1995). Native American communities in Wisconsin, 1600-1960: A study of tradition and change. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
Butler, 1814-1815, French Fort at Prairie du Chien.
Coryer, A., Antoine, M. E., & Murphy, L. E. (2016). Frenchtown chronicles of Prairie du Chien: History and folklore from Wisconsin’s frontier.
Janes, Amelia R, Wisconsin Cartographers’ Guild. (2002). Wisconsin’s past and present: A historical atlas. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press.
Maas, Jeffry, Wisconsin Cartographers’ Guild. (2002). Wisconsin’s past and present: A historical atlas. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press.
