Ervin Leihy Incidents: At the Falls of Bad River #2
March 31, 2017
By Amorin Mello
… continued from Our First Visitor.
Transcribed and shared by Robert J. Nelson
from the July 7th, 1900, issue of the Bayfield County Press :
Incidents of Early Days on Lake Superior
At the Falls of Bad River # 2
By Ervin Leihy
[Note – my communication in your issue on June 2, starts out with the date, November 1864. This is a mistake of the printer. The date was 1846]
About the middle of October, 1846, after our return from LaPointe, our list of tools and implements was about as follows: two serviceable saws, one or two old ones, well past their days of greatest usefulness, one broad ax, one crosscut saw, two shaving knives, one handsaw, one square, and one nail hammer, a few pounds of nails and two or three heavy grub hoes.
There were four of us in camp; Captain Joseph Wood, Charlie Rowley – the linguist – John Smith and myself. Question arose: what shall we do? Let’s build a house. Where? Let’s go up to the Falls. Captain Wood and the writer went. We found a romantic and lovely spot surrounded by dense forest, on the east of high bluff covered with tall pines, on the North and West with Maple, Elm, basswood and other timber of heavy growth. The rumble and rippling on the falls with the surrounding scenery was almost enchanting. Well, a place was selected, a stake was struck, and the next day work was commenced. Captain Wood took the broad ax, Smith and I an ax each, Rowley – the same linguist – he was suffering with the cut foot, was selected as cook.
Detail of Ervin Leihy’s mill on the La Pointe (Bad River) Reservation from Charles Whittlesey‘s 1860 Geological Map of the Penokie Range in Geology of Wisconsin: Volume III; plate XX-214.
Work was now the order of the day. The plan of the house was 20 x 24, squared timber 6 inches thick, floor and all. No friction or delay. Timber for the floor and walls was soon produced. Now, how to get the timber to the stake? There was but one way; no choice. Smith and I must do the job. A rude sled or go-devil was made, one end of a stick of timber was placed on this and away it went to its destination. The process was kept up until the timber was all on the ground. The sills, and 24 feet long, were placed 20 feet apart outside to outside, on these the flooring 6 inches thick, was placed; on top of this the walls went up 11 feet without friction. Now comes the tug-of-war; the gables and the roof.
Talk about Robinson Crusoe, he didn’t have to build a house. He found a cave and only he had to do was crawl in. But the gables went up, a beam across the center and a pair of rafters, 6 x 6 on top of this for roof boards. Norway pine poles 24 feet long, hewn nicely, 2 inches thick and placed 10 inches, center to center, and on top of these A No. 1 singles, 2 feet long. Now for the last and worst job of all, fireplace in the chimney. Sand rock in the opposite bank of the river was plentiful and the old ax’s, the same old team in the same old go-devil was in active operation, sand, clay and ashes were mixed up for mortar and the fireplace went up.
Wood, Smith and I often talked, mourned and dreamed about a grindstone. During our quarrying operation one day, down came the slab of slatey sandrock about 2 1/2 feet in diameter and 4 to 5 inches thick. “Holy Moses!” said I, “Smith, if you will help me make a grindstone I will help you make three potato baskets next spring.” “Agreed” was the prompt reply. One grindstone ones known to exist in the Lake Superior area and that was in the government blacksmith shop at LaPointe for use of the Indians.
List of mid-1840’s La Pointe Indian Sub-Agency employees including Peter Chouinard, William E. VanTassel, and the previously unknown Carpenter.
~ Thirtieth Congress – First Session. Ex. Doc. No. 26. House of Representatives. Persons Employed In The Indian Department. Letter from The Secretary of War, Transmitting a statement of persons employed in the Indian Department. January 26, 1848.
Before snow fell we had picked up a number of worn-out and castaway Indian axes, some with the initials P.C. – Peter Chounard – who was probably the first man to pound hot iron on Lake Superior, and some of them the initials W.E.V.T. – W. E. Van Tassel – for many nights and Sundays thereafter, those axes might have been heard pecking away at the old sand rock until finally after many days a frame was made, a crank adjusted and a grindstone came into existence.
Wood’s eloquent remark: “a pretty good mechanical job, boys.” It did good service for many years. The chimney was finally completed and on the eighth day of January, 1847, we moved into the second house built in Wisconsin, Northup Chippewa Falls, outside of LaPointe.
Ervin Leihy Incidents: Our First Visitor
March 27, 2017
By Amorin Mello
… continued from At the Falls of Bad River.
Transcribed and shared by Robert J. Nelson
from the June 2nd, 1900, issue of the Bayfield County Press :
Incidents of Early Days on Lake Superior
Out First Visitor
By Ervin Leihy
Lake November, 1864, and late in the evening, a slight noise was heard outside of our cabin at the Falls. The door was opened and a Indian entered, clad in regulation uniform, as follows: cotton shirt, a blanket coat with of same material attached, a breech cloth, leggings of blanket and moccasins of buckskin.
Rowley, who had picked up a few words of Chippewa wanted to show off, stepped up to the Indian, placed his hand on the bare part of the Indians anatomy and inquired ke-se-nah? The Indian surveyed him for moment, placed his hand on Rowley’s cheek in repeated Rowley’s question, ke-se-nah, (cold)? This provided a burst of merriment from the “tender footed,” who could not talk “Injun”, in which the Indian joined. Rowley talked no more Indian that night.
Detail of Ervin Leihy’s sawmill on the La Pointe (Bad River) Reservation from Charles Whittlesey‘s 1860 Geological Map of the Penokie Range in Geology of Wisconsin: Volume III; plate XX-214.
The visitor was evidently a young hunter returning from an unsuccessful hunt. A place was made for him near the fire, he was housed and fed and in the morning departed for his Lodge, six or 7 miles away.
This was not his last visit. After the new house was finished – now well underway – became again and brought his two best friends with him, with presents of nice fresh fish from the Lake, which were much enjoyed. These visits were repeated quite frequently by the three friends. They would come much out of their way to bring us presents of Partridge, venison, most meat, just made Maple sugar or something else intended to please the strangers.
Later on when they came to see the product of our little field their expressions of delight were extravagant in the extreme. They had never seen such potatoes, turnips, corn, squashes, etc. They were always ready and willing to help in planting, hoeing and harvesting. They were always well paid for their work and always well pleased with their pay. The names of these three friends were Wi-nah-kis, Pa-me-sa and Wa-bud-o. There were others equally friendly, honest and deserving; in fact, the great majority of the Chippewa were comparatively so. Of course there were some “dark sheep” some in fact quite black. These, when detected, were given a “cold shoulder” or a hot reception, as the occasion seem to require, but cases of the last named were quite rare. But that generation has passed away; few, very few, I knew on Bad River survives, and as for the present generation, alas! they are becoming civilized.
To be continued in At the Falls of Bad River #2…
Ervin Leihy Incidents: At the Falls of Bad River
February 24, 2017
By Amorin Mello
This is a reproduction of a memoir published by Ervin Barnes Leihy, who became known as Nigigoons (Little Otter) by the Chippewas of Bad River. Leihy is emerging as of the more colorful characters from the post-1842 Treaty of La Pointe era in Chequamegon History, when he was one of the first non-natives to settle on the newly Ceded Territory surrounding La Pointe. Leihy moved to the Falls of Bad River in 1846 where he built his sawmill. After the 1854 Treaty, Leihy became associated with the Early Settlement of the Bad River Indian Reservation. During the post-1860’s era, Leihy moved to Bayfield where he became a successful business person. Leihy’s general store and brownstone house are still prominent buildings in Bayfield today.
Details of Ervin Leihy’s sawmill on the La Pointe Reservation from Charles Whittlesey‘s 1860 Geological Map of the Penokie Range from Geology of Wisconsin: Volume III, plate XX-214. Also shown are the Opinike (or Potatoe) River Property, Ironton, and McEwen’s Sawmill.
Bayfield County Press
March 31, 1900
[Transcribed and shared by Robert J. Nelson, 2016]
Incidents of Early Days on Lake Superior
At the Falls of Bad River
By Ervin Leihy
– Ervin Leihy, one of the first white settlers to come to the northern part of Wisconsin died at his home in this city last week. He was born in Oswego county, N. Y., October 12, 1822. His early life was passed on a farm and at 18 moved to Illinois. Later he bought a farm at Bad River, Ashland county, and in 1846 moved onto it. In 1870 he moved to Bayfield, built his present home and opened a general store which he conducted for a number of years. While living at Bad River he was a member of the town and county boards of Ashland county for a number of years and in 1871 and 1872 was a member of the town board of Bayfield. Besides these he held numerous other offices. He was a public-spirited man, had plenty of means and was always ready to assist in anything that would tend to advance the interests of the town in which he resided.”
~ Wisconsin Weekly Advocate, June 6, 1901.
Next day our arrival at the Falls (October 5, 1846) was spent in looking over the surroundings. The murmur of the stream, the stream itself and the surrounding scenery, reminded me of the scenes of my earliest recollections on the banks of the Salmon River, Oswego County, New York. Here to his game in the forest, fish and the stream and sugar in the trees; and the soil is good.
Potatoes are worth one dollar per bushel and corn two dollars per bushel. Those were my musings as I sat on a big rock at the head of the falls. Here were many of the necessaries and some of the luxuries of life and all for the taking and no taxes to pay – all as free as air.
To say that I was delighted would be putting it mildly. I asked the captain what were his plans. He had none; he simply liked to live in the woods. Here, let me digress. Captain Wood was a man about 53 years old, had gained perhaps earned the prefix to his name during what was termed the “Toledo War,” early a squabble between the states of Ohio and Michigan for jurisdiction over a strip of land in which Toledo was the principal town. Wood being deputy sheriff of Monroe County at that time was put in command of a company of Michigan troops to help all the claims of the state of Michigan. Withal, a genial and agreeable companion. Not much time was lost.
Detail of Leihy’s sawmill and Bad River Falls omitted from the Barber brothers’ survey of the La Pointe (Bad River) Reservation.
I have soon acquired a half interest in the “Hermitage” which consisted of a long, hut about 14 feet square, a fireplace in one corner, and covered with shakes; nearly an acre of cleared land, 20 or 30 bushels of potatoes and perhaps as many more of rutabaga; a couple of axes and a hoe or two.
Brother George had gone with his boat and men. I began to talk to Capt. Wood about LaPointe of which I heard so much. He finally said, “perhaps you would like to go there?” I told him I certainly would.
Well, we found our way to LaPointe, and an interesting place. It certainly was. Here the North American fur company was in full bloom, under the efficient management of Messrs. Borup and Oakes. The traders, had already left with their outfits for their various stations at Lac du Flambeau, Lake Courerille, Sandy Lake, Leech Lake, Grand Portage and other points, not to return until May or June when they were expected to return laden with bear, beaver, otter, Fischer, Martin, mink and other valuable fur.
Reverend Sherman Hall
~ Madeline Island Museum
Here to was established a Catholic mission under the care of father Baraga; also a Presbyterian mission in under the care of Rev. Sherman Hall, and all in flourishing condition.
Fishing was also carried on to a considerable extent among the islands by the Fur company. The side-wheeler Julia Palmer, have been hauled over the portage at the Soo and had just made one trip as far West as LaPointe. The rest of the fleet on Lake Superior consisted of five small sail vessels, viz. the Merchant, Swallow, Algonquin, Fur Trader and the Chippewa.
A Mr. Hays was subbing in agent and Mr. Van Tassel was the government blacksmith at that time at LaPointe.
We stayed but a few days, procured a few necessary tools, some supplies for the winter and return to the Falls.
There were now [four] in camp. Captain Joseph Wood, Charlie Rowley, John Smith and myself. Wood, Smith and I went to work on the second house built in what is now Ashland County outside of LaPointe.
Chequamegon History 