582 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 



ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF LA 

 EAYETTE COUNTY BETWEEN 1850 AND 1870.^ 



KATHEEINE PATRICIA KEGAN". 



Chapter L 

 formatiolsr of the county and towns. 



La Fayette county, situated in tlie soutliTvestem part of Wis- 

 consin, was originally a part of Iowa county. But the discov- 

 ery of the lead mines about 1820 resulted in so great an in- 

 crease of population that in 1847 it was found necessary to di- 

 vide Iowa county, the southern part of which containing the 

 lead mines of the Wisconsin district was designated as La Fay- 

 ette county. 



The class of people attracted by mining interests, however, 

 made no permanent settlements. They were of too migratory 

 a nature, moving here and there as their interests directed them. 

 And though tliere was a considerable scattered population soon 

 after 1822, no permanent settlement was made before 1826. It 

 is doubtful whether any would have been made even then, had 

 not the inhabitants found it necessary to build a fort at Gratiot's 

 Grove for protection against the Indians. 



Certain lands north of what is known as the Ridge^ had been 

 reserved for the Indians. But finding that these contained rich 

 lead deposits, miners constantly crossed the line in utter disre- 

 gard for any rights the Indians might have. Repeated protests 

 on the part of the Indians resulting in no redress of their griev- 

 ances, the matter finally concluded in the uprising commonly 



lA thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Wisconsin for 

 the degree B. L., June, 1901. 

 ^ The Ridge is two miles north of the village of Shullsburg. 



