Dowries — Development of Kenoslia County. 551 



and Jolin Biillen, Jr., both of Hannibal, were elected president 

 and secretary of the company/ 



The constitution of the company proposed to raise a cash cap- 

 ital of $8,000 by subscriptions of stock in shares of $10 each, 

 the funds so raised to be invested in real estate suitable for a 

 town site, and the share-holders to be entitled to the proceeds 

 arising from any increase in the value of the property. The 

 stock of the conipany promised to be lucrative, and many peo- 

 ple of small means, who desired to find a new home in the West, 

 became shai*e-holders. Old men and young men, and even un- 

 married women, who were employed as house servants, in some 

 instances, appropriated from their earnings sufficient to pur- 

 chase a share, in the hope of realizing large profits. 



In the spring of 1835, the company appointed a committee 

 to explore the distant, and then comparatively little known 

 regions of the west. The explorers left Hannibal March 19, 

 1835. The account says the day of departure was one of con- 

 siderable interest to the inhabitants of Hannibal. The instruc- 

 tions to the committee were explicit and reduced to writing. 

 The committee was instructed to examine the country along the 

 western, shore of Lake Michigan with a view of finding an elegi- 

 ble situation for a commercial to^vn, with lands in the vicinity 

 adapted to agricultural pursuits. Milwaukee was fixed as the 

 first point the committee was to visit^ — that being the only place 

 then known between Chicago and Green Bay as being settled by 

 white inliabitants. From Milwaukee they were directed to ex- 

 plore either north or south, along the shore, as they might judge 

 best. 



On reaching Milwaukee the committee learned that there 

 were several points on the lake shore toward Chicago capable 

 of being rendered of commercial importance, which were yet un- 

 occupied. Thereupon the committee proceeded southward, ex- 

 ploring such points as they considered afforded a natural ad- 

 vantage for the construction of a harbor. Their first step was 

 at the north of the Root river. The land here was claimed by 

 other parties, but the committee entered into an agreement with 



lA communication printed in the Kenosha Leader, June 26, 1890, 

 states that John Bullen was originator and organizer of the Western 

 Emigration Co., and was the only individual at any time elected presi- 

 dent of the association. 



