16 The American Geologist. January, 1894 
gan. The lands were not yet surveyed, all new-comers occu- 
pied by right of "squatter sovereignty," all tenure was uncer- 
tain and liable to encroachment, and continual dispute 
prevailed. The map of Lapliam bears date 1836. The people 
instituted a code of laws and registration of claims and of 
transfers, electing Lapham '"register of claims." — for no one 
could as yet get a title from the government. He served gra- 
tuitously. The records of this ^ro tempore office are extant. 
They show by whom every quarter-section in the city and of 
the county was entered, also the transfers made prior to tin- 
date of the public land sale. "Lapham's certificate," filed 
with the "Judiciary Committee" was duly accredited as valid 
in all courts, and in later controversies attendant on the final 
sale and occupancy under the slow machinery of the United 
States Government, that certificate was thoroughly respected, 
and justice was maintained to the original claimants. This 
early map was reproduced annually for thirty years, each edi- 
tion recording the } T early growth of what became the chief 
commercial and industrial city of the State of Wisconsin. 
To all interested in the real estate of the city Lapham's map 
■and records became a vade mecym on all questions of bound- 
aries, names, plats and original titles. 
With the influx of immigration he saw the need of a guide 
to the new coiners, and he prepared a map of the entire state, 
to accompany his sketch of Wisconsin,* first issued in 1844. 
This was improved and enlarged in 1848, running through six 
editions, and grew, under his widening acquaintance with the 
natural features of the state, into a geological map of Wis- 
consin. As such it was published in 1855, at his own ex- 
pense, and was reissued with corrections in 1869. This is 
based chiefly on his own observations, although along the 
Mississippi valley Owen's surveys had preceded. When the 
* "Lapham's Wisconsin" is a well-known work among the geologists 
of the Northwest. Its full title is "A geographical and topographical 
description of Wisconsin; with brief sketches of its history, geology, 
mineralogy and natural history, population, soil, productions, govern- 
ment, antiquities, etc." Milwaukee, P. C. Hale, 1844, 255 pp.; second 
edition, with map, 1846. In 1846 Donald McLeod published a "His- 
tory of Wisconsan," which was taken almost word for word from Lap- 
ham's work published two years before. It also includes his list of 
plants of Wisconsin, and gives him no credit, in fact does not mention 
his name. McLeod's publication is still sometimes mentioned as a rare 
old book. — Letter of Miss Julia A. Lapham, Jan. 15, 1891. 
