Post by Larry Koschkee on Aug 23, 2004 15:52:36 GMT -5
Looking for more than the following information on Col. Nichols.
Wisconsin Its Story and Biography, 1848 - 1917, Vol. III, Ellis Baker Usher, 1914, The Lewis publishing Co., Chicago and New York, Chapter LVI, pp 424-425
A "Sauk Fuss" or Black Hawk War tale.
"A letter in "The Home of the Badgers," written from Mineral Point in 1846, preserves an early touch of the derision that always clung about contemporaneous recitals of this conflict. It tells of a character of that locality, and later of Madison, who was well known in all western Wisconsin of the time, "Col." Abner Nichols. The letter says:
"In this region is found a large class of the earliest settlers in the Territory, and among them is Colonel Nichols, a hotel keeper, whose interesting reminiscences carry you back to what is called here, by those who dislike the promotion of military men, the "Sauk Fuss." The few families who were then here, with i believe one exception, went into the fort or blockhouse, for protection from the Indians. One or two of the whites had been killed while hoeing corn, by straggling parties of Indians; and there were often false alarms in the fort. On one occasion, it was said that they were to be attacked by a hundred warriors. At his information the commander of the fort ordered the families without to come in for protection, and commenced removing their furniture. Colonel Nichols told them to take care of their women, he would of his family, and had nothing to fear. As they were about to remove articles in his house, he said he would shoot the first man who touched them, he could die, but was not disposed to be fooled. he was left unprotected, but no Indians came."
History of La Fayette County, 1881, page 660 indicates Nichols was a intimate friend of Daniel M. Parkinson who had a circle of friends... the likes of : Gov Henry Dodge, Ebenezer Brigham, William Hamilton, Charles Bracken, J. B. Terry.
My guess here is when they talk about forting up, the fort would have been Fort Defiance southwest of Mineral Point.
When they talk about families moving furniture, do you believe they moved it into the fort? I would think space would be at a premium in most fortifications.
Any additional information would be appreciated.
Thanks
Larry K.
Wisconsin Its Story and Biography, 1848 - 1917, Vol. III, Ellis Baker Usher, 1914, The Lewis publishing Co., Chicago and New York, Chapter LVI, pp 424-425
A "Sauk Fuss" or Black Hawk War tale.
"A letter in "The Home of the Badgers," written from Mineral Point in 1846, preserves an early touch of the derision that always clung about contemporaneous recitals of this conflict. It tells of a character of that locality, and later of Madison, who was well known in all western Wisconsin of the time, "Col." Abner Nichols. The letter says:
"In this region is found a large class of the earliest settlers in the Territory, and among them is Colonel Nichols, a hotel keeper, whose interesting reminiscences carry you back to what is called here, by those who dislike the promotion of military men, the "Sauk Fuss." The few families who were then here, with i believe one exception, went into the fort or blockhouse, for protection from the Indians. One or two of the whites had been killed while hoeing corn, by straggling parties of Indians; and there were often false alarms in the fort. On one occasion, it was said that they were to be attacked by a hundred warriors. At his information the commander of the fort ordered the families without to come in for protection, and commenced removing their furniture. Colonel Nichols told them to take care of their women, he would of his family, and had nothing to fear. As they were about to remove articles in his house, he said he would shoot the first man who touched them, he could die, but was not disposed to be fooled. he was left unprotected, but no Indians came."
History of La Fayette County, 1881, page 660 indicates Nichols was a intimate friend of Daniel M. Parkinson who had a circle of friends... the likes of : Gov Henry Dodge, Ebenezer Brigham, William Hamilton, Charles Bracken, J. B. Terry.
My guess here is when they talk about forting up, the fort would have been Fort Defiance southwest of Mineral Point.
When they talk about families moving furniture, do you believe they moved it into the fort? I would think space would be at a premium in most fortifications.
Any additional information would be appreciated.
Thanks
Larry K.