- Ebenezer Brigham
Infobox Person
name = Ebenezer Brigham
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birth_date = birth date|1789|4|28
birth_place =Shrewsbury, Massachusetts ,United States
death_date = death date and age|1861|9|14|1789|4|28
death_place =Blue Mounds, Wisconsin
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nationality = American
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known_for = Early Wisconsin pioneer and miner; first American permanent settler to live in present-dayDane County, Wisconsin .
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occupation = Businessman, militia officer and politician
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relatives = David Brigham, brother
Jerome R. Brigham, nephew
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footnotes =Ebenezer Brigham (
April 28 ,1789 –September 14 ,1861 ) was a 19th century American pioneer, businessman and politician. He was one of the first Americans to explore southwesternWisconsin and the first permanent settler in present-dayDane County, Wisconsin . A militia officer during theBlack Hawk War , he served as commander ofFort Blue Mounds (or Mound Fort) and was active in both the Wisconsin territorial council and the state legislature during the 1840s and 50s. [Legler, Henry E. "Leading Events of Wisconsin History: The Story of the State". Milwaukee: Sentinel Company, 1898. (pg. 153, 167, 176)]Biography
Born in
Shrewsbury, Massachusetts , he left his home state for theNorthwest Territory , traveling bycanoe along theAllegheny River from Olean Point to Pittsburgh, then taking aflatboat down theOhio River until stopping atShawneetown . He walked the rest of the way, arriving in St. Louis in 1818. Working as a prospector, he followed theMississippi River by horseback and stayed at Galena in 1822. One of the earliest visitors to the area, he helped miner James Johnson build one of two log cabins at the camp. Returning toSpringfield, Illinois , he left there with a team of oxen heading for the lead mines region of southwest Wisconsin to build his own mining camp. He was originally part of a mining party which lived along the Platte River, only four miles from present-dayPlatteville, Wisconsin . However, the party soon left the area under threat from the local Winnebagos during theWinnebago War . cite web |url=http://www.scls.lib.wi.us/lud/green2/images/00000017.pdf |title=Chapter XI: Territorial, State and Congressional Representation |accessdate= |accessmonthday= |accessdaymonth= |accessyear= |author= |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2006-09-21 |year= |month= |format= |work=History of Green County |publisher=South Central Library System |pages= |language= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]In the spring of 1828, Brigham arrived in
Dane County, Wisconsin to work the lead mines near the future site of Madison. Although the mines had been previously occupied, the site had long since been abandoned and he built a cabin for himself. This was the first structure to be built in Dane County. His nearest neighbor was located 24 miles away in Dodgeville and, as of 1832, the only other recorded inhabitants were fourFrench-Canadian fur traders south of Green Bay and east of Rock River. [Punchard, George. "History of Congregationalism from about A.D. 250 to the Present Time". Boston: Congregational Publishing Society, 1881. (pg. 322) ] Using such crude tools as awindlass ,rope andtub , over 4,000,000 lbs. was taken from the mine and hauled by wagon to Green Bay, Chicago and Galena, in total a 15-day trip. He later accompaniedWilliam S. Hamilton andHenry Gratiot and several others to Green Bay to negotiate boundaries between the miners and local tribes.By 1828, he had established a successful lead mine operation at Blue Mounds, as well as operating an inn and general store serving the local miners, local tribes and other travelers. His tavern became a popular stopover along the
Old Military Trail , [Heim, Michael. "Exploring America's Highways: Wisconsin Trip Trivia". Wabasha, Minnesota: T.O.N.E Publishing, 2004. (pg. 128-129) ISBN 0-97443-580-5] and soon his small mining camp grew with settlers arriving from the Michigan and Illinois territories. He was honored by the Michigan territorial governorLewis Cass and appointed amagistrate . He held the position of magistrate for four years, serving asjustice of the peace , and from the winter of 1830-1831 until 1837, aspostmaster of Moundville.During the
Black Hawk War , he served as a colonel in the Wisconsin Territorial Militia.Fort Blue Mounds was later built near Brigham's home, and he and his neighbors took refuge there during the conflict. While Brigham remained in command, he successfully defended the post against several raids by theSauk and Fox. Involved in politics during his later years, Brigham was a member of the territorial council between 1836 to 1842, [Beck, J.D. "Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin". Madison: Democrat Printing Company, 1903. (pg. 928)] state assemblyman in 1848, and served on the Dane County board of commissioners in 1845, 1848-1850, and 1854-1855. [Strong, Moses M. "History of the Territory of Wisconsin, from 1836 to 1848". Madison: Democrat Printing Co., 1885. (pg. 222, 224)] [cite web |url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=2470 |title=Ebenezer Brigham (1789 - 1861) |accessdate= |accessmonthday= |accessdaymonth= |accessyear= |author=Durrie, D.S. |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2004 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Dictionary of Wisconsin History |pages= |language= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]He died at the home of his niece, a Mrs. H.G. Bliss, in Madison, Wisconsin on
September 14 ,1861 , and was buried inForest Hill Cemetery . Although the original cabins at the site had long since disappeared, the general store remained at Blue Mounds for over forty years as an historic landmark until it was destroyed in a fire in January 1877. [Park, William J. "Madison, Dane County and Surrounding Towns: Being a History and Guide". William J. Park & Co., 1877. (pg. 241)] His part is now part of Blue Mound andBrigham State Park , [Green, Doris. "Wisconsin Underground: A Guide to Caves, Mines, and Tunnels in and Around the Badger State". Black Earth, Wisconsin: Trails Books, 2000. (pg. 12) ISBN 0-915024-85-3] the latter being named in his honor. [Bewer, Tim. "Wisconsin's Outdoor Treasures: A Guide to 150 Natural Destinations". Black Earth, Wisconsin: Trails Books, 1997. (pg. 159) ISBN 1-931599-29-7]In March 1910, his heirs donated the site of an old
blockhouse from Fort Blue Mounds to theState Historical Society of Wisconsin having been used during the Black Hawk War. [Shambaugh, Benjamin F., ed. "Iowa Journal of History and Politics, Vol. III". Iowa City, Iowa: State Historical Society of Iowa, 1910. (pg. 305)] A bronze tablet marking the site of the fort was unveiled by the Wisconsin Landmarks Committee in a special ceremony held onSeptember 5 ,1910 . A replica of his general store is also on display at the Mt. Horeb Historical Society Museum inMt. Horeb, Wisconsin . [cite web |url=http://www.brighamfarm.com/info.html |title=Introducing "All Miracle", A Four Volume Series of Poetry |accessdate= |accessmonthday= |accessdaymonth= |accessyear= |author=Rooney, Elizabeth |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2002 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=Brigham Farm Publishing |pages= |language= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]References
Persondata
NAME = Ebenezer Brigham
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Wisconsin pioneer, businessman and politician
DATE OF BIRTH =April 28 ,1789
PLACE OF BIRTH =Shrewsbury, Massachusetts ,United States
DATE OF DEATH =Blue Mounds, Wisconsin
PLACE OF DEATH =September 14 ,1861
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