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The
Brayton Family of Jefferson County
Jefferson Banner, 05 31 1906
The Madison Democrat, in mentioning the renaming of one of Madison's schools
in honor of Mrs. Sawin, who was the first school teacher in Madison, and who
taught school in this city, when she was Mrs. Louis M Brayton, published a
sketch of Mrs. Sawin, part of which will be interesting to our readers . . .
Louisa M Brayton
was born in Wilna, Jefferson County, NY, on the 23rd day of May, 1816. Her
father was Deacon Jeremiah Brayton, who moved from Wilna to Cleveland, Ohio, in
1835, and in 1837 emigrated to Wisconsin and settled on the banks of the
Crawfish River near Aztalan in Jefferson County.
The Brayton family consisted of the
father, mother, three daughters and one son.
Move to Wisconsin
They came from
Cleveland to Wisconsin by way of the lakes, bringing their household effects
and a generous supply of provisions with them. Mrs. Brayton's brother, James
Manville, and his wife accompanied them and at Milwaukee others joined the
party, swelling it to about a dozen persons. There they secured, with the
assistance of Solomon Juneau, six ox teams and as many prairie schooners and
started for Aztalan.
The streams were
unbridged, necessitating fording them, and in many places the roads had to be
cleared of obstructions. They sought to make each night at some settler's house
where better conveniences for cooking as well as rest might be expected. Their
arrival at these habitations always caused considerable commotion, especially
as there were four of five young girls in the party.
Concord
The third night
out, they reached the Sacias, in what is now the town of Concord, Jefferson
County. The day had been a tedious one, darkness overtook them long before they
reached the stopping place and they were about discouraged, when a light
indicating its whereabouts appeared in the distance. They pressed on and as they drew near the
light shining more distinctly through the chinks of the log house caused it to
present somewhat the appearance of an illuminated checker board. It was
The Sacias three
bachelor brothers were living in a small log house and holding down their
claim. They were rough, burly, warm hearted fellows, and turned out to welcome
and assist the new comers as best they could.
Unaccustomed to
female society, they were especially shy to the ladies, and the girls of the
party enjoyed their edging around and away from them and then suddenly
springing to their assistance in some little act of kindness. A meal was
quickly prepared and the bedding brought in and spread upon the floor of the
one room, entirely covering it.
Watertown
Here all rested for
the night, the men sleeping on some improvised bunks against the wall. An early
start was made next morning, and Johnson's Rapids, now Watertown was reached
that night.
Aztalan
The following
morning they forded Rock River and reached Aztalan on the Crawfish before dark
of that day.
At once the
Braytons commenced to build a log house on the east bank of the river, about 2
1/2 miles below the settlement on a claim that had previously been entered, and
as soon as the roof was on the family moved in and commenced making their home.
Earlier in the same
year, 1837, A A Bird passed through from Milwaukee to Madison with his party of
workmen to build the capitol, he having been appointed by the general
government one of the commissioners for that purpose. Later in 1837 he brought
his family through and stopped a day at Aztalan for conference with settlers as
well as rest for the family.
There they met and
visited with the Braytons, and Mrs. Bird becoming somewhat nervous at the
thought of going further into the interior, was anxious to have one of the
Brayton girls go with her. So it was arranged that Miss Lavina Brayton, a
sister of Miss Louisa should become a member of the party and accompany it to
Madison, which she did. In speaking of engaging the first teacher for the first
school at Madison the Democrat says:
Tick-Tock
It was thought that
the oldest Brayton girl, Miss Louisa, at Aztalan, might be induced to come. Her
younger sister, who had come out with Mrs. Bird was called in and she
encouraged sending for her, and it was concluded to send at once. In the
meanwhile, a tall Winnebago Indian had quietly slipped into the room and stood
back against the wall, watching the proceedings, and listening attentively.
Although he could talk little English, his natural keenness soon enabled him to
comprehend what was going on, and he offered to go and bring the girl. He made
known that he knew where the Brayton family lived and that he had been there
some days before and was anxious to take his pony and go and bring the girl at
once. To impress his good faith on his hearers he explained with much pantomime
and gesticulation, where they lived, the number in the family, and somewhat of
their habits and surroundings. Then with much eagerness he tried to explain something
he had seen there that had evidently made a decided impression on him. He
beckoned them to the door, pointed up at the sun then drew his finger slowly
down the sky to the eastern horizon, then struck his fist 5 or 6 times in his
hand uttering "Ugh" with each strike. Then he traced his finger up
the sky at intervals stopped and struck his fist as before but with an
additional strike at each stop, until he reached the zenith when he made 12
strikes. Then he swung his hand slowly backward and forward, uttering
"Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock". At once Lavina told him he was describing the
tall, old fashioned Seth
Thomas clock they had in their little log house at home.
All were satisfied
then that he had been at the Braytons. His kind offer to go and bring the girl
was declined and it was decided to send Charles H Bird, and younger brother of
A A Bird on the mission. Such was the first school meeting held in the city of
Madison, and a native Indian of the forest took a striking part in it.
The next day the
young man started with a horse and cutter on his journey, fully authorized to
offer $2 per week, a very significant salary then, to secure the teacher. He
reached the Braytons the same night and at once made known his business. The
salary proved quite attractive, especially as he told the young lady she would
have to pay only half of it for her board. The night was an anxious one, for
the family, but before morning the bargain was closed, and the two young people
started for Madison the following day.
The sleighing was
quite poor, as the ground was bare in many places and the young man was obliged
at times to get out of the cutter and walk.
At different times on
there way they saw sulking through the woods, a large Winnebago Indian,
evidently keeping pace with them, who proved to be the same one that took part
in the school meeting. He had evidently gone unhidden on the mission for the
teacher and was now returning to see that she was safely brought to her
destination.
On arrival at
Madison, the teacher, Miss Louisa M Brayton, took up her home in A A Bird's
family under an arrangement to pay $1 per week for her board, and continued to
board here during the time of her teaching.
In the meantime Mr.
Bird had prepared the little log house for the school. A rough plank had been
fastened up around the side of the room to serve as a desk. Benches had been
made of oak slabs with the round side down and stakes stuck in holes for legs.
A round bass wood board set up on sticks, served as the teacher’s desk, and a
common kitchen chair served as her throne. The teacher passed to and from the
school and boarding place in a path through the weeds connecting the path though
the two in a straight line, for there were no houses, fences or other
obstructions to prevent.
Sometimes the
Indians would gather around the school house and make threatening
demonstrations. At one time it is recalled, that quite a band of them in war paint
and feathers surrounded the log house, singing, howling and dancing, and
peering in the windows and making threatening demonstrations with their fists
and more threatening with their fierce countenances.
The children were
very much alarmed, the teacher also. But this was continued only a few moments
when Ira Bird, a brother of A A Bird, and afterwards sheriff of Jefferson
County, and County Judge of Jefferson County afterwards, appeared. He was a
great friend of the Indians and was somewhat familiar with their dialect. He
went among them and quieted them and led them away.
Miss Brayton
continued to teach the school for three months and then returned to Aztalan.
Her services were now eagerly sought for, and subsequently she taught in other
places, including Jefferson. There the Rock River separated the school house
from her boarding place and she crossed the river in a canoe, taking the east
side scholars with her and literally paddling her own canoe. When the water was
low and the current not so swift and the canoe in use by other parties, she
would cross standing on a plank and polling it across.
George Sawin
In January, 1843,
she was married to George Sawin of La Porte, Ind. two children were born to her
there, one a son, Albert B Sawin, and one daughter, Maria S Sawin. The son was
a private in Co. F of the 29th regiment in the Civil War, and died in a
hospital at St. Louis, the mother reaching there just as he expired. The
daughter is Mrs George W. Bird of this city.
George Sawin died
The old clock that
the Winnebago Indian so graphically described in the first school meeting
stands at the head of the stairs in Col. Bird's residence, and Mrs. Sawin,
every night as she retires, passes to the head of the stairs, draws up the
weights and thus keeps it running. Although a wooden clock, it has now been
keeping time for over 82 years, and after such long service is as reliable as
any clock in town except the special clocks in the university. It has a clear
striking bell that rings through the house, and a strong tick that makes itself
constantly known. No wonder it made an impression on the Indian.
Cross-References:
No 1:
Thomas Brayton, Territorial Justice of the Peace, Jefferson Cty
No 2: Thomas
Brayton, 1840 Census, Aztalan
