SOME RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Holand, Hjalmar R., History of Door County, Wisconsin. The County Beautiful. (Two volumes, 459, 480, $21, Chicago, 1917.)
This is a good example of the type of county subscription history which flourishes in the Middle West. The author had at his disposal an unusually attractive storehouse of material from which to construct his narrative; the field was a virgin one, no history of Door County having ever been written before; the writer is a man of university education, a long-time resident of the county, and an enthusiast on the subject of local history. With such conditions prevailing it is not surprising that the work which has resulted should constitute a good example of the type to which it belongs.
The second volume of the two is filled with the usual collection of commercial biographies, for which the promoters of the work are responsible rather than the author of the history. Volume one, in which alone his name appears on the title-page, contains the history of the county which gives title to the work. It comprises fifty chapters and an appendix. The first nine chapters deal with the usual preliminary topics pertaining to geography, discovery and exploration, the Indians, and the French period. It is impracticable to classify the remaining forty-one chapters further than to note that they cover, along with many other subjects, sketches of the several towns of the county, and of the more important types of social and industrial activity of its people. Thus there are chapters on schools, banking, political organizations, churches, highways, newspapers, and industries. More unusual than these are those on lighthouses, Peninsula State Park, Rock, Chambers, and Washington islands, and the Sturgeon Bay Canal. Interspersed are several chapters (such as “A Man of Iron: a Tale of Death’s Door,” “David Kennison,” “The Sage of Shivering Sands”) which seem either to have no logical place in the book or to be given a prominence disproportionate to their importance. There is little perceptible logic about the order of arrangement of these many chapters, and one does not gain, from a reading of the book, any clear impression of the progressive unfolding of the county’s history and development.
The author possesses an unusual command of the English language, notwithstanding his birth on foreign soil, and the volume is entertainingly written. Both the history itself, and the style of the narrative would have been improved, however, if greater restraint had been imposed by the author. Journalistic throughout, at its best the style of the narrative is fascinating; at the opposite extreme
it is oftentimes exuberant as to style and of questionable taste as to content.
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The January, 1918, number of the Wisconsin Archeologist contains a survey of the Indian remains in Door County, made by J. P. Schumacher of Green Bay. The survey shows that these consist chiefly of village and camp sites and burial places, comparatively few mounds having been found in the county. The author states that several alleged mounds have proved upon investigation to be either grass-grown windfalls or sand dunes. One of the most valuable parts of the bulletin is the section devoted to place names in Door County. In preparing this, the author was assisted by Dr. Alphonse Gerend, of Cato.
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Two timely military articles appear in the January, 1918, number of the Iowa Journal of History and Politics. Ivan L. Pollock concludes his paper on “State Finances During the Civil War,” and Cyril B. Upham has an especially interesting article on “Arms and Equipment for the Iowa Troops in the Civil War.” A reprint of the early reports by Captain W. Bowling Guion and Lieutenant John C. Fremont in 1841 concerning the Des Moines River is included in this issue.
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The State Historical Society of Iowa has published a volume entitled Marches of the Dragoons in the Mississippi Valley, by Louis Pelzer. It describes the marches, campaigns, and military activities of the First Regiment of the United States Dragoons between the years 1833 and 1850. The services of this military unit during the period mentioned consisted of frontier defense work, garrison duty, marches, exploring expeditions, and enforcement of federal laws. For those who are interested in the army life and activities on our extensive frontier during the second quarter of the nineteenth century, the book has more than a local value.
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Mr. Charles Freeman, of Menomonie, a member of the State Historical Society, is the author of an extended article on “Early Menomonie, Its Physical Appearance, Its Enterprises and Its Aims,” published in the Dunn County News, January 10, 1918.
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During the early winter John Hicks of Oshkosh was publishing in his paper, the Oshkosh Northwestern, a narrative of his life under the caption “Fifty Years of Oshkosh—A Retrospect.” The last installment told interestingly of his diplomatic career in South America. At this point death suddenly interrupted the narration; the story will forever remain unfinished.
In the Phillips Bee of March 7, 1918, appeared a long article by John E. Herron entitled, “The Early Days of Phillips.”
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Dr. Bernard J. Cigrand of Batavia, Illinois, is the author of a lengthy series of articles in the Port Washington Star under the general title “Parental Stories of Pioneer Times.”
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A valuable series of articles on the “Development of Farming in Sauk County” was begun by William Toole, the “pansy king,” with the issue for February, 1917, of the Sauk County Farmer. In all a dozen or more monthly installments appeared, running from February, 1917, into the current year.
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John S. Roeseler, of Superior, a life member of the State Historical Society, is the author of “Early Days in the Town of Lomira,” currently published in a large number of installments in the Lomira Review. Aside from its present interest to the community itself, the general historian of Wisconsin cannot fail to find such a detailed narrative as this of great value to him in his larger task of writing the history of the state as a whole.
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Those of our readers who are interested in the publications of our Society dealing with the Lewis and Clark expedition will find in the January number of the Missouri Historical Review an article describing the great system of transportation that developed in later years along the route followed by these early explorers. The article is by Professor H. A. Trexler, of the University of Montana, and is entitled, “Missouri-Montana Highways.” A second article, dealing with the travel and commerce on the Overland Trail, is promised for a later number.
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The January, 1918, number of the Michigan History Magazine contains a paper by Edward G. Holden on “Carl Schurz in Michigan,” the author having been associated with Schurz on the Detroit Post during the sixties. Other articles in this issue are: “Indian Legends of Northern Michigan,” by John C. Wright; “History of the Equal Suffrage Movement in Michigan,” by Karolena M. Fox; “Coming of the Italians to Detroit,” by Rev. John C. Visman; “Father Marquette at Michilimackinac,” by Edwin O. Wood; “Congregationalism as a Factor in the Making of Michigan,” by Rev. John P. Sanderson; “Historical Sketch of the University of Detroit,” by Pres. William T. Doran; and “The Factional Character of Early Michigan Politics,” by Floyd B. Streeter.
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A worthy example of collecting and compiling history while it is in the making is the work that is now being done by Floyd C. Shoemaker,
editor of the Missouri Historical Review. Two stimulating articles have recently appeared in the Review, one in September, 1917, the other in January, 1918, entitled “Missouri and the War.” The part played by the citizens of that commonwealth, the contributions made by the state both in men and in resources, the recognition for distinguished services won by Missouri men in the service, are being carefully collected up to the very latest report. Before filing these records away in the archives for the use of students of a later generation, the editor is utilizing them to give the readers of the Review a survey of the current activities of their state in the war.
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The Nebraska State Historical Society began publication in February of a monthly news sheet entitled Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days. The editor states his aim to be to make the new publication “a piece of popular literature—as distinguished from academic.” A practical newspaper worker of long years’ experience, he should easily succeed in this endeavor. Judging from the indications afforded by the first issue, a thing really new under the sun has at last been produced—a history journal which is similar both in typography and in content to the ordinary newspaper. From another point of view the new journal may be described as a somewhat glorified press bulletin, belonging to a type with which, in humbler guise, the world has long been familiar.
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The second number of the Louisiana Historical Quarterly, bearing the date September 14, 1917, was distributed in March. Since the first number was issued January 8, 1917, the Quarterly is hardly living up to the promise implied in its title. This is a matter for genuine regret, since Louisiana constitutes one of the richest fields of historical exploitation in America, one well worthy of vigorous cultivation at the hands of the local historical society. Aside from a brief paper on Lafayette’s visit to New Orleans, the issue of the Quarterly now at hand is devoted to two interesting items: the first is a valuable bibliography of the principal works published on Louisiana and Florida from their discovery until 1855, prepared by A. L. Boimare, and hitherto unpublished; the second, is a filial and somewhat passionate attempt at rehabilitating the reputation of General James Wilkinson, made by his great-grandson, of the same name.
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The Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania has launched a new quarterly publication entitled The Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine, volume I, number 1, appearing in January, 1918. The initial number contains the following articles: “Rev. John Taylor, The First Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church of Pittsburgh and His Commonplace Book,” by Charles W. Dahlinger;
“The Boatman’s Horn” (a poem), by General William O. Butler; “The Trial of Mamachteaga, a Delaware Indian, The First Person Convicted of Murder West of the Alleghany Mountains, and Hanged for His Crime,” by Judge Hugh Henry Brackenridge; “Diary of a Young Oil Speculator”; and an account of the eleventh annual meeting of the Ohio Valley Historical Association. One section of the magazine is devoted to notes and queries.
THE WIDER FIELD
The annual meeting of the Minnesota Historical Society was held in the new Historical building at St. Paul, January 14, 1918. The address was delivered by Lester B. Shippee of the University of Minnesota on the subject, “Social and Economic Effects of the Civil War with Special Reference to Minnesota.”
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The annual spring meeting of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association is scheduled to be held at St. Paul this year; the formal dedication of the Minnesota Historical Society’s building taking place at this time.
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On April 9, in the Jefferson Memorial Library, St. Louis, was unveiled a bronze Roll of Fame tablet in honor of the pioneers of Missouri from 1793 to 1826. There are 112 names on the tablet, among them those of Major Nathan Heald and Rebekah Heald, his wife. Major Heald was commander at Fort Dearborn from 1810 until its destruction by the savages in 1812. Most of Major Heald’s existing papers are preserved in the Wisconsin Historical Library.
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Mr. R. C. Ballard Thruston of Louisville has secured possession of the manuscript report of the Illinois country made by George Rogers Clark to Governor Mason of Virginia in 1779. The document contains seventy-four pages 6½ by 8¼ inches, amounting to some 18,000 words. Mr. Thruston intends that it shall eventually go either to the Filson Club or to some other Kentucky historical organization. Although already twice put in print, it is a source of gratification to the historical fraternity of the Middle West to know that this interesting manuscript is to be permanently preserved and made accessible to the public.
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A laudable undertaking having for its ultimate object the improvement of our relations with Mexico has been instituted through the generosity of Edward Doheny, of Los Angeles. He has given a fund for the study of social and industrial conditions in Mexico, in order that the American public may be given impartial and authoritative information about these matters instead of having to depend, as has been largely the case hitherto, on partisan or ill-informed
reports. Twelve students have been at work on the study since October, 1917, having been engaged for the period of one year. The results of this work will be published in a series of reports. Members of the State Historical Society and Wisconsin people, generally, will be interested to know that Chester Lloyd Jones of Madison, a life member of the Society, is one of the scholars engaged in this important task of constructive research. Headquarters for the work have been established at the Bancroft Library, University of California, where Mr. Jones is spending the year in the capacity of research associate of the University.
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The Illinois Catholic Historical Society has recently been organized, with headquarters in the Ashland Block, Chicago. William J. Onahan is president of the Society and Joseph J. Thompson editor-in-chief. From the preliminary announcement, which comes to us just as we go to press, the new society appears to have the backing of the more important churchmen of Chicago and Illinois. A magazine, the Illinois Catholic Historical Review, is to be issued.
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As we go to press the program is received for a centennial meeting of the Illinois State Historical Society at Springfield, April 17 and 18. Addresses by Prof. Allen Johnson, of Yale, Elbert J. Benton, of Western Reserve, C. W. Alvord, of the University of Illinois, Charles W. Moores, of Indianapolis, Hon. Louis Aubert, member of the French High Commission, and Pres. John H. Finley, of the University of New York, are scheduled.
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Francis A. Sampson, secretary of the Missouri Historical Society from 1901 to 1915 and bibliographer from 1915 on, died at Columbia, Missouri, February 4, 1918. From 1906 until 1915 Mr. Sampson was editor of the Missouri Historical Review. He was an inveterate collector of materials pertaining to Missouri history, and was largely responsible for the upbuilding of the society’s library of 60,000 titles.
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The death of Father Arthur E. Jones, archivist of the Jesuit College of St. Mary, took place at Montreal, on January 19. Father Jones was one of the foremost authorities in America on the work of the early Jesuit missionaries and explorers. To the unrivaled opportunities afforded him for utilizing all the source material in the possession of his order he united a great energy and zeal in carrying his researches to the very scene of Jesuit labors, one of his many activities being the location around the Georgian Bay of the mission stations which were destroyed in the Iroquois onslaughts, so well described by Parkman. The researches that were carried on in this regard were fully described in the fifth annual report of the Bureau of Archives of Ontario, published in 1909.
The archives of St. Mary’s College, Montreal, of which Father Jones was custodian, comprise one of the most valuable collections of material on early Canadian and mid-west material in the Dominion. Marquette’s journal is there; so are the wonderfully minute linguistic writings of Father Potier, five large volumes dealing with the Huron language, now completely dead. When it is remembered that the Jesuits have been in America three centuries and that they are noted for the care they take of their records, some idea can be gained of the importance of the collection in St. Mary’s College.
In his later years Father Jones had given special attention to making his record of Jesuit service at the various missions as complete as possible. He had also done considerable work on the Potier writings which, but for the outbreak of the Great War, would probably have been reproduced in photo-facsimile ere now by the Ontario Archives Department. The project is only held up until such time as world affairs are less disturbed.
Though a portion of his life was spent in parochial work, the chief work of Father Jones was along educational lines. He is the author or editor of a number of valuable publications in his chosen field of investigation. He was a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a corresponding member of several of the leading historical societies of the United States, including our own State Historical Society. He was a fine type of that mentality which the training of his order so often produces; a delightful friend and acquaintance and a thorough investigator.
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The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society of Pennsylvania celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of its founding on April 12, 1918, commemorating at the same time the one hundred tenth anniversary of the burning of anthracite coal successfully in an open grate of Wilkes-Barre. Christopher Wren was elected corresponding secretary of the society, succeeding the late Rev. Horace E. Hayden.
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The leading article in the March number of the Mississippi Valley Historical Review is on “President Lincoln and the Illinois Radical Republicans,” by Arthur C. Cole. It sets forth in interesting fashion the dissatisfaction felt by the radical wing of the Republican party in the early part of Lincoln’s administration with his conservative and temporizing policy. L. H. Gipson gives a clear account of the internal dissensions and other factors responsible for “The Collapse of the Confederacy”; Homer Hockett, formerly of Wisconsin, discusses “The Influence of the West on the Rise and Fall of Political Parties”; and Theodore Blegen, of Milwaukee, a member of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, tells of “A Plan for the Union of British North America and the United States, 1866.” Professor Alvord, whose resignation as managing editor of the Review was announced in our March number, has consented to continue in charge until the close of the war.
of The Wisconsin Magazine of History published quarterly at Menasha, Wis., required by the Act of August 24, 1912.
| Name of— | Postoffice Address |
| Editor, Milo M. Quaife | Madison, Wis. |
| Managing Editor, none. | |
| Business Manager, none. | |
| Publisher, Geo. Banta | Menasha, Wis. |
| Owners, The State Historical Society of Wisconsin, | Madison, Wis. |
| President, Wm. K. Coffin | Eau Claire, Wis. |
| Superintendent, M. M. Quaife | Madison, Wis. |
| No Stockholders. | |
| Known bondholders, mortgagers, and other security holders,holding 1 per cent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, orother securities: | |
| None. | |
M. M. Quaife, Editor.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this sixth day of April, 1918.
[SEAL] Iva A. Welsh,
Notary Public.
(My commission expires Jan. 11, 1920.)