I waited on anticipation or receiving the patent for Henry Hewitt Jr., dated 25 June 1869. The one piece that would give solid source record to determine how and where Deerbrook was founded.
It arrived after several record requests from NARA – Chicago, NARA – Washington D. C., then finally moving to the State of Wisconsin land records. Finally it arrived. Final source. Then I look at the date on the patent, only to find 20 June 1884. Jaw drop reaction with a hard landing on the floor.
25 June 1869, was on a map I obtained from J. J. Wagner. The map included a document number. From talking to J. J. I was confident he had the correct patent information. Then it hit, he didn’t. Now, this doesn’t mean he has inaccurate information. It means maybe that date refers to a different agreement between Henry Hewitt Jr. and the State of Wisconsin.
Recovering from the shock, it does not completely blow up the my working theory. It means finding more records.
The piece of land in question is located in Township T32N , range R11E section 29, the SW 1/4 of the NW 1/4. It sits directly to the East of what is known as Deerbrook.
More questions raised from the data I received from the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, Wisconsin. The file they gave me was a listing of all Wisconsin to person patent records.
Understanding how this all works is key. Wisconsin is granted a patent in 1863 for many federal lands. The purpose is for education expansion. What created the patents to the State of Wisconsin was the 1862 Morrell Act. A federal act to get land to individual states with the intent of states selling the land or resources to fund education expansion and improvements.
Wisconsin often sold timber rights before selling the land. This is my next line of thought here. Henry Hewitt Jr. may have bought the timber rights to this piece of land in 1869. Then deciding to purchase the land in 1884.
More date confusion. Historical accounts have Charles Upham being granted the 40 acres to the West of Henry Hewitt Jr.’s property in 1885. The state BCPL file indicates Charles Upham was granted that patent in 1882. I’ve requested a copy of the patent to confirm the date. This time before assuming accuracy.
If this is the case, then Upham purchased before Hewitt Jr., by two years. The railroad of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western built a depot and announced full service for passengers and freight in November of 1881.
No matter how we see dates of the land purchases, rail service predates any of them.
Railroad companies determined location based on need when laying out tracks. Period.
Concluding something was happening economically with enough volume the rail company mapped a rail with depot sometime between 1879 and 1881. Deerbrook was still there first.