An 1860 Wisconsin Advertising Cover

Henry Merrill (Figure 1) – New York-born Wisconsin pioneer, member of the first session of the Wisconsin State Senate, and wealthy landowner and merchant – sat down on Monday, June 25, 1860, at his home in Portage (Figure 2) to pen a quick letter to his older brother, Hiram Merrill who lived in Watertown, New York. 

Figure 1: Henry L Merrill (also spelled “Merrell”). Year unknown. Source: Ancestry.com

Figure 2: Henry Merrell House, Portage, Wisconsin, Built 1835-1839. Source: Wikimedia Commons contributed by Royalbroil.

The 54-year-old Henry had been visiting his brother and returned to Portage just a few days earlier - June 21 to be specific. It was a long trek home, some by boat but mostly by “car,” the 19th century vernacular for “train.” Henry traveled with his wife Carrie, short for Caroline, and Carrie’s father Richard Storm and two of her brothers and a sister-in-law. They first traveled south to New York City where they dropped off one of Carrie’s brothers and his wife. They caught an early morning train to Dunkirk, New York where they hopped on board a sleeping car for the journey to Chicago via Cleveland. After a pleasant stay at the high-end Briggs House situated at Randolph and Wells Streets in Chicago, they arrived home in Portage in the early evening of June 21. Henry expressed relief to Hiram that Carrie’s father survived the four-day, nearly 1,400-mile journey. After all, Richard was 80 years old.

Henry finished the letter the next morning as Carrie and he traveled to Fox Lake, Wisconsin to check on some land he owned in that area. While there, he paid a visit to the Stone Store owned by James Townsend and Darius Wells.

Townsend was 35 years old at the time. Born in Vermont, he arrived in Fox Lake in 1851. Wells, a native of upstate New York like Henry, was five years older than Townsend and settled in the area as early as 1844.

Townsend and Wells formed a partnership to run a dry goods, grocery, and clothing store in Fox Lake in the late 1850s. Like many merchant partnerships of the day, Wells and Townsend dissolved their firm after a few years and went their separate ways in the early 1860s. But while they were together in business, they were regarded as one of the finest merchant shops in Fox Lake. The August 25, 1859, Fox Lake Gazette described the two as “gentlemen…in the prime of life, and in a long course of dealing have made many warm friends.” The Fox Gazette continued, “We recommend them to the stranger visiting Fox Lake as men with whom to meet is a pleasure.”

Henry, as a fellow merchant, was surely among Townsend’s and Wells’s “many warm friends.” Perhaps that is why they provided Henry with one of their prized stenciled advertising envelopes to send his letter to Hiram (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Back of Townsend & Wells Stenciled Advertising Cover 1860. Source: Author’s collection.

From Fox Lake, Henry and Carrie traveled to Milwaukee. Carrie had to attend to a little shopping for herself as well as for her sister who was furnishing a house. Henry had business at hand, but he also had to post his letter to Hiram. Henry bought a 3-cent stamp for his letter and had the envelope postmarked “Milwaukee, Wis.” on June 27 (Figure 4). Henry always enjoyed his stops at the post office as they brought back fond memories of his time as postmaster of Fort Winnebago in the mid-1830s. Wisconsin was part of the Michigan Territory at the time, and Henry had only recently arrived in Wisconsin from his native New York.

Figure 4: Front of Townsend & Wells Stenciled Advertising Cover Franked with 3-cent Dull Red Type III from 1857-61 Perforated Issue (Scott 26). Postmarked “Milwaukee, Wis” June 27, [1860]. Source: Author’s collection.

Henry was anxious to hear back from Hiram. When he left Watertown to return to Portage, Hiram was ailing. Henry was so anxious for his brother’s well-being that he arranged for medicines to be delivered via express mail from Hudson, New York. Henry was skeptical of Dr. Sherman’s cures – he considered them “humbug” at first – but he had a change of heart and highly recommended Dr. Sherman’s regimen to Hiram.

Alas, Hiram would pass away less than two months later at age 67.

Henry and Carrie would return to Portage where they would live out their days.  Carrie sadly passed away in 1867 at age 45. She was the second wife Henry lost. Henry would live another nine years dying at age 71 in 1876, but before shuffling off his mortal coil, he would write a memoir of his pioneer life in Wisconsin for the State Historical Society of Wisconsin.

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The above narrative is based on the letter mailed in the Townsend & Wells cover (see below for scans and transcription). For more detail on Henry’s life see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Merrill. For Henry’s pioneer life memoir, see: Report and Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin for the Years 1873, 1874, 1875 and 1876, Volume VII, 1876, pp. 366-401. The Henry Merrell House stands at 505 E. Cook Street in Portage, Wisconsin. It is listed in the National and State Registers of Historic Places. It is currently a private residence.

Portage City June 25, 1860

Dear Hiram,

We arrived safe at home on Thursday last and found all well here. I started in company with Carrie, Sister Drum, Abbie, Father Storm and wife, John Storm and Peter and his wife on Monday night 6 o’clock for New York. In the morning we took breakfast on board the Boat and at 7 took the cars for Dunkirk where we arrived 12:40 leaving Peter and his wife in NY. At Dunkirk we took sleeping car to Cleveland where we breakfasted and arrived in Chicago 8:30 pm – there we laid over at the Briggs House and had a good nights rest. At 9:30 am Thursday we left for Portage where we arrived 6:30 pm and found Dean with my carriage and Harvey with his waiting for us and were safely landed at home.

The old gentleman stood the journey well and in fact appeared better the last day than before he started much to all of our surprise and gratification for all his friends at Hudson said he could not stand the ride but by constant attention he seemed to grow smarter. The next day or two he seemed much exhausted but is now better than I have seen him before. I had quite a charge on my hands in coming out but had no difficulty as I always found assistance enough in making changes and by attention fortunately made no mistakes with baggage on [ ].

June 26 - I wrote thus far and waited until now to finish. This morning I took the cars at 4:20 for this place (Fox Lake) where I arrived and got a boy to row me across the lake to my farm friend Sister Maria and family. All well they making many inquiries after you all. I saw my mum there and found all going on well [ ] all my prairie north of the road broken up & balance will be in about a week. Tonight Frank brought me over to this village and in the morning I take the cars for Milwaukee expecting Carrie on board. She is going in to attend to a little shopping for herself but more particularly for Sister Drum who is about furnishing her house and wanted Carrie to go in for her. We shall probably spend a couple of days there and then return home.

When I hope to hear from you and that you are better than when I heard last from you. Have you received the box of medicine and [ ] which I sent you by express from Hudson and have you tried the medicines. I have much faith in Dock Sherman and hope you will give him a trial. I settled his bill for the prescription and medicines so you need not pay him again – but write him as directed frequently how you progress – I know many eminent physicians use the means he does to know a patients situation, which I at first was inclined to think humbug.

Hoping to hear from you soon. I am with love to all

Yours truly

H. Merrill