Prairie Works

In a previous post, I had explained the importance historic aerial photographs serve when approaching a land restoration project. Another very important tool is analyzing the original surveyors notes from when our counties, townships and section lines were established during pioneer settlement. This occurred in this area during the 1830’s.  As the surveyors were dividing the land into checkerboard plots, they were required to note observations  of the land along the way. This typically included the type of terrain, trees types, undergrowth, indian activity and any signs of homesteading. They also provided a hand drawn sketch of each township showing waterways, areas of timber, prairie, swamps, etc. Today this is extremely interesting to study and is the oldest snapshot of the land that we have.

A portion of the present 'Galena Territory'

Here in Northwest Illinois and Southwest Wisconsin the survey was performed earlier than other areas, as a result of the lead rush that occurred in the late 1820’s. The Federal Land Survey office moved from Cincinnati to Dubuque, IA in 1839 probably due to this population boom. Today when we analyze these descriptions we see the beginning of settlement.

Ecologist can follow these descriptions and compare to modern maps to determine the past vegetation and make more detailed assumptions of what would have existed. Sometimes a young Oak tree that was described in the notes, is an old Oak tree today. Finding these is a very fun experience. 

Here are some excerpts from the notes:

Surveyors sketch of Shullsburg Township

Surveyors Description of Shullsburg Township

This township description is from Shullsburg Township as observed by famed surveyour Lucius Lyon in March of 1833. It reads: 

“The afore described township, embracing as it does, some of the oldest wrought and richest mines in the country, is generally rolling, first rate land, about half prairie and half thinly timbered with oak, with an undergrowth of hazel. Within its limits are three different settlements or towns, viz — ‘Shullsburg’ in Sections 3 & 10, ‘Gratiots Grove’ in Sections 22 and 23, and ‘White Oak Springs’ in Section 32 each of which settlements now contain about five or six families, but the two former, in the most prosperous days of the mining business, have heretofore at one time, contained not less than 40 families each. Besides these settlements, there are several farms located in different parts of the township. The mines which have heretofore been very productive are situated principally on sections 2, 3, 10, 11 and 14 but are now many abandoned as they are thought to be not worth working.”

Thankfully, Lucius Lyons was one of the most descriptive surveyors of the time. Now lets analyze Lyons description:

First, he confirms what local historians have known. Shullsburg Township was the early epicenter of lead mining in the area since Jesse Shull discovered lead ten years earlier, so scattered and abandoned mines would be expected in 1833. He goes on to write, that the land is “about half prairie and half thinly timbered with Oaks.” Ecologist now call this an Oak Savanna.  He continues to write “with an undergrowth of hazel.” This would be the shrub, Hazelnut (Corylus americana), a shrub which is commonly associated with both savanna and prairie ecosystems. He goes on to explain the three towns of Shullsburg Township and lastly the abandonment of mines, which we now know that moved towards Galena. 

Along with generalized descriptions of the township. The notes also contain detailed descriptions of the land as the surveyors traversed section lines from North to South and East to West. Each section corner included the number of feet and direction to the nearest trees.  Here is an example of the section line near my house:

North Between Sections 10 & 11

20.oo    to diggins

30.50    to a wagon road leading NW

40.00   set a White Oak post & Raised a mound of earth at that section corner

55.oo     left prairie & entered brush and scattered timber

76.50    to a creek (illegible writing) West

80.00    set a Bur Oak post for corner to sections 2 & 3 & 10 & 11

                 { Black Oak South 29 East 39 

                 { Bur Oak North 47 1/2 West 97

Land  rolling  &  first  rate (illegible writing) prairie  and  brushy  with  some  scattering  bur  &  black  oak  timber

Today, I can look at historical and modern maps and determine exactly where these descriptions are located. I can also drive a good portion of this. Our sections lines have not changed since this original surveys. Over the years historians and ecologists  have utilized these field notes for a variety of purposes. In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s geographers plotted 19th-century tree cover in Wisconsin using information from these field notes. The resulting map “Original Vegetation of Wisconsin” has become a classic research tool itself. Local historians, too, may find information found in the surveyors’ field notes especially useful in helping to understand the 19th-century landscape and patterns of early settlement.

When Lucius Lyon finished a page for the exterior survey of Township 9 North, Range 1 East and 1 West he wrote:

"Land hilly, with sand stones ledges 3rd rate, mostly B. Oak. W. Oak. U.G. of Oaks, May 3, 1839 "froze water this night"

What a grueling  job this must have been and what interesting notes to examine today. I hope you find this information as interesting as I do. 

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/SurveyNotes/  Wisconsins highly detailed site

http://landplats.ilsos.net/ Illinois (Township Plats Only)