Author: Jeffrey Draper

The Wisconsin Historical Society was founded in 1846, even before Wisconsin achieved U.S. statehood. The Secretary, Lyman Draper, began in the early 1850s to solicit articles from around the state containing early impressions and descriptions of original pioneer settlers. Settlement of the territory was so recent that some authors were personally acquainted with the first settlers in their areas. This first volume of the State Historical Society Collections, edited by Draper and published in 1855, contains accounts by travelers in the 1700s and early 1800s, accounts of early settlements, and information about the Native Americans that inhabited the Territory. - Summary by Ted Lienhart

A 1903 reprint of a volume published in 1856, edited by Lyman Draper. Contents recorded include: three memoirs of early 19th century Wisconsin, a description of pioneer life, articles about the Black Hawk War, an account of the immigration of the Stockbridge Indians from New York, a portrait of early Mineral Point and nearby Richland County, and a few other shorter articles. The reader chose not to record the Historical Society's business records, or a history of early Kenosha County consisting mainly of documents of narrow interest. - Summary by Ted Lienhart