The Wisconsin magazine of history: Volume 22, number 4, June 1939

              nils otto tank norwegian aristocrat and philanthropist w a titus visitors to green bay who seek points of interest in that historic locality are sure to be shown the tank cottage they will be told that it is the oldest house in wisconsin while some will say that it has been built longer than any existing place of residence in the northwest an examina tion of the records past and present discloses that the old building was erected in 1776 the year of american inde pendence by a fur trader named joseph roy or roi who continued to occupy it until 1805 when it was purchased by jacques porlier roy is said to have been wholly illiterate — a typical french-canadian fur trader of the eighteenth century porlier his successor in the old home was differ ent in every respect he is represented as a man of educa tion culture and dignity and a distinct intellectual asset to the early settlement where the people were mostly indians half-breeds and unlettered frenchmen in the period be tween the two wars with great britain no mention need be made of english or american settlers in the hamlet because there were none other than british agents or casual visitors if is stated that porlier was the first schoolmaster in green bay and that he taught the young people to speak and write excellent french it appears that the old tank home as built by roy and occupied by porlier from 1805 to the time of his death in 1839 consisted only of the main building without the wings at either end the construction was of that peculiar type