The emigrant's hand book, and guide to Wisconsin

              82
Fall, Dr. B. B. Gary, Amaziah Stebbins, and John M. Myers,^ with their famihes, joined those already settled here. In the Spring or Summer of 1835, Joel Sage set¬ tled on the west side of the river, in what is now called Sage Town. At that time the above named persons com¬ posed the entire population of what is now the City of Racine. Other persons, whose enterprise led them ta seek their fortunes in the ^* Far West," soon followed, and thus, slow at first, but sure, commenced the settle-. men! of Racine.
The first of June, 183G, Marshall M. Strong settled here, and was th^ first lawyer.
Root River Post Office v/as established in January, 1838, three miles west of the city, and A. B. Soxton was appointed Postmaster. This Post Office was discontinu¬ ed on the 8th of May, of the same year, and the Racine Office, established in the settlement; Dr. B. B, Gary was. appointed Post Master. The anaount of the first quar^ terly returns to the Post Master General was #37,—. For the quarter ending on the 31st day of March, 1839, the returns amounted to #709,45.
At the time of the establishment of this Office the Mail was carried from Chicago to Green Bay, once a week,on horseback, and the arrival of the mail was considered quite an event.
In 1838, the Racine Argus, the first newspaper, w^as established. Its first proprietors were Gilbert Knapp, Lorenzo Janes. John M. Myers,. Alfred Gary, Stephen N. Ives, and Marshall M. Strong.
In 1841, the village of Racine was incorporated and Dr. Ehas Smith, elected its first President
The Population of Racine in 1840, was about 300. In 1844, about 1,000; Dec. 1, 1847,3,900; and at the pre- lent time, over 5000,