Incidents and Anecdotes of Early Days and History of Business in the City and County of Fond Du Lac From Early Times to the Present, Personal Reminiscences, Remarkable Events, Election Results, Military History, Etc.

              78 BUSINESS HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC
The first barber shop here was that of John Reilly, a negro with an Irish name. He came in 1848. The first white man barber was T. M. Bowen.
The first carpenter and jobbing shop was that of Esek Dexter, in 1848. Isaac Brown, John Beeson, the Ryders, Hurds and others, worked in the buildings under construction, in barns or out under the trees.
The first undertaker was Joshua Barnett, in 1847. Before his coming, coffins were made by any woodworker, the hearse was a farm wagon, and the funeral conductor the neighbors of the deceased.
The first weddings were in charge of John Bannister. The services of a clergyman was seldom available, and Mr. Bannister was the only qualified Justice of the Peace in the vicinity.
The first piano teacher was John F. Burger, and the first singing school teacher W. W. Robinson.    These men sold the first pianos.
When Edward Pier and Colwert Pier came over the Indian trail from Green Bay in 1836, they found Jo. King as one of the French Voyageurs at Brothertown, and he informed them that he came up the Fox river in a batteaux as early as 1832, and that he was on the east shore of Lake Winnebago that year. It is therefore very certain that Jo. King came to this region pretty early. Gen. Ellis told the writer that he ran two lines as government surveyor, through this region, in 1828. Jo. King was with him part of the time in his surveys.
Mr. and Mrs. Colwert Pier were the first residents of Fond du Lac county, and the first year of their residence were here alone. And what will timid ladies of today think of the fact that Mrs. Pier was for some time here alone among Indians and wolves.
Mrs. Pier's death was the first in this county and hers the first funeral. This death of Mrs. Fanny Pier was greatly lamented by the settlers.
The marriage of Alonzo Raymond and Miss Harriet Pier was the first marriage in Fond du Lac county.
The birth of John A. Bannister, son of John Bannister, was the first birth in Fond du Lac county.
Miss Harriet Pier taught the first school in the county.
The first livery stable in Fond du Lac was owned by Mr. Finney, father of Ed. Finney, for many years as now, a resident of Oshkosh. He was for a time Steward of the Northern Hospital. The Finney barn existed as early as 1847 ^^^ was located near the present gas works, with a shanty office out on Main street.
The first bridge over the west branch of the river inside the present city of Fond du Lac, was at Western Avenue, in 1848. Previous to that time crossings were made by fording it above the present Wisconsin Central bridge.
The first bridge across the east branch was the bridge of the then military road, but now Military street as far as it remains. In 1846, when the bridge was built, and until 1851, Military street was straight from the five points to Forest and the bridge crossed the river diagonally at the Robbins' livery property.