Magazine ^ of History
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
in Magazine ^ of History William S. McCormick: A Biographical Skelcit MARY FROST KRONCKE Frank Lloyd Wright m Spring Grun, 1911-1932 ROBERT C. TWOMBLY A WisconsimU m World War I: Part III EDMUND p. ARPIN, JR. Slavery in the Americas RICHARD II. SEWELL Published by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin / Vol. 51, No. 3 / Spring, 1968 THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN LESLIE H. FISHEL, JR., Director Offi THOMAS H. BARLAND, President HERBERT V. KOHLER, Honorary Vice-President JOHN C. GEILFUSS, First Vice-President E. E. HOMSTAD, Treasurer CLIFFORD D. SWANSON, Second Vice-President LESLIE H. FISHEL, JR., Secretary Board of Curators Ex-Officio WARREN P. KNOWLES, Governor of the State HAROLD W. CLEMENS, State Treasurer ROBERT C. ZIMMERMAN, Secretary of State FRED H. HARRINGTON, President of the University MRS. EDWARD H. RIKKERS, President of the Women's Auxiliary Term Expires, 1968 MRS. HENRY BALDWIN KENNETH W. HAAGENSEN MRS. WILLIAM H. L. SMYTHE FREDERICK N. TROWBRIDGE Wisconsin Rapids Oconomowoc Milwaukee Green Bay GEORGE BANTA, JR. ROBERT B. L. MURPHY WILLIAM F. STARK CEDRIC A. 'VIG Menasha Madison Pewaukee Rhinelander H. M. BENSTEAD FREDERIC E. RISSER MILO K. SWANTON CLARK WILKINSON Racine Madison Madison Baraboo Term Expires, 1969 E. DAVID CRONON MRS. ROBERT E. FRIEND MRS. HOWARD T. GREENE J. WARD RECTOR Madison Hartland Genesee Depot Milwaukee SCOTT M. CUTLIP ROBERT A. GEHRKE BEN GUTHRIE CLIFFORD D. SWANSON Madison Ripon Lac Du Flambeau Stevens Point W. NORMAN FITZGER.\LD JOHN C. GEILFUSS WARREN D. LEARY, JR. Milwaukee Milwaukee Rice Lake Term Expires, 1970 THOMAS H. BARLAND MRS. EDWARD C. JONES HOWARD W. MEAD DONALD C. SLIGHTER Eau Claire Fort Atkinson Madison Milwaukee JIM DAN HILL MRS. RAYMOND J. KOLTES FREDERICK L OLSON DR. LOUIS C. SMITH Middleton Madison Wauwatosa Lancaster E. E. HOMSTAD CHARLES R. MCCALLUM F. HARWOOD ORBISON ROBERT S. ZICMAN Black River Falls Hubertus Appleton Milwaukee Honorary Honorary Life Members WILLIAM ASHBY MCCLOY, New London, Connecticut PRESTON E. MCNALL, Clearwater, Florida MRS. LITTA BASCOM, Berkeley, California DOROTHY L. PARK, Madison BENTON H. WILCOX, Madison Fellows VERNON CARSTENSEN MERLE CURTI ALICE E. SMITH The Women's Auxiliary Officers MRS. EDWARD H. RIKKERS, Madison, President MRS. GEORGE SWART, Fort Atkinson, Vice-President MRS. WILLIAM STARK, Nashotah, Treasurer MRS. CONRAD ELVEHJEM, Madison, Secretary MRS. WILLIAM H. L. SMYTHE, Milwaukee, Ex-Officio VOLUME 51, NUMBER 3 / SPRING, 1968 Wisconsin Magazine of History WILLIAM CONVERSE HAYGOOD, Editor WILLIAM C. MARTEN, Associate Editor John Charles Jacques: An Appreciation 188 William S. McCormick: A Biographical Sketch 189 MARY FROST KRONCKE Frank Lloyd Wright in Spring Green, 1911-1932 200 ROBERT C. TWOMBLY A Wisconsinite in World War I: Reminiscences of Edmund P. Arpin, Jr.: Part Three 218 Edited by iRA BERLIN Slavery in the Americas: An Essay Review 238 RICHARD H. SEWELL Book Reviews 244 Accessions 264 Contributors 266 Published Quarterly by The State Historical Society of Wisconsin THE •WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY is published not assume responsibility for statements made by contribu quarterly by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, tors. Second-class postage paid at Madison and Stevens 816 State Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53706. Distributed Point, Wis. Copyright 1968 by the State Historical Society to members as part of their dues (Annual membership, of Wisconsin. Paid for In part by the Maria L. and Simeon $5.00; Family membership, $7.00; Contributing, $10; Busi Mills Editorial Fund and by the George B. Burrows Fund. ness and Professional, $25 ; Sustaining, $100 or more annual Wisconsin newspapers may reprint any article appearing in ly; Patron, $1000 or more annually). Single numbers, $1.25. the WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY providing the Microfilmed copies available through University Microfilms, story carries the following credit line : Reprinted from the 313 North First Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Communica State Historical Society's Wisconsin Magazine of History for tions should be addressed to the editor. The Society does [insert the season and year which appear on the iiagazinel. JOHN C JACQUES: AN APPRECIATION ACK IN JULY, 1951, a balding young Above and beyond these and many other B Phi Beta Kappa with a fresh Ph.D. and duties, John Charles Jacques has served the a working acquaintance with the Society join Society in several unique and indispensable ed the staff. He began his duties as chief of ways. He is fiercely, aggressively, and tena the newspaper section of the Library and de ciously loyal to the Society, with an unparal veloped a love for and knowledge of the So leled dedication to its mission. Let an in ciety's incomparable newspaper collection cautious staff member, from the top down, which he never lost. Two years later, he speak or act to the Society's detriment, let a moved into Administration as assistant to the citizen criticize the Society unjustifiably, and Society director, and there he remained, with they will quickly hear from John. But let varying titles, until he was named assistant anyone in or out of the organization offer con director of the Society in 1963. structive criticism and John will be the first to say thanks, the first to see that the errors His rise in the Society structure was a clear are corrected. His loyalty is a resource of acknowledgement of his inexhaustible capacity incalculable value. to work for the Society's improvement. There are many examples of this, beginning with Few institutions are favored with the sense his reorganization of the newspaper collec of tradition and innovation which John brings tion. When the Society began its first re to the Society. Rarely does he fail to relate modelling project after the University library history—the Society's history—to subjects moved to its new quarters in 1953, he was under discussion. And rarely does he fail to the key man charged with the responsibility see the need for change, as the demands upon for getting the job done. In the process he the Society change from year to year. He became intimately acquainted with every nook bridges the past and the future of the Society and cranny of the building, an acquaintance in a manner which is essential to the Society's which has since saved the administration from functioning. many a misstep. Appreciating all of this, his colleagues know John as a person of great wit and wisdom. When the Wisconsin History Foundation His tales of family travel or of his occupations was first established as a private, nonprofit before he joined the Society or of his military repository for gifts and grants to the Society, service have lightened coffee breaks and lunch he was temporarily detached from the staff hours. His facility with the analogy has be in order to raise money for the growing in come legendary; no one can come close to fant. The fact that it is now a thriving Foun challenging his, "It is as if . ." That in dation is due in no small part to his early troductory phrase tips off the wary to listen efforts. closely lest the point be lost. His quick re As a small state agency, the Society cannot partee is disarming and delightful. Younger afford a full-time personnel officer, so these staff members seeking his advice are often responsibilities have, by default, been his. bemused by his roundabout approach, but his He has spent countless hours unraveling the insights are close to the mark. His temper is intricacies of civil service, and his suggestions beautiful to behold, if you are not its object; to the state Bureau of Personnel have been well his energy is tiring to watch, if you can keep received and frequently adopted. His knowl him in sight. edge helped the Society to recruit and main Unhappily for Wisconsin and for the So tain the top-notch staff which has been the ciety, John Charles Jacques is retiring, forced secret of its success over the years. by illness to the Society's sidelines. The void During the last decade he has participated which this creates is impossible to measure in the preparation of the Society's budget, because it touches every one of the Society's drawing on his extensive knowledge of the activities. Few men have left their stamp so Society to shape it effectively. Still more re indelibly on an institution; few institutions cently, he was appointed Planning Officer, have accepted an early retirement with greater with instructions to prepare long-range plans reluctance. for the Society's development, including the I would like to add a personal word of ap creation of vital new programs and the dis preciation to a man who calls things as he solution of outmoded ones. This assignment sees them, who held me up when I tripped, is a tribute to his capacity to carry an enorm and who never gave less than 100 per cent as ous routine of detail without deadening the colleague and friend. John will be missed. imaginative perspective with which he views the Society's role in Wisconsin and the nation. L. H. F., Jr. 188 WILLIAM S. McCORMICK: A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH By MARY FRCST KRONCKE TN THE light of history, William Sanderson testified in patent law cases, and participated •*• McCormick has been overshadowed by his in reaper trials at county fairs and in the elder brother, Cyrus H. McCormick, whose open fields. In 1852 he spent a few months invention of the reaper in 1831 and whose in England taking part in reaper trials in successful marketing of reapers and mowers that country. In the same years another in subsequent years made him an international brother, Leander McCormick, joined the firm figure. However, William's contributions to and, being mechanically gifted, assumed a key the C.