Banking Without Banks ALICE E, SMITH Pictorial Images of the L^Egro During the Civil War WILLIAM FLETCHER THOMPSON, JR
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•i lOMk^LMii^JiiliJkliMi^ib^fjattii ihA> A.MWMaiA'ti^«ii^W4Wia'«J>iftia«Jt'Ai«.fe * i Wisconsin Magazine of History The Wisconsin Ice Trade LEE E, LAWRENCE Banking Without Banks ALICE E, SMITH Pictorial Images of the l^egro During the Civil War WILLIAM FLETCHER THOMPSON, JR. My Ten Years on the Wisconsin Faculty JOHN D. HICKS The Renovation of G.A.R. Memorial Hall Published by The State Historical Society of Wisconsin / Vol. XLVIII, No. 4 / Summer, 1965 THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN LESLIE H. FISHEL, JR., Director Officers SCOTT M. CUTLIP, President HF.RBERT 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 MRS. DENA A. SMITH, State Treasurer ROBERT C. ZIMMERMAN, Secretary of State FRED H. HARRINGTON, President of the University ANGUS B. ROTHWELL, Superintendent of Public Instruction MRS. JOSEPH C. GAMROTH, President of the Women's Auxiliary Term Expires, 1966 E. DAVID CRONON MRS. ROBERT E. FRIEND JOHN C. GEILFUSS J. WARD RECTOR Madison Hartland Milwaukee Milwaukee SCOTT M. CUTLIP EDWARD FROMM MRS. HOWARD T. GREENE JAMES A. RILEY Madison Hamburg Genesee Depot Eau Claire W. NORMAN FITZGERALD ROBERT A. GEHRKE ROBERT L. PIERCE CLIFFORD D. SWANSON Milwaukee Ripon Menomonie Stevens Point Term Expires, 1967 THOMAS H. BARLAND E, E, HOMSTAD MRS. RAYMOND J. KOLTES FREDERIC SAMMOND Eau Claire Black River Falls Madison Milwaukee M. J. DYRUD MRS. CHARLES B. JACKSON FREDERICK I. OLSON DONALD C. SLIGHTER Prairie du Chien Nashotah Wauwatosa Milwaukee JIM DAN HILL MRS. VINCENT W. KOCH F. HARWOOD ORBISON LOUIS C. SMITH Middleton Janesville Appleton Lancaster Term Expires, 1968 GEORGE BANTA, JR. MRS. JOHN N. MILLER WILLIAM F. STARK CEDRIC A. VIG Menasha Wisconsin Rapids Pewaukee Rhinelander KENNETH W. HAAGENSEN ROBERT B. L. MURPHY MILO K. SWANTON CLARK WILKINSON Oconomowoc Madison Madison Baraboo PHILIP F. LA FOLLETTE FOSTER B. PORTER FREDERICK N. TROWBRIDGE STEPHEN P. J. WOOD Madison Bloomington Green Bay Beloit Honorary Honorary Life Members WILLIAM ASHBY MCCLOY, Winnipeg PRESTON E. MCNALL, Madison MRS. LITTA BASCOM, Madison DOROTHY L. PARK, Madison Fellows VERNON CARSTENSEN MERLE CURTI ALICE E. SMITH The Women's Auxiliary Officers MRS. JOSEPH C. GAMROTH, Madison, President MRS. WILLIAM H. L. SMYTHE, Milwaukee, Vice-President MRS. EDWARD H. RIKKERS, Madison, Secretary MRS. WILLIAM E. HUG, Neenah, Treasurer MRS. EDMUND K. NIELSON, Appleton, Assistant Treasurer MRS. W. NORMAN FITZGERALD, Milwaukee, Ex-Officio VOLUME 48, IWMBER 4 / SUMMER, 1965 Wisconsin Magazine of History WILLIAM CONVERSE HAYGOOD, Editor PAUL H. HASS, Associate Editor The Building Addition (I) : The Museum 256 The Wisconsin lee Trade 257 LEE E. LAWRENCE Banking Without Banks: George Smith and the Wisconsin Marine and Fire Insurance Company 268 ALICE E. SMITH Pictorial Images of the Negro During the Civil War 282 WILLIAM FLETCHER THOMPSON, JR. A Museum Transformed: Grand Army Memorial Hall in Madison 295 My Ten Years on the Wisconsin Faculty 303 JOHN D. HICKS Book Reviews 317 Accessions 333 Bibliographical Notes 337 Contributors 342 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, Wisconsin. 816 State Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53706. Distributed Copyright 1965 by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. to members as part of their dues (Annual membership, Paid for in part by the Maria L. and Simeon Mills Editorial S5.00; Family membership, $7.00; Contributing, $10; Busi Fund and by the George B. Burrows Fund. Wisconsin news ness and Professional, $25 ; Sustaining, $100 or more annual papers may reprint any article appearing in the WISCON ly; Patron, $1000 or more annually). Single numbers, $1.25. SIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY providing the story carries Microfilmed copies available through University Microfilms, the following credit line: Reprinted from the State Histori 313 North First Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Communica cal Society's Wisconsin Magazine of History for [insert the tions should be addressed to the editor. The Society does season and year which appear on the Magazine}. The Building Addition (Part I): The Museum We want museum exhibits which will create, almost immediately, the period atmosphere QUICK glance through decades of min and geographic location of an exhibit. If we A utes of Board of Curators' meetings and were able to reproduce the rolling and pitch reports of superintendents and directors of ing deck of a vessel from which to view a the Society will reveal a recurring refrain: Great Lakes shipping exhibit, we would do the need for more space. Before the Univer it. More practically, the touch of a pelt, the sity Library moved out of the Society's build smell of a pharmacy or kitchen, the closeness ing, the day of physical (but never spiritual) of a log cabin or Indian tepee are within separation was hailed as a glorious prospect range. These exemplify but should not limit because of the space which would be ours. the kinds of environments we hope to con When that day finally arrived in 1955, the struct to vitalize our exhibits. rush of remodeling hushed remarks that the Another concern is the message. What does available space was insufficient, but the an exhibit say — and how well? This is really whispers continued until they were heard and two questions, and the first part can be re heeded. phrased: what sfiould an exhibit say? Should The Society's American History Library it, as Adlai Stevenson once quipped, take addition is now under construction. At the something clearly vague and make of it some May 1 groundbreaking ceremony, dignitaries thing vaguely clear? Or should it provide and friends struggled manfully with century- insight, a different way of looking at an his old wooden grain scoops which symbolized torical situation? I believe that museum ex the thrust and presence of history in our hibits are better equipped to sharpen than lives. The statement of Governor Warren P. to increase knowledge, to expose a new facet Knowles, read by Society President Scott M. rather than to uncover a new gem. Cutlip (and reprinted in the June issue of If we can think through the questions of Wisconsin Tfien and Now) set the keynote what an exhibit ought to say, we can grapple for the occasion. "May the addition . ," with how to say it. Here the problem is not he wrote, "be a worthy home for this So only in knowing the artifacts but in knowing ciety's efforts to preserve our rich Wisconsin the viewers. Some artifacts speak for them and American heritage." selves. Our 1914 Model T Ford fairly shouts Of the major divisions affected by the its message to youngsters of all ages; other building addition, the Museum alone will not artifacts require introduction and interpre receive substantially more space. But its new tation to carry viewers closer to the core of quarters on the lower level will be more com their meaning. pact and accessible. Compressing storage from many scattered fourth-floor locations Similarly, some viewers need only to see into one large area will be a vast improve in three dimensions in order to understand, ment, particularly since storage demands have while others need to be led by the hand. Our eaten into exhibit space. With the addition, exhibits should speak cogently to all viewers, our storage should be more economical and whatever their needs. Here, in part, is a our records-keeping more precise. problem of museum technology on a limited budget, of creating effects and clarity with The new auditorium will permit us to talk lighting, color, arrangement, and background, with visiting groups before they begin to tour of projecting the message with a judicious the museum. We will provide background combination of artifact, picture, and word, information and point up highlights of the both written and spoken. exhibits; more importantly, we will try to place visitors in a frame of mind which will These are but a few of the concerns which help them to enjoy and appreciate the edu now occupy our attention. We are also think cational values which a museum offers. ing about collecting policies, space allocations, visitor comfort, closer ties with schools and Perhaps the greatest interest in the Mu universities, improved guide service, and a seum's move centers on the exhibit program host of related subjects. Now is the time for itself. We are studying a wide variety of reading and reflection, discussion and draw techniques, some proven, some experimental, ing boards, memos and models. If our Mu in order to develop the most attractive present seum is to be the "worthy home" of the Gov ations possible. It is too early to specify what ernor's charge, now is the time for ideas. will or will not he utilized, but I can indicate some of the concepts and concerns which motivate our studies. L.H.F., JR. 256 Milwaukee Public Museun A once-familiar sight throughout wintertime Wisconsin—workers poling harvested ice toward the hoist. THE WISCONSIN ICE TRADE By LEE E. LAWRENCE A S a commercial activity, the transport and With the improvement of the techniques of •^*- sale of natural ice in the United States harvesting, storing, and shipping, and with the had its origin in 1807 when Frederic Tudor growth of a market in inland towns and cities, of Boston dispatched a brig-load of ice to the the trade in natural ice grew into a major West Indies, where yellow fever was then rag industry, not only in the East but in the Mid ing.