This article from the Kiel Herald, May 4, 1922
JAMBO - 1795
This name and year will be found at the top and bottom of a marker to be
dedicated on Sunday, June 11, 1922. Between this top and bottom will be
references to the man who established the first Indian trading post in our
county.
The locality where this marker will be placed is in Jt. School District
No. 3, in the southwestern part of Gibson. It is known as the Jambo Creek
School, the school house being near the creek bearing that name. It is the
school whose representative, Norman Peronto, carried off first honors in
language at the county contest last year. The school board consists of
Ed. H. Krueger, Louis Stueck and Edward Eckhard, and the teacher is Miss
Eleanor Freis.
The Board approves and supports the teacher in her plans and efforts to
follow the modern method of making the rural school a community center.
Frequent meetings have been held when programs with a pleasing variety of
entertainments were presented. They remember the old folks talking about
the good old times when singing societies, and spelling bees, and debating
clubs, and even revival meetings, made use of the old log school house. And
they believe that this so-called community center will supply the natural
and universal demand for social and neighborly intercourse and will at the
same time make for better citizenship.
Speaking of old times reminds me that there has been a change in the pioneer
names of some localities. In those days, when a man wanted a Badischer cheese,
he went to the "Settlement;" now we call it St. Nazianz. Now our hikers hike
to Hika; when the present-day patriarchs were youngsters, they walked to
Centerville. Today the autoist takes a spin after supper out to Whitelaw; his
older brother still praises the fine hunting at Pine Grove. In these instances
the pioneer name gave way to baptism by the map-maker or the post office
order.
Not so with the Gibsonites; they stood by the pioneer name. The creek above
mentioned is found on the earlier maps as Mauvais Creek. If I remember correctly,
"mauvais" is the French word for "bad." Whether said creek had any characterists
that deserved this term, deponent saith not. But it appears that way back in
1795 a French trader, in the employ of a Fur Co. established a trading post on
the banks of this creek. His name was Jacques Vieau. The Indians of course paid
no attention to its spelling and they called it Jean Beau. This the first white
settlers soon changed to Jambeau and the map-makers followed suit. But the second
generation believed in simplified spelling and Americanized the name into Jambo.
And that is the name of the creek on the latest maps of the county.
At one of the meetings of the community center above mentioned, Mr. Herman
Wilson delivered an address on the subject of this trading post. His thorough
research led him to the conclusion that its site was near the school house and
he suggested that it be properly and permanently marked. Mr. J.M. Zahorik, who
knew of many Indian relics being found in and about the site, enthusiastically
supported him. Others followed, and soon the entire community was ready to back
the movement which will reach its climax on Sunday, June 11th next.
By the way, I mentioned the matter to Judge J.S. Anderson the other day. Many
years ago Adolph Hudson, a pioneer of Gibson and whose residence was near the
school house, pointed out to the Judge some logs near his residence as the
remnants of the old trading post. It was located on a level piece of ground on
the creek, thus proving Mr. Wilson's conclusion to be correct.
Since the meeting mentioned the people of the District have been busy promoting
the movement. They found a suitable boulder, of gray granite, on the Weymiller
farm, so large that it took six teams to haul it to its allotted place, which
work was done during the winter just past. It has been placed in position and the
carving work thereon is now being donated by Mr. Nic. Kettenhofen, who will also
furnish the bronze tablet with the inscription. He is the one whose generosity
made possible the erection of Chief Mexico's monument at the Rapids, and I
violate no confidence in saying that he stands ready to likewise answer future
calls.
The community is making arrangements for the celebration in a systematic manner.
Committees will arrange for music, program, picnic, etc. They already have the
acceptance of Prof. Jos. Schafer, Secretary of the State Historical Society, to
deliver the dedicatory address. They are now at work ascertaining the whereabouts
of the descendants of Jambo and of his Indian frineds, and intend to invite these
as guests. With these extensive preparations, Sunday, June 11, 1922, promises
to be a read-letter(sic) day in the history of our county.
EMIL BAENSCH
April 23, 1922
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From the Milwaukee Journal, May 25, 1922
Jambo Monument to Honor Early Trader in Milwaukee
Jambo, father-in-law of Solomon Juneau, who was the first white settler, first
postmaster and first mayer of Milwaukee, is to be honored with a monument near
Jambo Creek school, Manitowoc county, June 11. Jambo was one of the first fur
traders to establish a post at the mouth of the Milwaukee river and his life was
recently reviewed by Judge Emil Baensch, former lieutenant governor in The
Two Rivers Chronicle.
Jambo was a Frenchman, born near Montreal in 1757. His real name was Jacques
Vieu, but he was usually called Jean Veux, which was later Americanized into
Jambo. He entered the fur trade in northern Wisconsin at an early age, was
stationed at various points on the lakes, and finally made his permanent home
at Green Bay.
In 1786 he married Angeline LeRoy, a daughter of Joseph LeRoy, a trader at
Green Bay. She was a niece of Onaugesa, the Indian chief at Milwaukee. This
famiy relationship paved the way to Indian friendship. He was 6 feet tall,
weighted 210, had light curly hair, was always cleanly shaven, and had a
broad smiling face, and spoke French, English, and several Indian dialects.
Has Station in Milwaukee
In 1795 he was in the employ of the Northwest Fur Co. and was sent to establish
trading posts along the west shore of Lake Michigan, with headquarters at
Milwaukee. The principal offices of the company were at Mackinac. In July of
that year he left with two large canoes, one manned by 12 men and loaded with
his stock of goods, the other carrying himself and family with the camp
equipment.
His first landing was at Two Creeks. From here he trailed westward through
the woods until he came to Mauvais creek, later named after him. On the banks
of this stream he built a long hut, stocked it with goods and placed one of
his men in charge. He then continued his journey along the lake shore, also
stopping at Sheboygan, where he established a post at the falls. He arrived
at Milwaukee the third week in August. Here he beached his canoe, put up two
tents, and later built a warehouse and dwelling, thus being one of the first
white settlers in what is now the metropolis of our state.
Successful in Trade
For 40 years he was actively engaged in the Indian trade, in the lake shore
territory though not always with the same company. It was his custom to leave
Milwaukee with his family in the spring, visit his trading posts and there
gather up the furs and maple sugar. These he would take to Mackinac, where
he would be supplied with a stock of goods to distribute among his posts on
his return trip to Milwaukee in the fall. His credit in an invoice of goods
entrusted to him was valued at $2,228, quite an amount in those days.
From published correspondence we gleam an interesting insight with reference
to Jambo's difficulties in business. About 1820 a Moses Swan appeared in the
field as a competitor. In the spring of 1824 it is recorded that "Swan at
Manitowoc is selling the best quality of Indian goods very low, which has
opposed Jean Veux, a great deal." Jambo met Moses' cut in prices, but went
too far. Jambo seems also to have been too liberal in extending credit, for
he is sternly admonished from headquarters to limit credit on sales to Indians
and to sell to whites only for cash.
Retires From Business
In the winter of 1832 an epidemic of smallpox broke out among the Indians.
Jambo was untiring in his efforts to alleviate suffering and this was such
a severe drain on his private funds that it came near ruining him financially.
Then, too, the agricultural settlers began to arrive and displace or at least
disarrange the Indian trade. Under these conditions, and in view of his age,
he decided to retire and did so in 1836. From that year until his death on
July 1852, he lived quietly at his home in Fort Howard.
His widow made her home with her son, Joseph at Green Bay, and died there on
Jan. 7, 1862, at the age of 105. The couple had 12 children, most of whom
remained in Wisconsin. One of the daughters, Josetta, married Solomon Juneau,
the Milwaukee pioneer, who later bought the Milwaukee store from his father-in-law
and made history for himself.