HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY. 
 
all, Nicholas Duerst, one of the pioneer adven- 
turers and locators of the colony, returned to 
his native Switzerland. J. J. Tschudy was pre- 
vailed upon by the friends of the enterprise to 
take Mr. Duerst's place as leader and advisor to 
the colonists, and reached New Glarus in the 
autumn of 1846, and continued his residence 
there until 1856, securing, in a high degree, 
the confidence and esteem not only of his coun- 
trymen, but of all classes of people. About 
this time, the connection between the colony 
and the father-land was, in a great measure, dis- 
solved, the lots having all been disposed of, 
and paid for. Mr. Tschudy, now advanced in 
years, resides in Monroe, highly respected for 
the good services he rendered the New Glarus 
colony in its infancy, and for his worth as a 
man and good citizen. The names and memo- 
ries of the two Duersts, Streiff, Tschudy, Legler, 
P. Jenny, Sr., Egger, Streissguth, Zimmerman 
and Etter, will long be held in grateful remem- 
brance by the people of New Glarus and their 
descendants. 
From  this time, 1846, onward, although the 
progress of the Swiss emigrants was slow, it 
was sure. The money earned by most of them 
was carefully hoarded; and as soon as enough 
was saved to buy a forty acre tract, it was thus 
promptly invested. The journey to the gov- 
ernment land office at Mineral Point, a distance 
of thirty-two miles, was often made on foot, for 
prior to 1850, there were few horses in the set- 
tlement. 
The early unfavorable reports sent home by 
the discouraged ones, very naturally teiided' 
for some years, to deter others from following; 
.and, until 1850, their numbers were not much 
increased. After that time, owing to the better 
and nearer markets, and afterward the outbreak 
of the Crimean War, and the consequent rise in 
th6 price of wheat, at that, time the principal 
product in the New Glarus settlement, a steady 
acquisition of emigration from Switzerland was 
received each year, and that mostly of a class 
 
who possessed means to buy land and stock, and 
make needful improvements. 
At length the long toiled-for result, so anx- 
iously hoped for, yet so long doubted and de- 
spaired of by some, was realized beyond expec- 
tation. Strong and self-reliant, the colony is 
not only a success, but is a standing proof of 
what a small amount of money, well directed 
and expended, may do to better the condition of 
the honest poor of over-crowded cities, towns 
and localities in the old and new world. The 
money expended has long since been refunded, 
so that in fact the founding of this colony cost 
literally nothing, while the benefit to thousands 
has been priceless. 
Owing to the fact that the cheap lands have 
all been taken up, and there being little disposi- 
tion to sell among those possessing landed 
estates, immigration has now almost altogether 
ceased. On the other hand, many young men, 
far more in number than the original colonists, 
have gone to the fertile prairies of the west, in 
some instances again forming sn.all colonists; 
but many have.dispersed, each striking out for 
himself. 
Many of those first comers, who had nothing 
but their poverty and their willing hands, are 
now  not only in good    circumstances, but 
wealthy. And all, without'exception, of those 
who retained and practiced the old-time habits 
of industry, economy, and, above all, sobriety 
are much better off than it would ever have 
been possible for them to have become in the 
country they left, to which, though dear the 
memory be, few would return to stay. And 
little need is there to return, for here the Swiss 
finds everything he left at home, language, peo- 
ple and customs the same, only lacking the 
towering snow-clad mountain to complete the 
resemblance. 
In sketching briefly the customs and institu- 
tions as they now exist here, it is proper that 
the Church and religion of the colonists should 
be first in order. The first house of worship 
was built of hewn logs, in 1849, by voluntary 
 
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