Page 219 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

not till a later period that Main and Jefferson streets mere
thoroughly opened and made passable.
The town of Astor, now known as the South Ward of
the City of Green Bay, was opcncd and laid out in the
yetbr 1835, the proprietors were JOHN JACOB ASTOR, RAM-
SAY CROOKS and ROBERT STUART, the principals of that
well known and once powerful corporation, "The American
Fur Company." The land was orginally owned by JOHN
LAWE and the GRIGNON family. Together with other real
estate, it was taken in payment of balance due the old
Green Bay Company to the former company; the debt
having accrued by loss in the Indian trade-for in this
business, it generally happened that the small traders ~110
purchased their goods at high prices, after years of toil
and privation spent in the trade, came out with nothing-
leaving to the great monopoly the lion's share of the
profits. The consideration received by the former owners,
was trifling compared with the present value of the prop-
erty. The .venerable old log house and garden, formerly
occupied by the hospitable and highly rebpected veteran
pioneer, the late Judge LAWE, stood a little north of
the house now occupied by Mr. P. B. GRIGNON, it the
termination of Adams street. The only relics of the olden
time, remaining in this city, are the house and premises
now occupied by Judge ARNDT; all other buildings have
disappeared, and alas, with them have gone nearly all of
the old occupants! but few of them who mere in the vigor
of life when I first met them, remain to witness the rapid
and almost magic changes, that have succeeded each other
in the settlement and improvement of the country-the
country which they found but a wilderness, and an inhos-
pitable waste. Thirty years ago I knew every family in
the settlement, and could name nearly every individual. Now
I meet in every street and at every corner, strange faces,
and persons with whom I am unacquainted. I sometimes
think that I shall soon become "a stranger in the land."