PORTAGE COUNTY, situated in the central part of Wisconsin, and traversed by Wisconsin river. Area, 800 square miles. Seat of justice, Fort Winnebago. Pop. in 1840, 1,623; in 1850, 1,850. (Fanning's, 1853)
PORTAGE, a county in the N. central part of Wisconsin, contains 1600 square miles. It is intersected by Wisconsin river, and also drained by Plover river. These streams are bordered by extensive pine forests, forming part of the "Great Pinery" of North Wisconsin, from which many million feet of lumber are procured annually, and floated down the river to Galena and St. Louis. A strip of land 6 miles wide, along the Wisconsin, was surveyed and settled in 1830; and the remainder of the county passed from aboriginal hands in 1848, since which the land has been occupied by great numbers of "squatters." Capital, Plover. Population, 1250. (Baldwin's New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States..., 1854)
PORTAGE, County, is bounded on the north by Marathon, on the east by Waupacca, on the south by Waushara and Adams, and on the west by La Crosse, and is 30 miles north and south, by 54 miles east and west. It was set off from Brown, Dec. 7, 1836, at which time it embraced about the present county of Columbia. By an act of the legislature, approved March 14, 1841, the territory forming the present counties of Adams, Portage and Marathon was annexed to Portage county, which was organized for county purposes, the judicial connection being with Dane. The county seat was established at the Wisconsin Portage, and the county was fully organized Jan. 81, 1844; as now organized, it does not contain any of its original limits. The eastern boundary of the county was extended one range February 27, 1851. Plover, a little east of the centre of the county, is the seat of justice. The Wisconsin river passes about contrally through the county from the north, and with its branches afford many good water powers which are, at present, chiefly used for working up pine timber, with forests of which the country is covered. This county is connected with the third judicial circuit, and with the second senate and second congressional districts, and, with Marathon, sends one member to the assembly. The population, as organized in 1840, was 1,623; 1842, 646; 1846, 931; 1847, 1,504; 1850,1,267. At the last date, including Marathon, there were 13 farms, 30 manufactories, and 280 dwellings. County Officers for 1853: Judge, Enoch S. Bean; Sheriff, Aaron Drake; Clerk of Court, C. Shekels; District Attorney, Luther Hanchett; Clerk of Board of Supervisors, Matthias Mitchell; Treasurer, Ames M. Dunton. (John Warren Hunt, Wisconsin Gazetteer..., Madison, 1853)