The Grignon House today

The Grignon House as it looked before 1850
This link will take you to a picture and book that describes a trip through the Kaukauna area in 1838

Treaty of the Cedars Plaque is located in Little Chute - Near Kaukauna

	First deed of Wisconsin recorded was for property located in Kaukauna
	William F. Wolf, was the Grignon home caretaker in 1939, He recopied the original papers of the area for preservation.  Kakalin was the original name of Kaukuna on March 9, 1839. County Commisioners were Charles A. Grignon, Samuel Ryan, Morgan L. Martin.  In 1841 supervisors were Charles A. Grignon, Paul Beauleau, Hoel Wright.  Grignon was town chairman from 1844 - 1850. George W. Lawe was town chairman in 1851.
	Emma Grignon died in 1901 Youngest daughter of the Grignon Family.  Information about the family and the Grignon house.
	The Fort was built in preparation for the 1832 Blackhawk War.   The fort was 75 feet behind the original Ducharme House on the bluff. It was intended to fire a cannon as a warning for Fort Howard in Green Bay of any impending problems with the Sauk Indians. William F. Wolf the custodian at the Grignon home was doing the excavations. Augustin Grignon was appointed a Captain and trained 300 Menominee Indians as a defense for Kaukauna. The training area was adjacent to the Grignon House.
	Grignon Property was transferred for delinquent payments to Augustin Grignon in 1847.  Charles A, Grignon, Alexander Grignon, Propert description and boundary of the property.
	14 Catholic churches in Wisconsin in 1844, Mention DeLanglade, Charles A. Grignon, Alexander Grignon. DeLanglade built first house in Green Bay and that house is owned by John P. Arndt in 1844
	Sulphur Spring found on the property of Charles A. and Alexander Grignon in 1844.  It was expected that Kaukauna would become a summer therapeutic resort.
	5/3/1898 Mary E. Grignon died. She was the wife of Charles A. Grignon. She was born in Harrisburg, PA in 1818 as Mary E. Mead, she came to Green Bay in 1837 when she Married Charles Grignon. She is also a sister of Mrs. George W. Lawe.

History of the Grignon House

1844 Grignon court case   Grignon's Lesee v. Astor, 43 U.S. 319 (1844)   Mention of Peter B. Grignon who died on March 4, 1823, Morgan L. Martin, John J. Astor, Ramsay Crooks, Robert Stuart Linns Thompson,  US Supreme Court case January 1844.  Also mentions Pierre Grignon's sons Robert Grignon Born 1803 and Peter Grignon (Jr.) born 1805. It claims the land passed through the hands of Augustin Grignon. This article also mentions Paul Grignon had the land on June 21, 1824. Other mentions: John Lawe, James Porlier, George Johnston, Henry S. Baird, Robert Irwin, John P. Arndt, Louis Grignon, The property appears to be the land located in Green Bay based on the legal descriptions of the land and the adjoining land owners.

It appears from this case that Paul Grignon sold the property of his deceased father Pierre Grignon to Augustine Grignon and part of the property to Morgan L. Martin.  It also mentions that a Paul Grignon brother of Pierre Grignon was the administrator.

There is also a Peter Grignon who filed for and was awarded an early land patent in Kewaunee county. I am unsure if this Peter Grignon is the son of Peter (Pierre) Grignon.

Other Mentions of Peter Grignon July 19,1816 from the  Mackinac Notary Book 1806-1818 recorded that Peter Grignon & R. Grignon engaged a party to Green Bay (Wisconsin) This site contains the early written records of Mackinac.  Mackinac was the headquarters of fur trading activity that took place along the Fox River.  In these files are numerous mentions of other names that will be familiar to Kaukauna Historians.  The Metis culture is a name given to those of Mixed ancestry. Many of the early French traders that were in the Kaukauna area were of mixed blood and are mentioned in these early historical records.

Work contract between John Diedrich (Son of Peter Diedrich) and Charles A. Grignon on July 16, 1849 - John Diedrich received $10 per month as a hired farm worker and helper around the Grignon house.  Payments were to be made in October when the Menominee Indians made payments to Charles Augustus Grignon. The agreement automatically renewed annually.

John and his sister were indentured to the Grignon's for several years. They did farm work and house work as needed.  John's sister did much of the Grignon house cooking from 1849 - 1854

Also note that the contract was signed in the presence of David P. Mead.

Peter Diedrich is the Great Great Great Grandfather of the Webmaster of this site. Peter Diedrich operated a ferry service and built and operated the first Brewery and Distillery in Wisconsin north of Milwaukee in 1848. These buildings were located on the Bluff of the north side of Kaukauna on the present day Wisconsin Avenue between Diedrich street and Black street.  John Diedrich later became the key builder of the Lock, Dam and Canal system's along the Fox River his son also was involved in building dams and other "Water Works" on the Fox, Wolf and other Wisconsin river waterways.

For more history about these individuals you may contact the webmaster.

The last Grignon that lived in the Grignon house was Edith Acker Grignon spouse of Stephen Rossiter Grignon.  Her tombstone is in the Holy Cross Cemetery.  View the ancestry tree of Edith and Stephen Grignon

This newspaper clipping records the arrival of the Dutch families that settled in the area north of Kaukauna.  Later called Freedom.