"Capt. R. D. Pike, manufacturer, Bayfield, was born in Corcoran Co., Penn., April 13, 1938. He was taken to Toledo, Ohio, by his parents in 1845, and remained there, receiving the rudiments of an education. He came to Bayfield in 1855, but not having finished his education went to Detroit, Mich., and took a commercial course. In 1862 he enlisted in the 27th Michigan Volunteer Infantry; was transferred to the 1st Cavalry, and at the battle of Appomattox he was promoted to Captain, and after some service on the plains returned home in 1866 and commenced lumbering. At first he had a shingle mill, then a saw-mill, and finally has a mill that produces lumber, 40,000 of shingles, and 30,000 lathes, and staves for fish barrels; he is also engaged in the real estate business. Capt. Pike has been Chairman of the County Board, Clerk of County Court, and filled other public offices. He became a member of the Masonic lodge in 1863 at Fort Howard." 378
On the 1860 census he was a 22 year old single lumberman who lived with his parents and grandmother, and had a personal estate of $1500. 375
"Capt. R. D. Pike built a shingle mill in 1869; additions were made in 1870, and since then other improvements have been made, at different times, so that now it is one of the most complete saw-mills in northern Wisconsin; has the best of improved machinery, some of the machinery being of Mr. Pike's own patents. Manufactures some fish barrel staves. Capacity of mill 40,000 feet per day, for season 4,500,000 feet. Most of the logs come from Bayfield County. Shipment goes mostly to Chicago and the Manitoba country. The mill has a dock up to which the largest boats on the lakes can float. Mr. Pike has his own water-works, having a reservoir on the hill above the mill getting a head of fifty-eight feet fall, enough to throw a large stream over the mill at its highest point. Pipes are run along over roof of the mill, and at the opening of a valve the whole roof can be flooded. " 378
"After returning home from the Civil War he built a large sawmill, the Little Daisy, in the center of town right over here close to Memorial Park with extensive docks to ship the lumber out. He also set up the town's first electric lights and the first telephone system. He established and captained the local militia, he had a brownstone quarry just south of Pike's Bay, he built the fish hatchery on Pike's Creek and later donated the hatchery as well as hundreds of acres of land to the State of Wisconsin, and he built a beautiful mansion on a hill above Pike's Creek which is now the Pinehurst Inn. Most important of all, he loved Bayfield with all his heart and was a tireless advocate of the beauty and the potential of this lovely town." Robinson Drake Pike 2006 382
He was an outstanding citizen of Bayfield's first century. 372 On the 1 Jun 1870 census he lived alone, and was a 31 year old lumber merchant with real estate valued at $6000 and a personal estate of $1000. He was born in Pennsylvania. In the 3 Jun 1880 census of Bayfield, Robinson D. Pike is a 42 year old mill owner, born in Pennsylvania, whose father was born in Maine and mother was born in Pennsylvania. He lives alone in the Village of Bayfield. 379 On 18 Dec 1881 R. D. Pike gave a "doz. silver spoons in case" to Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Bachand on their wedding day, so he presumably was still single.
383 1883 “ ‘Cap.’ R. D. Pike lumber and planning mill, established, 1868 is the oldest existing mill on the bay. Turns out 50,000 feet per day of 11 hours with equally large quantity of shingles and laths. In ‘83 will cut 7,000,000 feet of lumber, about half in custom work. In future will cut chiefly for himself since his choice pine lands contain ‘some 100,000,000 feet of lumber tributary to Bayfield.’ Five to seven million feet will be logged in winter for sawing next summer. Tows with his own tug, does his own logging, ‘Has large docks at his mills where the largest vessels which traverse the lakes may land.’ His mills are filled up with the latest and best improved machinery the market affords, some of which was specially manufactured for his own use and after his own design. He gives employment to 75 hands, has a complete water works about his mills so that almost any fire can be quickly put out. Capt. R. D. Pike owns a mile or more of Bay Front ‘on the main land, three miles south of Bayfield...which contains an inexhaustible quantity of this fine brown sand stone...widely and favorably known for building purposes, and then which there is no better.’ The ‘Omaha Railway runs through this property and a switch is constructed to the very development itself. Docks are built and telephone connection is another advantage...the conveniences and appliances for taking out and loading same are not surpassed by any, if equalled, on Lake Superior.’ “ 1582In 1885 he was Chairman of the Bayfield County Board. 383There is no 1890 Wisconsin census. On the 4 Jun 1900 census he was Robert, a widower aged 62, who lived with his father-in-law's family, the Hinxxx Johnson family. Mr. Johnson is an 81 year old widower. Living with the two men are Lillian Johnson, age 35, Georgia Pike, age 12, Robert Pike, age 11, Eva Pike, age 7, Marian Pike, age 6, Helen Pike, age 4, and 3 female servants. 381
10 Jan 1885 "A stroll through Capt. Pike's shipyard these days will repay anyone at all interested in the various enterprises in which that enterprising citizen of the Harbor City is constantly engaged. Work on the mammoth new barge, a description of which was published some weeks ago, progresses finely and under the experienced eye of ship carpenter Maynard is rapidly taking on shape and figure."383
10 Oct 1885 "This week Capt. Pike contracted with parties in Helena, Montana to furnish one hundred carloads of brown stone from the Bayfield Brown Stone quarry, shipments to commence immediately. This stone is to be used as trimming in the new $138,000 courthouse to be constructed at that city. It will be seen by this that the fame of Bayfield's brown stone is rapidly sweeping over the country and already it is seen in many costly edifices east, west and south."383
19 Dec 1885 "E. F. DRAKE, St. Paul -- R. D. PIKE, Bayfield
Bayfield Brown Stone Company
Bayfield, Wisconsin" 383
26 Nov 1887 "Capt. PIKE's tug, Favorite, returned from Milwaukee Sunday. The boys' account of the trip is to the effect that they had anything but pleasure on their way home after striking Lake Superior. Leaving Whitefish point they took a course which, as they supposed, would enable them to clear Keweenaw point about six miles, but a compass out of order and a blinding snow storm resulted in their sighting land the following morning which proved to be Isle Royale. Just how the boat managed to cross the lake in such a storm is a marvel to those who were on board and the fact that she did is evidence of her seaworthiness and the skill of those in command. Much anxiety was felt here for her safety and when she hove in sight Sunday, her familiar whistle woke the echoes, hearty congratulations were the order of the day."383
16 Feb 1889 "We erred in saying that Capt. R. D. Pike was the originator of the electric light scheme, as the credit should have been given to Currie G. Bell, and Mr. Pike given the credit of the organization of it." 383
23 Feb 1889 "The following letter from the Bayfield Brownstone Co. to the Hon. David T. Day of the U.S. Geological Survey, Division of Mining Statistics, shows plainly the magnitude of the brownstone industry in Bayfield county. Like all other industries in this section of the country the prospects are fine for a profitable season's work.

Bayfield, Wisconsin, February 19, 1889

Dear Sir:

Your favor of the 14th inst. is just at hand. The blank enclosed with the letter does not seem to be of the proper form to give you the necessary information you asked for regarding our quarries. In the first place our quarries are brown stone in place of lime stone. The output of the Bayfield Brownstone Company for the year 1888 was 358 carloads valued at $14,000 at the quarries against sales from of from $40,000 to $50,000 the preceding year.
Last year being the presidential campaign year, the sales in this vicinity fell off largely, but at the same time, the production continued and the quarry owners were able to get out large quantities of stone to have on in readiness for the early spring trade, the wisdom of which they are already seeing as they are all receiving fine orders for stone. The production continued and Bayfield Brownstone Company quarry for 1888 was about $50,000 in round numbers.
Smith and Babcock are on the shore between Bayfield and Ashland and their output was about the same as ours. Hartley Brothers, who operate a quarry near them also put out about the same. The Prentice Brown Stone Company opened a quarry this last season and probably disposed half this amount, but are preparing for a large business this coming year.
In 1889, the Bayfield Brown Stone Company will double last year's output and the other quarries are figuring to do business in about the same proportion. We ship to St. Paul, Minnesota, Omaha, Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Cincinnati and Cleveland and expect in the near future to ship to New York.
The stone is used principally in public buildings, but on account of its fineness, beauty and durability, it is coming into use largely in private residences. The quality is fine and the quantity inexhaustible.
The total production in this vicinity was perhaps twenty-five percent more than that of the preceding year, with a smaller output but no decrease in values.
I have the honor to be your obedient servant.
Bayfield Brown Stone Co.,
R. D. Pike, Manager" 383
25 Jun 1892 "Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Pike," gave a "set silver spoons" at the "Boutin-Shaw" wedding "at the Episcopal Church, Tuesday evening, June 21st, 1892, Mr. Soloman [sic] Boutin and Kathleen Shaw. Rev. O. C. Parry officiating." 383
7 Oct 1899 "R. D. Pike made the town board a proposition Monday to extend a circuit to his three mile distant suburban residence and connect it with the town lighting plant. Capt. Pike proposes to erect the poles and put up the wire at his own expense "383
6 May 1904 "Saws Hum – Mill of R. D. Pike Lumber Co. First to Start on this side of the Bay – Expected that 20,000,000 Feet of Lumber will be sawed – Double Crew to be Worked After June First. Dreams of the past winter are now a realization and Bayfield's lumber industry is again on the move. Every winter there are those who have visions of inactivity in our mills for the coming season but again the prophets are compelled to nurse a discolored optic this spring as the saw begin to buzz and slice the huge monarchs of the north that have waved in triumph over the devastated lands for many years into building material. At this time last year, all the mills on this side of the bay were in operation, but owing to the late opening of navigation this season, the Pike mill is the only one with material positioned right to start. The slip below the mill is plied full of logs and these will be sufficient to last until the ice moves. Never before has this mill opened the season with brighter prospects than it did Wednesday. The company has secured contracts for enough timber to run them night and day until late in the fall and guarantees the cutting of 20,000,000 feet of lumber. This is nearly double the increase in the output of a year ago." 383

“R. D. Pike died 27 March 1906

CAPT. R. D. Pike DEAD
One of Bayfield's Oldest and Best Known Citizens Passes Away
The sad, although not wholly unexpected, news of the death of Capt. Robinson D. Pike, on the train on route to Milwaukee Tuesday morning at 6 o'clock, reached Bayfield about noon. Capt. Pike had been confined to his home at Salmo, three miles south of Bayfield, during the past five months and was attended by some of the ablest physicians of this section. Last week at a consultation and at his earliest request, it was decided to send him to a Milwaukee sanitarium for treatment. A sleeping car was sent over from Ashland Monday and that evening, accompanied by his wife and trained nurse, he started on what proved to be his last earthly journey.
The remains were returned to his home Wednesday, being met at Ashland by a delegation of Bayfield Masons of which lodge he was a charter member. Capt. Pike was born in Meadville, PA, in the year 1838, was twice married and is survived by his wife, five children and a sister who resides at Ashland. He served with distinction throughout the Civil War and for a time was on the western plains, after which he returned to Bayfield and engaged in the lumbering and boating business. He was noted for his remarkable energy and force of character. Was quick to resent an injury and as ready to forgive. During his long residence in Bayfield he was identified with all moves having in view the upbuilding of the town and the development of the surrounding country, and his death is greatly deplored by all citizens having the welfare of the community at heart and their sympathy goes out to the bereaved ones left to mourn the departure of a kind and provident husband and father.
Capt. Pike was a member of Bayfield Lodge F. & A. M. and of Ashland Chapter and Commandry: also of the G. A. R. and of the loyal legion. He was an enthusiastic Republican and entered into the political strife as the war-horse enters the battle. Firm in his convictions and fearless in maintaining the same he still had many warm friends among his political opponents. The funeral exercises were conducted Thursday afternoon, during which time all business was suspended, the school closed and flags displayed at half -mast. Family services, conducted by Rev. W. Mc N Kitteridge, of the Presbyterian church, were held at the residence at Salmo at one o'clock, after which the remains were brought to town for public services held in the Presbyterian church, after which the Masonic Lodge took charge and accompanied by a large delegation of Washburn Masons and escorted by Ashland Commandry and the Grand Army Post, and followed by the largest procession ever seen here, the remains were taken to Greenwood cemetery and deposited in the family lot. The ceremony throughout was most touching and manifested in a striking manner showing the respect in which the deceased was held. The floral offerings were exceedingly fine. 372

In this connection, and to show his interest in local affairs, we append the following - article on the early history of Bayfield read at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the village held at the Island View Hotel Friday of the last week:

"I regret very much not being able to be with you at the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the town of Bayfield. As you may be aware, I have been ill for the past few weeks, but am pleased to state at this time I am on the gain and hope to be among you soon. If my health permitted I would take great pleasure in being present with you this evening. I remember very distinctly that the first stake was driven in the town of Bayfield by Major McAboy who was employed by the Bayfield Townsite company to make a survey and plat same, This Bayfield Townsite company was organized with Hon. Henry M. Rice of St. Paul, at the head, and some very enterprising men from Washington, D. C. Major McAboy arrived here about the first of March and made his headquarters with Julius Austrian of La Pointe. Julius Austrian in those days being the Governor General of all that part of the country west of Ontonagon to Superior, Ashland and Duluth being too small to count. The Major spent probably two weeks at La Pointe going back and forth to Bayfield with a team of large bay horses owned by Julius Austrian, being the only team of horses in the country. I remember very well being in his office at La Pointe with father, and I recollect hearing them discuss with Mr. Austrian the question of routing the streets in Bayfield north and south, and avenues east and west, or whether they should run them diagonally due to the topography of the country, but he decided on the plan as the town is now laid out. Mr. Austrian and quite a little party from La Pointe came over here on the 24th of March 1856, when they officially laid out the town, driving the first stake, and deciding on the name Bayfield, named after Lieutenant Bayfield, of the Royal Navy, who was a particular friend of Senator Rice, and it was he who made the first chart for the guidance of boats on Lake Superior. The summer of 1855 father was in poor health, filled up with malaria from the swamps of Toledo, and he was advised by Mr. Frederick Prentice, now of New York, and known by everybody here as the "Brownstone Man," to come up here and spend the summer as it was a great health resort, so father arrived at La Pointe in June, 1855, on a little steamer that ran from the Soo to the head of the lakes, the canal at that time not being open, but it was opened a little later in the season. Upon arrival at La Pointe father entered in to an agreement with Julius Austrian to come over to Pike's creek and repair the little water mill that was built by the North American Fur Company, which at that time was owned by Julius Austrian. He made the necessary repairs on the little mill, caught plenty of brook trout and fell in love with the country on account of the good water and pure air and wrote home to us at Toledo glowing letters as to this section of the country. Finally he bought the mill and I think the price paid was $350 for the mill and forty acres of land, and that largely on time; however the mill was not a very extensive affair. Nearly everything was made of wood, except the saw and crank-pin, but it cut about two thousand feet of lumber in twelve hours. Some of the old shafting and pulleys can be seen in the debris at the old mill site now. Remember, these were not iron shafts, as we used wood shafts and pulleys in those days. This class of a mill at that time beat whip sawing, that being the usual way of sawing lumber. Father left La Pointe some time in September 1855, for Toledo to move his family to Pike's creek, which stream was named after we moved up here. Onion river and Sioux river were named before that time. On father's arrival in Toledo from this country, we immediately began to get ready to move. We had a large fine yoke of red oxen and logging trucks. He sold out our farm at Toledo, packed up our effects, and boarded a small steamer which took us to Detroit. Our family then consisted of father, mother, grandma Pike and my sister, now Mrs. Bicksler of Ashland. We stayed in Detroit several days to give father time to buy supplies for the winter; that is, feed for the oxen and cow and groceries for the family to carry us through until the spring. We then boarded the steamer Planet, which was a new boat owned by the Ward line, considered the fastest on the lake. It was about two hundred and fifty tons capacity. We came to Sault Ste. Marie, it being the Planet's first trip through the Soo, the canal as I remember was completed that fall. During this year the Lady Elgin was running from Chicago and the Planet and the North Star running from Detroit, they being about the only boats which were classed better than sailboats of the one hundred and fifty tons. We arrived at La Pointe the early part of October 1855. On our way up we stopped at Marquette, Eagle Harbor, Eagle River and Ontonagon. We left Ontonagon in the evening expecting to arrive at La Pointe early that morning, but a fearful storm arose and the machinery of the Planet became disabled off Porcupine mountains and it looked for a while as though we were never going to weather the storm, but arrived at La Pointe the next day. There were some parties aboard for Superior who left La Pointe by sail. We remained at La Pointe for a week or ten days on account of my mother's health and then went to Pike's bay with all our supplies, oxen and cow on what was known as Uncle Robert Morrin's bateau. Uncle Robert and William Morrin, now of Bayfield, and if I remember rightly each of the boys pulled an oar taking us across. We landed in Pike's Bay just before sundown, hitched up the oxen and drove to the old mill. Now, this was all in the fall of 1855. As I said before, the town was laid out on March 21st, 1856, and record made of same at La Pointe by John W. Bell, who at that time was the "Witte" of all the country between Ontonagon and Superior, Julius Austrian being the "Czar" of those days, and both God's noblemen. The Territory now consisting the town of Bayfield was taken from La Pointe county. There were a number of very prominent men interested in laying out the townsite and naming out avenues and streets, such as Hon. H. M. Rice and men of means from Washington after whom some of our avenues were named. Very soon after this they wished to build a large saw mill in order to furnish lumber necessary for building up the town. The Washington people decided on a man by the name of Caho, an old lumberman of Virginia, so he was employed to come up here and direct the building of the mill. A hotel was built directly across from the courthouse by the Mr. Bicksler who afterward married my sister. The saw mill was built about a block west of where the saw mill now stands. The mill had a capacity of about five or six thousand feet per day and I think the machinery came from Alexandria, Virginia. Joe La Pointe was the only man recognized as being capable of running a mill for the fact that he could do his own filing and sawing. While they were constructing the mill they had a gang of men in the woods getting out hard wood for fuel, not thinking of using any of the sawdust, and they piled the sawdust out with the slabs as useless. Charles Day, whom many of you will remember, was the party who got out the hardwood as fuel for the mill. Time has wrought many changes in our midst. As far as I know I am the only white man living who was there at the time the town was laid out. In conclusion I wish to say that at a banquet given in Bayfield some two or three years ago I made the statement that when the last pine tree was cut from the peninsula on which Bayfield is located, the possibility of our town and vicinity will have just commenced. The pine has gone and we are now cutting the hemlock and hardwood which will last ten to fifteen years; and long before this is exhausted the cut over lands will be taken up and farms tilled, as is the history of other sections of the country.

She was single, age 35, and living with her widowed father in the Township of Bayfield on 4 Jun 1900. Living with them were the widower, 'Pike and five of his children, Georgia Pike, age 12, Robert Pike, age 11, Eva Pike, age 7, Marian Pike, age 6, Helen Pike, age 4. 381 On 27 April 1910 she is a 49 year old widow living at 1005 Harrison Avenue, Beloit, Wisconsin. She was born in Wisconsin, her father was born in Vermont and her mother was born in New York. Living with her are her stepdaughters, Mary E., 16, and born in Wisconsin, and Helen, 14, and born in Wisconsin. 388 On 15 Aug 1913 Georgia Lillian Pike was married "at the home of the bride's mother Mrs. R. D. Pike, 1005 Chapin Street, " Beloit, Wisconsin. 383 She is not on the 1920 Rock County, Wisconsin census.