“The action Dane took against slavery is really inspiring,” Kiefer said. “It’s really the first federal legislation with an anti-slavery component. He managed to get it passed in a way that was really not appreciated, either at the time or now.”

In a letter three days after the ordinance was passed, Dane wrote, “I had no idea the states would agree to the sixth article, prohibiting slavery as only Massachusetts of the Eastern states was present, and therefore omitted it in the draft; but finding the House favorably disposed on this subject, after we had completed the other parts I moved the article, which was agreed to without opposition.”

That letter is held by the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison and can be seen at go.madison.com/DaneLetter. The ordinance was passed a second time under the U.S. Constitution in 1789.

Dane died in his adopted hometown of Beverly, Massachusetts, at age 82 on Feb. 15, 1835. On its establishment on Dec. 7, 1836, Dane County was named in his honor, though Dane never set foot in Wisconsin, and had no apparent connection to the region other than the Northwest Ordinance.