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diff --git a/36375-8.txt b/36375-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2e182ef --- /dev/null +++ b/36375-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,34259 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Fifty Years In The Northwest, by +William Henry Carman Folsom + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Fifty Years In The Northwest + With An Introduction And Appendix Containing Reminiscences, + Incidents And Notes + +Author: William Henry Carman Folsom + +Release Date: June 11, 2011 [EBook #36375] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIFTY YEARS IN THE NORTHWEST *** + + + + +Produced by Mark C. Orton, Nathan Gibson, Josephine Paolucci +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net. + + + + + + + +FIFTY YEARS IN THE NORTHWEST. + +WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND APPENDIX +CONTAINING +REMINISCENCES, INCIDENTS AND NOTES. + + +BY W. H. C. FOLSOM. + +EDITED BY E. E. EDWARDS. + +PUBLISHED BY +PIONEER PRESS COMPANY. +1888. + + TO THE OLD SETTLERS + OF + WISCONSIN AND MINNESOTA, + + WHO, AS PIONEERS, AMIDST PRIVATIONS AND TOIL NOT KNOWN TO THOSE OF + LATER GENERATION, LAID HERE THE FOUNDATIONS OF TWO GREAT + STATES, AND HAVE LIVED TO SEE THE RESULT OF THEIR + ARDUOUS LABORS IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE + WILDERNESS--DURING FIFTY YEARS--INTO A + FRUITFUL COUNTRY, IN THE BUILDING + OF GREAT CITIES, IN THE + ESTABLISHING OF ARTS + AND MANUFACTURES, + IN THE + CREATION OF COMMERCE + AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE, + THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY + + DEDICATED + + BY THE AUTHOR, W. H. C. FOLSOM. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +At the age of nineteen years, I landed on the banks of the Upper +Mississippi, pitching my tent at Prairie du Chien, then (1836) a +military post known as Fort Crawford. I kept memoranda of my various +changes, and of many of the events transpiring. Subsequently, not, +however, with any intention of publishing them in book form until +1876, when, reflecting that fifty years spent amidst the early and +first white settlements, and continuing till the period of +civilization and prosperity, itemized by an observer and participant +in the stirring scenes and incidents depicted, might furnish material +for an interesting volume, valuable to those who should come after me, +I concluded to gather up the items and compile them in a convenient +form. + +As a matter of interest to personal friends, and as also tending to +throw additional light upon my relation to the events here narrated, I +have prefixed an account of my own early life for the nineteen years +preceding my removal to the West, thus giving to the work a somewhat +autobiographical form. It may be claimed that a work thus written in +the form of a life history of a single individual, with observations +from his own personal standpoint, will be more connected, clear and +systematic in its narration of events than if it were written +impersonally. + +The period included in these sketches is one of remarkable +transitions, and, reaching backward, in the liberty accorded to the +historian, to the time of the first explorations by the Jesuits, the +first English, French and American traders, is a period of +transformation and progress that has been paralleled only on the +shores of the New World. We have the transition from barbarism to +civilization; we have the subjugation of the wilderness by the first +settlers; the organization of territorial and state governments; an +era of progress from the rude habits of the pioneer and trapper, to +the culture and refinement of civilized states; from the wilderness, +yet unmapped, and traversed only by the hardy pioneer in birch barks +or dog sledges, to the cultivated fields, cobwebbed by railways and +streams furrowed by steamers. It is something to have witnessed a +part, even, of this wonderful transformation, and it is a privilege +and a pleasure to record, even in part, its history. + +I have quoted from the most correct histories within my reach, but the +greater part of my work, or of that pertaining to the fifty years just +passed, has been written from personal observation and from +information obtained directly by interview with, or by written +communications from, persons identified in some way with the history +of the country. To those persons who have so freely and generously +assisted me in the collection of material for this work, I hereby +express my thanks. I have relied sparingly on traditions, and, where I +have used them, have referred to them as such. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +While genealogical tables are of interest chiefly to the families and +individuals whose names are therein preserved, I still deem it not +amiss to insert here a brief account of my ancestry. Among the +emigrants from England to the New World in 1638, came John Foulsham, +then twenty-three or twenty-four years of age, and his wife, to whom +he had been married about a year and a half. They came from Hingham, +England, to Hingham, Mass., with a colony that probably named the +settlement in loving remembrance of the town they had left. They came +on account of certain ecclesiastical troubles; their rector, with whom +they sympathized, having torn down the altar rails and leveled the +altar, an act of irreverence that called down upon them the wrath of +their superior, Bishop Wren, and resulted in rector and people selling +out their real estate at half its value and emigrating to America. +John received a grant of land consisting of four acres and built +himself a house, the frame being constructed of sawed oak timber. This +house, built in 1640, stood until 1875, two hundred and thirty-five +years, when it was taken down and manufactured into canes and chairs, +which were distributed as relics to the American descendants of the +family. The family, however, had increased so greatly that the supply +was not equal to the demand. + +The wife of John Foulsham was Mary Gilman. From this couple the +American Folsoms and their allies from marriages with the female +descendants of the family have sprung. The ancestors of John Foulsham +may be traced backward a period of near six hundred years, and many of +the family have honorable mention in English history. The earliest +mention is concerning John Foulsham of Foulsham, prior of a Carmelite +monastery in Norwich, and "pręses provincialis" of all England. This +Foulsham is spoken of in Bayle's catalogue of eminent worthies as "no +mean proficient in controversial theology, knowing how, by means of +syllogystic tricks, to turn white into black and men into donkeys." He +died in the great plague at Norwich in 1348. + +A certain John de Foulsham is spoken of in Blomefield's History of +Norfolk as an "eloquent, unflinching opponent of the corruptions of +the times." It is possible that this may be the Carmelite prior above +mentioned, though the prefix _de_ leaves the matter somewhat in doubt. + +As to the original derivation of the family name, Hon. George Folsom, +of Philadelphia, in one of the manuscripts left by him, says: "It +arose upon the adoption of surnames in England, from the town of +Foulsham, a village in the county of Norfolk, six or eight miles north +of Hingham, in which county the family was seated for many centuries, +possessing estates in fifteen different places." Thus John de, or John +of Foulsham, became John Foulsham. + +The orthography and pronunciation of the name have varied in the +family itself, as well as among those writing and pronouncing it. The +first Anglo-American bearing the name spelled it "Foulsham." His son, +Deacon John, spelled it "Fullsam" in 1709, and it is signed "Foullsam" +in his last will--1715. In one instance, in the Hingham town records, +it is spelled "Fulsham," but always afterward, "Foulsham." In the +Exeter records it is written uniformly "Folsom" with but one +exception, when it is written by the town clerk "Foulshame." In the +records of the first parish, Haverhill, Massachusetts, it is written +"Foulsham," "Foulsam," "Folsham" and "Fulsom." Originally it was +doubtless spelled "Foulshame," its etymological significance being the +_fowls' home_, a breeding place or mart. It was probably at first +written with a hyphen, as Fouls-hame, but the final syllable was +eventually shortened. Everywhere it is now written _Folsom_ by those +having the name, and is pronounced like _wholesome_. + +The characteristics of the family have been quite uniform. Far as +known they were a religious family, and prominent as such in both +Catholic and Protestant circles, with a strong disposition toward +dissent from the established order of things. Thus John de Foulsham +wrote a treatise quite at variance with the doctrines of the church, +advocating the marriage of priests. John Foulsham, the Anglo-American, +left England on account of his dissent, preferring a home in the +wilderness with freedom to worship God, to dwelling under the rule of +a haughty and tyrannical bishop. Many of the family espoused the +doctrines of Whitfield. Many of them became Baptists, becoming such at +a time when the Baptists were most unpopular, and afterward becoming +Free Will Baptists, in which communion more of the family may to-day +be found than in any other. + +The occupations of the family were mostly, in the early days, +mechanical. Many were joiners and millwrights. The children and +grandchildren were farmers, landholders and lumbermen. Of the many who +removed to Maine, after the Revolution, most engaged in lumbering, but +turned their attention also to milling and storekeeping. + +The family have also shown a military tendency, and during the various +wars visited upon the country since the early colonial times, this +family has borne its full share of the dangers, toils and expense. + +My father, Jeremiah Folsom, was born in Tamworth, New Hampshire, Sept. +16, 1780, and was married to Octavia Howe, April 5, 1805. My mother +was born in Machias, Maine, Oct. 12, 1786. My father was a prominent +business man, and was engaged in shipping and mercantile pursuits, he +owning vessels that plied from St. Johns to Machias and other American +ports. To facilitate his business, St. Johns was his home four years, +during which time he was associated with William Henry Carman. This +temporary residence and business association account for my being born +on British soil, and for the names by which I was christened. +According to the record in the old family Bible, I was born at St. +Johns, New Brunswick, June 22, 1817. When I was six months old my +parents moved to Bangor, Maine, thence to Foxcroft, Maine, thence to +Ascot, Lower Canada. + +When I was five years old my parents moved to Tamworth, New Hampshire. +Young as I was, I am still able to recall events that occurred while I +lived in Canada. I remember falling into a well and being badly +bruised. I remember also an adventure with a bear. My parents had gone +to church, leaving me at home, greatly against my will. I attempted to +follow, but missed the road and wandered off into a wood, perhaps +three miles away. When my parents returned they were much alarmed, +and parties immediately went in pursuit. When I knew I was lost I set +up a vigorous screaming, which had the effect of attracting attention +from two very different parties. The first was a huge bear in quest of +food, and doubtless delighted at the prospect before him. The second +was one of the rescuing parties in quest of the lost boy. Both +simultaneously approached the screaming youngster and Bruin fought +stubbornly for his prey, but was vanquished by the clubs of my +rescuers, and I was carried home in triumph. I do not clearly recall +all the incidents of this scene, and, strangely enough, do not +remember seeing the bear. Perhaps the terror of being lost drove out +every other impression. An excuse for the narration of this apparently +trifling incident may be found in the fact that but for the prompt +arrival of the rescuing party, this history would never have been +written. + +When I was ten years of age my parents removed to Bloomfield, Maine. +While in Tamworth I had excellent opportunities of attending school, +which I improved to the utmost. After leaving Tamworth my school +privileges were well nigh ended, as I never received from that time +more than six months' schooling. My father followed lumbering on the +Kennebec river. During the first winter in Maine, he took me to the +logging camp as camp boy. During the second winter he hired me to +Matthew and Lewis Dunbar as a cook for their wood camp. I cooked for +six men and received five dollars a month. I was used very kindly by +the Dunbars, but that winter in the woods seemed a long, long winter. +The only book in camp was the Bible. There were, however, newspapers +and playing cards. In the spring my father used the fifteen dollars +received for my three months' work to purchase a cow. I served the +Dunbars the third winter, as cook, for six dollars a month, and worked +the ensuing summer on farms at about twenty-five cents per day. During +the fourth winter I worked for the Dunbars and Timothy Snow at seven +dollars per month, and the summer following worked on a farm for +Benjamin Cayford at seven dollars. Cayford was a merciless tyrant, and +sometimes compelled his men to work in the field till nine o'clock at +night. These details of wages paid and work done, uninteresting in +themselves, serve to show the value of a boy's work (I was not yet +fifteen) and what was expected of the average boy, for mine was no +exceptional case nor was my father more exacting than others in his +station in life. He was in poor health, and had a large family of +boys. We were eight in number, and of these I was one of the most +robust and able to assist in the support of the family. + +This year I persuaded my father to sell me my time, which amounted to +five years, which he reluctantly did, accepting two hundred and fifty +dollars as an equivalent. It was my ambition to go West. Horace +Greeley had not uttered the talismanic words, "Go West, young man," +but I believed that by going West I would be better able to advance my +own interests and assist my parents. My father signed the necessary +paper relinquishing my time, which was printed in the Skowhegan +_Clarion_. From this time until I was nineteen years old I worked on +the river and on farms, worked continuously and beyond my strength. I +worked another summer for Cayford, but have no pleasant recollections +of him, for on his farm I was sadly overworked, being often called to +work before sunrise and kept at work after sunset. I worked two +winters cooking in the woods for Capt. Asa Steward, of Bloomfield, one +of the best men I ever served, a kind hearted, honest Christian. He +gave me good counsel and good wages besides. In the fall of 1835 I +went into the woods to work for Capt. Eb. Snow, of Madison. Like +Cayford, he was a merciless tyrant and abusive to his men. I left his +camp before my engagement closed, not being able to endure his abuse +longer. This is the only time in which I failed to keep a labor +engagement. I finished the winter with Capt. Asa Steward, but my eyes +became so inflamed from the smoke of the camp that I was obliged to +abandon cooking. + +During this winter occurred an incident that came near having a +serious and even fatal termination. There were three of us, Simeon +Goodrich, Jimmie Able and myself, who went down the Kennebec to the +Forks, a distance of twelve miles from camp. A deep, damp snow had +fallen the night previous, and through this snow, reaching above our +knees, we trudged wearily till Able gave out. We carried him a short +distance, but becoming exhausted ourselves, laid him down in the snow. +To remain with him would be to imperil the lives of all; by hurrying +on we might be able to send a party to bring him in. We carefully +made for him a bed of fir boughs and placed loose garments over him +and under him, and as he was sick, weak and faint, gave him a draught +of liquid opodeldoc, and leaving the bottle with him, hurried on. We +traveled the last mile through an opening. Snow drifted deeply. We +dragged our bodies through the drifts in the direction of a glimmering +light, which proved to be Sturgis' hotel, which we reached at 11 +o'clock P. M. A team was sent back immediately for the lost Able by a +road of which we knew nothing. The rescuing party met him trudging +along with all his baggage. The opodeldoc had revived him, and he had +traveled a full mile when he met the rescuing party. At two o'clock +the team returned bringing the lost wayfarer. + +Another adventure terminated more disastrously than this. In the +spring of 1835 I was employed in taking logs across Moosehead lake. +The logs were in booms, and were moved by a capstan and rope. This was +before the days of steamboats, and the moving of the booms was no +light task. On this occasion a gale of wind struck us and drifted us +across the lake. We threw out an anchor, hoping to check the course of +the boom and swing it into Cowan's bay. In one of our throws the +anchor tripped, or caught fast, and suddenly tightened the line. Our +whole crew were in an instant hurled headlong. Some were thrown into +the water. One man (Butler) had his ribs broken. All were more or less +injured. The capstan went overboard. The old boom swung on and on, +and, passing Spencer's bay, broke and went to pieces on the shore. The +logs were with great difficulty regathered, but were finally brought +to the outlet of the lake July 4th, the last raft of the season. + +After river driving in the spring of 1835, I went to the Penobscot +river and found employment at twenty dollars a month at East Great +Works, building a dam. John Mills, our superintendent, was a good man. +There was a lyceum here, the first I ever attended. In December I +returned to the Kennebec, and in the spring of 1836 went to Dead river +to drive, but an attack of the measles and general ill health, with +symptoms of pulmonary derangement, compelled me to abandon the work. I +had lived nine years on the Kennebec, years of hard labor and exertion +beyond my strength, and in that time had earned enough to pay my +father two hundred and fifty dollars. I had been able to purchase a +small library, and had two hundred dollars in cash to defray my +expenses to the West. + +REMINISCENCES.--He that leaves the home of his youth for a strange +land carries with him memories, pleasant to recall, of scenes and +incidents, the influence of which he feels to the latest hour of life. +There are some things he can not forget. They may not be an essential +part of his own life history, but still they have found a place in his +mind and seem a part of himself, and he recurs to them again and again +with ever increasing delight. There are other things, may be, not so +pleasant to dwell upon, which still have a place in his memory and may +be profitably recalled. No one who has ever lived in Maine can forget +its dark pine forests, its rugged hills, its rushing streams, cold and +clear as crystal, its broad lakes, the abundant game of its forests +and the fish in its waters. The Minnesota and Wisconsin pioneers, who +with the author of this book claim Maine as an early home, will not +object to the insertion in this chapter of a few of these +reminiscences. + +MOOSEHEAD LAKE.--My first visit to Moosehead lake was in the early +winter of 1834. At that time it was still in the wilderness, only two +settlers having found their way to its shores. We were going with a +six ox team to a camp on the Brasua and our road led us across the +frozen lake. Emerging from a beech and maple grove on the margin near +Haskell's, our sled plunged downward, and in a moment we found +ourselves on the gray ice of the lake, with a wonderful panorama +spread out before us. The distant islands and the shores, hilly and +mountainous, stood out plainly between the winter sky and the ice +covered lake. The mirage added its finishing touches to the picture, +increasing the brightness and apparent size of distant objects, or +lending them brilliant hues, the whole scene sparkling in the frosty +sunlit air, making a vision of beauty that could not fade. On we +trudged over the ice, the sled creaking, the ice emitting a roaring +sound, not unlike the discharge of a park of artillery, sounds +produced by the expansion of the ice. We trudged on past islands and +craggy, rock-bound shores, passed Burnt Jacket, Squaw and Moxey +mountains in the east, Lily and Spencer bays at the southeast, Misery +and other mountains in the west, while far away to the north of east +towered white old Katahdin. Before us loomed up the flint rock Kinneo, +its perpendicular face fronting west, on the lake; at the base a +beautiful maple interval extending toward Spencer bay. + +The following spring our boom lay wind-bound at the base of Kinneo, +and we seized the opportunity of climbing the vast pile of flinty +rocks composing it, and obtained thence a view of unparalleled beauty, +including the broad, bright lake, fairy islands, mountains and hills +and vast stretches of pine forests. The tourist might seek far and +wide, vainly, for a landscape rivaling this. + +MOOSE HUNTING.--The lake and surrounding country offer unrivaled +attractions to the sportsman. The lake abounds in fish, of which the +lake trout is the most abundant in number and delicious in flavor. +Specimens are frequently taken weighing from ten to fifteen pounds. +The forests at that time abounded in wild animals, chief of which was +the moose, the largest and the homeliest of the deer family. With his +long, narrow head, small eyes, donkey-like ears, pendant lips, the +upper one curling like a small proboscis, with his high shoulders and +giraffe-like hips, with his short, round body, long and clumsy legs, +he is as distinguished for his want of grace and comeliness as the red +deer is for its presence. No animal is better adapted for its own home +and mode of life. Their heavy coat of hair adapts them to high +latitudes. With their curved upper lip they take hold of the branches +of the trees, and with their strong teeth and paws they are able to +peel off the tender bark of saplings and small trees. The moose, when +attacked, is fierce, resolute, defiant, and defends himself in a +masterly manner, striking with his fore legs with such precision that +the hunter is obliged to keep at a respectful distance. The male moose +wears a remarkable pair of horns of annual growth, to which each year +a prong is added. The home of the moose is the northern part of the +North Temperate Zone. + +Moose hunting is a healthy though laborious pastime. The hunter must +be an expert, and it requires years of practice to become skillful. He +must build his camp in the wilderness, packing thither his food, +blankets, camp utensils and gun. With his pack of dogs he starts out +in search of a moose yard. This is generally in some well timbered +district. The snow in winter is generally from three to six feet deep, +but the moose has broken paths through this to facilitate his +movements through the forest, and here he roams about in fancied +security, browsing on the young shrubs, but the hunter finds his +hiding place. In such case he conceals himself in the snow near one of +these paths and waits patiently till the moose passes, when he fires +upon him. If the moose is killed at once the hunter waits patiently in +his hiding place till another and another comes up to share a like +fate. If the moose is only wounded he starts off as rapidly through +the snow as his long legs will carry him, pursued by the hunter and +his dogs. The hunter has all the advantages of the position, being +mounted on snowshoes, thus being able to move with comparative +swiftness, while the moose plunges heavily through the snow, and at +last, weakened by loss of blood, he is overtaken and easily killed. + +MOUNT BIGELOW.--This is a noble, grand, historical mountain, situated +on the south side of Dead river, in Franklin county. For years it had +been my strong desire to make the ascent, and in May, 1833, the desire +was gratified. With six others, I left camp, and by evening reached +Green's hotel, where we obtained lodgings for the evening. At early +dawn, having supplied ourselves with lunch, tin cup and hatchet, we +began the ascent on the northeast side. We soon passed the thrifty +timber and aided our ascent of the craggy sides of the mountain by +clinging to the shrubs that found roothold in the crevices of the +rocks. It may not be amiss to say that we rested, that we rested +frequently, for mountain climbing is no light work for those +unaccustomed to it. While toiling wearily upward we found ourselves +enveloped in mist, or a cloud, from which we soon emerged to find the +heavens above us clear and bright, while leaden clouds shut out the +landscape below. At twelve o'clock, noon, we were on the summit. By +this time the clouds had been dispersed. The air was clear and cold +and beneath us lay, as in a beautiful panorama, the lands and lakes of +Maine. There are two peaks, about half a mile apart, between which is +a valley and a small lake. From the highest of these peaks the view +was magnificent. In the far north we imagined we saw Canada. The vast, +northern expanse was all unoccupied save by a few farms at the foot of +the mountain, and by a few camps of lumbermen, hunters and trappers. +Looking to the northeast, we saw in the blue distance, glittering with +snow drifts, Mount Katahdin. A little north of the divide line to +Katahdin lay Moosehead lake, the largest, most beautiful lake in +Maine. + +At this season of the year the snow had disappeared from the valleys +and hills, but the summits of the mountains were still white. In all +directions the scene was grand and inspiring. We could trace the +Kennebec river in its windings to the sea and fancied we could see in +the dim distance the blue Atlantic. To the southwest mountains seemed +piled on mountains, while here and there in intermediate vales bright +lakes reflected the blue of the upper deep. In this direction there +were farms, but they looked like mere dots on the face of the earth. +Lake Umbagog lay coiled in the shade of distant mountains in the +southwest. We fancied that we could see the ragged crest of the white +mountain still further beyond. The scene had also its historical +associations. Along the base of this mountain, on the northwestern +side, ere his name had been sullied by the foulest treason in our +country's history, Benedict Arnold bravely led the Colonial troops in +the campaign against Canada. With him, as an aid, was Col. Bigelow, +whose name is given to the mountain. The gallant little army halted on +the banks of Dead river at the base of the mountain, and made their +camp. While the army was resting at this camp Lieut. Col. Bigelow +ascended the mountain and planted his country's flag upon the highest +peak, doubtless the first white man who made the ascent, and the +mountain is his monument to-day. Around the site of the camp was +planted the colony of Flagstaff. + +While we were gazing on the magnificent scene, musing upon its varied +beauties and recalling its historical associations, the sun set, and +reluctantly we set out on our return, a descent the more perilous +because it was growing dark. Extreme caution was necessary; +nevertheless we made good headway, as we found ourselves sometimes +sliding and even rolling down the path that we had ascended with so +much difficulty in the forenoon. It was long after nightfall that, +tired and hungry, we reached Wyman's hotel on the banks of Dead river. + +LUMBERING IN MAINE.--The practical lumberman did not usually start his +teams for the pineries until snowfall and the freezing of the lakes +and rivers. The first thing was to select a place for operations. This +was done in the open season. When the winter had fairly set in the +lumberman, with his ox teams, generally six oxen to a sled, the sleds +laden with camp plunder, would start for the pineries. The slow ox +teams would consume many days making the journey. The crew of men +employed for the winter generally met the teams in camp. The snow +would be cleared away for the camp, and a fire built. The cook would +prepare a supper of fried pork, fritters or pancakes, tea, syrup and +New England apple sauce, the crew meanwhile cutting boughs, wood, +etc., and preparing for permanent camp. Supper over, the cattle were +tied to trees and fed. Water was secured for evening use only. A +glowing fire would be kept up, around which the crew would gather to +spend the evening in talking over the adventures of the day, +discussing plans for the morrow or singing camp songs. Thus the +evening would pass merrily and swiftly. At the hour for retiring +parties of two would spread their blankets on a couch of fir or cedar +boughs, and lie down to rest. Next morning the cook would rise at four +o'clock to prepare breakfast, which over, as soon as it was light +enough the crew would commence the work of the day. Every man goes to +his assigned duties, the _boss_ in charge having the general +oversight. + +The life of a lumberman is one of exposure to the elements, yet it is +not necessarily unfriendly to the development of character. With a +well ordered camp and gentlemanly crew the winter may pass away +pleasantly, and the young man engaged in the comparatively hard toil +of the camp, may, with books and papers and cheerful converse with the +more thoughtful of his elders, improve the long evenings spent around +the camp fire. Many a Maine boy has received here the greater part of +his training for the duties of after life. + +Sunday was usually occupied in reading, singing, and doing some of the +lighter work of camp, such as repairing sleds, shoeing oxen and making +axe helves or visiting neighboring camps. It was a day of rest only so +far as the heavier work of the camp was suspended. Sanctuary +privileges there were none. The work would often close in the sunny +days of March. The men would mostly depart for home. A few would +remain to drive the logs with the first water from the melting of the +snows late in April. + +Driving logs in the rapid waters of Maine is hazardous work. Scarcely +a day passes without imminent risk to life and limb of the hardy and +venturesome men engaged in the work of breaking log landings and jams, +and running boats. Men are exposed to wet and cold from dawn till +dark. This work requires active and vigorous men, constitutionally +fitted and carefully trained to the work. They are usually sociable, +lively and wide awake, these qualities enabling them to endure, and +even to enjoy, the life of hardship which they lead, and to which they +become so accustomed that they are unwilling to leave it until worn +out by its inevitable hardship. + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + + +W. H. C. Folsom Frontispiece + +James S. Anderson opp 55 + +Martin Mower 60 + +John McKusick opp 68 + +Edward White Durant 74 + +William M. Blanding 114 + +Reuben F. Little 121 + +Oliver Wendell Holmes Hospital 157 + +John Comstock opp 170 + +Hans B. Warner opp 207 + +Rev. Wm. T. Boutwell 273 + +Devil's Chair 301 + +Frank N. Peterson 320 + +Rev. E. E. Edwards 348 + +Smith Ellison 351 + +Isaac Staples opp 413 + +Jacob Bean 416 + +Louis Hospes 418 + +Fort Snelling 498 + +William D. Washburn opp 517 + +John S. Pillsbury opp 528 + +St. Anthony Falls 531 + +Birdseye View of St. Paul opp 536 + +Henry H. Sibley opp 553 + +Alex. Ramsey opp 555 + +Henry M. Rice opp 558 + +Edmund Rice opp 560 + +Wm. Rainey Marshall opp 568 + +Wm. H. Fisher 571 + +John B. Sanborn opp 577 + +H. P. Hall 589 + +Hon. G. W. Le Duc 594 + +Lucius F. Hubbard opp 597 + +Home of the Author 614 + +State Seal 658 + +Seal of Old Settlers Association 732 + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +BIOGRAPHICAL. + Genealogy of the American Folsoms VII + +AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL. + Parentage IX + Time and Place of Birth IX + Earliest Recollections IX + Removal to Bloomfield, Maine X + First Essay at Logging X + Commencing Life XI + Lost in the Snow XI + Adventure on Moosehead Lake XII + On the Penobscot XII + Reminiscences of Maine XIII + Moosehead Lake XIII + Ascent of Kinneo Mountain XIV + Moose Hunting XIV + Mount Bigelow XV + Lumbering in Maine XVI + + +CHAPTER I. + +GOING WEST. 1 + Lakes Huron and Michigan 3 + Chicago and Milwaukee 5 + On Foot to Galena 6 + The Northwestern Territory 7 + Arrival at Dubuque 7 + Reminiscences of Dubuque 8 + Arrival at Prairie du Chien 9 + Early History of Prairie du Chien 9 + Ancient Document 10 + Forts Shelby--McKay--Crawford 11 + First Commissioners at Prairie du Chien 11 + Organization of Crawford County 12 + Indian Troubles 12 + Running the Gauntlet 13 + Fort Crawford Robbed 13 + Early Justice 14 + A Southward Journey 15 + New Orleans, Vicksburg 15 + Return to Prairie du Chien 16 + Privations 16 + A Perilous Journey 17 + Return to Maine--Mountains of New Hampshire 17 + Marriage 18 + Prairie du Chien in 1837 18 + American Residents 19 + +BIOGRAPHIES. + James Duane Doty 19 + James H. Lockwood 20 + Indian Troubles 21 + John S. Lockwood 22 + Samuel Gilbert 23 + Michael Brisbois 23 + Pierre La Point 24 + Joseph Rolette 24 + Hercules Dousman 24 + Rev. David Lowry 25 + Chief Justice Charles Dunn 25 + Rev. Alfred Brunson 26 + Ira Brunson 27 + John H. Folsom 28 + Ezekiel Tainter 28 + Judge Wyram Knowlton 29 + Robert Lester 29 + Thomas Pendleton Burnett 30 + General Henry Dodge 30 + General George W. Jones 31 + S. G. and S. L. Tainter, John Thomas 31 + + +CHAPTER II. + +STILLWATER AND ST. CROIX COUNTY. + +From Prairie du Chien to Stillwater 32 +Stillwater in 1845 33 +St. Croix County 33 + First Settlement in 1838 34 + Dismemberment of St. Croix Valley from Crawford County 34 + Judge Irwin's Court in 1840 35 + Events in 1840, First Commissioners' Meeting 35 + Election Precincts in 1841 36 +Early History of Stillwater 37 + The First Saw Mill 37 + Copy of Agreement of Mill Company 38 + Agreement of Land Claims 40 + Bateau Voyage up the St. Croix 41 + Indian Drunks 42 + Skiff Voyage to Prairie du Chien 42 + Mail Carrying 43 + Claim and Mill at Arcola 43 +Stillwater in 1846, Events 44 + Overland Trip to Prairie du Chien 44 + Return, Adventure 45 + A Pioneer Cat 45 +Stillwater in 1847 46 + Territorial Election 46 + Arrest of Nodin and Ne-she-ke-o-ge-ma 46 + Visit to Sunrise, Connor's Camp 47 + Murder of Henry Rust 47 + Funeral, Indignation Meeting 48 + First District Court in Stillwater 48 + Nodin and Ne-she-ke-o-ge-ma Acquitted 49 + Steamer War Eagle and Raft 49 + Society Ball in Stillwater 49 + Stillwater in 1848 50 + + +CHAPTER III. + +BIOGRAPHIES. + + Joseph Renshaw Brown 52 + Paul Carli 53 + Dr. Christopher Carli 53 + Lydia Ann Carli 54 + Phineas Lawrence 54 + Jacob Fisher 55 + James S. Anderson 55 + Emanuel D. Farmer 56 + Col. John Greely 56 + Mrs. Hannah Greely 57 + Elam Greely 57 + Himan Greely 57 + Aquilla Greely 58 + Elias McKean 58 + Calvin F. Leach 58 + Socrates Nelson 58 + Mrs. Socrates Nelson 59 + Edward Blake 59 + Walter R Vail 59 + John E Mower 60 + Martin Mower 61 + William Willim 61 + Albert Harris 61 + Cornelius Lyman 62 + David B Loomis 62 + William E Cove 63 + John Smith 63 + John Morgan 63 + Anson Northrup 63 + Robert Kennedy 64 + Harvey Wilson 65 + Andrew Jackson Short 65 + James D McComb 65 + William Rutherford 66 + Albion Masterman 66 + Joseph N Masterman 66 + Mahlon Black 66 + Morton S Wilkinson 67 + William Stanchfield 67 + Thomas Ramsdell 68 + Charles Macey 68 + Jonathan E McKusick 68 + John McKusick 68 + William McKusick 69 + Noah McKusick 69 + Royal McKusick 69 + Ivory E McKusick 69 + Charles E Leonard 69 + Daniel McLean 70 + Robert Simpson 70 + William H Hooper 70 + James H Spencer 71 + John T Blackburn 71 + Joseph T Blackburn 71 + Horace McKinstry 71 + Seth M Sawyer 71 + Henry Sawyer 72 + Alvah D Heaton 72 + John McKenzie 72 + George McKenzie 72 + Henry Kattenberg 72 + Julius F Brunswick 73 + Henry McLean 73 + Hugh Burns 73 + Sylvanus Trask 73 + Ariel Eldridge 73 + Edward White Durant 74 + Oliver Parsons 75 + Albert Stimson 75 + Abraham Van Voorhees 75 + Michael E Owens 76 + Joseph Bonin 77 + Marcel Gagnon 77 + Sebastian Marty 77 + John Marty 77 + Adam Marty 77 + Michael McHale 77 + George Watson 78 + Rev Eleazer A Greenleaf 78 + J B Covey 78 + John Shaesby 78 + John S Proctor 78 + Barron Proctor 79 + Henry Westing 79 + Thomas Dunn 79 + Charles J Gardiner 79 + Samuel Staples 79 + Josiah Staples 80 + Joel M Darling 80 +Early River Pilots 80 + Joe Perro 80 + James McPhail 80 + John Cormack 81 + John Hanford 81 + John Leach 81 + Stephen B Hanks 81 + Samuel S Hanks 81 + + +CHAPTER IV + +POLK COUNTY + +Description and History 82 + Franklin Steele, the First Pioneer 82 + His Account of the Settlement 83 +The St Croix Falls Lumbering Company 83 + Organization and History 83 +St Croix River, Origin of Name 84 + Treaty and Purchase of 1838 85 +History of Polk County 85 + County Seat located at St. Croix Falls 86 + First Election County Officers 86 + First Happenings 87 + The Liquor Traffic 87 + Melancholy Results 88 + Death of Hall and Livingston 88 + Indian "Jamboree." 88 + Frontier Justice 89 + Balsam Lake Murders 89 + Execution of an Indian 89 + Population of St. Croix Falls in 1848 90 + Natural Language 90 + Drowning of H. H. Perkins 90 + A Quailtown Murder 90 + Mineral Permits 91 + Marriage under Difficulties 91 + An Indian Scare 92 + The First Fire Canoe 92 + Mill Building 92 + More Indian Murders 93 + Indian Battle of Stillwater 96 + The First Loggers 96 + The First Rafting 97 + An Indian Payment 98 + Indian Dancing and Theft 99 + Other Thefts 99 + Hard Times 100 + Puzzled Indians, "Ugh! Ugh!" 101 + Mrs. Worth and Muckatice 101 + + +CHAPTER V. + +POLK COUNTY--CONTINUED. + +BIOGRAPHIES. + Gov. William Holcombe 103 + William S. Hungerford 104 + Caleb Cushing 104 + Judge Henry D. Barron 105 + George W. Brownell 107 + Col. Robert C. Murphy 108 + Edward Worth 109 + Mrs. Mary C. Worth 109 + Maurice M. Samuels 109 + Joseph B. Churchill 110 + John McLean 110 + Gilman Jewell 110 + Elisha Creech 110 + James W. McGlothlin 110 + Andrew L. Tuttle 110 + John Weymouth 111 + B. W. Reynolds 111 + Augustus Gaylord 111 + James D. Reymert 111 + William J. Vincent 112 + Thompson Brothers 112 + William Amery 112 + Lewis Barlow 113 + Levi W. Stratton 113 + Elma M. Blanding 113 + Blanding Family 113 + Frederick G. Bartlett 114 + Michael Field 115 +Alden 115 + Rev. A. B. Peabody 115 + V. M. Babcock 117 +Apple River 117 +Balsam Lake 117 +Beaver 118 +Black Brook 118 +Clam Falls 119 + Daniel F. Smith 119 +Clayton 120 + Reuben F. Little 120 +Clear Lake 122 +Pineville 123 + Frank M. Nye 123 +Eureka 123 + Charles Nevers 123 +Farmington 124 + Harmon Crandall 125 + Samuel Wall 125 + William Ramsey 125 + Hiram R. Nason 126 + Joel F. Nason 126 + John McAdams 126 + Charles Tea 126 +Garfield 126 +Georgetown 127 + A Double Murder 127 + George P. Anderson 128 +Laketown 128 +Lincoln 128 + William Wilson 129 +Loraine 129 + William W. Gallespie 130 +Luck 130 + William H. Foster 130 +Milltown 130 + Patrick Lillis 131 +Osceola 131 + Scenery 132 + First Happenings 132 + Change of Name 133 +Osceola Village 134 + Daniel Mears 134 + Nelson McCarty 134 + William O. Mahony 135 + Richard Arnold 135 + William Kent, Sr. 135 + Robert Kent 135 + Andrew Kent 135 + William, James, Thomas, and John Kent 136 + Samuel Close 136 + Ebenezer Ayres 136 + Dr. Carmi P. Garlick 137 + John S. Godfrey 137 + William A. Talboys 137 + Charles H. Staples 138 + J. W. Peake 138 + George Wilson 138 + Samuel B. Dresser 138 + Frederic A. Dresser 139 + Oscar A. Clark 139 + Oscar F. Knapp 139 + Mrs. Elisabeth B. Hayes 140 + Cyrus G. Bradley 140 + W. Hale 141 + Edgar C. Treadwell 141 +St. Croix Falls 141 + St. Croix Falls Village 141 +West Sweden 142 +Sterling 142 + Dr. Samuel Deneen 143 + William W. Trimmer 143 + Arnold Densmore 143 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +ST. CROIX COUNTY. + +Organization, 1840 144 +Division, 1848 144 +County Seat Located at Buena Vista 145 +First Election 145 +Division of the County, 1853 146 +Present Limits 146 +General Description 146 +Monument Rock 147 +Towns and Date of Organization 148 +St. Croix County Agricultural Society 148 +Pomona Grange 148 +Agricultural Statistics 148 +Manufactures 149 +St. Croix Poor Farm 149 +First Tax Roll of County, 1848 149 +Hudson City 152 + Original Claimants 153 + First Survey, etc. 153 + First Deed Recorded 154 + City Government 155 + Mayors of the City 155 + City Schools 155 + Military Institute 156 + Mills and Manufactories 156 + Banks 156 + Oliver Wendell Holmes Hospital 157 + Water Works 158 + Hotels, the Great Fire, 1866 158 + Social and Benevolent Organizations 159 + +BIOGRAPHIES. + Louis Massey 159 + Peter Bouchea 160 + William Steets 160 + Capt. John B. Page 160 + Dr. Philip Aldrich 160 + The Nobles Family 161 + James Purinton 161 + Ammah Andrews 162 + James Walstow 162 + James Sanders 162 + J. W. Stone 162 + Joseph Bowron 163 + Moses Perin 163 + John O. Henning 163 + Moses S. Gibson 164 + Col. James Hughes 164 + Daniel Anderson 165 + Alfred Day 165 + Dr. Otis Hoyt 165 + S. S. N. Fuller 166 + Miles H. Van Meter 166 + Philip B. Jewell 166 + John Tobin 166 + Horace A. Taylor 167 + Jeremiah Whaley 167 + Simon Hunt 167 + John S. Moffatt 167 + James H. Childs 168 + William Dwelley 168 + James M. Fulton 168 + Marcus A. Fulton 168 + David C. Fulton 168 + N. S. Holden 168 + William H. Semmes 169 + Sterling Jones 169 + D. R. Bailey 169 + Henry C. Baker 169 + Mert Herrick 169 + D. A. Baldwin 170 + John Comstock 170 + Lucius P. Wetherby 170 + John C. Spooner 170 + Thomas Porter 171 + Herman L. Humphrey 171 + Theodore Cogswell 172 + Frank P. Catlin 172 + Charles Y. Denniston 173 + A. E. Jefferson 173 + Samuel C. Symonds 173 + John E. Glover 173 + Lemuel North 173 + Edgar Nye 173 + William T. Price 173 + E. B. Bundy 174 + +TOWNS AND BIOGRAPHIES. +Baldwin 174 + Baldwin Village 174 + Woodville Village 175 +Cady 175 +Cylon 175 +Eau Galle 176 +Emerald 176 +Erin Prairie 176 +Forest 177 +Glenwood 177 +Hammond 177 + Hammond Village 178 + John Thayer 178 + Rev. William Egbert 178 +Hudson 178 + James Kelly 178 + Daniel Coit 179 + James Virtue 179 + Theodore M. Bradley 179 + William Dailey 179 + Robert and Wm. McDiarmid 179 + William Martin 179 + Paschal Aldrich 180 +Kinnikinic 180 + Duncan McGregor 180 + W. B. and James A. Mapes 181 +Pleasant Valley 182 +Richmond 182 +Boardman Village 183 +Gridley Village 183 +New Richmond Village 183 +New Richmond City 183 + Bank, High School 184 + Benjamin B.C. Foster 184 + Robert Philbrick 185 + Linden Coombs 185 + Eben Quinby 185 + Lewis Oaks 185 + Henry Russell 185 + Joseph D. Johnson 185 + Joel Bartlett 185 + Francis W. Bartlett 186 + George C. Hough 186 + Silas Staples 186 + Dr. Henry Murdock 187 + Steven N. Hawkins 187 +Rush River 188 +Somerset 188 +Somerset Village 189 + Gen. Samuel Harriman 189 +St. Joseph 190 +Houlton Village 191 +Burkhardt Village 191 +Springfield 191 +Hersey Village 191 +Wilson Village 192 +Stanton 192 +Star Prairie 192 +Huntington Village 192 +Star Prairie Village 192 + Hon. R. K. Fay 192 +Troy 193 + James Chinnock 193 + William L. Perrin 193 +Warren 194 + James Hill 194 +Village Plats 195 + + +CHAPTER VII + +PIERCE COUNTY. + +Descriptive 196 + History, First Events 197 + County Seat Changed to Ellsworth 198 + Railroads 199 + Miscellaneous Statistics 199 + Village Plats 199 + Organization of Towns 200 +Clifton 200 + George W. McMurphy 201 + Osborne Strahl 201 + Charles B. Cox 201 + Ephraim Harnsberger 201 +Diamond Bluff 202 + Capt. John Paine 202 + John Day 202 + Sarah A. Vance 203 + Allen R. Wilson 203 + E. S. Coulter 203 + James Bamber 203 + Jacob Mead 203 + Charles Walbridge 203 + Charles F. Hoyt 203 + Enoch Quinby 203 + The First Settler 203 +El Paso 204 +Ellsworth 205 +Ellsworth Village 205 + Anthony Huddleston 206 + Perry D. Pierce 206 + Hans B. Warner 207 +Gilman 207 +Hartland 208 +Isabelle 208 +Maiden Rock 209 + Christopher L. Taylor 209 +Martell 209 +Oak Grove 210 + Lewis M. Harnsberger 210 +Prescott City 210 + History 211 + Platted in 1857 212 + First Official Board 212 + Statistics, First Events 212 + Churches 212 + Fair Grounds 213 + Cemetery 213 + Destructive Fires 213 + Philander Prescott 214 + George Schaser 214 + William S. Lockwood 215 + James Monroe Bailey 215 + Adolph Werkman 215 + Joseph Manese 215 + Hilton Doe 215 + Lute A. Taylor 215 + John Huitt 216 + John M. Rice 216 +An Indian Battle 216 +River Falls 217 + First Happenings 217 + Water Powers 217 + Schools at River Falls 218 + River Falls Academy 218 + Churches 219 + Associations 219 + Bank, Railroad 220 + Fires 220 +River Falls City, Organization 220 + Falls of Kinnikinic 220 + The Cave Cabin 221 + The Fourth State Normal School 221 + Joel Foster 224 + Jesse B. Thayer 224 + A. D. Andrews 224 + Joseph A. Short 225 + Prof. Allen H. Weld 225 + Allen P. Weld 225 + George W. Nichols 225 + W. D. Parker 226 + William Powell 226 + Lyman Powell 226 + Nathaniel N. Powell 226 + Oliver S. Powell 226 + Nils P. Haugen 227 + H. L. Wadsworth 227 +Rock Elm 227 +Salem 227 +Spring Lake 228 +Trenton 228 +Trimbelle 229 + M. B. Williams 229 +Union 229 + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +BURNETT, WASHBURN, SAWYER AND BARRON COUNTIES. + +BURNETT COUNTY. + Location and Description 230 + Organization 231 + Pine Barrens 231 + Murders 232 + Old Geezhic 233 + The First Mission 234 + The Chippewas of Wood Lake 236 + Grantsburg 237 + Canute Anderson 237 + The Hickerson Family 238 + The Anderson Family 238 + Robert A. Doty 238 + The Cranberry Marshes 239 +WASHBURN COUNTY. + Description, Town Organization 240 + First Events 240 + Shell Lake, Summit Lake 241 + First Board of County Officers 241 + Shell Lake Lumber Company 241 + Sawyer Creek 242 + Spooner Station 242 + Veazie Village 242 +SAWYER COUNTY. + Organization, Description 242 + County Indebtedness 243 + Town of Hayward 243 + Village of Hayward 243 + First Events, Schools, Churches, etc. 244 + Bank, Lumber Company 244 + Malcomb Dobie 245 + Milton V. Stratton 245 +BARRON COUNTY. + Description, Organization 245 + Turtle Lake, Town and Village 245 + Barron, Perley Village 246 + Cumberland Village 246 + Sprague 246 + Comstock and Barronett Villages 247 + Charles Simeon Taylor 247 + + +CHAPTER IX. + +ASHLAND, BAYFIELD AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES. + +ASHLAND COUNTY. + History, Location, Description 248 + Isles of the Apostles 248 + Claude Allouez at Madeline Island 249 + Early History of La Pointe 249 + Remarkable Epitaph 249 + La Pointe County Election 249 + John W. Bell 250 + Ashland 250 + History, First Events 250 + Asaph Whittlesey 251 + J. P. T. Haskell 251 + G. S. Vaughn 251 + Dr. Edwin Ellis 252 + Martin Beaser 252 + Hon. Sam S. Fifield 252 +BAYFIELD COUNTY. + Location and History 253 + Bayfield Village 253 + Washburn, Drummond, etc. 254 +DOUGLAS COUNTY. + Description and History 254 + First Election 254 + Superior City 255 + History 255 + Early Speculation 256 + Period of Depression 257 + West Superior 258 + The Bardon Brothers 258 + William H. Newton 258 + Judge Solon H. Clough 258 + Vincent Roy 259 + D. George Morrison 259 + August Zachau 259 + + +CHAPTER X. + +PINE COUNTY. + + History 260 + Description 260 + First Events 261 + Finances, Railroads 261 + Losses by Fire 262 +Pokegama Lake and Mission 262 + Thomas Conner's Trading Post 262 + Presbyterian Mission 263 + Mushk-de-winini 263 + Battle of Pokegama 264 + Cannibalism 265 + A Noble Chief 267 + Frank Confessions 267 + A Cowardly Deed 268 + An Unjust Accusation 268 + Indian Magnanimity 269 + Rev. Frederic Ayer 269 + Rev. William T. Boutwell 272 + Discovery of Itasca 274 + Mrs. Hester C. Boutwell 276 +Chengwatana 276 + First Settlers 276 + Chengwatana Village Platted 277 + Chengwatana Town Organized 277 + Louis Ayd 277 + Duane Porter 277 + S. A. Hutchinson 277 + Hinckley, Town of 278 + Hinckley, Village of 278 + James Morrison 278 + Sandstone Village and Quarries 279 + Wm. H. Grant, Sr. 279 + Kettle River, Town of 279 + John C. Hanley 280 + Mission Creek 280 + Pine City, Town of 280 + Pine City, Village of 281 + Richard G. Robinson 281 + Hiram Brackett 281 + Randall K. Burrows 281 + John S. Ferson 282 + Samuel Millet 282 + Rock Creek 282 + Enoch Horton 282 + Royalton 282 + Windermere 283 + Neshodana, Fortuna, St. John's 283 + A Rock Creek Murder 283 + Burning of a Jail 283 + A Disfigured Family 284 + Indian Faith Cure 284 + Indian Graves 284 + Indian Stoicism 285 + Old Batice 285 + An Indian Dance 285 + + +CHAPTER XI. + +KANABEC, ISANTI, AND MILLE LACS COUNTIES. + +KANABEC COUNTY. + History, Boundaries, etc. 286 + Description 286 + First Settlers, First Election 287 + First Events 287 + Arthur 288 + Mora, Village of 288 + Stephen L. Danforth 288 + N. H. Danforth 288 + Alvah J. Conger 288 + Ira Conger 288 + Bronson, Village of 288 + Brunswick, Town of 289 + Brunswick, Village of 289 + Ground House City 289 + James Pennington 289 + George L. Staples 289 + Daniel Gordon 290 + Grass Lake, Town of 290 +ISANTI COUNTY. + Organization 290 + Cambridge 291 + North Branch, Town of 291 + Oxford, Town of 291 + Stephen Hewson 291 + George W. Nesbit 292 + Rensselaer Grant 292 +MILLE LACS COUNTY. + Description 292 + Mille Lacs Reservation 293 + County Organization in 1860 293 + First Election and Officers 293 + Milacca, Village of 294 + Bridgman, Village of 294 + Princeton, Village of 294 + Samuel Ross 296 + Joseph L. Cater 296 + M. V. B. Cater 296 + Edwin Allen 296 + John H. Allen 296 + A. B. Damon 296 + C. H. Chadbourne 296 + + +CHAPTER XII. + +CHISAGO COUNTY. + +Location, Surface, Scenery 298 +Chisago Lake 298 +Dalles of the St. Croix 299 +Origin of the Formation 300 +The Devil's Chair 300 +The Wells 301 +Settlement and Organization 302 +Joe R. Brown to the Front 303 +Prehistoric Remains 303 +Robinet in Possession 303 +Robinet Bought Off, First Improvements 304 +Death of B. F. Baker 304 +The First Log House Built 305 +First Crops Raised 305 +First Election 305 +Chisago County Named 306 +First Commissioners 307 +County Seat Located at Taylor's Falls 307 +Removed to Centre City 307 +Amador 307 +First Supervisors 308 + Thornton Bishop 308 + William Holmes 308 + James M. Martin 309 +Branch 309 +North Branch Station 309 + Henry L. Ingalls 310 + Mrs. Lavina L. Ingalls 310 +Chisago Lake, First Settlers 310 + First Crops 311 + Swedish Lutheran Church 311 +Centre City 312 + Andrew Swenson 312 + John S. Van Rensselaer 312 + Axel Dahliam 313 + Nels Nord 313 + Join A. Hallberg 314 + Charles A. Bush 313 + Lars Johan Stark 313 + Frank Mobeck 313 + Robert Currie 314 + Andrew N. Holm 313 +Cemetery and other Associations 314 +Incorporation 314 +Indian Dance 314 +Lindstrom Village 314 + Daniel Lindstrom 315 + Magnus S. Shaleen 315 +Chisago City 315 + Otto Wallmark 316 + Andrew Wallmark 316 +Fish Lake 316 + Peter Berg 317 + Benjamin Franklin 317 +Franconia 317 + Franconia Village 318 + Ansel Smith 318 + Henry F. and Leonard P. Day 318 + Henry Wills 318 + The Clark Brothers 319 + David Smith 319 + Jonas Lindall 319 + William Peaslee 319 + Charles Vitalis 319 + August J. Anderson 320 + Frank N. Peterson 320 +Harris 321 + Harris Village 321 +Lent 322 +Nessell 322 + Robert Nessell 323 + Stephen B. Clark 323 +Rush Seba 323 +Rush City 323 + Thomas Flynn 324 + Patrick Flynn 324 + Rufus Crocker 324 + Frank H. Pratt 324 + Voloro D. Eddy 325 + F. S. Christianson 326 +Shafer 326 + Jacob Shafer 326 + Peter Wickland 327 + Tuver Walmarson 327 + Andros Anderson 327 + Eric Byland 327 + Jacob Peterson 327 + Ambrose C. Seavey 327 +Sunrise 328 + Sunrise Village 328 + Kost Village 329 +Chippewa 329 +Dronthiem 329 +Nashua 330 +Washington 330 + John A. Brown 330 + Patten W. Davis 330 + James F. Harvey 330 + Floyd S. Bates 330 + Isaac H. Warner 331 + Charles F. Lowe 331 + Wells Farr 331 + John G. Mold 331 + George L. Blood 331 + Joel G. Ryder 332 + John Dean 332 +Taylor's Falls 332 +First Post Office and Mail Service 332 +Mills, First Events 333 +Religious Organizations 333 +Bridge Company 334 +Banks, Mining Companies 334 + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +BIOGRAPHICAL. + + Jesse Taylor 336 + Joshua L. Taylor 336 + Nathan C. D. Taylor 337 + Thomas F. Morton 337 + Henry N. Setzer 337 + Patrick Fox 338 + William F. Colby 339 + Oscar Roos 339 + Samuel Thomson 339 + Susan Thomson Mears 339 + George De Attly 340 + Jacob Markley 340 + John Dobney 340 + William Dobney 340 + Henry H. Newbury 340 + Emil Munch 340 + A. M. Wilmarth 341 + Lucius K. Stannard 341 + James W. Mullen 342 + David Caneday 342 + George B. Folsom 343 + Aaron M. Chase 343 + Peter Abear 343 + Levi W. Folsom 344 + Eddington Knowles 344 + Dr. Lucius B. Smith 344 + William Comer 344 + E. Whiting and Brothers 345 + Frederic Tang, Sr. 346 + Ward W. Folsom 346 + George W. Seymour 346 + James A. Woolley 346 + Patrick Carroll 347 + Joseph Carroll 347 + E. E. Edwards 347 + Stephen J. Merrill 348 + Noah Marcus Humphrey 348 + Royal C. Gray 349 + John P. Owens 349 + Andrew Clendenning 350 + Smith Ellison 350 +Wyoming--Settlement and Organization 350 + Wyoming Village 352 +Deer Garden 352 + L. O. Tombler 352 + Dr. John Woolman Comfort 353 + Isaac Markley 353 + Joel Wright 353 + Randall Wright 353 + Frederic Tepel 353 + Charles Henry Sauer 354 + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +WASHINGTON COUNTY. + +Organization in 1849 355 +First Board of Officers 355 +Afton 356 + Afton Village 357 + South Afton 357 + Valley Creek 357 + St. Mary Village 357 + Joseph Haskell 358 + Lemuel Bolles 358 + Taylor F. Randolph 358 + Elijah Bissell 358 + Andrew Mackey 358 +Baytown Settlement 359 + Baytown Village 359 +Bangor 360 +Middletown 360 +South Stillwater 360 + Mills, etc. 360 + Docks, Factories, Cemeteries 360 +Cottage Grove 361 + Cottage Grove Village 361 + Langdon 362 + Joseph W. Furber 362 + Samuel W. Furber 362 + Theodore Furber 363 + James S. Norris 363 + Lewis Hill 363 + Jacob Moshier 363 + William Ferguson 363 + John Atkinson 363 +Denmark 364 +Point Douglas 364 + Levi Hertzell 365 + Oscar Burris 365 + David Hone 365 + William B. Dibble 366 + George Harris 366 + Harley D. White 367 + Thomas Hetherington 367 + James Shearer 367 + Simon Shingledecker 367 + Caleb Truax 367 + Abraham Truax 368 + George W. Campbell 368 +Forest Lake, History of 368 + Captain Michael Marsh 369 + Forest Lake Village 369 +Grant, History of 369 + Dellwood 370 + Eagle City 370 + Mahtomedi 370 + Wildwood 370 + William Elliott 371 + Frederick Lamb 371 + James Rutherford 371 + Jesse H. Soule 371 +Lakeland, Description and History of 372 + Lakeland Village 372 + Henry W. Crosby 373 + Reuben H. Sanderson 373 + Newton McKusick 373 + Captain John Oliver 373 + Captain Asa Barlow Green 374 + L. A. Huntoon 374 +Marine, Origin of Settlement 374 + First Settlers 375 + The Mill Completed 375 + Marine Mills Village 376 + First Lawsuit 376 + Churches, Improvements 377 + Losses by Fire 378 + Vasa Village 378 + Orange Walker 378 + Lewis Walker 379 + Samuel Burkelo 379 + Asa S. Parker 379 + Hiram Berkey 380 + George B. Judd 380 + James Hale 380 + John Holt 380 + George Holt 381 + William Town 381 + Matthias Welshance 381 + Benj. T. Otis 382 + William Clark 382 + James R. Meredith 382 + John D. and Thomas E. Ward 382 + Samuel Judd 382 + Frederic W. Lammers 382 + James R. M. Gaskill 382 +Newport, Town of 383 + Isle Pelee 383 + Red Rock 383 + Mission at Red Rock 384 + Gray Cloud City 385 + Newport Village 385 + John Holton 385 + John A. Ford 385 + Daniel Hopkins, Sr. 385 + William R. Brown 386 + William Fowler 386 +Oakdale, Town of 386 + Lake Elmo Village 387 + E. C. Gray 387 + Arthur Stephens 388 +Oneka, Town of 388 + Oneka Station 389 +Shady Side Village 389 + Daniel Hopkins, Jr. 389 +Stillwater, Town of 389 + Oak Park 390 + David P. Lyman 390 + Henry A. Jackman 390 + Frederic J. Curtis 391 + David Cover 391 + John Parker 391 +Woodbury, Town of 391 + Jacob Folstrom 392 + Alexander McHattie 393 + John McHattie 393 + The Middleton Family 393 + Newington Gilbert 394 + Ebenezer Ayers 394 + + +CHAPTER XV. + +WASHINGTON COUNTY--CONTINUED. + +CITY OF STILLWATER. + Stillwater in 1850 396 + The Freshet of 1850 397 + A Real Estate Movement 397 + Incorporation of Stillwater 398 + List of Marshals 398 + Post Office, Mail Routes 398 + Statistics 399 + Hotels 399 + City Banks 400 + Board of Trade, Water Company 402 + Fire Department 402 + Gas Light, Telegraph, Telephone 403 + Elevator, Express Companies, Bridge 403 + Lumbering Interests, Flour Mills 404 + Manufactories 404 + Building Association 405 + Churches, etc. 406 + Public Buildings 408 + Societies, etc. 409 + Cemeteries 410 + Agricultural Society 410 + State Prison 410 + Fires, Bonds, Indebtedness 412 +BIOGRAPHIES. + Isaac Staples 413 + Samuel F. Hersey & Sons 415 + Jacob Bean 416 + Charles Bean 416 + Rudolph Lehmicke 417 + Hollis R. Murdock 417 + George M. Seymour 417 + Frank A. Seymour 418 + Louis Hospes 418 + David Tozer 419 + David Bronson 420 + John Maloy 420 + Mrs. Susannah Tepass 420 + William E. Thorne 420 + Edmund J. Butts 420 + A. B. Easton 421 + Edwin A. Folsom 421 + John B. H. Mitchell 421 + Joseph Schupp 422 + Clifford A. Bennett 422 + Samuel Mathews 422 + John and James Mathews 423 + Peter Jourdain 423 + James Rooney 423 + James N. Castle 423 + Abraham L. Gallespie 423 + John C. Gardiner 423 + V. C. Seward 424 + Ralph Wheeler 424 + Edward S. Brown 424 + William Lowell 424 + Albert Lowell 425 + Nelson H. Van Voorhes 425 + Andrew J. Van Voorhes 425 + Henry C. Van Voorhes 425 + C. A. Bromley 426 + Charles J. Butler 426 + Levi E. Thompson 427 + George Davis 427 + William M. McCluer 427 + John N. Ahl 427 + Samuel M. Register 428 + J. A. Johnson 428 + Gold T. Curtis 429 + Harley D. Curtis 429 + Francis R. Delano 429 + Henry W. Cannon 430 + Dwight M. Sabin 430 + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +STEARNS, ANOKA AND SHERBURNE COUNTIES. + +STEARNS COUNTY. + Organization and History of 432 + St. Cloud 434 + Newspapers and Post Office 435 + Village and City Organization 435 + Land Office, Expenditures 435 + The St. Cloud Dam, Improvements 436 + Banks, Public Buildings 436 + St. John's University 437 + La Sauk, Town of 438 + Peter Schaeler 438 + John L. Wilson 438 + Charles T. Stearns 438 + Henry G. Fillmore 438 + Nathaniel Getchell 438 + James Keough 438 + Loren W. Collins 438 + Henry C. Waite 439 + Gen. S. B. Lowry 439 + A. and Joseph Edelbrock 439 + John Rengel 440 + Louis A. Evans 440 + Ambrose Freeman 440 + Nathan F. Barnes 440 + Nehemiah P. Clark 441 + Oscar E. Garrison 441 + Charles A. Gilman 441 + Other Citizens 442 +ANOKA COUNTY. + Organization 442 + First Settlers, Commissioners 443 + Anoka, Town of 443 + Anoka, City of 443 + Incorporation 444 + Fires, Public Buildings 445 + Manufactures, Banks 445 + Bethel, Town of 446 + Blaine, Town of 446 + Burns, Town of 446 + Centreville, Town of 446 + Centreville Village 446 + Columbus, Town of 447 + Fridley, Town of 447 + John Banfil 448 + Grow, Town of 448 + Ham Lake, Town of 448 + Linwood, Town of 448 + L. S. Arnold 449 + S. Ridge 449 + J. G. Green 449 + S. W. Haskell 449 + M. M. Ryan 449 + Hurley Family 449 + Oak Grove, Town of 449 + Ramsey, Town of 449 + St. Francis, Town of 450 + An Indian Riot 450 + Jared Benson 451 + James C. Frost 451 + A. J. McKenney 451 + John Henry Batzle 452 + John R. Bean 452 + A. McC. Fridley 452 + William Staples 452 + Capt. James Starkey 453 +SHERBURNE COUNTY. + Description 453 + Organization 453 + Towns of Sherburne County 454 + Villages of Sherburne County 455 + Orono, Elk River 455 + East St. Cloud 456 + Clear Lake 456 + Becker 456 + Big Lake 456 + J. Q. A. Nickerson 456 + Henry Bittner 456 + Francis DeLille 457 + Mrs. F. DeLille 457 + Howard M. Atkins 457 + B. F. Hildreth 458 + Samuel Hayden 458 + Joseph Jerome 458 + Joshua O. Cater 458 + J. F. Bean 458 + J. H. Felch 458 + James Brady 458 + Joshua Briggs 458 + Robert Orrock 458 + John G. Jamieson 458 + A. B. Heath 458 + Dr. B. R. Palmer 459 + Judge Moses Sherburne 459 + Charles F. George 459 + Royal George 459 + W. L. Babcock 459 + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +BENTON, MORRISON AND CROW WING COUNTIES. + +BENTON COUNTY. + Description 460 + First Settlers, Organization 461 + Towns of Benton County 461 + Villages 461 + Sauk Rapids, Incorporation 461 + Dam and Public Buildings 462 + The Cyclone of 1886 462 + Watab Village 462 + Philip Beaupre 462 + David Gilman 463 + James Beatty 463 + Ellis Kling 463 + George W. Benedict 464 + J. Q. A. Wood 464 + William H. Wood 464 + Mrs. Wm. H. Wood 465 + A. DeLacy Wood 465 + P. H. Wood 465 + Rev. Sherman Hall 465 + Jeremiah Russell 466 + Edgar O. Hamlin 467 +MORRISON COUNTY. + Description 468 + History 468 + Indian Feuds 469 + Organization 469 + Winnebago Indiana 470 + Towns of Morrison County 471 + Little Falls Village 471 + Little Falls Water Power 472 + Incorporation 473 + Schools and Churches 473 + Royalton Village 473 + Incorporation, First Officers 473 + Peter Roy 473 + William Sturgis 474 + James Fergus 474 + Nathan Richardson 475 + Moses La Fond 475 + O. A. Churchill 475 + John M. Kidder 476 + Warren Kobe 476 + Ola K. Black 476 + Ira W. Bouch 476 + Robert Russell 476 + Peter A. Green 476 + Rodolphus D. Kinney 476 + John D. Logan 476 +CROW WING COUNTY. + Description 477 + First Settlers 477 + Organization 478 + Reorganization 478 + Murderers Lynched 478 + Brainerd 478 + First Settlers 479 + Northern Pacific Sanitarium 480 + The Kindred Dam 480 + L. P. White 480 + Allen Morrison 480 + Charles F. Kindred 481 + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +AITKIN, CARLTON, ST. LOUIS, LAKE AND COOK COUNTIES. + +AITKIN COUNTY. + Description 482 + Organization, Officers 482 + Aitkin Village 483 + William A. Aitkin 483 + Alfred Aitkin 483 + Nathaniel Tibbett 484 +CARLTON COUNTY. + History and Organization 484 + Towns of Carlton County 485 + Thomson Village 485 + Cloquet Village 485 + Moose Lake Station 485 + Barnum Station 486 + Mahtowa Station 486 + North Pacific Junction 486 + Francis A. Watkins 486 +ST. LOUIS COUNTY. + Description 486 + Picturesque Scenery 487 + Commissioners' Meetings 487 + List of Commissioners 488 + Duluth, Early History 488 + Growth, Population 489 + Mills, Warehouses, Shipments 489 + Duluth Harbor 490 + Fish Commission 490 + Fond du Lac Village 491 + Oneota Village 492 + Clifton Village 492 + Portland Village 492 + Endion Village 492 + Middleton Village 492 + Montezuma Village 492 + Buchanan Village 492 + St. Louis Falls Village 492 + Fremont Island 493 + Tower 493 + George R. Stuntz 494 + George E. Stone 494 + Charles H. Graves 494 + Ozro P. Stearns 494 +Lake County. + Description 495 + Two Harbors 496 +COOK COUNTY. + History and Organization 496 + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +HENNEPIN COUNTY. + +Organization and History, Towns 497 +Fort Snelling 497 +Treaty of 1837 499 +First Land Claims, 1838 499 +Cheever's Tower 500 +St. Anthony Village Platted 500 +First Marriage in the Territory 500 +First Courts, School, Post Office 501 +Church Organizations 501 +The Suspension Bridge Built 502 +St. Anthony Incorporated 1855 502 + Annexation to Minneapolis, 1872 502 +St. Anthony Falls 502 + La Salle's Description 502 +Minneapolis, Early Settlers 502 + Early Land Claims 504 + Business Enterprises 505 + Mills Erected 505 + St. Anthony Water Power Company 506 +Minneapolis Named, Land Office 506 + Incorporation as a City, 1867 506 + Annexation of St. Anthony 506 + List of Mayors 507 + Water vs. Steam 507 + Terrific Explosion at the Flour Mills 508 + Suburban Resorts 508 + List of Public Buildings 509 + Post Office Statistics 510 + Lumber Manufactured 511 + Bonded Debt, Taxes, Expenses 511 + West Minneapolis 511 +BIOGRAPHIES. + Calvin A. Tuttle 512 + Cyrus Aldrich 512 + Dr. Alfred E. Ames 514 + Dr. Albert A. Ames 514 + Jesse Ames 515 + Cadwallader C. Washburn 515 + William D. Washburn 517 + Joseph C. Whitney 517 + Charles Hoag 518 + Franklin Steele 518 + Roswell P. Russell 519 + Horatio P. Van Cleve 520 + Charlotte O. Van Cleve 520 + Ard Godfrey 520 + Richard Chute 521 + Lucius N. Parker 521 + Captain John Rollins 521 + John G. Lennon 521 + John H. Stevens 522 + Caleb D. Dorr 522 + Rev. Edward D. Neill 522 + John Wensignor 523 + Robert H. Hasty 524 + Stephen Pratt 524 + Capt. John Tapper 524 + R. W. Cummings 524 + Elias H. Conner 524 + C. F. Stimson 524 + William Dugas 524 + David Gorham 525 + Edwin Hedderly 525 + Louis Neudeck 525 + Andrew J. Foster 525 + A. D. Foster 525 + Charles E. Vanderburgh 525 + Dorillius Morrison 526 + H. G. O. Morrison 526 + F. R. E. Cornell 526 + Gen. A. B. Nettleton 527 + Isaac Atwater 527 + Rev. David Brooks 527 + Prof. Jabez Brooks 527 + John S. Pillsbury 528 + Henry T. Welles 528 + David Blakely 528 + William Lochren 528 + Eugene M. Wilson 528 + R. B. Langdon 529 + William M. Bracket 529 + Thos. B. and Platt B. Walker 529 + Austin H. Young 530 + Henry G. Hicks 530 + John P. Rea 530 + John Martin 520 + John Dudley 531 + + +CHAPTER XX. + +RAMSEY COUNTY. + +Organization, First Officers 532 +St. Paul in 1840, Known as Pig's Eye 532 +First Settlers 532 +Father Ravoux, 1841 533 +Henry Jackson Established a Trading Post 533 +Accessions of 1843 533 +Accessions of 1844 534 +First Deed 534 +Accessions of 1845 534 +First School 535 +Second Deed, Phalen's Tract 535 +Accessions of 1846 535 +Reminiscences 536 +Accessions in 1847 536 +St. Paul Platted 537 +Miss Bishop's School 537 +First Steamboat Line 537 +Accessions of 1848 538 +Progress in 1849 539 +St. Paul Made the Capital of the State 539 +The First Newspapers 539 +Early Items and Advertisements 540 +Pioneers of 1849 540 +Some Comparisons 541 +Statistics of Population, Schools, Buildings 542 +List of Mayors 543 +West St. Paul 544 +Towns of Ramsey County 544 + White Bear 545 + First Settlers 545 + Indian Battle Ground 546 + Town Organization 547 + White Bear Lake Village 548 + Hotels and Cottages 548 + Daniel Getty 549 + South St. Paul 549 + North St. Paul 550 + Population of St Paul 550 + Post Office History 551 + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +BIOGRAPHICAL. + + Henry Hastings Sibley 553 + Alexander Ramsey 556 + William H. Forbes 557 + Henry M. Rice 558 + Edmund Rice 560 + Louis Robert 561 + Auguste L. Larpenteur 562 + William H. Nobles 562 + Simeon P. Folsom 563 + Jacob W. Bass 563 + Benjamin W. Brunson 564 + Abram S. and Chas. D. Elfelt 564 + D. A. J. Baker 565 + Benjamin F. Hoyt 565 + John Fletcher Williams 566 + Dr. John H. Murphy 566 + William H. Tinker 567 + George P. Jacobs 567 + Lyman Dayton 567 + Henry L. Moss 567 + William Rainey Marshall 568 + David Cooper 569 + Bushrod W. Lott 570 + W. F. Davidson 570 + Wm. H. Fisher 571 + Charles H. Oakes 572 + C. W. W. Borup 572 + Capt. Russell Blakely 573 + Rensselaer R. Nelson 573 + George L. Becker 574 + Aaron Goodrich 575 + Nathan Myrick 575 + John Melvin Gilman 576 + Charles E. Flandrau 576 + John B. Sanborn 577 + John R. Irvine 579 + Horace R. Bigelow 580 + Cushman K. Davis 580 + S. J. R. McMillan 581 + Willis A. Gorman 581 + John D. Ludden 582 + Elias F. Drake 582 + Norman W. Kittson 583 + Hascal R. Brill 583 + Ward W. Folsom 584 + Gordon E. Cole 584 + James Smith, Jr. 584 + William P. Murray 585 + Henry Hale 585 + James Gilfillan 585 + Charles Duncan Gilfillan 586 + Alexander Wilkin 586 + Westcott Wilkin 587 + S. C. Whitcher 587 + T. M. Newson 587 + Alvaren Allen 588 + Harlan P. Hall 589 + Stephen Miller 589 + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +DAKOTA, GOODHUE, WABASHA AND WINONA COUNTIES. + +DAKOTA COUNTY. + Description 591 + Hastings 591 + Farmington 591 + Ignatius Donnelly 591 + Francis M. Crosby 592 + G. W. Le Duc 593 +GOODHUE COUNTY. + Red Wing, Barn Bluff 595 + Cannon Falls 595 + Indian Burying Ground 596 + Hans Mattson 596 + Lucius F. Hubbard 597 + William Colville 599 + Martin S. Chandler 599 + Charles McClure 600 + Horace B. Wilson 600 +WABASHA COUNTY. + Wabasha Village 601 + Bailey and Sons 602 + Nathaniel S. Tefft 602 + James Wells 602 +WINONA COUNTY. + Scenery 602 + Winona City 603 + Daniel S. Norton 603 + William Windom 603 + Charles H. Berry 604 + Thomas Wilson 604 + Thomas Simpson 605 + Wm. H. Yale 605 + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +MISCELLANEOUS BIOGRAPHIES. + +Pierre Bottineau 606 +Andrew G. Chatfield 606 +Hazen Mooers 607 +John McDonough Berry 607 +Mark H. Dunnell 608 +James H. Baker 608 +Horace B. Strait 609 +Judson Wade Bishop 610 +John L. McDonald 610 +Thomas H. Armstrong 611 +Augustus Armstrong 611 +Moses K. Armstrong 611 +James B. Wakefield 611 +William Wallace Braden 611 +Reuben Butters 612 +Michael Doran 612 +Andrew McCrea 613 +John W. Blake 613 +Knute Nelson 613 +William R. Denny 613 + + +APPENDIX. + +MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS, INDIAN TREATIES, ETC. + +BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY 616 + Spanish Claims 616 + French Claims 617 + Louisiana in 1711 618 + Settlement of Marietta, Ohio 618 + Ohio Territory 619 + Statistics 619 +BOUNDARY QUESTION 625 + Wisconsin Constitutional Convention, 1846 625 + Wisconsin Constitutional Convention, 1847 626 + Some Resolutions 627 + Under What Government? 628 + H. H. Sibley Elected Congressional Delegate 628 + Queries 629 + Minnesota Territory Created 629 + Land Office at Stillwater 629 +INDIAN TREATIES 629 + Treaty with the Sioux (Mendota) 1805 629 + Treaty with the Chippewas (Mendota) 1837 630 + Treaty with the Sioux (Washington) 1837 630 + Treaty with the Winnebagoes (Washington) 1837 631 + Treaty with the Chippewas (Fond du Lac) 1847 631 + Treaty with the Pillager Band (Leech Lake) 1847 632 + Treaty with the Sioux (Traverse des Sioux) 1851 632 + Treaty with the Sioux (Mendota) 1851 632 + Treaty with the Chippewas (La Pointe) 1854 634 + Treaty with the Pillagers (Washington) 1855 634 + Treaty with the Chippewas (Red Lake River) 1863 634 +GEN. PIKE AND THE INDIANS 635 + Treaty of 1805 636 + Pike's Address to the Council 636 + Details of Treaty 636 + Pike Hospitably Entertained 637 +UNITED STATES SURVEYS IN THE NORTHWEST 637 + Establishment of Land Offices 638 + Establishment of the Present System of Surveys 638 + The First Surveyor General's Office at Marietta, O 638 +UNITED STATES LAND OFFICES IN THE NORTHWEST 639 + List of Registers and Receivers, Wisconsin 639 + First Entries 640 + First Auction Sale of Land 641 + List of Registers and Receivers, Minnesota 641 + List of Wisconsin Territorial and State Officers, Governors, + Senators, andRepresentatives from St. Croix Valley 641 + Legislative Representation 642 + First and Second Constitutional Conventions 643 + Governors of Wisconsin 643 + United States Senators 643 + United States Representatives 644 + District Judges 644 + State Legislature 644 + List of Minnesota Territorial and State Officers 647 + Census of the Territory in 1849 647 + First Territorial Legislature 648 + First Prohibition Law 649 + Constitutional Convention 649 + List of State Officers and Judicial 649 + Senators and Representatives 650 + Minnesota State Legislatures 651 + Constitutional Convention of 1857 654 + Division of Convention 654 + Union of Conventions on a Constitution 656 + Have We a Constitution 656 + First, Minnesota State Legislature 657 + Protests Against Legislation 657 + Five Million Bill Passed and Adopted 657 + State Seal Adopted 658 + State Seal Design 659 + Adjourned Session of Legislature 660 + Protests Against Recognizing Gov. Medary 660 + Reports on Protests 661 + Land Grants--Railroad Surveys and Construction 665 + Northern Pacific Railroad 665 + Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad 667 + St. Paul & Duluth Railroad 668 + Minnesota & Manitoba Railroad 669 + Stillwater, White Bear & St. Paul Railroad 670 + St. Paul, Stillwater & Taylor's Falls Railroad 671 + Wisconsin Central Railroad 671 + Taylor's Falls & Lake Superior Railroad 672 + Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad 672 + A Memorial for "Soo" Railroad 673 + Organization of Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Marie & Atlantic + Railroad 674 + Mileage of Railroads Centring in St. Paul and Minneapolis 675 + Chicago, Burlington & Northern Railroad 675 + Congressional Appropriations 675 + Inland Navigation 676 + George R. Stuntz on Lake Superior and St. Croix Canal 680 + Waterways Convention, 1885 682 + E. W. Durant's Valuable Statistics 683 + Resolution for St. Croix and Superior Canal 685 + Early Steamboat Navigation 686 + Steamboat Accommodations 687 + First Mississippi Steamboat Officers 689 + First Mississippi Steamboat Organizations 689 + List of Steamboats 690 + Later Navigation on Northwest Rivers 691 + Steamboating on the St. Croix 692 + Ice Boats 693 + James W. Mullen's Reminiscences, 1846 694 + St. Croix Boom Company 696 + Surveyors General of Logs 696 + Organization 696 + Conflict over State Boundary 697 + Language of Logs 698 + Logs Cut from 1837 to 1888 700 + Chartered Dams 701 + Lumbering and Lumbermen in 1845 702 + Lumbering and Lumbermen in 1887 705 + St. Croix Dalles Log Jams 706 + Population of Northwest Territory in 1790 709 + Population of Wisconsin Territory in 1836 709 + Subsequent Census 709 + Population of Minnesota in 1849 709 + Minnesota State Capitol 710 + Burning of State House 711 + Selkirk Visitors 712 + Cyclones 713 + Isanti and Chisago Cyclone 713 + Cottage Grove and Lake Elmo Cyclone 715 + Washington County and Wisconsin Cyclone 717 + St. Cloud and Sauk Rapids Cyclone 718 + Curious Lightning Freaks 721 + Asiatic Cholera on the Royal Arch 721 + First Decree of Minnesota Citizenship 722 + International Hotel, St. Paul, Burned 723 + Grasshoppers 723 + Ancient Mounds 724 + Lake Itasca, Schoolcraft and Boutwell Form the Name Itasca. + Description of Itasca 726 + Elk and Boutwell Lakes 727 + Capt. Glazier's False Claim 727 + Copper Mining on St. Croix 728 + Rev. Julius S. Webber; Reminiscences 729 + Judge Hamlin--Amusing Incident 730 + Minnesota Old Settlers Association 731 + St. Croix Valley Old Settlers Association 740 + Newspaper History 741 + Gen. Scott, Maj. Anderson, and Jeff. Davis 752 + Jeff. Davis' Marriage at Fort Crawford 753 + Dred Scott at Fort Snelling 754 + Incidents in Dred Scott's History 755 + Old Betz and Descendants 757 +ADDENDA. + Military History of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1865 759 + Gov. Alex. Ramsey's Address to Loyal Legion 759 + Thirty-eighth and Thirty-ninth Legislative Sessions + of Wisconsin 762 + + + + +ERRATA. + +[Transcriber's note: Errata corrected in the text.] + + +Chapter II, page 32, read Stillwater and St. Croix County, instead of +Counties. + +Page 140, read Cyrus G. Bradley, instead of Cyrus Q. + +Page 166, read Philip B. Jewell, instead of Philip P. + +Page 422, read Clifford A. Bennett, instead of Clifton. + +Page 432, read Stearns, Anoka and Sherburne Counties, instead of +Stearns, Anoka and Morrison Counties. + +Page 420, read Edmund J. Butts, instead of Edward J. Butts. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +Going West.--In June, 1836, I again visited the Penobscot in quest of +employment, in which I was unsuccessful. At Stillwater, above Bangor, +I met my kind friend Simeon Goodrich, also out of employment. After +mature deliberation we concluded to go West. Returning to Bloomfield, +I collected the money held for me by Capt. Ruel Weston and was soon in +readiness for the journey. But a few days before the time agreed upon +for leaving, I received a letter from Simeon Goodrich, which contained +the unpleasant information that he could not collect the amount due +him and could not go with me. Truly this was a disappointment. I was +obliged to set out alone, no light undertaking at that early day, for +as yet there were no long lines of railroad between Maine and the +Mississippi river. The day at last arrived for me to start. My +companions and acquaintances chaffed me as to the perils of the +journey before me. My mother gave me her parting words, "William, +always respect yourself in order to be respected." These words, +accompanied with her farewell kiss, were long remembered, and, I doubt +not, often kept me from evil associations. + +The stage took us directly to the steamboat at Gardiner. The steam was +up and the boat was soon under way. It was the New England, the first +boat of the kind I had ever seen. I felt strangely unfamiliar with the +ways of the traveling world, but observed what others did, and asked +no questions, and so fancied that my ignorance of traveling customs +would not be exposed. It was sunset as we floated out into the wide +expanse of the Atlantic. The western horizon was tinged with fiery +hues, the shores grew fainter and receded from view and the eye could +rest at last only upon the watery expanse. All things seemed new and +strange. Next morning a heavy fog hung over the scene. The vessel was +at anchor in Boston harbor and we were soon on shore and threading the +crooked streets of the capital of Massachusetts. I was not lost in the +wilderness maze of streets, as I had feared I should be, but on +leaving Boston on the evening train I took the wrong car and found +myself uncomfortably situated in a second or third class car, crowded +and reeking with vile odors, from which the conductor rescued me, +taking me to the pleasant and elegant car to which my first class +ticket entitled me. On arriving at Providence I followed the crowd to +the landing and embarked on the steamer President for New York, in +which city we remained a day, stopping at the City Hotel on Broadway. +I was greatly impressed with the beauty of part of the city, and the +desolate appearance of the Burnt District, concerning the burning of +which we had read in our winter camp. I was not a little puzzled with +the arrangement of the hotel tables and the printed bills of fare, but +closely watched the deportment of others and came through without any +serious or mortifying blunder. Next morning I left New York on the +steamer Robert L. Stevens for Albany, and on the evening of the same +day went to Schenectady by railroad. Some of the way cars were hauled +by horses up hills and inclined planes. There were then only three +short lines of railroad in the United States, and I had traveled on +two of them. At Schenectady I took passage on a canal boat to Buffalo. +I had read about "De Witt Clinton's Ditch," and now greatly enjoyed +the slow but safe passage it afforded, and the rich prospect of +cities, villages and cultivated fields through which we passed. At +Buffalo we remained but one day. We there exchanged eastern paper for +western, the former not being current in localities further west. At +Buffalo I caught my first glimpse of Lake Erie. I stood upon a +projecting pier and recalled, in imagination, the brave Commodore +Perry, gallantly defending his country's flag in one of the most +brilliant engagements of the war, the fame whereof had long been +familiar to the whole country and the thrilling incidents of which +were the theme of story and song even in the wilderness camps of +Maine. + +The steamer Oliver Newberry bore me from Buffalo to Detroit. From +Detroit to Mt. Clemens, Michigan, I went by stage and stopped at the +last named place until October 14th, when, being satisfied that the +climate was unhealthy, fever and ague being very prevalent, I returned +to Detroit, and on the fifteenth of the same month took passage on the +brig Indiana, as steamers had quit running for the season. The brig +was aground two days and nights on the St. Clair flats. A south wind +gave us a splendid sail up the Detroit river into Lake Huron. We +landed for a short time at Fort Gratiot, at the outlet of the lake, +just as the sun was setting. The fort was built of stone, and +presented an impressive appearance. The gaily uniformed officers, the +blue-coated soldiers, moving with the precision of machines, the whole +scene--the fort, the waving flags, the movement of the troops seen in +the mellow sunset light--was impressive to one who had never looked +upon the like before. A favorable breeze springing up, we sped gaily +out into the blue Lake Huron. At Saginaw bay the pleasant part of the +voyage ended. The weather became rough. A strong gale blew from the +bay outward, and baffled all the captain's skill in making the proper +direction. Profane beyond degree was Capt. McKenzie, but his +free-flowing curses availed him nothing. The brig at one time was so +nearly capsized that her deck load had rolled to one side and held her +in an inclined position. The captain ordered most of the deck load, +which consisted chiefly of Chicago liquors, thrown overboard. +Unfortunately, several barrels were saved, two of which stood on deck, +with open heads. This liquor was free to all. The vessel, lightened of +a great part of her load, no longer careened, but stood steady against +the waves and before the wind. It is a pity that the same could not be +said of captain, crew and passengers, who henceforth did the +careening. They dipped the liquor up in pails and drank it out of +handled dippers. They got ingloriously drunk; they rolled unsteadily +across the deck; they quarreled, they fought, they behaved like +Bedlamites, and how near shipwreck was the goodly brig from that day's +drunken debauch on Chicago free liquor will never be known. The vessel +toiled, the men were incapacitated for work, but notwithstanding the +tempest of profanity and the high winds, the wrangling of crew and +captain, we at last passed Saginaw bay. The winds were more favorable. +Thence to Mackinaw the sky was clear and bright, the air cold. The +night before reaching Mackinaw an unusual disturbance occurred above +resulting from the abundance of free liquor. The cook, being drunk, +had not provided the usual midnight supper for the sailors. The key of +the caboose was lost; the caboose was broken open, and the mate in the +morning was emulating the captain in the use of profane words. The +negro cook answered in the same style, being as drunk as his superior. +This cook was a stout, well built man, with a forbidding countenance +and, at his best, when sober, was a saucy, ill-natured and impertinent +fellow. When threat after threat had been hurled back and forth, the +negro jumped at the mate and knocked him down. The sailors, as by a +common impetus, seized the negro, bound him tightly and lashed him to +a capstan. On searching him they found two loaded pistols. These the +mate placed close to each ear of the bound man, and fired them off. +They next whipped him on the naked back with a rope. His trunk was +then examined and several parcels of poison were found. Another +whipping was administered, and this time the shrieks and groans of the +victim were piteous. Before he had not even winced. The monster had +prepared himself to deal death alike to crew and passengers, and we +all felt a great sense of relief when Capt. McKenzie delivered him to +the authorities at Mackinaw. + +Antique Mackinaw was a French and half-breed town. The houses were +built of logs and had steep roofs. Trading posts and whisky shops were +well barred. The government fort, neatly built and trim, towered up +above the lake on a rocky cliff and overlooked the town, the whole +forming a picturesque scene. We remained but a few hours at Mackinaw. +There were ten cabin passengers, and these, with two exceptions, had +imbibed freely of the Chicago free liquor. They were also continually +gambling. Capt. McKenzie had fought a fist fight with a deadhead +passenger, Capt. Fox, bruising him badly. What with his violence and +profanity, the brutality of the mate and the drunken reveling of crew +and passengers, the two sober passengers had but a sorry time, but the +safe old brig, badly officered, badly managed, held steadily on its +course, and October 30th, fifteen days from Detroit, safely landed us +in Chicago. + +After being so long on the deck of a tossing vessel, I experienced a +strange sensation when first on shore. I had become accustomed to the +motion of the vessel, and had managed to hold myself steady. On shore +the pitching and tossing movement seemed to continue, only it seemed +transferred to my head, which grew dizzy, and so produced the +illusion that I was still trying to balance myself on the unsteady +deck of the ship. + +Chicago, since become a great city, had at that time the appearance of +an active, growing village. Thence I proceeded, November 1st and 2d, +by stage to Milwaukee, which appeared also as a village, but somewhat +overgrown. Idle men were numerous, hundreds not being able to obtain +employment. Here I remained a couple of weeks, stopping at the +Belleview House. After which I chopped wood a few days for Daniel +Wells. Not finding suitable employment, I started west with a Mr. +Rogers, December 2d. There being no other means of conveyance, we +traveled on foot. On the evening of the second we stopped at Prairie +Village, now known as Waukesha. On the evening of the third we stopped +at Meacham's Prairie, and on the fifth reached Rock River, where I +stopped with a Mr. St. John. The evening following we stopped at an +Irish house, where the surroundings did not conduce to comfort or to a +feeling of security. Several drunken men kept up a continuous row. We +hid our money in a haystack, and took our turn sleeping and keeping +watch. We ate an early breakfast, and were glad to get away before the +men who had created such a disturbance during the night were up. We +moved onward on the seventh to Blue Mound, where we found a cheerful +resting place at Brigham's. The eighth brought us to Dodgeville, where +we stopped at Morrison's. On the ninth we reached Mineral Point, the +locality of the lead mines, where I afterward lost much time in +prospecting. Mineral Point was then a rude mining town. The night of +our arrival was one of excitement and hilarity in the place. The first +legislature of the territory of Wisconsin had been in session at +Belmont, near Mineral Point, had organized the new government and +closed its session on that day. To celebrate this event and their +emancipation from the government of Michigan and the location of the +capital at Madison, the people from the Point, and all the region +round about, had met and prepared a banquet for the retiring members +of the legislature. Madison was at that time a paper town, in the +wilderness, but beautifully located on Cat Fish lake, and at the head +of Rock river. The location had been accomplished by legislative tact, +and a compromise between the extremes. In view of the almost certain +division of the Territory, with the Mississippi river as a boundary, +at no very distant day, it was agreed that Madison should be the +permanent capital, while Burlington, now in Iowa, should be used +temporarily. Milwaukee and Green Bay had both aspired to the honor of +being chosen as the seat of government. Mineral Point, with her rich +mines, had also aspirations, as had Cassville, which latter named +village had even built a great hotel for the accommodation of the +members of the assembly. Dubuque put in a claim, but all in vain. +Madison was chosen, and wisely, and she has ever since succeeded in +maintaining the supremacy then thrust upon her. + +In my boyhood, at school, I had read of the great Northwest Territory. +It seemed to me then far away, at the world's end, but I had +positively told my comrades that I should one day go there. I found +myself at last on the soil, and at a period or crisis important in its +history. The great Northwest Territory, ceded by Virginia to the +United States in 1787, was no more. The immense territory had been +carved and sliced into states and territories, and now the last +remaining fragment, under the name of Wisconsin, had assumed +territorial prerogatives, organized its government, and, with direct +reference to a future division of territory, had selected its future +capital, for as yet, except in name, Madison was not. In assuming +territorial powers, the boundaries had been enlarged so as to include +part of New Louisiana, and the first legislature had virtually +bartered away this part of her domain, of which Burlington, temporary +capital of Wisconsin, was to be the future capital. + +Two more days of foot plodding brought us to Galena, the city of lead. +The greeting on our entering the city was the ringing of bells, the +clattering of tin pans, the tooting of ox horns, sounds earthly and +unearthly,--sounds no man can describe. What could it be? Was it for +the benefit of two humble, footsore pedestrians that all this uproar +was produced? We gave it up for the time, but learned subsequently +that it was what is known as a charivari, an unmusical and disorderly +serenade, generally gotten up for the benefit of some newly married +couple, whose nuptials had not met with popular approval. + +At Galena I parted with Mr. Rogers, my traveling companion, who went +south. On the fifteenth of December I traveled to Dubuque on foot. +When I came to the Mississippi river I sat down on its banks and +recalled the humorous description of old Mr. Carson, my neighbor, to +which I had listened wonderingly when a small boy. "It was," he said, +"a river so wide you could scarcely see across it. The turtles in it +were big as barn doors, and their shells would make good ferryboats if +they could only be kept above water." Sure enough, here was the big +river, but covered with ice, scarcely safe to venture on. Several +persons desiring to cross, we made a portable bridge of boards, +sliding them along with us till we were safe on the opposite bank. I +was now at the end of my journey, on the west bank of the Mississippi, +beyond which stretched a vast and but little known region, inhabited +by Indians and wild beasts. + +As I review the incidents of my journey in 1836, I can not but +contrast the conditions of that era and the present. How great the +change in half a century! The journey then required thirty days. It +now requires but three. I had passed over but two short lines of +railroad, and had made the journey by canal boat, by steamer, by +stage, and a large portion of it on foot. There were few regularly +established lines of travel. From Michigan to the Mississippi there +were no stages nor were there any regular southern routes. Travelers +to the centre of the continent, in those days, came either by the +water route, via New Orleans or the Fox and Wisconsin river route, or +followed Indian trails or blazed lines from one settlement to another. +The homes of the settlers were rude--were built principally of logs. +In forest regions the farms consisted of clearings or square patches +of open ground, well dotted with stumps and surrounded by a dense +growth of timber. The prairies, except around the margins or along +certain belts of timber following the course of streams, were without +inhabitants. Hotels were few and far between, and, when found, not +much superior to the cabins of the settlers; but the traveler was +always and at all places hospitably entertained. + + +DUBUQUE. + +Dubuque was a town of about three hundred inhabitants, attracted +thither by the lead mines. The people were principally of the mining +class. The prevailing elements amongst them were Catholic and Orange +Irish. These two parties were antagonistic and would quarrel on the +streets or wherever brought in contact. Sundays were especially days +of strife, and Main street was generally the field of combat. Women +even participated. There was no law, there were no police to enforce +order. The fight went on, the participants pulling hair, gouging, +biting, pummeling with fists or pounding with sticks, till one or the +other party was victorious. These combats were also accompanied with +volleys of profanity, and unlimited supplies of bad whisky served as +fuel to the flame of discord. Dubuque was certainly the worst town in +the West, and, in a small way, the worst in the whole country. The +entire country west of the Mississippi was without law, the government +of Wisconsin Territory not yet being extended to it. Justice, such as +it was, was administered by Judge Lynch and the mob. + +My first employment was working a hand furnace for smelting lead ore +for a man named Kelly, a miner and a miser. He lived alone in a +miserable hovel, and on the scantiest fare. In January I contracted to +deliver fifty cords of wood at Price's brickyard. I cut the wood from +the island in front of the present city of Dubuque, and hired a team +to deliver it. + +While in Dubuque I received my first letter from home in seven months. +What a relief it was, after a period of long suspense, spent in +tediously traveling over an almost wilderness country,--amidst +unpleasant surroundings, amongst strangers, many of them of the baser +sort, drinking, card playing, gambling and quarreling,--what a relief +it was to receive a letter from home with assurances of affectionate +regard from those I most esteemed. + +Truly the lines had not fallen to me in pleasant places, and I was +sometimes exposed to perils from the lawless characters by whom I was +surrounded. On one occasion a dissolute and desperate miner, named +Gilbert, came to Cannon's hotel, which was my boarding house while in +Dubuque. He usually came over from the east side of the river once a +week for a spree. On this occasion, being very drunk, he was more than +usually offensive and commenced abusing Cannon, the landlord, applying +to him some contemptuous epithet. I thoughtlessly remarked to Cannon, +"You have a new name," upon which Gilbert cocked his pistol and aiming +at me was about to fire when Cannon, quick as thought, struck at his +arm and so destroyed his aim that the bullet went over my head. The +report of the pistol brought others to the room and a general melee +ensued in which the bar was demolished, the stove broken and Gilbert +unmercifully whipped. Gilbert was afterward shot in a drunken brawl. + +I formed some genial acquaintances in Dubuque, amongst them Gen. +Booth, Messrs. Brownell, Wilson and others, since well known in the +history of the country. Price, the wood contractor, never paid me for +my work. I invested what money I had left for lots in Madison, all of +which I lost, and had, in addition, to pay a note I had given on the +lots. + +On February 11th I went to Cassville, journeying thither on the ice. +This village had flourished greatly, in the expectation of becoming +the territorial and state capital, expectations doomed, as we have +seen, to disappointment. It is romantically situated amidst +picturesque bluffs, some of which tower aloft like the walls and +turrets of an ancient castle, a characteristic that attaches to much +of the bluff scenery along this point. + + +PRAIRIE DU CHIEN. + +I reached this old French town on the twelfth of February. The town +and settlement adjacent extended over a prairie nine miles long, and +from one to two miles broad, a beautiful plateau of land, somewhat +sandy, but for many years abundantly productive, furnishing supplies +to traders and to the military post established there. It also +furnished two cargoes of grain to be used as seed by the starving +settlement at Selkirk, which were conveyed thither by way of the +Mississippi, St. Peter and Red rivers. The earliest authentic mention +of the place refers to the establishment of a post called St. +Nicholas, on the east bank of the Mississippi, at the mouth of the +Wisconsin, by Gov. De La Barre, who, in 1683, sent Nicholas Perrot +with a garrison of twenty men to hold the post. The first official +document laying claim to the country on the Upper Mississippi, issued +in 1689, has mention of the fort. This document we transcribe entire: + +"Nicholas Perrot, commanding for the king, at the post of the +Nadouessioux, commissioned by the Marquis Denonville, governor and +lieutenant governor of all New France, to manage the interests of +commerce amongst the Indian tribes and people of the Bay des Puants +(Green Bay), Nadouessioux (Dakotahs), Maseontins, and other western +nations of the Upper Mississippi, and to take possession in the king's +name of all the places where he has heretofore been, and whither he +will go. + +"We, this day, the eighth of May, one thousand six hundred and +eighty-nine, do, in the presence of the Reverend Father Marest, of the +Society of Jesus, missionary among the Nadouessioux; of Monsieur de +Borieguillot (or Boisguillot), commanding the French in the +neighborhood of the Ouiskonche (Wisconsin), on the Mississippi; +Augustin Le Gardeur, Esq., Sieur de Caurnont, and of Messeurs Le +Sueur, Hibert, Lemire and Blein: + +"Declare to all whom it may concern, that, being come from the Bay des +Puants, and to the lake of the Ouiskonches, and to river Mississippi, +we did transport ourselves to the country of the Nadouessioux, on the +border of the river St. Croix, and at the mouth of the river St. +Pierre (Minnesota), on the bank of which were the Mantantans; and +further up to the interior to the northeast of the Mississippi, as far +as the Menchokatoux, with whom dwell the majority of the Songeskitens, +and other Nadouessioux, who are to the northeast of the Mississippi, +to take possession for, and in the name of, the king of the countries +and rivers inhabited by the said tribes, and of which they are +proprietors. The present act done in our presence, signed with our +hand and subscribed." + +Then follow the names of the persons mentioned. The document was drawn +up at Green Bay. + +There is little doubt that this post was held continuously by the +French as a military post until 1696, when the French authorities at +Quebec withdrew all their troops from Wisconsin, and as a trader's +post or settlement, until the surrender in 1763 to the British of all +French claims east of the Mississippi. It was probably garrisoned near +the close of the latter period. It remained in the possession of the +French some time, as the English, thinking it impossible to compete +for the commerce of the Indian tribes with the French traders who had +intermarried with them, and so acquired great influence, did not take +actual possession until many years later. + +The post is occasionally mentioned by the early voyageurs, and the +prairie which it commanded was known as the "Prairie du Chien," or +praire of the dog, as early as 1763, and is so mentioned by Carver. It +was not formally taken possession of by the United States until 1814, +when Gov. Clarke with two hundred men came up from St. Louis to +Prairie du Chien, then under English rule, to build a fort and +protect American interests at the village. At that time there were +about fifty families, descended chiefly from the old French settlers. +These were engaged chiefly in farming, owning a common field four +miles long by a half mile wide. They had outside of this three +separate farms and twelve horse mills to manufacture their produce. +The fort, held by a few British troops under Capt. Deace, surrendered +without resistance, but soon after the British traders at Mackinaw +sent an expedition under Joe Rolette, Sr., to recapture the post, +which they did after a siege of three days, the defenders being +allowed to withdraw with their private property on parole. They were +followed by the Indians as far as Rock Island. Meanwhile, Lieut. +Campbell, with reinforcements on his way from St. Louis, was attacked, +part were captured and the remainder of his troops driven back to St. +Louis. Late in 1814 Maj. Zachary Taylor proceeded with gunboats to +chastize the Indians for their attack on Campbell, but was himself met +and driven back. The following year, on the declaration of peace +between Great Britain and America, the post at Prairie du Chien was +evacuated. The garrison fired the fort as they withdrew from it. + +The fort erected by the Americans under Gen. Clarke in 1814 was called +Fort Shelby. The British, on capturing it, changed the name to Fort +McKay. The Americans, on assuming possession and rebuilding it, named +it Fort Crawford. It stood on the bank of the river at the north end +of St. Friole, the old French village occupied in 1876 by the +Dousmans. In 1833 the new Fort Crawford was built on an elevated site +about midway in the prairie. It was a strong military post and was +commanded at this time by Gen. Zachary Taylor. Many officers, who +subsequently won distinction in the Florida Indian, Mexican, and late +Civil War, were stationed here from time to time. Within a time +included in my own recollections of the post, Jefferson Davis spirited +away the daughter of his commanding officer, Gen. Taylor, and married +her, the "rough and ready" general being averse to the match. + +Prairie du Chien derived its name from a French family known as du +Chien, in English "The Dog." By this name the Prairie was known long +prior to the establishment of the French stockade and post. By that +name it has been known and recognized ever since. It has been +successively under the French, English and United States governments, +and lying originally in the great Northwestern Territory, in the +subsequent divisions of that immense domain, it has been included +within the bounds of the territories of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, +Michigan, and Wisconsin. Gov. Wm. H. Harrison, of Indiana Territory, +recognized Prairie du Chien by issuing commissions to Henry M. Fisher +and ---- Campbell as justices of the peace, the first civil +commissions issued for the American government in the entire district +of country including West Wisconsin and Minnesota east of the +Mississippi. Prior to this time, about 1819, the inhabitants had been +chiefly under military rule. In 1819 the county of Crawford was +organized as a part of Michigan Territory, and blank commissions were +issued to Nicholas Boilvin, Esq., with authority to appoint and +install the officers of the new county government. Gov. Lewis Cass +established by proclamation the county seat at Prairie du Chien, and +John W. Johnson was installed as chief justice of the county court. +The entire corps of officers were qualified. In January, 1823, +Congress passed an act providing for circuit courts in the counties +west and north of Lake Michigan, and James Duane Doty was appointed +judge for the district composed of Brown, Mackinaw and Crawford +counties, and a May term was held in Prairie du Chien the same year. + +INDIAN TROUBLES.--There were some Indian troubles, an account of which +is given in the biographical sketch of J. H. Lockwood. There were +other incidents which may be worthy of separate mention. In 1827 an +entire family, named Methode, were murdered, as is supposed, by the +Indians, though the murderers were never identified. The great +incentive to violence and rapine with the Indians was whisky. An +intelligent Winnebago, aged about sixty years, told me that +"paganini," "firewater" (whisky), was killing the great majority of +his people, and making fools and cripples of those that were left; +that before the pale faces came to the big river his people were good +hunters and had plenty to eat; that now they were drunken, lazy and +hungry; that they once wore elk or deer skins, that now they were clad +in blankets or went naked. This Indian I had never seen drunk. The +American Fur Company had huts or open houses where the Indians might +drink and revel. + +At an Indian payment a young, smart looking Indian got drunk and in a +quarrel killed his antagonist. The friends of the murdered Indian held +a council and determined that the murderer should have an opportunity +of running for his life. The friends of the murdered Indian formed in +a line, at the head of which was stationed the brother of the dead +man, who was to lead in the pursuit. At a signal the bands of the +prisoner were cut, and with a demoniacal yell he bounded forward, the +entire line in swift and furious pursuit. Should he outrun his +pursuers, he would be free; should they overtake and capture him, they +were to determine the mode of his death. He ran nearly a mile when he +tripped and fell. The brother of the dead Indian, heading the pursuit, +pounced upon him and instantly killed him with a knife. + +Considering the fact that the Indians were gathered together under the +guns of a United States fort, and under the protection of a law +expressly forbidding the sale of intoxicating liquors to them, the +people of the United States were certainly justified in expecting +better results, not only in regard to the protection of the frontier +settlers but for that of the Indians themselves. All came to naught +because of the non-enforcement of law. Liquors were shamelessly sold +to the Indians and they were encouraged to drunken revelry and orgies +by the very men who should have protected and restrained them. + +The prosperity of Prairie du Chien depended upon the Indian trade, and +upon government contracts which the presence of a military force +rendered necessary. The Indians gathered here in great numbers. + +Here the Winnebagoes, part of the Menomonies and some Chippewas +received their annuities, and here centred also an immense trade from +the American Fur Company, the depot being a large stone building on +the banks of the Mississippi, under the charge of Hercules Dousman. + + +FORT CRAWFORD ROBBED. + +Two discharged soldiers (Thompson and Evans) living at Patch Grove, +thirteen miles away, visited the fort often. On a morning after one of +their visits a soldier on guard noticed a heap of fresh earth near the +magazine. An alarm was given, an examination made, and it was found +that the magazine had been burst open with bars and sledge hammers, +entrance having been obtained by digging under the corner picket. +Three kegs of silver, each containing $5,000, were missing. The kegs +had been passed through the excavation underneath the picket. One keg +had burst open near the picket, and the silver was found buried in the +sand. The second keg burst on the bank of the Mississippi, and all the +money was found buried there except about six hundred dollars. The +third keg was found months after by John Brinkman, in the bottom of +the river, two miles below the fort. He was spearing fish by +torchlight, when he chanced to find the keg. The keg he delivered at +the fort and received a small reward. On opening the keg it was found +to contain coin of a different kind from that advertised as stolen. +Brinkman, however, made no claims on account of errors. Thompson, +Evans, and a man named Shields were arrested by the civil authorities +on suspicion; their trial was continued from term to term and they +were at last dismissed. One man, who had seen the silver in the sand +during the day and gone back at night to fill his pockets, was seized +by a soldier on guard, imprisoned for a year, and discharged. + + +EARLY JUSTICE. + +A Frenchman shot and killed a couple of tame geese belonging to a +neighbor, supposing them to be wild. Discovering his mistake, he +brought the geese to the owner, a Dutchman, who flew into a great +rage, but took the geese and used them for his own table, in addition +to which he had the goose-killer arrested and tried before Martin +Savall, a justice of the peace. The defendant admitted the killing of +the geese, the plaintiff admitted receiving them and using them for +food, nevertheless the justice gave judgment in favor of plaintiff by +the novel ruling that these geese, if not killed, would have laid eggs +and hatched about eight goslings. The defendant was therefore fined +three dollars for the geese killed, and eight dollars for the goslings +that might have been hatched if the geese had been permitted to live, +and costs besides. Plaintiff appealed to the district court which +reversed the decision on the ground that plaintiff had eaten his +geese, and the goslings, not being hatched, did not exist. Plaintiff +paid the costs of the suit, forty-nine dollars, remarking that a +Dutchman had no chance in this country; that he would go back to +Germany. The judge remarked that it would be the best thing he could +do. + + +A SOUTHWARD JOURNEY. + +My original plan on leaving Maine was to make a prospecting tour +through the West and South. I had been in Prairie du Chien for a +season, and as soon as my contract to cut hay for the fort and my +harvesting work was done. I started, with two of my comrades, in a +birch bark canoe for New Orleans. This mode of traveling proving slow +and tedious, after two days, on our arrival at Dubuque, we sold our +canoe and took passage on the steamer Smelter for St. Louis, which +place we reached on the seventeenth of October. We remained five days, +stopping at the Union Hotel. St. Louis was by far the finest and +largest city I had yet seen in the West. Its levee was crowded with +drays and other vehicles and lined with steamers and barges. Its +general appearance betokened prosperity. On the twenty-second, I left +on the steamer George Collier for New Orleans, but the yellow fever +being reported in that city, I remained several days at Baton Rouge. +On the second of November I re-embarked for New Orleans, where I found +a lodging at the Conti Street Hotel. New Orleans was even then a large +and beautiful city. Its levee and streets were remarkable for their +cleanness, but seemed almost deserted. Owing to a recent visitation of +the yellow fever and the financial crisis of 1837, business was almost +suspended. These were hard times in New Orleans. Hundreds of men were +seeking employment, and many of them were without money or friends. It +was soon very evident to me that I had come to a poor place to better +my fortunes. After a thorough canvass, I found but one situation +vacant, and that was in a drinking saloon, and was not thought of for +an instant. I remained fifteen days, my money gradually diminishing, +when I concluded to try the interior. I took steamer for Vicksburg, +and thence passed up the Yazoo to Manchester, where I spent two days +in the vain search for employment, offering to do any kind of work. I +was in the South, where the labor was chiefly done by negroes. I was +friendless and without letters of recommendation, and for a man under +such circumstances to be asking for employment was in itself a +suspicious circumstance. I encountered everywhere coldness and +distrust. I returned to Vicksburg, and, fortunately, had still enough +money left to secure a deck passage to the North, but was obliged to +live sparingly, and sleep without bedding. I kept myself somewhat +aloof from the crew and passengers. The captain and clerk commented on +my appearance, and were, as I learned from a conversation that I could +not help but overhear, keeping a close eye upon me for being so quiet +and restrained. It was true that the western rivers were infested with +desperate characters, gamblers and thieves such as the Murrell gang. +Might I not be one of them. I was truly glad when, on the fifth of +December, we landed at St. Louis. It seemed nearer my own country; but +finding no employment there, I embarked on the steamer Motto for +Hennepin, Illinois, where I found occasional employment cutting +timber. There was much talk here of the Murrell gang, then terrorizing +the country; and I have good reason to believe that some of them at +that time were in Hennepin. After remaining about two months, I left, +on foot, valise in hand or strapped upon my back, with J. Simpson, for +Galena, which place we reached in four days. Finding here Mr. Putnam, +with a team, I went up with him on the ice to Prairie du Chien, where, +after an absence of five months of anxiety, suspense and positive +hardships, I was glad to find myself once more among friends. + +During the summer of 1838 I cultivated a farm. I had also a hay +contract for the fort. My partner was James C. Bunker. I had worked +hard and succeeded in raising a good crop, but found myself in the +fall the victim of bilious fever and ague. I continued farming in 1839 +and furnishing hay to the fort, but continued to suffer with chills +and fever. Myself and partner were both affected, and at times could +scarcely take care of ourselves. Help could not be obtained, but ague +comes so regularly to torture its victims that, knowing the exact hour +of its approach, we could prepare in advance for it, and have our +water, gruel, boneset and quinine ready and within reach. We knew when +we would shake, but not the degree of fever which would follow. The +delirium of the fever would fill our minds with strange fancies. On +one occasion I came home with the ague fit upon me, hitched my horses +with wagon attached to a post and went into the house. Banker had +passed the shaking stage, and was delirious. I threw myself on the +bed, and the fever soon following, I knew nothing till morning, when I +found the team still hitched to the post, and, in their hunger, eating +it. + +In November of this year I made a somewhat perilous trip with team to +Fort Winnebago, at the portage of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers. The +weather was cold and the military road, much of the distance, covered +with snow. There was scarcely a trail over the rolling prairie to +guide me. Exposure brought on the chills as I was returning. Fatigued, +sick and suffering, I coiled myself on the top of the load. The second +day, as the sun was setting, I came in sight of Parish's Grove, but +the horses were unwilling to obey my guidance. Coming to a fork in the +road they insisted on going to the right. I pulled them to the left. +Had I been guided by their "horse sense" they would have brought me in +a few moments to the door of Parish's hotel. As it was, I drove on +until far in the night, when we came to a steep hill, two steep for +descent in the wagon. I unhitched the team, loaded them with the +portable things in the wagon to keep them from the wolves that were +howling around, mounted one of the horses and descended the hill and +found myself at Parish's door, the very place I had been trying to +find for a day and a night. Lieut. Caldwell, quartermaster at Fort +Crawford, received the load, and learning something of the perils of +the journey, gave me eighty dollars instead of the forty he had +promised. + + +RETURN TO MAINE. + +During the spring and summer of 1840, I fulfilled heavy hay and wood +contracts for the fort, and in the autumn of that year concluded to +revisit my early home in Maine. I set out September 23d, and reached +Chicago in seven days, traveling with a team. I traveled thence by +steamer to Buffalo, by canal boat to Rochester, by railroad and stage +to Albany and Boston, by railroad to Lowell, and by stage to Tamworth, +New Hampshire. After spending four years amidst the prairies of the +West it was indeed a pleasure to look again upon the grand ranges of +mountains in this part of New England. When eleven years of age I had +lived where I could look upon these mountains, and now to their +grandeur was added the charm of old association. I looked with +pleasure once more upon "Old Ossipee," Coroway Peak, and White Face. +Time had written no changes upon these rugged mountains. There were +cottages and farms on the mountain side. Sparkling rivulets gleamed in +the sunlight, as they found their way, leaping from rock to rock, to +the valleys beneath. Tamworth is situated on beautiful ridges amongst +these mountain ranges. Near this place is the old family burying +ground containing the graves of my grand parents and other near +relatives. These mountain peaks seemed to stand as sentinels over +their last resting place. I remained at Tamworth a short time, visited +the graves of my kindred, and on October 20th pursued my journey to +Bloomfield, Maine, my old home. I found great changes. Some kind +friends remained, but others were gone. The old home was changed and I +felt that I could not make my future home here. The great West seemed +more than ever attractive. There would I build my home, and seek my +fortune. I found here one who was willing to share that home and +whatever fortune awaited me in the West. On January 1st I was married +to Mary J. Wyman, by Rev. Arthur Drinkwater, who gave us good counsel +on the eve of our departure to a new and still wilderness country. On +February 16th we bade adieu to our friends in Maine, visited awhile at +Tamworth, and March 20th reached Prairie du Chien, having traveled by +private conveyance, stage and steamer, passing through New Haven, New +York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Frederick City, Maryland, over the +National road to Wheeling, Virginia, by steamer down the Ohio and up +the Mississippi to our destination. Here we made our home until the +autumn of 1845, I continuing in the business in which I had been +previously engaged. At this time a failure in my wife's health +rendered a change of climate necessary. + + +PRAIRIE DU CHIEN IN 1836-37. + +Our history of Fifty Years in the Northwest commences properly at +Prairie du Chien in the years 1836-37. The entire country west and +north was at that time but little better than a wilderness. Prairie du +Chien was an outpost of civilization. A few adventurous traders and +missionaries had penetrated the country above, planting a few stations +here and there, and some little effort had been made at settlement, +but the country, for the most part, was the home of roving tribes of +Indians, and he who adventured among them at any distance from posts +or settlements did so at considerable peril. Prairie du Chien, as we +have shown, had been for an indefinite period under various +governments, at first a French, and later an American settlement, +generally under the protection of a military force. It was a primitive +looking village. The houses were built for the most part of upright +timber posts and puncheons, and were surrounded by pickets. There was +no effort at display. Every thing was arranged for comfort and +protection. + + +AMERICAN RESIDENTS. + +There were living at Prairie du Chien in 1837 the following Americans +with their families: Alfred Brunson, Thomas P. Burnett, Joseph M. and +Thomas P. Street, Ezekiel Tainter, John Thomas, Milo Richards, John H. +Fonday, Samuel Gilbert, and William Wilson. The following were +unmarried: James B. Dallam, Ira B. Brunson, William S. Lockwood, and +Hercules Dousman. In addition to these were perhaps near a hundred +French families, old residents. Among the more noted were the +Brisbois, La Chapelle, Rolette and Bruno families. + +We include in the following biographical sketches some names of +non-residents, prominent in the early territorial history, and others +who came to Prairie du Chien later than 1837. + + +BIOGRAPHIES. + +JAMES DUANE DOTY.--The life of this eminent citizen is so interwoven +with the history of Wisconsin that it might well claim more space than +is here allotted to it. The plan of this work forbids more than a +brief mention, and we therefore give only the principal events in his +life. Mr. Doty was born in Salem, Washington county, New York, where +he spent his early days. After receiving a thorough literary education +he studied law, and in 1818 located at Detroit, Michigan. In 1820, in +company with Gov. Cass, he made a canoe voyage of exploration through +Lakes Huron and Michigan. On this voyage they negotiated treaties with +the Indians, and returning made a report on the comparatively +unexplored region which they had traversed. Under his appointment as +judge for the counties of Michigan west of the lake, which appointment +he held for nine years, he first made his home at Prairie du Chien, +where he resided one year, thence removing to Green Bay for the +remainder of his term of office, at which place he continued to +reside for a period of twenty years. In 1830 he was appointed one of +the commissioners to locate military routes from Green Bay to Chicago +and Prairie du Chien. In 1834 he represented the counties west of the +lake in the Michigan legislative council at Detroit, at which council +the first legislative action was taken affecting these counties. At +that session he introduced a bill to create the state of Michigan, +which was adopted. The result of this action was the creation of the +territory of Wisconsin in 1836. In 1838 Mr. Doty was chosen +territorial delegate to Congress from Wisconsin, in which capacity he +served four years, when he was appointed governor. He served as +governor three years. He acted as commissioner in negotiating Indian +treaties. In 1846 he was a member of the first constitutional +convention. In 1848 he was elected member of Congress, and was +re-elected in 1851. + +Somewhere in the '50s he built a log house on an island in Fox river, +just above Butte des Mortes, and lived there with his family many +years. There he gathered ancient curiosities, consisting of Indian +implements, and relics of the mound builders. This log house still +stands and is kept intact with the curiosities gathered there by the +present owner, John Roberts, to whom they were presented by Mrs. +Fitzgerald, a daughter of Gov. Doty, in 1877. The cabin overlooks the +cities of Menasha and Neenah, and the old council ground at the outlet +of Lake Winnebago, where the Fox and Sioux Indians held annual +councils, also the old battle ground where the Fox Indians routed the +Sioux in one of the hardest fought battles on record. + +In 1861 Judge Doty was appointed superintendent of Indian affairs, and +subsequently was appointed governor of Utah Territory, which place he +held until his death in 1865. Wisconsin had no truer friend nor more +faithful and efficient servant. His aims were exalted, and he +deservedly held a high place in the affections of his fellow citizens. + +JAMES H. LOCKWOOD.--Mr. Lockwood was the only practicing lawyer at the +organization of Judge Doty's court. He was the pioneer lawyer in +Prairie du Chien, and the first lawyer admitted to the bar in what is +now Wisconsin. He practiced in Crawford, Brown and Mackinaw counties. +He was born in Peru, Clinton county, New York, Dec. 7, 1793. He +married Julia Warren in 1822. She died at Prairie du Chien in 1827. +He married his second wife, Sarah A. Wright, in St. Louis, Missouri, +in 1834. She died at Prairie du Chien in 1877, much esteemed as one of +the pioneer women of the Upper Mississippi, and respected as a devout +Christian, whose faith was proven by her works. The early years of Mr. +Lockwood were spent on a farm. He had not the privileges of a +classical education, and he may be said to be self educated. In 1810 +he commenced the study of law. In 1814 he was sutler in the United +States army, and in 1815 at the post at Mackinaw. From 1816 to 1819 he +was an Indian trader, his home being at Prairie du Chien. In 1826 +orders came to abandon the fort at Prairie du Chien. The soldiers were +transferred to Fort Snelling, but arms and ammunition were left in +charge of John Marsh, sub-Indian agent. Mr. Lockwood's family was the +only American family at the post. On June 25th of the ensuing year he +left for New York by the Wisconsin River route, Mrs. Lockwood +remaining at home. The Winnebagoes were a little troublesome at this +time, the more so as the soldiers were removed from the post, but no +serious disturbance was anticipated. The first night after leaving +Prairie du Chien Mr. L. met some Winnebagoes, and all camped together +for the night; but the Indians, under their chief, Red Bird, left the +camp stealthily before morning, and, proceeding to Prairie du Chien, +entered the house of Mr. Lockwood with loaded rifles. Mrs. L., greatly +frightened, fled to the store, then in charge of Duncan Graham, an old +English trader. The Indians followed Mrs. L. into the store. Graham +counseled with them and they left. As they were acting suspiciously a +messenger was sent after Mr. Lockwood in haste. He returned on the +twenty-seventh and found the inhabitants assembled, but without +ammunition or means of defense. The Indians told the people not to go +into the fort, as they would destroy it. As the day passed pickets and +embankments were built around an old tavern. About sundown a keelboat +came down the river and landed, bearing three dead bodies and several +wounded. The sides of the boat had been riddled by bullets. This +ghastly arrival increased the panic. Mr. Lockwood urged organization +for defense. He was selected as captain but declined, and Thomas +McNair was chosen, who ordered an immediate removal to the fort. +Repairs were made and preparations for successful defense. On the day +the fighting commenced Red Bird and his companions shot and killed +Gagner and Lipcap. Mrs. Gagner, with rifle in hand, held Red Bird at +bay till she escaped with one child into the rushes, whence she was +rescued by a soldier on patrol duty. The soldier went to the house, +where he found Gagner and Lipcap lying dead upon the floor, and an +infant child, scalped and with its throat cut, lying under the bed. +Gov. Cass, of Michigan, arrived on the fourth of July, greatly to the +relief of the besieged garrison, which he mustered into the service of +the United States, appointing Mr. Lockwood quartermaster. Another +company, under Capt. Abner Field, was sent from Galena to their +relief. Mr. Lockwood sent a messenger to Col. Snelling at Fort +Snelling, who promptly sent down a company in a keelboat. The force +thus concentrated at the fort was sufficient to overcome the Indians, +who were in no plight to engage in a war with the United States. As +the result of a council held by the Winnebagoes in the presence of the +officers of the garrison, the Indians agreed to surrender Red Bird and +Kee-Waw to Maj. Whistler, the Indians asking that the prisoners should +not be ironed or harshly treated. Maj. Whistler promised that they +should be treated with consideration, and Red Bird, rising from the +ground, said, "I am ready," and was marched off with his accomplice, +Kee-Waw, to a tent in the rear and placed under guard. The prisoners +were handed over to Gen. Atkinson, and given into the hands of the +civil authorities. They were chained and imprisoned, which so chafed +the proud spirit of Red Bird that he drooped and soon died of a broken +heart. Kee-Waw was afterward pardoned by the president of the United +States. For this and other outrages perpetrated upon the settlers, not +a single Indian suffered the penalty of death, excepting Red Bird, +whose pride may be said to have been his executioner. + +Mr. Lockwood continued in mercantile business at Prairie du Chien many +years. He held many positions of honor and trust, acquitting himself +with credit. He built the first saw mill north of the Wisconsin river, +on the Menomonie river. The famous Menomonie mills now occupy the same +site. A small mill had been commenced prior to this on Black river, +but the Indians had burned this mill before it was completed. Mr. +Lockwood died at his home, Aug. 24, 1867. + +JOHN S. LOCKWOOD.--John S., the brother of James H. Lockwood, was +born in 1796 in New York; came to Prairie du Chien in 1838, and +thereafter engaged in merchandising. He was a man of exemplary habits +and a member of the Presbyterian church most of his life. He raised an +interesting family. He died at his home at Prairie du Chien in 1858. + +SAMUEL GILBERT settled at Prairie du Chien in 1830. He was of Kentucky +birth, a blacksmith by trade, and a model man in habits. Mr. Gilbert, +in 1842, became one of the proprietors of the Chippewa Falls mill. He +afterward lived at Albany. He followed Mississippi river piloting, +removed to Burlington, Iowa, and died in 1878. Mr. Gilbert left four +sons, Oliver, lumberman in Dunn county, Wisconsin, John and I. Dallam, +lumber merchants at Burlington, Iowa, and Samuel. + +MICHAEL BRISBOIS.--We find the names of Brisbois and some others +mentioned in the proceedings of the commission held by Col. Isaac Lee +in 1820, to adjust claims to land in Prairie du Chien and vicinity. +Michael Brisbois testified that he had been a resident of the Prairie +thirty-nine years, which would date his settlement as far back as +1781. Mr. Brisbois lived a stirring and eventful life. He died in +1837, leaving several children. Joseph, the oldest, became a man of +prominence and held many offices in state and church. Charles, the +second son, while yet a boy went to McKenzie river, British +possessions, in the employ of the Northwestern Fur Company, where he +lived thirty years beyond the Arctic circle, and raised a large +family. In 1842 he returned to Prairie du Chien, but his children, +reared in the cold climate of the frozen zone, soon after his return +sickened, and most of them died, unable to endure the change to a +climate so much milder. Bernard W., a third son, was born at Prairie +du Chien, Oct. 4, 1808. He was well educated and grew up a leading and +influential citizen. As a child he had witnessed the taking of Fort +Shelby by the British in 1814, and its recapture as Fort McKay by the +United States troops in 1815. During the Red Bird Indian war he served +as second lieutenant, and for several years was stationed at Fort +Crawford. He was also a prominent agent or confidential adviser in the +fur company which had its headquarters at Prairie du Chien. He was +sheriff of Crawford county and held the office of county treasurer and +other positions of trust. In 1872 President Grant appointed him consul +to Vernier, Belgium, but ill health compelled an early return. Mr. +Brisbois married into the La Chapelle family. He died in 1885, leaving +an interesting family. + +PIERRE LAPOINT was also before the commission of Col. Lee as an early +resident, having lived at the Prairie since 1782. The testimony of +these early citizens served to establish the ancient tenure of the +lands by French settlers, a tenure so ancient that no one could +definitely give a date for its commencement. Mr. Lapoint was a farmer. +He reared a large family of children, and died about 1845. + +JOSEPH ROLETTE.--Joseph Rolette was at one time chief justice of the +county court of Crawford county. He was of French descent and was born +in Quebec, L. C., in 1787. He was educated for the Catholic +priesthood. In 1804 he came to Prairie du Chien. In the early part of +his mature life he was an active and successful trader with the +Indians on the Upper Mississippi. He was a man of keen perceptions and +considerable ambition. He joined the British at the siege of Detroit, +and was an officer at the capture of Mackinaw. He was in command of a +company in the campaign of the British from Mackinaw to Prairie du +Chien, and aided in taking the American stockade. His early education +and associations inclined him to espouse the British cause during the +war of 1812, which he did with all the ardor and enthusiasm of his +nature. To his family he was kind and indulgent, giving his children +the best education possible. One daughter, married to Capt. Hoe, of +the United States army, was a very superior woman. One son, Joseph, +received all the aid that money could give, and might have risen to +distinction, but he early contracted intemperate habits which became +in later life tenaciously fixed. This son was at one time a member of +the Minnesota legislature. Joseph Rolette, Sr., died at Prairie du +Chien in 1842. + +HERCULES DOUSMAN.--The leading Indian trader of the Upper Mississippi, +the prominent adviser at Indian treaties and payments and the trusted +agent of the American Fur Company, was Hercules Dousman, a keen, +shrewd man, and universally influential with the Indians, with whom it +might be said his word was law. He understood all the intricacies +involved in the Indian treaty and the half-breed annuities and +payments. His extended favors and credits to the Indians, properly +proven, of course, would be recognized and paid at the regular +payments. He accumulated through these agencies great wealth, which +he retained to his dying day. He came to Prairie du Chien, in the +employ of Joseph Rolette, in 1828. He afterward married the widow of +Rolette. He died in Prairie du Chien in 1878. + +REV. DAVID LOWRY.--A noble, big hearted Kentuckian, a minister of the +Cumberland Presbyterian church, he was located by the government as +farmer and teacher of the Indians on Yellow river, near Prairie du +Chien, in 1833. For years this good man labored with unquestioned zeal +for the welfare of the untutored Indian. Mr. Lowry informed me, while +at his post, that he was fearful that all his labor was labor lost, or +worse than useless. The Indian pupil learned just enough to fit him +for the worst vices. The introduction of whisky was a corrupting +agency, in itself capable of neutralizing every effort for the moral +and intellectual advancement of the Indian, with whom intoxication +produces insanity. He felt quite disheartened as to the prospect of +accomplishing any good. He died at St. Cloud some time in the '50s. + +CHIEF JUSTICE CHARLES DUNN.--When Wisconsin Territory was organized in +1836, Charles Dunn was appointed chief justice. He served as judge +until Wisconsin became a state in 1848. He was of Irish descent and +was born in Kentucky in 1799. He studied law in Kentucky and Illinois, +and was admitted to practice in 1820 at Jonesboro, Illinois. He was +chief clerk of the Illinois house of representatives five years. He +was one of the commissioners of the Illinois and Michigan canal. In +1829 he was one of a party which surveyed and platted the first town +of Chicago, and superintended the first sale of town lots there. He +was captain of a company during the Black Hawk War in 1832, and was +severely wounded through mistake by a sentinel on duty. In 1835 he was +a member of the Illinois house of representatives. In 1837, as judge, +he held his first court in Crawford county. In this court, in 1838, +indictments were found against certain individuals for selling liquor +to whites and Indians contrary to law, when, by evasions, continuances +and technicalities, the suits would go by the board. In one case the +charge given to the jury by this dignified and courteous Judge Dunn +was as follows: "Gentlemen of the Jury: Unless you are satisfied that +the defendants in this case did deal out, in clear, unadulterated +quantities, intoxicating drinks, it is your imperative duty to +discharge them." The jury, of course, discharged the defendants. +Aside from his drinking habits, which interfered much with his +usefulness, he was a genial gentleman and regarded by his associates +as an eminent jurist. He sometimes kept the court waiting till he +should become sober, and on one occasion came near losing his life in +a drunken spree. He jumped through an upper window of Tainter's hotel, +and escaped with only a broken leg. Judge Dunn was a member of the +second Wisconsin constitutional convention. He was state senator in +1853-4-5 and 6. He died at Mineral Point, April 7, 1872. + +REV. ALFRED BRUNSON, a distinguished pioneer preacher in the West, was +born in Connecticut, 1793, and received there a common school +education. His father died while he was yet a minor, and with +commendable zeal and filial love he devoted himself to providing for +his mother and her bereaved family, working at the trade of a +shoemaker till he was seventeen years of age, when he enlisted as a +soldier under Gen. Harrison and served under him until the peace of +1815, when he entered the Methodist ministry, in which, by industry +and close application, he became quite learned and eminent as a +divine. His active ministry extended to the long period of sixty-seven +years. He was the first Methodist minister north of the Wisconsin +river. In 1837 he established a mission at Kaposia and thence removed +to Red Rock (Newport), in Washington county, Minnesota. In 1840 he was +a member of the Wisconsin legislature. In 1842 he was Indian agent at +Lapointe, on Lake Superior. Mr. Brunson was very prominent in the +councils of his own church, having represented his conference several +times in the general conference of that body. He is also the author of +many essays and other publications, among them "The Western Pioneer," +in two volumes, a most entertaining and instructive account of life in +the West. + +Mr. Brunson was married to Eunice Burr, a relative of the famous Aaron +Burr. She was a woman of great intelligence and of excellent qualities +of heart as well as mind. Her heart overflowed with sympathy for the +sick and distressed, and she won by her care for them the affectionate +title of "Mother Brunson." She died in 1847. + +Rev. Alfred Brunson, though an itinerant, was so favored in his +various fields of labor that he was able to have his permanent home +at Prairie du Chien, where he lived from 1835 until the time of his +death in 1882. + +Many incidents in Mr. Brunson's career are worthy of permanent record. +He was among the most hardy and daring of the pioneers. He came down +the Ohio and up the Mississippi in a barge to Prairie du Chien in +1835, the barge laden with household furniture and the material for a +frame building which, on landing, he proceeded immediately to erect. +This house, which he and his family occupied till his death, is still +standing. + +When he established his mission at Kaposia he was greatly in need of +an interpreter. An officer at Fort Snelling owned a negro slave who +had been a Methodist before going into the army in the service of his +master. Afterward he had married a Dakota woman and by associating +with the Indians had learned their language. This young negro, James +Thompson, was a slave, and Mr. Brunson could only secure his services +by purchasing him outright, which he did, paying the price of $1,200, +the money for which was raised by subscription in Ohio. "Jim" was +presented with his "free papers," and was soon interpreting the Gospel +to the Indians at Kaposia. This is the only instance on record of a +slave being sold on Minnesota soil. It will be remembered, however, +that the historical "DRED SCOTT" was also the property of an officer +at the Fort, Surgeon Emerson. James Thompson resided in St. Paul in +the later years of his life, and died there in 1884. + +IRA BRUNSON.--Ira, the eldest son of Rev. A. Brunson, was born in Ohio +in 1815, and came to Prairie du Chien in 1836. He was a member of the +legislature during the years 1837-38-39 and 40. He was also postmaster +many years. He was continuously in office in Crawford county until his +death in 1884. In 1840 he was appointed special deputy United States +marshal for the purpose of removing the settlers from the Fort +Snelling reservation. These settlers were mostly from Selkirk, +Manitoba. They had been driven out by the grasshoppers and, fleeing +southward, had settled about Fort Snelling to be under the protection +of the Fort. The government, however, considered them intruders and +ordered Mr. Brunson to remove them outside the reservation, and to +destroy all their dwellings and farm improvements, which disagreeable +duty he performed as well, perhaps, as it could be performed; he, as +he afterward told me, being satisfied in his own mind that the +removal would be for their ultimate good, the influences of the Fort +and of the associations of the motley crowd of hangers on around it +being somewhat demoralizing. At any rate the eviction of these western +Acadians has never aroused the sympathies of the poet and +sentimentalist as did that of the Acadians of the East. + +JOHN H. FOLSOM, brother of W. H. C. Folsom, was born in Machias, +Maine, Dec. 27, 1813. He was engaged during his youth in clerking. In +1835 he made a voyage as supercargo of a vessel to the Congo coast. In +1836 he came to Michigan, and in 1837 to Prairie du Chien, where he +has since continuously resided. He was married in 1839 to Angelica +Pion, who died in 1878, leaving no children. He has a very retentive +memory, and is quoted as an authority in the local history of Prairie +du Chien. The writer is indebted to him for many particulars referring +to the early history of that city. + +EZEKIEL TAINTER.--Mr. Tainter came to Prairie du Chien in 1833 from +Vermont. He had at first fort contracts, but afterward engaged in +merchandising, farming and hotel keeping. He also served as sheriff. +He was eccentric and original in his methods, and some amusing stories +are told of his prowess in arresting criminals. On one occasion he was +about to arrest a criminal. Having summoned his _posse_, he followed +the man until he took refuge in a cabin with one door and two windows. +Stationing his men before the door, he thus addressed them: "Brave +boys, I am about to go through this door. If I fall, as I undoubtedly +will, you must rush over my dead body and seize the ruffian." Giving +the word of command, he plunged through the door and captured the +criminal, apparently much astonished at finding himself still alive. +At his tavern, one morning, a boarder announced that he had been +robbed. Uncle Zeke quieted him, and, quickly examining his rooms, +found one boarder missing. It was gray twilight. He ordered all to +retire but the man who had been robbed. The two sat quietly down as +they saw a man approaching the house from the bluffs. To their +surprise it was the absentee approaching. As he stepped on the piazza, +Uncle Zeke dexterously tripped him up with his stiff leg, and seizing +him by the throat, shouted to the astonished miscreant: "Where is the +money you stole? Tell me at once, or you will never get up." The +prostrate culprit, thoroughly frightened, tremblingly answered, "I +hid it in the bluff." They marched him to the spot, recovered the +money and generously allowed the thief his freedom on the condition of +his leaving the country. Uncle Zeke lived to a good old age, and died +at the residence of his son Andrew, in Menomonie, Wisconsin. + +WYRAM KNOWLTON.--Mr. Knowlton was born in Chenango county, New York, +in 1816, came to Wisconsin in 1837, and commenced the study of law. He +was admitted to practice in Platteville, and in 1840 came to Prairie +du Chien and opened a law office. In 1846 he enlisted and served in +the Mexican War, after which he resumed practice. In 1850 he was +appointed judge of the Sixth Judicial district of Wisconsin, and +served six years. He held the first court in Pierce county in 1854. He +was a man of fine ability. He died in the north part of the State in +1873. + +ROBERT LESTER.--A melancholy interest attaches to the memory of this +man on account of his early tragical death. He had come to Prairie du +Chien in 1840, and in 1842 had been elected sheriff. Next year his +official duties called him to the Menomonie and Chippewa valleys. On +his return he had left Lockwood's mills on the Menomonie, and had +passed through Trempealeau and was coasting along the west shore, when +an Indian hailed him, calling for bread. Lester passed on without +responding. As he reached a point of land the Indian ran across the +point and, awaiting his approach, shot him through the heart. Lester +rose as the ball struck him, and fell overboard. Mr. Jean Bruno, +proprietor of the Chippewa mills, was on his way up river in a canoe, +and witnessed the whole transaction. Mr. Bruno described the whole +tragic scene. Popular excitement ran high at Prairie du Chien. A party +of men volunteered to search for Lester's body, which was found at the +place of the murder and brought back for interment at Prairie du +Chien. The Indian, a Sioux, was arrested and kept in jail a long time, +and although he had acknowledged to some of his Indian friends that he +had killed Lester, he was acquitted. It was a cold blooded and +atrocious murder, and the proof of the Indian's guilt was +overwhelming, as he was, by his own confession, the murderer; still he +was not punished. In this case the prisoner did not languish and die +in jail of a broken heart as did Red Bird, the murderer of Gagner and +Lipcap. As a rule the courts dealt very leniently with Indian +criminals. + +THOMAS PENDLETON BURNETT was born in Virginia in 1800. He studied law +and was admitted to the bar in Paris, Kentucky. He was appointed +sub-Indian agent under J. M. Street, in 1829. He came to Prairie du +Chien in 1830 and entered upon the duties of the agency. He also +practiced law. In 1835 he was a member of the Michigan territorial +council and its president. In 1836, after his term of office expired, +he married a daughter of Alfred Brunson and, continuing the practice +of law, became quite eminent for his skill, and acquired an extensive +practice. He was a fluent speaker, well skilled in the management of +the cases intrusted to his care. In 1840 he removed to a farm at Patch +Grove, Grant county. He was a member of the Wisconsin constitutional +convention which met in 1846. He served but a few weeks when he was +called home by the death of his mother and the sickness of his wife. +The fatigue of a twenty-four hours' ride of eighty-five miles in a +rude lumber wagon was too much for his not very rugged constitution, +and four days after his mother's death he followed her to the world of +spirits. His devoted wife survived him but three hours. Under +circumstances of such unusual sadness did this brilliant and promising +lawyer and citizen take his departure from earth. His death created a +profound sensation throughout the entire Northwest, where he was so +well and favorably known. + +HENRY DODGE, the first governor of Wisconsin Territory, was born in +Vincennes, Indiana, Oct. 12, 1782. He came to the lead mines of +Wisconsin in 1828. In 1832 he took part in the Black Hawk War, an +uprising of the Sac and Fox Indians against the United States +government. Mr. Dodge participated as a general at the battle of Bad +Axe, his regiment occupying the front rank in that battle. April 30, +1836, he was appointed governor of Wisconsin by President Andrew +Jackson, reappointed in 1839 by President Van Buren, and by President +Polk in 1845, serving three terms. From 1841 to 1845, during the +presidency of Harrison and his successor (Tyler), he served as +territorial delegate to Congress. In 1848 he was elected United States +senator for the short term, and re-elected in 1851, Senator Walker +being his colleague. On the occasion of the motion to admit +California, the Wisconsin senators were instructed by the legislature +to vote against the measure. Senator Walker disregarded the +instruction and voted for the measure. Senator Dodge, although +extremely ill at the time, had himself carried to the senate chamber +that he might record his vote adversely to the bill. Gov. Dodge rose +to the highest position in his State, and chiefly by his own unaided +efforts. As a soldier he was brave and efficient, as a governor, +congressional delegate and senator he was clear headed, cautious and +wise, and altogether a citizen of whom the State might justly be +proud. He died in Burlington, Iowa, June 19, 1867. + +GEORGE W. JONES was born in Vincennes, Indiana. He graduated at +Transylvania University, Kentucky, in 1825. He was educated for the +law, but ill health prevented him from practicing. He, however, served +as clerk of the United States district court in Missouri in 1826, and +during the Black Hawk War served as aid-de-camp to Gen. Dodge. In 1832 +he was appointed colonel of militia, and was promoted to a major +generalship. After the war he served as judge of a county court. In +1835 he was elected delegate to Congress from the territory of +Michigan, or from that part of it lying west of Lake Michigan, and +remained a delegate until the formation of Wisconsin Territory, in +1836, when he was elected delegate from the new territory. In 1839 he +was appointed surveyor general for Wisconsin. He was removed in 1841, +but reappointed by President Polk, and continued in office until +elected senator from the state of Iowa, which position he held for six +years, and was then appointed by President Buchanan minister to New +Granada. During the Civil War his sympathies were with the South and +he was imprisoned for awhile at Fort Warren under a charge of +disloyalty. He has resided in Dubuque, Iowa, since the formation of +Iowa Territory. He still lives, a hale and hearty old gentleman, and +served as a delegate to the waterways convention held in St. Paul, +September, 1880. + +S. G. AND S. L. TAINTER AND JOHN THOMAS (father of Hon. Ormsby Thomas, +representative from Wisconsin in the Congress of 1887-88) with their +families came to Prairie du Chien in 1837. The Messrs. Tainter and +Thomas died many years ago. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +STILLWATER AND ST. CROIX COUNTY. + + +In September, 1844, reluctantly I bade adieu to Prairie du Chien with +its picturesque bluffs and historic associations, and embarked on the +steamer Highland Mary, Capt. Atchison, to seek a home and more +salubrious climate further north. The voyage was without incident +worthy of note, till we reached St. Croix lake, in the midst of a +crashing thunder storm and a deluge of rain, which did not prevent us +from eagerly scanning the scenery of the lake. The shores were as yet +almost without inhabitants. The home of Paul Carli, a two story house +at the mouth of Bolles creek, was the first dwelling above Prescott, +on the west side of the lake. A few French residences were to be seen +above on the west side. On the east bank, below the mouth of Willow +river, where Hudson is now situated, were three log houses owned by +Peter Bouchea, Joseph Manesse, and Louis Massey. On the high hill +west, nearly opposite Willow river, stood the farm house of Elam +Greely, and on the same side, on the point, in full view of +Stillwater, stood the farm house of John Allen. With the exception of +these few dwellings, the shores of the lake were untouched by the hand +of man, and spread before us in all their primitive beauty. There were +gently rounded hills sloping to the water's edge, and crowned with +groves of shrubby oak, amidst which, especially at the outlet of +streams into the lake, the darker pines stood out boldly against the +sky. We passed on over the clear, blue expanse of water on which was +no floating thing save our boat and the wild fowl which were scared +and flew away at our approach, till we reached the head of the lake at +Stillwater, the end of our journey. November 30th my family arrived on +the steamer Cecilia, Capt. Throckmorton. + + +STILLWATER IN 1845. + +We landed just in front of the store of nelson & co. just below the +landing was a clear, cold spring, bubbling out of the earth, or the +rock rather. It was walled in and pretty well filled with speckled +trout. On the opposite side of the street Walter R. Vail had a house +and store; north of Vail's store the house and store of Socrates +Nelson. Up Main street, west side, stood Anson Northrup's hotel and +Greely & Blake's post office and store. One street back was the +residence of John E. Mower, and north of this the mill boarding house, +and in the rear the shanty store of the mill company, where the Sawyer +House now stands. Up a ravine stood the shanty residence of John +Smith. In a ravine next to Nelson & Co.'s store was the residence of +Wm. Cove. On Main street, opposite Greely & Blake's store, was the +residence of Albert Harris. On the shore of the lake, north of +Chestnut street, was John McKusick's saw mill. Sylvester Stateler's +blacksmith shop stood just south of the mill. In Brown's Dakotah, now +Schulenberg's addition, near the old log court house, was a log hotel, +kept by Robert Kennedy. This was Stillwater in 1845. + + +ST. CROIX COUNTY. + +From 1819 to 1836 this valley was under the jurisdiction of Crawford +county, Michigan, there being no white inhabitants save Indian +traders. There was no law dispensed in this region, excepting the law +that might makes right. In 1836 the territory of Wisconsin, comprising +all of Michigan west of the great lakes; also all that portion of +Missouri Territory out of which was formed the state of Iowa, which +was organized as a territory in 1838, and admitted as a state in 1846; +also that portion of Minnesota which lies west of the present +state--yet unorganized--known as Dakota, was organized. + +The year 1837 forms a new era in our history. Gov. Henry Dodge, of +Wisconsin, on the part of the national government, was appointed to +negotiate with the Ojibways. They met at Fort Snelling. A treaty was +made, the Indians ceding to the United States all their lands east of +the Mississippi, to near the headwaters of the St. Croix and Chippewa +rivers. + +A deputation of Dakotas at Washington, the same year, ceded all their +lands east of the Mississippi to the parent government, thus opening +to settlement all this portion of Minnesota and Wisconsin. But few +adventurers made their way into this far off region, however, for many +years. A steamer once in two months was the only mode of travel, +excepting by birch canoe. + +In October, 1837, at Prairie du Chien, I met a party who had ascended +the Mississippi and the St. Croix as far as St. Croix Falls. According +to their account they had found the place where creation ended, where +a large river, capable of bearing a steamer, burst out of a rock like +that which Moses smote. They had seen "the elephant with his quills +erect," and were returning satisfied to their New England home. They +had entered the since famous Dalles of the St. Croix, located at the +head of navigation on that river. + +In the year 1838, being the year succeeding the purchase of the lands +bordering on the St. Croix river and a portion of her tributaries, may +be dated the commencement of the settlement of the St. Croix valley; +but with the exception of the Hon. Joseph R. Brown, the parties that I +shall enumerate as opening business, came here for the purpose of +lumbering, and in no instance as permanent settlers. The valley was +considered too far north and the soil too sterile for cultivation, but +many of those who came here in 1838 found out their mistake and made +choice of the valley for their permanent homes. They were afterward +abundantly satisfied with the healthfulness of the climate and the +fertility of the soil. Several companies were formed this year for the +ostensible purpose of lumbering, many members of which became +permanent settlers. + +The first dismemberment of the St. Croix valley from Crawford county +was by the organization of the county of St. Croix. Joseph R. Brown +was elected representative to the legislature, from the north part of +Crawford county. His residence at that time was Gray Cloud, now in +Washington county. Mr. Brown introduced the bill for the organization +of St. Croix county, which passed and was approved by the governor of +Wisconsin, Jan. 9, 1840. The writer of these sketches was employed by +Messrs. Brown and Brunson (the representatives from this district), in +December, 1839, to take them with a team from Prairie du Chien to +Madison. One of the indispensable requirements for traveling in those +days was a large "Black Betty," which was the butt of much wit and +humor. Mr. Brown said the contents of Old Betty must establish a new +county away up in the Northwest. The deed was done--the act did pass. +I don't know whether Old Betty came back to assist in organizing the +county or not. It is well to say Mr. Brown acquitted himself with +honor to his constituents, and was successful in the one great object +for which he sought the election. This was the precursor to coming +events--a shadow cast before. For it was under this organization that +Northwest Wisconsin and Minnesota first obeyed the mandates of law and +order. + +Under the provision of the act of organization, Hazen Mooers, of Gray +Cloud, Samuel Burkelo, of Marine, and Joseph R. Brown, of Dakotah, +were constituted a board of county commissioners with county seat +located at Dakotah. + +This town was located at the head of Lake St. Croix, on the west side, +on unsurveyed government lands, known as "Joe Brown's Claim." When the +Wisconsin legislature of 1840 made this the county seat of St. Croix +county it was named Dakotah. + + +JUDGE IRWIN'S COURT IN 1840. + +The first district court north of Prairie du Chien was called at +Dakotah, St. Croix county. This county had been assigned to Judge +Irwin's district (Green Bay). The time assigned for the court was +June, 1840. Judge Irwin wended his way up Fox river to the portage, +down the Wisconsin to Prairie du Chien, up the Mississippi to St. +Paul, and across from St. Paul to Dakotah with guides. At Dakotah the +regular officers were all absent, but he found at the court house two +young men named Brown and six Frenchmen from St. Paul and Little +Canada, summoned as jurors by Sheriff Lawrence. Judge Irwin remained +one night, slept in deer skins in the county building, subsisting +meanwhile on venison and bear steak. No calendar was to be found and +the judge and jurors left for home. + +The first commissioners' meeting was held Oct. 5, 1840. At this +meeting much important work was done. An acre of ground at the county +seat was selected for county buildings. A contract to erect a court +house according to specifications was let to J. R. Brown, he to +receive for the same eight hundred dollars. The parties agreed upon a +deed or conveyance of ground, a synopsis of which we append. The +conveyance cites and reiterates a Wisconsin legislative law +establishing St. Croix county, giving to the people the right to +locate the county seat by vote and to the county commissioners power +to erect county buildings, the selected location to be the permanent +seat of justice of said county. It further provides that the county +commissioners shall carry into effect the law of Congress of the +United States, entitled "An act granting to counties or parishes, in +which public lands are situate, the right of pre-emption to one-fourth +section of land, for seats of justice within the same." Approved May +20, 1824. It then cites the vote taken Aug. 5, 1840, locating the +county seat at "Brown's warehouse, at the head of Lake St. Croix." +Further conditions are set forth in compliance with the law, +confirming the location on Joseph R. Brown's land claim. This is the +first recorded deed in St. Croix county. + +Thirty dollars was allowed to J. R. Brown and W. B. Dibble, each, for +carrying election returns to Prairie du Chien. The first abstract of +votes polled in St. Croix county was for delegate to Congress and for +county officers. For delegate to Congress the following vote was cast: +Henry Dodge, seventeen; Jonathan E. Arnold, ten. Samuel Burkelo, Hazen +Mooers and W. B. Dibble were elected county commissioners; William +Holcombe, county treasurer and register of deeds; Phineas Lawrence, +sheriff; J. R. Brown, county clerk and clerk of court, and Philander +Prescott, assessor. + +The first recorded deed of property in Stillwater was from Walter R. +Vail to Rufus S. King, transferring for a consideration of $1,550 a +tract bounded east by Lake St. Croix and south and north by lands +owned by Churchill and Nelson. + +Three election precincts had been established in this portion of +Crawford county prior to the organization of St. Croix county: +Caw-caw-baw-kank, embracing the county adjacent to St. Croix Falls; +Dakotah, the county at the head of Lake St. Croix, and Chan-wak-an the +Gray Cloud settlement, on the Mississippi. + +On July 5, 1841, the commissioners held a meeting and established +voting precincts as follows: + +_Gray Cloud_--Judges of election, Hazen Mooers, David Howe, Joseph +Haskell. + +_Mouth of St. Croix Lake_--Judges of election, P. Prescott, Oscar P. +Burris, John Burke. + +_Marine Mills_--Judges of election, Asa Parker, Samuel Burkelo, T. +Harrington. + +_Falls of St. Croix_--Judges of election, Joseph W. Furber, Joshua L. +Taylor, Jesse Taylor. + +_Pokegama_--Judges of election, Jeremiah Russell, E. Myers, E. L. Ely. + +Feb. 2, 1844, St. Paul and Stillwater were made election precincts by +the Wisconsin legislature, and Stillwater was made the county seat. +The constituted authorities were not successful in making out +assessments and collecting county revenues. The first estimate of +expenditures for the county was for 1842, and amounted to $482. This +included the estimate for holding one term of court. Up to the time of +changing the county seat to Stillwater much dissatisfaction existed as +to the manner in which the county finances had been managed, and there +was a general revolt, a refusal to pay taxes. In consequence, the +county building at Dakotah remained unfinished and was finally +abandoned by the county authorities. J. R. Brown lost on his contract +on account of this failure and abandonment. The first successful +collection of taxes in St. Croix county, considered legal, was in +1845. Capt. Wm. Holcombe acted during this period as clerk of the +commissioners, and register of deeds. In 1846 he deputized W. H. C. +Folsom as deputy clerk and register of deeds, and transmitted the +records from St. Croix Falls to Stillwater. + +[A] +EARLY HISTORY OF STILLWATER. + +In the spring of 1843 Jacob Fisher made a claim on unsurveyed lands at +the head of Lake St. Croix, immediately south of Dakotah, spotting and +blazing the trees to mark the limits of his claim. Mr. Fisher thought +it a good site for a saw mill, and made an offer to Elias McKean and +Calvin F. Leach of the entire claim on condition that they would build +a mill. McKusick and Greely were looking for a mill site; Mr. Fisher +referred them to McKean and Leach. It was agreed that the four should +take the claim and erect the mill. Greely improved and held the +claim, while McKusick went to St. Louis and procured mill irons and +supplies. McKean and Leach operated in the pinery. By April 1, 1844, +the mill was finished and in operation. This was the first frame +building erected in Stillwater. It stood on the lake shore, east of +Main street, lot 8, block 18. The second frame building was McKusick's +boarding house, west of Main street, on block 18. John Allen's family +was the first to locate in Stillwater. Mr. Allen came in the spring of +1844, and subsequently removed to California. The second family was +that of Anson Northrup coming soon after. Mr. Northrup built a public +house on the west side of Main street, just north of Nelson's alley. +Soon afterward came widow Edwards and family from Ohio, relatives of +the Northrups; Mrs. Northrup being a daughter of widow Edwards. +Socrates Nelson came about this time and built the first store in +Stillwater. His family joined him soon afterward. The first marriage +was that of Jesse Taylor and Abbie Edwards, J. W. Furber, Esq., +officiating justice. The second marriage was that of William Cove to +Nancy Edwards in May, 1845. The first white child born was Willie +Taylor, son of Jesse Taylor, in 1845. A daughter, Maud Maria, was born +to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Carli in Dakotah (Schulenburg's addition to +Stillwater), in 1843. + +Stillwater derives its name from its appropriate location on the banks +of the still waters of Lake St. Croix. A post office was established +in 1845, and Elam Greely was appointed postmaster. The first business +partnership was that of the saw mill company, already noted. We give +here in full the articles of agreement as the first written and the +oldest on record in Washington county. This document is important not +only as fixing a date for the origin or founding of Stillwater, but as +an important event, as it thus early laid the foundation of the future +prosperity of the city, and indicated the direction in which its +energies should be chiefly turned: + + +[_Copy of Agreement._] + +This agreement, made and entered into this twenty-sixth day of +October, Anno Domini eighteen hundred and forty-three, by the +following named individuals, viz.: John McKusick, Elias McKean, Elam +Greely, and Calvin F. Leach, for the purpose of building a saw mill +near the head of Lake St. Croix, Wisconsin Territory, and for carrying +on the lumbering business in all its various branches. + +_Article first_--It is understood by this agreement, that the +heretofore named individuals form themselves into a company to +continue and exist by the name of the Stillwater Lumber Company. + +_Article second_--It is agreed to by the heretofore named individuals, +that the whole amount of property owned and business done by the +aforesaid company shall be included in fifteen shares, and to be +divided and owned by each individual of the aforesaid company as +follows, viz.: John McKusick, five-fifteenths; Elias McKean, +three-fifteenths; Elam Greely, four-fifteenths; and Calvin F. Leach, +three-fifteenths. + +_Article third_--It is furthermore understood, that each proprietor of +the aforesaid company shall pay his proportion of all the expenses +arising from all the business done or transacted by the aforesaid +company, and to continue the same ratio, so long a time as said +company shall exist and continue to do business under the present +form, and likewise any gain or loss, arising or accruing from any or +all of the business done by the aforesaid company, shall be shared or +sustained by each proprietor of the aforesaid company, in the same +ratio as above named, in proportion to each above named proprietor's +share of stock owned in the aforesaid company. + +_Article fourth_--It is furthermore agreed to, that the whole amount +of money or property that each or either of the proprietors of the +aforesaid company shall invest, advance, or pay for the benefit or use +of the aforesaid company, the same amount shall be credited to the +separate credit of the proprietor or either of the proprietors of the +aforesaid company making such investments, on the books of accounts +kept by the aforesaid company. + +_Article fifth_--It is furthermore understood, that for the amount of +money or property that any one of the proprietors of the aforesaid +company shall invest, advance, or pay for the benefit or use of the +aforesaid company, more than his proportional share of the whole +amount of money or property invested by the aforesaid company, the +same amount of money, with interest, shall be paid or refunded back to +said proprietor by the aforesaid company, out of the first proceeds +arising from the business done by the company aforesaid. + +_Article sixth_--It is furthermore understood, that in case any one of +the aforesaid proprietors should at any time hereafter be disposed to +sell, transfer or dispose of his share of stock owned in the aforesaid +company, he shall first pay to said company all the liabilities or +indebtedness of said share of stock, and then give said company the +preference of purchasing and owning said share of stock, at the same +rates by which said proprietor may have an opportunity to sell said +shares of stock. + +_Article seventh_--It is furthermore understood that the proprietors +of the aforesaid company, individually, shall have no right, or power, +to sign any obligation or due bill, make any contract, or transact any +business of importance in the name of, or binding on, the aforesaid +company, except some one proprietor of the aforesaid company should +hereafter be fully authorized by the aforesaid company to act and +transact business as agent for the aforesaid company. + +In testimony whereof, we hereunto set our hands and seals this +twenty-sixth day of October, Anno Domini eighteen hundred and +forty-three. + +JOHN MCKUSICK, +ELAM GREELY, +ELIAS MCKEAN, +C. F. LEACH. + +Attest: C. SIMONDS. + +This agreement and dates are taken from the original book of records +in the possession of John McKusick. + +After this agreement was signed, until Mr. McKusick became the sole +owner, the business was conducted by mutual agreement, there being no +constituted agent, except in case of an emergency. + +The mill boarding house, a two story building, erected in 1845, was +burned in 1846, and immediately rebuilt. In 1846 J. H. Brewster built +a small store. McKusick's store was built the same year, on the +southwest corner of Main and Myrtle streets. Some smaller buildings +were erected this year. + +In 1845 a verbal agreement was made with regard to land claims, by +which Brown's claim was recognized as extending along the lake shore +north of Battle Hollow, where the Minnesota state prison now stands. +South of Battle Hollow, along the lake shore to Nelson, extending +three-fourths of a mile west, was the claim of the mill company, +originally held by Fisher. South of Nelson's alley, one-half mile down +the lake, three-fourths of a mile west, was S. Nelson's claim. When +the government survey was made these claims and lines were amicably +adjusted and confirmed. A congressional law was in existence making +provisions for villages and cities built on unsurveyed lands, that +such lands should be equitably divided and surveyed into lots, and the +actual settler or occupant should be protected in his rights. + +In May, 1846, a desire was expressed by citizens of St. Paul and +Stillwater for the opening of new roads between these cities. The +traveled road up to that time was by Haskell's and Bissell's Mounds. +Louis Roberts and the writer examined a route by White Bear lake. A +road was established south of this route in June. + +In July I started up the St. Croix river with Joseph Brewster, in a +batteau, to put up hay for Elam Greely on Kanabec river. We poled our +batteau with outfit and camped where now stands the village of +Franconia. The next morning early we entered the picturesque Dalles of +the St. Croix, then cordelled our boat over Baker's falls, and landed +at the village of St. Croix Falls. This village, the first American +settlement on the St. Croix, had one large mill with six saws. The +water power was utilized by means of a permanent dam with massive +piers. A warehouse was perched in a romantic situation amidst the +cliffs of the Dalles and furnished with a tramway or wooden railway +extending to the summit of the cliffs, for the transportation of +goods. A boarding house dubbed the "Barlow House," another the "Soap +Grease Exchange," and a few small tenement houses, constituted the +village. The leading business men were James Purinton, Wm. Holcombe, +Joseph Bowron and Lewis Barlow. We spent half a day in making a +portage around the St. Croix falls. The wind being fair, on the third +day we sailed as far as Sunrise island. At Wolf creek we passed an +Indian trading post. In front of Sunrise island and on the west side +of the St. Croix river, a little below the mouth of Sunrise river, +stood the trading post of Maurice M. Samuels, long known as one of the +most remarkable and notorious men on the frontier. He was a Jew, but +had married a Chippewa woman, claiming that he had married one of his +own people, the Indians being, according to his theory, descendants of +the Lost Tribes of Israel. + +On the sixth day we came to the farm of Jeremiah Russell, on Pokegama +lake. We found him a pleasant gentleman, engaged as an Indian farmer. +We paddled across the lake to the Presbyterian mission. Mr. Boutwell, +the superintendent, was absent. The mission was pleasantly located, +the management was excellent, the crops were in fair condition, and +well cultivated. Everything about the mission betokened good +management. Next day we went to a hay meadow opposite the mouth of +Ground House creek, where we put up on this and adjacent meadows sixty +tons of hay. We left on the twenty-fourth, camping the first night at +Chengwatana. On the morning of the twenty-fifth, while passing down +Kanabec river, our ears were greeted with some most horrible and +unearthly noises. On turning a bend in the river we saw a large body +of Indians cutting indescribable antics, in the river and on the +shore, chasing each other, reeling and staggering to and fro, yelling +and firing guns. They seemed a lot of Bedlamites turned out as if to +dispute our passage down the river. Pass them now we must. It was too +late to retreat. Our batteau was light. I was in the bow, Brewster was +in the stern. The yelling and uproar grew each moment more horrible. +Brewster said: "Keep the bow in the best water and pass them in a +hurry." He was of great strength; every set of his pole would almost +lift the boat from the water. While we were passing several guns were +leveled at us, but such was the noise that if any were fired we did +not hear them. We were glad when we passed out of range and hearing. +While passing we caught a glimpse of the cause of the unusual +disturbance, some whisky barrels, and drunken savages around them, +staggering, fighting or lying on the ground in drunken stupor. Landing +at Samuels' camp, we learned of him that one Myers had hidden a couple +of barrels of whisky on Kanabec river, that the Indians had found +them, and the jollification we had witnessed would last till the +whisky was all gone. We arrived at Stillwater without further +adventure. + +In July I made another visit to Prairie du Chien. The mail packet for +Fort Snelling, on which I expected to return, broke her shaft and +returned to St. Louis for repairs. The postmaster at Prairie du Chien +offered me seventy dollars to carry the mail to the Fort, which offer +I accepted. I bought a skiff, blankets and provisions, hired one man +and started. We poled, paddled and rowed against a strong current, the +low water compelling us to keep near the centre of the river. We +arrived at Bully Wells' on Lake Pepin on the fifth evening and +politely asked the privilege of stopping with him and were promptly +refused. It was raining very hard at the time. We drew our skiff up on +the shore, turned it over for a shelter, and crawled beneath it with +the mail. As it was a cold, wet night, we suffered severely. As we +were passing an island above Red Wing, the day following, we saw some +Sioux Indian wigwams, and, as we had no firewater and no food to spare +we kept close to the opposite shore. We were, however, observed. An +Indian appeared on the shore near the wigwams and beckoned to us to +cross over. We made no reply but kept steadily on our course, +observing, meanwhile, that the Indian, with his gun, was skulking +along through the brush, apparently bent on overtaking and waylaying +us. We kept a respectful distance, and fortunately were able to +increase it, but not till we were beyond rifle shot did we dare to +pause for rest. That night we camped without striking a light, and +next day arrived at Point Douglas. I went no further. The hardship and +exposure of this trip brought on a severe illness. Mr. David Hone, at +whose house I remained for two weeks, under the care of Dr. Carli, of +Stillwater, took the mail to Fort Snelling. Soon as able I returned to +Stillwater. + +In May of this year I had made a claim of government unsurveyed land, +covering springs sufficient for a water power. While I was sick at +Point Douglas, Joseph Brewster, Martin Mower and David B. Loomis +formed a company to build a mill and carry on a logging business. They +had agreed upon me as a fourth partner and to build on my claim; Mower +and Loomis to attend to getting logs, Brewster and Folsom to build the +mill. We moved to our claim Oct. 6, 1846, and went to work in earnest. +We agreed upon the name of Arcola for the new settlement. The mill was +not finished until April 3, 1847, at which time Brewster and Folsom +sold out their interest and returned to Stillwater. + + +STILLWATER IN 1846. + +Living in Stillwater, Jan. 1, 1846, were the following married men: +Cornelius Lyman, Socrates Nelson, Walter R. Vail, Robert Kennedy, +Anson Northrup, Albert Harris, John E. Mower, William E. Cove, John +Smith, and W. H. C. Folsom. Among the unmarried men were: John +McKusick, C. Carli, Jacob Fisher, Elam Greely, Edward Blake, Elias +McKean, Calvin F. Leach, Martin Mower, David B. Loomis, Albion +Masterman, John Morgan, Phineas Lawrence, Joseph Brewster, John +Carlton, Thomas Ramsdell, William Rutherford, William Willim, Charles +Macey, and Lemuel Bolles. + +Here follows a list of the pioneers of the St. Croix valley, in 1846, +not mentioned elsewhere: Nelson Goodenough, who became a river pilot +and settled at Montrose, Iowa; James Patten, Hugh McFadden, Edwin +Phillips, a millwright, an ingenious, eccentric man, who left the +valley in 1848; Joseph Brewster, who left in 1848, and settled in +Earlville, Illinois; Sylvester Stateler, blacksmith, who removed to +Crow Wing county, Minnesota, and O. H. Blair, who followed lumbering, +a man of talent, but eccentric. He died in 1878. The first school was +taught in 1846, by Mrs. Ariel Eldridge, formerly Sarah Louisa Judd. +The second school was taught in 1847, by Mrs. Greenleaf; the third in +1848, by Wm. McKusick. A school house was built in 1848. Rev. W. T. +Boutwell, a Presbyterian minister, preached occasionally in the +reception room of Northrup's hotel. Rev. Eleazer Greenleaf, an +Episcopalian, came the next summer and established regular services. +Prior to the organization of Stillwater, Rev. J. Hurlbut, a Methodist +minister, had preached in Dakotah, St. Croix Falls and Marine, but +organized no societies. + +The winter of 1845-46 was very open. All teaming business was done on +wheels, except for a few days in December, in which there was snow +enough for sledding. A new feature in the trade of the valley this +year was the rafting and running of logs to St. Louis. + +In December, 1845, Dr. Borup, of La Pointe, and others went by ice and +overland with teams to Prairie du Chien, I accompanying them. The +first day we came to Point Douglas, at the confluence of the St. Croix +and the Mississippi. Between Stillwater and Point Douglas, on the +route we followed, some distance west of the lake, we found but one +settler, Joseph Haskell. At Point Douglas there were David Hone, a +hotel keeper; Hertzell & Burris, merchants, and Wm. B. Dibble, farmer. +We reached Red Wing the second day. At this place lived the famous +Jack Frazier, a Sioux half-breed and Indian trader, one Presbyterian +missionary, Rev. ---- Denton, and a man named Bush. James Wells, more +familiarly known as "Bully Wells," lived with an Indian squaw on the +west shore of Lake Pepin, where stands the town of Frontenac. On the +third day we went as far as Wabasha, on the west side, three miles +below Lake Pepin, where we found several French families. We stopped +at Cratt's hotel. On the fourth day we reached Holmes' Landing, now +Fountain City. There were then but two houses, both unoccupied. About +noon we passed Wabasha prairie, now the site of Winona. It was then +covered with Indian tepees. At Trempealeau, in the evening of the +fifth day, we found two French families. On the next day we reached La +Crosse and found there two American families. Two days more brought us +to Prairie du Chien. On the way we passed a few French families, and +these, with those previously named, constituted the entire white +population between Stillwater and Prairie du Chien. + +We started on our return with four two horse teams. We took the river +road, passing over the ice. In our company was one Tibbetts, from Fort +Crawford, and Jonathan E. McKusick, emigrating from Maine to St. Croix +valley. They were a social, jovial pair. At Capilaux bluff, Dibble's +team was ahead, and my team second. At this place all halted to allow +the thirsty an opportunity of liquoring up, which was done at the rear +team. Dibble, in going back, left his team unfastened, and while he +was "smiling" with his jovial companions the team ran away. The horses +soon broke loose from the sled. One horse made for the shore, the +other plunged into an air hole in the ice. The entire company rushed +to the rescue, and with ropes and poles managed, at last, to float the +horse upon the ice in an unconscious condition. All the whisky left by +the "smiling" throng was poured down the horse's throat, but in vain. +The animal was dead. No other event of interest occurred except some +difficulties experienced in the transportation of the first cat ever +brought to Stillwater. "Tom" was caged in a narrow box, and the +confinement so chafed his proud spirit that he sickened and at one +time was reported dead. At the inquest held over his remains by Capt. +McKusick, signs of life were discovered, and by liberal blood-letting +the cat was restored to consciousness and lived several years +afterward, a terror to the rats in Stillwater. + + +STILLWATER IN 1847. + +For about a year the writer had been officiating as justice of the +peace with but little official business, but now and then a marriage +to celebrate. On one occasion I walked to Marine to marry W. C. Penny +to Jane McCauslin. The marriage was celebrated at Burkelo's boarding +house. The wedding supper consisted of cold water and cold pork and +beans. The following morning I did not wait for breakfast but returned +to Stillwater as I had come, on foot. Another day I rode to Bissell's +Mounds and united in marriage John Kenny and a mulatto woman. Friend +Kennedy threatened to disown me for thus aiding miscegenation. "Such +things are intolerable," he said, but from aught I have ever known to +the contrary the couple were well assorted. + + +TERRITORIAL ELECTION. + +On the sixth day of April an election was held for the ratification or +rejection of the constitution adopted by the late territorial +convention for the anticipated state government; also a resolution +relative to negro suffrage, and an election was ordered for sheriff. +The vote resulted as follows: + +For the constitution, 65; against, 61. For equal suffrage to colored +persons, 1; against, 126. For sheriff, Walter R. Vail, 58; W. H. C. +Folsom, 72. + +There were five precincts that held elections--Stillwater, St. Paul, +Gray Cloud, Marine, and St. Croix Falls. + +I immediately gave bonds and qualified as sheriff, and the same day +took charge of two criminals, Chippewa Indians, who had been committed +by me for murder, while acting as justice. I had previously deputized +Ham Gates to take care of them. While in Stillwater they were confined +in the basement of the post office building. Their names were Nodin +and Ne-she-ke-o-ge-ma. The latter was the son-in-law of Nodin. They +were very obedient and tractable, and I treated them kindly, for which +Nodin repeatedly told me he would show me a copper mine on Kanabec +river. Nodin died not long after his trial, and before he could redeem +his promise. The copper mine is yet undiscovered. Fort Snelling was, +at that time, the receptacle for criminals in this region, and to the +Fort I carried these prisoners with a team,--Ham Gates being +driver,--unshackled, unbound, my only weapon a pistol without a lock. +In May I summoned jurors and visited Kanabec river to procure +witnesses in the case against Nodin and Ne-she-ke-o-ge-ma for the +murder of Henry Rust. The first night I stopped with B. F. Otis, on +the St. Croix, where Taylors Falls is now situated. On the second day +I crossed the river and proceeded up the east side to Wolf creek, +thence crossing to the west side, up as far as Sunrise river. There +was no inhabitant, Samuels having vacated his shanty. I crossed the +river with great difficulty. The water was high, the current was +strong and swift, and I could not swim. I found a fallen tree, partly +under water, cut a pole, waded out as far as I could into the current, +and then by the aid of the pole floated down some distance, until by +pawing and splashing I was able to reach the other shore. That night I +stopped with an old Indian trader, Mr. Connor, who, with his Indian +wife, welcomed me to his bark shanty, divided into rooms by handsome +mats, and made me quite comfortable. He had plenty of good food, and +entertained me besides by a fund of anecdotes, incidents in Indian +history, and adventures of traders, trappers and missionaries in the +Lake Superior and St. Croix region. He was a very intelligent and +genial man. Next day I went to Russell's farm, paddled a canoe to +Ground House river, and traveled thence on foot to Ann river, where I +found the parties of whom I was in quest, Greely, Colby, Otis and +others, a jolly log driving crew, with whom I spent a very pleasant +evening. On the return journey, about two miles above the mouth of +Ground House river, I saw the ruins of the trading house in which +Henry Rust was killed. Rust, at the time of his murder, was selling +whisky for Jack Drake. Rev. W. T. Boutwell gives the following account +of the murder: "In the winter of '46 and '47 I visited the camps of +Kent & True and Greely & Blake. On one occasion I met Rust, and asked +him to come and hear me preach. He did not attend. On this day I +preached at three camps. On the following night, at Greely's camp, +came a midnight visitor with word that Rust had been shot. +Seventy-five men armed themselves with all kinds of weapons, proceeded +to the scene of the tragedy, removed the body of Rust and all +valuables from the house, knocked out the heads of two whisky barrels +and fired the house, the whisky greatly aiding the combustion. I +removed the body to Pokegama and buried it there. Forty men attended +the funeral. They held a meeting and resolved to clear the country of +whisky. They commenced by destroying two barrels of it for Jarvis. He +begged hard for his whisky, saying he was a poor man, and in debt to +Frank Steele at Fort Snelling. The response was, 'Out with your +whisky,' and it was destroyed before his eyes. The whisky of two other +trading stations followed. For a brief period there was peace, but the +whisky soon put in an appearance again." + +The first term of district court held in Minnesota, then Wisconsin, +was convened in Stillwater, the county seat of St. Croix county, June +1st. It was held in the upper story of John McKusick's store, +southwest corner of Maine and Myrtle streets, Hon. Charles Dunn +presiding. The session lasted one week. The bounds of St. Croix county +then included Crawford county, Wisconsin, on the south, Brown county, +Wisconsin, and the Lake Superior country on the east, the region as +far as the British possessions on the north, and to the Mississippi +river on the west. The jurors were found within a circuit of a hundred +miles. + +The grand jury was composed of the following gentlemen: + +Jonathan McKusick, J. W. Furber, J. L. Taylor, W. R. Brown, Chas. +Cavalier, J. A. Ford, Hazen Mooers, C. Lyman, C. A. Tuttle, Hilton +Doe, Elam Greely, Martin Mower, Jr., Edward Blake, W. B. Dibble, +Harmon Crandall, Jerry Ross, James Saunders, Joseph Brown, J. R. +Irving, J. W. Simpson, John Holton, Pascal Aldrich, and Albert Harris. + +Joseph R. Brown acted as clerk of court, Jonathan E. McKusick as +foreman of the grand jury, and Morton S. Wilkinson as prosecuting +attorney. + +The attorneys present were: M. S. Wilkinson, of Stillwater; A. +Brunson, of Prairie du Chien; Ben C Eastman, of Platteville, Crawford +and Frank Dunn, of Mineral Point. There were but few civil cases. +Nodin and Ne-she-ke-o-ge-ma were indicted for murder, tried and +acquitted on the ground that the killing was the result of a drunken +brawl. + +This season, in addition to attending to my duties as sheriff, I went +to St. Louis with a raft of logs. The steamer War Eagle, Capt. Smith +Harris, towed through the two lakes, St. Croix and Pepin, a fleet +containing ten acres of logs. During the winter of 1847-8, I was +engaged in logging. It was difficult to get supplies to the pineries +before the swamps were frozen over. This season my goods were taken by +batteaus from Stillwater to Clam lake. + + +AMUSEMENTS.--SOCIETY BALL IN STILLWATER. + +A writer in the Stillwater _Lumberman_, April 23, 1877, gives a +sketchy account of an old time ball, from which we select a few items: + +Anson Northrup kept what we called a first class hotel. If a man had +blankets he could spread them upon the floor and sleep till the bell +rang. If he had none he spread himself on the floor and paid for his +lodging by tending stove and keeping the dogs from fighting. It was +one of the aristocratic rules of the house that a man who slept in +blankets was not to be disturbed by dogs. + +At one time our popular landlord got up a ball. He sent round a copper +colored card,--a half-breed Indian boy,--to tell all the folks to +come. Everybody was invited. At the appointed hour they began to +assemble. Soon all in town arrived except one Smith. Frequent +inquiries were made for Smith, and at last a deputation was sent to +inquire the cause of his absence; when it transpired that he had +broken his leg. He said he was helping the landlord roll a barrel of +whisky from the landing when the barrel slipped, and, rolling back on +his leg, broke it. Northrup said that he had bet him one gallon of +whisky that he could not lift the barrel to his lips and drink from +the bung. In attempting to do this the barrel had slipped from his +grasp with the result before mentioned. The wife regretted the +accident very much, and said that if it had not been for that barrel +of whisky, or some other whisky, they might have both attended the +dance. She could have put out the fire, locked up the house, tied up +the dog and taken her nine days' old baby with her. "There would be +younger babies at the dance," she said. + +Everything was ready. The ball opened with three "French fours," or +two over. They danced a French two, the music consisting of one old +violin with three strings, played by a half-breed from St. Croix +Falls. He played but one tune and called it, "Off she goes to +Miramachee." This carried a "French four" well enough, but when we +danced a cotillion or hornpipe there was a great deal of rolling +around instead of dancing. We often called for a new tune. "Oh, yes, +gentlemen, you shall have him," but when we got him it was the same +old "Off she goes." He worked hard to please the company and the sweat +rolled down his manly cheeks like the droppings from the eaves of a +saw mill; but all this would not do; it was the same old "Off she +goes." There were twenty-four couples at the ball. The ladies brought +with them their babies, fourteen in number, and ranging from six weeks +to six months old. The night passed merrily, uproariously, but without +tragic incident. The fiddler became at last so tipsy that he could no +longer play "Off she goes to Miramachee," and staggered off to that +locality himself. The only thing direful occurred at the breaking up, +about five o'clock in the morning. The fourteen babies had been laid +to sleep on a bed, but some malevolent genius during the dance mixed +them up and changed their wraps, so that the mothers, in the hurry of +their departure, gathered and took home with them each one some other +mother's darling, and this deponent saith not that the snarl has ever +been untangled and the babies restored to their rightful mothers. + +With the year 1848 a new era dawned upon Stillwater and the valley of +the St. Croix. Great changes had taken place in the little town. There +were many new citizens, new buildings had been erected and the streets +were much improved. Slabs had been placed over the quagmires on Main +street. A stage route had been established to St. Paul, on which +stages ran regularly. This was the first stage route in Minnesota. + +The correction lines of the government survey had been run in 1846-7, +chiefly in the latter year. Township, range and section lines were run +in 1847, and in the early part of 1848. Prior to this claims had been +made and were held subject to the limitations of the first legal +survey. The creation of the new state of Wisconsin and the +prospective organization of Minnesota Territory, the development of +the lumbering business and the formal opening of the government lands +to entry, gave an impetus to immigration. Stillwater profited largely +by this immigration, it being an objective point. Population +increased. The village was regularly surveyed and platted in the fall +of 1848, Harvey Wilson, surveyor. Stillwater, although it never +aspired to be the future capital of the Territory, became a +headquarters for political characters and a place for public meetings +for the discussions of territorial and other public questions. It was +convenient of access, and contained up to that time a greater +population than was to be found in St. Paul, and it seemed likely to +become the commercial metropolis of the Territory. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[A] For the facts in this history I am indebted to John McKusick, +Jacob Fisher, Elias McKean, and Elam Greely. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +BIOGRAPHIES. + +JOSEPH RENSHAW BROWN, one of the best known of the pioneers, came to +Dakotah, Schulenberg's addition, in 1839. For items in his history I +am personally indebted to him. He was born in 1805, and, when old +enough, apprenticed to a printer. On account of ill treatment he ran +away and enlisted in the United States army at the age of fourteen +years, serving as a drummer boy. He came with the army to the +Northwest Territory in 1819. After enlistment he made his first home +at Gray Cloud on the Mississippi, where he married a half-breed woman. +Wisconsin history says she was the daughter of Robert Dickson, Indian +trader and friend of the English in 1812. He learned and spoke the +Chippewa and Sioux languages fluently. In 1839 he founded the town of +Dakotah, at the head of Lake St. Croix, and erected some log +buildings. Through his influence, in part, St. Croix county was +organized, and the county seat located in Dakotah. + +He built here a two story log court house, which, the county failing +to pay for, was left upon his hands. He kept a trading station, was +clerk of the county court and county commissioner. He filled several +offices of trust and was by far the most important and universally +serviceable man in the new county of St. Croix. In 1843 he left +Dakotah, and returning to Gray Cloud, continued his Indian trade at +that point and further west by means of branch houses. He was a member +of the territorial Wisconsin legislature two sessions at Madison. He +returned to Stillwater in 1848, left again in 1849, and in 1850 +removed to St. Paul, where, in 1852, he purchased of Mr. Goodhue the +_Pioneer_, then the leading Democratic paper of the Territory. Mr. +Brown was chief clerk in the Minnesota territorial legislature during +the sessions of 1849, 1850 and 1851. In 1854 and 1855 he was a member +of the territorial council. In 1857 he was a member of the Democratic +wing of the constitutional convention. During his residence in St. +Paul he was interested in building up the town of Henderson, to which +place he ran a stage line from St. Paul. About this time, also, he +busied himself with the invention of a steam wagon, calculated to +traverse the western plains and drag after it trains of cars. +Financial and other difficulties prevented the completion of his +design, which, however, he never entirely abandoned during the +remainder of his life. In fact he went East in 1870 expressly to get +his invention perfected, but from this journey he never returned. He +died somewhat suddenly in New York in that year. + +Mr. Brown was a man of iron will and muscular frame. He owed but +little to schools, but was a close observer of men and of the times in +which he lived. He was a genial companion and true friend, and a man +of honorable principles. His was a rugged but generous nature. He was +public spirited, far seeing and far reaching in his plans. He believed +in the great Northwest. He predicted its future greatness as a wheat +growing and agricultural country, and, as far back as 1839, predicted +that a great city would rise at the head of Lake St. Croix or at the +Falls of St. Anthony. Yet so little schooled was he in the wisdom of +the speculator that he sold the property in St. Paul now known as +Kittson's addition, and worth several millions of dollars, for one +hundred and fifty dollars, and a lot on Third street, now valued at +$25,000, for a box of cigars. + +PAUL CARLI.--Mr. Carli was of German and Italian descent. He was born +in Italy, July 25, 1805. His father was a merchant. He was married in +Chicago, in 1834, to a sister of Joseph R. Brown, and moved in 1841 to +the outlet of Bolles creek, on the west side of Lake St. Croix, to a +place near the site of Afton. In 1846 he was accidentally drowned in +the lake, within sight of his dwelling. His children, Joseph R. and +Maria, are residents of Stillwater. + +CHRISTOPHER CARLI, brother of Paul, was born at Frankfort-on-the-Main, +Germany, Dec. 7, 1811. The youth of Christopher was devoted to study. +He was educated at Heidelberg University, and studied medicine. He +came to America in February, 1832. The March following he located in +Buffalo, where he practiced medicine three years, and returned to +Europe where he remained two years. Returning to America, he practiced +a year in Chicago, a year in New Orleans and another year in Chicago. +He came to Dakotah, St. Croix valley, May 24, 1841. March 12, 1847, he +was married to the widow of Paul Carli, Joseph R. Brown officiating as +magistrate. He was the first practicing physician north of Prairie du +Chien. His home was at Dakotah until the organization of Stillwater. +He opened his first office on the west side of Lower Main street, +block 28. His practice extended from Lake Pepin to Lake Superior and +from Menomonie Mills, Wisconsin, to the Mississippi river. His mode of +travel was by birch canoe, on horseback, on skates and on foot. He was +a member of the first city council in Stillwater and has been city and +county physician. He opened the first bank in Stillwater when +fractional currency was in demand. His floating scrip was all +redeemed. Two children, Christopher and Socrates N., are married and +residents of Stillwater. Dr. Carli died Nov. 6, 1887. + +LYDIA ANN CARLI.--Mrs. Carli has passed through many stirring scenes, +and is one of the first female settlers in the St. Croix valley. A +fluent and interesting talker, her recitals of early incidents and +adventures are heart enlivening. Lydia Ann Brown was born in +Lancaster, Penn., March 18, 1818. In 1834 she came with friends to +Chicago, where in 1839 she was married to Paul Carli. She came to +Dakotah in 1841, and lived there until 1844. The village was +surrounded by Indians and there was no white woman nearer than Marine, +twelve miles distant. In 1844 the Carlis removed to the mouth of +Bolles creek, near Afton, on Lake St. Croix, where they built +themselves a two story house commanding a picturesque view of the lake +and the adjacent prairies and hills. It was a lone tenement, midway +between Prescott and Stillwater. Mrs. Carli having lost her husband as +before narrated, in 1847 was married to his brother, Dr. Christopher +Carli. + +[Illustration: James S. Anderson] + +PHINEAS LAWRENCE.--But little is known of the early life of Mr. +Lawrence. He had been a river pilot. He was the first sheriff elected +in the St. Croix valley, or northwest of Prairie du Chien. He was +elected and qualified in 1841. On serving the first and only summons +he was ever called upon to serve, he approached the party summoned, +holding up to view the documents, and exclaimed: "I, Phineas Lawrence, +high sheriff of St. Croix county, in the name of the United States and +of the Immaculate God, command you to surrender." He was a robust, +fleshy, cheerful man, and felt in all their force the responsibilities +of the position in which he was placed. His name has been given to a +creek in Chisago county, where he once logged. He died in Stillwater +in 1847. + +JACOB FISHER.--Jacob Fisher, a millwright, came to St. Croix Falls in +1842, and being a skilled mechanic found employment at once on the old +mill at the Falls. He made the first land claim and framed the first +building in Stillwater. The building framed was the mill of which +mention has been made. This establishes his claim to priority as the +first white man who made a movement toward the settlement of +Stillwater. Others were before him in the settlement of Dakotah or +Schulenberg's addition. Mr. Fisher is a plain, frank, outspoken man, +who has no trouble in making his hearers understand exactly what he +means. He was born in Canada in 1813, and still resides in Stillwater. +He has a wife and one son in California. + +JAMES S. ANDERSON was born at Marshalltown, West Virginia, on the +fourth of February, 1826. When he was twelve years old his parents +removed with him to Burlington, Iowa, where he lived for eight years. +He came to Stillwater in 1846, where he has since resided. In 1852 he +was married to Miss Harriet T. McDonald, at St. Louis, by whom he has +had four children, three of whom are now living--Robert M. Anderson, +prominently known in lumber circles, and Misses Sibella S. and Ella P. +Anderson. Upon Mr. Anderson's arrival at Stillwater, he engaged in the +employ of Elias McKean, then a prominent lumberman, now a resident of +Washington county. In 1869 Mr. Anderson formed a partnership with +William McKusick, John A. Nelson and Alexander Johnson, under the firm +name of McKusick, Anderson & Co., which firm built and operated the +large saw mill opposite Stillwater. Four years ago Mr. McKusick +retired from the firm, since which time the firm has been J. S. +Anderson & Co. In 1874 Mr. Anderson became the senior member of a +heavy logging firm known as Anderson & O'Brien, of which the other +members were the well known lumbermen J. S. and John O'Brien. In +connection with his other business interests Mr. Anderson was a heavy +owner of pine lands, and a stockholder and director in the Lumberman's +National Bank. There were two other well known lumber firms of ancient +date with which he was connected, and these were McComb, Simpson & +Co., organized in 1850, and also Delano, McKusick & Co., organized in +1857. From 1857 to 1869 he was also a heavy logger alone. Mr. Anderson +died May 8, 1885. His death resulted from a mill accident, his rubber +coat having caught in the belting of a shaft revolving at a rapid +rate. His body was frightfully mangled, but he survived two days, +exhibiting, under the circumstances, the most remarkable composure, +dictating his will and arranging his business matters as calmly as he +might have done on an ordinary occasion. + +EMANUEL DIXON FARMER was born in Tennessee in 1828, and came to +Stillwater in 1845, where he has resided ever since, engaged in the +lumbering and saloon business. He was married to Parmelia A. Collier, +in Stillwater, 1848. + +COL. JOHN GREELY.--Col. Greely was sixty years of age when he came to +the West, and although a strong, active and enterprising man in the +earlier part of his life, owing to advancing years and ill health was +rather a spectator than an active participant in the stirring scenes +of his new home. He was born at Southampton, Massachusetts, April, +1777. He was married to Hannah Greely, a second cousin, at Hopkinton, +New Hampshire, Oct. 5, 1801. He followed the lumbering business on the +Merrimac river in early life. He furnished the timber used in erecting +the first factory in Lowell, Massachusetts, cut on the mountains of +North New Hampshire. In after life he moved to the west end of Sebec +lake, Maine, where he founded the town at first named Greely, but +afterward Willimantic, now the site of extensive manufactories where +the famous Willimantic thread is made. Col. Greely came to Stillwater +in 1847. + +Born during the Revolutionary struggle, he lived to witness the +marvelous growth and prosperity of his country and died during the +first year of the war of the Rebellion. Aged as he was, having entered +upon his eighty-fifth year, he was intensely interested in the issue +of that struggle, and ardently desired to live long enough to witness +the triumph of his country's cause. It was not to be. He sank +peacefully to rest, Oct. 30, 1861, dying as he had lived, an honest +man, his memory revered by all who knew him, and cherished by three +generations of descendants. His children were three sons and five +daughters--Sarah, Mrs. Blake, Mrs. Greenleaf, and Phebe and Servia, +wives of John McKusick. Miss Sarah alone survives. + +MRS. HANNAH GREELY.--Mrs. Greely, the wife of Col. John Greely, was +born in Hopkinton, New Hampshire, October, 1787, came to Stillwater in +1847 and died May, 1878, at the advanced age of ninety years. For +sixty years she and her husband walked side by side. She survived him +seventeen years, and, after a life well spent, resignedly folded her +hands and sank to her last repose. + +ELAM GREELY.--Elam, son of Col. John Greely, was born in Salisbury, +New Hampshire, Aug. 13, 1818, and, with his parents, moved to Maine, +where they made their home on Sebec lake. In 1840 Mr. Greely came to +St. Croix Falls, where he was employed by the St. Croix Falls Company +the greater part of the time until 1843, when he became a settler at +the head of Lake St. Croix. He was one of the original owners of the +first mill at Stillwater. In 1844 he sold his interest to John +McKusick. The same year he was appointed postmaster at Stillwater. The +office was located at the southwest corner of Main and Chestnut +streets. + +Mr. Greely filled many offices of honor and trust meritoriously. He +was a member of the third and fourth Minnesota territorial councils. +In 1845, in company with Edward Blake, he did an extensive pine log +business, running the logs to St. Louis, in which business he +continued until the death of Mr. Blake in 1848. + +Mr. Greely early identified himself with the interests of Stillwater, +of which he was one of the founders, and which owes much of its +prosperity to his efforts. He was married in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in +1850, to Hannah P. Hinman, who, with three children, a son and two +daughters, survives him. His oldest son died Oct. 21, 1876. Mr. Greely +had many severe reverses in business, but by indomitable energy +recovered from them, and was able not only to care for his aged +parents, to bring them from Maine and keep them with him until +separated by death, but to leave his family well provided for. He died +suddenly away from home, Sept. 14, 1883. His body was brought to +Stillwater for burial. + +HIMAN GREELY.--Himan, son of Col. John Greely, was born in Franklin, +New Hampshire, October, 1828. He came to Stillwater in 1846, where he +followed the business of lumbering. In 1850 he was married to Lucia +Darling. After a brief residence in Stillwater, he removed to +Beauford, Blue Earth county, where he remained until his death in +1882. His wife survived him but a few months. The bodies of both were +removed and buried in Fairview cemetery, Stillwater. Mr. Greely +applied himself closely to business, and was an honest, upright and +intelligent man. His education was derived chiefly from reading and +observation. He left two sons. + +AQUILLA GREELY.--Aquilla, the youngest son of Col. Greely, was born in +Greely, Maine, June, 1831. During his youth he spent several years +with friends in Canada, where he learned the art of surveying. He came +to Minnesota in 1849, and followed surveying and lumbering. He died in +Stillwater, April 25, 1857. + +ELIAS MCKEAN.--A thorough business man, an eccentric man, notably so, +an apt man, ready in reply, somewhat harsh, if irritated, but kind in +heart and forgiving in spirit, is Elias McKean. He was born in +Bradford county, Pennsylvania, June 30, 1817, and received a practical +education. His father was a man of some note, and for twenty-eight +years a circuit judge in Pennsylvania. Elias McKean came to St. Croix +Falls in 1841, and for a year was in the employ of the Falls Company, +but afterward engaged successfully in business for himself. He was one +of the original proprietors of the Stillwater mill, and one of the +founders of Stillwater. In 1850 he settled on a farm on the west side +of Lake St. Croix. In 1855 he was married to the widow of Calvin F. +Leach, and a family of six sons has grown up around them. + +CALVIN F. LEACH.--We are not able to give date or place of birth. Mr. +Leach came to St. Croix Falls in 1842 and soon after came to the head +of Lake St. Croix, and became one of the original owners of the mill, +and a founder of the city of Stillwater. In 1850 he was married to +Miss ---- Smith, of St. Anthony. He died in St. Louis in 1853. He was +modest and retiring in his demeanor, correct in his deportment and +respected by all his acquaintances. + +SOCRATES NELSON.--Mr. Nelson was born in Conway, Massachusetts, Jan. +11, 1814, received an academic education, was married to Mrs. Bertha +D. Bartlett in 1844, at Hennepin, Ill., and the same year came to +Stillwater, and engaged in selling goods. Previous to his removal to +Stillwater he engaged in merchandising in Illinois, in 1839, and in +St. Louis from 1840 to 1844, where he established a trading post on +the Mississippi nearly opposite Reed's Landing, at a place since known +as Nelson's Landing. Mr. Nelson was the first merchant in Stillwater. +His store stood on Main street. He built a substantial dwelling and +lived in it until his death, May 6, 1867. He filled many public +positions, was territorial auditor from 1853 to 1857, and was a +senator in the second state legislature. As a merchant he was very +successful, being fitted by nature for commercial pursuits. In 1853, +he, with others, built a saw mill in South Stillwater and engaged in +lumbering. He was of a free and generous disposition in all his +relations of life. He conveyed, as a donation to Washington county, a +half interest in the block of land on which the court house stands. +His liberality and public spirit did much for the prosperity of +Stillwater. His wife and one daughter, Mrs. Fayette Marsh, survived +him, but Mrs. Marsh died in 1880. She was a woman of great sweetness +of disposition, and beloved by all who knew her. His widow died in +1885. + +MRS. SOCRATES NELSON.--Bertha D. was born at Conway, Franklin county, +Massachusetts, Sept. 6, 1813. She was married to Geo. A. Bartlett, of +Conway, in 1838, and removed with him to Knoxville, Illinois, where he +died. She returned to her parents in Massachusetts, and removed with +them to Hennepin, Illinois. In the fall of 1844 she was married to +Socrates Nelson, and came with him to Stillwater. She died Oct. 8, +1885. She was the last of her family, husband and daughter having +preceded her to the world of spirits. The large attendance of old +settlers from Washington county and elsewhere at her funeral, and the +beautiful floral tributes contributed by her friends, attested but +partially the respect and veneration in which she was held. + +EDWARD BLAKE.--Of Mr. Blake's early history we have no data. He came +to the St. Croix valley in company with Elam Greely in 1840, engaged +in lumbering, and died in 1849. + +WALTER R. VAIL.--Mr. Vail, the second merchant in Stillwater, came +West in 1844. He built a store, with dwelling attached, just south of +Socrates Nelson's store, which buildings are still standing and +occupied (1886). Mr. Vail was not successful in business and moved +away in 1848. + +[Illustration: MARTIN MOWER. A PRACTICAL AND SUCCESSFUL LUMBERMAN OF +STILLWATER.] + +JOHN E. MOWER.--Mr. Mower was born in Bangor, Maine, Sept. 15, 1815. +He was married to Gratia Remick, in Keokuk, Iowa, in 1842, and removed +to St. Croix Falls, where he entered the employ of the Falls Lumbering +Company. Two years later he removed to Stillwater, where he built the +second frame dwelling, still standing. Mr. Mower was a millwright and +carpenter, but was engaged in lumbering most of his time. He purchased +an interest in the mill property at Arcola, in 1847, which place he +made his home until his death, which occurred June 11, 1879. He left a +widow and three daughters, Helen, wife of the late Louis Torinus; +Emily, wife of Henry Van Voorhees; and Mary, wife of ---- Richardson. +One son died after arriving at manhood. Mr. Mower was a pleasant, +reliable man, a kind husband and loving father. He was honored by his +fellow citizens with an election to the fifth and sixth territorial +councils, and to the seventeenth state legislature (house). The +territorial legislature affixed his name to a county. + +MARTIN MOWER.--Martin, brother of John E. Mower, came to St. Croix +Falls in 1842, and worked in the employ of the Falls Company. +Afterward he engaged in lumbering and became one of the original +proprietors of the Arcola mill. He was also engaged in manufacturing +and merchandising in Stillwater. He built a fine block of buildings on +Chestnut street, recently burned down and rebuilt on a larger scale. +He has been one of the managing owners of the St. Croix Boom Company +from its origin. His business interests have been divided between +Stillwater and Arcola, but he has made the latter place his home since +1846. As a business man he is capable and shrewd, giving close +attention to his business; in his manner somewhat eccentric. He has +done in much to improve the farming and other interests of the +country. + +WILLIAM WILLIM.--A firm, consistent, worthy citizen and true friend of +his adopted country is William Willim. He was born in the parish of +Woolhope, Herefordshire, England, June 26, 1821; came to America in +1838, and to Stillwater in 1844. He was married in 1847 to Clara G. +Haskell, and, after her death in 1850, to Joanna W. Hinman. Mr. Willim +is a stonemason, plasterer and contractor. He was a member of the +sixth Minnesota territorial legislature, and has filled many +responsible positions in Stillwater. Mr. Willim's was the first +naturalization that occurred in the limits of Minnesota. The oath of +allegiance, a somewhat unique and original document of its kind, bears +date of June 18, 1847, Stillwater, St. Croix county, Wisconsin +Territory, and is signed by Joseph R. Brown. + +ALBERT HARRIS.--Mr. Harris was a native of Maine. He was born in 1815 +and married to Miss Greenleaf in 1841, who died in 1853. He came to +Stillwater in 1845, where he died in 1856, leaving one daughter, wife +of the late Levi Thompson, attorney at law in Stillwater, and one son +in California. Mr. Harris was a house carpenter and much respected by +his neighbors. + +CORNELIUS LYMAN.--Mr. Lyman is of the seventh generation of the Lyman +family that came over from England in 1631. He was born in Brookfield, +Vermont, Aug. 11, 1792. He was married in Brookfield to Betsey Cushman +and came to Illinois at an early date, whence he removed to Marine +Mills, in 1842, where he kept a boarding house until 1844, when he +removed to Stillwater, where he kept a boarding house until 1848. He +then removed to his farm three miles above Stillwater, where, by +industry and economy, aided by his faithful wife, he was able to build +a comfortable home, in which they continued to live until at a good +old age they were removed by death, which claimed them in the same +year, the husband dying January, 1864, and the wife in April. They +were members of the Presbyterian church from early life, and respected +as citizens, honored as Christians. Mrs. Lyman was one of the +excellent of the earth. Mr. Lyman had an inexhaustible fund of humor, +and was rather fond of practical joking. Many of his jokes were of the +rarest description. They left two sons, Cornelius Storrs and David +Pride. + +DAVID B. LOOMIS.--Few men have been more active in business and public +life than David B. Loomis. He was born in Wilmington, Connecticut, +April 17, 1817. In 1830 he came with his parents to Alton, Illinois, +where, at the age of fifteen, he engaged as clerk in a store and +served in that capacity five years. Mr. Loomis was in the building in +Alton in which Lovejoy was shot and killed for the expression of +sentiments which the nation has since been compelled to adopt. In 1843 +he came to the St. Croix valley and engaged in lumbering. In 1846 he +was one of the four original owners of the Arcola mill, but in 1849 +sold his interest to Mr. Mower, and for four succeeding years was in +charge of the St. Croix boom. In 1847 he was surveyor general of logs +and lumber. In 1851 he was a member of the Minnesota territorial +council, and was re-elected in 1853, serving in all four years, during +one of which he was president of the council. In 1853 he was one of a +company that built a mill in South Stillwater. He sold out in 1859. In +1861 he entered the army as lieutenant, Company F, Second Minnesota +Volunteers, and was promoted to a captaincy. He served three and a +half years. Stillwater has been his home since the war. In 1873 he +represented Washington county in the legislature. + +WILLIAM E. COVE.--The year of Mr. Cove's birth is not known. He came +to Stillwater in 1844. His marriage to Nancy Edwards, elsewhere noted, +was the second marriage in the village. He was by trade a house +carpenter. He removed to Minneapolis in 1864. + +JOHN SMITH.--Of the eight first families, that of John Smith was one. +Of this particular "John Smith" little is known, except that he was +sober and industrious, and, in 1848, moved to parts unknown. + +JOHN MORGAN.--We have no account of the early days of Mr. Morgan, +except that he was a native of Pennsylvania. He was living in +Stillwater in 1845, in the employ of Churchill & Nelson. In 1848 he +was elected sheriff of St. Croix county, Wisconsin. In the same year +he was married to Hannah Harnish. He settled on a farm and kept a +"half way house" on the road from Stillwater to St. Paul, when the +pioneer stages of Willoughby & Power were placed on this route. In +1848 he obtained a charter from the Wisconsin legislature for a ferry +across Lake St. Croix at Stillwater. This ferry changed ownership +repeatedly and was discontinued when the bridge was built. + +ANSON NORTHRUP.--This gentleman, whose name was borne by the first +steamboat ever launched on the Red River of the North, and who brought +the first drove of cattle through from Illinois to St. Croix Falls, +deserves a conspicuous place in the annals of the Northwest. He was +born in Conewango, Cataraugus county, New York, Jan. 4, 1817. His +education was limited, but he was a man of more than ordinary native +ability and energy. He lived in Ohio some years, and came West in +1838. In 1839 he drove the first herd of cattle through a wilderness +country from the Wisconsin river to the St. Croix. In 1841 he removed +his family from Ohio to St. Croix Falls. He came by way of St. Louis, +from that point embarking on the steamer Indian Queen for the Falls. +The steamer was three weeks making the trip. Above Prairie du Chien +crew and passengers were obliged to cut wood to run the boat. Mr. +Northrup had married Betsey Edwards, daughter of widow Edwards, one of +the pioneers of Stillwater. Charles H., their eldest son, was the +first white child born at St. Croix Falls. In the spring of 1844 he +moved to Stillwater, where he built and kept the first hotel in that +place. From 1847 to 1848 he was part owner of the Osceola saw mill +along with Mahony and Kent. In 1849 he removed to St. Paul, and built +the American Hotel on Third street, east from Seven Corners. In 1851 +he removed to St. Anthony Falls and built there the St. Charles Hotel. +In 1853 he removed to Minneapolis, and built the Bushnell House, the +first brick building in the city. Subsequently he became a resident at +Long Prairie, Swan River and Duluth. Although Mr. Northrup's genius +tended chiefly in the direction of hotel building, his abilites in +other directions were beyond question. With equal facility he turned +his hand to lumbering, steamboating and statesmanship. His great +steamboat enterprise was the attempted transfer of the steamer North +Star by water from the Mississippi to the Red River of the North. The +boat was one hundred feet long by twenty wide, and of light draught. +Starting from St. Cloud in the spring of 1859 he performed the +wonderful feat of ascending the Mississippi as far as Pokegama Falls, +hoping to ascend further, and during a high stage of water to float +the boat over the height of land into some of the tributaries of the +Red river. The water was not sufficiently high. The winter following +he took the boat to pieces, and removed it by land to Red river, +opposite the mouth of the Cheyenne, where it was reconstructed and +launched, taken to Fort Garry and afterward sold to Mr. Burbank. This +boat, its name being changed to Anson Northrup, was the first +steamboat on the waters of Red river. + +Mr. Northrup's political career commenced and closed with the first +Minnesota legislature, 1857-58, he representing the counties of +Morrison, Crow Wing and Mille Lacs in the senate. + +During the Rebellion he served as wagon master. He lived in Texas +three years, returned to St. Paul, where he lived in 1874-75-76, and +now lives in Bismarck, Dakota. + +ROBERT KENNEDY.--Mr. Kennedy, in 1839, located at Holmes' Landing, now +Fountain City, on the banks of the Mississippi, above Winona. In 1844 +he removed to Dakotah, where he kept a hotel in the old tamarack court +house, built by Joseph R. Brown. In 1846 he kept a hotel in the +Northrup House, Stillwater; in 1848 he kept the American Hotel, +Shakopee. Subsequently he returned to St. Paul and kept a boarding +house, and for three years the hotel known as "Moffett's Castle." +Afterward he kept the Snelling House, and last the Bernard House. +From 1853 to 1856 he was collector of customs for the port of St. +Paul, and during that time the fees amounted to the enormous sum of +forty six dollars and forty-two cents. Mr. Kennedy spent about thirty +years as a landlord, in which capacity he was very popular. + +HARVEY WILSON.--Mr. Wilson was born in Corinth, Saratoga county, New +York, December, 1815. He resided in his native county twenty-five +years, then removed to St. Louis, where, for three years, he engaged +in surveying. He came to St. Croix Falls in 1843 and to Stillwater in +1847. He acted as J. R. Brown's deputy clerk of court, June term, +1847. He was appointed clerk of the first Minnesota territorial term +of court, Aug. 13, 1849, in which office he continued until his death, +Nov. 3, 1876. Mr. Wilson was married in 1851 to widow Mary +Stanchfield. + +ANDREW JACKSON SHORT.--Mr. Short was born in St. Clair county, +Illinois, in 1818. He came thence to the St. Croix valley and located +at Marine in 1843, and commenced running rafts with W. B. Dibble. In +1857 and 1858 he gathered logs as agent in Lake St. Croix, rafted and +run them below, but lost heavily and was in fact financially wrecked. +He afterward engaged in the logging and hardware business in +Stillwater. In 1868 he built the famous Dudley mills at Point Douglas, +at a cost of $35,000. Mr. Short made Stillwater his home until 1862, +when he removed to Hastings. Much credit is due him for what he has +accomplished. When he came to the St. Croix valley he could neither +read nor write, but by energy, industry and native force of character, +notwithstanding a few reverses, he has done far more than many other +men in his position could have done. As a man he is genial and social. + +JAMES D. MCCOMB.--Mr. McComb was born in Washington county, +Pennsylvania, Feb. 13, 1827, came to Stillwater June 10, 1846, and +engaged in mercantile business with John H. Brewster three years, when +he entered the firm of Anderson, McComb & Co., Robert Simpson being +the third member. They did an extensive business for years. They built +the large stone store on the corner of Main and Myrtle streets. Mr. +McComb in 1860 became clerk in the surveyor general's office, which +position he held ten years. He was surveyor general of logs and lumber +four years, his accurate knowledge of the various marks used admirably +fitting him for the position. He served as deputy sheriff in 1846 +under James Fisher, of Prairie du Chien, and in 1847 under W. H. C. +Folsom, of Stillwater. Mr. McComb has passed all the degrees in Odd +Fellowship. He was married to Eliza T. McKusick in Stillwater, March +4, 1851. Mrs. McComb died in Stillwater Sept. 17, 1885. + +WILLIAM RUTHERFORD.--Mr. Rutherford was born in 1823, in Stanton +county, New York, and came to Stillwater in 1844. He married Christina +J. Holcombe, at Jackson, Mississippi, in 1849. In 1848 he removed to +his farm near Stillwater, where he has since lived. He has been quite +successful as a farmer. Mr. Rutherford died March 15, 1888. His name +will be remembered with honor. + +ALBION MASTERSON.--Mr. Masterman has also prospered as a farmer. He +was born in Franklin county, Maine, in 1823; received a common school +education; was married to Eliza Middleton in 1848; came to Stillwater +in 1844, and in 1850 removed thence to his farm, where he died, Aug. +8, 1886. Mr. Masterman's life has been an industrious and exemplary +one. + +JOSEPH N. MASTERMAN.--Mr. Masterman came to Stillwater, September, +1848. He engaged in lumbering and scaling continuously. He was born in +Franklin county, Maine, in 1814, and spent his youth at home, but his +education was somewhat limited. At the age of sixteen years he moved +to Schoodic, lived there fourteen years, when he married Alice M. +Prescott, and four years later came to Stillwater. His two sons, +Wellington and Joseph P., reside in Stillwater. Wellington is auditor +of Washington county. + +MAHLON BLACK.--Mr. Black is of Scotch descent. His grandfather was a +naval officer during the war of the Revolution, and a soldier in the +war of 1812. Mahlon Black was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, Oct. 4, +1820. He spent his youth on his father's farm, and received a common +school and academic education. When seventeen years of age he began +the study of medicine in Cincinnati Medical College, but did not +complete the course. In 1842 he came to Menomonie Mills, Wisconsin, +and engaged in lumbering until 1846. In 1847 he was connected with +government surveys, and the same year located in Stillwater. He was a +representative in the first, third, and last territorial legislature, +also a member of the extra session in 1857. He was mayor of Stillwater +in 1860-61. In 1862 he enlisted in a company of sharpshooters, which +was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. He was promoted to be +captain, and provost marshal in the second division of the Second Army +Corps, and one of Gen. Gibbon's staff officers. He was in fifty-four +battles and skirmishes, in some of which over 100,000 men were engaged +on each side. He was wounded four times, once severely, by a bayonet +thrust received in a charge at the battle of Petersburgh. He served +until the close of the war, and received a special and honorable +discharge from his commander, Gen. Smyth, on the face of which are +recorded the names of the battles in which he participated. In 1867 he +removed from Stillwater to Minneapolis, where he has held the +positions of land examiner and auditor of Hennepin county. He has the +distinction of being the first Odd Fellow initiated in Minnesota. +Sept. 21, 1850, he was married to Jane M. Stough, of Pennsylvania. + +MORTON S. WILKINSON.--The record of Mr. Wilkinson, though brief, is +brilliant. He was born in Skaneateles, Onondaga county, New York, June +22, 1819; received an academic education in his native town; read law; +was admitted to the bar at Syracuse, New York, in 1842; commenced +practice in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, and in 1847 came to Stillwater. +Mr. Wilkinson was the first practicing lawyer northwest of Prairie du +Chien, was the prosecuting attorney at Judge Dunn's court in +Stillwater, June, 1847, and was a member from Washington county of the +first territorial legislature in 1849. He removed to St. Paul in 1850, +to Mankato in 1857, and in 1859 was elected United States senator. In +1860 he was one of the commissioners to compile the state statutes. In +1868 he was elected representative to Congress and at the close of the +term was re-elected. From 1874 to 1877, inclusive, he served as state +senator from Blue Earth county. Mr. Wilkinson is an eloquent and +forcible speaker, and a man of unusual ability, a sound and logical +reasoner, and withal fluent. He has been twice married. His first wife +was a daughter of Rev. Lemuel Nobles, of Michigan. Mrs. Wilkinson died +in Michigan. He married a second wife before coming West. They reside +in Wells, Minnesota. + +WILLIAM STANCHFIELD.--Mr. Stanchfield was a native of Maine, born in +the year 1820, was married to Mary Jackins, in Bangor, Maine, in 1840, +and came to Stillwater in 1846, where he engaged in keeping a hotel on +Main street, which was burned while he was in charge. Mr. Stanchfield +died in 1850, leaving a widow who subsequently married Harvey Wilson, +and an infant daughter, who became, years after, the wife of George +Davis. + +THOMAS RAMSDELL.--Mr. Ramsdell was born at Falmouth, England, Dec. 28, +1820. He married in England and came to this country with his wife in +1843. He settled in Stillwater in 1844, and removed to his farm in +1846, where he has been successful in raising apples and smaller +fruits. His wife died in 1851. His second wife was Jane Willey. Mr. +Ramsdell has been a quiet, good citizen, reliable and trustworthy. + +CHARLES MACY.--An orphan at thirteen years of age, Mr. Macy's early +life was full of changes, adventures and vicissitudes. He was born in +Canada East in 1821. He lived a somewhat wandering life until 1845, +when he came to Fort Snelling, and shortly after to Stillwater, where, +in 1846, he made a claim which became his permanent home. He was +married in 1854. + +JONATHAN E. MCKUSICK.--There was no more genial, pleasant, off-hand +man than Jonathan E. McKusick. He was the life of public gatherings. +His remarks, full of wit and sentiment, would keep his audience in a +pleasant frame of mind. At old settlers' meetings his fund of +anecdotes, historical incidents and reminiscences were in the highest +degree interesting and entertaining. Mr. McKusick was born in Cornish, +Maine, in 1812; was married to Minerva King in 1836, and came up the +Mississippi on the ice, in December, 1845, to Stillwater, which he +made his home until his death, which occurred Aug. 21, 1876. He took +an active interest in the welfare of the city and held many offices of +trust. He served his country during the war of the Rebellion, and in +1863 was appointed quartermaster with the rank of captain, which +position he held until mustered out at the close of the war. + +JOHN MCKUSICK.--Prominent amongst the pioneers of the St. Croix +valley, and deserving of special mention for his enterprise and public +spirit, is the subject of this sketch. He was born in Cornish, Maine, +in 1815; received a common school education; came to Illinois in 1839, +and to St. Croix Falls in 1840, where he engaged in the lumbering +business, getting logs to the Falls mill, and sawing them. Through +industry and economy he saved enough to enable him to become part +owner and builder of the first mill in Stillwater. He has held many +positions of trust. He served as state senator in 1863-64-65 and 66. +He was active in aiding to secure the land grant to build railroads +into Stillwater, in the welfare of which city he has ever manifested +the deepest interest. He has been one of the largest proprietors, and +most liberal in improving and adorning the city, has encouraged a +sound system of finances, and has steadily opposed the bonding system. +Mr. McKusick was married to Phebe Greely in 1847, who soon afterward +died. He married his second wife, Servia Greely, in November, 1849. He +has three children living, Newton, Chester and Ella. Mrs. McKusick +died Feb. 18, 1887. + +[Illustration: John McKusick] + +WILLIAM MCKUSICK, a younger brother of Jonathan E. and John McKusick, +came to Stillwater in 1847, and engaged in lumbering. He was a member +of the fifth territorial house, and a senator in the second, sixteenth +and seventeenth state legislatures. In 1870, with the firm of +McKusick, Anderson & Co., he built the large saw mill at Houlton, +opposite Stillwater. In 1882 he made his home upon a farm at Big Stone +Lake. + +NOAH MCKUSICK, another brother, came to Stillwater in 1847, followed +lumbering some years, removed to Oregon, and died there in 1886. + +ROYAL MCKUSICK came to the valley in 1848, and died a few years later, +leaving a large and respectable family. + +IVORY E. MCKUSICK.--Ivory E., brother of John and J. E. McKusick, was +born in Maine, July 2, 1827. In 1847 he came to Stillwater, with which +city he has since been permanently identified. He spent two years +working in the old mill, the first built at Stillwater, and then +engaged in lumbering until 1859. In 1862 he was appointed prison +guard, and served two years. In 1864 he was in the service of the +government, and helped build Fort Wadsworth, Dakota. He served as +surveyor general several years, and later has engaged in the +forwarding and commission business. He was married to Sophia A. +Jewell, Feb. 9, 1854. He is a man of probity and merit. + +CHARLES E. LEONARD.--The subject of this sketch was born Feb. 25, +1810, at Worthington, Massachusetts. His father died when he was four +years old. In his early life he experienced some vicissitudes. He +tried farming and hotel keeping, but owing to poor health was obliged +to give up these employments. He started West in 1846, remained awhile +in Hancock county, Illinois, and in 1847 came to Stillwater, where he +engaged in mercantile pursuits. He removed to St. Anthony in 1850, to +St. Paul in 1855, to Point Douglas in 1866, to Sioux City in 1880, and +to Princeton, Mille Lacs county, in 1881. Mr. Leonard has held several +official positions. In 1852 he was appointed territorial treasurer, +and in 1857, serving four years; was a member of the Democratic wing +of the constitutional convention. He did some military service during +the Indian outbreak in 1862. He was married to Catherine Yendes, of +Rodman, New York, January, 1835. + +DANIEL MCLEAN.--Mr. McLean was born in the north of Ireland in 1800 +and came to America in his youth with his brothers. He lived +successively in Philadelphia, Indianapolis and St. Louis, whence he +embarked for St. Croix Falls in 1839, in the employ of the Falls +Manufacturing Company. He came to Stillwater in 1848. Through industry +and economy he accumulated a handsome fortune, which, at his death, he +left to his heirs in Stillwater. He was an upright christian man. He +died in Stillwater in 1873. + +ROBERT SIMPSON.--Mr. Simpson was born in Sussex, England, in 1815. He +married Mary Ann Shelley in 1840 and came the same year to the United +States. After spending two years in New York and other places, he came +to St. Croix Falls in 1842, where he followed lumbering until 1850, +when he came to Stillwater. He belonged to the firm of Simpson, +Anderson & McComb, lumbering and merchandising, and engaged in other +branches of business. He was a member from Stillwater of the first +state legislature. He is a quiet, unobtrusive gentleman, greatly +esteemed by those who know him. Mrs. Simpson and an only child died in +Stillwater in 1856. + +WILLIAM H. HOOPER.--This gentleman attained considerable notoriety in +later life as an influential Mormon and a delegate to Congress from +Utah from 1859 to 1868. He was a man of unquestioned ability and an +eloquent speaker. His plea for "religious liberty," made against the +Cullom bill, is said to have been one of the most eloquent speeches +ever delivered in Congress. Mr. Hooper was born in Warwick Manor, +Maryland, Dec. 25, 1813. In 1835 he moved to Galena and engaged in +mercantile business. In the panic of 1838 Mr. Hooper and his partner +failed to the amount of $200,000, but, after years of struggling, the +debt was entirely paid. In 1843 Mr. Hooper engaged in steamboating as +clerk on the steamer Otter, on the Upper Mississippi and its +tributaries, and was well known at Stillwater. His boat in 1843 landed +the mill irons for McKusick & Co.'s mill. In 1844 he built the steamer +Lynx and several other boats, the last being known as the Alex. +Hamilton, of which he was part owner. This was burned at St. Louis in +1849, which left him again penniless. In 1850 he emigrated to Salt +Lake and there in his business enterprises greatly prospered. Although +he espoused Mormonism and became one of its leaders, he was opposed to +polygamy. He died in Salt Lake City. + +JAMES H. SPENCER.--James H. Spencer came to Stillwater in 1845, a boy +of sixteen. His educational privileges had been limited, but he was +ambitious and studious, and by his own unaided exertions acquired a +practical business education. He followed lumbering and exploring, and +was employed as state timber agent for fifteen years. He was born in +Boone county, Missouri, in 1829, and was married to Rose M. Winters, +in Stillwater, in 1869. + +JOHN T. BLACKBURN.--The brothers Blackburn were born in Cincinnati, +Ohio, John, the elder, in 1823. He came to Stillwater in 1844, and has +since been actively engaged in lumbering. His home has been at +Stillwater, Marine, Taylor's Falls, and Shell Lake, where he now +resides. + +JOSEPH T. BLACKBURN.--Joseph, the younger brother, was born in 1834, +and in 1847 came to Stillwater. He has followed lumbering and Indian +trading. He has made his home at Stillwater, at Taylor's Falls, and, +since 1860, on Totogatic river, in Douglas county, Wisconsin, ten +miles from Gordon. Mr. Blackburn enjoys wilderness life, is eccentric +in manner, and attends strictly to his own business. + +HORACE K. MCKINSTRY.--We have no data of Mr. McKinstry's early life. +He came to Stillwater in 1846. His family consisted of his wife, three +daughters, and son, John, who afterward married the eldest daughter of +Anson Northrup. Mr. McKinstry was a justice of the peace in 1847 and +1848, and was engaged in mercantile business the two succeeding years. +He removed to Maiden Rock, Wisconsin, a year or two after and died +there March 12, 1884. + +SETH M. SAWYER.--Mr. Sawyer was born in Skowhegan, Maine, in 1822. He +came to Stillwater in 1846, followed lumbering, and afterward engaged +in building a saw mill in the firm name of Sawyer & Heaton. In 1850 he +was married to Eliza McKinstry. Mr. Sawyer left Minnesota in 1866 for +an extended sojourn in the Southern States, and engaged in business +there, but nothing is known positively of his present whereabouts. + +HENRY SAWYER.--Henry, the younger brother of Seth, came from Skowhegan +to Stillwater in 1849, and engaged in mercantile pursuits for two +years in partnership with Horace McKinstry. In 1856 he built the first +stone block in Stillwater, on lot 2, block 27. In 1857 he built the +Sawyer House, a four story hotel. Mr. Sawyer married Lucy Noyes. He +died in Stillwater, Dec. 27, 1865, and his remains were buried in the +Kah-ba-kong cemetery, at Taylor's Falls. + +ALVAH D. HEATON.--Mr. Heaton was the partner of Seth Sawyer in +building the second saw mill in Stillwater. He came to St. Croix in +1847 and worked at the Osceola mills some time. He was a partner in +logging with O. H. Blair and afterward with Wm. Kent. He was a +brother-in-law to Hon. Cyrus Aldrich, representative in Congress from +Minnesota. In after years he removed to Idaho. + +JOHN MCKINZIE.--Mr. McKinzie was born at Inverness, Scotland, in 1818, +and came to America in 1841. He located in Stillwater in 1846, and +followed lumbering until 1856, when he removed to a farm in the Lyman +settlement. He married Rose Carlton in 1872 and removed to Miles City, +Montana, in 1879. + +GEORGE MCKINZIE, a younger brother of John, came to Stillwater in +1851, and engaged in lumbering and exploring. In 1885 he was adjudged +insane and sent to the St. Peter's hospital, from which he was soon +released. He afterward visited California, where he was drowned in San +Francisco bay. He was unmarried. + +HENRY KATTENBERG.--Mr. Kattenberg was born in Prussia in 1821, and +married to Arnebia C. Silova, at Kemper, on the banks of the Rhine, in +1844. He came to America in June, 1847, and to Stillwater in 1848. Mr. +Kattenberg opened a shop and engaged in the tailoring business. By +industry and close application to business, he prospered and secured a +pleasant home. By liberality and kindness in extending credits, and an +unfortunate venture in lumbering, he lost $14,000, which effectually +closed his business operations. With characteristic honesty, he +turned over to his creditors his homestead and all he had to meet his +liabilities. In 1880 he removed to Taylor's Falls and commenced +keeping hotel at the Falls House, on Bench street. In October, 1886, +he purchased the Dalles House of Mrs. C. B. Whiting. + +JULIUS F. BRUNSWICK.--Mr. Brunswick was born in Switzerland in 1826; +came to this country in 1846, remained a year in Illinois, and came to +Stillwater in 1848, where he engaged in lumbering, farming, +merchandising, and dealing in pine lands. Mr. Brunswick applied +himself closely to business and was successful. Feb. 29, 1859, he +married Margaret Darms, of Stillwater. He died at his home in +Stillwater in 1874, leaving a widow and seven children. + +HENRY MCLEAN.--Mr. McLean was born in Washington county, Maine, in +1828, and in 1848 came to Stillwater, which has since been his home. +He is engaged in lumbering. In 1851 he married Caroline Cover. + +HUGH BURNS.--Hugh Burns came from Ireland to America in 1830, when he +was but eight years of age, lived in the province of New Brunswick +until 1848, when he came to Stillwater, where he has since been +engaged in lumbering and farming. In 1850 he removed to St. Anthony, +in 1855 to St. Paul, and in 1856 to Stillwater. + +SYLVANUS TRASK.--Mr. Trask was born in Otsego county, New York, Nov. +16, 1811. He secured a liberal education, and taught school several +years in the state of New York. He came to Stillwater in 1848, and in +1852 was married to Euphenia Turner, of St. Paul. He represented the +Stillwater district in the first and second territorial legislatures, +1849-51. For many years he has been a surveyor and scaler of logs. + +ARIEL ELDRIDGE.--Mr. Eldridge was born in Hartford, Vermont, June 10, +1815. He was reared during his minority by an uncle, at Cambridge, New +York. In 1844 he came to the Wisconsin lead mines, at Platteville, and +in 1848 to Stillwater, where he worked afterward at his trade of house +carpenter until 1862, when he opened a book and stationery store. He +has held several city and county offices. In 1849 he was married to +Sarah L. Judd. Mrs. Eldridge died in Stillwater, Oct. 12, 1886, aged +eighty-four years. Mrs. Eldridge taught the first school in +Stillwater. + +[Illustration: E. W. DURANT. A PROMINENT MINNESOTIAN OF RENOWNED +REPUTATION.] + +EDWARD WHITE DURANT.--Mr. Durant is of Huguenot descent. During the +eighteenth century his ancestors lived in Massachusetts and were +active participants in the agitation against English oppression. +Edward Durant, Jr., an ancestor five generations from the present, was +a delegate to the Provincial Congress of 1774 and 1775, and chairman +of the committee on commercial correspondence. He died in 1782. Others +of the family filled prominent places, and were noted for their +whole-souled patriotism. + +Mr. Durant was born at Roxbury, Massachusetts, April 8, 1829. He +received a common school education, and a year in the academy. He came +to Cincinnati in 1838, and in 1844 we find him with his parents in +Albany, Illinois. In 1848 he left his parents and came to Stillwater, +where he worked three seasons on the river, running logs. He then +became a pilot on the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers and continued +in this business about sixteen years. He acted as salesman for Hersey, +Staples & Co. some years. He has been since then engaged in lumbering +and a portion of the time as a member of the firm of Durant, Wheeler & +Co. The annual sales of this firm amount to over half a million +dollars. In 1874 he was a candidate on the Democratic ticket for +lieutenant governor and in 1876 was president of the state Democratic +convention. He represented his district in the fifteenth, seventeenth +and twenty-fourth state legislatures. He was several years grand +master of the Masons of Minnesota. He has served as mayor of +Stillwater, and often as a member of the council. Mr. Durant, as his +record shows him, is one of the most industrious men of the time, and +possessed of good executive and business abilities. Mr. Durant was +married Dec. 29, 1853, to Henrietta Pease, of Albany, Illinois. + +OLIVER PARSONS.--Mr. Parsons was born in South Paris, Maine, and is +also descended from Revolutionary stock. He came to Stillwater in +1848, where he engaged in merchandising and farming. He removed to +Minneapolis in 1876, where he is at present engaged in selling goods. +He was married to C. Jewell, April, 1855. Mr. Parsons has ever been an +exemplary man. + +ALBERT STIMSON.--A native of York county, Maine, Mr. Stimson spent +there his early life, and, after a few years in New Brunswick, came to +Stillwater in 1849. He followed lumbering in his native state and on +the St. Croix. He served as surveyor general of the First district, +Minnesota, three years. He was a member of the Minnesota territorial +councils of 1854 and 1855 and a member of the house in 1853. He was +mayor of Stillwater one year, alderman two years, and was also a +supervisor of Washington county. From 1870 to 1872 Mr. Stimson was a +citizen of Kanabec county, which county he helped organize, and of +which he was one of the first commissioners. His present residence is +Anoka. + +ABRAHAM VAN VOORHEES.--Mr. Van Voorhees' ancestors were patriots +during the Revolution, and lived in New York and New Jersey. He was +born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, Dec. 2, 1793. He was reared +as a farmer. His school privileges were limited. "The Major," as he +was familiarly styled, once told me that the educational advantages he +had received in youth were very few, and that his desires and +ambitions were far beyond his means to satisfy and fulfill, and he +remarked with justifiable pride: "And what I am now, if I amount to +anything, I owe to strong nerves and will power; God has always +sustained me, and I have always acknowledged allegiance to Him." The +major had an ingenious and inventive mind. Being studious and +industrious, he accomplished much without scholastic training, and +became well versed in the sciences, and an acute reasoner. In 1832 he +removed to Athens county, Ohio, where for five years he devoted +himself to mechanical pursuits and the study of the sciences. In 1837 +he removed to Athens, and became editor and proprietor of the _Hocking +Valley Gazette_, and retained the editorship six years. While living +in Ohio, he served as county treasurer, county surveyor, member of the +legislature, and state senator. In the latter position he served four +years. In 1849 he was appointed by President Taylor register of the +United States land office at Stillwater, which place he held until +1853. In 1852 Gov. Ramsey appointed him territorial auditor. He was a +representative in the territorial legislature of 1856 and of the state +legislature of 1859-60. He was one of the commissioners for locating +the capitol and university lands. He was postmaster in Stillwater many +years, and when he was eighty years of age acted as surveyor of +Washington county. Such is a brief record of an unusually active and +useful life. Maj. Van Voorhees was a thoroughly good citizen and +christian gentleman. In politics he was Whig and Republican. His +church membership was in the Presbyterian church, of which he became a +member in 1832. In 1817 he was married to Mary Workman Voorhees. He +died at his home in Stillwater, Jan. 24, 1879, aged eighty-six years, +and was buried with christian and masonic honors. + +MICHAEL E. AMES, an attorney from Boston, came to Stillwater in 1849, +and became one of the leading lawyers of the Territory. He was urbane +and dignified, both in society and at the bar. He was a charming +conversationalist, and such a ready and fluent speaker that it was a +pleasure to listen to him. Many of his witty sayings will long be +remembered. He was twice married, but his domestic life was by no +means a happy one. He died in St. Paul in 1861, his life, no doubt, +shortened by intemperate habits, but he was polite and genial and +witty to the last. + +JOSEPH BONIN is of French descent. He was born in Montreal, Canada, +Aug. 26, 1820. He was married to Margaret Bruce in 1851. The writer +first met Mr. Bonin in Stillwater in 1845. He was then in the employ +of John McKusick. He had spent much of his life on the frontier as an +employe of the fur companies, and could relate many stirring incidents +and perilous adventures. Mr. Bonin located at Baytown at an early day. +During the Rebellion he was a member of Company B, First Minnesota +Heavy Artillery. + +MARCEL GAGNON.--Mr. Gagnon was born in Lower Canada, Aug. 17, 1825. On +arriving at manhood he came to the United States, and was an employe +of the American Fur Company several years. He removed to Stillwater in +1845, engaging in lumbering. In 1863 he enlisted in the Minnesota +Volunteer Independent Battalion, and served three years. Mr. Gagnon is +a polite, pleasant, hard working and independent man. + +SEBASTIAN MARTY was born in Switzerland in 1809, came to America in +1836, to Stillwater in 1845, and located on a farm in section 32, town +of Stillwater, now known as the Jackman homestead. In 1850 he made his +home in section 30, town of Lakeland, where he resided until his +death, Nov. 3, 1885. His widow was formerly Christine Mamsche. He was +a quiet, unobtrusive, thoroughly honest and reliable man. + +JOHN MARTY was born in Switzerland in 1823. He learned the art of +manufacturing straw goods in France. He came to America in 1846, to +Stillwater in 1848 and not long after settled on his farm in Baytown. +He was married to Anna M. Henry, in St. Paul, 1852. + +ADAM MARTY.--Mr. Marty was born in Switzerland in 1839. In 1846 he +came with his grandparents to America and located at St. Louis. In +1849 he came to Stillwater and learned the printer's trade. He was +employed one year by John McKusick. He enlisted April 29, 1861, in +Company B, First Minnesota Volunteers, was severely wounded at the +battle of Gettysburg, and honorably discharged. He resides in +Stillwater, where he has held responsible positions, and has taken a +deep interest in the Grand Army of the Republic, of which he has been +post commander. + +MICHAEL MCHALE.--Mr. McHale came from Ireland in 1836; located first +in Quincy, Illinois; then, 1840, in Galena; in 1842 in Potosi, +Wisconsin, and in 1849 at Stillwater. He was interested in a saw mill +(McHale & Johnson's), and operated also as a contractor in prison +work. He was married to Rosanna McDermott in Wisconsin, 1847. She died +in 1856. + +GEORGE WATSON.--Mr. Watson is, in common parlance, a self-made man. +Left alone in the world and dependent entirely on his own exertions +for a livelihood, he learned the carpenter's trade, learned it well, +and followed it industriously through life. Mr. Watson was born in +Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, Sept. 13, 1823, and came to the St. +Croix valley in 1849. He lived a few years in Hudson, and then removed +to Stillwater, where he has the credit of building many fine +structures. He was married in 1860 to Frances Lyman, of Stillwater. + +REV. ELEAZER A. GREENLEAF was educated at Bangor Theological Seminary. +He came to Stillwater in 1846, and became pastor of the first +Protestant Episcopal church organized north of Prairie du Chien, +excepting at Fort Snelling and some Indian mission charges. Mr. +Greenleaf was married to Susan P. Greely, of Williamsburg, Maine, in +1838. He became a great sufferer in the later years of his life. He +died in Stillwater in 1878. Mrs. Greenleaf died in Minneapolis in +1881. + +J. B. COVEY.--Dr. J. B. Covey came to Stillwater in 1844. He was born +in Duchess county, New York, in 1784. He practiced medicine many years +in Missouri. He died in Stillwater in 1851. + +JOHN SHAESBY was born in Warwick, England, in 1811; came to America in +1836, to Stillwater in 1848; removed to St. Croix county in 1850, +thence to St. Joseph, to Rush River and to Baldwin in 1874, where he +died in 1880, leaving two children and his widow in comfortable +circumstances. His eldest daughter was the wife of Capt. Isaac Gray. + +JOHN S. PROCTOR.--Mr. Proctor is of English descent, and was born in +Cavendish, Windsor county, Vermont, Feb. 26, 1826. He was favored with +a common school education. In 1846 he came to St. Louis, Missouri, and +served as mercantile clerk until 1849, when he came to Stillwater and +engaged in lumbering and mercantile pursuits. He was a member of the +firm of Short, Proctor & Co., hardware merchants. In 1860 he was +appointed warden of the Minnesota state prison, which office he held +until 1868. In 1860 he was also appointed secretary and treasurer of +the St. Croix Boom Company. He performed the duties of both positions, +but continued to serve the boom company twenty years. His experience +and reliability made him almost the umpire of this company. He was +appointed surveyor general for the years 1881 to 1884, inclusive. Mr. +Proctor was married to Caroline Lockwood, daughter of John Lockwood, +of Prairie du Chien, in 1854. They have one son, Levi. + +BARRON PROCTOR, brother of John S. Proctor, came to Stillwater when a +young man, but after a few years removed to New Orleans, whence he +returned to Stillwater, and in 1873 engaged in flour manufacturing as +one of the firm of Cahill, Townshend & Co. He disposed of his interest +in 1880. Mr. Proctor was married to Hettie Carson, adopted daughter of +Socrates Nelson and widow of John A. Hanford. He lives in St. Paul. + +HENRY WESTING is a native of Hanover. He emigrated to America in 1840 +and came to Stillwater in 1848. He commenced his business career as a +day laborer and by industry, perseverance and tact, rose to a position +of wealth and influence. He died in Stillwater, Feb. 26, 1885, much +esteemed by his associates for his sterling qualities of character. + +THOMAS DUNN was born in 1823, in Queens county, Ireland. He emigrated +to America in 1826, locating at Miramachi, on the northeast coast of +New Brunswick. He came thence to Maine, where he spent two years. He +came to the St. Croix valley in 1846, located in Stillwater, where he +has since lived and been engaged in lumbering. He is the owner of a +valuable land property at Yellow Lake, Burnett county, Wisconsin. He +has been a member of the Catholic church since infancy. + +CHARLES J. GARDINER was born at Charlotte, Maine, in 1826, and came to +Stillwater in 1849, where he followed lumbering and farming. He served +as surveyor of the First Minnesota district five years. He was married +in 1853 to Pamela Jackman. They have five children. + +SAMUEL STAPLES was born in Topsham, Maine, September, 1805. He came +west from Brunswick, Maine, in 1854, and located in Stillwater, where +he died, Dec. 26, 1887. He is the elder brother of Isaac, Silas and +Winslow Staples. He leaves a widow (his second wife), two daughters, +Mrs. E. A. Folsom and Mrs. G. M. Stickney, and two sons, Josiah and +Winslow, besides a step-son, William Langly. + +JOSIAH STAPLES, son of Samuel, was born in Brunswick, Maine, June 20, +1826. He received a good common school education. At the age of +thirteen his family removed to Penobscot county, and later to the +province of New Brunswick, but returned to Maine in 1840. In 1848 he +came to Stillwater, and has since been continuously engaged in milling +and lumbering operations, and, latterly, in steamboating. He was +married to Lydia McGlaughlin in 1853. His children are six sons and +one daughter. + +JOEL M. DARLING was born in Madison county, New York, in 1842. He came +to Galena, Illinois, in 1840, and to Stillwater in 1848, where he +engaged in farming. He served three years during the Civil War in +Company F, Seventh Minnesota, and has since been pensioned for +disabilities incurred in the service. He is unmarried. He lives in +South Stillwater. + + +EARLY RIVER PILOTS. + +JOE PERRO.--"Big Joe" as he was familiarly called, was large of frame +and big-hearted as well, honest, manly, of good report for courage and +honesty. He was fearless and prompt in taking the part of the weak and +oppressed. We were once passing together up Broadway, St. Louis, when +we passed a peanut stand. A small negro boy was crying piteously and +begging the peanut vender to give him back his money, to which appeal +the peanut vender was obdurate. We halted. Joe Perro organized a +court, heard the testimony of man and boy, and satisfied himself that +in making change the man had wrongfully withheld a dime due the boy. +Joe decided in favor of the boy and ordered the vender of peanuts to +pay him the ten cents. He replied insolently: "It is none of your +d----d business." That was enough to kindle the magazine of Joe's +wrath. A sudden blow of his fist, and the man was prostrate on the +sidewalk and his peanuts and apples scattered. The last seen of the +discomfited street merchant he was on his hands and knees scrambling +with the boys for the possession of his scattered fruits, and casting +an occasional vengeful glance at the towering form of "Big Joe" +departing slowly from the scene of conflict. Mr. Perro is of French +parentage, and a native of Kaskaskia, Illinois. He has been a resident +of Stillwater since 1844. + +JAMES MCPHAIL.--Mr. McPhail, as his name indicates, is of Scotch +parentage. He was born in Inverness, Scotland, in 1824, and came to +America in early life. He was one of the first log pilots on the +waters of the Mississippi and St. Croix. He settled in Stillwater in +1848, was married to Eliza Purinton in 1849, and died in St. Louis in +1857. Mrs. McPhail died in Stillwater in 1885. They left no children. + +JOHN CORMACK.--Mr. Cormack commenced piloting on the St. Croix in +1845. He was married in 1860 to Miss Jackins. He made his home in +Stillwater continuously for thirty years, during which time he served +as pilot. He died at Princeton, Mille Lacs county, in 1885. + +JOHN HANFORD.--Mr. Hanford was a St. Croix river pilot in the '40s. He +married an adopted daughter of Socrates Nelson, of Stillwater. He died +at Stillwater. Mrs. Hanford subsequently married Barron Proctor. + +JOHN LEACH.--Mr. Leach made his home at Marine many years, during +which time he engaged in piloting on the St. Croix; subsequently he +removed to Stillwater. In the later years of his life he has been +blind. + +STEPHEN B. HANKS.--Mr. Stephen B. Hanks, formerly of Albany, Illinois, +piloted the first raft from St. Croix Falls to St. Louis in 1842. He +followed piloting rafts and steamboats until 1885. + +SAMUEL S. HANKS.--Samuel, a brother of Stephen B., commenced piloting +in the '40s, and is still active. + + Among the early pilots on the St. Croix and Mississippi + rivers were Antoine Lapoint, Augustus Barlow, Richard + Whiting, James Hickman, George M. Penny, and Daniel McLean. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +POLK COUNTY--DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY. + + +Polk county contains 700,000 acres of land, well diversified with +timber and prairie, uplands and valleys, rivers and lakes, and fertile +enough to sustain a large population. The county was established by +the Wisconsin legislature in 1853, and originally included much more +territory than it now contains, new counties having been formed north +and east of its present domain. Indian traders had visited it at an +earlier period, but the first permanent white settlement was made in +1837, and the first pioneer who came with the serious intention of +making permanent improvements was Franklin Steele. As Mr. Steele's +history is in a great part the history of the early settlement, we +insert it here, and very nearly in the language of Mr. Steele himself, +as he communicated it to the writer some years since: + +"I came to the Northwest in 1837, a young man, healthy and ambitious, +to dare the perils of an almost unexplored region, inhabited by +savages. I sought Fort Snelling (which was at that time an active +United States fort) as a point from which to start. In September, +1837, immediately after the treaty was made ceding the St. Croix +valley to the government, accompanied by Dr. Fitch, of Bloomington, +Iowa, we started from Fort Snelling in a bark canoe, also a scow +loaded with tools, supplies and laborers, descended the Mississippi +river and ascended the St. Croix to the Dalles. We clambered over the +rocks to the Falls, where we made two land claims, covering the Falls +on the east side and the approach to it in the Dalles. We built a log +cabin at the Falls, where the Upper Copper trap range crosses the +river and where the old mill was afterward erected. A second log house +we built in the ravine at the head of navigation. Whilst building, +four other parties arrived to make claim to this power. I found the +veritable Joe Brown on the west side of the St. Croix, trading with +the Indians, a few rods from where Baker & Taylor built their mill +(near the end of the present toll bridge). Brown had also cut pine +logs, part of which, in 1838, were used by Baker & Taylor, but most of +them were burned by forest fires on the ground where they were felled. +In February, 1838, I made a trip to the Falls with a dog team for the +relief of one Boyce, who was cutting logs at the mouth of Snake river, +and had had some trouble with the Indians. I helped him until he left +the country. Peshick, a chief of the Chippewas, said, 'We have no +money for logs; we have no money for land. Logs can not go.' He said +he could not control his young men and would not be responsible for +their acts. + +"In the spring of 1838, from Fort Snelling we descended the +Mississippi river to Prairie du Chien in bark canoes, thence by +steamer to St. Louis, Missouri, where a co-partnership was formed by +Messrs. Fitch, of Muscatine, Iowa, Libbey, of Alton, Illinois, +Hungerford and Livingston, of St. Louis, Hill and Holcombe, of Quincy, +Illinois, and myself. We chartered the steamer Palmyra, loaded her +with all the materials with which to build a saw mill, including +mechanics to do the work, and started for the scene of operations. +Plans for procedure, rules and by-laws were discussed and adopted +during the journey on the steamer, and the new organization was +christened the St. Croix Falls Lumbering Company. Calvin A. Tuttle was +the millwright." + +The trip was made in safety, our immediate plans executed, and the +Palmyra was the first steamboat that ever sailed the St. Croix river +and lake. Mr. Steele made an estimate for the construction of the mill +and dam at $20,000, which he submitted to the company. It was +accepted, and Calvin A. Tuttle, a millwright, was placed in charge of +the work, but Mr. Steele sold his interest to the company before the +mill was completed. On examination of the records we find that W. +Libbey was the first agent of the company. We find also from the same +record that Libbey knew little or nothing of the business he had +undertaken. With a few barrels of whisky and one of beads he busied +himself trading with the Indians. This was the first whisky sold in +the valley, and it was sold in defiance of government law. + +Much could be written about this old pioneer company of the Northwest, +and its history, could it be truly written, would contain many +thrilling incidents and scenes worthy of remembrance; but much is +already forgotten and many of the most prominent actors have passed +away, leaving no record of their lives. The company, as a corporation, +passed through many changes of name and ownership. Its history would +be a history of litigations, of wranglings and feuds, of losses and +gains, of mistakes, of blunders and of wrongs. In the first place, the +mill was planned by men practically unfitted for such work, +inexperienced in lumbering and unacquainted with the vast expenditures +requisite for the opening up of a new country, hundreds of miles from +labor and the supplies needed for manufacturing. There were three +requisites present, a splendid water power, abundance of timber at +convenient distances and a healthful climate; but these alone did not +and could not make the enterprise a success. Had practical, +experienced lumbermen been employed the result might have been +different, but impractical methods, enormous expenses, with no profits +or dividends, caused most of the company to withdraw, forfeiting their +stock in preference to continuing with the prospect of total +bankruptcy. Goods were brought annually, at great expense, from St. +Louis by the large steamers which then controlled the trade of the +Mississippi and the St. Croix. The navigation of the St. Croix grew +annually more difficult, the immense number of logs floated down since +1838 wearing away the banks and increasing the number and area of sand +bars and not infrequently obstructing the channel with jams. + +It is not known exactly how or when the name of St. Croix came to be +applied to the beautiful river bearing it, but La Harpe, in his +"Louisiana," gives the most plausible account of its origin: "This +name is not ecclesiastical in its associations, but named after +Monsieur St. Croix, who was drowned at its mouth." Le Sueur, who +explored the Upper Mississippi in 1683, says he left a large river on +the east side, named St. Croix, because a Frenchman of that name was +drowned at its mouth. As Duluth was the first white man to embark in +the waters of the St. Croix, descending it in canoes, from near Lake +Superior, which he did in 1680; and as Hennepin and La Salle ascended +the Mississippi the same year, the name could not have had an earlier +origin, but may be fixed as given sometime between 1680 and 1683. An +old map in my possession, one hundred and twenty-five years old, gives +the present name of the river and lake. The St. Croix valley embraces +an area of territory from 20 to 90 miles in width, and about 120 miles +in length. Its northern water, Upper Lake St. Croix, is about 20 miles +from Lake Superior. The southern portion is a rich prairie country, +interspersed with groves of hardwood timber. The more northern portion +is interspersed with groves of pine, tamarack, cedar, balsam and +hardwoods. The whole district, with a small exception, is a cereal +country. It abounds in wild meadows, and much of the swampy portion +will ultimately be utilized by ditching, which will transform it all +into a good stock raising country. About eight-tenths of this entire +valley is fitted by nature for agriculture. + +Wheat, the leading cereal, averages ten to thirty bushels per acre; +the growth of tame grasses can not be excelled; vegetables grow to +wonderful size; native wild fruits abound; cultivated fruits are being +successfully introduced; cranberries are being cultivated in the +northern part. Wheat, stock, and pine lumber are the principal +articles of export. The southern portion is well watered by the St. +Croix and its tributaries--Kinnikinic, Willow, Apple, Sunrise, and +smaller streams, lakes and springs. The northern portion is abundantly +watered by the St. Croix and tributaries--Wolf, Trade, Wood, Clam, +Yellow, Namakagan, Rush, Kanabec and Kettle rivers. Small streams and +lakes are numerous, of which only the largest are named on the maps. +The valley is abundantly supplied with water power, capable of running +enough manufactories to work up all the products of the country. The +soil is, as a general thing, dry and arable. April and May are the +seeding months. Crops mature, and are seldom injured by frosts. The +whole country adjacent to this valley will answer to this general +description. + +On the twenty-ninth day of July, 1837, our government purchased the +valley of the St. Croix of the Indians at a treaty held at Fort +Snelling, Gov. Henry Dodge and Gen. Wm. R. Smith acting as +commissioners. The purchase was ratified in Congress in the spring of +1838. Polk county, originally a part of Crawford, in 1840 became a +part of St. Croix, and in 1853 received its present organization and +name, the latter in honor of James K. Polk, eleventh president of the +United States. This country occupies the eastern part of the valley +of the St. Croix lying between Burnett and St. Croix counties on the +north and south, and Barron on the east, the St. Croix river forming +its western boundary. The surface is agreeably diversified with forest +and prairie land, and is supplied with excellent springs, rivers and +lakes. Most of the underlying rock is sandstone. This rock crops out +along the banks of the St. Croix and is extensively used for building +purposes. Lime rock is also found along the river banks, some of which +is of a superior grade, notably that below Osceola, which is +manufactured into lime and exported. The natural scenery can scarcely +be surpassed in the West. The towering, precipitous bluffs along the +St. Croix, the picturesque trap rocks of the Dalles, and the bright +clear lakes of the interior have long been an attraction to the +tourist. The lakes and smaller streams abound in fish, and the latter +are famous for their abundance of brook trout. + +The county seat at the organization of the county was located at St. +Croix Falls. The first election held in the limits of the present +county of Polk, prior to its organization, was at St. Croix Falls, +then a voting precinct, known as Caw-caw-baw-kang, a Chippewa name, +meaning waterfall. The returns of this election were made to Prairie +du Chien. I was present at the canvassing of these returns. They were +found to be accurate. Annually since then elections were held at this +point and returns made, first to Prairie du Chien, Crawford county, +then to Stillwater, St. Croix county, to Hudson, St. Croix county, and +to Osceola Mills, Polk county. By an election held in Polk county just +after its organization the county seat was removed to Osceola Mills, +by a unanimous vote. The records of the first elections can not be +found, they having been stolen from the safe in 1864. The following +county officers were elected in 1853: Isaac Freeland, clerk of court +and register of deeds; E. C. Treadwell, sheriff; Oscar A. Clark, +surveyor; Wm. Kent, county treasurer; Harmon Crandall, coroner; Nelson +McCarty, district attorney; J. Freeland, clerk of board of +supervisors. The first meeting of the board of supervisors was held in +Osceola, in Isaac Freeland's building, where the offices were located +for many years. The first court was held in the school house, Wyram +Knowlton presiding. Both petit and grand juries were in attendance. +Isaac Freeland was the first attorney admitted to practice. Isaac W. +Hale was the first county judge. The first marriage was that of Lewis +Barlow to ---- ----, at St. Croix Falls. The first birth in the county +was that of Charles Northrup, son of Anson Northrup, at St. Croix +Falls (1844). The first death was that of John Kelly, by drowning +(1839), at St. Croix Falls. The first school in the county was +established at St. Croix Falls by Miss Tainter, from Prairie du Chien, +in 1848. The first school house was built in Osceola in 1852, the +second at St. Croix Falls in 1861. The first mail, established in +1840, was carried up the St. Croix river by batteaus in summer and by +sleds over the ice in winter. The mail was weekly; the carrier was Dr. +Philip Aldrich. The first land mail route was in 1847, from Willow +River to St. Croix Falls. The mail was carried by Dr. Aldrich through +the woods. The first stage route was established in 1855. The first +deed we find of Polk county property is recorded at Prairie du Chien +Sept. 2, 1845, from James Purinton to John Witherell, of St. Louis, +Missouri, for $4,933,--a deed of trust covering a saw mill at St. +Croix Falls. The second deed is from Benj. T. Otis to Edmond Johnson, +conveying an undivided interest in a pre-emption claim, known as the +Northrup or Jerusalem claim, about one mile east of St. Croix Falls, +for $200. The first deed recorded in the county of old St. Croix was +Sept. 29, 1845, from James Purinton, of St. Croix Falls, to John H. +Ferguson, of the city of St. Louis, Missouri,--consideration +$1,552,--of St. Croix Falls water power property. The first store was +built in St. Croix Falls in 1839 and stocked with goods by the St. +Croix Falls Company. The first blacksmith shop and the first hotel +were built at St. Croix Falls. The first grist mill was built at +Osceola in 1853. The first crops were raised at "Jerusalem," the first +farm in the county, in 1839. "Jerusalem" was the farm now owned by Wm. +Blanding, and was early noted as a resort for pleasure seekers, as a +place for picnics and base ball games. The first pre-emption and entry +of land was made in 1848, by Harmon Crandall, of Farmington. Settlers +came into the county slowly until about 1866, since which time the +population has more rapidly increased. + + +THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC. + +Undoubtedly the greatest curse to the pioneers of a new settlement, +and to the aborigines as well, is the liquor traffic. The Indians, +under the influence of whisky, became infuriated and were capable of +committing any atrocity; the effects upon the whites were not so +violent but just as surely demoralizing, and in time as fatal. Among +dealers in the vile fluid there was no one more persistent and +unscrupulous than Capt. M. M. Samuels. During the summers of 1848 and +1849 there was no other whisky selling house at the Falls. The +character of the whisky sold was vile beyond description. Mrs. H---- +and son informed me that they were employed by Samuels during the +summer in compounding various roots with tobacco and boiling them, for +the manufacture of a strong drink that was sold for whisky. Many, both +whites and Indians, were poisoned by this compound. As an emphatic +evidence against the vileness of the liquor, I append some of the +blighting results: + +A talented young lawyer, Hall by name, from Philadelphia, became +infatuated with the peculiar whisky furnished by Samuels, and when +insane from its effects ran from Barlow's boarding house to a high +rock overhanging the St. Croix river, just below the falls, plunged in +and was drowned. + +Another, named Douglas, under the same influence, tried repeatedly to +drown himself, when his friends bound him securely with cords. He then +managed to stab himself. + +Alexander Livingston, a man who in youth had had excellent advantages, +became himself a dealer in whisky, at the mouth of Wolf creek, in a +drunken melee in his own store was shot and killed by Robido, a +half-breed. Robido was arrested but managed to escape justice. + +Livingston, once, when on his way from Wolf creek to Clam falls, +sought refuge in my camp, having with him two kegs of whisky. The +Indians soon collected at the camp in fighting trim and sung and +danced madly about the door of the cabin, and clamored for +scoot-a-wa-bo (whisky). I refused to allow any whisky to be issued. +The Indians were furious. Livingston cowered with fear. Foreseeing +trouble I ordered Nat Tibbetts and Jonathan Brawn to take the kegs and +follow me. The Indians stopped their gymnastic performances and gazed +intently. With an axe and with a single blow on each keg I knocked in +the heads, and the whisky was soon swallowed up in the snow. The +Indians sprang forward with demoniac yells and commenced licking up +the saturated snow, after which they danced around me, calling me +"Oge-ma" (captain). I gave them food and they went away sober and +apparently satisfied. + + +FRONTIER JUSTICE. + +In the spring of 1848 there were two rival whisky sellers at or near +Balsam lake. Miles Tornell, a Norwegian, was located midway between +the lake and the Falls. Miller, a German, had his post at the lake. +Miller was an older trader, and claimed exclusive rights. A bitter +feeling sprang up between them, which resulted, as the testimony +afterward proved, in the murder of Tornell. His house was burned, and +his body found concealed in a coal pit. One McLaughlin, who was +stopping with Tornell, was also murdered. An investigation was set on +foot. Samuels and Fields acted as detectives, and fixed the crime upon +an Indian, whom they arrested on an island in Blake's lake, and +brought to the Falls for trial. H. H. Perkins acted as judge, a jury +of good men was impaneled, and the trial was held in Daniel Mears' +store. A prosecuting attorney and counsel for the accused were +appointed. The Indian frankly confessed the killing, and said that he +had been hired to do the bloody work by Miller. Another Indian +testified to being present on the occasion of the murder. After brief +remarks by the lawyers, the jury brought in a verdict of guilty. There +was no formal sentence. The Indian was kept under guard till next +morning, when, by the unanimous consent of all present, he was hanged +to a tree, since blighted, that stood near the old burying ground +(later Louisiana street), and was hanged, Samuels officiating as +sheriff. The Indians present were permitted to take the body, which +they buried with Indian rites. Toward Miller, who ought to have been +held as principal, the crowd were unexpectedly lenient. Instead of +being hanged upon the same tree, he was merely lashed to it, and +flogged, Pat Collins administering fifteen strokes on the bare back +with a beech withe. He was then placed on a steamboat and ordered to +leave the country, never to return. Of the more active participants in +the hanging, Pat Collins, who officiated as hangman, and who flogged +Miller, was undeniably a hard citizen. He had a bitter grudge against +Miller, and administered the strokes with a will. He was himself +hanged some years later in California for highway robbery. Chas. F. +Rowley, who assisted in the hanging, lived for some years on a farm +at Wolf creek, enlisted in 1861 in the Union army, and was killed in +battle. + + +POPULATION OF ST. CROIX FALLS IN 1848. + +The following heads of families resided in St. Croix Falls in 1848: H. +H. Perkins, Edward Worth, G. W. Brownell, Otis Hoyt, J. Saunders, R. +Arnold, L. Barlow, A. L. Tuttle, M. M. Samuels, Geo. De Attley, Moses +Perin, and W. H. C. Folsom. + +The following single men claimed this as their home: D. Mears, J. L. +and N. C. D. Taylor, P. Kelly, A. Romain, J. and W. R. Marshall, W. F. +Colby, Dr. De Witt, W. J. Vincent, C. Dexter, A. Youle, H. H. +Newberry, J. and O. Weymouth, Geo. Field, W. W. Folsom, J. H. Tuller, +J. Dobney, J. Paine, and some others whose names I can not readily +recall. + + +NATURAL LANGUAGE. + +The Indians, when unable to talk English, nevertheless managed to +express themselves intelligibly by gestures, picture writing, and +vocal utterances, imitating the sounds which they wished to describe. +A kind old Chippewa occasionally visited my camp. He would sit by the +camp fire and mark out in the ashes the outlines of lakes and streams. +In tracing South Clam river, at a certain point he drew a line across +the stream, and blew his breath between his teeth and lips in such a +way as to perfectly imitate the sound of falling water. Sometime +afterward, in exploring Clam river, on rounding a curve I heard the +sound of falling water, and found the fall just as he had located it. + + +THE DROWNING OF HAMLET H. PERKINS. + +Mr. Perkins had been in the village since 1847, acting as agent for +the Falls company until the winter of 1850-51, when he was +accidentally drowned while attending to his duties. He was engaged in +repairing the dam, and was standing on a block of ice. In an unguarded +moment he lost his foothold and was carried by the swift current under +the ice. It was two days before his body was recovered. His family +left the valley, taking the body with them. + + +A QUAILTOWN MURDER. + +St. Croix Falls. The buildings consisted of a dwelling house, whisky +shop, bowling alley, Indian house and stable, the whole +inappropriately styled Quailtown, as the name was a gross slander upon +the innocent birds. The quails in this "Partridge" nest were evil +birds. The resort was noted for its riotous disorder. The worst +classes met there for revelry and midnight orgies. In the summer of +1849 Alfred Romain and Patrick Kelly met at Quailtown, disputed, +fought, were parted, and the neat day met by agreement to continue the +fight with pistols. They were to meet at sunrise in front of Daniel +Mears' store. An attempt was made to pacify them, but in vain. Only +Romain appeared at the appointed place, and not finding Kelly, hunted +through the village for him. About 9 o'clock A. M. he found him at the +house of Kimball, a mulatto man. Romain shot him at sight, fatally. At +the inquest, held by Dr. Hoyt, it was proven that Romain fired four +shots into the body of Kelly, each taking effect, and then crushed his +skull with the pistol, and that Kelly fired one shot at Romain. Romain +was held for murder, but was never brought to trial. After two years' +confinement he escaped from the jail at Prairie du Chien. + +Romain afterward removed to St. Louis, reformed his mode of life and +became a steady and respectable man. Kelly was a native of Ireland, +and at the time of his death was engaged to be married to an estimable +lady, one of the corps of teachers sent out by Gov. Slade. + + +MINERAL PERMITS. + +In 1846 a party of speculators, composed of Caleb Cushing, Rufus +Choate, Robert Rantoul, and others, located a mineral permit, one mile +square, covering part of the site of the two towns of St. Croix and +Taylor's Falls, with the water power as the centre. Their permit was +filed in the general land office at Washington. They located another +permit at or near the mouth of Kettle river. As no money was ever +expended in improving them, these permits were never respected. +Subsequently the government resurveyed the lands and sold them. The +present title to these lands is perfectly good. + + +MARRIAGE UNDER DIFFICULTIES. + +In the olden time officers could not always readily be found to +execute the laws. Parties desiring to be married, being unable to +secure the services of a minister or justice of the peace, would seek +for an officer on the other side of the river, get on a raft or boat, +cast off the fastenings and under the concurrent jurisdiction of the +state and territorial authorities, would be pronounced "man and wife." +Parties have had the same rite performed in the winter season while +standing on the ice of the St. Croix midway between the two shores. + + +AN INDIAN SCARE. + +During the excitement following the Indian outbreak, there was a +general feeling of insecurity and alarm. The half-breeds were +especially apprehensive of some kind of violence. One bright moonlight +evening, at St. Croix, a surveyor was taking some observations, and as +his instrument glittered brightly in the moonlight, the half-breeds +saw it and fled, badly frightened, fancying a Sioux behind every bush. +The whites seeing them running, as if for their lives, caught the +panic, and fled over to the Minnesota side. The Taylor's Falls people +were aroused from their peaceful slumbers to find, soon after, that it +was a false alarm. Some of the fugitives hid underneath the bridge and +clung to the trestle work till morning. + + +THE FIRST FIRE CANOE. + +I am indebted to Calvin A. Tuttle for the following reminiscence: In +July, 1838, the steamer Palmyra, Capt. Middleton, of Hannibal, +Missouri, in command, the first steamer on St. Croix waters, brought +me to St. Croix Falls, landing in the Dalles, east side, opposite +Angle Rock. The snorting of the Palmyra brought many curiosity seeking +Indians to the Dalles. They gathered on the pinnacles of the trap +rock, peered curiously over and jumped back, trembling with fright at +the "Scota Cheman" or "fire canoe," the first that had ever floated on +the placid waters of the St. Croix. I had been employed as millwright +to erect mills in the new, and, as yet, almost unknown settlement. On +the Palmyra came the proprietors, Steele, Fitch, Hungerford, Libbey, +Livingston, Hill, and Russell, with mill irons, tools and provisions +for the enterprise. + + +MILL BUILDING. + +After climbing over the cragged rocks we came to an Indian trail which +led to the Falls, where we found two men, Lagoo and Denire holding +the claim for Steele. The fanciful scheme of building a mill up in the +wild land looked now like a reality. The men lived in a log cabin just +below the Falls, in a small clearing in the timber, near a copper rock +range. Boyce and his men had been driven in by Indians from above. +Andrew Mackey and others of Boyce's men went to work with us. +Thirty-six men had come from St. Louis on the steamer Palmyra. We +moved our machinery from the Dalles to the Falls by water and +commenced work immediately. Steele's men had been hindered by the +Indians from procuring timber for the building of the mill. We +obtained a supply from Kanabec river, which arrived September 15th. +Building the mill and blasting the rock occupied our attention during +the winter. The mill was soon completed and running. During this +period the work was often interrupted and the men were greatly +demoralized by the threatening behavior of the Indians. Many of them +were frightened into leaving the settlement, but their places were +supplied by the company whenever practicable. During 1840 we received +some reliable accessions, among them J. L. Taylor, John McKusick, +Joseph Haskell, Elam Greely, J. W. Furber and A. McHattie. Some frame +houses were built near the mill. Washington Libbey was our first +agent, Darnes our second (1839), Capt. W. Frazer our third (1840), +Capt. Wm. Holcombe our fourth (1841). The first death was of a man +drowned in 1840. The first white woman who visited the Falls was Mrs. +David Hone. Rev. Boutwell preached here in 1839. A. Northrup and +family came in 1840. + + +INDIAN MURDERS. + +In 1840 Jeremiah Russell, the Indian farmer at Pokegama, Pine county, +Minnesota, sent two Chippewa Indians to St. Croix Falls for supplies, +who arrived in safety. A band of fifty Sioux Indians were concealed at +this (St. Croix Falls) settlement for some days. Within an hour after +the arrival of the two Chippewas, the settlement was surrounded by +these Sioux. The whites, seeing that trouble was brewing, secreted the +Chippewas for two days, the Sioux closely watching. The white men were +restless, and afraid to go to work. Capt. Frazer, Rev. Ayers and +myself held a council and explained the situation to the Chippewas, +who replied that they would not expose the whites to trouble. They +resolved on leaving and started in open day north over the trap rock +ridge, thence through the bushes, where they discovered two Sioux. The +Chippewas were armed and fired on the Sioux, killing them instantly. +The Chippewas then started to run. The report of the guns brought +squads of Sioux immediately in pursuit, who, firing on the Chippewas, +killed one. The two dead Sioux were sons of Little Crow. They were +placed by the Sioux in a sitting posture, with backs to a tree, facing +the enemy's country, on the second bench near where the mill dam was +subsequently built, a double barreled gun standing on the ground +between them. They decorated the corpses with war paint, ribbons and +mosses. The two Chippewas who killed Little Crow's sons bore the +titles Julius and Wezhaymah. The Sioux in pursuit killed Julius, and +his head was hung up in a kettle before those he had slain. His body +was chopped in pieces and scattered to the four winds. + +From an historical letter, written by Mrs. E. T. Ayer, who lives at +Belle Prairie, Minnesota, and whom we have elsewhere mentioned, we +have the following description of the death of the sons of Little +Crow: + +"Julius was of medium height, stout build, very neat, and when in full +dress very few Indians would favorably compare with him. Being a good +hunter he had the means of gratifying his taste. His hair was long and +abundant, and was kept clean and shining by the frequent use of comb +and brush, with the help of a little marrow or bear's oil. Three or +four of his numerous long braids, studded with silver brooches, hung +gracefully on both sides of his face and over his arms--the rest of +his dress in a manner corresponding. His hair, like Absalom's, did not +save him from his enemies. The Dakotas may dance around it for +generations and never see its equal. + +"Wezhaymah made his appearance at Pokegama. As he drew near the houses +he gave a salute from his double barreled gun. The Ojibways were much +frightened. They believed the Sioux had returned to make another trial +for scalps and plunder. The first impulse of the women was to hide. +The chief's wife and oldest daughter being at the mission house, went +through a trap door into a dark cellar. But when the supposed dead +stood before them, alive and well, there was great rejoicing. + +"Wezhaymah said that Julius killed both of Little Crow's sons; that +the Sioux followed him but a short distance, then all turned after +Julius. He took a circuitous route home, traveling in the night and +hiding in the day. Julius' parents, Joseph and Eunice, and other +members of their family, were members of the mission church. He and +his wife made no profession, though they sometimes attended religious +worship." + +About twenty days after, about one hundred Sioux came from little +Crow's band at Red Rock for the bodies of their dead comrades and the +gun, having first, by means of spies, satisfied themselves that there +were no Chippewas in the vicinity. One morning, as the whites were +going to work, they were surprised by the sudden appearance of these +Indians, who rushed suddenly down upon them from different trails, +gorgeously painted and without blankets. Their movements were so +sudden that the whites were completely surprised, and at the mercy of +the Indians, who, however, satisfied themselves with searching the +camp and appropriating all the victuals they could find, ostensibly +searching for the gun which was not to be found where they had left +it. Complaining bitterly of its loss, they withdrew to a trap rock +ledge near by, where they formed a circle, danced, sung and fired +several guns into the air. They then asked to see "Oge-ma," the agent, +and formally demanded the gun. Everyone in camp denied any knowledge +whatever of the missing article. The Indians were at first much +dissatisfied, but finally Little Crow advanced, smoked a pipe and +offered it to. Capt. Frazer, shook hands and withdrew, apparently in +peace. + +As it is not the custom for Indians to molest the dead, they firmly +believed a white man had taken the gun. Little Crow applied to Maj. +Plympton at Fort Snelling, charging the theft upon the whites. The +major in turn wrote to Capt. Frazer at the Falls to make an +investigation, as a result of which the gun was found in a tool chest +belonging to Lewis Barlow, concealed under a false bottom. Barlow +professed entire innocence and ignorance of the matter, suggesting +that his brother must have placed the gun there. Capt. Frazer severely +reprimanded him for imperiling the lives of all the whites in the +settlement by his foolish and thievish act. The gun was sent to Maj. +Plympton, who wrote to Capt. Frazer cautioning him to be on his guard, +as the Indians were much irritated. Barlow had earned the contempt and +dislike of his fellow workmen. + + +INDIAN BATTLE OF STILLWATER + +Mr. Tuttle was at the Falls at the time of the famous battle between +the Sioux and Chippewas, which was fought in the ravine where the +Minnesota state prison now stands, July 3, 1839, and has given me the +following account: + +The Chippewas of the St. Croix had been invited by the officer in +command at Fort Snelling to a council, the object of which was to +effect a treaty of peace. Two hundred and fifty or three hundred +Chippewas, including their women and children, passed down the St. +Croix in canoes, rested in fancied security in the ravine near the +present site of Stillwater, and made a portage thence to Fort +Snelling, where, under protection of government soldiers, the council +was held. The pipe of peace had been smoked and the Chippewas were +quietly returning home, and had encamped a second time in the ravine, +expecting to re-embark the next morning on the waters of the St. +Croix. Just at the dawn of the ensuing day, and while they were still +asleep, a large body of Sioux, who had stealthily followed them, fell +upon them suddenly, and with wild yells commenced an indiscriminate +slaughter. The Chippewas rallying, drove the Sioux from the ground, +thereby retaining possession of their dead, to the number of about +thirty. After the smoke of peace at Fort Snelling it was reported that +a Sioux had been killed. This incensed them so that they followed in +two parties, one party pursuing the St. Croix band and another the +Mille Lacs band up Rum river. The latter party overtook the Chippewas +at the point where Princeton is now located, and slew sixty of their +number. It was afterward ascertained that the Sioux killed near Fort +Snelling was killed by a Pillager of the Upper Mississippi, an Indian +of a band that was not in the council. The Sioux and Chippewas, it is +true, are bitter, relentless, hereditary foes, but this slaughter +occurred through a grievous mistake. The Chippewas, on their return, +rested at the Falls. Capt. Frazer gave them medicine, dressed their +wounds and fed them. The Indians gave way to the wildest grief at +their losses, and when they heard of the sixty killed of the Mille +Lacs band, their mourning cries and moans baffled description. + + +THE FIRST LOGGERS. + +The first logs were cut by J. R. Brown on the Taylor's Falls flat in +the winter of 1836-37, but the first regular outfit and camp was that +of John Boyce, who came up in a mackinaw boat from St. Louis with +eleven men and six oxen, landing at St. Croix Falls late in the fall +of 1837. Mr. Andrew Mackey, who was in his party, has furnished me +with some items regarding this adventure. The boat was cordelled over +the rapids, and, with poles and lines, taken as far as the mouth of +Kanabec river, where a camp was established. Boyce had considerable +trouble with the Indians. Little Six, a Chippewa chief, came to the +camp with two hundred warriors in a defiant, blustering manner, +telling him to "go away," to "go back where they came from." Boyce +proceeded to the Indian mission at Lake Pokegama and invoked the aid +of Rev. Mr. Boutwell, Ely, Ayers and Seymour, who came back with him +to the camp and had a "talk" with Little Six, who claimed that the +whites had paid no money. Mr. Seymour explained to them the provisions +of the treaty, of which they would soon hear; that under its +provisions the whites had a right to the timber; that they were not +usurpers, that they would live peaceably and not disturb their game. +The Indians granted assent, but refused to allow the whites to remove +any of their chingwack (pine). Mr. Seymour, apprehending trouble, +advised Mr. Boyce to leave. He determined to remain. The Indians being +still troublesome, Mr. Boyce descended the river to the falls, the +Indians following. On going over the falls the boat filled and Mr. +Boyce lost nearly all he had. The Palmyra shortly after broke the +silence of the Dalles with its shrill whistle and brought the news of +the ratification of the treaty by Congress. Boyce sent his boat down +the river, built small boats and made haste to return to his camp on +Kanabec river, where he remained through the fall and winter cutting +logs. + + +THE FIRST RAFTING. + +In April and May of 1839, Boyce rafted his logs with poles and ropes +made of basswood strings. The high water swept them away. He gathered +from the broken rafts enough for one raft, made it as strong as +possible, and continued the descent. The raft struck upon the first +island and went to pieces. Boyce saved the canoe and a part of the +provisions. Boyce was by this time in a furious rage at his want of +success, but tried a third time to make a raft. The crew, tired and +hungry, refused to work. A new contract was made and written on a +slate, there being no paper. The logs were left in the river. Some of +them floated down and were sold to the Falls company and to the +company at Marine. Boyce lost all his labor and investment; the men +got but little for their work. Frank Steele had assisted in supplying +provisions and clothing for the men, the value of which he never +received. Boyce was disgusted and left the country. + + +AN INDIAN PAYMENT. + +Levi W. Stratton, who came up on the Palmyra, July, 1838, gives a few +reminiscences from which we select an account of a payment made to the +Chippewa Indians the year of his arrival. The crew and passengers of +the Palmyra had been greatly annoyed by the Indians, who expected +their first payment in July, and besieged the boat in great numbers, +demanding it at the hands of the first whites who had come up the +river, unable to understand the difference between the regularly +constituted authorities and those immigrants who had nothing to do +with the payments. It was not until the first week of November that +their goods came for payment. The place where Stillwater now stands +was selected as the place where they should assemble. + +The old stern wheel Gipsey brought the goods and landed them on the +beach. The Chippewas came there to the number of 1,100 in their +canoes, nearly starved by waiting for their payment. While there +receiving it the river and lake froze up, and a deep snow came on; +thus all their supplies, including one hundred barrels of flour, +twenty-five of pork, kegs of tobacco, bales of blankets, guns and +ammunition, casks of Mexican dollars, etc., all were sacrificed except +what they could carry off on their backs through the snow hundreds of +miles away. Their fleet of birch canoes they destroyed before leaving, +lest the Sioux might have the satisfaction of doing the same after +they left. + +Many of the old as well as the young died from overeating, they being +nearly starved. Thus their first payment became a curse rather than a +blessing to them, for their supplies soon gave out, the season for +hunting was past, they were away from home and had no means of getting +there, except by wading through deep snow. Many perished in the +attempt. As is usual in such cases, I suppose, no one was to blame, +but the poor Indians had to suffer the consequences of somebody's +neglect. The old Gipsey had scarcely time to get through the lake +before the ice formed. + + +INDIAN DANCING AND THEFT. + +In the rough log cabin at St. Croix Falls were three females, the +wives of Messrs. Orr and Sackett, employes of the company, and Miss +Young, daughter of a widower of that name. Life in that cabin was by +no means a dream of bliss, for in consequence of the mosquitoes, more +relentless persecutors than the Indians, a smudge had to be kept +burning night and day, or at least by day when the sun was not +shining. The old cabin served for a kitchen, while an arbor was +improvised outside for a dining room. Shortly after the arrival of the +immigrants, and before they had learned all the peculiarities of +Indian character, they were visited by a party of fifteen or twenty +braves, who set about adorning themselves, and spent the forenoon in +painting and getting themselves up in gorgeous rig, regardless of +expense, preparatory to giving a free entertainment. Just before +dinner was called, they arranged themselves near the table and gave a +dance, which was very much applauded, after which they were given +presents of bread and meat, and dismissed, apparently highly pleased +with the success of their exhibition. The household gathered about the +table to enjoy their repast, but to their consternation, not a knife, +fork or spoon could be found. While the majority of the Indians were +riveting the attention of the new comers by their extraordinary +antics, the remainder were quietly abstracting the tableware. They +were afterward charged with the theft, but protested innocence. The +missing articles were never heard of again. A pig of lead, left +outside, disappeared at the same time. The poor Indians denied ever +having seen the lead. Mr. Stratton remarked, however, that all their +war clubs, pipes and gun stocks had been lately and elaborately +ornamented with molten lead. + + +OTHER THEFTS. + +At another time, shortly before payment, when the Indians were +unusually hungry and troublesome, two barrels of pork and one of +butter mysteriously disappeared. The pork barrels were found empty in +the river, and also the butter barrel with one-third of the contents +missing. The Indians lay all day in camp sick, but protested their +innocence. Nevertheless, at payment day a claim of two hundred dollars +for the pork and one hundred and fifty for the butter was allowed and +kept back. They made no objections to paying for the pork, but +protested against paying for the butter, as it did them no good and +made them all sick. + +In September, an old Indian came to the cabin, begging for something +to eat. The agent went to the pork barrel and held up a fine piece of +pork weighing about twelve pounds, to which the tail was still +attached. At sight of this his countenance fell and he went away +silently and sullenly. + +Shortly afterward a yoke of oxen was missing. They had been driven off +over some bare ledges of trap to break the trail. An Indian was hired +to hunt for them. He found that this same beggar who had been so +disgusted with the offer of a piece of pork with the tail attached had +driven them off and slaughtered them. Payment day made all right, and +the Indians were compelled to pay a good price for rather poor beef. + + +HARD TIMES. + +Mrs. Mary C. Worth communicated to the writer the following incidents, +illustrating some of the vicissitudes of the early settlers: + +It was in the fall of 1842. There were about two hundred people in the +village, most of them in the employ of James Purinton, company agent. +They were already short of provisions and the winter was rapidly +coming on, and the expected boat, with its cargo of provisions for the +winter supply, was long delayed. September passed, October came and +nearly passed, and still no boat. Snow covered the ground, and thin +ice the river. The ice, in finely broken pieces, floated down the +rapids and was beginning to gorge in the Dalles, and still no boat. +Provisions were allotted to the resident families, and the gloomiest +anticipations filled all minds at the prospect of the long, dreary +winter without food; when, on the twenty-eighth of October, the long +expected whistle was heard from the coming steamer. The people rushed +frantically down to the old warehouse, but the ice was so gorged in +the Dalles that no boat could make the landing. No boat was in sight, +nor was the whistle heard again. Had it all been an illusion? The +eager throng were again in despair. Another night of cold would +blockade the river. Just then the voices of white men were heard from +the rocks of the Dalles, and to their great joy they perceived the +boat's officers and passengers clambering down from the rocks, with +the glad tidings that the boat had reached the landing, half a mile +below, and was then unloading her cargo. The boat, as soon as +unloaded, hurriedly departed to avoid being frozen in. The winter +passed merrily enough, but clouds and darkness gathered in the spring. +Provisions were again short, and had to be apportioned sparingly and +equally. Occasionally a deer or a fish eked out the supply, but +starvation was again imminent. On this occasion they were relieved by +the reception of condemned pork from Fort Snelling. The St. Louis +proprietors sent up another boat load of supplies after the opening of +navigation, and all seemed well, when, during the prevalence of high +water, the boom and mill race gave way and the logs, their main +dependence, were swept down the river and beyond their control. This +important occurrence, as it then seemed to be, opened up for the +company and people a new trade from the valley below, which has been a +source of immense profit. It suggested the idea of booming and rafting +their logs for points down the river, and led to the building of the +first saw mill at Stillwater. + + +UGH! UGH! + +Mr. Purinton at one time invited a few noted Indians who were begging +for food to be seated at his table. He politely asked them if they +would have tea or coffee. "Ugh! Ugh!" (equivalent to yes, yes) replied +the whole party. So Mr. Purinton mixed their tea and coffee. + + +MRS. WORTH AND MUCKATICE. + +Muckatice, a Chippewa chief, heard that a barrel of whisky had been +stored for safe keeping in the cellar of Mrs. Worth, at Balsam Lake. +Muckatice forced himself into the house and attempted to raise the +cellar trap door. Mrs. Worth forbade him and placed herself upon the +door. Muckatice roughly pushed her aside. He raised the trap door, +and, while in the act of descending, fell. While falling Mrs. Worth +suddenly shut the trap door upon him, by which one of his legs was +caught. Mrs. Worth held the door tightly down. When at last Muckatice +was released, gathering a crowd of Indians he returned and demanded +the whisky. Thayer, with ropes, managed to get the barrel out of the +cellar and out upon the ground, and seeing the peril of giving so much +whisky to the Indians, knocked in both heads of the barrel with an +axe, and the earth drank the poisonous fluid. Muckatice then shook +hands with Mrs. Worth, called her very brave, and departed. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +BIOGRAPHIES. + + +The biographical histories of the early settlers of Polk county +considerably antedate the organization of the towns to which they +would be referred as at present belonging, and we therefore group +together those earliest identified with the history of the valley, and +its first settlement at St. Croix Falls, referring also some, such as +Joseph R. Brown, Gov. W. R. Marshall and Frank Steele, to localities +in which they had been more intimately connected. + +GOV. WM. HOLCOMBE was one of the active resident proprietors and agent +of the St. Croix Falls Lumber Company from 1838 to 1845. He was born +at Lambertville, New Jersey, in 1804; left home when a boy; went to +Utica, New York, where he learned the wheelwright trade. He married +Martha Wilson, of Utica; moved to Columbus, Ohio, and was successful +in business, but lost all by fire, when he moved to Cincinnati, and +from thence to Galena. While in Galena he embarked in steamboating on +the Mississippi. Mrs. Holcombe died in Galena. From Galena he came to +St. Croix Falls, where he devoted his time as agent to selling lumber +and keeping books. Mr. Holcombe took a deep interest in opening the +valley to public notice and improvement. He traveled over the +wilderness country from Prairie du Chien to St. Croix Falls before +there was a blazed path, driving horses and cattle. He helped locate +the two first roads in the valley from the mouth of St. Croix lake, +via Marine, to St. Croix Falls and from St. Croix Falls, via Sunrise +and Rush lakes, to Russell's farm, on Pokegama lake. He supervised the +cultivation of the first crops raised in Polk county, at Jerusalem. +He settled in Stillwater in 1846, where he became an active worker in +behalf of education, and did much to establish the present excellent +system of schools. In 1846 he was a member of the first constitutional +convention of Wisconsin Territory, representing this valley and all +the country north of Crawford county. He was a faithful worker on the +boundary question, and effected a change from the St. Croix to a point +fifteen miles due east, from the most easterly point on Lake St. +Croix, from thence south to the Mississippi river and north to the +waters of Lake Superior. His course was approved by his constituents. +In 1848 he took an active part in the formation of Minnesota +Territory, and was secretary of the first convention called for that +purpose in Stillwater. He was receiver of the United States land +office at Stillwater four years. He was a member of the Democratic +wing of the constitutional convention for Minnesota in 1857, and was +honored by being elected first lieutenant governor of Minnesota in +1857. The name of Gov. Holcombe will long be remembered in the valley +of the St. Croix. He died in Stillwater, Sept. 5, 1870, and was buried +with masonic honors. He left two sons, William W. and Edward Van +Buren, by his first wife. He married a second wife in Galena, in 1847, +who died in 1880. + +WILLIAM S. HUNGERFORD was born in Connecticut, Aug. 12, 1805. He was +married to Lucinda Hart, at Farmington, Connecticut, in 1827. He came +to St. Louis, Missouri, at an early age and engaged in mercantile +pursuits in the firm of Hungerford & Livingston. In 1838 he became one +of the original proprietors of the St. Croix Falls Lumbering Company, +and gave his time and talents to its welfare. He was of a hopeful +temperament, and even in the darkest hour of the enterprise in which +he had embarked, cherished a most cheerful faith in its ultimate +success. + +Hon. Caleb Cushing, whose name was to be associated intimately with +that of Mr. Hungerford in the future history and litigation of the +company, recognizing St. Croix Falls as a point promising unrivaled +attractions to the manufacturer, in 1846 purchased an interest in the +company, which was at once reorganized with Cushing and Hungerford as +principal stockholders. The acute mind of Gen. Cushing recognized not +only the prospective advantages of the water power, but the +probability of the division of Wisconsin Territory, which might result +in making St. Croix Falls the capital of the new territory, and +formed plans for the development of the company enterprise, which +might have resulted advantageously had not he been called away to take +part in the Mexican War and thence to go on a political mission to +China. During his absence there was a complete neglect of his American +inland projects and the enterprise at St. Croix suffered greatly; the +new company accomplished but little that was agreed upon in the +consolidation. Cushing had inexperienced agents, unfitted to attend to +his interest. He furnished money sufficient, if judiciously handled, +to have made a permanent, useful property here. Conflicting questions +arose between Hungerford and Cushing's agents, which terminated in +lawsuits. The first suit was in 1848, Hungerford, plaintiff. Different +suits followed, one after another, for over twenty years, which cursed +the property more than a mildew or blight. During this time the +parties alternated in use and possession, by order of court. +Hungerford, during these trials, pre-empted the land when it came in +market. For this he was arrested on complaint of perjury. Hungerford, +by order of court, was, on his arrest, taken away in chains. He was +soon after released. Hungerford was an indefatigable worker. The labor +of his life was invested in the improvements of the company. Cushing, +being a man of talent and influence, could fight the battle at a +distance. He employed the best legal talent in the land; he met +Hungerford at every turn, and Hungerford became a foe worthy of his +steel. They unitedly accomplished the ruin of their town. Mr. +Hungerford had an excellent family, making their home at the Falls +during all their perplexities. On the occasion of his arrest he was +manacled in presence of his family, who bore it with a fortitude +worthy the name and reputation of the father and husband. The +litigation ended only with the death of the principal actors. The +perishable part of the property, mills and other buildings, has gone +to ruin. The whole history is a sad comment on the folly of attempting +to manage great enterprises without harmony of action and purpose. Mr. +Hungerford died in Monticello, Illinois, in 1874. Mrs. Hungerford died +in Connecticut in 1880. Mr. Cushing died in 1876. + +HON. HENRY D. BARRON.--Henry Danforth Barron was born in Saratoga +county, New York, April 10, 1832. He received a common school +education, studied law, and graduated from the law school at Ballston +Spa, New York. He came to Wisconsin in 1851; learned the printer's +trade, and was afterward editor of the Waukesha _Democrat_. In 1857 he +removed to Pepin, Wisconsin, and in 1860 received the appointment of +circuit judge of the Eighth district. + +In September, 1861, he came to St. Croix Falls, as agent for Caleb +Cushing and the St. Croix Manufacturing and Improvement Company. + +He was elected to the lower house of the Wisconsin legislature in +1862, and served as assemblyman continuously from 1862 to 1869, and +for the years 1872 and 1873. During the sessions of 1866 and 1873 he +was speaker of the assembly. A portion of this time he held the +responsible position of regent of the State University, and was also a +special agent of the treasury department. In 1869 President Grant +appointed him chief justice of Dakota, which honor was declined. The +same year he was appointed fifth auditor in the treasury department, +which office he resigned in 1872 to take a more active part in +advancing the interests of his State. He was chosen a presidential +elector in 1868, and again in 1872, and served as state senator during +the sessions of 1874, 1875 and 1876, and was at one time president +_pro tem_. of the senate. In 1876 he was elected judge of the Eleventh +Judicial circuit. During his service as judge he was highly gratified +that so few appeals were taken from his decisions, and that his +decisions were seldom reversed in higher courts. He had also held the +offices of postmaster, county attorney, county judge, and county +superintendent of schools. + +Although formerly a Democrat, at the outbreak of the Rebellion he +became a Republican. Of late years he was a pronounced stalwart. +Throughout his life he never received any profit, pecuniarily, from +the prominent positions in which he was placed, his only endeavor +seeming to be to advance the interests, influence, worth and ability +of the younger men with whom he was associated, and hundreds who +to-day hold positions of prominence and responsibility, owe their +success and advancement to his teachings and advice. Of a disposition +kind, courteous and generous, he was possessed of a remarkably +retentive memory, which, with his intimate associations with leading +men, and familiarity with public life, legislative and judicial, +afforded a fund of personal sketches, anecdotes and biographies, at +once entertaining, amusing and instructive. + +The judge was twice married, his first wife having died at Waukesha, +leaving him an only son, Henry H. Barron, who was with him at the time +of his death. His second marriage was to Ellen K. Kellogg, at Pepin, +in 1860. For some time she has made her home with her mother in +California, on account of ill health. At the time of his death, which +occurred at St. Croix Falls, Jan. 22, 1882, he was judge of the +Eleventh Judicial circuit. His remains were buried at Waukesha. + +GEORGE W. BROWNELL.--Mr. Brownell, though not among the earliest of +the pioneers of St. Croix valley, yet deserves special mention on +account of his scientific attainments, his high character as a man, +and the fact that he was an influential member, from the St. Croix +district, of the Wisconsin territorial constitutional convention, he +having been elected over Bowron on the question of establishing the +new state line east of the St. Croix. + +Mr. Brownell was born in Onondago, New York, and when a youth lived in +Syracuse, where he learned the trade of a carriage maker. He was a +resident of Galena, Illinois, over thirty years, where he engaged in +mining and geological pursuits. He spent two years in the lead mines +of Wisconsin. He was connected with the Galena _Gazette_ some years. +In 1846 he visited the Superior copper mining region for a Boston +company. He formed the acquaintance of Caleb Cushing, Rufus Choate, +Horace Rantoul, and others, and located for them mineral permits at +St. Croix Falls and Kettle river, and became, this year, a resident of +St. Croix Falls. In 1847 he was married to Mrs. Duncan, of Galena. He +was elected this year to the constitutional convention. In 1851 he +returned to Galena and engaged in the grain trade and cotton planting +near Vicksburg, Mississippi, in which he was not successful. In 1865 +he visited Colorado and made investments there. When on a trip to +Colorado, in 1866, the stage was attacked by Indians. Brownell and +another passenger alighted to resist the attack. He was armed with a +rifle, and, if properly supported, would probably have been saved; but +most of the passengers remained in the stage. The driver, getting +scared, whipped his horses and drove rapidly away, leaving Brownell +and companion, who were overpowered and killed. Their bodies were +recovered, shockingly mutilated. His remains were forwarded to Galena +for burial. Mr. Brownell had a scientific mind, and passed much of +his life in scientific studies and practical experiments. He attained +a good knowledge of geology, mineralogy and chemistry. The foresight +of Mr. Brownell on the Wisconsin boundary, and in other public +matters, has been, in time, generally recognized. He was a good +neighbor and kind friend. + +COL. ROBERT C. MURPHY.--Col. Murphy, a man of fine address and +admirable social qualities, made his home at St. Croix Falls in +1860-61 and 62, during which time he was in charge of the Cushing +interest and property, which position he left to accept the colonelcy +of the Eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. His military career was +not fortunate and its abrupt termination was a sad disappointment to +himself and friends. An article in the Milwaukee _Weekly Telegraph_, +from the pen of one who knew Col. Murphy well, thus sums up some of +the salient points in his character and career. We make a few +extracts: + +"Col. Murphy was educated and accomplished. He had been instructed in +the Patridge Military School, and was possessed of some experience in +Indian fights on the plains with Burnside, bearing scars of that +experience, and a recommendation of skill and courage from Gen. +Burnside to Gov. Randall. His great intuitiveness, his ready manner, +his cultivation of mind, gained for him the respect and charity of his +superiors, and brought him the respect and confidence of his regiment. +His father, a native of Ireland, was a successful practicing lawyer +and politician in Ohio, without much education; a man of strong +natural talent and integrity. Upon his son he showered all his +earnings, in the form of that which the father lacked the most--books, +schooling and polish. Judge Murphy (the father) was the bearer of +important dispatches to Texas from the Tyler and Polk administrations +in connection with the annexation of that republic to this country, +and is referred to in Benton's 'Thirty Years' as Tyler's 'midnight +messenger.' Young Murphy was appointed by President Pierce American +consul in China, while Gen. Caleb Cushing was minister to that +country, and he discharged important consular and judicial duties +there with credit to himself and his government. Upon his return Gen. +Cushing selected him to take charge of the Cushing interest and +property at St. Croix Falls, in this State. From there he went 'to the +front,' and his military career was cut short by his failure at Iuka +and Holly Springs. Gen. Grant dismissed him in brief, terse words, but +was willing afterward that he should be heard by a board of army +officers detailed for that purpose. Stanton was inexorable and +refused." + +After his dismissal from the army he removed to Washington and +accepted a clerkship in the post office department where he still +remains. It is due to him to say that his own version of his military +troubles is ingenious and plausible, and would, if sustained, quite +exonerate him from the charges that have pressed so heavily upon him. + +EDWARD WORTH.--Mr. Worth came to St. Croix Falls from New York State +in 1842, where he continued to reside the remainder of his life, +experiencing the vicissitudes of pioneer life to their fullest extent. +He died in 1863, leaving a widow, an only son (Henry) and two +daughters, Myra, wife of W. T. Vincent, and Sarah, wife of John +Blanding. + +MRS. MARY C. WORTH.--Mrs. Worth was born Oct. 14, 1812, was married to +Edward Worth, Dec. 24, 1835, and came to St. Croix Falls in 1842, +where she lived till Jan. 12, 1886, when she peacefully passed away. +She was a woman of rare mental ability, untiring industry and skill in +managing her household affairs, and unquestioned courage, as many +incidents in her St. Croix experience will evidence. She was a member +of the Episcopal church and went to her grave with the respect and +admiration of all who knew her. + +MAURICE MORDECAI SAMUELS, better known as Capt. Samuels, was born in +London, of Jewish parentage. It is not known exactly when he came to +this country. I first met him in 1844, at Prairie du Chien, at which +time he was a traveling peddler. In 1846 I found him in the Chippewa +country, living with an Indian woman and trading with the Indians at +the mouth of Sunrise river. In 1847 he established a ball alley and +trading post at St. Croix Falls, where he lived until 1861, when he +raised a company (the St. Croix Rifles) for the United States service, +received a commission and served till the close of the war. After the +war he became a citizen of New Orleans, and in 1880 changed his +residence to Winfield, Kansas. While in St. Croix he reared a family +of half-breed children. He was a shrewd man and an inveterate dealer +in Indian whisky. Capt. Samuels was sent as a government agent to the +Chippewas of St. Croix valley and the southern shore of Lake +Superior, in 1862, to ascertain and report their sentiment in regard +to the Sioux war. It may be said of Capt. Samuels that, however +unprincipled he may have been, he was no dissembler, but outspoken in +his sentiments, however repellant they may have been to the moral +sense of the community. He died at Winfield, Kansas, in 1884. + +JOSEPH B. CHURCHILL was born in New York in 1820; was married in New +York to Eliza Turnbull, and came to St. Croix Falls in 1854. He has +filled various offices creditably, and has the respect and confidence +of his acquaintances. His oldest daughter is the wife of Phineas G. +Lacy, of Hudson. His second daughter is the wife of Joseph Rogers. He +has one son living. + +JOHN MCLEAN.--Mr. McLean was born 1819, in Vermont; was married in +1844 to Sarah Turnbull and settled on his farm near St. Croix Falls in +1850. Through untiring industry and honorable dealing he has secured a +sufficiency for life, a handsome farm and good buildings. A large +family has grown up around him, and have settled in the county. + +GILMAN JEWELL came from New Hampshire; was married in New Hampshire +and came to the West in 1847. He settled on a farm near St. Croix +Falls. He died in 1869. Mrs. Jewell died January, 1888. One son, +Philip, resides on the homestead. Ezra, another son, resides at the +Falls. The other members of the family have moved elsewhere. + +ELISHA CREECH was born in West Virginia, 1831. He came to St. Croix +Falls in 1849, and was married to Mary M. Seeds in 1863. They have +four children. Mr. Creech has been engaged much of his life in +lumbering. Through industry and temperate habits he has made a good +farm and a pleasant home. + +JAMES W. MCGLOTHLIN was born in Kentucky; came to St. Croix Falls in +1846, and engaged successfully in sawing lumber at the St. Croix mill +in 1846 and 1847, but in 1848 rented the mill, being sustained by +Waples & Co., of Dubuque, Iowa, but by reason of bad management, he +failed and left the valley in 1849. He afterward went to California, +where he met a tragic fate, having been murdered by his teamster. + +ANDREW L. TUTTLE.--Mr. Tuttle came to St. Croix Falls in 1849, and was +engaged many years as a lumberman and as keeper of a boardinghouse. He +settled on his farm at Big Rock in 1856, where he made himself a +comfortable home. He went to Montana in 1865, and died there in 1873. +Mrs. Tuttle still resides at the homestead, an amiable woman, who has +acted well her part in life. One of her daughters is married to Wm. M. +Blanding. One son, Eli, died in 1883, another son, Henry, died in +Montana. Perly, John and Warren are settled near the homestead. + +JOHN WEYMOUTH was born at Clinton, Maine, in 1815, and came to St. +Croix Falls in 1846, where he followed lumbering and made himself a +beautiful home on the high hill overlooking the two villages of St. +Croix Falls and Taylor's Falls. By frugality and industry Mr. Weymouth +has accumulated a competence. He was married in St. Croix Falls in +1850, to Mary McHugh. One son, John, is married to Miss Ramsey, of +Osceola, and a daughter, Mary J., is married to Samuel Harvey, of St. +Croix Falls. + +B. W. REYNOLDS, a tall, thin, stoop-shouldered man of eccentric +manners, was receiver at the St. Croix land office from 1861 to 1864. +He was a native of South Carolina, and a graduate of Middlebury +College, Vermont. He had studied for the ministry, and, if we mistake +not, had devoted some years of his life to pastoral work, but devoted +later years to secular pursuits. At the close of the war he returned +to South Carolina as a reconstructionist, but in two or three years +came North, and located at La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he edited the +La Crosse _Star_. He died at La Crosse Aug. 17, 1877. + +AUGUSTUS GAYLORD.--Mr. Gaylord was a merchant in St. Croix Falls prior +to the Rebellion. In 1861 Gov. Harvey appointed him adjutant general +of the State. In this office he acquitted himself well. He was an +efficient public officer and in private life a high minded, honorable +gentleman. + +JAMES D. REYMERT.--Mr. Reymert was born in Norway in 1821, and came to +America and settled in Racine in 1845. He was a practical printer, and +editor of the first Norwegian paper west of the lakes, if not the +first in America, and was a man of recognized literary ability. He was +a member of the second Wisconsin constitutional convention, 1847, from +Racine. In 1849 he was a member of the Wisconsin assembly. He came to +St. Croix Falls in 1859, and served two years as agent of the St. +Croix Falls Company. He was the organizer of a company in New York +City, known as "The Great European-American Land Company," in which +Count Taub, of Norway, took an active part. This noted company +claimed to have purchased the Cushing property, a claim true only so +far as the preliminary steps of a purchase were concerned. For a time +there was considerable activity. The town of St. Croix Falls was +resurveyed, new streets were opened, and magnificent improvements +planned, but failing to consummate the purchase, the company failed, +leaving a beggarly account of unpaid debts. + +WILLIAM J. VINCENT.--Mr. Vincent is of Irish descent. He was born June +10, 1830, and came West when a youth. In 1846, at the age of sixteen, +he enlisted in Company H, Mounted Rifles, and served through the +Mexican War. In 1848 he came to St. Croix Falls, where he followed +lumbering and clerking. He was married to Myra Worth in 1855. In 1861 +he enlisted in Company F, First Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, of which +company he was appointed second lieutenant. He resigned in 1862. He +has held the office of county commissioner eleven years, that of +county clerk seven years, that of state timber agent four years. In +1879 he served as representative in the Wisconsin assembly. In 1880 he +commenced selling goods with his son-in-law, under the firm name of +Vincent & Stevenson. He erected the first brick store building in St. +Croix Falls in 1884. + +THOMPSON BROTHERS.--Thomas Thompson was born in Lower Canada, Nov. 11, +1833, and was married to Eliza Clendenning in 1861. James Thompson was +born in Lower Canada, Nov. 11, 1840, and was married to Mary A. Gray +in 1871. The brothers came to the Falls in 1856 and engaged in +lumbering about ten years, and then in merchandising, jointly, but in +1868 formed separate firms. Thomas built the first brick dwelling +house in St. Croix in 1882. Mrs. Thomas Thompson died in 1886. James +erected a large flour mill in 1879. + +WILLIAM AMERY was born in London, England, in 1831. He learned the +carpenter's trade in London and came to America in 1851, locating at +first in Stillwater, but the ensuing year removing to St. Croix Falls. +He pre-empted the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of +section 31, township 34, range 18, and adjoining lands in 1853, and +this has been his continuous home since. He has served as county +treasurer four years and held many town offices. He was married to +Sarah Hackett in 1855. The town of Amery is named in honor of this +respected man. Mr. Amery died Sept. 4, 1887, leaving a widow, two sons +and three daughters. + +LEWIS BARLOW.--Among the first immigrants to St. Croix Falls was Lewis +Barlow, an eccentric, sensitive man. He was a millwright, and, being +of an unhappy disposition, led a troubled life. He was the first man +married at the Falls. In 1847 he moved to the Minnesota side, where he +owned considerable land. He lived here until 1852 when his family left +him. He sold his interests and followed and reunited them at Rock +Island, Illinois. Here he suffered much and became blind. He traveled +with a panorama and so earned a scanty livelihood. In later life he +revisited his old home at the Falls, but broken and dejected in +spirit. He died at Rock Island in 1872. + +LEVI W. STRATTON.--Mr. Stratton was one of the passengers of the +Palmyra in 1838. He worked for the St. Croix Company two years. After +leaving the Falls, he changed his residence several times, and finally +settled at Excelsior, Hennepin county, Minnesota, where he died in +1884. Mr. Stratton wrote for the Minneapolis papers many interesting +reminiscences of pioneer life on the St. Croix. + +ELMA M. BLANDING.--Mr. Blanding was born in Harford, Susquehanna +county, New York, Feb. 14, 1800. He was married to Eliza Tuttle in +1826. He settled on a farm near St. Croix Falls in 1856, where he +died, Sept. 16, 1871. Father Blanding, as he was affectionately called +in the later years of his life, was a man of exemplary habits, of +strong religious convictions, and a consistent member of the +Presbyterian church. He left a widow, five sons and three daughters. +Mrs. Eliza Blanding died Jan. 18, 1887. Wm. M. Blanding, the oldest +son, owns a fine farm near the Falls, formerly known as "Jerusalem." +He is a surveyor, lumberman and farmer, and a prominent citizen. He +was married to Eliza Tuttle. A family of thirteen children has grown +up around him. In 1887 he was appointed receiver in the St. Croix land +office. John, the second son, is also a farmer in St. Croix Falls. He +was married to Sarah, daughter of Edward and Mary C. Worth. Eugene E. +is engaged in the drug business at Taylors Falls, and is also surveyor +and express agent. He married Joanna Ring, of Taylors Falls, in 1871. +Fred, the fourth son, was married in 1885 to Emma Sly. He was +appointed United States land receiver at St. Croix Falls in 1887. He +died in California, Jan. 30, 1888. Frank, the youngest son, was +married to Annie McCourt, and lives on the homestead. Josephine, the +oldest daughter, is the wife of Wm. Longfellow, and resides in +Machias, Maine. Flavilla, the widow of Charles B. Whiting, lives at +St. Paul, Minnesota. Her husband died in 1868. Mrs. Whiting was +executrix of the will of Dr. E. D. Whiting, and successfully +controlled a property valued at about $80,000. Mary, wife of Wm. +McCourt, died in 1880. + +[Illustration: WILLIAM M. BLANDING.] + +FREDERICK K. BARTLETT was a native of New England. He came to St. +Croix Falls in 1849, as attorney and land agent for Caleb Cushing. He +was candidate for judge of the district court in 1850, but was +defeated. He subsequently settled in Stillwater, and later in Hudson, +where he died in 1857, leaving a wife and one son, who became a civil +engineer and died in St. Paul in 1885, and one daughter, Helen, who +achieved some reputation as a writer for periodicals. + +MICHAEL FIELD was born June 8, 1806. He came from a New England +family, his father and mother having resided in Connecticut. In early +life he removed to New York and resided awhile at Rochester. He +engaged principally in transportation business. The earliest work he +ever did was on the Erie canal. He was married in 1833 to Miss +Reynolds, who died in 1874. His children are Capt. Silas Wright Field +(mortally wounded at Shiloh), Norton, a resident of Racine, Wisconsin, +Mrs. Fanny Nason, wife of Hon. Joel F. Nason, Phebe and Mary, +unmarried and resident in Brooklyn. Mr. Field was married to his +second wife, Mrs. Harriet Lee Bracken, in 1882. He was appointed +register of the land office at St. Croix Falls by President Lincoln in +1861, and served twenty-six years. Though over eighty years of age he +retains his faculties and general health, and his mind is a store +house of the early history of the country. + + +ALDEN. + +The town of Alden embraces township 32, range 17, and twenty-four +sections of range 18. It has both prairie and timber land, and is +abundantly supplied with water. Apple river traverses it from +northeast to southwest. There are many tributary small streams, and a +large number of small lakes, of which Cedar lake is the largest. This +lies only partially in Alden. The surface is gently undulating. + +The town of Alden was organized in 1857. The first board of +supervisors were Stephen Williams, William Folsom and H. Sawyer. The +first post office was established at Wagon Landing in 1862, V. M. +Babcock, postmaster. The first settlers were Wm. Folsom, V. M. +Babcock, V. B. Kittel, I. L. Bridgman, Charles Vassau, Jr., and +Humphrey Sawyer, in 1856. Mr. Bridgman raised the first crops in 1857. +The first marriage was C. Vassau to Alma Kittel, in 1858, by Rev. A. +Burton Peabody. The first white child born in Alden was P. B. Peabody, +July 28, 1856. The first death was that of a child, Nicholas W. +Gordon, June 10, 1857. Alden has two post towns, Little Falls and +Alden. + +REV. A. BURTON PEABODY was born May 22, 1823, in Andover, Windsor +county, Vermont. He was the youngest of four minor children, and was +left fatherless at eight years of age, and motherless at fifteen. He +obtained a good English education in the common schools, and at +Chester and Black River academies. The winter terms he spent in +teaching. In 1844 he came to Janesville, Wisconsin, where he spent two +years, partly on a farm and partly in a law office, as a student and +clerk. In 1847 he went to Iowa county, and taught school through the +winter at Mineral Point. The next year he went to Clarence, Green +county, Wisconsin, where he spent four years in teaching. In 1852 he +entered the Nashotah Theological Seminary, where he completed the +course, and was ordained deacon in the Protestant Episcopal church, +June 3, 1855, by the Rev. Bishop Kemper, and took temporary charge of +Grace church, Sheboygan. He was married to Charity Esther Kittel, +Sept. 22, 1855, at Clarence, by the Rev. Wm. Ruger. In November of the +same year he removed to Mississippi, spending the winter at Jackson. +In February he went to Middleton, Mississippi, to take charge of a +mission work, including several appointments. He came, the June +following, to Polk county, Wisconsin, and spent the summer at Wagon +Landing, on Apple river, where his wife's friends had made a +settlement, but in the winter returned to his mission work in the +South, and there remained until 1857. Owing to the troubled political +condition of the South, he did not deem it advisable to remove his +family thither, and so returned to Wagon Landing and obtained mission +work, visiting at intervals Foster's Mills, now New Richmond, +Huntington, Cedar Valley, and St. Croix Falls. The intervening country +was, much of it, an unbroken wilderness, and he was obliged to make +his journeys not infrequently on foot, to cross the swollen streams +and dare all the perils of the winter storm. In 1859 Mr. Peabody +accepted a call to the rectorship of St. Paul's church, Plymouth, +Sheboygan county, but in 1862 returned to the valley of the St. Croix, +and settled on a farm, undertaking meanwhile ministerial work at +Prescott and other points, in a line extending as far north as St. +Croix Falls. Three years later Prescott and River Falls were made +independent, another man taking charge. In 1879 Mr. Peabody undertook +additional work on the North Wisconsin railroad, including a large +number of places, to be visited monthly. In 1882 his railroad work was +limited to Clayton, Cumberland and Hayward. He still has charge, as +rector, of Star Prairie and Wagon Landing. Few men have led more +laborious lives or been more useful in their calling. He has witnessed +the erection of eight churches on the field in which he labored, +though concerned directly in the building of only four. Mr. Peabody's +family consists of seven sons and seven daughters. One of the latter +died in infancy. + +V. M. BABCOCK settled at Wagon Landing, town of Alden, in 1856. He was +born in Rensselaer county, New York; married his first wife in New +York and his second wife at Somerset, St. Croix county, Wisconsin. +They have four children. He has held town offices ever since the +organization of the town. He has been sheriff, and was county +superintendent of schools for seven years. + + +APPLE RIVER. + +The town of Apple River includes township 34, range 16, and derives +its name from its principal river. The town is well watered by Apple +river and its tributaries, and it also has numerous lakes, the most +considerable of which is White Ash lake. The surface of the town is +gently undulating, and was originally covered with pine, interspersed +with hardwood groves. There is good wheat soil, and natural meadows +are found in some parts. The town was organized Jan. 22, 1876, having +been set off from Balsam Lake. There are two post offices, Apple River +on the west, and Shiloh on the east town line. + + +BALSAM LAKE. + +The town of Balsam Lake embraces township 34, range 17, and takes its +name from a lake within its bounds. It has an undulating surface, +covered with heavy oak, pine, and maple timber principally. Balsam +creek, the outlet of Balsam lake, flows through it in a southerly +direction, affording fine water powers. About one-sixth of the surface +is covered with lakes. The largest of these, Balsam lake, in the +Indian language An-in-on-duc-a-gon, or evergreen place, gives name to +the town. Deer, Long, Wild Goose, and Mud lakes are fine bodies of +water with bold, timbered shores, and abundance of fish. The town is +near the geographical centre of the county. The first white man, prior +to the organization of the town, to locate within its present bounds +was a disreputable trader named Miller, who in 1848 built a shanty on +Balsam lake, from which he dispensed whisky to the Indians. This man +was not long afterward driven out of the country. (See history of St. +Croix Falls.) The town was organized in 1869. The first board of +supervisors consisted of Geo. P. Anderson, Wright Haskins, and Joseph +Loveless. The clerk was H. J. Fall; the treasurer, F. R. Loveless. The +first school was taught by Jane Husband. Aaron M. Chase built a +shingle mill at the outlet of Balsam lake in 1850, and he seems to +have been the first actual settler or the first man to make +improvements. As he had neither oxen nor horses, the timbers for the +mill were hauled by man power with the aid of yokes and ropes. Other +persons came to the mill and lived there awhile, but the first +permanent settlers came in in 1856. They were J. Shepherd, Joseph +Loveless, Joseph Ravett, and John M. Rogers. Mr. Rogers raised the +first crops in the town; Joseph Ravett was the first postmaster. The +first marriage was that of J. K. Adams to Miss L. A. Millerman, by W. +H. Skinner. The first white child born was a daughter to R. S. +Haskins. The first death, that of a child, occurred in 1870. A first +class flouring mill has been erected at the outlet of Balsam lake. It +is owned by Herman Corning; a saw mill is also in operation at this +point. A Methodist church, 30 × 40 feet ground plan, was erected at +Balsam Lake by the Methodist society in 1886. + + +BEAVER. + +The town of Beaver includes township 34, range 15. It was set off from +Apple River and organized Nov. 15, 1885. The name was suggested as +being appropriate from the work of the beaver in past ages. Beaver +dams are numerous on all the creeks. These ancient works will mostly +disappear with the progress of agriculture. The town is drained by +streams flowing into Apple river. Horseshoe lake, in the northeast +corner, is three miles in length. + + +BLACK BROOK. + +The town of Black Brook includes township 32, range 16. Apple river, +with its tributaries, supplies it with abundant water privileges. +Black Brook, the principal tributary, gives the town its name, and +drains the southern portion. There are many small lakes. The surface +is undulating and most of the soil good. The post office of Black +Brook is in section 32. The North Wisconsin railroad passes through +sections 25, 35 and 36. This town was originally a part of Alden, but +was organized and set off as a new town Aug. 5, 1867. J. C. Nelson +and G. H. Goodrich were the first supervisors. The first settlers +(1863) were John Gorsuch, John Reed and Jacob Polwer; the first +postmaster was ---- Gates; the first school teacher, Tina +Starkweather; the first marriage that of S. D. Starkweather and Mary +Danforth; the first death that of Mrs. Ben Gilman. + + +CLAM FALLS. + +Clam Falls comprises township 37, range 16, and derives its name from +the falls on Clam river. The surface is rolling and timbered with +hardwood and pine. It is well watered by South Clam creek and its +tributaries. Somers' lake, in section 27, is the only lake. An +upheaval of trap rock on Clam creek has caused the waterfall from +which the town has taken its name. It is a fine water power. A dam for +collecting tolls on saw logs has been placed just above the Falls. +Good specimens of copper ore are found in the trap. The town was set +off from Luck and organized Nov. 15, 1876. The first town meeting was +held April, 1877. The first supervisors were Daniel F. Smith, John +Almquist and John Bjornson. D. F. Smith was the first settler, built +the first saw mill, and raised the first crops. + +Daniel F. Smith, a peculiar and eccentric man, was born in Chautauqua +county, New York, in 1813; emigrated to Michigan in 1834, where he +married Eliza Green the following year, and moved to Racine county, +Wisconsin. In 1842 he engaged in lumbering on the Wisconsin river, his +home being at Stevens Point. He was of the firms of Smith & Bloomer +and Smith & Fellows. Mr. Bloomer was accidentally killed, on which +account the business of these firms was closed, Mr. Smith removing to +Galena to facilitate the settlement of their affairs. In 1852 he +removed to St. Louis; in 1853 to Memphis, Tennessee, where he engaged +in the wholesale grocery business, losing heavily, in fact all the +accumulations of his life. In the spring of 1855 he leased the St. +Croix Falls saw mill, and operated it for two years, when trouble +arose and litigation ensued, in which Smith obtained a judgment +against Cushing for $1,000. In 1860 he removed to Clinton, Iowa, and +thence in the same year to California. He traveled much, visiting +mines. He spent some time in mining, and also manufactured shingles. +In 1862 he returned to St. Croix Falls and engaged in lumbering for +three years. In 1868 he built a saw mill at Butternut Lake, +Wisconsin. He did much to open that country to settlement. He was the +founder of a town which he called "Luck." In 1872 he was the first +settler at Clam Falls, where he built a saw mill with but one man to +assist, and around that mill has sprung up a flourishing settlement. +Dan Smith, with undaunted perseverance, has battled his way through +life, and has come out victorious over difficulties and opposition +that would have discouraged and turned back other men. Mr. Smith is a +plain, direct, outspoken man; a man of energy and ability. He has ably +and satisfactorily filled many places of trust. For many years he has +been a commissioner of Polk county. + + +CLAYTON. + +Clayton includes township 33, range 15. The town was set off from +Black Brook. The surface of a great part of the town is level and was +originally marshy, but these marshes have been gradually drained, and +fine farms and hay meadows have taken their place. The town was +organized Nov. 10, 1875. The first supervisors were Morris De'Golier, +Worthy Prentice and H. D. West. The first homestead entries were made +in 1865 by Peter Bouchea and John McKay, a Frenchman, both Indian +traders, who established a post at Marsh lake, but in six months +abandoned it and never returned. The next settlers were Vandyke, +Morehouse and Tanner, near the west line of the town, about 1870. The +first improvements were made by Elam Greely in 1862, who dug a canal +into Marsh lake to get water to float logs out of Beaver brook, +thereby draining great tracts of swamp land. The laying of the North +Wisconsin railroad track gave a fresh impetus to business, and +conduced greatly to the building of the village of Clayton in section +24. The first sermon in the town of Clayton was preached by Rev. W. W. +Ames, a Baptist; the first school was taught by S. M. De'Golier; the +first store was opened by A. M. Wilcox, 1874. D. A. Humbird was the +first postmaster. The North Wisconsin railway passes through the +southeast part and the Minneapolis, Soo & Atlantic passes from the +west side to the northeast corner of the town, and has a station, +Gregory, in the west part. + +REUBEN F. LITTLE was born June 13, 1839, in Topsham, Devonshire +county, England. At ten years of age he began to care for himself, +working for sixpence per week, carrying pottery in a moulding house. +Before leaving England his wages had increased to three shillings per +week. In the spring of 1853 he had saved three pounds sterling, and +his grandfather gave him two pounds sterling. This five pounds paid +his passage to Quebec and Montreal, where he got four dollars per +month. Soon after he apprenticed himself for five years to learn the +baker's and confectioner's trade at London, Upper Canada. Subsequently +he took a homestead from the British government at Trading Lake, Upper +Canada. + +[Illustration: REUBEN F. LITTLE.] + +In the spring of 1861, at Detroit, Michigan, he enlisted in the United +States infantry, regular army, and was promoted successively to first +sergeant, to sergeant major, to second lieutenant, to first +lieutenant. He resigned in September, 1865. During the war he served +continuously in Gen. George H. Thomas' division, and took part in all +the engagements under him, from Miles Springs, Kentucky, to Nashville, +Tennessee. On the twenty-second of September, 1863, Mr. Little had the +honor of being the last man to leave the Rossville Gap in front of +Chattanooga after the disastrous fight of Chickamauga. He was wounded +in the battle of Hoover's Gap and Smyrna, and at the siege of Corinth. + +Mr. Little was married in 1865, and divorced in 1869, and re-married +in St. Paul in 1878. He lost his Canada homestead, and took another +homestead in Lincoln, Polk county, Wisconsin, in 1866. Afterward he +went to St. Paul and became one of the firm of Little & Berrisford in +the wholesale confectionery business. In 1879 he returned to Clayton, +formerly part of Lincoln, and reclaimed a swamp of over six hundred +acres, making it a productive meadow and tillage farm. Mr. Little has +served several years as Clayton's town supervisor. + + +CLEAR LAKE. + +Clear Lake embraces township 32, range 15. It derives its name from a +beautiful clear lake on the western boundary near Clear Lake village. +The west part of the town is timbered principally with hardwood, and +is good farming land. The eastern part is more diversified, and there +are some large groves of pine. Willow river runs through the town. The +North Wisconsin railroad traverses the town diagonally from northeast +to southwest: The town was organized June 20, 1877; S. D. Mann, J. C. +Gates, and W. R. Ingalls, supervisors. The first settlers were John +Hale, L. P. Nash, S. D. Starkweather, and Perry Clark. Lawrence +O'Connor was first postmaster; Mr. Starkweather carried the mail on +foot. Israel Graves, in 1875, built the first saw mill in Clear Lake +village and the first house. There is now at the village a stave mill +owned by Symme & Co. Jewett Bros. own a saw mill on Willow river, +three miles from the village, which has a capacity of 8,000,000 feet. +The lumber is delivered to the railway at the village by a wooden +tramway. The lots for the village were purchased from the government +by A. Boody and A. Coventry, in 1856. The plat was made by Symme, +Glover & Co. The survey was made by G. W. Cooley. Thomas T. McGee was +the first settler (1875), and Stephen H. Whitcomb the second. The +first school house was built in 1875, and the first school was taught +by Clara Davis in the same year. The village has now a good graded +school with three departments, Charles Irle, principal. Its two church +buildings, Congregational and Methodist, were destroyed by the cyclone +of 1884, but are being rebuilt. The Swedish Lutherans have a church a +mile from the village. Chas. Decker was the first postmaster; A. Symme +& Co. were the first merchants; P. Gates, M.D., the first practicing +physician; F. M. Nye the first lawyer. The first marriage was that of +John C. Gates and Ella Scovill. The first birth was Chas. W. Whitcomb, +and the first death that of a child of Hans Johnson. + + +PINEVILLE. + +The town of Pineville, a railroad station and village in section 9, is +a lumbering centre. The Pineville Lumbering Company have here a saw +mill with a capacity of 7,000,000 feet. The logs are brought on wooden +railways three to ten miles. P. B. Lacy & Co., of Hudson, are the +proprietors. + +FRANK M. NYE was born in Shirley, Piscataquis county, Maine, in 1852. +His parents removed to Wisconsin in 1854. He was educated at the +common schools and at River Falls Academy. He came to Clear Lake in +1879, and was elected district attorney for Polk county in 1880, and +representative in the Wisconsin assembly in 1885. He removed to +Minneapolis in 1887. + + +EUREKA. + +Eureka embraces township 35, range 18 and a fractional part of range +19. The west part is somewhat broken by the St. Croix bluffs; the +remainder is undulating and capable of agricultural improvement. There +are many good farms in this town. There are a few small lakes in the +eastern part. Eureka was set off from St. Croix Falls, and organized +Dec. 16, 1877. The first supervisors were Lucius A. Harper, Jens +Welling and William Booth. The first settlers were L. A. Harper, John +C. Beede, Henry Cole and others. There are three post offices in the +town,--Harper, Cushing and North Valley. At the mouth of Wolf creek, +in the extreme northwestern section of this town, J. R. Brown had a +trading house in the '30s, and Louis Roberts in the '40s. At this +place Alex. Livingston, another trader, was killed by Indians in 1849. +Livingston had built him a comfortable home, which he made a stopping +place for the weary traveler, whom he fed on wild rice, maple sugar, +venison, bear meat, muskrats, wild fowl and flour bread, all decently +prepared by his Indian wife. Mr. Livingston was killed by an Indian in +1849. + +In 1855 Carma P. Garlick surveyed a quarter section here and laid it +off into town lots, and had lithograph maps published, calling the +prospective village Sebatanna, an Indian town signifying "Water +Village." + +CHARLES NEVERS settled here about 1860, and has now a fine farm and +good buildings. + + +FARMINGTON. + +Farmington was organized as a town in 1858. It contains forty-two +sections of land, in township 32, ranges 18 and 19, with some +fractions of sections on the St. Croix. It is a rich agricultural +town, well diversified with prairie and timber land. Its western +portion, along the St. Croix, has the picturesque bluffs common to +that river, with some unusually beautiful cascades and hillside +springs, of which the most notable are the well known mineral spring +and the springs at the lime kiln. The mineral spring is situated on +the St. Croix river, at the base of the bluff, and about one mile and +a half below Osceola Mills. A beautiful hotel was built in 1876 on the +cliff above, at a cost of about $20,000, which became quite a popular +place of resort until 1885, when it was burned. It has not been +rebuilt. The property was improved by Currant & Stevens, but afterward +sold. + +The following analysis shows the chemical constituents of a gallon of +the water of the spring: + + GRAINS. + Chloride of sodium .053 + Sulphate of soda .524 + Bicarbonate of soda .799 + Bicarbonate of lime 11.193 + Bicarbonate of magnesia 7.248 + Iron and alumina .492 + Silica .265 + Organic matter a trace + ------- + Total 20,565 + +South Farmington Corners has a prosperous cheese factory, owned and +operated by Koch Brothers, erected in 1883, turning out in 1884 +sixteen tons of cheese and in 1885 over twenty tons. South Farmington +has a Catholic church building. + +The first crops in Farmington were raised by Wm. Kent on a farm near +Osceola in 1846, and the same year Harmon Crandall and Richard Arnold +improved land and raised crops not far from the present village of +Farmington. Here, owing to the sandy nature of the soil, well digging +proved rather perilous to the two farmers. Mr. Arnold attempted to dig +a well in a depression, a sinkhole, in the prairie. As he dug deeper +the sides of the well caved in, almost burying him. He managed by his +own utmost exertions and those of his friend Crandall to escape, but +left his boots deeply imbedded in prairie soil. + +In 1887 the Soo Railroad Company bridged the St. Croix, at the cedar +bend at the south point of the leaning cedars, and extended their +grade along the base of the precipice overlooking the river above, and +commanding an extensive view of bold, picturesque and beautiful +scenery. + + +BIOGRAPHICAL. + +HARMON CRANDALL.--The Crandall family were the first to settle in +Osceola Prairie, in the town of Farmington. Mr. Crandall moved to his +farm in 1846, and lived there many years; sold out and removed to +Hudson, where, in later life, he became blind. He had three sons born +in Farmington. In 1882 he moved to Shell Lake, Washburn county, where +he died, Aug. 8, 1886. Mrs. Crandall died May 11, 1888. + +SAMUEL WALL.--Mr. Wall was born in 1824, in Shropshire, England; went +as a British soldier to the West Indies in 1840; two years later came +to New York City; one year later to St. Louis; in 1844 to St. Paul and +in 1846 to the St. Croix valley, where he made a permanent home at the +lime kiln, which he bought of William Willim. He was married to Anna +Maria Moore in 1857. They had been educated as Episcopalians, but are +now Catholics and have educated their children in that faith in the +schools at St. Paul. Mr. Wall served five years in the British army +for thirteen pence a day, but West India rum was cheap, only ten pence +per gallon, and this, Mr. Wall pathetically remarked, "was an +unfortunate element for the lime-kiln man." After twenty-six years of +struggle Mr. Wall came out victorious and now strongly advises all +young men to "touch not, taste not, handle not," anything that can +intoxicate. The writer trusts he may stand firm. + +WILLIAM RAMSEY was born in Ireland in 1814, and came to America with +his parents in his youth, first settling in Nova Scotia. In 1834 he +came to Washington county, Maine. In 1839 he was married to Sarah +Stevens, at Crawford, Maine. In 1849 he went to California. In 1850 he +returned, and located on his farm in Farmington, Polk county, where he +still resides, an efficient citizen, who has borne his full part in +the organization of town and county, and filled various offices. + +HIRAM W. NASON.--Mr. Nason was born in Waterville, Maine, in 1792. +When of age he settled in Crawford, Maine. In 1852 he was married. He +came to Polk county, and settled in Farmington in 1853. Mr. Nason died +in 1859. Mrs. Nason died some years later. They were members of the +Baptist church. Their children are Joel F., Levi, Merrill, Crocker, +Albert, James, Maria, wife of Thos. Ford, of Farmington, and Frances, +wife of Moses Peaselee, of Farmington. Mr. Ford died in 1880. He was a +well to do farmer. Mr. Peaselee, also a farmer, has served as sheriff +of Polk county. + +JOEL F. NASON.--Mr. Nason was born Aug. 31, 1828, in Washington +county, Maine. He was married to Bertha Hanscomb, of Crawford, Maine, +in July, 1851. Their children are Everett, Fred, Louisa, wife of +Albert Thompson, and Bertha. Mrs. Nason died in 1862. Mr. Nason was +married to Mary Ann Godfrey, of Osceola, in 1867. Mrs. Nason died +February, 1885. He was married to Miss Fanny Field, of St. Croix +Falls, in 1887. Mr. Nason settled in Farmington in 1852. He engaged in +lumbering many years, and was called by his fellow citizens to fill +several important offices. He served eight years as county clerk. He +was appointed receiver of the United States land office at St. Croix +Falls in 1871, which office he resigned in 1884, when he was elected +state senator. + +JOHN MCADAMS was born in Tennessee in 1808. He was employed for many +years on the Louisville (Ky.) canal. He was married to Eliza Robinson +in 1840. Mrs. McAdams died in 1844, leaving one son, Melville, born +1842, who came with his father to the St. Croix valley in 1849. He +first located at Osceola, but in 1854 removed to Farmington, where he +died in 1883. Mr. McAdams was a mineralogist of some ability. + +CHARLES TEA was born in Pennsylvania in 1817; came into the St. Croix +valley in 1849; was married in 1850 to Mary McAdams, sister of John +McAdams, and in the same year settled on a farm in Farmington. In 1880 +he removed to Southern Iowa. + + +GARFIELD. + +Garfield includes thirty sections of range 17, and six sections of +range 18, township 33. It is well watered and has many small lakes, +while Sucker lake, a lake of considerable size, is about equally +divided between its own territory and that of Lincoln. Garfield was +organized in 1886. The first supervisors were Abraham Sylvester, James +T. Montgomery and Martin Hanson. In 1887 the Minneapolis, Soo & +Atlantic railway built through the town from west to southeast and +established one station, Deronda, in the southeast corner of the town. +The post office of El Salem is in Garfield. + + +GEORGETOWN. + +Georgetown comprises township 35, ranges 15 and 16. This town is +abundantly supplied with water by Apple river and its tributaries, and +numerous lakes, some of them of considerable size. The largest are +Bone, Blake, Powder and Pipe. The timber is hardwood and pine +intermingled. Immense quantities of pine have been taken from this +town, and still much remains. Wild meadows are plentiful. Georgetown +was set off from Milltown and organized Nov. 15, 1879. The first +supervisors were David H. Smith, Elisha E. Drake and August Larbell. +George P. Anderson was the first settler (1873), and his christian +name was affixed to the town. The first school was taught in 1874 by +John Burns. A post office was established in 1881 at Bunyan, G. P. +Anderson, postmaster. The first sermon was preached by Rev. C. D. +Scott, a Methodist. The first birth was that of Lucy Anderson; the +first marriage that of Henry King to Etta Clark. The first death was +that of August Larbell. + + +TWO MEN MURDERED. + +Oliver Grover and Harry Knight, two prominent lumbermen of Stillwater, +on July 2, 1864, were exploring for timber and hay on Pipe lake, +section 10, in Georgetown. Not returning to their camp, two miles +distant, the watchman at the camp, after waiting two days, went to St. +Croix Falls and gave the alarm. Many parties went in pursuit of the +lost men. Some traces of their presence were discovered on the shore +of this lake, but the search was finally abandoned. After some months +the Indians confessed that two of their young men shot the two men, +disemboweled them, burned the entrails and sunk the bodies in the +lake. Their bodies were never found. We append the following newspaper +clipping: + +"FINALE.--The friends of the two Indians that shot Grover and Knight, +last Tuesday delivered to P. B. Lacy, of St. Croix Falls, the +valuables that were taken from the bodies of the murdered men. They +consisted of $113 in gold, $282.05 in greenbacks, $160 in silver, one +silver watch, one wallet and one pocket knife. This is probably the +closing act of the bloody tragedy which cost two innocent men their +lives at the hands of Indians steeped in liquor, and who, fearing the +vengeance of the white man, committed suicide." + +The two murderers had confessed the crime and shot themselves. + +GEORGE P. ANDERSON.--Mr. Anderson was born in Fulvana county, +Virginia, 1825; was educated in the common schools; lived in Ohio +eighteen and in Indiana fifteen years, and came to Balsam Lake in +1866. Few men have been more active in the opening up of a new +settlement. Mr. Anderson has been several times elected to office in +the new county, and was a principal actor in the establishment of the +Polk County Agricultural Society in 1886. He has a family of fifteen +children living. + + +LAKETOWN. + +Laketown includes township 36, range 18. It is named from the lakes +that dot almost every section in the town. Trade lake, with its +tributary from Butternut lake, are the principal streams. The town was +set off from Sterling and organized April 6, 1875. The first +supervisors were L. Bell; S. P. Heard and N. Fornell. The town was +settled largely by Swedes, Norwegians, Danes and Alabamians. The +latter settled in the northwestern part of the town. In 1869 Caleb +Cushing bought the agricultural college lands in the town to the +amount of 7,200 acres. The first school house was built in 1870, in +section 8. P. Tierney taught the first school. Lindsey McKee was the +first settler. He was also the first to sell out and leave. Daniel +Swensbarger, a German, bought him out, and a number of his countrymen +settled near him. Jacob Swensbarger started a store. N. Grondund built +the first blacksmith shop. Peter Olsen built the first saw mill, at +the foot of Long lake, in 1875. The first marriage was that of L. +McKee and Mary Addington, by L. Bell, Esq. + + +LINCOLN. + +Lincoln includes township 33, range 16, and the eastern tier of +sections of township 33, range 17. It is abundantly watered by Apple +river and its tributaries, and has numerous lakes of which Sucker +lake is the largest. The soil is well adapted to the culture of wheat. +There are many fine farms in this township. The surface, originally +covered with timber, is undulating. The town was organized in 1860, +being set off from Osceola. The first town meeting was held April, +1861. A. A. Heald, M. C. Lane and John Hurness were the first +supervisors. The post town is at Lincoln Centre. The Polk county poor +farm is pleasantly situated on a lake in Lincoln, and has been well +managed for a series of years by Capt. Wilkie. + +AMERY village is located on Apple river, at the crossing of the "Soo +Line" railway. It has two saw mills and a stave factory. The +Minneapolis, Soo & Atlantic railway passes through Lincoln from +southwest to east, and has a station at Apple River crossing, named +Amery, in honor of William Amery, one of Polk county's best citizens. + +WM. WILSON was born in 1828, at Armagh county, Ireland. At four years +of age he came to America with his parents, who located at Canada +West, where he learned the baker's trade. In 1849 he came to Osceola +and followed lumbering eight years. He was married at Osceola to Leah +Moody and located on his homestead in Lincoln in 1870. He has three +sons. Mr. Wilson has been a useful citizen and has done his full share +of pioneer work. + + +LORAINE. + +Loraine includes townships 36 and 37, range 15. It is a heavily +timbered district, with hardwood and pine interspersed. The surface is +undulating and the soil is much of it good. It is well watered by +South Clam creek and tributaries, and has a multitude of small lakes. +There are some fine farms in the northern part of the township. +Loraine was organized Nov. 14, 1872. The first town meeting was held +April, 1873. The first supervisors were, Frank J. Williams, George +Phelps and John Klinch. Wm. Gallespie built the first hotel and opened +it in 1873. The first school was taught by Georgia Lacy. The first +marriage was that of James Lago and Almeda Johnson. The first white +child was George Phillips; the first death that of a child of J. L. +Ellis. + +The first settler was C. Loraine Ruggles. He was somewhat eccentric. +He published a book embodying his own adventures during the Rebellion, +which he called "The Great American Spy." The town was named after +him. N. B. Bull and Chas. Anderson were the next settlers. + +WM. WALLACE GALLESPIE was born in Louisville, Kentucky; lived in his +youth in Illinois and came to Marine Mills in 1844. In 1851 he married +Cecilia M. Ring, widow of Charles Turner, of Taylor's Falls. In 1878 +he moved to his homestead in Loraine, where he has a good farm and +hotel. He has two sons and one daughter. + + +LUCK. + +Luck includes township 36, ranges 16 and 17. It is a good agricultural +region and contains already many valuable farms. The eastern half of +the town was originally a rich pine wood region. Much of the timber is +yet standing. The town is well watered by Upper Trade and Straight +rivers and has many beautiful lakes, the principal of which are +Butternut and North. Luck was organized as a town Nov. 9, 1869. The +first supervisors were Wm. H. Foster, M. C. Pederson and J. J. Bille. +The first settlers were Wm. W. Gallespie, W. H. Foster and D. F. Smith +(1857). The first marriage was that of W. H. Foster, and his oldest +child was the first white child born in Luck. Wm. Gallespie raised the +first crops. D. F. Smith built the first saw mill. W. H. Foster was +first postmaster. At present there are two post offices, one at the +village of Luck, the other at West Denmark. Laura Jones taught the +first school in Luck. The town has been settled chiefly by Danes, +mostly direct from Denmark. A Danish high school was established in +1884, K. Noregaad, principal, at which different languages are taught. +The building cost $3,000. It is beautifully located on Butternut lake. +The Lutherans have three flourishing church organizations in this +town. + +WILLIAM H. FOSTER was born in Bangor, Maine, in 1828; came to St. +Croix valley in 1844; settled in Luck in 1857 and engaged in farming +and lumbering. He served in the army during the Rebellion, and was +postmaster at Luck for eighteen years. His father, Daniel Foster, came +with him to the St. Croix valley in 1844 and died in 1876. His native +place was New Hampshire. + + +MILLTOWN. + +Milltown includes township 35, range 17. It is a good agricultural and +stock growing town. It is watered by the small streams flowing into +Balsam, Half Moon and other lakes. The timber is mostly hardwood. +There is pine in the eastern part. The Patterson post office is +located in section 7, Milltown in section 36. Milltown was set off +from St. Croix Falls Dec. 20, 1869. The first town meeting was held +Jan. 8, 1870. The first supervisors were John Lynch, M. Fitzgerald, +Sr., and John Hurley. The Roman Catholic church was organized here in +1864. Their new house of worship was built in 1870. The first settlers +were James and John Rogers. The first school (1865) was taught by +Maggie Crawford. The first school house was built in 1866. A grange +was organized in 1884. The town has now a good brick school house and +a saw and flour mill. + +PATRICK LILLIS was born in Ireland in 1807. He came to Polk county in +1856, and, with his amiable wife and enterprising sons, made a claim +on what was afterward styled Milltown, an inappropriate name, but +given by Mr. Lillis himself, as he humorously remarked, "because there +was not a stream large enough for a mill site in the town," and +Milltown it remains to this day. Mr. Lillis prospered and made himself +a good home. He died Feb. 26, 1886. Mrs. Lillis died December, 1885. +They left six sons. John C. is in Greene county, Texas, Simon C. is in +Southern California, and Richard is in Memphis, Tennessee. Henry, the +youngest, aged twenty-nine years, has for the past six years been a +resident of Tacoma, Washington Territory. The residence of Martin and +James is not known. + + +OSCEOLA. + +Osceola contains all of township 33, range 18, except the eastern tier +of sections, and ten whole sections and some fractions of range 19, +made somewhat irregular by the St. Croix river boundary, and the +obtrusion of three sections of Farmington in the southwestern part. It +is a rich agricultural town, consisting chiefly of prairie, the whole +forming a tableland, terminating westward on the precipitous bluffs of +the St. Croix. It has a good steamboat landing and two good water +powers, Osceola and Close's creeks. These are both fine trout brooks. +The bluffs overlooking the St. Croix are bold and high, and, for a +great part, precipitous. Most conspicuous of these bluffs is the +promontory known as Eagle Point, situated just below the Osceola +landing. An escarpment of limestone, about two hundred feet above the +river, projects over its base, not much unlike the celebrated table +rock at Niagara Falls. A tall and solitary pine tree stands upon the +extreme verge of this rock, the whole forming a conspicuous landmark, +visible to a distance of several miles down the river. The cascade on +Osceola creek, a few rods above its mouth, has scarcely a rival +amongst the waterfalls of the West. It has sometimes been called the +Minnehaha of Wisconsin, but while it resembles somewhat in the lower +part of its descent that celebrated cascade, the scenery around it is +much wilder, perpendicular rocks towering over it to a great height, +while the upper part of the fall is over an inclined plain, broken +into steps. It is a favorite haunt for artists and photographers. +There are several minor waterfalls of great beauty in the vicinity. +The trap rock formation crops out in the eastern and northern parts of +the town, rich in specimens of copper and silver. Silver is also found +in ledges at East Lake. + +The first land claim in the town, made May 14, 1844, by Milton V. +Nobles and Lucius N. S. Parker, included the cascade and the present +site of the village. The claim was made with the intention of building +a saw mill at the outlet of Osceola creek. The mill company, organized +in 1841, consisted of M. V. and W. H. Nobles, Wm. Kent, Wm. O. Mahony +and Harvey Walker. Mr. Nobles sold his interest and removed to Willow +River; Wm. Parker removed to St. Anthony. The mill commenced cutting +timber in 1845. It was run at first with a small flutter wheel, which +was replaced by a an overshot wheel, 30 feet; that by another, 45 +feet, and that by one 50 feet in diameter. In 1845 the company built a +two story boarding house, also a shop and office, near the mill. After +the completion of the mill Walker withdrew from the firm and Anson +Northrup was for a short time a member. Kent & Mahony for a number of +years operated the mill, selling lumber in Galena and St. Louis. +Mahony left for California in 1852. Around this mill, as a nucleus, +the settlement of Osceola and the village were built up. The mill, +with its immense water wheel, for so many years a conspicuous object +on the river, has long since disappeared. + +Osceola has had many enterprising business men engaged in +merchandising and manufacturing. The first flouring mill was built by +Kent Brothers in 1853, just above the cascade. This mill changed +owners several times, and was burned in 1880. It was rebuilt by +Lovejoy & Sutton in 1883. Its present capacity is one hundred barrels +per day. The second flouring mill was built by Dresser & Wilson in +1867. It is situated on the same stream, a few rods above the first. +It has also changed owners several times. Its capacity is fifty +barrels per day. The first merchants were Wyckoff and Stevenson, in +1856. These have been succeeded by Rice, Webb, Clark Brothers, +Armstrong & Co., Talboys & Staples, Dresser & Wilson, Lacy & Johnson, +W. A. Talboys, Gridley & Co., Heald & Thing, Dresser Brothers, and +others. Dr. Gray was the first practicing physician. After him, at +different periods, came Drs. Hilton, Brooks, Gaskill, Garlick, +Marshall, Searles, Cornbacker and Clark. The first deed recorded of +Osceola property was a quitclaim from Wm. H. Nobles to Anson Northrup, +consideration $3,250, in 1847. The first lawyer settled here was I. P. +Freeland. His successors were Button, Dowling, Dyke, McDill, and +others. The first sermon preached in Osceola was by Rev. Lemuel +Nobles, a Methodist minister, in 1851. There are two church +organizations; each has respectable church buildings. The first +Baptist preacher was Rev. S. T. Catlin, in 1854. The Baptists built +the first church in the county in Osceola, 1856. The first log house +in the town was built by Richard Arnold in the locality of the famous +Drake Troutmere springs. This house was built in 1848. Mr. Arnold +raised the first crops in the town of Osceola. The first school house +was built in 1852. A high school building was erected in 1868. W. A. +Talboys taught the first public school in 1852. Until 1861 the schools +were under the town system. In 1875 a free high school was +established. The first post office was established in 1854, and W. C. +Guild was postmaster for twenty years. The first town election was +held April 5, 1853, when the following supervisors were elected: Wm. +Ramsey, chairman; Nelson McCarty and W. C. Guild. At this meeting the +town voted a tax of thirty dollars for school and fifty dollars for +town expenses. The first Sunday-school was organized by W. A. Talboys +in 1852. + +The first marriage, that of John Buckley to Elizabeth Godfrey, was in +1853. The first white child born was John Francis, in 1847. The first +death was that of Leroy Hubble, by accident, in 1845. + + +CHANGE OF NAME. + +The name of the town was originally Leroy, in honor of Mr. Hubble +above mentioned. It is to be regretted that this name was not +retained, inasmuch as Osceola, though the name of one of the most +celebrated Indians in American history, is shared by a post town in +the eastern part of the State. It was therefore necessary to call this +post town Osceola Mills, a distinction that correspondents and +postmasters are not always careful to note. Osceola village remained +unorganized until Aug. 10, 1887. The first officers were: President, +H. B. Dyke; trustees, W. C. Reilly, R. S. Sutton, G. W. De Long, H. E. +Cornbacker, Paul Filzen, S. C. Benjamin; clerk, S. Rowcliff; +treasurer, C. W. Staples; supervisor, G. D. McDill; justice of the +peace, George Wilson; police justice, T. Post. The village has a +splendid situation upon the bluffs overlooking the river, and +communicates with points on the river by boat, and with overland +points by the Minneapolis, Soo & Atlantic railway, completed to this +place Aug. 21, 1887. There is also a branch road from Dresser's +station to St. Croix Falls. The village was visited by destructive +fires at various times. Most prominent of these was the burning of the +Freeland Hotel in 1857, the Western Hotel in 1878, and the first +flouring mill in 1880. + + +BIOGRAPHICAL. + +DANIEL MEARS.--Mr. Mears was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1819. His +first wife, Emeline Mendon, died in 1850, leaving three sons, Charles, +David, and Daniel. In 1852 he was married to Susan Thompson. They have +one daughter, Lulu, now Mrs. Wheeler, of Stillwater. Mr. Mears came +West in 1848, and sold goods one year at Taylor's Place (since +Taylor's Falls). In 1849 he removed his store to St. Croix Falls, +where he continued merchandising and lumbering until 1852, when he +went to Willow River as agent in building the first saw mill in what +is now Hudson. In 1860 he made himself a permanent home on a farm near +Osceola. He served as state senator from the Twenty-eighth district in +1858-59, and as state timber agent in 1874-75. As an officer Mr. Mears +acquitted himself well. In politics he is a Democrat, and while in the +senate took an active part in debates. The oldest son, Charles, is +editor and proprietor of the _Polk County Press_. The three sons are +married. + +NELSON MCCARTY.--Mr. McCarty was born July 4, 1819, in Pike county, +Pennsylvania; in 1834 was married to Mary McKune, and came to St. +Croix valley in 1846, where he engaged in piloting and lumbering. In +1847 he made him a farm on Osceola prairie. He died in 1856. His +brother Philip came to Osceola in 1850, and settled on Osceola +prairie. + +WILLIAM O. MAHONY, a native of Ireland, born about 1810, came to +America while he was yet a minor, and to St. Croix Falls in 1843. He +had learned the trade of a baker, but in 1844 became one of the +proprietors of the saw mill at Osceola, and sold his interest in 1860. +He was a man of original and eccentric mind. He went to California in +1862, and died there in 1866. + +RICHARD ARNOLD is of Illinois birth. He came to Osceola in 1845, and +moved to his farm near the village in 1848. In 1852 he removed to +Taylor's Falls and built the Cascade House. In 1855 he was the first +farmer in the town of Amador, Chisago county. In 1859 he left the +valley for Pike's Peak, Colorado. + +WM. KENT SR., was born in Scotland sometime in 1790. He was married in +Scotland, and, with his wife and two eldest children, came to America +in 1823. He seems to have lived awhile in New Brunswick, probably till +1829 or 30, when he removed to Eddington, Maine, whence he removed to +the West and made his home at Osceola in 1852, where he and his wife +died at an advanced age, honored by all who knew them. His family of +six sons and five daughters all grew to mature age, and, except +Andrew, who located in Farmington, had homes in Osceola The daughters +are Anna, wife of Curtis Guild; Agnes (deceased), wife of I. W. +Freeland; Jane, wife of Jerry Mudget; Mary (deceased), wife of Chapin +Kimball; and Eva, wife of Henry C. Goodwin. + +ROBERT KENT, oldest son of Wm. Kent, Sr., was born in Scotland in +1819; came to Galena, Illinois, in 1840, and to Osceola in 1848, where +he has filled many responsible public positions. His first wife, to +whom he was married in Galena in 1841, died in 1847, leaving four +children. In 1859 Mr. Kent was married to Susan Babb, of Osceola. + +ANDREW KENT was born in Scotland in 1821. He was married in New +Brunswick in 1838, but his wife died soon after. He came to Osceola in +1852 and was married to Esther Hill, of Osceola, in 1855. Mr. Kent +followed lumbering for many years but finally settled on a beautiful +farm in Farmington, where he still resides, an industrious, thrifty +farmer. + +WILLIAM KENT, JR., was born in New Brunswick in 1824; came to Galena +in 1843 and to St. Croix Falls in 1844. He was one of the original +owners and builders of the first mill at Osceola. From time to time he +purchased the interests of other partners until he became sole owner +of mill and town site. In 1853 he sold the mill to B. H. Campbell, of +Galena. Mr. Kent engaged in steamboating for many years and was a +popular commander. He built the Nellie Kent, the Helen Mar and Maggie +Reany. Of late years he has been engaged in mercantile pursuits. He +was married to Nellie Kidder in 1855. They have no children. Mr. Kent +is an influential member of the masonic order, and has filled many +positions of public trust. + +JAMES KENT was born in Frederickton, New Brunswick, in 1826; came to +Wisconsin in 1850; and was married to Mary Jane Wilson at Osceola in +1858. In 1874 he removed to Ashland, Wisconsin, where he died in 1878, +leaving a wife and five children. + +THOMAS KENT was born in Richmond, New Brunswick, in 1828. He came to +Osceola in 1849 and was married in 1856 to Achsah Hale. He was a +practical lumberman and a very active man. He was accidentally killed +in 1847, while breaking a jam of logs in Clam river. He left a wife +and one child. + +JOHN KENT was born in Eddington, Maine, in 1831. He came to Wisconsin +with his parents in 1852. He was married to Jennie Kidder in 1866. He +was a house carpenter. Lived in Duluth some years but returned and +settled in Osceola. + +SAMUEL CLOSE in 1845 made a land claim for a mill at the falls of +Close creek. Shortly after he abandoned the claim and left the +country, leaving his name to the creek and slough. + +EBENEZER AYRES came from Maine to the St. Croix valley in 1850, and +settled on a farm in Osceola, where he made his home during the +remainder of his active life. During his last years he became very +feeble and partially insane, and his friends placed him in the asylum +at Madison, where he died, Aug. 20, 1876. His wife, familiarly known +in later years as "Mother Ayres," and greatly esteemed for her +excellence of character, died two years later. They reared a family of +four sons and seven daughters. The sons Charles, Seth and Andrew are +farmers on typo for Osceola prairie. Warren, a fourth son, died in +Iowa. The daughters were married--Elizabeth to Ambrose Sevey, Ruth to +Walter Carrier, Mary (deceased) to Frank S. Eddy, Sarah to E. R. St. +Clair, and to a second husband, H. H. Newberry, all of Taylor's Falls; +Abigail to Wm. E. Doe, and to a second husband, the distinguished +phrenologist, O. S. Fowler, of New York; Almena to ---- Clough, of +Osceola prairie, and, after his decease, to Wallace, of Osceola; and +Emma to Charles P. Fenlason, of Pipestone, Minnesota. + +CARMI P. GARLICK was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, in 1818; was +married in 1842 to Elizabeth Thompson, of Ohio, and come to Amador, +Chisago county, Minnesota, in 1854, where he built a saw mill. Not +succeeding as he had expected, he betook himself to farming and to the +practice of medicine while in Amador. In 1858 he removed to Osceola, +where he practiced medicine until he entered the United States service +as surgeon during the war of the Rebellion. He died at Milwaukee, Jan. +12, 1864, while in the United States service. He was educated in +Columbus (Ohio) Medical College. He left a wife, one son (Louis), and +one daughter, wife of Henry Jones, of Osceola. + +JOHN S. GODFREY was born in Sackville, Halifax county, Nova Scotia, +Dec. 18, 1809; was married to Sarah Wright, in Stonnich, Nova Scotia, +in 1832; came to Easton, Wisconsin, in 1849, to Taylor's Falls in +1851, and to their beautiful homestead in Osceola in 1852, where he +still lives, respected and honored by all his neighbors as an honest, +worthy and industrious man. He has sometimes engaged in lumbering, but +his chief success has been as a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey are +members of the Baptist church. They have four sons and five daughters. +Of his sons, George died in 1872. Of his daughters, Mary Ann, wife of +Joel F. Nason, died in 1885. John, the youngest son, was married to +Mamie Maxwell, and died January, 1888. The daughters are +married--Elizabeth to John Buckley, Charlotte to S. B. Dresser, Eunice +to George Clark, and Sarah to Joseph A. Brown. The two oldest sons are +married--James to M. Fenlason, Arthur to Mary J. Daniel. + +WILLIAM A. TALBOYS was born in Bristol, England; was married to Mary +Rowcliff, in London, in 1845; came to America in 1845, and to Osceola +in 1851, where for some years he clerked for Kent Brothers. He taught +the first school in Osceola and served four years as county treasurer. +He has held many positions of trust. For many years he has been +engaged in lumbering and merchandising. In 1874 he built an elevator +for handling wheat. Mr. Talboys and his wife are members of the +Methodist church. They have three children living. The oldest, W. E., +is editor of the Grantsburg _Sentinel_, Burnett county. Frederic C. is +in St. Paul. Adelaide E. was married to Benj. Knapp, captain of the +steamboat Cleon. Her husband died in 1887. + +CHARLES H. STAPLES.--Mr. Staples was born in Portsmouth, New +Hampshire, in 1824. In 1848 he came to Bunker Hill, Illinois, and in +the same year was married to Hannah Garland. He was engaged seven +years in the milling business, and in 1856 came to Osceola, where he +engaged in lumbering, selling goods and medicines. He has filled +several county offices. Of their four children, Charles W. was married +to May Foster, of Osceola, in 1878, Eva is married to H. B. Dyke, and +Frank to Ella Fiske. + +J. W. PEAKE was born Dec. 2, 1822, in Schoharie county, New York. At +the age of twenty-one he settled near La Salle, Illinois, and kept a +hotel. He came to Osceola in 1854, and settled on a farm. On July 15, +1862, he enlisted in the Tenth Wisconsin Battery, and served till the +close of the war. He served several years as town supervisor and +assessor. He died at his home, March 13, 1886. + +GEORGE WILSON was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, in 1836. +His privileges for education were good. He taught school in +Pennsylvania; came to Osceola in 1857; followed clerking and teaching +school; was nine years in flouring mill and merchandising; was two +years register of deeds, and has filled minor offices. He was married +to Emma R. Fiske in 1854, at Osceola. They have two sons and two +daughters, one the wife of Capt. George Knapp. + +SAMUEL B. DRESSER.--Mr. Dresser was born in Buxton, Maine, in 1832. +During his youth he lived with his parents, chiefly at Bangor, where +he received the rudiments of a good education in the common schools, +and in Kent Seminary at Readfield. He came to Taylor's Falls in 1851, +and followed lumbering and merchandising until 1862, when he settled +on his farm homestead on Osceola prairie. Mr. Dresser was a member of +the Twenty-third Wisconsin assembly. He was married to Charlotte M. +Godfrey, June 23, 1859. They have one daughter, Helen A., and six +sons, Elma T., William A., Lester B., Wyman H., Mark S., and Frank E. + +FREDERIC A. DRESSER, brother of Samuel B., was born at Moscow, Maine, +Nov. 2, 1841, came to Taylor's Falls, Minnesota, in 1858, and remained +some years, when he removed to Osceola. He served three years during +the Civil War in the Thirtieth Wisconsin Infantry, and left the +service with the rank of quartermaster. After the war he was married +to Mary E. Thoms, of Biddeford, Maine. During his subsequent residence +in Osceola he engaged in mercantile pursuits, served as county +treasurer four years and as register of deeds five years, which office +he held at the time of his death which occurred Oct. 23, 1886. + +OSCAR A. CLARK came to Taylor's Falls in 1881, settled on a farm in +Osceola in 1852, and brought hither his parents from Vermont, both of +whom have since died. Oscar was a surveyor. He engaged also in the +lumbering and commercial business. He was of the firm of Clark +Brothers. He enlisted in a Wisconsin regiment during the Rebellion, +and served till mustered out, but never returned to his home, and as +nothing has since been heard from him, his friends have concluded that +he must have been murdered after his discharge, possibly on the way +home. Cornelius, a brother, lives at the Clark homestead; George, a +brother, married a daughter, of John S. Godfrey. He died in 1873. The +widow was subsequently married to Cornelius. Leman, a brother, settled +on a farm in Osceola, and died in 1879, leaving a large family. +Andrew, another brother, of the firm of Clark Brothers, died in +Osceola. + +OSCAR F. KNAPP.--Capt. Knapp has been conspicuous as a steamboat +maker, owner and captain for the last thirty years. He was born in +Clinton county, New York, in 1831. At the age of fifteen years he came +West and located in Delavan, Wisconsin. In 1852 he removed to Osceola, +Wisconsin, where he engaged in lumbering for about four years. In 1856 +he was married to Miss Angeline Hayes, of Osceola. In the same year he +engaged in the business of steamboating, with which he has been since +identified more or less. His first steamboat was the H. S. Allen, +which, in company with E. B. Strong, he bought of H. S. Allen, of +Chippewa Falls, in 1856, for $5,000. In 1862 he built the Enterprise, +a small but serviceable boat of light draft and fair speed. In 1864 +Capt. Knapp built the Viola, owned by a stock company. In 1866 he +built the G. B. Knapp, in 1879 the Jennie Hayes, and ran these two +boats fourteen years. In 1877 he entered the employment of the United +States government, improving the navigation of the St. Croix river, in +which work he is still engaged. His two sons, Ben and George, +succeeded him in the steamboat business. Ben, the oldest son, was born +in Osceola in 1857; George, the second son, in 1859. These two boys +spent their childhood and youth on the river, and have grown up to be +expert pilots and captains, and inherit their father's popularity as +river men. Ben was married to Addie Talboys, June, 1880; George to +Claribel Wilson, in 1883. Capt. Knapp has two other children, Viola, +now Mrs. Arthur Johnson, and Guy, still a minor. Mrs. Angeline Knapp +died at her home in Osceola, March 6, 1883, respected and lamented by +all who knew her. Capt. Ben Knapp died Oct. 5, 1887, leaving a wife +and two children. + +MRS. ELISABETH B. HAYES.--Mrs. Hayes was born in 1811, in Dundee, +Yates county, New York. In 1854 she removed with her husband to +Missouri. After his death, in the fall of the same year, she came with +her children to Osceola, where she built the Osceola House, which she +kept a number of years. The daughters were Angeline B. (Mrs. O. F. +Knapp), Mrs. Hubbell and Mrs. Milroy, of New York, and Mrs. Truman +Foster, widow, since the wife of Capt. C. G. Bradley. Her sons were +George, Frank and David. Capt. George Hayes followed piloting and +steamboating, excepting during the Rebellion, when he served as a +soldier in the Fourth Wisconsin Volunteers. In the latter part of the +war he served as a scout for Gen. Canby. At the present time he has +the appointment of steamboat inspector, with office in St. Paul. David +has been prominent as a steamboat captain. He now resides in Iowa. + +CYRUS G. BRADLEY was born in Kaskaskia, Illinois, in 1825. In 1845 he +came to the lead mines in Wisconsin and to Osceola in 1848. He was +married in 1846 to the widow of Truman Foster, of Osceola. Mr. Bradley +engaged in lumbering, became a river pilot, running rafts to St. +Louis, with stems and blades, called oars and sweeps, before steamboat +towing was in vogue. When steamboats became useful in running rafts, +he built two steamers especially for raft towing. He had much to do in +introducing the steamboat towing business. Mr. Bradley moved to his +farm near Osceola in 1874, where he still resides. + +W. HALE.--Judge Hale's early life was spent on a farm. He commenced +lumbering in 1822, and followed that business and piloting on the Ohio +and Alleghany rivers until 1851, when he came to Osceola prairie and +opened a farm. Mr. Hale was the first county judge of Polk county, and +held the position eight years. He has also served as county +superintendent of schools. He was born in Harmony, Susquehanna county, +Pennsylvania, in 1802; was married to Nancy McKeene, of Orange county, +New York, in 1826. They have four sons, John, Isaac, Silas F., and +Reuben W., and three daughters, Esther (Mrs. Treadwell), Malvina (Mrs. +Merrick), and Achsah (Mrs. Thomas Kent). + +EDGAR C. TREADWELL was born March 29, 1832, in Susquehanna county, +Pennsylvania. He came with a team from Pennsylvania to Osceola in +1846, where he engaged in lumbering and piloting until 1863, when he +enlisted in Company D, Second Wisconsin Cavalry. He was wounded at +Yazoo river. He returned to Osceola in 1865 and was married to Esther +Hale in 1866. Mr. Treadwell was the first sheriff of Polk county, and +has filled other places of trust. Since the war he has resided on his +farm. + + +ST. CROIX FALLS. + +Extended mention has already been made of the village of St. Croix +Falls in the general history of the first settlement of the county. +The town includes township 34, range 18, and two partial sections of +range 19. It was organized in 1854, but unfortunately no records of +its organization can be obtained. The surface is agreeably diversified +by hill and plain, and is supplied with many species of timber, +including maple, elm, and several varieties of oak. The St. Croix +river forms its western boundary, and presents here some of its +wildest and most beautiful scenery, including the trap rock ledges of +the Dalles. + + +ST. CROIX FALLS VILLAGE. + +The buildings of the Falls company formed the nucleus of a village +which took the name of the Falls. Its history has been given somewhat +at length in the history of the settlement, and in "Reminiscences." It +is situated on the east bank of the river, between the upper and lower +falls. It contains one first class flouring mill, owned by James +Thompson, one wagon and plow factory, owned by Comer Brothers, one +agricultural warehouse, two livery stables (Harvey & Co., and Lillis +& Co.), two excellent hotels (J. W. Mullen, and C. C. Fiske), one +United States land office, one church building (Presbyterian), costing +about $2,500, one graded school building, costing $6,000, one town +hall and several commodious stores and dwellings. The village was +platted in 1857, by Marion T. Chandler. The post office was +established in 1844. Harvey Wilson was the first postmaster. The +Minneapolis, Soo & Atlantic Railway Company have a branch road +extending to this place from Dresser's station, a distance of three +miles. The village was incorporated Feb. 21, 1888, with the following +board of officers: President, J. H. McCourt; trustees, John Comer, +Jacob Berger, George Thompson, Charles Amery, Barney O'Neal, Sidney +Wall; clerk, Thomas Peck; treasurer, A. Hoagland; assessor, P. B. +Jewell; supervisor, S. W. Blanding; constable, Hoover Christopher; +justice of the peace, W. B. Bull; police justice, Thomas Peck. St. +Croix village has suffered from fires. The heaviest losses were +without insurance. The flouring mill was burned April 30, 1863; loss, +$8,000. The company's hotel was burned May, 1880; loss, $3,000. +Fiske's hotel was burned Sept. 16, 1885; loss, $6,000. + + +WEST SWEDEN. + +West Sweden embraces township 37, range 17. This is almost exclusively +a hardwood timbered district, with some pine in the north. The soil is +rich and well watered with Spirit creek and Upper Wood river. The +surface is undulating. The north part has numerous lakes and meadows. +There is an upheaval of trap rock in section 2 and copper specimens +abound. The principal settlers are Swedes. The town was organized Nov. +10, 1875. The first supervisors were N. C. Johnson, A. Larson and A. +Dolberg. + + +STERLING. + +The town of Sterling is composed of township 36, ranges 19 and 20. The +east part is heavy hardwood timber land, with rich soil suitable for +wheat; the west portion is very sandy and covered with a few +scattering oaks and black pines. The whole town is well supplied with +hay meadows, which afford great advantages to the stock raiser. The +first actual settlers were Samuel Deneen and William Trimmer, who came +in the fall of 1855. The year following William Lowell, from +Stillwater, entered three hundred and twenty acres in sections 14 and +15, range 19, and made extensive improvements. Daniel F. Smith took up +the same amount of land in section 9, same town and range, and made +improvements. The first white child born was the son of James Cragin, +August, 1858. The first white couple married was John Berry and Emily +Stout, in 1859. The first death was that of Mrs. Dunlap, sister of +William Trimmer, in 1859. + +The town was organized in 1855. The first town meeting was held at the +residence of William Lowell, and Samuel Deneen was the first chairman +of the town. The town was called Moscow, which name was changed one +year after to that of Sterling. It was the largest town in the county +then. It was organized into two school districts, but District No. 1 +not being able to build a good school house, an old log shanty was +fixed up for school purposes, and in this Miss Fanny Trimmer taught +the first school. The first saw and grist mill was built by Dr. +Deneen. Olaf Strandburg established the first blacksmith shop and with +it a gun shop. In 1849 Charles F. Rowley built a "stopping place," so +called in those days, on the banks of Wolf creek, at the old crossing, +half a mile west of Deneen's, and cultivated a few acres of land. This +house was burned one night by a lot of teamsters in a drunken orgie. + +DR. SAMUEL DENEEN, the first white settler in Sterling, was born Dec. +27, 1801, in Youngstown, Ohio. He was married in 1825 to Margaret +Conly. He studied medicine in Michigan, and came to Wisconsin in 1854, +and to Sterling in 1855. Dr. Deneen practiced his profession, made him +a farm, built a saw and grist mill on Wolf creek, established a post +office and took an active part in the interests of the new settlement. +He and his wife still live on the homestead which they have held for +the past thirty years. Mrs. Deneen was born in 1800. + +WILLIAM W. TRIMMER came to Sterling in 1855 and made a home, building +and occupying what was for many years known as "Trimmer's Hotel." Mr. +Trimmer died in St. Croix Falls in 1874. + +ARNOLD DENSMORE was born in Nova Scotia, in 1822; was married to +Matilda Wallace in 1845, and came to Sterling in 1867, where he died, +Jan. 20, 1886, much respected as a neighbor, citizen and Christian. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +ST. CROIX COUNTY. + + +Jan. 9, 1840, the Wisconsin legislature created a new county out of +Crawford county, including territory west of the Chippewa river, +extending northward to the British possessions, and named it St. +Croix. By the same act, a day was designated for an election, at which +a county seat was to be chosen and county officers elected. "Mouth of +St. Croix," now Prescott, and Caw-caw-baw-kang, now St. Croix Falls, +were designated as voting places. Two places only were voted for, +"Mouth of St. Croix," and Dakotah, Brown's claim, now Schulenberg's +addition to Stillwater. Dakotah was chosen by a vote of forty-five to +thirteen. The returns were made to Prairie du Chien, county seat of +Crawford county, and certificates issued to the county officers +elected by C. J. Leonard, clerk of Crawford county. The legislature +had at the time of creating the new county made it a probate district, +Philip Aldrich being appointed judge. + +The history of the county until 1848 has been given elsewhere, as +connected with the early history of Stillwater. + +The admission of Wisconsin Territory as a state in 1848 divided the +county, giving it the St. Croix river and state line as its western +boundary. The Wisconsin portion of the old county was consequently +left without a county seat, while the portion west of the St. Croix +had a county seat, but was without state or territorial jurisdiction. +Congress, however, declared Wisconsin territorial laws to be still in +force in the excluded territory, and they so remained until the +organization of Minnesota Territory. Soon after the admission of +Wisconsin, that part of St. Croix county within its limits was +reorganized for county and judicial purposes, and a new county seat +chosen, located in section 24, township 29, range 19, at the mouth of +Willow river. This county seat was at first called Buena Vista. On +Sept. 9, 1848, the county commissioners, under the law creating the +county, held their first meeting at the county seat, in the house of +Philip Aldrich. The commissioners present were Ammah Andrews, +chairman; W. H. Morse, and W. R. Anderson, clerk. Philip Aldrich was +appointed treasurer. Four voting precincts were established, Mouth of +St. Croix, Willow River or Buena Vista, Osceola, and Falls of St. +Croix. These early commissioners performed duties of the most varied +character incident to the government of a new county. There was as yet +no county seal, and they were required to draw with the pen upon legal +documents a scroll representing a seal, and to use other forms, +appliances and devices without legal precedent. + +At the second meeting of the county commissioners Osceola was +represented by Harmon Crandall, he having been absent at the first +meeting of the board. Moses Perin was appointed collector. License for +selling intoxicating liquors was fixed at twenty dollars per annum. +The rate of taxation was fixed at seven mills on the dollar. The first +state election in the county was held at Buena Vista, Nov. 7, 1848. +One hundred and fifteen votes were the whole number cast in the +county. The following officers were elected: Senator, James Fisher, of +Crawford county; representative, Joseph Bowron, Buena Vista; county +commissioners, Wm. H. Morse, Ammah Andrews, Harmon Crandall, Buena +Vista; county clerk, W. Richardson, Buena Vista; register of deeds, W. +R. Anderson, Buena Vista; judge of probate court, Alvah D. Heaton, +Osceola; county treasurer, Philip Aldrich, Buena Vista; coroner, Wm. +O. Mahony, Osceola; surveyor, Alex. S. Youle, St. Croix Falls. + +At the commissioners' meeting, Feb. 28, 1849, the county was divided +into the following towns: St. Croix Falls, Buena Vista, and Elisabeth. +At an election held Sept. 3, 1849, Hamlet H. Perkins received +forty-nine votes for judge, and Joel Foster forty-one. Mr. Perkins was +drowned at St. Croix Falls soon after, and the governor appointed Mr. +Foster to fill the vacancy. Judge Foster held his first court at Buena +Vista. Daniel Noble Johnson was appointed prosecuting attorney in +1849. James Hughes was appointed in 1850. The first district court was +held in August, 1850. + +At a special meeting of the commissioners in 1849, James Hughes and J. +M. Bailey were appointed a building committee to make estimates for +the erection of a courthouse and jail. At the special meeting of the +commissioners, Jan. 15, 1851, the town of Kinnikinic was organized. +They had also under consideration the erection of county buildings, +and appointed Ammah Andrews to erect the same. Otis Hoyt, for +non-attendance at this meeting of the board, was fined fifty dollars, +but the fine was subsequently remitted. The legislature of 1851 +changed the name of the town of Buena Vista to Willow River, also of +the town of Elisabeth to Prescott. At a subsequent meeting the +contract with Ammah Andrews to erect public buildings was rescinded, +and Daniel Mears was made special agent to build a jail, and three +hundred and fifty dollars was appropriated for that purpose. The town +of Rush River was organized Nov. 13, 1851. At the request of +petitioners, the town of Leroy (now Osceola) was organized Nov. 9, +1852. A day was fixed in 1852 to vote on the change of name, Willow +River to Hudson. The name Hudson was adopted by a two-thirds majority. +The legislature of 1853 created from the territory of St. Croix county +the counties of Polk, St. Croix and Pierce, Polk being located on the +north, Pierce on the south, and St. Croix occupying the central +portion of the original St. Croix county, and retaining the county +seat. + +St. Croix county, as at present constituted, lies on the east bank of +the river and Lake St. Croix, forming, but for slight irregularities +on the western line, a parallelogram. It includes townships 28 to 31, +and ranges 15 to 19, with fractions of range 20 on the west. The +surface varies from gently undulating to hilly. The bluffs along the +lake are not precipitous, as on the Upper St. Croix, but are even and +continuous, with gently rounded slopes. From the river, eastward, the +country is broken and somewhat hilly; the central portions are rolling +prairies on which are fine farms, and the eastern portions are level +and originally heavily timbered. The eastern tier of townships is +covered by a heavy growth of timber known as the Big Woods. The timber +is composed of basswood, maple, butternut, several species of oak, and +a sprinkling of white pine. The soil is a rich clayey loam and well +adapted for grass, grain and root crops. Good building and limestone +crop out in places. The county is well drained by the St. Croix and +its tributaries, Apple, Willow and Kinnikinic on the west and Rush +river on the east. Of these tributaries Apple river is the largest. It +rises in Polk county, where it is supplied by numerous lakes, enters +St. Croix county and passes diagonally across the northwest corner and +empties into the St. Croix river a few miles above Stillwater. Willow +river rises in Cylon township and empties into St. Croix lake, just +above Hudson. This river passes through a deep gorge in the limestone +rock, a few miles above its mouth, falling in its passage over several +ledges of rock, producing falls famed far and near for their wildness +and grandeur. Kinnikinic river in the south part of the county is +famed also for the beauty of its scenery and for its waterfalls. It +passes into Pierce county and then, uniting with its southern branch, +flows into Lake St. Croix. Rush river rises in Eau Galle, and turns +and flows thence to Lake Pepin. These streams have unfailing supplies +from springs and small lakes. There is a remarkable formation in the +Kinnikinic valley about seven miles above River Falls, called the +Monument. It is a ledge of pure white sandstone rock, nearly circular, +and rising to a height of sixty feet. It stands on a natural elevation +far above the level of the valley and so forms a very conspicuous and +curious object. The base is forty or fifty feet wide, and the summit +is a turret-shaped mass of rock about fifteen feet wide and as many +high. The part upon which the turret rests is dome-shaped, its sides +worn by the rains into deep furrows. Years ago a tree grew upon the +summit. The soft sandstone is being gradually worn away by the winds +and rains. + + +HOW THE SCHOOL LANDS WERE SELECTED. + +Philip Aldrich was appointed commissioner in 1848 to locate the state +school lands in St. Croix county, at that time including Polk and +Pierce counties. It is said that Dr. Aldrich would climb to the +summits of the highest mounds, and, casting his eyes east, west, north +or south, would proclaim such and such numbers or sections as school +lands. Where all were so arable and fertile there was no use in +discriminating. At the division of the county in 1853 the part +designated as St. Croix county was subdivided into three towns, Buena +Vista or Hudson, Willow River and Kinnikinic or Troy. As the +population increased these towns were divided and subdivided until +they numbered twenty-three. We append their names and dates of +organization. Where more than one name is given the last is the +present name: + + Buena Vista, Willow River, Hudson 1849 + Malone, Troy 1851 + Rush River 1851 + Pleasant Valley 1851 + Somerset 1856 + Hammond 1856 + Star Prairie 1856 + Dayton, Malone, Kinnikinic 1857 + Cold Spring, Richmond 1857 + Erin Prairie 1858 + Brookville, Eau Galle 1858 + St. Joseph 1858 + Cylon 1859 + Warren 1860 + Springfield 1860 + Emerald 1861 + Stanton 1870 + Cady 1870 + Baldwin 1872 + Forest 1881 + Glenwood 1885 + +Some changes were also made in the boundaries of the towns. No +progress was made in the erection of county buildings until 1856, when +a contract was made by the commissioners with Ammah Andrews to build a +court house for $14,300 on the ground originally purchased of Moses +Perin. The final cost was $20,045. + + +ST. CROIX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. + +An important event to the county was the organization of the St. Croix +Agricultural Society, in 1857. Beautiful grounds were chosen on the +bluffs one-half mile south of the city of Hudson. The annual fairs of +this association, formerly held in rotation at various points in the +county, now limited to the grounds south of the city, have always been +well patronized and successful. + + +POMONA GRANGE. + +The Pomona Grange of St. Croix county holds quarterly meetings at +various points, alternately. There are subordinate granges at Hudson, +Richmond, Hammond, and Warren. There is a co-operative store in the +city of Hudson which is well sustained. These granges are in a +flourishing condition. + + +AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. + +At the taking of the last census there were 2,289 farms in St. Croix +county, containing 202,588 acres of improved land, valued at +$7,015,198. The farm implements were then placed at a valuation of +$346,374; live stock, at $810,525; and all soil products at +$1,815,266. The stock numbered 6,272 horses, 319 mules, 442 oxen, +5,624 cows, and 6,149 other cattle. + +The average yield of products throughout the county can be fairly +placed at these figures: Wheat, 1,375,000 bushels; oats, 800,000 +bushels; rye and barley, 35,000 bushels; corn, 200,000 bushels; +potatoes, 150,000 bushels; hay, 20,000 tons; cheese, 180,000 pounds; +butter, 350,000 pounds. + +During the past few years agriculture has steadily increased while +rapid strides have been made in manufactures, so that the totals would +be quite materially enlarged now over those of 1885. + + +MANUFACTURES. + +In manufactures the statisticians have the county down for 112 +establishments with a capital of $740,197, utilizing materials to the +amount of $1,105,203, evolving products to the sum of $1,488,192, and +paying $107,469 in wages per annum. + +As to manufactures, in round numbers there is produced in the county: +Lumber, 50,000,000 feet; shingles, 18,000,000: laths, 7,000,000; +furniture, $120,000; barrels, 125,000; flour, 160,000 barrels. + + +ST. CROIX POOR FARM + +Is located in the northwest part of Kinnikinic, section 11, on each +side of the Kinnikinic river. It was purchased in 1870 for $1,000, and +the probable present value is $10,000. + + +FIRST TAX ROLL OF ST. CROIX COUNTY, 1848. + +ST. CROIX FALLS. + +=========================================================== +NAMES. | AMT. PROPERTY. | TOTAL TAX. +----------------------------+----------------+------------- +John McKusick | $1,500.00 | $10.50 +Leach & McKean | 5,400.00 | 37.80 +Edward Johnson | 1,115.00 | .81 +Falls of St. Croix Company | 59,700.00 | 417.90 +Dexter & Harrington | 2,585.00 | 18.09 +A. W. Russell | 405.00 | 2.83 +Edward Worth | 199.00 | 1.39 +Peter Lombair | 40.00 | .28 +Serno Jonava | 75.00 | .52 +J. McLanglin | 2,204.00 | 15.43 +Wm. Town | 144.00 | 1.01 +J. Cornelison | 75.00 | .52 +George De Attley | 50.00 | .35 +S. Partridge | 418.00 | 3.37 +Dan Foster | 30.00 | .21 +A. Livingston & Kelly | 185.00 | 1.29 +John Powers | 21.00 | .14 +Thos. Foster | 10.00 | .08 +George Field | 45.00 | .31 +Adam Sebert | 240.00 | 1.68 +Weymouth & Brother | 130.00 | .91 +S. S. Crowell | 150.00 | 1.05 +Lewis Barlow | 103.00 | .72 +I. S. Kimball | 30.00 | .21 +Philip B. Jewell | 7,235.00 | 50.64 +Kent & Mahoney | 3,631.00 | 25.42 +H. Crandall | 219.00 | 1.53 +Daniel Coite | 85.00 | .57 +M. M. Samuels | 375.00 | 2.62 +W. H. C. Folsom | 800.00 | 5.60 +W. W. Folsom | 210.00 | 1.47 +J. Sanders | 207.00 | 1.45 +G. W. Brownell | 1,755.00 | 12.28 +Richard Arnold | 205.00 | 1.45 +Wm. R. Marshall | 15.00 | .10 +Dr. Palmer | 10.00 | .07 +Joseph Lagroo | 25.00 | .17 +J. Bascan | 25.00 | .17 +B. Cheever | 1,100.00 | 7.70 +H. H. Perkins | 2,000.00 | 14.00 +Levi Lagoo | 50.00 | .35 +M. Shults | 2,000.00 | 14.00 + +----------------+------------ + Total | $94,801.00 | $1,642.72 +------------------------------------------------------------ + + +WILLOW RIVER. + +=========================================================== +NAMES. AMT. PROPERTY. TOTAL TAX. +----------------------------+----------------+------------- +James Purinton | $800.00 | $5.60 +Wm. R. Anderson | 75.00 | .52 +Samuel Clift | 15.00 | .10 +Joseph Kelner | 15.00 | .10 +P. D. Aldrich | 195.00 | 1.36 +Moses Perin | 240.00 | 1.68 +Ammah Andrews | 409.00 | 2.86 +John B. Page | 1,128.00 | 7.89 +Lewis Massey | 185.00 | 1.29 +Joseph Lagrew | 190.00 | 1.33 +Wm. H. Nobles | 299.00 | 2.10 +Lemuel Nobles | 40.00 | .28 +Milton E. Nobles | 339.00 | 2.37 +John Collier | 125.00 | .87 +Philip Aldrich | 361.00 | 2.52 +Peter F. Bouchea | 136.00 | .96 +A. Smith | 105.00 | .73 +McKnight | 149.00 | 1.03 +Wm. Steets | 143.00 | .79 +Joseph Abear | 38.00 | .24 + +----------------+------------ + Total | $4,949.00 | $38.71 +------------------------------------------------------------ + + +MOUTH OF LAKE ST. CROIX. + +================================================================== + NAMES. |AMT. PROPERTY. | TOTAL TAX. +----------------------------+---------------+---------------------- +Thomas M. Finch | $176.00 | $1.23 +Mrs. Lockwood | 1,181.00 | 8.27 +Freeman, Larpenteur & Co | 300.00 | 2.10 +Frank Trudell | 50.00 | .35 +Louis Barlow | 600.00 | 4.20 +Fog & Crownenbald | 2,625.00 | 18.39 +I. L. Minox | 183.00 | 1.26 +J. R. Rice | 545.00 | 2.81 +G. W. McMurphy | 425.00 | 2.97 +H. Doe | 340.00 | 2.38 +Wm. Kimbrough | 60.00 | .42 +W. H. Morse | 135.00 | .61 +Wilson Thing | 385.00 | 2.69 +W. C. Copley | 50.00 | .35 +Willard Thing | 164.00 | 1.15 +George Shagor | 1,000.00 | 7.00 +George Barron | 180.00 | 1.26 +Joseph Monjon | 235.00 | 1.64 +Joseph Monjon, Jr. | 60.00 | 42.00 +Henry Thaxter | 75.00 | .52 +Aaron Cornelison | 325.00 | 2.27 +James Cornelison | 265.00 | 1.85 +Lewis Harnsberger | 75.00 | .52 +----------------------------+---------------+------------------ +Totals | $9,434.00 | $68.91 +============================================================== + +The above roll was published in pamphlet form, certified to by Wm. R. +Anderson, clerk of board of county commissioners, and an order issued +to Moses Perin to collect such taxes, and pay over to the treasurer of +St. Croix county. The amounts were duly collected. + + +HUDSON CITY. + +The first settlement in St. Croix county was made on the present site +of Hudson city in 1838 by Peter Bouchea, Louis Massey, Wm. Steets and +Joseph Lagroo, Frenchmen, who subsisted chiefly by hunting and +fishing, but who also raised garden crops of corn, beans and other +vegetables. These people were contented and jovial, fond of dancing +and social enjoyment. Beyond the mere pleasure of living they seemed +to have but little care and were without enterprise or ambition. More +enterprising and industrious people followed them to the new +settlement, and as the public lands were not open for entry until +1848, settled upon the lands and made some improvements, awaiting +patiently the time when they could acquire a legal title. The original +claimants of the town of Buena Vista in 1848 were Peter Bouchea, Louis +Massey, Wm. Steets, Joseph Lagroo, Joseph Lenavil, ---- Revere, Ammah +Andrews, W. H. and M. V. Nobles, John B. Page, Philip Aldrich, and W. +R. Anderson. These parties, after the survey and prior to the entry of +the land, made an equitable division of their claims. Peter Bouchea +and Louis Massey were then delegated to purchase the lands, which they +did, Bouchea purchasing the southwest quarter of southeast quarter of +section 24, township 29, range 20, and Massey, the northwest quarter +of the southeast quarter of section 24, township 29, range 20. Deeds +were then made to the various claimants according to the original +agreement. The first individual survey of lots was made on Massey's +entry, Harvey Wilson, of Stillwater, being the surveyor. The village +thus platted was at first called Buena Vista, but some confusion +arising as to the title of lots in 1851, the legislature changed the +name of the town and village to Willow River, which, by vote of the +people in 1852, was changed to Hudson. The original proprietors of the +village of Buena Vista were Paschal Aldrich, James Sanders, Moses +Perin, James R. Patten and Joseph Abear. Additions were surveyed in +1849 and 1850 by Gibson, Henning and others. To avoid confusion we +shall discard the earlier names applied to what has since become the +city of Hudson and speak of it solely by its later and better known +name. + +In 1840 the locality, as seen from a passing steamer, seemed a +wilderness of orchard oaks and maples, filling the valley of Willow +river, and clothing the slopes of the hills. A closer view might have +revealed an occasional shanty, a cabin of the first French settlers, +with small gardens, the whole inclosed by high picket fences as a +protection against strolling Indians. Seven years later loggers were +at work on Willow river under Capt. J. B. Page. The same year a couple +of frame houses appeared in the oak openings. The first was built by +W. H. Nobles, which is still standing and is occupied by Mrs. Col. +James Hughes. The second was built by Ammah Andrews and is now +occupied by Horace Champlin. In 1848 James Purinton commenced a saw +mill and dam at the mouth of Willow river, which were not, completed +until 1850. In 1848 Wm. H. Nobles started a ferry over the lake. James +Purinton opened a store and Moses Perin built a hotel and boarding +house, which stood opposite Champlin's present livery stable. In 1849 +Miss Richards, from Prairie du Chien, taught the first school. Mrs. A. +M. Richardson, the wife of the Methodist minister, the second. A +school house was not built until 1855. John G. Putman built the +Buckeye House, corner of First and Buckeye streets. Horace Barlow +built a residence. Mr. Stone also put up a store building. The first +attorneys, Daniel Noble Johnson and Col. James Hughes, commenced +practice in Hudson in 1849. The first public building stood on the lot +now occupied by the Methodist church. It burned down in the spring of +1851, and an account of the fire, as published at that time, stated +that the "court house, Methodist, Baptist, Congregational and +Episcopal churches, together with the high school buildings, were all +consumed." It is but fair to say that there were no regular church +organizations at this time, but occasional services by local and +transient ministers. Rev. Lemuel Nobles, a Methodist minister, +preached the first sermon in 1847. The first society organization was +that of the Baptists, Rev. S. T. Catlin, pastor, in 1852. In the same +year Rev. A. M. Richardson was regularly appointed as pastor of the +Methodist Episcopal church. In 1855 the First Presbyterian church was +organized under the pastorate of Rev. Chas. Thayer, and Rev. Wilcoxson +became the first rector of the Episcopal church. In 1856 Rev. Father +McGee took charge of the Catholic church. In 1857 Rev. C. H. Marshall +was called to the pastorate of the Congregational church. A Norwegian +Lutheran church was organized in 1876. All of these church +organizations have good church buildings, and the Catholic church has +a flourishing school connected with it. School interests were not +neglected by the early settlers. A good school house was built in 1855 +and graded. The first deed recorded covering Hudson property was by +Louis Massey and Frances, his wife, to Wm. H. Nobles; warranty; +consideration, $67.18; situate in east half of southwest quarter of +section 24, township 29, range 20. + + +CITY GOVERNMENT. + +Hudson was incorporated as a city in 1857, and the first municipal +election was held in April of that year. The city was divided into +three wards. A. D. Gay was the first mayor. The following were the +first aldermen: First ward, James B. Gray, Milton V. Nobles, J. M. +Fulton; Second ward, Alfred Day, R. A. Gridley, Chas. E. Dexter; Third +ward, Chas. Thayer, N. P. Lester, N. Perry. The remaining city +officers were: City clerk, O. Bell; city attorney, Cyrus L. Hall; +surveyor, Michael Lynch. At the first meeting of the city council, +after the appointment of committees on by-laws, bond sales, salaries, +etc., license for selling intoxicating liquors was fixed at fifty +dollars per annum for hotel keepers, two hundred dollars for wholesale +dealers, with various grades for retail saloons. The first license +issued was to John Cyphers, for keeping saloon and billiard hall. + + +MAYORS OF HUDSON CITY. + + 1. A. D. Gray, + 2. Alfred Day, + 3. Silas Staples, + 4. John Comstock, + 5. S. N. Clough, + 6. A. D. Richardson, + 7. C. R. Coon, + 8. H. L. Humphrey, + 9. J. H. Brown, + 10. Simon Hunt, + 11. Lemuel North, + 12. C. H. Lewis, + 13. H. A. Wilson, + 14. A. J. Goss, + 15. P. Q. Boyden, + 16. D. C. Fulton, + 17. M. A. Fulton, + 18. Samuel Hyslop, + 19. Sam. C. Johnson, M. D. + 20. Wm. H. Phipps. + + +CITY SCHOOLS. + +Graded schools were established in 1859. They have ever maintained an +excellent reputation. In 1860 Charlotte Mann was chosen principal, and +taught the eight ensuing years. A new school building was completed in +1887 at a cost of $25,000. This building is devoted to high school +purposes. The schools of the city are graded. There are eleven +departments and twelve teachers. Each ward of the city has a separate +building. The school fund amounts to about $5,000 per annum. The +schools are under the control of six commissioners. + + +A MILITARY INSTITUTE + +Was organized at River Falls by Prof. J. R. Hinckley, and shortly +afterward removed to Hudson, and a building worth $7,000 erected for +its accommodation. In 1880 it was purchased by the Catholics, and it +is now known as St. Marys Academy. + + +MILLS AND MANUFACTORIES. + +The first saw mill, as already noted, was completed in 1850. It was +known as Purinton's saw mill. Other saw mills were built, but +destroyed by fire. We have no record of ownership and losses, but +estimate the aggregate of the latter as near $100,000. The Willow +River mills, built in 1867, consist of two flouring mills, with a +capacity of four hundred barrels per day. Connected with these are a +large elevator and cooper shop. The present proprietors are Cooper, +Clark & Co. The invested capital is $150,000. The Hudson Lumber +Company, in 1883, built a saw mill, below the steamboat landing. This +mill has a capacity of 18,000,000 feet per annum, and has a planing +mill attached. It is complete in all its departments, manufacturing +all classes of lumber, from timber to mouldings. The capital stock +amounts to $100,000. The officers are H. A. Taylor, president; C. R. +Coon, vice president; M. Herrick, secretary; F. D. Harding, treasurer; +S. W. Pierce, superintendent. The Hudson Foundry and Machine Shop was +established in 1870. The North Hudson Foundry and Car Shops are doing +a fine business. The Hudson Carriage Works were established in 1885, +and the Hudson Furniture Manufactory in 1883. The amount invested in +this enterprise is $180,000, and it furnishes employment to one +hundred men. C. R. Coon is president of the company. There are two +breweries--Moctreman's, established in 1857, and Yoerg's in 1870. + + +BANKS. + +The St. Croix Valley Bank was organized in 1855. It was a bank of +issue, payable at Gordon, Wisconsin. It closed in 1857. The Hudson +City Bank, organized Sept. 10, 1856, went into operation under the +general law of Wisconsin, capital stock $25,000, secured by Michigan +and Missouri state stocks. J. O. Henning was president and M. S. +Gibson, cashier. It soon closed. The Farmers and Mechanics Bank, a +state bank, went into operation in 1857 and closed the following +year. The Hudson First National Bank was organized in 1863, with a +capital of $50,000. The first officers were John Comstock, president; +Alfred J. Goss, cashier. The officers in 1888 are John Comstock, +president; A. E. Jefferson, cashier. The surplus fund is $53,000. The +directors are H. A. Taylor, H. L. Humphrey, John C. Spooner, A. L. +Clark, F. D. Harding, A. T. Goss, and W. H. Crowe. The Hudson Savings +Bank was organized in 1870, with a capital stock of $50,000. Alfred +Goss, president; A. J. Goss, cashier. Alfred Goss died in 187--, but +the bank is in successful operation, the son still retaining his +father's name as head of the firm. + + +THE OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES HOSPITAL. + +[Illustration: OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES HOSPITAL.] + +The beautiful private hospital which takes the name of America's +popular poet, Oliver Wendell Holmes, was opened June 7, 1887. The +credit of this hospital scheme is entirely due to Dr. Irving D. +Wiltrout, of Hudson, who for some years has been assiduously at work +maturing the plans. The owners are Dr. Wiltrout and the Johnston +Brothers, of Boardman. The site is upon a beautiful wooded slope of +Willow river, about a mile from its mouth, overlooking Lake Mallalieu, +an expanse of the river, and a broad sweep of the St. Croix with its +undulating banks, commanding the most delightful and extensive views. +The building is lighted by the Mather self regulating, incandescent +system of electricity. The dynamo, engine and boilers are located in a +fireproof brick structure, some distance from the building proper, +communicating with the hospital by an underground passageway. The +hospital is under the direction of the following board: President, A. +J. Goss; first vice president, John Comstock; second vice president, +John E. Glover; secretary, Thomas Hughes; treasurer, Rev. M. Benson. + + +WATER WORKS. + +The Hudson water works, supplied from Lake St. Croix, are situated +upon Liberty Hill, in the rear of the southern part of the city. They +are owned by W. S. Evans. The hill is two hundred and seventeen feet +above the lake, and commands a magnificent view of the surrounding +country. The summit is easily accessible. The city is also well +supplied with water from artesian wells, which were sunk to a depth of +five hundred feet, and afford a flow of two hundred gallons per +minute. + + +HOTELS. + +The principal hotels are the Chapin House, first built in 1867, but +twice destroyed by fire. The last structure was erected in 1879, by H. +A. Taylor. The Tracy House was built in 1867, the Seely House in 1873, +the Commercial Hotel in 1875, and the Central House in 1876. + + +THE GREAT FIRE. + +May 19, 1866, Hudson city was visited with a destructive +conflagration. Sixty-four business houses and twenty-five residences +were destroyed. It was probably the result of accident or +carelessness. It commenced in the rear of H. A. Taylor's furniture +rooms and printing office, and spread with such rapidity that it was +with the greatest difficulty that merchants and others were able to +save their valuable papers. The wind blew a gale and the flames spread +and caught in every direction. The fire occurred fortunately in the +daytime or it might have been attended with a frightful loss of life. +As it was, there were many narrow escapes. The total losses from this +fire were $325,000, on which there was but $75,000 insurance. A +destructive fire occurred in 1872, destroying the Chapin Hall House, +valued at $50,000, and other property to the value of $35,000, on +which there was but $15,000 insurance. During the same year another +fire occurred, destroying 30,000 bushels of wheat and the furniture of +the Chapin Hall House, which had been saved from the previous fire. +The loss was estimated at $60,000 with $16,355 insurance. + + +SOCIAL AND BENEVOLENT ORGANIZATIONS. + +St. Croix Lodge, A. F. and A. M., founded 1855; Colfax Lodge, No. 85, +I. O. O. F., founded 1856; Hudson City Lodge, No. 486, I. O. G. T., +founded 1867; Ladies' Library Association, founded 1868; St. Croix R. +A. Chapter, founded 1874; Y. M. C. A., founded 1875; Nash Lodge, I. O. +G. T., founded 1877; Temple of Honor, founded 1877; St. Croix +Commandery, founded 1879; St. Croix Lodge, A. O. U. W., founded 1880; +Equitable Union, founded 1880. In addition to the foregoing there is a +volunteer fire company, a boat club, an old settlers' club, a bible +society, a building and loan association, and a cemetery association. + + +BIOGRAPHICAL. + +LOUIS MASSEY came of a long-lived French-Canadian family. His father +lived to the age of one hundred and seven and his mother to one +hundred and five and he himself lived to the age of ninety-nine years. +He was born in Canada, near Montreal, in 1788. In 1805 he left home to +enter the service of the British fur traders at Detroit. In his +eventful life he had many adventures and passed through many perils. +He was once arrested with his employer by the American authorities and +once made prisoner by the Indians. In 1812 he entered the employ of +the notorious Col. Dickson, and, while with him, made a trip from +Detroit by way of Mackinaw, Green Bay, Fox and Wisconsin rivers to +Prairie du Chien in a birch canoe. He made two trips in mackinaw boats +from Prairie du Chien to New Orleans and return. In one trip he was +four months making his way from New Orleans to St. Louis. He made one +voyage in a birch canoe from Montreal via Ottawa river, Georgian bay, +Lake Huron, St. Marie's river and Lake Superior to Fond du Lac, at the +mouth of St. Louis river, via Sandy lake and the Mississippi river to +Lake Winnibagoshish, and another from Fond du Lac to Brule river, +across to St. Croix river, thence to the Mississippi, and by way of +St. Peter's river to Lake Traverse by canoe. In 1818 he entered the +service of the American Fur Company, and lived at Fond du Lac, the +headquarters of the company, for ten years. There he was married to a +sister of Peter Bouchea. In 1828 he settled on the reservation near +Fort Snelling, where he was held in such estimation that, on the +expulsion of the settlers, the officers of the Fort assisted him in +his removal to Willow River, whither he came in 1838 with Peter +Bouchea. Wm. Steets and Joseph Lagroo soon followed them. These four +were the first settlers in Hudson. Mr. Massey lived at his old home +with a son-in-law, Richard Picard, until his death, Oct. 14, 1887. His +only child living is Mrs. Picard. + +PETER BOUCHEA was born at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, about 1815. He +spent his early life in the neighborhood of Lake Superior, was married +to a daughter of ---- Bruce, and came to the mouth of Willow river in +1838. Mr. Bouchea had been educated for the Catholic priesthood. He +was a truthful, intelligent, reliable man and filled some positions of +responsibility. He had many stirring adventures and was once wounded +by Indians and cared for by Gov. Cass, of Michigan, at Detroit and +Fort Gratiot. He died in 1875, at Fort Edward, on the north shore of +Lake Superior. + +WILLIAM STREETS came to Willow River in 1838, a refugee from the Fort +Snelling reservation. He was frozen to death in the winter of 1851. + +CAPT. JOHN B. PAGE came from Piscataquis county, Maine, to the St. +Croix valley in 1844, and engaged for awhile in cutting pine logs on +Willow river. While rafting on the Mississippi he met, and after a +brief courtship married, a woman who returned with him to his home on +Willow river and who survives him. Mrs. Page had some reputation as a +(Thomsonian) physician. They made their home in Hudson in 1847. Their +daughter Abigail was the first white child of American descent born in +Hudson. Abigail married George Bailey, and their sons, George W. and +David, were for a long time residents of Hudson, and have but lately +deceased. Mr. Page died Feb. 11, 1865. + +DR. PHILIP ALDRICH, although not a permanent settler till 1847, was an +occasional or transient visitor, and had made a land claim in section +24. He took a deep interest in the affairs of the pioneer settlement, +and at his house many of the public gatherings, political and social, +were held. He was the first postmaster, and, in the exigencies of the +service, sometimes carried the mail on foot. While a resident of St. +Croix Falls in 1844, he was appointed probate judge. In 1848 he was +appointed treasurer of the county of St. Croix, and at the election in +November of the same year, elected to that office. Dr. Aldrich was +born in New York in 1792, and died at his home in Hudson, March 16, +1858. + +THE NOBLES FAMILY settled in Hudson in 1847. Rev. Lemuel Nobles, the +father, was a Methodist local minister, and in 1847 preached the first +sermon at the mouth of Willow river. He came originally from New York, +lived a few years in the valley and removed to Michigan, where he +died. His children were William H., Milton V., John, Mrs. Battles and +Mrs. Morton S. Wilkinson, deceased. Wm. H. became a resident of +Minnesota and a noted man. His biography is given elsewhere. + +MILTON V. NOBLES was born in New York in 1818; removed to Michigan; +was married to Matilda Edwards, Sept. 2, 1846, in Stillwater, and came +to Hudson in 1847, where he followed lumbering until 1860, when he +returned to New York and located at Elmira, where he resided until his +death. While at Elmira he became an inventor and took out several +valuable patents. His fortunes varied, and as is frequently the case +with inventors, at one time he was wretchedly poor. In the midst of +his galling poverty he sold one of his patents for a beautiful +homestead in Elmira. Mrs. Nobles had not been informed of the +transaction, but with her husband had visited the occupants of the +homestead. Mrs. Nobles could not but contrast this pleasant home with +her own poverty stricken surroundings, and in inviting her +entertainers to return the call, told them plainly that she lived in a +very humble home, and feared she could not make a visit pleasant to +them. At this point the host stepped forward, and, by a preconcerted +arrangement, presented her a deed to the mansion and grounds--a joyful +surprise. + +JOHN NOBLES, the youngest son, returned to Michigan and New York, +where he became a Methodist minister. Some time subsequently he +removed to Colorado, where he died. + +JAMES PURINTON was born in 1797, in Tamworth, New Hampshire. He was +married to Mary Mann, in Sandwich, New Hampshire. He afterward removed +to Maine. He came to St. Croix Falls in 1842, and leased the St. Croix +mills, and some time after became part owner. This venture not being +successful, he removed to Willow River in 1847, where he built a large +dam across the river, and with others erected a saw mill on the point +of land between the lake and river. This venture was not successful +and the mill property passed into other hands. Mr. Purinton was an +experienced lumberman and an active, energetic man. The north side of +Willow River, in which he was so much interested, became afterward +quite valuable on account of the centralization of shops, depots and +business of the West Wisconsin and North Wisconsin railroads. Mr. +Purinton died in Hudson in 1849, leaving two married daughters--Mrs. +----Graves and Mrs. James McPhail. + +AMMAH ANDREWS was born in Herkimer county, New York, in 1801, and +passed his early life in that place. In 1829 he was married to Laura +Andrews, and in the same year moved to Michigan. He came to Hudson in +1847. Mr. Andrews was a carpenter and took some important building +contracts. He was one of the first commissioners of St. Croix county +under the state government, and also one of the first school +directors. He has been an active and influential member of the +Methodist Episcopal church the greater part of his life. He has three +sons, now living in Nebraska, and one daughter, the wife of F. D. +Harding, of Hudson, Wisconsin. Mr. Andrews died Jan. 5, 1888. + +JAMES WALSTOW.--Mr. Walstow was born in Nottingham, England, in 1815; +was married there, and came to Hudson in 1849. He removed to Nebraska +in 1863. + +JAMES SANDERS was born in Devonshire, England, in 1818; came to +America in 1841, and lived for years in New York. In 1844 he married +Mary Walstow, removed to St. Croix Falls in 1845 and to Hudson in +1850, where he opened and improved the first farm in the present St. +Croix county. Mrs. Sanders died in 1873. She left two sons, William +and Walstow. Mr. Sanders removed to Osceola in 1880. + +J. W. STONE was born in Connecticut in 1800. He came to Hudson in 1849 +and opened the first store the same year. He died in 1860. + +JOSEPH BOWRON was born Aug. 1, 1809, in Essex county, New York. His +parents were from Newcastle on the Tyne, England. His mother was a +member of the Society of Friends. She died when Joseph was five years +old, and he was reared by his aunt until nineteen years of age, when +he engaged in business for himself in Lower Canada. Some time +afterward he removed to the United States and obtained work on the +Illinois canal. He next removed to St. Louis, and from thence, in +1841, to St. Croix Falls, where he acted as clerk, scaler of logs and +mill superintendent. He was a member of the first state legislature of +Wisconsin, in 1848. W. R. Marshall had received the certificate of +election, but Mr. Bowron successfully contested the election. Mr. +Bowron removed in 1848 to Hudson, where he attended to general +collections, and served as justice of the peace. In 1849 Mr. Bowron +was married to Celia Partridge, of Columbia county, Wisconsin, who +died three years later. In 1854 he was married to Rosanna Partridge, +who died in 1863. Mr. Bowron died April 10, 1868, leaving two +children, who now reside in Kansas. + +MOSES PERIN was born in 1815; came to St. Croix Falls in 1847 and to +Hudson in 1849. He was the first collector of St. Croix county. In +1853 he built a warehouse and saw mill at Lakeland, Minnesota. The +warehouse was burned, and the saw mill removed. In 1847 Mr. Perin +removed to San Diego, California. + +JOHN O. HENNING was born at Bellefonte, Centre county, Pennsylvania, +in 1819. His great grandfather was the first settler in that county. +In 1825 his father removed to Ithaca, New York, and there the youthful +Henning received his education at the academy. During the excitement +of the Jackson administration he became an ardent Democrat, and, that +he might enter more fully into the political strife of the day, +learned the printer's trade and devoted himself more or less to +newspaper work. He visited the Mississippi valley in 1838, remained +some time at St. Louis, Missouri, Springfield, Illinois, Burlington, +Iowa, and some other places. In 1846 he established the _Journal_ at +Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and in 1849 removed to Hudson, Wisconsin, +where he still resides. He served eight years as register of the +United States land office at that place. He represented St. Croix +county in the assembly of the Fourth Wisconsin legislature and has +held many other positions of trust. Mr. Henning was married, Jan. 29, +1840, to Fidelia Bennet. Mrs. Henning died June 27, 1886, aged +sixty-six years. + +MOSES S. GIBSON was born in 1816, in Livingston county, New York. He +received the rudiments of a common school education. He was engaged in +mercantile pursuits a large portion of his life. He settled at +Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in 1844, but afterward moved to Fond du Lac. He +represented Fond du Lac county in the constitutional convention in +1847. He was appointed receiver of the United States land office at +Hudson in 1849. In 1856 he was married to Carrie F. Gilman. During the +Rebellion he acted as paymaster, United States army, and was assigned +to the department of Missouri, with headquarters at St. Louis. In 1878 +he was appointed assistant in the sixth auditor's office, Washington, +District of Columbia. Mr. Gibson has led a busy and useful life and +has acquitted himself well in the various positions of responsibility +to which he has been called. + +COL. JAMES HUGHES.--Col. Hughes was born in Prince Edwards county, +Virginia, Oct. 12, 1805. He received a classical education at +Hampdon-Sydney College, Virginia, studied law, and was admitted to +practice in Virginia. He came to Ohio in 1835, and was elected to the +legislature in 1838 and 1839. He was married in 1839 to Elisabeth +Mather, in Jackson county. He remained in Ohio until 1849, publishing +successively the _Jackson Standard_ and the _Meigs County Telegraph_, +both Whig papers. In 1849 he came to St. Paul and brought with him the +first printing press and outfit in that city, and established the +_Minnesota Chronicle,_ which subsequently united with the _Register_. +The first number bears the date June 1, 1849. In November of the same +year he sold his interest in the _Chronicle and Register_ and removed +to Hudson, where he established the _St. Croix Banner_, the first +paper printed and issued in the St. Croix valley. Mrs. Hughes was +associated with him in its management. They subsequently published the +Hudson _Republican_. Mr. Hughes died at Hudson in 1873, leaving a +widow and eleven children, seven sons and four daughters. Of the sons, +Eleazer is a farmer in St. Croix county; Geo. R. is engaged in the +real estate business in St. Paul; Edward P. is a lawyer in Anoka; +James S., a surveyor; Chas. V. is manager of the Western Telegraph +Company; and Lucius A. is a telegraph operator in St. Paul. + +DANIEL ANDERSON was born in 1806, in New York; received a common +school education, and removed with his parents to Macoupin county, +Illinois, in 1820; was married in 1831 to Eliza Hoxsey; lived in +Dubuque in 1847 and 1848, and moved to Hudson in 1849, where he +followed merchandising until 1876. He was county treasurer in 1877 and +part of the year following. He died July 1, 1878: Mrs. Anderson died +in September of the same year, leaving a daughter, Medora, wife of +Alfred Day, of Hudson, and one son, Jarret, now a resident in Montana. + +ALFRED DAY was born in 1824, in Vermont, and came to Hudson in 1849, +where he engaged in the real estate, farming and livery business. Mr. +Day was married in Hudson, to a daughter of Daniel Anderson. He died +in St. Paul, Nov. 18, 1880, leaving a widow, three sons and two +daughters. + +DR. OTIS HOYT.--Dr. Hoyt was born in Sandwich, New Hampshire, Dec. 3, +1812. His parents were George and Mary Hoyt. Both grandfathers were +soldiers in the war of the Revolution. He received a common school +education; prepared for college in the academy at Fryburg, Maine; +graduated at Dartmouth in 1833, and from Jefferson Medical College, at +Philadelphia, in 1836. He practiced his profession at Mason, New +Hampshire, and Framingham, Massachusetts, until 1846, when he entered +the service as surgeon in the United States army during the Mexican +War. In 1849 he came to St. Croix Falls, and practiced medicine. In +1852 he removed to Hudson. The same year he was elected to the Fifth +Wisconsin legislature, as assemblyman. In 1862 he entered the United +States service as surgeon of the Thirtieth Wisconsin Volunteer +Infantry, but was on detached service most of the time. For awhile he +had charge of the hospital at Camp Randall, Madison, Wisconsin. He was +examining surgeon of 11,000 recruits, and was medical director at +Bowling Green and Louisville, Kentucky. He was eminent in his +profession, yet public spirited, and engaged at times, successfully, +in real estate and railroad enterprises. As a physician, it is said, +to his credit, that he was impartial to the last degree, and as prompt +and punctilious in visiting the log cabin of the poor man as the +parlor of a state or government official. He was married in 1837 to +Mary King. Two children were born to them, Charles and Mary (Mrs. H. +A. Wilson, deceased). Mrs. Hoyt died at Framingham. In 1843 Dr. Hoyt +was married to Eliza B. King, sister of his first wife. Their +children are Ella Frances, married to Dr. Chas. F. King, Hudson; +Annie, married to Dr. Eppley, of New Richmond; Hattie, married to +----Wyard, Crookston, Minnesota; Ida, a teacher at Stillwater, and +Lizzie, married to Rev. W. R. Reynolds, of Hudson. Dr. Hoyt died at +his home in Hudson, Nov. 12, 1885. Mrs. Hoyt died Oct. 1, 1886, in +Boston, Massachusetts. Her remains were brought to Hudson for burial. + +S. S. N. FULLER.--Mr. Fuller was born in Attleboro, Massachusetts, in +1814. He removed to Harford, Pennsylvania, with his parents when six +years of age. He was educated at Harford. He studied law and was +admitted to practice at Montrose. He practiced at Great Bend, +Pennsylvania. He came to Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, in 1844, where +he was seven years district attorney. He came to Hudson in 1857, +removed to Iowa in 1865 and died at Logan, Harrison county, Iowa, in +1851. He was married to Clarissa A. Day in 1841, who with one son and +four daughters, all married and resident in Iowa, survives him. He was +district judge some years for the St. Croix Valley district. + +MILES H. VAN METER was born in Kentucky in 1810. He received a common +school education and learned the trade of a builder. He was married to +Mary P. Litsey, in Kentucky, in 1830, moved to Illinois in 1836 and to +Hudson in 1850. He has six sons and two daughters. Abe C. is editor of +the _St. Croix Republican_ at New Richmond. Two of his sons are in +Illinois, three in Dakota. Mrs. Van Meter died in 1875. + +PHILIP B. JEWELL was born in Hopkinton, New Hampshire, Oct. 25, 1816; +was raised on a farm; obtained a common school education; in 1841 was +married to Hannah J. Fuller, and in 1847 came to St. Croix Falls, +where he lived until 1851, when he removed to Hudson. He engaged in +lumbering and piloting on the St. Croix. At the beginning of the late +war he enlisted in the Twelfth Wisconsin Infantry and served during +the war. In 1874 he was appointed inspector of logs and lumber of the +Fourth district. Mrs. Jewell died in 1875. He married, as his second +wife, Ellen Restiaux. + +JOHN TOBIN.--Mr. Tobin was born in Ireland in 1818. His father died in +1830, and he came with an uncle to this country. He settled at Marine +in 1842, and in 1853 came to St. Joseph's township, where he resided +until his death, Jan. 22, 1880. He was married in Illinois in 1848 and +his widow still lives at the old homestead. Of twelve children seven +are now living. + +HORACE A. TAYLOR, son of Rev. Adolphus Taylor, of Norfolk, New York, +was born in 1837. His father died in 1842. At the age of ten years +Horace was earning his living on a farm. At thirteen he came to River +Falls. Some time after he returned East and spent four years on a +farm. Returning to Wisconsin he established a stage line between +Prescott and Hudson. In 1857, with his brother Lute A., he established +the River Falls _Journal_, and, in 1860, purchased the Hudson +_Chronicle_ and changed its name to the Hudson _Times_. Four years +later the _Times_ and the _North Star_ were consolidated under the +title of the _Star and Times_. Mr. Taylor is a man of energy and +enterprise and has engaged in real estate transactions on a large +scale. He is a man of quick perceptions and of ready wit and has been +honored with some important public positions. He was for some time +state agent of railroad lands. He was appointed consul to Marseilles +by President Garfield in 1881, but resigned the position in 1884. In +1860 he was married to Lizzie Madden, of Chicago. + +JEREMIAH WHALEY was born in 1818, in Castile, New York. His father +dying he aided in caring for his widowed mother. He was married in +Pike county, New York, in 1839, and came to Hudson in 1851, where he +engaged in the mercantile and real estate business and acted as +postmaster. Mr. Whaley died in Hudson in 1884, leaving a widow, two +sons in Michigan, one in Pipestone, Minnesota, and four daughters. + +SIMON HUNT was born in Camden, Maine, in 1826. He lived at home until +seventeen years old; acquired a common school and academic education; +served an apprenticeship of five years at boot and shoe making in +Georgetown, Massachusetts, and came to Hudson in 1851. He was married +to Jane C. Arcy in Maine in 1854. Mr. Hunt has served as mayor of +Hudson and was for several years superintendent of schools. Mrs. Hunt +died in 1880. + +JOHN S. MOFFATT was born in Tompkins county, New York, in 1814. He +received a common school and academic education. In 1844 he was +married to Nancy Bennett. He removed to Hudson in 1854, and was in the +land office several years. He is a lawyer by profession; has served +thirteen years as police justice, and eight years as county judge. + +JAMES H. CHILDS was born in Montear county, Pennsylvania, in 1825; +came to Wisconsin in 1848; settled in Hudson in 1849, and engaged in +the real estate and lumbering business. He was married to Elisabeth +McCartney, in Hudson, 1860. + +WILLIAM DWELLEY was born in Foxcroft, Maine, in 1816; came to the St. +Croix valley in 1850, and settled in Hudson in 1854. Mr. Dwelley was +an explorer, scaler of logs, and surveyor. He died April 8, 1885. + +JAMES M. FULTON--The ancestors of Mr. Fulton came from Scotland and +settled in New York about 1770. His father served in the army during +the war of 1812 and died while in the service. James M. Fulton with +his family came to Hudson in 1854, where he died, March 30, 1858, aged +about forty-six. Mrs. Fulton still lives in Hudson. + +MARCUS A. FULTON, oldest son of James M. Fulton, was born in Bethel, +Sullivan county, New York, in 1826. He came with his parents to Hudson +in 1854, and engaged with his brother in the mercantile and real +estate business. He was elected to the state senate in 1866 and 1867. +In 1878 he was elected mayor of Hudson. He has also served on the +board of education, and as alderman. He was married in 1863 to Augusta +Ainsley, who died in 1876. In 1877 he was married to Adelia Frances +Ainsley. + +DAVID C. FULTON, second son of James M. Fulton, was born in New York, +February, 1838. He came to Hudson with his parents, and, after +completing a common school and academic education, engaged in +mercantile and real estate business. Mr. Fulton has been elected to +various important positions. He was mayor of Hudson one term, +supervisor of St. Croix county three years, member of the board of +education, alderman, and member of the state assembly (1873). He +served three years during the Civil War as captain in the Thirtieth +Wisconsin Infantry, and was promoted to position of major. Since the +war, he served six years as one of the board of managers of the +National Home for Disabled Soldiers, and is now serving, by +appointment of President Cleveland, as United States marshal for +Western Wisconsin. Mr. Fulton was married in 1866 to Minnie Champlin. + +N. S. HOLDEN was born in 1822; was one of the early settlers of the +St. Croix valley, and for many years a citizen of Hudson. He followed +surveying and scaling. He died suddenly, July 4, 1882. He left a +widow, two sons and four daughters. + +WILLIAM H. SEMMES was born in Alexandria, Virginia. He came to Hudson +in 1851, and practiced law, as a partner of Judge McMillan, in +Stillwater. He was a young man of great promise, but died early and +much lamented, Sept. 13, 1854. + +STERLING JONES was born in Steuben county, New York, in 1812. He +removed to Indiana in 1833, and in 1835 was married to Elisabeth +Sines. They removed to Beloit, Wisconsin, in 1847, and to Hudson in +1850. Mr. Jones died in 1874. Mrs. Jones, five sons and two daughters +are still living. Edwin B. married a daughter of Rev. W. T. Boutwell. +Jerome B. married a daughter of Rev. Wm. Egbert, of Hammond, and +resides in Hudson. He has been sheriff and treasurer of St. Croix +county and has held town and city offices. The remaining sons, George +R., Henry B. and Harvey J., and the daughters, Eunice M. and Sarah E., +are married and reside in Hudson. + +D. R. BAILEY was born April 27, 1833, in Vermont. He attended Oberlin +College, Ohio, and graduated in law at Albany Law School, in 1859. He +was collector of customs at Highgate, Vermont, from 1860 to 1864. He +practiced law at St. Albans, Vermont, ten years, and was state +representative in 1866 and 1867. He was a delegate to the Republican +National convention in 1878, and a member of the Vermont senate from +1870 to 1872. He made his residence in St. Croix county in 1877, where +he resided till 1883, when he removed to Sioux Falls, Dakota. While in +St. Croix county he engaged in farming, lumbering and manufacturing. + +HENRY C. BAKER was born in 1831, in Genesee county, New York; +graduated at Albany University, New York, in 1854, and was admitted to +the bar in 1858, and came to Hudson in 1859. He has practiced law +continuously since; has also held many town and county offices; has +been attorney of the various railroads centring in Hudson, and is now +attorney of the Minneapolis, Soo St. Marie & Atlantic railroad. He was +married in 1860 to Ellen M. Brewster. + +MERT HERRICK was born in Orleans county, New York, in 1834. He +received a common school education. He came to St. Croix in 1857; was +married in 1859 to Lois P. Willard; enlisted at the beginning of the +Civil War in the Thirtieth and later in the Fortieth Wisconsin +Volunteer Infantry, and served during the war. He has held the office +of treasurer of St. Croix county for six years. He is at present a +member of the Hudson Lumber Company. + +D. A. BALDWIN, president of the West Wisconsin railroad, built a fine +residence on the shore of the lake, north of Willow river, in the +latter part of the '50s, and did much to promote the interests of +North Hudson, which he surveyed into village lots in 1873. D. A. and +H. A. Baldwin erected a commodious hotel in North Hudson in 1873. The +hotel was subsequently sold to H. A. Taylor and removed to Hudson, +where it was known as the Chapin Hall House. Mr. Baldwin removed from +Hudson when the West Wisconsin railroad passed into other hands. + +JOHN COMSTOCK was born in Cayuga county, New York, in 1813. When he +was twelve years old his parents removed to Pontiac, Michigan. He here +served an apprenticeship of three years to a millwright, and afterward +engaged in business at Pontiac until 1851. He came to Hudson in 1856, +and was city contractor six years. In 1863 he founded the First +National Bank of Hudson, in which he has ever since been a director. +Mr. Comstock has been engaged in many public enterprises and has been +uniformly successful. He is one of the most reliable and substantial +of the business men of Hudson. He was married in 1844. + +LUCIUS P. WETHERBY was born in Onondago county, New York, October, +1827. At eighteen years of age, he went to Weston, New York, where he +studied law with Martin Grover and W. J. Angell. He was married in +1849 to Sophia Antremont, and in 1856 removed to Hudson. In 1860 he +was elected judge of the Eighth district, Wisconsin, and served six +years. + +JOHN C. SPOONER.--Mr. Spooner was born in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, Jan. +6, 1843. He was educated at the district schools until 1859, when his +father, Judge Spooner, removed to Madison, Wisconsin. This removal +afforded the son an opportunity of entering upon a course of classical +instruction in the State University, which he would have completed but +for the Civil War. In 1864 he enlisted as a private in the Fortieth +Wisconsin Infantry. He did honorable duty at the front until compelled +by sickness to retire from the army. After having served a short time +as assistant state librarian, and having been restored to health, he +raised a company which was attached to the Fiftieth Wisconsin +Regiment, and became its captain. His regiment was sent to the +Missouri river to do service among the Indians, and was stationed at +Fort Rice, Dakota. In July, 1866, it was mustered out of the service. +He then returned to Madison and commenced the study of law. + +[Illustration: John Comstock] + +When Gen. Lucius Fairchild was elected governor, Mr. Spooner was +chosen as his private and military secretary. He held this position +for eighteen months, when he resigned and entered the office of the +attorney general of the State as assistant. In 1870 he removed to +Hudson and began a general law practice. The following year he was +elected a member of the state legislature. While a member of this body +he vigorously championed the State University, which institution was +at that time in sore trouble. His service in this matter was afterward +recognized by the governor, who appointed him a member of the board of +regents of the university, which position he still retains. He was for +twelve years general solicitor of the West Wisconsin Railroad Company +and the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Company. In May, 1884, +he resigned. Mr. Spooner stands deservedly high in his profession, and +has acquired eminence also as a political speaker. + +The Wisconsin legislature elected him to the United States Senate, +January, 1885, and he at once took rank among the most eloquent and +able members of that body. He is of small physique, not weighing over +one hundred and twenty-five or one hundred and thirty pounds, has a +dark complexion and a smoothly shaven face, and is possessed of great +bodily as well as mental energy. + +THOMAS PORTER.--Mr. Porter was born in Tyrone, Ireland, in 1830; +received a common school education, and learned the trade of +wagonmaker. He came to America in 1855; served three years during the +Civil War as a private in Company A., Thirtieth Regiment, Wisconsin +Volunteers; moved to Hudson in 1871, and represented St. Croix county +in the assembly in 1885. + +HERMAN L. HUMPHREY was born at Candor, Tioga county, New York, March +14, 1830; received a public school education, with the addition of one +year in Cortland Academy; became a merchant's clerk at the age of +sixteen, in Ithaca, New York, and remained there for several years; +studied law in the office of Walbridge & Finch, was admitted to the +bar in July, 1854, and removed to Hudson, Wisconsin, where he +commenced practice in January, 1855; was soon after appointed district +attorney of St. Croix county, to fill a vacancy; was appointed by the +governor county judge of St. Croix county, to fill a vacancy, in the +fall of 1860, and in the spring of 1861 was elected for the full term +of four years from the following January; was elected to the state +senate for two years, and in February, 1862, resigned the office of +county judge; was elected mayor of Hudson for one year; was elected in +the spring of 1866 judge of the Eighth Judicial circuit, and was +re-elected in 1872, serving from January, 1867, until March, 1877. He +was elected a representative from Wisconsin in the Forty-fifth +Congress as a Republican, and was re-elected to the Forty-sixth +Congress. During the past three years he has devoted himself to his +profession in Hudson. Mr. Humphrey has been twice married. In June, +1855, he was married to Jennie A. Cross, in Dixon, Illinois. Mrs. +Humphrey died in January, 1880, leaving two sons, Herman L., Jr., and +William H., and three daughters, Fanny S., Mary A., and Grace J. Mr. +Humphrey was married to Mrs. Elvira Dove, at Oswego, New York, October +1881. In 1887 he served again as a member of the assembly. + +THEODORE COGSWELL was born in 1819, at Whitehall, New York. He +received a common school education and learned the trade of a painter. +He removed to Stillwater in 1848 and to Hudson in 1861 and to St. Paul +in 1882. He was married to Augusta B. Kelly in 1855. His son was for +many years editor of the Hudson _Republican_. + +FRANK P. CATLIN is of Revolutionary and Connecticut stock. His father +entered the war of the Revolution at eleven years of age as a +musician. He served seven years. His discharge is signed by George +Washington. Mr. Frank P. Catlin is the youngest of fourteen children. +He was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, in 1815. He was +married in 1840 to Elizabeth Dubois, who died in 1852, leaving three +sons, Charles L., Frank E. and Fred. Mr. Catlin was married to his +second wife in 1857, who died in 1872, leaving one son, William W. Mr. +Catlin moved to Green Bay in 1840, to Green Lake in 1844, and to +Hudson in 1849, having been commissioned by President Taylor as +register of the Willow River land office. This position he held four +years. Mr. Catlin spent some time traveling in foreign lands. In 1868 +he removed to Ripon, Wisconsin, but returned in 1870 to Hudson, where +he still lives. + +CHARLES Y. DENNISTON was born in Orange county, New York, in 1832; +graduated at University of Vermont in 1852; studied law in Iowa in +1853-54, and came to Hudson in 1855, where he engaged in real estate +and insurance business, in which he has been quite successful. He was +married in 1856 to Maria A. Coit, of Hudson. Mrs. Denniston died Aug. +31, 1886. + +A. E. JEFFERSON.--Mr. Jefferson came from Genesee county, New York, to +Hudson in 1859. For the past fifteen years he has officiated as +cashier of the Hudson First National Bank. + +SAMUEL C. SYMONDS was born in 1831, in Hooksett, New Hampshire. He +graduated at the University of Vermont in 1852 and the ensuing year +came to Hudson, where he taught school and studied law for three years +and afterward engaged in the real estate business and subsequently +officiated as county judge four years. He was married in 1860 to Mary +C. Bloomer. In 1886 he was commissioned postmaster of the city of +Hudson by President Cleveland. + +JOHN E. GLOVER, an old citizen and successful lawyer of Hudson, has +gained a prominent position amongst the solid business men of the city +by his untiring industry, combined with rare judgment and knowledge of +men. In addition to his law business he is an extensive operator in +real estate, flouring and lumber mills. + +LEMUEL NORTH, a reliable merchant of Hudson, a public spirited citizen +and a kind hearted man, merits the respect which his townsmen accord +him. He has been successful in business. + +EDGAR NYE, much better known under his _nom de plume_ "Bill Nye," was +born in 1846. When a boy he came West with his parents to the +Kinnikinic valley. Mr. Nye studied law and practiced some years in +Laramie City, Wyoming Territory, where he obtained a national +reputation as a wit from his connection with the Laramie newspaper +known as the _Boomerang._ Mr. Nye's mirth-provoking sketches have been +published in book form. His parents still live at River Falls. + +WILLIAM THOMPSON PRICE.--Mr. Price was born in Barre, Huntington +county, Pennsylvania, June 17, 1824. After receiving a fair education, +he came West, and in 1845 settled in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, +where he at once entered upon the occupation of a lumberman. In 1851 +he was elected to the assembly as a Democrat, but on the organization +of the Republican party in 1854, he united with the organization, with +which he remained during the balance of his life. In 1853 and 1854 he +was judge of Jackson county; in 1855 he was under sheriff. He was a +member of the state senate in 1858, 1870, 1878, 1879, 1880, and 1881; +a member of the assembly in 1882; was collector of internal revenue +from 1863 to 1865, and held many local offices in his county. For many +years he was president of the Jackson County Bank. In 1882 he was +elected to the Forty-eighth Congress; was re-elected in 1884 to the +Forty-ninth, and in 1886 to the Fiftieth. He died at his home at Black +River Falls, Dec. 6, 1886. He was a man of immense energy and +endurance; and was ever ready to do his full share of labor in all +places. As a public man he acquitted himself well. In addition to +business tact and energy, and practical common sense, he was a public +speaker of unusual readiness and ability. In private life he was a +generous hearted man, strongly attached to his friends, and greatly +respected for his sterling qualities of character. + +E. B. BUNDY.--Judge Bundy was born in Broome county, New York, in +1833. He received a common school and academic education and attended +one year at Hamilton College. He came to Dunn county, Wisconsin, where +he practiced law until 1877, when he was elected judge of the Eighth +Judicial circuit, to which position he was re-elected and is still +serving. He stands high in the estimation of his associates and the +people as a judge, and not less high in social life. + + +BALDWIN. + +This town is coextensive with township 29, range 16. It was set off +from the township of Springfield and organized Dec. 3, 1872. Wm. +Whewell was chairman of the first board of supervisors. + + +BALDWIN VILLAGE, + +Located on the West Wisconsin railroad, on the west boundary of the +township, has a population of eight hundred, about evenly divided +between the Norwegian and American elements, the latter being +principally from Vermont. The _Bulletin_, a lively weekly paper, +established in 1873, is published by B. Peachman. The graded school +has three departments, with two hundred and twenty-five scholars, +under the control of Prof. J. E. Brainard. The school building cost +$4,000. A state bank, organized in 1883, has a capital stock of +$25,000, and a surplus of $12,500. F. A. Decker is cashier. Baldwin +has one elevator, of 750,000 bushels capacity, two flour mills--one +with a capacity of two hundred and fifty barrels per day, built at a +cost of $55,000; the other of one hundred and twenty-five barrels, at +a cost of $20,000; one creamery, one cheese factory, one tannery, a +good town hall, capable of seating six hundred persons, four good +church buildings--Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal and +Congregational--and over thirty stores or shops. The water supply is +ample, the village being furnished with public cisterns and wells, and +having an excellent fire department, with hook and ladder company. The +village is surrounded by a rich agricultural country. + + +WOODVILLE VILLAGE + +Is situated four miles east of Baldwin, on the West Wisconsin +railroad, at the junction of a branch road extending into Pierce +county. It is the centre of heavy lumbering operations, and is a +flourishing village. It has one church. + + +CADY. + +Cady is the southeastern township in St. Croix county, and occupies +township 29, range 15. It is drained by Eau Galle waters. Amongst the +first settlers were Irving Gray, Charles, John, and Brazer Bailey. A +post office was established near the centre of the town in 1860. D.C. +Davis was first postmaster. A branch railroad traverses the town from +northwest to southeast. There are two lumber mills. The town was +organized in 1870. The supervisors were William Holman, Charles Palmer +and Mead Bailey. The village of Brookville is on the west line of the +town. + + +CYLON, + +Including township 31, range 16, lies on Willow river. It is a rich +and populous township, consisting originally of mixed prairie and +timber lands. The first settlement in this town was made in 1855. The +early settlers were Otto Natges, J. Smith, H. Fouks, E. Johnson, +George Goodrich, S. W. Beel, and J. Tomlinson. The town was organized +in 1859. The supervisors were C. A. Hall, chairman; John Sweet and +John Gibson. A post office was established in 1861, Mrs. John B. +Gibson, postmistress. The Wisconsin Central railroad passes through +the southwest, and the North Wisconsin through the northwest part of +the township. There are four church buildings, one on section 18, one +near Cylon post office, and two in Deer Park village. This village, a +station located on the North Wisconsin railroad, is a wheat buying +centre of considerable importance, and has several business houses. +The school house is one of the best buildings in the county outside of +Hudson. The Catholics and Methodists have churches here. + + +EAU GALLE, + +Township 28, range 16, is drained by the Eau Galle and Rush rivers. We +have not the date of the first settlement, but it was amongst the +earliest in the county. The first settlers were William Holman, Andrew +Dickey, Joseph Barnish, and Uriah Briggs. The town was organized in +1858, with the following as supervisors: Wm. Holman, ---- Babcock, and +---- McCartney. A post office was established in 1853, of which W. +Holman was postmaster. Mr. Holman built a saw mill the same year, the +first in the region. There are now six, mostly lumber mills. The +township is traversed from north to south by a branch of the West +Wisconsin railroad. Wildwood, a thriving station on this road is the +headquarters of the St. Croix Land and Lumber Company, a stock company +with a capital of $300,000. The town of Eau Galle has one church +building belonging to the evangelical society. + + +EMERALD + +Includes township 30, range 16. It is drained by the waters of Willow +and Menomonie rivers, and was originally covered with pine and +hardwood timber. It was organized in 1861. The Wisconsin Central +railroad passes through the northeast part of the township and has one +station, Emerald. A high mound is a conspicuous object near the centre +of the township. + + +ERIN PRAIRIE. + +Erin Prairie, township 30, range 17, lies on Willow river. John Casey +entered the first land in 1854. The first house was built on section +17, in May, 1855, by John Ring. Among the settlers of 1855, of whom +there were about twenty families, we have the names of Michael Hughes, +Peter Queenan and James, Michael and Thomas McNamara. The town was +organized in 1858, with the following board of supervisors: Richard +Joyce, chairman; Alexander Stevens and Peter Queenan, and Wm. McNally, +clerk. Richard Joyce was first school teacher and first postmaster. + +There are now two post offices, one at Erin Centre village, and the +other at Jewett's Mills, two and a half miles apart. There are at Erin +Centre one store, one wagon shop, one blacksmith shop, and a Catholic +church; at Jewett's Mills a store, a saw, a planing and a flour mill, +all run by water. There are six good school houses in the township. It +is traversed by the Wisconsin Central railroad. + + +FOREST, + +Embracing township 31, range 15, occupies the northeast corner of the +county. It is heavily timbered with pine and hardwoods, is a new town +and is fast being converted into an agricultural district. Willow +river has its sources in this town. It was organized Dec. 10, 1881, +with S. D. Love as chairman of the first board of supervisors. + + +GLENWOOD, + +Set off from the town of Emerald at its organization in 1885, embraces +township 30, range 15. It was originally a pine and hardwood region. +Its waters flow eastward into the Menomonie. The Wisconsin Central +railroad crosses the township from east to west. Its only station is +Glenwood. It is being rapidly settled and has already some good farms +and several saw mills. H. J. Baldwin was the chairman of the first +board of supervisors. + + +HAMMOND + +Includes township 29, range 17. It is drained by tributaries of the +Rush river. Of the first settlers were the Peabodys, James R. Ismon, +Rev. Wm. Egbert, Rev. George Spalding, Mert Herrick, John Thayer, Mrs. +Adams, John Nelson, and Thomas Byrnes. The town was organized Sept. +16, 1856, with A. G. Peabody as chairman of supervisors and John G. +Peabody, clerk. It is now a prosperous farming town. The West +Wisconsin railroad passes through the south part of the township. + + +HAMMOND VILLAGE, + +Located on the line of this road, in sections 27 and 28, has seven +hundred inhabitants. It is situated on a commanding elevation, giving +an extended view of the rich farming country surrounding it. It has a +school house, built at a cost of $2,500, with rooms for three grades, +and one hundred and seventy-five scholars, one elevator of 20,000 +bushels capacity, one first class hotel, the Gardiner House, Odd +Fellows', Good Templars' and Grangers' halls, and three church +buildings, with parsonages--the Catholic, Congregational and +Methodist. The village contains about twenty-five stores and shops. +The water supply, on account of the elevation, is from wells and +cisterns. Rev. George Spalding preached the first sermon and was the +first merchant in the village. Hammond was incorporated Sept. 20, +1880, with J. B. Fithian as president of supervisors and John W. Owen, +clerk. + +JOHN THAYER was born in 1809, in Worcester county, Massachusetts, from +which place he moved to Ohio, and, after residing there fifteen years, +came to Wisconsin and settled at Hammond village. He has been twice +married, his second wife still living, and has one son, Andrew P. The +father and son are engaged in merchandising in Hammond. + +REV. WM. EGBERT was born in 1815, in Oneida county, New York. He +obtained a common school and academic education. He spent his early +life in New York City; came to Indiana in 1837 and to Hammond, +Wisconsin, in 1856. The first trial in Hammond was before Mr. Egbert, +as justice of the peace, in 1856. He has been for forty-one years a +local minister in the Methodist Episcopal church. He has been twice +married, his second wife still living. He has four children. + + +HUDSON. + +Hudson includes sections 7 to 36, inclusive, of township 29, range 19. +Willow river flows through the northwest part. The North Wisconsin and +West Wisconsin railroads pass through the township. It is one of the +handsomest and richest farming townships in the State. It was +organized as a town in 1849. Its history is given in that of the +county of St. Croix and in the biographies of its early inhabitants. + +JAMES KELLY was born at Osnabruck, Ireland, where he grew to manhood. +In 1850 he came to Hudson and located on a farm, where he prospered, +and became an honored citizen. In 1857 he married Catherine, daughter +of Wm. Dailey. He died at Turtle Lake, Barron county, Wisconsin, of +injuries received from a rolling log, Feb. 19, 1888, leaving a widow, +three sons and one daughter. + +DANIEL COIT was born in Vermont in 1801. He learned the trade of a +house carpenter; came West as far as Galena, Illinois, in 1845, to St. +Croix Valley in 1848, and to Hudson in 1850. He died in Baldwin in +1884. He was a man of eccentric manners, but upright life. + +JAMES VIRTUE came to Willow River Mill in 1849, settled in the town of +Hudson, and died in 1874. + +THEODORE M. BRADLEY was born in 1831, in Jackson county, Illinois. He +lived three years in Lafayette county, Wisconsin; came to Osceola +Mills in 1850, and to Hudson in 1867. He has engaged chiefly in +farming. In 1857 he was married to Margaret Wilson. They have two sons +and three daughters. Mr. Bradley died in 1887. + +WILLIAM DAILEY was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1800; came to America in +1819, and settled in Hudson in 1849, where he lived, a successful +farmer, until his death in 1867. He left five sons--William, Guy W., +Jacob, Edward, and Asa, all farmers, industrious and prosperous, all +good citizens, and church members, all married and settled in St. +Croix county. Guy W. represented St. Croix county in the state +assembly of 1877. In 1866 he was president of the St. Croix +Agricultural Society. + +ROBERT AND WILLIAM MCDIARMID, brothers, came from St. Stevens, New +Brunswick, and settled in Hudson in 1851, on a farm in sections 10 and +14. By industry and perseverance they have become independent, and own +fine farms, with blooded stock, improved agricultural implements, and +all the appliances for successful farming. Robert married in 1857, and +has three sons and three daughters. William married Laura Rabold, in +1860, and has three sons and four daughters. William has been chairman +of the county board of supervisors several years. + +WILLIAM MARTIN was born in Vermont, in 1800. In 1846 he moved to +Janesville, Wisconsin, and in 1851 to Hudson, where he engaged in +farming. He was an exemplary christian man, and a member of the +Baptist church. His son, Geo. W. Martin, succeeds him on the farm. He +died in 1885. + +PASCHAL ALDRICH was born in the state of New York, in 1820; came to +Illinois with his parents in 1826; was married in Illinois, to Martha +Harnsberger, in 1841, and came to Marine in the same year. He +returned, for a short time, to Illinois, and again moved to the valley +of the St. Croix, settling at Hudson in 1846, where he died in 1860, +leaving three sons and five daughters. + + +KINNIKINIC + +Originally included nine towns of townships 27 and 28, from St. Croix +lake east. By the setting off of Pierce county from St. Croix, the +towns in township 27 were stricken off, and the territory has since +been reduced until comprised in township 28, range 18. It is a wealthy +agricultural township. Its surface is agreeably diversified with +undulating prairies and high hills. The Kinnikinic, a beautiful and +clear winding stream, drains it from the northeast. The famous +Monument Rock, an outlying sandstone formation, is in the centre of +this township. From the summit a magnificent view may be obtained of +this fine farming region. The farmers have fine dwellings and barns, +and the town has numerous school houses; one church is located on +section 15. The history of the town, as far as we were able to obtain +it, may be found in the biographies of the Mapes brothers. + +DUNCAN MCGREGOR was born in Perth, Scotland, in 1821. His educational +advantages were limited. He emigrated to Canada while yet a youth, +served seven years in the British Army, and was one year in Canada +during the Papineau Rebellion. He was married to Jane Morse, in +Canada, Jan. 31, 1848, and in 1849 removed to the United States and +settled at River Falls, where he still lives on the homestead which he +pre-empted. Mrs. McGregor was the first resident white woman, and Mr. +McGregor the second person who settled at the Falls. + +His mother, an aged lady living with him at the Falls, at one time +found the house surrounded by over a hundred Sioux Indians, who +commenced plundering the garden of everything eatable. Mrs. McGregor +bravely confronted and drove them away. The only crops in the valley +at the time were those of Messrs. Foster and McGregor. + +Mr. McGregor learned in early life the trade of a mason. While a +resident of River Falls he followed farming except during a few years +in which he kept a hardware store. He was three years county +commissioner of St. Croix county. He has three children living, +Roderick, Malcolm and Neville. + +W. B. AND JAS. A. MAPES, brothers, from Elmira, New York, landed at +Willow River Sept. 7, 1849. They proceeded at once with an ox team and +cart, on which last was placed all their worldly goods, to the valley +of the Kinnikinic. Having selected a claim and erected a temporary +shanty, William B. returned by river as far as Galena, for a breaking +team, wagon and plow, and other farm furniture and provisions, while +James remained to make hay. After the brother's return, a substantial +winter cabin was built. The ensuing spring they broke ground and +raised a fair crop, consisting of 80 bushels of oats, 200 of +buckwheat, 100 of corn and 100 of potatoes. The winter of their +arrival, Duncan McGregor came to the settlement and spent the winter +with Judge Foster. In the fall of 1850 came Ira Parks and family, and +settled on lands adjoining the Mapes farm. This family and others were +entertained by the Mapes brothers, with genuine frontier hospitality. +Among the families coming in at this time were those of Dr. Whipple, +Mrs. Sprague, Lorenzo Daggett, and the widow of Josephus Medley, of +Stillwater. This year came also the Pomeroy brothers, Luke and Frank, +from New York State, and J. G. Crowns, James Penn, and William Tozer, +from Illinois. During 1851 several families settled in the valley, +among them James Chinnoch and Elisha Walden, from Ohio; Alanson Day +and John Scott, from Pennsylvania; the brothers W. L. and J. E. +Perrin, single men, from New York State, and Mrs. Lynch, from +Illinois. Previous to the settlement of these families there were no +young ladies in the town. The arrival of fifteen young ladies, mostly +marriageable, produced a flutter of excitement among the lonesome +bachelors of the colony, and the services of Rev. S. T. Catlin were +soon called into requisition. The first couple married was James A. +Mapes and Eunice E. Walden, in 1852. The next year W. B. Mapes and +Catherine Scott were married. In 1852 J. W. Mapes, a younger brother, +joined the colony. In 1857 G. W. Mapes located a Mexican War land +warrant on adjoining laud. W. B., J. A. and C. W. Mapes had also +Mexican War land warrants. + +In 1860 J. W. Mapes sold his farm and returned to New York, enlisted +in the One Hundred and First Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served +through the Peninsular Campaign under McClellan, and afterward in +North Carolina, where he was captured at Plymouth, April 23, 1864, and +taken to Andersonville, where he died, June 30, 1864. W. B. Mapes sold +his farm to Chas. Davies and removed to Macon county, Mississippi, in +1866, at which place he died in 1877. His widow and five children +still reside there. C. W. Mapes sold his farm to G. I. Ap Roberts, and +kept store for awhile in the village, and in 1879 removed to Sussex +county, Virginia, where he still resides. He has four children living. +Jas. A. Mapes still resides on the old homestead. Mr. Mapes was +honored with an election to the office of treasurer for St. Croix +county in 1883 and 1884. + + +PLEASANT VALLEY. + +Pleasant Valley includes the west half of township 28, range 17. It is +drained by the headwaters of the Kinnikinic. The first settlement was +made Sept. 19, 1856. Among the first settlers were Sheldon Gray, Asa +Gray, S. W. Mattison, and Allen Webster. The town was organized March +30, 1857, with Peleg Burdick as chairman of supervisors. The first +school was taught in 1857, by Miss Mary Munson. A post office was +established in 1866 with Peter Hawkins as postmaster. + + +RICHMOND. + +Richmond is a rich agricultural township, consisting chiefly of +undulating prairie land. It is included in township 30, range 18. +Willow river flows diagonally through it from northeast to southwest. +The following persons settled within the present limits of the town +prior to 1855: Eben Quinby, Lewis Oaks, James Taylor, Harvey Law, +Norman Hooper, J. J. Smith, A. S. Kinnie, W. R. Anderson, Francis +Kelly, Clinton Boardman, S. L. Beebe, the Beal brothers, E. P. Jacobs +and E. W. Darnley. + +The town of Richmond was organized in 1857, with the following +officers: Supervisors, Robert Philbrick, chairman; C. A. Boardman and +Harvey Law; clerk, W. M. Densmore; assessor, W. R. Anderson; +treasurer, G. W. Law. The first post office was established at the +house of Joel Bartlett, who served as postmaster. This post office was +known as the Richmond post office. It was a small affair. The first +mail, brought on a mule's back from Maiden Rock, contained but one +letter. The first quarter's commission amounted to but one dollar and +fifty-nine cents. The post office case contained but four boxes, five +by six inches in size. This case is preserved at the _Republican_ +office, as an interesting relic. Small as was the office, and meagre +as were the receipts, the postmaster was able to employ a deputy, F. +W. Bartlett. By way of agreeable contrast we give the commission for +the first quarter of 1886 as $674.89. + + +BOARDMAN VILLAGE + +Is located on the east bank of Willow river and near the western +boundary of Richmond. It is a flourishing village. Its public +buildings are a Methodist church and a large school house. Boardman +has a good flour mill. Everything in the village bespeaks enterprise +and thrift. + + +GRIDLEY VILLAGE + +Was platted by Gridley & Day in 1857, and, together with Fremont +village, platted by Henry Russell, was incorporated in the village of + + +NEW RICHMOND + +in 1878. The first officers of the new village were: President, F. W. +Bartlett; trustees, B. C. B. Foster, Wellington Pierce, Thos. Porter, +Peter Schore, S. M. Bixby, Geo. C. Hough. + + +NEW RICHMOND CITY + +Was incorporated in 1884. It includes the northwest quarter of section +2 and the northeast quarter of section 3 of township 30, range 18, and +the south half of section 36, township 31, range 18. This latter half +section originally belonged to Star Prairie, but is now attached to +New Richmond. The first election was held April 8, 1884, at which the +following officers were elected: President, Ward S. Williams; +aldermen, First ward, F. W. Bartlett, Geo. A. Gault, Th. Gaskell; +Second ward, A. L. Greaton, A. H. Stevens, J. C. Sabine; Third ward, +John Halversen, D. H. Dodge, H. F. Fall; treasurer, L. Taft; clerk, W. +F. McNally; assessor, D. A. Kennedy. + +The city is beautifully located on a level prairie. The streets are +from eighty to one hundred feet wide and bordered with maple, elm and +boxwood trees. The city lots and grounds attached to the residences +are beautifully adorned with shrubbery and flowers and are without +fences. The commons and unoccupied spaces in the city are covered +with a luxuriant growth of white and red clover, filling the air with +its pleasant odor, and suggesting the title of "Clover City." It has +many fine business buildings and tasteful residences. It is in the +midst of a fine farming country, on the banks of a beautiful stream, +Willow river, and two railroads, the North Wisconsin and Wisconsin +Central, furnish abundant means of communication with the outer world. +It has one steam saw mill with a capacity of 60,000 feet per day, and +a water power flour mill with a capacity of one hundred barrels per +day. + +The Bank of New Richmond was organized in 1878, with a paid up capital +of $35,000. In 1885 the bank did a business of about $8,000,000. The +bank had a surplus in 1886 of $9,000. It has an extensive agency in +flour, wheat and other agricultural products, also in lumber and real +estate. The officers are: President, F. W. Bartlett; vice president, +Mathias Frisk; cashier, John W. McCoy. The annual business of the city +amounts to $12,000,000. + +The city has a high school, established in 1884, with six departments. +The building cost $12,000. The Baptists, Catholics, +Congregationalists, Episcopalians, and Methodists have church +buildings. + +There are several fraternities here, including the Masonic, the Odd +Fellows, Good Templars, Women's Christian Temperance Union and +Catholic Knights of St. John. There are also a hook and ladder company +and a library association. There are two cemeteries, one belonging to +the masonic order. + + +BIOGRAPHICAL. + +BENJAMIN B. C. FOSTER was born in New Portland, Maine, in 1816. When +seventeen years of age he bought his time of his father and commenced +life for himself. He lived eight years in Atkinson, Maine, where he +taught school and engaged in farming. In 1842 he was married to +Charlotte S. Gilman. In 1852 he went to California where he remained +three years. He came to New Richmond in 1855 and built a saw mill and +dam, and a board shanty in which he lived with his wife and two +children. Around the mill has since grown up the beautiful city of New +Richmond. The first school taught in New Richmond was taught at the +house of Mr. Foster by Amanda Dayton. In his house was organized the +first Sunday-school, the first sermon was preached in it and the first +school meeting was held there. + +ROBERT PHILBRICK was born in Old Town, Maine, in 1814. He learned the +trade of a millwright, and in 1847 moved to North Hudson. He was +married in 1851 to Frances Cook. They stood on a raft, afloat in the +St. Croix river, just below the Falls, while Ansel Smith, of Taylor's +Falls, performed the ceremony. Mr. Philbrick removed to New Richmond +and built a frame house in 1855. The house is still standing. One +daughter of Mr. Philbrick is the wife of D. L. Nye. Amaziah, a son by +his first wife, is a stonemason. Alice M., daughter by his first wife, +is married to John McGregor. Mr. Philbrick died prior to 1865. + +LINDEN COOMBS came to New Richmond in 1855, built the first hotel in +1856, and some years later moved away. + +EBEN QUINBY was born in Lisbon, New Hampshire, in 1809, and came to +New Richmond in 1849, where he has since continuously been engaged in +farming. In 1865 he was married to Mrs. Philbrick, widow of Robert +Philbrick. + +LEWIS OAKS was born in Sangerville, Maine, in 1826; came West in 1846 +and to New Richmond in 1854. He is a farmer. + +HENRY RUSSELL was born in Vermont in 1801. His ancestors took part in +the Revolution. He was married in Vermont, lived seventeen years in +New York, came to Hudson in 1853, and to New Richmond in 1857, where +he bought the pre-emption made by Robert Philbrick, and had it +surveyed and platted as the village of Fremont. He died in 1878. Mrs. +Russell survives him and is now (1886) eighty-five years of age. Their +sons Alexander and Austin are prominent citizens of New Richmond. + +JOSEPH D. JOHNSON was born in Huron county, Ohio, May 12, 1829. From +eight years of age he was thrown upon his own resources. The greater +part of his youth was spent in Michigan. In 1848 he removed to +Winnebago, Illinois, where he married Marcella L. Russell. He settled +at New Richmond in 1853. One son, Ezra O., is editor of the +_Northwestern News_, at Hayward, Wisconsin, and one daughter is +married to Frank F. Bigelow. + +JOEL BARTLETT was born in Hebron, Maine, in 1804. He received an +academic education and became a teacher. He was principal of a high +school in Bath, Maine, before he was twenty-one years of age. In 1825 +he went to Harmony, Maine, where he was engaged in lumbering until +1848. In 1830 he was a member of the Maine legislature; in 1849 and +1850 he followed lumbering in Fairfield, Maine, and then removed to +New York where he lived six years. In 1858 he came to New Richmond, +where he has since led an active business life. Mr. Bartlett was +married in Maine in 1826. One of his sons, J. A., is a Presbyterian +clergyman in Centreville, Iowa. He graduated at Waterville College, +Maine, and practiced law three years in New York City before entering +the ministry. + +FRANCIS W. BARTLETT, the second son of Joel Bartlett, was born in +Maine in 1837. He received an academic education, and has been an +active and successful business man. He came to New Richmond in 1858, +and served as register of the land office at Bayfield from 1861 to +1867. He was married in 1867 to Mary J. Stewart, of Pennsylvania. He +was engaged in the coal trade in Milwaukee three years, and two years +at Detroit and Toledo, but returned to New Richmond and is now +president of the New Richmond Bank, and dealer in furniture, hardware, +etc. + +GEORGE C. HOUGH was born in Fairfax county, Virginia, in ----. He has +led a somewhat adventurous life. He served awhile as a soldier in the +Black Hawk War under Gen. Dodge. Afterward he went to Missouri, +graduated at the State University, and engaged in lead mining and +prospecting. He went to California in 1862, where he practiced law. He +returned in 1876, and located in Richmond where he still resides. + +SILAS STAPLES was born in Lisbon, Maine, Sept. 18, 1814. He came to +Hudson, Wisconsin, in 1854, took charge of the Willow River mills, +buying a quarter interest at $20,000, including 5,000 acres of land on +Willow river. In 1856 he sold his interest to Jewell and Bodie, of +Maine, for $55,000, and for three years carried on a banking business +in Hudson. In the winter of 1859-60 he removed to New Richmond. In +1861 he returned to Hudson and put up a shingle and lath addition to +his saw mill. He built a flouring mill at New Richmond in 1864. He +built large dams on Willow river for driving logs, and carried on +lumbering operations until 1868, when he removed to Canada and carried +on milling and lumbering enterprises four years, at Collins' Inlet, +Georgian bay. In 1872 he returned to Hudson and to a farm, and was +also engaged with Mr. Gibson in mercantile business. In 1873 he +returned to New Richmond, and, buying a half interest in the mill, +took charge of it for one year, then removed to Stillwater and took +charge of his brother's (Isaac Staples) saw mill. + +In 1875 he removed to Elk River, Minnesota, and took charge of a farm. +The next year he returned to New Richmond, where he settled his family +and bought a half interest in a saw and grist mill at Jeweltown. He +also built an elevator there with a capacity of 20,000 bushels. + +Mr. Staples was married in 1837 to Hannah Williams, of Bowdoinham, +Maine, who died in 1838. He was married in 1841 to Abigail Ann Rogers +of Oldtown, Maine, who died in the spring of 1845. He was married in +the fall of 1846 to Nancy D. Gilman, who died in 1873. He was married +to Mrs. Nancy B. Jamison in the fall of 1874. He has six children, +Charles A., Silas G., Nellie B., Nettie, Edward P, and Lizzie G. + +HENRY M. MURDOCK.--Dr. Murdock was born at Antwerp, New York, in +October, 1823. His father, Dr. Hiram Murdock, moved to Gunning, at +which place the son attended school till he was fifteen years of age. +The father moved to Pulaski, New York. Henry studied medicine with his +father until he was nineteen years of age, then attended medical +lectures at Castleton, Virginia, where he graduated at the age of +twenty-one. After practicing three years at Dexter, and after a +co-partnership of seven years with his father in a drug store at +Pulaski, he came West and settled in Stillwater, where he bought the +drug store and business of Dr. Carli. In 1858 he went to Taylor's +Falls and practiced medicine until the spring of 1860, when he removed +to Hudson and formed a partnership with Dr. Hoyt. In the fall of 1861 +he accepted the position of assistant surgeon of the Eighth Wisconsin, +and served during the war, having been promoted meanwhile to the +position of brigade surgeon. In 1866 he removed to New Richmond, where +he has since resided, having now retired from business. He was twice +married, in 1845 to Cornelia A. Sandford, who died childless, and in +1865 to Sarah J. Allan. His children are Cornelia A. and Henry A. + +STEVEN N. HAWKINS was born in Galway, Ireland, Dec. 26, 1846, but +while he was a mere child his parents emigrated to America; remained a +few years in Connecticut; came West in 1855, and made their home in +Pleasant Valley, St. Croix county. His early life was marked by the +usual vicissitudes of life in a new country. He tried for a time +various occupations--farm work, rafting, sawing lumber, teaching, and, +during the later months of the war, was a volunteer soldier. He +managed to secure a good education in the common schools and at the +River Falls Academy. He studied medicine and surgery a few months, but +devoted himself chiefly to teaching until 1872, when he engaged in a +mercantile enterprise at which he continued four years, but at the +close of that period found himself obliged to suspend, with an +aggregate of $5,000 against him. This he afterward paid, but he +concluded, perhaps wisely, to change his occupation. He studied law, +and was admitted to the bar, July, 1876. In this profession he has +achieved an enviable success. In 1872 he was married to Margaret +Early, of Alleghany county, New York. They have had four children, the +first of which died in infancy. + + +RUSH RIVER + +Occupies the east half of township 28, range 17. The first settlement +was made in 1850. The following came in 1850-51: Daniel McCartney, +Amos Babcock, Joseph King, Stephen Claggitt and Z. Travis. The town +was set off from Kinnikinic and organized in 1851, with Daniel +McCartney as chairman of the board of supervisors. At his house was +held the first election. + +Woodside has one church and several buildings, is near the centre of +the town, and New Centreville in the southern part. The date of +settlement is second to that of Hudson. It was traversed by the old +Hudson and Prairie du Chien stage route. It was originally a mixed +timber and prairie district. + + +SOMERSET + +Occupies sections 1 to 18, inclusive, of township 30, range 19, two +sections of township 30, range 20, and all of township 31, range 19, +lying east of the St. Croix river. The surface is generally +undulating, but along the St. Croix and Apple rivers abrupt and hilly. +The first settlers were French colonists at Apple River Falls in 1851. +They built a school house and Catholic church upon the bluffs below +the falls. The latter is a conspicuous object as seen from the St. +Croix river. The falls of Apple river, about one and a half miles +above its junction with the St. Croix, is one of the finest of the +Wisconsin waterfalls. Apple river traverses the county from northeast +to southwest. The Wisconsin Central railroad crosses the southern +part. The town of Somerset was organized Sept. 19, 1856, with Thomas +J. Chappell as chairman of supervisors. Mr. Chappell was also +appointed postmaster in 1854 at Apple River Falls. + + +SOMERSET VILLAGE, + +Located about three miles above the Falls, has a good improved water +power, a flour mill with a capacity of one hundred and fifty barrels +per day, and a saw mill, built and owned by Gen. Sam Harriman, the +founder of the village. In 1856 a church and school house were erected +at a cost of about $12,000. + +SAMUEL HARRIMAN.--Gen. Harriman was born in Orland, Maine. He spent +four years in California, engaged in mining and lumbering, and dug the +second canal in the State for sluicing purposes. He came to Somerset +in 1859, and has ever since made it his residence. He is one of the +founders and platters of the village, and built most of the houses, +including the hotel and two stores on the east side of Apple river, +and all the dwelling houses on the west side. He has been remarkably +successful in the various pursuits to which he has turned his +attention, and may well be considered a man of remarkable executive +ability. He has a farm of five hundred and fifty-five acres, and his +agricultural and stock products are second to none. As a lumberman he +has cut 3,000,000 feet per year. He has a rotary saw mill with a +planing, lath and shingle mill attached, and under the same roof he +has a flouring mill and six run of stone; he has a large store in +which he keeps a general stock of merchandise; he has also a cooper +shop, where he makes his own barrels, a warehouse and a blacksmith +shop. He has also an excellent stone quarry on his premises. + +We look in vain for his name in the Wisconsin blue book, or among the +list of office holders. He has been too busy to turn aside in quest of +political preferment. We believe, however, that he was commissioned as +notary public by Govs. Taylor and Smith. When men were needed for the +defense of the country he left his interests to enlist as a private. +His military record is brilliant. He enlisted in Company A, Thirtieth +Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, June 10, 1862, was made captain on the +organization of the company, which position he held till Feb. 16, +1864, when he was commissioned colonel of the Thirty-seventh +Wisconsin Infantry. This regiment was recruited by Col. Harriman, he +having been commissioned for that purpose. Its services on many a hard +fought field, and especially about Petersburg, is a matter of well +known history. Its most memorable action occurred on the thirtieth of +July, just after the explosion of the mine under the enemy's fort. +Col. Harriman, with the Thirty-seventh Wisconsin, was ordered to +occupy the dismantled fort, which he did under a heavy fire, and the +walls had been so leveled as to afford but slight protection from the +enemy's batteries. While in possession they repelled all attempts to +dislodge them until four o'clock the next morning, when, receiving no +support, the Thirty-seventh Regiment, + + "All that was left of them," + +fell back to the line. At roll call that evening, of two hundred and +fifty men that answered to their names before the action, only +ninety-five responded. The remnant of the regiment was attached to a +new brigade, of which Col. Harriman was commissioned commander. On the +tenth of September, the war having ended, the tattered flag of the +Thirty-seventh was returned to the governor of the State and Brig. +Gen. Harriman returned to private life and his business enterprises. + +The general is a genial, kind hearted man, fond of a good joke and +story, even though they are at his own expense. He narrates of +himself, that when mustered out of the service at Washington he was +addressed as _General_ Harriman; on his way home he was saluted as +_colonel_; when nearing Wisconsin, he was hailed as _major;_ in the +State, as _captain_; in St. Croix county and at home as Mr. Harriman; +when met by the boys, they greeted him with "_Hello, Sam._" + + +ST. JOSEPH + +Includes the three lower tiers of sections of township 30, range 19, +fractions of range 20, and the six upper sections of township 29, +range 19. Willow river traverses the southeast corner. The surface +varies from undulating to hilly. In the eastern part of the town is +Balsam lake, a picturesque body of water two miles in length. There +are also two high elevations of land, or ridges, that serve as +conspicuous landmarks. The earliest settlers came in 1850, and located +on farms in different parts of the town. St. Joseph was organized in +1858. The North Wisconsin railroad passes through the southeast corner +of the town. + + +HOULTON. + +Opposite Stillwater, on the shore of the lake, is a platted village +known as Houlton, which has improved much during the last few years. +J. S. Anderson & Co. built a large saw mill at this place, which has +changed ownership several times. The residences of the village are on +the high bluffs overlooking the lake, and commanding from a point two +hundred feet above the level of the water a most magnificent view, +including Stillwater, Hudson and Lakeland. + + +BURKHARDT VILLAGE + +Is situated upon Willow river, just above the Falls. Joseph Bowron and +others built a mill here in 1851. The mill property changed hands many +times, and finally passed into the hands of Burkhardt. In March, 1887, +the mill was consumed, with a loss to Mr. Burkhardt of $100,000, an +immense loss, representing the earnings of a lifetime; but with +tireless energy Mr. Burkhardt went to work rebuilding, and, it is to +be hoped, will soon re-establish his thriving business. There is one +church near Burkhardt. + + +SPRINGFIELD, + +At its organization in 1860, embraced its own territory and that of +Baldwin, set off in 1872. It now includes township 29, range 15. It +was originally covered with pine and hardwood timber. Within the last +few years it has been improved and much of the timber land is used for +farming. It is drained by the headwaters and tributaries of Rush and +Menomonie rivers. The West Wisconsin railroad passes through the +southern tier of sections, and a branch road, leading southward into a +pine district, has a junction at Hersey. Most of the early settlers +were Union soldiers. Among them were S. T. Adams, Thomas Ross, Isaac +Burgitt and Capt. Rogers. Springfield was organized Nov. 15, 1860, +with J. R. Ismon as chairman, and Perrin and Hall as supervisors. + + +HERSEY. + +The village of Hersey, located on section 28, is a station on the West +Wisconsin and branch railroad, has a lumber mill, and is a flourishing +village. + + +WILSON VILLAGE, + +Section 35, is also a station on the West Wisconsin road, and an +important manufacturing place. The village is owned and controlled by +the Wilson Manufacturing Company, which has a capital stock of +$150,000. There is one church in the village. + + +STANTON + +Was set off from Star Prairie and organized Dec. 30, 1870, with +Trueworthy Jewell as chairman of supervisors. It is a rich prairie +town, well drained by the waters of Apple and Willow rivers, and well +cultivated. The North Wisconsin railroad passes southwest to northeast +through this town. Star Prairie village lies partly in this town and +partly in the town of Star Prairie. There are two church buildings in +the town of Stanton. + + +STAR PRAIRIE, + +Township 31, range 18, was organized Jan. 28, 1856. At its +organization it included township 31, ranges 17 and 18, and north half +of township 30, ranges 17 and 18. The first election was held at the +house of B. C. B. Foster, in New Richmond. Apple river flows through +the town from northeast to southwest. Cedar lake, in the northeast +part, furnishes at its outlet a good water power. Among the first +settlers were the Jewell brothers, Ridder and sons. + + +HUNTINGTON VILLAGE + +Is located near the outlet of Cedar lake and on the stream by which +the waters of the lake are borne to Apple river. It has a large +flouring mill. + + +STAR PRAIRIE VILLAGE, + +Lying partially in sections 1 and 12 and partially in Stanton, has a +saw and flouring mill, a hotel, a school house and two churches, with +some fine residences. + +HON. R. K. FAY, born in 1822, came from New York to Wisconsin in 1849, +locating at Princeton, where he resided for nine years, most of the +time engaged as the principal of the high school at that place. He was +a man of sterling character, who is remembered as an able teacher and +public spirited citizen. He has been assemblyman from Adams and St. +Croix counties, and a county superintendent of schools, and has taught +school forty-nine terms. When a member from St. Croix county, he +introduced the bill requiring the constitutions of the United States +and of Wisconsin to be taught in the common schools. He died at his +home in Star Prairie, Jan 5, 1888. Five sons and five daughters +survive him. His wife died about three years ago. + + +TROY, + +Township 28, range 19, and fractional township 28, range 19, +consisting of about three sections, lying along the shore of Lake St. +Croix, has a fine frontage of bluffs overlooking the lake, with rich, +level prairie lands stretching away eastward. The Kinnikinic river +flows through the southeast corner of the township. It was organized +in 1851 as Malone, the name having been chosen by the Perrin brothers, +who came from Malone, New York, in 1851. The name, some years later, +was changed to Troy. The Hudson & Ellsworth railroad passes diagonally +through the township from northwest to southeast. + +The village of Glenmont, section 25, township 28, range 20, lies on +the shore of Lake St. Croix. It contains a large saw mill, built by +the Lord brothers. It has since changed hands. + +The village of East Troy, in section 36, has recently been annexed by +legislative enactment to the city of River Falls. + +JAMES CHINNOCK, the first settler in Troy, was born in Somersetshire, +England, in 1810. He officiated twelve years at Bristol Harbor, +England, as superintendent of docks and vessels. He was married in +England to Harriet Owens; came to America in 1841, lived in Ohio until +1850, when he came to Hudson and immediately located a claim within +the present limits of Troy. He raised the first crop in the town, and +built the first house, of stone, for greater protection from the +Indians. Mr. Chinnock made his home upon this farm until his death in +1870. He left a widow and four sons, three of them farmers in Troy. +One son, James T., has been register of deeds for St. Croix county +from 1885 to 1888. + +WILLIAM LEWIS PERRIN was born in 1825, and with his brother came to +Troy in 1851, where he has since lived. He has been a successful +farmer and public spirited citizen, and has filled offices in the town +organization. He was married in 1855 to Julia F. Loring. They have +three sons and one daughter. + + +WARREN, + +Township 29, range 18, is a rich prairie town, drained by the +tributaries of Kinnikinic and Willow river. George Longworth and +family, of Waukegan, Illinois, settled here in October, 1855. In the +year following, Lyman and David Sanford, brothers, came from Ohio, and +made their home here. Mr. Longworth, in 1856, broke the first ground +on land now within the limits of Hudson. Henry M. Sanford came in the +spring of 1857. + +Warren was organized as a town in 1860, with the following +supervisors: Beach Sanford, George Frissell and Seth Colbeth; L. J. +Sanford, clerk. A post office was established in 1860, and Mrs. Beach +Sanford was appointed postmistress, at Warren village, now Roberts. +The village of Roberts is located on the West Wisconsin railroad, +which traverses sections 19 to 24, inclusive, of this town. It +contains one elevator, one storage house, one feed mill, one cheese +factory, one machine shop, one syrup mill, several stores and shops, +one hotel, one school house, one public hall, and one church building +belonging to the Congregationalists. + +No intoxicants are sold in the village. The first school was taught in +1859, by Jane Sanford. + +JAMES HILL was born in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, Feb. 15, 1825, and +settled in Warren, St. Croix county, in 1863, where he engaged in +farming and dealing in grain. He represented St. Croix county in the +Wisconsin assembly of 1878-79-80. + + +TOWN PLATS LOCATED IN ST. CROIX COUNTY. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + NAME OF | TOWN | DATE OF PLAT. | SURVEYOR. | PROPRIETORS. + VILLAGE. | LOCATION. | | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +Buena Vista |Hudson | In 1849 | Harvey Wilson |Louis Massey & + | | | | Co. +New Centreville|Rush River | Mch. 26, 1856 | Geo. Strong |Daniel + | | | | McCartney. +Hammond |Hammond | July 15, 1856 | A. W. Miller |Hammond & + | | | | Spaulding. +De Soto |Hudson | Aug. 15, 1857 | |Aptemards + | | | | Burkhart. +Somerset |Somerset | Aug. 28, 1857 |Geo. Strong |Harriman & Reed. +Glenmont |Troy | Jan. 5, 1858 |C. N. Bates |M. Bank, Lake + | | | | St. Cx. +Huntington |Star Prairie| Sept. 24, 1858|E. W. McClure |John Brown. +Gridley, New} | | | | +Richmond and} |Richmond | 1857 | |Gridley & Day. +Fremont } | | | | +Troy |Troy | Dec. 29, 1859 |J. A. Short |Cox & Powell. +Boardman |Richmond | July 5, 1866 |W. R. Anderson |Beebe & + | | | | Boardman. +Star Prairie |Star Prairie| June 15, 1870 |John McClure |Simonds & + | | | | Millard. +Baldwin |Baldwin | Mch. 14, 1873 |H. J. Baldwin |D. R. Bailey. +Roberts |Warren | Jan. 4, 1875 |Geo. Strong |Comstock, Platt + | | | | & Co. +Deer Park |Cylon | Jan. 25, 1879 |J. W. Remmington|J. A. Humbird. +New Saratoga} | | | | + Springs } |Stanton | Sept. 17, 1878|John McClure |A. P. Muggey. +Hersey |Springfield | Dec. 24, 1880 |Geo. Strong |L. T. Adams. +Cylon |Cylon | Sept. 16, 1884|Alfred Pierce |Beebe & + | | | | McNarama. +Emerald |Emerald | July 13, 1885 |Alfred Pierce |Hurd Brothers. +Glenwood |Glenwood | Jan. 2, 1886 |H. J. Baldwin |Glenwood Manf. + | | | | Co. +Wilson |Springfield | 1886 | |West Wis. Manf. + | | | | Co. +Woodville |Baldwin | 1886 | |Woodville Lumber + | | | | Co. +Wildwood |Eau Galle | 1886 | |St. Cx. L. & + | | | | Manf. Co. +Brookville |Eau Galle | 1886 | |Wood & Decker. +Houlton |St. Joseph | Not recorded | | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +PIERCE COUNTY. + + +This county, named in honor of President Pierce, was separated from +St. Croix county in 1853, and organized by the same act that created +Polk county, and gave to St. Croix its present limits. It contains +about six hundred square miles of territory, lying east of the +Mississippi river and Lake St. Croix. It is somewhat triangular in +shape, the river and lake forming the hypotenuse, and St. Croix, Dunn +and Pepin bounding it by right lines on the north and east, Pepin also +forming a small part of its southern boundary. + +The scenery is picturesque and varied. Along the river and lake is a +series of limestone bluffs, broken at intervals by ravines and +valleys, and leaving the impression upon the mind of the traveler on +the Mississippi of a rough, broken and inhospitable country, than +which nothing could be further from the truth. Beyond these rugged +escarpments of limestone and out of sight of the traveler, the country +stretches away toward the interior as an undulating prairie, with +meadows and rich pasturelands, with occasional forests, the whole +watered and drained by an intricate network of streams tributary to +the lake and river, and the three larger streams, the Kinnikinic, +which empties into the St. Croix and Big rivers, Trimbelle and Rush, +that empty into the Mississippi. Some branches of the Chippewa also +take their rise in this county. These streams uniformly have their +source in springs and their waters are consequently pure, cold and +invigorating, flowing over beds of white sand or pebbles, and in their +downward course forming many ripples, rapids, cascades and some +beautiful waterfalls. Their total descent to the bed of the +Mississippi is about four hundred feet. Pierce county has no inland +lakes within its limits, nor any indications of their previous +existence. The soil is formed chiefly from decomposed rocks or ledges +worn down by the abrading forces of water and wind, of frost and heat. +The rivers in their downward course have excavated broad valleys, +having originally precipitous bluffs on either side, and even bluffs +once islands in the midst of the streams. These, by later agencies, +have been smoothed to gentle slopes and rounded into graceful mounds, +towering sometimes as much as eighty feet above the valley or plains. +In some places mere outlines of sandstone or limestone rock are left, +turret-like, on the summit of a mound, as monuments on which the +geologist may read the record of ages gone. As the character of the +soil of a country depends upon the composition of the rocks underlying +it, and those removed from the surface, reduced to soil and widely +distributed, we give what may be considered as the section of any one +of the mounds near Prescott in the order of the superposition of +strata: + + At the base--Lower magnesian limestone 250 feet. + Above the plain--Upper sandstone 50 feet. + On the summit--Trenton, or shell limestone 30 feet. + +Over a great part of the county the Trenton and limestone are worn +almost entirely away, and their former existence is attested only by a +few mounds, bluffs and outlines. Drift is not often met with. The soil +may be considered as formed out of drift, now removed from its +original position, and out of the sandstone and limestone. It is, +therefore, soil of the richest quality. + +By the same act that created the county of Pierce, passed March 14, +1853, Prescott was declared the county seat. The town board of +Prescott was constituted the county board. The commissioners were +Osborn Strahl, chairman; Silas Wright and Sylvester Moore. At the +first county election, Nov. 15, 1853, one hundred and ten votes were +cast. The following were the officers elected: County judge, W. J. +Copp; sheriff, N. S. Dunbar; treasurer, J. R. Freeman; clerk of court, +S. R. Gunn; clerk of board, Henry Teachout; coroner, J. Olive; +district attorney, P. V. Wise; surveyor, J. True; register of deeds, +J. M. Whipple. Mr. Whipple was authorized to transcribe the records of +St. Croix county up to date of the organization of Pierce. + +The first assessment in the county, in 1853, amounted to $24,452. At +the meeting of the supervisors, Jan. 18, 1854, the district attorney +was allowed forty dollars per annum as salary. Courts were held +wherever suitable buildings could be obtained. During this year Judge +Wyram Knowlton, of Prairie du Chien, held the first district court at +Prescott. The first records of the court were kept on sheets of +foolscap paper, and fastened together with wafers. The first case +before the court was that of "The State of Wisconsin, Pierce County, +Wm. Woodruff _vs._ Chas. D. Stevens, August Lochmen, and Chas. +Peschke, in Court of said County. In Equity." On reading and filing +the bill in complaint, in this case, on motion of S. J. R. McMillan +and H. M. Lewis, solicitors for counsel, J. S. Foster, it was ordered +that a writ of injunction be issued in the case, pursuant to the +prayer of said bill, upon said complainant. Some one, in his behalf, +filed with the clerk of said court, a bond for damages and costs in +the sum of $1,700, with surety to be approved by the clerk or judge of +said court. The first document recorded in the county is an agreement +between Philander Prescott and Philip Aldrich, wherein Aldrich agrees +to occupy lands adjoining Prescott's, at the mouth of St. Croix lake +on the west, and David Hone on the east. The second document is a +deed, conveying a tract of three hundred and twenty acres of land from +Francis Chevalier to Joseph R. Brown, the land lying near the mouth of +Lake St. Croix, and marked by stakes planted in the ground, and +adjoining Francis Gamelle's claim, dated July 20, 1840. + +In 1857 County Treasurer Ayers became a defaulter to the county in the +sum of $2,287.76, and to the Prescott Bank, $4,000. In 1861, by act of +the legislature, the question of changing the county seat from +Prescott to Ellsworth was submitted to the people. The vote as +declared was six hundred for removal and three hundred and +seventy-three against it. Technical objections having been raised as +to the legality of the vote, the subject was submitted to the people a +second time in 1862. The vote for removal was confirmed. In 1863 the +district system was adopted and three districts were established by +legislative enactment, but in 1870 the county returned to the original +system by which the board of supervisors was made to consist of a +chairman from each one of the town boards. A poor farm was established +near Ellsworth in 1869, at a cost of $3,600. The county board also +appropriated $31,000 for county buildings at Ellsworth. + +The finances of the county have been admirably managed. In 1885 there +was no indebtedness, and a surplus in the treasury of $5,000. The +educational interests are well cared for. There are over one hundred +school districts in the county, with well conducted schools, and +generally with good substantial buildings. The school lands of St. +Croix, then including Pierce county, were appraised in 1852 by Dr. +Otis Hoyt, ---- Denniston and James Bailey, and the lands at once +offered for sale. Settlers' rights were respected. The county issued +$5,000 in bonds to aid in establishing the normal school at River +Falls. + + +RAILROADS. + +River Falls has direct communication with Hudson by a branch of the +Chicago & St. Paul railroad. In 1885 the Burlington & Northern +railroad route was surveyed and established, entering the county on +the shore of Lake Pepin, and running nearly parallel with lake and +river to Prescott, where it crosses Lake St. Croix near its mouth, on +a bridge, the total length of which is 520.5 feet, with one draw span +367.5 feet in length, and one piled span of 153 feet. This bridge was +completed, and the first train entered Prescott, May 31, 1886. The +grade of this road does not exceed fifteen feet to the mile. + + +MISCELLANEOUS STATISTICS. + +The Grand Army of the Republic have posts at the following places: + + No. 72, A. W. Howard Post Rock Elm. + No. 117, I. M. Nichols Post River Falls. + No. 118, Ellsworth Post Ellsworth. + No. 189, R. P. Converse Post Prescott. + No. 204, U. S. Grant Post Maiden Rock. + No. 209, Plum City Post Plum City. + +The following are the village plats of Pierce county, with date of +survey and location: + +Prescott, town of Prescott 1853 +Kinnikinic, town of River Falls 1854 +Monte Diamond (Diamond Bluff), town of Diamond Bluff 1854 +Saratoga, town of Isabelle 1855 +River Falls (Greenwood and Fremont), town of River Falls 1856 +Maiden Rock, town of Maiden Rock 1856 +Warren, town of Maiden Rock 1856 +Trimbelle, town of Trimbelle 1856 +Franklin, town of Trimbelle 1856 +Martell (Rising Sun), town of Martell 1856 +Beldenville, town of Trimbelle 1857 +Trenton, town of Trenton 1857 +Plum City, town of Union 1858 +El Paso, town of El Paso 1858 +Esdaile, town of Hartland 1870 +Rock Elm, town of Rock Elm Centre 1876 +Hogan, town of Trenton 1886 +Bay City, town of Isabelle 1887 + + +ORGANIZATION OF TOWNS. + +The following is the chronological order in which the towns of Pierce +county were organized: + +Prescott[B]. 1853 +Greenwood (now River Falls) 1854 +Martell 1854 +Isabelle 1855 +Trimbelle 1855 +Diamond Bluff 1855 +Clifton 1855 +Oak Grove 1856 +Perry (Ellsworth) 1856 +Spring Valley (Maiden Rock) 1857 +Trenton 1857 +El Paso 1858 +Hartland 1859 +Union 1861 +Salem 1862 +Rock Elm 1862 +Deerfield (Gilman) 1868 +Spring Lake 1868 + + +CLIFTON, + +Situated in the northwestern part of the county, contains a little +over thirty full sections of land, those on the St. Croix having a +somewhat irregular boundary. The surface is somewhat broken where +traversed by the Kinnikinic and its tributaries. It includes +twenty-four sections on the west side of township 27, range 19, and +fractional township 27, range 20. It was established in 1855. Its +first board of officers were: Supervisors--Geo. W. McMurphy, chairman; +Osborne Strahl and G. W. Teachout. C. B. Cox was the first postmaster, +in 1852, at a place called Clifton Mills, from which the town +afterward derived its name. This post town is situated on the +Kinnikinic, in section 18, township 27, range 18 west. It has one +grist mill and two saw mills, belonging to Cox, King & Goodsall. No +intoxicants are sold here. The Glenwood saw mills, having a capacity +of 3,000,000 feet, are located on the lake shore. In 1868 a limestone +quarry was opened on the lake shore, by Oakley & Nichols. In 1881 the +firm became Oakley & Hall. They have a patent kiln and good machinery, +and some seasons have manufactured as much as 5,000 barrels of lime. + +GEORGE W. MCMURPHY was born at Newcastle, Delaware, in 1821. In 1845 +he came to St. Croix Falls, and in 1848 to Clifton, where he +pre-empted the beautiful homestead which he still holds, and where he +has successfully followed the business of farming. He has been +repeatedly elected to town and county offices. In 1848 he was married +to Maria A. Rice. Their children are Augustus (resident of St. Paul), +George (a physician living in Ortonville, Minnesota), James A., +Robert, Albert and Edward, and two married daughters. Mr. McMurphy is +a member of the Congregational church. + +OSBORNE STRAHL was born in Belmont county, Ohio, in 1818; came to +Galena, Illinois, in 1838, in 1845 to Mauston and Stevens Point, +Wisconsin, and to Chippewa Falls in 1847. During these years he +followed lumbering. In 1850 he came to the town of Elisabeth, St. +Croix county, which on subsequent division of towns and counties left +Mr. Strahl in Clifton, where he has been engaged in farming. He was +married in 1860 to Rebecca McDonald. They have two sons, Wm. Day, +living in Dakota, Howard P., in River Falls; three daughters, Mabel, +wife of Joseph M. Smith, banker at River Falls, and two daughters +unmarried. Mr. Strahl filled various town and county offices. + +CHARLES B. COX was born June 25, 1810, in Chenango county, New York. +He learned the trade of a miller, lived in Ohio seventeen years and +came to Clifton in 1849. He built at Clifton the first saw and grist +mill in the Kinnikinic valley, in 1850. He changed his residence to +River Falls in 1854, where he lived till 1874, when he removed to +California. During the year 1851 he ground three hundred bushels of +wheat, the sole product of the valley. + +EPHRAIM HARNSBERGER was born in Kentucky, Nov. 21, 1824, moved with +his parents to Illinois in 1832, and to Prescott in 1847, where he +pre-empted a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres. He was married +at Alton, Illinois, in 1858, to Lizzie Johnson. Their children are +Charles, Sarah Etta, and Jennie. + + +DIAMOND BLUFF + +Is a triangular shaped town, the hypotenuse being formed by the +Mississippi river. It contains ten sections and three fractional +sections in town 25, range 18, and five sections and five fractional +sections in town 25, range 19. It is traversed in the eastern part by +Trimbelle river. The town was established in 1857, and the first town +meeting was held that year at the home of David Comstock. The town +board consisted of: Supervisors--James Akers, chairman; Wilson Thing +and C. F. Hoyt; justice, S. Hunter. Susan Rogers taught the first +school. This town has the honor of claiming the first white settler, +aside from traders, in the Upper Mississippi valley. He came to the +site of the present village of Diamond Bluff in 1800, and named it +Monte Diamond. We give elsewhere a somewhat extended account of this +ancient pioneer, with some speculations concerning him and his +descendants that are plausible enough to warrant their insertion. In +historic times a post office was established here in 1854, called at +the time, Hoytstown, from C.F. Hoyt, the first postmaster. + +On the organization of the town the name was changed to Diamond Bluff. +Quite a village has since grown up around it. The first frame house +was built in 1855, by Enoch Quinby. The first sermon was preached by +Rev. J. W. Hancock, a Presbyterian minister, for some years a +missionary among the Indians. The first birth was that of Mary Day, in +1851, and the first death that of Daniel Crappers, in 1854. + +CAPT. JOHN PAINE.--Jack Paine, as he is familiarly called, was born in +England, and for the greater part of his life has been a seafaring +man. For the past thirty years he has been a steamboat man on the +Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers. He has been married three +times: first in Rhode Island, second to Mrs. La Blond, of St. Louis, +and last to Miss Ressue, of Diamond Bluff. He came to Diamond Bluff in +1848, with four children of his first wife, his second wife having +died childless. He is now living with his third wife in La Crosse. +They have three children. + +JOHN DAY was born in Martinsburg, Virginia. In 1850 he and his wife +and three children, with Allen B. Wilson and his wife, came to Diamond +Bluff. Mr. Day is well known as a fearless and enthusiastic hunter. In +1852 he had a close encounter with a large black bear, which, after a +desperate struggle, he killed with an axe. The Indians considered Mr. +Day as "waukon," supernatural, averring that their bravest warriors +would not have attacked singly so large an animal. + +SARAH A. VANCE, the wife of Mr. Day, was born in Kentucky. The Vance +family were famous pioneers, and some of them were noted Methodist +preachers. Miss Vance's first marriage was to John R. Shores, by whom +she had two children, one of whom, Isabella, became the wife of A. R. +Wilson. + +ALLEN R. WILSON.--Mr. Wilson was born in Kentucky; spent his early +boyhood in Shawneetown, Illinois; was married to Miss Shores at +Potosi, Wisconsin, April 16, 1848, and in 1850 came to Diamond Bluff. +Mr. Wilson took great interest in politics, was an ardent Republican, +and was among the first to volunteer his services for the suppression +of the Rebellion in 1861. He enlisted in Company B, Sixth Regiment, +Wisconsin Volunteers, and fell in battle, Sept. 14, 1862, at South +Mountain. Mr. Wilson was well informed, a close observer of political +events at home and abroad, and was a brave and efficient soldier. He +left five children. + +E. S. COULTER.--Mr. Coulter is a Virginian by birth. In early manhood +he traveled extensively as a book agent, and finally settled at +Diamond Bluff, where he successfully engaged in farming and dealing in +wheat and merchandise. + +JAMES BAMBER, ex-musician in the British and United States armies. + +JACOB MEAD, ex-shoemaker, ex-soldier and miner, a man of superior +natural and acquired talent. + +CHARLES WALBRIDGE came to Diamond Bluff in 1852. + +JACOB MEAD died in 1884, leaving a large property. + +CHARLES F. HOYT, with his wife and one child, came to Diamond Bluff +from Illinois, in 1853. + +ENOCH QUINBY was born at Sandwich, New Hampshire; was married to +Matilda Leighton, originally from Athens, Maine. Mr. Quinby and his +wife came from Pittsfield, Illinois, to Diamond Bluff in 1854. + + +THE FIRST SETTLER. + +There is a pretty well grounded tradition that the first white man who +found his way to Diamond Bluff was a French Vendean loyalist of the +army of Jacques Cathelineau; that he fled from France in 1793 or 1794, +landed at Quebec, and was traced by his enemies to Mackinaw and +Chicago, where they lost his trail. He came to Diamond Bluff in 1800, +and named it "Monte Diamond." He had for his housekeeper the daughter +of an Indian chief. He died here about 1824. After his death the +Indians always called the place the "Old White Man's Prairie." E. +Quinby, of Diamond Bluff, to whom we are indebted for this account, +adds: "All the additional evidence I can give in regard to this +pioneer is that prior to 1793 his wife died, leaving him one daughter, +who was deformed. A former friend of his had a beautiful daughter of +about the same age of his own. After the uprising and defeat of the +Vendeans, they became enemies, and he, to save his life, took his +former friend's daughter, instead of his own, and fled to this +country. The father pursued them as far as Chicago, where he saw his +daughter in company with some Indian girls, and having on her person +some ornaments once worn by her mother. He at once seized her and +carried her back with him to France, and the old Frenchman found his +way to Diamond Bluff." Faribault's son,[C] now living somewhere in +Minnesota, wrote me a few years since, inquiring about the old +Frenchman, saying that his grandmother claimed that her husband was a +French nobleman, and that he lived near Lake Pepin. He believed the +old Frenchman was his grandfather. The above statements were +communicated to the late Capt. Orin Smith, of Galena, Illinois, Allen +B. Wilson and myself, in 1854, or in 1855, by an old Frenchman then +residing at Potosi, Wisconsin, who claimed to have seen and gathered +these facts from the old man himself. Capt. Smith was well acquainted +with the Frenchman at Potosi, and gave the fullest credence to his +account. + + +EL PASO + +Occupies township 26, range 16. It is drained chiefly by Rush river +and its tributary, Lost creek, on the west. The two post villages in +this town are, El Paso, located in section 5, and Lost Creek, in +section 3. George P. Walker was the first settler. He built the first +house and raised the first crop; Thomas T. Magee came in 1855. In 1860 +the town was organized, Thomas Hurley and Geo. P. Walker being +supervisors. In 1862 Mr. Magee built a saw and flour mill in section +5, and platted the village of El Paso. In 1875 he removed to Clear +Lake, Polk county, of which town he was the first settler. Clara +Green taught the first school in El Paso, in 1861. There is one +Catholic and one Lutheran church in the village. The name El Paso +signifying a crossing, is of somewhat obscure derivation. + + +ELLSWORTH + +Was organized under the name of Perry, March 3, 1857, but in 1862 it +received its present name. It occupies a central position in the +county and includes township 26, range 17. This is a rich farming +town, originally timbered with hardwood. The surface is elevated and +gently undulating. It is drained on the east by the tributaries of +Rush river, but has no large or important streams. The first +supervisors were: P. M. Simons, chairman; Caleb Bruce and Wilson +Kinnie. The first settler was Anthony Huddleston, who came April 23, +1856, and pre-empted the southeast quarter of section 20. On November +26th, of the same year, came Caleb, Elihu W. and Eli T. Bruce, who +pre-empted farms on sections 18 and 19. During the same year Wilson +and Norris Kinnie and David Klingensmith pre-empted farms in sections +18 and 19. Lilly, Miscen, Russ, and Campbell came also in 1855. The +first log house in the town was built by Anthony Huddleston in 1855. +Norris Kinnie built the first in what was afterward the village of +Ellsworth. The first school house, a log building, built was in 1857, +and Mary Filkins, now Mrs. G. H. Sargeant, of Minnesota, taught the +first school. The first marriage was that of Charles Stannard and Mary +Leonard, in 1855. The first birth, that of the twin children of +Wilson. Both died. The first death of an adult was that of Mrs. Jacob +Youngman in the winter of 1855. The post office was opened in 1860, +with Seely Strickland as postmaster. + + +ELLSWORTH VILLAGE. + +The original owners of the southern half of section 18, and the +northern half of 19, Norris Kinnie, Eli T. Bruce, Henry P. Ames, and +Wm. Crippin laid out and platted the village of Ellsworth in 1862. Wm. +Crippin, built a frame hotel there in 1860. C. S. Dunbar opened a +store in 1861. The prospect of Ellsworth becoming the county seat gave +a great impetus to business enterprises. This was decided by a popular +vote in 1861, but owing to some technical defects was resubmitted to +the people of the county in 1862, and then definitely decided. In the +year 1862 the citizens of Ellsworth built a log house in which the +first terms of court were held; meanwhile the county officers had +their offices in the basement of Crippin's hotel. The permanent county +buildings were not erected until 1869. They are built of stone and +cost $60,000. In 1863 a frame schoolhouse took the place of the old +log structure, and in 1874 a commodious brick building was erected, at +a cost of $5,000. + +The Methodists, Lutherans and Catholics have church buildings. There +is one newspaper, the _Pierce County Herald_, edited by E. F. Case and +E. S. Doolittle. The Barnes saw mill built in 1867, burned down and +rebuilt, has a capacity of about 5,000 feet per day. A branch +railroad, built from Hudson to River Falls, was extended to Ellsworth +in 1885. The depot is one mile from the village. The Pierce County +Central fair grounds, containing seventeen acres, are located near the +village. The grounds are inclosed and are covered with a fine maple +grove, in the midst of which is a large flowing spring. D. W. +Woodworth was first president of the fair association. Ellsworth has +two handsome cemeteries, Maplewood and the Catholic. + +The village itself is beautifully situated on an elevated plateau +originally covered with hardwood timber. The streets are tastefully +adorned with maple trees. + +ANTHONY HUDDLESTON.--Mr. Huddleston is of Irish descent. He was born +in West Virginia in 1804; had but limited educational privileges; +lived for a part of his life in Ohio and Indiana, and settled in +Ellsworth in 1855, being the first settler in the town. He was a house +carpenter for over sixty years. He was a member of the Dunkard church +sixty-two years. He was married in 1826, in Ripley, Indiana, to +Susannah Whetstone. They have three sons and six daughters living. + +PERRY D. PIERCE was born in Harpersfield, Delaware county, New York. +He traces his lineage to ancestors who came across in the Mayflower +and landed at Plymouth Rock. He received an academic education, +studied law with A. Reckor, Oswego, New York, and was admitted to +practice at Cooperstown in 1843, practiced in Albany three years, and +in 1854 came to the St. Croix valley, locating first at Prescott, +where he served as district attorney for four years, and county judge +eight years. He was married in 1860, to Lua E. Searsdall. He is now a +resident of Ellsworth. + +[Illustration: _Very Respectfully Hans B. Warner_] + +HANS B. WARNER, of Ellsworth, Pierce county, was born at +Gulbrandsdalen, Norway, July 12, 1844; received a common school +education; is by occupation a farmer; emigrated and settled in Dodge +county, Wisconsin, in 1853, and thence removed to Pierce county in +1855, where he has since resided. He enlisted in March, 1864, as a +private, in Company G, Thirty-seventh Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer +Infantry; was wounded and captured in front of Petersburg, Virginia, +July 30, 1864, and was held a prisoner of war in Danville and Libby +prisons until paroled, September, 1864; was discharged from service on +account of wounds received in battle July 18, 1865. He has held +various local offices, and the position of county clerk of Pierce +county from January, 1869, to Dec. 21, 1877, when he resigned, to +assume the duties of secretary of state, to which office he was +elected in 1877, and was re-elected in 1879, serving in all four +years. He was elected to the state senate in 1882 and served until +1886. His home business is farming and real estate. He was married in +1866, to Julia E. Hudson. + + +GILMAN. + +The town of Gilman includes township 27, range 16. The postal villages +are Gilman, section 10, and Olivet, section 36. Gilman was organized +as the town of Deerfield, in 1868, but in 1869 the name was changed to +Gilman. The first supervisors were Oliver Purdy, Caleb Coon, Bardon +Jensen. The first school was taught in 1870, by M. L. Maxgood. A +Norwegian Lutheran church was built in 1883, at a cost of $1,500. +There are six school houses with an aggregate cost of $2,000. The +first marriage was that of Caleb Coon and Cenith Preston, in 1867. The +first birth was a child of this married couple. The first death was +that of Mrs. Rufus Preston. The first post office was at Gilman, U. F. +Hals, postmaster. The first settlers were B. F. Gilman, in 1859, still +a resident; N. B. Lawrence, soon after, now removed; Rufus Preston and +family; Joseph and Caleb Coon and families, in 1865, still resident. +J. R. Maxgood, B. Jensen and son, E. B. Jensen, the Matthieson +brothers, Z. Sigursen, H. Bredahl, S. J. Goodell, Nels Gulikson, M. O. +Grinde, Albert Martin, P. Vanosse, and T. B. Forgenbakke are among the +oldest citizens. + + +HARTLAND. + +Hartland occupies township 25, range 17. It has one post village, +Esdaile. It has one saw mill and a factory for the manufacture of hubs +and bent wood work, operated by Charles Betcher, of Red Wing, +Minnesota, which gives employment to seventy-five men and ten teams +the year round. The village of Esdaile has also two general +merchandise stores and a hotel. Hartland was organized in 1859. The +first supervisors were A. Harris, chairman; Joseph Sleeper and R. M. +Sproul. Amongst the first settlers were Augustus E. Hodgman, section +24, 1854; James Buckingham, section 28, 1854; Lewis Buckmaster, +section 1, 1853. The first school was taught in 1858, by Mary Ann +Stonio. The first post office was at Esdaile, Hiram Patch, postmaster. +There are three church organizations, Presbyterian, Methodist and +Lutheran (Norwegian), with buildings valued at from $700 to $1,000. +There are nine school houses, ranging in cost from $500 to $1,400. The +Good Templars have an organization. + + +ISABELLE. + +Isabelle consists of the two upper tiers of section 7, township 24, +range 17, the lower tier being much broken in outline by Lake Pepin on +the south. It contains also fractions of sections in the third tier. +Bay City, on the shore of the lake, is the postal town. It was +organized in 1855. In 1869 it was annexed to Hartland, but in 1871 it +was re-established. The first chairman of supervisors was John +Buckingham. The election was held at the house of Abner Brown. Charles +R. Tyler and Lorenzo D. Philips settled here in 1854, and built a saw +mill where now stands the thriving village of Bay City. Saratoga plat +was laid out upon this ground in 1856, by A. C. Morton. A. J. Dexter +was the original claimant of the land. Mr. Morton purchased the land +which covered a part of Bay City from the government. A surveyor named +Markle was employed by Morton to run the lines, which Mr. Dexter +considered an intrusion upon his rights, and he shot Markle. Dexter +was tried before Judge S. S. N. Fuller, in 1855, was convicted, and +sentenced to prison for life. After a few years he was pardoned by +Gov. Barstow. + + +MAIDEN ROCK. + +Maiden Rock occupies the four upper tiers of sections of township 24, +ranges 15 and 16, except such portions on the southwestern corner as +are cut off by Lake Pepin. It contains about forty sections. The town +was organized under the name of Spring Valley, in 1857. Its postal +villages are Maiden Rock, on the lake shore, section 15, range 15, and +Warren, also on the lake shore, section 7, range 15. The site of +Maiden Rock village was purchased from the government in 1853, by +Albert Harris and J. D. Trumbull. In 1855 they erected the first +house, and in 1856 built a saw and shingle mill. J. D. Trumbull +platted the village in 1857, and christened it Maiden Rock, from the +celebrated rock of that name a few miles further down the lake. Among +the first settlers in the village were J. H. Steel, J. D. Brown, John +Foster, and Joseph B. Hull. + +The first hotel was run by G. R. Barton, in a house built by J. D. +Trumbull. This hotel has since been enlarged and is now the Lake View +House. The first marriage was that of A. J. Smith and Corinda +Eatinger, in 1857; the first birth was that of Ida Trumbull, in 1858, +and the first death that of William Trumbull, in 1858. The first +school was taught by Lottie Isabel, of Batavia, Illinois. The first +sermon was preached by Rev. James Gurley, a Methodist preacher from +North Pepin. + +A post office was established in 1856, of which J. D. Trumbull was +postmaster. The receipts the first year were eleven dollars, the +expenses, fifty dollars, paid by the postmaster. The town of Maiden +Rock has six school houses, one saw and one grist mill. + +CHRISTOPHER L. TAYLOR was born in Oneida county, New York, in 1829; +came to Chicago at an early day, and to Maiden Rock in 1868, where he +engaged in manufacturing. He served as county supervisor for eight +years, and as member of the Wisconsin legislature in 1876. He removed +to St. Paul in 1880, where he still resides. He is a dealer in real +estate. + + +MARTELL. + +Martell occupies township 27, range 17. Joseph Martell, John Dee, +Louis Lepau and Xerxes Jock, Frenchmen, were the first settlers. They +located here in 1847, and remained till 1860, when they moved further +west, allured by the attractions of frontier life. Martell was +organized in 1854, with the following supervisors: Amos Bonesteel, +chairman; M. Statten and R.J. Thompson. The first school was taught in +1857, by W. Bewel. Martell is the postal village. The first postmaster +was O. Rasmunson. There are two evangelical Lutheran churches in the +town, built at a cost of $3,500 and $5,000. There is also a good town +hall, valued at $600. The Martell Mutual Insurance Company is in +successful operation. + + +OAK GROVE. + +Oak Grove includes township 26, range 19 (with the exception of +section 31 and parts of 30 and 32), and six sections of range 20, in +all about forty sections. It is drained by Big river. It was set off +from Clifton in 1856. Hart Broughton was the first chairman of +supervisors. It contains a flouring mill on Big river; Catholic, +Lutheran, and Methodist church buildings; that of the Catholic cost +$4,000, and has a school attached. There are seven school houses. Big +River is the postal village. John Berry was first postmaster. The +first settlers were (1848) the Thing brothers, the Harnsberger +brothers, the Cornelius brothers, Rice, Schaser, McMurphy, Rissue, and +the Miner brothers. + +LEWIS M. HARNSBERGER was born in Kentucky, April 18, 1822, and moved +with his parents to Illinois, where he lived nine years. He came to +Prescott in 1846, and pre-empted a farm in Oak Grove, where he has +since continuously resided. He has filled many public positions +creditably. He was married to Annie Jeffreys, of Illinois, in 1860. +Their sons are Ephraim, Lewis and John. + + +PRESCOTT CITY + +Is beautifully located at the junction of the St. Croix and +Mississippi rivers. The business portion of the city is on a terrace +at the base of the bluff, and between it and the river and lake. The +public buildings, churches, school house and residences are chiefly on +the upper terrace, or bluff, and command an extensive view of the +valley of the two rivers, the whole forming a landscape of unrivaled +beauty. The advantages of the position are by no means limited to its +picturesque surroundings. Prescott, from its position at the junction +of the two rivers, was early recognized as an important point for the +reshipping of freight and re-embarkation of passengers. The St. +Croix, which comes in from the north, rises within a few miles of Lake +Superior, and after running a course of two hundred miles, empties its +waters into Lake St. Croix, twenty-four miles above its outlet. The +lake is navigable at all times to Stillwater and to Taylor's Falls at +the Dalles. The Mississippi comes in from the northwest, and is +navigable to St. Paul, a distance of thirty miles. The two channels at +the junction are each about 1,000 feet wide, with an average depth of +fifteen feet, and the banks slope to the water's edge, or stand in +some places in vertical ledges, thus forming a natural quay along the +entire front of the city. The quay, or landing, is semicircular in +shape, the upper terrace, or bench, about one hundred feet in height, +is likewise semicircular, the convexity being toward the river and +lake. The crest of the terrace is worn down by the rains into ravines, +leaving rounded points, or promontories, on the summit of which the +ancient mound builders have left traces of their peculiar art. The +first settlement of Prescott was made by Philander Prescott, Col. +Thompson, Dr. Emerson, and Capt. Scott, the three last named being +army officers at Fort Snelling. Mr. Prescott, acting as agent for the +others, made the claim in 1836, remaining three years to hold it, when +it was left in the care of Joseph Mosier until 1851. + +In 1837 seven acres were broken and fenced, constituting the entire +landed improvements within the present bounds of Pierce county. In +1849 one hundred and fifty acres were improved. Geo. Schaser and H. +Doe were the first resident farmers. From 1838 to 1849 a trading post +for Indian supplies was kept by persons holding the claim. W. S. +Lockwood opened a store in 1842, and other improvements were made. As +the army officers were called to other fields of labor, Mr. Prescott +soon found himself in sole possession of the original claim, he +purchasing their interests, and in 1849, when the lands had been +surveyed by the government, he entered sixty-one acres. In 1853 Dr. O. +T. Maxon and W. J. Copp purchased a greater part of the town site and +surveyed and platted it as the city of Prescott. A charter was +obtained in 1857. A post office had been established here in 1840, +called the "Mouth of St. Croix," but it was removed across the lake +and named Point Douglas. The post office was re-established at +Prescott in 1852. Dr. O. T. Maxon was first postmaster. The number of +persons who came that year to Prescott is estimated at about one +hundred and fifty.[D] Mr. Schaser platted an addition to the city of +sixty-one acres in 1855. When the city received its charter the +following officers were elected: Mayor, J. R. Freeman; aldermen, First +ward, N. S. Dunbar, Thomas Dickerson and Seth Ticknor; Second ward, +Hilton Doe, George W. Oakley, N. A. Miller; president of the council, +Seth Ticknor; justices of the peace, I. T. Foster, O. Edwards; city +attorney, P. V. Wise; city surveyor, Wm. Howes; superintendent of +schools, Thomas Dickerson. + +Wm. Schaser built the first frame house, and Mrs. Wm. Schaser was the +first white woman. Their daughter Eliza was the first white child born +in the new settlement. The first marriage was that of G. W. McMurphy +to a daughter of Mr. Rice, April 24, 1848. The first death was that of +W. S. Lockwood, in 1847. + +When the county of Pierce was organized Prescott was designated as the +county seat, and so remained until 1862, when, by popular election, +Ellsworth was chosen. + +In 1856 Messrs. Silverthorn & Dudley started a saw mill, which they +operated until 1861, when Mr. Dudley purchased his partner's interest, +and erected a flouring and saw mill. + +A wagon and carriage manufactory was established by F. Menicke, in +1862, the Prescott brewery in 1866, by N. P. Husting, and the Prescott +machine shops in 1876, by H. B. Failing. The City Bank of Prescott was +organized in 1858, Charles Miller, president; W. P. Westfall, cashier; +capital stock, $50,000. It closed in 1862. The National Bank was +established in 1877, by W. S. Miller. The first school in Pierce +county was taught by a missionary named Denton, at Prescott, in 1843. +In 1851 Miss Oliver taught a private school. In 1853 the first +district school was established. The school board were: Directors, M. +Craig, George W. McMurphy; treasurer, N. S. Dunbar; clerk, Dr. O. T. +Maxon; teacher, Miss Matthews. The first school house was built in +1854. A building for a graded school was erected in 1859. A high +school building was erected in 1847, at a cost of $20,000. + +The first religious society was that of the Methodists, organized in +1853, under the labors of Rev. Norris Hobart. Their first building +was erected in 1856. Its dimensions were 20 × 32 feet, ground plan. In +1868 they erected a building 40 × 70 feet, ground plan, at a cost of +$4,000. + +In 1854 the Baptist church was organized by Rev. E. W. Cressy. + +In 1854 the Congregationalists organized, with Rev. P. Hall as pastor, +and in 1855 built a brick church, 40 × 50 feet, ground plan. + +In 1855 the Presbyterians organized, and in 1866 built a church. + +The Lutheran church was organized in 1865, by Rev. C. Thayer. + +Under the preaching of Rev. M. Guild the Episcopal church was +organized in 1872. Previous to this date Revs. Breck, Wilcoxson and +Peabody had labored from time to time. The Catholic church was +organized by Rev. Father Vervais in 1860. In 1868 a church edifice was +built. + +The following social and benevolent orders have organizations in +Prescott: + +Northwestern Lodge, A. F. and A. M organized 1856 +Prescott Lodge, I. O. O. F " 1868 +Lodge No. 319, I. O. G. T " 1876 +Prescott Juvenile Temple, No. 108 " 1877 +Prescott Temple of Honor " 1878 +Converse Post, G. A. R. " 1884 +Pierce County Agricultural Society, O. T. Maxon, president " 1859 + +The Agricultural Society has fair grounds just east of the city, well +arranged, with a half mile race track, and buildings in good +condition. Fairs are held annually. Pine Glen cemetery is situated on +the bluff half a mile below the city. It was established in 1856. +Nature has done much for the site. The view of the Mississippi valley +is unobstructed for a distance of from twelve to twenty miles on the +south, and to the bend of the river bluffs above Hastings. The grounds +are handsomely laid out and adorned with shrubbery. + + +DESTRUCTIVE FIRES. + +Prescott has suffered severely from fires. The following is a partial +list of losses: + +Lowry & Co., saw mill loss $3,500 +Todd & Horton's mill " 2,000 +Stevens, Lechner & Co. (1854) " 3,000 +Fire on Main street (1871) loss $22,000 +Fire on Main street (1872) " 12,000 +Fire on Main street (1874) " 12,000 +Redman, Cross & Co., flour mills (1877) " 40,000 + +The latter was insured for $20,000. Total loss, nearly $75,000. + + +BIOGRAPHICAL. + +PHILANDER PRESCOTT was born in 1801, at Phelpstown, Ontario county, +New York. Late in the year 1819 he came to Fort Snelling and remained +there, or in the vicinity, the greater part of his life. From his +constant association with the Indians, especially with the Sioux, he +learned to speak their language. He was also related to them by his +marriage with a Sioux woman. This fact, added to his influence among +them, and being a man not only of a high character for integrity, but +well educated and intelligent, he was able to render the officers of +the Fort much service. He made a translation into the Sioux dialect of +a number of English and French hymns for the use of the mission +schools near Prescott. He gave his children an English education. In +1835, while acting as Indian interpreter, he came to the present site +of Prescott, and in conjunction with several officers of the Fort, he +acting as their agent, laid claim to considerable territory, and made +some improvements in the shape of log buildings. When the army +officers were sent to other posts, Mr. Prescott purchased their +interests and held the claim. In 1849, after the government survey, he +pre-empted sixty-one acres and laid out what he called the city of +Prescott. He resided here and at the Fort alternately until his death, +which occurred in 1862. He had been sent by the government on a peace +mission to the Indians in rebellion, met them at a point near Mankato, +and was cruelly assassinated by those to whom he had ever proven a +true friend, and whom he had every reason to suppose friendly to him. + +GEORGE SCHASER is a native of Austria, and came to the mouth of the +St. Croix in 1841. In 1842 he returned to St. Louis and married +Christine Bucher. Mrs. Schaser was the first white woman resident in +Prescott. Mr. Schaser built the first frame house in the settlement, +in 1844. This house was regarded for many years as the finest house +between Prairie du Chien and St. Paul. In 1855 Mr. Schaser surveyed an +addition to Prescott on land he had pre-empted in 1849. In 1858 he +built the brick hotel known as the St. Nicholas. Mr. Schaser died May +3, 1884, leaving a widow, three sons and one daughter. His sons are +Henry, Edward and George A. His daughter Emma was married to Capt. +John E. Ball (deceased 1881). An older daughter, Eliza, the first +child born in Pierce county, was married to E. W. Haviland, and died +in 1880, near New Orleans. + +WILLIAM S. LOCKWOOD, a native of New York State, came to Prairie du +Chien in 1833, and to Prescott in 1842. The year following his family +followed. Mr. Lockwood died in 1847. His widow, Georgiana Barton, was +married to Orange B. Walker, of Marine Mills, and died at Marine, Oct. +9, 1885. + +JAMES MONROE BAILEY was born in 1824, in Sullivan county, New York, +where his youthful days were passed. He came to Prescott in 1849, +where he has since been engaged in farming, mercantile and real estate +business. He was married in 1856, in Prescott, to Nettie Crippin. They +have one son, Victor, and two daughters, Myrtle, wife of E. L. +Meacham, of Prescott, and Jessamine. Mr. Bailey has a very pleasant +home in Prescott. He has filled various offices, among them that of +treasurer and clerk of St. Croix county, prior to the organization of +Pierce. + +ADOLPH WERKMAN was born in Germany in 1826; came to America in 1847, +and to Prescott in 1848. He was married at Prescott in 1856. + +JOSEPH MANESE (alias Joseph Abear) was of French extraction and a +native of Lower Canada. While yet a youth he came into the Lake +Superior region, where he was employed most of his time in hunting and +trapping by the fur companies. His history, if written in full, would +abound in stirring incidents and adventures. He was a man of unusual +strength and activity, and in disposition light hearted, vivacious and +gay even to hilarity. He died in Prescott in 1884. + +HILTON DOE was a native of New York State, and came to Red Wing, as +Indian farmer, about 1840. He settled in Prescott in 1844, in sections +9 and 10, pre-emptions subsequently surveyed into town lots. Mr. Doe +married Miss Daily, in Illinois, in 1844. Mrs. Doe died in 1860, Mr. +Doe in 1884. + +LUTE A. TAYLOR, a young man of decided talent, a good classical +scholar, a brilliant writer and humorist, came to River Falls in 1856, +and in 1857, with his brother Horace, established the River Falls +_Journal_, which they continued to publish jointly for three years, +when Horace removed to Hudson and established the _Times_. Lute A. +removed to Prescott, taking with him the material of the _Journal_ +office, and established the Prescott _Journal_, which he edited and +published until 1869, when he removed to La Crosse and published the +La Crosse _Leader_ until his death, which occurred in 1872. + +Mr. Taylor was a correspondent of various papers and an entertaining +lecturer. As a conversationalist and wit, he was without a rival. A +slight impediment in his speech, if anything, added to the humorous +effect of his pithy sayings. He is well remembered in the valley of +the St. Croix. A volume containing his biography and some +characteristic sketches has been published since his death. + +JOHN HUITT, a Canadian, came to Prescott in 1847, and erected the +first blacksmith shop in the village. He was married in Prescott to a +daughter of Joseph Mosier, and subsequently pre-empted a quarter +section of land on Prescott prairie. He built a saw and planing mill +on Trimbelle river. He died at Trimbelle in 1873. + +JOHN M. RICE was born in Sudbury, Massachusetts, in 1805; was married +in 1828, in Massachusetts, to Mary A. Goodenough; came in 1837 to +Marine, Illinois, and in 1847 to Prescott. Mr. Rice was a house +carpenter, but followed also the business of farming. He was an +upright man and a member of the Congregational church. He died in +1878, leaving one son, David O., living in Prescott; a daughter, Maria +A., wife of G. W. McMurphy, of Prescott, and a daughter in Illinois. + + +AN INDIAN BATTLE. + +The feud between the Sioux and Chippewas originated in prehistoric +times and from causes not now known. It has been a tribal vendetta, +continuous and relentless, with the advantages in favor of the +Chippewas, who, in the course of time, have steadily forced the Sioux +westward from the Sault Ste. Marie to the Mississippi at Prescott. We +give the following account of one of their battles, being an Indian +version, translated and written out by Philander Prescott. This fight +occurred in 1711, on the site of the city of Prescott. As the Indians +had been supplied by the French with firearms as early as 1700, there +is nothing improbable in their alleged use on this occasion. But for +the story: + + "The Chippewas, a thousand strong, attacked a camp of + eighteen Sioux lodges by night and killed most of the + warriors. The women and children fled to the canoes, and, + jumping in, pushed from the shore, but, in their hurry, + without paddles. A large eddy in the river carried the + canoes round and round, and, as they swept near the shore, + the Chippewas seized them, pulled them to the shore and + butchered the women and children. A few Sioux warriors had + fled up the bank of the lake, where they hid in crevices and + caves of the rocks. The Chippewas discovered their hiding + places and killed all but one, who rushed from his retreat, + and, diving again and again in the lake, swam for the + opposite shore. As often as his head appeared above the + water the Chippewas fired a volley of bullets, which fell + around like hail, but harmlessly. The bold swimmer finally + reached the opposite shore unharmed, when he gave a whoop of + joy and disappeared in the thicket. The Chippewas, filled + with admiration at his daring exploit, returned his farewell + whoop with interest." + + +RIVER FALLS + +Occupies township 27, range 18, and a tier of two sections from range +19. Trimbelle river drains the eastern portion and the Kinnikinic the +northwest. Its early history is identified with the history of River +Falls city, its first settlement. It was organized in 1854, as +Greenwood, but in 1858 the name was changed to River Falls. As River +Falls city was not incorporated until 1885, we shall give its early +history in connection with that of the town. + +The first settler was Joel Foster, in the fall of 1848. In 1849, came +D. McGregor, James and Walter Mapes; in 1850, Messrs. Hayes, Tozer, +Penn and Parks, and not long after the Powells and Clark Green. These +early settlers chose locations at, or near, the present site of River +Falls city, and along the banks of the Kinnikinic, which here, owing +to its numerous waterfalls, offered unusual facilities for milling and +manufacturing. The first crop was raised by Joel Foster, in 1849. The +first saw mill was built in 1851 by the brothers N. N. and O. S. +Powell, just below the site of the present Greenwood mill. This was +burned in 1876. In 1854 the Powell brothers platted the village of +River Falls, called at first, Kinnikinic, setting apart for that +purpose two hundred acres of land. This plat included the upper +waterfalls within the present city limits. The largest water power +they donated to C. B. Cox as a mill site, to encourage settlement in +the village. The brothers co-operated in building up the village, +amongst other things building a frame store and stocking it with +goods. This was the first store in the Kinnikinic valley. They dealt +also in real estate and lumber. The name of River Falls, as applied to +the village, dates from the establishment of the first post office, in +1854. Charles Hutchinson was the first postmaster, and the office was +held in this pioneer store. J. S. Rounce, in 1870, built the first +foundry in Pierce county. + +The water powers of River Falls have been extensively utilized, many +saw and flouring mills having been erected at various times on the +Kinnikinic. Of these, in 1886, the more notable are, the Junction +mills, owned by Freeman, Rhyder & Co., with a capacity of 400 barrels +daily, and a barrel manufactory attached, which gives employment to 40 +men and turns off from 300 to 400 barrels daily. The Greenwood mills, +owned by Geo. Fortune & Co., capacity 50 barrels; the Cascade mills, +owned by the Baker estate, capacity 50 barrels; the Prairie mill, +built by C. B. Cox in 1858, and now owned by J. D. Putnam, capacity +150 barrels. + +In educational matters River Falls has taken and maintained an +advanced position. The first school house was built in 1854, by seven +men, at a cost of five hundred dollars. Helen Flint taught the first +school. In 1856 a joint stock association was incorporated as "The +River Falls Academy." A building was erected, 36 × 66 feet, ground +plan, and two stories in height. Prof. Wilcox was the first principal. +This school was maintained as an academy until 1860, at which time it +was superseded by the free schools. In the fall of 1879 the building +was destroyed by fire. Subsequently a commodious brick structure was +erected in its place at a cost of $15,000. Excellent private schools +were maintained by Hinckley, Cody and Baker, for five years during the +'60s. The State Normal School, of which a more extended account is +given elsewhere, was established here, and a building erected in 1874, +at a cost of about $65,000, the people of River Falls and other towns +contributing to this fund $25,000, with private subscriptions to the +amount of $12,000, and a donation of ten acres of land. Of the $25,000 +River Falls gave $10,000, Troy $4,000, Clifton $3,000, while Pierce +county contributed $5,000, and Kinnikinic, St. Croix county, gave +$3,000. The building, a handsome brick, four stories high, including +the basement, stands on an elevated plat of ground in the southeastern +part of the city. The first board of instruction consisted of W. D. +Parker, president, with the following assistants: J. B. Thayer, +conductor of teachers' institute; A. Earthman, history, geography, +music; Lucy E. Foot, English literature, reading, spelling; Julia A. +McFarlan, mathematics; Margaret Hosford, Latin and English literature. +Model department, Ellen C. Jones, teacher, grammar grade; Mary A. +Kelley, teacher, intermediate grade; Lizzie J. Curtis, teacher, +primary grade. + +The following are the churches of River Falls, with date of +establishment and name of first pastor when known: Congregational, +1855, Rev. James Stirratt; Baptist, 1857, Rev. A. Gibson; Methodist, +1858; Episcopal, 1871, Rev. Chas. Thorpe; Catholic, 1875, Rev. Father +Connelly; Seventh Day Adventist, 1881. + +With the exception of the last named, these church organizations have +good buildings. The Congregational church building erected in 1857 was +superseded by a building in 1867 that cost $10,000. This was destroyed +by a tornado in 1868, but has since been rebuilt at the cost of the +building destroyed, and a parsonage has been added at a cost of +$2,000. + +A Sunday-school was established in River Falls in 1853, and the first +sermon was preached, in 1850 or 1851, by Rev. Julius S. Webber, a +Baptist missionary. Rev. John Wilcoxson, an Episcopalian, held +occasional services as early as 1859. + + +ASSOCIATIONS. + +The following are the social and benevolent associations of River +Falls, with dates of organization: Masonic Lodge, June, 1859; I. O. O. +F., 1872; I. O. G. T., March 15, 1877; Juvenile Temple of Honor, March +15, 1877; Temple of Honor, March 31, 1878; A. O. U. W., 1878. The +hall, fixtures and charter of the Odd Fellows Lodge was destroyed in +the fire of 1876, but the lodge was rechartered the same year. + + +THE BANK OF RIVER FALLS + +Was organized Jan. 1, 1874. ---- Bartlett, president; Joseph M. Smith, +cashier. Capital, $15,000. It was reorganized in 1883, under state +law, R. S. Burhyte, president; W. D. Parker, vice president; J. M. +Smith, cashier. Capital stock, $35,000. Total business in 1885, +$5,770,733.98. + + +HUDSON & RIVER FALLS RAILROAD. + +This road was built in 1878, the people of River Falls contributing +$60,000 to its construction. The road is ten miles in length. In 1885 +it was extended to Ellsworth, a distance of twelve miles. + + +RIVER FALLS BOARD OF TRADE + +Was established in 1884. A. D. Andrews, president; C. H. Keys, +secretary. + + +FIRES. + +In 1875 the Metropolitan Hotel, costing $15,000, and other buildings +were burned; loss $30,000. The insurance was light. In 1876 a large +portion of the town was destroyed by fire. + + +RIVER FALLS CITY. + +River Falls was incorporated as a city in 1885. At the first election +for city officers, held April 7th, three hundred and nineteen votes +were cast, and the following persons were declared duly elected to the +positions named: Mayor, A. A. Andrews; treasurer, G. E. Pratt; +assessor, E. H. Daniel; aldermen, First ward, W. W. Wadsworth; Second +ward, L. M. Rosenquist; Third ward, R. N. Jenson; Fourth ward, L. +Styles; marshal, R. N. Bevens; city clerk, Allen H. Weld. The license +for the sale of intoxicants was fixed at $200. The population of River +Falls in 1886 was 1,700. It is a lively, prosperous city, planned on a +liberal scale, with wide streets, well shaded with ornamental trees. +The mills have reservations by which they are separated from the +business part of the city. The beauty of the original waterfalls is +somewhat marred by the mills and their debris. Originally they were +very beautiful and picturesque, and were widely celebrated, and much +visited by the lovers of Nature. Of these falls there are four, two on +the south branch, one on the north branch, and one some rods below +the junction of the two streams. The falls were not noted for their +grandeur, but rather for their quiet beauty, the water falling over +ledges but a few feet in height, and so broken in two of them as to +present the general appearance of a succession of stairs, or steps, of +unequal elevation, over which the water falls. An interesting feature +at the junction of the two rivers is the cave in which the pioneer +settler, Judge Joel Foster, with his negro boy, spent the winter of +1848-49. From his cave cabin he had full view of the falls on the two +streams, no less beautiful in their winter dress of gleaming icicles, +with the frost-whitened boughs of the willow and alder drooping over +them, than in their summer brightness. The judge has told me that he +loved, almost worshiped, this spot. The cave cabin stood about one +hundred feet from the sparkling stream. There, in the early morning, +he could cast his line, and have for his regal breakfast the speckled +trout. Above him towered a precipice crowned with evergreen trees, and +around him, on the borders of the streams, were the elm and maple, and +an undergrowth of alder and birch. There certainly could have been no +fairer scene in the West. To-day no traces remain of the old cave +cabin. The Junction mills have effaced the more beautiful and poetic +features of the scene. The judge has passed away, and found a grave on +an elevation overlooking his old home and the scenes he loved so well. +The judge, although a friend to progress, and active in advancing the +material interests of the locality in which he lived, was unalterably +opposed to the movement to incorporate River Falls, and did all he +could to defeat the measure. When the incorporative act had been +passed, he moved outside of the city limits, declaring that he would +neither live nor die within them; but having been fatally injured by +an accident, he was brought back to his old home, and died within the +city. + + +THE FOURTH STATE NORMAL SCHOOL AT RIVER FALLS--HISTORY. + +The constitution of the State, adopted in 1848, provides "that the +revenue of the school fund shall be exclusively applied to the +following objects: + + "_First_--To the support and maintenance of common schools + in each school district, and the purchase of suitable + libraries and appurtenances therefor. + + "_Second_--That the residue of the income of the school fund + shall be appropriated to the support of academies and normal + schools, and suitable libraries and appurtenances therefor." + +No effort was made to take advantage of this provision of the +constitution for the endowment of normal schools until 1857, when an +act was passed providing "that the income of twenty-five per cent of +the proceeds arising from the sale of swamp and overflowed lands +should be appropriated to normal institutes and academies, under the +supervision and direction of a 'board of regents of normal schools,'" +who were to be appointed in pursuance of the provisions of that act. +Under this law, the income placed at the disposal of the regents was +distributed for several years to such colleges, academies and high +schools as maintained a normal class, and in proportion to the number +of pupils in the class who passed satisfactory examinations, conducted +by an agent of the board. + +The law under which these schools are organized provides that "the +exclusive purpose of each normal school shall be the instruction and +training of persons, both male and female, in the theory and art of +teaching, and in all the various branches that pertain to a good +common school education, and in all subjects needful to qualify for +teaching in the public schools; also to give instruction in the +fundamental laws of the United States and of this State, and in what +regards the rights and duties of citizens." + + +REGULATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE NORMAL SCHOOLS. + +Tuition is free to all students who are admitted to these normal +schools under the following regulations of the board of regents: + + _First_--Each assembly district in the State shall be + entitled to eight representatives in the normal schools, and + in case vacancies exist in the representation to which any + assembly district is entitled, such vacancies may be filled + by the president and secretary of the board of regents. + + _Second_--Candidates for admission shall be nominated by the + superintendent of the county (or if the county + superintendent has not jurisdiction, then the nomination + shall be made by the city superintendent) in which such + candidate may reside, and shall be at least sixteen years of + age, of sound bodily health and good moral character. Each + person so nominated shall receive a certificate setting + forth his name, age, health and character. + + _Third_--Upon the presentation of such certificate to the + president of a normal school, the candidate shall be + examined, under the direction of said president, in the + branches required by law for a third grade certificate, + except history, theory and practice of teaching, and if + found qualified to enter the normal school in respect to + learning, he may be admitted after furnishing such evidence + as the president may require of good health and good moral + character, and after subscribing to the following + declaration: + + I, ---- ----, do hereby declare that my purpose in entering + this State Normal School is to fit myself for the profession + of teaching, and that it is my intention to engage in + teaching in the schools of the State. + + _Fourth_--No person shall be entitled to a diploma who has + not been a member of the school in which such diploma is + granted, at least one year, nor who is less than nineteen + years of age; a certificate of attendance may be granted by + the president of a normal school to any person who shall + have been a member of such school for one term; provided, + that in his judgment such certificate is deserved. + +As an addition to the work of the normal schools, the board of regents +are authorized to expend a sum not exceeding $5,000 annually, to +sustain teachers' institutes, and may employ an agent for that +purpose. Institutes are regarded as important auxiliaries and feeders +to the normal schools. At present one professor from each normal +school is employed conducting institutes every spring and fall. + +The normal school fund now amounts to over $1,250,000, and yields an +annual income of about $100,000. It will be increased by the further +sale of swamp lands, and will prove ample for the objects for which it +is set apart. + +In 1865 the legislature divided the swamp lands and swamp land fund +into two equal parts, one for drainage purposes, the other to +constitute a normal school fund. The income of the latter was to be +applied to establishing, supporting and maintaining normal schools, +under the direction and management of the board of regents of normal +schools, with a proviso that one-fourth of such income should be +transferred to the common school fund, until the annual income of that +fund should reach $200,000. During the same year, proposals were +invited for extending aid in establishment of a normal school, and +propositions were received from various places. + +In 1866 the board of regents was incorporated by the legislature. + +JOEL FOSTER.--Judge Foster was born at Meriden, Connecticut, Dec. 15, +1814. He was liberally educated. He came to Edwardsville, Illinois, in +1830, and to Hudson, then known as Buena Vista, in 1848. After a +careful exploration of the country he made choice of the valley of the +Kinnikinic, and made him a home in the fall of 1848, at the junction +of the two branches of that stream, and within sound of its beautiful +cascades. He was the pioneer settler of the River Falls of to-day. He +built the first dwelling house, raised the first crops, and ever +proved himself a worthy citizen, first in every good work and +enterprise. He was a man of far more than ordinary intelligence and +moral worth, was temperate, industrious, public spirited, sagacious +and independent. He has filled many positions of responsibility, +amongst them that of judge of St. Croix county. During the Mexican War +he served as a quartermaster in Col. Bissell's Second Illinois +Regiment. Judge Foster was married at Chicago in 1856 to Charlotte +Porch. He died at his home in River Falls, Aug. 9, 1885. + +JESSE B. THAYER was born Oct. 11, 1845, in Janesville, Wisconsin; was +educated at Milton College in 1870, and is by profession a teacher. +During the Rebellion he served in the Fortieth and Forty-ninth +Wisconsin Volunteers as a private. He served five years as principal +of the public schools in Menomonie, and since 1875 has been connected +with the State Normal School at River Falls as conductor of +institutes. In 1885 he was elected to represent Pierce county in the +state assembly. + +A. D. ANDREWS.--Dr. A. D. ANDREWS was born in Lowell, Maine, Sept. 21, +1830. He graduated at the Chicago Medical College in 1860, and in 1861 +was commissioned assistant surgeon of the Sixth Wisconsin Infantry, of +the famous Iron Brigade, with which he served up to the battle of +Gettysburg. After retiring from the army he came to River Falls and +engaged in milling, in which business he successfully continued until +1880, when he retired. He was elected state senator in 1878. He was +appointed a regent of the Fourth State Normal School in 1877. He died +at his home an River Falls, after a short illness, July 23, 1885. He +was mayor of the city at the time of his death. + +JOSEPH A. SHORT.--Mr. Short was born in Madison county, New York, +April 16, 1806. He learned the trade of a millwright. He visited the +East and West Indies. He came to Milwaukee in 1842. In 1849 he went to +California, but returned in 1854, and settled in River Falls, where he +built a saw and planing mill, laid out an addition to the village and +in various ways promoted the interests of the settlement. Mr. Short +was a member of the Methodist church sixty years, and of the Masonic +fraternity fifty years. He was married Aug. 25, 1831, in New York, to +Olive Prossen. He died at his home, May 6, 1886, aged eighty years, +leaving a son and three daughters. + +ALLEN H. WELD.--Prof. A. H. Weld, widely known as a pioneer educator, +and as the author of an excellent grammar, was born in Vermont in +1810. He graduated at Yale College. He came to River Falls in 1858 and +taught the first graded school in the village. For two years he was +principal of the high school at Hudson, and for six years was +superintendent of schools in St. Croix county. He was a member of the +state board of regents nine years, and was prime mover in securing the +location of the State Normal School at River Falls. The excellent +character of the schools in St. Croix county, and the high educational +position of River Falls, are due to his untiring effort and wise +direction. Mr. Weld was a member of the Congregational church and a +consistent Christian as well as a progressive, public spirited man. He +died in 1882, at his home in River Falls, leaving a widow and one son, +Allen P. + +ALLEN P. WELD was born in North Yarmouth, Maine, in 1839. In 1859 he +graduated at Dartmouth College. He studied law and was admitted to +practice in 1867, at Albany, New York. He taught school at Albany +three years, and came to River Falls in 1859, where he is a dealer in +real estate. He was married in 1872 to Alice Powell, daughter of Lyman +Powell. + +GEORGE W. NICHOLS was born in 1795, at Braintree, Vermont. His father +was a soldier in the Revolution. At the age of seventeen he enlisted +and served in the war of 1812. He lived in Vermont fifty years, in +Massachusetts ten years, and in 1855 came to River Falls, where he +engaged in farming until he was eighty years of age. He was married in +Vermont to Deborah Hobart, who died in 1874. His sons George H. and +William H. reside in River Falls. They were soldiers during the war of +the Rebellion. His son Isaac N. was a member of Capt. Samuels' +company, and was killed at Perrysville, Kentucky. The Grand Army of +the Republic post at River Falls has his name. He died in 1887. + +W. D. PARKER--Prof. Parker was born in Bradford, Orange county, +Vermont, in 1839. He received a common school and academic education. +At the age of sixteen years he entered the Janesville High School, and +four years later graduated. He taught two years in Janesville, four +years at Delavan, and one year in Monroe, Green county, Wisconsin. In +1867 he visited Europe, after which he taught two years at Lake +Geneva, Wisconsin. He was superintendent of schools five years at +Janesville. In 1875 he was elected to the presidency of the Fourth +State Normal School at River Falls. In 1886 he was elected state +superintendent of public instruction. Prof. Parker was married to +Justine B. Hewes, of Chicago, in 1869. + +THE POWELL FAMILY.--William Powell, the father, came to River Falls in +1849, where he lived with his sons until his death, Nov. 30, 1865. His +second wife was the widow of ---- Taylor, and the mother of Horace and +Lute Taylor, the well known journalists. Mrs. Powell died in July, +1884. + +LYMAN POWELL came to River Falls with his family in 1855. He was +married to Lucinda Taylor, sister of Horace and Lute Taylor. Mr. +Powell died at River Falls, Nov. 9, 1872, leaving a wife, two sons and +five daughters. + +NATHANIEL N. POWELL, the second son, born May 11, 1827, in St. +Lawrence county, New York, came to River Falls in 1849, and pre-empted +the northeast quarter of section 1, now a part of the site of River +Falls city. He was married to Martha Ann Hart, Sept. 28, 1842, at +Hudson. He died at River Falls, Sept. 28, 1862, leaving one son and +one daughter. + +OLIVER S. POWELL, the youngest son, was born June 19, 1831, and came +to Hancock county, Illinois, in 1843, where he lived eight years. He +had no great opportunities for gaining an education. He came to +Stillwater in 1849, bringing with him the first threshing machine +north of Prairie du Chien. He threshed the first grain threshed in the +county in the fall of that year, for Fiske, on a farm three miles +below Stillwater. In November, 1849, he located in River Falls, +pre-empting the south half of the southeast quarter of section 36, +town 28, range 19, lands lying just north of those claimed by his +brother, and which afterward became a part of River Falls. Mr. Powell +was a representative in the state assembly in 1870-71-72, and was a +county commissioner many years. He was married in 1860 to Elmira +Nichols. They have three sons, Harvey C., Newell N. and Lyman T., and +four daughters, Lucy M., Sarah H., Amy E., and Miriam. + +NILS P. HAUGEN was born in Norway in 1849; came to America in 1853 and +to River Falls in 1854. He graduated in the law department of Michigan +State University in 1874. Mr. Haugen was phonographic reporter of the +Eighth and Eleventh Judicial circuits for several years, and a member +of the assembly from Pierce county in 1879 and 80. He was elected +railroad commissioner for Wisconsin in 1881, and re-elected in 1884. +In 1886 he was elected representative to Congress. + +H. L. WADSWORTH was born July 10, 1821, in Erie county, New York. He +learned the trade of a shoemaker, came West in 1846, and settled at +River Falls some time in the '50s, and engaged in farming. He has +filled many positions of trust in the St. Croix valley, and in 1867 +represented St. Croix county in the assembly. In 1841 he was married +to Miss A. R. Baldwin. Eight children have been born to them. + + +ROCK ELM + +Includes township 26, range 15. It was organized as a town Nov. 16, +1866. The first town meeting was held at the house of J. Prickett. The +first commissioner was Sylvester Fox, chairman. The post offices are +at Rock Elm, on the western line of the town, section 19, and Rock Elm +Centre, sections 16 and 17. At the latter place is located Rock Elm +Institute, a school of high grade, founded in 1880. Harrison Lowater +is the principal. The town is well supplied with schools, there being +as many as nine within its limits. Among its first settlers were +Loomis Kellogg, Charles A. Hawn and Sylvester Fox. + + +SALEM. + +Salem occupies township 25, range 16. It is drained by Rush river. It +was organized as a town Jan. 13, 1862. First board of supervisors, C. +C. Carpenter, Eben White and J. H. Shults. The first school was taught +in 1857, by Thompson McCleary. The first marriage was that of Harvey +Seeley and Kate McKinstry. The first child born was Sarah Fuller. The +first death was that of John McCleary, Sept. 2, 1863. The first post +office was established at Rush River, May 1860, Joseph Seeley, +postmaster. The first settlers were Jeremiah Fuller, from Ohio, and W. +Wells, 1846; Harvey Seeley, 1848; Thomas Boyle and James White, 1854; +John F. Davis from Ireland, 1856 (town clerk twenty years); John H. +Brasington, from Pennsylvania (town treasurer fifteen years); Eben +White, James Walsingham, John Strong, H. M. Hicks, from Pennsylvania, +1858; John Foley and brothers, from Ireland, 1856; James H. Shults, +Joseph Seeley, H. C. Brown, John McClure, from Ireland; C. C. and Ira +W. Carpenter, from Connecticut, 1858. + +Mrs. Fuller, the wife of the pioneer, was here over six months, during +which time she did not see a white woman. + + +SPRING LAKE + +Is the extreme northeastern town of the county, occupying township 27, +range 15. The post offices are Oak Ridge and Spring Valley. The town +was organized Nov. 10, 1868. The first town meeting was held at the +house of A. M. Wilcox. The first supervisors were: W. D. Akers, +chairman; Jonas Nebb; Levi Hess, clerk. The first school was taught in +1866, by Agnes Harriman. The Methodist and Baptist churches have +organizations, and the Methodists have a building worth five hundred +dollars. The first marriage was that of H. M. Wilcox to Mrs. Kate +Rice, of Lake City, by W. D. Akers, justice of the peace. The first +child born was a daughter of Ole P. Gardner. The first death was that +of Leota Wilcox, in 1864. The first postmaster was B. H. Preston, +1871. The first settlers in the order of their coming were James +Gilmore, O. P. Gardner, George Wilcox, John Francisco and W. D. Akers. + + +TRENTON. + +Trenton contains about twenty-eight sections, those on the Mississippi +having very irregular boundaries. Twenty-four whole sections lie in +township 25, range 18, and the remainder in township 24, range 18. +Trenton, in section 33, township 25, is its post village. Trenton was +organized in 1857; James Akers, chairman of supervisors. Wilson +Thing, the pioneer settler, came in 1848. + + +TRIMBELLE. + +Trimbelle includes township 26, range 18. Its post villages are +Trimbelle and Beldenville. It was organized March 2, 1855. Its +supervisors were F. Otis, chairman, and Aaron Cornelison. Among its +earliest settlers were the Cornelisons, F. Otis and M. B. Williams. It +has four saw mills and one flouring mill, five school houses and one +church (Methodist). + +MARTIN B. WILLIAMS was born in New York in 1812. He received a common +school education, and at the age of sixteen years was thrown upon his +own resources. He learned the trade of blacksmith. He was married in +New York, and has four sons, Clark M., Frank T., G. Glen and A. Judd. +Mr. Williams is one of the pioneer settlers of Trimbelle, and has held +many public town and county positions. He served as treasurer of +Pierce county four years. He has been a local preacher in the +Methodist Episcopal church for over thirty years. + + +UNION. + +Union consists of township 25, range 15. It is drained by Plum creek. +It has two post offices, Plum Creek, in section 24, and Ono, section +6. It was organized Aug. 15, 1863. Among its first settlers were +Eleazer Holt, Hiram N. Wood, and Capt. Horst, who made their homes +here in the early '50s. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[B] In 1849 the town of Elisabeth was organized by St. Croix county, +and included what is now Pierce county. The first board of supervisors +were William Thing, chairman; Aaron Cornelius, and L. M. Harnsberger; +clerk, Hilton Doe; treasurer, Geo. W. McMurphy. In 1851, by +legislative enactment, the name Elisabeth was changed to Prescott. + +[C] A member of the well known Faribault family, after whom the town +of Faribault has been named. + +[D] NOTE.--When I touched at Prescott in 1845, it was generally known +as the "Mouth of St. Croix," though by some called "Prescott's +Landing." The residents were Hilton Doe, a farmer; Geo. Schaser, +boarding house keeper; W. S. Lockwood, merchant; Joseph Mosier, an +Indian trader or storekeeper. The principal trade was with Indians. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +BURNETT, WASHBURN, SAWYER AND BARRON COUNTIES. + + +BURNETT COUNTY. + +Burnett county was named in honor of a genial, kind hearted and +eccentric lawyer, Thomas Pendleton Burnett, of Prairie du Chien. It is +somewhat irregular in outline, and is bounded on the north by Douglas, +on the east by Barron, on the south by Polk and Barron counties, and +on the west by the St. Croix river. It includes townships 37 to 42, +range 14; from 38 to 42, range 15; from 38 to 41, ranges 16 and 17; +from 37 to 40, ranges 18 and 19; from 37 to 38, range 20. Seven of +these townships bordering on the St. Croix are fractional. Much of the +soil of the county is a sandy loam admirably suited to cereals and +vegetables. Some townships in the southeast are first class wheat +lands. The timber is mostly a thicket-like growth of small pines, +constituting what is called pine barrens. The southeast portion of the +county is timbered with hardwoods. It is drained by the St. Croix, +Trade, Wood, Clam, Yellow, and Namakagon rivers, with their +tributaries, and with the Wood lakes (Big and Little), Mud Hen, Trade, +Yellow, Spirit, and numerous other lakes. There are besides many +thousand acres of marsh land. These marsh lands are by no means +valueless, as they have given rise to a very important industry--the +growing of cranberries. There are fine deposits of iron. Large tracts +of bog ore are found in townships 38 to 41, ranges 16 to 19. There is +an abundance of wild meadow land, easily drained and profitable to +stock growers. + +The settlers of this county are, for the greater part, Swedish and +Norwegian emigrants, an intelligent, moral and religious class of +people who, while they cherish the traditions, manners, customs and +language of their native country, still readily adapt themselves to +American institutions, taking kindly to our common school system and +to other distinctive features of their adopted country. A liberal +spirit has characterized these people in building roads, bridges, +school houses, churches, and making other public improvements. They +have succeeded well also in their private enterprises, the cultivation +of farms and the building of homes. + + +ORGANIZATION. + +The county, originally a part of Polk, was set off March 1, 1856, and +included also at that time, and till the year 1877, the present county +of Washburn. It was organized in 1865. The first county officers, +appointed by the governor, were: Judge, Nimrod H. Hickerson; clerk of +court, Canute Anderson; register of deeds, Peter Anderson; treasurer, +S. Thompson; sheriff, Martin B. Johnson; district attorney, Jacob +Larson. Grantsburg was selected as the county seat. The first county +supervisors, consisting of Michael Jenson, chairman, Thore Ingebritson +and Peter Anderson, met Jan. 24, 1865. The first election was held at +the house of Nimrod H. Hickerson, Nov. 7, 1865. The first frame house +in the county was built at Grantsburg in 1865, by W. H. Peck. The +first crops were raised in township 39, range 18, by Charles Ayer. The +finances of the county have been managed discreetly. The state +drainage fund was judiciously expended. The first deed recorded in +Burnett county was a tax deed from Polk county to Simon Estonson, of +the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 35, township +38, range 19. It bears date Jan. 20, 1866. + + +THE PINE BARRENS. + +So prominent a feature in Burnett and other counties in Northwest +Wisconsin, consist of sandy stretches of undulating, though sometimes +of level lands, sparsely covered with a growth of young pines, +generally of the Black Prince variety. In some places, where the trees +are crowded thickly together, they are not unlike immense cane-brakes. +The trees, from their proximity, have grown very tall and slender. The +lateral branches, crowded together and deprived of sunshine, have +perished early and the growth of the young trees is chiefly vertical. +The lower dead limbs remaining attached to the trunks give the young +forest a peculiarly ragged and tangled appearance. There is abundant +evidence to prove the existence of ancient pine forests where these +pine barrens are now the only growth. In fact some of the larger trees +are still standing, and the charred trunks and decaying remnants of +others. The gradations from the younger to the older growth may be +very plainly seen. Fire is undoubtedly the efficient cause of the +stunted and irregular growth of the pine barrens. The matured forests +are destroyed by fire, and are succeeded by the young pines which are +further reduced and injured by annual fires. It is a mistake to +suppose that the soil of these barrens is necessarily poor. Many of +them have a black, sandy soil, capable of producing fine crops. In +most of them there is a dense undergrowth of blueberry bushes, +producing annually millions and millions of bushels of their small but +luscious fruit. + + +MURDERS. + +Burnett county is not without the traditions of lawlessness and murder +that tarnish so many frontier settlements, and here, as elsewhere, the +primal cause of most of such crimes is whisky. Whisky maddens the +brain and nerves the arm of the assassin. Whisky hardens the heart and +blinds the eyes to what is right, and the sale of whisky on the +frontier, authorized or unauthorized, in nearly all cases the latter, +is the bartering of the human life for gold. The money received for it +is the price of blood, although in some instances the seller himself +may be the victim. It is whisky that does the work. + +Jack Drake, a whisky seller at Wood Lake, whose outfit was supplied by +Samuels & Partridge, naturally of a quarrelsome disposition, was +especially so when under the influence of liquor. On one of these +occasions he was killed by a half-breed known as Robideau, and his +body was buried on the shores of Little Wood lake. Robideau was +imprisoned a short time at St. Croix Falls, but being carelessly +guarded, easily made his escape and was not heard of afterward. What +did it matter? It was only the result of a drunken row. + +The body of a murdered stranger was found by a crew of men working on +Little Wood river, in the spring of 1843. He had left Superior City +with an Indian guide for St. Paul, and was not afterward seen alive. +His land warrants and watch, which had been taken from him, were +afterward recovered, and the Indian who had been his guide was +himself mysteriously assassinated the following spring. + +GEEZHIC.--At Wood Lake, Burnett county, Wisconsin, lived in 1874 an +aged and blind Indian woman who calculated her pilgrimage on earth by +moons. All traces of her traditional beauty as an Indian maiden had +long since departed. Shriveled, decrepit, bent, she was the +impersonation of all that is unlovely and repulsive in age. Taciturn +and sullen, her mind lethargic and dull, she seemed but little more +than half alive, and could not easily be aroused to the comprehension +of passing events, or to the recognition of those around her. She must +have been very old. When aroused to consciousness, which was but +seldom, she would talk of things long past. A light would come into +her sightless eyes as she recounted the traditions, or described the +manners and customs of her people, and spoke with evident pride of +their ancient power and prowess when her people planted their tepees +on the shores of the "Shining Big Sea Water" (Lake Superior) and drove +their enemies, the Dakotahs, before them. Her people wore blankets +made from the skins of the moose; elk and buffalo, with caps from the +skins of the otter and beaver. There was then an abundance of "kego" +(fish) and "wash-kish" (deer). There were no pale faces then in all +the land to drive them from their tepees and take their hunting +grounds. Of course there had been occasional whites, hunters, trappers +and missionaries, but the formidable movements of the now dominant +race had not fairly commenced. Counting the years of her life on her +fingers, so many moons representing a year, she must have numbered a +score beyond a century, and she had consequently witnessed, before her +eyes were dimmed, the complete spoliation of her people's ancestral +domain. + +The physical features of the country have undergone a change. The +towering pines have decayed or been leveled by the woodman's axe. Some +of the small lakes have receded, and tall grasses wave and willows +grow where once the "kego" sported in the clear blue waters. "The sun +drew the waters up into the heavens," but the old shores may still be +traced, by the fresh water shells that are crushed by the foot of the +explorer, and by the ineffaceable mark of the water breaking upon the +beach and undermining the rocky ledges. + +A few Indians still linger on the old hunting grounds and about the +graves of their fathers, but as a race they are doomed, and the time +is not far distant when their only memorials will be the printed or +striped rocks that are found along the streams and lakes, and here and +there the sunken graves of the vanquished race. + + +THE FIRST MISSION. + +In the autumn of the year 1833 the first mission was established in +the St. Croix valley, at the outlet of Yellow lake, in Burnett county. +This may be considered the first actual movement in opening the way +for white settlements in the St. Croix valley. The good and +indefatigable laborers, who came away into these western wilds, spent +many years in this valley endeavoring to improve the benighted +aborigines. Their labors were successful, until the bane of the human +family--alcoholic drinks--was introduced by the corrupt border +traders. Rev. Fred Ayer (since a resident of Belle Prairie, Minnesota, +and a member of the convention that framed our constitution), Mrs. +Ayer, with Miss Crooks (afterward Mrs. Boutwell) as teacher, arrived +at Yellow Lake Sept. 16, 1833. Miss Crooks opened her school on the +twenty-fourth, with eight scholars. This was evidently the first +school in the St. Croix valley. This mission was under the patronage +of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Thirty or +forty Indians came to the trading house, a mile from the mission, for +the purpose of obtaining ammunition and moccasins for making what is +called the fall hunt. During their visit at the traders', Mr. Ayer had +the opportunity of explaining the object of his mission--schooling +their children, and aiding them in agriculture, planting their +gardens, and furnishing them with seeds. To the objects of the mission +all listened with interest, but, as the chiefs were not present, no +reply was made to Mr. Ayer. After obtaining their supplies from the +traders, they dispersed for their fall hunt. The school in the +meantime progressed, and frequent opportunities occurred for giving +religious instructions to adults during the winter. In April some +twenty-five families encamped near the mission; many were interested +in the objects which the mission proposed. In the spring of 1834 four +families made gardens by the mission and schooled their children; +three of the families belonged to the influential in the band. One of +these, the chief who visited Washington during the administration of +Adams, was Gis-kil-a-way, or "Cat Ear." + +The Indian mind is suspicious of the white man. Waiingas, "The Wolf," +another chief of considerable note, was prejudicing the minds of his +friends against the whites. He openly declared that if the Indians +would join him, he would burn the mission house and drive the teachers +from his country. On one occasion a party of Indians, including this +hostile chief, passed the evening at Mr. Ayer's. The chief closed his +speech at midnight with these words: "The Indians are troubled in mind +about your staying here, and you must go--you shall go; not only I say +so, but all here present say so!" The next morning all the Indians +assembled. The trader, the late Dr. Borup, and his wife were present. +The Wolf and his party were determined to expel all the whites. The +friend of the white man, Cat Ear, took the floor and shaking hands +with Dr. Borup and Mr. Ayer, began a speech of half an hour's length. +Pointing to The Wolf and to two other chiefs sitting side by side, he +says: "I speak for them. Look at them. To them belong this land. Since +last evening we have considered this subject. We have changed our +minds. The Great Spirit made us all--made us red--you white. He gave +you your religion, manners and customs--he gave us ours. Before we saw +white man we dressed in skins and cooked with stones. You found our +land on the map and come--since then you have clothed and provided for +us. Why should we send you away? We only should be the sufferers--all +of us tell you to stay--again we say, stay. We do not wish you to go; +no, no--we say to you all, stay; you may plant and build, but the land +is ours. Our Great Father has sent you here--we are glad--we will tell +you why we fear the whites--we fear you will get our land away. If +this room were full of goods we would not exchange our lands for them. +This land is ours and our children's; it is all we have." + +The mission at Yellow Lake had been in progress two years. Several +families had listened with glowing interest to religious instruction, +schooled their children, and cultivated gardens near the mission, when +Mr. Ayer visited the band of Indians at Pokegama. Here were some +thirty-five or forty families in the year 1835. The chief and two or +three families expressed to him a desire to settle down and school +their children. They requested him to come and bring all with him who +wished to come from Yellow Lake. The reasons that induced him to +Pokegama were, first, the means of subsistence were more abundant, +both for the Indians and the mission family--wild rice and fish in +particular; this being the case the Indians could be more stationary +and send their children to school. Second, the soil for agricultural +purposes was superior to that of Yellow Lake. As one of the leading +objects of the mission was to induce the Indians to settle down and +adopt habits of civilization, this object could be better attained at +this place than at Yellow Lake, where it was comparatively sterile and +sandy. A third object gained would be to locate in the midst of a +larger number of Indians, with whom we could come in more frequent +contact, and last, but not least, put the mission in a nearer point of +communication with St. Peter, from whence all the family necessaries +were obtained at that day. These reasons, together with the +solicitation of one of the chiefs, and his permission to build on his +land, and use his wood, water and fish, led Mr. Ayer, in the fall of +1835, to remove to Pokegama. + +For the continued history of this mission the reader is referred to +the history of Pine county. + +CHIPPEWAS OF WOOD LAKE.--A small band of Chippewas, as late as 1870, +lingered about Big Wood lake, unwilling to leave their old hunting +grounds. Though brought directly in contact with civilization, they +adopted its vices, otherwise remaining savages, taking no part in +cultivating the soil or educating their children, contented to live +and die in the old fashion of their race. They subsist, as far as +possible, by hunting and fishing, and are by no means above begging +when occasion may offer. They retain their annual dances and +festivals, at the occurrence of which other bands join them from a +distance. A dance with its accompanying feasts occupies generally +about ten days, and is conducted according to rigid formulas. These +dances are intended as representations of hunting, fishing or +fighting, and are honored accordingly. They are accompanied with music +upon rude instruments, and a weird chant in guttural and nasal tones, +which may be understood as a poetic recital of their deeds or +expression of their feelings. Their dead are buried in conspicuous +places. The graves are decorated with splints of timber. A pole with +rags and trinkets is planted near the graves. There is nothing that +can long mark their resting places or keep them from being desecrated +by the share of the plowman. + + +GRANTSBURG + +Was founded by Canute Anderson, in 1865, in section 14, town 38, range +19. He built a flour and saw mill, the first in the county, a good +hotel, and opened a store. It became the centre of trade for the +county, prospered continuously, and now (in 1886) contains a good +court house, built at a cost of $7,000 (burned December, 1887), a +school house, four churches, two hotels, five stores and numerous +shops and dwellings. There are two resident lawyers and one physician. +Grantsburg is the terminus of the St. Paul & Duluth (branch) railroad, +completed in 1884. The scheme of building a branch road to connect +with the St. Paul & Duluth railroad at Rush City was long cherished by +Canute Anderson, and through his efforts the road was finally built. +The county voted $20,000 bonds, at seven per cent interest, which +bonds the state of Wisconsin cashed. The road was graded from +Grantsburg to the St. Croix river in 1878, from Rush City to St. Croix +in 1882. The St. Paul & Duluth Railroad Company built the railroad and +assumed the bonded indebtedness, payable in fifteen annual +installments. Cars ran to the St. Croix river in 1883. The bridge over +the St. Croix, completed in 1883, cost $20,000. The road was opened to +Grantsburg Jan. 22, 1884. At this opening over a thousand persons were +present, five hundred of whom came in on the train. Canute Anderson +made an address of welcome, followed by James Smith, president of the +road. Congratulatory letters were read from Hons. S. S. Fifield, Henry +M. Rice, and W. H. C. Folsom, the tenor of which was highly +complimentary to Mr. Anderson, and full of hope for the future of the +railroad and its terminus. + +CANUTE ANDERSON was born in Norway, 1830. He came to America in 1851, +and three years later settled in the northeast quarter of section 2, +township 37, range 19, making a large stock farm, part of it being a +fine natural meadow, with running stream. In 1858 the first post +office in the county (called Anderson) was established at his house, +and he was appointed postmaster. In 1878 he represented Ashland, +Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, and Polk counties in the +legislature. He is and ever has been a master spirit in his county, +using all his influence to further the interests of his adopted home. +Many of the early settlers were poor,--strangers in a strange +land,--and for them Mr. Anderson's house was ever a resort. It was +also an intelligence office, where the inquiring immigrant could +obtain reliable information as to the country and its resources, and +facilities to the settler. In 1860 Mr. Anderson was married to +Catharine Nelson, daughter of Magnus Nelson, one of Burnett county's +first settlers. + +THE HICKERSON FAMILY came from Ohio to Wisconsin. Nimrod H., the +oldest brother, settled on Wood river in 1859, built a saw mill, kept +a hotel and established a post office on the St. Paul and Bayfield +stage route in 1860. Mr. Hickerson went to California in 1875, and +died there. Joel, the second brother, is a merchant at Grantsburg. He +served during the later years of the Civil War as a soldier, Company +C, Seventh Minnesota Volunteers, and was pensioned for disabilities. +He was married in 1868 to Mary Anderson. Perry D., the third brother, +keeps a hotel in Grantsburg. He was also a member of Company C, +Seventh Minnesota Volunteers, and with his brother was mustered out at +the close of the war, and has received a pension for disabilities. He +was married to Ellen M. Anderson, daughter of Peter Anderson. They +have eleven children. Newton, the fourth son, lives in Grantsburg. He +was a soldier in Company D, Twenty-first Ohio, during the war. Was +wounded and totally disabled. He has no pension. He is unmarried. + +THE ANDERSON FAMILY.--The four brothers, Peter, George, Hans and +Martin, with their aged parents, came from Norway and settled in +Grantsburg in 1883. The father but recently died. The mother is still +living, having reached the extreme age of ninety-seven years. During +the last six years she has been blind. Peter Anderson was married in +Norway in 1846. His wife died in 1877, leaving three sons and four +daughters. He was married to his second wife in 1878. Peter has served +as county supervisor, and filled other offices. The brothers have been +active in promoting the interests of their town and county. + +ROBERT A. DOTY was born in Niagara county, New York; lived some years +in Genesee county, Michigan, and settled in Sterling, Polk county, in +1865. He subsequently became the first settler in the town of +Marshfield, Burnett county. He was accidentally killed in 1879 by +being thrown from his wagon. His widow and two sons live in +Grantsburg. John H., the oldest son, resides on the old homestead in +Sterling. + + +THE CRANBERRY MARSHES. + +The cultivation of the cranberry is an important industry in Burnett +county. The berry is raised chiefly in townships 38 and 39, ranges 17 +and 18. The writer of these sketches visited the localities named in +1873, and although there have been many changes and improvements since +then, the description quoted from an essay read before the +Horticultural Society will still be generally applicable: + + "The scene on approaching these marshes, where the native + cranberry was found, before the white man had commenced to + improve them, was picturesque in the extreme to those who + have a taste for Nature's handiwork. There are extensive + tracts of land covering thousands of acres, dotted here and + there with islands of young pine and points of highland + projecting in various shapes into the marshes. It reminded + me of an ocean bay, in a calm, only changing the ocean water + color to endless green. There are in these marshes somewhere + from one to two townships of land, on which cranberries were + then growing, or susceptible of being improved so that + cranberries can be raised thereon. One township contains + 23,040 acres. The parties operating on the marshes I visited + already have some 30 or 40 miles of ditch made, averaging 5 + feet at the top, 3 feet at the bottom, with an average depth + of 4 feet, at a cost of about 75 cents per rod. These + ditches are to drain the water from the marshes when + desired. They have dams across these ditches, to flood the + marshes when desired. The flooding of the marshes aids in + subduing the wild grasses and other incumbrances, also is + essential to the growth of the berries. On these marshes, + wherever the flowage is killing the grass, the vine is + rapidly spreading, without transplanting. Undoubtedly they + would yield a quicker return by transplanting. Large tracts + of these lands, which, at this time have no vines, are + bought by companies, mostly from the cranberry lands in + Eastern Wisconsin, who are experienced in this business, and + know what they are doing. They openly declare that vines can + be grown on these marshes, where sufficient water can be + obtained and controlled to flow the lands. Mr. Irvine + informed me that this flooding process, and the manner in + which it was controlled, was the key to success. I examined + the effect which one year alone had accomplished, as these + companies commenced operations in 1872. It surprised me when + I saw the mode, and heard it explained, that so little was + generally known of this business. After the marshes are + subdued, dams and ditches built, there is comparatively + small cost in raising the fruit until the harvest, when men, + women and children flock in from the farming countries to + pick, to pack, to store, to dry, to box, and convey to + market. An expert will pick from five to ten bushels per day + by hand, no rakes being allowed. In 1873 these marshes had + an abundant yield. These companies paid to outsiders one + dollar and fifty cents per bushel. There are several + companies operating in Burnett county. They have made and + are making substantial improvements, in building roads, dry + houses, dwelling houses, etc. The past year a saw mill was + erected for sawing staves for barrels, lumber for boxes, + etc. These marshes are about twenty miles east of the + Superior railroad." + + +WASHBURN COUNTY. + +Washburn county was organized in 1883, and embraces townships 37 to +42, inclusive, and ranges 10 to 13, inclusive, a total of 24 +townships. It is drained by St. Croix waters with the exception of the +southeast corner, which is drained by a branch of the Chippewa river. +It has been a rich timbered region and large forests of pine still +remain. The greater part of the county is adapted to agriculture, and +is settling rapidly. Two lines of railway traverse the county, one +from south to north, and the other from southwest to northeast, giving +the county excellent facilities for transportation and marketing of +products. The county is divided into two towns, Bashaw in the south +and Veasie in the north. These towns were organized in 1877, while +Washburn was a part of Burnett county. The first supervisors of Bashaw +were: L. E. Thomas, chairman; John Arbuckle and John McMullen. The +town of Bashaw was the first settled. John McMullen settled in +township 38, range 13, in 1872, in Bashaw valley. He married a member +of the Hart family, old settlers of the town. He died in 1878. L. E. +Thomas was the second settler in Bashaw and in Washburn county, and +has been officially connected with the town and county organization. +He is a native of Michigan, and has followed lumbering and farming. L. +E. Thomas built the first house. Nellie Raberge taught the first +school in Bashaw, in 1881. Miss Raberge has since become the wife of +Milton Stratton. The first post office was established in 1880, Mrs. +Malcolm Dobie, postmistress. The first sermon was preached by Rev. +Ellingwood. G. P. Pearly was the first physician; A. L. Bugbee, the +first lawyer. Messrs. Hart, Baker, Gardner and others have large farms +in Bashaw valley. By the act organizing the county, + + +SHELL LAKE + +was made the county seat. It is beautifully located on the shores of +Summit lake. It has a court house, built at a cost of $11,000, in +1885, one of the most tasteful buildings of the kind in the St. Croix +valley. The town is built on railroad lands, purchased by the Shell +Lake Lumber Company, and by them surveyed into lots. The streets are +from sixty-six to eighty feet wide. A restriction in the deeds to the +lots and lands against the sale of alcoholic drinks has been +continuously violated. In 1883 the town board fixed license at five +hundred dollars, a plain violation of the original agreement. + +A fine school building with four apartments was built in 1885, at a +cost of $5,000. Prof. Halphyde is principal of the schools. The +Episcopalians and Catholics have church buildings. The Baptists, +Methodists, Lutherans and Presbyterians have church organizations. The +Masons, Good Templars and Knights of Labor have organizations. + +Summit lake, on the west bank of which the town is situated, is about +two and a half miles broad by three and a half long. It has bold, +gravelly shores. The water is deep, clear and pure. The slopes +surrounding it are covered with evergreen, and hardwood timber. One +small steamer floats upon its waters. + +The first board of county officers was as follows: Treasurer, Leander +E. Thomas; clerk, Frank B. Nelson; sheriff, James Wynne; attorney, +Frank Gudette; register of deeds, Albert L. Bugbee; judge, L. H. Mead; +clerk of court, A. Gibson; superintendent of schools, Clara Stratton; +surveyor, Patrick Kelly. The first circuit court was held in June, +1883, Hon. S. S. Clough, presiding. The county has two court terms for +the year, in June and December. + +The Shell Lake Lumber Company was organized in 1880, under Iowa laws. +It is composed of C. Lamb and David Joice and sons, of Clinton, Iowa; +Laird, Norton & Co., of Winona; Weyerhauser & Dinkeman, of Rock +Island, Illinois; S. T. McKnight, of Hannibal, Missouri; D. R. Moore, +Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Their mills are located on the northwest side +of Summit lake. They have a capacity of 50,000,000 feet per year. The +capital stock amounts to $500,000. Employment is furnished to 250 men. +In 1880 the hour system of labor was adopted. A narrow gauge railroad, +twelve miles long, supplied with two locomotives and fifty cars, is +used for bringing logs to mill. This road has a steel track and 3,000 +feet of piling. The refuse burner of the mill is 20 feet in diameter +and 102 in height. There are 63 tenement houses to accommodate the +laborers. A. H. Earle superintends this vast concern. + +Sawyer creek obtained its name from Seth M. Sawyer, of Stillwater. +This stream flows into Yellow river, five miles from Summit lake. It +rises from springs three hundred feet from the lake, and one hundred +feet lower down, and may be considered its subterranean outlet, as +visible outlet there is none. The lake, literally a summit lake, the +receding and descending slopes, the springs uniting to form a larger +stream, form a peculiar landscape, quite park-like in some of its +features, and worthy of being converted into a park. + + +SPOONER, + +In the township of Veazie, on the north branch of the Yellow river, +township 39, range 12, is a dinner station on the North Wisconsin +railroad. The railroad company have fitted up an elegant eating house, +and a few neat buildings, the nucleus of a much larger village, +cluster around it. + + +VEAZIE VILLAGE + +Is in township 41, range 10, and has a post office. The town of +Veazie, occupying the northern part of the county, was organized in +1877. Millions of feet of pine timber have been gathered and marketed +from this town, and it is estimated that 150,000,600 feet still +remain. Ames and Sinnot station are in the township of Veazie. + + +SAWYER COUNTY. + +Sawyer county was organized March 9, 1883. It is comprised of +townships 37 to 42, and ranges 5 to 9, inclusive. Of these townships +twenty-five are drained by Chippewa waters and five by Namakagon +river. The county is heavily timbered with pine, though vast +quantities have been taken and marketed. The county seat was located +at Hayward in the bill organizing the county. The county officers, +appointed by Gov. Rusk, were: Sheriff, A. Blaisdell; clerk, C. H. +Clapperton; register of deeds, H. E. Ticknor; treasurer, R. L. +McCormack; county judge, H. W. Hart; attorney, N. E. Ticknor; +superintendent of schools, Miss M. Mears; surveyor, W. J. Moulton; +coroner, E. G. Gregg. + +The court house was built in 1885, at a cost of $18,000. The county at +its organization assumed the following indebtedness: + +To Ashland county $25,000 +To town of Ashland, Ashland county 1,870 +To town of Butternut, Ashland county 2,050 +To Chippewa county 1,900 +To town of Flambeau, Chippewa county (disputed claim) 5,000 +To town of Big Bend, Chippewa county 3,000 +To town of Sigel, Chippewa county 2,000 + +Outside indebtedness, total $40,820 + +All this indebtedness, with the exception of the unsettled claim of +Flambeau, Chippewa county, has been paid. Since its organization the +county has expended $30,000 on roads to Chippewa waters. This, added +to the cost of the court house, $18,000, a school house for the town +of Hayward, $6,500, town hall for Hayward $5,000, makes a total of +expenditures for the county within the past three years of $106,420, a +remarkable sum for a new county with so sparse a population to pay, +but not so remarkable when we take into account the immense value of +its lumber products and standing timber. + +Hayward is the only town in the county. Its first board of supervisors +were: A. J. Hayward, chairman; Thos. Manwarin and Michael Jordan. A. +L. McCormack was first treasurer, and C. C. Claghorn, clerk. The +village is situated in sections 21 and 22, township 41, range 9, upon +a level pine plateau on the north side of Namakagon river, a tributary +of the St. Croix. The village was platted in 1883, but a post office +had been established the year before, C. H. Clapperton being the first +postmaster. The first marriage in the town of Hayward and county of +Sawyer was that of Fred Emmons and Mary Lindmark, in 1883. The first +birth was that of a daughter to Al. Blaisdell. The first death was +that of Nels J. Eggin. Rev. A. Safford preached the first sermon. Anna +Shafer taught the first school. E. G. Gregg opened the first store. +H. E. Ticknor was the first lawyer and J. B. Trowbridge the first +physician. + +The first school house, built at a cost of $5,000, was burned. There +was an insurance of $4,500. A new building was erected at a cost of +$6,000, with three departments, and with steam heating apparatus. +Prof. F. A. Nichols was the principal. + +The Congregational church at Hayward is one of the finest church +buildings in the Northwest. It is built in the Queen Anne style, with +circular seats, the whole finished in exquisite taste. Senator Sawyer, +after whom the county was named, contributed a town clock and bell +worth $1,000. The Catholics have a church here, and the Lutherans an +organization. The Odd Fellows and Knights of Labor have organizations. + +The Sawyer County Bank was organized March 9, 1884, with a capital +stock of $200,000, divided equally between three stockholders, R. L. +McCormack, A. J. Hayward and E. H. Halbert, the latter being general +manager and cashier. The bank deals in real estate, abstracts, +insurance and general monetary business. The business transacted for +the year ending June 6, 1886, amounted to $3,000,000. The bank +building is a substantial brick. The Hayward Lumber Company has a mill +on the Namakagon river. The water power has a fall of eighteen feet +and a flowage of about three miles. A sixty foot channel has been left +through the flowage for slucing logs. The saw mill has a capacity of +35,000,000 feet per annum. It has a planing mill attached. The company +is composed of T. F. Robinson, Weyerhauser & Dinkeman and R. L. +McCormack. Mr. Weyerhauser is president of the company. Mr. +Weyerhauser is also president of the Rock Island Lumber Company and of +Weyerhauser, Dinkeman & Co., of Rock Island, and is a stockholder in +Renwick, Crosset & Co., Cloquet, Minnesota, Shell Lake, Barronett, +Masons, White River, and Chippewa Falls Lumber companies, and is +president of the Beef Slough Boom and Chippewa and Mississippi Logging +companies. Mr. Weyerhauser is the most extensive holder and owner of +unoperated pine lands in the West, or probably on the continent. The +stockholders of the Hayward Lumber Company are all men of wealth +accumulated by their own industry. Mr. R. L. McCormack, the resident +stockholder and manager, is admirably adapted for the position he +holds. Mr. McCormack was a citizen of Minnesota for fourteen years, +and a member of the Minnesota legislature in 1881. He was born in +Pennsylvania in 1847. + +Dobie & Stratton, contractors for pine stumpage on the Lac Oreilles +Indian reservation, reside in Hayward. They cut 28,000,000 feet of +logs in the winter of 1885-86. + +MALCOMB DOBIE, of this firm, is a native of Canada. He came to the St. +Croix valley in 1864, and was married to Harriet Stratton, at St. +Croix Falls, in 1874. + +MILTON V. STRATTON, brother of Mrs. Dobie, was raised at St. Croix +Falls, and engaged in business with Mr. Dobie. In 1886, his health +failing, he removed to California. + + +BARRON COUNTY. + +Barron county was formerly a heavily timbered tract of country, but is +now being rapidly cleared and settled. It is well watered by the Red +Cedar and its tributaries, and has many beautiful lakes, among them +Turtle, Beaver, Chetek, Red Cedar, Rice, Bear, and Long lakes. The +county was first established as Dallas county, in 1859, and attached +to Polk for judicial purposes. In 1868 it was organized for county and +judicial purposes, and the county seat was changed from Manhattan to +Barron, section 26, township 34, range 12. By act of legislature in +1869, the name of the county was changed to Barron, and the county +seat was called by the same name, in honor of Hon. Henry D. Barron, +then judge of the Eleventh circuit. It comprises townships 32 to 36, +inclusive, and ranges 10 to 14, in all 25 townships. Barron county has +three railroads, on the lines of which thriving settlements have +sprung up. The railroads are three, the North Wisconsin, a branch line +of the Omaha, and the Minneapolis, Soo Ste. Marie & Atlantic. The +North Wisconsin railroad passes through the northwestern part of the +county. The Chippewa Falls & Superior City branch of the Omaha enters +the southeast corner, and traverses the county in a direction west of +north. The Minneapolis, Soo Ste. Marie & Atlantic passes through the +middle of the county in a direction from east to west. + + +TURTLE LAKE TOWN + +Was organized in 1879. The village of Turtle Lake is situated in +sections 30 and 31, township 34, range 14. It contains a large saw +mill with a capacity of 40,000,000 feet per annum; a union depot, used +by the North Wisconsin, and Minneapolis, Soo Ste. Marie & Atlantic +railroads, and stores, shops and dwellings, all new. The Minneapolis, +Soo Ste. Marie & Atlantic railroad was built through the county in +1885, and completed in 1887. + + +BARRON, + +The county seat, is a growing lumber town, with farming lands to the +south. It has a population of over 1,000. The "Soo Line" railway has a +station here. + + +PERLEY VILLAGE + +Is located also in Turtle Lake town, in section 8, township 34, range +14, and on the line of the North Wisconsin railroad. It has a large +saw mill with a capacity of 16,000,000 feet per annum. The village is +beautifully located on Horse Shoe lake. + + +CUMBERLAND VILLAGE + +Is situated in the town of Cumberland, section 7, township 35, range +15, on Beaver Dam lake. It is pleasantly situated, and is the largest +village on the line of the Northwestern railroad. Its appearance gives +evidence of enterprise and thrift on the part of its citizens. The +Beaver Dam Lumber Company have here a saw mill with a capacity of +24,000,000 feet per annum. Cook & Co. have a saw mill (burned and +rebuilt) with a capacity of 6,000,000 feet. The village has a bank and +one newspaper, the Cumberland _Advocate_, first issued in 1880 as the +_Herald_. + +Cumberland was organized as a village in 1881, and organized under a +city charter in 1885. The population is now about 1,700. The +mercantile business will aggregate about $500,000 annually. The +aggregate output of lumber is 30,000,000 feet, while other industries +aggregate $200,000 per annum. There are four churches, one graded +school of five departments in which students are prepared to enter +college. There is here one banking house. + + +SPRAGUE + +Is a village in Cumberland, on the Northwestern railroad. It has a saw +mill with a capacity of about 15,000,000 feet per annum. + + +COMSTOCK, + +In Cumberland, on the Northwestern railroad, has a shingle mill and +saw mill, the latter having a capacity of about 5,000,000 feet. + + +BARRONETT, + +In Cumberland, is located in township 36, range 13, in the midst of a +well timbered region. Its saw mill, directly on the county line, has a +capacity of 25,000,000 feet. M. Bowron has a farm adjoining the +village of 250 acres, improved and yielding tame grass. + +De Graw and Granite Lake Mills are also located on the Northwestern +railroad. + +Turtle Lake, Scott's Siding, Cosgrove, Barron, the county seat, +Cameron and Canton, are on the Minneapolis, Soo Ste. Marie & Atlantic +railroad. + +Chetek, Cameron Junction, Rice Lake and Bear Creek are located on the +Omaha branch. + +CHARLES SIMEON TAYLOR.--Mr. Taylor was born in Geneva, Wisconsin, +October, 1851; graduated at the Wisconsin State University; studied +law and settled at Barron, Barron county, in 1876, where he practices +his profession and edits the _Barron County Shield_. He was elected +member of the Thirty-seventh Wisconsin assembly in 1885-86 and +represented the counties of Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, and +Washburn. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +ASHLAND, BAYFIELD AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES. + + +ASHLAND COUNTY. + +Ashland was originally a part of Crawford county, afterward of St. +Croix and La Pointe, and was set off from the latter March 27, 1860. +It is bounded on the north by Lake Superior and Montreal river, on the +east by Oneida, on the south by Price and Chippewa, and on the west by +Bayfield and Chippewa counties. It includes townships 41 to 47, ranges +1, 2, and 3 east of the fourth principal meridian, and townships 41 to +48 west of the same; the northern towns bordering on Montreal river +and Lake Superior are fractional. The group of Apostle islands belongs +to this county. The surface is generally level except where broken by +the iron and copper ranges in the middle and southern part of the +county. The Gogebic range, southeast of Ashland, is especially rich in +iron. A railroad along this range connects Ashland with the Michigan +roads. The soil is somewhat varied, ranging from sandy loam in the +interior, to red clay on the lake shore. The county is drained by Bad, +White and Montreal rivers and their tributaries, and the headwaters of +the Chippewa. The timber is pine, fir, birch, etc. + +The Apostle islands, situated in Lake Superior at the mouth of +Chequamegon bay, form a fine natural harbor. The group consists of +twenty-two islands, the most considerable of which are Madeline, +Oatez, Oak, Hemlock, Rice, Basswood, Presque, Bear, Sand, and +Michigan. The islands range in area from a very few acres up to +14,804. They are heavily timbered with hardwood, have fertile soil, +and are well adapted to farm and garden culture. The largest of these +islands is Madeline, situated directly at the entrance to Chequamegon +bay, and noted as containing the oldest settlement on the lake. Claude +Allouez, a Jesuit missionary, landed at Madeline island Oct. 1, 1665, +and erected a bark chapel at the place now known as La Pointe, and +commenced instructing the Indians of the Algonquin and Huron tribes. +Since that time the island has been held by missionaries and trading +companies, with some pretty long intervals of abandonment. In 1800, M. +Cadot, a French trader, came to La Pointe, erected fortified dwellings +and lived here till his death, in 1837. At the commencement of the +present century the American Fur Company made its headquarters on the +southern part of the island, and occupied a post there until 1835, +when they removed to La Pointe. Rev. Sherman Hall, of the Presbyterian +church, established a mission here in 1830. In 1835 Rev. Father +Baraga, a Catholic missionary, arrived, and built a church which he +occupied until 1841, when he built a better one, which still stands in +the inclosure of an ancient burying ground. This church contains a +painting said to be over two hundred years old. Some of the graves are +quite ancient, and have quaint inscriptions upon their tombstones. One +that has often been copied and commented on by tourists is as follows: + + "ERECTED + TO THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM BEAULIEAU + WHO WAS ACCIDENTALLY SHOT + AS A MARK OF AFFECTION + BY HIS BROTHER." + +These islands are becoming a fashionable resort for tourists, and many +of them have been utilized as pleasant summer residences. Some of them +are occupied by lighthouses of which there are five in all. The +islands abound in brown stone, which is being quarried extensively for +building purposes. The stone for the Milwaukee court house was taken +from the quarries on Basswood island. + +LA POINTE COUNTY ELECTION.--In 1848 La Pointe county was set off from +St. Croix county, and at an election held Nov. 10, 1848, John H. Wells +and Leonard Wheeler were elected justices of the peace, and J. F. +Hughes was elected clerk of the board of county commissioners. Returns +of their election and that of members of the legislature were made to +Hudson, county seat of St. Croix county. + +HON. JOHN W. BELL, born in New York City in 1805, in his eighth year +went to Canada with his parents, learned to be a watchmaker, a ship +builder and a cooper, and came to La Pointe in 1835, where he has +since resided. He carried on the coopering business first, for the +American Fur Company, and then for himself established a trading post, +became interested in mining stocks, and filled various county offices, +having served as county judge and register of deeds a great many +years. In later life he was postmaster at La Pointe. He was married in +1837 to Miss Margaret Brahant, in the Catholic chapel, by Bishop +Baraga. He died in 1888. + + +ASHLAND + +Is situated on a plateau of about thirty feet elevation, on the south +shore and near the head of Chequamegon bay. The first house, a cabin, +was built in 1854. Other cabins were added the same year. In the cabin +erected by Mr. Asaph Whittlesey, in the winter of 1854-55, was +preached the first sermon in Ashland by Rev. L. H. Wheeler, of the +Odanah mission. A post office was established in March, 1855, Mr. +Whittlesey, postmaster. The first American child born was the second +daughter of Asaph Whittlesey. The name of Ashland was conferred upon +the town by Martin Beaser, an ardent admirer of Henry Clay, it being +the name of Mr. Clay's homestead. The village and post office was +first known as Whittlesey, but on the organization of the county in +1860, the name of Ashland was applied to both. The new town was not +destined to immediate and continuous prosperity, and at one time, in +1863, had decreased so much in population that its post office was +discontinued for a period of nine years. After that date it entered +upon an era of prosperity. + +Julia Wheeler taught the first school in 1859. The Methodists +organized the first Protestant society in 1872. The Catholics +commenced a church building in 1873. In 1872 the first newspaper in +Ashland, the _Press_, was established by Sam S. and Hank O. Fifield, +under whose charge it remained until 1874, when S. S. Fifield bought +his brother's interest in the paper and has since published it +continuously, and in 1888 established a daily. + +In 1872 the Wisconsin Central railroad commenced work at the bay, and +the outlay for improvements that year amounted to $244,800. The +Wisconsin Central railroad built the Hotel Chequamegon in 1877. It is +built in the form of an L, 120 feet front and 80 feet deep with 400 +feet of veranda, and accommodations for 100 guests. There are numerous +other hotels in the city, and several boarding houses receive guests +during the summer season. Ashland has vast lumber interests. The +Ashland Lumber Company built the first mill, in 1872, which had a +capacity of about 15,000,000 feet per annum. The Union mill, built in +1878, has a capacity of about 18,000,000 feet. Mueller & Richie's +mill, built in 1881, has a capacity of about 20,000,000 feet. There is +also a planing mill belonging to Geo. White. Ashland has become a +railroad centre. The Wisconsin Central, St. Paul & Omaha, Milwaukee & +Lake Shore and Northern Pacific concentrate a heavy freight for their +elevators and lake docks. The largest dock in the world was built in +Ashland in 1887. It was built almost expressly for iron ore shipments +from Penoka and Gogebic ranges. + +ASAPH WHITTLESEY selected the site of Ashland in 1854, and in +conjunction with George Kilborn built the first dwelling. He was the +first postmaster. He was appointed in 1855. He represented Ashland, +Burnett, Douglas, La Pointe, Polk, and St. Croix in the Wisconsin +assembly in 1860. + +J. P. T. HASKELL was the second settler in Ashland. He came with his +wife, Nov. 2, 1854, but did not long remain. + +S. S. VAUGHN was born in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, Sept. 2, 1830. He came +with his brother to La Pointe in 1852, and engaged in the fishing and +fur trade until 1855, when he returned to Ohio. After taking a course +in a commercial college, he returned to Wisconsin in 1856, took a +claim of one hundred and sixty acres at Ashland and opened a store at +Bayfield. In 1856 he surveyed and platted what is known as Vaughn's +addition to Ashland. In 1871 he represented Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, +Burnett, Douglas, and Polk counties in the Wisconsin assembly. At +Ashland he built docks, warehouses and a store, and in later years +dealt largely in iron mines and in lumber. He was married to Miss E. +Patrick, of Ohio, in 1864. He died at Ashland, February, 1886. He +induced the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company to make Ashland their +lake terminus. He did more for that city than any other man. + +EDWIN ELLIS, M.D., was born in Oxford county, Maine; was educated in +Farmington Academy, Colby University and Bowdoin College, where he +graduated and afterward completed a medical course at the University +of New York. He came West in 1854, and located first at St. Paul, but +in 1855 removed to Ashland where he made a claim, which, in part, +became in 1873 Ellis' addition to Ashland. He practiced his profession +at Ashland and Ontonagon, Michigan. He was married in 1850 to Martha +B. Baker, of Sharon, Maine. + +MARTIN BEASER, one of the pre-emptors of the site of Ashland, was born +in Erie county, New York, Oct. 22, 1822. For many years he was a +seafaring man. He spent seven years in whaling, at the close of which +time he came to Ontonagon in a sailing vessel, and thence with three +companions in a dog sledge to Ashland, arriving February, 1856. Here +he pre-empted land, and assisted in laying out the village. He engaged +in the mercantile business. He was drowned in November, 1866, while +trying to cross Chequamegon bay in an open boat during a storm. Mr. +Beaser was a public spirited man and freely used his wealth in +attempting to build up Ashland. He never lost faith in the ultimate +prosperity of his adopted home. + +HON. SAM S. FIFIELD was born in Corinna, Penobscot county, Maine, June +24, 1839. His early days were spent in Bangor, and he had but limited +school privileges. He was early thrown upon his own resources and +learned lessons in the rough school of life. He spent his time +variously, as errand boy, hotel clerk, night watch on a steamboat, +toll keeper; but finally, having served a brief apprenticeship in a +printing office, he became the proprietor of the _Polk County Press_ +in 1862. In 1872 he and his brother Hank O. established the Ashland +_Press_, of which he is now sole editor and publisher. Mr. Fifield +entered the political arena as a Republican and has been remarkably +successful. His record from the Wisconsin blue book is as follows: + +1868-69--Assembly proof-reader and assistant sergeant-at-arms. +1871-72--Assembly sergeant-at-arms. +1874-75-76--Member of assembly from Ashland, Barron, Burnett, Douglas, and +Polk counties. +1876--Speaker of the assembly. +1877--Member of the senate. +1880-81--Member of the senate. +1882-86--Lieutenant governor. + +Mr. Fifield was married to Stella Grimes, at Prescott, 1863. +Considering the disadvantageous circumstances of his youth, Mr. +Fifield's career has been a notable one. + + +BAYFIELD COUNTY. + +Bayfield county includes townships 43 to 52, except as affected by the +irregular outline of its lake boundary on the north, and ranges 5 to +9. It has seventy-five miles of lake shore, with some fine harbors, +the finest of which are those in the shelter of the Apostle islands, +on the northeast. The country is covered with dense growths of +evergreen and hardwood timber. Numerous streams flow into the lake on +the north, and into the tributaries of the St. Croix on the south. The +Chippewa Indians formerly occupied the country. The Red Cliff Indian +reservation is located at Buffalo Bay, a short distance north of +Bayfield City. The territory of Bayfield county has been successively +in the bounds of Crawford, St. Croix and La Pointe. By subsequent +subdivisions Douglas and Ashland counties were set off from La Pointe, +and the Apostle islands given to Ashland, and the remaining part of La +Pointe was organized as Bayfield county, with the county seat at +Bayfield, in 1868. Aside from traders and adventurers and the +occasional advent of a missionary, the first settler was Elisha Pike, +who came with his family in 1855, and settled in section 21, township +50, range 4, not far from Bayfield. Bayfield was named in honor of +Admiral Bayfield of the British Navy, who made a survey of Lake +Superior in 1822-23. + + +BAYFIELD. + +The village of Bayfield was platted in 1856, by H. M. Rice. It has +since been incorporated. It is beautifully situated. The site slopes +gently from high timbered regions to the shores of the bay. The waters +of the bay are deep, clear, and, from the shelter afforded by the +Apostle islands, almost unruffled. The harbor thus afforded is among +the best on the lake. Bayfield was made a port of entry in 1858. The +city is well supplied with stores, mills, hotels, school houses, and +churches. There are many pleasant homes, with fountains playing in +front, lawns, shade trees and ornamental shrubs. The landscape, +especially to those residing in the rear of the city on the higher +grounds, is exquisitely beautiful. There are many beautiful trout +brooks and ponds in the suburbs. As a summer resort Bayfield is +becoming every year better appreciated. The Bayfield _Press_, +established in 1874, is the local newspaper. It is edited and +published by Currie C. Bell. + + +WASHBURN + +Is a new town on the west side of Chequamegon bay. It is the lake +terminus of the Omaha railroad. It has a fine harbor, large mills and +other enterprises that mark it as a growing town. + + +DRUMMOND, PRATT AND MASON + +Are prosperous manufacturing villages, with large saw mills, located +on White river, on the line of the North Wisconsin railroad. + + +CABLE STATION, + +On the railroad, in township 43, range 7, contains about a dozen +buildings. Mathews, Olson & Co. are working a silver mine near Cable +which yields twenty-three dollars per ton. There are several other +villages and stations on the line of the two railroads passing through +this county. + + +DOUGLAS COUNTY. + +This county occupies the extreme northwestern corner of the State, +having a frontage of six townships on the lake by six on the Minnesota +state line, making a total of thirty-six whole townships and five +fractional, the latter lying along the lake. The northern part of the +county is drained by the tributaries of St. Louis river and Lake +Superior, the principal streams being the Nemadji, Middle and Brule +rivers. The southern part is drained by the St. Croix and tributaries. +The Omaha railroad intersects the county from south to north, having +its northern terminus at West Superior. The Northern Pacific crosses +the upper tier of towns, having its principal station at Superior. +Thriving villages are growing up along these lines of railroad, and +the county is being rapidly settled. It was organized as a county in +February, 1854, from territory originally belonging successively to +Crawford, St. Croix and La Pointe counties. + +The first election was held Nov. 7, 1854. The following officers were +elected: County judge, J. A. Markland; sheriff, Asa A. Parker; +district attorney, R. R. Nelson; register of deeds, F. A. Whitaker; +county treasurer, Bradley Salter; supervisors, Frank Perfect, Chas. H. +Kimball and Alexander Paul; supervisors' clerk, C. H. Kingsbury; +superintendent of schools, J. J. Post; coroner, R. H. Barrett. Judge +J. A. Markland held the first term of court, June 4, 1854. The first +deed filed in the county was from William Herbert to Geo. L. Becker, +being a warranty in section 14, township 47, range 14. Consideration, +$250. The deed was recorded February, 1854. At the organization of the +county, Superior was made the county seat. + + +SUPERIOR CITY. + +The site is on a beautiful plateau originally covered with pine, lying +on the southern shore of Lake Superior, separated, however, from it by +the waters of Superior bay, a fine natural harbor shut in from the +lake by tongues of land called Minnesota and Wisconsin Points. These +approach within a half mile of each other, the space thus left being +the original outlet of the bay. Between Wisconsin Point and the main +land lie the waters of Allouez bay, extending in length a distance of +three miles, and in width in its widest part about one mile. The +Nemadji river flows into Superior bay near its outlet. The bay of St. +Louis finds an outlet into Superior bay between Rice's Point and a +tongue of land a mile or more in length, projecting from the Wisconsin +main land. Minnesota Point, which separates Superior bay from Superior +lake, is a strip of land seven miles in length, with an average width +of seven hundred feet, beautifully fringed with pines. At the outlet +of Superior bay two piers have been constructed, extending into the +lake three-fourths of a mile. On one of these piers is a forty-day +lighthouse, constructed by the government. The bay forms one of the +finest harbors in the world. + +The plateau on which Superior City is located is about thirty-five +feet above the waters of the bay. The site occupies the triangular +space lying between St. Louis bay and the bays of Allouez and +Superior, and has at least eleven miles of frontage on these bays, +along which numerous docks and piers have been built and projected, +some of them costing as much as $200,000. The government surveys were +made in 1853, by George R. Stuntz. In July of the same year J. +Addison Bulmer made a location on Allouez Point. In August, John T. +Morgan settled at the mouth of the Nemadji river. They were followed +by Wm. H. Newton, George E. Nettleton, Benjamin Thompson, Col. D. A. +Robertson, R. R. Nelson, and D. A. J. Baker, of St. Paul. In September +the Roy brothers and ---- Cadott came. The same autumn Frank Roy, +Abraham Emmuit and Louis Souvenard made pre-emptions of frontage on +Superior bay. Several buildings were erected. Mr. Roy and others give +to Col. Robertson the honor of building the first house in Superior. +It is still standing. + +In the fall of 1853 mineral explorations were made, and mines were +worked during the ensuing winter. An Indian trail was widened and a +road opened into the St. Croix valley by which supplies were brought +from St. Paul. This road was not wide enough for wagons, but was +traveled during the winter in dog sledges and on snowshoes. The winter +following the opening of the road, Messrs. Robertson, Nelson and Baker +went over it to St. Paul on foot. In the spring of 1854 Newton and +others made additional surveys of the town site of Superior City, and +the same was recorded Nov. 6, 1854. Settlers came in rapidly. O. K. +Hall built a hotel. At the organization of Douglas county, in 1854, +Superior was made the county seat, the proprietors donating twelve +acres of land for county buildings. Two lots for every eight blocks +were donated for schools, twenty lots for churches, and a square for a +park. A weekly mail to and from St. Paul was established in July of +that year. A saw mill was erected. A land office was established at +Superior that year. Rev. David Brooks, a pioneer Methodist minister, +preached the first sermon, using a carpenter's shop as an audience +room. + +An old settlers' association was organized September, 1855, known as +the Fond du Lac Historical Society. Its officers were: R. B. Carlton, +president; W. H. Norton and E. F. Ely, vice presidents; E. W. Perry, +secretary. The Superior _Chronicle_ issued its first number June 12, +1855. It was the first newspaper published at the head of Lake +Superior. Ashton & Wise were the publishers. The second number +contained the announcement of the opening of the Ste. Marie canal and +the passage through it of the first boat, the steamer Illinois. It +contained also the astonishing announcement, from the St. Anthony +_Express_, that a salt lake had been discovered by W. H. Ingersoll, +one hundred and fifty miles west of St. Cloud. The salt was said to +be of good quality, and in such quantity that it could be gathered by +the bushel. Large beds of coal had also been discovered near the lake. +The _Chronicle_ was discontinued in 1863 and succeeded by the Superior +_Gazette_ in 1864. The _Gazette_ has been succeeded by the Superior +_Times_, now edited by J. Lute, Thomas Bardon, proprietor. + +Superior City has passed through periods of depression as well as of +advancement. At an early period speculators were lured to the spot by +the manifest advantages it presented for the building of a great city. +The favorable site attracted attention throughout the Union. Wealthy +men and men prominent in the political history of the country invested +largely. Amongst these we find the names of W. W. Corcoran, of +Washington; Robert J. Walker, of New York; G. W. Cass, of Pittsburgh, +Pennsylvania; Horace S. Walbridge, of Toledo, Ohio; the Breckenridges +of Kentucky; the Rice brothers, of St. Paul; and James Stinson, of +Chicago. With the influence of these names, and the means furnished, +the new city had a rapid, if not healthy growth. The prosperity was +short lived. The adjacent country was not sufficiently developed, the +shipping interests languished, and those who had been attracted hither +by dreams of becoming suddenly rich, were discouraged and moved away, +till, in 1858, the city was half deserted. The period of depression +continued through the Civil War, and for years afterward, until, by +the building of railroads and the consequent development of the +country, the claims of Superior as a centre of trade were again +acknowledged, and the tide of emigration was turned back. With +Allouez, Superior and Duluth bays for its harbor, with its railroads +already built, building or projected, its enterprising people are +ready to contest with Duluth for the sovereignty of the Unsalted Seas. + +Superior, being a combination of Old Superior and West Superior under +one municipality, was organized as a village Aug. 27, 1887, and held +her first village election Sept. 24, 1887, with a population of 6,000 +people. It was organized with the following officers: President, L. F. +Johnston; trustees, Wm. Munro, Neil Smith, L. G. Moran, A. Lederman, +A. A. Cross, and Howard Thomas. + + +WEST SUPERIOR + +Was platted in 1884. The first buildings were erected in October of +the same year. The city has now a population of 3,000. It has +excellent graded schools, under the supervision of Prof. G. Glen +Williams. The Catholics, Presbyterians and Congregationalists have +church buildings, and the Methodists are about to build. A hotel is in +process of building that will cost when completed $100,000. West +Superior is supplied with water works, the electric light, extensive +coal docks and elevators, and has three newspapers, the Superior +_Inter-Ocean_, established June 3, 1886; the West Superior _News_, +established June 24, 1886; and the _Sunday Morning Call_, established +July, 1887. + +THE BARDON BROTHERS.--James, Thomas and John A. Bardon came early to +Superior City and upheld her doubtful fortunes in the days of trial, +never losing faith in her prospective greatness. They have not toiled +and watched and waited in vain. The expected railways have been built; +the improved harbor, with dredge boats, well built piers and +lighthouse, has been completed. Surveys and terminal approaches of +other roads insure the commercial prosperity of the city. Thomas has +for some years been a resident of Ashland, Wisconsin. + +WM. H. NEWTON, an early citizen of Superior City, is among those who +have never lost faith in its future prosperity, believing the head of +the lake to be the natural terminus of European trade and a centre of +American commerce. He is an engineer, surveyor, real estate dealer, +and is interested in some of the converging lines of railroad at +Superior City. + +SOLON H. CLOUGH.--Mr. Clough was born in Madison county, New York, +Aug. 31, 1828; was educated at Fulton Academy, since known as Falley +Seminary, Oswego county, New York. He attended for a short time +Hamilton College, New York, studied law, and was admitted to the bar +at Syracuse in 1851. He came to Hudson, Wisconsin, in the fall of +1857; in 1861 was elected mayor of Hudson; in 1864, judge of the +Eleventh circuit, and removed to Osceola. In 1869 he removed to +Superior City; in 1876 returned to Hudson, but removed again to +Superior in 1881, where he still resides. He was re-elected circuit +judge in 1870, and in 1882 was appointed by Gov. Rusk to fill the +vacancy caused by the death of Judge Barron. At the conclusion of his +term he was re-elected for the ensuing term. Judge Clough was married +in 1851 to Kate Taylor, of New York. + +VINCENT ROY, a brother of Peter Roy, well known among the pioneers of +the Northwest, was born in Fort Francis in 1825; came to La Pointe in +1839; attended school a few terms, and engaged in the fur trade. In +1854 he came to Superior, where he still resides, and is an active, +enterprising merchant. + +D. GEORGE MORRISON, a son of William Morrison, the discoverer of the +source of the Mississippi, resides at Superior City, where he has +served as register of deeds for Douglas county since 1856, a period of +thirty-one years. He came to Superior an 1854. + +AUGUST ZACHAU came to Superior in 1852, from Chicago, where he had +been for three years, working at the carpenter's trade. He was then +twenty-seven years of age, and a Prussian by birth. He was engaged by +the Superior Town Site Company to superintend the building +improvements going on at what is now the East End. When he came up, no +Ste. Marie canal had been dug, and a portage was necessary between +Lakes Superior and Huron, involving a change in the line of vessels. +He built the first hotel in Superior, the old Pioneer House, which +burned in 1857, and also the present Nicollet House, which was built +of logs, cut on what is now Tower Slip. He also built the Quebec pier, +the first dock ever built at the head of Lake Superior. He also +assisted in cutting the old government trail through to the St. Croix +river. He was an active participant in the defense of the town site +people in their battles with the claim jumping pre-emptioners, who had +settled on the lands adjoining, and who filed contests on much of the +town site as soon as the plats were returned to the land office at +Willow River, now known as Hudson. In cutting the sixty miles of trail +to the St. Croix, every able-bodied man turned out, except enough to +guard the homes and cut kindling wood. The axemen ground their axes at +Fond du Lac, the only trading station of importance at that time on +the St. Louis river. He pre-empted, in the interest of his fellow +sufferers on the town site, eighty acres of land, now part of +Superior. He has always led a quiet, laborious life; now runs a small +general store at the East End, and does a little general contracting +for ties and bridge timbers and dock piling. He has a family of five +boys and one girl now living, all in Superior. + +Among the first settlers were Judge Hiram Hayes, ---- Ritchie and ---- +Gates. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +PINE COUNTY. + + +Prior to the organization of Minnesota Territory, in 1849, Pine county +was included within the limits of St. Croix county, Wisconsin. Until +the organization of Chisago county, in 1852, it was within the limits +of Ramsey, and from thence until 1854, within the limits of Chisago, +when it was organized under its present name. Until 1858 it included +the territory of the present counties of Kanabec and Carlton. It is +bounded on the north by Carlton county, on the east by the St. Croix +river and the state line, and on the west by Aitkin and Kanabec +counties. It is well watered by the St. Croix, Kettle and Kanabec +rivers with their numerous tributaries. There are many fine lakes +within its borders. The finest of these are Cross, Pokegama, Pine and +Sturgeon lakes. This county was originally heavily timbered with pine, +from which fact it derived its name. Though immense quantities have +been removed, the supply is still great enough to make this region a +lumberman's paradise for years to come. + +The facilities for floating logs to the St. Croix are scarce equaled +elsewhere. Since 1837 the Kanabec river has been a principal feeder to +the lumber trade of the St. Croix valley. In some of the forests a new +growth has succeeded the old, and should the land be not otherwise +used, the lumberman may yet reap successive harvests in periods +ranging from eight to fifteen years. Much of the land in this county +is well adapted for agriculture. The soil is chiefly a sandy loam with +clay subsoil. Much of the county will eventually become a good grazing +and cereal growing region. The southern townships are heavily timbered +with hardwood and are rapidly being converted into good wheat farms. A +large quantity of cordwood, piles and ties is annually marketed by +means of the railroad. Kanabec river is navigable from Chengwatana and +Pine City to Brunswick, in Kanabec county. The same steamboat that +since 1881 has navigated the Kanabec, also makes trips, six miles up +the Rice and Pokegama rivers. The first crops raised in the county, +except those raised by traders and missionaries, were raised on the +Greeley farm, Kanabec river, near the western limits of the county, by +Royal C. Gray. + +At the organization of the county, Herman Trott, George W. Staples and +Royal C. Gray were appointed commissioners. The county was attached +for judicial purposes to Chisago until 1872, at which date the county +seat, located at Chengwatana by legislative enactment, was changed by +a popular vote to Pine City. The first district court was held in +October, 1872, Judge Crosby, presiding; John D. Wilcox, clerk; Edward +Jackson, sheriff. + +The first marriage license, issued in 1872, was to John Kelsey and +Mary Hoffman. The first board of county officers, after the removal of +the county seat, were: Commissioners, Hiram Brackett, George Goodwin +and Edward Jackson; auditor, Adolph Munch; register of deeds, Don +Willard; county attorney, treasurer and superintendent of schools, +John D. Wilcox. The first article recorded by the register of Pine +county was a military land warrant, No. 12702, in the name of Prudence +Rockwell, located by William Orrin Baker upon the southeast quarter of +section 32, township 38, range 20, subject to forty days' pre-emption, +dated Stillwater, June 19, 1855; T. M. Fullerton, register. Assigned, +June 14, 1856, to Enos Jones. The second record is of a warranty deed +from John F. Bradford to W. A. Van Slyke, of Ramsey county, of the +west half of the northwest quarter of section 30, township 39, range +19, and the west half of the northwest quarter of the same section. + +The finances of the county were in good condition until 1872, from +which time, owing to heavy expenditures for new roads, with possibly +injudicious management, and two defalcations of county auditors, +considerable embarrassment ensued. In 1876 the state legislature +bonded the county indebtedness of $10,000, in ten year bonds, at ten +per cent interest. These bonds were readily received by the creditors, +and the county is now free from debt. During the last year a bridge +800 feet long was built across the Kanabec river near Pine City, at a +cost of $3,350, for which the State appropriated $1,500 and the county +$1,850. + +The Lake Superior & Mississippi railroad was completed to Kanabec +river in 1868, and in 1869 extended northwest to the county line. The +building of this road was speedily followed by the erection of +numerous mills along its line, a list of which is appended, with the +very remarkable statistics of the losses by fire, from which but four +of these mills were exempt: + + North Branch, Swenson & Co., flour mill; burned; loss, + $8,000. + + Rush City, Taylor & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; + burned; loss, $3,000. + + Rock Creek, Edgerton & Co., capacity 2,000,000 feet yearly; + burned; loss, $8,000; rebuilt. + + Rock Creek, Strong & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; + burned; loss, $1,500; rebuilt. + + Rock Creek, Long & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; + removed. + + Pine City, Ferson & Co., capacity 10,000,000 feet yearly; + burned; loss, $50,000; rebuilt. + + Pine City, Ferson & Co., capacity 10,000,000 feet yearly; + burned; loss, $25,000; rebuilt. + + Pine City, Munch & Burrows, stave mill; burned; loss, + $10,000. + + Pine City, Brackett & Co., capacity 3,000,000 feet yearly. + + Mission Creek, Taylor & Co., capacity 3,000,000 feet yearly; + burned; loss, $12,500; rebuilt. + + Mission Creek, Taylor & Co., capacity 3,000,000 feet yearly; + burned; loss, $12,500. + + Hinckley, Grant & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; + burned; loss, $3,000. + + Hinckley, McKean & Butler, capacity 3,000,000 feet yearly; + burned; loss, $7,000; rebuilt. + + Miller Station, Robie & Co., shingle mill; burned; loss, + $3,000. + + Kettle River, S. S. Griggs & Co., capacity 3,000,000 feet + yearly; never operated; loss, $5,000. + + Moose Lake, McArthur & Co., capacity 2,000,000 feet yearly; + burned; loss, $30,000. + + Barnum, Cooley & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; + burned; loss, $5,000. + + Barnum, Bliss & Co., capacity 10,000,000 feet yearly. + + Northern Pacific Junction, Payne & Co., two mills burned; + loss, $50,000; rebuilt the third time. + + +POKEGAMA LAKE. + +This beautiful lake lies in township 39, range 22. It is about five +miles in length by one in breadth and finds an outlet in Kanabec +river. It is celebrated for its historical associations. Thomas +Conner, an old trader, informed the writer of these sketches, in 1847, +that he had had a trading post on the banks of this lake thirty years +before, or about the year 1816. This was before Fort Snelling was +built. Mr. Conner said that there was a French trading post at +Pokegama long before he went there. It was in the spring of 1847, +after a wearisome day's tramp, that I made his acquaintance and shared +his unstinted hospitality. His post, at that time, was located at the +mouth of Goose creek, Chisago county, on the banks of the St. Croix. +His rude, portable house was built of bark, subdivided with mats and +skins into different apartments. Although at an advanced period in +life, his mind was clear and he conversed with a degree of +intelligence which caused me to ask him why he lived thus secluded, +away from all the privileges of a civilized life. His reasons, some of +them, were forcible; he liked the quiet of the wilderness, away from +the turmoils of the envious white race. I learned from him many +interesting facts connected with travelers, traders and explorers of +our St. Croix valley. This was the last season he spent on the river. + +In 1847, when I visited Pokegama, Jeremiah Russell, an Indian farmer, +had a very pretty farm on a point of land on the southwest side of the +lake, and between the lake and the river. A Frenchman, Jarvis, lived a +short distance from Russell. Across the lake from Russell's were the +neat and tasteful log buildings and gardens of the Presbyterian +mission. The mission was established in the spring of 1836, by Rev. +Frederic Ayer and his associates, under the auspicies of the American +Board of Foreign Missions. Mr. Ayer had been laboring at Yellow Lake +mission, but, owing to the growing unfriendliness of the Indians, had +been removed to Pokegama. Much pertaining to the mission work, both at +Pokegama and elsewhere, will be found in the biographies of the +principal missionaries. We mention here only such incidents as may be +of more general interest. For many of these incidents we are indebted +to Mrs. Elisabeth J. Ayer, of Belle Prairie, the widow of Rev. +Frederic Ayer, for a long time missionary to the Ojibways. This +estimable lady has passed her eighty-fifth year, but her mind is still +clear and her hand steady, her manuscript having the appearance of the +work of a precise young schoolmistress. She mentions an old Canadian, +who had been in the country sixty years, and for seven or eight years +had been entirely blind. He was known as Mushk-de-winini +(The-old-blind-prairie-man), also the old trader, Thomas Conner, the +remains of whose mud chimney and foundation of the old trading house +may still be seen on the southern shore of the lake. + +Franklin Steele was the first white man to visit the mission. In the +spring of 1837 the mission aided three or four families in building. +February, 1837, Rev. Mr. Hall, of the La Pointe mission, visited +Pokegama, and organized a church of seven members,--three of whom were +natives,--administered the ordinance of baptism to eight persons, and +solemnized two marriages, probably the first in the valley of the St. +Croix. Revs. Boutwell and Ely came to the mission in 1837. A school +had been opened, some Indian houses built, and gardens enlarged, and +the future of the mission seemed assured. Mrs. Ayer relates the +following account of the + + +BATTLE OF POKEGAMA. + +In 1811 the Sioux selected this settlement as the place to avenge the +wrongs of the Ojibways--some of recent date; the principal of which +was the killing of two sons of Little Crow (done in self defense) +between Pokegama and the falls of the St. Croix. The Sioux arrived at +Pokegama in the night, and stopped on the opposite side of the lake, +two miles from the mission. The main body went to the main settlement, +and, after examining the ground where they intended to operate, hid +among the trees and brush back of the Indian gardens, with orders that +all keep quiet on both sides of the lake till a given signal, when the +Indians were busy in their gardens, and then make quick work. But +their plans failed. Most of the Ojibways of the settlement had, from +fear of the Sioux, slept on an island half a mile out in the lake (I +mean the women and children), and were late to their gardens. In the +meantime a loaded canoe was nearing the opposite shore and the few +Sioux who had remained there to dispatch any who, in time of battle, +might attempt to escape by crossing over, fired prematurely. This gave +the alarm, and saved the Ojibways. The chief ran to Mr. Ayer's door +and said, expressively: "The Sioux are upon us," and was off. The +Indians seemed at once to understand that the main body of the enemy +was at hand. The missionaries stepped out of the door and had just +time to see a great splashing of water across the lake when bullets +came whizzing about their ears, and they went in. The Sioux had left +their hiding place and the battle commenced in earnest. Most of the +women and children of the settlement were yet on the island. The house +of the chief was well barricaded and most of the men gathered in +there. The remainder took refuge in a house more exposed, at the other +end of the village. The enemy drew up very near and fired in at the +window. One gun was made useless, being indented by a ball. The owner +retired to a corner and spent the time in prayer. The mother of the +house, with her small children, was on her way to the island under a +shower of bullets, calling aloud on God for help. + +The missionaries seeing from their windows quantities of bloody flesh +upon stumps in the battle field, thought surely that several of their +friends had fallen. It proved to be a cow and calf of an Ojibway. The +mission children were much frightened and asked many questions, and +for apparent safety went up stairs and were put behind some well +filled barrels. In the heat of battle two Ojibways came from the +island and landed in front of Mr. Ayer's house. They drew their canoe +ashore and secreted themselves as well as the surroundings would +permit. Not long after three Sioux ran down the hill and toward the +canoe. They were fired upon and one fell dead. The other two ran for +help but before they could return the Ojibways were on the way back to +the island. Not having time to take the scalp of their enemy, they +hastily cut the powder horn strap from his breast, dripping with +blood, as a trophy of victory. The Sioux drew the dead body up the +hill and back to the place of fighting. The noise ceased. The battle +was over. The missionaries soon heard the joyful words, quietly +spoken: "We still live." Not a warrior had fallen. The two school +girls who were in the canoe at the first firing in the morning were +the only ones killed, though half the men and boys in the fight were +wounded. The Sioux women and boys who had come with their warriors to +carry away the spoils had the chagrin of returning as empty as they +came. + +The Ojibways were careful that no canoe should be left within reach of +the Sioux. From necessity they took a canoe, made by Mr. Ely, and +removed their dead two miles up the river, dressed them (seemingly) in +the best the party could furnish, with each a double barreled gun, a +tomahawk and scalping knife, set them up against some large trees and +went on their way. Some of these articles, including their +head-dresses, were sent to the museum of the American board, in +Boston. + +In the closing scene the missionaries had the opportunity of seeing +the difference between those Indians who had listened to instruction +and those who had not. The second day after the battle the pagan party +brought back to the island the dead bodies of their enemies, cut in +pieces, and distributed parts to such Ojibways as had at any time lost +friends by the hands of the Sioux. One woman, whose daughter was +killed and mutilated on that memorable morning, when she saw the +canoes coming, with a head raised high in the air on a long pole, +waded out into the water, grabbed it like a hungry dog and dashed it +repeatedly on the stones with savage fierceness. Others of the pagans +conducted themselves in a similar manner. They even cooked some of the +flesh that night in their kettles of rice. Eunice (as she was named at +her baptism) was offered an arm. At first she hesitated; but for +reasons, sufficient in her own mind, thought best to take it. Her +daughter-in-law, widow of her son who had recently been killed and +chopped into pieces by the Sioux, took another, and they went into +their lodge. Eunice said: "My daughter, we must not do as some of our +friends are doing. We have been taught better," and taking some white +cloths from her sack they wrapped the arms in them, offered a prayer, +and gave them a decent burial. About this time a Mr. Kirkland was sent +from Quincy, Illinois, by a party who wished to plant a colony not far +from the mission station. He arrived at Pokegama very soon after the +battle. Notwithstanding what had happened he selected a location on +Cross lake, just where a railroad has now been in operation for some +years. He worked vigorously for two or three weeks, and then went to +consult the Indian agent and the military at Fort Snelling. They gave +him no encouragement that the two tribes would ever live in peace; and +he went home. The Ojibways lived in constant fear, and the place was +soon deserted. This was a great trial to the missionaries; but they +did not urge them to stay. They separated into small parties and went +where they could get a living for the present and be out of danger. +The teachers remained at their post, occasionally visiting the Indians +in their retreat, hoping they might soon think it safe to return to +their homes. In this they were disappointed. These visits were not +always very safe. On one of these trips Mr. Ayer was lost, and from +cold and hunger came near perishing. Not finding the party he sought, +he wandered about for a day or two. In the meantime the weather became +much colder. Not expecting to camp out he took only one blanket and +food enough for one meal. In crossing Kettle river on a self-made +conveyance, and there being ice on the opposite shore, he got wet. The +Indians, anticipating his visit, had sent a young man to the mission +station to guide him to, their new locality. He returned in haste, +fell on Mr. Ayer's track, and a light sprinkle of snow enabled him to +follow it until he was found. + +Mrs. Ayer relates several incidents illustrative of Indian character. +As her husband had been stationed at Yellow Lake, and afterward at Red +Lake, these incidents are not necessarily located at Pokegama: + + +A NOBLE CHIEF. + +The Red Lake Indians were a noble band--they had a noble chief. In +civilization he led the way, in religion he did not oppose. He +shouldered a heavy axe, and could be seen chopping on one side of a +large tree, in perspiration, while his wife was on the other side, +helping all she could with her hatchet. This chief was also an +advocate of temperance. Not that he didn't love whisky, but he hated +the effect of it on his band. He dictated a letter to the president, +begging him not to let the white faces bring any more firewater to his +people, giving as one reason that they had teachers among them who +must be protected, and if they had whisky he did not know what might +happen. + + +FRANK CONFESSIONS. + +In the church there was much childish simplicity. Once when Mr. Ayer +was lecturing on the eighth commandment, he paused, and without +expecting an answer, said: "Now who is there among you who has not +stolen?" One woman began to confess--another followed, then another. +One thought she had stolen about seven times. Another entered more +into particulars, mentioning the things she had stolen, till the scene +was quite amusing. Another rose to confess, but was cut short by her +husband, who said: "Who knows how many times he has stolen? We are a +nation of thieves." And with a few remarks the meeting closed. + + +A COWARDLY DEED. + +After a medicine dance, according to Indian custom, they proposed a +feast, but there was nothing on which to feast. There was a large +company and all were hungry. Mr. Ayer's cow was in the barnyard near. +Three daring fellows sitting by themselves began to taunt each other +in regard to their comparative prowess. After an excitement was +created, one of them, to show his bravery, shot the cow. Mr. Ayer was +in his garden and witnessed the performance. Two or three of the +leading men in this pagan party came immediately to Mr. Ayer to learn +whether he would take the cow for his own use. While they were talking +(perhaps twenty minutes) the cow was cut in pieces, and in the +Indians' kettles preparatory to a good time. After the Indians had +sold their land they paid for the cow. + + +AN UNJUST ACCUSATION. + +Indians are said to be revengeful. They are. So are white men. They +fight for their rights. So do white men. They are thieves and liars. +So are white men. Quarrelsome, envious, jealous. So are white men. +Experience teaches that according to their knowledge they compare +favorably with Anglo-Saxons. Sin is none the better, nor less +mischievous, for being civilized. + +A missionary, a good man, too, he was, accused an innocent woman of +stealing his shirts that were laid out on the snow to whiten. His +wife, not remembering that she had brought them in early in the +morning, asked him to go out and get them. But they were not to be +found! "Who has been here this morning?" was asked. "Ekwazans; I don't +remember any other." "Well, she shan't have those shirts. I'll +overtake her before she gets home." He followed her four miles, +determined to have his shirts. The woman declared her innocence, and +told him to search the wigwam. He did so, but said himself that it was +done rather roughly. In the meantime the wife espied the shirts just +where she had put them. This affair was ever after a source of regret +to them. + +Some of the Indians laughed heartily; others made remarks rather +sarcastic. The woman herself felt disgraced by the accusation, but +never manifested signs of wanting to "pay back," or in any way to +avenge the wrong. + + +INDIAN MAGNANIMITY. + +An employe of the American Fur Company, a "green hand," was crossing a +portage. The load on his back was topped off with a bag of flour. The +hill was steep and long. Steps were cut in it like a flight of stairs. +As he reached the top a mischievous Indian touched the bag, and it +went tumbling to the foot of the hill. The Frenchman immediately sent +the Indian tumbling after it. Some of the company advised the +Frenchman to run away, for the Indian might kill him. He told them +boldly that he would not run away. The Indian gathered himself up, +came to the top of the hill, told the Frenchman he had done just +right, offered his hand and they were firm friends. Magnanimous had it +been a white man. + +REV. FREDERIC AYER was born in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in 1803. +When he was two years old the family moved to Central New York. His +father was a Presbyterian minister, and they intended that their son +should follow the same profession; but before he was prepared his +health failed and he turned his attention to other business. + +He commenced his labors for the Indians in 1829, by teaching the +mission school at Mackinaw, under the superintendency of Rev. M. +Ferry. The pupils of this school were not all Ojibways but were from +many different tribes, and spoke different languages. Mackinaw was +then a general depot of the North American fur traders. They brought +not only their own children to the school but such others as parents +among whom they were trading wished to send. They were gathered from +Lake Winnipeg, British America north, to Prairie du Chien and the head +of Lake Michigan south. They were taught in English only. + +In the summer of 1830 Mr. Ayer went to La Pointe, Lake Superior, with +Mr. Warren, opened a school and commenced the study of the Ojibway +language. In 1831 he met at Mackinaw, Revs. Hall and Boutwell, who +were sent out by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign +Missions to the Indians, and he returned with Mr. and Mrs. Hall and +their interpreter to spend another winter at La Pointe. + +The next year, 1832, Mr. Ayer wintered with another trader at Sandy +Lake. He opened a school there and completed a little Ojibway +spelling book which was commenced at La Pointe. In the spring of 1833 +he left Sandy Lake for Utica, New York, to get the book printed. Mr. +Aitkin, with whom he had wintered, gave him eighty dollars, and with a +pack on his back and an experienced guide, he started on his journey. +Before they reached Sault Ste. Marie the ice on Lake Superior was so +weak that Mr. Ayer broke through and was saved only by carrying +horizontally in his hands a long pole to prevent his sinking. + +Mr. Ayer hastened on to complete the object of his journey, that he +might return to Mackinaw in time to go up Lake Superior with the +traders. Mr. Ayer, hitherto an independent worker, now put himself +under the direction of the "American Board," and was sent to Yellow +Lake, within the present bounds of Burnett county, Wisconsin. Miss +Delia Cooke, whose name should never be forgotten among the early +missionaries of the American board to the Indians, and Miss Hester +Crooks, a girl educated at Mackinaw, and who had some experience in +teaching, were among the number who coasted up Lake Superior in a +Mackinaw boat; the former to La Pointe mission, the latter to Yellow +Lake with Mr. and Mrs. Ayer. They wintered in Dr. Borup's family. Mrs. +Borup also had, for some years, been a pupil at Mackinaw. The next +year Miss Crooks married Rev. Mr. Boutwell and went to Leech lake, and +J. L. Seymour and Miss Sabrian Stevens, also Henry Blatchford, an +interpreter from Mackinaw, were added to Yellow Lake mission. When Mr. +Ayer told the Indians his object in coming among them, they gave him a +welcome. But six months later, seeing two or three log houses in +process of building, they were much troubled, and met in a body to +request him to go away. A Menomonie from the region of Green Bay had +stirred them up, not against the missionaries, but against the general +government. + +The speaker said: "It makes the Indians sad to see the white man's +house go up on their land. We don't want you to stay; you must go." +Further on he said: "You shall go!" Mr. Ayer answered him. The party +left at midnight, and the missionaries went to bed with heavy hearts, +thinking they might be thurst out almost immediately. But before +sunrise the next morning about two-thirds of the same party returned, +and said they had come to take back what they said the night before. +The war chief was speaker, but his words were mild. "Why," said he, +"should we turn these teachers away before they have done us any +harm?" They would like to have us stay, he said, but added that they +did not want any more to come, for the result might be the loss of +their lands. We might use whatever their country afforded, but they +would not give us any land, or sell us any. "For," said the speaker, +"if we should sell our land where would our children play?" + +Mr. Ayer finished his school house, and went on with his work as +though nothing had happened. But evidently things were not as they +should be. The chief seemed to "sit on the fence," ready to jump +either way. The war chief was always friendly, but he had not so much +control over what concerned us. He did what he could without giving +offense, and was anxious that his daughter of fourteen years should be +taken into the mission family. Mr. Ayer remained two years longer at +Yellow Lake. In the meantime the chief of the Snake River band sent +messages inviting the teachers to come and live among them. +Accordingly in the spring of 1836 the mission was removed to Pokegama +lake, eighteen miles up the river. The chief did all he had promised, +and showed himself a man. Nothing was said here to remind the +missionaries that they were using the Indians' wood, water and fish. +On the contrary, when they sold their land, it was urged that the +teachers' children should be enrolled for annual payment, the same as +their own. The chief said that as they were born on the land it was no +more than right, and he wished it might be done. + +In 1842 Mr. Ayer went with his family to the States; and in Oberlin +was ordained preacher to the Ojibways. He soon returned to the Indian +country, and David Brainard Spencer, an Oberlin student, with him. +They spent the winter of 1842-3 in traveling from one trading post to +another, selecting locations for missionary labor. For their own field +they chose Red Lake. When Mrs. Ayer, with her two little boys, six and +eight years old, went to join her husband at the new station, Alonzo +Barnard and wife and S. G. Wright, all of Oberlin College, went with +her. Other missionaries soon followed, and that station was for many +years supplied with efficient laborers. More recently the work there +was assigned to Bishop Whipple, and is still carried on. + +Mr. and Mrs. Ayer, in 1865, offered their services to the freed-men of +the South and were employed at Atlanta, Georgia. + +Mr. Ayer organized a Congregational church and a baptistry connected +with the house of worship, that he might baptise by immersion or +otherwise, according to the wishes of the candidate. He also formed a +temperance society, which some months before his death numbered more +than six hundred members. + +There was great grief at his death amongst all classes. An aged man, +who had lost a small fortune in his devotion to the Confederacy, +embraced the corpse, and said: "If he had not holpen me, I should have +before gone him." Many others, in word or action, expressed a similar +feeling. All classes of people were represented at his funeral. His +remains were buried in the Atlanta cemetery, Oct. 1, 1867. Thus passed +away one who had spent a life for the benefit of others. + +Mr. and Mrs. Ayer in some instances taught three generations of +Ojibway blood, and North and South, they were, in the course of their +labors, associated for a longer or shorter time, with more than eighty +different missionaries,--a noble band,--with few exceptions worthy the +name they bore. Most of them have passed away, and their graves are +scattered here and there from British America to Georgia. + +REV. WILLIAM T. BOUTWELL, who figures so prominently in the history of +the early missions in the St. Croix valley, was born in Hillsborough +county, New Hampshire, Feb. 4, 1803. He was educated at Dartmouth and +Andover colleges, and in 1831, the year of his graduation at Andover, +he came to the Northwest as a Presbyterian missionary. He spent one +year at Mackinaw, learning the Chippewa language, under the +instruction of Rev. W. M. Ferry, father of Senator Ferry, of Michigan. + +In 1832 our government sent an embassy of thirty men, under the +control of the Indian agent at Ste. Marie, Henry R. Schoolcraft, to +tranquilize the tribes and effect some advantageous treaties. The +embassy was accompanied by an outfit of soldiers under the command of +Lieut. Allen, Dr. Houghton, physician, George Johnson, interpreter, +and Mr. Boutwell. The embassy had a liberal outfit of provisions, +equipages and trinkets for the Indians, and was conveyed in a large +bateau of several tons capacity, and some birch canoes, the largest of +which was thirty feet long, and capable of containing nine persons. On +arriving at Fond du Lac, the head of navigation on the St. Louis +river, Mr. Boutwell wrote as follows to the missionary board: + +[Illustration: WILLIAM T. BOUTWELL.] + +"On arriving here I was not a little surprised to find four hundred +souls, half-breeds and white men. The scene at our landing was such as +I never before witnessed, and enough to fill one, unaccustomed to the +like as myself, with wonder, if not with fear. The yelling of Indians, +barking of dogs, crying of children, running of the multitude, +discharge of musketry, and flourish of flags, was noise in the +extreme. At ten o'clock I preached to about forty in English, the +first sermon ever preached here, and at 4 P. M. I addressed, through +Mr. Johnson, more than twice that number of French, half-breeds and +Indians; many of the latter of whom for the first time listened to the +word of Life. All listened with attention and interest. My interpreter +sat on my right, while a chief occupied a seat at my left. Around and +below me, on the floor, sat his men, women and children, in a state of +almost entire nudity, many of whom had no more than a cloth about the +loins, and a blanket, but some of the children not even a +blanket,--all with their pipes and tobacco pouches, painted with all +the variety of figures that can be imagined." + +From Fond du Lac he proceeded with the expedition up the St. Louis +river, crossing the falls by a portage, and ascending to the point +nearest Sandy lake, which was reached by a portage. The expedition +proceeded up the Mississippi to Leech lake. Learning from the Indians +at this point that Cass lake, the reputed source of the Mississippi, +was not the real source, the expedition proceeded, under the guidance +of a chief and a number of his tribe, to ascend the river further. +When they reached the lake, now known as Itasca, five of the party, +Lieut. Allen, Schoolcraft, Houghton, Johnson, and Boutwell, were sent +in canoes with Indian guides to explore the shores of the lake. No +inlet being found the party came to the conclusion that this was, as +the Indians claimed, the true source of the Mississippi river. Mr. +Schoolcraft being satisfied as to the correctness of the observations, +landed his party on an island near the middle of the lake. + +He was puzzled to know what name to give the lake, and asked Mr. +Boutwell if he knew of any word that would express the term "true head +of the river." Mr. Boutwell said he could think of no single word that +would express it, but there were two Latin words that would answer the +purpose, and those were _veritas_--true, and _caput_--head. Mr. +Schoolcraft immediately wrote on a piece of paper the two words, and +then erasing the first syllable of the first word and the last +syllable of the latter, joined the remaining syllables. He then +planted the stars and stripes on a little eminence, and formally +christened the lake "Itasca." They then proceeded to descend the +Mississippi. "As we were passing through the outlet of the lake," said +Mr. Boutwell, "I stopped my canoe on the shore and jumped across the +Mississippi. I considered that a great thing to relate in after +years." + +The party with their own boats descended the Mississippi, distributing +tobacco, medals and flags to Indians on their way.[E] "When I see the +great cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul now," said Mr. Boutwell, "I +have to reflect that when we made our memorable trip down the river in +1832 we stopped at St. Anthony falls, and I stood on the east bank and +looked across the river in profound admiration of the most beautiful +landscape I had ever seen, with only a few head of government cattle +belonging at Fort Snelling grazing upon it. The whole country on both +sides of the river was as God had made it. When we passed the locality +of St. Paul there was not even an Indian tepee to be seen." + +The party halted at a Sioux Indian village at Kaposia, a few miles +below St. Paul, and after a short consultation proceeded to the mouth +of the St. Croix, and ascending the St. Croix to its source, made a +portage of two miles to the source of the Burnt Wood river, which they +descended to Lake Superior, and thence returned to their starting +place. In the following year Mr. Boutwell established a mission at +Leech lake. In giving an account of his reception by the Indians, he +says: "When I arrived the men, with a few exceptions, were making +their fall hunts, while their families remained at the lake and its +vicinity to gather their corn and make rice. A few lodges were +encamped quite near. These I began to visit, for the purpose of +reading, singing, etc., in order to interest the children and awaken +in them the desire for instruction. I told them about the children at +Mackinaw, the Sault, and at La Pointe, who could read, write and sing. +To this they would listen attentively, while the mother would often +reply: 'My children are poor and ignorant.' To a person unaccustomed +to Indian manners and Indian wildness it would have been amusing to +have seen the little ones, as I approached their lodge, running and +screaming, more terrified, if possible, than if they had met a bear +robbed of her whelps. It was not long, however, before most of them +overcame their fears; and in a few days my dwelling, a lodge which I +occupied for three or four weeks, was frequented from morning till +evening by an interesting group of boys, all desirous to learn to +read, sing, etc. To have seen them hanging, some on one knee, others +on my shoulder, reading and singing, while others, whether from shame +or fear I know not, who dared not venture within, were peeping in +through the sides of the cottage, or lying flat upon the ground and +looking under the bottom, might have provoked a smile; especially to +have seen them as they caught a glance of my eye, springing upon their +feet and running like so many wild asses colts. The rain, cold and +snow were alike to them, in which they would come, day after day, many +of them clad merely with a blanket and a narrow strip of cloth about +the loins. The men at length returned, and an opportunity was +presented me for reading to them. The greater part listened +attentively. Some would come back and ask me to read more. Others +laughed, and aimed to make sport of both me and my mission." + +He continued to labor here until 1837, when the Indians becoming +troublesome, and having murdered Aitkin, an agent of the fur company, +he deemed it advisable to remove the mission to Pokegama lake. He +labored here faithfully, much respected by the Indians for his +firmness and christian devotion. In 1847 he removed to Stillwater and +settled on a farm near the city, where he is spending the remainder of +his days, cared for by his affectionate daughter Kate and her kind +husband, ----Jones. Though infirm in body on account of advanced age +his mind is clear and his memory retentive. He enjoys the respect +accorded to venerable age, and that which pertains to an early and +middle life spent in unusual toils and hardships in the noblest work +intrusted to the hands of man. + +MRS. HESTER CROOKS BOUTWELL deserves honorable mention as the early +companion of the devoted missionary. She was the daughter of Ramsey +Crooks, of New York, an Indian trader. Her mother was a half-breed +Ojibway woman. Hester Crooks was born on Drummond island, Lake Huron, +May 30, 1817. Her father gave her a superior education at Mackinaw +mission. She was a woman of tall and commanding figure, her black hair +and eyes indicating her Indian origin. She was a fluent +conversationalist, and careful and tidy in her personal appearance. +She died in Stillwater in 1853, leaving a family of seven children. + + +CHENGWATANA. + +This town derived its name from the Chippewa words, "cheng-wa" (pine) +and "tana" (city), applied to an Indian village which from time +immemorial had been located near the mouth of Cross lake. This +locality had long been a rallying point for Indians and traders. When +the writer visited it, in 1846, it had the appearance of an ancient +place of resort. Half-breeds and whites with Indian wives settled +here, and in 1852 there were several log houses, and a hotel kept by +one Ebenezer Ayer. There was also a dam built for sluicing logs. Among +the early settlers were Duane Porter, George Goodwin, Herman Trott, +John G. Randall, Emil, Gustave and Adolph Munch. Mr. Trott built a +fine residence on the shore of Cross lake, afterward the home of S. A. +Hutchinson. The Munch brothers built a store and made other +improvements. John G. Randall, in 1856-7-8, manufactured lumber, ran +it down the Kanabec and St. Croix rivers to Rush Seba, Sunrise and +Taylor's Falls. In 1852, and soon after the building of the government +road to Superior City, a post office and a stage route from St. Paul +to Superior City were established. The dam, to which reference has +been made, was built in 1848, by Elam Greely. It is at the outlet of +Cross lake and has ten feet head. The flowage covers many thousands of +acres. The ownership has changed several times. The tolls levied +amount to from ten to fifteen cents per thousand feet. The chartered +operators control the flowage completely, opening and shutting gates +at their pleasure. Many of the first settlers removed to other +localities. Mr. Trott and the Munch brothers to St. Paul, J. G. +Randall to Colorado, and Louis Ayd to Taylor's Falls. + +In 1856 an effort was made to found a village on the site of the old +Indian town of Chengwatana. Judd, Walker & Co. and Daniel A. Robertson +surveyed and platted the village of Alhambra, but the name was not +generally accepted, and the old Indian name of Chengwatana superseded +it. The town of Chengwatana was organized in 1874. The first +supervisors were Duane Porter, Resin Denman and Ferdinand Blank. + +LOUIS AYD was born in Germany in 1840; came to America in 1852 and +settled in Chengwatana. He served three and a half years as a soldier +during the Rebellion, and was seriously injured in the service. On his +return he settled in Taylor's Falls. He is a well-to-do farmer and +dealer in live stock for the meat market. He has been a member of the +Roman Catholic church from childhood. He was married to Rosabella +Hoffman, of Hudson, Wisconsin, in 1871. + +DUANE PORTER, the son of a surgeon in the United States Army in the +war of 1812, was born in Washington county, New York, in 1825; came +West as far as Illinois in 1852, and to St. Croix Falls in 1844. He +was married in 1848 to Mary Lapraire, and in the same year located at +Chengwatama. His occupation is that of an explorer and lumberman. He +has ten children living. + +S. A. HUTCHINSON.--Mr. Hutchinson was a native of Maine, and while +yet a youth came to the valley of the St. Croix, and located at +Chengwatana, where he married a Chippewa woman, and raised a family of +half-breed children. "Gus" Hutchinson, as he was familiarly called, +had many noble traits of character and was very popular with his +associates. He had a well trained mind; was skilled as a lumberman and +explorer, and was of a genial disposition, honest in heart and true in +his friendships. He was elected sheriff of Pine county, and served +four years. On the night of Aug. 16, 1880, he was found in a sitting +posture on his bed, lifeless, a rifle ball having pierced his heart. +It appeared, on investigation, that his oldest son wanted to marry an +Indian girl, to which his father objected. On the night after the +murder the marriage took place in Indian style. Suspicion pointing +strongly toward mother and son, they were arrested, and an indictment +found by the grand jury against the son. He was tried and acquitted. + + +HINCKLEY. + +The township of Hinckley was organized in 1872. It includes a large +area of land; heavily timbered with pine and hardwood. The soil is +varied, consisting of black and yellow sand loam with clay subsoil. It +abounds in meadows, marshes, tamarack swamps, pine and hardwood +ridges, and is capable of cultivation. + + +THE VILLAGE OF HINCKLEY + +Lies midway between St. Paul and Duluth, on the St. Paul & Daluth +railroad. It was founded soon after the completion of the road. The +Manitoba railroad passes through the village, running from St. Cloud +to Superior. It was incorporated in 1885. The following were the first +officers: President, James J. Brennan; recorder, S. W. Anderson; +trustees, James Morrison, Nels Parson, John Perry; treasurer, John +Burke; justices of the peace, John Brennan, A. B. Clinch; constable, +Andrew Stone. Prior to this incorporation, Hinckley had suffered +considerably from the lawlessness of its occasional or transient +residents and visitors, and the large majority of the vote in favor of +incorporation is justly considered as a triumph of law and order. The +village has a saw mill doing a large business, a good depot, round +house, four hotels, several stores, shops, and fine residences, a +commodious school house, and two churches--a Lutheran and Catholic. +The Minneapolis & Manitoba railroad connects here with the St. Paul & +Duluth railroad, and is being extended to Superior. + +JAMES MORRISON was born on Cape Breton island in 1840. Mr. Morrison +was one of the first settlers of Hinckley, having come to the +settlement in 1869, in the employ of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad. +He has followed farming and hotel keeping. He is an active and +industrious man, the proprietor of a large hotel, and a member of the +Presbyterian church. + + +SANDSTONE VILLAGE + +Is located in the northwest quarter of section 15, township 42, range +20. It contains about forty dwellings, three large boarding houses, +two stores, one hotel and a stone saw mill with diamond-toothed saw, +built by Ring & Tobin, at a cost of $30,000. The stone quarries of the +Kettle River & Sandstone Company are located on sections 3, 10 and 15, +in township 42, range 20, and extend two and three-quarters miles on +each side of Kettle river. The first work in opening the quarries was +done Aug. 22, 1885. The village plat was surveyed in June, 1887, and a +post office established there the February preceding, W. H. Grant, +Jr., being the first postmaster. The saw mill and the quarries give +employment to about four hundred men. Sandstone is located on the old +site of Fortuna. The Kettle River railroad was built to the quarries +in 1886, from the St. Paul & Duluth railroad, a distance of five +miles. The Manitoba railroad, running to Superior, passes through the +village. + +WILLIAM H. GRANT, SR., one of the founders of Hinckley, and the +proprietor and founder of the Sandstone enterprise, was born Dec. 23, +1829, at Lyndborough, New Hampshire. He received his education at +Hancock Academy, New Hampshire, and Yates Academy, Orleans county, New +York. He studied law and was admitted to practice in 1854 at +Hillsborough, New Hampshire. He came to St. Paul in 1859, where he +still resides, his property interests at Sandstone being immediately +under the super vision of his son, W. H. Grant, Jr. He sold his +interest in May, 1888, for $100,000. He was married to Martha McKean +in New Hampshire, January, 1855. + + +KETTLE RIVER. + +The town of Kettle River, including townships 43 and 44, lying on the +west line of the county, was organized in 1874. S. S. Griggs was +chairman of the first board of supervisors. The town contains but one +school district. The first settler was S. S. Griggs, who, in company +with John S. Prince, of St. Paul, built a saw mill at the St. Paul & +Duluth railroad crossing on Kettle river, in 1871-72. This was not a +successful venture. A post office was established at the mill, and S. +S. Griggs was appointed postmaster. The Manitoba and St. Paul & Duluth +railroads pass through the town from south to north. The township now +has no settlement except about twenty-four families at the station and +village. It is heavily timbered with pine and hardwood. There are +meadows, marshes and tamarack swamps, fine streams and beautiful +lakes, and much excellent farming land besides. The Pine lakes in +township 43, range 21, are beautiful sheets of water. There are no +good roads or public improvements. + +JOHN C. HANLEY was born in Covington, Kentucky, and was educated at +Oxford College, Ohio. He came to St. Paul in 1849, as a machinist and +millwright. He was married in 1853, at St. Anthony, to Sophia +Ramsdale. In 1862 he enlisted in Company M, Minnesota Mounted Cavalry, +a company recruited principally at Sunrise, Chisago county, by Capt. +James Starkey. He was commissioned second lieutenant and was with Gen. +Sibleys expedition against the Sioux. Subsequently he received a +captain's commission, and recruited Company M, Second Minnesota +Cavalry, stationed on the frontier. He was mustered out in 1865. He +resides at Kettle River. + + +MISSION CREEK + +Was organized as a town in 1880. The first supervisors were M. Thomas, +T. Johnson, Wm. McKean; Messrs. H. A. Taylor and Philip Riley & Co., +of St. Paul, were the first operators here. They built a saw mill with +a capacity of 3,000,000 feet per annum. This property has changed +owners, and is now held by the John Martin Lumber Company, of St. +Paul. It was burned down in 1885, but was immediately rebuilt. + + +PINE CITY. + +The town of Pine City was organized in 1874. The first supervisors +were Hiram Brackett, H. B. Hoffman and James Griffith. The village of +Pine City was platted in 1869. The original proprietors were James and +Stephen H. Petrie, Catherine Sloan and Luther Mendenhall. The survey +was made by B. W. Brunson. Wm. Branch acted as attorney and the +acknowledgment was made by J. J. Egan, notary public, of St. Louis +county. The village was organized in 1881, but the officers did not +qualify until the following year. + +The oldest settler was probably a Mr. Kirkland, of Quincy, Illinois, +who worked for some time on the banks of Cross lake, on the present +site of Pine City, hoping to be able to plant a colony there, but, +according to the testimony of Mrs. E. T. Ayer, the missionary became +disheartened by the Indian troubles, and left in 1841, abandoning his +scheme. The completion of the railroad which crosses the Kanabec river +at this point gave a great impetus to the prosperity of the village +and neighborhood. It now contains a fine court house, built at a cost +of $8,000, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian and Lutheran churches, good +buildings for graded and common schools, and three hotels. Pine City +has besides a pleasant park, the gift of Capt. Richard G. Robinson, +which has been adorned and embellished and named after the donor, +"Robinson Park." + +RICHARD G. ROBINSON was born in Jackson county, Iowa, in 1829; he +moved thence with his parents to Illinois, and to St. Croix Falls in +1848, where he followed lumbering, scaling, surveying and exploring. +He lived at St. Croix and Taylor's Falls until 1872, when he received +the appointment of land examiner for the Lake Superior & Mississippi +Railroad Company. He was in the employ of the company twelve years, +making his home at Pine City, where he still lives, engaged in +lumbering and real estate. He was married to Catharine A. Fullenwider, +of Iowa. Mrs. Robinson died at Pine City in 1885. + +HIRAM BRACKETT was born in 1817, in China, Maine, and came to Pine +City in 1868 from Aroostook county, Maine. He was among the first to +make improvements. He built a hotel and was the first postmaster in +the town. He died in 1883, leaving an estimable widow, three sons, +John, Albert and Frank, and two daughters, Emily, married to Henry A. +Linn, of Milwaukee, and Louise, married to Henry D. Crohurst, of Pine +City. + +RANDALL K. BURROWS, a native of Connecticut, came to Pine City in +1869, and, with Adolph Munch, built a large stave mill on the shores +of Cross lake. This proved an unfortunate investment, resulting in +litigation, during the progress of which the mill was destroyed by +fire, in 1878. Mr. Burrows was an active, enthusiastic man, and worked +hard for the interests of Pine City, filling many positions of trust. +He was elected to the state senate from the Twenty-eighth district, in +1874. His seat was contested by John Hallburg, of Centre City. The +Senate referred the question to the people, but in the election that +followed (1875) he was defeated. In 1879 he removed to Dakota, where +he died three years later. + +JOHN S. FERSON came from Michigan to Pine City in 1869. During that +and the succeeding year he was principal in building a first class +steam saw mill. It was located on a bay in the western part of the +city. This mill was burned in 1872, rebuilt and burned again. Mr. +Ferson has since removed to Dakota. + +SAMUEL MILLET settled in Pine City in 1869, and in 1870 erected the +Bay View House, on an elevated plateau commanding a fine view of Cross +lake and Kanabec river. Mr. Millet died in 1879, leaving a widow, two +sons and three daughters. + + +ROCK CREEK + +Was organized March, 1874. The first supervisors were Enoch Horton, +Frank England, and S. M. Hewson. Obadiah Hewsom was town clerk. Enoch +Horton and C. W. Gill were justices of the peace. Mr. Horton was the +first settler, he having come to the county in 1872. The year +following he raised the first crop. Mr. Horton was from Colchester, +New York. He was born in 1811, and came to Minnesota in 1862. He was +the first postmaster at Rock Creek. Other settlers came in slowly. +Edgerton, Gill & Co. built a saw mill in 1873, with a capacity of +3,000,000 feet. This property has changed hands several times. + +CAPT. ENOCH HORTON commenced official life at the age of twenty-two +years, in New York, where he served twenty-eight years as justice of +the peace and county judge. He served during the Rebellion as captain +of a company of sharpshooters. + + +ROYALTON + +Was organized in 1880. The first supervisors were Edward Peterson, +Alexis Kain and Joseph Heiniger. It is a good farming township with +many good farms. The first settlement was made by Elam Greely, in +1849, who made a farm and built a large barn, hauling the lumber from +Marine Mills, a distance of seventy miles. The town was named in +honor of Royal C. Gray, who located on the Greely farm in 1854, in the +northwest quarter of section 15, township 38, range 22, on the banks +of the Kanabec river. + + +WINDERMERE + +Was organized as a town Jan. 3, 1882. The first supervisors were +August Schog, William Champlain and Frank Bloomquist. + +The towns of Kettle River, Hinckley and Pine City were organized, and +Chengwatana reorganized by special act of the legislature in 1874, and +at that time embraced all the territory in the county. Since 1874, +Mission Creek, Rock Creek and Royalton have been set off from Pine +City and Windermere from Kettle River. + +The following villages were platted at the dates named: Neshodana, by +Clark, Cowell & Foster, in townships 41 and 42, ranges 15 and 16, in +1856; Fortuna, by W. A. Porter, surveyor, at the crossing of Kettle +river and the military road, January, 1857; St. John's, by M. L. +Benson, surveyor, in section 26, township 41, range 17, October, 1857; +Midway, by Frank B. and Julia L. Lewis, proprietors, in the northwest +quarter of section 34, township 40, range 21, September, 1855. + + +A ROCK CREEK MURDER. + +A man passing under the name of Harris had been arrested for stealing +horses. George Hathaway started with the prisoner to Sunrise. Five +days afterward Hathaway's dead body was found, and the inquest decided +that he probably met his death by stabbing or shooting at the hands of +his prisoner, who made his escape, and was never again heard from. +Hathaway was a native of Passadumkeag, Maine. + + +THE BURNING OF A JAIL. + +March 22, 1884, a couple of young men, John Cope and William Leonard, +were arrested for drunkenness and disorderly conduct, and confined in +the Pine City jail, a wooden structure. About three o'clock the next +morning the jail was found to be on fire. All efforts to extinguish +the flames or rescue the unhappy prisoners were unavailing. The fire +originated from within, in all probability from the careless action of +the prisoners themselves in striking matches, either for the purpose +of smoking or of exploring their cells. + + +A DISFIGURED FAMILY. + +Mr. Redman, the agent at the Kettle River railroad station, called my +attention to the fact that old Batice is singularly disfigured. He was +born without thumbs or big toes. The fingers and remaining toes +resemble birds' claws. Two of the fingers of each hand and two of the +toes on each foot are united to the tips but have distinct nails. Of +his four children three are disfigured like the father. His +grandchildren are many of them worse than himself, one having but one +finger. + + +INDIAN FAITH CURE. + +A woman at Pokegama was badly burned by the explosion of gunpowder +while she was putting it in a flask. Her face became terribly swollen +and black. The missionaries did what they could for her, but thought +she must die. After two days the Indian doctors held a medicine dance +for her benefit. After they had gone through with their magic arts the +woman arose, and, without any assistance, walked around distributing +presents to the performers of the ceremony. It was truly wonderful. +She recovered rapidly. + + +INDIAN GRAVES. + +The Chippewas bury their dead much as the whites do. The body is +deposited in a grave and covered with earth. A low wooden covering, +somewhat like the roof of a house, is reared above it, the gables +resting on the ground. The roof is covered with white or bleached +muslin, and surmounted by a board cross. An aperture about six inches +square is left in each end of the structure. The head of the grave is +toward the west, and here are deposited offerings of fruits and +trinkets of various kinds. We found at one grave a broken saucer, an +oyster can filled with blueberries, a large red apple, and a pair of +old shoes. Friends of the deceased visit the graves for one or two +years, renewing their tributes of affection, and bringing offerings of +fruit according to the season, and various foods, from acorns to dried +venison, but in time these visits are discontinued and the graves are +neglected and forgotten. + + +STOICISM OF THE INDIAN. + +On the banks of the Kettle river a five-year-old boy burned his hand +badly. The mother, after examining the wound, decided that it was +incurable, ordered the boy to place his hand upon a block, and by a +single blow from a common hatchet severed it from the wrist. The boy +endured the suffering without flinching. + +OLD BATICE, _alias_ "Kettle," lived on Kettle river in 1880. Counting +by moons he claims to have lived there ninety-nine years. He is +certainly very old. He says that he has always been a friend to the +whites, and that in the Sioux outbreak of 1862 he counseled his people +to remain quiet; that he was the enemy of the Sioux, three of whom he +had killed and scalped. To commemorate his warlike deeds in +slaughtering his enemies, he wore three large eagle feathers in his +gray hair. He claims to be half French. + + +AN INDIAN DANCE. + +In June, 1880, the Indians were practicing a new dance near the Kettle +River railroad station, part of which it was my privilege to witness. +The dance house was a rudely constructed pole frame covered with birch +bark, fastened down with willow twigs. About thirty dancers, male and +female, and of all ages, were crowded in the dance house, sweating, +grunting, hopping and bounding at the tap of a deer skin drumhead, and +the "chi-yi-chi-yi-chi-hoo" of a quartette of boys and girls, squatted +in a corner of the bark house. The din was incessant, the chant of the +singers, or howlers, monotonous and wearisome, yet the dancers stepped +and bounded to their rude music as readily as do civilized dancers to +the more exquisite music of stringed instruments. This dance was the +same that so frightened the Burnett county people, and required at +least ten days for its complete performance. A few minutes' +observation amply satisfied us, and we gladly withdrew. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[E] Several years prior to this William Morrison had a trading station +upon the shores of this lake, and is probably the first white man who +visited it, but it does not appear that he identified it as the source +of the Mississippi. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +KANABEC COUNTY. + + +Kanabec county, prior to 1849, was included in St. Croix county, +Wisconsin; thence until 1852 it was a part of Ramsey county, +Minnesota; until 1854 a part of Chisago county; and thence until its +organization in 1859, a part of Pine county. It was attached for +judicial purposes at various times to Chisago, Isanti and Pine +counties. In 1882 it was organized for judicial purposes, Judge Crosby +holding the first term of court at Brunswick. The second term was held +at Mora in 1884, in the new court house. + +The writer, when a member of the Minnesota senate in 1858, selected +the name and introduced the bill for the formation of the county. Its +boundaries are Aitkin county on the north, Pine on the east, Isanti on +the south, and Mille Lacs on the west. It is well watered and drained +by the Kanabec and its tributaries. This river is navigable to +Brunswick, and one of its tributaries, Rice river, is navigable six +miles from its mouth to Rice lake. The soil is a rich, sandy loam, +deep, strong and productive. One-fifth of the entire surface was +originally covered with pines. About 25,000 acres are natural meadows, +while much of the remainder is covered with hardwood, and a small +portion is brush prairie, which can be easily rendered fit for +cultivation. The best crops are wheat, oats and potatoes, but Indian +corn can be grown profitably as compared with other localities in +Minnesota. Small fruits, wild and cultivated, grow luxuriantly. +Cranberries have been shipped in considerable quantities. Redtop, +clover, and timothy grow rank, and are profitably cultivated. Upward +of 5,000 tons of hay are cured annually. The lumbering interests are +still important, about 75,000,000 feet of logs being annually driven +to the Stillwater boom. This county is spotted with lakes and abounds +in streams capable of being utilized as water powers. Good building +granite is found on the Kanabec river above Mora, which will +eventually be quarried and exported. + +The first permanent settlers were George L. Staples and James +Pennington, who came in 1855. They were followed by Stephen W. Tolman, +Alvin De Wolf, John L. Spence and others. Gov. Sibley appointed the +following as the first board of officers, June 10, 1859: County +commissioners, Geo. L. Staples, chairman; Daniel Gordon, Benj. L. +Gifford; clerk and register of deeds, James C. Morrison; treasurer, +Alvah Lougee; sheriff, Benj. L. Gifford. The first election was held +in October, 1859. The following were elected county officers: County +commissioners, Geo. L. Staples, chairman; James Pennington, Geo. +Morrison; auditor, Benj. Bill. + +In the bill organizing the county, Brunswick was designated as the +county seat, and so remained until 1882, when by popular vote Mora was +selected. In 1883 the county built a court house at a cost of $5,000, +and a jail costing $2,000. In 1874 the county built a bridge across +the Kanabec at Brunswick, the bridge and its approaches being 1,300 +feet in length, at a cost of $5,000. In 1879 the county built a bridge +across the Kanabec at Grass Lake at a cost of $4,000. As this bridge +obstructed navigation in 1884, the county, at a cost of $4,000, +rebuilt it in such a way that steamers could pass underneath. In 1883 +another bridge was built across the Kanabec in the town of Arthur at a +cost of $4,000. + +The first post office was established at Brunswick in 1859, Geo. L. +Staples, postmaster. The first mail was from Anoka via Cambridge to +Brunswick. In 1847 Rev. W. S. Boutwell preached the first sermon +within the present limits of the county. The first deed recorded was a +warranty deed from Ralph Potter to John A. Snyder, both of Illinois, +in June, 1857, conveying lands in sections 3 and 10, township 38, +range 25. The second deed recorded was from David Bagley to Hersey, +Hall, Whitney and Fenno, of Boston, and Isaac Staples of Stillwater, +conveying the northeast quarter of section 1, township 38, range 24, +and other lands. + + +ARTHUR. + +The town of Arthur includes township 39, ranges 23, 24 and 25. It was +organized in 1883. The first supervisors were: Ira A. Conger, Andrew +E. Westling and Charles A. Staples; clerk, Stanton D. Seavey. The +village of Mora was the first settlement. Anna C. Larson was the first +child born in the town. The first marriage was that of Frederick G. +Turner and Edith Perkins. The first death was that of Henry Rust, in +1847, killed by Indians. There is one house of worship, at what is +known as the Swedish mission. + + +MORA, + +A village, platted in 1882, is located in section 11, township 39, +range 24, on the Hinckley branch of the Manitoba railroad. Myron R. +Kent, owner of the town plat, made the first improvements, building a +hotel and post office, of which he became postmaster. Alvah J. Conger +opened the first store in 1882. The village now contains a court +house, school house, two hotels, five stores, three saloons, and many +fine residences. Lake Mora, a lovely sheet of deep, blue water, about +one hundred and fifty acres in extent, is located within the village +limits. The village is beautifully situated on a plateau on the east +side of Kanabec river. + +STEPHEN L. DANFORTH lived in the county of Kanabec during the '70s. +His occupation was that of a farmer or lumberman. He died in +Stillwater in 1884. + +N. H. DANFORTH, brother of S. L., also settled here in the '70s, and +still resides here, an active business man. + +ALVAH J. AND IRA CONGER are cousins. They came from Maine to Minnesota +in 1850. Alvah J. kept the Tombler House in Wyoming. Subsequently he +removed to Cambridge, where he kept a hotel and store, and thence +removed to Pine City, where he kept a store until 1882, when he moved +to Mora. He was married to Charlotte Pennington. They have no +children. Ira Conger has been actively engaged in business at +Cambridge and other places, and moved to Mora in 1883, where he is +proprietor of a hotel and store. His oldest son, John, has charge of +his business interests. + + +BRONSON. + +This village is yet unplatted. It is located in section 21, range 24, +on the line of the Manitoba railroad. A post office was established +here in 1884, of which Frank P. Burleigh is postmaster. Adjoining and +including this village is the large farm of Isaac Staples, including +2,000 acres, of which six hundred and fifty acres are under +cultivation. The improvements on the farm are two large barns, one +store, one blacksmith shop, one wood working shop, and commodious +dwellings for employes. This farm is headquarters for the lumbering +interests of Mr. Staples in Kanabec county. + + +BRUNSWICK + +Includes township 38, ranges 24 and 25. The town was organized in +1883. The first supervisors were Eric Hokansen, John Rines and Haquin +Ekman. The first school was taught by Charlotte Pennington, in 1856. +The first death was that of ---- Cowan, killed accidentally, in 1857. +There are two church organizations, Swedish Baptist and Swedish +Lutheran. Stephen E. Tallman built a saw mill in 1870, and a flour +mill in 1879. The village of Brunswick is located in the southwest +quarter of section 1, township 38; range 24. It was platted in 1856, +by Isaac and George Staples. It was originally designated as the +county seat. + + +GROUND HOUSE CITY + +Was platted by Isaac Staples for Hersey, Staples & Co., Jan 17, 1857, +in section 7, township 38, range 24. + +JAMES PENNINGTON was born in Queensborough, New Brunswick, in 1799. He +lived in Houlton, Maine, fifteen years, and came to Kanabec county in +1854 with his family, who were the first permanent settlers in the +county. Mr. Pennington farmed and lumbered. He died in December, 1887. +Mrs. Pennington died in 1878. Six sons and three daughters are living. +The sons are residents of Minnesota. The daughters are married as +follows: Elisabeth to ---- Grant, of Detroit, Minnesota; Charlotte to +A. J. Conger, of Mora, Minnesota; Augusta to B. C. Newport, of +Pipestone, Minnesota. + +GEORGE L. STAPLES settled in section 1, township 38, range 24, in +1855. He lived there eight years and filled various responsible +offices. He was an upright, conscientious man, much respected by all +who knew him. In 1863 he removed to Monticello, Minnesota, and died in +1877, leaving a widow, five sons and a daughter. Mr. Staples raised +the first crop in the county, opened the first store, and gave the +name of Brunswick to the town. Isaac Edwin Staples, son of George, was +the first white child born in the county. He was clerk of court in +Morrison county in 1887. + +DANIEL GORDON was born in Readfield, Maine, in 1809. In 1856 he +settled in the southeast quarter of section 1, township 38, range 24. +He was married to widow Tallman in Brunswick. This was the first +marriage in the town. Mrs. Gordon died in June, 1885. + + +GRASS LAKE + +Includes township 38, range 23. It was organized in 1883. It is +thickly settled, mostly by Swedes. They have good farms, roads and +schools. The first settler was Solomon Anderson; the second, Benjamin +Norton; both were farmers. There are in this town three houses of +worship, two belonging to the Swedish mission, and one to the +Baptists. There are five school houses. + +The remainder of the county, consisting mostly of pine lands, and +including nine townships, is without organization or township +government. It is divided into three assessment districts over which +the county exercises jurisdiction, making levies and collecting taxes. + + +ISANTI COUNTY. + +Isanti county lies directly west of Chisago and south of Kanabec. It +is bounded on the west and south by Sherburne, Mille Lacs and Anoka +counties, and contains about fourteen towns. The soil is well adapted +for agriculture. The county has no large lakes, but is well watered by +tributaries of Rum and Sunrise rivers. It is well timbered in the +north with sugar maple. The settlers are chiefly Scandinavians, who, +by their industry, have made the plains and oak ridges to blossom with +clover and the cereals. The county was organized Feb. 13, 1857. It +took its name from a tribe of Indians who some time ago occupied the +country about Mille Lacs. The first board of county commissioners +consisted of Oscar Smith, Hugh Wylie and Elbridge G. Clough. The first +county officers were: William Tubbs, auditor; F. H. Moon, treasurer; +G. G. Griswold, register of deeds; Stephen Hewson, judge of probate; +H. M. Davis, clerk; George L. Henderson, sheriff. The first court was +held by Judge C. E. Vanderburgh in October, 1871. Prior to this time +Isanti had been attached to Auoka county for judicial purposes. + + +CAMBRIDGE, + +The county seat of Isanti, was incorporated as a village in 1876. It +is pleasantly located on the west side of Rum river. It has one +flouring mill, a newspaper office, and several stores, shops, +dwellings and churches. The county buildings are neat and convenient. +The new court house cost $7,000. It is worthy of mention that B. A. +Latta, as county treasurer, paid the first money into the hands of the +state treasurer for war purposes. The first postmasters in the county +were Van Vliet Ainsley, of Spencer Brook, and G. G. Griswold, in 1858. + + +NORTH BRANCH TOWN + +Lies on the headwaters of the Sunrise river. It was settled, as early +as 1855, by John P. Owens, W. A. Hobbs, B. T. Huntley, and John +Schinler. It was organized as a town in 1858, John P. Owens being +chairman of the first board of supervisors. John Schinler raised the +first crop, in 1857. Schools were established in 1860. + + +OXFORD. + +Rensselaer Grant, M. Hurley and Stephen Hewson settled within the +present limits of this town in 1855. At that time the town was not +organized. In 1865 it was included within the limits of North Branch, +but in 1878 the town of Oxford was set off as now defined. The first +supervisors were John Bachelor, P. Lillygrin and P. Berg. Stephen +Hewson was town clerk, and has retained the office ever since. A post +office was established in 1863. Stephen Hewson was postmaster, and has +held the office continuously ever since. The town is well settled by +farmers. In 1870 a cyclone passed through the town, destroying +everything in its track, which was about twenty rods wide. Not a +building was left on the homestead of Mr. Hewson. His fine large barn +was torn to pieces and the fragments scattered for the distance of a +mile. + +STEPHEN HEWSON is a native of England, which he left in 1844. He +resided in Canada a few years, then came to Chicago, and later to +Minnesota. He was for awhile a partner in the publishing firm of E. S. +Goodrich & Co., then proprietors of the St. Paul _Pioneer_. He made +his present home in Oxford in 1855, and has since that time been +intimately identified with its history and that of the county of +Isanti. He was a representative from the Fourth district in the +legislature of 1865. He has filled the offices of county auditor, +county commissioner and judge of probate court. As an ordained +minister of the Methodist church he takes an active interest in +religious matters, serving as superintendent of the Sunday-school, and +occasionally filling the pulpit. Five of his daughters are school +teachers, one of whom, Mary, in 1870, taught the first school in +Oxford. He remains hale and hearty in his seventy-seventh year. + +GEORGE W. NESBIT was born in 1828, in Delaware county, New York. He +received an academic education. He came in 1856 to St. Francis, Anoka +county, Minnesota, and in 1863 to Isanti county. He has been engaged +in farming and selling goods, and is an energetic, busy man. He made +the first pre-emption timber claim on the Mille Lacs reservation, +which was rejected. Mr. Nesbit was married in New York and has a +family of six children. + +RENSSELAER GRANT was born in New York in 1816. His father was a native +of Scotland but emigrated to the United States and took part in the +war of 1812. Mr. Grant was married in Saratoga county, New York, in +1837, to Libiah Mitchell. The Grants moved to Illinois in 1850, and to +Isanti county in 1856. Mr. and Mrs. Grant died at North Branch, in +1886, leaving, three married sons, two living in Isanti county, and +one at Rush City, and three daughters, the eldest married to J. W. +Delamater, the second to W. H. Hobbs, the third living in St. Paul. + + +MILLE LACS COUNTY. + +This county is bounded on the north by Mille Lacs lake and Aitkin +county, on the east by Isanti, Kanabec and Aitkin, on the south by +Sherburne and on the west by Morrison and Benton counties, and +includes about 17 townships extending from south to north a distance +of 48 miles, and having a breadth of 12 miles, excepting the two upper +series of towns, which have a width of 18 miles. It is, excepting two +agricultural towns in the south, heavily timbered, chiefly with pine. +It is well watered by Rum river and its tributaries, and by the body +of water known as Mille Lacs, a large picturesque lake, which covers +over one hundred and five sections of Aitkin, Crow Wing and Mille Lacs +counties. The tributaries of the St. Croix also drain the +northeastern part of the county. The southern townships consist of +prairies and oak openings, the northern and central parts being +covered with hardwood and pine. Immense quantities have been already +marketed. The hardwood ridges and flats offer good farming lands, and +the wild meadows, scattered over the county, excellent hay and +pasturage. + +Mille Lacs lake, the largest inland lake in Minnesota, is a beautiful +and picturesque sheet of water, with receding wooded shores, with but +little low land adjoining. The waters are deep and clear and +abundantly supplied with fish. This lake, when reached by railways, +will be one of the most pleasant summer resorts in the Northwest. It +already attracts the attention of the tourist. A steamer built in 1885 +floats upon its waters. The lake is about eighteen miles long by from +twelve to fifteen wide, and covers about six townships. Three small +islands gem its surface, one of which, from its columnar appearance, +seems to be of volcanic or igneous formation. + +The Mille Lacs reservation covers about four fractional towns, +bordering the southern shore of the lake. Since the treaty these lands +have been covered by pre-emptions, soldiers' warrants and half-breed +scrip, but are held by a doubtful tenure owing to the uncertain and +various rulings of the land department. Under the provisions of the +treaty, the Indians, a band of Chippewas, were allowed to retain +possession until ordered to remove. In anticipation of this order +settlements have been made at various periods, and patents have been +issued to the pre emptors in a few cases, but in many cases refused. +Half-breed scrip has been laid upon thousands of acres under one +administration at Washington, the permission to be countermanded by +another. Meanwhile the Indians, not having received the order for +removal, claim to be the owners of the land, and with some show of +justice. In 1882 the Manitoba Railroad Company built a road through +the county from east to west, through township 40, ranges 26 and 27. + +In the early divisions of Minnesota into counties, the territory of +Mille Lacs was included in Ramsey and Benton counties. Prior to its +present organization, a county called Monroe, covering the territory +of Mille Lacs, was established but never organized. By legislative +enactment in 1857 Mille Lacs county was established and organized by +the people in 1860, the counties of which its territory was originally +a part concurring, and Princeton was made the county seat. In 1859 +there had been effected the organization of one town in the county, +known as Princeton. This has since been subdivided into Princeton +Greenbush, and Milo. The officers of the town organization in 1859 +were: Supervisors, C. W. Houston, Charles Pratt, Joseph L. Cater. The +first county election, held April, 1860, resulted in the election of +the following officers: County commissioners, Joseph L. Cater, +chairman; Samuel Orton, C. S. Moses; auditor and register of deeds, W. +W. Payne; clerk of court, S. M. Byers; treasurer, E. J. Whitney; +sheriff, Wm. McCauley; probate judge, Samuel Ross. The first term of +court was held June 3, 1861, E. C. Vanderburgh, presiding judge. The +first recorded deed was from E. J. Whitney to Isaac Staples, and bears +date Aug. 4, 1854. + + +MILACCA + +Has a pleasant site on the Manitoba railroad, on the banks of Rum +river at the crossing of the Manitoba & Superior and the junction of +the Elk River & Princeton railroad. The Manitoba Company have a good +saw mill here, with a capacity of 125,000 feet per day, built at a +cost of $50,000. A planing mill is attached. There is a good three +story hotel, well kept, here. + +The village was surveyed and platted March 24, 1886; Chas. Keith, +surveyor; James J. Hill, president of the Mille Lacs Lumber Company, +proprietor. It is located in the town of Greenbush. + + +BRIDGMAN VILLAGE, + +Located in the town of Milo, has a steam saw mill, spoke and hub +factory, around which are several residences. + + +PRINCETON. + +The village of Princeton is located at the junction of the two +branches of the Rum river, on a beautiful prairie, surrounded by rich +prairie and timber lands. The first log house was built in 1849, and +kept as a stopping place by a mulatto known as "Banjo Bill." This +house is still standing. The first permanent settlers were A. B. +Damon, O. E. Garrison, C. H. Chadbourne, Edwin Allen, John W. Allen, +Chas. Whitcomb, Joseph L. Cater, W. F. Dunham, and Samuel Ross. They +were also the first settlers in the county, and came in 1853-7. In +1855 Messrs. Damon and Allen farmed on the present site of the +village. The village was surveyed and platted Feb. 11, 1859, by S. +Ross & Co. S. Ross also built a hotel where the North Star Hotel now +stands. This year the first frame building was erected and used as a +store. W. F. Dunham built a steam saw mill. The first school house was +built, although school organization was not effected until 1858. James +M. Dayton taught the first school. A post office was established with +O. E. Garrison as postmaster. Samuel Ross brought the mail once a week +from Anoka. A Congregational church was established, of which Rev. +Royal Twichell was chosen as pastor. The Methodists organized a +society the following year. + +The village was incorporated March 13, 1877, by legislative enactment. +The commissioners appointed under the organic act were E. C. Giles, H. +B. Cowles, C. H. Rines, B. F. Whiting, and Charles Keith. At the +election ordered by them the following officers were chosen: +President, C. H. Rines; trustees. F. M. Campbell, Isaiah S. Mudgett, +Thomas F. Caly; recorder, Silas L. Staples; treasurer, D. H. Murray; +justices of the peace, Scott M. Justice, Charles Keith. The Princeton +_Appeal_ was established by Rev. John Quigley in 1873, but +discontinued in 1875. In December, 1876, Robert C. Dunn started the +Princeton _Union_, which he still publishes. + +The Manitoba branch railroad from Elk River to Milacca village passes +through Princeton. The first train arrived Nov. 30, 1880. The county +contributed $47,000 in bonds at five per cent interest for twenty +years, to aid in building the road. The St. Paul, Mille Lacs, +Brainerd, Leech Lake & Crookston railroad will, when completed, pass +through Princeton. An excellent school building was erected in 1885, +at a cost of about $7,000. Guy Ewing is principal of the school, which +is graded. The Grand Army of the Republic have a post here known as +the Wallace Rines post. The Masons have an organization, with a +splendid hall. A three story hotel, built by Samuel Ross, is kept by +his only daughter, Mrs. Barker. A two story brick hotel, the +Commercial House, Henry Newbert, proprietor, a handsome structure, was +built in 1887. The Mille Lacs County Bank, located here, has a paid up +capital of $20,000. Charles Erickson is president; L. P. Hyberg, vice +president; Frank Hewse, clerk. Princeton has one steam saw mill, two +flouring mills, one feed mill, two elevators with a capacity of 60,000 +bushels, and one brewery. A court house and jail are in process of +erection at an estimated cost of $10,000. + + +BIOGRAPHICAL. + +SAMUEL ROSS was born Aug. 22, 1812. He attended Western Reserve +College, but through ill health did not graduate. He came to Iowa in +1839, where he was married to Mary Vaughn in 1841. He came to +Princeton in 1855, where he took an active part in building up the +town and county, filled many prominent and responsible positions in +the village and county, and served as representative of the first +state legislature. Mrs. Ross died in 1851; Mr. Ross died in 1881, +leaving an only daughter, Olive R., widow of A. P. Barker, who was a +prominent lawyer of Princeton. Mrs. Barker was elected superintendent +of schools in 1880, to which position she has been re-elected and is +at present filling the office efficiently. She was the first female +superintendent elected in Minnesota. + +JOSEPH L. CATER was born in Strafford county, New Hampshire, in 1828. +He came to Princeton in 1855 and engaged in farming. His name appears +in all the original organizations of town and county. M. V. B. Cater +and sons have also been active and prominent citizens of Princeton. M. +V. B. Cater died some years since. + +EDWIN ALLEN, originally from Welton, Maine, came to Princeton in 1855 +and engaged in farming. + +JOHN H. ALLEN came from Maine to Princeton in 1854, engaged in farming +and became prominent as a public spirited citizen. He held various +positions of trust in the county and was appointed receiver of the +land office at Fergus Falls by President Hayes, and resides there. + +A. B. DAMON came from Maine to Princeton in 1853 and made the first +claim on the town site. + +C. H. CHADBOURNE was born at Lexington, Massachusetts. At the age of +sixteen he embarked in a seafaring life in which he continued nine +years. Mr. Chadbourne, wishing to abandon his seafaring ways, and to +put himself beyond danger of resuming them, came to the centre of the +continent and located on a farm near Princeton in 1856. He has since +followed farming continuously. His farm consists of 900 acres under +cultivation, 500 of which is devoted to tame grass and pasturage, on +which he feeds 150 head of blooded stock. He has a large dairy which +nets him $1,200 annually. He was a member of the state legislatures of +1874-5 and was seven years county commissioner of Sherburne county. +Mr. Chadbourne was married in 1852 to Deborah Crowell. They have three +sons and two daughters. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +CHISAGO COUNTY. + + +LOCATION--SURFACE--SCENERY. + +Chisago county, located on the west bank of the St. Croix river, +between the counties of Pine on the north and Washington on the south, +the St. Croix river on the east and the counties of Isanti and Anoka +on the west, presents an agreeable variety of surface, upland and +generally undulating, covered with hard and soft wood timber, well +watered by lakes and streams. Its principal streams are the St. Croix +and its tributaries, Rush and Sunrise rivers and Goose creek, and its +principal lakes are Chisago, Sunrise, Green, Rush, and Goose lakes. +Its lake scenery is unsurpassed in beauty. The county takes the name +of its largest and most beautiful lake. In its original, or rather +aboriginal, form it was Ki-chi-sago, from two Chippewa words meaning +"kichi," large, and "saga," fair or lovely. For euphonic +considerations the first syllable was dropped. + + +CHISAGO LAKE. + +This lake is conspicuous for its size, the clearness of its waters, +its winding shore and islands, its bays, peninsulas, capes, and +promontories. It has fully fifty miles of meandering shore line. Its +shores and islands are well timbered with maple and other hard woods. +It has no waste swamps, or marsh borders. When the writer first came +to Taylor's Falls, this beautiful lake was unknown to fame. No one had +seen it or could point out its location. Indians brought fish and +maple sugar from a lake which they called Ki-chi-sago Sagi-a-gan, or +"large and lovely lake." This lake, they said, abounded with "kego," +fish. + +In 1851 the writer, with Bart Emery, made a visit to this beautiful +sheet of water. We found it what its Indian name imports, "fair and +lovely water." The government had, the year before, completed a survey +of the lake, and it was high time that it should be given a name by +which it should be designated on the map and recognized by civilized +visitors. What name more beautiful and appropriate than that which the +Indians had already given it. That name we at once recognized and used +all our influence to perpetuate under somewhat adverse influences; for +Swedish emigrants having settled in its neighborhood, a strong effort +was made to christen it "Swede Lake," but the lake is to-day known as +Chisago, and Chisago it is likely to remain. We believe in the policy +of retaining the old Indian names whenever possible. As a rule they +are far more musical and appropriate than any we can apply. The +Indians have left us their lands, their lakes, their streams; let us +accept with them the names by which they were known. Some have been +translated into English and appear on the maps as Goose, Elk, Beaver +and Snake. By all means let us retranslate them in memory of the race +that once owned them. + + +DALLES OF ST. CROIX. + +Chisago county shares with Polk county in the ownership of the wildest +and most peculiar scenery in the valley of the St. Croix. At Taylor's +Falls, the head of navigation, the river flows between ledges of trap +rock, varying in height from fifty to two hundred and fifty feet, for +the most part perpendicular, but wildly irregular, as is common in +trap rock formations. These ledges are crowned with pine trees and a +dense undergrowth of bushes and vines. The prevailing color of the +rock is a cold or bluish gray, but broken occasionally by brilliant +patches of coloring, red, yellow or green, as they may be stained by +oxides of the metals, or covered with lichens and mosses. This +formation is known as "The Dalles," sometimes improperly styled +"Dells." The rocks composing it are porphyritic trap, an igneous rock +forced upward from the interior of the earth through crevices in the +crust while still in a liquid state and then solidifying in masses, +sometimes prismatic but oftener in irregular polygons, and broken by +parallel lines of cleavage. Some geological experts claim that these +rocks are "in place" as forming a part of the original crust of the +earth, but the balance of evidence seems to be in favor of their +having been erupted at a comparatively modern period. This is +evidenced by the presence of water-worn boulders and pebbles, imbedded +in the trap, somewhat like plums in a pudding, while it was yet +plastic; and now forming a species of conglomerate as hard and compact +as the trap itself. These rocks are supposed to be rich in copper and +silver, and miners have spent much time in prospecting for these +metals. + +Whatever the origin of the rocks, it is conceded that they were once +plastic, at which time this region could not have been a safe or +pleasant dwelling place for such beings as now inhabit the world. The +theory of a comparatively recent eruption of these rocks is not a +pleasant one, for the suggestion forces itself upon the mind that that +which has been, at least in recent times, may occur again. The +occasional recurrence of earthquakes on our western coast, and the +recent severe disturbances in South Carolina and Georgia, raise the +query whether this region may not again be visited with an outburst +and overflow of trap, terrible and destructive as the first. The +foundations, however, seem firm enough to last forever. The rocks are +of unusual hardness, and the crust of the earth is probably as solid +and thick here as elsewhere. The Dalles proper are about one mile in +length. The river, in its passage through them, varies in width from +one hundred and fifty to three hundred feet. It was formerly reported +unfathomable, but in recent years, owing to a filling up process +caused by the debris of the log drivers, it is found to be not more +than a hundred feet in its deepest place. The river makes an abrupt +bend about a bold promontory of trap known as Angle or Elbow Rock. To +the first voyageurs this seemed to be the end of the river, and gave +rise to the story that at this point the river burst out of the rocks. +Much of the frontage of the rocks upon the river is smooth and +perpendicular, and stained with oxides of iron and copper. In places +it is broken. The upper rocks are disintegrated by the action of rain +and frost, and, where far enough from the river, have fallen so as to +form a talus or slope of angular fragments to the water's edge. + +[Illustration: THE DEVIL'S CHAIR.] + + +THE DEVIL'S CHAIR. + +There are some instances in which, by the breaking away and falling of +smaller rocks, larger rocks have been left standing in the form of +columns. Most notable of these are the "Devil's Pulpit," and the +"Devil's Chair." The former, owing to surrounding shrubbery, is not +easily seen. The latter is a conspicuous object on the western shore +of the river a few rods below the lower landing. It stands on the +slope formed by the debris of a precipice that rises here about 120 +feet above the river. Its base is about 40 feet above low water mark; +the column itself reaches 45 feet higher. It is composed of many +angular pieces of trap, the upper portion bearing a rude resemblance +to a chair. It is considered quite a feat to climb to the summit. The +face of the rocks is disfigured by the names of ambitious and +undeserving persons. The nuisance of names and advertisements painted +upon the most prominent rocks in the Dalles is one that every lover of +Nature will wish to have abated. To spend an hour climbing amongst +these precipices to find in some conspicuous place the advertisement +of a quack medicine, illustrates the adage: "There is but one step +from the sublime to the ridiculous." + + +THE WELLS. + +A more remarkable curiosity may be found on that bench or middle +plateau of the Dalles, lying between the upper and the lower Taylor's +Falls landings, in what has been not inaptly styled "The Wells." These +are openings, or pits, not much unlike wells, in places where the trap +is not more than 50 feet above water level, varying in width from a +few inches to 30 or 40 feet, the deepest being from 20 to 25 feet. +These seem to have been formed by the action of water upon pebbles or +boulders, much as "pot holes" are now being formed in the rocky +bottoms of running streams. The water falls upon the pebbles or +boulders in such a way as to cause them to revolve and act as a drill, +boring holes in the rock proportioned to the force of the agencies +employed. Some of these boulders and pebbles, worn to a spherical +shape, were originally found at the bottoms of these wells, but have +been mostly carried away by the curious. Some of the wells are cut +through solid pieces of trap. The walls of others are seamed and +jointed; in some cases fragments have fallen out, and in others the +entire side of the wells has been violently disrupted and partly +filled with debris. The extreme hardness of the trap rock militates +somewhat against the theory of formation above given. It is, however, +not improbable that this hardness was acquired after long exposure to +the air. + + +SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION. + +In the history of St. Croix Falls mention has been made of some of the +pioneers of Chisago county. St. Croix Falls and Taylor's Falls, the +pioneer settlement of Chisago county, though a river divides them +which is also the boundary line of two states, have much that is +common in their early history. The inhabitants were always greatly +interested in what was going on over the river. We may add, that +although they now stand in the attitude of rival cities, their +interests are still identical, and we believe that, but for the unwise +policy of making St. Croix river a state line, they might be to-day +under one city government, and as compact and harmonious as though no +St. Croix river rolled between them. The river is their joint +property; both have the same heritage of trap rocks and pines, the +same milling privileges, the same lumbering interests, and, it must be +confessed, they remain up to the present time about equally mated. J. +R. Brown was unquestionably the pioneer of the settlement. Frank +Steele says he found J. R. Brown trading, in 1837, on the spot now the +site of Taylor's Falls. + +He was not, however, the first white man upon the soil. There is some +documentary evidence of the establishment by the French of a fort +forty leagues up the St. Croix some time between the years 1700 and +1703. This fort was in all probability erected on the plateau below +the Dalles, the distance given, forty leagues, being exaggerated after +the fashion of the early voyageurs. It was called Fort St. Croix. +There was also a prehistoric settlement, the ruins of which the writer +noted as early as 1851, on the school land addition to Taylor's Falls. +These were the foundations of nine houses, plainly visible. Over some +of them trees two feet in diameter were growing. The rock foundations +ranged in size from twenty to thirty feet, with the hearth containing +ashes underlying the debris of ages, on smooth hearthstones showing +years of service, being apparently a century old. These were the +homes, undoubtedly, of a civilized people, and we may claim for +Taylor's Falls, Chisago county, one of the first improvements made by +whites in the limits of Minnesota. + +During the last half of the last century a prominent trading post was +established and maintained for many years on the St. Croix river, +which was founded by Pierre Grinow, and during the close of the last +century it was in the charge of one James Perlier, who afterward +became one of the most useful citizens of Green Bay, Wisconsin. +Lawrence Barth was also here in 1793. The evidence of the existence of +this trading post rests upon traditions and the ruins referred to. +Recurring to the pioneer Brown, the most irrepressible of all the +advance guard of civilization, we find him only a transient +inhabitant. He stayed long enough to cut 200,000 feet of pine logs +from the present site of Taylor's Falls, when the neighborhood lost +its attractions. These were the first pine saw logs cut in the St. +Croix valley. + +In 1838 a French trader, Robinet, was located at the same place, but +in the summer of the same year came Mr. Jesse Taylor from Fort +Snelling where he had been following the business of a stonemason. He +had heard of the ratification of the Indian treaty by Congress, and he +greatly coveted some of the rich lands brought into market by that +treaty. Mr. Taylor, with an Indian guide, came to the Dalles of the +St. Croix. As Mr. Steele had already claimed the east side, Mr. Taylor +concluded that he would claim the west side. Returning to Fort +Snelling he reported to an associate, Benjamin F. Baker, formed a +partnership and returned with men, boats, provisions and building +material, but on his return to the falls he found Robinet, the trader, +in a bark shanty (at the present junction of Bridge and River +streets). Robinet was in actual possession of the coveted acres. +Robinet having no other function than that of a trader, and +consequently having no serious designs on the lands was easily bought +off, and Baker & Taylor, in August, 1838, commenced improvements, +building a log house, a blacksmith shop, a mill, and commencing a mill +race which had to be blasted. They also built piers and a wing dam +just above the present location of the bridge. The mill was located at +what has since become the upper steamboat landing. Mr. Taylor named +the lower falls Baker's falls, and the settlement, Taylor's Place. +When the town was platted, in 1850, it was called Taylor's Falls. The +name came also to be applied to the lower falls. + +The mill enterprise was a melancholy failure. The builders were not +practical mill men. The improvements were expensive. The work of +blasting rock and building made slow progress. There was no income as +long as the mill was in process of building. In the midst of these +embarrassments, in 1840, Mr. Baker died. Mr. Taylor took entire +possession with no other right than that of a squatter sovereign. In +1843 Mr. Taylor sold the unfinished mill to parties in Osceola, and in +1844 everything movable was transferred to that place. The double log +cabin remained, and there Mr. Taylor lived for eight years on the +proceeds of the sale, performing in all that time no work more worthy +of the historian's notice than fixing his name upon the settlement and +falls. Many of the later residents query as to why it was ever called +Taylor's Falls. It takes a keen eye to discover any fall in the river +at the point named. The falls indeed were once far more conspicuous +than they are now, owing to the fact that a large rock rose above the +water at the ordinary stage, around which the crowded waters roared +and swirled. That rock, never visible in later days, was called Death +Rock, because three hapless mariners in a skiff were hurled against it +by the swift current and drowned. + +The old log house, the sole remnant of the Baker and Taylor project, +if we may except some holes in the rock made by blasting, and some +submerged ruins of the wing dam and pier, has passed through various +changes. It has been used as a store, as a boarding house, as a +warehouse, as a church, as a school house, and as a stable. Part of it +still remains and is habitable. It is located on lot 18, block 15. In +1846 Jesse Taylor sold his claim to Joshua L. Taylor for two hundred +dollars. This claim, like most of the claims made prior to the survey +of government lands, was not accurately defined. It included, however, +all the lands, on the west side of the river, extending northward to +the St. Croix Company's claim, at the upper falls, and including the +present site of Taylor's Falls. + +Aside from mill building, nothing was done in the way of improvements +until 1846, when Jerry Ross and Benjamin F. Otis commenced farming on +what was subsequently known as the Morton and Colby farms. Both raised +potatoes and garden vegetables and built houses. This was the first +cultivation of the soil in Chisago county. In 1847 Mr. Otis sold his +improvements to Wm. F. Colby, who, in that year, raised the first corn +grown by white men in the county. In 1846 Thornton Bishop commenced +improvements on a farm at the head of the rapids, six miles above +Taylor's Falls. J. L. Taylor, in 1848, built a pre-emption shanty +midway between the upper and lower falls. In 1849 he proved up his +pre-emption to lots 5, 6 and 7, section 30, township 34, range 18. N. +C. D. Taylor pre-empted the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter +of section 25, and the west half of the same quarter section; also lot +1, section 36, township 34, range 19. + +In 1849 Lewis Barlow and Wm. E. Bush became citizens. An abstract of +the canvassed returns of an election held November 26th shows but six +votes in the settlement. In 1850 W. F. Colby pre-empted the northeast +quarter of section 25, township 34, range 19, and W. H. C. Folsom the +southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of the same. + +At a regular meeting of the St. Croix county board, held at +Stillwater, April 2, 1850, the following judges of election were +appointed within the present limits of Chisago county: St. Croix Falls +precinct, Wm. F. Colby, Wm. Holmes, N. C. D. Taylor; Rush Lake +precinct, Levi Clark, Walter Carrier and Richard Arnold. At a meeting, +held Oct. 7, 1850, the petition of Lewis Barlow and ten others, of St. +Croix Falls precinct, was presented, asking for a special election, to +elect two justices of the peace. Their petition was granted. The poll +was: Wm. E. Bush, one vote; John H. Reid, six votes; Ansel Smith, five +votes. Reid and Smith were declared elected. The first survey of town +lots was made in 1851, by Theodore E. Parker, of Stillwater, and under +this survey the village was legally established as Taylor's Falls. The +first deeds recorded in Chisago county were transcripts from +Washington county of lands consisting of town site property, dated +1851, conveyed to W. H. C. Folsom by J. L. and N. C. D. Taylor. + +The movement for the organization of a new county from the northern +part of Washington commenced in the winter of 1851-52. A formidable +petition to the legislature to make such organization, drawn up and +circulated by Hon. Ansel Smith, of Franconia, and the writer, was duly +forwarded, presented and acquiesced in by that body. The writer had +been selected to visit the capital in the interest of the petitioners. +Some difficulty arose as to the name. The writer had proposed +"Chi-sa-ga." This Indian name was ridiculed, and Hamilton, Jackson, +Franklin and Jefferson were in turn proposed. The committee of the +whole finally reported in favor of the name, Chisaga, but the +legislature, in passing the bill for our county organization, by +clerical or typographical error changed the last "a" in "saga" to "o," +which, having become the law, has not been changed. + +The eastern boundary of the county was fixed as the St. Croix river; +the southern boundary, the line between townships 32 and 33; the +western, the line between ranges 21 and 22, for three townships south, +and the line between ranges 22 and 23 for the remaining townships +north. To show how little was known of the geography of the section we +refer to the record of the county commissioners of Washington county, +dated Dec. 15, 1848, at which St. Croix district, the present Chisago +county, was established as "bounded on the north by Sunrise river and +on the west by line between ranges 21 and 22"--an utter impossibility, +as the Sunrise river flows in a northerly direction entirely through +the county and at its nearest point does not come within three miles +of the range line mentioned. + +The election for the first board of county officers was held at the +Chisago House, Oct. 14, 1851. Twenty-three votes were polled at this +election. The following officers were elected: Commissioners, Samuel +Thomson, chairman; N. C. D. Taylor, Thomas F. Morton; clerk of board +and register of deeds, F. W. Abbott; treasurer, W. H. C. Folsom. The +bill establishing the county provided that "the seat of justice of the +county of Chisago shall be at such point in said county as the first +board of commissioners elected in said county shall determine." In +accordance with this law, at the first meeting of the commissioners, +held at the office of N. C. D. Taylor in Taylor's Falls, Jan. 5, 1852, +the town of Taylor's Falls was chosen as the county seat, "agreeable +to the Revised Statutes, chapter 1st, section 14th." + +As the population of the county increased the project of moving the +county seat to a more nearly central position was agitated. In 1858 a +vote was taken which resulted in favor of its removal to Centre City. +The matter of the legality of the vote was referred to the court, and +decided by Judge Welch adversely, on the ground that a majority of the +voters of the county had not voted. The county seat consequently +remained at Taylor's Falls. In 1861 another vote was taken by which +the county seat was removed to Chisago City, and there it remained +under somewhat adverse circumstances. Chisago City having but a small +population and no conveniences for such a purpose, and being for +several years without even a post office, repeated efforts were made +for another removal, until in 1875 a vote to remove it to Centre City +carried. In January, 1876, the records were removed. The county +authorities issued $5,000 bonds for a court house which was erected on +a point of land extending into Chisago lake, a beautiful situation. +The bonds have been paid and the county is without indebtedness, and +has a surplus of about $10,000. + +The town of Amador comprises two eastern tiers of sections of township +35, range 20, and two fractional sections of township 36, range 20, +fractional township 35, range 19, and one fractional section of +township 36, range 19. The St. Croix river forms its boundary on the +north and east. The surface is undulating. The western and southern +part is covered with hardwood timber and has rich soil. The northern +part has oak openings and prairie, with soil somewhat varied, in some +places more or less sandy. It is well watered and drained. Thornton +Bishop, the first settler, came in 1846, and located a farm on the +banks of the St. Croix, at the head of the rapids, in section 34. +Richard Arnold settled on Amador prairie in 1854, and was followed by +James P. Martin, Carmi P. Garlick and others. Garlick was a practicing +physician, but engaged in other work. He built a steam saw mill and +made many other improvements, among them laying out the village of +Amador in section 9, township 35, range 20. H. N. Newbury, surveyor, +not succeeding in his undertaking, issued the prospectus of a paper to +be called the _St. Croix Eagle_ and to be published at Taylor's Falls. +This failing he removed to Osceola. + +Amador was organized in 1858. The first supervisors were C. P. +Garlick, R. Arnold and James Martin. A post office was established in +1857; Henry Bush, postmaster. Mr. Bush had a small farm at the mouth +of Deer creek, where he built a large public house, two stories high. +This house burned down. He established a ferry across the St. Croix. +He had a large family of boys who roamed the woods freely until one of +their number was lost. The other boys came home as usual but of one +they could give no account. Parties were organized for the search, +which at last was given up as unsuccessful. A year afterward the bones +of the missing boy were found some miles away, by the side of a log, +where the little wanderer had doubtless perished of starvation and +exposure. Mr. Bishop raised the first crops of the town. The first +marriage was that of Charles S. Nevers and Mary Snell, by John Winans, +Esq., Feb. 23, 1860. + +THORNTON BISHOP was a native of Indiana. He came to St. Croix Falls in +1841 and was married to Delia Wolf in 1842, by Rev. W. D. Boutwell, at +the Pokegama mission. This wife was a well educated half-breed. They +raised a large family of children. He came to Amador in 1846 and +farmed for some time at the head of the rapids, when he sold his farm +and moved to Sunrise. In 1880 he removed to Kettle River station. In +1883-84-85-86 he served as commissioner for Pine county. + +WILLIAM HOLMES came to Amador and settled on a farm at the head of the +rapids in 1848. The farm is now held by John Dabney. Mr. Holmes +married a sister of Mrs. Thornton Bishop. She was educated at +Pokegama mission. They raised a large family of children. In 1852 Mr. +Holmes removed to Sunrise and thence to Trade River, Wisconsin, in +1875, where he sickened. His brother-in-law, Bishop, came to his +relief, removed him to his own home and cared for him till he died, +May, 1876. + +JAMES M. MARTIN was one of the first settlers in Amador. He came +originally from Missouri, where he was married. He died July 17, 1887; +Mrs. Martin dying some years prior. Their sons are James M., Harvey, +Charles, Isaac, and Theodore. Their daughters are Mrs. Cowan, Mrs. +Wilkes, Mrs. Nordine and Mrs. Lanon. + + +BRANCH. + +The town of Branch, occupying township 35, range 21, was set off from +Sunrise, and organized in 1872. The first supervisors were William +Winston, Peter Delamater and Frank Knight. A post office was +established in 1869; Geo. W. Flanders, postmaster. The surface is +mostly undulating, and the soil a sandy loam. There are oak openings, +and along the course of the north branch of the Sunrise river, which +flows through the town from west to east, there are many excellent +wild meadows. The north part originally contained pine forests; about +5,000,000 feet have been cut away. Branch contains some pretty and +well cultivated farms. The St. Paul & Duluth railroad traverses the +town from south to north. + + +NORTH BRANCH STATION. + +The only village in the town of Branch was platted in January, 1870, +the proprietors being the Western Land Association, L. Mendenhall, +agent. The plat includes the north half of the northwest quarter of +section 21, and the northeast quarter of section 20, township 35, +range 21. The first settler was G. M. Flanders, who opened a store +here in 1868, which was burned in 1869. Henry L. Ingalls erected a +good hotel and other buildings. In 1870 Gurley & Bros. established a +store; B. F. Wilkes built a hotel; Winston, Long & Co. established a +store. In 1874 J. F. F. Swanson built a flouring mill, which was +burned in 1878. The loss was about $6,000, with but little insurance. +The village now contains two elevators, three hotels, six stores and +the usual proportion of dwellings. There are two churches, the +Episcopalian building, erected in 1883; and the Congregational, in +1884. There is also a good school house. The village was incorporated +in 1882. In December, 1884, the store of Singleton & Bonnafon was +burned; loss estimated at $15,000, with but little insurance. + +HENRY L. INGALLS was born in Abingdon, Connecticut, in 1804. In 1832 +he was married to Lavina L. Child, of Woodstock, Connecticut, and with +his wife and younger brother emigrated to Illinois, settling at +Chandler, Cass county. There he remained seventeen years, when, his +impaired health necessitating a change, with his son Henry he went to +California. In 1853 he returned and settled on Sunrise prairie, then +an unbroken wilderness. For seventeen years he lived on his farm and +kept a popular country hotel. In 1870 he removed to North Branch and +built a large frame residence, where he lived until his death, which +occurred Sept. 2, 1876. Mr. Ingalls left three sons, Ephraim, Henry +and Van Rensselaer. + +MRS. LAVINA L. INGALLS, whose maiden name was Childs, was born in +Connecticut in 1806; was married as above stated in 1832, from which +time she cheerfully and uncomplainingly shared the fortunes of her +husband in the West, undergoing the usual toils and privations of the +pioneer. While at Sunrise, during part of the time she had no +neighbors nearer than Taylor's Falls. The first post office in Chisago +county north of Taylor's Falls was at her house, and was known as +Muscotink. She and her husband, during the later years of their lives, +were Spiritualists, and derived great comfort from their peculiar +phase of belief. Mrs. Ingalls was a talented and kind hearted woman, +charitable in act and beloved by her associates. She died Dec. 29, +1879. + + +CHISAGO LAKE. + +The town of Chisago Lake includes the four western tiers of sections +of township 33, range 20, and township 34, range 20. A permanent +characteristic of this town is its unrivaled lake scenery, rendering +it not only attractive for residences but a favorite resort of +visitors. Its principal lake has already been described. The first +settler was John S. Van Rensselaer, who located on an island opposite +the present site of Centre City in the spring of 1851, and raised a +crop of corn and vegetables. He built him a cabin and lived there +three years. Eric Norberg, a prominent Swede, came to the lake from +Bishop's Hill, Illinois, in April, 1851, and being pleased with the +locality, came back with a colony of Swedes, including Peter Berg, +Andrew Swenson, Peter Anderson, Peter Shaline, Daniel Rattick, and +others. They came by steamboat, landed at Taylor's Falls June 24, +1851, cut a road to Chisago lake and took undisputed possession of its +shores, finding no trace of human occupancy save some deserted Indian +tepees and the claim cabin of Mr. Van Rensselaer on the island. Mr. +Berg settled on the west part of lot 3, section 35, and southwest +quarter of southwest quarter of section 26, township 34, range 20. +Peter Anderson on the east part of lot 3, and northwest quarter of +northeast quarter of section 35, township 34, range 20. Andrew Swenson +on lot 5, section 27, township 34, range 20. Mr. Norberg had come +first to the country at the invitation of Miles Tornell, who was +murdered in 1848, near St. Croix Falls, by some Indian assassins, +hired to commit the deed by one Miller, a whisky seller. Mr. Norberg +originally intended to make his home at Chisago Lake, but died at +Bishop's Hill, Illinois, while on a visit in 1853. + +The colony in 1852 raised the first rye, barley and flax in the +county. They also raised potatoes, green corn and vegetables, cut out +roads, cleared timber, and made other improvements. Peter Berg raised +flax and made linen thread in 1852, the first made in Minnesota. +Settlers came in rapidly. Among the arrivals in 1852 and soon after +were the Petersons, Strands, Johnsons, Frank Mobeck, Dahliam, Porter, +and others. A post office was established in 1858; A. Nelson, +postmaster. The town was organized in 1858. The first supervisors +were: Ephraim C. Ingalls, chairman; Frank Mobeck and Daniel Lindstrom. + +The first church organization in the county was that of the Swedish +Evangelical Lutheran, in 1854. Here was built the first church edifice +in 1855, a frame structure subsequently enlarged, but in 1882 +superseded by a fine brick building, costing $30,000. Its dimensions +are 116 × 66 feet, ground plan, and the spire is 135 feet in height. A +fine organ was purchased at a cost of $1,500. This church building is +an ornament to the town and the State, and would be creditable even to +our great cities. The first pastor was Rev. P. A. Cedarstam. His +successors are Revs. C. A. Hedengrand and John J. Frodeen, the present +incumbent. The communicants number about 1,300. + +In 1880 the St. Paul & Duluth railroad extended a branch road from +Wyoming to Taylor's Falls. This passes through the town of Chisago +Lake, from west to east, crossing three arms of the lake. To secure +this road the town gave $10,000 in twenty year bonds. It obtains in +exchange an outlet for the products of its farms and forests. The +bridge across Chisago lake was built in 1857, at a cost of $1,500. It +has since been made an embankment bridge at an additional cost of +$1,600. Of this the State furnished $1,000 and the county $600. + + +CENTRE CITY, + +The county seat of Chisago county, was platted May, 1857, on lot 5, +section 27, township 34, range 20; Andrew Swenson, proprietor; Alex. +Cairns, surveyor. It is located on a peninsula midway on the east +shore of Chisago lake. Few villages are more beautifully situated. It +contains two hotels, three stores, a saw and feed mill, two church +buildings, a Swedish Lutheran and Swedish Methodist, a school house +and many pleasant residences. The court house was built in 1876, at a +cost of $5,000, on a promontory commanding a fine view of the lake. +The depot of the branch of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad is located +half a mile south of the village. Summer excursionists assemble here +in goodly numbers, and the location bids fair to become very +attractive as a summer resort. During the Indian outbreak in 1862, and +the period of uncertainty as to the probable attitude of the Chippewa +Indians, the people of Chisago Lake built breastworks for protection, +on the isthmus connecting Centre City with the mainland, and planted +cannon upon them for defense. The remains of these old fortifications +may still be seen. + +ANDREW SWENSON.--Mr. Swenson, the founder of Centre City, came to the +shores of the lake in 1851, and made his home on the present site of +the city. He was born in Sweden in 1817; came to America in 1850, and +remained a short time in New Orleans before coming to Minnesota. He +was a farmer and a member of the Methodist church. He was married to +Catharine Peterson in 1838. He died in July, 1887, leaving two sons +and two daughters. + +JOHN S. VAN RENSSELAER came to Chisago Lake in the spring of 1851, and +settled on an island, where he lived three years in hermit-like +seclusion, raising corn and vegetables. His cabin, always neat and +tasteful, was furnished with a choice library. In 1854 he removed to +Sunrise Lake, where he lived fifteen years, engaged in farming. He +removed thence to Sunrise City. Mr. Van Rensselaer was the founder of +the first cheese factories in the county, at Sunrise City and Centre +City. He is an honorable and upright man, whose high aim is to +exemplify the golden rule in his life and deportment. + +AXEL DAHLIAM settled on the west shore of East Chisago lake in 1852. +Mr. Dahliam had been an officer in the Swedish Army. He was a +cultivated gentleman. He died in 1869. + +NELS NORD was born in Lindhopsing, Sweden, in 1819. In his eighteenth +year he enlisted in the Swedish Army and served twelve years. He came +to America in 1855 and located on Chisago lake, in the northeast +quarter of section 32, township 34, range 20. He was married in Sweden +to Lisa Anderson. They have one son, John P., who has been for seven +years the popular and efficient auditor of Chisago county. He was +married in 1878 to Hildah, daughter of Rev. C. A. Hedengrand. They +have one daughter. + +JOHN A. HALLBERG was born at Smolland, Sweden, in 1830. He came to +America in 1853 and to Centre City in 1854. In 1872 he purchased a saw +and feed mill of Shogren Brothers. In 1876 he built a hotel. He has +held the office of justice of the peace many years and has served four +years as county commissioner. He was married to Matilda E. Carlson in +1870. + +CHAS. A. BUSH is of German descent. His father, Wm. H. Bush, lived in +Wyoming. His great grandfather came to this country in 1765 and fought +on the side of the colonies. Chas. A. came to Minnesota in 1869 from +Pennsylvania. He has served as treasurer of Chisago county four years. + +LARS JOHAN STARK was born in Sweden in 1826; came to America in 1850, +and settled at Chisago Lake in 1852. He was married in 1865, and again +in 1870. He has eleven children living. In Sweden he served as clerk +ten years. In his American home he has followed farming chiefly. He +has served as justice of the peace and county commissioner, and has +filled some town offices. He was engrossing clerk of the house of +representatives in 1864. He was a member of the house in the sessions +of 1865 and 1875. In 1868 he moved to the town of Fish Lake, and in +1877 to Harris. + +FRANK MOBECK was born in Sweden in 1814. He came to America in 1851, +and in 1853 to Chisago Lake, where he settled on lot 5, section 34, +township 34, range 20. His home is on a beautiful elevation, on a +point of land projecting into the lake. Mr. Mobeck served in the +Swedish Army seventeen years. He has raised a large family of +children, all of whom are good citizens. + +ROBERT CURRIE was born in Ayrshire, Scotland. After reaching manhood +he was employed many years as superintendent of a fancy manufacturing +company. He was married in Scotland. In 1854, after the death of his +wife, he came to America, and in 1855 selected a place for a home on +the north shore of west Chisago lake, where he lived till his death by +drowning in 1883. The site of his home was well chosen. It commanded a +beautiful view of the lake, and in the summer months was luxuriantly +adorned with flowers. Mr. Currie was a man of fine intellect, well +cultivated, and an ardent admirer of his countryman Burns, from whom, +and from Shakespeare and other masters of English literature he could +quote for hours. Mr. Currie's occupation was farming, but he filled +several offices acceptably. He was superintendent of schools, judge of +probate and clerk of district court. Though somewhat eccentric, he was +a social, kind hearted man. + +ANDREW N. HOLM, formerly Andrew Nelson, his name having been changed +by legislative enactment in 1867, was born in Sweden in 1829. He +learned the trade of carpenter, came to America in 1855 and located in +Centre City in 1857, of which city he was first postmaster. He served +as a soldier during the Civil War and at its close removed his family +to Taylor's Falls, which is still his home. + + +LINDSTROM VILLAGE, + +Located on the line of the Taylor's Falls branch of the St. Paul & +Duluth railroad, on lot 4, section 33, town 34, range 20, was platted +in 1880 by G. W. Sewall, surveyor. The proprietors are James and +Elisabeth Smith. It is situated on high ground and almost surrounded +by the waters of Lake Chisago. It would be difficult to find a +lovelier site. Maurice Tombler built the first store and elevator +here, in 1881. There are now three stores, one hotel, one railroad +station and several shops and dwellings. A post office was established +at Lindstrom in 1880; Charles H. Bush, postmaster. + +DANIEL LINDSTROM was born in 1825, in Helsingland, Sweden. He had no +early advantages for obtaining an education, and spent most of his +youth herding goats amongst the mountains in the north part of Sweden. +In 1854 he came to America and located on Chisago lake, choosing a +beautiful location, which has since been laid out as a village, and +bids fair to become a place of popular resort. Mr. Lindstrom was +married first in Sweden, and now lives with his second wife, the first +having died in 1864. He has a family of three children. He has filled +official positions in his town acceptably. + +MAGNUS S. SHALEEN was born in Sweden in 1796; came to America in 1855, +and made a homestead near Lindstrom in section 29, town 34, range 20, +where he died in 1869. Mrs. Shaleen died in 1873. John, the oldest +son, resides on the family homestead. He has served as sheriff of +Chisago county six years, and state senator eight years. Peter, the +second son, has served as postmaster of Centre City fourteen years, +and clerk of the district court five years. Sarah, the eldest +daughter, married John Swenson. They have three sons, John H., Henry +A. and Oscar, industrious, reliable young men, all in the employ of +the St. Paul & Duluth Railroad Company. Mary married Andrew Wallmark +at Chisago Lake, in 1856. One daughter is unmarried. + + +CHISAGO CITY. + +The village of Chisago City is located on a hardwood ridge, between +Chisago and Green lakes, in sections 6 and 7, township 34, range 20. +It was platted by Isaac Bernheimer & Co., of Philadelphia, on lot 4, +section 7, township 34, range 20, in 1855. They built a hotel, several +dwellings, and a saw and grist mill on the banks of Chisago lake, at +an expense of about $7,000. These mills were burned in 1872. A stave +factory was built on the site of the burned mills, which was operated +successfully for many years under the management of George Nathan, +Otto Wallmark, W. D. Webb and others. This stave mill gave a new +impetus to the prosperity of the village, under the influence of which +the county seat was transferred to it. Its subsequent growth, however, +did not justify expectations. It was for many years without even a +post office. In 1875 the county seat was removed to Centre City. The +Lutherans have here one of the finest church buildings in the county. +The branch railroad depot is located one mile north, and quite a +village has grown up around it. + +OTTO WALLMARK was born Dec. 7, 1830, in the province of Halland, +Sweden. In his minority he was nine years clerk in a store. He +received a common school education. In 1854 he came to America and +directly to Chisago City, where he lived many years, making a +homestead, which has since been his permanent home. He served eighteen +years as Chisago county auditor. He served several years as postmaster +at Chisago City, and in 1886 was elected state senator for four years. +His first wife was Mary Helene, his second wife, Eva Palmgreen. They +have one son and one daughter. + +ANDREW WALLMARK, brother of Otto, was born in Sweden in 1826; received +a liberal education, and came to Chisago Lake from Sweden in 1854. He +has filled several town offices; has been register of deeds for +Chisago county nineteen years; was married to Mary Shaleen in 1856. +They have two sons and three daughters. + + +FISH LAKE. + +The town of Fish Lake includes township 36, range 22. It was +originally well timbered, chiefly with hardwood, but 25,000,000 feet +of pine timber has been cut from it and mostly manufactured in the +town. There are some fine lakes in the town, of which the largest and +finest are Horseshoe and Cedar. The soil is black clay loam with +subsoil of clay. The town was cut off from the town of Sunrise and +organized in 1868. The first supervisors were Chas. F. Stark, Benjamin +Franklin and John A. Hokanson. A post office was established in 1868; +Benjamin Franklin, postmaster. The first settlers were Peter Olaf and +Peter Bergland, in section 25. The first school was taught by Miss +Mattison. The first marriage was that of John Hokanson and Matilda +Samuelson. The first death was that of John Erickson. The population +is mostly from Sweden. There is a good Swedish Lutheran church built +near the centre of the town. There are also a Swedish Methodist and a +Swedish Baptist society. The people are a well-to-do, independent +class. Fish Lake has a saw mill with a capacity of about 1,000,000 +feet. In 1877 Hosburg, the watchman of this mill, was killed by +Priestly, an Englishman. Hosburg, in accordance with the rules, had +ordered him not to smoke on the premises. The Englishman was arrested, +tried for murder and acquitted. + +PETER BERG was born in Sweden in 1801; came to America in 1850, and +settled at Chisago Lake in 1851. Some time subsequently he settled on +the north shore of Fish lake. In 1886, at the age of eighty-five +years, he is still a vigorous, active man. Mr. Berg was married in +Sweden. He has one daughter, Katharine, who married Sam Hamilton, of +Taylor's Falls. Mr. Hamilton died in 1871. She married as her second +husband Swain G. Yongren. + +BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, though he bears the name of America's most +illustrious philosopher, is a native of Sweden, whence he came with a +Swedish colony in 1852, settled at Taylor's Falls, and subsequently +removed to the northern shore of Fish lake. By way of explaining how +he came by his American name we add that soon after his arrival he +came to the writer somewhat puzzled as to how he should write his +Swedish name in English. He gave it as "Ben Franz Norel," but +pronounced it in such a way that it sounded rather like Benjamin +Franklin. We suggested that name as a happy solution of the +difficulty, telling him something about the illustrious man who had +made it honorable. He adopted it at once, and has never disgraced it. +He is still a worthy, industrious and honorable citizen of Fish Lake. + + +FRANCONIA + +Includes the two eastern tiers of sections of township 33, range 20, +and fractional township 33, range 19, including about fifteen whole +sections, and four fractional. The soil is good, and originally +supported a growth of hardwood. The surface is undulating. It is well +watered by Lawrence and several other small creeks tributary to the +St. Croix, and has several small but clear lakes. Ansel Smith was the +first settler of the town and village, which he named after Franconia +in the White mountains. He came here in 1852, and located a claim on +the present site of the village, on the St. Croix river, section 10, +township 33, range 19. He did much for the prosperity of the village +and town. He raised the first crops and was the first postmaster +(1854). The town was organized in 1858. The first supervisors were +Ansel Smith, Leonard P. Day and A. J. Adams. The town is now well +settled and has many excellent farms. The branch St. Paul & Duluth +railroad has a depot three-fourths of a mile from the village of +Franconia. A German Methodist church is located near the centre of the +town. + + +FRANCONIA VILLAGE + +Was platted in 1858, by Ansel Smith. It was incorporated in 1884. Paul +Munch, in 1860, erected a first class, three storied flouring mill on +Lawrence creek. A saw mill, erected in 1854 by the Clark brothers and +Ansel Smith, has passed through many changes of ownership. It is now +the property of Matthews & Jourdain. Henry F. and Leonard P. Day built +the first good dwelling in the village, on the banks of the St. Croix, +just above the steamboat landing. Margaret Smith taught the first +school. The first death in the village was that of Neil Monroe. + +ANSEL SMITH came from Vermont to St. Croix Falls in 1850 and engaged +in teaching. In 1851 he helped erect the Chisago House in Taylor's +Falls. In 1852 he made a claim on the St. Croix river, in section 10, +township 33, range 19, and there platted the village of Franconia, +clearing away the worst of the timber with his own hands. He was an +energetic, active business man, and took an interest not only in the +affairs of his town and neighborhood, but in the country at large. He +represented his district in the fifth, sixth and seventh legislatures. +He was appointed register of the United States land office at Duluth +in 1870 and served till 1872. Mr. Smith died at his residence in +Duluth in 1878, leaving a wife and three promising sons, two of them +practicing attorneys in Duluth; one cashier of a bank in Duluth. + +HENRY F. AND LEONARD P. DAY.--The Day brothers came from St. Lawrence, +New York, to the St. Croix valley in 1849, and settled in Franconia in +1852. Henry married Margaret Smith, daughter of David Smith. During +the Rebellion he served in Company C, Seventh Minnesota Volunteers. He +moved to Florida in 1886. Leonard P. was married to Mary Mitchell in +1856. He died in 1874, leaving a widow, two sons and two daughters. +His widow (in 1886) is the wife of Henry Wills, of Osceola. + +HENRY WILLS was born in 1829, in Illinois, and married his first wife +in Missouri in 1856, who died in 1878, leaving nine children. Mr. +Wills was one of the first farmers in Franconia, and has been active +in promoting improvements in his town and county. He moved to Osceola +in 1886. + +THE CLARK BROTHERS came from Maine and located in Franconia in 1854, +where they built the first mill in the village. Subsequently they +became citizens of Taylor's Falls, engaging in the mercantile, livery, +saw and stave mill business. James, the oldest, married Carrie +Jellison in 1863, and moved to Windom, Minnesota. Rufus, the next in +age, married Kate Strand in 1860, and died May, 1880, leaving a widow, +three sons and one daughter. Charles, the youngest, was married to +Martha J. Gray in 1868, and removed to Fergus Falls. + +DAVID SMITH was born in Scotland. He came to Franconia in 1855, where +he has now one of the best farms in Chisago county. His youngest son, +James, lives on the old homestead with him. His second son, John, has +made his home in Rush City. Andrew, his oldest, served during the +Rebellion in company C, Seventh Minnesota. His oldest daughter, +Margaret, is the wife of H. F. Day. His daughter Nancy is the wife of +N. H. Hickerson and resides in California,. Barbary, the third +daughter, is the wife of John Grove of Burnett county. + +JONAS LINDALL was for many years an enterprising and prosperous +business man in Franconia. He opened up an extensive wood trade with +St. Paul, in which C. J. Vitalis is his successor. Mr. Lindall +represented his county in the senate of the fifteenth and sixteenth +state legislatures. He was accidentally drowned from a barge of wood +at Hastings in May, 1872. His widow is married to Chas. J. Vitalis. + +WM. PEASLEE came from Maine to the St. Croix valley and settled in +Franconia in 1857, and followed mercantile pursuits at that place and +at Taylor's Falls. He died at the latter place in 1876. Mr. Peaslee +was married at Palmyra, Maine, to Sophia E. Harriman, who, with +Clarence, an only son, survives him. His widow resides in Taylor's +Falls and superintends a millinery and fancy store. Clarence succeeds +his father in the grocery and dry goods business at Taylor's Falls. He +married Rosa, a daughter of Patrick Fox. + +CHARLES VITALIS was born in Smolland, Sweden, in 1843; came to America +in 1868 and settled in Franconia village. He was for five years +employed as clerk. In 1873 he embarked in the mercantile and wood +business. In one year he shipped 13,000 cords of wood, and has +averaged for the last 14 years 7,000 cords, making a total of 100,000 +cords. He was married to Josephine Nelson, widow of Jonas Lindall, in +1873. They have three children. Elof, John, Elias and Hans are +brothers of Charles Vitalis, residing in the town of Franconia. + +AUGUST J. ANDERSON was born near Wexico, Sweden, in 1860; came to +America with his parents in 1869, and to Franconia. At thirteen years +of age he commenced clerking for C. Vitalis, with whom he continued +until 1873, when he associated himself with him in the mercantile +business. He visited Europe in 1883. + +FRANK N. PETERSON.--Mr. Peterson came to America in 1865, and in 1866 +settled in the valley of the St. Croix. He attended school at Carver, +Minnesota, one year, when he became a traveling salesman for Leopold & +Co., of Chicago, and in 1881 settled in Franconia. He organized the +lumbering firm of Borens Brothers & Peterson, which continued until +1886, when a new organization was formed, called the Franconia Lumber +Company, consisting of P. Jordan, Sam Mathews, of Stillwater, and the +subject of our sketch. + +[Illustration: FRANK N. PETERSON.] + +Mr. Peterson has been the president of Franconia since its +incorporation. In 1869 he married Miss Ingur Johnson, daughter of Eric +Johnson, a pioneer of St. Peter, Minnesota, and is the father of two +children, Axel, a promising son, who died in February, 1885, at +fourteen years of age, and Maria, now a student in the Ladies' +Seminary at Faribault, who is developing marked ability as a pencil +artist. Mr. Peterson owns one of the finest houses in the valley, +romantically situated, which is supplied with pure spring water. It is +a pride to the village and attracts general attention. He is also the +inventor and patentee of the Lindholm & Peterson adding machine. + + +HARRIS. + +The town of Harris contains twenty-four sections of township 36, range +21, the four western tiers of sections. The soil is a sandy loam with +clay subsoil. The town is well watered and drained by Goose creek, +which entering the town from the northwest, and bending at first +southward, then eastward, leaves the town near its southeastern line +in section 22. The timber consisted originally of oak openings and +pine; 10,000,000 feet of the latter have been removed from the +southeastern portion. Luxuriant wild meadows are found along Goose +creek. The first improvement was a farm, made by W. H. C. Folsom in +sections 21 and 22 in 1854. The first permanent settler was Henry H. +Sevy, who located on this farm in 1856. The town of Harris was +organized in 1884. + + +HARRIS VILLAGE. + +A charter organizing Harris village was granted by the district court, +under the general law, in 1882. A question arose as to the legality of +the act. A subsequent legislature, by legislative act, confirmed all +similarly organized villages in the State. The supreme court decided +the organization of such villages illegal and the legislative act +sanctioning it unconstitutional. It was subsequently organized +legally. The village was surveyed by A. D. Miller and platted in May, +1873, in the south half of section 21, township 36, range 21, Philip +S. Harris and N. D. Miller, proprietors. It derived its name from +Philip S. Harris, a prominent officer of the St. Paul & Duluth +railroad. Fred Wolf was the first settler, in 1870, and first merchant +and first railroad agent, in 1873. He acted as postmaster subsequently +and filled other offices of trust. His interests are intimately +blended with those of the village. Isaac Savage was the second settler +and merchant. He was the first postmaster, in 1873. The first school +was taught by Mary Gwinn, in 1873. The first marriage was that of M. +P. Smith and Charlotte Swenson. The first child born was Brague, son +of W. D. Sayers. The first death was that of Isaac Morrill. A good +school house was built in 1877. The village is rapidly growing. It has +an extensive trade in hay, wood, ties and piles. Wheat shipments are +large. It has four stores, two hotels, three elevators, three hay +presses, two wagon and smith shops, one agricultural warehouse, one +skating rink, one livery stable, two saloons, one meat shop and a +railroad depot. + + +LENT. + +This town includes the whole of township 34, range 21. It is well +watered and drained by Sunrise river, but has no lakes. The soil is a +sandy loam; the timber chiefly oak openings. The early settlers were +Harvey Lent, from whom the town derived its name, William Robinson, +James Buchanan, who raised the first crops in 1855, Joshua Dawson, +Jesse Moore and others. The town was organized in 1872. The first +supervisors were Dawson, Moore and Robinson. The first post office was +established in 1875, at Stacy, a railroad station on the St. Paul & +Duluth railroad, which traverses this town from south to north. Frank +Dawson was the first postmaster. + + +NESSELL. + +Nessell includes township 37, range 22. The surface was originally +covered with a growth of hardwood, with some pine. Of the latter, +about 10,000,000 feet has been cut. The soil is adapted to wheat +culture. It is well watered. Rush lake occupies a nearly central +position, and is a beautiful sheet of water with about fourteen miles +of meandering shore line, crystal clear, and deep, well stocked with +fish, and bordered with groves of maple, oak and linden. The town was +set off from Rush Lake and organized in 1870. The first supervisors +were Wm. H. McCray, John H. Breit and Matts Colleen. The town is +settled by a class of industrious, upright people. There are three +churches, with prosperous societies, the Swedish Baptist, the Swedish +Lutheran and German Lutheran. Martin Linnell was the first child born. +The first marriage was that of Wm. Vanetta and Anna Johnson, in 1861. +Alice Draper taught the first school. Rev. Cedarstam preached the +first sermon. + +ROBERT NESSELL was the oldest settler. The town was named for him. He +was born in Germany in 1834; came to America in 1847, and to Minnesota +in 1854. He was married at Sunrise to Kate Torbert, of Shafer, in +1856, and the same year located his present home. Other early settlers +are John H. Breit, John Lindsey, P. Kelley, and the Jarchow brothers. + +STEPHEN B. CLARK made Nessell his home in 1867. Mr. Clark was born in +Vermont in 1830; came to Marine in 1851. He served three years during +the Rebellion in the Second Wisconsin Cavalry. He removed to Rush City +in 1856. + + +RUSH SEBA. + +Rush Seba comprises township 37, range 21, and fractional part of +township 37, range 20, consisting of about ten sections, irregularly +bounded by the St. Croix river. It is timbered with hardwood, has good +soil, chiefly a black clay loam, with clay subsoil, and is well +watered by Rush river and Rock creek and tributaries. Wild meadows and +marshes are intermingled with the timber. The town was organized in +1858, with George B. Folsom, Robert Newell and Timothy Ward as +supervisors. A post office was established in 1859, in section 14, +George B. Folsom, postmaster. George B. Folsom was the first settler, +raising the first crops in the town in 1855. The St. Paul & Duluth +railroad traverses the town from south to north. It was built in 1868, +and a branch road to Grantsburg, Wisconsin, was built in 1884. +Josephine Blanding taught the first school, in 1856. The first death +was that of James Ward, who died from accidental poisoning. + + +RUSH CITY. + +In 1868, at the completion of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad, a depot +was built and a station established at the crossing of Rush river, +around which rapidly grew up the village of Rush City. It was surveyed +and platted by Benjamin W. Brunson, surveyor, in January, 1870, in the +northeast quarter of section 21, township 37, range 26. The Western +Land Association, L. Mendenhall, agent, was proprietor. Thomas Flynn +was the first settler, he having in 1857 pre-empted the land which +afterward became the site of the village. Among the improvements in +1869 was a steam saw mill, built by Taylor & Co. This mill was burned +in 1879, at a loss of $13,000. Rush City was incorporated in 1874. +Frank H. Pratt was president of the first village council. Rush City +has now a commodious town hall, an exchange bank, one elevator, one +foundry, a good school house, built at a cost of $3,000; a good graded +school, under the supervision of Prof. V. D. Eddy; a lodge of Ancient +Order United Workmen (No. 42), a board of trade, a Woman's Christian +Temperance Union Association, a Sons of Temperance lodge, a post of +the Grand Army of the Republic (Ellsworth Post, No. 58), and a masonic +organization (Jasper Lodge). The following denominations have churches +and societies: Catholic, Episcopalian, German Lutheran, Swedish +Lutheran, and Swedish Evangelical. The Catholics are building a church +at a cost of $10,000. + +THOMAS FLYNN was born in county Mayo, Ireland, 1828. He came to +America in 1831, and lived in Canada East until 1857; when he located +in Minnesota, pre-empting the northeast quarter of section 21, +township 37, range 21. His farm became the site of the village of Rush +City in 1868, and in 1869 he built the first frame house in its +limits. Mr. Flynn has been married three times, losing each of his +wives by death. He has two sons living, James H. and Frank A. + +PATRICK H. FLYNN was born in county Mayo, Ireland, in 1829; came to +America in 1831; lived in Canada East until 1857, and coming to +Minnesota pre-empted the northwest quarter of section 21. He was +married in 1857 to Margaret Kelly, of Illinois. They have two sons and +two daughters living. Mr. Flynn, in 1880, erected the Globe Hotel in +Rush City, where he now resides. + +RUFUS CROCKER was the second settler in Rush Seba. He was the first +justice of the peace and held other offices. Mr. Crocker was married +to Miss Mercy Hewson, of Isanti county. He is now a citizen of Rock +Creek. + +FRANK H. PRATT was born in Skowhegan, Maine, in 1836. His father, +Henry P. Pratt, a veteran editor, who had served twenty years on the +Kennebec _Journal_, and later was connected with the Somerset +_Journal_ and Skowhegan _People's Press_, came to St. Paul in 1854 +with his family, and was associated with John P. Owens as assistant +editor of the St. Paul _Minnesotian_. On Sunday, May 6, 1855, Mr. +Pratt went on board the steamer Royal Arch, which had landed at the +St. Paul levee that morning with a cargo of passengers, sick, dying +and dead of cholera. Thirteen had already died on the boat. Mr. +Pratt, Sr., went on board to alleviate the sufferings of the sick and +dying, and in consequence, within two days, himself sickened and died. +The writer and his family were passengers on the Royal Arch, and +witnesses to these scenes of suffering and death and Mr. Pratt's +heroic self-devotion. After his father's death Frank continued in the +office of the _Minnesotian_ as printer. He worked also in the offices +of the St. Paul and St. Peter _Tribune_ and the Prescott _Transcript_. +In 1858-59 he served as local editor and foreman in the _Transcript_ +office. In 1860 he removed to Taylor's Falls, and established the +Taylor's Falls _Reporter_, the first newspaper published in Chisago +county. In 1862 he enlisted in Company C. of the Seventh Minnesota +Volunteer Infantry; was commissioned second lieutenant, and served +until he resigned his office in the latter part of 1864, having been +promoted to the captaincy of Company C. After the war he located in +Sunrise City, and engaged in mercantile pursuits. In 1872 he removed +to Rush City, continued in mercantile business, and took an active +part in all enterprises looking to the welfare of the city. He built a +store, elevator and a fine residence, which was burned in 1881. Mr. +Pratt represented his district in the sixteenth legislature. He was +married to Helen A. Bossout, at St. Paul, in 1858. They have one son, +Fred, and three daughters. Mr. Pratt moved to St. Paul in 1882, where +he died, March 25, 1884. Fred, his son, succeeds him in business in +Rush City. He is married to a daughter of Jonathan Chase, of East +Minneapolis. + +VOLORO D. EDDY was born in Java, Wyoming county, New York, Sept. 7, +1840; received a common school education supplemented by two years' +attendance at Griffith Institute, Springfield, New York; gave up his +school to enlist in his country's service, as a member of the +"Ellsworth Avengers" (the Forty-fourth New York Volunteers). The +regiment was mustered into service at Albany, New York, Aug. 8, 1861. +He served in this regiment until June 5, 1864, when he was taken +prisoner at Old Church, Virginia. He endured the horrors of prison +life until Feb. 26, 1865, and was discharged from service May 20, +1865. In 1868 he came to Taylor's Falls and engaged in teaching, which +he has made his profession, having taught continuously since 1869. He +has been county superintendent of schools for twelve years, during +which time he has resided at Rush City. Mr. Eddy was married to +Frances Cowley, at Taylor's Falls, Sept. 30, 1868. Mrs. Eddy died +June, 1881. He was married to Anna R. Olmstead, July 25, 1883, at +Arcadia, New York. + +FERDINAND SWEEDORFF CHRISTIANSON was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, +April 18, 1837; came to the United States in 1866, to Minnesota in +1868, and to Chisago county in 1870. He was married to Selma A. +Willard, at Red Wing, Minnesota, Dec. 12, 1869. He represented Chisago +county in the legislature of 1878. He was assistant secretary of state +from 1880 to 1882. In 1882 he established the Rush City Bank. In 1883 +he was appointed member of the state board of equalization, and in +1885 was one of the committee for selecting a location for the Third +Hospital for the Insane. + + +SHAFER + +Comprises all of the territory of township 34, range 19, excepting the +plat of Taylor's Falls, and fractional sections in the northeast +corner of the township. It was at first heavily timbered with +hardwood, interspersed with marshes and meadows. The soil is good. +Lawrence and Dry creeks drain the greater part of the township. It is +now well settled, and has many fine farms. A Swedish colony settled +here in 1853, consisting of Peter Wyckland, Andros Anderson, Eric +Byland, Tuver Walmarson, and others. The town organized first as +Taylor's Falls, but the name was changed to Shafer in 1873. John G. +Peterson, John Nelson and John Carlson were the first supervisors. The +first school was taught by Ella Wyckoff, in the Marshall district, in +1859. The first marriage was that of Peter Abear to Kittie Wickland. +The branch St. Paul & Duluth railroad passes through the southern part +of this township. The township contributed to this road $3,000 in +bonds. A railroad station in the southwest quarter of section 32 bears +the name of Shafer, derived, together with the name of the township, +from + +JACOB SHAFER, who, as early as 1847, cut hay in sections 4 and 5. He +seems to have been in no sense worthy of the honor conferred upon him, +as he was but a transient inhabitant, and disappeared in 1849. No one +knows of his subsequent career. The honor ought to have been given to +some of the hardy Swedes, who were the first real pioneers, and the +first to make substantial improvements. + +PETER WICKLAND came from Sweden in 1853, and settled in the northeast +quarter of section 26. He moved to Anoka in 1860, and was drowned in +Rum river in 1880. His son Peter is a prominent merchant in Anoka. + +TUVER WALMARSON was born in Sweden in 1812. He was a member of the +Swedish colony of 1853, settled in the northwest quarter of section +26. Mr. and Mrs. Walmarson reared a fine family of children. Nelson +Tuver Walmarson, the eldest son, inherits the industry and frugality +of both parents. By hard work and close attention to business the +family has prospered abundantly. + +ANDROS ANDERSON came also from Sweden in 1853 and settled in the east +half of the northeast quarter of section 34. Mr. Anderson moved to +Taylor's Falls in 1859 and died there in 1873. He left but one child, +the wife of Daniel Fredine, of Shafer. Mr. Anderson was a born +humorist and fond of practical jokes. On one occasion his ready wit +was exercised at the expense of a man to whom he had mortgaged his +farm. Deeming the house in which he lived his own, in the absence of +the mortgagee he removed it to Taylor's Falls. The mortgagee, E. W. +Holman, told him that he had stolen the house and must replace it. +Anderson told Holman to take the house and replace it himself, but if +he took his (Anderson's) family along with it he would have him sent +to the penitentiary. Mr. Holman did not see his way clear and the +house was not disturbed. + +ERIC BYLAND, another of the Swedish colony, settled in the west half +of the southeast quarter of section 23. In 1860 he sold out and moved +further west. The farm he left is now owned by John Nelson and is one +of the finest farms in Chisago county. + +JACOB PETERSON was born in 1847 and came with his parents to Chisago +county in 1854. They located on a beautiful spot in Franconia, on the +shore of a small lake, where they made a farm and where Jacob passed +his boyhood and youth. In 1881 he commenced business at Shafer station +as a merchant and dealer in wood. He was the first postmaster at +Shafer. He was married in 1881 to Mary Heline. + +AMBROSE C. SEAVEY was born in Machias, Maine, in 1824; was married to +Elizabeth Ayers, in Crawford, Maine, in 1846, and came to St. Croix +Falls in 1848. In 1852 he removed to Taylor's Falls, and opened the +first blacksmith shop. He was absent two years in Colorado, and when +he returned settled on a farm in the town of Shafer. He has a family +of four sons and six daughters. + + +SUNRISE. + +The town of Sunrise includes the two eastern tiers of sections of +township 36, range 21, one whole and eight fractional sections of +township 36, range 20, and all of township 35, range 20, except the +two eastern tiers of sections. It is well watered by the St. Croix and +Sunrise rivers and their tributaries. The latter river rises in +Washington county, having for its principal source Forest lake, and +flows through the town in a northerly direction into the St. Croix. It +has three considerable tributaries from the west known as North, +Middle and South branches. St. Croix river has, as tributary, Goose +creek, which flows through the northern part of the town. The soil +varies from a rich sandy loam to a sandy soil. The town contains many +fine farms. The old government road from Point Douglas to Superior +passes through the town. + +Sunrise was incorporated as a town Oct. 26, 1858; Isaac A. Parmenter, +David Lovejoy and A. C. Mattison, supervisors. A post office was +established in 1856; George S. Frost, postmaster. The first marriage +was that of Robert Nessell and Kate Torbert, by J. D. Wilcox, Esq. The +first child born was Joshua Taylor Gallaspie. The first death was of +an unknown man who died from the kick of a horse. Wm. Holmes, the +first settler, located on Sunrise prairie in 1853, and raised crops on +fifteen acres that year. John A. Brown and Patten W. Davis cultivated +thirty-five acres the same year on Sunrise prairie. Messrs. Brown, +Davis and Ingalls made a wagon road from Sunrise to St. Paul in 1853. +John A. Brown, in the same year, built a hotel and opened a store. The +hotel was built of logs, the store was a frame, the first erected in +Sunrise. In 1855 he built a saw mill. His hotel was burned in 1856. +These buildings were the nucleus of Sunrise village. + + +SUNRISE VILLAGE + +Was platted July, 1857, in the north half of the northeast quarter of +section 8, and the west half of the southwest quarter and the +northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 4, and the +southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 9, all of +township 3, range 20. The proprietors were John A. Brown, J. S. +Caldwell and C. L. Willis; surveyor, W. F. Duffy. It contains a first +class roller flour mill, a saw mill, both owned by Caspar Spivac, two +stores, a school house and several shops and dwellings. In 1857 a +colony from Western New York settled in and around Sunrise village. +The Wilcoxes, Wilkes, Collins, Gwynne, Smith, and others were of this +colony. The village has suffered greatly from fires. The buildings +lost at various times were one flouring mill, valued at $10,000, four +hotels and several private dwellings. The flouring mill was the +property of Mrs. J. G. Mold. Two lives were lost at the burning of the +mill. + +In the fall of 1862, immediately after the Sioux outbreak, and while +considerable apprehension was felt as to the attitude of the Chippewas +toward the white settlers, a company of volunteers under Capt. +Anderson was stationed at Sunrise. This company built temporary +quarters of logs, and were very comfortably fixed during the winter. +They had presumably a very good time, but repelled no savage foes. + + +KOST VILLAGE + +Is located in the west half of section 32, township 35, range 20. It +has a first class roller flouring mill, owned by Ferdinand A. Kost, +erected in 1883 at a cost of $13,000, and a saw mill, also owned by F. +A. Kost, erected the same year. It has two stores, a number of shops +and dwellings and a post office, established in 1884, of which F. A. +Kost is postmaster. + + +CHIPPEWA + +Was platted March, 1856, by Benj. Dinsmore, surveyor, in the northwest +quarter of section 2, and the west half of the northeast quarter of +section 2, township 36, range 21. The proprietors were James Starkey, +Charles S. Patteys, Michael E. Ames, Isaac Van Etten, and Moses +Sherburne. It makes a fair farm. + + +DRONTHEIM + +Was platted in 1856, in the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter +and the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 1, +township 36, range 20; C. C. P. Myer, proprietor. It is still a brush +and swamp plat. + + +NASHUA + +Was platted July, 1857, H. H. Newbury, surveyor, on lots 6 and 7 of +section 33, and lot 5 in section 34, township 34, range 20. +Proprietors, N. F. Taylor, W. H. C. Folsom, L. K. Stannard and N. C. +D. Taylor. It has made two fair farms. + + +WASHINGTON + +Was platted August, 1856, W. F. Duffy, surveyor, in the south half of +section 35, township 35, range 21. Proprietors, James Y. Caldwell and +L. C. Kinney. On this site the Starkey Indian battle was fought. + +JOHN A. BROWN.--Mr. Brown, a native of Pennsylvania, came to Sunrise +in 1853, and was for awhile quite prominent, building a store, hotel +and other buildings. In 1855 he was married to Emeline Hartwell. He +prospered in business, but owing to some domestic difficulties, in +1857 left suddenly for parts unknown. His property was sacrificed to +meet obligations, and his wife left helpless. Mrs. Brown died in +Minneapolis in 1880. + +PATTEN W. DAVIS was a native of Virginia. He came to Stillwater in +1848, and soon after removed to Osceola Mills, where he lived two +years. In 1853 he removed to Sunrise, and was associated in business +for two years with John A. Brown. He has held the positions of +postmaster, town clerk, treasurer, county commissioner, supervisor, +and assessor. In 1876 he married a Virginia lady, and returned to his +native state. + +JAMES F. HARVEY was born in 1820, in Penobscot county, Maine. He came +West in 1847 and settled at Marine Mills. In 1854 he removed to +Sunrise and located in the northeast quarter of section 14, township +36, range 21, at what was known as Goose Creek crossing. His first +wife, whom he had married in Maine, died shortly after their arrival +at Sunrise, leaving one daughter, Maria, wife of Leonard Clark, of +Stillwater. Mr. Harvey was married in 1856 to widow Patience Knight, +the mother of Mrs. Floyd S. Bates, Albert S. and Frank E., of Taylor's +Falls, and Ella Medora Harvey, wife of J. A. Shores, of Minneapolis. +Mr. Harvey died at his home in 1864. Mrs. Harvey died at Taylor's +Falls in 1871. + +FLOYD S. BATES, originally from Maine, has been since 1854 a prominent +lumberman on the St. Croix, living first at Sunrise, and in later +years at Taylor's Falls. He owns an extensive farm in Cass county, +Dakota. Of his three brothers, E. Hines resides in Taylor's Falls, and +J. Herrick and Charles in Dakota Territory. + +ISAAC H. WARNER was born in New York in 1830, was married in 1852 and +came to Sunrise in 1854, where he followed farming and selling goods. +He has served as postmaster, justice of the peace and held other +positions. He has three children. His eldest, a daughter, wife of +Samuel McClure, a lumberman of Sunrise, died February, 1885. Mr. +Warner removed to Dakota in 1883. + +CHARLES F. LOWE was born in 1815 in Concord, New Hampshire, received a +collegiate education and came to Sunrise in 1855. He interested +himself in real estate but devoted about one-half of his time to +travel, of which he was passionately fond. He made one trip around the +globe, writing back interesting letters descriptive of what he had +seen. He made his last annual tour in 1873, and, while sailing in a +small boat in some of the waters of Florida, the boat was struck by a +squall, capsized and Mr. Lowe was drowned. Mr. Lowe was a member of +the Minnesota constitutional convention. + +WELLS FARR came from New York State to Sunrise prairie in 1854, where +he has since lived in a comfortable home, a successful farmer. He has +a family of four sons and two daughters. His oldest daughter is the +wife of Ephraim C. Ingalls. His second daughter is the wife of Frank +Dawson, of Lent. Mr. Farr died in March, 1888. + +JOHN G. MOLD came to Sunrise in 1854, where he engaged in milling, +hotel keeping and mercantile business. He was the proprietor of the +Sunrise City mills, since burned. He died in 1873, aged fifty years, +leaving a widow, two sons and two daughters. + +GEORGE L. BLOOD, during his early life, was a seafaring man, spending +many years upon the ocean, and visiting during this time many foreign +ports, keeping a daily record of his journeyings. Mr. Blood had +learned the trade of house joiner, but coming to Sunrise in 1854, +attempted farming, at which he was not successful. In 1864 he removed +to Taylor's Falls, where he died in 1869. His life was an exemplary +one, and his death that of a Christian. His family returned to their +old home in Connecticut. His two sons reside in St. Paul. + +JOEL G. RYDER came from New York to the St. Croix and settled in the +town of Sunrise, near the village, about the year 1855. He was +energetic and able, and was called to fill many town and county +offices. He was a representative in the fifteenth state legislature. +In 1860 he was married to Lizzie Perkins. + +JOHN DEAN was born in 18--; was married to Mary Draper in 1860; came +to Minnesota in 18--; served some time as river pilot, and settled on +his farm near Sunrise City in 1860. Mr. Dean represented his district +in the house of the twenty-first and twenty-second legislatures. + + +TAYLOR'S FALLS. + +The village of Taylor's Falls was platted in 1851, a survey of lots +having been made at that time by Theodore S. Parker, of Stillwater. +Additions were made from time to time as the increasing population +demanded. A year before the survey a frame building was erected on +what was subsequently the northwest corner of River and First streets. +In 1851 and 1852 some streets were opened, but with considerable +difficulty, on account of the trap rock, which to be removed required +blasting. Bowlders that could not be removed were buried. The work of +cutting a street to the upper steamboat landing was specially +difficult. There were no roads to the village, and the only means of +travel was by steamboat, bateaux, or birch bark canoes, until the +government road was opened sometime in 1856. A post office was +established in March, 1851, and a weekly mail was ordered from +Stillwater. Prior to this time a semi-monthly mail had been carried +between the points named. Of the office established in 1851, N. C. D. +Taylor was first postmaster. The office was in W. H. C. Folsom's +store, Folsom acting as deputy postmaster. The successors of Mr. +Taylor have been, Porter E. Walker, Edward P. Wyman, Thomas Holmes, +Oscar Roos, George W. Seymour, and N. M. Humphrey; not a long list for +thirty-five years. The location of the office was changed with each +successive incumbent. The mail carrier in 1851 was the Hon. Warren +Bristol, since then four times a representative and senator from +Goodhue county in the state legislature, and United States judge in +Arizona. The mail service has passed through all the gradations from a +semi-monthly to a semi-daily mail. The mail has been carried in canoes +or bateaux, on foot, on horseback, on steamboat and rail car. It is +now carried by rail. Of the Baker & Taylor mill an account has been +given elsewhere. The next mill, a grist mill, was built by N. C. D. +Taylor, W. H. C. Folsom and the Day brothers, in 1852. It was several +years later remodeled and changed into a carding mill, and is now the +property of Jonas Gray. Kingman Brothers built a saw mill in 1857, +with a capacity of 12,000 feet per day. Several parties succeeded to +the ownership and control of the mill, but, after doing good service +for many years, it was abandoned. Clark Brothers built a lumber and +stave mill in 1868. After ten years this mill was removed. + +The first merchant was Daniel Mears, who sold goods as early as 1848. +W. H. C. Folsom opened a store in 1850; Taylor & Fox in 1852. The +Chisago House was built by Thomson & Smith in 1852, on the corner of +Bench and First streets. In 1870 the name was changed to Dalles House. +It has changed landlords many times, the last being Henry Kattenberg. +The Cascade House was built in 1853, on the corner of Walnut and Bench +streets, by Richard Arnold. It is no longer used. The Falls House was +built in 1870, on Bench street near Walnut, by Erastus Guard, and +converted into a hotel in 1880, with Henry Kattenberg as proprietor, +by whom it was conducted as a temperance house. It is now in charge of +Eugene Fitzgerald. + +The first physician was Lucius B. Smith. Susan Thomson taught the +first school. The first marriage was that of Charles D. Turney and +Cecilia Ring, Ansel Smith, justice of the peace, tying the knot. Wm. +Colby was the first white child born in the village. The first death +was that of a three-year-old daughter of Ansel Smith, in 1852. Rev. W. +T. Boutwell preached the first sermon, in 1851. In 1852 three young +Episcopal ministers, Revs. Breck, Myrick and Wilcoxson, alternated in +holding services, but did not organize a society. Rev. Julius S. +Webber, Baptist, preached occasionally in 1852 and 1853; Rev. W. +Miner, Congregationalist, in 1856 and 1857 became the first resident +minister. In April, 1859, Rev. Silas Bolles, a Methodist, organized a +society, the first in the village. In June, 1859, Rev. A. M. Torbet +organized a Baptist society and served as pastor four years. The +society built a church in 1861 at a cost of $3,000. + +In 1860 the Swedish Evangelical Lutherans built a church on the corner +of Mulberry and Government streets, at a cost of $1,500. Rev. C. A. +Cedarstam was pastor in 1871-72-73, Rev. ---- Tornell the three +succeeding years, and three other pastors have served since. In 1866 +Rev. John G. Hall organized a Presbyterian society, and built a church +in 1868, on the corner of River and Chisago streets, at a cost of +$1,500. Mr. Hall served as pastor four years. The Roman Catholics +erected a church on the corner of Walnut and Centre streets in 1873, +at a cost of $1,000. They have as yet no settled priest or parish +school. + +The St. Croix Bridge Company was organized in 1854. The incorporators +were W. H. C. Folsom, Patrick Fox, Joshua L. Taylor, W. S. Hungerford, +Wm. Kent, Nelson McCarty, John Dobney, W. F. Colby, Orange Walker, +Fred W. Lammers, and N. C. D. Taylor. The bridge was built in 1856; W. +S. Sewall, St. Paul, was the engineer. The capital stock amounted to +$4,925, and was divided into 197 shares at $25 each. The bridge was +rebuilt in 1870, on the same plan, and in 1884 was replaced by an iron +bridge, at a cost of $6,253. The bridge has a span of 150 feet and is +a light and graceful structure. It was the first bridge that spanned +the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers. + +The Chisago County Bank was organized in 1858, under the state banking +law; capital stock, $25,000; Levi W. Folsom, president; S. C. Gould, +cashier. It was closed in 1859. + +The Taylor's Falls Copper Mining Company was organized Dec. 15, 1874; +W. H. C. Folsom, president; George W. Seymour, secretary; L. W. +Folsom, treasurer; D. A. Caneday, mining agent. The operations of this +company extended to sinking a shaft to a depth of one hundred and +thirty feet. + +The Kahbakong Cemetery Association was organized in 1853. The first +board of officers were W. H. C. Folsom, president; Joshua L. Taylor, +secretary. The cemetery is located a mile and a half from the village +and contains fifteen acres of ground beautifully located. + +Zion Lodge, No. 55, A. F. &. A. M., was organized March 3, 1866. +Sherman Post, No. 6, G. A. R., was organized in July, 1882, Caspar +Hauser, commander. Taylor's Falls Library Association was organized +Oct. 8, 1871, E. D. Whiting, president; J. A. McGowan, secretary. +Within two years the library numbered 1,000 volumes and since that +time the number has been increased to 1,500. + +In 1858 the village of Taylor's Falls was regularly incorporated with +the following board of officers: Trustees, Patrick Fox, president; W. +H. C. Folsom, E. D. Whiting, L. W. Folsom; recorder, H. H. Newbury; +treasurer, Wm. Comer. + + +AN INDIAN DANCE. + +The last Indian dance in Taylor's Falls was given by a party of +Chippewas in 1856. They had come down the St. Croix in birch canoes +with furs and cranberries to exchange with Samuels in St. Croix +village for "scootawabo," or whisky. They remained about a week, +drinking and carousing in their peculiar style. One Sabbath, and when, +for a wonder, they were quite sober, they visited Taylor's Falls and +gave a series of grotesque and laughable dances in the street, +opposite Folsom's store, after which they called for presents as +tokens of friendship and appreciation, kindly and gravely shook hands +and recrossed the river. + + "Thus departed Hiawatha." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +BIOGRAPHICAL. + +JESSE TAYLOR, the first permanent settler of Taylor's Falls, came to +the Falls in 1838, as narrated in the general history of the village. +Nothing is known of his life before coming to the Falls, except that +he was originally from Kentucky, and lived at Fort Snelling, where he +was employed as a stonemason. By the death of his associate, B. F. +Baker, he came into possession of the mill property and its +belongings. This he sold to Joshua L. Taylor in 1846, and removed to +Stillwater, where he took a contract for stone work on the prison +walls. His name appears as a member of the house from Stillwater in +the territorial legislature for 1851 and 1852. He was married in 1844 +to Abigail, daughter of widow Edwards, of Stillwater. He left +Stillwater in 1853. + +JOSHUA L. TAYLOR was born in Sanbornton, New Hampshire, in 1816. In +1836 he removed to Alton, Illinois, where he lived until 1840, when he +came to Taylor's Falls in the employ of the St. Croix Falls Lumber +Company. In 1846 he purchased the property of Jesse Taylor. He engaged +in logging until 1849, meanwhile pre-empting portions of the site of +Taylor's Falls. In the fall of 1849 he went to California, and was +fairly successful in his mining ventures. He returned to Taylor's +Falls in 1852, where he has since resided. He was married in October, +1856, at Skowhegan, Maine, to Clarinda Wyman. Mrs. Taylor died May 4, +1860, leaving no children. Mr. Taylor built a fine residence in 1856, +on block 1, River street, Taylor's Falls, commanding a beautiful view +of the river. Mrs. Gilmore, a sister of Mr. Taylor, and her daughter +Mary, lived with him many years. Mrs. Gilmore died in 1868. Mary +Gilmore was married to D. G. Sampson in 1881 and now lives in Ashland. +Mr. Taylor had many opportunities of entering public life, but, with a +solitary exception, declined them. At the organization of the +territory of Minnesota, in 1849, he was appointed United States +marshal, but declined. He was afterward appointed warden of the +penitentiary at Stillwater, and served two years. + +NATHAN C. D. TAYLOR, elder brother of Joshua, was born in Sanbornton, +New Hampshire, in 1810; removed to Alton, Illinois, in 1832 and was +for several years in the employ of Godfrey, Gilman & Co., merchants of +Alton. Mr. Taylor came to St. Croix Falls in 1846. He was one of the +original pre-emptors of the site of Taylor's Falls. In 1852 he engaged +with Patrick Fox in the mercantile business. They carried on an +extensive trade in goods and logs until 1858. The firm of Taylor & Fox +erected a good store building on lot 16, block 15. He was a member of +the house in the fifth and seventh territorial legislatures, and +speaker of the fifth. In 1866 he was elected county treasurer of +Chisago county, and thereafter to the same office continuously for ten +years. Mr. Taylor never married. He died at Taylor's Falls, March 20, +1887. + +THOMAS F. MORTON was born in South Carolina. He came to St. Croix +Falls in 1840. In 1850 he settled on a farm adjoining Taylor's Falls, +known as the Jerry Ross claim. He pre-empted the southwest quarter of +section 25. In 1852 he was married to Mrs. Margaret Boyce, his second +wife, mother of Silas Boyce, of Amador. He followed farming +successfully a few years, and in 1862 enlisted in his country's +service, as a private in Company C, Seventh Minnesota Volunteer +Infantry, and along with his friends Colby and Guard did noble +service, participating in several battles, in one of which, the battle +of Nashville, he was wounded by the bursting of a shell. He remained +with the regiment, however, until, disabled by his wound and by +sickness at the siege of Spanish Fort, he was compelled to return +home. He never recovered his health, but in 1867 peacefully passed +away. He was a good man, a brave soldier, and an exemplary Christian. + +HENRY N. SETZER.--Mr. Setzer is a descendant of a North German family. +He was born in Montgomery county, Missouri, Oct. 6, 1825, and received +his education at home, which he left at the age of fourteen years, +and afterward at St. Charles College, Missouri. In 1843 Mr. Setzer +came to the St. Croix valley, where he engaged in lumbering for +himself and others, and devoted some time to public affairs. From 1843 +to 1854 he resided alternately at Stillwater, Marine, Taylor's Falls +and Chengwatana. Mr. Setzer represented the Fourth district, including +Marine, Rush Lake, Rice River and Snake River precincts, in the house +of the first territorial legislature, and the First district, +including the counties of Washington, Itasca, Chisago, Superior and +Doty, in the council of the seventh and eighth territorial +legislatures. He was a member of the Democratic wing of the +constitutional convention in 1857. In 1857 he was appointed warden of +the state prison at Stillwater, which position he held until 1860, +when he was appointed register of the land office at Cambridge, Isanti +county. He held this position until April,1861. Having devoted his +leisure time to the study of law, and having been admitted to practice +in the supreme court of Minnesota, he concluded to devote himself +entirely to practice. He established a law office in Taylor's Falls +with L. K. Stannard. He removed to Superior City in 1869, to Duluth in +1874, and returned to Taylor's Falls in 1877. He has served as town +and county attorney in Chisago county for many years, and has an +extensive practice in the higher courts. + +PATRICK FOX was born in Tipperary county, Ireland, in 1819; came with +his parents to America in 1823, and to Davenport, Iowa, in 1836. In +1841 he came to St. Croix Falls, where he lived three years, moving +thence to Stillwater, where he engaged in logging until 1851, when he +removed to Taylor's Falls and engaged in lumbering for a year, then +entered into a mercantile partnership with N. C. D. Taylor. The firm +closed business in 1858. Mr. Fox has been a public spirited citizen, +contributing freely of his means for the improvement of the village, +aiding in opening roads, building levees and bridges, and school +houses, before such enterprises could be paid for out of tax revenues. +Mr. Fox represented Chisago county in the second legislature, 1860. +Mr. Fox is a good neighbor, industrious and temperate. He was married +at Davenport, Iowa, to Elisabeth Riley. They have three sons and two +daughters. The eldest daughter is the wife of Clarence Peaslee; the +second daughter became the wife of Winfield P. Larcy, of Dakota, in +1886. + +W. F. COLBY was born in Whitefield, Maine, June 12, 1818. In his early +life he was a sailor. He came to St. Croix Falls in 1843. He was +married to Salina De Attly in 1849, and removed to the west side of +the river, where he located on the Otis farm which he had previously +bought. He followed lumbering and farming and kept a lodging house for +travelers. He built a good house, and the first frame barn in Chisago +county. He sold his property, consisting of one hundred and sixty +acres and improvements, for $8,000. In 1862 Mr. Colby enlisted in +Company C, Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and served until the +close of the war as sergeant. Mr. Colby is a bluff, square, outspoken +man, hearty in his manner, and somewhat sailor-like in his expressions +though almost a lifetime has passed since he trod the deck of a +vessel. + +OSCAR ROOS was born in West Gothland, Sweden, in 1827. He came to +America in 1850, and located in Taylor's Falls, where he has since +resided continuously, taking an active part in public affairs, and a +deep interest in everything pertaining to the growth of the village +and county. Mr. Roos was postmaster at Taylor's Falls 8 years, +register of deeds 8 years, register of the land office 5 years, and +county treasurer 8 years. He is engaged in exchange, loaning money, +etc., and has a branch office in Centre City. He was married to Hannah +Swanstrom in 1870. + +SAMUEL THOMSON, a Pennsylvanian by birth, came to Taylor's Falls in +1851, and in company with Ansel Smith built the Chisago House, a +notable enterprise at that time, as neither the resources of the +village or surrounding country had been developed in such a way as to +give any assurance of success. Mr. Thomson removed in 1854 to Polk +county; and settled on a farm in Osceola, where he made himself an +attractive and pleasant home. His farm has long been celebrated for +its trout pond. Mr. Thomson has given much attention and been quite +successful in fish culture. The farm was sold in 1885, and Mr. +Thompson removed to Arkansas, where he died Nov. 5, 1886. + +SUSAN THOMSON, sister of Samuel Thomson, taught the first school in +Taylor's Falls, in 1852. She had just come from Pennsylvania, and had +traveled on horseback from Stillwater, there being no carriage roads +above Marine. She was married to Daniel Mears, of Osceola, in 1852. + +GEORGE DE ATTLY, a native of Virginia, came to St. Croix Falls with +his family in 1847, and removed to Taylor's Falls in 1851, locating in +section 25, and making a pre-emption. He was a carpenter. He raised a +large and respected family. One son is in the Black Hills, Dakota +Territory. His oldest daughter is the wife of Wm. F. Colby, of +Taylor's Falls. His second daughter was the widow of Jacob Markley. +His third daughter is the wife of Alvah Brown. One son, George, +resides in Taylor's Falls. Mr. De Attly died in Nebraska. + +JACOB MARKLEY came from Virginia to the St. Croix valley in 1847, +settling first at St. Croix Falls, and in 1851 locating at Taylor's +Falls, where he pre-empted the northeast quarter of the northeast +quarter of section 24. He went to Montana in 1869, where he died a +tragic death. His widow and two children reside in the Black Hills, +Dakota. + +JOHN DOBNEY was born in England in 1820; came to America when a child, +to Stillwater in 1845, and to Taylor's Falls in 1852. He followed +logging for many years, and made himself a permanent home on a farm in +Amador, on the banks of the St. Croix river, in 1858. He was married +to Eveline Page, in Michigan, in 1859. + +WILLIAM DOBNEY, younger brother of John, came to Taylor's Falls from +Michigan in 1852, and engaged, with characteristic energy, in +lumbering and selling goods until his death, which was the result of +an accident, he having been thrown violently from a wagon which he was +driving, in the spring of 1871. He was married in 1855 to Fanny M. +Gray, who with two children survives him. The oldest, a son, is +married and resides in Minneapolis. The daughter is the wife of Dr. +Greely Murdock, of Taylor's Falls. + +HENRY H. NEWBURY came to St. Croix Falls in 1849, and to Taylor's +Falls in 1852. Mr. Newbury is a practical surveyor and explorer. He +served as county surveyor and commissioner many years. He was married +first to Sarah Ayers, widow of E. R. St. Clair, who died in 1874. In +1880 he was married to Fanny M. Gray, widow of Wm. Dobney. + +EMIL MUNCH was born in Prussia in 1831; came to America in 1849, and +to Taylor's Falls in 1852, where, until 1857, he worked at the +carpenter's trade, when he removed to Chengwatana, Pine county, and +engaged in lumbering and dealing in pine lands. He served as register +of deeds in Pine county, and represented Washington, Chisago, Pine and +Kanabec counties in the house of the third legislature in 1861. He +enlisted at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, Oct. 16, 1861, as a private in +the First Minnesota Battery, and was chosen captain on the following +month; was wounded at Shiloh, April 5, 1862; returned to his battery +in September of the same year, took part in the battle of Corinth, +October 4th and 5th, and in the after campaign was appointed chief of +artillery, in October, 1862, and from effects of exposure on the march +was forced to resign in the December following, but again entered the +service to fight the Sioux Indians on the Minnesota frontier in May, +June and July, 1863. He entered the Veteran Reserve Corps in August, +1863. At the close of the war, in 1865, he settled in St. Paul and +acted as deputy state treasurer. In 1868 he was elected state +treasurer and held the office until 1872. Mr. Munch lost most of his +property in a long litigation, in consequence of some unfortunate +ventures in buying pine lands. Subsequent to his term of office as +state treasurer he removed to Lakeland and engaged in the lumber +business. In 1875 he removed to Afton where he took charge of a +flouring mill. He was married in 1865 to Bertha Segar. He died Aug. +30, 1887. + +ALVIN MASON WILMARTH.--Mr. Wilmarth came from Massachusetts to the +valley of the St. Croix in 1849, and to Taylor's Falls in 1852. He has +followed lumbering and farming. Mr. Wilmarth is a steady, temperate +man. + +LUCIUS KINGSBURY STANNARD was born in Franklin county, Vermont, July +6, 1825. He had good educational advantages and improved them. He +completed his literary course at Barkersfield Academic Institute, +Vermont, afterward studied law at St. Albans, and was admitted to the +bar in 1850. In 1852 he came West and located at Taylor's Falls, where +for some years he had charge of the business of Taylor & Fox. In 1857 +he was a member of the territorial legislature, representing in the +house the counties of Washington, Itasca, Chisago, Superior, and Doty. +He was a member of the Republican wing of the constitutional +convention of 1857. He represented Chisago, Pine and Isanti counties +in the state senate of 1859-60. He was a member of the house of the +thirteenth legislature, 1871, representing Washington, Chisago, Pine +and Kanabec counties. He held the position of receiver in the United +States land office at Taylor's Falls from 1861 to 1870. He was the +first lawyer admitted to practice in the courts of Chisago county. He +was associated in his law practice for several years with H. N. +Setzer. He has served as prosecuting attorney and probate judge. He +served several years as county surveyor. He has, in later years, been +engaged in the lumbering and mercantile business, in the firm of +Ellison & Stannard. In October, 1884, he was appointed register in the +land office, which position he now holds. Mr. Stannard has a very +pleasant home within the village limits, but some distance beyond the +settled portion. He is a man of sound judgment, of grave and almost +severe demeanor, outspoken and positive in his views, but withal a +reliable citizen and kind neighbor. He was married in 1858 to Harriet +Stevenson, in St. Louis. They have one son, Luke. + +JAMES W. MULLEN was born in Nova Scotia in 1830. He came to Davenport, +Iowa, in 1843. He commenced life on a steamboat at the age of fourteen +years. He was employed on the steamer Boreas, plying between St. Louis +and Keokuk, and followed river life most of the time until 1878. In +1885 he built the Vincent House, St. Croix. Taylor's Falls has been +his home at different times since his marriage in 1854. He was married +to Margaret Riley, of Davenport, Iowa. Their children are William, +Edward and Elsa. + +DAVID CANEDAY was born in Vermont in 1830, and settled in Taylor's +Falls in 1853. Mr. Caneday has devoted much of his time to prospecting +as a mineralogist. During the years 1861-62 he edited the _St. Croix +Monitor_, and from 1881-84 the _St. Croix Dalles_. In 1862 he enlisted +in Company C., Seventh Minnesota Infantry, and served till the close +of the war. His record as a soldier was good. After the battle of +Tupelo he volunteered to remain with the wounded, of whom there were +about sixty, in the hands of the enemy. Two of these wounded were +comrades and friends in Company C., Andrew J. Colby and John S. +Swenson. The former died. Mr. Caneday remained at great personal risk, +and saw the inside of several prisons before being exchanged. After +his return Mr. Caneday engaged in mining and prospecting, except such +time as he edited the _St. Croix Dalles_. He is now mining on Kettle +river, in Pine county, Minnesota, and in Burnett county, Wisconsin. He +was married in 1865 to Laura, daughter of Judge N. M. Humphrey. + +GEORGE B. FOLSOM was born in St. Johns, New Brunswick, April 9, 1815. +He was married to Deborah Sawyer, October, 1842, and came to Taylor's +Falls in 1853, where he engaged in lumbering. In 1855 he removed to +Rush Seba, locating in section 14. He was the first settler in the +town and raised the first crops; built the first log and the first +frame house, and was prominent in advancing the educational and other +interests of the town. He was appointed postmaster in 1856, and held +the office fourteen years. He held the office of county commissioner +ten years. In 1875 he was appointed receiver of the land office at +Taylor's Falls, which office he held for ten years, since which time +he has resided in the village. + +AARON M. CHASE was born in Machias, Maine, April 7, 1813. He received +a home and common school education. In the fall of 1848 he came to St. +Anthony and engaged in lumbering. He and Sumner Farnham ran the first +logs down the Mississippi from Rabbit river to Fort Ripley and St. +Anthony, in 1849. In the spring of 1849, in company with Pat Morin, he +built a tow boat, clearing for that purpose a tow path on the eastern +side of the river a distance of eighty miles. He carried freight for +the American Fur Company, but the introduction of steamboats put an +end to this enterprise. In the fall of 1849 he went to St. Louis and +remained there till August, 1850, when he returned North, locating at +the outlet of Balsam lake, Polk county, Wisconsin, where he built a +saw mill. He built a dam and mill, bringing the materials together +without other team than himself and five men. After completing the +mill he engaged for some years in lumbering. He located at Taylor's +Falls in 1853. In 1869 he supervised the building of a series of dams +on streams tributary to the Upper St. Croix, the water collected by +them to be used at low stages to float logs to the St. Croix and down +that stream to Stillwater. These dams are operated under a charter +from the state of Wisconsin, and have proved a great benefit to the +lumbermen. Mr. Chase is president of the company. He is a man of +strong, clear mind, deliberate in action, positive in his opinions and +pointed in his expressions, and withal a kind hearted, generous and +true man. Mr. Chase is unmarried. + +PETER ABEAR was born in Canada East in 1830; came to Stillwater in +1850, but subsequently removed to Taylor's Falls where, in 1855, he +was married to Kitty Wickland, who died in 1860, leaving a son, +Franklin E., merchant at Anoka. Mr. Abear married again. His second +wife died in 1868, leaving a daughter, Mary. Mr. Abear married a third +wife, who died in 1874, leaving no children. Mr. Abear is a machinist +but has given much of his attention to farming. + +LEVI W. FOLSOM was born in Tamworth, Carroll county, New Hampshire, +Sept. 25, 1821. He was fitted for college at Gilmanton, entered Penn +College at Gettsyburg, Pennsylvania, and graduated in 1848. Returning +to New England, he studied law at Cornish, Maine, with Caleb R. Ayer, +and was admitted to practice in the county of Carroll, New Hampshire. +He came to Taylor's Falls in 1854, and was admitted to practice in the +supreme court of Minnesota, and practiced law for a period of fifteen +years, when he engaged in real estate and other business. He is a +pleasant and agreeable speaker, stands high in the masonic fraternity, +is an ardent and uncompromising Democrat, a positive man with strong +home and social feelings. He has been vice president of the Taylor's +Falls branch of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad since its organization. +He was married in 1859 to Abbie Shaw, in St. Paul. + +EDDINGTON KNOWLES was born in Kentucky in 1821; came to St. Croix +Falls in 1844, and followed lumbering. He was married to Ann Carroll +at Taylor's Falls in 1854, and made his residence at Taylor's Falls. +He enlisted for service during the Rebellion in the Third Minnesota +Volunteers, but was discharged for disability before the close of the +war. He died at Hayward, Wisconsin, in 1883, leaving a widow and three +children. His oldest daughter is the wife of Douglas Greely, of +Stillwater. His body was brought to the Taylor's Falls cemetery for +interment. + +DR. LUCIUS B. SMITH.--Dr. Smith was the first regular physician in +Taylor's Falls, having located here in 1854. He was born in Berlin, +Erie county, Ohio, in the year 1824. He was married in 1849, and after +some years' practice of medicine in his native town he came West and +located in Taylor's Falls, where he resided until 1862, when he was +appointed surgeon of the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, in +which regiment were many of his friends and associates. He performed +well his duties in that position, but was killed on the day preceding +the battle of Tupelo, the division to which he belonged having been +ambuscaded by Forrest's troops. His remains were carried to the field +of Tupelo and there buried, but have since been removed to Kahbakong +cemetery, at Taylor's Falls. Dr. Smith was a tall man, of fine +presence, with the air of an officer, for which reason, doubtless, +some sharpshooter singled him out for destruction. Dr. Smith left a +widow, one son, Charles, and one daughter, Mary, the wife of J. W. +Passmore. His widow was married to E. D. Whiting. Both are deceased. + +WILLIAM COMER was born in Cheshire county, England, in 1812; was +married to Elisabeth Davis; came to America in 1846 and located in St. +Louis, where he remained until 1852, when he removed to Pike county, +Illinois. In 1854 he removed to St. Croix Falls and in 1855 to +Taylor's Falls, where he has since resided. He has been treasurer of +Chisago county two terms, and four years register of the United States +land office. For a number of years he has held the position of town +and bridge treasurer. He and his two sons, George and William, are +engaged in the mercantile business. His daughter, Eleanor, is the wife +of Benj. Thaxter, of Minneapolis. + +DR. ERASTUS D. WHITING.--The Whiting family, consisting of three +brothers, Erastus D., Selah and Charles B., came to Taylor's Falls in +1855, and for many years were prominent merchants and business men in +the village. Erastus D. Whiting was born in Vernon Centre, +Massachusetts, in 1811. He was educated in the common schools and at +Westfield Academy. At the age of sixteen he commenced reading medicine +and graduated at the Ohio Medical College in 1832. He practiced three +years in Ashtabula, Ohio, and twenty years in Pike county, Illinois. +When he came to Taylor's Falls he retired from practice and engaged in +the mercantile and lumbering business until 1867. During this time he +served in two sessions of the Minnesota legislature as representative, +1860-61. In 1869 he visited Europe. He died in Taylor's Falls in 1880. +He was twice married; first in 1837, to Emily Bradley, who died in +1866; and second in ----, to Mrs. Smith (widow of Dr. L. B. Smith), +who died in 1872. + +SELAH WHITING was born in Connecticut; came West to Pike county, +Illinois, in 1836, and to Taylor's Falls in 1855. He engaged in the +mercantile business. His wife died in 1867. He died in 1868. + +CHARLES B. WHITING was born in Litchfield county, Connecticut; came to +Pike county, Illinois, in 1836, and to Taylor's Falls in 1855. He was +associated with his brothers in the mercantile business. He was +register of the land office four years and served as United States +marshal during the war. His first wife died in Taylor's Falls. He was +married to Flavilla Blanding in 18--. Mr. Whiting died in 1873. + +FREDERIC TANG was born in Prussia in 1819. He learned the trade of +house carpenter and served in the Prussian Army one year. He was +married in Germany, in 1850; came to America in 1852 and to Taylor's +Falls in 1856. He served three years in Company C, Seventh Minnesota, +during the Rebellion. One son, Frederic, resides at Taylor's Falls, +engaged in lumbering. His oldest daughter, Pena, is the wife of Ernest +Leske, of Taylor's Falls. His second daughter, Bertha, is the wife of +David Bowsher, of Dakota. Mr. Tang died in November, 1887. + +WARD W. FOLSOM was born in 1822, in Tamworth, New Hampshire; was +married to Matilda Stedman in 1844; came to Taylor's Falls in 1856, +where he kept a boarding house for several years. He died at his home, +Sept. 28, 1884. His eldest son, Charles W., was editor of the Taylor's +Falls _Reporter_ for several years. He was married to Luella Gray in +1865. He died in 1872. Edward H., his second son, for some years has +edited the Taylor's Falls _Journal_. He started and conducted for some +years the Stillwater _Lumberman_. He was married to Susie Way, in +September, 1868. + +GEORGE W. SEYMOUR was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, in +1828, and came to Taylor's Falls in 1857, where he has since resided, +following the occupation of druggist, but occasionally holding a town +office. Mr. Seymour held the positions of postmaster and justice of +the peace for several years, and has been secretary of the Taylor's +Falls & Lake Superior railroad since its organization. Mr. Seymour is +an active member of the masonic fraternity, an ardent Democrat and +thoroughly trustworthy and reliable as a man and friend. He is +unmarried. + +JAMES A. WOOLLEY, a native of England, came to Taylor's Falls in 1857. +He was an engineer and in my employ as engineer and foreman in the +pinery for fourteen years, during which period our association was +quite intimate, and I learned to know him and esteem him as a true +friend, and faithful to all his obligations as a man. He was a true +Christian and died in full hope of immortality. He promised, when he +knew himself to be dying, to return to earth and revisit me if +possible, but so far has not returned. He died in 1874. His family +removed to Dakota. His oldest son, John Alley, was killed in +Washington Territory by a premature explosion of a blast in a mine, by +which nineteen others were killed at the same time. Alida married +William McKenzie and resides at Grand Forks, Dakota. Frank W. F., the +youngest son, also lives in Dakota. + +PATRICK CARROLL, was of Irish birth. His wife is a sister of Patrick +Fox. He is about ninety years of age. They have had two sons, Joseph +and one drowned, and three daughters, one the wife of E. Knowles, +deceased, the other two becoming respectively the first and second +wife of John O'Brien. Mr. O'Brien has two daughters, Minnie and +Lizzie, and three sons, William, Joseph and Daniel. + +JOSEPH CARROLL was born at Davenport, Iowa, in 1840; came to St. Croix +when a boy, early in the 50's, and worked for his uncle, Patrick Fox, +in the pinery; was married to Mary Cotter at Davenport, Iowa, in 1858. +He resided at Taylor's Falls until 1861, when he enlisted in a Kansas +regiment. He was severely wounded at Springfield, Missouri. He was +subsequently transferred to a heavy artillery company of colored +troops from Tennessee, and commissioned a lieutenant. He was at Fort +Pillow during the massacre, was taken prisoner and confined at +Andersonville eighteen months. After his dismissal he went to Memphis +and was employed in the police service until 1867, when he and his +wife died of yellow fever, leaving two daughters, one the wife of +Edward St. John, of Marine, the other of Geo. W. Booth, of Taylor's +Falls. + +REV. E. E. EDWARDS was born in Delaware, Ohio, Jan. 26, 1831; was +educated at Indiana Asbury University, and has been employed most of +his life in educational work, serving as president of Whitewater +College, Indiana, professor of Latin in Hamline University, professor +of natural sciences at St. Charles and McKendre colleges, and +president of the Colorado State Agricultural College. Mr. Edwards came +to Taylor's Falls in the winter of 1860, and remained two years as +pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, and teacher in the Chisago +Seminary. During the last year of the war he was chaplain of the +Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. In the winter of 1885 he again +became pastor of the Taylor's Falls Methodist Episcopal church. He was +married in 1854 to Alice L. Eddy, of Cincinnati, Ohio. His family +consists of four sons and one daughter. + +STEPHEN J. MERRILL was born in Schoharie county, New York, in 1827; +came to the St. Croix valley in 1848, and to Taylor's Falls in 1861. +He was married to Caroline Nelson in 1861. They have six sons and one +daughter. He has a beautiful and well improved homestead within the +town limits, adjoining the cemetery. + +[Illustration: REV. E. E. EDWARDS.] + +NOAH MARCUS HUMPHREY was born in 1809, at Goshen, Smithfield +Connecticut. He removed to Ohio in 1833, served in the Ohio +legislature in 1852 and 1853, and was for six years judge of probate +court in Summit county. He was married twice, the second time to Mrs. +Young, in 1840. His first wife left two children, Mark, for some time +a resident of Taylor's Falls, now deceased, and Laura, wife of David +Caneday. Judge Humphrey has been justice of the peace in Taylor's +Falls for twenty years, and postmaster for as many more. He was judge +of probate court for ten years, and has recently been re-elected to +that position. + +ROYAL C. GRAY was born in Bakersfield, Vermont, October, 1832. He +spent his early life in Vermont and Massachusetts. He came West in +1850, and located in Kanabec county, where he farmed and kept a public +house at Greely station, on Kanabec river, until 1860, when he +returned to Massachusetts. In 1864 he returned to the St. Croix valley +and located in Taylor's Falls, where he still resides. He has been +employed by the St. Paul & Duluth Railroad Company for ten years as +surveyor and explorer, and holds some valuable pine lands. In 1861 Mr. +Gray was married to Ann Eliza Johnson, in Massachusetts. They have one +son, Orin. + +JOHN PHILIP OWENS.--William Owens, the father of John Philip, came to +America from North Wales, and served as a soldier in the war of 1812. +John Philip was born Jan. 6, 1818. His father died seven years later, +and the son was brought up on a farm by a stepfather. He received an +academic education at Cincinnati, Ohio. At the age of seventeen he +commenced learning the printer's trade, served as an apprentice four +years, and graduated on his twenty-first birthday. Having some means +inherited from his father, he commenced a newspaper enterprise at +Cincinnati, invested and lost all his money. For several years he was +engaged as a reporter and assistant editor on various papers in +Cincinnati, Louisville, Vicksburg and New Orleans. In 1849 he formed a +business partnership with Nat. McLean, of Cincinnati, to establish a +paper at St. Paul. He arrived at St. Paul May 27th of that year. The +first number of the _Minnesota Register_ was printed in Cincinnati and +brought to St. Paul for distribution in July. In October the paper was +united with the _Minnesota Chronicle_, and so published until July, +1850, when it was discontinued. In 1851 Mr. Owens and G. W. Moore +started the _Weekly Minnesotian_, adding in 1854 a daily and +tri-weekly edition. The _Minnesotian_ was ably edited, and was +Republican in politics. Owing to poor health, Mr. Owens sold his +interest in the _Minnesotian_. In 1862 he was appointed quartermaster +of the Ninth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. This regiment did service +in the State during the Sioux War, but in 1864 was ordered South and +attached to the Sixteenth Army Corps. Mr. Owens served as regimental +and brigade quartermaster until the close of the war. In April, 1868, +he was appointed register of the United States land office, which +position he held until his death, Sept. 11, 1884. He was first Grand +Master of the I. O. O. F. in Minnesota; He left at his death an +unpublished manuscript, "The Political History of the State of +Minnesota." His first wife was Helen McAllister, whom he married in +Ohio in 1848. She left an only daughter, Mary Helen. Mr. Owens' second +wife was Frances M. Hobbs, whom he married Oct. 26, 1853, in New York +City. + +ANDREW CLENDENNING was born in 1798, in the north of Ireland. He was a +Protestant, united with the Methodist church when a young man and +proved ever after a consistent Christian, strong in his religious +convictions and a faithful worker. He crossed the ocean in 1835, +locating first at New Brunswick. In 1855 he came to Michigan, in 1859 +to St. Croix Falls, in 1870 to Taylor's Falls, where he resided until +his death, in 1875. He left three sons in Taylor's Falls, Andrew, +James and George, and one son in Oregon. One son, Joseph, died in the +service of his adopted country, having enlisted in Company C, Seventh +Minnesota. One daughter, the wife of Thomas Thompson, of St. Croix +Falls, died in 1886. + +SMITH ELLISON was born in Marine, Madison county, Illinois, March 15, +1823. He came to Marine Mills in 1844. For two years he was in the +employ of Judd, Walker & Co. The next three years he spent at Osceola, +Wisconsin. In 1849 he engaged in logging and continued in that +business for many years. In 1856 he settled on and improved a farm in +Sunrise. In 1868 he removed to Taylor's Falls and formed a partnership +with L. K. Stannard in the mercantile and lumbering business. Mr. +Ellison was a representative in the eighth legislature, and served as +county commissioner eight years. In late years he has been interested +in a saw, planing and flour mill at Stillwater. He is a stockholder +and director in the First National Bank at Stillwater and owns large +tracts of pine lands. He has applied himself closely to business, is +energetic, cautious and thoroughly reliable. Mr. Ellison is unmarried. + + +WYOMING + +Includes township 33, range 21. The eastern half is well timbered, the +west has oak openings. Sunrise river flows in a northerly direction +through the township, and with its tributaries and numerous lakes +supplies it abundantly with water. There are some wild meadows and +tamarack swamps. Green lake, in the eastern part of the township, is a +picturesque sheet of water, five miles in length by one and a half +broad, with sloping timbered shores and cedar points projecting into +the lake, in one place forming a natural roadway nearly across, which +is connected with the mainland opposite by a bridge. + +[Illustration: SMITH ELLISON.] + +A colony from Eastern Pennsylvania settled the western part of the +township in 1855. The colony was composed of L. O. Tombler, Dr. John +W. Comfort, E. K. Benton, and some others, in all ten families. The +eastern part had been previously settled by Swedes. The township was +organized in 1858. The supervisors were J. W. Comfort, L. O. Tombler +and Fred Tepel. A post office was established at Wyoming with J. Engle +as postmaster. The Catholics and Methodists erected churches in 1864. +The St. Paul & Duluth railroad was completed in 1868, and in 1879 the +branch road to Taylor's Falls. The township was settled rapidly after +the completion of the railroad. At the junction of the two roads there +is a good depot, two stores and a fine hotel, the latter kept by L. O. +Tombler. + + +WYOMING VILLAGE + +Was surveyed and platted by Ben. W. Brunson in 1869, in portions of +sections 17, 19 and 20, township 33, range 21; proprietors, Western +Land Association, L. Mendenhall, agent. + + +DEER GARDEN VILLAGE + +Was surveyed and platted by Alex. Cairns, October, 1856, in sections 1 +and 12, township 33, range 21; proprietor, Erastus S. Edgerton. + +LUCIUS O. TOMBLER was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1823. His +ancestors were Moravians, who, driven from Germany in the eighteenth +century, came to America, and founded the colony of Bethlehem, a +colony famed for its thrift, advancement in educational matters, and +high morality. Mr. Tombler and his wife, Christiana Brown, to whom he +was married in 1845, were educated in the Moravian schools. They came +with the colony from Bethlehem to Wyoming in 1855, and built a two +story log hotel on the St. Paul and Lake Superior stage road, which +was long noted as a rest for the weary traveler and a home for the +invalid. Mr. Tombler was an energetic, worthy man, genial in his +manners, a good farmer, a good landlord, and an accomplished musician +besides. Mrs. Tombler possessed superior endowments as a landlady, and +the house soon gained widespread popularity with the traveling public. +The first hotel was burned in 1876, but the year following a more +commodious building was erected on the grounds, which, with its modern +improvements within, and its park-like surroundings, is more popular +with the traveling public than its predecessor. The Tombler family +consists of Charles A., the father of Lucius O., born in 1800, but +still hale and vigorous, in the possession of all his faculties, two +sons, Maurice and Milton, and one daughter, Laura. Charles A., the +grandfather, has received the thirty-third degree Scottish Masonic +rite. + +DR. JOHN WOOLMAN COMFORT was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in +1804. He graduated at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in +1836, and practiced medicine continuously, and, although an +accomplished graduate of an allopathic school, was a zealous advocate +and exponent of the Thompsonian system, in favor of which he published +several works. He was also for some years editor of the _Thompsonian +Medical Journal_. As a physician he was untiring, and impartial in the +performance of his duties, never refusing a medical call on account of +the poverty of the patient. He was especially kind to the poor. He +came to Wyoming with the colony in 1855, and died there Feb. 9, 1881, +leaving a widow, since deceased, one son in Philadelphia, and two +daughters, Mrs. Markley, of Wyoming, and Mrs. Carter, of Melbourne, +Australia. + +ISAAC MARKLEY was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, April 2, +1822. In the spring of 1849 he came westward, and engaged in +steamboating. He commanded the Uncle Toby, and in October, 1850, ran +his steamboat from St. Louis to Taylor's Falls for the writer of this +work. He engaged in mercantile pursuits for some time in St. Paul, and +in 1871 came to Wyoming and located on a farm. He was married to +Frances, a daughter of Dr. Comfort. He died at his home, February, +1883. + +JOEL WRIGHT was born in Pennsylvania in 1800, and came to Wyoming with +the Bethlehem colony in 1855. He is a blacksmith by trade, but has +also devoted himself to hunting and trapping. Mr. Wright has been +married three times, and has three children. + +RANDALL WRIGHT, second son of the foregoing, was born in Pennsylvania +in 1828; was married to Anna Montgomery in 1850, and came to Wyoming +in 1855. He is a house carpenter by trade. + +FREDERIC TEPEL was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1824; received a fair +education and learned the trade of blacksmithing. He came to America +in 1843, lived in New Orleans one year, in St. Louis ten years, in St. +Paul one year, and settled in Wyoming in 1855. In 1847 he was married +to Fredrica Wilmina, of St. Louis. They have seven children. Mr. Tepel +has held many town offices to the satisfaction of his townsmen. He has +been for forty years a member of the Methodist church. CHARLES HENRY +SAUER was born in Germany in 1824; served as a soldier in the German +Army three years, and in the twenty-fourth year of his age came to +America. The year following he returned to Europe and was married. In +1851 he took up his residence in Chicago, and in 1855 came to Wyoming, +and engaged in farming. He has three sons, Fred, Henry and Harvey, and +a daughter married to a Lutheran minister. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +WASHINGTON COUNTY. + + +The early history of Washington county is to be found in the history +of St. Croix county, Wisconsin, of which it was a part until the +organization of Minnesota Territory in 1849. At the first session of +the territorial legislature Washington county was established in full +for county and judicial purposes. It included all that part of the +Territory lying east of the range line between ranges 21 and 22 and +north of the Mississippi as far as the British possessions and +fractional parts of townships 29 and 30, range 22. + +The courts held prior to this organization are referred to elsewhere. +The first territorial court in Washington county was held Aug. 13, +1849, Judge Aaron Goodrich, presiding; Judge David Cooper, associate. +It continued in session six days. There were sixty cases on the +calendar. Harvey Wilson was clerk of court; A. M. Mitchell, of St. +Paul, United States marshal; Henry L. Moss, district attorney; John +Morgan, sheriff. The lawyers present were H. L. Moss; M. S. Wilkinson, +M. E. Ames, A. M. Mitchell, L. Babcock, and David Lambert. The second +court house (the first under the new organization) was built in +Stillwater, corner of Fourth and Chestnut streets, in 1849, at a cost +of $3,600. This was the first court house in the territory of +Minnesota. The lot was donated by John McKusick. In this building were +held all the courts from 1849 to 1867. In that year Churchill & Nelson +donated a city block on Nelson Hill, a fine location overlooking the +city and lake, and the county erected upon it a fine stone structure +costing $60,000, including jail and ground improvements. + +The first election was held Nov. 26, 1849. The following board of +county officers was elected: Commissioners, John McKusick, Hiram +Berkey, Joseph Haskell; treasurer, Socrates Nelson; register of deeds, +John S. Proctor; judge of probate, Harvey Wilson; sheriff, Jesse +Taylor. At the same election the following persons were elected +justices of the peace in their various precincts: St. Croix Falls, +Jerry Ross; Point Douglas, Martin Leavitt; Stillwater, Albert Harris +and H. K. McKinstry; Marine, James Moore and W. H. Johnson. + +The territory of the county has been from time to time divided and +subdivided for the organization of new counties. Washington county, +however, was divided but once. In 1852 the county of Chisago was set +off in the north, since which time its boundaries have been, Chisago +on the north, the St. Croix river and lake on the east, the +Mississippi river on the south, Anoka and Ramsey counties and the +Mississippi river on the west. It includes the following townships: +From 27 to 32 inclusive, ranges 20 and 21, and fractional parts of +townships 31 and 32, range 19, and fractional part of township 26, +range 20. + + +AFTON + +Was organized as a town in 1858. Joseph Haskell, G. W. Cutler and H. +L. Thomas were the first supervisors; Minor H. Thomas, clerk. It +includes a fractional part of township 28, range 20. It is well +watered by Bolles and Valley creeks, streams tributary to the St. +Croix. The southwestern part of the township is rolling prairie, the +remainder somewhat broken. The soil is all productive and the streams +afford good water powers. The township had French settlers as early as +1837,--Baptist Fornier and others. Joseph Haskell commenced his farm +in 1839. Prior to 1850 A. Mackey, L. Bolles, P. J. Carli, T. F. +Randolph, E. Bissell, N. H. Johnson, James Getchell, and A. McHattie +located in the town. + +The first crops were raised by the French settlers. The first marriage +was that of Andrew Mackey to Mrs. Hamilton, in 1844. The first child +born was Helen M. Haskell, daughter of Joseph Haskell. The first death +was that of Paul J. Carli, in 1844, accidentally drowned in the lake. +The first road was located between Stillwater and Point Douglas, in +1847. A military road was surveyed from Point Douglas to Superior +through this town in 1850. Lemuel Bolles erected a flouring mill on +Bolles creek, in the winter of 1845-46, the first to grind wheat +north of Prairie du Chien. The old mill was long since replaced by a +new one, and the mill property has changed owners many times, Emil +Munch being the last owner. The present mill is a fine structure with +a capacity of fifty barrels per day. The first post office was at the +old mill; L. Bolles, postmaster. The first organized school was in the +Haskell district, in 1855. The Scandinavian Methodists have a church +in section 18, built in 1885. The German Lutherans have a church in +section 6, and a parochial school. + + +AFTON VILLAGE. + +In May, 1855, Afton village was surveyed and platted by Haskell, +Getchell & Thomas, in section 23; Emerson & Case were the surveyors. +The village is beautifully located on the shore of the lake and +contains one hotel, one church (Congregational), one school house, an +academy building, and several stores, shops and dwellings. The +academy, known as the St. Croix Academy, was established in 1868, and +the building, a handsome three story brick structure, erected the same +year. Mr. Gorrie was the first principal. Simon Putnam was the first +pastor of the Congregational church. + + +SOUTH AFTON + +Is located one mile south of Afton, on the shores of the lake. It has +an elevator, store, warehouses and other buildings. A saw mill was +built by Lowry & Co., between Afton and South Afton; in 1854, and +rebuilt in 1855 by Thomas & Sons. The Getchell Brothers built a mill +in 1861, which was burned. + + +VALLEY CREEK + +Is a small village on Bolles creek, in sections 9 and 10. Erastus +Bolles located here in 1857, and improved the water power, built a +machine shop and manufactured edge tools. He sold out to his son, C. +E. Bolles, who further improved the property by building a corn and +feed mill. In 1860 Gilbert & Buswell erected a flour mill with three +run of stone. The post office in this village was established in 1874, +with Erastus Bolles as postmaster. + + +ST. MARY VILLAGE + +Was platted in 1855, on lots 1, 2 and 3, section 14. Thomas W. +Coleman, proprietor; James A. Carr, surveyor. + +JOSEPH HASKELL was born Jan. 9, 1805, in Kennebec county, Maine. +During his minority he worked with his father on a farm at Skowhegan, +Maine. In 1837 he came West, stopping two years in Indiana. July 24, +1839, he arrived at Fort Snelling on the steamer Ariel, obtained +employment of Frank Steele for whom he, with others, rowed a mackinaw +boat from Fort Snelling to St. Croix Falls. While at the falls he +worked on the dam and mill, then in process of building. In the fall +of 1839 he made a trip to Fort Snelling and returned to the Falls, +carrying the mail in a birch canoe to Catfish bar, and then across by +Indian trail to the Fort. While on this trip he made the claim for his +homestead in Afton. In 1840 he put three acres under cultivation, +raising corn and potatoes. This was the first attempt at farming, +except by the French pioneers, who raised only garden crops, north of +Prairie du Chien. September, 1844, he made a trip to Maine, and +returned bringing three sisters with him. They kept house for him +until he married. Mr. Haskell was married to Olive Furber, sister of +J. W. Furber, in 1849. They have four children, Helen M., Mary E., +Henry Pitt and Hiram A. Mr. Haskell was a representative in the state +legislatures of 1869 and 1871. He was of most exemplary habits. He +died at his home Jan. 23, 1885. + +LEMUEL BOLLES was born in New York. He came to St. Croix Falls in +1840. In 1843 he opened a grindstone quarry in the soft, coarse +sandstones, a short distance below the Dalles. In 1844-45 his +grindstones were much used. He made Stillwater his home in 1844-55, +when he removed to Afton. He was industrious, ingenious and eccentric. +He died in Stillwater in 1875. + +TAYLOR F. RANDOLPH was the first school teacher in Washington county. +He and his wife taught at Red Rock in 1837-38-39-40, under the +supervision of the Methodist mission at that place. In 1842 he settled +on a farm in a valley near Bissell's Mounds, Afton, where he and his +wife died in 1846. + +ELIJAH BISSELL, in 1842, located a farm near the three mounds in +section 8, which now bear his name. He left the county in 1850. + +ANDREW MACKEY.--Mr. Mackey, of whom some mention is made in the +chapter concerning the early history, is one of the first pioneers, +having come in 1837 with John Boyce to the valley of the St. Croix in +a mackinaw boat, towed from St. Louis to the mouth of Lake St. Croix +by a steamer, from which point they poled their boat up to the St. +Croix falls, where they landed on the west side. From this point they +made a portage and cordelled their boat, and with poles and lines +ascended to Snake river. He engaged for some time in lumbering, and +worked at the falls until 1841, when he settled on a beautiful farm, +on a part of which Afton is now situated. Mr. Mackey was born in +Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1804, and (in 1888) is still living. His wife +died in 1873. + + +BAYTOWN + +Comprises the north half of fractional township 28, range 20. The +surface is somewhat uneven and broken, owing to the lake bluff +formation, but there is much good farming land. Originally it was +covered with oaks or oak openings. It derives its name from a bay +indenting the western shore of Lake St. Croix. At South Stillwater +village a considerable stream, known as Spring creek, flows from some +large springs and forms a good water power in its descent to the lake. +Two flour mills are located on this stream. In 1842 Francis Bruce +built a house on the present site of the office of the St. Croix +Lumber Company. In the same year Norman Kittson built a trading post +at what has been since known as Kittson's Point. Both of these parties +left in 1844 and John Allen built a house and cultivated a field on +the east side of Kittson's Point. Allen sold the place in 1846 and +removed to California. He raised the first crops in the town. In 1847 +Joseph Pero became a prominent settler and made him a good home on +Spring creek. Other parties made claims and abandoned or sold them. +Fiske & Marty located here in 1848. In 1860 came Ambrose Secrest and +some others. In 1852 Nelson, Loomis & Co. built a steam saw mill on +the bay. In 1854 Secrest & Booth built a flour mill on Spring creek. +In 1858 Baytown was organized as a town. The first supervisors were +Ambrose Secrest, John Parker and W. H. Crosby; John J. Hale, clerk. + + +BAYTOWN VILLAGE. + +Socrates Nelson, D. B. Loomis, Levi Churchill, Daniel Mears, and James +W. Hinton, in February, 1856, platted the village of Baytown. Harvey +Wilson was the surveyor. The location was on the lake shore, lots 3 +and 4, section 11, and lot 7, section 2. In 1872 a post office was +established called South Stillwater; William Graves, postmaster. + + +BANGOR VILLAGE + +Was platted May. 1857, by C. I. and J. E. Whitney, Albert and Edwin +Caldwell, Wm. Hollinshead, Isaac Staples, and A. J. Short; J. J. +Carleton, surveyor. It was situated on the shore of the lake south of +Baytown. + + +MIDDLETOWN VILLAGE + +Was platted in July, 1857, in parts of sections 2 and 3, by William +Holcomb; Myron B. Shepard, surveyor. + + +SOUTH STILLWATER + +Was platted in January, 1873, by the St. Croix Railway Improvement +Company; Peter Berkey, president; A. B. Stickney, secretary; J. S. +Sewall, surveyor. South Stillwater was made to include the platted +villages of Baytown, Bangor and Middletown. It has prospered greatly +as a manufacturing village. In 1854 Torinus, Staples & Co. built a +steam saw mill, to which from time to time they added various +manufacturing establishments. Subsequently the firm became the St. +Croix Lumber Company. In the spring of 1876 this company sustained a +loss by fire on their mill and appurtenances to the value of $70,000, +which was not insured: With indomitable energy they rebuilt, and +prospered. The two leading business men in this firm were Louis +Torinus and William Chalmers. Turnbull's steam saw mill, on the lake +shore, has a capacity of 100,000 feet per day. The property is valued +at $70,000. The South Stillwater Lumber Company has a mill with a +capacity of 90,000 feet per day, with planer and other machinery +attached, in which they have invested $70,000. The firm consists of D. +Tozer, A. T. Jenks, H. McGlinn, E. W. Durant, and R. Wheeler. The +mills of the Herschey Lumber Company, valued at $70,000, have a +capacity of 100,000 feet per day. The proprietor, ---- Herschey, lives +in Muscatine, Iowa. + +The Stillwater Dock Company was organized in 1877. The company +consists of Durant, Wheeler & Co., St. Croix Lumber Company and Jonah +Bachelder. They have built many fine steamers and barges. Their +repairing docks are a great convenience to steamboat lumbermen. The +South Stillwater Soap Factory, owned by McKenzie & Co., deserves +honorable mention. The construction of the branch railroad from +Stillwater in 1872, and the St. Paul & Milwaukee railroad, built in +1883, have greatly increased the prosperity of the village. Aside from +mills and manufactories there are many private residences, one hotel, +stores, shops, a Lutheran church, and a school house. There are three +cemeteries in the village limits known as Hazlewood, St. Michael's, +and the potter's field. The block for the former was contributed by +Secrest & Pero, in 1858. St. Michael's was established by the +Catholics in 1873. The potter's field was established by the city of +Stillwater in 1873. The first death in the limits of South Stillwater +was that of Sylvester, son of Joseph Pero. South Stillwater was +organized in 1881. First board of officers were: President, B. E. +Meigs; clerk, Edward Ivison; councilmen, Richard Burns, C. M. +Anderson, Charles Kregor; justice of the peace, Ambrose Secrest. South +Stillwater has a graded school with four departments. + + +COTTAGE GROVE + +Includes township 27 and a fractional part of township 26, range 21. +It was organized as a town in October, 1858; James S. Norris, +moderator; William Watson, clerk; John Atkinson, Jacob Moshier, Joel +Munger, judges of election; William Watson, John Atkinson, B. Winant; +supervisors. Wm. Ferguson, Lewis Hill, James S. Davis, Jonathan Brown, +and Jacob Moshier were the first settlers, locating here in 1844. The +first marriage was that of Henry W. Crosby to Hannah Waterman, in +1854. The first child born was Nathan, son of John Atkinson, in 1846; +the first death was that of Mehitable, wife of P. P. Furber, in 1851. +A post office was established at Cottage Grove village in 1850; J. W. +Furber was postmaster. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad was +completed through the town in 1871. With its fine natural advantages +of soil, and its convenient access to markets, Cottage Grove is well +settled and prosperous. + + +COTTAGE GROVE VILLAGE + +Is situated in section 12. It is a pleasant inland village, well +supplied with stores, shops and dwellings. It has one hotel, one +school house and three churches, Congregational, Evangelical German +Lutheran and Methodist. The Congregational society was organized in +1858, Rev. B. Hall, pastor; the Evangelical in 1874; the Methodist +some years later. The Universalists also have an organization. The +village was platted in April, 1871, by John P. and S. W. Furber, James +A. McClusky, Margaret M. Ellwell and Clarence Smith, in the southwest +quarter of the northwest quarter of section 12; J. W. Furber, +surveyor. + + +LANGDON VILLAGE + +Was platted in December, 1871, in the southwest quarter of section 21, +on the line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad. It contains +an elevator, hotel, three stores, a school house, Catholic church and +other buildings. The Catholic church was erected in 1873. Father +Huxley is the officiating clergyman. The village was platted by Joseph +J. Dodge; C. B. Lowell, surveyor. + +JOSEPH W. FURBER was born in New Hampshire in 1813. His ancestors came +to this country with the early colonists of New England. His father +was a soldier in the war of 1812. During his minority he worked at +farming, obtaining, meanwhile, an education in the common schools and +at Foxcroft Academy, Maine. He emigrated to the valley of the +Mississippi in 1838, locating at Alton, Illinois, where he remained +for two years. In 1840 he came to St. Croix Falls and engaged in +lumbering until 1844, when he located in Cottage Grove. In 1846 Mr. +Furber represented Crawford county in the Wisconsin legislature as +representative. He traveled on foot as far as Prairie du Chien on his +way to the capital of the Territory. He represented the First district +in the first Minnesota territorial legislature and was elected speaker +of the house; was again a representative in the eighth territorial +legislature in 1857; was a member of the tenth and seventeenth state +legislatures. In 1857 he was commissioned major general of Minnesota +militia. He was also appointed United States marshal of Minnesota by +President Fillmore. He died at his residence in Cottage Grove in 1883. +He was a man of strong intellect, sound judgment and high moral +character. His widow, Sarah Wimples, to whom he was married in 1843, +one son, William W., and two daughters survive him. + +SAMUEL W. FURBER was born in Stafford county, New Hampshire, in 1819. +He removed with his parents to Milo, Maine, and came to Cottage Grove +in 1860. + +THEODORE FURBER was born in 1817, in Farmington, New Hampshire; came +West in 1845 and located at St. Croix Falls. In the following year he +moved to Cottage Grove. Mr. Furber was married to Sarah J. Hale in +1843, in Skowhegan, Maine. Mr. and Mrs. Furber visited California in +1867. In 1885 they removed to California. + +JAMES S. NORRIS.--James S. Norris was born in Monmouth, Kennebec +county, Maine, in 1810. He was married at Newport in 1845 to Miss +Haskell. Mr. Norris came to St. Croix Falls in 1839, removed to +Washington county in 1842, where he settled on a farm at Cottage +Grove, and lived continuously till his death, March 5, 1874. He raised +the first crops in Cottage Grove, and though he made farming his chief +business, his abilities were such that his fellow citizens intrusted +him with many official positions, in all of which he acquitted himself +with honor. He acted as county commissioner, was a member of the first +territorial council, member of the sixth and seventh territorial house +of representatives, and speaker of the sixth, a member of the +Democratic wing of the constitutional convention, and of the twelfth +state legislature (house). + +LEWIS HILL was born at Hollis, Maine, in 1822. In 1843 he came to the +valley of the St. Croix and located at St. Croix Falls. In 1844 he +came to Cottage Grove and engaged in farming, and, excepting a few +years spent in Dakota county, has resided there since. He was married +to Abbie Welch in 1854. Their living children are Emma C., Jessie L. +and Frederick E. G. + +JACOB MOSHIER was born in Nova Scotia in 1820. He removed with his +parents in 1829 to Canada West. In 1839 he removed to Illinois, in +1843 to St. Croix Falls, and in 1845 to Cottage Grove, where he still +resides. He is a house carpenter, and has also been engaged in +farming. He was married in 1854 to Maria Shatto. Their children are +Annie F., Mahala, William, Addie, Grant, Laura, and George. + +WILLIAM FERGUSON came to Cottage Grove in 1844, and made a claim in +section 26. + +JOHN ATKINSON was born in Lewiston, Maine, April 4, 1805. He remained +in his native town until 1833, resided in Pittsfield until 1844, when +he came West and located in Cottage Grove. He pre-empted eighty acres +of land, purchased additions to it from time to time, and made for +himself a very attractive home, where he resided thirty years. Mr. +Atkinson was twice married, first to Hannah Moore, at Lewiston, Maine, +who died in 1874, then to Mrs. A. B. Fiske, of Baytown, at which place +he now resides, an aged, much respected citizen. His first wife left +four sons and two daughters. + + +DENMARK. + +This town is located on the point of land between the Mississippi +river and Lake St. Croix, and includes the territory lying south of +Afton, and between Cottage Grove and Lake St. Croix, fractional +townships 26 and 27, range 20. The surface is elevated, somewhat +rolling, without lakes or streams, and the soil rich and well adapted +to agricultural purposes. The early history of the town is +substantially that of its earliest settlement, Point Douglas. It was +organized in 1858. Supervisors, John Shearer, Thomas Wright and David +Hone. + + +POINT DOUGLAS. + +Levi Hertzell and Oscar Burris, young men, located in 1839 on the +extreme point of the delta between the Mississippi and St. Croix lake, +where they cut wood and sold it to the steamboats. They built a log +cabin and store, under one roof, and traded with Indians, discharged +soldiers and French settlers. They were diligent and industrious, and +prospered. In 1846 they built a frame store building. Their trade +increased and they grew wealthy. Messrs. Levi Hertzell, Oscar Burris +and David Hone, in 1849, platted the village of Point Douglas, Harvey +Wilson acting as surveyor. It was named in honor of Stephen A. +Douglas. + +The following settlers came to Point Douglas prior to 1850: Wm. B. +Dibble, the Truaxes, Harley D. White, David Barber, E. H. Whittaker, +James Shearer, Martin Leavitt, Simon Shingledecker, H. A. Carter, +Thomas Hetherington, Geo. W. Campbell, John Allibone, Mark Wright, +John H. Craig, John O. Henry, and George Harris. The first post office +north of Prairie du Chien was established in 1840, on the site of +Prescott, at that time known as "Mouth of St. Croix." This office was +removed to the opposite side of the lake in 1841, and Levi Hertzell +was appointed postmaster. The first school was taught in 1850, by +John Craig. Rev. Joseph Hurlbut, a Methodist minister, preached here +in 1848. In 1656 Rev. T. Wilcoxson, Episcopalian, established "St. +Paul's Parish." Mr. Woodruff erected a saw mill in 1851. The +enterprise was not successful. A. J. Short built a saw mill in 1858, +which eventually passed into the hands of John Dudley. The first road +to Point Douglas was the Stillwater county road, located in 1847. The +Point Douglas and Lake Superior military road was built in 1849. A +ferry was established in 1851 from Point Douglas to Prescott, which +was chartered in 1856, and controlled by W. B. Dibble, who also +established a ferry from Point Douglas to Hastings in 1857. The first +marriage was that of Oscar Burris to Amanda M. Henry, Nov. 14, 1847. +The first birth was that of Emmet M. Hone, born in 1845, son of David +and Mary G. Hone. + +LEVI HERTZELL came to Point Douglas in 1839, and was quite successful +in business. In 1846 he was married to Rhoda C. Pond, an adopted +daughter of Cornelius Lyman, of Stillwater. In 1849, in company with +Burris and Hone, he platted the village of Point Douglas. In the +spring of 1856, while in New York, whither he had gone to purchase +goods, he mysteriously disappeared, and nothing has since been heard +from him. Mrs. Hertzell and her three children were left in a +dependent condition, she being able to realize but little from the +property held in Point Douglas. She soon after married again. Of her +subsequent history nothing is known. + +OSCAR BURRIS, associated with Levi Hertzell as one of the first +settlers of Point Douglas and pioneer merchants and traders, left in +1849 for California. + +DAVID HONE.--The following statement was given me, on request, by Mr. +Hone himself: "I was born in Cherry Valley, Otsego county, New York, +April 5, 1808, and was married to Mary Henry in 1835. We came by stage +over the mountains of Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh and by steamboat from +there to Cairo, Illinois, and stopped at the Marine settlement until +Sept. 10, 1838. At that time I embarked on the steamboat Ariel, at St. +Louis, and in twenty-five days reached the head of Lake St. Croix, +from which point I proceeded on a flatboat, propelled by poles, to St. +Croix Falls, the trip occupying two days. I made a pine timber claim +on an island opposite the mouth of Kettle river. On my return, which +was made with eight companions in birch canoes, I stopped at Marine +and made a claim where the Marine mill now stands, intending to build +a saw mill. We then proceeded in our canoes to Galena, where we took +passage on the Ariel for St. Louis, landing there November 10th, after +an absence of two months, more than half of which had been spent on +the water. We reported favorably, and, organizing a company of +thirteen at Marine settlement, Illinois, with a capital of $26,000, +got our material together at St. Louis during the winter, and embarked +on the Fayette, May 4, 1839, for the point afterward known as Marine +Mills, Minnesota. We arrived May 13th and commenced at once to work +upon the projected mill, which was completed Sept. 1, 1839. I remained +at the mill until March, 1841, when I removed to Gray Cloud. I made a +claim at Point Douglas in 1843, and moved upon it in April of that +year. In 1844 I built the Union House, the first frame house built in +the territory now embraced in Minnesota. At Gray Cloud I acted as +justice of the peace. I was appointed deputy sheriff by Sheriff R. D. +Lester of Crawford county, and held the office until Minnesota +Territory was organized. My first wife died in November, 1864, leaving +three sons, Edwin A., John H. and Emmet M. In 1865 I was married to +Electa Barnes, of St. Paul. In 1872 I removed to Hastings, my present +home." Mr. Hone died at Hastings, July 11, 1887. + +WILLIAM B. DIBBLE was born in the state of New York in 1815. He spent +part of his early life in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Alabama and Illinois. +He came to the St. Croix valley in 1839, and was one of the founders +of Marine, Minnesota, from whence he removed to Point Douglas in 1844, +and established ferries across Lake St. Croix to Prescott, and across +the Mississippi river to Hastings. He also engaged in farming. He was +twice married, first in 1844, to Eliza McCauslin, who died in 1847, +then to Mary Wright, who, with nine children, survives him. Mr. Dibble +died in 1884. + +GEORGE HARRIS was born in Pennsylvania in 1824. In 1827 his father +removed to Illinois and was killed during the Black Hawk War while +acting as sentry. At the age of eight years George commenced working +on a farm, and continued nine years. He then removed to Missouri and +remained until 1845, when he came to Stillwater and engaged in +lumbering. Soon afterward he settled on a farm near Point Douglas, +where he still resides. His family consists of a wife (formerly Alice +White) and seven children. + +HARLEY D. WHITE was born in Orange county, Vermont, in 1812; came to +Prairie du Chien in 1840 and engaged in selling goods; removed to Red +Rock in 1844 where he sold goods in partnership with Daniel Hopkins, +and settled on a farm at Point Douglas in 1847. Some years later he +removed to Beattie, Kansas. He was married to Mrs. E. Tainter, of St. +Croix Falls, in 1849. She died in 1850, leaving a daughter, who was +adopted into the family of W. H. Tinker, of St. Paul. This daughter +became a teacher and taught in the public schools of St. Paul for a +period of eighteen years, and with her earnings purchased a home for +her foster parents. Mr. White married a second time and reared two +sons, one an editor, now residing in Alameda, California. The other is +engaged in farming in Kansas. Mr. White died in April, 1888. + +THOMAS HETHERINGTON was born in Northumberland, England, in 1818; came +to Canada at the age of sixteen years and to Point Douglas in 1849 and +settled on a farm at Basswood Grove, where he died in 1885, leaving +his family in good circumstances. He was held in great esteem as an +upright man by those who knew him. + +JAMES SHEARER was born at Palmer, Massachusetts, Oct. 30, 1815. He was +engaged in the mercantile business from 1837 to 1843, when he sold out +and went to Canada. He came to Point Douglas May 8, 1849, and engaged +in farming. He held various offices of trust in the county and town. +He served as county commissioner for 6 years, postmaster 2 years, +chairman of town board of Denmark for 4 years, and town treasurer 12 +years. Mr. Shearer was married to Minerva J. Taylor, March 6, 1866. +Their children are Marcus, Martha and Irvin. + +SIMON SHINGLEDECKER was born in Germany in 1815; came to America in +1831 and located in Ohio, where he worked nine years as a farmer. He +removed thence to Illinois, then to St. Louis, and in 1845 came to +Hudson, Wisconsin, where he engaged in lumbering. In 1848 he located +on a farm near Point Douglas, which is still his home. In 1850 he was +married to Margaret Truax. They have eight children. + +CALEB TRAUX was born in Mohawk valley in 1810. He became a citizen of +Montreal and was there married to Elisabeth Morehouse. He removed to +Point Douglas in 1849, where he followed the business of farmer and +house carpenter. He was a representative in the fourth territorial +legislature. He died at his home in 1878, leaving seven sons and three +daughters. + +ABRAHAM TRUAX was born in Brooklynn, Canada West. He came to Point +Douglas in 1848; removed to Hastings in 1850. While there he was +elected sheriff of Dakota county. He returned to Point Douglas in +1859, where he still resides. He was married to Mary Lahey in 1859. +Mrs. Truax died in 1867, leaving five children. + +GEORGE W. CAMPBELL was born in Canton, New York, April 8, 1810. He +received a common school and academic education. His father died in +1826, leaving to George W. the care of the family and the management +of the estate. He was married in 1832, at Cornwell, Canada West, to +Margaret Harriet Robinson. He came to Point Douglas in 1848, where he +has lived since, engaged in farming and lumbering. He was a +representative in the first state legislature, 1857-58. Mrs. Campbell +died at her home in Point Douglas in 1886, aged seventy-four years. +She had been a member of the Episcopal church for sixty years. Six of +her seven surviving children with the aged husband and father attended +the funeral. Mr. Campbell died in 1887. + + +FOREST LAKE. + +This town includes township 32, range 21. The surface was originally +covered with hardwood timber, interspersed with wild meadows; the +western part with oak, maple, poplar and tamarack. The first settlers +were Louis Schiel, Wilson, Rice and Cyrus Gray. Later came Simmons, +Posten, Marsh, York, and Banty. The first marriage was that of Francis +Cartwright to Mary Long, in 1865. The first child born was Rebecca +Simmons. The first death was that of Frederic Veith, in 1867. In 1873 +the first school district was organized. A Methodist church was +organized in 1876 by Rev. Adam Ringer. The Forest Lake Lodge, I. O. G. +T., was organized in 1879. A post office was established in 1868; +Michael Marsh, postmaster. The town of Forest Lake was organized in +1874; W. D. Benedict, A. C. York and George Simmons, supervisors; +Louis Schiel, clerk. + + +FOREST LAKE VILLAGE + +Was platted May, 1869, in the northwest part of the town, by Luther +Mendenhall, agent of the Western Land Company, and surveyed by B. W. +Brunson. It is beautifully located on the shore of Forest lake and is +rapidly becoming a popular place of resort for summer tourists and +pleasure parties. The lake is almost separated into three distinct +parts by points or capes. It is five miles from the northwest to the +southeast extremity and is nearly two miles wide at the widest point. +Its shores are well timbered and approach the water's edge in gravelly +slopes. The indications are that the lake was once much larger. In the +south lakes the water is deepest, averaging twenty feet. The south +lakes have also higher banks. The lake covers territory in sections 8 +to 15, inclusive, of township 32, range 21. + +CAPT. MICHAEL MARSH is a native of Wesemburg, Germany, and has resided +at this lake nineteen years. He has done much to make it attractive as +a place of resort. He has built a hotel with seventy-five rooms for +the accommodation of summer visitors, and has placed a steamer, the +Germania, upon the lake. Capt. Marsh was married in Germany and has a +family of two sons and three daughters. + + +GRANT. + +This town was organized in 1858, under the name of Greenfield. In 1864 +the name was changed to Grant. It comprises township 30, range 21. The +soil is a sand and clay loam, with clay gravel subsoil. The surface +varies from undulating to rolling, and was originally well timbered +with white, black and burr oak. White Bear lake lies partly within the +township, occupying about 1,200 acres. Other and smaller lakes are +Pine, Stone Quarry, Deep, Ben's, and Long. + +The first officers of the town were: Moderator, Joseph Crane; clerk, +Jesse H. Soule; supervisors, Albion Masterman, James Rutherford and +Joseph Crane. The first settlers were Albion Masterman and William +Rutherford, in 1849. Soon after came James Rutherford, Thomas Ramsdell +and George Bennett. Albion Masterman built the first house, and his +wife, formerly Eliza Middleton, was the first woman in the settlement. +The first public highway through the town was the Rum river road. The +first child born was Castinea O. Rutherford. The first death was that +of James, son of James Rutherford. The first school house was built in +section 1, in 1856. Joseph Crane taught the first school. The first +sermon was preached by Rev. ---- Hamlin, a Free Will Baptist, but the +first religious organization was that of the German Protestant +Lutheran. Rev. Siegrist was the first pastor. The church building is +in section 2, and was built in 1872. The Spiritualists had an +organization in 1868, of which Jesse H. Soule was president, and +George Walker secretary. Summer meetings were held, and lecturers from +abroad invited to address them. + + +DELLWOOD VILLAGE + +Was platted in September, 1882, on the line of the Stillwater & White +Bear railroad, on the shore of White Bear lake; Augustus K. and Carrie +Barnum, proprietors; Simon & Morton, surveyors. + + +EAGLE CITY + +Was platted in 1854; proprietors, K. Starkey and Chas. G. Pettys; +surveyor, Daniel S. Turpen. It is located in the southwest quarter of +section 27. + + +MAHTOMEDI + +Was platted in July, 1883; proprietors, Mahtomedi Assembly; surveyors, +Hone & Holland. White Bear lake has become a noted resort for tourists +and pleasure parties. A steamboat plies regularly upon its waters +during the open months, and the Stillwater & White Bear, the St. Paul +& Duluth and the Wisconsin Central railroads render it easy of access. +It is made attractive by the beauty of its scenery, the clearness and +brightness of its waters and its convenient distance from St. Paul, +Minneapolis and Stillwater. The Mahtomedi Association have erected +here a fine hotel, assembly houses and numerous cottages for the +accommodation of summer visitors. Summer schools are held here under +the auspices of the Chautauqua Association. The grounds are also +adapted to camp meetings, conventions and military parades. + + +WILDWOOD PARK + +Was platted in 1883, by the Park Association; Elmer & Newell, +surveyors. It is located on White Bear lake, on the line of the +Stillwater & White Bear railroad. + +WILLIAM ELLIOTT was born in Ireland in 1825. His parents removed to +New Brunswick in 1830, whence he came to Minnesota in 1850, and +located in Grant in 1862, devoting himself to farming. He had been a +pilot and a lumberman. His second wife was Mary Crawford. They have +eight children. + +FREDERICK LAMB was born in Prussia in 1825; served three years in the +Prussian Army, traveled some time for a manufacturing firm in Germany +through Switzerland, France, England, and Italy; came to America in +1848, and to Stillwater in 1849. For some time he was unsettled as to +his location, but in 1852 made his home in Stillwater, where he +remained until 1866, when he located in Grant. He was married in 1851 +to Lena Laroche. A son and a daughter lost their lives by accident. +Three daughters are living. + +JAMES RUTHERFORD was born in the parish of Elsdon, Northumberland +county, England, in 1812. In 1818 he came with his parents to America. +In 1849 he came to the valley of the St. Croix and located in what is +now the town of Grant. He built a flour mill on Brown's creek. He +engaged in farming and also in lumbering for many years. He was +married to Elisabeth Smith in 1836. He died at his residence Sept. 14, +1874. Four children survive him. + +JESSE H. SOULE has been a prominent and enterprising citizen of Grant +since 1854. He was born at Avon, Franklin county, Maine, in 1823. Mr. +Soule came to Grant when there were but six families in the town, and +pre-empted one hundred and fifty acres of land, where he made him a +pleasant and attractive home. He has held many positions of trust, +having been elected town clerk, which office he held twenty-two years, +justice of the peace, assessor, superintendent of schools and county +commissioner. He represented his district in the house of the sixth +state legislature in 1864. Mr. Soule has been married three times. His +first wife left one daughter, his second wife two sons, twins, Osmar +and Winfield; his third wife, who still lives, Rachel Michener, to +whom he was married in 1871, has three children, Alice, Olive and +Reuel. + +Albion Masterman and William Rutherford, the first settlers of Grant +township, are mentioned among the biographies of the chapter on +Stillwater. + + +LAKELAND. + +This town includes the south half of fractional township 29, range 20, +and comprises about 65,920 acres. The surface is quite diversified, +ranging from undulating prairie land to hills. Before settlement there +were prairies and oak openings. The soil is productive and is well +cultivated. + +The first settlers were French, who located along the lake shore in +1838-39. These early settlers raised the first crops, but were +gardeners rather than farmers, and were transient. The first American +settler was Henry W. Crosby, who came in 1842, and located on the site +of the present village of Lakeland. George Clark, a young man, came +with him and made a claim near the ferry, but was drowned not long +afterward. This was the first death in the town of which we have any +mention. The first marriage was that of Wm. Oliver and Mrs. Mary +Davis, a sister of Joseph Haskell, in 1848; the next was that of A. B. +Green to Eliza M. Oliver, Oct. 1, 1851. + +A ferry was established in 1848. Moses Perrin built a hotel and saw +mill the ensuing year, and platted the village of Lakeland. Another +mill was built by Ballard & Reynolds. In 1857 Stearns, Watson & Co. +built an extensive saw mill at a cost of $45,000. This mill changed +hands many times, finally passing into the hands of C. N. Nelson, who +enlarged it to a capacity of 20,000,000 feet per annum, a $50,000 +investment. The St. Paul & Milwaukee railroad traverses this town near +and parallel to the lake shore. The town contributed $5,000 in ten per +cent bonds to the building of the road, for which they received an +equal amount of railroad stock. The St. Paul & Omaha railroad crosses +the lake and a part of the northeastern part of the township of +Lakeland. The railroad bridge has its western terminus in Lakeland, a +short distance above the village. Lakeland was organized as a town +Oct. 20, 1858. The first board of supervisors consisted of Charles A. +Oliver, Elias Megean and A. D. Kingsley. + + +LAKELAND VILLAGE, + +Situated on the lake shore, nearly opposite Hudson, Wisconsin, was +platted in 1849 by Moses Perrin. A school was taught in 1852 by +Harriet E. Newell. A post office was established in 1854; Freeman C. +Tyler was the first postmaster. Lakeland has the following benevolent +and social societies: Masons, Golden Rule Lodge, No. 65, organized in +1867; Temple of Honor, organized 1877; the Independent Order of Good +Templars, No. 200, organized in 1876. It has a Baptist and +Congregational church. + +HENRY W. CROSBY was born in Albany, New York, in 1819. He spent his +youth in Buffalo. In 1840 he came to St. Croix Falls, and in 1842 to +the banks of Lake St. Croix, and located on the site of the village of +Lakeland where he resided ten years. During the ensuing thirteen years +he followed his trade as machinist at various places, besides serving +three years as a volunteer in the Eighth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. +He was married in Cottage Grove in 1845, to Hannah Waterhouse. He has +four sons. + +REUBEN H. SANDERSON.--Mr. Sanderson was born in Genesee county, New +York, in 1831. He received a common school education and studied one +year in Brockport Collegiate Institute. He came to Lakeland in 1855, +and followed the business of a house carpenter. Mr. Sanderson has +filled many town offices, and was a member of the Democratic wing of +the state constitutional convention in 1857. + +NEWTON MCKUSICK, the oldest son of John McKusick, was born in +Stillwater in 1850. He received a good education in the city schools, +completed at the Minnesota State University, and located on a farm in +Lakeland in 1871. He was married to Jennie L. Green, of Stillwater, +June 6, 1872. His home and farm display taste and thrift worthy of +commendation. + +CAPT. JOHN OLIVER.--John Oliver was born March 9, 1796, at Land's End, +England. He was bred to a seafaring life, and the early part of his +life was well spiced with adventure. He escaped from the British +service to enter the American, but was twice captured, and after the +second capture suffered a rigorous imprisonment at Dartmoor, England. +At the close of the war he came to the United States and became a +Boston harbor pilot, a responsible calling which he followed for +thirty-three years. He came to the West in 1848, and settled in +Lakeland. In 1819 he was married to Sarah Spear, whose father was one +of the celebrated Boston Tea Party in 1774. Capt. Oliver, after his +removal to Lakeland, busied himself in farming. He died on the +homestead in 1869, leaving a widow who survived until 1883, and five +sons, two having died prior to 1869. Of his seven sons, six were in +the Union Army in Minnesota regiments during the Rebellion: Wm. H., +Thomas E., Charles A., George A., Walter J., and Howard F. Walter J. +died in the army. + +ASA BARLOW GREEN.--The name of Capt. Green was once familiar on the +St. Croix. He was a man of varied talents and striking +characteristics, who, in a public life extending over a period of many +years, figured as a lawyer, sheriff, probate judge, steamboat captain, +minister, chaplain, and missionary. He was born at Warren, Vermont, +1826, and during his minority lived at home. He had a common school +education, and by his own efforts attained a knowledge of the law and +was admitted to practice in Minnesota and Wisconsin in 1858. He served +as sheriff in Washington county, held the office of probate judge, and +some minor offices. He commanded the steamer Equator in 1859, when +that boat was wrecked on Lake St. Croix. He was part owner of the +boat. In 1860 he was ordained as a minister of the Calvinist Baptist +church. In 1862 he entered the United States service as chaplain of +the Third Wisconsin Volunteers, and served three years, after which he +devoted himself to ministerial and missionary labors. He died in +Whitewater, Wisconsin. + +L. A. HUNTOON located in Lakeland in 1857, and engaged in mercantile +pursuits. He served as town clerk and postmaster, filling the latter +position fifteen years. He represented his district in the house of +the seventh and nineteenth legislatures. He died suddenly at his home +in 1879, leaving a wife and three children. His oldest son, Samuel, a +promising young man, principal of the Hammond high school, and fitting +himself for the medical college, was drowned Oct. 9, 1872, in Cutter's +lake, at the age of twenty-one. He was much esteemed and lamented. + + +MARINE. + +The town of Marine includes townships 31 and 32, range 20, and +fractional townships 31 and 32, range 19. The surface is somewhat +rolling, and before settlement was timbered chiefly with hardwood. It +is dotted with beautiful lakes, some of which have abrupt and hilly +shores. The more noted of these lakes are Big, Carnelian, Square, +Bony, Terrapin, Long, Fish, and Hay. + +Next to St. Croix Falls, Marine contains the earliest settlement in +the valley. In September, 1838, Lewis Judd and David Hone were +deputized by a company of men residing in Marine, Illinois, to visit +the Northwest and examine the region recently secured by treaty from +the Chippewas, and to return the same year and report upon its +advantages of climate, soil and other resources. They were authorized +also to locate a claim for a future settlement, if they found one +entirely suitable. They embarked on the steamer Ariel at St. Louis, +September 10th, and were twenty-five days reaching the head of Lake +St. Croix, whence they proceeded in a flatboat propelled by poles up +the St. Croix as far as the falls, and thence to the mouth of Kettle +river. Returning by birch canoes, they stopped at the site of the +present village of Marine, and there made a mill claim. They then +returned to Marine, Illinois, where they arrived November 10th, and +reported favorably on the location chosen. + +During the following winter a verbal agreement was made by thirteen +persons, all of Marine settlement, to start in the spring and build a +saw mill on the distant St. Croix. On April 27th this company left St. +Louis on the steamer Fayette for the new settlement, which they +reached on the thirteenth of May. The Fayette was chartered expressly +for this voyage. They took with them mill irons, farming tools, +household goods, three yoke of oxen, and cows. + +The members of the party were Lewis, George and Albert Judd, David +Hone, Orange Walker, Asa S. and Madison Parker, Samuel Burkelo, Wm. B. +Dibble, Dr. Lucius Green, Joseph Cottrell, and Hiram Berkey. When they +landed they found Jeremiah Russell and Levi W. Stratton in possession +of the claim, they having taken possession during the preceding +winter. These men demanded and received three hundred dollars for +relinquishing the claim to its rightful owners. + +The colonists set to work immediately to build a log cabin as a +temporary shelter, which being completed, they commenced the mill, and +worked with such energy that it was finished in ninety days. The first +wheel used was a flutter wheel, which, not proving satisfactory, was +replaced by an overshot with buckets. This mill sawed the first lumber +in the St. Croix valley. + +Orange Walker was the first clerk and chieftain of the concern, and +when anything was wanted a call of the company would be made, and the +members assembled. No article of agreement existed. Only one book was +kept for a series of years--a unique affair, no doubt. The first +installment was $200; second, $75; third, $50; all within two years, +after which the company became self sustaining. No partner forfeited +his stock. One by one the partners sold out their interest, until +Orange Walker and G. B. Judd were the owners. The company was first +known as the Marine Lumber Company. In 1850 the name was changed to +Judd, Walker & Co., the firm consisting then of the Judd brothers, +Orange Walker, Samuel Burkelo, Asa Parker, and H. Berkey. In 1863, +when Orange Walker was sole owner, he associated with him Samuel Judd +and W. H. Veazie, and the firm name has since been Walker, Judd & +Veazie. + +The colonists raised, during the first year, corn, potatoes and garden +vegetables. They found the Indians peaceably inclined toward the +settlers, though the Chippewas and Sioux kept up a constant warfare +with each other. During the winter of 1839-40 four members of the +company, Parker, Berkey, Green and Dibble, were sent to the mouth of +Kettle river to cut logs. Marine was organized as a town in 1858, with +the following supervisors: J. R. M. Gaskell; John E. Mower and B. F. +Allen. + + +MARINE MILLS VILLAGE. + +The settlement gradually grew into the village of Marine Mills, which +was not platted, however, until 1853, nor incorporated until 1875. The +following was the first board of officers: President, Orange Walker; +councilmen, J. R. M. Gaskell, Ola Westergreen and Asa S. Parker. Until +1842 the mail was received from Ft. Snelling by private conveyance, +when a monthly mail service was established from Point Douglas, and +Samuel Burkelo was appointed postmaster. + +The first jury trial in the St. Croix valley was held at Marine, in +1840, before Joseph R. Brown, justice of the peace. The case was that +of Philander Prescott against Chas. D. Foote, plaintiff charging +defendant with jumping a claim. The jury consisted of Samuel Burkelo, +Orange Walker, H. Berkey, David Hone. J. Haskell, J. S. Norris, A. +McHattie, A. Mackey, H. Sweezy, Francis Nason, and two others. The +claim in dispute was located near Prescott. The court adjourned to +allow the jury to visit Prescott to ascertain if the claim had been +made in accordance with custom. On viewing the premises the jury +failed to agree, and the matter was compromised by Prescott allowing +Foote eighty acres of the claim. + +The first white child born in Marine was Sarah Anna Waterman, in 1844. +Dr. Wright, the first physician, located in Marine in 1849. The first +marriage was that of Wm. B. Dibble to Eliza McCauslin, in 1842. The +first death was that of a child of W. H. Nobles, in 1843. The first +sermon preached was by Rev. J. Hurlburt, a Methodist missionary, Jan. +1, 1844. The first school was taught by Sarah Judd, in 1849. The +Swedish Evangelical Lutherans built the first church in the town of +Marine, in section 27, in 1856, a log structure afterward used as a +school, its place being supplied by a new structure in section 14 in +1858. In 1874 a large church 50 × 80 feet, ground plan, and with +steeple 80 feet high, succeeded the second structure. A fine parsonage +was attached. This church was blown down by a cyclone in 1884, but was +rebuilt. + +The Swedish Methodists built a church on the south side of Long lake +in 1856; C. P. Agrelius, pastor. The Congregationalists commenced the +first church and perfected the first organization in Marine village, +in 1857. The church was completed and dedicated in 1859. Rev Geo. +Spaulding was the first pastor. The second Congregational church was +erected in 1878, in section 21. The Swedish Lutherans have a church +and congregation in the village of Marine. The church was built in +1875. Rev. L. O. Lindh was the first pastor. Oakland Cemetery +Association was organized in 1872 and the cemetery located near Marine +village. + + +IMPROVEMENTS. + +A passable road was opened from Stillwater to Marine in 1841. The +government road from Point Douglas to Superior was built through +Marine in 1852-3. The company built the first frame dwelling, on a +point above the mill, in 1848. The mill company built a frame store in +the same year. This building was burned in 1863; loss, $4,000. The +only hotel until 1850 was a log building, when the Marine store was +built. The Lightner House was built in 1857, the St. Croix House in +1858. The Marine flour mill was built in 1856 by Gaskell & Co. The +first flour was manufactured in 1857. The mill is four stories high +and is furnished with a turbine wheel. The water is brought a distance +of 1,000 feet by an elevated race. The Arcola saw mills were built in +the winter of 1846-7, by Martin Mower, David B. Loomis, Joseph +Brewster and W. H. C. Folsom. They were located on the river shore +three miles below Marine Mills. The motive power is an overshot wheel, +propelled by water from two large springs. The mill is now the +property of Martin Mower. The losses by fire in Marine have been: + + The Marine saw mill, Sept. 16, 1863, loss $6,000; Judd & + Gaskell's store, Jan. 9, 1864, loss $4,000; Samuel B. Judd's + dwelling, April, 1884, loss $12,000; + + W. H. Veazie's dwelling, April, 1885, loss $6,000. + +A heavy financial failure occurred in the winter of 1885-6. The firm +of Walker, Judd & Veazio were compelled to make an assignment; +indebtedness, $250,000. In the ensuing May, by order of the court, the +mill property with its assets passed into the hands of a newly +constituted organization, styled the Marine Lumber Company. This +company was composed of the creditors of Judd, Walker & Veazie; B. C. +Keater, president; Ed. St. John, superintendent; capital stock, +$750,000. In 1888 the property passed into the hands of Anderson & +O'Brien. + + +VASA VILLAGE + +Was platted in 1856, in section 30, township 32, range 19, by B. F. +and Mary Jane Otis and John Columbus; W. P. Payte, surveyor. James +Russell, James Cilley and Frank Register in 1857 built a steam saw +mill. James Russell built a three story hotel. A saloon and other +buildings were erected, but the village did not prosper, and the site +is now abandoned. There are several ancient mounds in the town site +which have been utilized to some extent as burial mounds. One in the +rear of the school house contains the remains of Caroline Reid, a +sister of Mrs. B. F. Otis, and Hiram Otis, a son of the latter. A +mound on the farm of John Copas contains the remains of John Columbus, +buried there at his own request with the body of his favorite dog. A +post office was established at Scandia, in the northern part of +Marine, in 1878; John M. Johnson, postmaster. The upper part of the +town of Marine was at one time organized as a town called Vasa, but +has since been merged in Marine. + +ORANGE WALKER was born at St. Albans, Vermont, Sept. 1, 1801. His +ancestors were of English stock and Revolutionary fame. He received a +good common school education, and at the age of sixteen entered as an +apprentice in a tanner and currier's establishment in St. Albans. +After learning the trade he worked at it some time in Milton, Vermont. +In 1834 he came West, and located at Jacksonville, Illinois, where he +worked at his trade and also engaged in farming until 1839, when he +became a member of the Marine Lumber Company, and came with them to +Marine, where he resided a period of forty-eight years. During that +time he has been the most active and influential man in the company, +having been in almost constant service as its president or principal +agent. Mr. Walker was well known to the earlier dwellers in the St. +Croix valley as a hale, hearty, well informed man, prompt in +fulfilling his engagements, and liberal in everything that pertains to +the general good. Mr. Walker filled many public positions. He was +county commissioner ten years, postmaster twenty-five years, and +represented his district in the house of the Second Minnesota +legislature in 1859-60. He was married Sept. 16, 1848, to Mrs. +Georgiana Lockwood, of Prescott, formerly Miss Barton, a native of +Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Walker died Oct. 9, 1885. Mr. Walker +died Aug. 17, 1897. + +LEWIS WALKER, brother of Orange Walker, was born in St. Albans, +Vermont, in 1811; in early life removed to Marine, Illinois, and in +1853 came to Marine Mills, Minnesota. He spent many years at the St. +Croix upper boom, and the last fifteen years of his life he lived in +Osceola. He was a quiet, peaceable citizen, exemplary in his habits +and respected by all his acquaintances. He died in Osceola in 1882. +Mr. Walker was married in 1853 to Calphrunia White, who, with two +daughters, survives him. The oldest daughter, Ella, has been for many +years a teacher in the Minneapolis and St. Paul and other schools. +Emma is the wife of Henry Fifield, a printer and journalist of +Northern Michigan. + +SAMUEL BURKELO was born in Kent county, Delaware, March 31, 1800. He +came to Marine in 1839, being one of the thirteen constituting the +Marine Lumber Company. He remained with the company ten years, removed +to Stillwater and engaged in the mercantile business. In 1858 he +removed to a farm in Lakeland, where he died in 1874. He was one of +the commissioners appointed in 1840 to organize St. Croix county, and +represented his district in the council of the first and second +territorial legislatures. He was married Dec. 7, 1844, to Susan +McCauslin, at Point Douglas. Four children survive him. + +ASA S. PARKER was born in Windsor county, Vermont, July 11, 1812. His +youth was spent in Vermont, New York and Illinois. He was by trade a +brickmaker. He joined the Marine Company and came to Marine in 1839. +He continued a member of the company until 1858, since which time he +has been engaged in farming and selling goods at Marine. Mr. Parker is +a quiet, unobtrusive gentleman, well posted in general matters. He was +a very useful member of the company. He was eight years county +commissioner, and has filled responsible town and county positions. He +was married in 1859 to Isabella Thompson. Archie I., an only son, +living with his parents, was married to Lena Smith in 1883. + +HIRAM BERKEY was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, Oct. 22, 1813. +He came to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1819, but made Collinsville, +Illinois, his home, and engaged in farming. He came to Marine Mills in +1839, and was one of the original company that founded Marine. He sold +his interest in 1860, since which time he has been engaged in hotel +keeping and farming. He served as county commissioner four years, and +filled local offices. He was married to Jennie McCarty, of +Pennsylvania, Oct. 23, 1860. They have one son, John R. + +GEO. B. JUDD was born in Farmington, Connecticut, Oct. 19, 1799. In +1832 he came to Illinois and engaged in farming and merchandising. In +1839 he became a member of the Marine Company, and came up on the +Fayette, but did not make his residence there until 1862. He retained +his interest in the company until about 1863. He removed to St. Louis +in 1844, and became a member of the enterprising commission firm of +Judd & Hammond. After his removal to Marine he engaged in the +mercantile and lumbering business. Mr. Judd died at his home in Marine +in 1872. + +JAMES HALE was born in 1822, in Putnam county, Indiana; lived five +years in Illinois, and came to Marine Mills in 1844, where he engaged +in farming. He was married to Mary Finnegan in 1855. Mr. Hale died +Feb. 9, 1888. + +JOHN HOLT was born in Jefferson county, Kentucky, in 1818. He came to +Marine in 1846. In 1852 he was married to Mary Jane Ward, and removed +to Stillwater, where for two years he kept the Minnesota House, at the +southwest corner of Main and Chestnut streets. Returning to Marine in +1853 he followed lumbering and farming many years. During the latter +portion of his life he was afflicted with partial blindness. He died +Jan. 12, 1874, leaving two children. + +GEORGE HOLT, brother to John Holt, was born in Kentucky in 1822, where +he spent his early life. After spending a year at Prairie du Chien, in +1846 he came to Marine and obtained employment with the Marine +Company. In 1850 he removed to Stillwater, and engaged in the livery +stable and hotel business until 1853, when he returned with his +brother to Marine. He claims to have carried, in 1851, the first +leathern mail pouch from Stillwater to Taylor's Falls. During the +Rebellion he served one year in Company G, Fourth Minnesota Volunteer +Infantry. While residing in Marine he has been engaged chiefly in +farming, rafting and lumbering. In 1851 he was married to Melinda +Ward. They have five children. + +WILLIAM TOWN was born in Rome, N. Y., 1814. In 1836 he removed to +Warren county, Illinois, and in 1838 he was married to Louisa +Robinson. He came to Marine in 1846; removed to St. Croix Falls in +1847; to Osceola Prairie in 1852, and to Taylor's Falls in 1860, where +he died in 1870. His first wife died at Osceola in 1855, leaving three +daughters, one the wife of W. J. Seavey, of Taylor's Falls, one the +first wife of Henry Mallen, of Farmington, Wisconsin, and one the wife +of E. Hines Bates, of Taylor's Falls. Mr. Town was married in 1857 to +Mrs. Mary Collins, formerly Mary Talboys. A daughter of Mrs. Town, by +her first husband, is the wife of N. P. Bailey, of Taylor's Falls. Mr. +Town's aged mother came to Osceola Prairie in 1856, and died in June, +1886, aged ninety-seven years. Mrs. Abbott, of Moorhead, and Mrs. +Richmond, of Farmington, are her daughters. + +MATTHIAS WELSHANCE was born in 1818, in Pennsylvania, where he lived +during his minority and learned the carpenter's trade. In 1843 he +removed to Galena, Illinois, in 1847 to St. Croix Falls and in 1848 to +Marine Mills, where he worked at his trade until 1856. From that time +until his death, May 19, 1886, he was engaged in hotel keeping. He was +for nine years keeper of the Marine Hotel and has since been +proprietor of the St. Croix House. He was married Nov. 12, 1848, to +Mary J. Hooper. They have five children living. One daughter, Mrs. +Tolan, met a tragic death at the hands of an insane husband, in 1881. +Mr. Welshance died in 1886. + +BENJAMIN T. OTIS was born in Fairfield, Maine, in 1816. He came to St. +Croix Falls in 1841, and engaged in lumbering. In 1846 he located on +what is known as Colby Flat, on the site of Taylor's Falls, and +improved a farm. In 1849 he removed to Marine. His first wife died +suddenly at Marine. He was married to Mrs. Church, of Stillwater, in +1859. Henry F., a son by his first wife, enlisted in 1862, in the +Seventh Minnesota Volunteers, was wounded in 1864, and honorably +discharged. + +WILLIAM CLARK was born in New Brunswick, July, 1815. He came to Marine +Mills in 1848, and since has followed lumbering. He married Elisa Jane +Nelson in 1861. Mrs. Clark died in 1879, leaving two daughters. + +JAMES R. MEREDITH was born Aug. 22, 1812, in White county, Illinois, +where he lived until eighteen years of age, when he removed to Galena, +where he spent five years in mining. He went thence to Burlington, +Iowa, and in 1849 located in Marine, and was employed by the Marine +Company several years. In 1860 he located upon his present farm. In +1847 he was married to Eleanor Freeman. They have three children +living. + +JOHN D. AND THOMAS E. WARD. The Ward brothers are natives of +Massachusetts. They came to the St. Croix valley with their +brothers-in-law, John and George Holt. They have engaged chiefly in +steamboating and river business. + +SAMUEL JUDD, son of Lewis Judd, was born in Illinois in 1840. He +graduated at McKendrie College, Lebanon, Illinois, and came to Marine +in 1863, and became a member of the firm of Walker, Judd & Veazie. In +1874 he was married to Amelia D. Flaherty, at St. Louis. Their +children are Orange W. and Lucille M. In 1886 he changed his residence +to St. Paul. + +FREDERIC W. LAMMERS was born in Germany in 1829. He came to America in +1843, locating first at St. Louis, where he remained two years. In +1845 he removed to the St. Croix valley, and for several years engaged +in lumbering. In 1852 he settled on a farm in Taylor's Falls, and was +married to Helen C. Nelson, of Marine. In 1865 he sold his farm and +removed to Big Lake Marine. Mr. Lammers has been a public spirited and +excellent citizen. His family consisted of fifteen children; of these +thirteen are living. + +JAMES R. M. GASKILL was born in Madison county, Illinois, in 1820; +graduated from McKendrie College in 1843; graduated from the medical +department of the Missouri State University in 1854; practiced +medicine a short time at Centralia, Illinois, and came to Marine in +1855, where he practiced medicine and interested himself in milling, +lumbering and merchandise. He represented his district in the house of +the first legislature of Minnesota, 1857-58, and of the fourteenth and +fifteenth, 1872-73. He served during the Rebellion as surgeon of the +Forty-fifth Illinois Volunteers. He was for many years a trustee of +the Minnesota State Prison. In 1861 he was married to Clara E. Hughes. +They have one son and one daughter. + + +NEWPORT. + +The town of Newport includes fractional townships 27 and 28, range 22, +and part of sections 34, 35 and 36, in township 29, range 22: It was +organized as a town Oct. 20, 1858. The first supervisors were William +Fowler, E. B. Schofield and John Willoughby. The surface is mostly +prairie. This town has some points of great historic interest. Gray +Cloud island, in the southern part, in the Mississippi river, +separated from the mainland by a slough, is the place where, according +to some historians, Le Sueur planted a French fort in 1695. It was +styled the "Isle Pelee," and was described as a beautiful "Prairie +Island." + +The description of the island tallies precisely with that of Gray +Cloud, and is applicable to none of the other conjectured localities. +It is mentioned by many antiquarian writers as a place of rendezvous +for French traders during the French domination in this part of the +continent. Gray Cloud has been known as a trading post for the last +hundred years, and has the credit of being the first white settlement +in Washington county, and probably in Minnesota. Here came Joseph R. +Brown in 1838, and here he married the daughter of Dickson, the +trader. Hazen Mooers, one of the commissioners of St. Croix county in +1840, Joseph Boucher and others were living at Gray Cloud when the +Methodist mission was established at Kaposia in 1836. Gray Cloud is +the translation of the Indian name of the island. It was also borne by +an Indian maiden, who became the wife of Hazen Mooers, who seems to +have been a man of excellent repute and considerable influence. The +Browns cherished for him a very warm feeling of regard. + +Red Rock, another historic locality, derives its name from a painted +rock which seems to have been held in great reverence by the Sioux +Indians. According to Rev. Chauncey Hobart, a veteran pioneer and +preacher still living in Minnesota, it was the custom among the Sioux +to worship the boulders that lie scattered along the hills and +valleys. When a Dakotah was in danger, it was his custom to clear a +spot from grass and brush, roll a boulder upon it, paint it, deck it +with feathers and flowers, and pray to it for needed help. + +The peculiarity of the painted boulder from which Red Rock took its +name is that it was a shrine, to which from generation to generation +pilgrimages were made, and offerings and sacrifices presented. Its +Indian name was "Eyah Shah," or "Red Rock." The stone is not naturally +red, but painted with vermillion, or, as some say, with the blood of +slaughtered victims. The Indians call the stone also "Waukan," or +"mystery." It lies on a weathered stratum of limestone, and seems to +be a fragment from some distant granite ledge. The Dakotahs say it +walked or rolled to its present position, and they point to the path +over which it traveled. They visited it occasionally every year until +1862, each time painting it and bringing offerings. It is painted in +stripes, twelve in number, two inches wide and from two to six inches +apart. The north end has a rudely drawn picture of the sun, and a rude +face with fifteen rays. + +Red Rock is noted as the site of a mission planted here in 1837 by the +Methodist Episcopal church, by Alfred Brunson, a distinguished pioneer +preacher and missionary. The mission was originally established at +Kaposia, on the western bank of the river, in 1837, but removed by +Alfred Brunson in the same year to Red Rock. Rev. B. T. Kavanaugh, of +this mission, and afterward a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal church +South, superintended the erection of the first buildings. Taylor F. +Randolph and wife were teachers here, as assistants in the Indian +school, and also in a school of mixed bloods and whites. B. T. +Kavanaugh was postmaster in 1841. John Holton was mission farmer in +1841, under a commission from Maj. Taliaferro, of Fort Snelling. The +mission was discontinued in 1842. Mr. Randolph and wife made them a +home in the town of Afton, where both died in 1844. + +The first marriage was that of John A. Ford to Mary Holton, daughter +of John Holton, in 1843. The first birth was that of Franklin C. Ford, +September, 1844. The first death was that of a child of Rev. B. T. +Kavanaugh. The village of Newport was platted in 1857. W. R. Brown's +addition was platted in 1874. A steam saw mill was built in 1857 by E. +M. Shelton & Brothers. The mill was destroyed by fire in 1874. A flour +mill was built in its place by Joseph Irish. The first Baptist church +was organized Jan. 18, 1858. The first commodious house of worship was +built in 1878. The Red Rock Camp Meeting Association was organized in +1869. A plat of ten acres, beautifully situated in a natural grove +near the village, and on the line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul +railroad, was donated to the association by John Holton. These grounds +have been improved, and adorned with tasteful cottages. The camp +meetings held during the summer are largely attended. + + +GRAY CLOUD CITY + +Was platted in June, 1856, by J. R. Brown and Truman W. Smith, and +surveyed by J. Donald McCullom. + + +NEWPORT VILLAGE + +Was platted May 2, 1857, by Joseph H. Huganin, R. C. Knox, Wm. and +James Fowler, and surveyed by B. Densmore. + +JOHN HOLTON came to Red Rock in 1831, with the Methodist missionaries; +served some years as Indian farmer under Maj. Taliaferro, Indian +agent, and afterward settled on a farm just above the mission ground. +He donated ten acres of this farm to the Methodists for camp meeting +grounds. Mr. Holton died in 1884, leaving two children, Mrs. Ford and +Mrs. Winters. + +JOHN A. FORD was born in Utica, New York, in 1811. He learned the +trade of edge tool and rifle making, and in 1834 came West with his +father, locating a land claim where Chicago now stands. In 1841 the +son came to Red Rock and erected a store building in which he sold +goods for twelve years. Subsequently he engaged in farming. With the +exception of the traders Mr. Ford was the first merchant in Washington +county. Mr. Ford was a representative in the second territorial +legislature. He was married to May Holton in 1843. Their children are +Franklin and Willis. Franklin, the eldest son, was married to Addie +Witherspoon in 1870, and resides in Newport. + +DANIEL HOPKINS, a native of New Hampshire, came West at an early age. +He was a gunsmith by trade. He located in Green Bay in 1836, and +removed to Prairie du Chien in 1838, where he built a stone shop with +a large double window over his workbench and overlooking a spot where +he kept his money buried. A large mullein growing over it sufficiently +indicated that his treasure was still undisturbed. Growing somewhat +doubtful of the security of his hoard, he removed and placed a +thousand dollars in a stone quarry as a safer place of deposit. +Unexpectedly to him, the quarry was reopened and a well placed blast +scattered the old gentleman's treasure to the four winds. He recovered +but a portion of it. In 1844 he left Prairie du Chien and came to Red +Rock. He was three years associated with John A. Ford in selling +goods, after which, in 1848, he removed to St. Paul, where he opened a +store. He died in 1852, aged sixty-five years. + +WILLIAM R. BROWN was born in Urbana, Ohio, in 1816. He spent his +boyhood at home on a farm and served as an apprentice to a carpenter +in Mt. Carmel, Illinois. In April, 1848, he came to Red Rock mission +in company with Rev. B. T. Kavanaugh, Charles Cavalier and Julia +Bosnell. He lived upon a farm until 1854, when he sold out and removed +to St. Paul, where he dealt in real estate. During the Rebellion he +served three years in Company C, Sixth Minnesota Volunteers. He was +married in 1841 to Martha Neuman. He died Nov. 25, 1874. + +WILLIAM FOWLER settled in Newport in 1852 and has become a prominent +farmer and successful stockman. His farm, which originally cost him +$2,500, he sold in 1887 for $80,000. He was for two years president of +the Minnesota Agricultural Society, and five years of the Dairymen's +Association. He was a member of the house of representatives in 1872. +During the war he served as lieutenant in the Eighth Minnesota +Volunteers. + + +OAKDALE. + +Oakdale includes township 29, range 21. Originally it was covered with +white, black and burr oak timber; the surface is rolling, and the soil +well adapted to the cultivation of wheat. It is well watered and has +numerous lakes, among which Lake Elmo is favorably known as a summer +resort. + +Oakdale was organized as a town November, 1858. The first supervisors +were E. C. Gray, John Bershen and E. L. Morse. The clerk was W. +Armstrong. + +The first settler was B. B. Cyphers, who kept a hotel or stopping +place on Sun Fish lake in 1848. The year following John Morgan built a +more commodious house a mile and a half west on the stage road, and +this was afterward known as the "Half-way House," it being nearly +midway between St. Paul and Stillwater. At this well known station the +pioneer stages of Willoughby & Powers changed horses at noon, and the +passengers took dinner. In 1855 the property passed into the hands of +E. C. Gray. The Malones, Lohmans, Grays, Day, Stevens, and Gardiner +located here in the '50s. + +The first post office established was in 1857, in the south part of +the town, in section 35. Arthur Stephens was for ten years postmaster. +The office was called Oakdale, and was discontinued and another +established at the Half-way House, and called Lohmanville post office. +In 1873 it was transferred to the Oakdale station on the railroad. It +was discontinued in 1876, and re-established at Bass Lake station, +where it has since remained but is now known as the Lake Elmo post +office. + +The St. Paul & Stillwater railroad passes through this town from east +to west. It has three stations, Lake Elmo, Oakdale and Midvale. + +The churches of Oakdale are the St. John's Lutheran and the Church of +the Holy Angels. These churches have fine buildings and good +congregations. The buildings are located on the line of the old stage +road, and have spacious burial grounds attached. + +Lake Elmo is the only village in the town. It is handsomely located on +Lake Elmo. The company that platted the village has expended over +$65,000 on improvements. The hotel is an elegant and spacious +building, and a favorite resort for summer tourists. The lake was +originally known as Bass lake, and the station was known as Bass Lake +station. In 1879 the lake and station were rechristened Elmo, a name +certainly more musical and charming than the original, and inferior +only to the aboriginal name, which ought to have been retained. + +E. C. GRAY came originally from Pennsylvania, and located in Oakdale +in 1855, having purchased the Half-way House of John Morgan. He died +in 1874, leaving a large family of children. Two of his sons, M. P. +and W. H., remain on the family homestead. Others are in St. Paul. All +are known as men of good business ability. + +ARTHUR STEPHENS was born in Scotland in 1830. He came to America in +1839, lived awhile in Illinois, learned the trade of a mason and +plasterer, came to St. Paul in 1849, worked at his trade until 1854, +when he removed to Oakdale, where, with the exception of six years' +residence at Stillwater, he has since lived. Mr. Stephens served as +postmaster ten years, as county commissioner three years, and has +filled town offices. He was married to Marie Payden in 1852. Their +children are Harris S., Arthur, Elizabeth and Emma. + + +ONEKA. + +The town comprises township 31, range 21. It was organized as a town +in 1880. A. J. Soule was the first moderator, George Walker the first +clerk and treasurer. The eastern and southern portions are +diversified, being quite rugged and uneven. The western part is quite +level, and was originally timbered with burr oak and poplars. The town +abounds with lakes. Bald Eagle lies partly in the town; Oneka; Rice, +Egg, Eagle, Horseshoe, and others are within the town. Small springs +and rivulets abound. A tamarack swamp, varying in width from a few +rods to a half mile, traverses the town from north to south, forming a +natural barrier between the eastern and western divisions. The +principal lake is Oneka, located in sections 9 and 16. Rice lake has +been celebrated as the resort of Indians from Mendota, who camped here +annually to gather wild rice for the St. Paul and Minneapolis markets. + +The first settlers were Fayette Tainter and John Chester, young men +who came together in 1850 for the purpose of locating claims and +baling hay. They carried on a stock farm for five years. The next +settlers, Lewis Sempler and his son-in-law, Joseph Freeman, came in +1855. They were followed by Dunn, Barnum, Hatch and Beecroft. + +The St. Paul & Duluth railroad passes through the western part of the +town, entering in section 31, and leaving in section 5. There is but +one station upon the road, Centreville, a thriving little village, +having a hotel, store, school house, etc. Its post office was +established in 1874. + +The first school district was organized in 1867. Ruth Miller taught +the first school. The first marriage was that of Joseph Lambert and +Mary Courtone. The first child born was Hoyt E., son of O. L. Kinyon, +Dec. 27, 1863. The first death was that of Herbert, son of O. L. +Kinyon, May 30, 1869. + + +ONEKA, + +Located in the northeast quarter of section 8, was platted May, 1847, +by Franklin Jones; Chas. B. Lowell, surveyor. + + +SHADY SIDE VILLAGE, + +Located on Bald Eagle lake, was platted in 1880, by Chas. P. Hill; +Brinckerhoff & Phillips, surveyors. + +DANIEL HOPKINS, SR., son of Daniel Hopkins, of whom biographical +mention is made in the history of Newport, was born in New Hampshire. +He came to St. Paul in 1850, and engaged in the mercantile business on +Third street until 1852, when he removed to a farm between St. Anthony +and St. Paul, and dealt extensively in blooded stock until about +1855-56, when he purchased the farms of Austin and Tainter, on Rice +creek near the railroad. His farm consists of about 600 acres. The +railroad has a flag station at the farm known as Hopkins station. + + +STILLWATER. + +Stillwater comprises fractional township 30, range 20, excepting the +site of the city of Stillwater. The surface is rolling and the soil +good. It is well watered with rivulets and small lakes. The first +settlers in the town outside the city limits were the Lymans, +consisting of the father (Cornelius) and two sons, C. Storrs and D. +P., Charles Macy, W. T. Boutwell, Sebastian Marty, Wm. Rutherford, J. +J. McKenzie, Albion Masterman, and Dr. James Carey. The first white +child born in the town was Emily S., daughter of C. S. Lyman, in 1846. +The first death was that of Betsey, daughter of C. S. Lyman, in 1846. +The first marriage was that of Abraham Click and Jane Sample, in 1853. +The first school was taught by Cynthia Pond, in 1852. The first road +through the town was from Dakota village via Carnelian lake and Marine +to St. Croix Falls. Messrs. Rutherford & Booth in 1857 built a flour +mill on Brown's creek, which empties into the St. Croix near the head +of the lake. The mill was located above McKusick's lake, and has been +for some years abandoned. Brown's creek originally passed through +sections 18, 19, 20 and 21 to the river, but was turned in 1843 from +its natural course, and made to connect McKusick's lake with the St. +Croix by a new channel cut through sections 28 and 29, thus giving to +Stillwater its initial advantages as a manufacturing centre. The +Washington county poor farm, consisting of 207 acres of improved laud +with good buildings and other conveniences, was located in this town +in 1858. + + +OAK PARK + +Was platted May 27, 1857. It is situated between the city of +Stillwater and South Stillwater, with frontage on the lake. The +proprietors were John Parker, Wm. Dorr, Gold T. Curtis, Mary Curtis, +Olive A. B. Anderson, and Wm. M. McCluer. The surveyor was A. Van +Voorhes. + +The township of Stillwater was organized April 3, 1860, with the +following board of officers: Moderator, Cornelius Lyman; judges of +election, H. Packard, W. T. Boutwell, D. P. Lyman; supervisors, C. +Storrs Lyman, H. Packard, Henry A. Jackman; clerk, Sylvanus Trask. + +DAVID P. LYMAN was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, in 1822. In +1844 he came with his parents to Marine. In 1846 he removed to his +present residence in the town of Stillwater. He was married to Anna J. +Hannah, at Farmingdale, Illinois, in 1850. They have five children. +Mr. Lyman is an upright, reliable citizen, and a consistent member of +the Presbyterian church. + +HENRY A. JACKMAN, a native of Robbinstown, Maine, was born July 30, +1819. He was married to Sarah Blanchard in 1848. Mr. Jackman, with his +family, his father and his wife's parents, came West in 1849 and +located in Stillwater. In 1851 he removed to his farm. He has since +engaged in farming and lumbering, and has filled several important +positions. He served as school trustee for 30 years, as county +commissioner 8 years, as warden of state prison 4 years, as state +prison inspector 20 years, and was a representative in the territorial +legislature of 1856, and the state legislature of 1867. Mr. Jackman's +father, a native of Brunswick, Maine, died at his son's residence in +Stillwater, April, 1867, aged seventy-four years. He was a man honored +for his kindness and sterling integrity. His wife, the mother of Henry +A., died in Maine in 1844. Three sons and four daughters survive them. +The children of Henry A. Jackman are Mary E. (Mrs. Russell Pease), +James E. and Alice (Mrs. Wm. A. Boxwell). + +FREDERIC J. CURTIS, a native of Ireland, was born in 1818. Before +coming to America he learned the trade of boot and shoe making. He +came to America in 1843, and spent two years in New York City working +at his trade. He also spent two years in St. Louis and New Orleans. He +came to Stillwater in 1848 and settled on his farm in section 9, where +he has since lived. He held the office of sheriff two years. He was +one of the first police of the city of Stillwater and has been town +treasurer and school director. He was married to Bridget Fenton in +1849. Their children are Daniel, Thomas, James, Elisabeth, Mary, +Maggie, and Ellen B. + +DAVID COVER was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, May 22, +1826. In 1844 he came with his parents to St. Louis, Missouri, where +he became a river pilot, and engaged in lumbering for eight years, +when he came to Stillwater, and for some years gave his attention +largely to selling logs and lumber between Stillwater and St. Louis. +During the years between 1860 and 1870 his business transactions were +heavy, involving hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, and from +some injudicious movements, due to lack of experience, resulted in +disastrous failure. After his failure he devoted himself to farming +and fire insurance business. He was married in 1850 to Elisabeth +Harrold. They are the parents of three sons. Mr. Cover was +accidentally drowned in Lake St. Croix Sept. 14, 1884. His life was +insured for $17,000. + +JOHN PARKER came from Vermont to the valley of the St. Croix in 1848, +located for a couple of years at St. Croix Falls, and came to Oak +Park, town of Stillwater, about 1850. In 1848 Mr. Parker was married +to Susan, daughter of David Cover, who bore him three children: Edwin +E., the oldest, killed by the explosion of the boilers of the steamer +Penn Wright, near Winona; John E., living at home with his mother, and +Ella, wife of Henry Pevey, of Stillwater. Mr. Parker was a kind +hearted, genial man. He was one of the early river pilots, and came to +his death in June, 1867, while in the performance of his duties as a +pilot. In handling a line to "snub" a raft, he was caught in its coils +and so bruised that he died. + + +WOODBURY, + +As at present organized, includes township 28, range 21. At the date +of its organization, in 1868, it was named Red Rock, and made to +include a little over two sections of fractional township 28, range +22. This fragment contains the famous painted rock, now included in +the town of Newport, and from this rock, familiarly called Red Rock, +the town received its first name. The first board of town officers +consisted of John Colby; moderator; David Little and C. Schmeiding, +judges of election; John Colby, John A. Ford, J. J. Miller, +supervisors; Ebenezer Ayers, clerk. + +The town held the name of Red Rock until 1859, when, by notification +from the legislature that another town bore the same name, the board +changed the name to Woodbury, a name given in honor of Judge Woodbury, +of New Hampshire, a particular friend of Mr. Colby, at that time +chairman of the board. The fraction containing the painted rock was +set off by order of the board of county commissioners, meeting at +Stillwater in 1861, and added to Newport. It is said that this act did +not meet with the hearty approval of the citizens of the town. + +The town was originally timbered with various species of oak. The +surface is undulating, and in the western part there are abrupt hills +or bluffs. It is a fine agricultural town, well watered with creeks, +springs and small lakes. + +The first settlers were the McHatties, Middletons, Robert Cummings, +John Towner, and Joseph Cooper. The first marriage was that of John +McHattie and Jane Middleton, Jan. 15, 1847. The first child born was +Sarah Middleton, afterward the wife of Anthony Fritz, of Newport. The +first death was that of Sarah Middleton, May 4, 1849. The first +traveled road in the town was from Stillwater to St. Paul via +Bissell's Mound. The first post office was established in 1850, at +Oakdale, in the northern part of the town; G. Hartoung, postmaster. +The first school was taught in 1855 by Miss A. F. Colby. The German +Methodist church was organized in 1855; Rev. Jacob Young, pastor. The +church and parsonage are built of stone. The Salem Evangelical +Lutheran church was organized in 1865; Rev. J. W. Huffman, pastor. + +JACOB FOLSTROM.--The history of Jacob Folstrom reads like a romance. +He was born in Sweden June 25, 1793, and when he was nine years of age +left home as cabin boy on a steamer commanded by his uncle. The +steamer was wrecked on the coast of England. He escaped with his uncle +to London, and there lost sight of him. What was his uncle's fate he +never knew. He understood nothing of the English language, and +applied to the Swedish consul for aid. Lord Selkirk was then raising a +company of men to go to his settlement on Red river, British America, +and Selkirk, who could speak Swedish, spoke kindly to the friendless +lad, and offered to take him with him to the New World. He, not +knowing what else to do, consented to go. After his arrival he found +employment with the Hudson Bay Company for a time, and subsequently +came down to the Fort Snelling reservation. When the settlers were +driven from the reservation in 1839; he made a farm in what is now +Woodbury, Washington county. At Lake Superior, in 1823, he had been +married to Margaret Burgo, a woman of fine mind. With her limited +educational privileges, very few of any age or race can be found her +equal. Mr. and Mrs. Folstrom were both consistent Christians, and +members of the Methodist church for many years. He lived a stirring, +adventurous life, and, during his service as mail carrier between +Prairie du Chien and Fort Snelling, he had many hairbreadth escapes +from hostile Indians. He died in July, 1859. His wife survived him +till Feb. 6, 1880. + +ALEXANDER MCHATTIE.--At the age of sixteen Mr. McHattie left his home +and worked as a teamster and farmer for about five years; and in 1833 +came from Scotland, his native country, to America. He lived a couple +of years in Vermont, a short time in New York, Ohio and Indiana. In +1839 he came to Galena, Illinois, and migrated thence in the same year +to St. Croix Falls. He also made a short stay at Gray Cloud island; +was in Prescott in 1840; in 1841 made a home in Afton, and in 1845 at +Woodbury. He married Margaret Middleton in 1848. + +JOHN MCHATTIE.--John, the oldest brother of Alexander McHattie, came +from Scotland to this country in 1833, and settled in Woodbury in +1841. He was married in 1846 to Jane Middleton. + +THE MIDDLETON FAMILY.--James Middleton, Sr., with his wife, three +sons, William, Samuel, and James, and five daughters, came to this +country from Ireland. William, the oldest, inspired by filial duty, +came first, it being his ambition to secure for his parents a home on +American soil. He was not of age when, in 1838, he left Ireland, full +of hope and enthusiasm for his project. He found his way to St. Louis +in 1842, and came thence with Hungerford & Livingston to St. Croix +Falls. He remained with them two years and then, removing further +south, made a claim on unsurveyed government land in what is now the +town of Woodbury. During the succeeding year, 1845, he and his brother +Samuel worked for John McKusick, and by diligence and self denial +succeeded in earning enough to pay the passage of his father and his +family to the United States, and to bring them to their claim on the +prairie. It was a joyful day when the parents arrived, and since then +the united family have their home at and near the selected homestead, +a model family in their unity of purpose and affectionate regard for +each other. William visited California. He died at his home in 1855. +Samuel enlisted and did gallant service in the Union Army during the +late Civil War as a member of Company E, Tenth Minnesota Volunteers, +and died in the hospital at Memphis, Feb. 29, 1865. James, a younger +brother, was born in 1833. He made a claim near that of his brother, +and is prominent in the community, in which he lives. He was +sergeant-at-arms in the legislature, a member of the house in 1876, +and served five years in Washington county as county commissioner. Mr. +Middleton removed to St. Paul in 1880, where he now resides. The +father died in 1854, the mother in 1876. + +NEWINGTON GILBERT was born in Onondaga county, New York, Feb. 17, +1815. Mr. Gilbert settled in Woodbury in 1851. In company with Mr. +Buswell he built the North Star flouring mill in 1860. He operated +this mill eleven years. Mr. Gilbert was a member of the Democratic +wing of the constitutional convention in 1857. He was married to +Celestia Bangs in 1860. They have two children. + +EBENEZER AYERS was born in Herkimer county, New York. His early life +was devoted to hard labor, still such was his zeal for study and the +acquisition of general knowledge, that he managed to acquire a very +respectable and thorough education. In 1856 he came with his parents +to Fort Wayne. He commenced teaching school soon after and taught +eight years. In 1844 he removed to Shelby county, Kentucky. He was +married in 1846 to Lucy Connelly, of Shelby county. He removed to +Buffalo, New York, in 1850, and sold goods until the spring of 1854, +when he located in Woodbury and engaged in farming. He was a man of +energy, and possessed of great will power. He took a deep interest in +town and county affairs, and served as town clerk in Woodbury eleven +years. He was a representative in the Minnesota state legislature in +1867 and 1872, and while in that capacity proved himself a ready +debater. He had natural ability as an organizer. He was an active +member of the Greenback party, and was rigidly opposed to monopolies. +He died in 1883. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +WASHINGTON COUNTY--CONTINUED. + + +CITY OF STILLWATER. + +The organization of the territory of Minnesota in 1849 naturally gave +a new impetus to settlement, and marked an era in the progress of the +settlements already made. None profited more by the new order of +things than did Stillwater. The future metropolis of the St. Croix +valley, though yet unorganized even as a village, and governed by town +and county law, in 1850 presented a scene of unwonted activity. Out of +nearly a hundred arrivals we find the names of John C, Gardiner, +Samuel M. Register, H. C. Van Voorhees, John N. Ahl, Ralph Wheeler, +Dr. E. G. Pugsley, Dr. Morey, dentist, and Theodore E. Parker, a +lawyer. This year was rendered notable by the establishment of a +livery stable, by Holcomb & Johnson, a new store by Burkelo & Mower, a +bakery by R. Hersey, by the building of the second saw mill by Sawyer +& Heaton, by the commencement of Remmick's brewery, by the advent of +Antonio Brothers' circus, and the occurrence of a remarkable freshet, +on which occasion the steamer Lamartine, taking advantage of the high +water, made a pleasure excursion up the river, and over the shallows +at the mouth of Apple river and a short distance up that stream. +Morton Wilkinson and Michael Ames were amongst the excursionists, and, +looking out from the steamboat upon the broad, deep expanse of the +swollen river, congratulated their fellow passengers upon the +discovery of a hitherto unknown navigable stream, tributary to the +majestic St. Croix. The Swiss Bell Ringers were on board, and added +greatly to the pleasure of the occasion by their weird and peculiar +music. The Lamartine, on returning to Stillwater, found the shores +and levees submerged, and passing over them landed her passengers +directly from the boat upon the floor of the Minnesota House, on the +southwest corner of Chestnut and Main. The water was four or five feet +deep in the street before the hotel. The streets in the lower part of +the city have since been raised several feet, so that a flood of the +same dimensions would not overflow them as it did then. There has, +however, in the memory of the oldest inhabitant, been no other flood +equal to that of 1850. + +Allusion has been made in the history of Stillwater town to the +diversion of the waters of McKusick's lake by a new outlet to the +river. This device, so beneficial to the city of Stillwater in other +respects, came near resulting in disaster. The old outlet of the lake +had been obstructed by a dam, while the waters were conducted by a new +outlet down a deep ravine and confined to their channel by dikes +consisting of a mixture of clay, sand and gravel. This extended to +within six hundred feet of the mill on the lake shore. On May 14, +1852, during a terrible storm, the dam at the new outlet gave way and +a tremendous body of water, carrying with it the debris of dikes and +dams, rushed tumultuously down the ravine, covering the low shores of +the lake beneath, and depositing a new geological stratum of drift +over a surface of at least six acres to an average depth of about ten +feet. It was wittily said at the time that such an extraordinary +movement in real estate had never before been known; but, although a +downward movement, that seemed very much like ruin to all concerned, +especially to the mill, the machinery of which was completely buried, +it nevertheless heralded a rise in prices. Quagmires were filled, +unsightly obstructions buried or swept away and a fine plateau for +buildings was formed along the lake. + +The dam was replaced and greatly strengthened, and the water was +conducted through pipes and hydrants to the city. Occasionally, for +years afterward, the diggers of cellars or cisterns in the buried +region would unearth interesting antediluvian relics. Three barrels of +pork were exhumed from the cellar of McKusick's store, and found in a +good state of preservation. Some years later remains of a far more +ancient character were also unearthed near the corner of Third and +Myrtle streets. The tusk of a mastodon was brought up from a depth of +thirty-six feet below the surface. + + +CITY GOVERNMENT. + +Stillwater was incorporated as a city in 1854. The following officers +were elected on the first Monday in April of that year: Mayor, John +McKusiek; recorder, C. D. Gilfillan; treasurer, W. H. Mower; +Councilmen, J. C. York, J. N. Masterman, C. Carli. We append a list of +mayors from 1854 to the present time: John McKusick, 1854; John +Fisher, 1855; Wm. Willim, 1856-66-67; Albert Stinson, 1857; A. B. +Gorgas, 1858; T. M. Fullerton, 1859; Mahlon Black, 1860-61; F. R. +Delano, 1862; David Bronson, 1863-64; Wm. Grover, 1865; C. J. Butler, +1868; Wm. Holcombe, 1869-70; Wm. McKusick, 1871-72; A. K. Doe, 1873; +Wm. G. Bronson, 1874-75-76; E. W. Durant, 1877; John S. Proctor, +1878-79-80; Samuel Mathews, 1881-82-83-84; Hollis R. Murdock, 1885; +Isaac Staples, 1886; George M. Seymour, 1887-88. + + +CITY MARSHALS. + +The following is a complete list of city marshals since 1854: Jonathan +E. McKusick, 1854; John Parker, 1855; John Cilly, 1856; Dennis +Sullivan, 1557; Robert Hasty, 1858; Thomas Sinclair, 1859; Duncan +Chisholm, 1860-61-62-63; John Shortall, 1864-65; John May, 1866, six +months; P. E. Keefe, 1867; John May, 1868, six months; John Shortall, +1869; H. McIntyre, 1870; Duncan Chisholm, 1871; John Lyons, 1872-3, +eighteen months; Mathew Shortall, 1873, and continuously to the +present time. Mr. Shortall's long term of office proves him an +effective and popular officer. F. L. McKusick is police court officer. +He is a veteran of the police force and has acquitted himself to the +satisfaction of the people of Stillwater. + + +THE POST OFFICE, + +Established in 1845, was located first at the corner of Main and +Chestnut streets. The first postmaster was Elam Greely. His successors +were John McKusick, John S. Proctor, Harley D. Curtis, Mahlon Black, +Abraham Van Voorhes, H. D. Cutler, E. J. Butts, and ---- McCarthy. +During 1845 a citizens' mail was brought from Point Douglas. Its +regularity depended somewhat on the season. During the winter it was +brought some times as infrequently as once a month. In 1846 a +government line was established from Point Douglas, and the mail was +brought with greater regularity. In 1848 a mail coach line was +established between Stillwater and St. Paul. The year following a +weekly mail was established. The rapid increase of settlements on the +Upper Mississippi created a demand for more frequent mails; +consequently from 1850 to the completion of the railroad leading into +Stillwater, a daily mail was brought into Stillwater during the summer +by steamboats, and by the Wisconsin overland route during the winter. + + +RAPID GROWTH. + +As an evidence of the growth of the city we append post office +statistics of salaries, expenses and income for the year 1885: + +RECEIPTS. + +Sales of postage stamps, envelopes, + newspaper wrappers, postal cards, etc. $12,693 34 +Box rent received 2,166 25 + ----------- + Total $14,859 59 + +EXPENSES. + +Postmaster's salary $2,400 00 +Expenses for rent, fuel, lights, clerk + hire, etc. 3,300 00 $5,700 00 + ---------- + Net income $9,159 59 + +MONEY ORDER BUSINESS. + +Received for domestic orders $30,305 62 +Received for fees on same 131 50 +Received for international orders 1,518 81 +Received for fees on same 24 95 + ---------- + $31,980 88 +Money orders paid $24,140 88 +Certificates of deposit 7,840 00 $31,980 88 + +REGISTRY BUSINESS. + +Domestic and foreign letters and packages registered 1,621 +Registered matter in transit 2,327 + ----- +Total pieces handled 3,948 + +Number of pouches dispatched daily 24 +Number of pouches dispatched semi-weekly 2 +Number of pouches received daily 24 +Number of pouches received semi-weekly 2 + + +HOTELS. + +The following hotels were built in Stillwater prior to 1850: + + Northrup House, built by Anson Northrup, northwest corner + Main street and Nelson alley, 1844. + + Stillwater House, built by Anson Northrup, lot 2, Main + street, 1845. + + Minnesota House, built by Elam Greeley, southwest corner + Main and Myrtle, 1846. + + Lake House, built by John W. Brewster, east side of Main + street between Nelson and Chestnut, 1849. + +Of the hotels built subsequently to 1850, the most popular and well +known is the Sawyer House, on the northwest corner of Chestnut and +Third streets. It was built in 1857, by Henry Sawyer, opened by G. E. +B. Whitcher, and kept in succession by J. and A. Lowell, Isaac +Staples, A. Lowell and A. K. Doe. The other hotels built during this +period were the Liberty House, by John N. Ahl, 1856; Farmers Home, +1867; Williams House, 1870; Wexio Hotel, 1870; the Keystone House, +1872; the Mansion House, 1872; Central House, 1879; Elliott's Hotel, +1883. + + +CITY BANKS. + +To Christopher Carli is due the honor of conducting the first banking +operations in Stillwater. In 1855 he issued and redeemed fractional +currency. Darling, Caswell & Scheffer, Jan. 27, 1857, opened a private +banking house, and from 1859 to 1865 operated it as a state bank, when +it was changed into the + + +FIRST NATIONAL BANK + +of Stillwater. The capital stock was $50,000. The first officers were: +Charles Scheffer, president; O. R. Ellis, cashier. The officers in +1886 were: Louis Hospes, president; C. N. Nelson, vice president; F. +M. Prince, cashier. The capital stock is $250,000. The gross amount of +debits and credits during the year closing June 3, 1886, were +$20,000,000. We append the annual report of 1886: + +RESOURCES. + +Loans and discounts $727,286 70 +Overdrafts 1,745 82 +United States bonds to secure circulation 50,000 00 +Due from approved reserve agents $30,999 72 +Due from other national banks 4,266 85 +Due from state banks and bankers 3,491 48 38,758 05 +Real estate, furniture and fixtures 12,000 00 +Current expenses and taxes paid 11,108 56 +Premiums paid 9,000 00 +Checks and other cash items 1,662 91 +Bills of other banks 1,295 00 +Fractional paper currency, nickels and pennies 77 07 +Specie 33,392 00 +Legal tender notes 17,440 00 53,866 98 +Redemption fund with United States treasurer + (five per cent of circulation) 2,250 00 + ----------- +Total $906,016 11 + +LIABILITIES. + +Capital stock paid in $250,000 00 +Surplus fund 60,000 00 +Undivided profits 25,617 60 +National bank notes outstanding 45,000 00 +Dividends unpaid 20 00 +Individual deposits subject to check $236,095 72 +Demand certificates of deposit 6,305 93 +Time certificates of deposit 224,223 41 +Cashier's checks outstanding 679 95 +Due to other national banks 3,507 67 +Due to state banks and bankers 5,266 78 476,079 46 +Notes and bills rediscounted 49,299 05 + ---------- +Total $906,016 11 + + +LUMBERMAN'S NATIONAL BANK, + +Organized Jan. 10, 1871. Capital stock, $150,000. First officers: +Isaac Staples, president; H. W. Cannon, cashier. In 1886 the bank had +in capital stock $250,000 and a surplus of $50,000. The present +officers are: President, Isaac Staples; vice president, R. F. Hersey; +board of directors, Isaac Staples, R. F. Hersey, E. S. Edgerton, David +Tozer, E. W. Durant, David Bronson, J. McKusick, Matt Clark, Wm. G. +Bronson, E. L. Hersey, R. S. Davis. + + +STILLWATER SAVINGS BANK, + +Organized Jan. 10, 1873, under an act of the legislature of 1867, with +the following board of trustees: Isaac Staples, president; David +Bronson, Dwight M. Sabin, Lewis E. Torinus, Wm. Willim, I. E. Staples, +and H. W. Cannon. + + +ST. CROIX LUMBERMEN'S BOARD OF TRADE + +Was incorporated March 8, 1867. The first officers were: President, +David Cover; vice president, Louis Hospes; secretary, E. W. Durant; +treasurer, David Bronson, Jr.; surveyor, Ivory E. McKusick. + + +STILLWATER BOARD OF TRADE. + +The board was organized in January, 1871. The first officers were: +President, David Bronson; vice president, C. J. Butler; secretary, D. +W. Armstrong; treasurer, C. N. Nelson; board of directors, John +McKusick, Isaac Staples, J. E. Schlenk, J. O'Shaughnessy, M. Moffatt, +E. W. Durant, J. N. Castle, B. G. Merry, G. M. Seymour, L. E. Torinus. + + +STILLWATER WATER COMPANY. + +The site of the city abounds in beautiful springs. Charles Hathaway, +while excavating on his lot near Third street, struck a large vein +capable of supplying 1,000 barrels per day. He constructed a reservoir +with an elevation of about fifty feet above the street, and from this +source supplies the city with water for sprinkling streets and other +purposes. + +The Stillwater Water Company was organized April 15, 1880, with a +capital stock of $100,000, and commenced at once the work of +improvement. This company has never yet declared a dividend, having +applied all its surplus earnings upon improvements. They have now 8 +1/2 miles of water mains, 88 hydrants and about 260 taps. The water +supply is obtained from Lake McKusick, which is supplied from Brown's +creek. The lake is 155 feet above the business portion of the city and +is about a mile distant from the same. The water is pumped into a +reservoir on the highest spot of ground in the city, which is 110 feet +above the lake. The system is similar to that of St. Paul, the city +being supplied in part by gravitation, and in part by direct pressure. +The elevation of the reservoir results in a saving to the city in the +matter of fire engines, etc. Any fire in the business part of the city +can be extinguished with the use of hose alone. One fire engine +answers the purposes of the city. The first board of officers were: +President, Edward Durant; vice president, R. F. Hersey; secretary and +treasurer, H. W. Cannon. + + +FIRE DEPARTMENT. + +Futile efforts had been made as early as 1859 for the organization of +a fire department. In 1872 a fire company of sixty was organized and +an engine worth $7,500 was purchased. The first officers of the +company were: Chief engineer, David Bronson; first assistant, B. G. +Merry; second assistant, H. P. West; engineer, C. C. Johnson; +secretary; N. T. Lee; treasurer, Fayette Marsh. + + +THE ST. CROIX HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY + +Was organized in 1872, by the election of the following officers: +Foreman, Charles McMillan; assistant, D. B. Loomis; secretary and +treasurer, A. K. Doe. The company has received awards of honor for +meritorious performance of duty. + + +STILLWATER GASLIGHT COMPANY. + +This company was organized May 12, 1874, with a capital stock of +$25,000 and the exclusive right to the sale and manufacture of gas for +a period of forty years. Their buildings are located on Third street. +The first officers were: President, Isaac Staples; manager, H. W. +Cannon; board of directors, John McKusick, D. M. Sabin, Isaac Staples, +David Bronson, L. E. Torinus, H. W. Cannon, C. H. Nash. + + +TELEGRAPH OFFICE. + +In 1863 a telegraph office was located in Stillwater by a A. C. Lull, +and a line extended to St. Paul. The office is on Main street between +Chestnut and Myrtle. + + +THE NATIONAL BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY + +Established a line from Stillwater to St. Paul in January, 1880. It +has a branch to Marine. + + +UNION ELEVATOR COMPANY + +Built an elevator near the Stillwater & White Bear depot in 1870-71. +It has a capacity of 300,000 bushels. The officers are: President, +Louis Huspes; secretary and treasurer, H. W. Cannon. + + +EXPRESS COMPANIES. + +The first office was established by the Northwestern Express Company, +in 1855; Short, Proctor & Co. were agents. This company was succeeded +in 1858 by the American, and in 1869 the United States also +established an office here. + + +THE STILLWATER BRIDGE. + +A charter was obtained from the legislature in 1875 to build a bridge +across Lake St. Croix, from Stillwater to Houlton. The bridge was +completed the ensuing year at a cost of $24,000. It is 1,500 feet +long, and is furnished with a pontoon draw 300 feet in length, +operated by an engine. + + +LUMBERING INTERESTS. + +Stillwater is the metropolis of the lumbering interests of the St. +Croix valley, and is indebted to them chiefly for its welfare. These +are considered separately in other parts of this history. The local +interests are centred chiefly in mills and manufactories, of +themselves an important element in the prosperity of the city. The +principal proprietors of the saw mills since the first settlement of +Stillwater have been McKusick & Co., Sawyer & Heaton, McHale. & Co., +Schulenberg & Co., Hersey, Staples & Co., Hersey, Bean & Brown, Isaac +Staples, Seymour, Sabin & Co., Herschey Lumbering Company and Turnbull +Lumbering Company. + + +FLOURING MILLS. + +In 1872 J. H. Townshend and W. F. Cahill erected a flouring mill on +Third street. It was run by water brought from McKusick creek, the +motive power being an overshot wheel forty-five feet in diameter. In +1880 D. M. Sabin became interested in the firm. The capacity of the +mill was increased from fifty to three hundred barrels per day. A +Corliss engine and other improvements were added, and the mill was run +on the Hungarian roller system. The firm name was changed to Townshend +& Co. + +The St. Croix flouring mill was built in 1877, on Upper Main street, +near the lake, by Isaac Staples. Its dimensions were 40 × 50 feet. Its +capacity was two hundred and fifty barrels per day. It was removed to +make way for the buildings of the Car Company. + +The Stillwater Flour Mill Company was organized under state laws in +1878, and mills were erected on the lower levee, 50 × 70 feet, ground +plan, and five stories high. These mills were run on the Hungarian +roller system. The cost was $100,000. Their capacity is four hundred +barrels per day. The motive power is a Corliss engine of one hundred +and seventy-five horse power. The principal owners are R. F. Hersey, +Smith Ellison, D. M. Sabin and L. Hospes. + + +MANUFACTORIES. + +Swain's machine shop, D. M. Swain, proprietor, was established in +1873, on Third street between Myrtle and Chestnut. Geo. Swain +established a foundry on Third street in 1874. His manufactures +consist chiefly of engines, mill machinery and farm utensils. The St. +Croix Iron Works, Door, Sash and Blind Factory, established originally +as a machine shop in 1865, on the river bank, near the Chicago & Omaha +round house, has been owned by various parties. A foundry was added in +1874, and in 1878 Isaac Staples added a sash and blind factory. + + +CARRIAGE MANUFACTORIES. + +Richard Daw established the Novelty Carriage Works in 1875, one door +east of the Sawyer House. + +D. J. Sullivan established the Stillwater Carriage Works in 1878, one +door east of the Sawyer House, but afterward removed to a better +location on Second street. + +Wm. Miller erected the Pioneer Carriage Manufactory in 1866, on Main +street. + +Albert Saeker in 1872 established a wagon shop on Second street +between Myrtle and Chestnut. + +Frederick Steinacker commenced the manufacture of brick in 1859, in a +yard located in Ramsey & Carter's addition, but afterward removed to +the lower end of Sunfish lake. + +It is claimed that Herman Tepass' brewery is the outgrowth of the +first in the county, if not in the State, a still having been located +at the corner of Third and Chestnut streets in 1851. The present site +is on Lower Main street. Joseph Wolff's brewery is located on the +corner of Main and Nelson streets, and was established in 1868. + +Heitman & Becker established a bakery in 1879. Messrs. Muller Brothers +established a boat factory in 1873. A vinegar factory was commenced by +Ciopac & Tuor in 1875, and is continued by the latter. Of the several +livery stables in Stillwater the first was established by C. A. +Bromley in 1853. + +The Stillwater Building Association, organized under the laws of the +State, March 23, 1887, has done much for the prosperity of the city, +affording as it does to persons of limited capital an opportunity of +building suitable homes and business houses. Private enterprise has +done much in the erection of substantial blocks for business purposes. +Henry Sawyer, in 1856, built the first stone block in the city. It is +located on Main street. Other fine blocks were built by McComb, +Eldridge, Bernheimer, Elam Greely, Wm. Holcombe, Schlenk, L. E. +Torinus, Hersey & Staples, McKusick, and others. Many of these blocks +are fireproof and built of stone, and are fine specimens of +architecture, convenient and commodious. + + +CHURCH SOCIETIES AND BUILDINGS. + +Stillwater has sixteen church organizations and fifteen buildings, the +latter having a total valuation of $315,000. + +The Ascension church (Episcopal) originated in the labors of Rev. E. +A. Greenleaf, in 1846. The corner stone of the first building was laid +in 1851. Rev. Joseph A. Russell was the first rector. In 1873 the +corner stone of the present edifice was laid by Bishop Welles of +Wisconsin. This building cost $10,000, and was burned in 1886 and +rebuilt in 1887. + +The First Presbyterian church grew out of the missionary labors of +Rev. W. T. Boutwell, in 1847 and 1848. The church was organized in +1849; Rev. J. S. Whitney, pastor. The first building was erected in +1851, and the second, the armory, in 1857. The present edifice, +located on the corner of Myrtle and Third, was built in 1884, at a +cost of $22,000, and the total value of building and ground is +$30,000. + + +THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH + +Dates its beginning from a society formed by Rev. James Harrington in +1850. It was organized regularly in 1853 by Rev. T. M. Fullerton. The +first house of worship was a small frame on Myrtle street, between +Second and Third streets. It was enlarged and improved in 1862. The +present edifice on Third street near Myrtle, with the parsonage +adjoining, cost about $4,200. The church has a membership of two +hundred. + + +ST. MICHAEL'S (CATHOLIC) CHURCH + +Was organized in 1853, the first services being held by Rev. Father +Peyragrosse, a missionary. The first edifice was built on Fourth and +Mulberry streets, and Rev. Father Fisher was the first clergyman in +charge. The building was enlarged and improved in 1857. The present +commodious edifice was commenced in 1872 and dedicated in 1875. The +church property, including the school parish buildings and cemetery of +twelve acres in South Stillwater, is worth $130,000. There are now two +resident clergymen, Revs. Murphy and Gaughan. + + +ST. MARY'S (CATHOLIC) CHURCH, + +Rev. P. Alphonse Krusle, pastor, was organized in 1865, and owns a +church building on Fifth street, near Pine, valued at $25,000. The +total value of church and parish buildings, and of the six lots on +which they are located, amounts to $55,000. + + +THE UNIVERSALIST CHURCH + +Society was incorporated June 6, 1868, and the first preaching was by +Rev. E. A. Hodsdon, of St. Anthony. The edifice is on Third street +South; cost about $15,000. + + +SWEDISH LUTHERAN. + +The society was organized in 1871; the church building was erected in +1882-83, at a cost of $15,000. The pastor is Rev. A. F. Tornell. + + +THE FIRST GERMAN LUTHERAN + +Church was organized in 1871. The church building and parsonage are on +Third street, near Olive, and are valued at $4,500. The pastor is Rev. +J. J. Weiss. + + +THE NORWEGIAN LUTHERAN + +Society uses the German Lutheran church buildings, corner of Olive and +Fourth streets. + + +THE GERMAN METHODIST + +Congregation worships in a frame building, corner of Linden and +Everett streets. + + +THE SALEM GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH + +Was formed by the withdrawal of a part of the members of the First +German Lutheran church for separate worship. The Swedish church and +school, on the corner of Olive and Fourth streets, were purchased for +$2,150. To this a parsonage was added at a cost of $2,150. Rev. L. F. +Frey is the pastor. + + +THE DANISH LUTHERAN CHURCH + +Has a cosy frame edifice on Laurel, between Williams and Owen, but is +not holding services at present. The edifice cost $7,000 and the +membership is one hundred and fifty. + + +SWEDISH CONGREGATIONAL. + +The Swedish Congregational church occupies a frame building on Fourth +street, between Hickory and Elm streets, which cost $2,000 and has +sixty members. + + +THE ST. JOSEPH'S (CATHOLIC) CHURCH + +Was organized by the present pastor, Rev. Father E. Roe, in 1882, with +seventeen members, which has since been increased to eighty families. +A frame edifice was erected in 1884, with a seating capacity of four +hundred, costing about $8,000, corner of Olive and Greely streets. The +church property consists of the edifice and the priest's house, and +cost $11,000. + + +THE SWEDISH METHODIST CHURCH + +Was organized in 1880 by Rev. C. S. Carlander. The church building is +located on Myrtle and Fourth streets, and cost $2,000. + + +THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION + +Has a membership of seventy-five and a frame building erected in 1872 +at a cost of $1,200. + + +PUBLIC BUILDINGS. + +The court house and other public buildings of the city are creditable +specimens of architecture, rooms convenient and well adapted to the +purposes of their construction. The present court house building is +the third erected. Its cost, including that of the jail buildings, the +wall around them and other improvements, has been something over +$75,000. The city hall, at the corner of Myrtle and Third streets, is +a substantial and convenient building. It contains also room for the +city officers. The public school buildings have kept pace with the +growth of the city. In the summer of 1887 the city erected a high +school building at a cost of $60,000. The engine house is a good +building, centrally located. An elegant union depot was built in 1887, +of brown stone from the Apostle islands, at a cost of $30,000. + +THE OPERA HOUSE.--The opera house occupies the site of the old Lake +House, on Main street between Nelson and Chestnut streets. It was +commenced in 1880 and finished in 1881, under the supervision of L. +W. Eldred, architect. Its size is 90×120 feet, ground plan, and four +stories in height, or seventy-one feet from lower floor to cornice. +The style of architecture is a blending of the Queen Anne, Victoria +and Gothic. The entrance to the upper part of the building is by a +stairway twelve feet wide, in a lofty, ornamental turret. The +auditorium is 64×120 feet, and beautifully and elaborately finished +and furnished, and is capable of seating over 1,200 persons. It is +well lighted, being supplied with 130 gas jets, warmed by steam, and +well ventilated. The stage is 39×64 feet, complete in all its +appointments, and supplied with all the necessary stage scenery, +wings, border bridge, balcony, interior and other decorations. The +ceiling of the auditorium is superbly frescoed and the cornice is +adorned with medallions of Shakespeare, Haydn, Schiller, Goethe, +Dickens, Handel, Scott, Longfellow, Mozart, Tennyson, and Beethoven. +The parts of the building not occupied for stage purposes are +appropriated to halls, offices and stores. + + +SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS. + +I. O. O. F.--Lodge No. 1, organized June, 1849; Stillwater Lodge, No. +51, organized January, 1876. + +Masonic.--St. John's Lodge No. 1, organized 1849; Washington, Royal +Arch Chapter, No. 17, organized March, 1868; Bayard Commandery, K. T., +No. 11, organized March, 1878. + +Knights of Pythias.--Stillwater Lodge, No. 7, organized November, +1872. + +A. O. U. W.--St. Croix Lodge, No. 11, organized July, 1876. + +Sons of Herman.--Stillwater Lodge, No. 3, organized January, 1876; +Concordia Lodge, No. 19, organized January, 1881. + +Temperance Societies.--I. O. G. T. Lodge of Stillwater, organized in +1859; L'Etoile du Nord Lodge, No. 57, organized May, 1866; Temple of +Honor, No. 10, organized September, 1876; Father Matthew Temperance +Society, organized November, 1872. + +Miscellaneous.--St. Ann's Society, organized November, 1866; St. +Vincent de Paul Conference, organized October, 1870; St. Joseph +Benevolent Society, organized November, 1879; Y. M. C. A., organized +in 1878; Washington County Bible Society, organized in 1851; +Northwestern Benefit Society, No. 1, organized in 1879; Subordinate +Union Penn Equitable Association, No. 165, organized in 1880; +Stillwater City Hospital, organized March, 1880; Stillwater +Mannerchoir, organized in 1875; the Stillwater Turnverein, organized +in 1859; G. A. R., Stillwater Post, No. 13, organized March, 1868. + + +CEMETERIES. + +The first burial ground was selected in 1846. Ten years later, by a +survey of the city, these grounds were included in what is now known +as block 3. These grounds were used until the organization of the +Fairview Cemetery Association in 1867, when the bodies were removed to +the new cemetery in the burial ground in South Stillwater. Fairview +cemetery is beautifully located on undulating or hilly ground and is +adorned with shrubbery and made attractive by the hand of art. Its +location is within the city limits, near the corner of Orleans and +Fourth streets. + + +WASHINGTON COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. + +An attempt was made at organization in 1856, but it proved premature. +The present society was organized in February, 1871, at Cottage Grove, +and incorporated the same year. The first board of officers consisted +of J. W. Furber, president; J. S. Norris, vice president; T. Elwell, +secretary, and James Middleton, treasurer. In 1873 the fair grounds +were established near Stillwater, under the joint control of the +Agricultural Society and the Driving Park Association. In 1875 the +fair grounds were established at Lake Elmo. But one fair had been held +there when a cyclone struck the grounds and swept away all the +improvements. The society again effected an arrangement by which their +fairs were held on the grounds near Stillwater. + + +MINNESOTA STATE PRISON. + +At the organization of Minnesota Territory Congress appropriated +$5,000 for a territorial prison. The legislature expended the money +thus appropriated in building a prison at Stillwater. The site was +located by a commission appointed by the legislature in 1849, +consisting of John McKusick, E. A. C. Hatch and Lewis Robert. The +commission was also authorized to locate the Territorial University +and select a site in St. Paul for the capitol. Their task was not +completed until the ensuing year. Their selection of a location for +the university and of a site for the capitol were satisfactory, but it +was generally conceded that the site for the prison was badly chosen. +The ground, nine acres, was mostly quagmire, and was, moreover, +crowded in a ravine between high bluffs. However, it was convenient to +the lake and steamboat landing, and was well watered with pure spring +water. + +In 1851 Jesse Taylor, F. R. Delano, Martin Mower, J. E. McKusick, and +Jacob Fisher entered into contract with the commissioners, under the +firm name of Jesse Taylor & Co., to build one stone wing of the prison +building, to be inclosed with a stone wall. The dimensions of the wing +were 30 × 40 feet and three stories high. In 1853 an addition was +built, and Francis R. Delano was appointed warden. Until 1858 the +expenditure of the public money used in building and other expenses +was under the control of the warden. Under state rule the warden was +relieved of this burden of responsibility. The legislature had +provided that prisoners might be received in the penitentiary not yet +convicted of crime, on condition that their board should be defrayed +by the counties from which they were sent. When this expense was not +promptly met by the counties the prisoners thus held were set at +liberty. The Washington county grand jury investigated the matter and +memorialized the ensuing legislature, which effected a change in the +laws regarding such commitments. Wings were added to the prison, walls +were built, shops and other accessories added from year to year, and +appropriations were made from time to time. In 1870 an appropriation +of $74,000 was made for extending the building. Outside companies were +permitted to build shops and manufactories within the prison limits +that they might avail themselves of convict labor. + +The following are the wardens who have served since the prison was +built: Territorial, F. R. Delano; state government: Francis O. J. +Smith, appointed March 4, 1858; Henry N. Setzer, Aug. 4, 1858; John S. +Proctor, Jan. 1, 1860; Joshua L. Taylor, Feb. 16, 1868; A. C. Webber, +March 16, 1870; Henry A. Jackman, Oct. 10, 1870; John A. Reid, Aug. 3, +1874; H. G. Stordock, 1887. + +The following table shows the number of convicts each year up to the +present time: + + 1853 0 + 1854 2 + 1855 8 + 1856 1 + 1857 0 + 1858 2 + 1839 5 + 1860 16 + 1861 12 + 1862 7 + 1963 8 + 1864 7 + 1865 11 + 1866 29 + 1867 36 + 1868 31 + 1869 47 + 1870 39 + 1871 60 + 1872 59 + 1873 64 + 1875 93 + 1876 90 + 1877 145 + 1878 218 + 1879 254 + 1880 254 + 1881 247 + 1882 279 + 1883 301 + 1884 356 + 1885 395 + 1886, Mar. 31 416 + +The prison on the whole has been well and humanely managed. There have +been occasional outbreaks, easily suppressed, or cases of individual +insubordination, two or three with fatal results to the +insubordinates. + +The prison buildings have been several times visited by damaging and +disastrous fires. The most serious were in 1884. The first occurred +January 8th, by which the large workshop and machinery owned by the +State and the Northwestern Car Company were destroyed. The second +occurred January 26th, and destroyed the main prison buildings, +including the cells, from which the prisoners were rescued with the +greatest difficulty. One perished of suffocation. On this occasion +guards, prison officials and some of the convicts displayed heroism +worthy of the highest commendation. The convicts on the whole behaved +well. Mr. Reid, the warden of the prison, behaved with great coolness +and decision, and so averted what might have been a fearful disaster. + + +FIRES. + +Stillwater has suffered occasionally from fires. The first house +burned was the McKusick boarding house, in 1846. The Northrup hotel +was burned in 1847. In 1866 a fire occurred on the west side of Main +street, between Myrtle and Chestnut, in which twelve buildings were +burned, principally frame structures. In 1872 the Lake House and four +adjacent buildings were burned. The Schulenburg mill was burned in +1878. Two great fires occurred in the penitentiary in 1884. The +Episcopal church building and the mills of Hersey & Bean were burned +in 1887. Numerous smaller fires occurred at intervals, but owing to +the efficiency of the fire companies they were easily suppressed. + + +BONDS AND INDEBTEDNESS. + +Up to 1886 the bonded indebtedness of the city has aggregated the sum +of $345,000. The bonds were issued at various times for railway and +levee improvements, city bridge, city buildings, water works and +current funds. The interest on these bonds has always been promptly +met, and the expenditures for improvements have been more than repaid +to the taxpayers by the increased valuation of property within the +city limits. + +ISSAC STAPLES, son of Rev. Winslow Staples, was born in Topsham, +Maine, Sept. 25, 1816. At eighteen years of age he bought his time of +his father for three hundred and sixty dollars. He found employment on +the Penobscot river at lumbering for two years, when he engaged in +selling goods at Old Town, but soon after went into the lumbering +business with S.F. Hersey. In 1849 Mr. Staples was appointed agent for +the Penobscot Indians living at Old Town, twelve miles above Bangor, +on the Penobscot. In October, 1853, Mr. Staples came to Minnesota for +the purpose of purchasing pine lands, and located at Stillwater, +moving his family here in 1854. Mr. Staples represented a wealthy +company, composed of himself, S. F. Hersey and some Massachusetts men, +who furnished all the money needed to buy pine land or make any other +investments deemed advisable. They, through the agency of Mr. Staples, +purchased immense quantities of pine timber. They built a large saw +mill in Stillwater, and dealt in any and all branches of business +considered remunerative. The advent of Isaac Staples in Stillwater +gave to the city new life. Mr. Staples was indefatigable in his +labors, full of vigor and in prime health. His ambition was unlimited, +his judgment good. Backed up by a successful lumbering experience in +Maine, and with money sufficient to meet all necessary calls, he was +financially progressive and prosperous. In after years Messrs. Staples +& Hersey purchased the entire interest of the firm of Hersey, Staples +& Co. Subsequently the firm changed to Hersey & Staples and Hersey, +Staples & Bean, and finally a division of property was agreed upon. +Since the division Mr. Staples has been just as extensively engaged in +the name of Isaac Staples in doing business as at any period in his +past life. + +In 1887 Mr. Staples purchased the property of the Cushing Company, +located at St. Croix and Taylor's Falls, for $50,000. This property +has long been in litigation and consequently has been unimproved. The +advent of Mr. Staples, as proprietor, opens a new era in the history +of the two villages at the head of navigation on the St. Croix. + +In addition to his lumbering and real estate interests, Mr. Staples +has also engaged in farming and stock raising on an extensive scale. +He owns one farm of six hundred and forty acres within the limits of +Stillwater. This farm is well stocked and supplied with stores, barns, +shops and other buildings. It is used as a stork farm, and as a +headquarters for supplying his lumbering camps. + +Mr. Staples has another farm located on the line of the Minneapolis, +Soo & Atlantic railway, eleven miles northwest of Stillwater, known as +the Maple Island farm, which contains 1,400 acres of land, inclosed +and supplied with barns, farm houses and other buildings. There are +fine wells and lakes and some well stocked fish ponds. He owns a +flouring mill on this farm. + +Mr. Staples has a third farm at Bronson, Kanabec county, containing +2,000 acres of land, well under cultivation. Ann river flows through +this farm, and is supplied with a dam to facilitate the driving of +logs into Fish lake. The farm is also made a fitting-out place for the +lumbering camps. These three farms are valued at $250,000. + +Mr. Staples has lived an unusually busy life, and has been unusually +successful. Though past the ordinary limit of human life, he is still +active, and will probably continue to plan and work as long as he +lives. He is happiest when most busily employed. His mind is of the +active type. He is restless, alert, far-seeing, systematic, and +persistent. Without these qualities he never could have achieved the +success that has crowned his career. He has been twice married; first +in 1839, to Miss Caroline B. Rogers, of Old Town, Maine, by whom he +had one child, who is still living. Mrs. Staples died in 1810. He was +again married, Jan, 31, 1841, to Miss Olivia J. Pettengill, of Old +Town, Maine, by whom he has had eight children,--four sons and four +daughters,--four of whom are living. + +SAMUEL F. HERSEY, of the late firm of Hersey, Staples & Co., was born +in Sumner, Maine, in 1812. At an early day he became a citizen of +Bangor, Maine, and wisely invested in pine timber lands on the +Penobscot waters, when lands were cheap. Their true value was not +appreciated by many. The business interests of the county had not been +developed and lumber dealing was not profitable. The increase in value +on his investments made him a wealthy man. He was a banker, merchant +and lumberman. His investments always yielded a rich return. His +associates and townsmen often elected him to posts of honor and trust. +In 1842-57-65-67 and 69 he was in the Maine state legislature. When he +died, Feb. 3. 1875, he was serving his second term (four years) as +representative in Congress, from the Bangor or Fourth district of +Maine. He died at his home in Bangor. Both houses of Congress paid +fitting tributes to his high business, social and christian standing, +and his worth as a legislator and statesman. + +Mr. Hersey was not a citizen of Minnesota, but as early as 1851 became +a member of the firm of Hersey, Staples & Co., of Stillwater, and +interested himself greatly in Minnesota and Stillwater enterprises. +Amongst other things he aided in building two railroads, and gave +liberally for the erection of the Universalist church and to its +library. He was thrice married, and left a family of four sons, the +children of his second wife. + +ROSCOE F. HERSEY, the oldest son, was born July 18, 1841, in Milford, +Maine; was educated at the graded school in Bangor, and clerked in his +father's store until 1862, when he volunteered as a soldier in Company +A, Eighteenth Maine Infantry. He was appointed second lieutenant and +rose to the rank of captain in 1863, but on May 19, 1864, was severely +wounded at the battle of Spottsylvania Court House, was confined in +the hospital nine months, and discharged with the brevet rank of +colonel. + +Col. Hersey spent two years in New Orleans, engaged in the shipping +and commission business, and in the spring of 1867 came to Stillwater +and thence to Lake City, where he had charge of the lumber and +mercantile business of Hersey, Staples & Co. in that city for five +years. In 1872 he returned to Stillwater, entered the firm of Hersey, +Brown & Bean, dealers in lands, lumber and merchandise. In 1877 he was +elected state senator and served one term. He has held many +responsible positions. He married Eva C. Wardwell, of Bangor, Maine, +Jan. 4, 1864. They have one son, Clinton, an enterprising, public +spirited man, inheriting much of his father's will power. + +DUDLEY H. HERSEY, the second son, was born in Bangor, Dec. 25, 1847. +He was educated at Westbrook Seminary, Maine, and came to Stillwater +at an early age in the employ of his father. In 1872 he became one of +the firm of Hersey, Bean & Brown. Mr. Hersey was married to Estella +Wardwell, of Bangor, Maine, in 1870. They have one son, Samuel F. + +EUGENE M. HERSEY, the third son, was born in Bangor, Maine, May 6, +1850. He was educated at the high school in Bangor. With his brother +he has been interested in milling and lumbering operations. He was +married in 1876. + +EDWARD L. HERSEY, the youngest son, was born in Bangor, Maine, April +29, 1852; graduated at Westbrook Seminary in 1871, and was married to +Mary L. Merrill, of Chicago, in 1877. + +[Illustration: JACOB BEAN.] + +JACOB BEAN was born in Upper Stillwater, Maine, in 1837. In that +centre of the lumbering interests he early and easily took to +lumbering, and pursued the business continuously until 1863, when he +came to Stillwater, where he became an active member of the firm of +Hersey, Staples & Bean, and of Hersey, Bean & Brown. + +CHARLES BEAN was born in Sandwich, New Hampshire, in 1827; removed to +Orono, Maine, in 1835; followed lumbering on the Penobscot river for +a few years. He came to Stillwater in 1863, and some years later sent +for his aged parents, giving them a home until their death. In 1865 he +became one of the firm of Hersey, Staples & Bean, dealers in pine +land. He is at present with his oldest son in California, where both +are interested in real estate and irrigation enterprises. Mr. Bean has +been twice married and has a family of eight children. The oldest +daughter married Jerry Brown, now deceased. Mr. Bean moved to +California in 1887. + +RUDOLPH LEHMICKE was born in Prussia in 1822. He learned the trade of +cabinet and organ making; came to America in 1849, and to Stillwater +in 1854, working at his trade until 1858. He served one year as +justice of the peace, and having studied law was admitted to practice +in 1859. In the fall of 1859 he was elected county auditor and served +until 1874. He was elected judge of the probate court, in which +position he continued until 1881. He has served as inspector of the +prison, superintendent of public schools, and member of the board of +education. Judge Lehmicke was married in 1853, in Coldwater, Michigan, +to Jane Tackeberry. They have a family of five sons and two daughters. + +HOLLIS R. MURDOCK was born in Governeur, New York, Aug. 15, 1832. He +graduated at Williams College, Massachusetts, in 1854, came to +Stillwater in 1855, and was admitted to the practice of law in 1856, +since which time he has been in continuous practice. He has held many +offices of trust. Has been judge of the probate court and member of +the legislature from Washington county, and director of a bank and +railroad company. Mr. Murdock was married to Sarah A. Rice, Nov. 3, +1857. + +GEORGE M. SEYMOUR was born in Onondaga county, New York, March 26, +1829. Part of his early life he spent on a farm, but later he learned +the carpenter's trade and became a builder and contractor. While in +Syracuse he engaged for some years in the manufacture of lumber and +staves, and later, of salt. He was married to Anna B. Kingsley in +1851. In 1858 he came to Stillwater, and in 1861 was awarded the +prison contract, and engaged in making cooperage. He was one of the +founders of the firms of Seymour, Webster & Co. and Seymour, Sabin & +Co. (the Northwestern Car Company). He was sheriff of Washington +county for two years. + +FRANK A. SEYMOUR, only son of George M., was cashier of the First +National Bank of Stillwater for four years, and subsequently cashier +of the Merchants Bank, St. Paul. + +MARION O., only daughter of George M. Seymour, graduated from Mount +Holyoke Seminary in 1880. + +[Illustration: LOUIS HOSPES] + +LOUIS HOSPES, for many years identified with the Schulenberg-Boeckeler +Lumber Company, and father of A. C. Hospes, surveyor general of logs +and lumber, E. L. Hospes of the Schulenberg-Boeckeler Company, and +Otto G. Hospes of the hardware firm of A. C. Hospes & Co., died April +9, 1888. The deceased was born in the landgravate of Hesse-Cassel, +Germany, Feb. 8, 1809, and attended school in the city of Witzenhausen +until he was sixteen years old. He then became a farmer, which +avocation he followed for four years. He then entered the University +of Gottingen, where he made a special study of the theory and practice +of agriculture and of veterinary medicine and surgery. Retiring from +the university, for two years he took charge of the farms on some +large estates. In 1832 he sailed from Bremen for America, arriving at +New York on September 4th of that year. Leaving that city on the +eleventh of the same month, he arrived in St. Louis on October 18th. +From that city he went to St. Charles county, where he engaged in +agriculture and other pursuits until 1840. During his residence there +he married Elvira Wurdeman, who survives him. In 1840 he removed to +Green county, Southwest Missouri, where he made his home for the next +six years among the Ozark mountains, where he and two brothers engaged +in the distilling business. In 1848 Mr. Hospes went to St. Louis and +entered the employ of Schulenberg & Boeckeler, where he remained until +Oct. 21, 1854, when he came to Stillwater to take charge of the +business of his employers here. In 1856 he became a partner in the +concern, and continued so until 1874, when the firm reorganized as the +Schulenberg-Boeckeler Lumber Company. When he retired, his son, E. L. +Hospes, succeeded to his interest, which he now holds. In 1871 Mr. +Hospes visited Europe with his family, spending a year abroad. In +1862, with his associates, he organized the First National Bank of +Stillwater, of which he has been president for twenty years. His life +in this city has been that of an active, energetic and generally +successful business man, and though conservative in his business +operations has always been ready to lend a helping hand to any +deserving or practical business enterprise. He was marked for that +fixed and reliable character which made his name a tower of strength +to any enterprise with which he was connected, and his integrity, +extending to little things, became proverbial. Besides the sons named +he left two daughters, Mrs. H. E. Mann, of Milwaukee, and Mrs. J. +Schlenk, of St. Paul. + +DAVID TOZER was born in Miramachi, New Brunswick, in 1823. His early +opportunities for obtaining an education were somewhat limited, and he +obtained only three months' schooling. He came to Stillwater in 1856 +and engaged in lumbering, working by the month for five years, and +afterward independently or in partnership with his brother Albert, and +in the firm of Sauntry & Tozer, cutting and rafting lumber. He was +married in Canada, in 1867, to Margaret McKay. Mr. Tozer has been an +industrious and successful man. + +DAVID BRONSON was born in Anson, Maine, in 1834. He clerked in Boston +from 1850 to 1855, when he came to Stillwater, where he has since been +engaged in selling goods, lumbering and manufacturing. He was married +in 1861 to Ianthe Davis. + +JOHN MALOY is of Irish descent. He was born in Ireland, and emigrated +to New Brunswick. He came to Stillwater with his family in 1853, and +engaged in lumbering. His family consisted of nine sons and three +daughters. The daughters are married. Four of the sons are living; two +of them. Patrick and William, in Oregon, and the others, James and +Robert, in Stillwater. + +MRS. SUSANNAH TEPASS, _nee_ Burkhart, was born in Germany, Aug. 10, +1824. Her parents emigrated to America in 1847 and settled in +Freeport, Illinois, where she was married, in 1849, to N. Kimmick, and +the same year came to Stillwater. Mr. Kimmick died in 1857. In 1860 +she was married to Frank Aiple. Mr. Aiple died Nov. 10, 1868. Dec. 9, +1869, she was married to her present husband, Herman Tepass. Her +children are Mary, Herman and Frank Aiple. + +WILLIAM E. THORNE came to Stillwater in 1853. He has been an attentive +and successful merchant, a polite and honorable gentleman, and a good +citizen. + +EDWARD J. BUTTS was born in Delaware county, New York, in 1832; +graduated at the Albany Normal School in 1853, and taught school +awhile during his minority, and some years after studied law (in +1861), and was admitted to practice in Broome county, New York. In +1862 he enlisted in a New York regiment and served his full time of +enlistment. In 1864 he was appointed clerk in the third auditor's +office, Washington, which position he resigned in 1865 and came to +Stillwater to practice his profession. He served some time as justice +of the peace, and for ten years as judge of probate in Washington +county. He was collector of internal revenue one year, and was eight +years postmaster in Stillwater, completing his term of service in +1886. Mr. Butts was married to Augusta Miller in 1856. Mrs. Butts +died in 1869, leaving one son and one daughter. Mr. Butts married Ida +Ellsworth in 1878. They have one son and two daughters. His oldest son +is in the military school at West Point. + +A. B. EASTON was born at Mesopotamia, Trumbull county, Ohio, March 1, +1828. His parents were natives of Massachusetts, tracing their lineage +to the Pilgrim Fathers. At the age of fourteen years he was clerk in a +store, but at the wish of his parents, left the store and attended +school, finishing his studies by a course at the high school. Soon +after he again assumed the position of clerk, in which he continued +two years, when, in 1855, he took charge of his father's hotel. Two +years subsequently he came to Stillwater, beginning work as a +compositor for the Stillwater _Messenger_, A. J. Van Voorhes, +proprietor. During the absence of the proprietor Mr. Easton was +manager. Finally, in 1863, he and A. B. Stickney rented the paper, +which they operated one year, then carried it on alone until 1865. +During this time Mr. Van Voorhes had been filling the position of +quartermaster, and on his return made Mr. Easton foreman, where he +continued until 1868. The St. Paul _Dispatch_ had just been +established, and he was connected with the interests of this paper +until his return to Stillwater in 1869. Aug. 6, 1870, he issued the +first number of the Stillwater _Gazette_. His son William E. was taken +as a partner in 1876. Mr. Easton and son have through their ability +and industry made the _Gazette_ a readable, reliable and popular +paper. Mr. Easton was married to Julia Burke, Oct. 14, 1849. They have +four sons and three daughters. + +EDWIN A. FOLSOM was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, June 30, 1833. He +spent most of his youth with his parents in Bangor, Maine, where he +was educated in the common schools. In 1856 he came to Stillwater and +for six years was book-keeper for Hersey, Staples & Co. In 1862 he +enlisted in Company C, Eighth Minnesota Volunteers, and was +commissioned as captain. He left the service at the close of the war +with the rank of brevet colonel. Returning to Stillwater, he served +six years as county treasurer, and has since been engaged in lumbering +and selling goods under the firm name of Bronson & Folsom. He was +married Oct. 12, 1872, to Frances E. Staples. + +JOHN B. H. MITCHELL.--The ancestors of Mr. Mitchell were Revolutionary +patriots, originally Scotch covenanters, who settled in North +Carolina, but who in after years freed their slaves and came to the +Northern States. Mr. Mitchell was born Nov. 26, 1820, in Monroe +county, Kentucky. His education was obtained chiefly in the printing +office of H. H. Houghton, of Galena, Illinois. He came to St. Paul in +1852, and was employed two years in the _Pioneer_ printing office. In +1854, in company with T. M. Newson and others, he published the St. +Paul _Daily Times_. In 1855 he located on a farm near South +Stillwater. During the early part of the Civil War he was in +Nashville, Tennessee, and reported proceedings of secession +conventions to northern papers. In 1863 he was elected a member of the +Minnesota legislature. Mr. Mitchell has filled other offices of trust. +He was married in 1850 to Mariana B. Fiske, a daughter of David Fiske, +of Baytown. + +JOSEPH SCHUPP was born in Baden, Germany, in 1831; received a college +and general business education and came to America in 1852, locating +first at Buffalo, New York, and thence at Toledo, Ohio, whence he +removed to Stillwater in 1858, and engaged in the mercantile business. +Commencing moderately, he extended his operations and now owns several +buildings and blocks, and conducts a heavy wholesale trade. He was +married in 1855 to Mary Fuller, of Toledo, Ohio. They have three sons +living, Joseph A., Thomas O. A. and Frank. + +CLIFFORD A. BENNETT was born in Portage county, Ohio, Sept. 7, 1841. He +received a common school and collegiate education. He attended Hiram +College during the time that President James A. Garfield presided over +it. April 24, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Twenty-third Ohio +Volunteers. He was subsequently promoted to the staff of Gen. W. D. +Hazen and served until mustered out at the close of the war. He came +to Illinois in 1865, read law and was admitted to practice in 1867; +came to Stillwater in 1868, and for ten years was in the office of the +surveyor general. In 1878 he was elected clerk of court. + +SAMUEL MATHEWS was born in New Brunswick, July 7, 1832. His +opportunities for schooling were limited, and he is practically self +educated. He came to Stillwater in October, 1856, since which time he +has been engaged in lumbering, dealing in pine lands and in the +mercantile business. He is a member of the firm of Mathews & Jourdain, +and has been quite successful in his business undertakings. Mr. +Mathews has been called upon to fill many positions of trust. He has +served over twenty-five years as manager, receiving and disbursing +agent of the Stillwater fire department. He served four years as mayor +of Stillwater, was county commissioner for twelve years, and for many +years director in the First National Bank of Stillwater. He was +married to Elisabeth Foley in 1867. Their children are Samuel, Thomas, +James, Mollie, Adie, Stella, and May. + +JOHN AND JAMES MATHEWS, brothers of Samuel, came to Stillwater in +1856, and are active, enterprising business men and good citizens. +Their business is farming and lumbering. + +PETER JOURDAIN is a native of Canada. He came to Stillwater about the +year 1856, and successfully engaged in lumbering. He is a member of +the firm of Mathews & Jourdain, a firm engaged in dealing in logs and +in manufacturing them into lumber. Mr. Jourdain has a family. + +JAMES ROONEY was born in New Richmond, Canada East, in 1829. He +remained in Canada until 1850, when he removed to Maine, coming thence +to Stillwater in 1854. He engaged in lumbering, working at first by +the month, and gradually acquiring means and influence for independent +work. He is well situated, has a happy home and prosperous business. +He was married to Elisabeth McGuire, of Stillwater, in 1863. They have +five children. + +JAMES N. CASTLE is a native of Sheffield, Sheffield county, province +of Quebec. He received a common school education; read law four years +and was admitted to practice. He came to Minnesota in 1862, and taught +school part of the time at Afton until 1865, when he was elected +county attorney of Washington county. Mr. Castle served as state +senator in the eleventh, twelfth, twenty-first, twenty-second, +twenty-third and twenty-fourth legislatures of Minnesota. He settled +in Stillwater in 1866. + +ABRAHAM L. GALLESPIE was born at Shiloh, Randolph county, Illinois, in +1836. He came to Osceola, Polk county, Wisconsin, in 1850. In 1859 he +moved to Stillwater, since which time, with the exception of a year +spent in Colorado, and two years in the army as a member of Company D, +Second Wisconsin Cavalry, he has followed the business of lumbering +and dealing in logs. He has filled the position of alderman in +Stillwater. He was married to Adelia F. Wilson, of Osceola, in 1860. + +JOHN C. GARDINER came to Stillwater in 1850, from Washington county, +Maine. He was born Jan. 5, 1822. On coming to Stillwater he located +on a homestead near the city, and followed farming and lumbering for +some years. In 1873 he was appointed prison guard, which position he +held until a recent date. In 1845 he was married to Mary R. Jackman, +in Maine. They have two sons living, Frederic and Albert L. Mrs. +Gardiner died in August, 1887. + +V. C. SEWARD was born July 10, 1845, at Laketon, Wabash county, +Indiana. He came to Mankato at the age of ten, served an +apprenticeship at printing in the office of the Mankato _Independent_, +subsequently attended the Western Reserve College, Ohio; and then +became editor of the Cleveland (Ohio) _Leader_. He returned to +Minnesota in 1869, and founded the Redwood Falls _Mail_. In 1872 he +came to Stillwater and purchased the Stillwater _Messenger_ in company +with S. S. Taylor. He has had entire control continuously since, and +has been successful in its management. He was married to Lily M. +Lumbard, at Shakopee, Minnesota, in 1873. + +RALPH WHEELER, one of Stillwater's early citizens, commenced piloting +an the St. Croix in 1850, and has been continuously engaged in the +piloting, steamboating, log and lumber business since. He is one of +the original proprietors of the opera house. He was born in Chautauqua +county, New York, in 1829. W. H. H. Wheeler, brother of Ralph, has +long been a prominent citizen of Stillwater. He married Lura, daughter +of Daniel Mears, of Osceola. + +EDWARD SCOTT BROWN, of the firm of Hersey, Bean & Brown, was born Feb. +9, 1830, at Orono, Maine. He received a good education in the common +schools and at Foxcroft Academy. He learned the trade of millwright, +and in 1852 went to Puget Sound, Washington Territory, via Panama and +San Francisco, and was employed two years in building mills. He +returned to Orono in 1854, and in 1855 came to St. Anthony, Minnesota, +and engaged in the manufacturing and millwright business. He came to +Stillwater in 1873, entered the firm of Hersey, Bean & Brown, and in +1883 was appointed receiver of the Northwestern Car Works. Mr. Brown +represented his district in the state senate of 1876. + +WILLIAM LOWELL was born in Concord, Maine, April 26, 1807. Mr. Lowell +was raised on a farm, but followed lumbering after he was twenty-one +years old, with the Coburns on the Kennebec river, and afterward took +a vessel around Cape Horn to San Francisco, California, with a cargo +of manufactured lumber, consisting of ready made houses. He returned +in 1850 by the overland route. Two years later he came to Taylor's +Falls, but in 1853 settled in Stillwater, where he engaged in +lumbering as a partner of S. M. Sawyer. He made a fine farm in +Sterling, Polk county, Wisconsin, and lived upon it three years. He +was interested in locating pine lands in company with the Colburns of +Maine, on the St. Croix waters. He was a member of the Minnesota +legislature in 1870. He was married in Concord, Maine, in 1836, to +Rhoda Heald. She died in 1842, leaving two daughters. In 1856 he was +married to Mrs. Elisabeth Rich, sister of Isaac Staples. Mr. Lowell +died in Stillwater, July 15, 1873, leaving a widow and four children. + +ALBERT LOWELL was born at Concord, Maine, July 10, 1819. He was +married Feb. 5, 1850, to Miss Abby Reed, at Kendall's Mills, Maine. +From this union there were four children, of whom three are living, +Elmore, Charles G. and Ernest. Mr. Lowell spent his early days in +farming on the banks of the Kennebec river. In 1854 he came to +Stillwater and settled on a farm near Lily lake, a portion of which +farm is now used as a driving park. May 19, 1863, he took charge of +the noted Sawyer House in Stillwater, which he afterward purchased. +Himself, Mrs. Lowell and their son Elmore have by their invariable +courtesy and close attention to business made this hotel one of the +most popular in the State. They sold and left the hotel, December, +1887. + +NELSON HOLMES VAN VOORHES, eldest son of Abraham Van Voorhes, settled +in Ohio and became a respected and useful citizen, at one time +representing his district in Congress. + +ANDREW JACKSON VAN VOORHES, the second son, born June 30, 1824, came +to Stillwater in 1855, and in 1856 founded the Stillwater _Messenger_ +and conducted it until 1868, excepting two years which he spent in the +army during the Civil War. He was a member of the Minnesota +legislature in 1859-60, and served as clerk of the Minnesota supreme +court for one year. From 1863 to 1865 he served as quartermaster in +the army, with the rank of captain. He died in Stillwater in 1873. + +HENRY CLAY VAN VOORHES, the youngest son, was born in Athens, Ohio, in +1839, and came with his father to Stillwater in 1850. During the war +he was a member of Company B, First Minnesota Volunteers, for about +eighteen months, when he was discharged for disabilities. He afterward +returned to the field with his brother, Capt. A. J. Van Voorhes, but +was not on active duty. At the close of the war he returned to +Stillwater, which has since been his home. He was married at Arcola, +Feb. 9, 1868, to Emily Mower, daughter of John E. and Gracia Mower. In +1887 he went to Alaska. + +LOUISA, eldest daughter of Abraham Van Voorhes, was married to C. A. +Bromley. She died in 18--. Maria, the youngest daughter, was married +to D. H. Cutler, of Stillwater. + +C. A. BROMLEY was born in Plattsburg, New York, Oct. 31, 1829. He came +to Minnesota in 1851. He erected a fine livery and sale stable on +Chestnut street in 1863. Mr. Bromley served in the war of the +Rebellion as captain of Company B, First Minnesota, and afterward of +Company I, Sixth Minnesota Volunteers. He was married to Louisa Van +Voorhes, who died some years ago. He was married a second time, to a +Miss King. + +CHARLES J. BUTLER was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 6, 1822. +He was educated at the Western University of Pennsylvania. He removed +to St. Louis in 1839, where he remained for ten years. He was married +to Margaret E. Lansing, of Madison, Wisconsin, in May, 1846. The +following July he went as paymaster's clerk, under his father, Maj. +John B. Butler, to Mexico, in the Chihuahua expedition, commanded by +Gen. John E. Wool. Returning to St. Louis, he engaged in the wholesale +grocery business until the spring of 1849, when he disposed of his +stock and went to California, where he engaged in mining operations. +In August, 1851, he came to Marine as book-keeper for Judd, Walker & +Co., remaining with them until he was appointed secretary of the St. +Croix Boom Company, which position he held until 1875. In 1856 he +removed to Stillwater. In 1857 he was elected delegate to the +constitutional convention. He served one term as mayor of Stillwater. +In 1862 he served as first lieutenant under David Bronson as captain, +and with S. J. R. McMillan as second lieutenant, in the Chengwatana +expedition sent from Stillwater to prevent the Chippewas from rising +and joining in the Sioux insurrection. He purchased the Nelson +warehouse, and, with Capt. Isaac Gray as partner, engaged in the +towboat business until 1878. Of late years Mr. Butler has been engaged +in business ventures in Western Minnesota, but he still retains his +residence at Stillwater. Mr. Butler has always been a lover of field +sports and his prowess as a sportsman is well remembered by his old +friends. He has four children--two sons and two daughters. + +LEVI E. THOMPSON was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, May 5, +1829; educated at Troy Wesleyan Seminary, New York; commenced studying +law at the age of fourteen; was admitted to practice by the supreme +court at the age of twenty, and, coming to Stillwater in 1852, +commenced practice, having associated with him at various times T. E. +Parker, Allen Dawson and John Vanderburgh. He was married, October, +1856, to Martha G. Harris, daughter of Albert Harris, an early settler +of Stillwater. Mr. Thompson died Nov. 8, 1887. + +GEORGE DAVIS was born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, Sept. 22, 1832. He +received a good school and academic education. He removed to St. Louis +in 1852, and to Stillwater in 1853, where he served some years as a +mercantile clerk, then as deputy sheriff, then ten years as sheriff of +Washington county. He also served as clerk of the district court, and +in 1876 as county auditor. In 1865 he was married to Georgiana +Stanchfield, of Stillwater. Mr. Davis died in 1879 and Mrs. Davis in +1882, leaving five children. + +WM. MONROE MCCLUER was born Sept. 6, 1831, in Franklinville, New York. +He graduated from Temple Hill Academy, Geneseo, New York, in 1850; +studied law in Moscow, New York; graduated at the State and National +Law School at Poughkeepsie in 1854, and, removing to Stillwater the +same year, engaged in the practice of his profession, in which he has +been eminently successful. In November, 1881, he was appointed +additional judge for the First district, an office created by the +legislature at its special session. Judge McCluer served one term in +the house of representatives. He was married to Helen A. Jencks, of +Waterford, Saratoga county, New York, Sept. 27, 1858. They have one +son, Charles M., practicing law in Stillwater. + +JOHN NICHOLAS AHL was born at Strasburg on the Rhine, Oct. 7, 1807. +After seven years' study he was graduated as a physician at Strasburg +Medical College in 1839. He emigrated to America and located in +Galena, Illinois, in 1843, where he practiced medicine some years. He +was married in 1846 to Lucretia Hartman. In 1850 he removed to +Stillwater. In 1852 he built the Washington Hotel (afterward changed +to Liberty House), on south Main street. He practiced medicine and +followed lumbering and hotel keeping in Stillwater until his death, +which occurred in 1878. + +SAMUEL M. REGISTER is a native of Dover, Delaware. He is of French +descent, and some of his ancestors took part in the Revolutionary War. +He was born in 1827, and came to Stillwater in 1850, where he engaged +actively in business, dealing in lumber and pine lands, piloting, +steamboating and farming. He was at one time a member of the city +council, and a representative in the territorial legislature of +1854-5. He was married to Minerva Causlin in 1856. + +J. A. JOHNSON was born near the city of Wexio, Sweden, April 24, 1842. +In 1854 he emigrated with his parents to the United States, arriving +at Marine Mills, Washington county, Minnesota late in the fall of that +year. He remained at Marine and Stillwater till 1858, attending school +a large portion of the time. In the fall of that year he went to +school at Dubuque, Iowa. After completing the course of study he +learned the trade of locomotive engineer, which occupation he followed +till 1866, being in the employ of the United States government the +last years of the war, in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. After the +close of the war, in 1865, he returned north as far as St. Louis, +Missouri, where he married Miss Agnes A. Coler, of that city. He has 5 +children, 3 boys and 2 girls. His health having been impaired in the +government service, he returned to Marine in 1866, where he remained +till Jan. 1, 1874. In the fall of 1873 he was elected to the office of +sheriff of Washington county, which position he held for six years, +and has been twice re-elected without opposition. Retiring from the +sheriff's office in 1880, he removed to Fargo, Dakota, and engaged in +the sale of agricultural implements, in which business he has remained +up to the present time. + +During his residence in the city of Fargo he has held various offices, +such as alderman, member of the board of education, etc. In the fall +of 1884 he was nominated for the territorial senate and received a +majority of 1,133 votes in Cass county, and 835 out of a total of +1,669 in the city of Fargo. In the spring of 1885 he was elected +mayor of Fargo by over 300 majority, after one of the most hotly +contested campaigns in the political history of the city. In 1886 he +declined a re-election. While sheriff of Washington county he devoted +his leisure moments to the study of law, and was admitted to practice +in all the courts of Minnesota. Although not in active practice his +knowledge of law has been of great value to him in the business in +which he has been engaged since that time. + +GOLD T. CURTIS was born in Morrisville, New York, Aug. 16, 1821. At +the age of eighteen he graduated at Hamilton College, New York, and +entered upon the study of law with Judge Morrill, Chenango county, New +York. He commenced practicing law at Belleville, New York, in 1850. +During the same year he was married to Abigail Anderson, a descendant +of Gen. John Stark, of Revolutionary fame, and of the Protestant +branch of the royal house of the Stuarts, some of whom came from +Scotland to America in 1742. Mrs. Curtis is a lineal descendant of the +unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots. Mr. Curtis removed to Stillwater in +1854 and entered upon a lucrative law practice. He was elected a +member of the Minnesota constitutional convention. In 1857 he was also +nominated for the position of district judge, but was defeated by S. +J. R. McMillan. He was much respected and held some offices of trust +in the city and county. At the breaking out of the Rebellion he +enlisted in Company I, Fifth Minnesota, and was promoted to the +captaincy of the company, but his health failed and he died in St. +Louis July 24, 1862. His remains were brought to Stillwater and +interred with military and masonic honors, Aug. 2, 1862. + +HARLEY D. CURTIS, a native of New York and a brother of Gold T. +Curtis, came to Stillwater in 1851. He held the positions of +postmaster and justice of the peace. + +FRANCIS ROACH DELANO.--The ancestors of Mr. Delano came to America in +1621, and were active participants in the stirring scenes and +controversies preceding the Revolution. Francis Roach, after whom Mr. +Delano was named, was the owner of the ship Dartmouth, one of the +vessels out of which the tea was cast into Boston harbor, on the +memorable occasion of the Tea Party of 1774. Notwithstanding the +affair of the tea, the family, who were ardent patriots, have +preserved as a precious relic some of the tea rescued from the general +destruction. + +Mr. Delano is one of sixteen children in his father's family. He was +born in Worcester, Massachusetts, Nov. 20, 1823; received a common +school and academic education, and was employed in a machine shop some +years. At the age of twenty he was employed in an engineering corps +and served two years. He was for two years superintendent of the +Boston & Worcester railroad. In 1844 he came to St. Louis, Missouri, +and was variously employed until 1848, when he removed to Minnesota +and was engaged for a year in St. Anthony (now Minneapolis), in +running the government mill. The mill had been leased for five years. +Mr. Smith fulfilled the contract, and Mr. Delano, being released from +it, came to Stillwater in 1851 and entered into contract with Jesse +Taylor, Martin Mower, Jonathan E. McKusick, and Jacob Fisher, under +the firm name of Jesse Taylor & Co., to build the territorial prison. +Mr. Delano was appointed first warden, March, 1853, and served until +1858. He was intrusted with the expenditure of public moneys from +territorial authorities, in caring for and improving the prison. When +the state government was organized he was released. He was afterward a +member of the firm of Delano, McKusick & Co., sawing and selling +lumber. J. E. McKusick and Robert Simpson were members of this firm. +Mr. Delano moved to St. Paul in 1862, and was afterward engaged in +railroad employment. In 1862 he was commissioned colonel to take +command of five companies during the Indian outbreak. The command was +stationed at Chengwatana, Pine county. He died February, 1887. He was +married Oct. 11, 1846, to Calista Ann Cavander, who, with two sons, +survives him. + +HENRY W. CANNON was born in Delhi, New York, Sept. 25, 1852. He was +educated at Delaware Literary Institute. He came to St. Paul in 1870, +and in 1871 to Stillwater, where he accepted the position of cashier +of the Stillwater Lumberman's Bank. In 1882 he was appointed by +President Arthur United States bank comptroller. He was removed by +President Cleveland. He is now a resident of New York City, and is +engaged in banking. + +DWIGHT M. SABIN was born at Marseilles, La Salle county, Illinois, +April 25, 1843. The ill health of the father, who was an extensive +land owner and stock raiser, necessitated a removal to the seaside in +Connecticut in 1856. In consequence of the continued ill health of +the father and his death in 1864, young Dwight was deprived of the +thorough education to which he aspired, and, being the oldest son, +found the cares and responsibilities of managing his father's business +thrown upon his shoulders while he was yet a boy. In 1867 he removed +with his mother and younger brother to Minnesota, the year following +to Stillwater, where he engaged in business with the firm of Seymour, +Sabin & Co. This firm contracted for the convict labor in the state +prison, and engaged in the manufacture of doors, sash, blinds and +cooperage. The business in 1874 was extended and made to include the +manufacture of agricultural implements, including also a machine, +boiler shop and foundry, until it is now one of the most extensive +establishments in the country. + +Mr. Sabin is also interested in other manufactures, among them the C. +N. Nelson Lumber Company and the Duluth Iron Company. In 1882 Mr. +Sabin was the prime organizer of the Northwestern Car Company, with a +capital of $5,000,000. The company was to receive a bonus from the +city of Stillwater of $100,000 in bonds, on certain conditions. The +company purchased the interests of Seymour, Sabin & Co., thereby +coming into possession of their immense manufactories, including those +managed under the prison contracts, and elected Mr. Sabin president, +and was making rapid progress toward the completion of its plans, +when, owing to the stringency of the financial world, it was compelled +to make an assignment. + +While Mr. Sabin has been busy with the management of his vast +manufacturing establishments, he has been no less active and +conspicuous as a public spirited citizen, ever taking a great interest +in the affairs of his adopted city, of the State and country at large, +and his talents and efficiency have been recognized by his fellow +citizens, who elected him to the state senate in 1871-72-73, and to +the house of representatives in 1878 and 1881. He has several times +been a delegate to the National Republican convention, and was +chairman of the convention at which James G. Blaine was nominated for +the presidency. He was elected to the United States senate in 1883 as +the successor of Hon. Wm. Windom. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +STEARNS, ANOKA AND SHERBURNE COUNTIES. + + +STEARNS COUNTY. + +Stearns county derived its name from Hon. Charles T. Stearns, a +prominent citizen of St. Cloud, a representative of the precinct of +St. Anthony Falls in the fifth and sixth territorial councils. + +It is bounded on the north by Todd and Morrison counties, on the east +by Benton, Sherburne and Wright counties, the Mississippi forming the +dividing line against Benton and Sherburne, and Clearwater against +Wright county, on the south by Kandiyohi and Mecker, and on the west +by Pope county. It contains an area equal to thirty-six townships. It +is a fine agricultural county and is well watered by the tributaries +of the Mississippi, the principal of which is Sauk river. It has also +an abundance of small lakes. Its oldest settlement and principal city +is St. Cloud, and among its most flourishing villages are Sauk Centre, +Fair Haven, Clearwater, Melrose, St. Joseph, Albany, Paynesville, +Richmond, and Cold Springs. + +The county was organized in 1855, under the legislative act of that +year. Gov. Willis A. Gorman appointed the following commissioners: +David T. Wood, John Ferschniller and John L. Wilson. They held their +first meeting at the house of John L. Wilson, April 9, 1855. J. L. +Wilson acted as chairman. The board appointed the following county +officers: Charles Ketchum, clerk; Robert B. Blake, treasurer; L. B. +Hammond, sheriff; N. N. Smith, judge of probate; R. B. Blake, +surveyor; and John Harry Weltshimer, assessor. The board established +three precincts, viz.: St. Augusta, St. Cloud and Tamarack. The judges +of election for St. Augusta were John M. Feble, John G. Lodenbeck and +Anton Emholt; for St. Cloud, Joseph Demil, L. B. Hammond and Battise +Arsenan; for Tamarack, Henry Foster, Louis Amel and John Smith. +License was granted to Joseph P. Wilson, George F. Brott, L. B. +Hammond, and O. Carter to run a ferry across the Mississippi river. +April 30, 1855, Farmington precinct was established. John M. Lindeman, +Jacob C. Staples and D. T. Wood were judges of election. July 5, 1855, +the first rate of taxation was fixed for the county at one per cent. + +The first license to sell spirituous liquors was granted to Anton +Edelbrock. The first order issued was to pay for county books, $31.86, +to John L. Wilson. Ordered that Washington avenue and St. Augusta +street be adopted as county roads. Aug. 27, 1855, it was ordered that +Chippewa Agency precinct (now in Crow Wing county) be and remain as it +was when a part of Benton county, and J. D. Crittenden, Truman Warren +and D. B. Herriman were appointed judges of election. It was ordered +that Long Prairie precinct (now in Todd county) remain as it was when +a part of Benton county, and Anson Northrup, Lewis Stone and Harman +Becker were appointed judges of election. On Jan. 6, 1856, a new board +of commissioners qualified, consisting of Anton Edelbrock, chairman, +Reuben M. Richardson, and M. J. Orth. H. C. Waite was appointed +prosecuting attorney. The county was organized for judicial purposes +in 1855, and the counties of Crow Wing and Todd were attached. The +first term of court was held June 25, 1855; Hon. Moses Sherburne, +presiding, Taylor Dudley, clerk, and Joseph Edelbrock, sheriff. The +writer is indebted to the efficient clerk of court of 1887, A. L. +Cramb, for collecting data, as the old records are quite +unintelligible. + +Judge E. O. Hamlin held the first term of court under the state +organization. At the session of the commissioners in July, 1856, the +first bonds of the county were ordered for building a court house, +amounting to $7,000, at twelve per cent interest for eight years. The +bonds were offered in New York City by an agent. These bonds were +lost, and only two of them were recovered. At the session of the +commissioners for August, the donation of John L. Wilson of four +blocks of ground, containing eight acres, for court house purposes, +was accepted. Three-fourths of the ground was sold by the county, and +the funds received from the sale, together with $6,000 in bonds issued +in 1857, and other bonds issued later, were used in erecting the +court house. + + +ST. CLOUD. + +The eastern side of the Mississippi river was the first settled. As +early as 1848 David Gilman had located at a point now called Watab. +During the ensuing year, Jeremiah Russell, Philip Beaupre and James +Beatty were keeping trading posts at Sauk Rapids. In 1849 J. Q. A. and +W. H. Wood, brothers, located there. In 1854 the Rapids had become +quite a point with its Indian trading posts, its stores and its United +States land office. Among the early residents were many subsequently +identified with the interests of St. Cloud. In the spring of 1854 John +L. Wilson crossed the river at the point now known as the upper +landing, then covered with a dense growth of trees and underbrush. On +the adjoining prairie, a Norwegian, Ole Burgerson by name, had staked +out a claim and put up a shanty. Mr. Wilson purchased his interest and +in June of the same year erected a frame dwelling (still standing) +near the railroad bridge. Nicholas Lake put up a blacksmith shop near +by. During this year James Hitchins put up a small log dwelling for +Gen. S. B. Lowry, who platted the township of Acadia, now Lowry's +addition to St. Cloud. A post office was established here through his +influence. The same year Brott & Co. laid out St. Cloud city. The +earliest claimants of the town site, owning claims fronting on the +river, were S. B. Lowry, Ole Burgerson, Martin Woolley, and Michael +Zoms. John L. Wilson having purchased the claim of Ole Burgerson, +platted the village of St. Cloud, and this was the first recorded of +any of the St. Cloud plats. The village of St. Cloud made but little +progress until 1856, when a hotel known as the Stearns House, now used +in connection with the normal school, was built, a ferry established +and other improvements made. A notable incident connected with this +ferry is the fact that the Rev. Abbot Alexius Edelbrock, now president +of St. John's University, then a lad of thirteen years of age, was +ferryman, he being the son of the proprietor of the ferry. The craft +was swung back and forth like a pendulum, by the current acting +against its keel, being fastened by a long rope some distance up the +river. It was not therefore beyond the ability of so youthful a +ferryman to manage. The post office, established first at Acadia, +became the St. Cloud post office and Joseph Edelbrock was appointed +postmaster. He was reappointed by President Cleveland to the same +position in 1886. The first newspaper in St. Cloud was the _Visitor_, +established in 1857, by the gifted and somewhat erratic journalist and +reformer, Jane Grey Swisshelm. This paper had but a brief and troubled +career--the advanced views and dictatorial style of its publisher and +editor proving somewhat distasteful to the community at large. Mrs. +Swisshelm, who had already won a national reputation, went to +Washington, became a contributor to the New York _Tribune_, and had +thereafter a somewhat variable, and upon the whole brilliant, career +as a lecturer, editor and reformer. She was amongst the strongest, +though not the most radical, of the advocates of woman's rights. She +was not a woman suffragist, but directed her efforts chiefly toward +establishing the legal identity of married women. She was also very +pronounced in her anti-slavery views. + +The first records of the organization of St. Cloud as a village have +been lost. It was reorganized by legislative enactment in 1862, and +the following were the first officers: Mayor, Judge L. A. Evans; +councilmen, H. C. Burbank, John W. Tenvoorde, Joseph Broker and Barney +Overbeck; clerk, A. B. Curry. + +St. Cloud was organized as a city in 1868, under the following +officers: Mayor, Judge E. O. Hamlin; aldermen, L. A. Evans, president; +Peter Smith, Thomas Smith, T. C. Alden, Leander Gorton, T. R. Bennett, +O. Tenny, C. Bridgman, Andrew Fritz, L. R. Roberts, Lewis Clarke, H. +C. Burbank; clerk, N. F. Barnes. The city government has been +judiciously managed. The United States land office, established first +at Sauk Rapids in 1853, was removed to St. Cloud in May, 1858. The +first receiver was W. H. Wood. His successors have been S. B. Hayes, +C. A. Gilman, W. B. Mitchell, H. G. Burbank, Ole Peterson, and C. F. +McDonald, the present incumbent. The first register was George W. +Sweet. His successors have been W. A. Caruthers, T. C. McClure, H. C. +Waite, H. L. Gordon, J. A. Brower, and D. H. Freeman. + +The city has paid for various improvements as follows: City water +works on the Holly system, $25,000; city bridge over the Mississippi, +500 feet in length, $12,000; to the Manitoba railroad in real estate +and bonds, $100,000; in cash, $27,000; gas works, $10,000. The fire +department is well equipped. An electric light plant has been +established. Considerable money and work have been expended in +dredging Lake George, a beautiful lake about fifty-five acres in +extent, lying in the heart of the city, and surrounding it with parks. +Street cars have been introduced and altogether the city has made most +commendable advancement in all those things that pertain to beauty and +comfort. + +Not less rapid and substantial are its advances in commerce and +manufactures. Before the completion of the railway it had regular +communication by water with all river points, and since its facilities +for transportation have made it the peer of any inland city of its +size in the State. The railroads of St. Cloud are the Manitoba with +its various branches and the Northern Pacific, the latter passing +through East St. Cloud. Among the improvements of which its citizens +are justly proud we may mention the St. Cloud dam, constructed in +1886, at a cost of $200,000. The city gave $100,000 for this +improvement. The dam has for its foundation the underlying granite of +this section. It is intended as a permanent structure and must conduce +largely to the growth and prosperity of the city. The dam has 10 feet +head of water and furnishes 1,500 horse power. A flour mill with a +capacity of 300 barrels per day is run by the water power. The +Phoenix Iron Works, established at a cost of $175,000, give +employment to 100 men. Bridgman's steam saw mill has a capacity of +about 40,000 feet of lumber per day. + +St. Cloud is backed by a rich agricultural and timbered district. In +the vicinity are valuable quarries of jasper, and of gray and red +granite. Two granite polishing works, operated by steam, are located +near the city. These quarries stretch away to the northeast, through +the counties of Benton, Morrison, Mille Lacs and Kanabec. They give +employment to 1,000 men. The Manitoba Railroad Company has purchased +recently about 400 acres of land, on which to build extensive shops +and stock yards, calculated to give employment, when completed, to +1,000 men. The principal hotels are the Grand Central and the West +House. + +The first bank in St. Cloud was established by Waite & McClure in +1859. This bank, a private institution, was the beginning of the +banking system in St. Cloud. It is now operated by N. P. Clarke. The +First National Bank was organized as a private bank in 1867, with a +capital stock of $25,000; James A. Bell, president; Joseph G. Smith, +cashier. It was reorganized as a state bank in 1879, with a capital +stock of $50,000. In 1886 it was reorganized as a national bank. The +first board of officers have served continuously to date. The business +of the bank amounts to over $300,000. The German American National +Bank was organized in 1883; Chas. A. Hull, president; Edgar Hull, +cashier; capital stock $50,000. The business (in 1886) amounts to +$250,000. The present board of officers are: F. E. Searle, president; +John Cooper, vice president; F. M. Morgan, cashier. + +St. Cloud has many fine buildings. The court house cost $40,000, and +four school buildings an aggregate of $75,000. The bishop's cathedral +cost $40,000, and the Catholic church $30,000. The Episcopalians, +Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Congregationalists, and Lutherans +have organizations and good church buildings. The normal school +buildings located here cost $100,000. St. Cloud University is a +flourishing institution. St. John's University, although located in +the adjoining town of St. Joseph, has been identified more or less +with the interests of St. Cloud, and deserves mention in its history. +It was originally located two miles south of St. Cloud, but was +subsequently removed to a point northwest, a mile distant from the +thriving village of Collegeville. + +The university owes its existence to the zeal, energy and self +devotion of the Benedictine Fathers, a colony of whom came to America +in 1846. This colony settled first in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, but +in 1856, at the invitation of Bishop Cretin, came to Minnesota, where, +the year following, they commenced their educational work on the banks +of the Mississippi near St. Cloud. The school was commenced as a +seminary, but in 1869 the state legislature granted authority to +confer degrees, and in 1883 formally changed the name from St. John's +Seminary to St. John's University. The buildings are ample and +commodious, and located pleasantly on the banks of a beautiful lake. +The faculty consists of Rt. Rev. Alexius Edelbrock and twenty-two +professors. In 1885 St. Benedict's Hospital was erected at a cost of +about $15,000. It is under the supervision of the Benedictine Nuns. +The state reformatory was located at East St. Cloud in 1887. + + +LA SAUK, + +Formerly St. Joe, adjoining St. Cloud on the north, had a saw and +flour mill erected in 1855. These mills were burned in 1886, and +rebuilt in 1887. Amongst the early settlers were J. H. Lineman in +1854, J. A. Upham and George Rieder in 1855. + +PETER SCHAELER, a farmer, a native of Germany, came to America in +1850, and to St. Joseph in 1856. John, his only son, retains the old +homestead, and was in 1883 engaged in the insurance business in St. +Cloud. + +JOHN L. WILSON was born in Columbia, Washington county, Maine, in +1820. He came to Minnesota in 1851, locating at St. Anthony, but in +the following year removed to Sauk Rapids and in 1854 to St. Cloud. +The first deed on record in Stearns county was from John L. Wilson to +L. C. Kenna, and bears date of 1855. In 1855 he was married to Harriet +N. Corbett. They have three children living. + +CHARLES T. STEARNS, from whom the county took its name, has been for +many years a resident of Louisiana, and is a wealthy planter. + +HENRY G. FILLMORE, a nephew of President Fillmore, was born in the +state of New York in the '20s, and came to Watab in 1848. He has lived +in St. Cloud many years. + +NATHANIEL GETCHELL was born in Washington county, Maine, in 1828. He +came to St. Anthony in 1852, and to Stearns county in 1855. + +JAMES KEOUGH came from Ireland to America in 1850, and directly to +Watab. He settled in St. Cloud in 1854, was married in 1855, and has a +large family. + +LOREN W. COLLINS was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, Aug. 22, 1839. He +received a common school education; came to Hastings, Minnesota, some +time prior to the Rebellion, studied law with Smith & Crosby and was +admitted to practice, but in August, 1862, entered the service of his +country in Company F, Seventh Minnesota Volunteers, of which company +he was commissioned second lieutenant, and a year later first +lieutenant. He was discharged with his regiment at the close of the +war, and returned to his law practice. In 1866 he removed to St. Cloud +and practiced law. He served as county attorney a number of years; was +a member of the Minnesota house of representatives in 1881-83; was +appointed judge of the Seventh Judicial district April 8, 1883, and +elected to that office in 1884. Nov. 12, 1887, he was appointed to +fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Berry, an appointment +that gives general satisfaction, Judge Collins having won an enviable +reputation as a jurist and as a man. + +HENRY C. WAITE was born in Albany county, New York, in 1830; graduated +at Union College, Schenectady, New York; was admitted to practice law +in 1852, and the same year came to Iowa. A year later he removed to +Wisconsin, and located at Madison, where he practiced law two years. +In May, 1855, he came to St. Cloud, where he has since continuously +resided. The first ten years of his residence in St. Cloud he devoted +to the practice of his profession, after which he devoted his time to +farming and milling. + +Mr. Waite was a member of the constitutional convention in 1857. He +also served several terms in the senate and house. During President +Lincoln's administration he served as register of the land office. He +was married to Maria D. Clark in 1860. He has two sons. + +GEN. S. B. LOWRY was the son of the devoted and zealous missionary, +Rev. David Lowry, who labored among the Winnebagoes in Northern Iowa +in the '30s and '40s. He located first at Brockway, ten miles above +St. Cloud, and established a trading post, but in 1853 removed to St. +Cloud, where he surveyed and platted the village of Acadia, afterward +known as "Lowry's addition." He made St. Cloud his home until his +death, which occurred in 1861. + +ANTHONY EDELBROCK was the first resident of St. Cloud. His oldest son +was the first child born there. This son died in infancy. His second +son became the abbot of St. John's University. Mr. Edelbrock is now a +resident of Missouri. + +JOSEPH EDELBROCK was born in Westphalia, Prussia, in 1826. He learned +the trade of a carpenter, came to America in 1847, and lived in +Chicago until 1855, when he came to St. Cloud and engaged in +mercantile pursuits. He is the oldest merchant continuously in +business in the city. He served as sheriff two years and as register +of deeds four years. He was married in Chicago in 1852, and has six +children living. A daughter, the second child born in St. Cloud, is +the wife of Peter E. Kaiser. + +JOHN RENGEL, made a claim here in 1855. He has been and still is a +prosperous citizen. He has a family of ten children. + +LOUIS A. EVANS was born near Philadelphia, Nov. 2, 1822. His +forefathers came to America with William Penn and bought of him a +township of land, on which still reside many of his descendants. His +father served as a soldier in the war of 1812. Louis was educated at +the graded schools in Philadelphia; was apprenticed to a piano maker, +and worked at his trade at Cincinnati, Ohio, Clinton, Mississippi, and +New Orleans until 1856, when he came to St. Cloud, where he still +resides. During his residence he has served as postmaster, judge of +probate, clerk of the district court, editor of the St. Cloud _Times_, +mayor of St. Cloud, and president of the council and member of the +house and senate of the state legislature. He was married to Elisabeth +W. Libby in 1871. + +AMBROSE FREEMAN.--We have no datum as to when Mr. Freeman came to St. +Cloud, but it was probably prior to 1860. He was a stonemason, and +while working on a cellar wall heard the report of the Sioux uprising +and massacre (in 1862), and, dropping his tools, hurried off to +satisfy himself as to the truth of the reports, called a meeting of +citizens, and organized a company of twenty-five volunteers to assist +in caring for the wounded and burying the dead. On his return he was +commissioned captain of the Northern Rangers and marched with his +command to the relief of Forest City and Fort Abercrombie. He was with +Gen. Sibley's command in 1863, and while riding over the prairie was +shot with an arrow by an Indian, and expired instantly. + +NATHAN F. BARNES has lived a somewhat eventful life. He was born at +Portland, Maine, June 26, 1817; received an academic education; served +as a midshipman in the navy from 1834 to 1839, visiting many parts of +the globe. In 1840 he commenced the study of law, was admitted to +practice in 1843 and practiced awhile at Conway, New Hampshire, where +in 1844 he was married. In 1850 he was appointed mail agent on the +Isthmus route to California, served six years, and then located in +California. Two years later, in 1858, he removed to Alexandria, +Minnesota. During the Sioux massacre he and Andreas Darling were the +only persons remaining in the neighborhood who escaped being killed. +In 1865 he came to St. Cloud, where he has been an active and +prominent citizen. He served many years as city clerk and city +justice and was elected to the house of the state legislature in 1875. +He was influential in securing the location of the normal school in +St. Cloud. One son, Percival S., died in the Saulsbury prison during +the Civil War. He has one son and one daughter living. + +NEHEMIAH P. CLARK was born in Worcester county, Massachusetts, April +8, 1836. In his youth he attended school in Kentucky and at seventeen +years of age was clerking in a store at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. In +1856 he came to St. Cloud and engaged actively in business, selling +goods, farming, staging, lumbering, and dealing in pine lands. He has +a farm in Le Sauk of 2,000 acres, a creamery, a cheese factory, and +one of the largest and best herds of cattle, horses, hogs and sheep in +the State. For office and official honors he has no taste. He served, +however, as president of the State Agricultural Society in 1886. + +OSCAR E. GARRISON was born at Fort Ann, New York, in 1825, and was +early thrown upon his own resources. He came to Minnesota in 1850, and +built the first house on the shores of Lake Minnetonka where Wayzata +is now located. In 1850 he surveyed and platted the village of +Wayzata. In 1860 he came to St. Cloud. He made a land claim in Polk +county in 1862 and narrowly escaped being murdered by the Sioux at +their uprising. His house and property were destroyed. While hiding +with his wife and four-year-old son, Indians passed within twenty feet +of him. After a perilous night journey, during which he came almost +within touching distance of sleeping Indians, he arrived safely at +Sauk Centre. + +THE GILMAN FAMILY.--The Gilman family of which Charles A. is a +descendant came to America from Hingham, England, with the Folsoms, in +1638, and are the founders of the town of Hingham, Massachusetts. The +Gilmans were renowned for their loyalty to the colonies, and later to +the state and national government. + +CHARLES A. GILMAN was born in Gilmanton, New Hampshire, Feb. 9, 1833. +His youth was spent at home, where he received a common school and +academic education, the latter at Gilmanton Academy. He taught school +during the winters. In 1855 he came to Sauk Rapids, Benton county, +where he engaged in farming and real estate business; he also filled +the offices of auditor and register of deeds. In 1861 he removed to +St. Cloud, having been appointed register of the United States land +office for that place. He served seven years as register and receiver. +He studied law, and was admitted to practice in 1876. Mr. Gilman has +lived a busy life, and besides his real estate, law, surveying and +exploring business, he has taken a conspicuous position in the +politics of his State, having served as state senator in the years +1868-69, and as representative from 1875 to 1879. In 1878-79 he served +as speaker of the house. From 1881 to 1884 he was lieutenant governor +of the State. He was elected to the legislature several times as a +Republican, when the district was strongly Democratic, a high +compliment to his ability and integrity. He was married to Hester +Cronk, at Sauk Rapids, Jan. 1, 1857. They have six children living. He +has lived at St. Cloud since 1861, where he has a delightful home. + +Of St. Cloud citizens not elsewhere mentioned in this work, and who +have been prominent in advancing its interests, are Charles Bridgman, +Henry G. Mitchell and son, C. F. McDonald, Lewis Clark, Alonzo F. +Cramb, C. F. Davis, Levi S. Geer, Josiah G. Hayward, David L. Kiehle, +A. Montgomery, Overbeck brothers, John H. Owen, and John Cooper. St. +Cloud has furnished three able jurists for the supreme bench in this +district, E. O. Hamlin, J. M. McKelvy and L. W. Collins. + + +ANOKA COUNTY. + +Anoka county was organized in 1857, the nucleus or first settlement +being a small village on the Mississippi, at the month of Rum river, +named Anoka, from a Chippewa word meaning work or labor. The county +has a fine location on the east bank of the Mississippi. Its +boundaries on the north are Isanti county, on the east Chisago and +Washington counties, on the south Ramsey county, and on the west +Sherburne county and the Mississippi river. Rum river flows in a +southeasterly direction through the county, and by this river, its +tributaries and those of the Mississippi and St. Croix, the county is +well watered and drained. The valleys of these streams furnish many +fine natural meadows. The soil is a black sandy loam with clay +subsoil. Townships 31, 32 and 33, range 22, are drained by the +tributaries of the St. Croix. Originally consisting of oak openings, +natural meadows and tamarack swamps, interspersed with small lakes, +with excellent roads, school houses, churches and town organizations, +the county is well settled and has many fine farms under a high state +of cultivation. Its proximity to the pineries of Rum river and to the +markets of Minneapolis and St. Paul makes it a desirable location for +the lumbermen and farmers. + +The county is subdivided into the following townships: Anoka, Bethel, +Blaine, Burns, Centreville, Columbus, Fridley, Grow, Ham Lake, +Linwood, Oak Grove, Ramsey, and St. Francis. The Northern Pacific and +St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba railroads traverse this county near +its western boundary, following the course of the Mississippi river. +Outside of Anoka the first settlement in the county was within the +bounds of the present town of Ramsey. Nathan Shumway, Cornelius Pitman +and Daniel Hawthorne settled there in 1850. + +The first county commissioners were appointed by the governor. They +were E. C. H. Davis, J. P. Austin and Silas O. Lum. They met June 30, +1857, and appointed the following officers: Sheriff, James C. Frost; +treasurer, James M. McGlauflin; coroner, Joseph C. Varney; assessors, +Daniel Robbins, S. L. Guice, Francis Peeler. The first deed on record +in the county bears date of June 30, 1857. It conveys the northwest +quarter of section 26, township 33, range 24, from Nathaniel S. Davis +to Mary S. Small, for a consideration of five hundred dollars. There +is, however, a transcript of a deed from Ramsey county bearing +original date of Sept. 11, 1849, conveying the north half of the +northwest quarter of section 35, township 31, range 24, from Abel +Bloodgood, of Minnesota Territory, to Henry M. Rice, for a +consideration of two hundred dollars. The first town plat, that of +Anoka, bears date of July 5, 1854. + + +ANOKA. + +This town lies on the east shore of the Mississippi and includes part +of fractional township 31, range 24. It is watered by Rum river, which +traverses the northwestern part, and by Coon creek in the eastern +part. The town originally was chiefly prairie. Its early history is +included in that of Anoka county. + + +ANOKA CITY. + +The county seat of Anoka county is located on the Mississippi at the +mouth of Rum river and dates its settlement to the year 1847, when +Thomas Holmes located on the east bank of the river, and built the +first log house for a trading post. Aaron Betts, in the employ of +Holmes, brought his family with him, the first family in the town. In +the winter of 1847-48 Holmes sold out to Simeon P. Folsom, whose +family was the second in the town. Mr. Folsom raised the first crop in +the township. In September, 1848, Mr. Folsom removed to Sherburne +county, selling out his claim to Louis Roberts. In the winter of the +same year Wm. Dahl took possession for Mr. Roberts. In the spring of +1849 Antoine Roberts, brother of Louis, came from Prairie du Chien, +took possession of the home, and lived there some years, when he was +killed by an Indian. When the land on which the improvements were made +was brought into market Louis Roberts entered it. + +In 1851 Anton Guion entered a quarter section of land on the west +side. He immediately sold his claim to Henry M. Rice, who bought it +with the intention of platting it as a town site. His brother, Orrin +Rice, occupied it and made improvements. Rum river has a fall of five +feet, which is fully utilized at Anoka. + +In 1851 Geo. W. Branch took up a claim on the west side, and built a +house near what is now the corner of Main and Ferry streets. This was +the first frame house in Anoka, which, from this time forward, grew +almost imperceptibly into a village, till in 1855 the census showed +nearly 300 inhabitants. In 1860 the population was 602, and in 1886, +5,000. Anoka was incorporated as a city in 1878, with the following +board of officers: Mayor, G. W. Church; aldermen, D. C. Dunham, D. H. +Lane, L. G. Browning, A. Davis, H. N. Seelye, and J. H. Pierce; +treasurer, H. E. Lepper; justices of the peace, W. W. Fitch and E. S. +Teller; constables, George Geddes and Norman McLean. At that time the +city was divided into two wards, the First including the east side, +and the Second the west side, of Rum river. In 1881 the west side was +changed to the First ward, and the east side became the Second and +Third wards. + +In 1853 Ed. I. Shaw built and opened the first store. It was on the +west side, and the building still stands, and is known as the Schuler +building. It is now the hospital: Caleb and W. H. Woodbury erected a +saw mill on the east side. It was subsequently owned by Woodbury, Shaw +& Farnham. During the same year a bridge was built across Rum river by +the government; Orrin Rice, contractor. The first flour will was +finished in 1855. It was burned ten days after with $5,000 worth of +wheat and corn a total loss, as there was no insurance. It was owned +by A. P. Lane, Caleb and Henry Woodbury. The mill was rebuilt by Caleb +Woodbury and Wm. L. Barnes. In 1855 H. L. Ticknor erected and opened +the first store on the east side. Rev. Royal Twitchell preached the +first sermon and taught the first school. The first mill was utilized +on Sundays as a church. + +The Congregationalists organized the first church in Anoka in 1855, +and erected a church building in 1857. The Baptists and Catholics +organized in 1856, the Methodists and Episcopalians in 1860, the +Universalists in 1867, the Swedish Lutherans in 1870, the Adventists +in 1880, and the Free Methodists in 1882. The Masons organized a lodge +in 1866, the Knights of Pythias in 1872, the United Workmen in 1877, +the Patrons of Husbandry in 1874, and the Odd Fellows in 1882. + +Anoka has suffered from time to time by fires. A flour mill, two saw +mills, half a dozen hotels, and a large number of stores have been +burned at different times, and twice the business part of the city has +been destroyed. Aug. 16, 1884, the entire business portion of the +city, including 60 business blocks and the Washburn mills, was +consumed. The loss amounted to $750,000, on which there was an +insurance of $316,000. The burnt district has since been handsomely +rebuilt, and the Washburn flour mill has been replaced with a superior +building, five stories high, 60 × 180, ground plan, and rising to the +height of 112 feet. This is one of the finest mills in the State. + +The court house is valued at $35,000, the city hall at $12,000, and +four school buildings at $75,000. The bridge across the Mississippi, a +fine structure, 700 feet long, was built at a cost of $100,000. Street +cars have been introduced on some of the streets. The principal +manufactories are the Lincoln flouring mill, with a capacity of seven +hundred bushels per day, owned by the Washburn Mill Company; four saw +mills belonging to the Washburn Mill Company, with a capacity of +50,000,000 feet per year; the Anoka Sash and Door Factory, one of the +most thriving industries in the city, Jonas Morell, manager; a starch +factory, a boot and shoe company, with a capital of $30,000, recently +organized. Other industries are well represented; the whole giving +employment to over 1,000 men. + +The First National Bank of Anoka was organized as a private banking +institution in 1872. It became a state bank in 1882, with a capital +stock of $25,000, and a national bank in 1883, with a paid up capital +of $50,000. The officers are: President, H. L. Ticknor; cashier, B. F. +Pratt. The Anoka National Bank was organized in 1883, with a paid up +capital of $100,000. The officers are: President, W. D. Washburn; vice +president, C. C. Crane; cashier. C. S. Guderian. + + +BETHEL + +Includes township 33 and the twelve south sections of township 34, +range 23. Its surface is partially prairie land, and is dotted with +small lakes. The first settlers were Quakers, with the exception of +Rice, Price, O. Evans and Robert Minard, who came in 1855. Bethel post +office is located at what is known as Bethel Corners. The town was +organized in 1858. The first supervisors were O. Evans, W. Dickens and +R. Price. + + +BLAINE, + +Named in honor of James G. Blaine, embraces township 31, range 23. It +was originally included in Anoka, but was set off and organized in +1877. The first supervisors were Moses Ripley, George Tisdale and +Richard de Long. The records have not been kept with sufficient +accuracy to enable us to determine who were the first settlers. It +appears, however, that the first comers abandoned their claims. Green +Chambers is the first settler recorded. He came in 1865. + + +BURNS + +Includes township 33, range 25, and is in the northwestern part of the +county. The soil is clay loam, and in the western part are many lakes. +Of these Twin lakes are ninety feet in depth. The first settler was +John Derigan, who was also one of the first settlers of Elk River +township, in Sherburne county. The town was organized in 1869. The +supervisors were John D. Keen, John A. Mussey and W. D. Le Clair. A +German Lutheran church was built in 1878. + + +CENTREVILLE + +Includes township 31, range 22. It is the oldest settlement in the +county, Alphonse Jarvis having located here in 1840. Frank Lamott +settled here in 1849. The first considerable settlement was made on +Rice lake, in 1850, by F. W. Traverse and other German families. A +French colony settled in the eastern part of the town in 1852. +Prominent among these colonists were Francis X. Levalle and brother, +Oliver and Frank Dupre, Francis Lamott and Oliver Peltier. The town +was organized in 1857, with the following commissioners: Oliver +Peltier, chairman; Francis Lamott, treasurer, and Stephen Ward. The +town was originally a timbered and meadow district. It has a good +black loam soil, and is well watered by Rice lake and numerous small +streams. It contains a number of ancient mounds. Its nearest railroad +station is Centreville, on the St. Paul & Duluth road, an Washington +county. + + +CENTREVILLE VILLAGE + +Was platted in 1853, by Peltier, Lavalle & Lamott. It contains a +substantial brick church known as the Church of St. Genevieve of +Paris, built in 1859. The congregation numbers about four hundred. + + +COLUMBUS, + +Township 32, range 22, was settled in 1855 by James Starkey, Isaac +Conway, John Kleiner and Henry Batzle. Mr. Conway became a dealer in +real estate, and removed to California where he died. + +JAMES STARKEY figured prominently in the early history of the +Territory and State, but may be mentioned here as the founder of the +village of Columbus, in 1855 and 1856. He expended $60,000 in building +a hotel and other improvements, not a vestige of which now remains. + + +FRIDLEY. + +This town, including fractional township 30, range 24, was organized +as Manomin county in 1857, and held that organization, with A. M. +Fridley as chairman of county commissioners, until 1870, when it was +disorganized and attached to Anoka county, retaining Manomin as its +town name until 1879, when it was changed to Fridley by legislative +enactment. John Sullivan, G. W. Thurber and Thomas Casey were the +first supervisors. The town contains about thirteen sections of land +in the eastern part of township 30, range 24, pleasantly located on +the east bank of the Mississippi. It is traversed by Rice creek. + +JOHN BANFIL settled here in 1848 and was the first postmaster of the +village of Manomin, of which he was proprietor. He represented the +Twenty-fourth district as senator in the first state legislature. He +removed to Bayfield, Wisconsin, and died there in 1886. It has been +improved by the introduction of large manufacturing establishments. A +flouring mill was built in 1871. In 1887 $100,000 was expended in +manufactories, and real estate to the amount of $400,000 changed +hands. It has one church building (Episcopal), erected in 1858. + + +GROW + +Includes township 32, range 24. It is watered by Rum river and Coon +creek. George Branch settled here in 1853, and about the same period, +J. C. Frost, Joseph McKinney, Andrew J. Smith and Walter D. Gary. The +town was organized in 1857 as Round Lake, but changed to Grow in 1860, +in honor of Senator Grow of Pennsylvania. The first supervisors were +Silas O. Lum, W. W. Hank and Wm. Staples. The town records were burned +in 1856. In 1873 the Catholics erected a church building. + + +HAM LAKE, + +Formerly a part of Grow, was set off and organized in 1871. It +includes township 32, range 23. It was settled chiefly by Swedes and +Norwegians, of whom Matts Gilbertson, of Norway, was first to locate +here. There were many transient persons among the first comers, but +the first permanent settler of any nationality was Josiah Hart, from +Vermont, who came in 1857. He died in 1876. John Scully came in 1858. +The first supervisors were John Rowe, A. B. Lingard and C. Olsen. The +Swedes and Norwegians have each a house of worship. + + +LINWOOD. + +This town, consisting of township 33, and twelve sections of township +34, range 22, lies in the northeastern part of the county. It is well +watered and traversed by a chain of lakes. The first settlement was by +Joseph Sanson, a German, who located here in 1855. W. Dickens, an +Englishman, came in 1857. Linwood was set off from Bethel and +Columbus, and organized September, 1871. The first town officers were +J. G. Green, F. McGregor and Michael Hurley. There is a post office in +the village of Linwood. A Methodist church was built in 1873, and a +saw and feed mill, by Shanton & Haskell, in 1875. + +L. S. ARNOLD, a native of Montreal, Canada, born in 1820, came to +Minnesota in 1847. He seems to have made his home at Linwood, which he +left, but after living some years in Michigan and Missouri, he again +returned in 1866. + +SAMUEL RIDGE came to Linwood in 1860. + +J. G. GREEN, born in 1819, located here in 1863, and since 1867 has +served as postmaster in Linwood village. He has served several years +as county commissioner. The Green brothers are descendants of the +Plymouth Pilgrims. + +G. W. HASKELL was an early settler. He originally came from Skowhegan, +Maine. He died in 1885. + +MICHAEL M. RYAN was born in Ireland in 1845. He came to America in +1858 and settled in Linwood with his father's family. Two brothers +enlisted as volunteers during the Civil War, and died in the service. + +THE HURLEY FAMILY come to Linwood some time in the '50s. The sons are +prominent business men at North Branch, Pine City and Hinckley. The +father moved to North Branch in 1887. + + +OAK GROVE + +Includes township 33, range 24. It abounds in small lakes and the Rum +river drains the western portion. The first settlers were David +Rogers, Moses Seeley and James Nutter, in 1855. Dennis Mahoney, of +Ireland, born in 1813, came to Oak Grove in 1856, held the office of +supervisor fourteen years, and that of justice of the peace +continuously to the present. The town was organized in 1857, with the +following supervisors: A. W. Norris, Dennis E. Mahoney and Peter +Brennan. Rose, daughter of William Smith, was the first child born. + + +RAMSEY, + +Named in honor of the first territorial governor, occupies fractional +township 32, range 25, in the western part of the county, on the +Mississippi river. It was organized in 1857 as Watertown, which name +was changed to Dover, and then to Ramsey, in 1885. In 1849 an Indian +trading house was opened in section 19, by T. A. Holmes and Thomas +Beatty. The first permanent settlement was made by a New England +colony in 1850, amongst whom were P. Shumway and sons (John and +Peter), Nathan and Benjamin Shumway, and Cornelius Pitman. In 1852 the +town plat of Itasca was surveyed in sections 19 and 30. William +Vincent, Thomas Miller and J. C. Bowers came to Ramsey in 1852. Mr. +Bowers was postmaster for twenty-five years at Itasca, and died Oct. +4, 1879. The first supervisors were Jared Benson, Isaac Varney and +Cornelius Pitman. + + +ST. FRANCIS + +Includes the two southern tiers of sections of township 34, ranges 24 +and 25. The first settlers were George Armsby and E. Fowler, in 1855. +The town was organized in 1857, but the records have been lost. Dwight +Woodbury, who has been prominent in the history of the county, located +a water power flour and saw mill and built a hotel on Rum river where +the village of St. Francis has since been built, and surveyed the +village plat. The mills were destroyed by fire in 1869, but were +immediately rebuilt. In 1880 a bridge across Rum river was built at an +expense of $7,000. Mr. Woodbury's investments have been over $25,000. +Mr. Streetly opened the first store and was first postmaster at St. +Francis. + + +AN INDIAN RIOT. + +In the fall of 1847 a German baron, a single man, and Wm. Noot and +wife settled on Big island, in the Mississippi, about two miles above +the mouth of Rum river. They were traders. In March, 1848, in +consequence of the revolution in Germany, the baron returned to his +native land. Noot remained until June, when the Winnebago Indians were +removed by Gen. Fletcher. Pending their removal the Winnebagoes made a +raid on the trading post, confiscated the whisky and provisions and +fastened Noot in a stable and his wife and child in a small cabin, +where they were found by S. P. Folsom the same day, surrounded by +drunken Indians and in imminent peril. Noot appealed to Folsom for +aid. The Indians, however, were furious and threatened Folsom's life. +The chief, "Whistling Thunder," used his influence in a novel way to +quiet the turbulent, by placing before them all that remained of the +barrel of whisky, which they eagerly drank. Folsom then released Noot. +The wife, who had been previously released, ran with her child, +frightened out of her wits, no one knew whither. After a long search +the captain found her, and at great risk took her across a slough to +the mainland in a canoe, which nearly sank before the shore was +reached. Noot afterward went to St. Paul and purchased eighty acres of +land, now in the heart of the city. He was a member of the house, +Fourth and Fifth Minnesota legislatures. At present he resides at Big +Lake, Sherburne county. + +JARED BENSON.--Mr. Benson was the son of Jared and Sallie Taft Benson, +and was born in Blackstone. Massachusetts, Nov. 8, 1821. The farm on +which he was born was purchased of the Indians by his great, great +grandfather. His paternal grandfather, Benoni Benson, and his maternal +grandfather, Ebenezer Taft, served in the Revolutionary War, the +former as a lieutenant. Jared Benson, his father, served in the war of +1812. + +Mr. Benson had a fair common school education and occupied himself in +farming until 1844, when he joined the corps of engineers who were +locating the Providence & Worcester railroad. He was afterward agent +for the company and superintendent of transportation. In 1856 he came +to Minnesota, locating at Anoka and engaging chiefly in farming and +stock raising. He has served his townsmen as justice of the peace and +county commissioner. For some years he has been a director of the St. +Paul & Pacific railroad. He served as clerk of the house of +representatives in 1859-60, and was afterward member and speaker of +the house for three years, including the extra session of 1862. He was +revenue collector for his district in 1870-72, and was again elected +to the legislature in 1878. He was married to Martha Taft, of Mendon, +Massachusetts, Feb. 5, 1857. They have five children. + +JAMES C. FROST was born in Rumford, Oxford county, Maine, in 1816. He +was raised on a farm. On reaching his majority he came to Jefferson +county, Wisconsin, where he lived fourteen years. In 1852 he came to +St. Anthony and in 1853 to Anoka. He held the office of postmaster +several years and was again reappointed in 1888; served fifteen years +as sheriff and as a member of the legislature in 1857-58. He was in +the employ of the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Company for nine years. +He was married in 1840 and has a family of eight daughters. + +A. J. MCKENNEY, born in Lowell, Maine, Feb. 20, 1829, came to St. +Anthony in 1850 and followed lumbering until 1854, when he came to +Ramsey, Anoka county, and located in section 2 as a farmer. He has +been a prominent citizen. + +JOHN HENRY BATZLE was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, in 1830; came to +America in 1837; lived in New York until 1855, when he came to +Minnesota and located in what is now the town of Columbus, Anoka +county, where he engaged in farming. He has been a member of the +Methodist church for twenty-five years. He is in every way much +esteemed as a citizen. He was married in 1854, but has no children. + +JOHN R. BEAN was born at Salmon Falls, New Hampshire, April 25, 1831; +came to St. Anthony in 1849 and to Ramsey, Anoka county, in 1850, +where he made a farm in section 33. He says this was the first farming +done in Anoka county. From 1850 to 1859 he lived alternately at his +home in St. Anthony and his farm in Ramsey. In 1870 he removed to +Anoka city, where he is engaged in lumbering. + +WILLIAM STAPLES was born in 1815, in York county, Maine, where he was +married in 1840. He came to St. Anthony in 1850. He has lived in the +town of Grow, of which he was one of the founders, for many years. He +is a farmer and brickmason. + +ABRAHAM MCCORMACK FRIDLEY was born May 21, 1818, at Corning, Steuben +county, New York. His parents were Pennsylvanians, of German descent. +He received a common school education. At the age of twenty-one years +he was appointed deputy sheriff of Steuben county, and was afterward +collector of canal tolls at Corning. In April, 1851, he was appointed +by President Fillmore agent for the Winnebago Indians then at Long +Prairie, Todd county. In that year he was also admitted to practice +law. In 1853 he removed to St. Paul and was elected sheriff of Ramsey +county. The next year he removed to St. Anthony Falls and was elected +to the house of the territorial legislature. A little later he removed +to Manomin, now Fridley. He was elected a representative in the +legislatures of 1869-70-71 and 79. For many years he cultivated a +large farm at Becker. For ten years he has been in the employ of the +Manitoba railroad as land agent. He is a Democrat, and in 1860 was +delegate to the conventions at Charleston and Baltimore. Mr. Fridley +died March 26, 1888, leaving a widow and three sons, Henry C., Frank +and David H. + +CAPT. JAMES STARKEY was born in England in 1818. He came to America in +1849 and located in St. Paul in 1850. He removed to the town of +Columbus, Anoka county, in 1855, and was active in promoting its +interests. His first enterprise, the building up of the village of +Columbus, was not successful. In 1857, by order of Gov. Medary, he +commanded a military expedition against the Chippewas at Sunrise +Prairie, the object being to compel them to return to their +reservation, an expedition attended with some tragical results, as +elsewhere narrated. Capt. Starkey took part in the Civil War as +captain of a cavalry company. He was the first to survey a road +through the country lying between St. Paul and Lake Superior. He was a +representative of the first state legislature. Since 1865 Capt. +Starkey has resided at St. Paul, and is at present prominent as a +citizen and as an official in West St. Paul. + + +SHERBURNE COUNTY. + +Prior to its organization, Sherburne was part of Benton county. It was +named in honor of Judge Moses Sherburne, an appointee to the bench of +the supreme court of Minnesota Territory. The county is bounded on the +north by Benton, on the east by Anoka and Isanti counties, and on the +south by the Mississippi river. It is somewhat irregularly timbered +with pine and hardwood, interspersed with oak openings, rolling +prairie lands and natural meadows. The surface is generally +undulating. A prominent ridge of high land, from three to five miles +wide, extends from Elk river in a northeasterly direction into Anoka +county. The county is well watered by tributaries of the Mississippi, +Elk and St. Louis rivers, and has besides many clear and sparkling +lakes. The soil is mostly sandy loam with clay subsoil, and valuable +granite quarries are found in the northern tier of towns. + +David Faribault was the first settler or trader, he having established +a post on the Elk river in 1846, where he made a garden and raised +potatoes. In September, 1848, H. M. Rice and S. P. Folsom bought +Faribault's improvements, and Folsom moved his family to the place and +built a log cabin on what is now Auditor's addition to Elk River +village. He was succeeded in the ownership by Pierre Bottineau. + +The county was organized in 1856, under territorial law. The governor, +Willis A. Gorman, appointed J. H. Stevenson, Ephriam Nickerson and +Eli J. Cutter commissioners (Stevenson being chairman); Eli Houghton, +treasurer; H. J. Putnam, register of deeds; Andrew Boyington, judge of +probate; John G. Jamieson, county attorney; Orlando Bailey, sheriff. +The first commissioners' meeting was held at the house of Joseph +Brown, at the village of Humboldt, which was made the county seat and +so remained until 1867, when it was removed to Elk River village. The +county was attached to Benton for judicial purposes until 1862. Prior +to this Mr. Brown's house was used for county commissioners' meetings +and for courtrooms until burned down some years later, when the +commissioners met at the house of John E. Putnam. + +A court house was built at Elk River on lots donated by J. Q. A. +Nickerson, the village donating $1,000 and the county the remainder +necessary for the building. + +Prior to the formation of the state government, the county was divided +into election precincts. The first term of district court was held at +Humboldt in December, 1862; Judge C. E. Vanderburgh, presiding; J. E. +Putnam acting as clerk. The first commissioners who held their meeting +at Elk River were H. Houlton, chairman; A. Boyington and O. Bailey. +The first meetings were held at the house of J. Q. A. Nickerson. + +In 1867 the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba railroad was completed +through the county on a line parallel with the general course of the +Mississippi river. The North Pacific railroad, since built, runs +parallel on the same grade. The depots were built upon the same plan +and placed on opposite sides of the two tracks. The stations are Elk +River, Big Lake, Becker, Clear Lake, and East St. Cloud. The Manitoba +has a branch line from Elk River to Princeton and Milacca, built in +1884. + +The first deed recorded was transcribed from the Benton county +records, transfers of property from James Beatty to Richard Chute and +David Olmstead, and bears date of July 28, 1851. + + +TOWNS. + +The towns in Sherburne are: Baldwin, deriving its name from F. Eugene +Baldwin, an old citizen; Big Lake, from the lake on which located; +Becker, from Hon. G. L. Becker, of St. Paul; Blue Hill, from a high +hill in the town; Clear Lake, from a lake of that name; Elk River, +from the river on the shore of which it is located; Haven, from Hon. +John Ormsby Haven, who represented his district in the state senate in +1872-73; Livonia, from the christian name of the wife of an old +citizen; Orrock, from Reuben Orrock, a pioneer, originally from +Scotland; and Palmer, from Dr. Palmer, of Sauk Centre. + +Elk River was the first town organized, and included the whole county. +The first election was held Sept. 30, 1858, at which the following +board of officers was elected: Moderator, Alden B. Heath; supervisors, +J. G. Jamieson, Alden B. Heath, J. Q. A. Nickerson; clerk, George H. +Davis. + + +VILLAGES OF SHERBURNE COUNTY. + +Orono, a post office, was established at Orono in 1850. The office was +merged into the Elk River post office in 1853. This post office, with +the mills erected in 1851, became the nucleus of the Elk River +settlement, which some years later became Elk River village, within +the corporate limits of which Orono is now situated. Orono was +surveyed and platted May, 1855; Ard Godfrey, proprietor. + + +ELK RIVER, + +Located originally about a mile below Orono, was not platted as a +village until 1865. J. Q. A. and Julia Nickerson were the proprietors. +It is on the east bank of the Mississippi, at its junction with Elk +river, above which it now extends a distance of two miles. It has a +pleasant location. It was incorporated in 1881, with C. S. Wheaton, +president; W. T. Struble, recorder; N. K. Whittemore, H. P. Burrell +and L. Pollard, commissioners. Elk river affords a fine water power +with ten feet head. Mills were erected here in 1851. A great fire in +May, 1887, destroyed mill property valued at $50,000. Since the fire a +flour mill with a capacity of 250 barrels a day has been completed at +a cost of $25,000. A saw mill is also in process of construction. The +village has an elevator with a capacity of 10,000 bushels, 2 town +halls, 3 churches, Episcopal, Free Will Baptist and Congregational; a +first class school building, with rooms for four departments; a school +building at Orono, with two departments; and two railroad depots, +built at a cost of $9,000. + +In June, 1885, a private bank was incorporated as the Bank of Elk +River. + + +EAST ST. CLOUD, + +In the town of Haven, is a thriving village. It has one of the best +granite quarries in the State. The State, in 1887, located here its +reformatory school, receiving a donation of two hundred acres of land, +covered with gray and variegated granite. The village was surveyed and +platted in August, 1853; Geo. F. Brott & Co., proprietors. + + +CLEAR LAKE + +Was surveyed and platted March 24, 1882; Alanson Potter and wife, +proprietors. + + +BECKER + +Was surveyed and platted Dec. 5, 1870; J. Freeman and H. C. Fridley, +proprietors. Mr. Vadnais was the first settler, in 1855. + + +BIG LAKE, + +Originally Humboldt village, is located on Elk river, ten miles above +its junction with the Mississippi. Its first settler was Joseph Brown, +a veteran pioneer, but not to be confounded with the invincible Joe R. +Brown, elsewhere referred to. Mr. Brown came here in 1848, and made +substantial improvements. He died in 1886. His family still reside +here. James Ely and Newell Houghton also settled here in 1884. Mr. +Houghton was killed at the New Ulm massacre in 1862. + +JOHN QUINCY ADAMS NICKERSON was born in New Salem, Franklin county, +Maine, March 30, 1825. He received an academic education; taught +school and followed farming in Maine. In 1849 he came to St. Anthony +Falls, and in 1853 settled at Elk River, which then contained but one +house, a hewed log structure, which he, in company with B. F. +Hildreth, purchased for a hotel. The house has been enlarged from time +to time, and has been continuously under the charge of Mr. Nickerson. +He has besides employed much of his time in farming and lumbering, and +has dealt in village lots. He was appointed postmaster at an early +day. He has filled various responsible offices, among them that of +county treasurer and town and county supervisor. He was married to +Julia A. Farnham, of St. Anthony Falls, Oct. 2, 1852. They have five +children. + +HENRY BITTNER was born in Bavaria in 1799; came to America in his +boyhood; enlisted in the United States Army in 1835; served in the +Mexican War; was present at the battle of Buena Vista, and when the +American forces were surrounded performed a daring feat, carrying a +dispatch from Gen. Taylor through the Mexican lines to an American +fort. He was a target for the bullets of the Mexican Army, but arrived +at his destination severely wounded. He was discharged on account of +his wounds. In 1855 he came to Clear Lake and made him a home. He +offered himself as a volunteer during the late Civil War, but was not +received on account of age and disability. He died at his home at +Clear Lake in 1885. + +FRANCIS DE LILLE, of French descent, was born in Canada in 1782. He +came with his family to St. Anthony in 1848, and in 1852 to Elk River, +where he occupied the first house built in the lower town. He settled +on a farm, where he lived the remainder of his life. He died April 18, +1874, under peculiar circumstances. He was a devout Catholic, and died +suddenly in the church while kneeling during a part of the service. +His widow and youngest son reside at the old homestead. + +MRS. DE LILLE, formerly Catharine Queenan, of Ireland, is one of the +oldest settlers of Sherburne county. She has eight children living, +Mary F., married and living in Dakota; Frank, Agnes; Elisabeth, +married to Peter Trump of Taylor's Falls; Harriet, wife of Joseph +Holt, of Taylor's Falls; Joseph F., Rosanna and Sarah, all married. + +HOWARD M. ATKINS was born in New Sharon, Franklin county, Maine, May +11, 1838. His father was stricken down by lightning, leaving him at +the age of thirteen to assist in taking care of the family. Howard was +near his father and was struck senseless by the same flash that +deprived him of a father. Recovering, he set himself earnestly and +seriously to the duties of life, performed his allotted tasks about +the household, and succeeded in obtaining a good high school +education. He came to Princeton, Mille Lacs county, in 1856, studied +law and was admitted to practice in Mille Lacs county in 1863. +Subsequently he practiced law five years in St. Cloud. He came to Elk +River in 1876. He has held official positions in Mille Lacs, Stearns +and Sherburne counties. Mr. Atkins has acquired an honorable position +through his own exertions and richly deserves the respect of his +fellow citizens. He was married in 1862 to Virginia Sinclair, of +Illinois. They have two sons and four daughters. + +B. F. HILDRETH was born in Milford, Maine, March, 1822. He learned the +trade of a blacksmith and came to St. Anthony in 1849, and the year +following did part of the crew work of the first steamer launched on +the Mississippi above the falls. Since then he has engaged chiefly in +lumbering and farming. In 1850 he was married to M. E. Farnham, of St. +Anthony. He removed to Elk River in 1873. + +SAMUEL HAYDEN was born Oct. 12, 1806, at Madison, Maine. He came to +Livonia, Sherburne county, in 1856. He has a family of four sons and +three daughters, residents of Minnesota. His brother, the Hon. +Wentworth Hayden, was a member of the constitutional convention of +1857. + +The writer of these sketches had known Mr. Samuel Hayden in early +life, and distinctly remembered seeing him the winter of 1827, driving +an ox team in the pineries on Dead river, Maine. He was then a young +man of twenty-one, and the writer was a boy of ten. Sixty years later +they met in Sherburne county, and the writer recognized in the aged +man of eighty-one years the young man of twenty-one, though for the +moment unable to call his name. It is seldom that memory bridges so +wide a chasm. + +JOSEPH JEROME settled in the town of Haven in 1846, and is therefore +among the first of the pioneers. In 1848 he sold his property to +Samuel Sturgis and removed to Michigan. + +JOSHUA O. CATER came from Stafford county, New Hampshire, and was one +of the earliest settlers of the town of Haven, where he still lives. + +J. F. BEAN also came from New Hampshire to Sherburne county, and is +now a resident of Livonia, and postmaster at Lake Fremont. + +J. H. FELCH, of Maine, an early settler of Livonia, is now living at +Elk River. + +JAMES BRADY came to Palmer in 1855. He died about 1868. + +JOSHUA BRIGGS settled in Palmer in 1855, and died there in 1881. + +ROBERT ORROCK, for whom the town of Orrock was named, died at his +home, at a good old age, January, 1885. + +JOHN G. JAMIESON died at Elk River in 1869. + +A. B. HEATH removed to Oregon in 1873, where he still lives. + +DR. B. R. PALMER, for whom the town of Palmer was named, was a +resident of Sauk Centre and died there in 1885. + +JUDGE MOSES SHERBURNE, for whom the county was named, died at Elk +River in 1869. + +CHAS. F. GEORGE, who settled in Santiago in 1856, is at present +chairman of the board of county commissioners. + +ROYAL GEORGE, a pioneer of the same date, returned to Vermont, where +he died in 1887. + +W. L. BABCOCK, a merchant of Santiago, still resides here. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +BENTON COUNTY. + +At the organization of Minnesota Territory three counties were +created, of which Benton was one. Its eastern boundary followed the +course of Rum river from its mouth to its junction with the west +branch and thence a line due north to the Mississippi river. The +boundary line upon the west followed the windings of the Mississippi +down to its junction with Rum river, making a county large and +irregular in outline, extending from north to south about one hundred +miles, and about forty at its widest point from east to west. The +formation of new counties since that time has left it with less than +eleven townships lying east of the Mississippi river and bounded on +the north by Morrison, on the east by Mille Lacs, and on the south by +Sherburne counties. The soil is diversified. There is black sandy loam +in the plains and a black vegetable mould in the timber, with clay +subsoils. It is a fair agricultural district, having groves of pine +and hardwood in the east and natural meadows, prairies and oak +openings in the central and western portions. It is well watered by +the Mississippi and its tributaries, Elk, Little Rock and Platte +rivers. It has some fine lakes, of which Mayhew, Briggs and Little +Rock are the largest. A granite formation underlies most of this +county and crops out in many places, furnishing valuable quarries. The +granite is plain and variegated and is being worked and shipped +extensively. Near the village of Watab there is a rich upheaval. The +St. Paul custom house is made of the Watab granite. + +The Northern Pacific railway passes through this county parallel with +the channel of the Mississippi river. The Manitoba, St. Cloud & +Hinckley branch passes through the southern tier of towns. The +organized towns are Alberta, Gilmanton, Glendorado, Granite Lodge, +Maywood, Minden, Sauk Rapids, St. George, and Watab. The villages are +East St. Cloud, Foley, Oak Grove, Rice's, and Watab. + +The first settlers were Philip Beaupre, in 1844; David Gilman, in +1848; Jeremiah Russell, Wm. H. Wood, James Beatty, Ellis Kling, Wm. +Smith, and J. C. Mayhew, in 1849. Sauk Rapids was made the county +seat, then Watab, then Sauk Rapids. + +The first board of officers, qualified Jan. 7, 1850, were: +Commissioners, Wm. A. Aitkin, chairman; Joseph Brown and James Beatty; +assessors, Truman A. Warren and Reuben M. Richardson; attorney, W. D. +Phillips. The voting precincts were at Sauk Rapids, Swan River and +Crow Wing. The judges of election were: For Sauk Rapids, J. Russell, +Wm. Sturgis and Curtis Bellows; for Swan River, Philip Beaupre, James +Green and Duncan Stewart; for Crow Wing, Allen Morrison, Wm. Morrison +and Sylvester Stateler. The first election was held at Pierre +Bottineau's house, now in Sherburne county. George Egbert and Thomas +Holmes were judges of election. + +The first court in the county was held Nov. 11, 1850; Bradley B. +Meeker, presiding. David Gilman was the first sheriff, John C. Hawley +the second. The first deed recorded was from James Hitchins to Wm. F. +Coblett. It bore date of Oct. 21, 1850. Taylor Dudley was register of +deeds. The land conveyed was a tract lying at the foot of Sauk Rapids, +being a land claim of one hundred and sixty acres, purchased from +Calvin Potter. + + +SAUK RAPIDS. + +The site of the village of Sauk Rapids was judiciously chosen. It +slopes gently to the river's east bank, giving a pleasant frontage to +the rapids. Philip Beaupre came here first in 1844. His son, William +P., was the first white child here, born May 24, 1852. Geo. O. Sweet +was the second, born Aug. 22, 1852. Several Indian traders located +here and at Watab. Following Mr. Beaupre came T. A. Holmes, James +Beatty, J. Russell, Calvin Potter, James Hitchins, Curtis Bellows, and +Charles Webb. The first plat of Sauk Rapids was made and recorded in +1854. The proprietors were J. Russell, G. M. Sweet and S. Van Nest. +The surveyor was C. B. Chapman. + +The village was incorporated in 1881. The commissioners appointed +under the general act to effect the organization were Alphonso J. +Demenles, Erasmus Cross, B. K. Knowlton. A wagon bridge built across +the Mississippi at this point cost $25,000. It was greatly damaged by +a storm, and partially destroyed by the cyclone of 1886. + +The dam across the Mississippi at Sauk Rapids was built in 1870 at a +cost of $140,000. The east wing is owned by the Commodore Davidson +estate; the west, by the Sauk Rapids Manufacturing Company. + +The rapids are formed by the eruption of granite ledges across the +channel of the river. A flour mill built here with a capacity of three +hundred barrels per day was totally destroyed by the cyclone of April +16, 1886, which was one of the most destructive on record. The +estimated loss in Sauk Rapids was $300,000, of which $108,000 was made +up by voluntary contributions from St. Paul, Minneapolis and other +portions of the State. + +The public buildings, including the court house, school buildings and +several churches, were destroyed, together with many fine stores and +dwellings. + +Since the cyclone the village has been handsomely rebuilt. A new court +house has replaced the old one at a cost of $6,000, a new school house +has been built at a cost of $12,000--a model building with rooms for +five departments. There are five new church buildings, an Episcopal, +Congregational, Methodist and two Lutheran. + + +WATAB. + +Watab appears to have been a noted Indian trading post from 1844 to +1855. Asa White, D. Gilman, C. W. Borup, N. Myrick, Gen. Lowry, and +others were located, or had stations here. Watab was for a short time +the county seat of Benton county. A bridge was once built across the +Mississippi here, but it has disappeared. The village site was +surveyed and platted, and a post office established in 1853. P. Lamb +was postmaster. A steam saw mill was erected here, but was afterward +removed. The first improved farm in Benton county was located in the +vicinity. David Gilman, Benjamin Bright and George Goodhue were early +settlers. + +PHILIP BEAUPRE was born in Lower Canada, in 1823. As his name +indicates, he is of French descent. He received a French education. He +came West in 1841; entered the employ of the fur company in 1843, and +located at Sauk Rapids in 1844. When he arrived there were no white +inhabitants, save Indian traders, on the Mississippi north of St. +Anthony. Mr. Beaupre built a log house in 1851, and was continuously +engaged in trade until succeeded by his sons. He assisted in forming +the county, town and village organizations, filling many offices of +trust and honor. In 1880 he served as judge of the probate court, and +since as collector of customs at Pembina. In 1851 he was married to +Teresa de Noyes, of St. Louis, and has a family of seven sons and six +daughters, all residing in Benton county. + +DAVID GILMAN.--Hon. David Gilman, of Watab, was born April 29, 1812, +at Saratoga, New York. He was left fatherless at the age of six +months, and his mother subsequently placed him in the family of a +neighbor to be brought up and cared for until the age of twenty-one. +As he grew older he was not pleased with this arrangement, and at the +age of fourteen left his home to adventure for himself. His +opportunities for securing an education were limited. In 1836 he came +to Michigan. In 1844 he married Nancy W. Lamb, of Woodstock, Vermont. +In 1848 he came to Watab, Minnesota, and made him a permanent home, +making himself a useful, influential and public spirited citizen, +filling many positions of trust in his town, county and state +governments. Amongst the offices filled by him were those of deputy +United States marshal, member of the second territorial legislature, +and of the constitutional convention. He was postmaster at Watab from +the establishment of the office in 1849 until 1885, when he died, +greatly lamented by his friends and honored by all who knew him. Mrs. +Gilman and four children survive him. + +JAMES BEATTY was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, April 27, 1816. When +fourteen years of age he went to Cass county, Michigan. He farmed for +the Winnebago Indians near Fort Atkinson, Iowa, for several years, and +coming to Minnesota in 1848 located at Sauk Rapids, which he made his +permanent home. He has been engaged as Indian trader, hotel keeper, +merchant and farmer. He was a member of the Minnesota territorial +legislatures of 1851, 1853 and 1854. He was married to Eliza Foscet, +of New York, in 1854. They have three children living. + +ELLIS KLING was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, Oct. 15, 1824. +He was brought up as a farmer, and has made farming his occupation +through life. He came to Sauk Rapids in 1851. In 1854 he was married +to Lucy Lewis, of Belle Prairie. They have five sons and one daughter. + +GEORGE W. BENEDICT.--Mr. Benedict was born at Rochester, New York, in +1827. He served an apprenticeship to a printer in Canada for five +years. In 1851 he was married to Anna Cronk, a native of Prince Edward +county, Canada. For four years he published the Tecumseh (Mich.) +_Herald_ and in 1854, having removed to Sauk Rapids, established the +_Frontiersman_ for Jeremiah Russell. This paper he conducted for three +years. He then conducted the _New Era_ for one year. In 1868 he +established the Sauk Rapids _Sentinel_, which he conducted four years, +when he started the Alexandria _Post_ and also became a member of a +company that published the St. Cloud _Press_, with which he was +connected one year. In 1872 he re-established the Sauk Rapids +_Sentinel_, which he sold to W. L. Nieman, but repurchased after the +cyclone of 1886. Mr. Benedict was in the United States revenue service +ten years, and served as a member of the state senate one term. + +J. Q. A. WOOD was born in Chichester, New Hampshire, in 1815. He +graduated at Union College, New York, in 1843; studied law with +President Franklin Pierce; was admitted to practice in 1846, and made +his home at Sauk Rapids in 1854, which has been his home ever since, +with the exception of some years spent in Kentucky as editor of the +_Southern Kentucky Shield_. This paper was suppressed in 1862. +Returning to Sauk Rapids in 1864, he engaged in the practice of law, +in which he has since continued. During this period he served eleven +years as county attorney, and also a term as probate judge. Mr. Wood +was seriously injured in the great cyclone, having been buried in the +debris of the court house, from which, with great difficulty, he +extricated himself. Mr. Wood is a poetical writer of some reputation, +many of his productions having been received with great favor. Among +them we may mention "Father is Growing Old, John," "Ode to New +Hampshire," and "The Wine of Cyprus." He has one son, a resident of +Dakota, and one daughter, the wife of D. C. Roberts of West Superior. + +WILLIAM H. WOOD was born in London, New Hampshire, Feb. 2, 1817. When +he was fourteen years of age his father removed to Tecumseh, Michigan. +He graduated at Dartmouth College in 1839 and afterward took a course +in Union College, New York, graduating in 1843. He then returned to +Tecumseh, Michigan, where he studied law with Judge Stacy. In 1845 he +was admitted to the bar in Lenawee county, Michigan. During the +presidential campaign of the year following he edited a paper in +Kentucky, the _Rough and Ready_, advocating the claims of Gen. Taylor +for the presidency. In 1848 he located in Greensburg, Kentucky, and in +1849 was married to a lady of refinement, known to the literary world +under the _nom de plume_ of "Minnie Mary Lee." In 1849 he removed to +Sauk Rapids, Minnesota. He was there editor of the pioneer paper, the +_Frontiersman_. He afterward owned, and with his gifted wife edited, +the _New Era_, in which he was an ardent supporter of Mr. Lincoln for +the presidency in 1860. Meanwhile he practiced his profession and held +the office of county attorney for many years. When the land office was +established at Sauk Rapids he was appointed receiver and served a +number of years. He was a member of the first state legislature. In +1869 he was elected president of the New Athens College, Greensburg, +Kentucky, and served a short time, when he contracted the disease that +afterward terminated his earthly career. Mr. Wood was a man of more +than ordinary ability, an eloquent speaker, a fluent and gifted +writer, whose influence will long be felt. He left a widow and three +children. + +MRS. W. H. WOOD has been a liberal contributor to magazines and the +author of several volumes, of which a list is here appended: "The +Heart of Myrrha Lake;" "Into the Light of Catholicity;" "Hubert's +Wife;" "The Brown House at Duffield;" "Strayed from the Fold;" "Three +Times Three; or, Basil, Beatrice, Ethel;" "Story of Annette;" "Hazel +Green's Rival." + +A. DE LACY WOOD, son of Mrs. W. H. Wood, edits the Two Harbor _Iron +Post_, in Lake county. + +P. H. WOOD, second son of Mrs. W. H. Wood, edits the Sauk Rapids _Free +Press_. + +REV. SHERMAN HALL was born in Weathersfield, Vermont; was educated at +Exeter Academy, Dartmouth College and Andover Theological Seminary. He +was married to Betsey Parker in 1831, and ordained the same year as a +missionary to the Chippewa Indians at La Pointe. With them he remained +until 1854, when he transferred his residence to Sauk Rapids and +organized a Congregational church, of which he continued pastor until +his death, Sept. 1, 1859. Mr. Hall made a translation of parts of the +Bible into the Ojibway tongue. He was greatly beloved amongst his +people for his firm, christian demeanor and publicly recognized as a +man of integrity and sound judgment. He served the people of Benton +county as judge of probate court and county superintendent of schools. + +JEREMIAH RUSSELL was born in Eaton, Madison county, New York, Feb. 2, +1809. He received a common school and academic education, and learned +to set type in the office of the Chautauqua _Gazette_. He subsequently +taught school and worked for awhile in printing offices. Removing to +Palmyra, he clerked in a store several years. In 1835 he came to +Michigan, and thence to the Lake Superior country, where he +superintended a copper mine for a couple of years, at Left Hand river, +near the head of the lake. In 1837 he came to Fort Snelling, and in +1839 accompanied Frank Steele and others to St. Croix Falls, and +engaged in building a saw mill. In 1840 he went to Pokegama mission as +government farmer and blacksmith. About 1842, at the closing up of the +Pokegama mission in consequence of Indian disturbances, he purchased +the old Connor trading post and farm. In 1843, with Elam Greely, he +went down the St. Croix and up the Mississippi and Rum rivers in a +birch canoe, exploring for pine timber. They found Rum river blockaded +at one place a distance of three-quarters of a mile, with drifts or +rafts of trees, consolidated and held together by the roots of grasses +and water willows, the accumulations apparently of ages. Around this +raft they made a portage, and ascended a tributary of Rum river to its +source, thence down the Kanabec or Snake river to Pokegama. In 1848 +Mr. Russell came to Crow Wing, Minnesota, as agent for Borup & Oakes, +Indian traders and fur dealers. In the autumn of 1849 he established +himself at a point two miles above Sauk Rapids, and opened up a farm +of one hundred and thirty acres. At the end of four years he moved +down the river and made a land claim on the west side, including the +water power of Sauk Rapids. He owned an interest also in the water +power on the east side. In 1854 he was one of the company that +surveyed and platted the village of Sauk Rapids. He established the +pioneer newspaper, the Sauk Rapids _Frontiersman_. + +Mr. Russell for several years held the office of county auditor and +treasurer, and in 1849 was elected to the territorial legislature. His +name appears in the list of members, but he was present only at the +opening sessions, and voted for but a single measure. He had told his +constituents before his election that he would not serve. At this time +he was Democratic in politics but in later life voted the Republican +ticket. Mr. Russell possessed a warm, generous nature, combined with +integrity of character, which gained for him the love and esteem of +his many friends. Ever ready to extend a willing hand to those in +need, and, as far as lay in his power, to assist those in distress, he +will ever be remembered with kindly feelings by all who knew him. +Though exposed to all the temptations and vicissitudes of an early +settler's life, coming in contact with all kinds of social conditions, +he never departed from the path of christian rectitude, and those with +whom he came in contact will ever remember him for his kind +heartedness and gentlemanly bearing. + +Sept. 20, 1843, he was united in marriage to Miss Sophia Oakes +(daughter of the late Chas. H. Oakes), who survives him. Seven +children were born unto them, but only three are now alive. These are +Mrs. W. L. Nieman, Miss Julia A. and Mr. J. A. Russell. Mr. Russell +died at his home in Sauk Rapids in 1885. + +EDWARD OSCAR HAMLIN was born at Bethany, Wayne county, Pennsylvania, +June 12, 1828. He received his preparatory education at his native +place; entered Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, in 1848, and +graduated in 1858, third in his class, and in three years received the +degree of A.M. He read law first at Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, with +Hon. Geo. W. Woodward (afterward one of the judges of the supreme +court of Pennsylvania); at Honesdale, Pennsylvania, later with Earl +Wheeler, Esq., and was admitted to the bar Sept. 7, 1852. After +practicing for two years at Honesdale, he decided to go West, and in +1855 settled in Sauk Rapids. He was admitted to practice in the +territorial courts, and in 1856 was admitted to practice by the +supreme court. Judge Hamlin was elected the first mayor of the city of +St. Cloud. He was nominated by the Democratic party for governor, and +subsequently for judge of the supreme court. He was also, in 1860, +appointed by Gov. Ramsey "a regent of the University of the State of +Minnesota," and was subsequently an efficient and zealous member of +the state board of normal instruction. + +Soon after the outbreak of the Rebellion, in 1861, Gov. Ramsey +tendered him the commission of major of the Seventh Regiment, +Minnesota Volunteers, but his eyesight being defective, he was obliged +to decline it. In 1864 Judge Hamlin was chosen by the Democratic party +as one of the delegates to the Democratic national convention. He was +appointed as one of the committee on platform, and openly denounced, +with three others, the platform before it was adopted, because it +declared the war for the Union a failure. Judge Hamlin was a war +Democrat, and hung out the stars and stripes over his residence in +Sauk Rapids, the first one in that town to do so. In 1873, being an +only child and yielding to the solicitations of his parents, Judge +Hamlin returned to his native county and opened an office in +Honesdale. After a short residence there he removed to Bethany, which +has since been his home. He continued the practice of his profession +in Honesdale until June, 1885, when failing health compelled him to +retire. + +Judge Hamlin has been twice married. His first wife was Mary A., +daughter of Judge Eldred, who for a quarter of a century graced the +bench of Pennsylvania. She died at St. Cloud, Sept. 27, 1868. In +October, 1870, Judge Hamlin married Ella F., daughter of E. B. Strong, +Esq., for years clerk of the district court of Stearns county. + + +MORRISON COUNTY. + +Morrison county is somewhat irregular in outline. It is bounded on the +north by Crow Wing and Cass, on the east by Mille Lacs, on the south +by Benton and Stearns, on the west by Stearns and Todd counties. The +portion east of the Mississippi originally belonged to Benton county, +and the portion on the west side to Todd county. It contains 1,139 +square miles. The eastern part is well covered with pine and hardwood +forests. The west and central portions consist of oak openings and +brush prairies. The groves are interspersed with poplar. The surface +is generally level, but is well drained by the Mississippi and its +tributaries, mostly small streams. It has some fine lakes in the +northern and central parts. The soil is well adapted to farming. A +granite range, an extension of the range of Sauk Rapids and St. Cloud, +passes through the county. + +William Nicholson was probably the first settler in this county. He +first came to Swan River in 1847, in company with ten other men. They +forded the Mississippi near the mouth of Swan river, made a raft and +floated down the river a few miles, where they abandoned it on account +of low water, and returned south, whence they came. The next summer +Nicholson returned with twenty-two men, crossed the river at the same +place, and cut a road through to the Winnebago agency at Long Prairie. +Returning the same year to the crossing, he found Wm. Aiken had made a +claim and was building a hotel and store on the east bank of the +river. Mr. Nicholson remained some years in the vicinity, but is now a +resident of Little Falls. Wm. Aiken permanently located at Swan River +in 1848, one year after Nicholson's arrival at that point. He died in +1851, aged about sixty-five years. He had two Indian wives. They +quarreled and fought savagely at the funeral as to which was entitled +to the position of chief mourner, wife number one coming off +victorious. James Green made a squatter's claim in 1848, and built a +saw mill on the east side of the Mississippi by the island at the +falls. Wm. Knowles located at the mouth of Rabbit river in 1849. John +Stillwell came to Swan River in 1849. He was a carpenter and worked at +his trade until 1866, when he went into the hotel business. He now +resides at Little Falls. He and Nicholson are the only old settlers of +Swan River remaining in the county. + +At the organization of the county in 1856, Little Falls, located on +the Mississippi a short distance above Swan River, became the county +seat. The year before and the two years following were years of wild +speculation. The chief ambition of the speculators was to found a +city. During these years twenty-four village or town plats were +recorded in the office of the register of deeds in Morrison. Not all, +however, were located within the bounds of the county, some being +platted on unsurveyed government lands. Of these towns, the only one +remaining, or of note, is Fergus Falls, Otter Tail county, platted by +a company from Little Falls. Of the towns located in Morrison county, +every one vanished except Little Falls, though Swan River, Belle +Prairie and Granite City kept up an appearance of prosperity for a +time. + +The early history of Morrison county is enlivened by many thrilling +incidents of Indian warfare, chiefly of contests between the Sioux and +Chippewas. The Sioux had claimed the territory from time immemorial, +but over a hundred years ago the Chippewas had driven them westward +across the Mississippi and were in possession of the soil. The tribal +hostility of the two races continued to manifest itself in predatory +and retaliatory raids, and from these the early settlers were often +sufferers. + +Nathan Richardson, the historian of Morrison county, an authority to +whom we are greatly indebted, says that the country was acknowledged +to be Chippewa ground before and during the settlement by the whites, +but that the Sioux made frequent raids through the counties in parties +of from five to twenty-five, their principal object being to possess +themselves of Chippewa scalps. The Chippewas retaliated by pursuing +the Sioux into their own prescribed limits. Mr. Richardson avers that +the Chippewas were seldom known to treat the white settlers uncivilly, +while the Sioux would kill stock to supply their wants, for which the +settlers were left without compensation from Indians or government. + +The Winnebagoes were for some years located within the bounds of Todd +and Morrison counties. In 1848 Gen. Fletcher removed them from Fort +Atkinson, Iowa, to Long Prairie, west side of the Mississippi; but +although the agency was located at Long Prairie, the Indians occupied +the Swan River valley within the present limits of Morrison and Todd +counties for a period of seven years, where they engaged partly in +hunting and partly in farming, having about two hundred acres under +cultivation, when they became dissatisfied and were removed to the +Blue Earth country. + +When the Winnebago Indians were brought to Long Prairie and the Swan +River valley, in 1848, the government built Fort Ripley on the west +bank of the Mississippi, about twenty miles above the mouth of Swan +river. The government still owns the fort and reservation around it, +and keeps a garrison there. Fort Ripley, however, has other +associations than those connected with the Winnebagoes. It was +necessary to place a force here during the Indian outbreak in 1862, +the object being to overawe and hold in check the Chippewas, who were +more than suspected of an intention to make common cause with the +Sioux in their warfare against the whites. There the Seventh Regiment, +Minnesota Volunteers, had its headquarters for a time. + +Morrison county was named in honor of Hon. Allen W. Morrison, who came +to Minnesota some time in the '20s, and was prominent in the early +history of the Territory. It was organized April 18, 1856, by the +election of the following county officers: Commissioners, Wm. Trask, +Elliott J. Kidder and W. W. Stebbins; register of deeds and clerk of +board of commissioners, Nathan Richardson; judge of probate, James +Fergus; sheriff, Jonathan Pugh; district attorney, W. B. Fairbanks; +assessors, W. B. Tuttle and John Fry. + +The first term of court was held May 15, 1856; Judge Moses Sherburne, +presiding. The first deed recorded was dated June 19, 1854, conveying +from William Shelafoo to Louis Robair the northeast quarter of the +southwest quarter, and lots 3, 4 and 5 of section 30, township 40, +range 32. + +Morrison county is subdivided into the following towns: Agram, Belle +Prairie, Buckman, Bellevue, Culdrum, Elmdale, Green Prairie, Little +Falls, Morrill, Motley, Parker, Pierz, Pike Creek, Ripley, Swan River, +and Two Rivers. + + +LITTLE FALLS VILLAGE, + +The county seat of Morrison county, is located on the east bank of the +Mississippi river, in sections 7, 8, 18 and 19 of township 40, range +32. It derives its name from a rapid in the Mississippi river, formed +by the extension across the river of the slate stone ledges of the St. +Louis. The site is a prairie, sloping gently to the water's edge. The +first survey was made in 1855, by S. M. Putnam. The village grew +rapidly from the first, and in 1857 the best lots were selling for +$1,000 each. Previous to 1855 the only houses in the place were two +cabins, a frame building in which E. J. Kidder lived, and a school +house. Two hotels were built that year, one by Joseph Batters, the +other by W. B. Fairbanks and Nathan Richardson. + +The first settlers were the Kidders, Fairbanks, Batters, Richardson, +James Green, William Sturgis, William Butler, and O. A. Churchill. +James Green came as early as 1848, and took a squatter's claim on the +east bank, including the water power, and built a saw mill, but soon +after died, and the property passed into the hands of H. M. Rice and +Capt. Todd, who in 1850 sold their right to Wm. Sturgis. In 1852 John +M. Kidder pre-empted the mill power, transferring it to the Little +Falls Company, consisting of Wm. Sturgis and Calvin Tuttle, organized +in 1854 for the improvement of the falls. This company purchased +about 1,000 acres of adjoining land from the government, and in 1855 +merged into a stock company with a capital of $100,000, of which the +original company retained one-half, the remaining half being converted +into cash. The stock rose in value at one time two hundred and fifty +per cent. + +The company built a new dam and mills, but the revenue did not keep +the property in good condition after the expenditures. These valuable +improvements, including the dam and mills, were all swept away by high +water in 1860; the firm became bankrupt, and the valuable power became +nearly worthless and entirely useless, until 1887, when a new company, +known as the Little Falls Water Power Company, was formed with a paid +up capital of $600,000, which is distributed among eastern and western +capitalists. The company is now constructing very extensive works, the +power of which will have a head, or fall, of twenty feet, thus making +it the largest water power, next to Minneapolis, to be found in the +whole Northwest. The dam, now about completed, has cost about +$200,000. + +So thoroughly convinced are the people of Morrison county of the great +future before it, that, by a majority of over 2 to 1, they voted a +subscription of $100,000 in 5 per cent bonds as a bonus to be +delivered to the company upon the completion of the work. The village +of Little Falls also entered into a contract with the company, +agreeing to pay annually a sum of money equal to the taxes imposed +upon that corporation, and also to exempt from taxation any +manufactory using the water power for a period of five years. The +improvements under process of construction consist, first, of a dam +across the entire river, resting, however, against the head of Mill +island; second, a canal on the west side, starting from a point +opposite the head of Mill island, and extending 1,000 feet down +stream. This canal is 80 feet wide and 13 feet deep, is lined with a +retaining wall, and provided with head gates at the upper end and with +a waste way at the lower end; third, a wheel house, races, and, if +found desirable, a wire rope tower for transmitting power to Mill +island and to the east shore. Basing the rental of this power on that +of the water power at Lowell, Massachusetts, it would be worth +$150,000 per annum. The officers of the company are W. H. Breyfogle, +of Louisville, Kentucky, president; M. M. Williams, of Little Falls, +secretary and treasurer. + +Little Falls was incorporated as a village in 1880, Louis Houde +president of the board. The improvement of the water power has given a +strong impulse to the prosperity of the village. It numbers now +amongst its public buildings a court house, school house having rooms +for six grades, two Catholic churches, one Congregational, one +Episcopal and one Methodist church. In Belle Prairie, four miles +distant, there is also a Catholic church, school and a nunnery. + +A bridge, built at a cost of $24,000, crosses the Mississippi at this +point. The bridge is 400 feet in length. The Little Falls & Dakota +railroad, a branch of the Northern Pacific, is finished from Little +Falls to Morris in Stevens county, a distance of 85 miles. In addition +to the mills connected with the water power there is also a steam saw +mill. + + +ROYALTON VILLAGE + +Is located in an oak grove on the Northern Pacific railroad, twenty +miles above Sauk Rapids, and ten below Little Falls near the south +line of Morrison county. It includes some lands in Benton county. +Platte river flows through the village and furnishes a water power of +8 feet head, improved by a dam, supplying a flour mill which has a +capacity of 250 barrels per day, and a saw mill with a capacity of +40,000 feet. There is 65 feet fall on the Platte within five miles of +Royalton below, and 45 feet above the village, yet unimproved. James +Hill, of Baldwin, St. Croix county, Wisconsin, with Putney and Nobles +erected the flour mill, John D. Logan, the proprietor, having donated +the water power and grounds for manufacturing purposes. Mr. Logan has +a steam saw mill with a capacity of 30,000 feet per day. The Platte is +spanned by an iron bridge. The village has, in addition to its mills, +a weekly newspaper, a large elevator, a good graded school with six +departments, and three churches, Episcopal, Presbyterian and +Methodist. It was surveyed and platted in 1879 by John D. Logan, and +incorporated in 1887. The first officers were: President, J. D. Logan; +recorder, John Holmes; trustees. J. C. Wakefield, J. C. Higgins, R. +Lambert; treasurer, G. E. Putney; justices, Robert Brown, Wm. Jones; +constables, Wm. Roller, C. O. Brannen. + +PETER ROY, a mixed blood of French and Chippewa parentage, was born in +Rainy Lake, in 1829. He was educated at La Pointe, Wisconsin. At the +age of twenty-one he came to the agency at Long lake, where he served +as interpreter until 1853, when he was elected to the territorial +legislature. He opened a farm at Belle Prairie in 1855; became a +member of the state legislatures of 1860 and 1862. In 1866 he removed +to Little Falls, where he resided until his death, in 1883. He was a +man of large frame and of generous impulses, liberal and open-handed, +even to his own pecuniary disadvantage. + +WM. STURGIS came to this county from Big Meadow, Sherburne county, +Minnesota, in 1850, and located at Little Falls, where he put a ferry +across the Mississippi. He also laid out a town and built a saw and +grist mill at the mouth of Little Elk river. He was a member of the +territorial council from Crow Wing and Sauk Rapids precincts in 1849 +and 1851; of the territorial house in 1856, and of the constitutional +convention, Democratic wing, in 1857. Some years later he removed, +first to Montana, and then to Sturgis, Michigan. + +JAMES FERGUS was born in the parish of Glassford, Lanarkshire, +Scotland, Oct. 8, 1813. His parents were well-to-do farmers, and gave +him a good education along with excellent moral and religious +training. In his youth he was noted for his thoroughness in whatever +work he undertook, and his fondness for good books. At the age of +nineteen years he came to America to improve his fortunes, locating +first in Canada, where he spent three years, and learned the trade of +a millwright. Becoming involved in some political troubles just before +the outbreak of the Papineau Rebellion, he left Canada for the United +States, and spent a couple of years in Green Bay and Milwaukee, +Wisconsin, and at Chicago and Buffalo Grove, Illinois, going thence to +Iowa, and thence to Moline, Illinois, where he found employment in the +machine shops and foundries of Buford, Sears & Wheelock. In 1854 he +removed to Little Falls, and in company with C. A. Tuttle built a dam +across the Mississippi and platted the village. He subsequently owned +the site of Fergus Falls, now a thriving city, that has done well in +assuming his name. In 1862 he drove his own team from Little Falls to +Bannock, then in Idaho, now in Montana Territory. He became prominent +in territorial affairs; was influential in the organization of the new +county of Madison, and held many positions of trust and +responsibility. He was the commissioner appointed for Madison county, +served two terms in the Montana legislature, and was a member of the +constitutional convention of 1887. At one time he lived in Lewis and +Clark counties; he now resides in Meagher county, near Fort Maginnis, +where he is engaged in stock raising. + +His main characteristics are an aptitude for mechanical enterprises, a +sturdy independence of thought, a strict integrity of purpose, and an +ardent love of study and good books. He is a typical pioneer, and in +the mellow light of his declining days has the respect and love of his +contemporaries to a remarkable degree. He is the first president of +the Montana Pioneer Association, a position which he worthily fills. + +Mr. Fergus was married March 16, 1845, to Parnelia Dillin, of +Jefferson county, New York. Mrs. Fergus died Oct. 6, 1887. He has one +son and three daughters, the latter married and living in Montana. + +NATHAN RICHARDSON was born in Wayne county, New York, in 1829. He was +raised on a farm, educated at Romeo, Michigan, and came to Little +Falls in 1855. He served as register of deeds for Morrison county +eight years, and was postmaster eleven years. He also served as county +surveyor and county attorney, having been admitted to the bar in 1877. +He was notary public twenty-five years. He was a representative in the +Minnesota legislatures of 1867, 1872 and 1878. During his first term +in the house he represented nineteen counties, nearly one-half the +territory of the State. He served as judge of probate two terms. Mr. +Richardson has prepared, by order of the board of county +commissioners, and published in the local papers, a complete and +valuable history of Morrison county, to which we are greatly indebted. +He was married to Mary A. Roof in 1857, and has a family of three sons +and two daughters. + +MOSES LA FOND, a Canadian Frenchman, came to Morrison county in 1855, +and located at Little Falls, where he commenced as a teamster for the +Little Falls Manufacturing Company. He found more lucrative +employment, became a butcher, then a merchant, then a legislator, +having been elected a representative in the legislature of 1874. + +O. A. CHURCHILL.--Orlando A. Churchill was born in Windsor county, +Vermont, in 1825. He came to Illinois in 1843, and to Little Falls in +1855, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits. He was elected to the +legislature of 1858, but did not serve, as no session of the +legislature was held that year. He served several years as auditor of +Morrison county. He removed to St. Paul a few years ago, and later to +California, but is now again a resident of Little Falls. + +JOHN M. KIDDER made a claim of government land on the east side of the +Mississippi, on the site of Little Falls. He died in 1855, before the +land was entered, and the claim was purchased by Wm. Sturgis, a +son-in-law of Mr. Kidder, and by him sold to the Little Falls Company. +Elliott J., a son of John M. Kidder, is still a resident of Little +Falls. + +WARREN KOBE located at Royalton in 1880 and built an elevator, store +and first class hotel. Mr. Kobe is a public spirited citizen and has +expended much in improving the town. + +OLA K. BLACK, of Norwegian birth, was one of the first settlers. + +IRA W. BOUCH came from Buchanan county, Iowa, in 1880, and opened the +first store in Royalton. + +ROBERT RUSSELL, living on a farm near the village, came from Scotland +to America in 1850 and settled here in 1853. Mr. Russell died in July, +1862; Mrs. Russell died in 1876. Three sons and five daughters survive +them. + +PETER A. GREEN, a farmer, pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres in +1854, a part of which is surveyed into town lots. He built the second +building on the town site. Mr. Green was born in 1817, in Green +county, New York, where he married. He died January, 1884. His widow +and two sons survive him. + +RODOLPHUS D. KINNEY was the first settler on the town site of +Royalton, in 1854, erected the first house and was the first +postmaster, in 1856. Mr. Kinney gave the name of Royalton to the post +office, the name being that of his birthplace, in the state of +Vermont. He was born in 1828; had good educational advantages in youth +and attended Fairmount Theological Seminary in Cincinnati; was an +associate of the early Presbyterian missions and was the first school +teacher in Morrison county, in 1851 and 1852, at Belle Prairie. He was +married in St. Paul in 1852. His eldest son, Jonathan, was born in +1853. One daughter lives in Alabama and his youngest son is a +physician at Royalton. + +JOHN D. LOGAN came to Minnesota from Philadelphia in 1855 and located +in Hastings; served during the war in Company G. First Minnesota +Regular Volunteers. In 1879 he came to Royalton and devoted himself to +the development of the water power and the building up of the village. +He has a wife and three children. + + +CROW WING COUNTY. + +The county of Crow Wing was organized in 1857. Prior to this period it +was included in Benton and other counties. It now includes eleven +whole and eight fractional townships in townships 43 to 47, ranges 28 +to 31, inclusive. The Mississippi river bounds it on the west and +northwest, Aitkin county on the east and Morrison on the south. Its +soil ranges from a light sandy to a dark loam, with clay subsoil, and +the timber includes the pines and the hardwoods common to the +latitude. There are also fine meadows and burr oak openings. It is +watered by the tributaries of the Mississippi and its surface is +dotted with lakes. It is well adapted to stock raising and +agriculture. + +C. H. Beaulieu appears to have been the first white man to locate +within its boundaries. He established a trading post as early as 1837, +near the mouth of Crow Wing river. His successors in trade were Allen +Morrison and Donald McDonald. Philip Beaupre was here in 1844. When +Fort Ripley was built S. B. Olmstead, with his family, built a house +and improved a farm opposite the fort on the east bank of the +Mississippi. Mr. Olmstead came from Prairie du Chien in 1849. While +residing here he served as a member of the second, fifth and sixth +territorial legislatures, and in 1854 was elected president of the +council. After living here several years, he removed to Texas, and +died there some years ago. Mr. Olmstead kept a hotel and managed to +secure most of the hay, beef and wood contracts for the fort. Henry M. +Rice had a trading post at one time at Crow Wing village, about eight +miles above the fort. John H. Fairbanks ran a ferry at the village. +Other settlers were Wallace Bean, Henry Whipple, F. M. Campbell, W. B. +Wakefield, Ed. Lyndes, Albert Fuller, Thomas Cathcart, Daniel S. +Mooers, S. C. Abbe, and members of the Beaulieu family. James A. +Parish was the first justice of the peace. John McGillis, who lived at +Crow Wing in 1853, was the second and served about fifteen years. In +1856 the first farm was opened on government land, not far from Crow +Wing village, by Wallace Bean. The second farm was taken by David +McArthur, a Canadian, originally from Scotland. George Van Valkenburg +opened a blacksmith shop at Crow Wing in 1856, lived there two years +and was then employed as government blacksmith by the Indian +department, and served as such for twelve years. Crow Wing county was +organized in 1857, with the following board of officers: County +auditor, C. H. Beaulieu; register of deeds, F. M. Campbell; county +treasurer, Robert Fairbanks; county commissioners, J. H. Fairbanks, +Allen Morrison, S. B. Olmstead; judge of probate court, Dennis Shaff. +The county organization took effect Jan. 1, 1858. The county was +attached for judicial purposes, first to Ramsey, and then to Morrison +county. F. W. Peake came to Crow Wing in 1858, and opened a trading +post, and was afterward one of the mercantile firm of Peake & +Wakefield. Rev. E. S. Peake, an Episcopal clergyman, came to Crow Wing +about the same time, built a church and remained as rector till the +breaking out of the war, when he accepted the chaplaincy of a +Wisconsin regiment. After the war he removed to California, and +carried on a mission a few years, but later returned to Minnesota and +is now stationed at Detroit. Rev. Francis Pierz, a Catholic priest, +officiated at Crow Wing and Belle Prairie until 1870, when he returned +to his home in Austria. + +The first district court was held at Crow Wing in 1871, J. M. McKelvey +officiating as judge, Chas. Beaulieu as clerk of court, and Wm. Wood +as sheriff. + +Soon after the county organization was abandoned, to be reresumed in +1870 by legislative enactment. The county officers at the organization +were: Commissioners, Wallace Bean, Henry Whipple and F. W. Peake; +treasurer, E. B. Snyder; auditor, J. W. Campbell; clerk of court, +Chas. H. Beaulieu; sheriff, Wm. Wood. + + +MURDERERS LYNCHED. + +In 1871, Ellen, daughter of David McArthur, living near Crow Wing +village, was murdered by Indians. The murderers were arrested and +placed in jail at Brainerd, from which they were taken by a mob and +hanged. + + +BRAINERD + +Is situated on the east bank of the Mississippi, and is a prosperous +city. The settlement commenced with the opening of the Northern +Pacific railroad. This road has a branch from Brainerd to St. Paul. +The railroad company have made Brainerd headquarters for repairing +shops; have expended large amounts in improvements, and employ in +their business here nearly 1,000 men. The first through train arrived +at Brainerd March 11, 1871. + +In 1870 several claims were made for purposes of speculation, and +afterward sold to Mrs. Hester Gilman, of St. Cloud, and other parties, +but the greater part of the city site was purchased of the government +in 1870, by Hester Gilman and Thomas H. Campbell. The Lake Superior & +Puget Sound Company, organized under the laws of Maine, and duly +authorized by the laws of Minnesota, purchased Gilman's and Campbell's +claims and made the original survey and plat of the town on Sept 25, +1871. The name, Brainerd, was given to the new town in honor of Mrs. +Brainerd Swift, wife of the first president of the Northern Pacific +road. In 1883 a new survey was made by Heinze Brothers. The site was a +handsome plain, originally covered with prince pine trees, many of +which were left standing as ornamental trees. + +Among the first settlers we find the names of Charles Darby, E. H. +Bly, L. P. White, W. P. Spalding, W. W. Hartley, Stuart Seely, F. W. +Peake, S. W. Taylor, E. B. Lynde, John Bishop, T. C. Barnes, and John +Martin. The first permanent dwelling, a log house, was built by +Charles Darby, the next was built by Stuart Seely, and the third by L. +P. White. E. H. Bly built the first store. The Headquarters Hotel, +subsequently destroyed by fire, was built in 1871. Many of the +buildings of ancient Crow Wing were moved to Brainerd. The Leland +House was built in 1871-2; the Merchants in 1879. The post office was +established in 1871, with S. W. Thayer as postmaster. The county seat +was removed to this place in 1871, and a court house and jail built by +L. P. White, at an expense of $971.60. The first marriage, that of +Joseph Gronden and Miss Darby, occurred in 1870. A city charter was +obtained Jan. 11, 1873. The following were the first officers: Mayor, +Eber H. Bly; aldermen, L. P. White, M. Tuttle, W. S. Heathcote, Wm. +Murphy, T. X. Goulett; president of the council, L. P. White. + +Brainerd has a court house, built at a cost of $45,000, and school +buildings worth $45,000. The Northern Pacific depot and shops were +built at a cost of $500,000, and the Northern Pacific sanitarium at a +cost of $35,000. The sanitarium is a hospital for the sick or disabled +employes of the entire line of road, and is supported by monthly +installments from the employes. Dr. Beger is superintendent. Brainerd +has one steam saw mill with a capacity of 12,000,000 feet per annum, +another with a capacity of 3,000,000 feet, and many fine business +blocks and tasteful residences. It has also electric lights, water +works, and street cars, and is making rapid progress as a city. + +In 1886 a charter was obtained by Charles F. Kindred & Co. to build a +dam across the Mississippi. The dam has been completed at a cost of +$125,000. It has a head of 20 feet, with sufficient flow to secure +25,000 horse power, and a boomage overflowing 3,000 acres, forming a +reservoir 12 miles in length, with side lakes, the whole capable of +holding 1,000,000,000 feet of logs. The whole city machinery, +including electric lights, water works, street cars, and Northern +Pacific railroad shops, will be attached to this water power. Crow +Wing county contributed $50,000 in bonds to the building of this dam. +Brainerd has an opera house, and is well supplied with churches, the +Catholics, Presbyterians, Baptists, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, +Lutherans, and Methodists having organizations and buildings. + +L. P. WHITE was born in Vermont in 1811. He was self educated. He was +married in Vermont, came to Chicago in 1858, and engaged in +railroading until arriving at Brainerd, in 1870, where he built the +first frame house. His wife was the first white woman resident of the +city. Since locating at Brainerd, Mr. White has been the acting agent +of the Lake Superior & Puget Sound Company, which has laid out all the +town sites from Northern Pacific Junction to Moorhead with the +exception of Detroit. + +ALLEN MORRISON was one of a family of twelve, seven boys and five +girls. His father was born in Scotland, but emigrated to Canada, where +he died in 1812. Two of the boys were in the English Navy, and killed +at the battle of Trafalgar, in Egypt. William Morrison, a brother of +Allen, and several years his senior, was among the early explorers of +Northern Minnesota, having visited the Territory as early as 1800, and +was one of the party who discovered Lake Itasca, the source of the +Mississippi river. Allen's first visit to this region was in 1820, +when he came to Fond du Lac, as a trader in what was then known as the +"Northern Outfit." For several years he was associated with his +brother William in the Fond du Lac department, during which time he +was stationed at Sandy Lake, Leech Lake, Red Lake, Mille Lacs, and +Crow Wing, and when the Indians were removed to White Earth, went +there also, and remained until his death. In 1826 he was married to +Miss Charlotte Chaboullier, who died at Crow Wing in the fall of 1872. +She was a daughter of a member of the old Northwestern Fur Company, +who was a trader on the Saskatchewan, and died in Canada in 1812. Mr. +Morrison was the father of eleven children. Caroline, now in Brainerd, +was married to Chris. Grandelmyer in April, 1864. Rachel resides with +her sister, Mrs. Grandelmyer. John J. and Allen, at White Earth; Mary, +the eldest, now Mrs. J. R. Sloan, at St. Cloud; and Louisa, now Mrs. +John Bromley, at Northern Pacific Junction. Mr. Morrison died on the +twenty-eighth of November, 1878, and was buried at White Earth, in the +historic valley where he had passed so many eventful years. His name, +however, will not perish, nor his virtues be forgotten. In the first +territorial legislature he represented the district embracing the +voting precincts of Sauk Rapids and Crow Wing, and when the present +county of Morrison was set off, the legislature named it in honor of +this esteemed veteran pioneer. + +CHARLES F. KINDRED, an active, enterprising citizen of Brainerd, is +doing for his adopted city all that one man can do. Mr. Kindred, for +many years after his arrival in Minnesota, was a trusted agent of the +Northern Pacific Railroad Company, and while in their employ acquired +a thorough knowledge of the resources of North Minnesota, which he +uses to the best interest of the section in which he has made his +home. He is at present superintending the building of the Kindred +dam. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +AITKIN COUNTY. + +This county consists of an oblong section, six towns in width, lying +between Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties on the south, and Itasca on +the north. It is a heavily timbered region, upon which the lumberman +has drawn for hundreds of millions of feet of lumber, with but little +apparent diminution in the quantity of the supply. The whole surface +is dotted with lakes and variegated with natural meadows. The southern +portion of the county affords good farming lands. Mille Lacs, in the +southern part of the county, is the largest lake, and settlements have +already been made along its shores. Sandy lake is second in size. It +lies on the great portage route from Winnipeg, by way of St. Louis +river to Lake Superior, and has been a noted point on that route for +two hundred years. The missions of the Jesuits, and later, of the +Presbyterians and Methodists, had been located here and abandoned. The +fur trader and the Indian trader have made their headquarters here. +Sandy lake has become historic. The county contains about one hundred +and three townships, which are drained chiefly by the Mississippi and +its tributaries. The Mississippi is navigable from Aitkin to Pokegama +falls, a distance of over one hundred miles. + +Aitkin county was created May 23, 1857, but was not organized until +July 30, 1872. The first officers chosen were: County commissioners, +Nathaniel Tibbetts, chairman; Wm. Hallstrom, Wm. Wade; treasurer, Geo. +Clapp; register of deeds, Wm. Hallstrom; auditor, W. E. Crowell; +sheriff, James W. Tibbetts. That part of the county including the +village of Aitkin was organized into a town in 1873; N. Tibbetts, +chairman. The Northern Pacific railroad passes through six townships +of this county, namely: townships 27 and 28, range 22 to 27, +inclusive. While the road was in process of building in 1870, +Nathaniel Tibbetts made a claim where the village of Aitkin now +stands, and built the first house, a hotel known as the Ojibway House, +and the next spring built the Aitkin House. He moved his family here +in 1471. He was appointed the first postmaster at the organization of +the county. The county and village of Aitkin were named after Wm. A. +Aitkin, who was a prominent trader on the Upper Mississippi for a +number of years. + + +AITKIN VILLAGE. + +Aitkin was made the county seat at the organization of the county. It +is pleasantly situated on the west branch of Ripple creek, near the +east branch of the Mississippi. It is now a prosperous and thriving +village with heavy mercantile establishments, two first class hotels, +a good school house, and pleasant homes. One newspaper, the Aitkin +_Age_, is published here. Warren Potter, Richard Mills, William Wade +and George Jenkins are early citizens. In 1873 Capt. Houghton built a +steamer, called the Pokegama, to run from Aitkin to Pokegama Falls. +This steamer was burned in 1878. Capt. Houghton replaced it with a new +boat called the City of Aitkin, which still plies the Mississippi +river between the points named. + +Pokegama Falls is a headquarters for lumbermen and a place for general +trade. + +WM. A. AITKEN.--The date and place of Mr. Aitkin's nativity are not +positively known. He came to the Chippewa country when a boy of +fifteen, as servant to a trader named John Drew, and in time became a +successful and well known trader. He died at Sandy Lake in 1851. His +life, in common with that of the early traders, was adventurous. He +witnessed many stirring scenes, among them the battle of Stillwater +Ravine, in 1839. Although raised among the Indians, and continually on +the frontier, he was noted for his urbanity and geniality, and is well +spoken of by the early explorers. + +ALFRED AITKIN, son of the foregoing, was killed by a Chippewa Indian +at Cass lake in 1836. He had stolen the wife of the Indian, and +refusing to return her to the enraged husband, was shot by him. The +murderer was arrested, taken to Prairie du Chien for trial, tried +before Judge Drum's court and acquitted. + +NATHANIEL TIBBETTS was born in New Sharon, Maine, March 21, 1824. +While a mere boy he moved to Piscataquis county, and in 1845 came to +Plover, Wisconsin, and two years later to Stillwater, Minnesota. He +engaged in lumbering until 1850, when he moved to St. Anthony, and +soon afterward made a claim at the mouth of Elk river, then in Benton +county, where he remained until the Civil War, when he enlisted in +Company A, Eighth Minnesota, of which company he was commissioned +first lieutenant, and was afterward appointed regimental +quartermaster. He was mustered out with his regiment at the close of +the war, when he returned to his home at Elk River, and resumed his +old business of lumbering. In 1870 he was engaged in the preliminary +survey of the Northern Pacific railroad, and located the same year at +Aitkin, of which village he was the pioneer, building the first house +and barn, keeping the first hotel and serving as the first postmaster. +He served four years as county commissioner. He has also served as +register of deeds and sheriff. Ten years after his location at Aitkin +he removed to Morrison county, where he now resides. His health is +somewhat impaired from the exposure and fatigue of army life. + + +CARLTON COUNTY. + +Carlton county lies between St. Louis county on the north, Pine on the +south, Douglas county, Wisconsin, on the east and Aitkin on the west, +and contains twenty-four townships. It is abundantly watered by the +St. Louis river and its many tributaries on the northeast, by the +tributaries of the Nemadji and Kettle rivers on the south. It is well +timbered with pine and hardwoods. The St. Louis river affords one of +the finest water powers in the Northwest. The rapids of this stream +extend from the falls at Cloquet to Fond du Lac, a distance of twelve +miles. The channel is rocky, the rocks being of a trappean or slaty +formation, not easily worn by the water, and capable of furnishing +good foundations for dams and mills. The first settlers were A. K. +Lovejoy, Cephas Bradley, Joseph Meyers, Sexton Lyons, and some others. +Mr. Lovejoy died at Thomson, Feb. 11, 1888, aged sixty-three years, +leaving a wife. They had been the parents of twenty-four children, +twelve pairs of twins. The county was named in honor of R. B. Carlton, +who was a representative in the first state legislature. Mr. Carlton +died at Fond du Lac, Sept. 10, 1863. + +The county was organized in 1858, and the county seat located at Twin +Lakes, but changed by act of legislature to Thomson. It is subdivided +into five towns, Knife Falls, Mahtowa, Moose Lake, Thomson, and Twin +Lakes. It has a well defined slate stone range running from northeast +to southwest. The same range crops out at Little Falls, Morrison +county. + + +THOMSON. + +The village of Thomson, the county seat of Carlton county, is located +on the St. Louis river. The Northern Pacific railroad crosses at this +point. A. M. Miller erected a steam saw mill here in 1873. The mill +has a capacity of 100,000 feet per day, and has been a profitable +enterprise. A. K. Lovejoy operates a saw mill six miles northwest, +which has a capacity of 35,000 feet. The village of Thomson has a good +graded school with two departments. + + +CLOQUET, + +Located on the St. Louis river, was surveyed and platted in 1871. In +1878 Charles D. Harwood erected a steam saw mill at this point with a +capacity of 50,000 feet. This was the beginning of a thriving +manufacturing village. In 1883 the Knife Falls Lumber Company rebuilt +the Harwood mill, increasing its capacity to 180,000 feet per day. In +1884 the property was transferred to Renwick, Crossett & Co. James +Paine, McNair and others built a water power saw mill in 1880, with a +capacity of 100,000 feet per day. The C. N. Nelson Company, in 1880, +built two steam saw mills with a capacity of 350,000 feet per day. A +post office was established in 1879; C. D. Harwood, postmaster. The +village was platted and incorporated in 1882; William P. Allen was the +first president of the council. It has two newspapers, the _Pine Knot +Journal_, established by Ed. Gottry and J. H. Page in 1884, and the +_Industrial Vidette_, established in 1887. It contains three church +organizations with good buildings, the Catholic, Methodist and +Presbyterian. + + +MOOSE LAKE STATION, + +On the St. Paul & Duluth railroad, is surrounded by a good farming +country, and is a pretty, prosperous village. It has a post office, +about sixty dwellings and a saw mill. + + +BARNUM STATION, + +On the line of the same road, contains a post office, a saw mill with +a capacity of about 50,000 feet daily, a few fine residences, with +fine farms adjoining. + + +MAHTOWA STATION, + +On the same road, has a saw mill and about twenty dwellings. An +extensive stock farm is located here. + + +NORTH PACIFIC JUNCTION + +Is situated on the St. Louis river, at the junction of the St. Paul & +Duluth and Northern Pacific railroads. There are about one hundred +buildings here including a large saw mill built by Paine & Co., having +a capacity of 10,000,000 feet per annum; one school house, one church, +and hotels, stores, shops and dwellings. The village was organized in +1881; Cephas Bradley, president. + +FRANCIS ASBURY WATKINS is a native of the state of New Hampshire. He +was born in 1853; came to Baraboo, Wisconsin, in 1866, to North +Pacific Junction in 1881; was married to Anna Wicks, of Pine City, +Minnesota, in 1882, and was admitted to practice law in 1883. He is a +graduate of Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin. He has served as +auditor of Carlton county four years. + + +ST. LOUIS COUNTY. + +St. Louis county takes its name from St. Louis river, the river itself +having been named by some of the early French travelers or Jesuit +missionaries, possibly by Duluth or Buade. + +The county is bounded on the north by Rainy lake and the British +boundary, on the east by Lake county, on the south by Lake Superior, +St. Louis river and Carlton, and on the west by Aitkin county. The +surface is variegated, much of it being broken with deep ravines. It +is well watered by streams tributary to Rainy lake and Superior, and +by innumerable small lakes. Portions of it are heavily timbered with +pines and hardwoods, and the northern portion is traversed by a rich +mineral belt extending through the Vermillion Lake region. The +settlements are chiefly along the shores of Lake Superior and St. +Louis river, and on the shores of Vermillion lake. The falls and +rapids of St. Louis river are noted for their wildness and grandeur. + +The scenery on its northern boundary, including the Dalles of the +Rainy Lake waters, is not surpassed or even equaled at any point east +of the Rocky mountains. The geological formation consists largely of +primitive or igneous rocks, trappean, basaltic and granite, and the +scenery has a peculiarly grand and sombre appearance. Notwithstanding +the igneous character of the formation there is much excellent farming +land on plains and intervales, while the more abrupt and rocky +portions are rich in iron and the precious metals. The region about +Vermillion lake has become a centre of mining operations. The region +is rich in iron ores. Gold has also been discovered. A mineral region +abounding in gold, silver and iron extends from Vermillion lake to +Thunder Bay. St. Louis county was organized in 1856. The territorial +governor appointed the following officers: Clerk of district court, J. +B. Culver; sheriff, J. B. Ellis; register of deeds, R. H. Barrett; +auditor, J. E. Brown. + +The first board of county commissioners elected were C. E. Martin, +Vose Palmer and Z. J. Brown. The first meeting was held at Portland, +Jan. 4, 1858. At an adjourned meeting held Jan. 20, 1858, the +commissioners drew a grand and petit jury. The meetings were held +sometimes at Portland and sometimes at Duluth. At a meeting held April +5, 1858, the county was divided into four towns--Duluth, Martin, Carp +River and Carlton. At an adjourned meeting three assessor's districts, +six school districts and four road districts were formed. The records +do not show any previous division into districts or precincts, nor +does the name of any clerk appear until the meeting of September 14th, +when A. B. Robbins attests as clerk. At a meeting held Sept. 23, 1858, +the village of Oneota was established. November 1st E. H. Brown was +appointed clerk in place of A. B. Robbins. November 14th a bill +allowing R. H. Barrett compensation for services as clerk prior to +September 1st was passed. His name does not appear prior to this +entry. + +The records show that a court was held in 1859, S. J. R. McMillan +officiating as judge. Also that a road was made from Oneota to +Buchanan and the mouth of Knife river, through Fremont, Portland and +Endion, following a trail to Lester's river and across French river to +Montezuma, and another from Oneota to Fond du Lac. The town of Milford +is mentioned as accepting the report. The assessment for St. Louis +county for 1859 amounted to $96,836.76. At a special meeting of the +county commissioners held Jan. 10, 1866, a resolution was adopted +asking the legislature to grant authority to St. Louis county to issue +$150,000 to aid in building the Lake Superior & Mississippi railroad. +The legislature granted the request and twenty year bonds were issued. + +We append a list of county commissioners to the year 1863: E. C. +Martin, Vose Palmer, Zach T. Brown, 1858; E. C. Martin, Vose Palmer, +W. E. Wright, 1859; W. E. Wright, S. A. Forbes, Sidney Luce, 1860; E. +F. Ely, Joseph B. Culver (first meeting), 1861; E. F. Ely, Harvey +Fargo, Levi B. Coffrey (second meeting), 1861; E. F. Ely, R. B. +Carlton, H. Fargo, 1862; H. Fargo, R. B. Carlton, E. G. Swanstrom, +1863. + +Names of villages that appear in the old records of the board have +entirely disappeared. Those villages nearest to Duluth have been +absorbed by that vigorous young city. We find a record, bearing date +1859, authorizing an election to decide upon the question of the +removal of the county seat from Duluth to Port Byron. There is no +record of the result of the election, nor is Port Byron found in a +recent map. + + +DULUTH. + +The site of Duluth was visited as long ago as 1659, by two adventurous +Frenchmen, Grosselier and Redission. This was twenty-one years prior +to the coming of Greyson Duluth, in whose honor the city of Duluth was +named two hundred years later. Capt. Duluth visited the western end of +the lake in 1680. Three or four years later Jean Duluth, a brother of +the captain, established two trading posts, one at the mouth of Pigeon +river, the other on Minnesota Point. Le Sueur followed in 1683, +accompanied by a French surveyor, Franquelin, who made a fairly +correct map of the region. The attraction to the early voyageurs was +the rich furs to be obtained in the wild regions adjacent. The great +American Fur Company early established posts along the northern shore +of Lake Superior, and later the Astor Fur Company made its +northwestern headquarters at Fond du Lac, a few miles above the +present site of Duluth. Nothing was done toward permanent settlement +until about the year 1854, when the tide of immigration set in toward +the head of the lake, and it became evident that here was to rise +cities of no mean importance, one upon the western shore of the lake, +rising from the base of Minnesota Point, and the other Superior City, +across the gleaming waters of St. Louis bay. + +For several years the growth of Duluth was slow, and sometimes its +fortunes seemed on the wane, but the construction of a railroad to St. +Paul, completed in 1870, and a sudden influx of capital consequent +upon this new outlet of trade, and more than all this, the proposed +construction of the great Northern Pacific railroad, gave a new +impetus to the growth of the city. The three years succeeding were +years of great activity and progress. The population increased from +3,000 to 5,000, and many of the finer older buildings of the city were +constructed. The canal was cut through Minnesota Point, thus giving to +Duluth the most magnificent harbor on the lake, if not in the world. + +In 1873 the failure of Jay Cooke, who had largely contributed the +means for the construction of the Northern Pacific railroad, caused a +financial depression similar in its effects to that of 1857. Banks +failed, merchants became bankrupt, and the population of the city was +reduced to 1,300 souls. The "hard times" lasted until some time in +1878, when the opening up of the great wheat fields in the Red River +valley, and the completion of the Northern Pacific railroad, again +brought prosperity to the more than half deserted city. The population +increased in 1878 from 1,300 to 2,200 souls. Two years later the +census showed 3,470; and a year later, 7,800. In 1882 the population +had increased to 12,000; in 1883 to 14,000; in 1884 to 16,690; in 1885 +to 18,036, and in 1886 to 26,000 souls. + +Duluth has now a well organized board of trade, produce exchange and +chamber of commerce. It has four banks, the American Exchange, Duluth +National, Merchants National, and Bell & Eyster's. These banks had, in +1886, an aggregate capital of $300,000, with deposits of $2,034,281, +amounts greatly increased during the year 1887. The taxable valuation +of property in Duluth for the year 1886 was $11,773,720. The taxes +paid in 1887 amount to $261,376. + +Duluth has one immense flour mill, with a capacity of 250 barrels per +day. It is five stories in height, and favorably situated; having the +lake upon one side and the railroads upon the other, so that loading +and unloading can be carried on at once from vessels and cars. + +Duluth has also two large flour warehouses with a capacity of 200,000 +barrels each. Large warehouses are also being built by the Northern +Pacific and Omaha Railroad companies. The annual shipment of flour +from Duluth has ranged from 164,000 barrels in 1871 to 1,500,000 in +1886, making an aggregate of 8,285,000 barrels in that time. + +The lumber industry of Duluth is no small factor in the prosperity of +the city. The cut of the Duluth district for the past season amounts +to 160,000,000 feet of lumber, 43,000,000 shingles, and 22,600,000 +lath, of which the city mills have manufactured one-third. Much of +this lumber has been shipped to Chicago and the East, and a new +district, the Tower mining region, has lately been opened for +shipment. + +We have alluded to the harbor of Duluth as one of the best on the +lake. It consists of what is known as the Bay of Superior, a body of +water about seven miles long by one mile in width, almost entirely +shut off from the lake by a narrow strip of land known as Minnesota +Point. The original entrance to this bay was through a channel on the +southeast of the Point, separating it from Wisconsin Point, a similar +tongue of land in the same line of direction. As this entrance was +inconvenient and difficult, a canal was cut across the point near the +mainland, sufficiently large to admit all vessels that pass through +Ste. Marie's canal. Since the construction of the canal through +Minnesota Point, the old landing in front of the city has been +abandoned, and elevators have been built on the shores of the bay. +These elevators are the best of their class, and have a total capacity +of 20,000,000 bushels. They were ten in number, exclusive of several +warehouses; two, however, have been destroyed by fire. The walls of +the canal have been extended in the form of piers 1,000 feet into the +lake. One of these piers is supplied with a lighthouse and a fog horn. +The canal is 700 feet long and 250 feet in width. The arrivals and +clearances for the port of Duluth in 1886 were 2,180. + +The fish trade is no inconsiderable part of the industries of Duluth. +Two large firms have their headquarters here and the amount of capital +invested in the business amounts to $165,000. During 1886 1,200,000 +pounds of fish were shipped to Duluth for reshipment to other places, +from the various fisheries of these companies. The United States fish +commissioners, realizing the value of Lake Superior as a reservoir +for food fish, have projected the largest fish hatchery on the lakes, +to be located at Lester's Park. It is to be under government and state +control and will supply the lakes of Superior and Michigan with about +500,000,000 eggs yearly. + +Duluth was organized and laid out as a village under the town site law +of 1844; Richard Ralf, surveyor; Geo. E. Nettleton, J. B. Culver, O. +W. Rice, Wm. Nettleton, and Robt. E. Jefferson, proprietors. The date +of this organization is not known. We have a statement from Hon. W. G. +Le Duc, of Hastings, to the effect, that in the winter of 1852-53, A. +Ramsey, H. M. Rice, Maj. Watrous and himself, with two others whose +names he can not recall, organized as a company and projected a town +site at the west end of the lake, on the present site of Duluth. Maj. +Watrous, the Indian agent, was instructed to take necessary measures +to secure the land. Watrous failed to secure the property and the +scheme failed. Mr. Le Duc projected and introduced a charter in the +territorial legislature, which was passed, for a railroad to Duluth. + +In 1870 the city of Duluth was first incorporated, and five years +later a portion of the same territory was incorporated as the village +of Duluth, and the two municipal corporations were still in existence +Feb. 25, 1887, when the act imposing certain political obligations +upon the then existing city of Duluth became a law. The second day of +March another law went into effect incorporating both the city and +village of Duluth as the present city. + + +FOND DU LAC, + +Located at the head of navigation on St. Louis river, and at the foot +of the rapids, is a point of considerable historical interest, it +having long been in use as a trading post. It has been a place of +outfit and departure for trading expeditions for two hundred years. +The old stone trading house of the Astor Fur Company still remains. It +is surrounded by about twenty buildings of more recent date. It is now +better known as a station on the Northern Pacific railroad. It was +surveyed in 1856 by Richard Ralf and platted into village lots. The +plats were signed by James A. Markland, attorney for the proprietors. +Fond du Lac is now a village of some magnitude. + + +ONEOTA + +Was settled some time in the '40s, by Edmund F. Ely and others, and +became a village of some note, containing a post office, church and +other evidences of prosperity. It was platted as a village in 1856; H. +W. Wheeler, surveyor; Marcus W. McCracken, Bion W. Bacon, Edmund F. +Ely, proprietors. The first recorded deed in St. Louis county is a +quitclaim deed from B. H. Baer to E. F. Ely, of the town site of Ely; +consideration, $1,500. The deed bears date of April 20, 1856. Oneota +is now included in the plat of Duluth. + + +CLIFTON. + +This village was platted in 1858, by John S. Watrous, on the shores of +the lake north of Duluth. It is now within the Duluth city limits. + + +PORTLAND, + +A village on the lake shore above Duluth, was platted in 1856. The +proprietors were Aaron B. Robbins, James D. Ray, C. Marshall and J. J. +Post. It is now within the Duluth city limits. + + +ENDION, + +Located on the north shore, was surveyed Dec. 15, 1856, by Chas. +Martin; M. 7P. Niel and others, proprietors. It is now within the +Duluth city limits. + + +MIDDLETON, + +Located on Minnesota Point, was surveyed Aug. 1, 1856; proprietors, +Robert Reed, T. A. Markland. + + +MONTEZUMA, + +Located on the north shore, was surveyed in May, 1856, by Vose Palmer; +proprietor, Frederic Ottoman. + + +BUCHANAN, + +Located on the north shore, was surveyed in October, 1856; proprietor, +W. G. Cowell. + + +ST. LOUIS FALLS + +Was surveyed in 1857, by C. E. Clark; Thos. H. Hogan, attorney for +proprietors. + + +FREMONT ISLAND. + +A peculiar feature of St. Louis bay has been the formation of floating +islands, possibly the result of the collection of driftwood and other +debris at the mouth of St. Louis river. The rafts thus formed in time +became consolidated by the deposition of earthy materials, leaves, +twigs and vegetable matter, and are covered with a rank growth of +vegetation, at first shrubby, but at last arboreous. The roots of the +shrubs and trees interlace, and hold the material of the raft more +tightly together. These island rafts are sometimes loosened and float +into the bay, and are driven about by the winds from one side of the +bay to the other. + +One of these islands, supposed to be stationary, known as Fremont +island, was surveyed and platted in 1856, by C. P. Heustis and Chas. +A. Post. On the completion of the canal it broke loose from its +moorings, floated away and disappeared, in all probability going to +pieces in the rough waters of the lake. + + +TOWER, + +Located on the southern shore of Vermillion lake, was surveyed Aug. 4, +1884. The proprietors are the Minnesota Iron Company, of which +Charlemagne Tower is president. The iron mines located in this +vicinity are amongst the richest on the continent. Attention was first +called to the Vermillion by the reported discovery of gold. Machinery +for crushing and smelting was transported thither, but the thousands +who rushed to the reputed gold field expecting to become suddenly +rich, returned disappointed and disheartened. Attention had long +before been called to the fact that there were rich iron mines in the +district, but the circumstances were unfavorable for their +development. They were in a remote position and accessible only by a +journey of several days through woods and swamps. These mines could be +reached and developed only by state aid, which was given in the shape +of a grant of swamp lands, to be applied to building a railway from +the lake to the mines. This grant having been obtained, Mr. Tower and +other capitalists at once invested their millions in the mines, +purchasing some 8,000 acres of land, covering the larger portion of +the iron deposits in the district, embracing the present site of the +village of Tower. A railroad sixty-eight miles in length was +constructed from Tower to Two Harbors, a point twenty-seven miles +north of Duluth. This road was completed in the spring of 1884, and +the first shipment was made July 3d of that year, the total shipments +for the year being 62,124 tons. The shipments for 1885 were 225,484 +tons, and for 1886, 304,000 tons. Over $3,000,000 was paid to laborers +in the Tower mines in 1887. + +COL. GEORGE E. STONE, of Duluth, is deserving of praise for his +foresight and energy in opening the Tower mines. Mr. Stone labored +with untiring zeal after the land grant to aid in building the road +was given until the road was built and the mines opened. + +GEORGE R. STUNTZ is well known as the government surveyor of the Lake +Superior region, whose work covers thousands of miles of North +Wisconsin lands, lying along the southern shore of the lake, and who +has accurately mapped the meanderings of the influent streams, the +bays and shaggy projecting shores of the great "Unsalted Sea." There +is no better topographical authority than Mr. Stuntz, and no one +better posted as to the location and value of the Northern Wisconsin +areas and the Vermillion mines. + +Having early made Superior City and Duluth his home, and for nearly +forty years having been identified with the interests of the West +Superior country, he is an oft-quoted authority. Many of his published +articles contain most valuable information concerning the feasibility +of connecting St. Croix and Superior waters. His assertions concerning +the mineral wealth of the lake country, made before the development of +the mines, have since been verified. Mr. Stuntz is a typical, sensible +frontiersman, of American birth, aged about seventy years. + +CHARLES HINMAN GRAVES, a native of Springfield, Massachusetts, born in +1839, received a liberal education, and in 1861 enlisted as a private +in the Fortieth Massachusetts Volunteers, but was promoted step by +step to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was severely wounded at the +battle of Gettysburg. In 1865 he was commissioned as a colonel in the +regular army, but resigned in 1870, and located at Duluth. From 1873 +to 1876 he was a member of the state senate. He has held several +public positions in Duluth, and stands deservedly high as a citizen. +He has labored zealously and efficiently for the prosperity of Duluth. + +OZRO P. STEARNS was born Jan. 13, 1831, at De Kalb, Lawrence county, +New York. In his youth he was dependent upon his own resources. He +graduated at Michigan University in 1858, after which he visited +California, tried mining for a short time, and returning graduated in +the law department of Michigan University. In 1860 he came to +Rochester, Minnesota, and opened a law office. In 1862 he enlisted in +Company F, Ninth Minnesota Volunteers, of which he was commissioned +first lieutenant, but in 1864 was promoted to the colonelcy of the +Thirty-ninth United States Infantry (colored). He served through many +battles and campaigns, and was mustered out at the close of the war. +In January, 1866, he returned to Rochester; in 1867 was appointed +register in bankruptcy for Southern Minnesota; in January, 1871, he +was elected to the United States senate for a short term to fill the +vacancy caused by the death of D. S. Norton. In 1872 he removed to +Duluth, and in 1874 was appointed judge of the Eleventh Judicial +district, to which office he was elected in the fall of the same year, +which position, by re-election, he still holds. Judge Stearns was +married in February, 1863, to Sarah Burger, of Detroit, Michigan. + + +LAKE COUNTY. + +This county lies on the north shore of Lake Superior, between the +counties of Cook and St. Louis, extending northward to the British +line. The whole region is abrupt, broken into hills and valleys, and +rich in silver, iron and other metals. + +The great Vermillion iron mines of St. Louis county find an outlet +through this county by the Duluth & Iron Range railroad, which finds a +lake station at Two Harbors. The road was built from Two Harbors to +Vermillion lake in 1885, from Two Harbors to Duluth in 1887. The +entire road and extensive mines were sold in June, 1887, for +$8,000,000, to Porter and others, who are now extending the road from +Vermillion lake eastward to Thunder Bay and Port Arthur. It is already +completed to Ely, a distance of twenty miles. + +Emigration during the years 1886-7 to this county has been very +extensive. The two counties, Lake and Cook, have many features in +common. They are similar in geological formation, produce the same +metals in the same generous abundance, and being in the same latitude, +and bordering upon the same lake, differ in no wise in climate and but +little in productions. Large quantities of pine timber may be found in +these counties, and saw mills are located along the lake shore where +an accessible harbor can be found. There are several harbors between +Duluth and Thunder Bay that might be improved by the government, +greatly to the advantage of the country. + +The silver mines of Isle Royal and along the national boundary are +extensive, and yield rich returns to the companies working them. + + +TWO HARBORS, + +A flourishing village located on the shore of Lake Superior, takes its +name from two small harbors bearing that name. The Vermillion Iron +Company have built extensive piers into the lake to facilitate the +shipping of ores. They have large shops for railroad purposes, with an +electric light plant. The company employ about two hundred men. Two +Harbors is the county seat of Lake county. + + +COOK COUNTY. + +Grand Marais is the county seat of Cook county. It is a round, +land-locked harbor. It has a lighthouse, and the government has built +a breakwater four hundred feet long, thus making it a harbor of +refuge, so that boats can lie with safety in any storm. Grand Marais +is one hundred and ten miles from Duluth, on the north shore of Lake +Superior. It is the best harbor that Minnesota has except Duluth. It +is thirty miles south of the international boundary line, and +forty-five miles northeast of the line by Lake Superior. It is the +natural outlet for the mineral deposits north. There are large +quantities of iron ore within thirty-five miles of the harbor. A +railroad line has been run, and men are now at work on the iron +deposits with a view of shipping the ore from Grand Marais to points +where it is wanted for smelting purposes. + +Grand Marais was in early days one of the Northwest Fur Company's +trading posts, but of late years has been used as a fishing station. +Streets in the town are now being laid out, and from present +indications Cook county, with its pine lands, iron ore and other +mineral resources, will be one of the most thriving counties in the +State, with Grand Marais as not only a harbor of refuge, but one of +the competing ports for the shipment of iron ore. + +H. Mayhew, to whom we are indebted for items of interest concerning +Cook county, is the oldest resident of Grand Marais, and one of the +town proprietors. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + +HENNEPIN COUNTY. + +Hennepin county was organized March 6, 1852. Prior to the organization +of Minnesota Territory it was in Clayton county, Iowa. At the +organization of the Territory, in 1849, it was included in Dakota +county, and so remained until set off in 1852. Hon. Bradley B. Meeker +held the first court within the present limits of the county, at the +old government mill, in 1849. Taylor Dudley was clerk of court, +Franklin Steele, foreman of grand jury. The first board of +commissioners were Alex. Moore, chairman, John Jackins and Joseph +Dean. The first election was held Oct. 21, 1852, at the house of Col. +John H. Stevens, on the west side. The county is a rich agricultural +region, abounding with beautiful lakes, of which Minnetonka is the +largest and finest. The county is bounded on the north by the +Mississippi river and Wright county, on the east by the Mississippi +river and Ramsey county, on the south by the Minnesota river and +Carver county, on the west by Wright and Carver counties. It is +subdivided into the following towns: Bloomington, Brooklyn, Champlin, +Crystal Lake, Corcoran, Dayton, Eden Prairie, Excelsior, Greenwood, +Hasson, Independence, Maple Grove, Medina, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, +Minnetrista, Osseo, Plymouth, Richfield, and St. Anthony. + +[Illustration: FORT SNELLING, ON LINE OF C., M. & ST. P. RY.] + + +FORT SNELLING. + +Fort Snelling owes its origin to the encroachments of British traders +on our northern frontier. As early as 1805 Lieut. Zebulen Montgomery +Pike, United States Army, was sent with a detachment of troops to +explore the Upper Mississippi river to expel British traders who might +be found encroaching upon our territory, and to secure by treaty a +military reservation. Sept. 21, 1805, he encamped on Pike island, at +the junction of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers, and, being +pleased with the situation, forthwith made a treaty with chiefs of the +Sioux nation to include all that tract of land lying from below the +confluence of the two rivers, up the Mississippi, including the falls +of St. Anthony, nine miles in width on each side of the river. The +price paid was $2,000. The reserve thus purchased was not used for +military purposes until 1819, when a detachment of the Fifth United +States Infantry, commanded by Lieut. Col. Henry Leavenworth, was sent +to occupy the reservation and build a fort. The building of the fort, +with its various stone and wooden buildings, was the work of years. +The site of the fort was selected in 1820, by Col. Josiah Snelling, +who named it Fort St. Anthony, but at the suggestion of Gen. Winfield +Scott, in 1824 the name was changed to Fort Snelling as a worthy +compliment to its founder and builder. Notwithstanding the treaty made +by Col. Pike in 1805, the Indian claim to the reservation was not +extinguished until the treaty of 1837, ratified by the senate in 1838. +In 1836, before the extinction of the Indian title, many settlers +located on the reservation on the left bank of the Mississippi. These +were forcibly removed by the United States government in 1840, under +the act of March 3, 1807, an act to prevent settlements being made on +ceded lands until duly authorized by law. The reservation was reduced +from time to time, portions being sold. In 1857 Franklin Steele +purchased the entire reservation, with the exception of two small +tracts, including the fort itself, for the sum of $90,000, to be paid +in three yearly installments. The first payments were actually made, +the troops were withdrawn, and Mr. Steele assumed possession. Default +having been made in the two remaining payments, the government resumed +possession of a small portion of the reservation and fort in 1861. The +year following, by act of Congress, the reservation was reduced. In +1870 it was permanently reduced to 1,531.20 acres. A suit at law +between Mr. Steele and the United States government was compromised by +releasing him from further payments and granting him a large tract of +land lying along the right bank of the Mississippi, north of the fort, +with a portion of Pike's island. + +Maj. Plympton and other officers of the fort, in company with Franklin +Steele, made the first land claim, by permit of the government, at +East St. Anthony, in 1838. They built a shanty and hired a Frenchman +to occupy it. Steele bought out the interests of the officers +associated with him and in 1848 secured a title from the United +States. The first saw mill built on this claim was commenced by Mr. +Steele, in conjunction with Boston parties in 1847, but was not +completed until the following year. + +The next land claim on the river was made further up, by R. P. Russell +and S. J. Findley. This was sold to Bottineau and afterward passed to +other parties. The land claim adjoining Steele's, below, was +purchased of a Frenchman by C. A. Tuttle in 1848. This claim is now +partially occupied by the State University. W. Henry Cheever made a +claim south of Tuttle's, on which, in 1849, he built a hotel and a +huge wooden tower or observatory, nearly one hundred feet in height, +over the entrance to which was a rhyming couplet: + + "Pay your dime + And climb." + +Franklin Steele, before completing his mill and dam, became sole owner +of the water power on the east side of the river. During the periods +following the property has often changed owners, and sometimes the +change has resulted in unprofitable litigation. James J. Hill, in +later years, has become the owner of most of the water power of +Nicollet and Hennepin islands and of the east shore, and is making +valuable improvements. + + +ST. ANTHONY FALLS. + +St. Anthony Falls was platted as a village in 1849, and was included +in Ramsey county until 1856. In 1861 the legislature established +satisfactory boundaries, annexing part of town 29, range 24, to +Hennepin county. + +Among the first settlers of the Falls was Ard Godfrey. The first white +child born here was a son of C. A. Tuttle, millwright. The Luther +Patch family, consisting of four sons and two daughters, was the first +resident American family at the Falls. Mr. Patch's sons were Edward, +Wallace, Gibson, and Lewis; the daughters, Marion, who became the wife +of R. P. Russell, the first marriage at the Falls, Oct. 3, 1848, and +Cora, who became the wife of Joseph Marshall. An earlier marriage was +celebrated at Fort Snelling May 27, 1835, that of Lieut. Edmund A. +Ogden and Eliza Edna Loomis; Rev. Thos. S. Williamson officiating. +This was the first marriage north of Prairie du Chien. The first store +was opened by R. P. Russell in 1847, the second, in 1849, by Joseph +Marshall. We find Jacob Fisher, of Stillwater, here in 1847, building +the dam from Nicollet island to the east shore. Among the operators of +the mill who have been prominent citizens of St. Anthony Falls are +Sumner W. Farnham, John Rollins, Caleb W. Dorr, John McDonald, and +Robert W. Cummings. Some of these men brought their families here. The +building of the mill was somewhat delayed by the sinking in the Erie +canal of the boats containing the machinery, hardware, etc. Standing +pine to be used in the mill was purchased of Hole-in-the-Day, a +Chippewa chief, cut and floated down from Sauk Rapids to the Falls. +Some timber was also brought from Rum river, the first cut on that +stream, except for government use. At the land sale in 1848, Mr. +Steele secured all the land above Tuttle's to the north limits of the +city. Amongst the settlers in 1848 were the Getchells, Smiths, Rogers' +and Huse. In 1849, at the organization of the territory of Minnesota, +a number of others arrived, among them Judge B. B. Meeker, Dr. John H. +Murphy, John W. North, J. P. Wilson, and John G. Lennon. During this +year the west half of sec. 14, range 29, was surveyed and platted into +town lots by W. R. Marshall, B. W. Bronson and S. P. Folsom. Anson +Northrup commenced the erection of the first hotel, the St. Charles. + +John Rollins was elected to the territorial council, W. R. Marshall +and Wm. Dugas to the house of representatives. The district was +comprised of St. Anthony Falls and Little Canada. + +The first school was taught by Miss Electa Bachus, in the summer of +1849. A post office was established and Ard Godfrey was appointed +postmaster. There were occasional mails brought in John Rollins' +passenger wagon. In 1850 Willoughby & Powers ran a daily stage line +from St. Paul and the mail thenceforth was carried regularly. John W. +North built a dwelling on Nicollet island, which became a social +centre, and was made attractive by a piano. In 1850 a public library +was established, the first in Minnesota. Rev. E. D. Neill, the +historian of Minnesota, delivered the first public lecture and +preached the first sermon in 1849. The following year, the Baptists, +Methodists, Congregationalists and Presbyterians organized societies, +and in 1851 the Episcopalians and Universalists. Amongst the +accessions to the population were Judge Isaac Atwater, W. W. Wales, J. +B. Bassett, C. W. Christmas, and Joseph Dean. Col. Alvaren Allen +opened a livery stable. The St. Anthony _Express_, the first +newspaper, was established May 31, 1851; E. Tyler, proprietor, Judge +I. Atwater, editor. Measures were taken to locate the university in +St. Anthony Falls. Citizens contributed $3,000 aid to in the erection +of the building. + +Facilities of communication with the surrounding country were none of +the best, yet communication was early established with the Red River +country, a dog train having arrived from Pembina, distant four hundred +miles, in sixteen days. On this train Kittson, Rolette and Gingras +came down to attend the territorial legislature at St. Paul as +representatives of Pembina county. + +Franklin Steele, in 1847, established a ferry above the Falls. In 1854 +the Minnesota Bridge Company was organized, consisting of Franklin +Steele, H. T. Wells, R. P. Russell, and others. A handsome suspension +bridge was finished in 1855. This bridge remained in the control of +the company fifteen years, when by an act of the legislature the value +was assessed and Hennepin county purchased the bridge, and it became a +free thoroughfare. + +April 13, 1855, St. Anthony Falls was incorporated as a city with the +following officers: Mayor, H. T. Welles; clerk, W. F. Brawley; +aldermen, B. F. Spencer, John Orth, Daniel Stanchfield, Edward +Lippincott, Caleb W. Dorr, and Robert Cummings. + +In 1872 St. Anthony Falls was annexed to Minneapolis, and placed under +the same government, a movement which has resulted in great benefit to +both cities. + + +ST. ANTHONY FALLS. + +The earliest written descriptions of St. Anthony falls were by the +Roman Catholic missionaries, Hennepin and LaSalle. The former with +Accault and Du Gay ascended the river in a canoe until captured by a +band of Sioux Indians. These Indians left the river at a point now the +present site of St. Paul and took their prisoners to Mille Lacs. In +September, when the Indians set out on their annual hunt, the captives +were left to go where they pleased. Accault preferred remaining with +the Indians. Hennepin and Du Gay obtained a small canoe and commenced +the descent of the Rum and Mississippi rivers to the falls, then +called by the Indians Ka-ka-bi-ka Irara or "Severed Rock." They +reached the falls about the first of October, and named them after St. +Anthony of Padua. The description given by La Salle, a second hand +one, was probably derived from Hennepin, Accault or Du Gay, as La +Salle did not visit the falls, and these voyageurs were his +subordinates, and had been sent by him to explore the Upper +Mississippi. + +He says: "In going up the Mississippi again, twenty leagues above the +St. Croix is found the falls, which those I sent named St. Anthony. +They are thirty or forty feet high, and the river is narrower here +than elsewhere. There is a small island in the midst of the chute, and +the two banks of the river are bordered by hills which gradually +diminish at this point, but the country on each side is covered by +thin woods, such as oaks and other hardwoods, scattered wide apart." + +This description corresponds very well with the earliest pictures of +the falls, which with "the small island in the midst of the chute" +make them resemble slightly a Niagara considerably diminished in +height. The historic falls have almost entirely disappeared or so +changed as to become unrecognizable. Spirit island, if this be the +island referred to by La Salle as in the midst of the chute, is now so +far below the falls that it can scarcely be brought into the same +picture with them. The falls have undoubtedly receded, by a process +easily explained by a geologist, some distance up the river, and have +diminished somewhat in altitude. The movement of the falls up stream, +caused by the breaking off of limestone ledges, overlying sandstone, +easily washed from beneath by the falling water, threatened the total +obliteration of the cataract unless arrested by artificial means, as +the dip or inclination of the rock is such that the altitude of the +falls diminishes with the wearing away of these ledges: It has been +found necessary to strengthen the ledges and prevent further erosion +by means of aprons, till the present appearance of the falls is not +unsuggestive of a series of dams. The entire cost of these +improvements has amounted to more than $1,000,000. The shores of the +islands and mainlands have been covered with mills and manufactories, +while the scene is still further disfigured by a maze of railway and +other bridges, waterways and flumes. Scarce a vestige of the original +falls remain to recall their appearance as they were when the sandaled +and robed Franciscan, Hennepin, first gazed upon them. In the midst of +this solitude, and on the banks once covered by a sparse growth of +trees, one of the finest cities in the West has sprung up as if by +magic, and the scene is one of busy life. This marvelous change has +occurred within a space of fifty years. + + +MINNEAPOLIS. + +From the establishment and occupation of Fort Snelling in 1819, to the +settlement of the county in 1840, numerous traders and adventurers, +generally of French or Canadian origin, and not infrequently +intermarried with Indians, and semi-Indian in their habits of life, +occupied transient homes on or near the military reservation; but +these have exercised so little influence upon the development of the +country that they merit no recognition or record from the historian. +As a general thing, they disappeared before the march of civilization. +A few, wiser, stronger, more far-seeing than the rest, adapted +themselves to the new order, made claims, engaged in the enterprises +of civilized life, and thus obtained an honorable position amongst the +pioneers of the country. + +Of these, Joseph R. Brown, by far the most distinguished, by +permission of the military authorities, located in Hennepin county +near the falls of Minnehaha, in 1829. He is the first white settler. +Maj. Taliaferro, then in command of the Fort, in the same year made a +farm on the shores of Lake Calhoun, and placed Philander Prescott in +charge. In 1834 the Pond brothers, missionaries, located on Lake +Calhoun and erected the first dwelling worthy of the name within the +present limits of the county of Hennepin. In 1849 Philander Prescott +made a claim on what is now Minnehaha avenue. Frank Steele obtained +permission from the secretary of war to occupy this claim, whereupon +Mr. Prescott abandoned it, and made another on laud adjoining. This he +was allowed to retain. Charles Mosseaux, by permission of the military +authorities, made a claim on Lake Calhoun in 1856. This claim is now +occupied by the pavillion. Rev. E. G. Gear, chaplain at Fort Snelling, +by permission of the military authorities, made a claim near Lake +Calhoun and employed Edward Brissett to live upon it. Afterward a +contest arose as to the ownership. Chaplain Gear, by the aid of Judge +Black and H. M. Rice, secured a congressional enactment allowing him +to purchase the land from the government. David Gohram made a claim on +the Lake of the Isles, but subsequently sold out to R. P. Russell. +John Berry, the Blaisdells, Pierce Lowell and many others located in +the vicinity of Lakes Calhoun and Harriet, and in 1853 were followed +by settlers on nearly all the lands lying immediately west of the +Mississippi, in the vicinity of the falls. In 1854 there were twelve +farm houses scattered widely from the falls to the vicinity of the +lakes. It had been evident for some time that a city of considerable +pretensions must arise somewhere in the vicinity of the Fort and the +falls. The locality of the coming city was decided largely by +advantages of situation, and these were in favor of the locality +immediately adjoining the falls, the water power there afforded being +a powerful attraction. For the first recognition of these advantages +we must go back to a period several years anterior to the location of +these claims and there find a starting point in the history of +Minneapolis. + +In 1820 the military authorities at Fort Snelling had erected a stone +mill for sawing their own lumber and grinding the grain shipped from +St. Louis. They also built a log house and cultivated a few acres of +adjacent ground. This mill, run by the water of the falls, was located +a short distance below. This was the first utilization of the water +power. The mill, which has long since disappeared, was located on the +present site of Sidle, Fletcher & Holmes' flouring mill. In 1854 one +saw mill, the first in Minneapolis aside from the old government mill, +was located just below the falls. It had a capacity of 1,500,000 feet +per annum and besides manufactured great quantities of shingles. It +was under the direction of C. King. A steam saw mill was built at the +mouth of Bassett's creek, above the falls, in 1856, and another the +following year, half a mile further up the river. Thus began the great +lumber business of Minneapolis, in 1857 there being three mills with +an aggregate capacity of 75,000,000 feet per annum. + +The attitude of the government with regard to the lands reserved about +the Fort, the act of 1839, driving off those who had settled upon them +and destroying their property, and the uncertainty with regard to the +tenure of land claims, acted as an effectual bar to further +improvement until ten years later, when Hon. Robert Smith, member of +Congress from Alton district, Illinois, and Col. John H. Stevens, the +pioneer of Minneapolis, each obtained permits from the secretary of +war and the officers of the Fort to occupy one hundred and sixty acres +of the reservation. Smith's location included the stone mill, which he +agreed to use in grinding Fort Snelling grain. Mr. Smith engaged C. A. +Tuttle to operate the mill and hold the claim. Mr. Tuttle was to have +an interest for his labor. This interest he afterward sold to Smith, +who, when the government relinquished the reservation, transferred his +claim to Anson Northrup and others, who were organized into an +association for the entry of land. Soon as the entries were completed +the land passed into the hands of the Minneapolis Water Power Company, +which proceeded at once to improve the water power. + +Col. J. H. Stevens meanwhile located in person on his permit, and in +1849 built the first frame house in Minneapolis, on the ground now +occupied by the union depot. J. B. Bassett purchased the fraction of +land on the river above Stevens, Col. Emanuel Case the fraction above +Bassett's, A. E. Ames the eighty where the court house stands, and +Edwin Hedderly the fraction below the water power. Mr. Stevens made +the first survey of village lots in the spring of 1854; Chas. W. +Christmas, surveyor. + +The Smith claim was surveyed by W. R. Marshall in the fall of 1854. In +1856 Atwater's addition was surveyed. Other additions were added from +year to year as the growth of the city demanded. At the release of the +reservation in 1855, the entire present site of the city was covered +with claims. + +The name Minneapolis, derived from an Indian word _minne_, meaning +_water_, and a Greek word _polis_, meaning _city_, had been early +applied to the new village, Chas. Hoag having first suggested the +name. In March, 1853, the commissioners of Hennepin county adopted the +name as that of a territorial precinct. A government land office had +been established in 1854, of which M. L. Olds was register and R. P. +Russell receiver. The first, newspaper, the Minneapolis _Democrat_, +was established in 1854. During the same year the Masons and Odd +Fellows organized lodges, the Presbyterians, Baptists and Methodists +organized societies, and public schools were established. In 1857 the +court house, at a cost of $12,000, a school house, and several +churches were erected. + +The village of Minneapolis was organized in 1858. H. T. Welles was the +first president. In 1867 Minneapolis obtained a city charter. +Minneapolis and St. Anthony Falls were united under the same +government, by act of legislature, approved Feb. 28, 1872, under the +name of Minneapolis, St. Anthony Falls being recognized in the +directory as East Minneapolis. The united cities elect in common a +mayor and city council, but each is financially responsible as to +contracts existing previous to the union, and each maintains its own +schools. + +We append a list of mayors of the two cities prior and subsequent to +the union: + + MAYORS OF ST. ANTHONY FALLS. + + 1855. H. T. Welles. + 1856. Alvaren Allen. + 1857. Wm. W. Wales. + 1858. Orrin Curtis. + 1859. Orrin Curtis. + 1860. R. B. Graves. + 1861. O. C. Merriman. + 1862. O. C. Merriman. + 1863. Edwin S. Brown. + 1864. O. C. Merriman. + 1865. Wm. W. Wales. + 1866. O. C. Merriman. + 1867. O. C. Merriman. + 1868. Winthrop Young. + 1869. W. W. McNair. + 1870. W. W. McNair. + 1871. Edwin S. Brown. + + MAYORS OF MINNEAPOLIS. + + 1867. Dorillius Morrison + 1868. Hugh G. Harrison. + 1869. Dorillius Morrison. + 1870. Eli B. Ames. + 1871. Eli B. Ames. + + MAYORS OF MINNEAPOLIS SUBSEQUENT TO THE UNION WITH + ST. ANTHONY FALLS. + + 1872. Eugene M. Wilson. + 1873. George A. Bracket. + 1874. Eugene M. Wilson. + 1875. O. C. Merriman. + 1876. Albert A. Ames. + 1877. John DeLittre. + 1878. A. C. Rand. + 1879. A. C. Rand. + 1880. A. C. Rand. + 1881. A. C. Rand. + 1882. A. A. Ames. + 1883. A. A. Ames. + 1884. Geo. Pillsbury. + 1885. Geo. Pillsbury. + 1886. A. A. Ames. + 1887. A. A. Ames. + 1888. A. A. Ames. + + +WATER VERSUS STEAM. + +Some wonder has been expressed that in the vicinity of one of the +finest water powers on this continent there should be found so many +saw mills run by steam. The question is partly an economical one, as +owing to the heavy expenses entailed upon mill owners to prevent the +retrogression of the falls, it may be cheaper for saw mill owners to +use steam, especially as they can feed their furnaces with but little +expense from the slabs and debris of their own lumber; but in this +case a weightier reason may be found in the fact that the west side +of the river has been occupied chiefly by flouring mills, and the saw +mills are moved to less eligible localities, and find it more +convenient and economical to use steam instead of water. + + +TERRIFIC EXPLOSION AT THE FLOUR MILLS. + +One of the most remarkable mill disasters of modern times occurred May +2, 1878, in the Washington A mill. About 7 P. M. the sound of a +terrific explosion was heard and the city was shaken as by an +earthquake. The mill in which it occurred was utterly demolished, as +were also the Humboldt, the Zenith and the Palisade, while several +others were badly wrecked. There were fourteen lives lost and the +property destroyed amounted in value to over $1,000,000. + +The cause of the explosion was at first not understood, but on +thorough investigation was finally attributed to a mixture of +exceedingly fine grain and flour dust with the air of the mills, in +such proportion as to form a combustible mixture, which was +accidentally ignited. The mills destroyed have since been replaced by +better ones. The great Pilsbury A mill, which is perhaps beyond +question the largest in the world, was begun in the following year. A +canal was cut to supply it with power, and it was equipped with two +Victor turbine water wheels of 1,450 horse power each and a 1,400 +horse power engine; it was furnished with 400 pairs of rollers, 200 +middlings purifiers, 20 run of stone, 200 bolting reels and other +devices in keeping. + + +SUBURBAN RESORTS--LAKE MINNETONKA. + +This magnificent lake is 10 miles southwest of Minneapolis, and 20 +miles from St. Paul. Its extreme length is about 18 miles, varying in +width from 1 to 5 miles. Its water area is about 15,000 acres, and its +shore line is estimated at nearly 300 miles. A glance at the map will +show what a variety of scenery it must have, being so broken and +irregular. Its banks and islands are covered with forest trees except +at a few points where villages have been located, or where some farmer +had, years ago, cleared himself a farm. + +There are three villages on Minnetonka, viz.: Excelsior, Wayzata and +Mound City. Excelsior was settled in 1852, by a colony from New York +State, and named from the title adopted by the organization before +leaving home. It was incorporated about 1879. It is located on a range +of hills on the south shore of Lake Minnetonka, of which it has a +commanding view. Its present population is about 850. It has two +railways, the Minneapolis & St. Louis and the St. Paul, Minneapolis & +Manitoba, and a motor line. It is distant 18 miles from Minneapolis. +The oldest settlement on the lake is Wayzata, on the north shore of +Lake Minnetonka, 10 miles from Minneapolis, via the St. Paul, +Minneapolis & Manitoba railway, which passes through the village. The +name Wayzata is a corruption of the Indian word Wy-ze-a-ta, meaning +North Shore, or North Side. The village contains about 400 +inhabitants, and commands considerable trade from the surrounding +country. + +There are several fine hotels upon the lake, equal if not superior to +the famous hotels of eastern watering places. Prominent among these +are the Hotel Lafayette, built at a cost of $200,000, the Lake Park +Hotel and Excelsior House. Railways reach the lake at several points, +and steamers make regular trips for tourists. + +Minnehaha Falls, rendered famous in Longfellow's poems of Hiawatha, is +located on Minnehaha creek, midway between Fort Snelling and St. +Anthony Falls. It is deservedly a favored resort. + +PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN MINNEAPOLIS COSTING $100,000 AND UPWARD. + + Court house (not completed) $2,000,000 + Post office 500,000 + Exposition Hall 350,000 + Science Hall 125,000 + Library building 190,000 + Soldiers' Home, near Minnehaha Falls 100,000 + State University 150,000 + Chamber of Commerce 285,000 + Temple Court 250,000 + Masonic Temple 200,000 + City Market House 225,000 + Athenęum 250,000 + Hennepin Avenue Theatre 140,000 + Washburn Orphan Asylum 125,000 + House of Good Shepherd 200,000 + Loan and Trust Company 125,000 + Guaranty Life and Trust 300,000 + Lumber Exchange 150,000 + Builders' Exchange 100,000 + Knights of Labor Exchange 100,000 + S. C. Hall Lumber Company 100,000 + Bank of Commerce 200,000 + Union elevator 375,000 + Minneapolis & Pacific elevator 118,000 + St. Anthony elevator 154,000 + Boston block 100,000 + Nicollet House block 100,000 + Albert Johnson block 100,000 + Globe block 200,000 + Wright block 140,000 + Mutual block 100,000 + Glen block 200,000 + Langdon block 120,000 + Central block, terrace 150,000 + Syndicate block 600,000 + West Hotel 1,020,000 + Gates' tenements 125,000 + Lowry's residence 100,000 + Eastman & Cook's saw mill 100,000 + Soo & St Marie shops 145,000 + North Minneapolis pumping station 214,000 + Tubular car works 250,000 + Buel tenement block 100,000 + Pillsbury A flour mill 1,100,000 + Washburn A flour mill 750,000 + Washburn B flour mill 500,000 + Morrison flour mill 100,000 + Christian & Co.'s flour mill 100,000 + High School building 100,000 + Church of the Dominican Fathers 100,000 + Aggregate value of school property 1,250,000 + Aggregate value of church property 1,000,000 + Aggregate value of parks and boulevards 1,000,000 + + +POST OFFICE STATISTICS FOR 1886. + + General business $409,225 + Money orders 1,215,951 + Income 225,178 + Expense 79,436 + + +HISTORY OF THE POST OFFICE AT MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. + + Postmasters. + + Established Jan. 7, 1854 Hezekiah Fletcher. + Dec. 22, 1854 Carlos Wilcoz. + April 7, 1856 Alfred E. Ames. + April 22, 1857 Samuel Hidden. + Aug. 30, 1858 William P. Ankeny. + April 4, 1861 David Morgan. + July 12, 1865 Daniel Bassett. + Nov. 17, 1866 William W. McNair. + March 11, 1867 Cyrus Aldrich. + April 15, 1871 Geo. H. Keith. + June 21, 1882 Orlo M. Laraway. + June 22, 1886 John J. Ankeny. + +The bonded debt of the city is $3,319,000. The city can not create a +debt nor issue bonds to a greater amount than five per cent of the +assessed valuation of city property, and the charter prohibits a +floating debt. + + The tax assessments for 1886 $99,591,762 + Barrels of flour manufactured 6,163,000 + Value of other manufactures $62,500,000 + Feet of lumber manufactured 267,197,000 + Elevator capacity (bushels) 11,820,000 + Bushels of wheat received 34,904,260 + +Eight bridges span the river at Minneapolis as crossings for the +various railroads. The stone arch viaduct of the St. Paul, Minneapolis +& Manitoba cost $750,000. Municipal expenses, $2,542,714. + +The following table gives the cut of lumber in Minneapolis for the +last sixteen years: + + 1870 118,233,100 + 1871 117,157,000 + 1872 167,918,820 + 1873 189,970,000 + 1874 191,305,680 + 1875 156,665,000 + 1876 200,371,250 + 1877 129,676,400 + 1878 130,274,400 + 1879 149,151,500 + 1880 195,452,200 + 3881 230,402,800 + 1882 312,239,800 + 1883 278,716,480 + 1884 300,724,373 + 1885 313,998,166 + 1886 267,196,519 + + +WEST MINNEAPOLIS. + +West Minneapolis is located about eight miles from the court house, in +sections 24 and 19 of township 27, range 24, and is not included +within Minneapolis' city limits. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Louis, +the Hastings & Dakota, and the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba +railroads have stations here. It was surveyed in 1886, and organized +shortly after. It has two threshing machine and other extensive +manufactories. The Hennepin county poor farm is located near by. + +CALVIN A. TUTTLE.--Mr. Tuttle was born in Holland, Connecticut, in +1811. He received an academic education, and remained with his parents +until of age. He learned the trade of millwright with his father. In +1832 he went to Bangor, Maine, and worked at his trade until 1835, +when he removed to Alton, Illinois. He came to St. Croix in 1838, and +superintended the building of a mill. In 1841 he returned to Alton, +where he was married to Charlotte Winkler. He lived in Davenport, +Iowa, four years and one year at Chippewa Falls. In 1846 he removed to +St. Anthony Falls, where he helped build the first saw mill. Here he +worked eight years almost continuously at his trade. He purchased two +hundred acres of land here, including university lands, which he sold +for $3,500. He removed to West St. Anthony in 1852, to Robert Smith's +government permit, and then ran the old government flouring mill, +grinding only for the government. The grain, about 5,000 bushels +annually, was brought from St. Louis. For holding Smith's permit, and +grinding, he received one-eighth of the property. The government +grinding was done for the privilege of making a claim on the +government reservation. This claim, eighty acres in extent, located in +what was then called West St. Anthony, now in the heart of +Minneapolis, is worth millions of dollars. Mr. Tuttle sold his +interest for $5,000. The old mill was built of stone, 30 x 30 feet, +ground dimensions, two stories in height, with one run of stone. The +mill was built in 1822. There was a farm near the mill, cultivated by +soldiers. Mr. Tuttle returned to East St. Anthony in 1857, and removed +to Minnetonka in 1858, where he lived five years. Thence he removed to +Twin Rivers, Morrison county. He has a saw mill, farm and good home at +Twin Rivers. In 1887 he returned to Minneapolis to spend the remainder +of his days. + +CYRUS ALDRICH.--The subject of this memoir was born June 18, 1808, in +Smithfield, Rhode Island. His father was Dexter Aldrich, and was +engaged in shipping and merchandising. His mother's maiden name was +Hannah White. She was a descendant of Peregrine White, the first male +child born after the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers. He received such +an education as could be obtained at the common schools until he was +eighteen years of age, when he left home to engage for a few years in +a seafaring life. This life not proving to his taste, he abandoned it +and engaged in other pursuits. At the age of twenty-nine he emigrated +to Illinois and located at Alton, where he took a contract on the +Michigan and Erie canal. In 1841, or about four years later, he +removed to Galena, Illinois, where he secured employment with the firm +of Galbraith & Porter, and engaged in staging and mail contracts. In +1845 he was elected to the Illinois legislature. The same year he was +married to Clara Heaton, of Indiana, who, with one son and one +daughter, survives him. In 1847 he was elected register of deeds of +Joe Daviess county; in 1849 was appointed receiver of the land office +at Dixon, Illinois; and in 1852 ran for Congress on the Whig ticket +against Long John Wentworth, but was defeated by a small majority. He +removed to Minnesota in 1855, locating at Minneapolis, then but a +small village. In 1857 he was elected a member of the Republican wing +of the constitutional convention, where his ability for leadership +soon brought him to the front. In 1858 he was nominated and elected +representative to Congress, Minnesota having meanwhile become a state. +In 1860 he was re-elected. This was a trying time, but Mr. Aldrich +acquitted himself well, and was especially commended for his devotion +to the interests of the soldiers. In 1862 he declined a re-election, +but allowed his name to be used (though unsuccessfully) as a candidate +for the senate. He did not, however, entirely withdraw from public +affairs, but accepted an appointment from President Lincoln as a +member of the indemnity committee to adjust claims of settlers who had +suffered during the Indian outbreak of 1862. He also devoted much of +his time and energy to the establishment of the Northern Pacific +railway. + +In 1865 he was elected to the Minnesota legislature. In 1867 he was +appointed postmaster of Minneapolis, which position he held for four +years. His long and busy life has been spent chiefly in public +service. He had not quite reached the scriptural limit of human life, +but it was evident that his iron constitution had been overtasked and +that he needed rest. The retirement and rest came too late. His +health gradually failed until Oct. 5, 1871, when he closed his eyes +upon the scenes of earth. His funeral, conducted from the Universalist +church, of which he was a member, was one of the largest ever held in +the State. Citizens of all parties and classes, the masonic and other +social and civil bodies combined in paying the last tribute of respect +to one who for fifteen years had been the most active, best known and +most respected of their number. + +ALFRED ELISHA AMES, M.D., was born at Colchester, Vermont, Dec. 13, +1814. He was the oldest son of Billy and Phebe (Baker) Ames, whose +ancestors were early colonists from England. Alfred E. commenced the +study of medicine in 1832. He occasionally taught school and worked at +his trade of brickmason. He also varied his labors by publishing an +arithmetic. He came West in 1838, locating first at Springfield, +Illinois; concluded his medical studies at Rush Medical College, +Chicago, in 1845. Before leaving Illinois he was elected to the state +senate. In 1851 he came to St. Anthony Falls, made a claim, and +entered into partnership with Dr. J. H. Murphy. In 1852 he served as +surgeon at Fort Snelling, and in 1853 was elected to the territorial +legislature as a member of the house. In 1854 he was elected probate +judge; in 1857 member of the Democratic wing of the constitutional +convention, and in 1860 became a member of the state normal board. +During the remainder of his life he devoted himself to the practice of +medicine, but also served the public in many positions of trust. He +died Dec. 24, 1874. His wife and five children survive him. + +ALBERT ALONZO AMES, son of Dr. A. E. and Martha (Pratt) Ames, was born +at Garden Prairie, Illinois, Jan. 18, 1842. He received a high school +education at Minneapolis, studied medicine at Rush Medical College, +Chicago, and graduated February, 1862. In August, 1863, he enlisted in +the Ninth Minnesota Volunteers, but shortly after was commissioned +assistant surgeon of the Seventh Minnesota Volunteers. He served for +awhile in the Indian campaigns. In the fall of 1863 the regiment was +ordered South. In July, 1864, he was commissioned as surgeon of the +Seventh regiment in place of Dr. L. B. Smith, killed at Tupelo. He was +mustered out of service at the close of the war with an excellent +record as a physician and surgeon. After the war he devoted himself to +the practice of his profession and to public services in Minneapolis, +excepting a period of six years spent in editorial life in California, +first on the staff of the _Daily Times_, and later as managing editor +of the _Alta Californian_. At the death of his father, in 1874, he +returned to Minneapolis and resumed practice. He has filled the +following positions of trust: 1867, member of the Minnesota +legislature (house); 1875, member of the city council; 1876, mayor of +Minneapolis; 1877, Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor (not +elected); 1886, Democratic candidate for governor (not elected); +1886-87-88, again mayor of Minneapolis. Dr. Ames is a member of such +prominent fraternities as the Masonic, Odd Fellows, Druids, Knights of +Pythias, and Order of Elks. + +Dr. Ames was married April 21, 1862, to Sarah, daughter of Capt. +Richard Strout, of Minneapolis. + +JESSE AMES was born in Vinalhaven, Maine, Feb. 4, 1808. From the age +of fourteen till his retirement in 1861, Mr. Ames devoted himself to a +seafaring life. At the age of twenty-three he was captain of a +schooner, and afterward of different ships, brigs, barks or schooners, +all of them in the mercantile trade. He made between twenty and thirty +voyages to Europe, circumnavigated Cape Horn several times, and sailed +twice round the globe. Few men have seen more of the world. His last +voyage was from New Zealand to London, where he sold his ship, and, +coming to America, found him a beautiful home in the North Star State. +He is a resident of Northfield, and is, with his son John T., the +owner of the well known flouring mills at that place. He was married +Oct. 27, 1832, to Margaret Tolman, of Rockland, Maine. They have two +sons, one of whom, John T., is a resident of Northfield. The other +son, Adelbert A., won distinction during the Civil War, leaving the +service with the brevet rank of major general. Since the war he has +served as senator from Mississippi, and as governor of that state. + +CADWALLADER C. WASHBURN.--Hon. C. C. Washburn was a man of rare +nobility of character and possessed of an acute and powerful mind. He +used his great talents for the good of the country. He was a man of +philanthropic impulses and great generosity, as the following +munificent gifts to the public will attest: + +_First_--To the state of Wisconsin, in 1876, an astronomical +observatory, located on the university lands at Madison, in style of +architecture and apparatus to carry into execution the design of the +institution, equal, if not superior, to that of any like institution +in the world. + +_Second_--The donation of his "Edgewood Home," near Madison, +Wisconsin, for educational purposes. + +_Third_--The generously established school located on the shores of +Lake Harriet, near Minneapolis, "The Washburn Home for Orphans," for +the poor and unfortunate children of Minnesota. + +Mr. Washburn was born in Livermore, Maine, April 22, 1818; lived at +home until 1838, and devoted some time to obtaining a classical +education. In 1838 and 1839 he taught school and clerked in Hallowell +and Wiscassett, Maine. In the spring of 1839 he came West to +Davenport, Iowa, and was employed a few months with David Dale Owen, +on geological work. In 1840 and 1841 he studied law at Rock Island. +Illinois. In 1842 he settled in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, and was +admitted to practice law at Lancaster, Grant county, in Judge Dunn's +court. He continued in practice at Mineral Point; also engaged in real +estate and dealing in land warrants, and in 1852 established the Bank +of Mineral Point. Mr. Washburn was elected representative to the +thirty-fourth, thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and fortieth congresses. In +February, 1861, the house appointed a special committee of +thirty-three members on the state of the Union. A majority of the +committee reported an amendment to the constitution of the United +States, making slavery perpetual. Mr. Washburn and others made a +minority report against making slavery perpetual. On this report we +subjoin his remarks: "If this Union must be dissolved, whether by +peaceable process or through fire and blood or civil war, we shall +have the consolation of knowing that when the conflict is over those +who survive will be what they never have been--inhabitants of a free +country." Mr. Washburn changed his residence to La Crosse in 1861. He +received a colonel's commission to recruit a cavalry regiment that +year, and subsequently was promoted to the rank of brigadier general. +He was elected governor of Wisconsin in 1872. In 1876 he erected a +large flour mill at Minneapolis, which burned in 1878. It was soon +after rebuilt. In this mill he introduced the first Hungarian patent +process for making flour used in America. Mr. Washburn died at Eureka +Springs, Arkansas, May 14, 1882. His body was brought to Wisconsin and +buried at La Crosse. + +[Illustration: W. D. Washburn] + +WILLIAM DREW WASHBURN, the youngest of the Washburn brothers, was born +at Livermore, Maine, Jan. 14, 1831. He worked upon his father's farm +until twenty years of age; prepared himself for college by his own +unaided efforts, entered Bowdoin College, and graduated in 1854. He +studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1857, and in the same year +came to Minneapolis as agent of the Minneapolis Mill Company, of which +he became a partner. In 1861 President Lincoln appointed him surveyor +general of Minnesota. During his term of office, which continued four +years, he lived in St. Paul. On his return to Minneapolis he built a +large saw mill and engaged extensively in the lumber trade. He was the +chief mover in the Minneapolis & St. Louis and Minneapolis & Pacific +railways. He has a large lumber and flour mill at Anoka, and with +others erected the Palisade flour mill at Minneapolis. In 1878 he was +elected representative to Congress from the Third district and +re-elected in 1880. He has also served in the state legislature. He +was a principal proprietor of the Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Marie & +Atlantic railway, and was elected president of the company in 1883. +Mr. Washburn has been successful in his business ventures, has +accumulated a handsome property, and been liberal in using his means +in the interests of Minneapolis and the State. He is eminently +practical in his business ideas and methods, and affable and +prepossessing in his manners. He married Lizzie Muzzy, of Bangor, +Maine, in 1850, and has two sons and two daughters living. + +JOSEPH CLINTON WHITNEY was born in Springfield, Vermont, April 14, +1818. In 1829 he removed with his parents to Lower Canada, where he +remained till he was twenty years of age. He went to Oberlin, Ohio, +1840; graduated from the college in 1845, and from Union Theological +Seminary in 1849. The same year he removed to Stillwater, where he +organized the First Presbyterian church, of which he served as pastor +until 1853, when he was called to the pastorate of the First +Presbyterian church at Minneapolis, where he remained four years. He +removed to Forest City, Meeker county, but returned to Minneapolis in +1860. In 1862 he enlisted in Company D, Sixth Minnesota Volunteers, +and served three years. In 1865 President Lincoln appointed him +quartermaster with the rank of captain. In 1866 he returned to +Minneapolis and engaged in business. In 1867 he was elected state +senator from the Fifth district. Mr. Whitney has been greatly +interested in the cause of education. He was a principal mover in +establishing the public schools of Minneapolis, of Bennett Seminary +for Young Ladies, and of Macalester College. He is president of the +board of Bennett Seminary, and is one of the members of the state +normal board. He was married July 10, 1849, to Eliza Baird. They have +three sons and two daughters. + +CHARLES HOAG was born in Sandwich, New Hampshire, in 1808. He received +a good education and taught school fifteen years. He came to +Minneapolis in 1852, and occupied various positions of trust, having +been a member of the first town council, the second treasurer of +Hennepin county, and the superintendent of schools four years, +commencing with 1870. Mr. Hoag suggested the name of Minneapolis for +the growing young city of his adoption. He was a man of marked ability +and refinement, and although a strong partisan his many admirable +personal qualities won the esteem of those who most radically differed +from him. He was twice married, his first wife dying in 1871. In 1873 +he was married to Miss Susan F. Jewett who, with a daughter, Mrs. C. +H. Clark, and one son, Levi, survives him. Mr. Hoag died February, +1888. + +FRANKLIN STEELE.--No other pioneer has been more prominent in the +early history of Minneapolis than Franklin Steele. A bold, sagacious, +enterprising man, he came in the very vanguard of civilization, and +promptly and fearlessly availed himself of the splendid opportunities +that this, then almost unknown, frontier afforded. We have not many +data of his early life, but his history since he set foot in Fort +Snelling is elsewhere given as a part of the early history of the +section in which he located, and need not be here repeated. + +Franklin Steele was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He came +West by the advice of President Andrew Jackson, and arrived at Fort +Snelling just after the conclusion of the treaty by which the Indians +ceded their St. Croix lands to the government; whereupon Mr. Steele +visited St. Croix Falls, made a claim and proceeded to make further +improvements, such as building mills, as elsewhere narrated. + +When appointed sutler of the army at Fort Snelling, he sold his St. +Croix claims and identified himself thereafter with the interests of +St. Anthony Falls and the section adjacent thereto, where he made +claims and improvements. Among other enterprises illustrative of the +faith of Steele and others in the future greatness of the prospective +river cities, the fact may be mentioned that an organized company +built a wire suspension bridge over the river just above the falls, a +work projected while the adjacent lands were still in the hands of the +government, and completed in 1855, at a time when such a structure was +most needed and advantageous. + +Mr. Steele was a man of far more than ordinary ability. Col. J. H. +Stevens says of him: "He has been a good friend to Hennepin county, +and as most of the citizens came here poor they never had to ask Mr. +Steele a second time for a favor. Fortune has favored him, and while +many a family has reason to feel thankful for his generosity and +kindness, he constantly made money." The county of Steele was named +after him. Mr. Steele was married to Miss Barney, a relative of the +distinguished naval officer of that name. He died in Minneapolis in +1880. + +ROSWELL P. RUSSELL was born in Richland, Vermont, March 15, 1820. His +privileges for education were limited. He came to Michigan in 1836 and +to Fort Snelling in 1839. He came from Prairie du Chien to the Fort in +a mackinaw boat, part of the way on foot over the ice, and suffered +much for want of food, sleep and from exposure. Mr. Russell remained +at Fort Snelling until 1845, engaged for two years in the Indian +trade, made a claim at St. Anthony Falls in 1847, and opened the first +store, in a log building, at that place. In 1854 he was appointed +receiver of the land office at Minneapolis. He has since been actively +engaged in farming, merchandising and real estate transactions. He was +the first chairman of the St. Anthony Falls town board, and has served +one term as representative in the state legislature. He was a true and +steadfast friend to his adopted city. He was married at St. Anthony +Falls, Oct. 3, 1848, to Marion Patch. They have a family of seven sons +and three daughters: Lucy C., wife of W. C. Colbrath; Charles M., +Roswell P., Mary Bell, wife of F. M. Prince, of Stillwater; Carrie E., +wife of F. L. Lovejoy, of Fargo, Dakota; Frank and Fred, twin +brothers; Geo. B. Mc----, died in 1881; William and Edward E. + +HORATIO PHILLIPS VAN CLEVE was born in Princeton, New Jersey, Nov. 22, +1809. He was educated at Princeton College and West Point, graduating +from the latter institution in 1831. He served five years in the army, +resigning in 1836. He followed farming and engineering in Michigan +until 1856, when he came to Morrison county, Minnesota. In 1861 he +enlisted as a volunteer in the Second Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, of +which regiment he was commissioned colonel. He served during the war +and left the service with a major general's commission, and has since +served as adjutant general of the state of Minnesota. He was the +postmaster of St. Anthony Falls prior to the union of that city with +Minneapolis. He was married to Charlotte O. Clarke, daughter of Maj. +Gen. Clarke of the United States Army. They have seven children. + +CHARLOTTE OUISCONSIN VAN CLEVE, a daughter of Gen. Clarke of the +United States Army, was born at Fort Crawford, Prairie du Chien, +Wisconsin, in 1819. Soon after her birth her father came up the river +on a flatboat to the site of Fort Snelling. They were six weeks making +the voyage. Miss Charlotte grew up amidst military surroundings, and +on a remote frontier, and was married at Fort Winnebago, Wisconsin, to +Horatio P. Van Cleve, when she had barely attained the age of sixteen +years. Her husband resigned his position in the army about the time of +his marriage, and removed to Michigan, but since 1856 her home has +been in Minnesota. Of her children six sons are living in Hennepin +county. A daughter is the wife of H. V. Hall, a missionary to the +Sandwich Islands. Besides her own family she has reared five orphans. +She is intellectually active and vigorous, takes great interest in the +reforms of the day, and is a noble specimen of the pioneer women of +the State. She is the founder of the Bethany Home in Minneapolis. She +has specially interested herself in the poor, the downtrodden and the +outcast classes of human society, and has exercised in this direction +an untold influence for good. + +ARD GODFREY was born at Orono, Maine, Jan. 18, 1813. He came to St. +Anthony Falls in 1847, and was among the first to make improvements in +utilizing the water power furnished by the falls. He built a dam and +mill, and subsequently engaged in lumbering. In 1852 he settled on a +claim near Minnehaha falls, where he built a saw and grist mill, some +years later destroyed by fire. He was married in Maine, January, +1838, and has a family of six children. He still lives at his old +homestead near Minnehaha falls. + +RICHARD CHUTE was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sept. 22, 1820. He first +visited St. Anthony Falls in 1844, and built a trading house. He was +one of the firm of W. G. Ewing & Co. In 1854 he located permanently at +the Falls where he has been engaged in real estate operations, milling +and other branches of business. He has been successful in his +undertakings, and is a man of excellent standing in the community. + +LUCIUS N. PARKER was born in Chester, Vermont, Dec. 11, 1823. He came +to Illinois in his boyhood and remained there till eighteen years of +age, when he came to Marine, Minnesota, and engaged in lumbering. In +1846 he was one of the proprietors of the Osceola (Polk county, +Wisconsin) mills. In 1849 he sold out his interest, removed to St. +Anthony Falls and carried the mail between St. Paul and that city. He +removed to the west side of the river, known now as Minneapolis, and +has since resided there. He was married to Amanda Huse in 1849. + +CAPT. JOHN ROLLINS was born in March, 1806, at New Sharon, Maine. +While in Maine he followed lumbering and hotel keeping. In 1848 he +came to the Falls and engaged in lumbering, steamboating, milling and +farming. He was a member of the first territorial council of +Minnesota, in 1849-50. He was married to Betsey Martin at Newport, +Maine, in 1832. They have seven children living. Capt. Rollins died in +1885. + +JOHN G. LENNON was born in Bolton, England, July 6, 1815. He came to +America in 1841 as supercargo of a vessel bound to New Orleans. In +1843 he located at St. Croix Falls, removed to St. Paul in 1848, and +in 1850 to St. Anthony Falls, where he entered the service of the St. +Anthony Outfit. In 1856 he engaged in the lumbering and mercantile +business and in 1859 removed to a stock farm in Sibley county. During +the Civil War he served as assistant commissary, and through Gen. +Sibley's Indian campaign. At the suppression of the Indian revolt his +regiment was transferred South and attached to the Sixteenth Army +Corps, under Gen. A. J. Smith and Division Commander Gen. Joseph Mower +and he served as quartermaster until mustered out at the close of the +war, when he returned to civil life and commenced dealing in real +estate. In 1873 he returned to Minneapolis. He was married to Mary D. +McLain in 1851. He died in August, 1887, leaving a widow and two +children. + +JOHN H. STEVENS.--Col. Stevens traces his ancestry to the Moors who, +during the wars of the Alhambra were carried captive to France, where +they became known as Huguenots. Driven by persecution from France to +England, they emigrated thence with the Puritans on the Mayflower to +America. Col. Stevens was born June 13, 1820, in Lower Canada, whither +his parents had emigrated from Vermont. His father gave him an +excellent education. + +At an early day John H. came to the lead mines of South Wisconsin. +During the war with Mexico he served as a soldier, and after the war, +in 1849, came to the Northwest and located on the west bank of the +Mississippi, at St. Anthony Falls, where he built the first frame +house on the west side, on ground that afterward became the site of +the union depot. He was a member of the lower house of the legislature +of 1876, and has filled other public positions with honor to himself. +He has been influential in municipal affairs, and always a staunch +advocate of the interests of his city, county and State. He is the +author of a book of "Reminiscences of Pioneer Life." He was married at +Rockford, Illinois, in 1850, to Frances Helen Miller. They have one +son, Francis H. G., and three daughters, Orma, Sarah and Kittie D., +wife of P. B. Winston. + +CALEB D. DORR was born at East Great Works, Penobscot county, Maine. +He became a practical lumberman, and, coming to the Falls in 1847, +bought of Hole-in-the-Day, a Chippewa chief at Swan River, one hundred +trees at five dollars per tree, for St. Anthony Falls improvements, +the first timber floated down the Mississippi above the mouth of Rum +river. + +Mr. Dorr was in the employ of the government for ten years, locating +state and school lands. He has followed the business of scaling logs, +and has also been boom master. He was married to Celestia A. Ricker, +of Maine, March 4, 1849. + +REV. EDWARD DUFFIELD NEILL, the well known author of the "History of +Minnesota," was born in Philadelphia Aug. 9, 1823. He was educated at +the University of Pennsylvania and Amherst College, Massachusetts, +graduating from the latter in 1842. He studied theology at Andover +Theological Seminary, Massachusetts, and in 1847 preached as a +missionary amongst the miners in and around Galena, Illinois. He was +transferred to St. Paul in April, 1849, where he organized a society +and erected the first Protestant church building in Minnesota not on +mission grounds. It was situated on Third and Market streets. He also +built for himself, on the corner of Fourth and Washington streets, the +first brick house in the city. In 1855 he organized the House of Hope +society and acted as its pastor five years. He was also the prime +mover in establishing the Baldwin School. In 1855 he secured the +building of the St. Paul College, for some years conducted as a +classical school and afterward consolidated with the Baldwin School. +He was the first territorial superintendent of public instruction, in +1851-2, and served as state superintendent from 1858 to 1864. He was +called to fill many educational trusts. + +April 29, 1861, he was appointed chaplain of the First Minnesota +Volunteers, and served as such over two years. He was with his +regiment at the battles of Bull Run, Fair Oaks and Malvern Hill. +President Lincoln appointed him hospital chaplain, he became one of +the president's private secretaries, and continued in that relation +during the presidency of Andrew Johnson. In 1869 President Grant +appointed him United States consul at Dublin, where he resided two +years. Returning to Minnesota in 1871, he removed to Minneapolis and +conducted the Baldwin School and St. Paul College, under the title of +Macalester College, and located his school in the old Winslow House, +Minneapolis. In January, 1874, Mr. Neill connected himself with the +Reformed Episcopal church. + +Mr. Neill has been a busy worker in literary, chiefly historical, +fields. Editions of his "History of Minnesota" were published in 1858, +1873 and 1878. He has published many other valuable historical works. +He is a ready and versatile writer, and is an authority on the +subjects concerning which he treats. Mr. Neill was married to Nancy +Hill, at Snow Hill, Maryland. Their children are Samuel Henry, Edward +Duffield and John Selby Martin. + +JOHN WENSIGNOR, a native of Switzerland, was born May 22, 1825; came +to America in 1833, to St. Anthony Falls in 1849, and engaged +successfully in mercantile pursuits. Mr. Wensignor has been a generous +man to the poor, and although public spirited, has persistently +declined office. Mr. Wensignor died in 1886. + +ROBERT H. HASTY was born in York county, Maine, Dec. 12, 1823. He came +to Stillwater in 1849, and engaged in lumbering. He was surveyor +general of the First district two years. He enlisted in Company I, +Sixth Minnesota, at the organization of the regiment in 1862, was +commissioned second lieutenant, promoted to first lieutenant, and +resigned Jan. 15, 1865. In 1881 he removed to Crystal Lake, Minnesota. + +STEPHEN PRATT, a native of Penobscot county, Maine, was born, in 1828; +came to St. Anthony Falls in October, 1849, where he followed +lumbering until 1858. He was a member of the First Minnesota Cavalry +during the Rebellion. In 1864 he removed to a farm. He died in 1887. + +CAPT. JOHN TAPPER was born in Dorsetshire, England, March 25, 1820; +came to America in 1840, and to Prairie du Chien and Fort Snelling in +1844. He served as a soldier during the Mexican War. He was the first +toll collector on the St. Anthony Falls wire suspension bridge. He +finally located on Steele's farm near Minnehaha falls, and is now +living in Clayton county, Iowa. + +R. W. CUMMINGS was born in Lycoming, Pennsylvania, June, 1825. He +settled at Cottage Grove, Minnesota, in 1845, and in 1848 made a claim +in St. Anthony, and improved it as a farm until the city required it +for lots, since which time he has been engaged in the real estate +business. + +ELIAS H. CONNER was born in New Sharon, Maine, in 1824. In 1848 he +came to Lakeland, Minnesota, and in 1849 to St. Anthony Falls, where +he had charge of the work on the first suspension thrown across the +Mississippi at that point. He also built the first bridge that spanned +the St. Croix at Taylor's Falls. In 1855 he was married to Hannah +Rollins. + +C. F. STIMSON was born in Maine, April 19, 1822. He came to Stillwater +in June, 1848, and thence to St. Anthony Falls, where he followed +lumbering. He was treasurer of Ramsey county for one year. In 1879 he +moved to his farm near Elk River. He has a wife and two children. + +WILLIAM DUGAS was born in Three Rivers, Canada East, May 17, 1809. He +came to New York in 1831. He spent some time traveling, visiting +Africa, New Orleans, Indian Territory, Iowa, and Illinois, and other +places more or less remote. He came to Minnesota in 1844, and was a +representative in the first territorial legislature. Later he removed +to St. Anthony Falls. He afterward removed to Dayton, Minnesota. He +was married at Prairie du Chien in 1844. + +DAVIS GORHAM was born in Quebec; came to Virginia, where he spent two +years, and thence to Maine, where he lived twelve years. In April, +1849, he came to St. Anthony Falls, and made valuable land claims near +Lake Calhoun. He followed lumbering for about twelve years. In 1864 he +started for California, but was driven back by the Sioux Indians. In +1867 he settled in Plymouth, where he has been supervisor for ten +years. + +EDWIN HEDDERLY was born in Philadelphia in 1814. In 1849 he came to +St. Anthony Falls and in 1851 made a claim of one hundred and sixty +acres west of the river, within the present bounds of Minneapolis. He +served on various committees for selecting a name for the new city and +its streets, and until his death was ever active and influential in +all matters pertaining to the welfare of the city. He was married to +Mary J. Kennard, of Philadelphia. Eight children of this union survive +him and are residents of the city. Mr. Hedderly died in 1879. + +LOUIS NEUDECK, born December, 1821, came to St. Anthony Falls in 1849. +He subsequently lived in Missouri, Illinois and at Stillwater, but in +1855 returned to the Falls. He died in 1864. He was supposed to have +been killed by Indians while absent in Montana, the only clue to his +sad fate being the recovery of his revolver having his name inscribed +on it, from an Indian. He left a widow and five children. + +ANDREW J. FOSTER was born in Cooper, Maine, June, 1827, and came to +the Falls in 1849, where he engaged in the lumbering, grocery, +gardening, and real estate business. He married Mrs. Mary Averill, of +Stillwater. Their children are Ada, William, Owen and Elmer. + +A. D. FOSTER, a Pennsylvanian, born in 1801, came to St. Anthony Falls +in 1848. He assisted in building the Gov. Ramsey, the first boat above +the falls. He has engaged in fruit culture and merchandising. He was +married in Pennsylvania and has three children; Josiah, resident in +Indianapolis; Lysander, a physician in Minneapolis; and a daughter, +married. + +CHARLES E. VANDERBURGH, a native of Clifton, Parke county, New York, +born Dec. 2, 1829, graduated at Yale College an 1852, and served for +awhile as principal of Oxford Academy, New York. He studied law and +was admitted to practice in 1855. In 1856 he came to Minneapolis, +which has since been his home. In 1849 he was elected judge of the +district court, which at that time embraced all the territory west of +the Mississippi from Fort Snelling to the north boundary line. He has +been continuously re-elected, an evidence of the high estimation in +which he is regarded by his fellow citizens. + +Judge Vanderburgh has been twice married. His first wife, Julia M. +Mygatt, wedded Sept. 2, 1857, died April 23, 1863, leaving two +children, William Henry and Julia M. His second wife was Anna Culbert, +married April 15, 1873. They have one child, Isabella McIntyre. His +daughter Julia was accidentally drowned Sept. 12, 1871. + +DORILLIUS MORRISON was born at Livermore, Oxford county, Maine, Dec. +26, 1816. He received a common school and academic education. He +taught school awhile, and then engaged in the mercantile business, the +last eleven years at Bangor, when in the spring of 1853 he came to +Minneapolis, where he became prominent as a business man, following +lumbering, dealing in real estate, milling and railway building. He is +one of the projectors and proprietors of the Minneapolis Mill Company. +He is also sole owner and proprietor of a cotton mill costing +$100,000. He was deeply interested in the Northern Pacific railroad. +He was the first mayor of Minneapolis, in 1867, and served as senator +in the sixth legislature in May, 1840. He was married to Harriet +Putnam Whitmore, a descendant of Gen. Israel Putnam. They have three +children, Clinton and George Henry, residents of Minneapolis, and +Grace E., the wife of Dr. H. H. Kimball, of Minneapolis. + +H. G. O. MORRISON, brother of Dorillius, was born in Livermore, Maine, +Jan. 24, 1817. He graduated at the Bangor high school. He worked at +printing in his youth, read law and was admitted to practice in 1838, +locating afterward at Sebre, Maine. He was a member of the Maine +senate in 1841. In 1855 he came to St. Anthony Falls. He moved to +Dakota county soon after, and represented that county in the state +legislatures of 1860-61. He resided in Dakota county for twelve years. +He was assessor of internal revenue from 1869 to 1873, during which +time he lived in St. Paul. In 1873 he removed to Minneapolis, where he +has since resided. He has been twice married. His second wife was +Rebecca Newell. They have three children, Daniel W., Samuel B. and +Stanford. + +JUDGE F. R. E. CORNELL was born in 1821, in Chenango county, New +York; was educated at Union College, New York; studied law and was +admitted to practice in 1846. He came to Minneapolis in 1854. During +his residence in New York he was a member of the state senate. In +January, 1875, he took his seat as associate justice of the supreme +court of Minnesota, which office he held until his death, which +occurred in 1879. + +GEN. A. B. NETTLETON came from Ohio, and became one of the editors of +the Minneapolis _Tribune_. He served during the Civil War, +participated in seventy-three battles, and was promoted through the +various grades from private to brigadier general. + +JUDGE ISAAC ATWATER was born in Homer, Cortland county, New York. He +graduated at Yale College in 1844, practiced law in New York City +until 1850, when he came to St. Anthony Falls and practiced law with +G. W. North as partner. He was one of the first regents of the State +University; edited the St. Anthony _Express_ from 1851 to 1857; served +as district attorney from 1853 to 1857; was elected associate justice +of the supreme bench in 1857, resigned the position in 1864, and +removed to California, where he practiced law. After an absence of +three years he returned to Minneapolis, where he has been honored with +the offices of alderman, president of the Board of Education, etc. He +was married to Pamelia A. Sanborn in 1849. Their son John B. is +associated with his father in law practice. + +REV. DAVID BROOKS, a venerable pioneer clergyman of the Methodist +Episcopal church, was born in England in 1802. He was educated there +and preached ten years in the Wesleyan connection. He came to America +in 1842, and joined the Methodist Episcopal church, which he has +served faithfully since as pastor and presiding elder in Northern +Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. He was among the pioneer preachers +in the latter state. In 1853 he was presiding elder of a district that +included all of the present Minnesota conference. In 1854 he secured +the charter for Hamline University, and was instrumental in obtaining +a donation of $25,000 from Bishop Hamline for its endowment. + +REV. JABEZ BROOKS, D.D., son of Rev. David Brooke, was born in +England, and came to America in 1842. He is a graduate of Middleton +Wesleyan University. For several years he was professor of Greek, and +later president, of Hamline University. He served also as professor +of Greek in Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin. He has for many +years been professor of Greek in the State University. + +JOHN S. PILLSBURY was born in New Hampshire, July 29, 1828. He +received a New England common school education. He came to the Falls +in 1855, and by close application to business acquired a position of +wealth and influence. He has occupied many prominent positions in +Minneapolis and the State. He served five terms as state senator, from +the sixth to the tenth legislatures. In 1863 he was appointed a regent +of the State University. He was elected governor of the State in 1875, +and re-elected in 1877. He was married in November, 1856, to Mahala +Fisk, of Warner, New Hampshire. Their children are Ada, Susie, May, +Sadie Belle, and Alfred Fisk. + +HENRY T. WELLES was born in Connecticut, April 3, 1821, graduated at +Trinity College, and came to St. Anthony Falls in 1853, where he +engaged successfully in the lumbering, banking and real estate +business. He is a liberal, public spirited citizen, contributing +freely to all enterprises looking to the growth and welfare of the +city as well as to charitable objects. + +DAVID BLAKELY has been prominent in journalism, having been connected +at various times with papers in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Chicago: He +was one of the founders of the Minneapolis _Tribune_. + +WILLIAM LOCHREN, a native of Tyrone, Ireland, was born April 3, 1832; +was brought to America when he was two years old; was educated in +Vermont; admitted to the bar, and came to the Falls in 1856, where he +has since practiced law, excepting a term of service in the army +during the Rebellion as first lieutenant of Company E, First Minnesota +Volunteers. Since the war he has served as city attorney, as state +senator in 1868 69, and as district judge from 1883 to the present +time. In 1871 he was married to Mrs. Martha Demmen, who died in 1879. + +EUGENE M. WILSON was born in 1834, in Monongalia county, Virginia. His +ancestors were Scotch-Irish, who came to this country at an early +date. His grandfather served in the Revolutionary War. Mr. Wilson +graduated at Jefferson College, Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1852, +read law with his father, was admitted to practice in 1855, and came +to Minneapolis in 1857. He served as United States district attorney +during President Buchanan's administration. During the Rebellion he +was captain of Company A, First Minnesota Cavalry, serving on the +frontier until 1853, when the company was discharged by the completion +of term of enlistment. + +[Illustration: J. S. Pillsbury] + +Mr. Wilson was a member of the United States house of representatives +in 1871-72 and state senator in 1879. He served four years as mayor of +Minneapolis, from 1872 to 1876. Mr. Wilson was married Sept. 6, 1865, +to Mary E. Kimball, of Minneapolis. They have three children, Mary O., +Helen K. and Eugenia. + +R. B. LANGDON, born in Vermont in 1826, received an academic +education, and at twenty-two years of age commenced railroading on the +Rutland & Burlington road. He has since been continuously engaged in +superintending the construction of railroads in ten states of the +Union, and in 1858 supervised the grading of the St. Paul & Pacific, +the first railroad enterprise in Minnesota. He served as state senator +for seven terms, commencing in 1873 and closing in 1881 (excepting the +term of 1879). He has a wife and three children. + +WM. M. BRACKET, the originator of the Minneapolis fire department, was +born in Maine in 1843. His father served six years as consul at +Halifax, Nova Scotia, during which time William resided at that place. +During the Rebellion he served two years as a musician in the Sixth +Maine Volunteers, and was then appointed paymaster's clerk at +Washington, District of Columbia. In 1865 he came to Minneapolis, +where he has since been continuously connected with the fire +department. + +THOMAS B. AND PLATT B. WALKER are natives of Ohio. Thomas B. came to +Minneapolis in 1862, and engaged in surveying, railroad engineering +and examining lands. By close application and sound judgment he has +accumulated wealth, from which he dispenses liberally to worthy +enterprises. He has contributed largely to the building of the +athenęum. His wife is a prominent contributor to, and upholder of, the +charitable enterprises of the city. + +PLATT B., a younger brother of Thomas, is a fluent speaker, a popular +lecturer and a kind hearted, genial man. He has been till lately +editor and publisher of the _Mississippi Valley Lumberman_, and has +taken an active part in the improvements of the waterways of the +West. + +AUSTIN H. YOUNG, a native of Fredonia, New York, born Dec. 8, 1830, +received his education at Waukegan, Illinois; removed to Prescott, +Wisconsin, in 1854; commenced the practice of law in 1862 and served +as state senator in Wisconsin in 1863. He came to Minneapolis in 1866 +and practiced law. He was elected judge of the Fourth Judicial +district in 1877. + +HENRY G. HICKS was born in Wyoming, New York, in 1838. He learned the +trade of harness maker; was educated at Oberlin, Ohio; served as a +soldier during the war of the Rebellion, and was wounded at the battle +of Missionary Ridge. In 1865 he came to Minneapolis. He was admitted +to the bar in 1875; has served as sheriff, as city justice and as a +representative in the twentieth, twenty-first and twenty-second state +legislatures. He was elected district judge in 1886. + +JOHN P. REA was born Oct. 13, 1840, in Chester county, Pennsylvania. +He received a common school education. In 1861 he enlisted in Company +B, Eleventh Ohio Volunteers, and was breveted major for meritorious +services. In 1867 he graduated at Ohio Wesleyan College; studied law +and was admitted to the bar in 1869. In 1875 he removed to +Minneapolis; edited the _Tribune_ one year; continued his law practice +in 1877; was elected probate judge, served four years, and in 1886 was +elected district judge without opposition. + +He has been an active Grand Army man, a member of Geo. N. Morgan Post, +and has served as commander of Minnesota state department, also as +senior vice commander-in-chief of the national department. In 1887 he +was elected commander-in-chief of the national department of the Grand +Army. In 1869 he was married to Miss Emma Gould, of Ohio. + +JOHN MARTIN was born in Caledonia county, Vermont, in 1820. His +educational advantages were limited to the common schools. He was +raised on a farm, but at eighteen years of age bought his time of his +father for sixty dollars. For twelve years he followed steamboating, +seven on the Connecticut river and five on the Neuce river in North +Carolina. In 1851 he went to California, but returned to Vermont the +following year, and for two years engaged in farming. He came to +Minneapolis in 1854, where he engaged in lumbering and dealing in pine +lands. In the past twelve years he has been interested in railroad +enterprises. He has been vice president of the Minneapolis & St. +Louis, and Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Marie & Atlantic Railway companies. +Mr. Martin is an enterprising and sagacious business man, and is +highly esteemed for his many excellent qualities. He was married in +Vermont in 1849, to Jane Gilfillan, and has one daughter. + +JOHN DUDLEY was born in Penobscot county, Maine, in 1814. He came to +Minneapolis in 1852, where he engaged in business, dealing in logs and +lumber. He built mills in Prescott in 1861. The flour mill at Prescott +has a capacity of one hundred barrels per day, and the saw mill a +capacity of 3,000,000 feet per annum. He recently purchased the saw +mill at Point Douglas built by A. J. Short. This mill has a capacity +of 6,000,000 feet. + +[Illustration: ST. ANTHONY FALLS IN 1886. + +VIEW OF SUSPENSION BRIDGE ABOVE THE FALLS, AND ST. PAUL, MINNEAPOLIS & +MANITOBA RAILWAY BRIDGE BELOW THE FALLS.] + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +RAMSEY COUNTY. + + +Ramsey county, named in honor of Gov. Ramsey, includes an area of +about four whole towns lying between Anoka county on the north, +Washington on the east and the Mississippi river on the southwest. It +was organized by the first territorial legislature. Its surface is +undulating, and somewhat abruptly hilly along the Mississippi. It is +well watered and drained by the tributaries of the Mississippi, and +has besides many beautiful lakes. Its first officers were: Register of +deeds, David Day; sheriff, P. C. Lull; judge of probate, Henry A. +Lambert; treasurer, James W. Simpson; county attorney, W. D. Phillips; +county surveyor, S. P. Folsom; coroner, J. E. Fullerton; clerk of +court, J. K. Humphrey; auditor, Alexander Buchanan; court +commissioner, Oscar Malmros; district judge, E. C. Palmer; common +pleas judge, W. S. Hall; county commissioners, Ard Godfrey, Louis +Robert; senator, W. H. Forbes; representatives, B. W. Brunson, John L. +Dewey, Henry Jackson, Parsons K. Johnson. + +Rev. Lucian Galtier, a Catholic priest who visited the Upper +Mississippi in the spring of 1840, has the honor of naming the then +unpromising city of St. Paul. Others had been on the site before him. +A few families had been banished from the vicinity of Fort Snelling +and had found homes a few miles further down the river. These were not +all reputable people, for amongst them was one Pierre Parrant, who, on +account of the appearance of one of his eyes, which was sightless, was +known as "Pig's Eye." Parrant sold whisky, and was, from all accounts, +an unscrupulous and worthless fellow. As a matter of course, his +establishment being to many the chief attraction of the place, it was +called by his nickname. The Indians would travel hundreds of miles to +_the place where they sell Minne waukan_ (whisky). The location was +near the once well known Fountain Cave. The name of "Pig's Eye" might +have been perpetually fastened upon the young city but for the timely +arrival of Father Galtier, who gave to it the name of St. Paul, +because, as he says in a letter to Bishop Grace, referring to the fact +that the name St. Peter (Mendota) had already been affixed to a place +some miles above, "As the name of St. Paul is generally associated +with that of St. Peter, and the Gentiles being well represented in the +new place in the persons of the Indians, I called it 'St. Paul.'" + +It does not appear that Father Galtier was ever a resident of St. +Paul, as he only came at stated times to hold services and administer +the sacraments. The name Pig's Eye was subsequently transferred to a +place several miles below, where it is still retained. The best known +of the first settlers of St. Paul are B. Gervais, Vetal Guerin and +Pierre Bottineau. The two former gave to Father Galtier the ground +necessary for a church site and cemetery. "Accordingly," writes the +good father, "in the month of October logs were prepared and a church +erected so poor that it would well remind one of the stable at +Bethlehem. It was destined, however, to be the nucleus of a great +city. On the first day of November in the same year I blessed the new +_basilica_ and dedicated it to St. Paul, the apostle of nations. I +expressed a wish at the same time that the settlement would be known +by the same name, and my desire was obtained." During the fall of 1841 +Father Augustin Ravoux arrived from below and became a resident of +Minnesota and later of St. Paul. In 1841 Rev. B. T. Kavanaugh +established a mission at Red Rock. Henry Jackson came from Galena the +same year, established a trading post and did well. He was afterward a +member of the first territorial legislature and of the first town +council. Jackson street perpetuates his name. Sergt. Mortimer and +Stanislaus Bilanski also came in 1842. + +The accessions of 1843 were John R. Irvine. C. C. Blanchard, J. W. +Simpson, A. B. Coy, Wm. Hartshorn, A. L. Larpenteur, Scott Campbell, +Antoine Pepin, Alexander Mege, A. R. McLeod, Alexis Clautier, Joseph +Gobin, David T. Sloan, Joseph Desmarais, Louis Larrivier and Xavier +Delonais. These mostly engaged in trade. Messrs. Irvine, Blanchard, +Hartshorn and Coy, and later, Mege, were associated together. Some of +the last named accessions of 1843 were Canadian French, half-breeds, +or allied by marriage to the Indians. There were other settlers of +whom we can find only casual mention, probably transients or +adventurers. + +The prominent accessions of 1844 were Capt. Louis Robert, Charles +Bazille, Wm. Dugas, Francis McCoy and Joseph Hall. Louis Robert was a +trader, Bazille was a carpenter and built this summer for Capt. Robert +the first frame house in St. Paul. This house was built of hewn +lumber, sawed lumber not being obtainable. It was on the lower levee, +and was used as a warehouse but was moved to East Fourth street, +where, as No. 58, it was still standing a few years ago. Dugas was a +millwright and built a saw and grist mill on Phalen's creek (spelled +in an old deed Faylin's creek). The mill was a failure. Dugas was a +man of some prominence and represented the New Canada precinct in the +first territorial legislature. + +McCoy and Hall were carpenters. This year the governor of Wisconsin +Territory appointed Henry Jackson a justice of the peace. Jackson, +before his commission arrived, married an eager couple by bond, they +giving bond to reappear when he should receive his commission and be +legally united. Jackson was justice of the peace, postmaster, hotel +keeper, legislator, and clerk of court combined in one. + +This fall Father Galtier was transferred to Keokuk and Father A. +Ravoux took charge of the churches at Mendota and St. Paul. Rev. J. +Hurlbut, a Methodist missionary, held the first Protestant service, +using the house of Henry Jackson for that purpose. + +The first deed on record bears date of April 23, 1844, and transfers +from Henry Jackson, St. Croix county, Wisconsin Territory, to William +Hartshorn, of St. Louis, Missouri, for a consideration of $1,000, half +of the following tract of land in St. Croix county, Wisconsin +Territory, being the place where the said Jackson now lives, situate +immediately on the Mississippi river and known as the St. Paul +landing, containing three acres, with all buildings and improvements +thereon. The permanent accessions of 1845 were Francis Chenevert, +David Benoit, Leonard H. La Roche, Francis Robert, Augustus and David +B. Freeman, W. G. Carter and Charles Cavileer. La Roche was a +carpenter, but engaged in trade. He bought the land on which the +Merchants Hotel now stands for $165, and the year following built a +cabin of tamarack logs, which was known as the St. Paul House. This +property he sold to S. P. Folsom. La Roche died at Crow Wing in 1859. + +W. G. Carter, better known as "Gib" Carter, was a member of the +Stillwater convention in 1848. He died in 1852. Francis Robert was a +younger brother of Louis Robert. He died in 1849, from an injury +received while running the St. Croix rapids in a birch canoe. +Chenevert clerked for Capt. Robert. He was unmarried, and died in +1865. Of Benoit little or nothing is known. The Freeman brothers were +engaged in trade in connection with Hartshorn and Randall. David died +in 1850, and was buried by the Odd Fellows, the first Odd Fellow +funeral in the Territory. Augustus Freeman died in New York. Cavileer +was a saddler, and was connected at first with the Red Rock mission. +He was territorial librarian for awhile, and is now a resident of +Pembina. Miss Matilda Ramsey opened a school (the first in St. Paul) +and taught a short time, when she was married to Alexander Mege, and +the school was abandoned. + +Alexander R. McLeod, who came from Selkirk settlement in 1837 with +Pierre Bottineau, erected in 1845 and 1846 a log house between the +Catholic church and Jackson's store. This was the first house built in +St. Paul expressly for a hotel. It was afterward enlarged and called +the Central House, and was kept by Robert Kennedy and others. The +second deed on record bears date of May 1, 1845, and transfers, for a +consideration of $500, from William Douglass to H. H. Sibley, of +Clayton county, Iowa, lands situate on what is known as Faylin's +(Phalen's) creek, and more fully known as Faylin's falls, 100 acres, +where said Douglass now lives. This was a mortgage deed. A subsequent +deed conveys the same premises from Edward Faylin to Wm. Douglass, for +a consideration of $70. In February, 1846, a quitclaim deed conveys +the same tract to Alexander McLeod. + +The settlers in 1846 were William H. and William Randall, Jr., father +and son, James McBoal, Thos. S. Odell, John Banfil, Harley D. White, +David Faribault, Louis Denoyer, Jo Monteur, and Charles Roleau. +Randall, Sr., engaged in trade and became immensely rich, but was +wrecked in the financial panic of 1857. He died in 1861. Randall, Jr., +is best remembered as an artist and caricaturist of no mean ability. +He died in 1851. McBoal was also an artist, the first who pursued +that calling in St. Paul. He was a member of the territorial council +in 1849-50, and was adjutant general of the Territory during Gov. +Ramsey's administration. He died in Mendota in 1862. + +Odell had been a soldier, but on being mustered out at Fort Snelling +came to St. Paul. He died in 1879. We have made mention of White in +biographical sketches. Crittenden went to Crow Wing and represented +the Twenty-first district in the first state legislature. Denoyer +married a sister of Louis Robert and in 1850 removed to Belle Plaine. +David Faribault was a son of Jean Baptiste Faribault. He now resides +in Dakota. Banfil removed to Manomin, and represented his district as +senator in the first state legislature. + +The writer of these sketches visited St. Paul in 1846, and was +entertained at Jackson's hotel, which he well remembers as a log +building, one story high, with store and post office in the east end, +a dining room in the west end, with small, low sleeping rooms in the +rear. The hotel stood on a romantic elevation, a precipitious bluff, +and commanded a magnificent view of the river and valley. Louis +Robert's tamarack pole store was located east of Jackson's, under the +bluff, and directly on the bank of the river, a good steamboat landing +in front. West of Jackson's was J. W. Simpson's store, and still +further west the store of Faribault & Co., beyond which were two small +dwellings, all these buildings fronting the river. Still further west, +Alexander McLeod was building a handsome hewed log house. On the next +rise of ground stood the Catholic church. On the next plateau the +store of Wm. Hartshorn, and near a small creek the dwelling of John R. +Irvine. There were two residences on a plateau a short distance north +of Jackson's hotel. There were in all five stores, one tavern and a +few dwellings, mostly built of logs. A few United States soldiers and +Indians were lounging about the stores, some drunk, some sober. Such +was St. Paul in 1846. The settlers of 1847 were Jacob W. Bass, Harriet +E. Bishop, Benj. W. Brunson, Dr. J. J. Dewey, G. A. Fonrnier, Simeon +P. Folsom, W. H. Forbes, Aaron Foster, Daniel Hopkins, Parsons K. +Johnson, C. P. V. Lull, and W. C. Renfro. Bass and Johnson had been in +the lumber business at Chippewa Falls. On arriving at St. Paul Mr. +Bass leased a hotel on the corner of Third and Jackson streets, known +as the St. Paul House. He was appointed postmaster in 1849, and in +1852 opened a commission and forwarding warehouse on the levee. Mr. +Brunson was a surveyor, and, assisted by his brother, Ira B., laid off +the town plat of St. Paul, also a plat known as Brunson's addition, in +the fall of 1847. He was a member of the first and second territorial +legislatures, and justice of the peace for several years. + +[Illustration] + +Miss Bishop was one of the company of teachers sent West by Gov. +Slade. She organized the first permanent day school and the first +Sunday-school in St. Paul. The school house was a cabin on the corner +of Third and St. Peter streets. Miss Bishop, later Mrs. McConkey, was +the author of a valuable book of frontier sketches entitled "Floral +Homes." She died in 1884. + +Of Mr. Forbes mention is made in biographical sketches. Aaron Foster +came from Stillwater. He was a carpenter by trade. He married Fanny +Mortimer, daughter of Sergt. Mortimer. He died in 1864. S. P. Folsom +is mentioned in biographical sketches. Dr. Dewey, the first practicing +physician in St. Paul, was a member of the first territorial +legislature, and established the first drug store in Minnesota. +Parsons Johnson, a descendant on his mother's side of Jonathan Carver, +engaged in tailoring, the first of his trade in St. Paul. He was a +member of the first territorial legislature. + +Cornelius V. P. Lull was a carpenter. He served as sheriff in 1849, +and still lives in the city. Daniel Hopkins engaged in general +merchandising. He died in 1852. W. O. Renfro, a cousin of Henry +Jackson, had studied medicine, was a young man of ability but addicted +to drinking habits. The winter after his arrival he wandered forth, +suffering from _mania a potu_, and froze to death near the bend in +Phalen's creek. + +This year was memorable for the organization of a regular steamboat +line from Galena to Mendota and Fort Snelling. The steamer Argo was +purchased for the trade. M. W. Lodwick was made commander and Russell +Blakely, clerk. The Argo was designed to make weekly trips, but sank +before the close of the season, and the Dr. Franklin was purchased to +take her place the ensuing year. St. Paul had not increased largely in +population this year. One hotel and two dwellings had been built. Some +progress had been made in farming and gardening, and there was much +lively talk on the subject of making claims. The prospective +separation of Minnesota into a territory, and the opening of the +country for settlement gave a new impetus to business. The Wisconsin +convention for the adoption of a state constitution was held Dec. 13, +1847. Its effects, however, were not greatly felt until toward the +middle of the ensuing year. + +Among the prominent accessions in 1848 to the population were Henry M. +Rice, Henry C. Rhodes, David Olmsted, W. D. Phillips, E. A. C. Hatch, +Bushrood W. Lott, W. H. Nobles, Nathan Myrick, A. H. Cavender, +Benjamin F. Hoyt, William Freeborn, David Lambert, W. C. Morrison, Lot +Moffett, and W. D. Brown. Of these Rice, Noble, Hoyt and Myrick are +referred to in biographical sketches. Mr. Olmsted was a trader, and in +the summer of the year 1848 established a trading post at Long +Prairie, whither the Winnebagoes had removed. He was a member of the +first and second territorial councils, and the first mayor of St. +Paul, in 1854. He removed to Winona in 1855, and died in 1861. Olmsted +county, Minnesota, is named in his honor. W. D. Phillips, better known +as "Billy" Phillips, was a somewhat eccentric character who passed for +awhile as a lawyer in St. Paul, and in 1856 drifted off into a +clerkship at Washington, since which time nothing has been heard of +him. E. A. C. Hatch was appointed Indian agent to the Blackfeet +Indians by President Pierce in 1856. In 1863 he was commissioned as +major in the volunteer service, and acquitted himself creditably. +While stationed at Pembina, by strategy he captured the insurgent +Indians, Shakopee and Medicine Bottle, who were hanged at Fort +Snelling in 1865. He died in 1881. H. O. Rhodes was engaged in trade +with David Olmsted. He died in California some years ago. A. H. +Cavender was a blacksmith and wagonmaker on Robert street in 1849. + +Wm. Freeborn was quite a prominent citizen and member of the town +council. He is better known as one of the founders of Red Wing, to +which place he removed in 1853. He represented his district in the +territorial councils of 1854, 1855, 1856 and 1857. He removed to +California in 1862. Freeborn county is named for him. David Lambert, a +prominent member of the Stillwater convention, was a young man of +promise, but addicted to drink. In 1849, while suffering from a +delirious paroxysm induced by drink, he jumped from the deck of a +steamer and was drowned. W. C. Morrison originally came from New +York, thence to Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Galena, Dubuque, and +other places and lastly to St. Paul, where he is widely and favorably +known as a business man. Lot Moffett will be remembered as the builder +and proprietor of the picturesque heap of rocks known as "Moffett's +Castle," where he kept a temperance hotel for several years. He was a +man of patriarchal appearance, wearing a long, white beard. He was +known as an honest, kind hearted, benevolent man. He died in 1870. W. +B. Brown came from Wisconsin and purchased the corner on which the +Warner block now stands. He died some years ago. To enumerate the +accessions to the population in 1849 would require more space than we +are allowed. The fact that St. Paul was this year designated as the +territorial capital brought in a great number of official personages, +and an army of traders, boarding house keepers, builders and +adventurers. Heretofore Mendota had seemed to be the objective point +of steam navigation. It also aspired to be the capital of the new +territory. Senator Douglas, chairman of the committee on territories, +favored Mendota. Gen. Sibley, the territorial delegate, favored St. +Paul, and earnestly solicited the senator to yield, which, along with +the personal appeals of H. M. Rice, finally secured his acquiescence, +and the bill to form Minnesota Territory, with St. Paul as its +capital, finally passed March 3, 1849. The news, however, did not +reach the capital until April 9th, it having been brought up on the +Dr. Franklin, No. 2, the first boat of the season. + +On May 27th the newly appointed governor, Alexander Ramsey, arrived +with his wife, but not being able to obtain accommodations in St. Paul +went for the time to Mendota, where they were entertained by Hon. H. +H. Sibley. Every succeeding boat was crowded with emigrants. A +newspaper was an immediate necessity. The first steps had been taken +the year before by Dr. A. Randall, of Owen's Geological Survey. Dr. +Randall was not immediately able to carry his project into effect, and +not till April 27, 1849, did the promised paper, the _Minnesota +Register_, appear. The first copy had, however, been printed at +Cincinnati two weeks earlier. Of this paper Maj. John P. Owens was +publisher. + +The first number of the second paper in the city was issued April +28th. This was the St. Paul _Pioneer_, James M. Goodhue, publisher and +editor. These papers and others established later became faithful +chroniclers of the progress of the city, and invaluable as historical +documents. + +The first number of Goodhue's paper, the St. Paul _Pioneer_, bearing +date of April 28, 1849, contains what we may designate as the earliest +news. We cull a few items that maybe of interest to antiquarians: + +It announces Congressman Sibley's return from Washington, Rev. E. D. +Neill's removal to St. Paul, and that the latter would preach the +following Sabbath at the school house. + +An editorial paragraph calls attention to the fact that the _Pioneer_ +is printed in a building situated on Third street near Robert, and +that the building has five hundred apertures through which the +daylight is streaming. + +The arrival of steamer Franklin, No. 2, bringing the tidings of the +passage of the bill organizing Minnesota Territory, is announced. The +steamer was greeted by a large crowd of eager and excited citizens, +whose shouts re-echoed amongst the adjacent hills. + +Arrival of steamers Cora and Dr. Franklin, No. 1, is announced. + +The following advertisements will show who were the most enterprising +of the early settlers: + +H. Jackson, postmaster; D. Lambert, real estate dealer; W. H. Nobles, +wagonmaker; J. J. Dewey, M.D.; W. D. Phillips, lawyer; J. Monteur, D. +C. Taylor, blacksmiths; J. R. Irvine, plasterer; B. L. Sellers, +stonemason; Lot Moffett, Anson Northrup, hotel keepers; James Pomeroy, +Francis McCoy, house builders; McBoal & Gilbert, stock dealers; Henry +Jackson, W. H. Forbes, Daniel Hopkins, Freeman, Larpenteur & Co., J. +W. Simpson, Olmsted & Rhodes, Fuller & Brothers, R. P. Russell, +merchants. + +A road notice completes the list. + +Among the prominent citizens who arrived in 1849, David Day became the +first register of deeds in Ramsey county. He served in the territorial +house in 1852 and 1853, and was speaker during the last session. He +served as postmaster from 1874 to 1887. D. F. Brawley established the +first brickyard in the Territory, and made the brick for the first +brick building north of Prairie du Chien, which was built by Rev. E. +D. Neill. Willoughby & Powers introduced the first stage coaches, and +established the first livery stable. Nathaniel McLean came as a Sioux +Indian Agent and served four years. He died in 1871, aged eighty-four +years. Henry F. Masterman, a prominent lawyer, died in 1883. J. D. +Crittenden, who served in the late war and rose to the position of +colonel. Orlando Simmons, a useful citizen and sound jurist, still +lives in St. Paul. Wm. Hollinshead, a brother-in-law of Edmund and H. +M. Rice, died some time in the '50s. J. W. Bond was the author of the +first history of Minnesota. Chauncey Hobart was chaplain of the first +legislature. John B. Spencer, carpenter and contractor, built the +first breakwater and dock at Duluth. + +Thomas Foster became editor of the _Minnesotian_, and subsequently +issued a paper at Duluth. He gave the name of "The Zenith City of the +Unsalted Sea" to Duluth. He was too much of a critic to be popular. He +died near Washington, District of Columbia, in 1884. The first +Masonic, Odd Fellows and Sons of Temperance lodges were organized this +year. The Bank of St. Croix, with headquarters at St. Paul, was +established this year. Its paper was the first issued in the form of +bank notes in the city and Territory. Nevertheless it was a fraud. Its +paper was quoted in New York at one per cent. The proprietors were +Young & Sawyer. + +For a few terse comparisons and statistics with regard to the St. Paul +of the past and of the present we are indebted to a writer in the "Soo +Line edition" of the _St. Croix Standard_: + +"Twenty-six years ago there were no railroads in St. Paul, now there +are 26 trunk lines entering the city, with over 3,000 miles of track +and more than 20,000 miles of mileage, 90,000 cars in use and 100,000 +men employed. Beside this is the river trade, which employs two lines +of boats and affords a very considerable commerce to St. Paul. In the +manufacturing interests St. Paul has shown a great increase, and in +every department of trade manufactories are springing up in all +directions, and the business has already reached the large sum of +$45,000,000, with not less than 1,200 factories and 22,000 men +employed. Forty-six hotels accommodate the traveling public. The fire +department is one of the best in the West, consisting of 8 steam fire +engines, 7 chemical engines, hose carts, 159 men, 78 horses, etc., and +the value of all the property belonging to the fire department is +$316,367. The city is abundantly supplied with good, pure water, +obtained from several lakes. One year ago there were 1,800 miles of +mains and 1,000 new water connections, so it is safe to say that at +present there are 2,000 miles of mains and 1,200 connections. The +receipts of the department for the past year were $2,109,026.09. The +real estate sales in 1887 will reach as high as $32,000,000." + +Beyond this year we shall not follow the history of the city, except +so far as a few tables of statistics and the biographies of a few of +its leading citizens may be concerned. + + +POPULATION OF ST. PAUL. + + 1849, April 200 + 1849, June 840 + 1855 4,716 + 1857 9,973 + 1860 10,279 + 1865 12,976 + 1870 20,030 + 1875 33,178 + 1880 41,498 + 1886 138,074 + + +SCHOOLS IN 1886. + +Number of school houses, 26; valuation, $816,650; number of teachers, +246; number of scholars, 9,600. + + +STATISTICS OF BUILDINGS COSTING $100,000 AND OVER. + + Capitol $300,000 + Custom house 500,000 + Court house 1,000,000 + Hotel Ryan 1,000,000 + Merchants Hotel 500,000 + Metropolitan Hotel 100,000 + Globe building 500,000 + Pioneer Press building 650,000 + Chamber of Commerce 100,000 + High School building 137,000 + Hamline University 175,000 + Macalester College 100,000 + Baptist church 100,000 + German Catholic church 100,000 + Central Park Methodist Episcopal church 100,000 + New York Life Insurance Company building 1,000,000 + German Life Insurance Company building 250,000 + Northern Pacific office building 250,000 + Manitoba office building 200,000 + Omaha office building 160,000 + Union Depot 150,000 + German American Bank 250,000 + Germania Bank 200,000 + First National Bank 100,000 + Watson block 300,000 + Hale block 150,000 + McMurrin block 150,000 + Willius block 150,000 + Gilfillan block 125,000 + Drake block 100,000 + Drake block 100,000 + Union block 100,000 + Albion block 100,000 + Gotzian block 100,000 + Wilder block 100,000 + Mayhall block 100,000 + DeCoster & Clark block 100,000 + Sherman block 100,000 + Astoria block 100,000 + Steele block 100,000 + Shuter block 100,000 + Dawson block 100,000 + J.J. Hill's residence 350,000 + Kittson's residence 150,000 + Wilder's residence 150,000 + Stickney's residence 125,000 + Griggs' residence 125,000 + Merriam's residence 125,000 + Opera House 100,000 + United States Army headquarters 100,000 + Lindeke Flour mill 100,000 + Elevator A 100,000 + Elevator B 100,000 + Bohn Manufacturing Company 120,000 + + +MAYORS OF ST. PAUL. + + 1854. David Olmsted. + 1855. Alex. Ramsey. + 1856. George L. Becker. + 1857. J. B. Brisbin. + 1858. N. W. Kittson. + 1859. D. A. Robertson. + 1872. Dr. J. H. Stewart. + 1873. Dr. J. H. Stewart. + 1874. Dr. J. H. Stewart. + 1875. J. T. Maxfield. + 1876. J. T. Maxfield. + 1877. J. T. Maxfield. + 1860. John S. Prince. + 1862. John S. Prince. + 1863. J. E. Warren. + 1864. Dr. J. H. Stewart. + 1865. J. S. Prince. + 1866. J. S. Prince. + 1867. George L. Otis. + 1868. Dr. J. H. Stewart. + 1869. J. T. Maxfield. + 1870. William Lee. + 1871. William Lee. + 1878. William Dawson. + 1879. William Dawson. + 1880. William Dawson. + 1881. Edmund Rice. + 1882. Edmund Rice. + 1883. Edmund Rice. + 1884. C. D. O'Brien. + 1885. Edmund Rice. + 1886. Edmund Rice. + 1887. Robert A. Smith. + 1888. Robert A. Smith. + + +MISCELLANEOUS STATISTICS. + + Number of churches 105 + Value of school property $1,500,000 + Value of stockyards, West St. Paul 1,000,000 + Value of products manufactured 40,000,000 + Amount of lumber sales 5,318,000 + Capital of thirteen banks 8,498,000 + Aggregate post office business 4,289,102 + Bonded indebtedness 4,168,725 + Annual valuation of city property 100,000,000 + + +WEST ST. PAUL. + +The flourishing suburb of West St. Paul is rapidly approaching +metropolitan dimensions. The original settlement took place almost +simultaneously with that of St. Paul, but its growth until late years +has not been rapid. It was originally within the limits of Dakota +county, but that portion included in its plat has been annexed to +Ramsey county, and West St. Paul has become a part of St. Paul and has +been placed under the municipal government of that city. The city is +connected with St. Paul by two free bridges for carriages and +pedestrians and by several railroad bridges. + + +TOWNS OF RAMSEY COUNTY. + +After the state organization in 1858, Ramsey county was subdivided +into the following towns: Little Canada, McLean, Mounds View, Reserve, +Rose, St. Paul, and White Bear. From year to year the city of St. Paul +has made encroachments upon the towns adjacent--Little Canada, McLean, +Reserve, and Rose--until they have been in part or wholly absorbed. Of +the remaining towns we shall refer only to White Bear, which, owing +to the beauty of its lake scenery and its attractiveness as a place of +popular resort, deserves special mention. + + +WHITE BEAR. + +White Bear, the northeastern township of Ramsey county, contains +thirty-six sections. Its surface is agreeably diversified with lakes. +About six sections in all are occupied by these lakes, of which there +are several large and beautiful ones, among which may be mentioned +White Bear, Bald Eagle, Pleasant, Lambert's, Vadnais, Birch, Goose, +Otter, etc. The surface is undulating, and in no place actually hilly, +while there is much level and very desirable land. Extensive meadows +border some of the lakes, and are found in most of the intervales +watered by running streams. These produce enormous crops of hay. +Portions of these marshy localities are thickly grown with tamaracks, +which were invaluable to the early settler, furnishing him with a +supply of logs and poles for his improvements. The timber consists +principally of red, white and black oak, sugar maple, tamarack, +poplar, elm, elder, and ash. + +The township derives its name from White Bear lake. This lake was so +named, it is asserted, by the Dakota Indians, a tradition existing +amongst them that a grizzly bear once made its appearance on the +island, with which one of their bravest hunters engaged in mortal +conflict, each slaying the other. The Indians called this a grizzly, +polar or white bear, and named an adjacent locality "Mah-to-me-di" or +(M'de), _i. e._, Mahto, gray polar bear, and M'de, lake. It is not +probable, however, that a polar bear ever reached this spot, and a +visit from a grizzly is nearly as improbable. Indian legends are very +frequently made to order by those who succeed them as owners of the +soil. + +Not much is known of White Bear prior to 1851. No human habitations, +save those of Indians, were to be seen. There were no roads to this +region, and none nearer than Little Canada. The lake itself seems to +have been little known to white men. + +J. Fletcher Williams, in a sketch contributed to the _Pioneer_, and to +which we are indebted for many of our statements, says that Hugh I. +Vance, a typo employed in the _Pioneer_ office at that time, was +probably about the first settler of White Bear; that in the spring of +1851 he wended his way to this region in search of a claim, selected +a piece of land on Bald Eagle lake, erected a cabin, resided here with +his family several years, and was probably the first man to drive a +plowshare in this locality. Mr. Vance joined the Union Army in 1861, +and with his two sons was killed in Missouri the year following. In +the spring of 1851 V. B. Barnum selected a tract on the south shore of +White Bear lake, and hired Geo. O. Nichols to run out the lines. Mr. +Barnum entered one hundred and seventy-five acres. On this land he +built a cabin near the present Leip House, which burned down in 1857. +Jas. B. Clewett, one of the pioneers of St. Paul as early as 1840, +drove his stakes at White Bear in the spring of 1851. He afterward +built a house on the island, where he yet resides, a mile north of the +lake. Soon after Wm. Freeborn and B. F. Hoyt entered a tract of land +in sections 13 and 14. Isaac Banta built a cabin on it, near the point +by the island, resided there three or four years, and moved to Forest +Lake. This land was afterward bought by the Murray family. Thomas +Milner came in about the same time. Daniel Getty came and located on +the east side of the lake at a later day, becoming a resident of the +village proper, of which he is now postmaster, superintendent of the +Sunday-school, elder in the church, school trustee, etc. + +Mr. Barnum opened a hotel, which he kept till 1856, and then sold out +to John M. Lamb. In 1855 James F. Murray, his three sons and O. R. +Stratton settled at White Bear. W. W. Webber, John Aubery, Joseph +Freeman, Ross Wilkinson, Frank Perfect, Fred Whittaker, George +Starbuck, Duncan Ross, Charlie A. Morgan, and others came here in +1857. The early settlers were much disturbed by roving bands of +Chippewa and Sioux Indians. White Bear being debatable ground, and +sometimes a battlefield between hostile parties. The Sioux claimed the +right, under the treaty of 1851, to hunt, fish and gather berries and +rice in that region. In the fall of 1855 a party of Sioux from Kaposia +went by the lake on a hunting expedition. Near Oneka lake, a few miles +above, they fell in with some Chippewas, one of whom they killed and +scalped, but had two of their own number mortally wounded. Returning, +they camped on Goose lake, just about where St. John's church was +first built, and had a scalp dance, lasting two days and nights. It +was from time immemorial a grand battle field for them. Hardly a foot +of the soil around the lake but what has been ensanguined with the +blood of the hereditary foes. Many are the tales told of their +encounters. "Spirit Island" seems to have been the hardest fought +spot, and to this day it is honeycombed with the remains of rifle +pits, redoubts and earth works made by the contending parties, while +innumerable bodies of the slain have enriched its soil. It is a +perfect Golgotha--an island cemetery. If but a fraction of these +savage combats and sieges were truly narrated, no romance could equal +it in thrilling interest. These fierce combats continued as late as +1855. + +Miss Mary Stiles, daughter of William Stiles, was the first white +child born at White Bear. Miss Mary E. Barnum was married to Richard +McLagan--being the first wedding which occurred at White Bear. 'Squire +Jacob J. Noah, justice of the peace of St. Paul, tied the knot. + +The first death was that of Clara Murray, aged four years, daughter of +Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Murray, in July, 1856. J. G. Riheldaffer preached +at the funeral service at Mr. Murray's house the first sermon in the +settlement. + +A lay Methodist named Hoffman held services on the Sabbath several +times at Barnum's hotel. + +A Baptist clergyman from Diamond Bluff, Wisconsin, named Messer, also +occasionally held services in the early days, at the school house, a +log house built in 1857. + +The Episcopal church of St. John in the Wilderness was built in 1861 +and consecrated in August of the same year. It was located at the +lower end of the lake, but in 1874 was moved to its present site on +Clarke avenue. + +The Presbyterian church was organized May 28, 1864, with eight +members, two of whom were elected ruling elders, James F. Murray and +Daniel Getty. The corner stone of the present church edifice was laid +Nov. 8, 1871, and the foundation laid in the following spring. The +church was completed in 1872. + +A Catholic church was built in 1879, on a block between First and +Second streets and Bald Eagle avenue, in which services are held every +two weeks. + +The post office of White Bear was established in November, 1859, and +J. C. Murray appointed postmaster. + +The township of White Bear was organized May 11, 1858, with the +following officers: Clerk, G. Schnabel; supervisor, J. F. Murray; +assessor, V. B. Barnum; justices of the peace, J. R. Clewett and Alex. +Pepin. + +The village is easy of access, and abundantly supplied with railroad +facilities. The St. Paul & Duluth Railroad Company has built a double +track to St. Paul. This company built a road to Stillwater known as +the Stillwater & White Bear railroad. There is in addition to this +road an extension to Minneapolis known as the Minneapolis & White Bear +railroad. The Sault Ste. Marie passes through the north part of the +village. + + +WHITE BEAR LAKE + +Is one of the most famous pleasure resorts in the vicinity of St. +Paul. Its clear waters, gently sloping wooded shores, and the entire +absence of marsh or swamp lands adjoining, render the situation at +once pleasant and salubrious. It has an extreme length of 6-1/2 miles, +and a width of 2-3/4. It has, according to survey meanders, a shore +line of over 20 miles, and its area is 3,940 acres, or 62 square +miles. + +Beautiful parks surround the lake. Prominent among these are Wildwood +Park and Mahtomedi, the latter renowned as a camp ground, and later as +the site of a summer school, modeled after that at Chautauqua, and one +of a system of schools of which the Chautauqua school is the principal +and central institution. Spirit island, connected with the mainland by +a bridge, is also a charming resort. + +The lake shore is crowded with hotels and cottages for the use of +summer visitors. Among these the Leip House is especially worthy of +mention, the proprietor having beautified the grounds and built around +the hotel a small village of cottages for excursionists. Other houses +are the Ramaley, the Williams, the Chateaugay, the Dellwood, etc., +with pleasant surroundings. The appearance of this resort during the +summer months is one of great animation. Tourists and summer visitors +crowd the hotel, or gather in groups along the lake shore, while the +lake is dotted with their sailing vessels. A small steamer makes +regular trips to points of interest about the lake. + +White Bear Lake village was incorporated by the legislature in 1881, +the following being chosen as the first officers under their charter: +Daniel Getty, chairman of council; James C. Murray, Luke H. Bacon, +Abel E. Leaman, and Fred W. Benson, councilmen; B. E. McGurk, +recorder; H. K. Getty, treasurer; Wm. Clark, village justice; Reuben +Clewett, marshal. + +DANIEL GETTY was born in the north of Ireland in 1826. His ancestors +were Scotch-Irish. He came with his parents to Philadelphia in 1832; +was educated in the common schools, and learned the trade of a cabinet +maker. He came to White Bear in 1855, and opened the first store in +the place. He has four sons associated with him in business. He has +done much to promote the prosperity of White Bear, and by enterprise +and close attention to business, both as a merchant and a dealer in +real estate, he has been successful. + + +SOUTH ST. PAUL + +Is located in the northeastern corner of Dakota county, four and a +half miles below St. Paul, the site of the Presbyterian and Methodist +missions of old Kaposia. It is situated on a plateau considerably +above high water mark, in the rear of which the grounds rise gradually +to a rich agricultural plain. It is connected with St. Paul by an +hourly motor line of cars. It has communication with St. Paul by the +Chicago, St. Paul & Kansas City railway, and also has communication by +water. + +The famous St. Paul Union Stockyards are located here, and occupy two +hundred acres of land. This great enterprise was founded by A. B. +Stickney and Ansel Oppenheim, president of the company. W. M. Littell +is general superintendent; Arnold Kalman, secretary and treasurer. The +stockyards were located here in 1886, and now (1888) possess a capital +of $1,500,000 in grounds and necessary buildings pertaining to such an +enterprise. There are eight miles of railroad track upon the grounds. +The stock is brought from Montana, Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and +Iowa by railroad. + +The city was organized in 1887, with the following board of officers; +Joseph H. Lawrence, mayor; George W. Wentworth, Philip Crowley, J. W. +McGrath, and Irwin Marshall, aldermen. + +A post office was established in 1888, of which H. M. Littell is +postmaster. + +The city embraces South Park, and there are five churches, English and +German Methodist, a Congregational and two Baptist churches. + +An electric motor line is being established. The city of South St. +Paul has about 6,000 inhabitants. Its progress is upward. + + +NORTH ST. PAUL. + +This rapidly growing suburb of St. Paul is situated on the shores of +Silver lake, a lovely sheet of water lying six miles northeast of the +court house. The grounds about the lake were converted into farms soon +after the settlement of St. Paul. In 1886 the Wisconsin Central +Railroad Company extended their St. Paul branch through the +neighborhood. Capt. H. A. Castle established suburban residences near +the lake. In March, 1887, the North St. Paul Land Company was formed +for the purpose of encouraging manufactures and furnishing homes and +facilities for business. Their plant was located on the farm of Capt. +Castle. The company consists of H. A. Castle, Lane K. Stone, Frederick +Driscoll, W. S. Morton, and George A. Sexias. The capital stock of the +company was fixed at $1,000,000. Under their enterprising management +twenty miles of street has been graded, a boulevard extended around +the lake, five miles of sidewalk completed and numerous cottages +erected. A railroad depot has been built at a cost of $8,000; two +hotels and fifteen manufacturing establishments have been erected. +There are (in May, 1888) 3,000 inhabitants, with eight church +organizations and six buildings, and a school house, built at a cost +of $11,000. The growth of this village since its commencement in 1887 +has been remarkable. + +New, populous and important suburbs of St. Paul are Merriam Park, St. +Anthony Park, and St. Paul Park in Washington county. + +The following table gives the population of St. Paul from 1838 to May, +1888. + +YEAR. POPULATION. + + 1838 3 + 1847 50 + 1849 400 + 1850 850 + 1855 4,400 + 1856 5,630 + 1857 9,973 + 1860 10,600 + 1865 13,100 + 1870 20,300 + 1871 24,200 + 1872 25,500 + 1873 27,023 + 1875 33,178 + 1880 41,498 + 1881 50,900 + 1882 75,835 + 1883 88,378 + 1884 99,322 + 1885 111,397 + 1886 123,395 + 1887 155,577 + 1888 (Estimated) 187,759 + + +POST OFFICE. + +The following figures will show the amount of business transacted at +the post office, St. Paul, Minnesota, for the year ending Dec. 31, +1887, as compared with the year 1886: + +GENERAL BUSINESS. + + 1886. 1887. + +From sale of stamps, envelopes, etc $204,565 90 $274,178 95 +From sale of newspapers and periodical stamps 15,912 38 17,697 00 +From sale of unpaid letter stamps 1,814 80 2,119 00 +From box rent 1,866 50 1,772 25 +From sale of waste paper, twine and packing boxes 95 98 176 93 +From other offices (deposited) 87,721 65 106,858 42 +Sent assistant treasurer United States, New York 177,412 59 268,770 70 +Paid route agents, messengers, etc 93,246 16 83,130 49 +Paid letter carriers 38,121 19 44,282 11 +Paid letter carriers' expenses and horse hire 1,856 01 1,644 89 + ----------- ----------- +Total postal funds $622,612 36 $713,620 74 + +MONEY ORDER BUSINESS. + + No. Amount. No. Amount. + +Domestic orders and postal + notes issued 29,420 $257,572 95 35,603 $305,339 94 +Fees on same 2,250 62 2,537 94 +Foreign orders issued 2,632 37,356 88 2,540 57,582 03 +Fees on same 466 90 699 80 +Domestic orders and postal notes paid 74,526 670,304 82 84,972 701,667 17 +Foreign orders paid 1,250 30,701 91 1,508 36,132 44 +Surplus money order funds received + from other offices 1,743,516 42 1,773,455 99 +Surplus money order funds remitted + Chicago and New York 1,339,600 00 1,275,800 00 + ------------ ------------ +Total money order funds $4,081,770 50 $4,153,215 11 +Total postal funds 622,612 36 713,620 74 + ------------- ------------ +Grand total financial transactions $4,704,382 86 $4,867,845 85 + + +POST OFFICE HISTORY. + +The names and date of the commission of the postmasters of St. Paul +are as follows: Henry Jackson, April 7, 1846; Jacob W. Bass, July 5, +1849; Wm. H. Forbes, March 18, 1853; Chas. S. Cave, March 11, 1856; +Wm. M. Corcoran, March 12, 1860; Chas. Nichols, April 2, 1861; Jacob +H. Stewart, March 14, 1865; Jos. A. Wheelock, March 4, 1870; David +Day, July 1, 1875. + +Net yearly income, being balance on quarterly returns from its +establishment to the present time: + + 1846 $3 43 + 1847 20 33 + 1848 48 40 + 1849 369 25 + 1850 429 07 + 1851 1,192 72 + 1852 1,497 73 + 1853 1,806 04 + 1854 3,042 89 + 1855 3,814 07 + 1856 5,164 67 + 1857 9,171 87 + 1858 5,577 05 + 1859 6,135 66 + 1860 5,254 47 + 1861 5,136 71 + 1862 6,898 99 + 1863 9,509 53 + 1864 13,140 08 + 1865 12,082 32 + 1866 12,009 03 + 1867 15,033 19 + 1868 16,991 76 + 1869 20,848 03 + 1870 23,437 66 + 1871 32,250 61 + 1872 36,817 17 + 1873 43,305 05 + 1874 43,284 36 + 1875 42,767 82 + 1876 41,667 92 + 1877 38,998 42 + 1878 48,141 04 + 1879 64,670 59 + 1880 73,456 87 + 1881 96,197 77 + 1882 132,702 66 + 1883 141,704 78 + 1884 127,977 99 + 1885 134,501 13 + 1886 153,009 08 + 1887 189,017 20 + +Gross yearly income of the St. Paul post office from 1875 to 1887: + + 1875 $58,922 63 + 1876 57,092 85 + 1877 53,412 82 + 1878 63,922 49 + 1879 81,299 92 + 1880 102,450 22 + 1881 128,156 45 + 1882 173,131 31 + 1883 190,907 36 + 1884 186,571 22 + 1885 200,407 94 + 1886 226,972 28 + 1887 272,181 87 + +[Illustration: BRIG. GEN. HENRY H. SIBLEY.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +BIOGRAPHICAL. + + +HENRY HASTINGS SIBLEY.--The father of Gen. Sibley, Judge Solomon +Sibley, of Massachusetts, was a well known pioneer of the Northwest. +He settled in Ohio in 1795, but two years later removed to Michigan, +which he represented as delegate to Congress in 1800. In 1799 he +served as member of the first legislature of the Northwest Territory. +He was judge of the supreme court from 1824 to 1836, and died in 1846, +universally lamented. The mother of Gen. Sibley was the daughter of +Col. Ebenezer Sproat, and a granddaughter of Commodore Whipple of the +American Navy. She was a cultured lady, of unusual personal beauty and +of rare accomplishments. She was married to Judge Sibley in 1802, and +died at Detroit Jan. 22, 1851. Henry H. Sibley was born in Detroit, +Michigan, Feb. 20, 1811. He received an academic education, and two +years' tuition in the classics. In 1828 he came to the Sault Ste. +Marie and secured employment as a clerk. In 1829 he entered the +service of the American Fur Company at Mackinaw. In 1834 he came to +the mouth of St. Peter's river, to the post afterward known as +Mendota, as the agent of the American Fur Company. He made the journey +from Prairie du Chien, a distance of nearly three hundred miles, on +horseback. At that time there was but a single civilized habitation on +the way. In 1836 he built a stone house at Mendota, the first in +Minnesota, in which he resided twenty-four years. This house is still +standing. He continued to act as agent for the American Fur Company +until called to act as delegate to Congress for Wisconsin Territory +west of the St. Croix, in 1848. Mr. Sibley, when elected, was a +citizen of Mendota, Clayton county, Iowa, but the question of +citizenship was not raised. He was recognized as the ablest and best +representative that could be chosen for the difficult task of securing +the organization of Minnesota Territory. In this he was successful. +In the fall of 1849 he was re-elected as a delegate from the new +territory he had been instrumental in forming, and served in that +capacity until March 4, 1853, rendering the Territory important +services. In 1855 he was elected a member of the Minnesota territorial +legislature from Dakota county, and in 1857 was a member and president +of the Democratic wing of the constitutional convention. On the +admission of Minnesota as a state he was elected governor, taking his +seat May 24, 1858. His term expired Jan. 1, 1860. Aug. 19, 1862, his +successor, Gov. Ramsey, appointed him commander of the forces sent to +quell the Sioux outbreak. He marched with his command in pursuit of +the Indians, defeating them in several skirmishes and battles, +releasing 250 captives held by them and capturing about 2,000 +prisoners, over 400 of whom were tried by court martial and sentenced +to be hanged. Of this number thirty-eight were executed at Mankato, +Dec. 26, 1862, President Lincoln having pardoned the remainder. Col. +Sibley was commissioned brigadier general for his gallant services, +and retained in command of the frontier. In 1863 he led another +expedition into the Indian country, driving the hostiles across the +Missouri river, and returning to Fort Snelling in September. The years +1864 and 1865 were employed in securing the defense of the frontier. +Nov. 29, 1865, Gen. Sibley was commissioned major general for +efficient and meritorious services. He continued in the service until +August, 1866, when he was relieved of his command and detailed as a +member of the commission to negotiate treaties with the hostile Sioux +and other bands on the Upper Missouri river. + +In 1871 Gen. Sibley was elected to represent the Fifth ward, St. Paul, +in the legislature. He became a resident of St. Paul in 1862, but, in +company with Louis Robert and A. L. Larpenteur, had entered land for +the town site there as early as 1854. + +Gen. Sibley has been for several years president of the Gas Company, +director of the First National Bank, director of the Sioux City +railway, etc. He has at different times filled other responsible +positions; has been park commissioner, president of the Historical +Society, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and was once the +candidate of his party for Congress, but unsuccessful. He has +contributed many valuable papers to the State Historical Society and +has written much on topics relating to the welfare of the State, of +which, with the exception of his personal friend, W. T. Boutwell, he +is now the oldest resident. + +[Illustration: Alex. Ramsey] + +Gen. Sibley, for his integrity, persistent devotion to the welfare of +the State, for his indomitable persistence in upbuilding its +interests, has won a lasting place in the confidence and respect of +the people. His history is inseparably interwoven with the history of +the State, and he is justly regarded as one of its first and best +citizens. The town and county of Sibley bear his name. + +He was married May 2, 1843, to Sarah J., sister of Frank Steele. Mrs. +Sibley died May 21, 1869, much respected for her many virtues and rare +accomplishments. + +ALEXANDER RAMSEY, the first territorial governor of Minnesota, was +born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Sept. 8, 1815. His paternal +ancestors were Scotch-Irish. His mother was of German descent. His +parents were Thomas and Elisabeth (Kelker) Ramsey. His father was an +officer in the war of 1812, and died when the son was but ten years +old. Frederic Kelker, an uncle, assisted in the education of the son, +who in turn assisted as salesman in the store of his uncle. At the age +of eighteen he entered Lafayette College; at Easton, Pennsylvania; +attended college but a short time, when he commenced the study of law +with Hon. Hamilton Alricks, of Harrisburg, graduating afterward in the +law school at Carlisle, and commenced the practice of law in 1839. He +commenced his political life in 1840, the year of the Harrison +campaign, and was made secretary of the electoral college. In 1841 he +was appointed clerk of the Pennsylvania house of representatives. He +was in the lower house of Congress from 1843 to 1846, and was +renominated for a third term, but declined. In 1848 he was made +chairman of the Whig state central committee, and the following year +was appointed governor of the newly formed territory of Minnesota by +President Taylor. He entered upon his duties as governor in May, 1849. +The territorial government was organized in June, and the governor +issued his proclamation establishing three judicial districts, and +providing for the election of members of the first legislature. He +served as governor four years. In 1855 he was elected mayor of St. +Paul. In 1857 he was candidate for governor of the State, but was not +elected. He was elected to that office in 1859, and re-elected in +1861. In 1863, before the expiration of his second term, he was +elected to the United States senate, and re-elected in 1869. March 4, +1875, he accepted the position of secretary of war in the cabinet of +President Hayes, and for a time was acting secretary of the navy. In +1883 he was appointed chairman of the Utah commission under the +Edmunds bill. + +In the various departments of public service to which he has been +called, Gov. Ramsey has acquitted himself well, displaying rare +qualities of statesmanship. He is remarkable for his caution, which +leads him sometimes almost into conservatism, but results have +generally proved the sagacity of his apparently tardy movements. He is +a master in the exercise of a wise caution in the conduct of public +affairs. He has, in fact, great political sagacity. He has made +several favorable treaties with the Indians, being empowered during +his term as governor to act also as superintendent of Indian affairs. + +During his two terms as state governor, he rendered the country great +service by his prompt response to the calls for volunteers and his +decisive and unwavering support of the general government. He also +acted with great promptness and resolution in the suppression of the +Indian outbreak. As a senator he supported all measures for the +prosecution of the war for the preservation of the Union; advocated +the abolition of the franking privilege and assisted in procuring aid +for the building of the Northern Pacific railroad, favoring the +project of three trunk lines between the Mississippi and the Pacific +States and the general plan of aiding these roads by the donation of +alternate sections of public land, and was also active in promoting +the improvement of the Upper Mississippi and navigable tributaries. + +In person Gov. Ramsey is a hale, hearty, and well preserved gentleman, +who is passing gracefully into what with many is the season of the +sere and yellow leaf. He is genial and pleasant in his manners, and +would impress the ordinary observer as one whose "lines have fallen in +pleasant places," and who is the happy possessor of a good digestion, +a serene temper and a clear conscience. + +On Sept. 10, 1845, he was married to Anna Earl Jenks, daughter of Hon. +Michael H. Jenks, for many years judge of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, +a lady of rare accomplishments, and in every way fitted to shine in +the society into which she was introduced as the wife of a governor, +senator and cabinet officer. In private life she was not less noted +for her kindness of heart, amiability and christian virtues. This +estimable lady died in 1883, leaving a daughter, Marion, the wife of +Charles Elliott Furness, of Philadelphia. + +MAJ. WM. H. FORBES was born on Montreal island, Canada, Nov. 3, 1815. +His father was a Scotchman by birth, and was a member of the Hudson +Bay Company as early as 1785. Maj. Forbes was educated at Montreal, +where he also served an apprenticeship at the hardware business, and +afterward became junior partner in the same establishment. At that +time Montreal was the chief depot of supplies for the Indian trade of +the Northwest, and the reports which continually came to him of that +romantic region, together with the sight of the Indians and voyageurs +returning with their furs, so excited his love of adventure that he +resigned his position as partner in the hardware business and accepted +a clerkship with the American Fur Company. John Jacob Astor was then +president. The conditions were that the clerk should speak and write +the French language, which Mr. Forbes could do with facility. Having +engaged as clerk, his outfit was conveyed in bark canoes from +Montreal, in charge of fifty men enlisted for a three years' cruise. +Their route lay by way of the lakes to La Pointe, on Lake Superior, +and up the Brule river, from which the canoes and baggage were carried +across to the waters of the St. Croix, and descended thence to the +Mississippi. From the Sault Ste. Marie to La Pointe they were +transported on one of the company's schooners. They arrived at Mendota +in 1837. Gen. Sibley was then in charge at Mendota. Mr. Forbes clerked +for him ten years, and in 1847 took charge of an establishment +belonging to the company (called the St. Paul Outfit), and became a +resident of St. Paul until his death, twenty-eight years later. Mr. +Forbes was a member from St. Paul of the first territorial council, +and served four terms. In March, 1853, he was appointed postmaster at +St. Paul by President Pierce, and held the office three years. In 1853 +he also formed a business partnership with Norman W. Kittson for the +general supplying of the Indian trade. In 1858 Mr. Kittson retired +from the firm, but the business was continued by Maj. Forbes until +1862, when the Indian outbreak put an end to the trade. During the +campaign he served as a member of Gen. Sibley's staff, and acted as +provost marshal at the trial of the three hundred Indians condemned to +death. At the close of this campaign he was commissioned by President +Lincoln commissary of subsistence in the volunteer service with the +rank of captain. He was elected auditor of Ramsey county in 1863, and +served two years, though sometimes absent on military duty. In 1864 he +was ordered to the district of Northern Missouri as chief commissary, +remained two years and was breveted major. In 1871 he was appointed +Indian agent at Devil's Lake reservation, which position he held at +the time of his death, July 20, 1875. + +Maj. Forbes was twice married; first in 1846, to Miss Agnes, daughter +of Alexander Faribault, by whom he had one daughter, the wife of Capt. +J. H. Patterson, United States Army; again in 1854, to Miss A. B. +Cory, of Cooperstown, New York, by whom he had four children, three of +whom are living. + +HENRY M. RICE.--The family of Mr. Rice came originally from +Hertfordshire, England, to Sudbury, Massachusetts, in 1638. Members of +the family figured conspicuously in the struggle for American +independence. His parents were Edmund and Ellen Durkee Rice. His +grandfather Durkee was in the French war of 1755. Mr. Rice was born in +Waitsfield, Vermont, Nov. 29, 1816; attended common school three +months in the year and a private school and academy in Burlington. He +went to Detroit, Michigan Territory, in 1835; was engaged in making +the first survey of the Sault Ste. Marie canal, made by the state of +Michigan in 1837, and went to Fort Snelling in 1839. He was post +sutler in 1840, United States Army, Fort Atkinson, Iowa Territory, and +was connected with the old fur company for several years. He was +elected delegate to Congress in 1853 for Minnesota Territory and +re-elected in 1855. He was elected first United States senator for +Minnesota, in 1857, admitted to his seat May 11, 1858, and served +until March 3, 1863. In 1860 he was a member of the senate special +committee of thirteen on the condition of the country. During his term +in the senate he was a member of the following standing committees: +Indian affairs, post office and post roads, public lands, military, +finance. He was on the last four named committees at the expiration of +the term of March 3, 1863. + +[Illustration: Henry M. Rice] + +In 1865 he was nominated for governor but was defeated by Gen. W. R. +Marshall. In 1866 he was delegate to the Philadelphia Union +convention. He also served in the following various capacities: United +States commissioner in making several Indian treaties; as a member of +the board of regents of the University of Minnesota; as president of +the Minnesota State Historical Society; as president of the St. Paul +Board of Public Works; and as treasurer of Ramsey county, Minnesota. +He is the author of the law extending the right of pre-emption over +unsurveyed lands in Minnesota. He has obtained land grants for +numerous railroads in Minnesota, and, with the assistance of Senator +Douglas, framed the act authorizing Minnesota to form a state +constitution preparatory to admission, fixing boundary, etc. + +As a public man Mr. Rice has pursued a policy at once independent and +outspoken, not hesitating to express his convictions on the great +national questions of the day, and to place himself upon a national +rather than a party platform. During the war he upheld the +administration in a vigorous prosecution of the war, as the speediest +and most honorable means of obtaining peace. His letter to the St. +Paul _Press_ of Nov. 1, 1864, contains sentiments that must commend +themselves to every true lover of his country. We quote a few +extracts: + +"I believe Gen. McClellan and Mr. Lincoln both desire peace--both the +restoration of the Union. The one favors the return of the Southern +States with slavery; the other wishes these states to return without +that institution. I believe that the revolted citizens forfeited all +rights they had under the constitution when they turned traitors; that +the Emancipation Proclamation legally and rightfully set every slave +free. I am as much opposed to again legalizing that institution in the +South as I would be to its introduction in the Northern States." + +* * * "I am in favor of the return of the Southern States, and think +the day is not far distant when the same flag will float over us all, +and when that happy day shall arrive, I hope that the rights we enjoy +will be freely accorded to them, and no more." + +* * * "When the Southern States return I shall be in favor of their +voting population being equally represented with our own, and no +further." + +* * * "I think that in the long future, when all other of Mr. +Lincoln's acts shall be forgotten, his Emancipation Proclamation will +adorn history's brightest page. I am opposed to slavery for the reason +that _I am in favor of the largest human liberty_, and I can not +understand why some of our fellow citizens who come here that they +might be free can deny freedom to others." + +* * * "I think it illy becomes those who took up arms to defend their +homes, their country, yea, liberty! to make overtures to armed +rebellion. I believe that by a rigorous prosecution of the war peace +will soon come, our liberties will be secured forever, and that +prosperity will follow. Union with slavery will be only a temporary +cheat, and can not last. Dissolution will bring ruin, anarchy and an +endless effusion of blood and money." + +He has been a liberal contributor to the various public enterprises of +the city, to churches, public institutions and private parties. He has +built warehouses, business blocks and hotels. The park in front of the +city hall was donated by him. His name is inseparably interwoven with +the history of St. Paul and the State. Rice county bears his name. He +was married to Matilda Whitall, of Richmond, Virginia, in 1849. + +EDMUND RICE, brother of Hon. Henry M. Rice, was born in Waitsfield, +Vermont, Feb. 14, 1819. His father died in 1829. He received a +somewhat limited common school education and spent most of his early +life clerking. In 1838 he came to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he read +law with Stuart & Miller, and was admitted to the bar in 1842, making +commendable progress in his profession. While a resident of Michigan +he was master in chancery, register of court of chancery and clerk of +the supreme court. In 1847 he enlisted in Company A, First Michigan +Volunteers, of which company he was made first lieutenant, and served +through the Mexican War until its close. + +In July, 1849, he came to Minnesota Territory, locating in St. Paul, +where he became one of the firm of Rice, Hollinshead & Becker until +1855, when he embarked in railroad enterprises. In 1857 he was elected +president of the Minnesota & Pacific Railroad Company, and afterward +of its successors, the St. Paul & Pacific and the St. Paul & Chicago +Railroad companies. He has been long regarded as one of the most +energetic and competent railroad men in the State. Mr. Rice has +figured largely in the politics of the State, having served several +terms in the territorial and state legislatures. He was a +representative in the territorial legislature of 1851, a senator in +the state legislatures of 1864, 1865, 1873, 1874, and a representative +in the sessions of 1872, 1877 and 1878. + +[Illustration: Edmund Rice] + +In 1885 he was elected mayor of St. Paul, and in 1886 was chosen +representative in Congress. Mr. Rice is an uncompromising Democrat in +his politics, and is so recognized by his party, which he served as +chairman of the state central committee in the presidential campaign +of 1872, and elector at large in the campaign of 1876. He was married +in November, 1848, to Anna M. Acker, daughter of Hon. Henry Acker, of +Kalamazoo, Michigan. Of eleven children, the fruit of this union, all +are living but the second daughter, Jessie, who married Frank H. +Clark, of Philadelphia, in 1870, and died in October, 1874. The eldest +daughter, Ellen, is the wife of Henry A. Boardman, of St. Paul. + +LOUIS ROBERT.--Capt. Louis Robert was a descendant of the French +settlers who occupied Kaskaskia and St. Louis when they were in the +territory of Louisiana, then a French province. He was born at +Carondelet, Missouri, Jan. 21, 1811, and his early life was spent in +that region and on the Upper Missouri river. In 1838 he went to +Prairie du Chien, and in the fall of 1843 visited St. Paul and removed +thither the ensuing year, identifying himself with the interests of +that growing young city. + +To say the least, he was a remarkable character. He possessed all the +politeness and suavity of his nationality, was impulsive, warm +hearted, generous and yet, as a business man, far-seeing and +loquacious. His broken English added a peculiar charm and quaintness +to his conversation, and he will be long remembered for his odd +expressions and his keen but homely wit. He was generous in aiding any +worthy object, and, as a devoted Catholic, gave liberally to the +support of his church. He donated valuable property to church building +and gave the bells to the French Catholic church and the cathedral in +St. Paul. His private charities were also liberal. + +In 1847 Capt. Robert was one of the original proprietors of St. Paul. +He took a prominent part in the Stillwater convention of 1848. In 1849 +he was appointed commissioner on territorial buildings. In 1853 he +engaged in steamboating, and at different times owned as many as five +steamers. He was also largely engaged in the Indian trade until the +massacre of 1862. He died, after a painful illness, May 10, 1874, +leaving an estate valued at $400,000. He was married in 1839, at +Prairie du Chien, to Mary Turpin, who, with two daughters, survives +him. + +AUGUSTE LOUIS LARPENTEUR, the son of Louis Auguste, and Malinda +(Simmons) Larpenteur, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, May 16, 1823. +His grandfather, Louis Benoist Larpenteur, left France about the time +of the banishment of Napoleon Bonaparte to St. Helena, determined not +to live under the rule of the Bourbons. Auguste L., the grandson, was +reared in the family of his grandfather, his mother having died while +he was an infant. At the age of eighteen years, with his uncle, Eugene +N. Larpenteur, he came to St. Louis. Two years later he came to St. +Paul as clerk for Wm. Hartshorn and Henry Jackson, Indian traders. The +firm of Hartshorn & Jackson gave place to Freeman, Larpenteur & Co. +Mr. Larpenteur has been continuously engaged in commercial pursuits +since his arrival in St. Paul in 1843. He has seen the city grow from +a hamlet of five cabins to its present metropolitan dimensions, and +has been from the first one of its most enterprising and reliable +citizens. He was married Dec. 7, 1845, to Mary Josephine Presley. They +have five sons and five daughters. + +WILLIAM H. NOBLES.--William H., son of Rev. Lemuel Nobles, was born in +the state of New York in 1816. In his early life he learned the trade +of a machinist and became a skilled artisan. In 1841 he came to Marine +Mills, but soon removed to St. Croix Falls and assisted in putting up +the first mill there. + +He lived successively at Osceola, at the mouth of Willow river, and at +Stillwater. He was part owner of the Osceola mills in 1846, and it is +claimed that he built the first frame house in Hudson. In 1848 he +removed from Stillwater to St. Paul, and opened the first +blacksmithing and wagon shop in that city. He made the first wagon in +the Territory. He was a member of the house, fifth territorial +legislature, in 1855, from Ramsey county. In 1853 he made an overland +trip to California, and discovered one of the best passes in the +mountains. 1857 he returned and surveyed a government wagon road +through that pass. As a recognition of his services the pass received +the name of "Noble's Pass," and a county in Minnesota was also named +after him. In 1857 he laid out a government road from St. Paul to the +Missouri river. In 1862 he entered the army and was appointed +lieutenant colonel of the Seventy-ninth New York Volunteers, better +known as the "Highlanders." While on duty in South Carolina, a +personal collision with another officer led to his resignation. He was +afterward cotton collector for the government, United States revenue +officer, and master of transportation at Mobile. His health failing +during his arduous service, he returned to St. Paul, and died at St. +Luke's Hospital, on Eighth street, aged sixty years. + +Col. Nobles was a man of immense vitality and energy, with a strong +inventive genius, by which he himself failed to profit; restless, fond +of travel, a little hasty and irritable, but possessing many admirable +traits. Mr. Noble was married in Illinois, prior to his location in +Minnesota, to Miss Parker, who survives him. Mrs. Nobles resides with +her family in California. + +SIMEON P. FOLSOM, a younger brother of the author of this book, was +born in Lower Canada, near Quebec, Dec. 27, 1819. His father was a +native of New Hampshire, and while he was yet young returned to that +state, removing subsequently to Maine. Mr. Folsom came West in 1839, +settled in Prairie du Chien, and not long after engaged as clerk to +Henry M. Rice at Fort Atkinson. In 1841 he returned to Prairie du +Chien and for two years acted as deputy sheriff, one year as surveyor +of public lands, and two years as surveyor of county lands. In 1846 he +volunteered as a soldier in the Mexican War, but the company was sent +instead to garrison Fort Crawford, where he remained one year. On July +25, 1847, he landed in St. Paul, and has been engaged most of the time +since in the surveying and real estate business. He was city surveyor +of St. Paul in 1854, member of the school board in 1858-59 and 60, and +served three years as a soldier in the Seventh Minnesota during the +Civil War. He has one son, Simeon Pearl, Jr., and one daughter, wife +of J. B. Pugsley. + +JACOB W. BASS was born in Vermont in 1815; came West in 1840 and made +his home at Prairie du Chien, where he kept a hotel and ferry and +engaged in general business. While a resident of Prairie du Chien he +was married to Martha D., daughter of Rev. Alfred Brunson. In 1844 he +purchased an interest in the Chippewa Falls mills, but in 1847 sold +out, and removed to St. Paul, where he engaged in hotel keeping in a +building made of tamarack poles, on the site of the present Merchants +Hotel, and known as the St. Paul House. In July, 1849, he was +commissioned postmaster, as the successor of Henry Jackson, the first +postmaster in St. Paul. He held the office four years. He left the +hotel in 1852. He has since resided in St. Paul, where he has been +engaged at different times in the real estate and commission business +and at farming. He has two sons. The oldest, a graduate of West Point, +holds a commission in the United States Army; the youngest is in +business at St. Paul. + +BENJAMIN W. BRUNSON, son of Rev. Alfred Brunson, of Prairie du Chien, +was born in Detroit, Michigan, May 6, 1823. He came with his parents +to Prairie du Chien in 1835. He purchased an interest in the Chippewa +Falls mills in 1844, and in 1847 came to St. Paul and assisted in +surveying the first town plat. He laid out what was known as +"Brunson's addition." He was a representative in the first and second +territorial legislatures. He served three years during the Civil War +as a member of Company K, Eighth Minnesota Infantry, first as a +private, then as an orderly sergeant, and later as second lieutenant. +He has followed surveying many years, and has held several responsible +positions. He was married at St. Paul and has two sons and one +daughter. + +CHARLES D. AND ABRAM S. ELFELT.--The parents of the Elfelt brothers +came from San Domingo to the United States in 1801, on the +establishment of a negro republic on that island, and settled in +Pennsylvania, where Abram S. was born in 1827 and Charles D. in 1828. +In 1849 the brothers removed to St. Paul and established the first +exclusively dry goods store in Minnesota, their building standing near +the upper levee at the foot of Eagle street. They also built the hall +in which the first theatrical performances in St. Paul were held. This +was the building now standing on Third and Exchange streets, which was +erected in 1851. At that time it was the largest building in the city, +and many of the old residents remember the ceremonies attendant upon +the raising of the frame. The dramatic hall was in one of the upper +stories, being known as Mazourka Hall. The materials used in its +construction were brought from long distances, coming up the river by +boat, and the laborers employed on the building were paid five dollars +a day for their services. Into this building the Elfelt brothers +transferred their store, stocking it at first with both dry goods and +groceries, but afterward limiting their trade to dry goods +exclusively. + +Mr. Abram Elfelt originated the first Board of Trade, in 1864, and +when that body was merged into the Chamber of Commerce became one of +its directors. The brothers were public spirited and enterprising, and +always took a great interest in the welfare of the city. Abram S. +Elfelt died in St. Paul in February, 1888. + +D. A. J. BAKER was born in Farmington, Maine, in 1825; attended school +at New Hampton, New Hampshire; studied law and was admitted to the bar +in Kennebec county, Maine, in 1847; came to St. Paul in 1848, and in +1851 made his home in the locality now known as Merriam Park. It is on +record that Judge Baker taught one of the first public schools in the +territory of Minnesota. He, with others, pre-empted the land and +located what is now Superior City, Wisconsin, but sold his interests +in that city. He was appointed to a judgeship in Douglas county, +Wisconsin, in 1854, and served three years; was county superintendent +of schools in Ramsey county for twelve years, and was a member of the +Democratic wing of the constitutional convention in 1857. He has been +a dealer in real estate. He was married to Miss Cornelia C. Kneeland, +a sister of Mrs. Dr. T. T. Mann, and late widow of James M. Goodhue, +in 1853. Mrs. Baker died in 1875. Maj. Newson, in his "Pen Portraits," +says of her: "She was an affectionate wife and a devoted mother, and +amid all the trials and vicissitudes incident to the ups and downs of +an old settler's career, she never murmured, never complained, never +fretted, never chided; always cheerful, always hopeful, casting +sunshine into the home and weaving about all those she loved golden +chains of unbroken affection." + +B. F. HOYT.--Rev. B. F. Hoyt, a local minister of the Methodist +church, and a prominent pioneer of 1848, was born at Norwalk, +Connecticut, Jan. 8, 1800. He removed to New York State, and later to +Ohio, where he married and resided until 1834, when he removed to +Illinois, and in 1848 to St. Paul. He purchased the property bounded +now by Jackson, Broadway, Eighth and the bluff for three hundred +dollars. The following spring he laid it out as "Hoyt's addition." He +dealt largely in real estate and at various times held property, now +worth millions. He was instrumental in the erection of the Jackson +Street Methodist church, and aided in, the endowment of Hamline +University. He died Sept. 3, 1875. + +JOHN FLETCHER WILLIAMS, secretary of the Minnesota State Historical +Society, is of Welsh descent, John Williams, a paternal ancestor of +the seventh remove, having come to this country from Glamorganshire, +Wales. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sept. 25, 1834. He was +educated at Woodward College and Ohio Wesleyan University, graduating +from the latter institution in 1852. He came to St. Paul in 1855 and +engaged in journalism and reporting for about twelve years, during +which time he acquired a thorough knowledge of city and state affairs +and an acquaintance with the pioneers of the State, which knowledge he +utilized in writing biographical and historical, sketches, his +principal work in this line being the "History of St. Paul," published +in 1876. + +In 1867 he was elected secretary of the State Historical Society. Upon +him devolved the duty of arranging its volumes and collections and +editing its publications. Most of the memoirs, and historical sketches +are from his pen. He has gathered manuscripts and material for a +history of the State which will ultimately be of great value. He is +the honorary corresponding secretary of the Old Settlers Association, +not being eligible to active membership in that body, which requires a +residence dating back to 1850. Various diplomas have been conferred +upon him by the historical societies of other cities and states. + +In 1871 he was appointed by President Grant a member of the United +States Centennial commission from Minnesota, and served as such to the +close of the International Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in +1876. + +JOHN HENRY MURPHY was the first medical practitioner in St. Anthony +Falls, he having made that city his home in 1849. Mr. Murphy was born +Jan. 22, 1826, at New Brunswick, New Jersey. His father, James Murphy, +a shipbuilder, was a native of Ireland; his mother, Sarah (Allen), +belonged to an old New Jersey family. His parents removed to Quincy, +Illinois, in 1834, where John Henry obtained a good high school +education. He studied medicine and graduated from the Rush Medical +College in Chicago in 1850, and returned to St. Anthony Falls, which +he had made his home the year before. In this place he lived and +practiced his profession till near the close of the war, when he +removed to St. Paul. + +In the summer of 1861, when Dr. Stewart, surgeon of the First +Minnesota Infantry, was captured at Bull Run, Dr. Murphy took his +place and served for six months, and afterward as surgeon of the +Fourth and Eighth Minnesota Infantry. Dr. Murphy was a representative +in the territorial legislature of 1852, and a member of the +constitutional convention, Republican wing, in 1857. As a man and a +physician Dr. Murphy has an enviable reputation. He was married to +Mary A. Hoyt, of Fulton county, Illinois, June 28, 1848. They have +five children. + +W. H. TINKER was born at Hartford, Connecticut, in 1813; was married +to Elisabeth Barnum, at Rockford, Illinois, in 1840; came to Prairie +du Chien in 1843, and to St. Paul in 1849. He engaged for awhile in +tailoring, then in selling groceries, then clerked for S. P. Folsom & +Co., and also in the recorder's and marshal's offices. At one time he +owned eight acres in the heart of St. Paul, for which he paid two +hundred and eighty-four dollars, which is now worth a quarter of a +million. + +GEORGE P. JACOBS was born in Virginia in 1832; was educated at the +Virginia Military Institute; came to Pierce county, Wisconsin, and +engaged in lumbering, afterward in farming and lumbering. He has +resided in St. Paul since 1870. + +LYMAN DAYTON was born Aug. 25, 1809, in Southington, Connecticut, and +was early thrown upon his own resources. He commenced as a clerk in a +store in Providence, Rhode Island, and by faithfulness and industry +became in time a wholesale dry goods merchant. His health failing, he +sought the West in 1849, and selected for his home a high bluff, to +which his name has been affixed, near the city of St. Paul. He +purchased over 5,000 acres of land in the vicinity. The bluff is now +covered with palatial residences, business, church and school +buildings. + +Mr. Dayton lived much of his time at a village founded by himself at +the junction of Crow river with the Mississippi. The village bears his +name. He was one of the proprietors and first president of the Lake +Superior & Mississippi Railway Company, and gave much of his time and +means to promote its interests. He died in 1865, leaving a widow +(formerly Miss Maria Bates) and one son, Lyman C., a heavy dealer in +real estate. + +HENRY L. MOSS.--Mr. Moss is of English descent. His ancestors came +over prior to the Revolution, in which later members of the family +took a prominent part in behalf of the colonies. He was born in +Augusta, New York, and graduated at Hamilton College, New York, in +1840; studied law, and was admitted to practice in 1842 at Sandusky, +Ohio, where he practiced until 1845, when he removed to Platteville, +Wisconsin, where he became an associate with Benj. C. Eastman until +1848, when he removed to Stillwater. He was the second lawyer in this +place. In 1850 he moved to St. Paul. He served as the first United +States district attorney for Minnesota Territory, holding the office +from 1849 until 1853. He was reappointed to this office under the +state government in 1862, and served four years. Mr. Moss is a worthy +member of the Presbyterian church. His moral character and natural +abilities have commended him for the positions he has so +satisfactorily filled. Mr. Moss was married to Amanda Hosford, Sept. +20, 1849. + +WILLIAM RAINEY MARSHALL is of Scotch-Irish descent, and of good +fighting stock, both his grandfathers participating in the +Revolutionary struggle. His father, Joseph Marshall, was a native of +Bourbon county, Kentucky, and his mother, Abigail (Shaw) Marshall, was +born in Pennsylvania. William R. was born in Boone county, Missouri, +Oct. 17, 1825. He was educated in the schools of Quincy, Illinois, and +spent some of his early years mining and surveying amidst the lead +regions of Wisconsin. In September, 1847, he came to St. Croix Falls, +and made a land and timber claim near the Falls on the Wisconsin side +(now included in the Phillip Jewell farm). While at St. Croix Falls he +sold goods; dealt in lumber, was deputy receiver of the United States +land office, and took an active part in the boundary meetings. He was +elected representative in the Wisconsin assembly for the St. Croix +valley in 1848, but his seat was successfully contested by Joseph +Bowron on the ground of non-residence, he residing west of the line +marking the western limit of the new state of Wisconsin. During the +latter part of the year 1847 he had made a visit to St. Anthony Falls +and staked out a claim and cut logs for a cabin, but partially +abandoning the claim, he returned to St. Croix Falls. In 1849 he +returned to St. Anthony Falls and perfected his claim. In the same +year he was elected representative to the First Minnesota territorial +legislature. In 1851 he removed to St. Paul and engaged in mercantile +pursuits, becoming the pioneer iron merchant in that place. During +this year he was also engaged in surveying public lands. In 1855, with +other parties, he established a banking house, which did well till +overwhelmed by the financial tornado of 1857. He then engaged in dairy +farming and stock raising. In 1861 he purchased the St. Paul _Daily +Times_ and the _Minnesotian_ and merged them in the _Daily Press_. In +1862 he enlisted in the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and was +made lieutenant colonel of the regiment. On the promotion of Col. +Stephen Miller in 1863, he succeeded to the command of the regiment, +and remained connected with it to the close of the war, participating +in the battles of Tupelo and Nashville, and in the siege of Spanish +Fort. Gen. Marshall won for himself an enviable record as a soldier, +and was breveted brigadier general for meritorious services. In 1865 +he was elected governor of Minnesota, and re-elected in 1867. On +vacating the gubernatorial chair he resumed banking, and was made vice +president of the Marine National Bank, and president of the Minnesota +Savings Bank. + +[Illustration: Wm. R. Marshall] + +In 1874 he was appointed a member of the board of railway +commissioners. In November, 1875, he was elected state railroad +commissioner, and re-elected in 1877. In politics he is Republican, in +his religious views he is a Swedenborgian, being one of the founders +of that society in St. Paul. He is a liberal supporter of religious +and benevolent enterprises, and a man universally esteemed for +sterling qualities of mind and heart. He was married to Miss Abbey +Langford, of Utica, New York, March 22, 1854. They have one son, +George Langford. + +DAVID COOPER was born in Brooks Reserve, Frederic county, Maryland, +July 2, 1821. He enjoyed good educational advantages, first in the +common schools and later had as a tutor Rev. Brooks, a Methodist +clergyman, an accomplished gentleman and scholar, who gave him +thorough instruction in the sciences and classics. In 1839 he entered +Penn College, where he became a ready writer and pleasant speaker. +After leaving college he studied law with his brother, Senator Cooper, +and in 1845 was admitted to practice. He practiced in several +counties, showed rare ability, espoused with enthusiasm the politics +of the Whig party, and on the accession of Gen. Taylor to the +presidency, in 1849, was appointed by him first assistant judge of the +supreme court for the territory of Minnesota. He arrived in Minnesota +in June, 1849, and located in Stillwater; was assigned by Gov. Ramsey +to the Second Judicial district, and held his first court at Mendota. +He changed his residence to St. Paul in 1853, and, leaving the bench, +devoted himself to law practice in St. Paul. He was a Republican +candidate for Congress in 1858, at the first session of the state +legislature. + +He left Minnesota for Nevada in 1864, then went to Salt Lake City, +where he died in a hospital in 1875. He was twice married but left no +children. + +BUSHROD W. LOTT was born in Pemberton, New Jersey, in 1826. He was +educated at the St. Louis University, and studied law in Quincy, +Illinois, being admitted to practice in 1847. A year later he +accompanied Gen. Samuel Leech to St. Croix Falls, and was clerk during +the first land sales in that region, while Gen. Leech was receiver. +The same year he came to St. Paul, settling down to the legal +profession. He was a Democrat in politics, and held the office of +chief clerk of the house in the legislature of 1851, being elected in +1853 and re-elected in 1856 as a representative. In 1853 he was beaten +for the speakership by Dr. David Day, after balloting for twenty-two +days. About ten years after this he became president of the town +council for two years, and was city clerk for a year and a half. +President Lincoln appointed him consul to Tehuantepec, Mexico, in +1862, where he served until 1865. Mr. Lott was a charter member of the +St. Paul Lodge, I. O. O. F. He died of apoplexy in 1886. + +W. F. DAVIDSON, better known as "Commodore" Davidson, was born in +Lawrence county, Ohio, Feb. 14, 1825. He was early associated with his +father in canal boating and river life and acquired a strong +predilection for the pursuit in which he afterward became +distinguished. His father was a Baptist preacher, and the influence of +his teachings was apparent in many acts of the son's later life. His +advantages for education were limited, as his chief training was on +board the boats on which he was employed. In 1854 he came to St. Paul. +Before coming West he was interested in boating on the Ohio river, and +was the owner of several steamers. His first work in Minnesota was on +the Minnesota river, but soon afterward he became president of a +company known as the La Crosse & Minnesota Packet Company. His +experience and superior ability placed him at the head of river +navigation, and for many years he had scarce a rival, earning by this +supremacy the familiar cognomen of "Commodore," first applied to him, +we believe, by John Fletcher Williams. + +During ten years of his river life he resided in St. Louis. With the +increase of railroads and the brisk competition of later days, he +gradually withdrew from the river trade and interested himself in real +estate in St. Paul, buying largely and building many fine blocks. + +Though never an aspirant for office, Commodore Davidson was public +spirited and interested greatly in public enterprises involving the +prosperity of St. Paul. He was married in Ohio in 1856, to a daughter +of Judge Benjamin Johnson. He died in St. Paul, May 26, 1887, leaving +a widow, one son and one daughter. Capt. Thomas L. Davidson is a +brother, and Jerry and Robert R. are half brothers. Col. J. Ham +Davidson, a cousin and a man of considerable oratorical ability, was +associated with him in business. + +[Illustration: WM. H. FISHER.] + +WILLIAM H. FISHER was born in New Jersey in 1844. He entered the +railway service of the Dubuque & Sioux City railroad as check clerk at +Dubuque, Iowa, in 1864, serving as such and in other positions of +responsibility until 1873, when he removed to St. Paul, Minnesota, +entering the service of the St. Paul & Pacific railroad as +superintendent. He built the Breckenridge extension in 1877, and was +influential in relieving the St. Paul & Pacific railroad and branches +from financial embarrassment, which resulted in the organization of +the present St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba system. In June, 1884, he +was elected general superintendent, and in June, 1885, president and +general superintendent, of the St. Paul & Duluth Railroad Company, +which position he at present worthily fills. + +CHARLES H. OAKES, the son of a Vermont merchant and manufacturer, +David Oakes, at one time sheriff of Windham county, and judge of St. +Clair county, Michigan, was born in the town of Rockingham, Windham +county, July 17, 1803. He received a common school education, and at +twelve years of age went into a store and clerked until eighteen, when +he came to Chicago as clerk for an army sutler. In 1824 he commenced +trading with the Indians on the south shore of Lake Superior. In 1827 +he entered the service of the American Fur Company, in whose employ he +remained until 1850, his headquarters being most of the time at La +Pointe. In 1850 he located in St. Paul. In 1853 he entered the banking +firm of Borup & Oakes, the first banking firm in St. Paul, since which +time he has lived a quiet and retired life, that contrasts strongly +with the strange and adventurous life he led as an Indian trader. Mr. +Oakes' only public life was during the Indian outbreak, when he +accepted a position as colonel on the staff of Gen. Sibley. He was a +member of the Protestant Episcopal church. By his first wife Mr. Oakes +had four children, two of them daughters, now living. Sophia is the +widow of the late Jeremiah Russell, and Eliza is the wife of Col. +George W. Sweet, of Minneapolis. A son, Lieut. David Oakes, was in the +Civil War, and was killed in battle. The other child died in infancy. + +Mr. Oakes was married to his second wife, Julia Beaulieu, of Sault +Ste. Marie, July 29, 1831. She has had five children, but one of them +now living, Julia Jane, widow of the late Gen. Isaac Van Etten. One of +her sons, George Henry, was in the Civil War, and died two years after +of disease contracted in the service. + +CHARLES WILLIAM WULFF BORUP was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, Dec. 20, +1806. He received a thorough classical and medical education. In 1828 +he emigrated to America, and, having abandoned his original intention +of becoming a physician, entered into business, at first in the employ +of John Jacob Astor. He became chief agent of the fur company on Lake +Superior, with residence at La Pointe. In 1848 he removed to St. Paul +and entered into a partnership with Pierre Chouteau. In 1854 the +banking house of Borup & Oakes, of which he was senior partner, was +established. Dr. Borup died of heart disease, July 6, 1859, but the +banking business was continued under the firm name many years later. +He was married July 17, 1832, to Elizabeth Beaulieu, a daughter of +Basil Beaulieu, a French trader of Mackinaw. His widow died in St. +Paul several years ago. Of a family of eleven children, nine survive. + +CAPT. RUSSELL BLAKELEY, one of the best known of the early steamboat +men, was born in North Adams, Massachusetts, April 19, 1815. He spent +a part of his early life in Genesee county, New York, where he +received a common school education; emigrated to Peoria, Illinois, in +1836, where he engaged in the real estate business; in 1839 he removed +to Galena, where he engaged in mining and smelting; in 1844 to +Southwest Virginia, returning to Galena in 1847, where he became one +of a steamboat transportation company. He was clerk upon the first +boat on the line, the Argo. This boat sank and he was transferred to +the Dr. Franklin, of which he became captain. He was captain of the +Nominee in 1853, and of the Galena in 1854. This last named boat was +burned at Red Wing, July 1, 1858. In 1855 he was appointed agent at +Dunleith of the Packet Company, and soon afterward bought a leading +interest in the Northwestern Express Company. The next year he removed +to St. Paul. In 1867 he retired from the company. Of late years he has +interested himself in railroad enterprises, and has contributed +greatly to the prosperity of the city and State. + +RENSSELAER R. NELSON, United States district judge since Minnesota +became a state, was born in Cooperstown, Otsego county, New York, May +12, 1826. His paternal great-grandfather came from Ireland in 1764. +His grandfather was born in Ireland, but came to this country in his +childhood. His father, Samuel Nelson, was associate justice of the +United States supreme court. His father served as a soldier in the war +of 1812, and the son located the land warrant given for his services +in Minnesota. The mother of Rensselaer was Catharine Ann (Russell), a +descendant of Rev. John Russell, of Hadley, Massachusetts, in whose +house the regicides Goffe and Whalley were concealed for years, and +where they finally died. + +Rensselaer R. Nelson graduated at Yale in 1846. In 1849 he was +admitted to practice law. He came to St. Paul in 1850. In 1857 +President Buchanan appointed him territorial judge, and in 1858, +United States district judge, which office he still holds. He was +married to Mrs. Emma F. Wright, a daughter of Washington Beebe, of New +York State, Nov. 3, 1858. + +GEORGE LOOMIS BECKER was born Feb. 14, 1829, in Locke, Cayuga county, +New York. His father, Hiram Becker, was a descendant of the early +Dutch settlers of the Mohawk valley. In 1841 his father removed to Ann +Arbor, Michigan, where the son entered the State University as a +freshman, and graduated in 1846. He studied law with George Sedgewick +until 1849, when he emigrated to St. Paul, arriving late in October. +Here he commenced the practice of law, being associated with Edmund +Rice and E. J. Whitall. Subsequently, on the withdrawal of Mr. +Whitall, Wm. Hollinshead became a member of the firm. The partnership +continued until 1856, when Mr. Becker withdrew to engage in other +pursuits, since which time he has been engaged in forwarding the +railroad interests of the State and serving in various positions of +honor and trust. He served as a member of the constitutional +convention in 1857. In 1862 he was chosen land commissioner of the St. +Paul & Pacific railroad, and in 1864 was elected president of that +corporation. In 1872 he was the unsuccessful candidate of his party +for Congress. + +He is a member of the Old Settlers Association, of which he was +president in 1873, and of the Minnesota Historical Society, over which +he presided as president in 1874. He was one of the original members +of the Presbyterian church in St. Paul in 1850. He has served in the +council of St. Paul, and as mayor. He has figured most creditably in +the business, political, social and religious life of his adopted +city, and is an admirable type of a public spirited citizen. Since +1885 he has served as railroad commissioner. In 1885, at Keesville, +New York, he was married to Susannah M. Ismon, an estimable lady, who +has made his home attractive. Their family consists of four sons. + +AARON GOODRICH.--Hon. Aaron Goodrich, first chief justice of the +supreme court of Minnesota Territory, was born in Sempronius, Cayuga +county, New York, July 6, 1807. His parents were Levi H. and Eunice +(Spinner) Goodrich. He traces his ancestry back through the +Connecticut branch of the Goodrich family to a period in English +history prior to the advent of William the Conqueror. His mother was a +sister of Dr. John Skinner, who married a daughter of Roger Sherman. +In 1815 his father removed to Western New York, where the son was +raised on a farm and educated chiefly by his father, who was a fine +scholar and teacher. He then studied law and commenced practice in +Stewart county, Tennessee. In 1847 to 1848 he was a member of the +Tennessee legislature. + +In 1849 he was appointed to the supreme bench of Minnesota Territory. +He filled the position for three years. In 1858, at the state +organization, he was appointed a member of a commission to revise the +laws and prepare a system of pleading for state courts. In 1860 he was +made chairman of a similar commission. In March, 1861, President +Lincoln appointed him secretary of the legation at Brussels, where he +served eight years. While abroad, by his habits of study and +opportunities for research, he laid the foundation of his critical and +somewhat sensational work, "A History of the Character and +Achievements of the So-called Christopher Columbus." + +In politics Judge Goodrich was originally a Whig, and was a +presidential elector in 1848. He was next a Republican, and served as +delegate to the convention of 1860. In 1872 he was a delegate to the +Liberal Republican convention which nominated Horace Greeley for +president. In later years he voted with the Democratic party. + +Mr. Goodrich was Deputy Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of +Freemasons in the State, was one of the corporate members of the State +Historical Society and of the Old Settlers Association, of which he +was for many years the secretary. In 1870 he was married to Miss Alice +Paris, of Bogota, New Grenada, a descendant of the old Castilian +family de Paris, an accomplished lady, who, with a daughter, survives +him. Judge Goodrich died in St. Paul in 1886. + +NATHAN MYRICK was born in Westford, Essex county, New York, July 7, +1822. He came to La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1840. The writer first met +him at Prairie du Chien in 1841. He was one of the principal founders +of the city of La Crosse, managing a trading house in company with +Scoots Miller. He also engaged in lumbering on Black river. He came to +St. Paul in 1848, and has since made that city his home. He has been +an enterprising and successful trader with the Indians, principally +with the Sioux. Much of his trading stock was destroyed by the Sioux +Indians in the insurrection of 1862, but he has been recompensed in +part by the government. In 1843 he was married to Rebecca Ismon. They +have three children. + +JOHN MELVIN GILMAN, son of John and Ruth (Curtis) Gilman, was born in +Calais, Vermont, Sept. 7, 1824. His father died in 1825. The son +received a good common school and academic education, graduating from +the Montpelier Academy in 1843. He read law with Heaton & Reed, of +Montpelier, and was admitted to the bar in 1844. During the same year +he removed to New Lisbon, Ohio, where he practiced law eleven years +and served one term (1849-50) in the state legislature. + +In 1857 Mr. Gilman came to St. Paul, and formed a partnership with +Hon. James Smith, Jr., and later became one of the firm of Gilman, +Clough & Lane. Mr. Gilman served four terms as a representative in the +state legislature. His affiliations have been with the Democratic +party, for which he has been twice a candidate for Congress and +chairman of the state central committee. He was married to Miss Anna +Cornwall, of New Lisbon, Ohio, June 25, 1857. + +CHARLES EUGENE FLANDRAU, son of Thomas Hunt and Elisabeth (Macomb) +Flandrau, was born July 15, 1828, in New York City. On his father's +side he is descended from Huguenots driven into exile by the +revocation of the edict of Nantes; on his mother's side from the +Macombs of Ireland. One of his uncles was Gen. Alexander Macomb, +commander-in-chief of the United States Army immediately preceding +Gen. Winfield Scott. He was educated until thirteen years of age in +the private schools at Georgetown and Washington, after which he spent +about three years before the mast; was at New York City about three +years, when he went to Whitesboro, Oneida county, New York, where he +read law and afterward entered into partnership with his father, being +admitted to practice in 1851. In 1853 he came to St. Paul with Horace +R. Bigelow and commenced practice in the firm of Bigelow & Flandrau. +In 1854 he removed to St. Peter and practiced law for several years. +This year (1854) he was appointed a notary public by Gen. Gorman. + +[Illustration: Truly yours, John B. Sanborn.] + +In 1855 he was elected a member of the territorial council, and in +1856 was appointed by President Pierce United States agent for the +Sioux Indians. In 1857 he served as a member of the Democratic wing of +the constitutional convention, and in July of the same year was +appointed by President Buchanan associate justice of the supreme court +of Minnesota Territory. He was elected to the same office, on the +admission of Minnesota as a state, for a term of seven years. During +Gov. Sibley's administration, he acted as judge advocate general of +the State. + +Judge Flandrau took an active part in suppressing the Sioux outbreak, +serving as captain, and later as a colonel, of volunteers. In 1864 +Judge Flandrau resigned his place on the supreme bench and went to +Nevada Territory for a year; spent some time in Kentucky and St. +Louis, Missouri, and returned to Minnesota in 1867, locating at +Minneapolis, where he opened a law office with Judge Isaac Atwater. He +was elected city attorney and was president of the first Board of +Trade. + +In 1870 he removed to St. Paul and engaged in law practice with +Bigelow & Clark. + +In 1867 Judge Flandrau was the Democratic nominee for governor of the +State, and in 1869 for the position of chief justice. In 1868 he was +chairman of the state central committee, and a member of the national +convention that nominated Horatio Seymour for the presidency of the +United States. + +Judge Flandrau was married Aug. 14, 1859, to Isabella Dinsmore, of +Kentucky, deceased in 1866. His second wife was Mrs. Rebecca B. +Riddle, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Feb. 28, 1871. His family +consists of two daughters by his first wife and two sons by his +second. + +GEN. JOHN B. SANBORN was born Dec. 5, 1826, in Merrimac county, New +Hampshire, on the farm which had been in the possession of his +ancestors for four generations. After a common school education he +entered the law office of Judge Fowler, of Concord, New Hampshire, +where he remained for three years, when he was admitted to practice by +the superior court of New Hampshire, in 1854. In the following +December he came to Minnesota, where he has remained, a citizen of St. +Paul, and in the practice of his profession, except what time he has +been absent in the public service. + +His public career began in 1859-60, in the house of representatives. +The following year he was sent to the senate, and that had adjourned +but a little over a month when he was appointed adjutant general and +acting quartermaster general of the State, and entered upon the +arduous duties of organizing the first regiment of volunteers in the +State for the war of the Rebellion. + +In the following December he was commissioned colonel of the Fourth +Minnesota, and, with headquarters at Fort Snelling, garrisoned all the +posts and commanded all the troops along the Minnesota frontier during +the winter. Early in the spring of 1862 he left with his entire +command for Pittsburgh Landing, and was assigned to the command of a +demi-brigade, which he commanded till the evacuation of those works, +and was thereupon assigned to the command of the First Brigade, +Seventh Division, Army of the Mississippi, afterward the Seventeenth +Army Corps. + +On the nineteenth of September following, with this brigade he fought +the battle of Iuka and won the victory for which he was promoted by +the president to brigadier general of Volunteers. + +He participated in the battles of Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, +Champion Hills, and the assault on Vicksburg--a portion of which time +he was in command of a division. After the surrender of Vicksburg he +was assigned to the command of the Southwest District of Missouri, +where, after the campaign against Price, he was promoted to brevet +major general. + +After the close of the war, by a few months' campaign on the Upper +Arkansas and along the Smoky Hill river, he opened to travel the long +lines across the plains to Colorado and New Mexico, which had been +closed for nearly two years, and restored peace to that frontier. Upon +a mission to the Indian Territory, to establish the relations which +should exist between the slaves of the Indians and their former +masters, he solved the questions and determined the relations, and +established them upon a firm foundation in the short space of ninety +days. + +In 1866 he was appointed, with Gens. Sherman, Harney, Terry, and +Senator Henderson, a special peace commissioner to the Indians, and +for eighteen months served upon that board. This commission visited +and made treaties with the Camanche, Cheyenne, Arrapahoe, Apache, +Navajo, Shoshone, Northern Cheyenne, Northern Arrapahoe, and Crow +tribes; and with the Ogalalla, Brule, Minneconjon, Sausauche, Black +Feet, Umkapapa, Santee, and Yankton bands of the Sioux nation. They +settled upon and recommended to Congress a fixed policy to be pursued +toward the Indians, which, while followed, resulted in comparative +safety to the frontier, and greater economy in the service. Since +these services the general has devoted himself entirely to his +profession, and with more than ordinary success. + +JOHN R. IRVINE was born in Dansville, Livingston county, New York, +Nov. 3, 1812, and was brought up there till seventeen years of age. +His education when a boy was obtained at the common schools, and was +quite limited. From seventeen to twenty years of age he lived in +Carlisle and other places in Pennsylvania, during which he learned the +trade of plastering, and was married in Carlisle in 1831, to Miss +Nancy Galbreath. Soon after his marriage he returned to Dansville. The +following spring he went to Buffalo, New York; in the spring of 1837 +emigrated to Green Bay, Wisconsin, and in the spring of 1840 removed +to Prairie du Chien. + +While in Prairie du Chien Mr. Irvine kept a grocery. During that time +he made two trips to St. Paul--the last one with a team loaded with +provisions, on the ice the most of the way--and on the third of +August, 1843, arrived in St. Paul with his family. On his arrival he +bought of Joseph Rondeau a claim of 240 acres of land, afterward +converted into Rice & Irvine's addition, Irvine's enlargement and +Irvine's addition to the city of St. Paul, including most of the +present city from St. Peter street to Leech's addition, for about +$300. Mr. Irvine entered it in 1848. The east 80 acres of a quarter +included in this claim Mr. Irvine sold to Henry M. Rice in 1848, and +in the winter they laid off Rice & Irvine's addition, and commenced +selling lots and making improvements on the property. + +Since living in St. Paul Mr. Irvine has been engaged in farming, +milling, storekeeping, working at his trade, and managing his estate. +He was one of the earliest settlers of St. Paul, whose life amidst its +many changes has been contemporaneous with its history from the very +beginning. Mr. Irvine has had eight children, seven of whom, namely, +six daughters and one son, are living. Mr. Irvine died in 1878. + +HORACE RANSOM BIGELOW was born in Watervliet, New York, March 13, +1820. His father, Otis Bigelow, was a Revolutionary patriot and +soldier. He received a good education at the schools of Sangerfield +and the gymnasium at Utica. He spent part of his early life in farming +and teaching. Later he studied law and was admitted to practice in +1847, in Utica, where he entered into partnership with E. S. Brayton +until 1853, when he removed to St. Paul, Minnesota, in company with +Charles E. Flandrau. He has since devoted himself almost exclusively +to his law practice, which includes almost every branch except +criminal law. In June, 1862, he was married to Cornelia Sherrill, of +Hartford, New York. They have four children. + +CUSHMAN K. DAVIS.--In the quaint little Quaker village of Henderson, +New York, in a small house built partly of logs, and mossy and +venerable with age, on June 16, 1838, Cushman Kellogg Davis, late +governor and present senator from Minnesota, was born. His father, +Horatio N. Davis, removed to Wisconsin in August or September of the +same year, and settled on the present site of Waukesha. His father was +quite prominent; had served during the Civil War, and retired from the +service with the brevet rank of major; had held various municipal +offices, and had been a member of the Wisconsin senate. Cushman, his +oldest son, received as good an education as the times afforded, at +the common schools, at Carroll College, a Waukesha institution, and at +Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he graduated in 1857. He read law with Gov. +Randall, was admitted to the bar in 1859, and practiced at Waukesha +until 1862, when he enlisted in the Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Infantry, +going in as first lieutenant of Company B, but was adjutant general +under Gen. Gorman most of the time. At the end of two years, with +broken health, he resigned his commission and settled in St. Paul in +partnership with Gen. Gorman. In 1867 he was elected a representative +in the state legislature, and served one term. He was United States +district attorney from 1868 until 1873, when he was elected governor. +He served two years, and was the youngest man who has been elected to +that office. After leaving the governor's chair he resumed his law +practice until the senatorial election of 1887, when he was chosen to +succeed Senator McMillan in the United States Senate. + +Senator Davis has devoted some time to general literature. His lecture +on "Feudalism" was delivered in 1870, and this lecture probably +secured him the nomination for governor in 1873. He has also lectured +on "Hamlet" and "Madam Roland," and in 1884 delivered a lecture before +the Army of the Tennessee and in 1886 a lecture to the graduating +class at Michigan University. He also published a book entitled "The +Law in Shakespeare," which attracted considerable attention. He was +married to Miss Anna M. Agnew, of St. Paul, in 1880. + +S. J. R. MCMILLAN was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1826. +He spent part of his early days in Pittsburgh; received a collegiate +education; studied law; was admitted to practice in 1849, and came to +Stillwater in 1852, where he established a law office. In 1858 he was +elected judge of the First district and served until 1864, when he was +appointed to the supreme bench. He was elected to the position in the +fall of the same year and served until 1875, when he was elected to +the United States senate. He was re-elected in 1881, and was succeeded +in 1887 by Cushman K. Davis. He removed to St. Paul in 1865. + +Senator McMillan has had an honorable career and is greatly respected +as an upright, conscientious, active and thoroughly practical man. He +was married at Pittsburgh in 1852, to Harriet E. Butler. They have +three sons and three daughters. + +WILLIS ARNOLD GORMAN, second territorial governor of Minnesota, was +born in Fleming county, Kentucky, Jan. 12, 1816. He received a good +literary education, and his parents having moved to Bloomington, +Indiana, he graduated at the law school connected with the State +University at that place. He commenced practice at Bloomington and was +quite popular as a lawyer, but even more so as a party leader, and was +elected to the legislature six times in succession. At the breaking +out of the Mexican War, in 1846, he enlisted as a private in the Third +Indiana Volunteers, but was appointed major. He won the reputation of +a gallant, dashing officer, and was promoted to be colonel of the +Fourth Indiana, which he helped recruit. He served till the close of +the war. On his return to Indiana, in 1848, he was elected to +Congress, and re-elected in 1850. In May, 1853, he was appointed by +President Pierce governor of Minnesota Territory. In 1857, at the +close of his term of office as governor, he was elected a member of +the constitutional convention, and was also an unsuccessful candidate +for the United States senatorship. In the spring of 1861, at the +breaking out of the Civil War, he was appointed colonel of the First +Minnesota Infantry. For bravery at the first battle of Bull Run he was +commissioned brigadier general. He was mustered out in 1864. Returning +to Minnesota he formed a law partnership with Cushman K. Davis. In +1869 he was elected city attorney and held that office till his death, +which occurred at St. Paul, May 20, 1876. He was twice married, first +to Miss Martha Stone, of Bloomington, Indiana, in 1836. She died in +March, 1864, leaving five children. In April, 1865, he was married to +Miss Emily Newington, of St. Paul. + +JOHN D. LUDDEN was born in Massachusetts, April 5, 1819; was educated +at Williston Seminary, and came West to the lead mines of Wisconsin in +1842. In 1845 he came to St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, remained at this +point and at Taylor's Falls until 1849, when he made his residence at +Marine Mills, Minnesota. In 1857 he changed his residence to +Stillwater, and in 1861 became a citizen of St. Paul, where he still +resides. He was a member of the second, third and fourth territorial +legislatures. From 1854 to the present time he has been engaged +chiefly in lumbering. He is a man of pleasing address, of good +business talent and thoroughly reliable. + +ELIAS F. DRAKE is a native of Ohio, in which state he lived until +1861, when he came to St. Paul. His boyhood days were spent on a farm; +later he engaged in mercantile pursuits, and still later studied law +under the instruction of Justice Swayne of the United States supreme +court, and was admitted to practice in all the courts of Ohio and in +the United States court. After a short and successful term of +practice, he became cashier of the State Bank of Ohio, and in that +capacity spent ten years of his life. During that time he served three +terms in the legislature, being speaker one session, during which the +late Gov. Swift was clerk of the house. + +In politics Mr. Drake was a Whig, and afterward a Republican. During +his residence in Ohio he was active in promoting the improvements of +the country, successfully building several leading turnpike roads and +a few railroads. + +In 1861 he came to Minnesota, and, put in operation the first +railroad in the State, a road between St. Paul and St. Anthony Falls. +In 1863 he was president of the Winona & St. Peter railroad during the +construction of the first ten miles. Soon after, he, with some +associates, took hold of the Minnesota Valley railroad, and completed +it to Sioux City, Iowa, in 1872. He is president and land commissioner +of this company. Mr. Drake represented Ramsey county in the state +senate in 1874-75. + +NORMAN W. KITTSON was born at Sorel, Lower Canada, March 5, 1814. In +May, 1830, he engaged as an employe of the American Fur Company, and +in that capacity came to the Northwest. From the summer of 1830 to +that of 1832 he occupied the trading post between the Fox river and +the Wisconsin. The following year he operated on the headwaters of the +Minnesota, after which he spent a year on Red Cedar river, in Iowa. In +1834 he came to Fort Snelling, where he was sutler's clerk till 1838. +The winter of 1838-39 he spent with his friends in Canada. On his +return in the spring he began business on his own account in the fur +trade, at Cold Springs in the vicinity of Fort Snelling, which he +continued till 1843, when he entered the American Fur Company as +special partner, having charge of all the business on the headwaters +of the Minnesota, and along the line of the British possessions, and +operating in that field till 1854. During that summer he entered into +partnership with Maj. Wm. H. Forbes, in the general Indian trade, at +St. Paul, and went there to reside in the fall of that year. The +partnership continued till 1858, and Mr. Kittson continued his +northern business till 1860, when he closed out. In 1863 he accepted +the position of agent for the Hudson Bay Company at St. Paul, and went +into the steamboat and transportation business on the Red River of the +North. From 1851 to 1855 Mr. Kittson was a member of the territorial +council, and was mayor of the city of St. Paul in 1858. He was the +oldest of the pioneers of Minnesota, except Joseph Dajenais, a French +Canadian, now residing at Faribault. Mr. Kittson died July 10, 1888, +on a railroad train near Chicago. His body was brought to St. Paul for +burial. + +HASCAL RUSSELL BRILL was born in the county of Mississquoi, Canada, +Aug. 10, 1846. He was educated partly at Hamline University, then +located at Red Wing, and finished at Ann Arbor, Michigan. He studied +law and was admitted to practice at St. Paul in December, 1869, and +formed a partnership with Stanford Newel. Three years later he was +elected probate judge and served two years. In 1875 he was appointed +by Gov. Davis to fill the vacancy in the court of common pleas caused +by the death of Judge W. S. Hall, and a few months later was elected +by the people to fill the same position. In politics Judge Brill is +Republican. He was married Aug. 11, 1873, to Cora A. Gray, of +Suspension Bridge, Niagara county, New York. + +WARD W. FOLSOM, brother of Simeon P. and W. H. C. Folsom, was born in +Tamworth, New Hampshire, Oct. 13, 1824, but in early life removed with +his parents to Skowhegan, Maine, and in 1846 came to Arcola, +Minnesota. In 1848 he removed to St. Croix Falls and in 1851 to +Taylor's Falls, where he kept the Chisago House and engaged in +lumbering until 1857, when he removed to St. Paul, which city has +since been his home. He was employed for three years during the Civil +War in the quartermaster's department at St. Louis, Missouri. In 1865, +with health greatly shattered, he returned to St. Paul. He was married +to Sydney Puget, of St. Louis, in 1852. They have two adopted sons. + +GORDON E. COLE was born in Berkshire county, Massachusetts, June 18, +1833; received his education at Sheffield Academy, Massachusetts, and +at the Dane law school of Harvard University, from which school he +graduated in 1854. He practiced law two years in his native town, came +to Minnesota, and located in Faribault in 1847. In 1859 he was elected +attorney general and served three consecutive terms. He served one +year as state senator, and a year in compiling state statutes. He has +been a railroad attorney and has filled many honorable positions. He +was married in August, 1855, to Stella C. Whipple, of Shaftsbury, +Vermont, who died in June, 1872, leaving three children. Feb. 14, +1874, he was married to Kate D. Turner, of Cleveland, Ohio. + +JAMES SMITH, JR., was born in Mount Vernon, Knox county, Ohio, Oct. +29, 1815. He obtained a good practical, common school education, and +was besides largely self taught. He read law three years in Lancaster, +Ohio, was admitted to the bar in 1839, and practiced law in his native +town for seventeen years. In 1856 he came to St. Paul, where he has +been associated in practice with Judge Lafayette Emmett, John M. +Gilman and J. J. Egan. Since the building of the St. Paul & Duluth +railroad he has been its attorney, general manager and president. + +Mr. Smith was in the state senate in 1861-62-63 and 67, and proved a +careful and able legislator. As a lawyer he stands deservedly high. He +was married to Elisabeth Martin, Jan. 18, 1848. They have four +children. + +WILLIAM PITT MURRAY is of Irish descent. He was born in Hamilton, +Butler county, Ohio, in 1827; came to Centreville, Indiana, in 1844; +attended school there, graduated at the State Law School at +Bloomington in 1849, and the same year came to St. Paul, where he has +practiced law ever since. He has also taken an active part in the +politics of the city and State. He has probably assisted in the +passage of more laws than any other man in the State. He was a member +of the territorial house of representatives in 1852-53 and 57, and of +the territorial council of 1854-55, acting as president in the latter +year. He was a member of the Democratic wing of the constitutional +convention in 1857; was a representative in the state legislatures of +1863 and 1868, and a state senator in 1866-67, 1875-76, and has +besides served sixteen years in the city council of St. Paul. He has +been county and city attorney since 1876. He has been honored beyond +most public servants and has a county named after him. He was married +to Carolina S. Conwell, of Laurel, Indiana, April 7, 1853. They have +three children living. + +HENRY HALE.--Judge Hale was born in Vermont in 1816; studied law and +was admitted to practice in his native state. He came to St. Paul in +1856 and opened a law office on Bridge Square. He took an active part +in the politics of the State and vehemently opposed the $5,000,000 +loan bill. He has since retired from law practice, and is now a +successful dealer in real estate. + +JAMES GILFILLAN, son of James and Janet (Gilmor) Gilfillan, was born +in Bannockburn, Scotland, March 9, 1829. His parents came to America +in 1830 and located at New Hartford, New York. He was educated in the +common schools, read law and was admitted to practice in 1850. He +removed to Buffalo, New York, where he practiced law until 1857, when +he removed to St. Paul and opened a law office. In 1862 he enlisted in +Company H, Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, became its captain +and before the close of the war was commissioned colonel of the +Eleventh Minnesota Infantry. In 1869 he was appointed to a vacancy on +the supreme bench of the State and again in 1875. The same year he +was elected to the office for seven years, at the end of which time he +was re-elected. He was married June 4, 1867, to Miss Martha McMasters, +of St. Paul. They have six children. + +CHARLES DUNCAN GILFILLAN, a younger brother of James, was born in New +Hartford, New York, July 4, 1831. He was educated in the common +schools, Homer Academy and Hamilton College. After leaving college, in +1850, he located in Missouri, and a year later came to Stillwater, +Minnesota, where he read law with Michael E. Ames, was admitted to the +bar in 1853 and removed to St. Paul in 1854, where he engaged for +about twelve years in the practice of his profession. Since that +period he has been engaged in furthering various public enterprises, +among them the St. Paul Water Works, of which he was the founder and +for many years manager. He has occupied various public positions, +always with credit to himself. He was the first recorder of +Stillwater; was a member of the state legislatures of 1864-65, and +1876, and a member of the senate from 1878 to 1881, inclusive. At the +session of 1878 he was chairman of the railroad committee and the +committees on judiciary and education. In politics he is a Republican. +Mr. Gilfillan was married to Emma C. Waage, of Montgomery county, New +York, who died in 1863, leaving no issue. In 1865 he married Fanny S. +Waage, sister of his first wife. They have four children. + +ALEXANDER WILKIN was born in Orange county, New York, in December, +1820. He studied law with his father, Judge Samuel J. Wilkin, and +practiced awhile at Goshen. In 1847 he enlisted in the Tenth New York +Regulars for service in the Mexican War, and was commissioned captain. +In the spring of 1849 he came to St. Paul; practiced law; was +appointed United States marshal in 1851, and served until 1853. He +visited Europe during the Crimean War, and studied the art of war +before Sebastopol. At the breaking out of the Rebellion, he raised the +first company for the first regiment, acted with conspicuous bravery +at the battle of Bull Run, and was commissioned major of the Second +Minnesota, lieutenant colonel in the same regiment, and colonel of the +Ninth Minnesota, all in the same year, 1862. He took part in the +Indian campaign, but at its close returned South, his regiment being +attached to the Sixteenth Army Corps, under Gen. A. J. Smith. He was +advanced to the position of brigade commander, and was killed at the +battle of Tupelo, Mississippi, July 14, 1864. Wilkin county, +Minnesota, bears his name. + +WESCOTT WILKEN, a brother of Alexander, was born at Goshen, New York, +in 1827, received a good education, graduating at Princeton College in +1843, and studied law at New Haven Law School in 1846. He practiced +law in Sullivan county, New York, and was county judge four years. In +1856 he came to St. Paul and formed a partnership with I. V. D. Heard; +was elected judge of the district court in 1864, and re-elected every +succeeding term, without opposition. + +S. C. WHITCHER was born in Genesee county, New York, in 1821. He came +to Amador, Chisago county, Minnesota, in 1853, and to St. Paul in +1858. He was married to Helen M. Olds, in New York, in 1840. Their two +sons are Charles and Edward. + +MAJ. THOMAS MCLEAN NEWSON was born in New York City, Feb. 22, 1827, of +Scotch-Irish parentage. His paternal grandfather was paymaster in the +army during the war of 1812. His father, Capt. George Newson, +commanded a military company in New York City for seventeen years. +Three uncles were in the war of 1812. His father removed to New Haven, +Connecticut, in 1832, and both parents died there in 1834. The son, +after his parents' death, was placed in a boarding school. When he +left the school he learned the printer's trade, and on arriving at his +majority entered into partnership with John B. Hotchkiss in the +publication of the _Derby Journal_, in Birmingham, Connecticut. During +this period he wrote poetry, delivered lectures, and took an active +part in political affairs. He was secretary of the first editorial +association in Connecticut, and started and conducted for a year the +first daily penny paper in the State. He was one of the originators of +the reform school and an efficient promoter of its interests. + +He came to St. Paul in 1853, where he was first associated with Joseph +R. Brown in the editorial department of the _Pioneer_, but the +following spring, in company with others, started the _Daily Times_, +which he edited until 1860, when he leased the material to W. R. +Marshall. The _Press_ was the outgrowth of this movement. He was one +of the founders of the Republican party in the State and was sole +delegate of his party in Minnesota to the Pittsburgh national +convention. + +At the outbreak of the Rebellion he entered the service of his +country, was commissioned commissary of subsistence and subsequently +appointed acting assistant quartermaster, with the rank of captain. At +one time he was chief commissary at St. Cloud. He left the army with a +splendid record for honesty and capacity, with the brevet rank of +major, conferred for meritorious service, and the offer of a position +in the regular army, which he declined. In 1866 he was commander and +president of a company which explored the Vermillion Lake region +prospecting for precious metals. He was the first to assay the iron +ores, now so famous, in that region. In later years we find him +prospecting amongst the Black Hills, enjoying the wild life of the +frontier and devoting some attention to literature. While there he +wrote a drama of "Life in the Hills" and delivered lectures at various +times and places, achieving in this line an enviable success. Since +this period he has written and published an interesting work, entitled +"Thrilling Scenes Among the Indians," drawn from his own observation +and experience; also "Pen Pictures and Biographical Sketches of Old +Settlers of St. Paul, from 1838 to 1857," a rich and racy book of +seven hundred and thirty-two pages, in which the driest biographical +details are enlivened with amusing anecdotes and witty comments, in +which naught is set down in malice, but every line glows with the +genial spirit of the author. He has in contemplation another volume on +the same subject. He has also published "Heleopa," "Indian Legends" +and "Recollections of Eminent Men." Maj. Newson is a man of varied and +miscellaneous gifts. He is a ready writer, a fluent and eloquent +speaker, a journalist, a historian and the oldest editor in Minnesota. +He is corresponding secretary of the National Editorial Association, +and the first and only honorary member of the State Fire Association; +he is a geologist, mineralogist and assayer, a member of the G. A. R., +of the Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges, and of the Junior Pioneers. He +is broad-gauged and popular in his views and positive in the +expression of his opinions. He was married to Miss Harriet D. Brower, +in Albany, New York, in 1857, and has a family of five girls and one +boy, May, Hattie, Nellie, Jessie, Grace, and T. M. Newson, Jr. + +[Illustration: MAJ. T. M. NEWSON, THE OLDEST EDITOR IN THE STATE.] + +[Illustration: CAPT. HENRY A. CASTLE, ONE OF MINNESOTA'S PIONEER +EDITORS.] + +COL. ALVAREN ALLEN was born in New York in 1822; came to Wisconsin in +1837, and to St. Anthony Falls in 1857, where he engaged in the +livery, staging and express business. In 1859 he followed railroading; +in 1873 he bought Col. Shaw's interest in the Merchants Hotel of St. +Paul, for $40,000, and Col. Potter's interest for $275,000, property +now held at $500,000. In 1887 he rented the property to Mr. Welz. Col. +Allen is a genial man, and has friends all over the continent. He was +the second mayor of St. Anthony Falls, and has held various public +positions in St. Paul. + +[Illustration: H. P. HALL.] + +HARLAN P. HALL.--The writer has been unable to obtain any sketch of +the history of Mr. Hall. We have to say that he has been an +enterprising journalist in St. Paul. He was the founder of the _Daily_ +and _Weekly_ St. Paul _Dispatch_; also of the St. Paul _Daily_ and +_Weekly Globe_. He is a fluent, versatile writer, and a genial +associate. + +STEPHEN MILLER, a native of Perry county, Pennsylvania, was born Jan. +7, 1816. Being in straitened circumstances he early commenced a life +of toil, supported himself and to a great extent educated himself. In +1858 he removed to St. Cloud, Minnesota, and engaged in mercantile +pursuits. In 1860 he served as delegate to the Republican convention +at Chicago that nominated Lincoln for the presidency. In 1861 he +enlisted as a private soldier, but rose rapidly from the ranks, being +commissioned as a lieutenant colonel of the First Minnesota Infantry, +then as colonel of the Seventh Minnesota Infantry. He was in command +of this regiment at the execution of the thirty-eight condemned Indian +murderers at Mankato. In 1863 he was commissioned as brigadier general +but resigned to accept the position of governor of Minnesota. In 1871 +he removed from St. Paul to Windom. In 1873 he was in the Minnesota +house of representatives. In 1876 he was presidential elector. In 1839 +he was married to Margaret Funk, of Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. They +have had three sons. One son was killed at the battle of Gettysburg. +Gov. Miller died in 1878, at Windom, Minnesota. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + + +DAKOTA COUNTY. + +This county, a rich farming district, lies on the west bank of the +Mississippi between Ramsey and Goodhue counties. It was originally +well diversified with timber and prairie lands, and is well watered by +the tributaries of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. Vermillion +river, which flows through this county, has near its junction with the +Mississippi a picturesque waterfall, now somewhat marred by the +erection of mills and manufactories. + + +HASTINGS, + +Lying near the mouth of the Vermillion river, is a wide-awake, +thriving city, beautifully located on the banks of the Mississippi. It +has a fine court house, good hotels, manufactories and business +blocks. The Hastings & Dakota railroad has its eastern terminus here. +The St. Paul & Milwaukee, Burlington & Northern railroads pass through +the city. The river is bridged at this place. + + +FARMINGTON, + +Near the centre of the county, on the Chicago, St. Paul & Minneapolis +railroad, is a thriving business village. West St. Paul has encroached +largely upon the north part of the county. + + +BIOGRAPHICAL. + +IGNATIUS DONNELLY.--The parents of Ignatius Donnelly came from the +Green Isle in 1817, settling in Philadelphia, where Ignatius was born, +Nov. 3, 1831. He was educated in the graded and high schools of his +native city, graduating at the latter in 1849, and taking his degree +of master of arts three years later. He read law with Benjamin Harris +Brewster, and was admitted to the bar in Philadelphia in 1852, and +practiced there until 1856, when he came to Minnesota and located at +Ninninger, and purchasing from time to time nearly 1,000 acres of +land, devoted himself to farming, not so busily, however, as to +prevent him from taking a prominent part in public affairs. A +captivating and fluent speaker, and besides a man of far more than +ordinary native ability and acquirements, he was not suffered to +remain on his Dakota farm. In 1859 he was elected lieutenant governor +of the newly admitted state, and was re-elected in 1861, serving four +years. He served his district in the thirty-seventh, thirty-eighth and +thirty-ninth congresses. During his congressional term he advocated +many important measures, taking an advanced position in regard to +popular education, and the cultivation and preservation of timber on +the public lands. For his advocacy of the last named measure he was +much ridiculed at the time, but has lived to see his views generally +understood, and his measures to a great extent adopted in many of the +Western States. He advocated amending the law relating to railroad +land grants, so as to require their sale, within a reasonable period, +at low prices. + +When he entered Congress, he gave up his law practice, and since his +last term he has devoted himself chiefly to farming, journalism and +general literature. In July, 1874, he became editor and proprietor of +the _Anti-Monopolist_, which he conducted several years. Within the +last decade he has published several works that have given him both +national and transatlantic fame. His works on the fabled "Atlantis" +and "Ragnarok" prove him to be not only a thinker and scientist, but a +writer, the charms of whose style are equal to the profundity of his +thought. His last work on the authorship of the Shakespearean plays +has attracted universal attention, not only for the boldness of his +speculations, but for the consummate ingenuity he has shown in +detecting the alleged cipher by which he assumes to prove Lord Bacon +to be the author of the plays in question. The book has excited much +controversy, and, as was to be expected, much adverse criticism. Mr. +Donnelly was married in Philadelphia, Sept. 10, 1855, to Miss +Catherine McCaffrey of that city. They have three children living. + +FRANCIS M. CROSBY.--The ancestors of Mr. Crosby were of Revolutionary +fame. He was born in Wilmington, Windham county, Vermont, Nov. 13, +1830. He received a common and high school education and spent one +year at Mount Cęsar Seminary, at Swansea, New Hampshire. He studied +law and was admitted to practice at Bennington, Vermont, in 1855. He +served in the Vermont house of representatives in 1855-56. He +continued the practice of law until 1858, when he came to Hastings and +engaged in the practice of law. He served as judge of probate court in +1860-61, acted as school commissioner several years in Dakota county, +and was elected, in 1871, judge of the First Judicial district +comprising the counties of Goodhue, Dakota, Washington, Chisago, Pine, +and Kanabec. He held the first courts in Pine and Kanabec counties. +Judge Crosby is held in high esteem, not only by the bar, but by the +people at large. He is gentlemanly in his manners, yet prompt and +decisive in action. + +He was married to Helen A. Sprague, in New York, May 13, 1866. Mrs. +Crosby died in 1869. He married a second wife, Helen M. Bates, in New +York, in 1872. They have two sons and three daughters. + +HON. G. W. LE DUC was born at Wilkesville, Gallia county, Ohio, March +29, 1823. His father, Henry Savary Duc, was the son of Henri Duc, an +officer of the French Army, who came over with D'Estaing to assist the +colonies in the Revolutionary struggle. The grandfather, after some +stirring adventures in Guadaloupe, where he came near being murdered +in a negro insurrection, escaped and came to Middletown, Connecticut, +in 1796, where he was married to Lucy, daughter of Col. John Sumner, +of Duryea's Brigade, Continental Troops, and a member of the Sumner +family which came to Massachusetts in 1637. The father was married to +Mary Stewell, of Braintree, New York, in 1803. The family name, +originally written Duc, was changed to Le Duc in 1845. The grandfather +removed to Ohio and founded the town of Wilkesville. G. W. Le Duc, the +grandson, spent his early life at this place, but was educated at +Lancaster Academy, a school that numbered amongst its scholars Gen. W. +T. and Senator John Sherman, the Ewing brothers, and others prominent +in the history of the country. He entered Kenyon College in 1844, +graduated in 1848, and was employed for awhile by the firms of H. W. +Derby & Co., of Cincinnati, and A. S. Barnes & Co., of New York. +Meanwhile he studied law, and in 1850 was admitted to practice in the +supreme court of Ohio. July 5, 1850, he came to St. Paul and engaged +in selling books, supplying the legislature and the government +officers at the Fort, but gradually turned his attention to practice +in land office courts. At the breaking out of the Rebellion he +enlisted, and was assigned to duty as captain A. Z. in the Army of the +Potomac. During his term of service he was promoted to the grades of +lieutenant colonel, colonel and brigadier general by brevet. Since the +war his most important official position has been that of commissioner +of agriculture through the administration of President Hayes. In 1856 +he removed to Hastings, and has ever since been identified with the +progress and prosperity of that city, and is the owner of large +property interests there. + +[Illustration: HON. G. W. LE DUC.] + + +GOODHUE COUNTY. + +This county lies on the west bank of the Mississippi river, between +the counties of Dakota and Wabasha. It derived its name from James M. +Goodhue, pioneer editor and publisher in St. Paul. It is a rich and +populous county. The county seat is Red Wing, a thriving city of 7,000 +inhabitants, located on the banks of the Mississippi a short distance +below the mouth of Cannon river, and at the outlet of several valleys +forming a larger valley, well adapted to become the site of a city. +The hills surrounding the city are high, bold and many of them +precipitous. Mount La Grange, commonly known as Barn Bluff, a large +isolated bluff, a half mile in length and three hundred and twenty +feet in height, stands between the lower part of the city and the +river. Part of the county lies upon the shore of Lake Pepin, and +includes the famous Point no Point, a bold promontory extending far +out into the lake, with a curve so gradual that the eye of the person +ascending or descending the lake is unable to define the Point, which +appears to recede before him as he approaches, till at last it +disappears, when looking backward he sees it in the part of the lake +already traversed. Cannon river, a considerable stream, passes through +the county from west to east. + +Cannon Falls, on this river, once a picturesque and wild waterfall, is +now surrounded by the mills, manufactories and dwellings of a +flourishing village, named after the falls. Goodhue county was +organized under territorial law. In 1845 the principal point was Red +Wing. There we found a Swiss missionary named Galvin, an Indian farmer +name Bush and the noted Jack Frazer, a half-breed trader, all living +in log buildings. Mr. Galvin had a school of Indian children. Near by +was an Indian cemetery--burying ground it could not be called, as the +bodies of the dead were elevated upon the branches of trees and upon +stakes to be out of reach of animals. The bodies were wrapped in +blankets and exposed until the flesh had decayed, when the bones were +taken and buried. Red Wing's band of Sioux Indians had their +encampment here. It is said that Red Wing, the chief for whom the +village and city was afterward named, chose for his burial place the +summit of Barn Bluff, and that when he died he was buried there, +seated upon his horse, with his face turned to the Happy Hunting +Ground, the Indians heaping the earth around him till a huge mound was +formed. The legend may need confirmation, but a mound is there to this +day, on the highest part of the bluff, and the high spirited chief +could certainly have wished no nobler grave. + +Red Wing city bears few traces of its humble origin. It is a fine, +compactly built city, with handsome public and private buildings. It +was for some years the seat of Hamline University, now removed to St. +Paul. + + +BIOGRAPHICAL. + +HANS MATTSON.--Col. Mattson is a native of Onestad, Sweden. He was +born Dec. 23, 1832. His parents were Matts and Ilgena (Larson) +Mattson, both now residents of Vasa, Minnesota. The son was educated +at a high classical school in Christianstad, and in his seventeenth +year entered the military service as a cadet and served one year. +Disliking its monotony, and having an adventurous spirit he embarked +for America, where he found himself abjectly poor, and worked as a +cabin boy on a coasting vessel, as a farm hand, and afterward with a +shovel on an Illinois railroad until 1853, when he secured a position +as an emigrant agent, whose business it was to select homes for +Swedish colonists. He, with others, came to Vasa, Goodhue county, +Minnesota, where he dealt in real estate, studying law meanwhile with +Warren Bristol. He was admitted to the bar in 1858. He was elected +county auditor the same year and served till 1860, when he entered the +army as captain of Company D, Third Minnesota Infantry. At the end of +four years he left the service with the rank of colonel. After his +return from the war he formed a law partnership with C. C. Webster, +and a year later he accepted the position of editor of a Swedish +newspaper in Chicago. In 1867 Gov. Marshall appointed him secretary of +the state board of immigration, which position he held several years, +doing the State excellent service. In 1869 he was elected secretary of +state, but before his term of office expired resigned to accept the +appointment of land agent of railway corporations, which enabled him +to spend four years abroad. + +[Illustration: L. F. Hubbard] + +Col. Mattson was for some time editor of the _Staats Tidning_, a +Swedish paper in Minneapolis, and a large owner and general manager of +the _Swedish Tribune_ published in Chicago. He was a presidential +elector in 1876. He was again elected secretary of state for 1887-88. +He is a versatile writer and a fluent speaker, a frank, outspoken and +honorable man. He was married Nov. 23, 1855, to Cherstin Peterson, a +native of Bullingslof, Sweden. They have five children living. + +LUCIUS FREDERICK HUBBARD was born Jan. 26, 1836, at Troy, New York. He +was the oldest son of Charles F. and Margaret (Van Valkenburg) +Hubbard, his father being a descendant of the Hubbard family that +emigrated from the mother country and settled in New England in 1595; +his mother coming from the Holland Dutch stock that has occupied the +valley of the Hudson river since its earliest history. + +The father dying early, the son found a home with an aunt at Chester, +Vermont, until he was twelve years old, when he was sent for three +years to the academy at Granville, New York. At the age of fifteen he +was apprenticed to a tinner at Poultney, Vermont, and completed his +trade at Salem, New York, in 1854, when he removed to Chicago for +three years. He then removed to Red Wing, Minnesota, and started the +Red Wing _Republican_. In 1858 he was elected register of deeds of +Goodhue county. In 1861 he sold out his interest in the _Republican_ +and ran for the state senate, but was defeated by the small majority +of seven votes. In December, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Fifth +Minnesota Volunteers, and was elected captain. In March, 1862, he +became lieutenant colonel; in August, colonel; and for conspicuous +gallantry at the battle of Nashville was promoted to the position of +brigadier general. He participated in the battles of Farmington; of +Corinth, where he was severely wounded; of Iuka, the second battle of +Corinth; of Jackson and Mississippi Springs; in the siege of +Vicksburg; in the battle of Richmond, Louisiana; of Greenfield, +Louisiana; of Nashville, where he was wounded and had two horses +killed under him, and at the siege of Spanish Fort. He was mustered +out in October, 1865, at Mobile, Alabama. He was engaged in +twenty-four battles and minor engagements and won an enviable record +for his intrepidity and coolness. He returned to Red Wing with broken +health, the result of fatigue and exposure. + +In 1866 he engaged in the grain business at Red Wing, and soon +thereafter in milling operations on a large scale in Wabasha county. +In 1872 he purchased an interest in the Forest mill, at Zumbrota, +Goodhue county, and in 1875, with others, bought the mills and water +power at Mazeppa, in Wabasha county, the mills soon after being +rebuilt and enlarged. + +In 1868 he raised, through his personal influence, the money necessary +for the completion of the Midland railway, a line extending from +Wabasha to Zumbrota. + +He subsequently projected and organized the Minnesota Central railway +(Cannon Valley), to run from Red Wing to Mankato. As president of the +company he secured the building of the road from Red Wing to +Waterville, about sixty-six miles. + +In 1878 Gen. Hubbard was nominated for Congress in the Second district +of Minnesota, but declined. In 1872 he was elected to the state +senate, and again in 1874, declining a re-election in 1876. In the +senate he was regarded as one of the best informed, painstaking and +influential members. He was on the committee to investigate the state +treasurer's and state auditor's offices, and was largely instrumental +in recommending and shaping legislation that brought about the +substantial and much needed reform in the management of those offices. +He was also one of the three arbitrators selected to settle the +difficulties between the State and the prison contractors at +Stillwater. He was appointed commissioner, with John Nichols and Gen. +Tourtelotte, in 1866, to investigate the status of the state railroad +bond, levied in 1858, and finally settled in 1881. + +On Sept. 28, 1881, Gen. Hubbard was nominated for governor of +Minnesota, and was elected by a majority of 27,857, the largest +majority ever received by any governor elected in the State. In 1883 +he was renominated and re-elected by a very large majority. + +Gov. Hubbard is an affable, genial, courteous gentleman, whose +integrity has never been questioned; a man of the people, and in +sympathy with them and the best interests and general prosperity of +the State. + +Gov. Hubbard was married in May, 1868, at Red Wing, to Amelia, +daughter of Charles Thomas, a merchant of that place. He has three +children, two boys, aged seventeen and eleven respectively, and a +girl. + +WILLIAM COLVILLE is of Scotch descent on his father's side. The +ancient homestead of the family at Ochiltree is mentioned by Sir +Walter Scott in his novel, "The Antiquary." On his mother's side he is +of Irish descent. His ancestors participated in the American +Revolution. He was born in Chautauqua county, New York, April 5, 1830; +was educated at the Fredonia Academy, taught school one winter, read +law in the office of Millard Fillmore and Solomon L. Haven, of +Buffalo, and was admitted to the bar in 1851. He practiced law at +Forestville three years, and then removed to Red Wing, Minnesota. His +first winter he spent in St. Paul as enrolling clerk of the +territorial council, and the winter following was secretary of the +council. In the spring of 1855 he established the Red Wing _Sentinel_, +a Democratic paper, and conducted it until the Civil War broke out. In +1861 he entered the service as captain of Company F, First Minnesota +Infantry, and served with that regiment three years, conducting +himself with such gallantry as to win promotion. He was wounded at the +first battle of Bull Run, at Nelson's Farm and at Gettysburg, the last +wounds received maiming him for life, and necessitating a close of his +military career. At the end of three years he left the service with +the rank of colonel, and edited the _Sentinel_ until January, 1865, +when he took his seat as representative in the legislature. At its +adjournment he was appointed colonel of the First Minnesota Heavy +Artillery which was stationed at Chattanooga till the close of the +war. Col. Colville was mustered out of the service with the brevet +rank of brigadier general. In the autumn of 1865 he was elected +attorney general of the State on the Union ticket and served two +years. In 1866 he ran for Congress in opposition to the Republican +nominee. In 1877 he was elected as a Democrat to the lower house of +the state legislature in the strongest Republican county in the State. +The same year he was appointed by President Cleveland register of the +land office at Duluth, to which place he has removed his residence. He +was married to Miss Jane E. Morgan, of Oneida, New York, in 1867, a +descendant of Elder Brewster, who came over in the Mayflower. + +MARTIN S. CHANDLER, for twenty-two years sheriff of Goodhue county, +Minnesota, was born in Jamestown, New York, Feb. 14, 1827. He came to +Goodhue county in 1856 and engaged for awhile farming at Pine Island. +He was elected county commissioner in 1856, and served until 1858, +removing meanwhile to Red Wing, which has since been his home. In 1859 +he was elected sheriff of Goodhue county, and held the office for +eleven consecutive terms, until 1882, when he was elected to the state +senate. He was presidential elector in 1872. He was appointed surveyor +general in 1883, which office he held until 1887. He was married to +Fannie F. Caldwell, of Jamestown, New York, in 1848. His only +daughter, Florence C., is the wife of Ira S. Kellogg, of Red Wing, one +of the oldest druggists in the State. + +CHARLES MCCLURE was born in Virginia in 1810; was graduated at +Lewisburg, Virginia, in 1827; studied law and was admitted to practice +in 1829. He came to Minnesota and located at Red Wing in 1856, where +he opened a law office. In 1857 he was a member of the constitutional +convention, presidential elector in 1861, state senator in 1862-63 and +in 1864, judge of the First district, filling the vacancy caused by +the retirement of Judge McMillan. At the fall election of the same +year he was elected judge of the First district and served seven +years. This district embraced Washington, Chisago, Goodhue and Dakota +counties. Judge McClure is a man of unquestionable ability and +integrity. + +HORACE B. WILSON was born in Bingham; Somerset county, Maine, March +30, 1821. His grandfather settled in Maine twenty years prior to the +Revolution. He had a fair common school education until sixteen years +old, when he attended the Maine Wesleyan Seminary, graduating four +years later. He devoted himself chiefly to teaching, and studied law +meanwhile, but never practiced. He taught in Cincinnati, Ohio, +Lawrenceburg and New Albany, Indiana, until 1850, when he was elected +city civil engineer, which position he filled six years. In 1858 he +removed to Red Wing, Minnesota, and taught, as professor of +mathematics, natural science and civil engineering in Hamline +University four years. In 1862 he enlisted in Company F, Sixth +Minnesota Infantry, was elected captain, and mustered out at the close +of the war. His military service was quite arduous, including +campaigning against the Sioux until 1864, when the regiment was +ordered South and attached to the Sixteenth Army Corps. + +In 1866 he was appointed superintendent of schools for Goodhue county. +In 1870 he was appointed state superintendent of schools, which +position he held five years. He was elected representative in the +state legislature in 1877, and subsequently he served four terms as +senator, and was president _pro tem._ of that body during the trial of +E. St. Julien Cox, and in the absence of the lieutenant governor +presided during the trial. For the past few years he has devoted +himself to civil engineering, and has had charge of the public +improvements of Red Wing. In 1844 he was married to Mary J. Chandler, +who died in 1887. + +Among the prominent early settlers of Red Wing not mentioned in our +biographical notices were William Freeborn, for whom Freeborn county +was named, and who was a senator in the fifth, sixth, seventh and +eighth legislatures. Judges Welch and Wilder, W. C. Williston and +Warren Bristol, lawyers, both state senators from Goodhue, and the +latter a judge in Arizona. Rev. Chauncey Hobart, D.D., a Methodist +pioneer preacher, and author of a history of Methodism in Minnesota +and an autobiography; Rev. Peter Akers, D.D., an eminent educator; +Rev. M. Sorin, D.D., an eloquent preacher, and Rev. Samuel Spates and +J. W. Hancock, prominent as missionaries, the latter the first pastor +located in the village. Andrew S. Durant, first hotel keeper; Calvin +F. Potter, first merchant. W. W. Phelps and Christopher Graham were +appointed to the land office in 1855. + + +WABASHA COUNTY. + +This county, named in honor of a Sioux chief, lies on the west shore +of the Mississippi river and Lake Pepin, between Goodhue and Winona +counties. It has a majestic frontage of bold bluffs on the lake and +river. From the summit of these bluffs stretch away broad undulating +prairie lands, with occasional depressions, or valleys, caused by the +streams tributary to the river. + +Wabasha village is the county seat. The county is traversed by the St. +Paul & Milwaukee railway, and the Zumbrota Valley Narrow Gauge +railroad has its eastern terminus at Wabasha village. A railroad from +Minneiska to Eyota, in Olmsted county, through Plainview, also passes +through this county. Lake City is a thriving village on the lake +shore, beautifully situated. The Grand Encampment, located about two +miles below Wabasha village, was once a point of great interest. It +was from time immemorial a camping ground for Indians. It has an +abundance of ancient mounds. The only people in the county in 1845, +when the author first visited this section, were the Campbell, Cratt, +Bessian, and a few other French families. Bailey and sons, Dr. Francis +H. Milligan, B. S. Hurd, Samuel S. Campbell, a prominent lawyer, and +Wm. L. Lincoln came later to Wabasha. Reed's Landing, at the foot of +Lake Pepin, was early settled by Messrs. Reed, Fordyce, Richards, and +others. This point controls an immense trade for the Chippewa river, +which empties its waters into the Mississippi just opposite. + +NATHANIEL STACY TEFFT is a native of Hamilton, Madison county, New +York, where he was born July 16, 1830. He was educated in the common +schools and academy; in 1848 commenced studying medicine and received +his diploma the same year at Cincinnati, after attending lectures at +the medical college in that city. In 1856 he came to Minnesota and +located in Minneiska, where he practiced medicine, served as +postmaster, justice of the peace, and member of the legislature. In +1861 he removed to Plainview, where he has taken rank as a leading +surgeon and physician in that part of the State. He has also served as +member of the state senate (in 1871-72). The writer had the pleasure +of meeting him in the legislature of 1858 and found him a strong +opponent of the $5,000,000 bill. Dr. Tefft was married to Hattie S. +Gibbs, of Plainview, Nov. 10, 1866. + +JAMES WELLS.--In 1845 the writer found Mr. Wells living in a stone +trading house on the west shore of Lake Pepin, on the first high +ground on the shore above Lake City. Mr. Wells had a half-breed family +and was very reticent in his manner. He was a member of the first +territorial house of representatives. When the country became more +thickly settled he went West and was killed by the Sioux Indians in +the massacre of 1862. + + +WINONA COUNTY + +Was named after the daughter of the Indian chief who, according to the +well known legend, precipitated herself from the famous rock on the +eastern shore of Lake Pepin, which has ever since been known as +"Maiden's Rock." The county lies on the west shore of the Mississippi, +below Wabasha county. The frontage of the bluffs on the river is +unsurpassed for grandeur and beauty, the bluffs here attaining an +altitude of six hundred feet above the river. The natural castles and +turrets crowning these bluffs remind the traveler of the towns on the +Rhine and Danube, and it is difficult to realize that they are the +handiwork of Nature and not of man. The most striking of these bluffs +occupies a position in the rear of the beautiful city of Winona, +overlooking the city and the valley, and affording from its summit +possibly the finest view on the river. The city of Winona lies on a +spacious plateau between the bluffs and the river. In 1845 a solitary +log cabin, the resting place of the mail carrier, marked the site, and +a large Indian village, belonging to the band of Chief Wapashaw, +occupied a portion of the present site of the city. All traces of this +village have long since disappeared, and given place to one of the +fairest and most flourishing cities on the river. The First State +Normal School is located here. The St. Paul & Milwaukee railroad +passes through, and the Winona & St. Peter railroad has its eastern +terminus in this city. It is also the western terminus of the Green +Bay & Mississippi. The Chicago, Burlington & Northern crosses the +river here, and has a depot in the city. + +DANIEL S. NORTON, at the time of his death United States senator from +Minnesota, was born in Mount Vernon, Ohio, in April, 1829. He was +educated at Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio; enlisted in the Third Ohio +Volunteer Infantry in 1846 for service in the Mexican War; had his +health seriously impaired in the service; spent two years in +California, Mexico and Central America; returned to Ohio and read law +with his father-in-law, Judge R. C. Hurd, practiced in Mount Vernon, +Ohio, with Hon. William Windom and came with him to Minnesota in 1855, +locating at Winona. Mr. Norton served as senator in the first state +legislature, where the writer served with him on several committees, +among them the committee on the $5,000,000 bond bill, a bill which Mr. +Norton strongly and earnestly opposed, predicting clearly its +disastrous results. He also served as senator in the legislatures of +1861-64 and 65, when he was elected to the United States senate, which +position he held at the time of his death, in 1870. He was twice +married, first in 1856, to Miss Lizzie Sherman, of Mount Vernon, Ohio, +who died in 1862. The second time to Miss Laura Cantlan, of Baltimore, +in 1868. + +WILLIAM WINDOM, a native of Ohio, came to Winona in 1855. He had been +admitted to practice in 1853, and formed a partnership with D. S. +Norton in Mount Vernon, Ohio, who came with him to Winona, where they +continued their law partnership. Mr. Windom has been quite prominent +in the politics of the State and county, having served in the United +States senate two terms, from 1871 to 1883. He was also a +representative in Congress from 1859 to 1869. He served as secretary +of the treasury to fill a vacancy. During his congressional career he +was an ardent supporter of the Union, and won the respect of the +nation for his unswerving firmness in upholding his principles. He is +a man of great executive ability, and has used his talents and his +wealth, of which he has accumulated a considerable share, in the +interests of the public. He has been heavily interested in the +building of the Northern Pacific and other railroads, and in real +estate. His opportunities have been great, he has wisely employed +them, and richly deserves the success he has achieved. + +CHARLES H. BERRY, the first attorney general of the state of +Minnesota, was born at Westerly, Rhode Island, Sept. 12, 1823. He +received an excellent school and academic education, graduating at +Canandaigua Academy in 1846. He afterward read law and was admitted to +practice at Rochester in 1848. He practiced his profession at Corning, +New York, until 1855, when he removed to Winona and opened the first +law office in that city. He was associated until 1871 with C. N. +Waterman. When Minnesota became a state, in 1858, he was elected +attorney general and served two years. He was state senator in 1874-75 +and has been United States commissioner since 1873. He takes great +interest in local and state affairs, especially in educational +matters. He has been for many years connected with the city school +board and for eight years its president. He was also largely +instrumental in locating the State Normal School at Winona. Mr. Berry +is a Democrat in politics, is prominent in Masonic circles and a +leading member of the Episcopal church. He was married to Frances E. +Hubbell, of Corning, New York, Nov. 14, 1850. They have one daughter, +Kate Louise, married to Prof. C. A. Morey, principal of the State +Normal School. + +THOMAS WILSON was born in Tyrone county, Ireland, May 16, 1827. He +received his education in this country, graduating at Meadville +College, Pennsylvania, in 1852. He studied law, was admitted to the +bar in 1855, and in the same year came to Winona and entered the law +firm of Sargent & Wilson, known a few years later as Sargent, Wilson & +Windom. He was a member of the Republican wing of the constitutional +convention in 1857. He was elected district judge of the Fourth +district, taking his seat in 1858, and serving six years. In 1864 Gov. +Miller appointed him to a vacancy on the supreme bench, caused by the +resignation of Judge Flandrau, and in the fall of the same year he was +elected chief justice for a term of seven years. In 1869 he resigned +this position to resume his law practice. In 1881 he was elected as a +representative, and from 1883 to 1886, inclusive, as a senator in the +state legislature. He was elected as a representative to Congress in +1887. + +THOMAS SIMPSON is of Scotch parentage, but was born in Yorkshire, +England, May 31, 1836. He came to America with his parents when a +child, to Dubuque county, Iowa. His educational advantages were good, +and he learned, when not in school, to assist his father, who was a +miner, smelter and farmer. He studied engineering and surveying with +E. S. Norris, of Dubuque, and was engaged in government surveys from +1853 to 1856, when he settled in Winona, studied law, and was admitted +to the bar in 1858, when he formed a law partnership with Judge Abner +Lewis and Geo. P. Wilson. In addition to his law business he has been +a heavy dealer in real estate and money loaning. There are few public +enterprises in Winona which he has not actively promoted. He was a +delegate to the national convention that nominated Lincoln for the +presidency in 1864, also to the convention that nominated Grant in +1868. He served as state senator in 1866-67. He has been an +influential member of the Methodist church. He was married Oct. 30, +1860, to Maggie Holstein, of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. They have three +sons. + +WM. H. YALE was born Nov. 12, 1831, at New Hartford, Connecticut; was +educated at Sheffield Institute; came to Winona in 1857, and practiced +law. He was state senator in 1867-68, 1876-77, and lieutenant governor +from 1870 to 1874. + +Other prominent citizens of Winona are: Dr. James Monroe Cole, the +oldest physician in the city; Royal Day Cone, one of the first +merchants; Judge Wm. Mitchell; ---- Norton, a lumberman and county +treasurer several years; W. W. Phelps, first president of the State +Normal School; ---- Hough, builder of the first large hotel; Hodgins, +Yeomans & Laird, lumbermen. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + + +MISCELLANEOUS BIOGRAPHIES. + +PIERRE BOTTINEAU was born in the Red River settlement, now Dakota, in +1817. His early life was passed amongst the Ojibways in the employ of +various fur companies. He has lived an eventful life and endured many +hardships as a hunter, trapper and guide. He was early noted as a +pilot to and from the Selkirk settlement. In 1843 he removed his +family from Selkirk to St. Paul. In 1845 he removed to St. Anthony +Falls, east side, where he laid out an addition to the new village. He +was also, in 1851, the first settler at Maple Grove, or "Bottineau's +Prairie," in Hennepin county. When he came to Fort Snelling he was +employed by Gen. Sibley as a guide. In 1856 he assisted in selecting +locations for forts. In 1858, after the establishment of Fort +Abercrombie, he located the village of Breckenridge, now in Wilkin +county, Minnesota. In 1859 he accompanied Geologist Skinner in his +exploring expedition, having for its object the survey and location of +salt mines, and was guide to Col. W. H. Noble's wagon road expedition +to Frazer river. In 1860 he accompanied a military expedition with +Gov. Ramsey to conclude treaties with the Northern Minnesota +Chippewas. In 1862 he accompanied Capt. Fisk's Idaho expedition, and, +in 1863, Gen. Sibley's expedition to the Missouri. Mr. Bottineau now +resides at Red Lake Falls, Polk county, Minnesota. + +ANDREW G. CHATFIELD, a member of the Minnesota district bench at the +time of his death, was born in the town of Butternuts, Otsego county, +New York, Jan. 27, 1810. In 1838 he was a member of the New York +assembly; in 1848 he removed to Racine, Wisconsin, where he was +elected county judge. In 1853 he was appointed associate justice of +the supreme court of Minnesota Territory, and he made his home on a +beautiful prairie in Scott county, on which he laid out the town of +Belle Plaine. He acted as judge four years and then resumed the +practice of law. In January, 1871, he was elected judge of the Eighth +Judicial district, which he held until his death, which occurred Oct. +3, 1875. Judge Chatfield was married in 1836. His widow and an only +daughter, Mrs. Cecilia Irwin, reside at Belle Plaine. + +HAZEN MOOERS.--Biographical details of Mr. Mooers are scant and +unreliable. He was probably born about the year 1796. It is said that +he was in the battle of Plattsburgh, September, 1814, when he was a +youth of eighteen years of age, and that he acted as a guard in +protecting government and private property. We find by the Minnesota +historical collections that he came to Gray Cloud island in 1835 and +remained till 1843. It is probable that he remained there till 1848. +He was commissioner of St. Croix county, Wisconsin, in 1840-41 and +1842. When he came to Gray Cloud island he was accompanied by a Mr. +Robinson, and located in section 23. While at Gray Cloud he was +married to a daughter of Dickson, the trader, and sister of Mrs. +Joseph R. Brown. We have been unable to find mention of him later than +1848. + +JOHN MCDONOUGH BERRY was born at Pittsfield, New Hampshire, Sept. 18, +1827. Mr. Berry received an excellent education at the Pittsfield +Academy, Phillips Academy and at Yale College, from which he graduated +in 1847. He was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He was in the +law office of Ira Paley, later chief justice of New Hampshire. In 1850 +he was admitted to the bar at Concord, New Hampshire. He commenced +practice at Alton Corners, Belknap county, New Hampshire. Three years +later he came West and located at Janesville, Wisconsin. In 1855 he +moved to Faribault, this State, and at once came into prominence. In +1856 he was a member of the territorial house of representatives and +chairman of the judiciary committee. In 1862 he was sent to the state +senate from Rice county, and in 1864 he was elected associate justice +of the state supreme court, a position he has filled with honor to +himself and the bar. He removed to Minneapolis in 1879 and died there, +greatly lamented, Nov. 15, 1887. An obituary notice from the daily +press gives a fair estimate of his character: + +"He was not a man that mingled much in society or put himself forward +on any occasion, yet he had a very social, genial disposition, and +every one that knew him valued the acquaintance highly. As a judge he +was universally esteemed. His decisions were always marked by a +peculiarly vigorous grasp of bottom facts. His mind was a naturally +judicial one. His own ideas were fresh and original, and his way of +expressing them unusually vigorous. He devoted himself wholly to his +judicial duties and to his family. He was a great reader and student +and a great home man. His affections were wholly centred in his wife +and children. His distaste for ostentation and publicity is evidenced +in his expressed wish for a private funeral." + +He was married May 26, 1853, to Alice A. Parker, of Roscoe, Illinois, +who survives him. + +MARK H. DUNNELL is of Scotch descent. He was born July 2, 1823, at +Buxton, Maine. He was raised on a farm, but graduated at Waterville +College, Maine, in 1849, and for three years following was engaged in +teaching. In 1852 he was elected to the Maine house of +representatives, and afterward served five years as state +superintendent of schools. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in +1856, and in 1860 practiced his profession in Portland. In 1861 he was +appointed United States consul to Vera Cruz, Mexico. Before going to +Mexico he was appointed colonel of the Fifth Maine Volunteers, and +participated in the first battle of Bull Run. He resigned his +consulship in 1862, and returned to Maine, where he aided the governor +in recruiting and organizing regiments for the military service. In +1865 he came to Winona, Minnesota, was a member of the Minnesota house +of representatives in 1867, and afterward served three years as state +superintendent of instruction. He resigned this office to take a seat +in Congress, and represented his district a period of ten years. He +was married Nov. 20, 1850, to Sarah A. Parrington, of Goshen, Maine. +They have three children living. + +JAMES HEATON BAKER, son of Rev. Henry Baker, a Methodist preacher, and +Hannah (Heaton) Baker, was born in Monroe, Ohio, May 6, 1829. He +graduated at Ohio Wesleyan University in 1852. In 1853 he purchased +the Sciota _Gazette_, at Chillicothe, Ohio. In 1855 he was elected +secretary of state on the ticket headed by Salmon P. Chase as +governor. In 1857 he removed to Minnesota, where, for two successive +terms he was elected to the same office. At the outbreak of the Civil +War he resigned, and accepted a colonel's commission in the Tenth +Minnesota Volunteers. In 1863 his command was ordered to the South, +and he was detached and made provost marshal of St. Louis, and +subsequently of the department of Missouri, in which position he +served until the close of the war, he being meanwhile promoted to a +brevet brigadier generalship. + +At the close of the war he was appointed register of the land office +at Booneville, Missouri, but in two years resigned and returned to his +farm in Blue Earth county, Minnesota. + +In 1871 President Grant appointed him commissioner of pensions, a +position for which he was singularly well fitted. He resigned in 1875, +and was appointed by President Grant surveyor general of Minnesota. +Gen. Baker has been prominent in Masonic circles, and has contributed +much to the newspaper and periodical press. He was married Sept. 25, +1852, to Rose R., daughter of Reuben H. Thurston, then of Delaware, +Ohio, now of Mankato, Minnesota. This estimable lady died at +Washington City, March 21, 1873, leaving two sons, Arthur and Harry E. +Gen. Baker, since his appointment as surveyor general, has resided at +Mankato. He served in 1885 and 1886 as railroad commissioner for the +State. + +HORACE BURTON STRAIT is of Virginia Revolutionary stock. He was born +in Potter county, Pennsylvania, Jan. 26, 1835. His educational +advantages were such only as the common schools afforded, and he is +largely self cultured. He came to Minnesota in 1855, and engaged in +farming near Shakopee, but in 1860 moved to the county seat, and +engaged in mercantile business. In August, 1862, he enlisted in +Company I, Ninth Minnesota Volunteers, commanded by Col. Alexander +Wilkin; was commissioned as captain, and in 1864 as major; was +mustered out at the close of the war, since which time he has been +engaged in milling, banking and farming. He was president of the First +National Bank of Shakopee. He served as mayor of Shakopee in +1870-71-72, when he was elected to Congress, and served by continuous +re-elections until 1888, when J. L. MaDonald became his successor. He +was emphatically a working member. He has been twice married. His +first wife died in 1872, leaving one child. + +JUDSON WADE BISHOP was born at Evansville, New York, June 24, 1831. He +received an academic education at Fredonia Academy, and at Union +Academy, Belleville, New York. Leaving school at the age of sixteen, +he was employed for several years as clerk and book-keeper and in +teaching. Having a taste for civil engineering he fitted himself for +usefulness in that department at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute +of Troy, New York, and in 1853 secured a position as draughtsman on +the Canadian Grand Trunk railway. At the completion of the road, in +1857, he obtained employment in railroad surveying, making his +residence at Chatfield until 1861, where he purchased a newspaper, the +Chatfield _Democrat_. At the first call for troops in 1861 he sold his +office, volunteered as a soldier, and was mustered in as captain of a +company in the Second Regiment, June 26, 1861. He was mustered out at +the close of the war with the brevet rank of brigadier general, and +resumed railroad work, in which he has since been active and +conspicuous. For some years he was manager of the St. Paul & Sioux +City. His connection with railroad enterprises necessitated his +removal in 1864 to Le Sueur, in 1868 to Mankato and in 1873 to St. +Paul, which has since been his home. He has also been a heavy dealer +in real estate. He was married Jan. 11, 1866, to Nellie S. Husted, of +Galena, Illinois, who died Sept. 19, 1878, leaving three sons, Charles +Husted, Edwin Judson and Robert Haven. + +JOHN LOUIS MCDONALD.--The paternal ancestors of our subject were +Highlanders, of the clan "McDonald of the Isle." John Louis was born +in Glasgow, Scotland, Feb. 22, 1836; came with his parents to America +in 1842, lived a few years in Nova Scotia, then removed to Pittsburgh +where he received an academic education. He removed to Belle Plaine, +Scott county, Minnesota, in 1855, read law with Judge Chatfield, and +was admitted to practice at Shakopee in 1858, removing thither three +years later, and continuing in practice, serving as probate judge from +1859 to 1864 and publishing and editing the Belle Plaine _Enquirer_, +and later, the Shakopee _Argus_, serving two years as prosecuting +attorney, four years as superintendent of schools, two years as state +representative (1869-70) and three years as state senator (1874-75 and +1876). In 1877 he was elected district judge, and served seven years. +In 1888 he took his seat as representative in Congress. As a judge he +is thoroughly well informed, clear-sighted and impartial. + +THOMAS H. ARMSTRONG was born in Milan, Ohio, Feb. 6, 1829. He +graduated from Western Reserve College in 1854, commenced the practice +of law at La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1856, practiced at High Forest, +Minnesota, until 1870, when he discontinued practice. Three years +later he moved to Albert Lea, Minnesota, and established the Freeborn +County Bank. + +Mr. Armstrong has acted a prominent part in the legislation of the +State, having been a representative in the legislatures of 1864 and +1865, and, as lieutenant governor, president of the senate for the +four succeeding terms. He was elected speaker of the house in the +legislature of 1865. As a presiding officer he was courteous, +dignified, and fair in his rulings, and an excellent parliamentarian. +April 1, 1868, he was married to Mrs. Elisabeth M. Butman, daughter of +John Burgess, of Cleveland, Ohio. + +AUGUSTAS ARMSTRONG, a younger brother of the foregoing, and a +prominent citizen of Albert Lea, died in 1873. + +MOSES K. ARMSTRONG, another brother, has represented Dakota in +Congress. + +JAMES B. WAKEFIELD was born at Winstead, Litchfield county, +Connecticut, March 21, 1828. He graduated at Trinity College, +Hartford, in 1846; studied law, and was admitted to practice in 1851; +came to Shakopee, Minnesota; practiced law two years and removed to +Blue Earth City. He has been called to fill various and responsible +public positions. He was a member of the legislature several terms, +serving as representative in 1858, 63 and 66, and as senator in +1867-68-69. He served as deputy Indian agent at the Lower Sioux agency +from 1856 to the Indian outbreak, and in 1869 was appointed receiver +of the Winnebago land office, which position he held six years. From +1875 to 1879 he served as lieutenant governor of Minnesota, and from +1884 to 1886 as member of Congress. He served as a delegate to the +Republican convention which nominated President Grant in 1868, and to +the convention which nominated President Hayes in 1876. Mr. Wakefield +was married in August, 1864, to Miss Nannette Reinhart, of Blue Earth +City. + +WILLIAM WALLACE BRADEN was born in Iberia, Ohio, Dec. 3, 1837. He was +educated in the district schools and reared as a farmer. In November +he came to Fillmore county with his father, and engaged in farming. He +was a member of the legislature in 1866-67, and has served three +terms as county treasurer. During the Civil War he served three years +with the rank of lieutenant, and then of captain in Company K, Sixth +Minnesota Volunteers, and was for some time detached from his command +as provost marshal of Southern Missouri, with headquarters at +Springfield. Capt. Braden is prominent as a Mason, and as a Republican +takes an active interest in the politics of the State and nation. He +was elected state auditor in 1881, and re-elected in 1885. He was +married March 7, 1866, to Addie Griswold, of Pennsylvania. + +REUBEN BUTTERS was born in Union, Lincoln county, Maine, May 26, 1816. +He received such education as could be obtained at winter schools, and +employed himself chiefly in clerking and mercantile pursuits until +1851, when he came to Minnesota and became the first permanent settler +in the Minnesota valley above Shakopee. He made the first claim at Le +Sueur, having, in connection with Messrs. Thompson and Lindsey, a +station at that place, also at Kasota. He has been engaged chiefly in +farming. He has also a stone quarry and store in Kasota, and does a +fair amount of trading. Mr. Butters was a member of the first state +legislature, and has served seven or eight sessions since. He was +county commissioner many years. In politics he is a Democrat. + +Mr. Butters has been twice married, first in November, 1847, to +Elizabeth Hill, of Cleveland, Ohio, and second in May, 1861, to Mrs. +Mary E. Rogers, of Maine. He died March 29, 1888. + +MICHAEL DORAN, a most successful business man and prominent in +political affairs, having served six terms in the state senate, was +born in the county of Meath, Ireland, Nov. 1, 1829. He received but +little education before coming to this country in 1850, when, although +over twenty-one years of age, he obtained two years' schooling. He +landed in New York City, remained in the State about a year and +removed to Norwalk, Ohio, where he farmed and kept a grocery store. In +1856 he came westward and located at Le Sueur, where he engaged in +farming. In 1860 he was elected county treasurer and served and held +the office eight years. Since 1870 he has been engaged in banking, +farming and real estate operations. He is also one of the owners of +the elevator and flouring mill at Le Sueur. + +In politics he is a Democrat and was an elector on the McClellan +ticket. His senatorial terms were from 1872 to 1875 and 1877 and +1879. He has been twice married. His first wife was Ellen Brady, of +Norwalk, Ohio, married in May, 1855. His second wife was Catherine J. +Grady, of Le Sueur, married Feb. 10, 1864. + +ANDREW MCCREA was born in New Brunswick in 1830, received a common +school education and learned the business of farming and lumbering. +His father having died early, the support of a mother and crippled +brother devolved upon him. He was married to Jane Murphy, in New +Brunswick, when he was twenty-one years of age. Mrs. McCrea died in +1878. He married a second wife in 1880. His family consists of eight +sons and one daughter. He came to Minnesota in 1854, removed to +Stearns county in 1858, and to Otter Tail county in 1872, where he now +resides in the town of Perham. He was a member of the legislature of +1876-77, and of the senate of 1878 to 1882, inclusive. In 1885 he was +appointed one of the commissioners to locate the second state prison. + +JOHN W. BLAKE was born in Foxcroft, Maine, in 1839. His parents moved +to Wisconsin in 1840. He received a good education in the common +schools, in Milton Academy, and Wisconsin State University, and became +a civil engineer. He served as a soldier during the war of the +Rebellion. In 1872 he came to Minnesota, located at Marshall, Lyon +county, and the same year was elected a representative in the +legislature. He was a member of the senate during the years 1875, +1876, 1882, and 1884. + +KNUTE NELSON, born in Norway, came to America, studied law at +Wisconsin University, and was admitted to the bar. He came to +Alexandria in 1870, where he practiced law. He was a senator in the +seventeenth, eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth legislatures, and +was elected representative to Congress from the Fifth Minnesota +district in 1884 and 1886. Mr. Nelson is a man of unquestioned ability +and force, a strong Republican, and an enthusiastic advocate of a +modified tariff. + +W. R. DENNY was born at Keene, New Hampshire, in 1839; received an +academic education, and after spending eight years in Wisconsin, came +to Carver, Minnesota, in 1867. He served in the state legislatures of +1874, 1876, 1879, and 1881. He was appointed United States marshal +from 1882 to 1886. He was Grand Master of the Masonic fraternity in +1884-5. He was married in Wisconsin in 1863, and has a family of four +children. + +[Illustration: PRESENT HOME OF THE AUTHOR ERECTED BY HIM A.D. 1855.] + + + + +APPENDIX. + + MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS, ITEMS AND STATISTICS, INCLUDING AN + ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF THE VARIOUS TREATIES BETWEEN THE UNITED + STATES GOVERNMENT AND THE INDIAN TRIBES INHABITING THE + TERRITORIES OF WISCONSIN AND MINNESOTA. + + +BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY UNTIL THE CREATION OF +WISCONSIN TERRITORY IN 1836. + + +SPANISH CLAIMS. + +The Spaniards have made persistent claims to territory lying along the +Atlantic coast, the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, and up the valley of +the Mississippi, basing their claims on discovery and conquest. + +In 1512 Juan Ponce de Leon, a companion of Columbus, discovered +Florida, and planted on its shores the standard of Spain. + +In 1539 Hernando de Soto visited Florida and having strengthened the +Spanish claim adventured west to the Mississippi, on which river he +died and in which he was stealthily buried by his surviving followers, +who returned to Florida broken and dispirited with the loss of half +their number. By virtue of De Soto's discovery of the Mississippi, the +Spaniards now laid claim to the land along that river and its +tributaries. They also claimed land lying along the Atlantic coast, +without limit, northward. This large and somewhat indefinite empire +was by them styled Florida, after the name of the peninsula on which +they gained their first foothold. Unable to defend or enforce their +claims, they gradually relinquished them, giving up tract after tract, +until the peninsula of Florida alone remained to them. This was ceded +to the United States in 1819. + +The government of the Territory was vested in the discoverers. Ponce +de Leon was governor from 1512 until 1521. De Soto was governor of +Florida and Cuba until 1541. Melendez, by compact with King Philip, +succeeded him, his commission giving him a life tenure. The history of +the Spanish possessions is by no means interesting, and illustrates +chiefly the Spanish greed for gold. + + +FRENCH CLAIMS. + +The French early disputed the claims of the Spaniards and Portuguese +to the possession of the New World, and accordingly in 1524 sent a +Florentine, Jean Verrazzani, who explored the coast from Carolina to +Nova Scotia, took possession of it, and called it New France. Ten +years later Cartea continued the work, sailing around New Foundland +and ascending the St. Lawrence as far as the site of Montreal. In 1564 +a French colony located in Florida, but were almost immediately +exterminated by the Spaniards. During the following century the French +pushed their explorations to the regions of the Mississippi and the +great lakes. In the year 1603 Champlain was engaged in the exploration +of the St. Lawrence, and in 1609, he, with two other Frenchmen, +explored Lake Champlain and the country of the Iroquois and took +possession of it in the name of Henry IV of France. In 1611 and 1612 +he explored Lake Huron, entered Saginaw bay, passed down Detroit +river, exploring Lake Erie, and laid the foundation of French +sovereignty in the valley of the St. Lawrence. Champlain for many +years prosecuted the fur trade where Boston now stands, prior to the +landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock. + +We have not space for a complete account of the conflicting claims of +the French and English, but will give the boundaries of New France as +defined by French and English authorities at different times: 1609--L' +Escartot, in his "Histoire de la Nouvelle France," defines the French +boundaries as extending "on the west to the Pacific ocean, on the +south to the Spanish West Indies, on the east to the North Atlantic, +and on the north to the Frozen Sea." 1683--Baron La Honton says, "All +the world knows that Canada reaches from the 39th to the 65th degrees +of north latitude and from the 284th to the 336th degrees of +longitude." [More accurately from about 45 to 90 degrees west, or from +Cape Race to the Mississippi.] The French government persistently +denied the right of the English to any territory west of the +Alleghanies. The great Northwest, therefore, was for a long time under +French rule and influence. We must accord to France the credit of +making the first progress in civil government in the Northwest. They +made many permanent settlements and by a wise and pacific policy so +conciliating the Indian tribes that they were able to hold their +positions on the frontier at will. They were early and persistent +explorers, and, under the guidance of pious and devoted Jesuit +missionaries, planted settlements in the most desirable places. They +made a cordon of posts reaching from Louisiana to the Gulf of St. +Lawrence, along the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, and along the chain +of the great lakes, completely surrounded the English colonies and +disputed with them the possession of the country. The French-English +War of 1689 to 1697 failed to decide satisfactorily the question of +the interior domain. + +In 1712 New France was divided into two provinces, that of Canada and +that of Louisiana, the dividing line being the Ohio, Mississippi and +Missouri rivers, the Mississippi boundary line extending from the +mouth of the Ohio to the mouth of the Missouri river. Mobile was made +the capital of the southern province. The patent or commission of the +new province was issued to Crozat, Marquis du Chatel. The Illinois +country was afterward added, and it seems probable that the country +east of the Wabash was also included in it. All north of the boundary +named formed part of the province of Canada. Other boundaries than +these have been given by geographers, but these boundaries are +sufficiently established by official documents. + +In 1763 all of the territory claimed by France lying east of the +Mississippi river was ceded to the English, the territory lying west +to Spain. Virginia, by three royal charters, given in 1606, 1607 and +1611, by the English government, held a part of the Northwest +Territory, and in 1776 established three counties north of the Ohio +river, named Ohio, Youghiogheny and Monongahela, but in 1787 ceded +this territory to the United States. Its settlement was somewhat +impeded by the perils of the wilderness, not the least of which was +the doubtful and often unfriendly attitude of the Indians, resulting +in many cases from the changes in the tenure of the lands, and the +influence of French or English emissaries, generally hostile to +American claims. The history of these early settlements is replete +with thrilling adventures. + +The first settlement made in the newly ceded territory was at +Marietta, Ohio, in 1788, under the supervision of Gen. Rufus Putnam, +nephew of Gen. Israel Putnam, and first surveyor general of the +Northwest Territory. The settlement was named Marietta, in honor of +Queen Marie Antoinette, who had been a firm friend to the colonies +during the Revolutionary struggle. Gen. Arthur St. Clair was appointed +governor July 15, 1788, of the newly organized Ohio Territory. + +The country claimed by Virginia under the royal charters included the +land lying between the sea shore on the east, and the Mississippi on +the west, the Ohio river on the south, and the British possessions on +the north. It will be seen, therefore, that that part of the Northwest +Territory lying immediately along the eastern banks of the Mississippi +now comprised in the state of Wisconsin and part of Minnesota, has +been successively claimed by Spain, France, England, Virginia, and the +United States, and under the territorial governments of the +Northwest--Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin +territories. That part of Minnesota lying west of the Mississippi +belonged to the French by right of discovery, but passed into the +hands of Spain, thence back again into the hands of France, by whom, +with the territory known as Louisiana, it was sold to the United +States in 1803. The original grant to Virginia included far more than +the area of the State and that of the Northwest Territory, but was +subsequently reduced by grants made by states lying north of Virginia, +and vexatious disputes arose as to titles, a circumstance calculated +to retard rapid settlement. + +We append the following data concerning the early history of the +territory included in the present states of Wisconsin and Minnesota, +tabulated for more convenient reference: + +1634. Jean Nicollet ventured into Wisconsin, and explored the country +from Lake Michigan for a considerable distance down the Wisconsin +river. + +1658. Two fur traders penetrated to Lake Superior and wintered there, +probably on Wisconsin soil. + +1660. Rev. M. Menard with eight companions came to La Pointe, Lake +Superior. + +1665. Claude Allouez, an eminent pioneer missionary, succeeded Menard, +and re-established the mission at La Pointe. + +1669. Father Allouez established a mission on the shores of Green bay, +locating it at Depere in 1671. + +1670. Father Allouez made a voyage of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers to +within a short distance of the Mississippi--a near approach to the +discovery of the Father of Waters. + +1671. In this year the French took formal possession of the whole +Northwest, confirmed in 1689. + +1673. Louis Joliet, accompanied by Father James Marquette, discovered +the Mississippi river. + +1674. Father Marquette coasted Lake Michigan, from Green Bay, by +Milwaukee, to the site of the present city of Chicago. + +1679. The Griffin, a schooner built by La Salle, and the first to make +a voyage of the lakes above Niagara, arrived at the mouth of Green +bay. + +Capt. Duluth held a council, and concluded a peace with the natives of +Lake Superior. + +1680. About the first of May Father Louis Hennepin arrived at Mille +Lacs, as prisoner of a Dakotah war party, who captured him at Lake +Pepin, while on his way up the Mississippi. He remained at Mille Lacs +several months. On his return homeward, after being released, he +discovered the falls, which he named for his patron saint, Anthony of +Padua. His book, published after his return to Europe, is the first +printed account of Minnesota. + +1683. Le Sueur made a voyage of the Fog and Wisconsin rivers to the +Mississippi. + +1688. Nicholas Perrot first planted the cross and arms of France on +the soil of Minnesota, and first laid formal claim to the country for +France. He built a fort on Lake Pepin, near Lake City. + +1695. Le Sueur built a fort on Isle Pelee, in the Mississippi, below +Prescott. + +1700. Le Sueur established Fort L'Huillier, on the Blue Earth river +(near the mouth of the Le Sueur), and first supplied the Sioux with +firearms. + +1716. Le Louvigny's battle with the Fox Indians at Butte des Morts. + +1719. Francis Renalt explored the Upper Mississippi with two hundred +miners. + +1721. Previous to this date a French fort had been established at +Green Bay, on the present site of Fort Howard. + +1727. The French established a fort on Lake Pepin, with Sieur de +Lapperriere as commandant. + +A trading post, called Fort Beauharnois, was established on the north +side of Lake Pepin. + +1728. There was a great flood in the Mississippi, and Fort Beauharnois +was submerged. + +A French expedition, under De Lignery, from Mackinaw, punished the +Foxes. + +1734. A battle took place between the French, and the Sacs and Foxes. + +1751. Sieur Marin, in command at Green Bay, made a peace with the +Indians. + +1761. Capt. Balfour and Lieut. Gorrell, with English troops, took +possession of Green Bay. + +1763. The English, under Lieut. Gorrell, abandoned Green Bay in +consequence of the Indian War under Pontiac. + +Treaty of Paris, by which all the territory of New France, including +Wisconsin, was surrendered to the English. + +About this date the Canadian-French trading establishment at Green Bay +ripened into a permanent settlement, the first upon any portion of the +territory now forming the state of Wisconsin. + +By the treaty of Versailles, France ceded Minnesota east of the +Mississippi to England, and west of it to Spain. + +1766. Capt. Jonathan Carver visited St. Anthony falls and Minnesota +river. He pretended to have made a treaty with the Indians the +following spring, in a cave near St. Paul, known for several years as +Carver's Cave. He also reports a town of three hundred inhabitants at +Prairie du Chien. + +1774. A civil government was established over Canada and the +Northwest, by the celebrated "Quebec Act." + +1777. Indians from Wisconsin join the British against the Americans. + +1786. Julian Dubuque explored the lead region of the Upper +Mississippi. + +1788. There was an Indian council at Green Bay. Permission to work the +lead mines was given to Dubuque. + +1793. Lawrence Barth built a cabin at the portage of the Fog and +Wisconsin rivers, and engaged in the carrying trade. + +1795. French settlement commenced at Milwaukee. + +1796. The western posts were surrendered by the English to the United +States, and the ordinance of 1787 extended over the Northwest. + +1798-99. The Northwestern Fur Company established itself in Minnesota. + +1800. Indiana Territory organized, including Wisconsin. + +1803. Antoine Barth settled at the portage of the Fog and Wisconsin +rivers. + +1804. Indian treaty at St. Louis; Southern Wisconsin purchased. + +1805. Michigan Territory organized. + +1809. Thomas Nuttall, the botanist, explored Wisconsin. + +Illinois Territory was organized, including nearly all the present +state of Wisconsin. + +1812. Indians assembled at Green Bay to join the English. + +1814. Gov. Clark took possession of Prairie du Chien. Prairie du Chien +surrendered to the British. + +1815. United States trading post established at Green Bay. + +1816. Indian treaty confirming that of 1804. + +United States troops took possession of Prairie du Chien, and +commenced the erection of Fort Crawford. + +Col. Miller commenced the erection of Fort Howard, at Green Bay. + +1818. State of Illinois was organized; Wisconsin attached to Michigan. + +Brown, Crawford and Michillimackinac counties were organized by the +territory of Michigan which embraced in their boundaries, besides +other territory, the whole of the present state of Wisconsin. + +1820. United States commissioners adjusted land claims at Green Bay. + +1822. The New York Indians purchase lands east of Lake Winnebago. + +James Johnson obtained from the Indians the right to dig for lead by +negro slaves from Kentucky. + +1823. January. Counties of Brown, Crawford and Michillimackinac made a +separate judicial district by Congress. + +First steamboat on the Upper Mississippi, with Maj. Taliafero and +Count Beltrami. + +Lieut. Bayfield, of the British Navy, makes a survey of Lake Superior. + +1824. First term of United States court held at Green Bay, Judge Duane +Doty presiding. + +1825. Great flood on the Red River of the North; a part of the colony +driven to Minnesota, and settle near Fort Snelling. + +1826. First steamboat on Lake Michigan. + +1827. Rush of speculators to lead mines. + +Treaty with Menomonies at Butte des Morts. + +1828. Fort Winnebago built. Indian treaty at Green Bay. Lead ore +discovered at Mineral Point and at Dodgeville. + +1832. Black Hawk War. + +Schoolcraft explored sources of Mississippi river. First mission +established at Leech Lake, by Rev. W. T. Boutwell, now of Stillwater. + +1834. The portion of Minnesota west of the Mississippi attached to +Michigan. Gen. H. H. Sibley settles at Mendota. + +1835. Catlin and Featherstonhaugh visit Minnesota. + +1836. The territory of Wisconsin organized. Nicollet visits Minnesota. + +1837. Gov. Dodge, of Wisconsin, made a treaty at Fort Snelling, with +the Ojibways, by which the latter ceded lands on the St. Croix and its +tributaries; a treaty was also effected at Washington with a +deputation of Dakotahs for their lands east of the Mississippi. These +treaties led the way to the first actual settlements in the Territory. + +1838. The treaty ratified by Congress. Frank Steele makes a claim at +St. Anthony Falls. Pierre Parrant makes a claim and builds a shanty on +the present site of St. Paul. + +1839. Sioux and Chippewa battle fought near Stillwater. + +1840. St. Croix county established. + +The chapel of "St. Paul" built and consecrated, giving the name to the +capital of the state of Minnesota. + +1843. Stillwater settled. + +1846. August 6th, the Wisconsin enabling act passed. + +1847. The Wisconsin constitutional convention meets. The town of St. +Paul surveyed, platted and recorded in the St. Croix county register +of deeds' office. First improvement of the water power at falls of St. +Anthony. Treaty with the Chippewas at Fond du Lac, August 2d. Treaty +with the Pillagers at Leech Lake, August 21st. + +1848. May 29th, Wisconsin admitted. August 26th, the "Stillwater +Convention" held, to take measures for a separate territorial +organization. October 30th, H. H. Sibley elected delegate to Congress. + +1850. Great flood on the Mississippi. Minnesota river navigated by +steamboats. Census of Minnesota shows population of 4,780. + +1851. Permanent location of the capital of Minnesota at St Paul. +Treaty of the Traverse des Sioux, opening territory west of the +Mississippi to settlement July 23d. Treaty at Mendota with the Sioux +August 5th. + +1852. President Pierce appoints Willis A. Gorman governor of +Minnesota. + +1854. Real estate mania commenced. Treaty with the Chippewas at La +Pointe, September 30th. + +1855. Treaty at Washington, District of Columbia, with the Chippewas, +and cession of lands in Minnesota, February 22d. + +1857. Enabling act to admit Minnesota passed Congress. President +Buchanan appoints Gen. Sam Medary governor of Minnesota. Ink-pa-dootah +massacre in April. Minnesota constitutional convention met in June. +Constitution adopted in October. + +1858. Minnesota admitted as a state. State loan of $250,000 +guaranteed. The $5,000,000 loan bill adopted. + +1859. Hard times. Work on the land grant road ceases. Collapse of the +$5,000,000 scheme. First export of grain this fall. + +1860. Federal census, 172,123. + +1861. April 13th. President's proclamation for troops received. The +First regiment recruits at once. June 22d it embarks at Fort Snelling +for the seat of war. + +1862. Call for 600,000 men. August 17th, massacre at Acton; 18th, +outbreak at Lower Sioux agency; 19th, New Ulm attacked; 20th, Fort +Ridgely attacked; 25th, second attack on New Ulm; 30th, Fort +Abercrombie besieged; September 1st, the bloody affair at Birch +Coolie; 19th, first railroad in Minnesota in operation between St. +Paul and Minneapolis; 22d, battle of Wood Lake; 26th, captives +surrendered at Camp Release; military commission tries 321 Indians for +murder, rape, etc.; 303 condemned to die; December 26th, 38 hanged at +Mankato. + +1863. Gen. Sibley's expedition to the Missouri river. July 3d, Little +Crow killed; 24th, battle of Big Mound; 26th, battle of Dead Buffalo +Lake; 28th, battle of Stony Lake. Treaty at crossing of Red Lake river +with Chippewas, and cession of Dakotah lands, October 2d. + +1864. Large levies for troops. Expedition to Missouri river under +Sully. Inflation of money market. Occasional Indian raids. + +1865. Peace returns. Minnesota regiments return and are disbanded; in +all 25,052 troops furnished by the State. Census shows 250,000 +inhabitants. + +1866-72. Rapid railroad building everywhere, immigration heavy, "good +times" prevail, and real estate inflated. + +1873. January 7th, 8th and 9th, polar wave sweeps over the State; +seventy persons perish. September, the Jay Cooke failure creates +another panic. Grasshopper raid begins and continues five seasons. + +1876. September 7th, armed outlaws from Missouri attack a Northfield +bank. Three killed, three prisoners. + +1877. Minnesota legislature adopts biennial sessions. + +1878. May 2d, three flouring mills at Minneapolis explode; eighteen +lives lost. + +1880. November 15th, hospital for the insane at St. Peter partly +destroyed by fire; twenty-five lives lost. + +1881. March 1, capitol at St. Paul destroyed by fire. + +1886. Cyclone destroys Sauk Rapids. Wisconsin legislature adopts +biennial sessions. + + +THE BOUNDARY QUESTION. + +The question of the western boundary of Wisconsin had been agitated +since the Martin bill for the organization of the State had been +introduced in 1846. This bill established the present boundary. The +majority of the people residing in the valley of the St. Croix were +opposed to it on the ground that the interests of the valley on both +sides were identical, and that it was not proper that the two sides +should be separated by a state line. The question became a political +one, and at the election of delegates for the constitutional +convention of Oct. 5, 1846, Wm. Holcombe was elected over Joseph +Bowron, as representing the sentiments of the people of the valley as +opposed to the proposed boundary line. + +In convention Mr. Holcombe advocated a boundary line commencing at +Mount Trempeleau on the Mississippi, running due north to Lake +Superior. Failing in this, he advocated a boundary line to be +established at a point fifteen miles due east of the most easterly +point on Lake St. Croix, said line extending from that point due south +to the Mississippi and due north to the tributary waters of Lake +Superior. In this he was successful, and the constitution in which +this boundary line was thus fixed went to the people and was rejected, +greatly to the disappointment of the people of the St. Croix valley, +who felt that they had been unjustly dealt with. There seems, indeed, +to be but little excuse for the attitude of the majority of the +citizens of Wisconsin with regard to this boundary. Certainly but +little attention was shown to the interests of the people in the +western section of the Territory. + +Prior to the meeting of the second constitutional convention, Dec. 15, +1847, public meetings were held at St. Croix Falls and in Stillwater, +at which latter place enthusiastic resolutions were passed +remonstrating against this unnatural boundary, which resolutions were +signed by nearly all the citizens of the St. Croix valley, and a few +in and around St. Paul, asking the convention to establish the western +boundary on a line running due north from the foot of Lake Pepin to +Lake Superior. George W. Brownell was elected from the St. Croix +district to the second convention, with instructions to work for this +boundary. Joseph Bowron, Brownell's opponent, was defeated by a large +majority. The following is the abstract of votes: + + BOWRON. BROWNELL. + Willow River (now Hudson) 7 4 + Lake St. Croix 7 14 + Stillwater 9 39 + St. Paul 41 40 + Marine Mills ... 22 + St. Croix Falls 26 18 + Clam River 6 17 + Apple River 1 6 + Wood Lake 2 6 + Rush Lake 2 8 + Osceola (no election) --- --- + Totals 101 174 + +Mr. Brownell made strong and persistent efforts to have the boundary +line adjusted in accordance with the sentiments of the people of the +valley, but in vain. Morgan L. Martin, delegate to Congress from +Wisconsin Territory, had framed the bill establishing the present +boundary, and it was urged that any effort to change the line would +tend to prevent the immediate admission of the State, and it was +thought a political necessity that the State should be admitted at +once, that it might take part in the ensuing presidential election. +Under such pressure the convention made haste to adopt, and the people +to accept, a constitution with boundary lines that should never have +been made. The State was admitted in time to cast its electoral vote +for Gen. Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore. + +At a meeting held by the people of the St. Croix valley, subsequent +to this convention and prior to its adoption by the people, the +following resolutions were passed, and we append them as expressing +very generally the sentiments of the people of the valley: + +WHEREAS, By the establishment of the St. Croix river as a part of the +boundary line between the State and territory of Wisconsin, the +inhabitants of our remote settlements are greatly aggrieved, our local +rights and privileges neglected and abridged, our geographical, +material and natural political alliance with our neighbors of the new +territory will be cut off; and + +WHEREAS, Our oft repeated remonstrances and appeals to the authorities +of the new state have been unavailing; therefore + +_Resolved_, That the establishment of the St. Croix river as a part of +the boundary of the state of Wisconsin, against the will of the +inhabitants of the valley of said river, is unjust, unreasonable and +contrary to the principles upon which our government is founded. + +_Resolved_, That in establishing the present boundary, our known and +acknowledged wishes and interests are invaded by the might of a +majority; that as the boundary is now established, so great is the +distance and obstacles intervening, severing us, together with the +people of Lake Superior, from the seat of government, that we can not +enjoy a prompt and equitable share in representation, and we would +respectfully admonish our brethren that equal representation involves +a principle which is deeply and peculiarly American. + +_Resolved_, That the interests of the inhabitants of St. Croix, being +identical from the nature of the staple business of the country, the +river being the natural centre to which all the business of the valley +tends, a boundary severing the natural ties in connection is uncalled +for, inconvenient and vexatious. + +_Resolved_, That the inhabitants of the territory of the whole +Northwest are deeply interested in procuring a just and wise +alteration of the present line of divisions, because from the +geography of the country, the line as now established, we are robbed +of a future star in the galaxy of the American sisterhood of states. + +_Resolved_, That we pledge ourselves to stand united and unceasingly +use all honorable means in our power to procure the establishment of a +boundary east of St. Croix valley. + +_Resolved_, That a committee of three be appointed to prepare and +forward a memorial to the present legislature on this subject. + +The resolutions as a whole were unanimously adopted. + +In accordance with the last resolution the chair appointed Wm. R. +Marshall, G. W. Brownell and W. H. C. Folsom, Esqs., a committee. + +On motion the secretary was instructed to forward copies of the +proceedings of the meeting to the Prairie du Chien _Patriot_, Galena +_Gazette_ and Wisconsin _Argus_, requesting their publication. + + H. H. PERKINS, + _Chairman_. + + R. V. D. SMITH, + _Secretary_. + +No attention was paid to the action of the public meeting. It is +possible that none was expected. It was some satisfaction to the +people of the valley to give such an expression of their opinion of +the wrong done them. The admission of Wisconsin with the St. Croix as +a boundary line left the country immediately west of that river +virtually without law. Nevertheless, Wisconsin territorial laws were +acknowledged west of the St. Croix and were generally considered +binding until a new territorial government should be organized. The +territorial governor, Gen. Henry Dodge, had been elected United States +senator and therefore could not claim jurisdiction over this part of +the territory lying beyond state limits. John Catlin, territorial +secretary, held that the territorial government still existed in the +part of the original territory excluded. + +At a public meeting held in Stillwater, Aug. 26, 1848 (a preliminary +meeting having been held August 24th, at which an understanding was +effected with Mr. Catlin and he invited to exercise authority as a +territorial officer), steps were taken for the organization of a new +territory, and Mr. Catlin, having removed to Stillwater, issued a +proclamation in his official capacity, ordering an election to be held +for the selection of a delegate to Congress. To facilitate this +movement John H. Tweedy, territorial delegate from Wisconsin, +resigned. The election was held Oct. 30, 1848, and H. H. Sibley was +elected as a successor to John H. Tweedy, his papers being certified +by John Catlin, secretary of Wisconsin Territory. Mr. Sibley proceeded +to Washington, presented his credentials and patiently awaited +recognition, which was not very speedily accorded, there being +considerable discussion as to the right of excluded territory to +continued political existence. His admission, on the fifteenth of +January, as a delegate, settled the question and established a +precedent that the creation of a state government does not deprive +portions of the territory not included within state limits of the +right to existence and representation. Mr. Sibley ably presented the +claims of his constituents and with great difficulty succeeded in +procuring the passage of a bill organizing the new territory of +Minnesota. + +With all respect to the action of Congress in receiving Mr. Sibley as +a legally elected delegate (and, under the circumstances, the action +seems wise), the question still rises: "Had we a legal territorial +government?" If we had, what was the necessity for a new organization? +Why could not the excluded territory continue under the old _regime_, +or inherit, so to speak, the old government machinery? If we had no +legal existence, by what authority could Mr. Sibley represent us? The +Wisconsin territorial government had ceased to exist. Ours had not +begun to live. + +The territory of Minnesota was created by act of Congress, March 3, +1849, a little over thirty days after the introduction of the bill +creating it. There had been some discussion as to the name. In the +bill presented by Morgan L. Martin it was named Minnesota. Senator +Stephen A. Douglas, chairman of the committee on territories, +recommended the passage of the bill, and that the new territory be +named Itasca. When the bill was before the house the names Chippewa, +Jackson and Washington were proposed, but the name in the original +bill was adopted. It is a compound word, taken from the Sioux +language, and has for its meaning "Land of sky-tinted water." The news +of the passage of the bill reached Stillwater April 9th, and was +received with great rejoicing. + +The United States land office which had been established at St. Croix +Falls in 1848 was removed to Stillwater July 1, 1849. Abraham Van +Voorhes was appointed register and William Holcombe receiver. + + +INDIAN TREATIES. + +Sept. 23, 1805, at the mouth of St. Peter's river (now Mendota) with +the Sioux. (For account of this treaty see "Gen. Pike and the +Indians.") + +July 29, 1837, at St. Peter (now Mendota), Wisconsin Territory, the +Chippewa Indians ceded to the United States the following tract of +country: Beginning at the junction of the Crow Wing and Mississippi +rivers, between twenty and thirty miles, above where the Mississippi +is crossed by the forty-sixth parallel of north latitude, and running +thence to the north point of Lake St. Croix, one of the sources of the +St. Croix river; thence to and along the dividing ridge between the +waters of Lake Superior and those of the Mississippi, to the sources +of the Ochasua-sepe, a tributary of the Chippewa river; thence to a +point on the Chippewa river twenty miles below the outlet of Lake De +Flambeau; thence to the junction of the Wisconsin and Pelican rivers; +thence on an east course twenty-five miles; thence southerly on a +course parallel with that of the Wisconsin river to the line dividing +the territories of the Chippewas and the Menomonies; thence to the +Plover portage; thence along the southern boundary of the Chippewa +country to the commencement of the boundary line dividing it from that +of the Sioux, half a day's march below the falls on the Chippewa +river; thence with said boundary line to the month of the Waw-tab[F] +river, at its junction with the Mississippi; and thence up the +Mississippi to the place of beginning. + + HENRY DODGE, + _Commissioner_. + +Sept. 29, 1837, at Washington, District of Columbia, the Sioux nation +of Indians ceded to the United States all their lands east of the +Mississippi river, and all of their islands in the said river, Joel R. +Poinsett, secretary of war, commanding, which cession embraced all +their land east of the Mississippi and west of the following lines +commencing at the Chippewa river, half a day's march below the falls, +from thence to Red Cedar river, immediately below the falls; thence to +the St. Croix river at a point called the Standing Cedar, about a +day's paddle in a canoe, above the lake at the mouth of that river; +thence passing between two lakes called by the Chippewas, "Green, +Lakes," and by the Sioux, "The Lakes they Bury the Eagles in," thence +to the Standing Cedar, that "the Sioux split;" thence to Rum river, +crossing at the mouth of a small creek called Choking creek, a long +day's march from the Mississippi; thence to a point of woods that +project into the prairie, half a day's march from the Mississippi; +thence in a straight line to the mouth of the first river which enters +the Mississippi at the east side above the mouth of Sac river (Watab +river). The above boundary line was established between the Sioux and +Chippewa Indiana at Prairie du Chien, Aug. 19, 1825. + + WILLIAM CLARK, + LEWIS CASS, + _Commissioners_. + +St. Paul, East Minneapolis and Stillwater are embraced within the +above limits. + +Nov. 1, 1837, at Washington, District of Columbia, with the +Winnebagoes. + +The Winnebagoes at this treaty ceded all their lands lying east of the +Mississippi river, and received in return $200,000. Of this amount +$150,000 was reserved to satisfy the claims of Indian traders, and the +remaining $50,000 was paid to certain individuals of the tribe. There +was set apart the further sum of $100,000, to be paid, by order of the +president of the United States, to mixed blood relatives of these +Indiana. Simon Cameron, of Pennsylvania, and James Murray, of +Maryland, were commissioned to adjust claims, pay debts and partition +the amount alloted to the mixed bloods. The Winnebagoes, including +mixed blood relatives, numbered over 4,000 souls. The payments and +adjustments were made at Prairie du Chien, October, 1838. Soon after +complaints were made of the arbitrary and unjust distribution of these +funds. The secretary of war, Joel R. Poinsett, countermanded the +action of the commissioners and appointed Judge Fleming, of New York, +to act as commissioner. The parties were reassembled at Prairie du +Chien in September, 1839, and the unpleasant business was in some way +adjusted and closed up. + +Aug. 2, 1847, at Fond du Lac of Lake Superior, the Chippewa Indians of +the Mississippi and Lake Superior ceded to the United States the +country beginning at the junction of the Crow Wing and Mississippi +rivers, thence up the Crow Wing river to the junction of that river +with the Long Prairie river; thence up the Long Prairie river to the +boundary line between the Sioux and Chippewa Indians; thence southerly +along said boundary line to a lake at the head of Long Prairie river; +thence in a direct line to the sources of the (Waw-tab) river; thence +down that river to its junction with the Mississippi river; thence up +the Mississippi river to the place of beginning. + + ISSAC A. VERPLANCK, + HENRY M. RICE, + _Commissioners_. + +Aug. 21, 1847, at Leech Lake, the Pillager band of Chippewa Indians +ceded to the United States the country beginning at the south end of +Otter Tail lake; thence southerly on the boundary line between the +Sioux and Chippewa Indians to Long Prairie river; thence up said river +to Crow Wing river; thence up Crow Wing river to Leaf river; thence up +Leaf river to its head; thence in a direct line to the place of +beginning. + + ISSAC A. VERPLANCK, + HENRY M. RICE, + _Commissioners_. + +July 23, 1851, at Traverse des Sioux (now St. Peter), the See-see-toan +and Wah-pay-toan bands of Dakotah or Sioux Indians ceded to the United +States all their lands in the state of Iowa; and the territory of +Minnesota, lying east of a line beginning at the junction of the +Buffalo river and the Red River of the North; thence along the western +bank of said river to the mouth of the Sioux Wood river; thence along +the western bank of said Sioux Wood river to Lake Traverse; thence +along the western shore of said lake to the northern extremity +thereof; thence in a direct line to the junction of Kampeska lake with +the Tchan-kas-an-data or Sioux river; thence along the western bank of +said river to its point of intersection with the northern line of the +state of Iowa, including all the islands in said rivers and lake. + + LUKE LEA, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, + ALEXANDER RAMSEY, Governor and + _Ex-officio_ Superintendent of Indian Affairs, + _Commissioners_. + +A small reservation was set apart for said Indians, which they +forfeited by their attack upon the whites in 1862. + +Aug. 5, 1851, at Mendota, the Med-ay-wa-kan-toan and Wah-pay-koo-tay +bands of Dakotah and Sioux Indians ceded to the United States all of +their lands in the territory of Minnesota and state of Iowa. + + LUKE LEA, + ALEXANDER RAMSEY, + _Commissioners_. + +The two treaties made by Commissioners Lea and Ramsey included the +following area: + +Beginning at the junction of Buffalo river with the Red River of the +North, in Clay county; thence along the western bank of the Red River +of the north to the mouth of Sioux Wood river; thence along the +western bank of Sioux Wood river to Lake Traverse; thence along its +western shore to its southern extremity; thence to the head of Sioux +river; thence along said Sioux river to the northern line of the state +of Iowa; thence along the southern boundary of the state of Minnesota +to the Mississippi river; thence up said river to the mouth of Waw-tab +river (just north of St. Cloud in Stearns county); thence up that +river to its head; thence to the place of beginning. A part of the +state of Iowa not included in the above was also ceded to the United +States. A large strip of Dakota Territory is included. This last tract +includes nearly one-half of the state of Minnesota, containing its now +richest and most populous counties. + +Sept. 30, 1854, at La Pointe, Lake Superior, Wisconsin, the Chippewas +of Lake Superior ceded to the United States all of their lands lying +east of a line beginning at a point where the east branch of Snake +river crosses the southern boundary line of the Chippewa country, +running thence up the said branch to its source; thence nearly north +in a straight line to the mouth of East Savannah river; thence up the +St. Louis river to the mouth of East Swan river; thence up the East +Swan river to its source; thence in a straight line to the most +westerly bend of Vermillion river, and thence down the Vermillion +river to its mouth. + + HENRY C. GILBERT, + DAVID B. HERRIMAN, + _Commissioners_. + +The foregoing treaty embraced all of the country bordering upon Lake +Superior in the state of Minnesota, including the valuable iron and +other mines. + +The city of Duluth is within the limits of the cession. + +Owing to the efforts of Henry M. Rice, then in Congress, the +commissioners were appointed, and to his personal influence with the +Chippewas the treaty was made. + +Feb. 22, 1885, at Washington, District of Columbia, the Mississippi, +Pillager, and Lake Winnibigoshish bands of Chippewa Indians ceded to +the United States all the lands owned or claimed by them in the +territory of Minnesota, and included within the following boundaries, +viz.: "Beginning at a point where the east branch of Snake river +crosses the southern boundary line of the Chippewa country, east of +the Mississippi river, as established by the treaty of July 29, 1837, +running thence up the said branch to its source; thence nearly north +in a straight line to the mouth of East Savannah river; thence up the +St. Louis river to the mouth of East Swan river; thence up said river +to its source; thence in a straight line to the most westerly bend of +Vermillion river; thence northwestwardly in a straight line to the +first and most considerable bend in the Big Fork river; thence down +said river to its mouth; thence down Rainy Lake river to the mouth of +Black river; thence up that river to its source; thence in a straight +line to the northern extremity of Turtle Lake; thence in a straight +line to the mouth of Wild Rice river; thence up the Red River of the +North to the mouth of Buffalo river; thence in a straight line to the +southwestern extremity of Otter Tail lake; thence through said lake to +the source of Leaf river; thence down said river to its junction with +Crow Wing river; thence down Crow Wing river to its junction with the +Mississippi river; thence to the place of beginning." + + GEORGE W. MANYPENNY, + _Commissioner_. + +All lands in Minnesota Territory east of the foregoing boundary line +were ceded to the United States at La Pointe, Lake Superior, Sept. 30, +1854. Several reservations were set aside in each purchase for the +future residence of various bands of said Chippewa and Pillager +Indians. + +It was by the efforts of Henry M. Rice, then in Congress, that the +Indians were invited to Washington, and through his personal influence +that the treaty was made. Several treaties were afterward made with +the Chippewa and Pillager Indians, merely changing or reducing their +reservation. + +Oct. 2, 1863, at the old crossing of the Red Lake river, in the state +of Minnesota, the Red Lake and Pembina bands of Chippewa Indians ceded +to the United States all their right, title and interest in and to all +the lands now owned and claimed by them in the state of Minnesota and +in the territory of Dakota within the following boundaries, to wit: +"Beginning at the point where the international boundary between the +United States and the British possessions intersects the shore of the +Lake of the Woods; thence in a direct line southwestwardly to the head +of Thief river; thence down the main channel of said Thief river to +its mouth on the Red Lake river; thence in a southeasterly direction, +in a direct line toward the head of Wild Rice river, to a point where +such line would intersect the northwestern boundary of a tract ceded +to the United States by a treaty concluded at Washington on the +twenty-second day of February, 1855, with the Mississippi, Pillager +and Lake Winnibigoshish bands of Chippewa Indians; thence along said +boundary line of said cession to the mouth of Wild Rice river; thence +up the main channel of the Red river to the mouth of the Sheyenne; +thence up the main channel of the Sheyenne river to Poplar Grove; +thence in a direct line to the head of the main branch of Salt river; +thence in a direct line due north to the international boundary line; +thence eastwardly to the place of beginning." + + ALEXANDER RAMSEY, + ASHLEY C. MORRILL, + _Commissioners_. + +All the lands included in the foregoing treaty east of the Red River +of the North are within the state of Minnesota. + +The heretofore mentioned treaties include all the lands within the +state of Minnesota originally owned by Indian tribes, except the Red +Lake reservation, and for its cession a treaty was negotiated in 1886, +which to this date, April, 1888, has not been ratified. + + +GEN. PIKE AND THE INDIANS. + +Gen. Zebulon M. Pike, United States Army, was sent by the government +in 1805-6 on a tour of inspection, to select sites for forts, and to +treat and hold councils with the various Indian tribes of the Upper +Mississippi. He met the Sioux in council at the junction of the St. +Peter's and Mississippi rivers, Sept. 23, 1805, and informed them +that he came to purchase lands for government forts, and to tell them +what the Great Father at Washington desired them to know about his +people and their government. A part of his speech we subjoin: + +"BROTHERS: You old men probably know that about thirty years ago we +were subject to the king of England, and governed by his laws. But he +not treating us as children we refused to acknowledge him as father. +After ten years of war, in which he lost 100,000 men, he acknowledged +us as a free and independent nation. They knew that not many years +since we received Detroit, Michilmackinac, and all the ports on the +lakes from the English, and now but the other day, Louisiana from the +Spanish; so that we put one foot on the sea at the east, and the other +on the sea at the west, and if once children are now men; yet I think +that the traders who come from Canada are bad birds amongst the +Chippewas, and instigate them to make war on their red brothers, the +Sioux, in order to prevent our traders from going high up the +Mississippi. This I shall inquire into, and so warn those persons of +their ill conduct. + +"Brothers, I expect that you will give orders to all your young +warriors to respect my flag and protection, which I may send to the +Chippewa chief who may come down with me in the spring; for was a dog +to run to my lodge for safety, his enemy must walk over me to hurt +him. + +"Brothers, I am told that the traders have made a practice of selling +rum to you. All of you in your right senses must know that this is +injurious and occasions quarrels, murders, etc., amongst yourselves. +For this reason your father has thought proper to prohibit the traders +from selling you rum. + +"Brothers, I now present you with some of your father's tobacco, and +some other trifling things, as a memorandum of my good will, and +before my departure _I will give you some liquor to clear your +throats_." + +At this conference the Sioux granted to the United States government a +tract nine miles square at the mouth of the St. Croix, and a similar +tract at the mouth of the St. Peter's, lying on both sides of the +Mississippi and including the falls of St. Anthony. Pike says: "They +gave the land required, about 100,000 acres of land (equal to +$200,000), and promised me a safe passage for myself and any chief I +might bring down. I gave them presents to the amount of about two +hundred dollars, and as soon as the council was over allowed the +traders to present them with liquor which, with what I gave, was equal +to sixty gallons." Pike in his journeying through the territory +ordered Dickson and others to haul down the British flag. It is on +record that the flags were hauled down, but also that they were +hoisted again after Pike's departure. + +From Pike's own account of one of his inland tours he was hospitably +entertained by his red brothers, as the following paragraph from his +journal will show: + +"After making this tour we returned to the chief's lodge and found a +berth provided for each of us, of good soft bear skins nicely spread, +and on mine there was a large feather pillow. I must not here omit to +mention an anecdote which serves to characterize more particularly +their manners. This, in the eyes of the contracted moralist, would +deform my hospitable host into a monster of libertinism; but by a +liberal mind would be considered as arising from the hearty generosity +of the wild savage. In the course of the day, observing a ring on one +of my fingers, he inquired if it was gold; he was told it was the gift +of one with whom I should be happy to be at that time; he seemed to +think seriously, and at night told my interpreter, 'that perhaps his +father (as they all called me) felt much grieved for the want of a +woman; if so, he could furnish him with one.' He was answered that +with us each man had but one wife, and that I considered it strictly +my duty to remain faithful to her. This he thought strange (he himself +having three) and replied that 'he knew some Americans at his nation +who had half a dozen wives during the winter.' The interpreter +observed that they were men without character; but that all our great +men had each but one wife. The chief acquiesced; but said he liked +better to have as many as he pleased." + + +THE ESTABLISHMENT OF UNITED STATES SURVEYS IN THE NORTHWEST--A +CONDENSED STATEMENT FROM THE RECORDS OF THE BOOKS IN THE SURVEYOR +GENERAL'S OFFICE. + +On the twenty-sixth day of January, 1796, when the American Congress +was in session at Philadelphia, a bill was reported for establishing +land offices in the Northwestern Territory. The bill was ably +discussed and there was much variance of opinion as to the +disposition of the lands to be surveyed and brought into the market. +Some favored a proposition to give the lands to actual settlers, and +others favored selling the lands at a stipulated price, applying the +proceeds to the payment of the national debt. The bill, when agreed +upon, bore the following title: "An act providing for the sale of the +lands of the United States in the territories northwest of the river +Ohio, and above the mouth of the Kentucky river." The bill was +approved by President Washington May 18, 1796. + +This law established the office of surveyor general with powers +specifically limited. It directed him to run lines north and south +according to the true meridian, to be known as range lines, and +others, crossing them at right angles, to be known as township lines, +the townships thus formed to consist of areas six miles square, the +whole to be subdivided into 36 sections, each a mile square, each to +contain 640 acres of land, as near as may be, and to be subdivided +into quarters, containing 160 acres, and these quarters to be further +subdivided into forties. Marks were to be established at the corners +of every township and section. These surveys were not to conflict with +Indian treaty and military land warrants, or the course of navigable +waters. + +This admirable device for surveying the public lands grew out of a +correspondence between Gen. Rufus Putnam and President Washington, in +1875, in which the former proposed the division of the public lands +into townships six miles square, to be marked by township and range +lines. Perhaps no more convenient and acceptable plan of survey could +have been devised. Gen. Benjamin Tupper was one of a company of +surveyors in 1796 that established the first lines under this new +system. This survey was made in Southeast Ohio. + +The first surveyor general's office was opened at Marietta, Ohio, soon +after the approval of the bill, and Rufus Putnam was appointed +surveyor general. In 1803 he was removed by President Jefferson and +the office was located at Vincennes. A year later it was removed to +Cincinnati, in 1814 to Chillicothe, in 1829 to Cincinnati, in 1845 to +Detroit, and in 1857 to St. Paul, where it has since remained. The act +for the survey of the public lands has since been modified and +improved. In 1804 an act was approved providing for the marking of +quarter sections on the section lines. + +By the same law under which the lands were subdivided and opened to +the public, one section, No. 16, in every township was reserved from +sale for the support of common schools. Two townships were also set +apart for the support of a university. This was the beginning of the +donations of land for school and other purposes. + + +THE UNITED STATES LAND OFFICE. + +The first government land office in Wisconsin north of Mineral Point +was located at St. Croix Falls in 1848. Township plats were received, +lands advertised and offered for sale in September, covering the +ground where the cities of Stillwater and St. Paul are now located, +and adjacent country. The office was removed to Stillwater in 1849, +and the land district divided by the St. Croix river. The land office +for the east side was located at Willow River in 1849, and there +remained till 1860, when it was removed to St. Croix Falls. The +following are the receivers and registers: + + 1848. Samuel Leach, receiver; Charles S. Whiting, register. + 1849. Moses S. Gibson, receiver; T. D. Catlin, register. + 1853. Otis Hoyt, receiver; John O. Henning, register. + 1857. J. D. Reymert, receiver; J.B. Spencer, register: + 1859. Orpheus Evarts, receiver; J. B. Spencer, register. + 1861. Benj. W. Reynolds, receiver; Michael Field, register. + 1864. Hiram Calkins, receiver; Michael Field, register. + 1869. Fayette Allen, receiver; Michael Field, register. + 1871. Joel F. Nason, receiver; Michael Field, register. + 1884. Alvah A. Heald, receiver; Michael Field, register. + 1887. Alvah H. Heald, receiver; Wm. M. Blanding, register. + +The first entry in the new district, Aug. 17, 1849, was by W. S. +Hungerford. Lot 4, Sec. 19, and Lots 1, 2, 3, Sec. 30, T. 34, R. 18, +where the village of St. Croix now stands. The second entry was by +George Brownell, Lot 3, Sec. 20, T. 24, R. 18. The oldest record to be +found in the office is the proving up by James Purinton of his +pre-emption, July 24, 1848. The first recorded correspondence is a +letter from S. Leach, receiver, to Geo. W. Jones, surveyor general, +Dubuque, Iowa. In June, 1863, under the receivership of Mr. Reynolds, +the safe in the office was blown open with powder and the contents +stolen. Some time afterward, in 1865, fifty land warrants and a bunch +of keys from the articles missing were thrown in at the office +window. They had the appearance of having been buried in the ground. + + +FIRST ENTRIES. + +July 24, 1848. James Purinton, residence, St. Croix Falls. Lot 1, in +east fractional part Sec. 23, T. 29 north, R. 20 west, and W. 1/2 of +N. W. 1/4 and S. E. 1/4 of N. W. 1/4, Sec. 24, T. 29, R. 20, 137 +70-100 acres; price, $1.25; cost, $172 12-100, silver; pre-emption +act, 1841. This pre-emption is where the dam and mills have since been +erected at North Hudson. + +Aug. 12, 1848. Samuel Burkelo, Orange Walker and Hiram Berkey. Lots 7 +and 8, west of river, Sec. 6, T. 31, R. 19, 108 25-100 acres; cost +$135 43-100, 1/4 gold; pre-emption act, 1840 (Marine Mills). + +Aug. 16, 1848. Richard Freeborn. West 1/2 of N. W. 1/4 and N. E. 1/4 +of N. W. 1/4, and Lot 3, Sec. 12, T. 28, R. 23, St. Paul; pre-emption +act, 1841. + +The first land offered at public auction sale was Aug. 27, 1848. + +4. Albert Henry Judd, Orange Walker, Samuel Burkelo, Hiram Berkey, +George Baldwin Judd, Asa Parker were the purchasers of Lots 5 and 6, +Sec. 7, T. 31, R. 19, west of river; cost, $106 46-100, gold. + +5. Martin Mower, David B. Loomis; Lots 7 and 8, Sec. 29, T. 31, R. 19, +west of river; cost, $54 81-100, 1/4 gold (now Arcola). + +6. John Allen; Lots 4 and 5, Sec. 2, T. 29, R. 20, west of river; gold +(Allen's Point, now South Stillwater). + +7. Eleazer R. Steves; Lots 1 and 2, Sec. 14, T. 29, R. 20, east of +river; gold, $9.66; silver, $54.85; $64 51-100 (now Hudson). + +8 and 9. Stephen Harris; N. 1/2 of S. E. 1/4 and E. 1/2 of S. W. 1/4, +Sec. 22, T. 29, R. 20. + +10. Himan W. Greely; E. 1/2 of N. E. 1/4, Sec. 22, T. 29, R. 20, gold. + +11 and 12. Albert N. Judd; W. 1/2 of S. E. 1/4 and E. 1/2 of S. W. +1/4, Sec. 22, T. 29, R. 20, gold. + +13 and 14. Louis Massey; E. 1/2 of S. W. and Lots 1 and 2, Sec. 24, T. +29, R. 20, silver; east of Lake St. Croix (now Hudson). + +15 and 16. Peter F. Bouchea, Lot 1, east of river, Sec. 25, T. 29, R. +20 and Lot 2, Sec. 25, T. 29, R. 20; gold, $63 22-100; silver, +$10--$73 22-100. + +17 and 18. John O'Brien; Lot 3, Sec. 26, T. 29, R. 20 and W. 1/2 of S. +W. 1/4, Sec. 26, T. 29, R. 20, silver and gold (now Lakeland). + +19 and 20. Albert H. Judd; E. 1/2 of N. E. 1/4, and W. 1/2 of N. W. +1/4, Sec. 22, T. 29, R. 20, gold. + +21. Himan W. Greely; W. 1/2 of N. E. 1/4, Sec. 22, T. 29, R. 20, gold. + +The above are all the purchasers at the first sale of land in the +valley at St. Croix Falls. Sale was continued from day to day until +townships 25 to 31 of ranges 19 and 20 were offered, covering the +settlement of St. Anthony Falls, St. Paul, Cottage Grove, and Point +Douglas. + +The United States land office was moved from St. Croix Falls to +Stillwater in September, 1849. The first public sale of lands at +Stillwater was Oct. 9, 1849. The office was held in Stillwater nine +years. In October, 1858, it was moved to Cambridge, Isanti county; +November 3d the first sale of lands was held at Cambridge. April 7, +1860, the office was burned, many valuable papers were destroyed, and +many records were replaced from the archives at Washington. July 5, +1860, the office was moved to Sunrise, and Oct. 8, 1868, it was moved +to Taylor's Falls, where it is at the present time (1888). + + +LIST OF OFFICERS. + +RECEIVERS. APPOINTED. + +Samuel Leech 1848 +N. Green Wilcox 1849 +Jonathan E. McKusick 1852 +William Holcomb 1853 +Milton H. Abbott 1857 +William H. Mower 1860 +Lucas K. Stannard 1861 +Oscar Roos 1871 +George B. Folsom 1875 +Peter H. Stolberg 1884 +E. A. Umland 1887 + +REGISTERS. APPOINTED. + +Charles S. Whitney 1848 +Abraham Van Voorhes 1849 +A. Pierce 1852 +Thomas E. Fullerton 1853 +Charles G. Wagner 1857 +Henry N. Setzer 1860 +Granville M. Stickney 1861 +Charles B. Whiting 1864 +William Comer 1666 +John P. Owens 1869 +Lucas K. Stannard 1884 + +The records do not show the date of commission of any officer; we +gather the dates as near as possible from recorded correspondence. + + +TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT OF WISCONSIN. + +Governors: Henry Dodge, 1836-41; James Duane Doty, 1841-44; N. P. +Talmadge, 1844-45; Henry Dodge, 1845-48. + +Delegates to Congress: George W. Jones, 1836-37; James D. Doty, +1837-41; Henry Dodge, 1841-45; Morgan L. Martin, 1845-47; John H. +Tweedy, 1847-48. + +Chief Justice: Charles Dunn, 1836-48. + + +FIRST LEGISLATURE--REPRESENTATIVES OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. + +First Session, 1836--Council: Thomas P. Burnett.[G] (Rejected by a +ruling of Gov. Dodge, and district left without representation.) +House: James H. Lockwood, James B. Dallam. + +Second Session, 1837--House: Ira B. Brunson, Jean Brunet.[H] + +Third Session, 1838--House: Ira B. Brunson, Jean Brunet. + + +SECOND LEGISLATURE. + +First Session, 1838--Council: George Wilson. House: Alex. McGregor.[I] + +Second Session, 1839--Council: George Wilson. House: Alex. McGregor, +Ira B. Brunson. + +Third Session, 1839-40--Council: Joseph Brisbois. House: Alex. +McGregor, Ira B. Brunson. + +Fourth Session, 1840--Council: Charles J. Learned. House: Alex. +McGregor, Ira B. Brunson. + + +THIRD LEGISLATURE--REPRESENTATIVES OF CRAWFORD AND ST. CROIX COUNTIES. + +First Session, 1840-41--Council: Charles J. Learned. House: Alfred +Brunsou, Joseph R. Brown. + +Second Session, 1841-42--Council: Charles J. Learned. House: Joseph R. +Brown, Theophilus J. LaChapelle. + + + +FOURTH LEGISLATURE. + +First Session, 1842-43--Council: Theophilus La Chapelle. House: John +H. Manahan. + +Second Session, 1843-44--Council: Theophilus La Chapelle. House: John +H. Manahan. + +Third Session, 1845--Council: Wiram Knowlton. House: James Fisher. + +Fourth Session, 1846--Council: Wiram Knowlton. House: James Fisher. + + +FIFTH LEGISLATURE. + +First Session, 1847--Council: Benj. F. Manahan. House: Joseph W. +Furber. + + +CRAWFORD, ST. CROIX, CHIPPEWA AND LA POINTE COUNTIES. + +Special Session, 1847--Council: Benj. F. Manahan. House: Henry +Jackson. + +Second Session, 1848--Council: Benj. F. Manahan. House: Henry Jackson. + +First Constitutional Convention, Oct. 5, 1846--Delegate from St. Croix +county, Wm. Holcombe. + +Second Constitutional Convention, Dec. 15, 1847--Delegate from St. +Croix county, George W. Brownell. + + +STATE GOVERNMENT OF WISCONSIN. + +Governors: Nelson Dewey, 1848-52; L. J. Farwell, 1852-54; W. A. +Barstow, 1854-56; Coles Bashford, 1856-58; Alex. W. Randall, 1858-62; +Louis P. Harvey, 1862; Edward Salomen, 1862-64; James Q. Lewis, +1864-66; Lucius Fairchild, 1866-72; C. C. Washburn, 1872-74; Wm. R. +Taylor, 1874-76; Harrison Luddington, 1876-78; Wm. E. Smith, 1878-82; +Jeremiah Rusk, 1882-58. + + +UNITED STATES SENATORS. + +Isaac P. Walker, June 8, 1848; Henry Dodge, June 8, 1848; Charles +Durkee, Feb. 1, 1855; James R. Doolittle, Jan. 23, 1857; Timothy O. +Howe, Jan. 23, 1861; Matt H. Carpenter, Jan. 26, 1869; Angus Cameron, +Feb. 3, 1875; Philetus Sawyer, Jan. 26, 1881; John C. Spooner, Jan. +26, 1885. + + +UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVES. + +From districts bordering on the St. Croix: Mason C. Darling, 1848-50; +Orasmus Cole, 1850-52; Ben. C. Eastman, 1852-56; C. C. Washburn, +1856-62; Luther Hanchett, 1862-63; Walter D. McIndoe, 1863-68; C. C. +Washburn, 1868-72; Jeremiah M. Rusk, 1874-78; Hiram L. Humphrey, +1878-84; Wm. T. Price, 1884-88; Nels P. Haugan, 1888. + +District judges presiding in territory originally included in St. +Croix county: + +Wiram Knowlton, of Prairie du Chien, 1848-50; district--Crawford, +Chippewa, St. Croix and La Pointe counties. + +S. S. Fuller, of Hudson, 1850-60; district--Pierce, St. Croix, Polk, +Douglas, and La Pointe counties. + +Henry D. Barron, of North Pepin, 1860-61; district--Pierce, St. Croix, +Polk, Douglas, Ashland, and Bayfield counties. + +L. P. Weatherby, of Hudson, 1861-67; district--Pepin, Pierce, St. +Croix, Polk, Burnett, Douglas, Bayfield, and Ashland counties. + +Herman L. Humphrey, of Hudson, 1867-77; district--St. Croix, Pierce, +Pepin, Dunn, and Barron counties. + +Solon S. Clough, of Hudson, 1864-76; district--Polk, Burnett, Douglas, +Ashland, and Bayfield counties. + +R. P. Bundy, of Menomonie, 1876-85, re-elected until 1891; +district--Buffalo, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce; and St. Croix +counties. + +Henry D. Barron, of St. Croix Falls, 1876-82; district--Chippewa, +Barron, Polk, Burnett, Douglas, Ashland, and Bayfield counties. + +Solon S. Clough, of Superior, 1882-88; district--Ashland, Barron, +Bayfield, Burnett, Chippewa, Douglas, Polk, and Washburn counties. + +R. D. Marshall, of Chippewa Falls, 1888. + + +WISCONSIN STATE LEGISLATURE. + +Representatives of territory originally included in St. Croix county: + +First Session, 1848--Senate: Daniel S. Fenton. Assembly: W. R. +Marshall. (Seat successfully contested by Joseph Bowron.) + +Second Session, 1849--Senate: James Fisher. Assembly: Joseph Bowron. + +Third Session, 1850--Senate: James Fisher. Assembly: John S. Watrous. + +Fourth Session, 1851--Senate: Henry A. Wright. Assembly: John O. +Henning. + +Fifth Session, 1852--Senate: Henry A. Wright. Assembly: Otis Hoyt. + +Sixth Session, 1853--Senate: Benj. Allen. Assembly: Orrin T. Maxson. + +Seventh Session, 1854--Senate: Benj. Allen. Assembly: Wm. M. Torbert. + +Eighth Session, 1855--Senate: Wm. T. Gibson. Assembly: Smith R. Gunn. + +Ninth Session, 1856--Senate: Wm. T. Gibson. Assembly: Almon D. Gray. + +Tenth Session, 1857--Senate: Wm. Wilson. Assembly: Orin T. Maxson. + +Eleventh Session, 1858--Senate: Daniel Mears. House: James B. Gray, +Lucius Cannon. + +Twelfth Session; 1859--Senate: Daniel Mears. House: Moses S. Gibson. +Mr. Gibson's seat successfully contested by M. W. McCracken. + +Thirteenth Session, 1860--Senate: Charles B. Cox. House: Asaph +Whittlesey. + +Fourteenth Session, 1861--Senate: Charles B. Cox. House: John +Comstock. + +Fifteenth Session, 1862--Senate: H. L. Humphrey. House: George R. +Stuntz, James W. Beardsley. Mr. Beardsley was elected speaker of the +house. + +Sixteenth Session, 1863--Senate: N. L. Humphrey. House: Henry D. +Barron, Charles B. Cox. + +Seventeenth Session, 1864--Senate: Austin H. Young. House: Henry D. +Barron, Joseph S. Elwell. + +Eighteenth Session, 1865--Senate: Austin H. Young. House: Amos S. Gray +(successfully contested by A. C. Stuntz). House: Marcus A. Fulton. + +Nineteenth Session, 1866--Senate: Marcus A. Fulton. House: Henry D. +Barron, William J. Copp. Mr. Barron elected speaker of the assembly. + +Twentieth Session, 1867--Senate: Marcus A. Fulton. House: Henry D. +Barron, John D. Trumbull, H. L. Wadsworth. + +Twenty-first Session, 1868--Senate: Wm. J. Copp. House: Henry D. +Barron, Eleazer Holt, Marcus A. Fulton. + +Twenty-second Session, 1869--Senate: Wm. J. Copp. House: Henry D. +Barron, Edward H. Ives, Charles D. Parker. + +Twenty-third Session, 1870--Senate: Edward H. Ives. House: Samuel B. +Dressor, Oliver S. Powell, Charles D. Parker. + +Twenty-fourth Session, 1871--Senate: Edward H. Ives. House: Samuel S. +Vaughn, Oliver S. Powell, Ruel K. Fay. + +Twenty-fifth Session, 1872--Senate: Joseph E. Irish. House: Henry D. +Barron, Oliver S. Powell, John C. Spooner. + +Twenty-sixth Session, 1873--Senate: Joseph E. Irish. House: Henry D. +Barron, speaker; James H. Persons, David C. Fulton. + +Twenty-seventh Session, 1874--Senate: Henry D. Barron. House: Samuel +S. Fifield, James H. Persons, Harvey S. Clapp. + +Twenty-eighth Session, 1875--Senate: Henry D. Barron, House: Samuel S. +Fifield, Thomas S. Nelson, Philo Q. Boyden. + +Twenty-ninth Session, 1876--Senate: Henry D. Barron. House: Samuel S. +Fifield, speaker; Christopher L. Taylor, Philo Q. Boyden. + +Thirtieth Session, 1877--Senate: Samuel S. Fifield. House: Woodbury S. +Grover, Ellsworth Burnett, Guy W. Dailey. + +Thirty-first Session, 1878--Senate: Dana R. Bailey. House: Canute +Anderson, Charles A. Hawn, James Hill. + +Thirty-second Session, 1879--Senate: Dana R. Bailey. House: Wm. J. +Vincent, Nils P. Haugen, James Hill. + +Thirty-third Session, 1880--Senate: Sam S. Fifield. House: Nils P. +Haugen, James Hill, Lars L. Gunderson. + +Thirty-fourth Session, 1881--Senate: Sam S. Fifield. Assembly: Geo. D. +McDill, Franklin L. Gibson, Merton Herrick. + +Thirty-fifth Session, 1882--Senate: James Hill. Assembly: Geo. D. +McDill, Franklin L. Gibson, speaker; Olof A. Sangestad. + +Thirty-sixth Session, 1883--Senate: James Hill. Assembly: Canute +Anderson, John D. Putnam, Geo. D. McDill, James Johnston. + +Thirty-seventh Session, 1884--Senate: Joel F. Nason. Assembly: Hans B. +Warner, Frank M. Nye, Thomas Porter; Charles S. Taylor, J. B. Thayer. + +(For thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth Sessions see Addenda.) + + +TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT OF MINNESOTA. + +Governors: Alexander Ramsey, from June 1, 1849, to May 15, 1853; +Willis A. Gorman, from May 15, 1853, to April 23, 1857; Samuel Medary, +from April 23, 1857, to May 24, 1858. + +Delegates to Congress: Henry H. Sibley, Jan. 15, 1849, to March 4, +1853; Henry M. Rice, Dec. 5, 1853, to March 4, 1857; W. W. Kingsbury, +Dec. 7, 1857, to May 11, 1858. + +Chief Justices: Aaron Goodrich, June 1, 1849, to Nov. 13, 1851; Jerome +Fuller, Nov. 13, 1851, to Dec. 16, 1852; Henry Z. Hayner, Dec. 16, +1852, to April 7, 1853 (Judge Hayner never presided at a single term +and gave but one decision, which was to pronounce the prohibition law +unconstitutional); William H. Welch, April 7, 1853, to May 24, 1858. + +Associate Justices: David Cooper, June 1, 1849, to April 7, 1853; +Bradly B. Meeker, June 1, 1849, to April 7, 1853; Andrew G. Chatfield, +April 7, 1853, to April 23, 1857; Moses G. Sherburne, April 7, 1853, +to April 13, 1857; R. R. Nelson, April 23, 1857, to May 24, 1858; +Charles E. Flandrau, April 23, 1857, to May 24, 1858. + + +CENSUS OF THE TERRITORY--AUGUST, 1849. + +PRECINCTS. MALES. FEMALES. TOTAL. + +Stillwater 455 154 609 +Lake St. Croix 129 32 161 +Marine Mills 142 31 173 +Falls of St. Croix 15 1 16 +Snake River 58 24 82 +St. Paul 540 300 840 +Little Canada and St. Anthony Falls 352 219 571 +Crow Wing and Long Prairie 235 115 350 +Osakis Rapids 92 41 133 + ----- --- ----- +Total 2,018 977 2,935 + +Upon the basis of this population the governor established the +following legislative districts: + +First district: St. Croix precinct, extending on the west side of the +St. Croix and Mississippi rivers to the Iowa line; Second district: +Stillwater; Third district: St. Paul; Fourth district: Marine Mills +and the country north to the British possessions; Fifth district: St. +Anthony Falls; Sixth district: The country east of the Mississippi not +embraced in the Fourth district, and extending north to the British +possessions; Seventh district: All the territory on the west of the +Mississippi river not embraced in the sixth and first districts. + + +FIRST TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE.--HELD SEPT. 3 TO NOV. 1, 1849. + +Council: David Olmsted, president; district No. 1, James S. Norris; +No. 2, Samuel Burkelo; No. 3, William H. Forbes, James McC. Boal; No. +4, David B. Loomis; No. 5, John Rollins; No. 6, David Olmsted, William +Sturgis; No. 7, Martin McLeod. + +House: Joseph W. Furber, of Cottage Grove, speaker; district No. 1, +Joseph W. Furber, James Wells; No. 2, M. S. Wilkinson, Sylvanus Trask, +Mahlon Black; No. 3, Benj. W. Brunson, Henry Jackson, John J. Dewey, +Parsons K. Johnson; No. 4, Henry N. Setzer; No. 5, William R. +Marshall, William Dugas; No. 6, Jeremiah Russell, Allan Morrison, +Lorenzo A. Babcock, Thomas A. Holmes; No. 7, Alexis Bailly, Gideon H. +Pond. + +The limits of this work preclude the insertion of a complete list of +the entire State, and we give, therefore, the representation of the +St. Croix valley. + + +SECOND TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE, 1851. + +Council: James Norris, Samuel Burkelo, D. B. Loomis, president. House: +John A. Ford, Michael E. Ames, speaker; Jesse Taylor, John D. Ludden. + + +THIRD TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE, 1852. + +Council: Elam Greely, David B. Loomis. House: Jesse Taylor, Mahlon +Black, Martin Leavitt, John D. Ludden. + + +FOURTH TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE, 1853. + +Council: Elam Greely, David B. Loomis. House: N. Green Wilcox, Albert +Stimson, Caleb Truax, John D. Ludden. + + +FIFTH TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE, 1854. + +Council: Albert Stimson, John E. Mower. House: John Fisher, Wm. +McKusick, Robert Watson, N. C. D. Taylor, speaker. + + +SIXTH TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE, 1855. + +Council: Albert Stimson, John E. Mower. House: James B. Dixon, William +Willim, James Norris, Samuel Register. + + +SEVENTH TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE, 1856. + +Council: John D. Ludden, Henry N. Setzer. House: James S. Norris, +Abraham Van Voorhes, N. C. Taylor, Henry A. Jackman. + + +EIGHTH TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE, 1857. + +Council: John D. Ludden, Henry N. Setzer. House: Elam Greely, Mahlon +Black, Joseph W. Furber, speaker; L. K. Stannard. + +The legislature of 1852 passed a prohibition law and submitted it to +the people of the Territory, who adopted it by a vote of 853 for to +622 against. This law was declared unconstitutional by Judge Hayner on +the ground that it was unconstitutional to submit a law to the vote of +the people. After rendering this decision he resigned his office. + +At a second appointment in 1855 the counties of Washington, Chisago, +Superior, Itasca, and Doty were included in the St. Croix district. A +special session was held in May, 1857, to accept and make provision to +use the magnificent railway land grant donated by Congress. + + +THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1857. + +In accordance with the enabling act of Congress, passed March 3, 1857, +delegates were elected and met in convention at the capital on the +second Monday of July, 1857. + + +REPRESENTATIVES FROM ST. CROIX VALLEY. + +Washington county: Wm. Holcombe, James S. Norris, Henry N. Setzer, +Gould T. Curtis, Charles E. Leonard, Charles J. Butler, Newinton +Gilbert, R. H. Sanderson. + +Chisago county: P. A. Cedarstam, Charles F. Lowe, Lucas K. Stannard, +W. H. C. Folsom. + +The convention continued in session from July 13 to Aug. 29, 1857, and +although divided into two wings, accomplished considerable work, such +as preparing duplicate state constitutions and redistricting the +State. The St. Croix valley was redistricted as follows: + +First district, Washington county: Twenty-fifth district, Chisago, +Pine and Isanti counties. + + +GOVERNORS OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. + +Henry H. Sibley, May 24, 1858, to Jan. 2, 1860; Alexander Ramsey, Jan. +2, 1860, to July 10, 1863; Henry A. Swift, July 10, 1863, to Jan. 11, +1864; Stephen Miller, Jan. 11, 1864, to Jan. 8, 1866; William R. +Marshall, Jan. 8, 1866, to Jan. 9, 1870; Horace Austin, Jan. 9, 1870, +to Jan. 7, 1874; Cushman K. Davis, Jan. 7, 1874, to Jan. 7, 1876; John +S. Pillsbury, Jan. 7, 1876, to Jan. 10, 1882; Lucius F. Hubbard, Jan +10, 1882, to Jan. --, 1886; A. R. McGill, Jan. --, 1887, to ----. + + +SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICES. + +Lafayette Emmett, May 24, 1858, to Jan. 10, 1865; Thomas Wilson, Jan. +10, 1865, to July 14, 1869; James Gilfillan, July 14, 1869, to Jan. 7, +1870; Christopher G. Ripley, Jan. 7, 1870, to April 7, 1874; S. J. R. +McMillan, April 7, 1874, to March 10, 1875; James Gilfillan, March, +10, 1875, to ----. + + +ASSOCIATE JUSTICES. + +Charles E. Flandrau, May, 24, 1858, to July 5, 1864; Isaac Atwater, +May 24, 1858, to July 6, 1864; S. J. R. McMillan, July 6, 1864, to +April 7, 1874; Thomas Wilson, July 6, 1864, to Jan. 10, 1865; John M. +Berry, Jan. 10, 1865, to ----; George B. Young, April 16, 1874, to +Jan. 11, 1875; F. R. E. Cornell, Jan 11, 1875, to May 23, 1881; D. A. +Dickenson, June 27, 1881, to ----; Greenleaf Clark, March 14, 1881, to +Jan. 12, 1882; William Mitchell, March 14, 1881, to ----; C. E. +Vanderburgh, Jan. 12, 1882, to ----; L. W. Collins, January, 1888, to +----. + + +UNITED STATES SENATORS FROM MINNESOTA. + +James Shields, May 11, 1858, to March 4, 1860; Henry M. Rice, May 11, +1858, to March 4, 1863; Morton S. Wilkinson, March 4, 1860, to March +4, 1867; Alexander Ramsey, March 4, 1863, to March 4, 1875; Daniel S. +Norton, March 4, 1867, died July 14, 1870; O. P. Stearns, January --, +1871, to March 4, 1871; William Windom, March 4, 1871, to March 12, +1881; S. J. R. McMillan, Dec. 6, 1875, to March 4, 1886; A. J. +Edgerton, March 12, 1881, to Oct. 26, 1881; William Windom, Oct, 26, +1881, to March 4, 1883; Dwight M. Sabin, March 4, 1883, to March 4, +1889; C. K. Davis, March 4, 1887, to ----. + + +REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS. + +W. W. Phelps, May 11, 1858, to March 4, 1859; J. M. Cavenaugh, May 11, +1858, to March 4, 1858; William Windom, Dec. 5, 1859, to March 4, +1869; Cyrus Aldrich, Dec. 5, 1859, to March 4, 1863; Ignatius +Donnelly, Dec. 7, 1863, to March 4, 1869; M. S. Wilkinson, March 4, +1869, to March 4, 1871; E. M. Wilson, March 4, 1869, to March 4, 1871; +John T. Averill, March 4, 1871, to March 4, 1875; M. H. Dunnell, March +4, 1871, to March 4, 1883; H. B. Strait, Dec. 1, 1873, to March 4, +1879; William S. King, Dec. 6, 1875, to March 4, 1877; J. H. Stewart, +Dec. 3, 1877, to March 4, 1879; Henry Poehler, March 4, 1879, to March +4, 1881; H. B. Strait, March 4, 1881, to March 4, 1885; W. D. +Washburn, March 4, 1879, to March 4, 1885; Milo White, March 4, 1883, +to March 4, 1887; J. B. Wakefield, March 4, 1883, to March 4, 1887; +Knute Nelson, March 4, 1883, to March 4, 1889; J. B. Gilfillan, March +4 1885, to March 4, 1887: Thomas Wilson, March 4, 1887, John Lind, +March 4, 1887; John S. McDonald, March 4, 1887; Edmund Rice, March 4, +1887. + + +FIRST STATE LEGISLATURE, 1857-8. + +Richard G. Murphy, president; William Holcombe, lieutenant governor. + +Senate: First District--Joel K. Reiner. Twenty-fifth District--W. H. +C. Folsom. House: First District--J. R. M. Gaskill, George W. +Campbell, Robert Simpson. Twenty-fifth District--John G. Randall. + + +SECOND STATE LEGISLATURE, 1859-60. + +Senate: First District--Wm. McKusick, Socrates Nelson. Twenty-fifth +District--Lucas K. Stannard. House: First District--E. D. Watson, +Abraham Van Voorhes, Orange Walker. Twenty-fifth District--Patrick +Fox. + + +THIRD STATE LEGISLATURE, 1861. + +Senate: Second District--Joel K. Reiner. House: Second District--H. L. +Thomas, E. D. Whiting, Emil Munch. + + +FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 1862. + +Senate: Second District--Joel K. Reiner. House: Second District--Wm. +H. Burt, H. L. Thomas, E. D. Whitney. + + +FIFTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1863. + +Senate: Second District--John McKusick. House: Second District--Samuel +Furber, J. B. R. Mitchell, Ansel Smith. + + +SIXTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1864. + +Senate: Second District--John McKusick. House: Second District--Jere +M. Soule, R. R. Henry, Ansel Smith. + + +SEVENTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1865. + +Senate: Second District--John McKusick. House: Second District--L. A. +Huntoon, Ansel Smith, Lars J. Stark. + + +EIGHTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1866. + +Senate: Second District--John McKusick. House: Second District--J. B. +R. Mitchell, Robert Watson, Smith Ellison. + + +NINTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1867. + +Senate: Second District--W. H. C. Folsom. House: Second +District--Henry Jackman, Ebenezer Ayres. + + +TENTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1868. + +Senate: Second District--W. H. C. Folsom. House: Second District--J. +W. Furber, William Lowell. + + +ELEVENTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1869. + +Senate: Second District--James N. Castle. House: Second +District--Joseph Haskell, W. H. C. Folsom. + + +TWELFTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1870. + +Senate: Second District--James N. Castle. House: Second +District--James S. Norris, William Lowell. + + +THIRTEENTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1871. + +Senate: Second District--Dwight M. Sabin. House: Second +District--Joseph Haskell, Lucas K. Stannard. + + +FOURTEENTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1872. + +Senate: Twenty-second District--Dwight M. Sabin. Twenty-eighth +District--Jonas Lindall. House: Twenty-second District--Ebenezer +Ayers, J. R. M. Gaskill, H. R. Murdock. Twenty-eighth District--Adolph +Munch. + + +FIFTEENTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1873. + +Senate: Twenty-second District--Dwight M. Sabin. Twenty-eighth +District--Jonas Lindall. House: Twenty-second District--E. W. Durant, +J. R. M. Gaskill, James Huganin. Twenty-eighth District--Joel G. +Ryder. + + +SIXTEENTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1874. + +Senate: Twenty-second District--Wm. McKusick. Twenty-eighth +District--L. K. Burrows. House: Twenty-second District--D. B. Loomis, +Chas. Eckdahl, J. A. McCloskey. Twenty-eighth District--Frank H. +Pratt. + + +SEVENTEENTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1875. + +Senate: Twenty-second District--Wm. McKusick. Twenty-eighth +district--W. H. C. Folsom. House: Twenty-second district--J. W. +Furber, E. W. Durant, J. E. Mower. Twenty-eighth district--Lars J. +Stark. + + +EIGHTEENTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1876. + +Senate: Twenty-second District--Ed. S. Brown. Twenty-eighth +District--W. H. C. Folsom. House: Twenty-second District--A. +Fredericks, J. S. Middleton, O. W. Erickson. Twenty-eighth +District--W. A. Brawley. + + +NINETEENTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1877. + +Senate: Twenty-second District--Ed. S. Brown. Twenty-eighth +District--W. H. C. Folsom. House: Twenty-second District--A. +Fredericks, A. Huntoon, O. W. Erickson. + + +TWENTIETH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1878. + +Senate: Twenty-second District--Roscoe F. Hersey. Twenty-eighth +District--John Shaleen. House: Twenty-second District--Dwight M. +Sabin, Wm. Fowler, Charles Peterson. Twenty-eighth District--F. S. +Christensen. + + +TWENTY-FIRST STATE LEGISLATURE, 1879. + +Senate: Twenty-second District--James N. Castle. Twenty-eighth +District--John Shaleen. House: Twenty-second District--A. M. Dodd, +Chas. Peterson, Andrew Peterson. Twenty-eighth District--John Dean. + + +TWENTY-SECOND STATE LEGISLATURE, 1881. + +Senate: Twenty-second District--J. N. Castle. Twenty-eighth +District--John Shaleen. House: Twenty-second District--Dwight M. +Sabin, Andrew Peterson, Wm. Schmidt. Twenty-eighth District--John +Dean. + + +TWENTY-THIRD STATE LEGISLATURE, 1883. + +Senate: Twenty-fourth District--J. N. Castle. Thirty-eighth +District--John Shaleen. House: Twenty-fourth District--Dwight M. +Sabin, C. P. Gregory, A. Stegman. Thirty-eighth District--Levi H. +McKusick. + + +TWENTY-FOURTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1885. + +Senate: Twenty-fourth District--J. N. Castle. Thirty-eighth +District--John Shaleen. House: Twenty-fourth District--E. W. Durant, +W. H. Pratt, Arthur Stephen. Thirty-eighth District--Levi H. McKusick. + + +TWENTY-FIFTH STATE LEGISLATURE, 1887. + +Senate: Twenty-fourth District--E. W. Durant. Thirty-eighth +District--Otto Wallmark. House: Twenty-fourth District--F. Dornfield, +R. M. Anderson, C. P. Gregory. Thirty-eighth District--Henry Smith. + +The first legislature continued in session one hundred and forty-eight +days. Its most important measure was the passage of the $5,000,000 +loan bill. At the twentieth session a law was passed changing the +sessions of the legislature from annual to biennial. + + +THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1857. + +As a delegate to the constitutional convention of 1857, and a member +of what was styled the Republican wing, the writer considers it not +amiss to insert a chapter concerning that somewhat famous and farcical +affair. + +The Congress of 1856-57 passed an enabling act for the formation of a +state government in Minnesota, providing that a constitutional +convention of delegates, chosen by the people, should assemble at +midday, July 13, 1857, at the hall of the house of representatives at +the state capitol, and adopt a constitution, subject to the +ratification of the people. + +The territorial governor, Samuel Medary, ordered an election to be +held on the first Monday in June, 1857, for delegates, the number to +consist of one hundred and eight. The State was nearly equally divided +between the Republicans and Democrats; still the question of politics +did not enter largely into the contest, except as a question of party +supremacy. The people were a unit on the question of organizing a +state government under the enabling act, and in many cases there was +but a single ticket in the field. It was a matter, therefore, of some +surprise that there should be a separation among the delegates into +opposing factions, resulting practically in the formation of two +conventions, each claiming to represent the people, and each proposing +a constitution. The delegates, although but 108 were called, were +numbered on the rolls of the two wings as 59 Republican and 53 +Democratic, a discrepancy arising from some irregularity of +enrollment, by which certain memberships were counted twice. The +Republican members, claiming a bare majority, took possession of the +hall of the house at midnight, twelve hours before the legal time for +opening the convention, the object being to obtain control of the +offices and committees of the convention, a manifest advantage in the +matter of deciding upon contested seats. + +In obedience to the call of the leaders of the party, issued the day +before, the writer with other Republicans repaired to the house at the +appointed hour, produced his credentials as a delegate, and was +conducted into the illuminated hall by Hon. John W. North. The +delegates were dispersed variously about the hall, some chatting +together, others reading newspapers, smoking, or snoring, as here and +there one had fallen asleep in his seat. Occasionally a delegate +nervously examined his revolver as if he anticipated some necessity +for its use. + +The Democratic delegates were elsewhere probably plotting in secret +conclave to capture the hall, and perhaps it might be well enough to +be prepared for the worst. Thus the remainder of the night passed and +the forenoon of July 13th. As soon as the clock struck twelve, the +Democratic delegates rushed tumultuously in, as if with the purpose of +capturing the speaker's stand. That, however, was already occupied by +the Republican delegates, and the storming party was obliged to +content itself with the lower steps of the stand. Both parties at the +moment the clock ceased striking were yelling "order" vociferously, +and nominating their officers, _pro tem._ Both parties effected a +temporary organization, although in the uproar and confusion it was +difficult to know what was done. + +The Democratic wing adjourned at once to the senate chamber, and there +effected a permanent organization. The Republicans being left in the +undisturbed possession of the hall, perfected their organization, and +the two factions set themselves diligently to work to frame a +constitution, each claiming to be the legally constituted convention, +and expecting recognition as such by the people of the State and by +Congress. The debates in each were acrimonious. A few of the more +moderate delegates in each recognized the absurdity and illegality of +their position, and questioned the propriety of remaining and +participating in proceedings which they could not sanction. + +The conventions continued their sessions inharmoniously enough. Each +framed a constitution, at the completion of which a joint committee +was appointed to revise and harmonize the two constitutions, but the +members of the committees were as belligerent as the conventions they +represented. Members grew angry, abusing each other with words and +even blows, blood being drawn in an argument with bludgeons between +Hon. Willis A. Gorman, Democratic, and Hon. Thomas Wilson, Republican. +An agreement seemed impossible, when some one whose name has not found +its way into history, made the happy suggestion that alternate +articles of each constitution be adopted. When this was done, and the +joint production of the two conventions was in presentable shape, +another and almost fatal difficulty arose, as to which wing should be +accorded the honor of signing officially this remarkable document. One +body or the other must acknowledge the paternity of the hybrid. +Ingenuity amounting to genius (it is a pity that the possessor should +be unknown) found a new expedient, namely, to write out two +constitutions in full, exact duplicates except as to signatures, the +one to be signed by Democratic officers and members, and the other by +Republicans These two constitutions were filed in the archives of the +State and one of them, which one will probably never be known, was +adopted by the people Oct. 13, 1857. + +The question arises in the writer's mind as to the legality of the +constitution of Minnesota. Have we a constitution? If so, which one? +The question of legality, however, has never been raised before the +proper tribunals, and it is perhaps well to leave it thus +unquestioned. + + +FIRST MINNESOTA STATE LEGISLATURE, HELD 1857-8. + +Under a provision of the constitution adopted Oct. 13, 1857, the +legislature was elected and convened December 2d of that year, +although the State had not then been admitted to the Union, and Gen. +Sam Medary was still recognized as governor, though not at the time in +the Territory, and acting through his private secretary. The whole +state, judicial and legislative ticket had been elected in October, +but none of the state officers could qualify prior to the formal +admission of the State. The legality of their proceedings was called +in question. The Republicans entered a protest against legislation +until after the admission of the State, but the Democratic party was +in the majority, and territorial Democratic officers governed the +legislature, and the protest was unheeded. Notwithstanding the +doubtful validity of acts passed by this body, some bold and +extravagant measures were proposed and passed, among them the famous +$5,000,000 loan bill, authorizing the issue of bonds to that amount, +ostensibly to aid in the construction of railroads in Minnesota, and +to be used as a basis for banking. This bill was passed near the close +of the session, which lasted ninety days, and was an amendment to the +constitution to be voted on April 15, 1858.[J] The result proved even +worse than had been predicted by the most ardent opposers of the bill, +and although adopted by an overwhelming majority, speedily fulfilled +the predictions of its opponents. The State was flooded with worthless +bank issues, based upon these worthless bonds. Financial distress and +panic ensued. A reaction followed, and in November, 1860, the +amendment to the constitution was expunged. Of these bonds, $2,275,000 +had already been issued, when the section granting their issue was +repealed. These the State subsequently redeemed. + +This bill, though afterward adopted as an amendment to the +constitution by an overwhelming majority, was opposed most vigorously +in both houses of the legislature, and characterized at the time as +mischievous and infamous. Though not present at the time of its +passage, on account of sickness, the author fully committed himself as +an opponent of the bill, and placed himself on record in an address to +his constituents dated March 19th, at the senate chamber, which +address was circulated extensively at the time. The views and +predictions therein expressed as to the disastrous character of the +bill have been amply justified and verified by subsequent events. + +Hon. Chas. F. Lowe, when a member of the Republican wing of the +constitutional convention, had designed and prepared a seal to be used +by the incoming state government. It was adopted by that wing of the +convention, and Mr. Lowe hoped to have it formally adopted by the +first state legislature. At the request of Mr. Lowe, it was presented +by the writer, then a member of the senate, and was adopted by the +senate and house with many encomiums upon its beauty and +appropriateness. The design was indeed a beautiful one, and the +workmanship of the seal, by Buechner, of St. Paul, was admirable. The +design of the seal was as follows: + +[Illustration: STATE SEAL.] + +A waterfall (supposed to be that of Minnehaha) within a shield; this +part of the device was intended to symbolize the idea of water for the +amount and varied forms of which Minnesota is distinguished above any +other part of our country. In addition was represented the figure of +an Indian pointing toward the setting sun, as his course of destiny +runs, with his tomahawk, bow and arrows; at his feet opposite the +Indian was the figure of a white man, with a sheaf of wheat and the +implements of agriculture at his feet, representing to the Indian that +he must partake of the habits of civilized life or depart toward the +setting sun. In one corner of the field appeared a distant view of +Lake Superior, with a ship in sail. In another was a view of a river, +indicating the Minnesota river, running from the westward, with a +steamboat ascending its stream. In rear of the shield and waterfall +were three trees, which are typical of the three timbered regions, the +oak on the left typifying the south and southwest portion of the +State, the pine in the centre typifying the great pine regions of Lake +Superior, Upper Mississippi and St. Croix, and the maple on the right +typifying the north and northwestern portion of the State. For a motto +to accompany the words state of Minnesota, A. D. 1858, which were +placed upon the upper rim of the seal, the words placed upon the lower +rim of the seal were, "Liberty and Union, Now and Forever One and +Inseparable." The act of the legislature went to the governor, who +returned it to the senate approved and signed, July 14, 1858. + +Some length of time elapsed before the appearance of the great seal as +appended to official documents, and when it did appear it was very +different from the one adopted, and the credit of the design was given +to Rev. E. D. Neill by the newspapers commenting upon it. However +beautiful and appropriate the design of the present great seal of the +state of Minnesota, there seems to be no evidence that it was ever +legally adopted, and the question may well be raised as to its +validity. It lies, however, in the eternal fitness of things that a +state without a legal constitution should also be without a seal. + +At the joint convention of Dec. 19, 1857, Hon. Henry M. Rice and Gen. +James Shields, of Mexican War fame, were elected senators. The +Republicans supported David Cooper and Henry D. Huff. During this +session the presiding officer of the senate was Richard G. Murphy, a +somewhat eccentric character. His decisions were often diverting. When +perplexing questions arose he would say gravely, "The chair can not +decide more than two questions at oncet." After passing many really +important measures, the legislature adjourned March 25, to meet June +2, 1858. + + +ADJOURNED SESSION. + +The legislature met, pursuant to adjournment, June 2d, the State +having been admitted in the interim. Lieut. Gov. Holcombe presided +over the senate and proved an acceptable and able presiding officer. +The five million amendment having been approved by the people, this +legislature passed a banking law, establishing banks in various parts +of the State with the five million bonds as a basis. + +It can do no good at this late day to raise a question as to the +validity of the acts of the first state legislature, but it is due to +ourselves and others who with us at the time protested against the +validity of acts passed at this session, to give a few extracts from +senate and house journals tending to show that a feeling of distrust +was quite general. The ground of this opinion was the fact that the +legislature elected as a state legislature held its first session +prior to the admission of the State, and under the administration of +the territorial governor, Medary, through his secretary, acting in his +place. The question was openly discussed, not only in the legislature +but in the public press of the State. + +As early as Dec. 8, 1887, the following protest was presented in the +senate: + + +SENATE CHAMBER, ST. PAUL. + +We, the undersigned senators of the state of Minnesota, do hereby +enter and record this, our _solemn_ PROTEST, against the recognition +by this body, in any manner, directly or indirectly, of Samuel Medary, +Esquire, governor of the territory of Minnesota, as the governor of +the state of Minnesota, or as being invested with any of the rights, +authority, privileges, powers or functions of governor of said state +of Minnesota. + +And we do _solemnly_ PROTEST against the recognition by this body, in +any manner, of the claims of the said Samuel Medary, to exercise any +of the rights, authority, privileges, powers or functions of the +governor of the state of Minnesota--such claim being wholly +unauthorized and unwarranted by the constitution of the state of +Minnesota; and in violation of the expressed will of the people of the +state of Minnesota, and an attempted usurpation of office, at war with +the fundamental principles of free government, and dangerous to the +liberties of the people. + + D. G. NORTON, + LEWIS MCKUNE>, + GEO. WATSON, + EDWIN M. SOMERS, + BOYD PHELPS, + J. K. REINER, + H. L. THOMAS, + JAMES RIDPATH, + MICHAEL COOK, + CHARLES H. LINDSLEY, + E. N. BATES, + E. HODGES, + A. G. HUDSON, + JONATHAN CHASE, + W. H. C. FOLSOM, + S. S. BEMAN, + DELANO T. SMITH. + +On December 8th Mr. Norton offered the following resolution to the +senate: + +"WHEREAS, By the provisions of the constitution the executive officers +of the State can not qualify until after the admission of the State by +Congress, and + +"WHEREAS, There is no governor of the state of Minnesota to whom acts +may be submitted, as required by the constitution; therefore, + +"_Resolved_, That this legislature can pass no acts which could become +a law until after the admission of the State by Congress, and the +qualification of the governor elected by the people." + +The resolution was adopted and referred to the following committee: +Van Etten, Streeter, Jones, Norton, and Folsom. + +The majority of the select committee reported December 21st, claiming +that by the enabling act the people of the Territory were empowered to +form a state government, which they did, electing their delegates on +the second Monday in July, 1857, to form a state constitution, and +take necessary steps for establishment of a state government; that +these delegates met at the time and place appointed, and on the +twenty-ninth of August adopted a constitution which was submitted to +the people and adopted by a majority of over 28,000 votes. That on the +thirteenth of October, in conformity with an article (section 16, +article 16) of the constitution then adopted, the people had elected +representatives to Congress, governor and lieutenant governor, judges +and members of both houses of the legislature, the latter to meet on +the first Wednesday in December at St. Paul. + +The majority admitted that the governor elected under the act could +not qualify until after the admission of the State, but claimed that +the members of the legislature did not rest under the same disability, +but were competent to legislate because they derived their power from +the constitution itself, and had been directed to meet for that +purpose on the first Monday in December, and that because they were +thus required to meet they were authorized to act. The people were +omnipotent in the premises. They had declared that the governor should +not qualify until after the admission of the State, and that the +members of the legislature should meet. It was absurd to suppose this +body should be called together and have no power to act. They held, +moreover, that the territorial governor was empowered to act until his +successor could legally qualify; that the framers of the constitution +of Minnesota and the people had declared that he should be continued +in office until superseded by a state officer, and that the very time +had been specified when he should be thus superseded, namely, on the +admission of the State into the Union, and therefore that Samuel +Medary was, _de facto_ and _de jure_, governor of Minnesota; that +Minnesota was then a state _out_ of the Union, and that the acts of +the first legislature would be legalized when the State was admitted. + +The minority report, signed by D. S. Norton and W. H. C. Folsom, +claimed that the constitution contemplated an admission into the Union +as a prerequisite to the exercise of state sovereignty, in article 5, +section 7, where it is enacted that "the term of each of the executive +officers named in this article shall commence upon taking the oath of +office, _after the State shall be admitted by Congress into the Union, +etc._" + +Section 9, same article, provides that "Laws shall be passed at the +first session of the legislature _after the State is admitted into the +Union_ to carry out the provisions of this article. + +"Section 1, article 16, _schedule_, provides that all process which +may be issued under the authority of the territory of Minnesota +previous to its _admission into the Union of the United States_, shall +be as valid as if issued in the name of the State." + +Section 8, same article, provides that if the constitution shall be +adopted by a vote of the people, the governor of the Territory shall +forward a certified copy of the same to the president of the United +States, "_to be by him laid before the Congress of the United +States_." + +The minority claimed that under the first of the above cited sections +there can be no qualified governor (_elected under, and according to +the provisions of the constitution_) to whom "bills" _must_ be +submitted before they can become laws, until _after_ "admission"--nor +indeed can there be _any_ executive officers, contemplated to perform +the duties of their several offices, until that time. + +In reference to the provisions of section 18, article 16, _schedule_, +as inconsistent with that view, it was claimed that the territorial +government should continue, and that its officers should exercise the +sovereign powers delegated to them by the Union, until, upon an +admission by Congress, and a surrender of sovereignty to the State, +its authority should commence. + +It was claimed that this section (6) of article 16, requiring the +legislature to convene on the first Wednesday of December, 1857, was +an oversight or error. After considerable debate the majority report +was adopted by a party vote. A similar protest, signed by all the +Republican members of the house, was presented to that body. In +addition to these protests there was in both branches of the +legislature continuous and various protests by the minority against +the exercise of legislative functions. + +In the house, on Jan. 25, 1858, Mr. Sheetz offered a resolution with +reference to the causes of the delay in the admission of Minnesota, +asking that a committee of three be appointed with instructions to +investigate the circumstances of this delay and report to this house +upon these points: + +_First_--As to whose duty it was to forward to the president for +submission to Congress a copy of the constitution. + +_Second_--Why an incorrect or incomplete copy of said constitution was +forwarded to the president. + +_Third_--What official correspondence, if any, has passed between the +governor and the acting governor in regard to this matter. + +On motion the resolution was adopted. + +Mr. Sheetz, from the committee appointed to communicate with the +acting governor relative to the admission of the state of Minnesota, +submitted the following report: + + +_To the Honorable House of Representatives:_ + +Your committee appointed to inquire into the causes of the probable +delay in the admission of Minnesota into the Union, ask leave to make +the following report: + +Your committee find that according to section 8 of the schedule to the +constitution, it is made the duty of the governor of the Territory, +upon the adoption of the constitution by the people, to forward a +certified copy of the constitution to the president of the United +States, to be by him submitted to Congress. + +Your committee have conferred with his excellency, Acting Gov. Chase, +and have ascertained from him that at or about the time of the +adjournment of the constitutional conventions, there were deposited +with him, as acting governor in the absence of Gov. Medary, two copies +of the constitution as adopted by the two branches of the +constitutional convention, one copy signed by _fifty-one_ members of +the Democratic branch of the convention, and the other signed by +_fifty-three_ members of the Republican branch of the convention, that +the two copies were preserved by him in the same safe, side by side +where they now are. + +Your committee are further informed that a short time prior to the +departure of our senators and representatives elect for Washington, +the governor caused to be made a transcript of the constitution as +requested by the schedule and that instrument, which transcript was +forwarded to the president of the United States. + +No record is known to your committee to exist of the time and manner +of making such transcript, and your committee, in the absence of the +governor and his private secretary, can not ascertain whether said +transcript contained the names of the members of the two branches of +the constitutional convention or not. + +Your committee are also informed by Acting Gov. Chase that there has +been no official correspondence between the governor and himself upon +this subject since the departure of the former for Washington. + +All of which is respectfully submitted and signed. + + H. W. SHEETZ, + G. L. OTIS, + J. J. CRUTTENDEN, + _Committee_. + + +LAND GRANTS, RAILROAD SURVEYS AND CONSTRUCTION. + +In May, 1857, Congress gave to Minnesota, then a territory, a +magnificent grant of about 9,000,000 acres of land, to aid in the +construction of several projected trunk roads through her bounds. The +roads specified were: From Stillwater, by way of St. Paul and St. +Anthony Falls, to a point between the foot of Big Stone lake and the +mouth of the Sioux Wood river, with a branch via St. Cloud and Crow +Wing to the navigable waters of the Red River of the North; from St. +Paul and St. Anthony via Minneapolis to a convenient point of junction +west of the Mississippi to the southern boundary of the Territory in +the direction of the mouth of the Big Sioux river, with a branch via +Faribault to the north line of the state of Iowa, west of range 16; +from Winona to a point on the Big Sioux river south of the forty-fifth +parallel of north latitude; also from La Crescent via Target lake, up +the valley of Root river, to a point of junction with the last +mentioned road, east of range 17, every alternate section of land +designated by odd numbers, for six sections in width on each side of +said road and branches. It was enacted that the lands granted were to +be subject to the disposal of the legislature. + +An extra session of the legislature was convened in June, 1857, to +accept the grant and devise means to build the road. + +The financial crisis of 1857 and unwise legislation in 1858, notably +the attempt to issue $5,000,000 in bonds to aid in building the roads, +served to delay the various enterprises projected, and for many years +but little work was done, notwithstanding persistent effort at every +state legislature to effect favorable changes in the condition of +affairs. + +A few of the $5,000,000 bonds were issued, but the general +dissatisfaction, and feeling that they were not issued on a legal or +rational basis, depreciated their value, and they were sold at a +sacrifice and afterward redeemed by the State. + + +THE NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD. + +The idea of a railroad from the Atlantic to the Pacific was openly +discussed as early as 1837, in which year Dr. Hartwell Carver +memorialized Congress on the subject and promulgated his views through +the press and by pamphlets. In 1845 Asa Whitney evolved a plan for +the northern route, and awakened considerable popular enthusiasm, but +by many the project was considered as a swindling scheme, or at best a +visionary enterprise. Mr. Whitney made a preliminary survey from +Prairie du Chien as far as the Rocky mountains. Mr. Josiah Perham, +afterward the first president of the Northern Pacific Railroad +Company, in 1857 projected a road from Maine to Puget Sound, to be +known as the People's Pacific Railway, and obtained a charter from the +Maine legislature, but on bringing his scheme to the attention of +Congress was prevailed upon by Thaddeus Stevens to abandon this scheme +for another, agreeing to aid him in the passage of a bill for the +construction of the present Northern Pacific route. The bill passed +both houses and was signed by President Lincoln, July 2, 1864. The +first permanent officers were: Josiah Perham, president; Willard Sear, +vice president; Abiel Abbott, secretary; J. S. Withington, treasurer. + +The grants of land voted by Congress were accepted, and in the +following year the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota granted right of +way. Not much was done until 1869, when Jay Cooke & Co. became +financially interested in the road, and might have been successful in +placing the bonds of the road upon the eastern markets but for the +European war, during which time the firm of Jay Cooke & Co. went down +overburdened with railroad securities. The financial panic of 1873 +which followed found the company in possession of 555 miles of +completed railroad, of which 450 reached from Duluth to Bismarck, and +105 from Klamath to Tacoma on Puget Sound; but embarrassed by want of +funds the enterprise made but little headway, and in 1875 Henry +Villard was appointed receiver, and a decree of sale obtained by which +the bondholders were enabled to become the preferred stockholders. +Under the new arrangement and by the powerful aid of Henry Villard and +Thomas F. Oakes, the public, and especially the capitalists of the +country, regained faith in the enterprise, and the work was pushed +steadily forward until September, 1883, when the golden spike was +driven at Gold Creek by Henry Villard. Mr. Villard resigned the +presidency of the road in December of the same year, and Robert Harris +succeeded him. The main line of this road extends from Duluth to +Tacoma, a distance of nearly 2,000 miles, and the number of miles on +the main and branch lines aggregates 3,395. + +The magnitude of the work, the leagues of wilderness to be traversed, +the mountain ranges to be crossed, the streams to be bridged, the +supposed obstructions from wintry storms to be overcome, all these +were of such a nature as to make the project seem impossible. It was, +nevertheless, through the liberality of the government and the +enthusiasm and executive ability of its managers, accomplished in a +comparatively short time. + +The government contributed to this road a land grant of forty sections +to the mile. With this liberal basis, bonds for the required amount of +money were speedily furnished to build and equip the road from Lake +Superior to the Pacific coast. This road has, however, the advantage +of southern roads, in that it traverses a rich agricultural and +mineral region throughout almost its entire extent, passing through +belts of timbered land not excelled in the quantity and quality of +their production. The mineral regions are rich in gold, silver, +copper, lead and coal. + +The country along the road is being rapidly settled, and the property +in its possession, and that of those who have made improvements along +its line, has increased to many hundred times its original value. + + +THE CHICAGO, ST. PAUL, MINNEAPOLIS & OMAHA RAILROAD. + +The Wisconsin legislature in 1854 chartered a company to construct and +operate this road, then called the St. Croix, Superior & Bayfield +railroad. May 3, 1856, Congress granted twelve sections of land to the +mile to aid in building a railroad from Hudson in the St. Croix valley +to Bayfield on Lake Superior, with a branch to Superior City. July 5, +1864, this grant was increased to twenty sections per mile, with +indemnity lands to make up deficiencies. These lands were ceded +directly to the State. A company was created by the state legislature +of Wisconsin, to which were consigned the lands and franchises granted +by the government for the purpose of building the road. The lands and +franchises passed through several organized companies. Impediments to +construction arising, extension of time was asked and obtained from +the United States and Wisconsin governments, complications arose, +delaying the construction still further, other companies claimed part +of the indemnity lands, and litigation ensued. The state legislature +upheld the chartered right, and appointed agents to watch the timber +and protect the interests of the company. A sum amounting to $200,000 +was collected from trespassers and at once applied to the building of +the roads in 1879. + +The St. Paul, Stillwater & Taylor's Falls Company in 1872 had built a +line of railroad from Hudson to New Richmond. In 1874 the St. Croix, +Superior & Bayfield Company obtained possession of this line of road +and continued it in the direction of Superior, completing it in 1883 +to Superior City, Bayfield, Washburn, and Ashland. The company have +built a road from Hudson by River Falls to Ellsworth in Pierce county. +The main line to Lake Superior passes through a rich agricultural and +immense pine region. The company have constructed at Washburn, on +Chequamegon bay, extensive docks, elevators, warehouses and shops. +There are on the main line 20 wooden bridges from 25 to 100 feet long, +10 from 100 to 300 feet, 10 from 300 to 500 feet, one of them on a +branch of White river being 90 feet high. The amount of logs and +lumber carried over this road amounts (1888) to 1,240,000,000 feet, +and 1,500,000,000 feet remain. There are few trips more enjoyable to +the tourist than the one over this road, terminating as it does on the +north, in a region attractive for its beautiful scenery, including the +lovely bays of Ashland, Washburn and Bayfield, with their picturesque +shores, hills green with spruce pine and balsam, and the Apostle +islands, favorite haunts of summer travelers. The road is splendidly +equipped and well officered. + + +THE ST. PAUL & DULUTH RAILROAD (FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE LAKE SUPERIOR & +MISSISSIPPI). + +The first land grant for Minnesota was made in 1854, for a road from +St. Paul to Lake Superior. This bill gave twenty sections per mile to +the company building. While the bill was in the hands of the enrolling +committee, some fraudulent changes were made in its provisions, as a +consequence of which, after it had passed both houses and was in the +hands of the president, it was recalled by the house of +representatives, which had originated it, the fraudulent passages were +pointed out, and the further consideration of the bill was +indefinitely postponed. + +Railroad enterprise received a check from which it did not recover in +many years. May 5, 1864, Congress gave ten alternate sections on each +side of lands to aid in building the Lake Superior & Mississippi +railroad. This grant was increased to twenty sections per mile, and +indemnity lands were given. The state of Minnesota has also given +seven sections of swamp land per mile. The city of St. Paul also gave +a bonus of $250,000 in city bonds, to run twenty years, and St. Louis +county gave $150,000 in bonds for a like period. From the proceeds of +these lands and bonds an excellent thoroughfare has been built and +maintained. The franchises pertaining to this road changed holders +many times before the road was completed. + +The original incorporators were mostly citizens of Philadelphia who, +under the name and title of the "Nebraska & Lake Superior Company," +obtained their charter from the territorial legislature May 25, 1857. +Their chartered rights were amended and their name changed to that of +"Lake Superior & Mississippi Railroad Company." The times for building +were extended by Congress and the state legislature from time to time, +as asked for by the company. The road was commenced in 1867 and +completed to Duluth in 1870, and the name changed to "St. Paul & +Duluth" in 1875. The first cost of building was $7,700,000. The +company have in addition built branch roads from White Bear to +Minneapolis, from White Bear to Stillwater, from Wyoming to Taylor's +Falls, from Rush City to Grantsburg, from North Pacific Junction to +Cloquet, and a branch in Pine county to Sandstone City. The Taylor's +Falls & Lake Superior branch road received seven sections per mile of +swamp lands from the State, $10,000 in ten per cent bonds from the +town of Chisago Lake, $5,000 from the town of Shafer, and $18,600 from +the town of Taylor's Falls. + +Presidents of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad: Lyman Dayton, W. L. +Banning, Frank Clark, John P. Illsley, H. H. Porter, James Smith, Jr., +and Wm. H. Fisher. + + +MINNESOTA & MANITOBA RAILROAD. + +Under the land grant of 1857 a road was projected between St. Paul and +St. Anthony Falls, and completed in 1862, the first railroad in +Minnesota, though others had been projected at an earlier period. This +road was afterward extended to Breckenridge on Red river, and branches +were built to St. Cloud, and from St. Cloud via Fergus Falls and +Crookston to the national boundary at St. Vincent, and from +Brekenridge through Dakota to the Great Falls in Montana. Subordinate +branches to various points in Northern Minnesota, Dakota and Montana +were also built. The roads from Minneapolis to St. Cloud and +Breckenridge were built with German capital. + +After the completion of the main lines a financial depression +occurred, the bonds were sold at a low figure and subsequently passed +into the hands of J. J. Hill and others. The aggregate mileage of this +road and its branches amount to 2,685 miles. It traverses a wheat +growing region not surpassed on the continent. The present terminus, +the Great Falls of Missouri, is a mining centre for gold and silver. +The country tributary to the road can not fail to make it one of the +most important highways of commerce in the great West, and thus far +the energy and ability of its managers has made it equal to the +immense demands upon it. + + +STILLWATER, WHITE BEAR & ST. PAUL RAILROAD. + +Under the grant of 1857, a road from Stillwater to St. Paul was +projected, the road to commence at Stillwater and to proceed via St. +Paul and Minneapolis to the western boundary of the State. The company +holding the grant, through legislative action effected a change in the +conditions of the grant allowing them to commence at St. Paul, +building west and northwest, as a result of which the road from +Stillwater to St. Paul was not built. After ten years of inactivity +upon this portion of the road, the Stillwater people demanded, through +their representatives in the legislature of 1867, legislation +compelling the building of the road as originally devised. At this +session Hon. John McKusick, not then a member of the legislature, but +still an influential man, and representing public sentiment, +importuned the company holding the franchises, through the president, +Hon. Edmund Rice, either to build the road or to transfer the +franchises to some responsible company who would build it. Hon. Henry +A. Jackman and the writer, members of the ninth legislature, after +conference with the president of the company, introduced a bill +conveying the franchises from the original company to a company of St. +Croix valley men, to be organized forthwith, with the conditions that +they at once proceed to build the road from Stillwater to White Bear, +connecting with the St. Paul & Duluth at that point. A section was +placed in the bill locating the railroad lands near Kandiyohi lake. +These lands were among the most valuable in the grant and were to +inure to the new company at the completion of the road. The bill was +passed and approved by the governor. The road was completed to +Stillwater Dec. 20, 1869. + +The legislature of 1869 transferred 44,246 acres, or one-half of the +Kandiyohi lands, to the St. Paul, Stillwater & Taylor's Falls +railroad. + + +THE ST. PAUL, STILLWATER & TAYLOR'S FALLS RAILROAD. + +Part of the lands originally granted to the Stillwater, White Bear & +St. Paul railroad were transferred by the legislature of 1869 to the +St. Paul, Stillwater & Taylor's Falls railroad. The proceeds of the +sale were to be applied to the construction of the above named road. +The company was organized under the general laws of the State and +incorporated Sept. 23, 1869. The route of the road defined in the +articles of incorporation is between St. Paul and Taylor's Falls by +way of Stillwater, passing through or near Marine, with a branch road +to Hudson, Wisconsin. Length of main line from St. Paul to Stillwater +is seventeen and fifty-four one hundredths miles. Hudson branch line +from Stillwater junction to Lake St. Croix, three and one-fourth. +South Stillwater branch line from Stillwater to South Stillwater, +three miles. The first train by this line reached Stillwater from St. +Paul Feb. 9, 1872. The capital stock, $1,000,000, may be increased at +pleasure. The number of shares of capital stock is 10,000 of $100 +each, limit of indebtedness, $1,500,000. + +That part of the road to be built from Stillwater to Taylor's Falls up +to the present date has not been completed. + + +THE WISCONSIN CENTRAL (BRANCH) RAILROAD. + +In 1884 the Wisconsin Central built a branch road from Chippewa Falls +via New Richmond to St. Paul, passing into Ramsey county east and +south of White Bear. The bridge over the St. Croix river about four +miles above Stillwater, belonging to this road, is a fine piece of +workmanship, built entirely of iron and resting on solid stone piers. +The total length of the structure is 2,400 feet, there being ten +spans, each 160 feet long, and a viaduct, 800 feet long, on the +Wisconsin side. + +The track is 87 feet above low water mark. The entire cost of the +bridge was about $197,000. It was damaged by a cyclone in 1885 to the +amount of $10,000. + + +TAYLOR'S FALLS & LAKE SUPERIOR RAILROAD. + +The franchises and swamp land grant of the Lake Superior & Mississippi +railroad pertaining to the Taylor's Falls branch were in 1875, by +legislative enactment, transferred to the Taylor's Falls & Lake +Superior Company. In 1879 these franchises and lands were transferred +to the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad Company. In the fall of 1879 +the St. Paul & Duluth Company built a branch road to Centre City. In +the spring of 1880 the Minneapolis & St. Louis Company built three +miles of road southward from Taylor's Falls, accomplishing in that +distance as difficult and expensive work of its kind as had been done +in the State, the grading being made through the trap rock ledges of +the Dalles, and along the face of the nearly perpendicular bluffs +overlooking the river. In the summer of 1880 they transferred their +franchises and one-half their swamp land grant to the St. Paul & +Duluth Company, by whom the road was completed from Centre City to the +road already built at Taylor's Falls, Oct. 29, 1880. + + +CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL RAILROAD--RIVER DIVISION. + +The river division of this road follows the west bank of the river +from Dubuque to Hastings, passing through all the river towns. +Crossing the river at Hastings it passes through the towns of Newport, +Cottage Grove and Denmark, and the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, +terminal stations. The line from St. Paul to Hastings was built in +1869, by the Chicago & St. Paul Railway Company, under charter granted +to the Minnesota & Pacific Railroad Company in 1857. The present +management obtained control of the line in 1872. The bridge across the +Mississippi at Hastings was constructed in 1878, and was the first +iron railroad bridge in the State. In respect to cost and workmanship +it ranked with the important structures of the Northwest. The total +length of the river bridge is 706 feet, and consists of an iron draw +span 300 feet long, two fixed spans each of 150 feet in length, and a +combination span on the north shore 106 feet in length. The cost of +the structure was $200,000. In 1884 a branch line was extended from +Point Douglas to Stillwater. + + +MINNEAPOLIS, SAULT STE. MARIE & ATLANTIC. + +The following memorial, introduced by the writer while a member of the +state senate of 1877, is the first public mention or suggestion of +this road as far as we are aware. It was adopted by the legislature, +forwarded to Washington, read and duly referred to the committee on +railroads: + + STATE OF MINNESOTA. + NINETEENTH SESSION. S.F. NO. 36. + + A MEMORIAL + _Introduced by Mr. Folsom, Jan. 12, 1877._ TO CONGRESS FOR + RIGHT OF WAY AND GRANT OF LAND FOR RAILROAD PURPOSES. + + _To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United + States in Congress assembled:_ + +Your memorialists, the legislature of the state of Minnesota, +respectfully represent that the rapidly increasing settlements of the +Northwest, the surplus agricultural products and material developments +demand greater and cheaper facilities than now existing, and a more +direct transit to the Atlantic seaboard and European ports, and +eastern products transported to the Northwest. + +That the saving in the distance to eastern markets of three hundred +miles, by a railroad route from St. Paul and Minneapolis to Sault Ste. +Marie, will tend to more fully develop the great wheat growing region +of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Dakota, and Montana. The surplus of wheat, +which forms one of the most reliable exports from our government, in +shortening the distance to European markets three hundred miles will +give encouragement to this great source of wealth to our whole land, +and deserves aid and protection. + +That by reason of the facts set forth in this memorial, and many +other considerations, the nearest transit makes cheap transportation +and thereby develops the country and increases prosperity. + +To further these objects, we ask Congress to donate land to aid, and +the right of way through government land to build, a railroad from the +cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis to the falls of St. Marie's river. + +Sept. 20, 1879, a large mass meeting was held at St. Croix Falls, the +object being to consider the feasibility of the "Soo" route. Over five +hundred persons were present, among them delegates from Minneapolis, +St. Paul, Stillwater, and Superior City. The subject was discussed and +resolutions passed favoring the building of the road to Sault Ste. +Marie via the Dalles of St. Croix. + +Not, however, till Sept. 12, 1883, were the articles of incorporation +filed in Wisconsin and Minnesota by W. D. Washburn and others of +Minneapolis, for the Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Marie & Atlantic Railroad +Company. + +The road was completed to the "Soo" in December, 1887. At that point +it connects with a branch of the Canadian Pacific. The St. Marie river +is to be crossed on a union bridge built by the roads centring at that +point. It is now under construction, and will cost when completed over +a million dollars. The length of the line is about 225 miles. The +capital stock is $12,000,000, divided into 80,000 shares of common +stock, and 40,000 shares preferred. The board of directors for the +first year is composed of the following persons, all residents of +Minneapolis: W. D. Washburn, president; H. T. Welles, John Martin, +Thomas Lowry, George R. Newell, Anthony Kelly, M. Loring, Clinton +Morrison, J. K. Sidle, W. W. Eastman, W. D. Hale, C. A. Pillsbury, and +Chas. J. Martin. + +The following comparison of distance will be of interest to the people +of the Northwestern States: + + MILES. MILES. +St. Paul to Chicago 411 +Chicago to New York City 962 +New York to Liverpool 3,040 + ----- 4,413 +St. Paul (via Sault) to Montreal 997 +Montreal to Liverpool 2,790 + ----- 3,787 + ----- +Difference in favor of Montreal route 626 + + +CHICAGO, BURLINGTON & NORTHERN RAILROAD. + +The Chicago, Burlington & Northern Company constructed a road from +Chicago to Savannah, Illinois, and from that point up the Mississippi, +along its east bank to St. Paul, crossing the St. Croix at Prescott. +The road from Savannah to St. Paul is two hundred and eighty-five +miles in length, and was completed in 1886. The cost complete, +including rolling stock, was $30,000 per mile. The road was built on a +grade of nine and eight-tenths feet to the mile, and its curvature +nowhere exceeds three degrees in one hundred feet. The St. Croix, +Chippewa, Wisconsin, Platte, Grant, and Fever rivers are crossed by +iron bridges. + + +MILEAGE OF ROADS CENTRING IN ST. PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS IN 1887. + + MILES. +Manitoba 3,200 +Northern Pacific 2,200 +Hastings & Dakota 344 +Pacific division of the Minneapolis & St. Louis 223 +Minneapolis & Pacific 230 +Omaha, Western division 627 +Milwaukee, River division 100 +Milwaukee, Iowa division 100 +Minneapolis & St. Louis 100 +Burlington & Northern 100 +Northwestern, Omaha section 176 +Minnesota & Northwestern (now Chicago, St. Paul & Kansas City) 200 +Wisconsin Central 100 +Soo Ste. Marie 210 +North Wisconsin 250 +St. Paul & Duluth 216 + ----- +Total 8,476 + + +CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE ST. CROIX +RIVER. + +As early as 1858, when the writer was a member of the Minnesota +senate, he introduced a memorial to Congress for the improvement of +the St. Croix river, and of the Mississippi at Beef Slough bar, below +Lake Pepin. This was the first memorial presented on this subject. +Subsequent legislatures continued to memorialize Congress, but it was +twenty years of continuous pleading before any attention was paid to +the subject. In 1878 Thaddeus C. Pound, representing the St. Croix +valley in Congress, secured the first appropriation. Mr. Pound also +secured the first appropriation for the Mississippi reservoirs. + +The following appropriations were made from time to time: 1878, +$8,000; 1879, $10,000; 1880, $8,000; 1881, $10,000; 1882, $30,000; +1883, $7,500. + +This money has been expended under the supervision of Maj. Farquier +and Charles J. Allen of the United States engineering corps, with +headquarters at St. Paul. The improvements carried out consisted in +removing snags and all impediments in the channel or along shore, +removing sandbars, thus deepening the channel, building wing dams, and +riprapping the shores. The work has been well done, and the +expenditure is a most judicious one. + + +INLAND NAVIGATION. + +As the prosperity of a country depends, next to its natural resources, +upon the avenues of communication with other countries, the people of +the Northwest naturally took a great interest in the improvement of +their waterways. The states lying along the Mississippi and its +tributaries found by these streams an advantageous southern outlet for +their produce. But much needed to be done in the direction of +improving navigation by clearing away obstructions, deepening the +channels, and affording facilities for crossing rapids. As the +settlements extended toward the great lakes, it became evident that +the prosperity of the country would be greatly enhanced by +communication with the lakes. In the absence or scarcity of navigable +streams this communication, if obtained, must be by the improvement of +navigation of the upper portion of these streams having their source +near the lakes and their connection by canals with the lakes or their +tributaries. By this means it was thought a better route to the +Atlantic and to the Eastern States would be afforded for grain and +other products than that afforded by the Mississippi. In the Minnesota +state legislature of 1875 a bill was introduced making an +appropriation of $10,000 for a survey of the route connecting the +waters of Lake Superior with those of the St. Croix. This bill met +with much opposition, but was finally passed, the amount having been +reduced by amendment to $3,000. Lucas R. Stannard and Robert B. Davis +were appointed commissioners, and with the meagre amount did all that +was possible to be done in surveying the route. As the author of the +bill, I insert here, as a matter of history, and as a sufficient +explanation of my own views and those of the friends of the measure, a +synopsis of the arguments presented to the senate advocating the +measure: + +"The route from Duluth via the lakes and St. Lawrence, and the +Atlantic to England, according to correct computation, is about six +hundred miles shorter than the route via Chicago and New York. The +northern route is being made feasible by the improvements made by the +British government on the Welland canal and Lachine rapids, and by the +improvements made by our own government on the St. Clair flats and the +Sault Ste. Marie canal, by which a depth of water is obtained +sufficient to float vessels drawing twenty feet. This route to Europe +will be traversed in much less time than the New York route. Vessels +will be constructed for this inland American trade, and starting from +the west end of Lake Superior with a cargo of grain that two weeks +before was waving in the sunlight on northwestern prairies, will pass +direct to Europe without breaking of bulk or reshipping, while the +southern route requires reshipments at Buffalo and New York. Figures +can scarcely do justice to the vast business that will be transacted +on this open route as the northern part of the United States and the +adjacent British possessions are settled. + +"The opening of this route will tend to create new treaty stipulations +and unlooked for interpretations of the old with the Dominion +government, and establish commercial confidence and secure trade not +realized to-day. Cheap transportation is the demand of the age, and +this route will afford to the hundreds of millions of bushels of wheat +and the commerce of Central North America the desired outlet to the +best markets of the world. To many these ideas may seem chimerical, +but we believe that the progress of the country and the development of +her commerce in the not distant future will justify them, and that +predictions now regarded as fanciful will be fulfilled to the letter. + +"Minnesota as a state is just in the age of development. She is rising +to power and influence. Much depends upon our legislature, more than +depended upon the legislature of New York when, actuated by good +counsels it connected the waters of the Hudson with those of Lake +Erie by the 'Clinton Ditch,' so called in derision by the enemies of +the measure. But the wisdom of Dewitt Clinton, the originator of that +famous waterway, advanced the settlement of the great West at least a +quarter of a century. + +"Minnesota in her location holds the key that will unlock the largest +body of fresh water on the globe, and open to it one of the most +fertile and extensive wheat growing districts on the continent, a +country that will soon vie with the country around the Black sea in +the quantity and quality of its grain production. + +"Shall we stand idly by whilst our neighboring states are moving to +secure cheaper communications with the seaboard states? Cheap +transportation, the lever that moves the world, is claiming the +favorable attention of Congress, and men and means have been provided +to ascertain the most feasible routes on which to bestow her aid for +the transferring of the surplus products of the country to the markets +of the East. + +"The reports made thus far by the national committee make no allusion +to Minnesota's great gateway to the East by Lake Superior, nor to the +improvement of the Sault Ste. Marie canal. The committee dwelt +somewhat elaborately upon the project of connecting the Mississippi +with the lakes by means of a canal between the waters of Wisconsin and +Fox rivers, neither of them good navigable streams. No authorized +survey has ever commended this as a cheap route. Only one plan can be +adopted by which a thoroughfare can be made profitable to the +government and to the Northwest over this route, and that is to +construct a ship canal along the Wisconsin river from the portage to +the mouth. + +"If the government can be prevailed upon to open up this route no one +will deny that it will be of incalculable benefit to the people of +Wisconsin, and to those further up the valley of the Mississippi. Let +its friends do all they can to push forward the great movement. + +"To Minnesotians I would say, let Wisconsin have much of our aid. I +trust it will not take thirty-five years of the future to open up what +thirty-five years of the past has projected. Wisconsin alone and +unassisted ought to have accomplished this great work years ago, if +the work could have been accomplished as cheaply as it has been +represented. + +"Let Minnesota look nearer home. The headwaters of the St. Croix are +nearer to Lake Superior than those of any other navigable stream. +Large Mississippi boats, whenever occasion has demanded, have made +their way to the Dalles of the St. Croix. The falls and rapids above +this point for a distance of four miles have a fall of but +seventy-four feet, an elevation that could be overcome by means of +locks. By means of wing dams at Kettle River falls, and other +improvements at no very great cost, the river could be made navigable +to the mouth of the Namakagon. This river, though put down as a +tributary, is in reality the main stream, and can be navigated to +Namakagon lake, which is but thirty miles from Ashland, and can be +connected by a canal with Chequamegon bay, or with White river, a +distance of only a few miles. + +"If we pass up the St. Croix from the mouth of the Namakagon river, we +shall find no serious obstructions to navigation till we reach the +great dam built by the lumbermen twenty miles below Upper Lake St. +Croix. The conformation here is of such a character that an +inexhaustible supply of water can be held--more than three times what +is held in the celebrated Summit lake in Ohio, which feeds the canal +connecting the waters of the Ohio and Lake Erie. It is but a mile from +the former lake to the source of Brule river, an affluent of Lake +Superior, but as the waters of the Brule are rapid and the channel +rocky, and its outlet is on a bleak and unhospitable stretch of lake +shore, destitute of any harbor, we prefer the route from the Upper St. +Croix lake to the bay of Superior, a distance of about thirty miles, a +route well supplied by reservoirs of water, and with no difficult or +insurmountable hills to overcome. + +"Hon. H. M. Rice, who was one of the commissioners to survey the St. +Marie's canal, pronounces this the most feasible and direct route for +our contemplated canal. + +"Other routes have been proposed, as from the St. Croix to the Nemadji +and St. Louis rivers, but of the feasibility of these I am not so +definitely informed. + +"Believing, gentlemen of the senate, that you are in full accord with +me that this great Northwest demands not only state aid in developing +our natural resources, but the assistance of the general government, I +recommend the proper presentation of this subject before Congress by +our senators and representatives until our prayers are granted for +the improvement of the same." + +In the session of the Minnesota legislature of 1876 I again introduced +a memorial to Congress asking for an appropriation of $10,000 to make +a government survey of the St. Croix and Lake Superior routes. + +George R. Stuntz, the veteran explorer, surveyor and civil engineer, +who accompanied the United States reservoir commission to the Upper +St. Croix waters, and who had made previous scientific examinations +for the purpose of forming a correct idea of the contour of the summit +dividing the waters flowing north and south, and of the practicability +of constructing reservoirs, and of the cost of connecting the Lake +Superior and St. Croix waters, makes the following report, which is +valuable for the reliable data given: + +"There are evidences that in the glacial period this was the channel +through which flowed a river of ice, and that subsequently for a long +period a vast volume of water coursed through this channel from Lake +Superior to and down the Mississippi. The valley is everywhere of +great width in proportion to the present volume of water, showing +evidences of currents of great velocity fifty feet above the high +water marks of the present time. These ancient banks of the river are +composed of heavy drift gravel and boulders bearing the marks of the +glacial action and having their origin north of Lake Superior. This +valley extends across the height of land in township 45, in range 11 +west, and in the northern part of it the Brule river rises and flows +north into Lake Superior. + +"At the copper range in township 48, range 10 west, section 23, a +ledge of trap rock stands in the valley. In the eddy of this rock and +extending to the southward or up the present stream is a well defined +moraine of large boulders and gravel showing that the glacial river +ran south. To the north of this point the Brule river makes a straight +cut to the lake through sandy red clay deposits peculiar to that +region. + +"In this ancient valley the lowest point on the summit at the +headwaters of these two streams is about 460 feet above Lake Superior +[Lake St. Croix, at Stillwater, is 117 feet higher than Lake Superior] +and 346 feet above Lake St. Croix. Upper Lake St. Croix is 12 feet +below this summit. The St. Croix river one mile above the mouth of +Moose river is 25 feet below this summit. The St. Croix river +discharges 15.360 cubic feet of water per minute at the mouth of Moose +creek. The Brule river discharges about 5.805 cubic feet of water per +minute in the north part of township 46, range 10. The distance from +Taylor's Falls to Lake Superior by the valley of the St. Croix and the +valley of the Brule river is nearly 150 miles. + +"There are several exposures of trap rock along these streams and an +abundance of brown sandstone of good quality for building purposes, +being easily worked. + +"Can Lake St. Croix, at Stillwater, be connected with Lake Superior by +canal and slackwater navigation? Yes. This question has been +definitely settled by the recent examination of the United States +engineers, under the direction of Maj. Chas. J. Allen, of the sources +of the St Croix river, with reference to the construction of +reservoirs to improve the navigation of that river and the +Mississippi. + +"By constructing a dam one mile above the mouth of Moose creek, on the +St. Croix, of sufficient height to raise the water 25 feet, cutting a +canal 75 feet wide, 12 feet deep, 1-1/2 miles long, across the summit, +and building a dam in township 46, range 10, across the Brule river, +high enough to raise the water to the same height as the dam on the +St. Croix, and you construct a lake over thirty miles long, affording +uninterrupted navigation across the summit for that distance, and +utilize the waters of the St. Croix and its branches and the Brule, +and by the capacity before given the amount of water is sufficient to +pass vessels through locks 75 feet wide, 300 feet long, 12-1/2 feet +lift, at the rate of 3 per hour, or 73 in 24 hours, at the dryest +season of the year. This settles the question of practicability. + +"The whole improvement will cost less than $8,000,000, and by placing +the lowest dam and lock at Prescott so as to always hold Lake St. +Croix at the high water mark will give two hundred miles of slackwater +navigation connecting the Mississippi river with Lake Superior, +accommodating boats of large size and deep draft, propelled by steam, +at the usual rates of speed used on the rivers. Average cost per mile, +$40,000. + +"It would accomplish another object. The improvement of navigation on +the Mississippi river by a system of reservoirs on its tributaries +would be most effectually accomplished by holding one or two feet of +extra head upon each of the thirteen dams proposed, thus storing up +during the spring freshets vastly more water than can be held in the +small reservoirs on the tributaries of the St. Croix. There are no +very large natural reservoirs in the Upper St. Croix valley. + +"Hold a three foot head on the lake as a reserve from the spring +freshets and you have stored up 34,073,000 cubic yards of water to be +used in the dry season in August and September. Continue this plan to +the source and you have in the St. Croix valley a continuous reservoir +one hundred and fifty miles long. Connect the two systems as proposed +above and you have a route furnishing the cheapest transportation that +can be had and at the same time obtain a system of large reservoirs to +improve the navigation of the Mississippi river. + +"This is one of the improvements that the Northwest needs for its +present, future and more perfect development. + +"The proposition and figures are given, after a series of examinations +extending through a period of over twenty-five years, for the purpose +of calling out investigation." + + +THE WATERWAYS CONVENTION OF 1885. + +Public discussions of the matter in the legislature and in conventions +were not entirely in vain. Public attention was aroused and interest +awakened in the great question of inland navigation. In 1885 the great +waterways convention convened in St. Paul, at the call of Gov. +Hubbard, of Minnesota. This convention was attended by over 1,000 +delegates from the states of Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, Kansas, +Nebraska, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and from the +territories of Dakota and Montana. Ex-Gov. Bross, of Illinois, acted +as temporary chairman. The permanent organization elected Maj. Wm. +Warren, of Kansas City, president, Gen. G. W. Jones, of Iowa, vice +president, and Platt B. Walker, of Minnesota, secretary. + +Various schemes for internal improvement were brought before the +convention and ably advocated, but each in the interest of a +particular section. The members from Florida wanted a ship canal for +that State. Illinois and Eastern Iowa advocated the Hennepin canal +scheme. Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Western Iowa, Dakota, and Montana +demanded the improvement of the Missouri river. Wisconsin and +Northern Iowa the completion of the Fox and Wisconsin canal. Minnesota +and Wisconsin agreed with all for the improvement of the Mississippi +from the falls of St. Anthony to the Balize, for the improvement of +the Sault Ste. Marie canal, and for the internal improvements asked +for generally in the states and territories represented. + +The result was the passage of a series of resolutions recommending a +liberal policy in the distribution of improvements, and favoring every +meritorious project for the increase of facilities for water +transportation, but recommending as a subject of paramount importance +the immediate and permanent improvement of the Mississippi and +Missouri rivers and their navigable tributaries. It was recommended +that the depth of the Mississippi be increased to six feet between +Cario and the falls of St. Anthony. The Hennepin canal was strongly +indorsed, as was also the improvement of the Sault Ste. Marie, and of +the navigation of Wisconsin and Fox rivers, of the Red River of the +North, and of the Chippewa, St. Croix and Minnesota rivers. The +convention unanimously recommended as a sum proper for these +improvements the appropriation of $25,000,000. + +Some of the papers presented were elaborately prepared, and deserve to +be placed on permanent record. The memorial of Mr. E. W. Durant, of +Stillwater, contains many valuable statistics. We quote that portion +containing a statement of the resources and commerce of the valleys of +the Mississippi and St. Croix: + +"The Northwestern States have not had the recognition that is due to +the agricultural and commercial requirements of this vast and poplous +territory, whose granaries and fields not only feed the millions of +this continent, but whose annual export constitutes a most important +factor in the food calculation of foreign nations. During the past +decade the general government has expended $3,000,000 on the waterways +of the Upper Mississippi. The improvements inaugurated by the general +government in removing many of the serious impediments to navigation +warrants the belief that still more extensive improvements should be +made. It is an error to suppose that the palmy days of steamboating on +western rivers has passed. In demonstration of this take the quantity +of lumber sent down the Mississippi. There was shipped from the St. +Croix river during the year 1884 to various distributing points along +the Mississippi river 250,000,000 feet of lumber, 40,000,000 of lath, +37,000,000 of shingles, 2,000,000 of pickets; from the Chippewa river +during the same period, 883,000,000 feet of lumber, 223,000,000 of +shingles and 102,000,000 of lath and pickets; from Black river during +the same period was shipped 250,000,000 feet of lumber, 40,000,000 +shingles, and 32,000,000 lath and pickets, aggregating 1,383,000,000 +feet of lumber, 300,000,000 of shingles and 176,000,000 of lath. The +tonnage of this product alone foots up over 3,000,000 tons. The lumber +value of raft and cargoes annually floated to market on the +Mississippi will not vary far from $20,000,000. The capital invested +in steamboats, 100 in number, used for towing purposes is $1,250,000; +while the saw mills, timber plants and other investments incidental to +the prosecution of this branch of industry will foot up fully +$500,000; while the labor and their dependences engaged in this +pursuit alone will equal the population of one of our largest western +states. There are sixteen bridges spanning the river between St. Paul +and St. Louis, and it is important that some additional safeguards be +thrown around these bridges to afford greater safety to river +commerce." + +Mr. Durant says there has been a general cry for some time past that +the days of steamboating on the Northern Mississippi and tributaries +were over; but he thinks it will be forcibly shown in the coming +convention that, if they are, the only cause for it is the extremely +short and uncertain seasons for steamboating, resulting from the +neglected and filled up channels. If the channels can be improved, so +that steamers can be sure of five months' good running each year, he +thinks they will prove to be one of the most important means of +transportation in the Upper Mississippi valley. They will then be used +for the transportation up and down stream of all heavy and slow +freights in preference to railroads, on account of cheapness. It would +prove a new and the greatest era in upper river steamboating. + +It appears from a report made at the convention, that during the year +1884 there were 175 steamboats plying on the Mississippi from St. +Louis to points above. Two thousand seven hundred rafts from the St. +Croix and Chippewa passed the Winona bridge, and the total number of +feet of logs and lumber floated down the Mississippi from the St. +Croix, Chippewa and Black rivers was 1,366,000,000. The total +passages of steamers through the Winona bridge for 1887 was 4,492. On +the St. Croix, above Lake St. Croix, during the season of 1887 there +were 3 steamers and 25 barges engaged in freight and passenger traffic +only. The steamers made 141 round trips between Stillwater and +Taylor's Falls, 75 round trips between Marine and St. Paul, and 20 +round trips between Franconia and St. Paul. + +The following is a showing of the lumber, logs, rafting, and towing +business on the St. Croix during 1887: There were 51 steamers engaged +in towing logs and lumber out of the St. Croix and down the +Mississippi, the total number of feet handled by them being +250,000,000, board measure: The total number of feet of logs (board +measure) which passed through the St. Croix boom in 1887 was +325,000,000. The lumber manufacture of the St. Croix during that year +was valued at $2,393,323. + + +RESOLUTION INTRODUCED AT THE WATERWAYS CONVENTION HELD IN ST. PAUL, +SEPTEMBER, 1885. + +WHEREAS, The North American continent is penetrated by two great water +systems both of which originate upon the tablelands of Minnesota, one +the Mississippi river and its tributaries, reaching southward from the +British line to the Gulf of Mexico, watering the greatest body of +fertile land on the globe,--the future seat of empire of the human +family on earth,--the other the chain of great lakes flowing +eastwardly and constituting with the St. Lawrence river a great water +causeway in the direct line of the flow of the world's commerce from +the heart of the continent to the Atlantic; and + +WHEREAS, Between the navigable waters of these continental dividing +systems there is but a gap of ninety miles in width from Taylor's +Falls on the St. Croix, to Duluth on Lake Superior, through a region +of easily worked drift formation, with a rise of but five hundred and +sixty feet to overcome, and plentifully supplied with water from the +highest point of the water-shed; therefore, + +_Resolved_. That we demand of Congress the construction of a canal +from Taylor's Falls to Duluth, using the Upper St. Croix and the St. +Louis rivers as far as the same can be made navigable, the said canal +to be forever free of toll or charge, and to remain a public highway +for the interchange of the productions of the Mississippi valley and +the valley of the great lakes; and should the railway interests of the +country prove powerful enough to prevent congressional action to this +end, we call upon the states of the Northwest to unite and build, at +their own cost, such a canal, believing that the increased value of +the productions of the country would speedily repay the entire outlay. + + +EARLY STEAMBOAT NAVIGATION. + +The Pennsylvania was the first steamer that descended the Mississippi. +She came down the Ohio from Pittsburgh, creating the utmost terror in +the minds of the simple-hearted people who had lately been rather +rudely shaken by an earthquake, and supposed the noise of the coming +steamer to be but the precursor of another shake. When the +Pennsylvania approached Shawneetown, Illinois, the people crowded the +river shore, and in their alarm fell down upon their knees and prayed +to be delivered from the muttering, roaring earthquake coming down the +river, its furnaces glowing like the open portals of the nether world. +Many fled to the hills in utter dismay at the frightful appearance of +the hitherto unknown monster, and the dismal sounds it emitted. It +produced the same and even greater terror in the scant settlements of +the Lower Mississippi. + +In 1823 Capt. Shreve commanded the Gen. Washington, the fastest boat +that had as yet traversed the western rivers. This year the Gen. +Washington made the trip from New Orleans to Louisville, Kentucky, in +twenty-five days. When at Louisville he anchored his boat in the +middle of the river and fired twenty-five guns in honor of the event, +one for each day out. The population of Louisville feted and honored +the gallant captain for his achievement. He was crowned with flowers, +and borne through the streets by the huzzaing crowd. A rich banquet +was spread, and amidst the hilarity excited by the flowing bowl, the +captain made an eloquent speech which was vociferously applauded. He +declared that the time made by the Gen. Washington could never be +equaled by any other boat. Curiously enough, some later in the season, +the Tecumseh made the trip in nine days. The time made by the Tecumseh +was not beaten until 1833, when the Shepherdess carried away the +laurels for speed. + +We have but little definite information as to navigation on the +Mississippi during the ten years subsequent to the trip of the +Pennsylvania. The solitude of the Upper Mississippi was unbroken by +the advent of any steamer until the year 1823. On the second of May in +that year the Virginia, a steamer 118 feet in length, 22 in width, +with a draught of 6 feet, left her moorings at St. Louis levee for +Fort Snelling laden with stores for the fort. She was four days +passing the Rock Island rapids, and made but slow progress throughout. +It is heedless to say that the Indians were as much frightened at the +appearance of the "fire canoe" as the settlers of the Ohio valley had +been, and made quick time escaping to the hills. + +Judge James H. Lockwood narrates (see Vol. II, Wisconsin Historical +Collections, page 152) that in 1824 Capt. David G. Bates brought a +small boat named the Putnam up to Prairie du Chien, and took it thence +to Fort Snelling with supplies for the troops. The steamer Neville +also made the voyage to Prairie du Chien in 1824. The following year +came the steamer Mandan and in 1826 the Indiana and Lawrence. Fletcher +Williams, in his history of St. Paul, says that from 1823 to 1826 as +many as fifteen steamers had arrived at Fort Snelling, and that +afterward their arrivals were more frequent. + +During this primitive period, the steamboats had no regular time for +arrival and departure at ports. A time table would have been an +absurdity. "Go as you please" or "go as you can," was the order of the +day. Passengers had rare opportunities for observation and discovery, +and were frequently allowed pleasure excursions on shore while the +boat was being cordelled over a rapid, was stranded on a bar, or +waiting for wood to be cut and carried on board at some wooding +station. Sometimes they were called upon to lend a helping hand at the +capstan, or to tread the gang plank to a "wood up" quickstep. When on +their pleasure excursion they strayed away too far, they were recalled +to the boat by the firing of a gun or the ringing of a bell. It is +doubtful if in later days, with all the improvements in steamboat +travel, more enjoyable voyages have been made than these free and easy +excursions in the light draught boats of the decades between 1830 and +1850, under such genial captains and officers as the Harrises, +Atchinson, Throckmorton, Brasie, Ward, Blakeley, Lodwick, Munford, +Pim, Orrin Smith and others. + +Before the government had improved navigation the rapids of Rock +Island and Des Moines, and snags, rocks and sandbars elsewhere were +serious obstructions. The passengers endured the necessary delays from +these causes with great good nature, and the tedium of the voyage was +frequently enlivened by boat races with rival steamers. These +passenger boats were then liberally patronized. The cost of a trip +from St. Louis to St. Paul was frequently reduced to ten dollars, and +considering the time spent in making the trip (often as much as two or +three weeks) was cheaper than board in a good hotel, while the fare on +the boat could not be excelled. The boats were frequently crowded with +passengers, whole families were grouped about the tables or strolling +on the upper decks, with groups of travelers representing all the +professions and callings, travelers for pleasure and for business, +explorers, artists, and adventurers. At night the brilliantly lighted +cabin would resound with music, furnished by the boat's band of sable +minstrels, and trembled to the tread of the dancers as much as to the +throbbing of the engine. + +The steamer, as the one means of communication with the distant world, +as the bearer of mails, of provisions and articles of trade, was +greeted at every village with eager and excited groups of people, some +perhaps expecting the arrival of friends, while others were there to +part with them. These were scenes to be remembered long, in fact many +of the associations of river travel produced indelible impressions. In +these days of rapid transit by rail more than half the delights of +traveling are lost. Before the settlement of the country the wildness +of the scene had a peculiar charm. The majestic bluffs with their +rugged escarpments of limestone stretched away in solitary grandeur on +either side of the river. The perpendicular crags crowning the bluffs +seemed like ruined castles, some of them with rounded turrets and +battlements, some even with arched portals. Along the slopes of the +bluffs was a growth of sturdy oaks, in their general contour and +arrangement resembling fruit trees, vast, solitary orchards in +appearance, great enough to supply the world with fruit. On the slopes +of the river bank might have been seen occasionally the bark wigwams +of the Indian, and his birch canoe gliding silently under the shadow +of the elms and willows lining the shore. Occasionally a deer would be +seen grazing on some upland glade, or bounding away in terror at sight +of the steamer. + +A complete history of early steamboat navigation on the Upper +Mississippi would abound with interesting narratives and incidents; +but of these, unfortunately, there is no authentic record, and we can +only speak in general terms of the various companies that successively +controlled the trade and travel of the river, or were rivals for the +patronage of the public. During the decade of the '30s, the Harrises, +of Galena, ran several small boats from Galena to St. Louis, +occasionally to Fort Snelling, or through the difficult current of the +Wisconsin to Fort Winnebago, towing barges laden with supplies for the +Wisconsin pineries. Capt. Scribe Harris' favorite boat from 1835 to +1838 was the Smelter. The captain greatly delighted in her speed, +decorated her gaily with evergreens, and rounding to at landings, or +meeting with other boats, fired a cannon from her prow to announce her +imperial presence. + +The Smelter and other boats run by the Harris family held the commerce +of the river for many years. In 1846 the first daily line of steamers +above St. Louis was established. These boats ran independently, but on +stated days, from St. Louis to Galena and Dubuque. They were the +Tempest, Capt. John J. Smith; War Eagle, Capt. Smith Harris; Prairie +Bird, Capt. Niebe Wall; Monona, Capt. ---- Bersie; St. Croix, Capt. +----; Fortune, Capt. Mark Atchinson. These boat owners, with others, +subsequently formed a consolidated company. + +In 1847 a company was formed for the navigation of the Mississippi +above Galena. The first boat in the line, the Argo, commanded by +Russell Blakeley, was placed upon the river in 1846. The boats in this +line were the Argo, Dr. Franklin, Senator, Nominee, Ben Campbell, War +Eagle, and the Galena. + +In 1854 the Galena & Minnesota Packet Company was formed by a +consolidation of various interests. The company consisted of the +following stockholders: O. Smith, the Harrises, James Carter, H. +Corwith, B. H. Campbell, D. B. Morehouse, H. M. Rice, H. L. Dousman, +H. H. Sibley, and Russell Blakeley. The boats of the new company were +the War Eagle, Galena, Dr. Franklin, Nominee, and the West Newton. In +1857 a new company was formed, and the Dubuque boats, the Itasca and +Key City, were added to the line. This line continued until 1862, and +the new boats, Dr. Franklin, No. 2, and the New St. Paul, were added. +The Galena had been burned at Red Wing in the fall of 1857. + +The following is a list of the earliest arrivals at St. Paul after the +opening of navigation between the years 1843 and 1858: April 5, 1843, +steamer Otter, Capt. Harris; April 6, 1844, steamer Otter, Capt. +Harris; April 6, 1845, steamer Otter, Capt. Harris; March 31, 1846, +steamer Lynx, Capt. Atchison; April 7, 1847, steamer Cora, Capt. +Throckmorton; April 7, 1848, steamer Senator, Capt. Harris; April 9, +1849, steamer Highland Mary, Capt. Atchison; April 19, 1850, steamer +Highland Mary, Capt. Atchison; April 4, 1851, steamer Nominee, Capt. +Smith; April 16, 1852, steamer Nominee, Capt. Smith; April 11, 1853, +steamer West Newton, Capt. Harris; April 8, 1854, steamer Nominee, +Capt. Blakeley; April 17, 1855, steamer War Eagle, Capt. Harris; April +18, 1856, steamer Lady Franklin, Capt. Lucas; May 1, 1857, steamer +Galena, Capt. Laughton; March 25, 1858, steamer Gray Eagle, Capt. +Harris. + +The following list includes boats not named in the packet and company +lists with date of first appearance as far as can be ascertained: + + Virginia May 20, 1823 + Rufus Putnam April 5, 1825 + Mandan 1825 + Neville ---- + Indiana 1825 + Lawrence May 18, 1826 + Versailles May 12, 1832 + Missouri May 5, 1836 + Frontier 1836 + Palmyra 1836 + Saint Peter's 1836 + Rolla 1838 + Sciota 183- + Eclipse 183- + Josephine 183- + Fulton 183- + Red River 183- + Black Rover ---- + Burlington 1838 + Ariel 1839 + Gypsy 1839 + Fayette 1839 + Warrior 1840 + Enterprise 1840 + Volant 1840 + Glancus 1840 + Pennsylvania 1840 + Knickerbocker 1840 + Otter 1841 + Highland Mary 1849 + Gov. Ramsey (above the falls) 185- + Anthony Wayne 185- + Yankee 185- + Black Hawk 185- + Ben Accord 185- + Royal Arch 185- + Uncle Toby 185- + Indian Queen 185- + Di Vernon 185- + Osprey 185- + Lamartine 185- + Fannie Harris 185- + Asia 185- + Equator 1860 + +The following made their appearance some time in the '40s: Cora, Lynx, +Dr. Franklin, No. 2, and St. Anthony. + +The Northern Line Company organized in 1857 and placed the following +steamers upon the Mississippi, to run between St. Louis and St. Paul: +The Canada, Capt. Ward; Pembina, Capt. Griffith; Denmark, Capt. Gray; +Metropolitan, Capt. Rhodes; Lucy May, Capt. Jenks; Wm. L. Ewing, Capt. +Green; Henry Clay, Capt. Campbell; Fred Lorenz, Capt. Parker; +Northerner, Capt. Alvord; Minnesota Belle, Capt. Hill; Northern Light +and York State, Capt. ----. + +Commodore W. F. Davidson commenced steamboating on the Upper +Mississippi in 1856 with the Jacob Traber. In 1857 he added the Frank +Steele, and included the Minnesota river in his field of operations. +In 1859 he added the Ęolian, Favorite and Winona. In 1860 he organized +the La Crosse & Minnesota Packet Company, with the five above named +steamers in the line. In 1862 the Keokuk and Northern Belle were +added. + +In 1864 the La Crosse & Minnesota and the Northern Line Packet +companies were consolidated under the name of the Northwestern Union +Packet Company, with the following steamers: The Moses McLellan, Ocean +Wave, Itasca, Key City, Milwaukee City, Belle, War Eagle, Phil +Sheridan, S. S. Merrill, Alex. Mitchell, City of St. Paul, Tom Jasper, +Belle of La Crosse, City of Quincy, and John Kyle. This line +controlled the general trade until 1874. + +There were upon the river and its tributaries during the period named +the following light draught boats: The Julia, Mollie Mohler, Cutter, +Chippewa Falls, Mankato, Albany, Ariel, Stella Whipple, Isaac Gray, +Morning Star, Antelope, Clara Hine, Geo. S. Weeks, Dexter, Damsel, +Addie Johnson, Annie Johnson, G. H. Wilson, Flora, and Hudson. + + +LATER NAVIGATION ON THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI. + +The Northwestern Union Packet Company, more familiarly known as the +"White Collar Line," from the white band painted around the upper part +of the smokestacks, and the Keokuk Packet Company, sold their steamers +to the Keokuk Northern Line Packet Company, which continued until +1882, when the St. Louis & St. Paul Packet Company was organized. Its +boats were: The Minneapolis, Red Wing, Minnesota, Dubuque, Rock +Island, Lake Superior, Muscatine, Clinton, Chas. Cheever, Dan Hine, +Andy Johnson, Harry Johnson, Rob Roy, Lucy Bertram, Steven Bayard, War +Eagle, Golden Eagle, Gem City, White Eagle, and Flying Eagle. + + +STEAMBOATING ON THE ST. CROIX. + +The steamer Palmyra was the first boat to disturb the solitude of the +St. Croix. In June, 1838, it passed up the St. Croix lake and river as +far as the Dalles. The steamer Ariel, the second boat, came as far as +Marine in 1839. In the fall of 1843, the steamer Otter, Scribe Harris, +commanding, landed at Stillwater. The steamer Otter was laden with +irons and machinery for the first mill in Stillwater. Up to 1845 +nearly every boat that ascended the Mississippi also ascended the St. +Croix, but in later years, as larger boats were introduced, its +navigation was restricted to smaller craft, and eventually to +steamboats built for the special purpose of navigating the St. Croix. +Quite a number of these were built at Osceola, Franconia and Taylor's +Falls. The following is a list of boats navigating the St. Croix from +the year 1852 to the present time: Humboldt, 1852; Enterprise, 1853; +Pioneer, 1854; Osceola, 1854; H. S. Allen, 1857; Fanny Thornton, 1862; +Viola, 1864; Dalles, 1866; Nellie Kent, 1867; G. B. Knapp, 1866; +Minnie Will, 1867; Wyman X, 1868; Mark Bradley, 1869; Helen Mar, 1870; +Maggie Reany, 1870; Jennie Hays, 1870; Cleon, 1870. + +A number of raft steamers, built at South Stillwater and elsewhere, +have plied the river within the last ten years. A number of barges +were built at South Stillwater, Osceola and Taylor's Falls. + +The passenger travel on the St. Croix has decreased since the +completion of the railroad to Taylor's Falls and St. Croix Falls. + +An interesting chapter of anecdotes and incidents might be compiled, +illustrating the early steamboat life on the St. Croix. We find in +"Bond's Minnesota" a notice of one of the first boats in the regular +trade, which will throw some light on the subject of early travel on +the river. It describes the Humboldt, which made its first appearance +in 1852: + +"In addition, some adventurous genius on a small scale, down about +Oquaka, Illinois, last year conceived the good idea of procuring a +steamboat suitable to perform the duties of a tri-weekly packet +between Stillwater and Taylor's Falls, the extreme point of steam +navigation up the St. Croix. It is true he did not appear to have a +very correct idea of the kind of craft the people really wanted and +would well support in that trade, but such as he thought and planned +he late last season, brought forth. * * Indeed, the little Humboldt is +a great accommodation to the people of the St. Croix. She stops +anywhere along the river, to do any and all kinds of business that may +offer, and will give passengers a longer ride, so far as _time_ is +concerned, for a dollar, than any other craft we ever traveled upon. +She is also, to outward appearances, a temperance boat, and carries no +cooking or table utensils. She stops at the 'Marine,' going and +returning, to allow the people aboard to feed upon a good, substantial +dinner; and the passengers are allowed, if they feel so disposed, to +carry 'bars' in their side pockets and 'bricks' in their hats. A very +accommodating craft is the Humboldt, and a convenience that is already +set down on the St. Croix as one indispensable." + +The Diamond Jo line of steamers was established in 1867. Jo Reynolds +was president of the company and has served as such continuously to +date. Under his general supervision the company has been quite +successful. The business has required an average of six steamers +yearly. In 1888 the line consists of the boats the Sidney, Pittsburgh +and Mary Morton. + +The St. Louis & St. Paul Packet Company, successors of the various old +transportation companies, is in successful operation in 1888, +employing three steamers. There are but few transient boats now on the +river. + + +ICE BOATS. + +Several attempts have been made to navigate the river during the +winter months by means of ice boats, but the efforts have uniformly +failed. Of these attempts we mention the two most notable: + +Noman Wiard, an inventor of some celebrity, made an ice boat in 1856 +and placed it on the river at Prairie du Chien, intending to run +between that point and St. Paul. It was elaborately planned and +elegantly finished, and resembled somewhat a palace car mounted on +steel runners. It failed on account of the roughness of the ice, never +making a single trip. It, however, proved somewhat remunerative as a +show, and was for some time on exhibition within an inclosure at +Prairie du Chien. + +Martin Mower, of Osceola, Minnesota, invented a boat to run on the +ice between Stillwater and Taylor's Falls, in the winter of 1868-9. It +made several trips, carrying passengers and freight. The rough ice +prevented regular trips and the project was abandoned. + + +STEAMBOAT LIFE--1846. + +James W. Mullen, of Taylor's Falls, spent much of his early and middle +life on the river, and cherishes many pleasant recollections of the +early days. We have been favored with a few of these, which will give +the reader a vivid idea of the scenes depicted: + +"A. D. 1816 found me a cabin boy on the War Eagle at the St. Louis +levee, with sign board up for Stillwater and Fort Snelling. The levee +was a wonder to behold. It was thronged with teams, policemen keeping +them in rank. Piles of freight were awaiting shipment. Steamboats for +three-quarters of a mile along the levee were discharging and +receiving freight; passengers were rushing frantically to and fro; +bells were ringing, and boats leaving for the Cumberland, Tennessee, +Missouri and Illinois rivers; and New Orleans, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, +Keokuk, Galena, Stillwater, and Fort Snelling. + +"It was a delightful June day on which we pulled out from this busy +scene and commenced our voyage to the far off north land, then known +as Wisconsin Territory. Capt. Smith Harris gave the last tap of the +bell; the lines were loosened; the wheels of the War Eagle revolved +slowly at first, and we were soon on the broad bosom of the +Mississippi, heading northward in the wake and black smoke of the +steamers Ocean Wave, Tobacco Plant and Western Belle. The Luella, the +Alton packet, followed us closely, racing with us. All was enjoyment. +We pass the steamers Osprey and Di Vernon. At Nauvoo we note the +magnificent Mormon temple on the high ground, and also long files of +Mormons going westward. We pass many fine farms, much beautiful +scenery, and many growing towns, among them Rock Island and Davenport, +the latter the home of Antoine Le Clair, a half-breed Indian trader +and heavyweight, tipping the beam at three hundred and fifty pounds +avoirdupois. He lives there in sumptuous splendor from his profits +made in trade. The villages, or tepees, of Sac and Fox Indians are +seen along the shores; their bark canoes glide silently over the +waters. Further on we ascend for seven miles the sluggish and narrow +channel of Fever river, and find ourselves at Galena, the home of the +Harrises, river captains. + +"We find at the levee here the steamers Falcon and St. Croix, laden +with lead for St. Louis. Back through Fever river to the Mississippi +and past Dubuque, an active, rising town; past Cassville, the expected +but disappointed capital city of Wisconsin Territory, a lovely +location, its castellated hills frowning above it and its fine three +story brick hotel and other buildings; past Prairie du Chien and Fort +Crawford, with soldiers drilling on the green. Here Amable Moreau, a +French Upper Mississippi pilot, came on board. Squads of Indians were +hanging around begging for whisky and tobacco. Resuming our way, +stemming the current of the river we pass other scenes, other birch +canoes gliding over the waves, other tepees and Indian villages along +the shore. At La Crosse we find a few whites and lots of Indians on an +unimproved prairie, with a background of high bluffs. We pass +Trempeleau and then Winona prairie, on which we find an old Indian +village, dating back to unknown time. Opposite the mouth of the +Chippewa river we pass Nelson's Landing with its two log warehouses +and mackinaw boats loading for the Chippewa river. We pass into lovely +Lake Pepin, Maiden's Rock or Lover's Leap rising into a battlement on +the right, and the famous Point-no-Point on the left. Out of the +beautiful lake again into the river, between low, forest covered +islands, till we pass Barn Bluff or Mount La Grange, a bold, abrupt +and isolated hill just below Red Wing. We passed more Indian tepees, +villages and burying grounds,--not that, for the dead bodies of the +Indians were not buried but fastened upon scaffolds and the limbs of +trees, according to Sioux custom. At the mouth of St. Croix river we +pass Prescott Landing, where lives the old pioneer trader Philander +Prescott. Across the St. Croix, opposite Prescott Landing, is Point +Douglas. Some miles above Point Douglas we pass Little Crow village, a +missionary station, where young Indian boys ran down to the landing +and greeted us with such yells as have not rung through these wilds, +perhaps, for ages past. + +"We find St. Paul to be a small village. There are a few houses on a +high, almost perpendicular bluff, overlooking the river. At the base +of the bluff on the river shore stands a warehouse with the sign +'Choteau & Valle.' We are soon at Mendota and Fort Snelling. A squad +of soldiers guard the freight over night. We have ample time in the +morning to visit the post before starting down the river, and the +following morning finds the prow of the War Eagle resting against the +Stillwater landing. Here Capt. Harris greets his friends and is warmly +welcomed. So far, Stillwater seemed the most active and enterprising +village on the whole route. Joe Brown's town, Dakota, lies a short +distance above at the head of the lake. Capt. Harris on his return +towed a raft comprising ten acres of logs. Big Joe was one of the +pilots on the raft." + + +ST. CROIX BOOM COMPANY. + +Previous to the organization of the boom company, in 1857, the logs +were floated down the St. Croix and caught in side booms by individual +owners, and owners of lake booms would raft them indiscriminately, +regardless of log marks, but with the mark side up for the convenience +of scaling. The scaling was done by some responsible party in the +interest of the various owners, and balances were settled by +exchanges, or if not balanced by cash or by note, to be paid out of +the profits of the next year's logs. Instances of fraud seldom +occurred. When Minnesota became a territory this system was superseded +by another method of handling, assorting or delivering. The +legislature established surveyor general districts, of which the St. +Croix valley was designated as the First. The surveyors general were +elected in a joint convention of the two houses of the legislature, +and the candidacy for this office, together with questions of salary, +became a leading feature in the politics of the district. + +The surveyors general of the First district have been, Robert Harsy, +Samuel Winship, Charles J. Gardiner, Ivory McKusick, James D. McComb, +Z. Wilder Chase, John S. Proctor, and Al. Hospice. The law defining +the duties of the surveyors general has been awarded from time to +time, and the system of scaling improved till it has reached its +present form, in which it meets with very general approval. In 1867 a +law was passed giving to the governor the power of appointing +surveyors general. + +The boom company was organized by the territorial legislature, Feb. 7, +1851, with a capital stock of $10,000, with privileges of increase to +$25,000. The incorporators were Orange Walker and George B. Judd, of +Marine; John McKusick, Socrates Nel son and Levi Churchill, of +Stillwater; Daniel Mears and William Kent, of Osceola; and W. H. C. +Folsom, of Taylor's Falls. Fred R. Bartlett was the first secretary, +but was superseded by David B. Loomis. + +The first boom was built near an island lying opposite and above +Osceola. The surveyor general had his office at Stillwater, an +arrangement that gave great satisfaction, but as the boom was not +advantageously located, the channel of the river above being too +narrow for the annually increasing production of logs, the company, in +1856, obtained a new charter with power to construct booms from the +head of Lake St. Croix to Taylor's Falls. The capital stock was +increased to $25,000 with the privilege of increasing it to $50,000. +It was subsequently increased to $100,000. The incorporators of the +new company were Martin Mower, W. H. C. Folsom, Isaac Staples, +Christopher Carli and Samuel Burkelo. + +The company placed a second boom a mile and a half above Stillwater. +The increase of their business compelled them from time to time to +build side booms and shear booms to prevent the logs from lodging +against the banks or passing bayous or secondary channels, and also to +keep the primary channel free from obstructions to navigation. They +built firm and expensive piers, drove piling and made canals for the +use of steamboats when the main channel was wanted for booming +purposes. + +Notwithstanding all this care, navigation was frequently obstructed by +the accumulation of logs. Litigation ensued, and heavy expenses were +incurred in defending the rights of the company or paying damages. +These controversies were not unattended with ill feeling. Public +meetings were frequently held and denunciating resolutions adopted. In +one case, when navigation had been interrupted for fifty-seven days, +the damages were estimated at $146,525. Some controversies also arose +as to jurisdiction. St. Croix river being the boundary line between +two states, the Wisconsin authorities claimed concurrent jurisdiction. +The boom company was organized under Minnesota law and its members +were residents of Minnesota. The surveyor general of the First +district claimed entire jurisdiction and scaled the logs irrespective +of the state in which they were cut. The action of the surveyor +general had been accepted both by the original owners and purchasers +of the logs. + +In January, 1885, Gov. Hubbard, of Minnesota, appointed A. L. Hospes +surveyor general, and the appointment creating some dissatisfaction, a +lumberman's board of exchange was organized, and Judson McKusick was +appointed as private scaler. He proceeded, under the direction of the +exchange, to scale logs that had already been scaled by Hospes. When +the members of the exchange proceeded to take possession of their logs +and run them out into the lake, Hospes commenced a series of +injunction cases to prevent them from so doing. The exchange brought +suit against Hospes in Wisconsin courts to prevent him from scaling +logs owned by the exchange. The exchange also declared that McKusick +was a deputy of the general surveyor of the Fourth district, +Wisconsin. Pending these suits, Hospes commenced a _quo warranto_ +proceeding in the Minnesota supreme court to have the articles of +incorporation of the exchange annulled, but was defeated on the ground +that the exchange could employ a private scaler at will, but held that +such scaler could not interfere with the claims of Hospes, he being +recognized as surveyor general. In July of the same year the claims of +the conflicting parties were settled by the parties themselves, +outside the courts, and the question of conflicting jurisdiction has +therefore never been legally determined. It is true that some courts +have passed upon the question, and appeals have been taken to higher +courts. The decision of Judge Nelson of the supreme court has been +given, a decision that the surveyor general of the First district of +Minnesota has a right to scale all logs in his district, yet by his +own decision Wisconsin has equal rights under concurrent jurisdiction. +Should both state authorities under their surveyors general claim +jurisdiction at the same time, concurrent jurisdiction would lead to a +double taxation upon log owners. It seems, however, to be an admitted +principle that when suits between the same parties, in relation to the +same matter, are pending at the same time in different courts of +jurisdiction, a judgment in the one may act as a bar to further +proceedings in the other. The question ought to be more definitely and +satisfactorily settled. + + +THE LANGUAGE OF THE LOGS. + +It may not be amiss to explain somewhat in detail the system of +marking adopted by the lumbermen. Owners of logs must be able to +identify their property or lose the reward of their labor. A system of +marking each log has, therefore, become a feature of the lumbering +business, and has been in existence ever since lumbering has been +prosecuted. When the business was confined to a limited number of +firms it was an easy matter, and one of mutual arrangement, to select +the property. But firms change; from a score the number of lumber +firms increased to hundreds. A record of ownership of log marks is +necessary, and a law has been enacted protecting the ownership of a +mark as thoroughly as a trade mark is protected. This system of marks +in the process of time has become a language in itself deep and +intricate to the average mind, but as plain as the alphabet to every +man having to do with the manufacture of logs. It is the aim of every +lumberman originating a mark to make it simple, containing as many +straight lines as possible, so that it can be put on the log speedily. +These marks are cut on the logs, through the bark and a few inches +into the body of the timber, soon after the tree is felled, by a +skilled axeman who is charged with the duty. The cut is made deeper +than the bark so it will be preserved after the bark comes off. The +mark is made upon the side of the log. + +This system of marks is a language in itself. Every prominent firm has +a particular character, which, in a general way, is indicative of his +ownership or interest in the log. This mark may be varied by +additional or supplementary characters, indicating who cut the log, on +whose land it was cut, or under what particular contract it was put +into the stream. Some idea of the extent and variety of these marks +can be formed from the statement that there is recorded in the St. +Croix district--only a small portion of the entire lumber region of +the Northwest--over 1,700 different and distinct characters. Many of +these are quaint and interesting, and the whole etymology curious in +the extreme. + +In the books in the surveyor general's office these marks and figures +are the only characters used except in the recording of the marks +themselves and of instruments and agreements. The identity of mark and +its association of ownership necessarily calls into play the utmost +familiarity. To one not thoroughly familiar with the method the books +are about as intelligible as the figures on the side of a Chinese tea +chest to the average American. Once a man becomes thoroughly familiar +with the marks on a river where lumbering is so extensively carried on +as on the St. Croix, he becomes invaluable in the surveyor general's +office, or in the booms, identified in some capacity with the scaling +process. The fact that some particular character runs through the +varied marks of all the leading firms is a key to the readiest +understanding, just as the twenty-six characters in the alphabet are +necessarily understood before one can read readily or intelligently. + +When the logs reach the booms the marks serve as a guide in their +distribution by the scaler, whose business it is to measure the logs, +call out the number of feet in each log to the tallyman, who records +it in a book kept for the purpose, the record, together with the mark +attached, to be forwarded to the surveyor general's office, there to +be posted and footed. A small army of men is engaged in bringing logs +to the gap, a narrow passage admitting scarcely more than one log at a +time. + +A catch mark is a mark representing the original mark and is so placed +as to appear always upon the upper side when the log floats at rest. +Once through the gap, experienced men gather the logs, as they are +floated downward by the current, into brills. These are subsequently +gathered together in rafts, laid, as a rule, with the logs headed in +the direction of the current. Rafts may be transported to any distance +southward by the current of the stream, and through the waters of the +lake, and not infrequently the whole distance by tow boats. + + +AMOUNT OF LOGS CUT FROM 1857 TO 1888. + +The earliest statistics in the following table are from persons +operating, and the later from record books. We have given the figures +in round numbers. The table includes logs cut and floated down the St. +Croix river and tributaries: + + YEAR. FEET. + 1837-38 300,000 + 1838-39 700,000 + 1839-40 1,500,000 + 1840-41 2,500,000 + 1841-42 3,000,000 + 1842-43 3,500,000 + 1843-44 8,500,000 + 1844-45 14,000,000 + 1845-46 25,500,000 + 1846-47 26,000,000 + 1847-48 37,000,000 + 1848-49 50,000,000 + 1849-50 75,000,000 + 1850-51 87,000,000 + 1851-52 90,000,000 + 1852-53 110,000,000 + 1853-54 125,000,000 + 1854-55 165,000,000 + 1855-56 187,000,000 + 1856-57 200,000,000 + 1857-58 135,000,000 + 1858-59 156,000,000 + 1859-60 175,000,000 + 1860-61 160,000,000 + 1861-62 175,000,000 + 1862-63 150,000,000 + 1863-64 140,000,000 + 1864-65 144,000,000 + 1865-66 137,000,000 + 1866-67 174,000,000 + 1867-68 183,000,000 + 1868-69 194,000,000 + 1869-70 209,000,000 + 1870-71 170,000,000 + 1871-72 224,000,000 + 1872-73 108,000,000 + 1873-74 188,000,000 + 1874-75 178,000,000 + 1875-76 197,000,000 + 1876-77 183,000,000 + 1877-78 225,000,000 + 1878-79 242,000,000 + 1879-80 230,000,000 + 1880-81 247,000,000 + 1881-82 295,000,000 + 1882-83 302,000,000 + 1883-84 230,000,000 + 1884-85 235,000,000 + 1885-86 285,000,000 + 1886-87 350,000,000 + 1887-88 370,000,000 + + +CHARTERED DAMS. + +The Namakagon Totogatic Dam Company obtained a charter in 1869 from +the Wisconsin legislature empowering them to construct two dams for +sheering logs, one to be at the outlet of Namakagon lake, the other on +Totogatic river, a stream tributary to Namakagon river, entering that +stream about eight miles above its junction with the St. Croix. In +1870, by legislative act, the charter was amended by permission to +erect sixteen dams, to be built severally on the waters of the Upper +St. Croix, Moose, Eau Claire, Namakagon, Totogatic, Yellow, and Clam +rivers. The name was changed to the "St. Croix Dam Company," and the +capital stock was fixed at $50,000. The incorporators were A. M. +Chase, Joel Nason, Henry D. Barron, Wm. Kent, and S. B. Dresser. A. M. +Chase was the first president. The company had permission under the +charter to hold the water during the seasons when it was not necessary +to navigation on the St. Croix. These dams were usually shut down to +gather a head during the months of March and April, with the exception +of the dams on the Namakagon and Eau Claire, which have the privilege +of gathering and retaining a head of water during any part of the +year. The head of water above these dams varied from seven to ten +feet, and the average cost of construction was $4,000. The tolls per +1,000 feet at these dams were as follows: Namakagon and Clam, 25 and +20 cents; at Totogatic, 20 and 15 cents; St. Croix, 20 and 15 cents; +other dams, 3 to 10 cents. + +A. M. Chase was the original mover in organizing the corporation and +forwarding its interests. He was foreman in selecting sites and +building the various dams. He was also owner and general agent until +within the last few years, when he transferred his interests to other +parties. The charter expires in 1893. + +The dam on Clam river, built at a cost of $10,000, was, in 1886, blown +up by dynamite and destroyed by Robert Davidson, who claimed that the +flowage interfered with his meadow lands. + + +LUMBERING ON THE ST. CROIX IN 1845. + +The progress of civilization involving the building of railways, the +transformation of the wilderness into cultivated fields, the growth of +villages and cities, the increased facilities for manufacturing and +the bringing the forest domain under law, has created such changes in +the business of lumbering as to justify the insertion of a chapter +relating to the life and surroundings of the early lumberman. Let us +go back to the year 1845. The country, save a few sparse settlements +on the navigable streams, is as yet an unbroken wilderness, and +tenanted only by wild beasts and roving Indians. There are vast +regions, densely wooded, in which the sound of the woodman's axe has +never been heard, lying about the headwaters of the Chippewa, St. +Croix and other streams. These pineries can only be reached by +stemming the currents of the minor streams in bateaux or birch bark +canoes, or by traversing the country on foot or with teams. Parties +operating must purchase their outfit, consisting of teams, supplies of +flour, pork, etc., in Illinois or Missouri. Sometimes they drive their +teams through unsettled country, without roads, swimming and fording +streams, clearing away obstructions, and camping where night overtakes +them. Sometimes they ship their supplies by steamer to Stillwater or +St. Croix Falls. When landed at Stillwater the supplies are packed +upon flatboats and poled to Taylor's Falls, where they are to be +portaged to the head of the rapids, a distance of six miles, and +transferred to bateaux. The portage is a difficult one. The goods are +to be hoisted up over the rocks of the Dalles and placed upon sleds +calculated to run upon the bare ground. Considering the inequalities +of the surface from the Dalles to the head of the rapids, the portage +is an immensely difficult one. They are then taken to their place of +destination, the bateaux returning to the Falls for successive loads, +the whole transfer requiring considerable time. Sometimes, if late in +the season, part or whole of the fleet of bateaux may be caught in the +ice, in which case a bushed road must be made, and the supplies +transported by teams and men. + +Arriving on the ground, the operators blaze trees on lines surrounding +the region which they wish to work during the winter. These claims are +generally respected by others. The first work to be done is making a +camp, building stables, clearing streams of obstructions, and making +roads. Incidentally the Indians, certain to be visitors at the camps, +are to be propitiated with presents of flour, pork and tobacco. These +pacified and out of the way, the lumberman may say with Alexander +Selkirk-- + + "I am monarch of all I survey; + My right there is none to dispute." + +Trespassing is unknown. The lumberman is not conscious that he himself +is a trespasser on the domain of Uncle Sam. Nor is he. Has he not the +best title in the world? Who is there to dispute it? No government +agent ever troubles him, or questions his right to fell the royal +trees and dispose of them as he may choose. He is earning by his +strong right arm his title to the trees. He endures much, accomplishes +much and is the advance courier of civilization. He spends long months +away from the common haunts of men. He is cut off from the mails and +from home pleasure. He lives an industrious life. Cold is the day when +the stroke of his axe is not heard. The snow deepens around him, the +temperature sinks lower and lower, till it would not discredit +Labrador; still he toils on unceasingly, and at night builds high his +blazing fire, wraps himself up in his buffalo robe and blankets, and +sleeps through the night the sleep of the tired and the just. +Meanwhile his appetite is marvelous. The cooking (done by one of the +crew) maybe of the rudest, and the provisions none of the daintiest, +but exercise and the cold gives a relish to the food not often found +in the fashionable restaurants. The members of the crew have each +allotted duties. To one is intrusted the cooking department, to +another the position of teamster, to another that of sled tender; +some are choppers, some are swampers, some are sawyers. The records of +the camp are kept by the foreman or some person detailed for that +purpose. + +The winter over, the teams are returned to the settlements. The log +driving crew succeeds the choppers and other workers. The logs, having +been hauled upon the ice of the driving streams, with the melting of +snow are afloat on the swollen streams, and the drivers commence their +work, following the logs in their downward course to the mills or +booms, dislodging them when they are driven upon shore, and breaking +jams when they occur. This work is difficult and attended by +considerable exposure, as the driver is often obliged to go into the +stream. It therefore commands higher wages than other work. The +drivers are without tents, but a wangan, or small flat boat, +containing bedding, provisions and a cooking kit, is floated down the +stream so as to be convenient at night. The wangan is managed by the +cook alone, and his work, when he ties up for the night, is to take +ashore the bedding, cooking material, etc., build a fire and provide a +meal for the hungry crew. His cooking utensils are of the rudest kind, +consisting of a tin reflector and a few iron pots and pans. The savory +repast is scarce finished before the arrival of the crew, cold, wet, +tired, and hungry. They are not particular about a table with its +furniture, but are satisfied to eat from a tin plate, sitting or lying +on the ground. Hunger satisfied, they spend their evenings by the +blazing fire, drying their clothing, jesting, story telling, or +recalling the events of the day, or scanning the open or clouded sky +for indications of weather changes. When the sky is clear they trace +the constellations, locate the principal stars and planets, or follow +the devious windings of the milky way. Some of them have studied +astronomy, and some have learned from others, and all are intent, +though without books or teachers, on learning the wisdom that Nature +teaches, and some are found who have learned to look "from Nature up +to Nature's God." + +Occasionally some rougher specimen mars the order and pleasantness of +this wild-wood converse by an oath or coarse remark, heard, perhaps, +but unheeded by the more serious and thoughtful. Such men are found +everywhere, in the streets, saloons, and even in the wilderness, men +who pollute the air in which they move with profanity and obscenity. +These are not the men who succeed and build up great fortunes; these +are not the true conquerors of the wilderness. The sober, thoughtful +man is the man who succeeds. It is not necessary that he have the +learning acquired from books, or a smattering of science from the +schools. He may acquire great knowledge by close study of men, and +observation of the phenomena of nature, and so make himself a peer of +the book worm and scholar of the library and schools. + +The acquaintances formed in these camp scenes and toils often result +in life long friendships, and the scenes of camp, river and forest +become cherished reminiscences to the actors, who are as fond of +recalling them as veteran soldiers are of recounting the hairbreadth +escapes and stirring incidents of campaign life. + +The drive ends with the delivery of the logs at the booms and mills, +the men are paid off and devote themselves for the remainder of the +summer to other work. + + +LUMBERING ON THE ST. CROIX IN 1886. + +The St. Croix lumberman, after the lapse of nearly fifty years, is +still a picturesque figure, clad, as he is, in coarse, strong woolen +garments, these of brilliant red, yellow, blue and green, or in some +cases as variegated as Joseph's coat of many colors. He is usually a +man of stalwart frame, which is set off to advantage by his close +fitting garments. His circumstances are, however, widely different +from his old time predecessor. + +The rough, hard work of the wilderness, including the building of +dams, the construction of reservoirs and roads, and the improvement of +the streams, has been accomplished chiefly by his predecessors. He is +abundantly supplied with food, produced almost in the neighborhood of +the scenes of his winter's work. He travels by rail almost to his +destination or drives blooded teams over comparatively good roads, +where his predecessors tediously blazed the way and cleared it of +underbrush. His camp accommodations are far superior. He is housed in +comfortable cabins, warmed with large stoves and heaters, whereas the +cabin of the lumberman of 1845 had a fire built on the ground in the +centre of the room. The modern camp is well furnished with tables and +other conveniences. The cook has a separate room furnished with a +cooking stove and modern appliances for cooking. He has his assistant, +known as the "cookee" or second cook. The table is spread with a +variety of food, and delicacies that would have astounded the +lumberman of 1845. Each operator is limited to his own special work. +His bounds are set and he can go no further, except at the risk of the +loss of his labor. + +The work goes on with clock-like precision and is comparatively easy. +Everything is done on a larger scale and more economically. The crews +are larger and the life is not near so solitary. The various crews +employed for the spring drive combine and thereby greatly increase +their efficiency. They are supplied with better and covered boats. The +cook in the drive has in addition to his "cookee" a wangan man to +assist in managing the boat. The drives are larger and yet more easily +handled, the conveniences are greater and the expenses less. The men +are more independent, and owing to the number employed, and the +nearness of settlements and villages, more sociable, and possibly more +hilarious and less thoughtful. We shall nevertheless find among them +men of character, thoughtful, industrious and earnest men, who would +have shone in the associations of the earlier camps and who will +doubtless in the future be ranked among the successful and capable +men, worthy successors of the veterans now leaving the stage of +action. + +Conjecture as to the future of the lumbering industry, and +consequently as to the character of the men engaged in it, would be +idle. Who can tell what a day or another fifty years may bring forth? +The pine woods will not last always; already the camps are being +pushed further and further to the north and west, and whereever the +denuded pine lands are arable the farmer is making his home. The +lumbering industry is also passing into the hands of corporations, and +with their extensive means and the armies of men employed by them the +forests are disappearing more rapidly than ever. It is possible that +the present generation of lumbermen may be the last in the valley of +the St. Croix, and that before another fifty years have passed the +last of the number may have shouldered his axe or peavy and passed +"over the divide." + + +THE LOG JAMS OF THE ST. CROIX. + +The St. Croix river in its passage through the Dalles is compressed +into a comparatively narrow channel, by which means the logs driven +down the stream are crowded closely together, so closely as to +sometimes become firmly wedged or jammed together. The jam generally +occurs at a point known as Angle Rock, a huge promontory of massive +trap rock extending into the middle of the channel from the Minnesota +side, and opposite to the St. Croix landing. The river makes a bend +around this rock nearly at a right angle with the channel above. At +this point jams are, under certain conditions, almost inevitable. +Sometimes they are of small dimensions and are easily broken. +Sometimes the logs gather in such quantity and become so tightly +wedged that it is a labor of weeks to break them. + +The first jam worthy of note occurred in 1865, during the prevalence +of high water. It is, in fact, only during high water that jams can +occur, the current being at such time swift and strong, and the logs +apt to accumulate in greater number than in the regular drives, from +the fact that logs that have been stranded in former seasons or at low +water are floated off, and the river is thus filled with logs from +bank to bank. These are crowded into the narrow channel of the Dalles +faster than they can be discharged, and a jam results. An obstruction +once formed, the logs continuing to come in from above fill the +channel. The tide of logs arrested, crowd downward until they rest +upon the bottom of the river, and are heaped upward sometimes to a +height of twenty or thirty feet above the surface. The river thus +checked in its course rises, wedging the logs more closely and heaping +them higher. + +In the jam of 1865 the river channel was filled nearly to the St. +Croix dam, a distance of a mile and a quarter above Angle Rock. This +being the first of the great jams excited unusual attention. +Excursionists came up daily in the boats to look upon it. It was +indeed a wonderful sight. The logs were heaped together in the wildest +confusion, and wedged in at all angles. Men and horses were employed +to break the jam, which at that time, owing to the inexperience of the +workers, was no light task. The _modus operandi_ of jam breaking is to +remove logs from the lower part of the jam till some log which serves +as a key to the jam is reached. This being removed the logs above +commence moving, and, if the haul be a long one, in a short time the +movement is extended to the head of the jam. Perhaps the logs are so +heaped above that no water is visible. It matters not; the tremendous +current beneath sweeps downward, carrying the logs along, and the +spectator beholds a wonderful scene, a river of logs, the current +swiftest in the centre of the stream, the logs rolling, tumbling, +crashing, grinding, sometimes snapped in sunder like pipestems. The +jam breakers are in the wildest excitement, cheering and hurrahing, +and some may be seen out in the current of logs, jumping from one to +another, or making their escape to the shore. Others on the lower part +of the jam at the moment of breaking are carried down the river. +Though apparently a scene of great danger, comparatively few accidents +occur. The workers are cool, experienced men with steady nerves and +stalwart arms, a race of men not surpassed for muscular development. + +In 1877 another jam took place nearly as large as that of 1865. This +jam came near destroying the beautiful bridge that spanned the river +at the head of the Dalles. Many of the logs carried high in air by the +pressure of the logs below struck the bridge, and at times its +destruction seemed inevitable. This bridge has since been replaced by +an iron structure, much higher than the first, but even this +occasionally received a blow from some log carried along by the +current at a "present arms." + +In 1883 another jam of considerable dimensions occurred, but it was +removed with less labor and expense than its predecessors, and +steamboats anchored below were used to aid in breaking it. It cost +from $5,000 to $10,000 to break these jams. + +By far the greatest of the jams occurred in June, 1886. The water was +high, the current strong and the river above so full of logs that a +log driver might have crossed upon them. This abundance was owing to +other causes than those mentioned in the account of the jam of 1865. +The dams at Snake, Kettle and other rivers had been simultaneously +opened, and the logs in these streams all set free at once in the +current of the St. Croix. On they came in long procession with but +little obstruction till they reached Angle Rock, where they were +suddenly arrested, and, owing to the force of the current, wedged more +tightly and heaped higher than on any previous occasion, and the river +channel was filled with logs to a point two miles above the St. Croix +falls formerly known as the dam. To break this jam, two steamers, two +engines, several teams of horses and over two hundred men were +employed, and during the six weeks that occurred before it was broken, +thousands of visitors came by rail and steamboat to look upon it. This +jam was estimated to hold during its continuance 150,000,000 feet of +logs. + + +POPULATION OF WISCONSIN. + +The first census of the Northwest Territory, taken in 1790, does not +show the population of the region now known as Wisconsin. The census +of 1800 gave the following figures: Ohio, 45,363; Indiana Territory, +5,641; Green Bay, 50; Prairie du Chien, 65. According to the census of +1880, the original Northwest Territory contained a population of +12,989,571, or more than one-quarter of the population of the United +States. The population of Crawford county in 1820 was 492; in 1830, +692; in 1834, 810; in 1836, 1,220; in 1838, 850; in 1841, 1,503; in +1847, 1,409. + +In 1836, when Wisconsin Territory was organized, the population of the +Territory was, 11,883. The whole number of votes cast at the election +in 1836 was 2,462. The population, according to the census taken at +the close of every five years, was as follows: In 1840, 30,945; in +1845, 155,275; in 1850, 305,301; in 1855, 552,109; in 1860, 775,881; +in 1865, 868,325; in 1870, 1,054,670; in 1875, 1,236,729; in 1880, +1,315,480; in 1885, 1,563,423. + +The official compilation of the census of Wisconsin gives the +following details: Total population, 1,563,423; white, males, 806,342; +females, 748,810; negroes, in full, 5,576; Indians, 2,695. The +nativities are divided as follows: United States, 1,064,943; Germany, +265,756; Scandinavia, 90,057; Ireland, 36,371; Great Britain, 32,731; +British America, 21,887; Bohemia, 15,838; Holland, 7,357; France, +3,963; all other countries, 20,030; subject to military duty, 286,289; +soldiers of the late war, 29,686. + + +POPULATION OF ST. CROIX, PIERCE, POLK, BURNETT, AND SAWYER COUNTIES. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + |1840.|1845.|1850.| 1855.| 1860.| 1865.| 1870.| 1875.| 1880.| 1885.| +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +St. Croix | 618 | 809 |624 | 2,040| 5,392 |6,255 |11,039|14,957|18,838|22,389| +Pierce | | | | 1,720| 4,672 |6,824 |10,004|15,101|17,685|19,760| +Polk | | | | 547| 1,400 |1,677 | 3,422| 6,736|10,095|12,884| +Burnett | | | | | 12 | 238 | 705| 1,436| 2,980| 4,607| +Sawyer | | | | | | | | | | 2,481| +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + +POPULATION OF MINNESOTA. + +In 1849 the Territory had a population of 4,680. The census taken at +periods of every five years shows the following population: In 1850, +6,077; in 1855, ----; in 1860, 172,073; in 1865, 250,099; in 1870, +439,706; in 1875, 597,403; in 1880, 780,773; in 1885, 1,117,798. + +The following table gives the population of the counties on the St. +Croix waters. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + | 1850. | 1855. | 1860. | 1865. | 1870. | 1875. | 1880. | 1885.| +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ +Washington | 1,066 | ---- | 6,123 | 6,780 | 11,809 | 9,994 | 19,562 | 29,763| +Chisago | ---- | ---- | 1,743 | 2,175 | 4,378 | 6,046 | 7,982 | 9,765| +Pine | ---- | ---- | 92 | 64 | 648 | 795 | 1,365 | 2,177| +Kanabec | ---- | ---- | 30 | 31 | 93 | 311 | 605 | 1,119| +Isanti | ---- | ---- | 281 | 453 | 2,035 | 3,901 | 5,063 | 7,032| +Carlton | ---- | ---- | 51 | 28 | 286 | 495 | 1,230 | 3,189| +------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + +MINNESOTA STATE CAPITOL. + +By the organic act of Minnesota Territory, $20,000 were appropriated +for a capitol building. At the time the Territory was organized, +however (June 1, 1849), the _permanent_ seat of government had not +been determined on, and the money was therefore not available. The +Central House in St. Paul, a log tavern weather-boarded, situated at +the corner of Bench and Minnesota streets, where the rear of the +Mannheimer block now is, was rented for the public offices and +legislative assembly. It was for some months known as "The Capitol." +On the lower floor was the secretary of state's office, and the house +of representatives chamber. On the second floor was the council +chamber and the territorial library. Neither of these legislative +halls was over sixteen or eighteen feet square. The rest of the +building was used as an inn. The Union colors, floating from a flag +staff on the bank in front of the building, was the only mark of its +rank. During his entire term of office, Gov. Ramsey kept the executive +office in his private residence, and the supreme court met in rented +chambers here and there. + +On Sept. 3, 1849, the first session of the legislature assembled at +the above temporary capitol. Gov. Ramsey delivered his message to the +two houses in joint convention assembled, in the hotel dining room. +The whole fitting of the assembly rooms was of the plainest +description. + +Considerable discussion ensued during the session on this subject, as +to whether the Territory had a right to expend the $20,000 +appropriated in the organic act, for a capitol building. The question +having been submitted to Hon. Wm. Meredith, secretary of the treasury, +he replied that the "Department can not doubt that the public +buildings in question can only be erected at the _permanent_ seat of +government, located as described." + +The second session assembled Jan. 2, 1851, in a brick building, since +burned, which occupied the site of the Third street front of the +Metropolitan Hotel. At this session the seat of government was fixed +at St. Paul, as above noted. D. F. Brawley, Jonathan McKusick, Louis +Robert and E. A. C. Hatch were elected building commissioners. Charles +Bazille, a pioneer resident and large property owner of St. Paul, +donated to the government the block of ground since known as "Capitol +Square," and plans drawn by N. C. Prentiss were adopted. The contract +was let to Joseph Daniels for $33,000, but the building finally cost +over $40,000. It was commenced at once, but not completed until the +summer of 1853. The third and fourth sessions of the legislature were +compelled, therefore, to meet in rented buildings. That of 1852 +assembled in Goodrich's block on Third street below Jackson, and that +of 1853 in a two story brick row on Third street, where the front of +the Mannheimer block now is. + + +BURNING OF THE CAPITOL. + +At nine o'clock on the evening of March 1, 1881, while both houses of +the legislature were in session, and all the halls and departments +were crowded with visitors, the dome of the building was found to be +on fire. The flames spread with too great rapidity to be checked, and +all that could be done was to save the contents of the building. The +most valuable records and papers of the various offices, and of the +legislature, with some of the furniture, were carried out, but the +greater part of the contents of the building, including the valuable +law library, the supply of state laws, documents and reports, and all +the stationery in the secretary of state's store rooms, etc., were a +total loss. The Historical Society's library was mostly saved. The +entire loss to the State was fully $200,000. + +Fortunately the city of St. Paul had just completed a fine and +spacious market house, which was still unoccupied, and its use was at +once tendered the State by the city authorities, and while the flames +were still burning the furniture and effects saved from the old +capitol were removed thither. At nine o'clock next morning the state +departments and both houses of the legislature were again at work in +their new quarters. But two days of the session yet remained. Gov. +Pillsbury immediately secured estimates for rebuilding the burned +edifice, using the old walls, and an act appropriating $75,000 for +that purpose was passed. Work was commenced at once. It was then found +that the old walls were too unsafe to use, and at the extra session in +September, 1881, the further sum of $100,000 was appropriated for the +completion of the building. Its total cost was about $275,000. The +dome of the building is two hundred feet above the ground, giving a +noble view to the visitor who ascends it. The exterior of the edifice +is neat and tasty, and it is altogether creditable to the State, +considering its comparatively small cost. + + +SELKIRK VISITORS. + +In the early days a somewhat primitive people inhabited the Northwest, +making their homes on the banks of the Red River of the North and on +the shores of Winnipeg, in what was known as the Selkirk settlement, +now included in the province of Manitoba. They were a mixed race of +Scotch, French and Indian stock, born and raised under the government +of the Northwest British Fur Company. They were a peaceable, partly +pastoral and partly nomadic, trading people. They cultivated the +ground quite successfully considering the high latitude of their home +and the absence of machinery for farm work, raising wheat, vegetables, +cattle and horses. They engaged in hunting and trapping and yearly +visited St. Paul with the surplus products of their labor to be +disposed of for money or goods. They came usually in caravans +consisting of files of carts drawn by cows, oxen and ponies, and +commanded by a captain elected to the position who exercised over them +a rigid military rule. Their carts were rude, creaking affairs, made +entirely without iron, all the fastenings being sinews and leathern +thongs. This harness was made of raw hides, Indian tanned, and sewed +with animal sinews. Their costume was a happy cross between the +civilized and savage. Their caravans included from 100 to 600 carts, +which were laden with furs, buffalo robes, buffalo tongues, dried +pemmican, etc. As they came a distance of 450 miles, the journey +required many days, but was made in good military order. The raising +of a flag was the signal for starting, the lowering, for stopping. At +night the carts were ranged in a circle about the encampment, and +sentinels posted. Their encampment within the suburbs of St. Paul +attracted great crowds of the curious. In 1857 their train consisted +of 500 carts, and in 1858 of 600, but later, as railroads were built +northward and steamers were placed upon the Red River of the North, +their number gradually diminished and finally their visits ceased +altogether. + + +CYCLONES. + +Recorded and unrecorded, Minnesota and Wisconsin have had their full +share of those atmospheric disturbances that have wrought so much +destruction in the Western States. In the early days, when the country +was sparsely settled and villages and towns were few and far between, +they came and went unnoted, or attracting but little attention. They +left no traces on the plain, and in the forests only a belt of fallen +timber, known as a "windfall." These belts are sufficiently numerous +to establish the fact that these storms were probably as frequent in +early, even in prehistoric, times as at the present. Their movements +are more destructive in later times because of the improvements of +civilization, the increased number of human habitations and the growth +of towns and cities. The tornado has more to destroy, and as a +destroying agent, its movements are better known and more widely +published. + +Scientists are not agreed as to the cause of these destructive +phenomena, but enough is known to overthrow the theory so persistently +advanced that it is in consequence of the cutting away of the forests +and the substitution of farms. In fact much of the country was already +prairie land and abundant evidences of tornadoes are found in the +midst of old forests in which have since grown up trees of +considerable size, and this at a period long before the lumberman +commenced his destructive work. + +We append a few sketches of cyclones that have occurred in +comparatively recent times. + + +THE ISANTI COUNTY CYCLONE. + +This storm occurred in September, 1865, and spent its fury chiefly in +Isanti county, but extended beyond and was felt even in Wisconsin. +The tornado gathered its wrath in the southwestern region of Isanti +county, in what is called the "Lake Typo settlement," some forty miles +north of St. Paul. It was first discovered in the shape of "two +clouds," as the people there residing expressed it, "approaching each +other from different directions." Suddenly the mingling of these +counter currents of strong winds appeared to form the blackened +heavens into a funnel-shaped mass. The direction of the whirlwind was +from southwest to northeast, and after crossing the St. Croix river +passed through an unsettled portion of timber lands known as "pine +barrens," a growth of scattering pines interspersed with black oaks of +medium size. + +On Wood river, Burnett county, Wisconsin, the trunks of pine trees, +three feet in diameter and eighty feet high, were twisted into "broom +splints" and carried high in air. The intervening oaks were also +served the same way; and the whole track of the tornado, from thirty +rods to three-fourths of a mile in width, had left no tree standing. +Pines and oaks were all prostrate, and promiscuously heaped up in +winrows over the ground, their branches and trunks interlocked, and in +some places piled to the height of thirty feet. + +The author of this work lost about 10,000,000 feet of pine logs in +Wood river in this cyclone. On Clam river, Wisconsin, for four miles +in length and about half a mile in width, the forest was laid in +winrows, and parties who came through soon after the tempest had to +cut their way. + +The tornado, traveling with the velocity of lightning to the +northeast, overtook Dr. Comfort, of Wyoming, as he was crossing +Sunrise prairie with a mule team, accompanied by a hired man. The +doctor and man saved themselves by clinging to some shrubs near by, +but when the fury of the whirlwind had passed, all they could find of +their outfit was the poor mules, half frightened to death, and the +fore wheels and tongue of the wagon. The hind wheels, box, and the +rest of the outfit, together with the doctor's medicine kit, which he +had along, when last seen, were bound zenithward. + +Wm. A. Hobbs, late quartermaster sergeant of the Third Minnesota +Battery, Light Artillery, and Orville Grant and brother--sons of R. +Grant, Esq., a farmer living in Isanti county--were out hunting, and +happened to be caught where the storm passed through the heaviest +timber. They saw it approaching, and at first attempted to take +shelter in an old school house near by, but soon saw that was no place +for them and made for an old pine log which they got behind; soon that +commenced to move. Hobbs seized hold of an oak, some ten inches in +diameter, which immediately commenced to be loosened at the roots and +to spin around like a top. The tree was prostrated and he with it--he +receiving very severe injuries. The Grant boys, were also injured, but +none near so badly as Hobbs. The log school house shared the fate of +the surrounding forest. A resident near by states that he saw one-half +the roof sailing upward at least four hundred feet above the tops of +the tallest trees. + + +THE COTTAGE GROVE CYCLONE. + +On June 15, 1877, a terrific cyclone visited the town of Cottage +Grove, Washington county, Minnesota. We append the correct and vivid +description taken from the "History of Washington County:" + +"At 9 o'clock P. M. there arose in the southwest a dark and heavy +cloud, attended with loud thunder, vivid lightning and a strong wind. +The cloud moved forward rapidly; soon the rain began to fall in +torrents, when suddenly the wind came dashing with great violence, +sweeping everything before it. There seemed to be two currents of +wind, one coming from the west and the other from the southwest. These +two currents came together in section 22. The stronger current being +from the southwest, the storm took a northwestern direction, and did +some damage in section 27, taking away a portion of the roof of Ethan +Viall's house, and a trunk out of the chamber, no trace of which could +be found. A corn cultivator was taken up, some portions of which were +never found, while other parts were found two miles from the place of +its taking. In section 22, when the currents met, the destruction of +property beggars description. The timber in its track was prostrated; +fences were torn up and scattered in every direction; E. Welch's house +came in the line of desolation; Mr. and Mrs. Welch had stepped out to +look after some chickens in which Mrs. Welch was specially interested, +and, startled by the roar of the wind, were in the act of returning to +the house. When near the door the wind took up the house, bearing it +away, and a stick of timber struck both Mr. and Mrs. Welch, knocking +them down. When Mr. Welch recovered he had hold of his wife, but she +was dead. The stick of timber struck her on the head and caused +instant death. The next object in the path of destruction was C. D. +Tuttle's two story dwelling, located in the northwest corner of +section 26. The main part of the house was torn to pieces and +scattered in every direction, while the wing was left unmoved. The +family, consisting of six persons, fled to the cellar and were +miraculously preserved. The large barn a few rods further on was +completely destroyed. Next in its course was Mr. J. C. Tucker's barn, +the roof of which suddenly passed along on the breeze. At this point +the storm turned, taking a northeasterly direction, and struck the +house of Robert Williams, damaging the house and entirely destroying +the barn. A horse tied to a girder in the barn was found, uninjured, +sixty feet outside of the limits of the building, with the girder +lying across him, and the strap still tied to it. Next in line was a +small lake in the southwest corner of section 23. It was almost robbed +of its treasure. The water and mud was carried a long distance up the +bluffs, fifty feet above the level of the lake. Next came the fine +house of John Morey, giving a portion of its roof to the excited wind; +then passed into the town of Denmark, continuing its destructive +course, killing a horse for W. G. Wagner, near the town line. A man +known as Michael Schull, a farm hand, was taken up by the wind and +dashed against a pile of wood, injuring his brain, causing him to +become dangerous. He is now at St. Peter in the insane asylum. The +destruction of property was great. No accurate account of the amount +of damage done has been compiled. Mr. Tuttle, living in section 26, +suffered the most. He estimated his loss at $7,000. His house was +situated in a valley surrounded by oak trees, and we would suppose was +protected by the strong bulwarks of Nature, and yet house, barn, +farming utensils, and machinery were scattered over the country. The +next morning sheets of tin two feet square, found in Mr. Tuttle's +yard, were supposed to have come from a church in Dakota county. +Portions of Mr. Tuttle's house were found miles away." + +The same cyclone visited Lake Elmo and did great damage, blowing down +the depot buildings, Lake Elmo Hotel and other structures. The +buildings and trees of the agricultural fair grounds were destroyed. +Some parts of the buildings were carried miles away by the storm. + + +THE CYCLONE AT WHITE BEAR AND MARINE, MINNESOTA, AND CLEAR LAKE, +WISCONSIN. + +Sept. 9, 1884, a storm arose in Hennepin county and did some damage; +continuing to White Bear lake, Oneka and Grant, in Washington county, +it gathered force and proved very destructive to life and property. As +it passed through Oneka and Grant its path was about ten miles in +width. Churches, school houses, dwellings, barns, grain stacks, and +fences in its way were either partially or wholly destroyed, and the +wrecked property was distributed for miles around. The cyclone passed +on over Marine, Big Lake and Scandia, crossed the St. Croix, passed +over the town of Somerset, Star Prairie, New Richmond, in St. Croix +county, and over Black Brook, Clear Lake, Pineville and Clayton in +Polk county and Turtle Lake in Barron, pursuing the usual +northeasterly direction common to these cyclones, and disappearing in +terrific thunderstorms, in the timbered lands of Barron and Chippewa +counties. An eye witness, Mr. Ivory Hatch, of Oneka, thus describes +the approach of the storm: + +"I was standing near a shed in the barnyard, when suddenly the sky +became black and threatening. In about five minutes I saw two +funnel-shaped clouds descend and approach each other. I started for +the house to warn my family, when, as quick as a flash, I was +enveloped in the cloud, and while clinging to a post for safety my +grain stacks and buildings disappeared. The storm did not continue +over a minute and a half. I escaped almost miraculously without a +bruise." The testimony of others in the neighborhood is substantially +the same. In the town of Oneka the destruction was worse than in any +other locality. + +In the track of the storm through Washington county not less than +fifty houses were demolished. The loss on each averaged $600, making a +total of $30,000. Losses on barns, machinery and stock raised this sum +to $50,000. The loss at Marine was computed roughly at $75,000, which +made a total of $135,000, not including hay and grain. The entire loss +to Clear Lake was estimated at $200,000. Three persons lost their +lives, Mrs. P. Burdick, Willie Kavanagh and John Saunders. The +Methodist, Congregational and Swedish churches were leveled with the +ground. The timber losses were close to $1,000,000; private property +in villages, loss near $500,000, and all other losses, such as farm +property and the like, in the hundred thousands. The total loss in +Wisconsin has been placed at six lives and $4,000,000 in property. + + +THE ST. CLOUD AND SAUK RAPIDS CYCLONE OF 1886. + +The most destructive storm yet recorded occurred on the afternoon of +April 14, 1886. The clouds were first seen from St. Cloud to gather a +short distance over the basin of the Masour cemetery about three +o'clock, Sunday afternoon, in dark, overhanging masses. Then sharp +tongues of lightning darted down with terrific force, and the storm +with all its fury burst upon the doomed cities. The south end, or +beginning of the cyclone track, was located two or three miles south +and a little west of St. Cloud and its total length was twenty-four +miles. The property destroyed amounted to over a quarter of a million +of dollars, and the loss of life at St. Cloud and Sauk Rapids was +seventy-five. If we include those who died later of injuries from +wounds, exposure and fright, we may safely say a hundred. + +The first victim of the cyclone was Nicholas Junneman. The cyclone +rising, as we have said, over or near Calvary cemetery, for a space of +about three hundred yards in diameter the trees were uprooted or +twisted off, gravestones were thrown flat, and fences demolished. +Crossing over Calvary Hill, in a path about one hundred feet wide, it +wrecked the small Catholic chapel and badly injured the crucifix +located there. Next in its course was the farm house of Nicholas +Junneman which was left a pile of ruins, and Mr. Junneman was killed, +while his wife was dangerously injured. The first house struck within +the city limits was J. W. Tenvoorde's. Just across the street J. +Schwartz's two story brick house was almost wrecked. Here the path of +the tornado was about two hundred feet wide, and increased until by +the time it reached the Manitoba depot the width was six hundred feet, +taking in in its fearful embrace during the length of its course half +a hundred or more buildings, which were totally wrecked, moved from +their foundations, or more or less damaged. In many instances there +was nothing left to show where a house had stood, and the prairie was +covered far and wide with the debris of the demolished buildings. Over +fifty houses in St. Cloud were totally destroyed and as many more +badly damaged. Before striking the river it swerved slightly +northward, and thus the costly building blocks and crowded streets in +the heart of the city were spared. Had the cyclone veered in its +course more to the south, the loss of property and life in St. Cloud +would have been incalculable. + +Striking the river the cyclone appeared to be almost motionless for a +few moments, or moved so slowly as to seem to hang over the face of +the water, its huge black column rising toward the zenith. Then +leaving the river, this monster of the air struck Sauk Rapids at +Stanton's large flouring mill, which was left a heap of ruins. It then +took Demeules' store and the Northern Pacific depot, and passed on +through the main business part of the place, leaving but one important +business house standing, Wood's store, which was badly damaged. Court +house, church, school building, post office, newspaper offices, +hotels, dwelling houses, all went down under the relentless power of +the storm. Streets were blockaded with the wreck so as to be +practically impassable. The list of dead out of a village of about +1,000 population included some of the leading county officials and +prominent citizens. Amongst them were John Renard, county auditor, and +Gregg Lindley, register of deeds; also Edgar Hull, president of the +German-American National Bank; E. G. Halbert, of the New York +Insurance Company, with whom Mr. Hull had just filed an application +for a $5,000 policy, was so badly injured that he died in a few days. +The destruction of property in Sauk Rapids was far greater than in St. +Cloud, as the business portion of the city was almost entirely swept +away. The loss of life was also proportionately greater. + +After leaving Sauk Rapids the cyclone struck Rice's, a station on the +Northern Pacific road, about fourteen miles from the former village. +Some four miles southeast of the station, at the house of a farmer +named Schultz, a happy wedding party was gathered, a daughter of the +farmer having been married to Henry Friday, chairman of the board of +supervisors of Langola. Almost before they realized it the terrible +power of the storm encircled them, and in the twinkling of an eye nine +of the goodly company were mangled corpses, among the number being the +groom, while the bride was dangerously if not fatally injured. The +victims also included the Rev. G. J. Schmidt, pastor of the German +Evangelical church of Sauk Rapids. The Rev. Mr. Seeder, pastor of the +Two Rivers district, was found out on the prairie with both legs +broken. + +At Buckman, Morrison county, several persons were killed, and six or +seven farm houses destroyed. The suffering caused by this most +terrible of cyclones evoked the liveliest sympathy, and large +contributions of money, food and clothing were forwarded by the +citizens of St. Paul, Minneapolis and other cities throughout the +State. + +G. W. Benedict, of Sauk Rapids, relates his experience in the storm as +follows: "I was in the yard at my residence half a mile north of the +depot, when I heard a terrible deafening roar, and on looking up I saw +what first appeared to be a very heavy black volume of smoke from a +railroad engine, but in a moment I realized what it was. The volume of +black cloud soon increased to double its size, and had a funnel shape, +gyrating in a peculiar zigzag form. Untold amounts of debris of +houses, fences and everything above the surface were shooting and +flying with terrific velocity from the cloud, which took a northerly +direction. The horrible writhing demon of destruction, with its +deafening roar, increased in volume and force, and hurled to utter +destruction everything in its path, a great portion of which was +carried miles in the air out of sight as though but trifles of +lightest chaff." + +Thos. Van Etten was walking on the street, going home, when the +cyclone struck the town, and he was bodily lifted into the air, +carried four hundred feet up a steep hill and landed in a street, +literally plastered over with mud. A young man fishing near the end of +the bridge, on the opposite side from Sauk Rapids, says that many of +the houses were lifted high in the air, and did not seem to be injured +until they were dashed to the ground, when they collapsed, and the +pieces were scattered in all directions. None of the very large number +of persons who went into a cellar for protection from the storm were +badly injured. The Fink family, the mother and four children of which +were almost instantly killed, were in a house which had an excellent +cellar, but the family forgot to utilize it. Near the ruins of the +Carpenter house is a tree about ten inches in diameter, through which +a pine board was driven so that it protruded at both sides of the +tree. The property loss in Benton county was estimated at $300,000, +and in St. Cloud at $56,000. + + +STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. + +Some time in the '50s Messrs. Oaks, Rand, Witham, Carson, and twelve +other men were in a tent on the banks of Lake St. Croix, just below +the mouth of Willow river, during a severe thunder storm. It was about +9 o'clock P. M. when lightning struck the tent and passing down killed +Witham and Carson, and severely stunned Oaks and Rand. The other men +were not injured, but, being badly frightened, ran away, and did not +return till the following morning, when they found two of the men +supposed killed still alive, but dazed and motionless. The two killed +were lying close together, while Mr. Oaks lay upon one side and Mr. +Rand upon the other. The lightning had struck the men who were killed +upon the head, and traversing the body had passed out below the +ankles. The current of electricity had passed up the arm of Mr. Oaks +and down his body, burning spots the size of a pea, and plowing lines +under the skin, the scars of which, after recovery, were raised in +welts nearly as large as a whipcord. Mr. Oaks was nearly a year +recovering. He says that during the time he lay motionless and +apparently stunned he was in full possession of his faculties. Mr. +Rand had one side of his body burned to a blister. Prior to this he +had been affected with weak eyes, but the electrical treatment there +received effected a complete cure. + + +ASIATIC CHOLERA. + +Minnesota was early visited by this scourge of the eastern world. It +was brought up the river on the crowded steamers and created the +utmost consternation, and even panic. No one on board the Royal Arch, +May, 1853, can forget the dreadful scenes upon this boat. The first +case occurred at Galena, that of a child, and the next at La Crosse, +that of a woman, who was put ashore in a dying condition twenty miles +above. From thence to St. Paul the boat was a floating hospital, and +thirteen corpses lay under a canvas on the lower deck. + +Notwithstanding the ghastly freight carried by the steamer, and its +sick and dying passengers in the cabin above, kind hearts sympathized +and kind hands were extended to help; and the dead were buried and +every thing possible was done for the sick and suffering survivors, +many of whom died after being carried ashore at St. Paul. What these +good Samaritans did was at the risk of their own lives, and more than +one, among them Henry P. Pratt, editor of the St. Paul _Minnesotian_, +sickened and died from infection caught by ministering to the stricken +ones. + + +DECREE OF CITIZENSHIP. + +The first naturalization papers on record in Minnesota are somewhat +unique, and for that reason worthy of preservation, and are herewith +presented _et literatim_: + + + DECREE OF CITIZENSHIP. + + TERRITORY OF WISCONSIN, + ST. CROIX COUNTY. + + I, William Willim, an alien by birth, aged twenty-six years, + do hereby, upon my oath, make known that I was born in the + county of Hereford, in the kingdom of Great Britain and + Ireland, on the twenty-sixth day of June, A. D. 1821; that I + emigrated from the kingdom aforesaid, and landed in New + York, in the state of New York, on the first day of October, + 1838; that I was at that time a minor aged seventeen years, + and that I have since that time resided in the United States + of America; that it is my _bona fide_ intention to become a + citizen of the United States, to renounce forever all + allegiance and fidelity which I, in anywise, owe to any + foreign power, potentate, state or sovereignty whatever, and + more particularly all allegiance and fidelity which I, in + anywise, owe to Victoria, queen of Great Britain, of whom I + have heretofore been a subject, and, further that I do not + possess any hereditary title, or belong to any of the order + of nobility in the kingdom from whence I came; so help me + God. + + WILLIAM WILLIM. + + Sworn and subscribed to before me on this eighteenth day of + June, 1847, in open court. + + JOSEPH R. BROWN, + _Clerk of District Court of St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory._ + + + +Another oath, such as is now administered, to support the constitution +of the United States, was signed and attested in like manner. + + +BURNING OF THE INTERNATIONAL HOTEL. + +On a clear, cold night in February, 1869, the International Hotel, +located at the corner of Seventh and Jackson streets, took fire and +was speedily consumed. The alarm was sounded at two o'clock in the +morning. The hotel was crowded with boarders, among whom were many +members of the legislature, then in session, and their families. The +writer occupied a room on the second floor and was among the first +aroused. Hastily seizing my trunk I hurried down stairs and returned +to assist others, but was stopped by the smoke at the entrance. The +guests of the house were pouring from every outlet. A group of ladies +had escaped to the sidewalk, partly clad, some with bare feet. Ladders +were placed to the windows to save those who had failed to escape in +the hallway. Senators C. A. Gilman and Seagrave Smith, with their +wives, were rescued in this manner. Many diverting circumstances +occurred illustrative of nonchalance, coolness and daring, as well as +of bewilderment and panic. + +Senator Armstrong tried in vain to throw his trunk from a window in +which it was wedged fast and was obliged to leave it to the flames. +Judge Meeker came out of the house carrying his clothing upon his arm, +having a shawl wrapped round his head, and bewailing the loss of the +maps and charts of Meeker's dam. Seagrave Smith tarried too long +searching for a senate bill, and narrowly escaped sharing the fate of +the bill. Many of the guests escaped in their night clothing, and +carrying their clothing with them completed their toilet standing in +the snow in the light of the burning building. Considering the +rapidity of the fire, and the hour at which it occurred it seemed +marvelous that no lives were lost. + + +GRASSHOPPERS. + +Minnesota has been visited at intervals by that scourge of some of the +Western States, grasshoppers. The first visitation was from the +Selkirk (now Manitoba) settlement, about 1838-9. The pests are said to +have accompanied some of the early immigrants from Selkirk who came +down to the reservation about Fort Snelling. They made yearly +visitations and threatened to become a serious obstacle to the +settlement of the country. Some seasons they proved quite destructive. +In 1874-5-6-7 the state legislature made appropriations to relieve +those suffering from their ravages in the western and southwestern +parts of the State. There were also large private contributions to the +relief fund. One of the acts passed at the session of 1877 +appropriated $100,000 for bounties to pay for the destruction of +grasshoppers and their eggs. Townships and villages were also +authorized to levy taxes for the destruction of the common enemy, and +$75,000 was appropriated to furnish seed grain for those who had lost +their crops, and $5,000 was voted for a common relief fund. Special +prayers were offered for an abatement of the scourge. In 1877, when +the grasshopper appeared in myriads again, the governor appointed a +day of fasting and prayer for riddance from the calamity. From some +unknown cause the grasshoppers disappeared, and have not since +returned in such numbers as to prove a plague. These grasshoppers were +a species known as the Rocky Mountain locusts. + + +ANCIENT MOUNDS. + +The valley of the Mississippi and the valleys of its tributary streams +abound with mounds of various sizes and fashions, circular, oval or +oblong, serpentine and sometimes irregular in outline, and all works +of intelligence and design, wrought by some ancient people for +purposes now not fully known. It is probable, however, that some were +used as places of defense, others were built for sacrificial or +religious purposes, others for sepulture, and others still may be the +remains of dwellings. Most of them contain relics, coins or implements +made of shells, of flints and in some instances of baked earthenware, +and lastly human remains. These relics are not necessarily of +cotemporaneous date, and many of them are comparatively modern. Such +mounds were used for burial places long after their original builders +had passed away. + +That they are very ancient is unquestionable. They outdate the +traditions of the Indians who inhabited this country at the date of +its discovery, while the most ancient remains taken from them indicate +as their builders a people widely different from the present +aborigines, and possessed of arts unknown to them. Conjecture points +to a race from the South, probably the Aztecs, as the mound builders. +This race was exterminated in some way, or driven away by some +stronger tribes, who may in turn have given place to our present race +of Indians. A full description of these ancient works would require +volumes; we can therefore allude only to a few that may be considered +typical specimens of their class. + +At Prairie Village, now Waukesha, Wisconsin, in 1836, the writer saw a +mound six feet high, representing a tortoise, the head, feet and tail +being still distinctly traceable. Many mounds exist at Prairie du +Chien, some quite large, and of varying shape, some representing +inclosures or fortifications, with gateways or openings. These are +located on the high bluffs east of the Prairie. Many of these, very +distinct in the early days, are now almost obliterated by the +plowshare of the farmer and the spade of the relic hunter. + +The builders of the ancient mounds certainly exercised great taste in +their location, as they are generally found in pleasant localities, on +grassy plateaus or elevated lands, and by the shores of lakes and +streams. Some, originally built on plains, have since been overgrown +with trees. In some cases trees of immense size have been found +growing even on the summit of the mounds. The most notable mounds of +the St. Croix valley are at Vasa village, in Marine township, +Washington county, Minnesota, and in the neighborhood of Osceola +Mills, Polk county, Wisconsin. We append notes of a survey of the +latter, made in 1870. They are sixteen in number and we mention only +the most remarkable. + +No. 1 is of circular form, 20 feet in height and 60 in diameter. Trees +2 feet in diameter are found on this mound. Mound No. 2 has a diameter +of 90 feet, and was originally 30 feet high; at present but 20. This +mound is also of circular formation. Mound No. 3 is circular in form, +36 feet in diameter and 2 feet high. Mound No. 4 is circular, 40 feet +in diameter and 5 feet high. Mound No. 5 is oblong and 40×60 feet in +dimensions, and 4 feet high. The largest and finest of these mounds +have been nearly destroyed by the encroachments of the road makers. +These mounds are located two miles north of Osceola, on Close creek. +Alanson Thompson made a homestead of the land on which they are +situated, and built his home immediately in the rear of the two larger +mounds. His garden included many of the mounds. + +Mr. T. H. Lewis, of St. Paul, made a later survey of these ancient +mounds. In the group north of the creek and near the school house, +which he classifies as the upper group, he finds ninety-six well +developed mounds, and some of them of peculiar shape and great +interest. In the group south of the creek, which he calls the lower +group, he finds forty-nine mounds, a total of one hundred and +forty-five in the two groups; at least five times as many as has been +supposed to be there. + +But one of the mounds is an effigy mound, and this is not clearly +defined, plowing in the field having disturbed the outline of the +effigy. The most of them contain bones, as has long been known, and +Mr. Lewis finds in them shell relics, which are rarely found in any +mounds; also pottery, and beads made from shells. + +Another peculiar mound not included in this description may be found +on the bluff overlooking the St. Croix, not far from the Close creek +series of mounds. It is over one hundred feet in length and serpentine +in form, one end being enlarged to represent the head. There are also +fine specimens of ancient mounds on Chisago lake, near Centre City and +Chisago City. + +The subject is a fascinating one to the archaeologist, but it behooves +him to make haste with his investigations, as these marvelous works +are rapidly disappearing, being dug over by the irresponsible and +unscientific relic hunter, or worn down by the plow, or carted away +for loose earth to mend a roadway or fill a sinkhole. + + +LAKE ITASCA. + +The Mississippi appropriately takes its name at the outlet of Lake +Itasca, its reputed source. This lake, although known to the fur +company adventurers of the eighteenth, and the early part of the +nineteenth centuries, received the name Itasca in 1832 from +Schoolcraft and Boutwell. A complete account of the naming of the lake +will be found in the biography of Rev. W. T. Boutwell, attached to the +history of Pine county in this work. Itasca lies in range 36, +townships 133 and 134, and is about three miles in length by one and +one-half in width. Its title to the distinction of being the true +source of the Mississippi has been frequently called in question. +There are tributary lakes of smaller size lying near it, connected +with it by small streams, barely navigable for birch canoes. Elk lake, +a body of water three-fourths of a mile in length, lying south, is +connected with it by a stream 25 links wide and 30 rods in length. +Elk lake has an influent stream 2 miles in length, which drains a +swamp lying south. + +Another stream from the south, two miles in length, flows into Itasca, +and has its source in a lake one-fourth of a mile long. As this lake +has not been named in any original or later township map, United +States Surveyor Chandler, Chief Clerk B. C. Baldwin and the writer, in +January, 1887, agreed to give it the name of Boutwell, in honor of the +devoted missionary who visited Itasca in company with Schoolcraft in +1832. This lake is really the source of the Mississippi, though from +its small size is not likely to receive general recognition as such. +Lakes Itasca, Elk and Boutwell lie in range 36, township 143, west of +the 5th principal meridian, United States survey, latitude 47.10, and +longitude 95.30 west from Greenwich United States survey. The lands +bordering on and adjacent to these lakes were surveyed in October, +1875, by Edwin Hall, and lie in Beltrami county, which was named after +an Italian traveler who visited this section in 1823. + +Hon. B. C. Baldwin, a member of the Minnesota constitutional +convention of 1857, told the writer that when surveying government +lands in 1874, he discovered in range 37, township 143, six miles west +of Itasca, a lake two and a half miles in length, without inlet or +outlet, the waters apparently rising, as trees were standing in the +water near the shore and submerged at least eight feet. Small lakes of +similar character were also discovered. Twelve miles west of Itasca +the tributaries of the Red River of the North have their source. + +The latest claim made as to the discovery of the source of the +Missispippi is that of Capt. Willard Glazier, who, in 1881, claimed to +have discovered Elk lake as the source of the Mississippi. The +Minnesota State Historical Society promptly repudiated his +assumptions, and protested against affixing to Elk lake the name +Glazier, as the captain was in no sense a discoverer, either of the +lake or its connections with Itasca, the adjacent lands having been +surveyed in 1875, and partially covered with claims in 1881. With far +more justice we might claim for Lake Boutwell, a more remote lake, the +distinguished honor of being the true source of the Mississippi. + + +COPPER MINING ON THE ST. CROIX. + +As early as 1842, a company, composed of the Harris brothers and +others, of Galena, Illinois, prospected in the Upper St. Croix valley +for copper. Their superintendent, Mr. Crosby, located a mineral permit +at Pine island, one mile above St. Croix Falls, where he found rich +specimens. Citizens and operatives at St. Croix Mills gave liberally +to aid the enterprise, but Mr. Crosby's health having failed he left +expecting to spend the winter in Cuba, but sickened and died at New +Orleans, and the mining enterprise of the Galena company was never +resumed. + +In 1847, a Boston company, composed of Caleb Cushing, Robert Rantoul, +Dexter and Harrington, and others, of Boston, and some other +capitalists, located a mineral permit one mile square at St. Croix +Falls, and another of the same dimensions on the St. Croix and Kettle +River rapids. This proved to be a speculative scheme of Boston and +Washington capitalists and politicians. + +In 1848, David Dale Owen, a prominent geologist, made an exploration +of the territory now included in Minnesota and Wisconsin and published +a report. His work being done at the order of the government, he was +accompanied by a corps of scientific men, and had time and means to +make thorough investigations. He reported that the trap rock ranges of +the St. Croix, a continuation of the copper ranges of Superior, are +rich in specimens of copper. These ranges crop out every few miles in +a southwesterly direction from Superior. The most southerly are those +known as the Dalles of the St. Croix, including as a part the +Franconia ledge three miles below. The Kanabec river range crops out +near Chengwatana. The Kettle river range crosses the St. Croix further +north. + +In 1865 the Minnesota legislature placed the sum of $1,000 in the +hands of N. C. D. Taylor for the purpose of examining and reporting +the different mineral prospects on the St. Croix and its tributaries. +He reported the Kettle river veins as being very promising. Mr. Taylor +sunk a shaft in a locality in Taylor's Falls to a depth of forty feet +and found excellent indications of copper, and some good specimens. He +reports most of the rock in the St. Croix valley above Taylor's Falls +to be of the different kinds of trap rock, with belts of conglomerate +running through them in a direction from northeast to southwest, the +conglomerate being most abundant on the Kettle river. There are +limited patches of sandstone which in places contain marine shells, +but no rock in place. Prof. Hall says of the Taylor's Falls vein that +it is a very distinct vein and shows quite equal to the early showing +of many of the best paying mines of Superior. He regards the Kettle +river vein as one of the most promising yet found in the country. + +Other veins have been discovered in the vicinity of the St. Croix +Dalles. Considerable money has been spent in prospecting and +development, but more capital is needed than miners have yet been able +to obtain. + +Taylor's Falls Copper Mining Company was organized Dec. 15, 1874, W. +H. C. Folsom, president; Geo. W. Seymour, secretary; Levi W. Folsom, +treasurer; David A. Caneday, mining agent. They sunk a shaft one +hundred and thirty feet deep and found good indications. This mine was +worked in 1875-76, at an expenditure of over $5,000. Excellent +specimens were found but not in paying quantities. The rock increased +in richness as the shaft sunk in depth. The work was suspended for +want, of material aid. There is but little doubt that as the valley +becomes known and populated, that as wealth increases, the mineral +resources of the country are better known, mining will become a +prominent and profitable industry. + + +REMINISCENCES OF REV. JULIUS S. WEBBER.[K] + +We reached Stillwater, June 3, 1850, and moved into the Elfelt house +on North Hill. The village contained at that time about thirty +dwellings, two hotels, three stores, and a number of saloons. Three +religious denominations held services each Sabbath, the missionaries +in charge alternating through the successive Sabbaths, and supporting +in addition a union prayer meeting and Sabbath-school, of which Capt. +Wm. Holcomb was the first superintendent. The meetings were held in a +school house on Third street. + +My appointments outside of Stillwater were at Willow River, Kinnikinic +and Prescott, Wisconsin, and at Cottage Grove and Point Douglas in +Minnesota. In 1852 Rev. S. T. Catlin was appointed to that part of my +field lying east of the St. Croix river, and I formed appointments at +Arcola, Marine, Taylor's and St. Croix Falls. We organized a Baptist +society at Stillwater, Oct. 26, 1850, consisting of eight members; +Rev. J. P. Parsons and wife, Dean A. H. Cavender and wife of St. Paul, +J. S. Webber and wife, constituting a council of recognition. Rev. J. +P. Parsons preached the sermon of recognition, and J. S. Webber +extended the right hand of fellowship. The first baptism by immersion +in the county was administered in a large spring just below Nelson's +store, Jan. 30, 1853, the waters of the spring being free from ice. +The candidate was Margaret Towner, of Pembina. In 1853 I made a tour +of the Minnesota valley to Mankato. On the first day, September 23d, I +traveled from Fort Snelling to Shakopee and saw not a human habitation +nor a human being on the trail. At Shakopee I found a home with Judge +Dowling. On the next day I traveled to Le Sueur. On Sabbath morning I +preached at Traverse des Sioux, and in the afternoon I went to +Mankato, and stopped at the house of Mr. Hannah, where I preached in +the evening, to a congregation that had come together hastily from the +neighborhood, the first sermon preached in Mankato. On the +twenty-sixth I preached the first sermon at Le Seuer, and the first +sermon at Shakopee on my return. + +In 1854 I opened on the South Hill, known later as Nelson's addition +to Stillwater, a school known as Washington Seminary, which received +liberal patronage from the citizens of Stillwater and surrounding +country. In May, 1855, I sold the school to Mr. Kent, and it passed +into the hands of an Episcopal clergyman. I returned to New York where +I have since lived, pursuing my calling, which has suffered thus far +no interruption from sickness or infirmities. + +The remembrance of my association with the people of the St. Croix +valley is pleasant. Amongst the most pleasant of my recollections are +those of the lumbermen of St. Croix, who often made up a large portion +of my congregation. They were kind and courteous, attentive hearers +and valued as friends and associates. + + +AN AMUSING INCIDENT. + +An amusing incident occurred in Carver county, in Judge E. O. Hamlin's +district (an account of which was published in "The Drawer" of +Harper's _Monthly_, some years after it occurred). Judge Hamlin, +going to Chaska to hold his first term of court in Carver county, +found the sheriff absent, and his deputy, a foreigner who could speak +English very imperfectly, ignorant alike of his duties and of the +language in which they were to be performed, confessed his entire +ignorance of "how to open court," but said he could read writing. +Therefore Judge Hamlin wrote out the form for opening court, and +instructed him when the order was given for "the sheriff to open +court," to stand up and read distinctly the form prepared for him. +This was in the usual terms, beginning "Hear ye, hear ye, all manner +of persons having any business," etc., etc., and ending with "come +forward and give your attendance, and you shall be heard." At the hour +fixed the court room was reasonably well filled. Parties, witnesses +and jurors, together with the district attorney (who at that time went +with the judge over the whole district) were in attendance. The judge +was on the bench, and the deputy sheriff, fully conscious of the +dignity of his office, awaited the order of the judge. Upon being told +to "make proclamation for the opening of court," this officer arose, +and holding the written form before his eyes, roared out in stentorian +tones: "_Here we are! Here we are!_" and running through the remainder +of the form closed with "come forward and give your attendance, and +you _will be sure to be here_!" The air of importance with which it +was said, together with his self complacency in the discharge of his +new duties, was scarcely less amusing than the mistake he had made. +Its effect may be better imagined than described. + + +THE OLD SETTLERS ASSOCIATION. + +By an act of the legislature approved May 33, 1857, the "Old Settlers +Association" was incorporated with the following charter members: H. +H. Sibley, Socrates Nelson, Franklin Steele, A. L. Larpenteur, Wm. +Holcombe, Wm. H. Randall, Wm. Hartshorn, Cornelius Lyman, Lorenzo A. +Babcock, J. D. Ludden, David Olmsted, H. M. Rice, Alex. Ramsey, Wm. R. +Marshall, Jos. R. Brown, Chas. W. Borup, Henry Jackson, Martin McLeod, +Norman W. Kittson, Vetal Guerin, J. W. Selby, Aaron Goodrich, and +Philander Prescott. These members, with those whom they might +associate with them, were duly empowered to buy, sell, hold property, +to sue or be sued, to receive donations, to keep a common seal, and to +enjoy all the franchises incident to a corporate body. + +It was provided that no person should be eligible to a membership who +had not been a resident of the Territory prior to Jan. 1, 1850. The +seal of the association was devised by Aaron Goodrich. On the two +sides of the seal were represented the past and the future. In the +background of the side representing the past is delineated a plain; in +the distance are seen the last rays of the declining sun; nearer are +seen Indian hunters, their lodges, women and children, and a herd of +buffalo. + +Prominent in the foreground of the side representing the future stands +an aged man with silvered hair; he leans upon his staff; he is in the +midst of a cemetery; the spire of a church is seen in the distance; as +he turns from a survey of the various monuments which mark the resting +place of departed old settlers, his eye rests upon a new made grave. +It is that of his last associate; _he is the last survivor_; his +companions have fallen asleep. A group of children in the foreground +represents the rising generation of Minnesota which shall reap the +fruits of the pioneer's toil. + +[Illustration: SEAL OF THE ASSOCIATION.] + + +ORGANIZATION. + +The first meeting of the Old Settlers Association was held, in +pursuance of public notice, at the hall of the Historical Society of +Minnesota, in the capitol, in St. Paul, on Saturday, Feb. 27, 1858. + +On motion of Judge Goodrich, his excellency Henry H. Sibley was +unanimously elected president. Hon. Aaron Goodrich and Hon. L. A. +Babcock were unanimously elected vice presidents, A. L. Larpenteur, +Esq., secretary, and J. W. Bass, Esq. treasurer. After which Gov. +Sibley addressed the meeting in a manner able, pertinent and feeling. +Several other members spoke. + +On motion a committee of three was appointed by the chair to report +by-laws for the government of the association. Also a committee of +three to report such measures as shall be deemed best calculated to +effectuate the objects of the charter. + +The president appointed H. L. Moss, L. A. Babcock and T. R. Potts +committee on by-laws, and Aaron Goodrich, B. W. Lott and Chas. S. Cave +committee on charter. + +Judge Goodrich said this occasion was one of deep and abiding interest +to the pioneers of Minnesota; that there were epochs in our history +that should be commemorated. He desired that the first day of June be +fixed upon as the day for the future meetings of the association; he +named this day for the reason that on the first day of June, 1849, the +local organization of this Territory took place. + +The following resolution was adopted: + +_Resolved, That the annual meeting of this association be held_ on the +first day of June, providing that when said month shall commence on +the Sabbath, said meeting shall be held on the following Monday. + +On motion of Judge Goodrich the following preamble and resolution were +adopted: + +WHEREAS, The object of this association and the individuals composing +the same are closely _allied_ to and identified with that of the +Historical Society of Minnesota, therefore + +_Resolved_, That up to the period in which this association shall +possess a hall in which to meet, its place of meeting shall be the +hall of said Historical Society. + +As a matter of history we record the names of the members originally +and subsequently enrolled. + + Ames, Michael E.* + Ayer, Frederick.* + Abbott, G. S.+ + Altenberg, William.* + Armstrong, William.+ + Atkinson, John W. + Anderson, John.+ + Arpin, A.* + Babcock, Lorenzo A.* + Bailly, Alexis.* + Bass, Jacob W. + Beatty, James. + Banfill, John.* + Barton, Thomas.* + Bazille, Charles.* + Becker, George L. + Berard, Antoine.+ + Bevans, Henry L.* + Black, Mahlon. + Bautien. V.+ + Beaulieu, Clement H. + Beau, James.+ + Bishop. Thornton. + Beaupre, Philip. + Blackburn, John T. + Burns, Hugh. + Berriwick, J.* + Blair, O. H.* + Boutwell, W. T. + Blakeley, Russell. + Bolles, Lemuel.* + Borup, Chas. W. W.* + Bostwiek, Lardner.* + Bradley, J.* + Brady, Patrick.* + Brawley, Daniel J.* + Brisette, Edmond.* + Bromley, C. B. + Brown, Joseph R.* + Brown, Wm. R.* + Brunson, Benj. W + Bryant, Alden.+ + Buffit, C.+ + Burkelo, Samuel.* + Bottineau, Pierre. + Bettington, John C.+ + Beauchier, Francis.+ + Besour, A. C.* + Bailly John.+ + Boal, James Mc C.* + Campbell, George W.* + Cavalier, Charles. + Cave, Chas. S. + Cavender, A. H. + Chute, Rirchard. + Clewitt, James R.* + Colter, William.* + Conway, Chas. R. + Cooper, David.* + Cormack, John.* + Cave, William. + Culver, George.* + Culver, J. B.* + Connell, William.+ + Cummings, R. W. + Curtis, Harley.* + Chapman, John J.+ + Cloutier, A.+ + Colby, Wm. F. + Colter, Charles. + Carlie, C.* + Chase, A. M. + Comer, Elias H. + Church, Cal.+ + Dana, Napoleon, J. T. + Day, David. + Day, James.* + Dayton, Lyman.* + Desmarais, Louis. + Desnoyers, Stephen.* + Dewey, John J. + Dibble, William B.* + Doe, William E.* + Day, Henry T. + Day, Leonard P.* + Dorr, Caleb D. + Dobney, John. + Durant, E. W. + Day, William P.+ + Dudley, John. + Davis, Patten W. + Dresser, Horace.+ + Elfelt, Charles D. + Ely, Edmund F.* + Ellison, Smith. + Eddy, Frank S.* + Eldridge, Ariel. + Eaton, Alonzo.+ + Elfelt, L. C.* + Faribault, J. B.* + Faribault, Alex.* + Farrington, G. W.+ + Fisher, Jacob. + Forbes, W. H.* + Ford, J. A.+ + Finch, T. M.+ + Findley, S. J.* + Foster, A. D.* + Foster, Thomas.* + Freeborn, William.* + French, A. R.* + Folsom, S. P. + Furber, J. W.* + Furber, P. P.* + Fuller, A. G.+ + Folsom, W. H. C. + Fox, Patrick. + Fairbanks, John H. + Foster, Henry.+ + Furber, Theodore. + Fisk, Frank. + Folsom, Edgar. + Folsom, Ward W. + Farnham, S. W. + Fillmore, R. G. + Fisher, John. + Finn, William. + Farnham, Rufus, Jr. + Gammel, Irenus.* + Gibbs, H.R. + Gilman, David.* + Godfrey, Ard. + Goodrich, Aaron.* + Greely, Elam.* + Guerin, Vetal.* + Gautier, Napoleon. + Guernsey, W.H. + Glenn, Samuel.* + Getchel, W. W. + Gervais, Benjamin. + Gardner, Charles R. + Gardner, John C.* + Gray, Isaac. + Guion, Joseph. + Hartshorn, W.* + Hartshorn, W. E. + Hobart, Chancey. + Holcombe, William.* + Holmes, Thomas.* + Hoyt, B. F.* + Hoyt, Lorenzo. + Hopkins, Daniel.* + Hopkins, Peter. + Humphrey, J. K. + Harris, George. + Holton, John.* + Houghton, George. + Houghton, James. + Haskell, Joseph. + Hone, David.* + Henkly, J. S.+ + Hoffman, James.+ + Haskill, Hiram.+ + Hetherington, Thomas,* + Holcombe, W. W. + Hill, Lewis. + Irvine, J. R.* + Irvine, B. F. + Jackson, Henry.* + Jarvis, W. H.* + Johnson, P. K. + Johnson, R. W. + Jackins, John.* + Jackman, H. A. + Kellogg, M. N. + Kennedy, Robert. + Kittson, N. W.* + Keogh, James. + Knox, M. C. + Kent, William. + Kattenberg, Henry. + Lambert, H. A.* + Larpenteur, E. N.* + Larpenteur, A. L. + Lennon, J. G.* + Lennon, J. E. + Leavitt, Martin. + Lull, C. P. V. + Lyman, Cornelius S.* + Lott, B. W.* + Ludden, J. D. + Leonard, C. E. + Loomis, D. B. + Lowry, S. B.* + Lyman, Stoers B. + Lyman, David P. + McKenny, J. H.* + McKenzie, J. G. + Masterson, H. F. + McKusick, John. + McKusick, J. E. + Mitchell, J. B. H. + Marshall, W. R. + McLeod, Martin.* + McCleod, Alexander.* + McLean, N.* + Murphy, Edward.* + Meeker, Bradley B.* + Murphy, Alfred C.+ + McKusick, William. + McHattie, Alexander. + Manaege, Peter. + Mackey, Andrew. + McDonald, R.+ + Masier, Josiah.* + Marks, Isaac.* + Moreau, Charles.* + Mahoney, Wm.* + Mahoney, Jeremiah. + Morgan, John.* + Moffett, Lot.* + Morrison, W. C. + Morrison, Allen.* + Morton, T. F.* + Moss, H. L. + Murray, M. P. + Murphy, J. W. + Myrick, Nathan. + McComb, J. D. + McKean, Elias. + McMullen, James.+ + McLean, Henry.+ + Masterman, Joseph. + Mause, John. + Mower, Wm.* + Mower, Martin. + Mower, John E.* + Mosher, Jacob. + McHale, M.+ + McHattie, John. + McLery, Charles.+ + Moulton, E. (Jr.)+ + McCarty, A.+ + Manse, Charles.+ + Neill, E. D. + Nichols, G. C.* + Nelson, Socrates.* + Nobles, W. H.* + Norris, J. S.* + North, J. W. + Northrup, Anson. + Newbury, H. H. + Oakes, C. H.* + Oakes, David.* + Odel, T. S.* + Olmsted, David.* + Owens, J. P.* + Parker, Rodney.* + Perin, Moses. + Potts, T. R.* + Prescott, Philander.* + Presley, Bartley.* + Pomeroy, J. H. + Proctor, J. S. + Pond, G. H. + Powers, Simon.* + Potter, Colver.+ + Perro, Joseph. + Parker, L. N. + Parsons, Oliver. + Quinn, W. B. + Quinn, Peter.+ + Randall, B. H. + Randolph, S. R.* + Ramsey, Alexander. + Ramsey, J. C.* + Ravoux, Auguste. + Reed, C. M.* + Rice, H. M. + Rice, Edmund. + Robertson, Andrew.* + Rice, C. R.* + Robert, Louis.* + Robert, Joseph.* + Richardson, R. M. + Rollins, John.* + Rose, Isaac.* + Russell, R. P. + Russell, Jeremiah.* + Riggs, S. R.* + Robert, Alexis.+ + Roy, Peter.* + Russell, William. + Rohrer, Daniel. + Robert, Nelson. + Rogers, John. + Ramsden, Thomas. + Rutherford, Wm.* + Rogers, Richard.+ + Rutherford, James.* + Selby, J. W.* + Simons, Orlando. + Simpson, J. W.* + Simpson, Robert. + Shaffer, C. E. + Shearer, A. L.* + Sherman, M. + Spencer, J. B. + Spicer, Nathan.+ + Shelley, E. Y. + Steele, Franklin.* + Spencer, John H.+ + Sawyer, Seth M.* + Spates, Samuel.+ + Somerville, John.+ + Stevens, J. H. + Stone, Lewis.* + Sturgis, W.* + Sweet, G. W. + Setzer, H. N. + Stanchfield, Sam.* + Sibley, H. H. + Stinson, C. F.+ + Santel, A.+ + Staples, Josiah.+ + Shamley, John+ + Sanford, H. S.+ + Shearer, James. + Stratton, L. W.* + Scott, C. P.+ + Short, A. J. + Shoasby, John.* + Stiles, W. L.+ + Taylor, J. L. + Taylor, Jesse W.* + Taylor, N. C. D.* + Terry, J. C. + Tinker, W. H. + Thompson, James (colored).* + Trask, Sylvanus. + Trower, John.+ + Thompson, G. W.* + Terry, Robert.* + Van Voorhes A.* + Villaume, Thomas.* + Von Tassel, William.* + Walker, Orange.* + Whitaker, E. H. + Whitney, J. C. + Wilkinson, M. S. + Wilkin, Alex.* + Wells, James.* + Wilson, Harvey.* + Woodbury, Warren.* + Willoughby, A.* + Wright, Thomas.+ + Williamson, T. S.* + Willim, William. + Wilmarth, Alvin M. + Wallis, John.+ + Worthingham, Wm.+ + White, Asa.* + Westing, Henry.* + Welshance, M.* + Williams, D. D.* + Whalen, Patrick.* + Yorks, J. C. + +[Note: * Deceased.] + +[Note: + Unknown.] + + +OBJECTS AND ORGANIZATION. + +The society was organized in 1849 by a few of the pioneers of the +Territory, and incorporated by an act of the first territorial +legislature, approved Oct. 20, 1849, this being the first literary +institution organized in the Territory; and its "library," then only a +few volumes, was the first ever established in Minnesota. The original +charter of the society stated its objects to be: "The collection and +preservation of a library, mineralogical and geological specimens, +Indian curiosities, and other matters and things connected with, and +calculated to illustrate and perpetuate the history and settlement of +said Territory." The amended charter of 1856 enacted: "The objects of +said society, with the enlarged powers and duties herein provided, +shall be in addition to the collection and preservation of +publications, manuscripts, antiquities, curiosities, and other things +pertaining to the social, political and natural history of Minnesota, +to cultivate among the citizens thereof a knowledge of the useful and +liberal arts, science and literature." + +The work of this society may therefore be formulated thus: + +I. (1) The collection, (2) the preservation, (3) the publication of +materials for the history of Minnesota and its people. + +II. The collection and management of a library containing useful works +of reference on the most valuable departments of knowledge. + +III. The diffusion among citizens of the State of useful knowledge. + + +ITS PROGRESS. + +In the early days of the Territory, owing to its want of means, the +sparse population and its poverty, and the infancy of the commonwealth +generally, the society accomplished but little beyond collecting some +information regarding the early history of this region, and printing +the same in several pamphlet volumes. In 1864 it had only eight +hundred and forty volumes in its library. It was then reorganized, and +with the aid of a small annual appropriation from the State, since +enlarged, has been able to make very gratifying progress. + + +ITS PRESENT CONDITION. + +It has now comfortable apartments in the state capitol, a building +believed to be fireproof; a sufficient income to pay its current +expenses, granted partly by the State and partly contributed by its +members; one of the largest and most valuable libraries in the State, +containing 22,000 volumes of choice works, together with a cabinet or +museum of historical and archęlogical curiosities, and a number of +historical pictures, engravings, manuscripts, etc. An endowment fund +of several thousand dollars, accumulated by gifts and membership fees; +two lots, eligibly situated, on which at no distant day, will be +erected a fireproof building. + + +PROPOSED BUILDING FOR THE SOCIETY. + +Reference was made before to the building lots of the society. These +were purchased by a subscription of the members in 1855, for the sum +of $1,500, in hopes that the society would be enabled to erect thereon +a fireproof building for its use, but up to this time it has not been +able to do so. The lots are now valued at $20,000 or more. Several +months ago an effort was made by the president of the society to raise +enough by subscription to insure the commencement of a building to +cost, completed, $50,000; of this amount $14,500 was subscribed, and +it is believed that there are liberal and public spirited citizens of +our State who will contribute the balance when called on, or provide, +by will, for bequests in its aid. Such an edifice would be a +perpetual monument to their generosity and public spirit, and would be +an inestimable boon to succeeding generations, who will frequent our +library in pursuit of knowledge. + + +PRESIDENTS OF THE OLD SETTLERS ASSOCIATION. + + 1858. Henry H. Sibley. + 1859. Socrates Nelson. + 1860. J. E. McKusick. + 1861. Wm. H. Nobles. + 1862. Dr. T. R. Potts. + 1863. Frank Steele. + 1864. R. M. Richardson. + 1865. John D. Ludden. + 1866. Socrates Nelson. + 1867. Abram Van Voorhes. + 1868. Henry H. Sibley. + 1869. Nathaniel McLean. + 1870. Bartlett Presley. + 1871. John H. Stevens. + 1872. George L. Becker. + 1873. David B. Loomis. + 1874. Henry M. Rice. + 1875. Alex. Ramsey. + 1876. Norman W. Kittson. + 1877. Charles H. Oakes. + 1878. Mahlon Black. + 1879. Charles E. Leonard. + 1880. Benj. H. Randall. + 1881. S. P. Folsom. + 1882. Jacob W. Bass. + 1883. Benj. W. Brunson. + 1884. Clement H. Beaulieu. + 1885. Henry L. Moss. + 1886. R. W. Johnson. + 1887. Anson Northrup. + 1888. David Day. + +Judge Goodrich was secretary of the Old Settlers Association from 1859 +until his death, in 1887. + + +THE ST. CROIX VALLEY OLD SETTLERS ASSOCIATION. + +This association was organized Nov. 5, 1875, at the office of Durant & +Wheeler, in the city of Stillwater. Charles E. Leonard was elected +president, and David B. Loomis, secretary. The latter has been +re-elected and served continuously to the present time. It is a +requisite that members shall have been residents in the Northwest +prior to 1850. + +The following have been presidents of the association, the term of +service being limited to one year: + + 1875. D. B. Loomis. + 1876. Christopher Carli. + 1877. W. T. Boutwell. + 1878. John D. Ludden. + 1879. Henry L. Moss. + 1880. Wm. R. Marshall. + 1881. Daniel Mears. + 1882. Henry A. Jackman. + 1883. W. H. C. Folsom. + 1884. Edward W. Durant. + 1885. Albert Stimson. + 1886. Henry N. Setzer. + 1887. Morton S. Wilkinson. + +The annual meetings are held on or about the middle of September, at +Stillwater. + + +NEWSPAPER HISTORY IN RAMSEY COUNTY. + +The St. Paul _Weekly Pioneer_, established by James M. Goodhue as the +_Minnesota Pioneer_, issued its first number April 28, 1849, one day +later than the St. Paul _Register_, but, unlike that paper, it was +printed in the place of publication. In March, 1854, Earl S. Goodrich +purchased the _Pioneer_, and on May 1st issued the first number of the +_Daily Pioneer_. On Oct. 31, 1855, the _Democrat_ was merged in the +_Pioneer_, which became the _Pioneer and Democrat_, which name it +continued to bear for six years, when it resumed its former name, the +_Pioneer_. Nov. 8, 1865, the _Pioneer_ was sold to H. P. Hall and John +X. Davidson. July 29, 1866, the _Pioneer_ was sold to Capt. H. L. +Carver, C. W. Nash and others. April 22, 1874, the _Pioneer_ became +the property of David Blakely. April 11, 1875, the _Pioneer_ and +_Press_ consolidated, and the name was changed to St. Paul _Pioneer +Press_, under the management of the Pioneer Press Company, with J. A. +Wheelock editor-in-chief. The _Pioneer Press_ now embodies, by +consolidation, twenty-five distinct newspapers. Its daily issue is +about 18,000 copies. The stock company is now officered by J. A. +Wheelock, president; F. Driscoll, Sr., vice president and treasurer; +F. Driscoll, Jr., secretary. The management is in the hands of J. A. +Wheelock, editor-in-chief; F. A. Carle, managing editor; F. Driscoll, +business manager; A. W. Dunn, city editor. + +The St. Paul _Globe_ was established Jan. 15, 1878, by H. P. Hall, and +conducted as an individual enterprise until July 1, 1881, when it was +made into a stock company with a capital of $150,000. Its first +officers were: President, H. H. Sibley; vice president, P. H. Kelly; +treasurer, Albert Scheffer; secretary, Ansel Oppenheim; general +manager, H. P. Hall. This company, which was called the St. Paul Globe +Printing Company, was sold to a new company, styled the St. Paul Globe +Publishing Company, Feb. 1, 1885. The first officers of that company +were: President, N. W. Kittson; vice president, P. H. Kelly; +treasurer, Albert Scheffer; secretary and general manager, Lewis +Baker. All the officers of each company were resident in St. Paul. The +_Globe_ publishes daily and weekly editions. + +The St. Paul _Dispatch_ was founded by H. P. Hall and David Ramaley, +Feb. 29, 1868. It has passed through many ownerships. The company +publish a weekly and evening daily paper. + +The St. Paul _Daily Times_ was established in 1854, by T. M. Newson, +M. J. Clum and J. B. H. Mitchell. In 1869 it was merged into the St. +Paul _Press_. + +The _Register_, _Chronicle_ and _Democrat_ were published in +territorial days, and have been discontinued. + +_Die Volkszeitung_, the first German paper of St. Paul, was +established in 1857. Another German paper was subsequently +established, and the two were consolidated, Sept. 6, 1877, as _Die +Volkszeitung_. It issues daily and weekly editions. Chas. H. Lineau is +general manager, A. Wolff, editor-in-chief; C. Newhausen, city editor, +and Louis Hern, literary editor. + +The _Northwest Magazine_ is a monthly journal, devoted to the +interests of the Northwest. It was established in 1883. E. V. Smalley +is the editor. + + +OTHER ST. PAUL PUBLICATIONS. + +_A. O. U. W. Guide_, weekly Guide Publishing Company, established +1883. + +_Pythian Advocate_, monthly, Pythian Company, established 1884. + +_Northwestern Chronicle_, weekly (Catholic), Northwestern Publishing +Company, established 1866. + +_Herald_, weekly, Chantler & Nichols, established 1883. + +_Der Wanderer_ (German), weekly, Wanderer Publishing Company, +established 1867. + +_Familien Zeitung_ (German), weekly, Engel-Dreis Company, established +1885. + +_Le Canadien_ (French), weekly, E. R. Dufresne, L. N. Dixon, +established 1877. + +_Nordvesten_ (Scandinavian), weekly, C. H. Brandt, established 1880. + +_Skaffaren_ (Swedish Lutheran), weekly, J. E. Osborn, established +1877. + +_Northwestern Lancet_, semi-monthly, C. B. Witherle, established 1882. + +_Northwest Reporter_ (legal), weekly, West Publishing Company, +established 1881. + +_Saturday Evening News_, weekly, Lewis & Bole, established 1883. + +_Western Appeal_, weekly, F. D. Parker, established 1885. + +_Home Gazette_, monthly, S. Sherin, established 1883. + +St. Paul _Daily Evening News_, established 1888. + +St. Paul _Labor Echo_, Eric Olson, established 1884. + +White Bear _Lake Breeze_, A. H. S. Perkins, established 1879. + + +HENNEPIN COUNTY. + +The first paper established in Hennepin county as now bounded was the +St. Anthony _Express_, E. Tyler, publisher, Isaac Atwater, editor. The +first number was issued May 31, 1857. The Minneapolis _Democrat_ was +established in 1854. Neither of these papers is to be found in the +directory. + + +PAPERS OF MINNEAPOLIS. + +_Evening Journal_, daily, D. B. Blakely, established 1887. + +_Evening Mercury_, daily, E. Ferwald, established 1885. + +Minneapolis _Gazette_, daily, W. Bickley, established 1870. + +Minneapolis _Tribune_, daily, Will E. Haskell, Tribune Publishing +Company, established 1867. + +_Commercial Bulletin_, weekly, Commercial Publishing Company, +established 1883. + +Minneapolis _Life_, weekly, W. E. Atkins, established in 1885. + +_Saturday Evening Spectator_, weekly, C. H. Dubois, established 1879. + +_Temperance Review_, weekly, L. Bixby, established 1865. + +_Budstikken_ (Norwegian), Johann E. Gidde, established 1873. + +_Folkebladt_ (Norwegian), weekly, Folkebladt Publishing Company, +established 1878. + +_Svenska Posten_ (Swedish), weekly, Svenska-American Publishing +Company, established 1885. + +_Svenska Tidning_ (Swedish), weekly, Svenska Publishing Company, +established 1883. + +_Svenska Kistna Herolden_, weekly, Svenska Herolden Publishing +Company, established 1885. + +_Herold_ (German), weekly, German Press Association, established 1884. + +_Freie Presse_ (German), weekly, F. Doerr, established 1869. + +_Le Progres_ (French), weekly, J. B. A. Paradis, established 1884. + +_Echo De L'Ouest_ (French), weekly, A. F. Carrier, established 1883. + +_Free Baptist_, weekly, A. A. Smith, established 1882. + +_Northwestern Standard_, weekly, Ed. O'Brien, established 1885. + +_Northwestern Presbyterian_, weekly, Edgar A. Gay, established 1884. + +_Our Church_ (Unitarian), semi-monthly, Rev. L. D. Boynton, +established 1885. + +_Farm, Stock and Home Journal_, monthly, Farm, Stock and Home Company, +established 1884. + +_Mississippi Valley Lumberman_, weekly, Platt B. Walker, established +1876. + +_Northwestern Miller_, weekly, C. M. Palmer, established 1873. + +_Northwestern Trade_, bi-weekly, E. E. Haynes, established 1883. + +_Homestead_, monthly, Homestead Publishing Company, established 1885. + +_Housekeeper_, monthly, Buckeye Publishing Company, established 1878. + +_Medical Mirror_, monthly, N. M. Cook, M.D., established 1881. + +_Northwestern Architect_, monthly, Bruce & Brundage, established 1884. + +_Pilgrim_ (Congregational), monthly, Pilgrim Publishing Company, +established 1881. + +_Poultry and Farm Journal_, monthly, I. I. Bachellor, established +1877. + +_Real Estate Review_, monthly, C. H. Dubois & Co., established 1883. + +_Temperance Educator_, monthly, L. Bigby, established 1882. + +_To-Day_ (Evangelical), Geo. F. Wells, A. S. Edwards, established +1880. + +_Wood and Iron_, monthly, Wood and Iron Publishing Company, +established 1880. + +_Methodist Herald_, weekly, R. H. Young, established 1887. + + +EXCELSIOR. + +Minnetonka _Mirror_, weekly, W. H. Mitchell, established 1885. + +_Northwestern Tourist_, weekly, A. S. Dimond & Son, established 1876. + + +WASHINGTON COUNTY. + +The first newspaper published in Washington county was the St. Croix +_Union_, established Oct. 8, 1854, in Stillwater. It was continued +under the management of Cable & Easton one year, when F. S. Cable sold +out to Milton H. Abbott. Soon after Mr. Abbott bought out the interest +of M. S. Easton. The paper went down in the crash of 1857. + +The Stillwater _Messenger_ made its appearance under the management of +A. T. Van Voorhes, Sept. 11, 1856. It changed ownership several times, +and in 1871 Seward & Taylor, the present owners, came into possession. + +The Stillwater _Democrat_ succeeded the defunct _Union_ in 1858. L. F. +Spaulding and C. P. Lane became the editors and proprietors. It was +discontinued in 1861. + +A. B. Easton and J. N. Castle established the Stillwater _Gazette_, +the first number appearing Aug. 6, 1870. This paper was successful +from the first, and with but few changes in proprietorship is +published at the present day as a daily and weekly by Clewell & +Easton. + +The Stillwater _Lumberman_ was established April 9, 1875, by Ed. H. +Folsom. It afterward passed into the hands of a stock company, and was +discontinued in 1884. + +The Stillwater _Post_, a German paper, was established by W. P. +Shilling & Co. Aug. 26, 1876. Two years later it passed into the hands +of Wm. Schermuly, and in 1880 it was taken charge of by Julius Duel, +who is succeeded by F. C. Neumeier. + + +CHISAGO COUNTY. + +Taylor's Falls _Reporter_, F. H. Pratt, established February, 1860; in +1862 the name was changed to Taylor's Falls _Monitor_; in 1883 the +name was again changed to Taylor's Falls _Journal_; present editor, +Ed. H. Folsom. + +Rush City _Pos._, Hial P. Robie, established in 1875. + +Chisago County _Times_, Taylor's Falls, Rowe & Walker, established +April 19, 1888. + + +PINE COUNTY--PINE CITY. + +_Pine County Pioneer_, weekly, Ed. C. Gottry, established 1885. + + +CARLTON COUNTY--CLOQUET. + +_Pine Knot_, weekly, Dr. H. B. Allen, established 1884. + +_Industrial Vidette_, established 1887. + + +ST. LOUIS COUNTY--DULUTH. + +_Tribune_, weekly and daily, R. C. Mitchell, established 1881. + +_Lake Superior News_, weekly, Wm. S. Woodbridge, established 1878. + +Duluth _Daily News_, established 1885. + +Duluth _Skandinav_, Wesenbergad Hurst, established 1887. + +_Paragrapher_, established 1887. + +_Volksfreund_, Dworsehak & Son, established 1886. + +_Evening Journal_, established 1887. + + +TOWER. + +Tower _Press_, C. T. Bingham, established 1885. + + +TWO HARBORS. + +_Iron Post_, A. De Lacy Wood, established 1887. + + +AITKIN COUNTY--AITKIN. + +Aitkin _Age_, weekly, E. F. Barrett, established 1883. + + +CROW WING COUNTY--BRAINERD. + +Brainerd _Dispatch_, weekly, Ingersoll & Willard, established 1881. + +Brainerd _Journal_, weekly, H. C. Stivers, established 1882. + +_Northwestern Tribune_, weekly, Halsted & Pennell, 1872. + +The _News_, daily, established 1887. + + +KANABEC COUNTY--MORA. + +Mora _Times_, weekly, R. W. Safford, established 1882. + + +MILLE LACS COUNTY--PRINCETON. + +Princeton _Union_, weekly, R. C. Dunn, established 1876. + + +MORRISON COUNTY--LITTLE FALLS. + +Little Falls _Sun_, weekly, Little Falls Publishing Company, Cyrus D. +Auyer, editor, established 1882. + +Little Falls _Transcript_, weekly, W. M. Fuller, established 1877. + +_Morrison County Democrat_, weekly, Cyrus D. Auyer, established 1886. + + +ROYALTON. + +Royalton _Record_, weekly, changed name to Royalton _Banner_, A. W. +Swanson, editor, established 1884. + +The first newspaper in Morrison county was the _Northern Herald_, +established in Little Falls, 1856, suspended in 1858. The Little Falls +_Courier_ was established later, but discontinued and the _Transcript_ +took its place. + + +STEARNS COUNTY--MELROSE AND SAUK CENTRE. + +_Herald and Record_, weekly, C. F. Hendryx, established 1867. + + +SAUK CENTRE. + +_Democrat_, weekly, Barnum and Henshaw, established 1885. + +_Tribune_, weekly, W. C. Brower, established 1873. + + +ST. CLOUD. + +_Der Nordstern_ (German), weekly, Rosenberger & Remer, established +1874. + +_Journal-Press_, weekly; W. Mitchell, established 1857. + +_Times_, weekly, C. F. MeDonald, established 1861. + +The first paper in St. Cloud, and in Stearns county, was styled the +_Minnesota Advertiser_. The first number appeared Jan. 1, 1857, H. +Cowles, editor, and James Mowatt, publisher. Mrs. Jane G. Swisshelm +succeeded to the proprietorship in December, 1857, and changed the +name to the St. Cloud _Visitor_, and edited it till the destruction of +her press and material by a mob, March 24, 1858. The paper reappeared +under new auspices and with the name changed to the _Democrat_. In +1866 W. B. Mitchell changed the name to the _Journal_. In 1876 he +purchased the _Press_ and consolidated it under the name of +_Journal-Press_. + +The St. Cloud _Union_ was established in 1861, by C. C. Andrews, +afterward a general in the Union Army and minister to Sweden and +Norway. In 1862 Mr. Wood purchased the paper, but sold it in 1863 to +Spafford & Simonton, who sold it in 1864 to R. C. Moore, who published +it as the St. Cloud _Times_. In 1875 it was purchased by the present +owner, C. F. McDonald. + +The _Nordstern_ was originally established by Peter E. Kaiser and +Peter Brieke and has now a circulation of 25,000 copies. + + +SHERBURNE COUNTY--ELK RIVER. + +_Sherburne County Star News_, weekly, A. N. Dare, established 1875. + +A. J. Clark started the Sherburne _Weekly_ in 1867, and published it +one year, when John W. Thompson started the Elk River _News_. The +_Sherburne County Star_ was established in 1875, and consolidated with +the _News_ in 1861. + + +ISANTI COUNTY--CAMBRIDGE. + +_Isanti County Press_, weekly, C. W. Van Wormer, established 1874. + + +BENTON COUNTY. + +Watab _Reveille_, weekly, J. W. Chasanack, editor, established 1850. + +_Free Press_, weekly, A. De Lacy Wood, established 1885. + +In 1854 Jeremiah Russell and George W. Benedict started the Sauk +Rapids _Frontiersman_, and continued the publication three years, when +the _New Era_ made its appearance, published by W. H. Wood assisted by +G. W. Benedict. The _Era_ was afterward merged in the St. Cloud +_Times_. In 1868 G. W. Benedict established the Sauk River _Sentinel_ +which, with a few changes, has continued to the present time. + + +ANOKA COUNTY--ANOKA. + +_Anoka County Union_, weekly, Granville S. Pease, established 1865. + +_Anoka County Herald_, weekly, Alvah Eastman, established. 1865. + + +DAKOTA COUNTY--FARMINGTON. + +_Dakota County Tribune_, weekly, C. P. Carpenter, established 1884. + +Hastings _News_, daily, D. F. Chamberlain, established 1881. + +Hastings _Banner_, weekly, E. D. Barker, established 1865. + +Hastings _Gazette_, weekly, Irving Todd, established 1857. + +Hastings _Bugle Call_, monthly, Chamberlain & Smith, established 1886. + + +GOODHUE COUNTY--CANNON RIVER FALLS. + +_Beacon_, weekly, S. S. Lewis, established 1876. + + +KENYON. + +_Leader_, weekly, U. Curtis, established 1885. + + +PINE ISLAND. + +_Journal_, weekly, Holmes & Ingalls, established 1882. + + +RED WING. + +Red Wing _Republican_, daily, Red Wing Publishing Company, established +1885. + +Red Wing _Advance Sun_, weekly, Red Wing Publishing Company, +established 1884. + +Red Wing _Argus_, weekly, C. L. Davis, established 1864. + + +ZUMBROTA. + +_Independent_, weekly, E. A. Mitchell, established 1875. + +_News_, weekly, Thompson & Bradford, established 1877. + + +WABASHA COUNTY--MAZEPPA. + +_Tribune_, weekly, M. Schrane, established 1877. + + +PLAINVIEW. + +_News_, weekly, Ed. A. Paradis, established 1874. + +_Wabasha County Herald_, weekly, O. F. Collier &.Co., established +1857. + +_Wabasha County Post_, weekly, John P. W. Weller, established 1885. + + +WINONA COUNTY--ST. CHARLES. + +St. Charles _Union_, weekly, J. S. Whitten, established 1877. + +Winona _Republican_, daily and weekly, Sinclair Publishing Company, +established 1855. + +_Adler_, weekly, Adler Publishing Company, established 1873. + +_Herald_, weekly, Boynton & Metcalf, established 1869. + +_Westlicher Herald_, weekly, Joseph Leicht, established 1881. + +_Wiarus_ (Polish), weekly, Wiarus Publishing Company, established +1885. + + +NEWSPAPERS IN WISCONSIN. + + +PIERCE COUNTY--ELLSWORTH. + +_Pierce County Herald_, weekly, Case & Doolittle, established 1868. + +_Ariel_, weekly, John M. Pryse, established 1884. + +_Pierce County Plaindealer_, weekly, E. H. Ives, established 1874. + + +RIVER FALLS. + +_Journal_, weekly, S. B. Merrick. W. S. Fowler, established 1874. + +The first paper named in Prescott was the _Paraclete_, published by C. +E. Young, Feb. 14, 1854. The name was changed in 1855 to the +_Transcript_. In 1857 the _Northwestern Democrat_ was issued by Lusk, +Wise & Bailey. In 1861 Lute A. Taylor moved the River Falls _Journal_ +to Prescott, changing the name to Prescott _Journal_. In 1868 Flint & +Webber purchased the _Journal_. In 1872, after the fire, the River +Falls _Journal_ was revived at River Falls by A. Morse; the office and +material were burned. In 1873 M. B. Kimball issued the Prescott +_Clarion_ and changed the name to _Pierce County Plaindealer_. In 1876 +E. H. Ives became editor and proprietor. + + +ST. CROIX COUNTY--BALDWIN. + +_Bulletin_, weekly, Ferd. Peachman, established 1879. + + +HAMMOND. + +_Hammond Review_, weekly, ---- Frost, established 1886. + + +HUDSON. + +_Star and Times_, weekly, Taylor & Price, established 1855. + +_True Republican_, weekly, Cline & Cogswell, established 1871. + + +NEW RICHMOND. + +_St. Croix Republican_, weekly, Abe C. Van Meter, established 1869. + +The _Voice_, weekly, E. P. Huntington, established 1886. + +The _St. Croix Banner_, the first paper in the St. Croix valley, was +issued Jan. 20, 1850, by Col. and Mrs. James Hughes. It was printed in +the _Pioneer_ office, St. Paul. Saxton & Johnson in the same year +commenced publishing the _St. Croix Enquirer_. These papers were +short-lived. In 1853 U. B. Shaver started the Hudson _Journal_, +afterward edited by Col. Hughes as the Hudson _Republican_. The office +was destroyed by fire and the paper discontinued in 1854. The _Star_ +was established by Dr. Otis Hoyt in 1855, and in the same year U. B. +Shaver established the _Chronicle_. In 1860 these two papers were +purchased by Horace A. Taylor, and consolidated as the _Star and +Times_. + +In 1856 Col. Hughes issued the _Shield and Banner_, which was +succeeded by a campaign paper called the _Pathfinder_. The Hudson +_Democrat_ was established in 1864 by E. O. Jones and discontinued in +1875. The _True Republican_ was established by M. A. Fulton in 1875, +and sold to the present owners in 1886. + + +POLK COUNTY--CLEAR LAKE. + +Clear Lake _Herald_, weekly, A. T. Churchill, established 1884. + +_North Wisconsin News_, weekly, Johnson E. Russell. + + +OSCEOLA MILLS. + +_Polk County Press_, weekly, Charles E. Mears, established 1860. + + +ST. CROIX FALLS. + +_St. Croix Valley Standard_, weekly, George F. Ely, established 1885. + +The _St. Croixian_ was first established at St. Croix in 1860 by John +D. Reymert and Junius Bartlett. S. S. Fifield bought the paper in +1861, and removed it to Osceola, changing the name to _Polk County +Press_. In 1872 C. F. Meara succeeded to the ownership. In 1874 C. C. +Jordan established the _New Era_ at Osceola, but soon discontinued it. +The _Dalles of the St. Croix_ was established at St. Croix Falls in +1881 by D. A. Caneday, and discontinued in 1884. The _Polk County +News_ was established at St. Croix Falls in 1885 by George H. Ely, who +was succeeded by L. A. Ingersoll, who changed the name to _St. Croix +Valley Standard_. + + +BARRON COUNTY--BARRON. + +_Barron County Shield_, weekly, Charles S. Taylor, established 1876. + + +CHETEK. + +_Alert_, weekly, Walter Speed, established 1882. + + +CUMBERLAND. + +_Advocate_, weekly, Cumberland Publishing Company, established 1885. + + +RICE LAKE. + +_Barron County Chronotype_, weekly, P. H. Swift, editor, established +1874. + +_Times_, weekly, Times Publishing Company, established 1883. + + +SAWYER COUNTY--HAYWOOD. + +_North Wisconsin News_, weekly, E. O. Johnson, established 1878. + + +BURNETT COUNTY--GRANTSBURG. + +_Burnett County Sentinel_, weekly, W. A. Talboy, established 1875. + + +ASHLAND COUNTY--ASHLAND. + +Ashland _Press_, weekly and daily, Sam S. Fifield, established 1872. + +Ashland _News_, weekly, John S. Saul, established 1885. + + +GLIDDEN. + +Glidden _Pioneer_, weekly, R. M. Williams, F. A. Healy, established +1884. + + +HURLEY. + +_Montreal River Miner_, weekly, Gowdey & Goodale, established 1885. + + +BAYFIELD COUNTY--BAYFIELD. + +Bayfield _Press_, weekly, Currie G. Bell, established 1868. + + +WASHBURN. + +Washburn _Bee_, weekly, Allan T. Williams, established 1885. + +_Itemizer_, weekly, Bareger Brothers, established 1884. + + +DOUGLAS COUNTY--SUPERIOR. + +Superior _Chronicle_, John C. Wise, established 185-. + +Superior _Times_, Bardon Brothers, established 1870. + +_Inter Ocean_, weekly and daily, Street & Co., established 1881. + +Superior _Sentinel_, M. B. Kimball, established 1888. + +_Sunday Morning Call_, established 1887. + + +WASHBURN COUNTY. + +Shell Lake _Watchman_, William Irle, established 1882. + + +AN ODD CHAPTER IN POLITICAL HISTORY--THE BLACK HAWK WAR. + +Gen. Winfield Scott, when a young man, was stationed at Fort Snelling, +at that day perhaps the remotest outpost of the United States. When +the Black Hawk War was inaugurated some militia from Illinois +proffered their services to aid in conquering the savages. With a view +to mustering them into the service of the United States two +lieutenants were sent by Scott to the then village of Dixon. One of +these was a very fascinating, good-looking, easy-mannered, affable, +and fluent young gentleman. The other equally pleasant, but an +exceedingly modest young man. On the morning when the mustering in was +to take place a tall, gawky, slab-sided, homely young man, dressed in +a suit of home-made blue jeans, presented himself to the two +lieutenants as the captain of the recruits, and was duly sworn in. +This was he who afterward became the president of the United +States--the lamented Lincoln. One of the lieutenants, the modest +youth, was he who fired the first gun from Sumter, Maj. Anderson. The +other, and he who administered the oath, was in after years president +of the southern confederacy, Jefferson Davis. + + +AN EARLY RUNAWAY MATCH. + +We have gleaned from the newspapers the particulars of a love romance +in which Jefferson Davis was the central figure. + +It was down at old Fort Crawford, whose ruins are still to be seen +just south of Prairie du Chien. It was away back in 1834, when +ex-President Zachariah Taylor, then a colonel in the regular army, was +commandant of the post. Jeff. Davis, who was then a young lieutenant, +was assigned to duty under Col. Taylor, and fell in love with his +commander's beautiful daughter. The love making between the young +people was the most natural thing in the world under the +circumstances, but for some reason Col. Taylor had taken the most +intense dislike to the young lieutenant and frowned upon his suit. In +order to prevent his daughter from marrying Davis the grim old warrior +sent her to a convent at Baton Rouge. + +Some months afterward the young lieutenant appeared before Col. Taylor +with a document which required his signature. It was an order from +Gen. Wayne granting a furlough to Davis. Old Zach. understood human +nature well enough to know that when young Davis got his leave of +absence he would take a bee line for Baton Rouge, so he immediately +dispatched his swiftest messenger to bring his daughter home by the +most circuitous route, and thus thwart the young officer, who he knew +would be hurrying to meet her. When Davis returned to Fort Crawford +the coldness between himself and his old commander grew more frigid, +while the young woman pined away in the seclusion of a log hut, where +her father had established his headquarters, until at last she was +released from her imprisonment by her lover, who took her from her +father's roof by stealth and in the night, and taking her across the +river to a spot where a priest was in waiting, they were made man and +wife. + +George Green, an old river man, now eighty years old, who still lives +at Prairie du Chien, is the person who rowed them over the river that +night. He says that Davis took the young woman from an upper window in +the log cabin and by the assistance of the chaplain was able to get +her beyond the picket lines unobserved. Green was at the river bank in +waiting with a canoe and took them to the spot where the marriage +ceremony was performed. He says the young lady cried a good deal +during the voyage across the river, but she leaned her head on the +young lieutenant's bosom in a way that assured him that she was not +altogether unhappy. Soon after the marriage a steamboat from St. Paul +came down the river and by a preconcerted arrangement halted, took the +bridal couple on board and passed on down the Mississippi to Jeff. +Davis' home in the South. + +Gen. Taylor never did forgive Davis for marrying his daughter. He +never spoke to him from that time until the evening after the close of +the battle of Buena Vista. Jeff. Davis had undoubtedly won the battle +with his Mississippi Rifles, and as he lay wounded in his tent that +night Gen. Taylor walked in, extended his hand in friendly greeting +and thanked him for his gallant services. But there was no further +attempt at reconciliation after that. Mrs. Davis did not live long, +and the lady who now presides over Beauvoir is Mr. Davis' second wife. +She was a Miss Howell, of Georgia. + + +DRED SCOTT AT FORT SNELLING. + +The following incident connected with the famous Dred Scott case, +taken from a St. Paul paper of 1887, may prove of interest to the +present generation of readers, few of whom are aware that the +principal personage in the case was a resident of Fort Snelling, or +more exactly speaking, the chattel of an American officer at that +place: + +In the year 1839 the Fifth United States Infantry was stationed on the +Upper Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers, and, although Fort Crawford +(Prarie du Chien) was their headquarters, Fort Snelling was the most +important, it being the only military post north of Prairie du Chien, +between Lake Superior and the Pacific ocean, and far from the +frontier, as the nearest settlement was several hundred miles away. + +During the season of open water the post was reached by boats, and in +the winter by pony or dog trains, but in the spring before the river +was free of floating ice and in the fall before it was frozen, the +inhabitants were almost cut off from civilization, as the place was +considered inaccessible, by all but the hardy voyageur and the +postman, who brought the mail on his back twice a month from Prairie +du Chien. Fort Snelling was the only post office in what is now +Minnesota, Dakota and Montana. + +It was seldom that a stranger made his appearance after the close of +navigation, for the timid did not venture so far from the comforts of +life. During the winter the weather was severe, the houses were not so +comfortable as now, storm windows and furnaces were unthought of, and +stoves were considered luxuries. + +It happened that on a cold, dreary day in the early winter the +quartermaster was distributing stoves, but did not have more than +enough to supply the officers and the married men of the command, and +not all of the latter. The surgeon, Dr. Emerson, a giant in body, +applied for one for his slave, Dred Scott, but was told by Lieut. +McPhail, the quartermaster, who was a man under size, that the darkey +would have to wait until the others were supplied, and it was doubtful +if there were enough for all. The doctor became very much excited and +insinuated that McPhail was lying, whereupon the latter hit the doctor +between the eyes, breaking his spectacles and bruising his nose. +Emerson, very much infuriated, rushed to his quarters, loaded a pair +of huge flintlock pistols, returned to McPhail, who was unarmed, and +without ceremony presented them to the head of the little +quartermaster. He, not liking their looks, sought safety in flight, +and with a speed that showed a good condition of body ran across the +parade ground, followed by the doctor. As they neared McPhail's +company quarters a friend of his, Lieut. Whitall, and a sergeant, +seized firearms and prepared to give their assistance if it was +needed. The commanding officer, Maj. Plympton, armed with a cane, ran +after the doctor, and upon overtaking him put him under arrest. By +this time the occupants of all the quarters had gathered upon the +scene, too excited to feel the cold or think of stoves, and two +parties were quickly formed. The smaller party consisted of the young +men, who, anxious for a fight, insisted that by running McPhail had +brought disgrace upon himself which could be wiped out only by blood. +The other and influential side was composed of men with families, who +knew that in case of illness no other physician could be had except +from Prairie du Chien, and the roads were such that it might be +impossible to get one at all; therefore they urged peace, and after +several days of excitement they were able to unfurl the flag of +triumph. + +The terms of settlement between the belligerents were not made known, +and those who had hoped for a fight felt that the secrecy added +largely to their already heavy disappointment; but the men of peace +wore an expression of relief when they realized that if ill, their +victory would enable them to obtain the immediate services of the +doctor, and that there would not be a repetition of the duel which had +been fought there many years before, the first and last duel ever +fought in Minnesota. Although peace was declared, bitter feelings +which had risen during the strife still lingered in the heads of all +but Dred Scott, the innocent cause of the trouble, who for the first +time in his life became at all conspicuous. Shortly after, however, +his name was as well known, and oftener heard in social, military and +political circles than any other, not only in his own country, but +abroad. He left Fort Snelling with Dr. Emerson, and was afterward in +Missouri, where he was one day whipped, as he had often been before. +But this proved to be the last time the poor fellow intended +submitting as a slave, for immediately after a suit was commenced for +assault and battery, claiming that as he had been in a free territory +he was a free man. His master dying, his widow and daughter defended +the suit, which was decided in their favor two days after the +inauguration of President Buchanan, and Dred Scott was remanded to +slavery. This was considered a great victory for the South, but in +reality was not, for the civilized world became aroused in behalf of +freedom, and public opinion, the higher law, was invoked. Civil war +soon followed; slavery was abolished, and Dred Scott made free. It was +half a century ago that this simple-minded negro lived in slavery in +Hennepin, the historic county of Minnesota. + + +OLD BETZ AND THE ST. PAUL TRIBE OF INDIANS. + +No history of the early days would be complete without mention of the +celebrated and picturesquely homely squaw known as Old Betz and the +tribe to which she belonged. The camp of the latter may still be seen +at South St. Paul to the number of three or four tepees. The Indians +are the descendants of the warriors of Little Crow. They live in +canvas tepees of primitive style, but with the exception of moccasins +and a few Indian trinkets they have conformed somewhat to the costumes +of the civilized people around them. + +The Indians living in this vicinity, says A. L. Larpenteur in the +_Pioneer Press_, represent a remnant of the Minnesota Sioux who were +not taken to the reservation after the massacre of 1861. There may be +nearly a score of families in all, including the inhabitants of the +little Indian village at South St. Paul, the aboriginal residents at +Mendota, and some red men living near Newport. These are mostly +descendants of the members of Little Crow's band. Three or four +families have descended from the famous old squaw known as "Old Betz," +who died at an advanced age only two years ago. At least two of old +Betz's daughters are living. They are very large, fleshy squaws, and +are frequently seen on the streets of St. Paul. When you catch sight +of a big squaw with a heavy pack slung over her shoulders, seated in +some doorway down street panting for breath, you may make up your mind +that it is one of Old Betz's daughters--either Doo-to-win (Scarlet +Female) or Pa-zen-ta-win (Medicine Woman); for such are their names. + +They obtain a livelihood suitable to their lingering aboriginal tastes +and their condition of life, by selling moccasins, ginseng and wild +flowers in their season, and the skins of animals which they hunt or +trap. These skins are chiefly muskrat skins. They bring several +hundred to market in the course of the season. Then the squaws do the +begging, and the great white packs which these dusky females carry +upon their backs as they trudge along the streets of the city are +filled with specked fruit, tainted chickens and meat, dried up +cranberries and other unsalable stuff that the commission men of the +city have kindly bestowed upon them. An Indian is not so particular +about what he eats as a white person. When meat is tainted he boils it +until he gets all the taint out. What remains serves as savory sauce +for the meat. The Indians are intelligent. They don't have much to say +to strangers, but among themselves they are quite sociable, and sit +together by the hour smoking pipes and recounting traditions and +incidents. They are very fond of story telling. They also discuss +topics of interest with a freedom and intelligence worthy of a modern +white man's debating society. "I have sat with them in their lodges by +the hour," says Mr. Larpenteur, "and have been vastly entertained by +their anecdotes and discussions." So it appears that the Indians +hereabout are not so glum and reticent as red men in general are +credited with being. + +There are a great many people in St. Paul who remember Old Betz, and +the stories that were told in relation to her, quite well. She was +said to be one hundred and twenty years old when she died, and, as +there was no evidence to the contrary, and she certainly bore the mark +of great age, this estimate of her years was generally accepted. Mr. +Larpenteur has reason for thinking that her age has been very much +exaggerated. Old Betz told him one day, a short time before her death, +in a confidential way, that when soldiers first came to Fort Snelling +she was still in her teens. That was in 1819, and, therefore, Old Betz +could not have been over eighty-eight when she died. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[F] NOTE.--The Wah-tap--or Wa-tab--empties from the west into the +Mississippi just above Sauk Rapids--H. M. R. + +[G] The rejection of Thomas P. Burnett as a member of the council, by +Gov. Dodge, created great excitement at the time, and the governor was +severely criticised for his action. In making the apportionment the +governor had made Crawford county a district, but had left it without +a representative in the council, although two had been assigned to the +house, the governor claiming that this was equivalent to one in the +senate and one in the house. His action, to say the least, was curious +and unprecedented. + +[H] Jean Brunet was of French extraction. He made the first +manufacturing improvements at Chippewa Falls. + +[I] Alexander McGregor, a Scotchman, built a large hotel in Prairie du +Chien, and located a claim on the western side of the Mississippi +rivers opposite which has become the site of the city of McGregor. In +the third session of the territorial legislature he was elected to +represent the Dubuque district, and charges were preferred against him +of accepting a bribe. Pending the investigation of the charges he +resigned, removed to the east side of the river and was elected to +represent the Crawford district. The ensuing session, the house, by +resolution, declared him unworthy of confidence. + +[J] The loan amendment was approved by Gov. Medary, through his +private secretary, March 9, 1858. The amendment was adopted by the +people April 15, 1858, by a vote of 25,023 to 6,733. The amount of +bonds issued was $2,275,000. The expunging resolution was adopted Nov. +6, 1860, by a popular vote of 19,308 to 710. + +[K] Rev Mr. Webber was born in the state of New York in 1821; was +educated for the ministry ordained and sent to Minnesota as a +missionary by the Calvinistic Baptist church. He came to Stillwater in +1850. He is now a resident of Fleming, Cayuga county, New York. + + + + +ADDENDA. + + +A history of the Northwest that would omit any mention of the war of +the Rebellion would be an unfinished work. It was the original +intention of the author of this work to add a military history in +which should be placed upon record not only some statistics as to the +number of troops contributed to the United States service from the +parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin lying along the Mississippi river, +but some account of incidents connected with the war, which the +citizens of the valley would take pride in perusing. The plan was +abandoned reluctantly on account of the want of space for such a +record. We are able to furnish a synopsis of the military history of +Minnesota taken from a recent address made by ex-Gov. Ramsey before +the Loyal Legion at St. Paul. It is doubly interesting, coming as it +does from the governor of the State during the earlier portion of the +war: + +Ex-Gov. Alexander Ramsey was called upon to respond to the toast, +"Minnesota and the War; For God, Our Country and the Right." He said: + +"Amid the many evidences of harmony and prosperity in all sections of +the great republic it is difficult to realize that the citizens of +Minnesota, within the memory of many still alive, were called upon to +preserve the integrity of the United States of America by the force of +arms. + +"There has ever been a community of interest between our own State, in +whose midst are found the sources of the Mississippi, and the several +states on its borders toward the Gulf of Mexico; the wheat fields of +Minnesota, the cotton and sugar plantations of Mississippi and +Louisiana must be inseparable, yet it can not be disguised that a +short-sighted statesmanship made a vigorous attempt to separate those +whom an all-wise Providence had joined together. + +"In the month of April, 1861, upon official business as governor of +Minnesota, I was called to the city of Washington. The knots of +earnest men and anxious faces in the corridors and reading rooms of +the hotels indicated a widespread belief that there was an impending +peril, a serious conspiracy upon the part of some in the cotton +producing and slave holding states to secede from the Union, although +the general government had never infringed upon their rights under the +constitution. + +"On Saturday night, April 13th, the population of Washington was +deeply moved by the intelligence that Fort Sumter in the harbor of +Charleston had been attacked by insurgents, and that the garrison had +surrendered. + +"Early Sunday morning, accompanied by two citizens of Minnesota, I +visited the war department, and found the secretary with his hat on +and papers in his hand about to leave his office. I said 'My business +is simply as governor of Minnesota to tender a thousand men to defend +the government.' 'Sit down immediately,' he replied, 'and write the +tender you have made, as I am now on my way to the president's +mansion.' + +"This was quickly done, and thus Minnesota became the first to cheer +the president by offers of assistance in the crisis which had arrived. + +"My action and the acceptance of this offer were dispatched to St. +Paul, and in a few days companies in the different towns in Minnesota +were being organized, and on the twenty-seventh of the month Adjt. +Gen. John B. Sanborn issued an order that more companies had been +organized than were necessary to complete the First regiment of +Minnesota, and on the third of May, having returned to St. Paul during +April, I sent a telegram to the president offering a second regiment. + +"On the twenty-first of June the First regiment, under Col. Gorman, +left Fort Snelling, and in one month, on Sunday, the twenty-first of +July, distinguished itself as the advance of Heintzleman's division in +the battle of Bull Run, Virginia. The Second regiment, in command of +Col. H. P. Van Cleve, a graduate of West Point, left Fort Snelling in +October, and on the nineteenth of January was in close conflict with +the enemy near Mill Springs, Kentucky, Gen. Zollicoffer and other +insurgent officers having fallen under their fire. A third regiment, +under Col. H. C. Lester, left the State in November, 1861, and a +fourth regiment, under Col. John B. Sanborn, was soon organized, and +not long after a fifth, under Col. Borgersrode, was formed. In the +spring of 1862, within a few weeks of each other, the last two left +for the seat of war, and were assigned to the Army of the Mississippi, +and before the close of May were, with their comrades of the Second, +in the action at Corinth. + +"But while Minnesota was thus rapidly sending forth her able bodied +men, she was called upon to endure a trial greater than any of her +sister states. On the nineteenth of August there rushed into the +governor's office at the capitol a dusty and exhausted messenger who +had been fifteen hours in the saddle with dispatches from Galbraith, +the Sioux agent, containing the startling intelligence that the Sioux +had risen and were murdering the settlers and plundering and burning +their houses. An hour or two later another messenger arrived from +Forest City with information that the Sioux had also killed many +whites at Acton. It was evident that there was a general uprising, and +that no time was to be lost. + +"I immediately proceeded to Fort Snelling and consulted as to the best +measures to protect our people. Here were only raw recruits, without +arms or clothing, but at length four companies of the Sixth regiment +were organized, and that night sent up the Minnesota river to +Shakopee, and ex-Gov. H. H. Sibley, who had had a long acquaintance +with the Sioux, was placed in command. + +"From that point they were directed to proceed by land. Telegrams were +sent to President Lincoln and the governors of Wisconsin, Iowa, +Illinois, and Michigan relative to the horrible outbreak and asking +for aid. + +"When the troops reached St. Peter they were delayed in moulding balls +to fit their arms and in preparing canister shot. By September +portions of the Third regiment, which had returned to the State, and +the Sixth and Seventh regiments, which had been organized, were in the +field, and on the twenty-third of the month had a battle with the +Indians at Wood lake, Lieut. Col. Marshall, of the Seventh regiment, +your late commander of this legion, leading five companies of his own +and two of the Sixth in a successful charge, clearing a ravine of +hostile savages. + +"Never before in the history of the republic had so many settlers +fallen from Indian barbarity. In ten days in August about eight +hundred white men, women and children were killed, and at least 15,000 +persons fled from the scalping knife to St. Paul and other places of +security. + +"During the summer of 1862 the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Minnesota +regiments of Volunteers were organized. In January, 1863, having been +elected to represent the State in the United States senate, Lieut. +Gov. Swift on and after the tenth of July acted as governor for the +unexpired term, who was succeeded by Gov. Stephen H. Miller, both of +whom, in every way possible, sustained the general government. + +"Minnesota during the war had surely not more than 40,000 citizens +able to bear arms. She furnished eleven regiments of infantry, one of +heavy artillery, three batteries of light artillery, four cavalry +organizations and two companies of sharpshooters, and official returns +show that she contributed 25,000 soldiers in all." + +Mention of George H. Hazzard, of St. Paul, unintentionally omitted +from the body of the work, is appended below. + +[Illustration: GEORGE H. HAZZARD.] + +George H. Hazzard is one of St. Paul's wide awake, energetic young +men. He is a native of the state of New York. He came to the West +when a youth and located in St. Paul in 1859. He has been engaged in +general agencies and real estate, and has served as county +commissioner of Ramsey county and filled other city positions in St. +Paul. He was a member of the Methodist General Conference in New York +City in 1888. He married a daughter of Rev. Benjamin F. Hoyt, of St. +Paul. + + +LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ST. CROIX VALLEY--WISCONSIN SIDE. + +Thirty-eighth Session, 1885--Senators: Hans B. Warner, Joel F. Nason. +House: Thomas Porter, James Johnson, Charles S. Thayer, Frank M. Nye. + +Thirty-ninth Session, 1887--First Biennial Session--Senate: Joel F. +Nason, William A. Rust. House: J. B. Thayer, John A. Murphy, H. L. +Humphrey, James N. McCourt, Charles S. Taylor. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Fifty Years In The Northwest, by +William Henry Carman Folsom + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIFTY YEARS IN THE NORTHWEST *** + +***** This file should be named 36375-8.txt or 36375-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/3/7/36375/ + +Produced by Mark C. Orton, Nathan Gibson, Josephine Paolucci +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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