Class . Rnnic . W ( -2, H ^ WAH-PA-SHA CHIEF OF SIOUX. HISTORY WABASHA COUNTY, TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL MATTER, STATISTICS, ETC. GATHERED FROM MATTER FURNISHED BY IXTERVIEWS WITH OLD SE1TLER&, COUXTY TOWNSHIP AND OTHER RECORDS, AND EXTRACTS FROM FILES OF PAPERS, PAMPHLETS, AND SUCH OTHER SOURCES AS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE. HISTORY OF WmONA COUNTY. CHICAGO: H. H. HILL & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS. 1884. jLl'lGfll % PREFACE. In presenting the history of the County of Wabasha to the public, the editors and pubHshers have had in view the preserva- tion of certain valuable historical fticts and a vast fund of infor- mation which without concentrated effort could never have been obtained, but, with the passing away of the old pioneers, the failure of memory, and the loss of public records and private diaries, would soon have been lost. This locality being com- paratively new, we flatter ourselves that, with the zeal and industry displayed by our general and local historians, we have succeeded in rescuing trom the fading years almost every scrap of history worthy of preservation. Doubtless the work is, in some respects, imperfect; we do not present it as a model liter- ary effort, but in that which goes to make up a valuable book of reference for the present reader and future historian, we assure our patrons that neither money nor pains have been spared in the accomplishment of the work. Perhaps some errors will be found. With treacherous memories, personal, political and sectarian prejudices and preferences to contend against, it would be almost a miracle if no mistakes were made. We hope that even tlfiese defects, which may be found to exist, may be made available in so far as they may provoke discussion and call attention to cor- rections and additions necessary to perfect history. The main part of the work has been done by Messrs. Dr. L. H. Bunnell, Dr. J. M. Cole, Hon. O. M. Lord, Prof. C. A. Morey, Gen. C. H. Berry, Hon. W. H. Hill, P. G. Hubbell, W. S. Messmer, Mrs. H. K. Arnold, lion. S. L. Canij)bell, Dr. Wni. Lincoln, J. X. Murdoch, M. C. Kussell, J. A. Ellis, E. Mathews, Wm. F. Bigelow, A.' J. A. Pollock and Francis Talbot, and we believe that no corps of writers could have been found who could have done the subject more ample justice. We wish in an especial manner to acknow- ledge our obligations to Mr. Francis Talbot, who has been untiring and ever-vigilant in his efforts to make this work a credit to Wabasha county. Foi' many years he has been gathering the facts which constitute a very large part of this work, and when they were needed for the enterprise he generously donated them to the publishers and their agents for this nse. The biographical dej^artment contains the names and private sketches of nearly every person of importance in the county. A few persons, whose sketches we would be pleased to have pre- sented, for various reasons refused or delayed furnishing us with the desired information, and in this matter only we feel that our work is incomplete. However, in most of such cases we have obtained, in regard to the most important persons, gome items, and have woven them into the county or township sketches, so that, as we believe, we cannot be accused of negligence, partiality or prejudice. ILLUSTEATIONS. AVah-pa-sha Frontispiece Joseph Buisson .^ 560 Wm. L. Lincoln 705 Lake Pepin 825 Oliver CRrrxE 881 Eesidence ()f L. Ginthner 948 Lucas Kuehn 958 S. L. Campbell ' 1023 J. G. Chapman (Steamer) 1028 HiESCHY Hall 1059 ■Francis Talbot • . . . 1103 Grain Elevator, Wabasha 1107 St. Felix Church 1143 D. L. Philley 1153 M. C. Russell 1202 Lake City Congregational Church 1229 George Patton ] 247 INDEX. \y PAGE Aboriginal ^61 Adams, J.C 11^^ Adams, W.T 1^00 Affeld,L.&J 1110 Akers, George j^^u A Loyal Indian i-'U Alexander, Ewin ^-^^ Amerland, G. H y^- Amerland, Herman y»U Amsbry, William H 1006 Anderson, John jjo^ Anderson, A. J 114<^ Anderson, W.H 1144 Anding, Fred 1056 Angell, William D Appel, L. W Army Arendt, Philip 1132 1150 670 1163 Arnold, James 1034 Arnold, Charles A 11^7 Arnold, AV. J 980 Asher. John \f^£' A Survivor of Bad Axe l^Ji Bailey, Andrew iOoO Bailey, George y^^ Baldwin, M. A 115^ Baldwin, Jeremiah • • • • liio Banking . ob8, 7/d Bartholome, Nicholas 11 li Bartron,G.R 1208 Barnes, Amos \\^^ Bartlett, J.C llOj Basey, Augustus li^i Baumgarten, Henry jiOg Baustert, Matthias lOd^ Baxter, Williams 1103 Beaty,J.J 969 Befort, WiUiam 1158 Belden, IraW 1138 Bell,S.H 1237 Benson, G.F 117o Bench and Bar 692 Black, Elam 1135 Black, William W 1135 Black, Ralph W 1136 Boatman, William "^'63 Bolton, T. J 1304 Boughton, Benjamin 1047 Bough ton, Orrin E. 1046 Boutelle, Charles H 1049 PAGE Boutelle, Charles M 1049 Bowen, Theodore 1308 Brandt, Philemen 1185 Brant, Henry C 1060 Bricher, John -/o? Bright, A.H 122 Brown, Parley j^i^ Brooks, D.W 1289 Bryant, J W^ 1299 Buckman, John ; lioy Building and Loan Association . . 721 Buisson, Cyprian 937 Buisson, Henry 937 Buisson, Joseph •|'3b Bullock, Richard 1105 Burchard, Rodman J91 Burdett, Frank A 1100 Burdick, F. H 1213 Burkhardt, Henry 10«7 Burman,N.P 1241 Burnham, George H 1017 Burnham, John W lOlo Bush, Jacob 1^95 Butts, James J 1024 Cain, David 103J Calhoun, Lawrence l-yo Campbell, S.L 977 Campbell, W. H 1074 Card, KM 1174 Carlson, Oliver...... 11^ Carpenter, George W. 9^/ Carpenter, Russell W yy^ Carruth, O. P 1062 Carroll, R.C 1164 Carson, Marcus j^^^ Cassidy, W.W 1237 Casper, Anthony i-^* Caswell, Cyrus L ^^^ Caswell, Joseph Chalmers, Gabriel Chapman,R. W Charlev, Augustus ^ Chester Township ^ ^'44 Chinberg,01e ■•• Churches ;;-o., 736, 749, 757, 767, 783, 844 956 1220 1305 1054 1197 94 Clark, William. 1280 Clear, J. H •••• 1207 Cleaveland, William Lord 967 Clemens, Peter 1084 Cliff, Addin Johnson 1035 Cliff, Joseph 1036 Clifford 988 Colbv, ("harles M 1078 Colb'v, Loyal D 1080 Collier, F.J 9G4 Collier, O. F 9(55 Conrad, Frank 1167 Conrad, Paul 1167 Cook, Klnathan 1188 Cook, Garret A 998 Cornwell, E. R 1159 Corn well, Chauncey C 1129 Cornwell, F. J 1172 Corp, Sidney 1166 Corwin, Daniel C 1094 Crane, Charles Fhvood 1153 Crane, Ira 1132 Crarv.C.W 1208 Cratte, David 937 Cratte, Oliver 937 Cronin, David 1006 Cutter, Isaac J 960 Cyclone 901 Dadv, Jerrv 1290 DadV, M. U 1291 Dak', Daniel 1010 Dale, John 1010 Dale, Levi A 1011 Dale, Jacob 1010 Damoude, R. R 1206 Darcv, John 1048 Davis, J. P 1242 Davis, Robert H 962 Davis, William 962 Davison, Daniel 1108 Dawlev, C. G 1023 Day, W. W 961 De Camp, Ira 1294 De Cam]), Lewis 1293 Description 609 Dean, W. W 1104 Dickman, P. (t 966 Dickerman, Dorr 1302 Dieterle, Herman 1109 Dietrich. Joseph 1022 Di.snev, W.J 1024 Disncv, John 1079 Doane, S. 11 1014 Doane, Robert 1014 Doughty, A. B 990 Doughty, J. C 1281 Doughty, Samuel 958 Drinkwalter, R. W 996 Drurv, M. E 1027 Duffus, William 1053 Dugan, E.J 1044 Duncan, (-Jeorge 954 Dwolle, Abner 943 Dwelk;, T. L 944 Early, Charles 1061 Earlv Religious Impression 1279 Early Settlers 1021 Early Times 579 Edholm, A. E 1189 Eichenberger, Rudolph 1029 Elgin 88 Emery, C.C 1193 Emery, James H 1127 Emery, S. M 1231 Enright, J. C 1240 Estes, David Corbin 1038 Evans, J. II 973 Everett, (Jeorge C 1034 Farrar. George 1298 Fatalities 871, 882 Favrow, J. E 1294 Feller, Ezra 1221 Feller, AV. H 1303 Ferris, F 1227 Felton, A. J 1098 Fifield, Ira A 997 Finch, C. E 1203 Finch, Clarence E 1203 Finchi,J. B 1182 Fires 831 Fletcher, John 1005 Fletcher, Lorin J 1005 Florer, Bruce 1185 Ford, E. L 947 Ford, Joseph 946 Ford, Orville D 945 Foreman, William 1090 Forrest, Charles 1066 Foss, R. H 1194 Foster, Alonzo P 992 Foster, Scott A 1026 Fowler, Andrew J. 1083 Fowler, Edw^ard P. C 1020 Fox, Ansel T 1049 Fox, Aaron 1246 Franklin, George B 1022 Freiheit, F 1148 Freiheit, L 1148 French, J. M 1183 Fricke. Julius 1086 Frye, Henry 999 Gage, John 1244 Gardiner, John 1030 Gardam, William 1289 Gates. Stephen K 1165 Gavlord, Albert K 1018 Gaylord, S. H 1031 Gearey, H. R 1157 Gengnagle, Jacob 1124 Gibbs, Oliver 1152 Gibson, Peter 1116 Gill, William 976 Gillett. Harrison 1004 Gill ford Township 792 Oilman, H. W 1301 Ginthner, L 948 9 Glasgow Township 762 Goodenough, J. R 1235 Good Running 1274 Gold Mining 742 Graham, Duncan 935 Grannis, George H 1129 Gray, Alexander 1110 Gray, James 1111 Gray, Robert R 1128 Greenfield Township 877 Greer, A. J 1176 Gregoire, J. B 1173 Gregg, L.M 978 Grove, M. A 1168 Guernsey, Alonzo T 1071 Guptil, E. B 1187 p-,Haessig, Jacob 1127 '-'Hahn, W. J 1311 Hall, Chester 1192 Hall, George R 1050 Hall, Hugh 1142 Hall, Robert 996 Hall, Samuel 1103 Hall, Peter 1215 Hall, G. W 1283 Hallaway, Henry 1189 Hammons, Joseph 1019 Hancock, G. F 1309 Hardy, AV. L 1163 Harrison, James M 997 Hart, Michael 1170 Hassinger, J. C 1153 Hazlett, Silas 1070 Heath, Alpheus W 1045 Heath, Henry C 1046 Hebbeln, George 1114 Helt, W. A 1064 Henry, James 1030 Herman, C.E 1211 Herschy & Son 1058 \ / Herschy, Samuel 1059 '^ Highland Township 913 Hinckley, C. E 1205 Hibner, George 1118 Hobbs, W. H 1174 Hopkins. W. H 1180 Hopkins', E. F 1281 Hornbogen, Charles 981 Horner, J. W 1229 Hostetter, M. S 1186 Howe, George 1099 Howard, L. M 1160 Howat, James 1055 Howat, John 1056 Hubbard, Clarence A 1128 Humphrey, Ira J 1095 Humphrey, Marcus A 1078 Hyde Park Township 952 Hyde, John E 952 Ingalls, D. H 1246 Ingalls, Wm. H 1247 Ingraham, Marcus Morton 1100 Irish war 1271 Jackson, William S 979 Jacobs, William J 1038 Jacobv, M 1193 Janti," William 1097 Jellison, T. S 1212 Jenks, T. T. 1290 Jerry, Francis 950 Jewell, P. A 1291 Jewell & Schmidt 1125 Johns, Martin 1234 Johnson, William A 1099 Johnson, S. J 1180 Judd, George Washington 960 Kellogg 484 Kemp, M. 1169 Kennedy, John 1238 Kennedy, M 973 Kepler, S.S 1086 Killiam, T. B 1228 Kimble, James L 959 Kinsella, :Matthew 9(.8 Kinney, Alvin 970 Kinney, Lucius 1092 Kinney, Wesley 1091 Knights of Honor 719 Knapp, Francis W 1090 Konnig, Clements 1124 Kopp, Jacob Ills Kuehn, Lucas 963 Lake City 816 Lake Pepin 823 Lakey, J.H 1216 Landon & Burchard 1083 Landon, Charles 1096 Langer, Fred 1181 La Rue, Charles 1112 La Rue, George S 1102 Laurence, J. G 1107 Lawrence, Benjamin 949 Lawson, Herman 1043 Lee, Van R 1113 Lead Mining 1273 Legend 596 Ley, Joseph 1238 Leininger, B. F 1181 Lenhart, Lewis Y 1037 Lewis, John H 1058 Lifrige, Nicholas 1183 Lincoln, W. L 1029 Link, John 970 Lont, Elijah 955 Lont, O. S 986 Loucks, F. C 1214 Low, Q. A 1188 Lowe, C. C 1311 Luger, Manufacturing Co 1088 Lunge, Fritz 1314 Mack, J. R 1033 Maiden Rock 571, 825, 711 10 INDEX. iMaire, Tlieodore Majenis, X. J. . . Martin, I Ipnr3^ Martin, John A inn Martin, J. P ]^\\ Martin, J. M it'^^ ^MarslKiU, Andrew '. 1 1 on Marshall, Joseph W ".■.■■■■ 1005 M f'"'Vr, 851>, 897. 1259 Matoer, Thomas ' 1999 Mathews, Aufrustus ' 1130 Mathews,.Lewis B " mn Maxwell, G ^" Maxwell, R. F Maze})pa Township McArthiir.AV. S. McBride, John McCarty, 8. L McCarthy, I'atiick . . McCrackin, William 1033 1138 1054 ( 1068 O'Brien, John O'Brien, Richard.... ::: j^?^ ^^JK^^^f 718,789,-864.1?J^ Odink, M. A One of the Earliest... Oswak'f h''" "^^^•'^'^^^h''^ ^'ounty Paradis' E. A 1181 1272 597 1223 1224 Parkinson. William.' '.". \nh Patton,E.A ' ,VnY 947 1020 726 1110 1093 995 1282 )44 Patton, George Pattqn, G. R. ... Pauselim Pehl, C. A ; Pencille, Orrin . Pepin Brewery . Pepin Township Perkin.s, Elisha . , Perkins, W. E . Philley, D. L. 1004 1000 1002 884 1192 951 1117 647 1156 1007 1134 McDonald, John 1990 l j^,:Uw.' 7,- - 1134 McDonough, Patrick i,)09 p .r l?";.^-.^- •. 1167 McDonongh, Patrick 00, ^J^^^^' 1^^'n.jamin 9,)^ MeDonongh,' Miles.". '.'.'.'. ll^l MoDonough. Thomas ' lor.T McGovern, J. T " fwT Mclnnerv, P. M.... 0^0 McKinney, Wm '.'. 104? McKenzie, D. M " " ins7 Mc3Iillin, James .' 14.^ McMiliin ]]if. Mcxaiian, Walter. :::::: ::;:••• 1040' Meachnm, F. L ^n^, Megers, John '^i Medical Fraternity 700 Megroth, T.H...: ;::■•• k2? ' ]Messer,H.F JiJl xMetzgar, Daniel Miller, J. B... Milligan, F. II. Minneiska Moon, Xel.son. . , Morey, C. A Morey, Royal . . , Mount Pleasant. Mullen, J. H.... Munger, O. B. . . Munro, James iffr Murdoch, J. N.... ni- :\rurray,W.R .' .' .' ^i''' Murray, E. B. . ^~^^' jMurrav. P. B Musty' Peter Myer, Joseph Mvers, A.J Nash, Edward .;.■.■ |n^j Nelson, Oliver Newspapers Norton, A. B. W. . . Norton, A. B. W ... Oak wood Township Pierce, Anson Piers, W. S Pioneers Pioneer Materialt Plainview 1065 1021 940 931 1122 1240 1249 752 1148 1223 945 1227 1215 1056 1221 993 1073 981 935 1278 Plainview Township '..'.'. 1 9^1 Pnetz, Peter .Tyoa Poison, Emric ] It'S Poorhouse "q^ 1313 1075 1151 1013 Porter, Elijah Pope, John F Powers, Lawrence Preble, T. J. 942 925 984 1279 767 Press of Wabasha County' .' .' .' .' " ' 995 Price, George W " '9-0 Pryor, Leonard .".".".' ^a',,> Quigley,C.F loTl Qnigley, M. H otq Qnigley, Michael i^jo Qnigley, Philip .■;;;■■■ }o44 Radebaugh, Namon jn-y- Kadebaugh, Samuel " ' -1 oq^ Kahilly,P.H }S Kay, J. W ^-^'' Raymond, Enos B.. Read, Charles R Read's Landing Reding, Peter Reiland, John ,,„, Reusch,W.E ^90 Richards, F.S '.'.'.'.'..'. 9^9 Richardson, James G 11 SI Robbins, Joseph Parker [' mo-, RobuLson, John JJ Robinson, Samuel Roli", Henry 1177 1061 938 657 1203 1169 141 1060 1063 Rogers, C. F .".'.'.'.'.""■ 19-8 Rogers, James F 1 1"! o Rollins, E. T '.'.'.'.'.'.'. 1297 11 Rose, J. F Rose, J. G Rueckert, F. W Russell, M. C Ryan, P. F Safford, John L Sandford, G.D ..•■ Sandford, J. H Schad, John Schillinc;;, Peter Schmitz, John Schmidt, John Schmidt, Henry Schmidt, J. C Schermuly, John Schools . . .756, 765, 789, 791, 795, Schram, M Selover, Alexander Selover, Peter Seeley, Ira Seeley, F. W Seymour, S. Shaw,F. W Sheldon, J. B Shields, Patrick Sibley, C. H Sibley, J. J Sinclair, C Sigler, A. V Sioux Half-breed Tract Simons, Henry Skillman, Evander Slocum, Fitz Gerald Smith, A. E Smith, M. D Smith, C. W Smith, H.L Smith, H.N Smith, N.B Smith, O.N Smith, S.G -■■ Societies 711, 758, 785 Southworth, A. D Springer, John Stauti; C. C Stauff, C. J Stearns, Ernest Stearns, R. E Stearns, T. P Stevens, H. A Stocker, H. D Stout, Elijah Stout, G. C Stowell, A. D Stowell,F.A. ..^ Stowman, A. AV Stratton, George Strickland, Edward Strickland, Richard Struble, Stephen Stuetzel, Frank 1241 1242 1186 1195 1293 1089 994 668 1055 1240 1026 1119 1126 1079 1171 689 1217 1068 1069 1274 1275 984 949 1048 1095 1157 1012 1081 1018 1255 1185' 1151 1106 1217 1218 1093 1180 1043 1063 1179 1292 859 1171 1149 989 941 974 974 1168 1076 1120 1284 1285 956 , 956 990 . 1102 . 1166 . 1166 . 1159 1191 Sullivan, Florence 1218 Sumner, H. S 1247 Sylvester, G. W 1008 Taber, M. E 1182 Taft, Andrew J 1084 Talbot, Francis 940 Tefft, N. S 982 Tenney,G.AV 1042 Tenney, Jacob 1041 Tibbitts, Abner 1291 Terrell, Henry K 1037 Thompson, Thomas A 985 Thorp, Lymon E 1008 Townsend, L 1057 Tracy, Lawrence 1014 Traditional 570 Treaties 589 Trobec, James 1143 Troutman, Ludwig 982 Ti-yon, Charles f: 1043 Umbreit, Christian 1104 Underwood, J. M 1230 Van Buren, A. D 1219 YanVleit, L. S 1232 Vilas, CD 1288 Wabasha and Vicinity 621 Wabasha Foundry 1162 Wadleigh, T. J . .' 1191 Wagner, J. P 1226 Wahler, Frederick B 1117 Wah pasha 1273 Walker, David 1228 Walker, J. S 1277 Walton, W. S 1189 Warring, William H 1085 Waskey, Alexander 955 Waskey, William 955 Waste, J. P 1225 Watopa Township 1261 Weaver 1266 Wear, John 1248 Wedge, Henry D 1141 Wahrenberg, John H 999 Webster, S. W 1309 Weimar, J. M 1226 Welcome, W. A 1144 Wells, Frank A 1114 West Albanv 777 Whaley, Uriah 1089 White, CO 1307 White, Robert 1115 White, R. N 1306 Whitmore, H.J 1044 Whitmore, L. H 1142 Wilcox, H. C 972 AVilcox, Ozias 1278 AVildes, A. J 1236 Wildes, Ephraim 1236 AVilson, George 1053 Willson,H. P 1276 Winters, F. W 1144 ]2 AVise, Charles ] 233 Witte, William nyi Wood, Thomas 1296 Woodruff, Henry C 1052 Wording. AV. E 1 925 Wright, Rufus C 1307 Wright, William 905 York, E. M 965 Yotta, Jacob 1140 Young, C. F. & Bro [[ 1072 Young, Louis mg Young, J. E 1216 Youngs, Jesse 1012 Zumbro Township 759 Zumbro Township Societies 1267 HISTORY OF WmONA COUNTY. CHAPTER I. ABORIGINAL HISTORY. A HISTORY of the first settlement of Winona county, and es- pecially that of the city of Winona, requires that some notice be given to the Indian tribes that have occupied the territory in which it lies, and of that adjacent, and also that some notice be given to the early efforts of missionaries and explorers to christianize and render the savages obedient to the wants of commerce and of French or English ascendanc3^ The fur trade was the most important ele- ment in the early explorations and settlement of the Northwest, as commerce generally has been in the civilization of the world. The limited S])ace allowed for this subject admits of but slight mention of the authorities drawn upon, but it is imperative that the aid afforded by the researches of the Smithsonian Institute, of Rev, Edward Duffield Neil, and of Judge George Gale, be acknowl- edged. Absolutely nothing is known of the origin of the Indians ; neither the mound-builders, nor the more modern tribes ; and the naturalist is led to ponder over the suggestion ascribed to Yoltaire, ' ' that possibly, in America, while God was creating different spe- cies of flies, he created various species of men." Be that as it may, their differentiations in languages and cus- toms, forming different tribes from rnore original stocks, or sources, have been noticed by writers upon ethnology ; but aside from the knowledge afforded by their various languages and traditions all is doubt and m^'stery. Their traditions, even, are so blended with superstitions and romances that the most critical judgment is re- quired in giving credit to any portion of them ; the more especially to times and distances^ that extend beyond the Indiatn's present capacity to realise. The territory between the lakes and the Missis- 2 18 JIISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. sippi river seems to have been peculiarly fitted by its topography and natural productions for a grand nursery of savage tribes ; and there are evidences still remaining in the languages and traditions of the aboriginal inhabitants of this territory, and in the remains of ancient tumuli, stone and copper implements, to warrant this belief It is ])robable, as claimed by tradition, that some tribe of Algonquin origin was in possession of this vast territory, and were dispossessed by confederated Sioux, whom tradition says came from the New Mexican frontier. The Chippewa names for diiferent local- ities, now corrupted, but familiar to us, warrants this belief, if it does not establish the fact. The Sauks and Min-o-min-ees, both of Chippewa origin, say they were the original owners of the whole territory, but they shed no light upon the origin of the mound- builders. Those people may have been drawn to this territory from the far south in search of copper, which to them, probably, was as the gold of California to modern adventurers, and been expelled again by wars, or have voluntarily abandoned their industrious mode of life to become engrafted into the new nations that were springing up around them. Such industrious people would natu- rally become the prey of more warlike tribes, and the more especially so because of their cranial development, indicating a lack of aggress- ive character. In support of the claim to have been the oldest ot modern tribes to occupy the territory, the Chippewa race mention the names given by their ancestors to prominent localities. For ex- ample, Michigan, a word of Chippewa origin, is derived from Mich- e-gali-ge-gan, meaning the lake country, or "skye bound waters." Wisconsin is from Gy-osh-kon-sing, the name of its principal river, and means the place of little gulls. Chicago is from Gah-che-gah- gong, a place of skunks. Milwaukee is from Mim-wa-ke, meaning hazel-brush land, equivalent to good land, as upon good land only will this shrub grow. The astringent bark was used as a medicinal remedy, and hence the shrub was known as the good shrub by the Indians. Galena was known as Ush-ke-co-man-o-day, the lead town ; Prairie-du-Chien as Ke-go-shook-ah-note, meaning where the fish rest, as in winter they are still known to do. St. Anthony's Falls was called Ke-che-ka-be-gong, a great waterfall ; the Mississippi as Miche-see bee, or Miche-gah-see bee, meaning the great or endless river, or, more literally, the river that runs, everywhere ; and Lake Superior was known as Ke-che-gun-me, or "the great deep." Only ABORIGINAL HISTORY. 1 9 a' few Chippewa names have been given, and those simply to show the familiarity of the Chippewas with characteristics of the various localities named by them and now so familiar to us. It may be added that St. Paul, or its site, was known as Ish-ke-bug-ge, or new leaf, because of the early budding out of the foliage below St. An- thony's. It has been a custom of Indian tribes, as with other primi- tive peoples, to name persons and tribes from peculiarities, from resemblances and from localities. This rule has been followed in naming the separate tribes of the great Algonquin, Iroquois and Dah-ko-tah nations, as well as of those of the Pawnee, Shosh-o-me, Kewis, Yu-mah and Apachee or Atha-pas-can nations. For many years the records of the early Spanish and French explorers were hidden from the researches of modern investigators, but those of Marco-de Mca and of Coronado, have come out at last from their mouldy recesses, and documents that had lain in the archives of France for long years have been copied and published to aid the modern historian. In these records of the early explorers, errors in writing and on maps have been made ; but they are of considerable value to modern research, be- cause of the light they shed upon the explorations of their authors, and upon some Indian traditions concerning them. The Chippewa name for Lake Winnepec is Win-ne-ba-go-shish- ing, the meaning of which is a place of dirty water. The name Win-ne-ba-go was interpreted to mean ''stinking water," and the Indians of the tribe were called by the early French explorers tlie "Stinkards," under the impression that they had come from a place of stinking water. Lake Winnebago, in Wisconsin, was supposed to be that locality, but it may be observed here that the ^i^ater of that lake is not, or was not, before the advent of the white people, impure. Another- reason given for the name was, that they had come from the Western sea or ocean, imagined by the first French ex- plorers to exist in the region of the Mississippi river ; and as the Algonquin name Winnebagoec, for salt and stinking water, was the same, except in accent, their name was supposed by some to desig- nate a people from the Western ocean. The traditions and legends still existing among the Winnebagoes render it probable that they once inhabited the territory adjacent to lake Win-ne-ba-go-shish-ing (modernly called Winnepec), and probably long anterior to the occupancy by the Sioux of the Mille-Lac country, as while acknowl- 20 HISTOKY OF WINONA ('OUNTY. c'dgiriir tlieir relatioiisliij) to the Dah-ko-tali nation, they claim a more ancient lineage. Lieut. Pike refers to the statement of an old Ohip- j)ewa that the Sioux once occupied Leach Lake; and Winnebago sliishing, or the "Dirty Water lake,'' is but twenty-live miles dis- tant from Leach Lake. The Winnebagoes call themselves Ho-chunk-o-rah, meaning *'the deep voiced people." The Dah-ko-tahs call them Ho-tau-kah, full or large voiced people, because of their sonorous voices being conspicuously prominent in their dance and war songs. Many words in Winnebago and Sioux are very similar. Wah-tah is the Sioux word for canoe; watch-er-ah, the Winnebago. Shoon-kah is the Sioux word for dog; shoon-ker-ah, is the Winnebago name. No-pah is nine in Sioux ; Noi)e is the same numeral in Winnebago. Numerous other examples might be given of resemblances in tlieir respective languages, but these will suifice. The Chi))pewa language is wonderfully artistic in construction and rich in sugges- tions ; hence we lind many of their words accepted by other tribes as classic. Manito-ba, God's land, suggests the idea of a God-given country or Indian paradise. Superior in intellectual capacity to most other tribes, their names seem to have been accepted by others as something better than their ovm. It is believed by the writer that in this way, probably, the Chippewa name, Winnebago, was given and accepted by the Ho-chunck-o-rah. The Northeastern Sioux claimed to have owned the Mille Lac counti-y from time immemorial. It seems quite probable that before the "long war," and during some long era of peace, the Winnebagoes may have inhabited the shores of Lake Winnepec, perhaps, while the Sioux were at Leech lake. The Kneesteneau, or Chippewas, would have been their neighbors, and from them the Winnebago may have acquired some of the tastes and habits that have so marked his character. As is still customary with bordering ti-ibes, intermarriages were no doubt of frequent occurrence, and in this way, it is conceivable, that the Dah-ko-tah progenitors of the Winnebagoes may have established themselves among some Chippewa tribes, and their off- spring have been led to accept flag-mat wigwams, deer, fish and water-fowl in lieu of skin tents and buffalo meat. The Sioux language even differs in each band. Probably, soon after the Spanish conquest of Mexico, many of the red rovers of the i)lains, as their traditions tell, left for more northern climes. Tlie inviting ABORIGINAL HISTORY. 21 prairies of Minnesota, with tlieir countless herds of buffalo and elk, would for a time, at least, content the warlike Sioux, who, ].^ro- vided with some of the "big dogs" (horses) of the Spaniards, could roam at will over these bou)idless, beautiful plains. It seems also likely that reports of the more than savage cruelty of the Spaniard had gone out, with accounts of the destructive nature of his "deadly thunder"; and if so, a common dread would have ke])t a superstitious people at peace. Friendly alliances would most naturally have sprung up among border tribes, and in but a few generations old tribes would have been multiplied into new ones, as appears to have been done dur- ing some long era of peace. It is true that the problem may be as readily solved by supposing a state of civil war to have existed, but in that case there still must have been long eras of peace, or the race would have become extinct. Be that as it may, the forests of Minnesota and Wisconsin limited the range of the buiialo in these states, and in doing this determined the character of the nati\e inhabitants. The Sioux soon asserted his savage sway over the whole prairie region west of the Mississippi river, and drove into the forests of Wisconsin his less formidable neighbors. In after years, by com- bined attacks with firearms, he was driven back by those he had dispossessed of their patrimony, and was content to plant himself upon the western shore of liis watery barrier ; keeping as neutral ground, for a time, a strip of territory along the east side of the Mississippi. This region remained neutral but for a short time only, for w^^ find by the accounts of the earliest Fj'ench explorers that the Da- kotah and Algonquin nations were in an almost constant state of warfare when first visited by them, and during the whole time of the French occupation of the territory. The water-courses afforded ready access to the greater part of the region between the lakes and " Great river, " and the dense forests concealed the approach of the wily foes. While the " battle- ground " presented opportunities for a surprise, it was no less ser- viceable for those who waited in ambush. Many a war party of both nations have., been cut off* by a successful ambush, and their people left to mourn and plot new schemes of vengeance. Other tribes suffered by these national animosities, and aban- doned the noted theatres of war for more peaceful localities. 22 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. 'J'lie Wiiinebagoes, according; to their traditions, suffered from the incursions of both nations ; and at tlie time of the first visit of tlie French at Green Bay tliey were found there and on Fox i-iver. living in amity with the rice-eaters, or Min-o-min-nee, and other tribes of Algonquin origin, though known to be closely re- lated to the almost universal enemy, the Sioux. During the summer months the Indians on Fox river appeared sedentary in their habits, living in bark houses and cultivating Indian corn and other products of Indian agriculture, or gathering the wild potatoes and wild rice that, served them for their winter stores of vegetable food. During' seasons of scarcity from frosts, or from disaster, edible nuts and acorns were secured against times of want; and if famine came upon them in their extremity, they supported life by feeding upon the inner bark of the slippery elm, linden and white pine. Those were happy times for the peaceful tribes, and of sorrow for those in enmity with one another. CHAPTER II. EXPLORATIONS. The Minominnees, Pottawattamies and the Foxes occupied the water-courses tributary to Green Bay, while the Winnebagoes and the kindred tribes of lowas, Missouris, Osages, Kansas, Quapaws, Ottoes, Ponkas and Mandans, possessed the country south and west, bordering upon the territory of the Sauks, the Illanois and the Sioux. This territory seems to have been visited by the French as early as 1634, and in 1660 Father Rene Menard went on a mission to Lake Superior, where the furs of that region and of Green Bay had ah'eady begun to attract adventurous Frenchmen. Poor zealous Menard, the first missionary, never returned to civilization ; he was lost in the wilds of a Black river forest, separated in a swamp from his faithful follower and assistant Guerin, and all that was ever known of his fate was inferred from the agony of his companion and the priestly robe and prayer-book of the aged pre- late found years afterward in a Da-ko-tah lodge. In 1 665 Father Claude Allouez, with but six French voyageurs, but with a large number of savages, embarked from Montreal for ABORIGINAL HISTORY. 23 Lake Superior, where he established himself for a time at a place called by the French La Pointe, because of its jutting out into the beautiful bay of Bayfield. Here at once was erected the mission of the Holy Spirit, and the good ofl&ces of the priest tendered to the untutored and savage tribes of that vast wilderness. The peaceful mission of AUouez was soon known among the warring tribes, and Sauks and Foxes, Illani and other distant tribes, sent messengers of peace or curiosity to the "Black Ciown," and he was admitted to their counsels. In turn, "their tales of the noble river on which they dwelt," and which flowed to the south, "interested Allouez, and he became desirous of exploring the territory of his proselytes." Then, too, at the very extremity of the lake, the missionary met the wild and impassioned Sioux, who dwelt to the west of Lake Superior, in a land of prairie, with wild rice for food, and skins of beasts instead of bark for roofs to their cabins, on the bank of the Great river, of which Allouez reported the name to be Mississippi. To Father Allouez belongs the honor of having first given this name to the world. In speaking of the Da-ko-tahs, he says : "These people are, above all others, savage and warlike. * * * They speak a language entirely unknown to us, and the savages about here do not understand them." In 1669 the zealous Marquette succeeded to the mission estab- lished by Allouez, and his writings give a somewhat florid account of Sioux character. He says: "The Nadawessi (the Chippewa name of the Sioux), are«the Iroquois of this country beyond La Pointe, but less faithless, and never attack until attacked. Their language is entirely different from the Huron and Algonquin ; they have many villages, but are widely scattered ; they have very extra^ ordinary customs. * * * All the lake tribes make war upon them, but with small success. They have false oats (wild rice), use little canoes, and keep their word strictly. At that time the Dah-ko-tahs used knives, spears and arrow- heads made of stone. About that time, one band of Dah-ko-tahs were allied to a baud of Chippewas by intermarriage and commer- cial relations, and for a time were living in friendly relations with a band of Huron s, who had fled from the Iroquois of New York. Hostilities breaking out between these people and the Sioux, they joined the people of their tribe at La Pointe. To Nicholas Perrot is due the honor of having first established a trading post on the Mississippi below Lake Pepin, and according 24 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. to Neil's History of Minnesota, Perrot inspired the enterprise of La Salle, who sent Louis Hennepin to explore the Mississippi. Hennepin was iirst to explore the river above the mouth of the Wis- consin, the first to name and describe the falls of St. Anthony, the first to i)resent an engraving of the Falls of Niagara, and it may be added, the first to translate the Winnebago name of Trempealeau Mountain into French. The Winnebagoes call that peculiar mount- ain Hay-me-ah-chaw, which is well rendered in French as the Soak- ing Mountain, as it stands isolated from its fellow peaks entirely surrounded by water. After reaching the Illinois river. La Salle, in 1680, sent Henne- })in on his voyage of discovery, with but two voyageur assistants. After reaching the mouth of the Illinois river he commenced the htizardous ascent of the "Great river," traversed before only by Joliette and Marquette, when they descended from the Wisconsin. Hennepin encountered war-parties of Dah-ko-tahs, and was taken a prisoner by them up the Mississippi to St. Paul, to St. Anthony's Falls, and to Mille Lao. While in the land of the Sioux he met Du Luth, who had come across from Lake Superior. Du Luth obtained the release of Hennepin, and gave him much information of value. Du Luth seems to have been the real dis- coverer of Minnesota. Owing to the war inaugurated against the English by Denon- \ille, in 1687, most of the French left the Mississippi, and concen- trated for defense under Du Luth at Greea Bay. In 1688 Perrot returned to his trading-post below Lake Pepin, and the year following, by proclamation, claiiAed the country for France. In the year 1695 Le Seur built the second post established in Minnesota, on an island not far from Red Wing. During this year Le Seur took with him to Canada the first Dah-ko-tah known to have visited that country. The Indian's name was Tee-os-kah-tay. He unfortunately sickened and died in Mont- real. Le Seur hoped to open the mines known to be on the Mississippi, and went to France for a license. The license to work them was obtained, but Le Seur was captured by the English and taken to England, but was finally released. After overcoming great and renewed opposition, and making one more trip to France, he,. in 1 700, commenced his search for copper, which was said to l)e abundant on the upper Mississippi. EXPLORATIONS. 25 Some time in August of this year he entered Fever or Galena river, whose banks were known to the Indians to contain lead, but Le Seur was the first to mention the existence of those lead mines. After many incidents of interest, Le Seur reached the Blue Earth river, and established himself in a fort about one mile below the mineral deposits, from, which the Dah-ko-tahs obtained their paint lor personal adornment. In 1701 Le Seur took to the French post, on the Gulf of Mexico a large quantity of this mineral, and soon tliereafter sailed lor France. At this time, according to Le Seur's journal, there were seven villages of the Sioux on the east side of tlie Mississippi, and nine on the west. The Wali-pa-sha band was anciently known as the Ona-])e-ton or falling leaf band, and their village of Ke-ox-ah was upon the prairie now occupied by the city of Winona. Keoxa is difficult of translation, but it may be rendered as "-The Homestead," because in the springtime there was here a family reunion to honor the ' dead and invoke their blessings upon the band. The site of Winona was known to the French as La Prairie Aux- Ailes (pronounced O'Zell) or the Wing's prairie, presumably because of its having been occupied by members of Ked Wing's band. The Americans called it Wah-pa-sha's prairie. Under the impression that it drew from Canada its most enter- prising colonists, the French government for some years discour- aged French settlements among the Indians west of Mackanaw ; but very soon the policy of the English in estranging the Foxes and other tribes from the French, compelled a renewal of the licenses that had been canceled by the French authorities. The Foxes had made- an unsuccessful attempt upon the French fort at Detroit (known as Wah-way-oo-tay-nong, or the Wy-an-dotte fort), and smarting under defeat they made an alliance with their old enemies the Dah-ko-tahs. This alliance and the enmity of the Foxes made it unsafe for the French to visit the Mississippi by way of Fox and Wisconsin rivers, and for some years the Sauks and Foxes scalped the French traders, and waged war against their Indian allies. The Foxes were finally overcome by the French in 1714, and, capitulating, they gave six hostages as security for a peaceful treaty to be agreed upon in Montreal. Pemoussa, their greatest warrior, and others sent as hostages, died there of small- pox. One who had recovered with the loss of an eye was sent to 26 HISTORY OF WINONA (lOIINTY. Mackanaw to treat, but he escaped and again stirred up the Indians to revolt. Tlie (3hick-a-saw8 in the south and Dah-ko-talis in tlie nortli made the country exceedingly dangerous to the French. They now became assured that the Englisli were undermining their intiuence with the Indians, for in a dispatch written about 1720 it is stated that the English "■entertain constantly the idea of becoming masters of North Amei^ca.''^ Licenses to traders were once more abundantly issued, and the prohibition against the sale of liquors that had been established by the influence of the pious missionaries was removed. In 1718 Capt. St. Pierre was sent with a small force to reoccupy La Pointe, now Bayiield. The Indians there and at Kce-wee-naw had threatened war against the Foxes. During this year peace was established at Green Bay with the Sauks and Foxes and Winne- bagoes, who had taken part against the French. An endeavor was now made to detach the Dali-ko-tahs from friendly alliances with the Foxes, and to secure a treaty of peace between the Chijipewas and Dah-ko-tahs, with a promise oi renewed trade with them if they remained at peace. To accomplish this purpose, two Frenchmen were sent to the Dah-ko-tahs, but it would appear were not entirely suc- cessful, and wintered among the Menominee and Winnebago Indians on Black river. In order to obtain a strategic pointy it was resolved by the French to build a fort in the Sioux country. On June 10, 17^7, the expedition left Montreal, accompanied by missionaries and traders, and on September 17 of the same year reached their desti- nation on Lake Pepin. A stockade was soon built on the north side near Maiden Rock that inclosed buildings for troops, missionaries and traders. The fort was named " Beauharnois," in honor of the governor of (Canada, and the mission named " St. Michael the Archangel." The commander of this fort was De la Perriere Boucher, noted for his savage brutality and bigotry. This fort was overflowed in 1728 and its site abandoned. According to Sioux tradition, the prairie on which Winona is now situated was also ovei-flowed at that time. During this year a large force of French and Indians left Canada with the intention of destroying the Sauks and Foxes. On August 17 they arrived at the mouth of Fox river. Before the dawn of day an attempt was made to surprise the Sauk village, but they escaped, leaving only four of their people to reward the French for their midnight vigils. A few days Uiter the French ascended the rapid stream to a Winnebago village, but it also was deserted; still EXPLORATIONS. 27 pursuing their search, on the twenty-fifth tliej came to a large Fox village, but that too was abandoned. Orders were now given to advance the command tQ the grand portage of the Wisconsin river; but this move was as fruitless as those which had preceded it, and the expedition returned to Green Bay without results. The Foxes retired to Iowa, and, establishing still closer relations with the lowas and Sioux, were allotted hunting-grounds to which have been at- tached some of their names. The Kick-ah-poos and Masco-tens were allies of the Foxes and their congeners^ the Sauks, and took part with them against the French. In 1736 St. Pierre was in command at Lake Pepin and regarded the Sioux as friendly, but they still remained objects of suspicion to the French Canadian government, as some of them had attacked an expedition under Yeranderie", undertaken at that early period to open a route to the Pacific. In 1741 the Foxes killed some Frenchmen in the territory of the Illinois, and this so aroused the authorities in Canada that they determined, if possible, to overthrow and completely subdue the Foxes. The officer selected for this purpose was the Sieur Moran or Marin, who had once been in command at Fort St. Nicholas near Prairie du Chien. With the cunning of a savage, Marin placed his men in canoes under cover, as if they were merchandise, and when ordered by the Foxes opposite or near the Butte des Morts to land and pay the usual tribute exacted from all traders passing their village, he opened fire upon the assembled multitude and killed indiscrimi- nately men, women and children. Marin had anticipated the Foxes' consternation and flight, and before reaching the village had sent a detachment of his force to cut them off. There was great slaughter and but a remnant of the village escaped. These people were again surprised by Marin and his forces on snowshoes in their winter encampment on the Wisconsin, and were utterly destroyed. The Dah-ko-tahs had during this period been at war with the Chippewas, but in 1746 were induced by the French to make peace. Many of the French voyageurs, and in some few instances French offi- cers even, had taken wives, after the Indian method of marriage, from among the Dah-ko-tahs and other tribes, and by this means their in- fluence was still great among their Indian followers. Yet, English influence had commenced its work, and soon after this period French power seems to have begun to wane. The French, however, still continued to make a struggle for existence, if not supremacy. 28 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. The CLippewas of Lake Superior showed a disposition to aid the f^nglish, and committed a robbery at the Sault St. Marie ; " even the commandant at Mackanaw wa.s exposed to insolence." St. Pierre was sent to the scene of disorder. His judgment and courage was undoubted. St. Pierre seized three murderers and advised that no French traders should come among the Chippewas. While the Indians, secured by the boldness of St. Pierre, were on their way to Quebec under a guard of eight French soldiers, by great cunning and daring they managed to kill or drown their guard, and thougii manacled at the time, they escaped, severing their irons with an axe. " Thus was lost in a great measure the fruit of Sieur St. Pierre's good management "as wrote Galassoniere in 1749. Affairs continued in a disturbed state, and Canada finally became involved in the war with New York and the New England colonies. In the West, affairs were for some time in doubt, but the influence of the Sieur Marin became most p^jwerfnl, and in 1753 he was able ti» restore tranquillity between the PVench, and Indian chiefs assem- bled at Green Bav, CHAPTER in. AMONG THE INDIANS. As the war betw-een the colonies became more desperate, the French officers of experience and distinction were called from the West to aid the Eastern struggle. Legardeur de St. Pierre in 1 755 fell in the battle upfm Lake Champlain, and Marin. Langlade, and others from the West, distinguished themselves as heroes. After the fall of Quebec the Indians of the Northwest readily transferred their alle- giance to the British. In 1761 the English took possession of Green Bay, and trade was once more opened with the Indians. A French trader named Penneshaw was sent by the English into the country fo the Dah-ko-tahs, and in March, 1763, twelve Dahkotah warriors arrived at Green Bay, and offered the English the friendship of their nation. They told the English commandant that if any Indians obstructed the passage of traders to their country, to send them a belt of Wampum as a sign, and '-they would come and cut them off, as all Indians were their slaves or dogs." After this talk they pro- duced a letter from Penneshaw, explaining the object of their visit. AMONG THE INDIANS. 29 In June Penneshaw himself arrived with most welcome news from the land of the Dah-ko-tahs, bringing with him for the commander ot the post a pipe of peace, and a request that English traders be sent to trade with the Sioux of the Mississippi. A tradition still exists among the Sioux that the elder Wah-pa- sha, or, as we might say, Wah-pa-sha the First, was one of the twelve Da-ko-tahs who visited Green Bay. Notwithstanding the English had conquered all the vast territory between the lakes and the Mississippi, and had the prolfered friendship of the Sioux to strengthen their influence with all the other Indian tribes, the lines of trade between the territory of Louisiana and the newly acquired territory of the English were not closely drawn, and French influence was sufticiently potent to send most of the furs and peltries to their post at New Orleans. The cause of Indian prefer- ence for the French may be found in the latters gaiety of character, and their ability to conform to the circumstances that may surround them. The Canadian voyageurs and woodmen displayed a fondness for high colored sashes and moccasins that was pleasing to the bar- baric tastes of the Indian women, and many of them, joining their fortunes and their honors with those of the French, raised children that were taught to reverence and obey them. In addition to the influences extended by these ties of blood, tlie kindness and devotion to their religious faith exhibited by the Catholic missionaries won upon the imaginations of the Indians, and many were won over to a profession of their faith. The tribes which came under their influences looked upon the priests as verita- ble messengers from God, and called them the "good spirits," be- lieving that they were the mediums only ot "good spirits." All Indians are spiritists, believing implicitly that the spirits of departed human beings take an interest in mundane aflairs. The English, in contrast with French management, had a bluti' and arbitrary way of dealing, that, however successful it may have been with eastern tribes, was for a time very distasteful to the Sioux. However, the English learned something in due time by contact with these Indians, and from French politeness ; but some years were required before their success with the Sioux was establislied. For some years the trade seems to have been abandoned west of Mackanaw, to the French. In the yeai* 1766 Jonathan Carver, a native of Connecticut, visited the upper Mississippi, and his reports 30 JIISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. concerning tlie beauty, fertility and reHources of Minnesota aroused some attention to the value of these new possessions. Carver was a man of keen observation and discernment, and some of his predictions regarding the "new northwest," though scoffed at by some at that time, proved almost prophetic. Carver died in England in 1780. After his death, a claim was set up to a large tract of land said to have been given him by the Sioux, and since known as the " Carver tract. " The claim was investigated after the territory came into the pos- session of the United States, but it was found to be untenable. Carver found the Sioux and Cliippewas at war when he arrived among them, and was told that "war had existed among them for forty years." Chippewa and Sioux tradition both make the time much longer. It was supposed by the English that the policy of the French traders fostered war between the Sioux and Chippewa nations. Whether this be true or not, it is certain that French in- fluence continued paramount in the country for some years, but as the French that remained after the transfer of the country to the English were inferior in intelligence to those in authority while the French held possession, we are principally dependant upon Indian and mixed blood tradition for what occurred in this vast territory until after the revolution. Tradition tells us that an Englishman, located near the mouth of the Min-ne-so-ta river, was killed while smoking his pipe, by an Indian named Ix-ka-ta-])e. He was of the M'de-wa-kan-ton-waii band of Dah-ko-tahs. As a result of this unprovoked murder, no other trader would visit this band, which had already been divided by dissensions, and been driven by the Cliippewas from territory formerly occupied east of the Mississippi. In earlier times this decision of the traders would have been disregarde- pearance from " I^a Prairie" was the signal for Cameron, Polette, Dickson and their subordinates to disregard them. Cameron and Dickson wei-e both bold Scotch traders, who seem to have disre- garded all regulations and laws, except those of hospitality and humanity. Cameron died in 1811, and was buried on the Minnesota river. Dickson lived to take an active part in the war of 1812, and have few but his ill deeds spoken of in history. CHAPTER IV. T]{()UBLE8 WITH THE INDIANS. In 1807 it was becoming evident that the various Indian tribes in the Northwest were forming a hostile league against the United States government. In 1809, a Nicholas Jarrot made affidavit tliat English traders were supplying Indians for hostile purposes. Indian runners and envoys from the "Prophet" were visiting the (/hippewas, while Dickson, who was the principal trader in Minne- sota, held the Indians along the waters of the Mississippi subject to his will. Gov. Edwards, of Illinois, reported to the secretary of war that "The opinion of Dickson, the celebrated British trader, is that, in the event of a war with (ireat Britain, all the Indians will be opposed to us, and he hopes to engage them in hostility by making peace between the Sioux and Chippeways, and in having them declare war against us." A principal cause of the great influence of Dick, son was his alliance by man-iage with the noted Dah-ko-tah chief '■Red Thunder," whose sister he had taken as his wife. TROUBLES WITH THE INDIANS. 89 In May, 1812, two Indian coui'iers were arrested in Chicago, supposed to have letters for Dickson. Tlie Indians liad anticipated arrest, or else, for greater security, liad buried their letters until they should resume their journey, and notlung being found upon tlieir persons they were released. A Mr. Frazer was present when the letters were finally delivered to Dickson, who was then at ."the Portage " in Wisconsin, and said the letters conveyed the intelli- gence that the British flag would soon be flying upon the fort at Mackanaw. During this period, Cadotte, Deace and others were collecting the Chippewas of northeastern Minnesota on Lake Superior, and at Green Bay. Black Hawk was given command of the Indian forces to be assembled. Dickson gave him a certificate of authority, a medal and a British flag. Before it was known that M^ar had been declared, the American commandant at Mackanaw was surprised by the land- ing of Bi-itish troops and traders, and a demand for the surrender of the garrison. With the British army came well known traders, prepared with goods to trade under the British flag. An American, taken prisoner at the time, wrote to the Secretary of War : "The persons who commanded the Indians are Robert Dickson, Indian trader ; John Askin, Jr., Indian agent, and his son," both of whom were painted and dressed in savage costume, Neill says : "The next year (1813) Dickson, Renville, and other fur traders, are present with the Kaposia, Wah-pa-sha, and other bands of Dah-ko-tahs, at the siege of Fort Meigs." While Renville was seated, one afternoon, with Wah-pa-sha and the then chief of the Kaposia band, a deputation came to invite them to meet the other allied Indians, with which the chief complied. "Frazer, an old trader in Minnesota, told Renville that the Indians were about to eat an American." * * * "The bravest man of each tribe was urged to step forward and partake." * * * ^ Winnebago was urging a noted Sioux hunter to partake of the horrid feast, when his uncle told him to leave, and addressed the assembled warriors as follows : "My friends, we came here not to eat Ameri- cans, but to wage war against them; that will suffice for us." Trah-pa-sha said: "We thought that you, who live near to white men, were wiser and more refined than we are who live at a distance, but it must indeed be otherwise, if you do such deeds." Col. Dickson sent for the Winnebago who had arranged the intended 40 HISTORY OF WmONA COUNTY. toast and demanded his reason tor doing- so disgusting a deed. His answer sheds no light u])on his motive. The fall of Mackanaw alarmed the- people of the Mississippi valley, and they called loudly for the defense of Prairie-du-Ghien. In May, 1814, Gov. Clark left St. Louis for this purpose, and taking ])Ossession of the old Mackinaw House, found a number of trunks full of papers belonging to Dickson, one of which contained this interesting extract : "Arrived from below, a few Winnebagoes with scalps. Gave them tobacco, six pounds of powder and six pounds of ball." A foi-t was built by the Americans, and named " Shelby." The Mackanaw traders, hearing of this, organized a force under McKay, an old trader, and started in canoes to dispossess the Americans. The British force was guided by Joseph Rolette, Sr., and, land- ing some distance up the Wisconsin river, marclied to the village and demanded its surrender. The foft was untinished and scarcely defensible, but its com- mander, Lieut. Perkins, replied that he would defend it to the last. On July 17 the gunboat, under command of Capt. Yeiser, was attacked by the British and Indians. The boat moved to a com- manding position above, but was soon dislodged by the enemy, who crossed to the island, where they availed themselves of the shelter of trees. The boat was then run a few miles below, but was unable to do much execution. For three days Lieut. Perkins made a brave resistance, but was finally compelled to capitulate, reserving the pri- vate property of his command. After placing his prisoners on parole, the British victor escorted them to one of the gunboats, upon which they had but about a month before come up, and, crestfallen at their discomfiture, they were sent back down the river, pledged not to bear arms until exchanged. Some bloodthirsty savages followed them in canoes, but made no victims. Lieut. Campbell came up from St. Louis about this time with a small force to strengthen the garrison, and, landing at Pock Island, held a conference with Black Hawk at his village near by. Directly after leaving, news came to Black Hawk of the defeat at Prairie-du- Chien. His braves at once started in pursuit of Campbell's com- mand. A severe encounter was incurred, ' the lieutenant was TROUBLES WITH THE INDIANS. 41 wounded and some of his men killed. During the light a boat was captured, and the force was compelled to retreat back to St. Louis. After the capture of Fort Shelly, it was named by the British Fort McKay. In August, 1814, Maj. Zachary Taylor was sent up with a force in gunboats to punish the Indians who had attacked Lieut. (Campbell, but to his astonishment found the British and Indians in possession of Rock Island. Fire was opened upon Taylor from a battery, and the first ball fired passed through a gunboat commanded by Capt. Hempstead. Taylor's boats were all disabled and he was compelled to retreat down the river a short distance for repairs. In that engagement one was killed and eleven wounded. With the Americans who came down to St. Louis after the surrender of Prairie-du-Chien was a "one-eyed Sioux," who had aided in the defense of Capt. Yeiser's gunboat. During the autumn of 1814, in company with another* Sioux of the Kaposia band, he ascended the Missouri to a convenient point above, and, crossing the country, enlisted a number of his people in favor of the Americans. After these professions of friendship, most likely from Sioux nearest St. Louis, he went down to Prairie-du-Chien. Dickson, upon his arrival, asked his business, and snatched from him a bundle, expecting to find letters. The Indian told Dickson that he was from St. Louis, and would give no further information. Dickson confined the Sioux in Fort McKay, and threatened him with death if he did not give information against the Americans. The "one-eyed Sioux" was proof against all threats, and he was finally released. The stubborn savage soon left for a winter sojourn among the river bands, and returning in the spring of 1815 he. soon heard the news of peace having been restored. As tiie British evacuated the fort they set it on fire, with the American flag flying as it had been run up, seeing which, the "one- eyed Sioux" rushed into the burning fort and saved the flag. A medal and a commission were given him by Gov. Clark, which he treasured and exhibited upon frequent occasions, while rehearsing his many exploits. These interesting facts taken from Neill's valuable history, relate 42 JIISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. to Ta-]ui-mie, tlie ''Rising Moose," mentioned by Lieut. Pike in liis journal. He was well known to the writer as the '' one-eyed" medicine chief, or priest, of the Wah-pa-sha band of Sioux, though he seemed equally at home with other bands and with the Winnebagoes, all of whom reverenced him for his bravery and intelligence. His fre- quent boast of having been the only American Sioux during the war of 1812, made liitn quite famous among the American settlers of Winona county, while the pretentious cock of his stove-pipe hat and . the swing of his mysterious medicine-bag and tomahawk-pipe gave him character among his Sioux and Winnebago patrons. His serv- ices were in frequent demand; and even now, in 1882, he is spoken of by the older Indians as a great hunter, a great warrior, and a good ])riest. His more modern name of Tah-my-hay, "the Pike," corrupted into Tom-my-haw by the American settlers, was probably taken by himself as the adopted brother of Lieut. Pike, after an Indian custom. His Winnebago name of Na-zee-kah, an interpreta- tion of his Sioux name, shows clearly that he was known as "The Pike." In regard to the " Tomahawk," that so mystified Dr. Foster, whose interesting and 'elaborate article is quoted from by Neill, it appears probable, allowing something to imagination, that the father of Lieut. Pike had a tomahawk, the head and handle of which formed a pipe, and that Lieut. Pike had taken it with him on his mission to the Sioux and (^hipi)ewas as a calumet oi- pipe of ])eace. That, meeting with and forming a close tie of friendship with Ta-ha-mie, the " Rising Moose," he gave him a memento of his everlasting friendship, in peace or war, by presenting the "pipe tomahawk," in such common use along the Canadian border in early days. The writer's memory was in fault as to the certainty of its being Tah-my-hay who, of all the Sioux, was so expert h\ the use of the tomahawk, but R. F. Nor- ton, a merchant of Homer, Minnesota, comes to his aid by relating the following incident : During the early days, said Norton, my brother, the doctor, and myself, were listening to an old dragoon settler's account of his skill and prowess with the sabre. Flourishing a stick, he told how easy it was to defend himself against the assault of lance or bayonet. Tom-my-haw happened to be present, and understanding more than the valorous cavalryman supposed, or, as proved agree- able, asked the white warrior to strike him with his stick. This tlie dragoon declined to do, but, being urged, he made a demon- TROUBLES WITH THE USTDIANS. 43 stration as if intending to strike, when, with a movement of Tom-my-haw's tomahawk, the stick was caught, and whirled to a safe distance. Norton described the tomah.awk as a combined hatchet and pipe. In his youth, Tom-my-hay was a noted liunter, aiid after the disruption of the Me-day-wa-kant-wan band, joined Red Wing's subdivision, and afterward that of Wah-pa-sha. He told the writer that during one of his hunts, while following the game into a dense Tamarach thicket, a sharp, dry twig entered one eye and destroyed its sight. The vanity of Tah-my-hay was something remarkable, but his devotion to the Americans was vouched for by his tribe. After the war had closed. Little Crow and Wah-pa-sha, by request of the British command, made a long journey, in canoes, to Drummond's Island, in Lake Huron. After lauding their valor, and thanking them in the name of his king, the officer laid some few presents before them as a reward for their meritorious services. The paltry presents so aroused the indignation of Wah-pa-sha, that he addressed the English officer, as appears in Neill's History of Minnesota, as follows : "My Father, what is this I see before me? A few knives and blankets ! Is this all you promised at the beginning of the war? Where are those promises you made at Michilimackinac, and sent to our villages on the Mississippi? You told us you would never let fall the hatchet until the Americans were driven beyond the mountains ; that our British father would never make peace with- out consulting his red children. Has that come to pass ? We never knew of this peace. We are told it was made by our Great Ffither beyond the water, without' the knowledge of his war-chiefs ; that it is your duty to obey his orders. What is this to us ? Will these paltry presents pay for the men we have lost, both in the battle and in the war? Will they soothe the feelings of our friends? Will they make good your promises to us ? " "For myself, I am an old man. I have lived long, and always found means of subsistence, and I can do so still ! " Little Crow, with vehemence, said : "After we have fought for you, endured many hardships, lost some of our people, and awak- ened the vengeance of our powerful neighbors, you make a peace for yourselves, and leave us to obtain such terms as we can. You no longer need our services, and offer these goods as a compen- sation for having deserted us. But no ! We will not take them ; 44 HISTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY. we hold them and yourselves in ecjual contem])t." So saying, he spurned the ])resents with his foot, and walked away. The treaty that soon followed at Portage-des-Sioux, won over to the United States the fealty of the Dah-ko-tahs, of Minnesota, and the disgust expressed by ''Little Crow" and Wah-pa slia on their return to their peo})le, for a time, at least, rendered any further serious ditiiculty with them improbable. A period has now been reached in the early exploration and occupation of the territory of the Dah-ko-tahs, when the traditions relating to that era have been merged in the experiences of the writer. It is not merely tlie vanity of self-asserfion that induces him to give his own personal experiences in early pioneer life, but, to connect the past, with the present mode of life in Minnesota, he thinks, may give a clearer impression of the character of the early pioneers than has generally hitherto obtained. The writer's father. Dr. Bradly Bunnell, was born in New London, Conneticut, in about 1781, and his mother, Charlotte Houghton, was bom in Windsor, Vermont, in about 1785. Soon after their marriage they came to Albany, New York, where the eldest sister of the writer was born, and where also was born her husband, Stephen Van Rensselaer. From Albany his parents moved to Homer, New York, where the eldest son, Willard Bradly Bunnell, was born in 1814. Ten years later, 1824, the writer was born in Rochester, New York. While living in that beautiful city, his father conceived the idea of visiting the Territory of Michigan, and in 1828 went to Detroit. The writer is made sure of the time, by the date of a diploma of his father's membership in the Detroit Medical Society, signed by Stephen C. Henry, president, and R. S. Rice, secretary, and other papers in his possession. In the autumn of 1831, Bradley Bunnell started for Detroit, with the intention of establishing himself in the practice of his profession, but, delayed by the inclemency of the season, and lack of secure transportation, was induced to open an office in Buftalo. His practice grew into importance, and during the season of cholera, 1832, the calls for his services to relieve the distressed and dying were almost constant. Tlie writer had an attack of Asiatic cholera, and passed into what was supposed by consulting physicians to be a collapsed stage of the disease, but the heroic treatment decided upon caused a rally of TROUBLES WITH THE INDIANS. 45 the vital forces, and the grim enemy was routed. Although but eight years old at the time of the Black Hawk war, that event, and incidents connected with it, he distinctly remembers. The passage through Buffalo of United States troops on their way to the scene of conflict made a vivid impression that years have failed to eradi- cate. In 1833 it was thought advisable by the writer's father to move up to Detroit, but meeting with what he thought a better opportunity to establish himself, after a short delay at Detroit, con- tinued on up to Saginaw. There he purchased forty acres of land, that now forms part of that flourishing city. He also bought forty acres that forms the site of Carrolton. Soon dissatisfied with his purchase, and the felicity afforded by howling wolves and croaking bullfrogs in their gambols and songs of love, he left in the sweet spring-time for metropolitan life in the French village of Detroit. His family, on the score of economy, and most likely for want of ready funds, were left in Saginaw to care for the household goods and garden, and the children to cultivate their unfolding intellects at a country school. The writer was called "Pet" by his mother, and was allowed to run at large with Chippewa children (whose tongue was soon acquired), visit their camps, sugar-groves, hunt, fish, swim, skate and fight, to his unbounded satisfaction. His pride was to excel his dusky competitors in all things, and this was soon accom- ])lished, to the admiration of an old Chippewa warrior instructor by his killing two immense bald eagles at the age of eleven. The writer was not then aware of the importance Indians attach to the killing of an eagle. His mother soon became satisfied that her "Pet" was learning more of the camp than the school, more of the hi-yah, of Indian music, than of that taught by his sisters. After a few written notes received from his teacher (confidential), and a vain attempt to take all of "his hide off," after the most approved methods of that '''■good old time''\%). It was thought best, upon one of his father's periodical visits, to place the writer in a Detroit "classical school." At about the age (»f twelve the misguided boy was placed in the Latin school of Mr. O'Brien, of Detroit, who has for many years taught the young ideas "to shoot," fitting many young men with preparatory instruction for useful lives. Mr, O'Brien had been educated for the Catholic priesthood, but discovering some peculi- arity in his character (it was thought to be his temper) un suited to so sacred an ofiice, he opened his Latin school in Detroit. 46 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. Tliere can be no doubt of tlie masterly ability of O'Brien as a teacher ; but his method was the old one he learned in his bible, to "spare not the rod !" So, after a very short term at that school, receiving in tlie meantime a few exty^a lessons in tlie manly art ot sdf-defense^ the writer one day with a ty-yah ! left the school and his books never to return. A new method was then tried with the young savage, and his experiences at the "]>acon Select or High School," of Detroit, are cherished in grateful memory. The writer made rapid progress toward the goal of his ambition, a liberal educatiim, but the "wild- cat mania" had seized upon his father, and as a consequence of losses, sickness and deaths in his family, the boy aspirant had to be made self-supporting. He was ])laced in the drug store of Benjamin T. Le Britton, opposite Ben Woodworth's hotel, where he boarded for a time upon his arrival in Detroit, and with that kind and upright gentleman, and his successor in business, he remained until the fires that raged in the wooden buildings of that period had destroyed them. Before the destruction of the 'American or Wale's Hotel by fire the writer was boarded at that house by his employer, and while there remembers that Henry R Schoolcraft boarded there also for some considerable time, engaged, probably, upon his Indian works. A Chippewa maiden in attendance upon his invalid wife (who was of mixed blood), though shy, seemed pleased when spoken to in (yhippewa, which, boy like, the wiiter would do. For a time, at intervals, though young for the work, he was sent by his employer to take orders and make collections in Ohio, Ken- tucky and Virginia. It was now thought advisable to engage the writer in the study of medicine. This was distasteful to him, but finally, with his ex- perience as a druggist to build on, in 1840 he went into his father's office in Detroit, and in winter, for want of other resources, attjended private clinics and demonstrations. The reading and confinement involved was too great a change from his former and accustomed habits, but nevertheless, in order not to disappoint the fond expectations of his parents, he worked against his inclinations. He had continued his studies, more or less regularly, when a most welcome letter from his brother, Willard B. JUmnell, decided him, in the spring of 1842, to go to Bay-du-Noquet, where Willard was engaged in the fur trade. CHAPTER V. PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS. A POINT has now been reached in this paper where it will be more convenient to use the pronoun of the first person singular, and accordingly I will say that my recollections of the passage of Gen. S'cott and his troops up the lakes, in 1832 ; my intimacy with Indians, annually renewed by their visits to Detroit and Maiden, Canada, to receive payments ; my acquaintance with all the old-time French fur traders and their offspring, at Detroit, and of the traditions told me by the Snelling boys of their father and their grandfather. Col. Snelling, all conspired to imbue me with a romantic idea of ''going out West " into the Indian territory that has never yet been realized. At my father's table I had heard Col. Boyer, the Indian agent at Green Bay, speak in glowing terms of that beautiful sheet of water and its rock-bound islands and harbors ; and I had also heard the Williams, of Pontiac and Saginaw, as well as my mother's cousin. Dr. Houghton,^ speak in my presence of Indian traditions relating to silver and copper mines upon Lake Superior. I asked myself then, with boyish fancies, why I could not find one. My dream of the conquest of fortune was at first rather rudely dispelled upon my arrival at my brother's house, but upon mature reflection I decided not to return to Detroit. I found my brother in very poor health and about to move to the upper Mississippi. The climate of this lovely region, even at that early flay, was extolled by the fur traders for its salubrity, and for persons sufiering from any form of lung disease it was thought to be almost a specific. Exposures and excesses frequently incident to frontier life had left their marks upon Willard, and I at once decided to aid in his removal to a dryer atmosphere. Will bought of the Chippewas and fitted out two of their largest bark canoes, and after selling to Mr. Lacy, of Green Bay, all of his stock of furs, and loading his sloop, "The Rodolph," with choice maple sugar, he closed out the remnant of his winter •stock of goods to the Indians encamped on the shores of Green Bay, taking in payment their choicest furs and peltries. 48 JIISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. Upon his arrival at the city oi Green Bay all of the purcliases made from the Indians were disposed of at enormous profits, includ- ing one oi the bark canoes, capable of carrying about four thousand pounds. The other canoe Will loaded with the lighter fabrics of his trade, and, after a few days' delay in procuring a s\iitable pilot, or guide, started up through the rapids of Fox river. My brother was accom])anied by his wife, 7iee Matilda Des- noyer, who was of the old French stock of Desnoyers, myself, a voyager, and an old Menominee Indian pilot, who spoke Chippewa w(?ll, and said he belonged to the band of Osh-kosh. The Indian went with us only to the head of the rapids, or foot of Lake Winne- bago, as agreed upon, but gave us so clear a description of the route to be followed to Fort Winnebago, that we reached that ancient portage without assistance or difficult3\ At the Buttes du Mort (the mounds of the dead), we found a most intelligent mixed-blood trader, named Grignon, a descendant of the celebrated Fi-ench officer Langlade, who offered us generous hospitality and inducements to remain with him. I think that the maiden name of my brother's wife, Desnoyer, influenced the old trader upon its incidentally becoming known to him, for he spoke in the highest terms of the Desnoyer family as personal friends of his in troubled times. Grignon told us that "the mounds of the dead " had no relation to the battle with the Fox Indians, fought on the opposite side of the stream, but were ancient tumuli, oi which none but the most vague traditions existed. After a day's rest, we pushed on up through the intricate wind- ings of Fox river. We were not very heavily loaded, our cargo consisting for the most part of calicoes, red, green and blue cloths, blankets, cutlery, beads, and other baubles, so that upon the whole our trip was a very pleasant one: Some of the Winnebagoes encountered on the way were at first inclined to be somewhat surly, and demurred to the ])rices fixed upon the goods, and no doubt our firm and non- chalant demeanor was all that jjrevented an attack from one encamp- ment, where it was intimated a tribute would be acceptable. This intimation angered my brother, and in a choice vocabulary of hhink Chippewa, which their association with the Menominees of (ireen Bay enabled them to understand, Will ])()ured into their unwilling ears sounds that utterly silenced them. The Ilo-chunk-o-raws, or "Sweet Singers," as some translate their name, changed their PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS. 49 tune and brought out their remaining fars, and would have loaded our frail bark at our own prices, to the top of the gunnels. Willard expected to sell the furs collected on this journey at Fort Winnebago, but failed to do so, as the enterprising trader and commercial traveler of the St. Louis, or Choteau Company, had already made his annual rounds, and had started for Prairie Du Chien. However, by some unexpected delay, we met La 'bath after we had started from the Portage, and were assured of a sale at "La Prairie." At the Portage, oui- canoe and its bulky cargo were transported by wagon to the Wisconsin, down which, after having been "pocketed" a few times in misleading channels, we journeyed tri- umphantly. At Prairie Du Chien, we met Charles Le Grave, a merchant, whose family I had known in Detroit, and also the trader La 'bath, both of whom were willing to purchase our furs, but at reduced rates. 'We did not quite realize expectations in the final sale of our Indian commodities, for the season had too far advanced for the profitable sale of furs. Consulting with Le Grave, after a long conversation with La 'bath regarding the upper Mississippi, we took their advice and decided to go to the "Soaking Mountain," known now as Trempealeau. We were told that in the near future the site of the village would be the emporium of trade, and we were assured of a hearty welcome from a hospitable Kentucky pioneer named Reed. By the treaty of J^ovember 1, 1837, the Sioux and the Winnebagoes mixed bloods ceded to the United States all their territory on the east side of the Mississippi, and it was supposed by the old traders that town sites would become of great value. Francis La'bath, though a half- breed Sioux, had the energy, if not the business capacity, of a railroad magnate, and as a trader and collector of furs for the American Fur Company, he had become familiar with the Indian territory of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers. In addition to his trips of purchase for the fur company he had personal interests to supervise, for he had established small posts and wood-yards at several points for trade on the Mississippi between Prairie du Chien and Lake Pepin. La'bath's first post was at the head of the "Battle Slough," where Black Hawk was defeated, and it was generally managed ty La'bath in person. He had another 50 iriSTOHY OF WINONA COUNTY* small post on the east side of the river, about three miles below La Crosse, that commanded the trade of Root river and vicinity and was an important winter post. Root river was known to the Winne- bagoes as Cah-lie-o-mon-ah, or Crow river, and not the Cah-he-rah, or Menominee river, as stated by some writers. The Sioux also called Root river Cah-hay Wat-])ali, because of the nesting of crows in the large trees of its bottom lands. In the winter of 1838-9 James Douville and Antoine Reed (Canadians) established them- selves at Tremjiealeau in the interest of La'bath, but more to hold the town site than for the purposes of trading with the Indians. A wood-yard was established on the head of the island opposite Trem- pealeau, and some land cultivated by Douville, but nothing of con- sequence done to induce a settlement at Jrempealeau. La'bath was a cousin of the last chief Wah-pa-sha, and as a half-breed was allowed to establish himself where white men were prohibited from settling. In accordance with La'bath's privileges he was interested in the half-breed tract at what is now Wabasha, and had petty posts estab- lished at every point where trade might be secured. At or near what is now Minnesota City, on the Rolling Stone, Labeth placed his nephew, Joseph Bonette, to trade with the Wah-pa-sha band, and abandoning his lower ])Osts, established one a few miles below the mouth of White-water, at a point known as the Bald Blulf. This post was known to the Winnebagoes as Nees-skas-hay-kay-roh, or White- water Bluff, while his Rolling Stone post was called Nees-skas-hone- none-nig-ger-ah, or Little White-water. The Sioux name for White- water is Minne-ska, and for Rolling Stone E-om-bo-dot-tah. Wat-pah, a river or ci-eek, is sometimes added, though not often, as the creek, like many words in Indian, is to be understood. It should be understood that most of the petty posts established on Indian terri- tory were temporary huts of logs for winter quarters, occupied and again abandoned when no longer serviceable to an ever-changing trade. ' A short time previous to the breaking out of the Black Hawk war, a war-party of Sauks attacked an encamjjment of Dah-ko-tahs on Money creek. The young daughter of the Sioux war-chief Wah-kon-de-o-tah was captured and was being hurried from the camp, when her cries were heard by her father. AVith a spirit worthy of his name he rushed through the rear guard of the foe, and with his own war-club alone brained three of those who had opposed the rescue of his child. At the sound of his war-whoop his braves PERSONAL EECOLLECTIONS. 53 instantly came to liis support, and few of the Saiiks were left to tell of tlieir defeat. This attack, though so bravely repulsed, alarmed the Wah-pa-sha band, and after the fight they made their principal encampment in Wisconsin, near the Trempealeau mountain, until after the treaty of 1837. Their spring gatherings and dances were still held, however, at Keoxa. This statement was recently given me by a half-blood Sioux and Winnebago relative of Wah-pa-sha, who was in the fight of over fifty years ago on Money creek. This statement is confirmed by the Grignons, who inform me that their uncle La Bath vacated many petty posts when threatened, and reoccupied them again when the supposed danger was past. The post at the Rolling Stone was finally abandoned in about 1840. Joseph Borrette, who was then in charge of La Bath's trading post, built a small cabin near the site of the Green Bay elevator, at East Moor, which served as a winter post until about 1843, when it too was abandoned. During the winter of 1842-3 I attended a pay- ment held in the oak grove below where the elevator now stands, and which, I think, proved to be the last one made individually to the Wa-pa-sha band. Mr, Dousman and others from Prairie du Chien were present to look after their interests, but with all their sagacity and experience there were transient traders enough with "spirit water" to gobble up a liberal share of the five-franc pieces then paid the Indians, to the no small disgust of the agent. All after-payments were either paid in goods, or if iji coin, the payment was paid in bulk at Fort Snelling. La Bath's relationship to Wah- pa-sha gave him great personal influence, and by his advice James Reed was selected and appointed as their farmer and storekeeper. Soon after Reed's appointment he employed Alexander Chienvere, a son-in-law, to break fifteen acres of land at the Gilmore valley for the band, and Charles H. Perkins, who married Miss Farnam, Reed's stepdaughter, was soon after employed to break ten acres more for Wah-pa-sha on the east side of Burns' creek, on what is now Miss Maggie Burns' farm. When that work was done the chief declared himself well satisfied, and sent, the workmen back to Reed. La Bath himself was employed by the fur company for a number of years, but his nephew, Joseph Borrette, kept up the trade of his uncle, with varying success, until about 1844, when all of the petty posts were abandoned. Those old cabins served as stopping-places in winter for the old mail-carriers, Lewis Stram, Baptist and Alex. Chienvere, and others, and the one ^ on the Prairie island above 4 54 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. Winona was occupied by old Goulali, a French Canadian, who liad been for some years in the service of La Bath, but, growing too old for journeyings in the wilderness, was placed in charge of a wood- yard established by La Bath on the island above the Wah-ma-dee bluffs, now Fountain City. But to return. We renewed our sup- plies of provisions and left "La Prairie" buoyant with hope, a south wind wafting our harh up the Me-ze-see-bee, or great river, of the Chippewas. We arrived at La Crosse in the delightful month of June, 1842, and were received by the trading firm of Myrick & Mil- ler in a very courteous manner. They then occupied a mere shanty or small log cabin, but were at work upon the foundation of what afterward grew to a house of fair dimensions, though the archi- tecture was somewhat of the composite order. To their original structure they afterward added a hewn block-house, Indian room, and frame addition, and this building, a warehouse, stable, and other outbuildings belonging to the firm, formed the nuclfei of La Crosse. There has been some discussion between Mr. Nathan Myrick, of the old firm of Myrick & Miller, relatiiig to the first settlement of La Crosse ; and while I concede the possibility of a house having been erected on the prairie before that of Mr. Myrick's was built, I do not believe it, as no evidence of the fact was seen, or the event talked of, by any of the old traders. On the contrary, Keed, who as a soldier had camped on the prairie some years before 1842, spoke of Myrick & Miller as the pioneer settlers of La Crosse. Even though a small cabin had been built before Myrick's arrival, running fires or government steamboats, the crews of which had to provide wood while on their voyages, would have removed every vestige of the fact of the building's previous existence ; and besides this, until the ratification of the treaty of November, 1837, the Winnebago Indians would allow no permanent settlement upon their domain east of the Mississippi without a special arrangement with them. Upon landing at La Crosse, Miller was especially hospitable, and offered to wager us "theskoots" that we would not find another such a chance for settlement as La Crosse afforded, and urged us to remain and lielj) build u[) a city. We were not tlien very favorably impressed with the advantages claimed for La Crosse, but thanked Miller for his courtesy and interest in our behalf. Finding us firm in our purpose of visiting the "Rattlesnake hills," as he and Dous- man called the Trem])ealeau bluffs, he volunteered to aid us in PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS. 65 locating a claim, and to break up sufficient ground for a potato-patch should we return after seeing how immense tlie rattlesnakes were up at "Jim Reed's town." Miller was a man of most generous impulses and strong attach- ment, but crosses rendered him as stubborn as resistance itself, and this quality subsequently marred his happiness. After renewed assurances of good fellowship between Willard and Miller, mellowed, no doubt, by a few private interviews, we continued on up the broad river, resting in the shade of the forest- ■clad bluffs, while our light canoe ploughed its course at their base, or stopping at other times where a gushing crystal fountain invited us to blend its limpid waters with our midday lunch. The Eagle's Nest (tlie remains of which may still be seen), now known as the ' ' Queen Bluff, " because of its surpassing beauty and perpendicular height, had living occupants, as we were informed, that had held possession for manj^ years before. Subsequently they were dispossessed by Reed and some of his Dah-ko-tah friends to celebrate a war-dance. At Catlin's Rocks, now Richmond, we found the red paint discernible that marked Catlin's name; and had it been used to paint one of his savage chiefs, it would have ren- dered the canvas more imperishable than the rocks that still bear his name. The wind rising up for a vesper breeze, we put on all sail, and in a short lialf-hour's run landed at Trempealeau. James Reed, his son-in-law, James Dauville, Josej^h Borrette, and others of the family, came down to the river bank to greet us, and after explaining our purpose in coming, and presenting a letter from Le Grave, Reed invited us to his house, and soon' had his whole household interested in our welfare. We were invited to supper, and the manner in which it was done precluded a declina- tion of the hospitality. We retired early, but not until a sheltered place for a winter home had been suggested for us by Reed. Reed was at our camp early next morning, and leading the way to a most refreshing spring in a little valley above the present site of the village, Willard selected it for a temporary residence, until, as he said, he should be able to learn something of the country. We asked Reed in reference to danger from rattlesnakes, and were told that, to annoy him, or retaliate for disparaging remarks he had made about a miserably poor dog having been used in naming the *'Dog Prairie" (Prairie du Chien), Dousman had retorted by calling 56 iiisToiiY OF wiNOisrA consmL". liis Trempeleau vilhige site "The Eattle-Snake Hills"; and the worst part of it is, said Keed, "he directs all his letters by steam- boat in that way, and nervous people will scarcely land." It was evident to both Willard and myself that Dousman's name was not entirely a liction, and we adroitly retiiraed to the subject. Eeed finally confessed that though he had been there but two years, having established himself in 1840, he had seen quite a number of rattlesnakes; but his hogs, he said, wei-e fast extei-minating them, and he hoped they would soon disappear, for, said he, "old hunter as I am, / stej) high in going through the ferns and grasses of the hluffs.'''' The Winnebago name of the localit}^, Wa-kon-ne-shau- ali-ga, means the place of rattlesnakes on the river. We were told by Reed that it was the westernmost peak of the range that was called by Hennepin La Montaigne, qui Trompe-a L'eau, and that the name was a translation (probably understood by signs) of the Winnebago name of Hay-nee-ah-chaw, which signified about the same thing, that is, that the mountain was "getting pretty wet." The Sioux called the mountain Pah-ha-dah, "The Moved Moun- tain." La Crosse was so named by the French, because during peaceful eras the most athletic of the Indian tribes in the surround- ing country assembled to play Indian shinny-ball, called Wah-hin- hin-ah, staking horses, blankets, wampum, and sometimes even their squaw slaves, on the issues of their national game. The lower end of the prairie, near Michel's brewery, was the place of assembly; but the game of ball was so common among all Indians, that the name of their game was never given to a locality. At one time, along the foot of the bluffs, back of the sandy portion of the prairie, within the memory even of white settlers, that locality was famous for strawberries, and for this reason the Sioux called La Crosse Wah-zoos-te-cah, meaning the place of strawberries, when La Crosse was designated, but the Winnebagoes, more given to naming localities from peculiarities in the geological formation of their country, called the La Crosse valley to its junction with the Missis- sippi, E-nook-wah-zee-rah, because of the fancied resemblance of two prominent mound-shaped peaks noi-th of La Crosse to a woman's breasts. Coon creek was called Wah-Iceh-ne-shan-i-gah, and the mounds situated on Coon prairie were said to have been remarkable for the number of stone and copper implements found in and about them. Black river was appropriately called Minnesap-pah, by the Dali-ko- PERSOIS-AL RECOLLECTIONS. 57 tabs, and ISTe-sheb-er-ah by the Winnebagoes, both names signify- ing black-watei'. The Trempealeau river was called Ne-chaun-ne- shan-i-gah by the Winnebagoes, and Wat-a-Pah-dah, both meaning the overflowing river. The Chippewa was called by the Winne- bagoes Day-got-chee, ne-shan-i-ga, meaning the river of the gartered tribe, as they called the Chippewas, and the Sioux called it Ha- ha-tone Wat-pah, meaning the river of the dwellers at the falls (as the Chippewas were known to the Sioux), as it was one of the prin- cipal routes of travel to the Chippewa country. Beef slough and Beef river were both called by the Sioux Tah-ton-kah-wat-pah, and by the Winnebagoes Te-chay-ne-shan-i-gah, because of the locality being the last resort of the buffalo east of the Mississippi, though some were seen on Trempealeau prairie at a very late date. The Winnebagoes called the site of Winona, De-cone-uck, and the whole prairie Ose-cah-he-aitch-chaw, meaning the prairie village, or its equivalent. The Dah-ko-tahs called it Ke-ox-ah, translated to mean the homestead. The French called it La Prairie Aux-Ailes (pro- nounced O'Zell), or Prairie of Wing's, — for what reason I have been unable to learn, but as the Wah-pa-sha village was colonized from the Red Wing band, it would appear as if the Indians of- the village of Ke-ox-ah might have been known to the early French traders as one of the Red Wing villages. Ke-ox-ah seems to have a specific meaning, like Tee-pe-o-tah, or 0-ton-we, both of which mean a village or collection of tents, but Reed thought "The Homestead" as good an interpretation as could be given the word. Reed was not a very good linguist, and said that he had been frequently misled like Gov. Doty, who, while mapping Fox river, supposed Ne-nah, or water, to be the Indian name of the river, and at once put it down on his map as Ne-nah, or ^ox river, and for a number of years it so appeared on the official maps of the state. James Reed informed us that he had been in the United States army under Col. Zachary Taylor at Prairie du Chien, iind that during trips to the pineries of the Chippewa, under com- mand of Lieut. Jefferson Davis and others, the beauty of the site of Trempealeau, and the scenery of the river above and below, had so impressed him that he had resolved to settle there when his term of service should have expired. His purpose was delayed for various causes, as he came to Prairie du Chien when quite young, but finally, after many years, Reed had established himself and was in comfortable circumstances. At the time of our arrival Reed had a 58 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. large drove of cattle and .young horses, which tlie Indians never stole, but would ride occasionally, to his great annoyance, as thej galled the backs of his horses and thus exposed their brutality. The houses erected by Gavin, the Swiss missionary, and his associates, Louis Strain and others, in 1837-8, upon the land now owned by the Trowbridge brothers, east of the Lake of the Mountain, were used by the Winnebagoes and their Sioux relations to catch the horses, as in fly-time the horses would go into the dark log cabins to escape tliese pests. During the summer of our arrival Reed burnt uj) the cabins to abate the nuisance, saying that they would never be of further use for missionary purposes. By the treaty of 1837 the Sioux, and the Winnebagoes allied to them, had agreed to remove west of the Mississippi. This agreement was not fulfilled untU 1840, the year of Reed's settlement at " Monte-ville, " as he used to call his location at times, and this fact will account for the persistent efforts of the Swiss to establish their mission. The Sioux Indians, according to Reed, were very willing to have Monsieur Gavin, Lewis Stram, and others on the east side of the Mississippi, culti- vate corn and vegetables to give them (all for the love of God), but they preferred their dog-feasts, sun and scalp dances, to the pious teachings of the missionaries, and after one or two years of hopeless work the missionaries left their Trempealeau mission and farm work in disgust. Like most Kentuckians, Reed was very fond of horses, and had improved his stock by the importation of a young thoroughbred stallion. The brute was a very intelligent animal, and refused to be ridden by any of Reed's family of boys, who were then quite young. Reed bantered me to ride the horse, saying, "If you will subdue him you can use him as your own." Reed himself was a good horseman, but thought himself rather old to ride the colt, I accepted the old Kentuckian's kindly offer, and so won upon him by subduing his stallion that a horse was always at my service. The stallion, a beautiful iron-gray, after a term of service, was sold to an othcer at Fort Snelling. James Reed was a remarkable man in many respects, and one ot the best types of a pioneer hunter and trapper I ever knew. His first wife was a Pottawatomie woman, by whom he had five children, four of whom are still living ; his son John, also a great hunter, died from a gunshot wound accidentally inflicted by his own hand while hunting deer. Reed's second wife was the widow of the trader PERSONAL KECOLLECTIONS. 59 Farnam, a partner ot Col. Davenport, wlio was murdered at Rock Island a number of years since. Reed's stepdaughter, Miss Mary Ann Farnam, married Mr. Charles H. Perkins, and is still living near Trempealeau. ' Reed's last wife was the estimable widow Grig- non, mother of Antoine and Paul Grignon, of Trempealeau. Mrs. Grignon was the sister of Francis La Bath, the noted fur-trader, and a cousin to the younger chief Wah-pa-sha. She was first married to a French Canadian named Borrette", to whom was born Joseph Bor- rette, who so many years managed La Bath's post at the Rolling Stone. To Mrs. Grignon-Reed and her intelligent family I am much indebted for interesting facts connected with the pioneer settlement of Trempealeau and Winona counties. Mrs. Reed's death was an irreparable loss to her family, and a subject of regret to all who knew her. For several years in succession Reed used the land cultivated by Louis Stram, the first Lidian farmer, who had tried to act in concert with his countrymen the Swiss missionaries; and while thanking his stars for finding land already for his use, Reed said that the austere andshots so as to skim the water at my side or just ahead of me. To vary their diversion, if they caught me pre- occupied, they would steal upon me and discharge their rifles so near as to give the impression that it was not really all fun that wa& 66 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. intended. Keed assured me tliat I was daily gaining in favor among tlie Sioux, and that if I would join in one of their sun-dances and go through the ordeal I might become a chief. He further informed me that I was called Wali-sheets-sha, meaning the Frenchman, a dis- tinguishing mark of their favor, that most likely had saved my scalp from adornment with vermilion and ribbons. Partly to reciprocate their interest in me, and to confirm them in the good opinion Reed had facetiously said they were forming of me, against the advice of the old traders, I pitched two Winnebagoes out of the house when the next proof of their friendship was offered me, and giving the •oldest son of Decorah (then head chief by inheritance) a deserved thrashing for a wanton display of his affection, I was not again troubled by any of their ordeals. Previous to that time Willard and myself had been frequently annoyed, and sometimes angered, by the insults offered us, although aware that our nerve was simply being tested; but we had decided to put an end to all future attempts at Indian levity; and when soon after five rifles of a hunting party were leveled at me when I was unarmed, I told the Indians, who complemented me for not flinch- ing, that it was well for them I had no rifle to aim at them ! Willard and myself were both able, in due time, to make the Indians respect us, but many white people had their traps stolen ^nd their blankets appropriated by the young warriors anxious to vv'in a reputation for bravery. Early in the spring of 1843 Peter Cameron, a transient trader and fur buyer, came to La Crosse with a kind of keelboat loaded with goods, and after taking possession of an unoccupied cabin, and securing the services of Asa White to manage his affairs in La Crosse, concluded to make a trading voyage up the Mississippi in advance -of any steamboat. Cameron made me a proposition to go with him, allowing me pay for my services, and the privilege of taking, as a venture in trade, certain goods I wished to dispose of, and of a kind he had not in his cargo. I had almost an intuitive perception of the draft of water, and had picked up considerable of the Sioux tongue. My prospective useful- ness induced Cameron to make me a good offer, and I accepted it. Cameron was a sharp, keen trader, and one of the best judges of furs that ever came up the river. The boat selected for the voyage up the Mississippi was built for WINONA CITY IN EMBKYO. 67 :a supply boat on Black river. It was about forty feet long, seven or ■eight feet wide, and eighteen inches' deep, too low for safety, in Lake Pepin, but the trader was anxious and adventurous, and Dous- man, Brisbois, Kice and Sibley had, by astute management, got possession of the trade, not only at Fort Atkinson, but of the entire upper Mississippi. Hence, if any furs were to be purchased by out- side traders, they were required to be sharp and adventurous. It was rumored that the Ewfng company of Fort Wayne, Indiana, were first crippled and then floored by -Kice, who succeeded Dousman in the management of the Choteau company below, while Gen. Sibley had control of the trade at the mouth of the Minnesota river. The great St. Louis company were also filling up the spaces be- tween their largest stations with smaller traders in their interest. Therefore transient traders had to watch their opportunities, and pounce down upon the tidbits as occasion afforded. Caineron and myself decided that if we could get safely through Lake Pepin in advance of the steamboat Otter, which it was under- stood would go through the lake as soon as the ice was out, we would be reasonably sure of making handsome profits on our ven- tures. My packages were light, but Cameron piled in barrel after barrel of whisky, pork, flour and heavy articles that greatly endangered ■our safety. We started as soon as loaded, taking as pilot an old French voyageur named Le Yecq, and a half-breed that had been employed by James Eeed at times, and who was a most excellent hand, when on duty. We rigged a large square-sail, and had a long line to run out ahead in swift water, but were so favored by the southerly spring winds that we ran up to the foot of the lake with- out having had to dip an oar. At the widow Hudson's (now Eeed's Landing) we had a good trade, and by my advice Cameron was induced to sell a few barrels of pork and flour to lighten our boat through the lake. As the nights had been clear we determined to make an attempt to go through the lake by moonlight if the wind should go down with the sun. The night came on with weird still- ness and gloom, but later on toward midnight the moon came through the clouds and all was changed to brightness. Le Point had been given permission by Cameron to go down to Eock's, or Campbell's, a short distance below where we were to .await his coming. Cameron's orders were imperative to be back 68 HISTORY OF WmONA COUNTY. when tlie wind fell. The wind lulled to a calm, but Le Point did not come; so after many benedictions had been left at the camp we started through the lake. The upper air had given token by scud- ding clouds of fleecy vapor that the calmness of the lower stratum might be broken at any time, but my moral courage was not great enough for me to tell my fears. Cameron was very deaf, and un- conscious of danger that did not appeal to him through his sight; and as for Le Vecq, he seemed to have no judgment, and I had lost all taith in him long before we had reached the lake. We coasted along near the north shore until nearing North Pepin we were forced out from the jutting point by ice lodged upon the coast. Here for some time we halted, uncertain what to do, but discovering a narrow opening in the floe, that seemed to extend up to open water, we ventured in, rowing most lustily. We had got almost through, the icy strait when I heard a roar as if Dante'*s inferno had been in- vaded and the troubled spirits let loose. The noise came gradually nearer, and I was then able to comprehend its cause. It was the ice piling higher and still higher ujDon the distant point above us, and as the wind had veered around to the westward a few points, the ice was being driven down upon us with great rapidity. Time is required to tell the story, but not much was needed for the crisis to reach us. I was steering the boat, while Cameron and Le Vecq were rowing. Cameron at first did not heed my warning to prepare for danger, and showed more courage than discretion ; but when he saw that we had, as if by magic, become blockaded in front, and that no time was allowed us for retreat, he wrung his hands and cried out, as if in agony of grief, "My God, Bunnell ! what shall we do V I answered : "Face the danger like men ; our goods, not ourselves, are threatened ; we can run ashore on the ice." The ice was thick enough to have borne up a horse. Our worthy bishop (Le Yecq) seemingly was not of my opinion, for dropping upon his knees, he poured forth such a torrent of invective, or invocation, it was uncertain which, as would have moved anything less cold than ice. The ice, however, came crowd- ing on, and I instantly formed a plan to save the boat. All appeals to the devout Frenchman were useless, so I motioned Cameron to my aid, and we drew the boat to the edge of the ice on the north side of the narrowing channel, where we awaited its close. My plan was to tilt up the shore side of tiie boat as the ice approached to crush it, and thus make use of the overlapping ice to carry us up the WINOJ^A CITY m EMBRYO. 71 inclined plane of ice that the pressure in tilting the boat would form. I unstepped the mast and j^laced it in readiness for use as a lever. I placed one oar beside our pilot vojageur, for use when his prayer should end, but all to no purpose — he could not be aroused. I called upon him in most vigorous terms, but in vain. Cameron again oifered his services, but I wished him to bale his valuables, and he had scant time to do it ere the floe I knew would be down upon us; besides he was too deaf to hear in the noise, and as the sky was be- coming rapidly overcast, sight could not be entirely depended upon. Exasperated beyond further endurance, I jerked our paralyzed guide from his prayerful stupor out upon the ice, and having made him comprehend my intention, he took the oar, the boat was tilted up at the right moment, and all was saved. We were swept toward the shore with great steadiness and power, but as the ice was smooth, without injury of any kind. Le Yecq was sent to sleep on the land, where we had transferred our lighter goods, but Cameron and myself returned to the boat and slept soundly until daylight, when a storm of wind and rain came to break up the ice, and we were able before nightfall to cross to Bully Wells' (now Frontenac) in safety. It was April, and the wind that iiad subsided with the fall of rain sprang up again. The lake above was all open, but we were held wind-bound to enjoy the pioneer sto- ries of Mr. Wells, who had established himself with a native woman some years before. Cameron chafed at Wells' recitals, and as night fell upon us, insisted that the wind had died out and that we could go on. Wells told him that if we attempted it we would probably swamp or water-log on Point-no-Point, as we could scarcely clear that iron-bound shore with the wind beating on- it as it did at the time. I was able to hold Cameron in check until about two in the morning, when, exasperated by his seemingforgetfulnessof the danger we had so narrowly escaped, I told him that if we beached or water- logged, his, not mine, would be the loss, and we started out into the lake to clear the point. We got well out into the lake and had made a good offing, before we caught the swell, when it was soon made manifest to me that a sail should be set to give us headway, or we would swamp before reaching the point. I proposed the sail, but Le Yecq said to Cameron, "Suppose you hist ze sail, you go to ze dev.'' Just then a white cap broke over the bow gunnel of the boat, and, taking a 72 IIISTOKV OF WINONA COUNTY. wooden bucket in luind, Cjiineron gave it to the Canadian, telling- him to bail, and witliout reservation gave me charge of the boat. I called him to the tiller while I bent on the sail, and in a few minutes we were skimming the water like a gull. Dropping a lee-board I had taken the precaution to lig, we crawled off Point-uo-point, and rounding into the cove above, landed as daylight apjDeared. This second display of incapacity in Le Vecq ended his career as principal voyageur, and I was installed as captain and supercargo. We run on up to Ked Wing atler breaking our fast, and had already disposed of a large quantity of our heavy goods, relieving our boat the better to encounter the more rapid current, when look- ing down the river we saw the Otter steaming to the landing. Le Point was on board, so we»at once pulled out for the St. Croix. We made a rapid run to Still-AVater and Taylor's Falls, and after selling out everything at high pi-ices, Cameron commenced buying furs for cash, having ample supplies of coin for that purpose. Taking our way back leisurely, sometimes floating with the current, at others pulling enough for steerage way, we were able to see and stop at every trading post and Indian encampment on our way down to La Crosse. At Wah-pa-sha's Village, then situated on the high ground back of the river front, west of Main street, we stayed over night. Wah-pa-sha's sister, We-no-nah, (really a cousin) gave us a tent in which to quarter for the night, saying that it was better than our cloth tent, as there was a cold rain falling at the time. In recognition of the woman's hospitality and forethought, I gave her upon leaving in the morning, a six quart pan of flour from our scanty stores, as we had no goods of any kind left. Cameron's subsequent career in La Crosse was unfortunate. Soon after my ^return to La Crosse I made a trip to St. Louis, and having an Indian's memory of localities, I was able to flx the course of the Mississippi as far as Galena in my mind. There were but two steamboat pilots in those days for the entire river above Prairie Du Chien, and the services of those were always retained by the American or Chouteau Company, or by the su}>ply steamers of the United States contractors for the Indian and military depart- ments. Louis Morrow, one of the pilots, was in the full vigor of mature manhood, and a more noble specimen it would be diflicult to And ; but the other pilot, Lewis De'-Marah, was getting old, and his sight was failing him so fast, that, as he himself said, he would soon have to WINONA CITY IN EMBEYO. 73 leave the river to younger ejes. Finding me interested in the course of the channel, De Marah would point it out to me when traveling with him, and in a short time after our first acquaintance he offered to teach and retain me with him on the river. I declined the offer, but my taste and passion for beautiful scenery led me to study the river while traveling upon it. At that time there were but few boats running above Prairie Du Chien regularly, and those of the smallest kind, such as the Eock Kiver and the Otter. The Harrises of Galena were so successful with the latter boat, that they soon brought out the Light Foot, the Time and Tide, the Senator, the War Eagle and others in quick succession. The demand for those steamers created a demand for pilots, and Sam Harlow, Pleasent Cormack, Rufus Williams and George Nichols came to the front and proved themselves as capable men as ever turned a wheel. Of the lower river pilots I remember Hugh White of St. Louis as one of the best, and his services were always in demand by the Falcon Cecilia, General Brooke and other boats of the lower trade. Although I was never a member of any legislature, I was as welcome to a free ride on any of the boats named, as a modern "dead head" on any of the subsidized railroads. As there was seldom but one pilot on a boat above Prairie Du Chien who knew the river well, my services were thought to be an equivalent for all the favors shown me, and I could go to St. Louis or St. Paul at will. Upon one occasion I saved De Marah from a blunder at night, similar to the one which happened him while on the Lynx in 1844. That new and beautiful steamer was run out in 1844 on the shore below the Keye's residence by De Marah. The night was inky black, and as the fast-running steam- boat steered a little hard, the watchman was called to aid De Marah at the wheel. The Lynx was on her down trip from Mendota and St. Paul, and was running at a fair rate of speed. As they reached the shore at Keye's point, a thunderstorm burst upon them ; and as the lightning flashed, the open sky of Pleasant Valley revealed the overflowing water at the lower end of the prairie, and it was mis- taken for the Mississippi. The annual fires had at that time kept down all arbol growths except at the water's edge, and the sandy ridge of prairie between the river and the open water beyond had been overlooked during the momentary flash of lightning. The shadows of the Min-ne-o-way bluffs joined with the dense foliage of the islands and shut out the view to the east. The Lynx was run out several rods upon the Y4 JirST(1IlY OK W1\<)XA COUXTY. overflowed land before '-fetcliing up," and when she halted, no means at the disj)Osal of Cai)tain Iloojter could get her back into the channel. The most of the men were discharged and with a few pas- sengers left in a yawl for Praii-ie Du Chien. A few days after, while at work u])on w^ays to slide the boat into river, the Gen. I'rooke came steaming up the channel, and was hailed for assistance. x\fter landing and viewing the situation, Capt. Throcmoilon decided to go on to Fort Snelling and discharge his cargo, lest some accident. might forfeit his insurance, but gave Capt. Hooper assurances of aid on his return. Capt. Throcmorton's great experience suggested work to be done during his absence, and on his return he was enabled to at once pull the disabled boat into the river and take her in tow. The Lynx was docked and lengthened, but she never recovered her speed*, and was soon disposed of by her builders. The brick and mortar thrown overboard on the prairie in taking out her boilers has been taken by some for the remains of an old building. A short time since, while strolling on the river bank near the locality of the disaster, I picked from the sandy shore an iron pulley-wheel that probably was dropped overboard by some one on the Lynx, as the deeply rust-eaten wheel indicated that it had been many years in the sand. It may be seen in the museum of the Winona Normal school. On May 21, 1844, a few weeks before the misfortune happened to the Lynx, Robt. D. Lester, sheriff of Crawford county, Wisconsin, was murdered by a Sioux of Little Ci'ow's band, named 0-man- haugh-tay. A fruitless search had been made for the body, which was known to be in the river, but as the boat from the Lynx was descending, on its way to Prairie du Chien, the occupants of the boat found the swollen body in a pile of driftwood, and towed it to La Crosse, where it was buried. Mr. Lester's successor in office, •Mr. Lockhart, 8ubse(]uently had it removed and buried at Prairie du Chien. The murder occurred within the limits of AVinona county, opposite the "Queen Bluff," and not "six miles below Reed's Land- ing," nor "twenty miles from La Crosse," as the historian of La Crosse county has stated. Mr. Lester was returning from an official visit to the Chippewa mills, and stopped at Trempealeau on his way down in a canoe. His old friend Reed offered him hos])itality, which he declined, but accepted a lunch to eat on his way. Lester stopped at a spring rivu- let just above the Queen bluff, and while eating his lunch, which WLNONA CITY IN EMBRYO. 75 was scanty enough, 0-man-liaiigh-tay, on his way np from La CVosse in a canoe, landed and demanded a part of it. Lester declined a division of his scanty fare, and soon after started on his journey to Prairie du Chien. He had proceeded but a few rods, his back turned to the Indian, when the report of 0-man-haugli-tay's rifle, and the body of the sheriff 'seen falling out of his canoe informed La Bath, who just then came in sight, that a murder had been committed. 0-man-haugh-tay jumped into his canoe and fled from La Bath's ap- proach, but not before he was recognized by La Bath, who knew the Indian as a vicious member of Little Crow's band. La Bath informed the authorities that though he did not see the Indian until after the shot was fired, there could be no doubt but that 0-man-haugh-tay had committed the murder. After considerable delay and the use of an escort 'of troops to capture hostages, the murderer was delivered up and taken to Prairie du Chien. He was kept there in prison for some time, and then, for reasons best known to the authorities of that period, he was taken across the river in the night to a landing above McGregor, and was turned loose, as stated by himself to his listening auditors. James Reed happened to be at Keoxa (Winona) when 0-man- haugh-tay arrived. Wah-pa-sha and his band received the Indian with consideration, and while a repast was being prepared for him. Peed listened to the recital of the murderer, who, among his Indian friends, made no concealments of his motives or of the murder. 0-man-haugh-tay 's conclusion was that the white men of the prairie were good to him, but that they were afraid of him. During his recital, after the Sioux custom, a pipe of friendship was passed around the circle of the tent, and noticing that Reed declined the proffered pipe, 0-man-haugh-tay offered it to Reed in person. The audacity of the Sioux tired the old hunter, and although Reed was the only white man present, he struck the pipe to the ground and told the Indian that there was one white man who was not afraid of a dog. That epithet applied to a Sioux was the greatest insult that could be offered, but it was not resented, and 0-man-haugh-tay soon took his departure from the village. Reed was a man of sterling integrity of character, hospitable, and devoted to his fi-iends, and had the murderer of Lester but have made a movement of resentment, his life would probably have paid the forfeit. Reed was a bearer of dispatches in the Black Hawk war, and had good opportunities for observation. He took dis- 76 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. I patches from Prairie du Cliien to the commander of the American forces when no other messenger could be induced to incur the risk, and just after the slaughter at Battle-slough, found a young squaw whose father and mother had been killed. Heed took her with him on his return to Fort Crawford, from whence she was finally sent to her tribe in Iowa. James Reed had a personal acquaintance with all the historical personages of his time, and it is a subject of regret that his family and friends liave not recorded more of his experi- ences in pioneer life. Charles Reed, of "Reed's Landing," should note down his recollections of early times, for the pioneers of Wa- pa-sha county have had interesting experiences. From Reed I learned of the existence in Beef-slough of a large quantity of square timber and shingle logs that had been gotten out under direction of Jefferson Davis and other army officers for use in building Fort Crawford. This timber was said to have been run into the slough under the impression that it was the main channel of the Chippewa river, and as there was no outlet at that time, a large raft of flood-wood and trees obstructing the channel, the lumber was abandoned, and new material prepared and run down the proper channel of the Chipj^ewa. Reed's statement was confirmed to me by one made by James T. Rntli, who had also been a soldier at Fort Crawford. In company with James McCain, a Pennsylvanian, we broke the drifts and opened the channel of the slough, an(J were well rewarded for our labor. . During the spring and summer of 1843 Philip Jacobs and Dr. Snow put up a trading-house in La Crosse, and the Doctor gave some attention to the practice of medicine. During the month of November of that year lie attended my brother's wife at the birth of her son Porter, who was the first white child born in Trem- l)ealeau county. My brother's daughter, Frances Matilda Bunnell, now Mrs. Frank Hampson, of River Falls, Wisconsin, who was born at Homer, Minnesota, on February 22, 1850, was the first white child born within the limits of Winona county. There were eight children in Willard Bunnell's family, five of whom are still living. In 1843 Xathan Myrick was married and brought his wife to La Crosse. Accom])anying Mrs. Myrick, as companion and friend, was Miss Louisa Pierson, of Burlington, Vermont. Like most Ver- mont girls, Miss Pierson was rosy and bright, and as fearless as were "The Green Mountain Boys." If a horse had balked in the USTTERESTESTG INCIDENTS AND CUSTOMS. 77 sand of the prairie, her hand would soothe the stubborn brute into forgetfulness, and he would then do his duty. No saddle or bridle was needed to ride her favorite chestnut, and at her call, even the pacing Indian ponies belonging to the firm would amble to her feet. Such a woman among frontiersmen would command admiration, and for a time, at least, her conquests were numerous and her influence beneficial, but soon it became but too evident that her preference had been given to Myrick's partner, H. J. B. Miller, and her whilom admirers turned their inconstant devotion to the native daugliters of the realm. Among the traders of that early period there were some who took' squaws for wives, either permanent or after the morganatic fashions of the highly civilized com-ts of Europe. The usual method ■of obtaining a help-meet from among the Indians was to pay court to the parents of the maiden desired, and after incidentally inform- ing them of the esteem in which their offspring was held, obtain some approximate idea of her value. It was also thought advisable to make a present to the medicine- man, with an intimation that if the spirits were friendly to your suit a larger gift might be expected. Two traders of my acquaint- ance, Asa White and Tom Holmes, formally espoused native queens, and remained faithfully with them and their children through all changes of fortune and civilization that drove them farther and still farther to the frontier. Others, not so true to the parental instinct, hecause in higher life^ left their squaw wives, but their children remain in the tribe, cared for and reared by their mothers, vigorous emblems of the love once borne for their fathers. CHAPTER YII. INTERESTING INCIDENTS AND CUSTOMS. In company with my old-time friend Maj. E. A. C. Hatch, who has quite recently gone to a higher plane of existence, I once attended a virgins' feast at Ke-ox-ah (Winona), presided over by Wah-pa-sha. The whole band was assembled, and after elaborate preparation and sanctification of the ground, by invocations and in- cense, and sacrificial oiferings had been placed for the vestal at the 78 HISTORY OF VV^INONA COUNTY. foot of the altar-pole, Mock-ali-pe-ah-ket-ah-pah, the chief speaker, came forward, and in a sonorous address lauded the virtues of chastity and warned "the denouncers" against the sin of bearing false witness. He also told the young braves that if they knew of the lapse from virtue of any virgin api)licant for vestal honors, it was their duty, having in keeping the honor of their tribe, to denounce her. These young men were selected as the flower of Indian chivalry, and in addition to their duties as "denouncers," if occasion required, they guarded the sacred precincts of the assem- bly from defilement. In this respect Indians surpass white people, as seldom, if ever, has any police regulations to be enforced. At the conclusion of the chief speaker's address, Wah-kon-de-o- tah, the great war-chief of the band, addressed his warriors in a quiet and affectionate manner, and told his braves to maintain the truth as sacred, and not offend the spirits of their ancestors. Wah- pa-sha then called for the virgins and matrons to come forth, after the manner still in vogue in Mexico, and foi- some time there was the silence of expectation. Again the call was made for any virgin to come forward and receive her reward. Two maidens came partly forward, but, upon reaching the line of denunciation, faltered and turned back from modesty or fear, when, at this crisis, We-no-nah, the wife of the speaker, and eldest sister (or cousin) of Wah-pa-sha, motioned to her youngest daughter, Witch-e-ain, .a maiden of per- haps fifteen summers, and then in confident tones challenged the assembled throng t(T say aught, if they could, against the purity of her maiden child. No answer was given to this challenge, and, after repeated calls by the crier of the assembly, Witch-e-ain came modestly forward and was crowned goddess of the feast that immediately followed. Her head was encircled with braids of rich garniture and scented grass, and presents of colored cloths, calicoes, yarns, beads and ribbons were lavished uf)on her as the tribe's representative of purity. Her fame went out among the traders, and soon after that vestal feast she became the wife of a distinguished trader. Like a caged bird, she soon pined for her prairie home, and died of con- sumption ere the leaves of spring bloomed to welcome her coming. Her mother, We-no-nah, is still living,* and visits me occasion- * Since writing the above We-no-nah has gone to her spirit-home. She died about November 1, 1882, and was buried near Trempealeau. It was she who gave the notice to my brother's wife, Matilda Bunnell, that so excited the war- spirit of the home-guard of Winoua county. INTERESTING INCIDENTS AND CUSTOMS. T^' ally, always referring to the good old times of the past, when she was young and Wah-pa-sha in power. Her age is not known with certainty, but it is probably at this time, 1882, not less than ninety years. Cho-ne-mon-e-kah, Green-Walk, a half-blood Winnebago brother of the girl, is still living, and the most expert hunter of his band. Wah-pa-sha intimated, upon one occasion, his approval of any choice I might make of a wife from among his people; and finally, an unusual thing for an Indian maiden to do, Witch-e-ain herself told me of her dislike of the engagement made for her with the trader, and asked me to take her as a fi-ee-will offering, saying that as she was the niece of Wah-pa-sha she would be allowed to choose between the trader and myself. I was compelled, kindly, to decline her offer, but assured her of my high esteem and faith in the person chosen for her by her mother. Not Rachael herself, in her highest tragedy, could have thrown fi*om her sparkling orbs such burn- ing glances of hate as were shot forth upon me by Witch-e-ain at my refusal of her love. Such withering but silent contempt can only be expressed by a woman scorned. Years have passed, and trader and girl are both in the spirit- world, or I wcmld not speak of the incident; but in this article I wish to show that, however different in customs, the Indians still have universal feelings of nature, that make them akin. At another feast Tom Holmes was so enchanted that he decided at once to make the damsel his wife. His offers were accepted, and, so far as I was able to trace his career, she appeared to have made him a good wife. Upon another occasion Major Hatch and myself visited Wali-pa- sha's village in Indian disguise, and if our presence was recognized it was not noticed. Major Hatch was a man of the finest perceptions and most prac- tical judgment. To a stranger he was polite, though taciturn, but to his friends he was open and generous to a fault. The major's descriptive power was quite remarkable. As early as 1859 he gave me a description of the Yellowstone country, that I urged him to have published, as well as some of his experiences among the Wah- pa-sha, Sioux and Blackfeet Indians, with whom he had been inti- mately associated, as trader and agent, for a number of years. The major was not indifferent to his literary attainments, for he was a close student, but his reply was to the effect that no description 80 HISTORY OF WmONA COUNTY. could do the Yellowstone vallej^ justice, and that any one who deviated from Cooper's or Ned Forrest's model of the American saA-age would be laughed to scorn in the great republic of letters. In speaking of the true interpretation of the word Minnesota^ the major said, "in that word you have a fair example of the extravagant taste for romance of Americans. The word is compounded from Min-ne, water, and Sota, smoke, and means literally smoky or clouded water, because of the clouded or smoky appearance the water of the river assumes in its course to the Mississi])2Di." " Sky- tinted water," said the major, " is entirely fanciful, as any one may see by looking at the river at Mendotah." Major Hatch served the Federal government long and well. He was postmaster at La Crosse in 1846 ; aided in the removal of the Winnebagoes in 1848 ; was ap]:)ointed agent of the Blackfeet Indians in 1855, and served in that extremely dangerous position in the Yellowstone and Big Horn country for two years. At that time none but those well versed in Indian character, could by any possibility preserve their scalps among those war-like ]3eople. Major Hatch became almost an idol among them, and performed his duties to the entire satisfaction of the government. On his return to St. Paul he was appointed, in 1860, deputy col- lector for that port, and in 1863, after again aiding in the removal of the Winnebagoes to the Missouri, he was commissioned major by the war department, and was authorized to raise an independent battalion to serve upon the Indian and British frontier. I was offered a commission by the major in his battalion. While in com- mand of his battalion, he devised a scheme in which Little Six and Medicine Bottle were finally brought to the gallows. Thomas Le Blanc and an associate in daring crossed the British frontier, and while those Sioux murderers were boasting of their crimes, they were captured and brought into Minnesota, bound on a dog train, and turned over to justice and to death. Major Hatch died in St. Paul of cholera morbus, September 14, last, aged fifty-seven years, loved and honored by his wife and six children, and esteemed by all who had the privilege of his acquaint- ance. As for myself, I regret his departure as a long-tried friend. I was one year his senior in age and strength of body, but not of mind, and in our youth had the good fortune twice to save him from assault where his life was endangered, — once by a vicious son of Decorah, and at another time bv a no less vicious white man. INTERESTIN^G INCIDENTS AND CUSTOMS. 81 ■who had assaulted him unawares, and who afterward committed a murder. Those eaily experiences were remembered as a tie between us, that time nor distance could wholly sever, and now that he has left us, I wish to record my esteem and friendship for one of the noblest Eomans of them all. There are but few of the earliest pioneers left ; James Reed died June 2, 1873, aged about seventy-five. It would be useless to attempt the destruction of a popular idol, for there is too little of romance in this matter-of-fact age, but it is well to state here that the Indians laugh when the legend of the "Lover's Leap" is repeated to them. A very casual survey of the ground at the foot of "The Leap" will show what a prodigious jumper the girl must have been, to have jumped into the lake, as manj'^ believe she did. If the legend had any foundation at all, it was most probably based upon the rebellion of some strong-minded We-no-nah (meaning the first-born girl) to a sale of her precious self to a gray-bearded French trader, as James Reed supposed, from a tradition said to exist concerning such an event. As there was an old trading-post, fort and mission established in 1727 ■on the north shore near the Lovers' Leap, it is more probable that some trader of that post made the purchase, than any at the foot of the lake, as Reed supposed from the Indian account of the affair. It may be that the girl threatened to jump from the cliff, so near to the old post, but if she did, like Reed, I will venture the predic- . tion that she was cuffed into submission to the will of her dear mother. I have known of but few instances of rebellion of daughters to the wills of their parents, when sold into matrimony ; hence submis- sion may be said to be almost universal. Extremes will sometimes meet, and here we see the untutored savage, and the belles of Sara- toga and of Paris join hands in sympathy. The American Indians have distinctive customs and traits of character, but none perhaps more peculiar than belong to other bar- barous peoples. The language of the Algonquin race may be regarded as the most manly in expression and in poetic beauty, but the char- acter of the Dali-ko-tahs should be deemed the type of all that is possible in human endurance, craft and ferocity. Their sun-dance, or We-wan-yag-wa-ci-pi can only be endured by men of the most determined will, and that, too, sustained by the fanaticism of a heathen devotion. Their sacred dance, Wah-kon-wa-ci-pi, like the Winnebao;oes' medicine dance, Mah-cah-wash-she-rah, is as close and 82 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. exclusive a coinnninion of men of high degree, as one given by Kniglits Templars, None but the invited and initiated are ever allowed to be present during some of the ceremonies, but after the ground has been ]>repared and the dance has been inaugurated by its leader, the less favored barbarians are allowed to witness the splendor of the dresses worn on the occasion, and hear some of the laudations of valor, and the monotonous Ply-yi-yah that forms the burden of their songs. Tlie poetic element is not absolutely wanting in an Indian, but it requires a good degree of imagination in a white man to comprehend their efforts in song, and considerable ingenuity to connect their disjointed rhythms into rhyme. For some days ])revious to any sacred dance the chief medicine- men, or priests, and their neophites fast, or eat sparinglj-. If a dog is to be eaten at the conclusion of their fast, or if a beaver has been secured for the feast that will follow, they are both lauded for their respective (lualities ; the dog for his Mthfulness, and the beaver for his wisdom. The dog is well fed and told not to be offended because of the intention of sending him to the spirit-world, as there he will find all that a good dog can desire, and that his bones shall be pre- served in the medicine lodges of the band. The bones of dogs, beaver, bear and eagles are often taken to the high priests for their blessings ; and they are then preserved in bags or pouches and held sacred as charms against evil. These medicine- bags are a badge of membership in the sacred order, and are sacredly preserved from generation to generation. Upon one occasion I witnessed what might be termed the ago- nized regret of a medicine-chief at the loss of one. While intoxi- cated his canoe and its cargo of household goods had escaped him, and was picked up by a wood-chopper named Johnson, who robbed the canoe of its contents and then set it adrift. I recovered for the learned priest all but his sacred pouch, which had been cast into the fire as a thing of no value whatever, containing, as Johnson said, nothing but a bear's claw, an eagle's beak, a filthy rag, and some bones that he sup]>osed to have belonged to a human hand. The medicine-man was a half Sioux and half Winnebago, named Ke-ra- choose-sep-kah, to whom Black Hawk surrendered after his defeat at Bad-axe, and who, in company with Nee-no-humjve-cah, delivered liim to the military authorities at Prairie du Chien. Big-nose, as the Indian was more generally known, after vainly searching for the INTERESTING INCIDENTS AND CUSTOMS. 83 medicine-bag, oiTered me, if I would find it, all I had recovered for him, which, including coin, was of at least the value of three hundred dollars. I never told the chief that the bag was burned up, and advised the thief, after compelling restitution of all except the bag, to leave the country, which the rascal did at once. The son of the great chief Big-nose stayed at my house two nights recentl}-, and referring to the loss of his father's medicine-bag, he regretted it, he- said, because it contained powerfully-charmed relics of both tribes, besides a piece of cloth given him by Black Hawk as a memento of his friendship for having saved him from butchery. I thought it best to tell him the bag was burned, and he seemed relieved when told the truth, as now he knew that the bag had not fallen into the hands of an enemy to work his destruction, thus show- ing that he had faith in "his own medicine.'' The only way in which a white man can fully understand an In- dian and secure his full confidence is to join the'tribe and be initiated into their medicine-lodges, like Frank H. Cashing, commissioned by tlie Smithsonian Institution to investigate the history of the Pueblo Indians as it may be traced in their present life and customs. Few men would be found fitted for such an oflice, and if a similar attempt were to be made among the Sioux, it would probably involve the taking part in a sun-dance, an ordeal that a white man, however brave, would not have fortitude enough to go through. A sun-dance is sometimes given by an individual who has made a vow to the sun, and in such cases, after having gone through the tortures of the ordeal, he gives away all his property and commences life anew. As a general rule the dance is given as a test of courage and faith in the religious belief of the Dah-ko-tah, that the sun is the all- powerful deity of the universe, who controls their destiny and deserves their worship. The high ground near the present residence of Mayor Lamberton was the dancing-ground of the Wah-pa-sha band, and, strange as it may appear, the scaffoldings for the dead were in the immediate vicinity. The dance or altar pole was erected on a level place, and •various devices and totems were then cut upon it and figured in A-ellow ochre and vermilion. Conspicuous among the hieroglj'phs was a central circle, with rays to represent the sun, and above all were flags and gay streaming ribbons. The ground was sanctified, afler the usual Indian method, by incense, down, and evergreens of cedar or jumper, though the white cedar was preferred, and distance marks 84 JIISTOKY OF WmOXA COUNTY. set up to indicate which portion of the ground was to be regarded as sacred. Sometimes young dogs were slaughtered and left at the base of the pole, with head a little raised and their legs stretched out as if to climb up. The blood of those innocent victims was sanctified by the great high priest of the band, and, soaking into the sacred earth, it was supposed to be a sweet savor in the nostrils of the spirits whom it was believed were present at the dance. To show the high estimation in which Christianity is held by the Indians. I will state that I was patronizingly told by one of them that the pup- pies were placed on the altar to call good spirits to the dance, "just like Jesus." The final ceremonies, from all I could learn, were regarded as too sacred for the unanointed to witness, but I gleaned, from con- versations at various times, that for the most part they consist of cabalistic utterances in dead or extinct languages, or perhaps that of some living but foreign tribes held to be more potent than their own. As morning approaches the camp is aroused, and the whole village moves en ma^se to the altar-pole. Here quick preparation is made to greet the rising sun with the dance of his votaries and the shouts of his red children. Incisions are quickly made in the skin in various parts of the body of those who are to be tested, and thongs of rawhide are passed through and tied securely to the pole, from which the victim is expected to tear loose during the dance. As the sun appears a universal shout is given as an all-hail, and the dance begins. Drums are beaten by relays of vigorous drum- mers, while each dancer pipes a shrill whistle held in his mouth while dancing. At intervals chosen bands of singers shout their approval of the tortures endured, while the dancer is stimulated to frenzy by his family and friends to tear loose from his fastenings and join in the honored circle of the dance. After many plunges the brave neophyte breaks loose and dances until exhausted, when he is taken to the tepee of his family and cared for as a hero. Should one of the poor martyrs to his faith fail to free himself, his friends reproach him, or throw themselves upon him, until their added weight tears loose the thongs, when, without a murmur of pain, he will join in the dance, and, without sustenance of any kind, continue to dance until exhausted. Should it happen that the terrors of the ordeal should overcome the courage and endurance of any who have aspired to the roll of honor, he is at once cast out from INTERESTLN-G INCIDENTS AND CUSTOMS. 85 among the braves and told to fish or work, but never to bear arms. One Sioux of the Wah-pa-slia band was degraded to the rank of a woman, and made to wear the apparel of a female. He left for a time and joined a western band, but his reputation for cowardice fol- lowed him, and he was driven back by the contempt of the squaws, with whom he was again made to associate. He finally settled down to his fate, and learned some of the industries of Sioux womanhood. The festival of the sun is held in midsummer, and lasts several days. During its continuance the whole band join in merriment and games, and the orators and medicine-men receive large donations as a reward for their most important services. The young graduates of the dance have medicine-bags presented them, made up, for the most part, of old relics of battles fought by their sires, together with anything most horribly disgusting that may appeal to the credulity of ignorance. With these sacks the medicine-men pretend to work spells that will cause the death of an enemy or chase sickness from their friends. The sun-dance is one of the many evidences of the Dah-ko-tahs' southwestern origin, as the same torture is submitted to by the Indians of Kew Mexico, who are also sun-worshipers. The Winne- bagoes are also sun-worshipers, and usually bury their dead at sun- rise, with head to the west. As far as I know, no northern or eastern tribe submits to the torturing pain of a sun-dance, except in a few instances, when it was imposed upon the credulity of one tribe by fanatical emissaries of the Sioux. The Dah-ko-tahs have many legends, and may be regarded as greatly given to romance. They believe themselves to be the very salt of earth, and that Minnesota was the center of creation. How else can it be, say they, when the water runs off from our land, are we not above all others ? This idea gave them self-importance and arrogance in their dealings with other nations. The Sioux, though generous and hospitable, are yet quarrelsome, and the establishment of the Wah-pa-sha band was the result of a long continued traditional quarrel, first of the Isanti, and then of the Wah-pe-ton, or New Leaf bands of Sioux. According to this tradition, given me by Le Blanc, the chiefs of the Isanti, or knife band, quarreled about the jurisdic- tion of the chert, or knifestone quarries in the Mille Lac country, and to avoid bloodshed, the ancestors of Wah-pa-sha established themselves upon the Me-day-wah-kon, or Good Spirit lake. There they remained for a number of generations, until by magic the- ^6 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. spirits of malignant chiefs entered into the medicine lodges of the tribe, and again the band was torn asunder ; the peaceful portion emigrating from their pine forests and rice swamps to a country of earlier and different foliage, and the band then took the name of Wah-j)e-tou, or the new leaf band. It is somewhat remarkable that the (iiipi)ewas call the country and river immediately below the falls of St. Anthony, includingthe siteofSt. Paul, Ish-ke-bug-ge-see-bee, or •the New Leaf river, because in the early spring-time the leaves shoot out earlier than above the falls. The Sioux tradition goes on to relate that there they established themselves in comfort, some going up the Minnesota, where buffaloes were plenty, others, as their numbers increased at the Wah-coo-tay village, spread themselves along down to the Cannon river and to Eem-ne-cha, or the Red Wing village, whei'c for many, many years they fattened on the game and wild rice of the region about them. Again they tell that in this paradise-©f hunters dissensions once more arose among them, and, disregarding the warnings of previous counsels to avoid strife, the great Eed "Wing and the noble Wah-pa- sha became involved in that quarrel. The friends and adherents of both were equally strenuous in the support of their respective chiefs, and after a prolonged council of the entire band, ending in an out- burst of angry passion, the respective partisans seized their war-clubs and quivers and were about to fight, but before the war-whooj) was given for battle Wcih-pa-sha commanded silence by a wave of his red cap, and telling the assembled multitude to cease their strife, threw his totem or badge of authority, the red cap, into air. A whirl- wind took it up and it instantly disappeared. At the same moment a convulsion of the earth was felt, darkness fell upon them, and in the morning, when all was once again serene, they found that a por- tion of the bluff containing the bones of their dead, had disappeared. A l)arty of their principal braves were dispatched in search of the lost mountain, and as they descended in canoes they recognized what is now known as the " Sugar J^oaf," as the red cap of their chief, trans- formed into stone. The distant peak of Trempealeau mountain was soon discovered to be a part of their lost inheritance, and hastening on, the moving or moved mountain, or Pah-ha-dah, as it is called in the Dah-ko-tah tongue, was overtaken just as it made a vain effort to plunge into the lake of Me-day Pah-ha-dah. The other peaks of the Red Wing range had already caught uj)on the sandy point of the prairie, and PREHISTORIC. 89 therefore, claiming their truant possessions, they made those peaks the dividing line between themselves and the Winnebagoes. It only remains for me to say, in proof of the entire cmthenticity of this tradition, that until defaced by the growing wants of a city, the bluff resembled in shape a voyageur cap of ancient date, and the red appearance of the face of the clif justified its Sioux name of Wah-pa-ha-sha, or the cap of Wah-pa-sha. CHAPTEE VIII. PREHISTORIC. Going back beyond tradition, we find in our midst evidences of a numerous people having once occupied the adjacent territory. Judge George Gale, the founder of the university at Galesville, Wisconsin, in his very valuable work, " Upper Mississippi, " says, "To us of the New World there is a 'Greece' that literally 'slumbers in the tomb.' A nation or people which for centuries occupied a territory nearly as large as all Europe, and had a popula- tion which probably numbered its millions, have left the graves of their fathers and the temples of their gods so unceremoniously that their very name has disappeared with them, and we only know of their existence by their decayed walls and tumuli, and by their bones, exhibiting the human form, although in a far-gone state of decay. " Judge Gale's book shows great research and critical acumen, and the calamity which befell the plates in the great Chicago fire should be repaired by a new imprint of the volume. My space will only admit of a reference to the work, but I cannot forego the justice to say that, so far as I know, Judge Gale was first to notice in print the mounds and other earthworks in Trempealeau county, Wiscon- sin, and at La Crescent in Minnesota. Few persons have any adequate conception of the vast area cov- ered by earthworks in the United States, or of the immense labor expended in their construction. A mound in Montgomery county, Ohio, according to Gale, contains 311,3.53 cubic feet of earth. One in Virginia is seventy feet high and 1,000 feet in circumference, and 6 90 IirSTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY. the great Ctihokia mound of Illinois is ninety feet high and over 2,000 feet in eircumtierence, containing over 20,000,000 cubic feet, and one in the State of Mississippi covers an area of six acres. In these mounds there are sometimes found pearls, sharks' teeth and marine sliells, obsidian or volcanic glass, native copper and native silver, sometimes united unalloyed, as found only in Russia and on Lake Superior, where innumerable stone implements are still to be found that have evidently been used in extracting those metals. Lead has also occasionally been found, but not so frequently as copper. Stone implements are found in mounds and upon the sur- face, especially after j^lowing, wherever these ancient works appear. The implements are generally manufactured from syenite or some hard trap rock, and consist of stone pipes, hammers, axes, scrapei'S or flesh ers, pestles, spinners or twisters, still used by Mexican In- dians. Obsidian, chert and copper, spear and arrow heads are quite common. About the mounds of the lower Mississippi old pottery is quite common, but among those of the upper Mississippi it is only occasionally found. The mound-builders must have possessed some mathematical knowledge, as some of their earthworks show a good degree of geometrical skill, as well as military ideas of defense against assaults of enemies. Ten miles below La Crosse, on Coon prairie, there is a line of earthworks and mounds of considerable size and interest, and on the Clark farm, on the La Crosse river, the works all seem to be of a defensible character. At Onalaska they are also quite numerous, and about one mile above McGilvray's ferry on Black river there is an old earth fort and mounds that still remain quite conspicuous. At Galesville and vicinity are quite a number of mounds, includ- ing some built in the shape of man, and many, according to Gale, in the shape of animals. The most conspicuous, because most accessi- ble, are the mounds in and near the village of Trempealeau. One, west of Mr. Boer's residence, commands a fine view from its eleva- tion above the surrounding surface. In the neighborhood of the Baptist church there are also several of an interesting character. Near Pine Creek station there are some very fine ones. At La Crescent and on Pine Creek, Minnesota, there are a number of mounds of small size ; and coming up to Winona, on the south shore, at intervals they appear at Dresbach, Dah-co-tah, Richmond, La Moille, Cedar Creek, Homer, Pleasant and Burns valleys. Upon the farm of Miss Maggie Burns there are several mounds that still PREHISTORIC. 91 remain undisturbed, but along the public road several very sym- metrical mounds have been leveled in construction and repaii's of the thoroughfare. Upon the table of West Burns valley the Rheibeau boys plowed up some of the most elegantly-shaped stone implements ever dis- covered in any country. To my chagrin, after a vain attempt to purchase them, I was told that a gentleman from Milwaukee had induced Mrs. Rheibeau to part with them, and thus were lost to the museums of Winona a few celts not surpassed by any in the large collection at the Centennial Exposition. My niece, Mrs. Louise Page, found a number of arrow and spear heads and a few fragments of pottery in Homer, and near the Keys 92 IIISTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY. mansion she picked Irom the river bank a large stone hammer, which is now in the museum of the Winona normal school. The hammer was imbedded about two feet in the soil, and was most likely buried, like the silver ornaments found near it, in the grave of some dead warrior. The Catholic emblems in silver were those in common use among the Catholic Indians and half-breeds of Can- ada within my recolleeti(^n, and most probably belonged to some (^anadian voyageur, or perhaps was buried, after the Indian custom, with the body of some Indian (or squaw) convert to the Catholic faith. The high point at Keys' was a favorite burying-ground, be- cause of its extreme height above the river during an ovei-flow of the lower land of the prairie. The sites selected for their burying- grounds indicated to the old traders the Indian's anticipations of a possible overflow of the prairie. Upon the farm of Myles Roach, in the town of Homer, a num- ber of stone arrow and spear heads have been found by the sons of IVEr, Roach, and one of copper was found which was purchased by R. F. Norton, now of the village of Homer. There have also been found along the river front in Winona copper implements, one of which, found by Geo. Cole, is in the possession of his father. Dr. James M. Cole, of Winona. Most of the implements found on the surface have, no doubt, been lost while in use, but those found in mounds and in ossuaries have been placed there with the remains of the dead. The ossuaries of Barn Bluff and of Minnesota City were, no doubt, places of interment of the bones of^^the dead, which had been divested of their flesh by exposure upon scaflblds or trees. In the early days of my first acquaintance with the Dah-ko-tahs, no other mode of burial would satisfy their ideas of a proper sepul- ture, but after a time the example set by the white people of burying their dead had its influence, and in modern times, except among the wildest bands, the Sioux began to bury their dead soon after their demise. The body of Chandee, son of Wah-kon-de-o-tah, the war- chief of Wah-pa-sha, was buried upon my brother's property at Homer by special request of his relatives. His sister, Shook-ton-ka, the champion girl racer of the band, and some children of Wah-pa- sha, were buried near the site of the Huff" house. Afler the treaty was decided upon by the band, many bones of the dead were removed and buried in secret places at night, lest they should be disturbed by white settlers, whom the Indians knew would eventually occupy the PREHISTORIC. 93 country. Some of the ancient mounds have been used by modern tribes as receptacles for their dead, but in such cases the fact is readily discernible, as no regard has been paid by the modern In- dians to the strata of earth, clay and sand, or gravel, of which tlie burial or sacrificial mounds have been composed. It is believed by some that the circle of sculls found in an ancient ossuary at Minne- sota City were the crania of victims to some religious sacrifice around the altar-pole, or else of captives slaughtered and left, as puppies are left in modern times, with heads to the pole, which might account for the position the sculls were found in. At Blufi' Siding, opposite Winona, along the wagon-road to Galesville, a number of mounds may be seen, occupying an admirable position for defense. The limits of my paper have been reached, and I must hasten to a close ; but I crave my readers' interest in behalf of my brother Willard, in connection with his settlement in Winona county. As for myself, it will sufiice for me to say that, dissatisfied with what appeared to me as time thrown away upon the frontier, I returned to Detroit and recommenced the study of medicine in the office of Dr. Scoville, an eminently successful physician and surgeon. Upon the appointment of Adrian K. Terry, uncle of Gen. Terry, to the surgeoncy of the 1st Mich. reg. during the Mexican war, I was given the hospital stewardship of that regiment, and served to the close of that war. While quartered in Cordova, Mexico, I was placed in full charge of the post hospital during the illness of Drs. Terry and Lembke, and returned to Detroit, Michigan, at the close of the war in medical charge of one detachment. Having acquired a taste for a free life when the gold discovery in California lecame a fact, I went overland through Mexico to Mariposa, where, com- pelled at first to fight Indians in self-defense, I finally became a member of the Mariposa battalion. While on duty in that organi- zation I became one of the discoverers of the naw famous Yosemite valley, the name of which was given by myself, as will appear in my book, "Discovery of/ the Yosemite," published by F. H. Eevell, of Chicago. During the war of the rebellion I served in the ranks as a pri- vate, and through successive promotions (having had conferred upon me a degree) reached the rank of major by a commission as surgeon of the 36th reg. Wis. Inf Assigned to detached duty on March 2T, 1865, with the 1st Minn., I served in that regiment as its sole medical officer until its return to Washington at the close of the war. 94 IIISTOIIY OF WIXONA COTXTV. I will close this paper with an extract from a series of articles furnished the "LaOrosse Chronicle," that I hope may be deemed a fitting close to my subject. In 1848 and later, my brother Willard was employed in moving the Indians. Some of them, the Winnebagoes especially, were very much dissatisfied, and declared they would not leave for the home selected for them on the Minnesota river. Will's influence was great among them at that time, and he succeeded in collecting about three hundred of them. Flavingarranged withMillerfortheuseof the ware- house of his old firm, he quartered them in it. They seemed contented enough until a short time before the steamer came to carry them up the river, when they set up a most unearthly yell, broke through their guard, seized their ponies from an adjacent corral and disap- peared. Other means were then resorted to, and they were removed in smaller squads or details ; but they would return again and again to their native haunts as if drawn back by some occult force. Will's discernment would penetrate all disguises of paint, red, green or blue blankets, until at last they yielded to his persisted efforts and remained upon the new reservation. My brother has assured me that many of the Indians receipted for by the officers at Fort Snelling he had removed over and over again. With Indian cunning they would assume a new name with each new disguise, and the officers were unable to discover or remedy it. With the Indians went Asa White and Tom Holmes, both of whom had squaws for wives. Miller & Myrick had already dis- solved partnership before the Indians were removed, and were vir- tually out of the Indian trade, but their influence was still more or less potent in Indian affairs, and they were advised with as to their management. My brother's persevering energy in removing the Winnebagoes was awarded by a permit to trade with the Wabasha band, and he settled u])on their reservation. This gave him great advantages, and obtaining the consent of Wah-pa-sha, rewarding him liberall}'. Will planted old Mr. Burns and his remaining family upon what has since been known as the Burns' farm, providing each member old enough with a claim. Will was unable to choose as well for himself as he had for the Burns family, for being under the impression that the site of Winona was subject to overflow, he located at Homer, which he named after his birthplace, the village of Homer, New York state. Here he PREHISTORIC. 95 built the first house in 1849, and in 1850-5J made a large addition to the building and moved into it. Peter Burns and himself became interested in a scheme to conti'ol the trade of the interior, bj secur- ing the nearest "high- water landing" below Winona, and for that purpose, in conjunction with Borup, an old trader and a brother of Senator Alex. Ramsey, of St. Paul, they laid out the village of Minne-o-way, building a large hotel and storehouses to accommo- date the very large business destined to reward their enterprise. By some oversight they had neglected to comply with some provision of the law, and a keen-sighted man by the name of Dougherty, dis- covering their neglect, pounced down upon their claim, and in a suit that followed secured land, hotel and storehouses as his homestead. Burns was lucky enough, before the final decision was rendered, to sell his interests for $4,000. As to the site of Winona, known to the Dah-co-tahs as Keoxa, it was firmly believed by the old traders and lumbermen to be subject to overflow in the highest water. From the deck of a steamer pass- ing at the highest stage, the space left dry really appeared very small. In very high water all of the low land of the prairie was submerged and a volume suflicient to run a steamboat ran down south of the city, before the railroad embankment was raised. The Indians laughed at the supposed folly of the white men in building on tlie "island," and it was an anticipated joke that Will would sometime be seen, pikepole in hand, rescuing the floating property of this embryo city and hauling it out upon his higher landing. Poor Will ! He had been out so long upon the frontier that he failed to realize what money and enterprise would do to improve and protect a city so advantageously situated as Winona. He and his brave wife are both gone now from the scenes of their early hopes and perils. He left in August, 1861, and she in 1868, leaving a family of two sons and four daughters. CHAPTER IX. GEOGRAPHICAL. The geographical position of Winona county is between parallels 43 and 45 north latitude, 44 passing through the center of the county, and between meridians 91 and 92 west, a small portion of the county lying west of 92. It is organized from townships Nos. 105, 106, 107 north, of ranges No. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 west, and contains twenty organized townships, iifteen of which are full townships, containing thirty-six sections. One is organized from half a township, and one is formed of townships Nos. 107 and 108, of range No. 8. Four are irregular in form on the northern boundary, and are fractional. The county is located in the southeastern part of the State of Minnesota, and is bounded on the north by Wabasha county and partly by the Mississippi river, and on the east by the Mississippi, which ilows here in a southeasterly direction, and on the south by Houston antl Fillmore counties, and on the west by Olmsted and Wabasha coun- ties. In shape, nearl}^ a right-angled triangle, longest on the south- ern boundary, being about forty miles or six and a half townships in length, and twenty-four miles or four townships in width from north to south. It is regular in form on the southern and western boundaries, the Mississippi river forming nearly the hypothenuse of the triangle from northwest to southeast. The surface, within the distance of about twelve miles from the Mississip]n river, is bluify or broken, the river being about five hundred feet below the general surface. Houston county is a trifle higher in altitude ; with that exce])tion this county is the highest 07i this side, and contiguous to the river from its source to its mouth. Bold perpendicular ledges of rock form the sides of the blufl' in many places along the river, and a considerable portion of the south part of the county contiguous to the Eoot river is of the same char- acter. Four townships of the northwest part of the county along the Whitewater are also rough and rocky. The remainder of the sni-face is undulating prairie, irregular in extent, comprising not far from six townshij^s, and located in the central and western parts of the county. GEOGRAPHICAL. 97 When tlie altitude is reached thei'e is great uniformity in tlie appearance of the surface, and any other highland may be visited without materially ascending or descending, the high lands being all connected by a series of ridges which form the divides between the streams which flow into the Mississippi and those which flow into the Boot river on the south and the Whitewater on the north. There are no swamp lands in the county, and not a regular quarter-section that would be benefited for agriculture by artificial drainage. There are a few acres in patches along the Mississippi and along the margins of some of the smaller streams of marsh or bog lands, liable to overflow, but producing excellent grass. The waters of the county all find their way to the Mississippi ; those in the north part of the county furnish the south branches of the Whitewater. On the north and east each township contributes a stream to the Mis- sissippi. The largest and most important of these is the Rolling- stone, which drains nearly one hundred square miles of surface, and affords water-power for six large flouring mills. There are also several unoccupied powers on the difterent branches of the stream. Each township of the southern tier also furnishes a stream to Root river. All these sti-eams are formed by springs, and are nearly uniform throughout the year as to supply of water, and, having considerable fall, afford water-power which in the future may be developed. The surplus water of the county finds its way to these streams through the ravines and small valleys reaching out toward the prairie in all directions. Utica, or town 106, range 9, occupies the summit, being drained on the northeast into Rollingstone, on the northwest into White- water, and on the south into Rush creek ; and this township is also nearly the center of the prairie surface. The longest, largest, main ridge of the county begins in the southeastern part, on the divide between the waters which flow in- to the Mississi]jpi and those which flow into Root river, and extends in^a northwesterly direction through the townships of Dresback, New Hartford, Pleasant Hill, Wilson and Warren into Utica. From this main ridge branches innumei'able extend in every direc- tian. The most important ones are Homer ridge between Cedar and Pleasant Valley creeks, and Minneiska ridge between White- water and Rollingstone, both ridges leading to the Mississippi 98 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. In the south j)art of St. Cliarles in Saratoga, and the northwest j)art of Fremont, are to be found some broken ridges or liills, none of them rising above the general surface of the county. Tlie valleys surrounding these hills are not so deep as the valleys along the streams in other parts of the county, and in some places they g^-adu- ally rise and extend into broad upland prairies. In this part of the county, or among these hills, there are several tine groves of timber. Cheatcm's grove in the southwest part of Utica, Blair's grove in the northeast part of Saratoga, and Harvey's grove on the line between Saratoga and St. Cliarles, are the most notable. They contain a fine thrifty growth of oak, po])lar and butternut, with a dense growth of underbrush in some places. At the lieads of all the streams, or along their mai'gins, timber of various kinds is found. As we approach the top of the blutfs it consists mostly of white and red oak, with patches of white birch. In the valleys are found burr oak, hard maple, wliite ash, rock and red elm, basswood, hackberry, black walnut, butternut and poplar. The bluff lands, which include the parts of the county lying along the Mississippi, the Whitewater and the branches of Root river, and tlie ridges connecting them, are generally well timbered, especially on their sides facing the north, the fires of early spring burning the south sides before the snow has left the north sides, or before tliey become sufficiently dry to burn. "Where the fire is kept out timber rapidly springs up. As the line of the county extends to the middle of the channel of the Mississippi, and the channel sometimes passes next to the Wisconsin side, there is in the townships of Rollingstone and Winona a large amount of bottom-lands covered with timber. Oak, ash, elm, birch, cottonwood, willow and maple are most abundant. In the two townships last mentioned, there is lying between the bluffs and the river a sand or gravel prairie six or seven miles in length and about three-quarters of a mile in width, which is a few feet above high water, and of nearly uniform level surface. Con- tiguous to this prairie, and next to the blufts, is a sei'ies of terrace or table lands, which are timbered with the three kinds of oak before mentioned. The same character of table-lands also occur at the mouths of all the streams that flow into the Mississippi. As we leave the timber and ridges approaching the prairie throughout the whole county, there is more or less grub or brush land, which is usually a small growth of oak. red and white. There GEOGRAPHICAL. , 99 are also patches of brush land consisting of hazelnut, wild plum and crab-apple. The bluff and ridge lands throughout the county, especially the part that is timbered, consist of a clay loam varying from one foot to twenty feet in depth. As the Mississij^pi and the larger streams are approached, the sides of the bluffs are in many places quite precipitous, the rocks cropping out to the surface. As the bluffs are descended, the soil changes in composition by an admixture of sand and lime from the decomposed rocks. Lands lying close by the river at tlie mouth of the valleys have little or no clay at the surface, but the soil is underlaid by a stratum of clay or loess almost impervious to water before reaching the gravel or sand rock of the bed of the river. As we ascend the streams that flow into the Mississippi, if the valleys are broad the soil is a stiff, tenacious clay of bluish cast, but darkens in color on exposure to the air. This clay is evidently local drift, as it is stratified and does not contain any boulders, drift coal, nor other matter indicating true northern drift. Where the valleys have retained the wash of the bluffs, and the water-courses have not interfered, the clay is covered and mixed with vegetable mould, sand and lime, in some places several feet deep. The soil of the upland prairie is a deep dark loam, and is under- layed by stiff clay or by rock. This soil does not materially change in color nor in texture by cropping. Among the broken ridges or hills of the south-central and west parts of the county the rocks come very near to the surface of the upland, and the lower ground, though gradually rising into upland prairie, is in places quite sandy. There is upon the surface of this sandy land an accumulation of decomposed vegetable matter very dark in color, indicating the presence of lime in its composition. The soil of the brush or grub lands is similar in appearance to that of the timber lands, but contains a much greater amount of crude vegetable matter. Spring wheat has been considered as the staple crop, but oats, corn, barley and potatoes in the order named are largely grown. The timbered or ridge lands have produced good crops of winter as well as spring wheat for twenty-five years, and winter wheat was also grown in the valleys near the Mississippi for several years very successfully. It has not, however, succeeded on the prairie. 100 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. Thougli this county does not claim to be the banner county of the state in wheat-raising, it is entitled to its full share of the credit for the popularity to which Minnesota wheat has attained for quality and amount to the acre under cultivation. It is said to be a fact that any soil which will produce good crops of wheat will also grow good crops of any of the cereals adapted to the climate. Whatever failures may have occurred in the production of the common cereals in this county, in no case can the failure be attributed wholly to the character of the soil. For the production of these grains the average yield compares favorably with any portion of the state. One instance of the marvelous productiveness of the soil may be given. Upon the tirst farm opened in the Eollingstone valley there was sown, in the "tirst week in October, 1852, some winter wheat. It was har- vested the first week in July of the next year, threshed upon the ground with a flail and cleaned with a sheet in the wind, and yielded thirty-seven bushels to the acre. The same ground produced nine successive crops of wheat, and the ninth was the best that had been raised. This ground has now been under cultivation for thirty years without any particular rotation of crops and without artifleial manure, and is apparently as productive as ever for any crop except wheat, yielding large crops annually of corn, oats, barley or grass. The average yield of wheat has, however, materially decreased in this, as well as in other counties of the state for a few years past. It is believed to be owing entirely to climatic reasons, as there has been no diminution in the yield of other grains. The grass product ranks next to oats in acreage, being somewhat more than corn, and within the last few years stock of all kinds is receiving much atten- tion, and so far no general diseases have appeared among swine, cattle and horses. Of other productions than those already named there is found in our market rye, buckwheat, beans, flax-seed, timothy and clover seed, grapes, tobacco, onions and honey. In the vicinity of the blufl's contiguous to the Mississippi, and along the margins of the smaller streams, crab-apples, wild plums and grapes are abundant. In the timbered belt, about the groves, and in sheltered locations, several varieties of the cultivated apples are grown. As reported by the assessors, there are at present growing in the county about 61,000 apple-trees. GEOGEAPIIICAL. 101 Of the smaller fruits, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, currants, etc., are grown in all parts of the county, and yield abundantly. In character and variety of wild plants and flowers, this county does not differ materially from others similarly situated. The up- land prairie produces grass mainly. There is, however, during the summer, a great profusion of wild flowers. Upon the warm hill- sides, or on sandy land, in early spring, sometimes before the snow has disappeared, the well-known anemone is the most conspicuous ; during May and June, blue or violet and scarlet are the predomi- nating colors ; in July and August, white and yellow adorn the roadsides and uncultivated places. In the fall the moist grounds are literally covered with purple and white. In the whole timbered belt and along the margins of the streams the ground is loaded with a dense growth of rank vegetation. Wild deer had been kept out by the Indians, but for a few years after the first settlements were made they gradually increased in numbers ; a few are yet seen every winter. The black bear, being somewhat migratory, has been occasion- ally seen. Both timber and prairie wolves were at first quite common ; the prairie-wolf is still annoying the flocks, but the timber- wolf is rarely seen. Foxes, red and gray, stay about the rocky ravines and bluft's. Beaver were quite plenty in many of the streams. Several otters have been caught, also mink, weasel, and large numbers of musk-rats. The badger, raccoon, woodchuck and polecat are common. The large gray wood-squirrel and the prairie gray squirrel, the red squirrel, the chipmuck (the black squirrel has visited us, but is not at home), and both varieties of gopher are numerous. Of the rabbit the gray is most common. Of the migratory feathered species that remain here a short time in the spring, but do not nest, the wild goose, the brant, and several varieties of ducks, are the most plenty. These confine themselves mostly to the immediate vicinity of the Mississippi river. The curlew is occasionally seen, also the pelican. Of those that remain during the summer and nest here, the wild pigeon and blackbird are most numerous. The bittern, the sand-hill crane and bald- eagle are common. The mallard and wood-duck frequent the small streams and nest here, but not abundantly. All the migratory birds common to this latitude are to be seen here. 102 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. Of those that remain all winter the prairie-hen is most general ; the partridge, the quail, the bluejay, and several varieties of owls, are usually about the sheltered places in the timber. Speckled trout were in all the small streams of this county and very plenty. There are a few left in nearly all of them. The state fish commissioners have placed young ones in some of the streams. The water coming from springs and being rapid is nicely ada])ted to their habits, and some efforts have been made to propagate them. There are several fine springs well adapted to fisli culture. The main difticulty seems to have been to guard against sudden overflow, as the streams are liable to rise very high and quickly. Fish com- mon to tlie Mississippi river run up several ot the streams in the spring and return to the river again. The Mississippi furnishes a large quantity of fish yearly, the greater portion being taken with the seine. The varieties generally caught are buffalo, catfish, pick- erel, bass and wall-eyed pike. There are also sturgeon, sunfish, perch, suckers, and several other kinds. The geological formation of the county is quite uniform in char- acter. The appearance of the rocks at the surface, in St. Charles, Saratoga, and ])art of Fremont and Utica, is somewhat different from those lying along the Mississippi, the Whitewater, and the streams that flow into Root river. Here, also, the valleys are much broader, and the loam, or top-soil, thicker and more evenly spread. The highest lands are tillable and. usually turfed all over. The lowest visible rock along the Mississippi, and probably underlying the whole county, is the St. Croix sandstone. This sandstone varies somewhat in appearance and texture. In the south- east part of the county the quarries show a fine building-stone of superior quality for working, of a grayish color, that hardens on exposure to the air. In some places the rocks are of a reddish cast, probably owing to the presence of iron. Some of the layers are quite soft and are readily excavated. In the south part, Utica, St. Charles, part of Fremont and of Saratoga, the sand-rock cropping out of the hills or low bluffs is nearly white in color, loose in texture and disintegrates rapidly, forming a beautiful white sand. Over- lying the sandstone is the lower magnesian formation, which also probably underlies most of the county. It is a hard, flinty, whitish or light gray rock, composed of lime and sand, with streaks of calcite along the larger streams. The upper portion only is visible, tlie lower part being covered with wash from the bluffs. This rock is not GEOGRAPHICAL. 108 available for use, being very hard and of irregular fracture, not easily quarried or worked. In some places along the Mississippi there is seen, overlying the lower magnesian, a sandstone loose in texture, crumbling rapidly and largely forming the soil of the sides of the bluiFs. It is probably not more than lifteen or twenty feet in thickness. Corresponding with this sandstone, there extends through a part of the towns of Wilson, Hart, and part of Norton, a sandstone of similar texture, but deeper colored, more firm, and in some cases regularly and beautifully corrugated. Overlying this sand- stone is magnesian limestone, its layers generally regular, but vary- ing in thickness. This is the generally-used building stone of the county. This stone does not cliange on exposure, and large quanti- ties are used by the railroads and shipped to Wisconsin. There are some small specimens of fossil remains to be seen in this limestone. In the vicinity of St. Charles the limestone is largely composed of fossil remains, trilobites and cretaceous shells of several varieties. There are no evidences of northern drift in this county. Probably owing to its altitude no boulders are to be found. The clay gener- ally exists in pockets, and is stratified. There are some small deposits of loess usually in the valleys, and mound-like in appearance. Where wells have been sunk in different ]3arts of the county, upon the higher lands, the rocks are found to be of nearly uniform char- acter, and water is not usually found till the sandstone is reached. The well of Mr. Clawson, in Saratoga, presents an unusual phe- nomena. At the depth of seventy-five feet the drill opened into a crevice or a cave, and the air rushed out with great violence. At the distance of four feet more the rock was again struck, and water obtained at the depth of one hundred and forty feet from the sur- face. The current of air in the well changes with the wind, the downward current in winter freezing the water in the pipe to the depth of the crevice, seventy or more feet, and again rushing out, so as to thaw all the ice about the well. In numerous places along the Mississippi, especially upon the gravelly headlands, are yet evidences of the mound-builders. Where the mounds have been examined little has been discovered beyond stone implements, arrow-heads, and in some places skeletons, which are no doubt intrusive burials. Large quantities of clam shells and bones of various animals are also found, mixed with pieces of charcoal and with ashes. In one case a charred package of white birch bark was found of nearly a cubic foot in size, and scattered about the mounds is usually found much fragmentary rude pottery. CHAPTER X. RAILROADS. Before the ratification of the treat}' by which the Sioux surren- dered their hinds for settlement, a party of three, headed by Robert Pike, was dispatched from Minnesota City to ascertain whether a practicable route for a railroad to Traverse des Sioux, on the Minne- sota river, existed. Early in July, 1852, Mr. Pike made a favorable report, and urged the adoption of some plan for building the road, but he was then accounted an enthusiast, and his scheme dismissed as visionary and impracticable. Early in 1854, however, the project was revived, and, after several ineffectual attempts at organization, a charter was obtained from the legislature March 4, 1854, by Orrin Smith, Henry D. Huff, Abram M. Fridley, Lorenzo D. Smith, John L. Balcombe, Alexander Ramsey, W. A. Gorman, Henry H. Sibley, J. Travis Rosser, Andrew G. Chatfield, Henry McKenty, O. M. Lord, Samuel Humbertson, Martin McLeod, Benjamin Thompson, William H. Newton, James Hanna, G. Addison Brown and Robert Helm, under the name and style of the Transit Railroad Company, authorizing them to construct a railroad from Winona westward to the Minnesota river. In March, 1855, an amended charter was obtained from the legislature, and the incorporators met at St. Paul on the 25th of January, 1856, accepted the charter, and gave official notice thereof to the secretary of the territory. On the 12th of May the sum of $240,000 had been subscribed to the capital stock of the company, the subscribers being the following named per- sons: L. D. Smith, H. D. Huff, Wm. Ashley Jones, Charles H. Berry, M. Wheeler Sargent, H. H. Johnson, E. H. Johnson, H. J. LLilbert, E. S. Smith, David Olmsted, M. K. Drew, A. P. Foster, Wm. H. Stevens, John Evans, Chas. Hamilton, O. S. Holbrook, Orrin Smith, John C. Laird, Win. H. Laird, M. J. Laird, J. H. Jacoby, Royal B. Evans and L. H. Springer. All these, with the exception of Orrin Smith and L. IL Springer, were residents of Winona. The first officers of the comj)any were H. H. Johnson, president ; Wm. Ashley Jones, vice-president ; H. J. Hilbert, sec- retary and engineer ; H. D. Iluff^ treasurer. RAILROADS. 107 The organization of the company was only the prehide to a pro- longed and bitter contest with parties interested in other localities, and more particularly with the owners and promoters of the town- site of La Crescent. After various vicissitudes, among them the defeat in 1854 of H. D. Huft' for the legislature by Clark W. Thompson on this issue, the conflict finally resulted in a victory for Winona 'and the Transit railroad. Qn the 3d of March, 1857, Congress passed an act by which the munificent gift of 1,200,000 acres of public lands was conferred upon the state for the benefit of the Transit road. An extra session of the legislature was at once called to consider this and other grants of lands, and on the 22d day of May, 1857, an omnibus bill was passed con- firming the grants, and amending the charter of the Transit road 80 as to authorize it to construct and operate a railroad from Winona via St. Peter to the Big Sioux river. In February, 1858, what is known as the five-million loan amendment to the constitution was adopted by the first state legislature, and was ratified by a vote of the people April 15, 1858. By the terms of this amendment state bonds were to be issued and delivered to tha various railroad com- panies at the rate of $100,000 for every ten miles graded and bridged ready for the iron, the state taking a first mortgage upon the road-bed so graded, together with the lands and franchises of the company, as security for the loan. The Transit company at once filed their acceptance of the terms of the amendment, and proceeded to let the contract for the grading and construction of seventy-five miles of the line as surveyed west of Winona. In the letting of this first contract, as well as in the location of the line out of Winona, there was a most determined effort on the part of a few men to divert the road from Winona, and so build it as to eventually make La Crescent the eastern terminus. Selah Chamberlain, of Ohio, after- ward the builder of several roads in the state, and the largest holder of the state bonds issued under the five-million loan amendment, was a bidder for the contract. It was understood that if he secured it work would be begun at or near Lewiston, and that the matter of the eastern terminus would remain unsettled, with a strong proba- bility that the road would be diverted down the ridge back of Winona to La Crescent. De Graff & Co., also bidders for the con- tract, were favored by most of the directors, who were desirous of beginning the work of construction at Winona, and thus at the outset fixing the terminus and settling that question forever. This 10ersons shall ad- vance for that purpose, with interest on the sums so advanced not to exceed the rate of ten per cent per annum; jjvovided aknays^ that the obligation so made and taken shall in no event bind the city to such repayment unless the proper legal authority for such repayment be obtained. '■'•Resolved^ That the recorder be authorized and is hereby required to have prepared, and to issue and deliver under his hand as recorder and the seal of said city, to each person advancing money for the above purpose, a certificate for all sums so advanced by each person respectively, bearing interest as aforesaid. '-'■ Resolved, Tiiat as soon as practicable j)roper legislation author- izing and legalizing the present action of the city council, so far as such legislation may be necessary, or any other needed legislation, shall be obtained." Upon the basis of this action on the part of the city council a canvassing committee was set at work, and the sum of $35,000 subscribed by the citizens for the purpose set forth above. The railroad company, upon being notified of the result, finally accepted the situation, and proceeded during the summer and fall of 1873 to build the road as projiosed. An act of the legislature authorizing tlie city to make good its agreement with the subscribers, but un- wisely providing for making up the amount to $50,000 for the com})any, was approved February 5, 1874, the act providing, how- ever, that the question should be submitted to the people at a general or special election upon five days' notice by publication. A special election was accordingly called for and held on February 23, 1874, which resulted in a defeat of the proposed bonds, largely on account of the provision for making up the sum to be paid the company to $50,000, the vote standing 275 for to 785 against it. The citizens were justified in this vote for the reason that it was sought to make the city liable for $15,000 more than the amount of the subscrip- tion, a provision in the bill insisted on by the representatives of the KAILROADS. 115 -company, but for which the subscribers, ahuost without exception, were in no way chargeable. Chagrined and disappointed at this result, and there being grave doubt of their legal liability, the subscribers refused to pay their subscriptions ; but suits were insti- tuted by the company in the United States circuit court against them, and a test case being carried to a final decision it was held that the subscribers were liable, and the several amounts were accordingly paid over, each subscriber receiving, according to the original agreement, stock of the company to the amount of his subscription, which stock was not and never has become of any considerable value. There still being a widespread feeling that the subscribers to the bonus had suffered an injustice, another act of the legislature was obtained March 6, 1876, providing for a special election in April of that year to determine whether the city would indemnify the sub- scribers by an issue of its bonds in the amount of the subscriptions actually paid, the- city to take the stock originally issued to the sub- scribers. Accordingly an election was called and^ held on April 3, but although every moral, if not legal, obligation rested upon the city to indemnify its public-spirited citizens for the money paid by them to secure a railroad connection of conceded value to the town, the proposition again failed to carry, the vote being 737 for to 1004 against the bonds, and here the matter rests. The road has since practically passed into the hands of John I. Blair, of New Jersey, and its name has been changed to the Green Bay, Winona & St. Paul Railroad Company. Winona and Southwestern Bailroad. — In February, 1856, the legislature of the territory incorporated the Winona & La Crosse Railroad Company, with authority to build and operate a railroad from Winona to a point opposite La Crosse, Wisconsin. February 9, 1872, the state legislature passed an act reviving this old charter and amending it so as to incorporate the Winona & Southwestern Railroad Company, composed of the following named persons, viz : William Windom, Thomas Simpson, Wm. H. Yale, J. C. Fasten, John Robson, William Mitchell, H. W. Lamberton, M. G. Norton, E. S. Youmans, R. D. Cone, Thomas Wilson, M. K. Drew, E. D. Williams, Geo. P. Wilson, Thomas Abbott and Ignatius O'Ferral, and authorizing the building, equipment and operation of a railroad from Winona to the Iowa line east of range 14 and west of the fifth principal merixlian, and also granting the right to extend the 116 HISTORY O?^ WINONA COUNTY. line, by the most feasible route, from Winona to St. Paul and Minneapolis, the road to be completed and equipped within four years from the date of the act. At a meeting of the incorporators held at Winona April IH, 1872, William Mitchell was elected president; E. D. Williams, vice- president; Thomas Simpson, secretary, and M. G. Norton, treasurer. William Mitchell, John llobson and H. W. Lamberton were made an executive committee, and E. S. Youmans, Ignatius O'Ferral and M. G. Norton were appointed commissi(mers to receive subscriptions to the stock of the company, to collect five per centum thereon for the expenses of a survey and for the purchase of necessary mai)S, profiles, etc., for the use of the company. Stock to the amount of $67,500 was subscribed. At the same session of the legislature an act was passed authorizing the city of Winona and the towns and villages on the proposed line of the road to vote a five per cent tax in aid of the road. Under this authority the city of Winona, on April 9, 1872, at a special election voted bonds -to aid in the con- struction of the road to the amount of $150,000. Several of the towns in Winona and Fillmore counties, and the village of Chat- field, voted liberal bonuses to the road. Two or more surveys were made under the direction of N. F. Hilbert, one by way of Saratoga and Fremont, the other by way of the Money Creek valley. For a time there was every prospect that the road would be built. It would have furnished an invaluable outlet for the lumber and other products of the Winona manufactories, and would have been a potent element in tlie growth of the city. The severe financial crisis of 1873, however, and the subsequent hard times, brought delays and embarrassments which prevented tlie building of the road, and it still remains one of the ''glorious possibilities." In 1875 it was voted by the company to accept the proposition of certain Iowa parties to build a narrow-gauge road from Ilesper, Iowa, to Houston, Minnesota, provided the company would build a similar road from Winona to Houston. Money was raised and a prelimi- nary survey made, but nothing further came of the project. The charter was extended by the legislature of 1873, and by reason of the surveys and o^her work done thereunder is considered to be still alive. Both the line to the southwest and the one from Winona to St. Paul are still feasible, and would be valuable to the builders as well as to Winona and the territory tlirough which they would pass. CHAPTER XI. NAVIGATION. The " Father of Waters " forms the eastern boundary of Winona county, and with its various channels and sloughs constitutes the only navigable water in the county. Probably the first white man who traversed the forty-five miles of its length in which we are now interested was Father Hennepin, who in the month of April, 1680, explored the Mississippi from the mouth of the Illinois to the falls of St. Anthony. In the month of May, 1689, Nicholas Perrot, accompanied by Le Sueur, Father Marest and others, sailed up the Mississippi from the mouth of Wisconsin river to the mouth of the St. Croix, and formally took possession of the country in the name of the king of France. In September of the year 1700 Le Sueur passed upward with a party of Frenchmen to explore and work some reported mines near the mouth of the Chippewa river. In the year 1766 that enterprising Connecticut Yankee, Jonathan Carver, traveled extensively in the Northwest, and on October 29 of that year passed by the future county of Winona, noting in his journal some shrewd observations upon the numerous mounds which he saw along the shores and bluffs. In September, 1805, Lieut. Zebu- Ion Pike visited this region by order of President Jefferson, to expel British traders, who were found violating the laws, and to form alli- ances with the Indians. In the summer of 1819 a party of officers and soldiers, with their wives and children, passed by our county in keelboats on their way to establish a post at the mouth of the Minnesota river, by order of John C. Calhoun, then secretary of war. The next year Gov. Cass of Michigan headed an exploring expedition by way of the lakes, and, descending the Mississippi in canoes, spent the afternoon of August 4 at Wapashaw village, the site of the present city of Winona. Previous to the year 1823 it had been supposed that the rapids at Rock Island were an insurmountable barrier to the navigation of the upper Mississippi ; but on the second day of May of that year the Virginia, a steamer one hundred and eighteen feet in length, left her moorings at St. Louis, destined for Fort Snelling. Success- fully passing the rapids, this pioneer craft made her way slowly up 118 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. the Mississippi, producing the greatest terror and consternation among the Indians, who supposed that it was some enormous water- spirit, coughing, puffing out liot breath and splashing the water in all directions. This pioneer steamer passed Wabasha prairie toward the last of the month and reached P''ort Snelling in safety. From this time occasional trips were made as the necessity of the govern- ment and trading-posts required. Among the great number of steam- ers wliich have passed and repassed the county in years gone by, all old settlers will remember the Minnesota Belle, Gray Eagle, War Eagle, Northern Belle, Nominee, Ben Corson, The Adelia, Frank Steele, Keokuk, Jeanette, Tishimingo, Aimie Johnson, Addie John- son, Phil. Sheridan, and many others. Of the captains of all these and other unnamed steamers Capt. Smith Harris and Capt. Orrin Smith are most frequently mentioned. The latter was one of the earliest proprietors and admirers of the town site of Winona, and the former, being interested in Kasota, and otlier towns on the Minnesota river, was never tired of pointing out the disadvantages of Wabasha prairie. It is said that during the higli water in 1 852, in order to demonsti-ate the truth of his state- ment that Smith's town was on a mere sand-bar in the Mississipjn, he ran his boat straight by Minneowah up into Lake Winona, and out across near the Denman farm into Crooked Slough and the river again. Captains Hatcher and Bryant, long in the service, afterward made their homes in Winona. Before the day of railroads great importance attaclied to the coming and going of these river steamers, which formed the only connection with the outside world. The familiar whistle of a steamboat would frequently cause a stampede even from the church service or prayer meeting, particularly if it was the first boat of the season. The following table shows the arrivals of the first boat for a period of years commencing with 1856: 1856. Alhambra, April 8. 1870. Keokuk, April 5. 1857. Hamburg, April 2. 1871. Addie Johnston, March 18. 1858. Brazil, March 2.3. 1872. Belle of La Crosse, April 9. 1859. Grey Eagle, March 18. 1873. Union, April 3. 186(). Chippewa, INIarch 13. 1874. Northwestern, April 6. 18()1. Northern Light, March 26. 1875. Lake Superior, April 12. 1862. Keokuk, April 2. 1876. Dubuque, April 10. 1863. Keokuk, March 20. 1877. Red Wing, April 11. 1864. Union, M:irch Hi. 1878. Penguin, March 12. 1865. Lansing, March 30. ' 1879. Maggie Keaney, April 4. 186(). Addie .Johnston, Ai)ril 13. 1880. Belle of Bellvue, March 22. 1867. City of St. Paul, April 13. 1881. Josie, April 24. 1868. Diamond Jo, March 21. 1882. Robert Harris, March 1. 1869. Buckeye, April 6. COURTS AND OFFICERS OF THE COURTS. 119 The following table shows the dates of the closing of navigation for a series of years: 1856 November 27 1857 November 19 1858 ■ December 2 1859 December 3 1860 •• November 24 1861 November 27 1862 December 1 1863 November 27 1864 December 4 1865 December 5 1866 December 9 1867 December 5 1868 December 8 1869 December 18 1870 December 15 1871 November 22 1872 November22 1873 November29 1874 November 30 1875 November20 1876 December 1 1877 December 8 1878 December 13 1879 December 12 1880 November20 1881 Jamiary 2, 1882 1882 December 6 CHAPTER XII. COURTS AND OFFICERS OF THE COURTS. The territorial courts of record were organized under the act of congress passed March 3, 1849, called the "Organic act," supple- mented by acts passed from time to time by the territorial legis- lature. By the organic act three judges were provided for, which were appointed by the president, "by and with the advice and con- sent of tiie senate." One was styled "chief-justice," the other two "associate-justices." These together constituted the supreme court, one term of which was required to be held annually at the seat of government of the territory. It was also provided that the terri- tory should "be divided into three judicial districts," in each of which a district court was required to be held by one of the justices of the supreme court, at such times and places as the territorial legislature might prescribe, and that "the said judges shall, after their appointment, respectively, reside in the districts which shall be assigned them." Each district court, or the judge thereof, was by such act empowered to appoint its own clerk, which clerk was to hold his office at tlie pleasure of the court. The supreme court and district courts were invested with chancery as well as common law jurisdiction. The extent of this jurisdiction of these courts was substantially the same as like courts under the present constitution of the state ; that of the several district courts was general. By 120 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. act of the territorial legislature the territory now included within the limits of Winona county was made a part of the first judicial dis- trict, and so remained until the adoption of the constitution. Pre- vious to February 23, 1854, what is now Winona county was a part of the county of Fillmore. On the day last above named Winona county was formed and organized for judicial and other purposes. Up to this time the writer is not aware that any term of the district court was held in P'illmore county, though all other county business affecting this section, such as filing plats of town sites, recording deeds and the levy of taxes, was done at the county seat of F'illmore county, then located at Chatfield. At the date of our county organization Hon. Wm. H. Welch was chief-justice of the territory, to whom was assigned the first judicial district. He was therefore the first judge of the district court in and for this county. He resided at Red Wing, in the county of Goodhue. He continued to fill that ofiice until January 1, 18.58, when the territorial judicial officers were superseded by judgef^ elected under the state constitution adopted at the fall elec- tion in 1857. Much of the good order of our judicial affairs in ter- ritorial times, and the ease and regularity with which our state courts were organized and went into efiect,^were due to this judge. W^hile he was not a man of great learning or superior ability, as the world recognizes learning and ability, yet he had the rare quality in a judge of commanding universal confidence, a feeling among all that the judicial authority was reposed in proper hands. Judge Welch died at his home in Red Wing. At the fall election in 1857 Hon. Thomas Wilson was chosen as judge of the third judicial district of the state, comprising the coun- ties of Houston, Fillmore, Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona. With the beginning of the year 1858, pursuant to a ])rovision of the state constitution, but before the formal admission of the state by congress Judge Wilson entered upon his duties as judge, and continued to hold until 1864, when, having been appointed to the supreme court, he resigned the office of district judge, and Hon. Lloyd Barber, of Olmsted county, was appointed to fill the vacancy so made. He was elected at the fall election in 1864, for the full term of seven years, and held the office until succeeded by Hon. C. N. Waterman, January 4, 1872. Judge Waterman held the oflfice until his death, which occurred February IS, 1873, and was suc- ceeded by Hon. John Van Dyke, who was appointed for the COURTS AN-D OFFICERS OF THE COURTS. 121 remainder of the year 1873. At the fall election of that year Hon. Wm. Mitchell was elected for the full term of seven years, from the beginning of 1874. He discharged the duties during this term, and in 1880 was re-elected for another term, to commence with the ensuing year. At . the session of the legislature of 1881 the number of judges composing the supreme court was increased to five. This made it necessary that two judges should be appointed to the supreme court until after the next ensuing general election. Judge Mitchell was selected as one of the new judges, and Hon. C. M. Start, then attorney-general of the state, but residing in the third judicial district, at Kochester, Olmsted county, was ap- pointed district judge, to succeed Judge Mitchell, At the general election in November, 1881, Judge Start was elected for a full term, commencing with the year 1882. At this writing, January 1, 1883, Judge Start is in the discharge of his official duties. Of the seven judges who have presided in our district courts, three. Judge Welch, Judge Waterman and Judge Van Dyke, are dead. All the others are still living within the district, and engaged in the duties of their profession. Clerks. — As before stated, during our territorial existence clerks of district courts held by appointment of the judge and during his pleasure. The first clerk of the district court in and for Winona county was Martin Wheeler Sargeant. He was appointed by Judge Welch in 1854, and held until superseded by the appointment of John Keyes, on or about July 14, 1856. The record of Mr. Keyes' appointment cannot be found, but his first official act as clerk bears date on that day. Mr. Keyes continued to hold the office until after the admission of the statein to the Union under the state organization, his last official act as clerk bearing date May 25, 1858. Under the constitution the office of clerk was made elective, and at the general election in October, 1857, Henry C. Lester was elected clerk, and entered on the discharge of his duties on the re- tirement of Mr. Keyes. He held the office until April 27, 1861. He resigned to enter the volunteer service of the United States in the war of the rebellion. He was succeeded by E. A. Gerdtzen, who was appointed in place of Col. Lester until the next general election, at which he was elected, and by subsequent elections held without interruption for nearly seventeen years. In November, 1877, John M. Sheardown was elected, has been re-elected, and still holds the office. 122 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. Of the five persons who have held the office, two, Mr. Sargeant and Mr. Keyes, are deceased; Col. Lester has removed from the state, while Messrs. Gerdtzen and Sheardown still reside at the city of Winona. DistHct and County Attorneys. — Under.the territorial organiza- tion, the United States attorney, as lie was called, usually attended at the sessions of the district courts, and performed most of the duties now devolving upon county attorneys. An officer called a district attorney was also provided for by territorial statute, and was elected in each of the organized counties. In the act organizing the county of Winona, approved February 23, 1854, such officer was to be elected at an election to be held in A])ril of that year. The election was duly held, and C. F. Buck, Esq., then residing at Minneowa, was elected. We may say in passing that the village of Minneowa was a rival of Winona for metropolitan honors, and stood on the Mississippi river, about one mile above the present village of Homer. The cui-ious in such matters may still find some traces of it on the river bank, and especially in the office of the register of deeds, where the plat was recorded. Its proprietors were Isaac Van Etten, William L. Ames, brother of Oakes Ames, of credit mohiller and Union Pacific railroad fame. Governor Willis A. Gorman, and S. K Babcock, all of St. Paul. The fact is noteworthy as showing the confidence of shrewd and far- seeing men in the tlien future existence of the city of southern Minnesota at or near this point. Their selection was probabl}'^ made more from an examination of the territorial map than of the respect- ive sites of Minneowa and Winona. If not, time has demonstrated that, however close they shot to the mark in this their judgment was slightly at fault. But to return to the district attorney. Mr. Buck held the office until the beginning of 1856. Edwin M. Bierce had been elected in the fall of 1855, and held the office dui'ing the years 1856 and 1857. B3' the constitution adopted in that year it was provided that "each judicial district might elect one prose- cuting attorney for the district." Under this provision Sam Cole, Esq., was elected "prosecuting attorney" for the third judicial dis- trict, comprising the counties of Houston, Fillmore, Olmsted, Wa- basha and Winona. Although this office was wholly unknown to territorial laws, continued in force by the constitution, and no state legislation had been had to sup[)ly the deficiency, still Mr. Cole, as COURTS AND OFFICERS OF TJIE COURTS. 125 an officer of the courts, qualified with the judges at the beginning of the year 1858. As no legislation was ever liad upon the subject of the duties of this office, we shall probably continue in ignorance as to what they were. Practically Mr. Cole did about what the United States attorney had done in territorial times, and which comprised about all that was required under the statutes of the district attorney. The effect of it was in a large degree to supersede the last-named officer, and for two years no district attorney was elected in "Winona county. In this county at least the constitution operated as an extinguishment of the office. By act of February 6, 1860, the office of county attorney as now existing was created. Under this act the board of supervisors of Winona county, on the 15th day of March, 1860, appointed one A. S. Seaton county attorney, who held the office until the 1st of January, 1861. At the general election in 1860 Hon. William H. Yale was elected, and held the office one term of two years. On the 1st of January, 1863, he was succeeded by Hon. William Mitchell, who was county attorney during the years 1863 and 1864. Mr. Yale, in the fall of 1864, was re-elected, and held during the years 1865 and 1866. He was succeeded at the beginning of 1867 by Hon. George P. Wilson who, by re-election was continued in office until the beginning of 1871, when he was succeeded, by Norman Buck. Mr. Buck held during the years 1873 and 1874, and was succeeded by A. H. Snow, Esq., who by re-election held from the beginning of 1875 to the 1st of January, 18^9. Mr. A. N. Bentley then suc- ceeded for one term, followed by Mr. M. B. Webber, one term, closing with 1882. At the fall election in 1882 Mr. Patrick Fitz- patrick was elected, and now holds the office. Of the twelve persons who have held these offices, only one (Mr. Cole) is known to have died. Both A. S. Seaton and E. M. Bierce left this county about 1860, since which little or nothing seems to be known of either. Mr. Buck is now associate justice of the territory of Idaho. Hon. George P. Wilson is following his profession at Fargo, Dakota Territory. All others still reside in the city of Winona. Sheriffs. — The first sheriff of the county was John lames. He was elected on the first Tuesday in April, 1854. He was succeeded by Cliarles liaton, who was elected in the fall of 1855, and held the office for two years. At the election in 1857 Mr. F. E. Whiton was elected, and held during the years 1858 and 1859. At the fall elec- 126 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. tion in 1859 Messrs. L. R. King and E. D. Williams were opposing candidates for this office. The canvass was close and spirited, and the register of deeds, whose duty it was "to canvass the votes," was unable to determine which had been the successful candidate. The greatest number of votes cast at the election for one office was 2,023. As allowed by the register, the whole immber of votes cast for both candidates for sheriff was 1,970. In reaching this result votes were rejected as irregular, and the conclusion was arrived at that each candidate had received 985, making it "a tie." It thus became necessary to decide "by lot" which of the candidates was elected. Various stories were told as to how this "casting of lots" was per- formed — one to the effect that a game of "euchre" was played between two persons, each representing one of the opposing candi- dates. The writer cannot affirm that such was the fact, though the circumstantiality of the account, other things considered, gives it some weight. But, however the lot was cast, Mr. King was declared elected, and to him was awarded the certificate. The case was then taken by appeal to the district court, Judge Wilson presiding. After a long and patient hearing the decision of the canvassing officer was affirmed, and Mr. King was declared sheriff. By re-election from term to term he held the office without interruption for eiglit years. J. F. Martin was his successor, beginning with the year 1868. Mr. Martin was twice re-elected and held for six years, and was succeeded at the close of 1873 by Wm. H. Dill. Mr. Dill was re-elected three times in succession, and held the office in all eight years, ending with the year 1881. Mr. E. Y. Bogart succeeded and is now (1883) in office. Ex-Sheriffs lames, Whiton and King are deceased. Probate Cmtrts. — By the act of congress organizing the terri- tory probate courts were established. A special election, to be held in April, 1854, was authorized for the election of county officers by act organizing the county of Winona. A judge of probate was one of the officers to be elected. Andrew Cole was elected. He held tlie office until January 1, 1855, when he was succeeded by Alfred P. Foster. Mr. Foster filled the office until October 10, 1856, when it was made vacant by the removal of Judge Foster from the territory, and on that date Sam Cole was appointed to fill the vacancy. E. II. Murray succeeded by election, and held during the years 1857 and 1858, followed by Warren Powers, who was elected in the fall of 1858. By re-election Judge Powers held until his death, which occurred in June, 1865. He was succeeded by Mr. Norman Buck, BANKESTG IN WINONA COUNTY. 127 who was appointed to fill the vacancy in July of that year. In the fall of 1865 Judge Buck was elected. He held the office until the fall of 1867, when he resigned, and was succeeded for the remainder of the year by appointment of C. N. Wakeiield. At the general election in the fall of 1868 Jacob Story was elected to the office. Judge Story has been re-elected at the expiration of each succeeding term, and is still the incumbent of the office. Aside from Mr. E. A. Gerdtzen's tenure of the office of clerk of the district court, which was about seventeen years. Judge Story has enjoyed a longer official term than any other officer of Winona county. CHAPTEE XIII. BANKING IN WINONA COUNTY. As is generally the case in new towns, several branches of business are conducted by the same person or firm. It was so in Winona in the banking business. The United States land office for the Winona land district, having been opened in Winona in December, 1851, land agents, money loaners and speculators in real estate soon followed. The first office of this kind was opened in June in 1855, by Will- iam Ashley Jones, Charles H. Berry and E. S. Smith, under the firm name of Jones, Berry & Smith. They were succeeded by Berry & Waterman, who added to their law business that of receiving deposits and selling exchange on different points. This was done more as a convenience to others than of profit to themselves. This was continued until others engaged in more exclusive banking business. Early in 1856 Timotliy Kirk and his brother had a banking office on the corner of Eront and Main streets. John Mobley opened a banking and exchange office near the corner of Second and Main streets in 1856, and did considerable business-for some two years, and retired in 1858. J. T. Smith had an exchange and loan office, in 1856 or 1857, on Center street, between First and Second streets. He was here about three years. 1'2?-.— Zaphna H. Lake and A. W, Webster organized the Winona County Bank in 1859, and' they filed their organization papers and deposited Minnesota railroad bonds with the state auditor to secure the payment of their circulating notes under the then existing laws of the state. This was the first and only bank having circulation in Winona. They did a straightfor- ward, legitimate banking business for several years, and went out of business in 1865. Mr. Webster took part in the organization of the United National Bank, and Mr. Lake engaged in other business in Winona. Their banking office was near the corner of Second and Main streets. T/ie Bank of St. Charles, at St. Charles, Winona county, was organized as a private bank in the spring of 1869, with a capital of $30,000. The stockholders were E. S. Youmans, of Winona ; S. T. Hyde, J. S. Wheeler, J. W. Brockett, of St. Charles, and H. R. Heath, of New York city. The stockholders were directors. E. S. Youmans was president and J. S. Wheeler was cashier. J. C. Woodard, in June, 1877, succeeded to the Bank of St. Charles, and the business is now conducted in the name of J. C. Woodard, banker. ^ The First National Bank of Winona (successor to the Bank of Southern Minnesota) was organized August 20, 1864, with a capital of $50,000. The original stockholders wei-e Thomas E. Bennett, Gabriel Horton, Lemuel C. Porter, George W. Neft; William Gar- lock, William Wedel, each of whom was elected a director. In October, 1864, at a meeting of the directors the following officers were elected, viz : L. C. Porter, president ; William Garlock, vice- president ; Thomas E. Bennett, cashier. L. C. Porter has been elected president at each annual meeting of the directors since the organization of the bank to this time, a period of eighteen years. The following persons have been elected cashiers at dififerent times since 1866 : I. J. C\immings, G. A. Burbank, Herman E. Curtis, C. H. Porter and E. D. Hurlbert, who is now filling that position. William Garlock resigned the office of vice-president in 1 868. C. II. Porter was elected vice-president in 1881, and is at this time filling that office. Second National Ba?ik.— The Second National Bank of Winona was organized April 29, 1871, with a capital of $100,000: The 130 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. incorporators were Thomas Simpson, John H. Prentiss, .]ose])h A. Prentiss, Plenry Stevens, Mark Willson, Gustavus A. Burbank and W. H. Richardson. Eacli of the above stockholders was elected a director, and the bank engaged in active business in August, 1871, with the following officers : Thomas Simpson, president ; G. A. Burbank, cashier. Mr. Burbank resigned in October, 1871,' and Mark Willson was elected assistant cashier, and in February, 1872, E. H. Bailey became cashier. In .lanuary, 1873, Joseph A. Prentiss was chosen cashier and Mark AVillson vice-president. In January, 1875, Mr. Willson resigned and Lester R. Brooks became vice-])resident, aiid in 1876 was made cashier. In 1878 Thomas Simpson resigned his position as president, which he had filled from the first organization of the bank, and was succeeded by Joseph A. Prentiss. In 1880 William H. Garlock was chosen cashier and L. R. Brooks vice- president, who, with J. A. Prentiss, president, are the present officers. T/w MercfianU National Bank of Winona was organized May 18, 1875, with a capital stock of $100,000, and at the first meeting of the stockholders the following persons were elected directors: Mark Wills(m, G. W. Bennett, N. F. Hilbert, H. D. Perkins, C. H. Berry, Conrad Bohn and C. C. Beck. Mark Willson, president ; N. F. Hilbert, cashier ; H. D. Perkins, vice-president. The bank opened for business in July 1875. On April 9, 1879, N. F. Hilbert resigned his position as cashier, and was succeeded by J. M. Bell. July 1, 1879, it was voted to change tlie organiza- tion from a national to a state bank under the laws of Minnesota, and to transfer its entire business to the new organization. The Merchants Bank of Winona succeeded to the Merchants National Bank, and was organized in August, 1879, with the follow- ing directors : Charles H. Berry, H. D. Perkins, J. M. Bell, Mark Willson, (1 C. Beck, L. J. Allred and C. Heintz, and who proceeded to the election of officers, as follows : Mark Willson, president ; J. M. Bell, cashier; H. D. Perkins, vice-president. In December, 1879, J. M. Bell tendered his resignation as cashier, which was accepted, and Geo. F. Crise was elected in his place. The officers of the bank at this time are Mark Willson, president; Chas. H. Berry, vice-president, and Geo. R Crise, cashier. The Winona Savings Bank was organized .July 1, 1874, and lasted' five years. The depositors were notified to withdraw their EARLY SETTLEMENT, PIONEERS, ETC. 131 deposits July 1, 1879, and were paid in full, principal and interest. The trustees were William Mitchell, W. H. Laird, H. E. Curtis, F. A. Rising, Thomas Wilson, E. S. Toumans and C. J. Camp. The officers were Wm. Mitchell, president ; W. H. Laird, vice-presi- dent; F. A. Rising, treasurer. The bank was located on Second street, in the old United National Bank building. The. foregoing is believed to be a correct history of banks and of the banking business in Winona county since its early settlement. It is possible that other parties and facts have been overlooked, but the writer has endeavored to include everything pertaining to the subject. From the time the first deposits were received and the first drafts on eastern banks were drawn by Berry & Waterman, in 1855, the banking business has grown with the increased mercantile and manufacturing business of Winona in proportion until this time. We have now iu this city, in successful operation, four banks, two of which are working under the national banking laws, one under state organization, and one a private bank. The whole amount of capital invested at this time in the bank- ing business in Winona county aggregates $250,000, not including surplus and undivided profits. The amount of deposits in the banks in Winona is about $900,000, and bills discounted are about the same amount. The rates of interest charged by the banks are from seven to ten per cent per annum. CHAPTER XIV. GENERAL HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY— ITS EARLY SETTLE- MENT, PIONEERS, ETC. The local history of this county, as an organization, hardly ex- tends beyond the personal recollections of the present generation. Many of its earliest settlers are yet residents of this locality. Less than a third of a century ago the country lying west of the Missis- sippi in the State of Minnesota was the almost exclusive domain of bands of savages — the possessions of the aborigines, occupied by the 132 HI8T0KY OF WINONA COUNTY. same race and by the same nation of people who held it wlien the western continent was first discovered. Its early settlement by the pioneer successors of this savage race was begun somewhat after the same general plan, although on a very much smaller scale, of that adopted by tlie Europeans in their first occupancy of North America. They made claims and held them by their rights of discovery. This part of the country was, first discov- ered and held in possession by the French. To maintain a proper connection with the past, a brief synopsis' of historical events relative to this section of country, prior to the time this county was created, has been compiled as an introductory chapter to this record of events and incidents of more modern times. After the discovery of the western continent, the maritime nations of Europe sent out expeditions to make explorations. The parts of the continent first visited in these voyages were taken possession of in the name of the government represented. When these explorations were extended inland the localities were claimed by the same powers. It was in this manner that the whole Missis- sippi valley became at one time a part of the foreign possessions of France, acquired by their rights of discovery and held by their power as a nation. In 1534 Jacques Cartier, a French navigator, discovered the Gulf of St. Lawrence and sailed up the St. Lawrence river, supposing from its size and depth that he had found the western passage to the Indian ocean, for which he was seeking. He claimed the newly discovered country in the name of the sovereign of France. As an emblem of his first discovery, and as a symbol of possession, he erected a large wooden cross on a conspicuous elevation of land. This was the first claim mark of France in this part of North America. The French afterward extended their explorations west to the great lakes, assuming possession in their progress. It was not until 1654 that they reached the region of Lake Superior. The real explorers of this part of the country were the fur traders. They advanced with their traffic as far west as Green Bay in 1659. In these expeditions, from the time the cross was erected by Cartier, these adventurous ex|)lorers were usually accompanied by zealous representatives of different orders in the Roman Catholic church, apparently to maintain religious advantages coequal with the civil and military authority claimed over the extended possessions. EARLY SETTLEMENT, PIONEERS, ETC. 183 Father Joseph Marquette accompanied Louis Jolliet with tive French or Canadian voyageurs up the Fox river from lireen Bay. Crossing the portage to the Wisconsin river they descended it to its mouth and discovered the Mississippi river on June 17, 1673. To Father Marquett lias been given the honor of having been the first to discover the upper Mississippi. "The river had, however, been visited by Europeans prior to this date. In 1541 tlie lower Mississippi was crossed by Hernando de Soto, a Spanish adventurer, in his exploration of that part of the country. In 1679 Father Louis Hennepin accompanied Robert La Salle on his expedition along the shores of Lake Michigan to Illinois, where he spent the winter. In the following spring, 1680, he was intrusted by La Salle to make explorations. With two French voyageurs he went down the Illinois river to its mouth, and then ascended the Mississippi. On his voyage up this river he was made prisoner by a war party of Dakota Indians and taken into the Mille Lac region, on the headwaters of the Mississippi. He was here found by Du- Luth, who was exploring the country of the Dakotas by way of Lake Superior. Father Hennepin visited the Falls of St. Anthony, to which he gave its present name. He was the first to explore the Mississippi above the mouth of the Wisconsin, and the first white man that ever visited the vicinity of this county. ^ In 1682 La Salle descended the Illinois to' its pnction with the Mississippi, down which he continued until he entered the Gulf of Mexico. He took possession of the cotintry through which he passed in the name of France, and gave it the name of Louisiana. In the spi4ng of 1683 Capt. Nicholas Perrot, a Canadian, with twenty men, established a fort or trading-post in what is now the State of Minnesota, below and near the mouth of Lake Pepin. This was the first location occupied by a white man on the west side of the Mississippi. It was soon abandoned by Perrot to carry on his trafiic elsewhere. In 1688 he returned with forty men, and again took possession of his trading-post below Lake Pepin. In 1689 Capt. Nicholas Perrot, in the name of the king of France, by formal proclamation took possession of all of the country on the headwaters of the Mississippi. Not long afterward the whole countj'y from the Alleghanies to the Pacific ocean was claimed by the French and called the territory of Louisiana. This territory remained in possession of France until 1760, when the country west of the Mississippi was ceded to Spain, and in 1763 KM JII8TORY OF WmONA COUNTY. all of tlio country east of the Mississippi claimed by the French was formallv ceded to Great Britain. In 1800 the country west of the Mississippi known as Louisiana was retroceded to France, and in 1803 the United States acquired possession of it by purchase from the French government. By act of congress in 1804 Louisiana was divided ; the southern part was called the territory of Orleans, the northern portion the district of Louisiana. In 1812 Orleans was admitted into the Union under the title of State of Louisiana, and the district of Louisiana given the name of Territory of Missouri. In 1821 the Territory of Missouri was divided ; from the southern portion the Territory of Arkansas was formed, and the State of Mis- souri created and admitted. The country north of the State of Missouri was left without ter- ritorial organization. In 1834 it was placed under the jurisdiction of the Territory of Michigan, and in 1837 under the judicial authority of the Territory of Wisconsin. In 1838 the Territory of Iowa was created. It embraced all of the country north of the State of Missouri between the Mississippi and Missouri i-ivers to the northern line. The State o|jIowa was constituted from the southern part of this tei-ritory and admitted in 1846. The northern portion was left with- out territorial organization until by act of congress, March 3, 1849, the Territory of Minnesota was created. Tlie largest ])ortion of this territory, that lying west of the Mis- sissippi, was the northeastern part of the "Louisiana Purchase." The portion lying on the east side of the river was a part of the territory of Wisconsin not included in the boundaries of the State of Wisconsin when admitted in 1848. The territory of Minnesota, when organized, was without divi- sions, except two or three counties on the east side of the Mississippi, which had been created while they were a part of the Territory of Wisconsin. By proclamation Governor Ramsey divided the territory into three judicial districts. The country west of the Mississippi and south of the Minnesota formed the third judicial district, to which Judge Cooper was assigned. The first court was held at Mendota in August, 1849. Govenior Ramsey, by proclamation, made the first apportion- EARLY SETTLEMENT, PIONEERS, ETC. 135 ment of council districts. The settlements on tlie west bank of the Mississippi, south of the Crow village to the Iowa line, were included with a part of St. Croix county on the east side of the river and con- stituted the first council district. The settlements on the west side of the river were of half-breed Sioux. The first territorial legislature held its session in St. Paul, the capital of the territory. It began on September 3 and adjourned on November 1, 1849. The members from the first council district were : James S. Norris, in the council ; Joseph W. Furber and James Wells, in the house. David Olmsted, of Long Prairie, was president of the council ; Joseph W. Furber, of Cottage Grove, speaker of the house. James Wells was the first representative to the territorial legis- lature from the country along the west side of the Mississippi. He was an Indian trader living on the shores of Lake Pepin, twelve miles below Red Wing. Among his friends and associates he was generally known as' "Bully Wells." He was elected by the half- breeds and a few traders and government employes at the election held on August 1. The total votes polled were thirty-three. At this election Hon. H. H. Sibley was elected delegate to congress without opposition. The first territorial legislature, at its session in ] 849 (October 27), ci-eated several counties, two of which, Dakota and Wabasha on the west side of the Mississippi, included all of the territory south of the Minnesota river— Wabasha in the eastern i)art and Dakota lying west along the Minnesota. In 1853 (March 5) the county of Wabasha was divided by act of the territorial legislature and a part of the southern portion desig- nated as Fillmore county. In 1854 (February 23) Fillmore county was divided, and from the portion along the river the counties of Houston and Winona were created — Houston next to the Iowa line and Winona between Houston and Wabasha counties. The bound- aries given Winona county in the act by which it was created have since been maintained unchanged. These outlines of liistory gene- alogize this county from the days of the advent of the first white man to the present time,. a period of little more than two hundred years. In this abstract of jurisdiction an omission has been made — the proprietary of this part of the country before it was so formally taken possession of by Captain Perrot. At the time France assumed control it was held by tribes of savage Indians. Of them, prior to 136 MISTOKV OF WINONA COUNTY. that period, but little is known with any degree of certainty. Hav- ing no written records tlieir earliest traditions luive long been tor- gotten, their more modern history only known by its connections with that of their successors, the white race. Traditions, with mounds and relics antedating traditionary lore, afford speculative study for the antic^uary, and present corroborative evidence to the historian that in the unknown periods of the past this section of country was inhabited, and that its population was pt'ohahly of the Indian race. Their first occupancy is veiled in dark obscurity. Their rights of possession have, however, been continu- ously acknowledged and recognized from the time jurisdiction was claimed for France in 1689 until the treaty by which their lands west of the Mississippi, in what is now the State of Minnesota, were pur- cliased and ceded to the United States, when their title was formally transferred to their successors. The Dakota nation, which held this country, was probably (me of the largest wai-like nations of the aborigines of North America. When first visited by Europeans their territory extended from Lake Superior to the Rocky Mountains. This Indian nation was composed of numerous general divisions and subdivisions or bands, having a language common to all (only varied by dialects), with man- ners, customs, etc. , differing but little in different localities. Although united as a confederacy for common defense or warlike purposes, each division held a separate interest in the localities they occupied. The eastern division of the Dakota nation was the Mdaywakan- tonwan, or Spirit Lake villagers. It was this division that made prisoner of Father Hennepin in 1680. At that time they were in possession of the country on the east side of the Mississippi to Lake Superior. The country south of the lake was held by the Ojibways, who were the first to hold communication with the traders. They were the first supplied witli fire-arms, which gave them such an ad- vantage over the more warlike Sioux that they drove them back and took possession of their homes in the Mille Lac region. The Sioux were forced to the southward and westward, but successfiilly main- tained their lands on the- west side of the Mississippi, and a strip along the east side, from about a hundred and fifty miles above the Falls of St. Anthony to about one hundred and fifty miles below. There were seven bands in this division. The villages of three of them were on the Mississippi, below the falls ; the others were on the lower part of the Minnesota river. CHAPTEK XV. TREATIES WITH THE INDIANS. By treaty in 1805, througli Lieut. Pike, the first representative of our government that visited this part of the "Louisiana pur- chase," this division of Sioux made the first sale of any of their lands. For the establishment of military posts the United States purchased from them a section of country nine miles square, on each side of the Mississippi, which included the Falls of St. Anthony and the present site of Fort Snelling. A section of country nine miles square, at the mouth of the St. Croix, was also secured for the same purpose. It was not until several years after that this purchase was utilized by government. The corner-stone of Fort Snelling was laid on the 10th of September, 1820, but it was not occupied by soldiers until the following year. The site was first taken possession of by Col. Leavenworth with a company of soldiers in 1819. The transportation of troops, supplies, material, etc., for the fort was principally by keelboats, which at that time, and for some time afterward, were used in the navigation of the Upper Missis- sippi. The trip from St. Louis to this point was a long and tedious one. The first steamboat that ever came up the Mississippi to Fort Snelling at the mouth of tl^ Minnesota river was a stern-wheel boat called the Virginia, in 1823. By treaty in 1830 government secured from this part of the Sioux nation the section of country known as the "Half-breed Tract," for the benefit or exclusive use of their descendants of mixed blood. This tract of land was, on the west side of the Mississippi and Lake Pepin, fifteen miles wide, and extending down the river, from Barn Bluff, near Red Wing, thirty-two miles, to a point opposite Beef river, below the present village of Wabasha. In 1837 a deputation of chiefs of this division of Dakotas was induced to visit Washington, where they made a treaty, by which they "ceded to the United States all their lands east of the Missis- sippi river, and all of their islands in said river." This treaty was ratified by the senate on the 17th of July, 1838, when the Sioux re- moved all of their bands to the west side of the Mississippi. 188 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. Until 1851 the Aldaywakaiitonwan Sioux were the only division of the Dakota nation with whom the United States had made formal treaty stipulations for the sale of any part of their lands. They were the only branch of the whole Sioux confederacy who received annuities from the government. Under the treaty of 1837 they re- ceived annually, for twenty years from the date of the treaty, $10,000 in money, $10,000 in goods, $5,500 in provisions, and $8,250 "in the purchase of medicines, agricultural implements and stock and for the support of a physician, farmers and blacksmiths, and for other beneficial objects." In the first article of this treaty it was provided that a portion of the interest on the whole sum invested — $5,000 annually — was "to be applied in such manner as the presi- dent may direct." This occasioned some trouble, as it was proposed to expend this sum for the purposes of education, schools, etc., which the Indians strongly opposed. This fund was not used, but allowed to accumulate until the treaty of 1851 before settlement was effected and the amount paid over to them. At that time these seven bands comprised a population of about 2,200 in number. The nominal head chief of the division was Wa- basha, who was also chief of a band. His village was at Wabasha Prairie, and had a population of about 300. The Red Wing band — chief, Wakoota — numbered about 300; the Kaposia band — chief, Little Crow — had about iOO; the Black Dog band — chief. Gray Iron — had 250 ; Cloud Man's band, at Lake Calhoun, 250 ; Good Road's band, about 300 ; Six's band — chief, Shakopee — about 450. The last four bands named were on lower part of the Minnesota river. By treaties made in 1851 the Sioux sold their lands in what is now the State of Minnesota. The Sisseton and Wahpaton divisions in the west, called the "upper bands," signed the treaty at Traverse des Sioux, July 23, 1851, and the "lower bands," the Wahpakoota and IMdaywakantonwan divisions, signed the treaty at Mendota, August 5, 1851. These treaties were amended by the senate at Washington the fol- lowing year. The amendment was ratified by the '"lower bands" at St. Paul, Se])tember 4, 1852. 'The treaties as amended were formally ratified by the president's proclamation, dated February 24, 1853. By this sale the Dakotas relinquished possession of their lands in this vicinity — their title to it, held from time unknown, was extinguished for ever. Prior to this, occupancy of these l9,nds by TREATIES WITH THE INDIANS. 139 the whites was considered trespass, except by special permit or license from government. After the treaty in 1851, and before its ratification, settlements were made or commenced by the whites, without action on the part of the government, and without much show of opposition from the Sioux. It was during this period that the first bona-fide settlements were made within the boundaries of what is now known as Winona county. Previous to this, however, Indian traders and government employes had located temporarily at difierent places along the Mississippi, some of whom remained and afterward became citizens of the county. The Mississippi river is the eastern boundary of this county, and from time immemorial has been what may be called the grand highway between the north and the south, and, through its tribu- taries, the means of communication between the east and the west. Over its waters the savages paddled their canoes, and the Canadian voyageurs propelled their batteaux. It was the course over which the early traders carried on their traffic. Their goods, brought from the east by way of the great lakes, and down the Wisconsin river, were transported up the Mississip])i to their trading stations in the north. The furs for which they were exchanged were returned over the same route. With the increase of this commercial business Prairie du Chien became the emporium of the fur-traders, and held its importance for nearly a century. During this period French names were given by the traders and voyageurs to persons, places and things which were in common use, the names designative of localities which served as land- marks in their adventurous expeditions being the most important. There are not more than one or two localities in this county that can now be identified by the names thus given, and in no instance has the name been preserved. The most familiar, if not the onl}^ locality, is that of the prairie on which the city of Winona is now situated. This was designated as the ''Prairie aux Aile," the literal translation of which is the "Wing Prairie." Its signification is unknown except as a matter of opinion. This prairie and vicinity was the home of one of the most influ- ential of the Dakota chiefs. It was the grand gathering-place of his once numerous warriors. The Dakota name of this chief was Wa-pa-ha-sa. It was hereditary. Besides being chief of his own 140 IIISTOHY OF WINONA COUNTY. band, he was the head chief of the bands along the Mississippi. These official positions were also hereditary. The early voyageurs gave him the name of AVa-pa-sa. The more modern traders and river men called him Wa-ba-shaw, and gave the same name to the prairie on which his village was located. It was known as Waba- shaw prairie until the name was superseded by Winona, its present one. Win(ma ( Wee-no-nah) is a Dakota name, signifying a daughter, the lirst-born child. It is a name usually given to the iirst-born child, if a daughter, and never conferred upon a locality by the Sioux. The name was selected by the early settlers on Wabasha prairie as the name of the post-office established there, and was afterward adopted by the town proprietors for the village. When the county was created the same name was conferred upon it. The following story in JSTeiPs History of Minnesota gives another name to Wabasha prairie. The story is apparently founded on the Dakota legend of Maiden's rock, on the eastern shore of Lake Pepin. This is the only instance known where the name of "Keoxa" has ever been given to Wabasha's village on this prairie. It is indeed a query whether it is a Dakota name. "In the davs of the great chief Wa])ashaw there lived at the vil- lage of Keoxa, which stood at the site of the town which now bears her name, a maiden with a loving soul. She was the first-born daughter, and, as is always the case in a Dahkotah family, she bore the name of Weenonah. A young hunter of the same band was never happier than when he played the flute in her hearing. Having thus signified his aifection, it was with the whole heart reciprocated. The youth begged from his friends all that he could, and went to her parents, as is the custom, to purchase her for his wife, but his proposals were rejected. "A warrior who had often been on the war-path, whose head- dress plainly told the number of scalps he had wrenched from Ojibway heads, had also been to the parents, and they thought that she would be more honored as an ijmiate of his teepee. '■'■ Weenonah, however, could not forget her first love, and though he had been forced away, his absence strengthened her affections. Neither the attentions of the warrior, nor the threats of parents, nor the persuasions of friends could make her consent to marry simply for position. "One da}' the band came to Lake Pepin to fish or hunt. The dark green foliage, the velvet sward, the beautiful expanse of TREATIES WITH THE IJSTDIANS. 143 water, the shady nooks, made it a place to utter the breathings of love. The warrior sought her once more and begged her to accede to her parents' wish and become his wife, but she refused with decision. "While the party was feasting Weenonah clambered to the lofty bluff, and then told to those who were below how crushed she had been by the absence of the young hunter and the cruelty of her friends. Then cliaunting a wild death-song, before the fleetest runner could reach the height she dashed herself down, and that form of beauty was in a moment a mass of broken limbs and bruised flesh. "The Dahkotah as he passes the rock feels that the spot is Wawkawn." The name of Wabasha rightfully belonged to this locality. Its alienation was not from premeditated design. Before Wabasha prairie was settled, or even a white settler had located in what is now Winona county, the settlement on the "half-breed tract" was called Wabasha. The first postoffice along the river was established there and given the name of Wabasha postofhce, although it was for a while at Heed's Landing. It having been thus appropriated, but little effort was ever made to reclaim it. But few of the settlers cared about preserving or adopting it in a second-hand condition. When keelboats and steamboats took the place of the canoes and batteaux in the navigation of the river, the names conferred on localities by the Dakotas and French were quite generally dropped, and less expressive ones usually substituted. Where Dakota or French names have been retained in this state, they have in very many instances been so modified by "Yankee improvements" that it is diflacult to trace their derivation. In this county no distinctive name of locality or landmark given by the French has been retained. Neither is there a single instance where the name given by the Dakotas to mountain or stream, hill, valley or prairie, has been preserved and is now in use by the whites. Nothing designated by the Sioux, the immediate predecessors of the present generation, is now known by its Dakota name. It is not so much a matter of surprise that Indian names have not been retained, or that they are now unknown to the present inhabitants of the county, if the abruptness of the change of occu- pants is taken into consideration. When the Sioux relinquished possession of their lands here they at once left this vicinity. Tito 9 144 IirSTOUV OF WINONA COUNTY. white settlers found the country without a population. The two races were strangers — unknown to each other; no association or intercourse ever existed between them. There are two or three instances where the Eni^-li^h interpretation has been substituted for the original Dakota. White Water is the name of a river which runs through" the northern part of the county. It is the translation ot the Dakota '' Minne-ska," signifying "AVhite Water." The village at the mouth of that stream in Wabasha county is called Minnoiska. The name of Rolling Stone is another instance. Tills is an interpretation of the name given by the Dakotas to the Rolling Stone Creek, ''Eyan-omen-man-met-pah," the literal trans- lation of which is "the stream where the stone rolls." Its true signification is not known. It was called by the French traders of more modern times "Roche que le Boule." These names were obtained from O. M. Loi-d, who acquired them from Gen. Sibley. Wabasha and the most of his people left their homes on the Mississippi in 1S52. Nothing marks the localities in this county as evidence of where, for so many generations, their race once lived. Even the old and deeply worn trails, over which they filed away toward the setting sun, are now, like the wakes of their canoes, obliterated and unknown. Some "old settlers" may perhaps from memory be able to point out the general course of these trails, over which they explored the country in their "claim hunting" excur- sions, and on which they were accustomed to traverse the country until the plow and fences of imj^rovements debarred further use of them. The Sioux were, by the conditions ot the treaty, transferred to a reservation on the head-waters of the Minnesota river. Here they were taught and encouraged to adopt a new system of life and be- come an agricultural ])eople. It was supposed that some progress was made toward civilization, but, as in many similar philanthropic efforts, the ultimate results proved a failure. The Sioux massacre of 1862 originated with the bands of Wabasha's division, which had given the most encouraging prospects of their becoming "good Indians. " The first outrages were perpetrated by some of Shakapee's band. A war party was at once organized with the bantls of Gray Iron, Little ('row and detachments from other divisions. The band of Wabasha and the R,in] Wing band were compelled to participate in the proceedings, and the whole Dakota nation was soon involved in the affair. TREATIES WITH THE INDIANS. 145 This chapter would perhaps be considered incomplete without mention of one of the chiefs of Wabasha's band who was more gen- erally known to the earlj settlers of Winona county than any other of the Indians who originally claimed this part of the country. The most of the " old settlers " probably remember " Old To-ma-ha," the old one-eyed Sioux, who kept up his rounds of visitations to the settlements until about the time of his death, which occurred in 1 860 at about one hundred years of age. When on his customary visits among the whites he was usually accompanied by a party of his own descendants and family relatives — from ten to twenty in number. His figure was erect and movements active, notwithstanding his advanced age. His dress on these occasions was a much worn military coat and pantaloons of blue cloth trimmed with red, and an old stove-pipe hat with the same color displayed. Pie always carried with him a large package of papers inclosed in a leather or skin pocket-book, and also a lai'ge silver medal, which he wore suspended from his neck in a conspicuous place on his breast. His large red pipe-stone hatchet pipe, with a long handle, was generally in his hands. It was his usual custom to attract attention by his presence and then allow the curious to examine his pipe and medal, when, if there appeared to be a prospect of getting money for the exhibition, he would produce his pocket-book and allow an examination of its contents, for which privilege he expected, and usually received, at least a dime, and perhaps from the more liberal a quarter of a dollar. This Indian was a historical character. His pocket-book contained his commis- sion as a chief of the Sioux nation, given him by Governor Clark, of Missouri territorj^ in 1814, who at the same time presented him with a captain's uniform and a medal for meritorious services ren- dered the government as a scout and messenger. His papers con- tained testimonials and recommendations from prominent govern- ment officials and other persons. Mention is made of him in the reports of officials who had jurisdiction in the northwest territories, one by Lieut. Pike, who was sent by the goveynment of the United States in 1805 to explore the northern part of the " Louis- iana purchase," then recently acquired, and to make treaties with the Dakotas. In 1812, when the Sioux joined the English in the war with the United States, Tomaha went to St. Louis and gave his services to light against the British forces. He had the confidence of the military officers, and in all of the frontier difficulties on the upper Mississippi, where fighting was done, he was employed as 146 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. scout and messenger. When his services were no longer required by government he returned to his Dakota liome. When the Sioux left this vicinity and w^ent to their reservation on the Minnesota river, Tomaha remained to die in the locality where he was born and where he spent his youth. He sometimes visited his friends on the reservation, but never made it his home. CHAPTER XVI. THE FUR TRADP:RS. The first white men to establish themselves among these Indians were- the fur traders and voyageurs — the early pioneers of com- merce. Of the hardy adventurers who in generations past engaged in commercial pursuits in this vicinity nothing is now known. The earliest of these traffickers, who had a fixed place of busi- ness in this county, of which there is even a traditional record, was Francois La Bathe. His business location was in the northern part of the county, oi] the Mississip])i. The date of his establishment of a trading station in this vicinity is not now definitely known. He had trading posts in other localities along the river at the same time — one at Bad Axe, below La Crosse. His more permanent stations were usually under the charge of partners and assistants or clerks. Mr. O. M. Lord informed the wi-iter that Hon. N. W. Kittson, of St. Paul, was in the employ of La Bathe & Co. for a year or two, in 1840, or about that time, and had charge of a trading station above the Rolling Stone. The location of the station was described by Mr. Kittson as being above Minnesota City, at the foot of the bluff, where the slough leaves the mainland (Haddock's slough). The land in this vicinity is now owned by D. L. Burley, who has occupied it about thirty years. Mr. Burley says he has never seen any indications that would lead him to think the locality had ever been occupied for any purpose prior to his taking possession of it. Others say La Bathe's trading post was above that place. Near where the river leaves the mainland, about four miles below the mouth of the White Water, there is a hluft and a location that re- semble the descri])tion given to Mr. Lord. At that place the early THE FUR TRADERvS. 147 settlers of 1852 found the ruins of a large cabin. The writer saw it frequently in 1854. There was a huge stone fireplace and chim- ney then standing entire, in a tolerable state of preservation, but the logs were a mass of ruins, and bushes were growing up among the logs where the house once stood. It is said that La Bathe spent the most of his life with the Da- kotah Indians ; that though of French descent he was in some way related to them either by birth or marriage, or perhaps both. His influence with the Indians was an advantage to him in his commer- cial transactions. He was intimately connected in business affairs with prominent traders. His history is unknown in this vicinity. La Bathe went with the Sioux to their reservation on the head-waters of the Minnesota river, where he was killed by the savages with whom he had spent his life. He was among the first victims at the outbreak of the Sioux massacre in 1862. Although there were quite a number of traders who lived on the Wisconsin side of the river, at La Crosse and at what is now Trem- pealeau and Fountain City, who traded with the Sioux on the west side of the river, there are but two or three others of this class to mention who were established in business and had a residence In Winona county. First among these were Willard B. Bunnell and Nathan Brown, both of whom came into the Territory of Minnesota after it was organized. "Bill" Bunnell had been for five or six years prior to his coming here living on the east side of the Mississippi, at La Crosse and at what is now Trempealeau village, but the most of the time in what was called the Trempealeau country, hunting, trapping and trading with the Indians. His Indian trade was principally with the Win- nebagoes who were living in that vicinity and in the Black Eiver country. He had, before coming to the Mississippi river, been a trader in the vicinity of Green Bay, with the Menomines and Chip- pewas. From his fluency in speaking the language of the Chippe- was the Sioux for some time after his arrival in this vicinity were jealous and suspicious of him as a friend of their hereditary enemies. He was unable to secure their confidence until he had learned their language and proved himself to be a "professional" hunter and their friend. He joined them in their hunting excursions, and for the time adopted their style of "undress," — a breech-clout, buckskin leggings and moccasins. In this rig, with his rifle or fowling-piece and blanket, he spent weeks with them on Root river and its tribu- 148 ULSTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. taries. He was the lirst white resident of this locality to explore the country back of the bluffs. Willard Bradly Bunnell located as a licensed trader with the Sioux of Wabasha's band, August 20, 1849. His house was on the bank of the river, in what is now the village of Homer. It was built of hewed logs, and had a shingled roof — the first shingled roof ever put on any structure in this part of Minnesota. This was the first permanent improvement made in the settlement of the county. To this place Bunnell brought his family. It was the home of an estimable wife and their three children. It was here that the first white child was born. Frances Matilda Bunnell was born February 20, 1850. She was the first white native resident of this part of the territory. Mrs. Bunnell was the first white woman that came into this part of the Territory of Minnesota to live — the first to make her home within the boundaries of Winona county. She was a model re])re- sentative of a frontier woman. Although remarkably domestic in her habits, and observant of matters connected with her household duties, which make home desirable, she was able to paddle her own canoe, and was a sure shot with either the rifle or fowling-piece. While in general appearance and manners ladylike and modestly feminine, she had remarkable courage and self-possession, and was decisive to act in cases of emergency, when danger threatened her- self or family — qualifications that were respected by her dusky neighbors, the friends of the trader. Possessing good mental abili- ties, her experience in frontier life and intuitive knowledge of Indian character gave her an influence over the wild customers who visited their trading-])ost, that was as much a matter of surprise to herself as to others. The Indians i-espected and feared her although cmly a "woman." Mrs. Bunnell was of French descent. Besides speaking French, she was able to converse fluently with the Chippewas, Winnebagoes and Sioux, and had some knowledge of other dialects. She was brought up in the Catholic faith, but in the latter part of her life she professed the Protestant religion, and became a member of the Methodist church. Mrs. Bunnell died in April, 1867, at about the age of forty-five. Some of her children are yet residents of this state. The house, a story and a-half building, built by "Will" Bun- nell in 1849, is still standing in the upper part of the village of Homer, at what was once called BunnelFs Landing. The building THE FITR TRADERS. 149 and grounds are now the property of Dr. L. H. Bunnell, a younger brother of the trader. The house has been moved a little back from where it was originally built, and, to keep pace with the times, this relic of the first settlers' early home has been somewhat modern- ized by a covering of clapboards and painted. It is still a com- fortable dwelling, and is occupied by Dr. Bunnell as his residence and permanent home. Willard B. Bunnell took an active interest in the early settle- ment of this county, and was connected with many of the incidents of pioneer life which will be noticed in the progress of events. He died in August, 1861, at about the age of forty-seven. His death was caused by consumption. IS'athan Brown came into the territory as a trader September 29, 1849. His location was on the river below Bunnell's, in what is now the southern part of the county. Mr. Brown was then a young man without a family. His cabin in which he made his home was a one-story log building, 12x16. His storehouse, 12x16, was a story and a-half, of hewed logs. These buildings were covered with shingled roofs and substantially made. Although Mr. Brown was a trader with tiie Indians, he did not hold his position through a license from government. He made a sort of miniature treaty with Wabasha and his braves, and pur- chased from them the privilege of occupying as much of the locality as he chose to carry on his business. For this permit he paid them $50 — making payment in flour and pork from his store. Mr. Brown states that "during the early days of his residence there, while engaged in trade with the Winnebagoes and Sioux, he never locked his cabin door, not even when absent from home, and never lost anything by theft, through either Indians or white people." Mr. Brown and Mr. Bunnell, as the last of the Indian traders, appear to constitute a connecting link between the past and present condition of this part of the country. Both settled here while the land was held by the Sioux. Both were residents of Winona county after its organization. Following in the order of pioneer life, the missionaries have been among the first to venture into countries inhabited by the savages, and the first to attempt to improve their condition. Their zealous efforts entitle them to be called the pioneers of civilization. Fore- most among these have been the missionaries connected with the Catholic church. 150 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. In the earliest explorations of this part of the country, the traders were ai;coinpanied by the priests. The early French traders and voyageurs were of that religious belief, and their descendants, for all of them intermarried with the Indians, were taught the same faith. These missionaries were the first to visit the Dakotas — the first to visit the west side of the Mississippi river. From the days of the Rev. Louis Hennepin to more modern times they held a strong influence over the traders and voyageurs, and their descendants, and perhaps, to a limited extent, succeeded in influencing the savage natives by their teachings. The flrst Catholic missionaries of more modern times, of whom there is even traditionary knowledge in tliis section of country, were at the half-breed village where now stands the city of Wabasha, There the first church in southern Minnesota was built in 1845. With the exception of the very Rev. A. Ravoux, the names of these missionaries are unknown. The first attempt to establish a Protestant missionary station in this vicinity, of which there is any record, was in 1836. Rev. Daniel Gavan, a Frenchman, sent out as a missionary by the Evan- gelical Society of Lausanne, Switzerland, established a mission for the benefit of the Sioux of Wabasha's band. At that time the Sioux held possession of the east side of the river. Mr. Gavan located on the Wisconsin side, and built his cabin near Trempealeau mountain. He remained here until the fall of 1838, when he visited the missions on the Minnesota river, at Lac qui Parle, for the purpose of learning the Sioux language from the missionaries, who were then translating the Scriptures into that tongue. While thus engaged he became acquainted with and afterward married Miss Lucy C. Stevens, who had been a teacher in a mis- sion school at Lake Harriet, near Fort Snelling. Miss Stevens was a niece of Rev. J. D. Stevens, a missionary. Mr. Gavan, after his marriage, removed to Red Wing, where he remained until 1845. In 1838 the Rev. Jedediah D. Stevens came into this vicinity in the double capacity of mivssionary or teacher, and "Indian Farmer." Mr. Stevens was one of the earliest Protestant missionaries to visit the Dakotas on this side of the river. In the spring of 1835 he with his family came to Ft. Snelling, and shortly afterward removed from there to Lake Harriet, as missionary to "Cloud Man's" band of Sioux, where he reniained until the fall of 1838, when he was THE FUR TRADERS. 151 appointed "Indian Farmer" to the Sioux of Wabasha's band, at Wabasha j^rairie. Maj. Talliaferro, the Indian agent for the Sioux, aided some of the early missionaries by such appointments, with the design to benefit the savages by thus providing them with means of civilization. Late in the fall of 1838 Mr. Stevens moved his family to his appointed field of labor, but was not favorabl}^ received by the Indians. He, however, located himself on the Wisconsin side of the river on the island, about opposite where Laird, Norton & Go's saw-mills now stand, where* he built a comfortable log cabin for his family, and a stable for the team of horses he brought with him. He there passed the winter with his wife and children and a young girl, an assistant and companion of Mrs. Stevens. Mr. G. W. Clark says the ruins of this cabin were to be seen when he came here in 1851. Expecting to get his winter supply of provisions from down the river before the close of navigation, he brought only a small supply with him, and was seriously disappointed to learn that no supplies could be procured from that source. He was compelled to go to Prairie Du Chine for the provisions he had ordered. This trip, over one hundred miles distant, he made with his team on the ice, leaving his family alone. It was during this winter that Mr. Gavin, who had been living near Trempaeleau, was visiting the missions on the Minnesota river. Neither Mr. Stevens nor his family were in any way molested or disturbed by the Sioux during the winter, but he failed to secure the confidence or friendship of Wabasha or his people, although he was able to converse with them in their own tongue. They were dissatisfied with his appointment as "Indian Farmer," and from the time of his arrival had refused to recognize him as a govern- ment agent, or in his capacity as a teacher. In the spring, when he began to make preparations to build on the prairie, their dissatis- faction began to assume a threatening form of opposition. His perseverance excited their hostilities to the extent that he was ordered to keep 6n the east side of the river, where he was then living, and not attempt to locate on their lands. Deeming it unsafe to remain with his family, against the opposition exhibited, Mr. Stevens resigned his position and left the locality. He went down the river and found more civilized society. The young girl (now Mrs. Griggs) who lived with Mrs. Stevens on the island during that winter, resides near Minneapolis. 152 JIISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. Tliis appointment of Mr. Stevens to the position of Indian farmer at Wabasha Prairie was tlie lirst special appointment made for the Sioux in tliis locality. It was made in accordance with the terms of the treaty in 18:^7, by which they sold their lands on the east side of the Mississippi, with all of their island in the river. This treaty was not ratified by government until the following year, 1838, only a short time before Mr. Stevens was assigned to the locality. Although the Sioux continued to occupy the islands and lands on the east side of the river in comradh with others, during their stay in this vicinity, they never assumed jurisdiction over them. The Sioux were jealous of the rapid advances of the white people, and firmly opposed any measures which gave them privileges on their lands. The trader was to them a necessity. The Cathc^lic missionaries had for generations been mysteriously associated with the presence of the trader and tolerated. But the missionary Indian farmer they were not prepared to receive — they were indifferent as to what Mr. Stevens knew about farming or schools. It was sup- posed by some that the Indians were influenced in this matter by the traders and half-breeds, with a design to drive Mr. Stevens of! and make a vacancy in the position. This may have been the case ; but it was evident that Wabasha did not favor measures that tended to civilization. Afterward, when the treaty was made for the sale of their lands, in 18.51, he opposed the sale until tlie treaty was ready for signature, and then acquiesced only because he feared the treaty would be made without his touch of the pen. He was opposed to the terms of the treaty, and in a speech in opposi- tion to it, he said to the commissioners in council: "You have requested us to sign this paper, and you have told these people standing around that it is for their benefit ; but I am of a different 0])inion. In the treaty I have heard read you have mentioned farmers and schools, i)hysicians, traders and half-breeds. To all these I am p]>posed. You see these cliiefs sitting around. They and others who are dead went to Washington and made a treaty (in 1837), in which the same things were said : but we have not been benefited by them, and I want them struck out of this one. We want nothing but cash turned over to us for our lands.'' At about the time that Mr. Stevens was appointed Indian farmer, a government blacksmith was also assigned to this band. His name, the place where located, or the length of time he was here, THE FITR TRADERS. 153 is somewhat uncertain. It is said by some that he was located near La Bathe's trading station. Of this nothing reliable is learned. About the same time a blacksmith was assigned to the half-breeds. Oliver Cratt, from Fort Snelling, was appointed to that position, and he located himself at the half-breed settlement, now Wabasha. Whether he also supplied Wabasha's band is not known. Dr. Bunnell, of this county, says that he learned from some old Indians, Sioux and Winnebagoes, and from descendants of half- breed natives of this vicinity, that the first blacksmith appointed to Wabasha's band was a half-breed Sioux. That he located himself on the very site where W. B. Bunnell afterward settled, and which is now the property of Dr. Bunnell. He says that in cultivating his garden, in that locality, he has found cinders and scraps of iron that would confirm the statement. The tradition of the Indians is that the half-breed blacksmith did not stay but a short time on the west side of the river. To avoid threatened danger to himself he moved his blacksmith-shop onto an island opposite Homer. In this way he held for awhile his position of an employe under govern- ment. The doctor also states that after W. B. Bunnell was located at his trading station, he found on the island an old anvil and evidence that a blacksmith had occupied the locality. The island was given the name of "Blacksmith Island" by the trader, and it is yet known by that name. The Sioux of the "lower bands" along the river were all opposed to the payment of teachers or for the establishment of schools, etc., from their annuities. No schools were ever established with Wa- basha's band. It was not until several years after the treaty of 1837 that the consent of any of this division was obtained. Little Crow, of the Kaposia band, was the first to ask for a school, in 1846. The mission schools were previous to this, and until after the treaty of 1851, supported at the expense of missionary societies. In 1842 James Reed was appointed Indian farmer to Waba- sha's band, and held this position under government for three years afterward. He built a log storehouse on Wabasha prairie, which he used as his headquarters when engaged in his official duties. This building stood about where S. C. White's store now stands, on the corner of Second and Center streets, in the city of Winona. The lands cultivated by the Sioux, under the management and instruction of Mr. Reed, were in the mouth of what is now called 154 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. Gil more valley, the bottom lands in front of the residence of C. 0. Beck. Prior to this the same locality had been used by generations of Sioux s(|uaw8 for cultivation after their primitive manner. This was the favorite planting-grounds of Wabasha's village, although other localities were also used for purposes of cultivation. The mouth of Burns valley was another favorite locality and the special home of the chief Wabasha and his family relatives. The main village f)f this band was on the slough at the upjjer end of the prairie, near where the railroad machine-shops are now located. James Eeed was a native of Kentucky. When a young man he enlisted as a soldier and was stationed at Fort Crawford, Prairie du Chine. After his discharge he adopted' the life of a hunter and trapper, and sjjent the greater part of his life among the Indians along the upper Mississippi. As was common among men of his class, he took a wife or two among the people with whom he was living. His last wife, to whom he was married in 1840, or about that time, in Prairie du Chine, was a half-breed Sioux, a cousin of the chief Wabasha, and said to be a sister of Francois la Bathe, the trader of whom mention has been made. The section of country fixed upon by James Reed as his favorite locality was the Trem])ealeau country, where he was successful in raising stock on the free ranges of governinent lands. He made it his home at what is now the village of Trempealeau. It was here he was living when he was appointed Indian farmer for the benefit of the Sioux on Wabasha prairie. He did not change his residence while holding this othcial position. Mr. Eeed lived in the Trempealeau country until his death, which occurred but a few years ago at what is called the '' Little Tamerack," in the Trempealeau valley. How much the Indians were benefited by the instructions of an inexperienced agriculturist it is now difiicult to determine. The first settlers on Wabasha prairie found some parts of broken plows among the ruins of the old storehouse used by Mr. Reed. An old breaking ]ilow was found and taken possession of by some of the settlers at Minnesota city. This was claimed and carried away by some of the squaws in 1852. It is questionable whether the people of this band were benefited by agents of g(n'ernment or missionaries while they remained in this section of countrv. THE FUR TRADERS. 155 instance where a missionary was ever permitted by Wabasha to locate within what are now the boundaries of this county. The Catholic missionaries were the religious instructors of the half-breeds. To what extent they had influence with this band is now unknown. From several graves disclosed by the caving of the bank of the river, in the lower part of the city of Winona, a number of large silver crosses and other Catholic emblems were taken by some boys fishing in the vicinity. One of these crosses was pur- chased by W. H. St. John, a jeweler in Winona, who exhibits it in his store as a relic of the past. The graves were evidently those of females. In the summer of 1848, the Winnebago Indians were removed from the reservation in the northeastern part of Iowa, which they had occupied for a limited time, to a reservation established for them by government on Long Prairie, on the east side of the Mis- sissippi, about forty miles back from the river, and about one hun- dred and forty miles above St. Paul. They were opposed to the arrangements, and objected to their removal to the locality selected for their future home. Military aid was required to induce them to move. After considerable delay a part of them were persuaded, to start up the Mississippi in their canoes, under charge of H. M. Kice, accompanied by a company of volunteers from Crawford county. Wis., in boats. The other portion was induced to start by land, with their ponies, under the care of Indian agent Fletcher, with a company of dragoons from Fort Atkinson, and a train of baggage wagons. By agreement these two parties were to meet at Wabasha Prairie. The party by water reached the prairie and landed near where Mrs. Keyes now lives, where they camped. The land party came into this part of the country by following up what is now called Money Creek valley, and arrived at the prairie by following the Indian trail on the divide between the Burns and Gilmore valleys. This trail led down a steep ravine back of where George W. Clark now lives. It was here necessary to let the baggage wagons down with ropes attached to the trees on the east side of the ravine. This trail over the ridge was afterward known to the early settlei-s as the ' ' Government Trail. " When the Winnebagos reached Wabasha Prairie they revolted, and decidedly refused to go farther. With the exception of one small band, who remained on the bank of the river, they all went ir)6 IIISTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY. round tlie lake to the mouth of Burns valley, whei-e they camped with Wabasha's band, which had collected there, and with whom they were on friendly terms. Finding it necessary to have more aid, reinforcements were sent for. While the government officials were waiting for help from Fort Snelling, the Winnebagos negotiated with Wabasha for the pur- chase of the prairie, and expressed a determination to remain here. Wabasha and his braves joined in with them — took an active inter- est in their proceedings, and encouraged them in their revolt against the authority of Indian agent J. E. Fletcher and his assistants. A steamboat brought down from the fort a comjmny oi soldiers and two pieces of artillery, which were landed at the camp on the lower part of the prairie. A council with the Indians was agreed upon, the day appointed, and the place selected. The location was above the camp and back from the river. To guard against a surprise the officers in charge made tlieii- strongest preparation tor defense, in case an attack should be made. The teamsters and every available man of the party was armed and detailed for active duty. On the day fixed all of tlie warriors of the combined tribes of Winnebagos and Sioux, many of them mounted on their ])onies, marched around the head of the lake from Burns valley and moved down the prairie. When about half a mile from the council grounds, where the Indian agent awaited them surrounded by his forces, a detachment rode forward as if to reconnoiter. The whole body of Indians then moved down as if at a charge, and began the wildest display of their capacity to represent demons, on foot and on horseback. Their manceuvers might indicate a ])eaceful display or represent a threatened assault. It was supposed at the time that an attack was designed by the wild devils. One of the land escort, McKinney, pointed out the locations and described the incidents to the writer, and said that he certainly expected to lose his scal]:» that day. As he watched their wild evo- lutions, circling on every side, charging with fierce yells and firing of guns, his scalp seemed to fairly start from his head. His fear of attack was, however, second to his astonishment and admiration of the extraordinary and unexpected display. The council was held without any attending difficulty, but the agents failed to secure the consent of the Indians to move on up the EARLY LAND TITLES. , 157 river. After a delay here vf about a month the Winnebagoes con- sented to go to Long Prairie. Many of them, however, went back to Iowa, or crossed the river to their old homes in Wisconsin. Wabasha was arrested and taken up to FortSnelling for the part he had taken in the affair. The sale of Wabasha Prairie to the Winnebagos was never consumnated, or agreed to by the Sioux. The negotiations for it were simply "talks" to delay any move- ments. The Winnebagos were then desirous of going to the Mis- souri river country, instead of up the Mississippi. CHAPTEK XVII. EARLY LAND TITLES. Following the trader, the missionary and the government em- ploj'e, the town-site hunters, the pioneer land speculators, crowded the advance of civilization. In this county the town-site speculators were in the van of settlers seeking permanent homes. In the selec- tion- of town sites the traders had some advantage in securing the first choice of locations ; but their selections did not always prove to be the most successful speculations. The professional town-site operators were generally more than their equals in management after selections were made and the tide of immigration began its movement. It may perhaps be truly said that the first town-site claimants — the first to secure locations for town sites in what is now Winona county — were the traders W. B. Bunnell and jSTathan Brown. Bun- nell's selection for his trading station was made more directly with a view of convenience for the special business in which he was en- gaged, but with the design of making it his future home. The Territory of Minnesota had just been organized, and he was aware that the time was not far distant when the Sioux would be compelled to move back and give way to the advance of the white race and civilization. His selection was made in anticipation that when this part of the country should become settled it would be an important business • point. Bunnell was familiar with the back country and with the 158 . HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. river, and took possession of his chosen locality with tlie impression and an honest belief that he was securing the best steamboat landing and town site on the west side of the river, between Lake Pepin and the Iowa line, and there waited the progress of events. Nathan Brown's trading-post was a to.wn site. B. W. Brisbois, a trader residing at Prairie du Chine, and F. S. Richards, a ti-ader at the foot of Lake Pepin, made choice of this locality with the same ideas of the future development of the country that had influenced Bunnell. They selected Mr. Brown as a proper person, one in whom they had confldence and considered trusty, to join with them in this speculation, and hold the location by establishing a trading station. The location was not the choice of Mr. Brown. At the time this proposition was made to liim he was at St. Anthony, where he had about decided to locate himself. He consented to become a partner, but not with the design of making it his future home. By agreement they were to take his share off from his hands whenever he should choose to leave, and to pay him for holding the situation. This they failed to do jvhen required, and Nathan Brown became a permanent resident of that locality. Brisbois and Richards furnished Brown with goods for the Indian trade, and he here carried on quite a flourishing business, principally with the Winnebagoes, who lived across the river in the Trempealeau country. His trade with the Sioux was more limited. He also engaged in furnishing wood for steamboats, employing choppers during the winter for that purpose, paying them principally from his store. Another town site was selected by Chute and Ewing about three fourths of a mile below Brown's, in which Capt. D. S. Harris had an interest for awhile. This was also a trading station. A Canadian Frenchman held the locality for about a year, when he left, and Jerry Tibbits took his place. Mr. Tibbits is still a resident of that vicinity, living in the town of New Hartford. This town site was, after two or three years, attached to the one held by Mr. Brown and its name of Catlin drojiped. This trading station Nathan Brown held for the company from 1849 to 1855, when it was duly entered at the United States land office as a town site under the name of Dacota. As a speculation it did not prove to be a successful undertaking or a profitable investment for its proprietors. A few settlers made it their home for awhile, but were compelled to. leave and earn a living elsewhere. Mr. Brown says he could not afford to support EARLY LAiSTD TITLES. 161 tlie settlers who located there, and bought out all who had an interest in the town and converted the tillable land into a farm. It failed as a steamboat landing, but the railroad station, Dacota, on the river road, marks the location of the ancient town site and trading station of Brisbois, Richards and Brown, Indian traders and town-lot speculators. Nathan Brown yet lives on the same claim, and near the site of the cabins he built there in 1849. He has a large farm in that vicinity, and is now the oldest resident in the county or in southern Minnesota, having occupied the same locality about thirty-four years. Mr. Brown and Mr. Bunnell came here about the same time. In conversation relative to early days Mr. Brown said : ' ' The first time I ever saw Bunnell was in the spring of 1849. I was going down the river, footing it on the ice, on my way from St. Anthony to Prairie du Chine. Finding the traveling unsafe, I left the river at Holmes', now Fountain City, and took the trail along the bluffs. I got wet crossing the Trempealeau river, and as it was then dark I camped. In the morning, after going a short distance, I came to a cabin which I found occupied by Bunnell's family. He had been living there during the winter." Aside from the trading stations already mentioned, there were no other settlements made or commenced in this vicinity until after the treaty with the Sioux in 1851, when the first settlement was made on Wabasha prairie. This prairie had but little to recommend it to the attention of either the town-site hunter or settlers seeking choice locations for farms and homes in the new country which the Sioux were soon to relinquish to the whites. It was a sandy ]3lain, apparently level as viewed from the river, and scantily covered with a stunted growth of wild grass. A few trees and bushes fringed the immediate bank of the river, while but a single tree stood on any other part of the prairie on which the city of Winona now stands. A striking con- trast with its present appearance — covered as it now is with such ■ vast numbers of lofty and beautiful shade-trees, giving it a resem- blance to a forest, with varied thickets of undergrowth through which broad avenues and partial clearings had been made. The one lone tree was in the lower part of the city. It stood in the valley, between Third and Fourtli streets, in' front of where the Washington school building now stands. 10 162 mSTORY OF WINONA COITNTV. Id the time of high water, when the Mississippi seemed to dis- i-egavci boundaries, this prairie was but an island, apparently so low and level that it was but little above the water which lapped onto its banks. A rushing torrent then flowed through the slough above, where now the embankments of the railroads form a dam. In the rear a broad current of water, three fourths of a mile wide, separated it from the mainland. Bunnell, the trader, living three or four miles below, had learned through the traditi(ms of the Indians from the Sioux, with whom he was intimate and had familiar acquaintance, that the whole of Wabasha prairie had been entirely submerged during some of the most extreme floods of the river. No story was more current during the earlier days of the settle- ment of this locality, or told with more apparent candor and truth- fulness, than that about the general overflow of high-water on this prairie. From the traditionary evidence flrst cited, it soon reached the stage where positive proof could be i-eadily made. Many of the old expei'ienced river men claimed, and positively asserted, that they had passed over the highest part of the prairie on rafts and with boats. Not to be behind in experience, steamboat men stated that they, too, had found there sufflcient depth of water for any boat. The story that steamboats had passed over may possibly have started from the fact that during the high water of 1849 a small steamboat did get aground on the lower part of the prairie. The pilot of the Lynx mistook the channel one dark, stormy night, and ran his craft out on the low land, just below where the house of Mrs. Keyes now stands. To return the boat to the river it was necessary to take everything out of her, even her boilers and the brickwork of the arches in which they were set. It was said that during the high water of 1852 it was not uncom- mon to hear the raftsmen hail the residents of the prairie with, ''You'd better get out o' there or you'l get drowned out. I've seen that prairie all under water.'' A raftsman was considered a green one if in his experience he had never seen Wabasha prairie covered with water. Strangers^ — passengers on the steamboats^ — were commonly enter- tained as they ap]>roached the i)rairie with the stereotyped remark, "It looks like a nice place to build a town, but it overflows." The persistent repetition of such remarks was as annoying to the settlers as it was irritating to tiie proprietors of the embryo city plotted there. EARLY LAND TITLEH. 163 The proprietor of a rival town site was holding forth on this subject to a crowd of passengers, as the steamboat approached the prairie from below, saying, " It is true it does look like a nice place to build a town, but, gentlemen, I have passed over the highest land on Wabasha prairie in a boat." He was here interrupted by a passenger, a resident of the prairie, the dignified and gentlemanly appearing Rev. H. S. Hamilton, who removed his hat as he stepped forward and gravely said: "Excuse me, sir, but can it -be possible that your name is Noah ? There is no record that any one has passed over that prairie since the days of that ancient navigator of the deep." The town-site blower was forced to retreat from the laughter of the amused crowd of passengers. To Capt. Orin Smith belongs the credit of selecting Wabasha prairie as a location for a town site. He was the founder of the city of AVinona. At that time he was a citizen of Galena, Illinois, and the captain of the steamboat Nominee, running between Galena and St. Paul. He had seen western towns spring up like magic, enriching the lucky proprietors. Land speculations and town-site operations were the most common topics of conversation among his passengers. From a desire to engage in some profitable speculation, should opportunity ofifer, he watched for a chance to secure a town site on the river. His observations convinced him that eventually, when the Indian title should become extinct on the west side of the river in the Territory of Minnesota, an important point must spring up, and he early comprehended that Wabasha prairie possessed the most favorable and decided advantages for the rapid growth of a large commercial town when the country should become settled. The treaty with the Sioux in 1851 presented an opportunity which Capt. Smith at once took advantage of, although the treaty had not been ratified and the Indians were still occupying the country. He was familiar with the river, and was aware that there were but two locations suitable for steamboat landings on Wabasha prairie. One, the present levee — the other about a mile below. Capt. Smith was aware, from his own personal knowledge (he had navigated the upper Mississippi many years), that Wabasha prairie was not subject to an entire overflow, neither had it been submerged within the traditional recollections of the "oldest inhabitants" among the whites ; yet he was to a certain extent influenced by the Indian traditions, by Bunnell's opinion and by the opinions of some of the old I'iver men of his acquaintance in his first choice of location. 164 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. He selected the lower landing for his town site because the banks were higher, the shore bolder, with a good depth of water at all seasons of navigation. He was also aware that the upper landing was subject to overflow, although available and satisfactory at other times. He therefore decided to secure and control both landings. In accordance with this plan he made his arrangements to take j)Ossession, and selected as his agent in this transacti)mpany now stands. Johnson built a stable for the oxen EARLY LAND TITLES. 165 on the bank ten or fifteen rods back from tlie river. This was made of poles and covered with coarse grass from the bottoms. In the absence of any other means of conveyance a crotch of a tree was used as a sled to transport such things as the oxen were required to haul. Johnson afterward built a rough sled for his use in banking wood on the island during the winter. I^ot long after Johnson's arrival on Wabasha prairie another town- site speculator made his appearance in this locality. On the 12th of November, 1851, Silas Stevens, a lumber dealer in La Crosse, landed from the Excelsior at the upper landing, about where the L. C. Porter flouring-mill now stands. With him came Geo. W. Clark, a young man in his employ, and Edwin Hamilton, a young man from Ohio, looking for a chance to speculate in claims, who had been induced to come up from La Crosse, where he had been stop- ping for a short time. Mr. Stevens brought with him lumber for a shanty, a cooking stove, and a liberal supply of provisions, blankets, etc. It was about eleven o'clock at night when this party left the steamer Excelsior. Mr. Stevens was aware that Capt. Smith had made a claim here and placed a man on it to hold possession, and the party at once made search for his cabin. The night was intensely dark, and they were compelled to hunt for sometime before they found Johnson. His locality was unknown to either of them. Mr. Stevens had a few days before been up the river as far as Bunnell's landing, and from the bluff above had seen some men and a yoke of oxen on the lower end of the prairie, but no cabin was in sight. Fortunately, by following down the bank of the river, they dis- covered the shanty and were furnished by Johnson with thJ best accommodation the cabin afforded,— a bed of hay on the floor where all slept together, covered with blankets. Johnson had not then completed his shanty. He afterward improved the interior by putting up a shelf or two to hold his supplies and dishes, and two double berths, one over the other in one corner. These were made of poles, his supply of lumber was insuflicient. For comfort these berths were filled with dry prairie-grass, covered with blankets. This party took breakfast with Johnson before beginning the business of the day. Up to this time the question of boundaries to their claims had not been considered either by Capt. Smith or John- son. Capt. Smith had simply proposed to claim the two landings, with at least 160 acres of prairie in each claim, and as much more as 166 MIsroHY OF WINONA COUNTY. they could control. It now became necessary to have their bounda- ries more accurately defined. Mr. Stevens had come up for the express ])ur[)0se of securing one of the landings, not being aware that Capt. Smith proposed to hold them both through Johnson, who he supposed was only an employe, without an individual interest in the matter. Mr. Stevens expected to take possession of and hold the upper landing through an employe of his own, Mr. C^lark, who had come for that j>urpose. He was somewhat surprised to find that Johnson had already laid claim to it, with the ap])roval of Capt. Smith, but no im])rovements had been made. Not being of an aggressive nature, Mr. Stevens hesitated to take advantage of this and take possession witliout Johnson's con- sent, which he could not obtain. After a general consultation, in which the whole party partici- pated, it was finally agreed that the land along the river should be divided into "claims" of half a mile square, and that Johnson should have the first choice of two of the claims, one for Capt. Smith and the other for himself Accordingly, on the morning of November 13, 1851, the first claim-stakes were driven on Wabasha prairie, and the first defined claims made within what are now the boundaries of Winona county. The stake agreed upon as the starting-point was driven on the bank of the river below the present residence of Mrs. Keyes. From this stake a half-mile was measured off with a tape-line up the river, where another stake was driven. This half-mile was chosen by Johnson for Capt. Smith and was called "Claim No. 1." The next half-mile measured off up the river bank was called "Claim No. 2." This was at once chosen and claimed by both Stevens and Nash. Mr. Stevens expected that claim No. 2 would be awarded to him. He had been influenced by the recommendations and per- suasions of Capt. Smith to come u}) and select a claim to hold possession, and he now supposed that after Smith and Johnson he was entitled to the next choice ; but he was again disai)pointed, and again gave way to Johnson's decision in the matter. Nash, sup- ported by and under the instructions of Johnson, claimed it by seniority as a settler. He had been a resident on the prairie about three weeks, and claimed the land by his rights of first discovery. The next half-mile, claim No. 3, was assigned to Mr. Stevens. It could hardly be called his choice, (^laim No. 4 was awarded to EARLY LAND TITLES. 167 Johnson as per agreement. The next half-mile, claim No. 5, was selected by Edwin Hamilton, who claimed precedent. He had seen the prairie some weeks before from the deck of a steamboat while on a trip up the river with Mr. Stevens. No farther measurements were made at this time, but the next half-mile was duly awarded to George W. Clark, the junior settler and the last of the party. No one disputed his rights to claim No. 6. These claims, made as described, were afterward designated by the numbers then given and by the names of the persons to whom they were awarded by this party until after the government survey of the public lands in this part of the territory. The township lines were surveyed in 1853, but the subdivisions were not completed until 1855. The following copy of a lease is presented as documentary evi- dence to show that these claims were generally known by the num- bers given, and also as a relic of early days in this locality. " Wabasiiaw, July 8th, 1852. •'Whereas I have this day m.jved into the shanty on Claim No. 5, called Hamilton's claim, on Wabashaw prairie, Minnesota territory ; therefore I here- by a^'ree with John L. Balcombe, Edwin Hamilton and Mark Howard, the owners of said (^laim, that in consideration of the use of said shanty, I will, to the utmost of my ability, prevent all other persons from occupyino- or injuring said claim, and that I will vacate said shanty and surrender the possession thereof, together with the whole claim, to said owners whenever requested to do so by them or either of them. O. 8. HoLnRooK. " Witness: Walter Brown, " George G. Barber." The original paper, of which this is a copy, is in the hands of Mrs. Calista Balcombe, the widow of Dr. John L. Balcombe, now living in the city of Winona. The shanty spoken of stood about where the present residence of Hon. H. W. Lamberton now stands, on the corner of Fourth and Huff streets. This shanty was never destroyed ; the body of it is still preserved. When the Hamilton claim became the property of Henry D. Huff, the shanty was moved from its original site and attached to the cottage in which Mr. Hufi lived for several years, and which is now the residence of Mr. Lafay- ette Stout, No. 52 West Fourth street. On the same day that these claims were measured off and located, Mr. Stevens, with the assistance of Clark and Hamilton, built a shanty on claim No. 3. This shanty stood a little east of Market street, between First and Second streets. To move his lumber and 1()8 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. supplies to the place selected the services of flolinson's ox-team and crotch-sled were obtained. Mr. Stevens went back to La Crosse the same evening on a boat which chanced to come down. Mr. (ylark remained to hold ])08se8- sion ot the claim for him. Clark was to receive eighteen dollars per month and all necessary supplies furnished. He was to occupy his time in cutting steamboat-wood on the island convenient for banking. Hamilton remained and lived with Clark in the Stevens shanty. He also chopped tor Mr. Stevens. No one ever accused Mr. Stevens of having made a big speculation on steamboat- wood cut on government land that winter. , * The last boat down in 1851 was the Nominee. About November 21 Capt. Smith passed Wabasha prairie without lauding. Mr. G. W. Clark says that on December 4 he with Johnson went down the river in a canoe to La Crosse. The weather was pleasant but cool. This was their first trip from home. After having accom- plished the objects of their visit, they started back on the fifth and arrived at Wabasha prairie on the sixth. The river closed a day or two after. While on this trip to La Crosse Johnson hired two men, Allen Gilmore and George Wallace, to come to Wabasha prairie with him and work for Capt. Smith cutting wood. To accommodate these men Johnson secured another canoe, in which he toolj one of the men while Clark with the other managed their own, the one in which they went down. The weather had become very cold, with the wind strong from the west. Soon after they started it increased to a fierce gale. The spray from the waves as they struck against the bows of the canoes soon covered everything about them with ice and chilled them through. Being unable to manage their canoes against such a strong head-wind they landed, and towed them along the shore until they arrived at Nathan Brown's trading-station, which they reached about dark, almost frozen. Mr. Brown was absent, but finding the door of his cabin unfastened the party took possession and soon started a hot fire in the stove with the abundance of dry wood i)rovided. Finding a plentiful supply of provisions they made themselves comfortable for the night, and the next day safely reached the prairie. This was December 6, the date of the arrival of Allen Gilmore and George Wallace at what is now the city of Winona. Brown's was then, the only stopping-place below Bunnell's, and EARLY LA]S^D TITLES. 169 it was. often made a haven of rest to the weary traveler. Mr. Brown usually lived alone and he enjoyed these forced visits to his cabin, more for the company they afforded than for the profit of it. He seldom made any charge for his accommodations. Bunnell's was a favorite stopping-place. It was the only place on the west side of the river where travelers could be comfortably accommodated with sheets on their beds and clean table-cloths. It was the only place on the west side of this river in the part of the territory where a white woman lived. Mrs. Bunnell was a good cook, and her guests, usually appreciated her efforts to make them comfortable. In connection with his business as a trader, Bunnell employed quite a number of men, cutting steamboat-wood and in cutting oak-timber for rafting. The following were living on the west side of the river during the winter of 1851-2, or afterward made it their residence : Harry Herrick, Leonard Johnson, Hirk Carroll, Henry J. Harring- ton and a man by the name of Myers, who came after January 1, 1852. They boarded at Bunnell's.' Two young men, Jabez McDermott and Josiah Keene, were in his employ until after the holidays, and "kept bach" in a small cabin on the banks of the river a little below Bunnell's. Peter Gorr, with his wife and three children, and Augustus Pentler and his wife, lived together in a cabin on an island opposite Bunnell's landing. Gorr and Pentler worked for Bunnell until in February. Soon after the river was frozen over, or as soon as it was safe to travel on the ice, Israel M. Noracong and William G. McSpadden came up from La Crosse. They brought with them two yoke of oxen and a large sleigh-load of lumber and supplies, which they took up Wabasha prairie to the mouth of the Eollingstone valley. They put up a shanty a little north from where Elsworth's flouring mill now stands, in Minnesota city. These men were engaged during the winter in cutting black-walnut logs. 'Black-walnut timber then grew plentifully along that stream. About the same time John Farrell came up from La Crosse, bringing with him ox-teams and supplies and quite a number of men. He established a logging camp on the Wisconsin side of the river. His cabin and stables were at the foot of the bluff, about where the wagon-road across the bottoms strikes the mainland. He had selected his location and cut a quantity of hay early in the fall. 170 iirsTom ov winona roT-rle oak timber on the islands o])])osite the city of Winona was cut down during that winter by Farrell's gang of choppers. Many of the logs were never removed from the places where they were cut. To aid in floating the heavy oak logs when they were rafted in the spring, almost an equal quantity of the finest ash-timber was also slaughtered and taken away. Tiie total number of white inhabitants living within the bound- aries of what is now Winona county at the close of the year 1849 was six — W. B. Bunnell, wife and three children, at Bunnell's landing, and Nathan Brown. The total white population at the end of 1850 was seven. This increase of one over the preceding year was from natural cause — by the addition of another child to Bunnell's family. During the winter of 1850-1 Bunnell and Brown had a few transient wood- choppers in their employ, wlio lived on the islands. Tiie total white population December 31, 1851, was twenty-one, all of whom, if the family of Bunnell is excepted, were engaged in the same occupation, cutting timber on public lands. It was then a common practice for people who chose to do so to appropriate the timber on lands belonging to the United States for individual use and for purposes of speculation. Such operations were not con- sidered dishonorable. Tlie choicest pine, oak, black-walnut, ash and maple timber was cut on public lands, rafted down the Missis- sippi and sold by men respected for their business enterprise and honorable dealings with their fellow-men as individuals. It will be safe to say that fifty per cent of the timber on the islands in the Mississippi was cut for steamboat wood and other ])urposes while the title to lands was in the United States. Among the enjoyments of holidays observed by the bachelor settlers on Wabasha prairie was tlie Christmas dinner given by Clark and Hamilton December 25, 1851. Hamilton was chief cook, and made an extra effort foi' special dishes on this occasion. Mr. Clark says that in addition to the best of their common fare, good wheat-bread, hot corn-bread, ham, gooremises. Under no pretext was anyone per- mitted to pass the boundaries of the fence which inclosed the improvements. Mr. Gere, justice of the peace and agent of Mrs. Harrington, with the constable, Harvey S. Terry, attempted to obtain entrance to the house by demanding the household goods of Mrs. Harring- ton stored in the dwelling. Thej' were met at the "bars," by the whole Walker family. Mr. Walker, with his gun in his hands and revolver in his belt, Mrs. Walker, armed with a huge carving knife, the children carrying an ax, a scythe and a pitchfork. The officers of the law hesitated "-to storm the castle against such an armed force,"' and called a parley for negotiations. Mr. Walker did not object to deliver up the goods, but would not a 16, with a shed roof of boards, the eaves of which were about five feet from the ground. This was for awhile the hotel, the general stopping-place for all who got off at whatwas then known as Johnson's Landing. Every claim shanty was, how- ever, the stranger's home, if application was made for shelter and food. Jabez McDermott built a log shanty on his claim, a little south- east from where the shops of tlie "Winona & St. Peter railroad now stand. The roof was a covering of bark. All of the material for this shantv was taken from the Indian tepees which stood near by. This locality was the site of Wabaslia's village — the village of the band of Sioux of which he was the chief, and their general gather- ing-place. There were seven or eight of their cabins standing when McDermott made a claim of their village. These Indian tepees were constructed with a framework of posts and poles fastened together by withes and covered with broad strips of elm bark. The roof was peaked, the bark covering supported by a framework of poles. For the sides the strips of bark were of suit- able length to reach from the ground to the eaves. They were oblong in shape, about 15 v 20 feet, the sides about four or five feet high. The bark covering was fastened by poles outside secured by withes. No nails or pins were used in their construction. Inside they were provided with benches, or berths, from two to three feet wide and about two feet from the ground, extending around three sides of the hut. These seats, or sleeping-places, were composed of poles and bark. Some sawed lumber was also used about these tepees. The lumber, boards and planks, found there by the early settlers was probably taken from the river, brought (Town by floods from wrecks of rafts. There were two or three of these te])ees in the mouth of Gilmore valley near the Indian cultivation. One much larger than the others was about 20 X 30. There were also two or three in the mouth of Burns valley. They were all of the same style of architecture and similarly constructed. These cabins were but summer residences for the Sioux and were WESTERN FARM AND VILLAGE ASSOCIATION. 189 but temporarily occupied in cold weather, when thej usually fixed their hunting camps, of skin or cloth tents, in the timber on thie river bottoms. The Indians sometimes halted in their migration and stopped in them for two or three days at a time after the first settlers came here in 1851, but they abandoned them entirely in the spring of 1852. These tepees were torn down in the forepart of this season. While the Sioux remained in this vicinity they sometimes visited the settlements, and were at all times friendly without being familiar or troublesome. Soon alter tlie opening of navigation another town site was dis- covered on the Mississippi below the mouth of the White Water. Two or three brothers by the name of Hall selected this location. It was known as Hall's Landing. No special effort was made to develop its advantages until the following year, when the town ot Mt. Yernon was laid out, about two miles below the mouth of the White Water. During 1851 and 1852 there was quite a rush of immigration to the country on the upper Mississippi. Among the localities in the western part of the State of Wisconsin which attracted considerable attention from this moving population was La Crosse. After the treaty with the Sioux in 1851 many of these immigrants made La Crosse a temporary halting place until opportunity was given to make selections of locations on the west side of the river. A very large majority of the first settlers in southei-n Minnesota were of this class. With the exception of the colony that settled at Minnesota City, Winona county was first settled almost entirely by these temporary residents of La Crosse. During the winter some of these citizens of Wisconsin came up the river on the ice and selected locations on Wabasha prairie and in its vicinity. In the spring they, with others, visited this part of the territory to see the country, and made claims in a more formal manner. These claims were usually marked by writing the name of the claim-maker on the stakes which defined the location selected, or, if in the timber, the^ trees were blazed and the name of the claimant conspicuously displayed. As the season advanced it became neces- sary to represent some improvements. A few logs laid up, as if a future cabin was contemplated, a few furrows with a plow, or a little corn or vegetables planted, gave evidence that the claim was occu- pied. These claims were usually acknowledged by the settlers and 190 HISTORY OF WtNONA COUNTY. rmitual protection given, although the laws governing claims were not fully complied with. Among those who came up during the winter and selected loca- tions, and who afterward became residents of Wabasha prairie, was William B. Gere, commonly called "Beecher Gere.'' lie made a claim south of and joining both of the claims of riohnson and Stevens. Although a settler could not hold, legally, but IQO acres, this claim was laid on a sliding scale, and for a while Beecher Gere's claim coA'ered twice that amount of land. Enos P. Williams, then in the employ of Silas Stevens at La Orosse, selected the location adjoining Gere's on the east. This is now known as Hubbard's addition. Elijah Silsbee selected the one next west of that claimed by Gere, and a man by the name of Tlobbs took that next to Silsbee's on the west. Frank Curtiss discovered that there was room for another claim between that selected for Scott Clark and the claims of McDermott and Keene, and located himself there. Walter Brown selected a location in what is now Gilmore valley, in the mouth of the ravine about where the brickyard of Mr. Ber- sange is now located. George G. Barber made choice of one adjoining Brown's in the valley above. Kev. George Chester, a Methodist minister — the lirst that settled in La Crosse — made a claim in Gilmore valley where the county farm is now located. The first sermon ever delivered to the early settlers of Winona county was preached by Mr. Chester on Wabasha prairie while on this visit to Minnesota. Mr. Chester never made any improvements on his claim, neither was he ever a resident of the county. A colored man, a barber in La Crosse, by the name of Williams, made the first claim across the slough on the upper prairie. It is now the residence of George I. Parsons. The claim shanty was near the railroad. Some of the early visitors from La Crosse who came up with Mr. Chester, Mr. Barber and others, returned without selecting locations, although they afterward became residents of Wabasha prairie. Dr. John L. Balcombe, John C. Laird and Abner S. (Toddard were among this number. Mention will be made of them at a later date. Henr\' C. Gere came up from La Crosse early in the spring, and WESTERN FARM AND VILLAGE ASSOCIATION. 191 landed at what was then known as Johnson's landing, witli his family, household goods, and lumber for a shanty. During the winter previous he visited the prairie and professed to have selected a claim, but refused to point it out, — -none of the settlers were aware of his choice of location. It afterward appeared that about the time of the "difference" between Bunnell and Johnson, a friendship, or rather an acquaint- ance was formed between Gere and Bunnell, and a plan laid to jump the Stevens claim. As Mr. Stevens was a non-resident, Gere was to locate himself on the claim with his family, and Bunnell was to aid him to keep possession of it. It was represented by Bunnell that he had selected this claim for H. C. Gere, and had made some designative marks on the back side of it, next to the claim selected by Wm. B. Gere. Until spring no boundaries were marked on any of the claims, except the claim-stakes driven along the bank of the river by Stevens and Johnson in the fall of 1851. After the frost left the ground in the spi-ing these claims were marked by corner stakes in the rear. Gere also pretended that he was a partner with Stevens in the lumber business at La Crosse when the claim was made, — that it was a joint speculation which Mr. Stevens ignored. A day or two before Gere left La Crosse with his family, Silas Stevens learned that he professed to have an interest in claim No. 3 on Wabasha prairie, and that he was going there to live. Being well acquainted with Gere, and fearing trouble from him, Mr. Stevens came up to the prairie and there awaited his arrival. With well-assumed confidence that he had an undisputed right to the Stevens claim, Gere secured the services of Johnson with his oxen and sled, loaded with lumber, and started with a friend or two to take possession of it. As he approached the west boundary of the claim with his load of lumber, he was met by Silas Stevens, Wm. H. Stevens, George W. Clark and Allen Gilmore. With the excep- tion of Silas Stevens this party was armed, although no revolvers were in sight. Each carried a strong cudgel, except Wm. H. Stevens, who handled a gun and assumed the position of leader. He ordered Gere to halt and not attempt to cross the claim line with his lumber. This claim boundary was a line due south from the claim stake, which stood on the bank of the river about midway between what is now Walnut and Market streets. Meeting so firm an obstruction, Gere and his party with the load of lumber moved back on the 192 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. prairie along the designated line, escorted by the Stevens party, until the south boundary of the chum was passed. The escort then stood guard whik' Gere put up a shanty on the claim of his nephew, Wm. B, Gere. The shanty built by JI. C. Gere stood on the east side of Franklin street, between AVabasha and Sanborn streets, on the lot where '' Thomas Burk now lives. It was 12x12 when first built, and cov- ered with a board roof, but was afterward enlarged to 12x18, and covered with a shingled roof, sloping the length of the shanty. Mr. Gere lived there until the sjjring of 1854, when he moved onto a claim in the mouth of West Burns valley. The writer occupied this shanty as his residence and business office in July and August, 1854. This was but the beginning of Gere's efforts to get possession of the Stevens claim. Other incidents relative to this claim will be given. Among the earliest arrivals this spring were John Evans and S. K.. Thompson. Mr. Thompson did not at once make a claim, but lived on Wabasha prairie, a passive looker-on for some time before he took an active part as a bona-fide settler. Mr. Evans was an old pioneer, familiar with pioneer life and the settlement of a claim country. He at once commenced prospecting, and soon discovered that Clark was holding two claims. Consider- ing this to be a favorable opportunity to secure a good location near the landing, he selected the one Mr. Clark had made and was hold- ing in the name of his brother, and announced his purpose to make that his claim. Clark earnestly protested against this, but Evans asserted that he had a right to it, that Scott Clark had never been in the territory, and George W. Clark was then holding a claim on the prairie. Evans, with the help of Thom})son, had already com- menced cutting logs for a cabin, but seeing that Clark was extremely anxious to retain the claim across the slough, offered to let him take his choice of the two he was holding. Finding that Evans was determined in the matter, Clark very reluctantly decided to relin- quish the first claim he had made, claim No. 6, provided Evans would aband(m the other. , John Evans then took possession of the claim relinquished by Clark and commenced making improvements. This was afterward known as the "Evans Claim." Chute's and Foster's additions were parts of that claim. It was on what is now known as Foster's WESTERN FARM AND VILLAGE ASSOCIATION. 193 addition that Mr. Evans placed his buildings. It was here that he lived while a resident of the county, and where he died. While living here Mr. Evans opened up a farm and inclosed the whole claim with a rail fence. He at one time had a field under cultivation which comprised about half of his claim, on which he raised several crops of wheat, corn, etc. He then disposed of a part of it (Chute's addition), and divided a portion into suburban lots, retaining what is now Foster's addition as his homestead. Mr. Evans did not bring his family here until late in the summer of 1862.— not until he had built a house for them to move into. His house was covered with the first shingled roof ever put on any build- ing on Wabasha prairie ; the first shingled roof in the city of Winona. The family of Mr. Evans, when he located here in 1852, consisted of a wife, two daughters and a son. One of the daughters married O. S. Holbrook; the other became the wife of Erwin H. Johnson. .Another daughter, the wife of James Williams, came here about two years after. James Williams is yet a resident of the county. Mr. Evans and all of his family mentioned above are now dead, except his son. Royal B. Evans, who is a resident of the countv! living in the town of Wilson. When George W. Clark relinquished his claim, No. 6, to John Evans, he took possession of the land across the slough in his own name. When his brother came on he aided him in securing another location. ^ Mr. Clark never speculated in city lots or suburban prop- erty.^ His choice of claims was undoubtedly the decisive point in his life as to his future business occupations and home. Mr Clark left the State of New York in 1851, with the design to secure to himself a farm somewhere in the western country. He first went to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where he had relatives; but learn- ing there of the rush to the upper Mississippi country, he with others started on foot across the state to La Crosse. He there sought employment and secured a situation in the lumber yard of Silas Stevens, where he proposed to remain until he should learn of a satisfactory location for a permanent settlement. Influenced by a higher rate of interest than he had been familiar with in the east," he placed what funds he had with him in the hands of his employer. Familiar acquaintance increased a mutual confidence of the two in each other, and when Mr. Stevens decided to make a speculative investment on Wabasha prairie, in the Territory of Minnesota, he 194 IIISTOIIY OF WINONA COUNTY. selected Mr. Clark as his agent. His arrival licre (Jii November 12, 1851, has already been narrated. The force of circumstances compelled Mr. Clark to make selection of the farm for which he had left his father^s house and come west. Having decided to locate on his claim across the slough, he gave Lis whole time and attention to its improvement and increasing his possessions by securing adjoining )>ro]jerty by way ol speculation. The first rails used by Mr. Clark in his farming o})erations were the relics of a fence built by the Sioux to keej) their ponies from ranging over their cultivation in the mouth ot the valley above. This Indian fence extended from the blufis to the lake or slough on the bottom, about on the west boundary of his claim, and nearly on the west line of his farm. These were some of the circumstances of his first settlement here, which, with his. determined purpose to locate on a farm, made George W. Clark, the pioneer farmer, the first practical farmer to settle on a plaim held exclusively tor farming purposes. He began his first improvements on this claim in March, 1852, using the horses of Mr. Stevens for his first team-work, to haul the logs together which he had cut for the purpose of building a claim shanty, before it was jumped by John Evans. Mr. Clark's original claim shanty was located about where his hay-shed now stands, in the meadow near where the lane leading to his present residence leaves the Gil- more valley road. Mr. Clark has lived on the farm he now occupies about thirty- one years. The little log shanty and straw-covered sheds have been superseded by a large farmhouse and a commodious barn and sheds. He has been a prosperous farmer. Although others engaged in farming oj^erations early in the season of 1852 and made as much improvement on their claims as Mr. Clark, he was the first to settle on any land now held as a farm in this county. CHAPTER XXI. THE ASSOCIATION CIIYSTALLIZE:D, The association by which Minnesota City was first settled origi- nated in the city of New York in the summer of 1851. This organi- zation was never generally understood by the western public, nor its special objects clearly comprehended by the early settlers in this part of the territory. It is, indeed, more than prolbable that some of its members had but indifferent ideas of its operations and special design when practically demonstrated. The people generally consid- ered the association to be a body of fanatical communists — a social- istic organization with such visionary and impracticable theories ot colonization that failure was but an inherent destiny. These mis- taken ideas and false impressions prejudiced other settlers against them from the first. The apparently clannish exclusiveness and mysterious manner of the colonists confirmed these vague opinions and excited a jealous rivalry with settlements in other localities. A mutual antagonism resulted, which time alone dissipated, but not until long after the association had ceased to exist as an organization. This association was composed of persons of difl'erent nationali- ties, difterent religious and political opinions, and of different busi- ness occupation, united for a special object. It was an emigration society, designed to aid its members in leaving the city and forming a colony on government lands in the west. The organization was but a temporarj^ one, and never designed for any other purpose. That the plan of colonization was practicable under favorable circumstances, in the hands of practicable men and under the man- agement of practicable leaders, there is but little doubt. That it was, to a great extent, a failure, that the results were not fully in accordance with that anticipated from its programme of operations, was evidently attributable to the incapacity and inexperience of the "leaders rather than to radical defects in the plan. Justice to these pioneer settlers of the county exacts a brief sketch of the organiza- tion by which the colony was located. William Haddock, one of the discoverers of the town site at the mouth of the Eolling Stone valley, was the founder and president of 198 HISTOUY OF WTNONA COTTNTY. the association. In July, 1851, Mr. Haddock, then a journeyman printer living in New York city, conceived the idea, and in a public lecture at a meeting ot mechanics called by him for the purpose, pre- sented the outlines of a plan whereby the mechanics of the city would be able to secure "homes in the west," to leave the city and locate on government lands, to go in a body and form a colony. His audience manifested considerable interest in the subject of his lecture, and appointed a committee to take the matter into con- sideration and draw up a code of laws for an organization on the plan proposed. The committee made a report the following week, and a form of organisation was effected, with William Haddock as presi- dent and Thomas K. Allen secretary. It was not, however, until about the middle of September that the association was considered fairly organized, although weekly meetings were held for the pur- pose of perfecting the laws and in many ways modifying the original ])lan proposed by Mr. Haddock. That the plan adopted may be impartially presented, the follow- ing extracts have been copied from the "Constitution and By-Laws of the Western Farm and Village Association." PREAMBLE. Whereas, We whose names are hereunto subscribed are desinjus of locat- ing ourselves advantageously on government lands in some of our western states or territories, and, Wherkas, We wish at the same time to avail ourselves of all the advan- tages of civilization which can be immediately secured only by emigrating in large companies and settling in clpse proximity, we do hereby adopt, for the more efl'ectual attainment of our object, the following constitution and by-laws, to which each one of us subscribes and pledges himself to conform : CONSTITUTION, Article I. Section 1. This association shall be styled "The Western Farm and Village Association, No. 1, of the City of New York." (Sec. 2 enumerates the oflicers.) Article II. Object and plan of action. Sec. 1. The object of this a.ssociation shall be the organizatii)n and si-ttlc- ment of one or more townships and villages on the public lands, in some of the western states or territories of the United States, with the view of obtaining, if possible, a free grant of the same from congress. SEt". 2. The number of members which this association may embrace shall not exceed five hundred, and shall criation for the benefit of the members of the colony. These petitions were presented by Hon. H. H. Sibley, the delegate from the territory of Minnesota. 'No action was taken, except that the petitions were received and dis- posed of by being referred to the house committee on public lands. On the return of Mr. Murphy to New York city from Rolling Stone, the report of the locating committee was duly made to the association. It was received and approved without delay, such was the confidence of the members in the judgment of the. committee. Rolling Stone was then formally selected as the locati(^n for the pro- posed colony. A more elaborate plat of the village site was drawn from that furnished by the committee and lithographed for the members. It was numbered preparatory for the drawing, which took place March 31, 1852. The following circular was then issued, and sent to each of the members of the organization: Western Farm and Village Association Office, [ New York, April 3, 1852. < Dear Sir, — The association at length have the pleasure of informing you of their location. Mr. Arthur Murphy, one of our locating committee, has just returned to this city, havinj.' in cDnjunction with our president selected a spot which has heen unanimously adopted as our homes. It is situated in the Ter- ritory of Minnesota, on the Mississippi river, about forty miles above Root river, and six miles above a place called Wabesha i)rairie, on a stream oi' water known as Kollin}.' 8tone creek; for a full description of which, with the report THE ASSOCIATIOlSr CRYSTALLIZED. 203 of the committee, the corresponding secretary refers you to the forthcoming Advocate. In the meantime, lie has been instructed to send you the following circular, embodying so much of the report of its last meeting as is herein con- tained. After the adoption of the report of Mr. Murphy, the association, on motion, went into the choosing of lots ; all members whose dues were not paid up to the first of January being dec-lared by vote ineligible to partic;ii>ate. A com- mittee, consisting of Messrs. Cauldwell, Potter and Bannan,were appointed to choose for country members. The names of all those eligible were then placed in one hat, and numbers to the corresponding amount of members in another. Messrs. Thorp and Stradling presided over the names, and Messrs. Gilbert and Fitzgibbons superintended the numbers. A number was then taken from a hat, and a name from the other, and the number so drawn was the choice of the member whose name was drawn with it. The entire list of drawing so made is herein contained, with a map showing the position of the lot up to 132. The reason of there being none higher than this is that the committee, deeming that sufficient, surveyed no more ; and members who have drawn a choice over that number will be allowed to choose on the ground, from lots to be surveyed, or from lands forfeited by the non-settlement of mem- bers in July, in the order they run above the lots numbered. Mr. Haddock, who is now on the ground, has been telegraphed to survey 100 more ; and per- sons joining now will choose in the order as admitted meuibers. In addition to the above, the corresponding secretary has to state that the pioneer squad will start from here on Wednesday, the 7th, and passing over the Erie Railroad, will probably arrive at Chicago on or about the 14th ; thence by rail and team to Galena, and boat up the river. This will also be the route of the main body, and all members who live near the city, or who can make New York in their route, will meet here on April 14, to start on the loth, so as to arrive at Galena by May 1. Should the lakes not be open on April l'^ the association will not start on that day, but wait until they are. Those of our members who may not arrive at Galena by May 1, can learn full particulars of us by inquiring of Col. James Robinson there. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, For E. B. Thomas, Cor. Sec'y, 102 Nassau street. Accompanying this circular was a plat of the village site and a list of the names of 174 members, with the order of their choice and the number of the lot chosen by or for 132 of them. CHAPTEK XXII. KMIGRANTS COMING. It was designed that settlement on the lands selected for the colony should be made simultaneously by the fmembers of the asso- ciation, or as near so as practicable, to prevent intrusion from per- sons not belonging to the organization. As soon as the]locality was formally decided upon a volunteer party already organized started west for the Rolling Stone, to hold possession of the "claim " made by Haddock and Murpliy, until the arrival of the main body of the association. Thi^ advance guard, to which the name of "pioneer squad " had been given, was a party of eleven men who left T^ew York city on April 7. On their way they were joined by three others, making the total number of this guard fourteen. All of these were young unmarried men except one. Mr. B. Mauby, of New York, was accompanied by his wife and seven children. The pioneer sc^uad of the Western Farm and Village Associa- tion came up the Mississippi from Galena on the steamboat Caleb Cope, and landed at Johnson's Landing on Wabasha prairie on April 14, 1852. The Caleb Cope was under the command of Capt. Harris, who had chartered her to ran as an opposition boat against the Nominee, in place of the West Newton, which was not then ready for the early spring business. The fare, on this trip, was but fifty cents each, for passengers from Galena to Wabaslia prairie. Freight was in about the same proportion of discount from regular rates. This party of immigrants were warmly welcomed at the landing by Mr. Haddock, who had been anxiously expecting them, and had come from Rolling Stone on purpose to meet and guide them to "the promised land." The following names of this party were furnished by a member of the squad who yet lives in Rolling Stone, at Minnesota City. The names of some of his old comrades have faded from his memory. He is tlie only one of the ''old guard" that is now a resident of Winona county. His name heads this list of names : Hezekiah Jones, Wm. Stevens, J. W. Viney, David Robertson, D. Hollyer, p:mt(}rants coming. 205 K. H. BoG^the, S. Ti. Schroeder, John Hughes, Tahiiadge. Randall, and D. Maubv and family. The_y had with them quite a large amount of supplies and camp fixtures, including a large tent, household furniture, a cook-stove, tools, etc., and also brought with them two yoke of oxen and a wagon. The cattle, wagon and household furniture were the prop- erty of Mr. Mauby. The oxen and wagon were purchased for liim in Illinois, by Mr. H. .Jones, who came west in the fall before, and joined this party at Cherry Yalley, then the terminus of the rail- ST Settle>[ekt ok Rollix*; Stonk.'" road. The team and wagon were used in transporting tlieir baggage from Cherry Valley to Galena, where their supplies were purchased. This party landed at about the foot of Main street ; their freight was piled on a mound on the bank of the river and covered with the tent. It was there left in cliarge of one of their number, whose name is now forgotten, but who was designated as the ''cigar- maker.'' Leaving Mr. Mauby and liis family here the others lias- tened on to their destination. * The above cut is from a sketch taken and kindly furnished by Austin W. Lord. f 200 inSTOKY OF VVrXONA COUNTY. Mr. ^taubv engaged Jolnison's shanty, at the upper landing, as a liome for liis family, until he could build a cabin for them at the Rolling Stone. He remained with them until they were settled in their temporary abode. No provision had been made for the subsistence of the cattle. N< > supplies had been brought along for them, as it was supposed that hay could be readily procured, but none was to be had. There was an unusual rise of water in the river for the time of year, and a strong current was running through the slough, making it difficult for strangers to ford to the upper prairie, and no wagon trail had yet been opened along the bluffs. It was decided to leave the wagon with the freight, but to take the cattle along, as they might have use for them. The oxen were taken up to the Rolling Stone, where they were turned loose to procure a living for themselves, from the old grass on the bottoms, and such Ijrowse as they were able to get from the brush along the stream. Temporary supplies were packed up by the party. They were ferried over the slough by the Indians in canoes. With Mr. Had- dock as guide, they followed the trail along tlie bluffs to Noracong's shanty, where Mr. Haddock was living. Noracong and his party were then away rafting the bhick walnut logs they had cut during the winter. Norac(mg's little shanty, about 8X12, stood about where the rail- road crossing now is — north from Elsworth's flouring-mill. It was the headquarters of the pioneer squad. Finding their accommoda- tions insutficient. some of the party constructed a kind of hut, to which the name of "Gopher house" was given. One of these " gophers ■" was built on the table, about fifty rods above where Troosts' flouring mill lately stood. Another one was on the table, about forty rods west from where the school building now stands. These huts were of logs, placed in the form of a house roof, and covered with dry grass from the bottoms, over which was a layer of earth covered with strips of turf ai-ranged to shed the rain. The earth inside of the hut was excavated to the depth of a foot or more to in- crease the area inclosed. These huts were filled with dry grass and used as sleeping quarters. This advance guard had volunteered to come on for the express purpose of keeping off tres})assers. Although designated the pioneer squad, no other duties were assigned to them or expected from them. They spent their time in explorations of the immediate EMIGRANTS COMING. 207 - tl- viciiiity of their camp, and in hunting and fishing, furnishing plenti ful supplies of ducks and trout. They all lived in common, each contributing from his own stores for general use. A cook was ap- pointed to take charge of this department, whq called for assistants when aid was required. Mr. Jones and one or two others assisted Mr. Haddock in his survey of the village plat, to which he was giving his whole attention. In this survey, the base of operations was a straight line along tlie edge of the table on which Troosts' flouring-mill recently stood. It was there the first street was laid off, extending from the lower end of the table to the bluff at the upper end. The village lots and streets were laid off parallel with and at right angles to this street as a base line. Mr. Haddock attempted to make the survey with his pocket compass, to which he affixed some sights of his own invention or construction, but was compelled to abandon this uncertain process, and rely on his guide poles and measurements. A long rope and poles superseded the tape-line and pocket compass. About two hundred acres were thus surveyed before Mr. Haddock procured a surveyor's compass and chain, with which the survey of village lots and farms were completed. Mr. Mauby built a log shanty for his family. This stood near where the railroad station at Minnesota City now stands. It was about 12X16 feet in dimensions. The shed roof was covered with strips of elm bark, fastened to poles. This cabin was built on the village lot drawn by Mr. Mauby at the meeting of the association in New York city, March 31. On May 1, 1852, O. M. Lord, Rev. William Sweet and Jonathan Williams landed on Wabasha prairie from the Dr. Franklin. They were left by the boat at the lower landing, at about ten oY-lock in the evening. Applying for lodgings at Pentlers, they found the little cabin already full, densely crowded to overflowing. On look- ing about to discover what other chances were possible for sleeping quarters, they saw what in the darkness they supposed to be a hay- stack, apparently not far back on the prairie. As nothing more favorable presented itself, they started out from the landing with the expectation that they would be able to make a comfortable bed from the hay at the stack.' After traveling a short distance they suddenly became aware that what they had imagined to be a stack was but the form of the bluffs— the outlines of which could be seen in the 208 IlISTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY. distance — tliey were in front of the "■ Sugar Loaf," the top of which, a mile and a lialf away, could be dimly seen above the horizon. Disappointed in their pursuit of lodgings in that direction, they re- turned to the river and passed the night on the sand, sleeping soundly wrajiped in their blankets. At daylight they ])refaced their explorations of the country by taking observations of their surroundings. Except the broad river, then a raging flood overflowing the lowlands, and the general pictu- rcs(iue views extending in every direction from the landing, there was nothing in Capt. Smith's town site to excite their admiration or arouse any practical interest. The barren, sandy prairie, recently burned over, was almost entirely destitute of any appearance ot vegetable liie, except that the few trees and bushes along the river bank were just beginning to exhibit a faint appearance of green. Wabasha ])rairie was of no apparent value to these practical men, prospecting for good farming land. Without longer delay than to indulge a good apjjetite for break- fast, they started for the Rolling Stone, their point of destination. Following the trail along u}^ the river to the upper landing, they took a straight course over the prairie toward the mouth of the Gil- more valley. They were compelled to ford the slough, which was then flooded from the high water in the river. The crossing place, on the trail which they struck, was about a quarter of a mile above where the bridge, on the Gilmore Valley road, now stands. To keep their clothing dry they stripped, and carried it over on their shoulders, with their packs. Following the trail along the bluffs they readily reached Noracong's shanty, and found themselves on the grounds claimed by the Western Farm and Village Association, and were hospitably received by Mr. Haddock and such of the pioneer guard as were not absent on foraging expeditions to the trout streams in the valleys. Mr. Sweet was the only one of his party who was a member oi the association. Mr. Williams, although not a member, was a proxy representative, prospecting for his son-in-law, H. H. Hull, who belonged to the organization. Mr. Lord was not then in any way connected with the association. He was favorably impressed witli its plan of colonization, but was desirous of exploring the sur- roundings of the locality before deciding to make it his home. He was, however, afterwai-d prominently identifled with the affairs of the colony. EMIGliAXTS COMING. 209 Although the almanac plainly showed that the day of their arrival at Rolling Stone was Sunday, the Rev. William Sweet and Deacon Jonathan Williams accompanied the more liberal-minded O. M. Lord on a Sabbath day's journey into the wilderness back of the bluffs, to view the land. Proceeding up the valley of the Rolling Stone, they followed the trail leading out through what is now known as Straight Valley, onto the dividing ridge between the Roll- ing Stone and Whitewater. Following up this divide they came upon a beautiful prairie, on the edge of which they camped for the night. The next day they explored this locality, and each made choice of a claim. They gave it the name of Rolling Stone prairie, by which it was for a while designated. After selecting their claims they returned to the headquarters of the embryo colony, Nora- cong's shanty, and made report of their discoveries. This party of three was the first of any of the settlers to visit the country back of the bluifs of the Mississippi. The claim made by Mr. Sweet was the farm occupied by him for many years after- ward. The name of ^Rolling Stone prairie was, because of his resi- dence here, changed and given the name of Sweet's prairie. Mr. Sweet is now living near Minnesota City. The claim made by Mr. Williams, adjoining that of Mr. Sweet, was for H. H. Hull, who was then living at Scales Mound, near Galena. Mr. Hull came on with his wife later in the season, and occupied the claim shanty of Mr. Sweet through the winter. In the spring he sold the claim made for him by Mr. Williams, and located himself a few miles farther south, in what is now the town of Utica. He lived there a few years, when he sold out and went back to Illinois. After making this claim Mr. Sweet went back to his home and brought on a part of his family. About the middle of June, he with the aid of the settlers at Rolling Stone built a small log-house, and made some improvements on his claim. In the fall he returned home, leaving his son, a boy about twelve years, to remain and live with Mr. Hull, who, with his wife, was to occupy Mr. Sweet's shanty during the winter. It was made the duty of this boy to drive the cattle down into the Whitewater Valley to water. The boy was treated with a great deal of severity. During one of the coldest days of that winter, the boy without sufficient protection was sent to drive the cattle down into the vallej^ — but he never returned. Mr. Hull found him a few rods from the house frozen to death. The body was put into a sink-hole, and not buried until the next spring. 210 HISTORY OF WmONA COUNTY. The claim made by Mr. Lord on Sweet's [)rairie was never im- proved by liim ; some other settler had the benefit of his choice. On tlie second of May a large detachment of the main body ot colonists, about fifty in number, men, women and children, bound for the Rolling Stone, came u\) the river on the Excelsior from St. Louis. This party did not land at Wabasha prairie. Supposing it to be practicable for steamboats to go through Straight slough, if the oflficers of the boats were inclined to make the attempt, and on account of the extreme high water which made it diflicult to get to the maiidand from Wabasha prairie. Mi-. Haddock had advised this party to make it a condition of their passage that they should be landed at Rolling Stone. Captain Ward, of the Excelsior, promised to land them anywhere they wished, provided it could be done with safety to the boat. On arriving at Wabasha prairie, the pilot refused to attempt the passage through Straight slough, deciding that it was not a navi- gable channel. The party continued on, expecting to find a land- ing-place somewhere above. At Holmes' landing (now Fountain City), the boat stopped to replenish its supply of wood. They here found Thomas K. Allen, the secretary of the association, who, with Augustus A. Gilbert, one of the directors, had landed from the Dr. Franklin during the previous night. Mr. Gilbert had taken a canoe and crossed over to the Minnesota side of the river, leaving Mr. Allen in charge of their baggage. A cow and a breaking plow was a ])art of their freight. Learning that there was no prospect of landing from the steam- boat near their destination, they bargained with the master and owner of the wood-boat to transfer them to the other side of the river. The German agreed to undertake the trip for fifteen dollars, although he was unacquainted with the river in that vicinity, pro- vided they would help him get his boat back to his woodyard again. Taking Mr. Allen and his freight on board with the loaded wood craft in tow, the steamboat proceeded on up the river, unloading while on the way. The colonists with their freight and live stock were transferred to the empty scow, which was cast off when about a mile below the mouth of the White Water and near the Minne- sota shore. From there they drifted down to Rolling Stone. It was late in the afternoon when they left the Excelsior. By carefully hugging the shore they fortunately succeeded in safely landing, about fifty rods above where Troosts' flouring-mill recently stood. EMIGRANTS COMING. 211 It was long after dark before the weary immigrants gathered around the camp-fire of the pioneer squad, which had been a beacon to guide them as they poled the sluggish craft across the ovei-flowed bottoms from Haddock slough, down which they had drifted until nearly opposite their landing-place. Noracong's little shanty was literally packed full of children, with a woman or two to care for them. The "gophers" were crowded to their fullest capacity. The colonists not provided with shelter bivouaced around the camp-fires. The night was a cool but pleasant one. None seemed to suffer from the exposure they were subject to on the first night of their arrival in their new home. Among the party landed from the wood-boat were S. E. Cot- ton, wife and child ; H. W. Driver and wife, Lawrence Dilworth, wife and four children; James Wilson and wife; James Hatton, wife and four children ; Mrs. Charles Bannon ; Dr. George F. Childs, wife and niece ; David Densmore, John Shaw, M. Fitzgib- bons, D. Jackson, William Harris, Horace Ranney, AVilliam Sperry, A. A. Gilbert, Thomas K. Allen and others — some families whose names are now forgotten. It was under such circumstances and condition of affairs that this colony was settled, and some of the members of the association initiated into the mysteries of pioneer life. Many were greatly disappointed ; the realities presented to view served to somewhat cloud the illusive ftmcies pictured in their imaginations, of com- fortable homes in the west. Some were discouraged and home- sick. Others, strongly dissatisfied with the location, decided to abandon the colony and return down the river. Some of the more courageous announced that they had come to stay, and notwith- standing the prospective hardships to be endured, they cheerfully set about making their arrangements accordingly. At daylight the next morning the freight was unloaded from the wood-boat, and a party of nine, principally members of the pioneer squad, among whom were H. Jones and William Stevens, assisted the proprietor to la«id it on the Wisconsin side of the river. On their return the same day they brought with them a small flat- boat, which was at first hired and afterward purchased by the asso- ciation. This craft was called the Macedonian. It was a roughly-constructed affair of sufficient capacity to carry about three cords of wood, and proved really serviceable to the settlers. The following morning some of the pioneer squad started with '2\'2 IIISTOItV OK WLNO.NA corxVTY. tlie Macw Ionian for Wabtislui prairie to bring up their freight and baggage left on their arrival in charge of the ''cigar-maker." Dr. ( 'hilds, William Sperrjs and two other disaffected ones, who had decided to abandon the colony, embraced the opportunity and en- ' gaged passage with their families and all of their possessions and moved down to J ohnson's landing. The fiatboat was landed on Keen's claim, a little north from where the fair grounds were once located. From there the party walked to Johnson's and waited for a steam boat to take them back down the river. Dr. Childs remained in charge of the goods until they were hauled down by Johnson's ox-team, w^iich, with. Mauby's wagon, moved the freight of the pioneer stjuad up to the landing-place of the Macedonian. The tlatboat returned with the goods of the pioneer party and also car ried up the family of Mr. Mauby, who had been living in Johnson's shanty at the upper landing. The Macedonian was used as a freight boat during the time of the high water and was most ot the time under the control of Cap- tain Jackson. On this first trip it was under the management of Mr. Jones. In speaking of the matter Mr. Jones said: "The wind was blowing quite strong from the east that day and we were heavy loaded both ways. The trip down was a hard one. Think- ing to make the return trip easier, I tore off two or three strong poles from the Indian tepees, which we passed on our way up from Johnson's, and rigged a sail by hoisting a portion of the canvas of our tent. We went up at a good rate of speed, but kept in shoal water to j)lease some who were afraid to venture out." This flat- boat was usually propelled by oars and poles or was dragged over the flooded bottoms on the upper prairie by means ot long ropes, the men who performed this service sometimes wading in the shal- low water. The large tent, which had been brought along by the advance party and used to shelter their goods at Johnson's landing, was put up at Kolling Stone as soon as it arrived at that place. Its location was about twenty rods east of where Stewart's hotel now stands. It afforded some accommodations for the houseless settlers, until they could build more comfortable places for themselves. With their cooking-stoves arranged under the trees, where they cooked and took their meals, the tent afforded shelter and sleeping quarters for several families, besides protection for some of their most valuable goods. They were abundantly supplied with provisions. Unaccus- OTHER SETTLEMENTS. 215 toraed to pioneer life they hardly knew what to do or where to begin to make homes for themselves on the village lots apportioned to each member before he left 'New York. They were mechanics of different trades, and were willing to use any means in their knowledge to make their families comfortable, but they could not build houses without lumber, and none was to be obtained at any price. But few of the men were handy with the axe or understood how to build a log house. Seeing the urgent necessity and imperative demand made for lumber, O. M. Lord, accompanied by Mr. Densmore, went up the Chippewa river and brought down a small raft of lumber, which he landed safely about where the wood-boat with its passengers reached the shore. Mr. Lord here opened the first lumber yard ever in operation in this county. He readily retailed his lumber in small lots and soon exhausted his stock without supplying the demand. He was then engaged by the members of the association to go up to the mills on the Chippewa and purchase a large bill of lumber which they ordered. He was to attend to the sawing, rafting and delivery of the same. This raft was brought down from the Chippewa, attached to a large raft destined for some point on the Mississippi below, and cast off at the head of the slough. He made a successful trip and landed his raft at ' ' Lord's Lumber Yard. " CHAPTER XXin. OTHER SETTLEMENTS. Late in the evening of May 4, 1852, a party of immigrants, destined for the colony at Rolling Stone, landed from the Nominee at Johnson's landing. With this party were Rev. E. Ely, E. B. Drew, C. R. Coryell, W. H. Coryell, Jacob S. Denman, E. B. Thomas, Robert Pike, Jr., Ira Wilcox, Isaac A. Wheeler, H. Clary, D. Jackson, William Christie, and others whose names are now for- gotten. Rev. Edward Ely came up from La Crosse as a passenger on this boat. He did not belong to the association, neither was he 13 216 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. ever a member of that organization. It was, liowover, through its infiuence that lie was induced to come to Minnesota. Mr. Ely was at that time a Baptist preacher — a shepherd without a flock, a pastor awaiting a providential call to a ministerial charge. While in St. Louis with his family, in transitu from the State of Ohio to wherever the Lord in his wisdom might send him, he was accosted by florace Kanney, an acquaintance of his boyhood, who was a member of the Western Farm and Village Association, and one of the party then embarking on the Excelsior for the colony at Roll- ing Stone in the Territory ot ]\Iinnesota. In a few words Mr. Ranney explained the object of the associa- tion, and readily induced Mr. Ely to put his family and effects, which were then on the levee, on board the steamboat and accompany them to the promised land. This party was the one that landed from the wood-boat on May 2, as already related. He accompanied them as far as La Crosse, where he stopped off with his wife and two children to afford them comfortable quarters while he visited the colony and acquired some knowledge of tlie country into which he had almost involuntarily drifted without any special information relative to its demands or resources. Leaving his family with some kind Baptist friends, he came up on the Nominee to Wabasha prairie, intending to pin Mr. Ranney and his friends at Rolling Stone. The disaffection exhibited by some of the members who landed with him, and the action of Dr. Child, influenced him to abandon his design to locate himself in the colony and perhaps decided his future course in life. He settled at Johnson's landing on Wabasha prairie and became a permanent resident of the county and of the city of Winona, where he yet lives. The estimable qualities of his excellent wife endeared her to the early pioneers. Words will hardly express the high esteem enter- tained by the citizens of Winona for Mrs. Ely. Her remarkable talent as a portrait ])ainter, duly appreciated by her many friends, h^s been for many years utilized as a source of income. E. B. Drew and the Coryell brothers, C. R. and W. H. Coryell, were relatives — cousins. They were also partners in their business transactions. These hardy young men were practical farmers and had previously had some familiarity with pioneer life. They brought with them three yoke of oxen and a cow. A large breaking plow and an assortment of farming tools formed a part of their outfit and OTHER SETTLEMENTS. 217 freight. The big covered wagon with which they came through from Chicago to Galena, where they took the boat, was one that had been constructed for them tlie year before for a proposed trip across the country to Oregon. The wagon-box was made water-tight, that it might be serviceable as a float in fording streams. This was liberally stored with supplies. J. S. Denman was accompanied by his mother, wife and four children, and bi"ought with him a team of four horses and a large covered wagon, which he used in transporting his family from Brooklin, Michigan, to Galena. He also had a breaking plow, farm- ing tools and abundant provisions. E. B. Thomas was from the city of New York. From the first organization of the association he had been an active oflScial member, the corresponding secretary and a financial agent. Kobert Pike, Jr., and Eider Wilcox were on a prospecting trip, having left their families in Illinois. As soon as it was light, they, with others, went directly to the colony. Mr. Pike had been engaged for several years in teaching and lecturing on a system of mnemonics, which he had cultivated and on which subject he had published a book of about one hundred and fifty pages. He joined the association in the fall previous, while living in the State of New York, and came to Illinois, where he had been lecturing on his favorite topic and teaching a school during the winter. After he came here he became prominently identified in the matters of the colony and in county afiairs, and held ofiicial positions. Isaac A. Wheeler, with his son John and H. Clary, came on with Mr. Drew's party. They each brought with them a yoke of oxen. These men remained at Rolling Stone until fall, when they left and went down the river to Indiana. The reports brought down by Dr. Childs were somewhat dis- couraging to these members of the association. Mr. Denman and Mr. Thomas forded the back slough on horseback and went up to Rolling Stone. Having been previously prejudiced, they very promptly expressed their dissatisfaction of the selection made for the village site and at once abandoned all ideafe of settling in that locality. Without delay they returned to the landing. Greatly surprised at this abrupt and decisive action on the part of these members, Mr. Haddock accompanied them down. He did not like to lose the aid and influence of his ardent co-worker in the 218 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. organization and management of the association without some effort to rechiim him, but he failed by any arguments presented to induce him to reconsider his decision. Learning that Mr. Thomas designed to withdraw from them entirely, Mr, Haddock made a formal demand for the funds in his hands. Mr. Thomas had in his possession a small amount of money, initiation fees and weekly dues, but he declined to surren- der it until his accounts were properly audited and accepted. He was then denounced as a defaulter to destroy his influence with otlier members. This tinancial matter was subsequently settled at the flrst meeting of the association in Rolling Stone. Mr. Drew and the Coryells were not satisfied with the reports made by Denman and Thomas, nor influenced by the opinions of Dr. Childs and his friends, who were then stopping in Johnson's shanty. They "proposed to go up there and look around for them-' selves." In the afternoon Mr. Drew and C. R. Coryell accom- panied Mr. Haddock on his return. At the crossing place on the back slough an old canoe was kept for the accommodation of the settlers. It would carry two persons comfortably but was unsafe with more. Mr. Coryell took the pad- dle to set Mr. Haddock across, intending to return for his partner. To save time Mr. Drew stripped and, throwing his clothing into the canoe, followed them over. The water was about four and a half feet deep on the trail, but deeper above and below. The current was strong, and a person was liable to drift into deep water. By permission, the following entries have been copied from the diary and memoranda of E. B. Drew : "Landed on Wabasha prairie, Minnesota Territory, Tuesday night after 11 o'clock. May 4, 1852. "Wednesday, May 5 : Went up to Rolling Stone this afternoon and visited the new settlement. Some are homesick and talk of leaving. Found O. M. Lord, from Michigan, there. He was help- ing to cover Mauby's slianty with a roof of elm-bark. He has been back twenty-five or thirty miles and reports a good country and rich soil, and says he shall settle in this part of the country. We have no women or children to get homesick, and we shall stop here too. Took the flatboat down to the lower prairie, Mr. Lord came down to our camp and staid all night with us. "Thursday, May 6: Left Wabasha prairie. It is a barren, sandy, desolate-looking^ place, recently burnt over. Would not OTHER SETTLEMENTS. 219 give ten cents an acre for the whole of it. Forded the slough with our teams and cow ; crossed without accident, although the water was deep with a strong current. Had to raise the wagon-box on the bolsters to keep the water out. All our traps are now at Kolling Stone." Mr. Clary crossed the slough with his oxen at the same time and went up with Mr. Drew. Mr. AVheeler remained on the prairie for a day or two before he joined them at the colony. When Mr. Lord was consulted relative to these incidents he assumed a reflective attitude for a moment and then with an alm*ost audible smile, replied : "That is correct. Wheeler did not come up with Drew. I have reason to remember it. I went down to the prairie the next day and stopped at his camp, not far from where the road now crosses to the upper prairie. After the usual saluta- tions, Wheeler remarked : ' I suppose you are hungry about this time of day. ' I was hungry as a wolf, and I told him I would take a bite if it was handy. We were not very regular in our meals at that time, and I saw the coffee-pot and a few brands smok- ing where they had had a fire. He then took out two' or three handfuls of hard biscuit, which he laid on the box where he had been sitting, and said to his son, ' Bring on that meat.' Just then he discovered that his cattle were straying off and started after them. "The boy brought the meat in a frying-pan and put it on the box. I took hold and made out quite a hearty meal before Wheeler got back. When he returned he glanced at the empty frying-pan and called out to his son, 'Ho, Donald! didn't I tell you to cook some of that ham for supper?' 'Yaas,' replied the youngster, in a surly tone ; ' I got a right smart chance on it, but that chap gobbled it all.' Wheeler saw the state of affairs almost as soon as I did, and said, 'Wal, wal, cut some more, can't you? there's plenty of it. ' I was somewhat surprised and not a little chagrined to discover that I had eaten up the su]:)])er of two hearty and hungry persons, which they had just prepared for themselves. I supposed that they had just completed their meal as I came into their camp." E. B, Drew's loaded wagon was the first to ford the slough and the first along the bluffs. No wagon trail had ever been opened. O. M. Lord was the pilot and guide on the trail. In crossing the slough Mr. Drew gave his special attention to the care of his cow. In his anxiety for her safety he was forgetful of self and got a " duck " or two. His clothing was in the wagcm and did not suffer fi-om his mishaps. 220 JUSTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. This loaded wagon was tlie first to make its entrance into the colony of the Western Farm and Village Association. They crossed the creek near Noracong's shanty, Mr. Noracong himself selecting the fording place and directing their movements. This covered wagon was used by Drew and the Coryells as their headquarters — their home for some time after their arrival. The cow was an important item of their possessions. Bread and milk, mush and milk, and milk as a beverage, were staple luxu- ries. Fresh butter of home production was sometimes indulged in. Their cooking was done by their camp-tires. Bi-ead was baked in a tin oven before the fire. Sometimes they used an iron bake-kettle, which they covered with hot ashes and coals. For boiling, a kettle was usually suspended over the fire from a pole supported, on crotches. Mr. Drew says a heavy tin bucket made the best camp- kettle. It would heat quickly and economized time in cooking. These, with the frying-pan and coft'ee-pot, "were the most important cooking utensils of their camp outfit. Their supplies furnished them a variety in the way of diet. Fresh brook trout were plentiful and common in their camp. About daylight on the morning of Sunday, May 9, 1852, another large party, on their way to Rolling Stone, was landed on \Va))asha prairie from the Dr. Franklin. Among these passengers were Robert Thorp and son, Robert Taylor, wife and three children, D. McRose, wife and three children, John Burns, wife and three children, James Gardner, wife and daughter, a young woman, and quite a nuinber of others. On account of the flood and insufficient means for transportation they were detained at Johnson's landing several days. They built a shelter on the bank of the river by piling up their boxes, forming a small inclosure which they covered with boards found near by. One of the party, Robert Thorp, furnished the following inci- dent. He is yet a resident of the county, a hale and hearty old farmer, living in the town of Rolling Stone. lie has preserved his certificate of membership and a copy of it has been procured to show the form of this relic of the association : No. 37. Thi.s is to (Certify that Robert Thorp has paid his initiation fee and has been elec^ted a member of the Western Farm and Villas^e Association No. 1 of the city f)f New York. William Haddock, President. Charlks E. Wiikelkk, Financial Secretary. October 15, 18.51. OTHER SETTLEMENTS. 221 These cei'tificates are embellished with emblems of industry and civilization. But two of them liave been preserved. The other is held by James Wright, of Minnesota City, to whom it was given. It is No. 15, and dated August 15, 1851. When the association was first organized its members were mechanics of different occupations living in the city. Mr. Thorp was a blacksmith, and had worked at his trade in New York foi- about twenty years. He was born in England. He left New York on April 15, 1852, with the members of the association who started at that date, taking with him his eldest 9on, John. The remainder of his family, consisting of his wife and tliree boys, Thomas, Robert and William, remained in the city about a month before they joined him in Minnesota. All except the last are yet living. Mr. Thorp brought with him his blacksmith tools and all things necessary to start a shop in the new colony, and also some house- hold goods. On account of delay in the transfer of his heavy freight at Dunkirk he was left behind his party. On reaching Chicago he shipped his own goods and the goods and baggage of William Christie, D. Jackson and others down the canal and Illinois river to 8t. Louis, taking passage over the same route. At St. Louis Mr. Thorp bought his supplies in connection with Taylor, Burns, McRose and Gardiner, members of the association, who were there on their way to the colony. They took passage to Galena, where they were transferred to the Dr. Franklin. To his great surprise and sorrow Mr, Thorp learned that William Christie, who left him at Chicago and whose baggage was with his own freight, had died but a few hours before and was then lying in Johnson's shanty. Mr. Christie had arrived a few days previous on the Nominee and had been up to Rolling Stone. On Saturday he came down expecting to meet Mr. Thorp at the landing. On his way he forded the back slough, and without changing his wet cloth- ing lay down to rest, complaining of not feeling well. He was taken with what was supposed to be cholera, and died before morning. Mr. Christie was a Scotchman — a large, strong and healthy young man when he landed here. He was highly respected by his acquaintances for his good qualities. He joined the association in New York cit}^, where he was working at his trade as a machinist. For economy he, with others, walked from Cherry Valley to Galena 1?2'2 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. and came up tlio river as deck passengers. While at Rolling Stone he had been almost without shelter ; the demand was much greater than the accommodation. Provisions of every kind were abundant and none suffered from want of sufficient food. The colonists were lil:>ei-al in relieving each other when aid was required. William Christie was buried on the Evans claim. His coffin was made by E. H. Johnson from the common unseasoned pine boards lying on the bank of the river. A short funeral sei-vice was held in the open air in front of the shanty by the Rev. Edward Ely. Mr. Thorp, with other members of the association, accompanied by the settlers and strangers on the i)rairie, followed the dead body to the grave and aided in depositing it in its last resting-place. The occurrence was one long to be remembered. William Christie was comparatively a stranger. He had died suddenly, far away from the land o± his birth and from his personal friends and relatives. His death was the first on Wabasha prairie, the first among the members of the association and the first among the settlers in the county. His funeral was the first, but before the summer was passed funerals were frequent both on Wabasha prairie and in the settlement at Rolling Stone. A young man by the name of Moi-gan, a stranger, died after a short sickness not long after ("Christie's death. A fatal sickness attacked the families camj^ed on the bank of the river. Robert Taylor lost two of his children here. He removed his sick wife to La Crosse, where she soon after died. Mr. McRose lost two children ; one of them died on the flatboat while on the way to Rolling Stone. Mr. Thorp stopped at Johnson's landing for a few days until he could get transportation for his freight and supplies. He then went to Rolling Stone to prepare for the arrival of his family. For tem- ])orary accommodation, which could be the most readily provided, he built a ''gopher" on the lot drawn by him before he left New York. This location was in the field a little above where the barn of James Kennedy now stands. This hut was an improvement on the ordinary structures of the kind. It was about 12x12. The basement, or part below the surface, was lined with a framework of logs. It was here that the family of Mr. Thorj) began housekeeping in Minnesota. In the morning of May 12th another large party of innnigrants for the colony landed from the Caleb Co])e at Johnson's landing. OTHER SETTLEMENTS. 223 Owing to unfavorable reports in circulation down the river relative to the condition of affairs, some left their families at Galena and came up to explore the country. Among these were James Wright, John Nicklin, David Duryee, James Brooks and many others. Some who landed with their families were compelled to put up temporary shelters on the bank of the river to protect themselves from the drizzling rain while waiting for transportation. Although the day proved to be stormy, a large number of the men went directly to Rolling Stone. As there was insufficient shelter, a company of nine built a "gopher" for their immediate use. This was constructed by digging a hold about 8X 12 and about eighteen inches deep, over which a cover was made. Tli^ body of this struc- ture was of small basswood logs, about eight feet long and about eight or ten inches in diameter. These logs were split and placed on end close together along the sides and one end of the hole in the ground, with the tops resting on a ridge-pole supported on posts with a crotch at the top. This framework was covered with coarse, dry grass and a layer of earth, over which was laid a covering of sod. The turf, by careful arrangement, made a roof that readily shed the rain of ordinary showers. In this "gopher hole," on a floor of dry grass, the nine men of this company slept the first night of their arrival, and occupied it as their lodging-place for a week or two afterward. This "gopher" was built on the land now owned by James Wright, and where he now lives in Minnesota city. It was afterward used as a stopping- place for the family of Mr. Wright. The most of this party of explorers decided to continue in the colony. Some sent for their families, others went down the river to escort them up. Mr. Wright and Mr. Mcklin were among tlie latter. Mr. Charles Bannon came up the river on the Caleb Cope. He was one of the directors of the association and one of its earliest members. He, with his wife, started from New York with the party that landed from the wood-boat at Rolling Stone. While on the way up the river he left the boat at Davenport and, in company with M. A. Allen, stopped to buy cattle. Mr. Bannon purchased three yoke of oxen and Mr. Allen two yoke, which they drove through the country to Dubuque, where they took passage with their stock. These oxen were designed for use as breaking-teams and for general farm work. CHAPTER XXIV. FIRST SETTLEMENTS AT WINONA CITY. To catch the drift from the colony above, Johnson offered the choice of an acre of his claim on Wabasha prairie to each of the disaffected ones who would stop there, build a house, and make it their residence for one year. At that time the claim had not been surveyed or divided into lots and streets. This offer was accepted hy several and a number of locations selected. Rev. E. Ely made choice of an acre south of Johnson's shanty, about where the Ely block now stands, on the corner of Center and Second streets. Jacob S. Denman selected an acre adjoining that of Mr. Ely's on the east ; Dr. Childs an acre on the south of Mr. Ely's ; E. B. Thomas on the south of Mr. Denman's and east from that of Dr. Childs' ; John Evans selected an acre west of John- son's shanty ; Jolm Burns, a member of tlie association and one of the party who camped on the bank of the river from the Dr. Frank- lin on the 9th of May, accepted the offer of an acre from Ed. Ham- ilton on his claim on the same conditions as the others. The acre chosen by him was in what is now the front yard of the residence of Hon. H. W. Lamberton, on the corner of Huff and Harriett streets. Mr. Burns planted a small garden and set out a few small apple- trees, which he had brought up the river. Some of these trees afterward grew to be of considerable size. These were the first fruit-trees, or trees of any kind, planted on Wabasha prairie by the early settlers. These fruit-trees were planted in a trench near together, as in a nursery. When Mr. Huff took possession of the Hamilton claim he built a fence around the few trees that had escaped the ravages of the cattle, and after two or three years trans- planted them in his garden. W. H. Stevens gave the use of his shanty on the Stevens claim to Mr. Denman until he could procure lumber and build a residence for his family. Mr. Denman found occupation for his team and plow by breaking the land selected for himself and others. They all made small gardens by way of occupancy and improve- ments. Mr. Denman enclosed his acre and that selected by Mr. FIRST SETTLEMENTS AT WINONA CITY. 225 Thomas with a temporary fence and planted the field with corn. This was his first attempt at farming in Minnesota, It was not a profitable enterprise. The fence that enclosed this corn-field was the first fence built on the prairie by the settlers. It was put up by George W. Clark and his brother Wayne Clark. Mr. Den man paid them for it by breaking four acres of land on Clark's claim across the slough. Neither Mr. Thomas, Dr. Childs or Mr. Burns ever made any other improvements on the lots selected. They abandoned them and made locations elsewhere. Mr. Thomas and Mr. Burns held claims in the colony, but left the territory in the fall. Dr. Childs remained on the prairie for several years after. Mr. Denman built a house on his acre of prairie as soon as he could procure lumber. Mr. Ely built one in the fall. During the summer his family lived in Johnson's shanty after they came up from La Crosse, where they staid for a short time. He paid John- son four dollars per month rent for the use of the "Hotel." The house built by Mr. Denman stood on Lafayette street, be- tween Second and Third streets. This was the first house built by the settlers on Wabasha prairie, not expressly designed as a "claim shanty." It was a balloon frame building of considerable preten- sions for that date of improvements, about 16x32, one story high, the sides boarded ' ' up and down " with rough boards and the cracks battened. The roof was of boards, and because of its pecu- liar construction the building was given the name of " car-house," from its fancied resemblance to a railroad car. The doors and win- dows were furnished with frames and casings — the first improve- ments of the kind. The floor was of dressed lumber, a luxury heretofore unknown. This building was divided into rooms by board partitions, and parts of it ceiled with dressed lumber. Mr. Denman occupied this house as his residence until fall, when he moved on his claim. About the first of July he opened a store in the front room of this building. He brought up from Galena a small stock of goods suitable for the market, and here started the first store on Wabasha prairie for the sale of goods to the settlers. Jacob S. Denman was the first merchant to establish himself in business in what is now the city of Winona. It was in the "car house" that the first white child was born within the limits of this city. While living here the family of Mrs. Denman was increased by the addition of a daughter on the 18th of 226 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. July, 1852. Mrs. (loddard, after consultation with Mrs. Ely, <2^ave to this first native settler the name of "Prairie Louise Dennian/' the name by which she was afterward known. She has been dead many years. The oldest native settler, born in the city of Winona, who is now living, is Mason Ely, the second son of Rev. Edward Ely, born in 1853. The primary object of all of the early settlers was to secure land for farming purposes on which to locate a future home. About the firs^ thing done was to "make a claim." Mr. Denman began prospecting as soon as he landed, and on the 9th of May discovered and fornuilly made a claim on the upper prairie. He and his mother there held 320 acres. The high water flooded the bottom lands, and their claims covered all of the land not overflowed, lying east from the Rolling Stone creek, to about where the highway now crosses the railroads, and extended south far enough to include the table next to the bluffs. It was on this table that he blazed the trees and inscribed his name as proprietor of the claim. It was on this table that he built a very comfortable log house, made other improvements, and moved his family there in September. The land selected by Mr. Denman had been previously claimed by Had- dock and Murphy for the Western Farm and Village Association. Mr. Denman was duly notified that he was trespassing on grounds claimed for the colony, but he persisted in holding it and making improvements, without regard to the protestations of the members of the association. This .was the first collision of a settler with that organization. The first person to encroach on the territory claimed was an ex- member. To get Denman off, the colonists tried "moral, legal and physical suasion, but he tenaciously adhered."" He lived in this log cabin under the bluffs for abr)ut three years, until he built a more modern house and large barns near the center of his farm. This claim, or, more properly, the claims of Denman and his mother, are now known as the Denman farm. It is at present owned and occu- pied by Mr. George Fifield. Mr. Denman sacrificed this large farm, which he had secured by honest industry and years of hard labor, in his mistaken zealous, efforts to aid the " Grange movement" for cheaj^er freights, cheaper supplies and cheaper agricultural implements. He removed to Texas, but his good luck at farming failed him there. It is said that Mr. Denman is now a poor man, and in his old age again a pioneer, FIRST SETTLEMENTS AT WINONA CITY. ^ 227 looking for "a home in the west" in one of the territories. None of his family are now living in this county. Dr. George F. Childs, with his wife and niece, lived for a short time in Johnson's shanty. While there his niece was taken with the measles and died after a few days' sickness. The remains were taken to La Crosse for burial. About the middle ot May Dr. Childs bought the east half of the claim made by Jabez McDermott. He paid McDermott eighty dol- lars for a quit-claim deed and possession of the eighty acres. This was the lirst claim sale on Wabasha prairie. Whether this deed was ever made a matter of record is now very uncertain, as at that time there was no county organization in Wabasha county, of which Winona county was a part. All matters of record were filed in Washington county, with which Wabasha was connected for all judicial purposes. Possession ot land was then more important than title-deeds. The land still belonged to government and no surveys had been made. The machine-shops and surrounding buildings of the Chicago & Northwestern Eailroad Company, the Winona wagon-works and the Winona plow-works are on what was once the McDermott claim. This locality was a favorite camping-place of Wabasha's band. When Dr. Childs took possession there were about half-a-dozen of their large bark cabins, or tepees, yet standing, but in a somewhat dilapidated condition, the settlers having taken material from them for use in other localities. In the vicinity of the machine-shops was an old Indian burying-place. The graves were scattered over that locality ; very many were exposed and destroyed in the excavations made. Kelics of the past — stone hatchets, flint ■ arrowheads and pipes of red pipestone — were found. Sometimes fragments of bones or a tolerably well preserved skeleton would be unearthed and used to help form a railroad embankment in some other locality. Indian graves have been found in several places on Wabasha prairie and in the mouths of the valleys. Quite a number were exposed by the caving of the river bank on the lower part of the prairie. Two modern Indian graves were on Johnson's claim when the whites first took possession of the prairie. They were left undis- turbed for several years. ' The covering of sticks which were placed over them by the natives marked their location until the ground was plowed by Johnson in the spring of 1855. These graves were on lot 2, block 17.. When it was improved and buildings were erected, 22H IirSTOKY ()F WINONA COUNTY. the bones bariiHl there wore thrown out in excavating a cellar and taken possession of by Dr. Franklin Staples. These bones were the remains of young persons and were very much decayed. It has been stated that some of Wabasha's children were buried in these graves, but there is no evidence confirming this statement. Wa- basha's special home was in the mouth of Burns valley. The Indian village located on the McDermott claim, a part of which was |)urchased by Dr. Childs, was said to be the grand gathering-place of the Mdaywakantonwan division of Sioux. It was in this vicinity that Wabasha's bands met for their amusements, sports and games, as well as more serious and important aflairs. From this village the Indian trails diverged as h'om a common cen- ter, some leading to the valleys, others up and down the bank of the river. The wild grass, common on every other part of the prairie, had almost entirely disappeared around this village or sum- mer resort, and had been replaced by a fine turf of blue-grass found in no other place except along the bank of the river on the lower part of the prairie, where Mrs. Keyes now lives. Mr. George W. Clark says "That on McDermott's claim there was a large flat stone, the center of a large circle of smooth, level ground, with well defined boundaries, plainly to be seen in 1851. This stone was taken away by some of the early settlers." Dr. Childs lived during the summer of 1852 in the little cabin with a bark roof whicli McDermott occupied as his claim shanty. He built a comfortable cottage near by it, in which he lived for sev- eral years. The logs and poles of the Sioux tepees were used in the construction of sheds and as posts for his fences. The bark covering of the huts was carefully gathered and used as firewood for his kit- chen stove. It was the custom of Dr. Childs to date all of his correspondence and business papers from his residence on this claim, to which he gave the name of " Ozelle cottage." This name was derived from the one given by the old French voyageurs to Wabasha prairie. Ozelle was but the French pronunciation of Aix Aile anglicized by Dr. Childs in writing. When Dr. Childs left New York he supposed that he would find the Indians occupying this part of the territory, and brought along an assortment of goods for the purpose of bartering with them, but found that the Sioux had forsaken their homes in this localitv. He FIRST SETTLEMENTS AT WmONA CITY. 229 after a time traded his Indian goods with the Winnebagoes for dressed deerskins and got rid of his goods without loss. Dr. Childs was a botanic physician, but never practiced liis pro- fession in tliis vicinity, 'or only to a very limited extent. He engaged in mercantile business for a year or two after he sold his land. He moved to Minneiska, Wabasha county, where he lived for awhile. Dr. G. F. Childs is now a resident of the State of Maryland, where he has charge of a benevolent institution, a home for aged people. Among the passengers who landed at Johnson's landing from the steamer Caleb Cope on May 12, 1852, were Abner S. Goddard, wife and three children, from La Crosse. They arrived at about four o'clock on a dark and rainy morning, and went directly from the landing to the shanty on the Stevens claim, in accordance with a previous arrangement made with Silas Stevens. On reaching the shanty they were surprised to find the table, benches and other fur- niture of the cabin, which they supposed to be occupied, irregularly piled outside. When the inmates were aroused they discovered that the furniture had been removed to aflord sleeping quarters for the occupants. William H. Stevens and a young man living with him held one corner, while the family of Mr. Denman, seven in number, were in possession of the remainder of the little 10xi2 shanty, not occupied by the cook-stove. To accommodate the new- comers, the future occupants of the cabin, Mr. Denman provided for his family by making a shelter for them with the lumber he had laid up loosely to dry for use in the house he was then building. While living in this manner the loose boards were blown from over their heads during a severe thunderstorm one night when they were all in bed. They were compelled to seek shelter in Johnson's shanty, but again occupied their lumber piles in the morning and continued to do so until their house was finished. During the previous winter Mr. Goddard had "been living in La Crosse. He there taught the village school — the first school ever taught in La Crosse, the first school ever taught on the Mississippi river between Prairie du Chien and St. Paul, if tlie Indian mission schools at Red Wing and Kaposia are excepted. His schoolroom was in the court-house, which was built during the fall and fore part of the same winter. To add to their income and to accommodate some personal friends, Mrs. Goddard opened a boarding-house. "Aunt Catharine's" table was then, as it is now, always full, with- out soliciting patronage. Silas Stevens became a boarder and made 230 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. it liis home with them wliile in LaOosse. After the attempt of Mr. Gere to jump the Stevens chiim Mr. Stevens offered to furnish Mr. ( locklard a shanty of suthcient capacity to keep a boarding-house on Wabaslia prairie if he woukl go up and live on liis chiim, and also promised him an acre of the claim on which to build a house if he would continue to reside there. Others, then living in La Crosse, who had made claims, urged him to accept Mr. Stevens' proposition. As Mr. Goddard had been up to the prairie with a party of claim- hunters early in the spring, and had been solicited by the settlers in that locality to come up, he was the more readily induced to change his residence. Immigrants were landed from every boat, and the little shanty was crowded with hungry guests as soon as their arrival was known. Meals were provided for all that came, but they were required to look out for their own lodging-places. The beds of their guests were sometimes the soft sands of the prairie, the bed clothing their ordi- nary wearing apparel with the addition of a blanket. Three or four days after the arrival of Mr. Goddard, another shanty was put up by Mr. Stevens to meet the increasing business and the demand for better accommodations. This shanty was a one- story building about 16x32. To increase its capacity an awning of canvas was stretched from one side, which served as a shelter for the cooking department. The two rooms were subdivided by can- vas partitions. It was customary, however, for guests who lodged there to blow out the candle and gO/to bed in the dark. This was a rule of the house. This shanty stood about where the "Davenport house" now stands, not far from the corner of Third and Kansas streets. The original shanty on the Stevens claim was torn down, and the material used in the construction of this second one. " Goddard's " was the favorite stopping-place — the most popu- lar and commodious "hotel" on Wabasha prairie. This shanty was the "home" of many of the early settlers of this county who came tliat season. It was here they gathered for social enjoyment, to get the latest news, to discuss the matters of claims and current events. It was the place of gathering tor all public meetings, and the headquarters of the Wabasha Protection Club, of which Mr. Goddard was elected secretary. A select school was opened here by Miss Angelia Gere, a young daughter of H. C. Gere. This was the first school attempted on the prairie. It was kept in opera- FIRST SETTLEMENTS AT WINONA CITY. '23S tion but a short time. Here the first stated religious meetings were held, with regular preaching on the Sabbath day. This history would be incomplete without some special notice of Mr. Goddard and his familj^, so intimately were the early settlers connected with this "settlers' home.'"' • The summer of 1852 was known in the west as the sickly season. The extreme high water of the early spring was followed by another extreme of low water, with remarkably dry and hot weather. This occasioned a general epidemic of severe forms of malarial diseases, which were unusually fatal. These diseases prevailed extensively along the river. Wabasha prairie and tlie colony at Minnesota City were seriously affected by it. The settlement of this county was retarded through the loss of many of the settlers by death, and the removal of very many others to escape the threatened dangers of sickness in a locality where there was so limited accommoda- tions, even for the healthy. The settlers considered themselves fortunate, indeed, if in their attack of sickness they could get in at Goddard's. The accommo- dation was prized, for there they felt sure of kind attention and watchful nursing. There were no regular medical practitioners in the county who followed their profession — none nearer than La Crosse, and domestic management was an important consideration with the sufferers. The following extract from a letter to "Aunt Catharine " (Mrs. Goddard), written a score of years afterward, will illustrate some- what the general sentiments of the early settlers in connection with the occurrences of that year : " I cannot forget the many deeds of kindness and motherly care my brothers and myself received at your hands when your house was a hospital and you the ministering angel. With nine sick persons, including your husband ; with but two rooms in which to lodge and make comfortable your sick house- hold, how admirably and patiently all was managed." In the latter part of this season Mr. Goddard and his two young- est children were prostrated with the prevailing diseases and died. Mr. Goddard's death occurred September 11. The loss of a citizen of such promising usefulness in the new settlement was a calamity seriously felt. He was a man of the strictest integrity and of cor- rect moral principles. In his native state, Pennsylvania, Mr. Goddard was honored with the ofiice of justice of the peace, and held that position for 14 234 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. many years, lie there accjuired the title of " Squire Goddard," by which name lie was generally known. He was appointed post- master, and received his commission during his last sickness, but never qualified or attem])ted.to serve in that capacity. Mrs. Goddard, now known as Mrs. Catharine Smith, is yet a resident of AVabasha prairie. She is the oldest female resident of the city of Winona. Indirectly through her some of the best citizens ol Winona became residents of this county. She is a sister of the Lairds'. Although the mother of many children, she has but one living, a son, Orrin F. Smith. Aunt Catharine is a woman whose social nature, kind heart and real worth have secured to her hosts of sincere friends. Her Easter parties, birthday gatherings and social reunions of old settlers are annual enjoyments to herself as well as to her numerous relatives and friends. Mrs. Goddard was connected with many incidents of pioneer life which might be mentioned, some of which will be noticed. Prominent among the settlers who located on Wabasha prairie this season was Dr. John L. Balcombe. About April 1 he came up the river on the Nominee and stopped at La Crosse. Being a gen- tleman of much more than usual general intelligence, with line social qualifications, and also an invalid, he readily formed acquaint- ances and found friends among the best citizens of that place. Wa- basha prairie was then attracting considerable attention from the residents of La Crosse, and not long after his arrival he was induced to join a party who proposed to explore the late Sioux purchase for farming lands. Their prospecting excursions only extended to the valleys along the river, wliere some claims were selected. It being too early in the season to attempt any very extended trip without a more suitable outfit than could be procured, they returned to La Crosse. In the forepart of May Dr. Balcombe again visited Wabasha prairie. He brought with him a horse, or pony, and camp supplies. He here secured the services of Ed. Hamilton, whose robust strength and experience as a cook made him a valuable acquisition in the exploring excursion he proposed to make. After transporting their outfit across the slough they started for the back country, Hamilton leading the way on the trail with a heavy pack of supplies, the doctor following on horseback with the balance of their outfit, which included a sack of corn and a bundle of hay. FIRST SETTLEMENTS AT WINONA CITY. 235 Following the trail to Minnesota Citj thej went up the south valley and out on Sweet's prairie on a trail marked by the settlers of the colony. They spent three or four days in explorino; the country along the branches of the White Water and Root river as tar as the western part of this county. In the vicinity of what is now the town of Saratoga they saw a large herd of elk, the last that have been seen in this vicinity. They returned through the Rolling Stone and arrived at John- son's landing on the evening of May 12, and went directly to the shanty of Mr. Goddard, where the doctor was provided for as a guest with such accommodations as the place afforded, although Mrs. Goddard had hardly taken possession of the premises. The next day he returned to La Crosse. About the last of May another exploring party was organized in La Crosse by Dr. Balcombe, Rev. J. C. Sherwin, Rev. William H. Card, and other prominent citizens. Provided with horses and necessary supplies for camping out, they took passage to Wabasha prairie. The services of Ed. Hamilton were again secured. As the grass had by this time become sufficient for the support of their horses, the trip was only limited by their inclinations or the extent of their camp supplies. This party went out through Gilmore valley. Keeping on the divide between the Root river and the White Water and Zombro rivers, they explored the country as far west as the head-waters of the Cedar river. On their return they camped on the head-waters of the White Water, spending the Sabbath in the vicinity of the present village of St. Charles. Religious exercises were observed and Elder Sherwin delivered a sermon to his companions. This was the fii-st religious meeting held in the country back from the river. While on this excursion Dr. Balcombe made discovery of many choice locations. His habits of close observation, with a retentive memory, gave him a decided advantage over other explorers, which were afterward of pecuniary value. He could long afterward point out the choicest locations to the early settlers seeking farming lands. While on this trip he first discovered and located the present site of High Forest. It was not until a year or two afterward that he found sale for his rights of discovery. This exploring excursion satisfied Dr. Balcombe that the resources of this part of the Sioux purchase, when developed, would amply 236 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. support a large commercial town on the river and that the outlet must be in this vicinity. He decided to locate on Wabasha prairie, and accepted Johnson's offer of an acre of ground on the same terms off"ered others. The acre selected was west of and adjoining that chosen by John Evans. He built a shanty on Main street, between Front and Second streets, near the alley. It was 12x16, one story, of little better style than common claim shanties. It had a gable roof instead of the ordinary shed roof. This was at first of boards, but was afterward covered with shingles. Dr. Balcombe also bought an undivided one-third of the Hamil- ton claim, No. 5. Mark Howard, a gentleman residing in Hartford, Conn., purchased another third, Edwin Hamilton retaining one- third. Walter Brown, of La Crosse, was appointed agent for Mr. Howard. This property is now known as Huft^'s addition to the original town plot of Winona. The claim was valued at $200. The shares were $66.66 each. Mr. Hamilton then supposed he had made a good sale. About June 1, Dr. Balcombe brought his wife from Illinois, where she was on a visit with her son. Stopping at La Crosse for awhile, she came to Wabasha prairie on June 18. They boarded at Goddard's until they commenced housekeeping in their own shanty in July. About July 1 he built a shanty on the Hamilton claim, which he leased to O. S. Holbrook, of which mention was made in earlier pages. Early in July Dr. Balcombe went down the river and brought up some household furniture and supplies. He also brought back with him a span of horses and a colt, double and single harnesses, a lumber wagon and a buggy. This was the first buggy ever brought into the county and the only one for nearly a year afterward. After spending the summer and fall in Minnesota, Dr. Balcombe sold his interest in the Hamilton claim, with his horses and wagons, to Edwin Hamilton for $661, and with his wife went down the river on the last boat in the fall. He spent the winter with his only child, a son, St. A. D. Balcombe, then a druggist doing business in Elgin, Illinois. He returned the following spring. Further attention will be given him in the occurrences of that year. CHAPTER XXY. INCIDENTS OF THE EARLY TIMES. Among the settlers who came into this county in the spring of 1852 were Wayne Clark and Scott Clark, brothers of George W. Clark, Wayne arrived about the first of May, Scott a little later in the season, Scott Clark was an invalid, and came on from the State of New York with the hope that the climate of Minnesota would prove beneficial to his health. He made a claim in the mouth of Gilmore valley. It included the Indian cultivation and extended onto the table where the residence of C. C. Beck now stands. His claim shanty, a small log house, stood on the same plateau but near the point next to the creek. He held this claim until his death, which occurred in June, 1854. He was buried on the grounds of what is now Woodlawn cemetery. His grave was the first in that locality. He was, however, buried there several years before the spot was selected as a public cemetery. Wayne Clark did not come to Minnesota for the express purpose of making it a home as an actual settler. His principal object was speculation. He brought with him quite a number of land war- rants, which he expected he would be able to use in securing lands on the "Sioux purchase" in the territory, but the lands had not been surveyed and he found that land warrants were not available property here. To preserve them, he carefully laid them away in his trunk, in which he also secreted other valuables. He brought with him from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, the trunk and "good clothes " of his brother, left there the year before, when George abandoned all superfluities of that kind. These trunks were stored in Nash's shanty on claim No. 2, which they then occupied as their headquarters. Nash and Gil- more were away, rafting logs for Farrell that had been cut on the islands opposite during the winter. Although living in this shanty on the prairie, they were engaged in making improvements on the claim of George Clark across the slough, putting in a crop of potatoes, corn, making garden and building a cabin. One day, while engaged in putting the cabin in a habitable 2i^8 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. condition, they were alarmed by a messenger, William H. Stevens, crossing over in liaste to inform them that the Sioux threatened' to burn tlie shanty on the Nash claim, and that tliey had better come over and take care of their traps or their property would be burned up in it. Startled by this report, they hastened to secure their valuables from threatened destruction. On arriving at the landing they found all of the settlers gathered at Goddard's shanty, with about half a dozen Indians as the center of attraction. They here learned that the cause of the alarm was from the neglect of Nash to pay the Indian tax which had been levied on the shanty by the Sioux, or to provide for its payment as he had promised the Indians. On this visit the Indians collected a barrel of flour from Gere, and another from Dr. Childs. There were but six inhabited claim shan- ties on Wabasha prairie at this time. All had paid their tax except Nash. Wabasha's "infernal" revenue collectors were somewhat irritated at not being able to secure the delinquent tax on the shanty of claim No. 2. The leader and spokesman of the party expressed his dissatisfaction forcibly and emphatic in the Dakota language. The settlers standing around readily comprehended what he meant, although they could not understand but a single word of all that he said. By signs used in his demonstrations he intimated that they had promised to gi\^ them the flour when the Nominee came up in the spring, but had failed to do as agreed. Gesticulating with his hands, he pointed down the river, then moving them slowly up until he pointed up stream. This he performed several times, each time repeating, distinctly, ''Nominee," pointing t(^ward the shanty, shak- ing his fist and giving strong expressions of dissatisfaction. The interpretation as understood was that the Nominee had been u|) and down a number of times and Nash had not furnished the flour. Apparently becoming terribly excited in his manner, the Indian rushed to the cook-stove of Mrs. Goddard, which stood at the side of the building, and drawing out a blazing fire-brand, started to- ward the delinquent shanty as if he was going to set it on fire. This the settlers comprehended as only a threat that they would bum it if the flour or its equivalent was not forthcoming. He was easily pacified and induced to drop the incendiary torch when assured he should have the fiour. Johnson furnished it from his own supplies and settled the matter at once. This was the only "Indian scare" ever attempted by the Sioux FNCTDENTS OF THE EARLY TIMES. 239 with the early settlers in this county. The alarm was soon over and an amicable shake all around indicated a satisfactory adjust- ment of difficulties and a truce to all hostile demonstrations. In transporting the flour collected by the Indians, the barrels were opened with their hatchets and the flour transferred to sacks. The barrels were then destroyed. The only claim shanties on "Wabasha prairie for which this tax was paid to the Sioux were on claims JSTos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, and on the claim of Dr. Childs and for Henry C. Gere's shanty. John Burns paid them for his privileges in the mouth of Burns valley. Four barrels of flour settled all Indian claims on the colony at Minnesota City. These were all that paid the Indian tax that season. Finding the settlers were becoming too numerous to be easily alarmed, the Indians abandoned their compulsory plan of begging and let them remain undisturbed. Notwithstanding the amicable adjustment with the Sioux in relation to the shanty they were occupying on the prairie, the Clarks removed their de})Osits and transferred all of their efiects across the slough, where they were under their personal care. They commenced housekeeping in their own shanty, George W., Wayne and Scott Clark living together. Wayne Clark spent that season in Minnesota, exploring the country looking for chances to speculate, but went down the river on the last boat in the fall without making a claim or investing his surplus funds in a country where securities (claims) were such un- certain property. With the crowd of passengers brought u]) the river by the Nomi- nee on the 19th of May, who landed on Wabasha prairie, were quite a number of immigrants for the colony. For convenience in dis- charging freight and live stock, Captain Smith landed them at the lower landing, his favorite claim and special preference for a town site. Among the members of the association who stopped here were Hiram Campbell, wife and three children, Mrs. Thorp (wife of Robert Thorp) and three sons, H. B. Waterman, wife and son, Asa Waterman, Rufus Waterman, Andrew Petee, D. Q. Burley, H. Shipley and son, Mr. Hunt and others. This party had qaite a large herd of cattle — oxen, cows and young stock. The greater part of them belonged to Hiram Campbell. Mr. Waterman had two yoke of oxen and two cows, and Mr. Hunt 240 HISTORY OF wrvoNA rOUNTY. two yoke of oxen. As soon as the cattle were landed they scattered over the prairie in S])ite of the efforts of their owners to restrain them. The new-comers were not then aware that they were on an island, from which their cattle would not attempt to escape even if allowed to range over it. It was not until late in the day that all of the frisky herd were collected at the lower end of the prairie. The tents were pitched and the party remained at the landing until the next morning, when the wagons were loaded, the cattle collected, and all moved uj) to the upper end of the prairie, where they again cam})ed near the landing-place of the Macedonian. The following morning the cattle were again collected and after much trouble driven across the back slough at the crossing on the trail below where they camped. Mr. Campbell divested himself of all clothing and followed them over alone to aid his young stock if occar sion recjuired. The wagons, with the men, women and children, were transferred across the slough to the upper prairie by the Macedonian, landing about where the present road is laid. Several trips were made to carry them all over. From here they made their way along down the slough and then moved on up to the table-land along the bluflfs above the mouth of Gilmore valley, where they camped for the night. The next day. May 23, they made their entry into the settlement and mingled with the crowds there collected. Some of this party are yet residents of that vicinity. On account of the difficulties in getting to Rolling Stone from "Wabasha prairie, and because of the strong feeling of jealousy and rivalry that began to be exhibited between the two localities, Mr. Haddock urgently requested the members of the association, by messages and letters sent to those on their way up, not to land on Wabasha prairie. If the boats could not be induced to land them at Rolling Stone by going up Straight Slough, they were advised to continue on up the river and land on the Minnesota side, below the mouth of the White Water. From there he supposed it would be practicable to reach the colony by land, or they could be brought down by water on the Macedonian. But one small party attempted to reach the colony over this route. They came up the river on the Dr. Franklin. At Johnson's landing, where the boat stop])ed, they were advised by O. M. Lord, who chanced to see them, that they had better land there with the other passengers, and assured them that it would be more difficult tf) get to Rolling Stone from above than from the prairie. INCIDENTS OF THE EARTY TIMES. " 241 Mr. Wright, who had previously visited the colony, and who now assumed the leadership, had such unlimited confidence in the judg- ment and advice of Mr. Haddock in the matter, that he decMed to follow the instructions of the president of the association. They continued on and landed on* the morning of May 23 about three miles below the mouth of the White Water and about a mile below Hall's landing, afterward known as Mt. Yernon. The members of this party were James Wright, wife and six children, John Nicklin. wife and two children, and S. M. Burns, wife and three children. Mr. Wright was one of the directors of the association and one of its earliest members. He had been a resident of the city of New York, where he followed the occupation of a wood-turner. Mr. Nicklin was from the same place, where he was a lithographer. Mr. Burns was from eastern Pennsylvania, where he had been a hotel- keeper, or keeper of a restaurant. It was said that Mr. Burns brought more money with him than any other member of the colony. With their freight they had a large supply of provisions and quite an amount of household goods. Mr. Burns brought with him a very fine pair of horses, a wagon and a general assortment of •farming tools. The experiences of this party during their stay here are given as related by Mr. Wright to illustrate some of the inci- dents of pioneer life in the early settlement of this county. When the horses of Mr. Burns were landed from the steamboat, they were not securely fastened by the deck-hands who had them in charge. Their halters were loosely tied to the brush that grew along the bank, and by their restlessness they soon released themselves. Attracted by the fresh grass, they quietly enjoyed their liberty by grazing in the vicinity. Thinking it safe, Mr. Burns indulged them while lie was putting his wagon together, which had been taken apart for convenience in transportation. After completing his task Mr. Burns attempted to secure his team, but the horses playfully eluded his grasp of their halters and kept just beyond his reach. Startled by some sudden movement, they sprang off as if for a race, but again halted to feed until he came near, when they again left him. At length, turning up a valley, they disappeared. He would occasionally get a glimpse of them on the sides of the ravine and then lost sight of them entirely. He fol- lowed their trail to the ridge on the top of the bluffs, where he lost 242 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. all trace and returned to the river at evening, tired and hungry, without his horses. During the day, Mr. Wright and Mr. Nicklin arranged their goods in the form of a liollow square, and with poles and blankets formed a temporary covering over it. This provided a common shelter for the whole party. A cook-stoye was adjusted for business near by, and as they had a variety of provisions and good cooks, their camp was comfortably established and well provided for. ex- cept ])rotection from heavy rains. Plenty of dry grass and an abundance of blankets and quilts furnished them beds of which they had but little reason to complain. They had the material for tents in their boxes, but they did not consider it worth while to nnj)ack them for the short time they proposed to stay there. The following morning Mr. Burns resumed his search for the truant animals. As the fiatboat was expected from Rolling Stone, Mr. Wright and Mr. Nicklin remained in camp. AVhen at Wabasha prairie they had sent word to Mr. Haddock, notifying him of their arrival and asking to have the boat sent up for them. In the afternoon Mr. Robertson and Mr. Woodcock came up from the colony with the report that an attempt had been made to bring up the Macedonian, but it was found to be almost impossible to manage it and the effort had been abandoned ; that Capt. Jackson proposed to take them down in his small boat and would come up in the morning to begin the undertaking. They also reported that there was no roadway along the bluffs that was passable for wagons, although there was a well-worn Indian trail. Mr. Burns returned without his horses. He was unable to tra(te them, and for awhile was himself lost and gave up his search. He was tired out and discouraged with his fruitless efforts to find his stray. pro])erty. He had paid a high price for his horses in Chicago, and, being fearful that he would lose them without a chance for their recovery, he offered a reward of fifty dollars for them delivered in camp or at Minnesota City. Stimulated by this liberal offer Robertson and Woodcock volun- teered to hunt for the estrays. After a late but hearty dinner they took the trail at about four o^clock in the afternoon and found them before dark in the head of the north Rolling Stone valley and rode them to Minnesota City the same evening. The horses were returned to Mr. Burns uninjured by their frolic. He promptly paid over the reward. mOIDBNTS OF THE EARLY TIMEH. 243 Captain Jackson made the attempt to transfer this party with his small boat, and commenced with the family and freight of Mr. Nick- lin. To accomplish this required several trips. He was successful except with the last, which was a valuable load in bulky boxes. The boat was capsized and the cargo a total loss— "no insurance." Some relics of the contents of the boxes were found the following winter in the brush on an island, but nothing of value recovered. This acci- dent suspended that line of transportation. Robertson and Woodcock, with an eye to speculation, offered to deliver the goods of Mr. Wright and Mr. Burns at Rolling Stone for fifteen dollars. A bargain was at once closed with them and they proceeded to construct a raft from some dead oak-trees standing on the bank of the river. After the logs were secured together and loaded with a barrel of pork, a barrel of beef, a barrel of vinegar and a cask of hams, but little of the raft was above water. Lashing the freight to the logs they added a cook-stove, shoved off into the cur- rent and safely landed it at " Lord's lumber yard" without accident and without delay. After the raft had left the shore, Burns decided that he would not move down to the settlement. He had made an arrangement with the Halls for an interest in their town site and concluded to remain on the river. He immediately commenced to build himself a log house, and moved his family and goods up to the landing. On Saturday Mr. Hunt and Mr. Shipley came up along the bluffs with two yoke of oxen and a wagon for the pui-pose of moving them down. This was the first wagon that ever passed between tlie two places. They met with no serious obstruction for the passage of an empty wagon, although the way was rough and uneven. When they left Rolling Stone Mr. Shipley was ayjparently in his usual health. He had that morning parted with his son, a young man about sixteen years old, and sent him down to Galena to bring up his family, which he had left there two weeks before. While on his way up along the blufts he began to complain of not feeling well, and soon became too sick to even follow on the trail. Mr. Hunt made him as comfortable as he could on a bed of grass in the wagon, and brought him through to Wright's camp. Here everything was done for his relief that they were able to do, but without avail. He died a few hours after his arrival, at about twelve o'clock at night. His disease was supposed to be cholera. The remains of Mr. Shipley were buried the next day at about 244 JIISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. 12 o'clock, Sunday, May 30, 1852. The grave was on the bank of the river, near where he died. His coffin was a few pieces of slabs taken from the drift-wood of the river and arranged around the body, while lying in the grave. After the grave was tilled, a piece of a slab was placed at the head and his name, "H. ShijMey," marked on it. The last resting-place of this early pioneer is now unknown. The personal effects of Mr. Shipley were taken in charge by Mr. Wright and sent to his wife. The oxen and wagon belonged to Mr. Hunt. Mr. Shipley had no interest in them. Mr. Wright now became anxious to leave that locality, and as soon as the rude burial was completed he loaded the wagon with some of his household goods and decided to attempt to go through by land, but the attempt proved a failure at the start. The wagon was upset within a few rods of where it was loaded, the boxes were smashed and their contents scattered as they tumbled and rolled promiscuously down the bank, almost into the river. A large look- ing-glass rolled on the edges of its frame for several rods and lodged in an upright position against a tree, without injury. The same mirror is yet in use by Mrs. Wright in Minnesota City. At about the time the loaded wagon u]>set a steamboat appeared in sight, coming down. Mr. Wright abandoned his damaged {)rop- erty and devoted all his energies to attract the attention of the pilot. He hoisted signals of distress and hailed the boat most vociferously, and was actively seconded in his efforts by his family, one using a tin horn and another beating an accompaniment on a tin pan. Alarmed by these proceedings, the captain of the boat cautiously ran over toward the Minnesota shore, expecting to learn that the Sioux had risen against the settlers. He was, however, soon re-' lieved of any anxiety on that score, and discovered as he drew near that they were some of the passengers he had landed there on his way up — that their noisy demonstrations were made because they were anxious to leave that locality and go down to Johnson's landing. He good-naturedly consented to take them on board. As the boat swung round to the shore the captain hailed Wright and inquired, '' Where's your freight ? " Pointing to the wreck of the wagon-load, Wright replied, "There is some of it, as soon as we can get it together." Observing the condition of affairs, the captain called to the men forward as the gang-plank was launched out, " Get ashore there, some of you, and bring them duds aboard in bulk." To Mrs. Wright's extreme surprise, and before she could rally LNOIDENTS OF THE EARLY TIMES. 245 from her helpless astonishment, her clean household stuff, bedding and clothing of every description, was carried off in the arms of the dirty roustabouts, and before she could offer even a feeble remonstrance they were piled promiscuously on the greasy, dirty deck. All of Mr. Wright's goods were taken aboard except four barrels of flour which he had brought up for the association, designed to be used in payment of the Indian tax on the shanties in the colony. The flour was taken down by Mr. Hunt in his wagon, the first freight carried through by a wagon over that trail. When Mr. Wright reached Johnson's landing he there found Willie Shipley, waiting for the down boat. He informed the astonished boy that his father, from whom he had parted not two days before, looking healthy and strong, was dead and in his lonely grave on the bank of the river. Mr. Wright gave him the property found with his father — his watch, a pocket-book with papers and a small amount of money — to be carried to his mother. His family were not left without means of support. Mr. Shipley had left a considerable sum of money on deposit in Galena, under the control of his wife. The family returned to their former home. Their experience in the west was a sorrowful one. At Johnson's landing Mr. Wright, with his family, was per- mitted by Mr. Denman to pass the night in the unfinished house he was then building. They reached Minnesota City the next day, June 1, and went directly to the "gopher" Mr. Wright had helped to build nearly three weeks before. It was near here that his pro- visions and cook-stove had been stored when landed from the raft. This gopher-house was their first home in the colony. Mr. Wriglit has retained possession of and lived continuously with his family on the same land and in the same locality ever since that period, about thirty-one years. They occupied the "gopher" and a tent until he could procure lumber and build a more comfortable place to move into. Soon after their arrival the whole family were prostrated with sickness in some form. Two of the children died with measles, then prevailing. Like most of the members of the association from New York city, Mr. Wi-ight's previous experience had but poorly fitted him to meet the demands of pioneer life. Many things were learned from practical experience. Incidents that may now be pleasantly related, and are amusing to listen to, which occurred in their acquisition of a western education, were once really serious matters with them. 24(> HISTORY OK WINONA COUNTY. The provisions brought down on the raft were jointly owned by Mr. Wright and Mr. Burns. The morning after his arrival Mr. Wright went out to inspect the condition of his supplies, and discov- ered that his cask of hams had been broken open and the contents carried off. The fact becoming known, the indignant colonists pro- ceeded to investigate the affair. A careful examination of the matter was commenced, but the mystery of the transaction was soon revealed without a shadow ot suspicion resting on any member of the association. The cattle of the settlers had been corraled in the bend of the stream near by to prevent their wandering off to parts unknown or trespassing in the settlement. In their eagerness to get salt, the cask had been broken open and the hams eaten by the ravenous bovine monsters. All of the cattle in the settlement were under suspicion as being implicated in the transaction, but the herd of Hiram Campbell were charged with being the principal and lead- ing offenders. The fragments of partly eaten hams were found scattered over the ground in the vicinity of the empty cask. To prevent any further loss to Mr. Burns, it was proposed by Mr. Wright that an equitable division of the pork and beef be made. In the absence of Mr. Burns, friends of both parties were selected to make the division. The meat in each barrel was taken out and accurately weighed. One half of each was then put into one of the barrels for Mr. Burns and the other half into the other barrel and turned over to Mr. Wright as his individual property. This was apj)arently a just dissolution of partnership, but Mr. Wright soon discovered that the mixing of the two kinds of meat did not improve the quality. It was soon understood that Mr, Wright and Mr. Burns had a surplus of meat, and some less fastidious persons pur- chased it at less than cost. Although transportation had proved to be barely possible from Hall's landing to Rolling Stone without considerable expense in open- ing a wagon trail, there was to Mr. Burns more than a glimmer of a prospective landing-place for the colony, and he located himself where he could have the benefit of the river trade in the business in which he proposed to engage. Having money to invest, he built a hirge hotel. His bar was the main source of profit. He paid no license, for the law prohibited the sale of intoxicating drinks. His hotel became a favorite resort for the rivermen and traveling public, and was not entirely shunned by the settlers. The Indians resorted to Burns' for ti-ade. During the years of 1852-3-4 there was THE ASSOCIATION AT ROLLUSTG STONE. 247 more liquor sold by Mr. Burns than in all other parts of southern Minnesota. He bl-ought on quite a stock of general merchandise and opened a store. A postoffice was established and S. M. Burns was postmaster. He furnished employment for a large number of men cutting steamboat wood on government lands, on which large profits were made. After a heavy expense trying to build up a business point at this place, Mr. Burns was forced to abandon the attempt, and the village of Mt. Vernon ceased to exist. The scheme to make it the land- ing-place for the colony did not prove practicable, although a wagon road was opened between the two places. The town of Mt. Vernon, in the northwest part of Winona county, took its name from the village of that name at what was once known as Hall's landing, on the Mississippi. Not a trace of any of the improvements made by Mr. Burns are now to be seen. The village site is almost unknown. CHAPTEE XXVI. THE ASSOCIATION AT ROLLING STONE. The Western Farm and Village Association, as organized in the city of New York in 1851, was transferred to Rolling Stone in 1852 under the same ofdcers and with the same laws governing its mem- bers. The mode of doing business adopted and practiced in the east was continued in the west. The first regular meeting of the association held in the colony at Rolling Stone was on May 6. The ofiicers present were Wm. Haddock, president ; Thos. K. Allen, recording secretary ; and a majority of the board of directors, Augustus A. Gilbert, James Wright, Charles Bannon, John Hughs and D. Robertson. At this meeting fifty-two responded to their names when the roll of members was called. Some of these were young unmarried men, but a majority of the members present were men with families. At a general meeting of the colonists on Sunday, May 9, the name of Minnesota City was given to the village of the colony. The name was unanimously adopted by a viva-voce vote. Prior to this 248 IIISTOKT OF WmONA COUNTy. the locality was only known as Rollin<^ Stone, and afterward it was the most familiar name to the early settlers. At this same meeting, May 9, a Congregational minister from La Crosse, by the name of Reynolds, preached the first sermon ever delivered in Minnesota City. Elder Reynolds was a missionary sent out by the Home Mission Board of the denomination to which he belonged. Business meetings of the association were called to consider mat- ters relating to the common interests. At one of these meetings, about the first, Robert Pike, Jr., was elected surveyor for the colony, to establish the lines of claims designated as farms, which were to be assigned tothe choice of the members of the association according to numbers drawn for that purpose. E. B. Drew and C. R. Coryell were Pike's assistants in these surveys, wliich were made under the general supervision of the president, Mr. Haddock. At a meeting held on May 1 9 the question of making application for the establishment of a postoffice was considered and a choice for postmaster made by ballot. Robert Pike, Jr., received a majority of votes. A petition in proper form was drawn up and signed, soliciting the establishment of a postoffice at Minnesota City and recommending Robert Pike, Jr., as a proper appointment for post- master. This petition was forwarded to the Postoffice department at Washington. In due time Mr. Pike received his commission and the office was established, but with the proviso and on condition that the mails should be transported to and from the nearest postoffice on the river free of charge to the Postofiice department. The near- est postoflSce was then at La Crosse. The mail was dependent on chance opportunities or private enterprise. Even such postal facilities were considei'ed of advantage to the settlement. The family of Mr. Pike, consisting of his wife and two children and two of his sisters (afterward Mrs. H. Jones and Mrs. D. Ken- nedy), came on about the last of June. While on their passage up the river the postoffice keys were handed to Mrs. Pike at La Crosse by Brooks and Hancock, two members of the association there on a visit, to be delivered to her husband on her arrival at Minnesota City. This was the first knowledge Mrs. Pike had of the matter. On May 20 a census of the colony was taken, when it was ascer- tained that there were ninety male members of the association on the grounds and about 400 women and children. The first death in the colony was on May 25, that of David THE ASSOCIATION AT ROLLING STONE. 251 Densmore, a man about sixty years of age. He was from the State of Maine. He had no family with him. Mr. Densmore was buried in the grounds selected lor a cemetery, a little above the forks of the Rolling Stone creek, near Minnesota City. ^ The first bridge built in the county was across the Rolling Stone, near where James Wright now lives in Minnesota City. Long logs, used as stringers, were laid over the stream from one bank to the other. Across these stringers logs were laid instead of plank. The colonists all united in this public improvement. The next morning after this bridge was completed the settlers found that their engineering was not practicable in this structure. The long stringers of green timber, without central support, had given way and broken down from weight of the green logs by which they were covered. The middle of the bridge was resting in the center of the stream, the logs retained in their position across the stringers. Although not available as a wagon bridge, it was used during the season as a crossing-place by persons on foot. The first bridge that was of any practicable use was one built by the colonists across the Rolling Stone just below the forks of tliat stream, above Minnesota City. The location is now covered by the mill-pond. This was called the "herd bridge" by the settlers. The cattle belonging in the colony were placed under the charge of a herdsman, who had the general management of them during the grazing season. Robert Pike, Jr., was the first appointetl and acted in that capacity for that season. A fence was built running from the bluff on the soutli side to the stream, and the cattle were allowed to range above it in the south valley. The "herd bridge" was designed and built, under the direction of Mr. Pike, to serve as a crossing-place for the stock under his charge. It was, however, used as a wagon bridge for two or three years after a road was opened up through the south valley. During that season the wagon trail leading to Wabasha prairie was on the south side of the stream, next to the bluffs, and the only practical fording-place of the stream was where Elsworth's mill now stands. Late in the fall, or early in winter, the settlers opened a road along down the table, on the north side of the stream, about where it now is, and built a bridge near the angle where the creek leaves the bluff and flows north, about a mile below the present vil- lage of Minnesota City. This was the first public bridge in common use in the county. It was maintained for three or four years until 15 252 IIISTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY. the present road between Minnesota and Winona was opened and another bridge was built about fifty. rods beh^w, in tlie same locality where the present bridge stands. The first store for the sale <;f merchandise to the settlers in the colony was opened about June 1 of tliis season by a Mr. Robertson. He closed out his establishment and left the colony early in the fall. The fii'st school opened in the county was a select school, started in Minnesota City in the early part of this season. The first distri(;t school in the county was established here later in the season. The district was organized under the general law of the territory and comprised the whole colony. Miss Ilouk was the teacher. Schools have been uniformly maintain^ in tliat locality from that time to the present. The first blacksmith-shop started in this county by the early settlers was in the colony at Minnesota City. James and John Prosser, father and son, opened a shop and commenced business early in the season. Josiah Keene also started a shop. The Prossers left the colony in the fall. O. M. Lord bought their shop, tools and stock, and also that of Keene, and carried on the business for a year or two afterward. This was the only blacksmith-shop in the county until the spring of 1854:, when a shop was opened at Winona, pre- vious to which the settlers on Wabasha prairie were dependent on Minnesota City, or they were compelled to go to La Crosse for their blacksmith work. Sometimes jobs of blacksmitliing were ordered by the boats from Galena. The first horseshoeing done in the county was by O. M. Lord. In the fall of 1852 he shod a pair of horses for Hon. Wm. H. Stevens, of the city of Winona. The shoes were brought up from La Crosse. In the spring of 1853 he shod fourteen horses for Wm. Ashley Jones, a government surveyor. From 1849 to 1853 the county of Winona was a part of Wabasha county. By act of the First Territorial Legislature, October 27, 1849, " all that portion of said territory lying east of a line running due south from a point on the Mississippi river known as Medicine Bottles Village, at Pine Bend, to the Iowa line, was erected into a county to, be known by the name of Wabashaw.'' The extent of territory included in the boundaries of Wabasha county by that act was what is now a part of the county of Dakota and the present counties of Goodhue, Wabasha, Olmsted, Dodge, Mower; Fillmore, Houston and Winona. THE ASSOCIATION AT ROLLING STONE. 253 Wabasha county was first created for the special pur])ose (jf affording certain political privileges to the settlers within its bound- aries, nearly all of whom were halt-breed Sioux, living on the "Half- breed Tract," who were recognized as bona fide citizens. The other parts of the county were then in jjossession of the Sioux. It was made part of a council district, but was declared to be a representative district, entitled to elect one representative to the territorial legislature. The first representative from Wabasha county was James Wells. He was also a member of the second and fourth territorial legisla- tures in 1851 and in 1853. In the third legislature, the session of 1852, Wabasha county was represented by Fordyce S. Richards, another trader, living at Reed's landing. The fourth territorial legislature in 1853 (March 4) divided Wa- basha county and created Fillmore county from the southern por- tion along the Mississippi, which included the present county of Winona. The same council and representative districts were, how- ever, continued until 1855, when a new apportionment was made by the legislature. At the election held in the fall of 1853, Hon. O. M. Lord, of Minnesota City, was elected, from Fillmore, representative of this district to the fifth territorial legislature, which held its session in 1854. At this session Winona county was created, February 23, 1854. When Wabasha county was created in 1849 it was "declared to be organized onl}' for the appointment of justices of the peace, constables and such other judicial and ministerial officers as might be specially provided for." It was attached to Washington county for judicial purposes and was entitled to any number of justices not exceeding six, and to the same number of constables, who were to receive their appointment from the governor and to hold their office for two years, unless sooner removed. The first justice of the peace appointed by Gov. Ramsey in accordance with this act creating Wabasha county, was Thomas K. Allen, the recording secretary of the association at Minnesota City. Mr. Allen was compelled to go to the capital of the territory — to St. Paul, in order to qualify — to take the oath of ofiice required. There was no one nearer who was empowered to administer it to him. At a general meeting of the members of the association living in the colony at Minnesota City, held July 12, 1852, an election pre- 254 JIISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. / cinct was organized and the following officers elected by ballot : Thomas K. Allen, justice of the peace ; Josiah Keen, constable ; James AVriglit, assessor ; and Augustus A. Gilbert, notary public. These proceedings were without proper authority, and only de- signed to represent an expression of the wishes of the people in the colony. The governor was duly notitied of this action of the settlers and the appointment of the officers selected formally recommended and solicited. Gov. Ramsey confirmed the election by making the a])pointment accordingly. Mr. Allen took the oath of office on July 28, 18.52. By vote of the association, O. M. Lord, John lams and Hiram Campbell were elected road commissioners for the colony or precinct. The first sermon delivered to the settlers in Rolling Stone was by the Rev. Mr. Reynolds, a missionary of the Congregational church. He kept up regular appointments and preached during the summer at Minnesota City and at Wabasha prairie. His audiences were representatives of all denominations, Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, etc. A general Sabbath-school was started in the early part of this season. The members of the association held to the religious faith or belief tliey had professed before joining the colony. If there was any change it was exhibited in a general feeling of toleration. The Protestants and Catholics shared with each other in their comforts and privations, and in their joys and sorrows, with- out question of religious opinions. All grades of liberalism, spirit- ualism and other "isms" had advocates. The first church organized in this county was by the Baptist members of the association. This was the first Protestant church organization in soutliern Minnesota. The appropriate ceremonies were held on July 11, 1852. The pastor of this church was the Rev. T. R. Cressey, a missionary appointed by the American Baptist Home Missionary Society at a salary of $600 per annum. He made Minnesota City his headquarters, but preached in other localities. After remaining in this vicinity for two or three months, Mr. Cressey had a call to locate himself in charge of the Baptist church in St. Paul. As the failing condition of the colony in the latter part of the season offered less inducements to remain, he left this county and located himself in the capital of the territory. Another Baptist preacher. Rev. Henderson Cressey, a brother of T. R. Cressey, preached to the settlers at Minnesota City and on THE ASSOCIATION AT ROLLING STONE. 255 Wabasha prairie for about two years afterward, but did not reside in this vicinity. He held a claim for awhile on the upper prairie. There was such a general immigration of preachers among the early settlers that about every settlement was represented by one or more of some denomination. It is now difficult to ascertain the names of many of those who for a time held claims in this county. The most of them apparently preferred the blouse of the settler to the garb of their profession. The Eev. William Sweet occasionally preached, but made no regular appointments. The Rev. Mr. Henderson, a member of the association, living at Minnesota City, was, or had been, a Methodist paeacher. It was said that he gave the settlers a most enthusiastic, patriotic sermon on Sunday, July 4, 1852. From many peculiarities of belief or opinions expressed in public, his influence among the Methodists, of which denomination there was quite a number, was not sufficient to induce them to acknowledge him as a leader or combine in a church organization. Mr. Henderson, with others holding different ''isms," made an unsuccessful effort to create a society called "The Universal Church." It is difficult to ascertain the exact date of the arrival of very many of the early settlers who, as members of the associatioii, located in this county. The greatest number and largest bodies of them arrived in May, but they continued to come during June and until about the middle of July, after which but few if any of the immigrants in this part of the territory were members of that organ- ization. Among those who located in the colony in Rolling Stone whose arrival has not been specially mentioned were the following. The most of these came in May. The list might be largely extended by adding the names of those who remained so short a time that with propriety they should be classed as a part of the transient population of the colony. Prominent among the more permanent settlers were Wm. T. Luark, John lams, S. D. Putnam, S. A. Houk, O. H. Houk, George Foster, Egbert Chapman, Harvey Stradling, P. D. Follett, Samuel Hancock, John Cook and V. G. Wedon. The last is but the nom de plume of Robert Pike, Jr. The' time set by the association for drawing numbers for the choice of farming lands was May 15. The drawing took place at that date, although the survey was not completed ; neither was there a full representation of members present. The selections of claims 2f>() illSTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. were afterward made as fast as the reports of the surveyor were received, which were almost daily. All of the available farming land in eacii of the valleys of the Rolling Stone were surveyed and assigned to the colonists. Some made choice of lands and made claims which they retained and still occupy as farms, but the most of the selections made by the numbers drawn were abandoned. The selections first made were not in all cases satisfactory^ and ex- changes were effected without disturbing ' the harmony of the settlement. By special action of the association before they left New York, exemptions were given certain members who were unable to move in the spring, by which their rights and privileges were protected by proxy. These exemptions were, however, but temporary arrange- ments. The limit of this extension of time was fixed to expire on July 15, at which date a general meeting of the association was to be held for the purpose of determining which village lots and farming lands had been forfeited. The following extract from the diary of Mr. E. B. Drew notes this general gathering : "Thursday, July 15, 1852. The Western Farm and Village Association all met at Mr. Lord's new house to transact important business pertaining to individual interests in city lots and farms. Some interesting times. The population is now over three hundred." "July 16. To-day O. M. Lord arrived with his family, bringing with him a horse-team and a cow." Mr. Lord's new house, mentioned by Mr. Drew, was located on the same table, but about a hundred rods above where O. M. Lord now lives in Minnesota City. The "interesting times" was the scramble for hjrfeited village lots and farms. The horse-team brought by Mr. Loi-d was the first span of horses brought into the colony. The village lots of the colony, which embraced over 1,000 acres, covered the land from below the farm now owned by Robert Duncan to the bluffs near the farm of D. Q. Burley and up the valley above the fork of the stream, including the Waterman farm. The bottom lands and a part of the Denman farm were plotted as suburban lots. The most of the improvements on village lots were from where James Kennedy now lives to about half a mile above where Troost's mill stood. It was here that a larg« number of the settlers who wintered in the colony made their homes. Although all had claims, but few occupied them until the following spring. THE ASSOCIATION AT ROLLIXG STOKE. •2i)i Some members of the association made claims outside tlie juris- diction assumed for the colony. In June Mr.' D. Hollyer made a claim in what is now the town of Utica, which he abandoned in the fall when he left the territory. Dr. J. W. Bentley took possession and moved on it in the spring following. It was afterward known as "Bentley's.'' Dr. Bentley was not a member of the association, although he came to Minnesota City in the fall of 1852 and lived there during the winter with H. B. Waterman, a relative. While living at Minnesota City Mrs. Bentley increased the population of the colony by the addition of a daughter to her family. This was the first white child born in Rolling Stone. The first male child born in Minnesota City was the eldest son of Mrs. H. B. Waterman, January 5, 1854. This child was the first born in the colony whose parents were members of the association. George B. Waterman died in 1881. S. E. Cotton made a claini near Hollyer's, a little east from where the Utica railroad station now stands. He had ten acres of breaking done on it by Charles Bannon. Mr, Burley was. in the employ of Mr. Bannon and drove the team for this job. This was the first breaking done back of the bluffs — the first breaking done within the boundaries of the county back from the Mississippi, except in the valley of the Rolling Stone. Robert Taylor made a claim of what is now the village of Stock- ton, on the east side of the valley. D. Q. Burley made a claim adjoining Robert Taylor's on the west. Mr. Taylor abandoned his location the following year, when Mr. Burley absorbed it by moving his claim to the centei- of the valley. Mr. Burley traded this claim for a house and lot in Minnesota City to S. A. Houk, who in 1854 sold it to J. B. Stockton, the original proprietor of the village of Stockton. Mr. Burley then made a claim of the farm on which he now lives. His family did not come here until the spring of 1854. Above Stockton, on the south fork of the Rolling Stone,* Mr. Hunt made a claim. He was a proxy or substitute in the employ of a wealthy member living in New York city, who furnished him with two yoke of oxen and all necessary supplies. Mr. Hunt did some breaking and put up about fifty tons of hay. This hay was cut with scythes by Mr. Burley and Mr. Thorp, who helped put it in the stacks. They camped on what is now the L. D. Smith farm while at this job, but made their homes in Minnesota City. Mr. Hunt went back to 'New York in the fall and left the cattle 258 IirSTOKY OF WINONA rOTTNTY. and claim in charge of Mr. Burley. A few days after he left the tifty tons of hay were burned by a lire which swei)t through the valley. Mr. Burley wintered the stock in Minnesota City. The following sjiring the oxen were taken up the river by a Mr. Bertram to another association colony in the vicinity of Lake Minnetonka. The claim made by Mr. Hunt was abandoned. Egbert Chapman made a claim on Sweet's prairie and built a cabin, in which he lived with his family through the winter. He is yet a resident of the county, living in Minnesota City. His son, Edgar ('hapman, is now living in Dakota Territory. Harvey Stradling also selected a location on Sweet's prairie near ( 'hapman's. He was then a young man. In June, 1853, he mar- ried Anna Chapman, a daughter of Egbert Chapman. The Eev. William Sweet officiated -at this marriage ceremony. This was the first wedding among the colonists. Mr. Stradling afterward located in the valley above Minnesota City. He died there many years ago. His widow (now Mrs. John Nicklin)is living in Dakota Territory. In July, 1852, John Cook made a claim in the White Water valley about a mile above White Water Falls. He built a comfort- able log house and lived here during the winter and for several years after. His brotlier, David Cook, also made a claim in this vicinity, which he occupied the following year. S. D. Putnam selected his claim about a mile below Stockton and built a comfortable log house the following spring near where he now resides. This was on the farm owned and occupied by J. J. Mattison for about twenty years. Mr. Putnam occupied the log house about four years. It was a favorite stopping-place for excur- sionists, travelers, explorers and claim-hunters, and had the reputa- tion of being the best "hotel" in the county. Mr. Putnam is a l>rosperous farmer, and quietly enjoys his comfortable home. O. H. Houk made a claim next below Putnam's, which he held for a year or two. He built a log house on it. The location was long known as the EvaTis place. Charles Bannon chose a location about a mile below Putnam's, and is yet living on the claim selected by him as a memlfbr of the association in 1852. He did not occupy or make any improvements on it until the following spring. During this time he looked with longing eyes on another claim in the valley about a mile below. The claim which disturbed his contentment had been chosen by a THE ASSOCIATION AT ROLLING STONE. 259 member of the association for Miss Amidon on a number drawn by or for her. She was not a resident in the colony, and no improve- ments had been made to indicate tliat it was occupied. Mr. Bannon, supposing that the claim had been abandoned, went on to it and took possession by cutting house-logs enough to build a comfortable log house, which he drew together preparatory to calling his friends to his house-raising. A night or two before the contemplated "raising" was to have taken place, the friends of Miss Amidon, or Miss Amidon's claim, got together and cut each of the house-logs in two, and notified Mr. Bannon not to jump the claim of an unprotected female. This was the first clash among "the faithful members," and to prevent a serious collision, which apparently threatened, the friends of the parties induced Mr. Bannon to abandon the idea of making a change of location and settle on liis own claim. All parties united and moved the crippled house-logs up to his original choice of loca- tion by number, and there constructed an octagon log house for him as a compromise of the difficulty. Having no desire to encourage contention, Mr. Bannon acquiesced in the movement, although satisfied in his own' mind that he had a just right to the claim and could have held it without wronging any person. Suffice it to say of this matter that Miss Amidon never made her appearance in the valley. The disputed claim was after- ward disposed of by the friend or agent of that lady to Henry W. Driver. Mr. Driver pre-empted it as a homestead, and after living on it for five or six years sold his farm and moved to Winona, where he resided for a year or two and then went south. Mr. Bannon moved on his claim in the spring of 1853, and has occupied it as a farm for over thirty years. He has been a success- ful farmer. His comfortable buildings, fine stock and well cultivated fields represent that as a member of the Western Farm and Village Association he found that "home in the west" for which he aban- doned his business as a carman in N'ew York city and helped to form a colony in the Territory of Minnesota. Lawrence Dil worth made choice of his claim in accordance with his 'number drawn as a member of the association, and selected the one next below and adjoining that of Mr. Bannon's. He moved on his claim in the spring of 1853, and has lived there from that time to the present. His good buildings and the well-tilled fields of his fine farm indicate tlie prosperous farmer and demonstrate that he too 260 IIISTOHY OF VVnsrONA COUNTY. secured the farm for wliicli he came to Rolling Stone. Mr. Dilworth and family were of the party that landed at the colony from the wood-boat on the evening of May 2. They are Catholics. Religious faith was not a test of friendship in the Rolling Stone colony. The high respect entertained by the early settlers for Mr. and Mrs. Dil- worth has never been dimmed by the years that have passed since their pioneer days as colonists. The writer hoi)es for pardon if tres- passing on their private affairs, but a remarkable peculiarity in manner of doing business is worthy of mention as an uncommon incident in ])ioiieer life. It is said by one familiar with his affairs that Mr. Dilworth has not during the past thirty years allowed an account to be opened against him. He has paid cash down for whatever he has bought or gone without articles required. On a farm about a mile below Mr, Dilworth there is now living another member of the association, who, like his neighbors above, remained in the colony, and has secured the home in his old age for which he left New England and came west more than thirty years ago. This farm is now owned and occupied by S. E. Cotton. When the members of the association made choice of farms by their numbers, this locality was chosen by John lams, and purchased from him by E. B. Drew. This was the first claim sale in the colony. Mr. Drew as assistant surveyor had taken a liking to the place, and when he learned that it had been selected by Mr. lams he offered him $10 for his number, or right to it. The offer was accepted and the claim given up to Mr. Drew, who held it and entered it at the United States land office when the land was sur- veyed. It was held by Mr. Drew until 1857, when he sold it to Mr. Cotton. When Mr. Cotton first landed at Rolling Stone lie built a log house on his village lot previously selected, and made it his home. Aft'er the collapse of the association he retained his location, and when the land Was surveyed by government he made a claim of eighty acres and pre-empted the village lots as a homestead. He sold it in 1857 and moved to his present home. His claim in Min- nesota City is now the farm of James Kennedy. Between the "Drew claim" (where Mr. Cotton now lives) and Minnesota City a claim was made by Ilezakiah Jones, who occui)ied the locality for several years, and tlien sold the homestead he there pre-empted. Mr. Jones is yet a resident of Minnesota (^ity. He is the oldest settler in that part of the county north of the city of THE ASSOCIATIOK AT ROLLING STONE. 261 Winona. He came here on April 14, 1852, as one of the '' pioneer squad" (the only one now living), and was one of the first members of the association to locate in Kolling Stone. Mr. Jones has not been as fortunate as some who came later in the season. North from the "Drew claim" and west from the present village of Minnesota City were the claims of T. K. Allen and A. A. Gilbert. These claims were parts of the grounds of the original village site. They held claims in the valley above, but when the survey of public lands was made they located themselves here, and each pre-empted a quarter-section of the land surveyed for the village of the colony. Neither of these men are now residents of the county. Both were successful in acquiring the homes in the west for which they helped to organize the association in New York city in 1851. The first grist mill in the county was started by Allen and Gilbert, one of Burr's horse-power mills, in 1853. Mr. Allen was the recording secretary from the first meeting of the association in New York city, until its last meeting in Minne- sota city. He is now a clergyman of the Episcopal church, living in Alexandria, Douglass county, Minnesota. Mr. Gilbert lived for several years in the city of Winona. His present residence is unknown. The farm now owned and occupied by Mr. E. B. Drew was held by Mr. Drew as a claim, but it was the choice of W. H. Coryell on his number drawn as a member of the association. It was on this claim that E. B. Drew, C. R. Coryell and W. H. Coryell made their camp when they first came to Kolling Stone. This was their home- stead, where they lived and made their first beginning in farming operations in the Territory of Minnesota. By mutual agreement they worked together and lield property in common. When these men first came here it was not their design to settle in the valley. From the description given by Mr. Lord of the country lying west they expected to locate themselves on prairie farms back from the Mississippi. They selected this location to keep up their connection with the association and as their headquarters until they found claims that were more satisfactory. They explored the country west and made selections of locations in what is now known as the town of Saratoga, in the western part of the county, in the vicinity of what has since been called the Blair settlement. With their teams and big wagon they spent about a week in prospecting and marking their claims with the customary 2(')2 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. marks and a small pile of logs for each location, but never made any further improvements, their interests in the valley engaging their attention until their prairie claims were taken by others. Mr. Drew broke about twenty-five acres, on the farm where he now lives, in the spring of 1852, and planted some corn and culti- vated a garden. In the fall he sowed a small patch of wheat by way of experiment. The following year, 1853, he harvested the first crop of wlieat ever raised by the settlers in southern Minnesota. From one sack of seed wheat, about two bushels, sown on about two acres of breaking, lie secured seventy bushels of superior winter wheat, which he threshed and cleaned by hand-labor. The following extract is copied from "The Democrat," published at St. Paul, August 3, 1853 : O. M. Lord, Esq., of Filmore county, a delegate to the late democrat con- vention, has deposited in this office a sample of winter wheat of the red chaff bearded variety, raised on the farm of Messrs. Drew and Coryell, in the Roiling Stone valley, which we regard as the finest specimen of this grain that we have ever seen. Messrs. D. & C. have harvested several acres of this wheat, and good judges estimate that it will yield at the rate of forty bushels to the acre. This is the first winter wheat ever sown in that vicinity, but Mr. Lord informs us that a large quantity will be put in the ground this fall. There is little doubt that wheat is to become one of the great staple productions of Minnesota, and that flour of the best quality will soon form the most importa,nt item in the lists of our exports. Up with your mills, gentlemen. In 1853 Mr. Drew increased his cultivation by another field of breaking, and raised a large crop of corn. In the fall he sowed about eight acres of winter wheat. In the spring of 1853 he sowed a sack of spring wheat, and harvested about fifty bushels. About thirty bushels of this he sold to Sanborn & Drew, in the spring of 1854. This was the first load of wheat ever sold in the city of Winona, or in southern Minnesota. In the season of 1851- Mr. Drew harvested, from the eight acres sowed to winter wheat the fall before, about two hundred and fifty bushels. Some of this he sold to the settlers for seed, reserving enough for his own seed, and about eighty bushels which was ground into flour. Tlie first wlieat raised in southern Minnesota that was made into flour was a part of this crop. During the winter W. R. Stewart and Albion Drew took two loads of this wheat, of forty bushels each, to a mill in La Crosse valley, about sixty miles distant, where they waited until their grist was ground, when they returned home with their flour. They were THE ASSOCIATION AT ROLLING STONE. 263 about a week making the trip, the teams going on the ice to La Crosse and thence up the La Crosse valley. The loads were much lighter on their return, for one fourth of the wheat was taken as toll. The wheat was of No. 1 grade and the flour proved to be of supe- rior qualit3% fully equal to the best now made by improved mills and more modern processes. Mr. Drew increased the size of his farm, extended his breaking and cultivation, and increased his acreage of wheat, but at the same time growing large crops of other kinds of farm produce without making a specialty of any particular branch of his business. He lias given his attention to the cultivation of fruit, and engaged con- siderably in stock raising, horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. Although he has extensive ranges, of fine pasturage on his large farm, he abandoned sheep farming, on account of the extreme care necessary to protect his flocks from the wolves that infested the vicinity. Mr. Drew has been a prosperous farmer. He has given his per- sonal attention to all of his farming operations and has made it a practical business occupation. He has held official positions in the town of KoUing Stone, in which he resides ; has served as county commissioner, and was a member of the state legislature in 1875, and also in 1876. C. E,. Coryell remained with Mr. Drew for about a year and then went back east to live. W. H. Coryell staid with him about two years, when he married and settled on a claim on the upper part of Wabasha prairie, whera W. L. Burr now resides. After a resi- dence here of about a year he left the territory. Robert Thorp is living on the farm chosen for him on his num- ber drawn. It adjoins that of Mr. Drew. Mr. Thorp's family lived in Minnesota City about two years before they moved to their pres- ent location. To hold the claim, and prevent others from jumping it while Mr. Thorp was absent working at his trade as a blacksmith, he built a small shanty, which Mrs. Thorp sometimes occupied temporarily. Mr. Thoi"p is now occupying his comfortable stone cottage and broad acres of cultivated fields, for which he abandoned his black- smith shop in New York city. He has held the office of treasurer of the town of Rolling Stone, in which he lives, for the past fifteen years. Although Mr. Thorp brought to the colony a large supply of material, stock and tools, he never opened a shop in Minnesota 264 JIISTOMY OF WINONA COUNTY. City. IIu left his tUmily there in a comfortable hewed log house about 14X16, and went down to Galena, where he worked a part of the years 1852 and 1853. When he moved on his farm he built a small shop in which he sometimes does blacksmithing for himself or to accommodate a neighbor. CIIAPTEK XXVII. CRYSTALLIZATION. From personal observations made during the extreme high water in the spring of 1852, and from the course of events and progress of aifairs generally at Wabasha prairie, Captain Smith decided or consented to locate his contemplated town site on claim No. 4, at the upper landing, instead of on claim No. 1, as he had at first intended. Circumstances apparently compelled him to change his original plans. He did not, however, at once abandon his first im})ressions, that claim No. 1 was the most valuable on the prairie. From letters now in the hands of the writer, correspondence between old settlers, who were then holding claims on the prairie, it is evident that for awhile Captain Smith was suspicious of his agent and partner in this speculation, and feared that he might attempt to appropriate the up])er landing as an individual posses- sion. With the rush of immigration into the territory, Johnson's ideas were considerably inflated, and he apparently assumed the entire control of aifairs at Johnson's landing, but no evidence of treachery was ever developed. About the first of June Captain Smith brought up a surveyor from Iowa, whose services he secured to lay out a town at the upper landing. To John Ball, United States deputy surveyor, he in- trusted the business of laying off and plotting claim No. 4 into lots, streets, etc. The original survey of the town plat of what is now Winona was accordingly made by John Ball for the proprietors. Smith and Johnson. No government survey of lands had been made on the west side of the river by which to locate the plat of the new town. Mr. Ball took its bearings from a point established by government surveyors CKYSTALLIZATION. 265 on the opposite side of the river. Its location was described by him as follows: "From the northwest corner of Block 9, the meander post in Wisconsin on the Mississippi river, between Sees. 1 and 6, T. 18 K, E. 10 and 11 W., 4th M., bears 35° east, 39 chains distant. " After due consideration of the matter it was decided to lay off the streets parallel with and at right angles to the river, which at this place runs a little south from an east course (21° south of east). It therefore became necessary that the boundaries should be estab- lished satisfactorily with the holders of the adjoining claims. Each of the chiims along the river were half a mile square. The division lines between them were a direct nortli and south course. The corner 'stake between No. 4, the Johnson claim, and No. 3, the Stevens claim, stood on the bank of tlje river, about midway between Walnut and Market streets. The corner stake between No. 4 and No. 5, the Hamilton claim, stood on the bank of the river about midway between Winona and Huff streets. Several days were spent in general measurements and negotia- tions before the boundaries of the plat were established, extending on the river from the corner stake of the Stevens claim to the center of Washington street, and running back to the center of Wabasha street. The proprietors of the claims on the river wei-e to retain their rights to their claims as originally made without regard to the survey and plat made by Mr. Ball. The boundary line on Wabasha street was established by special agreement with the holders of the claims on the south. An agree- ment, made a matter of record, is as follows : Thi.s article of agreement, made this fifteenth day of June, a.d. Eigliteen hundred and fift\-tvvo, Between A\'m. B. Crere and Erwin Johnson, both of the Countj' of Wabashaw and Territory of Minnesota, Witnesseth : That the said (parties) do hereby agree and bind ourselves to abide by the following specified stipulations in regard to boundary or division line between their respective claims on the Prairie of Wabashaw. The street designated on the Town Plot as Broadway shall be the division line between said claims as far as said Gere's extends, and furthermore the lots in the next Block or Blocks south of and bordering on Broadway shall be equally divided between said Gere and Johnson, and after said Gere has the same measurement of land south of said division Block as said Johnson has north of said division Block, the remaining strip of land bordering on the lake shall be equally divided between the said parties. In witness whereof we have herewith set our hands and seals. In presence of 1 Wm. B. Gere. [seal] John Ball. J E. Johnson. [seal] 266 HISTORY OF WINONA COTNTY. The boundaries between the claims on the river and those in tlie rear were irreguhir and "a great deal mixed." To illustrate their relation to each other: The original claims on the river began at a certain stake or starting point on the bank of the river, thence running south half a mile to a corner stake ; thence west half a mile to a corner stake; thence north to the bank of the river to a corner stake ; thence east along the bank of the river to the place of beginning. As the line of the river bank is about 21° south of east, it is readily seen that the west line was much the longest, and that the boundaries described included more that 160 acres of land. The claim adjoining on the west, if defined in the same manner, will not extend as far south on its east line as the western boundary of the first described. The irregularity of these boundaries on the soutli produced corresponding irregularities in the claims in the rear, which were sources of claim difficulties and contentions. In a matter arising from this peculiarity of claim boundaries Henry D. Huff narrowly escaped the loss of his life in the spring of 1854. Mr. Huff was then the proprietor of claim No. 5, the Hamil- ton claim. The land in the rear of the east eighty acres was held by George H. Sanborn. The land south of the west eighty was occupied by Elijah Silsbee. ' With the consent of Mr. Sanborn, but in opposition to Mr. Silsbee's claim rights, Mr. Huff attempted to change the original line of his claim on the south, and make it parallel with the river, or with the line of the streets. To accomplish this, he proposed to mark his boundary by a furrow extending from the southwest corner of the Johnson claim, No, 4, to the southwest corner of his own claim. No. 5. He sent his team with a plow to mark the line, and take possession by breaking and cultivation. Mr. Silsbee had previously marked his boundaries by a single furrow with a plow. When the team of Mr. Huff approached this furrow, Silsbee stopped them, and, threatening the driver with his gun, drove him off. He then stood guard to prevent any further attempts to trespass on his rights. The tract of land in dispute was but three or four acres. It was not so much the amount or value involved as it was what he supposed to be disregard of tlie rights of others that aroused the angry passions of Silsbee. It was not alone the protection of property, but an impulsive resistance of what he considered arbitrary oppression. CRYSTALLIZATION. 269 Learning the state of affairs from the teamster, Mr. Huff went back on the prairie toward where Silsbee had stationed himself. As he approached the furrow which marked the original claim line Silsbee ordered him to halt, and bringing his gun to his shoulder called to him not to cross the furrow, that he would shoot him if he attempted. Fearless, and paying no attention to the order to halt, Mr. Huff continued to advance, and crossed the furrow. Approaching in a confident manner he said, " You do not intend to shoot me, do you?" Silsbee replied, "I do," and taking deliberate aim fired upon him. The gun was a double-barrel fowling-piece, owned by M. Wheeler Sargeant, which Silsbee had borrowed. Both ban-els were heavily loaded with fine shot and small gravel stones. The con- tents of one barrel were lodged in Mr., Huff's left side and arm. Fortunately, he had a large pocket-book filled with closel^'-folded papers in the breast-pocket of his inner coat, and both coats but- toned close. Nearly the whole charge lodged in the pocket-book. A part of the missiles were burrowed in the muscles of his chest and left arm. Mr. Huff was knocked down and disabled by the shock and injuries received. He was taken home, and was under the care of a surgeon for several weeks. No serious results followed the in- juries. He readily recovered. Silsbee was immediately arrested, and after an examination before a justice of the peace he was bound over for trial at the next term of the United States court, and released on bail. On account of some informality no court was held that year. The fol- lowing year the case was continued over on account of serious sick- ness of Silsbee. In the meantime Mr. Huff purchased the Silsbee claim, and the matter was permitted to pass without legal action in court. With the proceeds of the sale of his claim Mr. Silsbee, with Charles S. Hamilton as partner, opened a store on the corner of Center and Front streets, where a warehouse now stands, and for awhile he was considered to be a respectable citizen, but for many years previous to his death, which occurred about ten or twelve years ago, he was an outcast in community. It is said by an old settler that when the town plot was first made by John Ball the present levee was laid off into blocks, num- 16 270 HISTORY OF VVLNONA COUNTY. beivd from 1 to 6, and divided into lots, but tliat the plan was changed by the special directions of Capt. Smith and a r»ublic levee substituted. The high water of that season overflowed the bank as far as the south side of Front street, making the water-lots of less immediate value in the estimation of the proprietors. The landing was one of the important items of the claim with Caj)t. Smith, and he was desirous of making it available to its greatest extent. It is to Capt. Smith that the city of Winona is indebted for the commodious levee it now holds. It was the pride of its citizens before it was deformed and crippled by railroad tracks and other modern improvements, and suffered to wear and waste away from neglect of attention by those whose duty it is to protect and care for it. Blocks 1 and 6 on the river were reserved from the public levee and divided into lots as plotted. It is said that this was done by Mr. Huff before the plot was recorded. Block 1 contained but three lots belonging to Smith and Johnson ; the other two, lots 1 and 2, belonged to the Stevens claim. When the town site of Smith and Johnson was surveyed and plotted by John Ball, United States deputy surveyor, it was given the name of Montezuma, by E. H. Johnson. He was afterward extremely tenacious of the name, and strongly opposed the sub- stitution of Winona. No record was made of the plot until the following year. Wabasha county had no county records. In 1853, when Fillmore county (which also included this county) was created and regularly organized, the plot was recorded. Henry D. Huff bought an interest in this town site in 1853, and also had claim No. 5 surveyed and plotted as a part of the town. In a newspaper article, published several years ago, Mr. Huff said relative to this matter, "The town proper had been surveyed, plotted and named Montezuma by Smith and Johnson. With the consent of Capt. Smith I erased the name of Montezuma and inserted the name of Winona on the plot, and paid Mr. Stoll, of Minneowah, for recording the same as Winona. I found out after- ward that the name Montezuma was retained on the record, and asked Mr. Stoll why he ])ut in the name of Montezuma when it did not ap})ear on the plot. He Siiid Johnson wanted it Montezuma, so he recorded it Montezuma, adding a note that the proprietors had changed it to Winona." During the early part of this season another town site was CRYSTALLIZATION. 271 located in this county. The location selected was along the river just above what is now the village of Homer — the claim purchased of Peter Gorr by Timothy Burns. This town site did not include BunnelPs landing, but extended from Bunnell's claim up the river along the bluffs. It was on the "main land," two or three miles below "that bar in the river," Wabasha prairie. A stock company was organized. There were eight shares valued at $200 each. The stockholders and proprietors were Timothy Burns, lieutenant-governor of "Wisconsin, residing at La Crosse, Willard B. Bunnell, of Bunnell's landing, Isaac Van Etten, Charles W. Borup, Charles H. Oakes, Alexander Wilkin, Justus C. Ramsey and William L. Ames, of St. Paul. This company was a strong and influential one, and with the exception of Bunnell they were all men of considerable capital. With them their investments here were wholly matter of specula- tion. It was supposed to be a "good thing," and strong efforts were made by them to build up a town that would successfully compete with Capt. Smith's claims for the business of the interior when the back country should become settled. Soon after' Smith and Johnson had their town site plotted the speculation began to be developed, and in July this rival town was surveyed and plotted by Isaac Thompson for the proprietors, and the name of Minneowah given to it. This name is of the Dakota language. It was selected by the proprietors of the new town, and not given to the locality by the Sioux. It is not now known whether the Indians had a name designative of this place or not. None was ever known by any of the settlers. The literal transla- • tion of the name Minneowah is ' ^ Falling Water. " In a description of the Falls of St. Anthony by the Rev. John A. Merrick, an Episcopal clergyman at St. Paul, published about the 1st of January, 1852, he says, "By the Dahcota or Sioux Indians they are called 'Minne-ha-hah,' or ' Minne-ra-ra, ' (Laughing Water,) and also 'Minne-owah' (Falling Water) — general expressions applied to all waterfalls." The historical address of M. Wheeler Sargeant, from which extracts have been made, says, "The town contained 318 lots; consequently at that early day looked quite imposing on paper — still more so on the spot; for at letist one half of it was 400 feet above the river and of w-g^r^y perpendicular access; * * * and for the 272 IlISTOJiY OF WINONA COUNTY. next year it was by far the most ])retentious place below St. Paul. * * * Except the unimj)ortant items of locality, buildings and inhabitants, it had all the characteristics of a great cityy The plot was put into i»iarket at St. Paul and lots were bought ajid sold, without knowledge of their locality — whether on the table along the river or on the bluff above. Not much was done there by way of improvements until the following year. In the spring of 1853 a large hotel was built by the proprietors — much the largest and best building on the west side of the river below St. Paul. For awhile Minneowah was truly a rival town, and strongly contested with Montezuma for public attention. Its advan- tages of h)cation "on the main land," over that "sand-bar," liable to overflow any year, were loudly proclaimed, and its prospects were for awhile apparently promising. The hotel was opened, and steamboats landed passengers who were prospecting for locations. Stores were built and goods brought on, — dwellings commenced, but dividends for the sale of lots were unknown ; the expense column was much the heaviest. The origi- nal stockholders divided up their shares and generously allowed others to hold stock in Minneowah. Among the new proprietors who became residents were Myron Toms, who, while living in St. Paul, purchased a half-share. H. B. Stoll purchased a halt-share from Mr. Yan Etten. James F. Toms, Charles G. Waite and others became proprietors. Peter Burns held an interest as successor of his brother Timothy Burns, whose death occurred about this time. He was the only shareholder who claimed to have made anything from the transaction. He says that when the prospects of success were the most flattering he sold his interest to the other proprietors for $4,000, and went back to La Crosse. An addition to Minneowah was surveyed and plotted for Bun- nell, Stoll and John Lavine. This addition was principally suburban lots of from five to ten acres eacli for residence property. It was located above the original town, extending along the bluffs to the mouth of Pleasant valley. Mr. Lavine occupied this land and held it as a claim. Among the early residents of Minneowah was the Hon. C. F. Buck, of the town of Winona, then a young lawyer just starting in business. Mr. Buck came here about the first of September, 1853, and remained until 1856, when he moved to Winona. Charles M. Lovel, of Fillmore county, was for awhile a merchant here and CRYSTALLIZATION. 273 carried on considerable of a trade. There were many others who were temporary residents of that locality. A man by the name of Dougherty remained there for several years. The town plot of Minneowah was never recorded. It.was placed on tile in the office of the register of deeds of Fillmore county, while Mr. Stoll was register and had his office at Minneowah. In 1855 Myron Toms, holding power of attorney from the proprietors, with- drew the plot from the files for the purpose of entering the land as a claim. The town site of Minneowah was then unknown on any record. It was said that this was done to onst some of the propri- etors and holders of lots, but the location was jumped by some of the citizens residing there wIto filed their claims in the United States land office as actual settlers on the land. The matter was contested, but the resident settlers held their claims as homesteads. Mr. Dougherty drew the hotel and a store with his share of the spoils. The stockholders and owners of lots lost all right and title to the locality. The commercial town "on the main land " vanished. Minneowah is now known only by tradition to the residents of the county. ' Willard B. Bunnell, one of the original stockholders of Minneo- wah, the resident proprietor, was, in the beginning, the most zqalous and active of the company in his efforts to build up this town, and gave most of his time and attention to the scheme, but later he learned he was but a tool in the hands of his more experienced and wealthy associates. The professional town-site speculators were "too much" for the little Indian trader. He became a silent part- ner in the concern for awhile, and then relinquished his share to the others. No one intimately acquainted with Will Bunnell had reason to doubt the sincerity of his belief that Wabasha prairie had been entirely flooded, and was liable to be again submerged in extreme high water. This idea he imbibed from his belief at that time in many of the traditions and some of the superstitions of the Indians, although he was a man of intelligence and of some acquirements. Notwithstanding his active, restless temperament and impulsive manners, he was popular with his acquaintances. He was a genial, social companion, and a gentleman when frontier sociability was not carried to excess. About the first of June, 1852, John Burns brought his family into the territory of Minnesota and settled in this county. He located 274 IIISTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY. himself in the mouth of the valley to which his name was afterward given, and which is now known as "Burns Valley." Plis family then consisted of his wife, three daughters — Mary, "Maggie," Elicia — and his son William. Elicia died not long after she came here. Mr. Burns had, prior to this, been a resident of the State of Wisconsin, living near Mineral Point, where he had been engaged in farming and stock-raising. On his anival here, he landed at Bunnell's landing, with all of his household goods, farming imple- ments, and a large herd of cattle, horses, hogs, fowls, etc., to transport all of which Mr. Burns used to say he had to charter the Nominee for the trip. He moved direct from the landing to his claim, where, instead of the ordinary claim shanty, the family found a home ready to receive them. They never had any experience of shanty life in Minnesota. The claim on which Mr. Burns settled was selected for him by his son, Timothy Burns, lieutenant-governor of Wisconsin. The claim was chosen early in the fall of 1851, soon after the treaty with the Sioux for the sale of their lands, on the west side of the Missis- sippi. During the winter, about the first of February, Mr. Burns came up the river on the ice, with the mail carrier, to see the loca- tion in the Indian country, which he had been notified had been selected for him as a stock fai'm and family homestead. After stopping a few days at La Crosse to visit his sons, Timothy and Peter Burns, he came up to look at the claim and found it to be a choice satisfactory to himself. He decided to secui-e it and bring his family on in the spring. Making his headquarters at Bunnell's, he took possession of the claim and proceeded to get out timber with which to build a frame house on it in the spring. AbAut the first of April he returned home, going down the river on the Nominee, then on her first trip. He left his claim in the care of his sons in La Crosse. The special charge of the claim was under the watchful eye of W. B. Bunnell, whose sister was the wife of Peter Burns. Tt was tlirough the aid of Bunnell that the claim was first selected and held. Early in the spring Timothy Burns had a house built on this claim for his father. It was at that time the best building in southern Minnesota. It was a commodious but rather old-fashioned farm- house. The frame was of oak timber with posts and braces, covered with a shingled roof, the sides clapboarded and painted. It was I CRYSTALLIZATION. 275 into this house, just completed, that Mr. Burns moved his family about the first of June. Its pleasant location among the large old oaks on the bank of the stream gave it a cozy and homelike appearance. This house was occupied by Mr. Burns and his family for several years, until it took fire from some defect in the chimney and burned to the ground with the most of its contents. He then built another house on the site of the first, which it somewhat resembles in gen- eral external appearance, although its internal arrangements are of more modern style. This building is yet standing, and is used as the farm residence of the occupant of the land. Mr. Burns opened up a farm on his claim, but gave his attention principally to stock-raising and the dairy. The early settlers were for man}^ years greatly dependent on Mr. Burns for good,, fresh butter, eggs and chickens, while Mr. Burns furnished them fresh beef from his herd. The claim and vicinity furnished an extensive range for his cattle, and afforded unlimited meadows of grass-land for their winter's supply of hay. His surplus of the farm always found ready sale on Wabasha prairie or with the immigrants that came into the county to settje. When Mr. Burns first took possession of his claim he obtained permission of the Sioux to occupy the land, cut the timber and build a house on it. For this permit he gave the Indians two barrels of flour and a barrel of pork. This he paid under the impression and with the belief that he was purchasing their rights to the land. He always after maintained that he bought his claim from their chief Wabasha, and that no one had a better right to it than himself. At the time he took possession there were two or three large Indian tepees standing in the vicinity of where his house was built. They were about 15x20, of the same style and structure as those found on Wabasha prairie and in the mouth of Gilmore valley. This locality was the special home of Wabasha and his family rela- tives when living in this vicinity. It was sometimes called Wabasha's garden by the old settlers. Quite a number of Indian graves were on these grounds. Nearly in front of the farmhouse there were two or three graves of more modern burial lying side by side. These were said to be the last resting-place of some of Wabasha's relatives. The Sioux made a special request of Mr. Burns and his family that these graves should not be disturbed. This Mr, Burns promised, and the little 276 HISTORY OF WINONA COT^NTY. mounds, covered with billets of wood, were never molested, although they were in his garden and not far from his house. For many years they remained as they were left by the Indians, until the wood by which they were covered had rotted away entirely. A light fi-ame or fence of poles put there by Mr. Burns always covered the locality during his lifetime. For several years after Mr. Burns located here the Sioux who visited this part of the territory were accustomed to make it their camping- grounds. Although tliey were unwelcome visitors, and their arrival always dreaded by the female portion of the family, Mr. Burns was never annoyed by their presence, — they were never troublesome. To allay any demonstrations of timidity on the part of Mrs. Burns or her daughters, he would chidingly remark, "Sure ye have no cause for fear, — didn't I buy the land from old Wabasha himself — and pay him his own price for it too — a barrel of pork and two barrels of flour { They will not harm ye — don't be bothering about the Indians, now." Mr. Burns never lost anything by the Indians. His property was never disturbed, and in but one particular were they ever familiar or assumed possession of anything without permission. During the first season Mr. Burns had a field of corn and pumpkins on new breaking. The corn was a poor crop, but the pumpkins were plentiful. Thinking to make some contributions to them, Mrs. Burns gave tlie squaws permission to take all the pumpkins they desired. The squaws helped themselves liberally. Every season afterward the squaws made an annual visit and swarmed into Mr. Burns' cornfields. They carried off "• Mrs. Burns' pumpkins," but left the corn for the blackbirds to forage on. Mr. Burns wa^! appointed a justice of the peace, by Gov. Ram- sey, not long after he came here. He was the second justice of the ])eace appointed in Wabasha county ; the first was T. K. Allen, of Minnesota City. He held the position until his successor was elected in the fall of 1853. "The rich Irish brogue " plainly revealed the Milesian origin of Mr. Burns. Ilis quaint expressions are pleasantly remembered by his friends and acquaintances. As a justice of the peace his court was a session of comic drollery that was heartily enjoyed by the set- tlers. His rulings and decisions were given from an intuitive and imjmlsive feeling of right and justice, rather than from his compre- hension of the law governing the cases. His honesty of purpose RESPECTABILITY. 277 was never questioned ; as a citizen he had the respect of the early settlers. Mr, Burns, his wife, and their daughter Elicia, died on their farm in the mouth of Burns valley, — *on the claim where they settled in 1853. Mrs. Burns died in September, 1860, Mr. Burns in March, 1870. The homestead is yet in possession of one of the family. It is owned by Miss Maggie Burns, one of their daughters. Mary, the other daughter, is now known as Mrs. E. S. Smith, of the city of Winona. An interesting family of sons and daughters, young ladies and gentlemen, now call her "mother." "Bill" Burns has gone west. CHAPTER XXVIII. RESPECTABILITY. Among the settlers on Wabasha prairie during the early part of the summer of 1852 were the Rev. Hiram S. Hamilton and his son Charles S. Hamilto^j, who arrived about the first of June. After exploring the prairie in search of claims, without settling on any, they made choice of one across the slough at the foot of the Sugar- Loaf Bluff, where they built a small claim shanty and commenced pioneer life. Finding the location a lonesome and unpleasant one, they moved their shanty and housekeeping material over on the prairie, and put it up^on the bank of the river — on a mound at about what is now the foot of Main street. » After living on the levee for a short time, they moved into the shanty on claim No. 2 — the claim held by Caleb Nash. While living there, H. S. Hamilton acquired possession of the claim, and soon after built a house on the bank of the river, a little way above where the saw-mill of the Winona Lumber Company now stands. He here located himself with his family, consisting of his wife and two sons, Charles S. and Eugene, and made it his home for about ten years, when he sold his property on Wabasha prairie to Henry D. Huff and moved on a farm in the southeast part of Wisconsin, where he died a few years ago. Rev. Hiram S. Hamilton, or, as he was most commonly called, "Elder Hamilton," was a prominent and well-known citizen of this 278 IIISTOKY OF WINONA COTTNTY. county in the pioneer days of its settlement. Through his influence very many of the early settlers came into the territ<)ry, and a large number of his relations and personal friends, as well as strangers, were induced to settle in this county, many oi them on Wabasha prairie, now the city of Winona. Mr. Hamilton was a gentleman of liberal education, of fine personal appearance, pleasing and entertaining in his manners, but of (piiet, unobtrusive habits. He was a Congregational minister, and had preached for many years before he came here. On account of ])Oor health he resigned his position as pastor of a churcli in Dubuque and came to Minnesota, expecting to be benefited by the change of climate and locality. At Dubuque he was popular with his congregation and held in high esteem as a citizen. During his residence in Minnesota he was popular as a preacher and respected by the early settlers, amcmg whom he had many warm friends who knew him personally, many who now hold pleasant recollection and retain that respect to his memory. From the time he first landed on Wabasha prairie until after the society of the Congregational church -was organized, of which he was the pastor, he preached quite regularly to attentive congrega- tions of mixed religious ideas and beliefs. His well written and impressively delivered sermons were interesting and instructive, and were always listened to with respectful attention. Their influence helped to maintain a moral restraint over the community of unorganized citizens, of a locality in which uncertain public opinion was the controlling law. His services were gratuitously disposed, but were n(me the less valued or beneficial in the settlement. Although Elder Hamilton lawfully came in possession of and lawfully held claim No. 2, the circumstances and manner by which the claim was secured caused a feeling of opposition from interested individuals, which, for a time, threatened to lessen his influence as a teacher or adviser, but public opinion indorsed his action in the matter. His po[)ularity as a preacher was maintained, and his reputation as a citizen was unimpaired by the transaction. The charges against him by his opponents were, that he had taken possession of and held the claim regai-dless of the rights of others ; that in his proceedings in the matter he had laid aside his "Sunday clothes" and descended to the level of other settlers, and "jumped the claim." Claim jumping was not considered as a crimirfal offense in public RESPEOTABILITy. 279 opinion if sustained by the laws governing claims. The wrorig, if any was committed, was generally forgiven and forgotten by the public if the attempt was successful, and particularly if the claim proved to be valuable. Some incidents relative to the change of proprietors of claim No. 2 will be given to show the circumstances under which it was jumped. Charles S. Hamilton was about seventeen or eighteen years of age when he came here with his father. He was a reckless, dashing and rather fast young man, inclined to be inconsiderate and forward in .his manners. He was brought here to withdraw him from the evil influences of "young America" in Dubuque. Although "gassy" and volatile, Charlie was not considered a vicious boy, and for awhile he was a general favorite with the settlers, — his restless freedom was more amusing than offensive. Many things were over- looked because he was Elder Hamilton's son. Without occupation he amused himself in hunting and fishing and in explorations of the country. He studied the mystery of claims among the groups of settlers who gathered to discuss this general topic of conversation.. Learning the history, condition and approximate value at which every claim was held, he became interested in the idea of forming a stock company and laying out another town site on the Nash claim. Nash had made his claim under the instructions of Johnson, and held it under his directions and patronage, hardly conscious that it was his own by right. I^owing this condition of the claim, Charlie proposed his plan to Johnson and W. B. Gere, who favored the scheme. Johnson readily induced Nash to enter into an arrange- ment with them and become one of the company. The plan proposed was, that Nash should transfer his claim to the new company for a specified consideration, when it was to be surveyed and plotted for the company, composed of E. H. Johnson, W. B. Gere, Caleb Nash and Charles S. Hamilton. To secure equal rights and privilege^ to the proprietors, the services of a lawyer in La Crosse were secured, to draw up all necessary papers, by making him also one of the stockholders. As a preliminary movement, a quit-claim deed was drawn u]), transferring all of the right and interest of Nash in the claim to Johnson and Co. This deed was given to Charlie Hamilton, to pro- cure the signature of Nash. Except a nominal consideration, the payment of the full amount agreed upon was postponed until the company was organized. 280 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. To get the signature of Nash to this quit-claim deed Cliarlie went to " (roddard's," where Nash was then stopping, laid up on ac- count of sickness. On learning the object of his visit Mrs. Goddard advised Nash against signing any papers until he received the money down for his claim. Her advice was unheeded. Charlie Hamilton's "representations that "it was all right" — "only to show that he meant business, so that they could organize the com- pany " — induced Nash to sign his name. In narrating this occurrence "Aunt Catharine" said, "I sup- pose tlie boys thought I did not know anything about business, but poor Nash was sorry enough afterward that he did not listen to me, when I told him he was giving his claim away." The deed was given into the hands of the "attorney of the com- pany," at La Crosse, for safe keeping. To secure the claim and pre- vent Nash or anyone else from attempting to get possession, it was proposed to allow Elder Hamilton to occupy the claim, and utilize him as a tool in the affair. H. S. Hamilton and Charlie were then living in their shanty on the public levee. By " request of the company," he was induced to move into and occupy the Nash shanty until the necessary papers were made out and the company were ready for business. He ac- cordingly took possession, sent for his family and made it his home. He thus became an actual settler on the claim, and its sole possessor in full conformity with the laws governing claims. The "joint stock company" lost all right, title and interest in the claim they had induced Nash to transfer to them. Neither the company nor individuals of the company were ever able to dispossess Mr. Hamilton, or obtain remuneration for the losses resulting from this failure of their scheme, although several suits at law were brought to recover damages. Some effort was made to arouse sym- pathy for Nash, whose claim, it was reported, had been jumped by Elder Hamilton, but without avail. The settlers generally under- stood the matter and took sides with the elder. H. S. Hamilton' afterward obtained a quit-claim deed direct from Caleb Nash, giving him a reasonable compensation for it, although he had previously relinquished his rights to it to Johnson and Co. It is said of Nash, by those who knew him, that he was an industrious and well-disposed young man, of very moderate acquire- ments. He had unlimited confidence in Johnson, who really held the claim through him and actually controlled it. Caleb Nash left RESPECTABILITY. 281 Wabasha prairie and went down the river in tlie spring of 1853. It is not known that he ever returned to the territory. Rev. H. S. Hamilton held quiet possession of claim No. 2, now known as ''Hamilton's addition," until about the time of the public land sale, when he became involved in another "difference" rela- tive to it, which eventually resulted in bringing about a division of the Congregational church, by the withdrawal of a part of its mem- bers and an organization of another society, the Presbyterian church . When Henry C. Gere brought his family to Wabasha prairie he attempted to take possession of the Stevens claim, but was prevented by the decisive opposition of Mr. Stevens and his friends. Profess- ing to have a just right to the claim, he was not satisfied to let the matter rest. Not daring to attempt a forcible entry on the land, and as there was no legal authority to appeal to, Mr. Gere made applica- tion to the Wabasha Protection Club for aid to secure possession. A majority of the members of the claim club were non-residents, living in La Crosse. The constitution and by-laws of the club, to which every member was required to affix his signature, provided that all questions of difference relative to claims should be examined by a committee of three appointed by the club for that purpose, who were required to make a report of their action to that body for its final decision. Each party was entitled to counsel and allowed to present witnesses. Mr. Gere's appeal was duly referred to a special committee for investigation. After numerous adjourned meetings, at which the parties appeared with their attorneys and witnesses, without arriving at a decision, it was agreed to submit the matter to arbitrators. The referees were Jacob S. Denman, of Wabasha prairie, and F. M. Rublee, of La Crosse. Attorneys and witnesses came up from La Crosse two or three times to attend this arbitration court before an agreement could be effected. The case was finally settled by the parties consenting to divide the claim between them,— Silas Stevens to retain the west eighty acres, and the east eighty was to be given up to Henry C. Gere. It was said that the sympathies of the members of the club and of the referees were on the side of Gere. Mr. Gere was a large, fine-looking man of social habits and pleasing manners, a smooth talker that could represent his own side of the question. He was a 28'2 IIISTOHY OF WINONA COUNTY. poor man aiul liad a large fainily dei)endc'nt on his individual efforts for their support. Mr. Stevens was supposed to have considerable capital which he was using in speculations. He was not a popular man with settlers in a new country. He was a rigid church member, a strict and zealous temperance man, and in ])olitics an abolitionist from the old whig ])arty. He was a man firm in his own opinions and in liis own ideas of right, and was self-reliant in all of his business affairs. He discouraged familiarity and but few comprehended him as a man. Silas Stevens was a native of the State of New York, born in 1799 ; in 1829 removed to Pennsylvania ; in 1840 moved to Illinois, driving through with his own teams ; in 1841 settled on a farm in Lake county, Illinois. In the spring of 1851, leaving the management of his farm to his son Wm. II. Stevens, then a young man living with his mother and sister on the homestead, he visited the upper* Mississippi for the purpose of making investments. He stopped at La Crosse, where he o])ened a lumber yard and speculated in real estate, claims, etc. — moderately and carefully, never indulging in wild schemes. It was through Mr. Stevens that Gere came to La Crosse, where he placed him with his fkmily on a claim to hold until a sale could be effected. Mr, Stevens furnished the supplies, and, with the men employed in his lumber yard, boarded with the family. He also employed Gere in his lumber yard as salesman, where Gere's pre- tentious style led many to suppose that he was the responsible head in the business. In Illinois both Stevens and Gere were zealous members of the same church. In La Crosse Mr. Gere found different society. The free and easy sociability and western style of speculation to which he was introduced, suited his active temperament and visionary style of business. Early in the winter Gere attempted to secure the claim he was holding for Mr. Stevens, but was prevented by Mr. Stevens entering it at the land office before Gere could file his pre-emption papers. From this transaction Mr. Stevens lost confidence in Gere, and all friendshij) ceased. He dissolved all association, .for Gere had represented that they were partners in their business transactions. Mr. George W. Clark, who was in Mr. Stevens' employ at that time, says he never heard of a partnership between the two men. Gere took charge of business when Mr. Stevens was temporarily KESPECTABILITY. 283 absent. Mr. Stevens once bought a rait of lumber on wliicli he was given thirty days' time. Being asked for an indorser, he, for form's sake, asked Gere to sign the note with him. The security was satisfactory and the note was paid by Mr. Stevens when due. Mr. Stevens retained tlie half of the claim which he had made in good faith for himself, in the fall previous. The other half as justly belonged to him. Pie submitted to this division as a final settlement of all difficulties with Gere. The west eighty of the original Stevens claim is now known as Stevens' addition. Leaving his affairs in Minnesota in the hands of his son, W. H. Stevens, Silas Stevens continued his speculations elsewhere for a year or two longer, when he made arrangements to locate perma- nently in Winona, but never accomplished this design. While on his way here from Galena with horses, traveling by land, he was taken with cliolera and died after a few hours' sickness. His death occurred at Fayette, La Fayette county, Wisconsin, on July 20, 1854. His wife and daughter had already moved to Winona, where they made it their home while living. His daughter was the wife of H. C. Bolcom, a well known citizen, who came here in 1854. Wm. H. Stevens is the oldest settler now living on Wabasha prairie, the oldest inhabitant of the city of Winona. Norman B. Stevens, an older brother, came here in 1856, and is now living in the city of Winona. After the death of Silas Stevens the Stevens claim passed into the possession of W. H. Stevens. He sold an undivided interest in it to Wm. Ashley Jones and E. S. Smith. It was surveyed into lots and streets on the same scale as the original town site of Smith and Johnson, and designated as Stevens' addition. AVm. H. Stevens has been interested in many of the enterprises by which the city of Winona has been developed. He has held several official positions. In the fall of 1853 he was elected justice of the peace. He has served as deputy sheriff. In later years he was a member of the board of education. In 1872 and in 1873 he was a member of the state legislature as senator from the eighth district in Winona county. Mrs. Stevens, the wife of Wm. H. Stevens, was an early settler in this county. She came here in 1852 and lived in tlie colony at Eolling Stone with her relatives. She is a sister of Mrs. S. D. Putman and of S. A. and O. H. Houk, who were members of the association. In the fall and winter of that year Mrs. Stevens (then 284 HISTORY OF WINONA COTNTY. Miss " Hetty " Ilouk) taught the first district school at Minnesota city that was ever held in southern Minnesota ; she also taught the lirst district school ever opened in the city of "Winona, in the fall of 1854. About July 1, 1852, Byron A. Viets came up from La Crosse with a small drove of cattle, principally cows and young stock. He landed them on Wabasha prairie, where he was successful in disposing of his entire herd to the settlers on the prairie and at Rolling Stone. In a trade with Johnson he purchased two or three lots in the town plot. This was the first sale of lots after the claim was surveyed and plotted ; the first sale of real estate in the new town or village of Montezuma,, now city of Winona. One of these lots, purchased by Mr. Viets, was lot 2, block 10, on Front street ; another was lot 4, block 14. The quit-claim deeds by which the title to these lots was transferred from Smith and Johnson to Byron A. Yiets, were placed on record in the oflSce of the register of deeds of "Washington county at Stillwater, the county seat. Mr. Yiets also bought a claim of eighty acres lying between the claim held by Wm. B. Gere and the one held by Elijah Silsbee. It was early discovered that the Beecher-Cxere claim was an expansive one, covering more territory than allowed by law, 'and S. K. Thompson gave notice that he had selected a claim in that locality, but he failed to protect it by improvements. It was in nominal possession of several difJerent persons who jumped it one from another, while each failed to occupy it. Early in the summer Isaac W. Simonds came up from La Orosse and took possession of it. It was said that he was in the employ of Peter Burns. To show that it was a claim held by a bona fide settler, he planted a few potatoes and cultivated a small patch of ground. This garden spot was in the vicinity of where the State Normal School now stands. It was generally understood among the settlers that this was Thompson's claim, although he had not occupied it, — he was living with John Evans at the time. In the absence of Simonds at La Crosse, where he made his home, Thompson took possession by building the customary log pen, and with the aid of John Evans held it for a short time. To settle this claim dispute, it was agreed that Thompson and Simonds should hold the land jointly or divide it between them. RESPECTABILITY. 287 Without the knowledge of Tliompson, Mr. Simonds traded off the claim to Mr. Viets, and gave him possession. Thompson lost his interest without realizing anything from the sale. Mr. Yiets built a shanty on it, and on the 20th of July brought his family from La Crosse, and became an actual resident on the prairie. Having some surplus funds, Mr. Yiets at once made arrange- ments to improve his town lots. He decided to build a house for the accommodation of the traveling public on lot 2, block 10, front- ing on the levee. He brought up material and carpenters from La Crosse, and put up a building about 24 X 28, a story and a half high — a low porch extended across the front. It was afterward, in 1853, improved by the addition of a long one-story attachment in the rear for dining-room, kitchen, etc. This was at first known as "Yiets Tavern,'' then as the "Yiets House," but was better known to the early settlers as the " Winona Hotel," and later as the old " Winona House." This house was built in August. The roof was* the second on the prairie covered with shingles. The first was on the house of John Evans, on the Evans claim, the third was on the shanty built by Dr. Balcombe, and the fourth on the house built by Elder Ely, on the corner of Center and Second streets. In October the rooms in the lower part of the house were plastered. The first plastered rooms on the prairie were in the house of Elder Ely. Mr. Yiets occupied this tavern for about two months, when he leased it to David Olmsted for a private residence, and moved his family down to La Crosse to spend the winter. Late in this season Hon. David Olmsted, accompanied by a brother, arrived at Winona from Fort Atkinson, Iowa. They came through the country on the same trail Mr. Olmsted had traveled before when he accompanied the Winnebagoes on their removal from Iowa to Long Prairie, Minnesota. The trail was up through Money Creek valley, and along the divide between the Burns and Gilmore valley, on the old government trail leading down the ravine back of George W. Clark's residence. They traveled on foot frqm Fort Atkinson to Wabasha prairie, packing their camp supplies on a pony which they brought along. Mr. Olmsted then proposed to locate himself on Wabasha prairie and make it his home. He leased the Yiets House for a residence, and had some furniture sent on and stored there, but his wife re- mained east on a visit, and did not return until the following spring. / 2S8 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. In the meantime Mr. Olmsted changed his pUins and located in St. Paul. This part of the territory was always a favorite locality with Mr. Olmsted. He came to Winona in 1855, and made it his home while he remained in Minnesota. On occount of poor health he removed to Vermont, where he died of consumption in 1861. The memory of David Olmsted deserves more than this brief notice of one of the early settlers of this county, and if space permits farther reference will be made of his residence in this locality. In 1852, when David Olmsted leased the house of Mr. Viets, he placed it and the furniture stored there in the care of Edwin Hamil- ton, who lived alone in it during the winter. About the last of January, 1853, Mr. Yiets learned that a stranger was occupying his claim on Wabasha prairie that he bought of Simonds. He came up with liis wife to look after it. On arriving here, he found that a man by the name of Benjamin had jumped his claim, and was then in possession of it, professing to hold it as an abandoned claim. Mr. Viets, accompanied by Wm. B. Gere, went immediately to his shanty with their revolvers in their hands and requested the claim jumper to vacate the locality as soon as possible. Not being able to resist so urgent a request presented for his consideration, he hur- riedly left the claim and went back to La Crosse, where he had been living. It was said this man was in the employ of a Mr. Healy, for whom he had jumped the claim. In the spring Mr. Viets sold out all of his interest on Wabasha prairie and moved back to La Crosse, where he settled in La Crosse county. About the first of July, 1852, George M. Gere came up from La Crosse and settled on Wabasha prairie. He brought with him his wife and a very large family of children. He also brought up, with his household furniture, tools and material for a boot and shoe shop. He was the father of Wni. B. Gere, and brother of H. C. Gere. For temporary accommodation they went to the shant}' of H. C. Gere, where the two families lived together for a month or two. It was said that there were eighteen regular occupants of that little shanty, 12x16. The summer was dry and warm, and they found plenty of room outside without inconvenience. In September, when Mr. Den man closed out his mercantile business and moved out on his claim, Mr. Gere leased his house on La Fayette street and occupied it with his family during the winter. RESPECTABILITY. 289 He was a boot and shoe maker by trade, and occupied the front room of his residence as a shop. He here started the first shop in the county for the manufacture and repairs of boots and shoes of the settlers. The following spring he built a shanty on his son's claim. It stood on the south side of Wabasha street, back of where the high school building now stands. It was 16x32, one story with a shin- gled roof. He occupied this locality until he left Winona. Not long after Mr. Gere came into the territory he was appointed a justice of the jjeace for the county of Wabasha, by Gov, Ramsey. After Fillmore county was created he was continued in the same official position. He was also elected justice of the peace at the first election, in the fall of 1853. His shoe shop was his oflice and where he held his court. When he moved from the house belonging to Mr. Denman he built a small shop on the alley near the west side of La Fayette street, between Front and Second streets. His shop was a favorite lounging place for the settlers to while away an idle hour. His house was often used on Sundays for preaching and other religious exercises. Mr. Gere was a large, dignified appearing man, about fifty years of age. His intimate friends speak of him with respect, as being an intelligent, consistent and exemplary christian gentleman ; usually cheerful ; a good-humored, companionable man, who enjoyed a harmless joke and innocent sport, — one who did not consider it a sin to smile when pleased. Soon after Winona county was created Mr. Gere moved to Chat- field, then the county seat of Fillmore county. He left Winona about the first of July, 1854. During the spring and summer of 1852 Andrew Cole, a lawyer, living in La Crosse, made frequent visits to Wabasha prairie. These visits were to acquire a knowledge of the country, to form the acquaintance of the settlers, speculate in claims, and also to attend to pi-ofessional business. Although there were no courts of justice, nor even a county or- ganization, there was business for the lawyers in contesting the claim difficulties, which became frequent as soon as the settlers began to wrangle for what they considered to be the best claims or choicest locations. These claim disputes were sometimes brought before the claim clubs for settlement. It was important to have counsel who had some knowledge of claim laws. When justices 290 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. were appointed these claim disputes were for awhile tried before tliem, until it was discovered that, as matters relating to title in real estate, they were not under the jurisdiction of that court. In tlie fall Mr. Cole brought liis wife up from La Crosse and be- came a resident of Minnesota. He was the first lawyer to settle on Wabasha prairie — the first to settle in southern Minnesota for the practice of his profession. Being the only lawyer on the west side of the river, it was said that for the accommodation of his clients, he sometimes acted as counsel on both sides in the same suit, and at the same time acting as confidential adviser to the claim committee, or of the court, if matters of law were not clear to the inexperienced justices. The house he occupied was one built by E. H. Johnson, which stood on lot 4, block 10, fronting on the levee. It was a small one-story building about 16x24, with a lean-to on the back part of the east side about 10 X 12. This was the third house with plastered rooms. The roof was shingled. There were seven buildings with shingled roofs at the close of this year. Mr. Cole had his office in his residence. He occupied this place for three or four years, when he built a house on the corner of Fifth and Harriet streets, opposite the First Ward Park, where he lived during the remaining time of his residence in Winona. In about 1858 he went east and located himself in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he yet resides. When Fillmore county was created Mr. Cole was appointed judge of probate by Gov. Kamsey. He was the first official in that position in this part of the territory along the Mississippi. During the first three or four months after the settlement at Minnesota City was commenced, commendable zeal was exhibited by the members of the association at their meetings in providing for the general interest and future development of the colony. Matters of town organization, providing for public improvements — })ublic buildings, roads, bridges, etc., — were earnestly discussed and under- taken with a spirit of enterprise that was worthy of success. They were ambitious and desirous of having a newspaper pub- lished in the colony. A subscription was circulated, and quite a sum promised as a bonus and for its support, provided a paper was started and a printing-office established at Minnesota City. Mr. Haddock was a practical printer, and from the encouragement offered decided to make the attempt and bring on material for starting a LOOKING AROUND. 291 small weekly newspaper, to be called the "Minnesota City Standard." While east after his family, then living in the city of New York, he procured a press and material for a printing:office, which he brought along as far as Dubuque, where he was compelled to leave it in store for want of funds to pay freight. He never brought his press up the river. They decided to build a town hall : the lumber and material was purchased and brought on the grounds, but owing to sickness and its attendant misfortunes the project was abandoned and the mate- rial used for other purposes. The public spirit of the settlers of this colony would have made the association a success if the location had been a proper one. GHAPTEK XXIX. LOOKING AROUND. Eaely in the season prominent individuals from St. Paul visited the colony and made considerable effort to induce the members of the association to abandon Rolling Stone and locate themselves on the Minnesota river above St. Paul. It was said that Gov. Ramsey himself visited the colony for that purpose. Mr. Haddock was opposed to any movement of this kind, and his influence was such that no propositions for a change of locality were for a moment entertained. Mr. Haddock and the members of the association were under the impression that Minnesota City jvas on a navigable portion of the Mississippi, although the ofiicers of the steamboats refused to go up through Straight slough and establish a landing place for the colony. They early took into consideration the advantages that would arise from making Minnesota City the terminus of a wagon-road into the interior, between the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. A committee was appointed to explore the interior of the territory and "find the most feasible route for a wagon-road from Minnesota City to the Great Bend of the St. Peters river at the mouth of the Blue Earth," with instructions to note the quality of the land, water and timber observed on the route over which they might pass. The committee were each allowed a dollar a day to defray their expenses while on the survey. 292 JIISTOUY OF WmONA COUNTY. Tlie committee consisted of Robert Pike, jr., Isaac M. Noracong and William Stevens. Tliej left the colony on the 26tli of June and reached Traverse des Sioux on the 3d of July, where Mr. Pike was compelled to lay up from disability to travel. Mr. Noracong and Mr. Stevens completed the survey to the mouth of the Blue Earth river. Mr. Noracong stopped for a few days at Mankato to consult with the proprietors of the new town then but just starting at that place, and returned by another route across the country, accompanied by D. A. Robertson, one of the proprietors of Mankato. Mr. Pike and Mr. Stevens took passage on the Black Hawk down the Minnesota river to St. Paul, and from there to Wabasha prairie, and thence by land to Minnesota City. Mr. Pike drew up a report of the expedition, which was indorsed by Mr. Stevens, and presented it to the association as the report of the committee. It was formally accepted. Neither this report made b}^ Mr. Pike nor a copy of it can now be found. It is said to hilve been a fair description of the country over which they passed, and recommended the route by way of Faribault to Traverse des Sioux as practicable for either a wagon-road or for a railroad at a com- paratively moderate expense. On his return, Mr, Noracong ])resented his report recommending a more southern route to Mankato. He found that the report made by Mr. Pike had been adopted, the matter disposed of and the committee discharged. The report of Mr. Noracong was listened to, but no action was taken by the association. The report, in the handwriting of Mr. Noracong, has been preserved by the Hon. O. M. Lord. The following was copied from it : Started June 26, 1852, and went to Mr. Sweet's claim on Rolling Stone prairie, a distance of about twelve miles; course south of west. June 27, 7 a.m. From Sweet's took a south course one and a-half miles, and then a west course across a fine prairie to a grove of burr-oak timber, where we found a fine spring of water discharging itself in a sink ; this place was claimed by Mr. Hollyer. From thence took a west course and at noon came to a spring brook, and thence, after going a short distance came to a branch of the White Water running to the north. Continued traveling over burr-oak openings until 3 P.M., when we came to the head branch of the White Water, a fine brook sixteen feet in width and an average depth of two inches, rock bottom, good cool water to drink ; saw some trout. Went on three miles and crossed a tributary of the same. Here is a prairie eight miles wide east and west, and extending north and south as far as the eye can see. This prairie is in the valley of the White Water ; the rise of land on either side is about thirty feet- LOOKING ABOUND. 293 We rose on the upland and continued west on burr-oak openings. The upland here is not as good as that back of the valley we crossed, being more gravelly. Traveled on through openings sometimes thickly set with hazel and tall grass. At sundown came to a small ravine, where we found good running water, bearing to the northeast, and well timbered with maple, ironwood, basswood* white and burr oak, and some willows. Monday 28, 6:15 a.m. Started, and at 7:20 a.m., after about three miles' travel, came to a small stream of pure water running to the north through a splendid burr-oak opening, good timber and land of good soil. To the view north, this brook seems to run through a splendid prairie valley of great extent. We here saw a wolf catching mice or frogs. At 8:10 a.m. the openings run as far north as the eye can see. At 8:40 a.m. we came on an elevated prairie of first-rate quality; cannot see the extent to the southeast; six miles to the south there is timber ; north the openings continue about ten miles. Soon after, we came to an elevated prairie where we could see a large valley to the south of us. This valley lies east and west. We continued west along the high lands of this valley, supposing it to be the head source of Root river; traveling bad; the face of the country being much broken and thickly set with oak underbrush and hazel. The most of the ravines we crossed were dry, and we became very thirsty for water ; after some trouble we found a spring. There are several high mounds or bluffs standing in the midst of the valleys that we crossed, surrounded by good grass lands ; they make a very imposing appearance and look beautiful in the distance. We have crossed some red-top meadow lands that would cut from three to four tons of hay to the acre. At 4 p.m. came to a stream of water bearing northward, which I called at the first glance the \yassioshie ; overhead, where I am writing, is floodwood and grass in a tree eighteen feet above the water in the river. The bed of this stream is about sixty feet wide, and an average depth of water of about five inches. The majority of the company being in favor of following the stream down (not being satisfied that it is the Wassioshie), we went down on the east side some three or four miles, forded the river and pitched our tent, while Stevens and Pike went north to an elevated bluff to reconnoiter ; from their observations they were willing to proceed west and leave the river. Tuesday, June 29. A very foggy morning. Through the heavy mist we could hear the distant roar of a cataract, to the northward. We went over the bluffs to the northwest, through the dew and hazel-brush, until we mounted an elevated place where we could see some distance. On the south there was a heavy and extensive grove of timber ; also on the west — the greatest quantity we have yet seen. We here saw two deer feeding at a distance. From this point we diverged from our course to the north and east, in search of the cata- ract. We descended about two miles to the river, and found a heavy tributary coming in from the west, and at the immediate junction was the fall of water we had heard. The water here falls about eight or ten feet in thirty or forty. Here is quite a curiosity. The water at its highest pitch rises some sixteen feet above where it now is. Altogether, the scenery is romantic. This stream proved to be the Wassioshie river. In these waters I saw the largest brook-trout that I have ever seen in the Western waters, and also some fine black bass. The bluffs are about two-thirds as high as they are in the rear of Wabasha prairie. We here saw the tepees of the redmen for the first 294 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. time, but they wore of ancient date. Returned to where we left our baggage, two miles to the southwest ; then took a west course, and traveled, over some rolling prairie and broken woodland, about six miles, when we came to a tribu- tary of the north branch of the Wassioshie running north. This is also a fine stream of water — su'tficient to do a large business. Forded the stream and l)itched teut. We left this place on our regular west course ; traveling bad, the lands being thickly set with different kinds of brush and tall grass found on prairies. Came into what we called second-growth timber, very thickly set with underbrush of the yellow oak, hazel, plum, crab-apple, whitethotn, blackberry, briers, etc. Not being of a disposition to bolt the course, we penetrated into them, and continued on for some time; but, finding such bad traveling, we made a halt and mounted a tree to reconnoiter. Nothing was to be seen south and west but the same that we had been in for two or three hours. On the north of the west branch of the Wassioshie saw a large prairie about two miles distant. We struck north for the prairie. In this valley is a fine steam of water sixty feet wide, with four to six inches depth. Camped for the night. Saw some large suckers and black bass. AVednesday, June 30. Took our course northwest to a high mound and re- connoitered. Found that the stream we camped on came from the west of north, and that the south side was thickly set with second-growth timber. Having found, by experience the day before, that we had better keep clear of that kind of traveling, we continued on the north side. After following up this branch about ten miles we struck north about a mile and came on an elevated prairie, that we could not reach its eastern extent with the naked eye, and ap- peared to extend some distance north. On the west we could not see its limits ; it was dotted with groves of burr-oak and poplar. Starting west, we encoun- tered some large tracts of hazel-brush, but continued to travel on until sundown. We here found ourselves on a dividing ridge without water or wood, and could not pitch our tent. In the west we could see timber in the distan('e, about eight miles off; in the south the timber opened so that we could see through, and discovered that there was a large prairie in that direc- tion. We continued west through grass on the prairie often as high as the brim of my hat, and scarce any less than to my hips. The rain was falling and wind blowing strong from the northeast. Traveling on, by wind and compass, we came to a swamj), where we found some good swamp water. Taking a bucket- ful with us, we reached the timber, and penetrated an awful thicket, to get out of the wind. When we had pitched our tent and made a fire the watch said 11 o'clock, in a rainy night. We then had our suppers to cook, for we had eaten nothing from the time we took our breakfast except dry bread and raw pork. Thursday, July 1. We made a start west. The water here evidently runs to the west and north. We found bad traveling through hazel-brush, swamps and wet meadows, with very high grass of bluejoint. At 11 o'clock A.M. we came to a small stream of water running to the north and west, that proved to be a branch of the Cannon river. Continuing west through thickets thickly set with underbrusli, consisting of prickly asli, black- berry-briers, grcenbriers, grapevines and nettles, we struck a small stream of water, the bottoms of which were covered with heavy timber. Following this down, we came to a large stream, which proved to be the eastern branch of the Cannon river. On the west side was a large prairie. A majority of the company LOOKING AROUND. 295 being in favor of following down this stream, we at once forded it, and after going about two miles struck an Indian trail, which we traveled on down to the valleys, where we found a Frenchman who could talk good English. From him we learned that we were forty miles from Traverse des Sioux, and from thence eighteen miles to the Blue Earth. We then set out on the Indian trail for Traverse des Sioux, the trail leading through a fine valley of bottom prairie, in which flows the north branch of the Cannon river. On the north of this branch the whole country is heavy timbered to its source ; the east side of the south branch is also heavy timbered with elm, maple, black-walnut, butternut, ash, etc. Between these forks are extensive rolling prairies, frequently dotted with burr-oak groves. Traveling until nearly sunset, we pitched (nir tent on the bank of a beautiful lake. There are three beautiful small lakes on this branch, with pretty generally bold gravelly shores and clear water. There were numerous dead fish lying on the beach, — suckers, mullet, bass, pant and pickerel. On the north of the lakes is heavy timber ; some on the south. Friday July 2. Took an early start expecting to get through today. We traveled over a very broken country; not so bad, ho^wever, as to be unfit for cultivation. The country over which we passed in the forenoon is better adapted for stock, there being extensive meadow lands on the shores of the lakes. After dinner we came to the head of the lakes, wh(jre we were some troubled in finding the right trail ; the trail diverging ofi" in different direc- tions and very dim at this place. Soon after we succeeded in getting on the right trail we found ourselves in a diff'erent country altogether; it was up hill and down, through a swamp, over a knoll, through the brush, into a swamp, and so on until 3 p.m., when we came to a lake on our left, or south side ; following along this lake, winding our way through a swamp connected with it, then through an island of timber and another swamp, and so on until we camped for the night, on the bank of the lake, in an Indian tepee. The water of the lake was so full of particles of something, that we were obliged to strain it for drinking or cooking purposes. The lake was on the south and a large watery marsh on the north, the outlet of which we forded a short distance from our camp. All the dry land, from the place where we struck the lake, is heavy timbered and of good soil. I think three-fourths of the face of the country here is taken up with lakes and swamps. On the north side of this lake there were several swamps connecting with it, and there wfis a plain visible embankment of stone and earth thrown across them ; the stone were granite boulders or hard head, of which there were an abundance <>f this section of country. These embankments could not be easily mistaken, for some parts of them were four or five feet high, where the rocks could be seen on both sides ; they answered for a road to cross on. At one place, where it appeared the outlet of the lake was, there were two streams of water flowing out of the lake into the marsh ; here the boulders could be seen peering above the water in a direct line, from one point of high land to another, on the opposite side. These stone have evidently been placed there by artificial means — of this there is no doubt, but by whom is not known and probably never will be. 296 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. This lake is very likely the head fountain of the Vermilion river, that empties into the Mississippi, some distance above the Cannon. On the shores of this lake there were dead fish of diflcrent kinds, showing that these waters were stocked with fish. Saturday, July 3. Traveled over islands of timber, and through brush and morasses — the timber was of good quality — saw several small lakes and some sugar-houses. It was a rainy morning, and although it continued raining we kept on traveling, and came out of the timber into brush from two to eight feet high, overhanging the trail ; the only way to follow a trail in such a case is to go where the feet go the easiest. We crossed several morasses and at last reached a bank, and down a hill we soon came out into the valley of the Min- nesota, opposite Traverse des Sioux. We followed the trail down a .short distance and then struck for the buildings on the other side of the river. We soon found ourselves in a morass, or quagmire, which had the appearance as if there was sulphur or salt water in it; did not admire the place and did not taste of the water. This continued from the bank nearly to the river. At the river an Indian boy came to us with a canoe, but no paddles ; we managed to cross safely by using small round sticks for j)addles. We proceeded direct to the house of the Rev. Mr. Huggins, at the Mission, and took dinner at a house for the first time in seven days. Mr. Huggins and lady appeared to be very accommodating and refined people ; they were good and kind to us, and will be^ remembered by me in time to come. This place has been long settled by civilized people. Our provisions having run out, we here got a new supply. Stevens and myself started for the Blue Earth (]Mr. Pike having a boil on his ankle, which affected the nerve to the knee and upward). We fell in with two young men that were going to where a Mr. Babcock was building a saw-mill, and reached the place about sundown. It was on the east side of the Minnesota, five miles above Traverse des Sioux. We were kindly received and put up for the night with them. Here fell in with a company of men that came the overland route from Jackson, Iowa, with two wagons and sixteen yoke of cattle, some cows, one horse, breaking plows, etc. They were twenty-one days coming through. Sunday, July 4. We shouldered our packs and wended our way for the Blue Earth. The trail led through a fine prairie descending toward the river ; the high lands to the east are heavy timbered. We diverged from the trail to get a drink, and in the bed of the stream we found stone coal. A specimen I brought home and tested by the fire, and found that it burned well. Arrived at the town of Mankato about noon. Finding that the boys of this place were dressing a large turtle, we held on and took dinner with them. After dinner, started for the Blue Earth, a distance of two miles above the town, and soon reached the long looked-for locality. Traveled up some dis- tance and then returned to the junction and down the INIinnescjta to Mankato, where we put up for the night. Having accomplished our purpose, we resolved to make a canoe on the following day, and return home by descending the Minnesota and INIississippi rivers. Monday, Jtily 5. Slept late ; soon after getting up, news came that a steamboat was within hearing; soon after, the Black Hawk made her appear- ance. We at once resolved to return on the steamer. The Mankato company came on this boat. Learning where I was from and the business I was on, LOOKESTG AROUND. 29V they wished me to stop a few days with them. I accordingly did so. Stevens left with the boat for home. Mankato is pleasantly situated on the east side of the Minnesota, directly on the great bend of the river and two miles below the confluence of the Blue Earth, on an elevated rise of ground, sufficiently above high-water mark, but not so much so as to make it inconvenient of access at any place for some distance up and down the river. It is located on a prairie of good quality of soil, well watered and plenty of timber. It has been regularly laid out by a competent surveyor. This place, from the observations I could make, must eventually be the great western terminus of a railroad from Minnesota city on the Mississippi to the waters of the Minnesota river. Having traveled through the country on two difl"erent routes, mostly, I find no obstacles in the way of any kind of a road from the former to the latter place. My impression is, that Mankato is decidedly the place for the termination of roads of any kind. The face of the country farther north is so thickly set with lakes and swamps and marshes, that it will cost a vast amount of money to erect bridges and build roads. The route for a road from Mankato to the southeast waters of the Cannon river is mostly on a dividing ridge and principally on prairie of good soil, well adapted for farming purposes and the raising of stock. From Mankato to the La Seur river, which empties into the Blue Earth about two miles from its junction with Minnesota, is about six miles. The land is good for a road and is well timbered. After crossing the La Seur there is timber for about three-fourths of a mile, then it is prairie and opening to the southeast waters of the Cannon, where there is a prairie extending east out of reach of the naked eye. I- M. Noracong. The country over which we have traveled in the direction of Minnesota City is well adapted for roads, and I have no doubt, from what I have seen, that a good wagon-road may be made at a small expense from Mankato to Minnesota City. I also believe that the Mankato company would unite with the Minnesota City company in making the roads, and make, as their proposi- tion, the western fifty miles. I>- A. Robertson. Mr. Kobertson was one of the "Mankato Company"— one of the original town proprietors and first settlers in Mankato. It was through his influence that Mr. Noracong remained at that place to discuss the feasibility of opening a road. Mr. Kobertson accompanied Mr. Noracong on his return across the country, and appended the above proposition to the report of Mr. Noracong to the association. This committee was sent out by the association to explore the country and ascertain the feasibility of opening a wagon-road from . Minnesota Gty to the great bend of the Minnesota river, and not for the purpose of making a preliminary survey for a proposed rail- road route to St. Peters, as has been sometimes represented in newspaper articles. The real object was to establish a highway into the back country from the colony ; to secure the advantages of a 298 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. main traveled route, when the country should be settled, and to make the terminus of the road at Minnesota City. The recom- mendation of the route for the pur])oses of a railroad was but an incidental part of the report. The first mail route ever established across the country in the southern part of the territory was between Minnesota City and Traverse des Sioux, over nearly the same route traveled by this com- mittee. The contractor was O. M. Lord, of Minnesota City. CHAPTEK XXX. REFLECTIONS. Thp:re is no doubt but what Haddock and Murphy were consci- entious in their acts when they located the colony at Rolling Stone. They reported to the association that their village site was on the Mississippi, and it was believed that such was the case. Mr. Had- dock was the leading spirit of the organization, and apparently controlled it by a sort of mesmeric influence. For the first three months the colonists had almost unbounded confidence in their leader. He made a mistake when he assumed it to be a fact that Straight slough was a navigable channel ; and, firm in his belief, he impressed the same idea on the settlers, and it was a year or two before they were fully convinced to the contrary. Mr. Haddock assumed that the reason why Minnesota City was not made a landing-place for the steamboats was because the man- agement of the boats was in the hands of men interested in rival town sites. This was believed by the settlers, because repeated ap- plications had been made to have the boats land passengers at the colony during the high water, but without success ; none would make the attempt. When the flood in the river had subsided and the water was con- fined to its ordinary channels, and about the time that the report of the committee which had been sent to explore the back country was received, it was considered imjiortant that a landing should be estab- lished on Straight slough. The matter was freely discussed in the meetings of the association, and referred to a committee for investi- gation. KEFLECTIONS. 299 This committee, with other members equally interested in estab- lishing the fact that navigation was practicable, made, as they sup- posed, a thorough survey of Straight slough, from its head, above Minnesota City, to its mouth, a short distance above Johnson's landing. A chart was drawn showing soundings, etc. The com- mittee reported that there were no serious obstacles in the way, and that the slough was navigable for the largest boats running on the upper Mississippi. At the time of this survey the slough next to the bluff, which empties into Straight slough nearly opposite Minnesota City, was given the name of Haddock slough, the name by which it is now known. Mr. Haddock had selected the shore next to the bluffs, above where Mr. Burley now lives, as a proper landing-place for immediate purposes. A landing-place on the slough below was selected for future improvement. The committee were instructed to present the matter before the proprietors of the steamboat lines at Galena, by whom it was re- ferred to Capt. Smith. Notwithstanding their chart demonstrated the feasibility of a free passage through Straight slough, Capt. Smith considered the route impracticable ; and, as it was charged against him that his opposition to it was because of his holding an interest on Wabasha prairie, he consented to allow his own boat, the Nominee, to make a trial trip under the pilotage of the com- mittee. The success of the committee thus far was duly reported to the to the Association. So confident were the colonists of the arrival of the steamboat that many of them went down to the landing at Wabasha prairie to meet the boat, while the whole settlement pre- pared to give it a joyful welcome. For this trip the Nominee was given in charge of the first clerk, with instructions to go through the slough, if possible, without delay. The boat, with Mr. Brook as captain, arrived at Johnson's about noon on Sunday. As the trip was a holiday excursion the settlers on the prairie were invited to make a social visit to the colony. The Nominee started up Straight slough under the guidance of the committee. After ascending for a mile or so the boat struck a bar and came to a sudden stop. By some oversight this obstruction had not been noted on the chart. After repeated attempts to pass this barrier without success, the officers of the boat decided that Straight slough was not navigable by the Nominee at that stage of water. 300 HISTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY. Tliis failure was a great disappointment to the settlers, both at Minnesota City and at A^abasha prairie. The boat swung around and steamed back to Wabasha prairie, and, after discharging the excursionists, started up the river under the guidance of her own pilot. The failure of the Nominee to go through Straight slough was a serious blow to the colony. The ideal maritime port of Mr. Had- dock was unfortunately at least six miles from any practicable steamboat landing. Still the colonists were not wholly disheart- ened. Many of them believed that the slough might be made practicably navigable by opening a passage over the bar, the only obstruction that was supposed to exist. During the following winter the colonists built a large log building on the bank of the slough opposite Minnesota City, which they designed for a warehouse and landing-i)lace. A road was surveyed across the bottom, but never improved. No passengers or freight were ever landed there. No attempt was ever made to improve the navigation of Straight slough. The extreme high water was followed by an extreme low stage of water in the river. The summer of 1852 was hot and dry, and the miasma eliminated from the sloughs and large marshes in the im- mediate vicinity of Minnesota City i-endered that locality particu- larly unhealthy. Serious bilious diseases afflicted the settlers in the colony. They were mostly from the Eastern States, unacclima- ted, unprotected by suitable dwellings, and a large majority of them incompetent and unsuited for pioneer life. A few deaths occurred early in the season, and exaggerated accounts of the sickness and mortality at Minnesota City were put in circulation and prevented many from locating there. The most common disease was inter- mittent and remittent fevers. There were no regular medical practitioners belonging to the association or living on the west side of the river ; domestic treat- ment and patent medicines were generally depended on. Quinine was quite extensively relied upon in these malarious diseases. One of the colonists was attacked with intermittent fever, for which a neighbor recjommended quinine. He sent for a pound or two of quinine by a friend who had business at St. Paul. From insuffi- cient funds only four ounces were procured. When the bill of $20 was presented the exorbitant charges of the St. Paul druggist was strongly condemned. The neighbor who had prescribed the article REFLECTIONS. 301 was called in to dose out the medicine, and he explained that it was a dram or two he had recommended him to send for instead of a pound or two. "The Squire"" said, in relating the incident, "I knew nothing about the stuff — any way , it was no serious mistake, because it was needed in the settlement, and the neighbors took it off my hands without any pecuniary loss." It was said that not a settler in the colony escaped an attack of fever and ague. Robert Pike, Jr., in a letter published in 1854, says, "Although most were prostrated by sickness, only fourteen deaths occurred {in 185'2) and a majority of these were young children. The wonder is that the mortality was not greater." Among the deaths which occurred was that of Mrs. Haddock, the wife of the president of the association. Mr. Haddock went down to New York city and brought her here to make her a home in the colony he had labored so hard to build up. She arrived on the 13th of July and died on the 24th of August. After the death of his wife Mr. Haddock became disheartened and completely discouraged. Many of the settlers were compelled to leave because they could find nothing to do by which to earn a living. The most of them were mechanics from the city of New York, and they went down the river to find employment. Although the association maintained its organization, it was no longer attract- ive to Mr. Haddock. It had apparently accomplished all that could be expected from it. With a large party of his friends Mr. Haddock, left the colony on the 11th of September and went down the river. He stopped for awhile at Dubuque, and moved from there to Ana- mosa, Jones county, Iowa, where he engaged in publishing a news- paper, using the press and material designed for a printing-office in Minnesota City. Although the organization was kept up in the colony during the next year, but comparatively few members of the association re- mained to become citizens of this county. Quite a number of the members of the association lived on their village lots in Minnesota City until after the survey of public lands in this part of the territory. Several of them then made claims of the locality they were occupying according to the divisions made by the government surveyors, without regard to the previous divisions made by Mr. Haddock. The tovrn site of the Western Farm and Tillage Association was never made a matter of record. The whole village plot was ab- 302' HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. sorbed by claims whicli were pre-empted as homesteads by their resident chiimants. The ph)t of the origimil village of Minnesota City was thus wiped out — swe})t entirely away. The name has been preserved for the locality, and a more diminutive and modern village has grown up under it, on what was originally tlie claim of Israel M. Noracong. The original village plot was pre-empted by T. K. Allen, A. A. Gilbert, H. B. Waterman, Kobert Pike, Jr., James Wright, O. M. Lord, Hiram Campbell, S. E. Cotton and D. Q. Burley, all mem- bers of the association. Each of them had held claims in other localities, which were abandoned to enable them to share in the spoils of the dead metropolis of the colony. H. B. Waterman and family have continuously occupied the same locality he settled upon in 1852, when he first came into the colony. When Mr. Waterman came to Minnesota City he built a very comfortable house, a part of it of logs and a part of frame and boards. This he inhabited for several years. After the gov- ernment survey was made he selected this locality as a homestead, and claimed a quarter-section of land in the vicinity, which he pre- empted after the land-office was opened at Winona. With the exception of a large and comfortable dwelling-house and a good barn, which stand in a beautiful grove on a sightly eleva- tion, with a small field of cultivation, but little improvement was made on this claim until within a few years past. The table on which it lies was covered with groves of oak. As this timber is cut away and the clearing enlarged a fine farm is becoming developed. Mr. Waterman was a lawyer by profession when he joined the colony, but he never practiced his profession in Minnesota. He had but little taste for agricultural pursuits, and but little inclination to make it an occupation. He made the farm his home without making the cultivation of the soil his business. In November, 1852, Mr. Waterman was appointed by Gov. Ramsey one of the justices of the peace for Wabasha county. He was subsequently elected to the same office, and held the official position of justice of the peace over twenty years for Winona county, in the town of Rolling Stone, where he resided. He was also elected judge of probate at the election in the fall of 1853. Tire first case on his docket in 1852 was Jacob S. Denman vs. individual members of the association. This was a matter which REFLECTIONS. 305 grew out of the claim difficulty already mentioned. These mem- bers of the association went on to Denman's claim, destroyed his fences and burned his rails, with the intent to drive him off the claim. Denman refused to leave, and sued them for damages to his property. The matter had been commenced before Squire Allen, but when Squire Waterman received his commission the case was discontinued and again brought on before the new justice of the peace, where it was settled by the members of the association paying the costs of prosecution and the damages assessed. Robert Pike, Jr., made a claim among the village lots of the colony on the same table on which the school-building now stands. He here used his pre-emption right and made a farm of part of the original village. A part of this claim is still in possession of Mrs. Pike, his widow. Mr. Pike came to Rolling Stone early in May, 1852, and at once became prominently active in the enterprises of the association to develop the resources of the country and build up the colony. His eccentric genius and zealous efforts made him popular in the settle- ment. Soon after his ai-rival he was appointed surveyor for the colony, explored a road to the Minnesota river. He was chosen as a proper person to be appointed postmaster. He was elected jus- tice of the peace, served as county commissioner and as county surveyor. During his whole life he was active in all of his public duties. Robert Pike, Jr., died about the middle of April, 1874. At the time of his death he was interested in an effort to start a colony in the vicinity of Lake Kampeska, Dakota Territory. His widow is yet a resident of Minnesota City. One of the two children who came here with her in 1852 died many years ago. The other is the wife of Frank D. Stewart, living in the town of Rolling Stone. Mr. Pike was in many respects a very remarkable man. Natu- rally ingenious, he made mechanical improvements a study. On most of the questions of the day, religious and political, he es- poused the radical side. Among his many friends, his special peculi- arities were overshadowed by the open-handed generosity of the man toward his fellow-man. As a specimen of his eccentricity, his business card has been copied from the "Winona Republican," as regularly advertised in 1856, as follows : 18 306 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. " Robert Pike, who writes this ditty, Lives at Minnesota City ; Is Postmaster, Magistrate, Buys and sells Keal Estate, Conveyancer and County Surveyor, (The City's small and needs no Mayor). Sectarian rult*s he dares resist, And thinks Christ was a Socialist. Loving mankind and needing dimes. He waits to serve them at all times." When disaffected members of tlie association decided to aban- don the colony, O. M. Lord purchased tlieir interest in such of the village lots as were in the vicinity of where he resided ; and after the government survey, when the village plot was comparatively abandoned, he made a claim of the quarter-section on which he was living and pre-empted it. The village lots surveyed by Mr. Had- dock for the association, that were included in this claim, are a part of the homestead on which the Hon. O. M. Lord now resides. The first claim selected by Mr. Lord was before he joined the association, while on the first exploration made into the country back from the Mississippi. This he abandoned for another about three miles above Minnesota City, in what is now known as Deer- ing's Valley, where he then proposed to establish a stock-farm. On account of its isolated situation he did not move his family there, but located them in the settlement or village. Like many others, he also made other selections of good claims which were marked with his name. From the time Mr. Lord came here in the spring of 1852 to the present time he has been prominently before the public, in very many instances intimately connected with events that make up the history of Winona county. Owing to his habitual modest reserve, no record of these instances has ever been compiled for reference. It is indeed questionable whether a connected biographical sketch of this pioneer settler has ever been given to the public. Advantage of a long-time acquaintance and personal friendship has been the • source of the following memoranda of events in history with which he has been connected. CHAPTER XXXI. PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS. Hon. O. M. Lord was a native of the State of New York • bom in Wyoming county in 1826. In 1837 he moved witli his father's family to Michigan. He attended school winters until he was about sixteen, after which he attended a select school for about three months. His education has since that been acquired by private study in active life. His younger days were spent on a farm and in sometimes assisting his father in his blacksmith shop. Mr. Lord was married in 1848, and settled on a farm. He was elected town clerk, and was ex-officio school inspector for two years In the spring of 1852 he sold his farm in Lapeer county, Michigan, and came to Minnesota, where he arrived May 2. He brought on his family, a wife and two children, on July 16. He brought with him all of his household goods, a span of horses and farming tools, intending to make farming his exclusive business. His horses were the first brought into the colony. Instead of settling on a claim, as he had at first designed, Mr Lord located himself in the village of the colony at Minnesota City He bought several village lots and built a house. Having acquired some knowledge of blacksmithing when young, he bought the tools of a blacksmith and carried on the business for a year or two, his shop being the only blacksmith shop in the county during that time. In 1852 he shod the first span of horses ever' brought into this county by a settler, and the first horses ever shod here. The shoes were brought from La Crosse. They belonged to Hon. William H Stevens. In the spring of 1853 he shod fourteen horses for Wm! Ashley Jones, government surveyor. July 2, 1853, Mr. Lord was appointed coroner for Fillmore county. This appointment, unsolicited, was conferred by Gov. Gorman, who had recently assumed his official position. At the election held in the fall of 1853 Mr. Lord was elected as representative to the territorial legislature from this district. The session was held from January 4 to March 4, 1854. Among the acts of which he secured the passage were the original 308 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. charter for the Transit railroad, the division of Fillmore county and creating of Winona county, and the establishment of the county seat at what is now the city of Winona. The present boundaries of Winona couuty were defined by Mr. Lord, and submitted to Mr. Huff and other citizens of the village of Winona for their api)roval. He also secured the passage of a memorial for a post-route from Minnesota City to Traverse des Sioux, In 1854 Mr. Lord built the first saw-mill in the county at Minne- sota city. In 1855 he was awarded a contract for carrying the mail from Minnesota city to Traverse des Sioux, and carried the mails for about two years — a part of the time semimonthly. This was the first post-route across the country. In 1857 or 1858 Mr. Lord was appointed by Gov. Medavy com- missioner for selecting land for the Transit Eailroad Company. He was also appointed by Gov. Medavy, October 12, 1857, as a notary public. These a])pointments were unsolicited by Mr. Lord. In 1859 he was a candidate for the legislature, but was defeated by Judge Orlando Stevens. When questioned as to his war record, he replied, '*I fought, bled and died for my country by able-bodied substitute during the war — price $600." Mr. Lord moved back to Michigan, and lived near Kalamazoo from 1861 to 1864, when he returned to Minnesota, and again took up his residence at Minnesota City. He was a candidate for the legislature in 1871, and was defeated by seven votes by H. A. Covey. In 1873 he was elected to the legislature, and served at the next session. On September 28, 1875, Mr. Lord was appointed county superin- tendent of schools, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Rev. David Burt, who had been appointed state superintendent of public instruction. He has been elected continuously to the position of county superintendent of schools since that time, and is yet serving the people in that capacity. He was president of the last annual meeting of county superintendents, held at St. Paul about January 1, 1883. Mr. Lord has always taken an active interest in popular educa- tion, and in addition to his other official positions has been almost continuously one of the school committee in Minnesota City since the first school was started there in 1852. He is at present director of the district. He has been a member of the town board of the PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS. 809 town of RoIlin,£^ Stone for the" past twelve years, and is now chair- man of board of supervisors. Mr. Lord was made a Mason in 1862. He never united with any other organization. If circumstances per- mitted, he would take more pride and pleasure in stock-raising and cultivation of small fruit than in any other pursuit. Hiram Campbell settled'on his village lot and built a house, which he occupied with his family for several years. With this as his place of residence, he made a claim and pre-empted a homestead which included a portion of the village lots of the colony. This claim is now known as the "Campbell Farm." It joins the farms of O. M. Lord and James Kennedy. The present farm house is of brick. Hiram Campbell has been dead many years. His widow, with his family, owned and occupied the farm until about two years ago, when she sold out and moved west. Wiith other branches of farming Mr. and Mrs. Campbell took a great deal of interest in the cultivation of fruit, particularly of different varieties of apples, which they were very successful in growing. When David Densmore and John Shaw came to Rolling Stone they brought with them a large supply of apple-seeds which they procured from the State of Maine. These seeds were planted on their village lots. The lot of Mr. Densmore was on the land now owned by O. C. Tucker. The lot of Mr. Shaw was on the Campbell farm. Both Mr. Densmore and Mr. Shaw died early in the summer of 1852, and their lots passed into other hands. Mr. Densmore left his nursery for the general benefit of the colonists. Mr. Campbell assumed charge of the lot of Mr. Shaw and started a nursery of fruit-tr^es from the seed sown on it. From this little nursery, started by Mr. Campbell on his own claim, sprang some of the finest varieties of apples that have ever been known in Min- nesota. John Nicklin, with his family, settled on his lot selected by number in New York. His location was on the table above where Troust's mill recently stood. He built a log house, lived here two or three years and made a claim of forty acres among the village lots. He also had a farm claim in the valley about two miles above the village. To hold them both he pre-empted the farm claim, and his son pre-empted a part of the village property. He lived on his farm for a number of years, when he sold out and moved back to New York, where he died a few years ago. None of his family are now living in this county. A son resides in Dakota Territory. 310 iriSTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY. George Foster pre-empted a forty of village lots ; sold out and moved to Winona. He left there and moved south. None of his family are now livin'g in this county. Other members of the association besides Mr. Denman and W. H. Coryell made claims below Minnesota City. Nearly the whole upper })rairie was at one time claimed by the colonists, although unimproved. P. D. Follett made a claim adjoining the farm now occupied by Mr. Charles Vila. He built a log house and occupied it for two or three years, when he sold out and left the county. William T. Luark made a claim along the bluifs below Mr. Den man's, where Mr. Colman now lives. He improved this by building a log-house and making some cultivation, and held it for several years. He moved to Winona, where he opened the first wagon-shop started in the county. The first wagon was made by Mr.' Luark in the spring of 1855. About ten years ago he moved to Milwaukee, where he died after a residence there of a year or two. John lams also made a claim along the bluffs, the next below that made by Mr. Luark. He built a log-house and occupied this locality two or three years, and then moved to Winona, and after a few years' residence there left the county and went into the western part of the state to reside. Mr. lams was the first sheriff appointed or elected to serve in that oflBce in this part of the territory. He was the first sheriff' in Fillmore county in 1853. John C. Laird came to Wabasha prairie about the last of August, 1852, to attend upon Abner S. Goddard during his last sickness. After the death of Mr. Goddard, which occurred on the lltli of Sep- tember, he decided to remain and make it his future home. Mr. Laird was a citizen of La Crosse at the time he came up to help his sister in the care of her sick husband. It was on her ac- count that he changed his place of residence and came to Minnesota, where he has ever since resided. ' He was deputy register of deeds for La Crosse county. The register elected was a resident of a dis- tant part of the county, and, not wishing to change his location, Mr. Laird was deputized to act for him and receive the emoluments of the position. In the winter and spring previous Mr. Laird had visited Waba- sha prairie, but never selected any special location as a claim. After he had decided to settle here he explored the country until in Octo- ber, when, observing that the east "eighty" of the original Stevens PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS. 311 claim was unoccupied, and without improvements of anj kind, he was induced to take possession of it as an abandoned claim. Mr. Laird quietly procured the necessary material, and before the settlers were aware of his intention, they were surprised to see a snug and comfortable-looking shanty on "that lower eighty of Stevens's." This shanty stood about where Laird Norton & Go's stables now stand, — on the west side of Chestnut street, between Second and Third streets. As soon as the circumstance became known, H. C. Gere made application to the members of the claim club for aid to remove the trespasser on the land relinquished to him by Silas Stevens. Some of tlie meftibers of the club came together and called on Mr. Laird to learn why he had built the shanty and to ascertain if he really intended to jump Gere's claim. Mr. Laird informed them that he had taken possession of "that eighty " because there was no one occupying it — nothing to indicate that any one had possession of it, and informed them that his shanty was the only improvement on the claim. This self-consti- tuted claim committee decided to let Mr. Gere take care of his own affairs if he had got into trouble from his own mismanagement. He was then holding other claims. Mr. Laird completed his shanty on Saturday evening, and, sup- posing that he had possession safe enough, stayed contentedly at Mrs. Goddard's, because it was Sunday and a day of rest generally observed by the settlers. It clmnced to be the day on which Elder Hamilton had made an appointment to preach at Mrs. Goddard's shanty, and there the settlers assembled to listen to one of his best sermons. Taking a great interest in the subject of the discourse, Mr. Laird for the time forgot about his recently acquired earthly posses- sion, and gave his undivided attention to the sermon of the elder. After the service was over and the audience began to disperse, he cast his eyes toward his new shanty, not fifty rods away, and dis- covered Henry C. Gere on its roof. Accompanied by Wm. H. Stevens, and followed more deliberately by Elder Hamilton and his whole congregation, he rushed toward his unprotected claim im- provement and found that Gere had jumped the shanty, if not the claim. Taking advantage of the security from observation afforded while the attention of the settlers were engaged by Elder Hamilton, 312 JIISTORY OF WmONA COUNTY. Mr. Gere had taken a load of his household goods to the shanty and taken possession of it. On reaching the locality Mr. Laird found the shanty occupied ; a table with a few dishes and a chair or two were on one side of the room, and on the other a cook-stove, on which was a tea-kettle, a pot of potatoes, and a frying-pan with a slice of ham ready for cook- ing. Mrs. Gere was comfortably seated in a rocking-chair in front of the stove, waiting to touch a match to the kindling-wood as soon as the stove-pipe was put in place, and Mr. Gere was on the roof cutting a hole for it to pass through. Mr. Laird called to Gere to come down, but he refused, reply- ing, "You are too late, for I now hold possession." Xaird and Stevens then tore off the boards from the roof, and notwithstanding Gere's resistance, caught him by the legs and dragged him to the ground. They then proceeded to carry the stove and other furni- ture outside, except the rocking-chair, which Mrs. Gere occuj)ied, and very composedly maintained })Ossession of the roofless shanty. Elder Hamilton sedately seated himself on one of the chairs ejected from the cabin and calmly watched the proceedings. Occa- sionally a quiet smile would illumine his dignified expression as he observed the demonstrative movements of the noisy and excited settlers, who but a very few minutes before had been model repre- sentatives of a moral, intellectual and order-loving community. Feelings of partisanship were exhibited by loud expressions of opin- ion in emphatic language rather than by active participation. Men and women espoused the cause of one side or the other. Some threats were passed, but no serious collisions occurred. Mrs. Goddard took a firm and determined stand in support of the rights of her brother to the claim. While Laird and Stevens were tearing or knocking the boards from the roof on which Gere stood, she observed a second load of Gere's furniture approaching from the east; they had gone down the prairie and come up along the river. Kushing toward the team and brandishing a cudgel, which she caught up on the first alarm, Mrs. Goddard ordered the driver to stop, and, taking the horses by the bridles, led them back across the line of the claim and told the driver to leave as soon as possible. Without a show of resistance the teamster drove off. The team belonged to John Evans. In speaking of the occurrence afterward, Frank Curtiss, the driver, said it was not the first time he had been PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS. 313 captured by a woman, and he did not propose to get into a quarrel with Mrs. Goddard. It was charged that Elder Hamilton had a foreknowledge of Gere's design, and had selected one of his most interesting and lengthy sermons to give him ample opportunity to accomplish his purpose unmolested. "Aunt Catharine" says "that was not so. Elder Hamilton and John C. were always warm friends, but Elder Ely knew all about it, for he kept going out every few minutes as if to see if a steamboat was coming. I know Elder Hamilton was on John's side that day, because he beckoned to me, and when I went over to where he was sitting on one of the chairs he said, 'The boys had better tear the shanty down now they are at it' I told the boys and they tore the whole thing down without disturbing Mrs. Gere, and left her sitting in her rocking-chair on the bare prairie." As soon as the shanty was demolished the excitement subsided and all started for their homes, leaving Laird and Gere to watch each other and hold the claim. Mrs. Gere went to her own shanty and sent her husband his supper, while Mrs. Goddard bountifully iurnished rations for JolmG, who stood guard over his promiscuous pile of lumber. The night was a cold, disagreeable one ; a chilly west wind swept over the bleak prairie and compelled the lonely, unsocial watchmen to keep in motion to preserve proper circulation. Although each had a blanket in which they wrapped themselves, Mr. Laird formed a windbreak of boards. Mr. Gere solicited the loan of a few boards for a like protection, but Laird objected to his lumber being used for such purposes. Finding it impossible to get any rest while so uncomfortable, Gere called to Laird about midnight and said — "I have a proposition to make to you which I think will be of advantage to both of us. I have no more confidence in your honesty than I have in men gen- erally, but I believe you will keep your word when you make a promise. Now, suppose we agree to let .this claim matter remain just where it is, without either of us doing anything until to- morrow ; we can then go home and get some sleep." Mr. Laird was amused at the proposition, but did not object to it. The two men solemnly pledged themselves to leave the claim undisturbed until the next morning, and bidding each other ' ' good night " in more social tones than they had previously observed, they left the locality. 314 IIISTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY. Both parties made their appearance at sunrise, and hostilities were resumed. Mr. Laird rebuilt his shanty, but moved to another location nearer the river and a little below, on what is now block 5 in Laird's addition. Gere tried for two or three months to obtain possession, but without effect, the cold weather interfering with any active measures. On the night of January 24, 1853, while Mr. Laird was tem[)orari]y absent from tlie prairie, his slianty was torn down and the lumber destroyed — chopped ih pieces, Mr, Laird built another cabin on the same ground. It is said that this destruc- tion of the claim-shanty was effected by a young man employed by Gere for that purpose, who received a hundred pounds of flour for his services. Satisfied that it would not be possible for him to get possession and hold it against the opposition he had to contend with, Mr, Gere appealed to Justice Burns for aid to remove the trespasser, feeling confident that a select jury would award him his rights. There were at this time two justices in this vicinit}^, George M, Gere, on Wabasha prairie, and John Burns, at the mouth of Burns valley, Jabez McDermott, of Wabasha prairie, was constable. In February, H, C. Gei-e sued John C. Laird before John Burns, Esq., for trespass, etc. , to get possession of the claim. The trial by jury came off in March, This was the first jury trial ever held in this part of the territory — the first jury ever called in what is now Winona county. The court was held in the upper part of the " Viets House'- (the old Winona House), which was then unfin- ished, Squire Burns having adjourned the court from his office at his house to this place to accommodate all parties interested. The trial was considered an important event by the settlers. Mr. Gere engaged the professional services of Mr. Flint, a law- yer living in La Crosse, and of Andrew Cole, of Wabasha prairie. Mr. Cole was then the only practicing attorney living on the west side of the river. Mr. Laird had for counsel and management of his defense, a lawyer from La Crosse by tlie name of French. The jury im])aneled to try the case was George W. Clark, Scott Clark, O. S. Holbrook, William Hewitt, W. H. Coryell and Hiram Campbell. This being the first important case brought before Squire Biirns, his inex])erience in his official position made it necessary for him to seek advice as to his own duties. He selected as his confidential adviser the ''home attorney." He was personally acquainted with persojs^al paragraphs. 315 Mr. Cole, and had great confidence in his opinions of law. This peculiarity in the case excited some comment from outsiders, — Mr. Cole being attorney for the plaintiff, but no charges were ever made that any improper or unjust proceedings were entertained by the court. Notwithstanding the very marked eccentricities exhibited by the squire, his court and official position was duly respected. His comical expressions and blundering style of doing business afforded considerable amusement during the trial, and were subjects for many a hearty laugh for a long time afterward. About two dq,ys were spent in the examinations of witnesses and speech-making by the attorneys before the case was submitted to the jury. After due deliberation it was ascertained that there was no probability of the jury agreeing, and they were discharged. The court adjourned until the next Monday, March 14, at which time another jury was impaneled and the trial of the case again re- peated. In the first trial the jury stood five for the defendant and one for the plaintiff. The one who stood out against his fellow jurors was Hiram Campbell. The jury on the second trial was John lams, S. A. Houck, H. B. Waterman, Wm. L. Luark, S. D. Putnam, and Elijah Silsbee, all residents of Minnesota City except the last. After about the same amount of time consumed as with the first trial the case was given to the jury, and at about 11 o'clock at night, March 16, the jury decided unanimously in favor of the plaintiff, Henry C. Gere. The next morning Mr. Laird and Wm. H. Stevens started for La Crosse, and took the lawyers home. The condition of the ice in the river would not permit of delay — even then traveling on the river was unsafe. The ice in the river appeared as if it might break up in a few days. It did leave the river in fi'ont of the prairie on the 20th of March. Mr. Laird left the claim in charge of Mrs. Gbddard to hold until his return, not supposing that any movement would be made be- fore that time. Mrs. Goddard, with a young lady, Miss Salina Kellogg, of La Crosse, who was up on a visit, accordingly took pos- session of the shanty, with a firm determination to hold the fort. The suit had been decided in Gere's favor, and he became anx- ious to get the claim into his possession before Mr. Laird should have an opportunity to appeal to a higher court, as he had given notice that he should do on his return. Under the management of 316 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. Mr. Cole, his attorney, judgment was entered up against Mr. Laird on the justice's docket, and an attachment issued to take possession of his property for the payment of tlie costs in the suit. A writ of restitution was also issued, under which it was sup])osed possession would be acquired and the claim held. The constable, McDermott, was friendly and in full sympathy with Mr. Laird, and was also a boarder with Mrs. Goddard. Before the papers were placed in his hands, he notified Mrs. (xoddard of the proceedings, and arranged with her a plan of defense. He aided them to procure material and barricade the building, so as to resist an assault if Gere and his friends attempted to take forcible posses- sion of the shanty. It was supposed that they were provided with firearms. Being forewarned, they had the courage to believe that they would be able to resist the officer of the law, witli his consent, and hold Gere and his friends at bay until the return of Mr. Laird from La C'rosse. Learning from McDermott that the yoke of oxen would be attached when they came across the river from their work, Mrs. Goddard sent for the cattle and had them brought over and chained to a post by the side of the shanty, while the constable had business elsewhere. When the writ was placed in McDermott's hands he went down to the claim. As he advanced, Mrs. Goddard warned him that if anyone attempted to come near the shanty it would be at their own peril. The constable withdrew to a safe distance and apparently waited for a more favorable opportunity to perform his official duties. Neither Mr. Gere or any of his friends ventured within short range of the cabin where Mrs. Goddard and Miss Kellogg stood guard, and, to the surprise of the settlers, successfully resisted the execution of the law and boldly defied any one who should dare molest them. These two women held the claim and retained possession of the oxen until Mr. Laird returned from La Crosse with the money to defray the expenses of the suit, which had been the principal object of his trip. He at once paid the cost and apjjealed the case to the United States district court. The writ of restitution was never enforced. Of the proceedings in the district court, nothing official can be learned. It is said that, from some cause, judgment in the justice's court was suspended and the case dismissed. Mr. Laird was never PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS. 317 afterward disturbed in his possession of the claim. It is now known as Laird's Addition. Although Mr. Gere never made any actual attempts to obtain possession of the claim, he several times threatened suits tor its recovery. Mr. Laird soon foimd that a little money would stop all proceedings — less than the fee of a lawyer to defend the case. Gere consulted about every lawyer that located here for the next two or three years. He was among the first clients of Hon. Judge Wilson, when he came here in 1855. Mr. Wilson, then a young lawyer, became interested in the story of Gere, and, considering it an im- portant case, at once commenced suit against Mr. Laird. He was greatly surprised a day or two after to learn from his client that, on account of a satisfactory arrangement with Mr. Laird, he wished to stop all proceedings against him. The lawyers never shared in these periodical settlements. When Gere again ran short of funds, he again called on his attorney to bring suit against Laird, but Mr. Wilson indignantly refused to have anything further to do with the case. Mr. Laird became a permanent settler on Wabasha prairie, where he was prominently identified with public and private enter- prises which tended to the development of the resources of the county. Although for many years Mr. Laird gave his attention to the cultivation of a large farm in the eastern part of Olmsted county, and lived there with his family a portion of each year, he has maintained an interest in Winona county and occupied his resi- dence in the city of Winona. John C. Laird now lives on the same claim he ' ' jumped " from Henry C. Gere, on Wabasha prairie, in the fall of 1852. His pres- ent residence is within two blocks of where his claim-shanties stood while contesting possession with Mr. Gere. This is the only instance where any one of the original claimholders of land on Wabasha prairie, now the city of Winona, is living on the claim he held in 1852, and with one exception Mr. Laird is the only one in the city living on land which they held prior to the sale of public lands in 1855. A part of the original claim of Captain Smith, claim JSTo. 1, was pre-empted by John Keyes,. His widow and family are yet resi- dents of that locality. In the spring of 1853 Mr. Laird built quite a stylish and com- fortable one-story house, with two wings, on his claim, and made it his headquarters. He brought up a breaking-team of three yoke 318 HISTORY OF WENONA COUNTY. of large oxen and two large breaking-plows. His reason for having two plows to one team was, that he found it economical to send his plows to Galena by steamboat for repairs — to keep his team at work an extra plow was necessary. This team he kept busy breaking for the settlers by the acre during the season, under the management of A. B. Smith. Mr. Laird started the first livery stable in the county of Winona. The heavy horses and wagons he furnished for hire in 1853 would hardly represent the business if compared with the dashing turn- outs now furnished from the " liveries " in the city of Winona. Although not strictly the first man to deal in lumber, Mr. Laird was the first to commence the business and estabish a lumber-yard for the retail of lumber as a regular business occupation. He com- menced the lumber business a little above where the sawmill of Laird, Norton & Co. now stands. His little retail yard was the nucleus from which the vast lumber establishments and immense business of Laird, Norton & Co. has been developed. John C. Laird was once a member of this firm, but withdrew from it many years ago. It was through him and his influence that many of our best citizens came into this county. In the summer of 1852 Enos P. Williams, who made the claim next east of that held by Beecher Gere, traded it to B. B. Healy for three or four village lots in La Crosse. Mr. Williams had made no improvement except a pretense of a garden. He was then living in La Crosse, where he remained for three or four years, after which he came up the river and settled in this county, in what is now the town of Utica, where he yet resides. Mr. Healy built quite a comfortable house on the Williams claim and placed a man on it to hold possession. The claimkeeper neg- lected his charge and it was jumped by Rufus Emerson, who was employed by Andrew Cole. Mr. Healy contested the matter, and after a suit or two at law recovered possession of the claim and then disposed of it to Rev. H. S. Hamilton, who bought it for some of his relatives, John I. and Harvey Hubbard. It was then called the John I. Hubbard claim, and is now known as Hubbard's Addition to the plat of Winona. But few claims were made in the southern part of what is now Winona county during the season of 1852. Two or three were selected on Pine creek, one or two along the river and in the valleys. Hamilton McCollura settled on the river in the lower part of the PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS. 319 county. His house was for a year or two a favorite stopping- place for travelers by land on the trail between Winona and La- Crosse. James Campbell, a Scotchman, settled in Cedar creek valley three or four miles .from its mouth. William and Robert Campbell came not long after. Mr. Campbell now holds a large amount of land in that vicinity, where he yet resides. Leonard Johnson lived with W. B. Bunnell for a year or two, and then with Frank Wilson started a wood-yard at Johnson's Point, below the present village of Homer. Mr. Johnson is yet a resident of the county, living in the town of Pleasant Hill, on a farm selected by him in an early day. Harry Herrick, for many years a man of all work for Bunnell, made a claim in Burns valley, about two miles above its mouth, where the road crosses the stream. He built a small log cabin, which is yet standing and is a part of the old building on the upper side of the road, east of the bridge. Mr. Herrick held this claim for a year or two, when he sold it and went back to live with Bunnell, where he died two or three years after. The claim was purchased by Rev. Edward Ely, and was long known as the " Ely claim." It is now a part of the farm of Mr. Henry Bitner. William Hewett came into the county in the latter part of this season and made a claim in Burns valley, next above Herrick. He built a frame house near the big spring next to the road and settled there with his family. This house was burned down several years after. A log house now occupies the same site. Mr. Hewett occupied the locality for two or three years and then sold out and left this part of the country. Joseph S. Wilson selected his claim in Burns valley, next above Hewett's, where Charles Miller now has a stock-farm. He built his claim shanty about where the present farm buildings stand, near the spring. His first shanty was only designed to show that the claim was "occupied by a settler." He left his claim in the care of Roderick Kellogg until the next spring, when he returned with his family, built a comfortable house and opened up a fiirm, which he cultivated for three or four years. He then sold his farm and moved into Winona, where he carried on the business of harness- making until about 1880, when he went west and located in the territory of Dakota. Mr. Wilson was a well-known citizen of the 320 JirSTOllY OF WINONA COUNTY. county. Tlie town of Wilson was given its name from liira, he being one of its oldest settlers and the best known in that locality. The same season that Mr. Wilson brought his family to live in Burns valley, a German by the name of Schabe, or Schape, made a claim above Wilson's. lie built a log house near the spring by the side of the road and lived there until his death, ten or twelve years ago. This house was the last one in that direction until the spring of 1S54. The log house built by jVfr. Schape was standing until within the past year. On Christmas day, 1882, the writer passed the locality and found the present owner of the pro|)erty tearing down the old house. The timber of which it was composed was apparently sound; the oak logs were hard and dry ; the oak shingles, or more properly shakes, were sound oh the nnder side, but much worn on the outer side. L man by the name of Blodgett made a claim in West Burns valley, where P. B. Palmer now lives. He brought with him a small herd of cows and lived on this claim during the summer. "NVliile here he lost two children from sickness. He sold out his stock and abandoned the claim in the tall and went back down the river. In the tall of this year A. B. Smith came to Wabasha prairie, and for awhile had the west half of the McDermott claim — the eighty next west of the claim owned by Dr. Childs. It was said that he was holding this for Mr. Healey, by whom he was employed. It was difficult to tell who was the real owner of the claim ; it was jumped several times by different individuals. It was sold by Mc- Dermott to David Olmsted. Mr. Smith did not reside on any claim, although he held several. Prior to his coming here he had been engaged in lumbering business, cutting and rafting, and as a pilot in running lumber down the Ohio and on the Mississippi rivers. He spent the winter as a regular boarder with Mrs. God- dard, and married the widow the following season. A. B. Smith was well known to all of the early settlers as a hotel keeper, — as the landlord of the old ''Minnesota House," built by him in 1853, on the comer of Center and Second streets, where S. C. White's store now stands. He was also the proprietor of the " Wabasha Prairie House," which stood on the corner of Front and Franklin streets, built by him in the summer of 1855. While living here he suddenly left home in the night, without the family or any PERSOI^AL PARAGRAPHS. 323 one connected with the house being aware of his intentions to do 80. Nothing of a certainty was ever learned relative to any circum- stances connected with his mysterious disappearance. It was known that at about that time he was accustomed to carry a considerable sum of money about his person. He sometimes indulged freely in intoxicating drinks. It was generally supposed that he had been foully dealt with — probably murdered for his money and his body thrown into the river. Suspicion rested on some with whom he familiarly associated at about that time, but no evidence was ever secured that appeared to justify making any arrests. There was no proof of his death. During the latter part of this season Koderick Kellogg came up from La Crosse to do some mason-work for the settlers on Wabasha prairie. He was a competent mechanic in his line of busi- ness, and a man of more than usual abilities and general informa- tion, but his intemperate habits had isolated him from his family. He was readily induced to come here and work at his trade, although there was but little to do, because, as he expressed himself, he • "would by so doing, get away from the temptation of the hell-holes where intoxicating drinks could at all times be procured." Mr. Kellogg was, for a year or so, benefited by the change, but when the hell-holes opened in Winona he found them, although they were small ones. The first regular mason-work done in this county was by Rod- erick Kellogg. His first job of work was on Wabasha prairie, where he plastered two rooms for Kev. Edward Ely, on the corner of Center and Second streets. This was the first plastered house in the county. His next job of plastering was the lower rooms in the " Yiets House," afterward known as the Winona House — it stood on Front street, on the levee. The first brick chimney built in the county was by Mr. Kellogg, in the Viets House. His third job of plastering and chimnej^-building was in a small one-story house of two rooms built by Johnson for Andrew Cole, on lot 4, block 10. Johnson's original claim shanty, on claim No. 4, was torn down and used in the construction of this building. These three build- ings were the only houses in the county with plastered rooms until the season of 1853. Nearly all of the mason-work required by the settlers of this vicinity was done by Mr. Kellogg. He worked at his trade here for three or four years, and then went back to La Crosse. He 19 324 IIISTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY. owned the lot on the corner of Franklin and Second streets, where Kohweder's meat-market now stands. In the spring of 1853 he built a small one-storj house on the corner, about 12x20, plastered inside and outside. This he occupied as his residence — his family living in La Crosse. He also built the house which stands on the same lot next to the alley. It was at onetime used as a hotel. Roderick Kellogg was an industrious man, seldom idle if there was anything to do, excei)t when intoxicated ; then he was inclined to be quarrelsome. He was a handy man of all work, and when not engaged at his trade he was always ready to undertake any small jobs for the settlers, such as rough carpenter work, gardening, etc. Mr. Kellogg always found a sympatliizing friend in Rev. Mr. Ely, who had, from his lirst acquaintance with him, taken an inter- est in trying to bring about a reform in his life, but without success: the series of efforts were balanced by a like series of failures. After Mr. Ely engaged in mercantile business, in 1854, he sometimes found Mr. Kellogg's services about the store a convenience, and at times employed him. On one occasion Kellogg made his appear- ance when partially intoxicated. He was told that his services were not needed while in that condition. He attempted by argument to show that he was not drunk — that he knew what he was about, although he had taken a drink. His remarks became insulting, and Mr. Ely told him to leave the store — to go away and not come back again, for he would have nothing more to do with him. Kellogg went outside and became noisy and abusive — attracting the attention of the idlers about (of whom the writer was one). Becoming excited in his harangue, he fairly jumped up und down, until suddenly he stopped, as if strongly im})ressed with a new idea of retaliation for the fancied wrong done him, and exclaimed, "D — you, Elder Ely ! I'll get even with you yet — I'll go and jump your claim for this." He at once turned and marched off down the street as if his determination was a fixed one. He did not attempt to carry out his threat, for when sober he respected the elder. The idea was a popular one, that the greatest wrong that could be inflicted on a settler was to jump his claim,. During the latter part of the season John and Rufus Emerson, brothers, came into this county and settled on Wabasha prairie. John Emerson had a wife and two or three children. After looking about for awhile he selected a location south of the Evans claim, toward the upper end of the lake. He built a shanty on it and made POSTOFFICES. 325 it his home, with liis iamily, for about two years, when he sold it to Edwin Foster. Taylor's Addition is a part of the Emerson claim. Mr. Emerson moved to the western part of the county, where he located himself on a farm. Rufus Emerson was a' single man. Without permanently locating himself, he speculated in claims by taking possession of some un- occupied land (jumping claims) and selling out his interest to other settlers. He was identified with several ditiiculties where claim- jumping was charged, either for his own individual benefit or as an employe of others. He pre-empted a claim on the bottom-land west of Gilmore's. Rufus Emerson built a house on the Stevens claim in the spring of 1854. This house is yet standing. It is on Second Street, between Market and Franklin streets, on lot 2, block 143. This building was constructed from lumber found floating down the river and picked up at different times. Emerson sold it before it was completed. It was afterward clapboarded and finished b}^ W. H. Stevens, into whose hands it fell. CHAPTER XXXII. POSTOFFICES. During the season of 1852 there were two postoffices created in this county by the postoflice department, although there was but one in regular operation until about the beginning of the following year. The first was at Minnesota City, with Robert Pike, Jr., as postmaster. The other at Wabasha prairie, with George G. Barber as postmaster. The office at Minnesota City was established with the proviso that the mails should be transported, free of charge to the depart ment, to and from the nearest postoffice on the Mississippi. The mails were made up and received in regular form at this office, but no regular carrier employed. The special mail-bag provided, was usually carried by some of the colonists who chanced to go to La Crosse, the nearest postoffice on the river, or it was taken to Wabasha prairie and sent down by the boats. On certain days, about every week, the mail-bag was brought up from La Crosse by 326 JIISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. the "boats and left at Wabasha prairie, wliere some one from the colony awaited its arrival. Prior to this all mail matter belonging to the members of the association was usually carried and looked after by the settlers of the colony. It was usual for the postmaster at La Crosse to deliver to s<:)me well known settler all of the mail matter of the settlement to which he belonged. Where parties were well known, their letters were sometimes sent to them by the clerks of the boats, to be left at their nearest landing-place. In this way Nathan Brown received letters at his landing. Bunnell took charge of all mail matter for Bunnell's landing, and in the early part of the season all letters for settlers on Wabasha prairie were left in the care of Johnson. During the summer and early })art of the winter the Kev. Ed- ward Ely made frequent visits between Wabasha prairie and La Crosse. A portion of the time his family was living at the latter place. When he brought his family to Johnson's landing, he for awhile occupied Johnson's claim shanty on claim No. 4. His fre- quent trips between the two places were made the means by which the settlers on Wabasha prairie received and sent away their letters. Mr. Ely always made it a duty to bring up all mail matter be- longing to this locality, and was accustomed to carry it about with him until distributed to the settlers, who usually flocked around him as soon as his arrival was known. This was readily ascertained, for it was the usual custom for everybody to visit the landing on the arrival of a steamboat from below. All letters sent by the boats were then left in his care for delivery. It was from this matter of accommodation, and from his custom of carrying all letters about his person, the traditional story originated, that "in the early days of the settlement of this county the postoffice was in Elder EIj^'s hat." The second postofhce in the county was on Wabasha prairie. It was called Montezuma ; the postmaster was George G. Barber. The first movement toward making application for this office originated with the Wabasha Protection Club. Mention has already been made that a majority of the members of this organization were residents of La Crosse, who held claims on this side of the river, many of them never residents of the territory. The laws of the club allowed its members to hold claims for six months without making a residence on them, and with but nominal improvements. The members were pledged to aid each other in retaining possession during that time. This law conflicted with the Uidted States and \ POSTOFFICES. 327 Territorial claim laws, and led to frequent differences among the earlj settlers. At one of the meetings of the club the necessity of a postoffice was discussed and action taken in favor of making application to the postoffice department. A hlanh petition was signed, but the drawing up of the necessary papers and forwarding the same was referred to Andrew Cole, a lawyer in La Crosse and a member of the club. It was then supposed, and generally understood, that the secretary, Abner S. Goddard, would be recommended in the petition for postmaster, and that the name of the postoffice would be Wabasha prairie. When the papers were drawn up, the attorney, with the approval of some of the members of the club, inserted Montezuma as the name of the postoffice, and recommended George G. Barber as post- master. Mr. Barber was a resident of La Crosse. He had made a claim in Gilmore valley early in the spring, but never improved it. The Hank petition filled out at La Crosse was forwarded to the postoffice department and the appointment duly made. Mr. Barber received his commission about the middle of June, gave the required bonds and took the oath of office. He came up to make his arrangements for supplying the settlers of Wabasha prairie with their mail and offered the position of deputy -postmaster to Mr. Goddard, who indignantly refused to accept the position. Mr. Barber returned to La Crosse without being able to secure a deputy. The settlers on Wabasha prairie declined the honor, — the only instance in the history of this county where official position has been generally declined. No improvements were made in postal facilities; "the elder" continued to carry the " mail in his hat." About the 20th of July Byron Yiets moved up from La Crosse and accepted the position of deputy-postmaster from Mr, Barber. Mr. Yiets did not open the office regularly. The mails were made up and distributed as before, at La Crosse. The only additional advantage afforded was that the mail was carried by the boats in a canvas bag without a lock. By request of Mr. Yiets, the elder distributed the contents of the bag left in his charge as he had previously done. The settlers were dissatisfied with tlie appointment of a non- resident as postmaster, who lived thirty miles away. The name of Montezuma was equally objectionable, although Johnson had 328 JIISTOKY OF WLNONA COUNTY. adopted it as the name of tlio town-site, then just plotted by John Ball on Wabasha prairie. A public meeting was called to consider the matter and the question freely discussed. All united in a petition to the postofRce department ior the appointment of Abner S. Goddard as postmaster in place of George G. Barber, a resident of another state. Nearly all petitioned to have the name of the office changed from Monte- zuma to Winona. In discussing this change several nanies were proposed, Winona, Wabasha, Wabasha City, Prairie and Ozelle. The name of Winona was adopted by a majority of one when the vote was taken. It is now uncertain who first suggested the name of Winona. It has been said that it was proposed by Captain Smith. Some are equally positive that it was suggested ]>y Dr. Balcombe. Otliers say it was Dr. Childs. Dr. Childs was noted for his peculiarity of giving names to localities, and to all animals in his possession. Gilmore valley was called by him "Winona valley," about the time the name of Winona was selected as the name of the postoffice. Letters in the hands of Mrs. Calista Balcombe, the widow of Dr. John L. Balcombe, show that Dr. Balcombe, Mr. How- ard and Ed. Hamilton, then the proprietors of No. 5, the Ham- ilton claim m-ged upon Captain Smith the propriety of calling the new town plot Wabasha. This Captain Smith consented to do, provided he could induce Alexis Bailey to have the name of the postoffice at Wabasha changed, but Bailey would not con- sent. They then proposed to call it Wabasha City, and adopted the name themselves for use in their correspondence. Dr. Bal- combe was always anxious to have a Dakota name given to the town. Neither Captain Smith nor the proprietors of claim No. 5 were present when the name of Winona was adopted. The post- office department promptly changed the name of the postoffice to Winona and appointed Mr. Goddard postmaster. AVhen his com- mission arrived he was lying on his bed of sickness, from which he never recovered. He died before he was able to qualify for the position. The postoffice was without a legal postmaster. The boats, however, carried the mails between La Crosse and the prairie, ■where they were taken care of by the volunteer postmaster. Elder Ely obtained ])ossession of the keys and acted in that capacity with- out taking the oath of office required from those who handle the United States mail. No mails were made up or officially received POSTOFFICES. 829 at this oflQce. This duty was performed at La Crosse. The elder was simply acting in the same capacity of messenger that he had been previously doing, except instead of carrying the letters "in his hat " he was accommodated with a mail bag. The faithfulness shown by Mr. Ely in his attention to this self-imposed duty was satisfactory to the settlers. Among the traditional anecdotes of the early days is one showing the zeal of the elder in the performance of his duties. He received the mail bag from the boat and also de- livered it with the letters to be posted at La Crosse. It was his custom to preach here on Sundays when not engaged at La Crosse, where he had regular appointments, alternating with Elder Hamil- ton — one preaching on one Sunday and the other on the next. While holding forth eloquently to an attentive congregation in his own shanty, on one of his days to speak to the people, the settlers were suddenly and unexpectedly startled by the whistle of a steam- boat approaching the landing. The elder brought his sermon to a close very abruptly, with the remark, "There's a boat from be- low," and hastened to the levee to receive the expected mail. The elder denies having any recollection of this occurrence. Those who are familiar with his eccentricities believe it. George W. Clark says it is true, for he was one of his audience — that the elder stopped short in one of the best sermons he ever heard him attempt to deliver, and left his astonished congregation to ponder on the finale of the discourse if completed, or to follow him to the levee and see if there was any one on the boat that they knew, and inquire for long ex- pected letters when the elder had secured the United States mail bag. To remedy all difficulties arising from the irregularities of mail facilities, a meeting of the settlers was called to take the matter under consideration and recommend a candidate to fill the vacancy of postmaster. The Rev. Edward Ely was selected for the position by an unanimous vote, and a petition, signed by all on the prairie, forwarded to the department in Washington. At this meeting an effort was made to again change the name of the postoffice — to call it Wabasha City — but the matter was settled by a vote, and one majority for Winona. The elder says that his vote retained the name of Winona. Elder Ely duly received his commission and became the lawful postmaster at Winona, on Wabasha prairie, where he had had the distribution of letters that came by mail about nine months unofficially. The first regular mail made up by him after receiving 330 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. his appointment was on the 8th day of January, 1853. The office was in his residence on the corner of Center and Second streets, where now the "Ely block" stands. Mr. Ely held this position until early in the spring of 1855, when he was superseded by J. W. Downer, and the postoffice removed to the "'Downer building," which stood about midway between Market and Walnut streets, on the north side of Front street. This change was a political movement. When the United States laud-office was established at Winona and the little settlement at Johnson's landing began to assume some importance it was considered advisable that the postmaster should be one in sympathy with the party in power. The administration was democratic, and as the elder was of different political faith the services of the pioneer postmaster were no longer required. The first marriage on Wabasha prairie, now the city of Winona, and the first marriage within the present boundaries of this county, was that of S. K. Thompson and Mrs. Sutherland, on the 9th of November, 1852. The marriage ceremony was performed by the Rev. Edward Ely at his own house, where the parties were stopping temporarily while waiting for a down boat to take them to LaCrosse. S. K. Thompson was among the first arrivals here in the spring. Without locating himself on a claim he had remained on Wabasha prairie during the season and made his home with John Evans. He was about forty-five years old, a man of good general intelligence and of dignified personal appearance. Mrs. Sutlierland was a widow about forty years of age. She came here with her brother, O. S. Holbrook, and kept house for him until her marriage, after which Thompson and Holbrook lived together for awhile on Holbrookes claim, which he had discovered lying south of and adjoining the McDermott claim, until Thompson made a claim back of the lake and moved on it. The claim, back of the lake, made by George Wallace early in the spring of 1852, had laid during this season with but little, if any- thing, to show that it was claimed. Its exposed situation was a temptation for some one without a claim to watch. The Rev. Mr. Ely had not, as yet, taken a claim. On the 2d of December, 1852, he, with his axe on his shoulder, crossed the lake on the ice and jumped Wallace's claim. He took possession by chopping down some trees and blazing others, on which he conspicuously displayed his name. POSTOFFICES. 331 Mr. Wallace was a nephew of Thompson's wife, the late Widow Sutherland. Considering the Wallace claim to be a family posses- sion which should be guarded, Thompson jumped it from Mr. Ely on January 15, 1853, while the elder was at La Crosse holding a series of revival meetings for which he had been employed. The elder was too much engaged in his professional labors to devote his time and attention to the protection of his rights, and Thompson estab- lished himself on the claim by building a cabin on it, which he occu- pied with his wife. Mr. Thompson afterward bought the claim of George Wallace and built a comfortable frame house, a story and a half building, in which he lived for ten or twelve years, or while he remained in this part of the country. The house is yet standing, and forms part of the present farmhouse of Mr. John Zenk. S. K. Thompson was a gentlemanly appearing man in dress and manners, and always seemed to have control of funds to engage in business. He held official positions, — was county commissioner, and for several years was justice of the peace. In his younger days he had been a merchant in Ohio. For about ten years before set- tling in this county he had been engaged in speculative investments along the upper Mississippi. He was for awhile in business as a merchant at Winona. It has been already related that when Elijah Silsbee sold his claim in 1854, he, with Charles S, Hamilton, started a store on the corner of Front and Center streets. About January 1, 1855, they dissolved partnership, Mr. Silsbee retaining the stock of goods. Soon after this S. K. Tliompson bought the goods and carried on the business for about one year. In the fall of 1855 he purchased quite a large stock of general merchandise, groceries, etc. During the winter he sold out to Burr Deuel and Luke Blair. The incidents of this sale are noted to show something of the manner of doing business at that date. When Mr. Thompson sold out to Deuel & Blair he gave possession at once, and was to receive the first pay- ment as soon as the inventory was taken, and the balance in notes of the firm. The inventory was taken by Thompson and Holbrook. Before the inventory was completed enough was realized from sales to make the first payment. The notes for the balance at six and twelve months were paid before due, the firm buying their own paper through an agent, A. P. Foster, at a liberal discount of 3 pe^ cent per month. A portion of the Silsbee stock had been damaged by the sinking of the barge in which it was brought up the river in 332 IILsroIIV OF WINONA COFNTY. 1854. To get rid of all of the unsalable goods, auction sales were held, at which "Uncle Luke" was himself the auctioneer and a pop- ular salesman. It was a current report that D. & B. made about $3,000 clear in this transaction before the opening of navigation in the spring, when they renewed their stock. Two or three years before Mr. Thompson left this part of the country the community was soraewhat_startled to learn that he had two wives, a married daughter and a very affectionate adopted daughter living with him in his house across the lake back of Wino- na. Some inquisitive ones, whose sensibilities were shocked by the revelations, attempted to have the affair investigated by the grand jury, to whom complaint was made, but the harmony of the happy family prevented a full expose of the scandal. After remaining here about a year the wife with the married daughter moved to ISTebraska. Thompson followed in a year or two after with wife No. 2 and the adopted daughter. It is rumored that Tliompson and wife No. 2' died from the effects of ])oison in Nebraska. The stores started by Mr. Robertson at Minnesota City, and Mr. Denman at Wabasha prairie, were closed out early in the fall. To procure their supplies for the winter, the settlers sent orders to Galena by the boats; some combined and bought their groceries and provisions at wholesale prices through Mr. Denman as agent. Mr. Johnson went down to Galena and purchased goods for the settlers on the prairie. These supplies were brought up by the Nominee on her last trip and left at La Crosse on November 15. Captain Smith was afraid to venture farther up the river against the ice that had began to form in the river. A severe snowstorm occurred on November 11, followed by intense cold, the thermome- ter indicating several degrees below zero. Mr. Burley says that he went down to La Crosse with Mr. Den- man, and was there when the Nominee turned back down the river. They came up with Johnson the next day on foot, on the west side of the river; the snow was about six inches deep. They stayed all night at Brown's. The news that their supplies were stopped at La Crosse was not very cheering to the settlers, for the most of them had but a limited amount on hand, and the prospect was that they would be unable to procure more until the ice formed sufficient to enable them to travel on the river. The weather moderated, the snow melted away and the river cleared of ice. It was then exj)ected POSTOFFICES. 333 that the steamboats would again come up and bring their freight, but no boats ventured on another trip. On December 9 a party of five men, from the Rolling Stone, with half-a-dozen from Wabasha prairie, went down to La Crosse for the supplies left by the Nominee, expecting to bring them up on one of the Black River boats. Among this party were D. Q. Burley, S. E. Cotton, Wm. T. Luark, J. S. Denman and Charles Bannan, of Minnesota City; from the prairie were E. H. Johnson, A. B. Smith, John C. Laird, George W. Clark, Wm. H. Stevens and Peter Gorr. The weather became intensely cold and ice formed in the river, mak- ing, the trip a laborious one. They reached Brown's the first day from La Crosse, and stopped all night. The following day they landed their freight on tlie lower end of the prairie late in the even- ing. The boat was at once unloaded and started back to La Crosse under the pilotage of A. B. Smith and an assistant. Elder Ely also took passage down. They landed at Brown's and stayed until day- light, when they safely reached La Crosse without accident, although the channel was filled with floating ice. The settlers who remained in the colony and made their homes in Minnesota City during the winter of 1852-3 had comfortable . cabins, in which they passed the winter. Some of these cabins were of logs, others were of boards. No cases of suffering from insufficient food or clothing were known in the settlement. Their principal employment was providing firewood for present use and laying in a su]>ply for the ensuing year. After the sloughs were frozen over they engaged in chopping on the islands, cutting and banking steamboat-wood, getting out logs, timber, posts and rails for use in claim improvements. Their social enjoyments were quiet visits exchanged with each other and occasional meetings of the association. Among the incidents qf the winter was the loss of the horses of S. M. Burns. On* Christmas day he with his wife left their home on the bank of the river at what was afterward called Mt. Yernon, for the purpose of visiting the settlement at Minnesota City. He started down on the ice with his horses and sleigh. While on Had- dock slough his horses broke through the ice and were drowned. Burns and his wife narrowly escaped the same fate. This team was the one Burns brought with him when he came to Minnesota. Tliere was but one other team of horses in the north part of the county, that belonging to O. M. Lord, of Minnesota City. 334 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. Mr. Burns and his wife spent the day \nth their friends in the colony. In the evening Mr. Lord took them u}) to their home with his horses and sleigh, over the trail along the blufts. He came near losing his own team while on this neighborly trip. In crossing the run in the mouth of Deering's valley he missed the trail and drove below, where the banks were higher and drifted with snow. The horses attempted to jump across, but fell head first into the little stream and were unable to rise. The long sleigh-tongue, which projected two or three feet in front of the horses, was driven into the bank and held them fast. Their bodies formed a dam and the water was soon pouring over their backs. Mr. Lord never traveled without his ax ; he was a natural pioneer and prompt to act in cases of emergency. Although it was dark he comprehended the difficulty, and with two or three blows with his ax severed the sleigh- tongue in the rear of the horses and set them at liberty, but not until they were nearly drowned. The tongue was soon repaired with cord brought along in the sleigh, and Mr. Lord made the trip without other accident. His team occupied Burns' stable until the next morning. The following is a list of members of the Farm and Village Association who settled in the colony at Rolling Stone in 1852 with their families, and who in 1883 are yet residents of that locality: O. M. Lord and wife, James Wright and wife, Egbert Chapman and -wife, Mrs. H. B. Waterman, Mrs. Pike (widow of Robert Pike, Jr.,) and her daughter Emma, now Mrs. Frank D. Stewart, Robert Thorp and wife, E. B. Drew, S. E. Cotton and wife, Lawrence Dilworth and wife, Charles Bannon, S. D. Putnam and wife, William Sweet, D. Q. Burley and H. Jones. H. B. Waterman resides in the State of New York. Rufus Waterman is living in the city of Winona. The settlers on Wabasha prairie, like others along the river, in the winter ^f 1852-3 engaged in cutting steamboat-wood, logs, timber, etc., on the island 0})po8ite. Among their social enjoy- ments was a general gathering and Christmas dinner held at the Viets House, then occupied by Edwin Hamilton. At the Christmas gathering held on the i)rairie twelve months before, Ed. Hamilton was the chief cook and general manager of the bachelor dinner. At this second affair he was general manager, but Mrs. Goddard had charge of the cooking department, although it is stated that Ed. Hamilton provided a roast coon of his own preparation for the table. nsrciDENTS. 835 This dinner was got up by a general contribution of material from those interested. Each family provided a part ; even the iurniture and dishes were furnished for the occasion. It is said by one who enjoyed it that the dinner was a good one. About half of the settlers on the prairie attended this gathering. Charles Bannon and S. E. Cotton with their wives were present from Rolling Stone. The following is a list of the settlers living on Wabasha prairie at that date : Rev. H. S. Hamilton, wife and two sons, Charles S. and Eugene ; Rev. Edward Ely, wife and two children, "Charlie" and "Nellie"; Dr. George F. Childs and jwife ; Mrs. Goddard and son Charles ; George M. Gere, wife and a large family ; Wm. B. Gere, Edwin Gere, Mary Gere, Henry C. Gere, wife and a large family ; Angelia Gere, Helen Gere, John Evans and wife, Abigal Evans, Royal B. Evans, John Emerson, wife and children ; S. K. Thompson and wife, E. H. Johnson, Ed. Hamilton, George W. Clark, Scott Clark, John C. Laird, Wm. H. Stevens, O. S. Holbrook, Frank Curtiss, Rufus Emerson, A. B. Smith, Allen Gilmore, Caleb Nash, Jabez McDermott, Roberts and Elijah Silsbee. Of the settlers living on Wabasha prairie at the close of the year 1852 the following are yet living in the county of Winona in 1883 : Mrs. Goddard, now known as Mrs. Catharine Smith, Elder Ely and wife, Wm. H. Stevens, John C. Laird, Royal B. Evans and George W. Clark. Without the aid of an official census, it was estimated by M. Wheeler Sargent "that the population within the present boundaries of Winona county on the 1st day of January, 1853, was about 350, of whom a majority were or had been members of the Western Farm and Village Association." CHAPTER XXXIII. INCIDENTS. Among the incidents of this winter at Winona, noted by Dr. Childs in his diary, was the following — " Sunday, January 30, 1853: Attended meetmg ; Elder Hamilton preached. At night had the privilege of leading a prayer meeting at the house of Mr. Evans — the first prayer meeting ever held on the prairie ; Elder Ely present." 88() IHSTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY. The buikliiig of the first bridge across the Gilmore valley creek, the tirst bridge in this part of the county, is thus noted by Dr. Childs — "■Monday, January 31, 1853: Very mild, snow fast dis- appearing. Engaged building a bridge on th6 Winona creek, aided by George and Scott Clark, Royal Evans, Edwin Hamiltgn and Allen Gilmore. Of all the men who voted at the meeting in favor of the work, pledging their assistance, from the village and lower end of tlie prairie, but one was present." The following is also co])ied from the diary of Dr. Childs — "Sunday, February 27, 1853: Thawing, with rain; Allen Gil- more immersed.'"' At a prayer meeting held at Mr. Evans' on Sun- day, February 20, "Allen Gilmore ex])ressed a wish to be im- mersed, which was decided to take place next Sabbath." This was the first instance of the observance of this religious ordinance in what is now the city of Winona. It is said that Rev. E. Ely oflB- ciated at this baptism. An incident which occurred about the first of March of this year (1853) will illustrate the reckless impulsiveness of Charles S. Ham- ilton, of whom mention has-been made. During the winter a party of Winnebago Indians were camped over on the Trempealeau bottoms, and for the purpose of selling venison and furs and skins they frequently visited the settlement on the prairie. Aside from being inveterate beggars, they were in no way troublesome. At the time spoken of, two of these Indians, who had been up to the vil- lage, stopped at H. S. Hamilton's while on their way back to their camp. They asked permission to sharpen their knives on the grindstone which stood outside. This was readily allowed by Charlie, who, with his young brother Eugene, were the only ones at home. The Indians quietly used the grindstone and started . across the river on the ice. When they were at full long range distance of his rifle from the house, Charlie, standing in the doorway, de- liberately took aim and fired at them. One fell senseless. Fearing another shot, his comrade seized and dragged him beyond the range of the gun. The wounded Indian, after lying a short time on the ice, got up and, with the help of the other, went on over to the Trempea- leau. The Winnebagoes complained to Bunnell of the unjustifiable assault. Bunnell called at Elder Hamilton's to learn the cause of the shooting, but Charley had no excuse for the cowardly act except that he only shot at them to scare them, supposing they were risrciDENTS. 337 beyond the range of his rifle. The ball struck the Indian on the head and glanced off, inflicting a scalp-wound. The force was sufiicient to knock him down and render him senseless without producing serious injuries. Bunnell warned Charley to be on his guard and take care of himself, for the Indian might attempt to retaliate if he had an opportunity. Charlie was afraid of the Winnebagoes after this occurrence, but no hostilities were ever threatened that was known. During the winter the matter of a county organization was a general topic of discussion among tlie settlers along the river. The counties of Dakota and Wabashaw had remained unorganized, as they were created in 1849. The territorial legislature, during its session of 1858, divided them and made provision for several counties from these divisions. While this matter was under consideration the question of the establishment of the county seats of the new counties became an important matter ; almost every settlement pre- sented claims for the location of the county offices. Every settle- ment along the river in this part of Wabashaw county had lobby representatives in St. Paul for the purpose of securing" fhe location of the county seat of this division. Minnesota City, Winona, Min- neowah and Brownsville were rivals for the honor. By a general • act the legislature conferred the authority on the county commis- sioners to locate the county seats. When Wabashaw county was divided and Fillmore county was created from the southern portion, March 5, 1853, its ' boundaries were described as "Beginning at the southwest corner of Wabashaw county, thence southeast to the Iowa state line, thence east on said Iowa state line to the Mississippi river, thence up the middle of said river to the mouth of the Minneska or White river, thence up said river on the south line of Wabashaw county to the place of begin- ning." The western boundary of Fillmore county was then supposed to include the present city of Rochester, in Olmsted county, and the present village of Chatfleld in Fillmore county. Its northern and western boundaries were not clearly defined. The act by which Fillmore county was created declared it to be an organized county, "invested with all and singular the rights and privileges and immunities to which all organized counties are in this territory entitled to by law," and that it was the duty of the gover- nor "at so soon a time as possible to appoint all county officers, justices o"f the peace and constables, as said county may be entitled 338 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.. to by hiw, who shall hold their offices until their successors shall be elected and qualified at the next general election." Wabashaw county, before it was divided, had no county seat. The act creating Fillmore county provided as follows: "It shall be the duty of the first board of county commissioners which shall be hereafter elected in any county laid off in pursuance of this act, as soon sifter said board shall have been elected and qualified as provided by law, as the said board or a majority of them shall determine, to locate the county seat of the county, and the location so made as aforesaid shall be the county seat of the county, to all intents and purposes, until otherwise provided by law.'' Under this act the governor appointed the following officers : Register of deeds, H. B. Stoll, of Minneowah ; treasurer, Erwin H. Johnson, of Winona ; judge of probate, Andrew Cole ; sheriff, John lams. [The justices of the peace previously appointed for Wabashaw county were continued, viz, T. K. Allen, John Burns, Geo M. Gere and H. B. Waterman. The county commissioners appointed were Henry C. Gere, of Winona, Myron Toms, of Minneowah, and William T. Luark, of Minnesota City. The first meeting of the board of county commissioners was held at the " Winona House " on May 28. H. C. Gere was chairman and H. B. Stoll as register of deeds was clerk. The business trans- acted was the appointment of three assessors, — S. A. Houck, J. C. Laird and Jeremiah Tibbets. The approval of the bond of sheriff John lams, witli O. M. Lord and E. B. Drew as sureties. The following names were ordered to be entered as a grand jury list for the June circuit court : H. B. Stoll, James F. Toms, Myron Toms, Nathan Brown, Willard B. Bunnell, H. Carroll, Henry C. Gere, George M. Gere, Wm. T. Luark, George H. Sanborn, Har- vey Hubbard, Isaac Hamilton, O. S. Holbrook, Wm. B. Gere, S, A. Houk, S. A. Putnam, H. B. Waterman, E. B. Drew, O. M. Lord, T. K. Allen, Egbert Chapman, A. A. Gilbert, Eobert|^Taylor and A. P. Hall. The petit jurors for the same court were Edwin B. Gere, John Evans, Erastus H. Murray, Edwin Hamilton, William H. Stevens, John C. Laird, Alex. Smith, John Emerson, Erwin Johnson, John Burns, Frank Curtiss, George W. Clark, Scott Clark, Allen Gilmore, H. B. Thompson, Isaac W. Simonds, Jerry Tibbets, Asa Pierce. Fortune, S. J. Burnet, H. J. Harrington, William E. Hewitt, Henry Herrick, Warren Rowell, James Kinkade, Fletcher, INCIDENTS. 341 Squire Day, A. T. Pentler, James Campbell, Thompson, Webster, Peter Gorr, O. H. Houk, J. S. Denman, Charles Bannan, S. E. Cotton, H. Stradlin^, Wm. H. Coryell, H. Hull, J. W. Bently, D. Q. Burly, J. Nicklin, J. Wright, P. D. Follett, R. Thorp, Louis Krutzly, Henry W. Driver, C. R, Coryell and Alex. McClintock. The second meeting of the board of county commissioners was held at the house of John Burns, in the mouth of Burns valley. Mr. Toms, Mr. Luark, and the clerk, StoU, were present, but there is no record of any business except to approve the bonds of the assessors, Mr. Toms acting as chairman. The next meeting was July 4, at Minneowah, at which no one was present except Mr. Toms and the clerk. "The chairman ad- journed to meet at Winona July 5." The next meeting was held pursuant to adjournment, and the following entry afterward made on the record by Mr. Stoll, who was not present. It was evidently designed as a squib at Wabasha prairie : " Winona, July 6, 1853 — H. C. Gere and Wm. T. Luark, commissioners, met pursuant to adjournment at the Winona hotel. Myron Toms, one of the absent commissioners, not being able to reach Winona on account of the high state of water and the then impassable gulf, the former commissioners adjourned to meet at the Winona Hotel July 9, 1853. Approved the bond of E. H. Johnson, county treasurer of Fillmore county. H. B. Stoll, clerk." The office of H. B. Stoll, the register of deeds, was in the vil- lage of Minneowah. The first deed recorded was one from Isaac Van Etten to H. B. Stoll, dated January 4, 1853, ^nd filed in the office May 11, 1853. This conveyed one half of Van Etten's inter- est in Minneowah. The consideration was $300. The hrst deed made in this county that was placed on record was a quit-claim from William B. Gere of part of his claim on Wabasha prairie to A. M. Fridley, of St. Paul. It is dated No- vember 1, 1852, but not filed for record until the 29th of June, 1853. The consideration was $150. The acknowledgment was before George M. Gere, justice of the peace, November 4, 1852. The part of William B. Gere's claim transferred by this deed was eighty acres, on which the shanty of Henry C. Gere stood. The incidents of this transaction were given to the writer by Mr. Fridley many years ago. During the latter part of the season of 1852 Mr. Fridley made the acquaintance of Henry C. Gere, while on a steamboat between La Crosse and Wabasha prairie. Gere 20 342 IIISTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY. then projiosed to sell liim a claim of eighty acres he held on War baslia prairie. Mr. Fridley purchased the eighty acres where H. C. Gere was then living for $150, receiving a quit-claim from William B. Gere. He also gave H. C. Gere $50 to hold the claim for him until the following spring. Gere continued to occupy the shanty until the spring of 1854, drawing upon Mr. Fridley during tluit time, in consideration of his services as claimkeeper, until the sum total paid H. C. Gere by A. M. Fridley for that eighty was $1,200. The claim was then placed in possession of L. D. Smith, who came here from St. Paul with his family in the spring of 1S54. It is now known as Plummer's Addition to the plat of Winona. During the season of 1852, and until the following year, the claim of Captain Smith at the lower end of the prairie — claim No. 1, — held by Smith and Johnson, had remained undisturbed, no attempt having been made to molest it. Johnson removed the shanty, using the lumber for other purjjoses at the upper landing. Early in the s])ring, in A])ril, 1853, the unoccupied claim was jumped by Isaac W. Simonds. As soon as this was known to E. H. Johnson, he, by direction of Captain Smith, commenced suit against Simonds in justice's court, before Squire Gere, to oust him from the possession he had assumed. The defense was under the management of a lawyer by the name of Stevens, from La Crosse. It was then learned that Simonds had taken possession of the claim for a stock company, composed of William B. Gere, Charles S. Hamilton, Isaac W. Simonds and Stevens, the attorney in the claim suit. The suit was adjourned from time to time, from in April to about the first of June, without coming to trial. In the meantime the company had a town surveyed and platted cover- ing 141 acres of the claim. It was given the name of Wabasha City. The claim shanty stood a little in front of where the residence of Mrs. Keyes now stands. This was occupied by Simonds and Charlie Hamilton. CHAPTER XXXIY. A BLOODY CONFLICT. During the winter and spring Johnson had made his head- quarters at the house he had built on Front street for the use of Andrew Cole, which he afterward sold to him. He, however, made his home with John Evans, whose daughter, Abigal M. Evans, he married later in the season. He usually spent his evenings at Evans' when on the prairie. Johnson became impatient at the delay in the trial of his suit against Simon ds, and while at supper one evening he remarked that he would have to go down to the lower claim and "clean them out" himself if he ever expected to get possession. He soon after started for the village. This indicated another claim-fight. Johnson "cleaned them out "that night. The jjarticulars of this fight were related to the writer by Royal B. Evans, a son of John Evans, who took part in the afi'ray. Mr. Evans says : "It was about the middle of May or a little after that Johnson shot Simonds. I came home rather late that day and found that the rest of the family had been to supper ; they were talking about Johnson, who had just gone down to the village. Father said Johnson would get into trouble if he attempted to drive Simonds and Charlie Hamilton off from the lower claim without he had some help. My sister wanted I should find hirn and tell him that father wished to see him. "After supper I went down to the landing ; a steamboat had just come up and almost everybody living on the prairie was on the levee. Simonds and Charlie Hamilton were conspicuous, but Johnson was not there. John McDermott told me he saw him going back on the prairie just after the boat landed. It was then dark. I expected I should find him at the lower claim, and went down there in search of him. As I approached the Simonds shanty Johnson hailed me and ordered me to halt. I answered him and he told me to come in. Johnson said he expected to have a fight and was ready for them. He had a Colt's rifle and an old 'pepper box ' pistol. I had brought nothing with me, not even a club. He said that when he saw Simonds and Hamilton up at the village he 344 HISTORY OF WLNONA COUNTY. went and got his gun and pistol and started. We sat down in front of the shanty and examined them ; they had not been used in a long time. The i-ilie was out of rei)air and would not work. Finding it was of no use, he took the barrel off and stood it beside the door, saying, ' That will do to use as a club.' "About ten o'clock we heard some one coming down the prairie, and knew that it was Simonds by his loud voice. Johnson hailed them to stop, and threatened them if they advanced. He then snapped two caps on the pistol without a discharge. They came on to where we were standing, near the shanty, when Simonds pitched at Johnson and they two had a regular fist-fight, which lasted some time. Charlie and I looked on without doing anything. We were about the same age and size. Simonds was much the larger and stronger man, and was too much for Johnson. They clinched, and Johnson, finding that Simonds had the advantage, drew his pistol and shot him. The ball passed through the muscles of the forearm and broke the bone above the elbow. They continued clinched for awhile after, when Simonds called for Hamilton to take him off. Hamilton caught Johnson by the throat and tried to choke him. I then attacked C'harlie with my fists and knocked him down." "It was a still, clear, starlight night, and the noise made while the fight was going on was heard at Hamilton's house, where some one halloed in return. Simonds called to them to bring his shot- gun. Elder Hamilton and Jake McDermott came up just after Charlie and I had had our set-to ; Johnson kept back out of sight. Simonds complained of being faint, and asked the elder to take him over to his house. I had not received any very hard blows, but Johnson, as well as the other two, had been severely pounded. "Elder Hamilton took hold of Simonds and supported his wounded arm, while I took hold of him on the other side to help take him to Hamilton's house. Just as we started, Charlie Hamilton attacked me from behind with a club — one of the oak stakes used in surveying the plot. He hit me once before I turned, and then struck me once or twice across the face, cutting me severely before McDermott separated us. McDermott then helped the elder take Simonds home. Not hearing anything of Johnson I went over to Hamilton's to see what was going on there. A steamboat chanced to be coming down and the elder signaled them with his lantern to stop at his landing, intending to send Simonds to La Crosse. A doctor on board examined and dressed the wounded arm, and word A BLOODY CONFLICT. 345 was sent by the boat to La Crosse to have a surgeon come up from there. The elder washed the blood off from my head and face and bandaged up my wounds. The scalp-cut on the back of my head was the worst, but my face was badly cut and bruised. I then went back down the prairie in search of Johnson. While I was up at Hamilton's he had torn the shanty down, and thrown it and every- thing belonging to it into the river. We then went up home ; Johnson was living with us. The next morning we were both arrested by McDermott, the constable. After we had had our breakfast he took us down to Squire Gere's office, where we were detained some time, when the justice decided that the examination could not go on without the testimony of Simonds, and adjourned the court to H. S. Hamilton's house. Johnson refused to walk down there. Squire Gere then sent the constable to find a conveyance. We walked down toward the river, when the justice called to us not to go away, but stay around where we could be found when McDermott came back. Johnson made no reply — I told him I was not going very far away. Johnson went over to Andrew Cole's house to change his clothes. Mr. Cole was then absent. I went home, had my wounds dressed and went to bed, where I slept until the next morning. I then came down to the justice's office and was discharged from custody." Considerable excitement was aroused over the matter by the new town site company, and when Johnson failed to make his appear- ance Sheriff lams was sent to find him and bring him before the court. The sheriff got trace of him at Minnesota City, and overtook him at Hall's landing, below the mouth of the White Water, where he was waiting for a steamboat to come along. Johnson left the river and went up the bluff with the sheriff' after him. Johnson could outrun and outclimb the sheriff, and when beyond reach he stopped and told lams if he came any farther he would send some loose rocks down on him. The sheriff went back to the trail and watched for Johnson to again make his appearance. He was com- pelled to return without his prisoner. Johnson succeeded in reaching the river without being observed. The steamboats at that time would land anywhere if hailed by a passenger. Johnson went to St. Paul, where he secured counsel and returned to have the case disposed of and settled in some manner. He delivered himself up, and no one appearing against him he was discharged from custody. Simonds had been detained on the prairie to await the examination, 346 HISTORY OF WINONA COUWTY. but went to La Crosse two or three days before Johnson's return, which was on June 3. As soon as Captain Smith learned of the shooting of Simonds by Johnson he sent his son S. J. Smith here to take charge of matters. By the advice of John Evans it was deemed necessary to put up a shanty on the lower claim to hold possession. Mr. Smith secured the services of Mr. Evans and his son Royal, and took a load of lumber down to build a cabin. He was met there by Mr. Stevens from La Crosse, one of the proprietors of the new town, who warned him not to attempt to occupy it, for they should defend their rights to the claim. Mr. Smith decided not to have any more iii>:liting, but trust to the law for redress. He ordered the lumber taken back to the upper landing, notwithstanding the protests of Mr. Evans, who asserted that he could stand as much shooting as they could. Mr. Smith then remained quiet at the hotel where he was stopping. As soon as Stevens returned to La Crosse he sent Asa Hedge up, who built a shanty and took possession of the claim. The next day after he was discharged from custody Johnson went down and put up a shanty about whei-e the one stood which Augustus Pentler once occupied. This was held by John Evans and Johnson. No collisions occurred between the occupants of the two shanties. About a week afterward Captain Smitli brought up from Galena a house ready made for claim No. 1. It was put up a few rods above where the house of Mrs. Keyes now stands. The same day Mr. Hedge went to La Crosse and his shanty was torn down. It was done by the consent of Mr. Hedge, who sold the possession of the claim to Captain Smith for one or two lots on Front street, fronting on the levee. Mr. Hedge at once built a small house on lot 1, block 11 — brought his family from La Crosse and made it his home for many years. He here opened a restaurant and saloon — the first saloon or place where intoxicating drinks were sold in the city of Winona. His liquors were bought up by the citizens and destroyed. The ladies were the movers in this transaction. He afterward opened his saloon with a new stock, when they were again destroyed or seized by the sheriff. He afterward put up a better building and opened a grocery store, where he carried on quite a trade for two or three years. Frank D. Sloan was his clerk and salesman in the grocery business. As an illustration of valuation of real estate and manner of A BLOODY CONFLICT. 347 doing business, the following incident is noted relative to this prop- erty. In about 1856 or 1857 Mr. Hedge found it necessary to secure a loan to carry on his business. Gable & Werst, money loaners and dealers in real estate, advanced him $5,000 and took a mortgage on the lot and store to secure the payment of his notes drawing two per cent per month. As a matter of course Mr. Hedge failed in business and the property was sold under the mortgage. How much Gable and Werst posted to profit and loss in this transaction is unknown. They held the property for many years. Among the early arrivals this season were Itliael Hamilton, the father, and Enoch C. Hamilton, the brother, of H. S. Hamilton, and Erastus H. Murray, a brother-in-law. Harvey Hubbard and John I. Hubbard were also relatives of the Hamiltons. Enoch C. Hamilton made a claim where the city hospital is now located. His claim shanty stood twenty or thirty rods south of the building now used as a hospital. While living here the house was struck by lightning, during a severe thunderstorm on Sunday, June 19, 1853, and his wife instantly killed. Mrs. Hamilton opened a select school, which she had been teach- ing for a week or, two previous to her death. This may with a great deal of propriety be called the first school on the prairie. TJie school opened in Mrs. Goddard's shanty, in 1852, by Miss Gere, then a girl of fourteen or fifteen, was hardly entitled to mention as an institution for instruction. Mrs. Hamilton was an experienced school-teacher. She left three children, Alvin, Alice and Julia. Previous to her marriage Miss Alice Hamilton was for many years a well known teacher in the public schools of the city of Winona. Mr. Hamilton married again and pre-empted his claim as a home- stead. It is now known as E. C. Hamilton's addition. Mr. Ham- ilton, with his second family, is now living at Minnesota City. Ithael Hamilton and his son Otis Hamilton made claims on the lower end of the prairie. They have been dead many years. Harvey and John I. Hubbard built two large dwelling-houses on what is now block 5, Hamilton's addition, which they occupied for several years. None of their families are now residents of this county. Erastus H. Murray bought the Yiets House, and improved it by putting on additions in the rear, finishing off the second story, and building a good frame barn on the rear of the lot. He made it a comfortable hotel, although limited in capacity, to accommodate the 348 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. traveling public. lie gave it the name of " Winona House, " and kept it until early in the spring of 1854, when he sold it to Charles Eaton, who came here at that time. The following June Mr. Eaton sold out his interest in the Winona House to S. H. Lombard, a recent arrival, and moved upon his claim, where George I. Parsons now lives. He is now a citizen of St. Paul. S. H. Lombard kept the Winona House a year or two, when he leased or sold it. The building was burned in the big fire of 1862. Mr. Lombard is yet a resident of Winona. Mr. Murray built a dwelling on Fourth street, which is yet stand- ing and is part of the New England House. In 1854 he built a dwelling on lot 4, block 14, and also a building for a boot and shoe shop on lot 5 of the same block, on the corner of Second, and Lafay- ette streets, where "Mues' Block" now stands. He carried on business here for two or three years with his brother, W. H. Mur- ray. His shoe-shop was afterward used for the postoffice. None of Mr. Murray's family are now residents of this part of the state. Warren Rowell became a resident of this county in April, 1853. He landed on Wabasha prairie and staid there with his family for about a month. During that time he occupied a part of the shantj built by Mr. Stevens the year before for Mr. Goddard. Late in the fall Mrs. Goddard had built a house on the southeast corner of Franklin and Front streets, where she lived during the winter. Finding no better accommodations, Mr. Powell fixed up a part of the Stevens shanty as a place for his family to stay in for a few weeks, until he could select a location suitable for a farm. The other end of the shanty (a long building) was used as a barn, or place for the storage of hay and corn. This building was afterward burned by a prairie fire. Mr. Powell selected a claim next above Gorr's, in what is now Pleasant Valley, built a log house, and moved there about the first of June. Some of the settlers from the prairie went out and helped raise his cabin. The claim he made in the spring of 1853 he still occupies ; it is the farm where he now resides, and has been his home about thirty years. The claim shanty — the log cabin of early days — has been superseded by more modern buildings. Large barns and outbuildings have taken the place of the pole sheds covered with wild grass. Mr. Powell was among the earlier settlers in this county to locate on farming lands as a home. By attentively minding his A BLOODY CONFLICT. 349 own business he has made farming a profitable business in the valley where he lives. In May, 1853, Dr. John L. Balcombe returned to Wabasha prairie from Illinois, where he had spent the winter. When he left, in the fall previous, he sold out his interest here, including his houses, to Edwin Hamilton, retaining his shanty on the acre given him by Johnson. During the winter Ed. Hamilton had used his dwelling as a stable. When the doctor resumed possession he found it more economical and agreeable to move the cabin to a new locality rather than attempt to remove the refuse and renovate the building as it stood. He occupied this temporarily. Not liking his location on the acre he had first selected, he aban- doned it, and purchased lot 3 in block 9 of Smith and Johnson, for which he paid twenty dollars. The deed, a quit-claim, was made September 29, 1853, and tiled for record January 25, 1854. He had had possession of the lot for two or three months previous, and built a house on it. This building fronted toward the river, and was designed for a stoi-e. It was about 20 X 40, two stories high. The front of the lower story was finished with large windows and folding doors. On the east side of the building a lean-to was attached, about 12x24. Before it was completed Dr. Balcombe sold this structure to Horace Ranney, but did not deliver possession of it until the spring of 1854. It was afterward known as the "Ranney Building," and was used for quite a variety of purposes — as a private dwelling, for offices, as a hotel, and lastly as a tene- ment house for several families. It was burned in the fire of 1862. Early in the summer of 1853 (July 11) Dr. Balcombe bought an undivided half of twenty acres of the Beecher Gere claim, east of the eighty sold to A. M. Fridley, and of twenty acres west of the Fridley claim. The other half of these two lots was purchased by Sanborn and Colburn. He also made a claim on the upper prairie, where Charles Riley now lives. This he afterward improved, and built the farmhouse now standing, which he occupied at the time of his death, September 24, 1856. Although poor health prevented Dr. Balcombe from being prominent, he took an active interest in the development of this part of the territory and in the political questions of his day. M. Wheeler Sargent says, in his historical address, "Dr. John L. Balcombe was a man of the most extended information of any among the early settlers, * * * one of the first and best of our early citizens." 350 JllS'l'OJiV OF WINONA COUNTY. George H. Sanborn came into the county early in the spring ol 1853 and settled on Wabasha prairie. Soon after Wm. H. Colborn came on and joined him here. About the middle of June these two young men o])ened the lirst store iri the county, with a general assortment of goods. For temporary occupancy, the "car-house" of Denman was moved to lot 5, block 10, and covered with a shingled roof. They here commenced business as Sanborn & Col- born. During the summer they built a store on the corner of the same lot, about 20x40, two stories high, and continued in business until the spring of 1854, when Mr. Colborn withdrew and a new lirm was formed, consisting of G. H. Sanborn and M. K. Drew. E. L. King became a partner the same spring. They carried on the business during" that season and then sold their stock of goods to Dr. Childs, who continued business for a short time in the same location. In 1855 Sanborn & King started in the forwarding and commission and wholesale and retail grocery business at the toot of Johnson street. Mr. Sanborn in 1856 built a very large three-story building on the river, at the foot of Washington street, which was known as Sanborn's warehouse. The third story of this building was used as a hall for public meetings. It was fitted up with a stage and scenery by the Philharmonic Society soon after it was first organized, and used by them until they moved to their present location. T!ie building was torn down many years ago by the railroad company, into whose possession the property passed. Soon after he came here in 1853 Mr. Sanborn purchased the Viets claim and subsequently had it surveyed and plotted. It is now known as Sanborn's addition. He built his first residence on this claim in 1855, a small story-and-a-half house, on the corner of Lafayette and Wabasha streets. It is yet standing, and forms a part ot the present residence of J. L. Brink. Mr. Sanborn was engaged in business for several years in Winona. About 1859 he closed up his affairs here and went east to live. He is now in Northern Dakota, where it is reported that he has made some fortunate specuUitions as a pioneer in that locality. As an incident of early days, an adventure of Mr. Sanborn's, brought to the mind of the writer, is thought worthy of notice. Mr. Sanborn was the owner of a pair of fine driving-horses. One of these was a valuable horse, which he used as a saddle-horse. Although broken to harness, he had nothing that he considered A BLOODY CONFLICT. o51 suitable to drive him in during the winter. Having business in St. Paul, he adopted the idea of taking his horse with him and bringing back a stylish cutter. There was not sufficient snow to drive up, and he proposed to ride his horse to St. Paul. On the first of January, 1855, he started on his trip, taking along a new single-harness, with blankets and a biiifalo-skin, on which he proposed to ride, instead of a saddle, expecting to reach Wabasha that day. He went up Straight slough on the ice. When he reached Haddock slough, about where S. M. Burns lost his horses two years before, his horse broke through the ice, which was thin at that place, and took Mr. Sanborn into the water with him. With some difficulty he crawled out on the ice, which was brittle and gave way to his weight. He was within about twenty reds of the shore, for which he was headed when the accident occurred. The day was intensely cold, with a piercing wind, and a cold bath was far from agreeable with the thermometer showing zero. His horse remained afloat and broke the ice in his efforts to climb out after his master. Mr. Sanborn hastened to the shore and procured some logs of wood and rocks, with which he broke the ice and opened a channel to where the water was less than two feet deep. The intelligent animal followed him closely, but was unable to climb out on the ice. He was chilled through by the length of time he had been in the water. Mr. Sanborn was completely exhausted from the fatigue and cold, he having slipped in several times while breaking the ice. Feeling benumbed and unable to do more for his horse, he started off for help. When he reached Mr. Burley's, nearly a mile below, he was almost unconscious. His clothing was frozen stiff and solid, and he was compelled to crawl on his hands and knees to reach the house. He was taken care of, and men went up to help the horse, if he was not beyond help. Thej^ found him dead. Mr. Sanborn had loosened the harness and blankets while the horse was in the deep water, and they had floated away under the ice. Mr. Sanborn recovered from his exposure with some frost-bites, but without any serious illness following. He returned to Winona as soon as he was able to be moved, which was in a day or two after, and sent to St. Paul for his cutter, which was brought down by the mail-carrier. His second-best horse was promoted and became the pet. William Davidson came into this county April 6, 1853. After 352 HISTORY OF WmONA COUNTY. some time spent in prospecting and explorations in the western part of the county, he selected a claim at the head of a small branch of the White Water, in what is now the town of St. Charles, on Sec. 10, T. 106, R. 10. He returned to Clayton county, Iowa, where his family were then living, and made his arrangement to transport them with his household goods, farming implements and live stock, up througli the country- to the location he had selected in Minnesota as his future home. Mr. Davidson started with four yoke of oxen and three wagons ; these, with his cows and young stock, and a saddle-pony used to collect the cattle, made up quite an immigrant train. They came into this county on the "old government trail," — the trail over which the Winiiebagoes were taken when removed from Iowa to Long Prairie in 1848, up through Money Creek valley and out on the ridge near the head of Burns valley. They then went west, keeping on the high land to avoid the ravines leading into the Rolling Stone, to Bentleys, now Utica, and reached their destination about the first of June. They were eleven days making this trip of about 125 miles. Mr. Davidson was the first settler to come into the county by the "overland route." He immediately set his breaking team to work and put in a field of seed-corn and planted a garden. He built a commodious log house, making a trip to Winona in the latter part of June for lumber to complete it. Until their log house was ready for occupancy they lived in camp with but temporary shelter. He raised a good crop of corn and vegetables the first season, sufficient for his own use. The cornmeal used in his family was ground by hand in a large coffee-mill. Mr. Davidson here opened uj) a large farm, and in early days was prominently active in public affairs relative to the development of the county. He was county commissioner and held other official positions. He is now a resident of the city of St. Charles. L. H. Springer and Benjamin Langworthy landed on Wabasha prairie on May 31, 1853. They brought with them their families and four yoke of oxen, three horses, eight cows and other animals, and also two wagons. Mr. Laird gave them the use of his shantj for temporary occupancy until they found satisfactory locations. They made claims on the White Water, and moved there with their families about the middle of June. L. H. Springer settled at wliat is now the village of St. Charles. - A BLOODY CONFLICJ. 853 He built a large, substantial log house and comfortable stables, and opened up a farm in tlris locality. This log house was used as a hotel for two or three years. " Springer's" was a favorite stopping place for all who had business in that vicinity. These were the only settlers in the west part of the county in 1853. In the fall of 1854 L. H. Springer, George H. Sanborn and M. Wheeler Sargent, laid out the land claimed by Springer as a town site, and gave it the name of St. Charles. It was advertised as being " on the N.E. i of Sec. 19, T. 106, K. 10, twenty-tive miles west from Winona on the south fork of theMeniska or White Water river, in the midst of as good farming lands as can be found anywhere." Mr. Springer was prominently active in all measures to promote the general good. He, with William Davidson, was the first to open a wagon trail from St. Charles to Winona. Mr. Springer lived a^ St. Charles for several years and then removed to Olmsted county, where he yet resides. Alexander McClintock came into the county this season and settled on a claim in the south Eolling Stone valley, above Putnams. He built a log house, and pre-empted this as a homestead after, and lived here with bis family for several years, until his death. Kone of his family are now residents of the county. ^ Henry D. Huff landed on Wabasha prairie Sunday, June 26, 1853. He stopped at the Winona House, then kept by E. H. Mur- ray. It was su])posed at the time that he came to assume charge of Capt. Smith's interest in the town, which his son, S. J. Smith, was then here [looking after. He purchased an undivided interest in the original town plot of Smith and Johnson, and later in the season also purchased the claim of Ed. Hamilton — claim ISTo. 5. Hamilton had previously sold undivided interests to others ; Mark Howard held a third ; David Olmsted and Orlando Stevens held an interest. Through an arrangement with Hamilton and the others the whole claim was transferred to Mr. Huff, who at once had it surveyed and plotted, and recorded with the plot of Smith and Johnson's claim as the "original plot" of the city of Winona. Mr. Huff built the cottage now occupied by Lafayett Stout, near the corner of Fourth and Huff streets, and brought his family here. He lived in this cottage for several years, when he built the house on the same corner now owned and occupied by Hon. H. W. Lam- berton, in which he resided until he left Minnesota. From the first of his coming here he was prominently active in all public enterprises. 854 JIISTOKY OF WINONA OOITNTY. Mr. Huff luul becMi in mercantile l)usiness in Kenosha, and a dealer in real estate, before coming here ' He had prior to that passed some years of pioneer life in Wisconsin and Illinois, and was familiar with early settlements in towns and country. His expe- rience, with his natural sagacity and enterprise and his indomitable will power, made him a leader in all public matters or affairs in whicli others were associated with him. His interests were inti- nuvtely connected with the development and prosperity of the county and city of Winona. There was no one among the pioneer settlers who accomplished so much by his individual efforts to build up the city of Winona as Henry D. Huff. To him more than to any other person this city is justly indebted for its early prosperity and many of its present advantages. It was by him that the name of Winona was substituted for that of Montezuma. It was through his efforts that Fillmore county was divided and Winona county created with the county seat at the village of Winona. Mr. Huff started the second newspaper in Winona — the first was the "Winona Argus," edited by Wm. Ashley Jones. The first issue was September 20, 1854. In April, 1855, Mr. Huff issued the first number of the "Winona Express," edited by.W. Creek. In November, 1855, Mr. Huff sold the establishment to W. G. Dye & Co., who started the "Winona Republican." Soon after D. Sinclair became connected with it, and the paper has since been continuously issued under that name by D. Sinclair & Co. with the addition of a daily paper. Huff's Hotel was built by Mr. Huff in 1855. In 1857 he built a large flouring-mill near Youmans Bros. & Ilodgins' sawmill. It was built at a cost of about $25,000, and was burned a few years after. He was one of the stockholders in the original Transit Railroad Company. Mr. Huff sold out the most of his property here about ten years ago and went to Chicago. The time set by Judge A. G. Chatfield for holding the first session of a district court in what was then Fillmore county was at Wabasha prairie, on Monday, June 27, 1853, but the judge failed to reach Winona on that day. On Tuesday, June 28, he arrived with quite a large party of ladies and gentlemen from St. Paul, among whom were two attorneys, L. A. Babcock and H. L. Moss. He opened court in the Winona House. Wm. B. Gere was appointed clerk of the court. The petit jury was dismissed. The grand jury A BLOODY CONFLICT. 355 was organized and held a sitting on that day. On Wednesday, June 29. the grand jury made a presentment in the case of Erwin H. Johnson, for the shooting of Isaac W. Simonds, and indicted S. M. Burns, of Mt. Yernon (Hall's landing), for selling liquor to the Indians. They were dismissed at noon on that day and the court adjourned. This was the lirst district court held in southern Min- nesota. In the afternoon Judge Chattield, with the party from St. Paul, visited Minnesota City and the valley of the Rolling Stone. .John lams was the sheriff' in attendance on the court. It is said that the sheriff" brought his dinner with him from home each day. On the first day, as he approached the crowd assembled around the Winona House, he was greeted by W. T. Luark, who, with a laugh of ridicule, cried out, "Here comes the great high sheriff of Fillmore county with his dinner pail on his arm!" At noon the same crowd saw the sheriff and Mr. Luark sitting on the bank of the river eating their dinner from the dinner-bucket of the sheriff', and washing it down with river water. Grove W. Willis came to Wabasha prairie about the first of July of this year. Before coming. here he had been promised the posi- tion of clerk of the court by Judge Chatfield, but on account of his failure to arrive in time to attend to the duties of the office, the Judge was compelled to appoint Wm. B. Gere to the place. When Judge Chatfield was notified that Mr. Willis was at Winona await- ing his order, he revoked the appointment of Gere and gave the position to Mr. Willis, who was appointed clerk of the district court about the 7tli of July. Mr. Willis brought his family here and rented tlie building on Front street built by Dr. Balcombe (the Ranney building), where he lived during the winter. He used the lean-to of the building as his office. The same room was also used as a schoolroom for a select school kept by his daughter, now Mrs. Gillett, living in the village of Chatfield. This school is really entitled to be called the first fully established school taught in Winona. It was kept three or four months with about twenty-five pupils. Mr. Willis lived at Winona during the winter and moved to Chat- field in the spring of 1854. About ten or twelve years ago he re- turned to Winona, and has since made it his home. John Keyes came to Winona on September 12, 1853. He landed with his wife and two children at Hamilton's, on the lower end of the prairie. He bought an undivided one-eighth of H. S. Hamilton's 356 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. claim, and lived in a part of his house during the winter and follow- ing summer. While living here he procured timber and lumber to build a house on the upper part of the claim next below where the Hubbards built their houses. The following season he became dis- satisfied with his investment with Mr. Hamilton, and having an o})portunity purchased the interest of Cai)tain Smith in claim No. 1, the lower claim. The claim had been divided between Smith and Johnson, Johnson taking the west part, leaving the eastern portion for Oa])tain Smith. Mr. Ke3^es at once put up a shanty and took possession. He moved his family there about September 1, 1854, and the same fall built the house in which he lived nearly a score of years before he built the brick house (to which the old one is attached) where his family now resides. John Keyes died in November, 1877. Mr. Keyes was a lawyer by profession, and held his office in his house when he commenced business here. In the fall of 1855 he was appointed clerk in the United States land office by L. D. Smith, the receiver, and continued in that position until the spring of 1857, after the land office was removed to Faribault. He then resumed the practice of law. His office was in a small building on the levee near the Winona House, owned and occupied by John A. Mathews as a real estate and loan office. In 1862 this office was burned. He was afterward one of the firm of Sargent, Franklin & Keyes, and at the time of his death one of the law firm of Keyes & Snow. From an early day Mr. Keyes took a great interest in the public schools of the city of Winona. He was a director and clerk of the board from the time the first district school was opened until long after the present system was established. The city of Winona is more indebted to John Keyes for its present system of graded schools than to any other one person among the pioneer settlers or citizens of more modern days. M. Wheeler Sargent came to Winona in this year. His arrival, given in his address, from which quotations have been made, is mentioned as follows: ''I first saw this county August 1, 1853, carrying a chain northward between towns 105 of ranges 8 and 9. The first house I saw was that of Wm. Davidson, August 11. Town 105 of ranges 7, 8, 9 and 10 had no occupants. Town 106, of the same ranges, had no inhabitants except L. H. Springer, Wm. Davidson and families, in 106. range 10, and Hull and Bently in range 9. A CELEBRATION. 359 "Town 107, range 9, had Wm. Sweet and family — 107, range 10, none — 108, range 10, had John and David Cook. The other settlers of our county were on the Mississippi, or in the immediate valleys of some of its tributaries. "On the 19th of September of that year the speaker first saw this prairie, coming in from the Gilmore valley. Fancy he made something of a spread that night, for, with a half-dozen others, he slept at full length on the ground, between his present office and the Mississippi, with his hat for a nightcap and boots for a pillow. His toilet he prefers giving in an autobiography when called for ; it is not particularly allied to the history of this county." "When Mr. Sargent came into this county he was in the employ of Wm. Ashley Jones, who was engaged in surveying the public lands in this part of the territory. On reaching Wabasha prairie he decided to locate there and establish himself in the practice of his profession as a lawyer. He was appointed district attorney before the county of Fillmore was divided, and after Winona county was created he was elected register of deeds and appointed clerk of the district court. He was the first mayor of the city of Winona ; he was also a member of tlie legislature from this county. When he first came here he began the practice of law by himself; in 1855 he was of the law firm of Sargent, Wilson & Windom, and at the time of his death, which occurred in 1866, he was one of the firm of Sargent, Franklin & Keyes. ^ More extended notices of these two prominent pioneer settlers (John Keyes and M. Wheeler Sargent) would be made if it were not that their biographical sketches will be given under another division of this history. CHAPTEK XXXY. A CELEBRATION. The fourth of July, 1853, was celebrated with a great deal ot patriotic enthusiasm at Minnesota City. The settlers of Kolling Stone invited the citizens of Wabasha prairie to join them in the customary honors and hospitalities of "independence day." The invitation was accepted, and many from the prairie were in attend- 2i 360 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. ance. The occasion was said to have been one of unusual interest and gratification to the settlers assembled. The celebration was held in "the public square," under the oaks. The introductory was the following song, written by Robert Pike, Jr., the })oet of the colony. It was sung to the tune of *' Baker's Farewell" : " We've left the homes our childhood loved, The friends we never can forget ; The friends that long, long years have proved, The friends who still in dreams are met. We've come to make us other homes, On Minnesota's garden lands, Where ev'ry gen'rous heart that comes Is met by loving hearts and hands. What though the red-man roams the woods, And wild and rude the landscape seems ; Is it not fairer than it stood. As seen in fancy's brightest dreams? What though our domes are all unreared. And labor in our pathway lies ; Labor is pleasant, when 'tis cheered By helping hands and loving eyes. No greener valleys meet the sight. No purer fountains, gushing free. No birds of song, or flowers more bright, Bringing perfume and melody. Hurra ! then, for our chosen home, While bound by friendship's silken bond ; Our feet no more shall seek to roam. Our hearts shall never more despond." The orator of the day was Egbert Chapman, who, it is said, gave an admirable and exceedingly appropriate address. He was fol- lowed by Robert Pike, Jr., who became really eloquent in his remarks, which were listened to with pleased expressions by the assemblage. An elegant repast was furnished by the ladies, to which all were invited. The concourse then adjourned from "the park" to the tables prepared under the shade of the walnuts, where ample justice was awarded the good things provided. After all were satisfied, volunteer toasts were drank from glasses filled with pure cold water plentifully furnished. A CELEBRATION. 361 Toasts were given by Robert Pike, Jr., Edwin Hamilton, W. H. Colburn, R. Taylor, O. M. Lord, T. K. Allen, S. J. Smith, and others. Some of them are given to show the character of the enter- tainment. The first was by Robert Pike, Jr.: "The ladies. May they ever be pure, as our own bright fountains ; beautiful, as our wild flowers ; as even of temper as our own delightful climate ( except the thunderstorms ), and as fruitful as the soil to which they have been transplanted." The second was by Edwin Hamilton : " Superior cookerv. The art that makes us happy, and that none better understand than the ladies of Minnesota City. " The third was by W. H. Colburn : "The motto of our glorious country, ' Union is Strength.' Minnesota City and Winona,— may they be ever thus united is the earnest wish of Winona to-day." The sixth was by Robert Pike, Jr.: "Winona and Minnesota City. May all the rivalry which exists between them be the rivalry of good neighborhood, and the desire to excel in offices of kindness and humanity." The eighth was by T. K. Allen: "Peace, prosperity and equality. May it long be enjoyed in Minnesota." The twelfth was by E. Chapman : " The glorious 4th of July. May the remembrance of the day ever be in the hearts of the people. " The thirteenth was by O. M. Lord: "Winona. Like her namesake, wild and JDeautiful, may she prosper till the height of her aspiration is amply rewarded." The eighteenth was by S. J. Smith: "Here is to Minnesota City from her eldest daughter, Winona. Although the Dark Water city, yet her waters are clear and sparkling ; and to its men, who being Rolling Stone men, yet gather commercial moss ; and to its ladies, who are blooming." Another by O. M. Lord : "The Mississippi river, the highway of the nation. As long as the water flows in its channel may her valleys annually resound with the sound of cannon proclaiming the independence of the American people." The day's enjoyment closed with another song written by Robert Pike, Jr. This was the first time the " Glorious Fourth " was ever celebrated in southern Minnesota. July 9 the board of county commissioners of Fillmore county 362 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. met at the Winona hotel, and divided the county into precincts and appointed judges of election. The part of the county north of a line west from a point five miles below the town plat of Mt. Vernon on the Mississippi river to the west line of the county was called Mt. Yernon precinct. James Kirkman and Louis Krutzly, living at the mouth of the White Water, and A. P. Hall, of Mt. Vernon, were appointed judsres of election. This precinct had twelve legal voters. The Minnesota City precinct was the next south ot tlie Mt. Ver- non precinct. The judges of election were II. B. Waterman, O. H. Hauk and E. B. Drew. This had the largest number of voters of any precinct. The Winona precinct included Wabasha prairie only. The judges of election were Harvey Hubbard, O. S. Holbrook and George F. Childs. The Minneowah precinct extended south to a line due west from a point on the Mississippi opposite the mouth of Black river to the west line of the county. The line between this and the Minnesota City precinct was not defined. The judges of election were W. B. Bunnell, of Bunnell's landing, James F. Toms, of Minneowah, and William Hewitt, of Burns valley. This had sixteen voters. The Root River precinct was between the south line of the Min- neowah precinct and a line west from the mouth of Root river to the west line of the county. The judges of election were G. W. Gilfillan, Joseph Brown and John L. Looney. It had ten legal voters. The Brownsville precinct was all of the county lying between the Root River precinct at the Iowa state line. The judges of elec- tion were Charles Brown, Samuel McPhail and M. C. Young. At this meeting of the board of commissioners a school district was established at Minnesota City, but no specific boundaries given. It was presumed to include the whole precinct. A petition for a public road from Winona to Minnesota City was received and the following examiners appointed — Harvey Hubbard and E. B. Drew. These road examiners were to meet on Tuesday, July 19, at Minnesota City. C. R. Coryell, of Rolling Stone, was appointed county surveyor. The next meeting of the board was at the Winona House, on July 22, 1853. At this meeting Gere and Luark were present. In the absence of Mr. Stall, the commissioners appointed Sylvester J. Smith clerk of the board pro tem. A CELEBRATION. ^ 363 "The examiners of the road between Minnesota City and Winona reported that they had located the road. The report was received, examined and fully accepted, and an order issued to the county surveyor to locate and survey tlie same." This was the first public road ofiicially located in the county. The above copy of tlie record is the only documentary evidence of the fact. All books and papers relative to the proceedings of this board of county commissioners were taken to Chatfield, the first county seat of Fillmore county. Mr. E. B. Drew, one of the exam- iners, says the road was surveyed and located about where the present road from Minnesota City to Winona is now laid. It was resurveyed after Winona county was created. The first general election held in the county was on the second Tuesday, the 11th of October, 1853. At this general election Hon. H. M. Kice was elected delegate to congress from the Territory of Minnesota. Hon. O. M. Lord was elected a representative to the territorial legislature from this representative district. In Jan- uary, 1854, when Mr. Lord attended the fifth legislature to which he was elected, he walked from Minnesota City to St. Paul for that purpose. . At this election the following officers were elected in Fillmore county: county attorney, Andrew Cole; judge of probate, H. B. Waterman ; register of deeds, William B. Gere ; sheriff, John lams; county commissioners, John C. Laird, Robert Pike, Jr., and W. B. Bunnell. The justices of the peace elected were — for Wabasha prairie, George M. Gere and Wm. H. Stevens (Mr. Stevens had previously served as justice of the peace. He was appointed in July, 1853, by Governor Gorman) ; for Minnesota City, H. B. Waterman and Robert Pike, Jr. ; for Mt. Vernon, S. M. Burns ; for Minneowah, Mynon Lewis. Among the settlers who came into the county later in this season were Mathew Ewing, Dr. Allen, E. S. Smith, A. C. Smith, James McClellan, Luke Blair, G. W. Wiltse, Lysander Kately, James Worrall, George Gay and T. B. Twiford. Mathew Ewing settled onH. S. Hamilton's claim, where he built a comfortable frame house and opened a store with a fair assortment of goods. He sold goods during the winter and in the spring closed out his stock and gave up the business. He then located himself in the village and purchased two lots on the corner of Third and John- 364 HISTORY op^ winona county. son streets, and also a lot on the corner of Johnson and Front streets, where he built the building now standing on it. After two or three years here he sold out and left the county. James McClcllan brought a stock of goods with him and opened a store in the front part of the nuiin portion of the residence of Rev. E. Ely, which was built this year. Mr. McClellan remained here until early in the spring, when he moved his family and goods to Chatfield. Dr. Allen (his initials are unknown to the writer) came here and located himself as a practicing physician. He was the first to settle in the county to make that profession his special business. He remained here until the spring of 1854, when he moved to Chatfield. E. S. Smith bought an interest in the Stevens claim, and for a year or two lived in Winona, dealing in real estate, etc. He married Miss Mary Burns, and settled in Burns valley, where he built the Glen Flouring Mill. He remained there several years and then sold out and moved to Winona, where his family yet resides. Mr. Smith went to Washington Territory, where he was for awhile connected with the western portion of the North Pacific railroad. Although he occasionally visits his home in Minnesota, he is yet engaged in business in Washington Territory, which requires his personal attention there much of his time. Andrew C. Smith settled in Winona. In 1855 he started the first drug store ever opened in the county. Afler several years' residence here he moved to Stockton. He was a member of the State legislature from this county in 1869. He is now a resident of Rochester, Olmsted county. L. D. Smith visited Wabasha prairie during the fall and winter of 1853, but did not bring his family here to live until the spring of 1854. He purchased the " Fridley claim" and built a house on it, where he lived several years. This house is yet standing near the corner of Franklin and Wabasha streets. He then moved to his farm in the south Rolling Stone valley about half a mile above the village of Stockton, where he lived at the time of his death. He was appointed receiver in the United States land office in 1854, and was one of the most active in securing the land grant for the benefit of the railroads in this state. Further mention will be made of him in other divisions of this history. Wm. Ashley Jones was a deputy , United States surveyor. During the summer of 1853 he was engaged in the survey of 4 CELEBRATION. 365 public lands in southern Minnesota. In the fall of this year he visited "Wabasha prairie, and in the spring following moved his family there and made Winona his home for about ten years, when he moved to Dubuque. He is now a resident of Dakota. Mr. Jones held an undivided interest in the Smith and Johnson town plot, and also an interest in the Stevens claim (Stevens' addi- tion). He opened up a large farm in the town of St. Charles. • It is now known as the ' ' Lamberton Farm. " Besides dealing in real estate, Mr. Jones found time and means to start the first newspaper published in the county, " The Winona Argus." Luke Blair came to Wabasha prairie in the fall of this year. He bought two lots on the corner of Center and Second streets, where the ' ' Simpson Block " now stands. He brought with him a small drove of cattle, which he wintered in stables built on the back part of these lots. He made a claim in what is now the town of Saratoga, but did not occupy it until the following season. Early in the spring of 1854 he built a store on lot 4, block 16, and brought on a stock of general merchandise. During the summer he moved his family out on his claim. In the fall he sold the two lots with his store building to W. G. Dye, who sold them to Y. Simpson, the present owner, and sold his stock of goods to James H. Jacoby, who continued the business in the same locality under the name of Day & Co. The upper part of Blair's building was used as a public hall. Meetings were held here until it was used as a printing-ofiice by Wm. Ashley Jones. This was where the "Winona Argus" was started, with Samuel Melvin as associate editor and foreman in the office. W. G. Dye set the first type for this paper. Mr. Blair settled on his claim, which has been his permanent home. The vipinity was long known as the Blair settlement. Mr. Wiltse and Mr. Kately made claims in that part of the county, and wintered there in 1853-4. George Gay made a claim in Burns valley, on what was after- ward known as the Salisbury Place. He remained here a year or two and moved to Wabasha county. James Worrall settled in Winona, and about two years after went to Wabasha county. CHAPTER XXXVI. CHATFIELD SETTLED AND WINONA COUNTY ORGANIZED. In the fall of this year, 1853, T. B. Twiford came into this countj from Lansing, Iowa. In his prospecting excursions and explorations he discovered the present site of Chatfield, in the northern part of Fillmore county, and conceived the project of making it a town site. At Winona he formed the acquaintance of Grove W, Willis, and a scheme was concocted to form a stock company and make Twiford's newly-discovered town site the county seat of Fillmore county. The plan proposed was to divide the stock into twelve shares. The shareholders were T. B. Twiford, G. W. Willis, H. C. Gere, Myron Toms, William B. Gere, Harvey Hubbard, John I. Hub- bard, Robert Pike, Jr., James McClellan and W. B. Bunnell. It was designed that each of the members of the board of county commis- sioners should be presented with a share in the new town site--- the proposed county seat, but Mr. Luark of the appointed "board was absent fi-om the territory, and John C. Laird, of the newly-elected board was too strongly interested in Winona to be utilized. Neither of these men were shareholders in the project. Twiford and Willis put up a log shanty on the proposed town site, to which they gave the name of Chatfield, and placed a man by the name of Case in the shanty temporarily, to hold the locality for the company. It was generally known that the members of the old board of county commissioners, Gere and Toms, whose term of office expired on January 1, 1854, were in favor of locating the countj seat in the locality selected by Mr. Twiford, but it was considered extremely doubtful if they had any authority to act in the matter. The law provided that it should be the duty of the first board of county commissioners elected to locate the county seat. The first board had been ajjpointed by the governor as provided by the act creating Fillmore county. In furtherance of the plan of Twiford and Willis the appointed board assumed the authority to locate the county seat, although it was generally conceded by everybody that this power belonged to the first elected board. CIIATFIELD SETTLED. 367 The following entry was made on the record of the proceedings of the county commissioners by the clerk : Pursuant to agreement, the commissioners of Fillmore county, Minnesota Territory, on December ]<), a.d. 1853, at the residence of Mr. Case, in Root River precinct, in the town of Chatfield— present Henry C. Gere and Myron Toms. The object of said meeting was to locate the county seat of said Fillmore county, pursuant to the statute in such case made and provided. It was then and there resolved that the county seat should be located at Chatfield, in the center of section 6, town 104 north, of range 11 west. Then the commissioners adjourned, to meet at the residence of W. B. Bunnell, in Minneowah, on Tues- day, December 27, a.d. 1853. G. W. Willis, Clerk County Commissioners, pro tem. The commissioners Gere and Toms met at Bunnell's on the 27th of December, 1853, and appointed C. F. Buck clerk of the board. They here audited the accounts of county officers presented, and issued county orders to the amount of $411.47. This was the last meeting of this board of commissioners. At the time, the county seat of Fillmore county was located at what is now Chatfield. The nearest settler was at Springer's, now St. Charles. There was not even a claim shanty within ten miles of the log pen designated as "the residence of Mr. Case." It was then considered uncertain whether the county seat was located within the western boundary of Fillmore county. It was estimated that on January 1, 1854, there were about 800 inhabitants witliin the present boundaries of Winona county. This is thought to be a liberal estimate and probably a large excess >over actual numbers. The board of county commissioners of Fillmore county elected October 11, 1853, met at the house of Eobert Pike, Jr., in Minne- sota City January' 2, 1854. Eobert Pike, Jr., John C. Laird and W. B. Bunnell were present. The register of deeds, W. B. Gere, clerk of the board, was also present. The board was organized by electing W. B. Bunnell chairman. This session of the board continued two days. It is evident from the records that consider- able business was done. The following extract was copied from the record : "The board then proceeded to ballot for the location of the county seat, which resulted in one vote for Winona, one vote for Chatfield and one vote for Minnesota City. As the board could not agree upon the loca- tion, they decided that the locating should be postponed until a future meeting." 368 IIISTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY. Aside from the stock company, the shareholders, there was not a settler in the county that favored the location of the county seat at Chatiield. Meetings were held at Minnesota (^ity, Winona and Minneowali condemning the action of the ajipointed board, but each locality instructed its representative commissioner to locate the county seat at his own home or place, and uilder no circumstances to give it to a rival town. Mr. Sinclair says in his historical sketch in 1876: "At these meetings the commissioner from Minnesota City, Mr. Pike, was instructed by his constituents to vote for the location of the county seat at that place, and in no event at Winona; but if it became necessary for him to exercise discretionary power in making a second choice, to vote in favor of Chatfield. The reason is obvious : the location at Chatfield, upon the division of the county, would give Minnesota City another chance, whereas locating the county seat at Winona would forever debar Minnesota City from securing the coveted prize. The same reasoning led Bunnell, from his stand- point, to operate in like manner in favor of that other rival of Winona, the much-vaunted Minneowah." While each of the rival localities was clamorous for the county seat, without a prospect of either securing it, there were conserva- tive men in each locality who favored a division of the county rather than have the county seat located at Chatfield, as indications showed it would be. This was most strongly advocated at Winona. H. D. Huff assumed the leadership of this scheme for the purpose of securing the county seat at his town. It was found that Mr. Lord, the representative in the territorial legislature from this district, although a resident of Minnesota City, was in favor of a division of Fillmore county, and promised his aid. He gave Mr. Huff wliat he considered the proper boundaries for a new county — tlie same that are now the boundaries of Winona county. Every means available was brought to bear to induce commis- sioners Bunnell and Pike to cast their vote for Winona. Friendship and diplomacy failed to win the desired vote. There was no compromise with Bunnell. It was said that a bribe of a block of land was offered to Robert Pike, Jr., from two prominent citizens of Winona, in consideration of his vote, which he indignantly refused to accept. On January 7 the board met at the office of John C. Laird and accomplished considerable business, but failed to settle the county- CHATFIELD SETTLED. 369 seat question. The following extract from record shows the financial condition of the county: "There being no receipts, the liabilities of the county at this date, by reference to .the bills on file, is $536.86." M. Wheeler Sargent says in his address: "L. H. Springer and myself met H. D. HufiP at his residence, where we agreed upon the outlines of a new county, to be called Winona, with exactly its present boundaries. Hufit", having the most time and money, agreed to engineer it through the legislature. Upon this mission, armed with a petition having as many names as we thought the population would justify, and the other documents adapted to various sup- posable emergencies, he started for St. Paul. On January 30, 1854, the board of county commissioners, pursuant to adjournment, met at the house of Kobert Pike, Jr., in Minnesota City, at which meeting Robert Pike, Jr., John C. Laird and W. B. Bunnell, the chairman, were present. The register of deeds, W. B. Gere, was clerk of the board. At this meeting vacancies were filled by the following appointments : M. Wheeler Sargent, district attorney, and C. F. Buck, judge of probate. The clerk was ordered to notify them of their appointments. Robert Pike, Jr., had been appointed county surveyor at a previous meeting. The all-absorbing topic of conversation, the vexed question of location of the county seat, was settled at this meeting. The following copy of the record of their proceedings shows their action in the matter: "In pursuance of and in accordance with the eighteenth section of the eleventh chapter of the session laws of Minnesota Territory, passed by the legislative assembly at the session commencing January 5, a.d. 1853, the county commissioners proceeded to locate the county seat of Fillmore county. It was decided by the board of commissioners that the county seat of said Fillmore county should be at Chatfield, in said county, on section 6, township 104 north, of range 11 west." It was charged by some of the disappointed Winonians that John C. Laird sold out his constituents for a share in Chatfield. G. W. Willis, now living in the city of Winona, says this was not so ; that Mr. Laird never held a share in the Chatfield Land Company. Although Mr. Twiford was the originator, Mr. Willis was the leader and manager, of the scheme to locate the county seat at Chatfield. He says: "Bunnell and Pike located the county seat 370 IIISTOUY OF WINONA COUNTY. — a majority of the board could do it. I never knew tliat Laird voted for it, and doubt that he did so, for he always opposed us. None of the commissioners were bribed to vote for it, although everything else was done to influence them. Bunnell and Pike would have voted for Tophet rather than have given it to Winona." Mr. G. W. Willis went to St. Paul to procure a charter for the Chatfield Land Company, and to defeat the proj^osed division of the county. He was successful in securing the charter for the company from the legislature, then in session, but his influence there was in- sufiicient to prevent the passage of the act creating Winona county. The bill for the division of Fillmore county and forming of the present county of Winona was introduced and supported by Hon. O. M. Lord, in the house. He was strongly backed by H. D. Huff as a lobby member and general manager. Winona county was created by act of the territorial legislature February 23, 1854. CHAPTER XXXYII. THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS OF WINONA COUNTY. Winona county was formed by the territorial legislature of 1854, from a part of Fillmore county, which had previously com- prised the southeastern portion of the state. The flrst })ermanent settlements were made along th# Mississippi river in the spring of 1852. There was no school taught in what is now Winona county during that summer. A subscription school was opened for a term of three months in the autunm by Miss Ann Orton, with an attendance of about twenty pupils, at Minnesota City. July 9, 1853, a schopl district was formed by the county commissioners at Minnesota City, and organized under the territorial law, and Miss Hester A. Houck was employed to teach. The term began October 31 and continued thirteen weeks. The names and ages of the children that attended this term of school are given from the rate bill, by which the wages of the teacher were collected. The sum agreed upon was $48. There were twenty-seven pupils, eighteen of whom are now living (1883). The list is as follows : Mathew Foster,* age 11 years ; * Dead. THE DISTEICT SCHOOLS. 37 1 George Foster* 6 ; Milo Campbell, 7 ; Thomas Thorpe, 8 ; Robert Thorpe, 6 ; John Thorpe, 13 ; William Thorpe,* 3 ; Mary E. Cotton, 5 ; Randolph Wright,* 12 ; Dan'l W. Wright, 9 ; John H. Wright ; Edith Pike,* 11 ; Emma Pike, 8 ; Charlotte Denman,* 9 ; Mary E. Denman, 5 ; James L. Denman, 7 ; Robert S. Denman,* 3 ; Chas. Kellogg, 15 ;. Rollin Hotchkiss, 13 ; Robert Hotchkiss, 13 ; Lycurgus Lnark, 11 ; Achilles Luark,* 5 ; Elbridge G. Lord,* 4 ; David Imes, 13 ; Samuel Imes, 7 ; Herman Hopson, 6 ; Ger- lana McClintock, 12. This school district was designated as No. 1. May 1, 1854, a petition was presented and district No. 2 was formed, comprising the town of Winona, and on June 5 following No. 3 was formed, comprising the north part of township 105 and the whole of 106, range 10. At a meeting of the county commissioners held July 3, 1854, the whole amount of tax autho- rized to be raised for school purposes for the current year was $152.05. In October district No. 4 was formed at Dakota precinct. Schools were opened in'Nos. 2, 3 and 4 before the districts were formally organized, and the wages of the teachers were paid by rate bill or by subscription. No. 1 was for this year the only one that reported a three months' term to the state department. At the January meeting of the county commissioners, 1855, the boundaries of No. 1 were designated. Yoting precincts had at first been estab- lished by the governor, and were afterward so established by the county commissioners, and the first school districts embraced the election precincts which were not clearly defined. At this meeting No. 2 was divided. July 3 the amount of school-tax voted was $632.34. At one of the meetingsin this year a district was organ- ized at Springers', or St. Charles^ and one in Lanes' Valley, New Hartford township, one at Geo. Wiltzies' in Saratoga, and one in Whitewater at John Cook's. The school districts of the county now numbered eight. At the January meeting of 1856 they were in- creased to fifteen ; at the April meeting to twenty-three ; at the Julj' meeting to thirty-five. At the January meeting of 1856 the first record was made of the distribution of the school money. The amount collected was $1,336.47, which was apportioned among thirteen districts. At the meetings of 1857 the number of districts increased to forty-eight. January 9, 1858, the county treasurer reported as * Dead. 372 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. ap])orti<»ned among thirty-tive districts $3,583.50. The largest sum to one district was $66'-2, the smallest was $22. The ajiparently unequal distribution of this fund gave rise to much dissatisfaction. The distribution was based upon the number of residents of each district between the ages of five and twenty- one. In many cases district boundaries were not definitely recorded, and it was claimed that the residents were more than once reported. It was also claimed that some districts, instead of revising the lists from year to year, simply added new names each year to the reported list, and consequently drew more money than they were legally entitled to. At the last meeting of the school board for the year 1858 the districts numbered sixty-two, an increase of fourteen for the year. The amount of money ap})ortioned among forty-seven districts for the year 1859 was $662. There were some complaints in regard to this distribution, as the organized districts nuinbered sixty -five, and while one district drew $90.75 another only received $3.85 ; but as the county business was now transacted by the chairman of the township supervisors, and each town in the county was represented, there was no cause of complaint, except as to unfair reports of resi- dents of districts. The first record of the number of persons upon which the apportionment was based was made at the January meeting of this year (1859), the number recorded being 2,392. This was the num- ber reported by the forty-seven districts, upon which the apportion- ment was made, although there were eighteen more organized at the time. During the year ten more were added to that number, making in all seventy-five, showing a remarkable growth for the two years. The school tax, as reported by the finance committee of the county board for the year 1859, was $5,346.37. In 1860 the legislature changed the law in regard to county boards, and the commissioner system was again adopted, and the county treasurer, in his report to the board, February 1, 1860, reported as school money on hand $2,967.72, and in March follow- ing an apportionment of $4,480.96 was made among the districts, which reported 2,724 persons of schoolable age. March 7, 1861, the school law was materially changed by the legislature in regard to forming school districts, etc. There was a revision of the whole code, which was framed from that of the THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS. 373 State of Michigan. In unorganized townships the county commis- sioners were authorized to form districts, but where townships were organized the supervisors had authority to change boundaries, to form new districts, to levy taxes, to appoint a town superintendent and to direct the collection of taxes through the town treasurers. The legislature having neglected to provide for blank books, reports, records, etc., there was no uniformity of reports or records. In some towns the teachers^were licensed and the school business transacted without regard to any particular form or system, and if any records were made they have not been preserved. Although the law required that existing boundaries of districts should remain if practicable, the loose records and changes, and want of system, involved the district boundaries in great confusion. Township lines interfered with district authority, and under this law districts were divided and new ones created without regard to desig- nation by numbers as recorded in the county auditor's office. Owing to this condition of things it was found difficult to properly and legally levy school district taxes and to collect delinquencies. The delinquent taxes were reported by the town treasurer to the county auditor to collect with the county taxes, which placed a part of the fund in the hands oi the county treasurer. When districts were without funds to pay their teachers, orders were issued upon the district treasury, whether the particular district was entitled to any money from the county treasury or not. If the county treasurer had no fund collected for that district the orders were usually sold to outside parties at a discount. The collection of these orders gave teachers a good deal of trouble. It was said that the county treasurer always stood behind outside parties in buying them at a discount, and that the district accounts were not properly adjusted. This system was not satisfactory to the people. Some of the Ipcal boards would not levy a sufficient tax to maintain good schools, and, owing to delinquencies, funds could not at all times be made available. There are very few names on record of town superintendents. Among them are found Charles Heublin, A. T. Castle, William Murray and Milton Buswell. From the years 1861 to 1866 there was no material change in the school work. The attention of the people was directed almost wholly to the war, and little or no attention was in some places paid to school matters. January 4, 1866, the county board appointed to 374 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. the county superintendency Albert Thomas, sahiry fixed at $1,200 per year. Mr. Thomas had taught the village school at Stockton for several terms. He was the principal of the first high school in Win- ona City, and was known as a teacher of marked ability. A previous business engagement prevented him from acce])ting the appoint- ment. May 22, 1866, the county was divided into five commis- sioner districts, and a school examiner appointed for each district, in lieu of township supervision. Geo. P. Wilson was appointed for No. 1, V. J. Walker No. 2, M. E. Lair No. 3, Thomas P. Dixon No. 4, and Henry Gage No. 5. Under the operation of this plan the experience was found to be dearly bought. Certificates of quali- fication to teach were obtained by asking for them. "There was no definite standard of examination and no uniformity among examiners. They were not required to visit the schools, or to exert any official influence for their welfare, and they felt no responsibility for the work of the persons licensed." There being no-unity nor system, no reliable statistics could be gathered from the districts and no groundwork laid for improvement. The county board now con- sisted of J. J. Kandall (chairman), P. P. Hubbell, Collins Kice, H. C. Jones and S. W. Gleason. After much discussion, and owing mainly to the influence of Mr. Randall, it was resolved to change the plan of school work, and at a meeting of the board, Septem- ber 7, 1867, a resolution was adopted to organize the school work of the county under a provision of the school law of 1864", pro- viding for a county superintendency, in lieu of the general law as specified in section 28 of the same act. In this resolution was also embodied the appointment of Luther A. West as school superin- tendent, to hold his office until January, 1868, at an annual salary of $1,000. January 1, 1868, Mr. West was reappointed to serve until January, 1869. Mr. West entered upon the duties of his ofiice in 1867. He was a good scholar, a teacher of large experience, and was well qualified to perform the duties of the office. A great deal of the work required was of the missionary order, as the teach- ers and the people did not clearly understand the duties of the superintendent. Mr. West met with considerable opposition at first. Some persons supposed that the whole school authority was transferred from the district officers to the superintendent. Some were opposed on account of the large salary, and some regarded the office as entirely useless. Mr. West made his first special effort in the direction of improving the scholarship and methods of the THE DISTEICT SCHOOLS. 377 teachers, in which he was very successful, and as the people became acquainted with his plan of work his efforts were appreciated and cordially seconded. The first teachers' institute held in Winona county was organized by Mr. West, assisted by Prof. Wm. F. Plielps and his corps of instructors of the normal school. It was held at St. Charles, in October, 1867, with twenty-three teachers in attendance, and was considered very profitable to those in attendance. Prom the annual report for the year 1868 it is shown that ten good, attractive and convenient schoolhouses have been built this year, at a cost of $11,000 ; also a building at St. Charles for the graded school, at a cost of $15,000. During this year Mr. West made a strong effort to secure greater regularity of attendance on the part of the pupils, and to awaken a deeper interest in the schools on the part of parents. That he succeeded in doing a good work in this direction will be seen from the statistical reports to the state superintendent. The average daily attendance for the year 1867, winter and summer terms being 2,699, increased in 1868 to 4,393, though the enrollment of pupils in the last year, according to school population, had decreased from 52 per cent in 1867 to 48 per cent in 1868. Excellent schoolhouses were built at Pickwick, Saratoga and Witoka. A teachers' association was formed and meetings were held at four different places in the county. These meetings produced good results. The people became interested and took part in the discussions, and extended to teachers in attendance the hospitalities of their homes. In October a state teachers' institute was held at St. Charles, with seventy-five in attendance. The exercises were conducted by an able corps of instructors, and diffused among the teachers a great deal of enthusiasm. October 26, 1869, a county teachers' institute was held at the normal school in Winona, in charge of Prof. Wm. F. Phelps. The attendance numbered 118. The lessons were presented by the teachers of the normal school and of the public schools of Winona. Gymnastic exercises were introduced by Prof. McGibney. Prof. Carson gave instruction in penmanship. On Tuesday evening Dr. Guthrie, of St. Charles, gave a lecture on geology. Prof Hood, of the city schools, participated in the discussions. On Thursday even- ing the Hon. Mark H. Dunnell, state superintendent of public instruction, addressed a large audience upon "Education." The 22 378 HISTORY OF WIKONA COUNTY. success of tliis institute was due mainly to tlie ability, activity and earnest supervision of PVof. Phelps. In the report of Mr. West for the year ending September 80, 1809, he regrets that he is not able to make the financial part accurate, owing to the errors of district clerks. He reports having granted certificates to eighty-four teachers — twenty-three to males and sixty-one to fqmales; fourteen of first grade, forty-five of second, and twenty-five of third, and in a comparison of the year's work with that of 1867 shows that great progress has been made, not ■only in the character of the certificates, but in the increased interest in school matters by the parents, as shown by the increase of teachers' wages, and in the discipline, order and conduct of the- schools. This improvement he attributes to the institute work and to the influence of professional training of some of the teachers in the normal school. There were eleven new schoolhouses built, at an aggregate cost of $9,227. At the legislative session of 1869 the law was changed as to the term of county superintendents, and the county board appointed Mr. West again to serve until April, 1870. At the meeting of the county board in March the Rev. David Burt was appointed, and entered upon the duties of his office April 5, 1870. Mr. Burt had taught in the common schools of Massachusetts for ten years, when he entered upon an academic course to prepare for college. He graduated at Oberlin, Ohio, in 1848, and then spent three years in the theological seminary at Andover, Massachusetts. He removed to Winona in 1858, and took an active part in all educational work ; he acted as member of the school board of Winona city, and served as superin- tendent of its public schools. In 1866 he assumed the duties of general superintendent of the colored schools of Tennessee, where he served for two years. Impaired health compelled him to return to Winona. His appointment to the county superintendency was considered, and afterward proved to be, a fortunate and wise measure for the public schools. In addition to his great natural ability, he was for- tified in the work by a useful and varied experience and untiring energy and faithfulness. He continued to hold the office until ap- pointed by Gov. Davis to the state superintendency in 1875. Mr. Burt's first public examination for teachers was held at Stockton, April 22, 1870, and before the close of the month others were held at Winona, Fremont, Elba and Witoka. For this year THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS. 379 there were issued 114 certificates ; ninety-three schools were visited and lectures given on ' ' Our Common Schools " at Utica, White- water, Elba, New Hartford, Saratoga, Hillsdale, Lewiston, Stock- ton, Pickwick, Minnesota City an dfDresback ; also in districts Nos. 9 and 74. From his report to the state department of November 1, 1870, there were ninety-nine organized districts and eight unorganized. The schoolable population was 5,463 ; number enrolled, 4,059. A teachers' institute in charge of Mr. Burt was held at St. Charles, October 3, 4, 5 and 6, 1871. The enrollment of actual teachers was sixty-five, and the institute was conducted on the plan of class recitations, and was pronounced by all in attendance a decided success. The instructors are named as L. T. Weld, J. E. Richards, E. Holbrook, Miss C. Harding, Miss F. Barber, C. Pickert, G. Olds, Miss E. Fisher, Geo. Wilson, Miss A. Bingham, Miss ]Sr. Taft and C. Boyd. There were three evening lectures : on Tuesday evening, on Reading, by Mr. Burt ; on Wednesday, Mo- tions of the Earth, by Mr, Richards ; and on Thursday evening, Our Common Schools, by Hon. Wm. H. Yale. At the fall examinations of 1874 sixty-one teachers were licensed. The schools, except ten, were visited during the winter following. In the spring of 1875 Mr. Burt, having accepted an appointment as state superintendent, was requested by the county commissioners to grant certificates to a sufficient number of teachers to enable the dis- tricts to go on with their schools for the summer terms, or until his successor could be appointed. The school law at this time required a county superintendent to hold a state certificate. Special exami- ners were appointed and held a meeting in Winona, at which there were only two or three candidates. The successful one was Mr. John M, Cool, of St. Charles, who was then appointed county superintendent by the board. Mr. Cool had received a common school education in Tomkins county, New York, where he had also taught two terms of school. He came to Minnesota in 1857, and taught in St. Charles seven terms of school. He was recognized as a very capable and efficient teacher. Mr. Cool issued two certifi- cates of second grade, four of third and rejected two applicants. He visited a few schools in the beginning of summer, and was taken sick, from which he was unable to do any more school- work. At his death the vacancy was filled, at a special meeting of the county commissioners on the 28th of September, 1875, by the 380 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. appointment of O. M. Lord, who entered immediately upon the duties of tlie office. Owing to the resignation of Mr. Burt and to the sickness of Mr. Cool, the summer schools received very little supervision. The county superintendents' report to the state department was required to be made October 10, the school year closing September 30. The new incumbent found in the office teachers' term reports lor the winter term, . but some teachers did not report the summer terms, and several district clerks failed to make financial reports. There was only ten days of time in which to report to the state department, and no personal knowledge could be obtained of the condition of tlie schools in that limited time ; the consequence was, that the county superintendent's report for the year 1875 was very imperfect, but, from observations subsequently made, there was probably no material growth or change in the condition or character of the schools from that reported for the year 1874. The superintendent held live examinations in the fall, and spent the winter in visiting the schools and in becoming acquainted with the teachers and school officers. Examinations were also held in the spring and the schools visited during the summer. In this year, 1876, under the state supervision of Mr. Burt, a very important change was made in county school work by issuing a more simple form of blanks to school officers and to teachers, and by furnishing a better form of clerks' and treasurers' books, and of school registers. A change was also made in the law in regard to reporting persons, entitled to appointment of the state school fund. Only those reported by the teachers as enrolled in the public schools, ol school- ahle] age, were now entitled to the school fund, instead ol the resident population of the same ages. Through these changes and by this system the school statistics may be considered as entirely reliable. For the purpose of showing the extent of the growth of the schools of Winona, tlie following statistical tables, taken from the reports ol the county superintendents of schools to the state depart- ment for the years 1867 and 1882 respectively, are given. It may be mentioned here that the table of 1867, which was prepared by the then superintendent, Mr. Luther A. West, pre- viously mentioned, is an especially valuable one, as it is the first on record ol the schoolwork of the county combined as a whole. Attention is called to a comparison of the following items of both THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS. 381 tables, whereby some idea can be formed regarding the growth of the schools of the county for a period of fifteen years. SCHOOL STATISTICS OF WINONA FOR THE YEAE 1867. Number of school districts 99 ; frame schoolhouses 71, brick 1, log 14—86; value of all schoolhouses and sites $92,194; whole number of scholars, male 3,248, female 3,259 ; whole number of scholars in winter schools, male 1,475, female 1,218 ; average daily attendance in winter scoools 1,721 ; length of winter schools in months 216 ; number of teachers in winter schools, male 42, female 41 ; average wages per month of each teacher in winter schools, male $29.24, female $19.24; whole number of pupils in summer schools, male 789, female 720 ; average daily attendance in summer 978 ; length of summer schools in months 229 ; number of teachers in summer schools, male 5, female 80 ; average wages per month of teachers in summer schools, male $18.66, female $16.92; whole number of different schools for the year 168 ; whole number of different persons in school for the year, male 1,833, female 1,661 ; per cent of aggregate attendance to the whole number of pupils in the county .53; whole amount of wages paid teachers for the year ^11,608 ; for building, parchasing, hiring, repairing or furnishing schoolhouses and purchasing lots $6,500.12 ; amount paid as teach- ers' wages $17,185.53; amount paid for other school purposes $1,551.79; cash on hand in district treasuries $718.45 ; number of new schoolhouses built during past year 11, value of same $62,800 ; amount received from state school fund $92,194; amount received by taxes voted by districts $30,550.84; percent of school money raised by tax on taxable property in county .0101. 1882. Number of school districts, common school 111, special 2 — 113 ; number of frame schoolhouses 91, brick 7, log 7, stone 2 107; value of schoolhouses and sites $58,210, of school libraries $59, of school apparatus $695 ; whole number of schools enrolled, summer 4,089, winter 5,351 ; average daily attendance in winter 3,677 ; average length of school in months 61 ; number of teachers in winter schools, male 47, female 107; average monthly wages of teachers for the year, male $35U, female $281?-; average daily attendance in summer 3,082 ; number of teachers in summer school, male 18, female 114 ; paid for teachers' wages and board 382 IIISTOKY OF WINONA COUNTRY. $21,465.09 ; paid for building, purchasing, hiring, repairing or furnishing sclioolhouses, purchasing lots, etc., $10,545.53 ; cash on hand at end of the year $18,021.59 ; number of new schoolhouses built, frame 2, value of same $1,100 ; received from school fund, liquor licenses, fines and estrays $8,068.55, from one-mill tax collected $6,978.98, from special taxes collected $21,937.03, from bonds sold $8b0, from all other sources $914.56. From the report of the county superintendent for 1867 it appears that there were sixty-three certificates granted, eleven of them to males and fifty-two to females. Of these certificates, three were of the first grade, fifteen of the second and forty-five of the third. The superintendent complains of the parsimony of boards in hiring teachers, and in supplying the schoolhouse's with comfortable seats, desks and other fixtures. The average wages for the year was $19 per month. From the report of Mr. Lord, the present superintendent, for 1882 we learn that one hundred and forty-two certificates were granted in the previous school year ; of these, thirty-four were received by males and one hundred and eight by females. The class of certificates issued were three only of the first grade, while there were ninety-four of the second and forty -five of the third grades. This, together with the fact that thirty-four applicants were rejected, goes to show that the standard of teachers' examinations in Winona under Mr. Lord is a high one. From the year 1880 until the present (1883) there have been no marked clianges in the condition and character of the schools, ex- cept such slight ones as might be expected in the natural growth of educational work. With the yearly development of the country, its increase in wealth and material prosperity, the expenditures for school purposes have been more liberal, tending to better school- houses and fixtures, and to the em])loyment of a higher gracje of teachers. At the close of this year, thirty years will have passed since the organization of the first school district in this county. As the present superintendent of sckools for this county was one of the trustees of that first organized district, and for the past eight years has been engaged in active schoolwork, it affords us pleasure to give the following brief recapitulation, furnished by him, of some of the important matters connected with the schools of then and now: "Thirty years ago our only schoolhouse was a small, roughly- covered log cabin, furnished with one small window and a door SKETCH OF THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. 383 creaking upon wooden hinges and fastened with a wooden latch. This rude structure was, after a short time, superseded by a small but snug frame building, which, soon proving too small for the accommodation of the rapidly growing district, was enlarged by putting an addition to it. This enlarged frame schoolhouse in turn gave place to a substantial brick one, which Mr. Burt has described as having been built at Minnesota City. The teacher of that fimt school received $48 for three months' work. The trustee made the rate-bill and collected the wages, and the text-books used by the scholars had been formerly used by fathers and mothers in nearly every state between the Atlantic seaboard and Minnesota. "iVbw there are in Winona county (outside of Winona and St. .Charles City) one hundred and eight schoolhouses, valued at over $50,000, while the teachers' wages for a single year aggregate $214,650. Besides this increase in the county schools, the school buildings and educational expenses of one independent district in the county aggregates a much larger amount than that above noted. Then (thirty years ago) there were about twenty children in that one school district of the county. Now^ including those in attend- ance at the normal and parochial schools, they number nearly 7,000." CHAPTEK XXXYHI. HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL OF MINNESOTA, AT WINONA. Near the close of the session of the first legislature of the state, August 2, 1858, an act was passed providing for the establishment of three state normal schools. This legislation was suggested by Dr. John D. Ford, of Winona, and secured by his untiring efforts through the legislature delegation from Winona county. Lieut. Gov. Wm. Holcombe, of Stillwater, gave the measure his earnest and cordial support, and became the first president of the state normal board of instruction. This board, consisting of Lieut. -Gov, Hol- combe, Dr. A. E. Ames, Dr. E. Bray, of Carver, and Dr. J. D. Ford, of Winona, held their first meeting at the Capitol at St. Paul, August 16, 1859. After receiving and considering an appli- cation from the city of Winona, accompanied by a subscription of 384 IIISTOUY OF WINONA COUNTY. 17^000 — $2,000 in excess of the amount required by the act — the following resolution was offered by Dr. Ford, and passed unani- mously : Resolved, That the first state normal school be located at Winona, provided the subscription from Winona of $7,000 be satisfactorily secured to the uses of said school, as directed by the board of directors. And thus was located at Winona the first state normal school of Minnesota, and at that time the only state normal school west of the Mississippi. The following named citizens of Winona were appointed as the first prudential committee : Sylvester J. Smith, Dr. J. D. Ford, Rev. D. Burt and Wm. S. Drew. The second meeting of the board was held at Winona, November 9, 1859, at which meeting block 17, Sanborn's addition, was, after considerable deliberation, selected as a suitable site for the proposed school, the board wisely preferring a central location, in order that a model department miglit be maintained in connection with the normal school. On the evening of November 9, Lieut. -Gov. Hol- combe, president of the board, delivered in the Baptist church an address on the subject of "Education with reference to the establish- ment of the first normal school of Minnesota." This address, which appears in full in the printed report of the board for 1859, was one of great merit. It is said to have made a deep impression upon the young community, and doubtless did much to elevate, if not to create, that sentiment of earnest support of educational interests which has marked the history of this city. In the closing paragraph of this admirable address the governor said : "I have in my hand a paper which contains the origin, the source and the earnest of the first normal school of Minnesota. It had its cjrigin here in this city, and the names written on that paper are as pictures of gold, and should be handed down to future generations as evidence of their wisdom and benevolence. This paper subscribes about $7,000 to the establishment of the normal school here, the most of which, over $5,000, has been secured promptly to the state for that object. The duty I have discharged is every wa;y an- agreeable one ; no cir- cumstances could have occurred with respect to the interests of the state to afford me higher gratification than to meet you here on such an occasi(m as this. The city of Winona has distinguished herself in taking the lead in establishing for the benefit of the rising gene- ration of this state [an institution] for all who shall yet call the state SKETCH OF THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. 385 their home. I think the normal schools should precede the common schools of the country, for then we should have trained teachers to conduct them. When this school shall be in operation it may be regarded as an auspicious era, whence to date in future the origin of many blessings, and the commencement of a perpetual course of improvement and prosperity to the people at large." In the first annual report of the noniial board to the governor. Dr. J. D. Ford set forth in a clear and forcible manner the claims of the normal school to generous support, and its vital relation to the common schools of the state. In addition to other recommenda- tions to the legislature, he urged in behalf of the normal board that "a competent superintendent of public instruction be appointed," that "a general supervision of the subjects of schools, school teach- ing and school lands is absolutely necessary," and that "the school lands should be put into a condition to realize the largest possible annual fund for the support of schools." To the credit of this normal board, and its able secretary Dr. Ford, it may be said that the first state tax for school purposes was authorized and levied upon their urgent recommendation. An appropriation of $5,000 having been secured, it was decided to open the school on the first Monday in September, 1860. Prof. John Ogden, A.M., of Columbus, Ohio, was elected principal for one year at a salary of $1,400, and William Stearns, a graduate of Harvard University, was chosen tutor. The school was opened for the admission of pupils on the first Monday of September. A teachers' institute, the first ever held in this state, was convened at the commencement of the term. Teachers from various parts of the state were present, and a number of distin- guished gentlemen, including Rev. E. D. Neill, chancellor of the university, ex-officio superintendent of public instruction, Ex-Lieut. Governor Holcombe, J. W. Taylor, Esq., Eev. Mr. Strong, and many others. On the evening of the first day Prof. Ogden gave his inaugural address. On the next evening superintendent JSTeill deliv- ered an eloquent address on " Education," the closing paragraph of which we cannot forbear to quote : "Twelve years ago the Winne- bago nation, by a treaty stipulation, abandoned their old homes in Iowa and commenced their long weary march to their new home near Sauk Rapids, in the northern part of this state. In the charm- ing month of June, by mutual agreement, parties by land and water to the number ot 2,000 arrived on this prairie. As they viewed the 386 IIISTOKY OF WINONA (BOUNTY. vast amphitheatre of h)fty bhitis, the narrow hike on one side, the great river in front, they felt that it was tlie spot above all others for an Indian's lodge, and purchasing the privilege of Wabasha, the chief of the Dakota band that then lived here, they drew themselves up in battle array, and signified to the United States troops that they would die before they would leave. Twelve years hence, if the citizens who have taken the place of the rude aborigines will be large-hearted and foster the normal school, the public schools and the churches of Christ, Winona will be lovelier than the ' ' Sweet Auburn " of the poet ; and educated men and cultivated women, as they gaze on your public edifices and other evidences of refinement, will be attracted, and feel that here is the spot for a home, and, like the Indians in 1848, they will desire to tarry until they die." The donation to the board of the use of the city building (now the Winona Library building) was another evidence of the friendli- ness of the citizens to this struggling institution. The use of this building was continued fbr eight years without charge to the state. The $7,000 subscribed by the citizens of Winona was not used for running expenses, but was reserved for the construction of the permanent building in 1867-8, at which time the subscription with its appreciated values amounted to $10,000. The first year was one of great promise throughout. Com- mencement exercises were held at the Baptist church on the last week in June, 1861, continuing the entire week. Mr. Allen, of Wisconsin, a distinguished educator, Mr. Ilickock, ex-superinten- dent of schools in Pennsylvania, Hon. Ignatius Donnelly, and Gen. C. C. Andrews made addresses. A part of the literary exercises consisted of a colloquy between Miss Charlotte Denman, Miss Thorne and others, in which was set forth, in an amusing and graphic manner, the current opinions concerning the establishment of normal schools, an exercise which will never be forgotten by those who were present. At the session of the legislature in 1861 a special act was passed creating the first board of education of Winona. This board was to consist of one school director elected from each of the three wards, the ])rincipal and such members of the normal school — at Winona as shall be residents of said city and qualified. The word "board" was left out of the law between the words "school" and "at," which made a very unwieldy board, or an intangible body. SKETCH OF THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. 387 The idea was to copy somewhat after the Oswego plan of uniting the jurisdiction of the normal and public schools of Winona, using the public scliools as graded and model schools. At the municipal election held in April, 1861, Messrs. Thomas Simpson, Richard Jackson and John Keyes were elected members of the board of education, from the first, second and third wards respectively ; and these, with Prof. Ogden as principal of State Normal School, consti- tuted the first board of education. Mr. Simpson was elected president, Mr. Keyes, recorder and 5'ohn Ogden first superintendent of schools in city of Winona, In the following year this law was repealed and the joint juris- diction ceased. The normal school opened in the fall of 1861, with an increase of students. Prof. J. G. McMynn had. been engaged as assistant teacher. He remained, however, but a short time, resigning early in October, to take a position as major in a Wisconsin regiment. It may be noted that many of the students of the normal, during Prof. Ogden's principalship, entered tlie volunteer army in defense of the Union. Prof. Ogden resigned the principalship of the school December 14, 1861, at the close of the first term of that year. The following extract from his letter of resignation clearly refliects the spirit of those stirring times : Winona, Minnesota, December 14, 1861. To the Prudential Committee of the State Normal School. Gentlemen, — I hereby tender you my resignation of the principalship of the institution intrusted to my care, thanking you most sincerely for the generous support and counsel you have given me. In taking this step, it is proper that you and the public should understand the reason that impels me to it. 1. My distracted and dishonored country calls louder for my poor service just now than the school does. I have, ever since our national flag was dishonored, cherished the desire and indulged in the determination that — whenever I could do so without violation of a sense of duty — I would lay aside the habiliments of the schoolroom and assume those of the camp, and now I am resolved to heed that call and rush to the breach, and with my life, if necessary, stay, if possible, the impious hands that are now clutching at the very existence of our free institutions. What are our schools worth ? What is our country worth without these? Our sons and our daughters must be slaves. Our beloved land must be a hissing and a byword among the nations of the earth. Shall this fair and goodly land, this glorious Northwest become a stench in the nostrils of the Almighty, who made it so fair and so free ? No, 388 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. not while there is one living soul to thrust a sword at treason. I confess my blood boils when I think of the deep disgrace of our ciountry. My brethren and fellow-teachers are in the field. Some of them — the bravest and the best — have already fallen. Their blood will do more to cleanse this nation than their teaching would. So will mine. I feel ashamed to tarry longer. You may not urge me to stay. ********** With these feelings, I am with very great respect, Your*jnost obedient servant, John Ogden. Prof. V. J. Walker, principal of the Winona high school, was placed in charge of the scliool temporarily, during the second term, which closed March 2, 1862, and remained suspended until Novem- ber 1, 1864. The reasons for this suspension of over two years may be inferred from Prof. Ogden's letter of resignation, and may be stated as follows : (1) The interest in the great struggle then pending for national life overshadowed and overwhelmed everything else, and, as a natural corollary of this, (2) competent teachers could not be found to take charge of the school. Such men were generally in the war. (3) The means for the support of the school was inadequate. The state had made no appropriations beyond the first $5,000. The state was too busy in the war to care for its educational interests. During the session of the legislature in the spring of 1864, at the earnest solicitation of the citizens of Winona, led by Dr. J. D. Ford, an act was passed renewing the appropriations to the school and re-establishing it on a permanent basis. This act provided that the sum of $3,000 be appropriated for the current year, $4,000 for the following year, and $5,000 annually thereafter. At the annual meeting of the normal board in the following May Prof. John G. McMynnwas elected principal. No movement was, however, made to reopen the school until the next meeting in the following Septem- ber, when the resignation of Prof McMynn was accepted, and Prof W. F. Phelps, former principal of the State Normal School of New Jersey was unanimously elected. The principal-elect, being present, accepted the position in person and immediately entered upon the duties of his office. Professor Phelps' rare ability as an organizer and disciplinarian was at once apparent in the prompt and efficient measures taken to re-establish the school on a })ermanent basis. To the wisdom of these measures and the executive ability of their author is largely due the high standing which the normal SKETCH OF THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. 389 school at Winona has subsequently attained, and still holds, among the educational institutions of this country. The location of the site on block 17, Sanborn's addition, was not favored by the citizens generally. At the meeting of the board held in June, 1866, the following communication was received : To the State Normal School Board: The city council of the city of Winona makes the following proposition to your honorable board : That if the board will erect the normal school build- ing upon the present site, viz : block 4, Sanborn's addition, the city will pur- chase and donate to the state the east half of block 3, Sanborn's addition, and vacate and donate to the state that part of Johnson street lying between blocks 3 and 4 ; or, in case it can be procured, the city will purchase and donate to the state the whole of said block. This provided that the board will convey to the city block 17 in Sanborn's addition. • R. D. Cone, Mayor. This proposition was promptly accepted by the board. Subse- quently the city bought the whole of block 3, Sanborn's addition, and gave it outright to the state, waiving the condition stated in the communication of the mayor. During the session of the legislature of 1866 the first appropria- tion of $10,000 for the building was obtained mainly through the efforts of Hon. E. S. Youmans, then a member of the house, and Hon. Thos. Simpson in the state senate. This appropriation was designed to secure plans and to supple- ment the contributions of the citizens and city of Winona, and was entirely used in constructing a foundation, — an important measure which committed the state fully to the erection of a building at Winona. The plans for the building were drawn by the architect, G. P. Randall, Esq., of Chicago, and were adopted by the board at its meeting in June, 1866. On the 19th of October, 1866, the corner-stone was laid with interesting ceremonies by Gov. Marshall, in the presence of a large and deeply interested assembly, citizens of Winona and surrounding country. Hon. Thos. Wilson, chief-justice of the supreme court of the state, delivered the address on this memorable occasion. The foundation was erected under the direction of the credential committee, consisting of Dr. Ford, Hon. E. S. Youmans and W. S. Drew, Esq. Mr. Drew was appointed superintendent of the work, and gave it his personal and efficient supervision throughout the session of 1867, until the basement walls were completed and made ready for the superstructure. 390 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. In the spring of 1867 an appropriation by the legislature of $50,000 for building purposes was secured, largely through the influ- ence of Plon. "Win. 11. Yale, then in the state senate. Only one half of this amount was ajipropriated for the first year. The citizens of Winona cashed the orders of the board for tlie other half, making the entire sum available for immediate use. The contract for the erection of tlie superstructure was made with C. Bohn, Esq., of "Winona, who had already demonstrated his qualifications as a builder in the construction of the high-school building of the city. In 1869 the sum of $34,000 additional was appropriated "^6> complete the building,'''' and in 1870 nearly $9,000 more was generously grante(^ by the legislature to liquidate the 'balance due the contractor. Th(? building was occupied by the school September 1, 1869, and completed in the following December. The following description of the building is taken from the report of the normal board for 1859 : The general form of the building is in the form of a cross. The main edifice is 63 X 78 feet ; the wings are each 50 X 75 feet. The basement story is 10 feet high ; the first story is 13 feet ; the second, 16 feet ; the third, 19 feet, and the fourth story of the west wing is 28 feet to the crown of the ceiling at the base of the skylights. The southeast corner of the west wing terminates in a ventilating shaft 8x8 feet and 105 feet high ; and the northwest corner of the east wing terminates in the main tower, 15 X 15 feet at base and 130 feet high. The building is of red bricks, with facings and trimmings of a drab-colored calciferous limestone. Its beauty is due not to super- fluous ornamentation, but to the harmony of its proportions and its massiveness. Through the basement there is a corridor 10 feet wide running through the center from end to end. The first story has a main corridor 10x166 feet, running entirely thi-ough the building. This is intersected by cross-corridors extending from the front to the rear entrances. On the north side of the main corridor there are four large schoolrooms for the use of the model classes. On the right of the entrance of the main tower there is a reception- room 20 X 25 feet. On the opposite or south side of the main cor- ridor the rooms above described are duplicated. Opposite the reception-room is a gentlemen's cloakroom. In the main building, in the second story, is the normal school "assembly-room"; its dimensions are 63 X 78 feet. In the east wing, beginning with the 392 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. main tower, we find the principars office, the library and two large recitation-rooms. In the west wing are two large recitation-rooms, one in each corner, and two large wardrobe-rooms for ladies, each 12 X 35 feet, communicating with corridor and assemblj-room. In the third story of main building we have "Normal Hall," capable of seating 800 to 1,000 persons. In the west wing, and connecting with corridor and Normal Hall, are four recitation-rooms. The east wing is occupied by a suite of rooms connected by open arches, designed to be used for a museum. In fourth story of the west wing there are two rooms, 32 X 35 feet each, separated by a corridor, and with ceiling extending to the crown of the roof, 23 feet in height. These rooms are lighted by skylights, and are intended for a gallery of art. The steps at each of the five entrances of the building are of massive, solid masonry, and are of easy ascent. The corridors at each extremity are entered by spacious vestibules. The stairs leading to the several stories are easy of ascent, the risers being seven inches each, and the treads, which are very wide, being made of solid two-inch oak plank, finished in oil. The heating and ventilation of the building are upon the plan known as the Ruttan system. There are seven furnaces properly located in the basement. Underneath the furnaces the cold air from without is introduced through ducts having an area of section equal to from eight to ten square feet each. Space cannot b^ given to a further description of this beautiful structure, which is acknowledged to be, even at the date of this writing, in 1883, the most perfect building of the kind in the Northwest. The plans of this building were subsequently adopted, with little change, for the State Normal Schools at Buffalo, New York, and at Carbondale, Illinois. It should be stated that the admirable adaptation of this building to the existing and prospective wants of the school, and its nearly faultless construction, are largely due to the experienced judgment, wise forethought and energetic management of the principal. Prof Wm. F. Phelps, who was permitted to enjoy the fruits of his zealous labors, and to carry forward in this building his plans for the organization of a normal school of national reputation, until he voluntarily resigned this position in 1876. The following is a summary of the contributions made by the citizens of Winona to the school and building : SKETCH OF THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. 395 Original subscription of ^7,000 to secure site, with appreciation in values |)10,000 Subscription for purchase of block 4, Sanborn's addition 5,000 Donation by city of block 3, Sanborn's addition 6,000 The vacation of street and alleys 2,500 Cash in bonds of city 15,000 Use of city building for eight years, and furnishing expenses 4,500 Total contribution 43,000 In addition to the above the citizens of Winona have paid into the treasury of the school for the tuition of pupils in the model department the average sum of $1,500 annually for twenty years, amounting to about $3,000. The present valuation of the site of the building is $25,000. The state appropriations for building purposes at various times amount to the gross sum of $115,837. In accordance with a plan proposed by Principal Phelps, the legislature, in 1871, passed an act establishing in Winona the State Soldiers' Orphans' Home, and providing lor the education of the children in the normal school. This plan proved to be a wise and economical one for the state, and of the greatest value to the children. Nearly one hundred of the soldiers' orphans received training for several years in the model and normal departments. A number completed the entire course, and are now filling important positions in the schools of the state. The growth of the school in numbers, in reputation, and in all the characteristics of an excellent training school for teachers, continued without marked interruption until the legislature in 1876, partly by design and partly by neglect, failed to make the usual annual appropriation for the support of the three normal schools of the state. The normal board was called in extra session. During that meeting several propositions to close the schools at once were voted down by a bare majority. The opposition to these propositions was led by Hon. Thos. Simpson, the resident director at Winona. Finally the board took action, which was intended merely to give the normal schools a chance for continuance if they could find any means of existing without involving the board or incurring a debt. It was really a life and death struggle with the normal schools of our state. Had they been closed then, they would have remained closed, perhaps for ever. The action of the board availed little ; it said, " Live if you can, but don't involve us." Liberal-hearted citizens of this city offered 23 396 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. to advance money to carry on tlie school at Winona, but this could not be accepted under the action of the board. Gen. Sibley, the president of the board, and Prof. Wm. F. Phelps, the principal at Winona, resigned. The resident director determined that the school should not go down. He made a temporary reduction of the teaching force, some abatements of salaries, and some extra charges for tuition. He appealed to the soldiers' orphans' board, who generously responded by paying tuition for the pupils under their care. By these means, supplemented by a cash contribution from his own pocket, the school was kept in vigorous operation until the following year, when the appropriation was not only restored, but was made permanent. The action at Winona had much to do with inspiring a like spirit and determination on the part of the local management of the schools at Mankato and St. Cloud. Prof. Charles A. Morey, a member of the faculty and a former graduate of the school, was elected principal. The following year saw the school restored to its former condition of efficiency. In 1878 Principal Morey inaugurated an important change in the organization of the school by extending the element- ary course, and establishing an advanced four years' course of study designed to prepare teachers for the principalship of high and graded schools. In May, 1879, Principal Morey resigned his position to enter upon the practice of law. On the 27th of June Prof. Irwin Shep- ard, superintendent of the city schools of Winona, was elected prin- cipal ; since which time the growth of the school in numbers, in efficiency, and in the confidence of the citizens of the state, has, we believe, continued without interruption. The following shows the increase of attendance during the past four years: 1878-1879, 302; 1879-1880, 342; 1880-1881, 388; 1881-1882, 439; 1882-1883, 485. Hon. Thos. Simpson, the present resident director, has been a member of the state normal board continuously since 1868, and has served as president of the state board and resident director at Win- ona during most of that time. The first state teachers' institute, in 1859, the first state conven- tion of county superintendents, in 1866, and the first institute of normal instructors, in 1872, were all held at the Winona normal school. SKETCH OF THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. 397 The first class which finished the course of this school numbered sixteen members and were graduated June 28, 1866. Since that date to June 1, 1883, twenty-five classes numbering 480 members have graduated, while nearly 3,000 other students have received instruction for one or more terms. These students, as well as the graduates, have fulfilled their pledges to the state with singular fidelity and success. Many of the graduates have been called to important and lucrative positions in other states from Califoi-nia to Maine. Several have received appointments to leading positions in the normal schools of the Argentine Republic, S. A., at salaries ranging from $1,200 to $2,500. Prominent among the causes which have contributed to place the State JSTormal School at Winona in the foremost rank of similar institutions in America should be mentioned the liberal enterprise and singular devotion to its interests on the part of the citizens of Winona, as shown by their munificent donations of lands and money, by their loyal and unwavering championship in the trying times of legislative inaction and indifiference ; by their establishment of an extensive museum and gallery of art for the free use of the students ; by their continued patronage and support of the model school, and by their just and generous pride in the past history, the present prosperity and the future promise of this educational institution of the state. THE SOCIETY OF ARTS, SCIENCES AND LETTERS. On May 24, 1871, a preliminary meeting was held in Normal Hall for the purpose of organizing a society for the promotion of a knowledge of art, science and literature. At an adjourned meeting held June 12, articles of association were adopted. The corporate members were Wm, F. Phelps, Thos. Simpson, Abner Lewis, Mary Y. Lee, C. C. Curtiss, O. B. Gould, Sarah L. Wheeler and C. H. Berry. The plans of the society provided for "the fitting of rooms in the First State N'ormal building for a museum of natural history and physical science, and for a department of drawing and the arts of design ; the collection, classification and arrangement of specimens in natural history and archaeology, and of models in physics and the fine arts ; the collec- tion of facts and objects pertaining to local or general history ; the establishment and support, on the grounds of the normal school, of a botanical garden ; the arrangement and ornamentation of the 398 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. grounds ; the gatliering of a library of standard works iji all depart- ments of science, literature and art ; the collection and preservation of all collections, and, by lectures and other appropriate means, the elevation of the public taste." Previous to the organization of this society, citizens of Winona had placed in the normal school building, for the use of the students, private collections of minerals and other specimens. Principal Phelps had contributed a valuable collection, and the Hon. Thos. Simpson had donated his entire cabinet of mineral specimens, which lie had been gathering for many years in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The proprietorshij) of these collections was vested in the new society. The collections were increased from time to time by additional contributions. In 1875 the citizens of Winona, at the advice and solicitation of Professor Wm. F. Phelps, contributed about $3,500 for the purchase of the Woodman collection of corals, shells, minerals and fossils. This valuable collection, and those previously belonging to the society, were arranged in suitable cases in the geological hall of the normal building in 1878, under the superintendence of Principal Chas. A. Morey. The following contract was subsequently made with the state normal board : 1. The society agrees that its collections, apparatus, pictures, etc., shall remain in the rooms now occupied by them so long as the building shall be used for the purpose of a state normal school. 2. That said collections, etc., shall be forever free to the use of the normal school in said building, its teachers and pupils, and that said collections shall not be removed, either in whole or in part, for any purpose whatever. 3. That, to prevent interference with the operations of the school, the times of opening said rooms to the public shall be as the principal and resident director of the school shall from time to time direct, and not otherwise. 4. Tliat the society shall bear all expense of classifying, arranging and BIRDS OF WINONA COUNTY. 399 putting in position all specimens and objects, and of preserving the order and condition of the same: Provided, That the state normal board agrees: 1. To furnish to the society, rent free, the room now occupied by its collections ; to heat, light and keep the same in repair as long as the building shall be used for the purposes of a normal school. 2. To give to the society the use of such cases, platforms and fixtures as are already placed in said rooms, and to build others as the acquisitions of the society may demand. 3. To furnish janitor's services for said rooms, as their use may demand. This museum has become one of the most extensive and com- plete in the west. Three large rooms, connected by arches, are lined with cases which are filled with specimens of minerals, fossils, birds and animals. A large case in the center of the room contains the skeleton of a mastodon. Two spacious rooms in the fourth story of the building are devoted to the exhibition of art subjects. A curator devotes a large portion of his time to the care of the museum and to the collection, classification and arrangement of specimens in all departments of natural history. CHAPTEK XXXIV. BIRDS OF WINOXA COUNTY. The following are the birds known to exist in this county : duck hawk, pigeon hawk (common), sparrow hawk, sharp-shinned hawk. Cooper's hawk, marsh hawk, harrier or mouse hawk, red-tailed hawk (common), red-shouldered hawk (scarce), broad- winged hawk, bald eagle, great-horned' owl, long-eared owl, screech owl, barred owl (summer), short-eared owl, snowy owl, saw-whet owl, hawk owl, day owl, black-billed cuckoo, yellow-billed cuckoo, hairy wood- pecker, downy woodpecker, black-backed three-toed woodpecker, yellow-bellied woodpecker, pileated woodpecker, log cock, red- headed woodpecker, pigeon woodpecker, ruby-throated humming- bird, chimney swallow, night hawk, bull-bat, whippoorwill, belted kingfisher, kingbird, wood-pewee, olive-sided flycatcher, pewee, Phebe-bird, wood thrush, robin, brown thresher, catbird, red- breasted bluebird, titmouse, chickadee, white-bellied nut-hatch, American creeper, long-billed marsh wren, short-billed marsh wren, house wren, skylark, shorelark, black and white creeper, Maryland yellow-throat, black-poll warbler, scarlet tanager, barn swallow, blue-backed swallow, eave swallow, bank swallow, purple martin. 400 IlISTf)RY OF VVINON'A COUNTY. wiix-wing, Bohemian chatterer, cedar-bird, cherry-bird, great north- ern shrike, red-eyed vireo, purple-finch, red-poll linnet, snow bunt- ing, snowbird, swamp sparrow, song sparrow, tree sparrow, field sparrow, chipping sparrow, fox sparrow (frequent), rose-breasted grossbeak, ring-rail (occasional), bobolink, ricebird, cowbird, red- winged blackbird, yellow-headed bird, meadow lark, orchard oriole (not common), Baltimore oriole (common), crow blackbird, crow (on the increase), bluejay, wild pigeon (never abundant), common dove, pinnated grouse (scarce), ruffed grouse, quail (nearly exter- minated), woodcock, Wilson snipe, jack snipe, bittern, stakedriver, least bittern (on river bottoms), marsh hen, Virginia rail, coot (in marshes). Besides these, there are met occasionally the sandpiper, the great blue heron, the green heron, the wild goose and brant, the blue-winged teal, the hooded merganser, the widgeon, the piii- tail, the mallard, the butterball duck, the wood duck, and other ducks. The wood duck breeds here. THE WINONA COUNTY PRESS. The pioneers of Winona evinced a thorough appreciation of the power of the press as an important element in promoting the welfare of the young city, and in the development of the promising terri- tory of Minnesota. The first newspaper established was the "Winona Argus," September 7, 1854:. It was published by Wm. Ashley Jones & Co., weekly, democratic in politics. Wm, Ashley Jcmes, Captain Sam Whiting, M. Wheeler Sargent and Eobert T. Hunter were among the contributors. Samuel Melvin, at the present time a merchant in Winona, was foreman in the Argus office. He pur- chased an interest in the paper in January, 1855, and continued about a year and a half, when he sold back to Wm. Ashley Jones, and the paper continued about a year and a half longer, during which Mr. Cozzens was for a time editor. After vicissitudes incident to a western town twenty years ago, it was compelled to suspend its pub- lication in the month of September, 1857, not however, until it had accomplished a good wotk for southern Minnesota. The "Winona Weekly Express" was the next venture in jour- nalism. It was established about August 1, 1855, Wilson C. Huff, son of H. D. Hufif, being the editor. The Express continued until after the election in November, when the office and material were purchased by a company formed to establish "The Winona Repub- lican." THE wmONA COUNTY PRESS. 401 In the fall of 1855, some earnest republicans formed a joint- stock company, purchased the material of the "Winona Express," and on the 21st of November, 1855, issued the first number of the "Winona Weekly Republican." The names of these stockholders were Charles Eaton, E. L. King, C. F. Buck, A. P. Foster, H. C. Jones, A. C. Jones, E. H. Murray, J. B. Stockton, J. S. Denman, H. T. Wickersham, Eufus Crosby, O. S. Holbrook, St. A. D. Bal- combe, John L. Balcombe, Matthew Ewing, W. G. Dye, J. H. Jacoby, L. H. Springer. The newspaper was a seven-column sheet and conducted with ability. The editor was Captain Sam Whiting. The business manager was Walter G. Dye, who continued to occupy that position, with slight intervals, for about twenty-five years. Messrs. Foster and Dye purchased the stock of the other shareholders and became sole proprietors. On the 19th of June, 1856, D. Sinclair purchased the interest of A. P. Foster in the estab- lishment, and it thus became the sole property of Messrs. Sinclair & Dye. In the fall of 1856 Mr. Dye disposed of his interest in the concern to Messrs. Balcombe, Murray, Buck and King, who in a short time sold out to W. C. Dodge. The latter continued his con- nection with the paper only a few months, retiring on the 3rd of February, 1857, and being succeeded by Mr. Dye, who repurchased one half of the establishment. At this time the firm name was changed to D. Sinclair & Co., and has so remained ever since. On the 2d of April, 1861, Sheldon C. Carey purchased one half interest in "The Republican" from Mr. Dye, who retired. Mr. Carey continued a member of the firm until his death on the night of De- cember 28 of the same year he entered it, when he was drowned in the Mississippi river, Wisconsin, while out with a small party on a sleighing excursion. His death caused the most poignant grief in the community. On the first of July, 1865, Mr. Dye resumed connection with "The Republican " as ioint partner with Mr. Sinclair, and November 25, 1866, Mr. JohnDobbs, an experienced practical bookbinder, became one of the firm, purchasing one third interest in " The Republican" establishment. In 1859 the proprietors of " The Republican " de- termined to try the experiment of a daily paper in Winona, and on the 19tli of November issued the first number of the "Daily Re- view," a three-column paper somewhat larger than a sheet of fools- cap. The publication of this little paper demonstrated the readiness of the people of Winona to support — not a first-class journal, but 402 IIISTOKY OF WINONA COUNTY, one of respectable size, considering tlie times. Accordingly the "Daily Review" was stopped, and] on the 19tli of December, 1859, the " Winona Daily Republican " was started on its career. It was a five-column sheet, but was enlarged to a six-column sheet on the 8th of April, 1861, and on the 1st of July, 1865, it was enlarged to a seven-column sheet, its present form. The " AVeekly Ilei)ublican" has the honor of being the oldest republican newspaper in the state. In 1S67 the "well arranged three-story brick "Republican" building with basement was built. It was occupied in February, 1868. On the first of January, 1881, Mr. Dye retired, selling his interest to Mr. Sinclair. Mr. P. G. Hubbell, who had been con- nected with the office since 186i, was appointed business manager, and so continued until the first of January, 1883, when Mr. W. E. Smith bought a third interest in the establishment, and Mr. Hub- bell assumed the duties of managing editor of "The Republican." Through a long established career " The Republican, " under the superior editorial management of Mr. Sinclair, has wielded a potent influence on the aftairs of the county and state, while f(H- the city of its choice it has ever been the zealous advocate and faithful friend. It is entitled to great credit as one of the important agencies in the development of Winona. Returning to the history of other newspapers in the early years of the county, "The Times" was started by a man who came from Fountain City, Wisconsin. The proprietor purchased the ma- terial of the " Argus," but continued only a few months. "The Democrat" was started on September 9, 1858, by C. W. Cottom, who came here from Rochester. He published an eight- column paper. In the course of a year or two he sold out to the Democrat Printing Company. On the 11th of December, 1860, the "Tri-Weekly Democrat" was started by the Democrat Printing Company, with J. L. Thomp- son, printer ; C. W. Cottom, editor ; Wm. T. Hubbell, city editor. This was a five-column sheet. In the following summer the paper was closed out and was succeeded by "The State." "The Winona Daily State" was established by Massey & Wheeler, July 11, 1861. It was a six-column paper. The daily was a morning paper, but it existed only a few weeks. Mr. Wheeler retired and Mr. Massey continued the publication of the "Weekly State," which was first issued July 17, 1861. After an existence of a year or two the "State" suspended. THE WINONA COUNTY PRESS. 403 "The Winona Weekl}' Democrat'' was established by A. G. Reed September 17, 1864. It was a seven-column paper and lived some two or three years. The "Democratic Press," which was issued by Messrs. Mes- ervey & Pomeroy, was another venture, which appeared in tlie fall of 1865, but continued only about six months. "The Winona Daily Democrat" was established January 8, 1868, by Green & Gile. It was a four-page, seven-column journal. It was afterward owned by Green & Dresbach, and then by the Democrat Printing Company. It suspended after a few months. On the 7th of May, 1869, "The Winona Herald," a demo- cratic weekly newspaper, was established by Mr. W. J. Whipple, It is still in existence under the proprietorship of Mr. Whipple, though leased to Mr. T. A. Dailey in the summer of 1882. On February 13, 1869, an amateur paper entitled "The North Star" was started by some young men, with Geo. T. Griffith, editor ; Wm. F. Worthington, publisher ; H. G. Smith, treasurer ; John IST. Nind, subscription agent. The little journal subsequently passed into the hands of Fred. W. Flint and John N. Nind, by whom it was published for several months. In 1872 another amateur paper, "The Novelty Press," was started at Homer by R. F. Norton. It was afterward removed to Winona and conducted by Eber Norton. In 1879, November 28, it was bought by Geo. B. Dresbach and the name changed to "The Democrat." In January, 1880, it was sold to Hiler, Busdicker and Dresbach, and was purchased in January, 1882, by Fred. W. Flint. On the 9th of October, 1873, E. Gerstenhauer established a German weekly called "The Winona Adler," which still con- tinues under the same proprietor. On the 4th of July, 1873, the "St. Charles Times" was estab- lished by H. W. Hill. It was democratic in politics and continued until January 1, 1883, when it suspended. On May 24, 1875, "The Sunday Morning Dispatch" was issued by D. B. Sherwood. Only one number appeared, the pro- prietor returning to Michigan. On the 24th of April, 1876, " The Monday Morning Bulletin " was started by John Seigler. It continued for a few months and was removed to Wabasha, Minnesota. In 1877, August 11, "The Saturday Evening Postman '' appeared 404 IITSTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. under the editorship and management .of W. A. Cliapman. It ex- isted for only a short time. On January 3, 1877, the -St. Charles Union'' was established by Joseph S. Whiton. It is independent republican in politics, and a paper of general circulation in the western part of the county. January 21, 1881, a German weekly news])aper, "The West- licher Herald," was started by Leicht & Schmid. The firm changed to Leicht & Hunger July 1, 1881, and again to Joseph Leicht Jan- uary 1, 18S;;, who is the present proprietor. WIlSrONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 405 During 1881 the ^'Utica Transcript," a short-lived paper, was started at Utica bj O. S. Eeed. On the 2d of July, 1881, "The Winona Daily Tribune" was established by F. W. Flint as an evening independent republican paper. About the first of July, 1882, it was sold to Morrissey & Bunn and changed to a democratic paper in politics, still retaining the name of "The Tribune." In January following the paper was sold to a stock comj^any and changed to a morning paper. It con- tinued until April, 1882, when it suspended. The year 1883, therefore, finds the following newspapers in existence in this county: "The Winona Republican," daily and weekly, republican in politics, established in 1855; "The Winona Herald," weekly, democratic, established in 1869; "The Winona Adler," German weekly, democratic, established in 1873; "The St. Charles Union." weekly, independent republican, established in 1877; "The Westlicher Herald," German, weekly, democratic, established in 1881. CHAPTEK XL. WINONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. As introductory to the history of the public schools of the city of Winona, as they have existed since the organization of the "board of education of the city of Winona," April 19, 1861, some mention is necessary to be made of the early educational work of the territory now included within the city limits. The first attempt at school teaching that was ever made in this region was in the summer of 1852, by Miss Angelia Gere, a young girl of fourteen or fifteen years of age, who collected a few small children in the shanty of Mrs. Goddard (known through all this region for the past twenty- five years as Aunt Catharine Smith). As nearly as the memory of old residents can fix such matters, this school was only continued for a few weeks, the instruction was of the most primitive kind, and the number of little ones eight or ten. The following summer, 1853, Mrs. E. B. Hamilton opened a school in her own little house at the lower end of the prairie. This school had been in session about two or three weeks when it was abruptly closed by the death of the teacher, who was killed by a stroke of lightning, June 19. 406 JIISTOKY OF WmONA COUNTY. In the fall of 1853 a private school was opened by Miss Willis, long since married and settled in Chatfield, and this was the first school, that really deserved the name, opened on the prairie. Miss Willis was followed in 1854 by Miss Hcttie Houck, now Mrs. W. H. Stevens, of this city, who taught a subscription school in a building belonging to Aunt Catharine Smith, on the corner of Front and Franklin streets. The number of pu})ils in this school was about twenty-five ; the teacher was engaged at a regular salary ; no tuition fee was demanded ; tlie funds were provided by voluntary subscri}> tion, and the school is really entitled to the name of the first public school of Winona. During the winter of 1854-5 a school was opened by Mr. Henry Bolcom, in a small building on Second street, afterward known as Wagner's saloon. This school was supported largely in the same manner as that of Miss Houck's, the school-tax for the district never having been collected. The pupils in attendance during the winter term numbered about thirty. In the summer of 1855 Miss Almeida Trutchell, subsequently Mrs. David Smith, taught school in the embryo city. The following winter, 1855-6, Geo. C. Buckman, now of Waseca, Minnesota, wielded the birch. Mr. H. C. Bolcom, who had been attending term at Oberlin College, Ohio, having returned to Winona, was employed as teacher during the winter of 1856-7, and his work in that line closed with the closing of the spring term. The original school district No. 2 had been divided in the spring of 1854, prior to which time there was but one school district on the prairie. No. 14, the new district, comprised that part of the town plat west of Lafayette street ; but for particulars concerning these matters, see history of Winona county schools. In the fall of 1857 a union, by mutual agreement of the two districts, was efi'ected, and the trustees of the separate districts became informally the board of the qvasi united one. These trustees were for No. 2, Col. II. C. Johnson, Andrew Smith and H. C. Bolcom ; tor No. 14, Dr. J. D. Ford, Dr. A. S. Ferris and John lams. Rev. Geo. C. Tanner was employed as principal for the union or grammar school, as it was called ; commenced his work November 17, 1857, and before the close of the winter four schools were in operation. The teachers of these schools were : Rev. Tanner, his wife. Miss Wealth}' Tucker, who taught the ]irimary, in what is now ward 1 of the city, and John Sherman, who taught in the lower part of the city. Of the early WmONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 407 "Winona schools, from 1856 to 1860, at which time his services were transferred to the normal schools. Dr. Ford was the mainstay, and pages might be written concerning the straits into which tlie hoard were often driven to maintain the schools. As an instance, we may note the concert held in the L. D. Smith building, with Dr. Ford and his daughter and W. S. Drew as principal fuglemen. The proceeds were applied to the purchase of a terrestrial globe, the first article of school apparatus purchased for the Winona public schools. This globe, which should have been preserved as a relic, was burned in the fire of July 5, 1862. Rev, Tanner was succeeded in the fall of 1858 by Mrs. A. W. Thomas, who was his assistant during the latter part of his schoolwork here. There was a constant increase in the work of the schools from this time forward. In the fall of 1859 Mr. Y. J. Walker was employed as principal, and his work continued long after the city schools were established upon a solid foundation. In this work his wife, a most excellent teacher, was associated with him, and their influence in the young life of the city and its schools cannot be told in words. For the eighteen months elapsing from the time of Mr. Walker's assuming charge of the schools until they were turned over , to the city board of education at its organization, no record survives. The final report of the districts to that board are lost, and all we know is by the memories reviving twenty-four years of eventful history, in which so much relating to those early times has passed into forgetfulness that it is impossible to reproduce it even approxi- mately. We only know that the schools had no permanent abiding- places, that accommodations were difficult to be found and good quarters impossible to be received, money scarce and times hard, yet out of all the schools emerged tried as by fire, to approve the wisdom of their early management. B(:»AliD OF EDUCATION. By special act of Minnesota state legislature, approved March 7, 1861, under the title "An act for the establishment and better regulation of the common schools of the city of Winona," all the school districts and parts of school districts within the corporate limits of the city of Winona were consolidated to form one district, the regulation and management of which was committed to a ''board of education," for the creation and government of which the special act above cited made provision. By the terms of this act it was 408 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. ordered that at the time of liolding tlie regular charter election in tlie city, one school director in each ward should be elected, who, in order to qualify, should take a prescribed oath of office, and that the directors thus chosen, together with the principal of the State Normal School at Winona, should form the city board of education. It was plainly the intention of the act, as indicated by its wording, to make all resident members of the normal school board ex officio members of the city board of education, but this intention was defeated by the omission of a material word in the engrossing of the act. Thus the school board of the city at its organization was con- stituted with but four members, one each from the three wards of the city, and the principal of the State Normal School at Winona. The special provisions of this act of March 7, 1861, it is not necessary to make further allusion to, as it was superseded by the act of legislature approved March 8, 1862, which latter act it was declared should be construed as of a public nature and subversive oi the act of the previous year. 'Q^ the terms of the new act the election of two school directors from each ward was provided for, the terms of office of such directors fixed at two years, and the directors thus chosen to constitute the '"city board of education," thus effectually severing all connection with the normal school authorities in the management of the public schools of the city. By the act of March, 1862, provision was also made for the election of a superintendent for the city schools ; members of the board of education were debarred fi'om receiving compensation for their services as such ; annual reports were required to be made to the county auditor and to the state superintendent of schools, and the board of education was invested with such powers as were deemed necessary to their existence, government and effective work as a corporate body entrusted with the onerous duty of providing the best possible educational facilities for the children and youth of a growing city. To preserve the homogeneousness of the educational work throughout the state, the board of education was made amenable (as far as practically applicable) to the general school law of the state, and to the rules established by the state superintendent of public instruc- tion. There was one provision of this act destined in the course of events to become a fruitful source of contention between the common council of the city and the city board of education, and for this reason, if no other, it must be specially noted. This was the clause by which the city council was empowered to pass upon the annual WINONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 409 estimates for school expenses presented by the board of education, and to accept or reject the same in whole or in part as they deemed best. The city treasurer was made the custodian of all school funds paid in under the tax levies ordered by the council or other- wise derived, and required under penalty to keep the same separate and distinct from all other funds in his hands. The act also pro- vided for equitable payment of all judgment liens against the board without issuing execution against the school property of the city. At the time the act of the legislature creating the "board of education of the city of Winona" became operative, March 7, 1861, the city was divided into three wards, and^ at the charter election in April of that year the several wards elected members of the board of education as follows : First ward, Thomas Simpson ; second ward, Richard Jackson ; third ward, John Keyes ; and these gentle- men, with Prof John Ogden, principal of the State Normal School at Winona, were the original board of education for the city of Winona. The "board" met April 13, 1861, for organization and elected Thomas Simpson president and John Keyes clerk ; Prof. John Ogden was made superintendent of city schools, and the "board of education of the city of Winona" became a fixed insti- tution. Concerning these gentlemen, who twenty-two years ago com- posed the first board of education of this city, it may not be amiss to state that Prof. Ogden left the city in December, 1861, and is now in charge of a private normal school at Fayette, Ohio. Thomas Simpson is still a resident of the city, in active professional life, and president of the State JSTormal School board. Richard Jackson was several years in business in this city and died here early in 1875. John Keyes, jnstly entitled to the honor so generally accorded him as "father of the Winona public schools," died on the old Keyes homestead in the eastern part of the city, December 2, 1876, at which time he had been a resident of Winona a little over twenty- three years. The informal union of the two school districts within the city limits, and their harmonious working for nearly four years prior to their legal consolidation, were very largely owing to the disinterestedness, good judgment and abiding interest in educa- tional matters displayed by Mr. Keyes. His work by no means ended with the formation of the school board. As clerk of that board during the first seven years of its existence, during which time the high school building was erected, he became so much an 410 IIISTOUV OF WINONA COUNTY. integral part of tlie public school administration of the city during that early formative period, that his influence in the educational life of the city can scarcely be overrated. Appropriate resolu- tions bearing testimony to his valuable services as an ofticer and member of the city school board were spread upon the records of that body, and the memory of his labors will long survive his generation. The great fire of July 5, 1862 (to which reference is so frequently made in this work) destroyed the records of the board of education, including the records of the schools which had preceded the organization of the board. It is therefore impossible to give any authentic statement concerning the condition of the schools at the time they passed under the control of the board of education. A general statement made by Mr. Keyes, as secretary of the board, shortly after the tire, appears among the records. From this we learn that April 13, 1861, the board of education, on assuming charge of public school matters in Winona, found themselves in possession, by transfer from the old school districts numbers two and fourteen, of some old school furniture, one terrestrial globe, one set of outline maps, some rented rooms in various parts of the city, some indebtedness, no school buildings or sites in fee, or money. The sum of $28.5 was subsequently paid to settle the accounts of one of the old districts, and it is only a reasonable probability, from information obtained, that the board expended about $500 in settling the affairs of the old districts. The public schools as then existing, April 13, 1861, were one grammar school, or high school, as it was called, of which V. J. Walker was principal, and five primary schools scattered through the various wards of the city, occupying such buildings as could be the most cheaply rented for that purpose. The systematic grading of the schools was immediately undertaken by the board and the entire schoolwork of the city reorganized. The schools as thus established were one high school, ojie grammar school, three secondary and four primary schools. The estimate made for the ensuing three months' expenses, at the expiration of which the school year as equally established would close, was $1,000. This estimate was approved by the council and the schools opened as organized under the new arrange- ment. A report of the schoolwork for the fractional year ending August 31, 1861, gives the following figures : Number of children of school age in the district, 772 ; number of children enrolled in WINONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 413 the schools, 382 ; average attendance, 252. The total expenditures for the three school months were $932.68, itemized as follows : Teachers' salaries $703, repairs and furniture $151.64, rents $73,04, fuel $5. The estimated expenses of the schools from September, 1861, to close of the spring term of 1862 were $2,175, which added to the amount previously levied, $1,000, gives a total of $3,157, to carry on the nine schools of the city from April, 1861, to the close of the school year, August 31, 1862. The work of grading the schools undertaken and partially accomplished the previous year was now completed. The number of schools remained as previously estab- lished and the several rooms occupied by them prior to the fire of July 5, 1862, were: primary — (1) Kenosha Ale House; (2) Hancock's building, upstairs ; (3) Hubbard's Hall, second story ; (4) Mrs. J. S. Hamilton's building, in the third ward. Secondary — (1) South room Hancock's building ; (2) Cooper's, then Hancock building ; (3) Hubbard's Hall, first floor. Grammar school was held on the first floor of the Hancock building, north room until April, when it was removed to the brick schoolroom on Front street. The high school was first in the Hancock building, then in the "brick schoolroom," and from thence removed to the city building when the grammar school took possession of the brick room on Front street. The rentals for the year were $293, exclusive of the Hancock building, the use of which had been generously do- nated to the school board by the proprietors. The election for members of the school board in 1862 was under the act of legislature, approved March 8 of that year, re- quiring the return of two members from each ward. The members of the board as thus constituted were : first ward — Thomas Simp- son ; W. S. Drew, who did not quality, and the board filled the vacancy by electing E. Worthington ; second ward — T. B. Welch, R. D. Cone ; third ward — F. Kroeger, John Keyes. On the third Monday in April, as required by law, the board met and organized, with Thomas Simpson president and John Keyes clerk. The Rev. David Burt was elected superintendent of schools for the city, his compensation for services fixed at $100 per annum, and a like amount voted the clerk as salary. The estimated ex- penses for carrying on the schools for the year beginning Sep- tember 1, 1862, are not given in full, but the tax levy submitted to the council for approval was for $2,945. The whole amount ex- 24 414 illSTOHY OF WINONA COUNTY. pended certainiy doubled that sum. The public moneys of 1858 for districts numbers two and fourteen aggregated $1,130, and at this time, 1862, there was not only a marked increase in the number of school age within the district, but also in the ratio of appropriation to each individual. The wages paid teachers by the board at this time were as follows : principal of high school, per month, $55 ; teacher of grammar school, per month, $35 ; secondary school, per month, $22.50 ; primary school, per month, $20. The necessity of establishing the schools in permanent quarters had long been apparent to the friends of education in the city, and the question of building schoolhouses as the state of the treasury would permit from time to time was freely agitated. At some meeting of the board prior to July 5, 1862, a resolution to build a schoolhouse in ward No. 3 was adopted. Lots 5 and 6 in block 15, Hamilton's addition to the city of Winona, were purchased and the contract let for building a ward schoolhouse, at a cost, including lots, of $1,760. As we do not intend to follow the history of the several schools through their tem})orary quarters to their final es- tablishment in their present permanent homes, we state here that this first purchase of two lots in block 15 was subsequently followed by the purchase of the entire block, and upon it in 1876 the present Washington school building was erected, as will be more particu- larly noted hereafter. It was at this juncture, close of spring term of 1862, that the fire, before mentioned, swept away the brick schoolroom on Front street, and destroyed (among scores of others) the office of secretary John Keyes, obliterating every vestige of record concerning the schoolwork of the city, from the opening of Miss Angelia Gere's nursery school in 1852 to the latest minute of the board of education made in June, 1862. * * •* The first meeting after the fire was held June 9, 1862, in the office of the secretary, and vigorous efforts made to provide accom- modations for the schools to be opened the ensuing term. These efforts were eminently successful, and the work of the schools was systematically resumed at the opening of the school year. The school report for the year then ended, August 31, 1862, showed no change in the census returns of children of school age within the district from those presented for the previous year, but the enroll- ment had increased from 382 in 1861 to 419 in 1862. A reduction had in the meantime been made in the number of schools sus- tained by the board, one of the secondary grade having been discon- WINONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 415^ tinued. In October of this year the clerk of the board, as required by law, took the census of children of school age, upon which cen- sus returns the division of public moneys to the schools throughout the state was based, and reported an increase of 188 over the census of 1861-2. No special change is to be noted in the school work for the year ending August 31, 1863. The number of schools remained unchanged, and the old officers of the board were continued at the head of affairs, as was also the superintendent. Though no special changes occurred in the schoolwork the board itself was making progress. The school building in ward three was completed as per contract some time in December, 1862, and on January 1, 1863, this, the first school building erected for school purposes by the school authorities of Winona, was dedicated to the uses for which it was constructed. Thomas Simpson, as president of the board of educa- tion, presided at the opening exercises, and delivered an appropriate address, the manuscript of which lies before us as we write. Action was taken this year in the matter of purchasing school sites in wards numbers two and three; the salaries of clerk and superintendent were raised to $150 each per annum; the clerk was instructed to advertise for contracts for a school building in the first ward ; the Steam's schoolhouse, in the second ward, was purchased at a cost of $415, exclusive of ground rent, which was fixed at $10 per annum ; lots 1 and 2 in block 119, original plat of "Winona, were purchased, and contract closed with Mr. Conrad Bohn to erect a scliool build- ing upon them at a cost, including fencing, of $2,200. This contract was entered into August 22, 1863, and with this action of the board closed the transactions of that schoo] year. The building on block 15, Hamilton's addition (as also the one now under contract by Mr. Bohn), was a twostory frame, arranged for the accommodation of two schools, one on each floor. The building in the first ward, when completed, was occupied for school purposes by the board, and so continued until the erection of the Madison school building in 1875 ; since then the old house known as the Jefferson school building has been provisionally turned over to the city council for the use of the fire department. The census returns for the new school year 1863-4 showed a material increase in the number of children in the city, 1,221 being the number reported by the clerk. The increased number of children demanded increased accommodations, and the school of secondary grade, discontinued in 1862-3, was reopened, making the whole 41 G HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. number ot schools under the care of the board ten. January 15, 1864, Mr. Burt resigned his ottice as superintendent of Winona public schools, and Dr. F. II. Staples, a practicing physician of the city, was elected to till the vacancy. Dr. Staples discharged the duties of superintendent until September 4, 1865, when he resigned, and was succeeded by Prof. V. J. Walker, who taught the Union Grammar School of the city from the fall ot 1859 until the organization of tlie city school board, when he was elected principal of the high school, April, 1861. Mr. Walker continued to perform his double duties as high school principal and superintendent of city schools until the close of the school year in 1869, at which time he closed a very successful term of ten years as principal of public schools in Winona. By the charter election of 1864 a change was made in the mem- bership of the board of education, and upon the organization of the board L. B. Tefft was elected president; secretary Keyes still in office. The estimates for the year opening September 1, 1864, were for one high school, one grammar school, four secondary schools, six pri- mary schools, all of which were opened with the exception of one secondary, the total number being eleven schools. To provide for maintaining these during a school year of ten months the estimated tax required was $12,000, $5,000 of that amount to apply to a fund for the erection of a suitable central school building, which the necessities of the schools demanded and the wisdom of the board was forecasting. The salaries of teachers at this time had somewhat appreciated. Wages were per month, high school, $65 ; grammar school, $35 ; secondaries, $25 ; primaries, $22. The officers of the board were not changed in the spring of 1865, and the school registers bore the names of 806 pupils, the actual enrollment for that year. The estimated expenses for the year opening September 1, 1865, were $16,500. The actual tax levy was $9,632.78, with an item of $5,000 for central school fund. At the close of school year, August 31, 1865, the city owned three wooden buildings, the total valuation of which, including furniture, was $5,000, the buildings accommodating five of the eleven schools main- tained by the board. The school year 1865-66 was an eventful one. The board had previously selected block 37 of the original town plot, as the site of the proposed central building, and acquired title to several of the lots thereon. The work of receiving possession of the entire block was WINONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 417 pushed vigorously, and on May 15, J 866, title was perfected and the block secured. Bids for the erection of a suitable central school building had been advertised for in the meantime, and contracts awarded to Conrad Bohn, of this city, three days prior to perfecting title. The contract price of structure was $36,700, the whole costing with furances and furniture about $52,000. Ground was immediately broken, walls erected and roof put on that season, and the building was completed and accepted by the board September 7, 1867, named by them the High School, and the afternoon of Sep- tember 13th set apart for its formal dedication, which was accord- ingly done, Hon. Mark Dunnell, of this state, delivering the dedica- tory address. This building is decidedly an ornament to the city, a monument to the public spirit of the citizens, and a credit to the board of education under whose administration it was erected. The block on which it stands is in the very heart of the best residence portion of the city. The building faces north, the main entrance being on Broadway, with side entrances on Walnut and Market streets. It is a substantial, ornate structure, built of brick and stone, rising three full stories above the basement, in which are the fur- naces and fuel rooms. The extreme length from east to west is 96 feet ; from north to south, 82 feet ; height of main walls, 32 feet ; of gables, 48 feet ; of main ventilating shaft, 72 feet ; of minor venti- lating turrets, 66 feet; with a tower rising 94 feet from the water-table to the finial. The basement is nine feet between floors, the first and second stories each thirteen feet and the third story, in which is the assembly room, fifteen feet. A hall eight feet wide running the extreme length of the building, with double doors at each end, affords ample means for entrance and exit. The staircases are four and one-half feet each, and the rooms are fully provided with cloak closets. There are four recitation rooms, each 28 X 34 feet on the main floor, and also on the second. The north half of the third story is the high school room proper, the space on the south side being divided into recitation rooms for high school classes. The building is occupied by the following schools : one high school with three reci- tation rooms, two grammar schools, three secondary schools lettered A, B, C, four primary schools. The city superintendent's office is in the tower on the main floor, a comfortable room 12x12, supplied with a small reference library and connected witli the city telephone exchange. 418 HISTORY OF WIISrONA COUNTY. The school census, taken in tlie tall of 1S66, showed l,952cliilclren of school age within the city, an increase of 741 in three years. The census of 1867 showed a further increase 229, making a total of 2,181 for the latter year. Henry Stevens became president of the board at the annual meeting in A])ril, 1866, secretary Keyes still retaining office. At this meeting the salary of clerk was raised to $250 per annum, as was also that of the superintendent. No change was made in the officers of the board at their annual meeting in 1867. When the schools opened in September of that year the salary of high school principal was fixed at $1,300, and the wages of fenuile teachers $40 per month. At the annual sjn'ing election in 1868, secretary Keyes was not returned and the board organized with H. D. Huff, president, and John Ball, secretary. The following year, 1869, Mr. Ball gave place to J. M. Sheardown, who held tlie office of clerk to the " board " until his resignation in December, 1871. At the annual meeting in this year, 1869, the salaries of clerk and superintendent were raised to $300 each per annum. At the close of this school year a new departure was taken and the office of superintendent of schools separated from the principalship of the high school. This position was offered to Prof. Varney, at a salary of $1,500 per annum, but he declined the offer, and the office was not tilled until October 4, 1869, when the officers of the school board were authorized to em])loy Prof. W. P. Hood, which was done as ordered. The new superintendent entered immediately upon his work and continued in office until the close of the spring term in 1871. At the annual meeting in 1870 Gen. C. H. Berry, at present the senior member of the Winona county bar, was elected president of the city school board, and held that position by successive re- elections until he retired from the board in 1878. During these years the beautiful ward schoolhouses in the east and west ends of the city were constructed at an aggregate cost of $60,000, and the educational work of the city advanced at every point. June 20, 1871, Prof F. M. Dodge was elected city superintend- ent of schools, and his salary fixed at $1,500 per annum. December 15, 1871, Mr. M. Maverick was elected to the clerkship of the board of education, made vacant by the resignation of J. M. Sheardown, and held that office until the election of Dr. J. M. Cole, at the annual meeting in 1875. December 18, 1871, the board adopted WINONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 419 resolutions recommending the erection of a good three-story brick building in the first ward, and memorializing the city council to procure such legislation as would authorize the issue of $15,000 of school bonds. The report of the clerk, made October 1, 1872, showed an increase in the number of schools, census enumeration, enrollment in schools, expenditures, etc., the figures being as follows: One high school, four grammar schools, seven secondary schools, nine primary ; 2,427 children of school age, an actual enrollment of 1,414 on the school registers. The total receipts from all sources were shown by the financial statement in August to aggregate $25,336.68. The schools were maintained during a school year of ten months, and 22 teachers employed ; average wages of teachers, gentlemen, $100 per month ; ladies, $55 per month. The reports made in 1874 show receipts for the year ending August 31, $42,987; disbursements, $28,987; children of school age in the city, 3,098 ; children enrolled in the schools, 1,339. The annual election in 1875 placed Dr. Cole, as before said, at the clerk's desk, a position held by him for six years, during which he rendered valuable aid to the educational work of the city. During this school year the Madison school building was completed at a cost of about $32,000, and in the annual report of the clerk, made August, 1876, the following exhibit appears : Houses owned by the board, four (two brick and two frame); values of school sites, $25,000 ; values of buildings, $106,060 ; value of buildings erected during the year, $31,306 ; seating capacity of buildings, 1,478; receipts for the year, $60,891.28 ; disbursements for the year, $44,926.40; teachers' wages, $15,420; average wages, gentlemen, $120 per month ; average wages, ladies, $50 per month. The Washington school building a facsimile of the Madison building, was accepted at the hands of the contractor November 17, 1876, and the schools in the eastern part of the city transferred to their new quarters January 1, 1877. The purchase of block 15, Hamilton's addition, upon which the Washington building was erected, has already been noted. This block on which the Madison scliool building stands is the one adjoining that on which the old Jefferson schoolhouse was built in 1863. This new block, No. 118, was purchased by the board December 21, 1869, as the site of the prospective school building for the first ward. A description of the Madison building will answer for both, as one is almost the perfect 420 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. facsimile of the other. The building is a line three-story brick, stone basement and trimmings, with mansard roof. The extreme length from east to west is SO feet ; from north to south, 77 feet. The main walls rise 30 feet above the water-table, and the gables 45 feet. The tower is 80 feet high, and height of the several stories as follows : Basement, containing furnaces, fuel and storage room, 8^ feet to joists overhead ; first and second stories, each 13 feet; third story, 12 feet. Each floor is divided into four recitation rooms, each 25X30 feet, provided with cloakrooms, all the modern ajipli- ances for comfort and convenience, and each room seated to accom- modate from 40 to 56 pupils, according to grade. The several floors have each a main hall running the extreme length of the building from east to west, with a cross hall. The main halls are 8 feet wide, and the cross halls 6 feet 8 inches in the clear. The building fronts north on "Wabasha street, upon which is the main entrance, with side entrances on Dakota and Olmsted streets. Free exit is afforded from the halls on the main floor, in three directions, by spacious doors and stairways, and there are two staircases, each four feet in the clear, leading from the upper stories. The Madison school building is provided with four wood-furnaces, and the Wash- ington school with Ave. These buildings, with their twelve school- rooms each, and the high-school building with its nine school (and three recitation) rooms, make comfortable provision for thirty-three schools, thirty-two of them now running and, under the able man- agement of superintendent McNaughton, doing efficient woi'k. These three school buildings, each occupying a full block in well- chosen locations, with their ample walks, growing shade-trees, taste- ful architectural appearance, and thoroughly furnished rooms, are a just occasion of city pride, the value of sites, buildings and improvements falling little short of $175,000. Early in 1877 the board of education recorded its emphatic dis- approval of the attempt made in the state legislature to create a "state text-book committee," and dispatched one of their members, Dr. J. B. McGaughey, to St. Paul to express to the legislature the sentiments of the Winona board of education. The obnoxious measure became a law, but Winona schools were exempted from its provisions. The annual meeting in 1877 made no changes in the officers of the board. The reports of the clerk not only showed encouraging progress in school matters, but also a growing liberality on the part of the board in fixing teachers' wages, which were estab- WINONA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 421 lished as follows : Principal of high school per month, $130 ; assistant, $60 ; grammar school teachers, $60 ; secondary school teachers, $55 ; primary school teachers, $50. The enrollment for the year was 1,820, and the average attendance 1,260. The total receipts of the board for the year were $60,243.69, and the year closed with $15,968 in the treasury. In the spring of 1878 Dr. J. B. McGaugliey became president of the board ; Prof Dodge was followed by Prof. Irwin Shepard as city superintendent of schools ; the financial exhibit showed receipts in excess of $60,000, expenditures a little over $45,000. There was a hitch in the city council over the authorization of the tax levy required by law, and clerk Cole reported his ability to carry the schools through the school year with the aid of a temporary loan, which was accordingly done, no school tax being levied for that year. In 1879 Dr. T. A. Pierce was elected president of the board. Prof. Shepard was followed by Prof W. F. Phelps as city superintendent of schools, and the enrollment for the year showed a decrease of about 150 over the enrollment of 1877. This fact was due to the opening of several parochial schools in the city. Matters were in statu quo during 1880, but in 1881 Dr. Cole retired from the clerkship of the board, after six years' consecutive service, and was followed by W. J. Whipple, who held that office two years. Dr. Pierce continued at the head of the board, and in the fall Prof J. W. McNaughton, the present superintendent of schools, assumed educational control. The annual meeting in 1882 was principally noted for the pro- tracted contest for president, in which an adjournment was had to the following evening, after 130 ballots were cast. At the adjourned meeting Dr. J. B. McGaughey was elected president of the board upon the 187th ballot. The election held the evening of April 20, 1883, continued Dr. McGaughey in the chair, and elected Arthur Beyerstedt clerk of the board. A summary of the schools as now existing and controlled by city superintendent McNaughton is in brief as follows : High School Building. — One high school, of which Thomas L. Heaton, graduate of Michigan State University, class of 1880, is principal. His assistants are Mr. J. J. Helmer, Misses J. Mitchell and Frances Elmer. One grammar school ; three secondary schools, A, B, C ; four primary schools. Total schools in high school build- 422 HISTORY OF WINoVa COUNTY. ing, 9 : total enrollment, 564 ; number of regular teachers, 12. curriculum of the high school is appended : The 1 1 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 3 2 3 Required for all Courses. Required for all Courses. M Third Study for Business Course. D 4 mo. 3 mo. 3 mo. Algebra Com. (ieometry Geomctry En-ilish Composition Zdohigy Hctany Latin Latin Latin (ierman German German Com. Arithmetic Essentials of Eng.Gram. Civil Government C 4 mo. 3 mo. 3 mo. Geometry j Physiology Physical Geography! Pliysics Physical Geography ' Physics Csesar Cresar Cii'sar Lessing Lessing Lessing Bookkeeping Industrial Drawing B 4 mo. 3 mo. mo. Chemistry Chemistry General History Gi'neral History Geology Viriiil I.Schillur Virgil iSchilkT Virgil [Schiller A 4 mo. 3 mo. 3 mo. Rhetoric English Literature English Literature Geology Mental Science Political Economy Cicero Gicthe Cicero Giethe Cicero Goethe Madison School. — One grammar department, in charge of Miss Mary Youmans ; three secondary schools ; eight primary schools. Total enrollment, 623 ; total schools, 12. Washington School. — One grammar department, under care of Alvin Braley ; three secondary schools ; seven primary schools. Total schools, 11 ; total enrollment, 636. The entire educational force of the city comprises, for its public schools, 1 superintendent, 35 regular and 2 special teachers, the schools under their charge having a total enrollment of 1,823 scholars. This enrollment is about the same as that of 1877, to which is to be added the 700 pupils enrolled in the parochial schools. There has, however, been a most gratifyhig improvement in the average daily attendance, the reports showing an increase of 300 in the average attendance of to-day over that of 1877, under the same nominal enrollment. There is no longer a school census taken, and the number of children between the ages ot 5 and 21 in the city cannot be given. The estimate is nuide of about 4,000 ; but if the proportion of enrollment to total number of school age was main- tained now as in years past, the number would be considerably in excess of 5,000. The work of the parochial school appears in connection with the history of the various parishes by which they are maintained. CHAPTER XLI. HISTORY OF WINONA CITY, When the county of Fillmore was created out of Wabasha county by special act of territorial legislature, approved March 5, 1853, the new county thus created was organized for judicial purposes and divided into electoral precincts. One of these precincts was called the Winona precinct, and included within its limits the territory embraced in the level bottom lands on the west side of the Missis- sippi river in .latitude 4:4 degrees north, longitude 14 degrees and 30 minutes west from Wasliington, and known as Wabasha prairie. Tlie life of Winona precinct as thus constituted was of short dura- tion. By special act of territorial legislature, approved February 23, 1854, Fillmore county was in turn divided and the present county of Winona formed, its boundaries fixed as now existing, and Winona designated as the county seat. Under the provisions ot this act, a special election was held April 4, 1854, within the several precincts as then designated by the county commissioners of Fill- more county, for the purpose of choosing county and precinct officers. These commissioners were Henry C. Gere, Myron Toms and Wm. T. Luark. The precinct officers to be elected were, two justices ot the peace, two constables and one road supervisor. Under the Fillmore county administration the precinct officers were appointed by the governor of the territory, and for Winona precinct were, John Burns and John M. Gere, justices of the peace ; Frank W. Curtis, constable ; and Geo. W. Clark, road supervisor. These ofiicers held their seats until the regular territorial election, on the second Tuesday in October, when Geo. W. Gere and Wm. H. Stevens were elected justices of the peace and F. W. Curtis, con- stable. The terms of office for which these gentlemen were elected expired by operation of the special act of February 23, 1854, order- ing a special election to be held April 4 ensuing. The judges of election were appointed by the Fillmore county commissioners, the election held as ordered, and Winona precinct, besides casting her vote for the regular county officers, elected for herself as justices of the peace Wm. II. Stevens and Geo. H. Sanborn, and for constable, 424 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. Frank W. Curtis. No official record of this election is on tile in the office in this county, as the returns were made to Fillmore county. The Winona county commissioners, elected /\.pril 4, 1854, met at Winona, the seat of government for the new county, April 28, of that same year, and the following day, April 29, 1854, redistricted the county. By this partition Winona county was divided into six electoral precincts ; one of these was named Winona and described as township No. 107 north, range 7, west of the tifth princij)al meridian. As will be noted by the description, the precinct of Winona, as then formed, was identical in its boundaries with the present township of Winona, including the corporate limits of the city of Winona. The offisiial term for which these offices were filled in April expired when the regular election for the territory was held the ensuing October. The official returns of this election — the very existence of which seemed unknown until they were unearthed for us by ex-county auditor Basford from among the musty archives of the county records — give the following as the result : justices of the peace, S. K. Thompson, A. C. Jones ; constables, F. W. Curtis, A. C. Smith ; road supervisor, Enoch Hamilton. It does not appear from any records in the office of register of deeds, or from any acknowledgment upon any instrument extant, or from the memory of any one familiar with those times, that A. C. Jones ever qualified as justice of the peace or exercised the functions of that office. There is abundance of parole evidence to show that G. H. Sanborn continued to exercise the authority of justice for months after the October election, and in connection with S. K. Thompson "preserved the peace" in Winona precinct. The election of 1855 returned Henry Da}^ and John Keyes, justices ; Harvey S. Terry and W. H. Peck, constables ; and Wm. Doolittle, road supervisor. The officers elected in 1856 were: justices of the peace, G. E. Tucker, I. B. Andrews ; constables, Harvey S. Terry, C. C. Bart- lett ; road supervisor, Asa Hedge. This was the last precinct election in which the residents within the city limits took part. The term of office for which the above election was held ex])ired with the charter election held Monday, April 6, 1857. From the formation of Fillmore county, March 5, 1853, until the charter election for the newly incorporated city was held, four years and one month later, the settlers on Wabasha ])rairie were subject only to such general laws and regulations as had been enacted WINONA CITY. 425 by territorial authority for the government of such communities as were uninvested with corporate rights and privileges. This day had passed by for Winona and she was now to enter upon the larger and more responsible work of creating a city government, and adminis- tering its affairs, answerable only to herself within the limits of her corporate franchises. Before entering upon this phase of the history of Winona, it is necessary that some idea should be given of the growth in population and the material progress made by the little community from the date of its planting to the eve of its incorpo- ration, and for this purpose a brief reference to these matters will be all that is necessary. The population of Winona county at the date of its organization is generally placed a little below 800 — a slow growth, and one not destined to be much accelerated during the year and a half that fol- lowed. The attractions of southern Minnesota, to which Winona has ever been the chief gateway, seemed generally disregarded, and the rush of settlement was farther north along the Minnesota river ; the St. Paul press growing so eloquent in its descriptions of the beauty and fertility of that valley as to attract the attention of pro- spective settlers to that region. The protracted occupation of this section of Minnesota by the Indians, their final removal not having been effected until the autumn of 1853, had much to do in prevent- ing the early settlement of southeastern Minnesota. But when the vast territory lying west of Winona was opened to settlement in the summer of 1855, and the government land ofl&ce established here in November of that year, the change from the dull inactivity of the previous year was almost marvelous. The influx of population, the rapid increase in the number of business houses of all kinds, the activity manifest in every department of trade, the impetus given to all speculative movements, the number of buildings in course of erection, all testified to the fact that a new day and a better one had dawned upon the prospective metropolis of southern Minnesota. The condition of affairs at the close of the year 1856 may be summed up as follows : The population had increased from about 800 in Decem- ber, 1855, to 3,000 in December, 1856. There had been erected during the year 290 buildings of all kinds, among them three good churches, a large four-story warehouse, a commodious hotel (the Huff House, now standing), a steam flouring-mill with Ave run of stones, a large three-story banking building, besides scores of others of less note, yet decidedly creditable to the young city. An idea of 426 JIISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. the value of real property may be had from these specimen quota- tions of sales of real estate, taken from the columns of the "Winona Republican " of that date : "A lot on Second street, between Center and Lafayette, 40x100 feet, $1,600 cash; two corner lots on Walnut street, $1,800; a lot, 80 X 140 feet, corner of Second and Center streets, $6,000." The manufacturing establisliments were two steam saw-mills, one steam planing-mill, one steam flouring-mill, one cabinet manufactory with steam power. The river was open to navigation from April 8 to November 17, and during that time there were 1,300 arrivals and departures of boats. A tri-weekly line of steamers was maintained for greater part of the season between Winona and Du- buque, and the forwarding and commission business for that season aggregated $182,731.96. There were fourteen attorneys-at-law and nine physicians waging war against crime and death, and about 150 business houses, stores, shops, etc., distributed as follows: Dry goods, 14 ; groceries and provisions, 16 ; clothing. 7 ; hardware and tin, 6 ; drugs, 5 ; boots and shoes, 4 ; furniture, 4 ; books, 2 ; hat and fur store, 2 ; wholesale liquors, 2 ; hotels and taverns, 13 ; eating-houses and saloons, 10 ; lumber yards, 5 ; blacksmith shops, 3 ; warehouses, 4 ; brickyards, 2 ; livery stables, 2 ; sign painters, 3 ; watchmakers, 3 ; butchers, 2 ; wagon and carriage shop, 2 ; fanning-mill maker, 1 ; gunsmith shop, 2 ; bakeries, 2 ; dentists, 3 ; gaugenean artist, 1 ; banking-offices, 6 ; real estate and insurance, 10 ; printing-offices, 2 ; harness shop, 2 ; barber shop, 3. To these may be added five churches and two schools, and you have a fair summary of Winona business at the close of the year 1856. The original plat of Winona, surveyed June 19, 1852, by John Ball, for Erwin H. Johnson and Orrin Smith, was so set apart and recorded under the revised terri- torial statutes of 1851, in accordance with the town site act passed by congress May 23, 1844. This original plat was bounded on the north by the Mississippi river, on the east by Market street, on the south by Wabasha street, and on the west by Washington street. It comprised a square, each side of which was six full blocks. This plat was enlarged from time to time by " additions," until at the close of 1856 the platted area on Wabasha prairie covered a tract of ground fully two miles in extent from east to west and nearly half that distance from north to south. The principal of these additions was never recorded as such, and is generally known as Huff's survey of the city of Winona. This survey and dedication was made in 1854, and extended from the oi-iginal town plat on the east to Chute's WEsroNA CITY. 427 addition on the west, a total length of seven blocks and a fraction, and covering an area considerably larger than the original plat itself. This addition does not now appear on the maps as such, and for years has been included and its blocks numbered as a part of the original town plat. The more important of the subsequent additions were Laird's addition and subdivision, immediately east ol the original plat. These covered an area of about 80 acres in extent, fronting north on the river and extending some half-dozen blocks to the south. Hamilton's addition, lying east of Laird's, was the largest of any of the plats, original or additional. It comprised an area of 160 acres, extending westward beyond the macadamized road leading to Sugar-loaf Bluff, and running backward eight or ten blocks from the river. Within its limits are some of the most populous sections of the city. These, with Taylor & Go's addition, and Sanborn's and Hubbard's, all on the south, and Chute's addition on the west, were platted and dedicated before the close of the year 1856. Beyond the limits of these additions but little building has been done, save in the Polish quarter just east of Hamilton's addition, and in the vicinity of the wagon-works just west of Chute's addition. The latter of these settlements, in what is known as Evans' addition, is rapidly building up, and will some day be a populous portion of the city, lying, as it does, in the immediate vicinity of the manufactur- ing establishments recently located in west ^Vinona. That the county seat of Winona county was destined at no distant day to become a city of no mean proportions was very early accepted as a fact by her citizens, and preparations for investing her with corporate rights and privileges were not long delayed. As early as JSTovember 11, 1856, the "Winona Kepublican," in a brief editorial, called attention to the matter of securing a city charter, and suggested the necessity of taking definite action, alleging that the movement would be heartily supported by all the members of the territorial legislature from the southern Minnesota districts. A meeting of the citizens was accordingly called for Saturday evening, January 3, 1857. The response to the call was quite general. The meeting was held in Central Hall, and organized with Edward Ely, better known as Elder Ely, in the chair. W. "0. Dodge was elected secretary, the business of the hour stated, the measure of incorpora- tion approved, and after considerable discussion as to corporate boundaries, etc., a committee was appointed to draft a charter, and report the same at an adjourned meeting to be held on the following 428 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. Saturday oveniiii^. The members of that committee, three only of whom are now residents of Winona, were : G. W. Curtis, W, Newman, C. IJ. Berry, William Windom, M. Wheeler Sargent, John Keyes and Edward Ely. On Saturday evening, the 10th inst., the citizens met, pursuant to adjournment of previous week, to hear the report of their committee. Hon. C. H. Berry, on behalf of the committee, presented the report, which at their instance he had drafted, together with an abstract of charter. The only question upon which differences of opinion arose was as to the proper limits for the proposed incorporation. Some were in favor of quite extended corporation boundaries, others advocated a comparatively limited boundary. The report favored extending the boundaries of the city to include the causeways over the slough at the east and west ends of town, the following reasons being adduced : That, as the maintenance of good approaches to the city more nearly con- cerned the citizens of the corporation than those outside its limits, the control and repair of the roads over the sloughs, by which access to town was only possible, should be under the care of the city ; that the vote of the county outside the city limits being in excess of that polled within the city, it would not be wise to allow the county vote, which might or might not approve the expenditures for main- taining these causeways in good repair, to control a matter so essential to the interests , of the city; that as the city would certainly reap the most benefit, it was only just that she should incur the responsibility of the increased outlay ; that it was a question whether the county had any right to appropriate moneys for a work so nearly sectional in its character ; and that in any event the more liberal policy would be for the city to assume the burden, leaving the county authorities free to assist in bearing it if at any time they saw fit. It was also represented that by extending the corporate limits a larger proportion of property-holders whose lands would be increased in value by their nearness to a large city would be taxed to defray the city expenses. The reasons of which the above is a brief summary were approved, the report adopted, the abstract of charter commended and returned to the committee with instructions to complete the draft and submit it as a completed charter for the adoption of the citizens at a meeting to be held the following Saturday evening, January 17, 1857. This was accordingly done, and the accepted charter was forwarded to St. Paul, where it came before the WINONA CITY. 431 territorial legislature, passed, and the act formally incorporating the city of Winona was approved March 6 of that same year 1857, and became law immediately after its adoption. ACT OF INCORPORATION. By the provisions of this act the extreme southeastern limit of the city was established just where the western boundary of Winona township touches the south shore of the Misissippi river. From this point the boundaiy line of the corporation was run due west four miles, thence north two miles, thence east to the middle of the Mississippi river, thence in a southeasterly direction down the middle of the stream to a point due north of the place of beginning. The ground thus inclosed within the corporate limits of the city formed an irregular four-sided figure ; its south boundary a right line four miles long, its west boundary a right line two miles long, its north boundary a right line running east about one and a-half miles to the shore of the river, from which point it followed the irregular shore line southeasterly to the west line of Winona township. The city was divided into three wards. The first ward embracing all that portion of the city lying west of Washington street. The second ward extending eastward from Washington to Lafayette streets, and the third ward including all between Lafayette street and the city limits on the east. The wards thus established were each to constitute an electoral precinct, the judges of election for which (at the ensuing charter election) were to be appointed by the county commissioners, as was the case in all precinct elections. The charter election was ordered to be held on the first Monday in April, polls to open at twelve o'clock and close at four o'clock, and the officers to be chosen were, one mayor, one recorder, one justice of the peace, one marshal, one assessor, one attorney, one surveyor and two aldermen for each ward. The mayor, aldermen and recorder to form the city council. Tuesday, April 7, 1857, the first charter election for the city of Winona was held, when the following vote was cast. OFFICE. CANDIDATE. VOTES POLLED. Mayor R. D. Cone 291 M. Wheeler Sargent 405 Recorder E. A. Gerdtzen . ". 331 James White 323 Treasurer J. V. Smith 401 H. B. Upman 291 25 432 HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY. OFFICE. ('ANDII)ATKS. VOTES POLLED. Marshal E. A. Batclielder 293 G. W. Horton 213 N. n udson 106 P. B. Palmor 142 Attorney H. W. Lainberton 439 •. D. S. Norton 246 Surveyor L. Pettibone 274 H. B. Cozzens 417 Justice Thomas Simpson 414 H.Day 276 Assessor First Ward, 0. M. Lord 97 " " (I H. Blanchard 41 Second Ward, A. P. Foster 107 " '• V. Simpson 94 Third Ward, I. Hubbard 109 " " P. P. Hubbell 291 Aldermen First Ward, W. H. Dill 94 " " I. B. Andrus 81 " " I. D.Ford, M.D 58 " " P. V. Bell 43 Second Ward, Tim Kerk 124 " " G.W.Payne 113 " " Sam Cole 88 " " Geo. H. Sanborn 80 Third Ward, J. Bolcom 217 " " Jacob Mowery 205 " " E. H. Murray 127 " '' G. Lautenslager 1 27 From these returns it appears that the maximum vote cast was for marshal, for which office 754 votes were polled ; the vote for recorder being the minimum, 654. The average vote was about 685 to 690. The third wai*d vote was equal to the votes of the first and second ward in the ballot for aldermen, and led those wards in the vote for assessor, 400 votes being cast in the third ward for that office and only 339 in both the others. The usual proportion of population to voters would have given Winona at this time a census of 3,770 souls, so that the estimate of 3,000 population for the city was probably not much out of the way. The city limits were not long unchanged. The following year, 1858, the act of incorporation was so amended as to change the city boundaries on the south and east. By this change, and an imma- terial one made nine years later, the southern boundary was fixed to conform in some degree to the south shore of lake Winona, and some quarter-sections were taken off the western end of the corpo- ration as originally bounded. By these acts about one and one-half square miles were taken from the area of the city as established by act of March, 1857. By act of Februai-y 10, 1870, a fui-ther curtail- ment of a quarter of a section was made, at which time the tract in WINONA CITY. 433 tlie extreme west end of the city, known as the fair-ground, was set outside the city limits, and these are the only changes made in the boundaries of the city since its incorporation. The ward changes have not been numerous. February 15, 1865, the boundary line between the second and third wards was removed two streets east of that upon which it was originally established and Market street made the division line. When the whole act of incorporation was amended, Marcli 1, 1867, the boundary between the first and second wards was moved one street east and Johnson street became the separatmg line. February 28, 1876, a radical change was made The city was divided into four wards, and their boundaries respect- ively were, for the tirst ward, that portion of the city lying west- ward between the center of Washington street and the city limits ; second ward, that portion lying between Washington street on the west and Walnut street on the east ; third ward, that portion extend, mg from Walnut street on the west to Yine street on the east, and the fourth ward, that portion lying within the city limits eastward from the center of Vine street. These changes were aU made by special act of Minnesota legislature and are the only ones made in the several ward boundaries to date. Several changes, some of them quite important, have been made from time to time in the list of city officers, both as regards the nature of the office and the status of the officer. Under the original act of incorporation the elective officers of the city were : one mayor, one recorder, one treasurer, one marshal, one attorney, one surveyor, one justice of the peace, one assessor and six aldermen Some misapprehension concerning the election of assessors must have occurred at the first charter election, as three assessors were returned, one for each ward, a thing not contemplated by the act. The term of office for aldermen and justice was fixed at two years, all otlier official terms one year. By the act of March 8, 1862, the number of justices was increased to two, and the recorder, though still an elective officer, was denied any vote or voice in the proceed- mgs of the council, his duties being to keep a report of the council proceedings, to make an annual estimate in August of the current expenses for the year and of the revenue necessary to be raised therefor. A radical change in the list of elective officers was made by the act of March, 1865, which defined said officers to be a mayor two aldermen from each ward, two justices of the peace and city treasurer. The offices to be filled by appointment of the council 434 lUSTOKV OF WINONA COUNTY. were • recorder, marshal, assessor, attorney and surveyor, and the first regular meeting after tlie charter election was designated as tlie time and place of appointment. All terms of othce, except those of aldermen, which remained unchanged, were fixed at one year, the rule to apply to ottices filled either by election or appomtment. -By act of 1867 the original act was so amended as to virtually consti- tute a new one. By the later act the ofiicers to be chosen by the people were: mayo^, two aldermen for each ward, two justices of the peace, a treasurer and an assessor. The terms of office were as before established by act of March, 1865, with the exception of lus- tices of the peace, whose term was fixed at two years. The officers to be appointed by the council were : recorder, marshal, surveyor attorney and street' commissioner. All ]>ersons otherwise quahfied to vote for county and state officers were made eligible to vote at any city election ^in the election district, of which at time of votog they had been for. ten days resident, and were also qualified thereby to hold any city office to which they might be elected. All officers, elected and appointed, were required to take an oath of olhce, and- bonds were to be given by the marshal and treasurer. The city justices were given exclusive jurisdiction over all cases and complaints arising under the ordinances, police regulations, laws and by-laws of the city; the powers of the council were fully set forth in externa, and they were duly empowered to act in all matters per- taining to the peace, cleanliness and safety of the city, as also to the security and public conduct of the citizens. This " act ' vir- tually the one under which the city authorities now act, was dec ared to be of a public character and not contravened by any general law of the state confficting with its provisions, unless so expressly stated WINONA. CITY. 435 in the enactment of such general law. By act of February, 1870, council was restrained from incurring an indebtedness in excess of $10,000 for any specific purpose without first submitting the same to the voters of the city and receiving the sanction of two-thirds of the votes cast, for and against the measure. By special act of April, 1876, aldermen were prohibited from receiving any compensation for their services, either directly or indirectly. A new departure in making up the ofiicial list of the. city was taken in 1877, by authority of an act passed that spring. Under this amendment the officers to be elected were : a mayor, treasurer, recorder, assessor, attorney, marshal, street commissioner, surveyor, physician, two aldermen for each ward and two justices of the peace ; the council, as heretofore, having authority to appoint such additional officers as in their judgment the interests of the city required. The term of all officers elected by the people was fixed at two years, and of those ajjpointed by the council one year. The experiment did not prove satisfactory, and in 1879 this act was repealed by an amendment, making the officers chosen by the people to consist of mayo*r, treas- urer, assessor, whose terms of office were for one year ; and two aldermen for each ward, and two justices, whose terms, as before, remained fixed at two years. By this amendment city justices were clothed with all the rights pertaining to justices elected under the general laws of the state, as well as the exclusive jurisdiction before given them, over all actions and complaints arising under the laws, ordinances, by-laws and police regulations of the city. ■

m ui spjBAV 33JHI Xiuo aasM ajaijx 111° 2-" s^- ocSot-t^oooc2o?oM?2o iis§|'s^ll^rs||§||| i-3ooaa-g-§Ea>>^^^55^ri ^^^^.~ - " - - . .-• -g O c3 o)^^ w c3 o o c; :S - rt "w—- ■■ •- ■ -laa-a««KssH|Sag^a^5 H OS 3c WW t-EI'^^ E?E?^^ SCO S^^ -s ^^^ =S a^ oJ S S IJ aJ^.^'g^ o o »c _ r- r- ^ t-^ g >J Pi ^ .- K- -^ -CCI § S a a S S a a^^-^ a a^-.^. a a-;^ .s-£^ c o e s 3 5 = c.-.~ ' f^ g :^s2cc2caal|aa|aJJil.' JcS H^ HtfT, n^n-nTtfr^.— ti-^CCr/.,— ir--i i-s' -^' < ^' < -^' < ► ^OOi "^"=11^'^' a a^^ a aws^S^^ I i i ? CO cc s g s ^ z ^. ^. ^. d d W W" B O O O Q P Q -< a o ^ 3 13 PS o c, c :^ ^ g ;s t IS cs g; g g 1-3 -cod ^ ^ ^ .§ > > > o w w w S « Q O « O ^ s5 ^ 2 2 2 I a w 5 I > K -< W ,^ it; si tf" si t-a" d £ I "^ a > ■o -c a ^ S^ 3 ^ is ^ fc "S • "S 5 5 5 000 2 S :S C 3 a> o o p 42 P^ Pk P>^ odd o o w CU Pm >-; c > > •^ 2 2 w ^ 'to W) 'bo "tie d '§'§'§'§§ in K w a 5 fe fe &; fe fi «!-<-< «i as a a "S) o S 1 a g g u a s. a I a a a ^ W ffi IB P^ > > > ^ op <-* So 4 I the existence of man before the Di-ift, or whether pi-eglacial man was civiHzed or not. It will be seen at once that, without doubt, these earthworks were thrown up and entrenched even centuries before Fort Perrot was erected a few miles farther up the river, and it is still a mooted question whether they are the production of nature or art. It seems a great pity, too, that scientists have not pushed these investigations before all traces of the works should be effaced. Many of these mounds are still traceable and easily seen, and if thej are the pro- duction of art, they but correspond to accounts we have of mounds and mound builders in other states, especially in Florida ; and these remains, in connection with a general estimate of aboriginal civiliza- tion, are to be found in each division of the western continent. That portion of the United States which lies between the Appalachian and the Rock}'' mountains presents three groups, at once the oldest and rudest monuments of bygone times. In Florida the natives always endeavored to build on high ground, or at least to erect the houses of the cacique or chief upon an eminence. As the country was very level and high places seldom found, they con- structed artificial mounds of earth, the top of each being capable of containing from ten to twenty houses. Here resided the cacique, his family and attendants. At the foot of this mound was a square according to the size of the village, around which were the houses of the leaders and most distinguished inhabitants. The rest of the people erected their wigwams as near to the dwelling of their chief as possible. An ascent in a straight line, from fifteen to twenty feet wide, led to the top of the hillock and was flanked on each side by trunks of trees, joined one to another and thrust deep into the earth, other trunks of trees forming a kind of stairway ; the other ^ sides of the mounds were steep and inaccessible. Many of the artificial mounds noticed by travelers of the present day, and about which there has been so much learned speculation, were doubtless artificial structures thrown up by the natives for the purposes here given. Tliese mounds of earth seem to be for similar purposes with those of stone on which are erected the ancient edifices found in Central America. The first group of the United States extends from the sources of the Allegheny to the waters of the Mississippi ; the second group occupying the Mississippi valley, and the third stretches from South Carolina to Texas. These groups consist wholly of mounds and 584 HISTORY OF wabasiia county. circumlocutions of earth and stone varying from each other very little. Whether these structures were intended for worship or defense, it is impossible to decide ; more probably, however, they were of a military character. But, whatever their origin, they derive great interest from the analogous fact that within the same limits vases of earthenware and copper have been dug up, and pipe-bowls decorated with human heads of the type of existing aborigines, together with domestic utensils, personal ornaments, hatchets of stone, and weapons of copper, mica and shell. While attempting to appreciate aboriginal civilization, we cannot fail, in the light of these remains, to be struck with their magnitude rather than with their beauty, and the only safe conclusion is that in the new world, as in the old, there were different degrees of civiliza- tion, — some of them much higher than we could have expected in the utter absence of useful metals, and also beasts of burden. And again, stray visitors of a higher type might have produced all the phenomena — visitors such as appear to have figured in the traditions of Mexico and Peru ; or again, as Mr. Donnelly in his "Atlantis" would have, visitors from the submerged continent from whom both Europe and America derive their similarity of archi- tecture, manners, traditions, religion and customs. From facts and circumstances equally conclusive we surely may deduce an age for most of tlie mounds of the Mississippi valley of not less than two thousand years, but by whom built, or whether their authors migrated to remote lands, under the attraction of more fertile soil or genial climate, or whether they disappeared beneath the victorious arms of an alien race, or were swept out of existence by some climatic change or terrible epidemic, are questions probably bej'ond the power of human investigation. History is silent con- cerning them, and their very name is lost to tradition itself. The tenacity witli which the minds of the credulous cling to the mar- velous is wonderful ; yet the facts connected with the Mississippi valley indicate that the ancient population was numerous and widely spread, as the features common to all identify. Cartier in Canada, Smith in Virginia, as well as the Pilgrims, and the French in New York, all found the Indians con- structing defenses, consisting of palisades, ditches, embank- ments and other works, the remains of which are still numerous. Again, it is noteworthy that while the existence of minerals was known to the savages who lived near Lake Superior, VERY EARLY TIMES. 585 and it was made known to the first explorers of that lake and its vicinity, the working of the deposit was not commenced till nearly two centuries later. Stranger still, that a race far older than the savages with whom the Jesuit fathers conversed, a race of which but little more is known than that it existed, must have been extracting copper from the mines of Lake Superior long before Co- lumbus set forth to discover the new world. These people are sup- posed to be mound-builders ; and in the mounds, which are their only memorials, copper utensils A,nd ornaments have been found. The Indians inhabiting the country had no knowledge of mining nor skill in working metals. In the winter of 1847-8 a most curious discovery was made on the south shore of Lake Superior, near the Ontonagon river, where the Minnesota Coppermine is situated.* Mr. Knap discovered the remains of an old working, and found a mass of native copper ten feet long, three feet wide and nearly three feet thick, and weighing six tons. In the vicinity of the same were found stone hammers, copper knives and chisels, and wooden bowls for bailing out water. Though very rude, yet they were most ingenious, and must have been made by a people which had made greater progress in civiliza- tion than the Indians who succeeded and supplanted them. As Minnesota, and this part of it so near our city, was the first place in the new world where the attention was called to the exist- ence of earthworks, I have given some space to the consideration of the same and the opinion of others. Lake Pepin excited Carver's admiration greatly, as it has that of every traveler since his time, and he says of it, "I observed the ruins of a French factory, where it is said Capt. St. Pierre resided and carried on a great trade with the Nadoussioux before the reduction of Canada." Undoubtedly this "factory," as he calls it, was old Fort Beauharnais. Carver was the first English traveler who visited the Falls of St. Anthony, and this Capt. St. Pierre is supposed to be the same to whom "Washington bore despatches from Gov. Dinwiddle in 1753. At that time the aged St. Pierre was in command of a rude post in Erie county, Pennsylvania. During the war existing between France and England in America, the ofiicers of the northwestern posts were called into action and stationed near the enemy, so that several posts were left unprotected. * Ray's " From New Foundland to Manitoba." 586 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. It appears that the erection of trading-posts on the Mississippi had enticed the Dakotalis from their old residence on the Rum river to come to these posts, whieli gave them the name of River Bands. Carver, in speaking of the Nadoussioux, says there were originally twelve bands, but one band revolted and left, which, at the tim.e he made their acquaintance, left eleven ; and they were called "River Bands, because they chiefly dwell near the banks of this river," meaning the Mississippi. Carver's theory in regard to the Indians is not unlike that of many others who have given much time to research and the study of mounds and their builders. He supposed the Dahkotahs came from Asia, but says "this might have been at different times, and from various parts, as Tartary, China, Japan, for the inhabitants of those countries greatly resemble each other." Others have observed the resemblance between the American Indian and those of Tartary, and theologians have generally believed that they could trace an affinity with the Hebrew, others again, with the Gaelic or Erse, particularly at the Sandwich islands. In his book of travels Carver says nothing in relation to a grant made to him from the Dahkotahs, but after his death it was asserted that there was a deed in existence belonging to him of valuable lands, and that it was executed at the cave in the eastern suburbs of St. Paul. In this deed is the first known mention of "brother Jonathan," and it is presumed the term arose from this transaction. The deed claims to have been executed "at the Great Cave, May 1, 1767," and signed by Hawnopawjatin and Olohtongoomlisheau. After Jonathan Carver's death a claim was urged for the land upon which St. Paul now stands, and many miles adjacent ; and in 1840 a corps of engineers came on to look up the lands for the English heirs, he having had two wives, the second one being an English lady. No good title, however, has ever been acknowledged, neither was the original deed presented by the heirs' assignees, and in 1823 the committee of public lands made a report to the United States, stating that, owing to tlie want of proof as to those facts, in their opinion "the claim was not such as the United States were under any obligation to allow" ; and the territory has remained the property of the United States. In May, 1800, the Northwestern Territory was divided. The portion now distinguished as Ohio was organized as the territory of Indiana, and in December following the Province of Louisiana, of which Minnesota was a part, was officially delivered to the United VERY EARLY TIMES. 587 States by the French. President Jefferson, thinking it highly important to explore the country acquired, took measures for an expedition to the upper Mississippi. The first American who visited Minnesota, on business of a public character, was Lieut. M. Pike ; and in September, 1805, he arrived at Prairie du Chien, where he was politely entertained by the traders there at that time. These traders were Fisher, Frazer and Woods. Fisher traded there until 1815, when he went to the Ked Eiver of the North in service of the Hudson Bay Company, where he remained several years. From 1824 until 1826 he was at Lake Traverse. One of his daughters was the mother of Joseph Rolette, of Pembinaw, by J. Rolette, trader at Prairie du Chien. Mr. Rolette had two wives ; his first wife had two daughters, one of whom is still living, Mrs. Maj. Hooe, of Washington. His second wife married Mr. H. L. Dousman, a partner in the American Fur Company, of New York, and trader at Prairie du Chien, where they continued to reside until Mr. Dous- man's death, which occurred in September, 1868. They had one son, who now resides in one of the palatial residences of St. Paul. Mr. Dousman was a man of sound and cultivated judgment, and great executive ability, and was successful in all his efforts to bring to proper working system the operations of traffic of the wide field in which he was engaged. Frazer has a son living at Mendota. Jean Baptiste Faribault was the last survivor of the old traders. He and his sons resided at Faribault for many years. Mr. Faribault entered the service of the Northwest Fur Company when a very young man, in spite of great opposition from his family, and the station or post to which he was assigned was that of Kankakee, on the river of that name, and not very far from the present city of Chicago, license having been granted them to trade within the jurisdiction of the United States by the proper authorities. Mr. Faribault, displaying so much business tact, was assigned the charge of a more important post on the Des Moines river, about two hundred miles above its mouth. The post was named Redwood, and the Indians with whom he traded, the Yankton Sioux. He continued in charge of that post four years, during which time he saw no white man except his own assistants. The region abounded with beaver, otter, deer, bear, and other wild animals, and it was the favorite resort of the Sacs and Foxes, the lowas and Sioux. The wages of a good clerk at that time was two hundred dollars per annum, an interpreter one hundred and fifty dollars, and a com- 588 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. mon voyageur one hundred dollars ; rations allowed them being of the simplest kind. Having served his time, Mr. Faribault returned to Mackinaw with the intention of going back to Canada, but hearing there of the sudden death of both his parents within iifteen days of each other, he again entered the service of his former employers and was dispatched to the river St. Peters (now Minnesota) and took charge of a post at Little Rapids, about forty miles above its mouth. The band of Sioux with whom he traded were called Wah-pay-ton, or People of the Leaf, and during the third year of his residence there he was married to a daughter of a Mr. Hause, a previous superintendent of Indian affairs. The groom was in his thirty-iirst year and his bride in her twenty-second. He was thenceforth a permanent denizen of the northwest. His eldest son, Mr. Alexander Faribault, was born at Prairie du Cliien, and this son was the founder and a highly respected citizen of Faribault, in this state. The Northwest Fur Com- pany, not being permitted to continue their business upon American territory, sold out their interests to the American Fur Company, of which John Jacob Astor, of New York, was the head. Joseph Rolette was constituted the agent of the newly formed association in the northwest, and Mr. Faribault made arrangements with him for the supply of merchandise requisite for his trade, and afterward removed his trading station to Pike's island, near the present site of Fort Snelling. Mr. Faribault had four sons and several daughters, but one of whom is still living. He died August 20, 1860, at the ripe age of eighty-seven years. His memory deserves to be respected and perpetuated among the pioneers of Minnesota. After Lieut. Pike's stay of some days at Prairie du Chien he resumed his ascent of the Mississippi, and at Point du Sable, on Lake Pepin, he found a trader by the name of Cameron, and his son, who accompanied Pike to the Cannon river, where he found Red Wing, the second war-chief of the Dahkotahs. Continuing his ascent, he finally reached the encampment of J. B. Faribault, which was three miles below Mendota, where he made a short stay. Thence he ascended the river and continued his explorations as far as Red Cedar lake, and at Lake La-Sang-Sue hoisted the American flag, effecting at both these points peace with the Sioux and Chippewas. Upon this trip he fixed the source of the Mississippi to be Leech lake, that being the highest point he reached, owing to the inclem- TREATIES WITH THE NATIVES. 589 ency of the weather, which prevented his pushing his discoveries still farther. . Upon his return he passed through Lake Pepin with barges, and stopped at a prairie about nine miles below the lake, on the right bank going down, and there went out to view some grounds which he thought had the appearance of an old fortification. These fortifi- cations, no doubt, were the same described by Jonathan Carver. Upon reaching Prairie du Chien, Pike was again entertained by the traders. Lieut. Pike was a bold, enterprising man of great tenacity of purpose, and will ever be entitled to the distinction of having been the first to extend researclies to regions so wild and repulsive, at a time, too, when there existed no fort on the Mississippi above Prairie du Chien, the old French forts having been abandoned for years. CHAPTER LII. TREATIES WITH THE NATIVES. In 1830 steps were taken for a congress of tribes at Prairie du Chien, and at this council the M'dewakantonwan Dahkotahs made a treaty, and conveyed to their relatives of mixed blood that tract of land about Lake Pepin known as the " half breed tract." The tract of said treaty is described as follows : "Beginning at a place called the Barn, below and near the village of the Red Wing chief, and running back fifteen miles, thence in a parallel line with Lake Pepin and the Mississippi about thirty-two miles to a point oppo- site Au Boeuf river, thence fifteen miles to the Grand Encampment opposite the river aforesaid. " This is the tract upon which our annals are laid, and with which the history of the city of "Wabasha is so closely connected. Oliver Cratte, of this place, asserts that he was present at that treaty, and that the above is a true rendition of it ; also that these lands were intended for the half-breeds of that generation only, and that no " scrip " should ever have been placed upon them. The chiefs present upon that occasion, according to Mr. Cratte, were Red Wing, Black Dog, Little Crow (the father of the great Crow of Sioux massacre notoriety), Waconta and Wapashaw. In 1831, dur- ing the month of April, the authorities at Washington instructed the Indian agent at Sault Ste. Marie, H. R. Schoolcraft, to proceed to the upper Mississippi, and use his influence to make peace between 590 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. the contending tribes, Dakotahs and Ojibways, in which he partly succeeded, and in 1832 he was again instructed to visit the tribes toward the sources of the Mississippi. In June of that year he arrived, in company of a military escort commanded by Lieut. James Allen, at the Fond du Lac trading-house on the St. Louis river, and, slowly making their way, in July they arrived at Elk Lake, which Mr. Schoolcraft named Itasca. The party were sure they had reached the true source of the great river at last, and geographers still mark Lake Itasca as the head and source of the Mississippi. The lake is about seven miles long, and varies from one to three miles broad, is of irregular shape, with no rock in place but some boulders on the shores. The Indian trade of the northwest was found to be so completely in the hands of British subjects, that trade could not be carried on by the Americans without their assistance. The secretary of the treasury in consequence issued a circular allowing the agents to license interpreters and voyageurs, who might be employed by the American traders. Mr. Taliaferro was the first Indian agent in Minnesota, and he held the office twenty-one years, licensing traders at different points as occasion demanded at different times. In 1833 the licensed traders of Minnesota were : Alexis Bailly, Men- dota ; J. R. Browne, mouth of the St. Croix ; J. B. Faribault, Little Rapids ; Joseph Renville, Lac qui Parle ; Louis Provencalle, Traverse des Sioux ; Hazen Moores, Lac Traverse, and B. F. Baker at Fort Snelling. In 1835 we find Joseph R. Brown at Lac Traverse, near the head of the Minnesota river, and Joseph Laframboise on the Coteau de Prairie, at the Lake of the Two Woods, and Alex- ander Faribault, son of J. B. Faribault, on the Cannon river. There were other prominent traders who came into the country in 1 837, among whom were N. W. Kittson, Philander Prescott and Fran- cois Labathe. Franklin Steele and Wm. H. Forbes also came to Minnesota in 1837, and H. M. Rice, who was at the head of an •extensive trade with the Winnebagos and Chippewas, in 1839. In 1837 about twenty chiefs and traders, by direction of Gov. Dodge, proceeded to Washington to make a treaty ceding to the United States their lands east of the Mississippi. They were accompanied by Maj. Taliaferro, agent, and Scott Campbell as interpreter. The fur company was represented by H. H. Sibley,' Alexis Bailly, Joseph La Framboise, Augustin Rocque, Labathe, the Faribaults, and others. Joel R. Poinsette, a special commis- sioner, represented the United States. CHAPTEK LIII. BUSINESS BEGINS. The first white man to resume trade in these parts after the old forts were abandoned, was Augustin Rocque, grandfather of the family by that name in Wabashaw. His first post was built about 1800, where Reed's Landing now stands. Lieut. Pike makes no mention of him in his account of his explorations, and it is probable that Rocque had left the post before Pike passed up the river, as it appears that for some reason he abandoned this post and returned to Prairie du Chien. Mr. Rocque was a French Canadian, coming to these wilds when a very young man. He married a Dahkotah woman, by whom he had a large family, his son Augustin being the father of the family now at this place. About the year 1830 Augustin, who followed the business of his father as Indian trader, moved back to this point on the "half-breed" land and erected a dwelling and trading-post on the site of old Fort Perrot. Being con- nected by marriage with the Sioux and Fox Indians, he traded through different parts of Minnesota and Iowa, one of his outposts being on the site of the present town of Cedar Rapids. Mr. Rocque's influence among the tribes with whom he traded was almost unbounded, and several outbreaks at different times were quelled by his sagacity and influence. So great was the respect of the Indians for him, they looked upon him almost as a father, and hence his influence. The portrait of Mr. Rocque hangs in the capi- tol at Washington, together with several of the Sioux chiefs. At the time of his return to this point, the present site of Wabashaw was covered with underbrush and trees. His place, when steam- boats ran, was called Rocque's Landing. At that time Wapashaw Red Leaf) was living with his band where Winona now stands, the prairie being called Wapasliaw prairie— by the old voyageurs, "La Prairie Oseilles " — that is, ' ' Flag-root Prairie. " The city of Winona was named for Wapashaw's sister Weenonah. The first steamboat uj^on these waters was the Virginia, which ascended the Mississippi as far as Fort Snelling in 1823. Fort Snelling was first named Fort St. Anthony, but in 1821, at the sug- gestion of Gen. Scott, it was changed to Fort Snelling. As Col. 592 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Leavenworth and troops, en route for Fort St. Anthony in 1819, stopped at Prairie dii Ciiien, a child was born to Lieut. N. Clark, whose first baptismal name was Charlotte, after its mother, and the second was Ouisconsin, given it by the officers in view of the fact that she was born at the junction of that stream with the Mississippi. In course of time Miss Clark married a graduate of West Point, who afterward became Gen. H. P. Yan Cleve, U. S. A., and this very worthy couple still reside in Minneapolis, Mrs. Van Cleve being the oldest resident of Minnesota. In 1820 Mrs. Col. Snelling gave birth to a daughter, which was the first white child born in Minnesota. Before the advent of steamboats upon these rivers commerce and navigation had been carried on by means of keel-boats and canoes, and for a long time after it was found that steamboats could ascend the upper Mississippi, commerce being unequal to the sup- port of steamboat navigation, the keel and canoe were used as before. The British and American fur companies always used the canoe for shallow waters and rapids, and the keel-boat for transpor- tation, until the volume of business warranted their supersedure by the steamer. The keel was built much like an ordinarj^ barge, but shallower, and provided with running-boards on each side, their carrying capacity varying from seven to twenty tons. The largest were usually manned by fourteen men, six on a side with poles for propelling the boat, and a cook, with sometimes a trader or agent on board. These men were Canadian-French half-breeds, called voyageurs, under the supervision of some active trader or agent. The earliest manuscript written in Minnesota is written by Col. Snelling, dated August 4, 1820, and reads as follows : In justice to Lawrence Taliaferro, Esq., Indian agent at this post,* we, the undersigned, officers of the Fifth Regiment here stationed, have presented him this paper as a token not only of our individual respect and esteem, but as an entire approval of his conduct and deportment as a public agent in this quarter. Given at St. Peter, this 4th day of August, 1820. T. Snelling, Col. 5th Inf , N. Clark, Lieut., S. BuRBANK, Br. Major, Jos. Hare, Lieut., David Perry, Capt., Ed. Purcell, Surgeon, D. Gooding, Br. Capt., P. R. Green, Lt. and Adjt., J. Plympton, Lieut., W. G. Camp, Lt. and Q. M., R. A. McCaue, Lieut., H. Wilkins, Lieut. (St. Peter was afterward called Mendota.) *Neiirs "History of Minnesota." BUSINESS BEGINS. 593 The iirst white man wlio built on the present site of Wabasha was Oliver Cratte,* who came here from Fort Snelling in 1838. About the same time came Joseph Buisson, who, for some time, car- ried the mails on foot from Fort Snelling to Prairie clu Chien, a dis- tance of two hundred and four miles, accomplishing the round trip in fourteen days. Mr. Cratte was sent to this place by the govern- ment and located as blacksmith for the Wapashaw band. He was born in Liverpool, England, in 1801. He was early left an orphan, and he and his sister came to Canada when he was a mere boy. He learned the blacksmith's trade at Montreal, and after completing it he came west as far as Mackinaw, where he remained about a year. He then went to Prairie du Chien in company with some traders, and was there employed by the United States government. In 1828 he was sent to Fort Snelling, where he remained until he came to Wabasha in 1838. Mr. Cratte has been married three times. His first wife was a daughter of Alexander Graham, by whom he had five children, and his present wife is a daughter of Scott Campbell, who acted as interpreter for the chiefs and braves who visited Washing- ton in 1837 for the purpose of ceding their lands east of the Missis- sippi to the United States. Mr. Cratte is still living and is the < dest living white man of his time. He is entirely blind, yet his memory is good, and it is like reading history to hear him recount the scenes of his long and varied experience. The old man is poor, which renders his blindness still more pitiable. He has, in his day, been far beyond want ; but loaning gold and, in his own honesty of purpose and heart, trusting the word of those who came to him in need, taking no proper security, he has thus, in his old age, become reduced to poverty and sorrow. Coming here in the fall of 1838, he built a shop of logs on the levee, chinking it with mud and sand, and occupying it that winter for shop and dwelling. In the spring following he added a "lean-to" and sent for his family, they having remained at Fort Snelling during the winter. This dwelling was the first ever built by white man at this place. Mr. Joseph Buisson built a small house the same season and brought his family here also, which house was the second one erected on the site of Waba- sha. Mr. Cratte's eldest son, David Cratte, who resides in Wabasha, has been a man of great activity and swiftness of foot, figuring * Cratte's Landing was the original name of the site of the present city of Wabasha. 35 594 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. largely in the early annals of the place. In 1854 he was sent by II. S. Allen's agent at this place with dispatches to Chippewa Falls, where Mr. Allen resided. Young Cratte carried them on foot, and upon his return, just after leaving Eau Claire, he noticed a party of Chippewas lurking around in ambush for a party of Sioux, who were on their way to St. Paul. The Chippewas, knowing the surroundings far better than the Sioux, waited for and surrounded them, capturing and killing every one of them. Cratte, learning what was going on, and fearing for his own life, took to his heels and ran all the way to Wabasha, arriving at nine o'clock in the evening, a distance of fifty miles in nine hours. The enmity existing between the Ojibways (Chippewas) and Dahkotahs (Sioux), owing to their frequent encroachments upon each other's hunting-grounds, was very bitter, and was the cause of constant feuds among them. Mr. J. Buisson was a trader of some ability, remaining at this place until his death, in 1857. He had quite a family of sons and daughters, most of them still residents of Wabasha. On the island just opposite the present city of Wabasha stood a trading-post in 1849, erected by one Eobar. Mr. La Bathe, a French trader, built and, in 1841, occupied the log house on the levee, just below the residence of W. T. Duganne, as a trading-post. In 1844 be sold this post to Alexis Bailly, who occupied it for store and dwelling for many years. A part of said house is still standing, and in good repair, being occupied as a dwelling. * Mr. Bailly added to the building, living in it until after his second marriage, in 1857, when he built the substantial residence which, since his death, has been known as "Riverside" to all travelers. In 1841 another post was built upon the same island, about mid- way between Wabasha and Read's Landing, by a Mr. Nelson, which point is familiarly known as Nelson's Landing. These posts were built expressly for trade with the Chippewas. The history of the early days of our western homes has been so obliterated by the march of improvement in a quarter of a century, and traces of first beginnings so lost that a comparison of the present times with those of the past is hardly possible, and young people of the })resent day emigrating from their luxurious eastern homes / * Since the above was written the building has been consumed by fire, April 23, and thus destroying the last landmark of the old traders. BUSINESS BEGINS. 595 should bear in patience the slight ills to which they may be subjected, being, as they are, so small in comparison with the trials, privations and hardships of the early settlers. It is, no doubt, difficult for them to realize how very primitive were all these beginnings, and history itself cannot portray them as they really were. Again, the settler on any of our western prairies, and the ax man who enters upon the primeval forest, must often be the subject of strange reflections as he follows his plough, throwing the rich alluvial soil that through all the ages has remained undisturbed, or hews down the lofty pine that for thousands of years has flourished and grown unnoticed and uncared for, and the majestic oak in all its strength ; he must wonder how it should occur that he, of all the people that have lived, and still live on the earth, should be the first to appro- priate to his own comfort these blessings so long held in nature's vast storehouse ; and wonder, too, why his race should require all the resources of earth, the productions of forests, mines, rivers, lakes* oceans and seas, — of the soil planted, cultured and garnered; the flocks and herds feeding and gamboling in undisturbed freedom upon a thousand hills, for his subsistence and convenience, while other races have remained from generation to generation in all the untamed wildness of the deer and elk upon which they subsist. "Wliat of the race that but yesterday was here ? Have these rivers, plains and forests, now so peaceful, always been so calm and still ? Or have they been the scene of sanguinary savage conflict? We speculate in vain upon the long-ago dwellers upon the banks of these lovely streams. Then savage yells may have been the only sound that ever waked the stillness of these hills ; or a race long since gone may have builded and worshiped, and cultivated all the amenities of civilized life, and the records of their virtues and deeds have become obliterated by time's relentless fingers. Until 1849 the territory now comprising Minnesota was included in six counties, namely, Ramsey, Washington, Benton, Dakota, Wabasha, Pembinaw ; total population in 1849 being four thousand nine hundred and forty. The first white man who built within the precincts of the county was Augustin Rocque ; upon his return to his post, at or near the site of old Fort Ferrot, in 1830, and when steamboats began to navigate these waters, his place was called Rocque's Landing. Gov. Sibley makes mention of his place in his memoranda of first coming to Minnesota, and says: "Some idea can be formed of the great changes which have occurred since 1834 596 HISTORY OF wabasha county. wheu I state that when I performed the journey from Prairie du Chien to St. Peters, now Mendota, in the antumn of that year, a distance of nearly three hundred miles, there was but one liouse between these points, and that was a log cabin, occupied by a trader named llocque, situated below Lake Pepin, near the present town of Wabasha." Mr. Cratte, as has been stated, was the first white man who built upon the present site. The city of Wabasha was not named until 1843, when it was called Wabashaw, after the old chief. The ceremony of christen- ing was performed in the following manner : A hole was dug in the ground on the levee, and a bottle containing a paper giving an account of the event was placed in the hole ; then a post was set up over it with a board nailed thereon, upon which was printed or written the name "Wabashaw" in large letters. A bottle of whisky was broken to celebrate the christening, and everyone became jubilant. In 1S53, ten years later, the old sign-post was still standing. It is difficult now to locate just the place where the post stood ; but Mr. Cratte informs us that it was on the levee between Alleghany and Pembroke streets. Mr. Francis Talbot saw it when he landed here in 1853 from the steamer Nominee. At the time of this christen- ing, Wabasha was nothing more than a trading-post and stopping- place for traders and voyageurs. It had been a stopping-place for the American traders for a long time as they passed up and down the river, trafficking with the different bands of Indians on both sides of the river and around the lakes, their headquarters being at Prairie du Chien, so that "the Prairie " seemed like home to them, particularly so to the pioneer Frenchman. After the town was organized Mr. Bailly was appointed justice of the peace by the governor, and was thereby made the first civil officer of the county. Before that time the manner of living had been quite patriarchal in its way, and no better illustration can be given of it than to quote Mr. Rocque's advice to his sons, which gives his opinion of the law. It says: "Mes fils, ce faut que vous engardfez bien, a ce moment parceque la loi c'est venue en ville. La loi c'est le diable, et Mon- sieur Bailly il est la loi." Interpreted: "My sons, it is necessary that you be very careful now, because the law has come to town. The law is the devil, and Mr. Bailly is the law." CHAPTER LIY. ORGANIZATION. The Territory of Minnesota was divided into counties by enact- ment of first territorial legislature. The county of Wabasha, according to this division, comprised all that portion of territory lying east of a line running due south from a point on the Mississippi known as Medicine Bottle village, at Pine Bend, to the Iowa line ; being the entire territory belonging to the present counties of Wabasha, Goodhue, Dodge, Olmsted, Winona, Mower, Houston, Fillmore and nearly one-half the territory belonging to Dahkota. Wabasha county was not organized under that act, but the division was declared to be for the purpose of the appointment of justices of the peace, constables and such other judicials as might be specially provided for. Wabasha was attached to Washington county for judicial purposes by provision of said act. By an act of March 5, 1853, the county was somewhat reduced in size, that portion north of a line extending from a point twenty-five miles south of the north branch of the Cannon river to Lake Pepin, at a point on the lake seven miles below Sand Point, being set off into the counties of Goodhue and Dacotah. By the provisions of this act, Wabasha county was attached to Goodhue county for judicial purposes. Fill- more county was also set off and organized under the same act, and comprised all the territory south of the White Water river, and ex- tended west to a line running due southeast from a point on the north branch of the Cannon river, as above described, to the Iowa line. The remaining portion of land situated between Goodhue and Fillmore counties comprised the territory of Wabasha county as organized during the same session. By an act of February 23, 1851:, the counties of Winona and Houston were organized, hence the limits and boundaries of Wabasha were again changed. By this act the boundaries were as follows: "Commencing at the soiitheast corner of township 107 north, of range 11 west ; thence west thirty miles to the southwest corner of Kalmar, in Olmsted county ; thence north twelve miles to the northwest corner of what is now the town of New Haven ; thence east six miles to the south- 598 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. west corner of the present town of Mazeppa ; thence north twelve miles to the northwest corner of town 110, range 14 (being the present town of Chester) ; thence east six miles to the northeast corner of the same town ; thence north six miles to the northwest corner of the town of Mount Pleasant ; tlience east to Lake Pepin ; tlienee down the lake and Mississippi river to the present boundary line between Winona and Wabasha counties ; thence west to the northwest corner of Winona county ; thence south twenty-four miles to the place of beginning." By an act of February 20, 1855, Olmsted county was organized, with its boundary lines as at the present time ; eight of the southern towns of Wabasha were set off as a portion of the territory of Olmsted county, leaving the boun- daries of Wabasha county as at present described on the state maps. The first election in the county was held at the house of Augus- tin Rocque, in what is now the city of Wabasha, October 11, 1853. At that election the following gentlemen were elected to the county offices : Christian Shively, Oliver Cratte and Peter Larrivierre, county commissioners ; Alexis P. Bailly, register of deeds ; C. Shively, treasurer and coroner, and Levi Murphy, sheriff. The board of commissioners met March 6, 1854, in accordance with an act passed by the territorial legislature, February 9 of the same year, and presented their certificates of election, properly certi- fied to and endorsed, which were oi-clered to be deposited in the files of the office. Mr. Alexis P. Bailly acted as clerk of the meeting. The board then proceeded to business. A temporary seal was adopted, consisting of a circular piece of paper containing a red wafer, upon which was inscribed : " Temporary Seal of the County Court of Wabashaw County." Mr. Shively was elected chairman of the board. Adjourned to meet again on the 11th, at ten o'clock. Pursuant to adjournment they met again the lltli, and divided the county into three assessment districts, by denominating all that portion north of a line running from an old ferry-house, which stood a little above Read's Landing, to the western extremity of the county, as the first district ; Wm, Campbell was appointed assessor. The second district comprised the territory north of a line extending west from the house of Oliver Cratte on the levee, to the county line, not included in the first district ; and the third district com- prised the residue of the county. Mr. Whitmarsh was appointed assessor for the second district, and Mr, J. McKenzie for the third. At this meeting it was discovered that Mr. Murphy was not eligible ORGANIZATION. 599 to the office of sheriff, as he was not a resident of the county, and Dr. Francis Milligin was appointed by the board to fill the vacancy. They also at that time located the county-seat at Wabasha. They met again on the 13th, pursuant to adjournment, to receive the bond given by F. H. Milligin, given as security for the faithful perform- ance of his duties as sheriff. On the 20th of same month the board ao-ain met, and appointed Francis La Point road supervisor. Messrs. Campbell and Whitmarsh never having qualified, they held another meeting on the 24th and appointed Amos Wheeler assessor for the first district, investing him with power to assess the second also. At theii- next meeting, which was held July 3, they found they had acted contrary to law, or to the statutes regarding the assessment- roll, and the whole matter was dropped. They then proceeded to divide into election precincts. The first precinct comprised towns 108 and 109, of ranges M and 15 ; the place for holding elections was fixed at the house of Leonard B. Hodges, in Orinoco. Messrs.. E. Chilson, J. Clark and G. Gordon were appointed judges of election. The second precinct comprised the rest of the county, the place for holding elections being the house of Augustine Rocque, in Wabasha. The board also appointed Messrs. Wheeler, I. O. Seely and J. McKenzie for judges of election. A portion of the northern part of the county was set off in November as the Monte- zuma precinct, elections to be held at the house of Mr. John Lyons. For judges of election the board appointed Messrs. Thomas Allen, R. S. Philips and J. Hanson. At the same meeting they appointed Joseph Pingrey county surveyor. The first representative in the territorial legislature from the county was James Kirkman, of Wabasha, in 1855, who was suc- ceeded by A. P. Foster, of Plainview, in 1856. Messrs. S. H. Kemp and B. C. Baldwin were delegates to the constitutional con- vention in 1857. James Redpath, from Tepeeotah, was the first senator. In 1858 J. T. Averill was elected senator, and W. J. Arnold, J. H. Burnham and F. E. Skillman, representatives. Owing to the delay in the admission of the state to the Union, Gov.- elect H. H.'Sibly was not inaugurated until May 24, 1858, and it became optional with him to call or not to call the legislature together the next winter. As the republican party was successful that fall, and the election of United States senator the question of interest, no session was called. Politics had before that time been prominently democratic, and it was hoped the next election might 600 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. secure af^^ain democratic majority and tlius elect a democratic senator. The next autumn the result was the same, liowever, and the same parties from Wabasha county were re-elected with Hon. Alex. Ram- sey as governor. W. S. Wilkinson was elected by that legislature to the United States senate. Commissioners Shively, Cratte and Larrivierre, under the terri- torial government, were elected in 1853. Mr. Shively was elected chairman, and was the only member of the board who could read and write. They held several meetings during the spring of 1854, but Messrs. Shively and Larrivierre refusing to present themselves at the regular meetings, Alexis P. Bailly and John McKee, Esq., who, by the way, was the first lawyer in the county, were appointed to their places, and Oliver Cratte made chairman of the board. This new board, consisting of Oliver Cratte, Alexis P. Bailly and John McKee, held their offices until the close of 1855. The mem- bers composing the board in 1856 were : C. R. Read, chairman, Levi Cook and A. A. Weston ; they were elected in the fall of 1855. Mr. Read was chosen for three years, Mr. Cook for two years and Mr. Weston for one. Mr. Weston being re-elected, the board, in 1857, comprised the same members with no change except that the chair was filled by Mr. Weston instead of Read. Before the close of the term, however, Mr. Read was again made chairman, owing to an injury inflicted on Mr. Weston by the shot of an outlaw, ren- dering him unable to attend the meetings of the board. The mem- bers composing the board in 1858 were: C. R. Read, chairman, Henry Amerland and G. Maxwell. Before the termination of the year, the commissioner system was abolished and a supervisor elected from each town. Previous to this time the towns had not been organized, and during the supervisor sys- tem, which was in use from the adoption of the state constitution until its repeal in February, 1860, the towns represented, were : Wabasha, Pepin, Plainview, Zumbro (now Zumbro and Hyde Park), Mazeppa, Mt. Pleasant, Elgin, Pall, Smithtield (now Highland), West Albany, Watopa, Gillford, Minneiska, Lake City, Bear Valley (now Chester), Glasgow and Greenfield. In February, 1860, the supervisor system was abolished, and the legislature passed an act authorizing the division of counties into commissioner districts, from which one should be elected for a term of three years. In pursuance of that act the county was divided into five districts, as follows: First district — Minneiska, Watopa, ORGANIZATION. 601 Highland and Plain view ; second district — Elgin, Pell, Zumbro, West Albany and Glasgow ; third district — Mazeppa, Chester, Gill- ford and Mt. Pleasant; fourth district — Pepin, Wabashaw and Greenfield ; fifth district — Lake City. This division was an act of the commissioners, June 5, 1860. G. W. Marsh was the first county auditor, holding the office in 1858 by provision of the statute making the register of deeds also auditor. This law was changed at a special meeting of the legislature in the fall of the same year, when W. W. McDougall was appointed by the board of commissioners, and held the office during the years 1859 and 1860. E. W. Foster was elected in the fiill of 1860, and held the office until November, 1861, when he entered the army, thus leaving the office vacant. Again it devolved upon the commissioners to supply the vacancy. They found their task a hard one, as it was with the greatest difficulty that a sufficient number of members could agree to make a majority. Several names were proposed, and each felt anxious for the position. Finally the one hundred and third ballot resulted in the election of A. G. Foster, who held the office the remainder of the term, and was elected in 1862, and again in 1864. W. W. Case was elected in 1866 and held the office until 1871, when he was succeeded by F. E. Staulf, who in turn was succeeded in 1875 by William Campbell, and Mr. Campbell by the present incumbent, Mr. G. A. Perkins. Mr. C. Shively was elected treasurer in 1853, but never qualified, and Dr. F. H. Milligin was appointed by the board to fill the vacancy. He held the office until January 1, 1856. Mr. William Bonnell was elected in the fall of 1856, but leaving the country soon after, the board appointed Joseph Peak, who held the office until the spring of 1857^ when he left the country, and L. M. Gregg was appointed foj- the remainder of the term. Mr. Gregg was elected in the fall of 1857, and held the office during the years 1858-9. William W. Prindle was elected in the fall of 1S59, and held the office four years. Mr. J. F. Rose succeeded him, holding the office until January 1, 1868. Mr. A. Y. Felton was elected in the fall of 1867, and re-elected in 1869. He was succeeded by Anson Pierce, who held the office two terms ; he in turn succeeded by A. J. Fowler, and Mr. Fowler in January, 1882, by R. A. Johnson. Alexis P. Bailly was elected to the office of register of deeds in 1853, and held the office until July, 1855, when Dr. Milligin was 602 HISTORY OF AVABASHA COUNTY. appointed by the county board for the remainder of tlie term. Mr. Abner Tibbetts held the othce in 1856-7; G. W. Marsh in 1858-9, and was succeeded by C. W. Hackett, of Lake City, who lield the office until January 1, 1864. He was succeeded by Mr. D. H. Eldridgc, who occupied the position until January 1, 1868. In the fall of 1867 Messrs. O. D. Ford and N. S. Wright were competitors for the office, and both claimed the election. This election was at the time of the vote for the county-seat, when exceeding heavy returns were received from some towns ; and the consequence was great difficulty in determining who had the majority. Mr. Wright received his certificate of election, and held the office during the year 1868, when a decision was given by the supreme court that Mr. Ford was entitled to the election. Mr. Ford held the office during the remainder of the term, and was re-elected for another term of two years. Mr. Ford was succeeded by James G. Lawrence, who held the office four years, being succeeded by H. H. Dickman, one term, and he by J. C. Bartlett, the present incumbent. Mr. IL P. Wilson held the office of judge of probate in 1856, Mr. G. F. Childs in 1857, Mr. B. C. Baldwin in 1858-9. ,Mr. A. Z. Putnam was elected in the fall of 1859, and held the office four years. He was succeeded by Mr. G. C. Dawley in 1864-5, who in turn was succeeded by Mr. E. Lathrop in 1866-7. He was succeeded by Mr. A. Fuller in 1868-9, who was re-elected in 1869 for 1870-1. Judge A. Z. Putnam followed, two terms, then J. T. Pope, one term, succeeded by F. J. Collier, one term. In the fall of 1882 Judge Putnam was again elected. The first clerk of the court, elected under the state constitution, was Mr.- S. A. Kemp, who held the office from 1858 to 1861 ; previous to that time the office was held by S. L. Campbell, Esq., by appointment of the territorial district court. Mr. N. F. Webb succeeded Mr. Kemp to the office, and held the position eight years. Mr, C. J. Stauff was elected in 1869, and still retains the ]>osition. Levi Murphy was elected sheriff in 1853, but did not qualify, and the county commissioners appointed Dr. F. H. Milligan to fill the vacancy. Mr. Amos Wheeler held the office in 1854-5 ; B. S. Hurd in 1856. He resigned the office, and K. M. Finer was appointed in his place, holding the office during the year. In the fall of that year he was duly elected, and held the office until January, 1860, when he was succeeded by H. H. Butts, who held the office until January, 1862, being succeeded by William B. Lutz. Mr. ORGANIZATION. 603 Liitz was succeeded b}^ H. H. Slayton, who held the office four years. Id the fall of 1867 William Box was elected, who filled the office three terms ; succeeded by Sydney Smith, two terms ; and he in turn succeeded by Lyman H. Gregg, two terms. In the autumn of 1881 Mr. H. Brukhardt was elected, and is the present incumbent. The first judge of probate in the county was H. P. Wilson. The first district attorney of the county was Judge John Tyson, succeeded by Hon. S. L. Campbell, and he in turn by John B. Davis. J. D. Jaqueth was elected in 1863, and in 1865 was re-elected and resigned. John B. Davis was again elected and held the office until January 1, 1867, when W. W. Scott qualified. Mr. Scott was succeeded by J. B. Davis, and Mr. Davis by J. Halm, Esq., who held the office two terms, being succeeded by W. Matcham. Mr. Matcham held the office one term, and was succeeded by J. K. Bene- dict, one term, who was succeeded, January 1, 1883, by J. McGovern, the present attorney. The educational interests of Wabasha county have not been neglected. The first school district was organized on November 20, 1855, and comprised a territory of some thirty square miles. The first school was taught by H. B. Potter, although a private school had been taught for a shoit time in Wabasha by Thomas F. Flynn. These interests have now assumed a prominent position in the history of the progress and prosperity of the county. The first superintendent of the schools was Mr. E. Hogle, who held the office in 1866 ; Wm. H. Kobinson, in 1867, and he was succeeded by T. A. Thompson, who held the office until 1873. Mr. Thomp- son was an earnest, faithful worker, and to him is due, in a great measure, our present high standard of schools in the county. Mr. Thompson was succeeded by A. G. Hudson ; Mr. Hudson, by J. H. Hays, and Mr. Hays by A. J. Greer, the present official. CHAPTER LY. WHERE THEY CAME FROM. The first settlers of the county were from the Ccastern states, from New England to Illinois, with some Irish and German immigration, who, with very few exceptions, were poor, bringing with them barely enough to feed and clothe themselves until the first cabin could be built and the first crop gathered. Industry and economy have repaid the most of these old pioneers with comfortable, commodious homes, surrounded with nearly all the comforts of the east. They were possessed with determination, believing that others had thus prospered before them, and what others could do they could also, and would ; yet the way to opulence and comfort has been through continued hardships and untiring perseverance. In later years nearly all nationalities have contributed to help increase the population of the county, and nearly two-thirds of these people constitute the population at the present time. In 1857 the county began to fill up with farmers, and towns and villages grew almost like magic. The soil of the county is varied. Along the banks of the streams it is somewhat sandy, but the prairies have a deep, rich, dark loam, with a gravelly subsoil, producing all kinds of grain and vegetables in abundance. The surface of the country along the Mississippi is hilly, while back from the river is rolling prairie. That known as Greenwood Prairie, is celebrated for its immense wheatfields, some seasons there being one continuous wlieatfield for twenty to twenty-five miles. The town of Plainview was first settled by Messrs. A. T. Sharp, E. B. Eddy, Thomas Todd, AVm. Boatman and David Campbell. They arrived there in the spring of 1855, on May 21, and with one accord agreed that this was the land they long had sought, and at once decided to remain. They at once began the construction of domiciles for their families, and having provided those, commenced operations for agricultural improvement. A Norwegian by the name of Nels Oleson had arrived before them, and settled in the northeast corner of the town, and he was probably the first to break the sod in the town. Before the close of the month the number of WHERE -SHEY CAME FROM. 605 families increased to seven, by the arrival of David Acklej and Edwin Chapman. In June the colony was swollen by the arrival of A. P. Foster and Benjamin Lawrence, from Vermont, together with several ftirailies from Wisconsin. They went to work with a determination that the settlement should be permanent. Before fall their settlement contained thirty families. The first thing to be considered was education, and they proceeded to erect a school- house, the boards of which were sawed out with a handsaw by Mr. Boatman, and the shingles were made by Mr. Eddy. This was in the spring of 1856. Before June their schoolhouse was completed, and Miss Annie M. White employed to preside over twenty scholars; hence to her is due the honor of teaching the first school in Plain- view. The same zeal in regard to educational advancement* has existed ever since, and there is probably no town in Minnesota, containing no greater population, that has expended more in the cause of education than Plainview. At the time the first school- house was built no village existed in town, although a portion of the same section upon which the town was built was laid out into lots the same spring, and a good deal of eftbrt was made to build up a town. Those most instrumental in this eftbrt were Messrs. Boat- man, Sharpe and Burchard. They succeeded in getting a postofiice, and Mr. A. P. Foster received the appointment of postmaster. The name of this ofiice was Greenville, that being the name by which the settlement was known. A branch store had been opened during the winter previous by Messrs. Kichards, of Read's Landing. Mr. Burchard became a partner in the spring, and had special charge of the Greenville branch. This was the first store opened on "the Prairie." During the summer of 1856 Messrs. O. Wilcox, Dr. F. C. Gibbs, T. A. Thompson, J. Y. Blackwell, David Ackley, E. Chapman and T. A. Tomlinson laid out a village site on sections 17 and 8. They gave the name of Centreville to the new town. This transaction was much to the disadvantage of Greenville, and gave rise to a jealousy between the two villages. Greenville retained the postoffice, but Centreville made the more rapid strides in growth and commercial prosperity. Yery few buildings were built in Greenville after the new town was laid out, and a few of the buildings erected there were afterward moved to Centreville. In 1858 the postofiice was discon- tinued and a new one opened at Centreville. This event changed the name of the town. There was a postoffice in Winona county by 606 HISTORY OF WABAS4IA COUNTY. the name of Centreville. In view of the location, which was the watershed of the Zuinbro and Wliite Water rivers, and in plain view of a large tract of surrounding country, they changed the name to Plain view. Since that time the town has made rapid advancement in wealth and general prosperity. They have now a fine school-building erected at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars, and the school is in a very flourishing condition. The Methodists were the fii-st to erect a church edifice. The first church service was held in 1856 by the Kev. J. Cochrane, a Congregational clergyman. There are at present two churches and four organizations : Methodists, Con- gregationalists. Baptists and Disciples. The first fiouring-mill was erected by C. T. Allaire during the summer of 1869. The southern sections are traversed by the north branch of the Whitewater, and along the banks of this stream the wooded portion of Plain- view is situated ; the remaining portion is prairie land of vast rich- ness of soil. The amount of territory constituting the farming lands is twenty-one thousand eight hundred and sixteen acres. HIGHLAND. Patrick McDonough and John Canfield were the first settlers of this town. They came in the summer of 1855 and built small homes for themselves, installed their families therein, and went to work. The next year other settlers moved in, among whom were W. L. Cleveland, James S. Felton, the brothers Doane and E. G. Smith. In 185Y C. G. Dawley and Thomas Smith located. Mr. Smith built a store and stocked it with general merchandise in 1858 ; it was destroyed by fire in 1859, and Mr. E. J. Duganne built another in its place the same year and filled it with a general assortment of goods for the accommodation of the settlement ; but Plain view and Wabasha drew so largely on the trade that Mr. Duganne closed the store, and it has never been reopened. In 1857 D. J. Watkins built a mill near the center of the town, which furnished a large amount of hard lumber for fencing and building purposes ; he also, in 1860, built a gristmill, but finding the water-power insufficient to propel the machinery of both, the sawmill was allowed to go into disuse. This stream is called Indian creek. In 1864 Mr. Henry Hampe built a fiouring-mill upon the same stream. Both of these mills add greatly to the business interests of the town. A schoolliouse was built in 1859, in what is now district No. 40, in which religious services were first held by a Methodist minister the same year. WHERE THEY CAME FROM. 607 There is but one church edifice in the town, which was built in 1866 by the Roman Catholics. A postoffice called Smithfield was estab- lished on the road from Wabasha to Plain view in 1858, and Janies S. Felton was appointed postmaster. Another office was established near the center of the town in 1864, called Lyons; W. L. Cleveland, postmaster. The town was christened Smitlifield in honor of one of the settlers, but when organized under the state law it was changed to that of Highland. The surface of the land is quite rolling, and in some places even hilly, particularly along the banks of the streams. Much of the surface is covered with scattering oaks, which furnish a good supply of fuel. The soil is very productive. Highland contains an even township of thirty-six sections, most of which is now under cultivation. HYDE PARK. This town includes all that portion of government township 109, range 13 west, lying north of the Zumbro river. At the time of tlie government survey the township was known as Concord, that being the name of the election precinct in which it was situated. At a town meeting in May, 1858, it was given the name of Troy, but the legislature not indorsing the action, a new christening resulted in Zumbro, to correspond with the river which runs tlirough the town. The first settlement dates back to May, 1855, when quite a num- ber sought homes and selected claims. The town settled up rapidly, and in 1856 a schoolhouse was built, and a school taught therein the next winter by Miss Mary J. Shaw. In consequence of the inconvenience of the settlers on different sides of the river getting together for elections and public meetings, the town was divided, upon application, by the county commissioners in 1862, the Zumbro river being the dividing line ; the part north of the river was set ofi' as another town and named Hyde Park. A postoffice was also established, Mr. Wm. Parker being postmaster. In 1866 the county purchased of John T. Rose one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 11 of this town, and located the county farm for the benefit of the poor. This was afterward changed, and a farm of eighty acres was purchased about one mile from the city proper of "Wabasha and business part of the same. MiNNEiSKA claims next to Wabasha to be the oldest town in the county. One Michael Agnes came up from St. Louis and settled in the southeast corner in 1851, and Louis Krutely arrived about a month later. Some time during the same year Charles Read, of '608 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Read's Landing, purchased a claim four miles farther up the river, but nothing was done at either of these points except to cut wood for the boats until 1852, when Abner Tibbetts and B. C. Baldwin purchased property at the upper yard and one Joseph Schurb settled in the vicinity of the other. In 1853 several settlers arrived at each place. Messrs. Read, Baldwin, Tibbetts and Rcppe laid out a portion of their claim into a town site the same year and called their place West Newton ; it was so named from the fact that the wreck of a steamboat was lying at that time in the river, but a few yards from the site, by the name of Newton. The boat had sunk in shallow water, and the name in large letters remained on her pilot-house above the water. A postoffice was established in 1853, and West Newton might have become an important point, but the land was low, and the river kept wearing the banks away, which finally compelled the town to surrender. The village site now lies mostly in the waters of the Mississippi, and all there is left of West Newton is the name. It is now considered the finest hunting-grounds for ducks and other feathered game on the river. Mr. Agnes, however, succeeded better with his settlement, and he laid out the village of Minneiska in 1854. It was named after the river which runs through the township and enters the Mississippi near the upper part of the village. "Minneska" is the Indian name for white water. Minne is water and ska means white ; the name of the river was changed to Whitewater, and the town is called Minneiska. But little improvement was made until 1856, when Mr. Putnam went there. He built a hotel in the autumn of that year, which is still standing as the back part of the Minneiska House. A large grain warehouse was built there in 1859 by Timmerman & Swart, and Mr. A. P. Foster, of Plainview, drew the first load of wheat to that warehouse that was ship])ed from Wabasha county. Another large grain warehouse was built in 1S61 by Messrs. Bentley & Yale. A steam sawmill was erected in 1856 by Biglow & Son, which was in operation about four years, when the machinery was removed to some other point. Minneiska has great note as a wheat market, although it has suffered somewhat since the advent of railroads. The first school taught in Minneiska was in the summer of 1858, by a Miss Adams, but no schoolhouse was erected there until 1866. The Roman Catholics built a fine church there in 1867, and the Lutherans built one in 1871. The Methodists, also, have a small house of worship. Minneiska is a fractional town, and is the only town DESCRIPTION. 609 in the county where a greater number of acres are made use of for the production of hay than of wheat, about four hundred acres being meadow-land, whole number for farming purposes under cultivation being nine hundred and twentv-five. CHAPTER LVI. DESCEIPTIOK Among the many beautiful lakes which dot the soil of Minnesota Lake Pepin is the most conspicuous. The scenery is very fine, and it has given the lake a wide reputation for its varied beauties, which are said to be unsurpassed by any in this country so noted for scenic loveliness. When viewed from almost any direction its natural beauty' is perfectly enchanting; and there are standpoints where the panorama, as you turn the gaze, is at once grand and beautiful, in fact more than beautiful, even sublime. The pen can- not do it justice, and it must be seen in order to be appreciated. Surely Lake Pepin has no rival on the continent, and from the sum- mit of the bluffs back of Lake City is obtained the most enchanting view of the ever-graceful outline of its sparkling waters and its surrounding scenery. Between us and the lake as we gaze lies a beautiful prairie covered with business blocks and many neat cottages, together with a sprinkle of more imposing dwellings. The busy hum of energetic, active life comes borne upon the air, while out upon the lake are steamboats ' freighted with merchandise and human life. To the pleasure-seeker Lake City has many attractions, and it has become noted as the resort of invalids, and its hotels are filled with pleasure-seekers and guests every season. In the fall of 1853 Mr. Jacob Boody made a claim on this prairie, and he was the only resident until the next June, when a brother of his and Mr. Abner Dwelle arrived and staked out claims. Mr. Dwelle made his on what is now the lower part of the town, and built his house near where he now resides. These were the only locations made until the spring of 1855, when quite a number settled upon the place. Among them were Messrs. Samuel Doughty, Abner Tibbetts, William Barry and Seth Skinner. Mr. Skinner brought with him a stock of goods, and retailed them from a board shanty belonging to 36 610 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Mr. Tibbetts. Messrs. Tibbetts, Dwelle and Baldwin built a store in 1856, and Mr. H. F. Williamson tilled it with a stock of general merchandise. A town was plotted and surveyed that year, Messrs. ■ Tibbetts, Dwelle and Doughty being the proprietors. The City Hotle was the first one in the place, and business increased, as did also the population. A school was opened the same year, and Eev. Silas Ilaslett employed as teacher. He also commenced holding religious services about the same time. The country around was still unset- tled, and the Indians often encamped near the mouth of the creek just below the city, where they stopped to fish and hunt. Wolves were common, and were frequently seen in the winter on the lake. Mr. Doughty brought with him a set of blacksmith's tools and estab- lished a shop in order to sharpen his plows while breaking, as well as to care for his horses. He built the first frame house in the place in June, 1855. In 1856 Mr. Tibbetts built a grain warehouse, which was occupied by Mr. J. L. Armstrong and J. H. Maples, who started the forwarding and commission business. The C6ngregationalists built a small church in 1857, which was partly finished when it was blown down by a severe windstorm. It was, however, immediately^ rebuilt. The Baptists and Presbyterians each built churches in 1860. The Catholics also built a small church, which has been superseded by a magnificent brick structure. In 1866 the Episcopalians erected a handsome little church, and in 1870 the Methodists erected a brick edifice which adds much to the place. In 1862 a large, commodious schoolhouse was erected, in which is taught a graded school. A postoffice was established in 1856, Mr. H. F. Williamson being post- master. The first town meeting was held in May, 1858. Mazeppa was settled by pioneers I. O. Seely, Joseph Fuller, Enoch Young and C. C. Sleeper. These gentlemen made claims on sections -1 and 5. This was in the month of February, 1855. In April Mr. Joseph Ford and his son, O. D. Ford, and Mr. G. Max- well arrived, and they were soon followed by others, among whom were two other sons of Mr. Ford. The same year came John E. Hvde, Francis A. Stowell and Elijah Lout, thus making quite a colony. The west half of section 6 was laid out in a village plot by Mr. Joseph Ford and his son, O. D. Ford. The site included a splendid water-power on the Zumbro, where the mills now stand. Arrangements were made -to build up a village, and a saw and grist DESCEIPTION. Qll mill were erected that winter. Another mill has since been erected some two and one-half miles east of the village, and the millino- interest of Mazeppa today is a power in the coimty. John E. Hyde bnilt the first stoi-e in Mazeppa in the fall of 1855, Mr. G. W. Judd a blacksmith-shop, and in 1856 Mr. O. D. Foi-d erected a small, hotel. When Mr. Seeley and his friends first arrived at Mazeppa they found a cave near the center of the town, where Trout brook empties tion the Zumbro river, which was some fifteen feet high and twelve wide at its entrance, but diminished in height as they advanced. It was about seventy feet deep. On one side of this cave were found many curious pictures of birds and animals, some hieroglyphics also. These were rudely carved upon the rocks. They put their horses in the back part of this cave and then made themselves comfortable in the front, until they could build themselves homes to live in. The cave was considered a great blessing, and made them comfortable quarters for some time. The north branch of the Zumbro enters Mazeppa in the northwest corner, and runs down near the center of the town, and empties into the main Zumbro, which flows on through the town of Chester, entering it on its southeast quarter section. In addition to the water-power just in the village, another just below which is improved. Trout brook affords several fine powers. A flouring mill and sawmill are built upon it about two and one-half miles from Mazeppa. About one-fourth of the surface of the town is covered with timber, and the rest is rolling prairie. The first school taught in the place was in the claim shanty of J. E. Hyde, and the first church service was also held in it by Elder Jacob McManus, a Methodist minister. The first school-teacher was Mrs. Sidney Munson. In 1869 the Congregationalists built a handsome church, and the schoolhouse was built in 1858. A graded school of high standing is sustained, and the building is a commodious one. The Catholics have also a very pretentious church completed. Mazeppa had a postoflice established in 1856, and J. E. Hyde was the first postmaster. The farming lands of this town are' twenty thousand one hundred and fifty-two acres. The average yield of wheat is about twenty bushels to the acre. MOUNT PLEASANT Is situated in southwest corner of the county, bounded on the east by Lake City, on the south by Gilford, and north and west by Good- 612 HISTOKY OF WABASHA COUNTY. hue coll]lt3^ It is called Mount Pleasant, the lieight of ground affording a commanding view of the country around. These views are among the most interesting in the interior country. It was settled by white men in 1854. A small colony of men made claims in the northeast part of the town and only a short distance from Lake Pepin and the village of Lake City. The southwestern portion of the town was settled in the spring of 1855, by a company of gentlemen, who staked out their claims and made preparations to put up houses and establish themselves in their future homes. Thus the settlement grew, and soon here and there could be seen the claim shanty of the pioneer, and the people began to think them- selves neighbors when the}^ were within one or two miles of each other. Many were the privations that these new settlers were called upon to endure, jet they willingly took u]) the burden, looking to the future for the fulfillment of the promise of an abundant return for the labor bestowed. Golden harvests crowned their efforts, and all looked prosperous and encouraging. The first school in the town was taught in the summer of 1857, by Mrs. Alex. Graham, and Rev. Silas Haslett held the* first religious services in the house of Mr. E. P. C. Fowler. After the schoolhouse was erected the meetings were held in that. There is a public house about five miles from Lake City, but no stores have ever been erected, owing to its close proximity to Lake City. There is a blacksmith-shop in the town, and the Methodists and Presbyterians each had small churches erected in 1858, in which regular services are held. The surface of the land is generally rolling prairie, with occasional groves of oak, and it is watered by s])rings and small streams not large enough for any extensive water-power. In 1866 Mr, N. F. Randolph rej^re- sented AVabaslia county in the state senate. The first mark of civilization in the town of Watopa, was made by Mr. John Gage in 1855, who made a claim to a section of land in the valley of the Whitewater in the northeastern part of the town. Mr. Gage reached the town in August, and in September sent for his family, and for a time they were the only white inhabit- ants. The Indians were quite numerous, and would often give trouble by stealing their loose property. Mr. Gage was the only settler until l.s56, when his brother joined him and soon Mr. Garret Fitzgerald, C. Abbott, Ole Poleson and others arrived in the neighborhood. Mr. Charles Simpson taught the first school in the neighborhood, in the winter of 1857-8, in a small house belonging to DESCRIPTION. 613 Mr. Gage. There are now several schoolhoiises in tlie town, in which schools are taught during the school terms of the year. Watopa is somewhat hilly in some parts, as the Mississippi bluft's run through a portion of the town, which makes the soil better adapted to stock-raising and grazing than the'production of cereals ; although the land in the valleys is, to a great extent, productive, and yiekls large quantities of hay:'and grain. Eeligious services were first held in Watopa by a Baptist clergyman, Eev. William Weld, in August, 1858. The history of Zumbro has been given in that of Hyde Park, of which it was a part until 1861, when it was thought best to divide the town and make two. The ford of the Zumbro at these places has been spanned by a bridge three times, the last one costing the county four thousand dollars. . On the night of the 15th of April, 1883, it was destroyed by the wind, or cyclone, which traversed that part of the county. Oakwood was first settled by white men in 1856, by William Tope, David and James Toley, Lawrence and Patrick Tracy, and Mathew Kinsley and son. These men arrived in the spring, and in the following autumn several other families came. Mrs. J. H. Bernard taught the first school in 1859-60, and a comfortable schoolhouse was built in 1861. The Koman Catholics built a small church edifice in 1865, which is the only one in town. At the time of the organization of this town it was called Pell, but in accordance with the wishes of its inhabitants it was changed, and has since been known as Oakwood. A postoffice, called Mill- ville, was established in 1867, and Patrick Fleming was appointed postmaster. Since the building of the Minnesota Midland railroad, Millville has grown to be a place of some pretension, and there is now a store, a blacksmith-shop, hotel, and a number of good dwell- ings in the place. A fine grain elevator has been erected, and there is also a watering and wood station for tlie Minnesota Midland railroad. In the winter of 1858-9 a portion north of the Zumbro was joined to West Albany, but as it did not give satisfaction, in 1867 it was set back again by legislation. WEST AI-BANY. A man by the name of S. Brink took the first claim in this township in 1855. He erected a two-story log house and opened it as a hotel. He then made a move to get a road laid out from 614 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Eead's Landing to Oronoco, which opened np a highway between the two towns, giving his hotel some custom, as most of the hauling of lumber and provisions from Kead's Landing had to pass through to the interior. In the spring of 1856 there was quite a large emi- gration to the place, and in the spring of 1857 Messrs. L. B., E. B. and C. A. McCollum bought the west half of tlie northwest quar- ter of section 28, and laid it out into blocks and lots for a village, which was called West Albany. Mr. William Applegarth built and stocked a store. A postoffice was established and Mr. E. B. McCollum was the first postmaster. The plat was sent to the regis- ter's office, but remained unrecorded, and was at length withdrawn, but in 1859 the present village of Albany was platted by Mr. D. Applegarth, and a hotel was built by Mr. Dawson. A gristmill was erected by Mr. Ap]jlegarth, and a store and a blacksmith-shop were built. Another mill has been erected about a mile below the town, and it has become quite a thriving little village. The first school taught in the township was by Augustus Applegarth in the summer of 1858, and the first religious services were held in Mr. William Applegarth's house. In 1857 the Roman Catholics bought a build- ing and fitted it u]) foi- a church, and the Methodists, Lutherans and Presbyterians each have places of worship and regular services. Presbyterians built in 1859. The aggregate of farming lands com- prise 10,102 acres. The first settlement in the town of Chester was made in the spring of 1855 by J. M. Kimball, and about the same time Mr. R. F. Maxwell made a claim in the vicinity, in the southwestern part of the town, which comprises an even government township of thirty-six sections. Chester is bounded west and north by Goodhue county, east by Gilford and south by Mazeppa. A fine and fertile valley extends through the entire town from the southwest to the northeast. It was first named Bear Valley, and the postoflice was established under that name; but at the time of its organization under state law in 1858, by common consent it was changed to Chester. A schoolhouse was erected in 1857, and religious services were first held in the same. In 1866 a fine flouring-mill was erected by Mr. Benjamin Clark in the southeast quarter of the southeast section of the township on the Zumbro river. The town is watered by the Zumbro river and Trout brook, a small, clear stream flowing from springs. There is some timber along the Zumbro river, but DESCRIPTION. 615 the surface is mostly rolling prairie, of dark, ricli loam, with clay subsoil. In 1859-60 Mr. F. M. Skillman represented the county in the state legislature. ELGIN. In the southern part of Wabasha county, and bounded north by Pell, or Oakwood, east by Plainview, and Olmsted county on the south and west, lies the town of Elgin. The north branch of the White- water traverses the town from east to west and drains the southern part, while the small streams in the southern part are tributaiy to the Zumbro. There is a grove of oak timber in the central part which covers about six hundred acres.* The soil is productive, and its agricultural advantages are second to none in the county. It was first settled in the spring of 1855, by Messrs. George and Curtis Bryant, H. H. Atliurton and George Farrar, who took claims adja- cent to each other on sections 27, 28 and 34. A schoolhouse was built and a school kept in it in the summer of 1858, by Miss Gould. This schoolhouse was situated on the present site of the village of Elgin. The first church was organized in the spring of 185T, at the house of Mr. John Bryant, by Eev. J. Cochran, a congregational clergyman. Elgin postofiice was established in 1857 ; Mr. George Bryant, postmaster. Since the advent of the Eyota branch of the Northwestern railroad in Elgin, the place has improved rapidly. There are now several stores and a large grain elevator, which makes Elgin a formidable rival of Plainview ; a commodious church also, in which regular services are held ; a first-class school and school-building and several stores. Mr. Bi-yant held the office of postmaster ten years, when he resigned. In the northern part of the town of Elgin is another postoffice, called Forest Mound. The first colony of Elgin were all sturdy, highminded, intelligent Vermont- ers, and the town to this day bears the impress of the energy and ambition of its first settlers. GILFORD. Gilford was settled in 1855, by persons from Illinois. This town is also an even government townshi]?, and contains twenty-three thousand and forty acres. It is well watered 15y small brooks run- ning through it in various directions. The surface is mostly prairie, although there are groves of oak which supply a reasonable amount of timber for fuel and fencing. The organization of the town took place in 1858, and a postoffice was established called Lincoln. •^ This grove is the only timber in the township. 616 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Glasgow was settled by white people in 1855, Mr. Wm. Mc- Cracken being the first to break the soil for a crop. This was in June 1855. It was too late for wheat, and Mr. McCracken put in corn, and in the autumn harvested a good crop ; this was the start- ing ot all agricultural pursuits in the township. These settlers were mostly Scotch, and the town was named after old Glasgow, in Scotland. A schoolhouse was built in 1858, and Miss Mary Cosgrove taught the first school in it the same summer. Religious services were held in the spring of 1858, by Rev. B. F. Wharton, a Baptist clergyman, at the house of Robert Cochran. A postoihce was established in 1867. Although the early settlers were mostly of the Scotch element, quite a large portion of the present population is composed of Germans. There are relics in various parts of the town of the former occupants of the town, which remind one forcibly of the mutability of all things, and that we, too, must pass away and yield to others the labor of our hands, and the homes we love. Glasgow is also an even government township, and contains eighteen thousand and ninety-eight acres of farming lands. The first settlement in Pepin township was made in 18-11 by Edward Hudson, a soldier under command of Col. Snelling at Fort Snelling. Shortly after coming to Pepin he married the daughter of Duncan Campbell, and settled down among the Sioux, cultivating a small piece of ground, the property of his wife. Pie erected upon that ground the first building in the town, and occupied it as a store- house, storing therein the supplies shipped up the Mississippi for the Chippewa lumber trade. Hudson died in 1843, and was buried not far from the present steamboat landing. John Campbell arrived here in 18-13, being sent out by the English government for the pur- pose of operating among the Indians against the French. Until 18-17 there was not a white resident in this part of Minnesota, except those connected with the Indians, either by blood or marriage. Mr. Charles R. Read canie here during the month of April of that year, and to him is due, to a great extent, the honor of inaugurating civilization in southern Minnesota. He came over from Nelson's Landing, where he had lived for three j-ears. He occupied, after his arrival, the land owned by Edward Hudson's widow, by lease, for a time, but finally purchased the ])roperty and became sole owner. The landing had been called Hudson's Landing. He built a house the same year, and lived under rather adverse circumstances until the DESCRIPTION. 617 Indian titles to the lands were settled. In 1851, just before the treaty was ratified which extinguished their title, some of ,the mixed bloods tried to get Mr. Read removed from the place, but, struggling on to overcome the boisterous discord, he remained, and soon other members of the white race clustered arouiid the fold. In the fall of 1851 Mr. F. S. Richards bought in and became a partner with Mr. Read in business. They established a trading house, and shipped goods and did commission business for the Chippewa lumber trade. The first steamboat that navigated the waters of the Chippewa was the Roller — Smith Harris, master — in 1852. Gov. William R. Marshall came here in the fall of 1852, and purchased an interest in the claim of and also an adjoining claim of John Campbell, upon which he erected a steam sawmill. This claim and the one occu- pied by Messrs. Read and Richards, is the present village site of Read's, which was laid out by the proprietors in 1856. Mr. T. B. Wilson, one of the present firm of Knapp, Stout & Co., came to the place about this time, and he and Mr. Richards built a block large enough for two stores, which were occupied by themselves for that purpose. Mr. F. A. Seavy put up a blacksmith-shop in 1854, and also a hotel, called the American House. A postofiice was estab- lished as'early as 1850, Mr. Read being the first postmaster. The village in earlier days was the scene of many battles between the Sioux and Chippewas, and bones and implements of war, and domestic utensils have been often found while plowing gardens and grading the streets. The location is a pleasant one, extending along under the bluifs for some distance, giving it the appearance of a village of one street. The road to Lake City winds up the bluff, just above the village, and, as the summit is reached, the gaze turns upon one of the finest landscapes of the Mississippi, and admiration is lost in wonder at the magnificent scene. The village of Read's is situated in the eastern part of the town. In 1856 it was recorded as the village of Pepin, being just at the foot of Lake Pepin, but it is known all over the state as Read's Landing. A charter was framed during the winter of 1867-8, and approved by the legislature March 5, when the site was detached from the town of Pepin and set off as the village of Read's. The first election was held April 2, 1868. In 1856 the county began to fill up rapidly with farmers from all parts east of the Mississippi ; and when we look at the location of Wabasha county and its beautiful situation for scenery, and adapta- 618 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTi'. tion to agricultural pursuits, it is not hard to comprehend why this was one of the first settled counties of the state. Lying on the western shore of Lake Pepin, with bold bluffs rising in majestic grandeur over its waters, with moderate climate, exhilarating atmosphere, and a soil whose productions are almost boundless, with its natural beauty of scenery, it is certainly one of the most favored localities in the state. The county was named in lionor of the celebrated chief by that name, of the Dakotah nation. The town of Greenfield remained an unbroken wild until the spring of 1854, when Messrs. Aaron and Levi Cook, Henry Amerl- land, Isaac Cole, Madison Wilds, J. W. Murphy, C. C. Stauff* and others took claims along the valley of the Zumbro. This valley extends from the Mississippi river, up the south side of the Znmbro about twelve miles, and is of fertile soil. It is commonly known as Cook's Yalle}', taking that name from the brothers Cook, who were among its first settlers. Cook's Valley postoffice was established in 1858, a schoolhouse built in 1857, and Miss Aurora Albertson taught the first four months' school during the winter of 1857-S. A church was built in 1861 by the Methodist society ; this church is in the upper part of the valley. During the fall of 1856 Hon. Thomas H. Ford, ex-governor of Ohio, and Judge Casey, of Penn- sylvania, visited this valley, and, being charmed by the prepossessing features of a claim owned by Timothy Enright, they purchased it at once, and laid out upon it a village-site, believing that it would develop itself in the building of a commercial city. This quarter section was situated upon the Mississippi, four miles below Waba- shaw. The location was indeed beautiful, it being an island in the delta of the Zumbro. The bluffs of the Mississippi are about four miles back of this point, and the surrounding country was level. This island for many years had been the general encampment of Wapashaw's band, and the proprietors of the village determined to name their city Tepeeotah, from the Indian tongue "teepee," mean- ing house, and "otah," many. They fully expected to see their city possess far greater dimensions than AVabashaw, which was then im.proving rapidly. A steam-sawmill was erected, in 1857, by D. Sinclaire & Co., and o])erations began in the spring of 1858. Mr. Theodore Adams became a joint proprietor of the town in 1857, and the company was known as Ford, Casey & Adams. Hancock Brothers built a store, and a goodly number of dwellings were erected, together with a hotel. But these business transactions came to a DESCRIPTION. 619 sudden close. It was found that boats could not land there except in high water, in consequence of the bar in the river, called Beef Slough bar, and which they thought would prove beneficial to them, to the detriment of Wabashaw, it being difficult for boats to pass it in low water. Then the hard times of 1857-8 came on, the pro- prietors became deeply involved, and the business of Tepecotah, laboring under these combined disadvantages, sank to nothing, and in March, 1859, a fire occurred which obliterated the young city and not a remnant of its greatness can now be traced. As the town site was laid out, the lands adjacent to it were considered very valuable, which excited envy in the minds of many. A person owning a claim at the north of the town died in the fall of 1856, and many endeavored to possess themselves of the claim. This led to much disturbance, a quarrel ensued which was called the "Tepee- otah war." Parties in Wabashaw claiming. to be creditors of the deceased tried to hold the claim, and, of course, met with strong opposition from the residents of Tepeeotah. A general combat ensued which resulted in hostilities that lasted for a year. In those early days law was of little avail, and several shots were fired, a man by the name of Polehemis being killed. The incendiarism before mentioned probably arose from this trouble. The fine site still remains, but the soil is sandy, and is not suflSciently fertile to be of value for farms. The business transactions of Greenfield at the present time are carried on at Kellog. A village called Pawse- lin was laid out in 1863 by Messrs. Johnson & Morgan, who thought they had discovered a clay from which the pottery by that name was manufactured. Like many other discoveries, it proved to be a myth, and their town did not increase in population until 1871, when the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Chicago road was built through here, and just at its junction with the Zumbro the village of Kellog was laid out adjoining, which entirely suspended Pawselin, and business centered there. A large grain elevator was erected, which added to its importance ; the postoffice was removed to Kellog, a Methodist church built, and two hotels. Many difficulties attended the early settlement of Greenfield, owing to a band of outlaws settling there. The leader of this band was one Dresser, Eufus Dresser. He settled upon a claim now owned by Mr. James Orr, and endeavored, by aid of his crew, to keep possession of the entire valley. Other parties taking claims. Dresser, or some one of his band, would declare ownership at once, a dispute would commence, and crime be the result. 620 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. A iniin by the name of George Hayes purchased a claim, and Alexander Beard, one of Dressers men, claimed ownership. Mr. Hayes, not willing to give up possession, employed a Mr. Wilds and others to remove Beard, who was building a log house. Dresser was then assisting him. Mr. Wilds, upon his arrival, ordered them both off the place. A quarrel arose upon this, which came to blows, and finally Dresser ordered Beard to shoot, which he did, shooting and mortally wounding Mr. Wilds, who died the same day. A warrant was issued, by a justice from Wabushaw, for their arrest, and sheriff Hui-d attempted to arrest them, but failed. A party from Wabasha met them at Tepeeotah that same night, among whom was A. A. Weston. They arrested and conveyed them to Wabashaw, where they were examined, and afterward conveyed to Stillwater, but, soon making their escape from there, they returned and boldly made their appearance at Wabasha. Beard was again arrested and confined, but escaped again and left the country. Mr. J. J. Stone was deputy sheriff at this time, and in attempting to arrest Dresser was shot at by Dresser's wife through the door. On the loth of February Mr. Weston was shot through the window of his house and died from the effect of the wound about three years after. Dresser was again arrested, but finally made his escape and left the country. It is supposed that this same band were instru- mental in the destruction of Tepeeotah by fire. Gi-eeufield is well watered and has a fair amount of timber. The Zumbro flows through the town from west to east, and discharges its waters into the Mississippi through three different mouths. The extent of the farming lands are fifteen thousand seven hundred and thirty-seven acres. Wabasha county possesses as good facilities for manufacturing pursuits as any county in Minnesota. The immense power at Minneapolis, of course, more than equals any other single power ; but tlie powers of the Zumbro and its tributaries are being rapidly develo])ed, and they are equal to propel as much machinery as any in Minnesota. The united forces of the four principal forks of this stream traverse the county through its entire length, a distance of about fifty miles. The two middle forks unite in the township of Oronoco, in Olm- sted county, forming one rapid stream, which winds its way for a distance of two miles and unites with the waters of the south branch, which it carries onward about two miles farther, and enters Wabasha WABASHA AND VICINITY. 621 county in the town of Mazeppa. The north branch also enters the county at this point, and flows a distance of about four miles, and discharges its waters in the main Zumbro very near the center of the town. From Mazeppa it finds its way eastward, forming the boundary line between Zumbro and Hyde Park, crossing the north- west corner of Oakwood and the southeast corner of West Albany, traversing the towns of Glasgow and Greenfield, and enters the Mississippi, receiving on its way tributary waters from smaller streams. The principal powers that are improved on this stream are at Mazeppa and Zumbro Falls. The French name of this river is Embarrass, so called from its many windings and turns, and difti- culty in following it to its several mouths. The Indians call it Waziouja. CHAPTER LYH. WABASHA AND VICINITY. A LARGE share of the early settlers of Wabasha were Canadian French, succeeded by a percentage of Irish and German Roman Catholics — good citizens and zealous Christians in their way, but not to be counted on when the claims of other sects are presented in the furtherance of religious enterprises, which, with the hardships at- tending new undertakings here, and the struggles of every one to provide for his own, made the prospect of establishing a Protestant church in Wabasha look rather discouraging. CHURCHES. In 1842 Father Ravoux, now of St. Paul, sent a log building from Mendt^ta to this place to be used as a chapel. The building was placed upon a raft and floated down the river, and set up on the point where Main street now terminates. This was the first build- ing for religious purposes ever erected in Wabasha. It was used for the purpose designed several years, but went finally into disuse as a church edifice in consequence of the irregularity of services, and was afterward used for secular purposes. The first paper printed in Wabasha was printed there, and a school was taught in it ; finally it succumbed to civilization, and today all traces of the "old church" are obliterated. 622 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. In 1849 a bill was passed organizing the territory of Minnesota, whose boundary on the west extended to the Missouri river, and at that time the whole region was little more than a vast wilderness. Mr. Alexis Bailly was at Wabasha and Messrs. Read and Rich- ards at Read's Landing, where they had a store. Mr. H. S. Allen, of Chippewa Falls, built a warehouse upon the levee during that year, and some years later added to it and opened a store therein in company with a Mr. Creamer. This was the first warehouse on the Mississippi from Prairie du Chien. The Indians were numer- ous, but very peaceable with the white people, but their enemies, the Chippewas, were often made to realize their hatred, and when some unfortunate Chippewa ventured so near as to lose his scalp, the Sioux would hold what they called a scalp dance. The last of these occurred in 185S, on the levee just below the American House, then kept by C. W. Wyman. In 1850 Congress constructed a militar}^ road from Wabasha to Mendota, costing five thousand dollars. The length of this road was sev^enty-five miles. The first recognized postmaster of Wabasha, was Mr. Alexis Bailly, and all mail matter, previous to his appointment in 1853, went to Read's Landing, where Mr. F. Richards had been appointed postmaster in 18-19 by the government. Previous to the establish- ment of the postofiice at Read's Landing the mail matter for this section of country was brought from La Crosse, sometimes by boat, more frequently, however, by voyageui-s or persons detailed for that purpose. The town of Wabasha was surveyed and laid out in 1855 by A. S. Hart, the proprietors being Messrs. Oliver Cratte, Joseph Buisson and Philo Stone. Mr. Shively, Mr. Amos Wheeler, Mr. Store and Mr. Murphy, agent for H. S. Allen & Co., Chippewa Falls, were the first American born settlers. Mr. Stone •was a native of Vermont, coming to this country in 1838. He engaged in hunting on the neutral grounds between the Sioux and Chippe- was, which being seldom visited b}^ either tribe, made most excel- lent ground for hunting. He was very brave, of a wiry, quick, impulsive temperament, and passed through many skirmishes in earlier times, always coming oft' the best man. His first wife was the daughter of Campbell G. Scott, by whom he had several chil- dren. She was an excellent housekeeper, and took great pride in their children. Two of the daughters still reside here. His second WABASHA AND YICINTrY. 623 wife was from Michigan, and they now reside on a farm in Polk county. He has a son and daughter by this second marriage. The location of Wabasha for beauty and scenery is unsurpassed by any on the Mississippi. The river at this point is broad and smooth, and forms north and eastern boundaries of the town, and also the dividing line between Wisconsin and Minnesota. It lies about two miles below the foot of Lake Pepin, and, until the lake opens in the spring, is the head of navigation. The warehouse erected by Mr. Allen at this place stood at the corner of Bridge and Levee streets, and remained a landmark until destroyed by fire in 1870. Mr. B. F. Hurd is also one of the early settlers, coming to the place in 1855. Lie erected the hotel known as the Hurd House in 1856, and is still proprietor of the same. The American Llouse, which stood on the corner of Pembroke and Levee streets, was erected also that year, and was the first hotel opened to the public. Destroyed by fire in 1868. Hancock brothers erected a grain ware- house in 1856, which was also destroyed by fire. In the summer ot 1857 Mr. Hiram Eogers, of Zanesville, Ohio, came to the place, and erected the third warehouse of the place, together with several dwellings. The county of Wabasha, as at present described on the state map, was organized in 1856, with Wabasha as the county seat. The history of Wabasha county is so closely connected with that of the city that it is given here under the same head. The first term of the district court was held by Judge Thomas Wilson in Septem- ber, 1857, and the building used for that purpose was the large warehouse erected that year across the slough by Mr. Lowrey, of New York city. John McKee and S. L. Campbell were the first lawyers who settled in the place. The first newspaper published in the county was the ' ' Wabashaw Journal, " conducted by Mr. H. J. Sanderson, making its first appearance on the 4th of July, 1856. It remained under his control some two years, when it passed into the hands of S. S. Burleson, Esq., of l^orth Pepin, who changed its name to the "Minnesota Patriot"; its politics were democratic. After a few months Burleson sold out to H. C. Simpson, wlio changed the name to the "Journal " again. In 1860 Mr. Simpson took Mr. G. W. Marsh in connection with him, and the "Journal " became a republican paper under the campaign which elected Abraham Lincoln to the presidency. G2-i HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. The " Herald" was first issued at Read's Landing in May, 1857, by tlie brothers T. A. and W. C. McM aster, and was a neat seven- column paper, and republican in politics. After its first issue the two senior brothers were drowned by the upsetting of a sailboat, Ma}-- 12, and the "Herald" did not appear again until September, when Mr. JST. E. Stevens, of the "Watertown (Wisconsin) "Chronicle" issued the paper as "The Wabasha County Herald," and published it at that place until 1800, when the office was removed to Wabasha, displacing the "Journal," which was removed to Lake City by Mr. Simpson. Mr. Stevens continued the publication of the "Herald" until 1802, when IT, B. Shaver purchased the subscription list, and on the 6th of July commenced its publication with entire new material, the old presses and types being withdrawn by Mr. Stevens. In 1863 Mr, R. H, Coi3eland, of the "Alma Journal," purchased a half interest in the paper, which continued until January, 1864, when he severed the connection and enlisted in the United States army. In July, 1865, the "Herald" was published by E. W. Gurley, who associated with him Mr. Frank Daggett, Mr. Daggett finally purchasing his partner's interest. Soon after he associated with him Mr. H. W. Rose, and the new firm worked up the credit of the paper to a high degree of usefulness. Mr, Daggett withdrew in January, 1868, and Mr, Rose remained in charge until his death in April following. Mr, Daggett again purchased the "Herald" and published it until 1871, when it was purchased by Amasa Sharpe, who continued its publication until 1874, when it passed into the hands of W, S. Walton, who remained in charge until April, 1881, when Mr, O. S. Collier purchased all interests and continues in charge at the present time. Read's Landing was for a time a place of some note, and a good healthy business was done there for several years, owing to its posi- tion at the foot of Lake Pepin, and confluence of the Chippewa river with the Mississippi ; but the advent of railroads destroyed its importance, while Wabasha has gradually increased in population, manufactures and wealth. Being recognized as the county seat, a small jail was erected in the spring of 1858, and during the summer of that year a stone schoolhouse was erected. It proved to be too far away to accommodate the needs of the town, and in 1860 the county purchased it for court-house and county offices, a building of wood being put up in another part of the town for school purposes, which was occupied for the same until the fiill of 1869, when the beautiful brick structure now occupied was completed. WABASHA AND VICmiTY. 625 Wabasha was incorporated as a city in 1858, its first mayor being Capt. W. W. Wright; Carlos W. Lyon, recorder; Charles Webb, city justice ; Lyman M. Gregg, marshal ; S. N. Wright, city treasurer ; D, W. Wellman, surveyor ; John K. Murdock, city attorney ; and the official paper, the " Minnesota Patriot." Its first aldermen were John B. Downer, William B. Lutz and W. W. Prindle. The act of incorporation consisted of seven chapters, the first relating to city boundaries, which were as follows : Sec. 2. Terri- tory within the following boundaries and limits shall constitute the city of Wabasha, namely, beginning at a point in the Mississippi river on the dividing line between Wisconsin and Minnesota, at the mouth of a small creek, called Smith's creek, between Wabasha and Reed's Landing ; thence up said creek to the west line of town- ship 111, range 10 ; thence along said township line to the south- west corner of section 6, in township 110, range 10 ; thence along the south line of sections 6, 5 and 4, of township 110, range 10, to the southeast corner of said section 4 ; thence north along the east line of said section 4, township 110, range 10, and section 33, town- ship 111, range 10, to the Wisconsin line ; thence along the Wis- consin line up to the place of beginning. The second chapter relates to the election of officers and vacancies ; the third, to the powers and duties of officers ; the fourth, to the city council, its powers and duties ; the fifth, to taxes, manner of assessment, levy- ing and collecting ; the sixth, to the opening of streets, lanes, etc. ; the seventh, to miscellaneous provisions. Nothing could argue so well for the character of our first settlers as the early erection of places of worship. Man is eminently a religious being, and, though often departing from the immutable principles of right, his loftiest aspirations, his finest feelings and sublimest conceptions have their foundation in, and are most inti- mately connected with, his religious nature ; for without religious cul- ture his whole life is a moral waste, a desert, unrelieved by a single green spot of virtue and high-toned thought or aspiration. In the autumn of 1858 two churches were erected in the place, the first completed being a Baptist church, the society having been organized the spring previous. The second was Congregational, which society was organized in February, 1856, the original members being deacon Oliver Pendleton, Mrs. W. W. Prindle, Mrs. W. Hancock, Mal- colm Kennedy, W. S. Jackson and Mrs. H. Wilson; Rev. S. 37 626 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Morgan, missionary director. This was properly the first church society organized in the phice. As before stated, Kev. Father Eavoiix had built a log house, in which to hold religious services, but this was before Wabasha had been considered a town, and his principal members were of the French and mixed blood population. The lirst settled pastor of the Congregational church was the Kev. S. L. Hillier, who commenced his ministry May 1, 1S57. Mr. Hillier was succeeded by Rev. David Andrews, October 15, 1858, and he by Rev. J. Doane, August 27, 1860. Mr. Doane was succeeded by Rev. L. N. Woodruff, September 16, 1862, and he by Rev. Edward Ilildreth, April 19, 1866 ; Mr. Hildreth by Rev. Henry Loomis, October 1, 1868. Rev. C. W. Honeyman succeeded Mr. Loomis in 1871, and Rev. O. Hobbs ofhciated from January 14, 187'4, to April 2, 187-1, when he was succeeded by E. W. Weeks. Mr. Weeks by Rev. J. T. Todd, :N^ovember 3, 1875, and Mr. Todd by Rev, J. W. Ray, April 4, 1877, who continued his pastoral care until October 1, 1882, when he was succeeded by Rev. C. P. Watson, the present incumbent. This congregation erected a beautiful parsonage on the church grounds in 1872. The first and only pastor of the Baptist society was the Rev. James Wharton, from Ohio. A bell was purchased by the citizens for this church during the winter of 1858, and hung in its belfry, being the first to ring out the glad tidings of salvation to willing ears in the place or county. As the old church had gone to decay, a new Catholic church was erected in the spring of 1858 by Rev. Father Tissott, which in 1874 was succeeded by a new and elegant brick under the direction of the Rev. Father Trobex. An Episcopal congregation was organized in 1859, and in 1865 they purchased the Baptist house, removing it to another block, under the pastoral care of Rev. H. G. Batterson, and have occupied the same until the present time, erecting a commodious rectory upon the same grounds in 1869. A Methodist chapel was erected in 1860, and the four last-men- tioned churches have been sustained, the Roman Catholic element, however, being much the strongest, both in town and county. The building given to the county for a court-house has been added to and improved greatly, and in 1872 a large and substantial brick building was erected just in the rear, for jail and residence of sheriff. The city was first platted in 1854, south Wabasha being added WABASHA AND VICINITY. 627 in 1855. Since that time the county has advanced with rapid prog- ress, and when we compare its present civilization with its barbarous existence previous to that time, it ahnost seems that the wand of magic has passed over the land, changing the hunting-grounds of the savage into cultivated farms and homes. Being located in part upon what was called "the half-breed tract," much trouble was ex- perienced both in town and county by the first settlers in obtaining good titles to their land. These were finally adjusted by the gov- ernment, and Wabasha county has become one of the most prosper- ous counties of the state, with a most intelligent and enterprising population. The city charter was revised during the winter of 1868-9, which revision divided the city into two wards, with two aldermen elected in each ward, who held their office two years. The city recorder is elected for one year. In the spring of 1857 a new company was organized and the town site greatly enlarged by the platting of one thousand acres on the west side of the slough which divided the plateau from the original site. This company consisted of Messrs, S. P. Gambia, B. W. Brisbois, S. L. Campbell, Tho. A. Tomlinson, H. M. Kice, Gen. Shields, Oliver Cratte and Philo Stone ; Hon. S. L. Campbell, trustee. A large warehouse was erected on that side by Mr. Lowry, of New York city, and the foundation of an extensive hotel was laid, and the prospect was flat- tering for the growth of the city on that side. But the terrible convulsions in the financial world which commenced this year came with crushing effect upon the young city, and discouraged both pro- prietors and people. Immigration fell off, and business of all kinds sufiered exceedingly. In consequence, that part of the city was given up and the land divided among the proprietors in 1860 ; yet the city proper continued to increase in population slowly until 1871, when the river branch of the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Milwaukee railroad was completed, and Wabasha rejoiced in its first railroad. The mail facilities until 1856 had been very irregular, but in that year arrangements were made with the boats to carry the mails, and a triweekly mail was the consequence during the summer, and in winter they were can-ied by private enterprise. In the spring of 1857 the boats brought a daily mail, and Mr. H. C. Burbank put on a line of stages that fall from St, Paul to La Crosse, carrying the mails as well as passengers, thus affording a daily mail both up and down the river. In 1858 the name of the postoffice was changed to "Wabasha," leaving off the final "w" as superfluous, at the sugges- 628 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. tion of some of tlie citizens, so that the original Indian name of Wapashaw, like that of many other towns, has become extinct. To our taste, the original spelling and pronimciation of these names and ])laces and rivers is far more liquid and musical than the modernized, and most of them should have been perpetuated. Like many other new counties where rival towns are springing up, the question soon arose for the removal of the county seat. Plainview had aspirations that way, and Lake City had assumed a high position, and parties there were ambitious that it should become the shire town, and laid their plans for its removal to that place. A vote of the county was taken in 1860 upon the pro])osed removal, which resulted in favor of Wabasha ; the people of Lake City not being satisfied with that result, a bill was introduced in the legislature in 1867-8, which passed both houses, again allowing the people to vote upon the question. The feeling of rivalry was very strong between the two towns as election day approached, and voters were sought for, far and near ; but by dint of hard work "Wabasha again succeeded in securing the most votes, four thousand and fifty-two being polled for that location, while Lake City had three thousand and thirteen. Some people thinking there was irregularity in these votes, brought the matter before the courts, and the supreme court finally decided in favor of AVabasha, where the matter still rests. The first agricultural fair of the county was held in September, 1859, across the slough, in the building erected for a waiX'house, which building, in 1864, was removed to this side the slough and occupied as a grain elevator until it was consumed b}' fire April 3, 1883. Mr. S. L. Campbell was president of the association, Mr. H. C. Simpson, secretary. Address delivered by S. L. Campbell, Esq. A company was organized at one time for the improvement of the Zumbro.* This was to be done by bringing its waters along the base of the bluffs, a distance of some five miles, in a canal running in what is now called the slough, which would furnish an immense water-power. The enterprise seemed to be of great importance, but lor want of capital to carry forward the work it has been abandoned. *The early French explorers named the Zumbro river La riviere des Embarras, which means " the embarrassed river." The early American settlers could not pronounce the word " Embarras," so they got it as near as they could and called it " Zumbro," by which name it is now known. WABASHA AND VICINITY. 629 In 1858 determined efforts were made to build a road across the island bottoms, just opposite the city, to the bluffs, in order to secure the trade from that side of the river. Much labor and money were expended, but owing to the crash in the financial world it became a failure, and the ferry and ferry-boat succeeded the effort in 1862. As the county improved Wabasha became a good market for wheat and all other productions of the farmers. In 1865 a large grain elevator was erected on the levee, and occupied by H. W. Holmes & Co. , and about this time a steam flouring-mill was erected by A. G. Remendino on the corner of Bridge and Third streets, which passed into the hands of F. Klinge. Destroyed by fire in 1868. In 1870 a machine-shop and foundry was started by Mr. Lowth, who also, in connection with J. B. Downer, erected the stone flouring-mill now in operation. Messrs. Ingraham, Kennedy and Gill erected a planing-raill in 1871, and opened up a lumber- yard corner of Second and Alleghany streets, reaching to Bridge in the fall of the same year. The first lumber-yard of the place and county was opened in 1851 by H. S. Allen & Co., of Chippewa Falls, on Levee street between what is now Bridge and Alleghany streets. The pioneer hardware establishment of Wabasha was opened by Joshua Egbert in the summer of 1857. Mr. Egbert sold out to Jewell and Duganne in 1868, Duganne retiring in 1869. The busi- ness continued for some years under the name of Jewell & Son ; in the autumn of 1882 Mr. Jewell sold out all interest to H. B. Jewell and Julius Schmidt, which firm still continues the business. About a mile above the city, on the bank of the river, the city has located a lovely spot, consisting of about fifteen acres of land, as the final resting-place of the weary, when the higher, nobler part shall have winged its way to the beautiful land, which all anticipate and hope for, yet from which no traveler returns. Riverview cemetery truly is one of the beautiful places where Streameth down the moonlight On cliff and glen and wave, Descending ever softest, On a little grassy grave. And where " With tenderest effulgence, a tide of pallid gold Down issues, brightly bathing the marble and the mould." In the fall of 1868 a club was organized with forty-two members, the object being to invite and develop literary culture, build up a circulating library, and establish a place -vThere all could spend (530 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. their leisure time profitably. The club rented a hall and furnished it neatly, supplied the table with the daily papers of the state, together with most of the popular magazines and leading literary journals, and filled the shelves of the room with a select number of books. They also furnished facilities for all and various drawing- room games. This club consisted of the best society of the place, both ladies and gentlemen. Its managers, however, were gentle- men. During the winter of 1870-1 the interest in the club seemed to be on the wane, and fears were entertained that this good begin- ning might have to be abandoned. But the ladies decided that it should not be a failure, and they took the library oft' the hands of the gentlemen entirely, reorganizing under the name of the "Ladies' Library Association," which has been sustained by efforts of the ladies wholly, and is still in a very flourishing condition, there being, at the present date, some sixteen hundred volumes. Messrs. Luger brothers in 1876 erected a large furniture factory on Bridge street, on the site of the flouring-mill before mentioned, and the business supplies the trade here and a large branch house in Fargo, and other points of the northwest. The manufacturing interests of Wabasha are improving ; the natural facilities being great, capital only is required to perfect what nature has so liberally provided for. In the autumn of 1871 the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Chicago railroad was com]ileted, passing through Wabasha on the west side, which event was hailed with great rejoicing. In 1878 the Minne- sota Midland was projected and completed as far as Zumbrota, start- ing from Wabasha ; since which event the place has seemed to receive new im})etus, and its business has increased nearly one-half. The Lake Superior & Chippewa Yalley was completed to this point in July, 1882, crossing the Mississippi between this place and Read's Landing, and intersecting the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Chicago road at their depot, giving Wabasha some prominence as a railroad center, creating great hopes again of its growth in wealth and population. The business of the city has ever been transacted on a safe basis, and after struggling through continued hardships with untiring perseverance, it now looks as though Wabasha had a grand future before it. The first meat-market in the place was kept by S. Demary. There are now three. Misses Kate and Winifred Redmond were WABASHA AND VICINITY. 631 the first milliners and dressmakers here. That line of business has improved and increased greatly also. The first banking house in Wabasha was instituted by H. Rogers and son, from Zanesville, Ohio, in the summer of 1857. This did not continue long, however, owing to the financial crisis of 1857-8, and Mr. Rogers removed to St. Paul in 1859. In 1861 Mr. N. r. Webb opened a bank on Main street, which continued in business until the autumn of 1870. Messrs. Southworth and Florer in 1871 established a bank, which will be fully treated of in the his- tory of the town ; changed managers in 1882, and is now known as the bank of Wabasha ; directors, A. D. Southworth, J. G. Law- rence, L. S. Van Yleit, C. F. Young, H. P. Krick, C. F. Rogers, Lucas Kuehn. The first physician to settle in the town was Dr. F. H. Milligan, who came in 1853. He married a daughter of Mr. Alexis Bailly, and settled here soon after. Dr. William L. Lincoln was the next, coming here in July, 1857. There was a young lawyer here by the name of John McKee, when the town was organized, of marked ability, but intemperance fastened her fangs upon him and he died in 1857 from the effect of her seductions. Death has claimed many of our prominent and esteemed pioneers. C. W. Lyon, W. W. McDougall, Charles Wyman, Dea Oliver Pendleton, W. W. Prindle, W. S. Jackson, whose places here have not yet been filled. Mr. Francis Talbot, the last of the pioneer fur traders, came here in 1863 with letters of introduction to Mr. Bailly, from his friend, John H. Kinzie, of Chicago, with whom Mr. Talbot was connected at an early day. The first white child born in Wabasha was Charles, son of B. S. Hurd, on the 14th of May, 1855. A steam planing and saw mill were erected on the east bank of slough at the foot of Fourth street in 1856, by Mr. L. Clapp. This mill did a good busi- ness until the financial crash of 1857, when it succumbed gracefully to the pressure. Philo Stone in 1850 erected the dwelling on Levee street after- ward owned and occupied by Dea Oliver Pendleton until his death in June, 1875. A building on the levee, just above the present residence of Mr. W. T. Duganne, was erected in 1853 by a river pilot, whose name was Harold, and it was kept as a boarding-house, known as Harold's Exchange. Destroyed by fire in 1858. It seems like magic that in so brief a period of time the Indian titles to forty millions of acres of land, broad and beautiful, should 632 HISTOKY OF WABASHA COUNl'Y. have been made to blossom as the rose, and that the keen-eyed enterprise of the American people should have accomplished so much as has been done in a quarter of a century, and the fabled magic of the eastern tale that renewed a palace in a single night, can only parallel the reality of this. Minnesota was admitted to the union in 1858, since which time the blankets and painted faces of the red man have entirely disappeared, together with the moccasins and red sashes of the French voyageur and half-breeds, while civili- zation, with its thousand arms, has advanced in their stead with resistless and beneiicent empire ; and now arts, manufactures and science equal those of any state in the union, while steam on the water, steam on the land, is almost unjiaralleled. Immigration from the Atlantic and European states is rapidly developing the almost unsearchable riches of the lands, while the immense line of rail- roads, when completed, will bring the Atlantic and Pacific coasts in direct communication with the great markets of the world. In the preceding pages reference has been made to most, per- haps to all, of the subjects of these sketches who have been pro- minent actors in some department, and further notice may seem like repetition ; but as the object in view is to pay tribute where it is due, I trust the reader will pardon the iteration. Messrs. E-ocque and Buisson were of French descent, and their children and descendants still remain in Wabasha. Augustin Eocque built the first house in this vicinity in 1830, and Duncan Campbell was the next to build, and on the same side of the slough. Oliver Cratte was sent here in 1838, and he built the first house on the present site of the city. Mr. Rocque died in 1856, and, at his own request, lies buried upon the top, and just on the verge of the highest bluflr' overlooking the town, with no stone or epitaph to mark his resting-place, other tlian the silent grandeur of the scene. His son, Joseph Rocque, was ac- counted the greatest hunter of his time, and was so fleet on foot, that one time upon a wager he ran down a deer and drove it into camp. At another time he carried dispatches on foot from Fort Snelling to this place, a distance of ninety miles, from sun to sun. The governor fearing he would not be able to make the trip, sent a man on horseback after him ; but Rocque left man and horse on the prairie, and distanced both. He was perfectly familiar with the country, having traversed it many times in company with Indians and voyageurs, and understood the shortest route, which he took, and so executed his mission in due time. Another son, Baptiste, acted WABASHA AND VICINITY. 633 as scout for Gen. Sibley during the Indian outbreak of 1862. Men- dota at that time was called St. Peters. Nearly all the old French traders married Sioux wives, and the government set apart four hun- dred and fifty square miles for the benefit of the so called half-breed children. In 1857 these half-breeds received four hundred and eighty acres of land scrip from the government in place of their re- served land, and several old French settlers at Wabasha received scrip for their wives and children. Duncan and Scott Campbell received about twenty-three scrips ; Mr. Cratte had nine ; Mr. Alexis Baily, seven. The Campbells were men of Scotch parentage, and both were well known at all the different posts and among various tribes. Dur.can Campbell was killed in a duel near Mackinac, with one Crawford, a brother of the agent of the Korthwest Fur Company. Campbell was an independent trader in opposition to the Northwest Company. Nelson's Landing was a trading post on the Wisconsin side of the river. At one time, a war party of Chippewas, numbering about one hundred and fifty, came down to the Mississippi, and stopped at the Landing. This was in 1853. They threatened the village, and just as they made their appearance on the river bank a Sioux Indian was seen coming down the river in his canoe. On see- ing his enemies so close to him, he threw himself over in the water, and holding his canoe with the left hand swam ashore, the canoe serving him as a shelter from the bullets of his enemies, although completely riddled by them. But "Oregon'- (so he was called by the wliites), managed his bark so as to reach the Minnesota side without being wounded, and as soon as upon land he gave the war- whoop common to his tribe, which was soon answered by scores of his friends, and the Chippewas were glad to retreat without even a scalp. A short time before, a treaty of peace had been perfected between the Chippewas and Wapashaws band, which was ratified by all the principal men of the band, and everything seemed quiet. But the Redwing band either did not know of the treaty or ignored it wholly, and made raid upon the Chippewas, which renewed hosti- lities at once. When the writer of these annals first came to Wabasha, in the spring of 1857, the teepee of the Indian was to be seen in every direction, and the dusky form of the savage might be ex-^Dected to walk in upon you, or be seen peering curiously at you through the window at any time. L^sually they wanted food or "coshpop" (the Indian term for ten cents), begging being one. of their strong charac- 634 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. teristics. Just below the liouse in wliich we lived stood a little copse of wood, where tlie death-song of the ''poor Indian" was heard many times when he thouglit himself dying ; the "fire-water" of the white man proving too much for him. He would get thus far on his way back to the teepee, lie down, as he thought, to die, and then tiie terrible wail would begin and continue until the poor fellow was overcome and dead-drunken sleep drowned all sensibilities. Their dances, too, were very frequent and dreadfully hideous, yet a])parently enjoyed with all the zest their benighted brains and energies could desire. Their medicine and war-dances were the most frequent ; they had also a snake-dance, which took in all the serpentine antics and hisses, while the monotonous beatings of their drums was most unearthly. Sitting at our dinner-table one day, We were startled by the door being opened suddenly and five dusky faces, one above the other, peering in at us, the last one with face ])ainted black and red, with mischief-gleaming eyes and two feathers in his hair. Our eldest son, who, in a short time, had caught much of the Sioux language, upon seeing the last face, jumped up and accosted him with, "Now, Dick, what does all this mean \ " "Indian hungry," was the reply. "But why are you here with that face?" "Dick dandy," he replied, and it appeared that he had painted and dressed himself in those habiliments for our especial benefit. The Indian was known ever after as " Dandy Dick." In the raid upon the whites, in 1862, Dandy Dick came to grief as one of the marauders, although pro- testing his innocence and pleading hard for life. He was finally removed, with many others, to the San tee agency, Nebraska. Among those banished to that reservation at that time was the old and faithful Sioux, Ta-mah-haw, who had been a friend to the United States all his life. He was familiarly known as "the one- eyed Sioux," and Lieut. Pike speaks of him as "my friend " in his journal, and also says he was a war chief, and that he gave him his "father's tomahawk," In the table of the appendix of this journal he is set down as belonging to the MedaywokantVans ; he was also called "the Bourgne'' (French for one eye), but his Dahkota name was Ta-mah-haw, his French name was "L'Orignal Leve," and his English, "The Rising Moose." He was born ?i.t Prairie Ausc Ailes (Winona), and in his younger days was noted for his intel- ligence, daring and activity. During a game in boyhood one eye was accidentally destroyed, giving him the peculiarity by which he WABASHA AND VICINITY. 635 was always known. In person, he was tall and of fine appearance, muscular and active even to the day of his death. During the war of 1812 he rendered most valuable service to the American cause. Gen. Clark, of St. Louis, employed him as scout and messenger, and, with one exception, he was the only Sioux who remained friendly to us during that contest. This other was Hay-pie-dam, who belonged to the band of Wakuta. Col. Dickson, the British leader, once had him arrested at Prairie du Cliien and threatened him with death, but Ta-mah-haw bravely and firmly refused to betray his cause. Gen. Clark esteemed his services highly, and on May 6, 1814 (sixty-nine years today) gave him a commission as chief of the Sioux nation, together with a captain's uniform and medal. He carefully kept and treasured this commission and shows it with genuine pride to every new comer. Most of the early settlers are familiar with his characteristics, always wearing a high-crowned hat, and often appearing in an oflicer's blue swallow-tailed coat and epaulets, given him by Gov. Clark. He was remarkable among the Sioux, and it was his highest pride and boast that he was the only American in his tribe. He deserved, on this account, to receive from the government authorities special consideration ; yet he was suffered to go away in banishment from his old friends the white men, which grieved him so much that he died_ in a few months. In the Dahkota tongue Ta-mah-haw means " pike. " He was given that name by his band, undoubtedly on account of friend- ship for and intimacy with Lieut. Pike. It may be thought that too much pains has been taken to eluci- date the history of this man, but he was more than an ordinary Indian, and his personal friendship for Lieut. Pike, of whom he delighted to talk, and his devotion to the American cause, justly attaches to his history more than ordinary notice. Old Wapashaw, the grandfather of the present chief who bears his name, was the man of his time, and tradition has preserved the name of no braver, greater man than he. He was the leading hereditary chief of the People of the Lakes, and in all tribal affairs his word was law, not only with his own particular band, but with all those belonging to the same division. At one time he went to Quebec to settle some trouble in relation to a murder which had been committed, and there he represented the Dahkotahs as living in seven bands, with as many chiefs, of whom he was one. He there received for them seven medals, one being hung around his own 636 HISTORY OF WABASHA COimTY. neck, and the remainder to be given one to each chief of the other bands. Wapashaw died far away from his home on the Hoka river, and, it is said, the father of Wakuta was the physician who attended him in his last illness. The Dakotahs will never forget the name of Wapashaw, 'and their affections cluster around and cling to this place from very reverence to his memory. I copy from the "Wabasha Herald" the particulars of an inter- view with Wakuta, the last Sioux chief who dwelt on the Mississippi, and who is said to have possessed one of the medals given Wapa- shaw at the time of liis visit to Quebec: "A few days since we had the pleasure of looking at a few old relics in the shape of parchments, commissions, treaties, etc., which privilege was granted us by an old Indian chief, Wakuta by name, at present located at the Santee reservation in Nebraska with his tribe, and who is pay- ing his old friends and acquaintances here a visit. The first docu- ment shown us was a commission to Tatangamanie, or "Walking Bufialo," appointing him as grand chief of the Gens de Lac Nation (Men of the Lakes), and signed by James Wilkinson, com- mander-in-chief of the army of the United States and governor of the territory of Louisiana and superintendent of the Indian affairs, indorsed as follows : "Given under my hand and seal of arms, at St. Louis, this 27th day of May, in the year of our Lord one thou- sand eight hundred and six, and of the independence of the United States of America the twentieth." Signed by>i'his excellencie's command, James Wilkinson." Also another, bearing date August 26, 1812, appointing Walking Buffalo as first chief of the Mende- wacouton band, which constituted all the Sioux on the Mississippi river ; also another, appointing Walking Bufialo chief of the Tribes of the Lakes, signed by Wm. Clark, governor of Missouri, bearing date July 29, 1815. He had another document, a treaty of peace, signed at St. Louis in 1815 by the following chiefs and commission- ers : Wm. Clark, Marian Edwards and Aug. Choteau, commission- ers, and Tatangamanie, the "Walking Bufialo"; Hai-saw-nee, "The Horn"; A-am-pa-ha, "The Speaker"; Na-ru-sa-ga-to, "The Hard Stone"; Hai-ba-had, "The Rounding Horn," chiefs. These papers are in a good state of ]3reservation, and the one bearing date of 1806, is written in both English and French, while the others are all in English. From these papers it appears that Walking Buffalo was grand chief of the Gens du Lac Nation (People of the Lake), and also chief of the Men-da-wa-con-ton band, which WABASHA AND VICINITY. 637 included all the Sioux of the Mississippi river. The documents were handed down by Walking Bufialo to his brother, Wakuta, the "Eed Wing," who in turn gave them into the possession of his son, the present chief, who is seventy years old at this time. The domain of the Tribe of the Lake Band extended from Bead's Landing to Red Wing, and the domain of AVapasha extended from the same point to the mouth of the Black river. ^ Although Wakuta spoke in the Sioux language, we were able to glean a good many interesting facts from him through his nephew, Jos. Carron, and only regret that our education in that language was neglected in our early days ; that deprived us of a further research. Although seventy years old, Wakuta does not appear to be over fort3^ On showing him a specimen of a stone axe claimed by many to be of the stone age, he said that the Indians used it for almost every- thing in their every-day life. On handing him a piece of pottery that was supposed to be the handiwork of the mound builders, he immediately recognized it as a part of an Indian cooking utensil. This was handed him for the purpose of finding out whether he knew anything of such a race, and upon being questioned, said many years ago, which he counted by the five or six hundred, there was a nation of people (he called them Indians) that lived in what is now known as Indians mounds, and instead of burialplaces they were their habitations. This race, he says, disappeared when his people came, and thinks they were either killed or driven off. He also said that when the present Indians came to this land, there were a couple of houses standing near the present town of Stockholm, Wisconsin, on Lake Pepin, which he thinks must have been built by the French voyageurs. The old chief has been over nearly the whole of the United States, and immediately recognized a bird's-eye view of the city of New York, and laid another as a scene on the Hudson. From our limited " talk " we judge that he was " well read," as they say in the United States, and was well informed of the events of his time, and had stowed away many traditions of the nation and country he represented, of which the modern historical researcher would gladly avail himself. An incident on Lake Pepin is also given in the shape of a fish story— an old Indian story told and handed down from time to time — that a catfish was caught in the lake that measured the length of seven bows between the eyes. An Indian bow being, say, about three feet in length, would make the fish some twenty-one feet 638 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. between the eyes, wliich makes a ])retty large fish story, and should be placed side by side with the sea-serpent stories of the east. As fishy as it may seem, they tell it as a fact, and all give the same version. At the date of this writing Wakuta is dead, having died at the Santee agency. Their old cani])ing-ground at this place was very dear to them, and they would return at times to visit their friends and relatives among the half-breeds who still remain here, and upon what is called the " Grand Encam])ment," five miles below on the river. It was given that name by the old French voyageurs who made it a point to camp there on their way up and down the river. Tee])eeotah, as remarked in a former chapter, is situated on this encampment. In the preceding chapters it has been shown that Wabasha justly lays claim to being the oldest town on the Mississippi from Prairie du Chien to Fort Snelling and Mendota, and that its position has ever been an important one. Situated, as it is, just below the mouth of the Chippewa river, it has been the rendezvous for all the lumber rafted down that river, and from this place to the great markets below, ever since the manufacture of lumber began from the pineries above. The lumber, after coming out of the Chippewa, is rerafted at this point and sent down the river, and now much of it goes farther west by means of the railroad communication with other points. The Midland road intersects the Northwestern at Zumbrota, and the prospect is that the road will be continued to Austin, and thus direct transportation be opened from the great lumber manu. factories themselves to Omaha and other points west. A goodly number of smart, enterprising villages have sprung up along the line of the Midland, the first being Glasgow, then McCrackens, at which point there is a never-failing spring of pure water, Theilmen. ton, Tracey, Keegan, Millville, Jarrett, Hammond, Funk, Zumbro Falls, Mazeppa, Forest Mills, Zumbrota. All these stations are of considerable importance as shipping points, and several possess extensive grain elevators ; and all these are tributary to Wabasha. With these and many other advantages the city of Wabasha undoubtedly has a grand future before it. Stillwater claims to have been the first settled town in the state, which is a mistake. That city was first settled in 1843, and Wabasha dates back to 1838 and 1841, being christened "Wabashaw" in 1843. For beauty of loca- tion Wabasha is unexcelled, and the sunset from the place is most enchanting. Just at the outlet of Lake Pepin the river makes a WABASHA AND VICINITY. 639 bend, which from this point seems to bring the bluffs of AVisconsin and Minnesota very close together, leaving just space enough to see the sun in all its glory as it sinks to rest in the placid waters of the lake, and its last rays light up the bluffs on either side with a golden radiance that fills the heart with rapture at the beautiful scene. It is in the month of June especially charming, and would quite repay a little journey to the place by any lover of beautiful scenery, just to have one look at this enchanting sunset. More than a century ago traveling fur traders would ascend the Mississippi for the purpose of trading with the Indians and obtaining valuable furs, of which they usually had an abundance, their head- quarters being at Prairie du Chien. Mention has been made of some of these traders, and it seems fitting that this work should give some notice of some of the most prominent of these, particularly those who at times have either lived here or transacted business with others who did. A sketch has been given of Mr. J. B, Faribault, and it seems most fitting to introduce just here a sketch of his son- in-law, Mr. Alexis Bailly, as he figured largely in the early history of the place. Most of the pioneers of Minnesota, as a class, have been men superior in morality, intelligence and education to those of the pioneers of the earlier territories, and they have left their impress upon town and state. Many of them were attracted to this wild region from the love of adventure, or of the chase, there being just enough danger always to give zest to frontier life, more than mere love of gain ; yet the}^ were by no means free from the frailties and vices of poor human nature, and were not especially given to respect law, especially when it favored the speculator at the expense of the settler. Mr. Bailly was born at St. Josephs, near the shore of Lake Michigan, but received his education at Montreal. When about nineteen he came to Mackinaw as clerk for the American Fur Com- pany, and remained there some two years. In 1826 he was em- ployed by the company to drive some cattle to the, Red River of the North, and he, with eight others, made the trip on foot, leaving Mackinaw the middle of May, reaching their destination late in "October. Upon their return they lost their way, going between two and three hundred miles to the west, striking the shed waters of the St. Peters river (now Minnesota) instead of those of the Sauk, as they had intended. They endured almost untold hardships, going several days without any food, except a few kernels of dry corn, but 640 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. finallj succeeded in reaching Prairie dii Chien without loss of life. Mr. Bailly was a man of fine business habits, and was an intelligent and very genial companion. He was married twice, his tirst wife being the daughter of J. B. Faribault, who died in Wabasha. Sev- eral years after, he married, at St. Paul, a Miss Julia Corey, of Cooperstown, New York, who is still living here. At the time Mr. Bailly engaged with the fur company the wages of a good clerk was two hundred dollars per annum ; that of an inter])reter, one hundred and iifty dollars, and common laborers or voyageurs, as they were called, was one hundred dollars, with rations, which rations were of the simplest kind. The articles principally used in the trade with the Indians were blankets, calicoes, cloths, tobacco and cheiip jewelry, including wampum^ which served in lieu of money as a basis of exchange. During the winters the traders and their men ensconced themselves in their warm log-cabins, but in the spring it was required of them to visit the various Indian camps and secure the furs and peltries collected by the savages in their hunts. Goods were always paid for on delivery, and never given on credit. Mr. Bailly commenced trading on his own account at Prairie du Chien in 1828, but removed to St. Peters (now Mendota) in 1835, and subsequently opened a store in St. Paul. Not meeting with the success he desired he removed to Wabasha, where he remained until his death in June, 1861. Mr. Bailly figured largely in the interests of the county, and did much to settle the difficulties in relation to the half-breed tract, and his eldest son, Alexis P. Bailly was the first register of deeds of the county. His second son, Capt. H. Bailly, was killed in the rebellion, at the battle of Lookout Mountain. Mr. Bailly was the first civil officer in the county, being ap- pointed justice of the peace, after the town ot Wabasha was organ- ized, by the governor. He was at one time associated with N. W. Kittstm in business, they holding trading-posts in different localities. Mr. Wm. H. Forbes, a brother-in-law of Mr. Bailly's, came to Minnesota as Indian trader in 1837. Mr. Bailly's trade was principally among the Sioux. Mr. Bailly, upon coming to Wabasha, bought out Labathe, of whom a rich anecdote is related by Hon. H. H. Sibley. Indian etiquette demands on all occasions that the visitor shall leave nothing unconsumed of the meat or drink placed before him. There was a WABASHA AND VICINITY. 641 tea-partj given at one time at Fort Snelling by Capt. Gooding, of the army, and Joseph Laframboise, Alex. Faribault and Sabathe were invited. It was in July, and the weather very warm. It appears that Laframboise spoke with fluency several different languages, and both he and Faribault were practical jokers. In due time the party were seated around the table, and the cups and saucers of those days were of the generous proportions ignored in these days. The large cup filled with tea was handed to Labathe and soon disposed of. At that time the poor fellow could speak nothing more of English than the imperfect sentence " tank you." When his cup was emptied, Mrs. Gooding, who was at the head of the table, said, "Mr. Labathe, please take some more tea." Labathe replied, "tank you, madam," which tlie waiter understood to mean assent. He took the cup and handed it to the hostess, which was forthwith supplied with the tea. Labathe managed to swallow that, sweltering meanwhile with the fervent heat of the evening, and was again requested to permit his cup to be replenished. "Tank you, madam," was the only reply the poor victim could make. Seven great cups full of the hot tea had been swallowed, Laframboise and Faribault in the meantime almost dying with laughter. For the eighth time the waiter approached for the cu]), when the aboriginal politeness which had enabled him to bear up amid his sufferings gave way entirely, and rising from his seat, to the amazement of the company, he exclaimed frantically, '''• Lafram- loise, pour Vamoir de hon Dieu^ pourquoi ne dites vous pas a madame qui je ne vout point davantagef'' — " Laframhoise^ for the love of God, why do you not tell madam that I do not wish any more tea?" Gen. Sibley says Labathe never heard the last of that while he lived. Mr. Koque, too, mentioned in preceding pages, affords another instance of the inconvenience of not being able to speak English. He only knew one compound word, and that was roast-beef, which he called "Ros-bif." At the time of his accompanying the delega- tion to Washington Cit}^ on being asked at the public-houses what he would be helped to, he could only say ros-bif! So, the old gentleman, although longing for a chance at the many good things he would have preferred, performed the round trip on ros-bif. We find Mr. Bailly figuring largely in matters concerning the Sioux, to whom he was a good friend, and he is frequently mentioned in connection with the treaties made and also as justice of the peace. 642 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. He married several couples while acting as justice of the peace of this county, and in 1852 acted as assistant commissary at the treaty with the Dahcotahs at Traverse des Sioux. It became necessary that the territory bordering on the Ked River of the North should pass into the hands of the United States government and become subject to the civil jnrisJiction of the terri- tory. President Fillmore departed from the usual mode of appointing commissioners for negotiation, and deputed the commissioner of Indian affairs, the Hon. Luke Lea, and His Excellency Gov, Ramsey to meet the representatives of the Dahcotahs and conclude a treaty with them for such lands as they niight be willing to sell. A large number of halt-breeds and others, citizens of the United States, who were originally a part of the Selkirk settlement, demanded protection of the government against the encroachments of the Hudson Bay Company and the privileges of American citizens. On the 27th of June, 1852, Commissioner Lea arrived at St. Paul, and, in company with Gov. Ramsey, proceeded to Traverse des Sioux, arriving there June 30. This treaty was considered of great impor- tance, the conditions being the ceding and relinquishment of all their lands in the territory and State of Iowa by the Wah-pay- kootah and Med-a-wa-kan-toans bands of Indians, the United States reserving for them a home the average width of ten miles on either side of the Minnesota river and bounded on the east by Little Rock river, on the west by the Yellow Medicine, paying them certain moneys and annuities to continue for fifty years. Another treaty, the same year, was perfected with the Tillager band of Chijjpewas, by which they ceded a country sixty-five miles in width by one hundred and fifty in length, intersected in its center by the Red River of the North, for this land the government agreeing to pay them annually the sum of ten thousand dollars for twenty years and thirty thousand -dollars cash down. Mr. Bailly was spoken of at these treaties as " one of the most useful and active camp men that ever was." At the Traverse des Sioux camp Mr. Bailly married, in the Episcopal form, David Faribault and Nancy Winona McClure, after which the groom gave a dinner, and all went to dine together. After the repast, toasts and speeches appropriate to the occasion flowed freely. One of the toasts was given by Joseph La Framboise, who was one of the oldest and most intelligent pioneers of the valley of the St. Peters. Hon. Wm. II. Forbes, who was also present at WABASHA AND VICINITY. 643 this treaty, gave as a sentiment, "Gov. Ramsey, ex-ofRcio superin- tendent of Indian aifairs, a public officer who has, as he deserves to have, the entire confidence of the Indians under his charge." Gov. Ramsey gave " Millard Fillmore, a national president — a man worthy of his high trust." After dinner there was a virgin feast of young Dahcotah girls, nineteen in number, and fifteen young men. Before sitting down to the feast, consisting of tea and fried cakes, each of the party advanced and touched a red stone which was placed in their midst, this being the test oath of truthfulness and virtue. Mr. Wm. H. Forbes was present at this treaty ; also Mr. Kittson, J. R. Brown and Hon. H. H. Sibley. Minnesota is the "land of the Dahkotahs." Long before their existence was known to civilized men they wandered through the forests between Lake Superior and the Mississippi, in quest of the bounding deer, and over the wide prairies beyond, in search of the ponderous buffalo. They are an entirely different group from those found by the early settlers of the Atlantic States, on the Connecticut, Mohawk and Susquehanna rivers, and their language is much more difficult to comprehend ; yet they have many customs common with the tribes who once dwelt in I^ew England, New York, Pennsyl- vania and Illinois, while other peculiarities mark them as belonging to a distinct family of the aborigines of North America. Winona, Wapashaw, Mendota, Anoka, Kasota, Mahkato, and other names designating the towns, streams and lakes of Minnesota, are words derived from their vocabulary. When they were first noticed by the European adventurer they occupied the country between the Mississippi and the headwaters of Lake Superior, which is a country of many lakes, and the voyageur gave them the name of "People of the Lakes." The word Dahkota, by which they love to be designated, signifies joined together in friendly compact, equiva- lent to the motto on the seal of the United States. In a history written by a Catholic missionary nearly two centuries ago, it is remarked of the Dakotahs : "For sixty leagues frpm the extremity of the upper lakes, toward sunset, in the center of the western nations, they have all united their force hy a general league.'''' This refers only to the Sioux tribes, which name originated among the early voyageurs. The Ojibways were a people whose ancestors had lived on Lake Michigan, but had been driven westward by the Iroquois. For centuries " they had waged war upon the Dahkotahs, and the two nations were deadly foes. Many nations 644 HISTORY OF M^ABASHA COUNTY. cull the Dahkotahs Nadoiiessioux, the hist two syllables being the Ojibwaj word for foe, but Charlevoix, who visited AVisconsiii in 1721, says the name "Sioux" was entirely original with the voyageur. From an early period there had been three divisions of this great people, which again had been subdivided into smaller bands. That division known as the M'dewakontons, or People of the Lakes, con- sisted of seven distinct bands, whose summer residence was in villages. These villages were situated at Wapashaw prairie, now the site of Winona, Red Leaf or Wapashaw, Red Wing, Kaponia on the Mississippi, and anotlier at Lake Calhoun, another at the Little Rapids on the banks of the Minnesota, near the present village of Belleplaine. Old Wabashaw, long since dead, was the leading heredi- tary chief of the People of the Lakes, and in all intertribal aftairs of importance his word was law, not only with his own particular band, but witli all those belonging to the same division. The authority of the chiefs was very great ; but from the date of the jSrst treaties negotiated with the government it began to decline, until finally the chief was considered the mere mouthpiece of the soldiers' lodge, the members of which constituted the only real power in the bands. Though the treaty of 1763 between France and England ceded all the territory within the limits of Wisconsin and Minnesota to England, yet for a long time the English did not obtain a foothold. The French traders, having purchased wives from the tribes according to their customs, managed to preserve a feeling of friendship toward their king long after the trading-posts at Green Bay and Sault St. Marie had been discontinued. This was the cause of so many French half-breeds, especially at Prairie du Chien, whose children and their descendants coming up the Mississippi settled in and around Wabashaw. Prairie du Chien was the great mart where all the tribes on both sides of the river annually assembled to dis- pose of their furs to the traders, who also had their Indian wives ; and Carver speaks of their village, upon his arrival there, as 'being one of about three hundred families. About the year 1785 Prairie du Chieii made its transition from an encampment for Lidians and their traders to a hamlet, and among its first settlers were Messrs. Giard and Dubuque. In 1780 the wife of a Fox warrior discovered a large vein of lead in Iowa, on the west bank of the Mississippi, and at a council held in Prairie du Chien in 1788, Julien Dubuque obtained permission to work the mines on and near the city which now bears his name, and on the bluff stands the little stone house that covers his remains. WABASHA AND VICINITY. 645 After the treaty of 1783 between Great Britain and the United States, the British did not immediately surrender their posts, which led to much ill-feeling ; and when Washington sent Baron Steuben, in 1784, to Detroit to take possession of that fort, the British com- mander refused to give possession, upon the ground that it was upon Indian territory. But in the treaty effected by Mr. Jay, Great Britain agreed to withdraw her troops from all places within the boundary lines of the treaty, and after France ceded Louisiana to the United States, in 1 800, this part of Minnesota began to be settled by white people and French half-breeds, — Augustine Eocque, as before stated, being the first white settler at Wapashaw. In 1S05, Lieut. Pike held a conference with the Sioux Indians, when they agreed to grant to the United States full power and sovereignty over these lands forever. For more than a century there had been a westward tendency in the emigration of the Indian nations, and a frequent source of war was the encroachment upon each other's hunting-grounds, and in 1825 a congress of tribes was convened at Prairie du Chien to estab- lish the boundary lines between the Chippewas and Sioux. This did not prove effectual, and in 1830 another congress was convened at Prairie du Chien, at which time the M'dewakantonwan band made a treaty, bestowing upon their relatives, the mixed bloods, this tract of land about Lake Pepin, since known as "the half-breed tract." This tract in said treaty is described as follows : "Beginning at a place called the Barn, below and near the village of the Red Wing chief, and running back fifteen miles, thence in a parallel line with Lake Pepin and the Mississippi about thirty-two miles to a point opposite O'Beuf or Beef river, thence fifteen miles to the Grand Encampment, opposite the river aforesaid. " This reservation begins at Red Wing, Goodhue county, and runs through the town of Red Wing in a southwesterly direction, thence through Hay Creek town- ship, including all of it but a small part of the northwest corner, including the southeast corner of Fetherstone township, all of Belvidere township and Florence; runs angling through Goodhue to section 31, thence southeast through Zumbrota, including the north- east corner thereof, to the town of Chester in Wabasha county ; it runs diagonally and includes the northeast half of the town through Hyde Park, leaving the southwest corner of it which lies north of Hammond's ford ; takes in most of Oakwood, except a part of the southwest corner ; then striking the northeast corner of Elgin and runs diagonally across Plainview to section 24 ; from there it runs 64c6 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. northeast through the town of Whitewater, in "Winona county, diagonally through Watopa, including the northwest half of the town, taking in all of Highland and the most of Greenfield, through which it i-uns diagonally, leaving out the southeast corner, and strikes the Mississippi near the southeast corner of section 12, at what is called the Grand Encampment. It also includes all of the townships of Wabasha, Lake, Mount Pleasant, Guilford, West Albany and Glas- gow, thus including all but a small part of Wabashaw county and a portion of Goodhue. The year 1837 forms an important era in the history of Minnesota, as the first steps were then taken for the introduction of the wood- man's ax and the splash of the millwheel. Missionaries were also sent out by a society from Lausanne, Switzerland, who arrived and located at Redwing and Wabashaw villages, but after a short time they abandoned the attempt to ameliorate the condition of the Dahkotahs. The same year a deputation of Dahkotahs was sent to Washington, and all lands east of the Mississippi were ceded by them to the United States, but this reservation was held as a sacred bequest to the half-breeds, according to the treaty at Prairie du Chien in 1830. White men began to stop at Wabashaw, and settle- ments began upon this tract, yet disputes as to possession frequently arose, and the Indians being numerous, the safety of the white man was very precarious. There was often a hundred lodges, sometimes more, about Wabashaw, and it is easy to conceive how the natural love of the beautiful should prom):>t the red men to select this as their home and hunting-ground. Canoes lined the shore, and games, feasts and dances filled in the time, while long in the night the hol- low beat of their drums, and the dismal screech of male and female, could be heard in the woods, trying to drive away the Evil Spirit, or cure some Indian sick man. In 1850 the population of this county was two hundred and forty-three souls. In the census of 18S0 it was sixteen thousand one hundred and forty-nine. The half-breed tract contained four hundred and fifty square miles. In 1854 the government appointed commissioners to enroll the half-breeds in order to divide the lands equally among them, and in the spring of 1857 Gen. Shields was sent on to issue land scrip to them, in place of these reserved lands, each half-breed receiving four hundred and eighty acres. This scrip made a nice haul for the sharpers, who in most cases figured them out of it. The French settlers at Wabasha received scrip for their wives and families. PEPm TOWNSHIP, 647 Joseph Buisson had seven scrips, Alexis Bailley had seven, Rocque's family had thirteen, Mr. Cratte had nine, Monette had four, Trudell had seven ; Duncan and Scott Campbell had twenty-three, Francois la Batte had ten. Most of these have not a cent left. Few of the old settlers remain, some have gone to other parts of the country, but most of them lie sleeping their last sleep, and the hunting-ground of the red man is now turned into lields of grain and flowering gardens. A beautiful city stands on the site of the old camping-ground, which a short time ago was lighted only by the council lires of tlie savage. CHAPTER LVIII. PEPIN TOWNSHIP. This is the name given to a fractional township lying along the shores of Lake Pepin and the Mississippi river. It contains a little less than one-half the number of sections of land comprised in a full-sized township as determined and set oif by United States gov- ernment survey. There are in Pepin township sixteen full sections, one fractional half-section, and five other ' fractions of sections that are mere strips along the shores of the river and the lake ; the whole five forming less than one full section, or one mile square. Pepin township lies six miles in length along the shores of the lake from whence it derives its name, and the Mississippi river, and has an average width of three lull sections, except in the soutlieast corner, where one section is cut off and attached to the corporation of the city of Wabasha. Lake Pepin is simply a broadening of tlie Mississippi river into a beautiful sheet of bluff-environed water, low lying in the basin of the hills which rise on all sides from four hundred to five hundred feet above its clear waters. The length of the lake is about thirty miles ; its width from two and one -half miles to four miles. The origin of the name "Pepin " is matter of merest conjecture. Keill, in his history of Minnesota, queries whether or no it may not have been so named in honor of Pepin, the Seur de la Fond, who married the aunt of La Parriere, the builder of an old fort on the north side of the lake, in the fall of 1727. The name itself is one immortal in French history for over one thousand years. 648 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. It was first brought into prominence by the old Carlovingian, Pepin le Yicux, whose grandson Pepin le Gros eftectually cliecked the encroachments of tlie kingly line of the Merovingians in the seventli century. This Pepin le Gros was the father of the illus- trious Charles Martel, the mayor of the palace to the last of the Merovingian dynasty, whose power he also reduced, and who is celebrated as the deliverer of Western Europe from the rav- ages of the Saracens, whom he routed at Poictiers in 732, and again in 738 at Lyons. This name of Pepin, so illustrious in those early days, has always had an honored place in French histor}'^ ; and this fact taken with that other, namel}^ that the early Mississippi explorers were adventurous Frenchmen, may be all that is neces- sary to account for the name of the lake, Pepin, the origin of which has puzzled so many writers of early northwestern explorations. Pepin township is virtually a ridge or narrow tableland, l,ying be- tween the Mississippi river and the Zumbro, at an elevation of from three hundred feet to five hundred feet above the level of the Missis- sippi river. This tableland breaks off abruptly on the north or lake side, but descends more gradually on the south toward the valley of the Zumbro ; but this southern declension does not begin within the limits of Pepin township, so that the high character of the ground is preserved to its extreme southern limit. The surface of this table- land is quite rolling, at times even broken, but all lies elevated, and is, with the exceptions of some ravines jutting up from the lake, of tillable character. Tiiere are no streams crossing the face of the township, though a small one, in which water is found run- ning at nearly all seasons of the spring, summer and fall, empties into the lake near the northeastern corner of the township, through the ravine technically known as King's cooley. This term "cooley " is doubtless a corruption of the French "couler,'* to run or flow ^ and was applied to those ravines through which the water flowed from the tablelands downward to the lakes or larger streams. There are two of these "cooleys'"' within the limits of Pepin township — King's cooley in the northeast, and Smitli's cooley in the south- west. Through both of these the water rushes, an impetuous torrent, after coi)ious rains, or when the deep snows, lingering late on the uplands are suddenly melted by the ascending sun of late spring, but at other times they are dry, and in Smith's cooley for most of the time no water is found running. The soil of Pepin township is a friable clay, yellowish in color, and with a very slight admixture PEPm TOWNSHIP. 649 of sand, hardly sufficient to be discovered, yet it no doubt exists in sufficient quantities to temper the quality of the clay, and render it more easily worked. This soil is admirably adapted to the growth of wheat, oats, barley and other cereals. It is a common saying, that when wheat cannot be grown in Pepin township, it cannot be grown anywhere. Comparatively little stock is raised by the farmers here, as the operation of the herd law, doing away with fences, compels every farmer to fence in especially for his stock, and this entails an expense more severely felt than it would be were the farms all fenced. To commence raising stock would require a very large outlay in the matter of fences alone by nine out of every ten farmers in the town- ship. The surface of the soil was originally covered with ouck, scrub-oak openings, and, once grubbed, no finer wheat lands or more productive are to be found in southern Minnesota, but it is doubtful if the soil is as well adapted to i-aising corn as the warmer and more alluvial soils of the valleys. There are no wells in the township ; water for stock and domestic purposes is generally supplied from the cisterns, with which every farm is abundantly provided. There are, however, in some locations, to be found most excellent springs of pure water, and these not confined to any one section of the township. The rule of all early settlement in this section of the west, and probably in all others, has been that the valleys and lower levels are taken up first, leaving the uplands to those who should follow after. Wabasha county was no exception to this general custom of the northwestern pioneers, and the valleys of the Zumbro and its tribu- taries were dotted with flourishing farms before it could be fairly said that any settlement for farming purposes deserving the name had been made in Pepin township. Cook's valley, in Greenfield township, Mazeppa, Bear's valley, in Chester, and Plainview, had all been settled before agricultural operations had made any head- way in Pepin township. The Lager and Sclimauss families are the oldest residents in the township, both coming here in 1859. Claims had been taken as early as 1857, but were not improved, and it can- not be said with strict fidelity to fact that the farming lands on the ridge were put under cultivation prior to 1859. Henry Schmauss' farm, taken by him in 1859, the J^.W. J of section 30, was claimed originally by one Allen (first name not known), who laid a soldier's land warrant upon it, and of this man, Allen, Schmauss purchased, 650 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. occupying the land in the season of 1S59. Ben Lager, the ]-)resent chairman of the board of supervisors for the township, who bought claim of F. Learej in 1859, and at that date settled on the northwest of section 2S, says that in 1859 there was not, all told, more than iifty acres of ground broken on the ridge between Schmauss' and Read's Landing, which is virtually to say there was not more than that amount under cultivation in the entire township. The fact that the elevation above the lake was high, no streams affording water for stock, and the situation naturally exposed to the wind, seemed to overbalance the considerations of productiveness of soil and near- ness to market, to such an extent that the lower-lying and well watered valleys of the interior of the county were settled from four to five years before Pepin was really taken for farming purposes. While this is true, however, of the uplands of the township, it is also true that the very earliest white settlement for permanent occu- pancy made in southern Minnesota was made within the geographi- cal limits of Pepin township. This was the settlement made by Charles R. Read, who as early as 18-17 stuck his stakes in the north- east corner of the township, opened a trading and suppl}^ depot for traffic with the natives, half-breeds and lumbermen of the Chippewa valley, and announced his intention of staying despite all attempts to oust him from the land, which by treaty of 1830 belonged to the half-breeds and was known as the half-breed tract. The particulars of the bestowal of this tract upon their relatives of mixed blood by the M'dewakantonwan Dahkotahs, its extent and the consequent litigation when white settlers attempted to locate upon, as also the deleterious effect upon the early settlement of the county, are among the most interesting matters connected with this "history" and will be found fully treated of in another chapter. All that has been said under the title Read's Landing from 1858 to 1868, when the village became duly incorporated as the village of Read's, pi-operly belongs to the history of Pepin township, ot which Read's Landing was virtually the capital until it took cor- porate honors upon itself and ceased to be an integral part of Pepin township for all political purposes. Prior to 1858, during the eleven years that Read's Landing had been stamping its identity into the trading consciousness of the upper Mississippi and the Chippewa, the Landing had been variously governed, ungoverned and misgoverned. The first attempt to introduce home government in the limits of Pepin township was made in 1850, when Charles R. PEPIN TOWNSHIP. 651 Kead was appointed justice of the peace by tlie then territorial governor, Alexander Ramsay. Scenes of violence and bloodshed were not uncommon in those early days, and to the ordinary rough and ready ways of frontier life were not only added all the increase of lawlessness and disre- gard of life common to the rough raftsmen, who thronged the land- ing by the scores and even hundreds, but the savagery of Indian character as well. The river at Read's was the meeting-place of those hereditary foes the Chippewas and the Sioux, and to their mutual hate was often added a common enmity against their white neighbors, whose presence on both sides of the river was frequently resented. As illustrative of this latter fact take the following inci- dent : Late in November, 1856, two white men, Sam Sutton and Jerry Landerigan, were paddling down the river in a canoe past Nelson's Landing, where a party of whites, half-breeds and natives were sitting near the shore. Among the bucks was the son of old Ironcloud, second chief of Wacoutah's band. Young Ironcloud had for some time aspired to the honors of chieftainsliip, and on being taunted by the young men of his tribe with having done nothing to deserve such distinction, had declared he would shoot the first white man or Chippewa he met. The present seemed a fitting occasion to display his prowess, and remarking that he wondered if his gun would carry that far, drew bead on the men in the boat and shot them both. Sam Sutton was mortally wounded, surviving, however, about twenty-four hours. Jerry Landerigan was severely wounded in the breast, but recovered after being laid up several months. "Wahshechah-Soppah (the white black man), now living and known by the English name of John Walker, was in the company with young Thundercloud, and immediately crossing the river to Read's Landing, gave information of the afi'air. As both the wounded men resided at Read's the excitement was intense. Sutton had made his home at Charlie Read's for more than a year, his principal occupa- tion being the manufacture of ox-bows for the lumbermen in the pineries. Landerigan had recently come to the landing. It was not considered prudent to allow the matter to pass, as young Thun- dercloud was known to be a dangerous character. A party was soon started across the river who captured the murderer and brought him to Read's for trial. He was arraigned before Squire Richards, but the justice was powerless in the case, the crime hav- ing been committed in another territory. To obviate this difficulty 652 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. resort was liad to Indian law. The culprit, of whose identity there was not the smallest doubt, was quietly escorted to the place from whence he came by a band of determined whites, led by Charlie Read, and there expiated his oflense in a way not uncommon at this day on frontier settlements and in mining camps. Judge Lynch pronouncing sentence of death, wliicli was speedily carried into exe- cution. The squaws tracked the party by their imprint in the snow, and the next day cuttingdowu young Ironcloud's body, brought it across the river and buried it. The snow lay deep upon the ground at the time. The margin of the river was frozen on either side, the current in the main channel only open. Wrapping the body in blankets, the squaws tied a rope around the feet and dragged it to the margin of the stream, placed it in a canoe and brought it over to the Minnesota shore, where it was buried by them near the site of old Fort Perrot. A ball was in progress at Read's Landing the evening of the lynching, and the excitement was most intense among the young people there assembled, many of whom had only that sum- mer come to the county, and were totally unused to such scenes of blood, or to such a summary mode of dealing with a murderer. Charles R. Read, at that time one of the commissioners of the county, took a very active part in the aifair above narrated, and as he was by some censured for his action, the reasons that induced him thereto are not out of place. In ls44:, just after Read came to Nelson's Landing, Sheriff Leister, of Prairie du Chien. who had been up the river to summon witnesses in an important case coming on at Prairie du Chien, I'eturning down the river, was shot by an Indian in cold blood in much the same way that Sutton was. The sherift's boat was opposite Fountain City at the time and no provo- cation was given for the murderous deed. The Indian who killed Mr. Leister was arrested, taken to Prairie du Chien, put u])on his trial, and after two years discharged for want of evidence to convict. This Indian, u])on his release, came up the river, was frequently at Nelson's Landing, where Read often heard him boasting of his deed, and Mr. Read determined if another case of the same kind happened it would not be his fault if the murderer escaped. The history of the early operations of the fur-traders and lumbermen in the vicinity of Read's, at an early day, is replete with incidents of a really thrilling character, illustrating the nature of both savage and (so called) civilized society, when removed from the usual restraints of law, and the safeguards that surround society in more PEPm TOWNSHIP. 653 densely populated, and judicially organized districts. As it was, the necessities of the case, as each arose, demanded such prompt and vigorous action, as would at least render public opinion, the opinion of the better class of that public, a terror to evil-doers. Thus the forms of law grew to be a possibility, the fact of law even under the most adverse circumstances, as in the affair above nar- rated, having been duly demonstrated. As these forms of law became better understood, and their necessity recognized, a general acquiescence in tlieir regulations and demands followed, until with the establishment of the state government in 1S58, and the consequent organization of the several counties into townships, for electoral and locally judicial purposes, the era of lawlessness may be really said to have passed away and the reign of law, order and accepted government truly begun. The formal organization of Pepin township was eiFected in com- mon with that of the other townships in the county. May 11, 1858. This meeting of the electors of the township for the purpose of for- mal organization was held in the hamlet of Read's Landing, in the extreme northeast section of the township. No. 24, at the office of S. A. Kemp. The number of votes polled was thirty- two, and the names of the officers-elect will be generally found in the tabulated list of Pepin township officers. In addition to those mentioned in that table, William Bain was elected overseer of the poor, William Perkins and J. Murray were elected constables, and Frank Berins overseer of the poor. The tirst recorded act of the new township was to settle the question of allowing or not allow- ing hogs to run at large. The vote on this occasion was so much larger than the vote upon the election of town officers that one is led to conclude that the expression of opinion on the hog question was not confined to the qualified electors of the township. The vote resulted in a decided majority against hogs being allowed to run as free commoners, being seventeen nay to fifty-one yea, a total vote of sixty-eight, as against thirty-two cast for town officers the same week. In 1860 the vote of the township, as evidenced at the regu- lar state election, held November 6 of that year, was ninety-eight. The vote for presidential electors standing sixty-five republican and thirty-two democratic, a vote of eighty-three to fifteen being cast for and against one of the candidates for state representative. In 1862 only seventy-one votes were polled ; two years later the vote 654 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. rose to one liimdred and twenty-six, declining again in 1866 to a maxinuim ballot of one hundred and eight, the vote cast for S. S. Kepler for state representative, he being a candidate on the demo- cratic ticket, against whom there was not a ballbt cast in the town- shij). This was the last state election held in the township of Pepin prior to the incorporation of "Reads" as a village. The vote of 1868 shows a decline from one hundred and twenty-six in 1864 to fifty-two in that year, from which it would appear that the voting strength of the village was a little in excess of the rest of the town- ship. The vote of the township in 1870 was sixty ; in 1876 a total of seventy-three ballots was cast, and this was the highest ballot ever cast b}^ the township since Reads was set off, the ballot for 1880 being recorded at sixty-four, and that for 1882 only reaching an aggregate of fifty-six. The levy of the town board for town ]3urposes, including roads, falls a little short of $250 annually, it being, in round num- bers, for 1880, $256 ; for 1881, $252, and ior 1882, $180. The voting returns of the township, as above given, will indicate with sufficient accuracy the statistics of population, if the years are taken into account in which the votes were cast ; that is, comparing the years of presidential elections with each other, and those in which only state elections were held with each other. The village of Reads being included in the enumeration district of Pepin township, by the commissioner for this census district, the population of the township and village, can only be given in the aggregate. The re- turns for 1860 show a total population in both (Reads and Pepin townships) of four hundred and thirty. The population of both today will be about four hundred, as near as can be ascertained. It does not appear from the returns regularly made to the auditor's office for the county of Wabasha, that the valuation of property in Pepin has greatly changed since Reads was incorporated. The de- struction of the records by fire prevents any accurate statement of values prior to 1867, the year before "Reads " village was set off. The real and personal pro])erty returned for that year was as fol- lows : Real estate (not including the value of town lots in Reads), $39,109 ; town lots (in Reads), $42,665 ; personal property, includ- ing village and town, $44,666. The value of real and personal pi'operty in Pepin, at various dates since the incorjjoration of Reads, has been as follows : PEPIN TOWNSHIP. 655 ,g„^ / Real property $42 047 la/KJ. ^ Personal property 11 232 ^ „„^ f Real property 92 905 18/0, j Personal property 11 572 ^ „-,Q f Real property 85 760 lo/y. ^ Personal property 15 341 1889 / ^eal property 60 292 IOO-. I Personal property 13 321 There are no clmrches in the town of Pepin of any denomina- tion. The number and condition of the common schools in the township will be included in the general report of educational mat- ters for the county. The general character of the population of Pepin is such as is to be looked for in a plain agricultural commu- nity — thrifty, industrious, economical and virtuous. The people are mostly foreign born, or descendants from the German, Hano- verian and Luxembourgan families that first settled the township ; and, in religious faith, a majority of them members of the Koman Catholic church. Metliodist Episcopal Cliurcli. — The planting of the church in this place was a proceeding of no small ditticulty, and it was more than a decade after the first attempts were made before the seed had germinated sufficiently to predicate a fact of life in the case at all. As Read's Landing and Wabasha have always been connected for chiirch purposes, save during those years from 18^6 to 1866, in which it does not aj^pear that Read's Landing was even thought of in connection with the religious work of the Wabasha circuit, with which from 1854 to 1856 it was connected as a missionary station. In 1857, by vote of a quarterly conference held at Wabasha for the Lake City and Wabasha circuits of the Red Wing district, it was de- cided that the Wabasha circuit should include Wabasha, Read's Landing and Cook's valley, but there is no record of any services at Reads, nor, as before said, is there authentic account of further work there until 1866. The importance attached to Reads at this time may be inferred from the fact that in the fall of this year, when the annual estimates for minister's salary were made up, it was hoped that a deficiency of seventeen dollars, remaining after other appor- tionments had been allotted, might be supplied by Reads. Whether this modest hope was realized or not, does not appear from the record, and in fact for ensuing two years no promise of life appeared for church organizations at Reads. Its life as a lumber depot, and 656 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. center of rafting operations, called together the wrong class of people for any very marked interest in church work. Exceptions of neces- sity there were, but so little hold had all attem])t8 hitherto made taken upon the life of the place, that at this time the church had neither class nor organization of any kind, nor did it have for the ensuing two years. In 1868 Rev. S. G. Gale was transferred from the New York East conference to the Minnesota conference, and appointed to the Wabasha and Read's Landing circuit. His salary was fixed at eight hundred dollars, six hundred and fifty dollars of which to be paid by the churches, the remaining one hundred and fifty dollars from the missionary fund. In the following winter, 1868-9, Rev. Gale entered vigorously uj)on his work of building up a church at Reads, as the village incor{)orated the previous spring was called. A series of meetings was held with gratifying suc- cess, and steps taken to build a church. A lot was secured in a central location, one street back from the main business street of the village, and on this property, the gift of some generous-hearted Christian whose name is not recorded, a comfortable frame church, 30 X 60, with spire and bell, was erected. The contract price for the building was two thousand six hundred dollars. Furnaces were afterward put in, and these, with bell, raised the entire cost to a little over three thousand dollars, almost all of which was raised by con- tribution from the generous-hearted citizens of Reads. The original board of trustees, incorporated according to state law and church usage, were : W. W. Slocum, B. F. Welch, W. W. Cassady, W. B. James, S. Bullard, Geo. J. J. Crichton, W. F. Kennicott, Daniel Dansion and Franklin Berins. Rev. W. C. Rice was pastor of the church from the fall of 1869 to 1870. Rev. B. Y. Coffin was his successor, and in the fall of 1871, Rev. S. G. Gale was reappointed. During this, his second pastorate, a substantial frame parsonage was erected, at a cost of sixteen hundred dollars. It stands on the lot adjoining the church on the east, commands a pleasant view of the river and the AVisconsin bluffs, and is really a comfortable and com- modious residence for the incumbent of the church. Rev. Gale remained two years, leaving behind him as monuments of his three years' ministry, a commodious church, a comfortable parsonage and a flourishing "class." His successors have been : Revs. W. C. Shaw, M. O. M'NifF, W. H. Soule, James Door, W. A. Miles and D. J. Higgins, the present pastor. PEPIN TOWNSHIP. 6.'57 BEAD S LANDING. This is the name of a small village on the Minnesota side of the river just w^here Lake Pepin narrows into the usual channel of the Mississippi. It received its name about thirty-six years since from Charles R. Read, a man with a history, and who is still living just outside the corporate limits of the village, which was given the honors of a corporate existence twenty-one years after he set up his stakes and built his shanty just opposite the mouth of the Chippewa river. The location is a delightful one and most admirably adapted for the purposes of early Indian trade. Above it the river broadens out into the beautiful waters of Lake Pepin, around whose shores the natives were wont to gather, and associated with whose waters and rocks are some of the most plaintive legends of the northwest- ern tribes. Just across from it is the mouth of the Chippewa river, down whose current the fur-laden canoes came in early days, only to be followed in later years by the rafts of the Wisconsin lumber- men, each raft the tribute of a forest. The village occupies a nar- row strip along the river, at the base of the cliffs or bluffs which here rise, quite precipitous, almost from the rocky shore, leaving footing, however, for the business houses and dwellings of what was once the most thriving town on the upper river. Somewhere on the margin of the river, if tradition speaks correctly, just east of the old Richards warehouse, on ground now occupied by the tracks of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company, Augus- tine Rocque, a Scotch-French-Canadian, built the first trading shanty ever erected in this region. Mention is made of earlier trading- posts along the shores of the lake, but nothing positive is known concerning them; and, well authenticated as are the facts of Rocque's occupancy of the present site of Read's Landing as a trad- ing-post for some fifteen or twenty years, nothing accurate can be learned as to the date of his coming or the time of his departure. This much we can ascertain : it was some time in the early part of the present century, during the first decade, that Augustine Rocque, leaving Prairie du Chien, located at the foot of Lake Pepin, and made that point the center of his trading for furs with the Indian tribes on both sides of the river. The Sioux, as they were then beginning to be known to the whites, brought their furs to the post established by Rocque, receiving goods in return. The Chippewas received their supplies from him and brought their furs to the tem- 668 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUXTi'. porary post established by him at Chippewa Falls, and which he visited at regular intervals. Beyond this little is known of Augus- tine Rocque's operations under the direction of the traders at Prairie du Chien. He continued at the foot of Pepin, so says his grand- son, Baptiste Rocque, of Wabasha, for some fifteen or twenty years, till the infirmities of old age necessitated his relinquishing the arduous labors of a fur-trader on the frontier, and he returned to Prairie du Chien, where he shortly afterward died, at which time he was supposed to be about ninety years of age. Augustine Rocque married a half-breed woman, and by her had four children two sons and two daughters. Of these sons, one, Augustine, followed his lather's occupation on the banks of the Mississippi and its tribu- taries, becoming in time quite an influential trader, whose voice was respected in the councils of the Sioux and also of the Sac and Fox, to wliich latter tribe his wife belonged. The other son of the elder Augustine, name not definitely known but given as M'Kendie, was in the service of the Hudson Bay Company, and subsequently lost in the wilderness there, no trace of his fate having been learned by his people. Augustine, Jr., when a young man, opened a trading-post at the mouth of La Riviere au Boeuf, or Beef river — the present mouth of the Beef slough, and continued in trade there for some time, when he removed his headquarters to the west side of the Mississippi below Minneiska, at a place known as Mount Vernon in the early history of this section. Augustine Rock extended his trading o])era- tions up the Chippewa as far as the falls, and through southern Minnesota into Iowa, establishing posts along the Turkey and Cedar rivers. His trade had become quite extensive, when it was broken np by the Black Hawk war, and his interior posts abandoned. During this war Mrs. La Chapelle, a French-Sioux woman whose descendants are now living on the lot adjoining Baptiste Rocque, at Wabasha, was called upon to act as interpreter between the United States authorities under Gen. Dodge, and the Sioux chiefs. Baptiste, son of Augustine, was at that time" a boy of ten or twelve years of age, and describes in a very graphic manner the conference between Gen. Dodge and Wahpashaw, in which the latter was completely won to the side of the whites, and took up arms against the Sac and Fox under Black Hawk. Not long after the conclusion of the Black Hawk war, probably about 1834 or 1835, Augustine Rocque removed from Mt. Yernon and established a PEPIN TOWNSHIP. 65^ trading-post on the margin of the river, just within the present limits of the city of Wabasha on the west, very nearly on the site of old Fort Perrot. Here he brought his family, consisting of four sons and four daughters, and this place became his Jiome until the day of his death, about twenty-five years since. His body was buried at his own request on the bluif overlooking the river and town, that his spirit might have a free outlook over the scenes of his earlier career. As before said, he was a man of note among the tribes to which he was allied by blood and marriage. When Gen. Dodge, at the con- clusion of the Fort Snelling treaty with the Chippewas, July 29, 1837, requested the Indian agent to select a delegation of Sioux and proceed to Washington, Augustus Kocque accompanied the chiefs and, in con sort with Alexis Bailly, Joseph Laframboise, Francis Labathe, and others, represented the fur-traders' interests. During this visit the portraits of these representatives of the far west were taken, and that of Augustine Kocque now adorns the walls of the Indian gallery at the national capitol. The Eocque family, in the person of Augus- tine the elder, were the first to establish trade at what is now Read's Landing, and Augustine the younger was the first permanent settler at what is now Wabasha. All these settlements were for the pur- poses of trade and not as actual occupants of the land. , In 1840 one Hudson, an Englishman who had been living for some time at St. Peters (now Mendota), and had there married a woman of mixed blood, a daughter of Duncan Campbell, a licensed trader on the St. Croix, came to Reads and located there. As the husband of a half-breed woman, representing her rights, he laid claim to her share of the half breed tract conveyed, in the treaty of 1830, by the M'Dewakantonwan Dahkotahs to their relatives of mixed blood. Hudson found himself without the means to build any considerable-sized house, and as the lumbering operations on the Chippewa were growing into importance, and it was desirable to establish some base of supplies on the Mississippi at the mouth of the Chippewa, a proposition was made to Hudson, by the lumber firm H. S. Allen, and accepted. In accordance with this arrange- ment Hudson proceeded to the lumber regions, after a short stay at Reads, and the following season returned with lumber for his ware- house, no doubt a moderate one, in which he conducted business until his death in 1845. Hudson's widow married Lewis Rocque, son of Augustine the younger, and thus the trading-post at the foot of Lake Pepin came again into the possession of the Rocque family 660 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. after an interval of over a quarter a century. Matters were in this condition at Hudson's Landing, as it was then known, when Charles R. Read, who had occupied a post at Nelson's Landing, just across the Mississippi on the Wisconsin shore, came over into Minnesota, and occupied the vacant post, which he rented from Louis Rocque. Nelson's Landing, at tlie mouth of the Chippewa, on the Wisconsin shore, had been named from one Nelson, a trader, who some years previously had established a post there in connection with one Churchill, for purposes of trade with the Chippewas. This trading- post had been under the charge of Read for two or three years, when, in 1847, he abandoned the trade thei-e and came over into Minnesota. This Read, the Charles R, Read from whom Read's Landing afterward derived its name, was an adventurous young Englishman, who at the early age often years crossed the seas with his brother's family and settled near the forks of the Chijipewa river on the old Niagara peninsula. After some years spent in Canada, young Read left his brother's household and came over the lines into the United States. He was at Cleveland, Ohio, when the Canadian rebellion broke out in 1837, and the following year, though only seventeen years of age, enlisted in the American army of invasion for the liberation and annexation of Canada. This army crossed the frontier near Windsor, oi3posite Detroit, and after rout- ing the Canadian militia and capturing the barracks at Amherstburg, were in turn routed by the British regulars under Gen. Erie, and Read, with many others, rriade prisoner. His devil-may-care appearance and youth won upon his captors, he was decently treated, and though tried and sentenced to be hung, was pardoned by the queen's clemency and returned to the United States in June, 1839. After five years' service in the American army in the Indian Territory and Texas, where he formed an acquaintance with the Indian character and habits that after stood him in good stead, young Read found himself at St. Louis in the summer of 1844. From St. Louis he came up the river to the mouth of the Chip- pewa, taking service with Messrs. Churchill & Nelson, for the first year as cook, afterward in charge of their business at Nel- son's Landing, buying furs and trading with the Indians. In 1847, as before said, Mr. Read having secured permission from the United States authorities, crossed the river into Minnesota, rented the old Hudson warehouse from Lewis Rocque, and opened trade. From that date the place has been known as Read's Landing. PEPIN TOWNSHIP. 661 Thus after an interval of a quarter of a century the old trading- post of the elder Rocque began to be transmuted into a modern trading-post for whites and half-breeds, as well as natives. This change soon became more manifest and became distinctivel_y a trade with the whites, but not without some opposition and at times the danger of sanguinary strife. The coming of Mr. Read to Minnesota soil, and his establishment of a trading-post for Indian traffic, was strongly opposed by Alexis Bailly, of Wabasha, who had been Indian trader at that point for some years, and was, by vii-tue of his early marriage relations with the Sioux chiefs, in condition to make his opposition felt. When Mr. Read went to Fort Snelling to secure his license from the Indian agent at that point, he took steamer up the river. Wah- pasliaw had secured a numerously signed remonstrance against Read's securing government license, and this remonstrance was forwarded by United States mail on the same steamer with Read. This boat only went to Stillwater, and Read carried the mail (a small one, which he put in his pocket) on foot to Fort Snelling, a distance of twenty-six miles. Read handed his mail to the Indian agent, Col. Bruce, and at the same time his request for license as an Indian trader. The colonel opened the letter of remonstrance in Read's presence, told him the nature of its contents, and how difficult it would be for him, as agent of Indian affairs there, to overlook the remonstrance. Fortunately for Read, he had a friend at court in the person of post sutler Frank Steele, and through his representa- tions and influence the license was granted, and Read returned to the landing. He was allowed to pursue his business one year only in peace, when the opposition to his trading took definite form, and the Indians, instigated thereto, began to give him trouble. One day in June, 1848, Read was sitting on a log which he had been sawing for shingles, when a strapping Indian came up and, seating himself on the log, told Read he (Read) would have to leave there at once, that the tract ke was on belonged to the half-breeds, and that he had no business there, and if he did not go they would make him. For reply Read raised his hand and, giving the Indian a hard back-handed blow, knocked him off the log ; at which the Indian took himself off', and Read says he was not seen in that vicinity for a year thereafter. One evening in the following Octo- ber, after supper, Read was sitting in his shanty, when he was sur- rounded by Little Crow, a chief of the Kaposia band of Sioux, with t)D2i HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. twelve of his braves. These Indians had been on a visit to Wahjm- shaw, and it is supposed were instigated by him to get Eead out of the way. These, with one exception, were all on horseback, and members of Little Crow's band ; the Indian on foot was a member of Wahpashaw's band, and entering the cabin informed Read they had come to kill him, and clean him out. Read had learned that promptness in dealing with an Indian is the only strategy, and seizing a chair he felled the Indian to the floor, and set one of the legs through his upper li]), tearing it out, and four teeth with it. The savage sprang to his feet with a yell, and darted through the door, the blood spurting from his mouth. Read's blood was up, and lie dared another one of them to enter his cabin at ])eril of his life. In the meantime, William Campbell, an educated half-breed Sioux, and warm friend of Read's, came up, and being informed of the trouble, armed himself with an axe, and taking sides with Read stood in the doorway, and told Little Crow he could only get at Read over his dead body. The pros])Cct was not inviting, and Little Crow drew off his band, leaving Read in peace, and no farther at- tempt to drive him away by force was resorted to. Upon the organi- zation of the territory, the following year, 1849, Gov. Ramsay was requested to remove Read, on the ground of his being the cause of all the Indian disturbances in that region, and also because, as was alleged, he was selling liquor to the Indians. The investigation was ordered, and after a careful examination the charges were dismissed. All that could be substantiated was that Read had .sold an empty barrel, formerly containing whisky, to an Indian, who claimed that there was some whisky in the barrel at the time he purchased it. This was the last attempt to interfere with Read's trade at the land- ing ; the following year other persons came, and the life of a solitary trader ended for him. In 1849 Mr. Read built his new warehouse, a more commodious structure than the one previously occupied by him. This latter building stood where the postoffice now is, in the old Richards warehouse, built in 1855. In 1850 Mr. S. F. Richards, a native of Genesee county, New York, who had been at Prairie du Chien for some years, came to Read's Landing and opened trade with the Indians, also supplying the lumber camps up the Chip])ewa valley. Mr. Richards built his first store very near the corner of Water and Richards streets, as they now are, on the river side of Water and east of Richards. His capital was by no means small, and his trade PEPIN TOWNSHIP. 663 was quite extensive. Some five years later he built his storeroom and warehouse on the northwest corner of Water and Kichards streets. This was a three-story building as seen from the levee, two stories from the street in front, 25 X 60 feet, and in this Mr. Eichards did a very large business for years. The following season Knapp, Stout & Co., one of the heavy lumber firms of the Chip- pewa valley, built their store and warerooms on the west of Richards', adjoining, and so business multiplied. Prior to this, in 1854, a hotel was built, and later the Bullard House was erected, which from 1859 to 1865 was known as the best hotel on the river. In 1863 the storage and commission house of Charles Wunn was estab- lished. Helmick & Warszawski followed, with others, until at the close' of the war there was not a point on the Upper Mississippi river where so thriving a trade was carried on as at Read's Landing. The causes of its prosperity and decay are matters of some little interest, illustrating as they do the rise and fall of towns as business i^ diverted from or directed into certain channels. The early lumbering operations on the Chippewa and its tribu- taries were carried on at a very manifest disadvantage. All supplies must necessarily reach them from below through the Mississippi river and the navigable waters of the Chippewa and its tributaries. This channel of communication was only open during certain seasons oi the year, and when navigation closed the lumbermen in he pineries and at the mills were cut ofi' from the outside world, to a very great extent. Mails had to be transported on voyageurs' shoulders or by pony express for hundreds of miles, and heavy freighting during that season became quite too expensive as well as hazardous to be resorted to only in extremity. The lumber crews returning from their voyages down the Mississippi to the up-river steamers would land at the mouth of the Chippewa and wait for rafts to be made up for new trips. All the necessities of the trade required that at some point at the mouth of the Chippewa there should be a depot of sup- plies for the mill-owners and storekeepers in the woods and at the mills, commission houses and agencies to transact business between the lumber firms and the crews that floated logs down the river to their various places of consignment, and hotels and accommodations for the waiting crews. For many years this want was supplied by Read's Landing, and as the volume of the lumber trade along the Chippewa and its tributaries increased from year to year, the volume of the trade at Reads increased until its yearly aggregate was out ot 664 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. all pro])ortion to tlie size of the place. It was the center of exchange for all matters connected with the lumber trade of western Wiscon- sin ; its one hand reaching up the Chippewa, clutcliing the innumer- able string of logs and lumber that Issued from its streams and woods ; its other hand stretching down the Mississippi, directing the course of these rafts to their various points of destination and returning the proceeds, less commissions and wages, to the directing head. So long as Reads could maintain this position as the center of exchange, her prosperity was assured. For years her levee was one busy scene of activity so long as the unchilled current of the Mississippi vent flowing toward the gulf; and in winter there was sufficient trade on sleds up the valley to at least keej) the channels of trade opened and incite to new activity when the imprisoned waters should again go free. At this time it was no unusual thing to see from three hundred to four hundred raftmen at the landing waiting for the Chippewa floats to be made into rafts for them to navigate down the river, and the volume of freight discharged at the levee was simply enormous. It was in fact the Mississippi landing for all the supplies necessary to provision, clothe and equip the lumber camps and mills, and employes connected therewith. The flrst setback Reads received was on the completion of the Western Wisconsin railway to Eau Claire in 1870. By this opening of railway communication to the lumber camps and mills the neces- sity of Read's Landing as a center for supplies and distributing depot was abolished. Supplies came direct by rail to the very heart of the lumber district ; consignments of goods, mails, etc., were more readily made by rail than by water, with this added advantage : the comnmnication was not closed by the incoming of winter, but remained open the year round. Less capital was according!}- locked up in transit, returns being made more readily and the accumulation of winter supplies being no longer indispensable. The commission and trading houses were the ones to feel this curtailment, but gen- eral business at Reads still continued good. The constant outgoing and incoming of her hundreds of raftsmen day by day created trade, and money was always in free circulation. Reads was necessarily the headquarters of the rafting crews and their point of departure from the lumber camps in the logging season after navigation had closed for the year. Only the one arm of Reads' prosperity was thus cut oft', the other, however, was soon to be crippled. The trade sustained by outfltting rafts, furnishing supplies of all kinds, PEPIN TOWNSHIP. 665 notably provisions and clothing for the men, was in itself sufficient to keep a good-sized town alive. But the slow process of floating rafts clown the Mississippi became too tedious for the hasty, hurrying movements of western enterprise, and the idea of towing rafts down the river by steamer was soon mooted, discussed, scouted at, tried, and, proving a success, was finally adopted, became the rule, the number of raftsmen was decreased to one-third of the former army required to man the floating rafts, and the second chapter in the history of Read's Landing's decadence was ended. , The credit of towing the first lumber raft down the Mississippi belongs to Capt. Si. Bradley, of Stillwater, who successfull}^ accom- plished the generally considered impossible feat in the Minnie Will, in 1866. A patent was applied for, denied, and little by little the towing by steamer became general, until floating down the Mis- sissippi was practically abandoned. Still there was an immense business centering at Read's Landing. All the rafts that went down the Father of Waters, whether of timber or of logs, and the number was legion, came down the Chippewa in strings, to be made into rafts at the mouth of that stream, and when so coupled, to be towed to southern lumber mills and yards. This business of coupling "strings" into rafts was very extensive, and hundreds of men found employment at this work, whose trade and the supply of whose daily wants kept business still healthily alive at Read's Landing. But even this source of revenue was denied her after a time, and all logs were destined to forsake the main channel of the Chippewa and find an outlet into the Mississippi through the southern mouth, usually known as Beef Slough. The Chippewa river forks some twenty miles above its entrance into the Mississippi at Read's Landing, and one branch of this delta follows the east range of bluffs till it enters into the Mississippi about twelve miles below Reads Landing ; the other and more direct chan- nel of the Chippewa follows the foot of the west line of bluft's and empties into the big river opposite Reads. The first-named channel, from its forking from the main Chippewa stream to its entrance into the Mississippi, is a succession of lagoons, or sloughs, opening one into the other with innumerable islands and sluggish channels, cover- ing the whole flat surface between the foot of the blufi's and the open channel of the Mississippi. Through these sloughs the logs are now brought ; miles of booms stretch their parallel lengths through these sluggish waters ; crews of men are stationed at intervals to receive 666 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. the logs, assort tliem, trail each owner's logs into strings and deliver them at the mouth of the slough, to be coupled into rafts and taken down the river. This immense business, aggregating from 400,000,000 feet to 500,000,000 feet annually, within a few years has been entirely transferred from the upper to the lower mouth of the Chippewa, and the trade it created and fed was deserted from Read's Landing to Alma in Wisconsin and Wabasha in this county. Thus was the third chapter in the financial decrease of Reads written, and its monuments are the unoccupied ])iles of brick and mortar, where business no longer flourishes, but all is silent, deserted, and going to dry rot. The linishing stroke was given to the trade of the landing by the completion of the Chippewa Yalley I'ailroad to AVabasha in 1SS2. By this construction all the real profits of Chip- pewa valley trade, so far as it benefits Minnesota merchants, is reaped at Wabasha, the rail carrying all crews and their kits direct from the mouth of the Chippewa to Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls, leaving scarcely any gleanings of trade for the merchants of Read's Landing, who find each year less prospect of returning prosperity. VILLAGE OF READS. It was during the season of Reads' greatest prosperity, before the opening of the railway to Eau Claire, that the incorporation of the village was deemed advisable by the inhabitants of the little big trading and freighting post, and steps accordingly taken to accom- plish that object. This incorporation was effected under an act of the state legislature approved March 5, 1868, and the election to fill the various offices created by said act was held on the second day of the following month, April 2, 1868. The officers to be elected were five trustees, one clerk, one treasurer, one marshal, one justice of the peace and one assessor. The judges of election were : Messrs. J. Sauer, C. R. Read and Wm. B. Haines ; the clerks were : P. B. Cline and Claude R. Haines. The highest num- ber of votes cast was for the office of trustee, ninety-seven being polled. The successful candidates were — trustees : F. S. Richards, D. W. Wilson, Joe Dieterich, Jacob Sauer, Christ. Neihardt ; clerk, Joseph Warszawski ; treasurer, B. Brass ; marshall, Wm. F. Clock ; justice of the peace, Wm. B. Haines ; assessor, Chas. Hornbogen. The officers-elect met on the 20th of the month (April) and organized, with S. F. Richards as president of the board of trustees, for the ensuing year. The bonds of the various officers PEPIN TOWNSHIP. 667 were fixed as follows : treasurer, $2,000 ; justice of the peace, $500 ; marshal, $100. The first act of the newly inducted viUage iathers was to pass an ordinance prohibiting all illegal and un- licensed traffic in spirituous, vinous or fermented liquors, under penalty of one hundred dollars, or fine for every such off"ense, upon conviction thereof. License was fixed at fifty dollars and the seller was required to execute an approved bond for five hundred dollars to keep a decent and orderly house, gaming of all kinds for money being expressly prohibited. Licenses were made nontrans- ferable, and the place at which liquors were sold under any given license could only be changed by permission of the board of trustees. By the provisions of section 1, act of incorporation of vilLage of Reads, the board of village trustees formed the village school board ; the village clerk was the clerk of the school board, and the village treasurer, treasurer of the school board. The present cor- porate limits of the village of Reads extend from Brewery creek on the east to a point on the river west of the table-land upon which residences have been built, and stretching up the foot ef the bluff overlooking the village on the west. The entire length of the vil- lage is about one and one-half miles and its breadth at the widest point does not exceed half a mile. Brewery creek is a small stream , fed from springs in the ravine back of the village, and emptying into the Mississippi river just west of Riverview cemetery. It forms the boundary line between Reads and the corporate limits of the city of Wabasha, and during some of the floods that have poured down the sides of the bluffs, during the excessive rainfalls of this season, has been swollen to a destructive torrent. The most disas- trous rise was that of July 21, 1883, when in an hour's time it over- flowed its banks, flooded Burkhadt Brothers' brewery to a depth of eight feet, swept out as though it were brushwood the solid stone abutments of the bridge on the main road from Reads to Wabasha, and carried the solid granite block, weighing tons, rods down the stream, leaving scarcely a stone to mark the old foundations. Not long after the incorporation of Reads it was found that the elections were held too late in the spring for the interests of the village. By the middle of April the raftsmen had all returned up river and the loggers from the pinery, at least such of them as designed rafting, and the election was at the mercy of these incomers who had proba- bly as much home right at Reads as elsewhere, and yet had no inter- est in the place and no concern to see its government decently admin- 668 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. istratod. Accordingly, in 1869 a change was made in tlie date of holding the election, and March was designated as the month in which the village board should be chosen. This change continued until 1875, when a still earlier date was deemed advisable, and the month of February was made election month. The first election under this latter change was held February 8, 1876, at which date one hundred and fifty-six votes were cast. The growth and de- cadence of the village maybe somewhat discerned from the number of votes polled at the elections held at different times. At the first election, 1868, the whole number of votes yiolled was ninety-seven. In 1871 the number had increased to one hundred and sixty-nine, and three years later, 1874, Reads cast her highest vote at any char- ter election held in her corporate limits, polling one hundred and ninety-three. This number had decreased to one hundred and fifty- six in 1876, to one hundred and thirty-two in 1878, to eighty in 1880. At the last election, held February 13, 1883, the wliole number of votes polled was sixty-nine. In the spring of the year, during the interval between the opening of the river and the lake (Pepin), a ])eriod of about two weeks, more or less, Reads was formerly, before the completion of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway up the river, a place of great activity. The steamers arriving from below, a score in number, loaded with north-bound passengers, wei-e impatiently awaiting the opening of the lake. The crews had no better business on hand than to make the most of their time on shore, and the passengers, those of them who did not take stage northward, only served to swell the tide of impatient discontent. Bets would accumulate, and money was i'reely wagered daily on the question of ait opened or closed lake within a given ]3eriod. Burbank's stage route, which connected La Crosse with St. Paul during the winter season, was fully utilized at this season by those desirous of making their way north- ward for opening navigation, without delay ; and as the rattling vehicles clattered over the gravel and cobble-stones with which the streets of Reads are so ])lentifully sprinkled, the little town took on an ap])earance of business that of late years it has unfortunately been a stranger to. Reads has had some knowledge of the u])s and downs Albert Pomeroy, Alvin Pomeroy, John W. Pogson, John W. Ploof, John D. Ross, Ab.salom Elliott, Eugene T. Wilson, Nelson Cheatham, John Conkite, R. D. Case, A. G. Crawford. AEMY. 681 ' The 2d regt. Minn. Vol. Cav. was organized in January, 1864, and ordered upon Indian expedition in May, 186'4 ; partici- pated in the battle with Indians July 28 and August, 1864. This regiment was stationed at frontier posts until mustered out by com- panies between November, 1865, and June, 1866. Enlisted men from Wabasha county as follows : William B. Haynes, Wilson R. Russell, George C. Butterfield, Charles L. Fertile, Evan E. Johnson, Peter Peterson, Thomas B. Root, Edgar F. Tibbetts, Philo J. C. Walker, Levi Tibbetts, Mathew S. Tyler, Franklin Alle, AVilliam Lansing, George P. Harris, John R. Brown, James K. P. Fetzer, John A. Harris, Ezra M. Mathews, Philip P. Weaver, John Leewald, George S. Johnson, John C. Fowler, Luther McNeal, Jonathan Tisdale, David Delling, Jr., William B. Haines, John Kelley, Truman D. Merrill, Nathan F. Dane, Thomas Evanson, Almond L. Austin, George W. Adrian, Erastus T. Green, Henry S. Hoyt, Henry B. Lockwood, Charles E. Mills. The 1st Mounted Hangers Minn. Vol. Cav. was organized in March, 1863. This cavalry was stationed among frontier outposts until May, 1863, when it was ordered upon Indian expedition, and participated in the engagement with the Indians on July 2-1, 26 and 28, 1863, and upon the return of the expedition was again stationed at frontier forts until mustered out. This regiment was mustered out by companies between October 1, 1863, and December 30, 1863. List of men enrolled from this county as follows : - Newton Williams, Albert R. Field, Timothy R. Bullis, James R. Burker, George W. Emeigh, Stephen R. Field, J. S. Harrison, William Kirkpatrick, William C. Pious, Thomas Smith, R. M.'Weaky, William Wooden, Benjamin S. Youngs, William Young, Milton Hatchenway, Frederick E. Vance, Albert W. Bean, James O. Hattlested, James H. Kinney. Bracket's bat. Minn. Yol. Cav. consisted originally of coin- panies 1, 2 and 3, and was organized in November, 1861. It was ordered to Benton Barracks, Missouri, in December, 1862. In April, 1862, the name of this regiment was changed to the 5th Iowa Cav. ; was veteranized in 1864 and ordered to the department of the JSTorthwest ; was mustered out by companies between May and June, 1866. The men who engaged in this battalion from Waba- sha county were : George Phelps, Edward W. Hunt, Henry Slaymaker, Reuben Slaymaker. The Independent bat. Minn. Vols, was organized July 20, 1863, and stationed at Fort Abercrombie until mustered out of service by companies from April, 1866, to June, 1866. From Wabasha county there were only five enlistments, namely : Edward L. Sharpe, Abbot H. Handy, Jacob INIeetmesser, William B. Brumard, Albert Kimball. 682 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. The 3cl bat. Art. was organized in 1803 and ordered upon the Indian expedition, and upon the return of this expedition stationed at the frontier forts until mustered out of service February 27, 1866. Men enlisted from Wabasha were : Henry M. Montjjomery, Gad M. Dvvelle, Thomas Rodney, Richard Rew, Lyman D. Rosier, William Rouleau, Isaac Rogers, David Richardson, Reuben W. Russ. CHUECHES. Episcopal Church. — The first Episcopal service held in Wabasha was given in June, 1857, by the Kt. Rev. Bishop Kemper, missionary bishop of the Northwest, which included Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and Dakota. After Minnesota became a diocese, the first service held in the diocese by its bishop, the Rt. Rev. Henry Benjamin Whipple, was at Wabasha, in the Baptist chapel, October, 1859, as he was on his way up the Mississippi to . St. Paul. Regular services were held during the year 1860, by the Rev. Charles W, Clinton, in a room fitted w\) for that purpose in a building on Bridge street known as Apollo Hall. A Sunday school had been organized in the winter of 1857 by a lady, holding it in her own house, under the sanction of Bishop Kemper, being assisted from time to time by clergymen who held occasional services in the place before Rev. Clinton's ministry began. That school has been continued until the present date without interruption, and it was the first Sunda}^ school organized in' Wabasha. Mr. Clinton remained about eight months, preaching alternately here and at Lake City. After he left, the Rev. C. P. Dorsett held occasional services until the autumn of 1862, when the Rev. H. G. Batterson commenced his labors here, his first service being given on the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity, November 23, 1862. The parish was not organized until December 16, when, at a meeting, it was voted to call the organization by the name of Grace church, Wabasha, regular service and Sunday school being held in the court-house. In the spring of 1863 three lots were given by Wm. W. Prindle for church purposes, and arrangements were made dui'ing that year for building a stone church upon the ground, contract let to R. P. Andrews for the laying of the walls. Basement was completed in the spring of 1864, and corner-stone laid on June 15, with a[)propriate ceremonies. A copper box was placed in the stone, containing a cop}' of the Holy Scri])tures in English, according to the standard of King James' translation, a copy of the Book of AKMY. 683 Common Prayer, a copy of the Church Almanac, with parish list for 186i, also copies of the "Church Journal," "The Northwestern Church," and the " Wabasha County Herald," one silver dime and half-dime of the issue of 1853, an English shilling piece of the reign of Charles III, 1788, a five-cent Canada coin of silver, Victoria, 1858, ten and five cent specimens of the postal currency, ten-cent piece of scrip, Bank of Tennessee, Nashville, December, 1861, a copper coin of Canada and United States, ein kreuzer, 1816, photograph of the first bishop of Minnesota (Bishop Whipple), and the pastor, Kev. Mr. Batterson ; the names of the bishop and clergy of Minnesota for 1864, with names of the members of the standing committee and other ofticers of the diocese. The day was beautiful, and in the evening the friends of Mr. Batterson called to oifer their congratulations. Unfortunately, on June 23, the builder and contractor were drafted for the war, and the work on the structure had to be suspended and the project finally abandoned, for, as the price of labor and material advanced, the parish had not the means to carry forward the work. During the winter of 1864-5 the Rev. Mr. Batterson was absent from the parish on account of ill health, during which time Mr. Ralph E. Arnold gave a lay service every Sunday morning and took charge of the Sunday school, which at this time numbered one hundred and nineteen srliolars. Mr. Batterson returned in the spring, and on the first day of June, 1865, the Baptist chapel was purchased and removed to the church lots on corner of Bailley and Third streets. It was thoroughly repaired and painted, a bell tower in the rear being added, and the opening service was held therein on Sunday, July 30. By a general subscription, aided by friends of Mr. Batterson, a bell was purchased of Messrs. A. Fulton, Sons & Co., of Pi|;sburgh, Pennsylvania, and it was rung the first time on Sunday morning, October 29, 1865. The weight of this bell was eight hundred and fifty pounds. On April 29, 1866, Rev. Mr. Batterson preached his farewell to the parish, and was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Wardlaw, who commenced his labors on June 24, 1866. Mr. Wardlaw was succeeded by the Rev. Alex. Seabrease, B.D., who took charge of the parish May 23, 1869, first Sunday after Trinity. During this year the parish built a rectory, costing sixteen hundred dollars, and steps were taken to fill up the basement made for the stone church by taking out the wall and filling it up. Rev. Mr. Seabrease closed his connection with Grace church on June 2, 684 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. 1872, and was succeeded by the Rev. Horace Hills, who closed his rectorship of the ])arish on September 30, 1877. Rev. James Cornell, the present rector, entered upon his duties on October 7, 1877. During the summer of 1881 the church building was again repaired and improved by the insertion of stained-glass windows, new chandeliers and other fixtures, at an expense of two hundred and fifty dollars, the excavation was also filled up fully, which cost some twenty dollars moi*e. Size of the building is 24x50, with a vestibule 10x6. It contains a chancel 12x10, and vestry-room on the left, library on the right, of 10 X each. The congregation num- bers about two hundred, including the Sunday school. During the summer and autumn of 1858 two churches were erected in Wabasha, the first being a Baptist church, the society hav- ing been organized during the summer of 1857. Tliis building was 24X 50 feet, with a belfry of sixty feet, and cost one thousand dollars. The first and only pastor of this society was the Rev. James Wharton, from Ohio, who organized and kept the congregation together for two years after the church was dedicated. A bell was purchased by the citizens, and hung in the belfry of this church, which was the first bell to ring out the glad tidings of salvation to willing ears in the place or county. The second finished was the Congregational, which society was organized in February, 1856, the original members being Deacon Oliver Pendleton, Mrs. W. W. Prindie, Mrs. W. Hancock, Mrs. H. Wilson, Malcolm Kennedy and W. S. Jackson, Rev. S. Morgan, missionary director. This organization, next to the Catholic, is the oldest in the place. The first settled pastor was the Rev. S. L. Hillier, who commenced his ministry May 1, 1857, services being held in what was called Apollo Hall. Mr. Hillier was succeeded by Rev. David Andrews October 15, 1858, and he was the first clergyman wh<^ held service in the new church. This church was built on lot 2, of block 14, on Second street, its size being 22x50, and was dedicated October 20, 1858. Rev. Mr. Andrews was succeeded by the Rev. J. Doane in August, 1860, he commencing his labors on the 27th. Upon the breaking out of the rebellion Mr. Doane resigned his charge for another in the service of his beloved country, and was succeeded by the Rev. L. N. Woodruff, September 16, 1862, and Mr. Woodruff by Rev. Edward Hildreth, April 19, 1866. Mr. Hildreth remained some two years, and was succeeded by the Rev. Henry Loomis in October, 1868. Rev. C. W. Honeyman succeeded ARMY. 685 Mr. Loomis in the spring of ] 872, in which year tlie society erected a beautiful parsonage upon lot 1 of the church property, which cost thirty-six hundred dollars. Mr. Honeyman's health failing him, the Rev, O. Hobbs officiated from January 14, 1874, to April 2, 1874, when he was succeeded by Rev. E. W. Weeks ; and Mr. Weeks ended his labors with this congregation in August, 1875, being succeeded by the Rev. J. F. Todd on November 3 of the same year. Mr. Todd continued his ministry here until succeeded by Rev. J. W. Ray April 4, 1877. Mr. Ray continued his pastoral relations until the autumn of 1882, when he was succeeded by the Rev. C. P. Watson, the present incumbent. This church has a membership of sixty persons, and congrega- tion, with sabbath school included, of some two hundred. The sabbath school was organized in the autumn of 1858, and has been continued with unabated interest and success until the present time, Mr, Malcolm Kennedy acting as superintendent some twenty-two years. W. S, Jackson was the very efficient and interested librarian of this school from its commencement to the time of his death in February, 1882. Tlie first deacons of this church were Oliver Pendleton, Sr., and William W, McDougall. The present officials are Dr. William L. Lincoln and J. Stuart. Deacons Pendleton and McDougall both lie in their narrow beds at Riverview cemetery. The size of this church edifice is 22x50 feet, with a bell-tower in the rear and a bell weighing one thousand pounds. The building was erected at an expense of one thousand dollars. In 1842 Rev. Father Ravoux, now of St, Paul, sent a log building from Mendota to this place to be used as a chapel for worship. It was placed upon a raft and floated down the river ; and after reaching Wabasha it was put up on the ground of what was called the Point, which is now the terminus of Main street, north. This was the first building for religious purposes erected in Wabasha count}", and was used as a church edifice some fourteen years. In consequence of there being no settled pastor of the fiock, services were very irregular, and the building was finally used for secular purposes. The first printing-press of the town was set up in it, and the first paper printed in the county issued therefrom. A school was taught in it also for a time, but it finally succumbed to civiliza- tion, and ' ' the old church " fell to decay, all traces of it being now wholly obliterated. In the autumn of 1858 Rev. Felix Tissot came to the place, and 686 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTV. immediately took measures to erect a new cliurcli upon the ground of the Catholic cemetery, in the southeast part of the city, on what is called "Rocque's Addition." It was completed in the spring of 1859, but it proved to be too far from the center of the town for convenience, and in 1862 it was taken down and moved to lot 6 in block 22. The size of this church was 30X50, with a tower in front in wliich a bell was hung weigliing five hundred pounds. It was consecrated by Rt. Rev. Bishop Grace on July 27, 1862. In the fall of 1872 a school was opened in the basement story of the church under the charge of the Sisters of Notre Dame, Milwaukee, of ninety pupils with three teachers. Sister Venantia the superior. It now has an average attendance of one hundred and seventy-five pupils, with a corps of five teachers, and sends out yearly its graduates in music, drawing and needlework, together with a liigh average in all the English branches of education. This church, proving too small for the increasing congregation, had to give place to the new and beautiful brick structure on lot 1 and half of lot 2, in block 26, which was erected in 1872, the cornerstone being laid with imposing cere- monies by Rt. Rev. Bishop Grace, of St. Paul, July 14, and it was consecrated the following year on July 18. An immense con- course of people gathered together from all the adjacent towns to witness the ceremonies. The size of this church is 50x100 feet, with a sanctuary 26x28 feet, and a vestry-room 17x20 feet, with a tower eighteen feet square at the base and a height of one hundred and fifty-iive feet. The plans were made by Mr, Charles Ross, of La Crosse, builder of the La Crosse cathedral. The contractors were A. W. Gage & Co., of Winona, and with the plans, ground, altar vestments, stained-glass windows, etc., cost the congregation thirty thousand dollars. Many citizens of Wabasha who were not mem- bers of the Catholic church contributed liberally toward its erection. The first resident pastor of Wabasha was Rev. Felix Tissott, rector of St. Felix church from October, 1858, to October, 1866, when it was placed in charge of Rev. James Trobec, who is still the resident pastor. The St. Felix congregation contains some fifteen hundred souls. A convenient rectory was built upon lot 6, block 22, at an expense of twenty-two hundred dollars, in the year 1872. German Lutheran. — This congregation was organized in 1875, with a membership of fifty, with the Rev. August Kanne as pastor. Their service was held in the court-room until July, 1876, when their church building was completed which stood on Market street. The ARMY. 687 size of this church was 25x40 feet, and the whole expense, in chid- ing the church lots and belfry, amounted to two thousand dollars. The first trustees of this church were Jacob Thonej, Sr., Christian Florine and Wilhelm Kuchenbauch. They were succeeded by Her- man Lessing, Philip Grub and Maurice Ending. These were suc- ceeded by J. Breger, Jacob Scholer and Albert Lueck. Tliis church and society have a Sunday school, which was organized in 1876, with forty scholars, and the school and congregation number at the present date about one hundred and fifty. A seven-hundred-pound bell was purcliased in 1877. The first pastor of this church was Eev. August Kanne, who was succeeded in 1879 by the Rev. A. Krahn, who still remains in charge. The lot upon which the church was built was found to be not pleasing to the congregation, and in the spring of 1881 another was purchased on corner of Jefiferson and Second streets. South Wabasha, and the church removed to it in the spring of 1882, at an expense of one hundred and fifty dollars. The members constituting this church were : John Yoelger, Henry Balow, Jacob Thoney, Joseph Thoney, Jacob Ray, Jacob Gengnagle, Peter Ter- vana, Peter Yanette, Herman Lessing, George Bance, Peter C. Oavedetesher, Jacob Miller, William Reichenbach, Jacob Mingold, Peter Klaus, Philip Grub and Jacob Schuler. , The first Protestant services held in Wabasha were ty Rev. Dwight Kidder, in the bar-room of the American hotel, in 1855. Mr. Kidder was a Methodist, and had been sent to take charge of the mission embracing Read's Landing, Wabasha, Central Point and Wacouta. A class formed in Wabasha, consisting of H. B. Potter, leader, H. Tracy, T. G. Bolton, J. W. Bolton, Nancy Bolton, Ruth E. Bolton, Mrs. Wilds and Hannah Drew. Wabasha at that time contained about one hundred inhabitants. The first quarterly meet- ing held in the place was in the log chapel belonging to the Catholics, December 15-16, 1855. A Mr. Crist was appointed to this chai'ge in 1856, but did not remain, and services were interrupted until August, 1857, when the Rev. S. Salsbury was placed in charge by the first Minnesota conference, his work to comprise Wabasha, Read's Land- ing and Cook's valley. Mr. Salsbury left in the spring of 1858, and the next pastor in charge was the Rev. James Gurley. A Sunday school was instituted this year of forty-five scholars. The next pastor in charge was a Mr. Dyer, the next Rev. Jesse Smith, in charge to the fall of 1861, when the Rev. Harvey Webb was placed in charge, and remained until 1863. During his administration, the 688 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. church was reorganized according to the statutes of the state, • by apjiointing John R. C. Creighton, secretary, Rev. H. Webb, pastor, presiding. Five trustees were elected, namely, Thomas Roberts, John R. Creighton, James Crowley, John Lewis and James Luscombe. The term of years each trustee was to serve was determined, and they decided to build a church upon a lot which had been previously purchased for that purpose by Mrs. T. Roberts. This lot was on Second street, and the church bought it of Mrs. Roberts. A build- ing committee was chosen, consisting of Rev. H. Webb, L. Dietz, John McArthur, Thomas Bolton and Thomas Roberts. Si)ecifica- tions for the church building were, size 24X40 feet, height 14 feet, the vestibule being added afterward. John Luscombe, builder. The whole expense of building amounted to one thousand dollars, and it was dedicated on August 6, 1862. The Rev. A. Wilford was placed in charge September, 1863, and remained in charge during 1863-4. In November, 1864, Rev. Wilford was ap])ointed, by the governor, chaplain to the 3d Minn. Vol. Inf., and his place was supplied by Rev. J. R. Creighton, who had received license to preach at confer- ence of 1864. At the next session of conference in 1865, Rev. T. M. Gossard was appointed in charge, and he was succeeded by Rev. J. L. Farber, who was reappointed in the fall of 1867 and remained until 1868, when the Rev. S. G. Gale succeeded him. Rev. W. C. Rice was pastor in 1869-70, and he was succeeded by Rev. E. Y. Coffin, who remained in charge until the fall of 1871, when the Rev. S. G. Gale was returned as pastor. Mr. Gale remained two years, when Rev. W. C. Shaw succeeded him. Mr. Shaw died in February, 1874, and the Rev. M. O. M'Nift was appointed to supply the remainder of the year. September 14, 1875, Rev. W. H. Soule was appointed pastor and remained in charge until October 21, 1878, when the Rev. James Door succeeded him. October 11, 1880, the Rev. W. C. Miles commenced his pastorate, which continued until October 10, 1882, when the Rev. D. J. Higgins was placed in charge and is the present incumbent. This church was removed to its present site on Fourth street, lots 7 and 8, in 1870, the old lot being sold for three hundred dollars. The first stewards were : H. B. Potter and R. F. Morris, in 1855; James Crowley and A. Gibbs, in 1856; A. W. Weston and O. W. Collier, in 1860; J. S. Felton, J. W. Lus- combe and L. Emery, in 1861 ; J. R. Creighton and T. G. Bolton, in 1862; M. H. Brown, in 1866; James Crowley and T. Roberts, in 1870; and Thos. Roberts and O. H. Porter, in 1878. The present stewards are John Lewis, O. H. Porter and H. Coval. The first trustees were James Ci-owlej, Thomas Roberts, J. R. Creighton, John Lewis, John W. Luscombe. In 1866 James Crowley, Thos. Roberts, George B. Downer and C. Piper were elected. In 1868 M. H. Brown, E. C. Crum and J. K. Benedict were elected to fill vacancies. In 1879 M. H. Brown, Y. R. Mace, Thos. Roberts and O. H. Porter were elected, and the present trustees are O. H. Porter, M. H. Brown and Y. R. Mace. The Sunday school has had various superintendents, the first one being R. F. Morris, then James Crow- ley, J. F. Creighton, T. G. Bolton, J. W. Howland, M. H. Brown, Y. R. Mace, J. M. Martin and O. H. Porter. The school now numbers some thirty scholars, and congregation, all told, about sixty members. SCHOOLS. The first school taught in Wabasha was a private school taught by Thomas Flyn. After the first school-district in the county was organized, which was that of Wabasha district No. 1, in 1855, a school was taught in it by II. B. Potter, the building used for the purpose being the old log church mentioned in another chapter, which stood upon what was then called "The Point." Mr. Potter taught a few months in 1856, and then the school was discon- tinued. Miss E. Hogard taught a private school for a few months in a small building on Bridge street, erected by B. S. Hurd in 1856 ; Miss Hogard taught during the spring of 1857, but discontinued it on account of the public school being resumed by Miss A. Strickland, who taught for about three months. Mrs. J. J. Stone then opened a private school in her own house on Pembroke street, and taught more or less during the years of 1858 and 1859, removing her school to a small frame building on Main street, below Pembroke. During the summer and fall of 1858 a private school was taught on the west side by E. F. Dodge, in a building erected for that purpose by Mr. Jarvis Williams, of Saco, Maine, who then resided on that side. Meantime steps were being taken by the city for the erection of a schoolhouse adapted to the needs of the town, and lots were purchased in block 5 of South Wabasha for that purpose. A stone building was erected during the summer and fall of 1859, the corner- stone being laid with appropriate ceremonies on July 4, 1859. This house cost twenty-five hundred dollars, size 40x45, and a school was opened in it on January 3, 1860, taught by W. C. Bry- ant, assisted by Miss Henrietta Angier, of Toledo, Ohio, all private 690 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. schools merging into it. Mr. Bryant was from Cincinnati, Ohio, where he had done much to establish a high grade of common schools, and his eiforts here were the very first made in Wabasha county toward the union or graded schools. Mr. Bryant continued his teaching until the close of the spring term. No other school was taught in the building as a schoolhouse, as the city donated the building to the county for a courthouse the same year, and the county offices were removed thereto in the fall of 1860. In the fall of 1860 Mr, Walter Gurley opened a private school in the courtroom of this building, teaching it until January, 1861, when Mr. Joseph Gates took the school and completed the term, teaching another term during the spring of 1862. The public school was taught very successfully during the winter of 1861-62 by Mr. H. I. Whitmore, his school numbering one hundred pupils. The next school was taught by Mr. Gates, during 1862-3, in the Baptist church building, which was rented for that purj^ose. A wooden structure at this time was in process of erection, by private enter- prise, for an academ}^, which stood on Third street, between Walnut and Allegheny streets. It was completed in November, 1865, and a ver}' successful school taught in it during the winter of 1865-6 by Mr. L. Jenness. A parish school had been instituted under tl.ie auspices of the Episcopal church, by the Rev. H. G. Batterson, in 1863-4, which was first taught by Miss Kate Dougall, — afterward by Miss AVealtliy Tucker, of Winona, — in a building owned by Henry de Camp, corner of Bailly and Second streets, but as the other schools ad- vanced in character and course of study, it was given up, the teacher, Miss Tucker, accepting a position as assistant in the school of the academy. Mr. Jenness, having a better ofter in Minneapolis, left in the spring of 1865, and no school being taught, Mrs. Marian T. Bowditch opened a private one in the courtroom for the summer. Mrs. Bowditch continued her school, assisted by her niece. Miss E. Bowditch, in her own house the next winter, discontinuing it in the spring of 1866. Meanwhile the school in the academy was taught by Rev. Bonnel, a Baptist clergyman, assisted by his wife. The city needing a schoolhouse badly, finally negotiated for the academy building, and it passed into the hands of the city in 1865. Previous to that the public school had been taught in the Baptist chapel by J. Gates very satisfactorily, assisted by Mrs. J. J. Stone, Miss M. Staples teaching the summer term. After the ])urchase of the academy by the city, Mr. Hopper was emjjloyed as principal, Mr. Henry F. Rose succeeding him. Mr. Rose remained two years, and ARMY. 691 was succeeded in the fall of 1867 by E. Hogle, who taught the school two terms, assisted by Miss D. Clark and Miss J. Lynch, Mr. E. A. Booth succeeded Hogle, and remained until the spring of 1858, when he resigned the place, his position being filled the next term by Mrs. E. L. Douglass ; Miss Jennie Fyfe, teacher of interme- diate department ; Miss McCune, of primary. The academy building was now too small to accommodate the diiierent grades, and rooms were rented therefor in different parts of the city. In the spring of 1858 tlie subject of a more com- modious and central schoolhouse was agitated, which resulted in the erection of the present fine edifice in block 4, South Wabasha, and in the gathering of the different departments of the graded school under one roof. The board of education, after deciding upon the amount of funds needed for that purpose, and to issue bonds upon the credit of the school-district No. 1, submitted the same to a vote of the electors of said district on April 27, 1868, as required by law. The vote cast was for the issue of these bonds, and they were issued to the amount of twenty thousand dollars, redeemable between July 1, 1870, and July 1, 1880. The size of this building is 62^X82^ feet, is three stories high, including basement, and con- tains twelve rooms, besides the halls and wardrobes; four in the basement, four on the first floor, with a wardrobe to each room, and four on the upper floor, with wardrobes also. The high school department occupies the double room on the northwest side of the house. A belfry in the center of the building contains a bell of six hundred pounds, and it is warmed by three Lossing furnaces. Messrs. Gates, Brink & Harlow were the contractors, and the whole cost of building and seating the rooms amounted to twenty-five thou- sand dollars. Board of education at the time consisted of Eev. B, Wharton, S. S. Kepler, J. Satory, J. B. Davis and George Hall. The schot)l was opened in this building in December, with K. H. Sturgis, principal, and four assistant teachers. In September, 1870, S. L. Sayles, of New York, accepted the position of principal of the school, with five assistant teachers, and taught and regraded it very successfully. Mr. Sajdes resigned the position in 1872, and was succeeded by Mr. M. B. Foster, also an able and efficient teacher, who remained four years. Mr. E. Hogle succeeded him for one year, when J. B. Hawley was employed, together with six assistant teachers. In the fall of 1 880 Mr. Hawley resigned and Wm. A. Snook succeeded him, remaining two years. The present efficient principal, Horace Gibson, took charge of the school in September, 1882. CHAPTER LX. BENCH AND BAR. Minnesota was organized as a territory in Marcli, 1849. By the organic act the judicial power of the territory was vested in a supreme court, district courts, probate courts and courts of justice of the peace. The territory was divided into three judicial districts, and one of the supreme judges assigned to each district, and the three acting together formed the supreme court of the state. The judges appointed by the president, and comprising the supreme court in 1856, were William H. Welch, chief justice ; Moses Sherburne and A. J. Chatfield, associate justices. Wabasha county formed part of the lirst judicial district, and the Hon. William H. Welch, residing at Red Wing, was assigned to the first district, and held the ])osition of district judge for said district until superseded by the election of the Hon. Thomas Wilson as district judge under the state constitution in 1858. Although Wabasha county is one of the oldest counties in the state, it was not organized for judicial purposes nntil the winter of 1856 ; prior to that time it was attached first to Washington and then to Goodhue counties for judicial purposes. In the winter of 1854 the village of WabaSha was designated, by legislative enactment, as the county seat of Wabasha county. Alexis Bailly was chosen the first justice of the peace of the county, and an effort made to establish law and order. It is related that Augustine Rocque, an old half-breed Indian trader, then residing at Wabasha, learning of the appointment of Alex Bailly as justice of the ]ieace, called his numerous progeny around him and admonished them that it now stood them in hand to be on their good behavior, "for," said he, "the law has come, and Alexis Bailly is the law." The first term of the district court for the county was held in what was known as H. S. Allen & Co's warehouse, in the spring of 1856, Hon. William II. Welch presiding ; S. L. Campbell, clerk ; Blois S. Hurd, sheriff'; and Thomas Wilson, of Winona, district attoi'ney. No business of importance was transacted. The bar of BENCH AND BAR. 693 the county was John McKee, J. W. Tyson and S. L. Campbell. No grand or petit jurors were in attendance, and after hearing a few motions and granting a few naturalization papers, court adjourned. At the next term of the district court there was a full attendance of jurors. Seventeen indictments were found, all of which were dis- missed for irregularity, much to the disgust of the then district attor- ney, Samuel Cole, and J. W. Tyson, acting as county attorney. Alexis Bailly applied for admission to the bar as a qualified attorney, but failed to pass an examination. He was subsequently admitted at St. Paul. Being asked by one of the attorneys of the county how he managed to pass an examination, he replied that he had a bottle of champagne under each arm and two in his pockets, and nary question asked by the committee. J. A. Criswell succeeded Alexis Bailly in the administration of the law, and was the principal judicial officer of the county, until it was organized for judicial purposes. Although his education was limited, he was an excellent judge of the law, having held the office of justice of the peace in Michigan and Minnesota for over twenty years. Seldom was one of his decisions reversed. He was a man of iron will and strong physical ability, which well fitted him for a frontier justice of the peace. The following incident will illustrate his manner of administering justice. At one time one of the leading physicians was before him, charged with an assault and battery upon one John Murray. During the trial the contestants engaged in a fisticuff, in which the learned justice immediately took a hand, sending each of the combatants to his respective corner. Saying as he did so, "I fine you twenty dollars each for fighting in my court, and you will pay it before you leave the room, or I will lick hell out of you." The doctor soon produced the twenty dollars, but Murray could only find ten dollars. Criswell very generously remitted the balance, say- ing, "The fine goes to the poor, and I would like to see any one poorer than I am," as he chinked the money into his pocket. The first attorneys to settle in the county and open offices were Frank Clark and John McKee, men whose characters were dia- metrically the opposite of each other. John McKee was open, frank, and generous to a fault ; the other was shrewd, cunning and dis- honest. He was arrested in the winter of 1855 for stealing and mutilating the county records, but succeeded in escaping from the officer who had him in charge, and fled the state. He subsequently 694 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. abandoned the profession and ojiened up a doctor sliop in Chicago as a specialist of bad repute. In 1858, Minnesota, having adopted a constitution, was admitted as a state, and the Hon. Thomas Wilson, of Winona, was elected district judge, and held the position until he was appointed chief justice of the supreme court of the state in 1864. The first term of the district court for Wabasha county, under the state organization, was held in what was then known as Kurd's Hall, in Wabasha, in the fall of 1858, Hon. Tlios. Willson, ])residing; S. A. Kemp, clerk ; John W. Tyson, district attorney ; K. M. Finer, sherifl[ ; AVm. J. Jacobs, foreman of the grand jury. There was quite a strong bar present: John N. Murdoch, John McKee, John W. Tyson and S. L. Campbell, resident attorneys of the county, with quite a number of foreign attorneys in attendance. Among the most noted of these were Hon. William Windom (late United States senator) and Gen. Berry, of Winona, J. W. Brisbin, of St. Paul. Quite a number of civil causes were tried, — none of note, however. Seventeen indictments were found by the grand }ury, all of which were quashed on motion for informalities in the drawing of the indictments, much to the chagrin and disgust of the county attor- ney, J. W. Tyson. Judge Wilson, on being elected to the supreme bench, was succeeded by the Hon. Lloyd Barber, of Rochester, who held the position for one term (being succeeded by Hon. C. N. Waterman in the fall of 1872), and died February 18, 1873. He held two terms of court in Wabasha count}^ and presided at the trial of Hicks, Stacks aijd Farrell for the murder of one Elliott. This was one of the most exciting trials ever held in the county, and lasted for and during thirty-two days. W. W. Scott, of Lake City, then county attorney, assisted by the Hon. Thomas Wilson, of Winona, prosecuted these cases, and the Hon. S. L. Campbell, of Wabasha, conducted the defenses, assisted in the case of Stacks by Gov. Gorman, of St. Paul, on the trial of Hicks by L. S. Flint, Esq., of St. Paul, and on the trial of Farrell by the John Stew- art, of Wabasha. Strenuous efforts were made by the prosecu- tion to obtain a verdict with' the penalty of death attached, while the defense put forth their utmost endeavors to save the parties from hanging. The result of these trials was the finding of Stacks and Hicks guilty of murder in the first degree without the death penalty being attached, while in the case of Farrell it was guilty with the death penalty attached. The former two were duly sentenced BENCH AND BAR. 695 to the state's prison for life, and sentence of "death" was passed upon the latter, but by the eflbrts of his counsel and others, his sentence was afterward commuted to imprisonment for life by Gov. Austin, The following is a brief summary of the facts attending the murder as appeared upon the trial. On the day of the murder one William Fitzgerald had drawn, as back pay and bounty money for services as volunteer soldier in the late rebellion, about seven hun- dred dollars. This he, during the day, had unguardedly exhibited in the saloons, especially to Patrick Stacks, who was a boon companion and was drinking with him. Stacks conceived the idea and laid his plans to rob Fitzgerald that night, and persuaded Hicks and Farrell to join him in his nefarious enterprise. Their plan was to visit the house in which Fitzgerald boarded, and which was occupied by one Nicholas Wagner, being situated directly opposite the cemetery between Wabasha and Read's Landing. Stacks was to spy out the location and situation. Hicks was to enter Fitzgerald's bedroom after he had retired and abstract the money, while Farrell was to stand on guard, and if need be to play the bully and bruiser. One Edward Elliott, a thin, spare man, in feeble health, boarded at the same house with Fitzgerald. Between one and two o'clock that night, he had occasion to step outdoors and was seized by Stacks, who put a pistol to his head, caught him by the throat and threw him on the ground, when one of the three jumped upon him. Another called out, it is not our man, do not hurt him. Another said, dead men tell no tales. Supposing Elliott to be dead, they carried him across the road and threw him into the cemetery. Reviving, he crawled on his hands and knees to a house about a quarter of a mile distant, and was able to arouse the inmates, and was by them taken in and cared for. He survived his injuries about three days, giving the facts, as to wliat took place at the time of the assault, in his dying declarations, although he was unable to recognize any one of his assailants. The inhabitants of Wabasha and Read's Landing were highly incensed at the crime, and strong efforts were made, and large rewards offered, by the county for the arrest of the murderers. Geo. Young, then marshall of Read's Landing, was successful in striking the trail ; and, by ingratiating himself into Farrell's good opinion, whom he found in jail in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and assisting him to regain his liberty, was able to get a statement of the facts in the matter from him, and to Young is due the credit of bringing all three of the murderers to justice. 696 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Patrick Stacks was one of the most noted desperadoes of the upper Mississippi valley. On his way from Wabasha to the state's prison, in charge of the sheriff and deputies, and handcuffed to his mate, besides being otherwise heavily ironed, they jumped from the deck of a steamboat, while it was in motion, into the Mississippi river, and succeeded in swimming to an island, on which they were several days afterward recaptured in a half-famished condition, being unable to separate themselves or i-emove their irons without tools, or escape to the mainland by swimming, until they were removed. He afterward made several attempts to esca])e from the state's prison, in one of which he was successful, being again retaken after reaching the mountains in Nebraska, through the betrayal of his identity by an associate for the reward offered for him. Again he was incarcerated in the prison, and soon afterward put an end to his miserable existence by poison mysteriously procured. Before he died, but while on his deathbed, he made a declaration in which he stated that Farrell did all he could to save Elliott from harm. Influenced by Stack's confession and by the good record of Farrell while in state's prison, through the exertions of S, L. Campbell, of Wabasha, and others, Gov. Hubbard was induced to extend to him pardon after eleven years' imprisonment. Since his release lie has conducted himself in an upright manner and is well liked by his employers. Hicks still remains in prison. Nothing shows the fal- libility of juries and human tribunals more than the result of these trials. During their progress, and from the time of the arrest until iinal judgment it was the almost universal opinion that Farrell was the most guilty of the three. At the present time it is unanimously conceded that Farrell not only was not guilty of the murder, but that he did all he could to prevent it. The Hon. John VanDyke, of Wabasha, was appointed district judge to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of the Hon. C. N. Waterman, and held the position until the next general election, when the Hon. William Mitchell was unanimously chosen by the people to till the position and held the same until 1881, when he was appointed to the supreme bench of the State of Minnesota, and the Hon. C. N. Start, of Rochester, was appointed in his place, and now performs the duties of the office to the entire satisfaction of the bar and people, having been unanimously elected in November, 1881, for a full term. Wabasha and the village of Reads are both situated near the BENCH AND BAK. 69T mouth of the Chippewa river, where its waters help to swell the tide of the "Father of Waters." Large quantities of lumber are annually floated in small rafts down the Chippewa river and along the banks of the Mississippi, near the mouth of the Chippewa are coupled or joined into larger rafts for floating down the Mississippi to St. Louis and other points. Consequently a large number of "floating population" congregated at these points in former years seeking employment in transporting lumber, as heretofore desig- nated. Very many of this class of men were persons of bad repute — thieves, gamblers and drunkards ; hence there has been a vast amount of criminal business in the county, and only a few years years ago Wabasha had the unenviable reputation of having had more murders committed within its borders than any other county in the state ; but of late years the lumber has been towed by tugs or steamboats and required but few raftsmen, that class having greatly diminished, and in fact have almost entirely disappeared, and with them the criminal calendar. Another source of litigation in former years was caused by the fact that nearly the entire Sioux half-breed reservation is located within the county and located with Sioux half-breed scrip, much of which belonged to minors. Titles to land could in such cases only be obtained through the uncertainties of a probate court, the prac- tice in which was formerly quite unsettled ; but while there has been frequent and persistent atttempts to disturb the titles to such lands in the county, courts and juries have almost invariably ignored technicalities and sustained the titles. For a number of years quite a strife existed between Lake City and Wabasha for the county seat of Wabasha county. In the winter of 18t)0 an act was passed to remove the county seat from Wabasha to Lake City, provided such removal should be sustained by a vote of the people. A vote was taken and the returns showed a majority against such removal. Lake City not being satisfied with the returns commenced proceedings to test the legality of the vote in the courts. Hon, Thomas Wilson, then district judge, declared the law under which it was taken to be unconstitutional, and this ended the matter for that time. Lake City still being dissatisfied, a bill was introduced and passed the legislature in 1868, again submitting the same question to a vote of the people. This time the blood of both places was up (as one may say) and they used their utmost endeavors to win. 698 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Every town in the county was thoroughly canvassed pro and con, and rivalry was at white heat. The returns again showed a majority in favor of Wabasha. Lake City again appealed to the courts, and after a protracted investigation in the district court, before the Hon. Lloyd Barbour, he rendered a decision in favor of Lake City. Wabasha appealed -to the supreme court and the decision of the dis- trict court was reversed wholly on technical grounds. One remark- able feature of this investigation was, that while the census showed that Lake City and Wabasha each had a pojiulation of about two thousand people, the returns showed that Lake City had cast two thousand and thirteen votes ; the City of Wabasha, four thousand and fifty -two votes. Judge Barbour, at the next term of the district court for this county, instructed the grand jury that the statutes made it their duty to inquire into all irregularities and violations in and of the election laws, and if there was fraudulent voting it was their duty to indict all parties guilty thereof. For, said he, "On the purity of the ballot-box rests the foundation of our republic." The grand jury failed to bring indictments, and on his admon- ishing them that they must have failed in their duty, was coolly informed by the foreman that Wabasha county could not afford to send half of her best citizens to the penitentiary. S. L. Campbell was appointed in January, 1856, the first clerk of the district court of Wabasha county, and held the office until the admission of the state into the Union. In October, 1857, S. A. Kemp was elected clerk under the new organization, and held the office till 1861. N. F. Webb was his successor, and held the office for one terra. Charles J. Stauff was elected in 1869, and is the present efficient clerk, and likely to hold the position so long as he may desire to do so, as he has been twice re-elected by the almost unanimous vote of the people, and discharges his duties to the entire satisfaction of bench and bar. JUDGES OF PROBATE. II. P. Wilson was elected probate judge in 1S56 ; his successor was George F. Childs, elected in 1857, and held the office one year, when B. C. Baldwin, of Lake Cit}^ was elected and held the office for two years. A. Z. Putnam was his successor, elected in the fall of 1859, and held the office for four years. G. C. Dawley filled the office in 1861:-5. E. Lathrop was elected in 1866. M. A. Fuller was his successor, and held the office for four years. A. Z. Putnam was again elected as his successor, and held the office one term. J. F. BENCH AND BAK. 099 Pope was elected in 187-i, and lield for two terms ; be was succeeded by F. J. Collier, of Wabaslia, wbo beld tbe office for one term and was succeeded by A. Z. Putnam, who was for the fourth time elected to the office in 1 879. F. J. Collier was again elected in the fall of 1883, and is now the present incumbent. DISTRICT AND COUNTY ATTORNEYS. The Hon. Thomas Wilson was district attorney in 1856, suc- ceeded by Samuel Cole, of Winona county, who held the office until the organization of the state. In the fall of 1857 John W. Tyson was elected county attorney, and was succeeded by S. L. Campbell, who held the office one term and resigned ; he was succeeded by John B. Davis, who held the office for two years and was again elected in 1865. J. D. Jacquith was elected in 1863, holding the office till 1865. W. W. Scott was elected county attorney in the fall of 1866, and held tlie position for one term. John B. Davis was again elected in 1870, holding tlie office for one term, and was succeeded by J. H. Hahn ; elected in the fall of 1872, holding the office three terms. George H. Matchin was elected in 1878, C. H. Benedict in 1880, and John McGovern in 1882, and is the present incumbent. SHERIFFS. At the first election held in Wabasha county, at the residence of Augustine Kocque, in what is now the city of Wabasha, on the 11th day of October, 1853, Levi Murphy was elected sheriffi He having failed to qualify, the board of county commissioners, on the 13th of March, 1851, appointed Dr. F, H. Milligan sheriff of the county, and he gave bonds and entered upon the duties of his office. In the fall of that year Amos Wheeler was elected sherift" of the county ; he was succeeded in 1856 by Blois S. Hurd, who resigned his office and R. M. Piner was appointed to fill the vacancy, and was elected at the next general election and held the office till Janu- ary, 1860. H. W. Butts was his successor, holding the office for one term. Wm. B. Lutz was sheriff in 1862-3 ; his successor was H. H. Slayton, who held the office for two terms. S. H. Smith succeeded him and held the office two terms. William Box was elected in the fall of 1867, his successor was L. M. Gregg, who held the office for two terms, and was succeeded by the present incum- bent, Henry Burkhardt, who was elected in 1881 and re-elected in the fall of 1883. CHAPTER LXL thp: medical fraternity. The history of tlie medical profession of any county in any state bordering on the Mississippi river will refer us to a time antedating the occupation of any land by the white inhabitant. The various tribes of American Indians were advised by their medicine- men, from whom they expected relief no less signal than that required by their white successors. The lower the tribes remained in the scale of intelligence, as a tribe, the more they looked for cures from some irrational source, and so the medicine-man entered upon his duties with the flourish of trumpets and the beating of gongs, and continued the orgies until the disease had been driven out from the patient or the jiatient had died. The early citizens of the city of Wabasha will all remember the latter days of March, 1858, when for three long nights the wakeful ones could hear the assembled medicine-men on the op]3osite bank of the river, from dusk until daylight, curing a poor So, who for two years had been the victim of consumption. The poor fellow was shrouded and the trees bore his body before they bore leaves in that spring, even if the consump- tives did flock to Minnesota from all parts of the Union to escape death from that dreaded disease. But howling over the prostrate form of the sick or wounded to drive away some evil spirit which they imagined the cause of the disease, was not the only claim which the native medicine-man had to entitle him to the degree of doctor in medicine. There can be no valid denial to the claim that the Indians of North America possessed a knowledge of what roots were edible, before contacts either with the pilgrims or with the John Smith colony ; then why not go one step further and accord them some skill in selection of roots and bark that were medicinal ? There is a precedent in Wabasha for this acknowledgment, in that after the horsepower and threshing-machine had been domiciled in this county, an Indian, not knowing that it was loaded, put his foot so far into the gearing, that a consultation of graduates of Jeft'erson Medical College decided and informed him of the result of their council, which was that amputation was the only hope to save his THE MEDICAL FRATERNITY. 701 life. The Indian declined the amputation and called another physician, who gave him every encouragement that he might still have a useful foot, vs^ith good treatment and care. He permitted the physician to dress the foot by the method which, previous to the date of "Listerism," gave promise of the best results attainable. Three days afterward the physician found his dressings all removed and the foot enveloped in about a peck of pounded barks and roots, from which the foot emerged to chase the deer before midwinter. The Indian surgeons of Wabasha county were not unskilled in the "lost art" of venisection, as the median basilic of many an Indian witnesses to this day. They were also skilled in the art of ' ' cupping, " or drawing blood by scarifying, and producing a vacuum with a cup of horn, and the mark of that on the temple or other parts of the body is a testimony to that claim. But the day will come when the medicine-man must give way to his more ambitious white brother ; and so the first man who announced himself as a practitioner of the healing art in the county of Wabasha took up his abode in the city of Wabasha and announced himself as Dr. M'Thurston. What medical lore he was master of he brought with him from the "Green Isle." His stay was short, for though he was temperate, law-abiding and kindhearted, he was a descendant of Adam, and the woman tempted him, and he, like the Arab, folded his tent and gave place to a successor, and in the autumn of 1853 the first physician upon whom had been conferred the degree of M.D. located in Wabasha to practice his profession in the person of Dr. F. H. Milligan. For two or three years he enjoyed the field alone, not only the whole of Wabasha county, but the whole region on both sides of the river, a territory almost equal to a New England State. In 1857 he left the county and located at Hastings, Dakota county, but returned to Wabasha in 1858, and has continued to practice his profession to the present time. In the winter of 1855-6 Dr. J. P. Bowen arrived on the ground and soon formed- a copartnership with Dr. Milligan, which continued for a year. Dr. Bowen remained at Wabasha until the spring of 1859, when he left for a less severe climate. In the year 1855 Dr. Geo. F. Childs and Dr. 'N. S. Teft located in the flourishing village of Minneiska, and continued in the practice of medicine, both in town and country, until 1860, when Dr. Childs went to Washington, D. C. ; and Dr. Teft removed to Plainview, where he has led an active and laborious life 702 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. in his profession, except when lie has been called by his constituents to sit in the councils of the lawmakers of the state. bi the early spring of 1856 Dr. O. S. Lont took up a residence in JVIazeppa. Of modest demeanor, genial and kindhearted, he did not claim to his compeers to be a graduate of any school ; his leaning was to the non-heroic in practice, and by a conservative practice he won many friends. The writer will never forget a case of fracture, maltreated in such a manner and degree that a loss of the limb was the result, which case might have been his but for his retiring mod- esty. The doctor told the parties interested that he did not profess to be much of a surgeon, and so the case fell into the hands of those who did profess, but whose services resulted in the loss of the leg. "VVe have always held the opinion that if Dr. Lont had taken charge of the leg his usual modesty would have ]irevented him from spoiling it. In the summer of 1857 Dr. W. L. Lincoln commenced the prac- tice of medicine in the city of Wabasha, and has devoted his life to his professional duties at the same place during the years as they have passed. In 1857 Dr. Chauncy Gibbs, of Painesville, Ohio, worn out by the practice of his profession, to renew his failing health and if possible to prolong his life, removed to a farm on the beautiful prairie where now is Plainview. He did not contemplate the practice of his pro- fession, but a noble soul can never know of suffering without offer- ing relief, so he was again in the harness for a few short months, and the "wheel was broken at the cistern." The exact date is not obtained, but not far removed in point of time, Dr. C. C. Vilas located at Lake City remaining a few years, and then removing to Michigan to return again to Lake City after the close of the war, which field he has constantly occupied to the present date. In 1860 Dr. Sheldon Brooks removed from Winona county to Minneiska; and while jie gave a large share of his time to business, he practiced his profession as the occasion demanded his services, and so he may be well among the men who have contributed their share to give honor to the profession of Wabasha county. At this stage of our citation the war of the rebellion was precipitated upon our nation, and young physicians went to the'field of strife from all parts of the land, and young men neglecting the halls of learning do not so fast obtain the title of doctor, save here and there a hospital steward who acquired the title by brevet. After the restoration of THE MEDICAL FRATERISITY. 703 peace and prosperity the profession of medicine began to take on new life, and as the number of physicians in the county seemed to warrant, there was a movement toward the formation of a medical society, and a tacit understanding was indulged in by those who had been in the practice of medicine in Wabasha and Plainview as to the status of a county medical society ; but this arrangement did not carry. Dr. Yilas had left Lake City and it was not known that there was a graduate in medicine in active practice there at that time. The initiatory steps were, however, taken at Lake City, but no clue to the date is at hand or any official record of the society. The iirst tangible point as found in the records is that an informal meeting was held at Lake City on the 25th ult., when the permanent organi- zation of a county medical society was established. Dr. F. H. Milligan, president ; Dr. E. C. Spaulding, of Lake City, secretary. The slip cut from the local weekly newspaper was clipped of its date. Dr. Spaulding was not engaged in the practice of medicine, but a newspaper man of Lake City, which may account for the manner of the records. Dr. K. N. Murray, who was at this time engaged in the milling business, soon after tliis meeting entered upon a practice at Lake City. Dr. W. H. Spafford, of the same place, belonged to this organization until his death. Dr. Isaac J. Wells was also one of the charter members, as was Dr. P. C. Eemondino, a graduate of Jefferson College, Philadelphia, but a convert to the tenets of Hahnemann, and his advertisement was yet in the paper that pub- lished the organic transactions of the society. An important item of business at this meeting was a bid for medical attendance on the county poor, and it was resolved to propose to the county com- missioners to perform the duties of county physician and surgeon for one year for eight hundred dollars, and, if the proposition be accepted, to purchase with the same instruments and books for the benefit of the members. The proposition was accepted by the commissioners, but so far as can be ascertained there are now no books or instru- ments in possession of the societj^ In December, 1869, is a record of a meeting at Lake City, when a motion was carried to elect Dr. J. P. Waste and Dr. N. S. Teft, of Plainview, members, when they shall have signed the constitution and paid the membership fee. Who were present at the meeting does not appear there, and a future record would lead us to infer that Dr. Waste and Teft were not present, for we next find note of a 70-i HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. meeting January 7, 1870, at the office of Dr. Teft in Plain view, at which meeting the two were unanimously elected members. On December 8, 1870, is a record of a meeting at the office of Dr. Milligan, and a more methodical secretary appears in the field. A list of the members present is recorded, among which we find the name of Dr. F. Lessing, a young man who went to the war fi*om Wabasha. He served as hospital steward ; at the expiration of his term he went to Philadelphia and graduated from the university of Pennsylvania, after which he located at Wabasha. The other name new in the record was the recording secretary. How or when these two joined does not ap])ear, nor when Dr. B. F. La Eue, of Lake City, was chosen secretary, but they entered at the "strait gate," for they were not the kind of men to "climb up some other way. June 20, 1871, records a meeting at Lake City with Dr. G. R. Patton's name added to the list of members, with no intimation when he became a member. Dr. Patten removed from Cincinnati, Ohio, and located at Lake City in 1871 ; and it is to be presumed he was elected a member then and there at the same meeting. Dr. J. C. Adams was elected an honorary member. Dr. Adams was at this time rector of the Episcopal church at Lake City, which accounts for the designation honorary member. The record here reads : "The second annual meeting of the Wabasha County Medical Society con- vened at Dr. Teft's office at Plain view, January 16, 1872. By vote of the society. Dr. Wm. L. Lincoln, of Wabasha, and Dr. Bacon, of Mazeppa, were elected members. Dr. Sj^afford was chosen presi- dent ; Dr. Lincoln, vice-president, and Dr. La Rue, secretary. On June 4, 1872, the society convened at the house of Dr. Lincoln, at Wabasha, with all the members present, and the records are com- plete ; papers and discussions on subjects of interest to the profession occupied the time until dinner was announced. Immediately after the repast, the following resolutions were passed : " Resolved, That we, the members of the Wabasha County Medical Society, would request the county authorities to jirocure a more suitable and central position for a county poor farm, the present building being totally unfit for such a purpose, and the distance from medical aid being too great." Another item of the records of this meeting is worthy of note, as follows: "Upon request the society then visited the county jail to examine it in reference to ventilation. They found upon the plans of the architect a complete system for ventilating the cells, which had not been carried out in the building. Alas for 'post prandial' x- '^''' WM L. LINCOLN THE MEDICAL FRATERNITY. 705 judgment in that matter, for the sanitarian knows that witli such a constructed jail there never could be a decently healthy condition of the cells by any system of ventilation." A break in the records brings us to June 7, 1875, when the meeting convened at the office of Drs. Milligan and Tupper at Wabasha. In the absence of the secretary Dr. Stone was chosen secretary pro tern. When he became a member does not appear, but there are good precedents for his membership without such record. At the meetino- Dr J P Davis, of Kellogg, and Dr. E. A. Tupper, a partner of Dit Milligan* and Dr. W. F. Adams, now of Elgin, were voted members of the society. On June 1, 1876, the society met at the office of Dr. J. C Adams, of Lake City, who, at some time since he was elected an honorary member, had retired from the pulpit and entered the no less important profession of medicine, and he was now the honored president at this meeting. Dr. F. W. Van Dyke was elected a member and was made treasurer of the society. The next record informs us that the society met at the office of Drs. Lincoln & Van Dyke, at Wabasha, when Dr. Low, of Wabasha, was elected a member and made treasurer. One of the trophies of the surgeon's art exhibited at this meeting was a codfish rib,, two inches long, removed from the "recto ischiatic fossa," and yet tlie patient never remembered to have swallowed a whole cod- fish. Another important item in the report of this meeting was the treatment, by the secretary, of a surgical disease "by instrumenta- tion." Whether the disease was cured does not appear from the newspaper slip containing the report of the meeting, but the secre- tary has the honor of seeing his case reported in print, and his word, which appeared in ])rint for the first time, there to await the coming lexicographer, to gather it into the spoken language of the future. Fortunately the disease is one which is as likely to fall under the observation of the " tyro " in surgery as into the hands of the grey-beard, and so will lead to no confusion. On the 10th of Jime, 1878, the report shows that the meeting was held at Alma, Wisconsin, and as neither president or vice- president were present. Dr. N. S. Teft was elected president pro tem. Dr. Charles W. Tinker, of Wabasha, now of Stewart, was elected a member of the society. A vote was carried to expel all members who were in arrears for dues. On October 1 a motion was carried that an order for eleven dollars be drawn on the 706 HISTORY OF "WABASHA COUNTY. treasurer to paj the fare of the eleven who came to the meeting on the steamboat Sien ; but even then doctors, leaders in humanitarian measures, forgot to vote a half-peck of oats to the horses of those who came by that method of transportation. A motion was carried requesting the newspapers of the county "to publish those sections of the national code of ethics relating to quackish advertisements and handbills." Whether the press honored the request, the writer is not advised, but if such was the case, it must have had much the same effect as the pope's bull did on Martin Luther. The quack will reveal himself in or out of the profession, and the truehearted physician will labor for the love of humanity and the love of that God "in whose hands our very breath is," and both receive their coveted reward. In 1ST9, on June 12, at which meeting no new members were elected and the membership was reduced by the expulsion of Dr. Seller, of Alma, and Dr. Tupper, now of Zumbrota, Goodhue county, for neglecting to pay dues, the record of expulsion appears to be more methodical than most records. On September 14, 1880, the record shows the annual meeting to have convened at "Wabasha, at the office of Dr. Milligan, where the first item reads as follows: "Dr. Patton's resignation read and accepted ; *"' and next in order Drs. E. C. Davis, of Plainview, and H. ]Sr. Rogers, of Zumbro Falls, were elected members. Dr. Davis was a citizen of Plainview, a student with Drs. Teft & Waste. After graduating in medicine he remained in the town where he had been reared, and entered upon a successful practice, in which he continued for two years, until removed by death. The annual meeting of the society was held June 14, 1881, at the office of Dr. Lont, at Mazeppa, and a motion prevailed to pay the expenses of those coming from abroad out of the current funds ot the society, and so by implication, and is in accordance with memory, that at some former period the society voted to receive into membership physicians living in the near towns in Wisconsin. Just why the physicians of Wisconsin should be paid for attending the meetings is not apparent. Dr. Boyd, of Millville, was elected member at this meeting. In 1882 the annual meeting was held at Plainview. Dr. A. E. Baldwin, a native of that place, a graduate of Chicago Medical Col- lege, and Dr. R A. Gove, of Millville ; also W. E. Taber, graduate of the Missouri Dental College, were elected members of the society. ^ THE MEDICAL FRATERNITY, 70T Dr. Baldwin and Dr. Adams, of Elgin, were appointed a committee to draft resolutions of respect to the memory of our late brother, Dr. E. C. Davis. The annual meeting of 1883 was held June 12, at Wabasha, at which meeting no new members were elected ; but that fact does not indicate a loss of vitality in the society, but would rather suppose there were no new doctors in the held. Our brethren who affect the granula and attenuation theory are represented in the county, and have been for some years, by the "jolly medicine-man " Charles "W. Crary, who reports himself a graduate of Albany Medical Col- lege, in 1858, and also of Jefferson Medical College, in 1870, which fact does not look like attenuation in regard to diplomas. Any attempt at an e]3itome of history of the medical profession in our county would appear incomplete if the name of Dr. Curry were left out. A cultured, gentlemanly Scotchman arrived from Canada in the early years of the war, having brothers, friends and acquaintances of the same nationality in the county. He located at Lake City, but previous to his coming here disease had shaken his large and well- knit frame, and to bring relief from suffering he had resorted to the "drug which enslaves," and his days were soon numbered. The doctrine of heredity is exemplified in the medical profession of Wabasha in the person of Dr. E. A. Patton, of Minneapolis, son of Dr. Patton, of Lake City, and again in Dr. William H. Lincoln, of Chicago, son of Dr. Lincoln, of Wabasha. The Wabasha County Medical Society seems now to be on a firm basis and will undoubt- edly exert a good influence on the members of the profession, and will recommend its good work to the general public. CHAPTER LXII. COUNTY POORHOUSE. Prior to the admission of Minnesota as a state into the Union in 1858, the care of the poor in the several counties devolved upon the county commissioners, who were empowered to appoint an overseer of the poor, and levy such taxes as were necessary for the relief of the indigent within their several count}^ borders. Upon the pas- sage of the township act in August, 1858, providing for the organiza- 708 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. y tion of townships tliroughout the state, and presenting the number and duties of town otticers, a radical change was made in the poor- hiw, by which an overseer of the ])oor was to be chosen in each township, and tlie town authorities given the custody and cliarge of their own poor. By tliis same legislature (ISoS) the chairman of the several township boards in the county were made a county board of supervisors, and upon them devolved the management of the county business ; but the care of the poor was not included in the list of their prescribed duties, that matter being committed to the town- ships as such. By act ot February 28, 1860, the provision for a board of county supervisors, composed of the chairmen of the various town boards, was abrogated, and the present arrangement, dividing the county into commissioner districts, was adopted. By the new law two or more townships were to be united into one com- missioner district, according to population, one commissioner to be elected from each district, and the commissioners thus elected to form the board of county commissioners, whose duties were very largely the same as those formerly devolving upon the "board of supervisors for the county." By this act no change was made in the regulations for the oversight and care of the poor, each township having independent control and taking individual care of its own poor. Four years later, March 4, 186-i, a radical change was made in the law for the support and maintenance of the poor, and since then the matter has remained almost at rest, so far as any change of method is concerned. By this act the care and maintenance of the poor was made a county instead of a township charge, and the county com- missioners, by virtue of their office, were made superintendents of the poor of their resi)ective counties, and to them was committed the management of any poorhouse, farm, workhouse, etc., provided for the comfort, support or employment of the poor, maintained at public expense, and by them the overseer of such poorhouse or farm was to be appointed. It was in accordance with the provisions of this act that the county commissioners of Wabasha county, after liaving made temporary provision for the care of the poor within the county for some time, purchased in 1867 the lirst poor-farm owned by the county. This was a tract of one hundred and sixty acres on Sec. 11, T. 109, R. 13 W., of the P.M., lying in the town of Hyde Park, about one and one-half miles north of the Zumbro river. The COUNTY POORHOUSE. 709 purchase price was four thousand two hundred dollars, and the county commissioners put the farm and the management of their poor under the supervision of George Bartholmew, who held that office until the county poorhouse was removed from Hyde Park to Wabasha in 1873. The county commissioners in 1873, recognizing the undesirableness of attempting to care for their poor on a large farm in a secluded part of the county remote from the county build- ings, where their meetings were necessarily held, exchanged the property in Hyde Park for that now occupied as the poorhouse grounds. This property comprises a tract of thirty-two acres of land, situated on the east side of the public highway running from Wabasha to Kellogg, the poorhouse standing about one mile from the court-house. The buildings at that time u])on the property were quite inadequate to the uses required of them. The main building- had been erected originally for a barn, and was afterward converted into a dancehouse. This building was rearranged at the expense of the original owner, and taken possession of by the county in 1873. In 1879 a comfortable hospital for the comfort of the county wards was built. This building, 20 X 30, two stories in height, of brick, in which is the dispensatory, stands near the north line of the poor- house premises, a little retired from the road, but as it interferes with the prospect from the new county-house, now approaching completion, it will very probably be moved to the rear. The old building contained twelve rooms, and in these, to date, August 1, 1883, were seventeen persons, among them three insane, one idiotic and one blind. The county provides clothing and medicines, and the superintendent supplies food and care at a certain contract price per head. No attempt is made to work the land by pauper labor, but inmates are required to help themselves in all proper ways, and do such light work as the wisdom of the overseer considers fitted for them. The present cost of maintaining the indigent of the county at the county-house is about three thousand dollars per annum. George Bartholmew was succeeded by Samuel Demery, who had charge of the county-house from 1873 to 1876, when Mr. iBartholmew was reappointed, and remained as superintendent until the county-house was placed in charge of the present incumbent, F. J. Collier, who assumed his duties as superintendent Februar}^ 20, 1878. The new county building now in process of erection under con- tract with Messrs. Alexander & Lutz, of Lake City, is really a 710 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. credit to the county. The bnihUng presents a very imposing appear- ance ; architecturally it is well pro])ortioned, and the durability of its construction will not be questioned by those who have watched its erection, or carefully examined the materials of which it is built. The plans were drawn by E. Alexander, of Lake City, the original contractor, who afterward associated with him Mr. Wm. B. Lutz, also of Lake City, and by them it was erected. The extreme length of the front wing, tacing westward, is seventy-six feet eight inches ; of the side wing, facing north, sixty-four feet four inches ; the sides of the inner angle are forty-nine feet and thirty-two feet respectively; the walls rise twenty-seven feet above the water-table, and the roof will be of tin. There are porticoes over the two main entrances on the west and north, and a porch along the entire length of the southern side of the shorter wing. There is a solid stone foundation under all, in building which sixty-eight cords of stone were used, and the walls contain two hundred thousand brick. Ground was broken in the early summer, the first stone was laid in the foundation June 1, and work pushed so rapidly that the walls were completed August 4. The contract requires the completion of the entire structure September 15, and the work goes on with every prospect of accomplishing it within the specified time. The original contract was for seven thousand nine hundred and forty dollars, but some changes have been made in water-tables and other particulars, which will bring the total cost to eight thousand two hundred and fifty dollars. The building is lighted by seventy-two windows — those in the lower story having lights of 14x40 inches ; the upper story 14x36 inches, all four-light sash. The walls of basement are seventeen inches in thickness ; of superstructure, twelve inches. The basement contains the furnace and laundry, in addition to the usual cellar room, and there is an excellent cistern with a capacity of two hundred and thirty barrels. The window and door sills are of solid stone, and there is a very substantial as well as ornate appearance to the entire structure. J. Cole Bought}^ & Co., of Lake City, supply the furnaces and put on the roof ; Jewell & Schmidt, of Wabasha, furnish all other hardware. The su])erin- tendent's rooms and the kitchen are in the east wing ; the dining- room and quarters for the inmates in the main wing, fronting the public highway. The kitchen is 15x17 feet; the dining-room 25 X 18 feet; the rooms for inmates are each 8x11 feet. The lower hall is ten feet four inches, upper hall six feet, and there are three stair- SOCIETIES. 711 cases, varying in widtli from three feet eight inches to three feet. The building contains twenty-nine rooms, all told — thirteen down- stairs, twenty-six in upper story. The whole arrangement is such as to economize space and labor in caring for the county's wards, without confining tliem to cramped quarters or vitiated air. There are six inmates, wliose ages range from sixty-five to eighty-four years. Gertie Day, a simpleminded girl, is the oldest case of tlie poor- house, having been an inmate for ten years. CHAPTER LXIII. SOCIETIES. MASONIC FKATERNITY. The establishment of the masonic order in the city of Wabasha was effected at a very early date ; the organization of the first lodge of the A. F. & A. M. at this point antedating the incorporation of the city about a year and a half The population of the city at that time probably aggregated six hundred, among whom were several who, remembering the old daj's when tliey were wont to be called from labor to refreshment, determined to establish a lodge of the craft in the new home they had chosen for themselves in the then far northwest. Accordingly a petition for a dispensation to open and conduct a masonic lodge, to be known as Wapahasa Lodge, No. 14, of Wabasha, Minnesota, was forwarded to Grand Master A. T. C. Pierson. A dispensation was granted October 22, 1856, and on the 7th of January, 1857, a charter was issued, under the authority of the grand lodge, empowering S. L. Campbell, J. J. Stone, F. J. Collier, S. A. Kemp, Lindsay S^als, Wm. Pierson and B. A. Grub to open a lodge of A. F. & A. M., to be called Wapa- hasa, No. 14, of the State of Minnesota. The lodge was organized in due form with S. L. Campbell, W.M.; J. J. Stone, S.W.; and F. J. Collier, J.W. The original lodge room was in a new building on the corner of Walnut street and the Levee, which had been erected for general merchandising purposes by Campbell Gambler & Pendleton. This building was at that time the best store building in the city, and the new lodge room, in the upper story was a very creditable meeting-place for the craft. The site upon which this 712 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. landmark of early times stood was the ground now occupied by the Midland railroad depot, and the old building is now used as a paint shop, corner of Main and Walnut streets. From their quarters in the upper story of this structure the Masons subsequently removed to the upper story of the brick building on Main street, between Alleghaney and Pembroke streets, at that time occupied by Luger Bros, as a furniture warehouse and salesroom. From Luger's, in 1870 the lodge removed to the third story of the Campbell House block, since burned. The upper story of this building, which stood just west of the present Masonic block, comer of Main and Alle- ghaney streets, had been erected by special contract with the mem- bers of the masonic order, who had contributed six hundred dollars toward the erection of the block, in consideration 'of which, and a stipulated rental, a lease was executed for a specified term of years. In 1878 the craft removed to the third story of John Schirtz' build- ing, one block east of the Campbell House, and there remained until the completion of their own building. Masonic block, of which they took possession December 1, 1880. This building was the out- growth of a desire on the part of the fraternity in this city to secure a prominent location for themselves by erecting a building of their own. Accordingly, in 1880, the Masonic Building Association was organized, having for its object the erection of a suitable masonic building. The capital stock was placed at ten thousand dollars, shares ten dollars each. Only fifty per cent of the face value of the shares was called for. The building was erected, and care taken to regulate the issue of stock so as to insure its absolute control by members of the order. The conditions of the issue were such as provided for the gradual redemption of all stock certificates by the masonic lodge in its corporate capacity, and this result is being steadily reached. The rate of interest was fixed at seven per cent, Wajiahasa lodge taking one hundred shares, and of those outstanding all are held, with two exceptions, by members of the masonic fraternity. The annual rental of the lodge room is fixed at one hundred and fifty dollars by the board of directors. Masonic block is a substantial brick struc- ture, solid stone foundations, tin roof, and rises two stones above he basement, with side walls of thirty feet. It fronts fifty feet on Main, corners on Alleghaney street, and has a depth of eighty feet. Only the west half of the block is owned by the masonic fraternity, and of this they occupy only tlie second story, the main floor, 25 X 80, being occupied by the United States postofiice department, at a SOCIETIES. 713 rental of one hundred and eighty dollars per annum. The lodge room proper is 24x50 feet within walls, with ceilings of 12|^ feet. It is very handsomely furnished and decorated, the symbols of the order duly displayed, and all the appointments in excellent taste. The anteroom 12x30, and the preparation-room, of same size, are also comfortably carpeted and furnished, and there are ample closets and cabinets for the regalia and other insignia and paraphernalia of both blue-lodge and chapter. The cost of building, in round figures, was five thousand dollars ; cost of furnishing, about nine hundred dollars. The whole number of master masons who have been connected with Wapahasa lodge from its institution, nearly twenty-seven years ago, to date, aggregates two hundred and four. The present membership is seventy, and twenty-four have gone out from the earthy portals at the call of the Grand Master, to lay the designs upon their tressleboards before Him and submit their work for inspection. The present officers of Wapahasa lodge are : J. A. Peck, W.M.; C. J. Stauff; S.W.; B. Florer, J.W.; Paul Miller, Secretary ; J. H. Evans, Treasurer; H. S. Elkins, S.D.; Pearl Roundy, J.D.; Thos. Roundy, Tiler; Chas. Hirschy, S.S. ; J. Geugnagel, J.S. The names of those who have been stationed in the east, west and south since the organization of Wapahasa lodge, twenty-seven years ago, are herewith appended. The list will awaken many memories among the surviving members of the lodge and recall many names almost forgotten. The list is official. YEAR. W. MASTER. S. WARDEN. .T. WARDEN. 1856 S. L. Campbell J.J. Stone F. J.Collier. 1857 S. L. Campbell J. J. Stone F. J. Collier. 1858 S. L. Campbell J. J. Stone F. J. Collier. 1859 J. J. Stone S. L. Campbell John Hitt. i860 S. S. Bnrlesson Wm. Pierson Wm. B. Lutz. 1861 S. L. Campbell S. S. Burlesso'n J. J. Stone. 1862 S. L. Campbell E. F. Dodge .S. S. Kepler. 1863 S. S. Kepler A. S. Mills A. G. Foster. 1864 A. S. Mills V.B. Shaver H. Beall. 1865 A. S. Mills U. B. Shaver H. W. Rose. 1866 A. S. Mills H. W. Rose J. W. Tyson. 1867 H. W. Rose W. H. Robinson H. N. Smith. 1868 W. H. Robinson H. N. Smith E. Bullard. 1869 W. H. Robinson H. N. Smith Bradford Almy. 1870 H. N. Smith Bradford Almy T. S. Van-Dvke. 1871 H. N. Smith Bradford Almy R. E. Stearns. 1872 H. N. Smith Bradford Almv R. E. Stearns. 1873 Bradford Almy Wm. Green . . ." J. A. Peck. 1874 Bradford Almy M. Kennedy J. H. Evans. 1875 H. N. Smith E. J. Dugan W. H. Campbell. 1876 J, H. Evans Jos. Buisson I. J. Pennock. 714 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTi'. YEAR. W. MASTKK. S. WARDEN'. J. WARDEN. 1877 R. E. Stearns I. .T. Pennock Wm. Box. 1878 1. J. Pennock H. P. Krick C. J. Stauif. . 1879 1. J. Pennock II. J. Smith R. E. Stearns. 1880 J. A. Peck J. M. Martin H. S. Elkins. 1881 J. A. Peck H. S. Elkins S. S. Nichols. 1882 J. A. Peck H. S. Elkins S. S. Nichols. 1883 Jos. Buisson C. J. Stauti' 8. Myrtetus. 1884 J. A. Peck C. J. Stauff B. Florer. Relief Chapter^ No. 5J, R.A.M. — Wa])aliasa Lodge, No. 1-4, had been in existence twenty-four years, and the masonic building was just completed when the members of the craft deemed it wise to take steps toward the establishment of a chapter, that such as desired might receive instruction in the more advanced work of the craft, as exemplified in the higher orders of Masonry. A dispensation to form a chapter was accordingly petitioned for. This dispensation was granted December 12, 1880, and on October 11, 1881, a charter was issued by the grand chapter of the state, constituting Kelief Chapter, ISTo. 35, of Wabasha, Minnesota, naming the following as charter members : Jos. Buisson, C. J. Stauft, Francis Talbot, H. N. Smith, A. Campbell, A. J. Bent, W. H. Campbell, David Cratte and I. J. Pennock. The chapter has now had a successful and prosperous existence of over two years, during which time fifty-three members have been borne upon its rolls. Of these three have demitted, leaving a present membership of fifty. The work of the chapter is now conducted under the following official leadership : J. II. Mullen, M.E.H.; J. A. Peck, King; B. Florer, Scribe; Paul Miller, C. of II.; Kev. Jas. Cornell, Chap.; O. H. Porter, Sec; Francis Talbot, Treas. ; Chas. J. Stauff", K.A.Cap.; K.E.Stearns, G.M. of 3d v.; John Mealey, G.M. of 2d Y.; H. S. Elkins, G.M. of 1st v.; Thos. Roundy, Sentinel. Red Leaf Cliaptei\ O.E.8. — No sooner had Relief Chapter, No. 35, R.A.M., been instituted and the work of instruction begun in their camp, than the establishment of a chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star was decided upon by the wives and daughters of the members of the masonic fraternity in this locality. The organization was effected, and on January 12, 1881, Red Leaf Chapter, No. 10, Order of the Eastern Star, was duly instituted with the following- named charter members : Mesdames Franc. D. Clarke, Mary I. Stauff, Ellen L. Dugan, Anna L. Walton, Carrie E. Kiick, Emma S. Peck, Susan S. Robinson, Barbara Porter, Selma Oswald, and Messrs. W. A. Clarke, C. J. Stauff, E. J. Dugan, II. Oswald. Regular SOCIETIES. 715 communications are held in tlie masonic temple on the first and third Fridays of each month. The chapter has had a healthy growth during the two years and a half it has been in existence, and there are now forty-eight members upon its rolls. One of the objects of the order being the promotion of the social life of its members, the ladies of Ked Leaf chapter have recently furnished their closets in the anterooms of the masonic temple with the necessary linen and tableware for the tables that are spread from time to time in their banqueting-room. The funds for this purpose were raised at a very enjoyable masquerade given by the ladies of Red Leaf on January 18th, 1883. The officers of the chapter for 1883 are: Susan S. Robinson, W.M.; Chas. J. Staufi", W.P; Ellen L. Dugan, A.M.; Anna L. Walton, Sec; Mary J. Stauff, Treas.; Emma S. Peck, Cond. ; Mary R. Florer, A.C. The institution of Red Leaf Chapter has been a decided gain to the social life of the masonic order in this city. Its work in this direction, and in the care of the sick, and in such other ministries and helps as naturally fall within the spliere of the obligations of its members, is just such work as is everywhere needed to crown all fraternal association with the highest possible good. Red Leaf chapter is the only chapter of tl:e Order of the Eastern Star in the count}^ I.O.O.F. Teutonia Lodge, No. 19, 1. 0. 0.F. — The only subordinate lodge of the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows in this city works only in the German language, and is the outgrowth of the German Aid Society established in this city in 1860. This "aid" society was a local organization, having for its object the promotion of social relations among its members and the care of its members in case of sickness. It had a numerous membership and was in quite a flourishing condition for some years after it began opera- tions. But it was soon apparent that its benefits could not be extended beyond the limits of its own pale, and as its members removed from the city, they were thenceforth debarred from all benefit connected therewith. Accordingly, in 1867, a committee of five was appointed by the society to take the situation under consid- eration, examine into the workings of the various aid or fraternal associations having a national existence, and report which one, in their opinion, was the nearest allied in its objects and work to their own local aid society. This committee consisted of F. L. Riechter, 716 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. L. Gintner, John Satori, J. T, Gintner and F. Kling, who, after due examination and consideration, reported in favoroftliel.O.O.F. as most nearly answering the ends sought. The report of the committee was ap])roved, and tliey were further instructed to pro- ceed to Plainview, Wabasha county, wliere tliere was a lodge of the Gdd-Fellows order, receive initiation into the same, and so be pre- ])ared to take all necessary steps to secure a lodge of the order in Wabasha. The duties assigned the committee were duly ])erformed ; a paper was circulated among the members of the "Aid Society " to ascertain how many of the members were willing to enter an Odd-Fellows lodge when formed, and all things proving satisfactory, the five members forming the committee of the Aid Societ}^, being now members of the I.O.O.F. at Plainview, petitioned the grand lodge for permission to open and conduct a lodge of the I.O.O.F. in Wabasha. The petition was duly granted, and on September 25 the lodge was organized as Teuton ia Lodge, No. 19, I.O.O.F., oi Wabasha, with F. L. Eiechter, J. T. Ginthner, John Satori, L. Ginthner and F. Kling as charter members. The first meeting of the lodge was held in the hall in the third story of Sehwirtz block, and con- tinued to meet there until 1876, when they removed to the second story of John Satori's building, northeast corner of Main and Pem- broke streets, which quarters they occupied till the completion of their own building in the fall of 1882. This is a solid brick structure, stone foundation ; window and door caps and sills also of stone ; two stories in height, fronting twenty-eight feet on Main street and running seventy-five feet to the rear. The lodge room is 26x50 feet within walls, thirteen feet between joists, and very pleasantly and comfortably furnished. The anteroom is 18x24, and is furnished with cabinets for the ensignia and paraphernalia of the encampment, and such other furniture as is necessary. The whole number of members that have been connected with Teutonia lodge, since it organization sixteen years ago, is one hun- dred and eleven, one-half of whom are members at this date, the present number being fifty-six. Of the original charter members, but three remain, one of the number dying while still connected with the lodge here, F. Kling. The whole number of deaths in the lodge has been seven. Teutonia numbers among its members some of the most solid business men of the city, and is in a fairly prosperous condition. The three ju-incipal chairs of the lodge have been tilled, as appears from the table herewith appended, since the institution SOCIETIES. 717 of the lodge. The present officers of the lodge are : Carl Krebs, N.G. ; Hermann Oswald, Y.G. ; Jos. Ginthner, secretary; Lucas Kuehn, treasurer; Michael Kuehn, R.S.N.G. ; Peter Taverna, L.S.N.G. ; Henry Baumgartner, R.S.Y.G. ; Godfred Euckhaber, L.S. Y.G. ; J. T. Ginthner, ward : R. Eichenberger, cond. ; F. Baum- garten, O.G. ; Gabriel Loechler, I.G. ; Fred Below, R.S.S. ; H. S. Ammerland, L.S.S. Oriental Encampment, I.O.O.F., No. 24, of Wabasha, was instituted February 23, 1883, with eight charter mem- bers, the charter being countersigned by Grand Patriarcli Romaine Shire, and Grand Secretary J. Fletcher Williams. The names of the charter members, as they appear upon the charter displayed on" the walls of the lodge-room, are : Herman Oswald, John Schermully, C. H. Crause, Henry Burkhardt, F. H. Milligan, M.D., Paul Casparis, E. J. Dugan and Michael Kuehn. The work of the encampment is conducted in the English language, and the order has had a very satisfactory growth since its institution, about six months ago. The present membership is twenty-nine, and there is not a meeting of the encampment at which there is not one or more applications for membership. The stated meetings of the emcamp- ment are held on the second and fourth Friday evenings of each month, and are well attended, the interest in the work of the encampment being well sustained. The list of officers (elective) now fining the various chairs of Oriental, No. 21, are : Hermann Oswald, C.P. ; John Schumuly, S.W. ; F. H. Milligan, H.P. ; E. J. Dugan, J.W. ; Paul Casparis, scribe; Henry Burkhardt, ti-easurer. YEAR. NOBLE GRAND. VICE-(;RAND. SEC. 1867 F. L. Riechter L. Gintner John Satori. 1868 Then. Ginthner H. DieterlQ J. T. Ginthner. 1868 H. Dieterle Anton Schnitzler Peter Kirsch. 1869 .John Satori Frank Rhomberg Paul Casparis. 1869 Frank Rhomberg Michael Kuehn Paul Casparis. 1870 Michael Kuehn John Voelker Phil Grnb. 1870 John Voelker L. p]. Hanemann John Satori. 1871 Michael Kuehn Phil CTrub .John Satori. 1871 Phil Grub Ferd. Lnger J. T. Ginthner. 1872 Ferdinand Luger Felix Koelmel John Satori. 1872 Felix Koelmel J. T. Ginthner John Satori. 1873 J. T. Ginthuer Godfrey Waelty John Satori. 1873 Hermann Dieterle Mathias Pesch John Satori. 1874 Mathias Pesch Peter Clavadetscher. . . .Phil Grub. 1874 P. Clavadetscher v.S. N.G. ; Alvin Kinney, L.S.N.G.; R. Black, R.S.\^G.; J. B. Gregoire, L.S.Y.G.; William Ritschlag, R.S.S.; Daniel Macky, L.S.S. During the existence of the lodge twenty-nine persons have been connected with it, and twenty-two are now in active communication. A neat hall is rented and fitted up comfortably for lodge meetings, which occur every Tuesday evening. For its age and the popu- lation of the town, this lodge is doing well. I.O.G.T. — An organization of this order has been three times effected here, but it has twice died out through lack of interest. The MAZEPPA TOWNSHIP. 739 present lodge is a very efficient and prosperous one. It was insti- tuted on January 31, 1883, under tlie auspices of Col. J. T. Long, state organizer. There were forty charter members, with officers, as follows: W. W. Day, P.W.C.T.; S. H. Wyatt, W.C.T.; Clara Preston, W.Y.T.; W. H. Day, W.K.S.; Murray Philley, W.F.S.; D. L. Philley, W.T.; J. B. McManus, W.C; Hazen Runnells, W.M.; Mary Marshall, W.I.G.; L. S. Judd, W.S.; Lodge Deputy, Lucy J. Bigelow. For a month the lodge meetings were held in the Baptist church, and ever since the lodge has met every Wednesday evening in Odd Fellows' hall. The membership has steadily increased until it now numbers seventy-two, with finances in excel- lent condition. The officers for the current term, ending January 51, 18S4, are: Charles Woodworth, W.O.T.; Mrs. Cliff, W.V.T."; Rachael Phillips, W.R.S.; W. H. Day, W.F,S.; Julia Hyde, W. T.; Carrie Day, W.C; J. W. Turner, 'w.M.; I^ora Judd, W.LG.; Wilford McManus, W.S. Women'' s CJwistlan Tenirperance Union. — This was first organ- ized on April 15, 1878, with eighteen or nineteen members, and had at one time thirty-five. The last meeting under this organization was held in April, 1879. On September 2i, 1881, a new start was made, with the original number, and a good work is being accom- plished in the distribution of temperance literature, and upbuilding and fostering a right public sentiment. There are now twenty- 'Cight members of the union, with the following officers : President, Miss Julia R. Hyde ; vice-presidents. Miss Lucy Bigelow and Mrs. J, E. Hyde ; recording secretary. Miss Eliza Hyde ; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Ed . JN^oonan ; treasurer, Mrs. W. W. Day. A reform club was at one time maintained here, but long since ■disbanded, and its records have been destroyed or mislaid. A lodge of the Sons of Temperance also existed over two years, into which over a hundred members in all were initiated. No records of either v>f these organizations can now be found. On January 8, 1878, a lodge of the Ancient Order of United Work- men was instituted, and started off' under very favorable prospects, but so many of its members shortly removed as to very materially weaken it, and it was abandoned. MILLS AND WAREHOUSES. The leading industry of the village is the manufacture of fiour, carried on by the Mazeppa Mill Company, This corporation was organized under the laws of the state in 1871, with a capital of one 740 HISTORY OF WABASHA COrNTY. liundrecl and seventy-five tliousand dollars. The water-power and buildings were purchased from a part of the cor})orator8, and large improvements were at once instituted. The companj^ was composed of four individuals, L. F. Hubbard (now governor of the state) was president and treasurer, O. D. Ford secretary, and W. S. Wells general manager. The other partner was W. P. Brown, and all save the secretary were residents ot Eed Wing. A dam of twenty- six feet depth was built in and upon solid rock, and a frame mill was built, 56x72 feet in size and four stories high. The Zumbro furnishes a steady supply of water sufficient to run eight sets of buhrs, and these were placed in the mill, with all the necessary appli- ances necessary for iirst-class merchant milling, and a capacity of one hundred and seventy-six barrels per day was thus secured. In 1878 an addition 60x70 feet in size was made for engine and boiler rooms. A Hari-is Corliss engine of two hundred and twenty ho]-se- power and three boilers are now used in connection with the watei- power to drive the machinery. In 1881 the buhrstones were removed, and there are now in operation thirty-eight sets of rollers for making patent flour, of which all but one set are double, making really seventy-live sets. During the season of 1883 an elevator was erected east of and close by the mill, with capacity of one hun- dred thousand bushels. This is covered with sheet iron to protect it from sparks. About three thousand bushels of wheat are now daily consumed by this mill and turned into six hundred barrels of flour. The product of this mill is largely shipped direct to London, Liverpool and Glasgow. The principal home market is in the New England States. One hundred standard-gauge cars are owned by the company, which has ten elevators and warehouses along the valley of the Zumbro, and furnishes the bulk of freight traffic for the narrow gauge railroad in the shipment of grain and flour. During the season of 1883, a custom mill was built at the south end of the village by Turner J. Preble and Alonzo Comstock. This building rests on a S])lendid stone basement, and is 32x40 feet in area, with twenty foot posts. It is the intention to do only a cus- tom business, and four sets of buhr stones are being placed in position at this writing. Ground was flrst broke for the dam in March, 1883. It stands on outlot 1, of Hyde's addition to Mazeppa. The dam is seven and one-half feet high, and sufficient fall is secured in the flume to give a ten-foot head of water. The mill stands far above the level of the river, at the brow of a steep bank, and the MAZEPPA TOWNSHIP. 741 power is conveyed from the wheel to the machinery by means of a wire cable. This will be a great convenience to the farmers of the vicinity, as the other mill does only a merchant business. In 18 78 Prosper Robinson built a warehouse for storing grain near the railroad track, south of the depot. This building was 60X30 feet on the ground. In 1883 it was raised and elevating machinery put in, and it now has storage for thirty-five thousand bushels of grain. Mr. Robinson and the mill company purchased all the grain brought in, making business very lively during the fall season. Ever since the advent of tlie railroad in 1878, and in fact before that time, this has been a better market for the sale of wheat than Rochester, and has drawn a large trade from Olmsted county. BRASS BAND. In November, 1880, a musical society, or cornet band, was oi-ganized, partly for amusement and mutual improvement. There were twelve members at first, and, although changes have occurred, that number is still maintained. Under the leadership of George AVestphall and business management of John W, Kingsley, it has made steady advancement and is a source of gratification and pride to our citizens. Weekly practice is kept up, and aid and encourage- ment from the people is earned and received. NEWSPAPER. In the fall of 1877 the publication of the Mazeppa "Tribune" was begun by Schram & Clark, the first issue bearing date November 3. In a little over four months Matthias Schram became sole pro- prietor, and has so continued ever since. From the beginning the paper has been an eight-column folio, one-half printed at home, and will compare favorably in appearance and ability with country journals throughout the land. Mr. Schram is a practical printer of many years' experience in Chicago, and when his ire is aroused by any of his contemporaries, they find his mettle has the true ring. The begin- ning of this venture was made with second-hand type, and has now been supplied with a neat dress. A building has been erected for an office by the proprietor, in which he is comfortably established. Some of the incidents related by early settlers may not be out of place here. The survey of the village plat of Mazeppa was begun soon after the site was located by the Fords. G. Maxwell was employed for this labor. During the summer the subdivision of the county was 742 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. completed by government surveyors, and Mr. Maxwell's lines were found to vary but a trifle from the variation used by the United States survey, and they still stand. During the summer of 1855 Messrs. Ford and Maxwell staked out a road to Ked Wing. The stakes were made of saplings and peeled, so that one could be seen in daytime from the location of its- nearest neighbor. Thus it was comparatively easy to find the way across the prairie. In the succeeding fall, I. T. Nicholls set about the erection of a mill, and to this end employed Mr. Maxwell to go- to Red AVing after lumber. Maxwell reached Red AVing one after- noon in time to get a load on his wagon ready for a start in the morning. During the night a heavy rain fell, and next morning both load and roads were heavy. With two yokes of oxen he set out on the return to Mazeppa. At dark he had covered two-thirds of the distance, and found his wagon stuck fast in a slough. In making an extra effort to move the load the tongue of the wagon was broken, and no tools or material for repairs were at hand. In this dilemma Maxwell set out to reach home with the oxen, leaving the wagon and load. But now a new difficulty arose. The stakes that guided his course were not visible in the darkness, and he was several times at a loss as to directions, and nearly the whole night was consumed in reaching home. Next day he returned with means for repairs and succeeded in reaching Mazeppa with the load. Kot a house was to be seen on the way, and the traveler was obliged in those days to depend wholly on his own resources. G. W. Fowler was among the earliest settlers. On one occasion he killed a fine deer and proceeded to carry the carcass home. On the way he was pursued by wolves, and was compelled to abandon the venison to them in order to save himself. The first coffin made in the town was ])ut together for an Indian by Mr. Fowler. GOLD MINING. The famous ''gold diggings" that caused so much excitement along the Zumbro, in 185S-9, were located in this town. The base of operations was atOronoco, in Olmsted county, where a mining com- pany was formed. In 1856 gold was discovered on the river bank by Holden Whipple, who lived near the junction of the north branch with the main stream. Search showed the existence of minute particles of the precious metal all along the stream, and a considerable quantity was found to exist in the village of Oronoco. MAZEPPA TOWNSHIP. 743 In the fall of 1858 a company was organized for the purpose of systematic mining, and sluices were erected on section 22. Here was found a large deposit of clay in the narrow river valley, which yielded a good percentage of "shot gold." By the time the works were ready for operation winter closed in, and a long period of impatient waiting was imposed on the sanguine miners. But their patience was destined to be still more highly taxed, for the melting of the snow in the spring following raised the river very high, and their handiwork was swept away by the remorseless Zumbro. Their courage was, however, unshaken, and the company was reorganized with additions to its membership and capital. ^More extensive improvements were at once planned and begun, and by the end ot June were ready for business. Everything was completed on a cer- tain Friday night, and most of the proprietors retired to Oronoco to rest and prepare for pushing the work on the following Monday. A few of the most enthusiastic or industrious remained over Saturday to set the work going. That night the sluices were cleaned up, and something over twenty dollars' worth of gold was taken out. Alas ! how mutable are earthly things ! " The best laid plans o' mice and men Gang Aft aglee." " On Monday morning the memorable flood of July 3, 1859, had arrived, and the works of the "Oronoco Mining Company" were swept entirely away. The courage and resources of most of the miners having now been exhausted, the work was abandoned, and has thus since rested. There is no doubt that a large deposit of gold exists somewhere on the Zumbro river, and could its original hiding- place be found, a fortune would be secured to the lucky discoverer. It is also quite certain that fair compensation could be wrung from the auriferous earth of Mazeppa township, by concerted labor with proper appliances. The great flood of 1859, above referred to, caused great sufl:ering and hardship all along the stream. Considerable manufacturing machinery was swept down from Oronoco. The approach of the rise was so sudden and rapid that many settlers along the river bottoms were unable to save anything. G. W. Fowler left home in the morning and returned shortly after noon. His house, which stood on a knoll, was entii'ely surrounded. The boat, moored by a chain on the river bank, was still there, but in a vertical position, the stem 744 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. being just visible above the seetliing waters. After diving in vain two or three times to unfasten it, he succeeded in breaking the chain and removed his family to a place of safety. Numerous other settlers fared in a similar manner. A sad accident occurred in the fall of 1856, at the "Whipple Ford," a short distance below the mouth of the north branch, A stranger who was traveling with a gun was set over the river in a l)oat ; on reaching-the shore he seized the gun by the muzzle and drew it toward him ; the hammer caught on the edge of the boat, discharging the load into his body. The ferryman hastened to Mazeppa after Dr. Lont, but when the latter heard his description of the wound he declined to go, for the injured man would be dead ere they could reach him, and so it proved. An incident in the experience of Dr. Lont will illustrate the severity of the winter of 1856-T. One day he set out with a team to visit a patient seven miles away across the prairie. A furious snowstorm came on and he succeeded in going only four miles and was housed up four days. At the end of this time, with assistance, he was able to make his way througli the drifts back to Mazeppa. In the meantime he had not seen the patient, and the feelings of his wife, who was at home alone and knew nothing of his whereabouts, cannot be easily imagined. CHAPTER LXVI. c;hester township. This township is probably as ha})pily situated for the agriculturist as any to be found in the state. The Zumbro river crosses its south- west and southeast quarter- sections ; on theformer corner there is no timber save a small grove of second-growth. In the southeastern ])ortion of the town there are several fine groves. The general con- figuration is quite uneven, the region being traversed by numerous valleys, but a rich prairie loam covers the whole and affords a hand- some return to the tiller of the soil. A deep valley tributary to the Zumbo, with its several branches, drains the whole surface. Through this valley a bear was pursued b}^ the early settlers, and the region became known as Bear Valley, a name by which the only i^ostofRce CHESTEK TOWNSHIP. 745 is still known. When the town was organized, on the admission of the state, its present name was attached. The postoffiee was estab- lished in 1856, with Joseph Caswell as postmaster, and was sup- plied by the Wabasha and Faribault stage line for some time. Mail is now received twice a week by the Lake City and Mazeppa stage route. Mr. Caswell kept the office six years, after which it was held by the following persons in succession, the last having held it since February, 1879 : Silas Cross, James M. McMillan, C. M. Bontelle, E. H. Smith, William Morris, Charles E. Buckminster. A permanent settlement was made here" previous to any in Mazeppa. During the winter of 1851—5 a party of St. Paul gentle- men who were out on a trapping, hunting and fishing expedition, encamped on Trout brook in the southwestern part of the town. x\mong the number was James M. Kimble, who was so pleased with the stream, filled with fine trout, that he determined to settle there. On returning to St. Paul he secured tools and supplies and set out with only one companion to establish a claim. There were hundreds of men at Ked Wing waiting for the snow to settle, but Mr. Kimble and his companion pushed on. They lived two weeks in a cloth tent on the banks of the creek, while getting out material and building a cabin. Thus a claim was established in February, on the northwest quarter of section 30, and here Mr. Kimble brought his family in April following. The next settler was probably O. Maxwell, now in Mazeppa, followed by Peter Bouillard, an Alsatian Frenchman, who still lives on his original claim, on section 28. He came in May, and during the same month came Joseph Caswell and four sons— Joseph, Jesse, Cyrus and Hiram ; Edward Hunt, William Washey, William Davis, and two sons — Robert and James ; Daniel Slayraaker and two sons— Reuben and Henry ; Greenberry Triplett. This year also saw the arrival of Francis Jerry, W. W. Day, G. W. Judd, Wells B. Smith and Thomas Cliff. Attention was early given to religion and education. There were two local elders of the Methodist Episcopal church in the town in 1856, namely, A. E. Standish and Greenberry Triplett. Meet- ings were held under the leadership of these gentlemen during the year 1856 in Joseph Caswell's house. About the same time, or early in 1857, Rev. Ralph Frasier, a local elder ]-esiding in Mazeppa, preached at the same place. To Mr. Standish is given the credit of preaching the first sermon in the town. During the winter of 1856-7 746 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Sidney Cross taught a rate school in Caswell's house. During the following winter timbers were got out, and in the spring of 1^58 Bear Valley schoolhouse was erected. It was a log structure and stood on the site of what is now known as Bear Valley schoolhouse, adjoining the cemetery. At the town meeting, April 5, 1864, an appropriation of thirty dollars was voted to establish this cemetery. Isadore, son of Francis and Elizabeth Jerry, was probably the first Caucasian child born in Chester, his birth dating May 13, 1857. He is now in Washington Territory. In June, 1857, a- daughter was born to Nelson B. and Margery Smith, and christened Lottie Ann. She is now the wife of John McCabe, and resides in the town. On July 14, 1856, Cyrus L. Caswell and Margaret Jenkins, of this town, were united in marriage at Mazeppa. This is the earliest marriage of Chester's citizens. In the fall of the same year two persons, Edward Hunt and Sarah Wasliey, agreed to live together as man and wife, and had a contract drawn up to that effect. I. T. Kicholls, of Mazeppa, executed and witnessed this unique document. The contractors lived an apparently happy life till Hunt entered the army, four children having been born to them in the meantime. On his return from the war Hunt was disowned by his quandam ostensible spouse, who subsequently married another man, and now resides in Missouri. The month of May, 1857, also dates the first death in the town. At tliis time a ten-year-old daughter of William Davis, named Agnes, passed away. The town was politically organized, under the name of Chester, May 11, 1858. The meeting was held at the house of Joseph Cas- well, Jr., and the following officers were chosen for the ensuing year : chairman, F. M. Skillman ; associate supei'visors, R. II. Davis and Jesse M. Caswell ; clerk, John A. Slaymaker ; he soon resigned and S. J. Buckminster was appointed November 11 ; assessor and collector, John Rawalt ; overseer of the poor, Wells Smith; constables, R II. Davis and E. W. Hunt; justices, Alfred Ambler and J. A. Skillman. N. B. Smith was appointed collector November 16. On April 5, 1859, the second town meeting was held at Bear \\alley schoolhouse, and thirty-two votes were cast. A committee was chosen to draft bj^-laws in relation to the restraint of stock, and report at the next town meeting. F. M. Skillman, S. J. Buck- CHESTER TOWNSHIP. 747 minster and Joseph Caswell, Sr., constituted tliis body. Joseph Spaulding, T. J. Cliff and James O. Wilcox were made overseers of road districts 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The supervisors that year were F. M. Skillman, Henry Slaymaker and T. J. Cliff". S. J. Buck- minster was clerk until his death, which occurred May 3, 1861. Robert H. Davis was appointed to fill the vacancy for that year. At the third annual meeting, 1860, Y. B. Conklin was chosen school superintendent. The supervisors that year were R H. Davis, G. Maxwell and N. B. Smith. Fifty votes were found in the ballot box. In 1874 W. H. Campbell moved away and C. A. McKean was appointed clerk in his stead. October 10, 1876, W. C. Prescott was appointed clerk, and has held the office continuously since. At the presidential election in 1880 the republican electors received ninety-seven votes in the town, and the democrats had one hundred and three. This most nearly represents the present politi- cal feeling of the voters of any data now to be found. At the fall election in 1882 but eighty-seven votes were cast, of which the democratic candidate for congress received fifty-eight and the republican twenty-nine. Local prejudices affected this election. No draft was resorted to during the civil war to fill out the quota of Chester in the United States army, but some very high bounties were paid. On February 23, 1864, the town board appropriated one hundred and fifteen dolhirs and ten per cent interest to each volun- teer w^ho was accredited to the town. This move was made neces- sary to avoid a draft, and sufficed for the time. In the autumn of the same year, five more men were demanded of the town, and on September 5, the board appropriated fifteen hundred dollars of bonds drawing twelve per cent to secure then. On January 5 following, the hoard offered four hundred dollars per man, and a special town meeting was held on the 28d of that month to ratify or annul the projjosition. By vote of thirty-six to four it was decided to pay four hundred dollars per volunteer. On March 4, 1865, a contract was made with L. J. Fletcher, W. II.. Amsbry and C. W. Hackett, by which these men agreed to procure four volunteers, for which they were to receive sixteen hundred dollars, and did so. On March 28, 1865, the board appropriated fifty dollars to cover a balance supposed to be due on bounties. It was found on investi- gation, in August, 1866, that the town had paid bounties for more men than were really recpiired of it, and was reimbursed by the 748 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. county to the amount of eight hundred and ninety-five dollars and fitty-three cents. In 1880 the number of acres assessed in the town was twenty- two thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, of which nineteen thousand three hundred and seventy-seven were improved. The lands were valued at two hundred and thirty-four thousand one hun- dred and forty-five dollars, and buildings thereon at thirtj^-two thou- sand six hundred and twenty dollars. Personal pro])erty at this time was assessed forty-six thousand one hundred and ninety-nine dollars. In 1S70 but twenty-six thousand three hundred and eighty- eight acres were assessed, the value then ])laced thereon being one hundred and twenty thousand five hundred and twenty-two dollars, and ])robably included buildings. Personal property was valued at fifty-three thousand eight hundred and sixty -eight dollars. In that year eighty-two thousand four hundred and fifty-seven bushels of wheat were raised, and fifty-two thousand seven hundred and twenty- three bushels of other grains. The population of the town in 18S0 was one thousand and sixty- seven. Ten years previous it was eight hundred and thirty-five. The number of births from 1870 to 1882, inclusive, are recorded respectively, as follows : 32, 34, 12, 42, 36, 24, 47, 42, 44, 40, 34, 40, 37. For the same period the deaths have been thus noted : 6, 10, 6, 8, 10, 6, 14, 6, 10, 21, 13, 21, 8. An amusing incident is related in regard to the experience of the first constable, E. W. Hunt. Being required to serve a sunmions, he sought advice as to manner of procedure, and was told to read the summons to the defendant, and endorse it "personally served." When the document was returned to the justice who issued it, the endorsement read, "bodily served." A gristmill was built on the Zunibro in the extreme southeast corner of the town in 1866, and did a good business till it was de- stroyed by fire in the spring of 1882. No stores were maintained within the limits of the town until 1877. During this year Anthony Cas])ar built a large store on the north line of the town, at Belle Chester, and has since kept a com- plete general stock there. In the spring of 1883 John P. Wagner and John M. Weimar built a fine store on the northeast corner of section 5, opposite Caspar's, and put in a large general stock. This building and its contents were totally consumed by fire on the morn- ing of November 22, the same year, causing a loss of seven thousand dollars. CHESTER TOWNSHIP. 749 In 1873 E. and M. Skillman, brothers, built a gristmill on the west side of section 19 ; Trout Brook supplies the power, and two sets of buhrs are kept in operation, one for flour and the other for feed ; Evander Skillman is tlie miller and now principal owner. This mill is a great convenience to farmers of the vicinity, and is kept busy the year round. RELIGIOUS. Eev. Frederick Hill, a Baptist clergyman who settled in Zumbro — then Hyde Park — in 1856, soon after held meetings in this town and organized a class, but no records or reliable memories of any organ- ization of this sect can now be found. The first religious organization was a class of Methodists. This body came together under the efforts of Rev. Nelson Moon, a local elder who settled in Bear Valley in 186-1. He at once began preaching at Bear Valley schoolhouse, and the class was formed August 27, 1864. The following persons composed it : Nelson, Casandra and Emma Moon, R. H. Davis, Samuel -and Emeline Converse, Mrs. H. J. Crump, Huldah Cliff", Joseph and A. B. Spaul- ding, Susan Merrill, Hiram, Almira and Frances Stacy, Isaac Waters, David Jones, Margaret Caswell, James A. and Mrs. A. Davis, Philo Tenyke and wife. Of these twenty-one members three have died and many have moved away, and only four now remain. This class was assigned to Gilford circuit, and preaching has been maintained ever since the organization, save one year. A union Sunday school has been kept up with good results. R. H. Davis is its faithful superintendent. Meetings are now held in the grange hall near Bear Valley schoolhouse. A Roman Catholic mission was early established on the northern border of the town to accommodate the foreign population which was fast taking up that section. At this time fully two-thirds of the town is occupied by natives of Luxembourg, Hanover, Belgium, and parts of northern Germany. In 1865 the Catholic society purchased forty acres of land in Belvidere, adjoining the northeast quarter of section 5, this town, and next year erected a frame church thereon at cost of one thousand dollars. This is now used as a schoolhouse, to which has been added a residence for teachers, costing, with furniture, fifteen hun- dred dollars. Three sisters of the order of Notre Dame, from Mil- waukee, now conduct the school. Services \\iere conducted by Red 750 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Wing priests until the fall of 1875, when Father C. Walters took u]) his abode here. The next summer he went away and this again became a mission station. In the summer of 1878 Rev. John Meyer became resident priest, and a parsonage was built at an expense of one thousand dollars. The present pastor, Kev. John Tori, succeeded Father Meyer in September, 1881. A handsome stone church, 90x50 feet in area, was finished and consecrated in 1S77. Besides the hauling of material and windows, which were donated by the people, this cost eight thousand eight hundred dol- lars in cash.. An average of ninety families are communicants in this church, re})resented in Chester by the following heads : Phili}) and Nicholas Arendt, Dominick and Nicholas Bartholomc, Jacob Berend, Anthony Caspar, Peter Glad, Matthias Prom, John Wagner, John Weimar, Nicholas S. and Nicholas Schmitz, Peter Musty, John Del war, John and Hugh Darcy, Patrick Gillaspie, Michael Hart. William Hofschult, William Janti, Nicholas Kruer, Andrew, Nicholas and John P. Lifrige, John N. and Stephen Meyers. William Nardanger, Adam and Michael Poncelet, John Reiland, Michael Sullivan, Matthias and Stephen Schmieds, Nicholas Threner, Peter and Frank Weber, John Schuler, Michael Coffee, Frank and Paul Conrad, Charles Early. Under an act passed in tlie legislative session of 187S-9, incorporating Belle Chester church society, the following officers were chosen in the fall of 1879 : Councillors — Phillip Arendt, William Nardanger, Henry Straus; trustees — Herman Hofschult, secretary ; John Befort, treasurer. Evangelical Lutheran. — To this society belongs the honor of erecting the first church edifice in Chester. As early as the fall of 1868, Rev. Rupert Weiser came here and held services in the school- house on section 2. Rev. Horst afterward visited the few Lutheran families in the neighborhood and held meetings here. The society was organized by Rev. Christ. Maeurer, of Belvidere, on Jamjarj' 24, 1875. It was named "St. John's German Evan- gelical Lutheran Congregation," and the following, with their fjimi- lies, composed it : Ernest Radke, Louis Winters ; Louis, Ferdinand and August Freiheit ; Louis and Jule Gray, F. W. Sprikes, Louis Kuh, Claus Luchan, Carsten Siems, Henry Feldman, Peter Niegers, Frederick Jette, John Webusth, August Radke — 16. In 1878 the membership included twenty families, and in 1883 it had increased to twenty-four. Services were conducted three years in the school- house, and it was then decided to build a church. Frederick Win- CHESTER TOWNSHIP. 751 ters donated an acre and a half on the northwest quarter of section 12 for a site, and a frame building was erected there under the supervision of the following trustees : Louis Gray, Louis Freiheit and Louis Winters. Beside tlie labor donated by the congregation, a cash outlay of fifteen hundred dollars was made to complete this structure. It is 32x45 feet on the ground, with a neat spire. It has a gallery, and will comfortably accommodate two hundred and fifty auditors. It was dedicated on September 29, 1878. The present board of trustees has one vacancy, caused by the recent removal of F. W. Sprikes, clerk. The others are Ernest Eadke and Louis Freiheit, treasurer. The spiritual wants of the congregation are now ministered through the labors of Rev. A. Krahn, of Belvidere. Bear Yalley Grange. — This organization of the Patrons of Husbandry began its existence about 1870, and over one hundred members have been connected with it. In 1874 a hall was built by the societj^ on the southwest quarter of section 23. It is 28x40 feet in area, two stories high, the lower story consisting of a single room. In the second story are entry and anteroom at the south end. The "building cost about five hundred dollars. It is now used for religious meetings, town meetings, etc., but the organization that built it has gone out of existence. On section 12 of this town is a rare natural cave of large dimen- sions. It was discovered by Tyler Whipple, in the summer of 1856, and has been visited by numerous exploring parties. Almost every season it is entered bj^ people from Mazeppa and elsewhere. Numerous apartments exist, and several have been entered and examined. The exterior entrance is found on the side of a small mound, and the explorer is obliged to descend a narrow passage to gain admission. The passages leading to some of the apartments are so low that one must lie on the face and creep to reach them. The labor is, however, well repaid by a sight of the beautiful stalactites which depend from the roof. One of thege rooms is in the form of an inverted jug, the entrance being made through the mouth. In another place is found a well of limpid water ; in another a deep pit has been found, whose depth is shown to be very great by the time occupied by a pebble in reaching the bottom. Great changes must have taken place in this county at some ])ast time. On section 8, a few years since, a solid piece of wood was found at a depth of sixty-four feet, in a well dug on the farm of Philip Arendt. A part of this timber is now in possession of Mr. Arendt. CHAPTEli LXXVII. MOUNT PJ.EASANT TOWNSHIP. GEOGRAPHY, Mount Pleasant is a full congressional township, and is bounded on the north and west b}' Goodhue count}^ on the east and south by Lake and Guilford townships. Its surface is an undulating prairie, sloping to the east and but comparatively little broken by cooleys. At a point a little south of the center begins a ridge which runs westward into the edge of Goodhue county, and in its vicinity are several natural mounds, one of these, the Lone Mound, being the highest point in the township. The appropriate name was suggested by the magniticent view presented to an observer from the tops of some of the elevations in the south central part, and from the summit of Lone Mound the sight is truly grand. For miles in all directions stretches the expanse of prairie, whose fertility is attested by the neat and com- modious buildings everywhere present ; neat churches and school- houses add to the effect, while to the northeast the eye catches the river hills of the Wisconsin side, and a glimpse of the blue waters of Lake Pepin through the valley of Boodie creek. The northern part is drained by Sugar-Loaf creek, and in the eastern part Boodie creek begins its short course to the lake, amid wild and romantic surroundings. The underlying rocks here are Potsdam lime and sandstone, which appear as jucturesque walls along the valleys, with an occa- sional outcro]) on the prairie, and are covered wnth strata of till, sand, gravel, yellow and blue clay, and rich loam. A few birch, shrub-oak and poplar grow along the cooleys, but no timber of consequence is found. Wild grapes and plums are abundant in their season. On the prairie roads are good and usually follow section lines, but in the cooleys much labor is required to keep them passable, owing to the rains which frequently work destruction by washing away or covering with dehrh from the hillsides. These roads are mainly ke])t in repair at the expense of the county, and in the eastern MOUNT PLEASANT TOWNSHIP, 753 part a small portion has been macadamized. An Indian trail from Central Point formerly ran through Gilbert valley, and one crossed the southern part of the township. The first road in the township was one from Central Point to Mazeppa, reaching the prairie at the . head of Bull's cooley. It was laid out by P. D. Martin and Robert Phillips, of Central Point, and used but a few years, the Mazeppa road, crossing the township diagonally, was early estab- lished and until late years saw a very heavy travel, being the main artery through which Lake City received its extensive trade from the southwest. At first the American element largely predominated in Mount Pleasant, but of late years the population is about equally divided between those of American and foreign nativity. Of the latter class the German and Irish are the principal elements. In production the township is ])robably not surpassed by any part of this rich county, grain, of course, being the main product. Stock-raising has lately received increased attention, the valleys being especially adapted to this industry. In tlie eastern part several attempts have been made to burn lime, but none very suc- cessfully. EAELY SETTLEMENT. In June, 1854, the settlement was begun by the location of O. A. Warren on the northwest quarter of section 1. He came with his family from Jo Daviess county, Illinois, and was a native of the Empire State. In 1866 he moved to Pierce county, where he still lives. The fall of the same year saw the arrival of Isaac Horton and William Bean, who settled on sections 12 and 1 respectively. Both of these have since left the county. In the spring of 1855 William Walters and Alfred Hannings settled in the northeastern part, and the next summer brought Milo Bull and Joel Clark. Mr. Clark purchased William Bean's "right of settlement" for tw«> hundred and fifty dollars, and is still on the farm, being the oldest settler now living in the township. In the fall Sanford Gilbert settled on the farm where he now lives. The settlements above mentioned were all made in the valley, and in 1856 the prairie in the southeastern part was settled by William Mann, Benj. Taylor, E. P. C. Fowler, S. B. Clark, George Clark, E. H. Palmer, WiUiam Lewis, Jacob Rinus, Alfred Betterly, and perhaps others. Tlie year 1857 saw quite an immigration, and the townsliip rapidly filled up. 754 HISTORY OF WAUASHA COUNTY. Those who came witli a supply of money got along well enough, ]).ut many who lacked ready cash, experienced considerable hardship. During the "winter of the deep snow" (1856-7) markets were often inaccessible, provisions rather scarce, and trust was not to be had by the moneyless. Stories are told of those who lived for weeks on potatoes and salt, or a similarly scant diet, and one family is said to have existed four weeks on frozen rutabagas. Here, as elsewhere, the monotony of life was broken by visiting with ox teams, merry gatherings, getting lost on the prairie, hunting, etc., and as the settlement grew older, and the virgin soil bestowed successive boun- ties on the brave pioneers, population and prosperity rapidly increased, and this little spot, but yesterday the home of the buffalo and Indian, has become one of the most desirable places in the county. An independent, open temperance society has been in operation for about sixteen years, and the interest is yet unflagging. Monthly meetings are held on Sunday afternoons in the Methodist and Pres- byterian churcbes alternatel3\ Popular temperance speakers are secured occasionally, and readings, music and speaking vary the exercises. The life and prosperity of this society through so many years is rather phenomenal. The first birth in this township was that of a daughter to Mrs. S. B. Clark. In the spring of 1857 death first visited the town, taking from the little settlement the spirit of Mrs. Palmer. In March, 1859, the Rev. Silas Ilazlett united in marrige Epliraim Selby and Adaline Clark, which was probably the first matrimonial knot tied in the township. POLITICAL HISTORY. In the spring of 1858 a meeting was held at the residence of E. II. Palmer to determine the name of the township about to be organized. Several names were proposed, among them "Hunting- ton," by Wm. Lewis, and "Greenfield," by Silas Gilbert, both seek- ing to honor places of former residence. After considerable debate the present name was adopted, as before mentioned, being suggested by the views the adjacent elevations commanded. Ma}'^ 11, 1858, the legal voters met at the house of Benj. Ta3dor, on section 32, twenty-three voters being present. The meeting was organized by choosing Stanton B. Clark, moderator ; James M. Knapp, judge ; and E. P. C. Fowler and Sidney Cross, clerks. Ko wirepulling or < x-^ited buttonholing characterized this election. The men elected MOUNT PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 755 were the onlj candidates, having been chosen beforehand by mutual A T . ■^■^•J9-^P'^^^'^ SidneyCross Harvey Seymour. }^l l-^- Johnson J C. Sinclair Sanford (iilbert Harvey Seymour ]^i l-j;- ?°i'"^°" 5° "-ecord Frank Tryon No record.^ .j'^V l:- A.Johnson No record SidneyCross No record ]^i -^o^n Kramer UriahVeeder Sidney Cross Samuel Sherman .|f^? Jphii Kramer Joel Clark Sidney Cross ?:. p c Fowler 18«5 F- A. Johnson W. P. Wills W. S. Townsend E P. c Fowler 1^^7 Sanford Gilbert Joel Clark W. S. Townsend EP.C Fowler ^f.^ W. A. Carson Sanford Gilbert V. Hevener E. P C Fowler" 18^9 }l- J- Newton Sanford Gilbert V. Hevener E p c Fowler' IS'V W. J. Newton No record V. Hevener . No Vecnrd 8-. f^.Toti"^^'"' ^°''"'^°^^ v.Hevenlr::::::::::No record; .l^iX T?^^.?i'^n •,•,-• ^o record V. Hevener No record. ^t^, ^^™<^,^hy Collins No record Sidney Cross No record ]tt ^Tr.?^l 2" ?"« NO record , Sidney Cross Joseph Townsend. }t2 o '^•'p,^;^!^'"^ ^,«°W^ Labbit S dney Cross Joseph Townsend. -l^^ S- S- ^^"^th Mr. O Egglestou . . . .S dney Cross Joseph Townsend. lljg R- I- S^r™ b .Joseph Fanse S dney Cross Joseph Townsend. iS^n X-^- S^"^|^ Jo^^eph Fansett Sidney Cross Joseph Townsend. ]t^ R- ?■ Cam th Joseph Fansett S dney Cross Joseph Townsend. ii? 9,- 1- S^"^ ^ f^-^^??^'''"" -^ §^"^y <^''o«^ Louis Burden. lio ^-l- ^^"" ■ • ^- Church S dney Cross Patrick McCormick. -1880 X- 4- r^rr\fh .T. G. Church Sidney Cross Patrick McCormick. ^*^8^ O. PCarruih J. G. Church SidneyCross Patrick McCormick. TAVERNS, POSTOFFICE, ETC. Until the building of the narrow gauge railroad through the cen- tral part of the county the Mazeppa road was the scene ofa constant stream of travel, many of the farmers coming long distances. For the accommodation of this portion of the traveling public, in the tem- poral matters of eating, drinking and lodging, J. Kramer, in 1858, built a small log hotel on section 26. It was run but a few years, owing probably to the competition of the Boston House about a mile down the road. This was a commodious frame erected in the fall of 1858, by Sidney Cross. For several years after it was built it was run by parties who rented the establishment, and in ISGe Mr. Cross himself became host and enjoyed a good patronage until 756 HISTORY OF WAHASIIA COUNTY. 1878, when tlie travel was materially lessened and tlie Boston House was closed to the public. During and for a time after the war a postoihce was run by Dr. \'eeder at liis house. But few tragical incidents in tliis quarter call for narration. Two or three robberies have been attempted in the lonely cooleys, and shortly after the war a negro, John Newsom by name, was found on the prairie by Patrick McCormick, rigid in the icyembrace of death. Going home on a cold winter's night, half drunk, he became lost and helpless and slept his last sleep in the drifting snow and bitter wind. July 5, 1872, a cyclone crossed the township, demolishing a house belonging to J. N. Williams. Two persons were in the house at the time, and an empty barrel and a grub-pile stood near the house on cither side ; the occupants escaped uninjured and neither barrel nor grub-pile were moved. Besides taking the roof from another house no further material damage was done. In the summer of 1856 the residents of the northeastern ]>art hired Miss Laura Eldred to teach a term of three months. The only shelter available for the work was a little claim shanty which stood across the road in the edge of Goodhue county. These were the first educational advantages enjoyed by residents of this township. The first term taught in the township was probably in the summer of 1857, in the northern part, by Mrs. Alexander Graham. Among the other pioneer teachers of that day were Alfred Hannings, who taught the first term in district No. 7 ; Mary Smith, who began the work of education in No. 12 ; George Sexton, of No. 10 ; Mrs. P. C. Tabor in No. 67, and Mary Burleigh in No. 8. The first schools were nearly all taught before the organization of the districts by private subscription, and usually in some discarded claim or log shanty. In some instances schools were held in private houses for several years, and the facilities enjoyed were necessarily very crude. Books from different states, and of many kinds, was one of the diffi- culties presented to the teacher. In district No. 12 tlie third term was held in a little log house in which Sidney Cross had formerly "bached it," and he again found himself master in that shanty, this time in a different capacity. In this instance each family provided a seat for its young hopefuls, the size of the family bench being regu- lated by the number of children. In one district a school was lield MOUNT PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 757 in a small granary about the time that very large hoops were the style ; as the teacher dressed in fashion when she entered the temple of learning but little room was left for much else. So the hoops had to be dispensed with, making an odd and noticeable change in contrast with her usual appearance. Usually the teachers of that day possessed a fair amount of pedagogical ability, but occasionally one aspired to rule whose capacity and qualifications hardly justified his pretensions. One teacher who didn't know the multiplication table ended his pedagogical career the second week, and another told his class to skip fractions, as they wouldn't have anv use for them. He probably didn't believe in doing things "by halves." But since that time the schools have partaken of the general pros- perity and progress, and now eight neat frame schoolhouses dot the township. CKUEOHES. Rev. Silas Hazlett, of Lake City, was the first to hold religious services in this township. In January, 1857, he met about a dozen persons at the log house of Stanton Clark and began the ministra- tion which he has ever since continued. Two weeks lat«r he preached at E. P. C. Fowler's, and for some time his services were held at private houses, or on the o])en prairie beneath an oak-tree's verdant roof. When the schoolhouse of district No. 10 was built services were there held, and the Presbyterian church was organ- ized with about six members. In 1867 the present frame church was erected at a cost of two thousand dollars. The strength of the church is now about thirty. For twenty-six years has Wr. Hazlett been pastor of this Httle flock, marrying and burying those whom in childhood he christened, and he still visits them once in two weeks. Methodist. — During the war the community in the southwestern part of the township was visited by Rev. Stillwell, who pi-eached a few times ; by Rev. Hill, a Baptist, who preached occasionally for about a year ; and also by Charles Hudson. In 1865 Henry Good- sell began preaching in the schoolhouse of district No. 10 ; he awakened considerable interest and organized a class. It was dur- ing his ministration that the church reached its period of greatest prosperity, and a church costing seventeen hundred dollars was built and dedicated free of debt. He has been followed by . Messrs. Richardson, McMiff, Matson, Lathrop, Wilfred and Rock- wood, the present incumbent. A union sabbath school has been 758 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. running ever since the start of the church and is held alternately at the Methodist and Presbyterian churches. The first preaching in the northern part of the township was in the fall of 1865, by Rev. Birch, then a student at the Hamlin Uni- versity of Red Wing, Ho continued his visits about two years and organized a class in the spring of 1866 at schoolhouse No. 8. He was followed by Henry Goodsell, and during his incumbency the County Line church was built at a cost of nine hundred dollars. Rev. Richardson succeeded him, and during his stay this class and the one in West Florence, Goodhue county, united. This charge was visited successively by Messrs. McMiff, Phelps, Matte- son, Wright and Noah Lathrop, who saw the breaking up of the class through dissension and emigration. In 1880 Thomas Hartley, a Wesleyan minister of Greenwood Prairie, preached regularly in the schoolhouse, and the next year was followed by Mr. R. Balbridge, of the same denomination. A revival blessed his efforts and services were transferred to the County Line church. February, 1882, a church of thirteen members was organized by him, and afterward they purchased the church building of the Methodist Episcopal organization. A flourishing sabbath school has been running for many years. In 1870, T. A. Thompson, of Plainview, then state lecturer in the interests of the grange, visited this neighborhood and stirred up an interest which resulted in the establishment of a grange. Mount Pleasant Grange, No. 53, was organized at the schoolhouse of dis- trict No. 10, June 21, 1870, by D. K. G. Clark. It began with thirty-one charter members and the following officers were chosen : W. J. Newton, M. ; J. C. Fowler, Sec; N. F. Randolph, Chap., and T. W. Robinson, Lect. At first meetings were held at the schoolhouse and afterward for several years at the residence of J. C. Fowler. In 1874 the old schoolhouse of district No. 10 was purchased and fitted up for a hall, which was used until the dis- banding in 1878. Its greatest membership was forty-nine in 1872, and the interest was well kept up during its existence. The last meeting was held May 8, 1878. This community has long manifested an interest in temperance and temperance work ; and the influence of their work and efforts has been considerable. ZUMBRO. 759 Good Templar Lodge, No. 121, was organized July 27, 1875, by F. C. Stow, D.G. W.C.T., at the Presbyterian church, with lifty-six charter members. Soon after this meetings were begun in the grange hall, and there continued until the sale of the building, which deprived them of a place of meeting and was the main ele- ment in the death of the organization, no regular meetings being held thereafter. October, 1877, the membership reached sixty- seven. CHAPTER LXXVIII. ZUMBRO. The territory now covered by Zumbro, Mazeppa and Hyde Park is just equal to two full townships and was originally known us Mazeppa and Concord. Concord was the name of the election pre- cinct, in which it was situated at the time of the government sur- vey. Afterward, in May, 1858, at a town meeting, the name of Troy was adopted by a vote of the people, by which name it was known till 1861 ; there being another town of the same name in the state, the legislature declined to endorse the action of the town meeting, and consequently it became necessary to call another meet- ing ; this time to consider the propriety of dividing the town as well as adopting another name. The river Zumbro entered the town of Troy from the northwest, in section 6, a quarter of a mile east of the town-line, and flowed in a southeasterly direction till it reached a point one mile south of the center of the town, where it turned and followed a northeasterly course, and finally leaving the town about on the line of sections 13 and 24, it being the center of the north and south line. This river rendered it so inconvenient for the people to meet, and especially so in the spring, that it was finally decided (the consent of the county commissioners having been obtained) at a town meeting held March 19, 1861, to divide the town, the Zumbro forming the boundary, and also to call the new town south of the river, Zumbro. The first settlers in this town— at that time Concord — were the Baileys, Thomas, George and Andrew, who came in the. early part of 1855, and followed some time in the summer ot 760 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTi'. 1856 by the Jenkins family, father and two sons, and a Mr. Baker. The first school was taught in the late Isaac Jenkins claim shanty in the summer of 1859, by Miss Nellie "Walker,* who received twelve dollars for the term of three months, and boarded herself. This school, now known as district 49, was organized in 1861, and the first school after its organization was held in a shant}^ built expressly for that purpose by York and Jenkins, and which was used for that purpose till 1864, when the red school- house was built, being located on section 31. The first teacher in the red schoolhouse was Miss Hattie Ruber. In 1S63, a postofiice, called South Troy, was established, but at the end of two years was discontinued. The present postofiice is located at Hammond, a station of the narrow-gauge railroad. Agriculture was the occu- pation of the people, but little if any other kind of business being carried on till 1866, when a Mr. John Ralton brought on a stock of goods and opened a store for the accommodation of the people in that section of the country. May 11, 1858, when the following officers were elected — then known as Troy : George Fanning (chairman), George Eoberts, Edward York, supervisors ; John Kitter, clerk ; Isaac Jenkins, assessor ; Parish Dewitt, collector ; Francis W. Shaw, A. J. Jenkins, consta- bles ; George W. Fanning, Isaac Jenkins, justices. The following is the record s( i far as chairman of supervisors and town clerks are concerned : CHAIRMAN OF SaPERVISOliS. 1859. Isaac Jenkins 1860. J. R. Mcack 1861. Henry Everett. .. 1862. Hiram Hammond 1863. Henry Dickman . 1864. Henry Dickman . Henry Dickman - Henry Dickman . Henry Dickman . Henrj- Dickman . Henry Dickman . A. J. Anderson . . A. J. Anderson . . 1865. 1866. 1867. 1868. lS6i>. 1870. 1871. CLERK. .Jno. Hitter. . Jno. Ritter. .A. J. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. A. J. Jenkins. . A. J. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. .A. .T. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. CHAIRMAN OF STl'KRVLSORS. 1872, 1873 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877 1878, 1879 A. J. Anderson A. J. Anderson A. J. Anderson A. J. Anderson A. J. Anderson A. J. Anderson Jonas Rogers . . Jonas Rogers . . 1880. Jonas Rogers . . 1881. Jonas Rogers . . 1882. Jonas Rogers . . 1883. Jonas Rogers . . CLERK. .A. J. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. A. J. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. • A. J. Jenkins. A. J. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. .A. J. Jenkins. At a town meeting held March 19, 1861, it was voted to divide the town, and all that portion l.ying south of the Zumbro to be known as the town of Zumbro, and all north of the river to be called Hyde Park, and the first election for the new town was held April 2, 1861. * Some say Miss Hellen Everet, Miss Nannie Walker, but the majority say jNIiss Nellie Walker. ZUMBRO. 761 The schools of Zumbro are known as district No. 47, located in section 35 ; No. 48, located in section 34 ; No. 49, located in section P>1 ; No. 52, located in section 13 ; No. 53, located in section 24. CHUKCHES. The Wesleyan Methodist church was organized in 1856, by Elder 11. E. Walker, William Perkins, A. W. Martin, Mrs. Martin, Francis Fryer and Mrs. Fryer, and the first services were held in the South Troy schoolhouse, Elder Walker officiating and preaching the first sermon preached in the town. In 1859 a branch of this society was organized by Elder Walker, and services were held in the Red School-house, district No. 49. On alternate Sundays, Elder Walker preached in the morning at the South Troy schoolhouse, and in the afternoon at the red school- house. . At the expiration of eight or nine years he was succeeded by Elder Pegler, who officiated for two years. Elders Baldridge, Hart- ley and Norton were the predecessors of Elder Cox, who is now the officiating preacher. Since the organization of the branch in the red schoolhouse, some thirty or forty members have been added to the society, render- ing their present quarters too small for comfortable accommodation. Accordingly a move was set on focrt to build an edifice expressly for church purposes. By the aid of the South Troy society and that extended by the Wesleyan denomination of the State of Minnesota, they were enable to accomplish their object, having now nearly completed a church edifice to cost about fifteen hundred dollars, and to be finished in time for fall services. The only other church in the town of Zumbro is that of the Ger- man Lutherans, who have a church located in the extreme south- eastern part of the town in section 36. Tlie only village in the township is Hammond, which is thirty- three miles west of Wabasha, on the Midland road. The village consists of about one hundred inhabitants, two general stores and one hardware store. The general stores are owned and conducted by E. N. York and Brucher Bros, respectively. The hardware store is owned by M. J. Maldoon. These stores do a very large business. The Minnesota Elevator Company has erected a very large grain elevator at this place, and it is said this is the largest wheat market on this branch of the road. The elevator is in the charge of M. J. Maldoon. 762 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. A postofRce is kept in the store of E. N. York, who is also the postmaster. In 1883 the German Lutherans erected a chnrch for their use in Hammond, and this is the only church building in the village. The town dates its existence to the completion of the narrow- gauge road, but the locality was known as Hammond's Ford prior to that time. The name has its origin in Joseph Hammond, an old settler, and the original owner of the site. The Zumbro river divides the village into two nearly equal parts, they being connected with a bridge which s()ans the stream at this place. Some time after the division into Hyde Park and Zumbro, and for the same reasons, all of that portion of Mazeppa east of the south branch of the Zumbro river was set off and added to the town of Zumbro. This gives to the township nearly sixteen miles of water- front, and the land bordering on the river and its branch is extremely rough and broken, hardly fit for farming, and equal in extent to nearly one quarter of the whole township. The balance is very high rolling prairie, with an occasional growth of natural timbei". CHAPTER LXXIX. GLASGOW TOWNSHIP. This township was named in honor of the city of Glasgow, Scot- land, there being several Scotchmen in the township and the first settler was a Scotchman. Glasgow is bounded on the north by Pepin and a small portion of Wabasha, on the east by Wabasha and Greenfield, on the south by Highland, and onthewestby West Albany. The physical features of this township are very striking. The Zum- bro river enters the township through section 31 and runs a very roundabout way in crossing the township, passing through or touch- ing each of the following sections : 30, 29, 20, 21, 28, 27, 22, 15, 14, 11, 12, and leaves the township through section 13. Many small streams bf)tli from the north and from the south flow into this river. All along the river the country is very broken, but is interspersed with beautiful valleys all along the little streams. For a greater GLASGOW TOWNSHIP. 763 part the Zumbro is skirted oneitlierside with heavy forests of timber. In most of the hills is to be found plenty of limestone of an excellent quality, which is used to a very large extent for building foundations for houses and barns. The soil of the valleys is very fertile ; it con- sists of a blackish loam underlaid with a clay subsoil. Although well supplied with plenty of natural water, the wells of the township are not so very numerous. ]S"o water of any conse- quence can be reached much less of one hundred feet ; many fine springs, however, are to be found scattered through the township. EARLY SETTI>EMENTS. Wm. McCracken, in 1855, a native of Scotland, was the first to break the sod in the township of Glasgow. Very soon after Mc- Cracken came to the township Charles Foreman, Hugh McGowen, Hugh and Robert Cochrane, Fred Bernhart, Mm. Stowman, Henry Smith, and several others, laid personal claim to a portion of this township. The next year this number was increased by John and Wm. Cochrane, Hugh McGinnis, the Eing brothers, Henry Ash, J. B. Roone, and others. Soon after establishing themselves in their new home, in the fall of 1855, Mr. McGowen's wife gave birtli to the first white child born in the township. But the life of this child born in the wilderness was of but short duration, it and its mother both dying in a short time after the cliild's birth. They both were laid to rest within the bosom of mother earth in the same grave. They were the first to depart from this world in this town- ship. In the fall of 1856, Mr. A. Seafer being of the opinion that ''he who taketh a wife taketh a good thing," was accordingly bound by that mysterious band which makes man and wife as one. A Catholic priest from St. Paul was called upon to make the two hajr py hearts beat as one and sent them on their wedded life rejoicing. The first sermon ever preached within the boundaries was preached in- the house of Robert Cochrane, in the spring of 1858, by the Rev. B. F. Wharton a Baptist minister. The Baptists still have a society in the townsliip built by the German Methodist society ; Rev. Wharton has remained their pastor since the first sermon. The first and only building built exclusively for religious services was built by the German Methodist society and stands in section 5 ; it was built in 1869. The first minister who preached in this house was the Rev. Lampbrecht. Rev. Schmitken is the minister who has charge of this society at present. 764 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY, For many years the people of CT]asii;()w township were exclusively occupied in agricultural pursuits until lyOl, when Robert Cochrane and A. T. Lansing ])ut in o])eration a sawmill on Trout brook, and in 1864 Herman Wing concluded to try his fortune among the people by setting up a blacksmith-sliop. The first and only postoffice in the township was at the house of Mr. Boyd Fetzer, and he was the first postmaster. After the narrow gauge railroad was built through the township the Wabasha Elevator Company put up an elevator in the township in 1878 ; Mr. William Foreman has had charge of the warehouse ever since it was started. The firm handles about thirty thousand bushels of grain from this place, and also deal somewhat in live stock. A very large portion of tlie 'population of this township are Ger- mans, with a few Scotchmen and a slight sprinkling of Irish, and now and then an American. Glasgow township contains an even thirty-six sections of land. Of this amount of land but seven thousand seven hundred and forty- three acres were in cultivation in 1882, with an increase of eight thousand and twenty-one acres for 1883. The following was taken from the crop reports for 1882 : Wheat 39,210 bushels, oats 36,325 bushels, corn 46,100, barley 10,600 bushels, potatoes 8,765, hay 689 tons, apples 341 bushels, wool 451 pounds, cows 349, butter 21,370 pounds. It a])pears from the records that the first chairman of supervisors M^as Thomas Mateer, and the first town clerk was John B. Roome, and the following have held those offices respectively : YEAR. CHAIRMAN OF SUPKRVISORS. CLERK. 1858. Thomas Mateer. .J. B. Roome. 1859. Hujih McGowen.Jas. C.Burns. 1860.*HufrhMcGowen. Wm. Perry. 1861. J. F. Rose Wm. Perry. 18B2. John E. Tuck. . . . Wm. Perry. 1863. John E. Tuck. . . .Wm. Perry. 18G4. Daniel Pickett. . .A. P.O. Fetzer. 1865. Thomas Mateer. .John E. Tuck. 1866. Hugh McGowen.JohnE. Tuck. 1807. Hugh McGowen. John E. Tuck. 1868. John Stewart. . . .John E. Tuck. 1869. John Stewart. . . .John E. Tuck. 1870. John Stewart H. McGowen. YEAH. CHAIRMAN OF SUPERVISORS. CI-ERK. 1871. John Stewart. . . .H. McGowen. 1872. John Stewart H. McGowen. 1873. John Stewart H. McGowen. 1874. John B. Roome. Wm. Foreman. 1875. Hjagh McGowen. Wm. Foreman. 1877. IliighMcGowen.Wm. Foreman. 1878. Hugh McGowen. Wm. Foreman. 1879. Hugh McGowen. Wm. Foreman. 1880. Hugh McGowen. Wm. Foreman. 1881. Wm. Cochrane. . .Jacob Howe. 1882. Wm. Cochrane. . .Jacob Howe. 1883. Wm. Cochrane. . .Jacob Howe. * Re.signed. Thomas Mateer appointed. Near the center of the town, and lying along the banks of Trout brook, is a field of some fifteen acres, known as "Indian field.'" The aborigines used a portion of this field for burying their dead. ^ GLASGOW TOWNSHIP. Y65 and the balance was planted to corn by the squaws. It was rudely inclosed by a brush fence, portions of which are still to be seen. There are in various parts of the town relics of the former occupants of the soil, reminding the passer-by tliat, like these now extinct people, they, too, must pass away and yield their loved land and the labor of their hands to others. In the pleasant valleys where the bold warriors with tireless feet pursued the panting deer, and where the Indian lover wooed his dusky mate, and where the hills once resounded with the savage war whoop, is now to be found happy homes and pleasant farms ; and as the old settlers sit by the roaring fires of winter, how well do their children love to hear them tell of their trials and hardships of the early times spent in this town- ship. SCHOOLS. The township of Glasgow is divided into districts as follows : Nos. 25, 27, 68, 87, 101, a part of 26 and 64, and the most of 102. Educational pursuits were first inaugurated in this township in the summer of 1858 by a Miss Mary Cosgrove. She taught school in a small log house which stood on section 9, near where the brick house now stands in district No. 25. (See district No. 25.) In 1858 the people who lived in what is now district No. 25 met and resolved to build a schoolhouse, and in consequence of said meeting the ])eople went to work with a will to build the house. The men turned out en masse, a«d as a result of their labors a log house was built and covered with home-made shingles, known as clapboards. There being no money to buy lumber for flooring and. finishing, each man took a few sacks of grain to Eead's Landing and traded it for lumber. And in the house thus constructed was the first school in district No. 25 taught, by Miss Mary Cosgrove, which was also the first in the township. Misses Aurora B. Albertson, Theresa Schmaus, Sparks, Darrigan, Lampbrecht,' Carrie Landgraff and Robert Monroe are some of the teachers who have taught in the old house. The old house gave way to the present brick liouse, which was built in 1870, at a cost of eight hundred dollars, on land donated for the pur- pose by Hugh McGowen. Miss Darrigan taught the first school in the new house, and since then the following have taught there : G. A. Wanger, Miss Landgraff, Robert Wease, William Barry, Miss Olive Taylor, C. S. Mateer, J. E. Gray and W. J. Brown, who is the present teacher. First board of directors were William Coch- 760 HISTORY OF WAHASHA COUNTY. « rane, clerk ; Charles Foreman and Hugh McGowen. The present board are as follows : William Foreman, clerk ; G. Walker and Thomas Mateer. District No. 26. A part of it is in Glasgow and the rest of it is in West Albany township. The first schoolhouse built in the district was in Glasgow township. The house was built of logs, in 1861, and stood on section 19. The present house was built in the summer of 1879, at a cost of five hundred dollars, and is on section 13 of West Albany township. The first school in this district was taught by Eliza Stohman, now Mrs. Gcoi'ge Albertson. Tlie school was kept in the house of George Hall, who then lived on section 18. Hariet xVlbertson was the iirst person who taught in the schoolhouse. J. E. Tuck, liev. Sturgeon, George Miller, Lesslie Gray, Susan Fetzer, Jennie Durand, Ellen Brown, Jennie O'Neal, James Smith and 'C. M. Hilliard each have taught in the old house. Ellen Brown taught the first school in the new house, and she was followed by 0. M. Barry, J. E. Gray, C. S. Fox, Harry Thornton and Miss Ellen Patten. District No. 27. The first school in district No. 27 was taught about forty rods west of the present schoolhouse, in an old log house owned by John Bricker, who was also the first teacher. The seats which they used were boards with legs in them. The next year a log schoolhouse was erected on the farm of Adam Peters, near where the present house stands, but before it was finished another terra of school was taught. This term was tRught by Dora O'Neal in a barn owned by John Schouweiller. After the log house was finished the following were the persons who wielded the birch : John Bricker, Miss Albertson, Frank Ilamlen, John B. Murray, G. C. Dawley. The present house was built in 1875, at a cost of eight hundred dollars. The first teacher in the new house was G. C. Dawley, and he was followed by John Bricker, Mary E. Calhoun, J. J.Barry, Katie Darrigan, J. T. Corry, Bridget Costello, Coleman Barry, Nettie Brown, Michael Conroy and Maggie Keating, the ])resent teacher. Each of the above have taught one or more terms. The first board of directoi-s were John Schoeweiller, clerk, Frank Graff and Antony Schuoweiller. The present board are Peter Peters, clerk, Antony Schouweiller and Adam Peters. District No. 68. The first school taught in district No. 28 was taught by Miss Emma Goodrich in the schoolhouse now in the district. The house was built in 1868, and the first school was tauiicht the same OAK WOOD TOWNSHII*. 767 year. The following have taught in this district since Miss Good- rich taught the first school : Charles Mateer, Miss Halahan, Miss Webster, Mr. Wharton, Giles Roome, Nancj Rose, Miss Fancher, Miss Hadley, Miss Lampbright, Miss Champine, Carrie Higgins, Miss Brown, Mary A. Rouine, Mr. Barry, Mr. Scott, Emma John- son, Patrick Ryan, Katie Enright, Mary Enright, Mary Durand, Ida Bunn, Miss Wilder, Miss Wheeler, Miss McKune, Miss Brown. ■ District No. 101 w^as organized in 1875, and schoolhouse was built same fall at a cost of two hundred and fifty dollars. Miss Clara Rose was the first teacher who taught in this district. She now lives in Kellogg. The following have taught in houses : Levi Emery, Margaret Patten, Marion Sullivan. The first board of directors was M. K. Wolfe, J. S. Harncame and Geo. Licen. This board has been continuously in office since the district was organized. Districts Nos. 64 and 102 have their schoolhouses in other town- ships. For their history see townships which contain them. CHAPTER LXXX. OAKWOOD TOWNSHIP. "I cannot but remember such things were, And were most dear to me." Lying in the south part of the county, surrounded by West Albany, Highland, Plain view, Elgin, Zurabro and Hyde Park town- ships, is a township which on account of the necessity for a name rather than to show some prominent feature, has been called Oak- wood. A rolling prairie, bordering on Greenwood's prairie, it is cut by the rocky Zumbro valley, separating the several north- western sections from the main part ; by the Middle Creek ravine, separating the several northeastern sections ; and lastly, by the Long Creek ravine, which winds through the center from south to north, and opens into the Zumbro vallej' not far from the opening of Middle creek. Along their route smaller valleys and ravines open into these. The Zumbro valley, with its rocky cliffs varjang from two hundred to three hundred and seventy feet in height, overhanging and winding its rocky and wooded sides about in a bewildering manner, affords some very picturesque and romantic 768 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. scenery. The rocky headlands protrude as if the elements in their attempt to cover the once limestone surface of this region with clay, sand and loam, had failed to brina: enough. While the northern part of the township is chiefly clay, the southern is more black loam and clay mixed, making a fine soil. The oak, hazel/ etc., underbrush that once covered the j)rairie more or less, is now confined to the bluifs, valleys and ravines. In the northern part of the township, in the coolies, there is more timber-oak, elm, Cottonwood and maple. Along the Zumbro River valley are river- terraces about half way up the bluffs, some of the larger of which are of sufficient size for a village. The valleys and ravines on quiet days are cooler than the prairies above, but in winter the valleys are much warmer than the uplands, making fine places to winter stock. The limestone cliffs furnish material for limekilns, a few ruins of which ornament the sides of the valley, but are seldom worked at ])resent. The large fall of the Zumbro river, with its narrowness, makes, many fine sites for water-power, which, so far, have not been occupied. With the excellent facilities for water in the township, Oakwood makes a fine place for stock. Some excel- lent springs burst out along the base of the cliffs, one of which, near Ole Fremo's, is said to be among the best. Let Father Time tell us how Oakwood fared before civilization began to rear it — the kidnapped child of barbarism. Plere was the underbrush on the prairie, through which the cunning fox and the lank, grey wolf prowled. Wigwams dotted the valley. Numer- ous fleet deer roamed the gorges and ])rairies, ever wary, often in vain, of the stealthy Sioux Indians of Wa-pa-shaw's band, who came to camp and hunt in Zumbro's beautiful valley. The beaver made his home in these waters. The snow, wind and rain were as wild as the country and its dusky sons. Over the encrusted snow, four feet a not uncommon depth, the Keoxa braves chased on snow- shoes the deer until the breaking crust exhausted it. The heavy rains, falling on the tough, unbroken soil, quickly reached the Zumbro, swelling its floods to heights unknown at present. The annual rise of the river, not noticed now, was called the "June race." But Father Time points to 1856, and now comes the ox-team and white-covered wagon — the advance-guard of civilization — to startle this wild scene, and flglit, if necessary, with the elements, Indians and animals, for a home such as his prospective eyes selected. OAKWOOD TOWNSHIP, 769 He lives in his wagon until he can make a hut. These first settlers were : Mathew Kinsella and his son Mathew, David and James Foley, Patrick and Lawrence Tracey, the latter now in "West Albany township, and William Tope, who came in June. Henry Powell, it appears, came in 1855, but whether he was the first settler is not quite definite. It is said Lyman Gregg visited the township earlier, but did not settle. Also came Barnard McNultj^, James McPike, Michael Campbell, Patrick McQuigan, Henry Martin and Patrick Fleming, Many of these came prospecting, selected homes and built huts, then in the fall returned to Wisconsin, Lake Superior, and a few other parts, to get their families. A Mr. Crozier was also here, living in his wagon. The bachelor life led by many of these in their wagon or hut was not enviable. Patrick McGuigan brought for his winter supply seven barrels of flour ; the Indians were difficult to convince that his house was not an agency. One of the heaviest snows fell that winter, about four feet on a level. The Indians, with snow-shoes, killed deer extravagantly ; finding them in the valley in an open place corralled by the deep snow, they would kill them merely for the skin, so. it was said, that the whites might not get them. About seven hundred were camping in the valley that winter ; they were not troublesome, and not many months later left. It is said they used to get whisky at Mr. Tope's. Mat. Kinsellas, Sr. and Jr., Charles and Patrick Fleming, Eichard Leighart and James Perkins kept bachelor's hall on Mr. place for nearly three years. They had five yoke of oxen, and all worked together, each helping the other. Mr. Kinsella, Sr., relates that the ai-rival of the first woman caused the oxen to take to the woods in flight. When John H. Pell first drove his cattle before him into these wilds to seek a home, before he ever imagined he would represent his district as senator, he turned his cattle loose in the valley, and sought rest for the night in one of the caves that are found in the face of the bluffs. The township had been surveyed and named Pell, in honor of John Pell of this township, who was a state senator. The way neighboring townships taunted them with the similarity of Pell and another word ending in "ell" was too much for the sensitive settler. In 1868 the legislature gave it the honorable name of Sherman. Among the oldest houses is Mr. Tope's, now standing, and Mr. Foley's. Mr. Langer also has a very old one. The first roads were 46 770 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. across the prairie toward Plainview, the nearest way. The first bluff-road was worked by 'a Wabasha landowner, between Millville site and P. G. Dickman's. The first surveyed road was laid out about 1859, along the south side of section 25, and south and west sides of section 26, north, entering the Long Creek ravine. It was known as the Long Creek road. The second laid out was probably that from Bremen, passing Messrs. QuiseFs, Grove's and Pratfs, about 1S60. On account of ravines few of the roads follow section lines. The Zumbro Valley Railway Company organized and prospected some in the township, but failed to do anything. James Chapman, on northeast part of section 22, built the first and only sawmill of the township, about 1860, but soon sold it to Abner Tibbets, who continued it for but a few years. The first and only gristmill was built on Middle creek in 1868 by Samuel Irish. The first blacksmith-shop was built by Henry Powell, probably in 1856 ; the only one until Peter Ilolstein built his in Millville a number of years later. The first store was started in 1864 by John Behrns, at Bremen, continuing a few years. The first birth was Patrick Tracy's daughter, Elizabeth Tracy, in February, 1 857 ; and Anna Tracy, daughter of Mr. Lawrence Tracy, was born in March following. The first marriage ceremony was performed by Father Tissot, a Catholic missionary, when he gave Mathew Kinsella, Jr., a wife. Henry Powell was married quite early, too, and in a romantic manner. It is said he and his intended stood on one bank of Long creek, while the justice stood on the opposite shore and performed the ceremony. Death made his first visit in the spring of 1858, taking a babe of William Tope, and one of George Martin. The first (private) school was taught either by Mrs. Louis Evans or Mrs. J. H. Bernard, at their homes, in the winter of 1850-60 — probably the former. Mr. Evans also taught. The first schoolhouse is No. 24, near Patrick McGuigan's, built in about 1861. The old log house, now used for storing hay, still stands near the new one. Mr. McGuigan says they carried logs on their shoulders from the ravine to make it. Dr. James Chapman, the builder of the first sawmill, was the first "healer of the sick" in the winter of 1858 and after. He also preached some, holding services now and then at his home and Mr. Powell's. Li 1858 Father Tissot first held mass in Mr. David Foley's house. From then until 1867 it was held about five times per year at Mr. Kinsella's. During 1866 the church now known as Oakwood OAKWOOD TOWNSHIP. 771 church, a frame building 20x60 feet, with an addition built in 1878, was built. It was started by Father Tissot and finished by Father Trobec, who followed him. The priests since Father Trobee are Fathers Jeram, from 1880-2 ; Beinhardt, to April, 1883, and Murray at present, who lives in Highland township. The church is well furnished, and mass is held once a month. A cemetery lies near the church. Since the organization children have been confirmed once, in 1881, by Bishop Ireland. The first postofiice, called Millville, was located on Ole Chris- topher's place, about 1869, with Charles Flemming as postmaster. After its removal to the present site of Millville, in 1870, John Huny was made postmaster, and held it until his death, since which his widow has officiated, keeping it in the same house ever since. When first started its income was but about eight dollars per quarter ; now it is two hundred. The first hotel began with the birth of Bremen, in connection v^ith the store in 1864. This was the founding of Bremen, the first village in the township, by John Behrns. Millville, probably so named from the postofiice, began with one store and postofiice combined, John Huny's, and a blacksmith-shop, by Peter Holtein, about 1870. The narrow-gauge railway, in 1878, gave it new life, and soon there was two stores, J. B. Miller and Mullen & Leonard (now Mullen) ; next two hotels, J. Behrns and Mr. Plath ; then John Behrns ran a store for a time ; a wagon- shop ; a small grainhouse, in which was the warehouse and tele- graph otiice ; next year the depot and addition to the grainhouse ; then a fancy-store ; shoeshop. In 1880 McGuigan Bros., drygoods and groceries, and J. S. Bisby, hardware, was started, and in 1881 the first permanent physician, Dr. Gove. From about 1879 to 1881 Claus Behrns run the Midland brewery, but it was accidentally burned, and its ruins still remain. ^Millville controls the trade for a radius of several miles. It has splendid water-power waiting to be occupied. Kegan, named from the owner of the land, J. Kegan, was started in 1879 as a station. A saloon, blacksmith-shop and store, the last mentioned kept by J. Judge, comprised its business until 1880, when the depot and grainhouse was added. The following year Mr. Judge was made postmaster of the new postoffice. A fine bridge crosses the Zumbro here, which, with the Millville bridge, includes all Zumbro bridges in the township. HISTORY OF WA15ASHA COUNTY. After the organization in 1859 down to the present there has been a sh)vv and varied growth. Many of the records are destroyed, so that the chief resource is the okl settler's memory. The first election was held at the residence of Patrick McGuigan, by order of the commissioners. The first clerk was Dr. James Chapman ; supervisors, James Foley and John Behrns. Mr. Pratt thinks J. K. Smith was chairman. They held their first meeting in Chap- man's sawmill. Claus Behrns was probably the first assessor. One of the early assessors, who had acquired but little English, missused the word piano for plow, in his report of assessment, so that from the number of pianos listed in Pell township, the county officers thought it a remarkably musical region. The township clerks after Dr. Chapman were : John Behrns, J. C. Eand, George Bairey, William Harlan, M. A. Grove, Collins Pratt, M. Bailey and James McGuigan. The first justices were : J. Evans and John Behrns. Mr. Behrns says his first legal operation was to marry Orson Yeon and Ann Winter, in 1S59. Louis Stein- born, William Harlan, E. Poison and J. Bisby have been justices since. Before organization they voted in Zumbro township (now Hyde Park). Mr. Lawrence Tracy was the first representative of the township in the county board of supervisors. The population of the township at this time was probably between twenty and fifty. There was found to be another township of the same name, so the name Sherman was replaced in 1872 by the present name, Oakwood. Lyman Gregg was the first county commissioner and sheriff from Oakwood. M. A. Grove, of this township, is at present a county commissioner. The present township officers ai-e P. G. Dickman, chairman ; M. McGillion and Emric Poison, supervisors ; James McGuigan, town clerk ; Ole Christopher, a|^essor ; J. Behrns, treasurer ; jus- tices, J. S. Bisby and E. Poison ; constables, Nels Christopher and P. H. Anderson. In the winter of 1858-9 the several northwest sections cut off by the Zumbro were joined to West Albany ; but in 1867 the legisla- ture, at the request of the people, made a part of Pell again. The "Half-Breed Treaty" tract, elsewhere explained, includes all of Oakwood north of a straight line running from the southeast corner of section 18 to near the same corner of section 26. The land scrip that was given each Indian, deeding him a certain amount of this OAKWOOD TOWNSHIP. 773 land, has caused the settlers a little trouble and some probably unfounded anxiety. The " adult scrip " was sold to settlers along with minor scrip. The point seems to be that the minors' scrip may have been unlawfully sold. The Oakwood church land was paid for twice on account of this trouble. The trouble continued during about fifteen years. There has been none lately. The township feeling the great need of an outlet for its produce, encouraged the Minnesota Midland railroad by giving twenty- two thousand dollars in bonds, which were j^laced in the New York Trust Company's hands to await the completion of the road. During the war the records show numerous special town meetings, held for obtaining money for volunteers. It is related of a certain "copperhead,"" who chanced to have his leg broken in an affray, that the physician compelled him to take the oath of allegiance before he would set his ]eg. The town meetings, before held in sawmills, shops and resi- dences, were after about 1875 held in the new town-hall on section 15. The hall was sold in 1880 to G. D. Allen for one hundred and ten dollars, and the Millville schoolhtjuse was chartered for the next twenty years for town purposes. The eifect of the cattle law of 1873 has been to remove nearly all the fence except that enclosing pasture. However the increased raising of stock will probably soon make a l^arbed-wire network of fences over the township. One of Oak- wood's citizens, John K. Smith, was representative in 1873. After the new school law of 1862, abolishing the township superintendent, James Hayes, of Oakwood, was the first county superintendent through election by the people. The state change of text-books in the schools, adopting A]3pleton's publication, was effected quite speedily in this township. The schools have increased until there are now seven, numbered apparently in the order of their age, with county numbers, namely, No. 75 on section 23, No. 24 on section 5, No. 41 on section 1, -No. 43 on section 26, No. 44 on section 28, No. 78 on section 16 and No. 89 in Millville. The teachers of No. 24 have been Michael McGillion, M. Kedmond, Mary Hayes, Hugh Galliger, Mary Harlan, Miss York, and, begin- ning with 1872, James Hayes ; 1873, Mrs. Galliger ; then James Hayes, until 1875 ; John Quin, 1876 ; Bridget McCuUough, 1877 ; Mary A. Keliber, 1878 ; Hannah Sweeney, 1879 ; Scott Foster, Sophia McGillion, 1880 ; Michael Powers, 1881 ; Charles Disney, Maggie Ryan, 1882 774 HISTORY OF wabasha county. Marv Galliger. Mr. Hayes says the largest attendance has been about seventy-seven, but is quite small now. Mrs. Bernard held private school, in 1858-9, in school district No. 41. They then sent to Highland township until 1871. Annie Mullen, the first teacher, was followed by Fannie Calvin, 1872 ; Bridget Costello, 1873-4 ; Annie Calhoun, 1875 ; Michael Powers, 1876 ; Katie Baker, 1877 ; M. Powers, 1878 ; Hannah Sweeney, 1879 ; Bridget Costello, 1880-1, and Thos. H. Lutz, 1882-3. In school district No. 43, Mrs. Rand taught an early school. Mrs. Susan Carpenter was probably the first teacher. She held a term in an old blacksmith-shop, in 1867. The teachers since then have been Mrs. M. E. Cooper, R. N. Smith and Ella Rising, 1869 ; G. C. French, Miss Sprague, Mrs. Lucy French, 1870-72 ; Lavina Smith, 1873 (no school in part of 1874, when the new schoolliouse was building. The old house was moved from High- land township) ; Lavina Smith, 1874-5 ; Lucy J. Smith and Frank Fowler, 1876 ; Ellen McClaren, 1877 ; Matt Hanc}^, 1878 ; Nettie Goss, 1879 ; J. M. Bates and Miss Goss, 1880 ; Eliza DePuy and Mattie Darrow, 1881 ; Hanora Sheilds and Mary Huntoon, 1882 (no school in winter of 1882-3, as they could get no teacher) ; and Teressa B. Hall in the summer of 1883. School district No. 78 lies near the center of the township. The records of school district No. 75 furnish the following teachers : R. N. Smith and Pat. Hagerty, 1869 ; Annie Mullen, 1870 ; Meril A. Robeson, 1875 ; Mary McClernan, 1877-8 ; Henry McClernan, 1879 ; Hellen Slattery, 1880 ; Margaret Ryan, 1881 ; Teressa Hall, 1882 ; L. M. Kimball, 1883. The school in district No. 44 was organized by Geo. Bairy in 1869, and the first teacher was probably Miss Taylor. The present building is an enlargement of the first one, a small frame which has been moved about considerably. The teachers beginning with Cliristina Mitchell in 1869-70; Frank Langer, 1S73-4; and William Bairey and Olive R. Taylor, 1875 ; C. A. Pheifer, Mary C. Christopher and Francis Fomler (?), 1876 ; Miss French, 1877 ; Bertha French, 1878-9-80; Geo. French and Anna French, 1881 ; John M. Bates and Mary Bchrns, 1882 ; Maggie Potor and Mattie Darrow, and in 1883 Mariah Paine. The Millville school was at first private, taught by S. E. Thoresen, in 1878, and in 1879 organized as No. 89, with a good frame building. The teachers have been, beorinninoj in 1880, A. Darrow and Lizzie Leonard, 1881 ; C. L. GARWOOD TOWNSHIP. 775 Woodworth, Mattie Darrow, L. Leonard and Sadie Cathown, 1882 ; Mattie Darrow, 1883 ; Minnie Gibbons and Rosa Dickman. The physicians located here have been Drs. Beaufort and Boyd, who remained but a sliort time, and Dr. Gove, who is at present the only doctor of medicine in the township. In 1868 the Norwegian Methodist Episcopal church, on section 20, was organized by A. B. Burtcli, of Grand Meadows, Minnesota, who had preached here previous to this. With few at first, the largest membership reached thirty-five, in 1871, and has fallen off since, on account of many Norwegians going to Dakota. A good frame church, 32x24 feet, was -built in 1873. It is valued at nine hundred dollars. The Norwegian Lutherans since 1874 have used this building more or less, also, but have had no services for a few years past. The ministers, since 1869, have been : Rev. Olson ; Rev'. Knudson, 1872-4; Rev. A. Johnson to 1877, Rev. E. Arveson to 1879, Rev. J. Peterson to 1882, when Rev. A. Knud- son became the first resident minister of tlie township. Services are held regularly on Sunday at 10:30 a.m., with a sabbath school at 12 M. The sabbath school, Supt. M. A. Grove, was organized some years ago. The church belongs to the Plainview circuit. The trustees are E. Poison and M. A. Grove. A cemetery for Scandi- navians lies near the cliurch. The Swedes, in 1874, organized and built a church in Millville. The building is of limestone from the blufis and about 30X40 feet in size. At first there were about thirty families, with a minister from Lake City, but Dakota's rising wealth lias reduced the number to but five families, who have had no services for several years. The Norwegian Lutherans, not organized, used this building some also. Near the building is Millville cemetery. Services in these churches are occasionally held in English. M. A. Grove has preached some in the Norwegian church, filling the place of the regular minister in his absence. On account of the peculiar characteristics of the Scandinavian, German and Irish churches, and their diff'erent languages, there has never been any revivals in the township. Some temperance work has been done, however, and with such effect that in atteinpts to abolish liquor license, about 1876, they came within four and six votes of having her territory unspotted by saloons. The temper- ance sentiment is not that high at present, as four patronized bars witliin her borders would indicate. The Grange society organized in about 1872 on Lyman Gregg's 776 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. farm, and continued in their hall tliere for about one year and a half, then with a few meetings at sehoolhouse No, 43, they sold their effects and disbanded with an oyster supper and dance. Lyman Gregg was worthy master. Clark Champine, Eben Farns- worth and A. Darrow were among their officers. About 1880 the Good Templars were organized at the Nor- wegian Methodist Episcopal church. It continued actively about on'C year. The first, second and third worthy chiefs were, E. Poison, C. Christopher and M. A. Grove, respectively. They talk of reviving it again. Debating clubs were quite numerous from 1879-81, and attended by old and j'oung. • In the eastern part of the townshi]), in 1874, was organized Father Matthew's Total Abstinence Society, which has held meet- ings once per month since. John Harlan was its first president, and the office has since been held by either Matthew ivinsella or him. Mr. Kinsella occupies it at present. In 1878 about fift}^ members started by subscription a temperance library, and now have over one hundred volumes. J. Powers is librarian, and the books are kept in the church. There are but five events in the history of the township that may be called tragic. Three men were drowned: one at Millville, while swimming ; Mr. McBride, some distance below this, while crossing this river on the ice in 1880 ; and a miller from Potsdam who drove in the river at high water. Two suicides have occurred. The causes were probably monomania causedby sickness. P>()th were Gernums. One hung him&elf by a suspender, and the other choked himself with a bag string. The immense crops of wheat in early days caused an extrava- gance in trading, that resulted in a reaction a few years later, that, combined with the overworking of the land, caused many failures. Men traded on credit for years, and when a settlement was neces- sary, a mortgage was necessary, and finally they had to give up their homes. So extensive was this trouble that the population was very materially decreased. The settlement of the Wilcox estate was the occasion of one severe blow to the township. Buying extravagantly in machinery was one cause of these troubles. The wheat crop for four or five years, beginning with 1877, has nearly failed, so that many farmers contemplate, making stock a _ specialty. It may be a question whether stock as a specialty will WEST ALBANY TOWNSHIP. ~ (J be a success any more tlian wheat. Those who have tried a rotation of crops with a fair amount of stock find but little to complain of. In 1869 there was 17,529 acres of farm land. The value of the improvements, $63,199, and the personal property, $26, 041. The number of acres cultivated was 4,862, from which 60,693 bushels of wheat was raised, beside other grains. In 1880 the number of acres under cultivation was 7,598. The population, 946. The productions were as follows: Bushels of wheat, 30,943 ; oats, 30,470 ; corn, 33,800 ; barley, 22,281 ; pota- toes, 5,755 ; and apples, 1,961. There were 500 tons of hay, 200 pounds of wool, 189 cows, 5,415 pounds of butter and 200 pounds of honey. Stating them in the order of their number beginning with the largest, the population is composed of Irish, Germans, JS'orwegians, Swedes, Americans and Austrians. The mass are German and Irish. CHAPTER LXXXI. WEST ALBANY TOWNSHIP. PHYSICAL FEATURES AND PRODUCTION. West Albany township lies nearly in the center of the county, being a full congressional township, and consisting of fine rolling prairie, considerably broken in the southern part by eroded valleys and gorges. The streams all lie at a depth of from one to two hun- dred feet below the surrounding country, affording perfect drainage, and swamps are entirely unknown. Through sections 34, 27, 26, 25 and 36 in the southeastern part, winds the picturesque Zumbro, with its limestone cliffs, wooded banks and fertile bottoms, receiving the united waters of several smaller streams, which take their rise in the central, western and southern parts. These deep valleys or canons, which are the result of ages of erosion, appear to hav^e been at one time considerably deeper than at present. The rock strata, which consist of Potsdam limestone, lie at an undiscovered depth below the streams, overlaid by a deposit of sand, clay and loam, which is rapidly increasing, and which indicates a long continued 778 HISTORY OF WAIJASHA COUNTY reversal of the process of erosion. The drift, which on the prairies overlies the rock to a depth of from five to fifty feet, consists of clay, topped by a layer of rich clay loam, which twenty-five years ago nourished a thick growth of buffalo grass and grubs, now sui)planted by the products of intelligent industry. Nature here spreads riches for the artist and poet, as well as broad acres for the practical husbandman. The picturesque valleys, bounded by perpendicular, moss-grown walls and steep hillsides, broken by glen and gorge and covered with blooms, shrubs, oaks and conifers, and the winding streams which flow by mill and meadow, hemmed by vine-hung elms and willows, challenge the admiration of the lover of Kature, and invite the artist's pencil, l^eaving the valley, the vision sweeps miles of " Unshorn fields, boundless and beautiful, For which the speech of England has no name, — The Prairies. Lo ! they stretch In fairy undulation^ far away. As if the ocean in his gentlest swell Stood still with all his rounded billows Fixed and motionless for ever." In the earlier days of the settlement, wheat was the staple pro- duct, and the abundant harvests which in those days invariably rewarded the settler's trust to this crop, soon made a prosperous community and gave this grain a monopoly of the farmer's attention. Corn was supposed to be ill adapted to this climate, and barley was yet to be introduced to any considerable extent. Passing years brought a decrease in the wheat production, with an occasional fail- ure, and barley, corn and oats soon claimed a large share of the acreage, though wheat is still king and is likely to be for many years to come. Within the past few years increased attention has been given to stock-raising, owing to partial failures in grain, and the indications are that this industry will grow to considerable import- ance, though scarcity of water will always be one drawback to com- plete success in this line. The statistics given below are from the assessment rolls for for 1882. ACRKAGE. BUSHEL. Wheat 0,780 81,570 Oats 1,240 39,090 Corn 900 24,700 Barlev 1,190 23,400 VALUE. Horses .? 10,531 Cattle 5,510 Real estate 189,750 WEST ALBANY TOWNSHIP. 779 EARLY SETTLEMENTS. In June, 1855, the liitherto undisturbed reign of nature and tlie Indian, in what is now West Albany townsliip, was broken by the appearance of Samuel Brink, who erected on the southwest quarter of section 21 a two-story log hotel 24x46 feet. A few weeks later John McCollom settled on section 28, accompanied by a Dr. Spaf- ford who left shortly after the death of Mrs. McCullom in August of that year. This was the first visit of "that grim ferryman" that poets write of, — a visit that has too oft been repeated. In the summer of 1855 came also Abram Lyons, followed in the early fall by Leroy, Eugene, and Cornelius McCollom, These settlements were all made in the valley near the future site of the village of West Albany, the first comers being attracted by the supposed superior fertility of the soil and the advantages of water and wood not found on the prairie. In the spring of 1852 Abram Lyons took unto himself a iielpmate in the person of Miss Jane McCollom ; this first marriage of the township was blessed by the appearance of a daughter the following spring, Laurii Ann Lyons, who was the first child born in West Albany. The summer of 1856 brought several new comers ; their names, as far ascertainable, being as follows : Wm, Wright, of England ; Frederick Jacobs, of Hanover ; Andrew Hook, of Baden ; Charles Wise, of Baden ; John M. Welsh, of Ireland, and Patrick Cronan, of Ireland. This summer saw the destruction of Brink's tavern by fire ; he had remained but a short time after liis location here, and when he took his departure he left the hotel in charge of a Mr. Smith. At the time of its burning it was occupied by Frederick Jacobs. For some time afterward the settlement was designated as "the Burnt Tavern." In the spring of 1857, Lawrence Tracy, of Irish nativity, who had previously settled in what is now Oakwood, moved to West Albany. In the same year came Sylvester and William Applegarth, of Canada ; Henry Schmuser, of Holstien ; Wm. Funk, and some others. In 1858 began the establishment of the Scotch settle- ment in the northeastern part of the township. In this year came George and William Wilson, William Dufi'us, Henry Glashen, Geo, and William Perry, Charles Forest, Alexander Thoirs, William Sterling, David Munro, and William Corry ; these have since been followed by many others from Scotland and Racine county, Wiscon- sin, some also from Canada. Many of these came here poor, but all 780 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY, are now successful farmers, and the Scotch settlement will be found a christian, iiospitable community where peace and prosj)eritj reigns. Thus we see the early establishment of three nationalities in this township, Geriiian, Irish and Scotch, and to these tliree the popu- lation still mainly belongs, but very few being of American descent. Like the early pioneers of every part of the country the first set- tlers of West Albany saw their share of hardship and privation, and here as elsewhere bitter cups were often sweetened and brooding clouds lighted by the merry meetings which varied a life of toil, and a generous spirit of equality and neighborly kindness, over the departure of which many an old settler will be seen to shake his head regretfully. Money was scarce, and settlers were sometimes in actual want of food or reduced toadietof johnnycake or potatoes. The abundance of game was often a great advantage, and the numerous flocks of praii-ie chicken and grouse, and the occasional deer that haunted the valleys, frequently increased an otherwise slim bill of fare. Sometimes the men would devote a day to ball or "shinny," and braking and hauling bees were quite common, often being a necessity, as teams were rather scarce. In the winter, sleigh-rides, singing-schools, lyceums, spelling-schools, donations, etc., varied the monotony and will always be remembered with pleasure by the participants. An Indian trail from Wabasha to Blue Earth ]^assed through this township, over which the Indians often passed, frequently stoi)]jing along West Albany creek to fish for the brook-trout that haunted its deeps. Winter sometimes saw them camped in the valleys, generally along the Zumbro, and though they often visited the settlers, to beg or bring in a little game, they gave no serious annoy- ance. Mr. Tracy's cabin, which then consisted of one room, was a favorite resort, and on cold winter evenings they would invade this warm retreat, lay around on the floor, in the way, and play cards, sometimes until midnight. In 1S62 the settlers were badly fright- ened by the rumor that the hostile Indians from the north were coming, and many wakeful nights were passed on this account. Some left temporarily, some would go to neighbors' houses to spend the night, and some talk of fortifying a retreat was indulged in, but the Indians never came and no scal])s were lost. Having taken this brief glance at the planting of civilization from a social standpoint, let us return to the year 1857 and consider other WEST ALBANY TOWNSHIP. 781 matters which time and change have given to the historian's pen. About this time the first road in the township was establislied. This was a road from Read's Landing to Oronoco and Mazeppa, passing tln-ough the vilhige of West Albany. In the spring of 1857 Leroj, Eugene and Cornelius McCollom bought of George II. Fari- bault the W. i of N.W. i of Sec. 28, on which they laid out a town, naming it West Albany. William Applegarth built a store, which he stocked with a small sup]3ly of general merchandise, and the proprietors erected a sawmill. Upon the petition of the McCollom s a postoffice was established, being located at Applegarth's store, with E. B. McCollom, postmaster. The future prospects of the town seemed very flattering, but the plat was never recorded, and this was the extent of its growth. The store was sold, about 1866, to K. Barry, who carried on the business until within two or three years, and was postmaster until 1878, when the ofiice passed into the hands of Thomas Smith. The mill was run a few years, when it was aban- doned, and in 1874 it was sold to Hiram Fellows, who removed it to the present site of Brandt's flouring-mill. In the same spring (1857) John McCollom platted the town of Union on the W. ^ of N. W. J of Sec. 27, but agriculture was tlie only business ever carried on within its limits. On the first Monday in May, 1858, the township was organized as West Albany, though to whom the credit of naming the town is due, could not be ascertained. The election was held at William Applegarth's, resulting as follows : E. B. McCollom, chairman of board ; William Applegarth, clerk ; Leroy McCollom, justice of the peace ; and Cornelius McCollom, constable. In the spring of 1859 Sylvester Applegarth laid out the village of Albany, on section 29, about a half-mile west of the town started two years before. The plat was recorded May 3, 1859, and the place soon became the metropolis of the township. Richard Daw- son erected a hotel, Sylvester Applegarth a gristmill, S. Mclntyre a store and saloon, and Jacob Fister a blacksmith-shop. About this time a small land oflice was run by E. Foster, who did business of various kinds for the settlers, but upon his election as auditor he left this part of the county. July 4, 1861, the blacksmith-shop was burned. Its destruction was the result of a quarrel about the possession of an anvil with which the inhabitants intended to demonstrate their patriotism. The same year saw the burning of the hotel. Both were soon rebuilt. In 1862 the hotel passed into the hands of 782 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY, Frank Ryan, who ran it as a hotel and saloon for a few years. This place became a favorite resort, and dances wer(! often held under its roof, with their attendant mirth and uproar. These were the hamlet's palmiest days, though to those most inter- ested in its progress hope whispered that these were but beginnings. In the minds of the i)roprietors and others this location was destined to become the capital of Wabasha county ; and eligible sites for the county buildings were pointed out with confident predictions as to the bright future of West Albany. But shortly after the war its star began to wane, and now business of all kinds has entirely deserted this part of the township. In the early days of the settlement the leading spirits in this part of the township were the McColloms and the Applegarths, all of whom are now gone. Perhaps more than casual mention is due to some. Leroy McCollom is remembered by those who knew him as an "odd genius," and his influence in ""affairs of state'" was considerable in those days. He was rather a successful pettifogger, a justice of the peace several years, and always took a great interest in local squabbles. He was a good neighbor and a man of shrewd- ness, but his time was largely passed, with legs crossed, whittling a stick and discussing the various topics of conversation that pi'esented themselves. About 1867 Charles Nunn put a good-sized stock of general merchandise in the house now owned by Thomas Smith, and did a flourishing business for two or three years. In 1867 Ryan's hotel was purchased by the Catholic congregation, who used it as a church several years. Besides the business institutions men- tioned, shoe and blacksmith shops have been in operation at diflerent times ; but all have now departed, and the little vitality left at the time was extinguished by the advent of the railroad in 187S. In the establishment of a new community schools are, of course, a matter of early consideration. The condition and advantages of society are in a measure reflected in the schoolhouses and attendant educational facilities, and the best educational means available are often very crude. Such was the case in West Albany, and the flrst terms in the different districts were generally taught in abandoned claim shanties and cabins, or perhaps in a private house. The first term of school in this township was probably taught by Augustus Applegarth, in the summer of 1858, in a building owned by William WEST ALBANY TOWNSHIP. 783 Haines. Farther than this nothing could be learned. Good frame schoolhouses now dot the townshij), and the schools are generally in a prosperous condition. CHUECHES. Baptist. — The majority of the members of the organization are residents of AYest Albany ; but meetings were for many years held in the schoolhouse of district 26, which, until 1878, was located in Glasgow township. At that time a new schoolhouse was erected in West Albany, where services were afterward held. The first Baptist preacher who ministered to this community was Benjamin Wharton, a native of Virginia, and at that time a resident of Wabasha. This was in 1858. His first services were held in the log house of John Owens of this township, and until the erection of the schoolhouse of district No. 26, in 1861 or 1862, he held meetings at intervals of two or three weeks, here and at the residences of William Corry and B. B. Fetzer. July 14, 1861, he organized the church at the log schoolhouse. Eight were enrolled as members, viz: Isaac Corry, William Corry and wife, Charles Forest, John Owens and wife, by letter from the Baptist church of Wabasha ; B. B. Fetzer and Martha Fetzer, from Clarion county, Pennsylvania. The first officers chosen were B, B. Fetzer and Isaac Corry, deacons. Wharton was suc- ceeded by William Sturgeon, who preached about one year, when Wharton returned, remaining several years. He was followed by Eev. Cummings, and one year later by Levi Eoss, under whose charge the church saw its season of greatest prosperity, the member- ship reaching thirty-three. After a ministration of two and a half years he was succeeded by T. F. Babcock, who remained but a short time, and was the last to visit the church. About this time the ranks were greatly thinned by emigration westward ; so much so that services have been discontinued about two years. In 1859 a sabbath school was organized, and was kept up until the breaking up of the church. Catholic. — In the early days of the settlement the Catholics were favored with occasional visitations by Father Tissot, of Wabasha. He repeated his visits until 1866, when he was succeeded by Father Trobec, also from Wabasha. In 1869 Father Herman divided his time between this charge and Lake City, and was followed by Father Quinn. In the fall of 1879 Father Jacobs took charge of the church, being the first resident priest, and remaining four years. In the spring of 1883 the present priest, Father Boland, began his 784 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. ministnition. About 1803 the congregation ])urcliased sixty acres of land near the vilhige of West Albany, and two years later they bought twenty additional acres, with Frank Eyan's hotel, which they used for a church several years. The new church was begun during the ministration of Father Herman, and will be completed in 1884, at a cost of about twenty-two thousand dollars. A com- modious parsonage was begun in 1881 and will be finished at an expense of fifteen hundred dollars. The church is prosj^erous, and has a membership of seventy-nine. A (catholic school at this place is one of the probabilities of the near future. United Preshyterlan. — At the request of a few persons, residents of West Albany township, they were visited in September, 1860, by Rev. James McCartney, who preached at the house of William Sterling on the evening of September 13, 1860, and in schoolhouse No. 21 on the 14th. Though preaching was earnestly desired, other engagements prevented him from returning until January, 1861. From this time until July he preached here half the time. The Caledonia congregation of the United Presbyterian church was organized March 19, 1861, with nine members. Seven of these were by letter, from Yorkville, Wisconsin, — William Wilson, Jeanette Wilson, Henry Glashen, Jane Glashen, William Sterling, Lucretia Sterling and George Perry ; and two joined on profession, — AVilliani Perry and Martha Perry. In the summer of 1861 Rev. J. K. Black visited them a few times, and July, 1862, A. B. Coleman was sent by the general assembly and preached half the time for a year. He was followed by H. McHatton, James P. Rait, James M. Wallace, J. Tate, James Rogers, and perhaps others. July, 1882, A. Y. Houston, the present incumbent, took charge. The present membership is about thirty. The year 1884 will probably see the erection of a frame church, at a cost of fifteen hun- dred dollars. A sabbath school has been in progress at various times since the organization, and is now in a prosperous condition. Lutheran. — About 1863 Prof. Moldenke, of Milwaukee, made this section a visit and preached at the house of Henry Schmusei", on section 16. Through his influence the few adherents to the church in this neighborhood were visited in 1S64 by William Vom- hof, of Olmsted county. During the fiill of that year he organized a church of six members, as follows : John Dankwart, Henry Sclimuser and wife, John Haase, Fritz Lange, Henry Lange and John Schmidt. The succession of ministers since that time has WEST ALBANY TOWNSHIP. 785 been as follows : F. Seifert, A. Hoffman, M. Stulpnagel. P. Eub- reih, and P. Bechtel, the present incumbent. Their church, a neat frame, was erected in 1868. At the same time a parsonage was erected. A sabbath school has been running eight years. German Methodist. — The exact date of the first preaching was not ascertained, though it was probably in 1861,. by Kev. Grechten- meyer at C. Furhman's house. The following are the names of ministers who have followed him : Wm. Schreiner, Philip Funk, August Lamprecht, Adam Wilier, Frederick Hermsmeyer, Frederick Hogrefe, Louis Thoele, Henry Sclmitker, and Frederick Herms- meyer, of Wabasha, who still preaches to the congregation. A frame church was built in 1866 at a cost of about eight hundred dollars. July 26, 1875, Good Templar Lodge, No. 120, was organized by F. C. Stow, G.W., secretary of LO.G.T., with forty-one charter members. The first ofiicers were : J. P. Owens, L.D,; A. G. Sul- ton, P.W.C.T.; John Munro, W.C.T.; Jennie Ritchie, W.Y.T.; John Brown, Secretary. Meetings were held regularly in the schoolhouse of district No. 26 ; then in Glasgow township. Through dissatistaction, carelessness and emigration, the organization was dis- banded April, 1878. The greatest membership (73) was reached April, 1877. West Albany creek offers the advantage of good water-power to industries of this kind, and its hurrying course was fii-st checked by a water-wheel in 1857, when the McColloms' sawmill was put in operation. In 1859 Sylvester Applegarth built a gristmill, in his town, with two run of buhrs. Three or four years after he sold it to Patrick McNamee, and after passing through different hands and experienc- ing several changes, it was destroyed by fire and never rebuilt. In 1867 Wm. Applegarth built a feedmill on this stream. It was soon sold, and in 1877 it passed into the hands of its present owner, John J. Hoffman. He reconstructed the mill at a cost of about two thousand dollars, putting in a new dam and machinery, and now has three run of buhrs, —two for flour and one for feed. As before mentioned, the sawmill built by the McColloms was purchased in 1874 by Hiram Fellows and moved farther down the 47 *IS() HISTORY OF WAHASIIA COUNTY. Stream. In 1877 it was purchased by the Brandt brothers, who re moved the machinery and erected their present flouring-mill at a cost of twenty-four hundred dolhirs. In the fall of 1882 improve- ments were made to the extent of one thousand dollars, and more are contemplated. They have a turbine wheel, three run of buhrs, with lirst-class machinery, and are doing a prosperous business. We must not omit mention of the Gopher Prairie postoffice, es- tablished about 1860, on section 2, with Benjamin Dodge as post- master. This became a favorite place of resort for the neighbors to gather in, tell stories, discuss politics, or read the newspapers of which Dodge always had a plentiful supply. In the course of two or three years it was moved to the house of AVm. Wilson and shortly after to the town of Lake. The only practicing physician who has resided in this township was Dr. Miller, who located on section 14 several years ago and re mained about two years. RAILROAB. In 1878 the Minnesota Midland railway was completed, following the course of the Zumbro river through the southeastern part of the township. The history of the road will be found elsewhere, and only one thing need here be mentioned in this connection. Before the building of the road, agents of the company went among the farmers and got a majority of the voters to sign a petition for the road agreeing to aid the company to the extent of five thousand dol- lars in case the road was completed. This afterward created con- siderable dissatisfaction in the township, and when the road was completed they declined to grant the bonus. The case was carried to the supreme court w^here the law under which the petition was gotten up was declared unconstitutional, thus relieving the township of their obligation to pay the amount. TOWNS. Since the advent of the railroad two little towns have sprung up in the township. Tracy was so named by Mr. Lakey, superintendent of the road, in honor of Lawrence Tracy, on whose farm the station was estab- lished. Since 1878 the Mazeppa Mill Company has been buying wheat at this place. In the summer of 1879 P. J. McGinn built a two-story frame building and put in a stock of general merchandise, valued at about five hundred dollars. He met with fair success, HYDE PARK TOWNSHIP. 78 7 increasing it from time to time, and in the spring of 1863 he sold to P. J. Fox, who continues the business. In 1880 the postoffice was moved from West Albany to Tracy, McGinn assuming the duties of postmaster. In 1883 he was succeeded bv P. J. Fox, the present incumbent. The postoffice is called Lakey, there being another Tracy in the state. Theilmanton is on the railroad in section 36, pleasantly located on a terrace in the valley, and about forty feet above the Zumbro river. It was named in honor of Christian Theilman, through whose influence the station was established, and by whom the town was platted in 1877. In January, 1878, Peter Hall completed and occupied the commodious two-story frame, wliere he still holds forth, putting in a stock of general merchandise, valued at about one thousand dollars. He was the tirst to locate on the site of the town, and his stock is now worth about four thousand dollars. In the spring of the same year he was followed by jSTicholas Reil, who erected a good frame building, which he has since occupied as a boot and shoe shop. During the same season William Morris built a blacksmith-shop, and Henry Sommerholder a wagonshop, which he jet occupies. In the fall two saloons were started by William Colegraif and Nils P. Christian son respectively. The latter after- ward sold to John Will. Upon the petition of Peter Hall a ])ost- offiee was established, December, 1878, with the petitioner as post- master. During 1878 a commodious grainhouse was erected by C. Theilman, who then began buying grain. In 1882 it passed into the hands of the Wabasha Elevator Company. About forty thou- sand bushels of grain were shipped from this place in 1882. The population numbers about sixty, and is now almost entirely German. CHAPTER LXXXII. HYDE PAKK TOWNSHIP. In the early part of May, 1855, Paris Devitt and Samuel Parker settled in the district of country now known as Hyde Park. The next day after their arrival came John Ritter, Charles Holzman, AVilliam McCloud ; and it was but a very short time until George and Seymore Fanning and the Baker families arrived and took up homesteads. 788 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. It was the rolling farm-hnid, dotted with poplar groves, which attracted these men, some of whom came from northern Pennsyl- vania, while others from Maryland. The close of the summer of 1855 found almost every quarter-section "claimed," and a log cabin erected to shield the pioneer from Minnesota's wintry blasts. The winter of 1855-6 is a notable one in the history of the country as the "cold winter," and the early settlers suifered greatly since they were so far from mill and market, besides their means were very scanty. Many tales of hardship are related of that "cold winter,'' When the snow became so deep and the weather so cold that it was impossible to get "the grain to mill, the old coffee mill w^is used, and the words " Flannigan's Mill" bring back to many old settlers recollections of pioneer life in the winter of 1855-6. At the time of the government survey the tract of land now included in the townships of Zumbro and Hyde Park was called Concord. This name, however, for some reason, did not suit the people, and at a meeting held in May, 1858, the name Troy was chosen. The legislature would not accept this, however, as another town in the state held the same name, so it was named Zumbro, after the river which divided it. The larger part of the population lived on the south side of the river, and all township elections and meetings were held on that side. This was a source of trouble to the north side people, for at the spring and fall elections the river was swollen so much with the rains that they could not cross but with a risk of their lives, so a general feeling of dissatisfaction arose, which culminated in the spring of 1802, in dividing the township by the river, the south part retaining the name Zumbro, At the first meeting held north of the i-iver the name Hyde Park was sug- gested by an Englishman, So that tli^ township is named after one of the most famous places in London. This is only a fractional townshij) containing about ten thousand acres, four thousand and eighty-nine acres being under cultivation. The land is varied. Along the Zumbro river, and extending two miles northward from its banks, the land is very rough and hilly. Dense forests of heav^- oak cover the ground, and even at the present day the fox, wolf and deer are found, with an abundance of smaller game. In the north part of the township may be found tine rolling farms suitable for grain and corn. The present population is largely Irish, They are kind and hospitable, and their appreciation for learning is shown by the character of the schools. They are HYDE PAKE TOWNSHIP, Y89 hardy and industrious, caring more for an abundance of the neces- saries of life than for superfluities. The first settlers of this township coming from centers of chris- tian influence, were not unmindful of spiritual things in their new homes, and with the fonndations of their log cabins they erected altars of prayer and praise. As early as 1856 religious services were held in the cabins of the farmers, and j)eople old and young came to the meetings. The first preaching services in the township were held at the home of John Ritter, and the minister was the renowned pioneer Jas. McArdell. These meetings were continued for several years, but no Protestant church has ever been established, and at the present time there are but few Protestant families in the township. There is a Roman Catholic church at Hammond. It was erected in 1881, and is a frame structure 26x36 feet, with a wing 12x16 feet, and twenty-two feet high. The membership consists of about eighty families, and services are held every two weeks, at which a priest from Lake City oflficiates. At a very early day Sunday schools were established, and through the earnest efforts of some good ladies the work still goes on. Agi-iculture is the chief occupation of the people. Minnesota has always been called the great wiieat state, and as good crops have been raised in this township as in any part of the state. The past four years have been rather unfavorable to wheat-growing, and the farmers are now turning their attention more to corn and barley growing and to the rearing and feeding of stock. The following is a summary of the products of the year 1882 : Wheat, 16,271 bushels; oats, 23,223 bushels ; barley, 20, 525 bushels; corn, 19,773 bushels; potatoes, 2,950 bushels; apples, 203 bushels; hay, 427 tons ; butter. 9,550 pounds; wool, 152 pounds. Hyde Park has an I.O.O.F. of which she is justly proud. The first movement toward organization was begun in the summer of 1877, and public interest in the lodge became so intense that before the summer was half over it was organized and started with a large and effective membership. It is generally conceded that Scot Foster was the prime mover in the organization of the lodge, largely aided by the venerable John Ritter, who held the first office of Noble Grand. The name of the lodge is the Hyde Park I, O. O. F. , although many of its members are residents of Gillford and West Albany townships. The place of meeting is in Gillford township, at a place called "Grange Corners," where they have a pleasant room 18x22 T90 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. feet, and comfortably furnislied. The lodge holds weekly meetings and is in a very promising condition. The following is a list of its charter members : Scot Foster, Fred Foster, Albert Foster, Clarence Foster, Geo. A. Roberts, Joe Eoberts, Wilson Roberts, Albert Rob- erson, Louis OTIarra, L. A. Doty, Robert Disney, John Disney, David Williams, J. Clark, E. D. Southard, Russel Warren, Frank Warren, Samuel La Mont, Ed. Clifford, John Ritter. TOWXS. This township has two small towns which furnish a market for not only the people of Hyde Park but also for the townships adjoining it. eTarretts is a thriving little village, situated in the southeastern ])art of the township, on the C. M. iSz St. P. narrow-gauge railroad, just thirty miles from Wabasha. Before there was an inhabitant near the present site of the town, there was a ford in the Zumbro where the old settlers in an early day crossed, and since the nearest dweller was Mr. Jarrett, the place came to be called "Jarrett's Ford,'' and when a postoffice was established it received the name of Jarretts. The village consists of one general merchandise store with postoffice, one fiouring-mill, one grain elevator, a sugar mailufactory and about one dozen dwelling-houses. The town really had its birth in 187^, when the narrow-gauge railroad was built. The flouring-mill, run by water-power, was built in 1878 b*^' Kimball & Kitzman, and is the only mill in the townshiji. The elevator is a frame structure with a capacity of five thousand bushels, and is used as a feeder to the large flouring-mill at Mazeppa. Hammond is a village of about two hundred population, situated three miles west of Jarretts, on the C. M. & St. P. narrow-gauge rail- road. The place derives its name from a Mr. Hammond who owned the land where the village now stands. The town is divided into two parts by the river Zumbro, and the two parts are connected by a large bridge of wood and iron work, mounted on stone basements. The tirst building was erected in 1877, and from the increase in the past the prospect is encouraging for its becoming a town of more than county reputation. The elevator owned by the Mazeppa Mill Co. is a large wooden structure, erected in 1879, with the dimensions 40x80 feet, eighty -live feet high. It has a ca])acity of seventy-five thousand bushels. This is the largest elevator in the county, and its erection and operation has greatly benefited the citizens of Hyde Park and the surrounding country. HYDE PAKK TOWNSHIP. 791 There are three schoolhouses in the township all of which have a large attendance and which are well conducted. It has always been the desire of the people to have good schools, and the trustees, realizing this desire, have aimed to secure able teachers. The re- sults of good training are attested by the fact that now men and women educated in these schools are teaching in all parts of the county, some even holding the responsible positions as principals of the high schools of Elgin and Plainview. The first schoolhouse in the township was built in the summer of 1856, on the northeast corner of section 3, on the land now owned by Kobert Fish. This schoolhouse was in the district now numbered 45. The first teacher was Miss Mary Shaw, who received twelve dollars per month for her services. There were three families in the district : Shaws, Parkers and Yorks. The first school held in what is now known as district 46, was taught by Unus Potter in 1857 at a private house. The next year it was held in a barn owned by Mr. Peter Kelley, and the next year a log schoolhouse was built by the settlers. The first school in district 84 was taught by Miss Lucy Koberts, the date being uncer- tain, probably about 1859. MISCELLANEOUS FACTS. In 1866 the county bought of John F. Koss one hundred and sixty acres of land in this township to be used as a county poor- farm, but for convenience it was exchanged for a farm near the county seat. In 1856 Wm. Parker opened and stocked the first store in the township, which he operated until 1865. He was the first post- master in the township. John Keller was the first blacksmith, and he opened the first shop in 1858. Francis Shaw had the first shoe- shop, which he opened in 1857. The first birth was that of Effie Woodward, born February 14, 1856. The first marriage was that of Jacob York and Mrs. Jane Shaw, June 22, 1856. At the time of the construction of the narrow-gauge railroad through the township, the question whether the township should bond itself was voted upon. At the first election the ''bonding" was defeated, but after a few days the decision was reversed and the people agreed to pay six thousand dollars, giving seven per cent 792 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. payable semi-annually. This was a large amount for so small a township to i)ay but they have gained great benefit from the road, since now they have a good market close at home, whereas, ]jrior to the construction of the road, the grain and marketing had to be taken by wagon twenty to twenty-five miles. The year 1883 is the first year liquor license has ever been granted in this townslii]>. Politically the township is strongly democratic. The townshi]) has a population of about four hundred and eighty-five, of whom ninetv-one are voters. CHAPTER LXXXIII. GILLFORD TOWNSHIP. Ix the early part of May, 1855, Messrs. Wm. McCloud, George and Seymour Fanning came to this township, and after taking claims and working through the summer season, they returned to Illinois for the winter and in the following spring they returned here with their families. The same year, 1855, Jos. Fuller took a claim near Mazeppa, but being discouraged by a heavy frost in June was about to return to Illinois when his brother-in-law, Mr. Gill, dissuaded him, and they both settled in Gillford. In the fall of 1855 Mr. Gill re- turned to Illinois for his family ; after spending the winter there and when returning here he was taken sick and died. Mrs. Gill, however, settled in this township, and on account of her amiable character the township was named for her. Much might be said in commendation of all those old settlers, but one deserves particular notice here. Mr. McCloud was a man of very great worth to county and township. He laid out the roads in the township ; he was a great patron of schools ; he did his utmost to promote religious interest in the community ; as regards hospitality he could not be sur- passed. In' the spring of 1856 Messrs. E. M. Hoyt, E. F. Hoyt, W. F. Green and F. Lamb came to this township and took claims in the northwestern part. The first town meeting was held at the house of L. W, Manning on May 11, 1856. The result of the first election was as follows : E. M. Hoyt, L. W. Manning, David Fanning, sujjervisors ; E. M. GILLFORD TOWNSHIP. 793 Rider, town clerk ; James Morehead, William McCIoud, justices of the peace ; S. Tysdel, assessor ; William Green, overseer of poor. The number of v^otes cast was thirty-four. LAND. The land of this township has a gentle roll, and is exceedingly suitable for grain-growing. It is situated midway between the forests and rough land, bordering on the Zunibro on the south, and the similar land along the Mississippi on tlie north. There is an abundance of clear-running water, which renders stock-raising com- paratively easy. PEOPLE. In the early history of the township the people were mostly natives of New England, Xew York or Pennsylvania, but the last ten years has seen quite a change. A lai-ge number of the old settlers having moved farther noi'th and west, their places are now occupied by Germans. A careful investigation has shown that more than one-half of the present population are German, who occup}' the eastern and northern parts of the township ; of the other half, quite a large number are Irish, who reside in the southeastern part, and the rest living in the western part of the township are for the most part natives of ISTew York and Pennsylvania. The present population numbers about two thousand, and the largest vote cast was two hundred and six. TOWNS. There is but one town in the township, Zumbro Falls. It is situated in the extreme southwestern part of the township and has a population of about two hundred people. The river Zumbro divides it, the dwelling-houses being on one side, in Chester township, while the business-houses are in this township. A large bridge connected the two divisions until recently, when a storm, which did much damage to the village and surrounding country, completely destroyed the bridge. A new one will soon be constructed. A man by the name of Tuttle first owned the land where the town now stands. Mr. Tibbitts owned it next, and then Mr. Whaley, who is still a resident of the place and owner of considerable property in that vicinity, purchased it. The town really began to exist in 1 STS, w^hen the narrow-gauge railroad was laid through this township. Mr. Haradon is the present postmaster. There is a postoffice in the northern part of the township with 794- HISTORY OF watbasha county. which is connected a general mercliandise store. Mail is received and taken twice a week by stage. The name Oak Centre was given to this postoffice by Mr. C. C. Lowe on account of the abun- dance of oak-trees in that vicinity. RELIGIOUS SKRVICKS. Until the summer of 1859 no religious services were held in the township, the principle reason being there was no leader. In that summer Haradon organized a Sunday-school at Oak Centre, and after that was in successful operation, two more were organized. As yet there was no preacher or preaching. In the spring of 1S60 a man by the name of Stillwell came into the township and took a claim. It was soon rumored around that he was a Methodist exhorter, so he was waited upon and asked to preach at Oak Centre the following sabbath. He preached, and the people were so well pleased tliat he made several appointments, and thus the work continued through- out the summer. In the course of several months a great revival took place, which was so widespread that three new churches were organized, which still exist. Mr. Stillwell was one of those quiet, modest men, with little self- confidence, but he won the respect and admiration of all the people with whom he came in contact, and the good he was the means of accomplishing cannot be overestimated. There are three churches in the township. A Methodist E[;isco- pal church, on section 16, which was built in 1862, but which has no regular services at present. There is a large cemetery connected with this church, where many of its members and others are laid to rest. A woman's mission organization hold regular sabbath ser- vices in the schoolhouse, district No. 19. The German people have a Lutheran church at Jacksonville. It is a handsome frame structure, 30x16 feet, comfortably furnished and surrounded by one-half Jicre of land covered with beautiful shade-trees. About twenty-five families attend this church, Mr. Mire having been the pastor since the church was organized in 1878. All these churches sustain large Sunday schools, and an annual union picnic is held, which is one of the grandest occasions of the year to all. There are two Good Templars lodges in the townshi]j, one at Zumbro Falls, with a membership of eighty-six, and the other at Oak Centre, with a membership of forty-five. They are in a pros- perous condition, holding weekly meetings, at which literary exer- GILLFORD TOWNSHIP. < 90 cises form a part of the evening's programme. Games and social pleasures are also indulged in, and many pleasant as well as profit- able evenings are spent together by the young people in uniting themselves against the common foe, intemperance. SCHOOLS. There are five schools in the township, Nos. 15, 16, 17. 19 and 20. The first teacher in the township was Miss Lizzie Green (Bartlett), who taught a select school in a "claim shanty,'' 10x12 feet in dimensions, in the summer of 1858, in the bounds of the district now known as ]^o. 15. The second school was established on section 12, near the present schoolhouse No. 19, and the first teacher was Miss Rosa Montgomery. It is a lamentable fact in connection with the schools of this township, that the records, iincludng names of teachers, number of pupils, salaries, dates, etc., have not been preserved. GJENERAL FACTS. The first marriage was Mr. E. S. Fanning and Miss Hannah Fanning in the spring of 1865. The first birth was Miss Mary Fanning, a daughter of the above. The first death was that of Mr. Samuel Fanning, in the fall of 1§56. A liquor license has never been granted in this township. Dur- ing the war there was not a man drafted from this township ; a suflicient number enlisted. At the time of the construction of the narrow-gauge railroad through the township a" vote was taken whether tlie town should bond itself. It was lost by a few votes. There are six thousand two hundred and sixty-nine acres of land under cultivation. Politi- cally the township is republican. CHAPTER LXXXIV. LAKE CITY The citizens of that section of Wabasha county lying along the shores of Lake Pepin and contiguous to the county of Goodhue on the north, did not aspire to corporate responsibilities, honors and burdens at a very early date. That portion of the county, for years known as the town of Lake City, had been organized as a township for nearly thirteen years before any attempt to in- corporate a village or town within its territory was attempted, and it was more than seventeen years from the date of the perma- nent settlement of the town before any effective attempt at incorpo- ration was made. During those years there had grown up here an intelligent and thriving community of twenty-five hundred souls. Under no government other than that of the township organiza- tion, effected on the admission of the state into the union in 1858, a prosperous mercantile and shipping trade had been developed and successfully fostered ; churches had been organized and built ; schools established and well provided with all necessary appliances of buildings and apparatus ; streets had been opened, graded and furnished with sidewalks ; police and sanitary regulations adopted, and in short the whole paraphernalia of village organization intro- duced and successfully manipulated under that old township oi'gani- zation of May 11, 1858, supplemented by some special legislative acts to which specific attention will be necessary in order to arrive at a true understanding of the status of this city, which was only a town ; and of this portion of the town of Lake City, which was so much more than a township, as was only too apparent when the city of Lake City was carved out of the old township of Lake City, which one year thereafter received by legislative enact- ment the curtailed name of "Lake," as it now is. The state census returns for 1865 give as the population of the town of Jjiike City for that year, fourteen hundred and eleven souls. De- ducting the ])opulation of the township outside of the corner occu- pied by the afterward city, and making allowance for the increase of population during the year ending March 31, 1865, and it will LAKE CITY. 797 not be far from the actual figures if we place the population of that section of Lake City township, now included with the incorporated limits of Lake City, at about eleven hundred, in the spring of 1864. By special legislative enactment, of date March 3, 1864, the super- visors of the town of Lake«City were given special powers, which special powers were equivalent in general terms to those usually exercised by the board of trustees of an incorporated village, or the common council of an incorporated city, but these special powers were only made applicable to a particularly specified section of the town of Lake City, to wit : The S.W. J of S.W. J and lots Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Sec. 4 ; and the E. ^ and N.W. J of S.E. i of Sec. 5 ; the E. i of N.W. i and the S. ^ of N.E. J and lots Nos. 1 and 2 of Sec. 5 f and the E. i of N.W. J and the KAV. Jof N.W. i and lots Nos. 1 and 2 of Sec. 9, all in T. Ill K, of K 12 W., according to United States survey. This tract, as above described, included very nearly so much of the present city limits as is laid off in plats and blocks. Or, to describe it otherwise, it included that portion lying between the railroad track and the lake, with the addition of some small territory on the south side of the railway tracks about the depot, and also in the lower part of the village. It was a strip of land lying along Lake Pepin, a distance of a little over one and a half miles in length and extending backward from the lake a distance varying from one-half to three-fourths of a mile. It was this portion of Lake City township, that while still con- tinuing an integral part of that township, was practically cut off from it, by the special act of March 3, 1864, above referred to. The powers conferred by this act upon the supervisors of the town of Lake City, were to the effect that within the above specified territory, they could enact and enforce ordinances for a variet}^ of purposes, which briefly stated were : 1. To compel owners and occupants of slaughterhouses, groceries, cellars, stables, sewers, vaults, or any unwholesome or nauseous house or places, to cleanse or abate the same as deemed necessary for the health and comfort of the town. 2. To direct the location and management of slaughterhouses, markets, and to regulate the sale, storage and conveying of gunpowder and other com- bustibles. 3. To prevent the incumbrance of streets, alleys or sidewalks, with anything whatever. 4. To restrain cattle, hogs, sheep, dogs, poultry, etc., from running at large, and to provide for impounding, selling or destroying them as the case might be. 798 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. 5. To prevent tlie brinuinj^ into the district as above described, any putrid carcass or otlier unwholesome thing, or in case of its being so brought in, to provide for and enforce its removal. 0. To regulate the burial of the dead, and jirovide against the spread of conta-iious diseases and their introduction. 7. To prevent any persons from doing damage to the crossings and side- walks. 8. To prevent open drunkenness, brawling, obscenity, etc., and provide for the arrest and punishment of those guilty of thus oflending against the general peace. 9. To prevent the dangerous construction and condition of chimneys, fire- places, ovens, boilers and boiler-stacks, etc., the deposit of ashes in the high- ways, or in unsafe places; to regulate the use of fireworks and firearms, and in general to ]n'event and provide for the extinguishment of fires as might be con- sidered necessary and exjiedient. 10. To provide for the maintenance of suitable sidewalks and street-cross- ings on both sides of Washington street, at the expense of the owners of the adjacent proi)erties. 11. To establish a grade for Washington street, under direction of a com- petent surveyor, cause profiles thereof to be made and registered as town plats are recorded, and make regulations for excavating or filling in streets as may be required. 12. To prevent and punish noise at public meetings and assemblies, riots, disturbances of all kinds, and generally to promote and preserve the public peace. It was made the duty of the townsliip supervisors to enforce the reguhitions that should be made in the interest and for the further- ance of the above objects, and the mannei" of procedure in such cases was duly set forth ; all by-laws, regulations or ordinances passed by them for this purpose were declared to have the force of law pro- vided they controvened no existing laws, and severe penalties could be enforced for their violation. The justices of the town of Lake City were given original and exclusive jurisdiction in all cases aris- ing under the act, and no appeal could be taken in anj- case where the fine imposed did not exceed twenty dollars. The supervisors of the town of Lake were also empowered to appoint a marshal, and it was made their duty to so appoint within thirty days of the an- nual town election. Said marshal was required to furnish bond, and given all the authority of constable under the statute of the state, to receive fees for his services, and such other compensation as the supervisors should determine, subject to limitation. The supervisors were also authorized and required to vote a tax u])on the taxable ])roperty of the district thus governed sufficient to pay LAKE CITY. 799 the expenses incui-red in carrjing out the provisions of the act ; that tax was to be by majority vote of tlie town supervisors, and the town clerk was required to file a copy of record of such vote upon which the tax was to be levied and collected, as all other towr ship taxes were. The assessor of the town of Lake City was also required to make a separate list of the persons and personal property of all resi- dents ot the specified district in the same manner as was required to be done in the case of residents of incorporated towns. The act took efiect from and after its passage, and thenceforth the town supervisors of Lake City had a corporation to look after, which was not incorporated, and the district above described had all the honors and ]3rivileges of an incorporated village or city without its liabilities and many of its burdens. The legislature of 1866 made some addi- tional provisions, supplemental to the act of 1864, by which the special regulation concerning the building of a sidew^alk on Wash- ington street became a more general one, and included all the streets of the special district. In addition to this the town supervisors were authorized to direct so much of the poll and road tax, derived from the tax of the special district, as they deemed to be best, to the maintenance of bridges and highways in adjacent townships. This was only in effect to empower the town supervisors to do officially what the public spirit of the citizens, of the village which was not a village, had been doing privately and unofficialh for a number of years. Of this more specific mention will be made in another place. By act of legislature, approved March 9, 1867, some very ma- terial additions were made to the powers of the supervisors of the town of Lake City, by which they were authorized to license and regulate exhibitions and shows of all kinds, caravans, circuses, con- certs, theaters ; also, all auctions, billiard tables, tenpin alleys, bowl- ing saloons, etc. ; also, all taverns, saloons, and persons dealing in spirituous, vinous or fermented liquors. They were also given authority to prohibit gaming, card-playing, and restrain persons from engaging in the same, or from vending an}^ article for which license to sell was required, until the license so required had been duh' granted. Another important addition to their powers was that of establishing fire-limits, and prescribing what character of material should be allowed in building within such fire limits ; also, to prevent the reconstruction within such limits of all wooden build- 800 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. ings, where sucli buildings liad been damaged fifty per cent of their vahie. It was also enacted that they should provide a place for the confinement of all arrested persons, no matter from what cause, until discharged by due process of law or committed to the county jail. They were finally empowered to lay out a street through the center of a certain block (No. 1), levy a tax to compensate owners for damages, and to lease so mtich of the levee as to them shall seem just, provided it does not seriously affect or injure said levee, and pro- vided also that said leases should not extend for a longer term than ninety-nine years. The supervisors and town clerk were allowed two dollars per diem compensation each for all time actually em- ployed in discharging the duties set forth in the above act and its amendments ; and with this the special legislation ended for this special district which was virtually the incorporation of the city of Lake, and yet did not exist as such incorporation until eight years thereafter. There are few cases that can parallel this, and none that have come under our own notice. This existence of eight years in which the inhabitants of a favored corner of Lake City township were privi- leged with all that actual incorporation could confer, relieved of its financial burdens, might well mark an era in their history and be designated by a white stone. Not one substantial benefit that could be secured through a city charter that they did not reap ; not one responsibility, which as a city they must have assumed, that they did not in this manner largely avoid, and that without working aught but good to them. They could open streets and tax property therefor ; lay sidesvalks, grade, condemn property, lease the levees, prescribe fire limits, regulate sale of specified articles, require licenses, construct their own courts of municipal justice, issue their writs, execute them and enforce penalties without recourse (within certain limits); take the taxes for road purposes and appropriate them where they could do most good — and in every conceivable way exercise all the privileges of an individual or body corporate ; but they were not a body corporate in law, had no existence in fact, could not sue or be sued, could not contract any obligation, could not be forced to meet any ; and all the expense of carrying on this machinery was the sum of two dollars per ca})ita for the townshi]) supervisors and town clerk for every day actually expended in the direction of affairs. True the township officers could be sued, but there was no provision for their contracting any LAKE CITY. 801 obligations for this specified district as such, and the arrangement all through was one on which Lake City, unincorporate, might well congratulate herself. Tlie verdict of one of her citizens — that she fortunately stumbled upon the peculiar legislation which this con- ferred privilege without responsibility, was after all, perhaps, not very wide of the mark. Early in 1867 the question of formally organizing as a city was discussed, and meetings held to consider the question. The matter was finally disposed of in a meeting of the citizens held at Williamson's hall, on the evening of Saturday, January 19, 1867. The objection to the existing order of affairs was urged, on the ground that as now administered, the town authorities lacked the power properly to administer the affairs of a community like this, and corporate powers had become a necessity. To this it was answered that the powers in the hands of the supervisors was ample, and only needed to be exercised. Also that if more legisla- tion was needed it could be obtained, but that it was unadvisable to saddle the town with the burdens of maintaining a corporate exist- ence. The test question, as submitted, was that a city charter be drawn up, and the proposition was negatived by a very decided majority. The meeting instructed the supervisors to rigidly enforce such by-laws and ordinances as were already in existence, and a committee chosen to draw up amendments to the present regula- tions, increasing the power of the town supervisiors so as to include the various subjects afterward specified in the legislative act of March 9, next ensuing. Matters remained in this state so far as the exer- cise of govermental powers was concerned, until the formal incor- poration of the city — although one more attempt to incorporate was made, which led to no definite result. By act of legislature of 1870, it was provided that any community, within any specified district, numbering not less than two thousand souls, and not more than fifteen thousand, might, upon filing with the judge of probate for the county within which such district was located, a petition for incor- poration signed by not less than two-thirds of the legal voters ot said district, become thereby incorporated, and it was made the duty of the judges of probate, before whom such petition should come, to order an election for the purpose of filling the various offices set forth in the charter as petitioned for. Such petition so signed by three hundred and twenty-two legal voters residing within a certain described district (substantially the corporate limits of the present city of Lake City), came before A. Z. Putnam, 48 S02 HISTORY OF "WABASHA COUNTY. judge of probate for the county of Wabasha, on May 15, 1871. The judge gave notice of election to be held July 1, 1S71, for the purpose of filling the various offices, and designated the place of holding such elections. Caucuses were held, and a full ticket nominated, but owing to opposition on the part of some, and a general distrust of the legality of such an incor- poration, the polls were nev^er opened, and the election passed. The friends of the measure were not satisfied with this disposition of the case, and C. N. Sterry, Esq., secured the opinion of Hon. Thos. Wilson, of the city of Winona, and also of Messrs. Bigelow, Flan- drau & Clark, of St. Paul, as to the constitutionality or otherwise of the city charter. The opinions in both cases sustained the action of the citizens as legal, and the incorporation as a valid act. The opinion of the- St. Paul attorneys was also to the effect that failure to hold the election in no case vacated or dissolved the corporation. The recourse as contained in the opinion, was to re-petition for a designated day of election, or apply to the legislature to appoint a day. The former was not done, and instead of the latter, an act of incorporation was duly passed at the next session of the legisla- ture in accordance with which Lake City was incorporated as a city, and the long-vexed question finally settled. The condition of the city, its growth and development as a cor- porate body, virtually dates from the year in which, under special legislative enactment, the inhabitants of this particular portion of Lake City township began to assume the methods of city govern- ments ; and in this view of the case we will speak of Lake City as existing from 1864. Little change requiring note appears to have transpired in 1864, and the early part of 1865. The attention of all classes was directed to the great struggle between national authority and organized rebellion, to the exclusion of almost all else ; and it was not until the nation emerged from the conflict, and her brave defenders came trooping homeward, regiment by regiment, what was left of their decimated ranks, that the great heart of the country breathed free, and the life of all industries resumed their natural flow. At this time, midsummer of 1865, the township of Lake City had a population of fourteen hundred and eleven ; of these from eleven hundred to twelve hundred were included within the city limits. The citizens of the little mart on the shores of Lake Pepin were aspiring to the direction of so much of the trade of the sur- LAKE CITY. 803 roiindiug country as a liberal policy would enable tliem to control. They had reached out a liberal hand over the adjacent townships, and attempted the creation of a market for grain at this point by providing the best roads possible, along which the loaded wagons might reach their warehouses and wharves. They had steadily resisted all seductions to combine against the producer and depress prices, and by this policy had gained the confidence of the wheat- growers in adjacent counties, many of whom, as far as practicable, brought their surplus grain to Lake City market, the advance in price secured here more than compensating for the remoteness of the market. By this means the little city-to-be soon became noted as a profitable market in which to sell cereals, and successfully dis- puted the palm with older and more populous centers of trade. The season for grain shipments during 1865 lasted two hundred and forty-eight days ; and in that time there were shipped from this point, of wheat alone, 660,394 bushels ; and there was in store 66,000 bushels, as seen by the warehouse receipts — an aggregate of 726,394 bushels of wheat brought to this market in wagons. Prices ruled for the year about one dollar and five cents on the average, and had it not been for the rapacity of the transportation companies, it was claimed that the average price for the season would have ruled ten cents per bushel higher — a difference of seventy-two thousand six hundred and thirty-nine dollars and forty cents in the pockets of the wheat-growers. This ten cents represented the increase above what was claimed to be a fair price for transportation. This exaction led to attempted combinations on the part of the shippers, out of which new lines of freiglit-carrying vessels originated ; and competition, as far as practicable, restored the balances to something like equity. Tlie tonnage of the vessels passing this point, and receiving and dis- charging freight at Lake City docks, was computed at twelve thousand six hundred and thirty-one tons, and the whole number of vessels fifty-three. To tliese were to be added one hundred and twenty-nine barges and lighters, with a farther capacity of nineteen thousand three hundred and fifty tons. The increase in population of the town of Lake City for the semi-decade from 1860 to 1865 was five hundred and forty-five, an increase of sixty-three per cent. No separate census returns were kept of population within the village, and how much of tlie increase was in town or how much in country cannot now be ascertained. The substantial improvements in building Washington " 14 Main " 7 High " 8 Oak " 16 Garden " 11 Prairie " 9 Miscellaneous, 8 804 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. alone during the year aggregated nearly eighty -five thousand dollars, about one-third of which was on Washington street. The improve- ments on the various streets, as shown in round numbers, and these very largely new structures, were : Franklin street, 8 buildings, valued at § 5,000 27,000 5,500 8,500 19,000 10,000 4,500 5,000 During the year 1866 tliere was no very marked improvement in the volume of business transacted, neither was any decrease noted. The aggregate of city improvements was nearly the same, the total being eighty-seven thoiisand six hundred dollars. A board of trade was organized in February, oflScered as follows : H. F. Williamson, president; A. B. Doughty, vice-president; S. B. Munson, Jr., secretary. Directors : A. Tibbitts, J. L. Armstrong and C. F. Rogers. Most of the leading men of the city were identified with this organization, which had, among other objects, that of securing more equitable freight rates for grain and merchandise. An anti- monopoly convention had been called, representing the merchants and shippers of the state, to meet at St. Paul on February 9, and to this convention the Lake City board of trade sent its representatives. The result of the deliberations at St. Paul was the determination to build a line of boats and put them on the river — to be known as the People's line — the people holding and owning the stock. Com- mittees were appointed to secure subscriptions to such stock, and President Williamson, of the Lake City board of trade, was appointed solicitor for this section. The organization of the Minnesota Trans- portation Company was the result of this convention ; but as the old monopolies were breaking up, and it was thought that the resulting competition would equalize freight charges, the building of boats was abandoned. The beginning of this year 1866 was marked by a decided interest in temperance matters on the part of the public at large. A Good Templars' lodge was organized here January 20, with a membership of sixty, and only one week later the number was increased to one hundred. A genuine wave of temperance feeling tided over the county ; lectures were common, lodges multi- LAKE CITY, 805 plied, the recruits were numerous, and the interest was well sus- tained throughout the year. There was also a proposition made to the citizens by the state conference of Congregational churches looking toward' the establishment of a college here under the auspices of that body. The matter was taken in hand by the citizens, meet- ings held of the legal voters of the town of Lake City, and the supervisors were ordered to issue the bonds of the town to the amount of twenty thousand dollars in aid of such an institution. Further conference with the church authorities having the matter in hand elicited the unexpected fact that if the college was established Lake City would have to build the structures, and provide largely for the expenses, the Congregational church throughout the state endors- ing the school and recommending contributions and endowments from the friends of education within that denomination. Tiie matter dropped there. From the ledgers of the merchants doing business in town, it was ascertained that the volume of trade for the year ended August 1, 1866, aggregated a little over one and a half millions of dollars. The returns, however, are quite incomplete ; oats, corn, barley, manufactures in general, saloons and some other branches of business are not mentioned. The list, as tabulated, is : Drygoods $166,000 Flour and feed $ 26,000 Groceries 164,000 Harness 7,500 Clothing 90,500 Bakery 8,000 Agricultural implements 74,800 Horses sold 65,000 Hardware 51,500 Butchers' produce 20,000 Drugs 15,000 Lumber 60,000 Boots and shoes 47,500 Wheat 765,350 Not scheduled 60,000 The price of wheat ruled high during the shipping season, and fifteen thousand dollars a day was quite frequently paid by the buyers here. The shipments for the season were 652,054 bushels, a decline of 57,544 as compared with the shipments of the previous year. The amount in store at close of navigation was 6,800 bushels. The decreased shipments all over the state were doubtless owing to the partial failure of the crop. The shipments at Ked Wing fell off 300,000 bushels from corresponding period of previous year ; Hast- ings showed a decline of 78,000 bushels. In November the price paid here on the streets rose to $1.75, the Milwaukee quotations being from $1.80 to $2.12. The year 1867 was ushered in with a fire, which broke out in the livery stables of Kussell & M'Keil, on 806 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Franklin street. The flames sped so quickly that only a portion of the stock could be saved, and seven horses were burned to death. The total loss, building and contents, was twenty-live hundred dol- lars, on which there was three hundred dollars insurance. The questions of supreme importance that engaged the attention of the citizens of Lake City during the year 1867 were those of rail- road aid and county-seat removal. The Chicago & St. Paul Eail- way Company had come to a standstill in their efforts to secure the construction of the road. A prejudice was felt against the road and eastern capitalists would not invest in its bonds ; it was therefore attempted to secure the placing of some of these bonds at home, or at least a sufiicient number of them to convince eastern capitalists that the road enjoyed the confidence of the residents of that portion of the state through which it was to pass: A conference between the representatives of the railroad company and leading citizens of Lake City was accordingly held June 26, and after some preliminary investigation into the character of the investment a motion was made by Judge Stout, recommending the supervisors of the town of Lake to subscribe for first mortgage bonds of the Chicago & St. Paul Kailway Company, to the amount of twenty thousand dollars, on the conditions embodied in the report of the committee that had been previously appointed and whose report was then under con- sideration. No result was reached, and the old company was reor- ganized in November, with Hon. W. B. Ogden, of Chicago, at its head. On March 6, 1868, by special act of the state legislature the town of Lake City was authorized to issue its bonds in aid of the construction of the Chicago & St. Paul railway. This act was amended February 2, 1869, and on the 6th of that month the super- visors of the town passed an ordinance, submitting the question to the legal voters thereof. Due notice was given, and the election was held Tuesday, February 26, 1869, at which a total vote of four hundred and thirty-seven was polled. The amount of the proposed issue was seventy-five thousand dollars, and the poll stood : for' issue, 306 ; against issue, 131. The issue of the bonds thus voted and their transfer led to litigation, in which the corporation of Lake City was made defendant and won the suit as against the railway company. Judgment was subsequently recovered against the town of Lake, so much of as was not included in the corporate limits of Lake City, and the matter compromised by the payment of the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars. The history of this litigation will LAKE CITY. 807 appear in another place. The county-seat question was one equally tedious of settlement, and much more provocative of animosity and sectional bitterness. On March 7 of tliis year, 1867, an act legislative was passed, submitting to the voters of the county the question of the removal of the county-seat from its then location, Wabasha, to Lake City. The act was passed upon a petition of the citizens, and competition for the capital honors became lively. Lake City bid for the removal by pledging her bonds to the extent of twenty thousand dollars for the erection of suitable county buildings in case the county seat was located here. It was urged that this would be a saving of at least ten thousand dollars to the county, as that amount was imperatively needed to provide a jail at Wabasha, and the matter of issuing county bonds for that amount had already been under consideration by the county commissioners. The legality of the issue of twenty thousand dollars in bonds as proposed by Lake City was submitted to the attorney -general Hon. W. Colville, who affirmed the legality of the issue. The bonds were duly issued and deposited with the county treasurer as the property of the county in case the removal should be effected. These bonds were to bear interest at the rate often per cent annually, and were made payable in five yearly installments of four thousand dollars each. The press • of the rival cities waxed heated in the contest which ensued,, and no means were left untried to secure a possible victory. The resources of the language were somewhat severely taxed, as well as the upper cases of the printing-offices, in supplying epithets and capitals, and so the day of election came on. The voting was something extra- ordinary," and the immense number of 9,480 votes were polled in a county not exceeding 13,500 populaticm all told. The contest was carried into the courts and a hearing had before Judge Barber, of the third judicial district. Case was adjourned lor months to take testimony, Judge Mitchell, of Winona, acting as referee, together with Coimsellor Benedict, of Rochester. The conclusion finally was that 2,531 legal votes had been cast, of which number 1,457 had been cast in fevor of Lake City, and 1,074 in favor of Wabasha. The case was carried to the supreme court and a decision rendered in January, 1871, reversing the judgment of the district court, on the ground that it requires a majority of the legal voters of the county and not a majority of the votes cast to effect the removal of the county seat, and in this manner the matter was disposed of three years and a half after the vote was taken. 808 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. The city suffered quite a loss on August 30 of this year by the destruction of the planing-mill of J. W. Harding, which, with the wareliouse of Amsbry & Fletcher, was totally destroyed by lire. The })laning-mill was quite an extensive establishment, and the loss was probably not less than ten thousand, dollars, upon which there was no insurance. The wareliouse was 30 X 90, valued at live thou- sand dollars, insured for half that amount. This year marked an era in the history of the United States post- office here, which was made a money-order office September 9. The price of wheat rose to $1.83 for No. 1 early in October, and for the first four days of the month the sum of $75,000 was paid by the buyers of the city to farmers for wheat. Two weeks later one Urm in this city took in one hundred and ten loads, and barges were loaded at the rate of 2,000 bushels per hour. There was a decided falling off in the wheat shipments this year; only 342,622 bushels were forwarded from this place, and at close of navigation 25,855 bushels remained in store. The improvements in the way of buildings footed $74:, 600. With the year 1868 the town reached its first decade as an or- ganized part of the governmental system of the state. A comparison of the voies cast at the opening and also at the close of this period of ten years, shows that the increase was from one hundred and thirty- four votes in 1858, to five hundred and twelve in 1868. The area of the township, exclusive of town lots, in acres, 17,408i^? acres, which was valued at $100, 602, or about $5. 77 per acre. The aggregate value of town lots in 186S, including buildings thereon, was $180,639, making a total real-est te valuation for the town of Lake City of $290,21:1. The total value of the personal property of the town was rated at $149,374, a little more than one-seventh of all the personal property of the county, which was returned at $1,005,856, about $75,500 less than the real property as scheduled by assessor. While the vote of Lake City in 1868 had increased to almost four times that cast in 1858, the vote of the county at large had increased to a little less than three times the vote cast at the general election of ten years ago. Chester, Elgin, Gillford, Kichland, Highland, Plain- view and Zumbro, all showing a larger rate of increase than Lake City, the balance of the township a much smaller ratio. There was a decided increase in the amount of grain shipments from Lake City during this year as compared with 1867, but prices did not rule so high. Total wheat shipments were 502,288 bushels, and about 4,000 LAKE CITY. 809 bushels of barley. A census taken in this year by Abner Tibbetts, the assessor, gave 3,031 as the population of the town of Lake City, an estimate a little higher than the United States census returns of two years later seemed to warrant. The amount expended in building improvements for the year was about $28,000 in excess of that of 1867, the total amount for 1868 being $102,750. The inhabitants of the city were forcibly reminded in the begiiming of this year that they were not quite out of the woods, by the advent of an immense wild-cat, which crossed the lake on the evening of January 11, and raided the chicken-house of David Lalaw, near the lake, and piled his poultry in a heap, after sucking their blood. On being discov- ered, he went out through the sash, and, taking refuge in Willis' warehouse, was shot. He was described as of immense size, almost as large as a wolf. These ' ' varmints " were quite common in the Wisconsin woods across the lake, but their advent in the streets of Lake City was something unusual. During the year 1869 the ques- tion of voting aid to the reorganized St. Paul and Chicago Railway Company was the all-absorbing theme. Of this mention has already been made. On July 9 a tornado, the first ever seen in Wabasha county within historic periods, struck the county, inflicting considerable damage in Mount Pleasant township, where three dwellings were destroyed, some stock killed, but no persons injured, with the exception of L. C. Carson's little girl, who was carried about one hundred and fifty feet and considerably bruised. The storm seemed to be identical in character with those that have re- cently devastated portions of this and Olmsted counties, and its descent into Lake Pepin and passage across, about one mile below town, are described as peculiarly grand and terrible. It appears to have formed on the highland between Read's Landing and the West Albany roads, and swept over the bluif back of Morrison Lake, near the O'Hara House, and descended to Lake Pepin. Its path was nearly three hundred yards wide, and where it descended the steep bluff, brush and Sapling were scooped out by the roots and scarifications made in the soil. Trees, fences, telegraph-poles, and whatever came in its path as it swept toward the lake, was carried into the air and hurled in all directions, its progress being accompanied by a tremendous roar that drowned the noise of the hoarse thunder then reverberating through the air. As it approached the lake, so says an eye-witness, it appeared a funnel-shaped cloud whirling about one hundred yards above the surface of the water, diagonally 810 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. inclining toward the water. It gradually assumed an upriglit posi- tion, descending in its course until it commenced drawing up the waters of the lake, which rose to meet it. It was about fifteen minutes in passing over the lake, and the waters for nearly three hundred yards diameter were in a state of agitation impossible to describe. The water was mixed with the dust and debris carried from the shore, and there was a strange play of light within the cloud, which gave it the appearance of a lake on fire. When it reached the Wisconsin shore it had greatly diminished in breadth, but swept the waters out on the beach in a column thirty to forty yards wide and twenty feet above the ordinary lake level. As it rose, the bluff side, to pass over into the valley beyond, the trees that it lifted were plainly seen from the watchers on the shore at this point sailing away in the whirling death-dance of the tornado. Its force was so great that whole oak-trees, thirty inches in diameter, were twisted completely off, their stumps remaining to tell how powerful must have been the force excited. The storm crossed the lake about six o'clock in the evening, and when about midway the lake, the sun broke through the dun-colored clouds in the west, and a beautiful rainbow crowned the head of the tornado and rode upon it as upon the wings of the wind over to the Wisconsin shore, — Nature's presentation of "beauty and the beast"" on a gorgeous scale, within the beautiful amphitheater of bluff-crowned Pepin. The city continued to show a gratifying increase in trade and improvements. The amount expended in buildings was $109,000. The shipments of grain were much in excess of previous years ; barley began to assume importance as an item of freight, and flour shipments largely increased also. The shipments of wheat this season were 618,531 bushels, which, with the 23,800 barrels of flour, equivalent to 119,000 additional bushels at that time, and the 86,165 remaining in store, would give a total of 823,696 bushels of wheat as the season's business. To this may be added 20,645 bushels of barley, and some other shipments of oats and corn not tabulated, which would bring the grain business of the season to about 850,000 bushels. The year 1870 was that in which the United States census was taken, and the returns as filed by the eniwnerator gave the town of Lake City a total population of two thousand six hundred and eight, of whom two thousand one hundred and seventeen were within what mav be denominated the limits of the city. This was some- LAKE CITY. " 811 wliat less than was expected, as from the assessor's returns of 1868 it was confidently believed that the population would not fall below three thousand. The winter of 1869-70 a rivalry arose among the various drivers along the stage-route from La Crosse northward as to the quickest possible time between the terminus of the railroad, La Crosse, and Lake City. On Wednesday, February 9, one of the up-stages left La Crosse at 7:15 a.m., and making stoppages aggre- gating fifty -eight minutes at Winona, Minneiska and Wabasha, reached Lake City at 4:38 p.m., making the distance of eighty-eight miles in nine hours and twenty-three minutes, or, deducting stop- pages, in eight hours and twenty-five minutes. It was not always, however, that the drivers were so fortunate. The south-bound stage on December 28 went through the ice about three miles above Read's Landing, drowning the wheel horses and losing express, mails and freight. Two passengers on board escaped, one dry-shod, one with an ice-bath in Pepin. The mails, express and freight, with the coach, were hooked up by a party of volunteers from Read's Land- ing, and the horses only were a total loss. This year witnessed the organization of the First National bank, and the completion of the Methodist Episcopal church so far as to enable the society to occupy the basement, which they did, on December 18. These matters will be more fully treated of under ''Churches" and "Banks." The expenditures for buildings during the year footed up $88,125. The volume of grain business was: Shipped, wheat, 861,000 bushels; barley, 62,100 bushels ; oats, 27,000 bushels ; corn, 3,000 bushels. The shipments ot flour were not tabulated. There is a record of one shipment of eight hundred barrels, and as there was considerable local Wisconsin demand, it is within bounds to say that of wheat (and the equivalent in flour), barley, oats and corn, the actual shipments from the wharves here were in excess of one million one hundred thousand bushels. The year 1871 marked an era in the history of the town of Lake City, and was the beginning of the end of that anoma- lous existence in which the city that was not a city enjoyed all the privileges of a full-fledged corporate existence. As before cited, it was during this year that the attempt to incorporate through petition to the judge of probate was made. The retiring board of town supervisors made a tabulated report of the town business at the close of their term of ofiice, March 14, 1871, for which, at the town meet- ing held on that date, they were handsomely complimented in a resolution of thanks, as also for their efficiency and economy in the 812 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. management of the town business. The meeting also expressed the hope that their successors would imitate their good example, and fur- nish each year a full statement to the press for publication. The year's expenditures for bridges, roads, streets, drains, tools for road- work, etc., were $853.48. The ordinary town expenses were $536.26. Legal services in the county-seat contest were $591.53, and for build- ing a lock-up they had expended $378. With uncollected taxes, taxes levied, delinquent highway tax and cash, the total assets of the town from these sources were $9,128.89 ; town bonds, town orders, and bond orders outstanding, with interest to date, $4,533.31, show- ing a balance in favor of the town of $4,595.58. The treasurer's report showed total receipts for the year, $7,140.73 ; all accounts audited and a balance in the treasury of $334.47. The Patrons of Husbandry organized a grange of the order in Lake City, June 3, and steps were taken to consolidate the work of the grange through- out the county, so as to secure some i)ractical results. This year was rendered memorable by the completion of the railway to this place, and the arrival of the long-expected locomotive. The track- layers crossed the county-line from the north on Tuesday, July 11, and by nightfall the rails were laid half-way through town. On the 25th regular trains were put on between Lake City and St. Paul, and the road at the south was rapidly extending itself up the river. Work on the depot here was being rapidly pushed and matters wore a very businesslike air about the railroad terminus, the only objec- tion to which was its location so far from the business portion of the city. The first through train for Winona came down on Wednesday, September 6, and the following day regular trips commenced over the road. One train a day each way, meeting in this city at 1:15 P.M., was the arrangement, and it was no longer possible to say the upper river towns were out of the world six months of the year. On Friday, October 13, the United States mails were brought in on the trains, and so closed the old era of stages and steamboats as mail transports for Lake City. The new order of things was brought about by the personal attention of congressman Averill, who gave a day of his time in Washington to matters and secured the benefits of railway mails without the usual delay. This year was also marked by the (5rganization of the public library and the opening of its shelves to the reading public. The matter was consummated August 22 by the organization of the Lake City Library Associa- tion, with the following board of officers and trustees, who also con- stituted the directory : J. Fletcher, president ; Mrs. C. A. Jewell, LAKE CITY. 813 vice-president ; W. J. McMaster, secretary ; C. W. Hackett, treas- urer ; L. H. Garrard, C. A. Wood, Mrs. Hulett, Mrs. Williamson, Mrs. Guernsey, trustees. About the middle of November the reading-room in Eichard- son's block, on Center street, was opened. It was a free reading- room, neatly and comfortably furnished, and provided with all the leading northwestern dailies, as also those of New York and Wash- ington. Foreign reviews and home periodicals were provided, and the doors thrown open every evening at half-past six o'clock, made it a very desirable place for young people to visit, and was a decided rival to the saloons. The library began to arrive about the middle of December, the first installment consisting of two hundred and seventy volumes, to which, two weeks later, many more were added. These, with occasional donations, gave at the close of the year a very respectable selection from which to make choice, and the opportunity was not neglected. To add to the attractions of the association, a lecture course was organized, and during the winter seven lectures delivered under its auspices. The report of the school directors of the Lake City district also showed a very satisfactory condition of educational afiairs, as will appear under the head of "Lake City schools." Elevators were erected during the fall and winter along the railroad track, and a decided impetus was given to business, already flourishing, by the advent of railway communication. Other things seemed also to have come in with the railway, which were not so acceptable. Lake City wheat buy- ers had long before established the policy of paying as high prices for grain as the market would possibly justify, and this because it was just to the producer, conserved the interests of the trade of the city, gave the market at this point the preference over others, and so centered trade at this point. In order to compete with the buy- ers in this market, shippers at other points were therefore necessi- tated to pay the very top price the market would justify, and the speculators concluded to manipulate the market at this point. All the large wheat-buying houses were interested in the scheme: Culver & Graves, of Duluth ; Kellogg & Mann and Angus Smith & Co., of Milwaukee ; the Davidson and the Diamond Jo line of steamers were all interested. An arrangement was effected with the Lake City warehousemen by which a uniform price of twenty- five cents below the Milwaukee quotations should be paid for wheat in this market, and all profits were to be pooled. The monopoly extended wherever the river and railway lines extended, 814 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. and as the freight was only twelve cents, commissions one cent, elevator charges one cent, and cost of buying three cents — at which there was a good profit — the cost of wheat here was justly within seventeen cents of the Milwaukee quotations, a clear gain beyond legitimate trade profits of eight cents per bushel, or a dead loss of that amount to the wheat raisers of the state. The merchants and press of the city opened upon the combination, and an agitation was begun by which, within thirty days, the ring was completely ' ' busted " — as it was graphically expressed — and a return to honor- able competition became once more the order of the day. Control- ling as they did the whole wheat purchases of the market, the transportation lines forbid all warehousemen from paying more than the dictated price, from buying any wheat or shipping on his own account, or from receiving into the warehouse grain which had been purchased above the stipulated price. The large wheat mer- chants of the centralized markets and the transportation companies enforced, or attempted to enforce, their measures, by making non- compliance a ground of expulsion from the market, and set their own spies, with power to enter a warehouseman's office and examine his books, as a special police to enforce these regulations. The reputable wheat merchants of the city had entered very reluctantly into the arrangement at the outset, and only acquiesced under protest, to see how matters would turn out, not clearly seeing the depth of the business to which they were asked to com- mit themselves. The "ring" lasted about three weeks, and then collapsed, dishonesty getting so distrustful of its partners, that the Duluth members, finding their own interests suffering through the keener operations of their eastern partners, suddenly withdrew from the combination, and wheat went up by a rebound to within ten cents of the Milwaukee market. During the continuance of the monopoly, wheat here was lower than in the adjacent cities off the river and St. Paul railway, and the receipts were largely diminished. As a result, the members of the ring, no longer in combination, were jiitted against each other, and the following week (after Duluth witlidrew) the price ruled twenty to twenty -five cents higher than at Kochester, and by Saturday night the grand total of $130,520.20 had been paid for grain received in this city. The improvements for the year 1871 were largely in excess of all previous years, and some of them of a very costly and substantial character. The list aggregated $150,000. The more important structures were : W. H. Lyon's brick block, on Lyon avenue, LAKE CITY. 815 $35,000; C. F. Young's block, $12,000;. the Chicago & St. Paul railway depot and improvements, $9,1:00 ; John McBride's brick store, $8,000 ; George Patton & Son, store, $8,000, dwelling, $8,000; H. Gillett, foundry, $5,000, and Amsbry & Fletcher, elevator, $5,000. The most important — or certainly not the least important — of the changes and improvements made this year, was the widening of Pearl street, now Lyon avenue, from a width of seventy to that of ninety feet. This work was the liberal donation of Mr. W. H. Lyon, of New York, who had extensive property interests in the city, and has always been liberal in devising for the little city by the lake. What property he did not own he purchased from High street to the lake, and, setting the buildings ba(?k the required distance, opened a street ninety feet in width. Purchasing some blocks about the depot, also, he meditated the widening of the entire street from the lake to the city limits, but was tempora- rily prevented by the owners of some property along the streets. The city, however, in 1873, took the matter in hand, condemned the lots that jutted out into the street (of which there were only three), and gave the city a beautiful avenue of the uniform width of ninety feet throughout its entire length. Other improvements meditated at the time, and which would have been of immense advantage to the city, were prevented by shortsighted opposi- tion to Mr. Lyon's plans, which so nettled him that he abandoned them and made his investments elsewhere. From the assessor's books of this year we gather the following statistics of the property, real and personal, and the agricultural products, stock, etc. ACRES. BUSH. Wheat '. 3,493 60,407 Oats 589 23,760 Corn 411 16,960 Barley 158 5,205 Buckwheat 15 425 Potatoes 10 1,215 Beans 1 60 ACRES. TONS. Hay, cultivated 133 228 Hay, uncultivated , 15 25 Honey, number of hives 50, product 1,200 pounds. Apples, number of trees in bearing 5,987 2,000 bushels. Strawberries, acres 5, produce 6,000 quarts. Wool 98 pounds. Butter 18,975 " 816 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. MISCELLAI<^OUS PRODUCTIONS IN VALUE. Whole number of acres cultivated 4,874 Number of farms . . 77 Number of horses 358 Number of mules 22 Number of cows 253 Number of sheep 22 Number of ho^s 17<5 Increase of acreage over 1870, oats 209 " " " " " wheat 353 " " " " " corn 168 Amount of personal property, 1871 Increase of personal property over 1870 The report of the board of supervisors for the year ending March 12, 1872, the last in which the town and city were to be included together, showed that the total expenses for highways, bridges, sidewalks, crossings, sewers, city marshal's salary, etc., was $2,025.25. The assessed valuation of town property was $638,767.00. THE treasurer's REPORT SHOWED: Cash on hand $ 334 47 Licenses 1,651 05 Justice Court fines 78 00 Bounty tax 70 80 Town tax 2,812 75 Delinquent road tax 326 11 Special or bond 3,308 40 $8,641 58 Bonds redeemed $2,992 72 Orders redeemed, issued for road purposes 837 38 " " " lumber 839 35 " " " " road damages 65 00 " " " " town expenses 1,728 41 Interest paid on bonds and orders .* 363 95 Treasurer's fees 100 14 Cash on hand, March 2, 1872 1,648 63 $8,641 58 INCORPORATION OF LAKE CITY. Notwithstanding the failui-e to incorporate the city under the pro- visions of the general law of 1S70, known as the judge of probate act, and under which, as before noticed, an attempt at incorporation was made in 1871, the incorporation at an early day was accepted as certain. The failure in 1871 arose from the uncertainty of the LAKE CITY. 81T nature of the act, more than from any other cause. Accordingly, on the assembly of the legislature in the winter of 1871-2, an act of incorporation for the city claimed attention. A charter had been duly prepared embodying the views of those who had interested themselves in this matter, and a bill granting the charter prayed for was introduced by Mr. Thompson, representative from this district, early in the session. This bill passed the house under suspension of the rules on February 19, was as favorably received by the senate when it came before them the following day, was approved on the 26th of the month, and became of effect from and after its passage. The city limits as defined under the charter were materially enlai'ged from what had constituted the special district exercising municipal powers under the administration of the supervisors of the town of Lake City. The new corporation retained the old name " Lake City,'' and its boundaries as described in the act were : "Beginning at the northwest corner of the N.E. J of Sec. 6, in T. Ill N., of R. 12 W., running thence south one and one-half miles to the center of section 7 in said township, thence east along the quarter-section line and the continuance thereof to the center of Lake Pepin, thence up the middle of said lake to a point due east of the termination of the line between townships Nos. Ill and 112, thence to and along said line west to the place of beginning. Otherwise described, the city limits, so much of them at least as were not covered by the waters of Lake Pepin, extended west from the lake shore, along the line separating Wabasha and Goodhue counties, a distance of one and a half miles, thence south one and one-half miles, thence east two and one-half miles to the lake shore, thence northwesterly along the irregular shore line to the boundary of the county on the north. The landed area of the city as thus defined embraced about three and one- quarter sections of land ; and there was not far from the same area covered by the waters of the lake. The city as thus limited was divided into wards, as follows : All that part of said territory lying and being westward of a line beginning in the southern boun- dary of said territorial limits at a point twenty-seven and one-half [rods] west of the center of section 8, in T. Ill N., of E. 12 W., thence along the middle of the public road north to a point where a line running through the center of Pearl street in the plotted town of Lake City continued southwestward will intersect the same ; thence northwestwardly by said line running through 49 818 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. middle of Pearl street and the continuation thereof to Greenwood avenue, thence tlirough the alley between blocks E and F in said town of Lake City, thence northerly to the northern boundary of said territorial limits, shall constitute the first ward. All that part of said territorial limits lying and being eastward of said described lines constitute the second ward. The error in this description is in making Pearl street run northwesterly, — should be northeasterly. The division of the city into wards may at present be practically stated to be by a line running through the center of Lyon avenue and extending from the southern limits of the city to the lake. This does not differ materially from the division as ex])ressed in the act, the city limits and ward boundaries remaining practically as they existed at the time the charter was granted. The electiv^e offices, as established by the charter, were : For the city — mayor, treasurer, recorder ; for the wards — one alderman (except at first election, when one should be elected for one year), one justice of the peace and one constable, for each ward, whose terms of office should be for two years. The terms of office of city treasurer and recorder were fixed at two years, mayor to be elected annually. All candi- dates to office, to be eligible, must be residents within the city limits and qualified voters. The first Tuesday in April in each year was designated as the day for holding the charter election, of which ten days' previous notice was to be given by the common council, in which notice time and place of holding election, and the offices to be filled, should be set forth. Provision was also made for removals from office by a fourth-fifths vote of the aldermen of the city, all such removals to be for cause after due trial or notice of trial to accused, the specific process in which was fully laid down. The city wards as established by law were to constitute the electoral districts for all state and county elections as well as municipal ; a refusal on the part of any officer-elect to qualify within ten days of his election, or his removal from the city, vacated the office ; the ward alderman and one legalized voter from each ward, to be designated by the council, should constitute the board of judges of elections, and all elections were to be conducted in the same manner as provided for in holding state and county elections ; officers-elect were to be duly notified by the recorder of their election ; terms of office were to be from the second Tuesday of April in the year in which the election was made, and continue one year, unless otherwise specified ; failure to elect on the day designated was made cause sufficient for holding a new LAKE CITY. 819 election, of which, as in the case of the regular elections, the council were to give ten clays' notice. The appointive officers of the city were attorney, marshal, assessor, street commissioner, and such others as the council might see fit to elect, and the terms of office of city attorney and assessor were fixed at two years each ; that of street commissioner, for one year. The mayor and aldermen were debarred fi-om receiving any compensation for their services as such officers, and the compensation of the city recorder was limited to the sum of one hundred dollars per annum. The treasurer's fees were made to conform to the law fixing the fees of town treasurer, and the recorder was prohibited from being directly or indirectly inter- ested in any contract, job or loan, in which the city is a party or negotiator. Provision was also made for city printing, by designat- ing one paper printed in the city, in which all proceedings, ordi- nances, acts or by-laws requiring to be published shall be printed, and it was made the duty of said cit}^ printer to file with the recorder "a copy of all such publication, with affidavit of time that same has been published, and such affidavit shall be conclusive evidence of its publication. All city contracts in which any alderman might be interested were thereby rejected, and money paid on such contracts was made recoverable by law, as against all such contractors. The .general powers of the council were amply set forth in the charter, and covered all matters to the well-being, peace, healthfulness, good conduct and safety of the city, as well as all matters aftecting her credit and finances : as, to regulate and prescribe fees for all exhibitions, shows, auctions, sports, sale of liquors, spirituous, vinous or fermented; to abate gambling, drunkenness, disorderl}^ persons, houses of prostitution, and all nuisances, physical and moral alike ; to prevent fast and reckless driving in the streets, or the incumbrance of streets, sidewalks, public grounds, etc., by any unnecessary articles ; to prevent all cattle, swine, poultry, etc. , from running at large ; to make and establish public cisterns, hydrants, and other receptacles for water, and control all waterworks estab- lished ; to regulate and control all carrying of passengers and freight within the city, by hacks, omnibuses, trucks or other like vehicles, and to provide for lighting the public streets and grounds ; to make all necessary market regulations, provide for board of health, estab- lish hospitals, to regulate runners or porters, and other soliciting agents, for boats, cars, hotels, etc.; to regulate the sale of combus- tibles, and prevent the use of firearms in such way as to endanger 820 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. life, comfort or property ; to provide standard weights and measures, and for tlic inspection of liquors and provisions, measurement of materials for building, and the appointment of tlie necessary officers for such inspection ; to prescribe tire-limits, and make all needed regulations to prevent their occurrence and spreading ; to provide workhouse for persons convicted of offense, and put such offenders at work therein, or upon the streets of the city ; to establish a fire department and purchase the necessary engines, hose, and other apparatus, and to exempt members of such fire department, after certain terms of service, from poll-tax, jury service or militia duty. All ordinances were to receive the affirmative vote of a majority of the council, be approved and signed by the mayor, and published in the official paper of the city for ten days before becoming law ; and provision was made for auditing all accounts of officers and agents of the city, and making full record of the settlements made. Their powers in levying taxes, collecting and disbursing same, were duly declared, as also their control of the streets and side- walks, alleys and public grounds, and methods of procedure in all cases specifically set forth. All property of the fire department, or of the several companies that might compose it, all markethouses and their furniture, city-hall and council-room furniture, pounds and the lots on which they stand, and school property, was exempted from levy and sale under execution, save in the case of action of sellers of property to recover for property thus sold to the city. All private property was exempted from levy and sale for city corpora- tion debts ; all contracts for city work were to be to lowest bidder, of whom a bond was to be required for all contracts in excess of twenty-five dollars, unless work was done under supervision of some city officer. All city property was made free from taxation, and the power of the city to purchase, hold or lease both real and personal property for the city was specifically declared. By the same act of incorporation it was enacted that "all that part of the town of Lake City, not included in the limits of the said city of Lake City, under this act, shall constitute and be a town by the name of 'Lake,' with all the authorities, rights and powers of towns under the laws of this state." Section 11 of chapter 8 of the charter authoi-ized and empowered Asa B. Doughty, Merrell Dwelle and Carlos Clement to appoint three discreet and judicious persons in each ward to act as judges of the electicm to be held on the first Tuesday of April, 1872 ; and also LAKE CITY. 821 to locate and provide a place in each ward for holding the election. March 30, 1872, under call previously published, a union caucus for the nomination of city officers, irrespective of political parties, was held at the opera house, and a ticket put in nomination. The ward caucuses were held after the general caucus, one at the opera house and one at the Washington street school building. The caucus was numerously attended, and the proceedings were of a character to show a deep interest on tlie part of the best citizens that a city government of approved ability should be chosen. The nomi- nations were made, and on the following Tuesday, April 2, 1872, the polls were opened for the first charter election for the city of Lake City. The official returns are as follows : Candidates and Term of Office. Mayor . . . Eecorder . Treasurer Aldermen Justices of the peace, Constables f Joel Fletcher t Elijah Stout M. R. Merrell W. A. Doe f J. C. Bartlett, two years . I G. D. Post, two years. . . . I M. A. Baldwin, one year. •; H. K. Terrell, one year. . G. M. Dwelle, two years . J. Manning, one year. . . . Ed. Wise, one year Geo. F. Hatch J. C. Lawrence I J. E. Favrow LW. J.Jacobs fL.E. Thorp I J. W. Matthews I Oliver Young H. M. Powers First Ward. 169 56 225 224 174 49 132 90 167 35 15 114 110 Second Total Majori- Ward. Vote. ties. 170 134 301 303 296 190 110 302 206 87 339 190 525 527 174 49 132 90 296 190 110 167 35 15 302 114 110 206 87 149 525 527 125 42 296 117 302 4 119 The total vote cast was five hundred and twenty-nine. The vote in the town of Lake (the election in March having gone by default, that the city and town elections might be held on the same day and all conflictions avoided) was seventy-six, making a total vote in city and town of six hundred and five, an increase of ninety-seven over the vote polled at the presidential election in 1868, and an increase of sixty-six over the state election of the previous fall. The ratio of five inhabitants to one vote would thus give Lake City at the time of incorporation a population of twenty-six hundred and forty-five. It was generally conceded that the city officers-elect were as good timber for the new city government as could have been sele.cted, and the result was hailed by the citizens as an omen of a 822 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. good administration of city aftairs. The first informal meeting of the officers-elect was held on April 6, and an adjournment made to the evening of the 9th, at which time the members of the council were all present and took their respective oaths of office. Treas- urer's bond was fixed at twenty thousand dollars ; constables at one thousand dollars each ; a copy of the city charter (official) was received. The city printing was awarded to Messrs. McMasters & Spaulding, and a committee of two appointed to complete contract for printing. F. M. Wilson, Esq., was elected city attorney, and J. AV. Matthews street commissioner. The city attorney-elect, with aldermen Dwelle, Bartlett and Manning, were appointed a committee to draft ordinances and report as early as practicable. Messrs. Man- ning and Bartlett were appointed a committee to secure valuation of taxable property in city and town, for the purpose of an understand- ing settlement between the city and the town of Lake. At the meeting of council held on the 28tli inst., Elijah Stout was chosen assessor by a unanimous vote, street commissioner's bond was fixed at one thousand dollars for the current year, and the committee on settlement between the city and the town of Lake reported, and they were instructed to draw up an agreement to be signed by the proper officers, to perfect settlement. This was accordingly done, and the settlement made. By the terms of this agreement all moneys on hand, whether in hands of town or city treasurer, were to be divided between the city and town, according to the assessed valuation of property in each, and all unpaid accounts were to be paid by each in the same proportion. The assessed valuation of city property was found to be $530,787 ; of town property, $102,000 ; the money standing to the credit of the former town of Lake City, after all out- standing orders were paid, amounted to $1,932.60. Of this sum the town received $337.13 and the city $1,595.47. The committee on city ordinances performed their work as expeditiously as possible, and presented the results of their work to the council before the close of the month. The ordinances as reported, and adopted by the council during this month, were by title as follows : Restraining the running at large of horses, cattle, swine and other animals ; licensing shows, caravans, circuses, theatrical performances, billiard tables, bowling-saloons, auctioneers, ordinaries, hawkers, pawn- brokers, money-changers and other persons ; licensing and regula- ting the sale of spirituous liquors and the keeping of billiard tables, pigeon-hole tables, shooting-galleries and ten-pin or bowling alleys LAKE CITY. 823 in saloons ; creating a board of health and defining its duties ; relating to misdemeanors ; relating to disorderly houses and houses of ill-fame ; establishing a city prison ; regulating the planting of shade and ornamental trees within the city and for protecting the same ; also to prevent the obstructing of streets, sidewalks and crossings of streets ; establishing the duties and powers of city mar- shal ; concerning streets, sidewalks and alleys ; relating to nuisances; establisliing a night police within the city ; to provide for the safe keeping of powder ; licensing dogs. An ordinance creatino; fire limits, and establishing regulations for the erection of btiildings within such limits, was passed on May 4 ; and on December 21 following, an ordinance providing a market for the sale of hay, straw and wood within the city, and for weighing and measuring the same, was adopted.. The fire limits included all of blocks one, two and three, blocks nine to sixteen inclusive, and twenty-three to twenty- six inclusive. All buildings within the limits were to be of fire-proof material, but some portions of this territory were exempted from a rigid construction of this ordinance, at the discretion of the council. This limit included practically that portion of the city enclosed be- tween Chestnut, Park, High and Dwelle streets. The portion in which this ordinance was to be strictly enforced without exception included the territory bounded by Franklin, Main, Pearl and Marion streets, the lots in the surrounding blocks facing these streets. LAKE CITY FEKRY. The situation of Lake City, on the shore of the lake, at some dis- tance from its outlet or its inlet, has always had the effect of curtailing its trade, cutting off as it practically does almost all, or at least a great part, of the trade to the north and east and southeast. Kepeated attempts have been made to overcome this disadvantage of location by establishing ferries or subsidizing them to a certain extent, with the view of drawing trade from the lake villages and the territory contiguous thereto on the "Wisconsin shore. This attempt has not been very successful, and it is to be doubted if the maintenance of a ferry at this point will ever pay the expenses of its maintenance. The attempt to make successful bids for trade over ferry routes on the Mississippi, under much more favv>rable auspices, at other points has not as yet been very successful. The ferry at Winona, for instance, costing the city yearly considerable more than the cost of its maintenance, and that over a route less than one- 824 iriSTORv of wabasiia county. fourth tlie distance across Lake Pepin at this point. Not only so, but the little coasting steamers plying upon the lake will always, and necessarily, become formidable rivals to any ferry company attempting to maintain regular .communication across the river and return without making trips to the adjacent villages on either shore. The patronage of the one being conlined to the direct travel across the lake, the other including all travel across and upon the lake for miles in every direction. The width of the lake and the character of the navigation, the water being at times very rough, require good substantial boats. The cost of navigating and maintaining these is too great for the patronage that can be secured, and loss is the inevitable result, or at least has been, of every attempt to maintain a ferry here. The first regular, or perhaps, more joroperly speaking, irregular, communication across the lake, for passengers only, was established in the closing years of the war by Capt. J. Hull, of Maiden Kock Village, Wisconsin, who ran a small sloop-rigged sailboat, the Daisy, from Maiden Rock to Lake City, a distance of about eight miles. In 1866 Capt. John Doughty, of this place, put a sloop-rigged sailboat, called the Union, upon the lake. This boat was capable of carrying seventy-five persons comfortably, and for three years it was sailed here b}^ the captain, making trij)S across the lake and coasting its shores as pleasure-parties or the demands of business required. After doing duty for three years as a sailboat, the sails were taken out, a small engine put in, and the young pro- peller, christened the Winfred, navigated the lake one year, was a financial loss to the owner and discontinued. Two boats were upon this part of the lake that season, the May Queen being the name of the other, which was afterward taken to Bear lake, and burned there some years later. In the year 1870 Capt. Nelson ])ut a regular ferry on the lake between this city and the village of Stockholm, directly opposite on the Wisconsin shore. This was a sailboat and was exclusively for passenger traffic. Matters were in this condition until 1872, when Wm. B. Lutz and W. W. Scott received a charter, conferring on them, for a period of ten years, the exclusive right of keeping and maintaining a ferry across the Mississippi river at the town of Lake City, in the count}-^ of Wabasha, and State of Minnesota, at any point within one and one-half miles northwesterly or soutlieasterly up and down said river, from a point where the center line of Center street in said town continued northeasterly will strike said river. The charter required the parties therein 826 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. named to give bonds in the sum of one thousand dollars to perform the duties set forth in the act, which was specific as to the time of running, charges or tolls to be levied for ferriage, tines to be imposed for failure of the said Lutz & Scott to give prompt attendance upon all parties desiring to cross the ferry between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. between the dates of May 15 and November 15 in each year, unless ])rev'ented by ice, high winds or other cause which would render the attempt to cross dangerous or imprudent. By act of legislature of 1873 the time of franchise was extended to fifteen years, and the time of opening the ferry from twenty to thirty months, and of filing Bond from eighteen to thirty months, from the passage of the act of March 4, 1872. A similar franchise was owned by parties on the Wisconsin shore, and this was pur- chased, together with a barge owned by said parties, by Messrs. Lutz & Scott, and preparations made for establishing a steam ferry ; but Mr. Lutz was stricken with partial paralysis, incapacitated from attending to any business for two years, and nothing was done with the franchise, which expired in due time by limitation. Pending the expiration of this charter in the fall of 1873, a proposition was made to the city to purchase the franchises on both sides of the river (or Lake), together with the two lots on the Wisconsin shore (at their actual cost to the owners of the charter), and give a bonus or loan to some responsible parties, who should undertake, under bonds, to establish and maintain a ferry for a given term of years. Antici- pating some necessity of this kind as likely to arise, the city council, in February, 1873, had secured the passage by the state legislature of the ferry-bond act, authorizing them to issue the bonds of the city to the amount of $2,500 in aid of a ferry, pro- videctfthe legal voters of the city so desired. The matter was sub- mitted to tlie electors at the charter election held April 1, 1873, and the proposition was snowed under by a vote of 295 against issue to 83 in favor of issue. This attempt having failed, the sum of $800, in shares of $25 each, was subscribed for the purchase of the charter held by Messrs. Lutz & Scott. This sum was raised in April, 1873, but no purchase of the charter was effected, and in the following September negotiations were entered into with Capt. Murphy, looking to the permanent establishment of a steam-ferry. Mr. Murphy's proposition was, that in consideration of the sum of $2,500, and the franchise for a term of fifteen years, he would put himself under approved bonds to maintain the ferry for that LAKE CITY. 827 length of time. The sum of $2,500 was raised, but the matter had dragged, and before the result was announced to Mr. Murphy, he had made other arrangements, and the whole matter fell through. In the. meantime Capt. Murray, of the little steamer Pepin, had been making regular trips around the lake, touching at Maiden Rock, Stockholm and Pepin, on the Wisconsin side, and at Frontenac and Lake City on the Minnesota shore, with occasional trips to Read's Landing. His little steamer was sometimes accompanied by a barge, on which merchandise and passengers were transported, but it was not suited to the purpose. Accordingly in the season of 1874, early in May, a subscription was started to procure money to build a barge or boat to be used in carrying teams and passengers between this city and the Wisconsin shore. Meetings were held, commit- tees appointed, funds raised, a boat built at an expense of about $500, and Messrs. Doe, J. G. Richardson, Farron, Baldwin and Murray were appointed a committee to make a written contract with Capt. O. N. Murray, of the steamer Pepin, to operate the feriy. On Thursday, July 16th, the first regular trip was made in the city's own boat ; the mayor and common council in attendance, and the landing made upon the other shore in seventeen minutes, according to the time given by a local reporter. The city barge had a capacity of six teams and as many passengers as could crowd on. Trips were made at 9 A.M. and at 4 p.m., for which the free use of the barge was granted Capt. Murl'ay. The rest of his time was devoted to his regular coasting trips around the lakes. That fall, 1874, the charter of the Messrs. Lutz & Scott expired, and in the following spring, by special act of legislature, the franchise for a ferry was granted to the city, with power to operate or lease at their discretion. This charter gave the city the exclusive right to maintain a ferry within the corporate limits of the city, and the territory extending one-half mile beyond said limits on the north and west. In case the city council should lease the ferry to be car- ried on by other parties, the duration of said lease was not to exceed ten years, and the city was also required to reserve such rights as would empower them to terminate the Jease at any time by equitable payment to the lessee for outlay in construction of docks, levees, breakwater, etc. The city council were also empowered to regulate the charges for ferriage and control the place for the landing of boats, and provide such regulations as would insure the comfort and safety of passengers. And all grants or lease on the part of the city 828 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. under the provisions of this charter were so by ordinance of the council duly passed and signed as in the case of all other ordinances, and the lessee under such ordinance was to file such bond, for the pi-oper maintenance of tlie ferry according to the regulations ])re- scribed, as the council should deem sufficient and equitable. During the years 1875 and 1876, the exclusive right to the ferry charter was granted to Capt. Murray, and during th(jse years the communication between Lake City and the Wisconsin shore was maintained as it had been in 1874. Early in the spring of 1877 a joint stock company, with a capital of ten thousand dollars, was organized foi- the ])urpose of maintaining and operating a ferry at this point, such as would establish regular communications at all hours of the day with the Wisconsin shores, and not merely for a morning and evening trip. The company was named the Lake City Ferry and Transportation Compan3^ This company purchased the franchises held by Milison, Sandburg & Co., of the ferry privileges on the Wisconsin shore, and secured a lease of the Minnesota franchise from the common council of this city, together with the barge or boat belonging to the city, for the term of ten years from and after April 3, 1877. The company, by the terms of the ordinance, was required to provide a good, safe steamboat for the transportation of teams and passengers ; that not less than six trips per day were to be made during the season of navigation, and the Wisconsin landings were designated " to or near the village of Stockholm, and to or near the mouth of Bogus creek in the county of Pepin." The city, by the terms of the ordinance, absolved itself from all responsibility in the matter of expenses incurred, which were to be met by the transportation company without claim upon the city, but the city was to furnish them the use of the barge and confer the rights of the franchise \v'ithout charge. A rate of tolls or charges was established by the ordinance, as follows: Each team of two animals with vehicle, loaded or unloaded, together with driver, fifty cents ; single animal with carriage attached, fifty cents ; horse, cow, ox or mule, without carriage, twenty-five cents each ; each sheep or swine, ten cents ; wagon or carriage without .team attached, twenty-five cents, and merchandise for the sum of twentj^-five cents per hundred pounds. The ferry company were to keep the barge of the city in good rejmir and return it to the city at the expiration of their lease or use of it, in good condition as when received, except the usual and uiuivoid- able wear and tear. The company was also to own and continue LAKE CITY. to own the franchise on the Wisconsin shore as a condition precedent to the continuation by the city of the grant of its charter. The ferry company was composed of responsible business men in Lake City, who were desirous of maintaining more frequent communica- tion with the Wisconsin shore, believing the same would be bene- ficial to the trade of the city. The books of the company were burned in the disastrous fire of 1882, which almost wiped out the business houses of the city, and it is impossible to give a list of the stockholders. The first board of directors were : John J. Doughty, . H. Gillett, J. C. Stout, Wm. Campbell, W. J. Halm and H. D. Stocker. They immediately purchased the steamer Clipper, which had been sold under the hammer by the United States marshal, Capt. Kaney, paying therefor the sum of fifteen hundred dollars. The Clipper was a boat of about twenty-eight feet beam ; length over all about seventy feet. Her hull was new, having been built only the season before, and she was really a staunch built craft. Her engines, however, were old and comparatively worthless, and not at all adequate for the work required of her. The company expended about two thousand dollars on repairing the boat, building cabin, etc., and she was run during the season of 1877 with the old engines. During the winter of 1878 she was supplied with new engines, and some other improvements, upon which the company expended a further sum of three thousand dollars. This latter amount was refunded the company by special vote of the citizens, and this was the only subsidy ever received. The cost of maintain- ing the ferry was too great for the receipts derived from the freight and passenger and other transportation charges, and there was year by year a growing diminution of capital. When four seasons had been passed in this way, the regular trade over the ferry line, continually cut into by the coasting steamers plying along both shores of the lake, and the low rate of transportation keeping receipts at a minimum, the company called a halt. It was found that the original stock had been absorbed, as also the three thousand dollars bonus received from the city and the amount received for transportation during the four years the company had been operating the line. This latter sum aggregated about as much as the others, making a total sum of twenty-six thousand dollars expenses for four years' ferry maintenance. Under this condition of afiairs the directors concluded to wind up the affairs of the company and dispose of the assets. This was done. The 830 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. steamer was put up at auction and bid in by Messrs. Stout & Post, two of the stockholders, for an amount equal to the company's liabilities, — about eighteen hundred dollars. The franchise on the "Wisconsin shore had been placed in the hands of the city council, and also a mortgage upon the boats of the company, as security to the city that the c()ra])any would maintain the ferry a given number of years. This was done in 1878, when the bonus of three thousand dollars was given by the city. These franchises, thus the property of the city, were the property of Messrs. Post & Stout, so long as they fulfilled the obligations of the old ferry company. The city, retaining the franchises, released the mortgage upon the boat, at the request of the directors, upon showing how they had lost thousands of dollars in the attempt to maintain the ferry for the benefit of the city. Messrs. Post & Stout kept the ferry running during the season of 1881, and that fall closed out, having onl}^ added to their former losses by the attempt to continue the line in operation. They started their boat for Stillwater when the ferry season closed, intending to dispose of her to the trade there, but on the way up the river the pilot ran her on the government pier near Prescott, and there she remained during the winter. The following spring she was left to break up, her machinery taken out, and when high water came she floated off and the hull sunk some distance down stream. This was the last of the ferry steamer Clipper, and of the attempt to maintain a regular ferry at this point for the crossing of teams and passengers between Lake City and Stockholm. In the spring of 1882, Murray & Lenhart resumed trips between the Wisconsin and Minnesota shores ; and Murray dying, the firm became Lenhart & Collins, who are now (18S3) running the steamer Pepin and barge from Lake City to Maiden Rock, Pepin and Stock- holm, on the Wisconsin shores, making scmiweekly trips to Read's Landing, in this county. The attempt to maintain a regular ferry here has only proved disastrous to those engaged in it. Thousands of dollars were spent in the public-spirited attempt, from which the stockholders of the ferry company received no benefit, only such in- crease of trade, so many of them as were in business, that came to them from the Wisconsin shore. As related at the outset, the cost of maintaining the ferry over so wide a stream was too great to be met by the ciiarges for transportation, and the majority of the citi- zens were unwilling to subsidize the ferry to the extent of guarantee- ing the running expenses, not considering the returns in trade suflicient to justify the outlay. LAKE CITY. 831 FIKES. Down to the date of the incoi^Doration of the city in 1872, Lake City had suffered ' comparatively little from fires. December 9, 1870, the old grain warehouse on the Point, technically known as the Armstrong warehouse, and at the time of its destruction owned by Bartlette tfe Smith, was burned. The fire occurred at about eleven o'clock. The warehouses of Atkinson & Kellogg and Angus Smith & Co. were in close proximity on either side, and the problem was the salvation of these buildings. The pails standing at the doors of the grocery houses were unceremoniously seized by the hurrying hundred who started on the run for the Point, there being at that time no fire company or engine of any kind in the city. The people present worked with a will. The water of the lake afiPorded an ample supply, and as fast as the adjacent ware- houses caught fire, they were extinguished by the crowds who swarmed upon the roofs and every available spot where an advan- tage could be taken of the situaMon and the contents of a water-pail be made effective. Burned hands, scorched faces and singed hair and clothing were the rule ; but the situation was fully understood, and had the fii-e gained headwa}^ there would have been more to follow. Pluck and water gained the day. The adjacent warehouses were saved, and no further destruction of property .than that of the old Armstrong warehouse and its contents ensued. There were about seven thousand bushels of wheat in the warehouse at the time, six thousand bushels of which were a total loss, one thousand bushels being saved in a damaged condition. There was an insur- ance on the building of about thirteen hundred dollars. The grain in the warehouse was covered by about three thousand dollars insur- ance. There w^ere some other warehouses, one stored full of tobacco, and an elevator at the depot burned prior to the incorporation of the city, but no very serious loss resulted in either case ; the tobacco was fully covered by insurance. On Sunday morning, April 20, 1872, at about three o'clock, an alarm of fire was sounded, and the lurid reflection upon the build- ings and sky, as those who were aroused rushed into the streets, proved only too conclusively that a destructive fire was in progress, and had already made no little headway. The fire was found to be in Bessey & Burdett's wlieat warehouse, on tlie lake shore near the city flouring-mills. The wind was fi-esh from the north, and carried the burning shingles and other light material for a long distance 832 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. over the city, requiring constant vigilance and the application of water and wet blankets to prevent a general conflagration. The origin of the fire was never clearly ascertained ; the building had taken fire on the afternoon before, probably from the spilling of a can of kerosene upon the floor near the stove, but the flames had been thoroughly extinguished, and a watch kept upon the premises until ten o'clock at night, when Mr. Burdett, who was on watch, went home. There were between eight thousand and nine thousand bushels of wheat in the warehouse at the time, fully covered by insurance. The building was one of the largest warehouses in town, and was a total loss, upon which there was no insurance. These fires had all been in the suburbs, or, more properly speaking, along the lake front of the city, and not in the heart of the business or residence portion. The next call was neai*er home, and up to the date of its occurrence was the most disastrous fire that had 3'et visited the city, involving a loss of about thirtj'^ve hundred dollars, one-third of which was covered by insurance. This fire occurred in the evening of January 28, 1873, at which time flames were seen issuing from the cellar of Glines & Gould, druggists, on Main street. All efiPorts to reach the fire were unavailing, and it was only a few moments — so inflammable were the contents of the cellar — before the flames broke out, and it was with difficulty that the books and contents of the safe and money-drawer were saved. The buildings destroyed were, besides the drugstore, an unoccupied building adjoining, owned by Mrs. J. A. Waskey, Oliver Young's residence, which was torn down to prevent the spread of the fire, and for which he afterward claimed remuneration from the city. From the rear of the burning buildings on Main street, the fire communicated to the rear of Wise's block on Center street, cleaning out the saloons there in a hurry, and wrapping Hudderon's brick block adjoining in a sheet of fire. This block was partially occupied by the stock of J. E. Farron, general merchant, who succeeded in saving the greater portion of his goods in a damaged condition. Kerrey's brick block (usually known as the Harley block) followed, and this was the last of the buildings consumed. The upper stories of this block were unoccupied, the corner storeroom was in possession of S. S. Ball, grocer and bookseller. Young's brick block and Iler- rey's wooden buildings, on the opposite side of Center street, were covered with wet blankets to keep the fire from licking them up, LAKE CITY, 833 and in this they were successful. Glines, Gould & Co. lost, on building and stock, ten thousand dollars, on which there was about seventj-five hundred dollars of insurance. The occupants of private rooms in this building were losers to the extent of about five hun- dred dollars additional. Mrs. AVaskey lost one thousand dollars, insurance eight hundred dollars ; Mr. Young's loss was five hun- dred dollars, of which about two-thirds was, after much delay, paid by the city council ; Were's block was valued at five thousand dol- lars, insured for sixteen hundred dollars. The saloon losses were about one thousand dollars, no insurance ; Mr. Huddleson's loss was over seven thousand dollars, uninsured. J. E. Farron's damage was covered by insurance. Gen. Ilerrey was insured for four thousand dollars, about one half of his loss. Other losses were all of a minor character, and did not aggregate much in excess of one thousand dollars. The north side of town was the next visited, and again it was a gi-ainhouse, this time upon the tracks of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway. The Boston elevator was the fated structure this time, which was discovered to be on fire about three o'clock on the morning of March 12, 1875. The origin of this fire is also involved in mystery. It was first discovered by the watchman, breaking out overhead in the ofiice, and doubtless originated in the end of the elevator adjoining the engine-room. The watchman, who was sleeping in the building at the time, found the fire had gained too much headway to leave any hope of saving the building. This ele- vator was built in the season of 1873 by a company of Boston capi- talists, who had become interested in the future of the city. It was the most conspicuous building on the town site, was thoroughly constructed, well supplied with the best machinery for cleaning and elevating grain, and cost when finished about twenty thousand dol- lars. The insurance on building and machinery was twelve thou- sand five hundred dollars. There was a large amount of wheat in store at the time the fire occurred, probably about sixty-five thou- sand bushels ; nearly one-third of this was saved in a damaged condition. Insurance upon grain was sixty thousand five hundred dollars. The company promptly adjusted all claims of farmers for wheat stored and resumed business in a rented storeroom, pending the erection of a new elevator. The smoke of this fire had hardly cleared from the sky, when the cry of fire again resounded upon the night air ; this time a little nearer the business of the heart of the 50 834 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. city, and among its manufacturing industries. This fire occurred not quite two weeks after the destruction of the Boston elevator. The fire broke out March 25, 1875, at the corner of Franklin and Center streets, in the large wooden building occupied by J. H. Emory as a blacksmith-shop. The wind was blowing a moderate bi'eeze from the east, right in the direction of the other shops in the block, and the hotels on the other side (^f Lake avenue, kept by Messrs. Neal and Sexton, which were so seriously threatened that their destruction was regarded certain. The fire next spread to John Dobner's wagon and blacksmith shop, and then took, in A. N. Curtis' carriage-making establishment, which, with Neal's barns with their contents in the rear of the shops, were totally destroyed. The fire had now reached Lake avenue, just across which were the hotels. Here a determined opposition to the fiirther ])rogress of the fire was made by the volunteer pail brigade, and after a heroic fight, in which men were completely exhausted and many burned, the fire was prevented crossing the street. The aggregate losses were in the vicinity of ten thousand dollars, upon which there was little insurance. Mr. Emery's loss was five hundred dollars, in tools ; no insurance. The building he occupied was owned by David Timmerman, of Utica, New York, and was insured for twelve hundred dollars, about one-half its value. Mr. Dobner's loss, mostly in seasoned material and manufactured stock, aggregated six thousand dollars ; insured for eighteen hundred dollars. A. ]S\ Curtis' loss was fifteen hundred dollars ; no insurance. Neal's barn, insured for four hundred dollars ; loss abf»ve insurance, five hundred dollars. As before said, these fires, following so soon one upon the heels of the other, awakened public attention to the need of an efticient fire department, and its speedy organization was the result. The fire de])artment had been organized a little over three and a half years when it was called to battle with the most destructive fire that had heretofore visited the city, and whose ravages were not stayed (owing to an unfortunate circumstance over which the depart- ment had no control) until the First National Bank building, a brick structure, corner of Center and Washington streets, and seven wooden buildings were laid in ashes, involving a total loss of nearly seventy-five thousand dollars, about one-third of which was covered by insurance. The origin of the fire was never definitely ascer- tained. The flames were seen in the back part of J. E. Favrows' store, and spread rapidly in every direction. The alarm was given LAKE CITY. 835 about one o'clock on the morning of November 16, 1S79. The tire department was ])romptly an hand, and a telegrapli despatch for aid was sent to Red Wing, which, owing to delays on train, did not reach here until about four o'clock, by which time the work of desti'uction was as complete as it was likely to be. The new arrivals did good service in cooling oft" safes and quenching the smouldering flames, for which the exhausted firemen of the city were deeply grateful. The fire gained headway through a whole hour, in which the fire engine was rendered absolutely useless by the supply pipe becoming choked with sand. About three years before the fire, after the other fire cisterns had been completed, it was deemed expedient to provide a water supply near the corner of Center street and Lake avenue, which would save about one hundred and fifty yards of hose con- nection with the lake in case of fire in the eastern or southeastern part of the city. The well was dug in the low ground east of Neal & Johns, to a point considerably below that to which the water would rise through the sand in case of extreme low water in tlie lake. This well was not cemented on the bottom, and the suction of the steamer's supply pipe drew the sand into this pipe and into the engine pumps, completel_y choking the engine, in fact packing it solid with sand and rendering it absolutely useless. During the hour-spent in getting ready for even such work as in its damaged condition it could perform, the fire made fearful headway, sweeping round the corner of Washington street, and making clean work of everything between the bank corner and the heavy stone and brick- work of Patton & Son's store. The fire on Center street was not so destructive, and its progress was checked by the pail brigade and Babcock extinguishers so effectively that only one wooden building on the street adjoining the bank was burned down. Others were damaged, and stocks of goods so materially injured as to involve almost total loss ; but the progress of the fii-e was stayed without spreading through the block to Main street. With the exception of the bank building, the structures consumed were wooden, and old city landmarks, representing the early palatial stores of pioneer days ; and in their destruction some old relics were forever swept out of existence, the original Masonic and Odd-Fellows' halls among others. The First National Bank block was the pride of the city. It was erected in 1873 on the south corner of Center and Washington streets (the streets all running diagonally to points of compass). The bank was on the corner, with stores on Center and Washington streets. 836 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUJS'TY. These stores were the property of the then cashier and president, respectively, L. S. Yan Vliet and L. H. Gerrard. It was built of Milwaukee white pressed brick, iron columns, galvanized iron cor- nice, white draped stone caps, sills and trimmings, plate-glass windows, etc. The banking otiice was elegantly iinished with solid black-walnut counters, desks, doors and casings, and was a model bank office. J. E. Favrow, who suffered so seriously in the fire of 1872, in the adjoining block on the south, was this time completely wiped out. The "Sentinel " office was so completely consumed that not a shooting-stick even was saved. The law office of Stocker & Matchan, over the bank, with its library, was consumed, including account books, old journals, etc. The losses of building were : First National Bank, seventy-five hundred dollars ; Van Vliet's & Ger- rard's store, seven thousand dollars ; and the store of Peter Beck, H. C. Bronco, S. Lindgreen, Mrs. A. W. Ditmars, D. C. Corwin, H. L. Halsey and George Patton, each valued at from twelve hundred to two thousand dollars. The value of the buildings destroyed was about twenty-five thousand dollars, upon which there was an insurance of nine thousand five hundred dollars. The damage to buildings not burned was probably not more than fifteen hundred dollars, and upon these there was ample insurance to cover all loss. The heaviest losses in merchandise and other stock, fixtures, etc., were: J. E. Favrow & Co., sixteen thousand dollars, insured for four thousand dollars ; H. D. Brown, printing-office, ten thousand dollars, insured for fifty-five hundred dollars ; Stocker & Matchan, law library and furniture, sixty-five hundred dollars, insured for seventeen hundred dollars ; Henry Miller, druggist, five thousand dollars, insured for fifteen hundred dollars ; E. M. Everson, twenty-five hundred dollars, fully insured ; S. Leudgreen, two thousand dollars, no insurance. The total loss on buildings was about twenty-seven thousand dollars, on stocks forty-eight thousand dollai-s ; upon the former of which there was an insurance of eight thousand seven hundred and fifteen dollars, and on the latter of seventeen thousand seven hundred and forty-five dollars. The morning light of Monday had scarcely broken before the debris was being cleared away and prepara- tions made for rebuilding and resuming trade. These fires, disastrous as they were, and severely felt as they must have been in a town of twenty-six hundred population, were so com- pletely overshadowed by the calamity of 1882, that the plucky business men of the city are wont to say, "We never had LAKE CITY. 837 but one fire here that amounted to anything, and that was in 18S2, when we were' all wiped out clean as with a sponge." This tire, technically known as the "great tire," originated in an unused room of the old Sexton House on the Point, wliich was discovered to be in ilames at about two ox-lock on the morning of Saturday, April 22, 1SS2. The wind was blowing a fierce gale from the lake, and carrying the flames into the old wooden rookeries in that part of town, sheds, barns, etc., faimed them into a roaring conflagration, and swept the cinders, shingles and burning material of all kinds right over the western and northern parts of the town, threatening the whole with speedy destruction. The workmen in Neal & John's establishment saved that manufactory by almost superhuman exertions, and thus prevented the spread of the flames across the block to the west, and no doubt saving the blocks between Washing- ton and Franklin streets, on the west of Center. The wagonshops of Curtis & Richardson Bros. & Co. were speedily wrapped in flames, which almost instantly leaped across the street to John Dobner's blacksmith-shop, and to the buildings on the east side of Washington, between Center and Marion ; all of which, though good substantial brick structures, were consumed. Nothing was left standing thus far from the starting point of the fire east of Washing- ton, between Center and the lake, except the big warehouse just across Marion street. Crossing Washington street, Sam Lindgreen's saloon, and the other brick buildings on that side of the block from the First National Bank to Patton's block, were soon in flames, which swept across Center street, through the wooden structures on the northeast corner of Center and Washington, moving down both sides of Center to Main, and leaving nothing standing in its track. Leaping across Main street, it swallowed up the fine brick stores of C. P. Young & Bro.; and on the north side of Center street, carrying destruction with it as far as the building of the Lake City Furniture Company, which was destroyed. The buildings on the lower side of Center street, between Washington and Main streets, were all destroyed except the lower corner room of the Lake City Bank building, a fine three-story structure, in which was the postoffice. The fire had quickly spread over the entire block bounded by Main, Center, Washington and Lyon streets ; the fierce gale blowing the flames in a due westerly course diagonally through the block and across the corner of Lyon and Main streets to the Commercial hotel, which, having been destroyed, the destruction was stayed in that 838 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. quarter for lack of material. The eiforts of the firemen were ]mn- cipally dh-ected to saving the block bounded by Center, Washington, Lyon and Franklin streets, in which was the Merchants' hotel, an immense three-story wooden structure. The burning of this block would in all probability have involved the destruction of the entire northwestern portion of the city, as far down as Center point, as the wind was blowing a perfect gale, and buildings were taking fire sev- eral blocks from the center of the conflagration, fired by the burning shingles which were whirled blazing through the air, only to fall on some dry roof and kindle it into a blaze. The firemen made a stand at Richardson's corner, where their brick building interposed some obstruction to the progress of the flames through the block ; and though several times on fire, as were also the other buildings of the block, the catastrophe that would have followed their burning was averted by the heroic exertions of the citizens, who had turned out en masse to save the town ; many of them so intent on fighting fire at its very center that their own properties were consumed before they were aware of the tact. Another stand was made against the progress of the flames at the wooden saloon on the Main street side of the National Bank Building block, as, had that building gone, nothing could have saved the block across the street, and its destruc- tion would have involved the center of the residence portion of the city, including all the church buildings. The efforts in both cases were finally successful, and the fire was finally stayed after sweeping through six blocks, the best business blocks of the city, in which scarcely a structure of any kind remained to tell the awful story of destruction. So complete was the work of annihilation, and so serious the losses sustained, that many seriously doubted the practicability of rebuilding the city. All that remained standing was the row of brick stores on the northwest of Lyon avenue, and the block on the northeast of Washington street and northwest of Center street. It would be utterly useless to attempt to specify the losses on either buildings or goods. There were about fifty buildings burned, involving a loss of property in structures and contents, as nearly as can be ascertained, of at least three hundred and seventy thousand dollars, upon wliich there was an insurance of about one hundred and sevent^'-eight thousand dollars. Of this amount, however, consider- able proportion was insurance on damaged goods, and jiartially destroyed or damaged buildings ; so that the loss may be fairly said to have been about one-third covered by insurance. Thus, within a LAKE CITY. 839 period of less than ten years, destructive fires had three times ravaged the business center of the city, involving a loss of over half a million dollars in a small town of about twenty-six hundred population. The grit of the little city was fully apparent in this calamity. The common council met immediately, and, refusing all applications for permits to erect temporary wooden structures, extended the fire limits to the lake shore, upon which the fire had originated. Monday evening, following the destruction of Saturday, an enthusiastic meeting of the board of trade was held, and it was aj^parent that the enterprise and courage of the city was by no means in ashes, if the buildings of the city were. Capt. Seeley, the city postmaster, on the alarm of fire, left his own household goods to ^lestruction, and used all his exertions to save the mails and records of his oflice, in which he was successful ; all letters, papers and office records being safely removed. The First National Bank were at work immediately, and resumed business in a building they put up on a corner across Center street from their own property. Work upon tlie bank corner was immediately begun, and the structure was soon ready for occupancy. The Lake City Bank moved into the reading-room in the Merchants' Hotel, and resumed. Their first business after the fire was to receive a deposit fof three hundred dollars from A. P. Merrell, of Maiden Rock. The Masonic fraternity lost all their furniture, including their records, the latter a serious loss. The destruction of the valuable museum of Dr. Estes was much to be deplored. Its collection had been the work of a lifetime ; and, besides con- taining curiosities of very rare and valuable cliaracter, many of them impossible to duplicate, the Doctor's manuscripts and notes, the work of years, and which it was his intention to have given to the public in perm^anent form, were all destroyed, leaving him, in his own pathetic words, "Not a scrap of my life work ; not a scrap, sir." This was a loss not to be computed in dollars and cents. The burned district has to a great extent been rebuilt, and the business of the city goes on its prosperous way, in the earnest hope that, having been tried so as by fire, it may henceforth escape the destructive ordeal. FIRE DEPARTMENT. Lake City had no regularly organized fire department until three years after her actual incorporation as a city. Several narrow escapes from disastrous conflagrations had warned the citizens of the pos- sible danger to the business center of the city, unprotected as they 840 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. were against any serious fire that might break out in the more densely-built portions of the city ; but the danger passing, the matter was lost sight of. On the night of March 25, 1875, a fire which broke out on the corner of Center and Franklin streets, and for a time very seriously threatened all the lower portion of the town, reawakened the interest of the citizens in fire protection. This fire, which destroyed ten thousand dollars' worth of property, following close upon that of the twelfth of the same month, when the Boston elevator was burned, and which involved the destruction of sixty thousand dollars' worth, very forcibly aroused the public attention to the imperative necessity of organizing and maintaining an efficient fire departiyent. The matter was at once taken hold of energetically, and petitions numerously signed were presented to the council, asking for the immediate creation of a fire department, as authorized by chapter 4, section 38, of the city charter. This petition came before the new council at its first regular meeting after the spring election in 1875, and Messrs. Fowler and Farrow were appointed the counciPs committee on fire department. The petition was referred to this committee, who were also instructed to negotiate for the purchase of a steam fire-engine, hose and necessary equipments. At a special meeting, held April 16, a proposition was received from Samuel McDowell, of Seneca Falls, New York, to furnish the city with one of Silsby's patent rotary steam tire-engines, third size, two hose-carts, fifteen hundred feet of hose, and all the equipments necessary to operate it successfully, for seven thousand two hundred and fifty dollars ; terms, twelve hundred and fifty dollars cash, the balance to be })aid in three equal yearly installments of two thousand dollars each, bonds to bear intei-est at ten per cent. This proposition was accepted by the council, and the engines and apparatus ordered, with the understanding that they were to be shipped within three weeks. The council also passed an ordinance providing for the organization of a fire department, to consist of one engine com- pany of forty men, two hose companies and a hook and ladder company, to consist of thirty men each. W. A. Doe, L. S. Yan Yliet and I. S. Richardson were appointed a committee to enlist suitable members for the companies, and to call a meeting for organization so soon as twenty members were received for each company. Saturday, May 1, 1875, the companies met and per- fected their organizations. Meeting was held in the Academy of LAKE CITY. 841 Music hall, with L. S. Yan Vliet in the chair, and H. E. Hum- phrey, secretary. G. D. Post was elected chief engineer of the department and the various companies organized, as follows : Engine company : E. B. Ellsworth, foreman ; L. L. Fletcher, assistant foreman ; H. E. Humphrey, secretary, and L. S. Van Yliet, treasurer. The members of the engine company were : L. S. Yan Yliet, E. B. Ellsworth, J. M. Martin, John Phillips, Geo. C. Stout, Henry Hoth, D. M. Smith, Clias. Forrest, J. E. Doughty, , H. R. Warner, H. Gillett, Calvin jSTeal, J. C. Hassinger, Robt. Romick, H. E. Humprey, I. E. Norton, M. L. Hulet, L. L. Fletcher, John Fletcher, E. H. Center, T. Stout, J. J. Doughty, Geo. Gibbs, H. C. Whitcher, H. M. Powers, C. J. Collins, Charles Knapp, R. B. Gates, Henry Scott, M. T. Stevens, Wallace DeLong, C. J. Cogswell, W. R. Muir, C. Sinclair, Frank Bouton, Oliver Young, A. N. Curtis, Frank Phelps, Ferd. Baker, L. E. Thorp. The hose company organized, and elected for officers : F. W. Seeley, foreman and president ; W. A. Doe, assistant foreman and vice-president ; M. P. Stroup, secretary ; I. S. Richardson, treas- urer. The following were the enrollment as meinbers : I. S. Richardson, W. A. Doe, M. C. Humphry, Jr., C. E. Cate, R. Hanish, G. W. Mossman, M. P. Stroup, F. L. Kopplen, N. E. Stringham,W. H. Dilley, G. D. Post, Henry Selover,'Henry Dwelle, - G. N. Tupper, W. J.' Hahn, J. B. Hawley, O. N. Smith, F. W. Seeley, Joseph Flarley, H. L. Smith, Francis Jenks, L. Lutz, R. H. Brown, Frank Whitcher, Chas. Sargeant, Dan'l Crego, Wm. M. Sprague, E. M. Baldwin and James Gillett. Within three weeks the hose company had received an additional enlistment of twenty-six members. The new engine arrived on the 14th of May, and the trial test was made on the afternoon of Satur- day, the 22d of that month. The day was made almost a general holiday. The mayor of Red Wing headed a delegation from that city. The chief engineer of the Winona lire department and his assistant, and others from neighboring towns put in an appearance. The "department" was out in force. The engine was stationed near the pond in the vicinity of Doughty & ISTeal's wagonshop, and four hundred and fifty feet of hose were quickly laid up Center to Washington, and around the corner in front of Richardson Bros' store. In three and a half minutes from lighting the fire, with cold water in the boilers, the steam-gauge indicated five pounds of steam, which was rapidly increased, until at the end of seven and 842 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTi-. a lialf minutes the pressure was thirty-five pounds, and water was running from the nozzle of the hose. AVith ninety pounds of steam, a stream was thrown up the street two liundred and twenty- seven feet through a one and one-eighth inch nozzle, and also to the heiglit- of one hundred and twenty-five feet. More hose was attached and extended up Center street to the corner of Main, and a stream thrown completely over a three-story building on the upper side of the street. A second line of hose, each was seven hundred and fifty feet, was attached, and both streams were thrown over the building, and with a branch section the three streams were thrown one hundred and sixtj'^ feet in a horizontal direction. Then a single line of hose, fifteen hundred feet long, was run u]) to the Episcopal church, and a stream forced over the s])ire and up to the height of one liundred and twelve feet from the ground. The test was pronounced satisfactory by the council in special session on the following Thursday, and the papers were duly made out. Lake City had at last secured what so many of her citizens had long desired — a good, serviceable fire engine, and many breathed freer, feeling their property was, at least to some extent, reasonably secure. At the first regular meeting of the council, in May of this year, the sum of four hundred and fifty dollars was appropriated for the purchase of a lot on the southeast side of Center street, between Oak and High streets, upon whicli to erect an engine- building, and the fire committee were instructed to purchase the same. Steps were also taken for the building of cisterns in neces- sary locations for water supply, and the council's committee on fire department given charge of the matter. A committee visited La Crosse, Wisconsin, for the purpose of securing information con- cerning the character of the cisterns needed, and reported their conclusion to be in favor of brick cisterns, as the only reliable ones in this soil. The council's fire committee reported bids for building three cisterns, of dimensions according to specifications drawn by J. B. Hawley. The contract was awarded to Dix & Bonney, as the lowest bidders, for seventeen hundred and eighty dollars. Not long afterward, G. W. Thayer was awarded contract for erecting an engine-house for fire-steamer and hose-carts, building to be 20x50. The front thirty feet to be used as an engine-room, the rear twenty for council-room ; contract price, six hundred and thirt}^ dollars. The cisterns were located as follows : The main cistern, with a LA.KE CITY. 843 capacity of one thousand barrels, at the intersection of Center and High streets ; two others, each having a capacity of live hundred barrels, one at the intersection of Garden and Dwelle streets, the other at the intersection of Oak and Doughty streets. A very sad accident occurred during the excavation for the cistern at the corner of Garden and Dwelle streets, by the caving in of tjie walls, owing to the lack of care in stoning up the walls. The men were repeatedly warned of the danger, but did not deem the alarm neces- sary and continued at work, until by the sudden caving in of the walls they were buried alive. Their names were A. H. Sandford and Benjamin Kramer. They were both taken out dead, Mr. Kra- mer after two hours' work, Mr. Sandford about seven hours after the accident. There is another water reservoir, which is more a well than a cistern, at the rear of Messrs. Neal & Johns' manufac- tory, on Center street, and from these the city has quite an ample water supply, well distributed. Improvements, in the shape of hose-tower, hook and ladder company's apparatus, etc., have been added from time to time, until today the city has quite a comfortable city building and engine-room. The old engine-house has had a story added within the past year, the hose-tower has been increased in height, and now the departments are well supplied with places for meeting as well as apparatus for extinguishing fires. The city build- ing as now standing is a conveniently-arranged two-story structure, 20X50, with a hose-tower, 12x12 feet at the base, rising fifty-six feet above the ground. The lower story of the city building is devoted to the storage of the engine, hose-carts, hook and ladder truck, coal-truck, and appliances. The engine is in excellent con- dition, under the care of chief engineer H. Gillette, and can get ready for business, under a full head of steam, within ten minutes of lighting the torches. The engine-room has a supply pipe for furnishing hot water to tlie boilers in cold weather, greatly expe- diting the work of. getting up steam. There is also an excellent force- pump for the protection of the city building, with hose attached, through which water can be instantly turned on any part of the building. The hose-tower has a tank conveniently arranged for cleaning hose, and both tower and engine-room are supplied with abundant heating apparatus for winter use, in thawing out and drying hose and apparatus. The hose-reels are supplied with about twenty-five hundred feet of good hose, on the two carts known as Nos. 1 and 2. The hook and ladder trucks are furnished 844 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. with one forty-foot ladder, one thirty-five feet, one tliirty feet, and some shorter ones ; and also with twenty-four good fire-biiekets. There are four Babcock extinguishers in the building, and all kept in perfect order, ready for any emergency that may arise. The upper story, which is reached by a broad, covered stairway on tlie outside of the building, is the city hall. Here the council holds its sessions, public meetings of the citizens are convened liere, the engine and hose companies use it for tiremen's hall, and it is just what it purports to be — the city's hall. It is comfoi'tably warmed, lighted and seated, and from it emanate the decrees of the city fathers for the government of the little municipality. The present officers of the lire department are : II. Gillett, chief engineer ; W. M. Sprague, assistant engineer. Engine company : James H. Gillett, engineer ; Ed. J. Collins, treasurer. Hose company : Ed. Tupper, foreman ; Frank Peirce, assistant foreman and secretary ; L. P. Follett, treasurer. Hook and Ladder company : H. McMillan, foreman ; Sunmer David, assistant foreman ; Frank Adams, secretary ; F. Schindler, treasurer. CHURCHES. Presbyterian. — The iirst Presbyterian church of Lake City was organized December 31, 1856, with Rev. Silas Hazlett as acting pastor, and B. C. Baldwin, A. V. Sigler and Mrs. Hazlett as mem- bers. B. C. Baldwin and A. V. Sigler were elected elders. For nearly a year and a half the church held union services with the Congregationalists, in the old Congregational church erected by the contributions of both societies, the pastors of the two churches alternating in the services. In 1S5S the Presbyterian church rented what was then known as Skinner's Hall. This was in the third story of a store-building situated on lot 2, block 14, fronting on Washing- ton street. In 1859 the church erected their church edifice on lots 4 and 5, block 58, which had been presented to the society' by Mr. Samuel Doughty. These lots are now occupied • by the residence of Mr. Charles E. Crane. The church-building, which originally cost nine hundred dollars, was removed in 1863 to its present location on High street, just north of Lyon avenue, and in 1876 was repaired and enlarged at an additional cost of eight hundred and fifty dollars. In 1862 the trustees purchased lot 1, block 56, and erected their present parsonage at a cost of eight hundred dollars, and in 1878 it was enlarged and repaired at a further cost of six hundred and fifty dollars. LAKE CITY. 845 The total number of members received into the church since its organization has been one hundred and ninety-seven, and of these one hundred and three were received upon the profession of their faith in Jesus Christ. The total baptisms during these years have been one hundred and four. The present membership is sixty. The officers of the church are : Pastor, J. W. Ray ; elders, A. V. Sigler and A. T. Guernsey ; trustees, A. T. Guernsey, J. B. McLean and J. W. Kennedy. The names of the pastors who have successively served the church, in the order of their service, are : Revs. Silas Hazlett, Porter H. Snow, William Speer, D.D., John Yaleen, John A. Annin, Hugh W. Todd, John L. Howell, James M. Pryse, W. J. Weber, Samuel Wyckoff, and J. W. Ray, the present incumbent. The Sunday school was organized on January 1, 1S60, with A. T. Guernsey as superintendent, who held the office eighteen years, since which time the following persons have held the position : Oliver Jones, who was superintendent two years, and Messrs. J. B. McLean, S. M. Emery and Wm. Wilson, who have each held the office one year, the last-named gentleman now serving his second term, having been re-elected recently. Swedish Zutheran.—The Swedish Lutheran church, in this city, was organized October 10, 1869, at a convocation called for that purpose, the Rev. P. Sjoblom, of Red Wing, presiding. The original number of communicants was forty-five, prominent among whom were Messrs. L. A. Hockanson, G. F. Edholm, A. E. Edholm, P. Sundberg, G. Erickson and others. Services were conducted for a time by two lay preachers, L. A. Hockanson and A. G. Westlong, and the congregation was ministered to at intervals by Rev. P. Sjoblom, of Red Wing, Rev. J. FremJing, of Stockholm, Wisconsin, and Rev. J. Wagner, of Svea, Wisconsin. In 1879 the congregation secured the services of the Rev. S. A. Lindholm, who also minis- tered to churches at Millville and Minneiska. Until the year 1875 the congregation worshiped sometimes in a smajl hall, at other times* in the Presbyterian or Baptist churches of this city, which were kindly opened for their accommodation. In 1875 a small church, 26X40 feet, was built and neatly furnished. This building stands on the upper side of Sixth street, three blocks northwest of Lyon avenue ; and facing it on the opposite of Sixth, a commodious parsonage was built in 1881, at a cost of twelve hundred dollars. The Sunday school, in connection with the church, organized fn 846 nisTOKY OF waijasiia county. 18T3, has always been maintained in a flourishing condition. Its superintendent for many years was Mr. P. Sundburg : the present superintendent is O. Chinberg. The present membership of the congregation is about eighty-tive, recent removals having led to a very material decrease. A very efficient Ladies' Society has been working within the church organization for several years, collecting m.oney for church and missionary purposes. They meet the third Fri(hiy in each month, and during the year 1883 contributed one hundred and eighteen dollars toward the six hundred and seventy- five dollars raised by the congregation. The present officers are Rev. L. A. Lindholm, pastor ; Mr. Ed. Edholm, secretary ; Mr. Nils Peterson, treasurer ; deacons, P. Sundberg, A. Anderson, G. Erickson, (). Chinberg ; trustees, A. E. Edholm, Nils Hallin, Chas. Chinberg. St. Mary's Catholic Church. — The first religious services held in Lake City in connection with the Catholic church were in 1857, in which year Father Auster conducted services in the house of John Moran, in the vicinity of the brick schoolhouse in the first ward. This was the first Catholic service ever held in the place, and though no church building was erected until seven years afterward, regular ministrations at the hands of Father Auster were enjoyed until his departure from the parish in 1860. During these years and sub- sequently, until the old church was built, the congregation wor- shiped from house to house and in public halls, particularly Will- iamson's, in which services were held longer than in smj other one place. To Father Auster succeeded Father Tisot, in 1860, remain- ing four years. In 1866 the old church was erected, on Center street, one block nearer the lake than the railway tracks of the Chi- cago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad. This was a substantial frame building, about 36x60 feet, and in this the cliurch continued to hold services, until 1873, when the church lots were sold and property bought farther down town. The new property consists of an entire bloc}j:, bounded by Lyon avenue, Center, Prairie and Garden streets. Upon this site the old frame cliurch was moved, refitted for service and occupied until 1877, when it was converted into a school-building for the use of the parish school. Father Tisot was followed by Father Trobec, the present parish priest at Wabasha, in 1865, and he in turn by Father Ilermon, in 1868, who continued in charge until 1875. It was during his ministry that the old church was removed to the present eligible and central location. LAKE CITY. 847 Father Quinn became parish priest in 1875, upon the removal of Father Hermon, and remained in charge until his failing health compelled him to seek rest in a more congenial climate. He accordingly crossed the seas and took up his residence in France, but the vital energies were too severely taxed to respond to tlie call, and he died shortly after reaching France. He was an earnest and indefatigable worker, and it was largely owing to his energetic eftorts that the beautiful church structure on the corner of Lyon avenue and Garden street was constructed. The present church edifice, erected in 1877 at a total cost of sixteen thousand dollars, is much the finest church structure in the city. It faces fifty feet on Lyon avenue, and has an extreme length of one hundred and sixteen feet along Garden street, including the sacristy, which is 16x53. The building is a substantial brick structure, stone founda- tions, water-table, caps, sills and trimmings. The side walls are twenty-two feet in height, and the top of the cross is one hundred and sixty-one feet above the sidewalk. It is finished inside to the roof, and seated to accommodate about six hundred. There is room, however, for quite a number of additional pews, and the seating capacity may be easily extended to eight hundred if desired. The church is an ornament to tlie city, and its spire can be seen from almost all parts of Lake Pepin, rising above every surround- ing object in its vicinit3^ Father Quinn was succeeded by Father Riley, a young man who remained in charge six months, and who was followed in the summer of 1882, by Father Riordan, who resigned his charge and went south for his liealth, January 1, 1884. The parish school, which was established in 1868, has not been in session for some time past, and probably will not be until the church has a permanent priest. The services are at present con- ducted by supplying priests from St. Paul. The number of con- tributing families in the parish is about thirty-five, but the number of families actually connected with the parish is much larger. Congregational : The first Congregational church in Lake City was organized on August 8, 1856, with ten members — four men and six women. This was the first church organization in this place, and at the time of its institution there were probably not far from three hundred people within what are now the corporate limits of Lake City, Rev, DeWitt C, Sterry (who died last summer in Kan- sas) was the first acting pastor of the church, which flourished vigor- ously during the ten years that he remained in charge as its minister. 848 HISTORY OF WAUASIIA COUNTY. tlie increase during the first year being more than fourfold. The little society worshiped in halls and rooms, as they could best secure accommodations, for one year, when they moved into their own house of worship which they had built upon the lot presented them tor that pur])ose by Abner Dwelle, Esq., one of the original proprietors of the town site. Their site was lot No. 10, block 27, and upon it the church-building, a frame structure 30x50 feet, was erected. In 1866 this old house of worship was reconstructed, turned partially around, enlarged and refitted for service, the cost of the improvements being considerably in excess of one thousand dollars, which was all paid early in January, 1869. In 1866 a par- sonage was erected on the south half of lots 6 and 7, in block 49, at a total cost of about fifteen hundred dollars. Since then the build- ing has received several additions and needed repairs, and is now a commodious and comfortable residence. In 1873 the old church was repainted, and six years later was burned to the ground. The congregation then decided to abandon their old location and build a new church in a more desirable part of the city. The site selected was on the north corner of Lyon avenue and Oak street. The lot fronts ojie hundred and thirty feet on Oak street, and one hundred feet on the avenue. Here in 1880 the present beautiful church structure was erected. This is a substantial stone and frame, m.odern style of architecture, extreme dimensions 40x60 feet. The basement is of stone with a ten-foot ceiling, and is conveniently arranged for Sunday- school and social services, as well as the regular church reunions. Above the basement rises the auditorium, finished to the Gothic roof, comfortably seated and furnished, having sittings for about two hundred and twenty-five persons. The contract price for the building was forty-nine hundred and sixty dollars, but its actual cost was considerably above that figure, the entire outlay for lots, build- ing, furniture, upholstering, bell, etc., being in round numbers about nine thousand dollars. As before stated, De Witt Sterry was the first acting pastor of the church, and he sustained that relation for nearly ten years, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Edward Anderson, whose ministry con- tinued a little less than two years, when he resigned, and W. B. Dada acce))ted a call to the pulpit. His ministry, begun in December, 1867, terminated in February, 1872, when he was succeeded by Rev. J. W. Ray, whose pastorate lasted five years. In October, 1877, Rev. P. LAKE CITY. 849 B. Fisk was called to the oversight of the church, and remained its pastor until the spring of 1882, In May of that year, Rev. J. W. Horner became minister of the church, an office which he now sustains with great acceptability to the church and congregation. The whole number of members connected with the church from the date of its organization to the present has been two hundred and seventy. The present membership is one hundred and twenty-five. The present officers are : Trustees, A. E. Smith, president ; C. A. Hubbard, treasurer; N. C. Pike, secretary; deacons, Carlos Clem- ent, M. C. Humphrey ; Rev. J. W. Horner, church clerk. There is a very efficient Sunday school maintained by the church, the average attendance at which is about one hundred. W. H. Moore, the principal of the city schools, is its superintendent. This Sunday school was organized immediately after the church organiza- tion was effected, and has been in continuous existence until the present. Episcopal Church. — St. Mark's Protestant Episcopal church is one of the strong church organizations of Lake City. The first services were held here in the fall of 1857, at which time Bishop Kemper visited the place, preached and baptized. Subsequent visits were made by the bishop, by the Rev. E. R. Wells, of Red Wing, and in 1860 by Bishop H. B. Whipple. In 1862 the parish was formally received into union with the council, but no vestry was formed until December, 1864. On the 14th of this month a meeting was held at the residence of Rev. John W. Shatzel, parish missionary, at which time the vestry was constituted by the election of the following : Wardens, Lyman H. Buck, senior, John O. Junkin, junior ; Vestrymen, Wm. E. Perkins, John T. Graves, P. R. Hardt, Thomas Gibbs, B. L. Goodrich, Wm. Marsh, Asa Doughty and Mathias Dil- ley. L. H. Buck was elected secretary of the vestry, and R. S, Goodrish, treasurer. Services were first held in a small school- room owned by Mrs. O. E. Walters, and afterward in a hall under the Masonic lodge, from which they removed in the spring of 1864 to what was known as Harley's hall. Here they remained until the completion of the church-building in the summer of 1866. Prepara- tions for building were begun in 1863, the sum of sixteen hundred dollars was raised or pledged, and a church lot 75 X 100 feet pur- chased, for which the sum of three hundred and fifty dollars was 51 ^50 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. paid. It was found that lumber could not be procured, and build- ino; was deterred until the fall of 1865. The church was com|)leted early in the summer of 1860 and the opening services were held July 1, but the parish being in debt for the building to the amount of eight hundred dollars, the consecration was defen-ed until Wednesday, Januar}^ 16, 1867, when the church was formally con- secrated according to the usages of the Protestant Episcopal church. The site of this church edifice is a commanding location on Oak street, just south of Lyon avenue, fronting the lake and overlooking the main business portion of the city. The structure is of wood, 50X30 feet, with a front tower 12x12 feet, and a chancel extension 10X18 feet. The side walls are fourteen feet and the ridge of the ceiling thirty-one feet. The tower is forty-five feet in height, and above it rises the si)ire a farther distance of thirty-four feet, sur- mounted by a cross four feet high, the total height from sill to cross-top being eight3^-three feet. The building is comfortably furnished and has sittings for a little over two hundred persons. The entire cost was about thirty-five hundred dollars, and of this sum two thousand dollars were raised by the society at home, the rest being contributions from abroad. There have been connected with this church from the date of its organization to the present a total membership of two hundred and fifty-four. Baptisms, for the same period, four hundred and fifty- two ; confirmations, two hundred and one ; marriages, seventy-six ; burials, one hundred and fifty. The succession of rectors of St. Mark's is as follows : C. P. Dorset, 1861-2; J. W. Shatzel, 1863-6; C. W. Kelley, 1867; J. C. Adams, 1868-72 ; C. H. Plummer, 1873, to May, 1883 ; Rev. "W. Gardam, the present incumbent, having been in charge only since last May. The present church officers are : Rev. W. Gardam, rector ; L. H. Buck and W. E. Perkins, wardens ; vestrymen, G. F. Benson, S. K. Gates, J. C. Adams, C. W. Crary, Thos. Gibbs, A. Wells, O. P. Francisco, C. H. Benedict. Mr. L. 11. Buck is secretary and Mr. W. E. Perkins, treasurer. The present number of communi- cants is one hundred and twenty-two. St. Mark's church maintains a flourishing Sunday school with eighteen teachers and one hundred and forty scholars, of which Mr. J. M. Underwood is superintendent ; Mrs. G. F. Benson, librarian and L. H. Buck, treasurer. LAKE CITY. 851 Baptist. — Baptist meetings were held by Kev. Edgar Cad}^ from July, 1857, to December of the same year, when the first Baptist church of Lake City was organized, December 13, 1857. The num- ber of constituent members was twenty-one. Up to 1871 two hundred and twenty-five members had been added to the church, including twelve members of a branch church at Maiden Rock, Wisconsin, in 1863. Of the above number sevent^^-seven were by baptism, the balance by letter and experience. Subsequent statistics of membership are not available. The present number of members is sixty-four. The Baptists worshiped first in Gaylord's hall, which stood. I believe, about where Perkins' livery stable now is. The present edifice was erected under Rev. A. P. Graves' supervision, in 1859, at a cost of two thousand dollars. It has been enlarged and im- proved during the past year by the expenditure of about seven hundred dollars. The church owned a parsonage until a few years since, when it was sold to Mr. Terrell in order to liquidate the church indebtedness. Of pastors the following is a complete list, with dates of settle- ment and terms of office : Rev. Edgar Cady, July, 1837, one year and four months ; Rev. A. P. Graves, August, 1859, two years and five months ; Rev. G. W. Freeman, September, 1862, two years and two months ; Rev. G. W. Fuller, April, 1865, six years and two months ; Rev. H. H. Beach, June, 1872, four years ; Rev. E. C. Anderson, November, 1876, four years ; Rev. A. Whitman, December, 1880, one year and five months ; Rev. W. K. Dennis, October, 1882, present pastor. The Swede Baptist church, of Lake City, was at first a branch church, and eventually organized during Rev. M. Beach's pastorate, and the English Baptist churcii, of Maiden Rock, Wisconsin, was an offshoot from this church. The Baptist Sunday school was organized in Gaylord hall in 1857. Number of pupils, eighty-five. List of church officers : Pastor, Rev. W. K. Dennis ; clerk, J. M. Chalmers ; treasurer, Mr. Alex. Selover. Trustees : A. R. Spauldings, A. Selover, N. K. Eells, A. D. Prescott, F. Bouton. Superintendent of Sunda^ school, J. M. Chalmers. MetJiodist.—^xiQx to 1857 no society of the Methodist Episcopal church was known in Lake City, although a few of the old settlers were members of that church. During the month of September, 852 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. 185'^, Kev. S. Salisbury was sent, by the bisho]> ])residing over the Minnesota annual conference, to Wabasha and Lake City circuit. He came to Lake City and preached one sermon in the Congrega- tional church, but we saw his face no more. This was the first sermon ever preached in Lake City by an ordained minister of the Methodist Episcopal church. The few members (iive in number), as a ilock without a shepherd, were soon in charge of Rev. C. IIobart,a supernumerary member of the minister of the Minnesota conference, who at that time resided in Red Wing. We rented a room known as Skinner's Hall, a small room with but limited seat- ing capacity, lighted with tallow candles. Here we waited for the salvation which God had promised. It seemed as if each member of the small company received a special commission from the King Eternal to go forth and win souls. A class was soon formed by Dr. Hobart, which consisted of D. C. Estes, M. E. Estes, Seth Tisdale, Augusta Dollar, Jane Terrill, Eliza Baily and Bidwell Redley. D. C. Estes was appointed leader. Seth Tisdale was a local preacher. This completed the organization of the society. Of these seven members five are still living. Bid- well Pedley was killed during the late war, while engaged in the service of his country. Seth Tisdale died in September, 1883. Eliza Baily lives in St. Paul. Augusta Dollar is now living in California. D. C. Estes, M. E. Estes and Jane Terrill are still members of the society in Lake City. Rev. Seth Tisdale was the first preacher of the Methodist Epis- copal church to engage in special revival services. His work began first at Florence. He was a man of strong faith and untiring energy. Soon after Dr. Elobart took charge of the work the first quarterly meeting was held. Rev. Dr. Quigly preached from Isa. Ixiii, 1, a sermon of marvelous power. It was as of old a demonstration of the spirit. The little company of believers enjoyed the privilege at that quarterly meeting, for the first time in the new country, of receiving the sacrament of the Lord's Supper as a society of the Methodist Episcopal church. Dr. Hobart was assisted during the winter by Bro. Tisdale. In the spring of 1858 we moved to a vacant ^^toreroom on Main street, in the building which is now occupied by Mr. D. Cregoasa dwelling. About this time Rev. J. Gurley, of Pepin, Wisconsin, was appointed to supply Lake City, but on account of the difficulty of crossing the LAKE CITY, 858 lake he was not able to render much service. In 1858 Lake City was left to be supplied. In 1859 Rev. E. R. Lathrop was appointed as pastor, being a man of kind, genial spirit, and a good preacher. The society prospered under his administration. In 1860 Rev. A. y. Hiscock was appointed pastor ; a year of encouragement during which many were added to the church. In 1861 Rev. C. T. Bow- dish was pastor. In 1862 the society was left to be supplied. In 1863 Rev. G. W. T. Wright was app(nnted pastor. He served the charge until September, 1866, when Rev. T. M. Gossard was appointed. During Bro. Gossard's term of two years the church was favored with a gracious revival. During Bro. Gossard's pastorate the place of meeting was changed. The society rented a vacant store-building on Upper Washington street. This building is now occupied as a dwelling by Mr. Brown. In 1868 Rev. D. Tice was appointed as pastor. During his first year the corner-stone of the church was laid, the site for the building being a lot which had been previously secured on the corner of Chestnut and Oak streets. The church was enclosed and the basement occupied by the society in 1869. In 1870-1 Rev. H. Goodsell was pastor. In 1872-4, Rev. C. M. Heard was pastor. In 1875 Rev. J. Door was appointed. The audience-room was finished and dedicated in 1876. The dedicatory services were held July 9, 1876. Rev. Mr. McChesney preached the dedicatory sermon. In 1878-80 Rev. G. W. T. Wright was pastor for the second term. In 1881 T. B. Killiam was appointed pastor. During 1882 and 1883 the entire debt, which had for years been a burden to the society, was paid. We now have a good property, a membership of ninety persons ; a good sabbath school, the average attendance being seventy. Church ofiicers : Pastor, T. B. Killiam ; class-leader. Rev. C. L. Dempster ; sabbath-school superintendent, J. M. Martin. Stewards : James M. Martin, D. C. Estes, L. W. Lemley, E. Wrigley, E. F. Carpenter. Trustees : T. Megroth, D. C. Estes, A, Koch, J. Harding, E. F. Carpenter, E. Wrigley, L. W. Lemley. The Methodist Episcopal Sunda}' school of Lake City, Minnesota, was organized by Dr. D. C. Estes on the first sabbath in Septem- ber, 1857, — being the first Methodist Sunday school held in Lake City, and the second one organized in the county of Wabasha. The first services of the school were held in the unoccupied store build- ing situate on lot 9, block 17, fronting on Main street, then but re- cently vacated by the firm of Johnson & Kittredge, since remodeled 854 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. into a dwelling-liouse, and owned by Daniel H. Crego. The records of the school from its organization down to September 3, 1865, were all destroyed in the fire of April 17, 1882, that burned Dr. D. C. Estes' office ; but we learn from the report of the su]ierintendent, Dr. Estes, made to the school on the occasion of their tenth anniver- sary, September 1, 1867, that there were but few children in the first organization. "Our beginning was but a feeble, a small one," but increased gradually. From that day down to the present the Sunday school has continued without interruption, following the fortunes of the church in its various movings from store to store, from store to halls, from halls to church ; at times with lessening and again increasing attendance. As far as the records extant dis- close, the largest average attendance a])pears to have been in the winters of 1868-9, when the average attendance was one hundred, and again in the winter of 1876-7, when the enrollment was one hundred and forty-eight, and average attendance of one hundred and three ; and again in'J 880-1, when the number enrolled and in attendance was about the same as in 1876-7. In the spring of 1881, from removals, the numbers decreased largely, the present enrollment (February, 1884) being one hundred and five, with an average attendance of seventy-two. Since the organization, the following have been superinten- dents in the order and for the times named : Dr. D. 0. Estes, September 1, 1857, to September 13, 1868 ; Dr. W. H. Spafford, September 13, 1868, to September 3, 1871 ; Kev. H. Goodsell, September 3, 1871, to June 2, 1872 ; Chas. M. Gould, June 2, 1872, to April 27, 1873 ; J. M. Martin, April 27, 1873. to October 21, 1877 ; P. S. Hinman, October 21, 1877, to September 7, 1879 ; Geo. L. Matchan, September 7, 1879, to January 1, 1882 ; J. M. Martin, January 1, 1882, to present time — re-elected for ensuing year September 9, 1883. The present officers of the school are : J. M. Martin, superintendent ; E. L. Carpenter, assistant superinten- dent ; Maggie Koch, secretary ; Lutie Chapman, treasurer ; Henry Koch, librarian. Teachers : Kev. T. B. Killiara, Mrs. J. Dobner, Mrs. S. L. Strong, Mrs. F. M. Martin, Miss Jennie Baker, Miss H. M. Dobner, Miss Marion Lee, Chas. A. Koch, J. M, Martin. THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. It is impossible to present any connected history of the Lake City schools, such as we would esteem it a pleasure to prepare, had LAKE CITY. 855 we tlie data. The records and material for such history are unfor- tunately lost, having been destroyed in the great tire of 1882, in which so much that was valuable and indispensable to a complete history of the city was irretrievably lost. All efforts to restore these records, or recreate them from the memories of those now living, have proved abortive, as there is too wide a divergence in the statements of those who were living here a quarter of a century since to predicate anything very positive upon such sources of information. The human memory, unassisted by records or un- corrected by memoranda, is not to be relied upon for much outside of merely personal matters, and not always for even these. This, at least, is the conclusion very reluctantly reached after weeks of care- ful inquiry, and we are therefore necessitated to content ourselves with a general statement, into which is interwoven so much of de- tail as is warranted correct by the agreement of the narrati^s of those who have been interviewed, and their recollections noted. In addi- tion to this, the files of the old newspapers still existing have been thoroughly scanned for points, but these also are silent where most naturally they would be expected to speak — as, for instance, in not- ing the erection, completion and opening of school-buildings. Thus we are cut off from the two most reliable sources of information, viz, the school records themselves, and the reports found in the news- papers of the specific dates at wliich particular occurrences took place. The probabilities are that the public schools in this city never formed an integral part of the school system of the county, having been organized prior to the establishment of the school System of the state. Not only so ; they appear to have attained sufficient growth to have been included in an independent school district, before the public school system of the county took form. The schools here were originally of the character known as subscription schools, being supported by the voluntary subscriptions of the resi- dents of the place. The pioneer school in the little settlement, now Lake City, was opened by the Kev. S. Hazlett, in the fall of 1856 (November), and was taught in a frame building, the lower portion of which was used as a carpenter-shop, on the lot, now vacant, at the east corner of the Academy of Music block. The number of pupils in attend- ance was about thirty, and the estimated population of the settle- ment at that time was three hundred. From this date, schools in 856 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Lake City were regularly tauglit somewhere. Gaylord's hall, near the present site of W. E. Perkin's livery stables, was subsequently opened for school purposes, and schools were taught at various places — now hero, now there — for the next five years, the city hav- ing no school-building of its own prior to 1801. In this year it was determined to build a suitable schoolhouse, and in the early summer plans for such building were prepared by Geo. Kogers, and contract for the lumber was made. Work was immediately begun, the base- ment excavated, the stonework laid up, and the building partially enclosed, when the school trustees released the contractor from his contract to furnish the clear lumber, because the price of lumber had advanced, and the building came to a standstill. Late in the fall the basement was finished, and school opened, — Geo. T. Gibbs, now of St. Paul, being the first teacher to guide the young idea in the new schoolhouse. This building was a credit to the city. It was a commodious two-story frame, -±0x60, with stone foundation and basement. The basement only was completed in 1861, and in this school was held until the upper stories were finished and fur- nished in 1863, when the whole building was occupied for school purposes. This schooliiouse is the one now standing upon its origi- nal foundations, on Garden street, and doing duty as the high- school building of Lake City. In the meantime the citizens of the ambitious little city by the lake had made provision for a somewhat higher grade of scholar- ship than was contemplated in the common schools of twenty-five years since, and the Lake City Academy came into existence. This Academy building, also on Garden street, now known as the old Crane residence, was largely erected by the private contributions of the citizens, with the evident intention of its becoming the pro])erty of the city, to be used as an academy for higher instruction. It was built (date not accurately known) with funds }n-ovided as above mentioned, for Mrs. C. W. Hackett, who opened a school or academy there and taught it for some years. The property subsecpiently passed into Mrs. Hackett's possession in some undefined way, and was sold. With the growth of the city, the accommodations of the wooden building erected in 1861 became totally inadequate to meet the wants of the city, and the erection of a new school-building was determined upon. LAKE CITY. 857 By the legislative act of 1864, giving the settlement, now Lake City, all the rights and immunities of a corporate city without its responsibilities, a change was made in its government, and this was followed in 1865 by a change in the administration of school affairs. In the spring of this latter year a board of education was elected, of which Dr. Estes was clerk, and to this board and its successors have been entrusted the management of all school matters for the past nineteen years. Finding that the work of education was suffering for lack of proper school accommodations and appliances, the board determined upon the erection of a school-building in the first ward, that would accommodate all the children of that ward below the grammar and high school grades, and thus draw into one building the scholars scattered in various places throughout the city, as rooms could be obtained. Plans for the new building were prepared, bids advertised for, and in the summer of 1872 the con- tract was let to Red Wing parties for a little less than nine thousand dollars. This is the building between Oak and Garden streets, known as the first ward schoolhouse. It occupies a full half-block, fronts northeast and northwest ; is a substantial two-story brick with a high stone basement; has two schoolrooms on each floor with commodious hallways and closets, and is provided with the requi- site flues for furnaces, should they ever be deemed necessary. Its entire cost, including sidewalks, fencing and furniture, was about eleven thousand dollars. School was first opened in this building early in the winter of 1872-3, with James M. Martin and Misses Anna Montgomery and E. M. Burrett as teachers. But three rooms were occupied. These were graded "A," "B," '*C," and the enrollment of pupils was about eighty, forty-five and sixty, respectively. Ten years passed away before any additions were made to the school-buildings of the city, and again the demand for school-room had outgrown the accommodations. In 1883 the second ward schoolhouse was erected, on the original school lot on Garden street, just a little southeast of the old building in which school had been opened in 1861. This new building is also of brick, two stories, with substantial stone basement, and is intended to form one of the wings of a complete structure, which shall include high school, grammar school, and ward school in one. The dimensions of the wing already built and occupied, are as follows : width, 31 1 858 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. feet; length, 06 feet; height over all, 57 feet; vestibule on the southeast front, 10x27-| feet. This vestibule is the full height ot the building, and from it access is gained to the schoolrooms, two in number on each floor. The building is furnished in the latest style, well provided with all needed ai)i)liances. The ceilings are fourteen feet each, and the whole structure complete cost a little in excess of the contract price, eight thousand dollars. The contract- ors were Messrs. Lutz & Alexander, of this city, and bj them the building was turned over to the school board on September 20, 1883. The present officers and members of the school board are : J. C. Adams, president ; C. D. Vilas, clerk ; J. M. Martin, treasurer ; C W. Crarv and W. H. Hobbs, committee on supplies ; H. D. Stocker, committee on textbooks ; W. H. Moore, city superintendent of schools. The schools are graded into high, grammar, intermediate and primary, taught as follows: The high school and "A" grammar is taught by Superintendent Moore, assisted by Misses Sarah E. Pal- mer and Anna C. Marston. Mr. Moore is a graduate of Darmouth College, class of '81, and his. assistants are both graduates of the State University, classes of '81 and '83 respectively. The "B" grammar is under the charge of Mrs. Alice Fox, of the State Normal School at Winona, and the "C" grammar under that of Miss F. M. Thornton. Miss Jennie M. Baker has the "A" and "B" in- termediate in the second ward, and Miss Helen Dobner the same grades in the flrst ward. The "C" intermediate and "A" pri- mary are taught by Miss Kate J. Lilley in the first ward, and in the second ward by Miss Margaret Clearman. Miss Belle Hulett has the "B" and "C" primaries in the first ward, and Miss Mollie Greer in the second ward. The "D" primaries are taught by Misses Nellie J. Estes and Sue Slocurn, of the first and second wards respectiv^ely. The total enrollment for the year is about six hundred ; the aver- age enrollment, four hundred and fifty. The aggregate cost of main- taining the schools, not including interest on or cost of constructions, is about eight thousand dollars per annum. Salaries vary from thirty-five dollars per month to one hundred and twenty dollars. It is with extreme satisfaction that we record the exceptionally high rank taken by the Lake City schools, particularly the high school, which since 1881 has been the banner hijjh school of the LAKE CITY. 859 state, the percentage of its pupils passing the examinations prescribed by the high-school board of the state, being greater than that of any other of the fifty high schools competing for the state appropriation. SECRET SOCIETIES. The history of the secret societies of this city is one most diffi- cult to prepare satisfactorily, owing, as in the case of the city schools, to the destruction of the records by fire and loss of important data. In this case, however, the work of reconstruction has not proved impossible, as the matters treated of are more individual and specific, and private memoranda have been found that materially assist in fixing dates. Personal recollections also are more available here, and the reports of the higher representative bodies, with whose trans- actions the subordinate bodies were to some extent involved, have been drawn upon for such information as they contain. Not only so — the destruction of records in this case was not as complete as in that of tiie schools, and we are therefore prepared to assert quite confidently that the subjoined statements will be found, if not absolutely accurate in all particulars, at least sufficiently so to answer all the purposes of a substantially correct record of the insti- tution, growth and present condition of the benevolent fraternities of Lake City. CarneJian^ No. If-O., A.F.A.M. — Lake City had grown into a town of considerable proportions ; her schools and churches had been in existence for a period of five or six years, and her citizens included no inconsiderable number of the "ancient craftsmen," before any attempt was made to set up the ancient landmarks, and organize a masonic lodge upon the banks of the beautiful lake, where so many of the A.F.A.M. had reared their home altars and industries with the intention of ending their days there. The first year of the war of the rebellion had closed, and many of Minnesota's bravest and best had given themselves to the service of their country, when the members of the masonic order in Lake City, remembering the former times, took counsel together and determined to organize a lodge of Ancient Craft Masonry. Accord- ingly, early in the summer of 1862 (probably in May — date not accurately known), a petition was presented to M.W. A. T. C. Pierson, grand master of the state, for a dispensation to open a masonic lodge in Lake City. The petition was approved and dispensation granted to C. G. Bowdish, W.M., John McBride, 860 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. S.W., and Benjamin Smith, J.W., to open and conduct a masonic lodge here. This dispensation was in force only until the meeting of the grand lodge next ensuing, October, 1862. Owing, however, to the absence of so many Masons from tlie state, in the ranks of the Union armies, no grand lodge meeting was held in 1862, and in December of that year Grand Master Pierson notified the members of the order here that if they would designate such persons as they desired to open and conduct their lodge, he would grant them another dispensation. In accordance with this intimation the mem- bers of the craft here held an election on January 13, 1863, at which time the following otScers were elected : Benjamin Smith, W.M.; S. E. Merrell, S.W.; C. F. Eogers, J.W.; k" Gould, Sec; S. P. Hicks, Treas.; C. W. Smyth, S.D.; Anson Peirce, J.D. The dispensation was duly granted until the meeting of the grand lodge in the ensuing ftill, and under this renewed authority the lodge worke.d until the assembling of the grand lodge, at Masonic Hall, in the city of St Paul, October 27, 1863. From this grand lodge a charter issued to Carnelian Lodge, No. 40, A.F.A.M., of Lake City, bearing date October 28, 1863, in which the following were named as the charter members : C. G. Bowdish, John McBride, Benj. Smith, C. M. Loring, C. F. Rogers, C. W. Smyth, N. Gould, Elijah Stout, F. R. Sterrett, E. F. Dodge, S. R. Merrell and probably Dr. D. W. Green, Of this latter name there is some doubt, recollections differing. As the charter was burned in the great fire of 1882, and also the original records, the question cannot be definitely settled. Of the other names there appears to be no doubt. The first masonic meetings were held in what was then known as Gaylord's hall, which stood on Washington street, on the present site of W. E. Perkin's omnibus barn. Here the lodge remained for several years, and worked and grew and prospered. Probably about the year 1878 the lodge removed to the Armstrong building on Washington street, just below Center. They did not continue in this location very long, for in February, 1869, the lodge removed to Harley's hall, the present site of the Academy of Music, where they remained until J^ovember, 1872, when they took possession of the hall in Young's block, corner of Center and Main streets, which they had leased for a period of ten years. This hall was specially fitted up and arranged for the work of the masonic bodies LAKE CITY. 861 of the city, and its destruction by fire was a severe loss to the craft, as many of their records, regalia, furniture, working-tools, etc., were destroyed. Since that destruction the blue lodge and chapter have been holding stated meetings and convocations in the hall of the I.O.O.F., in Lyon block. The comniandery has held no regular asylum since the tire, having no suitable arrangements for work. Carnelian Lodge has numbered among its members very many of the best business and professional men of this city, and upon its rolls may be read the names of a majority of those citizens whose records are inseparably interwoven with tlie business enterprises of the city. During the almost twenty-two years of its existence, Carnelian Lodge has entered the names of two hundred and two members upon its registers, and of these just one-half remain affiliate, the other one hundred and one having either died, removed or demitted. The list of those who have sat in the east, west and south since the organization of the lodge is herewith given, and should be carefully preserved as a matter of reference, as the data from which the roster is made is most difficult of access. 1864. 1865. 1866. 1867 . S. R. Merrell Anson Peirce L. J. Fletcher. .8 R Merrell L.J. Fletcher R. Ottman. .S. R. Merrell C. W. Smyth W. A. Doe. _„ L. J. Fletcher W. W. Scott M. L. Hulett. 1868 S. R. Merrell Anson Peirce C. J. Collins. 1869 C G Ayres M. L. Hulett Lafe. Collins. 187o! W. W. Scott Rev. G. W. T. Wright. . .E. B. Ellsworth. 1871 W. W. Scott Lafe. Collins E. B. Ellsworth. 1872 Lafe. ColUns OUver Gibhs, Jr Samuel Dale. 1873 W. W. Scott M. L. Hulett Samuel Dale. 1874 M. L. Hulett : H. D. Brown H. Dwelle. 1875 M. L. Hulett John Wear H. Rotf. 1876 ... J W^ear M. P. Stroup J. Hassinger. 1877 M. L. Hulett M. P. Stroup H. K. Terrell. 1878 M. P. Stroup C. W. Crary Oliver \oung. 1879 M. P. Stroup John Wear Oliver \oung. 1880 John Wear H. Rofi' C. A. Hubbard 1881 H Roff ■. C. A. Hubbard C. J. Coggswell. 1882 . . . .H Roff O. P. Francisco J. S. Stanford. 1883 O. P. Francisco J. W. Kennedy A. J. Fowler. 1884 O. P. Francisco J. W. Kennedy A. J. Fowler. The other officers for the current year are : C. Neal, Treas., who has held that office ten years ; Adebert Wells, Sec, who has held his office four years ; C. C. Lowe, S.D. ; C. H. Hanson, J.D. ; James Lister, S.S. ; F. G. Slocum, J.S. ; James K. Baker, Tyler. 862 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Hope Chapter^ No. i^, R.A.M. — The war had closed, the citi- zen soldiers had returned to their homes, trade had resumed its wonted channels, and peace settled permanently upon all our broad domain ; when, with the return of prosperity and the abiding- convic- tion tliat war's rude alarms would not soon disturb their (juiet, the members of the Lake City A.F.A.M., who in other places had enjoyed the privileges of the liigher masonic bodies, determined, if possible, to secure the institution of a chapter of the royal arch at this place. A petition was accordingly forwarded to B. F. Smith, ofMankato, G.Il.P. of the G.R.A.C., for dispensation to open a chapter of R.A.M. in Lake City. The petition was favorably re- ceived and the request granted. The dispensation, bearing date February 2, 1867, came duly to hand and on the evening of the seventh day of that same month was read before the following named Royal Arch Masons, who constituted the original members of Hope Chapter, No. 12 : Eduard Anderson, E. F. Dodge, Benj. Dodge, A. H. Beach, John McBi-ide, C. G. Ayres, Geo. K. Saylor, L. J. Fletcher, Benjamin Smith, T. M. Gossard, W. E. Lowell. The dispensation named A. H, Beach, H.P. ; Geo. Saylor, K. ; John McBride, Scribe; Benj. Smith, C. of H. ; C. G. Ayres, P.S., and L. L. Fletcher, R.A.C., to act until the convocation of the G.R. A.C. in the ensuing fall. The chapter thus working under dis- pensation continued its labors until the convocation of the G.R. A.C, October 12, 1867, when the act of dispensation was approved and a charter issued. The G.H.P. not being able to attend in per- son, appointed, as his proxy, companion S. B. Foote, of Red Wing, who, under instructions from the G.H.P., visited Lake City on December 3, 1867, to install the officers-elect and consecrate and dedicate the chapter. In addition to the names already given as petitioners, the list of charter members included the following : B. S. Goodrich, C. W. Smyth, S. S. Whitney, S. B. Munson, Jr., H. K. Terrell, J. W. VanVliet. The meetings of the chapter were regularly held in Masonic hall and the numbers increased steadily. The whole number of companions who have been borne upon the rolls of Hope Chapter, No. 12, R.A.M., since its institution nearly seventeen years since, has been one hundred and forty-six, and of these ninety-six are now members. Of the original petitioners three have entered within the veil of the unseen temple, the house not made with hands, viz : Geo. K. Saylor, Benjamin Smith and W. E. Lowell. LAKE CITY. 863 The officers who have filled the three highest positions in the chapter from the date of its dedication, are as follows : YEAR. II. P. KING. SCRIBE. 1868 C. G. Ayres John McBride B. S. Goodrich. 1869 S. B. Munson S. S. Whitney L. J. Fletcher. 1870 E. F. Dodge W.J. Whitney W. J. Townsend. 1871 W. J. AVhitney W J. Townsend S. R. Merrell. 1872 C. G. Avres C. W. Smvth J. E. Favrow. 1873. . . .E. B. Ellsworth W. J. Whitney H. H. Dickman. 1874 W. N. Vilas H. H. Dickman J. E. Favrow. 1875 E. B. Ellsworth H. H. Dickman L. E. Thorpe. 1876 H. H. Dickman M. L. Hulett L. E. Thorpe. 1877 M. L. Hulett J. E. Farrow Calvin Neal. 1878 M. L. Hulett Calvin Neal H. K. Terrell. 1879 M. L. Hulett. . . Calvin Neal G. W. T. Wright. 1880 W. J. Hahn Calvin Neal G. W. T. Wright. 1881 W. J. Hahn Calvin Neal G. AV. T. Wright. 1882 Calvin Neal J. C. Stout H. RofF. 1883 J. C. Stout H. Rofl" O. P. Francisco. 1884 J. M. Martin O. P. Francisco J. Nute. The officers for the current year, other than those above given, are: M. O. Kemp, C.H. ; C. A. Hubbard, P.S. ; C. C. Lowe, RA.C. ; C. W. Smyth, Treas. ; Adelbert AVells, Sec. ; J. Cole Doughty, M. 3d Y. ; J. W. Kennedy, M. 2d Y. ; C. H. Salisbury, M. 1st Y. ; Jas. F. Baker, Sentinel. Lake City Coininandery^ No. 6. — The organization of the com- mandery in Lake City followed the institution of the chapter about three years. In the spring of 1870 a petition was presented to E. D. B. Porter, K.E.G.C, for dispensation to erect an asylum in Lake City, and the dispensation, in accordance with such petition, was granted on March 21 of that year (1870). One month later, April 21, 1870, the first meeting of the commandery was held. The Sir Knights to whom the dispensation of R.E.G.C. Porter came, were : E. F. Dodge, S. R. Merrell, F. A. Wells, Ilenry W. Holmes, Grove B. Cooley, S. Y. Hyde, Chas. H. Lindsley, Richard A. Jones and E. H. Kennedy. Of these, E. F. Dodge was named E.C., S. R. Merrell, G., and F. A. Wells, C.G. In the following June the grand conclave met, approved the work of the Sir Knights and issued them a charter in regular form. On October 31 following, Sir Knight S. R. Merrell, of this city, received orders from the R.E.G.C. to organize the commandery, and on November 12, 1870, the orders were obeyed, and Lake City Commandery of Knights Templar, No. 6, was formally organized. The commandery has had a prosperous existence, and until the trial by fire, nearly two years since, was steadily increasing in numbers, influence and effi- 864 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. ciency. Notwithstanding the organization of Ked Wing comman- dery so near their asyhim, witliin less tlian half the prescribed limits, Lake City Sir Knights have added to their numbers from year to year until one hundred and seventeen have taken the orders of knight- hood in the asylum here, or been received from others. Of this whole number of one hundred and seventeen, only twentjMiine have sev- ered their connection, leaving an actual membership of eighty-eight. Of the twenty-nine who are no longer carried upon the list of Sir Knights connected with this commandery, live have gone out at the orders of the Supreme Commander, to enter the earthly asylum no more forever. Their names are : C. A. Bayard, who died in 1872; Wilbur Carrol, in 1875 ; W. E. Collins, in 1880 ; H. M. Powers, in 1881, and H. P. Krick, who received his summons only last Sep- tember. The three principal posts in the commandery have been held by the following Sir Knights from the organization of the body, in 1870, until the present. In this table the years in which the elections were held are the ones given : YEAR. E.C. G. C.G. 1870 E. F. Dodge S. R. Merrell Geo. Atkinson. 1871 S. B. Munson S. R. Merrell Geo. Atkinson. 1872 S. R. Merrell D. M. Baldwin Geo. Atkinson. 1873 D. M. Baldwin W. J. Whitney W. E. Collins. 1874 W. J. Whitney W. E. Collins W. N. Yilas. 1875 W. E. Collins E. B. Ellsworth G. W. Mossman. 1876 E. B. Ellsworth C. W. Smyth H. D. Brown. 1877 E. B. Ellsworth C. W. Smyth H. D. Brown. 1878 E. B. Ellsworth J. E. Favrow J. C. Stout. 1879 J. C. Stout J. E. Favrow H. Rotf. 1880 J. C. Stout J. E. Favrow H. Roff. 1881 J. C. Stout H. Roff C. A. Hubbard. 1882 C. A. Hubbard H. Roff C. J. Stauff. 1883 C. A. Hubbard H. Roff J. Cole Doughty. The completed roster of the Sir Knights holding office in the commandery here at present are : Rev. James Cornell, P. ; James C. ITassinger, S.W. ; J. C. Parkhurst, J.W. ; O. P. Francisco, Treas. ; M. O. Kemp, Rec. ; H. H. Dickmann, St.B. ; C. H. Salisbury, Sw.B. ; Calvin Neal, Warden ; J. O. Junkin, 1st G. ; A. B. Kegar, 2d G. ; H. Lorentzen, 3d G. ; R. H. Keal, Sentinel. Lake City, No. 22, 1. 0. O.F.— The I.O.O.F. of this city have had a continuous and prosperous existence of nearly sixteen years. The lodge was instituted here by C. C. Comee, G.M., and C. D. Strong. G.Rep., July ?3, 1868. The charter members were: R. H. Matthews, S. S. Whitney, Albei-t Glines, T. H. Perkins, R. R. Gray and Richard Weeks. The original elective officers were : S. X FRANCIS TALBOT. LAKE CITY. 865 S. Whitnej, N.G. ; Albert Glines, Y.G. ; R. II. Mattliews, Sec. ; Richard Weeks, Treas. The appointed officers were : T. H. Per- kins, Warden ; R. R. Grey, Guardian. The first meetings of the Lake City Lodge, No. 22, I.O.O.F., were held in what was then known as Gaylord's Hall, on Washing- ton street, upon the present site of W. E. Perkins' omnibus barn. In December, 1871, they went into permanent quarters in their present location, in the third story of Lyon block. They have a very comfortable hall 30x55 feet, with commodious anterooms, committee rooms, preparation and regalia rooms, and all the neces- sary accompaniments for the regular prosecution of their work. The whole number of members received into the order here since its organization, both by card and initiation, has been two hundred thirty-two. The present membership is ninety-four. The officers now serving are : W. M. Sprague, K.G. ; J. C. Schmedt, Y.G. ; W. A. Stevens, R.S. ; C. H. Hanson, F.S. ; A. Koch, Treas. ; R. Clifford, Warden ; D. G. Heggie, Conductor ; L. D. Avery, O.G. ; P. J. Anderson, LG. ; N. C. Pike, R.S. KG. ; H. D. Wickham, L.S.N.G. ; S. W. Webster, R.S. Y.G. ; S. P. Stettler, L.S.Y.G. ; B. W. Dodge, R.S.S. ; W. H. Whipple, L.S.S. ; Rev. T. B. Killiam, Chaplain. The trustees are Robert Romick, T. J. Morrow, E. C. Eaton. The chair of P. G. has been filled since the institution of the lodge by the following members, whose names appear in the order of their .succession : S. S. Whitney, A. Glines, R. H. Mathews, A. K. Gay- lord, M. C. Humphrey, jr., G. W. Fuller, A. H. Taisey, D. C. Estes, R. Weeks, David Walker, E. A. Kelley, H. H. Arnold, J. E. Maas, A. Beardsley, D. G. Heggie, Rob. Romick, J. M. Collins, H. C. Jackson, Edwin Wrigley, N. C. Pike, L. P. Hudson, Gran- ville Clark, K J. Snow, H. A. Young, Robert Clifford, C. E. Hinkley, C. H. Hanson, John Phillips, Henry Schmidt, C. M. Colby. Mount Zlon Encampment, No. 7, Z 6>. 6>.i^.— The Lake City Lodge were no sooner fixed in their comfortable quarters in Lyon block than the organization of an encampment, which had been fre- quently considered, was actively entered into. An informal meeting of such patriarchs as were interested in the organization was held on December 23, 1871. Measures were taken to secure the proper authorization from the grand encampment, and on February 20, 1872, the organization was formally effected, with the following as 62 866 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. the charter members : R. B. Gates, Albert Glines. E. A. Kelly, H. A. Young, N. C. Pike, K T. Estes, A. II. Taisey, A. Beardsley, S. W. Webster and R. W. Clifford. The encampment was instituted by Grand Patriarch C. D. Strong, assisted by other ofhcers of the grand encampment. The ofiicers elect were then installed, viz : Albert Glines, C.P. ; R. B. Gates, II. P. ; A. K. Gaylord, S.W. ; R. Weeks, J.W. ; E. A. Kelly, Scribe ; 11. A. Young', Treas. The appointed officers were : N. C. Pike, Guide ; N. T. Estes, Sentinel ; A. H. Taisey, 1st W. ; R. W. Clifford, 2d W. ; S. W. Webster, 3d W. ; H. H. Arnold, 4th W. ; A. Beardsly, 1st G. of T. ; R. Clifford, 2d G. of T. Since the organization of the encampment. Mount Zion, No. 7, has met regularly on the first and third Tues- days of each month, and have just completed the twelfth year of a very prosperous existence. The whole number of members con- nected with Mount Zion since its organization has been eighty-two. The present membership numbers forty-two. The elective officers for the present term are : Henry Schmidt, C.P. ; D. C. Estes, H.P. ; J. C. Schmidt, S.W. ; C. M. Colby, J.W. ; N. C. Pike, R.S. ; R. Romick, F.S. ; J. M. Collins, Treas. The trustees are H. C. Jackson, J. C. Schmidt, C. M. Colby. Insurance, JVo. 38, A. O. U. W. — This lodge, having for its object, among others, the payment of the certain stipulated sum of two thousand dollars to the widows and orphans of deceased members, was organized in this city January 19, 1878, with sixteen charter members, namely, George W. Lemley, A. T. Guernsey, G. W. Thayer, C. C. Stone, Wm. Jewell, John Adolph, C. W. Crary, Chas. Funk, L. A. Lemley, Charles Ilartman, Wesley Carpenter, Fred. Abraham, John Trobke, Henry Selover, A. N. Curtis, H. W. Banks. The lodge was duly instituted and the officers-elect installed by A. H. Taisey, D.G.M.W., and the lodge was ready for business. A. T. Guernsey was the first M.W. of the new lodge, and William Jewell its recorder ; and these gentlemen, with Dr. C. W. Crary, were the first board of trustees. Dr. Crary was aj^pointed medical examiner to the lodge, a position which he still continues to hold. The organization of the lodge was effected in Rogers' Hall, in the rear of the Academy of Music, but the members shortly afterward took possession of a hall in the third story of Lyon block, and here they continued to hold their regular meetings until September, 1882, when they sold their furniture to the K. of H., who had been burned out in the great fire of the spring previous. Since LAKE CITY. 867 that date, September, 1SS2, the A.O.U.W. have lield their regular meetings on the second and fourth of each month in the hall of the K. of H.^ over the postoffice. The present number of members is fortj-four. Whole number belonging since the organization has been, as nearly as can now be ascertained, about eighty. The present officers are : A. T. Guernsey, P.M.W.; M. F. Hills, M.W.; Oscar Anderson, F.; Fred Abraham, O.; G. W. Thayer, Eec; D. M. Smith, Fin.; G. W. Lemley, Receiver; Andrew Steel, Guide; Peter Lindblad, I.W.; F. Lange, O.W. Lake City, No. 576, K of ^— This organization, diifering little in its general features from the A.O.U.W., has had an exist- ence in this city of very nearly seven years. It came into being at Odd Fellows' Hall April 4, 1877, under the hand of J. S. Marvin, D.S.D. The charter members numbered fourteen, and all of these were necessary to fill the several lodge offices save Messrs. R. Hanisch, H. A. Young and F. J. Kopplin ; and of these Messrs. Hanisch and Young became trustees. The names of the original officers who, with those mentioned above, constituted the charter members were : A. K Gay lord, P.D.; R. B. Gates, D.; R. Romick, Y.D.; J. Dobner, A.D.; H. L. Smitli, Rep.; C. F. Kircher, F.Rep.; Chas. Wise, Treas.; J. E. Maas, Guide; Frank Doughty, Guard.; W. L. Doe, Sent.; C. W. Crary, Chap. The lodge subsequenty removed to a building near the corner of Main and Center streets, and were burned out in the spring of 1882, when they rented of the A.O.U.W. for some months, finally pur- chasing the furniture of that body and fitting up a very pleasant hall for themselves in their present location over the postoffice. Since the organization of the lodge sixty-seven members have been carried upon their rolls, and of these forty-seven still retain member- bership with the lodge here. The others have removed, died, demitted, or dropped out. The K. of H. are all included in one general beneficiary dispensation; the A.O.U.W. have separate beneficiary jurisdictions largely corresponding to state lines. Lake City, No. 576, K. ofH., is officered as follows : J. H. Gillett, P.D.; E. H. Warner, D.; G. Rossler, Y.D.; L. Schindler, A.D.; J. B. Johnson, Ge.; F. Cotter, Chap.; Robert Romick, Rep.; A. Krall, F.Rep.; R. Hanisch, Treas.; J. C. Schmidt, Guide ; H. Gil- lett, Sentinel. S.S.H.F. — The Scandinavian Relief Association was formed in 1874 by a number of the Scandinavians of Lake City, with the object 868 HISTORY OF wauasiia county. of lielping poor emigrants, and ulso its members. Tiio members meet once ii month to pay their dues, and has at present twenty-eight members. At the last annual meeting the following officers were elected to serve for one year : O. Chinberg, president ; C. E. Carl- son, vice-president; A. Anderson, treasurer; Edward Edholm, secretary. B.VNKING IN LAKE CITY. Lake City, like all new towns in the west, had no lack for men of enterprise and push. Following close in the wake of the pioneer, and before he had scarce made a beginning on the frontier, the mer- chant and business man, with his stock of gf)ods or eastern bank account, also put in an appearance. Among the first to do anything having the semblance of a banking business, was C. P. Cogswell, a young man from the east, who opened a bank in 1858 on the corner of Main and Marion streets, in a very pretentious and expensive building (for that early day), erected for banking and office purposes in the summer of 1857 by Dwelle & Tibbetts. In the spring of 1859 Mr. Cogswell turned over his agency of the Phoenix Insurance Co. to Mr. A. T. Guernsey, and left here for some place of more metro- politan pretensions. He was succeeded by E. Chamberlain & Co., from — no person seems to know where, who conducted a (pretended) flourishing banking business ; however, only for a few weeks, and would, perhaps, by this time have been forgotten here if he had paid a small bill due tlie village printer. About this time Mr. H. F. Williamson (now merchant in Duluth) established a large general merchandise stor^ here, carrying a full line of such goods as were best suited to a pioneer trade, and taking in exchange therefor every staple article produced on the f^irm. He also, as a matter of con- venience to himself and friends, connected with his business a com- mercial exchange. This was principally done by purchasing checks, drafts and other commercial paper having a par value, from traveling men and newly-arrived emigrants. In 1863 the grain and commission firm of Bessey & Doughty, who were then doing an immense business, added a banking or commercial exchange department to their house, not so much as a matter of profit to themselves, but as a matter of convenience in their growing trade. They were also agents for, and did a large traffic with, the old northern line of steamboats on the Mississippi, and in this way found the convenience of a banking system almost indispensable. This commercial enterprise prospered without event LAKE CITY. 869 till one morning in the summer of 1866, when the town was startled by the announcement on the streets that the bank had been robbed. The rumor was authentic ; the bank had been burglarized, and as no mystery surrounded this (to Mr. Doughty) unfortunate affair, he con- cluded to forego the profits and advantages of conducting a banking business under the circumstances in Lake City. The already great commercial interests and still growing enterprises at this important point created an urgent demand for a commercial exchange. The opening soon found a capitalist, and Lake City dates her first per- manent banking house, as established here in 1868, by C. W. Hackett (now of St. Paul). This was a private enterprise, but one that enjoyed the entire confidence of the people, and did an exclusive banking business. In 1870 Mr. Hackett sold out to Joel Fletcher, Esq., of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, who continued it as a private enterprise till 1873. it was then incorporated according to state laws, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars. Mr. Joel Fletcher was its first president, Hon. Sloan M. Emery, vice-president, and C. A. Hubbard, Esq., cashier. Mr. Fletcher died in 1875, and Samuel Doughty, Esq., was then elected to the presidency, and still fills the position. Mr. Emery resigned the vice-presidency, when he became connected with the Jewell Nursery in 1879, and no vice- president has since been elected. Mr. C. A. Hubbard still fills the position of cashier. Its present board of directors is composed of O. F. Benson, Samuel Doughty, C. A. Hubbard, J. M. Underwood, Eobert White, W. E. Perkins, J. W. Kay and S. M. Emery. In April, 1882, the bank building (corner of Lyon avenue and Wash- ington street), a fine three-story brick structure, in size 60x82^ feet, was destroyed by fire. The oflice and vault on the corner, with the two upper stories burnt off, remained standing and uninjured. A temporary roof was put on, and business continued unobstructed, and the same season the block was rebuilt and finished as a two-story structure. First National Banlc.—T\\\% bank was organized in 1870, ac- cording to the United States laws, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars and the following board of directors : L. II. Garrard, L. S. Van Vliet, John W. Willis, Wm. S. Timerman, G. F. Benson, H. Center, and J. B. McLean. L. H. Garrard was elected president, G. F. Benson, vice-president, and L. S. Van Vliet, cashier. The bank building, a substantial two-story brick, is sit- uated on the corner of Washington and Center streets, and is the 870 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. third building, its two predecessors luiving been destroyed by fire, without the loss of ti paper. The present board of officers and directors consists of C, F. Young, president ; L. S. Van Vliet, cashier ; A. Basej, C. F. Eogers, G. H. Grannis, J. C. Hassinger, D. M. Smith, directors. These two banking-houses are a credit to not only Lake City, but the county, and are institutions in which the people feel a just pride. They are as permanent as the foundations of the city, inasmuch as they are under the directorship of its most honorable and wealthy men. Personal sketches of them appear further on in this work. NURSERY. One of the interests of which Lake City has just reason tO' be proud, is known as the Jewell Nursery. It is situated on the upper bench of the Lake Pepin bottoms, west of the city, and now contains about one hundred acres of growing trees and shrubs. The varieties grown have been selected with great care, having a view to adaptability to the climate in which they are sold — the west and northwest. The proprietors, Messrs. Underwood & Emery, are men of sound judgment and business habits, and are determined to make it one of the permanent institutions of the state. The firm has three hundred acres of land adapted to this purpose, and is steadily enlarging the plant. More fruit-trees will be set from this nursery in the spring of 1884 than all others in the state combined, and more than are grown in any nursery west of Ohio. This industry was founded in 1868, by Dr. P. A. Jewell, now deceased, and thus derives its name. Ten acres of oak grub-land were set at first to fruit-trees, and additions wei'e made from time to time, reaching eighty acres in extent at the time of the doctor's death. The business was managed by J. M. Underwood, who became sole owner in 1878, and next j'ear associated with himself Mr. S. M. Emer}", constituting the firm above named. The location commands a view of the city and valley, and is one of the most pleasant that could be imagined. Messrs. Underwood vfc Emery also give a great deal of attention to stock-raising, and have one of the finest herds of pure-bred Ilolstein cattle in the northwest. By lease they have control of five hundred acres additional, and carry on extensive farming" operations. The influences of these enter- prises are destined to be powerfully felt throughout this and adjoin- ing states in the near future. It is well that such men live, for LAKE CITY. 8T1 they have a tendency not only to build up and enrich themselves, but also to enhance the value and elevate out of the old-time "ruts " of other days a vast expanse of country surrounding them. On February 26, 1884, this already immense enterprise was or- ganized into a joint stock company and incorporated under general laws of the State of Minnesota, with a capital of one hundred thou- sand dollars, for the purpose of propagating and selling nursery stock, as well as importing, breeding and dealing in pure-bred Holstein cattle, and the transacting of a general real-estate business. The management of the incorporation is vested in the following board of officers : President, J. M. Underwood ; secretary, S. M. Emery ; treasui-er, J. Cole Doughty, with principal office at Lake City and a branch in Richland county, Dakota. In speaking of this enterprise, the Lake City "Graphic" says : "You will iind right here the beginning of a thoroughbred Fries- land dairy-ranch, that is destined to be one of the largest enter- prises in Wabasha county. You will "find here the entering wedge of one of the best paying industries in this state, and that wedge driven half-way home. You will find here tlie starting-point for a lucrative stock business, the breeding and selling of fine-bred dairy-cattle, that will give Lake City a name in every county of this immense northwest. This commendable enterprise is only one more sign of the innate and inborn business vigor there is in the big nursery-firm whose operations put more spot cash in the tills of our merchants than the business of any other firm in this or any adjoining county. Out of this new venture of Messrs. Underwood & Emery it needs no prophet's eye to see the grand results which a very few short years must bring forth. The best herd of thorough- bred, gilt-edged dairy-cattle west of the great lakes, imported with judgment and bred with the utmost care, it will follow as a neces- sity that buyers from all our northwestern state will make tlieir semi-annual visitations to this point for purchases, and thereby be no inconsiderable factor in Lake City's prosperity." FATALITIES. Mourning, disaster and death are the common lot of man, and though he seek out and settle in the fairest and most beautiful spot in all the Creator's fair universe, yet the "pale horse and rider " is his unseen companion. The most appalling and heartrending fatal disaster that has 872 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. fallen to the writer's lot to place on the histoi'ic page is (if we except the terrible calamity caused by the falling of the bridge at Dixon, Illinois, on Sunday. May 4, 1873, when two hundred men, women and children, wlio were witnessing a baptismal ceremony, were pre- cipitated into the Rock river without a moment's notice, thirty-seven being drowned or killed, and five mortally wounded) the drowning of the Stout and Stowell girls in Lake Pepin. On a fair and beauti- ful Saturday morning, in the month of June, in 185S, a party of Lake City young peo])le, composed of John Stout, William Corn, Misses Julia and Eebecca Stout, Miss Julia Cooper (now Mrs. G. M. Dwelle, and the only member of the party still residing in Lake City), and two sisters (young ladies from Mazeppa, by the name of Stowell) organized for a day's picnicing and excursion to Maiden Rock. They embarked in a sailboat with happy hearts and a bright prospect for a delightful day's recreation. The lake was calm and the morning fair and lovely: the sun shone in all its glory on the surrounding hills. Friends on shore bade them good morning with the wish that they might enjoy themselves as much as the day was beautiful. Maiden Rock was reached without incident, the linen spread and dinner served on its summit. A couple of hours were spent in gathering flowers and viewing the grandeur of Lake Pepin's scenery in the distance. At about two o'clock in the afternoon the party started on its return, and when about a mile down the lake and a half-mile from shore, the wind suddenly arose and almost instantly became a gale. The young men saw the peril and attempted to cut the rope that held the sail, but the same instant the boat was overturned and lay bottom up. A moment's struggle in the water and six of them had a hold on the boat, but one of the Misses Stowell was gone. In a very short time the boat turned again ; this time Miss Rebecca Stout lost her hold and sank from sight. Miss Cooper also lost hold of the boat, but while sinking caught hold of one of the young men's feet and climbed to the surface and again clung to the boat. The craft was then on its side, and appar- ently held in that position by the sail and mast. The three remain- ing girls now took positions as best they could on the side of the boat and hoped to finally drift ashore. About an hour after Julia Stout and Miss Stowell, either becoming chilled, discouraged or asleep — at least apparently unconscious — slipped off into the water and sank without a struggle. Miss Cooper, describing her experience, says she fought and struggled desperately for her life, LAKE CITY. 873 and only by the aid of the young men was she kept awake. Sleep seemed to be her danger and it required all her will-power to fight it off. About two hours from the time they first upset, the remain- ing three reached shore, more dead than alive. A Swede settler's cabin was found half a mile from where they landed, and he was dispatched with the sad intelligence to their friends. The same evening the survivors reached home, and the next Saturday the bodies of the four young ladies were picked up at difterent points in the lake, and were all buried together near the city. This sad affair happened on Julia Stout's fifteenth birthday, and Kebecca Stout was to have been married in a short time. On December 13, 18TS, two more young and promising lives were yielded up to feed Lake Pepin's hungry waters. On this even- ing a skating party had congregated on the ice and all enjoyed them- selves till the usual hour of adjournment, returning to their respective homes — all save Porter B. Guernsey and Florence Wyckoff". They were skating companions during the evening (which was very dark) and had become separated from the others, who supposed they had gone home. Mrs. Guernsey's injunction to herboy was that he should always return from skating at nine o'clock. This he had invaria- bly done heretofore. This evening the usual hour had passed, the busy clock had ticked away the tedious minutes and struck the hour of ten. A half-hour more of intense anxiety was passed, and Mr. Guernsey, who was attending a meeting during the evening at the hall, returned. The mother had hoped up to this time that the son had joined his father at the hall. JS^ow thoroughly alarmed, Mr. Guernsey hastened to the residence of Mr. Wyckoff, thinking his son might have tarried there. The two anxious parents now aroused their neighbors and began a search which lasted all night. Next morning the bodies were found and taken out of an air-hole in the ice not far from the foot of High street. The young man was the son of Mr. A. T. Guernsey, long and well known in this city, and was in the sixteenth year of his age. He was a bright and promis- ing young man, a general favorite with his companions. The young lady was the daughter of Kev. Samuel Wyckoff", pastor of the Pres- byterian church of this city, and was in her seventeenth year. The sudden and untimely death of these young people cast a gloom over the entire city. The most singular among Lake Pepin's disasters, within the recollection of the pioneers of this city, was the crushing in the ice 874 History of wabasha county. of the steamer ^Eolian in the sprinii^ of 1859. Early that spring several steamboats had arrived at Read's Landing from St. Louis, and were waiting for a passage through the lake, being delayed or ice-bound several days. At last a channel appeared, supposed to be wide enough to eriable them to reach the open water at Lake City and land below the point. The old War Eagle (a substantial and powerful boat) forced a passage through, followed by another vessel (name unknown) of nearly equal size and strength. The moment these large crafts emerged from the narrow channel into the open space, the great bodies of ice on either side closed together on the ill-fated ^olian, which was only a short distance behind, and cut her in two at the water's edge. The lower part, with the machinery and three persons (two men and an old lady who ran below to save some articles of clothing), sank immediately, leaving the cabin andl pilot-house on the ice. The bodies were recovered after the ice was removed, and were buried near this city. Two of them were on their way to this place to locate and start to make themselves a home. On June 12, 1882, Frank Collins was drowned by the criminal carelessness of the officers of the steamboat Centennial. Young Collins was out in a skitf, in compan}^ with two other men and a boy, and was engaged in fishing, lying at anchor about sixty feet from shore at the end of the point. The Centennial, on her way up the lake, had made her usual halt at Washington street, and resumed her course. When rounding the point she ran over the skiff, cutting it in two. The other parties who were with Collins sprang into the water and were saved, while Collins, who attempted to pull in the anchor, was drowned. He was a son of Mr. Timothy Collins, an early settler of this city, and was about twenty-three years old. The captain, Thomas L. Davidson, was sued by the young man's father for his personal damages in the United States court at St. Paul, and obtained a judgment for fifteen hundred dollars and costs, in Decem- ber, 1883. " The pilot, John King, was indicted by tlie grand jury, tried in the district court at Wabasha, and convicted of manslaughter in the fourth degree. Judge Card, of Lake Cit}^, prosecuted the case in the United States court, and assisted the county attorney in the prose- cution of King. On Sunday, April 22, 1883, John Matter and his newly-married wife were drowned in the lake about a mile from this city. They were residents of Pepin, and on the day named had come to Lake LAKE CITY. 875 City for a few needed articles and a pig. They had started back about 3 P.M., and when about a mile out were struck with a gale of wind which instantly overturned the boat. Otto Marks, who accom- panied them, was rescued by some boy, in a drowning condition ; the pig, more fortunate, succeeded in reaching shore alive. The bodies were recovered in a few days and buried at West Abany. Scores of precious lives have been lost in Lake Pepin's beautiful though treacherous waters, and no less than nine bodies were covered with the ice of tlie winter of 1884. Other incidents worthy of mention are the shooting of Thomas Martin and Patrick Murphy by City Marshal S. B. Dilley. This unfortunate affair happened on Saturday, September 12, 1868. The .victims were comparative strangers in town, having been in the employ of farmers during harvest, and had come to town for a little hilarity. Drinking, singing and playing games had been the order of the day, and night had found them and their companions con- siderably intoxicated, and consequently noisy. About eight o'clock in the evening the marshal's attention was attracted to a drinking den on Washington street, between Center and Marion streets, by the boisterous and vociferous demonstrations within. Upon going to the door (the evidence at the trial disclosed) he was met by some of the parties in a fearful state of excitement, who, he supposed, were about to attempt to lay hands on him. In the momentary excitement one chamber of his revolver was (some say accidentally) discharged, the bullet taking effect in Martin's breast. Murphy then took hold of the marshal's throat, and was instantly shot in ihe chest. The two men soon after died of their wounds, and excitement among the Irish element ran high. The better class of them, however, suc- ceeded in restoring order, called a meeting and passed resolutions declaring that any person who attempted personal violence or revenge on Marshal Dilley was no friend of theirs. They also, at the same time, took steps to raise means for the purpose of a vigorous prose- cution of the slayer of their friends. On Monday following the marshal gave himself up, waived a formal examination, and asked the court for permission to be released on bail. This was granted, and bonds in the sum of ten thousand dollars were signed and turned over to the guardians of the law for his appearance before the district court. After being continued through several terms of court his case was finally brought to trial, and by the most strenuous eftbrts on the part of his attorneys— Judge Wilder, of Red Wing, and H. 876 HISTORY OF wabasha county. D. Stocker, of Lake Citj^ — he was saved from the penitentiary. The prosecution was conducted by the county attorney, W. W. Scott. Othei* able counsel had been employed to assist the county attorney at first, but as the years passed interest seems to have been lost, and the money and counsel, so lavishly promised at first by the dead men's friends, never materialized. Another shooting affair, attended with fatal results, occurred in the fall of 1882, about a mile below the city limits, at a house of questionable reputation. The victim, David Davis, while in an ex- citing altercation with a 3'oung man named John White, was shot by the latter, and died within forty-eight hours. Davis was a man of whom little is said, and was perhaps better known by men who possessed similar traits of character. White was tried by a jury of. his fellow-citizens, and sentenced to the penitentiary for five years. He is a young man of German birth, and promises to outlive this unfortunate disgrace, and yet become an honored and law-abiding citizen. "The cistern has caved in — two men are buried!" were the words that spread from lip to lip, and from house to house, a short time before noon, on August 11, 1873. People fled from their stores, shops, and, in fact, from all ]mrts of the city, to the scene of the disaster, at the corner of Garden and Dwelle streets, where the fire department was having a cistern con- structed. The report was confirmed, and the appalling sight which met the eyes of the gathering crowd can better be imagined than described. The cistern, which was about twenty feet square, had been excavated to a depth of nearly eighteen feet, when the earth suddenly gave way on all sides — burning two poor unfortunate laborers under tons of dirt. Men went to work regardless of time, talent or station in life, and the same evening restored to their ha]> less widows and helpless orphans the lifeless bodies of Benjamin Kramer and Adna Sanford. Those men had dwelt here for several years, and had become known and respected as honorable and indus- trious citizens. Mrs. Sanford still resides here, and has raised her family of eight orphan children honorably, and without the aid or interference of either the city or county. Near the corner of Center and Prairie streets, while re-curbing a well, Mr. J. F. Hall was buried a distance of thirty-five feet below the surface, by the sudden caving in of the well, while he was at GREENFIELD TOWNSHIP. 877 work near its bottom. His body was recovered after forty-eiglit hours' arduous labor. On January 18, 1871, Mrs. John McBride was instantly killed while out riding with her son, C. W. Smyth, of this city. The horse being frighten ted, became unmanageable, and began running and kicking. Mrs. McBride, realizing her imminent danger, sprang from the cutter, the concussion of w^iich produced a fracture of the spinal column near the base of the brain, and died without speak- ing. She was one of Lake City's most respected ladies, and her loss was much felt by its citizens. CHAPTER LXXXY. GREENFIELD TOWNSHIP. Most of this town lies in the bottoms adjacent to the Zumbro river, at its confluence with the Mississippi. The northeastern part is known as Sand Prairie, and the character of the soil is shown by its name. Great expectations were once indulged in regard to this particular locality. On the shore of the great river were standing the empty tepees of an Indian village when white men had begun to congregate in this locality. Timothy Enwright made a claim here, and the location soon attracted the speculative eye of several capitalists, as a feasible site for the upbuilding of a town. Accord- ingl}^, in 1856, Messrs. Thomas H. Forde, of Ohio, and Judge Casey, of Pennsylvania, platted a town, and named it "Teepeota." This was four miles southeast of Wabasha. Boats were induced to land here for a time, and the "boom" prospered. In 1857 Theo- dore Adams became a partner in the townsite. During this year a three-story hotel was erected, two stores and a blacksmith-shop were in operation, and the village numbered about thirty residences. D. Sinclair & Co. built a sawmill, which was set in operation in the spring of 1858, employing thirty men. The apparent success of this rival soon aroused the jealousy of Wabasha people, and bitter feelings were engendered. However, Teepeota was shortly com- pelled to acknowledge the superior advantages of its older rival. Boats refused to land there except at rare intervals, and people 878 IIISTOKY OF WABASHA COUNTY. began to avoid and desert the isolated locality. On a March night in 1859 an incendiary torch was applied to its deserted buildings, and in a few short liours it was swept out of existence. No trace of it can now be seen. South and west of the Zumbro lies a beautiful and feitile bench, about half-way between the level of the stream and that of the prairie at the top of the bluffs. Here settled, in the spring of 1854, on section 30, Messrs. Levi and Aaron Cook, and this gave rise to the name Cook's Valley, by which the locality is now known. Their location was at the mouth of Cook's valley proper, a valley tributary to that of the Zumbro, and running back southward several miles. Both these gentlemen are now deceased. The former has five children in Dakota and the west. During the same year Dr. C. C. Stauff, a native of Germany, who had settled at Wabasha in 1853, located a claim near the river on section 19, on this bench, where he dwelt several years. He is now a prosperous merchant in Lake City, and his eldest son is clerk of the district court at AVabasha. Ephraim Wildes was another settler of 1854, having first located on the northeast quarter of section 34. The next year he moved to section 30 and built the first frame house in the township. Here he died in 1861. In April, 1854, Isaac Cole, now a resident of Wabasha, located on section 22, on the south bank of the Zumbro. He established a ferry and hotel and was largely patronized, for travel from Wabasha westward naturally followed the valley of the Zumbro. The Indians located by lunidreds on the banks of the river were at times exceed- ingly troublesome, especially when returning noisy and furious from Wabasha, filled with the old-time fire-water. Brandishing their bowie-knives they threatened to kill and exterminate the whites, from which they were prevented only by the squaws wresting the dangerous weapons from them without ceremony. On one occasion they undertook to carry off Cole's ferryboat, and in ftict did, but were compelled to abandon the enterprise by a posse of men who pursued and overtook them. Cole's son still occujiies the old home- stead, having a residence in the village of Kellogg, about one-fourth of a mile south of the site of the log cabin which did duty as a "tavern." In fact, every settler in those days kept a hotel, for explorers were glad to find a dry place to lie down when overtaken by night, and none were turned away hungry as long as the larder GKEENFIELD TOWNSHIP. 879 contained bacon and cornmeal. Game furnished a considerable portion of the provision against starvation and frequently furnished a meal with no accompaniment save salt. Among other pioneers of 1854 may be mentioned G. II. Amer- land, H. P. Wilson, John W. Murphy and Michael W. Riley, none of whom are now resident here. The next year marked the arrival of Gai-ret A. Cook, still a prominent and respected citizen of the town. He is a brother of Aaron H. and Levi Cook, and a biographical sketch of him will be found farther on. Garret Albertson, a local Methodist elder, now deceased, came this year. His brother William at the same time located on section 30, where he now resides. His house has always been open to the weary traveler and is well known* as a resort for preachers. Patrick Holland located a claim on section 29, April 19, 1855, and still dwells thereon. Daniel Metzgar located on section 30 in 1857, and still tills a ■small farm there. He is now sixty-two years old and is venerated and beloved for his noble qualities of mind and heart. J. H. Wehrenberg, Henry Frye, Henry Graner and George McCaffrey settled in the valley in 1856. A fine stream winds along the middle of the bench and is known as Cook's Valley creek. On the northeast quarter of section 34 is a small gristmill turned by this stream, known as Fish's mill. Most of the early settlers were men of family, and appreciated the need of educational facilities. At a meeting of the citizens held in G. A. Cook's house, November 8, 1857, a school district was organized. John Canfield, a resident of Glasgow township, was made director. Garret Albertson, treasurer, and G. A. Cook, clerk. The latter has filled the same office for this community ever since, and still has the records of this first meeting. Nearly all the citizens of the town were present, and it was decided to raise fifty dollars for school purposes. By mutual contributions of labor, a log building was erected for a schoolhouse, on the site of the present one, in district No. 28, and school opened the same month. G. A. Cook's daughter, Aurora, was employed at a salary of ten dollars per month, and presided over the instruction of fifteen pupils during the winter. There are now four schoolhouses in the township, and the youth will compare in intellectual development and culture very favorably with those of other rural localities in the state. 880 HISTORY OF AVABASHA COUNTY. A postoffice was located in Cook's valley in the spring of 1859, and supplied by the Wabasha and Austin stages. Daniel Metzgar was appointed to take charge of it, and after keeping it a little more than three years, turned it over to G. A. Cook, who has ev^er since administered its affairs. In 1862 a postoffice was established at Pauselim, with W. A. Johnson as postmaster. On the organization of the village of Kel- logg, the office was moved thither, and now bears the latter name. Several of the pioneers were devout Methodists, and steps were early taken to secure the preaching of the word. The earliest religious service were held in the year 1857, at the cabin of Levi Cook, and was conducted by Eev. Crist, a Methodist clergyman. Rev. H. Dyer was soon after sent here by the conference, and he organized a class. In August, 18*59, he was assisted in his labors by Garret Albertson, a local elder residing here. Sunday school here included thirty -five pupils. In March, 1863, a meeting was held at Cook's Valley school- house to take steps toward building a house of worship. The fol- lowing trustees were elected at this meeting : Oliver Collier, G. A. Cook, John R. Brown, Ezikiel Collins, Nelson Staples. This com- mittee, with the assistance of Eev. H. Dyer, were instructed to solicit funds, and proceed to invest them as fast as secured in the construction of a church edifice. During the same year foundations were prepared and lumber brought on the ground. In the fall, IS". Staples was awarded the contract for the carpenter work at seventy- five dollars, to be completed by March 1, 1864. The latter year saw the completion and occupation of the building. It is located on the south side of the Plainview road, on section 30, and is a plain frame structure, 24x36 feet in superficial dimension. It has been painted white, but at this writing (February, 1884) is in need of a new coat of color. The original cost of the building was about six hundred dollars, and it will comfortably accommodate one hundred persons. A church of the same character and dimensions was built at Pauselim, simultaneously with that at Cook's valley. It was re- moved to Kellogg in 1882, and is now located in the southwest quarter of section 22. Divine service is held in these churches once in two weeks. Rev. Acres, resident at Read's Landing, is the circuit pastor. The sabbath school at Kellogg includes about twenty-five pupils, in charge of IVIrs. Charles LaRue. i^;.#;. fg^ ^Ifi^- ^'^^ OLIVER CRATTE, GREENFIELD TOWNSHIP. 881 Much of the religious information above is derived from records now in the hands of G. A. Cook, who was secretary of the first board of trustees. About the time that these churches were built, a Presbyterian missionary was at work among the people, but he did not succeed in organizing a society. It was at first the intention of the Methodists to build only one church, but it was decided to be necessary that a society be maintained at each end of the town in order to preserve the supremacy of Methodism. No minister of any denomination is resident in the town, and the churches above described are the only ones in existence. Garrett Albertson, a local elder, dwelt here some years, and then removed to Alma, Wiscon- sin, where he died. Many residents of the town are communicants in the Catholic church at Wabasha. On November 9, 1868, a meeting of citizens was held to arrange for the establishment of a common burialplace. A cemetery asso- ciation was formed, with J. A. Cole, G. A. Cook and Henry Graner as trustees. The latter was made treasurer, and all have served in the same capacity ever since. Two acres of land were purchased at fifty dollars per acre, from Henry Frye and Henry Graner, and the latter donated one-fourth of an acre. This constitutes Greenfield cemetery, and is located on the south side of the Zumbro, in the center of the south Ralf of section 20. Lots sixteen feet square at first sold for five dollars each, but have materially advanced in valu- ation since that time. By the spring of 1855 there were many families residing here, and the population soon began to increase by natural augmentation, as well as by immigration. The earliest birth among Caucasian residents was that of Frank, son of H. P. Wilson, and occurred June 25, 1855. August 31 of the same year a son was born to Carl and Wilhelmina Stauff", and christened Frank Henry. He is now associated with his father in business at Lake City. On November 16 • a son was added to the family of Levi Cook. Augustus was the name given to this child, and is now living in Dakota. Frank Wilson is also sup])Osed to be living somewhere in Dakota. Wherever youth of the opposite sexes are associated together, there the little god of the bow and arrow is sure to be found. He came to reside in Greenfield probably as early as 1857, for March 28, 1858, witnessed one of his triumphs in the nuptials of J. Henry Wehrenberg and Anna Frye. This couple still resides here, sur- 53 ■882 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. rounded by a larhysician and surgeon of Plainview, was among the earliest settlers of the county of Wabasha PIONEERS. 983 in the sprin^^ of the year 1856. He traiisfei-red the field of his labors from Minneiska, July 3, 1861, to his present location. The opportu- nity was afforded him at the commencement of the settlement by J. y. Blackwell, who offered, if he would come and pre-empt a quarter- section, to provide all the money, and give him half the property so obtained; but this he saw fit to decline. He was born in Hamilton, Madison county, New York, on July 16, 1830, and received an academic education at Fredonia, May ville and Panama. His parents, Jeremiah and Sarah (Sweet) Teff't, were descendants of the early Ehode Island families. Commodore Perry (of revolutionary fame) and his father being classmates at Newport. Mr. Teff't commenced reading medicine in 1848 with Dr. James Fenner, of Sherman, Chautauqua county. New York, whence the family moved with the doctor in embryo, at about five years of age. He attended two full courses of lectures, 1851 aud 1852, in Cincinnati, graduated, and after a four years' practice at Sherman, pushed westward across the Mis- sissippi, and located at Minneiska, Wabasha county, sixteen miles from his present home. Here he officiated in the triple capacity of doctor, postmaster, and justice of the peace. Dr. Tefft held the oflice of county physician of Wabasha county during 1882, and some time previous for three successive years. He became a member of the first state legislature of Minnesota by election in the fall of 1857, again in 1861, and in 1871 was returned to the senate. He is a member of the state medical association, and has a reputation for miles around as an operative surgeon, equaled by few and excelled by none. In politics the doctor was originally democratic, with a strong tincture of free-soilism, so that he naturally became a repub- lican when that party sprang into existence, and in this respect his sentiments remain unchanged. During his whole life he has been conspicuous as an enterprising and influential citizen. A genius of a mechanical turn, he invented the first automatic binder that made all the motions in binding grain by machinery, and his thoroughly practical idea of the application of permanent magnates as a motive power, he gives to others of more leisure and opportunities of devel- opment. As a member of the I.O.O.F., the doctor has passed all the chairs, and at the meeting of the grand lodge of the State of Minnesota, June 5, 1883, was unanimously elected deputy grand master of the state. As a gentleman of culture, though a man of extremes in his likes and dislikes, he is at once affable and unosten- tatious, and universally admired both in and out of his profession 984 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. for his ability and genially courteous bearing. He is a strong be- liever in the doctrine of evolution, and, as a Freethinker, does not scruple on any and all occasions to express his disbelief in orthodoxy. One son, the only child born to Dr. Tefft by his wife, formerly Miss Hattie S. Gibbs, of Plain view, to whom he was married November 10, 1866, now slee])S in Plainview cemetery in a unique miniature vault, surmounted by a marble slab bearing the inscription: To Little Clyde, only son of N. S. and H. S. Tefft, died August 17, 1870. This loss to the doctor was a severe blow, and one dithcult to overcome, for to the little one he was passionately devoted. S. Oakey Seymour, second cousin of Horatio Seymour, ex- governor of the State of New York, and fii-st cousin of A. Oakey Hall, ex-mayor of the city of New York, is numbered among the early settlers of Minnesota State. He was born December 22, 1823, in Otsego, and attended school for some time in company with A. Oftkey Hall in Bleecker street, New York city. For four years after this he clerked in the first store opened at Huntley Station, Illinois, and subsequently from 1844 to 1852 he was engaged for himself in the wholesale and retail grocery business in New Orleans. In the fall of 1856 he settled in Minneiska, and in 1879, in company with his brother Daniel, bought of one Eddy what is now known as Plainview Bank. Prior to this, in 1872, on May 25, he married Helen M. Watson, and has now four children, two girls and two boys. He was at one time reputed to be in very comfortable circum- stances, but Dame Fortune turned the tide, so that he is left now with only a farm of one hundred and twenty acres. In 1861 he enlisted at Fort Snelling in Co. I, 1st Minn. Vols. He served in twenty-two battles, among them First Bull Run, in which he was wounded, Ball's Bluff, Yorktown and others. He lives in the enjoyment of only a trivial pension for his services. A. B. W. Norton, known in Plainview and country around as Squire Norton, from his protracted service as justice of the peace, was born October 30, 1818, in the town of Guilford, Chenango county, of Connecticut parents, being descended from grandparents of old revolutionary fame. He enjo3'ed the privileges of a common school education, and started in business at the age of fourteen years. At Richford, Tioga county. New York, in the county clerk's office, he commenced assisting his former teacher in transcribing the records. Following this he experienced a series of changes for ten years, and then went to Brooklyn, New York, as clerk in the employ of Free- PIONEERS. 985 man & Co., and from tliere, after a short term, to Sussex county, New Jersey, at the solicitation of his uncle, to spend Christmas. In 1846 he was for a time in Pleasant Yalley, in the same state, and then through the instrumentality of his friend Fisher, a New York bookkeeper, when clerking in that city. In 1847 he, with his brother, settled in Woodstock, McHenry county, Illinois, and continued here in business for ten years. On July 4, 1857, he came, in company withWm. Kimberly, to Plainview, Wabasha county, Minnesota, and settled on a quarter-section (160 acres) of land, in what is known as section 6. His two children, daughters by his wife whom he- lost in "Woodstock, followed him about a year after, and one is now keeping house for her father, and the other, married to E. A.. Pomeroy, resides opposite on property presented to her by the judge. In 1860 Mr. Norton was elected as town clerk against William Stone, and he immediately set about straightening the records. In, 1859 he built the first substantial building in the village, that now occupied as a hardware store by C. C. Corner & Son. who purchased from one Hunt on the corner of Broadway and Washington street. In 1868, by appointment of the board of supervisors, he again served as town clerk and as justice of the peace, was elected next year, which office he has held with credit to the present time. During Lincoln's administration, by Postmaster-General Blair, he was appointed postmaster of Plainview, Minnesota, April 18, 1864, and continued to hold the position until 1868. Prior to this he wa^ for some time deputy-postmaster. The squire is a man much liked for his impartial administration of justice and general square dealing. Thomas A. Thompson, well known as a public speaker and instructor in grange work, was one of the first settlers of Plainview, Wabash county, Minnesota. In company with J. Y. Blackwell, David Ackley, A. P. Foster and others he commenced the settle- ment, and in November, 1856, built for a residence the house now oc- cupied by DeWitt Clarke. His father, at the age of twenty-one years, after learning the blacksmithing, though reared a farmer in Con- necticut, started on foot in the winter of 1802 and so proceeded across the State of New York, a tramp without means. He at length reached Buffalo, then only a hamlet, and thence to a place, since called Yernon, in Trumbull county, Ohio, where he staked out a claim in the wilderness and at once began the execution of his life-task. In addition to farming, the exercise of his skill as an artificer was the ready passport to favor with the Indians who had 986 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. gunloeks to repair, knives to mend, and other ironwork which the blacksmith could perform, in exchange for which he received turkeys, venison, bear meat and skins, which he disposed of with advantage to neighboring whites. At the end of a year the young man mar- ried Miss Sally King Bates, who with her parents had recently arrived strangers from the Connecticut valley, and as a product of this union there were two daughters -and six sons, the youngest being the one above referred to. Young Thompson's schooling did not advance him beyond the rudiments, so he began in early life a system of self-instruction, aided by a few months' i)reparation in an academy of a neighboring town, to which he made daily pilgrimages several miles on foot. For several years subsequent his time was divided between teaching, study and farmwork ; at the end of which time he was commissioned a magistrate by the governor of the sj:ate. About this time Mr. Thompson married Miss Eliza P. Eddy, who by the kindest sympathy gave culture and breadth to the refinement that made home and its surroundings bright with the sun- shine of contentment and the serene atmosphere of domestic peace. At length, his wife's health failing, he sold the homestead and moved in 1856. To the table-land west of the Mississippi, where the beautiful village of Plainview has since sprung into existence, he wended his way. The year following, 1857, Mr. Thompson was elected to the territorial legislature, for Minnesota had not yet become a state. Afterward he accepted the office of superintendent of schools for Wabasha county, in which he served three successive terms, resigning at last to enter upon new duties as lecturer of the national grange, having previously served as master of the Minne- sota state grange and performing the duties without salary. In this new capacity he visited all the states east of the Rocky Mountains, except a few in the south and New England. Twenty-seven years ago his cabin stood upon the treeless ])rairie, with not a house in sight and no village near ; his present residence, a plain, homelike structure, stands in the town of Plainview not many yards from the railway station and terminus of the line. About Park Home, as it is called, there is a semblance of the forest trees in pleasing variety and luxuriant growth. They were planted by Mr. Thom])son, at whose hands they have received tender care. Here he contem- plates rest from the wearisome toil of years with calm enjoyment of the fruits of his labors. OsTROM Stephen Lont, M.D., Mazeppa, is a native of New York, PIONEERS. born in Lebanon, Madison connty, in 1821. He dwelt heve with lus parents till eighteen yeavs of age, and received in the common !choo the rudiments oi an education. He early became imbued with the idea that the practice of medicine opened to a man wide :;po,',nities forbene/olence, -f P-^-^B ^^tCyieTk love for the profession, he entered the oihce of Dr. V. H Van V leek, a7Hamilton, in his native county, to perfect himself by eombin d aixi,t and'in the preparation for a noble profession and use ul hie No doubt his happiest days were those spent in this manne. So closely aid he apply f^^^^^^Tl^I^ll t:^^ Medical College of Cincinnati was foimded by this society he received M diploma. "He had at this time been practicing .™dicine fom yeaithaving begun when about twenty-three years old, at We Burl 'ngton, Otsego county. Here he continued to practice till 1856 when he removed to Mazeppa. For two or three years during he wait dwelt on a farm in Chester and with "-P '» "^ home has been in this village since his arrival here. H« has a rieasant home on First street, facing the river, where himself and Si helpmeet dwell in contentment, and the love and respect f their neighbors. Their marrhige occurred on Christmas day 1850. Mrs. LoJit was christened Melissa A. and is a sister of W^ D^ An..ell whose parentage is elsewhere shown in t ns wo.k. To Ins worlTy Jife Dif Lont owes and ascribes much of his success in life. ;: trials and triumphs of their journey have been equally shai^, and all important moves, financial or otherwise, have b«en ->de ^fter mutual consultation. They adopted and reared to mating an orphan boy, WiUis A., bom Rogers, now Lopt, who s at p.esent mtd In a mill at Prague, this state. This worU^ coupl-^ now furnishing a home to Harry E. Jamieson, who will piobably vema with hi foster-parents to be the stay of their old age. Dr LonU Iman of decided character, and has made some enemies by Msfini stand in defense and advocacy of principles he deems right, Nofhng which does not seem to him likely to promote the welfare 988 HISTORY OF WARASHA COUNTY. of his fellow-men can receive his sanction or support. Nothing could conduce more to his enjoyment than to see the rest of the world happy. He is a staunch temperance advocate, having imbibed a hatred of the curse of intemperance at his mother's knee. In theology he is a modern Spiritualist, believing and teaching that all men will occupy in the next world the statefor which their education and occupations in this have fitted them. In early life he denied and vehemently combated the idea that slavery was a divinely- appointed institution. He helped to organize the liberty party in New York State, and continued there to labor for freedom until the republican party succeeded it. For twenty years he has enjoyed the realization of his political hopes and desires in the triumph of the latter. lie has been active in promoting the welfare of his own neighborhood, and has been many times honored by his fellow- citizens in filling positions of responsibility. From 1861 to 1864 he served as supervisor in Chester, and was instrumental in relieving that town of a draft. He has been two years chairman of the Mazeppa town board, four years village justice, and served six years in the latter capacity in Chester and Mazeppa townshij^s. In his practice he enjoys the most amicable relations with neighboring physicians, whom he often meets in council. He has been twice elected president of the Wabasha County Medical Society. While his library is not a very extensive one, it contains standard works of all schools. Anj^thing new of undoubted authority is at once secured by him, and he is thus able to keep up with the times. Rev. Robert Clifford (deceased) delivered the first sermon in Lake City in the fall of 1850. Born at Spoondon, Derbyshire, England, in 1801. He was early a]:)prenticed to a dyer in the city of Derby. He soon became imbued with religious zeal, and began to preach the doctrine of the Disciples. He came to America in 1838, and settled at Philadelphia. For sixteen years he continued to preach in that neighborhood and in New York, and came to the site of this city in 1855. After coming to this country he joined the Wesleyan Methodist church. He died here in 1862, and his widow, nee Rebecka Wayne, passed away two years later. Of five children, but three are now alive. The eldest, a son, died in Philadelphia. The, second, Robert, resides in Lake City, and also the j'oungest, Mrs. Jane W. Ilelt, a widow. The third, Mrs. John A. Jackson, dwells in Mount Pleasant. Mrs. John R. Graham died here. Robert Clifford, engineer, Lake City, son of above, was born PIONEERS. , 989 in Winster, England, September 16, 1823, and came with his parents to the United States when fifteen years of age. He received but little schooling, and was apprenticed when seventeen to a- black- smith. On reaching his majority he came west and settled in the town of Porter, Rock county, Wisconsin. Here he built a smithy, and therein worked for ten years. He came to Minnesota in 186-1, and bought a farm in Mount Pleasant, this county. His winters were spent in the wagon and carriage works, where he is now em- ployed, and in 1867 he sold the farm and bought a home in the city, and has dwelt here steadily since. For the last five years he has had charge of the engine. Mr. Clifford is a full degree member of the I.O.O.F. He is a thorough republican, and in religious faith is found with the Methodists. In February, 1845, he was mari-ied at Philadelphia, the bride being Miss Margaret Helt, who died in July, 1875, leaving seven children. The eldest, Robert Wayne, served three years in the Union army before he was twenty years old, and is now in business in St. Paul. The others are resident as follows : Joseph D., Detroit, Michigan ; Nettie (Mrs. Frank Devor), Minneapolis; Mary A. (married James Cliff, now deceased), Mazeppa; Maggie (Hiram John'son), Minneapolis; Fannie (Jeffer- son Rosle), Mazeppa ; Naomi T. (Frank Young), Sparta, Wisconsin. Mr. Clifford was married the second time, to Miss Susan Mills, a native of Yirginia, to whom a son was born six years ago. Carl Christian Stauff, M.D., Lake City, one of the first set- tlers in the county, was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, in 1815 ; graduated at Rostock Allopathic Medical School in 1836 ; began practice at Wismar, and in 1810 married Wilhomina Hochman ; in 1853 he crossed the Atlantic in the bark Humboldt, and after pros- pecting for a year he made his home in Cook's Yalley, Minnesota, for twelve years, farming ; disposing of his property, he moved to Wabasha and engaged in the drug business, which he continued several years. In October, 1875, he removed his business to Lake City, taking his youngest son as partner, where a good business and office practice is continued. Three sons and two daughters were given him, all of whom are married. The eldest son, C. J. Stauff, is at present clerk of district court, which office he has held for the past twenty years. F. E. Stauff, second son, resides at WharjDaton, Richland county, Dakota Territory, being county auditor of said county. Was county auditor of Wabasha county two years, also Cass county, Minnesota, six years, after which time he engaged in 990 JIISTOKY OF WABASHA COUNTY. mercantile business four years at St. Paul. In 1864 he enlisted in the defense of the Union in Co. C, 4th Minn. Yols. F. H. Stauff, junior ^partner, residing at Lake City, is credited as being the first white child born in the county. Was born August 31, 1855. After leaving school he chose medicine as a business, which he continued for some time ; he then was engaged in the wholesale drug house of Wm. H. Torbert, of Dubuque, Iowa. The oppcnlunity thus afforded him to familiarize himself with the complicated knowledge of his business has fitted him for his now responsible occupation, being one of the proprietors of one of the finest drug establishments of any town of its size in the west. Was married September 5, 1883, to Miss Helen S. Brown, of Minneiska. Eliza, eldest daughter, married to Wm. R. Hayes, resides at Argyle, Marshall county, Minnesota. Clara, youngest, married Capt. Homer Durand, and resides at Toledo, Ohio. Mr. Stauff and wife enjoy the best of health and are proud of their success in rearing a family that is a comfort to them in their declining years. Agustus W. Stowman, farmer, Glasgow, is a native of New Jersey. Beaumont Stowman and Anna Willett were born, reared and married in Philadelphia. They settled on a farm in Harmony, Warren county. New Jersey, where this subject was born to them in May, 1830. His education was supplied b}'^ the rate-schools of that day and locality, and \yhen eighteen years of age he went to work in a fiourmill. In 1855 he came to Minnesota and took up and made improvements on the land he now occupies, the northeast quarter of section 24. Leaving the land in care of relatives, he re- turned to Indiana, where his home had been for some time. Here he took a life-partner, March 20, 1860, in the person of Miss Eliza- beth, daughter of Squire and Susie Morrison, all of Kentuck}^ birth. In 1S61 Mr. Stowman took up his permanent residence here. For four years he was employed as a miller on West Indian creek, in Highland township. He now has a finely-cultivated farm, on which he has erected a comfortable brick dwelling, and is prepared to en- joy life. In February, 1865, he entered the 1st Minn, Heavy Art. as a recruit, and did garrison duty at Chattanooga, Tennessee. His religious faith is represented by the Methodist church, and his politi- cal ideas by the democracy. Four children have come to bless his home, and were christened Dora Belle, May, Charles P. and Minnesota. Asa B. Doughty, president of the Lake City Mill Company, was PIONEERS. 991 born on Long Island, New York, in 1826. His parents were also natives of the same state ; the former, Samuel Doughty, died soon after our subject's birth, and the latter, Elizabeth (Nelson) Doughty, with two of her sons, Edward and Asa B., and a daughter, Alice, and her husband, Henry Coleman, in 1837 emigrated to Illinois, and settled in Bloomington, McLean county. Here Mr. Coleman estab- lished himself in the manufacture of plows and other farm machin- • ery, and with him our subject learned the trade. In 1855 Mr. Doughty made a prospecting tour to Lake City, and seeing the natural advantages of the place, bought property, and returned to Illinois to make arrangements for a final settlement here, which he did in July, 1857. The prevailing malarious influences of the climate in Illinois had so impaired his health, that he remained comparatively inactive for nearly four years after his arrival here. He then em- barked in the grain and commission business, and after a few years' experience in the fluctuations and uncertainties of commerce turned his attention to the business of his trade, and engaged in the manu- ture of wagons, plows and harrows, built up a large trade and con- ducted a prosperous business till 1880. In the fall of this year the Lake City Flourmill passed into his possession ; this he formed into a joint-stock company, and remodeled it throughout, put in the new roller process and entire new machinery, making it a complete merchant mill, with a capacity of one hundred and twenty-five bar- rels per day. The oflicers are : A. B. Doughty, president ; R. White, vice-president; directors, ,G. F, Benson, A. Basey, G. M. Dwelle, J. Dobner, C. A. Hubbard, E. Hackett and L. H. Buck ; Mr. Henry Selover, superintendent, and secretary. Mr. Doughty was married in 1849, to Miss Ellen McClung, a native of Virginia, who came to Illinois in a very early day. She died in 1862, leav- ing Mr. Doughty with two children : Lillie, now Mrs. Wm. C. Water, of Sioux Falls, Dakota, and Lulu, now Mrs. B. Y. McNairy, of Campbell, Minnesota. His second marriage was in 1864, with Miss Sue Johns, a native of Pennsylvania. By this marriage he has had no children, though their home is made pleasant by the presence of Miss Anna Seilheimer, who is a distant relative of his wife, and has found a home with them for several years. Rodman Burchard, the subject of this sketch, was born in Paris, Oneida county. New York, December 26, 1808. He removed from there to Wethersfield, Wyoming county, in the same state, in the year 1845, where he resided but a short time, going from there to 992 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Michigan witli the intention of making it liis liome. He was soon taken sick with the fever, then so prevalent in some parts of that state, and, conchiding that it was too sickly for him there, went back to Gainsville, New York, where he was married to Esther A. Davis, December 23, 1847. In the year 1854 he purchased a farm in Vir- ginia, intending to move his family there the following season. But having had a presentiment (as he thought) that all might not be well in the future in a slave state like Virginia, he sold the farm and • decided to go west. He landed at Wabasha, in the fall of 1855. Having heard of Greenwood prairie, he hired a team to take his family and goods to the village of Greenville, which was then lo- cated two miles and a half east of this place, where he formed a part- nership with the Richards Bros, in the mercantile business, opening a general store in a log house, living upstairs and keeping hotel at the same time. Trade increased so rapidly that they were soon obliged to erect a larger building for the store, leaving the log house to be used for the dwelling. Here he lived for many years. His wife died June 10, 1866, leaving the husband one son and three daughters. After the death of his wife he moved to Plain view where he kept his family together and was married to Miss Maggie Crossen, April 13, 1871, who, with the four children mentioned, and her own httle son, now about eight years old, survive him. Mr. Burchard died February 6, 1883, being seventy-four years, one month and twelve days old. He was a man of strong will, good judgment and great perseverance, -and withal a kind neighbor. Be- ing well-known in this community he leaves many friends to mourn his death. [The above is an extract from the minutes ot the Old Settlers' Association.] Hon. Alonzo P. Foster, son of a Vermont farmer of Scotch 'descent, was born in Orange, Orange county, Vermont, May 5, 1816. Lemuel Foster, his father, died when the subject of the present sketch was but four years old, and the cares incident to the rearing of a family of ten children were devolved upon the mother, Cloe (Powers) Foster, a member of the Leland family of this country, which has extant a genealogical record. The mother was very- much attached to the old Orange county farm and continued to reside thereon until her death, keeping her large family together as best she could. The education of young Foster would have been sadly neglected had he not been studiously inclined, and taken, un- directed, upon himself the task of mastering not only the common PIONEERS. ' 993 branches of study, but also those usually taught in high schools. He remained at home in charge of the old farm for several years, and until after the death of both mother and wife. He was married to Miss Harriet Thompsdu, of Orange county, in 1844, by whom he had one child, the preseiit Mrs. T. G. Bolton, of Plainview. The death of his wife occurred in 1851, and his mother departed this life in 1854. He next became manager for one year of the Troy Conference Academy, of West Poultney, Yermont, over which his cousin, Kev. Jason F. Watkins, presided. The following spring he came to Minnesota, arriving on Greenwood prairie a few days after the Eddy party came. lie located on the S.E. J Sec. 11 in Plain- view. Despite vigorous efforts put forth to drive him from this claim, which was a portion of the Half-breed Tract, he continued to hold it until enabled to perfect his title. He disposed of this farm in 1864. In 1866 he gathered together a considerable fund and removed to Winona, investing in real estate, which afterward he platted as an addition to the city of Winona under the name of Foster's addition. He re-established his home in Plainview in 18Y8, and now owns a large farm on section 36, in Oakwood, besides the small place in Foster's addition to Plainview village. He makes a specialty of Jersey cattle and Norman-Percheron horses. Mr. Foster was a member of the state legislature in 1857. KussELL W. Carpekter, dealer in farming implements. Plain- view, and brother of George W. Carpenter, of Highland township, was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, September 16, 1836. From 1847 till he came to Minnesota was with his father and brothers in McHenry county, Illinois. In 1855 the family came to Greenwood prairie, where Russell was among the unfortunates who selected a claim on the Indian reservation, and which he abandoned, the same now being known as the Pat Mahon farm. From the fall of 1857 to 1874 he resided in Dubuque, Iowa; since which time he has continued to reside in Wabasha county, engaging in agricultural pursuits until 1881, where he became interested in the farming im- plement trade, and has continued to follow it since. He enlisted in the 21st Iowa Yols., but owing to physical unsoundness was re- jected by the surgeon. He is a member of Plainview Lodge, I.O.O.F. June 6, 1867, he espoused Susan, daughter of Jacob Brant, of Epworth, Iowa, by whom he has had two children, viz : Edward A. and Minnie E. Benjamin Pickett, Plainview, farmer, was born in Pultney, 994 HISTORY OF wabasiia county. Steuben county, New York, August 11, 1828. His parents were Eli and Cuissan Ann Pickett. His fatlier was a native of tlie same county. When eighteen he accompanied liis brother, Eli C. Pickett, to Dodge county, Wisconsin. Here he continued to reside with his brother until the spring of 1855, when he came to Minnesota, and located on section 9, Plain view, eighty acres of which claim now con- stitute the farm, on which he has since continued to reside. He came in company with Mr. Washburn, Mr. Miner and Mr. Jack Williams. In 1858 he went back to Wisconsin, and spent the winter ; on his return in the spring he brought back a three-year-old colt, which is now a hale old horse of twenty-nine years. His next trip to Wis- consin was of a matrimonial character, and resulted in his espousing Susanna Allen, February 9, 1861. She was the daughter of Caleb Allen, a farmer and mason, of Lowell, Dodge county, Wisconsin, now of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, and was born in Washingtoif county, New York, November lY, 1842. The children of this marriage are : Frank B., employed in Wyant's photograph gallery, Plainview ; Eenjamin E. and Anna. George D. Sandford, merchant, is a son of J. H. Sandford, elsewhere mentioned in this work, and was born in Topsham, Maine, June 14, 1850. He was brought to Mazeppa with his father's family in the fall of 1855, and has dwelt here ever since. His life was passed on a farm till twenty-one years old, and his education was fur- nished by the common schools, of whose advantages he made the best use. His natural abilities and energies have made him a suc- cessful business man. In 1871 he went to Lake City, where he spent three years in learning and following the wagonmaker's trade. In 1874 he built a wagon-shop near the mill in Mazeppa, which he operated five years and then sold, the advent of the raih-oad spoiling tlie location. He has dealt considerable in real estate, and is now the owner of a farm near the village, which he rents. On April 25, 1881, he was deputized as postmaster, and has kept the postofRce ever since. The following }ear he opened a stock of groceries and boots and shoes in the postoffice building, and does considerable trade in those commodities. He was elected town clerk in 1882, and is now fulfilling the duties of the same office. He is a repub- lican, and a member of the masonic order. He has been twice married, and was robbed of his first mate by death in July, 1875. Jennie Dickey was the lady's name before her marriage to Mr. Sandford, which occurred October 22, 1874. On Christmas day, PIONEERS. ""^ 1879 he was united in marriage with Miss Alice, daughter of J. B. Miller. They have a son, born December 5, 1880, and christened Frank Burnett. Gen Seth L. McCAKTi', of Plainview, Wabasha county, is a staunch old pioneer farmer with a career. His father, William McCarty, was a farmer, residing in Muncy, Lycoming county Pennsylvania, where Seth was born June 9, 1808. Hera he acquired the rudiments of an education in the common school and continued to reside until his twenty-first year. During two years of this time he worked for John Grouse, cabinetmaker, of Muncy, learning that trade which he followed in Towanda, Bradford county, Pennsyl- vania, until the spring of 1832, when he went to Newmarket, Can- ada, and opened a cabinetshop. He continued in business there until the breaking out of the patriot war in 1837. This war at once furnished him the opportunity that his military nature sought, and he soon found a place on Gen. McKenzie's staft; and was immedi- ately employed to bear dispatches to divers members of the Domin- ion parliament concerned in the revolt. On his good stout war-horse he performed this task, that required not a little nerve and energy. Frequently the enemy crowded him in close pursuit, on one occasion forcing him to ride a distance of fifty-two miles in six hours, and on another sixty-eight miles in eight hours. He was next transferred to Gen Van Rensselaer's staff", and served under him until the winter of 1837-8, when he was sent to the support of Gen. McClellan, of the western division, and remained with him until the war closed. Gen. McCarty led the forces that stormed and captured Windsor, opposite Detroit, and it was after this battle, in which he displayed great braverv and military genius, that he was raised from the rank of colonel to that of brigadier-general. AVith the close of this war terminated the active military life of Gen. McCarty. He soon after resigned his commission and removed to Detroit, Michigan, and the following year to Port Huron, in the same state, where he continued to reside until 1855, when he came to Minnesota and located on the S E i of Sec. 21, in Plainview township. Here he has since con- tinued to pursue the even life of a farmer. On one occasion only has the peace been sufficiently disturbed to rouse the old warlike • nature in his breast and drive him to the front, and that was during the Indian outbreak which occurred in Minnesota m 1862, though he held a commission as major in the state militia from 1860. Two years after his settlement in Minnesota a postoffice was established 996 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. at his house under tlie name of Independence, of which office he was postmaster until it was discontinued in 1862. Gen. McCarty was the first settler in southwest Plainview. He has always affiliated with the democratic party, and is a member of the masonic frater- nity. He was married in York county, Canada, to Kebecca Mc- Cansland, daughter of James and Anna McCausland, in 1835. They have three children now living, viz : James, a farmer of Plainview township ; David, farmer, residing in Winona county ; and Mary Ann (Mrs, Samuel Loy) of Spokane county, Washington Territory. Rhoderick W. Drinkwalter, farmer, Zumbro, is among the early settlers of Mazeppa, that part in which he resides having been set off quite recently. In 1856 he built a sawmill on the mani Zumbro near where the bridge now crosses the same, a mile above the mouth of the north branch. He was a pioneer in the town of Fox Lake, Wisconsin, where he settled in 1842, and was one of the first supervisors of that town, as well as of Mazeppa, being elected in 1858. He is a republican in politics. Himself and wife have been forty years members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They were married October 1, 1838. Mrs. Drinkwalter's name was Mary Lord, and she was born in Connecticut. Her parents were Andrew and Mary Lord, born in the same state. Mr. Drinkwalter was born in Pike, Bradford county, Pennsylvania, October 30, 1814. He received a common-school education, and was always accustomed to fcirm life. His mother, Betsey Pratt, was born in the same town as he. His father, Stephen K., was a native of Connecticut. He became a resident here in 1856, and secured one-fourth of section 13, where he lives. Has since acquired eighty acres more, and one hundred and five on the river, where his sawmill stood. His eldest cliild was born July 30, 1839, and christened Pratt. He was married April 5, 1883, to Lena Scholer, born August 25, 1863, in Glasgow, this county. He has one hundred and sixty acres adjoining his father's land, and dwells in the same house with him. Cordelia was born September 12, 1844, and married George Hall, as elsewhere noted. Robert Hall (deceased) was born in Dows, Lincolnshire, Eng- land, April 1, 1801. His wife, Charlotte, was born Spencer in 1804, in Ednum Parish, same county. They were married October 2, 1826. In 1851 they left England and settled on a farm in Onondaga county, New York. Came to Zumbro in May, 1856, and took claim on section 12, where his widow and son now reside. Mr. Hall died August 2, 1865. He and wife were Episcopalians. Mrs. Hall is PIONEERS. 997 very active at this writing, and appears good for twenty years of life yet. Of their twelve children only two are living now. The first death in the town occurred in this family, taking Sophia, a twenty- year-old daughter. Emma J. married J. L. Bent (now deceased) and resides at Zumbro Falls. George, the eldest living child, was born in Dows, October 22, 1833. He was nearly eighteen when he came to America, and attended one term of school in New York. He came to Minnesota with his parents. He was married February 1, 1862, to Cordelia Drinkwalter, whose parentage elsewhere appears. They have seven children living, born as follows : Maria C, April 15, 1864; Henrietta, October 22, 1866; Effie S., May 12, 1868; Frederick P., September 16, 1870 ; Wallace K., November 11, 1874 ; Prosper R, January, 4, 1880 ; Jessie, May 23, 1883. Four children have died. Ira a. Fifield, farmer and fruit-grower, Mazeppa. Among the earliest residents of Mazeppa was the father of this subject, Joseph Fifield, now residing in Lyon county, this state. Mary Nicholls married Joseph Fifield, and gave birth to a son on November 4, 1835, and that son grew to be the substantial citizen of whom this page shall now speak. Ira A. Fifield became a citizen of Mazeppa in June, 1856, coming here with his father. He made claim to one hundred and twenty acres of land on section 29, where he now dwells. His estate at present includes over two hundred acres, ot which he has cleared and tills eighty. He pays a good' deal of atten- tion to the growth of small fruits, and does considerable trade in supplying others with choice plants. He has never taken any part in public afiairs, but has always adhered to the republican party. Has no faith in religion. Beginning with nothing save his hands, he has become independent by his own labor and the faithful assist- ance of his helpmeet. The latter, Emftia, born Ruber, was espoused by Mr, Fifield in 1867. Her father is among the foremost citizens of the adjoining town of Oronoco, Olmsted county. Mr. Fifield served from January 28 to September 27, 1865, in Co. G, 1st Minn. Heavy Art., being stationed at Chattanooga, Tennessee. Children have been given to him and christened as follows : Nellie L., October 18, 1868 ; Clara May, April 25, 1870 ; Ella Grace, Decem- ber 11, 1871 ; Celia Ann, December 17, 1873 ; George F., October 10, 1875; James S., June 30, 1877; Charles E., June 27, 1879; Abram W., June 3, 1883. James M. Harrison, farmer, Mazeppa, is a son of Elias S. and 998 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY, Maria (Gardner) Harrison, of Pennsylvania, and was born in School- craft, Michigan, April 2, 1848. The father (now deceased) settled with his family at Center Point, near Lake City, in July, 1852. He erected the first hotel building there, where he died in July, 1863. The subject of this sketch attended the common school there till the death of his father. He then came to Mazeppa, and attended one term here. Farming has always been his vocation. July 27, 1867, he married Pha;be Ann Youngs, daughter of John Youngs, else- where mentioned. Mr. Harrison is tilling rented land. He is a member of Mazeppa Lodge, I.O.O.F., and is a republican. Garret A. Cook, postmaster at Cook's Valley, is a grandson of Garret Albertson, a continental soldier during the American revolu- tion. In the town of Hard wick, "Warren county, New Jersey, January 2, 1818, the subject of this sketch was born to Abram H. and Ann Galicia (Albertson) Cook, themselves natives of the same commonwealth. Until fifteen years old Garret A. Cook remained on his father's farm, receiving the limited benefits of the common school of the time. He was apprenticed to a saddler and harness- maker, and pursued such occupation for twelve years. He went to Virginia in 1852, and thence came to Minnesota in 1855, locating on section 30, Greenfield. His home has ever since remained there. By his thrift he has acquired three hundred and forty acres of real estate, and is passing his old age in peace and plenty. He was elected clerk of the first school district organized here, in November, 1857, and still fills the same position ; has been postmaster for the past twenty-two years ; was justice of the peace four years here, and eight years in New Jersey ; afliliates with the republican party. Himself and wife are communicants in the Methodist Episcopal church, and were instrumental in tlie building of Cook's Valley church for that society. Mr." Cook was made a mason in Virginia and served as secretary of the same lodge in which George Wash- ington was initiated. In 1841 Mr. Cook was imited in marriage to Miss Mary, daughter of Jeremy and Lana Mackey, all of New Jer- sey. They have since become the parents of six children. Abram and Elizabeth (Mrs. Herman Grafi") are resident at Hancock, Min- nesota. Lytle O., Anneta, Irwin and Viola still dwell with their parents. Abram entered the United States army, and served till the close of the civil war in the 3d Minn. regt. Lytle is now conduct- ing the village school at Kellogg. AVhilo resident at Alexandria, Virginia, Mr. Cook fell into an unguarded railway cut, which caused a permanent injury of his left limb. PIONEEES. 999 John Henry Wehrenberg, farmer, Greenfield, was born in Hanover, German}^, April 10, 1835. Up to fourteen years of age he attended school and assisted his parents in their farm labors. He was then apprenticed to a cabinetmaker and soon became master of the trade. When seventeen years old he left his native land and made his way to St. Louis, Missouri, where he was employed at cabinetwork. In 1856 he came to Minnesota and took up one- fourth of section 20, Greenfield, which he still retains. He now has half a section and resides on 29 in a handsome brick house. His wedding was the first celebrated in the township and occurred March 28, 1858, the bride being Miss Anna Frye, daughter of another pioneer mentioned elsewhere. Mr. Wehrenberg has always been a republican, and all the family were baptised in the Lutheran church. The children, in the order of their age, were christened Herman G., Lena L., Emma C, Augusta M., Henry J., Edward, Minnie, Charles a»d Eliza. Mr. Wehrenberg joined the Union army in February, 1865, and served nine months in the 1st Minn. Heavy Art., stationed at Chattanooga. He is now quite extensively en- gaged in stock raising, and has, among other animals, forty head of cattle. Henry Frye, retired farmer, is one of the pioneers of Greenfield, having located in 1856 on section 29, where he now dwells with his daughter. He was born in Hanover in 1799, and emigrated direct to Minnesota in the spring of 1856. In 1827 he married Mary Koenig, now deceased. The family includes two daughters, the eldest, Mrs. Henry Graner, residing near by ; the other, Mrs. J. H. Wehrenberg, is spoken of above. All are Lutherans. EwiN Alexander, carpenter and builder. Lake City, was born in Richmond, Maine, August 25, 1885. His parents, Ewin Alex- ander and Sarah Melcher, were born in Brunswick, same state. The early life of this subject was passed on the farm, and his education was supplied by the common school. At eighteen he began carpen- terwork and has followed it nearly ever since. Manj^fine buildings in this county, including the county-house and the new Lake City schoolhouse, are of his construction. He became a resident of Lake City in 1856. Two years were subsequently spent in Missis- sippi and he returned m 1860. September 18, 1861, he entered the 1st Minn. regt. Yols., Co. I, and served in the army of the Potomac. He was a participant in the battles of Ball's Blufl", the Peninsula cam- paign, West Point, Fair Oaks, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, 1000 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Malvern Hill and Antietam, He, was discharged in 1863, and soon went on board tlie merchant vessel General Grant as ship's carpenter. After sailing from Boston to San Francisco, he then went on the Seaman's Bride to Baker's Island where the vessel was wrecked in the spring of 1865, and the crew was left for iifty-five days on this barren coral island until picked up by tlie packet schooner Odd- Fellow. Arriving at San Francisco Mr. Alexander set out for Bos- ton in the Wild Hunter, which was out one hundred and forty-four days on the voyage around Cape Horn to Boston. In the fall of 1866 our subject returned to Lake City, which has been his home since. December 7, 1S70, he espoused in marriage Miss Frances C, eldest daughter of F. G. Slocum, of this city. Their children are bright and promising, christened Helen, Kate, Sarah and Anna. Mr, Alexander is a member of the Masonic order and of the A.O.U.W. His religion is "Peace on earth, goodwill toman," and his voting has always been with the republican party. Geokge Patton, retired merchant. Lake City (see portrait), is the only cliild of George Patton, a successful teacher of twenty-eight years' experience, and Jane (Humphreys) Patton, natives of Stra- bane, Ireland, of Irish and English ancestry. In the city of Phila- delphia, on August 24, 1802, was born the subject of this page. When he was nine years of age, the family then residing at Will- iamsport, his mother was drowned in a stage coach which was swept away by a swollen stream on the way to Pennsborough. The youthful George was only prevented from sharing his mother's journey and fate by a mere childish accident. Just as they were about to start, he fell down and soiled his clothing, for which he was compelled to forego the trip. When in his fifteenth year, our sub- ject began his mercantile career, entering a store in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. After serving one employer five years and another nine, he engaged in business for himself at Allenville, Mifliin countj^, in 1831. By the industry and shrewd business management of fifteen years here, he secured financial independence, and resolved to locate in Cincinnati, where his children, six sons and one daugh- ter, might be properly educated. For nine years his only business was their care and intellectual advancement. Their mother, Eliza, daughter of James Kellogg, one of the substantial citizens of Lewis- town and Mr. Patton's employer for nine years, was a woman worthy of such a husband, and ably seconded his efforts. The loss of health prompted Mr. Patton in 1855 to travel in the west. A tour PIONEERS. 1001 of some weeks' duration through Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota territory, satisfied him of the healthful climate and flattering mater- ial prospects of this section. Now, in his eighty-second year, his general health is good, and his long life is no doubt to be largely attributed to our invigorating climate, together with a clear con- science and regular, temperate habits. He left Oliio in May, 1855, on his prospecting trip, and removed his family to Winona in July of the same year. Here he bought lots and contemplated a per- manent residence. In the following winter his attention was called to the site of Lake City by its projectors, and after a survey of the adjacent country, he became convinced of its natural advantages and decided to purchase an interest in the town, which he did, and removed his family hither the following May. At that time boats did not land here, but Mr. Patton persuaded the captain of the War Eagle to put off^his household effects, cow, etc., on the shore. The boat arrived after dark, and they were obliged to make their way as best they could to a shanty near by. A severe storm was in progress at the time, and on reaching the cabin its floor was found to be soaked with the rain ; but here they were compelled to arrange their bedding and set up a stove and prepare supper. Mr. Patton at once set about preparations to build, and during this season completed his present residence, corner of High street and Lyon avenue, and occu- pied it in N"ovember. All the material had to be freighted from Pead's Landing, and much of it was purchased in Dubuque, the lumber being brought in a raft from the St. Croix river. The latter was dried in a kiln, erected for the especial purpose. Stones for the foundation were rolled down the bluffs, and Mr. Patton was obliged to mix mortar and wait on the mason, in order to fit the house for a shelter before winter came on. Only one carpenter and one mason could be found, and day-laborers were unheard of at that time. .In the spring of 1857, Mr. Patton built a store and opened for trade in April, 1859, continuing in mercantile business till January 1, 1881. Associated with him were his sons, Hiram and Augustus. The eldest son, James E., is a prosperous mer- chant and manufacturer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he has dwelt nearly thirty years. George P., the second, is in successful medical practice here. Nathan, the fourth, is now dealing in gen- eral merchandise at Tower City, Dakota. Augustus M. , died Feb- ruary, 1869, aged twenty-nine years, at Lake City, leaving a widow and two sons. The only daughter, Eliza J., married Rev. Silas J 002 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Hazlett, and is now deceased. December 31, 1878, was celebrated the golden wedding of George Patton and Eliza Kellogg, at their elegant home, where they were surrounded with the friends of a quai-ter centur}^, as well as many later ones. At the family reunion in the evening were present all the living descendants of Mr. and Mrs. Patton, except Dr. E. A. Patton, of Cincinnati, including a great-grandchild, Eliza McLean. George Eandolph Patton was born in Allen ville, Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, August 16, 1834. His parentage is American ; the an- cestors of his father (who is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) being Irish, and those of his mother (who is a native of New Haven, Connecticut) English, who settled in Connecticut in 1687. His parents, yet in vigorous health, celebrated in Lake City, Minnesota, their golden wedding, December 31, 1878. The subject of this sketch removed with his parents to Cincinnati, Ohio, in April, 1845. He spent four years in the old Cincinnati College, now merged into Herron's Classical Seminary, and subsequentl}^ graduated A.B. at the Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, after pursuing its four years^ course of study. During his first college year he carried forward at the same time the studies of both the freshman and sophomore classes, entering the junior on a grade of ninety-seven and two- thirds at the end of the first year. One of his achievements in the university was a literal translation, in book form, of the odes, sat- ires and epistles. of Horace ; also the "Greek Antiquities " of Thu- cydides, "Plato Contra Atheos,"and the "Prometheus" of ^schy- lus. During the last year of his college course he pursued the study of Hebrew in the Associated Keformed Theological Seminary, witli the view of the ministry. After studying theology one year in the "Western Theological Seminary, then located in Cincinnati, he turned his attention to medicine ; entered the ofiice of Prof. George Men- denhall, and graduated M.D., in the Miami Medical College, Cin- cinnati, in February, 1855. From February, 1854, to his gradua- tion, he served as the outdoor physician of the city dispensary, affording a wide scope of clinical observation. He established himself in practice in Cincinnati in 1855, occupying an office with Prof. J. F. White, of the Miami Medical College, until 1856 ; after that, until March, 1857, he was associated in the same office with Prof. E. Williams, the celebrated oculist, professor of ophthal- mology in the Miami school. He then opened an office in his own residence, corner of Fourth and John streets ; removed to No. 241 PIONEERS. West Seventh street, in 1860; to 360 West Eighth street in 1867 If remlined there till 1872, when ill-health, supermduced ch^fly by overwork and an unfortunate post-mortem wound compelhng fte Xquishment of a large .nd lucrative practice he retired to Lake Gins Minnesota. His contributions to the public press and mtdlca! Hterature have been voluminous. .A>non^,,*- ^ ^^ upon medical topics may be mentioned an article on Elephantia s Arabica"iu tlie Cincinnati M.dM OUervev, March, 18o6 the tlotng in the Cincinnati I^nct anA OJ««..r- "Contribution onMminthology," Juno, 1862, January, 1863, and February 1864 , "put^asia Dolens," June, 1863; " Hemorrhagic D.ahesis December 1867; "Antagonism of Aropia and Morphia, June, ?869 ''A New nstrument for Urethritis," December, 1869; and in the Philadelphia mdicA and Surgical Reporter, Februai-j-^ 870 articles on the "Treatment of Urethritis," in the Cincinnati iILJiJX,w,1870; "Hepatitis," /Ja., March, 187 ; on "mnia," in the Cincinnati MedUcd Repertory, Februai-y, 18 " Hvpodermic Injections and Treatment by Atomization, in Med, ^Tnd S,.gieJ Reporter, March, 1870. He is tbe mv-tor of a large number of surgical appliances, the most "» «d of w ich i known as "Patton's reverse-flow fenestrated injecting canda and Ser"; also an apparatus for Colle's ^aeture of he i.diu^^^^ instrument for deep-seated hsemorrhage, etc. In 1857 he was lee . : I : materia inedica and therapeutics in the Miami Mechca, College, Cincinnati; in 1856 was elected physician of L k Run Lunalc Asylum, declined; was physician and surgeon to Samt JoW Hospital during 1855 and 1856; surgeon of the Seminary Johns Hospta a ^^^^^ ^^^.^^ ^^^p^^^j fstirt'^geotriiiefoftheGreei^^^^^ during the war ; city physician of Cincmnati &«- ^^ S^o Wf^^^^^^^^ for a number of years consulting physician of the city ^^V^^^^J^Y^ In 1867 he was proffered the professorship ot ^-ton^^n tt^e Ci^ cinnati Dental College. From time to time -"- S-JJ" has spent, in the aggregate, over three y.ars in ^P--j « under soecialists, in the colleges and hospitals of New loik ana PWladXha He is a member of, and has held many ofbces in "Seal associations. During the C™-an war he received asuro-eon's commission in the Russian army for thiee years, but M fcanceled at his own request, on acconnt ot the war J— ^ i„g as he was about to sail for Europe. He has performed about 1004 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. all the capital operations in surgery. The degree of M.D. ad eun- dera was conferred upon him by the Medical College of Ohio, Cin- cinnati, in 1858; and the degree ot M.A. by the Miami University in 1857. Among his published addresses maybe noted the " Med- ical Pendulum," delivered before the Alumni Association of the Miami Medical College, Cincinnati, at the annual meeting February 28, 1870. He is a very fluent and effective speaker, and has never used at any time either notes or manuscript. March 26, 1857, he married Frances Mary, daughter ot A. W. Patterson, Esq., of Cincinnati, and has had two children, Edward A. and Ella Eliza. The former is now M.D. ; graduated in the Miami Medical College, Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. E. a. Patton, of Minneapolis, was formerly a physician of Lake City, in partnership with his father, G. R Patton. He is a gentleman of superior education and attainments and is now the professor of physiology in the Minnesota College Hospital of Min- neapolis. His wife, Mattie S., is a daughter of Maj. L. S. Van Vliet, whose sketch may be found elsewhere in this volume. Hajrrison Gillett, the great engine-boiler builder and machinist, of Lake City, was born in Coopertown, New York, in 1824, and at the early age of twelve years had developed considerable taste for machinery, especially such as was propelled by steam power. At that age he began running an engine at Syracuse, New York, and two years later went into a machine-shop to learn the art of build- ing. This he completed, and to this day has kept pace with the development of steam machinery and in many ways taken decidedly advanced steps in the science. In 1856 he came to Minnesota and located in Lake City, and at once, in company with Starr, Gaylord & Thompson, built a mill — his connection with this firm, however, was soon severed, he drifting into his old business and also starting a foundry. He run the first heat in this city on July 10, 1869, and erected his large machine-shop at the corner of Main and Dwelle streets in 1870. This building is a massive stone structure in size, 38X120, walls eighteen inches thick, on a substantial foundation, two feet in thickness, fifty feet of the front, two stories high, the entire building covered with an iron roof. The interior is arranged into apartments to suit the convenience of the different branches of work carried on, each room being supplied with new and improved machinery for the moulding and making of any article, from a wheelbarrow to a complete steam threshing-machine, capable of PIONEERS. 1005 being conveyed to the field by its own motive power. In this immense establishment is a thirty-horsepower engine, which not only propels the vast machinery within its own walls, but also furnishes the power for two grain elevators. During the threshing season of 1882 Mr. Gillette had in the field thirteen full-equipped steam threshers, through which was run about five hundred thousand bushels of grain, earning the sum of fourteen thousand three hun- dred dollars. Suffice it to say that Mr. Gillett is a natural machinist in every sense, and his sons are men of the same stamp. He was married December 31, 1846, to Miss Mary L. Bayard, of the State of New York, who has borne to him eight children, six of whom are still living, whose names in the order of their birth are Frank H., Frances L. James H., Fred H., Addie L., and Asa D. John Fletcher, Lake City, was born in Madison county, New York, February 18, 1831, and is the ninth child of Isaac and Nancy (Brown) Fletcher, who reared a family of ten to manhood and womanhood, save the first child, a daughter, who died at the age of sixteen years. They were natives of Vermont and York State respectively, and died in Madison count}^. New York. John's early years were spent on the farm, and his education was com- pleted with three terms at Hamilton Academy. For seven years his time was principally employed in teaching school. In 1856 he made a trip to Minnesota, having been employed to place the machin- ery in a mill at Mazeppa. At this time he placed the buhrs in the first flouring-mill in this county. The same season he made a claim to a quarter-section of government land in Goodhue county. In 1860 he became a permanent resident of this county, settling with his family on a farm in Mazeppa, and three years later removed to Lake City where he for several years conducted a hotel. In 1870 he engaged in the grain trade and in 1880 removed his head- quarters to Cass county, Dakota, though he continued to reside here. January 6, 1858, Mr. Fletcher was united in marriage to Sallie B. Hawks, who was born in Georgetown, Madison county. New York, whither her parents — Horace and Hannah (Bardwell) Hawks — removed from Massachusetts in the earliest period of Georgetown's settlement. To Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher two children were given, one of whom, Phila L. , is now in attendance at the city schools. The other died in childhood. LoRiN J. Fletcher, grain-dealer. Lake City, is a brother of John Fletcher above mentioned. He was born December 11, 1006 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. 1833, in Madison county, New York ; enjoyed tlie advantages of a common scbool through youth, to wliich was added one year's academic traming. The eight years previous to 1856 were spent in a store, and in tliis year he came to Mazeppa, this county, and embarked in a mercantile business. After conducting a pioneer store one year he returned east, where he remained until 1859, when he again came to this county. Then followed a two years' residence in Maze])pa, after which he permanently located in Lake City, and at once engaged in the grain and commission business as a member of the lirm of Amsbry & Fletcher. This firm con- ducted a prosperous business in this city up till the time of the con- struction of railroads through the interior, which materially cut off their trade from the rural towns. This firm also were agents for the St. Louis and St. Paul line of steamboats on the Mississippi river, and was for many years agent for the Northwestern Express Company, as well as for the American Express Company after it had absorbed the former. After the completion of the railroad to this city, they built an elevator near the company's depot, where Mr. Fletcher is still engaged in the grain trade. He was married at Lake City, April 26, 1859, to Miss Mate E. Amsbry, the only daughter of his business partner, Mr. William H. Amsbry. She is a native of Shenango county. New York. To them were born two children, but one of whom is living, a daughter, Jessie C, now eight years of age. William H. Amsbky (deceased) was born in New Hampshire in 1817, and was reared on a farm in Shenango county, New York, from the time he was six years of age. In 1836 he was married to Miss Charlotte ^ Coley, and followed agricultural pursuits in She- nango county till 1856, when he removed to the new and untried State of Minnesota. He first settled in Mazeppa, in this county, and there bought out and completed the first mill begun in the county. Ill 1860 he sold out and removed to Lake City, where he conducted an extensive grain and general commission business. He died in 1881, and is much missed by his friends and fellow- citizens. Mr. Amsbry served this county as commissioner, in its early history, and Lake City as a staunch friend and advisor in later years. David Ckonin (deceased) was one of the early settlers of Lake City, having come here about 1856. lie was born in Ireland, and there married Miss Margaret Walsh in 1843. In 1846 they emi- REV. SILAS HAZLETT. PIONEERS. 1007 grated to the United States, and for the following ten years was engaged in railroading in various states both east and west. By tliis time they has succeeded in saving a little money, and a small family had come to be cared for, hence their removal so far north- west. Here he purchased a small farm of one hundred and twenty acres in the town of Lake. Soon after he had got started at farm- ing came the outbreak of the late war, in which a spirit of patriot- ism and love of his adopted country caused him to enlist. He became a member of the 8th Minn. Yol. Inf., and was engaged in border warfare with the Indians, when he died at Fort Abercrombie, where his remains now rest. Mrs. Cronin, though aged and feeble, still resides in this city with her four children, whose names in the order of their birth are : Daniel, Mary, Margaret and David. One son, Michael, a promising young man, died (it is supposed) from injuries received by being struck violently on the breast with a plow handle. The mother and children are faithful members of the Catholic church. William E. Peekins, livery man. Lake City, came to Lake City in September, 1858, and spent his first winter here teaching a school at Central Point, after which for a time he engaged in handling lumber for F. R. Sterrett and Bessey & Willis, after which he spent some time in farming within the present limits of Lake City. In the fall of 1866 he embarked in the livery business with A. W. Detmars, and so continued about five years. He then bought out Mr. Det- mar's interest, and has since conducted the business individually, near the corner of Lyon avenue and Washington street. His busi- ness of late years requires about twenty horses, though before the con- struction of the railroads a larger number were needed. In addition to his livery and 'bus business, Mr. Perkins is also engaged in the purchase and sale of fine and heavy horses, most of them obtained in Illinois and Iowa. Mr. Perkins was born in Watertown, New York, September 16, 1839, and is a son of George B, and Cinthia (Woolley) Perkins. He was married July 23, 1858, to Miss Anna M. Woodford, a native of Yermont.. To them were born five chil- dren, of whom two, George W. and Sidney W., are living, and now in business. The former is agent for the American Express com- pany of this city, and the latter employed in his uncle George W. Perkin's store at Furgus Falls, Minnesota. Three lovely and affec- tionate daughters once graced the home of Mr. and Mrs. Perkins. Of these, Litha E. (who was their second child) died soon after 61 1008 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. entering on her third year. L. Nellie and Florence G. were longer spared to their fond parents. The former died of diphtheria Febru- ary 19,1879, in the twelfth year of her age, and the latter died of the same disease January 1, following, in her tenth year. Mr. and Mrs. Perkins are prominently connected with the Episcopal church, and he is a staunch member of the Masonic fraternity. Lymon E. Thorp, Lake City, who became a resident of this county as early as 1856, is a native of Madison county, New York, is a son of Orrin and Lucretia (Patridge) Thorp, and was born June 15, 1883. His early youth" was spent on the farm, where his parents gave him the best educational advantages the country school aflbrded. At about the age of fifteen he started to learn the blacksmith's trade, which he completed, and followed the business in his native state till 1856. December 25, 1855, he married Miss Marion O. Smith, a native of Shenango county, New York, and in the fall of the next year emigrated to Minnesota, settling in Mazeppa township, in Wabasha county, where he pre-empted a quarter-section of land, on which he built a small house, and there resided one year. By this time liis wife's health had become so impaired that her physician advised a return to her old eastern home. The next two years was spent there and in the fall of 1859 he returned to Mazeppa, and the next spring built the Franklin House, and kept hotel till August, 1862, when he enlisted in Co. G, 8th Minn. Vol. Inf His first two years' military service was in border warfare on the frontier, crossing the plains to the Yellowstone, under command of Gen. Sulley. The regiment was then ordered south, where it did garrison duty till the close of the war. After some time spent in visiting friends east, he permanently located in Lake City, and engaged in the grain trade, which he followed till his recent connection with the Jewell nursery as traveling salesman. Mrs. Thorp's parents, Joshua and Aurilla (Franklin) Smith settled in Mazeppa in 1856, where they have since been laid to rest. ]\Ii'. Thorp is a member of the Masonic lodge, chapter and commandery of this city, and occupies his own palatial residence in this city. George W. Sylvester, born April 6, 1828, died September 6, 1876. His father, Caleb Sylvester, was a farmer and surveyor, and resided at Phillips, Maine, where the subject of this sketch was born, and received a common school education. In 1844 the Sylvester family removed to AVisconsin, and located on a farm near Platteville, in the vicinity of the lead mines, where the boys found employment. PIONEERS. 1009 In 1851 George, in company with his brother Charles, crossed the plains with an ox-team, and found their way into the gold diggings of California. In 1854 he returned, via the isthmus of Panama, bringing back about two thousand dollars as the fruits of his three years' toil in the mines. The fall of the following year he came to Minnesota, and located a claim on the S.E. J of Sec. 25, inPlainview township. He spent that winter at his Wisconsin home, and on March 18, 1856, was married to Miss Matilda Cook, daughter of Henry Cook, a Wisconsin farmer. This lady was born November 5, 1838, in the township of Waterloo, Province of Quebec. The May following his marriage found Mr. Sylvester and his bride in possession of their new Minnesota home, and here he spent the re- mainder of his life in improving and beautifying his chosen home. Mr. Sylvester was a skillful carpenter, and devoted most of his time to that vocation. In 1860 he erected a large barn which he painted red, and was soon widely known as the "Big Red Barn." The present residence was not erected until 1875. His family now re- sides in the village of Plainview, and consists of Mrs. Sylvester and five children, viz: Edwin L., born March 16, 1859, bookkeeper in the Plainview Bank, educated at the Plainview High School ; Hattie A. ; G. Franklyn, telegraph operator at St. Joseph, Minn. ; Electra ■A., and Nellie M. Mr. Sylvester was from the first prominently identified with the religious work in Plainview, being a member of the Methodist Episcopal church ; he was also a member of both the Masonic and Odd-Fellows fraternities of Plainview, and was at one time on the township board of supervisors, ^and was more or less prominently identified with county politics. Mr. Sylvester was the first postmaster of the Woodland office. Patrick MgDonough, Mount Pleasant, was born in County Mayo, Ireland, about 1824. When eighteen, he came to the United States and engaged in tailorwork with an elder brother in Shenango county, New York. He came to Mazeppa in the fall of 1856, and secured some land near that village. In partnership with his brother he now owns eighty acres in Zumbrota and a like amount in Mount Pleasant, where he lives. He enlisted February 22, 1862, in Co. H, 5th Minn, regt., and served in the western army. He was an actor in the battles of Yicksburg, Nashville, Corinth, luka, Jackson, Champion Hills and the Red River expedition. He was hurt by a fall in the night, but served out his time and was discharged in September, 1865. After the war he spent three years 1010 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. in Swift county, where lie took a claim and afterward sold it. Mr. McDonough never married, and resides with a niece, Mrs. Mc- Bride. He is a member of Lake City Catholic church and a demo- crat. John Dale (deceased) was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, October 8, 1806. He was a son of Christopher Dale, also a native of Pennsylvania, of English descent. His mother died when he was an infant. He was reared on a farm and learned the weaver's trade. His wife, Christina, nee Myers, was born in the same neigh- borhood as himself on December 28, 1804, and they were united in marriage August 14, 1827. Mr. Dale owned a farm in his native state, which he tilled. He came thence to Wabasha county in 1865 and bought a farm on section 24, Zumbro township. He died December 23, 1882, at the residence of his eldest son, Daniel. His wife died July 7, 1877. Six sons and one daughter survive them: Daniel, Jacob M., Samuel, John W., Mary Ellen (Mrs. David Myers), Levi A., and Simon W. The third son resides at Fostoria, Ohio ; the fourth at Zumbro Falls ; the daughter at Well- ington, Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Dale were Dunkards in faith. Daniel Dale, eldest son of John Dale, was born in Center township, Perry county, Pennsylvania, January 28, 1830. His early life was passed on the farm, and at nineteen he began work at the carpenter's trade. He subsequently took up cabinetwork, which he worked at more or less till 1859. In 1856 he took up his residence in Zumbro, making claim to one-fourth of section 19. He still retains one half of this claim, on which he lives. His estate includes one hundred and fifty acres, of which twenty are timbered. He has a fine farm and has handsomely improved it. He was mar- ried October 18, 1859, to Elizabeth Peterman, a native of Pennsyl- vania ; her parents were Jacob and Annie (Myers) Peterman, of French and German extraction. Mr. and Mrs. Dale are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The former has always cast his vote with the republican party. Their first child was christened Ida, and died when four months old. Jenny M., born March 23, 1863, married D. W. Coleman, and dwells at Emma, Dakota. Helen E., October 1, 1866, resides with parents. Jacob M., second son of John Dale, was born in Center May 17, 1832. He was put out at an early age to live with a Dutch farmer, and learned the language of his foster-parents, so that he now speaks it equally as well as English. At his majority he took up PIONEERS. I'Oll chair making and painting, and followed this occupation many years. He became a citizen of Zumbro in 1856, taking a claim on section 19, June 26. He still dwells on the original claim, and has one hundred and six acres of land. He arrived with noth- ing, and is now independent. On February 24, 1859, he was united in marriage to Miss Hannah E. Henry, daughter of James Henry, whose sketch appears elsewhere. Mrs. Dale has always been called Lizzie. She was born in Yernon, Trumbull county, Ohio, October 17 1834. Mr. Dale is a republican and himself and wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. They have two children : John A., born March 2, 1861, resides at Grafton, Dakota; Carrie E., August 8, 1865, now fitting herself for a teacher at Kochester. Levi A., fifth son of John Dale, was born in Center, August 3, 1845. Eeared on farm and received a common school education. Came to Zumbro November 27, 1863. Next year he bought sixty- five acres on section 24, where his home has been ever since. By industry and perseverance he has made himself independent. Has purchased twenty acres of timber in Mazeppa. He was married November 28, 1869, to Louisa A., daughter of H. C. Brant, whose biography is elsewhere given in this book. They have three chil- dren, born as follows: Earl C, March 14, 1876 ; Eoy M., October •26, 1878; Hattie May, May 5, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Dale are members of the Wesleyan Methodist church. The former is a republican, because he considers that correct principles are espoused by the party known by that name. He came to Minne- sota without capital, and with the aid of his faithful helpmeet has secured a happy home. John A. Martin, millwright, Mazeppa, is a grandson of John Martin, of Delaware. His father, John Martin, served as a United States marine in the war of 1812, and married Catharine Portman, also native of Delaware. This couple settled in Russelsburg, War- ren county, Pennsylvania, where was born to them the subject of this mention, on September 11, 1828. He was reared on a farm on the Conewango river, two miles from a school. He had no oppor- tunity to attend school after fourteen years old, being then employed in a sawmill. Having a natural taste for mechanical labor, he soon became skilled in the use of tools. His father was a lumberman, and he had good opportunities for practice. Mrs. Martin was born and reared within half a mile of her husband, and was united to him in marriage October 15, 1852. Her father, E. W. Chase, was a native 1012 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. of New York, and she was christened Mary Jane. After spending a short time in Michigan, lie arrived in Mazeppa in September, 1856, where his home has been ever since. After working a short time at St. Anthony, he returned for his family. Coming up the Mississippi on the Lady Franklin, the vessel sunk at Prairie du Chien, but they escaped without loss, and arrived in Ked Wing, in December. For a year or two Mr. Martin operated the sawmill here. In the summer of 185t he built a house on First street, in which he dwelt several years. Next year he bought a farm in Zumbrota township, near this village, and now has ninety acres of land. His present residence on the corner of Broadway and Cherry streets, where he has four lots, was built by him in 1862. He has built or repaired mills at Lodi, Pine Island, Oronoco, Zumbro Falls, Forest Mills, and numerous other points. He is a firm and enthusi- astic democrat, and served as postmaster at Mazeppa throughout Buchanan's administration. His religious sympathies are with the Universalists. He has superintended a great many funerals. He is very fond of hunting, which he has pursued from boyhood, capturing a great many deer. His field has extended from Pennsylvania to Montana, and he visits the latter territory often now. His children were born and christened as follows : October 15, 1851, Emmagene (Mrs. Fred. C. Hollenbeck, Bismarck, Dakota Territory) ; April 15, 1857, Arthur, now at Brainerd, Minnesota; January 18, 1870, Carribelle, home. Jesse Youngs (deceased) was one of the pioneers of Mazeppa township, taking a claim in the fall of 1856 on section 8, where he died in September, 1865. He was born near Stanton, Connecticut, in 1789, and served through the war of 1812. His fiither was a revolutionary soldier. He married Martha McBride, and settled in Livingston county, New York, where he remained till he came here. He had two sons and two daughters. The eldest son, Enoch, came here with his father and took up a claim near by. He enlisted in February, 1862, in the 5th Minn. Vols., and was shot in Texas by guerrillas in 1864. He left a wife and five children. The other son remains on his father's original claim. Matilda J., one of the daughters, married Zerch Cornish and lives near Sleepy Eye. Anna married Charles Sibley, and lives near her brother on the old claim. John J. Sibley, as above related, resides on his father's original claim in Mazeppa. He was born in Sparta, Livingston county. New PIONEERS. 1013 York, Kovember 12, 1816. He married Almeda Lovell, born in New York, also the grandchild of a revolutionary soldier, and pur- chased a farm there on which he lived till the spring of 1857. He then came west and located where he is now. Mr. and Mrs. Youngs are Methodists. They have six children : Benjamin, the eldest, served in the war against the Sioux and also at the South. He now resides in Mazeppa. The others reside as follows : George E., Moorhead, this state; Jesse, Mazeppa; Joseph, on father's farm ; Henrietta (Mrs. Alvin Sibley), Lake Benton, Minnesota ; Phoebe A. (Mrs. Joseph Harrison), Mazeppa. Mr. Youngs is a faithful republican. TuRNEK J. Preble, farmer, is a great-grandson of James Preble, an Englishman. Benjamin, son of the latter, married Lydia Tibbetts, both born in Maine. Their son Turner was born in 1807 in Whitesfield, Lincoln county, that state ; he married Temperance Eldredge, of Argyle, Penobscot county, daughter of Richard and Temperance (Wheldin) Eldredge. The subject of this sketch was born in Old Lemon, Hancock county, Maine, March 30, 1842. From 1850 to 1855 his parents resided in McKean county, Penn- sylvania, and in the spring of the last-named year became a resident of Minnesota. The summer was spent on rented land opposite Hudson, Wisconsin. In the fall of that year Turner Preble settled at Mazeppa. During the following winter he hewed the timbers for the first mill built in that town. He took up government land near the village, which he held till 1865. He then sold and bought the farm on which he resides (section 7, Chester). The subject of this sketch received but a limited education, such as is afforded by the primitive schools of a new country. For some years after attaining his majority he continued to reside with his father and to assist him in farm operations. In 1868 he purchased eighty acres of land near his father's (partly in Zumbrota), which he still owns and tills. Pie is now the owner of two outlots in Mazeppa village, beside a half- interest in another on which himself and partner are building a grist- mill at this writing. In the summer of 1883 he built a house near the millsite, in which he now dwells with his family. In 1868 he married May Lord, a native of New York ; her father, Lewis Lord, was a native of Massachusetts, and his wife Jane, of New York. Their children were born as below: Emma J., January 2, 1870; Lefa, February 19, 1873 ; Alonzo, July 28, 1876 ; George, August 3, 1878. Mr. Preble served a short time as a recruit in the 1st 1014 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Minn. Heavy Art., enlisting January 28, 1865, and being discharged October 10 following. He was stationed at Chattanooga, Tennessee. Samuel H. Doane was born in Jefferson county. New York, on August IS, 1816. His parents were farmers, and Samuel's early years and youth were spent on a farm. In 1813 he, in company with his brother Daniel, went to Kockland county, in the same state, and worked as farm hands for one of the old German farmers of that vicinity. They remained with him for several years, and induced him to lay aside the old-fasliioned one-handled plow and wooden- tooth harrow, with which he had cultivated his land, after the manner of his parents. In the fall of 1856 Samuel came to Highland town- ship. He labored among farmers for many years, and drew the lum- ber for the first hotel ever erected in Plainview. He now resides with his brother Daniel, on the hitter's farm, which adjoins his own snug little place of forty acres on section 33. Robert M. Doane was born near Adams Village, Jefferson county, New York, November 8, 1823. His parents were farmers, and Robert's early life was spent on a farm. At the *ige of sixteen he found himself possessed of a fair education, obtained in the com- mon schools, and the school at Watertown, New York, which he at- tended one year. When sixteen years old he was employed by Mr. S. P. Jolmson, a wealthy drover of Clayton, New York, as a stock-buyer. Two years later he entered the employment of E. G. Merrick, another prominent business man of Clayton, and continued in his service most of the time as a sailor on the lakes until the year 1853. May S, 1849, he married Jennette Marshall, who was born in Lisbon, St. Lawrence county, New York, May 8, 1823. In 1856 they came to Minnesota, and settled on section 33 in Highland township. Mr. and Mrs. Doane have three children, viz: Mrs. Ettie Moore, of Castleton, Dakota; Daniel W. and Frederick H., residing at home. Mr. Doane is a member of the Congregational church, a republican in politics, and has held various positions of public trust, being one of the first board of supervisors in Highland township. Lawrence Tracy, farmer, is a native of County Wicklow, IreLand, where he was born January 6, 1822. He was second of six children born to James and Elizabeth Byrne Tracy, who died in their native land. Previous to his coming to this country (1846) the subject of our sketch spent five years as engineer, and for four years followed that business in Pennsylvania. January 13, 1849, he wedded Ann Foley, PIONEERS. 1015 of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. This marriage has been blessed with nine children, six of whom are living : Mrs. Veronica McGinn, of Minneapolis ; James A. ; Mrs. Ann McGinn, of Minne- apolis ; Ellen, a teacher of this county ; Mrs. Elizabeth Fox ; Maiy F. From Pennsylvania Mr. Tracy went, in 1850, to the copper mines of northern Michigan, where he mined until 1856, when he settled in the town of Pell (now Oakwood), Wabasha county, being one of the early pioneers of that part of the county. In the fall of 1858 he moved to West Albany, where he has since lived. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church. In politics he is independent, supporting the men and printeiples of which his judg- ment approves. He has been often called to the public service, being a member of the first county board of supervisors ; later was township treasurer four years, and for sixteen years has held the office of assessor. He is a man of intelligence, has at times contrib- uted to the local papers, and is one of the leading citizens of the community. Capt. John W. Buenham was born in the year 1829, in the State of New Hampshire, and grew up with tlie usual experiences of a farmer's son in moderate circumstances of that time. His grand- father, of same name, was an officer during the entire revolutionary war and a member of the Society of the Cincinnati. Capt. Burn- ham is by birthright entitled to membership of this society, but has never claimed the right. After some years of adult life spent as a farmer, teacher and lumberman, he came to Minnesota in April, 1856, and located by buying for two hundred dollars a settler's claim to the K W. J of Sec. 3, T. 108 K, E. 11 W., land now owned by E. L. Burton and S. H. Gaylord. At the election following in October, 1856, he was elected justice of the peace, and as such held the first court, married the first couple, and approved the bonds of the first postmaster upon Greenwood prairie. For a short time he was engaged in the mercantile business at Greenville, the first town laid out on the prairie ; but the uncertain title of land upon the Sioux half-breed reservation, destroyed the town and sent the occupants to their claims. After much trouble, expense and anxiety, Capt. Burnham secured a title to eighty acres of land, which he had improved by paying four dollars and fifty cents per acre for it. In 1862 he made proof by pre-emption upon one hundred and sixty acres adjoining, which cost ninety dollars, money paid for a soldier's land warrant. In 1858 he was elected a member of the state lesis- 1016 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. lature. This body did not convene, and in 1859 he was re-elected. The following session continued for four months. The finances of tlie state and the people was at a low ebb. The pay of a member would not procure him board at a first-class hotel in St. Paul. In 1861 Capt. Burnham was joined with I. O, Seeley, of Maze])pa, and Lawrence Tracey, of West Albany, into a board of appraisers of the school lands in the county. In August, 1862, he enlisted in the array, after the call of three hundred thousand men by President Lin- coln, and was made a sergeant in Co. C, 10th Inf., commanded by Capt. C. W. Hackett. He with the company were mounted and in service on the Minnesota frontier till February, 1863, when they went into winter quarters at LeSueur till May following. From May to October, 1863, the subject of this sketch was with his company in Sibley's expedition in Dakota, which marched thirteen hundred miles, fought four battles with Indians, and suffered much from hunger, thirst and fatigue. This expedition went north to Devil's lake, and west to the site of Bismarck, present capital of Dakota. In October, 1863, the regiment was sent to St. Louis, Missouri, on duty in the city. In May, 1864, it was sent into Kentucky and thence to Tennessee and Mississippi. IIere,for the first time, Mr. Burnham was unable to do soldier's duty from ill health. July 25, 1864, he was commissioned lieutenant in Co. D, 121st U. S. Colored Inf. and was sent on recruiting service into Kentucky and there kept till June, 1865, when th^^s regiment was consolidated with others into 13th regt. U. S. Heavy Art. (colored), Lieut. Burnham being assigned to Co. I. His health being very poor he obtained leave of absence and visited home. While away he was assigned tem- porarily for duty in 125th U. S. Colored Inf., then on duty at the mili- tary prison at Louisville, Kentucky. He was immediately recom- mended for commission in that regiment, and on the day his appointment came — the 13th U. S. Ileav}'- Art. (colored) was being mustered out of service at Louisville — Lieut. Burnham was put in command of a company (H), and in six weeks was promoted. Kot long after, Co. H was sent to Jackson, Michigan, for a time, but about New Year's, 1866, the whole regiment was rendezvoused at Cairo, Illinois, where it remained till spring, when it was ordered to Fort Union, New Mexico, by steamboat to Leavenworth, Kansas, and from thence marched. From Fort Union, Cos. H and G marched five hundred miles more to Fort Bliss, Texas, where they remained a year, marching back in September and October, 1867, PIONEERS. 1017 over nearly the same route, to EUswortli, Kansas, the nearest raih-oad station. From here they traveled by rail to Jefferson Bar- racks, where they intended to await the rest of the regiment ; but the cholera broke out among them, and several died. The rest were mustered out at once, and the remainder of the regiment December 31, 1867, the last volunteer regiment enlisted for the war. Capt. Burnham returned to Flainview, where he still owned his farm, bought more land and settled in the town of Highland, where he lived eight years. He was three years chairman of the town board of su^^er visors, and once the unsuccessful republican candi- date for state senator. In 187T he sold his farm in Highland and moved to Flainview, where he lived till October, 1878, when he moved to Wheatland, Cass county, Dakota, where he has since resided. Capt. Burnham was married in 1866, to Ada J. Law- rence, daughter of Benjamin Lawrence, an older settler of Green- wood prairie than himself, and has four children,— one born at Fort . Bliss, Texas, two in Highland and one in Flainview. ^ After his marriage his wife accompanied him, and had, a share in military life upon the frontier. Capt. Burnham draws no pension, although probably entitled to one, for the exposure and hardships of five years and three months' military service are enough to break down • the strongest man. George H. Burnham, a native of New Hampshire, was born May 20, 1837, in the town of Derry, Eockingham county. His parents were George and Eliza (McNeil) Burnham, both natives of the Old Granite State. In 1869 Robert H. Burnham, of Long Meadow, Massachusetts, compiled and published the genealogy of the Burn- ham family in the United States. The work contains five hundred and forty-six pages, and shows the family to be a very large one. Maj. John Burnham, of the revolutionary army, was a grandfather of the subject of this sketch. George H. Burnham's early life was passed on a farm. In 1856 his brothers, John and William, came to Minnesota, and the following year George joined them in then- pioneer life. He pre-empted that year one hundred and sixty acres on section 17, where he built the customary log cabin, and continued to reside for seven years. In 1864 he sold his pre-emption, and two years later purchased from Mr. Woodward a quarter-section on sec- tion 33, where he now has his home. March 3, 1862, he was mar- ried to Mary E. Gaylord, a native of Gainesville, New York. Her parents, Elijah and Huldah (Alvord) Gaylord, were also natives of 1018 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. New York State. The following are the names of their children now living, viz: George M., born August 17, 1864 ; Frank A. (sur- viving twin), May 24, 1868 ; William II., July 19, 1871 ; Mary E., July 4, 1874 ; Maggie, April 4, 1876 ; John S., November 25, 1878; Charles A. G., November 1, 1880 ; Elsie L, December 8, 1882. Mr. Burnham has a fair education; attended the Derry Academy, New Hampshire, five terms ; is a member of the Plainview Congre- gational church, and a republican sprung from the old whig stock. AuAM V. SiGLER, capitalist, Lake City, is the ninth child of Adam and Jemima (Van Horn) Sigler. The latter were born in New Jersey, of Dutch descent, and settled in Decatur, Miiilin county, Pennsylvania. Here was born the subject of this sketch, August 20, 1814, and four children were given to his parents after that. Adam Y. Sigler received a limited education in the common schools of Decatur, and began mercantile life at eighteen in a store at Lewistown, in his native county. In 1836 he went into business in partnership with George Patton (elsewhere sketched in this work), at Allen ville, same county. After the retirement of his partner, Mr. Sigler continued the business eight years there, and two at Lewistown. Early in the spring of 1856 he became a resident of Lake City, and invested his ca])ital in lots and buildings, which have yielded him a handsome income. His retirement from active life dates at this time, and he is now passing a hale and peaceful old age in the midst of long-time friends and associates. He is a member of the Presby- terian church, and was connected with the Sons of Temperance while a lodge existed here. Politically, began with the whig party and is now republican. In December, 1860, Mr. Sigler took a life- partner in the person of Miss Matilda E. Guyer, born in Peoria, Illinois. Of six children born to this couple, only one is now alive, born ten years ago, and christened William Wilberforce. Two died of scarlet fever, within a space of ten days. Albert K. Gaylord, Lake City marshal, was reared on a farm in New York, and received a common-school education, supple- mented by several terms at Falley Seminary, in Fulton, same state. His parents, Miner and Elizabeth (Burr) Gaylord, were born, reared and married in Connecticut, and removed to New York. While resident in the town of Butternuts, Otsego county, 1831, a son was born to them, and christened Albert K. When twenty years old the latter left home, and went to Brooklyn, Jackson county, Michigan, where he was employed in a foundry and PIONEERS. 1019 •machine-shop. In tlie fall of 1856 he came to Lake City, and next spring brought his family. He built the building known for many years as "Gaylord's Hall," which was consumed in 1882, and opened the first furniture store here. He also sold various kinds of agricultural implements, manufactured by his former em- ployers. For some years he was employed at carjDenter work, and in the foundry here. For three years he owned and operated the mill in the ' ' Cooley, " south of the city, in partnership with D. M. Smith. He served as marshal in the years 18T4-5-6, and was ap- pointed to fill a vacancy in that office in October, 188], holding the position ever since. He was a charter member and first past dicta- tor of the Lake City Knights of Honor, and was also connected with the Good Templars lodge while it existed ; has taken all the degrees in Odd-Fellowship, and is connected with the Masonic lodge and chapter. Mary A. Bancroft, first wife of A. K. Gaylord, was born in New York, and died here in Septemb'^r, 1868, leaving two chil- dren, of whom one survives, born March, 1868, and christened Mary E. The maternal grandparents of the latter were of New England birth. In October, 1877, Mr. Gaylord was united in marriage to Solural., widow of Elias Sweet, and she still shares his joys and sorrows. Joseph Haivimons, retired farmer, Zumbro, located in this town- ship in the fall of 1856, making claim to one-fourth of section 33. Here he took great pains in trying to raise fruit, but with little suc- cess. He has disposed of his original claim, and now has one hundred and twentj^ acres in the river valley, including all that part of the village of Hammond south of the river, which was platted by Mr. Hammons. For twelve years he kept a grocery here, during six months of which time he was compelled to use crutches on account of sciatic rheumatism. He has given some attention to medicine, and never employed a physician. Lie makes a cough remedy which is sought from far and near on account of its admi- rable power. Mr. Hammons was born in Osby, New Hampshire, March 28, 1816. The name is probably of French origin. Moses, father of this subject, was born in Maine, and served as a captain in the war of 1812. He married Dorothy Longee, of the same state. When Joseph was but four years old his parents returned to Maine, and his early life was passed in farming and lumbering, earning his own livelihood from a very early age. At nineteen he paid his father two hundred dollars ifor his time, and went to New York and 1020 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. found employment in a flourmill. After this time he got some education bj private study and in niglit-scliools. At the age of thirty- he married Sabra Ridlon, who was born in Saco, Maine, April 15, 1826. Her parents were Nathanial and Mercy (Srnith) Ridlon, born in the same state. But one child has been given to this unioai, a daughter, born January 29, 1849, and christened Victoria. March 19, 1870, she married Eugene Adams, and resides in this township. Mr. Hammons served twelve years as justice of the peace in this township. His political tenets are represented by the old whig party and its successor, the republican. His religious views are most nearlj^ represented by the Universalists. Edward P. C. Fowler, farmer, is one of the oldest settlers left in the township. He was born November 5, 1818, in New London county, Connecticut, and is of remote English ancestry. His parents were Amos and Lydia Backus-Fowler, both natives of Connecticut. Edward was raised on the farm, and on attaining his majority learned the carpenter's trade, following it there until 1856, when he located in Mount Pleasant, on the farm he now occupies. He was married September 9, 1842, in New London count}^ Connecticut, to Betsy Thomas of that county. To this union has been born six children, viz: John C, Nelson L. (deceased), William T. (deceased), Mrs. Lydia E. Robinson, of Lyon county, Charles S. and Edward P. C. During his residence here Mr. Fowler has divided his time between his land and his trade, and has a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres. Mrs. Fowler departed this life May 30, 1883. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as is Mr. Fowler, and he belonged to the Grange and the Good Templar lodge, when those societies were in existence in the township. He is a repub- lican, and was the first clerk of the township. He since has been called to the public service at different times, having filled the ofcces of justice of the peace, treasurer, assessor, etc. Roland Frazier Maxwell, retired farmei', is descended from Scotch ancestors. His grandfather, Benjamin Maxwell, was at the battle of Lexington, and served the colonies throughout the revolu- tionar}" war. Winslow, son of Benjamin, was born in Massachusetts, and married Joannah Fairman, a native of Vermont. For many years he tilled a farm in Heath, Franklin county, in the Bay State, where the subject of this sketch was born, June 11, 1829. When he was twelve years old, his father removed to Sunderland, and operated a foundry. Frazier Maxwell attended the common schools EAKLY SETIXEES. 1021 till eighteen years old, when he took up painting, and followed that occupation till he came west in 1856. At this time he took up a claim one mile southwest of Mazeppa, and tilled it nine years. He then sold this and bought one hundred and twenty acres lying on sections 19 and 30, Mazeppa, which he now owns. In 1878 he built the fine residence which he occupies, on Cherry street, Mazep- pa, at a cost of two thousand five hundred dollars, and has occupied it ever since. He is now president of the village council, and was several years a member of the town board — part of the time chair- man. To his enterprise and public spirit is largely due the present thriving condition of our village and surroundings. Mr. Maxwell is orthodox on religious questions, and is so regarded by the repub- licans politically. His marriage took place at Oronoco, May 2, 1868, the bride and subsequent faithful helpmeet being Miss Lottie A. Gould, who was born in Atkinson, Maine. Her parents, Otis K. and Charlotte (Brown) Gould, were natives of the same state. The eldest child of Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell, christened Gertrude, is still with them. Two sons, Frederick and Charles, died — the former at six and latter at two years of age. CHAPTEK XCIII. EARLY SETTLERS. John Bradley Miller, merchant, is one of the pioneers of Mazeppa, where he continues to reside. On his arrival here he selected a claim, and after securing the same, took up his resi- dence in the village, working as a mason and carpenter. For the past twelve years he has kept a furniture store on First street and is doing a prosperous business. His religious faith is represented by Universalism, and his political principles by republicanism. Mr. Miller's paternal grandfather was a revolutionary soldier. His father and mother, Wright and Abigail Miller, were natives of New York, and settled in Monticello, Otsego county, where the subject of this sketch was born, January 8, 1831. Wright Miller was a gunsmith, and at ten years of age Bradley, as Mr. Miller is called, was set to work in his shop when out of school. On reaching m-a 1022 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. turity he set out to earn his livelihood and was employed for several years as a sawyer and turner. In 1S51 he married Miss Mary, a sister of W. D. Angell, whose parentage is elsewhere given. Mrs. Miller is a native of Edmiston, New York. They have one child, Alice, born April 13, 1859, now the wife of George D. Sandford. George B. Franklin, carpenter, is a native of New York, as were his ])arents, B. B. and Maria (Glynn) Franklin. The subject of this sketch was born in the town of Georgetown, ^Madison county, Jan- uary 22, 1832. When seven years old he was taken with tlie family to Vermont, where he attended the common schools till fourteen, after which he cared for himself. When sixteen he began cai'penter- work and followed it till thirty-three. In ls.57 he located at Ma- zeppa and built most of the early buildings in that village. Twelve years after settling in this county he purchased the farm on which he now resides. For some years he dealt largely in liorses and also bought and sold some real estate. His domain now includes one hundred acres lying on section 31, Chester, and is graced with handsome and well-planned buildings. Mr. Franklin is a member of the Masonic order, his lodge being located at Mazeppa. He is a thorough republican partisan and never voted for a democrat for any office. In 1876 he married Miss Allie, daughter of Elam Black, of Mazeppa. Their children were born and christened as below : July 31, 1877, Berenice; November 22, 1878, Lottie; September2S, 1880, Lottie ; August 22, 1882, Jessie. Joseph Dieterich, shoemaker, Water street, business established in this city in 1857. Mr. Dieterich was born in Bavaria, learned his trade there, came to America in 1854, settling first in Pittsbui-gh, Pennsylvania, where he remained until his removal to this county in 1857. He married, prior to his emigration to America, Marga- retta Schell, in 1851, who died at Read's Landing, March 6, 1880. Their children are : Maggie (wife of Peter Gibson, of Read's Land- ing), born in April, 1852 ; John, born in June, 1856 ; Emma, born January, 1865. On April 13, 1882, Mr. Dieterich married Eliza- beth Roller. Thomas Mateer was an old-line whig, and has been a republi- can ever since the organization of the part3^ He was born in Ireland, February 15, 1823. He came in company with his brother to America, landed in New York, January 15, 1848. They went from New York to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where Thomas en- gaged in the Eagle Hotel, and had charge of Eagle Ice Company at ^H^ ^^^ S. L. CAMPBELL. EARLY SETTLERS. 1023 the same time in partnership with his cousin, John McMasters. He then was overseer of a lumber yard for two years, and then went to California in 1854, on board the vessel George Law, which was after- ward refitted and was then named the Central America, which foun- dered in the ocean on the very trip Mr. Mateer expected to start for home, but he was detained accidentally and thus missed the boat. After staying in California for three years he then, on April 27, 1857. landed in Read's Landing, this county, and came to Glasgow town- ship, June 15, 1857, to where he now lives. Mr. Mateer was married to Sarah Jane McMasters, a native of Ireland, on April 15, 1857. They have had seven children, five of them still living: Ellen Jane (married Henry Higgins, and lives in Reynolds, Dakota*, Charles G., Walter H., Elizabeth (is the wife of William Neal, and now lives in Lyon county, this state) ; William Stewart is the name of the youngest. Mr. Mateer was the first supervisor of this town- ship, and has been a member of the Presbyterian church for thirty- five years. Charles G. Dawley, a leading citizen and farmer, was one of the pioneers of Highland. He was the only son of Daniel and Hanna (Whitford) Dawley, both natives of Rhode Island, where the subject of this sketch was born June 16, 1814. Mr. Dawley, Sr., was a blacksmith, and worked in the old Gen. Green Anchor Forge AVorks. In 1825 Charles removed with his parents to western New York State. Nine years later he again followed his parents to Crawford county, Pennsylvania. In 1840, March 14, he mar- ried Charlotte Webster, a native of the Keystone State, then in her twentietli year. Three years later he came to McHenry county, Illi- nois, and settled on a farm. Catching the gold fever, he and four companions crossed the plains with an ox-team in 1853. He worked in mines in Sacramento county until his health gave out, and in 1856 he returned after first distributing his dust to defray the expenses of his sickness, and the following spring disposed of his property in Illinois, and brought his family to Wabasha county, settling on the farm where he still resides, one hundred and sixty acres on section 26. Mr. Dawley has always been a prominent man in the political affairs of the township ; was a member of the first board of supervisors, and one of the first justices of the peace, and has continued to hold the latter ofiice, with the exception of four years, ever since. In 1863 he was elected judge of probate for Wabasha county, and served one term, and in 1861 was also a 1024 HISTORY OF WAIJASIIA COUNTY. county commissioner ; five years he was cliairinan of the board of supervisors, and has also been township su])erintendent of schools. His politics are republican. Mr. Dawley has taught school thirty- one terms, fourteen in Wabasha county. His eldest son, Charles G., was killed at the last battle at Nashville, Tennessee. He was a member of the 10th Minn., and a sergeant in Co. C. He was born September 2, 1841, in Pennsylvania. The second child, Allen W., is a fanner in Highland; Mary (Mrs. R. H. Anderson, of Rochester) was the third child, and Daniel, the youngest, is attending the State Normal School at Winona. Mr. Dawley has for many years been postmaster of the Smithfield office. William J. Disney^, farmer, son of John and Maiy Disney, was born in Oneida county, New York, in 1842. At the age of fifteen he came with his parents to this county, where he has resided since that time. He enlisted in 1864, in Co. E, 11th Minn., and served until the close of the war. Although he was never in an engagement, yet he did faithful service for the government in guard- ing supply trains to our armies in the south. Mr. Disney was married to Miss Ward in 1869. He is a member of the Carnelian Lodge of Masons, of Lake City. Politically he is a republican. Jaimes J. Butts, the sixth child of Jonathan and Eleanor (Bran- non) Butts, was born in Brookfield, Trumbull county, Ohio, July 28, 1828. Mr. Butts, Sr., was a farmer, and James was brought up on a farm, receiving such education as was obtainable in a country school. At the age of twenty he started out in life for himself, and for two years worked as a farm hand. He next became a copartner with William Rounds in the management of a steam saw- mill, at Fowler, Ohio, and soon after engaged in the dairy business until the spring of 1857, when he came to Minnesota and bought one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 18, in Plainview town- ship, Wabasha count3^, and soon after pre-empted one hundred and sixty more on section 6, in the same township. His landed pos- sessions now aggregate nearly four hundred acres, situate chiefly on sections 8 and 18, in Plainview, and include a portion of the western part of Plainview village, the Union school-buildings standing on land donated to the district by Mr. Butts. Mr. Butts is both a good republican and a good Odd-Fellow ; is a man of great endurance and physical strength, which he displayed to good advantage during the winter of 1859 by cutting nine cords of cordwood in eight and one-half hours. He was married to Dorcas Alderman, a native of EARLY SETTLERS. 1025 Trumbull county, Ohio, and daughter of Lyman and Ljdia (Munson) Alderman, June 1, 1851. They have two children now living, namely : Lucy (Mrs. Myron Smith), of Plainview, and Addie (Mrs. John Doherty), of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Joseph W. Marshall, the subject of our present sketch, is one of the most prosperous farmers and stock-raisers in Wabasha county. He is the so'h of I. P. and Isabel (Wilson) Marshall, of Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and was born on a farm in that county October 5, 1831. The Marshalls came from Vermont and the Wilsons from Pennsylvania. Mr. Marshall came to Wabasha county in company with F. L. Meachum in the spring of 1857, and located a claim on section 3, in Elgin township. He has since dis- posed of this land and purchased a farm of two hundred and forty acres adjoining, on which he now resides. Since 1880 he has engaged extensively in the dairy and stock-raising business, and has also been connected with Mr. Meachum in the buying and shipping of live stock. Just prior to his removal from the east he was married, on April 6, 1857, to Miss Elizabeth Cram, daughter of Humplirey Cram, Esq., a Crawford count}-, Pennsylvania, farmer, by whom he has had sixteen children, all of whom are now living, as follows : Cloe A. (Mrs. Adolph D. Haltzer, farmer), of Oakwood township ; Murray A., residing in Plainview ; Otis H., of Oakwood ; Abel A., of Plainview ; Alice I. (Mrs. E. G. Meachum), of Elgin township ; Ever E., Elmer, Olney, Hattie, Grace, Maud, Mary, Layton, Arthur, Charley, and a female child not yet named. Mr. Marshall is a democrat in politics, and was a charter-member of Plainview Lodge No. 63, A.F.A.M. Joseph Parker Eobbins, in the early spring of 1857, with his wife and one child, arrived in Wabasha county with a small store of household goods and eighty dollars in cash, seeking a salubrious climate for their child, whose life had been despaired of in their old home in Lowell, Massachusetts, where Mr. Pobbins had been en- gaged in the fruit and produce business. After enduring many hardships, the family finally found, a claim which they were success- ful in holding despite the efibrts of the land-sharks, who pursued with dogged persistence the poor pioneer who sought to honestly acquire by his labors a home in this new country. This claim, con- sisting of one hundred and sixty acres on section 29, in Highland township, Mr. Bobbins still owns, although he resides in the village of Plainview, where he has a very pleasant home. Mr. Eobbins . 1026 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUMTV. was born at Acton, Massachusetts, on January 14, 1826. His parents were Joseph and Charlotte (Parker) Bobbins. His educa- tion was limited to such as he was able to acquire in a common country school, before he reached his twelftli year. The death of his mother at this time left him homeless, and he went from one place to another for several years. At the age of twenty -one he was possessed of a trade which he had learned in the shoeshop of George W. Burt, in Concord, Massachusetts, but abandoned it to engage in the milk business. He afterward purchased and run a livery stable for a few years, which he exchanged for the fruit and produce business, having a store on Central street, in Lowell, Massa- chusetts, which he sold in order to come west and make a new home. He was married March 21, 1850, to Elizabeth Rebecca Smith, daughter of Samuel Smith, a millwright, of Nashua, New Hampshire. This lady was born in Barton, Yermont, December 28, 1825, where she received a good education prior to the removal of her family to New Hampshire. Mr. and Mrs. Robbins have but one child living, viz, Charles E. Robbins, cashier of. the First National Bank, of Fargo, Dakota, the sickly baby, whose life was saved by the timely removal of his parents to Minnesota. Scott A. Foster, was born in Washington county. New York, June 2, 1856. His father, Albert Foster, is an old settler in West Albany, Wabasha county, and it was here on a farm that young Foster's early life was spent. He attended the Lake City high school for a few terms. In 1875 he entei-ed tlie State University, and kept up with his classes for tliree years, although obliged to do the requisite studying while also engaged in teaching district school to earn the means with which to defray his college expenses. The fall of 1880 he was elected principal of the Elgin union school, and taught therein acceptably for two years ; then filled a similar posi- tion in the Plainview union school until elected county superin- tendent of schools in the fall of 1883. Prof. Foster was elected by a majority of one hundred and twenty-eight, running six hundred ahead of his ticket, and being the only man therein elected. John Schwirtz, hardware, general merchandise, and farming tools and machinery. This business is located on north side Main street, midway between Pembroke and Alk^glianey streets, and occu- pies two storerooms, fronting fifty feet on JVLain street and extend- ing one hundred feet toward the river in the rear. The hardware house and farming tools and machinery was established in 1875, EARLY SETTLEES. 102T and the general merchandise was added two years later, when Mr. Schwirtz married Mrs. John Duke, and the general merchandising establishment she had been successfully conducting since her first husband's death was consolidated with the hardware business. The stock as thus consolidated is a very complete one in all its depart- ments. The general merchandise department is still presided over by Mrs. Schwirtz, who gives her special attention to all the details of the business with which she is so perfectly familiar, having been actively interested in its management for over twenty years. The business gives employment to a force of six persons, and trade is about the same as last year. Mr. Schwirtz is a native of Luxem- bourg, Europe. Came to America m 1855, and for the past twenty- six years has been a resident of this county, spending the first ten years of his life in Wabasha, on his farm in Glasgow township. The rest of the time he has been a resident of the city. Mr. Schwirtz has been twice married. His first wife, to whom he was wedded in 1858, died in 1876, leaving six children: Emma, born October 27, 1858 ; George, born December 10, 1860 ; Lizzie, born October 4, 1862; Olillia, born August 29, 1864; John, born October 26, 1866; Anna, born December 13, 1868. April 10, 1877, Mr. Schwirtz married Eliza, widow of John Duke, for many years in business in this city, who died here in 1876. Deury & KiENS. lumbermen. Tlie business of this firm con- sists in towing lumber, and from the date of its establishment in 1878, until the commencement of the towing season in 1883, they were engaged in towing from the Eau Claire mills in Wisconsin to points as far down the river as St. Louis. Operations were con- ducted by floating the materials for these rafts (dimensions, timbers, boards, lath and shingles) down the Chippewa to this point, where they were coupled into rafts containing from two million to three million feet of stuff, exclusive of the top load, shingles and lath, and from this point towed down the Mississippi. Since the begin- ning of the present season, floating down the Chippewa has been discontinued, and their operations are coupling rafts at tins place and towing down the river. They have at present two boats in their trade, the J. G. Chapman and the Lizzie Gardner, and with a good stage of water the round trip is made from here to St. Louis and return in about twelve days. Last year the company kept three boats on the river, but the other, the Peter Kirns, was sold to. the United States and is now used in the government improvement 1028 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY works on the lower Mississippi, at Plums Point, Louisiana. The rafter J. G. Chapman was built expressly for the company, at Metropolis, Ohio, in 1880, and cost twenty thousand dollars. Her dimensions are, length over all one hundred and forty-five, beam twenty-eight feet, hold four feet. She has a full cabin, has two steel boilers, and her engines are of fourteen-inch bore, with six-foot stroke. The Lizzie Gardner was purchased in 1880 at Cincinnati, Ohio, to replace their iron steamer, J. G. Chapman, which was sunk at the mouth of the Illinois river in the month of June, 1880. The Gardner cost seven thousand dollars. She is one hundred and thirty -five feet, over all, twenty-two feet beam, double boilers, and her engines are fourteen-inch bore, with five-foot stroke. The com- pany find constant emploj^ment for their boats, and including boats' crews and raftsmen em})loy a force of about sixty men during the season. Their operations aggregate a total tonnage of sixty million feet of lumber during the season, exclusive of what is designated top load, lath, pickets and shingles. The members of the firm are M. E. Drury and Peter Kirns. M. E. Drury, tlie only resident member of the firm, is a native of County Kerry, Ireland. Leaving home at thirteen years of age, accompanied by a brother two years older than himself, he crossed the seas to seek his fortune in the new world, landing in New York in 1853. The next four years were spent at tlie east and south in whatever work he could find to do, and in 1857 he came to Wabasha, found employment in the lumber trade, and for twenty-six years has made it his business. Ten years after coming to this city, 1867, he began contracting, coupling rafts at this point for the Eau Claire Lumber Company-, keeping their 1 09Q EAKLY SETTLERS. books and doing their business at tins point. This business was folCed until 1878, during the winter season in the woods, snperm- ndh,g logging operations and scaling. Since the t->-l-— be.-an, business in the woods discontinued. In 1S6!> M,. Duny s 'Tther mother, and his two sisters, Catharine and Maggie, came to lin ca, and the following year to Wabasha, making their home wiTh M. E. Drury, who is unmarried. He has a very pleasant home Tthe corner of Third and Bailly. Mrs. Drnry (his mother) died '" tif L'C^^Z widow of Kudolph, meat market and dealer in hides and pelts, corner Second and Pembroke streets This business was established in this city in 18.37, on the corner of Second and Pembroke streets, now occupied by Whitmore s drug- store and was removed from there to its present location m 1874, wh"; Mr. Eichenberger continued business until his death Novem- ber 27, 1871, since w*ich date the business has been continued by his wiiow, assisted by her sons, Kudolph and John. Mr. and Mrs_ EiclTenberger were born in Aargau, Switzerland; were marred there in 1856, and the same year came to America^ettlmg in Chi- c go Kem^ining there one year, he removed to Wabasha m the fall of 1857, and established himself in business. The property, now occupied by the business then established, fmnts sixty feet on Second street and one hundred and forty feet on Pembroke, and on tiriot the shop, dwelling, icehouse, etc., are built. The s^anghtei- h'lse and cattl'e yards are at the lower end of the city, on be ri^^ bank. They slaughter from five to eight beeves a week, and t om fourto si. each of calves and sheep, and handle about three hundred and fifty hides and two hundred pelts in the year. J^^^-^^^^ a capacUy for sufficient dressed meat to supply ^^o^'/^^'y-^J^ hourl' demand. The children are: Rudolph, born April 15, 1857, John born June 4, 1858 ; Emma, born Febrnary 22, ls61 W L LmooJ, M.D., office corner of Main and Allegbaney streets, upstairs, has been a practicing Pl');^''''™ JJ' ' "'^^'^ 5°'^ over t;enty-six years. Dr. Lincoln is a native of ^ ;' Tow^jnd, Middlesex county, Massachusetts; horn August 5, 1824, ana le c ived his classicd education at the Ashly Academy in his nat ve town, and at New Ipswich Academy in New Hampshire, complex Tg his course at the latter institution in 1846. He read for i profession in the University of Harvard and graduated fiom e medical department of that university in the class of 18a0. Having 1030 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. completed his preparation, Dr. Lincoln located for practice at Win- chendon, Worcester, Massachusetts, and was in practice there until he came west in 1854. In October of that year he acce])ted a posi- tion as one of the medical staff of the hospital for the insane, located in Calloway count}', Missouri, just across the river from Jefferson City, and remained there until April, 1S57, when he discontinued his services at the hospital, and sliortly afterward located for ]-»ractice in tliis city. The doctor is a member of the County and State Medi- cal Societies, and is the present president of the latter bodj^, having been elected to that honorable position at the annual meeting held in Minneapolis, June 18, 1883. The doctor is also a permanent member of the American Medical Association. Dr. Lincoln was married in 1855. He has one son, Wm. H., born January 2, 1857, and graduated from Rush Medical College, Chicago, class of 1881, and is now established in practice in Chicago. John Gaedinee, carpenter and builder ; sho}) on AUeghaney street near Fourth. Business was begun here by Mr. Gardner in 1857, and he has followed his trade in this city for twenty-six years uninterruptedly. He is a native; of County Meath, Ireland ; born there in 1834. At thirteen years of age he came to America, to Philadelphia, where he learned his trade, and ten years after his arrival in the new world settled in Wabasha. In 1860 he bought the property he now occupies, which he improved, added to, built upon, and which for twenty-three years has been his home. Business the present season is good, and he keeps four men steadily employed. He was married in this city July 2, 1860, to Miss Kate Cleary. Their children now living are : John, born April 16, 1861, and now firing an engine on Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway ; Eduard, born April, 1863, and chairmaker in the furniture factory ; William, born Xovember 27, 1866 ; George, born July 4, 1870, both of whom are now attending school. James Henry, Zumbro, was the first male white child born in the town of Kinsman, Trumbull county, Ohio, the event occurring July 23, 1803. The marriage of his parents was the first event of that kind in the town. Their names were Kobert Henry and Betsey Tidd, the former a native of Virginia, son of James Henry, from Ireland. Betsey Tidd escaped when a little child from the Wyoming massacre, with her father, Martin. Mr. Henry was mar- ried on Christmas day, 1828, the bride being Cynthia C. Knox, born in Ridgefield, Connecticut. They became residents of Zumbro in EARLY SETTLERS. 1031 1857 their sons having preceded them one year, and were six week's on the road with a team. Mr. and Mrs. Henry are members of the Wesleyan Methodist clmrch at South Troy. The former has always been a democrat. Their eldest son, James A., is at Elkton, Dakota ; Stephen M., is at Ashtabula, Ohio. Hannah E. is the wife of Jacob M. Dale, elsewhere mentioned. S. H. Gayloed, was born in Gainesville, Genesee county, New York, June 9, 1830, where he remained till the spring of 1857. He was early apprenticed to the daguerreotype business, in the interest of which he traveled through New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio for six and a half years. In 1857 he came to Plainview and settled on one hundred and sixty acres as a homestead, which he has since worked and owned. He was married March 26, 1862, to Mary E. Gaskill, of Owego, New York, by whom he had five children : Emma E., born January 30, 1863; Chas. E,, born September 18, 1865 ; Mary E., born June 13, 1875 ; Fred. H., born July 9, 1S77 ; Nellie, born May 14, 1882. His father, Elijah M., came to Wabasha county in 1866 ; died January 13, 1873, and was buried in Plainview. Hon. Frank L. Meachum, one of the most enterprising stockmen and farmers in Wabasha county, was the only son of Chadwill and • Mary (Lee) Meachum, and was born on a farm near North She- nango, Crawford county, Pennsylvania, August 8, 1835. Being of a studious disposition, he early aspired to better educational advantages than those afforded by the district school, and at the age of sixteen entered the Kingsville Academy, located at Ashtabula county, Ohio, where he remained a portion of three years, teaching arithmetic for his tuition several terms in the academy and occasionally dropping out of his classes to do service as a country pedagogue and earn the wherewithal to defray his expenses. Becoming ambitious to enter upon a business career, he abandoned the student life in 1854, and accepted a clerkship in the store of A. C. Stratton, at Linesville, Pennsylvania. The following winter found him teaching school again,' and the next two years he spent at his old home in Pennsyl- vania, dressing and shipping staves. In 1857 the family came to Minnesota and located in Elgin township. Mr. Meachum's first claim was a pre-emption on a quarter of section 3 in that township, which he sold in 1867. He now owns four hundred and twenty acres in Elgin, on sections 3, 10 and 11. His farm-buildings are surrounded by beautiful cultivated groves and orchards, and were 1032 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. erected at an aggregate cost of four thousand two hundred dollars. Mr. Meachum has given considerable attention to stock-raising, more particularly to fine grades of cattle. lie has engaged largely in the buying and shipping of stock since the fiiU of 187S, and during the season of 1883 was associated with K. R. Dumonde in handling farm machinery at Plainview. Mr. Meachum's political affiliations have been with the republican party, and he has been repeatedly elected to places of public trust and honor ; has been chairman of the Elgin township board of supervisors, justice of the peace and township assessor, a member of the state legislature in 1873, and engrossing clerk of the lower house in 1871. His name is enrolled as a Knight Templar in the Rochester Commandery. Mr. Meachum resides in Plainview and is living with his second wife, formerly Mrs. Abbie Merrill, nee Brockway, to whom he was married Decem- ber 28, 1873, and by whom he has one child, Agnes, nine years old. His first wife was a Miss S. M. Trace, of Crawford county, Pennsylvania, by whom he had three children : Sarah F. (Mrs. H. A. Gilford), of Erie, Pennsylvania ; Emmet G. Meachum, married to Alice Marshall, and residing on his father's farm in Elgin, and Lee F., a compositor in the '' Plainview ISTews " office. His father, wlio was also a Wabasha county pioneei', was residing with his son at the time of his death, which occurred in January, 1874, in his sixty-fourth year, and whose aged wife still survives him and continues an inmate of her son's home. Ma'ithias Baustert, tailor, Mazeppa, was born near the city of Luxembourg, Germany, December 6, 1837. He attended school till fourteen, and was then apprenticed to his present calling. He came to this country in 1857, arriving on September 15 at Chicago, where he was employed ten years. ,He spent six years at Port Washington, Wisconsin, and four years at Read's Landing, this county. He arrived in Mazeppa March 4, 1878. The next spring he bought a house and three lots on First street, nearly ojiposite the Catholic church, where he now resides. He has a nice home, and is doing a fair business. He is a member of St. Peter's Catholic church — as are all his family — and an independent democrat. He was married in 1860, the bride being Miss Maggie Leider, who was bom in the same country as himself. Their children were given them as here noted: Michael, July 12, 1863; Jacob, Jan- uary 7, 1865 ; William, December 16, 1867 ; Maggie, February 24, 1869; Henry, April 7, 1872; Nicholas, Christmas, 1874; EAKLY SETTLEKS. 1033 Minnie, December 27, 1881. Besides these three have died, two with diphtheria. Jainies Riley Mack, Zumbro, came to this town in the spring of 1857, with sufficient funds to pay the pre-emption price of his land, and is now one of its most independent farmers. His grandfather, Archibald Mack, came with two brothers from Scotland to America, and was a soldier in the revolutionary war. Josiah Kellogg was born and reared in Vermont, and had a daughter Sarah, who married James, son of Archibald Mack. To this union was born the subject of this sketch, April 24:, 1824, at Windham, Vermont. He remained on the farm, where a brother still resides, and attended the common school till seventeen years old. He then spent over three years in a Lowell cotton factory, and afterward two years as fireman on an engine. Seven years were then spent as engineer, part of the time on the Erie railroad. April 2, 1857, he married Margaret Kamery, and at once set out for Minnesota. Mrs. Mack is a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Kamery, of German descent, and was born in Hinsdale, Cattaraugus county, New York, December 13, 1834. On arriving here Mr. Mack located on the northeast quarter of section 18, where he now resides. His estate now includes two hundred acres of fine agricultural land. He is a republican, and has ■been several years town supervisor, part of the time chairman ; was ten years town treasurer, and refused to serve longer, although unanimously elected. Theodore Maire (deceased) was born in France in the year 1819. He was always accustomed to farm life. On reaching manhood he set out to make a home thousands of miles from his native place, in America. After spending a year at St. Louis, he tarried many years near Galena, Illinois. Here he was married, in the fall of 1848, to Adeline Gambler, a native of the same sunny land as himself. After marriage he worked land, and came to Minnesota in the spring of 1857, to secure land of his own. He took a claim on section 28, Chester, where he remained the balance of his life, passing away December 3, 1876. He left eighty acres of land, on which his widow and younger children now reside. There are nine of the latter now living, two having died young. , Their names and resi- dence are here given: Charles J., Mazeppa ; Rosa (Mrs. Nick Clemens), Central Point ; Josephine (Mrs. Fletcher Sheldon), Mazeppa ; Margaret (Mrs. James Hinds), this town ; Sarah (Mrs. Thomas King), Lake City ; Frederick, Delia, Addie, Mary, Emma, 1034 HISTOKY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Jacob T. and AVilliam are at home. All the family are Roman Catholics. George C Eveketi^ (deceased), became a resident of Minnesota in 1856, remaining a year at Marion, Olmsted county. In 1857 he took a claim on section 36, then Mazeppa, now Zumbro, on which he dwelt a short time. After residing a short period near Lake City, he removed to Mazeppa. Here he entered the United States service August 15, 1862, in Co. G, 8th Minn. Inf. This regiment served some time on the western frontier, and was nearly a year at the south. Mr. Everett was discharged July 11, 1865. During his army service he purchased eight}^ acres of land on section 25, Zum- bro, which he tilled up to the time of his death. On the 28th of February, 1874, while hauling a load of lumber from Lake City, the load was capsized in the snowdrifts, and Mr. Everett was crushed to death between the lumber and a fence. The subject of this sketch was born in Bethel, Sullivan county, New York, January 25, 1831. He was reared on a farm there, and received a common school edu- cation. September 26, 1858, he married Miss Mary Arnold. Mrs. Everett was born in Fovant, Wiltshire, England, September 24, 1836, and came with her parents, James and Mary Arnold, to Min- nesota in 1857. She is a member of the AVesleyan Methodist church. Her husband affiliated with the republican party, and was several years elected constable of this town. The eldest child of this family, Elizabeth L., died at sixteen years of age. The next, Marj- Helen, married Alonzo Anderson, and dwells at Grafton, Dakota. The others, at home, are christened as below : George H., Annie M., Lucy F., Alice A., Sedalia C and Laura A. Frances S. died one year from the day of her father's demise, being seven years old. James Aenold, farmer. Among the early settlers of Zumbro township was the subject of this paragraph. lie is a native of England, born July 9, 1832, in Swallowclift, Wiltshire. His father, James Arnold, was an innkeeper and market gardener, and died when the son was seventeen years old. The latter received a fair education, and is now a well-informed and useful citizen. He is a liberal patron of the newspapers, and has a large and choice library of books. Probably very few farmers maintain so large a one. At eighteen years of age young Arnold set out for America to find a home for his widowed mother and sisters. He spent three years at Brecksville, Ohio, serving the first two in learning the mason's trade. While here, his mother and family arrived, and all removed EARLY SETTLERS. 1^35 in 1853 to Danville, Illinois. Mr. Arnold purchased some land in Clark county, that state, on which the family dwelt, while he pur- sued his trade at Danville. In 1857 the family set out for Minne- sota, traveling all the way with four yokes of oxen. On arrival m Zumbro, Mr. Arnold took up one-fourth of section 32, where the family remained. Here the mother still dwells. Shortly before her removal to America she married Stephen Sumner, who died here in August, 1879. Her daughters, Mrs. G. C. Everett and Mrs. Sidney Corp, are elsewhere mentioned in this work. After two and one- half years' residence here, Mr. Arnold returned to Illinois and re- mained for a like period, and again returned to Minnesota, with a horse team this time, bringing a bride, to whom he was united m 1862. Mrs. Arnold's maiden name was Mary A. Wheeler, and she was born in Tavistock, Devonshire, England. In the fall of 1868^ Mr. Arnold took up his residence in Farmington township, south ot Zumbro, where he served two years as justice of the peace, and now resides. His political opinions agree with the republican party. Himself and wife were among the first members of Greenwood Wesleyan Methodist church. By persistence and continued toil Mr. Arnold has secured a comfortable home. He is now in possession of three hundred and sixty acres of fine prairie soil, a part of which ■lies in Zumbro. His family includes six sons and one daughter- all, save the eldest, at home, one son having died in infancy. Here are their names: Charles, Franklin William, Ernest G., Arthur Wesley, Wallace James, Alice M. and Earl R. Addin Johnson Cliff, farmer, resides on section 14, Chester, where he made claim in 1857. Mr, Clifi was born in Lancashire, England, February 9, 1834. His parents, James and Mary Clift, were born there. In 1851 Mr. Clifi' crossed the Atlantic, and dwelt six years in Connecticut, being employed in a bit and auger factory. His mother came here at the same time as himself, taking land m the south part of the town, where she died. After her death, Mr. Cliff built a house on his land (1879) and has lived there since When he arrived here his pocket contained his whole capital ot seventy-five cents, and he now owns a fine farm with comfortable and commodious buildings. He was married on the first day ot the year 1867 to Huldah Converse, a native of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. Her father, Samuel Converse, was for a time resi- dent, and died, here. His wife Emeline, nee Taylor, is still hvmg. Mrs Cliff is a member of the Wesleyan church. Her husband has 1036 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTi'. always supported the republican part_y, but never took any active part in politics. Their chiklren were born as here noted : Carrie A., October 5, 1867 ; Minnie M., July 14, 1869 ; Samuel C, March 11, 1871; William Addin, February 2, 1873. Joseph J. Cliff, farmer, is a nephew of the above, and was born in the same locality May 7, 1844. His parents were John and Maiy Cliff. He was but seven years old when he came with the above uncle to the United States, and was reared by the latter. He has been a resident of Chester since thirteen years of age. He is now the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of land, and has resided since 1875 on section 23. Here was his first purchase of forty acres. By industry and perseverance he has been enabled to gradually increase his domain. In 1S73 he married Melissa Merrill, who died May 7, 1881. He has one child, born May 12, 1876, and named after the month of her birth. In June, 1882, he married Mary, daughter of C. C, Robinson, of this town. He is a liberal in religion, and a republican in politics. In 1883 he was elected town supervisor. Samuel Radebaugu (deceased), son of Nicholas and Catherine Radebaugh, was born April 24, 1826, at Carroll, Fairfield county, Ohio. His youth was spent on the farm, and he received his educa- tion at the district schools. He married Catherine Brandt, and from this union sprang six children : Namon C. (who is sketched below); Emma, now Mrs. Clark, living in Minneapolis ; Ethel (deceased), Jackson, Charles, and Kate, now Mrs. Post, residing in Moorhead, In the fall of 1856 he removed to Anamosa, Iowa, for a year ; thence to Marion, in the same state, remaining there a year, after which he came to this county, settling on section 19, Gillford townsliip. In 1864 he enlisted in the 10th Minn., at Fort Snelling, but soon after was taken sick and died, seeing no active service. His politics were republican during the latter part of his life. Previous to this he was a "Know-nothing." His religion may be said to be embraced in the command, " Love thy neighbor as thyself" jSTamon C, son of Samuel and Catherine Radebaugh, was born at Carroll, Fairfield county, Ohio, in March, 1846. He worked on the farm summers, and attended the district school winters, after coming to this state in 1856, till he reached his majority. In the fall of 1876 he wedded Addie, daughter of A. K. Fancher ; but in November, 1881, she died, leaving two children, Leon, and Jay, who has since followed her. Mr. Radebaugh may be said to be one of the foremost farmers of the county ; has three hundred and seventy EARLY SETTLERS. 1037 acres of land, located on sections 19 and 30, in Gillford township. He is a thorough republican, and was the candidate of his party for county treasurer in the fall of 1883. Lewis Y. Lenhart, owner and commander of the ferryboat Pepin, now plying between Lake Citj^ and various points on the Wisconsin shore. The captain was born in Armstrong county, Penn- sylvania, in 1852, and is a son of Herman and Hannah (Schrecon- gast) Lenhart, both natives of Pennsylvania, and of pure German extraction, the family name originally being Leonhardt. Herman Lenhart was by trade a millwright, and built the first flourmill in Menomonee, Wisconsin, though he was principally engaged in school- teaching in his native state. In 1857 he came west with his family, and settled near the shore of the beautiful Lake Pepin, on the Wis- consin side, where he died on his farm in 1880. He was an active and energetic man, whose influence for good was felt by those with whom he was surrounded, though he was unassuming and reticent. His widow still resides on the old estate. The captain began life on the river in 1868 as a hand, but has worked his way up to his present enviable position. Six years prior to his ownership of the ferry, he run on the river with the Hon. Nathan Murry. Henry K. Terrell, auctioneer. Lake City, is a native of Vir- ginia, born in Waynesborough, Augusta county, October 30, 1808. Henry Childs and Philadelphia (Smith) Terrell, his parents, were natives of the same state. Our subject received a fair common- school education, and worked during the busy season from ten years of age in a flourmill. In 1841 he went to Burlington, Iowa, and was employed some years in a large mill there. He went in 1850 to California, where he spent a successful year, and then went to St. Paul. Here he rented and operated a mill one year, and then engaged in real estate speculation with satisfactory results. He came to Lake City in the spring of 1857, and in partnership with Doughty, Baldwin & Phelps, bought fifteen thousand dollars' worth of real estate, which they cut up into town lots. The railroad depot now stands on a part of this track. Soon after, Mr. Terrell bought out his partners, and disposed of the property alone. In January, 1858, he was sent as a delegate to Washington, by an association of farmers and business men, to secure a delay of the sale of the Half- Breed tract. His mission was successful, and hundreds of settlers who would otherwise have lost their lands were permitted to pre-empt them. In 1860 Mr. Terrell bought the Mazeppa 1038 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. mills, which he operated for two years and then sold. For many years he has been employed as an auctioneer. November 11, 1828, he married Jane F. Cameron, a native of the same county as himself. Seven children were given them, of whom three are now living. The eldest, Henry C, was always employed as a steam- boat clerk, and died on the Mississippi, leaving seven children. The living are : Sarah P. (Mrs. Lorenzo Iloyt, St. Paul) ; Susan C. (widow of Henry E. Baker, here) ; Robert L., with parents. William J. Jacobs (deceased) was among the early residents of Lake City, having located here in May, 1857. He was born near Lewistown, Miftlin county, Pennsylvania, March 1, 1818 ; received a thorough common-school education ; studied law, and in due time was admitted to the bar. In February, 1850, he married Sarah D. Peebles, and removed at once to Lewistown, where he began prac- tice. He continued to practice here until 1866, and then removed to his farm in Hay Creek, Goodhue county. Here his wife died, leaving three daughters and one son. After two and a half years' farm life, he returned to the city, and served several years as city justice, in connection with his office practice and editorial work. For the first two years of its publication, beginning in 1870, he was edi- tor of the Lake City " Sentinel," and again for three and a half years from October, 1873. He was a clear and strong writer, and made his influence felt. The " Sentinel" is a democratic journal, and Mr. Jacobs was a stable exponent of the doctrines of its party. In February, 1872, he married Mrs. Waters, who died four years later, leaving one daughter, Laura Louisa, now in the care of her eldest sister. Mr. Jacobs' death was caused by paralysis, and occurred April 2, 1881, at the home of his eldest child, Mrs. G. R. Bartron, in this city. He had previously spent a year in practice at Appleton and Lac qui Parle, this state, but came home to die when he found his health giving away. He was buried by Carnelian Lodge, No. 40, A.F.A.M., of which he was a member. His second child, John P., is publishing a paper at Lac qui Parle ; the third, Mrs. W. M. Strickland, resides at Philadelphia, and the fourth, Fanny, with Mrs. Bartron. David Corbin Estes, dentist. Lake City, is among the best known and most cultured citizens of Wabasha county. Morally and politically the doctor has done much for Lake City. In the great fire of 1882 was totally destroyed the largest private natural history collection of the Northwest, the property of Dr. Estes, which EAKLY SEITLERS. 1039 had always been kept open to the public in a large room devoted to the purpose. At the same time he lost a complete scientific library. All the natural sciences received a great deal of attention from his searching mind, but since his great loss most of his study has been given to astronomy. Upon this subject he gives occasional lectures, and has more calls for this line of enlightening work than he can meet. From boyhood he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and gathered together the first Methodist society here and established the first Methodist Sunday school. He was four years justice of the peace and seven years a member of the board of education. His father, Dexter Estes, was an enthusiastic Henry Clay whig, and his sons followed in his political footsteps, our subject being an ardent republican. He is a member of the I.O.O.F., and now holds the highest position in the gift of the order in the state. Dexter Estes was born in Vermont and was one of the original Green Mountain boys of the revolution. He married Sally Thayer, of that state, and settled in Keene, Essex county, New York, where David Estes was born March 5, 1825. The youth of the latter was spent on a farm , assisting his father in its tillage and in pottery work. He was a great reader, and made the most of his limited opportunities for education. Later, at Albany, lie attended the academy, state normal school and medical college. It was his intention to take a full medical course, but failing eyesight compelled him to abridge his studies, and he turned his attention to dentistry. At Albany he began its practice, and there continued until his removal to Lake City. He arrived here July 10, 1857, and has steadily pursued his practice. By his manly integrity and uni- form kindness he has become possessed of universal respect and regard, and yet our people will not fully appreciate his noble quali- ties till he is gone. May 2, 1849, he married Mary Ellen Dollar, born ih Albany county, as was her mother, Fanny Terwilliger, and her father, Robert Dollar, the latter of Irish parents. To Mr. and Mrs. Estes were born seven children, the following six of whom survive : Orphena O. (Mrs. Yirgil Borst), Independence, Wisconsin; Ornilla J., teacher in Lake City schools ; Tully C, Frank E., Robert D. and Charles H., at home. The third child, Fanny E., married Charles King, and died at Cincinnati. One of her two children dwells with Dr. Estes. Jajvies Cain, farmer, is one of the old residents of Mount Pleasant, and was born May 8, 1832, in Wexford county, Ireland. 63 1040 HISTORY OF WABASHA OOUNTi'. He was the oldest of two eliildren born to James and Jane Wren- Cain, who died wlien our subject was a child. James was raised on a farm, and at the age of seventeen he went to Liverpool. After working here one year he emigrated to Illinois, and a few months later went to Mississippi. Four years he passed there, taking con- tracts on levees, and in 1857 he settled in Mount Pleasant township. October 22, 1857, he was united in marriage to Mary A. Burns, of Kildare county, Ireland. Six children have been the fruit of this union, viz: Thomas M. (deceased), James R,, William W., Frank (deceased), John, A. Jane (deceased). Mr. Cain and wife adhere to the Catholic faith. His farm comprises three hundred and sixty acres of good land, all of which is the result of his own industry. In politics he is independent, and besides being a member ot the board of supervisors several years, has held a number of minor offices. Walter McNallan is one of the prosperous fariiiers of High- land township. He was born in County Sligo, Ireland, November 1, 18-12. His parents, Thomas and Mary (Judge) McNallan, are also inhabitants of Highland. They came to Beaver Meadow, Pennsjd- vania, when the subject of this sketch was about four years old, and remained in the coal regions of the Keystone State, where his ftither and himself and brother continued to labor in the mines until the sjDring of 1857, when the family went to Michigan, and resided for several months in the vicinity of Grand Rapids. The next removal was to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which place they left in the spring of 1858, and came to Highland August 25, 1862. Walter, then in his twentieth year, enlisted in the 10th Minn., served three years, and was honorably discharged August 25, 1865. Soon after the close of his soldier's life Mr. McNallan purchased one hundred and twent}^ acres of land in Highland, and his father deeded him eighty acres more, and by purchase since he has added ninety acres more ; ftll on sections 3 and 10. In the summer of 1881 he erected a pretentious brick residence on his farm, at a cost of thirty-five hundred dollars, by far the finest house in the township. His matrimonial life dates from August 7, 1867, when he espoused Ellen Kinsella, daughter of Daniel and Catherine (Delany) Kinsella, an Irish lassie, then in her twentieth year. The fruits of this union are : Catherine, born November 20, 1868 ; Thomas, born August, 1870 ; James, born August 6, 1872 ; Daniel, born September 10, 1874 ; Mathew, born January 16, 1876 ; Mary, born April 26, 1879 ; John, born March EAKLY SETTLERS. 1041 14, 1881 ; Ellen, born April 14, 1883. Mr. McNallan is a well- informed and liberal-minded man, a member of the Highland Catholic church, and the Father Matthew Total Abstinence Society of Highland. He has held a place in the board of supervisors for three years, and was township treasurer for six years. His political faith is democratic. He receives four dollars a month pension for a wound in the right thigh. John H. Eobinson was born in Shoreham, Addison county, Yermont, October 30, 1830. His parents were Samuel and Amanda (Phelps) Kobinson. Young Kobinson was brought up on a farm and received a fair common school education. He remained at home until the year 1854. During two years of this time he worked his father's farm. February 28, 1854, he married Cynthia Day, a native of I^ew York State, and the following season came to Wisconsin, and worked at the carpenter's trade in Oshkosh and Waupun for two years. Not feeling fully satisfied with western life, he returned to the east in 1856, and tried his hand at farming in St. Lawrence county, New York ; but not finding as large a degree of prosperity there as his fancy had pictured it while he was pounding nails in Oshkosh, he again set his face westward, and continued to journey in that direction until he had crossed the mighty Mississippi and ■reached the beautiful promised land of Greenwood prairie. His first claim, however, he took in the grub-land of Highland township on section 30. He continued to reside on this claim until the spring of 1866, when he bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres just west of Plainview village, and removed his family thereto. Mr. Robinson has been a member of the Plainview board of supervisors, and is a member of the Plainview lodge of Odd-Fellows. His first wife died August 8, 1871, leaving iwo sons, viz : Merrill A. (Prof. Eobinson), of Plainview, and Orrin L. (Prof Robinson) of Mantor- ville. July 3, 1874, Mr. Robinson married a second time, to Mattie Day, of Plainview, by whom he has two children, viz : Frederick J. and Orie E. Tenney & Evans, meat market and dealers in hides, pelts, live stock, etc. This business was established on Second street, same block as now occupied, in 1869, by Tenney and Florer. Six months afterward it was Jacob Tenney, and so continued until 1872, when it became Tenney Brothers, Jos. Tenny taking an interest, and was removed to the present location on the east side of Pembroke street, two doors north of Second. The firm continued as Tenny Brothers 1042 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. until 1875, when Joseph sold oiitto»J. 11. Evans, the firm becoming Tenney & Evtins, and so continuing. The sales of this market are from four to six beeves a week, and from four to seven carcases of calves and sheep, each, for the same period. Tiiej handle from three hundred to six hundred hides, and from two hundred to three hundred i)elts each season. They have a tract of three hundred and twenty acres of sand prairie, on which they keep from seventy to eighty head of cattle. Their slaughterhouses are in South Wabasha beyond the residence limits of the city. The members of the firm are Jacob Tenney and J. H. Evans. Jacob Tenney, who man- ages the affairs of the firm (Mr. Tenney being otherwise engaged), is a native of Switzerland; came to America with parents in 1856, when he was eleven years of age, the family settling in this city in 1858. Two years later Jacob Tenney, Sr., purchased the farm on which Jacob, Jr., now resides — a tract of ninety-seven acres within the corporate limits of the city on the east. This farm the elder Mr. Tenny sold in 1877, at which time lie purchased a mill at Mishamokwa, Wisconsin ; and removing to that place engaged in the manufacture of flour. The old home farm in this city was purchased by Jacob Tenny, Jr., in 1880, and it is now the residence of his family. They have five children living, two in school in this city. Jacob S. Tenney, born May 30, 1870; Joseph, December 8, 1872, died April 15, 1874 ; John T., April 5, 1875 ; Harry E., August 29, 1877; Mary L., August 28, 1879 ; Joseph L., October 23, 1881. G. W. Tenney, grocer, and dealer in provisions, fruits, flour and feed ; location, west side Pembroke, two doors south of Main street. This business was established in this city in 1875, and at the present stand jince 1878. Two persons and one delivery wagon are em])loyed in this business. Mr. Tenney is a native of Stough- ton, Massachusetts. He came to Wabasha county in 1858, at which time the family settled on a farm in the Whitewater, six miles below Plainville, just over the county line in Olmsted county, at which time G. W. Tenney was about nineteen years of age. He remained on the farm until the third year of the war, when he came to Wabasha, and on August 8, 1864, enlisted in the 10th Minn. Inf., and was sent to the frontier. Before the regiment was ordered south Mr. Tenney was taken sick, completely lost his voice, was unable to speak, and was discharged on that account, having been in the service a little over a year. He returned to Wabasha in 1865, and was variously employed during the next ten years, and while in EARLY SETTLERS. 1043 the employ of Johnson Schwirtz, drove the first omnibus that took passengers to the Milwaukee & St. Paul train at this point. In 187T, two years after he had commenced trade on his own account, Mr. Tenney started the first wagon for the delivery of groceries in this city, that was put upon the streets. August 8, the same day that he enlisted in the army, Mr. Tenney married Miss Clara Stone, Olmsted county, Minnesota. They have five children, three of whom attend the public schools in this city. Bertie, born Decem- ber 5, 1866 ; Ralph, born September 12, 1869 ; Grace, born Febru- ary 1, 1872 ; Arthur, born October 3, 1876 ; Bessie, born December 6, 1879. Charles F. Tryon, watchmaker and jeweler, corner Main and Pembroke streets. This business was established in this city quite recently, although Mr. Tryon has long been a resident of the county, having come to Lake City with his parents in 1858, since which date that city has been his home, with the exception of the year spent in Wabasha, and the time he was completing his trade in Chicago. Mr. Tryon was born in Indiana ; grew up in Lake City ; attended school there, and completed his school studies by taking a two years' course in Shattuck school, Faribault. Leaving school at nineteen years of age, he entered the jewelry and watchmaking house of Crane Brothers, Lake City, where he spent three years learning his trade. From that place he went to Chicago, and for two seasons worked in that city, perfecting himself in his trade, at the expira- tion of which time he established himself in tfeis city, in the spring of 1882. During the eighteen months he has been here, he has succeeded in building up a very successful trade, which is constantly increasing. H. N. Smith, retired raft-pilot. Mr. Smith is a native of Ten- nessee, from which state he removed with his parents to Illinois when he was a small boy. The family finally settled in Burlington, Iowa, in 1841, at which time H. N. Smith was eight years of age. He came to St. Paul in 1852 as cabin-boy, and the following year made that city his home, remaining three years, during which time he was steward on steamers freighting and carrying passengers up the Minnesota river, the rush for the valley lands along that river at that time being very great. In 1856 Mr. Smith came to Read's Landing, and was for a time with his brother, P. C. Smith, then fol- lowing rafts down the river. Two years later, 1858, H. N. Smith commenced running the river as raft-pilot, floating until 1868, when 1044 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. he took the wheel of a ratt-boat, and was engaged in that business until 1877, when he retired from active service on the river. For the next four years Mr. Smith was deputy sheriif under L, M. Gregg, going out of office with his principal in 18S1. Mr. Smith married Adeline Koberts at Kead'^ Landing, February 17, 1864. They have five children, all at school in this city. Frances B., born December 6, 1864; Gracie A., born October 24, 1866; Harry A., born July 5, 1870; Gertrude S., born March 25, 1873; Mabel E., born June 5, 1876. H. J. AVhitmore, postmaster of Wabasha, is a native of New York State, came to Wabasha in 1858, and was engaged in trade in this city, principally in grocery business, until appointed postmaster, February 6, 1882. He married Mis Sarah Wickham, of this city, in 1861. E. J. DuGAN, general merchant, location northwest corner Main and Alleghaney streets. The location is most central ; the building itself, one of the tivo full plate-glass fronts in the city, well adapted to the purposes of trade, fronts twenty-five feet on Main, eighty feet on Alleghaney, with entrances on both, and has an addition, 16x16, for provisions and dry storage. The structure is a solid brick, stone foundation and basement, cut stone caps, sills and trimmings. The basement is eight feet deep ; the storeroom proper fourteen feet ceiling, well lighted and conveniently arranged for business. House employs a force of four clerks, one delivery wagon, and reports an increase of trade of fully ten per cent over corresponding period of 1882. E. J. Dugan was born in New York city, educated in Brooklyn, completing his studies at Nogent sur Maine, near Paris, France, in 1855. Returning to his native city, he remained there until 1858, when he came west with his father's family and settled in this city. Was in business in the interior of the county, and clerking in the county offices until 1863, when he engaged in trade under the firm name of Dugan Bros., and so continued four years. Was for two years assistant United States collector of internal revenue, after the death of W. W. Prindle, and went to St. Paul in connection with the duties of that office, remaining there for some time thereafter, and engaging in business. Returning to Wabasha he resumed trade in this city in 1879, in his present loca- tion. Mr. E. J. Dugan married Miss E. L. Cory, of Cooperstown, Otsego, New York, in that city, March 3, 1862. Their children are Albert, born July 13, 1863 ; Ed. J., Jr., November 4, 1878. EARLY SETTLERS. 1045 Herman Lawson, president of the village board of trustees, has been a resident of this city since 1858. He is a native of Norway and came to America in 1858, the same year that he located in Kead's Landing, and was in the employ of T. B. Wilson until the breaking out ot the war of the rebellion in the spring of 1861. April 20 he enlisted for the three-months service in Co. I, 1st Inf. regt. Minn. Yols., and was mustered in at Fort Snelling on the 29th of of that month. Before proceeding to the seat of war the members of the regiment were given their choice, eithei- to be mustered out of service or enlist for the term of three years. The majority re-enlisted, Mr. Lawson among the rest, and he was with the gallant First during all the glorious services rendered the government dur- ing its continuance in the field. Mr. Lawson was severely wounded at the first Bull Run battle, but was never absent from the regiment, being in regimental hospital, and as soon as possible joined his com- mand. He also received two slight wounds at Gettysburg, but not of sufficient severity to compel him to leave the field. Returning home at the close of his service, he entered the house of Knapp, Stout & Co., as clerk, remaining until 1869. Since then he has been in lumber business, coupling by contract principally, taking out cordwood in winter, etc. February 7, 1868, he married Minne- sota Morse, generally, but erroneously, considered the first white child born in Wabasha county, the Morse's being among the very earliest settlers in this region. They have one child, William, born January 16, 1870. Alpheus Winslow Heath (deceased) was born in Clearfield county, Pennsylvania, March 26, 1824. In 1841 he married Louisa Bundy, reared in the same vicinity. Mr. Heath was always a farmer, and cleared up a farm in Pennsylvania, at the same time working a great deal at lumbering. He was very successful and left his family well provided for at his death, which occurred in September, 1869. He began life with an ax, a hoe and twenty-five cents in money ; was always a hard worker and was quite gray at his death. Besides p]'operty in Pennsylvania, where his widow now resides, he left two hundred and eighty acres of land in Chester that was divided among his children. These are, Emeline (Mrs. Scott Lamont) and Arvilla, at Millville ; Nahaman B., Gillford ; Charles Manly and H. C, Chester. Mr. Heath was an ardent republican and served many years in Pennsylvania as justice of the peace. He became a resident of Chester in 1858, pre-empting a quarter of sec- lO'ie HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. tion 1, where he resided permanently from 1864 till his death, which was caused by typhoid fever. Henry Clay Hkath was born in Fox township, same county as his father, April 11, 1845. His life has always been spent on a farm, and he had but meager schooling advantages. He is a mem- ber of Tyrian Masonic Lodge, at Mazeppa, and follows in his fjither's political footsteps. He inherited eighty acres of land from his father's estate, on section 12, where he now has a comfortable home. October 2, 1870, he married Miss Laura Lamb, who died May 29, 1881, leaving four children, whose names are thus given, in order of age : Walter E., Rhoda A,, Arthur W., Josephine A. Leonard Pryor, Zumbro, is a son of Heman and Submit Pryor, who removed from their native Massachusetts to Underhill, Chittenden county, Vermont, and settled on a farm. Here was born (April 22, 1811) and reared the subject of this sketch, receiv- ing the benefit of the common schools. His has always been a life of hard labor and much of its fruits have been wrested from him by misfortune or unfair dealing. After reaching the age of sixty, he was compelled to pay a large sum through having endorsed a friend's paper ; but he did not murmur, and is still cheerful and serene. September 8, 1831, he married Catharine R. Allen, born in Woodstock, January 13, 1810. Mrs. Pryor's ])arents, Cyrus and Sarah Allen, were also of Vermont birth. Mr. Pryor became a resident of Zumbro in the spring of 1858. After three years' resi- dence here, he spent seven years at Farm Hill. He now has forty acres on section 18, where he lives. His religious faith is most nearly represented by the Quakers, and Mrs. Pryor is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Their children were born' and reside as follows : Clara, July 31, 1883 (Mrs. Elias A. Lyman), Moorhead, Minnesota; Allen C, June 20, 1836, Round Prairie, this state; Norman J., January 3, 1839, this town; George H., August 28, 1841, Redwood, this state ; Benjamin L., February 11, 1843, this town; Ellen C, May 19, 1861 (Mrs. W. W. Anderson), this town ; Sidney R., May 8, 1854. The latter married Ellen May Phelps, May 18, 1880, and resides with parents. Orrin E. Boughton, farmer, Mazeppa, has resided here since 1858, at which time he purchased a claim on section 9. He now owns one hundred and eightj^-two acres on sections 8, 9, 16 and 34, besides a quarter-section in the James River valley, in Dakota. He arrived in Wabasha county with eighty-four dollars, and has EARLY SETTLERS. 1047 secured a competency by his sagacity and industry. He was mar- ried in the spring of 1865, to Jane Summers, who died without issue April 30, 1866. In June, 1870, he married Khoda A., daughter of A. H. Bright, of this town. They have one child, Cecile Inez, born November 18, 1873. Mr. Boughton is a member of the masonic order. He is a republican in politics ; served as town supervisor in 1879-80-81-82. He enlisted October 18, 1861, in Co. I, 3d Minn. regt. At the battle of Stone river he was made a prisoner, and held three months. At the battle of Wood Lake he commanded a company of thirty-two men, of whom twenty-four were killed or wounded. After this he was made a corporal. After participating in the battles at Fort Donelson, Vicksburg, Fort Har- mon, Young's Point and Little Rock, he was detailed for detached service as sergeant-major. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the regular army, and soon promoted to first. His health faihng, he was compelled to resign, which he did March 18, 1865. He was offered a captaincy if he would remain in the army, but could not accept it. His grandfather was a colonel in the war of 1812. His father, Ebeneezer Boughton, was born in New York, and married Roxy Barney, of the same state. This subject is their second son, and was born in Nunda, Livingston county, Newlork, •November 8, 1836. All his life was passed in that state until he came here. He was reared on a farm, and received a common school education. His natural abilities have made him a valuable and prominent citizen. Benjamin Boughton, Chester, is a brother of the above, and received the same early training. His birth occurred in West Sparta, same county, February 23, 1845. His mother died when he was only three years old, and he was put out with a farmer to be brought up. He remained till eighteen years old with this taskmaster, who set him to follow the plow as soon as he could reach the handles, and gave him little opportunity for education. At eighteen, having received only his food and scanty clothing for years of faithful ser- vice, he set out to care for himself. In the fall of 1865 he came to Minnesota, and stayed one year, attending school in the winter. He returned to New York, where he remained till the fall of 1872. He engaged in farm labor here three years, and then bought his present home on section 3tt, consisting of eighty-seven acres. August 30, 1879, he was married to Ida Segar, who was born m Salem, Wisconsin. Mr. Boughton had no capital when he arrived 1048 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNIT. in Wabasha county, and his success is a credit to himself and this region. He has always been a republican. He adopted an orphan child soon after its birth. Her name is Lucy Whaley, and she was born February 5, 1879. John Darcey, farmer, has dwelt on the northwest quarter of section 2, Chester, ever since 1858, at which time he made claim to it under the United States land laws. Mr. Darcey is a native of Ireland, having been born in the parish of Kiltabrid, in or about the year 1831, He was reared on a farm, and set out at eighteen for America. Pie spent four years in New Jersey, and a like period in Illinois, at farm labor, then came here as above noted. His farm has been well improved, the buildings costing over two thousand dollars. He has always been a democrat, and himself and family are communicants in Belle Chester Catholic church. His marriage took place September 9, 1860, the bride being Miss Ellen Early, who was born in the same parish as himself in 1841, and came, to America at sixteen. Their children are all at home, and were born as below noted : Mary J., February, 1863 ; Edward, eJuly, 1864 ; John, June 8, 1866; Annie, August 4, 1868; Charles F., May 23, 1871; Allie, March 28, 1873 ; George, October 4, 1875 ; James, January 12, 1879. Joel B. Sheldon, farmer, was born in Westport, Essex county. New York, March 20, 1845. His ftither, Isaac Sheldon, was a pioneer settler in Pine Island township, his residence being three miles from Mazeppa, on the county line. Both the latter and his wife, Lydia Smith, were born in Westport. The subject of these lines was reared on the Pine Island farm, where he was brought when eleven years old, and got his educational training in the common schools of Mazeppa. In 1864 he bought forty acres of land adjoining his fathers, on which he dwelt till 1880. At this time he bought a house and three lots in Mazeppa, and has made his home here since. He also has now sixty acres adjoining his first purchase, in this town, and is employed in tilling his farm. He was married March 12, 1858, to Mary J. Van Sehaick, born at Wells, in Indiana, June 15, 1838. Mrs. Sheldon had two children previous to this marriage, one of whom was burned to death. The other, Alpheus, was born May 14, 1857 ; resides in Mazeppa, Mr, Shel- don's children were born as follows : Lillian J., December 24, 1859 (Mrs, Asa Spicer, here) ; Joel I,, April 25, 1863 ; Ella M,, January 4, 1867; Gertrude, October, 1868; Martha, September 16, 1873; Dick, February 2, 1875, Mr, Sheldon is a member of Mazeppa EARLY SETTLERS. 1049 Good Templars lodge. In religious faith he is a Methodist ; he has always been a republican. He enlisted August, 1862, in Co. H, 8tli Minn. Yols. Served on the western frontier, participating in several Indian engagements ; discharged on account of ill health, January, 1865. Shortly before entering the service his arm was cut by a scythe, and his ai'my exposure prevented a permanent and full recovery, and he is often troubled and much weakened by the injury. Charles M. Boutelle (deceased) became a resident of Chester in the spring of 1858, taking up forty acres of land on section 23, which was still vacant, and buying the claim to eighty acres adjoining. Here he dwelt till his death, which occurred December 10, 1876. He was born in Hancock, New Hampshire, July 2, 1825. His father, Charles Boutelle, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and after- ward married Betsey Knight, mother of this subject. The latter married Sarah L. Buckminster, in July, 1850 ; she was a daughter of Benjamin M. Buckminster, all of New Hampshire. She is still living on the homestead in Chester, as is also her mother-in-law, Betsey Knight Boutelle. Mr. Boutelle was ten years in charge of Bear Valley postofSce, which he kept in his house. He was a charter member of the grange organized here, and resolutions of respect and mourning passed that body on his death. He was several years treasurer of Chester township. His politics were republican. Two sons were all his offspring. Clarence M. was born in Antrim in 1851. He graduated at the Winona normal school, and w^as eight years a member of its faculty subsequently. He is now, with his > wife (Fanny Kimber), teaching in the Rochester Seminary. Charles Herbert Boutelle, farmer, is a son of the last above subject, and was born in Antrim, New Hampshire, November 1, 1853. He was reared here, and received a common-school educa- tion. He was married November 5, 1877, to Clara A., daughter of Willard and Susan Merrill ; she was born in Goodhue county, and her parents in New Hampshire and Canada. They have one child, born December 18, 1880, and christened Willard C. Mr. Boutelle is an independent republican. He was a member of the grange while it existed. Ansel T. Fox, son of Eenben and Frances Fox, was born in Trenton, New York, January 6, 1836. His parents were natives of the same state. Being raised on the farm, he attended the district schools. At the age of nineteen he removed to Belvidere, Illinois. After trying it for two years he came to this county, settling in 1050 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Mfizeppa township, section 10. His farm consists of one hundred and sixty acres, a large portion being untilhible. He raises consid- erable stock, and carries on quite a dairying business. He was the first town clerk and has also been chairman of the board several times. In politics he is a stanch republican ; in religion tends toward the Universalist faith. He married Roxana, daughter of Eben Boughton, who was a native of New York State. They have three children, as follows : Sarah F., Alfred R. and Charlotte A., all at home. Andrew Bailey, son of Thomas and Jane Bailey, was born in Ireland in 1838. He received his education at the common schools and his youth was spent on the farm. At the age of fourteen he came to Iowa, remaining there six years. Then he came to Zumbro township, settling on section 23. He owns two hundred acres of land. He married Emma Dane, of Wisconsin, her parents being natives of Canada. They have no children. Geo. W. Akers, son of Simeon and Margaret Akers, was ushered into this world in 1855, in the State of Kentucky. His youth was spent on the farm, and he was educated at the district schools. He lived at difterent times in Wisconsin and Kentucky, and finally came to Hastings, Minnesota, in the year 1860. In 1876 he removed to Zumbro Falls, Gillford township, and has been there ever since. In politics he is a democrat. He married Belle Dane, of Wisconsin, and has three children, Simeon, Emma and George. .Hon. George R. Hall. On June 29, 1836, the hearts of Samuel and Betsey (Wyman) Hall, farmers of Stansted county, Canada East, were made hajipy by the birth of their second child, the subject of this sketch. The family continued to reside in Canada until George had reached his fifteenth year, when they came to eastern Wisconsin and found a home in Eacine county. Six years later, and four years after the death of the father, the family came to Wabasha county. Mr, Hall, in the spring of 1858, located a pre-emption claim on section 4 in Plainview township, on Greenwood prairie. For eight years he followed the life of a pioneer farmer on this place. Soon after disposing of this farm, he bought another of one hundred and forty acres on the same section. This place he sold in 1873, and the same year purchased eighty acres on section 37, in the adjoining township of Highland. This farm he enlarged by the purchase of one hundred and sixty acres adjacent thereto, and EARLY SETTLERS. 1061 in the spring of 1883 sold to Mr. Burgess. Mr. Hall bought a house and lot in the village of Plain view, and moved to town in the spring of 1880. He is agent for the Laird-Norton Lumber Co., ot Winona, which has a branch business in Plainview. Mr. Hall enlisted in the 1st bat. Minn. Light Art., December 31, 1863. Owing to ill health, saw but little active service, and was discharged on May 25, 1865. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, a Royal Arch Mason, and a member of the board of supervisors. In the winter of 1877 he represented the Plainview district in the state legislature. His politics are republican. Electa A. Austin, of Racine county, Wisconsin, became his wife October 17, 1858. They have four children : Ida L. (wife of the Rev. F. B. Cowgill, a Methodist Episcopal clergyman and member of the Minnesota con- ference), Ella Mary (a teacher in Winona county), Inez M. and Nellie Gertrude, living at home. Thomas MoDonough was born in County Galway, Ireland, some- time in the month of December, 1836, and was the seventh child of Bartley and Maria (Hurney) McDonough. When about seventeen he came to America in company with his mother and two sisters. In 1854 or 1855 his father died of yellow fever in Virginia, and his mother, soon after her arrival in America, departed this life at Alexandria, Pennsylvania, in which place the family had located. Thomas worked on public works near this place for a short time and then became a steamboat hand on the river. He also worked on a New Orleans cotton-press for awhile. During his sojourn in this latter city he became acquainted with Mary Malloy, to whom he was married December 27, 1857, this lady being, like himself, a native of Ireland, and the daughter of Charles and Mary (Donlevy) Malloy. The following spring they came to Wabasha county and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres on sections 12 and 13, in Highland town- ship, which was the nucleus of his present possessions, numbering four hundred and forty acres. Of their family of five children four are still living : Mary, born February 21, 1859 ; Patrick, born Feb- ruary 20, 1862 ; Bartley, born August 16, 1863, now a clei-k in Bel- videre, Minnesota ; Anthony, born August 4, 1870. During the re- bellion Mr. McDonough worked on the government transports. In 1863 Gov. Ramsey commissioned him as second lieutenant of the 8th Minn. Militia. He is also a prominent member of the Father Mathew Total Abstinence Society and of the Highland Catholic church. Is a democrat in politics, and has been five times a mem- ber and chairman of the board of supervisors. 1052 HISTOKY OF WAIJASHA COUNTY. Henry C. "Woodruff was born in Hartford, Connecticut, March 31, 1838. His parents were Eli and Mary (Leonard) Woodruff, the former a native of Connecticut and tlie latter of Massachusetts. There were four children born to them, Henry being the eldest o three now surviving. Mr. Woodruff, Sr., was a moulder by trade. While Henry was yet an infant his parents removed to Quincy, Illinois, and engaged in farming. Nine years the family resided here ; three years in Milwaukee, where Mr. Woodruff" was proprie- tor of a livery-stable and boarding-house, and eight years in a hotel at St. Marie;, Wisconsin. In 1858 the family came to Elgin township, Wabasha county. In 1863 Henry ]3urchased eighty acres of land on section 30, in Elgin, which he still owns, together with one hundred and sixty adjacent thereto. Mr. Woodruff and his brother-in-law, Ethan Whiting, erected the first elevator in Plain view, at a cost of eighty-five hundred dollars, in August, 1878, and had it ready for business by the time the Plainview railroad was completed. Mr. Woodruff" is at present local agent for the great produce firm of Geo. W. VanDusen & Co., at Plainview, and resides in town. He is a member of Plainview Lodge, F. and A.M., and in politics republican. He was married at St. Marie, Wisconsin, November 25, 1859, to Polly R. Whiting, a native of that state, and daughter of E. F. and Laura (Rice) Whiting. They have five children : Edward, married and residing in Plainview, and Clara, Nora, Claud and Charles, living at home. His father and mother resided with him at the time of their death ; the former departed this life July 15, 1879, and the latter June 30, 1883, at Andover, Dakota, where she was visiting a daughter, Mrs. D. W. Buck. Edward Nash, farmer, the subject of this sketch, first saw the light of day in Kilkenny county, Ireland, in September of the year 1819. His parents, John and Mary (McGragh) Nash, belonged to the small farmer class. He remained in his native land until 1850, and received a meager education ; he then came to America. After spending a few months on a farm near Watertown, New York, he tried life as a lake sailor, until the close of navigation, for the win- ter of 1850-1. The following sj)ring he worked in Ames & Spencer's tannery, near Milwaukee. In June, 1853, he found himself a miner in the Lake Su])erior mines, where he remained until 1858, when he came to Highland, and pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres on sections 7 and 18, in Highland township, and section 13, in Oak- wood, and in June, 1859, took up his permanent residence in this EARLY SETTLERS. 1053 township. In 1882 lie sold his pioneer farm and purchased a smaller farm of eighty, on section 17, from A. M. Grarey. He was mar- ried Augnst 2, 1875, to Anna Mullins, a native of Nova Scotia, born February 22, 1847. Her parents afterward removed to Wis- consin, and in the fall of 1861 she and her twin-brother, then in their fifteenth year, accompanied by two younger children, came alone from Portage City, Wisconsin, to Wabasha, driving an ox" team. In politics Mr. Nash is an independent democrat ; in re- ligion, a Catholic ; has been supervisor two terms and assessor one Mr. Nash tells of how he went to bed one night in the dark in his pioneer bachelor cabin, and found a bedfellow in the slimy coils of a serpent four feet in length. George Wilson, farmer, is one of the early settlers of West Albany, and was born in Banffshire March 6, 1833. His parents were James and Ann (Ballock) Wilson, to whom were born seven children, George being fifth. The subject of our sketch lived at home until the age of twenty-two, when he left his native land and settled in Eacine county, Wisconsin. Here he lived until 1858, when he located on the farm in West Albany township where he now lives. In 1861 he returned to Scotland and six years later again came to West Albany, bringing with him from Banffshire several ■families, all of whom located in this neighborhood. Indeed the establishment of the Scotch settlement in West Albany was largely due to the influence of Mr. Wilson, for besides those who accom- panied him on his return, many afterward came from the old country and from Eacine county, Wisconsin. Ever since 1867 Mr. Wilson has resided liere, and now has one of the finest farms on the prairie, consisting of three hundred and twenty acres of rich land all improved. He has given considerable attention to the raising of fine Durham stock, and is one of the most extensive stock-raisers on the prairie. He was married April 24, 1869, to Ellen Phillips, of Banffshire. This union has been blessed with five children : Ella A., James A., George A., Nellie B., Willie P. He and wife belong to the United Presbyterian church. Is a republican. He has occasionally been called to the public service, and is a respected and influential citizen. William Duffus, farmer, is a native of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where he was born October 8, 1829. His parents were James and Margaret (Allan) Duffus, to whom were born three children, Will- iam being the second. The subject of our sketch has always been a 1054 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. tiller of the soil, and in 1S51 lie emigrated to Ontario, and shortly after to Racine county, Wisconsin. After farming here two years he came farther west, and soon settled on the farm he now occupies. October 15, 1868, he wedded Ann Wilson, a native of Banffshire. Two children have been the fruit of this union, viz : Margaret A. and John A. Mr. Duft'us and wife belong to the Presbyterian church. He is a republican. His farm of one hundred and sixty acres is among the best on the prairie. He is a genial, hospitable gentleman, and a credit to the community where he has so long re- sided. Henry Martin, farmer, was born in 1833, in Ireland. He is second son of Edward and Bridget Martin, both of Ireland. When about twenty-one years of age he came to New York, and spent two years there and in Massachusetts. He then came to Wisconsin, farmed about three years, then he came to his present farm of two hundred and forty acres of fine land, traversed by theZumbro valley. He is one of Oakwood's wealthiest farmers. He has always been a democrat in politics. He is one of our first settlers and enterprising citizens. He was married in 1861, to Bridget Fehan, of Ireland. They have eight children. Augustus Charley was born in Sweden, April 15, 1825. On October 5, 1853, he landed in Chicago. When on the sea between Liverpool and New York, the vessel in which he had taken passage was overtaken by a terrific storm, and all three of the masts were swept away, and was for several days without any propelling motive on board the vessel. The captain finally succeeded in rigging out a small sail by using some loose poles which ha])pened to be on board the vessel for masts. They were four weeks and three days on the sea, and many suffered with hunger. As many as nineteen children died for want of something to eat. Mr. Cliarley staid in Chicago over three years, working as a day laborer. About one year of this time his wife was sick and in bed. He then worked in a sawmill for three years in Read's Landing ; and from there he came to Glas- gow township, where he now lives, in the fall of 1859. He home- steaded one hundred and sixty acres of land, and since then has bought eighty acres more. He and his daughter built the first house in which they lived, a small log house which was replaced by another log house and that by his present house, which he built in 1874. When Mr. Charley first came to his place, he found everything wild, and he has done all the improving on his place himself. He had no EARLY SETTLERS. 1055 money when he came, and was without a team of any description for over two years. By working for his neighbors he finally managed to buy himself a team (a couple of two-year-old steers). Mr. Charley now has his second wife ; he was married first time in Sweden, and his wife died before he came to this country. His second wife, Chris- tine Erikson, he also married in Sweden. Of the nine children born to them, but four of them are now living. Matilda, the eldest is the wife of John Peterson, and now lives in Wisconsin. John, Alfred, and Ida are the names of the other three. Mr. Charley enlisted in Co. D, of the 5th Minn. Inf., and was mustered in at Memphis, Ten- nessee. He was in the battles of ]^ashville, Spanish Fort, Mobile, Yicksburg and Columbia, He was mustered out at Montgomery, Alabama. Mr. Charley lost his health while in the army, and has not been able to work a day since. He now draws a pension. James Howat, the subject of this sketch, was born in Banffshire, Scotland, March 24, 1824. His parents were John and Margaret (Bonnayman) Howat. His father being a farmer, James led the life of a Scotch country laddie until eighteen years of age, when he came to America, whither his parents had preceded him. He spent sev- eral years in the pineries of Canada, and also worked at Fort Wayne, near Detroit, Michigan. In 1859 he came to Highland, and home, steaded the quarter-section (section 14) where he now resides, and to which he has added forty acres in section 21. He was married in Canada April 5, 1851, to Agnes Scott, daughter of a County Down, North of Ireland, farmer, James Scott, and his wife, Eliza- beth (Butcher) Scott. Two sons and two daughters have blessed their union, viz : John and Elizabeth, born in Canada, and Margaret and James, natives of Minnesota. Mr. Howat served one year in in the 3d Minn. Inf , and was honorably discharged at the close of the rebellion. The republican party has called him to serve on the township board of supervisors four years in succession. The reli- gious faith of the family is Presbyterian. John Schad is a prosperous Highland farmer. He was born in Germany, May 23, 1838. His parents were Michael and Margaret (Papper) Schad. Two brothers and a sister preceded him to America, whither he came in 1S58. Going first to Fort Wayne, Indiana, he found employment in a brick-yard. In the spring of 1859 he came to Wabasha county, and located a squatter's claim on section 4 in Highland and 33 in Glasgow township. This place he sold in 1868, and immediately purchased one hundred and sixty 64 1056 HISTORY OF WAEASHA COUNTY. acres on section 26, in Highland, to which he has since added one hundred and twentj'- acres, and where he now resides. Miss Lena Ruff became his wife November 24, 1S68. She was a native of Iowa, where she was born October 24, 1S4S. The following chil- dren have been born to Mr, and Mrs. Schad : Frank, born February 10, 1870; Mary, September 2, 1872; Godfrit, September 9, 1874; John, December 31, 1876 ; Maggie, October 19, 1878 ; Henry, Sep- tember 23, 1880 ; Lena, August 7, 1882 ; Theresa, September 30, 1883. Before his marriage Mr. Schad worked several winters in the Wisconsin pineries, and also in St. Louis as a stonemason. His farm is under excellent cultivation, and in 1876 he spent two thou- sand dollars in the digging of a well and the erection of a windmill, the only one in the township of Highland. John How at, farmer, and dealer in agricultural im]>lements, is the eldest son of James and Agnes (Scott) Howat, and was born in Holdamond county, Canada, September 6, 1852. His parents re- moved to Minnesota in 1 859. He led the life of a pioneer farmer- boy, and received a fair education in the winter schools. In 1873 he bought eighty acres of land from his grandfather Scott in section 15, where he has since resided. December 18, 1877, he was mar- ried to Mary Amelia Affeld. This lady was born at Mantella, Wis- consin, March, 1856. Her parents were Godfred and Doretha (Schuelke) Affeld. The children of this marriage are James, three years old, and Louis G., one year. Mr. Howat deals in agricultural implements, Kellogg being his headquarters. He is a member of the Congregational church, and in politics a republican. Fred Anding, farmer, was born in Germany in 1845. When he was eight years old he came to this country witli his parents, who settled in Wisconsin. In 1859 he removed to Glasgow townslii]^ Wabasha county, and after a residence there of six years he bought a farm in Gillford township, where he has since lived. He has one hundred and twenty acres of well improved land all under cultiva- tion, and sufficiently stocked to make it quite profitable. One of Mr. Anding's chief delights is to own the finest team of horses in the section of country in which he lives. He was married at Wabasha in 1866, to Louisa Umbreight, and seven children have been born to them. They are both members of the German Lutheran church at Jacksonville. Joseph Meyer, manufacturer and dealer in boots and shoes. Main street, south side, midway between Alleghaney and Peni- EARLY SETTLEES. 1057 broke streets. This business was established by Mr. Meyer in 1859, on Pembroke street, south of Main. In 1S71 he purchased the lot he now occupies, fronting thirty feet on Main, and erected a two- story brick building 30x46. The east half of the lower story is his shoeshop, with workshop in the rear. The west half is the city council room and recorder's office. The upper story Mr. Meyer oc- cupies as his dwelling. Joseph Meyer is a native of Westphalia, Prussia, learned his trade there, and followed it until 1856, when he came to America, and the same season settled in Hastings, Minne- sota, where he remained until 1859, and then located in this city. He married Miss Henrietta Clouse. They have four children, two attending city school: Amelia, born October 18, 1864; William^ born July 17, 1870 ; Bertie, born January 26, 1873 ; Lucy, born June 30, 1881. L. TowNSEND, dental surgeon ; office corner Main and Alleghaney - streets, upstairs. Business established in this city in 1865, in an. office across the street, and removed to present location in 1882, Dr. Townsend is a native of Plattsburg, New York ; studied for his profession in the office of Bigsby & Howard, in his native place, and concluding his preparatory studies, established himself in prac- tice there in 1859, removing to this city in 1865, and establishing a practice here which has been increasingly successful for a period of eighteen years. The doctor was married in 1848, to Miss MayEey- nolds. They have one child, E. L. Townsend, who studied for his profession in his father's office ; at nineteen years of age commenced practice in Lake City ; continued there for five years, then went to Philadelphia, taking a partial course in medicine in Jefferson Medical College and a full course in dental surgery at Pennsylvania College, graduating B.D.S. in 1877, and returned to Lake City; resumed practice until the fall of 1880, when, his health failing him, he dis- continued office work for two years. Keturning to Wabasha in 1882, he spent the following winter in the home office, and in the summer of 1883 took a trip into California to test the effect of that climate upon his health. Dr. L. Townsend, during the eighteen years of his practice in this city, has fitted five young men for the dental profession, besides a number of others who have taken only a partial course. P. H. Robinson, who is now the doctor's assistant, has just completed his studies in the office here, and taken a working interest in its business. It is his intention to take a full course in dental surgery by way of completing his preparation. Dr. Townsend, in 1058 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Marcli, 1882, purchased a tract of forty acres of land within the corporate limits of the city, on the south, which he was converting • into a fruit farm, when, July 10, 1883, one of the most terriiic storms of wind and rain, accompanied by lightning-, that ever visited this region broke over the city. A bolt of lightning came crashing through the roof of the doctor's house, at the southwest corner, passing clean through to the basement, and firing the house all along its passage. The shock partially stunned the doctor and his wife, and they were only fully aroused by the light from their burning- dwelling in time to effect their escape with the loss of home and contents. John H. Lewis, plumber and dealer in pumps ; shop on Second street, just west of Pembroke. This business has been established in this city since 1870, and employs from two to four persons. Mr. Lewis was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, November 5, 1825 ; bred to the tin and coppersmith's trade, at which he spent his time working in his native state and in Ohio until 1856, when he came to this section of the northwest, and settled at Xorth Pepin in Wis- consin. Remaining there three years, he removed to Wabasha in 1859, and, with the exception of two years spent in the western part of the county, this city has since been his home. Mr. Lewis was in the service of the United States during the late war as a private in the 1st Minn. Heavy Art. In 1870, continued confinement at the tinner's bench having rendered outdoor work a necessity, he took up his present business, and has now prosecuted it thirteen years. Mr. Lewis was married September 21, 1818, at Zanesville, Ohio, to Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. James Gurley, of the North Ohio con- ierence of the Methodist Episcopal church. Their children are : Lucy, Arthur, Ida, Marshall, Clara. S. HiRSCHY & Son, general merchants, Herschy's Block, corner Main and Pembroke streets. This business, established April 1, 1882, occupies the corner storeroom of the block, which was erected by S. Ilirschy in 1874. The block fronts fifty feet on Main street and one hundred and ten feet on Pembroke. It is a substantial two-story and basement brick and stone structure, the side walls of the first seventy feet along Pembroke street rising forty-six feet above the water-table. The second story of this portion of the block is finished and furnished as a public hall. This hall is 50x70 feet, c'md has a seating capacity of five hundred, the ceilings being twenty-one feet between joists. The storeroom occuj:)ied by Hirschy & Son fronts EAKLT SETTLERS. 1059 twenty-five feet on Main street, seventy feet on Pembroke, with entrances on both. They carry a full stock of general merchandise, employ five clerks, and keep one wagon for the delivery of goods. The business of the firm is managed by C. C. Hirschy, the " Son " of the firm. C. C. Hirschy was born in this city March 20, 1859 ; was educated here and in St. Paul, finishing his course in the busi- ness colk'o-e in that citv in 1880. Tie llirn ciite'ied the eiiirineer department of the St. Paul & Manitoba railway, and was there until the fall of 1882, when he returned to this city and assumed charge of the business he is now so successfully managing. Sajhuel Hirschy, agriculturist and dealer in real estate, and senior member of the firm of Hirschy & Son, is a native of Canton Yaud, Switzerland. After leaving school, in his seventeenth j^ear, he was bred a tanner, served a term in the army, and at twenty-four years of age came to America and settled in Dayton, Ohio, in 1852. Worked at his trade in that city five years, during which time he married Miss Margaret Felker, and then in 1857 removed to Wabasha. Here he invested his means in a tract of timbered land, oak, intending to engage in tanning business. The oak-bark was 1060 HISTORY OF WABASHA CODTSTTY, found utterly useless for that purpose, and for some years he was engaged in cutting and hauling wood, and such other work as he could find profitable. In 1863 he comtnenced moving buildings, and finding that business i)rotitable, followed it until 1874, when, his health broken by hard labor, he returned to Europe, and spent five months traveling over the continent and the British islands. In 1870 he bought the property on which he now resides, a tract of seventy acres in the southeast quarter of the city, which he is rapidly converting into a fruit farm. June 7, 1882, his dwelling was destroyed by fire, and he has since erected the comfortable home the family now occupy. A substantial frame, two stories in height, solid stone foundations, full basement, 28x36 feet, with an addition 16x24 feet, one story high. Mr. Hirschy has devoted some atten- tion to the raising of blooded Jersey cattle, of which he has twelve head thoroughbred, besides some other grades. He is also quite a successful bee-culturist ; has thirty-eight stands in a flourishing con- dition, and is now building a winter storeroom of stone capable of holding one hundred hives. His grapes, of which he has about fifteen hundred vines in bearing, are in good thrifty condition, as are also his fruit-trees and strawberry-vines. His eldest son, Louis, born in Ohio, is now farming in the southwestern portion of the state. O. C, as before mentioned, was born in this city, and the remaining child, a daughter — now at home — Clara, was born on the home place December 17, 1870. Samuel, son of John and Jane Robinson, was born in Bally- mana, Ireland, in 1828. He was raised on the farm, and received a common school education. In 1847 he came to Sullivan county, New York, where he remained till 1857, when he removed to Will county, Illinois, and in 1859 he came to this township, settling on section 36. He owns ninety acres of land. In politics he is a thorough democrat. He married Elizabeth Bailey, her parents being natives of Ireland. They have five children : Andi-ew, Thomas, John, Robert and Phebe. Henry C. Brant, son of Adam and Rebecca Brant, was born February 4, 1824. His father was a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother of Virginia. He is a native of Ohio. He was educated at the common schools, and his youth was spent mostly on the farm. In the fall of 1857 he came to Fillmore county, this state, remaining there till 1859 ; then came to this county, settling in Gillford township, pursuing farming till 1877, when he removed to EARLY SETTLERS. 1061 Ohio, and after five years came to this township (Zumbro), settling' on section 25. He has twenty acres of land. During the winter of 1864 he enlisted in the 8th Minn., and accompanied Gen. Snlly on his Indian expedition to the Yellowstone river. The next fall he was mustered out at St. Paul. He has been justice of the piece, town clerk, assessor, town treasurer, etc., for several years off and on. In politics he is republican, but not radical. He married Calista Martin, her parents are natives of New Jersey. Their living children are : Edgar F. and Louisa A., Charles being deceased. Charles Early, Chester, was born inKiltabrid, County Leitr in, Ireland, August 15, 1826, and was reared on a farm there, attending a common school till fifteen years old. In November, 1852, he landed in New York city, where he remained till June, 1856. He then went to Whiteside county, Illinois, and came thence to Chester in April, 1859. He entered the northeast quarter of section 10 as a homestead, and has dwelt thereon ever since, and has since acquired by purchase one-fourth of section 16. Mr. Early is reckoned among our most intelligent and progressive citizens. He is a member of Belle Chester Roman Catholic church, and a democrat. He was married in New York, January 7, 1855, to Jane Darcy, who was born in the same parish as himself They have lost five children, and now have one son, born November 25, 1862, and christened Charles Edward. Enos B. Rayiviond, grain-buyer, was born in Orwell, Vermont, Januarj^ 28, 1836. His grandfather, Joseph Raymond, was the first settler in the town of Warren, Vermont ; was the son of a revolu- tionary soldier. Ira, son of Joseph Raymond, married Laura Martin and settled on a farm in Orwell. The subject of this sketch was reared here. His education was completed at Brandon Academy. At eighteen he set out for the boundless west. After spending a winter at Omro, Wisconsin, he started with some land- owners for a trip through Iowa. After reaching the latter state he changed his mind and took the stage for St. Paul. Thence he made his way to Stillwater, and engaged as clerk in a store, remain- ing three years. He then spent two years at Lake City, buying wheat for Van Kirk & McGeogh. After traveling ten years for a Milwaukee wholesale grocery house, he returned to Minnesota, and dwelt at Lake City and Mazeppa. Since 1877 he has remained in the latter place, buying grain for P. Robinson. In August, 1866, 1062 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. he was married here to Miss Cornelia L., daughter of Frederick Ormsby. Mrs. Raymond was born in Long Grove, Cook county, Illinois. They have one son, Charles Eddy, born April 8, 1872. Mr. Kaymond is an enthusiastic democrat. He has never taken any active part in public affairs, although he is active in fostering schools and the general welfare. "While not a member of any sect, he is a believer in divine authority. O. P. Carruth, farmer, was born in Jefferson county, New York, September 8, 1829. He was one of eight children born to William and Eleanor Patterson-Carruth, natives of Springfield, Mas- sachusetts, and Fort Anne, New York, respectively. The subject of our sketch was raised in Jefferson county, and when twenty-one years of age he went to Auburn, New York, where he spent six years in a boot and shoe establishment. October 27, 1859, he was married to Mary Yeeder, a native of that county, and a daughter to Dr. Yeeder, one of the old residents of this township. Immediately after his marriage he located on his present farm in Mount Pleasant. His wife died March 19, 1879. She was the mother of four chil- dren, two of whopi are living: Fred. H., who is running a flour- ishing newspaper at Estilline, Dakota, and Ellen B. January 3, 1880, he wedded Sarah L. Eastman- Gorton, of Athens, Yermont. Mr. Carruth is a member of Lake City lodge, No. 22, I.O.O.F. In politics he is republican, and since 1876 has been chairman of the board of supervisors. Henry S. Smith, farmer, is a grandson of Joel Smith, who served in the colonial army during the revolution. Asaph, son of Joel Smith, was born in Yermont, and married a native of the same state, viz : Miss Abigail Couch. This couple dwelt on a farm in Poultney, Rutland county, Yermont, where was born on March 14, 1824, the person whose name heads this sketch. The latter was reared on this farm, and was a pupil in the common school adjacent. Arriving at maturity, he settled down on a farm of his own. In 1853 he married Jane S. Franklin, sister of G. B. Franklin, elsewhere mentioned. In 1859 he removed to this county, and settled on the farm he now occupies. The homestead of one hundred and sixty acres lies on section 32, Chester, and twelve acres of timber nearby, on section 30. One hundred acres of this is now under the plow, and almost wholly tilled by its owner's individual labor. Mr. Smith is a hard worker, although his right hand is crippled. This is the effect of an attack of black erj'sipelas, which he suffered in 1875. EARLY SETTLERS. 1063 His eyesight was also injured by this malady. The firstborn of this family, christened Charley, died when eight months old. The next, Volney L., was born May 30, 1856, and is now keeping books at Ked Wing ; Altie A., 1861, married George Westphall, and resides in Mazeppa; Minnie H., telegraph operator on Midland railway. Nelson B. Smith, farmer, has dwelt since the spring of 1856 on section 29, Chester, where he has four hundred and forty acres of land ; his real property also includes twenty acres on section 30. His father. Squire Yan Smith, was a native of Connecticut, and married Charlotte Ann Glover, of the same state. After serving in the war of 1S12, he settled on a farm in Brookfield, Fairfield county, where was born the subject of this sketch, January 17, 1823. He was reared on the farm there, and completed his education by at- tending Newtown Academy one term. After teaching school four terms in Connecticut, he removed to New York in 1846, and taught one term there. During this year he met and won for his wife Miss Margery A. Mix, a native of that state. Next year he bought and began tilling a farm there. In the summer of 1855 he visited Min- nesota, and selected a claim south of Mazeppa. Keturning to New York, his claim was "jumped," so when he came on with his fam- ily next spring he settled on his present location. He has always been a republican ; has been assessor two terms and collector one. He is not a believer in the gospel as now taught by any sect. In January, 1862, Mr. Smith enlisted in the 2d independent company of U. S. Sharpshooters, and was with the army of the Potomac from that time till the close of the war. The only engagements he missed were those of the first Bull's Kun and Ball's Bluff. He was never in ambulance or in hospital. The only wound he received was in his haversack, a ball piercing a can of meat that was to serve as his rations. Thus his stomach was affected. In February, 1864, he re-enlisted, and received one month's furlough. Mr. Smith was robbed of his life partner by death on May 4, 1881. Their two children still reside with the father. Joseph Ladelle, born in January, 1850, is unmarried. Lottie Ann, born June, 1857, married John McCabe, who assists in tilling the farm. Henry Eoff, farmer. Lake City, was born May 26, 1828, in Yates county. New York, and is the ninth child of Henry and Clem- entine (Brown) Koff, who became the parents of eleven children. In 1837 they removed to Crawford county, Pennsylvania, where the father died in 1841 and the mother in 1845. The early youth of our 1064 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. subject was spent on the farm, where he enjoyed but a limited means of gaining an education. He was married in Crawford count}^, Penn- sylvania, September 28, 1852, to Miss Clarrisa Ilotchkiss, a native of Crawford count}', Pennsylvania, born January 28, 1S37. Early in the spring of 1S50 Mr. Roff decided to seek on the fertile ])rairies of Minnesota a better reward for his labor and investment tlian the sterile soil of the east then yielded, and at the same time secure for himself a home in a state where land in value was within his reach. He came by railroad to Chicago, bringing with him his team and wagon ; at that point he loaded his effects, with his wife and two children, in the wagon and drove through to Olmsted county, Minne- sota, three hundred and fifty miles, arriving there in May. He at once pre-empted a quarter-section of government land in Eyota township, on which he made final proof and paid for the same fall. Fearing the severity of a Minnesota winter on the prairie, he removed to Winona late in the fall, where he put in a profitable winter in the wood busi- ness, notwithstanding the deep snow and intense cold witnessed here during the winter of 1857. The next spring he concluded not to return to his farm, but came to Lake City, landing here on May 1. The next day he began to build a house, into which he moved six days later. That spring he started in the butcher business, open- ing the first meat-market in Lake City. In 1864 he sold out the market, and with his family went to Montana, where he" engaged in mining two years, and again returned to Lake City a wiser if not a richer man. Butchering was again resumed and followed till 1876, when, on account of his own and his daughter's ill health, he sold out his entire business and took his family to New Mexico. On his return to Lake City he purchased a small farm near the city limits, and engaged in farming. In the spring of 1880 he bought a farm of two hundred and forty in Gilford township, on which his son now resides. He is a member of the three Masonic orders of this city. His children's names in the order of their birth are : Ellen, now Mrs. Frank Bouton ; Henry L., on the farm ; Mary L., wife of Henry Nelson, of Red Wing ; Clara B., Minnie C. and Julia. William A. Helt (deceased) was a son of Lewis and Elizabeth Helt, of German and American birth respectivel3\ He was born in the city of Philadelphia March 30, 1832, and was reared there, receiving a good education. When eighteen years old he began an apprenticeship at fine shoemaking. For several years he kept a ladies' custom shop in Philadelphia, where he was married April 2, EARLY SETTLERS. 1065 1S54, to Miss Jane W., daughter of Robert CliiFord, elsewhere men- tioned in this vohime. In 1857 this couple came to Lake City, and returned to Philadelphia two years later. Here Mr. Helt joined the Gnited States army, in 1863, in Co. G, 118th Penn. Vols. The principal engagement in which he took part was that of Antietam. He was sometime confined by illness in hospital, and himself took charge for several months of a smallpox hospital. He was discharged in September, 1865, and returned to Lake City, whither his wife had preceded . him. The hardships and sickness endured in the army sowed the seeds of disease in his constitution, and from its eifects he was forced to give up the ghost November 22, 1880. The only child given him, a daughter, christened Eebecka Jane, preceded him to the other shore October 19, 1876. He was able to do little after the close of the war, on account of physical disability, and but for a pension from a generous government his widow would be but illy provided for. Mrs. Helt is blessed with considerable poetic genius, and has contributed many valuable productions to the local press. Both these people were always communicants in the Methodist church of Lake City. Daistiel Metzgak, farmer. Cook's Valley, is a great-grandson of George Metzgar, who emigrated from Holland to Pennsylvania before the revolution. George, son of the latter, was reared and "died in the same locality. His son, Jonas, served in the war of 1812; married Mary Merwine, and dwelt on a farm in Hamilton, Northampton county, Pennsylvania. Here was born the person whose name begins this paragraph, November 8, 1822. He was reared on a farm in Cayuga and Tompkins counties, New York. Besides attending the excellent common schools of that region, he spent two terms in Groton Academy. He engaged in teaching two years, and afterward spent two years in a Florida sawmill. Return- ing to New York he engaged in farming. February 19, 1852, he was married to Mary J. Albertson, who was born in Smithfield, Pennsylvania. Her parents were John and Mary (Cregg) Albert- son, natives of New Jersey. In 1857 he took up his present resi- dence, on section 30, Greenfield, and became a fixture of the town, and a worthy citizen. He became postmaster at Cook's Yalley when that office was established in 1859, and held the office three years, thus demonstrating democratic appreciation of republican talent and integrity. Mr. Metzgar's first ballot was for abolition of slavery, and he has ever since adhered to the principles espoused by 1066 HISTORY OF \VABx\.SHA COUNTY, republicans, lie was three times elected chainnan of the town board of su])ervisors, and served a term as assessor. He is a believer in the final holiness and happiness of all mankind. On October 28, 1862, death took away the faithful sharer of his cares and delights, Mrs. Metzgar was a consistent member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church, and her place has never been filled. Five children survive her, all residents of this town. Their names in order of birth are: William A,, Mary A, (wife of J. G. Rose), Sarah A. (William J. Rose), Ida May and Fannie Jane, Chakles Forrest (deceased) was among those who came to Wabasha in an early day. He was born at Peter Head, a city in the north of Scotland, April 24, 1835. In early life he entered upon an apprenticeship to the trade of boot and shoe maker, serving the usual time. In 1856 he left the land of his birth and the home of his childhood, with all the ties of kindred and friends, and the dearest of all, the one who was to be his bosom friend and compan- ion through life, and after a few uneventful weeks on the ocean, and a year spent at his trade in Montreal, Canada, he landed from a river steamer at Wabasha, Minnesota, late in the summer of 1857, There he decided to stay and make a strike for a home, entering at once upon the business of his trade, which he prosecuted with vigor nearly four years, when, notwithstanding the financial embarrassment fol- lowing the crisis of 1857, and the prevailing diseases incident to those who were then living on the Mississippi bottoms, in both of which Mr. Forrest suffered severely, he had secured the means not only to send for the one above referred to, but also to provide for her on her arrival, a rude, though happy home. She reached Wabasha on the evening of April 22, 1861, and the next day Charles Forrest and Margaret Tough were united in marriage. She is a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, and was born May 31, 1834, They at once repaired to a farm he had previously bought in West Albany town- ship, and built a small frame house, the first erected in that settle- ment, Mrs, Forrest now declares that the succeeding years were the happiest of her life. The pioneers had but little, and, being all on an equality, shared cheerfully with each othei-, even to a cup of salt. Some years later Mr, Forrest came to Lake City, and, after selling his farm, built a store and embarked in merchandising in the boot and shoe line, conducting the business till the time of his death. May 21, 1879, Though he left no fortune to his family, he left them with a home and the heritage of an unsullied name. He was EAKLY SETTLERS. 1067 a deacon in the Baptist church, and consistent, pious Christian gen- tleman. His widow and one son are also members of the Baptist church. His children, who are all residing with their mother in Lake City, are James, Charles G., Jennette H., Maggie J., Jennie E,, William W. and Katie E., and enjoj the esteem and respect of their fellow citizens. Thomas Heath Megroth, Lake City, was born at Hallowell, on the Kennebec river, in the State of Maine, in 1808. His father, John Megroth, was a native of Needham, Massachusetts, and died of camp fever in the war of 1812. His mother, Elizabeth (Heath) Megroth, was a native of Southampton, England, who came to America in early life and died at a good old age in West Manches- ter, Massachusetts. The first fifteen years of our subject's early life was spent on a farm, after which he began an apprenticeship to the hatter's trade. This, however, was not congenial to his health, and after two years' trial was abandoned and his attention turned to the carpenter's trade. This he found suited to his taste and made it his life business. In 1849 a trip to California was decided upon, and in April of that year he, with a party of twenty-five, left Boston for the "golden gate." They went via the river route from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Independence, Missouri, where they fitted out with teams • and wagons. On reaching Salt Lake City they tarried fifteen days for the purpose of recuperation, as well as preparing for the remaining nine hundred miles' trip before them. This was done by selling their wagons and packing their outfit, provisions, etc., on the backs of mules. In this way the journey was resumed and its end finally reached. The most part of seven years was spent by Mr. Megroth engaged in mining and working at his trade on the Pacific slope, though severe sickness compelled him to make a trip to the Sand- wich Islands, and to this alone he now owes his life. In 1856 he returned, via the isthmus, to the bosom of his family, in Maine, with a large su]5ply of experience and a good portion of the precious metal. The following Apr^, 1857, he emigrated with his family to Minnesota and settled permanently in Lake City, and has since then devoted himself to his trade. He was married in 1835, to Miss Elizabeth N. Freeman, who is also a native of the State of Maine. She has shared his joys and sorrows for almost half a century, at this writing, February 26, 1884, and is now his constant though feeble companion down the shadowy side of life. To them were born two sons, Edward J., now enjoying a good property and 1068 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. unbleniislied reputation in this city, and Thomas Wesley, who died very suddenly at Chicago, Illinois, while there attending college. Mr. and Mrs. Megroth have for many years been exemplary mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. John O'Brien, farmer and stock-raiser, Lake City. Mr. O'Brien .s but another illustration of what industry, ]:)luck and perseverance will accomplish. He was born in St. Lawrence countj^, New York, in 1837, and is a son of John and Jane O'Brien, both natives of Ireland, and, although of the same name, no relation. They were married in St. Lawrence county, New York, and there settled down on a farm and became the parents of nine children, eight of whom are still living, six near the old home and two in this county. The father died in 1880, and the mother still resides on the old farm. Mr. O'Brien received a common school education as well as a thorough training in the prin- ciples of economy and thrift during his early youth on the farm. In the spring of 1857 he came to Lake City and at once went to work at his trade (that of mason), following it three years. He then bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres of government land, in the township of Lake, was married the same year to Miss Hannah Mahony, and engaged in farming. After a ten years' residence on this farm he purchased a smaller one in Lake City and removed to town, where his wife died in February, 1871. His second mar- riage was in July, 1874, to Mrs. Sarah Failing, formerly Miss Sarah Munger, a native of Syracuse, New York. He has six children living, whose names in the order of their birth are : Mary J., wife of John Steel, of La Crosse, Wisconsin ; J. Sylvester, M. Frank and James R., on the farm in Mount Pleasant, and Catharine B. by his former wife, and George A. by his present. Mr. O'Brien now owns, besides a small farm within the city limits, a fine farm of six hundred and twent}' acres in Lake and Mount Pleasant town- ships. In religion they are of the Catholic faith. Politically he is independent, supporting the man rather than the party. Alexander Selover, carpenter. Lake City, was born near the city of Brunswick, New Jersey, March 27, 1833. John Selover, his grandfather, entered the colonial army in the revolutionary war, was made a prisoner and confined six years on the prison ship Jersey* in New York bay. The family is descended from the early German settlers of New Jersey, and Lewis and Prudence (Obert) Selover, parents of this subject, were born in that state. His life was spent on a farm till he was eighteen years old, when he went to his trade. EAELY SETTLEES. 1069 In the fall of 1856 he went to Illinois, where he spent the enduing winter. Early in the next spring he set out for Minnesota, and landed at Eead's April 17. He walked over the bluffs to this point and soon made a claim near Lone Mound, in Mount Pleasant town- ship, as now known. This land he retained till 1867, renting it a portion of the time. He then took up his permanent residence in Lake City, where he has a half-block and comfortable residence. His domain also includes eighty acres of land near the city in Wis- consin. Many of the best buildings in the country adjacent to the city are Mr. Selover's handiwork. In 1864 he enlisted as a recruit in Co. A, 1st Heavy Art., which was stationed most of the time till the close of the war at Chattanooga. More fortunate than many, Mr. Selover's mess were able to purchase food during a forty days' stress, caused by a cuting off of supplies, when most of the garrison was placed on quarter-ratious. In 1862 Mr. Selover espoused Miss Ellen, daughter of Dr. Yeeder, one of the pioneers of Mount Pleasant, all of New York birth. Three children have been added to the family. Louisa, the eldest, is now in her graduate year at the Winona Normal School ; Mary Dora and Frank Marshall are at home. Mr. Selover is a member of the Baptist church and a con- sistent temperance worker. Peter Selover, carpenter, dates his birth November 10, 1830, at the same place as his brother, above. His early life was passed on his father's farm, and at seventeen years of age he was apprenticed to a carpenter and builder, whom he served three years. In 1857 he went to Flatbush, Long Island, and participated in the construc- tion of many buildings there. In 1859 he was united in wedlock to Euphemia Yincent, who died in 1866. Of her five children two are living, Mary L., employed in Appleton's bookbindery at Williams- burg, New York, and Lewis Henry, at Clifton, Minnesota. Mr. Selover is connected with the Temple of Honor, the Congre- gational church, and the republican party. In October, 1868, he married Jennie Howard Duryea, who is the mother of six children, christened as follows, all at home : George H., Arthur W., Jennie H., Martha E., KateL. and Laura. In 1878 the ftimily removed to Lake City, where the head has since been actively employed in building operations. A younger brother, Henry Selover, superintendent of the Lake City fiouring-mill, was born January 19, 1839, and came to Lake City in 1858. He began here as a clerk for H. F. Williamson, then conducting a large 1070 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. business liere. In 1862 lie enlisted in the Stli Minn. Vol. Inf.; was with his regiment till the close of the war. After his return from the army he engaged in tlie grain warehouse of Bessej, Kellog & Co. till 1872, when he took an interest in the Lake City mill. He was married in 1874 to Miss Emma Doughty, daughter of J. J. Doughty, and has three children, Edgar D., Nelson H. and John A. Mr. Selover is a mason and a member of the A.O.U.W. Lake Cit}-- has an early religious history, the minister having preceded the city surveyor. Rev. Silas Hazlett, from Oxford, Ohio, an ordained clergyman of the Presbyterian church, having landed on the ground from the steamer Galena, on its way to St. Paul, on April 18, 1856, remained over Sabbath, which was on the 2Uth, and preached to a congregation of some twelve persons, taking in about the entire population of the place at that time. The subject of the sermon was, "Christ offers salvation to all men on the ground of appropriating faith," John v, 40. Rev. Silas Hazlett was born in Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, on May 12, 1824. He was the son of AVilliam and Ann Hazlett, who had eleven children. He was of Irish descent on the father's and Scotch on the mother's side, the grand])arents on both sides emigrating, the one from the north of Ireland, the other, or the Wilsons, from Scotland. Both families settled in the Kishacoquiblaz valley, near the Juniata river, in Mifflin county, then a dense forest, where they devoted tlieir lives to farming. Tlie parents on the mother's side had educated two of their sons for the work of the gospel ministry, one of whom is still living here, Samuel Wilson, D.D., and.it was the desire of the mother of S. Hazlett to continue the line of the covenant in her own branch of the family, and so gave two of her sons to the same work. John, the eldest of four sons, and Silas, the youngest, were sent to Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, and the Presbyterian Theo- logical Seminary at Pittsburgh, from which institutions they were both graduated. Silas was licensed to preach hy the presbytery of Oxford and synod of Cincinnati in the year 1S50, in the month of October, and was joined in marriage to Eliza Jane Patton by Rev. N. L. Rice, D.D., at Cincinnati, Ohio, on January 14, 1851, she being a member of said Rice's church. Shortly after his marriage Silas was called to su]3ply the churches of Harmony and College Corner upon the resig- nation of John Scot, D.D., called to the presidency of the female college at Oxford. Over these churches he continued to preside until March 1, 1856. He had one child, who was born in Cincinnati, EARLY SETTLERS. 1071 and is now the wife of J. B. McLean, of Lake City, son of Gen. McLean, of Frontenac. Mrs. Hazlett was a faithful helper to her husband, engaging heartily in all the work of the church ; but her health was long feeble, and on March 3, 1865, she was called from a peaceful deathbed to join the home of the redeemed. Silas Hazlett also taught the first school in Lake City, in the winter of 1856, in a frame building now standing on Main street, between Marrian and Center streets, at present occupied as a private dwelling-. The school was held in the second story of the building, entered "from the out- side, the first floor being used as a carpenter-shop, the noise of the hammer often interfering sadly with the recitations above. This same room was also used for church service on the sabbath during the winter of 1856, the preaching alternating between Eev. Mr. Sterry of the Congregational church and the above. The first couple joined in marriage was Gu stave W. Hathaway to Miss Abbie J. Langley, I^ovember 14, 1857, by the Eev. Silas Hazlett, of Lake City. Silas Hazlett was again joined in marriage to Mrs. Sarah Jane Greer on May 4, 1869. Mrs. Greer was the widow of James Greer. Mrs. Greer had three children, Allen J., now of the law firm of Martin & Greer, of this city ; Charles W., bookkeeper, of the firm of Knapp, Stout & Co., residing at and in charge of the company's books at Cedar Falls, Wisconsin ; and Mollie C, at home and teacher in tlie public school of Lake City. Alonzo T. Guernsey, druggist and bookseller, Lake City, es- tablished business here in August, 1857. He was born in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, December 21, 1829, and is the son of Joseph W. and Ann (Brewster) Guernsey, natives of Chenango county, New York. His father served in the war of 1812, in the capacity of captain's clerk, though then only twelve years of age. His mother is a dii-ect descendant of the Brewsters who came over on the May- flower. Mr. Guernsey was reared on the farm, dividing his time between labor and school ; he finished his education with an aca- demic course at Wellsborough, while his father was serving Tioga county as sheriff. At the age of twenty years Mr. Guernsey Began for himself as a clerk, and four years later became the partner of his employer. They carried on a general merchandise business till 1857, when he sold out and came to Lake City, arriving here July 25. At that time Lake City was but a mere hamlet^ and needed but small enterprises ; so Mr. Guernsey began a drug business in a small way, and has kept pace with the city's growth till the present 65 1072 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. time. In 1867 he associated with himself Mr. E. J. Megroth, and the company did a prosperous business till 1880. In that year Mr. Guernsey again became tlie sole owner of tlie store, and continued to prosper till the great fire of 1882 swept away his entire property. He immediately opened up again on an adjoining lot, and is now enjoying a good trade. He was married in 1858, on November 1, to Miss M. Rowena Stevens, a native of Michigan, though reared in Massachusetts. To them were born two sons. The eldest, Porter B., was drowned while skating on Lake Pepin December 13, 1878, in the sixteenth year of his age. His remaining son, Alonzo J., was born May 2, 1872. The family are members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Guernsey is a member of the I.O.O.F., the American Legion of Honor, and the A.O.U.W. C. F. Young & Brother, clothiers, Lake City. The success of this firm is an example of the results of energy and perseverance. In 1865 C. F. Young opened a general store here, and afterward began to deal exclusively in clothing. In 1873 he built a large store on the site of the firm's present building — corner of Center and Main streets. In September, 1877, his brother, Henry H., bought a share in business, and in the spring of 1884, Charles Koch became a partner. In the great fire of April, 1882, the building and stock were completely consumed, inflicting a loss of $15,000, of which $20,000 was made good by insurance. In the summer of 1883 their present handsome structure was erected, at a cost of about $8,000. It is 48x85 feet in dimension, two stories high, with base- ment under all, walls of solid masonry and fire-proof roof. It is the finest store in the city, and in it is displayed the largest and most varied stock of goods in their line to be found here. A wing, 22 X 20, is used exclusively as a tailor-shop. A large stock of ready-made goods is carried, with a profusion of both gents' and ladies' furnish- ings, Butterick's patterns, etc. Including tailors, from sixteen to eighteen people are employed by Messrs. Young to assist them in their business. Charles F. Young, the founder of this establisiiment, came to this country from Germany when a mere youth. With an elder brother he arrived in Chicago in 1855, and was left there while the former sought a location in the west. Becoming tired of waiting for tidings of his brother, young Charles shipped on board a Lake Michigan sailing vessel. A very stormy voyage ensued, and the vessel narrowly escaped wreck after beating about four days. The young voyager, becoming very ill, was put oft' at White Biver, EAELY SETTLERS. 1073 Michigan, then an unsettled country, and remained there eighteen months before hearing from his brother. The latter had settled at Eead's Landing, and found the whereabouts of his charge through friends in Chicago. Coming to Eead's, our subject was employed as clerk by a merchant there. After a year spent there and another in St. Louis in this manner, he attended a term of school at Wabasha, and thi^ constituted his educational advantages in this country, save those furnished by his every-day business. In 1862 he volunteered in a company raised to go to the relief of settlers on the western border, and spent the winter on the frontier. In 1868 he began business for himself by opening a general store at Eead's, and in 1865 opened a branch here, to which he removed the whole stock a year later. Henry H. Young came from Wurtemberg to Eead's Landing in February, 1864, and spent a year as general chore-boy in a hotel there. During the winter of 1864-5 he attended a private school for three months, and thus prepared a foundation for his knowledge of English. In the spring he entered his brother's store at Eead's, and assumed charge of that establishment on the removal of the proprietor to Lake City. He remained in his brotlier's employ until he became a partner as above noted. The winter of 1869-70 was spent by him in Bryant & Stratton's business college at Harris- burg, Pennsylvania. On account of too close application to business he was compelled to take a rest in 1876, and returned from a trip to California with renewed vigor. Mr. Foung was married in 1872; to Miss Anna L. Schauble, a native of his own province. Three children have been given to this union, of whom two are now living, viz : Henry G. and Albert Frederick. Mr. Young served four years as treasurer of Lake City, and refused to serve longer on account of business demands. In national and state affairs he affiliates with the republican party. He has taken all the degrees of Freemasonry to K. T., passed all the chairs of Odd-Fellowship, and is a useful member in the Sons of Herman and Knights of Honor. Anson Pierce, county commissioner, Lake City, is a son of Chauncey and Mahala (Conger) Pierce, of Connecticut and Vermont. The paternal progenitors . of Mr. Pierce emigrated to this country from England in the seventeenth century. The town of Charlotte, Chittenden county, Vermont, is the place of Anson Pierce's birth, and May 6, 1828, the time. His early life was spent on the farm of his father, and he received a limited common school trainino-, J^[ature had done much for him, and by proper care and culture of 1074 HISTORY OF WARASIIA COUNTY. his talents he became fitted for the trusts imposed upon him by his felh^w citizens. When sixteen years old he was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade, which he followed many years. On becoming of age, he went to Chicago, where he was employed several years in building. In 1857 he became a resident of Lake City, and con- tinued here at his trade for fifteen years. For six years he kept a hardware store, and was burned out in the great fire of April 22, 1882. He was several years supervisor under the township organi- zation, and alderman under the cit}^ government ; has served two terms as county commissioner, which responsible position he now fills. In the fall of 1873 he was elected county treasurer, and re-elected in 1875, holding the trust for four consecutive years. His allegiance has always beea given to republican principles. In religious ideas he is a Freethinker. Lovina E. Lyon, to whom Mr. Pierce was wedded in 1852, is of Scotch descent, born in Vermont, as were her parents, Asa Lyon and Katie Benson. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce are now in the midst of pleasant and useful lives, and enjoy the esteem of the whole community. Of their offspring four are now living, all at present in Lake City. Alice H. , the eldest, mar- ried Samuel P. Fox, who died in Pennsylvania. Frank resides in the city, and celebrated his wooden wedding January 18, 1884. Charles and Grace reside with their parents. February 4, 1884, Mr. Pierce and two sons bought the extensive hardware business of J. Cole Doughty & Co., and are now continuing the same under the firm name of Anson Pierce & Co. W. H. Campbell is a native of Mississippi, and resided there until he was eight years of age, when he came north with his father's family. He first came to Wabasha in 1857, and before the war broke out had returned to the south to visit his mother's people. He was there impressed into the rebel service, and was in the army of the confederates nearly a year, when he succeeded in eftecting his escape to the north, and returned to Wabasha in 1863. He subsequently went into trade here, and has conducted business as a general merchant four years. In 1872 he was elected auditor of the county, and held that oftice until 1881, having been four times elected and once api)ointed to fill a vacancy. He is a member of the firm of Z. C. Goss & Co., but takes no active part in the management of business. In connection with J. J. Stone, M.D., he is farming on a tract of sixteen hundred acres, on the line of the Xorthern Pacific railway, forty miles above Crookston. They have EARLY SETTLERS. 1075 now eight hundred acres under cultivation — seven hundred in wheat, and one hundred in oats. Last year's wheat crop of three hundred and fifty acres averaged a yield of twenty bushels to acre. Mr. Campbell has also a valuable tract of sixty acres on what is known as West Wabasha. Mr, Campbell was married October 12, 1869, to Miss Alma A. Downer, of this city. They have but one child living, Susie D., born September, 1870. Mrs, Campbell and Mrs. J. H. Mullen were the daughters and only children of John B. Downer, for many years a prominent business man of this city. Mr. Downer was born in Stowe, Yermont, July 8, 1811, and was married April 8, 1834, to Miss Caroline H. Tinker, who was born at Morristown, Vermont, April 7, 1815. The daughters were both born at Jay, New York, Marion B., January 29, 1849, and Alma A., March 11, 1851. Mr. and Mrs. Downer were very happy in their married life of forty-eight years and a half, and in their deaths they were not divided, Mr. Downer dying October 19, 1882, her husband surviving her only a few hours. Hon. John F. Pope, lawyer, and ex-judge of probate for Wa- basha county, was the fourth child and third son in a family of nine children born to Ealph and Mary (Kichardson) Pope, of Orange, Orange county, Yermont. Judge Pope was born October 7, 1836, His earl^^life was spent on a farm. Young Pope had the advantages of the country school, but when he had i-eached the age of sixteen years had made a sorry record as a student, his highest ambition being to escape school duties and evade punishment for his frequent violations of the rules of school government. Fortunately he had a brother of scholarl}" acquirements, who opened a select school in the village of Orange the winter that our subject was sixteen, and in this school he became a conscript pupil, by order of a stern father. Finding himself obliged to attend school, his pride soon awakened him to a sense of shame for the great ignorance which he possessed when compared with his more studious schoolmates. There was no escape from the student life, and he could discover but one way to ameliorate his humiliating condition, and that was by hard study. Once fully resolved on this point, his really brilliant mind began to display its superior powers, and within two years he was in ad- vance of those of his age and leading his classes. He taught school some and worked on the farm until he had reached his twenty-fifth year, and then came west and learned the mason trade, and also blacksmithing ; these vocations he followed for many years in 1076 HISTORY OF "WABASHA COUNTY. Beaver, Winona county. Having acquired some skill as a debater by attending lyceum in Vermont, he was frequently solicited to dis- play his oratorical abilities as a pettifogger in Beaver and vicinity. His first a])])earance before a court was not such as tended to encour- age his aspirations in that direction, he was pitted against a brow- beating ])ettifogger, who knew enough to discover that Mr. Pope knew nothing of the business in hand, and the latter lost his case and felt very much crestfallen. A second encounter of this kind aroused his ire and grit, and though defeated he resolved to and did procure suitable law-books, and was well prepared to meet his pugilistic opponent, when for the third time he had occasion to appear before Justice H. B. Knowles and plead a case against Mr. Oliver Porter, tlie browbeating pettifogger above mentioned. The latter undertook to employ his usual tactics, and by physical force silence young Pope, but found his mild-mannered o])ponent of former suits was ablaze with wrath and bursting with rage. He had risen to his feet, and stretching his tall form to its greatest height, he threatened with fierce language both lawyer and court, and menaced that tribunal of justice with utter annihilation unless he should be permitted to conduct his case according to the rules of practice. The effect was excellent, and from that time forth no one ever at- tempted to browbeat the new aspirant for forensic honors. It was more than eight years after this little episode occurred before Mr. Pope applied for admission to the bar. October 17, 1873, he passed a creditable examination and was admitted to practice by the circuit court of Winona county. The following year he came to Plainview and opened a law office. The spring of 1875 he formed a copartner- ship with Hon. H. P. Wilson, and the following fall was elected probate judge for Wabasha county, and was re-elected to the same position in 1877. His copartnership with Mr. Wilson was dissolved in 1876, since which time Mr. Pope has con- tinued to practice law without a partner. He is a member of the Masonic chapter and has thrice been elected master of the blue lodge ot Plainview. He was married December 11, 1864, to Sarah L. Welch, daughter of Samuel and LouizaWelch, of Winona county, by whom he has one child now living, Frank, born March 6, 1880. Henry Albert Stevens, barber, Lake City, is a son of F. R. and Angeline Stevens, early residents of this county. Both his parents were born in the village of Osen-obruch, Prussia, and the father died at Wabasha, March 29, 1862, the mother surviving him EARLY SETTLERS. 1077 over eight years, passing away December 28, 1870. They reared three sons and two daughters. Fred R. and John are resident at Uclen, near Crookston, Minnesota. Eliza (Mrs. Joseph Buisson) and Angeline (Andrew Wheeler), dwell at Wabasha. Henry Stevens was born at Petersburg, Rensselaer county, New York, June 3, 1851, and came with his parents to Wabasha in 1858, arriv- ing April 39. His father's death occurred when he was but eleven years old, and upon him devolved largely the care of his mother and sisters. When about fourteen years of age he began to learn his trade, and subsequently worked several years for a liveryman. He was married January 22, 1875, to Miss Mamie Thoney, a native of Switzerland. The same year he came to Lake City and opened the barber-shop he now operates, on Washington street. He now employs two assistants, and in addition a large millinery business is carried on by Mrs. Stevens in the handsome store over the shop. The largest business in both these lines in the city is conducted here, Mr. Stevens was reared under Episcopal tutelage, and affiliates in politics with the democratic party, frequently taking part in its con- ventions. One child was given him, July 15, 1877, and christened Harry Arthur. Marcus Carson, farmer. Lake City, was born in Wyoming county. New York, in 1836, and is the son of Stephen and Julina (Grover) Carson, natives of Otsego county, in the i^me state. His paternal grandfather was born in England, and his grandmother on the same side was a native of Germany, both having come to America in early childhood with their parents, who settled in the Mohawk valley. His grandparents on his mother's side were of New England stock, several generations back. Mr. Carson, like his father and grandfather, was reared and educated on a farm, and like his worthy progenitors, has made farming the business of life. In 1858 he came to Minnesota and pre-empted a piece of land, which he paid for, and the same season returned to his home in York State. This land was some years later traded for eastern property, and Mr. Carson remained east till 1872, when he came to Minnesota with his family, and permanently located in Lake City, where he now resides, though still engaged in farming. The care of his fine one hun- dred and sixty-acre farm in Gillford township furnishes him employ- ment during summer, and his forty acres of timber in Wisconsin gives him ample employment through the winter months. He was married in 1863, to Miss Laura C. Humphrey, of this city, and they 1078 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. have two children living, Grace E. and Alice L. Mr. and Mrs. Carson are members of the Congregational church. At the outbreak of the war of the rebellion in 1861, Mr. Carson enlisted as a private in the 9th N. Y. Vol. Inf., and on organization was elected first lieutenant, which commission he held when discharged on account of disability. Marcus A. HuMrHRKY, Lake City, is one of seventeen children bornto Tlieophilus and Cynthia (Ilayden) IIum])hrey. The subject of this sketch was born in 1808, at Canton, Connecticut, the native state of his parents. He followed farming till the approach of age prevented. When thirty years old he married Sina Fitch Chipman, born in New York, daughter of Lemuel and Laura (Meade) Chip- man, of Vermont birth. Mr. Humphrey became a resident of Lake City in 1868, engaging in the loan and real-estate business. He is a deacon in the Congregational church, of which himself and wife have been members forty years, and is a republican from principle. During his residence in New York, where he went when nine years old, he served his town acceptably for several terms as assessor, and was six years an eflScient member of the Lake City school board. Of his six children, three are living, as follows : Louisa F. (Mrs. C. D. Warren), Lake City; Marcus C, Marshall, Minnesota; Laura (Marcus Carson), Lake City. The others died at ages noted below : Alta, twenty-eight; Theophilus C, twenty-two; Nina A., twenty- one. Charles M. Colby, Lake City, is a son of Ford Colby, one of the pioneers of this state. This subject was born in Eaton, Compton county, Province of Quebec, June 29, 1844, and was therefore about fourteen years old when he came with his parents to this state. His youth was spent on a farm there and here, and his intellect trained in the common schools. Notwithstanding his limited educational opportunities, Mr. Colby is a gentleman of more than ordinary ac- quirements. For many years he owned and tilled a farm in the town of Lake, which he sold in 1883. For some time his winters were spent in mercantile pursuits in the city, and in 1881 he re- moved thither. For six years he was employed as drygoods sales- man by C. F. Rogers, and subsequently by C. F. Young. He was two years clerk in the Merchant's Hotel. He has always been a republican, and is a member of the Odd-Fellows lodge and encamp- ment here. January 19, 1881, he was united in marriage to Miss Alice, daughter of John Disney, one of the pioneers of Gillford EARLY SETTLERS. 1079 ^. township, this county. To this union has been given a daughter, now (March, 1884) one and one-half years of age. John Disney (deceased) settled in Gillford in 185Y, on the farm still owned by his widow. Thomas and Catharine Disney, his parents, emigrated from Ireland to New York city, where John was born March 17, 1803. Here the mother died in March, 1805, aged forty-four, and his father returning to his native land, and died there December, 1815, at the age of fifty-nine. This subject lived with a sister at Richmond, New York, till ten years old, when he ran away and joined the American army as a drummer. After knock- ing about the world for some time, he settled in this county as above related. In the fall of 1 878 he bought a residence in Lake City, where he continued to dwell till his death, which occurred October 27, 1880. June 9, 1823, he was married to Lois Clark, who died March 15, 1848, leaving four children. Robert, John and William reside in Gillford. Mary is the wife of Edwin Brown, at Joliet, Illinois. On June 23, 1849, Mr. Disney was a second time married to Mary Sweetman nee Wall, who bore him four children. By her first marriage Mrs. Disney had one daughter, Henrietta, now Mrs. Daniel Edwards, Lake City. The others are : Kate (Mrs. Albert Field), Zumbro Falls; Lois (Byron Miller), Mexico, New York ; Charles, attorney, Hudson, Wisconsin ; Alice (Colby), Lake City. Mr. Disney was a member of the Methodist church, and always supported republican principles. John C. Schmidt, brewer, Lake City. Lake City brewery, now owned and operated by John C. Schmidt & Co., was first started in 1861 by John Mingus in a small frame building, where the present one now stands, on the corner of Gardner and Center streets. He was succeeded by the Wise Brothers, who built the present stone structure, in size 24x75 feet, and twenty feet high. Mr. Schmidt purchased this property in 1876, and in 1877 associated with him his present partner, Mr. Fred Lange. They are now doing a pros- perous business ; have a first-class outfit, with a capacity of twelve hundred barrels per year. Mr. Schmidt was born in Schweren, Mecklenberg, Germany, in 1833, and was reared on a farm. He was married October 15, 1855, to Miss Julia Lange, a native of the same place. On April 28, 1857, he with his wife and two children sailed from the city of Hamburg on the ship Bremen for America, and landed in New York on June 9. On the 11th of the next April they first set their feet on Minnesota soil at Read's Landing. Mr. 1080 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Schmidt at once made a claim to one hundred and sixty acres of government land in the township of West Albany, and with his ax and an ox team began to make a home for his family. His land, being covered with a growth of oak timber and grubs, required the incessant labor of years to clear and tit it for use, but his sti'ong arms and determined will were equal to the task, and Mr. Schmidt in time had (what he could not have made for himself in his native land) a good farm. This farm was finally sold, and a prairie farm of a one hundred and sixty acres was purchased in the town of Lake. This he still retains. Mr. Schmidt gave the writer a little of his early experiences in Minnesota, and after repeated solicitations, consented that the following incident pass into history : ""Of course,'' said he, "we could not raise all we needed on a new and unimproved farm, and not having money to buy my bread the first year, I took a job of cutting and putting up hay for a man near Read's Landing. Not understanding Englisli very well, and the tricks of trade still less, I agreed to take my pay in groceries; supposing that included flour. When the work was done I called for my pay, and the wily merchant inquired what I would have. I named over the articles, including flour. He gave me all but the flour, saying that article was cash, and he must have cash for it, so I took my groceries and went home to find my family without bread. Of course I could not remain under such circumstances, so I went back to the river and secured a job with a raftsman on a keelboat, and in a few days had the price of one hundred pounds of flour, which I purchased, and carried from Head's Landing to my humble home on my back, a distance of four- teen miles." Such fldelity and devotion to a family is meritorious, and commands their lasting respect and esteem. Mrs. Schmidt also nobly did her part in their struggles to make a home and rear their family, and is now suitably rewarded with comfort and plenty. They hav>e six children living, whose names in the order of their birth are : Mary (now the wife of Lewis Hagen), Edward, August, Julia, Clara and Ida. Loyal D. Colby, farmer, of Plainview, and son of Jonathan Colby, also a Plainview farmer, was born in Orange county, Ver- mont, on April 20, 1836. In 1855 he accompanied his father to California. They went thither via the isthmus of Panama, and spent two years in the mines known as Garrotte No. 2, near Big Oak Flats. In the spring of 1858 they started from Vermont with eight horses, which they drove nearly the entire distance to Wabasha EARLY SETTLERS. 1081 county. In 1863 lie bought eighty acres on section 16, in Plain view, but did not take up his residence thereon until after his marriage, which occurred January 1, 1867, the lady being the daughter of Smith P. Avery, a wealthy farmer of Orange county, Yermont ; the ceremony took place at her Yermont home. The children of this marriage are: Lula B., Gardner A., Carl W., Esther J. and Kolla W, P. Mr. Colby is a member of the Plainview Methodist Episcopal church, the masonic fraternity and the grange, and is inde- pendent in politics. His home is still on section 16, just east of the village, where he has one hundred and sixty acres of fine land. Colin Sinclair, lumber dealer. Lake City, is one of the largest dealers in this line in Wabasha county. His stock, which is full and complete at all times, consists of lumber — in every form and of any class desired, and always at the lowest possible price — shingles, lath, and manufactured doors, sash and blinds ; also hair, cement and lime ; wood also forms an important part of his trade. He also has one-fourth interest in the planing-mill. Mr. Sinclair has been here in this business since 1872, and has by careful and fair dealing built up a prosperous trade. He is also extensively interested in Minneapolis real estate, besides eighty acres of western land, and many lots in Lake City. He was born of Scotch parents, near Kingston, Canada, January 6, 1846. While he was yet in childhood his parents moved over the lake to New York State, and settled "in Brownsville, where they remained a short time, and then went to Watertown, New York. While here his mother died, and the father and family removed to Massachusetts, where they remained till 1859, when they came to Minnesota and located in Lake City. In 1862 our subject, though only sixteen years of age, possessed the man- hood and courage to enlist in the cause of his country against an unjust rebellion, as a member of Co. G, 8th Minn, Yol. Inf He fol- lowed the fortunes of war for nearly three years, taking a part in the border warfare on the frontier against the savages, who were attempt- ing to devastate the pioneer Minnesota settlements. After peace was restored, and the army disbanded, Mr. Sinclair returned to his home in Lake City, and soon after was employed in the Minnesota pineries in the interest of large lumbering firms, and so continued till his settlement in business here. He was married at Eedwood Falls, July 14, 1876, to Mrs. Mary M. Oliver (formerly Miss Whaley), a native of New York. The name of their only child is Earl C. Mrs. Sinclair's eldest two children are Cora and William Oliver. CHAPTER XCIV. EARLY SETTLERS — CONTINUED. Hon. p. H. Eahillt, farmer, is a native of Limerick, where be was born, March 8, 1834. He was the eldest of three children born to Matthew and Mary Lynch (Rahilly), natives of Limerick. The elder Rahillv was an extensive farmer, and the subject of our sketch passed his time between the city and farm until the age of fourteen. When he was five years of age he was called to mourn the death of his mother, and in 1848 his father emigrated to Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, where he yet lives. Li 1849 he was followed by Patrick, who remained with his father a few months, and then went to New York, where he lived until 1854. In that year he located at Rochester, Minnesota, entering the employ of, and part of the time in partnership with, W. D. Leroy, at that time one of the lead- ing men of the state. August 23, 1860, he wedded Catherine Nor- ton, of Gal way county, Ireland, and soon after he located on the farm in Mount Pleasant, where he has since resided. His marriage was blessed with seven children : Mary J., deceased, Jennie L, Mary A., James M., Agnes K., John T., deceased, and Margaret. Mr. and Mrs. Rahilly belong to the Catholic church. He is a democrat, a man of extended reputation, and has often been called to the public service as a legislator. The election to his first term was in 1874, In 1876 he was nominated on the democratic ticket for state auditor, but was defeated. In 1877 he was again sent to the legislative halls, and in 1879 he was elected to the state senate. In 1882 he was again sent to the legislature, of which he is now a member. Mr. Rahilly is one of the most extensive farmers in southern Minnesota, and his farm in Mount Pleasant comprises twelve hundred acres. In J 877 he purchased twenty-three thousand acres of land in Traverse county, most of which he has since sold. He now owns five thousand acres there, which is being rapidly im- proved. He makes a specialty of small grains, but has a good sup- ply of stock. EAKLY SETTLERS. 1083 Andrew J. Fowler, Lake City, is a direct descendant of Capt. William Fowler, who came from England to New Haven, Connecti- cut, in 1664. Amos Fowler, grandfather of this subject, was a cap- tain in the revolutionary war. In Lebanon, New London county, Connecticut, June 13, 1835, Andrew J. Fowler was born to Amos and Lydia (Backus) Fowler, who were also born in that state. Up to seventeen years of age his life was passed on a farm, his educa- tion being supplied by the common schools. His habits were, how- ever, studious, and he contrived to fit himself for the responsible positions he was afterward called to fill. He was employed as clerk in a store in Hartford for some time, and afterward engaged in the grocery trade there. In 1 856 he took a life-partner in domestic concerns in the person of Miss Ida E., daughter of Horace Grant, both born in Connecticut, the former at South Windsor, and she has proved a valuable helpmeet. In 1860 Mr. Fowler visited Lake City, and being pleased with the locality, brought his family here the follow- ing spring. He purchased land in Mount Pleasant township, where he engaged in farming for a short time, subsequently selling the land. For four years he kept books for a mercantile firm in Lake City, and served the American Express Company as agent one year. In December, 1871, he entered the First National Bank, where he served successively as bookkeeper, teller and cashier. In March, 1876, he entered upon the duties of county treasurer, to which post he was elected in the November previous. He was twice re-elected, and retired from the ofiice in 1882. Mr, Fowler has always been a democrat. He has always taken an active part in fostering schools, and served some time as president of the Lake City school board ; was justice of the peace; two years alderman; in 1869 was elected to the state legislature, and re-elected next year, serving in the ses- sions of 1870-71. The first two children given to Mr. and Mrs. Fowler were christened Andrew and Florence Augusta, and died in Connecticut. Five are now living, namely, Arthur G., Lake City Bank; Amos S,, engineer. Lake City mills; Alice M., Annie R. and Adelaide, at home. Landon & BuRCHARD, dcalcrs in drugs, groceries, etc., succeeded A. Y. Felton in the year 1874, under the name of C. O. Landon & Co., in August, 1877, comprising C. O. Landon, C. D. Burchard and E. S. Case. In August, 1877, C. D. Burchard bought E. S. Case's interest, leaving the firm Landon & Burchard. During the spring of the same year G. C. Landon, son of C. O., entered the business 1084 HISTORY OF WAIJASHA COUNTY. as clerk, and in May 1, 1883, assuming his father's interest, became partner in the firm as it now stands, Landon & Burchard. Lan- don, Jr., or G. C. Landon, was born in 1859 at liock Falls, Wis- consin, whence his parents removed with him to Plainview in 1861. Here he passed through the high school, and by thrift and industry has gained the respect and patronage of the community ; evidently a rising young merchant, and a mason of high order. C, D.- Burchard, the other partner, was born in Gainesville, Wyoming county, New York, December 23, 1851 ; whence he migrated with his parents in June, 1856, to Plainview. Greenville of ancient days was the scene of his schooling until 1867. Andrew J. Taft, blacksmith, has been a resident of Maze])pa since 1861, and is reckoned among the substantial citizens of that village. Besides carrying on a flourishing blacksmith and wagon business, he is one-half owner in the only hardware store in the place, which also does a good business. Mr. Taft's parents, Samuel and Kachel (Hanson) Taft, were natives of New England and New York respectively, and at the time of his birth (June 6, 1831) were residents of the town of Trip's Hill, Montgomery county, New York. When he was nine years old they removed to Whitewater, Wis- consin, and there died. When nineteen, young Taft began work at his trade. He was for some time employed in the wagonworks at Whitewater and also at Berlin. After spending a year in California he returned to Wisconsin, and was married there in the fall of 1855 to Mary Kadner, a native of Canada. He is now the owner of his shop on Walnut street, a good residence, and joint owner of the store. He has been two years a member of the village school board, and a like period of the village council. He is a thorough democrat, and his religion is the golden rule. Three children have been given to him : AVilliam Lawrence clerks in his father's store ; Helen Isabel is wife of his partner, O. B. Munger ; Maude E. is at school in Rochester. In 1865 Mr. Taft served nine months as a recruit in the 1st Minn. Heavy Art. at Chattanooga. Fetp:r Clemens (deceased) was a veteran of the German army, having served eight years in the war against Napoleon. He was also a pioneer of the Roman Catholic church in Mazeppa, having thrown open his house for services some years before the erection of a church here. He practically built the first edifice, ])aying nearly all its cost from his own pocket. Mr. Clemens was born in Haater, Gruebenmacher, Germany, December 11, 1808, and died here July EAKLY SETTLEES. 1085 3 1871. At twenty-seven years of age lie learned the mason's trade, and followed it nearly all the rest of his life. He was married November 18, 1854, to Mary Keuland. He landed in New York on January 1, 1855, and took up his residence in Westchester. Thence he removed to Minnesota, and bought a quarter-section of land in Pine Island township, near Mazeppa. Here he lived till 1865, when he moved to this village. He was the father of twelve children, four by his first marriage. All are living in this vicinity. Here are their names : Matthew, Nicholas, Peter, John, Mary (Mrs. George Hertzig), Matthew D., Catharine (Mrs. Nic. Hoffman), William, Anna (Mrs. J. B. Gregoire), Elizabeth; Barney, the youngest, is dead. William H. Warring, farmer, has made his home on section 13, Chester, since 1860. At that time he bought the claim of another man to one-fourth of this section, and entered it as a homestead. He has since added eighty acres more to his domain. He is an ac- tive member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is now record- ing steward of Gillford circuit. He has been seven years treasurer of his town, and eleven of his school district ; has also been school director, and was town supervisor in 1866-7. That he is an ardent republican is testified by his three years' service in the Union army. He enlisted in the tall of 1861 in Co. G, 3d Minn. Inf., and served in the Western army. Was taken prisoner at Murphreesboro, and spent six months in prison. At Vicksburg was taken sick and suf- fered much through disease. Mr. Warring was born in Albany, New York, September 18, 1830. His life up to eighteen was passed in the city of his birth, and his father then removed with his tamily to Sauk county, Wisconsin. As above related. Mr. Warring became a citizen of Wabasha county in 1860. He was married June 19, 1852, to Maria Carpenter, a native of Pennsylvania ; her parents, Jonathan and Cynthia Carpenter, were natives respectively of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Six childrem have been given to Mr. and Mrs. Warring, christened thus: Nathan A., Thomas B., Mary E. (Mrs. H. McLeoud, Beardsley, Minnesota); Annie (died at eighteen), Hannah Y. and Eva, at home. The family now includes the two children of the eldest son, their mother having died, named Bertha Z. and Mark A. Mr. Warring's grandfather, John Warring, was a soldier in the war of 1812. Thomas B., son of the latter, and father of William H., was one of the pioneers of Wabasha county. He was born in Connecticut in July, 1803, and married Susannah Woodsworth of the same nativity ; the latter was born December 10S6 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. 31, 180-4, and is still able to travel alone, going to and fro between her children in different states. Four of her sons were in the army, and still survive. With her husband she took up residence in Gill- ford in 1856, and dwelt there till after his death, April 3, 1870. Mr. Warring served as supervisor of that town. He was an ardent democrat, but voted for Lincoln at his second election. Julius Fricke, a native the Elbe, near Hamburg, Germany, emigrated to America in 1852, landing at New York city, where he was married to Miss Annetta Tebbens, October 5, 1853, by whom he had seven children, three boys and four girls. Two boys now sleep in Plainview cemetery, and Alfred, born February 22, 1864, the remaining son, works with his father, who in the year 1860 established the first harness-shop in Plainview, close to the site of his present place of business. Mr. Fricke resides in a handsome brick dwelling, which he erected in 1877 on his village farm of eighty acres, in close proximity to residence of Dr. Tefft. Besides this he is the owner of a farm of one hundred and two acres, which he bought of Hiram Schlacht, and is recorded under warrant 74,708. He is recognized as perfect master of the harness business in all its branches. S. S. Kepler, now and since 1870 of the Eau Claire "News," Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and also member of the firm of Kepler & Co., dry goods, was for twenty years a resident of this city, and for the greater part of that time actively engaged in trade on his own account. Mr. Kepler is a native of Pennsylvania, and having become acquainted with the conduct of business, as clerk, came to Wabasha in the spring of 1856 as clerk for the mercantile house of H. S. Allen & Co., lumbermen on the Chippewa, who had estab- lished a house here for the sale of general merchandise, and also a lumber yard. The manager of the business here, W. H. Creamer, went to JN"ew York in the summer of 1856, and dying there, the charge of affairs here was committed to Mr. Kepler until the arrival of W. J. Arnold that fall, who was at the head of business here until the stock was removed to Chippewa Falls, the following spring, and the business at Wa- basha closed. In the fall of 1857 Mr. Kepler started trade on his own account, and the following spring was joined by W. S. Jackson, with whom he was associated in business directly until 1876, and indirectly until the time of Mr. Jackson's death some years later. Their first business house was on the south side of Main, just east of EAKLY SETTLERS. 1087 Kurd's Hotel, and from this location they removed in 1864 to the corner ot Main and Alleghaney streets, where in 1879 they built what is now the corner storeroom of Masonic block, and occupied by E. J. Dugan, dry goods merchant. The firm of Kepler & Jack- son shipped the first wheat ever shipped from Wabasha market in the fall of 1858, and were very actively identified with all the business interests and educational and religious affairs of the city. In addition to the lots and buildings owned by Mr. Kepler on the east side Wabasha, he has a tract of about fifty acres on the west side, platted in part, and containing some of the most eligible building sites in the city. Though no longer a resident, Mr. Kep- ler takes a deep interest in all that concerns the life of the city, and his face is frequently seen on these streets. Mr. Kepler was mar- ried in the city which for twenty years was his home, August 20, 1868, to Miss Kate McDougall, also a native of Pennsylvania. They have one son, W. S. Kepler, born in this city l^ovember 18, 1870, Henry Burkhardt, sheriff, office in county jail. Sheriff Burk- hardt was elected in the fall of 1881 and his term of office will expire with the close of the present year, December 31, 1883. His depu- ties are : Kudolph Eichenberger, Wabasha ; Robert Romick, Lake City ; William Baxter, Plainview ; John Gregory, Mazeppa. Mr. Burkhardt is a native of Switzerland, came to America in 1854 and was in Madison county, Illinois, until his removal to Wabasha in 1860. The following year, 1861, in the spring, Mr. Burkhardt removed to Read's Landing and engaged in business, establishing his meat-market and dealing in live-stock. This business he still conducts, its management at present being in the hands of his son Otto. Mr. Burkhardt has been prominently identified with the business of Read's Landing and also with its local government, for the past twenty -two years, as well as interesting himself in county affairs, serving as commissioner of the county for the fifth district from 1877 to 1881. In 1856 Mr. Burkhardt married Elizabeth Burgher. They have seven children living : Rudolph, born December 27, 1857, now married and living in Polk county ; Otto, in charge of the business at Read's Landing, born March 28, 1864. Fannie, born March 4, 1866 ; Annie, born January 24, 1868 ; Ber- tie, born April 5, 1870 ; Henry, Jr., born June 12, 1872 ; Edwin, born February 13, 1878. D. M. McKenzie, livery and sale stables, corner Main and Wal- nut streets. Premises front fifty feet on Main street, running to the 1088 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. river in the rear, with booking office on the corner of Main. This business was established in 1860 where now conducted, and the present stock is fifteen head of horses, and ten buggies and car- riages. Two 'buses are run to the trains and the stable force is three men. Mr. McKenzie is a native of Perth, Ontario ; came to Wabaslia county in 1853 with his ])arents, who the following year entered the farm on which Ed. Drury is now living, just within the city limits on the east Sec. 4, T. 110, R. 11 W. This farm Mr. Mc- Kenzie sold in 186-1 and removed to town, having, as before said, previously established himself in livery business. He had the mail contract between this city and Faribault in 1858-60, and in the latter year, in connection with George Hays, took the contract for carrying mail between this place and Rochester, which they held four years, during which time they maintained a passenger stage route. Mr. McKenzie was married in this city in 1861, to Miss Annie C. Campbell. The}' have seven children, all at home, three of them attending school in this city. LuGER FuRNrruRE Company, office and salesroom on the south side of Main street, three doors from Alleghaney. This business, now conducted as a joint stock company, employing lai-ge capital and scores of workmen was started in a very quiet way, by Ferdi- nand and John Luger, in 1861, at which time they started a small shop, doing hand-work, and supplying the retail trade of this section of the county. From this small beginning the industry has grown, enlarging from 3''ear to year as capital increased and demands for goods were created, until they have reached their present propor- tions, and are justly rated the largest furniture manufactory in south- ern Minnesota. The original shop was located on the east side of Pembroke, just north of the alley between Main and Second streets, and was afterward removed a few doors south of that location, a larger shop built and machinery driven by horse-power employed. From Pembroke street a change was made to Main street, north side, just west of the Wabasha bank, and in this location they remained until 1872, when their present manufactory was built on block 28, original town plat of "Wabasha. Ten years afterward, March 15, 1882, the Luger Furniture Company was organized. This is a joint stock concern, capital one hundred thousand dollars, under the following management : president, Ferdinand Luger ; secretary and treasurer, F. J. Luger ; superintendent, John Luger. Tlie manufactory proper is a three-story frame structure, 35x100 ExlELY SETTLERS. 1089 feet, amply supjDlied with improved machineiy for performing their work economically and with dispatcli. The engine and boiler house, 24:X-iO feet, is furnished with an engine of thirty-tive horsepower, the fuel for driving which is principally furnished from the refuse of the factory, except during the winter season, when a greater sup- ply of steam is needed for heating purposes. The finishing room is 32 X 50 and the wareroora 144x32 feet. The business consists in the manufacture of all kinds of common furniture, chairs and bed- steads being their specialties. One of the principal markets for their goods is at Fargo, Dakota, where they have a warehouse and salesroom, for the distribution of their products throughout that section of the northwest. They have also a branch office at Moor- head, in this state. The business at that point is under the man- agement of Ferdinand Luger, president of the company. The number of hands employed at the manufactory is from fifty to sixty, and the value of their manufactured products about two hundred and fifty thousand dollars per annum. Their supplies of hard and soft maple, butternut, oak, elm and basswood are drawn from the valley of the Chippewa. Their walnut is obtained in Iowa. The retail salesroom and office on Main street is 25 X 60 feet, and they occupy the entire second story of the block, the whole affording forty-five hundred square feet of floor room. The secretary of the company, F. J. Luger, has an office comfortably fitted up in the rear of the salesroom, and" the retail department of their business at this point is under his charge. Luger Brothers, the founders and principal stockholders of the company, were originally from Yoralberg, Tyrol, Europe. There were eight brothers of them practical cabinetmak- ers, and those who have become residents of Wabasha emigrated to America in 1S51, and were for six years in Dubuque, Iowa, before locating in this city. Uriah Whaley was born in New York in 1826. At the age of nineteen he left his home in the east and has spent his whole life in the west. He was two years in the service of the government, with the 8th Minn., and was in some of the principal battles of the war. Mr. Whaley has a family of eight children. He has always been a hard-working and industrious man, being engaged in farming in early days, but now an employe of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company. John L. Safford, since 1860 a farmer of Plainview township, was born in Allegheny countj^, I^ew York ; received a common- 1090 IIISTOKY OF WABASHA COUNTi'. school education somewhat limited on account of the illness of his father. In 1845 the family removed to Walworth county, Wiscon- sin. In 1860 young Safford, then in his twenty-sixth year, came to Wabasha county and settled on the southeast quarter of section 16. He offered his services to the government in August, 1862, and became a private in Co. C, of the 10th Minn. Inf. ; was honorably discharged as a corporal August 21, 1865. He returned to Plain- view, and on the 30th of the following month was married to Rose C. Jolly, of Plainview, a native of Indiana and stepdaughter of Mr. William Boatman, a pioneer of Plainview township. He erected a house on his farm and resided there until 1873, when he sold this place and bought another of eighty acres, in section 14, where he now resides. Mr. Safford is giving some attention to dairy farming. Is a member of tlie Grange, No. 41. The family are members of the Christian church. Mr. Safford is republican in politics. His children are : Mary A., born August 26, 1866, and Leonard, born March 6, 1869. William Foreman, son of Charles and Elizabeth (Fisher) Fore- man, was born in Ireland. He was married to Maggie G. Robert- son, June 13, 1872. Mrs. Foreman is a native of Canada, of Scotch descent. She came to Wabasha county in company with her father's family and settled in West Albany township. She is the eldest of eight children and has a brother, James, now living in Lyon county, Minnesota. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Fore- man, the eldest of which is Harry H., and Ethel Maud and Roy Elmer are the names of the other two. Mr. Foreman is well known all over tlie townshi]) ; has been a stanch republican all his life ; has been town clerk for a number of years. He is a member of Wapahasa Lodge, A. F. A. M. , No. 14, of Wabasha city. Also Relief Chapter, No. 6, of the Knight Templars of Lake City. Mr. Foreman has a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in home place, and two hundred and forty acres in Lyon county, Minnesota. He carries on threshing during the threshing season quite extensively, running three steam threshers ; has also a wood-saw. He has had charge of the Wabasha Elevator. Hon. Francis W. Knapp. The subject of this sketch was the third child in a family of five children born to Charles B. and Catherine (McTntyre) Knapp, the former a native of New York State, and the latter of pure Scotch descent. Mr. Knapp was born in Ottawa City (then By-Town), Canada, April 17, 1838. He EARLY SETTLERS. 1091 attended school in Canada for a few years. His father, who was a cabinetmaker, removed with his family, in 1847, to Medina, Dane county, Wisconsin, where he located one hundred and sixty acres of government land for a home, and continued to work at his trade, and also followed the business of an architect and profession of a patent-lawyer. While the family continued to reside in Medina Francis received a good common school education, and, being of a studious disposition, was sent to the State University, at Madison, Wisconsin, where he intended to complete a full collegiate course, but, owing to defective health, was obliged to abandon this plan at the close of the first year. *He now turned his attention to farming and school-teaching for two or three years. In May, 1860, he came to Minnesota and bought from Levi Emery eighty acres on section 35, Highland township, and his family came the following fall. His farm now contains two hundred and eighteen acres, on sections 34 and 35, on which he has some fine improvements. He was married December 24, 1859, to Hannah E. King, daughter of Jaira M. and Maria (Lum) King, a native of Montville, Ohio, where she was born June 11, 1839. Their union has been blessed by five children, namely, Grace M., born August 23, 1861, a pupil in the State Normal, at Winona; Hannah E., born April 17, 1866, also a student of the Normal ; Albert H., born June 26, 1868 ; Catherine M., born July 13, 1871 ; and Charles F., born June 11, 1875. Mr. Knapp has taught school several times since coming to Minnesota. He was a soldier in the 10th Minn, for three years, and lost two fingers from his right hand in the last charge at ISTashville, for which he draws a pension of ten dollars per month, and ranked as sergeant when discharged. Mr. Knapp is a republican in politics and has taken quite an active part in political contests. He has been treasurer, assessor and supervisor of the township, and was a member of the lower house of the Minnesota legislature in the win- ter of 1867-8. Wesley Kinney, attorney, is a grandson of Dr. Abijah Kinney, of Hartford, Connecticut. Ogden, father of Wesley Kinney, mar- ried Huldah Walker, who was born, like himself, in Otselic, New York. They died within two weeks of each other, Mrs. Kinney on April 19, and her husband May 2, 1882, and are buried in the same town. Three Kinney brothers came from England and settled in Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut, respectively, and this family is descended from the latter. Wesley Kinny was born in 1092 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Otselic, Chenango county, New York, December 15, 1837. His life was passed on the home farm till sixteen years of age, attending the common schools. His education was completed at the academy in Charlottesville, New York. In 1857 he began reading law at Delhi with William Murray, Jr., and a year and a half later entered the law office of Wait & Berry, at Norwich, New York. In May, 1860, he was admitted to practice in the superior court, at Binghamton. He became a resident of Mazeppa in 1861, and the following year was admitted to the United States district court. He soon became associated with F. M. Wilson, and practiced at Lake City eight years, during most of which time he was city justice. Keturning to Mazeppa, he continued his practice, and has done much for the ad- vancement of the village. He drew up its charter and most of its ordinances, and was active in securing its incorporation ; was first recorder' of the village. In 1882 he bought a farm of sixty acres, partly in the corporation, partly in Pine Island township, on which he took up his residence, and to which he gives part of his attention. On August 13, 1865, he was united in wedlock with Acsie A. Ford, daughter of one of Mazeppa"'s early pioneers. She was born at Lebanon, New York, May 29, 1846. Their children were born and christened as herewith noted : February 8, 1870, Maude ; August 5, 1873, Alvin C; May 23, 1883, Kent Ford. Mr. Kinney is very liberal on religious questions. In politics he is a democrat. He was a member of the A.O.U.W. until the Mazeppa lodge was abandoned. Lucius Kinney, farmer, is an elder brother of the above. His parents lived during the year 1833 on a farm in Georgetown, Mad- ison county, and Lucius Kinney was born there on September 27. He was reared on the home farm in Otselic, and received a common school education. January 9, 1854, he was married, the bride being Miss Lydia Bishop, a native of Otselic. Her parents, John and Lydia Bishop, were of New Hampshire birth, Mr. Kinney came to Minnesota in 1856, arriving in Mazeppa September 3, and took up government land in Zumbrota township. A year later he sold out and went back to New York. For sixteen years he engaged in farming there, most of the time on his father's homestead, and again took up a residence in Minnesota. After a stay of two years in Lake City, he bought a farm of seventy acres of land near Mazeppa, in Goodhue county, and has ever since dwelt in this village and tilled the land. Mr. Kinney has always had a horror of debt, and went EAKLY SETTLEKS. 1093 without many things desired rather than violate his cash rule. He has always been a democrat. Himself and wife joined the Metho- dist Episcopal church many years ago. They have two sons. The elder, Frank Clinton, born June 29, 1856, resides in Smyrna, New York, where he married Miss Catharine Wentworth. John Wesley, March 30, 1860, dwells with parents. John McBkide, city justice, was born in Whitehall, Greene county, Illinois, in 1821, hence was one of the pioneer children of that state. His parents, James and Kancy (Taylor) McBride, were natives of Virginia and Kentucky, respectively. The paternal great-grandfather of Mr. McBride, was a native of the Highlands of Scotland, and came to America and visited Kentucky prior to the days of Daniel Boone, the noted Kentucky pioneer. History states that Mr, McBride located his claim by writing his name on a tree, and soon went to Virginia where he settled, and remained till the time of his death. Our subject obtained his education in the pio- neer schools of his native state, to which he has, by reading and observation, added liberall3^ January 24, 1842, he married Mrs. Sinia Smyth, a native of Kentuck}^, who was then the mother of one son, Charles W. Smyth, elsewhere mentioned in this work. In 1845 Mr. McBride with his family removed to Council Hill, near Galena, Illinois, but soon after went to Miningtown, Wis- consin. In 1857 he removed to Guttenberg, Clayton county, Iowa, where he began the publication of a newspaper, which he removed in 1861 to Lake City, and conducted it as the Lake City "Times" till 1865, when he sold out and entered into mercantile pursuits. In 1877 he was elected city justice, and this position still retains. Mr. McBride has filled many positions of official trust since his resi- dence in Lake City. In 1862 he was appointed notary public, and still holds the commission, and was the same year appointed mili- tary commissioner by Gov. Eamsey. During the early part of the late war, was United States recruiting officer, and was for eight years commissioner of deeds for the State of Wisconsin, appointed by Gov. Fairchild. He is now a successful and extensive United States claim agent. He is the father of five children, three of whom are living, Perrj^ P., a compositor, now in St. Paul; J. Albert, a merchant in Millbank, D. T., and Mary E., at home. Charles W. Smyth, Lake City, was born in Greene county, Illi- nois, September 20, 1836, and is son of Francis and Sinia A. Smyth, natives of Virginia and Kentucky, respectively. The former 1094 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. died when his son Charles was about three years old, and the latter was married in 1842, to John McBride, Esq., a respected citizen of this city. She lived till January 18, 1871, when she was accident- ally killed in attempting to jump from a cutter while out riding with lier son, the horse being unmanageable. In 1845, when our subject was but nine years old, he with his parents removed to Council Hill, near Galena, Illinois, where they remained for a short time* and then settled in what is now Lafayette county, Wisconsin. Their stay here, however, was not permanent, as they again went to Stephenson county, Illinois, and engaged in farming for a few years, after which they went to Iowa, and located in Clayton county, where liis stepfather published a newspaper till 1861. On the last boat up the river in the fall of that year, our subject came to Lake City, and at once found em]jloyment in a lumber-yard. This he followed but a short time, and then went into the "Times" office as a type-setter for his stepfather, who was then publishing that paper. One year later he entered the employ of F. W. Hahn, a large clothier of this town as clerk, with whom he remained about two years. His next business enterprise of any importance was his present. He bought an interest in a meat-market, and has successfully conducted the butcher business in this city for nearly twenty years. November 17, 1867, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Sarah Corwin, a daughter of Henry Heys, Esq., of Goodhue county, Minnesota, a native of England. They have four children, whose names in the order of their birth are: Libbie T. Corwin, Druzilla A., Julia A. and Carrie M. Smyth. Mr. Smyth is a charter member of the Masonic lodge of Lake City, is also a member of the chapter and commandery, and of the I.O.O.F., and an enthusiastic worker in and supporter of these societies. Daniel C. Corwin, Lake City, is the eldest of ten brothers who never disagreed, is a native of Long Island, New York, and was born March 10, 1828. His father, Capt. Henry Corwin, was a sea- faring man, and his son started on the water when but nine years old. He followed boating till the age of fifteen, when he left the sea to take a position in a wholesale store in Norwich, Connecticut. He held this position four years, when he turned his attention to art study, at the same time serving his teacher as clerk in his store. After ])ursuing his studies two years, he returned to Brooklyn, and continued this line of business in and about Long Island and New York till 1859. His time was principally employed in sign and EARLY SETTLERS. 1095 display painting, thongli he produced some very fine specimens of landscapes and oil portraits. The action of chemicals used in his work had by this time so impaired his health that he was compelled to abandon a well-established business, and seek a more health-in- vio-orating climate. The same year he came to Minnesota, and pur- chased a farm in Goodhue county, where, after two years' rural life, a portion of his former strength was regained. He then sold the farm and removed to Lake City, where he started in business, which he continued till 1S79, when he met with a total loss by fire. He soon after started in a small way on Main street, where he keeps a restaurant and dining-hall. Mr. Corwin was married in 1848 to Mary C. Smith, who died in 1862, leaving one child that has also passed away. His second marriage was in 1862 to DianthaL. Eun- dle, by whom he has two children, Louis A. and Mary E. Patrick Shields was born in County Galway, Ireland, in the year 1831. His parents, Stephen and Bridget (Laylor) Shields (or Shiel) were small farmers. When twenty-six years old he emigrated to the United States, and found work in the Stark cotton mills at Manchester, New Hampshire. Here he espoused Margret Beggan, also a native of Galway county. In 1859 he removed his family to Fox Lake, Wisconsin, where he worked on a farm until just prior to the breaking out of the great rebellion. About this time he came to Wabasha county, and bought out a squatter on secticm 30, in High- land township. He now occupies a farm on section 29 in the same township, and has in addition to this place another of eighty acres on sections 20 and 21. His wife is an invalid, but has borne him the following children, viz : Mrs. Elizabeth Eodney, of Highland; John, born February 5, 1858, a young man of good business ability and fine education, residing at home ; Maggy Curran, born October 12, 1859; Hanore, born July 30, 1861; Mary, born September 29, 1867. In early pioneer days Mr. Shield used to go barefoot in cold weather, as he was too poor to purchase suitable covering for his feet, and has endured many other hardships, but is now in comfort- able circumstances. Four years after his arrival in Highland he sold his original claim for two thousand dollars in cash. He is a Catholic, and in politics independent. Ira J. Humphrey was born in Steuben county, New York, October 25, 1826, his parents being William and Hannah (Harris) Humphrey, the former a native of New York State and the latter of Virginia. He received a common-school education. July 15, 1849, 1096 HISTOItY OF WABASHA COUNTY. he espoused Mary A. Randall, a native of Orange county, Kew York, then in her twentieth year. Her parents, William and Anna (Davenport) Randall, were both born in the same state. Mr. Humphrey continued to reside at the old home until 1854, when he removed to Illinois ; from here he went to Vernon county, Wisconsin, and again to Tunnel City, Wisconsin, where he kept hotel, and Mrs. Humphrey opened a millinery store. In 1861 they came to Highland, and took up the eighty acres on section 20, where they still reside. Mr. Humphrey served eighteen months in the Ist Minn, bat, which was with Sherman in his famous march to the sea. Mr. Humphrey is an excellent farmer, an indifferent politician and a genial man. Mrs. Humphrey has established a local reputation as a prophetess. This worthy couple have been blessed with three sons, .lames, Milo and Charles, now residents of Brown county, Dakota. Chakles O. Landon. Jesse Landon, the father of the subject of this sketch, was the son of a Herkimer county, New York, farmer, and himself a farmer. He married Harriet Fish, and was residing on a farm in Chautauqua county, in the same state, on August 23, 1826, when Charles, the third child of their large family of thirteen children, was born. He remained on the farm with his parents until the day he reached his majority. His educational advantages were very inferior, and the excellent practical education which he possessed was due to his own keen and penetrating powers of observation, unaided by even the district schoolmaster, as both summer and winter young Landon's services on the ftirm were thought to be indispensable. With but one suit of clothes and almost penniless, on the day that he was twenty-one, he departed from the parental home to seek his fortune. For four years he labored as a farm-hand among New York State farmers, and saved up his meagre earnings until they amounted to several hundred dollars. Finding himself able to do a little farming on his own hook, in 1851 he took to himself a wife, and rented a place. During the next three years he continued to engage in agricultural pursuits and the buying and selling of stock. In 1854 he made his first trip to the west, bringing to the Illinois market several iine horses. Being nmch pleased with the new country, he went back east fully resolved to return with his family as soon as he could settle up his business affairs there ; and the following year found him the owner of a farm in Green Lake county, W^isconsin. He resided here but one year, then spent five EARLY SETTLERS. 1097 years in Dunn county in the same state, where he pre-empted a claim near Eau Claire. Finding the western fever still firing his veins, and being dissatisfied with Wisconsin, he sold out in 1861 and came to Wabasha county, locating on one hundred and sixty acres of school- land on section 16 in Plainview township the ensuing year, after a few weeks' experience as a grocer in Plainview village. Four years later he sold this farm, and in 1867 bought the village residence which he still owns and occupies, and opened a real-estate and loan office in Plainview. In 1874 he became the senior partner in the firm of C. O. Landon & Co., successors to A. Y. Felton, drugs and groceries. Being prospered in both branches of his business, Mr. Landon, in the spring of 1883, relieved himself of a portion of his business burden by transferring his interest in the store to his son, George C. 'Landon. Mr. Landon has been twice married ; his first wife was Sarah Curtiss, whom he espoused in Warren county, Pennsylvania, in 1851, and who died November 7, I860, leaving two children. Jay Landon, a hardware merchant of Winona, Minne- sota, and George C. Landon. The present Mrs. Landon was Miss Martha J. Kenney, of Dansville, New York, to whom he was married September 9, 1861. Grace Landon is the only child of this union surviving, a son (Charles) having departed this life in his fifteenth year, on January 11, 1883. Mr. Landon is a member of Plainview lodge of A.F.A.M., and of the Congregational church. In politics is a republican ; has been for several years a justice of the peace, and officiated as chairman of the township board of super- visors. ^ William Janti, farmer, Chester, was born August 15, 183/, near Arlow, Belgium, and was reared there on a farm, attending school till fourteen years old. In 1853 he came to Sheldon, Wyoming county, New York, where he engaged in farm labor. In 1861 he became a resident o± this town, purchasing eighty acres on section 6. In 1883 he sold this and purchased the southwest quarter of the same section, where he lives and has a beautiful farm. He was a poor man when he came to Minnesota. Both himself and wife have worked hard to make themselves a home. In the fall of 1883 the latter followed a plow day after day, because help was scarce and dear. Their wedding occurred June 17, 1866, the bride's name being Anna Megers. She was born in Luxembourg, and is a sister of John N. Megers, elsewhere mentioned. Their children were born and christened thus: Sarah A., May 26, 1867; John, October 4, 1098 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. 1871 ; Eva M., June 20, 1874 ; Mary, September 17, 1879 ; Chris- tina, September 26, 1881. All the members of the family are Catholics, One of the latest business enterprises of the wideawake town of Plainview is the creamery at the west end of the business center. A. Y. Felton, manager and sole owner, started this venture with four teams and two inside factory hands in the spring of 1881, for tlie making of creamery butter ; and in the fall of the same year added his additional interest as dealer in dairy butter and eggs. By careful management and liberal dealings in trade he has been able to increase his number of teams to six, which are employed in the daih^ hauling of cream from the neighboring farmers. From five to six hundred inches is the average daily collection, and even as high as seven hundred was the return of one single day. For the greater part of the butter here made a ready market is found at reasonably good prices in St. Paul, Minneapolis and the Northwest, the eastern markets receiving the balance. Mr. Felton originally came from Vermont, in 1861, and immediately on his arrival in Plainview clerked for Ozias Willcox, and continued in his employ until 1866. He subsequently succeeded Crowley & Co. in the drug business, which he retained until 1874. He was elected in the fall of 1867 county treasurer, in which capacity he faithfully served his fellow- men until 1871. To the school board he was elected and returned a member until 1878, and among other posts of honor and business schemes he oiSciated as president of the telegraph company then operating a line between Plainview and Minneiska. The creamery success has been marked and acknowledged, not alone in this his native clime, but on the other side of the great deep. At the state fair, held at Rochester, besides other premiums, Mr. F. was awarded England's silver cup, contributed by Higgins & Co., of Liverpool, for the best creamery butter salted with their salt. In addition to the four acres of land which he purchased from S. W. Danforth in 1875, and on which he subsequently erected his homestead, and still later his factory in close proximity to his house, farms at Highland, Minnesota, Redwood county and Kingsbury county, Dakota, are his. For fifteen years in succession he served as trustee of the Congrega- tional church, and now stands, as he is reputed to have always stood in the community, with the best ; a man esteemed for industry, honor and respectability. EAKLY SETTLERS. 1099 William A. Johnson (deceased) was one wlio was useful to Greenfield township. He was a native of "Warren county, New Jersey, born in 1815. At an early age he entered a store as clerk, and eventually began mercantile business for himself at Sodom, and afterward at Popeville, in his native county. For ten years he was employed as a clerk in the United States treasury department. He became a resident of Greenfield in 1861, and bought one hundred and sixty acres of land. He had been a successful business man, and now wished to retire from active life in the invigorating climate for which Minnesota is so famous. His farm was rented, and he oc- cupied his mind by conducting a store and hotel. He secured a postofiice here in 1862, and took cliarge of it. The name applied to this office was Pauselim, and Mr. Johnson platted a village under the same cognomen, on section 27, in 1863. He served some time as justice of the peace, and was chairman of the town board in the years 1862-3-4-5. He adhered to the democracy in political mat- ters, and his religions faith was represented by the Baptist church. He passed away in January, 1870, leaving a widow and one son. The latter, named Isaac L., resides in Washington, District of Co- lumbia. Mrs. Johnson died here in 1882. Her maiden name was Sarah La Kue, and she was a native of New Jersey. George Howe, Kellogg, is a native of Prussia, having been born in the Rhine Province, in February, 1844, His people were farmers, and removed to America when he was in his fourteenth year, settling in Iowa. The parents, John and Susan Howe, died there. Our subject attended an English school about three months, and, with the rudiments of our language thus acquired, was enabled to perfect himself in the requirements of an American citizen. He has served as town and village justice four years, three years as chairman of the Greenfield board of supervisors, and one year as re- corder of Kellogg village. His political afiiliations are with the democratic party. He was reared in the Catholic church, and still adheres to its faith. Is a member of Read's Landing Lodge, I. O. O. F. In 1860 Mr. Howe settled on a farm in Glasgow township, this county, where he dwelt until 1874. At this time he built the only brick building in Kellogg, and opened a saloon therein. Lie still owns the building, which he rents, and has abandoned the saloon business. He was the prime mover toward the incorporation of the village, and secured this end in a few weeks. In 1868 Mr. Howe took a "rib" from the family of Michael Schouweiler, one of the 1100 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. pioneers of Highland, in the person of liis daughter, Catharine, born in Teepes, Ohio. Their eldest daughter, now only thirteen years old, is an ardent student of history, and can name all the American presidents, in order, without hesitation. The youngest, an infant boy, is not christened at this writing. The others, in order of age, are named Michael, Catharine, John, George, Dora and Edward. Makcus Morton Ingraham, carpenter, Lake City, was born in Savoy, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, June 2-i, 1828. His parents, Obediah and Abigail (Smith) Ingraham, were also natives of Massa- chusetts. The father operated saw and grist mills, and Marcus was his assistant till he was twenty-three years old. His education was furnished by the village school, and was but rudimentary. On his removal to Ashippun, Dodge county, Wisconsin (in 1851), he taught school two terms in the winter intervals of his farming operations. He became a resident of Minnesota in 1857, and built a home at Center Point. Two years later he moved the building to Lake City, and has made this place his home ever since. Many buildings in and near the city are monuments of his skill. On January 19, 1862, Mr. Ingraham's name was enrolled as a defender of his country. He was made second lieutenant of Co. H, 5th Minn. Vols, in Gov. Hubbard's regiment. Our subject served in the western army, com- manding his company part of the time. He participated in the bat- tles at Farmington, first and second Corinth, and the campaigns in Mississippi and Tennessee. He was obliged to resign on account of the jealousy of his captain, and was enrolled in the 1st Heavy Art. with the same rank. This regiment was stationed at Chatta- nooga during Mr. Ingraham's connection with it. It is almost need- less to say he is a republican. During his residence at Center Point lie served as town clerk, assessor and justice of the peace. October 18, 1848, dates the marriage of M. M. Engraham to Miss Lucinda L. Fuller, both born and reared in the same town. Mrs. Ingraham's parents, Ira Fuller ^nd Keziah Leonard, were also born in Massa- chusetts. To Mr. and Mrs. Ingraham seven children have been given, resident as below noted : John M. keeps hotel at Menomo- nee, Wisconsin ; Abby H. (Mrs. Luther M. Follett), Appleton, Wisconsin; Julia A. (wife of P. A. Rockwell), St. Paul; Francis L., with elder brother; Gellette P., with eldest sister; Charles II. and Bessie P., at home. Frank A. Burdett, Lake City, grain dealer, is among the early residents of Wabasha county. His grandfather, Ebeneezer P>urditt EARLY SETTLERS. 1101 (born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1Y61), was a revolutionary soldier and served on a colonial privateer. Abel, son of the latter, was born in Gilsum, New Hampshire, January 20, 1790. Bethsheba Gibson, daughter of another revolutionary hero, born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, in 1785, married Abel Burdett, died April (j, 1866, in Lake City. Her husband died in Zumbro, this county, April 18, 1858. This couple dwelt many years in Grafton, Vermont, where was ushered into the world, July 18, 1821, the person whose name heads this paragraph. During the early years of the latter, he spent some time at the common school, and subsequently managed the farm while his father dealt in stock. The farm was exchanged for hotel property, and Frank was his father's assistant in conducting the house for fourteen years. April 21, 1846, he was united in wedlock with Miss Jeannette Mack, whose parentage is elsewhere given with that of her brother, J. R. Mack. Windham, Vermont, is Mrs. Burdett's native place. Mr. Burdett spent over two years in California, at raining and other occupations, with moderate success. Returning to Vermont in 1855, he took up a permanent residence in the west next year, arriving in Columbia county, Wisconsin, in July. In the fall of 1857 he came to Zumbro and engaged in farming there four years. Removed to Lake City in the fall of 1861, and began to deal in produce. At one time he had four warehouses in opera- tion, one being at Stockholm, across the lake, and has been signally successful. He served the town of Zumbro two years as assessor, and Lake City one year; was also justice of the peace in Zumbro. He adheres to democratic principles of government, and is orthodox in religious faith. Mr. and Mrs. Burdett have one son, now thirty- seven years of age, named Frank D. When eighteen he entered the Union armj^, and served about a year. When he went from home he weighed one hundred and sixty pounds, and on his dis- charge weighed, with soldier overcoat, just half as much. His home is now in La Crosse. The two daughters, Sarah A., resides at home, and Flora C. (wife of J. M. Ford), at Wahpeton, Dakota. Abel Burdett was the father of three children. Elvira (Lawrence) died in Danville, Illinois, and Sarah (Ranney) at Linden, Wisconsin. J. C. Bartlett, register of deeds. Mr. Bartlett's official term began January 1, 1880. He was re-elected in the fall of 1881, and will complete his second term December 31 of this year, 1883. Mr. Bartlett is a native of New York, came to Wisconsin with his father's family in 1843, settling in Walworth county. His first purchase of 1102 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. land was made in this county in 1S58, but he was not a permanent resident of the county until 18G1, at wliich date he came to Wabasha, and the following year removed to his farm, which was his residence until he engaged in grain trade in Lake City in 1869, when he re- moved to that city, which was his home until he assumed charge of the register's office in 1880, since which date he has resided in this city. "Was elected county commissioner for the Mazeppa district, and served three years prior to removing to Lake City, and was after- ward elected to the same office from Lake City district for two terms, Mr. Bartlett married Miss A. T. Bliss, of Walworth county, AVis- consin. They have four children, all attending the public schools of this city. George S. La Rue, the druggist, bookseller and grocer of Plainview, Minnesota, came and, with his parents, settled about two miles west of the present village in the year 1861. He is a native of Canada, where he was born in the year 1851, and whence, while young, he was by removal of his parents taken to Wisconsin. Here in Dodge county, near Waupun , he attended public school, and at the age of ten years moved westward to his present place of business. His business life was commenced as apprentice in drugs to T. G. Bolton, the pioneer druggist of Plainview, with whom he continued for a year and a-half, until, associating with himself some leading members of the community, he was enabled to buy out his boss, in common parlance, and assume the responsibility of the business of the new house under the firm name of G. S. La Rue & Co. This he continued successfull}', and sold out his interest in 1878 to Goddard & Co., to enter as partner with Amerland in the banking business under the firm of Amerland & La Rue, bankers. At the end of eighteen months he disposed of this interest to Judge Wording, for the purpose of re-entering in 1880 his former line of drugs, which he did by purchasing stock and fixtures of Goddard & Co., which he now conducts with energy and ability-, rendering to every customer a proper equivalent for all monetary exchanges. Mr. La Rue enjoys the full rights of the order of A.F. A.M., and a growing reputation for excellence in goods and square dealing in trade. He was married in Elgin, JNIinnesota, to Mary D. Woodruff, of that place, and has one daughter, born April 15, 1881. George Stratton was born in Leominster, Massachusetts, March 2, 1827. John Stratton, the father of the present subject, was born in Sherborn, Massachusetts, and was descended from Samuel Stralton EARLY SETTLERS. 1103 who came to this country from England in 1652, and located near Watertown, Massachusetts, on what is now the site of the Mount Auburn cemetery. John Stratton's wife was Lydia Hyde, a descen- dant of the Hydes who came to America in 1830, and were among the first settlers at what is now Newton, Massachusetts. Mr. John Stratton was a merchant and did business in Leominster, and was also the possessor of a fine farm. George was his eldest child, and was afl'orded a good education, obtained chiefiy at the Lunenburg Aca- deni}'. Not, being of a trafficking turn of mind, young Stratton did not take kindly to his father's calling, and at the age of twenty-one, having picked up some knowledge of the house-painter's art, formed a copartnership with Xenophon Adams, of Leominster, and opened up a shop. Being a clever manipulator of the brush, he succeeded, and continued to follow the business for several years. He also had charge of the machinery of a button factory, envelope factory, and other machinery in turn for several years prior to his coming to Min- nesota. In 1861 he came to visit a brother at Plain view, and, being pleased with the county, and finding plenty of work at good wages, decided to remain here. Although Mr. Stratton has never taken to himself a wife, he has made himself a nice home in the village of Piainview. During his life he has found time to use the brush of the artist, as well as that of the painter, and has several finely exe- cuted works of art as a result. Samuel Hall was born in Ireland in 1826. At an early age he came to this country and settled in New York, where he resided several years. In 1861 he removed with his family to Hyde Park township, where he has since resided. As the country was new, and since there were no means of transportation west from Bead's Land- ing, Mr. and Mrs. Hall were obliged to walk from that place and carry the necessities for such a journey. By industry and thoughtful management they overcame the hardships of early times and are now living in ease and plenty. To them have been born nine chil- dren, eight of whom are still living. Hon. William S. Baxter came to this planet by the way of Sid- ney Plains, New York, on February 21, 1836. He was the second child of the numerous offspring of Charles A. and Maria (Bush) Baxter. Both branches of the family were natives of New York State. Ere William had reached adult years, death removed his parents, and he was taken into the family of his uncle, Jabin Bush, a wealthy farmer and merchant of Tioga, Pennsylvania. In 1856 67 110-i HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. he came to Minnesota and spent a year in Dodge county. Soon after engaged in the livery business in Rochester, Olmsted county. When the war broke out in 1861 he promptly responded to Uncle Sam's call for volunteers and was enrolled as a private in the 2d Minnesota Infantry. In April, 1862, disability compelled him to resign his ottice as second lieutenant and return to more peaceful pursuits. Having disposed of his Rochester livery stable in the meantime, he took the proceeds and purchased a farm in the town- ship of Highland. A few years since he came to Plainview to reside. He has recently filled acceptably the office of deputy sheriflf for the southern towns of the county, and in 1875 sat as a represen- tative in the state legislature hall at St. Paul. He is a republican and a Royal Arch Mason. He married Helen Austin, a native of Ohio, March 31, 1864. Mrs. Baxter died in 1879, leaving but one child, Susan M., surviving. Christian TJmbreit. one of Highland's prosperous farmers, was born in Germany, September 29, 1840. His parents were Henry Jacob and Henrietta (Beck) Umbreit. Christian's parents came to America with their family, consisting of eight children, when he was about the age of eleven. His father, being acquainted with agricultural pursuits, at once secured a small farm in Farmington township, Washington county, Wisconsin, and made it the family home. In the spring of 1862 Christian and Emil, his brother, bade farewell to the paternal home and came to Wabasha county, Minne- sota, where Christian located a homestead on section 4, in Highland township; here he continued to reside for twelve years, when he disposed of this place and bought one hundred and eighty of Mrs. Humblin, of section 25, on which he now resides. October 3, 1864, he enlisted as a private in Co. E, 1st Minn. Heav}^ Art, and was discharged September 27, 1865. He is independent in political matters, and a member of the Dutch Reform church, of Highland. In the autumn of 1863 he was married to Miss Eve Rheingans, also a native of Germany, where she was born in 1844. They have a family of hve children, viz : Anna, born October 23, 1866 ; Bertha, October 24, 1868 ; Laura, August 28, 1870 ; Henry, April 1, 1876, and Erbert, August 12, 1880. WiLLAKD W. Dean, farmer, Chester, was born at Lockport, New York, in August, 1829. His father, Harris Dean, was a native of Connecticut, and served in the United States army through the war of 1812. He married Sally Oliver, of Vermont, and settled EAELY SETTLERS. 1105 on a farm at Lockport. Here tlie subject of these lines passed his youth till eighteen years old. His father died when he was only two years old, but he was kept at school, part of the time at Wilson College. When eighteen he set out for the west, and dwelt about thirteen years in Wisconsin, most of the time at Berlin, wliere he was engaged in draying. He was married in 1853, to Eliza Eggle- ston, a native of Greenwich, Washington county, Kew York. In 1860 they came to Minnesota and dwelt two years on a farm near Rochester. Three years later Mr. Dean bought the farm where he lives, on section 32, and has ever since been a resident of Chester. All his family, save one, are members ot the Free-Will Baptist church in Mazeppa. Mr. D. has always supported the principles of the republican party. His children were christened, and i:eside, as follows : Emma (Mrs. Myron Mack, now studying for the min- istry), at Hillsdale, Michigan ; Harris, Rochester ; Lester, Minnie and Lydia, at home. RiCHAKD Bullock, farmei', purchased one hundred acres of hind in Zumbro township, section 13, in 1862, and shortly after took up his home thereon. He is a native of England, having been born in Oxfordshire, July 18, 1820. His parents were William and Sarali Bullock, who settled in Erie county. New York, when our subject was sixteen years old. All his schooling had been received previous to this time, in the old country. He was reared on a farm, and after reaching his majority owned a farm in New York. He subsequently removed to Pennsylvania, and came from there here. Besides the home farm, he now has a quarter-section in Big- stone county, this state. His capital was small on arrival liere, and his own industry and enterprise have ?nade him independent. He has always been a republican, but now holds aloof from politics. Although not a member of anj^ church, he is a believer in the Christian religion and an active supporter of the Wesleyan Metho- dist church here. He was married June 4, 1848, to Rutli Amelia Stocking, who was born in Erie county. New York, September 17, 1830. Their eldest child, Martha Cordelia, was born January 10, 1851 (now Mrs. Dwight Lyman), and resides in Redwood county ; Sophia Jane, June 21, 1853, married Adelbert E. Randall, now sheriff of Bigstone county. Amos Barnes (deceased) became a resident of Zumbro in 1862, and was one of its most successful farmers. He was a native of England, born in Kent county July 6, 1832, and died here July 25, 1106 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. 1881. He was very patient under a severe affliction, cancer of the bowels. He was converted in 1867, and joined the Wesleyan Methodist church and died at ])eace. He was reared to farm labor, and emigrated in 1852 to New York, where lie remained six years, and then removed to Walworth county, Wisconsin. Here he was married A])ril 28, 1862, and set out at once to occupy his Jand in Minnesota, purchased in 1859. The farm embraces one hundred and sixty acres on sections 14 and 23, the residence on the former. Mrs. Barnes was born in New York city. Her maiden name was Mar}' Munden, and her parents — Frederick and Mary A. — were natives of England. She is also a member of the Wesleyan church. Four children are left to stay her widowhood, all at home, chris- tened Xjreorge A., Marie Antoinette, Charles E. and John A. Frrz Gerald Slocum, Lake City, is a descendant of Anthony Slocum, who came from England to Massachusetts in 1630, and was one of the founders of Taunton, that state. Capt. Henry Sherman, who served the colonies in the revolutionary war and in Anthony Wayne's campaigns against the Miami Indians, made his home, in Providence, Rhode Island. Here grew up and married his daughter Mary and Samuel Slocum, parents of Fitz Gerald Slocum. The latter was born in Bristol, Addison county, Vermont, where he enjoyed limited educational advantages till fourteen years old. His parents then removed to Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and took up the task of opening a farm in the wilderness. At eighteen our subject went to New Jersey in the employ of some stock drovers, who afterward took him into partnership. September 16, 1843, he married Sarah P. Griggs, who was born in East Amwell ; her grandparents and parents, John and Catharine Griggs, were, like herself, born in New Jersey. In 1845 Mr. Slocum opened a hotel in Frenchtown, and subsequently engaged in the same business at Flemington. New Jersey. In 1854 he went to Wauwatosa, Wiscon- sin, and kept a hotel till his removal to Lake City in 1862. For a short time he engaged in the sale of agricultural machinery, and bought produce for nine years ; was six years employed at the Bos- ton Mills, and is now with the Lake City Flouring Mill Company. For five years after his arrival he supervised the construction of Lake City streets and roads ; was five years constable, one year policeman, and four years city marshal ; has always been a democrat. Was a charter member of the Odd-Fellows' lodge and is a member of the Masonic order. In religious faith Mr. Slocum is a Univer- EARLY SErrLEES. 1107 salist, wliilo most of his family attends the Episco}3al churcli. Their pleasant home on Elm street is the result of Mr. Slocum's toil and perseverance. His nine children are all in Lake City and were christened as below : Frances C. (Mrs. Erwin Alexander), Sarah, Helen (Mrs. Chas. F. Frost), Catharine, Lucy (Mrs. Arthur B. Hill), Susie, Jennie, Harry L. and Fred Gerald. J. G. Laurence, president of the Wabasha Mill Company, is a native of Syracuse, New York, where he was born May 1, 1836. ELEVATOR, WABASHA. In 1862 he came to Wabasha county and opened a farm of eleven hundred acres five miles southeast of town, at what is now known as Midland Junction, the intersection of the Midland railroad with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul. This farm Mr. Laurence continues to operate, growing grain and raising stock, of which latter there are at present on the ranch forty head of cattle, three hundred hogs, 11 OS HISTOKY OF WABASHA COUNTY. twenty head of horses and five hundred sheep. Mr. Laurence has been more or less in public life since removing to the county. He was elected county commissioner in 1864, serving two terms ; was register of deeds from 1872 to 1875 ; was elected a member of the state senate in 1880 and re-elected in 1882 ; and is now serving his third term as mayor of the city of Wabasha. That he has been thoroughly identified with all the interests of the city, its railroads, improvements, industries, etc., will be fully ap])arent on reading the historj' of the various enterprises in which he has taken part. Mr. Laurence was married June 6, 1872, to Miss Alice G. Wyman, of Wabasha. They have two children : W. Hamilton, born February 24, 1875, and C. Wyman, born November 25, 1879. Capt. Daniel Davison was born July 27, 1826, in Pennsylvania, of American parents. His education was obtained in a common school, and is somewhat limited on account of his father's early death. He remained in his native town about ten years, when he moved with his parents to Muscatine, Iowa. His stay at this place was not long, however. The Indians at this place being very hostile and warlike, his father deemed it necessary to move, which he did, and we next find him located at Marion City, Missouri, then a thriving town. Shortly after moving to the aforesaid place his father died, thus leaving young Daniel, a boy of ten, to shift for himself. He remained in this place about three years after his father's death, when he again moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and was engaged in vari- ous occupations until about nineteen years of age. He then went to work on the river as common laborer for almost two years ; he was then pilot, captain, etc., and remained as such the rest of his stay in St. Louis. Mr. Davison moved to Minnesota in the year 1861 and settled at Read's Landing; commenced work in the lumber business and continued for one year, when he found better employ- ment in his old business as ca])tain and pilot on the river, and has pursued same business ever since. At the commencement of the civil war he offered his services as volunteer in the 3d Minn. regt., but was refused on account of a partially crippled hand. In religion Mr. Davison is a Methodist, and in politics a re])ublican. It was on account of his political views that he was obliged to leave St. Louis. He was an honorary member of the organization known as the St. Louis "Grays," and at the breaking out of the rebellion there was an organization known as the minute-men, organized under Gen. Frost, and Mr. Davison was asked to join the same, but EAELY SETTLERS. 1109 refused. After refusing Le was naturally looked upon as an enemy, and his business being upoii the river he thought it unsafe to leave his family in St. Louis, and consequently moved to Kead's Land- ing. He was married about the year 1854, to Maria Caroline Kna])ke. They have had ten children, eight of whom are still living. Herman Dieterle, foreman, in charge of Jewell & Schmidt's tinshop, is a native of Tubingen, Wurtemberg. He learned his trade as a tinsmith there, and followed it for years prior to his com- ing to America in 1854. He was in New York city and the eastern states for three years, then came west ; was in Chicago one season, and from there removed to Alma in 1858, having been informed that there was no tinsmith within fifty miles of that city. Supposing it to be a town of some importance Mr. Dieterle came with the ex- pectation of finding a good opening for business, but as there were at that time only two or three small buildings there, the prospect was not flattering. Not discouraged, however, he stuck his stakes, built a shop, and remained there until 1862, when he came to this city, entered the tinshop of Joshua Egbert, and has been in the constant employ of that house and its successors (with the exception of, one year spent in the United States army) ever since. He enlisted in Co. G, 2d Art. regt., and served until mustered out In 1879, desiring to devote some attention to fruit culture, and choosing a location somewhat removed from the center of business, Mr. Dieterle removed to his present home at the east end of the city, corner of "Washington and Wabasha streets. He has a pleasant location on rising ground, aflbrding a good view of the river, and his three lots are completely covered with vines and small fruits. He has of grapes two hundred vines ; raspberry bushes, four hundred ; currant bushes, two hundred; and, besides a fine strawberry bed, apples, plums and cherries in considerable numbers. Mr. Dieterle is a stu- dent of all matters connected with the working of metals. His library on these subjects is quite complete, and he is a regular con- tributor to the periodicals treating these subjects. He is also thor- oughly conversant with all the late inventions in mechanical arts, and takes the patent-oiSce reports as they are regularly issued. May 26, 1863, Mr. Dieterle was married to Kegina Eberle. They have two children : Henry, born August 18, 1866, who has almost com- pleted his apprenticeship under his father's instructions, and Minnie, born August 23, 1875, who attends the Sisters' school in this city. 1110 HISTORY OF AVABASIIA COUNTY. W. S. McAktiiuu, general cooper factory on Second street, near the Wabasha Milling Companj^'s gristmill. This business was es- tablished in 1869, some blocks nearer the business center of the city, and removed to its present location in 1875, at which time the shop was built. The main building is 22 X 60 feet and the storage room is 20x50. The business consists principally in the manufacture of flour barrels, butter tubs, and amber-cane and syrup kegs. The usual number of hands employed is from six to twelve. Mr. W. S. McArthur is a native of Canada, learned his trade there, came direct from that province to Wabasha in 1862, started in business at once, and has now conducted it in this cit}^ a little over twenty-one years. In Maj", 1858, he nuirried Miss Margaret Wilson. They have three children, one of them attending Wabasha city school. L, & J. Affeld, livery, sale and feed stables, corner Second and Bailly streets. Business established by Louis F. Affeld in 1882 in connection with the Green Bay House, which his father (Godfred Affeld) opened in 1869, and which has been under Louis F. Affeld's management since 1877. The livery stock consists of thirteen head of horses, ten carriages and buggies, and tliere is a stable force of four hands. The stock is quite new, maintained in good condition, and being within one block of the Commercial Hotel, is in a good loca- tion for business. The barn, built in 1882, is 32x60 feet, with car- riage house, 24x32 feet, attached. Louis F. Affeld is the son of Godfred and Dorothea Affeld, natives of Bavaria, who came to America in 1 853, and three years later to Minnesota, settling near Crystal Lake, where Louis was born June 12, 1859. The family came to this county in May, 1862, residing for a time in Read's Landing, and settled in this city one year later. Mr. Godfred Affeld pursued his trade as a wagonmaker until 1869, when he opened the Green Bay House. There are six children, only two of whom are now living at home, Louis F. and his sister Hulda, who was born March 4, 1855. Alexander Gray was born in Banffshire, Scotland, January, 1826; died October 22, 1869. He was the eldest child born to Alex- ander and Isabella Gray, and a brother to James Gray, a sketch of whose life also appears. When a young man, he spent several years in Australia, and in 1862 he emigrated to America, coming directly to West Albany township, and soon located on the farm he occupied until his death. He was married in Scotland to Mary Dingwall, of Banffshire, who died October 28, 1880, leaving live children, James EAELY SETTLEKS. 1111 E., Alexander D., William, Jeanett and George A. Mr. Gray and wife both belonged to the United Presbyterian church. He was a republican, and at the time of his death was justice of the peace. He left a good farm of two hundred and forty acres, and with his death the community lost one of its best citizens. James E. , who is living on the homestead, is a young man of intelligence and promise. He devoted three years to the scientific course of the State Univer- sity, and for a number of years has been a successful teacher in the neighborhood. James Gray, farmer, is a native of Banffshire, Scotland, where he was born September 15, 1832. He was fourth of four children, born to Alexander and Isabella Annaud-Gray. The former was a cartwright, and died when James was a child. At the age of thir- teen the subject of our sketch learned the tailor's trade, following it until he was twenty-one, when he went to Australia. The six years passed here were mainly devoted to mining, and after returning to Scotland, he emigrated to this country in 1861, locating on the farm he now occupies. April 26, 1864, he was married to Ellen Perry, a native of Banffshire. Six children were the fruit of this union, viz: Alexander P., Margaret (deceased), James G., Mary A., William W., and Ellen. His wife died February 16, 1876. December 21, 1879, he wedded Hannah McCracken, to whom have been born two children, George S. and Ann D. Mr. and Mrs. Gray are both mem- bers of the United Presbyterian church. In politics he is republican. He is now chairman of the board of supervisors, which office he has held several years. He has a rich farm of one hundred and sixty acres, and may be numbered among the best citizens of the town- ship. Parley Brown, attorn ey-at-law. Lake City, is a native of Lor- raine, Jefferson county, Kew York, and is the second child of Walter and Abigail (Risley) Brown, who reared a family of fourteen children, eight of whom are now (188-1) living. His parents were natives of Argyle, Washington county, New York, and Hartford, Connecticut, respectively. He was born April 11, 1818, and was reared on a farm till the age of twenty-one, at which tinie he entered a mill with a view of learning the trade. His tastes, however, inclining toward the legal profession, he soon after began reading law. Being deprived of educational advantages during early youth, or rather enjoying only such as the primitive schools in the backwoods afforded, his way to the bar was necessarily slow and tedious. But 1112 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. "as the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong," so it was with Mr. Brown. He completed his law course, and was admit- ted to the bar at Syracuse in 1S59 by the su])reme court of the State of New York. In 1862 he removed to Minnesota, located at Lake City, and at once entered on the practice of his profession. In 1840 he was united in marriage with Miss Maria Myers, who was a native of Schoharie county, ISTew York. She bore a family of six children, two sons and four daughters, and died in 1876. Mr. Brown's second marriage was in 1875, to Miss Charlotte Totman, who, too, was born and reared in Jefferson county. New York. Mr. Brown takes little interest in politics, and has been a life-long democrat. Charles La Rue, fanner, Greenfield, has been a resident of this township since the spring of 1862, at which time he took the manage- ment of the farm he now occuj^ies — then the property of his brother- in-law, W. A. Johnson — -on section 22. Among the earliest families of New Jersey was that of La Rue, of French extraction. Isaac La Rue, father of this subject, was born and reared in that state, as was his bride, Martha Gregg. To them a son was born July 29, 1S38, in Warren county, and christened Charles. The latter was reared on the home farm, and attended the common school some after he was fourteen years old. Nature did much for him, and he contrived to fit himself for a useful citizen. He has served four years as supervisor of Greenfield, elected by democratic votes. Is a member of Kellogg masonic lodge, of which he is now junior steward. His parents were Presbyterians, and his religious sympa- thies are with that faith. In 1879 he was united in marriage to Mary, daughter of James and Jane Carpenter, all of New York. Mrs. La Rue was born in Madison county. One son has been given to this union, born April 25, 1880, and christened William J. James F. Rogers, of the firm of J. Dobner & Co., dealers in agricultural implements, Lake City, was born in New London, New Ham])sliire, December 28, 1829. He is the first son and second child of Charles H. Rogers, who is a lineal descendant from an English family of that name, who settled in Virginia toward the close of the sixteenth century. He received a classical, to which was added a theological course, with a view to entering the ministry. His tastes, however, inclining more to commercial pursuits, .he made the manufacture and dressing of cloth his principal business. He was also what might be termed a public-spirited man, having been twice chosen to a seat in the New Hampshire state senate, and for EARLY SETTLERS. 1113 several years occupied the responsible position of high sheriff. His wife and our subject's mother was Miss Abigal S. Copp, daughter of Kobert Copp. They died and are buried in Grafton county, New Hampshire. In 1863 Mr. Eogers came to Minnesota and per- manently located in Lake City, and soon after engaged as salesman in the store of Cooper & Rogers, and four years later embarked in a general merchandise business on the corner of Washington and Center streets. After conducting business in that line six years he turned his attention to the sale of reliable and improved farm machineiy. He was married May 1, 1860, to Miss Mary M. Water- man, of Norwich, Vermont, who died in February, 1868. His second marriage was on May 31, 1870, to Miss Margery E. Carson, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their children's names are Charles W., Azzy F. and Fred E. Mr. Rogers has served this count}^ several years as deputy sheriff, and this, city for the last twelve years as constable. > Yan Ransalaer Lee, veterinary sui-geon, Lake City, is a grand- son of Ephraim Lee, who entered the colonial army at seventeen and served through the revolutionary war. Ephraim Lee was born in New York, of Yirginian parents, and moved to Canada when James — his son, the father of this subject — was three years old. James Lee grew up in Canada, married Elizabeth McYeigh, and settled on a farm in her native town, Elizabeth, Leeds county, Ontario, where Y. R. Lee was born in March, 1817. Schools were few and primitive in that region and period, and our subject reached the age of seventeen with very little book culture. His parents then removed to Ohio, and when eighteen he set out to make his own way in the world. For some years he was employed as teamster and in various kinds of labor. In 1844 he opened a livery stable at Milan, Ohio, and began the practice of his profession, which his father had followed and taught him. By study he has improved upon his old practice, and has followed the homoeopathic system twenty-four years. In 1854 he moved with a team from Milan to La Crosse, and came to Lake City in the fall of 1863. His practice is successful and he is widely known. For two years he kept the Lyon House, the leading hotel, and was landlord of the Sherman House, now burned, five years. In theological views Mr. Lee is a confirmed Universalist, and politically has always been a republican. He has been twice married : in 1844 to Wealthy A. Emerson, who died childless seven years later ; in 1852 to Eliza- 1114 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. betli, daughter of Aslier Chapman, botli born in Amlicrst, New Hampshire. Three chikh'en have been given to the latter union. The eldest, Charles II., is in Minnea])olis ; the youngest, Marian Wealthy, keeps house for her iatlier. Francis is his father's assist- ant in business. In the fall of 1882 the mother of these children passed away and calmly waits their coming on the other shore. Frank A. Wells was born in Pompey, Onondaga county, New York, December 3, 1831. His parents were Russel and Sophronia (Adams) Wells. Mr. Wells' early life was spent on a farm. His education was obtained at the Pompey Hill Academy, He spent several years teaching in Tsew York State, a portion of the time holding the position of principal in the Manlius graded school. December 23, 1855, he married Miss Sarah Alexander, of Fabius, Onondaga county, and in the spring of 1861 removed to Sparta, Wisconsin, where he engaged in teaching and agricultural pursuits for two years. In 1863 he came to Wabasha county and ])urcliased the Sprague place on section 29, in Highland. In the autumn of 1873 he disposed of this place and bought the Betsey Hall place, just northeast of Plainview village, where he has since continued to reside. Mr. Wells is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, which he joined March 21, 1853, at Manlius, New York, the lodge at that place. Military Lodge, No. 92, being one of the oldest in that state. He was one of the charter members of Illustrious Lodge, No. 63, of Plainview, and was its first master. He is at present High Priest of the chapter, and a Knight Templar. He is indepen- dent in politics, but has held several offices of trust in the township. His family consists of four children, namely, Lillian (Mrs. F. D. Washburn), of Buffalo Lake, Kenville county, Minnesota ; Florence A., Isabelle Winona, dnd Maud, all at home. George Hebbeln, farmer, was born in Germany. He is the youngest son of Hans and Ann J. Hebbeln, of Holstein, Germany. When about twenty-two years old Mr. Hebbeln came to Iowa, but soon changed to Olmsted county, Minnesota. Here he worked for five years, when he returned to Germany on a short visit. He bought horses in Iowa for a short time, and finally bought his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres of fine land, all culti- vated. He has always been a democrat in politics, and one of our reliable citizens. He was married in 1871, to Mola Gaducke, of Germany. He has three children. p:aelt settlers. 1115 Egbert White, builder, Lake City, is descended from a long line of Connecticut ancestors, of English origin. His maternal grand- father, Yan Vorns, was banished to Nova Scotia during the revolu- tion for toryism. James White, the father of this subject, was a native of Connecticut. He married Sarah Van Vorns, of New York, and located in Brooklyn, where Robert White was born, September 7, 1824. When the latter was five years old the family moved to Delaware county, and afterward to Rockaway, Long Island. His elder brothers were prominent builders in Brooklyn, and he learned his trade with them, being foreman of their shops several years. In 1848 he went to Bloomington, Illinois, in 1849 to St. Louis, Missouri, and returned to New York to escape the cholera that was raging there. He visited Lake City in the fall of 1856, and built several residences here during the following year. In 1858 he went to California, and returned to New York next year. July 13, 1861, he was married in New Jersey, to Miss MaryL. Morris, a native of that state. Her parents, Samuel and Rhoda A. (Van Marter) Morris, were born in Monmouth county. New Jersey, and New York city respectively. Robert Morris, of revolutionary fame, was an ancestor of this family. Mr. White permanently located in Lake City in 1863, landing here May 6. Very many of the city's finest buildings are monuments ot his thoroughness and skill. As a citizen Mr. White stands well in the estimation of his neighbors, as is evidenced by his election for seven years as a member of the city council. For over thirty years he was a patron of Horace Greeley's paper, and when the great leader was a candidate for president he received Mr. White's vote, and the latter has since adhered in general elections to the party whose ticket bore Greeley's name. He was formerly a republican. In matters of religion he is a Freethinker. Four sons are included in his family, resident as below : Samuel Morris, pur- suing a business course at Minneapolis ; William Edgar, mechanic. Piano, Illinois ; Robert Melvin, clerk in store at latter point ; Horace Greeley, at home. James Munro, farmer, was born at Banfishire, Scotland, January 14, 1845. His parents were Donald and Ann Noble-Munro, to whom were born eight children, the subject being the youngest. James left his native land at the age of eighteen, coming directly to West Albany, where he has since resided. He was soon followed to this country by his parents, who also located in this township. Here the elder Munro died in 1869. His widow is still living, and is a IIIG HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. resident of Sibley county, Minnesota. December 8, 1806, James was united in nuirriage to Mrs. Margaret Kirkman-Corry, a native of Lanark county, Ontario. They have one child, James N. His farm consists of one hundred and twenty acres of rich land, with good buildings. He and his wife are members of the Baptist church. He is a republican in politics. For eight years he has held the office of town clerk, and is one of the prominent citizens of the township. Jeremiah Baldwin, of New Haven, Connecticut, was born in the year 1827, and removed to Ohio with his parents at the age of six years, and at the age of thirteen to Wisconsin, where he attended school until of age, part being to public and part to select school, taught by Rev. Henry Heaton. He, after working on the farm for several summers, purchased eighty acres, and for a time was employed in the government survey. At twenty-eight he married Julia Emery, of Wisconsin, who, after bearing him two children, Amos E., now practicing medicine in Marshall, Minnesota, and a daughter, since deceased, died in the spring of 1857. Eighteen months after he married his second wife, Lucia A. Pierce, of West Townsend, Vermont, May 5, 1858. From this union sprang Willis P., Horace J., J. Arthur and Minnie A., all living. In the spring of .1863 Jeremiah left Wisconsin by ox-team, after selling out, and settled on his present farm, part of which, one hundre^^ acres, he purchased two years before of one William Thompson. Six years from this he bought out John Allon, twenty acres additional, and completed his present one hundred and sixty acres about four years after by purchase from George Cole. Mr. Baldwin has been an active trustee of the Congregational church of Plainview since its organization, September 19, 1863, and his present wife has for some thne officiated as president of the Women's Board of Mission . Albert R. Pierce, brother to Mrs. Baldwin, enlisted in 1861, was wounded near Arkansas ; was honorably discharged at Fort Snelling. Peter Gibson, retired riverman, has been a resident of this city since 1863. Mr. Gibson was born in Sweden ; came to America in 1851, to Michigan, and was in a lumber-mill on the lake, a few miles above Port Huron, owned by Hubbard Bros, until coming to the Mississipjji lumber regions in 1855. From that year until 1863 he was engaged in rafting down the river from Stillwater to St. Louis. He married Margaret Dietrich November 24, 1867, whose family were early residents of this county. They have three children : Jerome, born March 11, 1870 ; William, born July 21, 1871 ; Peter J., born December 28, 1873. EAKLY SETTLP^ES. HIT Pepin Brewery, located in Morres addition to the village of Bead's Landing. This property comprises what is generally known as the Burkhardt breweries. The lower one, a frame structure, built by Charles Leslie in 1856 ; the upper one, a stone building, erected some twenty years since by Michael Ulnier, the whole prop- erty coming into possession of the Burkhardts about the time the war closed. Manufacture has been lately contined to the lower brewery, but the location proving too low for the high water of 1883, which flooded their cellars to tlie depth of eight feet. They are now, August, 1883, fitting up the upper brewery for business, by erecting new dry kilns, and engine and boiler house. This brewery is 40 X 100 feet, three stories, solid stone, and provided with vaults, having a storage capacity of two thousand barrels. The product of their first year's brewage was six hundred barrels; last year, fifteen hundred barrels, an increase over previous year of thirty-three per cent. The product of the brewery is marketed at home, little or none being shipped. Their real estate comprises a tract of about twenty-seven acres, on which they have a brick yard of over twenty years' establishment, where they manufacture from two hundred and fifty thousand to three hundred thousand a year. The breweiy busi- ness employs five hands and two teams, and is steadily increasing. The proprietors are G. & G. Burkhardt. They are natives of Ger- many, emigrated to America in 1859, and to this county in 1863. Godfred Burkhardt married Sophia Bruner in 1866. They have four children living, three in school at Read's Landing : Louis, born October 14, 1868; Emma, born February 14, 18T0; Maria, born February 9, 187T; Paulina, born February 5, 1879. Gotleib Burk- hardt married Amelia Schlueter, February 2, 1881. They have one child, Albert, born November 25, 1881. Frederick B. Wahler, farmer, residing in Plainview village, was born in Saratoga, Germany, March 31, 1831. His father, John F. Wahler, was a farmer, and his mother's maiden name was Doro- thea Rohrbach. Mr. Wahler came to America in the year 1853. He spent the first three years after his arrival on a farm near Juno, Dodge county, Wisconsin. In 1856 he came to Minnesota, and located near Centerville, Winona county, on school lands. Seven years of his pioneer life were spent here, accompanied by many of the privations and trials that characterized frontier life in those days. The autumn of 1863 he disposed of his Winona county farm, and removed to Plainview township in Wabasha county, where he pur- 1118 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. chased tlic Cliureliill place — a farm of one Imndred and sixty acres, on sections Id and 30. Four years later lie purchased the village property, and erected thereon the residence which he has since oc- cupied as his family residence. His landed possessions now aggre- gate three hundred acres of fine arable land. Mr. Wahler is a mem- ber of the Plainview Methodist Episcopal church, and the brother- hood of Masons. lie was married to Miss Neiheeser, a native of his own country, in Dodge county, Wisconsin, on July 6, 1856. Their matrimonial life has been blessed with four children, three of them now living, viz : Addie (Mrs. Stadon), of Big Stone county, and Susie -and Inez at home. Jacob Kopp was born in Wiedlisbach, Canton Bern, Switzerland, on April 8, 1830. The Swiss home of the Kopp family was a small farm, but a beautiful place known as Mosrien. Frederick and Barbra Kopp resided here, and raised a family of six children, Jacob being the fourth. Jacob received a good common school education, after which he served four years in the Swiss army. In June, 1851, he married Barbra Giesbuler, and three years later brought his family to America. He first worked on a farm near Milwaukee, Wiscon- sin, then removed to Watertown, Wisconsin, where he remained but a few weeks. His next move was to go to a place about thirty miles fi'om Portage, where he worked in the pineries and on a farm for three years; after which he spent four years clearing up a farm near Fredonia, in the same state. He came to Highland town- ship, and bought a claim of one hundred and forty acres near the Watkins mill, in 1863. After buying and selling a number of times, he finally purchased the place on which he now resides — eighty acres on section 26, Highland, in 1870. He has five children, viz : John, born in Switzerland, residing in Lake City, Minnesota; Louisa, born in Wisconsin, and Louis and Frederick, born in Minnesota, and a daughter Emma, also a native of Minnesota. Mr. Kopp was one of the oi'iginal members of the Lutheran church of Highland. George Hibner was born in Cattaraugus county, New York, September 18, 1825. His parents were David and Susanna (Parker) Hibner — his father a native of the city of New York, and his mother of Massachusetts. Flis youth was spent on a farm, until twenty years old, remaining at home. He worked on a farm in Allegany county for two years. Here he married Polly Pierce, who was born in Onondaga county, New York, September 14, 1824 — this occurred July 18, 1847. After his marriage he worked a farm for six EARLY SETTLERS. 1119 years in Allegany county. In 1853 removed to Wyocena, Columbia county, Wisconsin, and rented a farm on which he remained until the fall of 1859, when he came to Olmsted county, Minnesota. The next year removed to Plainview, and tarried another year, when he came to reside on the farm where he now lives, one hundred and sixty acres on section 22, in Highland, which he located while still a resident of Wisconsin, He has one hundred and ten acres of land under cultivation, and lives in a fine farmhouse. Has also added eighty acres to his original quarter-section. He has but one child living: Electa A. (Mrs. Wm. Saiford), of Highland. A son, Ivan Arthur, died November 18, 1876, leaving one daughter, Ida May, 8 years old, residing with her mother, Mrs. Eflie (Freer), ot Plainview. John Schmidt, merchant tailor and dealer in clothing and fur- nishing goods, corner Main and Pembroke streets. This business Mr. Schmidt established in 1866, and has conducted it successfully for the past thirteen years. He owns the premises he occupies, one lot east of the corner of Main and Pembroke streets, 25 X 90, and upon this he has erected his shop, a one-story brick, 20 X 45, the salesroom and Tryon's jewelry-store occupying the front thirty feet of the building, with the tailor-shop in the rear. Mr. Schmidt is a nature of Bavaria, learned his trade there, and followed it until 1852, when he came to America, settling in Milwaukee, which was his home until his removal to this city in 1861:. January 16, 1856, Mr. Schmidt married Catharine Schrick. They have three children: Julius, born in Milwaukee in 1857, and now the junior member of the firm of Jewell & Schmidt, of this city ; Emil, employed in his father's shop, born June 5, 1860, and John, born December 26, 1S61, at present a conductor on the Midland railroad. Louis Young, hotelkeeper, Kellogg, is a native of Luxemburg, Germany, and was born March 10, 1843. In 1850 his parents, Peter and Barbara (Pausch) Jung, emigrated to America and settled on a farm near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Here, in the old log school- house, young Louis received a common English education. When seventeen years old he entered a grocery store at Grand ville station as a clerk, and soon after went to Chicago, where he was employed as a barkeeper. In 1862, being then but eighteen years old, he entered Bat. M, 1st 111. Light Art, and served over three years as United States soldier. Participated in thirteen battles and forty- two skirmishes, being twice slightly wounded, and was honorably 1120 HISTORY OF WAUASIIA COUNTY. discluirged September 2, 1865. Tlie most important engagements wherein lie was an actor were those at Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge, Eesaca and Allatoona. During his service he was confined in hospital eight months, his life being several times given up by liis surgeon. Only his determination saved his life. After the close of the war he came to Minnesota, and shortly opened a hotel in Winona. January 16, 1.S68, he married Margaret Apeld- ing, born in Luxemburg in September, 1848. Mrs. Young's father, Peter Apelding, is now one of the most substantial citizens of Rollingstone, Winona county. In 1872 Mr. Young came here and purchased the only building on the site of Kellogg. To this he has made additions, and is known to a large number of travelers for the excellence of his table. He was reared in the Catholic church, and adheres to the democratic party ; served as village trustee in 1882-3. Plis ofispring were christened John, Mary, Henry and Louis, Henry Davis Stocker was born in 1836, in Cabot, Caledonia county, Vermont, and inherited from his parents. Rev. Samuel and Jane D. Stocker, the determined S])ii'it and marked characteristics of his New England ancestors. The genealogical history contains also a vein of the rugged teutonic element, thus combining in the de- scendants those traits of character which so strongly developed in Capt. Stocker. Most of his education was received in Massachu- setts, from which he moved with his parents to McHenr}' county, Illinois, There in 1858 he commenced the reading of law in the office of Messrs. Joslyn & Hanchett, a prominent law firm of Wood- stock, Illinois. In 1861 he left the law for the army, and assisted in raising Co. M of the 16th 111. Cav., which company he com- manded until the battle of Jonesville, Virginia, January 3, 1864, where he and his whole company were made prisoners of war. In this battle Capt. Stocker was so severely wounded, having received two sabre cuts on the head, and two bullets in his bodj^, that he could not be removed with his comrades, and he was left at a house near by the scene of battle, where he renuiined for two months. As his wounds began to heal, he discovered the family under whose roof he was were in sympathy with the Union army, and although he was so ill that a rebel officer stri})ped him of his clothing,, saying as he dragged his overcoat from under his womided head, "Here, you won't need this much longer, and I shall," yet he longed to escape, that he might die, if indeed he must, under the shadow of the stars and stripes. With the aid of faithful negroes he was disguised and EAKLY SETTLEES. 1121 placed upon a horse, where thej convej^ed him to the Cumberland mountains and bid him, "Godspeed, massa." Notwithstanding the reopening of his wounds, and the many difhculties he met with, he reached tlie Cumberland river in safety, where another negro, with no small difficulty, obtained a boat for him. Alone the wounded man floated down the stream, until he deemed it safe to cross the country and gain the federal army, where the welcome he received more than compensated for his past sufferings. After a few months furlough, he joined Gen. Sherman's army, in his march to the sea, where he was assigned a position in Gen. Schofield's staiF. He participated in the battles of Allatoona and Atlanta, and Kenesaw mountains. Owing to the severity of his wounds, which unfitted him for active field service, he was assigned the position of provost marshal at Nicholasville, Kentucky, which position he held until December, 1861:, when on account of the suffering which his unhealed wounds caused him, he was reluctantly compelled to ac- cept an honorable discharge. Directly after his resignation he came to Lake City, where he has not only enjoyed a large and lucrative law practice, but the respect and commendation of his bar associ- ates. Capt. Stocker is a member of all the Masonic orders. In politics is a stanch republican ; in religion attends and supports the Congregational church. In 1870 he was married to Mrs. Beulah Grant (also the daughter of a Methodist Episcopal clergyman), the result of this union being three children, Henry Davis, Frederic Henry and Mabel Gertrude, all living. AuGusTius Baset, restauranteur. Lake City, was born in the Province of Hamburg, now part of Prussia, January 10, 1824. His father, Frederick, was a merchant and overseer of a farm, and the youthful Augustus passed his early life in a rural region. When seventeen years old he began to learn the baker's trade. In tlie spring of 1854 he set out for the land of promise beyond the Atlantic, and landed at New York April 5. Proceeding to Canada, he found employment in a brass foundry, and set about acquainting himself with the strange language spoken all around him. Before the close of the year he found his way to Baltimore and secured emploj^ment at his trade. In 1855, in partnership with a brother, he established a bakery at Watertown, Wisconsin. In July of the following year he sold out to his brother and went to Sparta, in the same state, where he operated a bakery for three years, and afterward a farm for like period. In 1864 he became a resident of Lake City and beo-an 1122 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. his ]:)resent business. Five years later lie built the handsome two- story brick-front which he now occupies. All sorts of fruits and confectionery are kept on sale, and a fine business is done in feeding the hungry. April 19, 1856, Mr. Basey was united in wedlock with Miss Laney Orinan, born in New York, of German parents. Three daughters have blessed this union, all at home, and christened Mary, Anna and Emma. The Lutheran church represents the religious faith of the family. In political matters Mr. Basey adheres to the democratic party. He is a member of the American Legion of Honor and the Equitable Aged Union, and insurance organiza- tion. A. H. Bright, farmer, is descended from Henry Bright, a Penn- sylvania Dutchman. Harmon, son of Henry, married Sarah Kean, both "to the numor born," and settled on a farm in Sadsbury, Crawford coimty. Here was born to them the subject of this sketch, May 12, 1S19. He received a farm training and common-school education. AVhen nineteen he went out to farm labor and saved enough from his wages so that he bought some land at twenty-two, and went on it. In 1840 he married Catharine, daughter of William and Dorothy Poole, all of New York. In 1844 he went to Illinois and built a sawmill on Rock river, fifteen miles below Rockford. He was afterward in a sawmill in Janes ville, Wisconsin ; farmed some years on Sugar river, west of Janes ville. He became a resi- dent of Minnesota in 1862, and resided two years on a farm in Bel- videre, Goodhue county. Then he traded that property for one hundred and forty-five acres on section 9, Mazeppa, where his home has been ever since. His domain now includes three hundred and forty acres in this township. He has dealt considerably in lands. He is a thorough republican, but meddles not with politics. On the unanimous vote of the town he once accepted the office of justice, but resigned before his term expired. Theologically he is a Free- thinker. Alanson Porter, his eldest child, died at fourteen years of age. Priscilla J. (Mrs. Harry Dakes), lives at Oakland, California ; Hiram Jui-ani Hydecooper, Roberts Station, Wisconsin ; the rest reside in Mazei)pa, viz : Rhoda Adell (Mrs. Orrin Boughton), Thaddeus Sobieski, William Henry Harmon, Sarah Catharine Elizabeth (Mrs. Jones Segar), Albert Rathboi-ne Frisby, and a son bearing the full name of Marquis de La Fayette. Rev. Nklson Moon was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, January 19, 1818. His parents were of New England birtli. His mothers EARLY SETTLERS. 1123 maiden name was Abigail Wallingford, and his father's Christian name was Barney. From nine to sixteen years of age he dwelt with William K. Porter, a Baptist deacon, in Macedon, New York, receiving all his schooling during that time in the common school. He then went to Canandaigua and was employed in chairmaking. His health being injured by this occupation, he went to Kirtland, Ohio, where he dwelt nearly two years. Here, at the age of nine- teen, he was converted and joined the Methodist Episcopal church by immersion. His mother was a faithful Presbyterian and had him baptized at the age of seven. The teachings of his foster-father led him to insist on immersion, but he has since become convinced that this is not essential. In 1838 he settled at Lyons, Wisconsin, and after dwelling there nine years, during which he was licensed as an exhorter, he removed to Vermillion county, Illinois, and was there licensed to preach. In 1855 he came to Olmsted county, this state, and was soon compelled to take up land in order to sustain his family. He organized the first class in Kochester in the fall of this year. For two years he labored at Oronoco, Pine Island, Mantor- ville. Greenwood Prairie, Center Grove, Wasioji, and numerous other points where there was hope of doing good. He was ordained, by Bishop Simpson, at the first organization of the state conference, and Center Grove was his first circuit point. After residing on a farm in New Haven for nine years he took up his residence in Chester, where he has a farm of one hundred and fifty acres. Here he dwelt till the fall of 1883, when he moved to Lake City. He has labored as a local preacher and has ofiiciated at a large number of funerals. He was married at East Troy, Wisconsin, May 11, 1841, by Rev. James McKean, a brother-in-law of the bride, to Mrs. Casandra Chenowith, nee Hunter. She was a faithful Christian wife and mother, enduring all the hardships of a pioneer minister's wife without a murmur, and went to her reward April 9, 1882. She became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at a very early age. The second child of this union, Charles W., died August 9, 1864, at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, four days before he was eighteen years old, having served nine months in the Union army. The others were christened and reside as here given : Mary A. (Mrs. D. K. J. Clark), Bigstone Center, Minnesota ; Emma (Mrs. W. A. Stevens), Lake City ; William P., Bigstone ; Frank W., Bigstone ; Owen H., Fargo, Dakota; Carrie I. (Mrs. C. A. Robinson), Chester. Mr. Moon and family saw some severe experiences in early years. Dur- 1124 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. ing the first winter they were surrounded by Sioux Indians, and he traded a watch that cost liim a cow for a watch-dog to protect his family in liis absence. Becoming short of provisions, he traded another watch that he had for a rifle, with which he shot seven deer. To secure potatoes and feed for his horse he was obliged to sell his buggy. Late in the fall of 1855, in trying to cross the Zumbro on the ice to reach an appointment at Rochester, he broke through and narrowly escaped with his life. One day in the following winter a couple set out from some distance away to find his cabin, in order to be mar- ried. Losing their way, they did not ariive till dead of night. The hut consisted of a single room. Mr. Moon got up and joined the twain in the presence of his family, who remained in bed, and they went their way rejoicing. Clements Konnig, blacksmith and farmer ; shop and six acres of land on Sec. 28, R. 11, T. Ill, and leases about eighty-five acres in vicinity. Mr. Konnig is a native of Hanover, learned his trade in his native place, and came to America in 1857, settling for some years in Illinois. In 1864 he came to this county, built his black- smith-shop, and for the past nineteen years has followed his trade where he is now located. In 1859 he married Theresa Logan. They have six children, all at home, the elder boys working the farm, on which there are twenty-five head of stock, sixty-five acres of wheat, twelve acres of oats, and twenty acres of corn. The children's names are : Joseph, born March 22, 1861 ; Bendict, born August 21, 1867 ; Frank, born March 9, 1873 ; Emma, born April 1, 1875 ; Caroline, born June 17, 1877; Theresa, born November 12, 1879. Jacob Gengnagle, manufacturer and dealer in furniture. Second street, between Pembroke and Bailly ; business established where now conducted in 1864, and so continued. Mr. Gengnagle is a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany ; came to America at seventeen years of age, learned his trade in Alban}-, New York, and after working there five years came west in 1S55, spending one year in Dubuque, Iowa, and from that city to Wabasha in 1856. There being no opening for his trade here, Mr. Gengnagle turned car- penter ; worked at that trade three years, then went to New Orleans, and was there at the time the war broke out. When Gen. Butler took possession of the city he enlisted, June 30, 1862, in Co. L, 3d Mass. Cav., and was in the service eighteen months, until disabled by a gunshot wound in the right elbow, and was discharged. Came to Wabasha, and the following year married Helena Afield, of EAKLT SETTLERS. 1125 this city ; date of marriage November 21, 1865. They have three children, all attending school in this city : Charles, born October IT, 1866 ; Katie, born January 31, 1869 : Jacob J., September 8, 1875. Jewell & Schmidt, hardware, corner of Main and Alleghaney streets. This house is the successor of that established in 1858 by Egbert & Robinson, on the corner of Walnut and Second streets. Mr. Egbert soon afterward became sole proprietor, removed his business to the corner now occupied by Jewell & Schmidt ; took in H. M. Dugan as partner, and continued trade until 1867, when he sold out to H. H. Jewell, who, in the previous year, had opened a hardware store near the corner of Main and Pembroke streets. Mr. Jewell consolidated the stocks, at the corner of Main and Alle- ghaney streets, did business there for one year with Mr. Dugan as partner, then purchased his interest, and as sole proprietor continued trade until November 1, 1882, when he sold out to the present firm and retired from business. Mr. Jewell purchased the lots on which the present structure stands in 1868, but continued business in the old Egbert building until the spring of 1880, when the old frame was removed to the west side of the lot, where it now does duty as a warehouse, and the present hardware house was built. The lot fronts sixty feet on Main street and one hundred and three feet on Alle- ghaney ; the new building has a frontage of twenty-five feet on Main and sixty on Alleghaney, with entrances on both. It is a substantial, ornate, two-story brick, solid stone basement, sills and center-caps. The salesroom, 24x60, with an iron and glass front, is well arranged for business ; opening into the tinshop in the rear, 20x35 feet ; into the iron and nail room, 9x40 feet, and into a broad passageway from which the basement and upper storerooms are reached. The structure cost five thousand dollars, an'd was completed and occupied September 1, 1880. The basement is used for storage, and the upper story for offices and the rooms of the Ladies' Library Asso- ciation. The stock of the house embraces a full line of shelf and heavy hardware, iron,>" Uiel, nails, tinware, barbed wire and farmers' tools. The tinshop is under the direction of foreman Dieterle, who has been in charge of the manufacturing de])artment during all the firm changes, for the past twenty-one years. The present firm are H. B. Jewell and Julius Schmidt, and they were both in tlie employ of the old house of H. H. Jewell for several years before they suc- ceeded to its management. 1126 HISTORY OF WAUASIIA COUNTY. 11. B. Jewell, son of II. II. Jewell, is a native ot Massachusetts ; came to Wabasha with his father's 'family in 1864; learned his trade as a tinsmith in St. Paul, and came into the employ of the house in which he is now the senior partner, in 1S69, April 3, 1880, he married Miss Ida V. Bunn, of this city. Julius Schmidt is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Came to Wabasha with his father's family in 1865. In 1873 he entered the house of H. H. Jewell ; learned his trade as tinsmith there, and continued in its employ until November 1, 1882, when the present partnership was formed. Ira W. Belden, a son of Erastus Belden, a physician of Fillmore county, Minnesota, was born in 1837. He received a common school education, after which he learned his trade of blacksmithing. In the fall of 1862 he enlisted in the war against the Indians, and served fourteen months as farrier in his regiment. He then enlisted in the war of the rebellion and served one year, when, his health failing, he returned to make his home on the banks of the Zumbro. He is a resident of Zumbro Falls, living on the south side of the river, but his shop is situated on the north side. Mr. Belden was married in 1860, to Amanda Raymond. Their family consists of seven children. The eldest son, aged nineteen, holds a good position on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad. Hexey ScffivriDT, merchant, was born in Mecklenburg, December 19, 1844, and came with his parents to West Albany township, this county, in 1864. He was one of six children born to Henry and Mary (Henning) Schmidt, deceased. The first few years of his residence here were spent at various employments, and in 1871 he moved to Lake City. His first business venture was the establish- ment of a bakery, in partne^ship with C. Kuhn. One year later Mr. Schmidt secured entire control, and continued the business until 1877, when he formed a partnership with Mr. Kemp, and opened a line of general merchandise, on the corner of Washington and Center streets. From this stand the}' were driven by the fire of 1882, but soon afterward established themselves in their present quarters on Center street. He was married April 21, 1874, to Mary Burfiend, of Hanover. Two children followed this union, one of whom, Albert, is now living. Mrs. Schmidt died February 5, 1879. May 30, 1881, he was married to Clara Phillips (Tabor), a native of New York. In 1883 they opened a neat and commodious eating- house for day-boarders, and in connection with this a choice stock EARLY SETTLERS. 1127 of cigars and confectionery. Mr. Smith is a member of Lake City Lodge, No. 22, LO.O.F., also of Mount Zion Encampment, No. 7, and of Shiller Lodge, No. 7, Sons of Herman. In politics he is a republican. James H. Emery, practical liorseshoer. Lake City, was born in Plymouth, Windsor county, Vermont, in 1822. Lie is the son of Dr. John W. Emery, who is now a resident of Michigan, and eighty- four years old. Mr. Emery learned his trade in Boston, and took special veterinary lessons on shoeing from Dr. Yarey, a veterinary surgeon of Boston, Massachusetts, and came west to Chicago many years ago. He there conducted a prosperous business till the out- break of the late war, when he enlisted in the ISth 111. Cav., com- manded by Col. Farnsworth. The three and a half years following was spent in active warfare in behalf of his country, in the army of the Potomac. In 1865 he came to Lake City, opened up a horse- shoeing and blacksmith-shop, and still continues the business. His wife, whose society he has enjoyed for the last thirty years, was Charlotte Gould, a daughter of David Gould, of Yermont, and is the mother of his two children, Laura, the wife of J. R. Clark, of Chcago, and Winslow D. Jacob Haessig is a well-to-do farmer of Plainview township. He was born in Alsace, Europe, January 6, 1838, on a farm twelve miles west of Worth. John Haessig, his father, was a farmer and she]:)herd. Our subject received the customary education provided by the German common school system. In 1859 Alsace was French territory, and Napoleon III called upon her for her quota of soldiers for the Austrian war. A draft was ordered, but Mr. Haessig was lucky enough to escape it, and two years later he came to America, where he first found employment in the American House, at Cleve- land, Ohio. He remained here but a few months, and then went to Elkhart, Indiana, where he did farm work until the autumn of 1863, when he came to Minnesota, and bought a farm of eighty acres in Whitewater township, Winona county, from Judge Mitchell. In 1865 he bought John W. Studebaker's place in Plainview town- ship, Wabasha county, and took up his residence thereon. He lias since disposed of his Winona county farm, and now owns two hun- dred and forty acres of rich farming land, all in the township of Plain- view. He was married March 26, 1869. to the widow of Franklyn Sylvester, a pioneer of 1856, by whom he has had three children : Helen E., Ida W. and Lafayette H. Mrs. Haessig had three chil- 1128 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. clren bv her first husband, as foUows : • Jennie (Mrs. Skidmore), of Spink county, Dakota; Emma B. (Mrs. Cornelius Badger), of Wa- seca, Minnesota, and Arthur C. Sylvester, fireman on the Winona & St, Peter railroad. The Elgin cyclone of 1883 did some damage to Mr. liaessig's farm buildings. Politically and socially Mr. Haes- sig has been quite popular, being a worthy member of Plainview Lodge, I.O.O.F., and was elected by the democratic part}^ county commissioner in 1878, and served three years. KoBERT R. Gray, gardner. Lake City, is a native of Butler county, and was born November 8, 1821. In about 1828, his parents, Joseph and Elizabeth (Richey) Gray, removed to Mont- gomery county, Indiana, and settled near Crawfordsville, where the living members of the family still reside. Early in life our subject learned the trade of harness and saddle maker, and followed the business many years in the city of Crawfordsville. In 1865 he emigrated to Minnesota, making the entire trip with two teams and wagons in twenty-one days. On arriving in the borders of Lake City, he camped out a few days till he could secure a house into which to move his family. This done, he turned his attention to carrying out his plans — the purchase of a small piece of land — which he did, and began the business of market gardening. He was married in 1848, to Miss Charlotte Lupton, of Lafayette, Indi- ana, by whom he has reared a family of ten children, whose names are : Helen A. (now Mrs. R. Foss) ; Elizabeth A. (wife of P. A. Bartlett) ; Adda G. (married James G. Hammel) ; R. Verginia, Jose])h W., Robert A., Charles C, Thomas G., Margarett L, Cecile and A^ance I. Mr. Gray is a charter member of the I.O.O.F. of this city, and a quiet, unassuming citizen. His home is south of the railroad, on Lyon avenue, where he owns a neat little garden- farm, and has resided several years. Clarence A. Hubbard, cashier of Lake City Bank, Lake City, is a native of Ingham county, Michigan. He was born November 4, 1844, and is the son of John I, and Lucy L. (Smith) Hubbard, natives of the State of New York, and descendants of New England stock. His ancestors on his father's side figured prominently in the revolutionary war. Young Clarence removed to Winona, Minnesota, in June, 1853, with his parents, who were among the pioneer settlers of that now prosperous city. In 1858 he returned to his native state, and entered upon an academic course of study in thecity of Lansing, whidi he vigorously pursued till 1860. He then entered the State EARLY SETTLERS. 1129 Normal at Winona, from which he graduated into the army at the outbreak of the civil war, serving with his regiment, 8th Minn. Vol. Inf , on the frontier during the Sioux war, and later on the stafts of Gens. R. N. McLaren and H. H. Sibley. At the restora- tion of peace, and Mr. Hubbard had received an honorable dis- charge, he settled in Lake City, and embarked in the grain and com- mission business, from which he retired in 1869, and entered the banking house of C. W. Hackett & Co. (now the Lake City Bank), as cashier. This position he still holds, being also one of the board of directors. He is married and has one son, Will Adelbert, now sixteen years of age. Mr. Hubbard is a Mason and a Knight Tem- plar, and is also a prominent member ot the Congregational church, an active and conscientious business man, who is much appreciated by his fellow citizens. Chauncey C. Cornwell, senior member of the hardware firm of C. C. Cornwell & Son, Plainview, was born in Erie county, New York, April 13, 1812. His father, Elihu Cornwell, was a farmer. His youth was chiefly passed in Middletown, Connecticut, to which place his parents removed while he was but an infant. His educa- tion was received at the common school. He learned the trade of shoemaker, and soon after formed a copartnership with his brother, under the firm name of H. D. Cornwell & Co., and engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes. Two years later they dissolved this copartnership, and C. C. went to Willoughby, Ohio, and opened a similar factory there. Here he continued in the business until 1849, when, owing to ill health, which demanded a change of cli- mate, he disposed of his valuable property in Willoughby, and re- moved to Lovell township, Dodge county, Wisconsin, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. Here his health improved, and he spent the next sixteen years of his life. He came to Plainview in 1865, and engaged in the hardware business with E. B. Eddy, after- ward with E. Dodge, and finally with his son, E. R. Cornwell. Mr. Cornwell is living with his second wife {?iee Elizabeth Welch, of Ohio). His first wife was a Mrs. Young, of Haddam, Connecti- cut, by whom he had four children, all living, as follows : Harvey, of Pine Island, Minnesota; Elizabeth (Mrs. Poole), of Winnebago; Alfred, in Castleton, and E. R., his present partner. George H. Grannis, manufacturer of and dealer in lumber. Lake City, was born in Madison county, New York, March 10, 1827, and is the son of Sidney S. and Elizabetli (Strobridge) Grannis, natives 1130 UISTOKY OF WAUASHA COUNTY. of Claremont, New Ilampsliire. Young Graniiis was reared as a woolen manufacturer till the age of twenty-one, after which he turned his attention to producing improved machinery for wool manufactur- ing. He followed this business exclusively till 1857, when he became interested as a partner in a sawmill at Red Wing, Minnesota, the firm being Grannis, Dani,els li. James M. McMilliii was reared on a farm in Huntingdon township, Gallia county, and pursued his father's vocation till 1S42. Macinda A., his wife, is a daughter of George and Nancy (Jackson) Stickleman, all of Yirginian birth. Mrs. McMillan was born eight months after her husband, in Hottentot, Virginia, and they were united for life December 17, 1833. For six years Mr. McMillin was deputy-sheriff of Whiteside county, Illinois, and was kept constantly traveling in the discharge of his duty. He became a resident of Minnesota in 1862, and was engaged in farming four years in the town of Chester, this county, being ])ostmaster at Bear Valley some time. He also served as justice of the peace during his residence there. The republican party is entitled to the credit of all his public acts. Since 1866 Lake City claimed him as a citizen. On the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding Mr. and Mrs. McMillin cele- brated the occasion in a fitting manner, surrounded by their descen- dants and many old-time friends. They were presented with a handsome sum in gold coin. In religious faith this couple are Universalists. All save two of their children live in the city — the absent one's residence being noted below, the names appearing in order of birth : Alonzo C. ; John L. ; William Harvey ; Samantha J. (Judd); EmmaR. (Mrs. Alonzo Mathews), Red Wing ; Nancy Celestina (Mrs. W. E. Stringham), Fergus Falls, Minnesota. While splitting wood one evening in January, 1884, Mr. McMillin received a wound in the left eye from a flying stick, and the sight and sub- stance of the optic were entirely destroyed. He appeared to recover steadily from tlie shock, although in great pain, but suddenly sank and passed away on the morning of February 17. He had partaken of breakfast with the family, but his system is supposed to have suddenly given away under the strain upon it. William Harvey McMillin, barber. Lake City, is the third son of James M., and was born September 30, 1839, at Wilkes ville, Ohio, and was but three years of age when the family removed to Illinois. After he was eighteen years old he cared for himself and worked at butchering three years. He came to Minnesota in 1859, and assisted his brother in farming at Bear valley, attending school there one winter terra. Returning to Illinois he was among the first to respond to the call of his country in its hour of danger. Entering Co. B, of the 13th 111. Vols., he saw a great deal of hard service in the western army. The following endorsement, which is OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1147 found in red ink upon his discharge, explains itself: "Said W. H. McMillin was with the command in the actions at Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, Jackson, May 14 and July 10-16, 1863, siege of Yicksburg and assault May 22, 1S63, Tuscumbia, Lookout Moun- tain, Mission Ridge and Ringgold ; has marched over thirty-five hundred miles and faithfully performed the duties of a soldier." Among other notable engagements in which he participated may be named Wilson's Creek, Pea Ridge, Buzzard's Roost, Snake's Gap and Milligan's Bend. He was detailed in the Mississippi scouts, and for five months commanded a squad of seventy-five mounted men, doing excellent service, losing only three men while passing through many hot skirmishes. At one time, after being driven seven miles under the spur, his party of ten men was driven over a steep blufl", where the horses slid down on their haunches, killing one man and a horse. After thus escaping, Mr. McMillin laid an ambuscade, and killed or captured nearly the entire force of rebel pursuers, eighty in number, being reinforced by two companies of infantry. After this he was detailed with nineteen comrades as bod}^ guard to Gen. P. J. Osterhaus, where he served till the close of the war. At Chickasaw Bayou his colonel, John B. Wyman, was killed by a sharpshooter, and " Sandy Bill," as our subject was best known to his comrades, crept through the bushes for fifteen rods and picked off the sharpshooter. Mr. McMillin was never wounded by a bullet, but was knocked down by the bursting of a shell in front of Yicksburg, and his head and neck partially paralyzed so that he was not fit for duty for some time. He was laid up with dropsy in the old marine hospital at St. Louis for three months at another time. Was never in the guardhouse or under arrest. While serv- ing as body guard to Gen. Osterhaus he acted most of the time as dispatch-carrier. While on this duty on one occasion, he rode half a mile under galling fire, and thus saved two thousand comrades from captivity and the pangs of hell in Libby prison. Another time, with three companions, he charged over the rebel pickets, gained the bluff across Chickamauga creek, and after running a half-mile gauntlet, gained a covered bridge ; here they placed their horses across the entrance of the bridge, and by firing beneath their bodies kept the the rebel cavalry at bay until artillery and reinforce- ments were brought to bear. In this movement the Union forces did not lose a man. Returning to Minnesota at the close of the war, Mr. McMillin engaged in farming a short time ; removed to Lake City 1148 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. and worked in a butcher-shop tliree years ; for past nine years lias kept a barber-shop — last two with a partner. February 22, 1865, he was united in marriage with Miss Caroline Culver, who was born in Walnut, Illinois. They have one adopted daughter, Bertie, born July 16, 1880. Mr. McMillin is district G.D.M.AV. in the A.O.U.W. He is chief of the Lake City Hook and Ladder Company, and has had many narrow escapes in the pursuit of his duty. Louis Fkeiiieit, farmer, was born in Worsetz, Prussia, Decem- ber 1, 1835. He remained there on a farm till twenty-five years old, when he came to America, and engaged in farm labor in Green Lake county, Wisconsin. He came to Chester in 1866, and bought one-fourth of section 11, which he has handsomely improved. It was unbroken when it fell into his hands, but is now under the plow, and graced with large and handsome buildings. At one time Mr. Freiheit was three thousand dollars in debt, but is now independent. He was a charter member of St. John's Lutheran church, and^s now treasurer of that body. Politically, has always been a republican. He was married in June, 1871, to Angell Stemmenn, who was born in Hanover, Germany. Their children were born and christened as follows: June 16, 1874, Henry; May 9, 1876, Emma; June 5, 1883, Lena. Ferdinand Freiheit, farmer, is a brother of the last subject, and was born in the same place in April, 1845. In 1865 he emigrated to Wisconsin, and came thence to Chester four years later. He was engaged in farm labor till 1873, when he bought one-fourth of section 2. This was wild at that time, and he proceeded to subdue it. He has built a comfortable house and large barn at a cost of fourteen hundred dollars, and a granary that cost three hundred dol- lars more. January 1, 1877, he married Minnie Knaap, whose birthplace is within two miles of his own. He is a republican, and all his family has been baptized in the Lutheran church. There are i'oxu' children, given as below : Clara, May 14, 1879 ; William, August 5, 1880; Theodore, July 5, 1881; Emily, April 12, 1883. Capt. J. H. Mullen, attorney-at law, admitted to practice at the spring term of the district court, held in Wabasha, in 1883. Capt, Mullen, as he is universally called, came to this county in 1866, the year after the war closed, and in which he had seen over four years of active service, having enlisted June 5, 1861, and being mustered out in August, 1865, as captain of Co. C, 12th regt. Conn. OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1149 Yol. Inf. The captain saw service with Gen. McClellan on the peninsula; was with Butler's forces at New Orleans, with Bank's command at Port Hudson, and on the Red River campaign; with Grant at Petersburg, and the battles around Richmond; then with Sheridan in the Shenandoah valle}^ returning with him to Peters- burg, and participating in the closing struggle of the war at Five Forks ; was with the army in the grand review at Washington, and being ordered to Savannah, Georgia, did not go immediately north, but was in the service until August, when they returned home and were mustered out at Hartford, August, 1865. The following year, 1866, located in Wabasha, and has since been engaged in trade, merchandising and farming. His farming operations are carried on along the line of the Hastings & Dakota railway, where he has a tract of about thirteen hundred acres seventy miles west of St. Paul. April 15, 1874, Capt. Mullen married Miss M. B. Downer, daughter of John B. Downer, one of the old pioneers of Wabasha county. Mrs. Mullen has a decided talent for painting, which has been to some extent cultivated, and work on canvass and silk is really artistic, and would do no discredit to a collection of genuine merit. Some of her decorative work on panels, in water colors, is exquisite in color and naturalness. Two childi'en have been ■born to the captain and his wife : Carrie, born October 10, 1875; Downer, born May 20, 1880. John Springer was the son of a German farmer and butcher, and was born in Cassel, Germany, May 11, 1844. He spent the usual time acquiring a rudimentary education in the common school of the Fatherland, and then learned the trade of blacksmithing, after which he entered the army to serve the allotted time, but at the close of the second year of his military life, he deserted, and took passage at Bremen for America. In the month of December, 1866, he landed at Castle Garden, and at once hastened west to Oakwood township, Wabasha county, Minnesota, where a brother was engaged in agricultural pursuits. He proceeded to erect a shop in Bremen, and worked at the forge here for four years, then worked in Winona for a few years, after which he again resumed his trade in the little shop at Bremen for another period of four years. The spring of 1876 he disposed of his Bremen property, and came to Plainview, where he opened a shop. Five years later he opened warerooms, and began to handle farming implements. He was married in 1870, to Augusta Beyer, daughter of Frederick Beyer, a pioneer farmer of 1150 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Zumbro township. Five children are the fruit of this union, viz Frank, Willie, Mary, Joliny, Bertha. Mr. Springer was ])os master at Bremen under President Grant's administration. Is a re- publican ill politics, a member of the Plaiiiview Lodge of Odd- Fellows. Emric Polson, farmer, was born in 1835, in Sweden. He is the eldest son of Paul and Julia Poison, of Sweden. He lived in Sweden, at home until twenty-two, when he came to America, and settled in Illinois. After three years he enlisted in the 8th 111. Cav., and served one and one-half years under McClellan and Burnside. He was discharged and came to Minnesota and enlisted in the 2d Minn. Cav., and served in Gen. Sulla's expedition to the Yellow- stone and Bad Lands. After this remarkably long saddle service, he returned to Minnesota in 1866, and settled on his present farm, a quarter-section of fine land, nearly all cultivated. He is working into stock-raising as fast as possible. He was a member of the Grange. He is a member of the Norwegian Methodist Episcopal church. He is justice of peace and supervisor at present. In politics he has always been republican, and is one of our influential and enterprising citizens. He was married in 1879, to Sophia John- son, a native of Sweden. They have eight children. Lawrence William Appel, a Highland farmer, resides on a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres in West Indian Creek valley. He was born in Baden, Germany, September 17, 1842, his parents being Adam and Catherine (Eckert) Appel. In 1845 Mr. Appel, Sr., died of j'ellow fever in Texas, and two years later the widowed mother emigrated with her family to Mercer county, Pennsylvania, where she engaged in agricultural ])ursuits. Lawrence working on her farm summers, and attending winter schools until he reached his twentieth year, when he went to Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and learned the blacksmith trade, which he followed in the oil regions and railroad shops for several years in Meadville, Pittsburgh, Sharon and Middlesex. He was in Pittsburgh at the time the raider Morgan menaced the peace of that city. While on a visit to his brother Stephen, in Highland, in August, 1866, he was induced to open a blacksmith-shop, near what was then known as Hampe's Mill. In 1869 he bought the farm where he now resides, from E. Lathrop. November 11 of the same 3'ear he was married to Mar- garet Arvilla, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Brawley) Ilarncame, natives of Pennsylvania, and Wabasha county pioneers. M. Appel OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1151 is a member of the Catholic church. He was a member of the board of supervisors in 1880. EvANDER Skillman, miller, has been a resident of Wabasha county since the spring of 1856, at which time he came here with his parents. The latter were natives of Sufiblk, Suffolk county, New York. The family is of Dutch descent. The great-grandfather of this subject, Thomas Skillman, had a son, Thomas, whose son, Francis M., married Jerusha Rogers, and dwelt thirty-two in the in the town of German, Chenango county, New York, where lie tilled a farm and taught school during the winter. Here was born Evander Skillman, on May 12, 183S. He was given a common- school education, and a farmer's training. In October, 1861, he enlisted in the 3d Minn. Inf., and was made first lieutenant of Co. G. He was soon commissioned regimental quartermaster. At the battle of Murfreesboro, in July, 1862, he was made prisoner with the regiment, but soon paroled. Returning to this state, he went on an expedition against the Sioux, on Red river, and was in several skirmishes with them at Fort Abercrombie. After being exchanged, he returned to the south, and was detailed in the early spring of 1864, as quartermaster of the 113th U. S. regt. of colored soldiers. He participated in the capture of Yicksburg and Little Rock, and in the battle of Fitzhugh's woods, on the White river. After the close of the war of the rebellion, Mr. Skillman served on the Texas frontier, and was discharged on April 6, 1866. In the fall of that year he o])ened a general store at Mazeppa, which he sold out six years later. In 1873, in partnership with a brother, he built Trout Brook mill, on section 19, Chester, and has operated it ever since. He has thirty-four acres of land where the mill stands, and eighty acres near by, which he tills with the assistance of his sons. When only twenty-one years old, he was elected town superintendent of schools; while in Mazeppa, he was two years village justice; has also been elected justice and town clerk in Chester several terms. His political preferences are republican, and religious ideas liberal. He is a member of the Masonic order. In 1865 Mr. Skillman was united in marriage to Edith, daughter of Elijah Lout, of Mazeppa. They have five sons, born as follows : Francis E., April 28, 1867 ; Murray E., February 10, 1871 ; Stephen P., June 22, 1873 ; Foster, May 10, 1879 ; Dwight, December 23, 1881. Lawrence Powers, farmer, was born in County Waterford, Ire- land, in 1818. In 1846 he espoused Johanna Nash, and soon after 70 1152 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. emigrated to America. He first went to Michigan, where he resided for several years. In 1868 rehatives in Highland townsliip, in Wabasha county, induced Mr. Powers and his family to come to Minnesota. The same year he purchased from Edward Nash the farm on section 7, Highland, on which he now resides, and whick by hard labor and with the assistance of his sons, John and Patrick, he has greatly improved, one hundred and thirty-four acres of the quarter-section which comprises it being now in a high state of cul- tivation. The death of Mrs. Powers occurred here February 16, 1879. There were seven children born to this couple, three of whom, namely, John, Patrick and Margaret, reside with their father at home. Mr. Powers and his family are members of the Oakwood Catholic church. In politics father and sons are alike independent. Oliver Gihbs, Jr., horticulturist. Lake City, whose name is familiar throughout southern Minnesota, and as well known in the office of the executive of State as in the humble cottage of his near- est neighbor, was born in the State of Vermont in 1832. He is a son of Oliver and Zilpha (Thomas) Gibbs, and on the paternal side a lineal descendant of Israel Putnam. Like his father, he was reared on a farm, where his time was divided between agricultural labor and attending the common country schools of the Green Mountain State. He learned the printer's trade in the office of the Rutland (Vermont) "Herald," and first started in business for him- self at Prescott, Wisconsin, in the publication of the "Transcript" in 1855, in company with Charles Young, now of Minneapolis. He also served Pierce as clerk for five years previous to the outbreak of the war, and in 1861 enlisted as battalion adjutant, 2d Wis. Cav., under Col. C. C. Washburn. After about one year's field service he was transferred to a confidential clerkship under Sec. Stanton, which he resigned in 1869 on account of failing health, contracted while in military service. The same year he removed to Minnesota and permanently located in Lake City, where he at once engaged in horticultural pursuits. He is now in his third year's service as sec- retary of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society, being elected at their last meeting, in January, 1884, by acclamation. He was the representative of this state at the nineteenth biennial session of the American Pomological Society at Philadelphia, in September, 1883, where he was awarded and returned to Minnesota the Wilder silver medal for the best collection of apples and grapes from any part of OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1153 North America. In 1884 he was appointed United States commis- sioner to re])resent the State of Minnesota at the cotton centennial and world's exposition at New Orleans, Louisiana, The most im- portant part of Mr. Gibbs' official duty as secretary of the State Horticultural Society is the compiling and editing of their annual report, a bound volume of five hundred pages. This is at present the only society connected with agriculture in Minnesota which, under the auspices of the state, publishes an annual report. Mr, Gibbs was married June 2, 1856, to Miss Rose Martin, a native of Vermont. Their children's names, in the order of their birth, are : Zilphia M., wife of Ed. R. Converse, of Palatine, Illinois ; Lottie, now a clerk in the pension office at Washington ; Nettie May, now Mrs. Frank Jackson, of Lyon county, Minnesota, and Maggie and Oliver, Jr., at home. Hon. Henry Baumgarten is descended from German parents^ and was born in Germany November 16, 1818. His education was obtained in the common schools of his native country, and the bal- ance of his youth was spent in the usual duties of farming. When about twenty years of age he came to this country and settled at first at Reedsburg, Wisconsin, in the summer of 1868. At this place he was engaged in farming. In 1871 he removed to Wabasha and worked one year for Lucas Kuehn, and started in the hotel business in 1878, having carried on the same until the present with good success. In 1883 he was elected representative from this dis- trict to the general assembly of the State of Minnesota by the democracy of Wabasha county, and was a member of the engross- ing committee. In 1871 he was married to Emma Scholtz. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. and Turn Verein. Myron Augustine Baldwin (deceased). The demise of this highly-esteemed citizen was to Lake City what the death of President Garfield was to the nation. He was born in Sheldon, Wyoming county, New York, May 21, 1832, and died of cerebro-spinal fever in Lake City, February 23, 1881. His parents, Eleazer and Rachel (Martindale) Baldwin, removed with their family from Sheldon to Yarysburg in 1843. The next year the father died and the family returned to their farm in Sheldon, and kept together till 1851. Mr. Baldwin, then in his nineteenth year, engaged as a clerk in the store of Hon. Wolcott J. Huraphre}', and in 1854 went to Wallingford, Vermont, to serve in the employ of his uncles, Edwin and William Martindale, the former of whom he in time bought out, and thus 1154 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. commenced business for himself. His mercantile ])ursuits were con- tinued in Wallingford till 18G8, when he sold out, and with a view to recu])erating his failing health, removed to Minnesota, perma- nently locating in Lake City. Here he soon regained his health sufficiently to embark in active business pursuits, and from that time till overtaken by his last illness he was one of Lake .City's most active and esteemed citizens, November 1, 1873, he was made a director in the Lake City Bank, and in 1876 transferred his interests to the First National. He was then made one of its directors, and before the close of the same year was made its president. In April, 1880, he was elected mayor of the city as the people's candidate. During his residence in this cit}^ his principal vocation was dealing in live- stock, and only those who were his intimate friends could form an adequate conception of the magnitude of the business transacted under his personal supervision. With this great strain of mind and body, and with a physical constitution insufficient to endure the labor which his extraordinary brain devised, it was evident to those who best knew him that his work was too great for him. Nevertheless lie remained in the business harness till but a few hours before his death. Upon the announcement of his death the flag on the council chamber was placed at half-mast, and as a further mark of respect the business-men throughout the city closed their doors on the day of his burial, and formed one of the largest funeral processions ever witnessed in this city. The directors of the First National Bank met and passed the following resolutions: Whereas, our immediate associate and friend, M. A. Baldwin, the president of this bank, was removed by death on the twenty-third of this month from om' number; therefore, Resolved, that we recognize in this an agreeable companion and a valued and honored friend, and that we desire in this manner to testify to our high appreciation of his character and worth as a man, and to his ability and integrity in his official trust: Resolved, that while deeply impressed in contemplating the shadow of gloom his absence must bring to the home late so securely happy in his presence, that we hereby extend to the widow and son our most heartfelt sympathy and con- dolence in this their hour of sorrow. The Ancient Order of United Workmen, and the Temple of Honor and Social Temi)le passed similar resolutions of respect and con- dolence, making them a matter of record, and at the same time pre- senting the widow with certified copies. Mr. Baldwin had been twice married ; first, in 1863, at Wallingford, Vermont, to Miss OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1155 Marella Townsend, whom lie lost by death about a year thereafter. His second marriage was in 1866 to Mrs. Anna E. Sweet, a daughter of Smith Emery, Esq., of Newport, Vermont, who with their only child, Myron Alpheus, still resides in Lake City. JajVIes p. Martin, Lake City, is a native of St. Lawrence county, New York, and was born October 31, 1845. Lie is a son of James and Catharine (Gorman) Martin, who were also born in the State of New York, of Irish ancestry. Mr. Martin was reared on a farm, where his early youth was spent at school and agricultural pursuits. A few years of his early manhood was employed in driving stage. He was married, to Miss Julia F. Hart, a native of St. Lawrence county. New York, in 1868, and in the spring of the same year came to Lake City, and the same year took a position as foreman in the large livery and sale stable of Mr. W. E. Perkins. He is still with Mr. Perkins, and is interested with him in introducing some very fine and valuable fast horse stock in this county, among them some of the best blood for trotting in the United States. In 1878 he pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Chester, which he rents. Mr. Martin has three children, Lizzie May and Willie J. (twins) and Frank, in attendance at the city schools. John C. Adams, M.D., Lake City, is a native of Ireland, and was born in Iniskillen, in 1831, and is a son of John Adams, who for many years was a prominent merchant of that city. Early in the spring of 1841, Mr. Adams with his family emigrated. t« the United States, and settled on a farm in Kentucky, and for a time engaged in agricultural pursuits. Being unacquainted with, and having a dislike for, the principles of slave labor, he failed to make it a success, sold his farm and removed to Clarksville, Tennessee, where he again embarked in mercantile pursuits. He died in 1850, and his wife, whose maiden name was Alice McCalon, is still living in Russellville, Kentucky. Dr. Adams received an academic edu- cation at Clarksville, Tennessee, pursued and completed the classics under a private tutor, and began his professional course with Dr. Williams, of Todd county, Kentucky. He attended lectures at the medical department of the university at Louisville, Kentucky, in its palmy days, when the eminent S. D. Gross and Austin Flint were its professors. After practicing in Kentucky, Texas and Louisiana, he finally graduated from the medical department of the Louisiana University. He then resumed the practice of medicine in Cado Parish, near Shrevesport, Louisiana, and continued the practice, 1156 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. tliougli somewhat obstructed by failing health, till the outbreak of the late war, when he was appointed assistant surgeon of the 30th Miss. regt. This position he filled with credit and ability, and was finally transferred to the position of hospital surgeon, at Newnan, Georgia, and was on duty at Macon, Georgia, at the time of Gen. Lee's surrender. Overwork and ill health had so prostrated him, that in 1868 he determined to seek recuperation in the north, and that year came to Lake City, as rector of the Episcopal church. His theological studies had been pursued under Bishop Greene, in Jackson, Mississippi, during his physical inability to practice medi- cine, and had taken deacons' orders prior to 1861, and priests' orders in 1867. He remained in charge of the Episcopal church till 1872, when his health being unequal to the work, he resigned, and re- sumed the practice of medicine and surgery, in Lake City and sur- rounding country. As a surgeon. Dr. Adams has been eminently successful, having performed some very complicated, and, in fact, some of most noted operations known to the profession. He is a member of the Masonic fraternities of Lake City. His first mar- riage was in 1861, to Miss Hellen Doty, of eastern New York. She died in 1874. His second marriage was on July 1, 1875, to Mrs. Elizabeth O. MclS'airy, a native of Philadelphia. They have a famil}^ of four sons and four daughters. Elisha Perkins, farmer, Zumbro, came to this county without capitml in 1868, and secured sixty acres of land where he now resides, section 36 — originally Mazeppa township. Besides this he now has forty acres in the adjoining town of Farm Hill, half as much in the Mazeppa timber and a quarter-section in Bigstone county. The same energy and business ability that carried him through several struggles in the past are still leading elements in his character, and he is known as an active and useful citizen. He is an earnest exponent of the principles of the republican party, and a leading member of the Wesleyan Methodist church at South Tro}'. Joel Perkins, the father of Elisha, w^xs born in Luzerne, Warren county, New York, in 1813. His parents, Elkanah and Phoebe Perkins, were natives of the same state. Joel Perkins married Sarah Van Wormer, who gave birth to this subject at Stony Creek, Warren county, in 1835. The latter was reared on his father's farm, and received his education in the common schools. That he improved his opportunities is evident to all who meet him, and he is well-known as a contributor to the press of the day. October 10, OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1157 185T, he married Eliza A. Gallup, born in the same county as him- self. This union was disrupted by the cruel hand of death in January, 1866, and Mr. Perkins was left with four small children to care for. Shortly after he suffered heavy losses in a lumbering con- tract, and resolved to try his fortunes in the west. On March 29, 1869, he espoused Frances J. Koberts, a native of Hamilton county, Ohio, who is the mother of six living children, viz: Amanda E., Florence A., Alma A., Ernest H., Maud A., and an infant daughter. Of the elder children : Ward B. dwells at Waneta, Dakota ; Ells- worth L. died when eight years old ; Eliza J. and Fanny M., twins, at home. Henry R. Gearey, son of Hamilton B. and Harriet (Macy) Gearey, was born in the city of Hudson, State of New York, on March 18, 184:5. When six years old his parents removed to Pompey, in the same state. Here the subject of this sketch spent his youth and received a common-school education, which was supple- mented by a term or two in the Manlius Academy. He was married July 3, 1861, to Achsah J., daughter of Ephriam E. and Jerusha (Weston) Brown, a native of Pompey, then in her twentieth year. Four years later Mr. Gearey disposed of his property in Pompey, came to Highland, and bought the place which he still owns, one hundred and sixty acres of section 17. He has been prominent in township and county affairs from the first. At present is one of the county commissioners for Wabasha county, being elected on the democratic ticket ; has been township clerk four terms, assessor two years, and a supervisor one year. In state and national politics is a democrat, in local affairs, independent; is a member of the Masonic fraternity. Mr. Gearey is the father of four children, viz : George H., born July 4, 1866 ; James E., October 28, 1868 ; Susa A., Decembers, 1870 ; Arthur B., November 12, 1872. Mr. Gearey is one of the most enterprising and prosperous farmers of Highland. Charles H. Sibley, farmer, set his claim stakes on section 7, Mazeppa, in July, 1856. After a short time he sold his claim, and changed his location several times. He settled on section 8, where he still resides, in 1867. His mother, Lovina Churchill, was one of the first children born in Albany, New York. His father, Caleb Sibley, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, and served through the war of 1812, after which he settled at Albany and married. The subject of this sketch was born here in 1818. His father died when he was nine years old, and he was forced to earn his living from this 1158 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. time. At twentj'-three he began raasonwork in Livingston county. Here he met, wooed and won Miss Anna, daughter of Jesse Youngs, elsewhere mentioned. Mr. Sibley built the first stone foundation in Mazeppa, and that of the first steam mill in the county at Read's Landing. He is an ardent republican. On February 3, 1862, he enlisted in the 5th Minn, regt., Co. H, under Capt. More- house. This regiment served in the western army, and Mr. Siblej^ was an actor in the battle scenes at First Corinth, where his hip was ■dislocated by a fall from a bridge, and he was rendered unfit for service. He was accordingly discharged. On August 15, 1864, he joined the 1st Minn. Heavy Art. as cook, and continued with this regiment till the close of the war. Mr. and Mrs. Sibley joined the Baptist church in New York. They have four children living, having lost two, all residing in Mazeppa. Their names are : Lovina (Mrs: John Stull), William, Eliza and Charles. Lucy, the second- born, married Edward Stanton, and died, leaving two children. William Befort, farmer, has lived on section 30, Chester, since 1867, at which time he became possessed of one hundred and twenty acres. His was a hard struggle to secure a home. At the time of this purchase his capital consisted mostly of hope for the future. He paid down one hundred dollars of the one thousand dollars which was the price of his land. With a yoke of oxen and a wagon he went on and raised a crop, and by industry and prudence himself and wife have secured a good home. He has pui'chased eighty acres more of land, and has erected comfortable and handsome buildings. Mr. Befort is a native of Luxemburg, born in the village of Graven- macher, in August, 1827. At twenty-five he crossed the Atlantic and engaged in farm labor in Sheldon, New York. After spending three yeqrs in opening up a farm in Manitowoc county, Wisconsin, he returned to New York. In 1865 he came to Minnesota and worked two years for a farmer in Hay Creek, removing hither as above related. He paid as high as twenty-four per cent interest for money to tide him along. AVith his own hands he cut logs for his first house. He is a member of the Mazeppa Catholic church, with all his family, and has always been a democrat. He was married February 5, 1860, to Anna Develli, a native of Belgium. Eight children have been born to them, as follows : William, January 2, 1862 ; Mary C, November 16, 1863 ; Anna M., May 15, 1867; John P., March 30, 1869; Catharina, February 13, 1871; Elizabeth C, May 21, 1873 ; Francis N., August 12, 1875 ; Agnes M., January 9, 1878. OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1159 Elijah Koscoe Cornwell, junior member of the Plainview hard- ware firm ot C. C. Cornwell & Son, was born in Willoughbj, Lake county, Ohio, September IT, 1847. His youth was chiefly spent on a farm in Lowell, Dodge county, Wisconsin, whither his father removed when E. R. was about six years old. He acquired the rudiments of an education in a district school, and in his seven- teenth year, spring of 186-4, he enlisted as a volunteer in the 39th Wis., and served about six mouths under Gen. C. C. Washburn at Memphis, being there at the time Forrest made his raid. From the spring of 1865 to the spring of 1867 he worked as a mill-hand in the Winnebago City Mills. He then came to Plainview, where his father was living, and the next year became a partner with Henry Horton in a wagon-shop. This copartnership was dissolved in 1S73, when he found employment as a clerk in his fathers hardware store, where he became a partner in 1876. In 1869, November 29, he married Emily Adell Burchard, daughter of the late R. Burchard, a prominent business man and ]3ioneer of Plainview. To this worthy couple the following children have been born, namely : Florine, April 13, 1871 ; Charlie, December 25, 1872 ; Nellie (deceased), October 16, 1876 ; Florence, July 17, 1878 ; Frankie, August 18, 1880 ; and Baby, April 27, 1883. Mr. Cornwell is a worthy mem- ber of Illustrious Lodge, No. 63, A.F.A.M., and Chapter, No. 36 ; also a Sir Knight, and bears a sword in Home Commandery, No. 5, of Rochester. Stephen Struble, one of the wealthiest farmers of Plainview township, is a native of Ohio, and was born about twelve miles northwest from Cincinnati, on August 24, 1828. His father, Joseph Struble, was a son of one of the first settlers in that part of Ohio, and was also born in the same county. His mother was the daughter of a Hamilton county farmer by the name of Street, and was one of a family of ten children, all living. Mr. Struble received a common-school education, and engaged in farming, removing with his parents in 1846, to Columbus, Indiana. At the age of twenty-one, he and a brother received the title to three hundred acres of land in Indiana. He continued to occupy this farm until 1867, when ill health induced him to dispose of this place, and seek a more salubrious climate. This he found on Greenwood prairie, where he bought three hundred and twenty acres of land on section 16, in Plainview, from C. O. Landon, and has ever since continued to make it his home. His residence, which cost him 1160 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. over four thousand dollars, and is one of the finest farmhouses in Wabasha county, is surrounded by a beautiful grove of young ever- greens and fruit-trees, and is situated one mile and a quarter east of Plainview. He makes a specialty of stock-raising — horses and hogs — and has ample barn accommodations for his extensive busi- ness in this line. His farm buildings, including his house, have cost him more than nine thousand dollars. He was married to Emily J. Graves, daughter of Lyman Graves, of New York State, March IT, 1853. The following children have been born to them : Elva (Mrs. J. C. Pope, of Lac qui Parle county) ; Alice (Mrs. Hay- den French, of Big Stone county); Edward L., farmer, of Plain- view township ; George, Delia, Orlando, Grace, Xenia and Stephen Wayne, at home. Mr. Struble is a democrat in politics, has been a supervisor, and is at present a member of the Plainview school- board. His religious views are expressed by the creed of the Universalists. Laconius M. Howard, farmer, Zumbro, is the twelfth of a family of thirteen children, and was born in Ellisburg, Jefferson county. New York, August 28, 1836. His father, Joseph Howard, was a soldier in the war of 1812. His mothers maiden name was Purley Franklin, and both parents were born in Vermont. All his life has been passed on a farm, and he had very limited schooling advantages. He remained on the old homestead after reaching maturity. January 13, 1857, he was married to Harriet, daughter of James and Polly Love, all born in Converse, Vermont. In August, 1824, Mr. Howard entered the 186th N. Y. regt., and served in the army of the Potomac till the close of the civil war. The battle of Petersburg was the only serious engagement in which he participated. In the fall of 1865 he came to Minnesota, and remained two years in Dodge county. In 1867 he bought eighty acres of land on section 17, this town, where he lived eleven years. He now owns one-fourth of that section, and a similar portion of sec- tion 18, where his home has been for the last five years. In 1871 he was worth nothing, but has struggled out of his difficulties, and is prosperous. In religious faith he agrees with the Methodists. Has always voted the democratic ticket. His children are all in this town. They were born as follows: James A., Januarys, 1858; Wilbur F., March 13, 1859 ; lona, June 22, 1862 (now Mrs. Jerome Hall); Franklin D., September 11, 1869. OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1161 Nicholas Bartholome, farmer, Chester, is a native of Luxem- burg, born in Colbach, in March, 1834. All his life has been passed on a farm. When eleven years old he went to France, and stayed there two and one-half years, and became master of the French tongue as well as his native one. In 1854 he came to Utica, New York, and was employed as a farm and railroad laborer. In 1866 he went back to Europe, and came to Minnesota next year. He now has one hundred acres of land on section 5, where he has dwelt for eleven years. He was married, February 10, 1873, to Catharine Jacobs, who was born in Befort, Luxemburg. Mr. Bartholome has always been a democrat. Himself and family are members of Belle Chester Catholic church. The children were born as here noted : Peter U., Christmas, 1873 ; Dominick, May 27, 1875 ; John N., December 22, 1876 ; Annie M., October 24, 1878 ; Elizabeth, November 19, 1880 ; Mary J., August 19, 1882. John Anderson, clerk, in charge of merchandise department of the Knapp, Stout & Co. Companj^'s business here, has been in the employ of the company nearly ten years. Mr. Anderson was born near Yexio, Sweden, and came to America with his father's family in 1857, at which time he was seven years of age. They settled in Chisago county, in this state, on a farm, and there young Anderson remained until lie was eighteen years of age. His education was received in the district schools of that county, and afterward in the village of Pepin, where he was engaged in clerking prior to coming to Bead's Landing. July 20, 1871, he married Miss Sarah Holden, of Pepin. They have three children : Mabel, born August 20, 1872 ; Maud, December 17, 1877; Norman E., September 22, 1881. Mr. Anderson is a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal churcli in this place, and since his connection therewith has been recording steward of the society. William Witte, general merchandise, store on north side water street, on which it fronts twenty-five feet, running forty feet to the levee in the rear. Business established in this city in 1879.' Mr. Witte is a native of Hanover ; received his education in the college of St. John, at Hazlake, and came to America in 1865. Two years later he removed to Wabasha, and was for a time clerk in general store of Lucas Kuehn, at that place, and was for eleven years in the store of H. Duerre, who died here on April 20, 1879. April 20, 1871, Mr. Witte married Miss C. Brass,. of this city. Their 1162 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. children, four in number, are all in attendance upon the public schools of this city. They are : Herman, born January 15, 1872 ; Helen, April 30, 1874; William, February 21, 1876; Bernard, January 7, 1878. Wabasha Foundry and Machine-Shop. This industry is located on the west half of block 17, original town site of Wabasha, the east half being occu}>ied by the mill of the Wabasha Milling Co. The entire block is traversed by the spur tracks of the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul railway, which afford ample facilities for ship- ping purposes. The business was established in 1869 by M. F. Lowth & Co., who erected the buildings that year and started their machinery the following spring. These buildings are : a two and one-half story machine-shop, 40 X 50 feet ; a foundry, 40 X 50 feet ; a paint shop, 36x40 feet, and a blacksmith-shop with two forges. Lowth & Co. were succeeded, in 1874, by Dayton, McDougall & Co., and they in turn by the Wabasha Manufacturing Co., who gave place to the firm of Downer & Porter, and this latter, on the death of the senior member, John B. Downer, in October 1882, to the firm of Campbell & Porter, the present proprietors. During all these changes Mr. Porter has stood by the concern, having been a member of the original firm of Lowth & Co. The business consists in the manufacture and repair of portable and stationary engines and steamboat-work, as well as general foundry and machinery busi- ness. The shops are equipped with two lathes (fifteen-foot bed), an iron planer, an engine of fourteen-horsepower, and all the other necessary machinery for their line of work, which is largely for the lumbermen of the Chippewa and Beef Slough logging companies. Their cupola has a capacity of from two and one-half to three tons of metal, and they are well equipped for filling all orders. Their present working force is from six to eight hands. The present mem- bers of the firm are W. H. Campbell and O. H. Porter. O. H. Porter is a native of Pennsylvania, a moulder by trade, and has been a resident of this city about fourteen years. He was born in 1833 ; came into Michigan at nineteen years of age ; learned his trade in Tecumseh, in that state, and in 1856 removed to Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, and was there until the breaking out of the war of the re- bellion, July 13, 1861. He enlisted as a musician ; was afterward promoted fife-major, and was mustered out of service in 1863, re- turning to Wisconsin. December 6, of that year, he married Bar- bara Yambor. One daughter was born to them on October 3, 1864, OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1163 Miss Nellie J., who grackiated from the high school of this city in class of 1882 ; is now pursuing her studies at the State Normal School, Winona, from which she will graduate in the class of 1884. William L. Hardy, blacksmith, Plainview, was born in Hamil- ton county, Ohio. He was the son of a saddletree maker by the name of Henry Hardy, who married Libby Lemmon, the daughter of a Baptist clergyman, of Hamilton county. While William was yet a cliild his parents removed to Dublin, Wayne county, Indiana. Here the death of bis mother occurred when he was about twelve years old, and he was bound out to a farmer by the name of Isaac Smith, a Hicksite quaker, with whom he found a home for six years. By consent of Mr. Smith he left the employ of the latter at the age of eighteen, and went to work with his brother, at the saddletree trade, in Dublin. He afterward learned blacksmithing in the shop of E. Lemmon, Esq., of Dublin, and continued to wield the sledge in various Indiana towns for a number of years, dur- ing which time he met at Pendleton, and married Miss Sarah E. Huston, the daughter of a Pendleton mechanic by the name of John Huston, February 15, 1855. This lady was born on the Erench Grant, Ohio, near Portsmouth, on August 7, 1838. Mr. Hardy shouldered a musket in the 63d Ind., in 1862. He was afterward detailed a blacksmith, and served Uncle Sam, as well as ill-health would permit him, until the war closed. In 1867 he came to Plainview and resumed his old trade in the blacksmith-shop of D. R. Sweezy, afterward with Mr. Pomoroy, then formed a copartnership with Mr. Sweezy, and finally with Samuel Purvis. The firm have a fine shop on Washington street, Plainview, and both gentlemen occupy comfortable homes, which they own in the same block. Mr. Hardy has two children, namely, Edward O., married, and residing in Plainview, a fireman on the Nortliwestern railroad, and Charles L., jeweler, of Granite Falls, Minnesota. Philip Arendt is one of the largest farmers of Chester township. His estate now includes five hundred and eighty acres, all but thirty of which are improved, and has been made by his own indus- try and thrift from small beginnings. He was born in Belgium, on December 6, 1847. His father was a farmer, and till twelve years old he passed the life of a Belgian farmer's son, receiving a fair common school education in his native tongue. In 1860 his parents crossed the Atlantic, and settled at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. From that time young Philip earned his own livelihood, and had no 11 ()4 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. chance for Eno^lisli schooling. Two years were spent in learning the shoemaker's trade, after which lie worked as journeyman in Mil- waukee, Chicago and other cities. He was married in Milwaukee, on March 28, 1870, to Miss Kate Ludovise, a native ot Wisconsin. In 1868 Mr. Arendt came to Chester, but soon removed to Dakota county, where for five years he kept a saloon and shoemaker's-shop combined. Tiring of the associations attending the liquor trade, he returned to Chester, and bought one hunch-ed and sixty acres on sections 7 and 8. In 1876 he built the large residence on section 8, which he occupies. Two years later he built a granary, 22x32, with basement, and two years after ^ barn, 40x60. In 1876 he dug a well near the house, and found, at a depth of sixty-four feet, a perfectly preserved piece of wood, which he still retains. The family is mcluded in Belle Chester Eoman Catliolic society, and inchides children born as follows: Nicholas, January 6, 1871 ; Susan, March 6, 1872 ; Josephine, December 3, 1874 ; Mary, September 1, 1876 ; Peter, March 8, 1878 ; August, July 19, 1879 ; Catharine, August 22, 1881 ; Margaret, August 3, 1883. A daughter was born August 28, 1873, and christened Josephine, but soon died. Thus, for each of four callendar years in succession, a child was born. Richard C. Carroll, farmer, is a native of County Kilkenny, Ireland. His parents were Richard and Ellen Commerford-Carroll, to whom were born eight children. When sixteen years old he emi- grated to St. Louis, where he passed two years in a wholesale grocery house. After spending one year in Memphis he located in Arkansas, and afterward returned to St. Louis. W^ith the exception of the first two years, his attention while in the south was occupied in the nursery and greenhouse business, and in landscape gardening, in all of which he was quite successful. The year 1864 found him at Fort Benton, Montana, and about four years were passed here^in the mercantile business. In 1868 he located in Mount Pleasant, where he began the life of a farmer, and now owns two hundred and eighty acres of fine land. He was married December 2, 1871, to Mary A. Rahilly. They have five children : Richard M. (deceased), Ellen M., Winnifred C, Alice E., Margaret M. Mr. Carroll and wife belong to the CathoMc church. In politics he is a democrat in prin- ciple, though he generally votes for the best man regardless of party. He has held offices in the township, and is one of its prosperous farmers and substantial citizens. OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1165 Stephen K. Gates, retired farmer, Lake City, is descended from an old New England family of English origin. His father, Isaac Gates, was a native of New Hampshire, and married Hannah Ken- d'all, of Yermont. Eeuben, father of Hannah Kendall, enlisted in the revolutionary army at sixteen, and served through the great struggle. Isaac Gates dwelt with his family in 1815 at Ackworth, New Hampshire, where the subject of this sketch was born June 30. When the latter was thirteen the family went to Windsor, Yermont, where he grew to manhood on a farm. Mr. Gates attended an academy one year after he had become of age, and earned enough to defray the expense of such a course. He engaged largely in farming in Yermont for many years, and then retired to a small estate. In 1855 he visited the west, and purchased land far from this city, in Wisconsin, of which he still owns a part. In 1868 he removed to Lake City, and having decided to remain here, sold his eastern home two years later. Keal-estate dealings and loans have occupied his attention somewhat here. In 1841 he married Sarah, daughter of Oliver and Sally Hale, all born in Windsor, Yermont. Mr. Gates is sceptical about the divinity and truth of the Bible, but contributes liberally to the support ot the Episcopal church, which claims all the other members of the family. He has always been a consistent adherent to the principles of the republican party. Two daughters constitute the offspring of this family. The elder is Mrs. W. K. Murray, of this city, mentioned elsewhere ; the younger, Hannah Frances, married Eev. Charles H. Plummer, now rector of the Episcopal church at Branford, Connecticut. Oliver Carlson, carpenter, Lake City, is a native of Sweden, born in Blikinge county, in the southern part of that kingdom, October 16, 1845. His early life was passed on a farm, and he received the common-school education of his native tongue. When sixteen years old he was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade, and this has ever since occupied his attention. In 1869 he set out for America, and came direct to Lake City. He at once entered the employ of E. Alexander, a contracting builder, and served this till 1880, when he became the partner of his employer. In 1883 this firm built the county poorhouse, and the handsome brick schoolhouse in the second ward of this city. Mr. Carlson is a member of the A.O.U.W., and an independent republican. In January, 1872, he was married to Hannah Johnson, who was born three years previous 1166 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. to her Inisband, neur tlie same place. Their offspring are christened and aged as here noted : Caroline, thirteen ; Ethan Elmer, seven, and Julia, five years. Edwahd Strk'ki.and (deceased) was born in Goosnargh, Lan- cashire, England, August 2, 1811. He early learned tlie trade of mason and builder, which occupied most of his life. Married March 27, 1840, the bride being Miss Ann Knight, born December 22, 1820, within nine miles of her husband's birthplace. In 1849 Mr. Strickland came to America and settled at Joliet, Illinois, where he remained eighteen years and followed his trade. In 1863 he bought eighty acres of land on section 13, Zumbro, on which he dwelt from 1867 till his death, July 20, 1879. Besides his widow, four children survive him, as here named : Isabella, born June 2, 1843, married Abram King, resides La Crescent ; Richard (see be- low) ; John, December 5, 1848, Zumbro Falls ; William, December 2, 1854, tliis town ; James T., November 11, 1859, died August 2, 1883. The parents were reared as Episcopals. Richard Strickland was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, De- cember 24, 1845. He was seven years old when he came to the United States, and twenty- two on ari-ival here. His education was supplied by the common schools of Illinois. Has always followed farming. In 1873 bought forty acres of land on section 23, where he resides. Was married January 15, 1876, to Viola O'Connor, born in Dodge county, Wisconsin, January 15, 1848. Mr. and Mrs. Strickland are members of the Wesleyan Methodist church. Like his father, the former is a democrat. Their children were born as follows : AVillis Edward, July 20, 1878 ; Ethel Irene, June 4, 1882. Sidney Corp, farmer, is located on section 29, Zumbro, where he settled in 1860, and now has three hundred and eighty acres. He is a native of England, born February 15, 1832, in Wanstrow, Somersetshire. His early years were passed on a farm and in at- tendance at a rate school. In 1850 he crossed the Atlantic and settled at Brecksville, Ohio, where he learned the carpenter's trade, and continued at that occupation till he came here. In 1854 he went to Melrose, Illinois, from whence he removed to Minnesota. As soon as he was settled here he set about improving his land and set- ting out trees. He is now one of our model farmers, and was the first to ship fruit from this section. September 25, 1853, he married Elizabeth, sister of James Arnold, parentage elsewhere given. Both are among the earliest admitted to the AVesleyan Methodist church OTHEE IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1167 here. In politics Mr. Corp is independent of parties. Their only child, Annie, born June 4, 1S54, is now the wife of Harry L. Eolph and resides near her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Rolph have two daughters. Geo. D. Phillips, farmer, was born in Aberdeenshire, Scot- land, April 1, 1820. His parents were Alexander and Elizabeth Smith-Phillips, to whom were born twelve children, George being tenth. At the age of eleven the subject of our sketch left the home- stead, going to Banffshire, where he resided many years. Here he was married January 1, 1839, to Helen Annand, of Banffshire. Shortly after he leased a farm which he worked until 1868, when he came with his family to Wabasha county. The first two years of his residence here were spent in Mount Pleasant township, and in 1870 he located in West Albany, where he now lives. He has a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres acquired solely by his own economical industry. Mrs. Piiillips departed this life November, 1877. She was the mother of eight children : James, deceased ; Mrs. Mary A. Smith, of Lyon county ; George, a farmer of Mount Pleasant ; William, Mrs. Helen Wilson, of this township, Alexan- der, John, James E. Mr. Phillips is a member of the United Presbyterian church, as was also his wife. He is a republican, but has never been an office-seeker. • Frank Conrad, Chester, farmer, was born near Arlow, Belgium, April 3, 1842. When he was fourteen years old his father, William Conrad, came to the United States and settled on a farm at Port Washington, Wisconsin. His mother, Barbara, died when he was five years old, and his father now resides with him. Mr. Conrad never attended an English school. In 1867 he came to this town and bought eighty acres of land on section 3, and he now has two hundred acres of beautiful farming land, and is independent. In 1883 on one hundred and fifty acres he produced thirteen hundred bushels of wheat, five hundred and fifty of barley, six hundred of oats and one hundred and fifty of potatoes. The corn crop of the whole region was a failure. Mr. Conrad was married in February, 1870, to Mary Gregoire, born in the same locality as he. Their children were given them and christened as below : July 19, 1871, Mary Josephine ; November 5, 1872, John B. ; November 20, 1874, Michael ; April 20, 1877, Paul ; April 11, 1880, Joseph. All the family are communicants in Belle Chester Catholic church. * Paul Conrad, farmer, was born in the same place as his brother above, in April, 1848. He was but eight years old when his father 71 1168 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. brought him to the United States, and his training has been the same as that described above. In 1872 he bought a farm near Lake City, in Goodhue county, where he lived six years. He then sold out and purchased one-fourth of section 20, Chester, where he now resides. He began in this state with nothing but his hands, and is now independent. He was married in February, 1872, to Catharine Poncelet, a native of Luxemburg. Their children were born as follows : William, April 27, 1873 ; Frank, March 22, 1875 ; Mary, February 1-i, 1877 ; Annie, March 31, 1879 ; Kosa, December 13, 1880 ; Susie, January 21, 1882. All are baptized in the Koman Catholic church. Thomas P. Stearns, agent for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway, and the Mazeppa Mill Co., at Millville, is a native of Columbia, South Carolina, born in 1848. He is the youngest son of Arba and Catherine G. A. Stearns, tlie former native of New York and the latter of South Carolina. He resided some in South Carolina and Alabama, but when the war began he joined Gov. "Watts' scouts and fought for the country of his birth, a lad though he was. When twenty years old he sought a northern home, his southern one destroyed, and lived with his uncle in Monroe, Wis- consin, for a time. Plainview, this county, was his next home, and after clerking here for live years and then farming for three years he came to Millville, the first express and railway agent and wheat buyer in the place. His present standing shows he has made it a success. He is a Master Mason, Koyal Arch Mason and Knight Templar, and has been an Odd-Fellow. He was married in 1883, to Katie A. Holihan, of Wabasha, his second wife. He has one child, Arba L., by his first wife. Martin A. Grove, farmer, county commissioner, was born in 1845, in Norway. He is the youngest son of Andrew and Ina Grove, both natives of Norway. When our subject was five years old they came to America, Blackearth, Wisconsin. Here Mr. Grove received his education, and when nineteen years old he enlisted in the 38th Wis., Co. G, and went to near Petersburg, Virginia, in South Side Railroad battle, and other skirmishes before Petersburg for about two months, then (April 2, 1865) the taking of Petersburg and Richmond. Here he was wounded by a shot through the left arm, below the elbow, which has disabled his arm. He was dis- charged and sent to Madison, Wisconsin. Here, soon as able, he clerked for about three years. In 1868 he clerked in Plainview and OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1169 Lake City ; altogether three years, when he settled on his present farm in Oakwood, of one hundred and sixty acres of all cultivated and well improved land. In Dakota he has a three hundred acre farm, one hundred and sixty acres cultivated. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, A.F.A.M. order, and G.A.R. He has been county commissioner for live years. In political belief he is a republican, and one of our most influential citizens. He was married in 1869, to Miss Mary Christopher, a native of Norway. They have six children. John Reiland, farmer, dwells on section 5, Chester, where he purchased land in 1869. His estate includes two hundred and forty acres of fine farming land, and he is prosperous and independent. Mr. Reiland is among the most exemplary men of the township. He is a member Belle Chester Catholic church, and a democrat. In 1863 he married Mary Bartolmy, born in Kaalbach, Luxemburg. Mr. Reiland was born in the same duchy, in the village of Holtz, Christmas day, 1840, Eight children have been given to him, and christened : Nicholas, Dominick, John P., Peter, Joseph, Michael, Catharine and Anna, John Beckman (deceased) was born in the northern part of Sweden, June 21, 1845. Angeline Sophia Johnson, now widow of the deceased, was born in the southern part of the same country, March 27, 1828, and was united to him April 5, 1871. In 1869 Mr. Beckman left his native land and came direct to Lake City. For some time he engaged in various occupations ; he became owner of a quarter-section of land in Gillford, which he tilled up to the time of his death. In 1871 he built the "Marion Street House," which continued to be his residence thereafter, and where he died of con- sumption, September 17, 1881. During his American citizenship, Mr. Beckman was a loyal supporter ot the republican party. All the family were baptized and reared in the Lutheran church. There are two daughters, born and christened as below : February 7, 1872, Anna S.; April 1, 1875, Alice E. Michael O. Kemp, of the firm of Kemp & Schmidt, dealers in general merchandise. Lake City, was born in Tifiin, Ohio, October 18, 1848. His parents, Frank and Clara, were natives of Belgium. Michael attended the city schools of Tiffin till fourteen years old, when his parents removed to Galena, Illinois, and he began to earn his own livelihood. He was employed as clerk in a store till 1869, and then came to Wabasha, where he was similarly occupied. In 1170 iriSTOKY OF WABASHA COUNTY. 1S77 the firm named above was organized, and began business in Lake City. Mr. Kemp is bookkeeper of the establishment, where are kept drygoods, clothing, furnishings, groceries and crockery, with annual sales of about twent^^-five thousand dollars. In the great fire of 1882 the stock was destroyed, causing a loss in excess of insurance of two thousand dollars. The firm is now established at the corner of Center and Washington streets, with entrance on each, and owns the adjoining building on Washington. The subject of this paragraph came to Wabasha county with only his health and business talent, and has earned the reward of industry. In 1875 he wedded Miss Anna Hosch, born in Dubuque. Iowa, of German parents. The children given to this union have been christened as named below, in the order of birth : Francis, Clara and John. AViLLiAM Parkinson, farmer, Zumbro, was born early in June, 1833, in the parish of Clitherow, Lancashire, England. At nine years of age he began work in a cotton factory, and afterward served as groom and gardener with a clergyman. His educational ])rivileges were very limited. April 10, 1861, he was united in marriage with Ellen Eastham, born Knight, in Gisbon Forest, Yorkshire, October 26, 1831. They set sail for the United States in February, 1864. After spending three years as gardener in Joliet, Illinois, and two in the lumber regions of eastern AVisconsin, Mr. Parkinson settled in this town, arriving May 4, 1869. He bought eighty acres of land on section 14, where he now resides. He had barely sufficient capital to purchase his land, on which only six acres were broken. Pie rented a farm for three years, and in the meantime broke up his own. He is now comfortably situated. Mr. Parkinson became a citizen as soon as he could, and has always voted with the republican party. The family are Episcopalians. There are four children, born as fol- lows: James W., January 24, 1863; Joseph, September 14, 1866; Elizabeth E., September 28, 1869 ; Mary A., August 15, 1873. Mrs. Parkinson's first husband was John Eastham, who left one son, now residing with this family, Richard Eastham, born May 14, 1859. Michael Hart, farmer, Chester, was born in Gravenmacher, Luxemburg, June 22, 1839. When sixteen j^ears old, his leg was broken by a wagon, and he has always been lame since. From nineteen to twenty-seven he was employed in operating a stationary engine. (His brother Marcus, six years his elder, came to Erie county, New York, in 1856. Eeturning to Europe in the fall of 1865, he was married on January 1, 1866, to Elizabeth Olding, born OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1171 in tlie same village. When he returned to Xew York he was accompanied by the subject of this sketch. In 1869 he came to Chester and bought one hundred and twenty acres of land on sec- tions 19 and 20, where he died March 16, 1872. He left two chil- dren, John M., born 1S67, and Matthias J., 1869, now with their mother.) After spending some years in farm labor in New York, Michael Hart stayed four years at Pewaukee, Wisconsin, where run an engine most of the time. He came to Chester in 1870, and assisted his brother in the operation of the farm, in which he owned an interest. In 1873 he married his brother's widow, and they have just added eighty acres to the farm by purchase. When Mr. Hart arrived in America he was thirty dollars in debt, and has secured a competence by industry and frugality. He has two children, Annie, born 1875, and William, 1877. All the family are members of Belle Chester church. John Schermult, native of Germany, was born in Mengers- kerchen, May 6, 1811, of German parents. His education was obtained in a common school of his native country. His youth was spent at home, and was employed most of the time as a painter. About the age of twenty-three he moved to America, visited Chicago, St. Paul, Stillwater and Redwing respectively, and finally settled at Wabasha, in 1 869, where he commenced in the po]) factory business, and continued in same till 1875 with good success. He then engaged in the restaurant business, and has followed same ever since. Mr. Schermuly fought in the Austrian army during the war with Prussia, in 1866, and was sergeant of 4th company in the 1st regi- ment of the Duke of Nassau. He is a member of the Odd-Fellows and Freemason societies of this city, and also of the Turn-Verein. He was married in 1868, to Fannie Eberwine. They are the parents* of nine children, five of whom are living. His present circum- stances are fair. A. D. SouTHwoRTH, iusurauce, office on south side Main street, between Alleghaney and Church streets. This business was estab- lished in 1872, by Mr. Southworth. The fire protection represented by him aggregates fifty-eight million six hundred and forty-nine thousand two hundred and sixty-three dollars, and includes the leading companies in Great Britain and America. The assets of the life insurance companies for which he is agent are placed at one hundred and thirteen million three hundred and nine thousand eight hundred and six dollars. Mr. Southworth was born in Oneida 1172 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. county, New York, August 13, 1829, and was variously employed, working on the farm, attending and teaching school, etc., until 1853, when he removed to Illinois, and for two years was employed on the survey and construction of the Illinois Central railway. In 1855 he removed to Lodi, Illinois, and was engaged in surveying and real estate until 1862, when he was aj^pointed deputy collector and inspector of liquors for the seventh internal revenue district of Illinois. This position Mr. Southworth held until 1870, when he removed to "Wabasha county, and settled on a tract of thirteen acres, which he had purchased within the corporation of the city of Wabasha, in what is known as the west side. This property has been added to from time to time, until it now embraces a tract of one hundred and forty acres of richly productive land, the meadows yielding this season three and a half tons per acre for the first cut- ting, and his potato and oat fields giving promise of an abundant crop. In addition to the home farm, Mr. Southworth owns three hundred and twenty acres of bottom land just across the river in Wisconsin, and a farm of two hundred acres over on the Zumbro, in Wabasha county. Two years after coming to this city, Mr. Southworth, in connection with W. F. Florer, established the exchange bank of A. D. Southworth & Co., for particulars concerning which see article on "banks." Mr. Southworth was married in 1857, and one daughter. Miss Mary L. Southworth, the child of that marriage, is now attending school at Wellesley, Massachusetts. Mrs. South- worth dying in 186-1, Mr. Southworth remarried the following year. Two children of the second marriage survive : George A. and Cornelia H. Mr. Southworth's family residence is in a beautiful spot on the high bank of the Mississippi, about a mile from the business center of the city, and commands a magnificent view of river scenery, from the outlet of Lake Pepin to Alma, ten miles below, on the AVisconsin shore. F. J. CoRNWELL, the leading drygoods and general merchant of Plain view, was born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1836, where he remained until thirteen years of age, during which time he had the misfortune to lose both his parents. Nothing daunted, young Coriiwell struck out for Burk county, in his native state, and five years clerked for his brother-in-law, when he returned to the scenes of his childhood, and continued to clerk in the place of his birth until 1856. Then, at the age of twenty, he moved noi-thwest into Dodge county, Minnesota, and in a similar position in general mer- OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1173 chandise served Porter & Lock, and otliers, until at the end of two years and a half he hired to L. E. Casey, at Cordova. Illinois. In 1861, still in Mr. Casey's employ, he removed with him to Winona, and continued until 1S63. At this time he went to St. Charles, and engaged in business with J. Himsted & Co., still clerking, and for two and a half years longer, at which time he removed to Plain- view, where he commenced operations as partner of the St. Charles firm. At the end of the next year Himsted sold his interest to one John Taylor, and the business continued as J. Taylor & Co. In 1872 Mr. Cornwell sold out to J. Taylor, and for two years and a half next succeeding acted in the capacity of bookkeeper for Ozias Wilcox, until the summer of 1875, when he went south. In December of the same year a telegram announcing the low con- dition of his late employer summoned him to return and take charge of the business. Wilcox died January 1, following, and January 12 Mr. Cornwell reopened the business, and ran it in the interest of the family of deceased until June of the same year, when he became sole proprietor. In 1876 he removed to and became the first occupant of the spacious brick building, the finest business building in the town, and built by A. Y. Felton, of creamery notoriety. In 1881 — a self-made man — Mr. Cornwell purchased the building, thus becoming the sole proprietor of both building and business. He is the owner of other real estate in Fargo. The subject of this sketch is reputed to be the most pros- perous merchant in this vicinity, and generally liked for his busi- ness tact, impartial dealing and careful self-respect. J. Leininger, the only jeweler in Plain view, started business in the Ml of 1870. He belongs to Eedwing Association, is married and has three children. John B. Gregoire, implement dealer, is a native of Belgium, his birth dating February 5, 1853. His father, whose name was the same as his own, emigrated to the United States in 1856, and settled in Calumet county, Wisconsin. Here the subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, receiving a good common-school education in both English and German. In 1870 he came to Chester, this county, and engaged in farm labor. In 1873 he was employed in the sale of farm machinery by C. F. Rogers, of Lake City, and remained in his service four years. In 1878, with J. W. Kingsley, he opened a machinery depot at Mazeppa, and four years later bought out his partner. His sales now exceed twenty-live thousand dollars per 1174 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. year, including the celebrated McCormick machines. He is the owner of a line residence in the village, and also his warehouse on the principal business street (First). His possessions have been acquired by his own energy in business from a small beginning. On Septem- ber 10, 1S83, he was married to Miss Anna Clemens, of this village. Mr. Gregoire is a member ofMazeppa lodge, I.O.O.F., of which he is now secretary ; is also a Freemason ; is a member of St. Peter's Catholic church here. In politics he is a republican ; was three years village marshal, and is now deputy sheriff of the county. William H. Hobbs, Lake City, is the son of George H. and Sarah M. (Crandall) Hobbs, and was born at Buffalo, New York, October 12, 1855. His father was a native of Grand Isle, Vermont, and was by trade a machinist and engineer. His mother was born in Saratoga, New York, and her parents in the State of Khode Island. Her father was a soldier in the war of 1812. In 1859 the family removed to Wisconsin, where our subject's father enlisted in the war for the Union as a member of Co. I, 11th Wis. Vol. Inf., in 1861. Soon after his connection with military affairs he was trans- ferred to the naval service and assigned a position as first assistant engineer on the gunboat Osage on its famous expedition up the Red River. Wm. H. received a good common-school education, as well as the mason's trade, after his removal to Lake City in 1870. He followed his trade in this state about seven years, principally as a contractor and builder. In 1879 he entered the hardware store of J. Cole Doughty as salesman, and about two years later bought an interest in the business, which was again sold in the winter of 188-1. As an evidence of the esteem in which he is held b}^ his fellow citizens, he was elected to city school board in the spring of 1883, and on its behalf superintended the erection of the new brick school built that year. One meritorious trait of character in Mr. Hobbs is bis manly and filial treatment of his widowed mother, who resides" with him in this city. He has an only sister, Lura M., now Mrs. C. S. Lilley, of this city. "^ Edward M. Card, attorn ej'-at-law, Lake City, was born in New port county, in the State of Rhode Island, June 2, 1828. His parents, John L. and Catharine B. (Mott) Card, moved to Otsego county. New York, in 1835. The most of his early daj^s were spent in the schoolroom, his leisure-time on the farm with his parents. In October, 1819, he entered the law office of Judge Thomas Mcintosh, at Hartwick, New York, where he pursued the study of law till his OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1175 accession to the bar in July, 1852. In the fall of the same year he opened an office in Portlantlsville, in the same county, and there practiced, his profession till 1855. He then removed to Hartwick, where he formed a law partnership with his old preceptor, Judge Mcintosh. In 1857 this partnership was dissolved, Judge Card continuing here in practice till 1863. - In the fall of this year he was elected judge of the surrogate court of Otsego county, which then contained a population of some fifty thousand. This was a sharp and closely contested election, and he was returned with a small majority over his democratic competitor, Judge Mcintosh, and was the youngest man ever elected to that honorable and important trust in the county. The same fall he removed to Cooperstown, the county seat, and on January 1, 1864, entered upon the discharge of his official duties. During the four years of Judge Card's official career he creditably acquitted himself as a jurist eminently fitted to sustain the high honor of the bench and bar. In the fall of 1867 he declined a renomination and resumed the legal practice without change of residence till 1871, when he came west, settling in Lake Cit}^, where he now resides. The season of 1872 was mostly spent by him looking after his farming interests in Wisconsin. In March, 1873, he opened a law office in this city, .and actively entered on his pro- fessional practice, which has since been extended over five or six counties surrounding Lake City, on both sides of the Mississippi. Much of his time during the past year has been spent away from home, engaged in important trials, involving life, liberty and property. The result of these trials has established for Judge Card the reputation of being one of the leading lawyers of the state, and as such has been prominently referred to by the local and city papers. In March, 1853, E. M. Card and Miss Eliza Halstead were united in mar- riage at Westville, New Yoi-k. Mrs. Card is a daughter of Kev. Henry Halstead, of New York. They have one child, christened Jessie E., who graduated from St. Mary's Academy, at Faribault, in June, 1882. George F. Benson, banker, Lake City, is a son of John and Lucy A. (Adams) Benson, natives of New Hampshire. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1834, and educated in the schools of that city, and Philips' Exeter Academy, at Exeter, New Hamp- shire. When seventeen years of age he went to Buffalo, New York, and found employment in the office of a lumberman, where he remained about eight years. In 1860 he engaged in the lumber trade at South Bend, Indiana, and two years later removed his busi- 1176 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. ness to Plymouth, same state. He became a resident of Lake City in 1871, and was one of the organizers of the First National Bank, and was president of that institution from August 19, 1873, to" November 17, 1876. In 1877 he became a stockholder in the Lake City Bank, and is now director, and one-fourth owner, of this solid establishment. He is a member of the masonic order, the Episcopal church, and the republican party. Maktin & Greer, attorneys-at-law, Lake City, office in Lyon block, corner of Lyon avenue and Washington street, successors of Scott & Halm, formerly a ])rominent law firm of this city, the latter now attorney-general for the State of Minnesota, will act as their legal adviser in complicated and important cases. This is one of the most promising law firms in Lake City, if not in the county, and are in possession of the only complete set of abstracts, at this time, in the county. James M. Martin, the senior member of the firm, was born in Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, October 10, 1851. His parents, James M. and Emily (Alexander) Martin, were natives of the same state, and bj^ occupation farmers. Young James occupied his time on the farm and attending the country schools till the age of sixteen, when he entered the Columbia Classical Institute, and diligently pursued his studies four years. In 1871 he came to Lake city, and at once took a position in the city schools as assistant superinten- dent. This position he retained till the close of 1873, when he turned his entire attention to the reading of law, which he previously had begun, in the office of Scott & Hahn. He was admitted to the bar, May 15, 1876, and at once entered the law practice, form- ing a business partnership with his brother-in-law, Hon. W. J. Hahn. They opened a branch office at Wabasha, which he conducted till 1881, when Mr. Hahn was aj^pointed to the attorney-generalship ot Minnesota. In December of the same year he associated with him- self, in the abstract business, Mr. A. J. Greer, who the following May became a full-fledged lawyer. Mr. Martin was married June 12, 1879, to Miss J. Maggie Bell, daughter of Prof. John M. Bell, of Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, and has two children : James M. and Vernon Bell. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and he is prominently connected with the Masonic fraterni- ties of the city. Ali.ex J. Greer, the junior member of the firm, was born in Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, June 14, 1854. His parents, James OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1177 and Sarah A. (Carson) Greer, removed to Jefferson City, Missouri, in 1858, where he was in business at the outbreak of the late war. In 1861 he enlisted as a private in the war for the Union, and died of pneumonia at Helena, Arkansas, February 18, 1862, having risen to the rank of second lieutenant. lie was a native of Penn- sylvania, and a son of Adam Greer, who emigrated from the North of Ireland to America, with his wife and elder children, in about the year 1830. Mrs. Gi-eer finding it unsafe to remain in a country infested with rebels, Ku-kluxand borders ruffians, after her husband's enlistment, returned with her three small children to her old eastern home. In 1865 she came with her family to Lake City, where she was married in 1869, to the Rev. Silas Hazlett. Here young Greer began the rudiments of an education, which he completed with dis- tinction at the state university at Minneapolis, where he graduated June 5, 1879, with the degree of bachelor of science. To Mr. Greer is due the credit of making his own way through all the branches to the end of a complete scientific course, and is the first young man from Wabasha county so distinguished. After graduating from the State I^ormal at Winona in May, 1873, he secured a position as principal of the Carver, Minnesota, high school, where he taught two years previous to entering the State University. While pursu- ing his university course, he also (under authority of the state super- intendent of public instruction) taught county institutes in nearly all the counties in the state. In 1879 he was elected to the position of superintendent of schools for Wabasha county, and again in 1881, without opposition. Mr. Greer having had from childhood a taste for the legal profession, he devoted what little spare time he had, after 1879, to the reading law in the office of the Hon. Wm. J. Hahn, and was admitted to the bar in May, 1882, and at once be- came Mr. J. M. Martin's law partner. He was married February 21, 1882, to Miss Mary Dorman, daughter of D. B. Dorman, Esq., of Minneapolis, and has one son. Rev. John W. Ray. The subject of this sketch was born in Chester, now Auburn, New Hampshire. His father was Stark Ray, of Manchester, New Hampshire, and his mother was Hannah C. Wason, of Candia, New Hampshire. His grandfather Ray was from England, and was a soldier in the revolutionary war, under the renowned Gen. Stark, whose wife's sister he married. His mother was of Scotch-Irish descent. Her father was also in the revolutionary war. He spent his early life on a farm, enjoying the 1178 ■ HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. educational advantages of a common school, and of an academy, lie iitted for college at Pinkerton Academy, in Derrj-, New Hamp- shire, and entered Dartmouth College in 1839, graduating in 1843. After graduation, he engaged in teaching, following this profession for about thirteen years. He spent one year at Atkinson, New Hampshire, in the academy in that town. He was then invited to the principal school in Manchester, New Hampshire. At the end of one year this was constituted the high school of the city. From Manchester he went to Eastport, in Maine, as principal of the high school. Sickness compelled him to resign before the end of one year. He returned to New Hampshire, and on recoverj^ became associate principal with Prof. William Russell, in charge of the Mer- rimac Normal Institute of New Hampshire. On leaving this posi- tion, he was elected principal of Pembroke Academy, and soon after was elected principal of Pinkerton Academy, in Derry, New Hamp- shire, where he continued until he resigned to enter the ministry. Although finding the profession of teaching an agreeable work, he could not feel satisfied to relinquish the purpose he had in securing an education, and after taking a private course of theological study, he was licensed to preach in the autumn of 1856. While teaching he was active in temperance work, going through the long and laborious struggle f(n- a prohibitory temperance law in his native state. This was finally secured in 1855. He was also somewhat active in political life, holding several offices, and representing the town of Derry in the state legislature. But on entering the minis- try, he felt called upon to retire from active political life, and devote his energies to the one work on which he had ertered. In April, 1857, he was called to the Congregational church in Goft'stown, New Hampshire, and remained there till he came to Minnesota, in May, 1867. During this period he kept alive his interest in education by superintending schools, and in teaching in the institutes of the state. In 1867 he was called to the Presbyterian church in Hastings, Min- nesota, and labored there till 1872, when he accepted a call to the Congregational church of Lake City, Minnesota, having felt obliged to decline a previous call to the same church in 1867. While at Hastings, he kept alive his interest in education by superintending the schools of the city, and in some other forms of educational work. But on coming to Lake City, he felt that he ought to give up such work, and so held himself aloof from it. At Lake City he con- tinuedin the pastorate of the church, till December, 1866, when he OTHER IMPOETANT PERSONAGES. 1179 resigned, and was dismissed by council in the spring of 1867. At the time of the resignation, he had a severe affection of the ejes, so that his phj^sician assured him that he must abstain from all mental labor, or lose his sight. He yielded to this advice. About this time a foreign tour was decided upon, and he with his wife visited Europe, Egypt and the Holy Land. They were accom- panied as far as Geneva by their daughter and her husband, E. P. Gates, Esq. This trip had the desired effect of restoring his eyes to about their former condition. On his return he sup- plied the Congregational church at Wabasha, continuing his residence in Lake City. He pursued this course until the last sab- bath in 1882, and then accepted an invitation to supply the pulpit of the Presbyterian church of Lake City, in which work he is still engaged. He grew up from childhood in the Presbytei-ian church, of which he became a member when about seventeen years of age. He was married in July, ISli, to Miss Lucy Lee Sargent, daughter of Rev. Benjamin Sargent, of Chester, New Hampshire. She died July 17, 1815. He was married again on December 28, 1818, to Miss Georgeanna Babb, daughter of Dr. James Babb, of Manches- ter, New Hampshire. His children were James Stark, Lucy Helen and George Wason. Both boys died in childhood. Lucy Helen was married December 28, 1875, to E. P. Gates, Esq., of Lake City, formerly of Warsaw, New York. Mr. Ray is a faithful laborer in the cause he has espoused, and is content with the prospect that faith will reward, not only in this woi-ld, but more abundantly in that which is to come. Ora N. Smith (deceased), son of Jacob and Lovina Smith, was born in Leinster, New Hampshire, February 13, 1828. His paternal progenitors were English and the maternal were Scotch, He assisted his father during early life in the tillage of a farm and at carpenter work, so that when he began business on his own account he was master of a trade, and this occupied his time and yielded his livelihood always. In 1853 he was married in Vermont to Miss A. L. Felton, and removed two years later to Illinois. In 1866 he went to Michigan, and came thence to Lake City in Octo- ber, 1870. Here he built a house, made a pleasant home for him- self and fiimily, and was prepared to enjoy life, but was taken away by the fell destroyer September 9, 1882. The cause of his death at the early age of fifty -four was Bright's disease, and he was disabled for nearly a year before his demise. Two children, besides 1180 HISTORY OP^ WABASHA COUNTY. his widow, survive him. The eklest is mentioned beh3w. Flora C, born in Winnebago, Illinois, April 14, 18G0, remains with the mother as a help and stay. A dauojhter died here in November, 1877, aged nearly fourteen years. Mr. Smith's death was, no doubt, the result of exposure in the United States service. In 18C3 he joined an independent company of mechanics' fusileers, then form- ing for service in the war of the rebellion. After lying in Camp Douglas at Chicago for six months the company was disbanded without being called into service. While here Mr. Smith contracted inflammatory rheumatism, by which he was entirely disabled for some time, and from which he never fully recovered. Herbert L., eldest child of Ora N. Smith, was born in Orange county, Vermont, June 30, 1854. He attended school until fourteen years old, and then began to learn the printer's trade in Michigan. After his parents came here he was employed in this city and in Minneapolis. He founded the Lake City "Graphic" in 1882, being called upon to chronicle the death of his father in its tirst issue, September 12, 1882. At this time he had a partner named Russell, but the paper was shortly sold to a stock company and Mr. Smith placed in charge of the business. October 8, 1883, the business passed into the hands of Smith & Messmer, Mr. Smith having asso- ciated with himself for its purchase Mr. W. S. Messmer, much of whose work is found in this volume. While the latter looks after the editorial department, Mr. Smith is the active and efficient mana- ger of a prosperous and rapidly-growing business. He is an active member in the Masonic and Odd-Fellows' lodges, having taken the highest degrees in both orders. January 1, 1878, H. L. Smith and Mary A. Jones, of Lake City, were united in marriage. One daughter has been given this couple and christened Florence May. S. J. Johnson was born in Sweden in 1850. After receiving an education at Bersbo, and also at Janskaping high schools, he came to America in 1868, his father coming in 1870. Our subject came direct to Chicago, but still being restless, came to Minneiska. Ever since he has been in the employ of W. H. Hopkins as head clerk. He is married, and both are members of the Lutheran church. His wife's name was Anna Johnson, and they were married in 1865. William Henry Hopkins, merchant at AYeaver, was born at Villenovia, New York, in 1840. Mr. Hopkins is one of our self- made men, having attended school but very little. In 1861 he OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1181 visited Minneiska, and opened up a store, and the old maxim, For- tune favors the brave, held good in his case, for ever since he has prospered. At present he owns a fine brick block, 44 X 65 in Weaver, and deals in general merchandise and machinery. In politics he is independent, voting for good men without respect to party. He married Rachel E. Montgomery, of Lake City, and they have three children : Joseph William, now at Casselton, Dakota Territory ; Mary E. and Susie, both attending school at Winona. Fred Langer, farmer, was born in Portage, Wisconsin. He is the youngest son of Franz and RosaLanger, natives of Austria. When about twenty-eight years of age the elder Langer came to Wiscon- sin, and about ten years later bought their present farm of over five hundred acres, together about three hundred acres under cultiva- tion, and well improved. The elder Langer was drafted for service, but on arriving at St. Paul the war was closed. Fred is a member of the A.F. A.M. order. They both, especially the younger, vote for the man, in politics, regardless of ])avty. They are among our re- liable farmers. The elder Langer was married 1823, to Rosa Miller, of Austria. He has four children ; three in Dakota. M. A. Odink, druggist, bookseller, stationer and dealer in paints, oils, etc., Pembroke street, two doors south of Main, premises owned by Joseph Odink, father of the M. A. Odink. The drug house fronts twenty-five feet on Pembroke street, and extends fifty-eight feet to the rear. Business was established in 1878 as Legge & Odink, became Toussaint & Odink, and M. A. Odink in March, 1882. The presci'iption department is under charge of B. A. Slade, a graduate of the Chemical and Pharmaceutical department of the Illinois State University at Champaign. Business is good, and shows an increase of fifteen per cent over corresponding period of 1882. Mr. M. A. Odink is a native of Jackson county, Iowa ; came to this county when six years of age, his parents settling at Read's Landing. Young Odink attended school at home, and then at high school in Winona, taking a final course at Bryant & Stratton's Business College in Chicago, from which he graduated in 1870. He is unmarried, and resides with his parents on Fourth street. Benjamin F. Leininger, jeweler, of Plainview, was born August 8, 1847, of farmer parents, in Green county, Ohio. He received a country school education. Most of his youth was spent near Elk- hart, Indiana. At the age of nineteen he entered the employ of Michael Trubi, an Elkhart jeweler, of whom he learned the trade. 1182 HISTORY OF WAV.ASIIA COUNTY. Two years later he went to Lincoln, Illinois, and worked at the trade two years. In the fall of 1870 he came to Minnesota and worked at his trade in Eyota and Plain view for a few months, and then bought the Plainview jewelry store of Mr. Brown, and has since continued business in this town, where he now owns a residence and business block. October 1, 1874, he was married to Helen Smith, daughter of Milton Smith, Esq., of Plainview. Three children have been b(^rn to them, namely, Darwin, Milton and Frederick. J. B. FiNciii, grocer, east side Pembroke. This business was established here in 1877, in a small wooden building on the site of the present brick structure, which was erected this present season and occupied by the proprietor about September 1. It is a solid two-story brick, stone basement, and sills 20x50, the upper story fitted for dwelling, and stands on the lot adjoining the alley between Second and Pembroke streets. Mr. Finchi employs one clerk in his business. Mr. Finchi is a native of Canton Grisons, Switzerland, from which country he came to America in 1870, and the year fol- lowing to Wabasha. Was clerking in this city for Lucas Kuehn and John Duke (deceased) until 1877, when he started trade on his own account. He was married to Miss Barbara Meyer, of this city, in 1876. They have three children, one of them in attendance at the public schools of this city. De. M. E. Taber, dentist, Plainview, came here from Spring- dale, Iowa, April, 1871. Born in Vermont in 1852, he was taken in his young days, by the removal of his parents, to Cedar county, Iowa, where he passed through the high school and spent his vaca- tion with his uncle, Abner Smith, then residing in the town of the doctor's present business success. Not favored by being born, as it were, with a silver spoon in his mouth, young Taber was ready for any opportunity that would enable him to earn an honest livelihaod. This he found for a beginning in the village hotel, where he hired out for awhile to John Bigham, proprietor, as clerk. Ever on the lookout for chances of advancement, he invested in and ran on his own responsibility a barber-shop, which he undertook, not for the love of the business, but for its returns and leisure time for study and preparation for the great object of his ambition, the practice of dentistry. It was not hmg before he sold out to advantage and was thus enabled to devote his whole time to the dental art, under the supervision of Dr. S. S. Shernuin, of Eau Claire. For three years he applied himself vigorously with all the energy his system would OTHEK IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1183 permit. Finally, after one full course in the Missouri Dental, and one in St. Louis Medical College, he graduated in 1882 D.D.S., from the former well-known institute, and immediately settled down in Plainview to his practice in dentistry, in the science and art of which he stands second to none. Full of ambition and a lover of music alike, to gratify the former and improve the latter in his leisure after-business hours, the doctor immediately took charge of the Methodist church choir, which laudable position he continues to hold. He is an apt scholar and accomplished both in vocal and instrumental music, the brass band and singing-school of the village, numbering over a hundred, being under his superintendence and leadership. Not the least of Dr. Taber's qualifications is his marks- manship. No less than four gold medals bear evidence of his ability as an expert shot and champion in this progressive art. The medal for the championship of five counties was awarded him in 1881, which, by holding for two years against all comers, became his per- manent personal property. Of the others two in one day, July 4, 1878, were won by him at Wabasha. Any man that shoots eleven out of twelve running deer, as his trophies prove, is deserving of no little commendation. He enjoys the respect and confidence of the community, and though at present in the full enjoyment of single blessedness, dame rumor has him full speedily a benedict. A veritable self-made man, to society he is eminently a useful member in more ways than one. Nicholas Liffrige, farmer, Chester, was born near Arlow, Belgium, September 20, 18-i8. He attended school till twelve years old, and then engaged in farm labor. He came here in 1871, and was employed as a farm laborer for some time. He soon bought one hundred and sixty acres on section 19, where he now lives. He has at present a fine farm of three hundred acres, on which he has placed good buildings, at a cost of fifteen hundred dollars. In 1883 he raised fourteen hundred and forty bushels of wheat, ten hundred of barley and six hundred and twenty-five of oats. He was married in 1878, to Annie Fleming, born of German parents at Shakopee, this state. Their children were born and christened as follows : Andrew, September 17, 1879 ; Susan, March 30, 1881 ; Peter, De- cember 21, 1882. All have been baptized in the Catholic church. Jacob M. French, farmer, and prominent citizen of Wabasha county, came to Highland township from Erie count}', Pennsylvania, in 1871, soon after purchasing the farm on sections 20 and 21 on 72 1184 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. which he has smce resided. He was born July 8, 1826, at Mount Holly, Rutland county, Vermont. His parents, David and Susa (Marsh) French, were natives of the same state, his father being born in Reading, March 15, 1779, and his mother at Halifax, JSTo- vember 27, 1802. When Jacob was eleven years old, his parents removed from Vermont to Warren county, Pennsylvania. This re- moval was the result of business reverses, Mr, French, senior, being a manufacturer. The family not having retrieved its fortunes in Pennsylvania, we find the subject of this sketch in 1852 an inmate of a mining camp at Oroville, California. Four years later he re- turned to Pennsylvania, and engaged in agricultural pursuits there until his removal to Wabasha count}'. Miss Eveline G. Cook, a na- tive of Warren county, Pennsylvania, then in her twentieth year, became his wife. Her parents were Asa Cook, a native of Massa- chusetts, and Fannie (Elmer) Cook, a native of Vermont. Mrs. French received an education at the Fredonia, New York, Academy. Four children have blessed this union, viz : Fannie G., born in Pennsylvania, August 9, 1859, a graduate of the Minnesota State Normal School at Winona, and first assistant teacher in the Wa- basha graded schools ; D'Ette A. (Mrs. C. E. Robbins, of Fargo, Dakota, born October 18, 1861) ; Alden M., born July 12, 1867; Ernest A., born March 13, 1878. Mr. French is a republican in politics ; has been township clerk several terms, and county commis- sioner for three years. He is also a member of the Plain view Grange. Hk'zekiah F. Messer, farmer, of Plainview, is the son of Fred- erick and Martha (Whittier) Messer. He was born in Danbury, New Hampshire, on March 12, 1836 ; received a common-school education, and at the age of seventeen entered the employment of the Northern New Hampshire Railroad Company as a construction and track hand, and for the next eighteen years was engaged chiefly in the service of this company, most of the time as section-boss and conductor of a construction train, while that corporation had for its head the Hon. Onslow Stearns. He came to Minnesota with his brother David in 1856, but not being pleased with the country, then just emerging from the snows of a dreary winter, he returned without investing ; but David remained, and in 1871 induced his brother to purchase eighty acres of C. O. Landon, just east of Plain- view village. On this place he at once took up his residence, and has since made it his home, having added by purchase forty acres OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1185 more to the farm. Mr. Messer spent three years in the gold dig- 2:ings of California, in Shasta county and Scorch mountains, and in the Frazer River country. On December 13, 1864, he espoused Mrs. Nancy J. Brown {nee Keniston), relict of E. G. Brown, Esq., of Andover, 'New Hampshire. This lady was born in Wilmot, New Hampshire. She had three children by her first husband, now living, viz : Ella J., Loren E., living in Plain view, and Addie (Mrs. Edwin May, of Wilson, Wisconsin). Mr. Messer is a democrat, and boasts of never having " scratched '' a party ticket. Philemon Brandt, miller, was born in Green county, Wisconsin^ September 18, 1850. He was tenth of twelve children, born to Eli and Mary JSTofsinger-Brandt, natives of Somerset county, Pennsyl- vania. In 1854 the family settled in Dodge county, Minnesota, where they lived on a farm until 1871, when Eli purchased the farm in West Albany where they now live. Upon settlement here Mr- Brandt purchased the sawmill formerly owned by Hiram Fellows,, and in 187Y the present gristmill was erected by Philemon, Rufus. and Mason Brandt, brothers, who are now doing a flourishing busi- ness. Mason Brandt is married and living in Walsh county, Dakota, while the mill is run by Philemon and Rufus, who are young men of energy and promise. Bruce Florer, casliier of the First National Bank of Wabasha, is a native of Newport, Indiana; came to Wabasha in 1872, at which time his brother, W. J. Florer, who died in this city August 18, 1881, was engaged in banking here in connection with A. D. South- worth. Mr, Bruce Florer spent the first year of his residence here attending school, was then one year in a grain and commission house, and clerking in the county ofiices until 1874, when he entered the banking office of A. D. Southworth & Co., and was their book- keeper for five years, when he was promoted to the post of cashier. He has retained that position during all the subsequent changes in the bank management, and is practically its business head. January 1, 1878, he married Miss Mary S. Robinson, of this city. Henry Simons, carriage and wagon manufacturer. Lake City, established himself in business here in 1872 as the partner of George Lemley. He soon after, however, bought out his interest and built a shop on rented ground near the corner of High and Centre street. Four years later he purchased a lot on the opposite side of Centre street, on which he built a shop and put in machinery. On June 17, 1882, this building was destroyed by fire, but fortunately by the 1186 IIISTOKY OF WABASHA QOUNTY. exertions of many kind neiglibors most of liis stock and macliineiy was saved. Mr. Simons immediately rebuilt, and is now in the market with a full line of carriages, buggies, wagons, sleighs and cutters. He was born in Holland, December 28, 1844, and the following July the family emigrated to the United States and settled in Wyoming county. New York, on a farm where the father (Stephen Simons) died in 1871. The mother Susan (Arrand) Simons still resides on the old homestead. Mr. Simons was united in marriage on June 22, 1873, to Miss Mary Tuck, a native of the State of New York, born of German i)arents. They have tln-ee children, whose names in the order of their birth are: William II., Julia M. and Jennie B. They are members of the Catholic church. Mr. Simons is a member of the Knights of Honor. Frederick W. Rueckert, hardware dealer, Lake City, was born in the German province of Bavaria, in 1843. His parents, Melchior and Eve (Stegmeier) Rueckert were also natives of the same province, the former by trade and occupation a regimental gunsmith. During his ■early youth Frederick mastered the trade and followed the same till 1870, when on June 22 he left his native home with a view of reap- ing a greater reward for his skill and labor. After a short stay in New York he came to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where he remained till May, 1872, when he came to Lake City and engaged in his business. In November, 1879, his property was destroyed by fire, though fully covered by insurance. He next built a brick store on Washington street, which was burnt in 1882, and only partially insured. Soon after he bought his present brick store, a good and substantial building, corner of Washington and Marion streets, where he carries a full line of hardware and guns. He was mar- ried December 17, 1878, to Miss Mary Yogi, a native of New York, born of German parents. His two children are Clara and Fred. M. Manasses S. Hostetter, miller, Gillford, has been a resident of this county since 1872, at which time he built a mill at Wabasha. Five years later he exchanged for Cold Spring mill his present property, half a mile from Zumbro Falls. Here he is doing a fine business in custom milling. Besides the mill property, he has half a section of land near Grafton, Dakota, which indicates that his industry and sagacity have served him worthily. Mr. Hostetter's parents, Daniel and Elizabeth, were of German descent and Penn- sylvania birth. They settled near Zanesville, Ohio, and here this OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 118T subject. was born in 1840. When he was six years old his parents removed to Indiana, subsequently to Wisconsin, and in 1854 to Pine Island, this state. Less than one month of his time has been spent in a schoolroom, but his own research has fitted him for good citizen- ship. At seventeen he began work at his trade, and worked at various points in the state. In 1859, with a partner, he built a mill at Pine Island, but it was destroyed by fire before it was completed. In August, 1862, he entered the United States service, and served till the close of the civil war in Co. H, 8th Minn. regt. During the last 3^ear he was stationed at different points in the south, and the balance of his service was rendered on the western frontier in sub- duing the bloodthirsty Sioux. Many a weary march was made through the "bad lands," with the prospect of an ambush behind every pinnacle. In November, 1859, he espoused Lucinda Brandt, daughter of Eli and Mary, all of Pennsylvania. Two sons and a daughter have been given them. The latter was christened Cora, married John Cliif, resides with her father. The eldest and youngest, Eli Daniel and Murray Willis, reside at Grafton. Eli B. Guptil, farmer and stockraiser, was born in 1845 in Ver- mont. He is the second son of Benjamin R. and Lucy Guptil, natives, the former of Maine and the latter of Vermont. His father and mother died when he was about fourteen, when they lived in Wisconsin. He then lived with a Mr. Maxwell until 1861, when he enlisted in the 16th Wis. Inf. He was in the battle of Shiloh, siege and second battle of Corinth ; then started for Vicksburg, but being cut ofi" by Van Dorn returned to Memphis, then to Vicksburg siege for a time, then in Louisiana ; then after a furlough of thirty days at home, under Sherman through to the sea ; then to Beaufort, Columbia, Goldsboro, Raleigh, Richmond, Washington, the great review ; then the 17th army corps were sent to Louisville, Kentucky, where they were mustered out in July, 1865. For over two years he never slept under a roof or ate at a table. Alter such a remark- ably long and varied service he returned to Wisconsin, remaining until 1872, when he spent a short time in Minnesota, but soon again returned to Minnesota, and bought part of his present farm of one hundred and sixty-nine acres, the principal feature of which is fine stock facilities, and which he intends to develop and make stock- raising a specialty. He has been chairman of the township super- visors for some time, and is director of school district No. 44 at present. He is independent in politics, and has voted with both IISS HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. parties, and is among our influential citizens. lie was married in 1880, to Anna M. Powell, of Wabasha county. They have one child. Elnathan Cook, Chester, was born in the town of Maria, Essex county. New York, October 1, 1844. His father, Chester K., was born in New York, and married Harriet Dutton, of Vermont birth. Young Cook was taken at nine years of age to St. Lawrence county, whei-e he was reared on a farm and received a common-school educa- tion. At twenty-two he settled in Minnesota, being employed three years to manage a stock-farm near Dodge Center. He subsequently rented land in that vicinity, and engaged in general farming. Mr. Cook is a good judge of horseflesh, and has raised some good horses. In 1878 he bought one hundred acres of land on section 31, about a mile from Mazeppa, and took up his residence thereon in 1880. March 16, 1872, he was wedded to Miss Lovina Arnold, daughter of Charles and Lovina Arnold, all of New York. Mrs. Cook is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, while her husband's sympathies are with the faith of his parents, Baptist. He is an enthusiastic republican. Their children were given them at following dates : William, December 12, 1872 ; Maude, September 5, 1877 ; Mary, July 30, 1882. Q. A. Low, M.D., office corner Main and Alleglianey streets, over JewelFs hardware store. Practice was established in this city ten years since. Dr. Low is a native of Vermont. He came west with his parents in 1860, the family settling in Wiscoy township, Winona county, Minnesota. Dr. Low spent his early years on tlie farm, and at eighteen enlisted in 2d Minn. Cav., and was with his regiment, from the fall of 1864, on duty at the frontier until he was nmstered out of service at the close of the war. Returning home, he soon afterward entered Hamlin University, Redwing, Minne- sota, where he pursued his studies four years. He then studied for his profession, reading for three years in the office of Drs. Richardson & Staples, of Winona, during which time he attended two courses of lectures at the University of Michigan. His concluding course was taken at Long Island College Hospital, from which institution he took his degree of M.D., class of 1873. During that time he also took a special course of operative surgery, for which he received a diploma on the same year. Returning to this state, the doctor located for practice in this city, December, 1873. Dr. Low is a member of the county, state and American medical associations, the latter a national body, and has been OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1189 treasurer of the "Wabasha County Medical Society since 1877. Janu- ary 24, 1875, Dr. Low married Miss C. E. Finch, of Hennepin county, Minnesota. Henry Hallaway, Mazeppa, is a son of John and Ruth Halla- way, wlio now reside in Pine Island township, three miles from Mazeppa. All these people were born in the parish of Ticehurst, Sussex, England, this subject, March 1, 1846. He attended the common schools of his native land till fifteen years old, when his parents removed to the United States, arriving in Pine Island in July, 1861. He assisted his father in farming operations several years. In 1873 he was united in marriage to Miss Jane Austin, a native of New York. He is at present in possession of a quarter- section of land near the village, in Pine Islaild, which he tills. In the spring of 1874 he built a residence at the head of Chestnut street, in this village, and has dwelt here since June of that year. He is a member of the Masonic order, being treasurer of Tyrian Lodge here. He is an Episcopalian and a republican. Axel E. Edholm, merchant. Lake City, became established in business here in 1873. In the city of Orebro, Sweden, July 4, 1847, he was born. Until he was thirteen years old he attended the schools of the city, and then went to Stockholm, and entered a store as clerk. He came thence to Lake City in 1870, and was here employed in the same wa}^ three years. In the great fire of 1882 his stock was destroyed, inflicting a loss of some thousands of dollars. He immediately secured a new stock, and is still doing a fine business, his annual sales exceeding twenty-five thousand dol- lars. Mr. Edholm was married in Sweden, in 1876, to Hildegarde Liliander, who was born and reared in Stockholm. Two daughters have been given to this union, and christened Bertha and Edith. All are members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Edholm is an ad- herent of the republican party. His father, Gustafus, came to tliis city with eight children in 1869. The youngest son died while a student at St. Peter. Edward, another son, is employed in his brother's stor,e here, and W. F, is in Minneapolis. Five daughters are married and living in this state, and the widow, Christina, still resides here. Gustafus Edholm died here September 11, 1875. W. S. Walton, formerly proprietor and editor of the Wabasha "Herald," and during his seven years' conduct of that journal, largely instrumental in securing the construction of the Midland railroad, which has done so much to further the interests of Wabasha. Mr. 1190 HISTORY OF AV ABASH A COUNTY. Walton is a native of Ohio, received liis academical training at Fairfield Seminary, Fairfield, Herkimer county, New York, and had com]>Ieted one year of his course at Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, when tlie war of tho rebellion broke out. He enlisted that same month, April, 1861, at Little Falls, Herkimer county, New York, in Co. K, 34th regt. N. Y. Yol. Inf., which was mus- tered into the United States service for the term of two years. Mr. Walton was made orderly sei-geant of his company, was subse- quently promoted second lieutenant, then first lieutenantof his com- pany, then captain of Co. PI, same regiment, and was mustered out as such at the close of the term for which the regiment took service. The regiment was in active duty upon the peninsula until just before the battle of Gettj^sburg, and during those years of active struggle Capt. Walton saw his share of hard fighting. He was wounded in the right side at Fair Oaks, and in the left thigh at the battle of Nelson's Farm, at which latter place he was taken prisoner and sent to Libby Prison Hospital, from which he was exchanged aftet weeks' confinement, and came north, recovering from his wounds so as to rejoin his command at Harper's Ferry. Keturning home at the expiration of his two years' term of service, Capt. Wal- ton entered Wesley University, Middletown, Connecticut, completed a special course there, and subsequently as agent for Appleton's publishing house, visited the middle and western states, making his home for a season in Davenport, Iowa.' The climate of that place not agreeing with the health of his wife, Anna nee Loyd, of Gloversville, New York, whom he married, November 27, 1863, she came into Minnesota in 1870, and took up a temporary residence in this city. Two years later Mr. Walton removed to this city, and in September of that year, 1872, purchased the Wabasha "Herald," which he conducted for seven years and then sold. Since disposing of his newspaper property, Mr. Walton has been connected with permanent publishing houses east and west, visiting the Pacific slope, from lower California to Washington Territory, and making the voyage to the Sandwich Islands and Australia. He has a pleasant home on the bank of the river in the eastern part of the city, where he has a very unique and valuable collection of engravings, autographs, rare historical documents, letters from celebrated authors and statesmen, both of America and England, and some rare old editions of books that would delight the eye and arouse the envy of any bibliomanic. OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1191 Frank Stuetzel, wholesale and retail dealer iu wines and liquors, north side Main street, one door west of National Bank. Mr. Stuetzel is a native of Bavaria, Europe, from which country he came to America in 1871. After spending two years in New York and Missouri, Mr. Stuetzel came to Wabasha, where he was engaged in clerking for John Duke, until the spring of 1876, when he left the county for the Black Hills. Keturning to Wabasha the same fall, he entered the grain house of Laurence & Kriek, and was in their employ, purchasing grain, for three years. He then formed a partnership with Mr. J. G. Laurence, for the purpose of carrying on a grocery business, which was managed three years by Mr. Stuetzel, and then sold out to L. H. Whitmore. The same season, spring of 1885, Mr. Stuetzel opened his liquor house, where he carries a stock of about four thousand dollars' worth. October 2, 1879, Mr. Stuetzel married Barbara, daughter of Phillip and Phillippena Reck, boru in this city July 20, .1856. They have two children, Phillip, born October 20, 1880, Phillippena, born Sep- tember 18, 1882. T. J. Wadleigh, the furniture man of Plainview, Wabasha county, was born in Unity, New Hampshire,^ March 4, 1821, of Henry T. and Hannah S., of old English stock. His father served in the war of 1812, thi-ough which his constitution was irreparably undermined. One of nine children, T. J., at the age of sixteen, was bound apprentice to learn the cabinet and joiner trade for three years, at Croydon, New Hampshire. His opportunities for early education were meagre, and at nineteen years he commenced as a jobber for others, in which line he continued until the fall of 1840. At this time, December 13, he was married to Fatima S. Powers, of Orange, Vermont, and for one year successfully ran a gristmill, returning to his trade until, in 1846, he built the hotel at Northfield, and for three years next succeeding worked as car builder for the Yermont Central railroad. In 1850, with his family, consisting of wife and three daughters, he emigrated to Hamilton, Canada West, and continued in the same line for the Great Western Railroad Company for four years. Iu 1855 he settled in Greenville, took a claim of one hundred and sixty acres, and changed, selling to T. A. Thompson, in 1856, and buying that now owned by David Messer. Selling this he bought and worked one of eighty acres, which he exchanged for another adjoining, Thos. Todd's, on the east. In the spring of 1865 he went to Rochester, Minnesota, where h6 remained 1192 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. until 1874 ; then to Eyota, wliere he commenced the furniture busi- ness and continued till 1877, when he removed to Plainview, and occupied what is now known as the old Wilcox store, and in 1878 built and removed to present site. Arthur, the only son, and now partner in the firm of T. J. Wadleigh & Son, was born April 4, 1857. To the subject of this sketch, known universally as a good man, six children were born, all but one of whom are now living and married. Chester Hall (deceased) was a native of Massachusetts, born October 16, 1818. His parents were Benjamin and Polly Hall. His earliest years were spent with his parents on a farm in St. Law- rence county. New York, and at twelve years of age he entered a foundry, and became master of the moulders' trade. Subsequent to this, at various periods of his life, he followed blacksmithing, gun- smithing and cabinetmaking. When thirty-two years old he mar- ried Louisa Chase, of Jefferson county, New York. After two years' residence in Wisconsin, he came in 1864 to Dodge county, this state, and took up farming. In May, 1874, he became a resident of Zumbro township, and was some time employed at blacksmithing at South Troy. When his health gave out he took up his residence with his younger son, at whose residence he died, November 25, 1883. Mr. Hall was a Close Communion Baptist, and a republican, as are his sons. His wife passed away June 2*2, 1875, aged forty years. Their youngest child, Ida P., married Henry L. Weaver, and resides at Minneapolis. The eldest, Jerome, was born August 5, 1853, and was mostly reared in Minnesota. July 6, 1875, he married Miss lona Howard, and since 1S77 has resided on section 15, where he has eighty acres of land. His children were born as follows: Etta L., June 30, 1876; HattieM., April 13, 1878; Charles A., December 3, 1881. Benjamin Austin, second son of Chester, was born February 14, 1857, and resides on section 22, where he has forty acres. He married Mattie Scrubey in January, 1878. Their children were given them as below: Chester F., November 4, 1878; NinaE., Christmas, 1881 ; Frances L, January 2, 1883. Charles A. Pehl, mason, was born in Sweden, April 13, 1839, and remained in that country nineteen years. He received a fair education iti his native tongue, and since his arrival here has fitted himself for business by private study. He first settled in America at Kock Island, Illinois, where he engaged as a laborer, and subse- quently learned his trade. In 1872 he went to Ked Wing, and came OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1193 thence to Mazeppa in 1875. Here he formed the acquaintance of Miss Eva Black, to whom he was married on June 20, 1875. They ^ have two children, Josephine and Charles. Mrs. Pehl is the youngest daughter of Elam Black, elsewhere mentioned in this work. Mr. Pehl is an adherent of the republican party. He was reared in the Lutheran church, and now cherishes its faith. Ole Chinberg, blacksmith and wagonmaker, Lake City, was born in Sweden in 1848, and was reared to the trade of blacksmith by his father, who was a skilled worker in iron. In 1871 he left his native home and sailed for America, having in view the bettering his condition in life and a better remuneration for his labor. His first work in this country was on a farm, where he readily learned the custom^ and language of the American people. Later he worked with a construction company on a Minnesota railroad. In 1874 he went to California, and worked at his trade nearly two years in the Sierra N'evada mountains, after which he returned to Minnesota and permanently located in Lake City, and opened up business for him- self. In 1876, in this city, he was married to Miss Anna Coleman, also a native of Sweden. They have two children, Alfrida Axelin and Harry Sigfrid, living, and one deceased. Mr. Chinberg is a reliable, trustworthy business man, and a credit to Lake City. M. Jacoby, general merchant, corner of Main and Pembroke streets, entrance on both, fronting seventy-five feet on Main and twenty-three feet on Pembroke. Business occupies one floor and basement and employs three persons. This house was started in 1877 by Lindem, Satori & Co. Mr. Jacobi bought out Sartori in 1879, subsequently purchased the other interests, and became sole proprietor in 1882. M. Jacoby is a native of Luxemburg, Ger- many ; was in school there until the family came to America in 1874, settling on sections 4 and 5, T. 110, R. 11 W., where his father died September 10, 1882, the old homestead remaining in possession of one of the sons. M. Jacoby entered the drygoods house of Lucas Kuehn, of this city, in the spring of 1875, and remained there until he purchased an interest in the store he now owns. December 31, 1878, he was married to Miss Rosa Funke, of Glasgow township. They have two children : Emma, born December 22, 1879 ; Lizzie, born September 5, 1881. Caleb C. Emery, stock-dealer, lias been a resident of Mazeppa since 1874, during which year he built a meat-market on First street, above Walnut, and a residence west of the river. He now 119-i HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. has a partner who manages the market, and Mr. Emery is con. stantly occupied in buying and shipping stock. The subject of this matter was one of the pioneers of Olmsted county, having taken up land in Oronoco in September, 1855. From that time he was engaged in farming there until his removal to Mazeppa. He was reared on a farm in New Hampshire, having been born in the town of Holderness, that state, on January 4, 1834. His parents, John Emery and Sarah Fifield, were natives of the same state. He received a common-school education, and on reaching his majority set out to make himself a home in the west. In February, 1865, Mr. Emery enlisted in the 1st Minn. Heavy Art., and was stationed at Chattanooga till the close of the war. He has always been a demo- crat ; served some time as assessor in Oronoco. On Mtiy 8, 1867, C. C. Emery and Helen M. George were united in marriage. Mrs. Emery is the only daughter of Col. James and RhodaT. George, also pioneers of Oronoco. Col. George commanded the 2d regiment in the war of the rebellion, and was a well-known and popular man in Olmsted county and the state at large. Mr. and Mrs. Emery's five children were given to them as follows : Clara E., January 21, 1869 ; James George, April 25, 1870 ; Rhoda J., A])ril 26, 1872 ; Mary E., September 10, 1876 ; Helen E., January 9, 1878. Robert Henry Foss, stock-dealer. Lake City, was born at Rye Beach, near Portsmouth, ]S"ew Hampshire, January 29, 1849. His father, Joel N. Foss, is of Scotch descent, and was born in the same state, as was his wife, Adeline Locke, of Puritan stock. In July, 1857, our subject came to Minnesota with his parents, and was reared on a farm in West Florence, Goodhue county. His education was furnished by a limited course in the log schoolhouse of that region. He became a resident of Lake City in 1874, and has ever since been engaged in the purchase and sale of horses and other stock. Has real estate in Minnea])olis and Moorhead and in Pepin county, Wis- consin. In July, 1874, he was united in marriage to Miss Ellen A., daughter of Robert Gray, elsewhere sketched in this book. They have three children, christened respectively, Bernard, Clarence and Virginia. Mr. Foss is a thorough and consistent republican. He was five successive times elected constable of the town of West Florence. CHAPTER XCVI. OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES — CONTINUED. Mk. Morris C. Russell, editor " Sentinel," Lake Cit3\ After repeated solicitation on our part, Mr. Russell kindly consented to furnish us the following brief though very interesting account of his experience on the northwestern frontier, or early days in Minnesota, which at the same time illustrates the experiences of very many of our worthy pioneers, both living and dead^ and is given as a sample of the brave spirits who redeemed this grand commonwealth from a state of nature, and spread out its fields of golden grain, bred cattle on its thousand hills, and reared its numerous cities, towns and vil- lages with their prosperous churches, colleges and schools. He says : " I was born in Yenango county, Pennsylvania, February 22, 1840. My father was Samuel Russell, and my mother was a Miss Matilda Raymond, whose brother, A. W. Raymond, owned large iron mines and blast furnaces, over which my father, although own- ing a large farm in the vicinity, was, most of the years I was at home, the manager for my uncle Raymond. The Raymonds were from Connecticut stock, although the branch which were within my knowledge came from New York State into western Pennsylvania; and my uncle A. W. Raymond, and his large family of sons and daughters and their descendants, are all alive at this writing, and all live near each other in Yenango county, the old gentleman at Frank- lin, the county seat. My father was one of a family of seven sons, all born in this country, although my grandparents on my father's side came from the north of Ireland. My father married twice, his second wife being a Miss Susan Smith, from Bangor, Maine, who came into western Pennsylvania as a school teacher. I am the youngest child of the first family, being the twelfth child and seventh son. My mother died when I was an inftmt, and I do not recollect her. I was raised, up to the time I left home at fourteen, by my stepmother, who is one of God's noble women, and who still lives in Jefferson, Iowa, with her youngest daughter, though very feeble and 1196 HISTORY OF WA15ASHA COUN'n'. aged. By his second marriage my father liad nine children — twenty-one in all. Up to my fourteenth year I went to the old log schoolhouse tliree months each winter, where I learned to read in the New Testament, and could spell most of the easy words in Cobb's spelling-book ; also gained a trifle of knowledge about geography, and could 'cipher' a little before leaving home, but never 'learned grammar ' any. This comprised all the book-learning I ever had in school, and constituted my collegiate course, if I except a year spent in the Franklin 'Spectator' office as a 'printer's devil.' From ten to fourteen I worked on the farm, in the ore mines, and about the iron furnace, one year as ' under clerk ' in my uncle's large suppl}'^ store, where the hundreds of miners, furnace men, wood- choppers, teamsters and charcoal artists, who carried on the colliery department, bought all the supplies of every kind for themselves and families. All labor was employed by my uncle for half cash and half out of the furnace store. I never knew, however, of very much cash changing hands, but the 'furnace store' was a big thing as a mart of trade; men who had large families, as nearly all of them had, to support by chopping white oakwood — as an illustra- tration — for forty cents per cord, never had much " cash" due them on settlement day. My business capacity and my education fitted me admirabl}^ for my part of the duties — i. d., drawing the endless jugs of molasses, fish-oil, measuring out tar, sweeping the store, re- placing broken glass in the gristmill and the many other buildings about the ironworks, and doing ten thousand things which the higher operators about the place could not do without smearing their hands or their linen. About March 1, 1854, I succeeded in getting father's consent to go to Minnesota Territory, at that time a remote region, difficult of access, and of which but little was known in the east. Four years before, in 1850, my two eldest brothers, Aaron and Ed- ward, had gone to that tei-ritory, and in 1852 were followed by my brother Samuel, and brother-in-law, F. M. Ward. After two months of untold hardships, privations, suffering and adventure, a green and used-up youth landed in St. Paul from the steanaer Hamburg, the boat having, during all her voyage, been but little less than a float- ing palace of death. She had several hundred passengers, who died off by scores with cholera, their remains being buried in greater or less numbers at every wood-pile and landing. Those not sick spent their time in gambling and carousing night and day. We buried half-a-dozen one dark rainy night in the lonely wilderness where OTHER IMPOKTANT PERSONAGES. 1197 we took on wood, placing them all in one shallow hole in the wet ground, by the weird light of tar torches. At another landing, I remember, among the dead carried ashore were eight members of one family. This was at La Crosse landing, where they were laid side by side on the ground, seven boys and the father, and we left the only surviving member, the wife and mother, sitting among the m- dead, wringing her hands in agony and despair. Most of the pr cipal towns now on the river were located about this time, or not long previously, but were composed of only a few wooden structures, scattered about over their respective sites, with not enough in a line to indicate which way the streets ran. There were "prairie-seas " spread out on every hand, which, with the wild Indians and their numerous villages, were sights emphatically new and picturesque in the eyes of a boy who had never seen either before, nor even a rail- road nor steamboat before starting on this long, tedious and event- ful journey, which alone would make an interesting volume if faith- fully written, with all its incidents, sights and experiences. "St. Paul was a singular-looking, rough-and-tumble sort ot a town. The central portion was reached by a set of rough, wooden stairs, leading from the steamboat landing up the side of the hill, upon reaching the summit of which one landed almost in the front yard of the Central House, one of the leading hotels of the town. The Mercliant's was a frame affair, on its present site. The amusement center was the old People's Theatre, a square, ugly-looking structure, made of slabs set up endwise. The autocrats of the territory were the government officials first, the steamboat officers next, and the Indian traders and ' sample-room' proprietors third. In those days all the rivers were navigable. The Minnesota river was navigable for large boats some three or four hundred miles above its mouth most of the season, and as the Minnesota valley was just beginning to attract immigration, the steamboat business boomed for several years, when, about the time it began to permanently ' dry up," rail- roads came into the country and relieved the exhausted streams of the traffic they no longer could discharge by reason of the absorption and evaporation caused by settling and opening up the country and its surface. The first legal execution in the territory took place that year. The 'subject' was a Sioux Indian, who was hanged for shooting at a white man, and killing the woman who was seated beside him in the wagon. The murder took place in the woods in the Sand Creek bottom, Scott county, near where Jordan is now 1108 HISTORY OF WAIJASIIA COUNTY. located. The man shot at by the Indian was a German named Jacob Schroder, bat the name of the woman who was killed I do not remember. I knew Schroder personally many years after, and the last I knew of him he resided in Shakopee, where he probably still lives, if he lives at all. This and the two following seasons I ran on the Minnesota (then called St. Peter) river, on different ones of the early steamboats, the Montello and the Tola (which belonged to my two elder brothers), the Globe, and Time and Tide (which belonged to Capt. Louis Roberts, an early settler of St. Paul, who died only six or seven years ago, and was a noted character), on the Black Hawk, Greek Slave, Clarion and others. These first boats carried up into the great valley of the Minnesota the early settlers and their goods, the government supplies to Fort Ridgely, and the annuity goods to the Indian agencies at Red Wood and Yellow Medicine. At times the water was too low for the steamboats to run above the rapids, when the freight and passengers would be trans- ferred to flatboats, which were 'polled' up the river, a distance of two hundred miles, by French 'pollers,' at a speed of about twenty miles a day. This portion of m}-^ early-day experiences — my flatboat experience for three years through a country swarming with the wildest of wild Indians, the Sioux, eight years before the terrible outbreak and massacre of 1862 — was the most romantic and eventful time in all my frontier life, its stirring incidents, if properly recorded, being sufficient in number and thrilling enough in character to con- stitute a volume. The most noted men of that time whom I can now recall were : Gov. Alex. Ramsey, Gen. Sibley, Maj. Joseph R. Brown (Sioux Indian agent), Willis A. Gorman, Samuel Pond (the venerable missionary), Maj. Murphy, Messrs. Borup and Oaks, Wm. Constance, and the prominent 'river men,' while the grey- haired old Col. Abercrombie, of the regular army, was in command at Fort Ridgely. 01 course there were men in all the scattering communities along the Mississippi river, further south in the terri- tory, who were then, and since have been, prominent men, but of whom I knew but little in those early times, save by reputation. I and my brothers flatboated the first piano into the Minnesota valley that ever found its way up that river above Shakopee. It belonged to Col. Stoever, now of Henderson, and it was consigned and ' delivered in good order and condition ' to anew landing called Kasota, not far above St. Peter. The boat crew, after the strange instrument had been landed safely, all drew an extra pint of whiskey from the OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1199 government barrels of that article that were on board, and drank to 'the health of the first piano and its jolly, rollicking owner.' This reminds me that the crews always used to levy upon the government whiskey, which always constituted a fair proportion of every cargo, for their supply of ' firewater. ' They would tap a barrel whenever they ran short, draw out two or three buckets full of whiskey, and replace it by a similar quantity of river water. We used to deliver at the fort and at the agencies a good many barrels of tolerably weak whiskey ; some of it wouldn't have hurt the nerves of a child. At the close of the third year I returned home and spent the winter, returning to the northwestern frontier again early in the spring, this time all the way by river, making probably one of the longest con- tinuous river journeys ever made in this country ; nearly the whole length of the Alleghaney river, to Pittsburgh, thence the length of the Ohio river to Cairo, up the Mississippi to St. Paul, thence ascending the Minnesota river to Pedwood agency, in all between three and four thousand miles. During the years intervening between my return and the outbreak of the war of the rebellion, save one summer spent in Iowa, and one year in the newspaper business at Belle Plaine, Minnesota, I ran on the upper Mississippi, St. Croix . and Minnesota rivers, clerking, piloting, etc. ; spending the winters in the heart of the big woods, on the Minnesota river, where my brothers had a settlement, engaged in cutting steamboat wood and getting out various kinds of timber, among the rest the timber for the St. Paul bridge, which we four brothers cut and banked in the winter and rafted to St. Paul in the spring. We were to take our pay in city bonds, which our St. Paul agent, after considerable trouble, collected for us ; but before he had turned them over to us he became involved in some scandal, and when about to be arrested he, having our bonds in his pocket, ran to the new bridge and jumped into the river far below, from the highest span, and neither he nor our money was ever heard of again, excepting a skeleton found a few years afterward in the river above Hastings, which was supposed to be that of the rascally suicide, Gray. On one of the long, tedious rafting trips with this timber from the Big Woods to St. Paul, the raft became windbound on the lower Minnesota river, by strong headwinds common in the spring, and the crew, of which the writer w\as a member, came near starving to death. We sub- sisted for a week or over on nothing more than roots, bark, etc., gathered along the shores, and a small box of spoiled herring. 73 1200 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Parties who liad gone to St. Paul by land at last came to our relief up the river in canoes, bringing provisions. The lirst meal consisted of cheese, bread, etc., and a pint of whiskey each. The repast had a very revivifying effect, and the hilarity that followed we attributed to the cheese. I was ])ersonally and thoroughly acquainted with all the leading as well as subordinate chiefs of the Sioux nation, including Little Crow — the leading spirit in the massacre of 1862 — Standing Buffalo, Blue Blanket, old Shakopee, Cut Nose, Other Day (the friendly Indian who saved sixty-two whites during the massacre). Little Dog and many others ; also all the thirty-eight who were hanged on one scaffold at Mankato. All these chiefs liave often spent a night beneath the friendly roof of our Big Woods cabin in those early days, and partaken at our rude table with us. I also knew Hole-in-the-Day, the great chief of the Chippewa nation, and many of the principal chiefs of the Winnebago nation, Big Bear being a particular friend of the writer. Of the latter tribe I saw, at one time, four hundred canoe loads, with an average of five to the canoe, all in one body. I also witnessed the last great and bloody battle that took place between the Sioux and Chippewa nations, who have been the bitterest enemies from time immemorial. It occurred in the open river bottom on the north side of the Minnesota river, not far below Shakopee, and was attended by all the shameless and nameless atrocities common in Indian warfare. The Chippewas, after a most determined battle of several hours, were cut to pieces and put to flight. "For aught I have ever known to the contrary, I was the first white boy that became a permanent resident of the territory and state who had neither parent or guardian with him. The summer before referred to as having been spent in Iowa, I again entered upon an apprenticeship at the printing business, in the office of the 'Tipton Advertiser,' Judge Sjucer, editor. The summer was pretty badly broken up, however, owing to the fact that I became a member of a militia company, the Tipton Guards, commanded by that old Mexican veteran Capt. Hammond, in which, owing to my 'main strength and awkwardness,' I presume, I was made a sergeant. During the summer we served through what was known as the ' Iowa Horse Thief War,' immediately following the conclusion of which we were ordered to the frontier to quell the Indians who had broken out in what passed into history as the 'Spirit Lake Massacre.' Before reaching the bloody ground, however, the order was countermanded, OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 1201 much to our relief. After this, I resigned from the company, and also threw up my position of ' printer's devil ' in the ' Advertiser ' office, and returned to Minnesota — two wars in one summer being more than I had contracted for, even 'in my mind.' At eighteen, in company with Horace Baxter, another boy about my own age, and the only brother of Col. L. L. Baxter, now of Fergus Falls, I leased the 'Enquirer' office at Belle Plaine, and after conducting it a year sold our lease to Judge J. L. Macdonald, now of Shakopee, and Baxter and myself went to Portage Cit}', Wisconsin, with a view of buying out the ' Badger State ' office at that place. Before nego- tiations were closed, however, my gallant and gifted young partner was killed near Kilbourn City by falling between the cars. After this I traveled several months through various western states, in order to perfect myself in the art of printing, by 'getting the styles' in various localities, when I returned to Minnesota and was employed in the old 'Pioneer' office most of the time until the war of the rebellion broke out. I walked to Fort Snelling from Belle Plaine, — at which latter place I resigned my position of first lieutenant in what soon afterward became Co. A, 4th Minn. Inf., because the company voted not to join any regiment that was likely to be ordered south. When the vote was announced, in my boyish and enthusiastic rage I tore my sword from its scabbard and flung it through the air ; it fell point first, and I turned impetuously away, leaving it sticking in the prairie, and, as before stated, walked with- out stopping fifty miles to the fort, arriving just in time to get into Co. K, 2d Minn. Inf., with which I served nearly a year in Kentucky and Tennessee, and was finally discharged on account of disability received" in the line of duty, and from being over-zealous in seeking out and performing hard duty, and consequent exposure in the inclement weather of a southern winter in the field. I would say here, however, that the 4th Minn. Inf. soon followed tlie Second south, and no braver men nor better soldiers ever wore the blue of patriotism than the members of the Fourtli, and the members of Co. A afterward had the privilege of seeing and doing far more for their country than did their pettish lieutenant who threw his sword away at Belle Plaine. Upon my return to Minnesota, although in feeble health, I was just in time to go as a volunteer scout for Gen. Sibley in the Sioux war, consequent upon the awful massacre that deluged the Minnesota valley with blood, and during which prob- ably two thousand helpless men, women and children were put to 1202 HISTORY OF W A I! ASH A COUNTY. the scal]^ing-knife and tomahawk along our western border. Five of us, mounted on powerful horses, Sheriff Frank McGrade, of Scott count}', Garrj^ Du Bois (recently returned from the 1st Minn. Inf., disabled, like myself), two farmer brothers, named Kearney, and myself, were ordered to go all through the country north of the valley and asceitain the true conditions of things, and yCC July, 1843. When the latter was about two years of age his parents settled near Pomeroy, Ohio, where they died within a few years. Young Davies received instruction in public and private schools and an academy ; he also spent three years in the schools of Covington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati. The coyipletion of his eighteenth year found him engaged in active warfare in the service of the United States, 4th Ya. Inf. He served in West Yirginia in 1861-2, partici- OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. • 1243 pating in the battles of Cliarlestown and Bush Creek, besides some skirmishing with busliwhackers. From January, 1863, to March, 1861, lie was in the army of the Tennessee, and was an actor at the attack on Haynes Bluff, Yazoo River campaign, siege and capture of Yicksburg, campaign against Jackson, Mississippi (July, 1863), campaign to relieve Chattanooga and Mission Ridge, and the skirmish with Forrest's cavalry near Tuscumbia, Alabama. He served in the Shenandoah valley in 1864, taking part in the battle of Piedmont in June. On account of poor health lie was soon a,fter discharged. From the fall of 1864 to the close of the civil war he was employed on a United States picket boat on the Mississippi. After the struggle was ended he went to St. Louis and pursued a course of medical study in the Missouri Medical College, from which institution he graduated. In the spring and summer of 1873, he traveled through this state in search of health, and settled at Kellogg in 1875, continuing a good practice to the present time. He is a member of the county and state medical societies. Was reared in the Presbyterian church, and is a supporter of the Christian faith. He is married, and has one son, William F., now in business at St. Paul. Michael Quigley (deceased) was an early resident of Green- field, settling in 1856 on section 24, where he died seventeen years later, at the age of sixty-six. His wife died in 18T3. This couple was born in the town of Xanagh, Count}' Tipperary, Ireland, as were all their children, Mrs. Quigley's maiden name being Judith O'Donoghue. After his marriage, Mr. Quigley served J. J. Kil- kelly as steward for his estate, near the city of ll^anagh, twenty- two years. The family came to America in 1853, and lived in the State of New York until coming here. All were reared in and adhered to the Roman Catholic church. Following are the names and residence of the children in the order of tlieir birth : Ellen (Mrs. John Starr), Watopa ; John, Idaho ; Martin and Michael H., Greenfield ; Philip, Cameron Junction, Missouri ; Maria (Mrs. John Euright), Watopa ; Jeremiah and Edward, Denver, Colorado ; Cornelius J ., see below. Michael H. Quigley, farmer, is now about forty-eight years of age, and was therefore twenty when he came to Greenfield. He now occupies his father's first claim, with some additions, his domain embracing three hundred and forty acres. About sixty acres are under the plow, and he is largely engaged in raising horses and 1244 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. grade cattle. In early life he was employed on the river, and spent a year in 1864-5 in Colorado. On February 22, 1860, he espoused for life Catharine, daughter of Thomas Ryan, now resident with Mr. Quigley. This lady is a native of the State of Illinois. Eight children have been given her, and christened as follows : Maria Teresa, Philip Henry, Thomas Edward, Katy, John, Michael, Ellen and Julia. Mr. Quigley is a believer in education, and four of his children are now in school at Wabasha. He was elected the first collector in the town, and was town clerk in 1860-1-2 and part of 1 864 ; was several years chairman of the town board, and has served for the last ten years as assessor. During the war Mr. Quigley was elected captain of Co. E, 7th Minn, state militia, but did not go into active service. Cornelius F. Quigley came to this county when eight years old and has dwelt here continuously since. He now occupies a fine stock farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 14, Greenfield. For three years he owned and tilled a fai*m in Watopa, and then settled on his present location. He received a fair common-school education during the winter intervals of farm work, and is an intel- ligent and progressive citizen. In 1879 and 1880 he was elected a member of the town board. Like his brother, above sketched, he works in the interests of the democratic party in political con- tests. In August, 1870, he was united in marriage to Miss Ellen, daughter of Timothy Enright, one of the ])ioneers of this township. Mrs. Quigley was born at Norwich, New York, in 1850. They have lost four children, Edward, William and Neal dying with diphtheria in June, 1881, and Kitty died at two years of age. The living ones are christened Michael, John, Julia, Irene and Cor- nelius. Philip Quigley, above mentioned, served through the war of the rebellion in Co. G, 3d Minn. Yols., entering as private, and rising to the rank of first lieutenant. His brother Edward also served three years in the same company. John Gage, farmer, Watopa, is one of those men who were born to lead. His paternal grandparents were Benjamin Gage and Susannah Johnson, ot old New England families. His father was christened James Shepard, and married Nancy Currier, of similar lineage. While the latter couple was living at Enfield, New Hamp- shire, on February 10, 1825, John Gage was bom to them. They subsequently removed to Waterloo, New York, where James Gage OTHER IMPOKTANT PERSONAGES. 1245 Still lives, aged eighty-six years. The latter was a farmer, and also a heavy railroad contractor. Finding that his son — the subject of this paragraph — had no taste for school, he placed him at the early age of twelve years in charge of a gang of ten men on railroad construction. He was found equal to this task, and became his father's most valuable assistant. After attaining his majority young Gage went into the Alleghany mountains, and spent six years in lumbering operations. Here his all was swept away by fire, and he decided to go west. In the summer of 1855 he came to Minnesota, and located in the fall of that year on the site of his present home in the beautiful Whitewater Kiver valley, on section 36, Watopa. Since his residence here he has carried through some heavy railroad work. One piece, a short distance above La Crosse, contains some of the most difiicult work expended in the construction of the Chicago & St. Paul railroad. Another severe piece of work carried through by Mr. Gage on this line is a short distance below Lake City. When the narrow-gauge railway, following the Zumbro valley, was built in 1877-8, Mr. Gage fulfilled some large contracts in its construction, and suffered heavy losses thereby. He has about one thousand acres lying along the Whitewater river, and is now giving his attention to farming and stock-raising. In 1883 he produced . three thousand bushels of wheat and four hundred tons of hay. In 1873 he manufactured brick for the construction of his elegant resi- dence, and next year erected it, personally supervising the laying of every brick. It has hollow brick walls, including the partitions, from cellar floor to garret. Every room, from cellar to garret, has com- munication with a chimney. In completing the cellar floor thirty barrels of cement were used, with two feet in depth of cobblestones. The walls of the cellars are lined with brick, and the whole edifice contains one hundred and thirty-two thousand five hundred of these cubes. They are of superior quality, and the massive walls of the mansion present a tine appearance. Mr. Gage has been -active in political aff'airs, and his power is still strongly felt among his fellow- citizens, although approaching age has compelled him to retire. In the fall of 1869 he was elected by the republicans to the state legis- lature, and served with dignity and discretion through the following winter session. In the spring of 1860 a malicious charge of theft was brought against him by enemies, but his vindication on trial was complete. While his case was pending the spring election came on, and he was elected justice of the peace by thirty-four out of 1246 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. forty -four votes. The case was therefore taken to Minneiska for trial, with the result above noted. Mr. Gage has been several times chosen a member of the town board of supervisors, and has served in various town offices. In religious matters his sympathies are with Universalism. On November 5, 1846, he was wedded to Miss Eleanor Probaseo, who is still his intelligent helpmeet and adviser. Mrs. Gage was born January 15, 1826, in Sanderston, New Jersey. Her parents, Joseph and Maria (Quick) Probaseo, were also natives of that state. Three sons, Warren Claude, Wells Eugene and Albert Guy, the youngest of the family, still dwell with their parents ; Eleanor Amanda, the eldest, now Mrs. John Mannings, lives in Chicago ; Edward is in Fargo, and Charles A. and Ilattie Maria (Mrs. Frank Towne) are in Elsbury, Dakota. iVARON F(^x, postmaster at Minneiska, the subject of our sketch, is a son of Abner and Delana Fox, and was born at Mentor, Ohio, in 1833. After receiving a common-school education he removed to Lake county, Illinois. At the end of four years he felt a hungering and thirsting for a better education. Acting upon his impulses, he took a three years' course at Kirtland Seminary, one of the best seminaries in Ohio at that time. After this we find him on the farm in Lake county again till 1856, when he came to Minneiska. For some time he traded with the Indians, detding princi]^ally in furs, but tiring of this, he dealt in wheat, and at present is postmaster, and also deals in groceries ; has served as assessor and constable several terms. He is a member of the Masonic order. His politics ai-e republican. Married Mary Jane Hawkins, of Illiuois, and have two children : Jessie F., now Mrs. Geoi-ge H. Bagley, living in Missouri, and Ernest, living at Ojata, Minnesota. D. H. Ingalls, hardware, Minneiska, son of Daniel and Mercey, was born iij Kingsborough, Massachusetts, in 1820. His parents were natives of the same state. He received his education in the common "schools and at Peperill Academy, attending the latter sev- eral terms. During the spring of 1842 he came to Lake county, Illinois, and engaged in merchandise, remaining till 1859, when he removed to Plainview. Here he opened up a farm, but at the end of a year became tired of farming and sold out, removing to differ- ent parts of Kansas and Illinois during the next year ; but like all eastern men who once see the west, was dissatisfied with anything but the far west, so in 1861 he removed to Minneiska. Here he opened up a lumber-yard, and at difi'erent times bought wheat and Tnf'irESStU i S,r^23S^claScS'T OTHER IMPORTANT PERSONAGES. 124:7 transacted other business, until finally he opened up a store eon. sisting of hardware and furniture, which he still owns. During the early part of the rebellion he was drafted, but on account of consti- tutional disability was given a life certificate of dismissal. For the last sixteen years he has held the offices of town clerk and justice of the peace during most of the time. His politics are republican. In 1879 he was married to Mary F. Kay, of Massachusetts, a lady of refinement and a high order of intelligence. William H. Ingalls, farmer, was born at Nashua, New Hamp- shire, April 23, 1834. When nine years of age he came with his parents to northern Illinois. After attending the common schools for some time, he became a student of Salem Academy. But in a short time he left school, removing to Jacksonville, Iowa, about the year 1856. At the end of two years removed to this state, opening up a farm near Plainview, where he resided twelve years. At this juncture he made another move, going to Murray county, where he again opened up a large farm, living there till 1882, when he came to Minneiska. He married Caroline Walker, of Illinois. They have six children: Arsa F., now at Windom, Minnesota; Ida C, now Mrs. Geo. Darling, living in Missouri ; William D., a teacher in Otter Tail county ; and Alma A., Mabel I. and Leroy, at home. He is a member of the Masonic order. In politics a republican. H. S. Sumner, bookkeeper, son of Timothy and Mary Sumner, was born at Killiugly, Connecticut, in 1852. His early life was that of a farmer boy, working on the farm summers, and attending district school winters, till eighteen years of age. At this time he visited Providence, Khode Island, and on becoming engaged in business, remained till 1881, when he became possessed of the idea, ^'Go west, young man" ; so he came west as far as Winona, Minne- sota. Since then he has lived in different portions of the state, and has made one short stay in Rhode Island. At present he is in the employ of D. F. Brooks & Co. In politics he is a straight repub- lican. Is a member of the I.O.G.T. William McKinney, bookkeeper, Minneiska, was born in 1859. His parents' names were Charles and Caroline McKinney, and were living at Bedfield, Oswego county. New Fork, at that time. His education was received at the common schools. In 1877 went to New York city, remaining nine months, then came to Minneiska. Since that time has resided in Plainview, Fergus Falls, and other portions of the state, but at present is in the employ of Brooks 7G 1248 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Bros., as head bookkeeper. In religion he leans toward the Con- gregational church. Married Mattie A. Burchard, of Plainview. Have one child, Nellie. Mr. McKinney is a man well fitted for the important position which he now fills. John Wear, proprietor of Trout Glen Farm, Mount Pleasant, is a son of English parents, Robert and Mary (Lawton) Wear, and was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, January 6, 1837. AVhen he was seven years old his father moved to Schellsburg, Wisconsin, and engaged in mining. In 1850 he bought a farm in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, and from that time the life of our subject has been passed on a farm. His only educational facilities outside of self- culture were supplied by six months in the common school after he was thirteen years old. On reaching the age of fifteen he left the home farm, where his parents still reside, and has ever since cared for himself. In 1854 he came to Wacouta, on Lake Pepin, and soon after took up land on section 32, in the town of Florence, about four miles west of his present home. This claim was tilled by him until 1868, when he went to Lake City. For two years he engaged in the Hour and feed trade there. He settled on his present farm (the northwest quarter of section 1) in 1877. Until quite recently he has engaged almost exclusively in grain-raising, but is: now turning his attention to breeding Jersey cattle and sheep. At this writing (March, 1884) he is preparing to erect a private creamery on the large spring near his door. This spring supplies abimdant water for driving churn, grindstone, etc., and is inhabited by trout. In the summer of 1883 the butter-producing powers of a three-fourths grade Jersey cow on Mr. Wear's farm was tested by a committee consisting of the editor of the Lake City " Sentinel " and the county superintendent of schools. For a week these gentlemen visited Trout Glen Farm each day, and weighed the milk, cream and butter from this animal. At the end of that period the butter produced at fourteen sittings on the milking-stool was found to weigh twenty- seven and one-fourth pounds. The weight of the milk was two hun- dred and ninety-three pounds. This is related as an example of the results easily attainable in Minnesota, with good water, pasturage and the right kind of cows. Mr. AVear is a member of the Masonic lodge and chapter at Lake City ; is a consistent republican, and both himself and wife joined a Presbyterian church in Goodhue county, and still cherish the faith of that sect. During his residence in Florence Mr. Wear served as town supervisor. His marriage OTHEK IMPORTANT PEESONAGES. 1249" occurred in 1857, the bride being Miss Emily, daughter of Joseph Saunders and Eliza (Owen) Pingrey, of Yermont and New York. Mrs. Wear was born near Madison, Indiana, in 1838. No children having been given this couple, they adopted a daughter, christened Minnie. KoYAL MoREY, farmer, Lake City, is a native of Orange county, Yermont, and was born in 1823. His parents, Joshua and Lucinda (Pennock) Morey, were representative New England families, and descendants of Scotch ancestors. They were principally farmers, though some of their scions have chosen the professions. Mr. Morey (our subject) was reared a farmer, and has made it his life business. He was married in his native state, January 1, 1850, to Miss Jen- nette Ellen Felton, a daughter of Amos Felton, born in Orange county, Yermont, in 1828. In 1861 they came to Minnesota, land- ing at Lake City on October 4, and at once settled on a farm in the town of Chester. Here they resided three years, during which time their home w^as frequently visited by marauding bands of Indians, who delighted in terrorizing Mrs. Morey and her defenseless chil- dren, as well as appropriating to their own use every article of food in the house. He then removed to Lake City, for the purpose of educating his children, whose names in the order ot their birth are: Charles Anson (whose sketch follows); Edith E., wife of Joseph B. Peterson, of Sioux Falls, Dakota; Bertha C, now Mrs. John A. Leonard, of Lake City ; Florence M., a graduate of the State Normal, and engaged in teaching; and Jennette E., at home. Mr. Morey and wife are now residing on their farm, within and adjoining the city limits, and enjoying the blessings of an honorable family, and an industrious and well spent life. Charles Anson Morey was born August 9, 1851, and hved the life of a farmer boy until nineteen years of age, when he was engaged to teach the school at Gopher prairie, near Lake City. So successful was he in this new field of operations, that the next year (1871) he came to Winona, and entered the State Normal School to prepare himself more thoroughly for that work. He graduated at the head of his class, May 22, 18T2, and was at once selected by the authorities of the school, and instructed to proceed with his preparations to take charge of the new department of natural sci- ences about to be established in the school. Accordingly, in Septem- ber of that year, he entered the Massachusetts Institute of Tech- nology in Boston, as a special student in the scientific departments. 1250 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. In the next two years he passed through the entire laboratory course of that advanced and practical institution. During the latter part of the last year he worked in company with Prof. A, Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone. At the close of the year he read a paper before the society of arts and sciences of the institute, describing and illustrating his improvements upon the phonanto- graph, an important acoustical instrument. The ])aper was pub- lished in the "American Journal of Science,'' and the improve- ments upon the familiar piece of apparatus have been generally adopted. He was, in the spring of 1874, elected professor of natural, science in the State Normal School at Winona, and at once entered upon his duties. Under his direction laboratories were established, and the new experimental method of teaching the sciences put in full operation. A large amount of valuable apparatus was made on the spot by himself, and by pupils under his direction. Upon the resignation of Prof. William F. Phelps in 1876, Mr. Morey was appointed principal of the school. Under his administration the curriculum, took many decided steps in advance. The course of study was rearranged upon the basis of a year instead of a terra. The advanced course and the professional course for graduates of colleges and high schools were established. By his economical management of the affairs of the school, the authorities were enabled to supply the funds necessary to fit up and furnish the extensive museum and art gallery of the institution, which was done under his direction. He had, however, since a boy, deter- mined to eventually make the law his profession, and had employed his leisure accordingly. In 1879 he resigned the principalship, was admitted to the bar, and immediately entered upon the practice of law at Winona, as a member of the firm of Berry tfe Morey. He was married November 28, 1877, to Kate Louise Berry, daughter of Gen. 0. H. Berry. They have two children, Janette and Charles Berry. Mr. Morey is a member of the school board, a director of the Merchants Bank, of the board of trade, and is secretary of the Winona Building and Loan Association, and politi- cally afiiliates with the republican party. CHAPTEK XCYII. The following pages consist of materials that have been delayed from various causes and consequently could not be placed in the position originally intended. Much of the matter, it will be seen, is of a highly important and interesting nature. — [Ed. PLAINVIEW TOWNSHIP. The township of Plain view is a complete geographical township, bounded on the north by the townships of Oakwood and Highland, on the east by Winona county, on the south by Olmsted county and on the west by the township of Elgin. The first settlements in this township were made in 1854 by two families of Norwegians, named respectively Halgerson and Olson, These people occupied dugouts on the claims which the}^ made in the northeastern part of the town- ship. The Halgersons are still residents of the township, while the Nelsons (or Olsons) now own farms in the adjoining town of Highland, all highly esteemed and well-to-do farmers. Early the following spring there came several enterprising Yankees, and located claims near the central part of the township. The leading spirits of the new comers were G. A. T. Sharp, E. B. Eddy, Wm. Boatman, Mr. Geising, Mr. Todd, Mr. Lock, A. P. Foster and Ben- jamin Lawrence. The first five named gentlemen were the founders of the short-lived town of Greenville. When the first pioneers arrived upon Greenwood prairie they found themselves in the very heart of a veritable paradise of luxuriant verdure, carpeting a gently undulating prairie soil, dotted here and there by small groves of oak, and all spread out beneath a clear sky and a drj' and invigo- rating atmosphere. Is it any wonder that they were charmed with the scene which gave assurance that the dreams of their ante-pioneer days were about to be realized? They were content to pitch their tents here and begin the work of building homes and carving out fortunes. How well they have succeeded a ride over Greenwood prairie today will enable you to judge, — beautiful farms of many broad acres stretch away on every hand, pleasant and commodious farm-buildings are found, frequently sequestered by groves of stately trees, and a cheerful greeting meets you whithersoever you turn. A 1252 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. thrifty town stands in the midst of all this world of agricultural wealth, good feeling pervades the entire community and the com- bined ctlect of all this will convince the most skeptical that the lives of the old pioneers of Plain view were cast in pleasant places and success has attended their labors. The spring of 1856 saw a large number of new ftimilies estab- lishing themselves in various parts of the township. In the south- east settled the Smiths, Hiram and Milton ; the Sylvesters, George, Charles and Caleb ; George S. Evans, Solomon Fox, Johnathan Ingalls, Hiram Lindsey, Isaac Bancroft, Senica Carewell and Edwin Ball. The summer of 1857 AVoodland postoffice was established at the house of George W. Sylvester, on the S.E. ^ of Sec. 25, with Mr. Sylvester as postmaster. In northeast Plainview we find the MelleTidies, Thomas Smith, the Carpenters ; in the vicinity of Plainview the Halls, Thompsons, Smiths and Browns, T. A. Thompson, Wilcox, Blackwell, Rittenhouse, Chapman, Wiley, Yale, Ackley, Bigham, Ormsby ; and farther south, where S. L. McCarty settled in 1855, there located in the spring of 1856 John Hitchcock, Samuel Bowen, Ruben Brooks, Mr. Griffin, T. Mills, Huslow Struck, Tyem, Ames, Weather, Bn.wn, Churchill, Perry. The gentlemen were chiefly from the eastern states, a few from Wis- consin, and one or two from Iowa ; all were restless palefaces, with good, true Yankee blood flowing in their veins. A volume might be written describing the makeshifts to which they were obliged to resort during the first few weeks or months of their sojourn here for habita- tions. Some of these pioneer families used their wagon-boxes for liouses, and others dwelt under boards that were leaned against a ridgepole. He who was so fortunate as to own a domicile that bore any resemblance in shape and appointments to a house, was fre- quently called upon to extend the hospitality characteristic of the pioneer, to dozens of people, and sometimes entire families, be- neath his humble roof. But with all these inconveniences, the hearts of these people were bouyant with hope and bright prospects, and in these days they look back to those early times and say, that "those were the hajipiest days of all." The sunshine in their souls kept them warm, despite the blasts of the northern winter that besieged their shanty homes, and shot his icy arrows through a thousand unchinked crevices ; despite the rough food, insufficient in quantity, and despite attenuated wardrobes. PLAINVIEW TOWNSHIP. 1253 The soil for the most part is very rich and free from stone ; it is not so heavy as that found in the adjacent timber regions, but is quite as productive, easier to till, and apparently as inexhaustible. Natural growths of scrub-oak were interspersed, but the ax of the pioneer was called into requisition only to provide fuel. The surface is gently undulating, appi-oaching to the level in the northeast and slightly broken in the southeast along the White Water river, which enters the township from Elgin on section 30, and flows east for about three miles, then takes a southerly course, passing out through section 33, and again in the eastern part, where a diminutive branch of the White Water flows through a bluffy vale. THE PRODUCTS. Wheat was the chief product of this fertile region for a score of years. Upon this important cereal the prosperity of the farmer chiefly depended, and he gave no attention to other branches of husbandry, until the wheat-producing qualities of the soil were impaired by excessive cropping, and a series of unfavorable seasons conspired to greatly reduce the lai'ge yields, upon which he had for so many years safely relied. From thirty and forty bushels to the acre to five and ten, despite the most skillful husbandry, was the result. But the dauntless spirit of the old pioneer was not subdued by these discouragements, and Jie sought relief in stock-raising, which, during the last few years, has developed into no insignificant proportions. The raising of corn for the fattening of hogs perhaps receives the largest share of attention, but fine grades of cattle and blooded horses are also specialties. Dairying is a branch of farm industry that is coming rapidly into favor among the farmers of this section, and several fine herds of Jerseys and Shorthorns are to be found. The Greenwood Creamery, located at Plainview, and suc- cessfully operated by Hon. A. Y. Felton, is a prosperous enterprise, that leads and encourages the dairy interests of this prairie. Grain raising has not been wholly abandoned, but large quantities of wheat, oats and barley, as well as corn, are produced every year, and wheat culture may be said to hold at least the second place in agri- cultural industry today. THE FIRST HABITATIONS were the buildings erected by E. B. Eddy and Wm. Boatman. The building occupied by Eddy was on the proposed site of Greenville, 1254: HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. and was the conjoint product of A, P, Foster, A. T. Sharpe and Mr. Eddy, all of whom contributed to the fund of muscle and money required in its construction. Mrs. Eddy, being the only woman of this party, was installed as housekeeper over this first palace of the prairie. Mrs. Wm. Boatman and Mrs. Eddy were the first white ladies who came to Greenwood prairie, coining in the same ])arty. During the summer of 1855, Mr. Sharpe took charge of the affairs of the new town, Greenville, afterward called Greenwood, which was located about two miles east of the present village of Plainview. Mr. Sharpe was a gentleman of good address, and was full of ambitious notions concerning this new pioneer burg, whicli was promptly platted by its proprietors, and its lots put upon the mar- ket. All fair and rational means were employed to attract settlers to this new Eldorado, that these enterprising people could devise. Eastern capitalists were besought to invest their money here, and letters filled with glowing descriptions of the country, and setting forth the advantages which the new town offered, were sent them. And not infrequently did these zealous town boomers overstep the bounds of strict veracity, and sometimes resorted to tricks to deceive the incredulous. As a sample we will here mention an incident that has been rendered historical by the clever pen of Dr. N. F. Teff't, of Plainview, himself one of the early settlers in Wabasha county, and a witness of all that he has related in the form of a drama which was produced at the "old settlers' meeting," February 13, 1 884, and may be properly styled THE DRY WELL. One of the most serious problems which the citizens of Green- ville had to solve was the procuring of water. There was no kindly stream nearer than the Whitewater, four miles south. Of lakes there were none, not even a good old-fashioned mud-hole, and the water supply must be found in the bosom of mother earth, if at all. Consequently the digging of a well for the use of the town was at once undertaken. A depth of eighteen or twenty feet had been reached witiiout indication of water, when tlie arrival of an eastern capitalist was announced by mail a day in advance. What was to be done with the well and the earth which had been taken from it and heaped into a telltale mound near by. A happy thought came to the wily Sharpe, and he caused the well to be supplied with watei from the river before the arrival of the capitalist. When the latter PLAmVIEW TOWNSHIP. 1255 came Mr. Sharpe took him in tow and escorted him over the town site, pointing out the interesting features of the new town and expa- tiating upon its admirable location and advantages. The unsophis- ticated stranger was advised of a proposed railroad line that had been surveyed through the village all the way from Dubuque on section lines, indicated the spot where in a few months was to be erected a "female brick seminary," loftily declared the existence of a beautiful lake near the Melendy place, and spoke in tones of assur- ance of the fine supply of water which the new well afforded , into the depths of which the visitor was invited to look that he might dispel any doubt previously entertained on that score. It happened that the water which the cunning citizens had put into the well had leaked out and the deception was thus uncovered ; the well was dry. The lack of water was not the only drawback that Greenwood had. A far more serious menace to her success was found in the fact that she was located within the half-breed tract, which included all that portion of Plainview township lying northeast of a line drawn from the northwest corner of the township southeast to a point near the center of the N.E. J of the N.W. J of Sec. 24. The title to all lands contained in this reservation was in question for years, and was not determined until the tate of Greenville was forever sealed. GREENVILLE in her palmiest day was never more than a "four corners"; a hotel, a store, a blacksmith-shop and a schoolhouse were the sum total of her business and public places. Today there is but one building standing that once contributed to her fated glory, and that one building is used on the T. G. Bdton place for a sheep-shed. T. J. Wadleigh, furniture dealer of Plainview, was the last one to abandon her and transfer his business to her rival. The first school in the township was established by the citizens of Greenville, in the fall of 1856. The boards for the schoolhouse were prepared by Mr. Boatman, its builder, with a whip-saw. Miss Annie M. White (now Mrs. Furlong, of Rochester, Minnesota)»was the first teacher. SIOUX HALF-BREED TRACT. A portion of the township of Plainview, as heretofore mentioned, was embraced in the half-breed reservation. That portion was the northern and eastern. The questionable title which those who settled on this Indian territory obtained of their lands occasioned 1256 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. them much uneasiness and trouble. The Indians were ultimately- induced to relinquish their claims to this tract, in lieu of which the United States government granted them certain valuable land-script, each Indian receiving enough of this script to enable him to locate therewith four hundred and eighty acres of land, regardless of squatters' rights. This script was not assignable, but Yankee wit found a way to circumvent the law, and for a valuable consideration prevailed u])on the dusky owners of the script to invest their white brother with the power of attorney, requisite to enable him to buy the script in the owner's name, and also to transfer the title to the land thus acquired to others. This scheme ])roved successful, and those possessing the necessary means soon secured control of large tracts of land, and, in some instances for a reasonable and in others for an exorbitant consideration, perfected the squatter-claimants' title. These titles thus acquired were afterward disputed, and resulted in a closely-contested suit, in which A. P. Foster was made defendant. The titles were, however, confirmed by the supreme court, and the matter forever put at rest thereby. While the mat- ter of title was thus in abeyance, it had a tendency to delay improvements, and the development of the country aifected was temporarily suspended. The organization of the township of Plainview was effected in 1858. The first town-meeting was held in Plainview, May 11, of that year. Prior to this there had been an imperfect attempt at organization under the territorial government as early as 1856, during which year we find that John W. Burnham exercised the functions of a justice of the peace. His official docket, which is still extant, contains recoi'ds of judicial proceedings in several cases. The first election in the township resulted in the selection of the following-named persons: John Yale, chairman board of supervisors ; Hiram Smith and J. P. Robbins, supervisors ; S. H. Gaylord, town clerk ; John W. Burnham and H. H. Butts, justices of the peace ; David Ackley and Wm. F. Collins, constables ; James Brown, assessor ; Bepjamin Lawrence, overseer of the ])oor. The number of ballots cast at this election was seventy-eight. thp: first road. On March 26, the board of supervisors convened to consider the matter of public highways. Up to this time the travel had been unconfined in its selection of routes, save that here and there might PLAINVIEW TOWNSHIP. 1257 be found the restraining fence of some exclusive settler, and wagon- roads threaded the prairie in all directions, regardless of section- lines. A survey had been duly made ot a road from the township- line in the west, at the section-stake between sections six and seven, due east through the township. This survey was adopted by the board, and the first road ordered to be opened thereon. The roads that now traverse the township are chiefly located on section-lines, and are kept in excellent condition. Those mainly traveled are known as the Wabasha road, and the extension east and west of Broadway, the main street of Plain view village. FENCES. The custom of fencing farms in vogue in the east was introduced by the early settlers, and put tliose occupying prairie land to a large expense to haul the rails necessary from the timber lands often many miles distant, but the more sensible practice of requiring each farmer to fence in his stock rather than his crops, resulted in the speedy disappearance of fences, which are almost wholly unnecessary in a country exclusively devoted to grain-raising. The introduction of stock-raising on an extensive scale, is, however, calling for the restoration of fences. The old Virginia rail fence has had its day, however, and wire is being successfully substituted. THE INHABITANTS are chiefly Yankees, with a small percentage of German and Irish interspersed. There is a strong tendency toward independent and atheistic notions in religious matters, while the prevailing religious sentiment (so called) is Protestant. A few Catholic families are, however, to be found, and a Catholic society is in process of crystallization in the village of Plainview. There is a manifest dis- position on the part of the majority of the people to cultivate and foster a wholesome and practical literary taste. With this end in view the children are given the advantages ofltered by good SCHOOLS. Outside of the village there are seven school districts bearing the following numbers: 59, 61, 62, 62^, 63, 71 and 95. Each has a suitable school-building, and much care is exercised in the selection of good and competent instructors. The village school district No. 60, is provided with an able corps of instructors, and the high school connected therewith receives each year many pupils from the neighboring rural districts. 1258 HISTORY OF wabasha county. is the incubus that haunts the sweet dream of prosperity that other- wise were a briglit reality for PLainview. In a moment of generosity she issued her bond to tlie amount of fifty thousand dolhirs to aid the Plainview & Eyota Railroad Company to construct their road from Eyota to Plainview. This was in the spring of 1878, March 30. Prior to their issue, in accordance with a permissive act of the legis- lature, a petition had been circulated among the taxpayers of the township, and the signatures of a majority thereof had been thus obtained. This by the terms of the said act was sufficient authority to warrant the board of supervisors to issue the bonds. The opposi- tion to this move made itself apparent at the spring election for the year 1S78, and two tickets were put into the field on that issue, the one composed of men pledged to issue the bonds, and the other of men pledged to the opposite course. The election resulted in the choice of the bond men. The village of Plainview surrendered its. corporate existence, in order to enable the voters residing therein to vote upon this issue, and has never been reincorporated. The validity of the bonds issued in this manner were called in question, and a test case reached the highest tribunal of the state, where the act authorizing the proceedings preliminary to the issuing of the bonds, was pronounced unconstitutional, and the town was enjoined from levying a tax for the collection of the funds for payment of said bonds or the interest thereon. The bonds were held by non- residents, who at once brought suit against the township to recover the interest as it became due, in the district court of the United States. This tribunal pronounced the bonds valid, and issued a mandamus to compel tlife town authorities to levy the requisite tax therefor. Between these two conflicting forces the town is in a dilemma, and the people know not in which direction their best interests lie. They, however, are daily assured by the arrival and departure of trains, that the railroad for which the bonds were issued has been constructed, and is being operated in accordance with the terms of contract made with the Plainview & Eyota company. THE ELGIN CYCLONE OF 1883, which swept with such a destructive force over the fair and fertile fields of the sister town in the west, and all but annihilated the thrifty little rural village of Elgin, exhausted its dying powers in doing some slight damage to the property of Plainview farmers in PLAIN VIEW TOWNSHIP. 1259 the southern part of the township as it passed on its way to the Mis- sissippi. OLD settlers' society. An informal meeting of old settlers of the southern part of Wabasha county was held in Flainview on February 6, 1877, which resulted in the organization of the Old Settlers' Association. II. P. Willson was elected chairman, and S. B. Evans secretary. On Feb- ruary 28, they held what they were pleased to designate their first regular meeting at Schoolhouse Hall in Flainview, adopted a con- stitution and by-laws, and elected the following oflicers, viz : Dr. N. S. Tefft, president; George Farrer, of Elgin, vice-president; T. A. Thompson, secretary; E. B. Eddy, treasurer. SECRET SOCIETIES. Flainview Lodge, No. 16, 1. 0. O.F., was organized December 29, 1866. The charter members, David Van Wert, Wm. L. Cleave- land, W. W. Case, and Ferdinand Trace, and the first oflicers were : W. A. Allen, N.G.; John Simpson, Y.G.; D. Yan Wert, secretary; S. N. Wright, treasurer ; W. L. Cleaveland, constable ; W. W. Case, warden; E. B. Eddy, K.S.KG.; W. H. Stone, L.S.KG.; F. Trace, I.G.; J. Huntoon, O.G.; John Valentine, RS.Y.G.; A. Pomeroy, L.S.Y.G.; T. A. Thompson, K.S.S.; J. J. Butts, L.S.S. The Past Grands at present members, and in good standing, are : John Simpson, W. L. Cleaveland, Wm. Donaldson, T. A. Thomp- son, Jas. D. Knights, J. J. Butts, N. S. Tefft, J. P. Waste, D. K. Sweezey, Gqo. C. French, G. C. Kichmond, F. H. Roberts, D. Z. Taylor, D. C. Clark, S. O. Seymour, Jacob Haessig, John McArthur, A. Y. Felton, John Springer, Ed. A. Paradis, Wm. F. Pvobinson. The present officers are: R. R. Damoude, N.G.; D. R. French, Y.G.; G. C. French, secretary; J. Haessig, treasurer; Ed. A. Par- adis, constable; D. C. Clark, warder; F. H. Roberts, R.S.KG.; S. O. Seymour, L.S.N.G.; D. Z. Taylor, R.S.Y.G.; J. H. Robinson, L.S.Y.G.; A. E. Thom, I.G.; S. H. Gaylord, O.G.; James McGee, R.S.S.; C. W. Donaldson, L.S.S. Meetings are held every Satur- day evening, in the hall over F. J. CornwelFs store. Illustrious Lodge, Wo. 63, was chartered October 23, 1867, the following being charter members : F. A. W&lls, H. A. Wells, James Lynch, Augustus Smith, S. N. Wright, E. C. Gearey, 1. B. Pope, D. McCarty, A. Clawson, C. G. Dawley and F. Trace. The first oflicers were": F. A. Wells, W.M. ; H. A. Wells, S.W. ; James 1260. HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Lynch, J.W. ; Augustus Smith, Treas. ; E. S. Case, Sec. ; E. C. Gearey, S.D. ; I. B. Pope, J.D. ; Jas. McHench, S.S. ; C. O. Lan- don, J.S. ; D. Van Wert, Tyler. The Masters since organization have been : F. A. Wells, E. C. Geary, D. D. Brown, E. S. Case, Augustus Smith, Jas. McIIench, H. A. Wells, H. R. Gearey and J. F. Pope. The present officers are : J. F. Pope, W.M. ; G. R. Hall, S.W. ; Wni. S. Baxter, J.W. ; C. O. Landon, Treas. ; L. D. Colby, Sec; H. D. Wedge, S.D.; Fred. Wahler, J.D.; F. F. Fed- der, S.S. ; Geo. C. Landon, J.S. ; E. B. DePny, Tyler. The present membership is seventy-six, and nights of meeting first and third Fridays of each month, in the hall over F. J. CornwelFs store. Plainview Chapter^ No. 36., was organized October 18, 1882, with the following charter members: H. C. Woodruff, Augustus Smith. C. E. Daniels, F. A. Wells, Jas. W. McCarty, D. McCarty, Ezra Fellar, T. L. Meachum, Robt. Wahler, and the following as first officers: H. C. Woodruff, M.E.H.P.; Aug. Smith, E.K.; C. E. Daniels, E.S.; Milton Smith, Treas.; E. C. Gearey, Sec; H. D. Wedge, C.PL; D. McCarty, B.A.C.; F. A. Wells, P.S.; E. R Corn- well, M. of 1st Veil ; Jas. McCarty, M. of 2d A^eil ; F. L. Meachum, M. of 3d Veil ; Robt. Vickery, Sentinel. The following have been elected to fill the office of high priest : II. C. Woodrufi' and F. A. AVells. The present officers are : F. A. AVells, H.P.; D. McCarty, K. ; H. R. Gearey, S. ; Milton Smith, Treas.; S. A. Foster, Sec; G. R. Hall, C.H.'; E. R. Cornwell, R.A.C.; A. J. Carroll, ; John Bryant, M. of Ist Veil ; G. W. Harrington, M. of 2d Veil ; F. L. Meachum, M. of 3d Veil ; D. D. Harrington, Sentinel. Nights of meeting are second and fourth Fridays in each month. CHAPTER XCVIII. WATOPA TOWNSHIP. Owing to the roughness of its contour, this section was not as earl}' settled as the rest of the county. In fact, some portions of this township have not been cleared of their native growth of shrubs and opened to cultivation until within the past ten years. Indian Creek valley extends across the town from east to west, the stream entering on section 31 and leaving on 24. North of this is Snake creek, whose head is near the west side of the town, flowing about due east, and joining the Zumbro on section 12. The Whitewater river crosses the southeastern portion, and thus the town is composed of alternate ridges and valleys. The ridge between the Whitewater and Indian creek is quite broad, and is known as " Hoosier Ridge." Those on eiHier side of Snake creek are narrow, and have no distinctive appel- lation. Nearly all the people are Irish, these people wholly occu- pying Snake Creek valley, and the ridges on either side and at its head. They are industrious, and have cleared and made fertile what seemed unpromising to the prospector. In the southwestern portion are several German families, who are making "the wilderness to blossom as the rose." Among the earliest residents were Frank and John Gage, who settled in the Whitewater valley in 1855. During the same year Nels Westling and Andrew Johnson, Swedes, located in the valley of Indian creek. In the following year came Olaf Paulson, James and Daniel Gow, John Feddelson, and George and William Christie. Daniel Gow, a bachelor, still lives on his claim, alone, in a hole in the ground, covered with loose boards. Perhaps it is not proper to say he lives alone, as his chickens inhabit the den with him. Of those above mentioned, besides Gow, AVestling, Johnson and John Gage still reside here. In 1857 John Hickey and John Keating settled on Snake creek. In 1858 Dr. L. D. Holmes settled on Indian creek, and J. B. Haines became his neighbor next year. These were eastern people, and a spirit of enterprise and advancement came with them. In ] 859 a log school- house was put up through the efforts of those last above named, and 1262 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. a school taught by Mrs. William Welds. The husband of the latter was a preacher of the Baptist denomination, and he held religious services in J. B. Haines' house as early as May or June, 1860. In December of this year Rev. D. B. Gleason, a Methodist, preached at the same place, and about this time Mr. Haines attempted to organize a Sunday school, but found so little cooperation that he was compelled to give it up. Rev. Harvey Webb succeeded Mr. Gleason as pastor of the Read's Landing circuitin 1S61, and held services here. This was about the last attempt at preaching in the town. An effort was made, not long ago, to organize a sabbath school in the same locality, but was abandoned. In this connection it may be noted that neither church edifice nor saloon have ever been opened in the town. Were the question of licensing a saloon submitted to a vote of the people, it would no doubt receive a large majority. The earliest effort to educate the youth of the town was inaugu- rated in the fail of 1858. A log tenement-house on the farm of John Gage had been vacated, and Mrs. Timothy Young ])roposed to open school in it. She proceeded to scrub out the house, in jjrepara- tion for this use of it, and fell dead while thus engaged. This was undoubtedly the first death to occur in the town, and was caused by heart-disease. The school was, however, conducted, Josiah Porter being the teacher. There are now five districts, with the same number of school- houses. The best and largest is that in district No. 34, the first regularly organized district. This is a neatly-painted frame building, in Snake Creek valley, on section 11. When the first building was put up there were few pupils, but the number on the school register at one time reached ninety. The first house stood partly on land now included in the right of way of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway, on the southeast quarter of section 11, Creek valley. The second was erected on the present site, and was burned in June, 1878. The first teacher employed in this district was Dora CXeil, but when it was found that she was a Protestant the peo]>le decided that she was no.t capable of teaching their children. Miss Sylvia Tiffany then took the little flock in charge, and managed its instruc- tion with satisfaction to the patrons. Cupid kept away from the locality for some time, according to the memories of early Inhabitants. The first residents of the town to be united in marriage were William Ryan and Margaret Hickey. This wedding was celebrated at Wabasha, February 16, 1863. WATOPA TOWNSHIP. 1263 On September 7, 1856, a son was born to John and Eleanor Gage, He was christened Burton Wallace, and died January 25, 1859. During the latter year a daughter was born to Charles Simp- son, but is now deceased. These are the earliest births of which any knowledge can be found. The political town of Watopa was organized May 11, 1858. The earliest records of election and public acts have been destroyed, but this much has been learned in regard to that election from early set- tlers : The Indian name, "Watopa, was adopted, after considerable discussion of other titles. The supervisors chosen were William Abbott, chairman, John Gage and Henry Wagner. Charles Simp- son was made town clerk, Daniel Seymour, justice of the peace, and John Grain, constable. The affidavit and bond of Justice Seymour's first case was filed July 28, 1858. Suit was brought by Philip Smith to recover possession of a horse, valued at one hundred dollars, un- lawfully held by Valentine Jacob. After due trial, the case was decided in favor of the plaintiff, and costs of eight dollars and seventy- four cents assessed against defendant. To cover this, the constable levied on three thousand brick in possession of Jacob ; but after be- ing twice advertised for sale no buyers appeared, and the brick were not utilized in satisfying just demands of the minions of the law. A good deal of amusement was created in the spring of 1860, by a suit brought against John Gage for stealing corn. Before the case came to trial. Gage was elected justice of the peace, and offered to go on with the trial. To this neither the law nor the mind of the plaintifl's attorney would assent, and the case was therefore taken to Minneiska for trial. The judgment of his fellow-citizens in electing him justice was there justified by his acquittal. At another time. Gage's enemies sought to annoy him by bringing suit against him, during high water, on Sand prairie. The defendant proceeded quietly to secure possession of all the boats in the neighborhood, and proceeded to the scene of trial. Of course the case went in his favor, by default of his opponents. 1859 the town officers elected were : supervisors, Garrett Fitz- gerald, George A. Layes and John Keating ; town clerk, William Abbott ; assessor, John Hickey ; collector, George C. Curtis ; over- seer of poor, Alois Holtzer. From 1860 to 1871, inclusive, J. B. Haines was town clerk. For those years only the supervisors are given in the following list. 77 1264 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Thereafter, the fourth name is that of the clerk, in every ease the chairman of supervisors being given first. John B. Mullins has been treasurer for the last ten years, and assessor for many years, still holding ^he latter office. 1860. Daniel Seymour, G. A. Layes, Olaf Paulson. 1861. William Abbott, G. Fitzgerald, John Schaling. 1862. J. B. Mullins, G. Fitzgerald, John Feddelson. 1863. Charles Jencks, G. Fitzgerald, John Feddelson. 1864. J. B. Mullins, G. Fitzgerald, Charles Jencks. 1865. John Feddelson, G. Fitzgerald, Henry Wagner. 1866. J. B. Mullins, Lewis Martin, E. T. Lawrence. 1867. J. B. Mullins, John Kennedy, William Putnam. 1868. No record kept. 1869. J. R. Hamlin, lohn Kennedy, John Gage. 1870. J. R. Hamlin, Timothy Young, Dennis McCarthy. 1871. Same as 1870. 1872. John Kennedy, Patrick Hickey, George Ropert, J. B. Mullins. 1873. John Kennedy, P. Hickey, E. W. Hurd, J. K. Hamlin. 1874. Same as 1873. 1875. J. Kennedy, J. Gage, William Fitzgerald, J. R. Hamlin. 1876. Dennis McCarthy, James Brown, Matthias Webber, J. R. Hamlin . 1877. D. McCarthy, John Starr, M. Webber, J. B. Mullins. 1878. Patrick Drury, Peter Schilling, James Lamy, N. P. Burman. 1879. J. Kennedy, E. W. Hurd, Peter Schilling, N. P. Burman. 1880. J. Kennedy, James Lamy, William Putnam, Robert H. Wood. 1881. J.Kennedy, E. W. Hurd, P. Hickey, R. H. Wood. 1882. Peter Schilling, Peter Jacoby, Pat. Hickey, N. P. Burman. 1883. Same supervisors as 1882, R. H. Wood. On account of the death of the latter, N. P. Burman was appointed clerk in April. 1884. Patrick Shea, P. Schilling, Robert White, N. P. Burman. Assessor, J. B. iMullins ; treasurer, Thomas Wood, Jr. ; justices, John Gage, N. P. Burman ; constable, James Gray. At the presidential election in November, 1S60, the republican electors received thirty-two votes, and the democratic twenty. Twelve years later, when U. S. Grant was made president of the United States, his electors received twenty-two votes in Watopa, while his opponent had forty-three. In 1880 the democratic electors had a majority of twenty out of one hundred and fourteen ballots. AVhen a state governor was chosen, in 1883, the republican candidate received twenty-two votes, to his opponent's seventy-one. On most of the county officers the vote stood twenty-eight to sixty- five, the latter figures illustrating the political sentiment of the town. At the town meeting, in 1861, only thirty-seven votes were cast. Next year there were twenty-nine. In 1863 but twenty-five voters WATOPA TOWNSHIP. 1265 turned out, which was probably about all then in town, but next year the number was raised to forty-one. Since then the number of voters has largely increased. The population of the town in 1860 was three hundred and seven. Ten years later it increased to four hundred and sixty. Probably the number is little more at this time than in 1870. In the last census Watopa and Minneiska were taken together, reach- ing one thousand and twenty-three. The last-named town included three hundred and ninety-four in 1870, and has grown some since, . so it is probable that Watopa about held its own. The number of acres of farming-land assessed in Watopa in 1860, was 6,420, valued at $25,776. Personal property was assessed $755, and the total basis of taxation thus became $26,531. At the last assessment the number of acres taxed liad more than trebled, reaching 21,775. Their average valuation was $5.58, making an aggregate of $121,576, nearly five times that of 1860. Personal property in 1883 was rated $19,215, and taxes were therefore * assessed on $140,791 of property. During the war of the rebellion, the number of able-bodied men in the town was very small, and one man was drafted three times. No tax for bounties was ever raised. A subscription was made for this purpose, but much of it was never paid. As other towns were offering large bounties for volunteers, many citizens of Watopa, who enlisted in the United States service, were credited to other towns. When the question of issuing state bonds to the amount of five million dollars, to assist railroad construction, was submitted to the people in April, 1858, this town was in a precinct with part of Winona county. Only one vote favoring the proposition was cast in the precinct. The following circumstances are related as showing the experi- ences of Minnesota pioneers : As late as 1859, flour was difficult to procure in the spring and early summer, after the long winter had exhausted the supply brouglit by boats in the previous fall. On one occasion Mrs. J. B. Haines and Charles Jencks set out for Minne-. sota City to procure flour, and had nothing for lunch on the way save some green cucumbers. At noon they turned out the oxen to feed, and sat down by a spring to eat their lunch. On reaching their destination, they succeeded in securing fifty pounds of flour, which was to feed several families in the valley. When Mr. Haines 1266 HISTORY OF WABASHA CODNTi'. had raised a crop of wheat, lie engaged men to thresh it. The din- ner provided for the liungry workmen was devoid of bread or pastry, because their materials could not be procured, yet seemed a feast to them. Butter and cream were plenty, and also tea and coffee. Trout, which was easily caught in Indian creek at that time, furnished the flesh, and squash the vegetable portion. For dessert, sweetened stewed pumpkin was supplied, sugar being easily obtainable. Despite the hardships then endured, people declare they were happier in the pioneer times than in these days of form and etiquette. WEAVER VILLAGE. Weaver village was laid out in 1871. William Weaver and a man by the name of Dodge were the proprietors. The town was named after the former gentleman, and stands on sections 29 and 30 of Minneiska township. In the summer of 1851 Andrew Olson emigrated to this section ^ with his family, took a claim and erected a house, the first in this vicinity. Soon after two brothers, George and Christopher Abbott, and in 1857 William Weaver arrived from New York State and opened up a farm, on the north side of which a part of the town now stands. As soon as the village was laid out a postoffice was estab- lished, with W. H. Hopkins as postmaster. At present writing Weaver contains a store, hotel, butcher-shop, blacksmith-shop and two warehouses. The store is a handsome brick block, 44x65 feet, and is owned by W. II. Hopkins, who keeps a stpck of general merchandise and farm machinery. The hotel is a large brick structure, and was erected by AVilliam Weaver, at a cost of nine thousand dollars. In 1880 he sold out, and is at present engaged in farming near Cassel- ton, Dakota. Mr. James White is now keeping the hotel. The warehouses are in charge of Brooks Bros., of Minneiska, well known throughout the state as dealers in wheat and lumber. The present school was built in 1872, and answers the double purpose of school- house and church, the Methodists and Norwegian Lutherans, alter- nating in their services. The population of Weaver is now about one hundred. Michael Callohan, telegraph oj^erator. Weaver, was born at Sandy Creek, New York, in 1858. His parents, John and IMary Callohan, were natives of Ireland, and emigrated to America in 1837, settling where our subject was born. When a young man he WATOPA TOWNSHIP. 1267 tried living in several towns, among which were Kochester, in New York, and Niagara Falls, but finally concluded to visit St. Paul, which he did in 1880. Liking the west so well led him to locate in Winona for a year, and again he moved, this time to Weaver, where he now resides, being in the employ of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, as agent and operator. Mr. Callohan is a member of the Catholic church, and also of the Winona State Military Guards. He married Eliza Hitchcock, of Weaver. They have one child, Mary Agnes. SOCIETIES OF ZUMBRO TOWNSHIP. Greenwood Wesley an Methodist Church. — This was the second society organized in the township, and the second by this sect in the state. The first has already been alluded to, and the circuit was known as South Troy circuit. Greenwood church derives its name from the location of its first headquarters, on Greenwood prairie, in Farmington township, Olmsted county. The class was first formed February 7, 1869, and included the following gentlemen and their wives : A. J. Jenkins, Sidney Corp, James Henry, Thomas Bailey, Christ Hope ; also Louis Warnic, Joel Pugh, George Baile}^, Jane, Joseph and Mary Roberts, James Sweeney and Elisha and William Perkins. Before the end of March the following has united with this organization : James Arnold and Lyman Wilson, with their wives, and Thomas Wilson, Ezra Pugh, Charles Roberts and John Potter, Jr. Soon after its inception the society became identified with Zumbro township, and this became its home. In 1882 a church edifice was begun on section 36 (Range 14), and was com- pleted during the second winter following. No indebtedness was incurred, and the building was completed as means could be found. It is a handsome frame structure, 42x26 feet in size, surmounted by proportionate belfi-y, and neatly painted. Its cost as completed was one thousand dollars. The society now includes forty-six mem- bers, under the pastorate of Rev. Charles Cox. A Sunday school was organized early, by Mrs. Sidney Corp. The school now in- cludes sixty-eight pupils, with seven teachers and oflicers. O. H. Tucker is superintendent. The several pastors have served for the number of years set opposite their names below. The first was the organizer of this and the South Troy societies : H. E. Walker, 3 ; George Pegler, 3 ; H. E. Walker, 2 ; M. R. Baldridge, 1 ; Thomas Hartley, 2 ; C. H. Norton, 1 ; Charles Cox, 3. 1268 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. South Troy Wesleijan Methodist Church. — As early as 1866, Almond and Mary A. Martin and William Perkins covenanted together as Wesleyan Methodists. Next year a society was formed, March 24, with ten members. There are now about twice that num- ber. Since 1868 services have been kept up quite regularly by this society, and by the Methodist Episcopal church at the South Troy and "Red" schoolhouses. This class holds stated services in the South Troy schoolhouse at this time. Pleasant Prairie Grange, Mo. 56. — This lodge of the Patrons of Husbandry was organized in 1870 at what is known as the Dale schoolhouse. The first officers of the grange were as follows : Thomas Fryer, master ; James Henry, secretary ; O. H. Tucker, lecturer ; Pratt Drinkwalter, overseer ; A. E. Pandall and George Everett, stewards ; L. M. Howard, chaplain ; D. F. Wyatt, treasurer ; Mrs. Wyatt, pomona ; Mrs. Tucker, flora ; Mrs. Henry, ceres ; Mrs. Anderson, lady assistant steward. The membership reached about thirty, and meetings were kept up until February, 1876. There is a German Lutheran church on section 36 (range 15), and an Allbright German church on section 28, in the village of Hammond's Ford. MATERIALS OUT OF WHICH PIONEERS ARE MADE. The material of which the pioneers of AVabasha county was con- structed is illustrated in the following item of fact which was related to Mr. F. Talbot by the actor, as also to other parties, thus making strong proof of the truth of the narrative. When Mr. Alexis Bailly was about nineteen years of age, and while attending school at Montreal, Canada East, Lady Selkirk, fear- ing some conspiracy was brewing by which the life of the earl was in danger, sought in vain for some days the means of communicat- ing with her husband. A thousand miles in midwinter was a formidable journey which no one seemed willing to attempt. The gallant heart of youth, who was not without the love of adventure, and who knew from former experience the route to Detroit, Michi- gan, offered his services to the lady and gave her such assurance of his readiness and ability to communicate with the earl, if anybody could succeed, that she gave him carte blanche for an outfit. Securing the services of two hardy Frenchmen, grizzly old voyageurs, and getting together a good dog team, with such provi- WATOPA TOWNSHIP. 1269 sions as were requisite for men and beasts, and not forgetting the little bags of ground parched corn, with its proper sprinkling of sugar and an ample supply of blankets for emergency, he turned his heel to the civilization of the French metropolis and took up his line of march for the wilderness and the earl, whose headquarters he reached in due time without accident or adventure worthy of note. The earl complimented him for his bravery and hardihood in undertaking and accomplishing so perilous a journey in winter, and detaining him until thoroughly recruited, supplied his train for the return trip, and entrusted him not only with letters to Lady Selkirk, but with other important documents. On the return trip a beclouded sun for some days brought afflic- tion and almost disaster to the party. The long detour from the right path of their journey almost exhausted their provisions, and for eight days their only subsistence was one of the little sacks of parched corn. The Frenchmen were determined to kill and eat the dogs, and it was only from the fact Mr. Bailly, youth as he was, resisted sound sleep and with pistol in hand watched not the dogs but the voyageurs. While at Fort William with Earl Selkirk he learned that an employe of the Hudson Bay Company had deserted, and there was a rumor that he was in a certain location trapping. As good fortune proved, such was the fact, and Mr. Bailly and his party made their way to his camp, where they feasted for some days on venison alone, for the hunter had no other provisions. From his camp, supplied with sufficient venison to prevent suffering, he led his train in safety back to the metropolis, to be received by Lady Selkirk not alone with verbal expressions of a grateful heart, but with a kiss of joyful approval. The trip was performed about the year 1819. We again hear from this young man, who was to be no incon- spicuous mover in the settlement of Wabasha county. The following is from a record of Mrs. Yan Cleve : "Early in August, 1821, a young Frenchman, Alexis Bailly, afterward a member of the legislature of the territory, left the cantonment with the first drove of cattle for the Selkirk colony, and returned the fol- lowing winter." The cantonment was the embryo of Fort Snelling. Those who now make the trip in well-warmed cars, with a dining-car attached, know little of the courage and hardihood demanded of that under- 1270 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. taking. Mr. Baillj and liis son Henry were among the original proprietors of the city of Hastings, A LOYAL INDIAN. The picture of Tah-mali-haw, the friend of Gen. Pike, together with a commission as a chief from Gen. Clark, of Missouri, dated in tlie year 1814, are in the possession of the old Indian's friends in Wabasha. Tah-mah-haw was called by the old French voyageurs the "Old Priest," because he was a great talker on all occasions. In the war of 1812 he rendered important service to the government, and it was his boast that he was the only American in his tribe. At one time while carrying dispatches from Prairie du Chien to Fort Snelling he was pursued by a party of Sacs and Foxes. Being hard pressed, he noticed a log cabin at some distance, and on getting to it rushed in. The family, it appeared, had just abandoned the house and left the fire burning. Tah-mah-haw, on looking around for a place to secrete himself, thought of the chimney, and up it he rushed. His enemies coming up soon after, entered the house, but not think- ing of the chimney did not stay long. After waiting awhile until the coast was clear Tah-mah-haw got down and took the other trail. Another time he was surprised by a war party of the same nation, and being on the bank of the river when it was full of running ice, he jumped in, and by diving managed to escape to the other shore. The old man was taken away from here at the outbreak of the Sioux war in 1862, and died at the San tee Agency, Nebraska. AN EARLY RELIGIOUS IMPRESSION. Many amusing anecdotes might be told of early times in Wabasha, among which to the writer occurs his first experience in attending church. On a Saturday in March, 1856, he arrived in Wabasha and ])ut up at what was then known as Harrold's hotel. In the morning inquiry was made if there was religious services in the place that day, and was coolly informed that he believed that there was an '-'old Methodist minister that did some kind of howl- ing up at Hays' hall, " so at the proper time the writer wended his way to the hall. There was quite a congregation assembled and religious services commenced. The room below the hall was occu- pied as a saloon. In that was fiddling and dancing. Very soon a free fight was organized below, when every man, except the preacher and the writer, rushed out to see the fight, and the women present crowded to the windows to overlook the fight. Between the cursing WATOPA TOWNSHIP. 1271 and swearing of the belligerents below and the screams of the women above as some of their friends would be knocked out of time, it seemed as though pandemonium had broke loose. The fight soon ended by all hands repairing to the saloon and taking a drink. Reverential thoughts were driven from the minds of the congrega- tion, and they quietly departed without waiting for the benediction. IRISH WAR. In the spring of 1856 a feud existed between two disciples of Esculapius, one residing in the town of Greenfield, the other at Wabasha, both of Irish descent. It happened one day that the learned doctor from Greenfield was met in the street at Wabasha by his brother of the pill-bags, when the latter drew his pistol and com- menced firing at the former. A running fight ensued, the doctor from Greenfield making quick time for what is now Kurd's hotel, the doctor from Wabasha following up and firing his pistol at inter- vals until his rival was safely ensconced in the hotel. Five shots were fired, three of which penetrated the clothing of the Greenfield doctor, and one slightly wounding him in the back. The learned doctor was so badly frightened that he dare not leave the hotel, and sent word to his friends to come to his relief. The next day the quiet citizens of Wabasha were astonished to see a regularly organized company of Irishmen, about thirty in number, march into town with colors flying and drums beating, all heavily armed. They marched to the hotel where their comrade was hidden and soon had him mounted on horseback, when, with more zeal than discretion, and much more valiant than on the former day, now that he was surrounded by his friends, he began to make threats to raid, to kill, murder and hang the citizens, especially the rival doctor ; but better counsel prevailed, especially when he observed that quite a number of the citizens were congregating at Harrold's hotel and arming them- selves for the pending affray. The Irish legion quietly marched out of town, no blood being spilled and no one injured except the old man Augustin Rocque, an old French trader and Indian scout, who had seen service and was anxious for a fight, who in flourishing his small sword accidentally wounded himself in the arm, from which wound he soon after died. A SURVIVOR OF BAD AXE. The last survivor of the Sioux Indians who fought with the Americans against the Sacs and Foxes at the battle of Bad Axe lives 1272 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. in liis little cabin a short distance below the city of "Wabasha. Mah-Kah-Kee-dah, "Burnt Land," such is the name of the old man, who belonged to Wah-pah-sha's band, and distinguished himself during the Black-Hawk war. When Wah-pah-sha was at his village, where Winona now stands, called at that time Wah-pa-sha Prairie, Gen. Dodge called on the chief, and requested him to take part in battle against their old enemies the Sacs and Foxes. Wah-pa-sha, after consulting with Wah-kuh-tah, who was chief of the band on the lake, told the general that when white people went to war they provided for their families, but that Indians had to trust to luck. Gen, Dodge took the hint, and ordered the captain of the steamboat to roll off a number of barrels of flour and pork, to be distributed to the different Indians. Wah-kuh-tah was here a few years ago visiting his relatives, and told the writer about those stirring times. Many wonderful stories are handed down from generation to generation by the Indians, and the more wonderful the better appre- ciated. Wah-kuh-tah, whose village stood at the head of Lake Pepin, told the writer that a long time ago an immense fish was found on the shore of the lake. One of the Indians took his bow and measured across the head four lengths, and that the body was long in pro])ortion. Tlie fish had the make of a catfish, and when found it was dead. Another story is told of a snake having been seen in a crevice of the rocks near Maiden Rock, that probabl}^ belonged to Donnelly's Age of Fire and Gravel. His snakeship, according to the tradition, must have been sixty or seventy feet long, and about a bow's length across the face. The Indians who saw him were afraid to go near it, as they said that his eyes shot forth fire. He was probably the last of his race, and no doubt his remains will be found by some scientist embedded among the rocks of the beautiful lake. ONE OF THE TWO EARLIEST. Oliver Rosicot (pronounced Rosico) went to Mendota in the year 1831, and ranks next to Oliver Cratte as being the oldest resident of the state. Mr. Rosicot was sent about 1841 as blacksmith by the government to the foot of the lake to attend to the wants of the Red Wing band of Indians. He is now in his seventy-sixth year, and has lived at his old home ever since. His place is in the town of Pepuj, and directly opposite the town of Pepin in Wisconsi^i. Like Mr. Cratte, Mr. Rosicot has seen the rapid changes that have taken place in half a century throughout the state. WATOPA TOWNSHIP. 1273 WAH-PA-SHA. The picture of Wali-pa-sha was taken from a painting in the possession of the family of Alexis Baillj, Esq., now deceased. This is the cliief the place was named after. He was a noted man in his day, and was recognized as head chief of the River bands of Sioux. During the troubles with the Winnebago Indians, at Prairie du Chien, at an early day, Wah-pah-sha was invited by them to a council. After listening to the Winnebago chiefs, and what they proposed doing to the whites, Wah-pah-sha arose, and, pulling a hair from his head, blew it away, telling the council that if they harmed a white man he would blow them from the face of the earth as he had blown the hair. The chief with his band made their summer residence on what is now called "Sand Prairie," or, as it was called by the old voyageurs, "La Prairie au Cypre." LEAD MINING. About the year 1841 Macey, the United States geologist, while exploring the mineral resources of this country, found a vein of lead on the Zumbro river. In his report to the government he stated " that it was an east and west crevice, and lay deep in the magnesia limestone." Mr. Macey stopped with Mr. Oliver Cratte during his stay in this vicinity, and showed Mr. Cratte pieces of lead that he broke off the rocks in the crevice. Nothing was done about the ' ' find " at the time, as Mr. Cratte said since that there were no white men in the country to^work it, and besides, the Indians would have ob- jected. When Mr. Francis Talbot came here in 1853, allusions were made to the lead on the Zumbro every once in a while. As the exact location of the crevice was not given by the geologist, no definite idea of the place could be fixed upon. During the war, when things were "flush," he conceived the idea of forming a company to make explorations and find the mineral if possible. The com- pany consisted of W. T. Dugan, S. S. Kepler, W. S. Jackson, A. G. Remondivo, with F. Talbot as president, and S. S. Kepler, sec- retary. An old river man and ex-galena miner, by the name of J. Morrison, was employed to "test" the ground, and if possible "catch on " to the vein. After working all winter, nothing was found that would warrant a larger outlay, so the enterprise was aban- doned, although good specimens of lead were found. Another com- pany was formed in the year 1866, of which Mr. Wm. Wetherbee (now deceased) was president. Mr. Wetherbee's company, called 1274 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. the "Zumbro Lead Mining Company," met with no better success, and they too had to give up the search. There is no doubt, how- ever, about there being lead on the Zumbro, as Macey's report is positive and clear on the subject. Mr. Cratte stated that the lead was discovered about nine or ten miles from this place, but in wliat direction he could not say. A GOOD RUNNER. Among the great hunters of the northwest at an early day, Jos. Kocque, of this place, was the most noted. When Joe was a young man, and before he gained any reputation as a hunter, his father killed a deer, and told his son that when he went hunting to bring back something like that. Joe said notliing, but waiting his oppor- tunity started out one morning with nothing but the ramrod of his rifle, and finding a deer followed it, and actually ran the animal down and drove it home. Going to his father he said, "Father, when you go hunting, bring home a deer on foot, and save your powder." The poor animal was so used up by the long chase, that its flesh could not be eaten. After that exploit Joe's reputation was soon established, and numerous stories lia\e been told of his achievements in the chase. Louis Rocque, a brother of Joe's, when a boy, was sent to the mission school at Mackinaw, and recollected John Jacob Astor, when that gentleman was there looking after the interests of the American Fur Company. In after-life Louis acted as guide for Gen. Fremont and Nicollet, when they visited this locality. BIOGRAPHICAL. Ira O. Seeley, retired farmer, was the first to make a claim and build a house in Mazeppa township. Mr. Seeley's parents were of Vermont birth. His father was christened Ajax T., and his mother, born Painter, was called Delight. In 1815 this couple lived in the town of Luzerne, New York, at which time and place the subject was born. While he was yet an infant, the family removed to Ashtabula county, Ohio, where he was reared on a farm till sixteen years old, receiving a limited education at the log schoolhouse of that new region. From the age above named till he came to this state he followed carpenter work. After six years' residence at Berlin, Wisconsin, he came with his 'family to this county, in 1853. In June, 1854, he set out with three companions to explore the western portion of the county. In the fall of this year he made a claim on the present site of Mazeppa, and WATOPA TOWNSHIP. 1275 built a log pen to signify a claim. During the winter he piloted several exploring parties to the new region, and built a log house, to which he removed his family in April following. This was the first actual settlement in the township, and was not made on his original choice, but on section 5, on the bank of Trout brook, where Daniel Mack now dwells. In 1869 this place was exchanged for one at that time owned by Mr. Mack, in Zumbrota township, near Mazeppa. In 1881 Mr. Seeley removed to Appleton, Minnesota, his present home, where most of his children live. He was elected to the first • state legislature by the republicans, and also served several years as chairman of Mazeppa town board. He was a democrat up to the open- ing of the civil war. His marriage occurred in 1836, the bride being Miss Sarah Loveland, a native of Ashtabula. She died in 1868, leaving eight children, who still survive. The eldest will be spoken of below. The fifth, Emma, married F. L. Bonney and resides in Smyrna, Kew York. The sixth, Nellie (Mrs. John McClellan), lives at Mazeppa. She was the first girl born in the town. All the others, named in order below, reside in Appleton : Elizabeth A. (Mrs. O. F. Davis), Kobert, Elvira (Mrs. Winfield Greenleaf), Albert and Elmer C. Albert is postmaster at Appleton. Major Francis W. Seeley, postmaster at Lake City, is the eldest son of I. O. Seeley, born at Ashtabula, Ohio, April 12, 1837, and was, therefore, but sixteen years old when he came with his parents to Wabasha. His educational privileges had been limited, but after joining the regular army he prepared himself by assiduous study for the life of a useful soldier and citizen. He enlisted in February, 1855, in Sherman's battery, 3d Art., then stationed at Fort Snelling, and served till the opening of the civil war, as a non- commissioned officer, on the western frontier. On September 19, 1860, he was breveted second lieutenant by President Buchanan, and on February 4 following was made second lieutenant in the 4tli Art. ; May 14 thereafter he was promoted to first lieutenant, and served as adjutant-general of the department of Florida, where he was then stationed. July 11, 1863, he was made captain, 4th Art. He is the only oflicer, below the grade of field officer, mentioned by Greeley in his history of the rebellion. May 30, 1863, he was promoted to be a brevet captain, and July 2 following major, for "gallant conduct in the battles of Chancellors- ville and Gettysburg." Both promotions were confirmed by the senate. In the first-named memorable battle his batterv fired the 1276 HISTORY OF wabasha county. last Union shot, and he retired, under orders, with lieavy loss in both men and horses. At the conclusion of the battle (Chancellorsville) of Sunday, Captain F. W. Seeley's battery, which was the last battery that fired a shot in that battle, had one oflicer and forty enlisted men killed and wounded, and in the neighborhood of sixty horses killed or disabled ; but being a soldier of great pride and ambition, and not wishing to leave any of his material in the hands of the enemy, he withdrew so entirely at his leisure that he carried off all his wounded men and even the accoutrements from his dead and disabled horses! — See Vol. 1, page 9. Report of the committee on the conduct of the war, 1865. In his official report of the battle of Gettysburg, Maj.-Gen. A. A. IIumphre3's says : '"Seeley's battery, 'K, 4th U, S. Art.,' was placed at my disposal. * * * The firing of Seeley's battery was splendid, and excited my admiration, as well as that of every officer who beheld it. His loss in men and horses was heav}^, including himself, twice severely wounded." Maj. Seeley was'twice wounded on this occasion, and was ultimately forced by the effects ot his injuries and exposure to resign his commission, which he did on August 31, 1864. Besides the battles above named, ho participated in the following engagements : Battle of Santa Rosa Islands, Florida ; bombardment of Forts McRae and Barrancas, Florida ; siege of Yorktown ; battles of Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, Fredericksburg and others. After leaving the army he returned to Wabasha county and engaged in farming for three j^ears, but was forced to give it up on account of physical disability, the result of his wounds. He was elected to the legislature in 1868. In March, 1873, he was appointed by President Grant to the charge of Lake City postoffice, and has continued to serve the people in that capacity since. He was one of the original members of the Odd-Fellows lodge here. In theological matters he is very liberal. August 5, 1863, he espoused Miss Emily C. Loveland, of Ashtabula. They were given a daughter in 1866, and christened her Frances E. Hon. Hugh P. Willson, of Grand Forks, Dakota Territory, was one of the first settlers in Wabasha county, whither he came in the fall of 1854, from Crawford county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Willson was born December 3, 1819. His parents were Hugh and Hannah (Allen) Willson. His educational advantages were very limited ; he attended school but about fourteen months all told, but being of a studious disposition he early began the self-imposed task of educat- ing himself without the assistance of teachers. In this he was WATOPA TOWNSHIP. 1277 remarkably successful as gaining a fair knowledge not only of the common branches, but also of the higher sciences, history and litera- ture. He engaged in farming in his native county until 1854, when, in the fall of that year, he came to Wabasha county and took a claim near Kellogg. Here he remained until the spring of "J 857, when he came to Greenwood prairie, and located a pre-emption claim on section 11, in Elgin township, the place now owned by Eussel Marshall. The next fall he bought land in Plainview village, which he afterward platted, as an addition to the village, as East Plainview. Mr. "Willson was justice of the peace for six years, during which time he acquired a taste for legal studies ; in 1866 was admitted to the bar, opened a law office in Plainview, and con- tinued the practice of law here until February, 1881, when he left Plainview, and went to Grand Forks, Dakota Territory, where he engaged in the real-estate and loaning business. Judge Willson was the first judge of probate for Wabasha county. In politics is a democrat. He was married. May 22, 1851, to Sarah E. Cole, in Pennsylvania, who died January 23, 1873, leaving two children, namely, Frank A., of Pembina county, Dakota Territory, and Mary, of Grand Forks. Frank Willson was the first white child born in Wabasha county, south of the Zumbro river. Capt. John Samuel Walker was born in New Albany, Indiana, January 4, 1832, of American parents. He left Indiana in the fall of 1844, and went to St. Louis, Missouri, and remained about ten years, engaged in various employments. He then came direct to Wabasha, and engaged in the lumber business as a laborer first, then, in the year of 1856, commenced piloting on the Mississippi and Chippewa rivers, and has continued in same business even since with good success. His education was obtained mostly after he came to Wabasha, from a private teacher, Jno. McKee. He was elected constable, and has served as deputy sherifi" of the county. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. in his own town, and also of the Oi-ient Encampment in Wabasha. He was married in the spring of 1855, first to Miss Therice Campbell, second to Elizabeth Birtch, May 6, 1856. They are the parents of twelve cliildren, seven of whom are living. Mr. Walker is one of the oldest if not the oldest pioneer in Bead's Landing, and if his biography was thoroughly written up, including his travels and experiences while "roughing it" on the Chippewa and Mississippi rivers, from the almost uncivilized times of 1856 to the present day, it would fill a large 1278 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. volume indeed, and we regret that we are compelled to condense it into this brief space. Charles Frederick Rogers, mayor of Lake City, is descended from an English family that settled in Virginia about two hundred years ago. He was born at Barnstead Parade, TsTew Hampshire, November 17, 1831. Charles Harris Rogers, the father of this subject, was a native of New Jersey, and married Abigail S., daughter of Robert Copp, of New Hampshire. The father was two terms a member of the New Hampshire state senate. In 1849 Charles F. Rogers set out to carve his fortune, having been fitted for the battle of life by a common-school education. After seven years spent as clerk and bookkeeper at Lowell, Massachusetts, he went into the clothing trade in Boston. Subsequently he spent two years in business in Nashua, New Hampshire. In the spring of 1857 he came west and occupied three years as a clerk in Columbus, Wisconsin. On November 1, 1860, at the latter point, he was united in matrimony to Miss Alice R., daughter of Horace C. and Julia A. Cooper. In August of that year he opened a drygoods store in Lake City, in partnership with Mrs. Rogers' father. In the year 1862 he went into the agricultural implement business in con- nection with the drygoods business. He conducted a successful business here in this line for thirteen years, but kept the implement business up until 1880, and retired to engage in other and lucrative pursuits. He is at present a stockholder and director of the First National Bank, and is well known for business integrity and acumen. Also stockholder in the First National Bank of Wabasha, and vice- president. He was elected mayor of the city in 1883 ; was the candidate of the republican party for state legislator in 1878. He was one of the original members of the Masonic lodge here, having become connected with that order in Columbus, Wisconsin ; is a regular supporter of the Congregational church, of which Mrs. Rogers is a member. The latter is an accomplished lady, and a leader in social and church affairs. Three daughters have been given to grace the handsome home of Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, and christened Helen Julia, Alice Josie and Etta May. They are all becoming musicians. OziAs Wilcox, born in 1824, died January 1, 1876. Mr. Wil- cox' father was a harnessmaker, and resided at Crown Point, New York, where our subject was born and spent his earlier years. When he was about fifteen he went to Perry, Lake county, Ohio, BIOGRAPHICAL. 1279 and became a sailor on the lakes. From 1852 to 1854 he was in Cali- fornia, from which country he returned with a small capital, which he invested in the forwarding business, with headquarters atFairport, in copartnership with his brother, B. O. Wilcox. Owing to ill health, he soon resumed the life of a sailor, in charge of one of his own ships. After a year of lake life he found his health still greatly impaired, and pursuant to the advice of his physician came to Minnesota. This was in the spring of 1856. He bought forty acres of Hugh Wiley, along the eastern side of the southeast quarter of section 8, in Plainview, and erected a store and dwelling in one building (the same is now used by the Plainview Bank), and also took up a homestead-claim south of the village. Mr. Wilcox at once assumed a leadership in the affairs ot the new town, and up to the time of his death exerted a beneficial influence in all public matters touching the interests of Plainview, where he engaged successfully in the mercantile business until the close of his life. In his early life Mr. Wilcox had few educational advantages, and acquired but a poor common-school education ; he, however, had studious tastes, and aspired to gain a broader knowledge of literature and science than the masses find suflicient. All the leading literary periodicals and journals of the day were his constant i-eading. He was married to Martha Stearns, daughter of Asaph Sterns, of northern Ohio, December 15, 1854. This lady, who survives her husband, was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, February 18, 1828, and now resides in Minneapolis. Four children are now living : Helen J. (wife of Dr. G. E. Pucker), Northfield ; Asa F., medical student in Philadelphia; Cassius C, Aberdeen, Dakota Territory, and Fran- ces L., attending school in Boston, Massachusetts. Amzi Bralnaed Watts Norton, of Plainview, was born in Che- nango county, New York, October 30, 1818. His father, Amzi Norton, was of Connecticut origin, and though a blacksmith by trade, was of a decidedly literary turn of mind, and established quite a local celebrity as a poet. His poetical efforts were chiefly of a religious character, and were put forth to further the Millerite cause, in which Mr. Norton was a firm believer. Our subject's mother was nee Huldah Barstow, whose lineage dates back to some of the old troopers of the revolution. The family removed to Tioga county. New York, while Amzi was yet a child, and here he spent his youth and received a common-school education. At the age of fourteen he became a clerk in John Stedman's store, at Kichford. 1280 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. He afterward bought out Stedman and ran the store for a time alone, then sold out and accepted the management of a store at West Dry- den, New York, then a year each in West Virgil and New Jersey. His next move was westward," to McHenry county, Illinois, where in 1847 he and Josiah Dwight opened a general store at Woodstock. Here he continued in business until the spring of 1857, when he came to Wabaslia county and opened a store in Plainview, in con- junction with William Kimbedy. In 1859 lie built the store now occupied by Cornwell c^ Son for a hardware store, and took his brother in as partner. He was deputy postmaster under postmaster Yale, and postmaster four years under President Johnson's admini- stration. He went out of the mercantile business in 1870, and has since devoted the most of his attention to the collection business and the official duties of justice of the peace, which position he has filled almost continuously for the past twenty years. Mr. Norton has been thrice married, his first wife being a Miss Clara Church, of Castile, New York, by whom he had two children, namely, Clara- belle (Mrs. E. A. Pomeroy), of Plainview, and Edith. In 1864 Miss Sarah Sanchfield became his second wife, by whom he had one child, Grant, a student in the Rochester Commercial School. William Clark, farmer, of Plainview township, was born in the Allegheny mountains. Hardy county, in the State of Virginia, April 23, 1825. His father, Hendricks Clark, owned a mill and distillery. In 1835 the family removed to Canton, Ohio, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1844, when in his twentieth year, our subject went to Indiana, where for eight years lie did farm work summers and taught school winters near Goshen. In 1852 Mr. Clark crossed the plains to (valifornia, performing the entire journey from Omaha to Sacramento on foot. He tarried in the mining-camps of Downieville, on the Yuba river, for one year, and spent another year farming near Benicia before returning to the states. On May 12, 1856, he located his claim on section 18 in Plainview. To his original quarter-section he has made additions and now owns four hundred acres of fine land just west of Plainview village. Mr. Clark's father was a Quaker, and sought to bring up his children in the way they should go. but his son William was not always the most tractable boy, and when ten or twelve years old used to devote more time to hunting, fishing and nutting than to Sunday scliools ; but notwithstanding his wildness there was no innate wickedness in his heart, while his mind was endowed with those literary tastes which rendered him a fine student. BIOGRAPHICAL. 1281 Edward Franklin Hopkins was born at Manchester, Maine, September 3, 1849. At the age of five years his parents, Wm. H. Hopkins and Rhoda M. moved to Readlield, Maine, where in 1858 his father died, leaving a good property to the widow and the two small children, of which Edward was the younger. The following year the mother moved with the family to Boston, Massachusetts, where for two years the children received the benefits of a tine school. In April, 1860, they came to Minnesota, arriving at Lake City late in the evening. The following morning Mrs. Hopkins became Mrs. Standish, by being joined in wedlock to Rev, E. A. Standish, of Mazeppa, the wedding taking place at the residence ot DeWitt C. Sterry. Edward A. Standish was a Methodist clergy- man, and a direct descendant of Capt. Miles Standish, of the May- Flower. Mrs. Hopkins had not seen Mr. Standish for about twenty years, until the arrival in Lake City. They had known each other in their earlier days. They came at once to Mazeppa and occupied the Standish homestead. The war breaking out soon after this, Mr. Standish's sons, Merit G. and Miles E. joined the 1st and 3d regi- ments respectively, Minn. Yols., leaving Edward, the only remain- ing boy, at home to work the farm. Several years of hard labor for Edward followed. At the close of the war he was placed in school at Red Wing, and afterward at Hamline University. He rapidly developed a taste for learning. He afterward went to Rockford^ Illinois, and took a full course in a commercial school at that place. After this he went to Lake City and clerked for C. F. Young, and has followed this business ever since, being at the present writing engaged with E. L. Ford & Co., of Mazeppa. On December 20, 1875, he was married to Josephine Sutherland. They have two chil- dren, Hattie and James Shirley. Besides his duties in the store, he has also an insurance business, and is notary public. He has also been engaged for several years in breeding and raising for market fine hogs. His sales of fine animals during 1882-3 amounted to over fifteen hundred dollars. Patrick McDonough died in the town of Greenfield, March 19, 1883, aged seventy-eight. He was born inTiernay, County Galway, Ireland, and married Ann Lee, of the same parish, who died there. S.he was the mother of nine children, two of whom are living. Mr. McDonough afterward married Nappy Sullivan, who died in Cin- cinnati, Ohio, in 1851, three years after the removal of the family to America. Three children were given to the second Mrs. McDonough, 1282 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. but all are now deceased. After some years' residence in Cincinnati, and two years on a farm in Mason (bounty, Kentucky, Mr. McDonougli came to Greenfield, and settled on section 31, where he continued to dwell during the remainder of his life. Himself and family were all reared in the Roman Catholic church. The youngest child, Mar}', is now the wife of Larry Calhoun, and resides in Wabasha. Miles McDonougii, son (^f Patrick, whose sketch appears above, was born in the same parish in 1832. His education was supplied by the parish school before he came to America with his father. He was four years employed on Ohio and Mississippi river steamboats, most of the time as watchman. He came to Greenfield with his father, and was his most valuable assistant. Is now the proprietor of six hundred and eighty acres of land, of which three hundred are improved. His products are diversified, embracing both grain and domestic animals. In 1SS3 his crops included eighteen hundred and twenty-five bushels of wheat, eight hundred and fifty of barley, eight hundred of oats, and forty tons of ha}'. In 1867 a large and handsome frame house was built, and is now occupied by the family. Mr. M. has been five years school director, and was elected town supervisor in 1879-80-1-2. Ann Flaherty, to whom he was wedded in 1857, is a native of Lettermullin, same county as her husband. The}^ have nine children living. Mary Ann, the eldest, is now Mrs. Edward Drury, and dwells in Wabasha ; Nora, Agnes, Edward, Maggie, Katie, Michael, Lydia and Maud are at home. Patrick Henry, the third child, died at St. Francis' Seminary, Milwaukee, October 13, 1879. This was a youth of great promise, and had nearly completed the third year of his study for the priesthood at the time of his demise. He was born February 7, 1862, and his early life was passed on his father's farm, and the rudiments of his educa- tion were acquired at the common school. He soon developed a rarely intellectual character, and his life was early set apart for the holy calling from which death snatched him. He was a very studious youth, and was a leader in all his classes, and his death was univer- sally regretted by the church in this country. Patrick McCarthy (deceased) became a permanent i-esident of Greenfield in 1855, and died there in 1870, aged fifty-six years. Mr. McCarthy was born in the parish of Castle-Connell, County Limerick, Ireland, and was reared on a farm there. On reaching manhood he set out for America, and spent some years in railroad BIOGRArHICAL. 1283 work in New York and at Galena, Illinois. He came up the Mississippi in the spring of 1854, and took up land near what is now Lake City. This he sold in a few weeks, and went back to Galena. Here he was married during the same year to Miss Ann Ryan, who still survives him. Mrs. McCarthy was born in the parish of Marugh, County Limerick. When this couple came to Greenfield they settled on section 26, where they dwelt ten years. Some more land was then acquired by purchase on section 27, where the husband died and the widow now resides with her youngest son. Mr. McCarthy served some years as town supervisor, and was treasurer of his school district for the first fourteen years of its existence. He was always a democrat, as are his sons, and all were baptized in the Catholic church. At his death the fatlier left four hundred and forty- one acres of land, which has been equitably divided between the widow and heirs. All the children living were born in this town- ship, James, the eldest, March 5, 1860. He was studious in his habits, and became a proficient penman. In 1880 he went to Chicago, and found employment with the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company as waybill clerk. His faithfulness and ability liave been appreciated, and he has steadily advanced to his present position as head collector in the city. John, the second son, was born June 15, 1861, and has spent all his life here on the farm. His education was supplied by the common schools of the town, and although equally as capable for business as his brotlier, has chosen to be his widowed mother's stay. Elizabeth, the youngest child, dwells at home, and is now teaching school at Theilman, George W. Hall (deceased) became a resident of Wabasha in 1857, engaging in the sale of furniture. He was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, December 6, 1824. His parents, Moses and Catharine Hall, were natives of the same state. He was reared on a farm, and engaged in the grocery trade in Muscatine, Iowa, in 1854. Sarah Butturff", daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth Butturfif, of Pennsylvania, was born in Cumberland county, same state, Feb- ruary 28, 1825. The latter was united in marriage with Mr. Hall February 6, 1849, and still survives him. After three years of trade in Iowa our subject came to Wabasha, and opened a furniture store in partnership with Mrs. Hall's brother, Samuel Butturff". In 1860 he took up a homestead in Glasgow township, on which he dwelt three years. Being in delicate health, he sold out and returned to Wabasha. Here he was some time a clerk in Weatherbee's store. 1284 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. For some years after this he kept a meat-market. He built onehouse in South Wabasha when he first came here. He afterward bought and improved others. At his death, May 7, 1870, he was possessed of two adjoining residences on AHeghaney street, now owned by liis widow. Mr. Hall was a member of the Masonic brotherliood. Hav- ing little education himself, he appreciated the value of schools, and was active in fostering them. He was a contributor to the suj^port of all churches, but the Episcopal was his favorite. He was a firm adherent of tlie democratic party in politics. The third child and only daughter, Anna, married John A. Canfield, of Kellogg, and is now deceased. The sons, in order of birth, are: Henry W., Green- field ; William Parker and George W., Prairie View, Kansas. Elijah Stout (deceased) was born in Middletown, New Jersey, February 23, 1806. John and Martha Stout, his parents, were also natives of New Jersey. Tlie former served the colonies as a soldier in the revolutionary army, his pretty wife in tlie meantime attending to affairs at liome. One day while she was engaged in boiling soap a passing British officer attempted to kiss her, and received a dab of hot soap in his face for his pains. In early life Elijah Stout went to New York city and engaged in mercantile life. At one time he had two stores in operation there. In 1827 he was married here, the bride being Julia A. , only daughter of George Cooper, Esq. Tliirteen children were the result of this union, six of whom are now living. The mother died in 1850 at Middletown. whither Mr. Stout returned in 1831. He had three stores in Monmouth county, and held the office of assessor from 1831 to 1856, over twenty years, and was judge of the county court over two terms, resigning that office to come west in 1856. July of the latter year found him a resident of Lake City, where his talents and enterprise were needed. He at once took part in the efforts being put forth to establish a city on a moral and business foundation. He was among the first to advocate measures for the general welfare, and was always called upon to preside at public meetings. When the poor or sick needed aid or relief his hand was always ready to minister. When he first came here he served two years as justice of tlie peace, and afterward till the time of liis death as assessor. In ]>olitics he was always a demo- crat, and never forgot his christian dignity while party strife raged. During the late civil war he was among the foremost and truest sup- porters of the government. He was a life-long member of the Baptist church, and was among the very few who organized a society BIOGRAPHICAL. 1285 here in 1857. He was both an Odd-Fellow and a Mason, and none were more ready to aid in acts of benevolence and charity. He possessed a singularly sympathetic nature, and having once made a friend, held him through life. He was almost invariably requested to conduct the funerals of friends or neighbors. His faith in Chris- tianity continued to the end, and he passed away January 24, 1881, after an illness of nearly three months. In 1854 he married Caro- line M., widow of Judge John Murphy, of New York, and mother of Henry C. Murphy, the well-known attorney of New York city. Mrs. Stout still survives, and is resident in New York. Two dauffli- ters of Judge Stout were drowned here in June, 1858, under most distressing circumstances, as related elsewhere. Timothy, the second living son, died at Marshall, this state, in the fall of 1883, aged forty-nine years. He served as captain of Co. I, 2d Minn, regt, during the civil war, and was wounded at the battle of Mill Spring. John resides at Minneapolis, Edward in Texas, Caroline (Murray) at Long Branch, Eliza J. (Williamson) at Duluth, and George and James C. in Lake City. George C. Stout, merchant, Lake City, is the eldest son of Judge Stout, and was born in the State of New York. When quite young, his parents settled in Middletown, New Jersey, and he was reared in that village, receiving the benefit of its advanced schools. He was married in Middlesex county, the bride being Miss Adelaide Perrine, a daughter of Judge John Perrine, of Middlesex county court ; the latter came of a long-lived family, having reached the age of eighty-six when he died, in January, 1884. Mrs. Stout's maternal grandmother lived to be over one hundred and one. Mr. Stout became a resident of Lake City April 15, 1857, and has dwelt here continuously since. He engaged in mercantile business, and in 1870 began an exclusive clothing and furnishing goods trade. In 1876 G. M. Dwelle became a partner, and on January 1, 1884, J. C. Hassinger entered the firm. The business is prosperous, and is con- ducted in a building owned by the firm, corner of Washington and Center streets. It is a double brick, two stories high, and was built in 1882. The structure that stood here April 1, 1882, was totally consumed by fire on the night of the 22d of that month, inflicting a loss of twelve thousand dollars on Stoat & Dwelle. There was a partial insurance, and next morning the senior partner started east after a new stock of goods. The present store was at once erected, and stands as a monument to his courage and perseverance. His 1286 HISTORY OF wabasha county. religion is the golden rule, and his political principles are championed by the republican party. lie is at present one of the city council. Three children have been given to Mr. and Mrs. Stout. George, the eldest, is in business in St. Paul. Frances and Ada P. remain to grace the pleasant home of their parents. Hon. Patrick Henry Raiiilly, the most extensive farmer and stock-raiser in Wabasha county, if not in southern Minnesota, re- sides in Mount Pleasant township, on his immense farm of twelve hundred acres. Mr. Rahilly was born on a farm near the city of Limerick, Ireland, March 8, 1834, and is perhaps the most successful man who ever came to Minnesota a youth and without means. His ciiildhood, till the age of ten years, was spent on the farm, after which he was placed at school in the city of Limerick, where he re- ceived a classical education, though his collegiate course was but par- tially completed, as his father, Mathew Rahilly, decided on emi- grating with his family to the United States, in the sixteenth year of our subject's age. They sailed from the city of Limerick on May 2, 1849, and landed in I^ew York in the month of June. The family soon after settled in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, where the father still lives, at the advanced age of eight^'-three years. In his eighteenth year young Rahilly left his parental roof with a deter- mination that, if honest industry and faithful application to business had its reward, he would not only make a home for himself but a name among his fellowmen. His first two years was passed in Cayuga county. New York, as a farm hand, where he early acquired a thorough knowledge of handling and dealing in live-stock. After serving his time, including the stipulated month's notice to his em- ployer, he went west to Chicago, in 1854, whitlier he had been at- tracted by circulars scattered through the east by the Illinois Central Railroad Comj^any. Not finding the desired opening there, he ])ushed on to Milwaukee, and from there by stage to Dunleith, where he boarded a river steamer bound for St. Paul. While on this his first trij) up the Father of AVaters, the uncivilized appearance of the coun- try, the sight of numerous squads of half-dressed and less than half- civijized Indians, and the thoughts of the old eastern home, sur- rounded by its many blessings and advantages, caused unbidden tears to fliow. On reaching Wabasha prairie (now Winona), he dis- embarked, and soon after made his way west to the new town site of Rochester, Olmsted county, Minnesota, where he at once found em- ployment with the Hon, W. D. Lowery, who was then opening up a BIOGRAPHICAL. 1287 lar2:e farm, as well as conducting a mercantile interest, to which was soon after added a banking business. In time, Mr. Lowery saw in his employe the honor and ability that merited a better position than that of a common hand, and, for the mutual benefit of both parties, placed him in the bank as superintendent, and also made him an equal partner in the farm interests. In August, 1860, Mr. Eahilly severed his connection with Mr. Lowery, and on the 23d of the same month, at Winona, was united in marriage with Miss Catharine Nor- ton, a native of County Galway, Ireland, and a daughter of James Norton, who came with his family to America in 1848. Mr. Kahilly's first and final move after marriage was to his quarter- section of land in Mount Pleasant township, on Sec. 22, T. 11, R. 13, pre-empted by him in 1858. Here he built a temporary resi- dence, and, in the strict sense of the word, started according to his means, and from that day to the present writing has continued to prosper. Acre to acre, farm to farm has been added, till one un- broken farm now numbering twelve hundred acres surrounds his first purchase, on which now stands one of the finest and most sub- stantial brick residences in the state, outside of St. Paul and Minne- apolis. It was erected during the summer of 1880, on the site of an elegant one destroyed by fire in March of that year. His entire farming interests are all conducted by himself, with the aid of hired help, keeping a large number of hands ^ dur- ing the summer season, and overseeing all branches of his ex- tensive business the year round. It was not until late years that Mr. Eahilly allowed himself to be drawn into politics. The public had for some time seen in liim the executive ability and inde- pendence to wisely direct state affairs, and in 1874 prevailed on him to accept a nomination to the state legislature. He was put on the ticket of tlie democratic party and elected by a flattering majority. He was three times subsequently elected to the same position, and once to the state senate. In 1875 he was placed in nomination and run by his party on the state ticket for auditor, but his party being in a hopeless minority, he was defeated, though in this and adjoin- ing counties he ran ahead of his ticket. To Mr. Rahilly the young men of today may safely be pointed as an example to follow— a man who has made his way from incipiency to manhood's ripest years. In business, as in war, there are constant promotions of the successful operator, and each promotion is a victory won, for " Peace hath her victories no less than war." The smaller acts of life, the 1288 HISTORY OF wabasiia county. finer threads of principle, are the index to what life is or may be. Mr. Kahilly has an interesting family of five children, who are re- ceiving the educational advantages of the St. Paul, Milwaukee and Massachusetts schools and colleges. Their names, in the order of their birth, are : Jennie I., Mary A., James M., Catharine A. and Margaret. One son, John T., died very suddenly of cerebro- spinal meningitis, caused by a foil while in attendance at the Lake City schools, in the twelfth year of his age. Calvin Dickinson Vilas, M.D., was the first physician to locate in Lake City, and today is among its foremost and successful prac- titioners. His birth dates May 1, 1822, at Antwerp, Jefferson county, New York. His parents, Nathaniel Vilas and Betsey Dick- inson, were born in New Hampshire, and the former enjoyed a gov- ernment pension during his latter years, on account of services during the war of 1812. For many years the fiither operated a large tannery, which he built at Sterling Center, New York, and liere our subject laid the foundation of a more complete education. After attending two courses of medical lectures at Pittsfield, Massa- chusetts, and a course at Woodstock, Vermont, he graduated at the latter place in 181:6. In December of this year he married Mary C, daughter of William and Mary C. (Wright) Ford. Mrs. Vilas is four years her husband's junior, and was born in Antwerp, and reared in Sterling, New York. Dr. Vilas began the practice of his profession at Ked Creek, Wayne county, New York, and subse- quently spent a year in Oswego county. Thence he emigrated to Eacine county, Wisconsin, and located in the town of Caledonia, where he continued in the practice of his profession nine years. In September, 1856, he removed to Lake City, Where he permanently located, and soon built up a lucrative and successful practice, which has for many years occupied almost his entire time and attention. Despite the cares of his large practice, the doctoi- takes time to foster and encourage educational interests and the public schools. During his residence in Wisconsin, he served one year as superintendent of schools, and has been on the school board in Lake City the last six years, and was unanimously for the full term in the spring of 1884. Politically he has always stood by the republican party. His living children are: Walter N., practicing medicine at Racine, Wisconsin; Elbert E., at Clark, Dakota; George W., at St. Paul, Minnesota; Carrie M., died, aged seventeen years. BIOGRAPHICAL. 1289 Rev. William Gaedam, rector of St. Mark's church, Lake City, was born in Clitheroe, Lancashire, England, October 18, 1851, and was educated there in the common branches. In 1872 he entered the Headinglej College, at Yorkshire, England, where he pursued the study of the classics, mathematics and theology. In 1875 he became a student at the Lincoln Theological College, and at the same time became an under-graduate of the University of London. At the end of two years he was ordained deacon, and, the following year, priest in the Lincoln Cathedral, England, by the Et. Rev. Christopher Wordsworth, bishop of Lincoln. His first ministerial work was curate of Bourne Abbey church, Lincolnshire, England, where he remained from 1877 to 1879. At this juncture he found himself prostrated with a nervous breakdown, and in October, 1879, came to America with a view to improving his health. In the fall of 1880 he was called to the rectorship of the St. Paul's church at Plymouth, Wisconsin, whence he came to Lake City in May, 1883. He was married December 27, 1881, at Milwaukee, by Bishop Welles, to Miss Mary Chase Smith, a great-granddaughter of Bishop Chase, and daughter of the noted railroad man, H. N. Smith, of Milwaukee. Mr. Gardam's father, James B. Gardam, who is a scientific chemist, now resides at Cleveland, Ohio. DwiGHT Feedekick Beooks, physician at Minneiska, was ushered into this world June 10, 1849, at Redfield, New York. His parents, Sheldon and Jeanette Brooks, were natives of the same state. Both his father's father and mother's father were participants in the war of 1812. At the age of seven years our subject came to Beaver, Winora county, Minnesota, where he remained till 1862, at which time he took up his abode at Minneiska. Up to this time his educa- tion had been received at the common schools ; but now he pursued the studies of Latin and Greek, under the tutorship of Mr. W. B. Bunnell, a noted educator at that time. Soon after this he placed himself in the medical department of Michigan University, at Ann Arbor, but graduated in medicine at Long Island College Hospital, in 1876. Since that time he has been not only following his profes- sion, but is largely engaged in commercial pursuits. In 1876 Mr. Brooks was chosen as delegate to attend the American Medical Asso- ciation at Philadelphia, and has remained a permanent member ever since. He is also a member of the Minnesota State Medical Society and of the Wabasha County Medical Society. In 1875 he was united in marriage to Anna G. Keyes, of Winona, and have two children. 1290 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Harry K., born in September, 1876, and Dwiglit S., born in March, 187S. Mi's. Brooks is a member of the Congregational churcli. Dr. Brooks' parents, who were many years residents of Minneiska, re- moved to Winona, where the former died in the spring of 1883. He was well known there as one of the noble men of that county's early settlement. Thoivias Talman Jenks, Lake City, whose grandfather with two brothers came from England and settled in Connecticut and New Ham])shire just previous to the outbreak of the war of the revolu- tion, was born in Lamoile, Vermont, July 4, 1823. His parents were Jeremiah amd Hepcibeth (Talman) Jenks, and were natives of Lyon, New Hampshire; the latter a descendant of a Holland family who emigrated to the colonies about the middle of the last century. Mr. Jenks, like his father, was reared a farmer, and fol- lowed that as a business till his advent into Minnesota in 1856. The same season he built a shingle mill at Central Point. Six years later he bought a planing mill located at the foot of Dwelle street, and soon after converted it into a shingle factory, and time converted it into a tenement, which has long since passed out of existence. He was married at Elmore, Vermont, December 14, 1845, to Elmira Bailey, a native of the same state, born April 18, 1827. To them were born six children, three of whom are living, whose names in the order of their birth are: Lucelia A., born in Massachusetts, September 7, 1846, now the wifeof John W. Northlield ; Francis H., born in Vermont, April 18, 1848, and Elwin T., born in same state, September 10, 1853. The three deceased were : Eugene A., Emma A. and Ada, aged eighteen-months, seven years, and fourteen years, respectively. Jkrry Dady, farmer, Greenfield, is among the early residents of Wabasha county, having come to Wabasha in 1855. In 1856 he settled on his present farm. His residence is cm section 35, and he has a large farm, part of which lies in Wato])a township. Mr. Dady was born in Castle Grogery, County Kerry, Ireland, and was reared on the farm that had been for many generations in possession of his ancestors. His education was supplied by rate schools, and re- mained there until thirty years old. He then married Nora O'Don- nell, a native of the same parish, and together they set out to make a home in America. For several years he was employed in railroad construction in Vermont, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. From the latter state he came to Minnesota as above related. He has been BIOGRAPHICAL. 1291 industrious, and has thereby secured a competence. In public aflPairs he has always sustained the Democratic party, as have his sons, and all the members of his family are in good standing in the Eoman Catholic church at Wabasha. There are live children, resident as follows: Eugene, Warren, Minnesota; Mary (Mrs. Maurice Durgan), Black Kiver Falls, Wisconsin; Nora (John Drysdale), Kellogg; Michael, Wabasha; John, at home. The latter is the prop of his parents in their old age, and is a rising young man. He is now serving the third successive term as town clerk. Michael U. Dady, Wabasha, son of the above last-named subject, was born in Greenfield, October 7, 1855. He was reared there, and attended the common school. When eighteen years old he took up blacksmith work in Kellogg, and has followed it ever sirtce. Became a resident of Wabasha in 1879; worked some time in a machine shop, and is now employed by the Chicago, Milwau- kee & St. Paul Railway Company as blacksmith and repairer. In 1879 he married Fanny Hudson, who was born in Fierce county, Wisconsin, of Scotch and English parents. They have a son, born June 18, 1880, and christened Charles. Abnee Tibbitts, who is mentioned as among the first to locate where Lake City now stands, was a native of the State of Maine. " He came to Racine, Wisconsin, in 1853, and there married, and in 1855 came to Lake Citv. Here Messrs. Abner Dwelle and Samuel Doughty gave him an interest in the new town site just being platted by them. He was a man of good address and possessed of excellent argumentative qualities, hence very useful in booming a new town. This ability, well used, was perhaps the principal consideration received for the share he became possessor of in the real estate here. He was a man ot aggressive characteristics and filled a few positions of trust to the state and nation. In 1878 he went to New Mexico, where he is now filling a position in a custom-house. Dr. p. a. Jewell (deceased), once a prominent resident of Lake City, was born in the State of New York and was educated in the classical course at Oberlin, Ohio, and graduated from the medical department of the Ann Arbor University. During the war of 1861-5 he was appointed to the hospital service in Washington, and there did the government efficient service. He was married August 20, 1863, at Morris, Illinois, to Miss Catharine Underwood, a graduate of the Female Medical College, of Philadelphia, and sister of J. M. Underwood, of this city. He came to Lake City in 1868, 12!)2 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. and established the nursery which now bears his* name. The doctor and his noble wife were only spared to their fellow citizens a very few years, and now repose in Lake City's beautiful cemetery. They left an unblemished name, but no posterity. Silas Gerome Smith, carpenter and builder, is one of the pioneers of this county and father of the first white child born in Highland townshi]). His grandfather, Jared Smith, was a native of Maine, was a farmer and settled at Pompey Hill, Oswego county. New York. Here was born and reared Israel Smith, the father of this subject, who followed blacksmithing from sixteen years of age. He married Eliza Richer, who was born in West Monroe, same county. Silas G. Smith was born Septeniber 13, 1S33, at the same ])lace as his father. For seven years he worked with his father at his trade, and never went to school after he was ten years old. At twenty- five he began carpenter work, having previously been employed for some time as filer and sawyer in a mill. After losing all his posses- sions by fire, he determined to seek a home in the New West, and came to Wabasha county, locating on land in Highland in the the fall of 1854. In the spring of that year he married Ellen S. Jacott, who died May 17, 18T6, leaving two children. Julia Ann, the eldest, born January 20, 1857, is the wife of Julius B. Lewis, in Wabasha. Silas Jerome resides with his fatlier, and was twentj^ years old March 5 last. Mr. Smith made his home on his farm until 1875. August 31, 1864, he entered Co. A, 3d Minn, regt., as a recruit. He was placed on detached service, and remained at Duvall's Bluff most of the time till discharged, July 28, 1865. Since 1875 his home has been in Wabasha, where he owns two lots on the levee. In May, 1877, he married Isabel A. Robinson, who is a native of Oxford, Massachusetts. Despite his meager schooling Mr. Smith has contrived to secure a good fund of general informa- tion, and is an intelligent citizen. In political matters he affiliates with the democratic party. He was two years constable in High- land, and subsequently served as deputy county sheriff". He has been connected with a Bai)tist church which now indicates his reli- gious faith. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Congregational church in Wabasha. Mr. Smith is a member of the'Equitable Aged Union, He has been engaged since his residence here in millwright work, and house, boat and pontoon building. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St, Paul railway pontoons at Read's Landing and Prairie du Chien show his handiwork ; also one at Lacon, Illinois, BIOGRAPHICAL. 1293 Patrick Francis Ryan, teacher, was born near Ehnira, New York, October 18, 1856. His parents, Patrick C. and Johanna Rj-an, were born in Limerick, Ireland, and came to America in 1848. For several years the father was employed in railroad construction, and settled in Greenfield township, where he now resides, in 1857. The subject of this sketch received his education in the common school in Greenfield and in the Wabasha city schools. He has been employed on a steamboat, on river lumber fleets, and on the railroad. During the winter of 1883-4 he had charge of the Minne- iska school, the term completing his thirty-sixth month of teaching. He is highly regarded by school superintendents, and his services are in great demand. For some time his home has been in Wabasha. He is a member of the Catholic Total Abstinence Union, and has represented this county in the state and national conventions of that body. He has also acted as delegate in several democratic county conventions, and was secretary of the Wabasha Hancock Club in 1880. Mr. Ryan is a young man of more than ordinary ability, and the writer is glad to note that his talents are likely to be fully appreciated by his fellow-citizens. John McDonald (deceased) was born and reared in Sligo, Ireland, where he learned the blacksmith's trade. He bec^-me a resident of Wabasha in 1856, and after working for Oliver Cratte some time, he purchased and operated a shop on Alleghaney street. His death occurred May 7, 1879, after a long illness. His age at this time was about sixty years. Previous to coming here he spent several years in Lexington, Kentucky. In March, 1862, he married Miss Mary Agnes Cavanaugh, who was born in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, December 25, 1844. On account of his long illness, Mr. McDonald's estate was encumbered with debt, but his widow has become inde- pendent by industry and good management. She has a nice home on the corner of Second and Alleghaney streets, and is educating her children well. There are four chikh'en, christened John, Katy, Louis and Molly Agnes. The firstborn, Joseph, died at six months of age. All are members in good standing of the Roman Catholic church. Lewis De Camp, carpenter, Wabasha, is a son of David and Sarah De Camp, all born in Harrisburg, Giles county, Virginia — this subject on January 12, 1821. His grandfather was a native of North Carolina, and was a soldier in the war of 1812, as was his father. Lewis De Camp was raised on a farm, and at twenty-five 1294 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. learned the carpenter's trade. He had previously spent some years in driving a six-horse freight team. In 1854 he went to Iowa City, Iowa, and engaged in farming, and came thence to Wabasha three years later. His home has ever since been liere, and carpenter-work lias received most^of his attention. He now has considerable prac- tice as a horse-farrier. He has eighty acres of land in Wisconsin, and two lots where his home is in Wabasha. In 1845 he married Adelia Duncan, native of his own county, as were her parents, Landon and Sarah Duncan. Five children made complete their family circle : Eliza Jane (Mrs. L. Malin), resides at Read's Landing ; Mary (Blanchard), Massachusetts ; Ira, sketched below ; Alexander and Thomas reside with their parents. Mr. De Camp finds spiritual comfort in the faith of Universalism, and has always been an adherent of the republican party. Ira De Camp, Mississippi pilot, of Wabasha, was born in Harris- burg, January 26, 1850, and is the third child of Lewis De Camp, whose record is found above. He attended the city schools till fifteen years old, and then went on Mississippi lumber rafts. For the last five years he has been a steamboat pilot, for which occupation fifteen years of life on the river have amply fitted him. He has built two houses on Main street, one of which he occupies, the other now in process of completion (March, 1884). He is a member of the E. A. U., and of the Episcopal church. His political support has always been given to republicanism. In 1876 he was united in marriage to Miss Addie Benedict, daughter of James K. Benedict, Mrs. De Camp was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, and came here when young. Two children have been given this cou])le, and christened Ora and James Lewis. Joseph E. Favrow, merchant, was born at Chaniplain, Clinton county, Kew York, in 1827. His father, Louis Favrow, came from France to join the American army in the war of 1812, and settled in this country. He married Josephine Duval, who became the mother of our subject. The latter's early life was passed in his native town, where he obtained the rudiments of an education. When fourteen he entered an iron foundr}', and spent several years as a moulder. In 1854 he went to liockford, Illinois, and engaged in the livery business. In the fall of 1856 he became a resident of Lake City, and at once opened the first hotel there. This was called the "Lake City House," and stood on the corner of AVashington and Center streets, until destroyed by the great fire of April, 1882. He after- BIOGRAPHICAL. 1 295 ward kept a livery stable, and was five years in the butcher business. After this he engaged in merchandising, and removed his stock to Donnelly, this state, in 1880. For the past three years he has been postmaster of that thriving town. He was four years a member of the Lake City common council, and some time an active member of the school board. His political action has ever been with the repub- lican party. He still holds his connection in all the degrees with the Masonic order in Lake City, and yet holds property here. In 1862 Mr. Favrow enlisted for three years in Co. G, 8th Minn. Yols., and served two years on the western frontier, participating in the battle of Stony Ridge, Dakota, and in several other slight engage- ments with the Indians. The remainder of his term was passed with the western army in fighting rebels, taking a liand in the battles of the Cedars (near Murphreesboro) and Kingston, North Carolina, and was discharged at the close of the war. In 1862 Mr. Favrow espoused Miss Ellen Conway, daughter of Michael Conway, one of the pioneers of Central Point. Mrs. Favrow is thirteen years her husband's junior, and was born near Ogdensburg, New York. Two children are included in Mrs. Favrow's family. The eldest, Frank- lin Fayette, is witli his parents. Ida May is now in attendance at the Lake City schools. Jacob Bush, mason, Wabasha, was born at Moscow, in the District of Montreal, Canada, February 1, 1830. His great-grand- father came from France, and settled in Canada. His father, Zabat- tias, was born and reared in the same locality as himself. His name has been changed since he came here, and as he had no edu- cation, he is unable to give the original French spelling. His early life was spent on a Canadian farm. For some years he was employed in ironworks on Lake Cliamplain, and he found various employ- ments in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. In 1852 he came west, and spent a year on a farm at Columbus, AVisconsin. He came to Wabasha in 1853, and found employment with the fur traders. He claimed land, and afterward sold out. In 1861 he enlisted in the U. S. Yols., Co. G, 5th Minn. regt. Served in the western army ; in the siege of Corinth, BuelFs expedition, battles of Tuscumbia, Chattanooga, second C(jrinth, luka, siege of Yicksburg, battle Gun- town, Ped River expedition, battle Nasliville, siege and capture of forts about Mobile. At Nashville he received a flesh-wound from piece of an exploding shell. In all he was an actor in thirty-two battles, besides several skirmishes, and was discharged from service 79 1296 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. in September, 1865. He returned to Wabasha, and has chiefly been employed in mason-work since. He was a member of tlie G.A.K., while a lodge existed here. He was reared in the Catholic church, and adheres to the democratic party. In 1855 he married Susan Montraill, who was born in Mendota, this state, and died in Novem- ber, 1880. Of her twelve children ten survive her. Josephine, the eldest, now wife of David Pugh, resides in Greenfield ; Isabel (Mrs. William Edwards), Oliver, Lucy (Frank Hoffer) and Emily reside in Wabasha. The rest are at home, christened as follows : Jacob, James, Gracie, Susan, Addie and Frank. Lawrence Calhoun, lumberman, Wabasha, is a native of Ire- land, born in Dublin, August 15, 1826. When he was a year old his jnirents, Thomas and Mary (Hackett) Calhoun, came to America, and soon settled at Shullsburg, Wisconsin, where the.father engaged in mining. His youth was spent in the city of Galena, and in 1845 he came up the Mississippi and was employed during the summer on the Chippewa river survey. The following winter he was employed in lumbering by Allen & Boss at Chippewa Falls, and nearly all his life since has been spent in lumbering. In the early days he ran a keelboat on the Chippewa and Mississippi, and often shared his supplies with the Indians, who, in turn, often shared their game with him and always remained friendly. In the winter of 1849-50 he carried the mail on his back between Chippewa Falls and Wabasha, making weekly trips. For the past twelve years he has been employed by the Mississippi Logging and Boom Co., and has dwelt in Wabasha, where he has a fine home on Second street. For nine years previously he lived at Kead's Landing, and while here, one day, Mrs. Calhoun drove off a saucy Indian with her mop. Mr. Calhoun's marriage occurred in 1858, the bride being Mary, widow of Thomas Sullivan, who died in Highland in 1856. Mrs. Calhoun is a sister of Miles McDonough, elsewhere sketched in this book, and was born in the same place. She is the mother of ten living children, as follows : Anna (Mrs. M. A. Cunnuings). Minneapolis ; Maria (born July 8, 1856, in Highland), Braiiuird, Minnesota ; Mary E. (John Gorman), Kellogg ; the others are at home, viz : Sarah, Lydia, Minnie, Maggie, Katy, George, Aurelia and Clara. Kosella, the ninth child, is deceased. Thomas Wood, farmer, is one of the most intelligent and pro- gressive of Watopa's farmers, and is prosperous accordingly. He came into Indian Creek valley, a comparatively poor man, in BIOGRAPHICAL. 1297 1865, and is now the proprietor of five himdred and twenty acres, of which one hundred and fifty are under cultivation. The rearing of stock occupies a part of his attention, and considerable grain is also produced. Mr, Wood was born June 25, 1819, in Disser-Surges, County Cork, Ireland. He was reared after the manner of Irish farmers' sons, and educated in the national schools. When he had reached the age of twenty -nine he set out from Liverpool for America on the sail-vessel Hartley Boston, landing in New Orleans after a voyage of two months. Thence he came up the Mississippi to Galena, and spent some time in farming in lUinois. In the spring of 186-1 he came to this county and bought a farm in Mount Pleasant, which he sold as soon as the crop was removed. After spending a winter in Iowa, he returned and settled on Indian Creek, on section 27, where he continues to reside. In all his travels and labors he has been attended by a most worthy and faithful helpmeet. Eliza Buttermore was born in the same parish three years later than Mr. Wood, and was married to him in 1840. Both are mem- bers of the Methodist church, and Mr. Wood is a temperate man in both precept and example. He has alwaj's supported the republican party, and his only public service has been that of school treasurer. Five children were given to Mr. and Mrs. Wood, of whom only two are living. The first and second born, Mary Jane and John, died at one and two years of age respectively. Robert H., the third, died at the age of twenty-six, while serving his third term as town clerk. The living are Thomas Edwin and William Joseph, at home. The former was elected town treasurer in the spring of 1881. Edgar T Rollixs, of the Town of Elgin, is the son of Orvis Y. and Mary O. Rollins, who were among the early settlers of the town, and was born in this town on October 27, 1860. In his early years he received a common-school education, and at the age of nineteen he obtained the appointment of teacher of a school in the town of Salem, county of Olmsted. Here he "wielded the birch " for one term, afterward teaching for one term in the Evans district of his native town, working on his father's farm during the summer season. During the spring of 1880 Mr. Rollins was ap- pointed station agent and telegraph operator at Elgin station, from the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company, which position he held for two years and a half, when he resigned, and since that time he has not been actively engaged in any business. While acting as operator at Elgin station, the disastrous cyclone of July 1298 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. 21, 1883, occurred, and it was Mr. liollins who sent the first tele- gram that conveyed tlie news of this terrible event to the outer world. On September 23, 1883, Mr. Rollins was united in mar- riage with Miss Rose M. Bentley, of the town of Yiola, Olmsted county. Mr. Rollins is noted as an excellent telegraph o])erator, and a young man of much promise and ability. He is a member of Elgin lodge, No. 115, A.F.A.M., in which lodge he was made a Master Mason about one year ago. George Farrar, farmer, of the village of Elgin, resides in one of the handsomest and most substantial frame dwellings to be found in this section of the country, situated on the southwest quarter of section 27, where he conducts his farm. He is a son of Calvin and Almira H. Farrar, and was born in Moretown, Washington county, Vermont, May 31, 1833. In his early youth our subject worked on his father's farm in his native state, attending the com- mon schools of the district during the winter. During the month. of September, 1853, when twenty years of age, he determined to strike out on his own account, and went west as far as Beloit, AVis- consin, where he hired out by the month to a farmer in whose employ he remained for eleven months, when he pushed farther west to St. Charles, Minnesota. In the spring of 1855, in company with George and Curtis Bryant and Henry H. Atherton (the latter of whom had accom])anied our subject from Vermont, and shared his fortunes with him), he left St. Charles to seek his home yet farther west, and about April 7, 1855, arrived in that part of Greenwood Prairie now known as Elgin, where he determined to locate. Mr. Farrar is therefore not only one of the original four pioneers of the town, but he is also "boss carpenter" of the first log house ever erected in Elgin, and afterward kept the first hotel started in the town. In the fall of 1855 he filed on the E. i of the S.W. ^ of Sec. 17, in the timber-land. He had also previously taken a claim consisting of an eighty on section 26, and an eighty on section 27, about April 8 or 9, 1855, which was jumped by Leonard Laird, in the spring of 1856, during Mr. Farrar's absence in the east, where he went December 6, 1855, returning to the prairie from his native state during the month of May, 1856, his brother Waldo, who was afterward killed while serving his country as seccmd lieutenant of Co. I, 1st regt. Minn. Inf., at the battle of Gettysburg, coming with him. The first marriage of residents of the new town of El- gin was that of George Farrar to Miss Emeline Bryant, daughter of BIOGRAPHICAL. 1299 John and Lavinia Bryant, The ceremony was performed at Winona, Minnesota, August 13, 1856. The issue of this unibn consists of two sons, Will E. .and Frank F., both of whom assist their father on his farm in the summer, and teach school during the winter months. Mr. Farrar has frequently been called upon by the people to represent them in different political offices in his adojjted town, having held the offices of supervisor, chairman of board of supervisors, town treasurer and constable, besides having re- ceived from the state the appointment of captain in the 9th regt. Minn. State Militia, on January 28, 1863. Besides being one of the pioneer settlers of the town, Mr. Farrar justly deserves mention as one of the pioneers in religious matters and temperance work. He was connected with the first religious society organized in the town, has always contributed largely to the cause of Christianity, and is now one of the influential members of the Methodist Church South, which he and his wife joined during the winter of 1877-8, while he has ever been a most active and effective worker in the great temperance cause, identified with and holding offices in the various societies formed in the town from early days to the present time. He is now P.W.C.T. of Elgin lodge, xJ. 76, I.O.G.T., besides being a member of the Masonic fraternity, and holding the office of J. D, in Elgin lodge, No. 115, A.F.A.M. Mr. Farrar suffered great damage by the destructive cyclone of July 21, 1883, his barn and outbuildings being completely demolished, and causing him a loss of fifteen hundred dollars. John W. Bryant, senior member of the firm of J. W. Bryant & Co., grain and coal dealers of the village of Elgin, and proprietors of one of the two elevators located in that village, is not only one of the most enterprising, but is also the youngest man at the head of any business firm in the place, besides being the only one of Elgin's sons conducting business for himself at the place of his birth. Mr. Bi-yant is a son of George and Polly Bryant, and was born in the first log house ever erected within the limits of what is now the vil- lage of Elgin, on the KW. i of Sec. 27, on October 15, 1858, his father, who is now judge of probate of Day county, Dakota, being one of the first pioneers of that town. Our subject in his earl}^ years received such education as the common schools of his native town afforded, and when only fifteen years of age, without the knowledge of his parents, he applied for and obtained the position of teacher of the school situated in district 'No. 77, then known as the Johnson 1300 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. district, where he tuught for two terms, after which he entered tlie high school at Winona and pursued his studies there for one year, when lie returned to his old school, where he again "wielded the birch " for three successive terms. At the age of nineteen years he accepted the position of general clerk and bookkeeper for the firm of Bryant Bros. & Johnson, general merchandise and grain dealers, of Elgin, which position he fillod until June, ISSO. During the month of July, 1880, he bought out the partnership interest of A. K. John- son in the grain business, of Bryant Bros. & Johnson, and after- ward became senior member of the firm, which assumed the name of J. W. Bi-yant & Co. On February 3, 1881, Mr. Bryant was united in marriage to Miss Pamelia R. Richardson, who, like him- self, was born in the town of Elgin. Mrs. Bryant is the daughter of H. G. and Julia Richardson, of this town, and with her husband resides in a commodious and substantial frame dwelling, situated on the same quarter-section where the old log house once stood in which her husband was born. Mr. Bryant has never sought for political preferment, being a thorough business man and believing that his path of duty lies in a strict and thorough attenti(jn to this, with the exception of the exercise of that duty we all owe as conscientious voters. He is a member of Elgin lodge, Xo. 115, A.F.A.M., in which lodge he holds the office of S. W. William T. Adams, M.D., son of Samuel and Mary A. Adams, was born in the town of Lee, Oneida county. New York, August 7, 18-19. Up to his thirteenth year the subject of this sketch attended the district schools in his native county, when he entered the high school at Utica, ISTew York, where he remained two years. In October, 1864, the doctor's parents removed to Plain view, Minne- sota, and he followed them to that place in June, 186.5. From this time until 1869 the doctor worked with his father at the printer's trade, attending school part of the time winters. During the sum- mer of 1870 our subject taught school in what is known as the Jeny Baldwin district, northeast of the village of Plainview. In Septem- ber of the same year the doctor entered Carleton College, at North- field, Minnesota, where he remained during the fall and winter. The doctor had heretofore determined to study medicine, and had arranged to enter the office of Dr. N. S. Tefft, of Plainview. Upon hi^ return from Northfield, during the si)ring of 1871, he entered the employment of A. Y. Felton as deputy postmaster in the Plain- view postoffice, which position he held for a year and a half, in the BIOGRAPHICAL. 1301 meantime devoting all his spare time to the study of medicine. During the &11 and winter of 1872-3 the doctor attended his first course of lectures at Kush Medical College, at Chicago, Illinois, and in the fall of 1873 he entered the employ of Dr. J. J. Stone, as prescription-clerk in his drug-store at Wabasha, Minnesota, where he remained for nearly a year, and in the f\ill and winter of 1874-5 he attended his final course of lectures at Paish Medical College, graduating in the month of February, 1875, having earned his own education since he attended district school in his native state. After returning to the employ of Dr. J. J. .Stone in Wabasha, where he remained for a period of ten months, our subject settled in Elgin village, and entered upon the practice of his profession there, March 28, 1876, where he now resides on a good property of his own on Main street. Besides his medical practice, the doctor has charge of the Elgin drug-store, which is conducted under the firm name of Landon, Burchard & Co. Dr. Adams was married in Plainview, Minnesota, on August 29, 1875, to Miss Nellie A. Gibbs, daughter of the late Dr. F. C. Gibbs and Mrs. Sarah Gibbs, the latter of whom now resides in Plainview. The issue of the marriage is as follows : Grace, born September 9, 1877, died April 26, 1881 ; Carl Chauncey, born June 3, 1883. The doctor has never sought for political honors of any nature whatever, but looks after the educational interests of the community in which he resides, as school director of district No. 57. Henry W. Gilman, of the village of Elgin, son of John and Lydia Gilman, was born in the town of Anson, Somerset county, Maine, on January 18, 1842. His father was a farmer by occupa- tion, and owned a .'arm in the above town, upon which the subject of this sketch worked during the early years of his life, attending the district schools in the winters. In the fall of 1862 Mr. Gilman enlisted as a private in Co. A, 2Sth regt. of Maine Vol. Inf. m. Gilman served with his regiment under Gen. N. P. Banks, and was engaged in the siege of Port Hudson, being present at its surrender, July's, 1863. After this Mr. Gilman was sent to the hospital at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and in the fall of 1863 he was honorably discharged from the service on account of sickness, holding at the time the rank of sergeant. In the month of June, 1864,.Mr. Gilman went to California, remaining about six months in the Santa Clara Yalley. and from there he went to the Canyon City gold mines, situated in the northeastern part of Oregon, and was there engaged 1302 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. in mining operations until the fall of 1865, when he returned to Cali- fornia, and farmed it on the coast, about forty-five miles soutli of San Francisco. Here he remained about one year, when he returned to Farmington, in his native state. During the year 1867 Mr. Gil- man, in conjunction with his brother, conducted a hotel at New Sharon, Franklin county, jVIaine. On January 18, 1868, Mr. Gil- man was married to Miss Annie O. Porter, daughter of W. B. and Elizabeth Porter, of Farmington, Maine, wlio now reside in Elgin. After Mr. Gilman's marriage he went out of the hotel business, and farmed it in Farmington until the fall of 1871, when he entered the employ of the Androscoggin Railroad Company, with whom he re- mained until the latter part of 1873, when he came with his family to Elgin. Mr. Gilman has followed the occupation ot a farmer since he has been here, but for the last three years he has been principally engaged in the business of buying and shij^ping horses to Dakota and the Red River country. Mr. Gilman now owns a good prop- erty on Main street in the village, upon which he resides. In the spring of 1880 Mr. Gilman was elected one of the supervisors of the town of Elgin, and at the expiration of his tei-m refused to serve longer, as his business would not then permit him to do so. In the fall of 1881 Mr. Gilman was elected one of the trustees of school district No. 57, which position he now holds, having been clerk of the board ever since his election. Mr. Gilman is a member of Elgin lodge, No. 115, A.F.A.M., in which lodge he now holds the office of J.W. His family consists of two children, Fred V., born May 16, 1871, and Lizzie Edith, born August 18, 1872. In the summer of 1880 Mr. Gilman, accompanied by his family, paid a visit to his native place in Maine, being absent three months. While there he saw his mother for the last time, she having died September 22, 1881. Dorr Dickerman, of the village of Elgin, was born in the town of Tunbridge, Orange county, Yermont, on March 12, 1855. He is a son of Lewis and Emily Dickerman, and was brought up on his father's farm in his native state, receiving his earl}^ education at the district schools of the county, which he attended in the winter months. "When he had arrived at the age of twenty-three, our subject struck out for the west, arriving on March 30, 1878, at Eglin, Minnesota, were he commenced working for his cousin, Ezra Dickerman, as a farm hand, remaining in his employ until the fall of that year, when he went to Rochester, Minnesota, entered a select school and com- BIOGRAPHICAL. 1303 pleted his education there in the spring of 1879. During the summer season of 1879 our subject returned to Ezra Dickerman's farm in his former capacity, and during the season of 1880 he worked the same farm with him on shares. In the spring of 1881 Mr. Dickerman went into the liardware, tinware and stove business in the village of Elgin, in conjunction with Elijah and Alonzo Ordway, under the firm name of Ordway, Dickerman & Co. He remained in business until March 15, 18S4, when he retired from the partnership, having sold out his interest to his copartners. On March 15, 1882, Mr. Dickerman was united in marriage with Miss Mary Senrick, daughter of Michael and Elizabeth Senrick, all residents of Elgin. The ceremony took place at Rochester, Minnesota. The issue of the marriage consists of two daughters, Emily, born October 27, 1882, and Mary B., born January 26, 1884. Mr. Dickerman resides with his family on a nice property which he owns on South street in the village of Elgin, known as lot JSTo. 6, block 7. Although never seeking political preferment, Mr. Dickerman was run by the people on an independent ticket for the office of town clerk on March 13, 1883, and elected over his competitor, the regular nominee. In politics Mr. Dickerman is a democrat, as his father and grandfather were before him. Since the above sketch was written Mr. Dicker- man has transferred his property in the village to his cousin and former employer Ezra Dickerman, and has bought the farm of the latter, consisting of the W. ^ of the N.W. J of Sec. 4, and the south 50 acres and the east i of the north 30 acres of the E. -| of the N.E. J of Sec. 5, in the town of Yiola, where he will shortly move and carry on farming. Hon. William H. Feller, of the township of Elgin, who since the war of the rebellion has been prominently identified in the his- tory of Wabasha county, was born in the town of Milan, Dutchess county, New York State, on October 25, 1821, being the son of David and Elizabeth Feller, who, like himself, were native-born Americans. During the summer months of his early life he worked on his father's farm in Dutchess county, and in the winters he learned the rudiments of education at the common schools of the county. In 1841 he was offered and accepted the position of clerk for the firm of Tyler & Kent, freighters, at Barry town, Dutchess county. New York. March 3, 1842, Mr. Feller married Miss Helen M. Best, of Pine Plains, in his native county, and was engaged in farming until the spring of 1844, when he started a country store at 130-i HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Red Hook, in the same county, whicli lie conducted until the spring of 1852, and in the fall of 1853 he removed witli his family to Man- chester, Ontario county, New York, being engaged in farming from the time he gave up his store at Red Hook until the spring of 1860, when he again moved to Oconomowoc, Waukesha county, Wiscon- sin. In December, 1861, Mr. Feller received a commission from the war department at Washington, as sutler of the 28th regt. AVis. Yols., and served with his reginient during the war until it was mustered out of the service at Madison, Wisconsin, during Septem- ber, 1865. In the spring of 1866 Mr. Feller and his family came to Elgin, where he purchased the farm on which he yet resides, con- sisting of the K i of KE. J, and the S.E. i of N.E. i of Sec. 33, and the S. i of S.E J of Sec. 28. Mr. Feller has frequently been called upon by the people to represent them in various positions of trust and responsibility, besides having also been sought for by the United States government to fill important offices. In the spring of 18-15, when little over twenty-three years of age, he was elected jus- tice of the peace ot Dutchess county, New York, and in 1849 he was re-elected to that office. In the fall of 1850 he was elected member of assembly from the third assembly district of Dutchess county, New York, on the whig ticket, although the district was strongly democratic, taking his seat on January 1, 1851. In the spring of 1867 he was elected chairman of the board of supervisors of the town of Elgin, while at other times he has held the offices of assessor and supervisor of that town. In April, 1869, Mr. Feller was appointed receiver of the United States land office at Duluth, Minnesota, which office he held for the full term of four years, when he was immediately appointed register of the same office, which position he resigned after he had filled it for three years, the resignation, which was to take effect January 1, 1876, not being accepted by the department until the following month. At the fall election of 1878 Mr. Feller was elected a member of the house of representatives from the third district of Wabasha county, and he is now chairman of the board of supervisors of the town of Elgin. Mr. Feller is a member of Elgin lodge, No. 115, A.F.A.M., and a republican in politics. Thomas J. Bolton, a prominent business man of Plainview, was born in Logan, Ohio, November 12, 1843. The death of his father occurred when Thomas J. was but nine years old, and the year fol- lowing his mother removed with her family to Cleveland. In 1855 they came to Wabasha county, and our subject spent two years as a BIOGKAPHICAL. 1305 cabin-boy on a river steamboat. About the year 1S61 he entered the drug business at Wabasha with Jas. Crowley. In December, 1865, This firm decided to open a branch store in Plainview, and Mr. Bol- ton assumed the management of the same. This was the first drug store ever established in Plainview. A store was erected for their business. Two years later they sold out to Mr. Felton, and Mr. Bolton returned to Wabasha and resumed his place in the old firm, but soon after sold oat and went to Eyota, where he opened up a pioneer drug store on his own hook. The winter of 1873-4 he sold his Eyota store and returned to Plainview. He now owns about two hundred acres of land in Plainview township, and is a partner with Geo. S. La Rue in the drug busmess. His tarra is situate on the site of Greenville, and he uses one of its old store buildings for a sheep- shed. He was for a time agent for Laird & Norton, lumber dealers, of Winona. Mr. Bolton is at pi-esent dealing in agricultural imple- ments. He has had some experience as a publisher, having issued a regular advertising sheet for several years while engaged in the drug businsss, both in Plainview and Eyota. He is a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Plainview. Li poli- tics he is republican, and has been chairman of the town board ; is also a member of the Masonic brotherhood, and of the Order of Odd-Fellows. Ella, only child of Hon. A. P. Foster, of Plainview, became his wife on September 1, 1869. They have four children : Alonzo G., Miller T., Mary L. and John. Rhinaldo W. Chapman, a Plainview farmer, was born in Lima, Jefferson county. New York, June 5, 1835. He was the youngest son of Asa Chapman, a farmer. His education was obtained in the district school. He continued to reside at home until he had nearly attained to his majority. In the meantime he had learned the car- penter trade, and being also of a speculative tnrn of mind, had prt)fitably handled his small earnings, and was now enabled to pur- chase a fifty-acre farm in the southern part of his native county. Good luck attended him, and he engaged in buying stock and poultry for the New York market. He was drafted in 1863, but paid for a substitute and the following year volunteered his services to fight the Union battles, and was mustered into the 186th N. Y. Inf., and was in active service in the army of the Potomac until the close of the war, his regiment participating in all those hard-fought battles in which that army engaged immediately preceding the fall of Petersburgh. In consequence of impaired health, the result of 1306 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. exposure while in the service, he has been placed on Uncle Sam's pension rolls. He resumed business in Oswego, New York, where he ran a grocery store for a few months, and for the two years fol- lowing he was in the stock and poultry business. In 1869 he came to Minnesota and bought from -John Allen, of Elgin, a farm on sec- tion 21 in that township. This place he greatly improved, and erected thereon tine buildings. In 1882, ill health induced him to go to Elgin village to reside. At the time the cyclone visited that unfortunate town he was living with his family, consisting of a wife and two step-daughters, Edith and Ilattie Dillon, in the second of one of the ill-fated houses. The family were at dinner when the tornado approached, and were all buried beneath the rains of their home. They escaped, however, with only bruises, and esteem their good luck in this to providential interposition. Mrs. Helen Dillon nee Goodenough, of St. Lawrence, New York, the relict of Albert Dillon (a comrade in arras of Mr. Chapman), became Mrs. Chapman, November 23, 1868. Since the destruction of his Elgin home, Mr. Chapman has resided in Plainview village, where he has purchased several village lots in Thompson's addition, and on which he is erecting a fine house. Mr. Chapman and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church ; has been steward and trustee. RoswELL Newton White, late farmer of Plainview, was born in AVestchester county. New York, January 21, 1809. When fourteen years old he was apprenticed to a carpenter at New Rochelle, New York. This trade occupied his life for the next nine years, and served to assist in the development of a fine artistic talent which he possessed. At the age of twenty -three he turned his attention to engraving, and without any previous training he solicited a job at wood engraving from a New York house, which was reluctantly given him. His work was promptly done and well. It was approved, and from that time on he found plenty to do in this line. The New York Bible Concern and Harper Brothers employed him during the eight years that he continued to reside in the metropolis, and he was esteemed one of the best wood engravers of his day. In 1839 he established a home in McHenry county, Illinois, and opened an office in Chicago, where he obtained work from McCormick, II. P. Murray, and others. Seventeen years he resided in Illinois, but in the spring of 1856 he caught the western fever, and also further in- duced to seek a change by ill health, he came to Greenwood prairie and pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres on section 11. Here BIOGRAPHICAL. 1307 he established liis home, and spent the remainder of his life in agri- cultural pursuits. He died April 3, 1883, leaving a wife and four children surviving. Mrs. White was Jane Osborn, the daughter ot John Osborn, of New York city. The children are: Annie (Mrs. Furlong), of ^ass county, Dakota; Jane (Mrs. Griffing), of Boston, Massachusetts ; Emelie E. White, of Crescent City, Florida ; and a son, Chakles O. White, who was born in McIIenry county, Illinois, October 3, 1851. His parents removed to Minnesota when Charles was in his fifth year. He has led the usual life of the farmer boy. . He received a common school education. He learned the carpen- ter's trade, and for several years followed it in Plainview, and two years in Florida. He married Avalin Melendy, of Plainview, for his first wife. Four years later her death occurred, and on March 1 he was married a second time, Miss Nettie Melendy being his choice, by whom he has one child, Etiie. Mr. White resides on the old homestead. KuFUS C. Weight was born in Bakerstield, Franklin county, Vermont, February 3, 1886. His lather, David Wright, and mother, Clara Hodgkins, were natives of New England, and sprang from New England stock. His early life up to sixteen years of age was spent upon his father's farm, with such advantages as the usual country schools of that day ofi:ered. At that time, being ambitious of obtaining a better education than had thus far been ofl:ered, he gained the consent of his father to work and obtain the means of attending the academy of his native town, where he attended several terms, also a similar institution in a neighboring village, working and teaching meantime to defray expenses. Now, being about twenty-one years of age, and desirous of seeing more of the world, he came west, and traveled about one year with a brother, who was lecturing at this time ; but not being satisfied with this, he pur- chased an outfit himself, giving descriptive lectures upon the science of astronomy, traveling most of the time in the southern states, which was during those excitable times just preceding the war of the rebellion. But as the approach of the coming storm came near, the south grew too warm for him, and he came north — not leaving, however, until after Lincoln had been elected president. The break- ing out of the rebellion found him in Ohio, and soon after the first battle of Bull Run he was on his way to New York with a company of Ohio boys to join the Union army ; was there mustered into the 130S HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTi'. 65th N. Y. Vol. Inf., commanded bv Col. John (V)chrane. lie was with McClellan in his Peninsular campaign, participated in the battles of Williamsburgh, Fair Oaks and Malvern Hill, being wounded in the two last battles — at Malvern Plill severely in right shoulder and lung, — taken prisoner, had a month's experience in the prisons of Kichmond ; from there paroled and taken to hospital at Chester, PenTisylvania ; was from there discharged from the service in Decem- ber, 1862, and remained out about one year, when he re-enlisted in the 10th Mass. Battery, and served under Grant in the army of the Potomac until the close of the war, having been in most of the leading battles from the Wilderness to final surrender of Lee's army at Ap])omattox Court House. He was a second time discharged from the service at Boston Harbor in June, 1865, having served in all about three years in the array. After a rest of a few months he again came west, remaining most of the time in Wisconsin, vari- ously employed, usually teaching during the winter months, until July, 1869, he came to Minnesota. His last year in Wisconsin was spent in St. Croix county. Arriving in Plainview the last days of July, 1869, with its bountiful crops almost ready for the reaper, he decided to remain here awhile, assisting in securing crops during the fall, and in the winter teaching the school in the district in which he now resides. Being so well pleased at this time with the beauty and natural fertility of the soil of Greenwood Prairie and surround- ing country, he decided to remain longer and turn liis attention to farming, which he did. He was married March 26, 1871, to Miss Ettie Wood, who had but recently come from Schoharie county, New York, from where several of her family had come before her, and become early settlers of Plainview and vicinity. In 1874 he bought his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres of Stephen Struble, situated about three miles northeast from the village of Plainview, and is now engaged in diversified agriculture. He is in politics republican, liberal in religious views. Belongs to Masonic fraternity and the Grange. Has been assessor of the town since 1881. Theodore Bowen, one of the principal farmers of Lake township, settled there in 1861, buying eighty acres of land. The subject of this sketch was born December 17, 1838, in Onondaga county. New York, tlis parents' names were Isaac and Lucy Bowen. His youth _ was spent on the farm and at the common schools. Afler arriving at maturity he was wedded to Augusta Monroe, of Oswego county, BIOGRAPHICAL. 1309 ]^ew York, and they have two children : Isidore, now Mrs. C. T. Webster, of this township, and EsteDa. In September, 186i, Mr. Bowen enlisted in the 184th regt., N. Y. Vols., and served till the close of the war. In 1871 he was elected town treasurer, which office he held for nine years consecutively, and has also been treasui-er and director of school district No. 6 several terms. While the Baptist church represents his religious views, his wife is a Methodist in belief. William Sydney Webster, one of the leading farmers of Lake township, received his birth near Seranton, Pennsylvania, in 1845. His father (William) was a native of that state, while his mother (Christiana) was a German by birth, emigrating to this country in 1830. Our subject was a natural-born farmer, so after receiving a common-school education, worked on his father's farm- till he became thoroughly acquainted with what was to be his lifework. During the winter months, when work was not pressing, he got out lumber from the woods near by, which he sold to the Seranton mines. At length, in 1870, he came to this county and bought eight}^ acres of land, where he now resides ; but by economy and thrift he now is the possessor of four hundred and eighty acres of land situated on sections 32 and 33. He married Mary Shaw, daughter of George and Jennie Shaw, of this township. They have one child, Jennie Ann. Mr. Webster and wife are members of the Methodist church at Lake City. George Freeman Hancock, farmer, is the oldest child of Free- man and Louise Hancock, who were born in Massachusetts. George was born in 1818, in Berkshire county, of the same state. When our stjbject was four years old, his parents moved to Oswego county, New York. Here he attended the district school, and worked upon the farm. In 1840 he married Alvira Shattuck, at Granby, New York, and began farming for himself For several winters he worked in the woods getting out lumber for dealers along the Oswego river. In 1858, after disposing of his prop- erty, he emigrated to this county, where he pre-empted one hun- dred and sixty acres of land, upon which he now lives. Mr. Hancock has been justice of the peace, and assessor for about ten years. At present he is clerk of school district No. 90. The republican party represents his politics. The names of his children are : Elizabeth Adel (deceased), Sarah, now Mrs. John Morris, living in West Albany township, and Friend J. 1310 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Richard O'Brien, farmer and stock-raiser, of Lake township, is a brotlier of John O'Brien, of Lake City, and, like him, one of this county's successful farmers. He was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, May, 1840, and, like his brother, was reared and edu- cated on the farm, where he remained till the fall of 1863, when he came to Lake City, Minnesota, and at once applied himself to labor at anything to earn an honest dollar, and so continued two years. By this time economy and industry had rewarded him with the necessary means to purchase one hundred and sixty acres oi land in Lake township, where he at once engaged in agricultural pursuits. Although Mr. O'Brien was not among the early arrivals in this county who secured free homes fi-om the government, he is one of the successful landowners of the county, having added to his first purchase till he is now the independent owner of nine hundred and forty-seven acres of land in sections 14, 15, 22, 23 in Lake town- ship, six hundred acres of which is under cultivation, the remainder is wild pasture and all under his own personal supervision. The products of his farm is largely disposed of tln-ough the medium market stock (cattle and hogs), of which he turns oif yearly about eight hundred dollars' worth. lie married Margaret McShane, a native of Ireland, and by this union they have five children, as follows : Edward, William, Thomas, Anna May and Lula. Family are members of the Catholic church. His executive ability has been appreciated by his fellow-citizens from the fact that he has held the ofiice of chairman of the town board for over ten years, with the exception of one term, when he declined the nomination in order that his entire time might be given to his farm and stock. Charles Carroll Lowe, retired farmer. Lake City, is a native of the State of Maine, where he was born November 20, 1832. He is the son of Ivory and Fannie (Colcord) Lowe, natives of the same state, of English extraction, and the former a soldier in the war ot 1812. They reared a family of fourteen children, seven sons and seven daughters, of whom our subject was the sixth son and twelfth child. He was reared on the farm with common school advantages till the age of nineteen, when the family (for educational facilities) removed to Waterville in the same state, where he entered the Waterville Academy, now the Coburn Institute. Here he pur- sued a ])reparatory course three years, alter which he entered the Colby University in tlie same city, from which he graduated with the class of 1856, receiving the degree of bachelor of arts, and sub- BIOGRAPHICAL. 1311 seqiiently (1S60) the degree of master of arts. In the fall of 1856 he came to Minnesota, and immediately located in Gillford town- ship, pre-empting the N.E. J of section 8. where he continued to reside np till April, 1882, when he removed to his pleasant and substantial home on Prairie, between Walnut and Douglity streets, Lake City. During his many years' residence in Gillford, Mr. Lowe was almost continuously called to positions of official trust — positions his education, good judgment and executive ability eminently fitted him.for. The official records of the town show him to have been town clerk, assessor, justice of the peace, and chair- man of the board of supervisors, as well as to have been identified with the educational interiest of the township. He was married at Pvushford, New York, March 18, 1872, to Miss Julia Hellen McCall, of that place. Their only child, Herbert, was born in this county in July, 1879. They also have an adopted daughter, aged twelve years. Mr. Lowe is a member of the Masonic fraternity of this city, and an active business gentleman. Hon. William John Hahn, Minneapolis, Minnesota, was born November 5, 1841, in Miffiin county, Pennsjdvania. His great- grandfather emigrated from Germany many years prior to the revo- lution and settled in Berks county, Pennsylvania, where his grand- father was born. The latter entered the continental army as a private at the age of eighteen and rose to the rank of captain, and served through the war. After the war he moved to Chester county, Pennsylvania, where the father of this sketch was born. His name was Joseph. When he (Joseph) was quite young his father moved to Mifflin county, where he lived until his death, and where his son Joseph lived for sixty years, or until his removal to Minnesota in 1864. His mother's name was Lavinia Hutchinson Mitchell, who was of Scotch-Irish descent. His early youth was spent on his father's farm and at school. In April, 1862, he came to Lake City, Minne- sota on a visit to his sister, Mrs. Sterrett. Here he spent the summer, and the Indian outbreak occurring while here, he spent two months with the expedition against them, returning to Pennsylvania in November of that year, where he remained until August, 1863, when he permanently located at Lake City. He remained there until January, 1882, when he removed to Minneapohs. He had charge of Lake City schools for some time, and was also book- keeper. He read law about one year prior to coming to Minnesota, and also read a year in office of Ottman & Scott, at Lake City, and 80 1312 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. completed his law studies in the office of P. Pemberton Morris, at Philadelphia, where he attended law-school. Keturning to Lake City in the spring of 1867, he was admitted to the bar at the May term ot that year, and immediately formed a partnership with W. W. Scott, Esq., with whom he was connected in business until May, 1874, when Mr. Scott left for Kansas. He practiced law at Lake City until his removal to Minneapolis. He was elected county attorney in 1872 ; re-elected in 1874 and in 1876, and was nomi- nated again in 1878, but declined the nomination. He was appointed attorney-general, March 11, 1881, by Gov. Pillsbury, to succeed Attorney-General Start, who resigned to accept the judgeship of the third district, and was elected to the same office in 1881, and again in 1883. A prominent Minnesota judge, in 1879, in speaking of him as a lawyer, said : "Mr. Halin deservedly occupies a high rank as a lawyer. He is not only well 'read up' in the law, but his mind is naturally unusually clear and discriminating, thus enabling him always clearly and accurately to detect the material and pivotal questions involved in every case in which he is engaged. In the practice of his profession he is always controlled by the highest sense of honor, disdaining to. resort to tricks or quibbles, never taking any position before either court or jur}^ which he does not believe to be correct. Consequently he is always listened to with interest by both. Although modest and unassuming, he always advocates his position with that earnestness which always comes from a clear conception of an idea and an honest conviction of its correctness." Shortly after his appointment as attorney-general the celebrated Bond case (the most important case ever heard in this state) came on to be heard, and the charge of the same for the state was committed to the new attorney-general. St. Paul "Dispatch" of August 2, 1881, says of him : Shortly after the close of the "Dispatch" report of last evening the attorney-general closed his argument, and the court adjourned over to nine o'clock this morning. During the attorney-general's remarks he was listened to with the strictest attention, and it was plain to be seen that he has made both a strong and a very favorable impression upon his auditors. In fact, one of the oldest attorneys at the Ramsey county bar, one who himself delights, if not revels, in abstruse points and tangled legal webs, remarked to a " Dispatch " representative that the attorney-general had made a brilliant argument, and one which would give him a high reputation among lawyers throughout the state as abounding in legal acumen and displaying deep research and a very high order of logical reasoning. BIOGRAPHICAL. 1313 Mr. Hahn served in the army three months in Pennsjdvania. He belongs to Lake City Commandery of Knights Templar, Hope Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, and Carnelian Lodge, A.F.A.M., of Lake City, and was Grand High Priest of Minnesota. He has always been a republican in politics. He married Emily Laurette Martin, of Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, September 16, 1868. She was the daughter of James M. Martin, Esq., and a sister of J. M. Martin, of Lake City. He has four children : Emily Alexander, Roland Bruce, Lavinia Mitchell and Clara Josephine. Elijah Porter was born in Westfield, Massachusetts, July 6, 1811, and left motherless when ten days old^ and at the age of two years was stepson to his father's second wife. Mr. Porter bears testimony that this the only mother he ever knew, proved to be all that could be expected of a real mother. When ten years old the family moved to Ohio, which was then, 1821, a wilderness, accom- plishing the journey, six hundred and fifty miles, in twenty-one days. The family here underwent the common privations incident to pioneer life, which wei'e much more severe than pioneering usually is in later years. In 1826 he had tired of clearing land and other hard work of the farm, and walked forty miles to Canton, to learn the printing business. Here Mr. Porter's character was formed, and here he became a christian and united with the Metho- dist Episcopal church, in 1831. This year he left Canton for Massa- chusetts, working at different places on the way, and in 1832 went to New York. In New York he worked at his trade for several years, saving from his hard earnings in the meantime money to buy an outfit for an office of his own, which he established in his native town, installing himself as editor of what was called the "West- field Letter." This was at the time of the Wm. Henry Harrison campaign ; and though the town was a democratic center, Mr. Porter went bravely to work to advocate the principles of the whig party, and mixed with it considerable of freesoilism and temperance. And though unpopular as this course may have seemed to some, but a short time elapsed until the town was against democracy by a majority of six hundred. Seventeen years after this, however, having done his work and lost all his money, he gathered together a few remnants and again set out for the far west, and landed at Maiden Rock, Wis- consin. In 1S59 Mr. Porter came to Lake City, and resurrected the "Tribune," and for two years devoted his talent to editorial work. When Mr. Porter gave up the "Tribune," he was appointed post- 1314 HISTORY OF WABASHA OOUNTV. master by President Lincoln, and held the position until 1867, wlien he was removed by Andy Johnson. Mr, Porter is a Methodist, an Odd-Follow, a temperance man, and a pliilantliropist in the best sense of the word. Fmtz Lange, brewer, Lake City, is the partner of John C. Schmidt, in the brewing business. lie was born in Schweren Meck- lenberg, Germany, January 14, 1837, and is the son of Christopher and Sophia (Brinkho) Lange, who were also natives of the same province, and by occupation farmers. His echicational advantages were somewhat limited, though he, like all the better class of Ger- mans, has made amends for it by careful study and observation since his advent into this country. In the spring of 1857 he emigrated to America in the same vessel with his partner, Mr. Schmidt, and with him spent a year at Buffalo, New York, and the following spring came to Wabasha county, Minnesota, and settled in West Albany township. Here he took eighty acres of land under the homestead act, and purchased another eighty. This he so(m after sold and ])urcliased a one hundred and sixty acres in the same township, which he traded in 1877 for his Lake City property. At Buffalo, New York, on August 9, 1857, Mr. Lange was united in marriage to Miss Henrietta Haase, who was also a native of Mecklenberg, and came over in the same ship with himself, being six weeks on the ocean in a sailing bark. Mr. Lange by industry and economy has made for himself and family a comfortable home, and enjoys the respect and confidence of his fellow men. He has four children, whose names are : Caroline, now Mrs. Charles Chandell, of Camp- bell, Minnesota; Fritz J., Josephine and Henry, at home. He is a member of the A.O.U.AV. and the Sons of Hermann. Their religious faith is in the Lutheran doctrine. ERRATA. Page 1095, line 12, for " 1862 " read " 1861." Page 1095, line 13, for " Louis " read " Lewis." Page 1120, line 16, for " 1836" read "1837." Page 1119, line 38, for " Bremen " read " Union." Page 1176, line 34, for "Miss J." read " Miss F." Page 1179, line 27, for " Ora " read " Ova." Page 1180, line 1, for " Flora C." read "Flora L." Page 1180, line 12, for "Ora" read "Ova." Page 1180, line 13, fbr ".June" read "January." Page 1208, line 25, for " fifteen " read "twenty." Page 1218, line 4, for " paternal " read " maternal. Page 1233, line 33, for " Tioga " read " Orange." CHAPTEE XCIX. TOWNSHIP OF LAKE. This is a rather small township, both on account of Lake Pepin, which lies partly within its boundaries, and because the city of Lake Citj'^ was carved out of its original territory. IMost of it lies back of the bluffs which form a kind of ampitheater within which the city is situated. Its surface is rolling, diversified by ravines and bluffs,, from the summit of which fine views of Lake Pepin and the Mississippi Valley; may be had. The soil is largely of yellow clay, and produces the finest crops of wheat ; other crops, as potatoes, barley, rye, corn, etc., are also raised in abund- ance, but the best proof of the fertility of the soil is found in the tasty farm houses and large barns that dot the landscape in every direction, evidently the homes of intelligent and prosperous people. It was settled largely by the Irish,, and the present population is composed mostly of Irish, with some Germans and Americans. There are five school houses in the town in good condition, and the schools compare well with those of other sections. The first town meeting was held at the City Hotel, May 13, 1858, at which there were 103 votes polled and the following- named gentlemen were elected town officers: SuPEKVisoRS — Charles W. Hackett, Abner Dwelle, Samuel Doughty. To"vvN Clerk — Dewitt C. Sterry. Assessor — Henry Collins. Collector — H. M. Hulett. Overseer of Poor — John McNeil. Constables — Henry O. Perry, Levi Collins, Jr. Justices of the Peace — D. C. Estes, G. L. Porter. Pound Master — A. K. Gaylord. Since 1858 the following named men have served the town as Chairman of Supervisors and Town Clerk : Chairman of Supervisors : Town Clerk : 1859 Samuel Doughty. 1859 Dewitt C. Sterry. I860 Samuel Doughty. 1860 Dewitt C. Sterry. 1861 J.L.Armstrong. 1861 Dewitt C. Sterry. 1862 William Arnold. 1862 Dewitt C. Sterry. 1863 R. H. Matthews. 1863 Dewitt C. Sterry. 1864 J. L.Armstrong. 1864 Dewitt C. Sterry. 1865 George S. Kent. 1865 Dewitt C. Sterry. 1866 R.S.Goodrich. (1866 Dewitt C. Sterry. ] 1866 B. C. Baldwin. ( (To mi vacancy). 1867 J. L. Armstrong. 1867 S. R. Merrill. 1868 J. L. Armsti-ong. 1868 S. R. Merrill. 1869 J. L. Armstrong. 1869 S. R. MerriU. 1870 J. L. Armstrong. 1870 S. R. Merrill. 1871 J. L. Armstrong. 1871 S. R. Merrill. 1872 Geo. Watson. 1872 R. W. Purcell. 1873 Geo. Watson. 1873 R. W. Purcell. 1874 Richard O' Brian. 1874 J.S.Lewis. 1875 Richard O' Brian. 1875 J.S.Lewis. 1876 Richard O' Brian. 1876 Patrick Reedy, 1877 Richard O' Brian. 1877 Patrick Reedy. 1878 Richard O' Brian. 1878 Patrick Reedy. 1879 Richard O' Brian. 1879 Patrick Reedy. 1316 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. Chairman op Supervisors: Town Clerk: 1880 -A. R Spaulding. 1880 Patrick Reedy. 1881 Richard O' Brian. 1881 Patrick Reedy. 1882 Richard O' Brian. 1882 Patrick Reedy. 1883 Richard O'Brian. 1883 ...Patrick Reedy. 1884 Richard O' Brian. 1884 Patrick Reedy. THE RAILWAY BOND SUIT. Reference has been made on page 806 to the matter of railroad bonds and the litigation in connection with them between the town and the railroad com- panies. On March 6, 1868, the village of Lake City was authorized by special act of legislature to issue its bonds in aid of the construction of the Chicago and St. Paul Railway. This act was amended February 2, 1869, the word "town" being substituted for "village." Pursuant to the authority given by these acts, and while the rail- way was in process of construction, the town of Lake City, by its Board of Super- visors duly convened, on February 6, 1869, adopted an ordinance, submitting the question of the issuance of the bonds to the legal voters of said town. The sum of $75,000 bearing interest at the rate of 6 per cent, per annum, etc., the princi- pal to mature thirty years after the date of such bonds, was voted at the special election, held February 23, 1869. The delivery of these bonds was conditioned upon the completion and full operation of the Chicago and St. Paul Railroad between St. Paul and Winona on or before April 1, 1872. On June 29, 1869, the Chicago and St. Paul Railway Company contracted with the Minnesota Railway Construction Company to build and equip the rail- way from St. Paul to Winona, and also sold and assigned to the Minnesota Railway Construction Company all gifts, donations, bounties or aid in any form which had been or thereafter might be given to it by any person, corporation, municipality or State to aid in the construction of the railway, including the bonds which the town of Lake City had obligated itself to issue and deliver. The road was completed and cars running thereon for the entire distance .'pacified, and the road had become entitled to the delivery of the bonds by January 1, 1872. After this on February 26, 1872, the city of Lake City was incorporated, the territory of which was carved out of the town of Lake City. No provision was made by the act incorporating the city, for the payment of any part of the debts or the assumption of any of the obligations of the town of Lake City, by the city of Lake City, nor is there any general statute of the State adjusting the liabilities of the old town within the new city. A contract, however, was entered into between the city of Lake City and the town of Lake City, through their respective municipal officers, in which it was agreed that of all cash in hand, taxes in hands of county treasurer, uncollected taxes, etc., the city of Lake City should receive 83 per cent, and the town of Lake City 17 per cent. It was further stipulated tliat all outstanding accounts and claims against the old town of Lake City should be borne in the same pro- portion by each corporation. It is perhaps necessary to state that this contract never came to the notice of the courts in which the suit that followed with the railroad company was tried. In 1873 the name of the township of Lake City was changed to the township of Lake. On page 806 it is said: "The issue of the bonds voted and their transfer led to litigation." This is an error. After the completion of the road the Minnesota Railway Construction Company pre- sented its bonds to tlie officers of the town of Lake and the city of Lake City to sign, but they refused to do this alleging fraud against the company. The Minnesota Railway Construction Company tlien brought suit by writ of man- damus in the Supreme Court to compel the town of Lake and city of Lake City to issue their joint and several bonds of the character and amount provided for. In this suit Thomas Wilson appeared for city of Lake City, and H. D. Stocker and W. J. Hahn for town of Lake. The defendants in this action alleged in their answer various acts of fraud on the part of the railroad company, the most material of which was that before the ordinance authorizing the holding of an THE RAILWAY BOND SUIT. LAKE CITY. 1317 election to ratify the issuing of the bonds was passed, the St. Paul and Chicago Railroad Company, for the purpose of inducing the Supervisors to pass the same, promised the Supervisors that if they would pass the ordinance, the railway company would locate on the private property of said Supervisors, thereby greatly enhancing its value. The city also made the further objection that as it was a new and distinct municipal corporation, since created and erected out of a portion of the original town of Lake City, it therefore was not liable for any of the obligations of the old town. This answer was held sufficient as to the city and the action against it was dismissed. It now remained for the town of Lake to prove the alleged fraud. For this purpose H. D. Stocker, Esq., went to California and there obtained depositions from the old Supervisors of the town fully sustaining the position of defendants. These depositions were placed on file and coming to the notice of plaintiffs' counsel induced them to offer to compromise the suit which was accordingly done and a judgment by agreement of $2,500 was entered in the District Court of Wabasha county against town of Lake. A controversy now arose between the city and town, in relation to the payment of this judgment and the expenses of the suit. Under the contract entered into by these two corpora- tions in 1873, the substance of which is given above, the cash on hand, taxes in hands of county treasurer, uncollected taxes, etc., belonging to the old town of Lake were divided in the ratios set forth in the contract, and all liabilities, debts, and obligations of said town had also been borne in like ratio. The expenses incurred in this suit together with the above mentioned judgment amounted to about $9,200. The town of Lake claimed that the whole of this amount came under the operation of the contract of 1872 and that the city of Lake City was accordingly bound to pay 83 per cent, of it. Considerable discussion ensued and at a meeting of the city council upon August 38, 1882, the report of a committee appointed to investigate said claims advising the payment of 83 per cent, of the judgment, viz. : $3,100 to the town of Lake in consideration of a full release by the town of all further claims against the city was unanimously adopted. The city authorities holding that expenses of the suit incurred by the town amount- ing to about $4,000 were voluntarily incurred by it and constituted a private debt of the town of Lake for which the city was not responsible under the con- tract. The town, however, did not accept the $3, 100 in the form it was offered, and the matter still remains unsettled. It may be permitted us to hope that it may be amicably adjusted in the near future. LAKE CITY EARLY SETTLEMENT. It was not so much beauty of location, as it was opportunity for trade, that was sought by the early settlers along the upper Mississippi, else the beautiful location this city now occupies would not so long have remained unclaimed by white settlers. The Indian ports at Red "Wing and at Wabasha, the inlet and outlet of Lake Pepin, had been the home of half-breeds for years previous to any settlement at this point, and white traders had also been resident there for no inconsiderable time prior to the coming of any white settlers to this immediate vicinity. The mouth of the Chippewa River on the Wisconsin shore, and Read's on this, had been occupied as trading ports by whites, the former for eighteen years, the latter for nearly as long, before Jacob and Philip Boody laid claim and settled upon lands now within the corporate limits of this city. This settlement was effected in the autumn of 1853, the claims in all amount- ing to 328 acres, lying up the lake from the centi-al part of the city. In May of the spring following, Mr. Patrick Conway and his two sons, James and William, arrived, and took claims back of the present city, near the old territorial road. In June, Mr. Abner Dwelle and his family, together with John Boody, cousin of the first claimants, came and took claims down the lake, and these were the only settlements prior to the year 1855. The spring of 1855 brought quite a reinforcement to the little settlement, and from that time forward frequent accession to the number of settlers occurred, until in the fall of 1856 it was estimated that about 300 persons were settled in 1318 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. the neighborhood. Among tlie arrivals of 1855 whose names have become house- hold words were Abner Tiblx'tts, William Berry, Seth Skinner, who brought a small stock of goods whicli he retailed from a board slianty belonging to Abner Tibbetts, and Mr. Samuel Doughty, who bought the claim's of Jacob and Philip Boody, and in June of this year erected the tirst frame dwelling in the place, bringing his lumber by raft from Read's Landing. This building, originally intended as a kitchen for the more consideralile dwelling he proposed to erect, was 18 by 26 feet, and stood very nearly upon tlie site of the present dwelling of Mr. Doughty on High street. He also ])rought a few blacksmithing tools with him, and though his shop was not very commodious, its usefulness to the pioneers as a place where their plows might be sharpened, amply compensated for its lack of windows and chimney. Although the country was still a wilderness, and Indians were constantly passing back and forth from Red Wing to Wabasha, camping on the shores of the lake near the houses of the early settlers, and occa- sionally inviting themselves to dinner, yet they were generally civil, and the set- tlers knew very little of the privations that oft are suffered by pioneers in sections far removed from the highways of trade. P*i-ovisions were brought from Prairie du Chien by the steamers that were constantly plying up and down the river, for these were the days when trade was booming upon the Mississippi, as many as nine steamers having been seen in the lake at one time. The beautiful plain, encircled by bluffs on three sides and fronted by Lake Pepin, was at this time covered with burr oak, white and black oak, maple, hazel brush, etc., interspersed with little stretches of prairie as smooth as the most finely-kept lawns. Game was abundant, and the lake and creeks teemed with fish. Currey creek was espe- cially noted for deer, there being several runways upon it, and a drove of nineteen elk was at one time seen by Mr. Doughty on the prairie back of the town. Nothing but sheer laziness would prevent a man from obtaining as many prairie chickens and ducks as desired. Wolves, too, were common, and were frequently seen in numbers playing upon the ice of the lake. In the year 1856, large numbers arrived, and buildings of a permanent character were rapidly pushed. Messrs. Tibbetts, Dwelle and Baldwin erected a large store building in 1855 and 1856, wiiich was occupied by H. F. Williamson, who opened quite a large stock of goods. This building stood near the foot of Washington street, where the old grange warehouse now is. Mr. Patten also built a store, and the steamers, which previously objected to landing at this point, began to make regular stops. A town was surveyed and platted this year, Messrs. Tibbetts, Dwelle, and Doughty being proprietors, and the lots sold rapidly to the new-comers. lyir. Doughty donated four of his best lots, in what is now the central portion of the town, to Messrs. Jacobs and Sigler, in consideration of their erecting a hotel thereon. The City Hotel, the result of this transaction, stood on the corner now occupied by Stout, Dwelle and Hassinger's clothing store, and was a good- sized and popular house. It was converted into a store afterwards, and finally desti'oyed by fire in 1882. In this year, also, a sawmill was erected by Messrs. Gillett, Thompson, Starr, and A. H. Gaylord at the foot of Main street, the frame of which is still standing. Mr. Abner Tibbetts built a grain warehouse, which was occupied by J. L. Armstrong and L. H. Maples, who started the forwarding and commission busi- ness. During this year the Congregationalists built a small church, which was destroyed by a windstorm while in process of erection, but was immediately rebuilt. The materials for building were rafted from above, jirincipally from Stillwater and Hastings. The town grew rapidly. In 1857, John T. Averill put a run of stone into the planing- mill of Tupper & Sons, which was the first move toward a gristmill. The Post Oftice was established in 1856, and H. F. William- son appointed postmaster. The first child born upon ground included in the town plat was a girl born to John Boody and wife, in the summer of 1854. The first death in the settlement was in the same family, Mrs. John Boody, who died some- time in 1855. The first marriage was that of G. W. Hathaway and Miss Abbey Langley, in the year 1857. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Elias Hazlett, who also taught the school — it being opened in 1856. Matters continued to improve in the little colony until the lands were legally entered and title properly acquired, soon after which the formal organization of the county into townships CEMETERIES. BIOGRAPHICAL. 1319 was effected, and the history of the colony here becomes a part of that of Lake City Township, May 11, 1858, the time of the first town meeting, to be resumed as separate history in 1864, when by special act of legislature the city was endowed with special and corporate privileges. , CEMETERIES. Even in as healthy a locality as Lake City, the dread messenger is not un- known, as the many monuments and marble slabs of the present beautiful ceme- tery, mute testimonials of his visits, show. Mrs. John Boody, the first person who died in Lake City, and her child, were buried at M ancle Lake. Several others were buried near where Jewel's nur- sery now is. All of these were afterwards removed to the present cemetery, which is upon a plot of ground set apart by Mr. Abner Dwelle, about the year 1861. Its location, upon the southeast side of the city, separated from the high bluffs only by a ravine, toward which it slopes upon one side, is as pleasant as can be desired, while the regularity of its streets and the numerous evergreens that in future years will shade these quiet graves, show evidences of the taste and care of the proprietor of the grounds^Mr. Dwelle. It contains several fine monuments, and many of the lots have been beauti- fied by the planting of trees and shrubbery. It is a pleasant spot, though it may bring sadness to many a loving heart, and time will add to both its ornamentation and natural beauty. BIoaRAPHICAL. Hon. William H. Lyon, U. S. Indian Commissioner, of Brooklyn, New York. This gentleman though not a resident of Wabasha County, belongs to its his- tory, and especially to the history of Lake City. He was born at Holland, Hampden Co., Mass., October 18th, 1819, and (as was also Gen. Nathaniel Lyon, killed at the battle of Wilson Creek, Mo., in the late war) and is descended from William Lyon, one of the early English settlers of Massachusetts, and who located in 1635 at Roxbury. At the age of 14 Mr. Lyon was sent to Hartford, Conn., to attend school with the purpose of ulti- mately studying law. But after leaving school he was engaged for some time in teaching in Wayne Co., N. Y. ; the last two years as principal of the Clyde High School. While he was in charge of this school. Prof. Morse first put his tele- graph in operation between Washington and Baltimore. The subject of telegraphy greatly interested Mr. Lyon, and, after some experiments, he invented a printing telegraph; or, rather, he demonstrated by means of a model, which he con- structed, that pen and ink type and ink could be used in conveying the messages by the telegi-aph wire. Mr. Lyon, strange as it may seem, never pressed his claim as a scientific discoverer, or even took any means to secure to himself the honor or benefits of his discovery. Yet it became, no doubt, the basis of a theory which has since been utilized. The Clyde Eagle, of July 11th, 1844 (Vol. 1, p. 9), has a two-column editorial headed, " The Electi-o- Magnetic Telegraph Improved," in which is the follow- ing: " With this machine, Mr. Lyon is able to write with pen and ink with the same facility that Professor Morse scratches characters upon paper with points of steel." This editorial was copied into the New York Commercial Advertiser, Evening Post, the Boston Traveller &n(\. other journals. About this time he changed his mind in regard to studying, and decided that a mercantile profession would be more to his taste. In 1845 Mr. Lyon went to New York, and engaged in the wholesale dry- goods business. In 1847 he change^ to what was then termed the Yankee Notion and Fancy Goods business, which he has continued successfully up to the present time. He was among the first New York merchants to visit Europe to secure a better assortment of fancy goods than could be procured from the New York importers. 1320 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. In 1848, after having completed his orders and selections in England, he started for France, but was i)revented from going by the revolution then in pro- gress tliere. While waiting in Belgium, he learned of the flight of Louis Phillippe to England and the establishment of the Provincial Government of the French Republic under Lamartine. lie left immediately for France, and was the first American merchant to enter Paris after the insurrection. Everj-thing was in confusion, business prostrated, and the commission houses and manufacturers had large stocks of goods on hand which tliey were very anxious to turn into money. Mr. Lyon bought largely, at very low prices, and also made plans for futiu-e shipments, many of which arrangements continue to this day. He after- wards extended his connections to all the leading manufacturing centers of Europe until few houses are better known througliout the world. The firm of Wm. II. Lyon & Co. occupy a spacious stone building, Nos. 483 and 485 Broad- way, New York, 50 feet on Broadway, running back" 200 feet to Mercer street. The basement and several floors cover a space of 50,000 square feet devoted to the display of their extensive stock. In all these nearly forty years this house has kejit in the van of progress. They import goods from Europe, China, India, and Japan, and their sales extend not only to every State in the Union from Maine to California, but to Mexico, West Indies, South America, and Canada. Mr. Lyon has been for many years a member of the New York Chamber of Commerce, a director in the Brooklyn Life Insurance Co., and chairman of its Executive Committee. Was one of the incorporators of the New England Society, of Brooklyn, and a director since its organization ; a member of the Long Island Historical Society and a director of the Oxford Club. When, in 1876, Hon. Zachariah Chandler, the Secretary of the Interior, was requested by Pi-esident Grant to select a practical business man in New York city as a member of the Board of Indian Commissioners, he chose William H. Lyon. Mr. Lyon was assigned to the Purchasing Committee immediately, and for many years has served as its chairman, giving to the business of the Government the same measure of devotion that had made him one of the most successful mer- chants in the city of New York. The business of the Government's Indian Warehouse in NewYork received from Mr. Lyon the same conscientious attention that he had given to his private affairs. The best nrticle for the pui^pose, nt the lawest possible price was the one rule governing him and his associates. These methods stamped out the "shoddy" contractors, and now the best merchants, millers, manufacturers, and cattle dealers in the country compete by hundreds for the contracts. The Purchasing Committee, of which Mr. Lyon is chairman, is credited with having saved the Government millions of dollars in the purchase of Indian annuity goods, supplies, etc. In former years the purchases were so conducted, that certain conti-actors were sure to get the awards. Last year 354 bids were received, and awards were made to 145 "different parties, and under the present management those persons are considered the lowest bidders who gave the best value in goods at the price, and such invariably get the contracts. The Government and the Indians are to be congratulated upon the most fortunate selection of Mr. Lyon as a member of the Board of Indian Com- missioners. In the summer of 1862 Mr. Lyon visited Lake City, Wabasha County, for the purpose of selling a small piece of property that had been taken for him by an agent (upon a debt, we believe.) But when he arrived in Lake City upon a steamer, on a beautiful summer day, he was so well pleased with the place, so charmed with the beauty of the surrounding scenery, and so much delighted with the climate that, instead of selling, he commenced to buy and build, and for more than twenty years has continued to buy more and more property-, and to erect building after building, until he became years ago the largest property owner in the city. Although he has visited time and again nearly all the famous summer resorts of this country and of Europe, yet, since his first" visit to Lake City, he has spent nearly every summer vacation in the City of the Lake, never tiring of its beauti- ful scenes, and always declaring that the climate here agreed with him better than at any other place in this country or Europe. BIOGBA.PniCAL. 1321 Lake City is to be congratulated upon that fortunate first visit in 1862, as he has ever since held her best interests dear to his heart. When the first draft had been made during the late war, it was almost impossible to raise the money to hire substitutes, even at exorbitant rates of interest, and the town was in a great strait ; but Mr. Lyon, arriving about that time, came forward and readily loaned the required amount, refusing to accept anything but simple interest, taking the first bonds of the town ever issued. When Lake City was trying to secure the County Seat, and Wabasha was presenting the County with a Court House, Mr. Lyon personally purchased, at a high figure even for that day, all of block No. 23 (the Sherman House block), to be presented to the County for a Court House site in the event of Lake City's success in the contest. Believing that it would be a benefit to the city to have the business streets as wide and commodious as possible, he purchased the land along the northerly side of Broad street and donated to the city a strip 20 feet wide along the entire length of the street, from the lake shore to the depot, except along the sides of three out of the ten blocks, which he was unable to purchase. The strip along these three blocks was afterwards condemned by the City Council ; the street widened through its entire length to 90 feet, and its name changed in his honor from Broad street to Lyon avenue. He has made liberal and large donations im- partially to all the churches of the city that have been built since he became interested in her. Believing that Lake City' s climate and beauty of scenery would make it, with proper accommodations, a great summer resort, he labored for years to interest the citizens to join with him in the erection of a large summer hotel, offering to take one half the stock if necessary. Seeing that manufactur- ing interests would help the city, he interested parties in New York, and in 1872. came out with all the plans and specifications ready, and intending to close con- tract with local builders for the erecton at the foot of Lyon avenue of a building for manufacturing, at an estimated cost of $50,000; but upon his arrival, finding that his plans for widening the avenue, which was necessary to his full arrange- ments were opposed and not likely to be carried out, he returned home and located the building in Brooklyn, New York. The various buildings erected and owned by him in the city,— Lyon House block. Opera Hall block, Lyon block. Post Office block, Printing block, etc.— are described in our description of Lake City. Mr. Lyon is a gentleman of imposing figure and commanding appearance. Although his attention has always been given strictly to his business engage- ments, he has found time for social enjoyment and public duties ; his congenial temperament making him fully to enjoy life as he journeys through it. William Martin, farmer, son of Hugh and Rachel Martin, was born in March, 1823, in Richland county, Illinois. His* parents were natives of Ohio, coming to the birthplace of our subject in 1818, where eight children were born, he being the third. When he was seven years of age his parents moved into Schuyler county, where he was brought up on the farm. In 1840 removed to Montgomery county, Indiana. On reaching his majority he worked at the cooper's trade, and subsequently as plasterer, which he has followed part of the time ever since. In 1868 came to Lake City, where he has resided about seven years in all ; the remaining nine years were spent on the farm near town. He married Jane Prior in 1842 and by this union had two children — Robert Thomas and Richard. From 1847 to 1848 served in the Mexican War. In 1850, his wife having died, married Lucinda Prior and by this union had six children— William, Willard, Sarah, Allen, David and Mattie Bell. In 1880 he married Mrs. Jane Wills; her maiden name w^as Jane Beatty. Family are members of the Presbyterian Church in Lake City. John Henry Sparrell (deceased), was born in Bedford, Massachusetts, September 26, 1828. After reaching school age, he attended the common schools and subsequently became a student of Bridgewater Academy in the same state. But at the early age of eighteen he quit school and engaged in the manufacture of furniture in his native town. His parents, John and Sylvia (Turner) Sparrell, were natives of Situate, Mass., and the parents of ten children, the only surviving one being Emeline A. Sparrell, 1322 HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY. of Boston. The subject of our sketch came to this country in 1858 and pre- empted land in Gillford township. In the spring of 1862 he opened up the farm and subsequently jiurchased adjoining lands until he became known as one of the largest land- holders in that section of the country. Although Mr. Sparrell has no military record, he was very active in securing substitutes for his neighbors "Who did not wish to serve their countrj'^ in the capacity of soldier during the civil war. Our subject took an active part in politics, and was often elected state dele- gate to county or state republicaVi conventions. In short, he \\'as always interested in any public work, or anything for the benefit and advancement of the commu- nity in which he lived. In 1805 he moved to Lake City, where he became a member of the firm known as Sparrell «& Bates, dealers in and manufacturers of furniture. Soon after, they established a branch i-tore at Red Wing, which w^as conducted by his brother, E. K. Sparrell, the firm l)eing Sparrell, Bates & Co. They did an extensive business until his failing health made it necessary for him to retire from active life. But his brother dying (July 29, 1874), he resumed business for the purpose of settling up his brother's estate. At length, his health again failed and on September 20, 1877, departed this life. Our subject was a member of Red Wing Lodge No. 8, A. F. and A. M., the Masonic Aid Associaiion, and the Knight Templars, each of which offered reso- lutions at the time of his death. At a stated conclave of Red Wing Commandery No. 10, K. T., held Septem- ber 24, 1877, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted: "Whereas, It has pleased Almighty God to remove from our midst our well beloved brother. Sir Knight John Henry Sparrell ; therefore '^ Besolved, 1st, That in his death the Commandery has sustained a loss which every member sincerely mourns. ''Resolved, 2d, That we will ever respect and cherish in our memory the manly virtues, the sterling integrity and sincere friendship of our deceased brother. ^'Hesolved, 3d, That to the bereaved family of the deceased we tender our heartfelt sympathy in this their hour of affliction. '' Resolced, 4th, That a copy of these resolutions be presented to the family of our deceased brother, and spread upon the records of this Commandery. Fred. Joss, ^ DwiGHT M. Baldwin, C Committee. Ira J. Kellogg, ) On November 20, 1862, Mr. Sparrell wedded Mazie A. Horr, of Blooming- ton, 111. This union was blest with the birth of one child, Daisy S. As it had always been the intention of our subject to have his daughter educated at the Normal School at Bridgewater, Mass. , his wishes were carried out by her gradu- ating from that institution in 1883, with high honors. C.U'T. Pearl Roundy, boat- builder, Wabasha, is a grandson of John Roundy, one of the heroes of Lexington and the Revolution. One of two brothers of the latter, who were also in the battle of Lexington, was killed there. John and Mary Roundy, the parents of this subject, Avere natives of Massa- chusetts. They settled at Blue Hill, Maine, where Pearl Roundy was born December 30, 1812. He was reared there, attending the common school and academies there and at Waterville. Blue Hill was noted for ship-building, and when sixteen years old young Roundy found emplojTnent in a ship- yard. When about twenty- four he went to Pennsylvania and dwelt at Brooksville twentj' years. For twelve years he was engaged in mill-building in that vicinit}\ In 1856 he located in Pepin, Wisconsin, and has ever since been engaged in building river craft on the Upper Mississippi. He came to Wabasha in the spring of 1876, and went into partnership with W. T. Dugan in operating a boat-yard. Captain Roundy was made an Odd Fellow in Pennsylvania, and has just taken a demit from a Wisconsin lodge. He is now president of the Mutual Engineers' Association here. In religion he is a Universalist, and an old-line Democrat in politics. He has commanded two different militia companies in the East, and was also adjutant. In 1838 he was united in marriage to Miss Ann Hastings, a native of Bellfont, Pennsylvania. Of eight children given them, six are now living. All save the third (now Mrs. Willis Parker, at Sioux Falls, Dakota,) are at home. Their names are : Thomas H., Robert M., Annie, Pearl, Orin, and Milton. BIOGKAPHIOAL. 1323 Rev James M. Shuktlepf (deceased) was among the pioneer preachers of this county, and assisted in organizing the first Baptist Church at ^\abasha in 1857 He came to this city in 1856, and during the following winter began to hold" prayer meetings in his house, and during the following year was the coad- jutor of Rev H. B. Wharton in a successful effort to form a church society In 1859 his voice failed, and he was forced to abandon his pulpit labors almost entirely. His demise occurred at Wabasha, October 22, 1866. The deceased was the eldest child of James and Dorcas (Lyon) ShurtlefE, and was born in Ashfield, Vermont July 21, 1794. He was reared on a farm and educated m Massa- chusetts.' In 1815 he was converted to God and joined the Christian Church. Next year he was licensed to preach, and ordained in 1817. October 2d ot the latter year, he married Elizabeth L. Gleason, born in Boston, September 9, 1799 to James and Drucilla (Wright) Gleason. In 1820 Mr. Shurtleff went to West Virginia, where for four years he labored with gi-eat success^ In 1825 he went to Ohio, where he organized many churches, and joined the Free W 11 Baptists in 1831 In 1837 he moved to Illinois and traveled in that btate until he canie to Wabasha. It is estimated that he baptized nearly nine hundred persons, and he conducted many quarterly meetings and organized numerous societies. His widow died January 9, 1882, and two daughters survive her. The eldest is the widow of the late C. S. Hendricks, sketched below; the other is Mrs. William C. Piers, of whom other mention is found in this work. iTrT,oi.o+i. Coleman S. Hendricks (deceased) was a son of Martin and Elizabeth (Arnold) Hendricks, and was born in Halifax County, Virginia, June 2, 1812 kis early life was spent on a farm in Ohio, and he received ^ J^/.^^^jf^^^^J^-^^^^^^^^ training!^ Wlien twenty-one years old he joined the Fr^e Will Baptist Church, which Iflorded him a congenial religious home most pt his life. He ^^^ subse^ quently connected with Methodist and Congi-egational Churches, but soon Returned to his original choice. In 1853 he was ordained a beacon at Village Creek, Illinois, by Rev. J. M. Shurtleff, whose daughter Clarissa he had married in 1836. In 1857 he came to Minnesota and dwelt three years in Wabasha. He then removed to Sand Prairie, and i^lSf to Cook's Valley making a business of farming. His death occurred at Cook's Valley, April 16, 1877, caused by neuralgia and consumption; for the last six months of ^f ^ll^^^^^ ^^J ^ T£ to lie down at all, and was a patient sufferer through gi-eat pam Mi. Hendiicks was an active Sunday-school worker, and organized the first school on band Prairie in 1860. He was an enthusiastic temperance ^^^^^f^^',^^" /,^!L™i adherent of Republican principles. During his residence in Wabasha ii^tee Jon as Assessor, and was a member of the Home League organized for tlie protection of settlers' interests. Beside his widow, eight of his mne ^^il^Y^^^I/^fX^,^ ^1 The eldest, Francis M., was a member of McClellan's army, and t^^ed in hospital during the Wilderness campaign. He left one child, Edith now resident in Wabasha. Marquis L. is sketched below. James «• served three years m the Third Minnesota regiment, and now dwells at Warren, this State. A^ t^e others reside in Wabasha, viz. : Eliza (Mrs. H. B. Wuiting), Ansel A. (the Jay of his widowed mother), John C, Sarah J. (wife of John Plumb), Emma, and Mary L. ^''L.^H^GiBKAKS M. D., is a native of Connecticut. His first visit to Minne- sota was made in 1854, in company with (General Israel Garrard but his actual residence in the State was not made until four years later-1858. ^y-^/^^^^ received a liberal education but did not complete a full classical course, lie graduated from the medical department of the ^^'7^ff}y,''\^^^^f:illf'']^ in 1853, and the following year came into Minnesota with his brothei Israel, as before stated, intending to go to Puget Sound in Gov. Steven s line of survey Through some malarrangement they failed to find the military escort and so took a tour through Minnesota, finally bringing up at Frontenac, (tlie»iJ,f^l«er of cattle and eigiity sheep. Among his horses are an imported Norman stallion that cost $2,000"and a fine grade American horse. While on the way from Rochester with a grist in the winter of 1958-9, Mr. Richard.son had a very narrow- escape from wolves. He was driving a span of colts attached to a low pung, on which were placed the sacks containing meal and flour for the family. For over two miles the ferocious l)rutes surrounded the sleigh and made sundry snaps at Mr. R. , who sat on the sacks. As he had neither sled stake nor whip to protect himself with, and dare not let the horses out to their utmost speed lest he be thrown off, his feelings can be realized only by those who have passed through a similar experience. On nearing the cabin of a settler, the pursuers .slunk aw'ay and their prey escaped. When Mr. R. reached home his friends wondered what made him so white, and it was some time before they could draw from him an account of its cause. Our subject is a member of the Elgin Masonic lodge, and a lifelong Democrat. He has served six years as constable and two years as supervisor of the town. The first-born child of this family — Thomas S. — ruptured a blood-vessel by striking a hay- rack in trying to mount it, when about fourteen years old, and died from tlie effects within twenty- four hours. Susan S., the eldest living, is now the wife of D. W. Searles, and resides in the adjoining town of Farmington. The rest, christened in order of age as follows, are at home: Lenora M., Clara C, William H., Frank J. and Walter E.