USA > Minnesota > Ramsey County > St Paul > A history of the city of Saint Paul, and of the county of Ramsey, Minnesota > Part 18
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JOHN PHILLIPS OWENS was born near Dayton, Ohio, January 6, 1818. His father, who was a native of Wales, died when the subject of this sketch was seven years old, and during his younger years he worked on a farm, with occasional schooling, until the age of 15. He then attended Woodward College, at Cincinnati, some two years, when he concluded to learn the printing business, which he did. His embarking in journalism and removal to Saint Paul is given elsewhere. Mr. OWENS continued in the newspaper business in Saint Paul for some 12 or 13 years, being seven years editor of the Minne- sotian, a leading journal of the Territory. As a political writer he always wielded a large influence. In 1862, he was commissioned Quartermaster of the Ninth Minnesota, and served faithfully with that Regiment until discharged, in 1865, having been brevet- ted Colonel in the meantime. In 1869, Col. OWENS was appointed Register of the land office at Taylor's Falls, which position he still holds. He is' about to publish a " Political History of Minnesota," a work for which he has peculiar fitness, and which will comprise his interesting reminiscences of men and events in the early days of Minnesota.
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hither, and resume the business of printing, to which he had been bred, but had not followed for some years prior. The publishers and editors, under this arrangement, became " Mc- LEAN & OWENS." But of this anon.
GOODHUE FOUNDS THE PIONEER.
Among the many men of energy and enterprise, all over the Union, whose attention had been directed to Minnesota by the debates in Congress and the passage of the act, was JAMES M. GOODHUE, of Lancaster, Wisconsin, who had been bred a lawyer, but was, at that time, engaged in a more congenial pursuit as editor of the Wisconsin Herald. When the news of the organization of the Territory was received, he at once resolved to remove here and establish a paper. He imme- diately purchased a press and type, and, as soon as navigation opened, shipped them to Saint Paul, meantime issuing a prospectus for a journal, which he proposed to call The Epistle of Saint Paul, but which name he changed, (at the advice of some friends who objected to its irreligious tone,) be- fore the first issue of his paper, to The Minnesota Pioncer.
Of his arrival in Saint Paul, and the issue of his first paper, Mr. GOODHUE, in a subsequent article, gives the following inter- esting account :
" The 18th day of April, 1849, was a raw, cloudy day. The steam- boat 'Senator,' Capt. SMITH, landed at RANDALL's warehouse, lower landing, the only building then there, except ROBERT's old store. Of the people on shore, we recognized but one person as an acquaintance, HENRY JACKSON. Took our press, types, printing apparatus all ashore. Went, with our men, to the house of Mr. BASS, corner of Third and Jackson streets. * * C. P. V. LULL, and his partner, GILBERT, furnished us gratuitously, the lower story of their building, for an office- the only vacant room in town. * The weather was cold and stormy ; and our office was as open as a corn-rick ; however, we picked our types up, and made ready for the issue of the first paper ever printed in Minnesota, or within many hundreds of miles of it ; but, upon search, we found our news chase was left behind. WM. NOBLES, blacksmith, made us a very good one, after a delay of two or three days. * * We determined to call our paper the Minnesota Pioneer. One hindrance after another delayed our first issue to the 28th of April. * * We were at length prepared for our first number. We had no subscribers ;
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for then there were but a handful of people in the whole Territory ; and the majority of those were Canadians and half-breeds. Not a Territo- rial officer had yet arrived. * The people wanted no politics, and we gave them none; they wanted information of all sorts about Min- nesota, and that is what we furnished them with. We advocated Min- nesota, morality, and religion from the beginning."
In his first issue, he speaks of the Pioneer establishment of that day :
" We print and issue this number of the Pioneer, in a building through which out-of-doors is visible by more than five hundred aper- tures ; and as for our type, it is not safe from being pied on the galleys by the wind."
This building was afterwards used for several years, by THOMAS H. CALDER, now deceased, as a saloon and restau- rant, and was burned down in the spring of 1860.
SAINT PAUL IN APRIL, 1849.
In the first number of the Pioneer, we find some interesting sketches of what Saint Paul was, in April, 1849. In his lead- ing editorial, the editor says :
" This town, which was but yesterday unknown, for the reason that it had then no existence, is situated on the east bank of the Mississippi River, about five miles south of latitude 45 degrees. A more beautiful site for a town cannot be imagined. It must be added, that bilious fe- vers and the fever and ague are strangers to Saint Paul. A description of the village now would not answer for a month hence-such is the rapidity of building, and the miraculous resurrection of every descrip- tion of domiciles. Piles of lumber and building materials lie scattered everywhere in admirable confusion. The whole town is on the stir- stores, hotels, houses, are projected and built in a few days. California is forgotten, and the whole town is rife with the exciting spirit of ad- vancement.
" Saint Paul, at the head of river communication, must necessarily supply the trade of all the vast regions north of it to the rich plains of the Selkirk Settlement, and west to the Rocky Mountains, and east to the basin of the great Lakes, and is destined to be the focus of an im- mense business, rapidly increasing with the growth and settlement of the new regions lying within the natural circumference of its trade. That extensive region of beautiful land bordering on the Saint Peter's River, as well as all the other tributaries of the Mississippi north of us, will soon be settled, and must obtain their supplies through Saint Paul.
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Is it strange, then, that Saint Paul is beginning to be regarded as the Saint Louis of the North ?"
From the first number of the Pioneer, we extract a few items of interest :
"To IMMIGRANTS .- We advise settlers who are swarming into Saint Paul in such multitudes, to bring along tents and bedding, to provide for their comfort until they can build houses, as it is utterly impossible to hire a building in any part of the village, although builders are at work in every direction, completing houses."
" Rev. Mr. NEILL,* a member of the Presbytery of Galena, is about removing to Saint Paul. Mr. NEILL is expected to preach at the school
* Rev. EDWARD DUFFIELD NEILL, mentioned in the foregoing extract, was the first Protestant clergyman who settled in Saint Paul. He was born at Philadelphia, August 9, 1823, and was educated at the University of Pennsylvania, and Amherst College, Massachusetts, graduating there in 1842. He was ordained a clergyman in the Presby- terian church in 1848, but prior to that-in 1847-went to the neighborhood of Galena, where he performed missionary labor in the rough mining region. From there he was transferred to Saint Paul, in the spring of 1849, arriving at this place April 23, and at once commenced his labors in organizing a church. He erected the first Protestant church in Minnesota, on Washington street, near Fourth, in July, 1849, and in Novem- ber organized the First Presbyterian church. In May, 1850, the first church was burned, and rebuilt at once, corner of Third and Saint Peter streets. Mr. NEILL also organized, in 1855, the " House of Hope," and was its pastor several years. During this period he gave great attention to educational and literary matters. He was ap- pointed Territorial Superintendent of Instruction in 1851, and held that office two years. In 1853, he organized and secured the erection and endowment of Baldwin School. In IS55, he secured the building of the College of Saint Paul, which was for several years a classical academy for young men. He was Secretary of the Board of Education, and, ex-officio Superintendent of Schools, for several years, and Chancellor of the State University, 1858 to 1860. He was also State Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1858 to 1861, and Secretary of the Historical Society from 1851 to 1861.
On June 23, 1861, he was appointed Chaplain of the First Minnesota Volunteers, and served as such over two years. He was then United States Hospital Chaplain until January, 1864, when he became one of President LINCOLN's private secretaries, and after the death of Mr. LINCOLN, he continued in the same relation to President JOHNSON. In April, 1869, he was appointed by President GRANT, Consul to Dublin, and resided there in that capacity for about two years. He then returned to Minnesota, and became President of the Baldwin School and College of Saint Paul, which were consolidated by the Legislature under the name of " Macalester College."
In January, 1874, Mr. NEILL withdrew from the Presbyterian church and entered the Reformed Episcopal Church. He has written and published several valuable historical works, his "History of Minnesota" being frequently quoted in these pages. He is truly a pioneer clergyman. He performed the first marriage recorded in the records of Ramsey county, and is now marrying the second generation (of persons born in Saint Paul) in the same families. He built the first brick dwelling house in Minnesota-laid the foundations of half a dozen of our best institutions, and has labored hard for a life- time in the cause of religion, education and human progress, with much success, but to his own loss in estate. His name can never be mentioned by the future people of Minnesota, but with respect.
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house, on Bench street, next Sunday, (to-morrow,) at II o'clock in the morning."
" The Galena Advertiser says there is a prospect of a heavy immigra- tion to Minnesota the present season. We learn that whole colonies are on the move to Minnesota, from the Middle and Eastern States, and from Canada."
" While we are writing, a Sioux Indian has dropped into our office,
11/11
REV. EDWARD D. NEILL.
to look at the printing press. He expresses a great deal of curiosity and surprise."
" Mr. RICE, a gentleman equally distinguished for his liberality and enterprise, returned to Saint Paul on the steamboat 'Senator,' last Tuesday. Mr. RICE received a most cordial welcome. He is very much identified with the growth and prosperity of Saint Paul."
RAPID GROWTH OF THE TOWN.
Immigration poured in very rapidly for a few months.
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Every boat brought crowds of immigrants, many of whom were unable to find proper accommodations. E. S. SEYMOUR. author of a very entertaining work, " Sketches of Minnesota, the New England of the West," landed here on May 17. Re- ferring to his first view of the town, at Kaposia, he says :
" Its new frame buildings, glistening with the reflection of the rising sun, imparted to it an air of neatness and prosperity. On arriving at the wharf, a numerous throng of citizens and strangers came rushing down the hill to welcome our arrival. I grasped the hand of many an acquaintance, whom I unexpectedly found here. Everything here ap- peared to be on the high pressure principle. A dwelling house for a family could not be rented. The only hotel was small, and full to overflowing. Several boarding houses were very much thronged. Many families were living in shanties, made of rough boards, fastened to posts driven in the ground, such as two men could construct in one day. It was said that about 80 men lodged in a barn belonging to RICE's new hotel, which was not yet completed. Two families occu- pied tents while I was there. While traveling in Minnesota, I made my headquarters at Saint Paul, where I occasionally tarried a day or two at a boarding house, consisting of one room, about 16 feet square, in which 16 persons, including men, women and children, contrived to * lodge. The remaining boarders-a half-dozen or more-found lodgings in a neighbor's garret; this tenement rented for $12 per month. The roof was so leaky that, during the frequent rains that prevailed at that time, one would often wake up in the night and find the water pour- ing down in a stream on his face, or some part of his person. *
"We are now near the dividing line of civilized and savage life. We can look across the river and see Indians on their own soil. Their canoes are seen gliding across the Mississippi, to and fro between sav- age and civilized territory. They are met hourly in the streets. Here comes a female in civilized costume ; her complexion is tinged with a light shade of bronze, and her features bear a strong resem- blance to those of the Indian. She is a descendant of French and In- dian parents-a half-breed from Red River. There goes a French Canadian, who can converse only in the language of his mother tongue. He is an old settler; see his prattling children sporting about yonder shanty, which was constructed of rough boards, with about one day's labor. There he lives-obliging fellow! exposed to the sun and rain, and rents his adjoining log cabin at $12 per month. Let us pass on to that group that converse daily in front of yonder hotel. They appear to be principally professional men, politicians, office-seekers, speculators and travelers, discussing the various topics growing out of the organization of the new Territory-such as the distribution of the
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loaves and fishes, the price of lots, the rise of real estate, the opportunity now afforded for the acquisition of wealth or political fame.
" The town-site is a pretty one, affording ample room for stores or dwellings, to any extent desirable. I could not but regret, however, that where land is so cheap and abundant, some of the streets are narrow, and that the land on the edge of the high bluff, in the centre of the town, was not left open to the public, instead of being cut up into small lots. It would have made a pleasant place for promenading, affording a fine view of the river, which is now liable to be intercepted by build- ings erected on those lots."
MASONIC AND SONS OF TEMPERANCE LODGES.
Early in the growth of the town, the usual secret orders were founded. The Pioneer, of May 19th, says :
" A Division of the Sons of Temperance has been fully organized in Saint Paul, under the title of 'Saint Paul Division, No. 1,' Sons of Temperance. This is the first Division of that order in this Territory. The Division meets every Tuesday night. The officers are-LOT MOF- FET, W. P .; BENJ. L. SELLERS, W. A .; S. GILBERT, P. W. P .; W. C. MORRISON, R. S. ; B. F. IRVINE, A. R. S. ; A. H. CAVENDER, F. S. ; A. R. FRENCH, T .; C. P. V. LULL, G. C .; B. F. HOYT, A. C .; W. PATCH, I. S. ; C. DAVIS, O. S."
" Members of the Masonic Fraternity, in and near Saint Paul, intend to meet together in the room over the Pioneer office, on Thursday eve- ning next, [May 31,] at 6 o'clock."-[Ib. May 26.]
The Sons of Temperance soon became quite a powerful or- ganization, and at one time owned a lot and built a building thereon for a hall. They subsequently lost the property by mortgage, and (oh ! profanation) the building was used for a saloon !
EVENTS OF THE DAY.
Early in May, two more printing presses and material for newspapers arrived. One was the Register, before noted- the other was the Minnesota Chronicle, which was issued on June I, by Col. JAMES HUGHES, formerly of Jackson, Ohio.
One or two cases of cholera occurred this season. On May 3d, L. B. LARPENTEUR, father of E. N. and grandfather of A. L. LARPENTEUR, arrived in the city, and on the 7th died of cholera, aged 71 years. He had, unfortunately, contracted the disease on his journey up the river.
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From the Pioneer of Mav 26, we extract some interesting items :
" 'Scratch up, scrabble up, tumble up, any way to get up,' seems to be illustrated in the sudden growth of building in Saint Paul. Logs which were in the boom at the Falls last week, are now inflated into balloon frames at Saint Paul, ready for a coat of fresh paint. Lots which were the other day considered quite remote, are now 'right in town.' More than seventy buildings, it is said, have been erected here during the past three weeks; and the town is so changed in its appear- ance, and has so multiplied its inhabitants, that a person absent for three weeks, on returning, almost fancies that he has been taking a Rip Van Winkle slumber."
" There is not a lock of hay to be bought from Galena to Saint Paul."
" Ex-Governor SLADE, of Vermont, General Agent of National Pop- ular Education, arrived on the steamboat 'Senator,' last Thursday, with three young ladies,* who will engage in the responsible and ar- duous labor of teaching in Minnesota."
" Carpenters in Saint Paul are now fully employed. Mr. BRAWLEY is making a supply of brick, near the upper end of town."
ARRIVAL OF TERRITORIAL OFFICERS.
On May 27, Hon. ALEX. RAMSEY, of Pennsylvania, who had a short time previously been appointed Governor of the Territory, arrived, with his wife, but, being unable to secure proper accommodations at Saint Paul, went, by invitation of Hon. H. H. SIBLEY, to the mansion of that gentleman, at Mendota, where he remained a few days. Several other of the Territorial officers arrived during this month, and we close this chapter with some personal sketches of them.
HON. ALEX. RAMSEY.
From "Barnes' History of the Fortieth Congress," the fol- lowing sketch is condensed :
"ALEX. RAMSEY was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1815. His paternal ancestry were Scotch-the family of his mother was of German descent. Left an orphan at the age of ten, he was
* " In the spring of 1849, Miss MARY A. SCOFIELD joined our feeble band of teach- ers, and was, for a year, associated with the writer at Saint Paul. A second school house was built, and ample means provided for the instruction of one hundred and fifty pupils."-[Miss BISHOP's " Floral Homes."]
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assisted by a relative to obtain an education, and engage in business. He was employed as clerk in a store at Harrisburg for a time, and, about the year 1828, was engaged in the office of Register of Deeds of Dau- phin county. He afterwards learned the trade, or at least worked for some time, as carpenter, but, having a strong love for reading and study, he determined to adopt the profession of law. With this in view, he became a student of Lafayette College, at Easton, Pennsylvania, and in 1837, entered the office of HAMILTON ALRICH, Esq., at Harrisburg. He also studied in the law-school of Hon. JOHN REED, at Carlisle, and was admitted to practice in 1839, being engaged a portion of the time in teaching.
"During the celebrated Harrison campaign of 1840, Mr. RAMSEY took a prominent part, and was that fall chosen Secretary of the Elec- toral College of the State. In 1841, he was elected Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania. In 1843, he was nominated for Congress from the district composed of Dauphin, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties, and served in the Twenty-eighth Congress (1843-4.) He was re-elected in 1844, a member of the Twenty-ninth Congress, his term ending March 4, 1847. During these years, Mr. RAMSEY be- came well-known, not only in his own State, but.widely among public men of the country, as evincing those qualities of sagacity and firmness, which have been so marked during his whole career. As chairman of the Whig State committee in 1848, he contributed largely to the election of Gen. ZACH. TAYLOR to the presidency.
" When that brave old soldier was inaugurated, it became his duty to appoint the officers of Minnesota Territory, and he at once tendered the Governorship to Mr. RAMSEY, which was accepted. His commis- sion is dated April 2, 1849, and he immediately proceeded to remove, with his family, to his new home. And here, it should be remarked, that Gov. RAMSEY was married, in 1845, to Miss ANNA E. JENKS, of New- town, Pennsylvania.
" Gov. RAMSEY arrived at the scene of his official duties on May 27, and four days afterwards, with the other Territorial officers who had ar- rived, issued a proclamation declaring the Territory organized, and the machinery of law in operation. Other proclamations, dividing the Territory into districts, ordering elections, &c., soon followed, and, with the labor of organizing the machinery of government, securing officers, managing Indian affairs, and administering various trusts, the Govern- or's chair was no sinecure. When the first Legislature met, in Sep- tember, it bestowed on one of the first counties created, and, at that time, the most populous and wealthy, the name of our first Governor, a deserved and just compliment.
"Gov. RAMSEY took early measures to procure the extinguishment of Indian titles, by treaty, &c., and by the negotiations made at Men- dota and Traverse de Sioux, in 1851, the valuable lands near Lake
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Pepin, and 40,000,000 acres in what now constitutes Southern Minne- sota, were thrown open to the settler. In the fall of the same year, he visited the Red River Colony and made, at Pembina, a treaty with the northern Chippewas, for the cession by them of 30 miles on each side of the Red River. This treaty was not ratified by the Senate, but in 1863, Gov. RAMSEY, then Senator, made another treaty, accomplishing the intended results, and the Red River valley is now rapidly settling up.
"Various events of Gov. RAMSEY's term are narrated elsewhere quite fully, and need not be referred to in this sketch. Some of the extracts from his messages, predicting the future growth of the Terri- tory, seem almost prophetic. He evinced his own faith in its future success by large and judicious investments in real estate, which ulti- mately became of great value, and are the bulk of a comfortable fortune.
"In 1853, Gov. RAMSEY's term closed, and, in 1855, he was elected Mayor of Saint Paul, for a term of one year. In 1857, when the Re- publican Convention met, he was nominated for first State Governor, but his party was not successful in that contest. Two years later, he was again nominated, and this time elected by a majority of 3,752 in a vote of 38,918. He was inaugurated January 2, 1860. At that time the State was considerably in debt, taxes difficult to collect, and many other troubles were to be met, but his administration was a very suc- cessful one. The following year the rebellion broke out, and this laid new duties and responsibilities on the Governor. One was the proper officering of the regiments from our State, but the very fact that a large proportion of Colonels appointed by him were ultimately pro- moted to Brigaders, and several to Majors General, while every officer, with exceptions too few to notice, made a good record, is proof enough that the selections were wisely made, of men who have done honor to our State on the field.
"In 1861, Gov. RAMSEY was re-elected. During his second term the Sioux outbreak occurred, adding still further to the responsibilities of the position, but ultimately peace and security was restored to the frontier. In January, 1863, Gov. RAMSEY was elected United States Senator for six years, and re-elected in 1869, serving twelve years in all. During this period, he served on several important standing commit- tees, post-offices and post roads among them. Postal reform occupied much of his attention. He first introduced the bill for the repeal of the franking abuse, and visited France in 1869, to urge cheap international postage, which has since been accomplished. He has also aided, as far as possible, the construction of our Northern Pacific and other railroads.
"This hasty summary," says Mr. BARNES, in concluding his sketch, "will sufficiently indicate the prominent position of Senator RAMSEY. Few of his colleagues have exhibited more tact in establishing and sus-
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taining personal influence. He has proved himself a vigilant guardian of the interests of Minnesota. Of a frank, hearty bearing, his figure, countenance and voice concur to make him a favorite with his associates and with all observers."
Senator RAMSEY, at home, has been prominent in every public enterprise. He has, since the first days of our city, aided liberally every good work, and our churches and other institutions have been recipients of gifts of both real estate and money. He has, also, been an active member of the His- torical Society and Old Settlers' Association. At one of the reunions of the latter, as is elsewhere remarked, he kindly volunteered to be the " last man"-a hope his friends indulge in, and, indeed, from his fine, almost rugged health and evenly poised system, there is no reason why their wish should not be realized.
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