USA > Minnesota > Ramsey County > St Paul > A history of the city of Saint Paul, and of the county of Ramsey, Minnesota > Part 19
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HON. AARON GOODRICH
was born in Sempronius, New York, July 6, 1807. While a young man, he settled in Tennessee, where he was admitted to the bar of that State, and successfully practiced for several years. He was elected, (though a Whig,) from a Democratic district, a member of the House for the years 1847 and 1848, and, during the latter year, was elected a Presidential Elector on the Whig ticket. On March 19, 1849, he was appointed, by President TAYLOR, Chief Justice of Minnesota, and took up his residence in Saint Paul. He held the first term of court in Ramsey and other counties, and was one of the corpo- rate members of the Historical Society in 1849, and a charter member of the first Masonic Lodge, and a corporate member of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota. His term on the Supreme Bench closed in the fall of 1851, when he resumed the practice of law. In the early days of the Republican party, he was one of its most ready and effective campaign speakers, and drew up the first Republican platform adopted in Minnesota. In 1858, he was a member of the commission to prepare a Code of Pleadings and Practice, and submitted a report of marked ability. In 1860, he was a member of the Republican Na- tional Convention at Chicago, and labored to secure the nom-
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ination of WM. H. SEWARD, for President. Through the friendship of that statesman, he was next spring appointed Secretary of Legation at Brussels, which position he filled for eight years. In 1869, he returned to Saint Paul, and devoted
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his leisure to the writing of a work for which he had gathered materials during his sojourn in Europe, entitled, "A History of the Character and Achievements of the so-called CHRISTO- PHER COLUMBUS," in which he opposes the claim of COLUM- BUS as discoverer of America. The work was published in
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1874, by D. APPLETON & COMPANY, New York. It is origi- nal and bold in its conception and handling, and has attracted much notice from scholars. . In 1872, he was a member of the Convention at Cincinnati, which nominated HORACE GREE- LEY, although he himself constantly voted for Judge DAVIS, of Illinois. Judge GOODRICH was a prominent mover in the or- ganization of the " Old Settlers' Association of Minnesota," in 1858, and has been its Secretary nearly ever since, devoting much time and labor to its objects.
CHARLES KILGORE SMITH.
Secretary of State, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, February . 15, 1799. His father was a prominent man in Ohio in early days. C. K. SMITH was educated at Oxford, Ohio, and, prior to his coming to Minnesota, had held several important offices, and was admitted to practice as a lawyer. On coming to Saint Paul as a Territorial officer, he became prominent in many useful works. He was active in establishing a system of common schools in this city. He was a charter member of the first Masonic, and the first Odd Fellows' Lodge and Encamp- ment in the city, and also one of the first to organize and found .the Minnesota Historical Society, of which he was Secretary for two years, and labored faithfully. He was a man of incisive and determined character, and made many political and personal enemies in Saint Paul. GOODHUE, of the Pioneer, used to attack him without mercy, during his whole career, even accusing him of fraud and malfeasance in office. Mr. SMITH, at one time, owned considerable property in Saint Paul. He resigned in November, 1851, and returned to Hamilton, Ohio, where he died September 28, 1866.
COL. ALEX. M. MITCHELL,
Marshal of the Territory, vice TAYLOR declined, was also appointed from Ohio. He was born in North Carolina ; graduated at West Point in 1835 ; served with distinction during the Florida War ; was then transferred to the Engineer Department, in which he served some time, and resigning. studied law at Yale College, and settled in Cincinnati, where
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he practiced until the breaking out of the Mexican War, in which he promptly enlisted, and was commissioned Colonel of the First Ohio Volunteers. He was severely wounded at Monterey. On his return to Cincinnati, a splendid sword was presented to him by the citizens, and the bar gave him a dinner. Col. MITCHELL held the office of Marshal until September, 1851. In the fall of 1850, he was nominated for Congress, against H. H. SIBLEY, but was unsuccessful. He left Minnesota about 1853, and afterwards became a resident of Saint Joseph, Missouri, where he died February 26, 1861, aged 52 years. A newspaper obituary said of him: "His last years were clouded with the vice of intemperance."
HENRY L. MOSS
was born in Oneida county, New York, March 23, 1819. He graduated from Union College, in 1840, and commenced the study of law, being admitted to practice in 1842, in the Su- preme Court of Ohio, where he was then residing. In I845, he removed to Plattville, Wisconsin, and, after residing there three years, moved to Stillwater, on April 29, 1848. He was appointed United States District Attorney in March, 1849, and held said office for four years. In 1851, he removed to Saint Paul, and has resided in this city ever since. In October, 1863, he was again appointed United States District Attorney. and held that position until 1868. For some years he has also been largely interested in the insurance business. Mr. Moss was in Washington when our land grant bills were pending, and gave valuable assistance to our delegation in Congress, in lobbying for their passage.
The machinery of government was now ready. In our next chapter we shall see it set in motion.
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CHAPTER XVII.
EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1849 .- CONTINUED.
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TERRITORY-FIRST OF JUNE PROCLAMATION-RAPID GROWTH OF THE TOWN-GEN. JOHNSON'S INTERVIEW WITH GOODHUE-FIRST FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION-THE CENSUS-POST-OFFICE MATTERS-FIRST ELECTION-FIRST COURTS-ASSEMBLING OF THE LEGISLATURE-LOCATION OF THE CAPITAL-WM. R. MARSHALL-INCORPORATION OF THE TOWN-ELECTION OF COUNTY OFFICERS-SCHOOLS ESTABLISHED-FIRST BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
O N June 1, Governor RAMSEY and Chief Justice GOODRICH, with H. L. Moss, United States District Attorney, and Judge DAVID COOPER, Associate Justice, seated on beds or trunks, in a little room, about eight by ten, in the Saint Paul House, drew up the "First of June Proclamation," as it is called, announcing the Territorial government organized, and that "law and order reigned in Warsaw," (as a jocose old settler used to express it.) It was written on a washstand, the only table that could be procured, which Judge G. has pre- served as a relic of the event.
To commemorate this event-the formal birth of Minnesota- the "Old Settlers' Association of Minnesota" hold their annual meetings on June I of each year, and their annual banquets at the Merchants' Hotel, the successor of the historic Saint Paul House, the corner-stone of whose new structure was laid by the Association on June 1, 1870.
ANOTHER HOTEL.
As a specimen of rapid building, the Pioneer of June 14, says :
"That very large house, the Rice House, near the upper landing, one of the largest hotels north of Saint Louis, was completed, so far as the carpenter and joiner work is concerned, in ten weeks from its commencement."
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This hotel was afterwards called the " American House," and was a famous point in its day. It was opened to the public on June 28, by Mrs. RODNEY PARKER, formerly of Charlestown, Massachusetts. The hotel burned down on December 20, 1863.
SKETCH OF THE TOWN, JUNE, 1849.
The clever work of Mr. SEYMOUR, before quoted, gives a very readable picture of Saint Paul, about the middle of June :
" On the 13th of June, I counted all the buildings in the place, the number of which, including shanties and those in every state of pro- gress, from the foundation wall to completion, was one hundred and forty-two. Of the above, all, except about a dozen, were probably less than six months old. They included three hotels, one of which is very large, and is now open for the accommodation of travelers; a State house, four warehouses, ten stores, several groceries, three boarding houses, two printing offices, two drug stores, one fruit and tobacco store, one or two blacksmith's shops, one wagon shop, one tin shop, one or two baker's shops, one furniture room, a billiard and bowling saloon, one school house, in which a school of about forty children is kept by a young lady, and where divine services are performed every Sabbath by a minister of the Episcopalian, Methodist, Presbyterian, or Baptist persuasion. There is, also, a Catholic church, where meet- ings are held every alternate Sabbath. At the time mentioned above, there were twelve attorneys at law, six of whom were practicing ; five physicians, and a large number of mechanics, of various kinds. There was not a brick or stone building in the place. There are, however, good stone quarries in the vicinity, and clay near the town, where per- sons were employed in making brick." .
The rush of immigration to the Territory about this date, seemed to have set in quite briskly. The Pioneer, of June 28, says :
"On Wednesday of last week, three steamboats arrived at our land- ing. They were all heavily laden with merchandize for this point."
ITEMS.
On June 25, Gov. RAMSEY and lady came from Mendota in a birch-bark canoe, and commenced house-keeping in a neat white frame cottage which stood on Third street, about where BEAUMONT'S store now is. The Governor's office was
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kept in the same building, It was afterwards called the "New England House," and burned down in the spring of 1860.
"An adjourned meeting, for the purpose of consulting upon the expediency of erecting a town house suitable for the accommodation of secular and religious meetings, societies, &c., will be holden at FREE- MAN, LARPENTEUR & Co.'s store, on Saturday, July 7, at 7 p. m. A. H. CAVENDER, Secretary."-[ Pioneer, June 28.]
" THE PUMP .- Within the past week the citizens of Saint Paul have erected in the lower square, a pump. Of course, nothing could be more desirable, or to the city more appropriate. For what is a town without a town pump? It is a church without a bishop. How will a stranger know when he arrives in our steepleless city unless it has the centre marked with a pump. A town pump is useful on numerous accounts. It is the centre exchange, where merchants and financiers do the fiats of commerce. It is the place for placards of advertisement-a reference for details of information upon all doubtful questions-as when we say-'inquire of the town pump.' It might do for the stand of a tem- perance lecturer. It might answer as a whipping-post for rogues of low degree, and might perhaps subserve a patriotic purpose as a ducking engine with which to quench the heat of over-zealous office- seekers."-[Ib.]
"STOP THAT ROOTING UNDER OUR FLOOR !- We are no Jew, but a gentile, or the rooting nation under our editorial sanctum, instead of a respectful notice with our pen, would get punched with a sharp stick. Not that we would find fault with the pigs, for it is all owing to their bringing up. But really, our equanimity is somewhat ruffled, if our chair is not jostled, by the movements of their hard backs under our loose floor."-[Ib.]
Speaking of the pigs rooting under the Pioneer editor's floor, makes apropos an anecdote related by Gen. R. W. JOHNSON,* (in his Old Settlers' address,) who came to Fort Snelling in 1849, as a Lieutenant in the army : "The boat had
* Gen. RICHARD W. JOHNSON was born in Livingston county, Kentucky, February 7, 1827. He was educated at West Point, graduating in the class of 1849, and was appointed to a command at Fort Snelling, with rank of Second Lieutenant. He came here that season, and resided in this State several years. On October 30, 1850, he was married, at Mendota, to Miss RACHEL E. STEELE. When the rebellion broke out he served in many important battles and campaigns, and was severely wounded near Atlanta, Georgia, in 1864. For this cause he was ultimately placed on the retired list, having then attained by successive promotions, the rank of Major General, and com- manded the District of Tennessee, &c. He soon returned to Minnesota, which he had always considered his home while in the army. Served as Military Professor at the State University 1868-9, and then removed to Saint Paul. Gen. J. is now President of the Chamber of Commerce, and a leading promoter of all our civic interests.
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tied up at the levee. Taking advantage of the delay, I wended my way to the Pioneer office, and was kindly received
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-ENG. CO. N.Y.
GEN. RICHARD W. JOHNSON.
by Mr. GOODHUE. During the conversation, I observed a hen on her nest under the table, and I ventured to ask him if he designed raising his own poultry." He replied, "that he had
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eaten all her eggs, and the old fool is setting on a couple of brickbats, and, if she hatches out a brick yard, you may bet your last dollar that hen is not for sale !"
FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION.
The Fourth of July was celebrated by the patriotic Saint Paulites in a very spirited and becoming manner. Early in the forenoon a procession, composed of the Territorial offi- cers, civic societies, (what there was,) and a few "invited guests," with our own citizens, making about 500 persons in all, headed by a military band from Fort Snelling, formed in front of the Saint Paul House, and, according to a programme in the Pioneer, marched through " a number of the principal streets," (as our newspaper reporters would say,) although said streets were then a jungle of hazel brush and scrub oaks, to a grove on the site of the present Rice Park. Here Gov- ernor RAMSEY presided, with Messrs. SIBLEY and RICE as vice presidents. Rev. E. G. GEAR, Chaplain at Fort Snelling, read an appropriate service with prayers. The Declaration of Independence was read by BILLY PHILLIPS, in his most pompous and rhetorical style, and Judge B. B. MEEKER de- livered the oration, filling six columns in the Pioneer. The procession then re-formed, and marched to the American House, where a dinner was partaken of, followed by numerous toasts and speeches. The day wound up with a grand ball at the American House, and fireworks. FRANKLIN STEELE acted as chief marshal of the day, with A. L. LARPENTEUR and WM. H. NOBLES as aids. And thus ended the first Fourth of July celebration in Saint Paul.
Gen. SIBLEY, in his address on the early history of Minne- sota, relates, that one of our prominent French citizens, on being asked how he liked the proceedings, said-"'Fore GOD, dat speech of PHILLIPS was ze best speech made to-day." And it is said that " speech" secured BILLY D. the appoint- ment of Prosecuting Attorney by the County Board soon after.
THE CAPITOL AND TERRITORIAL OFFICERS.
The Pioneer of July 5, notices the arrival of the Secretary
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of the Territory, Hon. CHARLES K. SMITH, of Ohio. Mr. SMITH at once set about securing apartments, or a building, for the use of the Territorial officers and Legislature, &c., but found it almost impossible to do so, as the town was so crowded, and buildings in demand. Finally, he secured rooms in the " Central House," a weatherboarded log structure on Bench street, which was then kept as a hotel by ROBERT KENNEDY, and (having been afterwards more than doubled in size) was the Central House of more recent days, though since almost destroyed by fire. A flag-staff was erected on the bank of the river, and the national banner run up, to mark the headquar- ters of government, and here, in these narrow quarters, its business was carried on. 1
TERRITORIAL CENSUS-APPORTIONMENT.
Pursuant to a provision in the Organic Act, JOHN MORGAN, Sheriff of Saint Croix county, had been engaged for several weeks prior to this date, in taking a census of the Territory. EDMUND BRISSETT took the districts on the Missouri River, and WM. DAHL the Pembina region .* The census of Saint Paul appeared as follows :
Males-540. Females-300. Total-840.
The total of the whole Territory was :
Males-3,067. Females-1,713. Total-4,780.
Of these, over 700 lived in what is now Dakota Territory, and 367 were not inhabitants at all, legally, being soldiers in the forts. The rapid growth of Saint Paul during the sum- mer of 1849, may be inferred from these figures.
On July 7, Governor RAMSEY issued a proclamation dividing the Territory into seven Council districts, based on the census just taken, and providing for an election of nine Councillors and eighteen Representatives, on August I. The Territory, not having been divided into counties, the districts were ar-
* DAHL was a genius in the line of censuses. He would be a valuable man for any ambitious town that wished to get credit for more population than it had. How the handful of people on Red River swelled, in his hands, to 700, was one of the mysteries that, as Lord DUNDREARY would say, " no fellah could find out."
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ranged by " precincts." The election of a Delegate to Con- gress was also ordered at the same time, and the assembling of the Legislature fixed for Monday, September 3.
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Under this apportionment, what was called the " Saint Paul Precinct," embracing the town of Saint Paul, constituted the Third District, and was entitled to two Councillors and four Representatives. Nominations were soon after made, gener- ally on personal grounds, as party lines had not then been drawn. Indeed, some of our old settlers declare that, in early days, they used to have to force office on men-that such a thing as " office-seeking" was unknown in those poor but hon- est times. There are many who would gladly hail a return of such an era of primitive simplicity.
THE "MINNESOTA REGISTER."
I gave on page 208, an account of the issue of the Register at Cincinnati. As soon as the river opened, the press and material of the office were shipped to Saint Paul. J. P. OWENS accompanied it, arriving in May, Maj. McLEAN* being de- tained by illness at Cincinnati, did not arrive until August. In the meantime, Col. OWENS went to work to get the paper out, and on July 14, issued No. 2. Capt. E. Y. SHELLEY, the veteran typo of Saint Paul, was foreman. The paper was printed in a small office on upper Third street. Some five or six numbers of the Register. were issued, when it became evident that there were too many newspapers in Saint Paul, and, on the arrival of Maj. McLEAN in August, a consolida-
* NATHANIEL MCLEAN was born in Morris county, New Jersey, May 16, 1787. He was brother of Hon. JOHN McLEAN, of the Supreme Court of the United States. His father removed to Ohio in 1789, settling in Warren county. NATHANIEL MCLEAN learned the printing business at Cincinnati, and, as early as 1807, published a paper at Lebanon. In 1810, he was elected a member of the Ohio Legislature, serving two or three sessions. He was also an officer in. tlie War of 1812. In the spring of 1849, he determined to remove to Saint Paul and embark in the newspaper business. He was then 60 years of age, but remarkably strong and active. On November 3, 1849, he was ap- pointed by President TAYLOR, Sioux Agent at Fort Snelling, which office he held until the spring of 1853. In the fall of 1855, he was elected one of the Commissioners of Ramsey county. This was the last public office he held. He retained his physical powers almost unimpaired until a short time before his death, when he was attacked with cancer, and suffered greatly before his end came, April 11, 1871, aged 84 years. He was an honest and good man. The township of McLean, in this county, was named in honor of him.
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tion was effected with the Chronicle, as before stated. Col. HUGHES sold out and retired, and went to Hudson, Wisconsin, where he died a couple of years ago. His foreman, S. A. QUAY, took an interest with McLEAN & OWENS in the · Chronicle and Register. The first number of this paper was issued on August 25, from the Chronicle office, a well-printed seven column sheet. Mr. QUAY withdrew after a few weeks, and left the Territory. The paper became the Whig organ, and soon had a good patronage from that party.
FORESHADOWINGS OF OUR BRIDGE.
The Pioneer, of July 26, contained the following rather pro- phetic note :
" That the position of Saint Paul on the east side of the river will soon require our town to be connected by a bridge with the west side, as early as possible, at least after the extinguishment of the Sioux title on the west side, is quite obvious. *
* That a bridge can be built from the bluff, near the middle of Saint Paul, many feet above the reach of the tallest steamboats, at no very great expense, by supporting it in the centre by a pier on the island, we have no doubt."
CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS ITEMS.
The Register, of July 21, contains the following :
"Mr. PARSONS [Baptist ] will preach at the school house to-morrow morning, at half past ten, and the Rev. Mr. NEILL, [the Presbyterian clergyman,] on the following Sabbath, at the same hour. These gen- tlemen will continue to officiate alternately, thus affording the citizens an opportunity of attending divine service every Sabbath morning. The means of grace are about being further facilitated in Saint Paul by the erection of two churches, one under the direction of Rev. Mr. HOYT, of the Methodist church, the other to be occupied by Mr. NEILL's congregation."
The Plattville (Wisconsin) Argus of the same week speaks of the session of the "Wisconsin Annual Conference," in that city. Up to this time, and, we believe, for several years after- wards, Minnesota was included in this conference. Rev. CHAUNCY HOBART was stationed at Saint Paul.
At this time (as noted before) Rev. Mr. NEILL was engaged in building a small frame chapel on Washington street, facing
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Rice Park, on a lot contributed by H. M. RICE. His brick dwelling, the first erected in Minnesota, was on the same block facing on Fourth street. The chapel was completed for use in August, being the first Protestant church built in Minnesota. The funds for its erection had been contributed by some rela- tives and personal friends of Mr. NEILL, in Philadelphia.
POST-OFFICE MATTERS.
On page 154 was given some notes of the establishment of the post-office in Saint Paul, and its equipment of furniture. JACKSON held the post-office three years and three months. During the three years of that time, we incline to the belief that it hardly paid for the trouble of conducting it. But meantime a change came over the hamlet. With the rush of population and business, came also a very great increase of mail matter, and it soon became necessary to lay aside the little case of pigeon-holes, and procure more expanded facili- ties for serving the public. The Register, of July 28, says :
"OUR NEW POST-OFFICE .- Our postmaster, Mr. H. JACKSON, has fitted up his new post-office building on Third street, with great taste and convenience. Every citizen, whose business requires it, can now have a box to himself."
The . "new post-office" referred to, was a frame building about where No. 105 East Third street now is. There were only about 200 "glass boxes" in his new equipment, a num- ber considered sufficient for present needs and future, too.
But alas ! for the fallacy of human hopes in this world. JACKSON'S head (officially) was already in the basket, even while he was planning and building in expectation of profits to come. On July 5, he was decapitated by the new Whig dynasty, and JACOB W. BASS commissioned in his place. The news of political appointments was slower getting circu- lated those times than in these days of telegraphic journalism, or JACKSON might have saved his time and money. For in- stance, the Pioneer of that week growls in this wise :
"Would any one believe that, in the nineteenth century, our Govern- ment would limit Minnesota, situated here in the very heart of the Republic, to one mail a week? We ought to have mails at least tri- weekly during the summer."
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As soon as Mr. BASS could make preparations for accommo- dating the office he took possession of the same. He at once erected a small frame addition, or lean-to, alongside of the Jackson street front of the Saint Paul House, (since called the Merchants) and removed thither the glass boxes or pigeon- holes, with the other equipments necessary. The whole room was only about as big as a sheet of paper, but no doubt accom- modated the business of that day. Mr. WALLACE B. WHITE, acted as Mr. BASS' deputy during the most of his term. Mr. WHITE was subsequently Territorial Librarian, and now lives in Washington.
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