USA > Minnesota > Ramsey County > St Paul > A history of the city of Saint Paul, and of the county of Ramsey, Minnesota > Part 23
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Another thing that will strike the observer, is the large per centage of French names on the census of 1850. The Cana- dian and Swiss French at one time composed the bulk of the population here, and their descendants are still a numerous class. They formed, during the first six or eight years of the city's history, an important element in our midst. GOODHUE mentions in 1849, or 1850, that a knowledge of the French lan- guage was indispensable to a trader, just as German or Scan- dinavian salesmen are considered necessary now. The stores then bore the sign, "ici on parle Francaise," just as they do now, " Norske Handels," or " Deutsche Handlung," to attract those classes. Indeed, such a large infusion of. French blood in our population, left its impress upon it unmistakably-and a valuable ingredient it was, too.
"WAIT TILL AFTER THE PAYMENT."
The Pioneer, of August I, says : "One would suppose, by the promises about town, that the Indian payment would square every debt in Minnesota, but the ' debt of nature.' Ev- ery reply to a dun is, ' after the payment.'" This used to be the great word among slow payers, for years, showing how much the early business and prosperity of Minnesota depended on the Indian trade, and how the money disbursed unloosed things generally. Afterwards this was changed to, "wait
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until the logs come down," showing that the lumber business had become the disbursing patron of society. Now-a-days the phrase is, " wait 'till after harvest," an evidence that agri- culture is now our main hold.
MINOR TOPICS. .
The Pioneer, of August, contains the following : " Rev. Mr. BRECK respectfully invites the attendance of the citizens of Saint Paul at the house of H. A. LAMBERT, Esq.,* on Fri- day, the 2d day of August, to take into consideration the erect- ing of an Episcopal church in Saint Paul."
The result of this conference was that a society was organ- ized, and the corner-stone of " Christ church," on Cedar street, laid on September 5, following.
The Town Council, or Board of Trustees, was urged by. the Pioneer to have the stumps pulled out of Third street !
" Brick at the kiln sell at $6 per thousand. We noticed that several good brick buildings are about being erected near the upper landing."- [Pioneer, July 4.]
" The people in Saint Paul seem to express a general wish that no building should be erected on the margin of the bluff, or the south side of Bench street. That street. when built up, will be unsurpassed for beauty. There ought to be a row of elm shade trees planted on that side ; thus Bench street may soon become one of the pleasantest prom- enades in the world."-[Pioneer.]
The Pioneer, of August 22, says : " The roar of Saint An- thony Falls was more distinctly audible at Saint Paul than we ever heard it. The 9 o'clock reveille of Fort Snelling came rolling down the channel of the Mississippi as though it were meant for some stray soldiers." How quiet the village must have been those summer evenings. The roar and noise of a great city makes a marked contrast now.
ABORIGINAL, ITEMS.
The town about these days, and indeed for several years
* HENRY A. LAMBERT was a brother of DAVID LAMBERT, before noticed. He was Judge of Probate for several years, and died in 1863. Though an active supporter of the Episcopal church at the time noticed, he afterwards embraced Catholicism.
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later, used to be thronged with Indians, both Chippewas and Dakotas, some buying goods, others begging, stealing, sell- ing peltries, etc. That their presence in such numbers was a nuisance, any early resident can testify. Occasionally some curious scenes were witnessed, the "begging-dance," the " war-dance," and other orgies being frequently performed on the streets, in expectation of some reward from bystanders. On July 9, sixteen chiefs and head men of the Yanktons, in full feather, "sang a wild song," says the Pioneer, in front of Gov. RAMSEY's house, to an audience of villagers. Some of the red-skins were accomplished thieves, vide the following from the Pioneer :
" SUBSTITUTION OF A THIEF. - The other day, an Indian came into the jeweler shop of Mr. SPICER, on Robert street, and, while there, stole a watch. Mr. SPICER followed him up street, to Mr. FULLER's store, and collared him, and, seeing no one to assist, left the Indian standing by the side of Mr. FULLER's store, while he went inside to get some one to help him search the body of the Indian. Returning in two or three minutes, he found an Indian standing in the same spot, in the same attitude he had left the thief in, his blanket philosophically folded around him, but he was another Indian, who had taken the place of the thief during SPICER's absence-while the thief himself slipped around the house and fled."
While the buck Indians were loafing about, smoking, drink- ing fire-water (if they could get it) and begging money, the squaws did all the labor. The Pioneer records, at various times, items explaining scenes familiar to all the old-timers :
" Quite a novel team, consisting of four squaws dragging a train with a load of provisions on it, made its appearance in Saint Paul, on Thursday last."
"The Sioux women are certainly very industrious, and do a great deal of hard labor. It would no doubt be a novel sight to most of the eastern people to see women paddling their log canoes across the Mississippi, heavy laden with wood or fence-posts, and then cording it on the bank, or carrying large posts up a steep bluff for a number of rods, with a child a year or two old on their shoulders. Yet these things are of daily occurrence at Saint Paul, Sunday not excepted."
"Many of the children carried about by the Sioux women on their shoulders, look remarkably pale. Like many other phenomena, it is more easy to observe than explain, as the children appear to be in perfect health."
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The History of the City of Saint Paul. [1850
Miss BREMER, the Swedish novelist, when in Saint Paul, gave much attention and considerable space in her book, to the social condition of the Indian females. She says, among other things :
"' What estimate may be given of the morals and character of the Indian women in this neighborhood?' inquired I, of a lady in Saint Paul, who had resided a considerable time at this place.
"' Many are immoral, and cannot be much commended; but others again there are who are as virtuous and blameless as any of us.'"
Few will be disposed to blame the poor " pagans," who read the following picture of their destitution, from the Pioneer, of November 21, 1850 :
" The other evening, near the upper landing, we saw a revolting spectacle-a Sioux squaw, evidently famished, gnawing the head of a dog she had found dead ! Judge of the sufferings of these poor wretches, thus gloating over offal and refuse."
It would have been better, of course, for the morals and health of the town, if these creatures, with scarcely any dis- tinction between right and wrong, had not been always hang- ing around, ready and anxious to earn money by almost any ยท means, but that evil seemed inseparable from the condition of society then.
In the earlier days of our city, the Indians helped to make quite a trade in one way and another. They used to supply the local market with fish, wild fowls, venison, bear meat, cranberries, and other wild fruit, furs and products of the for- est generally ; besides moccasins, bead-work, and trinkets of that class. They would always demand gold and silver for their products, which they would reinvest in ammunition, blankets, flour, cutlery, or anything they fancied. They were pretty sharp at a bargain, too, be it known, and scarcely ever got overreached. Most of the earlier merchants of our town learned a few Sioux words sufficient to trade with, and some acquired quite a knowledge of the tongue. After the Indians came to know and have confidence in any one, they would trade with him and take his word unhesitatingly, hence became good customers. Those who could not talk Sioux, resorted to signs. The hand held up meant one dollar. A finger out-
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and of the County of Ramsey, Minnesota.
stretched signified ten cents. The finger bent was five cents. and so on. Yet the Indians were nearly all sly thieves, and would pilfer at every chance. They were inveterate beggars, too. Give one of them any food, money, or other gratuity, and next day he would probably return to ask the same favor, and bring a dozen of his companions with him. They had any amount of impudence, too. They would bolt into a person's kitchen without knocking, perhaps several " bucks" at once, and beg or help themselves in a very free manner. Ladies recently from the east, not knowing their habits, would thus be fright- ened into hysterics almost, and the visitors would enjoy the fright hugely. Those who understood their habits better, would tell them "puck-a-chee," [be gone,] in a severe tone, when they would leave.
There were several of the older stores in our city, which were the recognized headquarters of these red men, and were known far and wide among the tribes as such. LARPENTEUR's was one of such places. Here, at various times, the writer has seen most of the principal Sioux chieftains of all the bands, (except, possibly, the Missouri River bands, ) and most of the principal warriors. At any hour of the day when one might call there, during any of the early years, several of the plumed and painted lords of the forest could have been seen. They were, apparently, always taciturn and reserved, but any one in their confidence could have drawn them out in conversation quite freely. Had the writer at that time had an opportunity to collect from these prominent chieftains some account of their adventures in war and the chase, of their ancestors, and the traditions of the race, it would have been more interesting than a romance. It will ever be regretted that no one did this, since it is now, perhaps, too late to do so.
Both the Sioux and Chippewas used to frequent our streets in those days, (the former the most numerous,) yet, although the two tribes had a mortal hatred for each other, no collision ever occurred, except the one noted in the events of 1853. The faces of LITTLE CROW and HOLE-IN-THE-DAY, the two renowned chieftains of those nations, were very familiar to all our old residents. Excellent portraits of each are given in
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The History of the City of Saint Paul, [1850
this volume, and an interesting chapter might be written on each, could the space be spared.
Some of these Indians had-very curious names. It is known that, frequently, they name children from some incident, or some physical peculiarity. Two of the Indians who used to be regular frequenters of LARPENTEUR's, in early days, and were well known to old settlers, had names whose translation would be shocking to ears polite.
LITTLE CROW.
The Indians unacquainted with English, used to greet their acquaintances with the exclamation, "how," or "ho." Final- ly, this was taken up by the boys, and became a regular pass- word with them. When raising glasses to take a nip, they would always say, " ho," as a preliminary-a custom that ob- tained for years, was carried by them into the army, and pro- duced many amusing incidents. One day, an English tourist, who was stopping at the Fuller House, quizzing everything through his eye-glasses, observed this custom, and inquired of
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a friend, "What makes 'em say 'o when they go to drink ? Does it 'urt 'em ?"
POLITICAL MATTERS.
The month of August, 1850, was characterized by a strife for Delegate to Congress. No party nominations were made, but the election of candidates for Delegate by the different conventions was solely based on personal preferences. Hon. H. H. SIBLEY, Col. A. M. MITCHELL, DAVID OLMSTED, and N. G. WILCOX, were severally put up by their friends. The two latter gentlemen declined, and left the contest to Messrs. SIBLEY and MITCHELL. The campaign was short, the elec- tion occurring on September 2.
Of the bitterness of the contest, Gov. MARSHALL, in his annual address before the Old Settlers of Hennepin county, February 22, 1871, said :
"There were no party issues; it was more a contest of rival Indian trading interests. Messrs. SIBLEY and RICE had been partners with the great house of PIERRE CHOUTEAU & Co. A quarrel arose, and, in the fall of 1849, Mr. RICE left the firm. Gen. SIBLEY was then Dele- gate in Congress. As the election approached, in 1850, Mr. RICE'S friends put forward Col. MITCHELL, and supported him with all their great influence. The fears and jealousies of the people were aroused against Mr. SIBLEY on account of his connection with the Fur Com- pany. The cry was Anti-Monopoly! I wish those who deprecate party dissensions now-a-days, could know something of the bitterness and personal abuse of that contest in 1850, in which party lines were not drawn. They would not think that well defined party contests were so great an evil."
THE VOTE IN SAINT PAUL.
The election was held " at the house of ROBERT KENNEDY"- afterwards known as the Central House.
The vote was as follows :
Delegate to Congress.
Henry H. Sibley . 151 Col. A. M. Mitchell 153
Representatives.
P. K. Johnson I26
H. L. Tilden 191
Benj. W. Brunson
150
Edmund Rice 157
Fustus C. Ramsey
204
J. J. Dewey . 142
Wm. P. Murray
I2I
Henry Jackson 100
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The History of the City of Saint Paul. [1850
Commissioner. .
And. Godfrey 130 | R. P. Russell. .. 165
Assessors.
Sam. J. Findley 148
Thos. P. Reed. 103
George C. Nichols
I35
I. I. Lewis. 154
Albert H. Dorr 135
S. H. Sergeant. 143
County Treasurer.
F. W. Simpson was elected without opposition.
Those in italics elected.
The following minor officers were also elected, mainly with- out opposition :
Supervisors of Roads .- Lot Moffet, Alpheus R. French, and Pierre Bottineau.
Constables .- Warren Chapman and Warren Woodbury.
School Trustees, Dist. No. 1 .- B. F. Hoyt, A. R. French and Rev. J. P. Parsons.
School Trustees, Dist. No. 2 .- J. R. Brown, E. D. Neill, Vetal Guerin.
The vote in the Territory on Delegate was : SIBLEY, 649 ; MITCHELL, 559.
FREDRIKA BREMER VISITS SAINT PAUL.
In October of this year, the distinguished Swedish authoress, Miss FREDRIKA BREMER, visited Saint Paul. In her enter- taining book, "Homes of the New World," about 40 pages are devoted to her visit. A few extracts must suffice :
" Scarcely had we touched the shore, when the Governor of Minne- sota and his pretty young wife came on board and invited me to take up my quarters at their house. And there I am now, happy with these kind people, and with them I make excursions into the neighbor- hood. The town is one of the youngest infants of the Great West, scarcely eighteen months old; and yet it has in a short time increased to a population of 2,000 persons, and in a very few years it will certainly be possessed of 22,000; for its situation is as remarkable for its beauty and healthiness, as it is advantageous for trade.
"As yet, however, the town is but in its infancy, and people manage with such dwellings as they can get. The drawing-room at Governor RAMSEY's house is also his office, and Indians and workpeople, and ladies and gentlemen, are all alike admitted. In the meantime, Mr.
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RAMSEY is building a handsome, spacious house upon a hill, a little out of the city, [quite in the city now, madame,] with beautiful trees around it, and commanding a grand view of the river. If I were to live on the Mississippi, I would live here. It is a hilly region, and on all sides extend beautiful and varying landscapes. .
"The city is thronged with Indians. The men, for the most part, go about grandly ornamented, with naked hatchets, the shafts of which serve them as pipes. They paint themselves so utterly without any taste, that it is incredible."
CHURCH ITEMS, AGAIN.
" The Episcopal church was raised on Tuesday last. There are now in the course of construction three churches, the Presbyterian, Baptist, and the Episcopal. These, with the Methodist and the Catholic, will make five churches in Saint Paul."-[Pioneer, October 10. ]
In a few days from this time, the First Presbyterian church, rebuilt on its late site, (corner Third and Saint Peter streets, ) was finished so as to be used for worship. A bell-the first church bell in Minnesota-was hung in its belfry late one Sat- urday evening, just in time for the opening services of the new chapel the next morning. Impatient to test its tones, the bell was rung even at that late hour, a source of satisfaction to the Christian people, and of wonder to the pagans, who heard the solemn tones of the church-going bell, pulsating over the "valleys and rocks," for the first time. Only two days subse- quently, another bell arrived on a steamboat, an unexpected present from a gentleman in Ohio, and the first one was sold to the Market Street Methodist Episcopal church, in whose belfry it long did good service.
BUILDING OF A COURT-HOUSE AND JAIL.
VETAL GUERIN, the liberal donor of so many lots and blocks for public and church purposes, having deeded to the county a square of land for the purpose of a court-house and jail, on January 16, the County Commissioners advertised for plans for the same. Dr. DAVID DAY, Register of Deeds, and Clerk of the Board, produced the most acceptable plan for a court-house, and was paid $10 for the same. In order to raise the money for the erection of these buildings, the County
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The History of the City of Saint Paul, [1850
Board ordered the issue of some county bonds. When they were put on the market, they were known as the "Cross Bonds"-but this is a pretty tough story, and we will not give it unless it is substantiated by the affidavit of at least three. disinterested and reliable witnesses.
N-CO.CC
PENGESDEL
THE COURT-HOUSE.
The court-house was commenced some time in November. 1850, and completed for use in the following year. FREEMAN & DANIELS were the contractors. It was, for those days, a fine building. It has now been used a quarter of a century, and has played an important part in the history of this gen- eration, not only in law, but the numerous political conven- tions, public meetings, and even religious services. Three years ago a commission appointed by the city and county. procured plans for a new building, a joint city hall and court- house, which will probably be built in due time, and the old " historic" court-house removed. In view of this fact, the County Board procured the engraving of the old building herewith, to preserve its familiar " face" in our annals.
The building of the jail was not, however, commenced for
I850] and of the County of Ramsey, Minnesota. 281
several months after this date. It was a small log building, weather-boarded. and about as secure as if made of paste- board. This jail, which was the first prison erected in Min- nesota, stood there until 1857, when the present one was built. Before it was torn down, JOSEPH W. PRINCE, then Deputy
S-PENCE .. DEL
I.ROBINSON
THE OLD JAIL.
Sheriff, got an architect to make the drawing and plan of it, which now hangs in the County Auditor's office, and which he gave to the county. The County Board very kindly ordered an engraving to be made of it, which is given herewith.
MINOR TOPICS.
The Pioneer speaks of a restaurant being started. as one of the "new improvements of the city."
" Last Wednesday, the 14th day of November, Mr. DODD first got Capt. DANA's steam saw mill in operation. at our lower landing, and sawed some maple plank, which are to be used in constructing a table to be placed in the Territorial library; they being the first boards ever sawed by steam power in Minnesota .- [Pioneer, November 28.]
On November 4. a special election was held for a Justice of
19
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The History of the City of Saint Paul, [1850
the Peace, vice JOHN A. WAKEFIELD, resigned. ORLANDO SIMONS* received 192 votes, electing him over LOT MOFFET, who received 39 votes.
Mr. WAKEFIELD had been a member of the Illinois Legis- lature, in early years, and was author of a "History of the Black Hawk War." He removed, after the resignation no- ticed above, to Iowa. and, finally, to Kansas, where he died, in 1872. During his residence in Saint Paul, he was proprie- tor of the Tremont House, and frequently lectured on tem- perance.
"School District No. 3, was organized on the evening of the 18th inst. P. K. JOHNSON was elected Clerk. The trustees were instructed to employ HENRY DOOLITTLE as a teacher, at $40 per month. A tax of $300 was voted to defray the cost of the school house, and the ex- penses of the school."-[.Pioneer, November 28.]
"It is thought advisable by some of our villagers, that we have this winter a series of practical instructive lectures, and that a small ad- mission fee be charged-the proceeds to be applied for the purchase of a fire engine in Saint Paul .- [Pioneer, December 12.]
The last steamboat departed this fall on November 18, making a season of 239 days, during which 102 boats arrived, or an average of one boat in two and one-third days.
December 26, 1850, was proclaimed by Governor RAMSEY, as a day of public thanksgiving, the first ever observed in Minnesota. But there were no turkeys to be had those days !
JOURNALISTIC.
On November 25, the Pioneer issued a prospectus for a daily, which was not issued in fact until May, 1854, though
* ORLANDO SIMONS was born January 18, 1824, at Lyons, Wayne county, New York, and removed to Elmira when young, where he was educated, at the Elmira Academy, Chester Academy, in Chemung county, &c., and afterwards read @aw. In 1849, Judge SIMONS, in company with another young lawyer of that locality, (HENRY F. MASTER- SON, Esq.,) removed to Saint Paul, arriving on June 20. The law firm of " MASTERSON & SIMONS" was then formed, which continued until a few inonths ago, full quarter of a century, being the oldest law firm in the State. In 1850, Judge SIMONS was elected Jus- tice of the Peace, and, in 1854, elected first City Justice, holding that office six years, during which time his firm administration of its duties was a wholesome promoter of law and order. In the spring of 1875, he was appointed Associate Judge of the Com- mon Pleas Court of Ramsey county, and, in November, 1875, elected for seven years more.
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1850] and of the County of Ramsey, Minnesota.
the rapid growth of the Territory and the liberal support given to newspapers seemed to warrant it when first proposed.
On December 10, appeared the first number of the Minne- sota Democrat, established by Col. D. A. ROBERTSON .*
About the same date, the Chronicle and Register, the union of the two journals of that name, after several real or osten- sible changes in ownership and editorial management, passed into the editorial control of CHARLES J. HENNISS. a young man of talent, but dissipated and unscrupulous. He was a native of Ireland, but had latterly lived in Philadelphia. He died in I856.
*Col. DANIEL A. ROBERTSON was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 13, 1813. He was descended from Highland Scotch ancestry. At the age of 18, he went to New York, where he studied law, and was admitted to practice in 1839. In the meantime he removed to Ohio, where he engaged in journalism, being editor of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Mount Vernon Banner, &c. In 1844, he was appointed United States Mar- shal for the State of Ohio, which office he held four years. He was a niember of the Constitutional Convention of Ohio from Lancaster county, and resigned, after holding the office three months, to come to Minnesota, which he did in the fall of 1850. IIe soon after established the Minnesota Democrat, which became one of the leading journals of the Territory, and was subsequently merged in the Pioneer. Col. ROBERTSON at one time owned a large amount of real estate, but after the panic of 1857, its value was seriously reduced. During the period of " good times," Col. R. used his means in accumulating one of the finest private libraries ever brought into Minnesota, consisting of several thousand volumes in different languages, which he afterwards sold to the State University. He also visited Europe in 1856-7, and devoted his leisure in studying various scientific and historical subjects in which he is interested. He was elected a member of the House of Representatives in 1859-60, Mayor of Saint Paul in 1860, and Sheriff in 1863, serving in this office two terms. He was also a member of the Board of Education several years, and performed much valuable labor for our public schools. The Historical Society and Academy of Natural Sciences are also largely indebted to him for their success. He also organized the first Grange of Patrons of Husbandry in the United States, presenting to it a valuable library of books. Col. ROBERTSON has always been a close student of history, political and social science, and other subjects, on some of which he has lectured with much success.
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