USA > Minnesota > Ramsey County > St Paul > A history of the city of Saint Paul, and of the county of Ramsey, Minnesota > Part 9
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PHOTO F
VETAL GUERIN.
GABRIEL FRANCHERE, for three years. He was to join a com- pany bound for the Upper Mississippi, consisting of 134 men, in charge of four barges of goods. They left Montreal, May 5, 1832, and made the entire journey to Mendota by water, through the lakes, Green Bay, the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers, and up the Mississippi. The entire season was consumed in this trip, and it was late in the fall when the party reached the company's post at Mendota.
GUERIN served the company his stipulated three years, and,
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after that term had expired, worked by odd jobs for the com- pany, and for Mr. FARIBAULT and other traders, at Mendota and Traverse de Sioux, for three or four years longer.
GUERIN's first investment in Saint Paul real estate had not . proved a paying one, but, nevertheless, he soon after deter- mined to repeat the experiment. Looking about, in the fall of 1839, he found the HAYS claim, which PHELAN still pretended to own, by virtue of his partnership with HAYS, unoccupied, and quite likely to be so as far as either of its former owners was concerned-one being dead, and the other in prison 300 miles away, with a good prospect of stretching hemp. As the claim suited VETAL pretty well, he forthwith squatted on it, and proceeded to erect a cabin. This cabin, so he stated to the writer, was a very unpretending affair, about 16x20 feet, built of oak and elm from the woods surrounding it, with a bark roof and a floor of split and hewed puncheons. The door and sash were made by MICHEL LECLAIRE, of the Grand Marais, since called Pig's Eye. This cabin stood on the spot 'now occupied by Ingersoll's Block, and, with some additions and changes, stood there until 1860, when the buildings occu- pying the site of said block were removed, to make room for it.
Thus, at the close of the year 1839, there were nine cabins within the present limits of the city of Saint Paul. Patience ! We shall have a city yet.
1840]
and of the County of Ramsey, Minnesota. 99
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CHAPTER VIII.
EVENTS OF THE YEARS 1840 AND 1841.
ORGANIZATION OF SAINT CROIX COUNTY-EXPULSION OF SETTLERS FROM THE RESERVE-SOME OF THEM COME TO SAINT PAUL-PHELAN RETURNS AND DE- MANDS HIS CLAIM - GUERIN CHECKMATES HIM - JOSEPH RONDO - VETAL GUERIN'S SUBSEQUENT HISTORY-PIERRE BOTTINEAU-A CATHOLIC MISSION FOUNDED HERE-FATHER GALTIER AND FATHER RAVOUX, &C.
C RAWFORD county, Wisconsin Territory, had been cre- ated and organized, (as noted on page 39,) in 1819. For twenty-two years its boundaries were unchanged. In January, 1840, through the influence of JOSEPH R. BROWN, a bill was passed creating "Saint Croix County." The boundaries of the new county included all that part of Crawford county lying west of a line running northward from the mouth of the Por- cupine River on Lake Pepin to Lake Superior. The county seat was fixed at BROWN's town-site of "Dakota," about the upper end of the present city of Stillwater. In the fall of this year, at the election for Representatives, JOSEPH R. BROWN was elected a member of the Wisconsin Assembly, for two
years. Henceforth this region commenced to have a voice in the public affairs of the Territory, to which it had been hitherto a mere unnoticed back settlement. But Saint Paul must have stood for several years to Wisconsin about in the same relation that Pembina used to, to Minnesota. Its repre- sentatives, from this date until the organization of Minnesota Territory, are given on page 45.
EXPULSION OF SETTLERS FROM THE RESERVE.
When Marshal EDWARD JAMES, of Wisconsin Territory, received the order for the expulsion of the settlers on the Re- serve, he sent it to his deputy, IRA B. BRUNSON, of Prairie du Chien, to execute. As it was now near the end of winter,
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and traveling very difficult and insecure, Mr. BRUNSON de- layed his journey until the opening of navigation in the spring, when he took the first boat for Fort Snelling, about May I, and proceeded to execute his unpleasant task.
In an account of the transaction Mr. BRUNSON wrote for me, he says that he gave the settlers several days' notice to remove, but they disregarded the warning, so that he was compelled to call upon Maj. PLYMPTON for a military force to execute the orders vi et armis. On the 6th day of May, 1840, the settlers on the Reserve were dishoused and driven off, and every cabin within the lines destroyed.
In a memorial from the expelled settlers to Congress, praying for indemnity for their losses, presented by Delegate H. H. SIB- LEY, in 1849, and again in 1852,* the settlers state that the soldiery fell upon them without warning, treated them with unjustifia- ble rudeness, broke and destroyed furniture wantonly, insulted the women, and, in one or two instances, fired at and killed cattle. Mr. BRUNSON denies, positively, in general and in par- ticular, these statements. He states that the soldiers acted reluctantly in the matter, but civilly, under the command of a Lieutenant, and under his (BRUNSON'S) supervision, and in their presence. As the settlers refused to budge, they had to carry their household goods out, but none was broken inten- tionally, and no unnecessary force was used.
ABRAHAM PERRY, the GERVAIS brothers, RONDO, and other of the early settlers, of Saint Paul, were among those whose houses were destroyed. To these poor refugees it was a cruel blow. The victims of floods, and frosts, and grasshoppers, in the Red River valley, and once before expelled from the Reserve, (west side,) it seemed that the cup of disaster was charged to the brim for them. Mournfully gathering up their effects and flocks, they set out once more to find a home.
FINDING NEW HOMES.
On being dishoused, the unfortunate settlers retreated beyond
* No action was ever taken by Congress on this Memorial, beyond referring it to a committee, which never reported on it.
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the line of the Reserve, and there made preparations for begin- ning life once more.
ABRAHAM PERRY and family sojourned for the present in the house of his son-in-law, JAMES R. CLEWETT. Almost broken down by his repeated misfortunes, and by the severe toil and hardships of the past few years, PERRY seemed never to re- cover from these buffets of hard fortune. His health gradually declined. For some time his lower limbs were so paralyzed that he could not stand. He still endeavored to engage in agricultural labor, and actually cut down trees while sitting on the ground. He died in May, 1849, aged 73 years. His wife, Mrs. MARY ANN PERRY, died in 1859, at an advanced age, at the residence of CHARLES BAZILLE, her son-in-law ..
ABRAHAM PERRY had seven children, the three oldest of whom were born in Switzerland, two at Red River, and the two youngest at Fort Snelling. His only son, CHARLES PERRY, born in Switzerland, now lives at Lake Johanna, Ramsey county. Mr. PERRY's daughters all married in this vicinity, as follows : SOPHIA married PIERRE CREVIER, and lives near Watertown, Minnesota. FANNY married CHARLES MOUSSEAU, 1836 ; residence, Minneapolis. ROSE ANN married J. R. CLEW- ETT, 1839 ; residence, White Bear. ADELE married VETAL GUERIN, 1841 ; residence, Saint Paul. JOSEPHINE married J. B. CORNOYER, 1843 ; residence, Minneapolis. ANNIE JANE mar- ried CHARLES BAZILLE, 1846 ; residence, Saint Paul. Nearly every one of PERRY's children have raised large families, and he had over 75 grandchildren.
GERVAIS BUYS PARRANT'S CLAIM.
BEN. GERVAIS, on losing his home near the creek, in upper town, at once proceeded to PARRANT's claim, before mentioned and purchased of that swine-optical individual, all his right, title and interest to said real estate, together with the heredita- ments and appurtenances, and so on. Reader, what do you suppose GERVAIS paid to " Old Pig's Eye" for this property, now in the heart of our city? Ten dollars! It is now worth several millions.
PARRANT had an uncompleted cabin on the edge of the bluff,
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about where the corner of Robert and Bench streets now is. GERVAIS finished this, and occupied it as a dwelling for sev- eral years.
PARRANT at once made a new claim on the lower levee, and erected another hovel, where he continued his whisky business until 1843, when LOUIS ROBERT purchased his claim. But of this hereafter.
PHELAN'S TRIAL.
In the spring of 1840, the case of PHELAN, who for several months past had been lying in the guard-house at Fort Craw- ford, Prairie du Chien, awaiting trial for HAYS' murder, was taken up by the court of Crawford county. I have been unable to ascertain just what action was had in his case. Hon. IRA B. BRUNSON, now County Judge at Prairie du Chien, at my request, carefully searched the records of the court at that pe- riod, and before and after, but can find no reference to the case. . The only explanation is, that the case was brought before the grand jury, who failed to find a bill against PHELAN, and he was discharged. Mrs. GERVAIS and WM. EVANS went to Prairie du Chien as witnesses, but their evidence probably failed to convince the grand jury of PHELAN's guilt, and he was allowed to go his way.
PHELAN VS. GUERIN.
When PHELAN made his way back to Saint Paul, which he soon did, he found VETAL GUERIN in possession of the HAYS claim, which he (PHELAN) still pretended to own, by virtue of his partnership with HAYS. He at once proceeded to de- mand of GUERIN, possession of the claim. The result we give in GUERIN's own words, dictated to the writer in 1866 :
"PHELAN called at my cabin, accompanied by JAMES R. CLEWETT as interpreter, as I could then talk no English. He demanded posses- sion of the claim. I replied that I would not give it up, as I believed I was rightfully entitled to it. Some more talk ensued, and, finding that I was not disposed to yield to him, PHELAN told JIM to say that if I was not off by a certain day-say a week, from then-he would put me off by force. As PHELAN was a large, powerful man, and I was small
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and light, he could have easily picked me up and carried me outside the claim lines. After making this threat, PHELAN went away.
" As I knew I could not deal with PHELAN single-handed, I told some of my voyageur companions at Mendota how matters stood, and three or four of them, strong, 'husky' fellows, came down to stay with me. A supply of liquor and some cards made time pass merrily. On the day PHELAN had set to put me off the claim, sure enough, he made his appearance-axe in hand and sleeves rolled up-with CLEWETT as inter- preter. Through the latter, PHELAN inquired if I would leave. I re- plied, no. PHELAN got very mad at this, and said, 'tell the d- little Frenchman I will take him under my arm and throw him off the claim.'
" I then said to my men, who were inside, that I thought it was time for them to interfere. They came out, and, throwing off their coats, told PHELAN that if he did not go way and leave me alone, they would pitch him over the bluff! And, moreover, if he ever molested me, they would lynch him. PHELAN knew they were not fellows whom it would do to trifle with, and, as he had just got out of one bad scrape, didn't want to get into any further trouble, if he could avoid it. He finally left, saying he would take the law of me. He thereupon commenced an action before JOSEPH R. BROWN, Justice of the Peace, at Grey Cloud Island, to recover possession. BROWN examined into the case, and found that PHELAN was absent from his claim more than six months at one time. So he told PHELAN that he had lost all title to it, and that I could not be ejected. I had no further trouble with him, and kept peaceable possession of the claim."
GUERIN GIVES AWAY HALF HIS CLAIM.
When GUERIN had thus quieted title to his claim, he pro- ceeded to do a very generous act for a friend, PIERRE GER- VAIS, who had recently been expelled from the Reserve, and was looking for a new home. Feeling lonesome, and, wanting a neighbor, he gave, without any consideration, one-half of his claim-or at least a good share of it-to PIERRE, on con- dition that the latter would come and live there. GERVAIS accepted the offer, and built a cabin about where Mrs. Dr. MANN's block is now, corner of Third and Saint Peter streets. He lived here about two years, and, in 1842, sold the claim to DENIS CHERRIER for $150, and moved into lower town, where he got another small tract. CHERRIER, in turn, sold the claim, in 1843, to SCOTT CAMPBELL for $300, and, in 1848, CAMPBELL sold out to WM. HARTSHORN and others.
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JOSEPH RONDO.
A few pages back, reference was made to JOSEPH RONDO, a refugee from Red River, who was one of the earliest squatters on the Reserve, east of the Mississippi. His house was one which was destroyed by the soldiery on May 6, 1840.
JOSEPH RONDO was born near Montreal, Canada, in 1797. When quite a lad, some 17 or 18 years old, he engaged as a voyageur in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, and was sent to the Pacific Coast. He passed several years in the labo- rious work of his calling, on Frazer River, Great Slave Lake, Fort Edmonton, and other posts on the extreme west and north of the Hudson's Bay Company's dominions.
About 1827, he settled in the Red River Colony, near Fort Garry, and, having married JOSEPHINE BOILEAU, a Kootenais mixed blood, established a farm there. The troubles which afflicted the colonists have already been referred to. After enduring them for eight years, Mr. RONDO, in company with the GERVAIS brothers, BEAUMETTE, BRUCE, BLANC, MICHEL DUFENI, LABISINIER, GOODRICH, and others-about 60 in all- left the Red River Colony, and settled near Fort Snelling. RONDO purchased a house on the west side, of JOSEPH TURPIN, from which he was ejected on May 6, 1840, with the other settlers.
Following the example of PERRY, GERVAIS and others, RONDO then came to the lower side of the Reserve, looking for a new claim. PHELAN offered his for sale, including the unfurnished hovel under the hill, the scene of the HAYS tragedy, for $200. RONDO purchased the same, and, finishing up the house, lived in it a season or two, until he could build a more comfortable one.
PHELAN MAKES A NEW CLAIM.
Having now lost or disposed of all his real estate in Saint Paul, PHELAN made a new claim on the creek that now bears his name, and built a cabin about where HAMM's brewery is. This claim enclosed a fine water-power on the creek, and, in 1844, it was purchased by WILLIAM DUGAS, for a mill-site, as will be found more fully narrated in the events of that year.
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1841] and of the County of Ramsey, Minnesota.
SOMETHING MORE ABOUT VETAL GUERIN.
GUERIN lived more than a year alone in his cabin, but such a solitary, bachelor life must have become very distasteful to him. So, he persuaded one of the few young women which the little village then boasted of, Miss ADELE PERRY, to share his lot. On January 26, 1841, Father GALTIER made the twain one flesh, at Mendota. Returning to the settlement, a gay and pleasant party was given to the new couple, at the house of BEN. GERVAIS, during the evening. DENNY CHERRIER says he fiddled that night until he was exhausted.
The domestic outfit of the young couple was not an extrava- gant one. Furniture was only obtainable those days from Saint Louis. The settlers generally made their own furniture. The bridal bed was a bunk of boards, on which hay and a red blanket, which GUERIN had brought from Mackinac, were spread. Mrs. GUERIN soon afterward traded a shawl to some Indians for feathers, and thus softened the rough edges of life a little. GUERIN's chest, that held all his goods and effects, served for a dining table, until a better one could be procured.
A few rods from GUERIN's cabin, was PARRANT's establish- ment, and the powerful nature of the minne-wakan he sold the Indians there, used to turn them sometimes into red demons. In one of their crazy sprees, the Indians killed GUERIN'S COW and pig, and destroyed other property. Indeed, the lives of -GUERIN and his bride were oftentimes in danger, and their honeymoon was somewhat a stormy one, take it all in all. These devilish sprees of the Indians occurred occasionally for several years. Once, when Mrs. GUERIN was nursing her first child, about two months old, some nine or ten Indians made an attack on the house, and tried to kill GUERIN. They broke in the window, and attempted to crawl in. Mrs. G. concealed herself under the bed, expecting to be murdered. GUERIN seized an axe, and was about to brain the first pagan whose head appeared through the window. This would have been a very unfortunate affair for GUERIN, had it happened, but, luckily, before any bloodshed occurred, a friendly chief, named "HAWK'S BILL," came up, and remonstrated with the 8
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drunken brutes, urging them to leave. While they were par- leying, Mr. and Mrs. GUERIN, with the child, slipped out of the door, and fled to Mr. GERVAIS' house. The Indians then went away, after shooting GUERIN's dog with arrows.
Another time, GUERIN was leaning on the gate-post of his garden, when some drunken Indians, coming up Bench street hill, fired at him. A ball struck the post, making a narrow escape for VETAL. Again, as he opened his door, one morn- ing, an iron-headed arrow whizzed past his head, and stuck in the door-jamb. Another close call, but GUERIN survived them all.
At that time, Mendota was the only place where supplies or necessaries of any kind could be obtained, and these usually of a simple character. Pork, flour, tea and sugar, were about all that could be purchased in the way of provisions, but game was very plenty, and some farming on a small scale had begun. In the summer after his marriage, GUERIN enclosed a small field, embracing the land now lying between Saint Peter and Cedar, Bench and Sixth streets, and plowed it up for a garden. His oxen were "Red River" cattle. Mrs. GUERIN used to help him by driving the oxen. GUERIN, one year, raised considerable grain, but could not sell it, or get it ground up-so it laid in his granary until it rotted. There was no grist-mill in this region, for custom use, until LEMUEL BOLLES established his, on Bolles Creek, in 1845.
ยท It needs but little more space to speak of GUERIN's subse- quent life, and, perhaps, it is as fitting here as anywhere. In his little cabin he kept the even tenor of his way, even when the whirl of real estate speculation was turning men's brains. While his neighbors were selling out at what they deemed fabulous sums, and moving away, GUERIN held on to his claim-nay, refused tempting offers for it, and was called a fool for so doing. And it did seem foolish when, in 1843, he declined $1,000 for his land. Had some dream of a future splendid city, rising like a palace of enchantment, come to him, as he slept in his bark-roofed cabin? Verily, one would think so. But fortune befriended the plain, humble French- man. Suddenly his acres leaped into great value. He was a
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1841] and of the County of Ramsey, Minnesota.
rich man. His dream had been realized. Yet, with property valued at over $100,000, he was the same plain, unassuming man as he had been in his pioneer cabin. True, he built a finer house, in 1849, corner of Wabasha and Seventh streets, where he resided until his death, but he assumed no parvenu airs, and no foolish pride puffed him up, though ample means compensated him for the hardships and privations of his earlier years. He gave to his children the education of which he had been denied. His generosity was a distinguishing trait. After the town was laid out, in 1847, he gave away property worth now a round quarter million-one block for the court- house, several lots to the church, and for other purposes. During his years of plenty, he was unceasingly beneficent to his poor countrymen, who always found in him a liberal and sympathizing friend. Honest and candid himself, his simple faith and trust in other men's honor, was large and confiding- a trait that continually enabled sharpers to defraud and over- reach him, until his ample fortune melted away by reverses, which, before his death, sent him into the bankrupt court. In his prosperous days, every enterprise for the good of the city, met his generous aid, and yet he, the once owner of millions, the princely donor of estates to the public, died poor, and his family have since felt the pinchings of want. His last illness was long and painful, but patiently borne. He died No- vember 11, 1870, aged 58 years, and his funeral was attended by a large gathering of old settlers and early citizens. The common council properly honored his memory by erecting a monument over his remains, which now repose in Catholic cemetery.
The excellent portrait of him, given elsewhere, was taken from a small card photograph, the only one he ever had made, and which was taken, not long before his death, at the urgent request of the writer.
PIERRE BOTTINEAU.
In 1841, PIERRE BOTTINEAU settled in Saint Paul, with his brother, SEVERE BOTTINEAU, and purchased of BENJ. GER- VAIS, a small tract of land on what was afterwards known as
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Baptist hill. PIERRE BOTTINEAU is one of the most notable characters of the Northwest. He was born in the Red River settlement, his father being a French Canadian, and his mother a Chippewa woman, and came to Fort Snelling, in 1837, where he was in the employ of General SIBLEY for a while, as guide, interpreter, &c. He was one of the settlers expelled from the Reserve,and came to Saint Paul, as above stated. He lived here six years, when he sold his claim, and made a new one at Saint Anthony Falls, which he subsequently laid out as an addition to the city. He was also the first settler at Maple Grove, or " Bottineau's Prairie," in, Hennepin county.
Perhaps no man in the Northwest has passed a life of more romantic adventures, exciting occurrences, hair-breadth es- capes, and "accidents by flood and field," than Mr. BOTTI- NEAU. He has traveled over every foot of the Northwest, and knows the country like a map. He speaks almost every In- dian language in this region, and his services as guide and interpreter have always been in great demand. He was guide to Col. NOBLES' wagon road expedition to Frazer River, in 1859, to Captain FISK's Idaho expedition of 1862, and Gen. SIBLEY's expedition to the Missouri River, in 1863, &c. His adventures, could they be faithfully written, would make a volume of surpassing interest. Mr. BOTTINEAU is now about 65 years of age, but is as strong and active as he was thirty years ago.
A CATHOLIC MISSION FOUNDED.
With whisky as an element of traffic, making brutes of the white men and demons of the red men-making Saint Paul- i. e., the little hamlet which was its nucleus-a by-word, even among the savages, there is no knowing what depths of abase- ment might have awaited it, had not a mighty and powerful moral influence been thrown into the scale against rum-and that was, a Christian church.
In 1839, Bishop LORAS, of Dubuque, had visited Fort Snel- ling and Mendota, with a view of establishing mission churches in a region, as yet, destitute of them, but which was now be- ginning to attract notice, and attention, and population, and
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bade fair, ultimately, to become of importance. In a letter to a relative in Ireland, [published subsequently in the " Annals of Faith," Dublin, 1840,] he says :
" DUBUQUE, July, 1839.
"I have just returned from Saint Peter's, [Mendota, ] where I made my second mission, or episcopal visitation. Though it lasted only a month, it has been crowned with success. I left Dubuque on the 23d of June, on board a large and magnificent steam vessel, and was accompanied by the Abbe PELAMOURGUES, and a young man who served us as interpre- ter with the Sioux. After a successful voyage of some days, along the superb Mississippi, we reached Saint Peter's. Our arrival was a cause of great joy to the Catholics, who had never before seen a priest or bishop in those remote regions ; they manifested a great desire to assist at divine worship, and to approach the sacraments of the church. The wife of our host was baptized and confirmed ; she subsequently received the sacrament of matrimony. The Catholics of Saint Peter's amount to 185, fifty-six of whom we baptized, administered confirmation to eight, communion to thirty-three adults, and gave the nuptial benediction to four couples.
" Arrangements have been made for the construction of a church next summer, and a clergyman is to be sent, when he is able to speak French, (which is the language of the majority,) English, and the Sioux. To facilitate the study of the latter, we are to have, at Dubuque, this winter, two young Sioux, who are to teach one or two of our young ecclesiastics."
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