History of Dakota County and the City of Hastings, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 89

Author: J. Fletcher Williams
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages:

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Henry Minea is a native of Indiana, born in 1851. When a child with five years he re- moved with his parents to St. Paul, Minnesota, thence in a short time to West St. Paul. His father purchased eighty acres of land and there was the parental home until 1872, when his father died. Henry rents the farm of his mother on which he lives. Married Miss Julia Craver in 1878; she has borne him one child, Casper.

Theobald Motz was born in Germany, in 1827. Came to America in 1851 and lived three years in Ohio, then to Illinois, making that state his home, eight years, thence to St. Paul, Minnesota, after a brief visit in Missouri. Locating in West St. Paul he purchased a farm of seventy-two acres, which has since been his home. Elizabeth Kiser and Mr. Motz were united in marriage in 1855. Nine children have been born to them, seven of are living: Jacob, Ludwick, Charles, William, Lizzie, Emma, Julia, Lena and Lydia.

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Paul Perrault, a native of Canada, was born in 1886. Remaining under the parental guidance until fifteen years of age, he then served an ap- prenticeship of three years as a blacksmith. Pro- ceeding to Minneapolis, Minnesota, he worked at his trade three years, also six years in St. Paul. He went to the Yellowstone, in the employ of the government a few months, then returned and soon after rented a farm in West St. Paul and carried on a dairy two years. On selling he pur- chased his present place in the township.

L. D. Robarge was born in 1853, in St. Paul, and latter removed with his parents to West St. Paul, where they still make their home. His mother died March 15th,1881, at the age of sixty- six years, the father is still living, aged sixty-eight. Edward, his brother, was married in 1876, to Miss Catherine Vondell. Edward and Jane are their children.

Adam Sacks is a native of Germany, born in 1831. Here he lived with his mother until eight- een years of age, his father having died while he was a small child. Coming to America in 1849, he proceeded to Detroit, Michigan, and there learned the trade of mason, in which he continued as a journeyman seven years. He came to St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1856, and worked nine years at his trade. Owning city property, he disposed of it and invested in one hundred and fourteen acres in West St. Paul on which he still lives. In 1859 he returned to Detroit and was married to Miss Charlotte Kulenkamp who has borne to him eight children: Emma, Frank- lin, Clara. John. William, Augusta M., Lena and Eleard.

Gottfried Schmidt was born in 1815 in Germany. When twelve years old his parents died within three weeks of each other. Being left thus early in life without the protecting care of his parents, he changed about until in 1849 he came to America. Remaining in St. Louis two years, he came north- ward to St. Paul in 1852. One and one-half years later he went to West St. Paul and made a claim of one hundred and sixty acres which is still his home. Married, in 1852, Miss Mary Dickhudt. There came to his house, one day in 1854, an Indian with his little boy, wishing Mr. Schmidt to adopt him, he being one and one-half years old. He accordingly took into his house- hold the bright little fellow, where he still re-

mains, having grown to manhood under the guidance of his foster parents. He speaks both English and German.

J. Schmidt was born in Germany in 1818. Here he lived with his parents until nine years old, when he was left an orphan by their death. Remaining in his native country until 1849, he then came to America, landing at New Orleans; thence to St. Louis. Three years later he went to St. Clair county, Illinois, where he made his home seventeen years, engaged as a plasterer. Removing to West St. Paul, Minnesota, he pur- chased six acres on which he lived nine years; then rented a farm from Mr. Meyers, and is still living on it. In 1854 he married Amelia Dick- hudt who has borne him nine children; Jost H., Emil L., Mary E., Julius A., Mary J. and Gott- fried are the living.

Rudolph Sever is a lifelong resident of West St. Paul, having been born at that place in 1859. He still resides with his mother, his father having departed this life in 1878. His parents were natives of Germany, and came to America in 1840. After living in St. Louis eight years, came to West St. Paul and bought a farm of one hun- dred and one acres. Mr. Sever was united in marriage with Miss Mary Dickmann in 1880.

Joseph Silk was born in Pittsburg, Pennsyl- vania, in 1826. After attaining majority, he came to St. Paul, Minnesota, the next year re- moved to West St. Paul and now has a desirable farm of one hundred and sixty acres. During the Indian outbreak he was forced to go to Fort Abercrombie, remaining there thirty days. His father born in 1799, met his death in 1872, by being gored by a bull. His brother John enlisted in Company M, Second Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Cavalry, and served two years, receiv- ing his discharge at Fort Snelling.

Mrs. E. Sweeney, born in 1830, is a native of Ireland. When eighteen years of age, she came to America, landing at the harbor of New York. Making her home seven years in Connecticut, she came in 1855 to St. Paul, Minnesota. Here she met, and the same year was united in mar- riage with Edward Sweeney. They moved to his farm in West St. Paul, where she still lives. Nine children have been born to them: Margaret Michael, Timothy, John. Catherine, Edward Patrick, William and Joseph.

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James Sweeney was born in 1818, in Ireland. He was left an orphan when twelve years old, and at that time his father's farm became his. On attaining majority he sold the farm, and came to America. Going to Iowa, after a brief stay in Illinois, he made a claim of one hundred and sixty acres, on a miner's reserve, and improved thirty acres, then rented it and passed ten years at the lead mines in Wisconsin. He then came to St. Paul, Minnesota, and soon after made a claim in West St. Paul, which is still his home. Married December 28th, 1844, Martha Evans, who has borne him ten children, eight of whom are living: Mary, Josephine, Emma, Hugh, Alice, Martha, James and Rose.

Charles Thoele, born in 1822, is a native of Germany. He attended school until the age of fourteen, then was employed as a laborer by the farmers until 1844, when he came to America. Worked in a foundry about eight years in Cairo, Illinois, then went to Missouri and opened a store, but failed in two years. In 1855, came to St. Paul, Minnesota, and rented a farm in West St. Paul, which he tilled seven years, then pur- chased it. Here is his present home. Enlisted in 1865, in Company D, First Minnesota Regi- ment, and served four months, being mustered out in Indiana. In 1847, married Mary A. Klen- schmidt. Catherine, Louise, Ludwick, Wilmena, John, Carolina, Maria, Paulina and Emma are their children.

George W. Wille, gardener, was born in Indi- ana. in 1854. His father moved to Inver Grove, Dakota county, Minnesota, when George was about two years old. On reaching man's estate, he began earning his own livelihood: learned the stone-mason's trade, then purchased twenty-one acres of land in West St. Paul, and is now gar- dening, of which he makes a success.

Frederick Zehnder, born in 1824, is a native of Germany. When fourteen years old, he learned the baker's trade and continued in it fourteen years. Coming to America, he made his home for three years in Pennsylvania, thence to St. Paul, Minnesota. He now lives on a farm of eighty acres, in West St. Paul. Married in 1857, Miss Caroline Slinger, who died in 1867, leav- ing four children: Sophia, Frederick, Rosa and Leah. Married Mary Faith, who has borne him five children.

MENDOTA.

CHAPTER LXVI.

FIRST SETTLEMENT IN MINNESOTA-EARLY TRADERS - INDIAN TREATY -- MENDOTA NAMED AS CAPITAL-TOWNSHIP HISTORY- ORGANIZATION-SCHOOLS-BIOGRAPHICAL.

The village of Mendota is the site of the first settlement in what is now the state of Minnesota. The spot now occupied, on the west bank of the Mississippi river, just below the confluence of that stream and the Minnesota, was once covered with a dense growth of sugar, or hard, maple trees, which were ruthlessly destroyed, supposed by the troops engaged in building Fort Snelling, in 1819. The stumps of the trees were yet num- erous in 1834.

There is no absolute certainty as to who made the first habitation here, but it is believed to have been a half-breed Sioux, by the name of Duncan Campbell. He was located at Mendota as a trader in 1826, and was afterward at the falls of St. Croix.

The place only assumed importance after the building of Fort Snelling, when the American Fur Company, at whose head was John Jacob As- tor, of New York, selected it as the most eligible location for the main depot of their trade with the Sioux Indians of this region. Here were equipped with goods, the different traders whose posts were established along the Minnesota river to its source, and on the Red River of the North, and the dividing ridge between the Missouri and Minnesota rivers, and on the Cannon and Des Moines rives.

The trade in furs and peltries with the numer- ous bands of Sioux Indians in all this vast ex- panse of country, was under the control of the partner of the American Fur Company, whose headquarters was at Mendota. The capital em- ployed was very large. Each summer, those in charge of the trading stations, brought the collec- tion of furs made by them to St. Peter's, as Men- dota was then called, in boats or in carts, and

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were furnished with goods and provisions requisite for their trade the ensuing year. Dur- ing this busy season, there was a concentration of a large number of traders, clerks and voy- ageurs, at the main depot, which gave it a bus- tling and important air.

The name Mendota is formed from the Sioux word "mdo-te," which signifies the junc- tion of two rivers, or, more euphoniously, the "meeting of the waters." It was substituted for St. Peter's about the year 1887.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

French traders must have been stationed near the mouth of the Minnesota river, at a very early date, for in 1779, Joseph Renville, son of a French trader and a Dakota woman, was born at Kapo- sia. In 1812, Aitkin came from the Lake Supe- rior country, and joined James Aird at Mendota. In 1820, Jean Baptiste Faribault located on Pike's Island. He came through the solicitation of Col. Leavenworth then in charge of Fort Snel- ling.

To Jean Baptiste Faribault properly belongs the honor of making the first settlement in Da- kota county. He was born at Berthier, Canada, in 1774, and died at Faribault, Minnesota, which town his son Alexander was instrumental in founding, in 1860. He came into the western country as trader. in 1798, and from posts in Illi- nois, and on the Des Moines river, was appointed to a post at Little Rapids, on the Minnesota river, now Carver, in 1803-4. He was a staunch friend of the United States during the war of 1812, and on that account was arrested by a colonel of the British militia, and for some time held a prisoner. His entire property was destroyed by the British and their Indian allies, and he found himself obliged to commence again the work of accumu- lating a competency. When he located on Pike's Island, in 1820, he built log cabins, and had several acres of land under cultivation. In 1822, the island was submerged by the high water of the Minnesota, and Faribault was obliged to re- move, which he did, locating on the east bank of the Mississippi, some distance below the island. He suffered a considerable loss in furs and stores.

In 1826, the water again rose to an extreme height. An ice gorge some forty feet high, formed just above Fort Snelling, and Colonel Snelling, at

the fort, seeing Faribault's danger in case the gorge should suddenly break and precipitate the volume of water upon him, sent down a boat which rendered timely service in enabling Fari- bault and his family to escape and save a portion of their goods, consisting of a valuable collection of furs and skins. His buildings and stock were all carried away. Then it was that Faribault erected his dwelling at the spot now called Men- dota, then known as St. Peters. His family con- tinued to reside here for many years, while he passed his winters at Little Rapids, where he had established a trading post.

Fort Snelling was commenced in 1819, and completed in 1824. The first barracks for the troops was constructed on the south bank of the Minnesota river, near the site of the present rail- road bridge, within the limits of the present township of Mendota. In 1821, Colonel Leaven- worth procured from the head men of the Sioux bands, a grant of land nine miles square, at the junction of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. In this treaty was a clause by which the Indians gave to Faribault's wife and children, "Pike's Island." This gift was not, however, recognized by the government. Mr. Faribault outlived his wife and four children, out of a large family. His son Alexander, born at Prairie du Chien, was the eldest of the children, and is still living near the city of Faribault, of which he was the founder. Faribault deservedly held the respect and esteem of all with whom he came in contact.

D. Lamont was a trader located at the mouth of the Minnesota, in 1826. Alexis Bailly, of whom an extended notice is given in the chapter on the city of Hastings, was for many years a resident of Mendota, beginning about 1826. He was here in the interests of the American Fur Company and had charge of this post until 1884. Vetal Guerin came to Mendota late in the fall of 1882. He came with a company of voyageurs from Mon- treal, and traversed the entire distance in boats. He resided here until 1839. Antoine Le Claire came about the same time. In 1882, John L. Campbell, an account of whom may be found on page 206, was born at Mendota.

The year 1884, marks the arrival of Henry Has- tings Sibley, who infused life into all branches of trade and industry. He remained devoted to the interests of Dakota county and of Minnesota,

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for many years. He was a partner in the American Fur company and came as superinten- dent of the interests of that company in this por- tion of the north-west, and remained as a citizen. In 1862, General Sibley, then in charge of the military district of Minnesota, removed to St. Paul. He is the oldest surviving settler of Da- kota county, and as he originally stood, with na- tive kindliness, between many of its pioneers and financial ruin, so is he still trusted by them and looked to for advice on many subjects. As the chapter advances more will be said in reference to General Sibley.

William Henry Forbes, a Canadian of Scotch descent, came in 1837, and for ten years was em- ployed by General Sibley, then removed to St. Paul, where he died in 1875. He was well known as trader, citizen and official. Major Forbes mar- ried a daughter of Alexander Faribault, in 1846. Parrant, known as Pig's Eye, the founder of St. Paul, came to Mendota in 1832 and was prohibited in 1835, by Major Taliaferro, Indian agent, from coming into the Indian country, on account of his whisky selling proclivities. In 1838, Parrant left Mendota entirely and became the first settler at the point known as Pig's Eye, afterwards the city of St. Paul.

At the time H. H. Sibley arrived, 1834, the only buildings at Mendota, were those occupied by the fur company and its employes. In 1836, a large stone store was erected, and followed by the com- pletion in 1837, of a dwelling of the same ma- terial by Mr. Sibley, partner in the fur company. John Miller was the mason. This residence still stands, in a good state of preservation, and is the oldest private residence in the state of Minnesota. It is occupied by the Catholic sisters as an indus- trial school.

During the early days of St. Paul, Mendota was the only place where tea, flour, pork and other necessities of life could be obtained. Gen- eral Sibley's store, opened soon after his arrival, marks the beginning of the great commercial in- terests of the state, as well as county. The stone hotel, built by Alexander Faribault, in 1837, was the first public house of entertainment, and fur- nished shelter to many of those who came the succeeding year and settled on the east side of the river. The log houses previously constructed and occupied, were all taken down and removed. 33

Mendota remained the depot of the fur trade for several years, and, indeed, until the final abandonment of the business by the firm of P. Choteau and Company, of St. Louis, Missouri, who were the successors of the old American Fur Company.

The land embraced in the village was entered, under what was termed the townsite act of con- gress, passed in 1844, by the Hon. Andrew G. Chatfield, judge of the district, for the benefit of H. H. Sibley and his co-partners. The village was made the county seat in 1854, one year after the organization of the county, and remained as such until 1857, when, by a popular vote, the county seat was removed to Hastings.

The earliest religious services were held by the missionaries, who devoted themselves to work in this region. These have already been alluded to in chapter XXXIV. In 1839, Rev. E. G. Gear arrived as chaplain at Fort Snelling, and probably held Episcopal services on the Mendota side of the river.

In October, 1842, the Catholic chapel, of modest dimensions, supplemented a few years thereafter by the stone edifice, which still occu- pies a prominent position, was built under the auspices of Father Lucian Galtier, the first mis- sionary of that church in this region. Father Galtier was soon succeeded by Rev. Father Ra- voux, who labored long and faithfully with the whites and Indians for many years, and was then called to a more extended and important sphere of action, as vicar-general of the diocese of St. Paul, a position he still holds.

In 1849, the census on which the representa- tion was based, placed the population of Mendota at 122. Subsequent to the treaties of cession, the village increased very considerably in popula- tion. Judge Chatfield, Isaac Holmes, a promi- nent citizen of Wisconsin, James Thomas, W. H. McCollum, Edward Lemay, Jeremiah Nealy, Hypolite Dupuis, Michael Dupuis, J. J. Noah, John Kennedy, now postmaster at Hastings, Francois Le Claire, H. J. Scheffer, Thos. Proven- calle, Michael Finch, Joseph and Octave Beau- det, and others, whose names can not now be as- certained, were among the first to establish them- selves in the village.

Mr Sibley was elected a delegate to congress from the territory of Wisconsin, while yet a

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resident of Mendota, and at the session of 1848-'9, succeeded in procuring the passage of a bill for the organization of Minnesota territory. He was elected as delegate from the new territory, for the two successive congresses, serving five years in all, during which time he secured many ap- propriations for public buildings, roads and other objects. Among the most important was the ne- gotiation of the treaties with the Sioux, or Da- kota Indians, the result of which was the cession to the government by these bands, by the Mendota and Traverse des Sioux treaties, of their pos- sessory rights to the whole of the magnificent domain west of the Mississippi river. The suc- cessful result of the negotiations was mainly due to the exercise of the great influence of Mr. Sib- ley among the Indians, as they were naturally reluctant to part with so splendid a heritage on any terms.

The treaty consummated at Mendota was made in 1851. July 29th of that year, the chiefs and head men of the two prominent bands of Souix, the Med-e-wa-kan-ton-wan and Wak-pa-koota, met at the warehouse in Mendota, for the pur- pose of holding council with the commissioners of the United States government. After the pipe had been passed around the circle, a speech was made by Governor Ramsey, Rev. G. H. Pond acting as interpreter. He stated that game was becoming scarce, and that the lands were of lit- tle value to the Indians, alluding to the fact that the whites were surrounding them, as the upper bands had already sold their possessions. They would be paid money and furnished supplies to a certain amount, and still live on their own lands, if they complied with the request of the government.

This council was also addressed by Colonel Luke Lea, Indian commissioner. After this the council was broken up to allow the proposition to be submitted to the Indians, which was done through an interpreter. The following day, the Indians declined to again enter the warehouse, claiming that it was too warm. Their real ob- jection, however, was that they were afraid the building would not stand the weight, and they confessed to their friends that they thought the walls would fall. An arbor was then erected on the high ground near Pilot Knob, to which they repaired. The Indians continued to hesitate

over parting with their lands. Nothing was effected that day and the next. August 1st, the council adjourned, leaving the Indians sitting surprised on the benches. The council did not meet again until August 5th, the matter in the meantime having been talked up outside. Fi- nally, after considerable discussion and objec- tions on the part of the Indians, the treaty was concluded, and the lands on the west of the Mississippi became the property of the whites, and were thrown open to settlement. A com- plete account of the treaty and the articles con- tained therein will be found on page 207 of this volume. These treaties were confirmed by the senate at the succeeding session, and Minnesota thenceforth became the center of attraction to emigrants from the states as well as from abroad.

It is not certain at what date the first school was opened, but it was prior to 1850, and was taught by a Canadian named Lejendre. The log chapel, erected by Rev. Father Ravoux, was used for school purposes.

Mendota was, on the 11th day of June, 1849, declared by the governor, to be the seat of justice for the third judicial district, territory being di- vided into three districts on that day. The first court was held on the fourth Monday in August, Judge David Cooper, presiding, and H. H. Sibley, foreman of the grand jury, the first ever empan- elled west of the Mississippi river, in Minnesota. Only three of the twenty old men, composing the jury, understood the English language, and Major Forbes acted as interpreter through the term, but no indictments were returned. The large stone warehouse belonging to the fur company, was used for a court-room.

Mendota was laid out on land owned by H. H. Sibley, Jean B., and Alexander Faribault, on the north-east quarter and the west half of section 27, township 28 north, of range 23 west, of the fourth principal meridian. Hypolite Dupuis was the justice before whom the plat was sworn to, and the date of record was May 1st, 1855.

Beaudets addition to Mendota was laid on land owned by Joseph Beaudet, part of lots 3 and 4, section 27, township 28, ranges 28 and 24. The plat was filed for record, November 17th, 1856. It was surveyed by W. E. Beall, and recorded March 27th, 1857.

The selection by the war department of Fort

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Snelling as the rendezvous for volunteers during the war of the rebellion, was a fatal blow to Mendota. Its proximity to that post was an in- ducement for the soldiers to frequent it by day and night, to the annoyance, and indeed, danger, of the families of respectable residents, many of whom sold their dwellings and other property at any sacrifice, and transferred themselves in all haste to other and more quiet localities. Mr. Sibley, who had been put at the head of the forces in the field to suppress the hostile Indians, after the terrible outbreak and massacre of 1862, was appointed general of volunteers by President Lincoln, and placed in command of the military district of Minnesota, embracing also northern Dakota, with headquarters at St. Paul, to which city be removed with his family in November of that year.

It is an historical fact that Mendota was the place selected by the senate committee on states and territories, when the bill providing for the organization of Minnesota as a territory was pending.

In the original bill, as reported to the senate, Mendota was named as the capital of the terri- tory, and it is owing to the strict integrity of Henry H. Sibley, then delegate from Wisconsin territory, that St. Paul was substituted. The circumstances were as follows. Stephen A. Douglas, chairman of the committee on states and territories in the United States senate, had, a short time before the question of Minnesota as a territory had arisen, made an extended pleas- ure trip to this region. During this tour, he visited Pilot Knob, the elevation in the rear of Mendota, and was particularly pleased with the magnificent and extended view to be obtained from that point. To the left, stretched the val- ley of the Minnesota, and in the center, the gorge of the Mississippi and the country surrounding the Falls of St. Anthony. To the right, the "Father of Waters," sweeping majestically through a grand curve, past the white bluffs and the embryo city of St. Paul. Douglas had this view in his mind, when drafting the bill, and de- cided that Pilot Knob was the place for the cap- itol buildings, as they could be seen for miles on every side. At that time, 1849, the only settle- ments of importance in the proposed territory were those at St. Paul, St. Anthony, and Stillwater,

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History of Dakota County and the City of Hastings, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 89

Author: J. Fletcher Williams Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: J. Fletcher Williams
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages: