History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 10

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1919
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1343

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The Territory was by the act of organization required to be divided into three judicial districts, and the district court to be held therein by one of the judges of the supreme court at such times and places as might be prescribed by law, and the judges thereof were required to reside in the districts assigned to them. The clerks of said courts were appointed by the judges thereof.

The United States officers of the Territory were a governor, secretary, chief justice, two associate justices, attorney and marshal, appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the senate of the United States. The governor received a salary of $1,500 a year as governor and $1,000 a year as superintendent of Indian affairs. The chief justice and associate justices and secretary received a salary of $1,800 a year, and the members of the legislative assembly $3 a day during their attendance

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HISTORY OF HOUSTON COUNTY

upon the sessions thereof and $3 each day for every 20 miles traveled go- ing to and returning therefrom.

The people of the Territory of Minnesota were not long content with a territorial government. In the words of A. N. Winchell, "December 24, 1856, the delegate from the Territory of Minnesota introduced a bill to authorize the people of that Territory to form a constitution and State government. The bill limited the proposed State on the West by the Red River of the North and the Big Sioux River. It was referred to the com- mittee on territories, of which Galusha A. Grow of Pennsylvania was chairman. January 31, 1857, the chairman reported a substitute, which differed from the original bill in no essential respect except in regard to the western boundary. The change there consisted in adopting a line through Traverse and Big Stone lakes, due south from the latter to the Iowa line. The altered boundary cut off a narrow strip of territory esti- mated by Mr. Grow to contain between 500 and 600 square miles. Today the strip contains such towns as Sioux Falls, Watertown and Brookings. The substitute had a stormy voyage through Congress, especially in the Senate, but finally completed the trip on February 25, 1857.

The enabling act, as passed and approved February 26, 1857, defined the boundaries of Minnesota as follows: "Be it enacted, ** that the inhabitants of that portion of the Territorry of Minnesota which is em- braced with the following limits, to-wit: Beginning at the point in the center of the main channel of the Red River of the North, where the bound- ary line between the United States and the British possessions crosses the same; thence up the main channel of said river to that of the Bois des : Sioux River; thence (up) the main channel of said river to Lake Travers ;. thence up the center of said lake to the southern extremity thereof; thence in a direct line to the head of Big Stone Lake; thence through its center to its outlet ; thence by a due south line to the north line of the State of Iowa; thence east along the northern boundary of said State to the main channel of the Mississippi River; thence up the main channel of said river and following the boundary line of the State of Wisconsin, until the same. intersects the St. Louis River; thence down said river to and through Lake Superior, on the boundary line of Wisconsin and Michigan until its inter- sects the dividing line between the United States and the British posses- sions ; thence up Pigeon River and following said dividing line to the place of beginning; be and the same are hereby authorized to form for them- selves a constitution and State government, by the name of the State of Minnesota, and to come into the Union on an equal footing with the original states, according to the federal constitution."

These boundaries were accepted without change and are the bound- aries of the State at the present time. The State was admitted May 11, 1858.

It will therefore be seen that the territorial claim of title to Houston county was first embraced in the papel grant to Spain, May 4, 1493. It was then included in the indefinite claims made by Spain to lands north and northwest of her settlements in Mexico, Florida and the West Indies; by the English to lands west of their Atlantic coast settlements, and by the

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HISTORY OF HOUSTON COUNTY

French to lands south, west and southwest of their Canadian settlements. The first definite claim to territory now embracing Houston county was made by La Salle at the mouth of the Mississippi, March 8, 1682, in the . name of the King of France, and the second (still more definite) by Perrot near the present site of Pepin, Minn., May 8, 1689. This was also a French claim. France remained in tacit authority until February 10, 1763, when, upon England's acknowledging the French authority to lands west of the Mississippi, France, by a previous secret agreement, turned her authority over to Spain. Oct. 1, 1800, Spain ceded the tract to France, but France did not take formal possession until Nov. 30, 1803, and almost immediately, Dec. 20, 1803, turned it over to the United States, the Ameri- cans having purchased it from Napoleon, April 30 of that year.

March 26, 1804, the area that is now Houston county was included in Louisiana District, under the executive power of the officials of Indiana Territory, and so remained until March 3, 1805. From March 3, 1805, until June 4, 1814, it was a part of Louisiana Territory. From June 4, 1814, to August 10, 1821, it was a part of Missouri Territory. From August 10, 1821, until June 28, 1834, it was outside the pale of all organized govern- ment, except that Congress had general jurisdiction. From June 28, 1834, to April 20, 1836, it was a part of Michigan Territory. From April 20, 1836, to June 12, 1838, it was a part of Wisconsin Territory. From June 12, 1838, to December 28, 1846, it was a part of the Territory of Iowa, and was included in the boundaries at first proposed for the State of Iowa. From Dec. 28, 1846, to March 3, 1849, it was again without territorial affiliation. From March 3, 1849, to May 11, 1858, it was a part of Minne- sota Territory and on the latter date became an integral part of that Sovereign State.

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CHAPTER VII

EARLY SETTLEMENT

Situated at the southeast corner of a great State, Houston county be- gan to attract settlers long before the land was open to preemption. These settlers, for the most part came by one of three great routes of travel. One way was to embark on a Mississippi steamboat at some Illinois point, which had been reached overland, and travel directly to this county. Another way was to embark on a Mississippi boat at some Illinois point, and disembark at some Iowa point, often McCregor or Lansing, and thence come overland across the prairies to Houston county. Another way was to reach La Crosse by water or overland, and after Oct. 14, 1858, by rail- road, and thence to come across the river into Houston county. Browns- ville early became an important port of entry for those who came on steam- boats or from LaCrosse. These routes were not only used by settlers com- ing into Houston county, but also by thousands of settlers seeking land further west, so the trails were thronged with travelers, and much desir- able land had been occupied by squatters before it came into the market in 1854.

The first settlement in Houston county was made in what is now Jefferson township. In 1847, John and Samuel Ross, natives of Penn- sylvania, the former of whom had served in the Mexican War, came up the river by steamboat from Galena, Illinois, and disembarked at an excellent landing on the west bank of the Mississippi. With the help of the Winne- bago Indians, each of the brothers erected a cabin. When the survey of the boundary between Iowa and Minnesota was started at the Mississippi River in 1849, it was found that one of the brothers had his cabin in Iowa and one in Minnesota. A few years after their arrival Samuel sold out to John, who later sold the whole property, but continued to live in this vicinity. For some time the brothers engaged in getting out lumber. Their place was long known as Ross's Landing. In 1854 a number of sturdy Irishmen arrived, with their families, among whom may be mentioned Patrick Collins, John Cauley, Thomas Brady, Patrick Donahue, Patrick McCue, Daniel Friney, Daniel Kennedy and Michael Crowley.

Brownsville was settled in 1848. The first settler was Job Brown. Brown, whose adventurous nature gave him the sobriquet of "Wild Bill," had come from Michigan to Galena, Illinois, and from there had entered service in the Mexican War. After that campaign he came up the Mis- sissippi River on a steamboat, disembarked at the mouth of the Chippewa River, there secured a canoe and floated down the river looking for a townsite. For a while he visited at La Crosse, and then continued his journey. On reaching the group of islands opposite the mouth of the Root River he found there, a shanty, in which were living a German named

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HISTORY OF HOUSTON COUNTY

Vunk and an American named Phillips, the latter of whom had an Indian wife. The three men decided to form a partnership in planting a town at the foot of the towering crag known as Wild Cat Bluff, a location well known to all three. The excellent landing, the wonderful opportunities of hunting in the surrounding wilderness, the potential possibility of future agriculture in the lands stretching westward, were all factors in this de- cision, but perhaps the leading reason was that owing to its position in the Neutral Strip, they would not have to pay tribute to the Indians for its occupancy, and would in addition probably be unmolested by the Fur Com- panies which sought a monopoly of fur trading with the various Indian tribes.

Tearing down the walls of the cabin, the three men constructed a raft, loaded on the roof, and floated down to the new location. This was in June, 1848. Having planted his colony, Brown returned to White Pigeon, Michi- gan, visited his father, and in the fall started back to Minnesota with his brother, Charles Brown, and his sister's husband, James Hiner, as well as four helpers, one John Miller, two familiarly known as "Jerry the Frenchman" and "Jangulation Bill," and one whose cognomen is not known. Lost in a snow storm, they finally found themselves at Black River Falls, with provisions running short, and Miller with a badly cut foot. Leaving the party there, Job struck out through the snow, and after great suffering reached La Crosse, followed later by the others. About Christmas time, they arrived at Wild Cat Bluff, and found the cabin deserted, Phillips hav- ing been drowned and Vunk having moved on. Thus the settlement had its start.

In 1850 came David Brown, who had met Job Brown during the Mexi- can War, but who was not a relative. A little later came William Morrison, who became known as "Wild Cat Jack." With him was William Blair. Others came in gradually, and with the establishment of the land office and the influx of settlers to the prairie lands west and northwest, the village be- came an important point.

La Crescent was settled in 1851. The first settler was Peter Cameron. He had been a fur trader in several states, and in 1843 had located at La Crosse, where he had built a claim shanty, and engaged in fur trading and lumbering. In the spring of 1851, he came across the river, and erected a commodious double log house, in section 10, near an excellent spring. At the same time he secured considerable land, and attempted to establish a village. In 1855 he went back to La Crosse, where he died July 30, of that year. In 1852, Thor Halvorson, probably the first Scandinavian in the county, located in the southeast quarter of Section 3. He made some im- provements, and did some wood chopping, but for several years spent most of his time away. The same year, William Meyers, a German, established a claim on Section 6, and rolled up some logs for a shelter, while F. Duren settled in the same Section, as did also Henry Wetgen. Samuel Hopper settled near the northwestern part of the county partly in Houston and partly in Winona county. This was the beginning of the Pine Creek settle- ment. In 1853, Johannes Tuininga, a Hollander, settled in Section 6, and Martin Cody, from Ireland, in Section 8.

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HISTORY OF HOUSTON COUNTY

Hokah was permanently settled in 1851, but was occupied as early as 1849, by William Richmond and John Kreels, who built a shanty on the banks of the Root River in Section 34, and got out lumber to raft down the Missis- sippi River. Their shanty was a comfortable affair for their temporary occupancy, but they made no attempt at establishing a permanent home or making a claim at that time. Richmond was afterward identified with the history of Brownsville.

The first permanent settler came, as noted, in 1851. In that year Edward Thompson started out with two companions from Winnebago County, Illinois, looking for a mill site. Coming up across the Iowa prairies, he reached this county, passed a little west of the present village of Cale- donia, and reached the South Fork of Root River without finding what he desired. There he hewed out a canoe from a walnut log, and drifted down the Root and Mississippi Rivers to Brownsville. Thus he and his compan- ions reached the cabin of Job Brown, but the owner being away, and the door being securely fastened they were compelled to sleep on the frosty ground. The next day Mr. Brown returned and suggested the mouth of what is now known as Thompson's Creek as a suitable location. Accord- ingly, Thompson staked a claim there and put up a shelter. In October of the same year he brought his family here, his wife being the first white woman in the community. His brother, Edward, also came, and took a prominent part in the early days of the village. Among those who helped in building the mill were John H. Steward, a blacksmith. Other early com- ers were Albert Blackinton, Fred Hammer, William Rielur, and Jeremiah Jenks.

Winnebago was settled in 1851, as was its neighboring towns of Wil- mington and Caledonia. Freeman Graves, a native of Vermont, started out from Columbia county, Wisconsin, on foot, to find a new home further west. Crossing the Mississippi at McGregor, Iowa, he pursued his course North through Clayton and Allamakee counties, and on March 15, staked out 200 acres, a part of which was in Section 34, Winnebago township, and a part in the State of Iowa. Working alone in the wilderness, he erected a shanty almost on the state line, and then went back to Columbia county and induced some of his friends to follow him. All selected claims nearby, in Iowa. Having thus secured some neighbors, he brought his family here that winter, his wife being the first white woman in the settlement. Asa Beeman settled in the town in 1852. James and William Tippery came in 1853. Among the arrivals of 1854 were Asa Sherman, S. C. Perry, David Salisbury, Patrick Walsh, Thomas Barry, Michael Sheehan, Timothy McCarthy and F. D. Eaton. There was an influx of settlement in 1855, and in that year the German population began to arrive.

The first settlers in the vicinity of Wilmington township, while intend- ing to locate in Minnesota, got over the line into Iowa. In June, 1851, came Mrs. James Robinson and her sons, William, Henry, John and George. They came from Columbia county, Wisconsin, crossed the Mississippi, and trav- eled up over the prairie until they reached the state line. On July 4, they erected a log house. Henry, one of the brothers, took a claim of eighty acres in section 36, Wilmington township, and put up a log shanty in 1852.

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He continued, however, to live with his mother on the Iowa side. The Indians were nearby on the Upper Iowa River, and frequently visited at the home. In 1852 James Coil and George Carver located on the Iowa side of the line. In the same year a settlement was made in section 32, by John Edger, Michael Callahan, Charles Kelley and Michael Tanner, all natives of Ireland. None of this colony remained long. Gjermund Johnson Lommen came in 1853, and settled on section 16, later moving to section 7. He was soon joined by Knut Anderson, Halver Peterson, Knudt Severson, Knud Olson, Ole O. Hefte, and Fred, Peter, James, Eber and Iver Hanson. In 1854 came the vanguard of the Rhode Island settlement, and that year and the next came such men as James M. and Darius (Duty) S. Paine, Charles F. Albee, Jeremiah Shumway, Silas C. Perry, Dr. Alex Batchellor, Tideman Aldrich, John G. Cook, James K. True, John McNelly, David Salisbury, Elisha Cook and others. In 1854, Henry Deters, the first German settler, arrived, and gradually others of his countrymen obtained possession of practically all the land about Fitzen.

The first settler in Caledonia was Ralph L. Young, said to have been previously a Mormon elder at Nauvoo, Illinois. He came here in 1851, with his wife, two sons and a daughter, and put up a bark hut in the southern part of the town. In May, 1852 Anthony Huyck, a native of Allegany county, New York, settled about a mile and a half from the present village, accom- panied by Peter L. Swartout. The two were jolly young bachelors, and many amusing stories are told of their efforts at housekeeping. After break- ing forty acres, Huyck went on to Spring Grove. Samuel Armstrong took a claim also in 1852. In December of that year, William F. Dunbar came here, looked over the land and made plans for bringing a colony from Massachusetts.

In March, 1853, Samuel McPhail came over from Wild Cat Valley, where he had settled in December, 1851, and selected a claim. In June of 1853 he began active improvements by building a little log store and log dwelling. In the store venture his partner was O. W. Streeter.

The advance guard of the Massachusetts colony came in August of that year. They landed at Brownsville, and having been recommended to a certain hotel, found it a single room log cabin, in which the party could hardly find standing room, to say nothing of sleeping accommodations. But they made the best of the circumstances, and the next day followed the trail to Caledonia.

In this party were Edwin H. Stewart and family, John Dunbar and family, Henry Parmelee and Michael Mead. Others who came that year were Henry Burnet, Hugh Brown, James Hiner, L. W. Paddock, Nelson Haight, Hugh Brown, Eugene Marshall, J. W. Finn, Jacob Webster, Daniel Herring, Hiram Abbey, James Wing, Joseph Pendleton, John Burns and Thomas Burns. Among those who followed were J. J. Belden, Daniel Kerr, Jedediah Pope, Milton B. Metcalf, Charles W. Metcalf, Oliver Dunbar and Wells E. Dunbar. Nearly all of these settlers landed at Brownsville and found their way to Caledonia on foot or with ox teams. Caledonia village soon became an important stopping place on the route to points further westward.

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HISTORY OF HOUSTON COUNTY

The first development of Spring Grove dates from the winter of 1851- 52, and before the end of 1852 there was quite a settlement in the town. In the winter mentioned, John Vale, who lived over the line in Iowa, came up and selected a considerable tract of land, and split some rails. In the spring of 1852, Arthur B. Bow and James Smith staked out claims. Bow, who was from Vermont, staked out large tracts in the most desirable locations for the purpose of speculation. He built a crude cabin and proceeded to wait for the influx of land seekers. Smith put up a shanty east of Bow, his claim being on section 11. In the fall he went back to Lansing, where he worked for the winter at his trade as a printer. A little after the arrival of Bow and Smith, Anthony Huyck came over from Caledonia. As he had already been in the county a year he was well equipped for pioneer life. In the summer of 1852, there was a decided influx of settlement, principally of people of Scandinavian birth. Vale sold to H. Narveson, Knud Knudson Kieland and Fingal Asleson. For a time all three lived in the Vale cabin in the eastern part of section 10, and held the land in common, but soon divided their land and erected separate cabins. About the same time Peter Johnson Lommen settled in section 3, Knud Olson Bergo in section 10, Evenson Haime in section 9, Ole and Tolef Amundson Berg in section 16, and Torger Johnson Temelane in section 15. Other early settlers on Norwegian Ridge were Gulbrand M. Rund, Levor and George Timanson, Gilbert Nielson, Myrha and Hans Nielson, Ole C. Steneroder, Ole Oldon (Big Ole) and others. In the southern part of the township, in 1852, Ole O. Ulen settled in section 26, John Anderson Kroshus in section 26 and Ole Christopherson in sections 34 and 35. In the same year, W. Banning put up a grist mill in section 19.

The first settler in Houston was W. G. McSpadden, who came up the Root River from La Crosse, June 14, 1852, and staked out 80 acres in sec- tion 33, just above the confluence of the South Fork with the Root River. Mr. McSpadden operated a ferry at La Crosse, and until 1854 divided his time between the two places. On his second trip here, in 1852, he brought with him, Ole Knudson. Knudson took a claim east of McSpadden, and erected his cabin, by consent, on McSpadden's land. Walter Webster took a claim west of the others, in section 33, the main part of the village now standing on part of his claim. He lived through the winter in McSpadden's cabin.

The year of 1853 marked a period of activity in settlement. Among the arrivals of that year was a colony of six families from Sweden, who had read in a Swedish paper of the wonderful possibilities of the Root River Valley, and decided to cast their lot here. The heads of these families were David Johnson, Lars Johnson, John Anderson, Abraham Anderson, Ole Ben- son and Lars Redding. David Johnson bought out Webster's rights for $30. Lars Johnson secured a claim west of him, the extreme western part of the village now lying on the western edge of his farm. John and Abraham Anderson located in section 3. Lars Redding settled in section 34.

In the meantime, settlers had been coming into the Silver Creek region. The first comer was Henry Hyatt, who arrived in 1852 and settled on the eastern branch of Silver Creek. He looked over a large tract of land, intend-

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HISTORY OF HOUSTON COUNTY

ing to bring in a colony of relatives, but his expectations did not materialize, and he soon left.

John S. Looney came the same year and settled on section 27, in that beautiful valley that has since borne his name. He brought his family in the fall and at once became a prominent citizen. His three adult sons, James, Corydon and Abraham, also secured claims. The family remained about six years. With the Looneys came Charles Gainer, who settled on section 23. Samuel Cushon came the same year and his name is still applied to the high peak which is included in the land he took. He soon left.

Other early settlers were E. K. Dyer, Charles Case, Adam Coon, A. B. Hunt, Isaac Thompson, William Webster, William Butterfield, John Moore, Lawrence Lynch, Harvey McAdams, Albert H. T. Stafford and Morris Farmin.

The first settler in Crooked Creek township was George Powlesland, who came in June, 1852, and selected a claim in section 36. He spent the summer working on a farm in Iowa. In the fall he came back with a team of oxen, accompanied by George Littlefield and William Oxford. A prairie fire had swept over the region and Mr. Powlesland found considerable dif- ficulty in getting his bearings and finding his claim. Mr. Littlefield and Mr. Oxford selected claims, but did not return until the following year. Mr. Powlesland proceeded to erect a cabin, 16 by 20 feet, with a single window and an earth floor. On Jan. 12, 1853, he brought his family here, making the trip with the ox team from Iowa. Though in the middle of the winter there was but little snow on the ground and the trip was made without difficulty. In the spring of 1853 Mr. Oxford drove in with an ox team from Brownsville, following the old Indian trail, on which he made a number of improvements.

The date of the first settlement of Mound Prairie township is in con- siderable doubt. Along the Black River in this township there was a heavy growth of black walnut timber, which could be cut and rafted down the Mississippi, and this naturally attracted early attention. Possibly John Crypts came in 1852, or earlier. He brought his family, settled south of the river on section 34, and started to get out logs with the assistance of the Indians. Thomas Van Sickle, also probably came in 1852, and engaged in the same business. He was first in section 4 south of the river and later in section 21, north of the river. James C. Day, John Bush and Henry P. Eber- hard came in the next year or so.

The first settler in Black Hammer township was Edwin Stevens, who came here with his wife in 1852, and settled on section 21. But the season was unusually dry, water was scarce, and he continued on his way to section 4, where his wife helped him to put up a log cabin. In 1854 he sold out and moved still further north into Yucatan township, where he established a mill. Torkel Anderson, a native of Norway, came in March, 1853, having made his way up over the Iowa prairies on foot bringing with him an axe, two iron wedges and beetle rings as his only tools for making a shack. He put up a shanty of poplar poles with a birch bark roof, split rails to enclose a field, and cleared ten acres the first year. He also planted an orchard of apple trees. In the same year came Halver Olson; Guttorm and Jens Olsen

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History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 10

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1343

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1919
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1343