History of Ramsey County and the city of St. Paul, including the Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota, Part 32

Author: Warner, George E; Foote, Charles M., joint author; Neill, Edward D. (Edward Duffield), 1823-1893. Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota. 1n; Williams, J. Fletcher (John Fletcher), 1834-1895. Outlines of the history of Minnesota
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Minneapolis, North Star Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 684

USA > Minnesota > Ramsey County > St Paul > History of Ramsey County and the city of St. Paul, including the Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota > Part 32

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The title to all lands in St. Paul was still vested in the United States, but the increase of popula- tion, the increasing value of lands and frequent transfer of claims showed the importance of a survey, and the laying out of a town. Ira B. Brunson and brother, Benjamin W. Brunson, of Prairie du Chien, (the latter is now clerk in the St. Paul post-office), were employed for that purpose, and the former entered on the work in August, and the tract now known as St. Paul proper, was laid out, containing about ninety acres. The recorded plat shows that the proprie- tors were, Louis Robert, David Lambert, Henry Jackson, Benjamin W. Brunson, Charles Cavilier, Henry H. Sibley, J. W. Bass, A. L. Larpenteur, William H. Forbes, J. W. Simpson, Henry C. Rhodes, L. H. LaRoche, J. B. Coty and Vetal Guerin, but the plat could not be entered this

year, and was not entered until April 28th, 1849.

The surveys for the United States were made in the fall of this year. James M. Marsh run the town lines in October, and in the following month the sub-divisions were made by Isaac N: Higbee.

The organization of a steamboat company to run regular packets from Galena to Mendota and Fort Snelling, was an important event of this year, and materially contributed to the prosperity of St. Paul. Up to this time only stray boats, at irregular intervals, visited this region.

The new settlers of this year were: Wil- liam Henry Forbes, John Banfil, J. W. Bass, Fred. Oliver, Benjamin W. Brunson, Wm. C. Renfro, Daniel Hopkins, Sr., Parsons K. John- son, Miss Harriet E. Bishop, C. P. V. Lull, Aaron Foster, G. A. Fournier, S. P. Folsom.

In 1848, Henry M. Rice generously offered ten town lots and $200 for the building of a church edifice, which resulted in the erection of the Market street Methodist church, now occupied by the Swedenborgians.

The excessive use of spirituous liquors has been heretofore referred to, and it is worthy of record that the first temperance society in St. Paul was organized this year, by the young people, some of them pupils of Miss Bishop's school.

The public lands in this region having been surveyed in September of this year, the lands where St. Paul now is, were offered for sale to the highest bidder. H. H. Sibley, Louis Robert, and A. L. Larpenteur were selected as trustees to enter the lands for the various claimants, and the latter had fears that speculators would com- pete in their purchase, and thus run up the price. In this, however, they were happily disappointed.

In referring to this sale in his " Reminisences of Early Days of Minnesota," General Sibley says: " I was selected by the actual settlers to bid off portions of the land for them, and, when the hour for business had arrived, my seat was invariably surrounded by a number of men with huge bludgeons. What was meant by the pro- ceedings I could, of course, only surmise, but I would not have envied the fate of the individual who would have ventured to bid against me .??

It was understood among the claimants that if any one bid above one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, they would duck him in the river. The task assigned to the three commissioners, as

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before stated, was both delicate and difficult, but was finally accomplished to the satisfaction of all concerned. Some of the claimants, however, who did not understand English and the details of conveyancing, allowed their claims to remain in Mr. Sibley's name some years, and it required trouble and persuasion on his part to get them to receive and register their deeds.

About this time, Miss Bishop records in her diary that J. R. Clewett entered Mr. Irvine's house and said, " My! how this town is growing. I counted the smoke of eighteen chimneys this morning."

On February 10th, 1819, the territorial legisla- ture of Michigan created Crawford county, with the following boundaries: On the east by a line running north and south from the portage of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, and extending to Lake Superior, thence westward to the Missis- sippi river. For over twenty years its boundaries remained unchanged.

In 1836, the territory of Wisconsin was organ- ized, comprising all of Michigan territory west of the lake, except what is known as the upper peninsula of Michigan. In 1840, through the in- fluence of Joseph R. Brown, a bill was passed creating St. Croix county, which included all of Crawford county lying west of a line running northward from the mouth of Porcupine river, on Lake Pepin, to Lake Superior, and the county seat was located at Dakotah, Brown's townsite, near the upper end of the present city of Still- water. The same year, Mr. Brown was elected to the Wisconsin assembly for two years. Hence- forth, this region was to have a voice in the man- agement of public affairs.

May 29th, 1848, Wisconsin was admitted into the Union as a state, with its present boundaries. The residuum of the territory of Wisconsin was that portion of the present state of Minnesota, in- cluded between the state of Wisconsin on the east, and the channel of the Mississippi from the mouth of the St. Croix to the "head waters or sources of the Mississippi," and thence due north to the British Possessions, and following the na- tional boundary line to Lake Superior, an area of 20,000 square miles. For this remnant of the ter- ritory, congress made no provision by repealing or modifying the organic act.

The question arose whether the old territorial

government did or did not continue in force over this region, a subject on which public opinion was divided. A meeting to consider the matter was held in the building at St. Paul, known as Jackson's store, near the corner of Bench and Jackson streets, on the bluff. This meeting was held in July, and a convention was proposed to consider their position. The first public meet- ing was held in Stillwater on August 4th, and Messrs. Steele and Sibley were the only persons present from the west side of the Mississippi. This meeting issued a call for a general conven- tion, to take steps to secure an early territorial organization, to assemble on the 26th of the month, at the same place. Sixty-two delegates answered the call, and to this convention the letter of Hon John Catlin, who had been secretary of the territory of Wisconsin, was read, as follows:

MADISON, August 22d, 1848. Hon. Wm. Holcombe:

DEAR SIR-I take the liberty to write you briefly, for the purpose of ascertaining what the citizens of the present territory of Wisconsin de- sire in relation to the organization of a territorial government. Congress adjourned on the 14th inst. without taking any steps to organize the ter- ritory of Minnesota, or to amend the act of 1836, organizing Wisconsin, so that the government could be successfully continued. I have given Mr. Brown, by whom I send this, a copy of Mr. Buchanan's opinion, by which he gives it as his opinion that the laws of Wisconsin are in force in your territory, and if the laws are in force, I think it is equally clear that the officers necessary to carry out those laws are still in office. After the organization of the state of Michigan, but be- fore her admission, Gen. G. W. Jones was elected by the territory of Michigan, (now state of Wis- consin) and was allowed to take his seat. It is my opinion that if your people were to elect a del- egate this fall, he would be allowed to take his seat in December, and that a government might be fully organized; and unless a delegate is elected and sent on, I do not believe a government will be organized for several years. You are aware of the difficulty which has prevented the organi- zation of Oregon for two years past, and the same difficulty will prevent the organization of Minne- sota. If Mr. Tweedy were to resign, (and he would if requested) I do not see any thing to pre-

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vent my issuing a proclamation for an election to fill the vacancy as the acting governor; but I should not like to do so unless the people would act under it and hold the election.

If a delegate was elected by color of law, con- gress never would inquire into the legality of his election.

It is the opinion of most all this way, that the government of the territory of Wisconsin still continues, although it is nearly inoperative for want of a court and legislature.

I write in haste, and have not time to state fur- ther the reasons which led me to the conclusion that the territorial government is still in being; but you can confer with Mr. Brown, who, I be- lieve, is in possession of the views and opinions entertained here on the subject. I shall be pleased to hear from you at your earliest conve- nience. Yours very respectfully,

JOHN CATLIN.

The opinion of Hon. James Buchanan, secre- tary of state, referred to in Mr. Catlin's letter is as follows :

" The question is, whether the laws of the ter- ritory of Wisconsin still remain in force in that portion of it now beyond the limits of Wisconsin. I am clearly of the opinion that these laws are still in force over the territory not embraced within the limits of the state. It can not well be supposed that congress, by admitting the state of Wisconsin into the Union, intended to deprive the citizens of the United States, beyond its limits, of the protection of existing laws; and there is nothing in their legislation from which any such inference can be drawn. The difficult question is, what officers still remain to carry those laws into execution. It is clear to my mind that all the local officers residing in counties without the state line, such as judges of probate, sheriffs, justices of the peace, and constables, may exercise their appropriate functions as here- tofore. Whether the general officers, such as governor, secretary, and judges, appointed for the whole of the former territory, are authorized to perform their duties within what remains of it, presents a question of greater difficulty, on which I express no opinion. Whatever may be the correct decision of this question, immediate leg- islation is required; because it is very certain that congress will never consent to maintain the

machinery provided for the government of the entire territory, merely for the purpose of gov- erning the twenty-five hundred or three thousand inhabitants who reside beyond the limits of the state."

This convention appointed H. II. Sibley a del- egate " to visit Washington during the ensuing session of congress," "to represent the interests of the proposed territory of Minnesota, and urge an immediate organization of the same."

A memorial addressed to President Polk was also prepared praying for the early organization of the territory. The signers of this memorial were: A. L. Larpenteur, David Lambert, J. W. Simpson, II. Jackson, Vetal Guerin, David Her- bert, Oliver Rosseau, Andre Godfrey, all of St. Paul, and many others who resided elsewhere.

On September 18th, 1848, Hon. John H. Tweedy resigned his office as delegate to congress for the territory of Wisconsin. Hon. John Catlin having been induced to visit Stillwater for a temporary residence, on October 9th, issued a proclamation as governor of the territory of Wisconsin, order- ing a special election to fill the vacancy, which was accordingly held on the 30th of October. The candidates were H. H. Sibley and H. M. Rice. It was not generally believed that the elected delegate would be allowed to take his seat in congress and neither candidate particularly de- sired the office or made any particular effort to secure it. H. H. Sibley was elected and in No- vember took his departure for Washington.

The settlers of this year were: David Olm- sted, Nelson Robert, David Herbert, Wm. IJ. Kelton, E. B. Wild, Henry M. Rice, A. II. Caver- der, Benj. F. IIoyt, Wm. II. Nobles, David Lam- bert, Wm. D. Phillipps, W. C. Morrison, Nathan Myrick, E. A. C. Hatch, Hugh Glenn, Andre Godfrey, Oliver Rosseau, Andy I. Shearer, Albert Titlow, Richard Freeborn, William Freeborn, Alden Bryant, Lot. Moffett, A. R. French, Wm. M. Brown, Hugh McCann, B. W. Lott, H. C. Rhodes.

The year 1849 is an important era in the his- tory of this region. In this year the residuum of the territory of Wisconsin loses its identity in the larger territory of Minnesota, the territorial government is organized. St. Paul receives its charter and our material interests receive an

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impetus of marvelous prosperity which it is the province of this chapter to record.

The winter of 1848-9 was long and severe, hemmed in by snow which fell unusually early (November 1, 1848,) two hundred miles from Prairie du Chien, through which all communica_ tions with the civilized world had to pass; the mails carried over this trackless and unsettled region on a dog sledge, and at irregular intervals, was a state of affairs not pleasant to contemplate. much less to endure. It was not until January that the result of the presidential election an- nouncing the election of Gen. Taylor was re- ceived.

On the arrival of Hon. H. H. Sibley in Wash- ington, as delegate from the territory of Wiscon- sin, his credentials were presented and referred to the committee on elections, which, after several meetings and considerable discussion presented a majority and minority report. The majority re- port was accepted and Mr. Sibley took his seat in congress as delegate for the territory of Wis- consin being the territory as before stated, lying mainly between the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers and running north to the British posses- sions.

Mr. Sibleys's seat secured, which cost no little tact, patience and perseverance, he at once ad- dressed himself to the passage of a bill creating the territory of Minnesota. He desired that when the bill was presented to the house it should have prestige of having passed the senate, and it was accordingly drawn by the chairman of the committee on territories, Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, making Mendota the capital of the pro- posed territory. A copy of the bill was sent to Delegate Sibley for perusal, who lost no time in calling on Senator Douglas, and urged that the capitol should be located at St. Paul, representing that it was the wish of a majority of his constitu- ents. He also represented that he was a large land-owner in Mendota; that the bill as it stood located the capitol on his land; that such loca- tion would enhance its value by many thousands of dollars, and would place him under suspicion, however unjust, of representing his pecuniary in- terests in Washington, rather than the expressed wishes of his constituents. To this Mr. Douglas replied that he had visited the location, at the junction of the two rivers, the site was com-

manding and picturesque; that he would assume the entire responsibility, and in his judgment Mendota combined superior advantages and was the proper place for the proposed capitol. To this General Sibley replied by repeating and giv- ing emphasis to reasons before stated, and finally Senator Douglas, without changing his views on the subject, consented to a call of the committee, and that Mr. Sibley should be present and state his objections. It was not until three days of labor and anxiety on the part of Delegate Sibley that the desired change in the bill was accom- plished, making St. Paul the capital of the terri- tory, a change in the wisdom of which Senator Douglas, on a subsequent visit to this region, fully acquiesced. The bill passed the senate, but met considerable opposition in the house, which was finally overcome, and received the executive approval March 3d, 1849.

Owing to the slowness of the mails, partly in- cident to the breaking up of winter, the news of this important event was over five weeks in reaching St. Paul. The event is thus graphically portrayed by David Lambert in a communication, published in the first number of the Pioneer, under the heading of "The Breaking up of a Hard Winter."

" The last has been the severest winter known in the North-west for many years. During five months, the communication between this part of . the country and our brethren in the United States has been difficult and infrequent. A mail now and then from Prairie du Chien, brought up on the ice in a train drawn sometimes by horses and some- times by dogs, contained news so old that the country below had forgotten all about it. When the milder weather commenced, and the ice be- came unsafe, we were completely shut out from all communication for several weeks. Some time in January we learned that Gen. Zachary Taylor was elected president of the United States. We had to wait for the arrival of the first boat to learn whether our territory was organized, and who were its Federal officers. How anxiously was that boat expected ! The ice still held its iron grasp on Lake Pepin. For a week the arrival of a boat had been looked for every hour. Ex- pectation was on tiptoe.

" Monday, the ninth of April, had been a pleas- ant day. Toward evening the clouds gathered,

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SEYMOUR'S DESCRIPTION OF ST. PAUL IN 1849.

and about dark commenced a violent storm of wind, rain and loud peals of thunder. The dark- ness was only dissipated by vivid flashes of light- ning. On a sudden, in a momentary lull of the wind, the silence was broken by the groans of an engine. In an other moment the shrill whistle of a steamboat thrilled through the air. Another moment and a bright flash of lightning revealed the welcome shape of a steamboat just around the bluff, less than a mile below Saint Paul. In an instant the welcome news flashed like electricity through the town, and, regardless of the pelting rain, the raging wind and the pealing thunder, almost the entire male population rushed to the landing, as the steamboat, " Dr. Franklin No. 2" dashed gallantly up to the landing. Before she was made fast to the moorings she was boarded by the excited throng. The good captain and clerk (Capt. Blakely) were the great men of the hour. General Taylor can not be assailed with greater impunity for the 'loaves and fishes' than they were for the news and newspapers. At length the news was known, and one glad shout resounded throughout the boat, taken up on shore, and, echoed from our beetling bluffs and rolling hills, proclaimed that the bill for the or- ganization of Minnesota Territory had become a law !"

It is estimated that at this time the entire ter- ritory, could not have contained a population of more than one thousand whites. The census taken four months later, when many immigrants had arrived, showed a total of but four thousand six hundred and eighty, of which three hundred and seventeen were connected with the army, and a large percentage of the remainder were of mixed blood.

The entire territory west of the Mississippi was still unceded by the Indians, save such small tracts as had been secured for military purposes. Steamers on the river north of Prairie du Chien had no regular landing places except to wood up. Mr. James M. Goodhue, founder of the Minne- sota Pioneer, states that in April of this year there were but thirty buildings in St. Paul.

The first number of the Minnesota Pioneer, issued on the 28th of April, of this year, advised immigrants who were "swarming into St. Paul in such multitudes, to bring along tents and bed- ding, to provide for their comfort uutil they could

build houses, as it is utterly impossible to hire a building in any part of the village, although builders are at work in every direction complet- ing houses."

E. S. Seymour, author of "Sketches of Minne- sota, the New England of the West," landed in St. Paul the 17th of May. He says: "On arriv- ing at the wharf, a numerous throng of citizens and strangers came rushing down the hill to welcome our arrival. I grasped the hand of many an acquaintance, whom I unexpectedly found here. Everything appeared to be on the high-pressure principle. A dwelling house for a family could not be rented.

"The only hotel was small and full to overflow- ing. Several boarding houses were very much thronged. Many families were living in shanties made of rough boards, fastened to posts driven in the ground, such as two men could construct in one day. It was said that about eighty men lodged in a barn belonging to Rice's new hotel, which was not yet completed. Two families oc- cupied tents while I was there. While traveling in Minnesota, I made my headquarters in St. Paul, where I occasionally tarried a day or two at a boarding-house, consisting of one room, about sixteen feet square, in which sixteen per- sons, including men, women and children con- trived to lodge. The remaining boarders, a half dozen or more, found lodgings in a neighbor's garret; this tenement rented for $12 per month. The roof was so leaky that during the frequent rains that prevailed at that time, one would often wake up in the night and find the water pouring down in a stream on his face, or some part of his person."

"We are now near the dividing line of civilized and savage life. We can look across the river and see Indians on their own soil. Their canoes are seen gliding across the Mississippi, to and fro between savage and civilized territory. They are met hourly in the streets. * * * Here comes a female in civilized costume; her com- plexion is tinged with a light shade of bronze, and her features bear a strong resemblance to those of the Indians. She is a descendant of French and Indian parents, a half-breed from Red River. There goes a French Canadian, who can converse only in the language of his mother tongue. He is an old settler; see his prattling

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children sporting about yonder shanty, which was constructed of rough boards, with about one day's labor. There he lives-obliging fellow! ex- posed to the sun and rain, and rents his adjoin- ing log cabin at $12 per month. Let us pass on to the group that converse daily in front of yon- der hotel. They appear to be principally profes- sional men, politicians, office-seekers, speculators and traders, discussing the various topics grow- ing out of the organization of the new territory, such as the distribution of the loaves and fishes, the price of lots, the rise of real estate, the oppor- tunity now afforded for the acquisition of wealth or political fame.

" The townsite is a pretty one, affording ample room for stores or dwellings, to any extent de- sirable. I could not but regret, however, that where land is so cheap and abundant, some of the streets are narrow, and that the land on the edge of the high bluff, in the center of the town was not left open to the public, instead of be- ing cut up into small lots. It would have made a pleasant place for promenading, affording a fine view of the river, which is now liable to be intercepted by buildings erected on these lots .?? At a later date of this year, the same writer says:

"On the 13th of June, I counted all the build- ings of the place, the number of which, includ- ing shanties, and those in every state of progress from the foundation wall to completion, was one hundred and forty-two, of the above, all, except about a dozen,. were probably less than six months old. They included three hotels, one of which is very large, and is now open to the ac- commodation of travelers; a state house, four warehouses, ten stores, seven groceries, three boarding houses, two printing offices, two drug stores, one fruit and tobacco store, one or two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, one tin shop, one or two bakery shops, one furniture room, a billiard and bowling saloon, one school-house, in which a school of about forty children is kept by young lady, and where divine services are per- formed every Sabbath by a minister of the Epis- copalian, Methodist, Presbyterian, or Baptist persuasion. There is also a Catholic church, where meetings are held every alternate Sabbath. At the time mentioned above there were twelve attorney's at law, six of whom were practicing, five physicians, and a large number of mechan-

ics of various kinds. There was not a brick or stone building in the place. There are however, good stone quarries in the vicinity, and clay near the town, where persons are employed in making brick."

In May of this year, " not a lock of hay could be bought from Galena to St. Paul." In the same month, ex-Governor Slade, of Vermont, general agent of national popular education, ar- rived here with three young ladies, among whom was Miss Mary A. Scofield, one of the first teach- ers employed in the schools of the town. She is now the wife of Hon. A. S. Kissell, who, for some years, was superintendent of the schools of Minneapolis, and was subsequently state super- intendent of public instruction for the state of Iowa.

Mrs. Kissell related to the writer the following incident of early days in St. Paul, which oc- curred in 1849 or 1850. She was in one of the best houses in the town, consisting of two rooms the first floor and chamber, the latter reached by a ladder, and having loose boards for a floor. While in this rude chamber reading Byron, sup- posing she was alone, absorbed in the rolling numbers, sparkling wit, bitiug sarcasm, and charming reveries of her author, she was inter- rupted and startled by the words, " Reading By- ron is like gathering flowers on a dung-hill," a laconic and just criticism from the inspiration of genius. On looking up, Miss Scofield saw the founder of the Pioneer, J. M. Goodhue, looking over her shoulder.

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