USA > Minnesota > Wabasha County > History of Wabasha County : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc. : gathered from matter furnished by interviews with old settlers, county, township, and other records, and extracts from files of papers, pamphlets, and such other sources > Part 100
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located. The man shot at by the Indian was a German named Jacob Schroder, but the name of the woman who was killed I do not remember. I knew Schroder personally many years after, and the last I knew of him he resided in Shakopee, where he probably still lives, if he lives at all. This and the two following seasons I ran on the Minnesota (then called St. Peter) river, on different ones of the early steamboats, the Montello and the Iola (which belonged to my two elder brothers), the Globe, and Time and Tide (which belonged to Capt. Louis Roberts, an early settler of St. Paul, who died only six or seven years ago, and was a noted character), on the Black Hawk, Greek Slave, Clarion and others. These first boats carried up into the great valley of the Minnesota the early settlers and their goods, the government supplies to Fort Ridgely, and the annuity goods to the Indian agencies at Red Wood and Yellow Medicine. At times the water was too low for the steamboats to run above the rapids, when the freight and passengers would be trans- ferred to flatboats, which were 'polled' np the river, a distance of two hundred miles, by French 'pollers,' at a speed of about twenty miles a day. This portion of my early-day experiences - my flatboat experience for three years through a country swarming with the wildest of wild Indians, the Sionx, eight years before the terrible outbreak and massacre of 1862 - was the most romantic and eventful time in all my frontier life, its stirring incidents, if properly recorded, being sufficient in number and thrilling enough in character to con- stitute a volume. The most noted men of that time whom I can now recall were : Gov. Alex. Ramsey, Gen. Sibley, Maj. Josephı R. Brown (Sioux Indian agent), Willis A. Gorman, Samuel Pond (the venerable missionary), Maj. Murphy. Messrs. Borup and Oaks, Win. Constance, and the prominent 'river men,' while the grey- haired old Col. Abercrombie, of the regular army, was in command at Fort Ridgely. Of course there were men in all the scattering communities along the Mississippi river, further south in the terri- tory, who were then, and since have been, prominent men, but of whom I knew but little in those early times, save by reputation. I
and my brothers flatboated the first piano into the Minnesota valley that ever found its way up that river above Shakopee. It belonged to Col. Stoever, now of Henderson, and it was consigned and ' delivered in good order and condition ' to a new landing called Kasota, not far above St. Peter. The boat crew, after the strange instrument had been landed safely, all drew an extra pint of whiskey from the
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government barrels of that article that were on board, and drank to ' the health of the first piano and its jolly, rollicking owner.' This reminds me that the crews always used to levy upon the government whiskey, which always constituted a fair proportion of every cargo, for their supply of 'firewater.' They would tap a barrel whenever they ran short, draw out two or three buckets full of whiskey, and replace it by a similar quantity of river water. We used to deliver at the fort and at the agencies a good many barrels of tolerably weak whiskey ; some of it wouldn't have hurt the nerves of a child. At the close of the third year I returned home and spent the winter, returning to the northwestern frontier again early in the spring, this time all the way by river, making probably one of the longest con- tinuous river journeys ever made in this country ; nearly the whole length of the Alleghaney river, to Pittsburgh, thence the length of the Ohio river to Cairo, up the Mississippi to St. Paul, thence ascending the Minnesota river to Redwood agency, in all between three and four thousand miles. During the years intervening between my return and the outbreak of the war of the rebellion, save one summer spent in Iowa, and one year in the newspaper business at Belle Plaine, Minnesota, I ran on the upper Mississippi, St. Croix and Minnesota rivers, clerking, piloting, etc .; spending the winters in the heart of the big woods, on the Minnesota river, where my brothers had a settlement, engaged in cutting steamboat wood and getting out various kinds of timber, among the rest the timber for the St. Paul bridge, which we four brothers cut and banked in the winter and rafted to St. Paul in the spring. We were to take our pay in city bonds, which our St. Paul agent, after considerable trouble, collected for us ; but before he had turned them over to us he became involved in some scandal, and when about to be arrested he, having our bonds in his pocket, ran to the new bridge and jumped into the river far below, from the highest span, and neither he nor our money was ever heard of again, excepting a skeleton found a few years afterward in the river above Hastings, which was supposed to be that of the rascally suicide, Gray. On one of the long, tedions rafting trips with this timber from the Big Woods to St. Paul, the raft became windbound on the lower Minnesota river, by strong headwinds common in the spring, and the crew, of which the writer was a member, came near starving to death. We sub- sisted for a week or over on nothing more than roots, bark, etc., gathered along the shores, and a small box of spoiled herring.
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Parties who had gone to St. Paul by land at last came to our relief up the river in canoes, bringing provisions. The first meal consisted of cheese, bread, etc., and a pint of whiskey each. The repast had a very revivifying effect, and the hilarity that followed we attributed to the cheese. I was personally and thoroughly acquainted with all the leading as well as subordinate chiefs of the Sioux nation, including Little Crow - the leading spirit in the massacre of 1862 - Standing Buffalo, Blue Blanket, old Shakopee, Cut Nose, Other Day (the friendly Indian who saved sixty-two whites during the massacre), Little Dog and many others ; also all the thirty-eight who were hanged on one scaffold at Mankato. All these chiefs have often spent a night beneath the friendly roof of our Big Woods cabin in those early days, and partaken at our rude table with us. I also knew Hole-in-the-Day, the great chief of the Chippewa nation, and many of the principal chiefs of the Winnebago nation, Big Bear being a particular friend of the writer. Of the latter tribe I saw, at one time, four hundred canoe loads, with an average of five to the canoe, all in one body. I also witnessed the last great and bloody battle that took place between the Sioux and Chippewa nations, who have been the bitterest enemies from time immemorial. It occurred in the open river bottom on the north side of the Minnesota river, not far below Shakopee, and was attended by all the shameless and nameless atrocities common in Indian warfare. The Chippewas, after a most determined battle of several hours, were cut to pieces and put to flight.
"For aught I have ever known to the contrary, I was the first white boy that became a permanent resident of the territory and state who had neither parent or guardian with him. The summer before referred to as having been spent in Iowa, I again entered upon an apprenticeship at the printing business, in the office of the 'Tipton Advertiser,' Judge Spicer, editor. The summer was pretty badly broken up, however, owing to the fact that I became a member of a militia company, the Tipton Guards, commanded by that old Mexican veteran Capt. Hammond, in which, owing to my 'main strength and awkwardness,' I presume, I was made a sergeant. During the summer we served through what was known as the 'Iowa Horse Thief War,' immediately following the conclusion of which we were ordered to the frontier to quell the Indians who had broken out in what passed into history as the 'Spirit Lake Massacre.' Before reaching the bloody ground, however, the order was countermanded,
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much to our relief. After this, I resigned from the company, and also threw up my position of 'printer's devil' in the 'Advertiser' office, and returned to Minnesota -- two wars in one summer being more than I had contracted for, even 'in my mind.' At eighteen, in company with Horace Baxter, another boy about my own age, and the only brother of Col. L. L. Baxter, now of Fergus Falls, I leased the 'Enquirer' office at Belle Plaine, and after conducting it a year sold onr lease to Judge J. L. Macdonald, now of Shakopee, and Baxter and myself went to Portage City, Wisconsin, with a view of buying ont the 'Badger State' office at that place. Before nego- tiations were closed, however, my gallant and gifted young partner was killed near Kilbourn City by falling between the cars. After this I traveled several months through various western states, in order to perfect myself in the art of printing, by 'getting the styles" in various localities, when I returned to Minnesota and was employed in the old 'Pioneer' office most of the time until the war of the rebellion broke ont. I walked to Fort Snelling from Belle Plaine,- at which latter place I resigned my position of first lieutenant in what soon afterward became Co. A, 4th Minn. Inf., because the company voted not to join any regiment that was likely to be ordered south. When the vote was announced, in my boyish and enthusiastic rage I tore my sword from its scabbard and flung it through the air ; it fell point first, and I turned impetuously away, leaving it sticking in the prairie, and, as before stated, walked with- out stopping fifty miles to the fort, arriving just in time to get into Co. K, 2d Minn. Inf., with which I served nearly a year in Kentucky and Tennessee, and was finally discharged on account of disability received in the line of duty, and from being over-zealous in seeking out and performing hard duty, and consequent exposure in the inclement weather of a southern winter in the field. I would say here, however, that the 4th Minn. Inf. soon followed the Second south, and no braver men nor better soldiers ever wore the blue of patriotism than the members of the Fourth, and the members of Co. A afterward had the privilege of seeing and doing far more for their country than did their pettish lieutenant who threw his sword away at Belle Plaine. Upon my return to Minnesota, although in feeble health, I was just in time to go as a volunteer scout for Gen. Sibley in the Sioux war, consequent upon the awful massacre that deluged the Minnesota valley with blood, and during which prob- ably two thousand helpless men, women and children were put to.
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the scalping-knife and tomahawk along our western border. Five of us, mounted on powerful horses, Sheriff Frank McGrade, of Scott county, Garry Du Bois (recently returned from the 1st Minn. Inf., disabled, like myself), two farmer brothers. named Kearney, and myself, were ordered to go all through the country north of the valley and ascertain the true conditions of things, and
yours Truly M.C.Russell
join Sibley and his army at St. Peter and report, he moving up the south side of the river, hastening to the relief of Fort Ridgely, New Ulm and other points. This scouting expedition was a memorable experience, and braver and nobler men never lived than the four who accompanied me. When we started from Carver, on this expedition, we numbered forty horsemen, but in that first terrible night's ride through the dark woods all had turned back save we five before midnight. We, however, kept on, and scoured the whole
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country through to Hutchinson, swinging around through the prairie country, and reporting to the general as directed. We met no hostile body of Indians, fortunately for us, but saw much of their devilish work. Very much worn out, with five ruined horses, we returned home in safety. Since that time I have followed the print- ing and publishing business continuously, three years in Nashville, Tennessee, the remainder of the time in Minnesota. I established and conducted for five years the first newspaper on the Northern Pacific railroad, east of the Rocky Mountains, the 'Brainerd Tribune.' I am now, and expect to be, a resident of one of the prettiest little cities, richest counties and proudest states in all the sisterhood, Lake City, Wabasha county, Minnesota."
PETER REDING, Lake City, was born in Sheldon, Wyoming county, New York, April 6, 1845. His parents, Henry and Mary C. (Weber) Reding, were natives of Luxemburg, Germany. They came to Red Wing in 1867, and died there. The subject of this sketch passed his early life on his father's farm, and received a limited education in English and German. After spending two years in the Pennsyl- vania oil regions, he came to Minnesota in 1868. For six years he dwelt in Belvidere, Goodhue county, and then purchased the north- east quarter of section 8, Chester, which he still owns. This he dwelt on and tilled for nine years, and removed to Lake City in the fall of 1883 ; is now conducting a saloon on Washington street. On September 1, 1872, he was married to Miss Kate Glasner, who was born at Port Washington, Wisconsin, of German parents, and is ten years her husband's junior. Their children were born and chris- tened : March 31, 1876, Isabel ; April 5, 1880, Jacob Peter. All the members of the family are communicants in the Catholic church. Mr. Reding was elected by his democratic friends for three succes- sive years as constable of Chester, and seven years as supervisor.
CLARENCE E. FINCH, Lake City, born at Darien, Connecticut, com- menced business life as clerk in town clerk's office, postoffice and country store of that town at an early age, for John S. Waterbury, who still conducts the same offices and business. Afterward engaged as clerk in a New York city retail drygoods store, with John S. Lane, a brother-in-law of his Connecticut employer, and remained in this position about two years. Later was salesman in the shawl and cloak department of the wholesale drygoods house of Lathrop, Lud- dington & Co., of New York city, for one year, and from there engaged with H. B. Claflin & Co. (the largest wholesale drygoods
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house in New York) as general salesman. After remaining with this house about one year, went to St. Paul in pursuit of health. Being greatly benefited by the climate, concluded to make a resi- dence in St. Paul. He cast his first vote there in the interests of the republican party, and has adhered closely to the same doctrine ever since. After a short residence in St. Paul, engaged as salesinan with the old and well known drygoods house of D. W. Ingersoll & Co., of that city, this firm being customers of the New York houses that Mr. Finch was previously engaged with. After a term of about three years with this firm, he engaged in the wholesale tea, coffee and spice business as traveling salesman for the firm of Granger & Hodge, of St. Paul, this change of business being made in pursuit of better health ; two years later was admitted as partner in this con- cern, and remained another year in the business. During the last year's connection with the tea and coffee house, Mr. Finch was offered a partnership in a new wholesale drygoods house of St. Paul, just commencing business. At the same time was tendered a large salary for a term of years by Auerbach, Finch & Scheffer, wholesale drygoods, of St. Paul, which offer was accepted, and engagement ful- filled. In 1876 he returned to New York and re-entered the old house of H. B. Claflin & Co., as general salesman. In the spring of 1877, while connected with the New York house, Mr. Finch brought a general stock of drygoods and groceries from New York to Lake City, and established his present business, bringing Mr. E. R. Cartwright, of New York, to conduct the business until he con- cluded his arrangements with H. B. Claflin & Co. In the fall of 1877 Mr. Finch came to Lake City to personally superintend his business, which has steadily increased in keeping with his previous successes, and has since been known as the "New York cash store." The store building Mr. Finch bought in 1875, on speculation from H. B. Claflin & Co., therefore his establishing a business in Lake City could be considered accidental. The building is the only white or cream brick structure in Lake City, and the first brick building built in the town. The brick were brought from Chaska, on the Minnesota river, and it was built by Mr. James C. Stout in 1866. It is one of the very best built buildings in the town, having been only slightly scorched by the two destructive fires of Lake City. The building, 25×80, is two stories and basement, and usually crammed full of goods from roof to cellar, with a general stock of drygoods, carpets, oilcloths, house furnishing goods, crockery, glass-
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ware, groceries, etc. Mr. Finch buys his goods mostly in New York, from first hands, and strictly for cash. Having received his business education with the best business houses in this country, he enjoys the reputation of being one of the best judges of goods and closest buyers west of Chicago. He believes in the "one price cash system, small profits and quick sales." His forefathers were of the revolutionary stock, English origin, and he still retains an interest in the two old homesteads in Connecticut, descending from both his father's and mother's side, one of which has been in the family about one hundred and fifty years, deeded to them from the government, and within an hour's ride of New York city. He was reared in the Episcopal church, commencing his business life at his home in Con- necticut. Worked for a whole year, according to the custom of that country, for one dollar a week, and at about the age of thirty, before entering business on his own account, was paid a salary of five thou- sand dollars a year. He still has the identical first week's salary, in the shape of a gold dollar, in his safe. Besides Mr. Finch's interests in Lake City and Connecticut, he is extensively interested in St. Paul and Minneapolis real estate, and seems to have been successful in all of his undertakings, excepting the taking of a wife, being still a bachelor.
CHARLES E. HINCKLEY, furniture dealer, Lake City, is a direct descendant, through his maternal grandmother, of Gov. Bradford, famous in early New England history. He was born June 1, 1850, in the town of West Point, Stephenson connty, Illinois, to Ira Brad- ford and Martha Elizabeth Hinckley, natives of Vermont and New York. His father went to Illinois a young man and was married there. He secured land, taught school for some time, and finally settled at Lena. Here the subject of this sketch was reared and educated in the village schools. After managing his father's farm for three years he took a commercial course of one year at Madison, Wisconsin. In October, 1875, he became a resident of Lake City and engaged in the furniture trade with Samnel Butturff, now in Marshall county. Two years later he went into his present partner- ship with Andrew Koch, under firm name of Lake City Furniture Company. In the great fire of April, 1882, they suffered a loss of four thousand dollars on their stock. They then built the store which they occupy, on the south side of Washington street. Two stories are occupied and a large stock is carried. The monthly sales are about one thousand dollars. January 4, 1883, Mr. Hinckley
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was united in marriage with Miss Susan J., daughter of E. R. and C. M. Kinney, of Vermont and New York. Mrs. Hinckley is a native of Minnesota, having been born in the town of Lake, where her parents still reside. Mr. Hinckley is a member of the I.O.O.F., and has been connected with the Baptist church since sixteen years of age. He is a republican and an outspoken temperance advocate.
WILLIAM R. MURRAY, implement dealer, Lake City, is one of the early residents of Minnesota, having come in 1853 to Winona. He was born at Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1839. Philander and Harriet Murray, his parents, were natives of Genesee county, New York. The family is of Seotch origin, many generations ago. Orrin Mur- ray, the grandfather of this subject, was born and reared in New York. The parents of W. R. Murray died when he was a child, and he came west, as above related, in the care of an elder brother, Erastus H. The latter bought and finished the Winona House, and his sign was the first ever hung out in Winona. In 1860 our subject went to Rochester, where he dealt in agricultural machinery till 1870. At this time he became owner of a custom-mill at Frontenac. He shortly sold out and traveled as collector for a wholesale machi- nery house three years. In 1875 he opened a grocery store at Lake City, and next year went into his present business with a partner. In 1878 G. R. Bartron became a partner in the business, and the firm is doing an excellent business. Mr. Murray has been twice eleeted alderman of Lake City, and was elected in 1876 to the state legislature. February 7, 1870, he led to the altar Miss S. Emma Gates, a sketch of whose parents appears elsewhere in this volume. Two children have blessed this union, aged at present as here noted: Sarah, twelve, and Edith, six years. While in Rochester, Mr. Mur- ray was initiated into the Masonie order and still retains connection with the lodge there. Mrs. Murray is a communicant in the Episco- pal church, and her husband's faith is in sympathy with hers.
RICHARD R. DAMOUDE, a prosperous Plainview merehant, was born in Wanpun, Wisconsin, December 18, 1848. His parents were Richard and Jane (Edmonds) Damoude. When the great eivil war was raging fiercest his youthful patriotism caused him, although but sixteen, to importune his parents for permission to offer his ser- viees to his country, and in May, 1864, he enlisted for one hundred days in the 41st Wis. Inf. This regiment during its brief existence was stationed at Memphis, being assigned to the 17th Corps. Very little fighting was seen by young Damonde during the three or four
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months he was in the army, as that period was only marked by one important event, the raid of the rebel Forrest. At the expiration of the one hundred days our subject returned to Wisconsin, and learned engineering in the steam-sawmills belonging to Daniel Shaw, Esq., of Eau Claire. For two years, from 1868 to 1870, he had charge of the engines in Woodruff, Tafft & Co's sawmills at Chippewa Falls. He next engaged in farming near King City, Missouri, but a cyclone which destroyed the bulk of his personal property, during the third year of his sojourn here, so disgusted him with Missouri that he left his farm for sale and came to Minnesota, located in the pretty little village of Plainview and engaged in teaming and running a steam thresher for four or five years. In 1878 he entered the employ of Mclaughlin & Lynch, of the same place, dealers in agricultural implements. Was two years with this firm and three years with Lynch, successor to said firm. From January 1, 1883, to January 1, 1884, he was a member of the firm of Meachum & Damonde. and is now the sole proprietor of a very large business. He was married to Miss Hattie Beucus, a native of Wisconsin, at Fox Lake, in that state, May 22, 1870. They have two children : Lottie, born in King City, Missouri, January 25, 1873, and Charles C., born in Plainview, December 25, 1874. Mr. Damonde is a republican in politics, and a prominent member of the Odd-Fellows fraternity of Plainview.
JUSTIN H. CLEAR, shoemaker, son of Bavarian parents, Henry and Margaret Clear, was born in Buffalo, New York, on the last day of July, 1854. When he was three months old his parents moved to Jefferson, Wisconsin, where he was brought up. He attended the schools of that city till fifteen years old, when he began to learn the trade he has followed ever since. He was employed four years in a shoe factory at Jefferson. In November, 1875, he became a resident of Minnesota, working six months in Rochester. In May, 1876, he bought the business of J. S. Huntley and settled down in Mazeppa. Next year he moved into the building he now occupies as shop and residence, corner of First and Maple streets, and a year later purchased the property. On February 4, 1878, he was married to Mary Trout, born of German parents at Rio, Wisconsin. They have one child, born July 27, 1882, and christened Fannie. Mr. Clear was reared in the Roman Catholic church, to which he still adheres. He is a republican, and often has a voice in the councils of that party.
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GEORGE R. BARTRON, dealer in agricultural tools, Lake City, has been a resident of Minnesota since 1855. David and Phœbe J. Bartron, his parents, were born in Pennsylvania, of French and German descent, and the subject of this biography was given to them July 15, 1844, in Wayne county, that state. The family set- tled in Hay Creek township, Goodhue county, at the date first above mentioned, and Mr. Bartron now owns the original homestead. The father and mother afterward removed to Welch township, in the same county, where the former died in 1883, aged seventy-nine, and the latter still resides, aged seventy-four. Our subject remained on the farm until the fall of 1876, and then came to Lake City and opened an agricultural warehouse. Two years later W. R. Murray became associated with him, and the firm has continued the business with marked success. While very liberal in religions theories, Mr. Bartron is a supporter of the Episcopal church, where his wife and children attend. His wedding occurred November 8, 1866, the bride being Miss Maria D., daughter of W. J. Jacobs, a sketch of whom will be found elsewhere in this book. Four children have come to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bartron, and have been severally christened George W., John D., Sarah J. and Harry J.
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