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 107
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taking. Mr. Bailly and his son Henry were among the original proprietors of the city of Hastings.
A LOYAL INDIAN.
The picture of Talı-mah-haw, the friend of Gen. Pike, together with a commission as a chief from Gen. Clark, of Missouri, dated in the year 1814, are in the possession of the old Indian's friends in Wabasha. Tah-mah-haw was called by the old French voyageurs the "Old Priest," because he was a great talker on all occasions. In the war of 1812 he rendered important service to the government, and it was his boast that he was the only American in his tribe. At one time while carrying dispatches from Prairie du Chien to Fort Snelling he was pursued by a party of Sacs and Foxes. Being hard pressed, he noticed a log cabin at some distance, and on getting to it rushed in. The family, it appeared, had just abandoned the house and left the fire burning. Tah-mah-haw, on looking around for a place to secrete himself, thought of the chimney, and up it he rushed. His enemies coming up soon after, entered the house, but not think- ing of the chimney did not stay long. After waiting awhile until the coast was clear Tah-mah-haw got down and took the other trail. Another time he was surprised by a war party of the same nation, · and being on the bank of the river when it was full of running ice, he jumped in, and by diving managed to escape to the other shore. The old man was taken away from here at the outbreak of the Sioux war in 1862, and died at the Santee Agency, Nebraska.
AN EARLY RELIGIOUS IMPRESSION.
Many amusing anecdotes might be told of early times in Wabasha, among which to the writer occurs his first experience in attending church. On a Saturday in March, 1856, he arrived in Wabasha and put up at what was then known as Harrold's hotel. In the morning inquiry was made if there was religious services in the place that day, and was coolly informed that he believed that there was an "old Methodist minister that did some kind of howl- ing up at Hays' hall," so at the proper time the writer wended his way to the hall. There was quite a congregation assembled and religious services commenced. The room below the hall was occu- pied as a saloon. In that was fiddling and dancing. Very soon a free fight was organized below, when every man, except the preacher and the writer, rushed out to see the fight, and the women present crowded to the windows to overlook the fight. Between the cursing
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and swearing of the belligerents below and the screams of the women above as some of their friends would be knocked out of time, it seemed as though pandemonium had broke loose. The fight soon ended by all hands repairing to the saloon and taking a drink. Reverential thoughts were driven from the minds of the congrega- tion, and they quietly departed without waiting for the benediction.
IRISH WAR.
In the spring of 1856 a feud existed between two disciples of Esculapius, one residing in the town of Greenfield, the other at Wabasha, both of Irish descent. It happened one day that the learned doctor from Greenfield was met in the street at Wabasha by his brother of the pill-bags, when the latter drew his pistol and com- menced firing at the former. A running fight ensued, the doctor from Greenfield making quick time for what is now Hurd's hotel, the doctor from Wabasha following up and firing his pistol at inter- vals until his rival was safely ensconced in the hotel. Five shots were fired, three of which penetrated the clothing of the Greenfield doctor, and one slightly wounding him in the back. The learned doctor was so badly frightened that he dare not leave the hotel, and sent word to his friends to come to his relief. The next day the quiet citizens of Wabasha were astonished to see a regularly organized company of Irishmen, about thirty in number, march into town with colors flying and drums beating, all heavily armed. They marched to the hotel where their comrade was hidden and soon had him mounted on horseback, when, with more zeal than discretion, and much more valiant than on the former day, now that he was surrounded by his friends, he began to make threats to raid, to kill, murder and hang the citizens, especially the rival doctor ; but better counsel prevailed, especially when he observed that quite a number of the citizens were congregating at Harrold's hotel and arming them- selves for the pending affray. The Irish legion quietly marched out of town, no blood being spilled and no one injured except the old man Augustin Rocque, an old French trader and Indian scout, who had seen service and was anxious for a fight, who in flourishing his small sword accidentally wounded himself in the arm, from which wound he soon after died.
A SURVIVOR OF BAD AXE.
The last survivor of the Sioux Indians who fought with the Americans against the Sacs and Foxes at the battle of Bad Axe lives
·
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in his little cabin a short distance below the city of Wabasha. Mah-Kah-Kee-dalı, "Burnt Land," such is the name of the old man, who belonged to Wah-pah-sha's band, and distinguished himself during the Black-Hawk war. When Wah-pah-sha was at his village, where Winona now stands, called at that time Wah-pa-sha Prairie. Gen. Dodge called on the chief, and requested him to take part in battle against their old enemies the Sacs and Foxes. Wah-pa-sha, after consulting with Wah-kuh-tah, who was chief of the band on the lake, told the general that when white people went to war they provided for their families, but that Indians had to trust to luck. Gen. Dodge took the hint, and ordered the captain of the steamboat to roll off a number of barrels of flour and pork, to be distributed to the different Indians. Wah-kuh-tah was here a few years ago visiting his relatives, and told the writer about those stirring times.
Many wonderful stories are handed down from generation to generation by the Indians, and the more wonderful the better appre- ciated. Wah-kuh-tah, whose village stood at the head of Lake Pepin, told the writer that a long time ago an immense fish was found on the shore of the lake. One of the Indians took his bow and measured across the head four lengths, and that the body was long in proportion. The fish had the make of a catfish, and when found it was dead. Another story is told ofa snake having been seen in a crevice of the rocks near Maiden Rock, that probably belonged to Donnelly's Age of Fire and Gravel. His snakeship, according to the tradition, must have been sixty or seventy feet long, and about a bow's length across the face. The Indians who saw him were afraid to go near it, as they said that his eyes shot forth fire. He was probably the last of his race, and no doubt his remains will be found by some scientist embedded among the rocks of the beautiful lake.
ONE OF THE . TWO EARLIEST.
Oliver Rosicot (pronounced Rosico) went to Mendota in the year 1831, and ranks next to Oliver Cratte as being the oldest resident of the state. Mr. Rosicot was sent about 1841 as blacksmith by the government to the foot of the lake to attend to the wants of the Red Wing band of Indians. He is now in his seventy-sixth year, and has lived at his old home ever since. His place is in the town of Pepin, and directly opposite the town of Pepin in Wisconsin. Like Mr. Cratte, Mr. Rosicot has seen the rapid changes that have taken place in half a century throughout the state.
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WAH-PA-SHA.
The picture of Wah-pa-sha was taken from a painting in the possession of the family of Alexis Bailly, Esq., now deceased. This is the chief the place was named after. He was a noted man in his day, and was recognized as head chief of the River bands of Sioux. During the troubles with the Winnebago Indians, at Prairie du Chien, at an early day, Wah-pah-sha was invited by them to a council. After listening to the Winnebago chiefs, and what they proposed doing to the whites, Wah-pah-sha arose, and, pulling a hair from his head, blew it away, telling the council that if they harmed a white man he would blow them from the face of the earth as he had blown the hair. The chief with his band made their summer residence on what is now called "Sand Prairie," or, as it was called by the old voyageurs, "La Prairie au Cypré."
LEAD MINING.
About the year 1841 Macey, the United States geologist, while exploring the mineral resources of this country, found a vein of lead on the Zumbro river. In his report to the government he stated "that it was an east and west crevice, and lay deep in the magnesia limestone." Mr. Macey stopped with Mr. Oliver Cratte during his stay in this vicinity, and showed Mr. Cratte pieces of lead that he broke off the rocks in the crevice. Nothing was done about the " find " at the time, as Mr. Cratte said since that there were no white men in the country to work it, and besides, the Indians would have ob- jected. When Mr. Francis Talbot came here in 1853, allusions were made to the lead on the Zumbro every once in a while. As the exact location of the crevice was not given by the geologist, no definite idea of the place could be fixed upon. During the war, when things were "flush," he conceived the idea of forming a company to make explorations and find the mineral if possible. The com- pany consisted of W. T. Dugan, S. S. Kepler, W. S. Jackson, A. G. Remondivo, with F. Talbot as president, and S. S. Kepler, sec- retary. An old river man and ex-galena miner, by the name of J. Morrison, was employed to "test" the ground, and if possible "catch on " to the vein. After working all winter, nothing was found that would warrant a larger outlay, so the enterprise was aban- doned, although good specimens of lead were found. Another com- pany was formed in the year 1866, of which Mr. Wm. Wetherbee (now deceased) was president. Mr. Wetherbee's company, called
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the " Zumbro Lead Mining Company," met with no better success, and they too had to give up the search. There is no doubt, how- ever, about there being lead on the Zumbro, as Macey's report is positive and clear on the subject. Mr. Cratte stated that the lead was discovered about nine or ten miles from this place, but in what direction he could not say.
A GOOD RUNNER.
Among the great hunters of the northwest at an early day, Jos. Rocque, of this place, was the most noted. When Joe was a young man, and before he gained any reputation as a hunter, his father killed a deer, and told his son that when he went hunting to bring back something like that. Joe said nothing, but waiting his oppor- tunity started out one morning with nothing but the ramrod of his rifle, and finding a deer followed it, and actually ran the animal down and drove it home. Going to his father he said, "Father, when you go hunting, bring home a deer on foot, and save your powder." The poor animal was so used up by the long chase, that its flesh could not be eaten. After that exploit Joe's reputation was soon established, and numerous stories have been told of his achievements in the chase. Louis Rocque, a brother of Joe's, when a boy, was sent to the mission school at Mackinaw, and recollected John Jacob Astor, when that gentleman was there looking after the interests of the American Fur Company. In after-life Louis acted as guide for Gen. Fremont and Nicollet, when they visited this locality.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
IRA O. SEELEY, retired farmer, was the first to make a claim and build a house in Mazeppa township. Mr. Seeley's parents were of Vermont birth. His father was christened Ajax T., and his mother, born Painter, was called Delight. In 1815 this conple lived in the town of Luzerne, New York, at which time and place the subject was born. While he was yet an infant, the family removed to Aslıtahula county, Ohio, where he was reared on a farm till sixteen years old, receiving a limited education at the log schoolhouse of that new region. From the age above named till he came to this state he followed carpenter work. After six years' residence at Berlin, Wisconsin, he came with his family to this county, in 1853. In June, 1854, he set out with three companions to explore the western portion of the county. In the fall of this year he made a claim on the present site of Mazeppa, and
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built a log pen to signify a claim. During the winter he piloted several exploring parties to the new region, and built a log house, to which he removed his family in April following. This was the first actual settlement in the township, and was not made on his original choice, but on section 5, on the bank of Tront brook, where Daniel Mack now dwells. In 1869 this place was exchanged for one at that time owned by Mr. Mack, in Zumbrota township, near Mazeppa. In 1881 Mr. Seeley removed to Appleton, Minnesota, his present home, where most of his children live. He was elected to the first state legislature by the republicans, and also served several years as chairman of Mazeppa town board. He was a democrat up to the open- ing of the civil war. His marriage occurred in 1836, the bride being Miss Sarah Loveland, a native of Ashtabula. She died in 1868, leaving eight children, who still survive. The eldest will be spoken of below. The fifth, Emma, married F. L. Bonney and resides in Smyrna, New York. The sixth, Nellie (Mrs. John McClellan), lives at Mazeppa. She was the first girl born in the town. All the others, named in order below, reside in Appleton : Elizabeth A. (Mrs. O. F. Davis), Robert, Elvira (Mrs. Winfield Greenleaf), Albert and Elmer C. Albert is postmaster at Appleton.
MAJOR FRANCIS W. SEELEY, postmaster at Lake City, is the eldest son of I. O. Seeley, born at Ashtabula, Ohio, April 12, 1837, and was, therefore, but sixteen years old when he came with his parents to Wabasha. His educational privileges had been limited, but after joining the regular army he prepared himself by assiduous study for the life of a useful soldier and citizen. He enlisted in February, 1855, in Sherman's battery, 3d Art., then stationed at Fort Snelling, and served till the opening of the civil war, as a non- commissioned officer, on the western frontier. On September 19, 1860, he was breveted second lieutenant by President Buchanan, and on February 4 following was made second lientenant in the 4th Art. ; May 14 thereafter he was promoted to first lientenant, and served as adjutant-general of the department of Florida, where he was then stationed. July 11, 1863, he was made captain, 4th Art. He is the only officer, below the grade of field officer, mentioned by Greeley in his history of the rebellion. May 30, 1863, he was promoted to be a brevet captain, and July 2 following major, for "gallant conduct in the battles of Chancellors- ville and Gettysburg." Both promotions were confirmed by the senate. In the first-named memorable battle his battery fired the
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last Union shot, and he retired, under orders, with heavy loss in both men and horses.
At the conclusion of the battle (Chancellorsville) of Sunday, Captain F. W. Seeley's battery, which was the last battery that fired a shot in that battle, had one officer and forty enlisted men killed and wounded, and in the neighborhood of sixty horses killed or disabled; but being a soldier of great pride and ambition, and not wishing to leave any of his material in the hands of the enemy, he withdrew so entirely at his leisure that he carried off all his wounded men and even the accoutrements from his dead and disabled horses !- See Vol. 1, page 9. Report of the committee on the conduct of the war, 1865.
In his official report of the battle of Gettysburg, Maj .- Gen. A. A. Humphreys says : "Seeley's battery, 'K, 4th U. S. Art.,' was placed at my disposal. * * The firing of Seeley's battery was splendid, and excited my admiration, as well as that of every officer who beheld it. His loss in men and horses was heavy, including himself, twice severely wounded." Maj. Seeley was twice wounded on this occasion, and was ultimately forced by the effects of his injuries and exposure to resign his commission, which he did on August 31, 1864. Besides the battles above named, lic participated in the following engagements : Battle of Santa Rosa Islands, Florida ; bombardment of Forts McRae and Barrancas, Florida ; siege of Yorktown ; battles of Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, Fredericksburg and others. After leaving the army he returned to Wabasha county and engaged in farming for three years, but was forced to give it up on account of physical disability, the result of his wounds. He was elected to the legislature in 1868. In March, 1873, he was appointed by President Grant to the charge of Lake City postoffice, and has continued to serve the people in that capacity since. He was one of the original members of the Odd-Fellows lodge here. In theological matters he is very liberal. August 5, 1863, he espoused Miss Emily C. Loveland, of Ashtabula. They were given a daughter in 1866, and christened her Frances E.
HON. HUGH P. WILLSON, of Grand Forks, Dakota Territory, was one of the first settlers in Wabasha county, whither he came in the fall of 1854, from Crawford county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Willson was born December 3, 1819. His parents were Hugh and Hannah (Allen) Willson. His educational advantages were very limited ; he attended school but about fourteen months all told, but being of a studious disposition le early began the self-imposed task of educat- ing himself without the assistance of teachers. In this he was
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remarkably successful as gaining a fair knowledge not only of the common branches, but also of the higher sciences, history and litera- ture. He engaged in farming in his native county until 1854, when, in the fall of that year, he came to Wabasha county and took a claim near Kellogg. Here he remained until the spring of 1857, when he came to Greenwood prairie, and located a pre-emption claim on section 11, in Elgin township, the place now owned by Russel Marshall. The next fall he bought land in Plainview village, which he afterward platted, as an addition to the village, as East Plainview. Mr. Willson was justice of the peace for six years, during which time he acquired a taste for legal studies ; in 1866 was admitted to the bar, opened a law office in Plainview, and con- tinned the practice of law here until February, 1881, when he left Plainview, and went to Grand Forks, Dakota Territory, where he engaged in the real-estate and loaning business. Judge Willson was the first judge of probate for Wabasha county. In politics is a democrat. He was married, May 22, 1851, to Sarah E. Cole, in Pennsylvania, who died January 23, 1873, leaving two children, namely, Frank A., of Pembina county, Dakota Territory, and Mary, of Grand Forks. Frank Willson was the first white child born in Wabasha county, south of the Zumbro river.
CAPT. JOHN SAMUEL WALKER was born in New Albany, Indiana, January 4, 1832, of American parents. He left Indiana in the fall of 1844, and went to St. Louis, Missouri, and remained about ten years, engaged in various employments. He then came direct to Wabasha, and engaged in the lumber business as a laborer first, then, in the year of 1856, commenced piloting on the Mississippi and Chippewa rivers, and has continued in same business even since with good success. His education was obtained mostly after he came to Wabasha, from a private teacher, Jno. McKee. He was elected constable, and has served as deputy sheriff of the county. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. in his own town, and also of the Orient Encampinent in Wabasha. He was married in the spring of 1855, first to Miss Therice Campbell, second to Elizabeth Birtch. May 6, 1856. They are the parents of twelve children, seven of whom are living. Mr. Walker is one of the oldest if not the oldest pioneer in Read's Landing, and if his biography was thoroughly written up, including his travels and experiences while "roughing it" on the Chippewa and Mississippi rivers, from the almost uncivilized times of 1856 to the present day, it would fill a large
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volume indeed, and we regret that we are compelled to condense it into this brief space.
CHARLES FREDERICK ROGERS, mayor of Lake City, is descended from an English family that settled in Virginia about two hundred years ago. He was born at Barnstead Parade, New Hampshire, November 17, 1831. Charles Harris Rogers, the father of this subject, was a native of New Jersey, and married Abigail S., daughter of Robert Copp, of New Hampshire. The father was two terms a member of the New Hampshire state senate. In 1849 Charles F. Rogers set ont to carve his fortune, having been fitted for the battle of life by a common-school education. After seven
years spent as clerk and bookkeeper at Lowell, Massachusetts, he went into the clothing trade in Boston. Subsequently he spent two years in business in Nashua, New Hampshire. In the spring of 1857 he came west and occupied three years as a clerk in Columbus, Wisconsin. On November 1, 1860, at the latter point, he was united in matrimony to Miss Alice R., daughter of Horace C. and Julia A. Cooper. In Angust of that year he opened a drygoods store in Lake City, in partnership with Mrs. Rogers' father. In the year 1862 he went into the agricultural implement business in con- nection with the drygoods business. He conducted a successful business here in this line for thirteen years, but kept the implement business up until 1880, and retired to engage in other and lucrative pursuits. He is at present a stockholder and director of the First National Bank, and is well known for business integrity and acumen. Also stockholder in the First National Bank of Wabasha, and vice- president. He was elected mayor of the city in 1883; was the candidate of the republican party for state legislator in 1878. He was one of the original members of the Masonic lodge here, having become connected with that order in Columbus, Wisconsin ; is a regular supporter of the Congregational church, of which Mrs. Rogers is a member. The latter is an accomplished lady, and a leader in social and church affairs. Three daughters have been given to grace the handsome home of Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, and christened Helen Julia, Alice Josie and Etta May. They are all becoming musicians.
OZIAS WILCOX, born in 1824, died January 1, 1876. Mr. Wil- cox' father was a harnessmaker, and resided at Crown Point, New York, where our subject was born and spent his earlier years. When he was about fifteen he went to Perry, Lake county, Olio,
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and became a sailor on the lakes. From 1852 to 1854 he was in Cali- fornia, from which country he returned with a small capital, which he invested in the forwarding business, with headquarters at Fairport, in copartnership with his brother, B. O. Wilcox. Owing to ill health, he soon resumed the life of a sailor, in charge of one of his own ships. After a year of lake life he found his health still greatly impaired, and pursuant to the advice of his physician came to Minnesota. This was in the spring of 1856. He bought forty acres of Hugh Wiley, along the eastern side of the southeast quarter of section 8, in Plainview, and erected a store and dwelling in one building (the same is now used by the Plainview Bank), and also took up a homestead-claim south of the village. Mr. Wilcox at once assumed a leadership in the affairs of the new town, and up to the time of his death exerted a beneficial influence in all public matters touching the interests of Plainview, where he engaged successfully in the mercantile business until the close of his life. In his early life Mr. Wilcox had few educational advantages, and acquired but a poor common-school education ; he, however, had studious tastes, and aspired to gain a broader knowledge of literature and science than the masses find sufficient. All the leading literary periodicals and journals of the day were his constant reading. He was married to Martha Stearns, daughter of Asaph Sterns, of northern Ohio, December 15, 1854. This lady, who survives her husband, was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, February 18, 1828, and now resides in Minneapolis. Four children are now living : Helen J. (wife of Dr. G. E. Ricker), Northfield ; Asa F., medical student in Philadelphia ; Cassins C., Aberdeen, Dakota Territory, and Fran- ces L., attending school in Boston, Massachusetts.
ANZI BRAINARD WATIS NORTON, of Plainview, was born in Che- mango county, New York, October 30, 1818. His father, Amzi Norton, was of Connecticut origin, and though a blacksmith by trade, was of a decidedly literary turn of mind, and established quite a local celebrity as a poet. His poetical efforts were chiefly of a religious character, and were put forth to further the Millerite cause, in which Mr. Norton was a firm believer. Our subject's mother was née Huldah Barstow, whose lineage dates back to some of the old troopers of the revolution. The family removed to Tioga county, New York, while Amzi was yet a child, and here he spent his youth and received a common-school education. At the age of fourteen he became a clerk in John Stedman's store, at Richford.
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