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 18
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
distance-they were in front of the "Sugar Loaf," the top of which, a mile and a halt away, could be dimly seen above the horizon. Disappointed in their pursuit of lodgings in that direction, they re- turned to the river and passed the night on the sand, sleeping soundly wrapped in their blankets.
At daylight they prefaced their explorations of the country by taking observations of their surroundings. Except the broad river, then a raging flood overflowing the lowlands, and the general pictu- resque views extending in every direction from the landing, there was nothing in Capt. Smith's town site to excite their admiration or aronse any practical interest. The barren, sandy prairie, recently burned over, was ahnost entirely destitute of any appearance of vegetable life, except that the few trees and bushes along the river bank were just beginning to exhibit a faint appearance of green. Wabasha prairie was of no apparent value to these practical men, prospecting for good farming land.
Without longer delay than to indulge a good appetite for break- fast, they started for the Rolling Stone, their point of destination. Following the trail along up the river to the upper landing, they took a straight eourse over the prairie toward the mouth of the Gil- more valley. They were compelled to ford the slough, which was then flooded from the high water in the river. The crossing place, on the trail which they struck. was about a quarter of a mile above where the bridge, on the Gilmore Valley road, now stands. To keep their clothing dry they stripped, and carried it over on their shoulders, with their packs. Following the trail along the bluffs they readily reached Noracong's shanty, and found themselves on the grounds claimed by the Western Farm and Village Association, and were hospitably received by Mr. Haddock and such of the pioneer guard as were not absent on foraging expeditions to the trout streams in the valleys.
Mr. Sweet was the only one of his party who was a member of the association. Mr. Williams, although not a member, was a proxy representative, prospecting for his son-in-law, H. H. Hull, who belonged to the organization. Mr. Lord was not then in any way connected with the association. He was favorably impressed with its plan of colonization, but was desirous of exploring the sur- roundings of the locality before deciding to make it his home. He was, however, afterward prominently identified with the affairs of the colony.
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EMIGRANTS COMING.
Although the almanac plainly showed that the day of their arrival at Rolling Stone was Sunday, the Rev. William Sweet and Deacon Jonathan Williams accompanied the more liberal-minded O. M. Lord on a Sabbath day's journey into the wilderness back of the bluffs, to view the land. Proceeding up the valley of the Rolling Stone, they followed the trail leading out through what is now known as Straight Valley, onto the dividing ridge between the Roll- ing Stone and Whitewater. Following up this divide they came upon a beautiful prairie, on the edge of which they camped for the night. The next day they explored this locality, and each made choice of a claim. They gave it the name of Rolling Stone prairie, by which it was for a while designated. After selecting their claims they returned to the headquarters of the embryo colony, Nora- cong's shanty, and made report of their discoveries.
This party of three was the first of any of the settlers to visit the country back of the bluffs of the Mississippi. The claim made by Mr. Sweet was the farm occupied by him for many years after- ward. The name of Rolling Stone prairie was, because of his resi- dence here, changed and given the name of Sweet's prairie. Mr. Sweet is now living near Minnesota City. The claim made by Mr. Williams, adjoining that of Mr. Sweet, was for H. H. Hull, who was then living at Scales Mound, near Galena. Mr. Hull came on with his wife later in the season, and occupied the claim shanty of Mr. Sweet through the winter. In the spring he sold the claim made for him by Mr. Williams, and located himself a few miles farther south, in what is now the town of Utica. He lived there a few years, when he sold out and went back to Illinois.
After making this claim Mr. Sweet went back to his home and brought on a part of his family. About the middle of June, he with the aid of the settlers at Rolling Stone built a small log-house, and made some improvements on his claim. In the fall he returned home, leaving his son, a boy about twelve years, to remain and live with Mr. Hull, who, with his wife, was to occupy Mr. Sweet's shanty during the winter. It was made the duty of this boy to drive the cattle down into the Whitewater Valley to water. The boy was treated with a great deal of severity. During one of the coldest days of that winter, the boy without sufficient protection was sent to drive the cattle down into the valley-but he never returned. Mr. Hull found him a few rods from the house frozen to death. The body was put into a sink-hole, and not buried until the next spring.
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
The claim made by Mr. Lord on Sweet's prairie was never im- proved by him ; some other settler had the benefit of his choiee.
On the second of May a large detachment of the main body of colonists, about fifty in number, men, women and children, bound for the Rolling Stone, came up the river on the Excelsior from St. Louis. This party did not land at Wabasha prairie. Supposing it to be practicable for steamboats to go through Straight slough, if the officers of the boats were inclined to make the attempt, and on account of the extreme high water which made it difficult to get to the mainland from Wabasha prairie, Mr. Haddock had advised this party to make it a condition of their passage that they should be landed at Rolling Stone. Captain Ward, of the Excelsior, promised to land them anywhere they wished, provided it could be done with safety to the boat.
On arriving at Wabasha prairie, the pilot refused to attempt the passage through Straight slough, deciding that it was not a navi- gable channel. The party continued on, expecting to find a land- ing-place somewhere above. At Holmes' landing (now Fountain City), the boat stopped to replenish its supply of wood. They here found Thomas K. Allen, the secretary of the association, who, with Augustus A. Gilbert, one of the directors, had landed from the Dr. Franklin during the previous night. Mr. Gilbert had taken a canoe and crossed over to the Minnesota side of the river, leaving Mr. Allen in charge of their baggage. A cow and a breaking plow was a part of their freight.
Learning that there was no prospect of landing from the steam- boat near their destination, they bargained with the master and owner of the wood-boat to transfer them to the other side of the river. The German agreed to undertake the trip for fifteen dollars, although he was unacquainted with the river in that vicinity, pro- vided they would help him get his boat back to his woodyard again.
Taking Mr. Allen and his freight on board with the loaded wood craft in tow, the steamboat proceeded on up the river, unloading while on the way. The colonists with their freight and live stock were transferred to the empty seow, which was east off when about a mile below the mouth of the White Water and near the Minne- sota shore. From there they drifted down to Rolling Stone. It was late in the afternoon when they left the Excelsior. By carefully hngging the shore they fortunately succeeded in safely landing, about fifty rods above where Troosts' flouring-mill recently stood.
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EMIGRANTS COMING.
It was long after dark before the weary immigrants gathered around the camp-fire of the pioneer squad, which had been a beacon to guide them as they poled the sluggish craft across the overflowed bottoms from Haddock slough, down which they had drifted until nearly opposite their landing-place.
Noracong's little shanty was literally packed full of children, with a woman or two to care for them. The "gophers " were crowded to their fullest capacity. The colonists not provided with shelter bivouaced around the camp-fires. The night was a cool but pleasant one. None seemed to suffer from the exposure they were subject to on the first night of their arrival in their new home.
Among the party landed from the wood-boat were S. E. Cot- ton, wife and child ; H. W. Driver and wife, Lawrence Dilworth, wife and four children; James Wilson and wife; James Hatton, wife and four children ; Mrs. Charles Bannon ; Dr. George F. Childs, wife and niece; David Densmore, John Shaw, M. Fitzgib- bons, D. Jackson, William Harris, Horace Ranney, William Sperry, A. A. Gilbert, Thomas K. Allen and others -some families whose names are now forgotten.
It was under such circumstances and condition of affairs that this colony was settled, and some of the members of the association initiated into the mysteries of pioneer life. Many were greatly disappointed ; the realities presented to view served to somewhat cloud the illusive fancies pictured in their imaginations, of com- fortable homes in the west. Some were discouraged and home- sick. Others, strongly dissatisfied with the location, decided to abandon the colony and return down the river. Some of the more courageous announced that they had come to stay, and notwith- standing the prospective hardships to be endured, they cheerfully set about making their arrangements accordingly.
At daylight the next morning the freight was unloaded from the wood-boat, and a party of nine, principally members of the pioneer squad, among whom were H. Jones and William Stevens, assisted the proprietor to land it on the Wisconsin side of the river. On their return the same day they brought with them a small flat- boat, which was at first hired and afterward purchased by the asso- ciation. This craft was called the Macedonian. It was a roughly-constructed affair of sufficient capacity to carry about three cords of wood, and proved really serviceable to the settlers.
The following morning some of the pioneer squad started with
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
the Macedonian for Wabasha prairie to bring up their freight and baggage left on their arrival in charge of the "cigar-maker." Dr. ('hilds, William Sperry, and two other disaffected ones, who had decided to abandon the colony, embraced the opportunity and en- gaged passage with their families and all of their possessions and moved down to Johnson's landing. The flatboat was landed on Keen's claim, a little north from where the fair grounds were once located. From there the party walked to Johnson's and waited for a steam boat to take them back down the river. Dr. Childs remained in charge of the goods until they were hauled down by Johnson's ox-team, which, with Mauby's wagon, moved the freight of the pioneer squad up to the landing-place of the Macedonian. The flatboat returned with the goods of the pioneer party and also car ried up the family of Mr. Mauby, who had been living in Johnson's shanty at the upper landing.
The Macedonian was used as a freight boat during the time of the high water and was most of the time under the control of Cap- tain Jackson. On this first trip it was under the management of Mr. Jones. In speaking of the matter Mr. Jones said: "The wind was blowing quite strong from the east that day and we were heavy loaded both ways. The trip down was a hard one. Think- ing to make the return trip easier, I tore off two or three strong poles from the Indian tepees, which we passed on our way up from Johnson's, and rigged a sail by hoisting a portion of the canvas of our tent. We went up at a good rate of speed, but kept in shoal water to please some who were afraid to venture out." This flat- boat was usually propelled by oars and poles or was dragged over the flooded bottoms on the upper prairie by means of long ropes, the men who performed this service sometimes wading in the shal- low water.
The large tent, which had been brought along by the advance party and used to shelter their goods at Johnson's landing, was put up at Rolling Stone as soon as it arrived at that place. Its location was about twenty rods east of where Stewart's hotel now stands. It afforded some accommodations for the houseless settlers, until they could build more comfortable places for themselves. With their cooking-stoves arranged under the trees, where they cooked and took their meals, the tent afforded shelter and sleeping quarters for several families, besides protection for some of their most valuable goods. They were abundantly supplied with provisions. Unaccus-
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OTHER SETTLEMENTS.
tomed to pioneer life they hardly knew what to do or where to begin to make homes for themselves on the village lots apportioned to each member before he left New York. They were mechanics of different trades, and were willing to use any means in their knowledge to make their families comfortable, but they could not build houses without lumber, and none was to be obtained at any price. But few of the men were handy with the axe or understood how to build a log house.
Seeing the urgent necessity and imperative demand made for lumber, O. M. Lord, accompanied by Mr. Densmore, went up the Chippewa river and brought down a small raft of lumber, which he landed safely about where the wood-boat with its passengers reached the shore.
Mr. Lord here opened the first lumber yard ever in operation in this county. He readily retailed his lumber in small lots and soon exhausted his stock without supplying the demand. He was then engaged by the members of the association to go up to the mills on the Chippewa and purchase a large bill of lumber which they ordered. He was to attend to the sawing, rafting and delivery of the same. This raft was brought down from the Chippewa, attached to a large raft destined for some point on the Mississippi below, and cast off at the head of the slough. He made a successful trip and landed his raft at "Lord's Lumber Yard."
CHAPTER XXIII.
OTHER SETTLEMENTS.
LATE in the evening of May 4, 1852, a party of immigrants, destined for the colony at Rolling Stone, landed from the Nominee at Johnson's landing. With this party were Rev. E. Ely, E. B. Drew, C. R. Coryell, W. H. Coryell, Jacob S. Denman, E. B. Thomas; Robert Pike, Jr., Ira Wilcox, Isaac A. Wheeler, H. Clary, D. Jackson, William Christie, and others whose names are now for- gotten.
Rev. Edward Ely came up from La Crosse as a passenger on this boat. He did not belong to the association, neither was he
13
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
ever a member of that organization. It was, however, through its influence that he was induced to come to Minnesota.
Mr. Ely was at that time a Baptist preacher-a shepherd without a flock, a pastor awaiting a providential call to a ministerial charge. While in St. Louis with his family, in transitu from the State of Ohio to wherever the Lord in his wisdom might send him, he was accosted by Horace Ranney, an acquaintance of his boyhood, who was a member of the Western Farm and Village Association, and one of the party then embarking on the Excelsior for the colony at Roll- ing Stone in the Territory of Minnesota.
In a few words Mr. Ranney explained the object of the associa- tion, and readily induced Mr. Ely to put his family and effects, which were then on the levee, on board the steamboat and accompany them to the promised land. This party was the one that landed from the wood-boat on May 2, as already related. He accompanied them as far as La Crosse, where he stopped off with his wife and two children to afford them comfortable quarters while he visited the colony and acquired some knowledge of the country into which he had almost involuntarily drifted without any special information relative to its demands or resources.
Leaving his family with some kind Baptist friends, he came up on the Nominee to Wabasha prairie, intending to join Mr. Ranney and his friends at Rolling Stone. The disaffection exhibited by some of the members who landed with him, and the action of Dr. Child, influenced him to abandon his design to locate himself in the colony and perhaps decided his future course in life. He settled at Johnson's landing on Wabasha prairie and became a permanent resident of the county and of the city of Winona, where he yet lives.
The estimable qualities of his excellent wife endeared her to the early pioneers. Words will hardly express the high esteem enter- tained by the citizens of Winona for Mrs. Ely. Her remarkable talent as a portrait painter, duly appreciated by her many friends, has been for many years utilized as a source of income.
E. B. Drew and the Coryell brothers, C. R. and W. H. Coryell, were relatives-cousins. They were also partners in their business transactions. These hardy young men were practical farmers and had previously had some familiarity with pioneer life. They brought with them three yoke of oxen and a cow. A large breaking plow and an assortment of farming tools formed a part of their outfit and
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OTHER SETTLEMENTS.
freight. The big covered wagon with which they came through from Chicago to Galena, where they took the boat, was one that had been constructed for them the year before for a proposed trip across the country to Oregon. The wagon-box was made water-tight, that it might be serviceable as a float in fording streanis. This was liberally stored with supplies.
J. S. Denman was accompanied by his mother, wife and four children, and brought with him a team of four horses and a large covered wagon, which he used in transporting his family from Brooklin, Michigan, to Galena. He also had a breaking plow, farm- ing tools and abundant provisions.
E. B. Thomas was from the city of New York. From the first organization of the association he had been an active official member, the corresponding secretary and a financial agent.
Robert Pike, Jr., and Elder Wilcox were on a prospecting trip, having left their families in Illinois. As soon as it was light, they, with others, went directly to the colony.
Mr. Pike· had been engaged for several years in teaching and lecturing on a system of mnemonics, which he had cultivated and on which subject he had published a book of about one hundred and fifty pages. He joined the association in the fall previous, while living in the State of New York, and came to Illinois, where he had been lecturing on his favorite topic and teaching a school during the winter. After he came here he became prominently identified in the matters of the colony and in county affairs, and held official positions.
Isaac A. Wheeler, with his son John and H. Clary, came on with Mr. Drew's party. They each brought with them a yoke of oxen. These men remained at Rolling Stone until fall, when they left and went down the river to Indiana.
The reports brought down by Dr. Childs were somewhat dis- couraging to these members of the association. Mr. Denman and Mr. Thomas forded the back slough on horseback and went up to Rolling Stone. Having been previously prejudiced, they very promptly expressed their dissatisfaction of the selection made for the village site and at once abandoned all ideas of settling in that locality. Without delay they returned to the landing.
Greatly surprised at this abrupt aud decisive action on the part of these members, Mr. Haddock accompanied them down. He did not like to lose the aid and influence of his ardent co-worker in the
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
organization and management of the association without some effort to reclaim him, but he failed by any arguments presented to induce him to reconsider his decision.
Learning that Mr. Thomas designed to withdraw from them entirely, Mr. Haddock made a formal demand for the funds in his hands. Mr. Thomas had in his possession a small amount of money, initiation fees and weekly dues, but he declined to surren- der it until his accounts were properly audited and accepted. He was then denounced as a defaulter to destroy his influence with other members. This financial matter was subsequently settled at the first meeting of the association in Rolling Stone.
Mr. Drew and the Coryells were not satisfied with the reports made by Denman and Thomas, nor influenced by the opinions of Dr. Childs and his friends, who were then stopping in Johnson's shanty. They "proposed to go up there and look around for them- selves." In the afternoon Mr. Drew and C. R. Coryell accom- panied Mr. Haddock on his return.
At the crossing place on the back slough an old canoe was kept for the accommodation of the settlers. It would carry two persons comfortably but was unsafe with more. Mr. Coryell took the pad- dle to set Mr. Haddock across, intending to return for his partner. To save time Mr. Drew stripped and, throwing his clothing into the canoe, followed them over. The water was about four and a half feet deep on the trail, but deeper above and below. The current was strong, and a person was liable to drift into deep water.
By permission, the following entries have been copied from the diary and memoranda of E. B. Drew :
"Landed on Wabasha prairie, Minnesota Territory, Tuesday night after 11 o'clock, May 4, 1852.
"Wednesday, May 5: Went up to Rolling Stone this afternoon and visited the new settlement. Some are homesick and talk of leaving. Found O. M. Lord, from Michigan, there. He was help- ing to cover Mauby's shanty with a roof of elm-bark. He has been back twenty-five or thirty miles and reports a good country and rich soil, and says he shall settle in this part of the country. We have no women or children to get homesick, and we shall stop here too. Took the flatboat down to the lower prairie. Mr. Lord came down to our camp and staid all night with us.
"Thursday, May 6: Left Wabasha prairie. It is a barren, sandy, desolate-looking place, recently burnt over. Would not
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OTHER SETTLEMENTS.
give ten cents an acre for the whole of it. Forded the slough with our teams and cow; crossed without accident, although the water was deep with a strong current. Had to raise the wagon-box on the bolsters to keep the water out. All our traps are now at Rolling Stone."
Mr. Clary crossed the slough with his oxen at the same time and went up with Mr. Drew. Mr. Wheeler remained on the prairie for a day or two before he joined them at the colony.
When Mr. Lord was consulted relative to these incidents he assumed a reflective attitude for a moment and then with an almost audible smile, replied : "That is correct. Wheeler did not come up with Drew. I have reason to remember it. I went down to the prairie the next day and stopped at his camp, not far from where the road now crosses to the upper prairie. After the usual saluta- tions, Wheeler remarked : 'I suppose you are hungry about this time of day.' I was hungry as a wolf, and I told him I would take a bite if it was handy. We were not very regular in our meals at that time, and I saw the coffee-pot and a few brands smok- ing where they had had a fire. He then took out two or three handfuls of hard biscuit, which he laid on the box where he had been sitting, and said to his son, 'Bring on that meat.' Just then he discovered that his cattle were straying off and started after them.
"The boy brought the meat in a frying-pan and put it on the box. I took hold and made out quite a hearty meal before Wheeler got back. When he returned he glanced at the empty frying-pan and called out to his son, 'Ho, Donald ! didn't I tell you to cook some of that ham for supper?' 'Yaas,' replied the youngster, in a surly tone; 'I got a right smart chance on it, but that chap gobbled it all.' Wheeler saw the state of affairs almost as soon as I did, and said, 'Wal, wal, cut some more, can't you? there's plenty of it.' I was somewhat surprised and not a little chagrined to discover that I had eaten up the supper of two hearty and hungry persons, which they had just prepared for themselves. I supposed that they had just completed their meal as I came into their camp."
E. B. Drew's loaded wagon was the first to ford the slough and the first along the bluffs. No wagon trail had ever been opened. O. M. Lord was the pilot and guide on the trail. In crossing the slough Mr. Drew gave his special attention to the care of his cow. In his anxiety for her safety he was forgetful of self and got a "duck " or two. His clothing was in the wagon and did not suffer from his mishaps.
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
This loaded wagon was the first to make its entrance into the colony of the Western Farm and Village Association. They crossed the creek near Noracong's shanty, Mr. Noracong himself selecting the fording place and directing their movements. This covered wagon was used by Drew and the Coryells as their headquarters- their home for some time after their arrival.
The cow was an important item of their possessions. Bread and milk, mush and milk, and milk as a beverage, were staple luxu- ries. Fresh butter of home production was sometimes indulged in. Their cooking was done by their camp-fires. Bread was baked in a tin oven before the fire. Sometimes they used an iron bake-kettle, . which they covered with hot ashes and coals. For boiling, a kettle was usually suspended over the fire from a pole supported on crotches. Mr. Drew says a heavy tin bucket made the best camp- kettle. It would heat quickly and economized time in cooking. These, with the frying-pan and coffee-pot, were the most important cooking utensils of their camp outtit. Their supplies furnished them a variety in the way of diet. Fresh brook trout were plentiful and common in their camp.
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