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 21
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Robertson and Woodcock, with an eye to speculation, offered to deliver the goods of Mr. Wright and Mr. Burns at Rolling Stone for fifteen dollars. A bargain was at once closed with them and they proceeded to construct a raft from some dead oak-trees standing on the bank of the river. After the logs were secured together and loaded with a barrel of pork, a barrel of beef, a barrel of vinegar and a cask of hams, but little of the raft was above water. Lashing the freight to the logs they added a cook-stove, shoved off into the cur- rent and safely landed it at " Lord's lumber yard " without accident and without delay.
After the raft had left the shore, Burns decided that he would not move down to the settlement. He had made an arrangement with the Halls for an interest in their town site and concluded to remain on the river. He immediately commenced to build himself a log house, and moved his family and goods up to the landing.
On Saturday Mr. Hunt and Mr. Shipley came up along the bluffs with two yoke of oxen and a wagon for the purpose of moving them down. This was the first wagon that ever passed between the two places. They met with no serious obstruction for the passage of an empty wagon, although the way was rough and uneven.
When they left Rolling Stone Mr. Shipley was apparently in his usual health. He had that morning parted with his son, a young man about sixteen years old, and sent him down to Galena to bring up his family, which he had left there two weeks before. While on his way up along the bluffs he began to complain of not feeling well, and soon became too sick to even follow on the trail. Mr. Hunt made him as comfortable as he could on a bed of grass in the wagon, and brought him through to Wright's camp. Here everything was done for his relief that they were able to do, but without avail. He died a few hours after his arrival, at about twelve o'clock at night. His disease was supposed to be cholera.
The remains of Mr. Shipley were buried the next day at about
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IHISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
12 o'clock, Sunday, May 30, 1852. The grave was on the bank of the river, near where he died. His coffin was a few pieces of slabs taken from the drift-wood of the river and arranged around the body, while lying in the grave. After the grave was filled, a piece of a slab was placed at the head and his name, "H. Shipley," marked on it. The last resting-place of this early pioneer is now unknown. The personal effects of Mr. Shipley were taken in charge by Mr. Wright and sent to his wife. The oxen and wagon belonged to Mr. Hunt. Mr. Shipley had no interest in them.
Mr. Wright now became anxious to leave that locality, and as soon as the rude burial was completed he loaded the wagon with some of his household goods and decided to attempt to go through by land, but the attempt proved a failure at the start. The wagon was upset within a few rods of where it was loaded, the boxes were smashed and their contents scattered as they tumbled and rolled promiscuously down the bank, almost into the river. A large look- ing-glass rolled on the edges of its frame for several rods and lodged in an upright position against a tree, without injury. The same mirror is yet in use by Mrs. Wright in Minnesota City.
At about the time the loaded wagon upset a steamboat appeared in sight, coming down. Mr. Wright abandoned his damaged prop- erty and devoted all his energies to attract the attention of the pilot. He hoisted signals of distress and hailed the boat most vociferously, and was actively seconded in his efforts by his family, one using a tin horn and another beating an accompaniment on a tin pan. Alarmed by these proceedings, the captain of the boat cautiously ran over toward the Minnesota shore, expecting to learn that the Sioux had risen against the settlers. He was, however, soon re- lieved of any anxiety on that score, and discovered as he drew near that they were some of the passengers he had landed there on his way up-that their noisy demonstrations were made because they were anxious to leave that locality and go down to Johnson's landing. He good-naturedly consented to take them on board. As the boat swung round to the shore the captain hailed Wright and inquired, "Where's your freight?" Pointing to the wreck of the wagon-load, Wright replied, "There is some of it, as soon as we can get it together." Observing the condition of affairs, the captain called to the men forward as the gang-plank was launched out, "Get ashore there, some of you, and bring them duds aboard in bulk."
To Mrs. Wright's extreme surprise, and before she could rally
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INCIDENTS OF THE EARLY TIMES.
from her helpless astonishment, her clean household stuff, bedding and clothing of every description, was carried off in the arms of the dirty roustabouts, and before she could offer even a feeble remonstrance they were piled promiscuously on the greasy, dirty deck.
All of Mr. Wright's goods were taken aboard except four barrels of flour which he had brought up for the association, designed to be used in payment of the Indian tax on the shanties in the colony. The flour was taken down by Mr. Hunt in his wagon, the first freight carried through by a wagon over that trail.
When Mr. Wright reached Johnson's landing he there found Willie Shipley, waiting for the down boat. He informed the astonished boy that his father, from whom he had parted not two days before, looking healthy and strong, was dead and in his lonely grave on the bank of the river. Mr. Wright gave him the property found with his father- his watch, a pocket-book with papers and a small amount of money-to be carried to his mother.
His family were not left without means of support. Mr. Shipley had left a considerable sum of money on deposit in Galena, under the control of his wife. The family returned to their former home. Their experience in the west was a sorrowful one.
At Johnson's landing Mr. Wright, with his family, was per- mitted by Mr. Denman to pass the night in the unfinished house he was then building. They reached Minnesota City the next day, June 1, and went directly to the "gopher" Mr. Wright had helped to build nearly three weeks before. It was near here that his pro- visions and cook-stove had been stored when landed from the raft. This goplier-house was their first home in the colony. Mr. Wright has retained possession of and lived continuously with his family on the same land and in the same locality ever since that period, about thirty-one years. They occupied the "gopher" and a tent until he could procure lumber and build a more comfortable place to move into. Soon after their arrival the whole family were prostrated with sickness in some form. Two of the children died with measles, then prevailing.
Like most of the members of the association from New York city, Mr. Wright's previous experience had but poorly fitted him to meet the demands of pioneer life. Many things were learned from practical experience. Incidents that may now be pleasantly related, and are amusing to listen to, which occurred in their acquisition of a western education, were once really serious matters with them.
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
The provisions brought down on the raft were jointly owned by Mr. Wright and Mr. Burns. The morning after his arrival Mr. Wright went out to inspect the condition of his supplies, and discov- ered that his eask of hams had been broken open and the contents carried off. The fact becoming known, the indignant colonists pro- ceeded to investigate the affair. A careful examination of the matter was commenced, but the mystery of the transaction was soon revealed without a shadow of suspicion resting on any member of the association. The cattle of the settlers had been corraled in the bend of the stream near by to prevent their wandering off to parts unknown or trespassing in the settlement. In their eagerness to get salt, the cask had been broken open and the hams eaten by the ravenous bovine monsters. 'All of the cattle in the settlement were under suspicion as being implicated in the transaction, but the herd of Hiram Campbell were charged with being the principal and lead- ing offenders. The fragments of partly eaten hams were found scattered over the ground in the vicinity of the empty cask.
To prevent any further loss to Mr. Burns, it was proposed by Mr. Wright that an equitable division of the pork and beef be made. In the absence of Mr. Burns, friends of both parties were selected to make the division. The meat in each barrel was taken out and accurately weighed. One half of each was then put into one of the barrels for Mr. Burns and the other half into the other barrel and turned over to Mr. Wright as his individual property. This was apparently a just dissolution of partnership, but Mr. Wright soon discovered that the mixing of the two kinds of meat did not improve the quality. It was soon understood that Mr. Wright and Mr. Burns had a surplus of meat, and some less fastidious persons pur- chased it at less than cost.
Although transportation had proved to be barely possible from Hall's landing to Rolling Stone without considerable expense in open- ing a wagon trail, there was to Mr. Burns more than a glimmer of a prospective landing-place for the colony, and he located himself where he could have the benefit of the river trade in the business in which he proposed to engage. Having money to invest, he built a large hotel. His bar was the main source of profit. He paid no license, for the law prohibited the sale of intoxicating drinks. His hotel became a favorite resort for the rivermen and traveling public, and was not entirely shunned by the settlers. The Indians resorted to Burns' for trade. During the years of 1852-3-4 there was
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THE ASSOCIATION AT ROLLING STONE.
more liquor sold by Mr. Burns than in all other parts of southern Minnesota. He brought on quite a stock of general merchandise and opened a store. A postoffice was established and S. M. Burns was postmaster. He furnished employment for a large number of men cutting steamboat wood on government lands, on which large profits were made.
After a heavy expense trying to build up a business point at this place, Mr. Burns was forced to abandon the attempt, and the village of Mt. Vernon ceased to exist. The scheme to make it the land- ing-place for the colony did not prove practicable, although a wagon road was opened between the two places.
The town of Mt. Vernon, in the northwest part of Winona county, took its name from the village of that name at what was once known as Hall's landing, on the Mississippi. Not a trace of any of the improvements made by Mr. Burns are now to be seen. The village site is almost unknown.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE ASSOCIATION AT ROLLING STONE.
THE Western Farm and Village Association, as organized in the city of New York in 1851, was transferred to Rolling Stone in 1852 under the same officers and with the same laws governing its mem- bers. The mode of doing business adopted and practiced in the east was continued in the west.
The first regular meeting of the association held in the colony at Rolling Stone was on May 6. The officers present were Wm. Haddock, president ; Thos. K. Allen, recording secretary ; and a majority of the board of directors, Augustus A. Gilbert, James Wright, Charles Bannon, John Hughs and D. Robertson.
At this meeting fifty-two responded to their names when the roll of members was called. Some of these were young unmarried men, but a majority of the members present were men with families.
At a general meeting of the colonists on Sunday, May 9, the name of Minnesota City was given to the village of the colony. The name was unanimously adopted by a viva-voce vote. Prior to this
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
the locality was only known as Rolling Stone, and afterward it was the most familiar name to the early settlers.
At this same meeting, May 9, a Congregational minister from La Crosse, by the name of Reynolds, preached the first sermon ever delivered in Minnesota City. Elder Reynolds was a missionary sent out by the Home Mission Board of the denomination. to which he belonged.
Business meetings of the association were called to consider mat- ters relating to the common interests. At one of these meetings, about the first, Robert Pike, Jr., was elected surveyor for the colony, to establish the lines of claims designated as farms, which were to be assigned to the choice of the members of the association according to numbers drawn for that purpose. E. B. Drew and C. R. Coryell were Pike's assistants in these surveys, which were made under the general supervision of the president, Mr. Haddock.
At a meeting held on May 19 the question of making application for the establishment of a postoffice was considered and a choice for postmaster made by ballot. Robert Pike, Jr., received a majority of votes. A petition in proper form was drawn up and signed, soliciting the establishment of a postoffice at Minnesota City and recommending Robert Pike, Jr., as a proper appointment for post- master. This petition was forwarded to the Postoffice department at Washington. In due time Mr. Pike received his commission and the office was established, but with the proviso and on condition that the mails should be transported to and from the nearest postoffice on the river free of charge to the Postoffice department. The near- est postoffice was then at La Crosse. The mail was dependent on chance opportunities or private enterprise. Even such postal facilities were considered of advantage to the settlement.
The family of Mr. Pike, consisting of his wife and two children and two of his sisters (afterward Mrs. H. Jones and Mrs. D. Ken- nedy), came on about the last of June. While on their passage up the river the postoffice keys were handed to Mrs. Pike at La Crosse by Brooks and Hancock, two members of the association there on a visit, to be delivered to her husband on her arrival at Minnesota City. This was the first knowledge Mrs. Pike had of the matter.
On May 20 a census of the colony was taken, when it was ascer- tained that there were ninety male members of the association on the grounds and about 400 women and children.
The first death in the colony was on May 25, that of David
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THE ASSOCIATION AT ROLLING STONE.
Densmore, a man about sixty years of age. He was from the State of Maine. He had no family with him. Mr. Densmore was buried in the grounds selected for a cemetery, a little above the forks of the Rolling Stone creek, near Minnesota City.
The first bridge built in the county was across the Rolling Stone, near where James Wright now lives in Minnesota City. Long logs, used as stringers, were laid over the stream from one bank to the other. Across these stringers logs were laid instead of plank. The colonists all united in this public improvement.
The next morning after this bridge was completed the settlers found that their engineering was not practicable in this structure. The long stringers of green timber, without central support, had given way and broken down from weight of the green logs by which they were covered. The middle of the bridge was resting in the center of the stream, the logs retained in their position across the stringers. Although not available as a wagon bridge, it was used during the season as a crossing-place by persons on foot.
The first bridge that was of any practicable use was one built by the colonists across the Rolling Stone just below the forks of that stream, above Minnesota City. The location is now covered by the mill-pond. This was called the "herd bridge" by the settlers. The cattle belonging in the colony were placed under the charge of a herdsman, who had the general management of them during the grazing season. Robert Pike, Jr., was the first appointed and acted in that capacity for that season. A fence was built running from the bluff on the south side to the stream, and the cattle were allowed to range above it in the south valley. The "herd bridge" was designed and built, under the direction of Mr. Pike, to serve as a crossing-place for the stock under his charge. It was, however, used as a wagon bridge for two or three years after a road was opened up through the south valley.
During that season the wagon trail leading to Wabasha prairie was on the south side of the stream, next to the bluffs, and the only practical fording-place of the stream was where Elsworth's mill now stands. Late in the fall, or early in winter, the settlers opened a road along down the table, on the north side of the stream, about where it now is, and built a bridge near the angle where the creek leaves the bluff and flows north, about a mile below the present vil- lage of Minnesota City. This was the first public bridge in common use in the county. It was maintained for three or four years until
15
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
the present road between Minnesota and Winona was opened and another bridge was built abont fifty rods below, in the same locality where the present bridge stands.
The first store for the sale of merchandise to the settlers in the colony was opened about June 1 of this season by a Mr. Robertson. He closed out his establishment and left the colony early in the fall.
The first school opened in the county was a select school, started in Minnesota City in the early part of this season. The first district school in the county was established here later in the season. The district was organized under the general law of the territory and comprised the whole colony. Miss Houk was the teacher. Schools have been uniformly maintained in that locality from that time to the present.
The first blacksmith-shop started in this county by the early settlers was in the colony at Minnesota City. James and John Prosser, father and son, opened a shop and commenced business early in the season. Josiah Keene also started a shop. The Prossers left the colony in the fall. O. M. Lord bought their shop, tools and stock, and also that of Keene, and carried on the business for a year or two afterward. This was the only blacksmith-shop in the county until the spring of 1854, when a shop was opened at Winona, pre- vions to which the settlers on Wabasha prairie were dependent on Minnesota City, or they were compelled to go to La Crosse for their blacksmith work. Sometimes jobs of blacksmithing were ordered by the boats from Galena.
The first horseshocing done in the county was by O. M. Lord. In the fall of 1852 he shod a pair of horses for Hon. Wm. H. Stevens, of the city of Winona. The shoes were brought up from La Crosse. In the spring of 1853 he shod fourteen horses for Wm. Ashley Jones, a government surveyor.
From 1849 to 1853 the county of Winona was a part of Wabasha county. By act of the First Territorial Legislature, October 27, 1849, " all that portion of said territory lying east of a line running due south from a point on the Mississippi river known as Medicine Bottles Village, at Pine Bend, to the Iowa line, was erected into a county to be known by the name of Wabashaw."
The extent of territory included in the boundaries of Wabasha county by that act was what is now a part of the county of Dakota and the present counties of Goodhue, Wabasha, Olmsted, Dodge, Mower, Fillmore, Houston and Winona.
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THE ASSOCIATION AT ROLLING STONE.
Wabasha county was first created for the special purpose of affording certain political privileges to the settlers within its bound- aries, nearly all of whom were halt-breed Sioux, living on the " Half- breed Tract," who were recognized as bona fide citizens. The other parts of the county were then in possession of the Sioux.
It was made part of a council district, but was declared to be a representative district, entitled to clect one representative to the territorial legislature.
The first representative from Wabasha county was James Wells. He was also a member of the second and fourth territorial legisla- tures in 1851 and in 1853. In the third legislature, the session of 1852, Wabasha county was represented by Fordyce S. Richards, another trader, living at Reed's landing.
The fourth territorial legislature in 1853 (March +) divided Wa- basha county and created Fillmore county from the southern por- tion along the Mississippi, which included the present county of Winona. The same council and representative districts were, how- ever, continued until 1855, when a new apportionment was made by the legislature.
At the election held in the fall of 1853, Hon. O. M. Lord, of Minnesota City, was elected, from Fillmore, representative of this district to the fifth territorial legislature, which held its session in 1854. 3 At this session Winona county was created, February 23, 1854.
When Wabasha county was created in 1849 it was "declared to be organized only for the appointment of justices of the peace, constables and such other judicial and ministerial officers as might be specially provided for." It was attached to Washington county for judicial purposes and was entitled to any number of justices not exceeding six, and to the same number of constables, who were to receive their appointment from the governor and to hold their office for two years, unless sooner removed.
The first justice of the peace appointed by Gov. Ramsey in accordance with this act creating Wabasha county, was Thomas K. Allen, the recording secretary of the association at Minnesota City. Mr. Allen was compelled to go to the capital of the territory-to St. Paul, in order to qualify-to take the oath of office required. There was no one nearer who was empowered to administer it to him.
At a general meeting of the members of the association living in the colony at Minnesota City, held July 12, 1852, an election pre-
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
cinct was organized and the following officers elected by ballot : Thomas K. Allen, justice of the peace ; Josiah Keen, constable ; James Wright, assessor ; and Augustus A. Gilbert, notary public.
These proceedings were without proper authority, and only de- signed to represent an expression of the wishes of the people in the colony. The governor was duly notified of this action of the settlers and the appointment of the officers selected formally recommended and solicited.
Gov. Ramsey confirmed the election by making the appointment accordingly. Mr. Allen took the oath of office on July 28, 1852. By vote of the association, O. M. Lord, John Iams and Hiram Campbell were elected road commissioners for the colony or precinct.
The first sermon delivered to the settlers in Rolling Stone was by the Rev. Mr. Reynolds, a missionary of the Congregational church. He kept up regular appointments and preached during the summer at Minnesota City and at Wabasha prairie. His audiences were representatives of all denominations, Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, etc. A general Sabbath-school was started in the early part of this season. The members of the association held to the religious faith or belief they had professed before joining the colony. If there was any change it was exhibited in a general feeling of toleration. The Protestants and Catholics shared with each other in their comforts and privations, and in their joys and sorrows, with- out question of religious opinions. All grades of liberalism, spirit- ualism and other "isms " had advocates.
The first church organized in this county was by the Baptist members of the association. This was the first Protestant church organization in southern Minnesota. The appropriate ceremonies were held on July 11, 1852. The pastor of this church was the Rev. T. R. Cressey, a missionary appointed by the American Baptist Home Missionary Society at a salary of $600 per annum. He made Minnesota City his headquarters, but preached in other localities.
After remaining in this vicinity for two or three months, Mr. Cressey had a call to locate himself in charge of the Baptist church in St. Paul. As the failing condition of the colony in the latter part of the season offered less inducements to remain, he left this county and located himself in the capital of the territory.
Another Baptist preacher, Rev. Henderson Cressey, a brother of T. R. Cressey, preached to the settlers at Minnesota City and on
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THE ASSOCIATION AT ROLLING STONE.
Wabasha prairie for about two years afterward, but did not reside in this vicinity. He held a claim for awhile on the upper prairie.
There was such a general immigration of preachers among the early settlers that about every settlement was represented by one or more of some denomination. It is now difficult to ascertain the names of many of those who for a time held claims in this county. The most of them apparently preferred the blouse of the settler to the garb of their profession.
The Rev. William Sweet occasionally preached, but made no regular appointments. The Rev. Mr. Henderson, a member of the association, living at Minnesota City, was, or had been, a Methodist paeacher. It was said that he gave the settlers a most enthusiastic, patriotic sermon on Sunday, July 4, 1852. From many peculiarities of belief or opinions expressed in public, his influence among the Methodists, of which denomination there was quite a number, was not sufficient to induce them to acknowledge him as a leader or combine in a church organization. Mr. Henderson, with others holding different "isms," made an unsuccessful effort to create a society called "The Universal Church."
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