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 31
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"On the 19th of September of that year the speaker first saw this prairie, coming in from the Gilmore valley. Fancy he made something of a spread that night, for, with a half-dozen others, he slept at full length on the ground, between his present office and the Mississippi, with his hat for a nightcap and boots for a pillow. His toilet he prefers giving in an autobiography when called for ; it is not particularly allied to the history of this county." '
When Mr. Sargent came into this county he was in the employ of Wm. Ashley Jones, who was engaged in surveying the public lands in this part of the territory. On reaching Wabasha prairie he decided to locate there and establish himself in the practice of his profession as a lawyer. He was appointed district attorney before the county of Fillmore was divided, and after Winona county was created he was elected register of deeds and appointed clerk of the district court. He was the first mayor of the city of Winona ; he was also a member of the legislature from this county. When he first came here he began the practice of law by himself ; in 1855 he was of the law firm of Sargent, Wilson & Windom, and at the time of his death, which occurred in 1866, he was one of the firm of Sargent, Franklin & Keyes.
More extended notices of these two prominent pioneer settlers (John Keyes and M. Wheeler Sargent) would be made if it were not that their biographical sketches will be given under another division of this history.
CHAPTER XXXV.
A CELEBRATION.
THE fourth of July, 1853, was celebrated with a great deal of patriotic enthusiasm at Minnesota City. The settlers of Rolling Stone invited the citizens of Wabasha prairie to join them in the customary honors and hospitalities of "independence day." The invitation was accepted, and many from the prairie were in attend-
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
ance. The occasion was said to have been one of unusual interest and gratification to the settlers assembled.
The celebration was held in "the public square," under the oaks. The introductory was the following song, written by Robert Pike, Jr., the poet of the colony. It was sung to the tune of " Baker's Farewell":
" We've left the homes our childhood loved, The friends we never can forget; The friends that long, long years have proved, The friends who still in dreams are met.
We've come to make us other homes, On Minnesota's garden lands, Where ev'ry gen'rous heart that comes Is met by loving hearts and hands.
What though the red-man roams the woods, And wild and rude the landscape seems ; Is it not fairer than it stood, As seen in fancy's brightest dreams?
What though onr domes are all unreared, And labor in our pathway lies ; Labor is pleasant, when 'tis cheered By helping hands and loving eyes.
No greener valleys meet the sight, No purer fountains, gushing free, No birds of song, or flowers more bright, Bringing perfume and melody.
Hurra! then, for our chosen home, While bound by friendship's silken bond ; Our feet no more shall seek to roam, Our hearts shall never more despond."
The orator of the day was Egbert Chapman, who, it is said, gave an admirable and exceedingly appropriate address. He was fol- lowed by Robert Pike, Jr., who became really eloquent in his remarks, which were listened to' with pleased expressions by the assemblage.
An elegant repast was furnished by the ladies, to which all were invited. The concourse then adjourned from "the park" to the tables prepared under the shade of the walnuts, where ample justice was awarded the good things provided. After all were satisfied, volunteer toasts were drank from glasses filled with pure cold water plentifully furnished.
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A CELEBRATION.
Toasts were given by Robert Pike, Jr., Edwin Hamilton, W. H. Colburn, R. Taylor, O. M. Lord, T. K. Allen, S. J. Smith, and others. Some of them are given to show the character of the enter- tainment.
The first was by Robert Pike, Jr .: "The ladies. May they ever be pure, as our own briglit fountains ; beautiful, as our wild flowers ; as even of temper as our own delightful climate ( except the thunderstorms ), and as fruitful as the soil to which they have been transplanted."
The second was by Edwin Hamilton : "Superior cookery. The art that makes us happy, and that none better understand than the ladies of Minnesota City."
The third was by W. H. Colburn : "The motto of our glorious country, 'Union is Strength.' Minnesota City and Winona, - may they be ever thus united is the earnest wish of Winona to-day."
The sixth was by Robert Pike, Jr .: "Winona and Minnesota City. May all the rivalry which exists between thein be the rivalry of good neighborhood, and the desire to excel in offices of kindness and humanity."
The eighth was by T. K. Allen : " Peace, prosperity and equality. May it long be enjoyed in Minnesota."
The twelfth was by E. Chapman : "The glorious 4th of July. May the remembrance of the day ever be in the hearts of the people."
The thirteenth was by O. M. Lord : "Winona. Like her namesake, wild and beautiful, may she prosper till the height of her aspiration is amply rewarded."
The eighteenth was by S. J. Smith : "Here is to Minnesota City from her eldest daughter, Winona. Although the Dark Water city, yet her waters are clear and sparkling ; and to its men, who being Rolling Stone men, yet gather commercial moss ; and to its ladies, who are blooming."
Another by O. M. Lord : "The Mississippi river, the highway of the nation. As long as the water flows in its channel may her valleys annually resound with the sound of cannon proclaiming the independence of the American people."
The day's enjoyment closed with another song written by Robert Pike, Jr. This was the first time the "Glorious Fourth " was ever celebrated in southern Minnesota.
July 9 the board of county commissioners of Fillmore county
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
met at the Winona hotel, and divided the county into precincts and appointed judges of election.
The part of the county north of a line west from a point five miles below the town plat of Mt. Vernon on the Mississippi river to the west line of the county was called Mt. Vernon precinct. James Kirkman and Louis Krutzly, living at the mouth of the White Water, and A. P. Hall, of Mt. Vernon, were appointed judges of election. This precinct had twelve legal voters.
The Minnesota City precinct was the next south of the Mt. Ver- non precinct. The judges of election were H. B. Waterman, O. H. Hauk and E. B. Drew. This had the largest number of voters of any precinct.
The Winona precinct included Wabasha prairie only. The judges of election were Harvey Hubbard, O. S. Holbrook and George F. Childs.
The Minneowah precinct extended south to a line due west from a point on the Mississippi opposite the mouth of Black river to the west line of the county. The line between this and the Minnesota City precinct was not defined. The judges of election were W. B. Bunnell, of Bunnell's landing, James F. Toms, of Minneowah, and William Hewitt, of Burns valley. This had sixteen voters.
The Root River precinct was between the south line of the Min- neowah precinct and a line west from the mouth of Root river to the west line of the county. The judges of election were G. W. Gilfillan, Joseph Brown and John L. Looney. It had ten legal voters.
The Brownsville precinct was all of the county lying between the Root River precinct at the Iowa state line. The judges of elec- tion were Charles Brown, Samuel McPhail and M. C. Young.
At this meeting of the board of commissioners a school district was established at Minnesota City, but no specific boundaries given. It was presumed to include the whole precinct.
A petition for a public road from Winona to Minnesota City was received and the following examiners appointed - Harvey Hubbard and E. B. Drew. These road examiners were to meet on Tuesday, July 19, at Minnesota City. C. R. Coryell, of Rolling Stone, was appointed county surveyor.
The next meeting of the board was at the Winona House, on July 22, 1853. At this meeting Gere and Luark were present. In the absence of Mr. Stall, the commissioners appointed Sylvester J. Smith clerk of the board pro tem.
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A CELEBRATION.
"The examiners of the road between Minnesota City and Winona reported that they had located the road. The report was received, examined and fully accepted, and an order issued to the county surveyor to locate and survey the same."
This was the first public road officially located in the county. The above copy of the record is the only documentary evidence of the fact. All books and papers relative to the proceedings of this board of county commissioners were taken to Chatfield, the first county seat of Fillmore county. Mr. E. B. Drew, one of the exam- iners, says the road was surveyed and located about where the present road from Minnesota City to Winona is now laid. It was resurveyed after Winona county was created.
The first general election held in the county was on the second Tuesday, the 11th of October, 1853. At this general election Hon. H. M. Rice was elected delegate to congress from the Territory of Minnesota. Hon. O. M. Lord was elected a representative to the territorial legislature from this representative district. In Jan- uary, 1854, when Mr. Lord attended the fifth legislature to which he was elected, he walked from Minnesota City to St. Paul for that purpose.
At this election the following officers were elected in Fillmore county: county attorney, Andrew Cole; judge of probate, H. B. Waterman ; register of deeds, William B. Gere ; sheriff, John Iams; county commissioners, John C. Laird, Robert Pike, Jr., and W. B. Bunnell.
The justices of the peace elected were- for Wabasha prairie, George M. Gere and Wm. H. Stevens (Mr. Stevens had previously served as justice of the peace. He was appointed in July, 1853, by Governor Gorman) ; for Minnesota City, H. B. Waterman and Robert Pike, Jr .; for Mt. Vernon, S. M. Burns ; for Minneowah, Mynon Lewis.
Among the settlers who came into the county later in this season were Mathew Ewing, Dr. Allen, E. S. Smith, A. C. Smith, James McClellan, Luke Blair, G. W. Wiltse, Lysander Kately, James Worrall, George Gay and T. B. Twiford.
Mathew Ewing settled on H. S. Hamilton's claim, where he built a comfortable frame house and opened a store with a fair assortment of goods. He sold goods during the winter and in the spring closed out his stock and gave up the business. He then located himself in the village and purchased two lots on the corner of Third and John-
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
son streets, and also a lot on the corner of Johnson and Front streets, where he built the building now standing on it. After two or three years here he sold out and left the county.
James McClellan brought a stock of goods with him and opened a store in the front part of the main portion of the residence of Rev. E. Ely, which was built this year. Mr. McClellan remained here until early in the spring, when he moved his family and goods to Chatfield.
Dr. Allen (his initials are unknown to the writer) came here and located himself as a practicing physician. He was the first to settle in the county to make that profession his special business. He remained here until the spring of 1854, when he moved to Chatfield.
E. S. Smith bought an interest in the Stevens claim, and for a year or two lived in Winona, dealing in real estate, etc. He married Miss Mary Burns, and settled in Burns valley, where he built the Glen Flouring Mill. He remained there several years and then sold out and moved to Winona, where his family yet resides. Mr. Smith went to Washington Territory, where he was for awhile connected with the western portion of the North Pacific railroad. Although he occasionally visits his home in Minnesota, he is yet engaged in business in Washington Territory, which requires his personal attention there much of his time.
Andrew C. Smith settled in Winona. In 1855 he started the first drug store ever opened in the county. After several years' residence here he moved to Stockton. He was a member of the State legislature from this county in 1869. He is now a resident of Rochester, Olmsted county.
L. D. Smith visited Wabasha prairie during the fall and winter of 1853, but did not bring his family here to live until the spring of 1854. He purchased the " Fridley claim " and built a house on it, where he lived several years. This house is yet standing near the corner of Franklin and Wabasha streets. He then moved to his farm in the south Rolling Stone valley about half a mile above the village of Stockton, where he lived at the time of his death. He was appointed receiver in the United States land office in° 1854, and was one of the most active in securing the land grant for the benefit of the railroads in this state. Further mention will be made of him in other divisions of this history.
Wm. Ashley Jones was a deputy United States surveyor. During the summer of 1853 he was engaged in the survey of
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A CELEBRATION.
public lands in southern Minnesota. In the fall of this year he visited Wabasha prairie, and in the spring following moved his family there and made Winona his home for about ten years, when he moved to Dubuque. He is now a resident of Dakota.
Mr. Jones held an undivided interest in the Smith and Johnson town plot, and also an interest in the Stevens claim (Stevens' addi- tion). He opened up a large farm in the town of St. Charles. It is now known as the "Lamberton Farm." Besides dealing in real estate, Mr. Jones found time and means to start the first newspaper published in the county, "The Winona Argus."
Luke Blair came to Wabasha prairie in the fall of this year. He bought two lots on the corner of Center and Second streets, where the "Simpson Block " now stands. He brought with him a small drove of cattle, which he wintered in stables built on the back part of these lots. He made a claim in what is now the town of · Saratoga, but did not occupy it until the following season. Early in the spring of 1854 he built a store on lot 4, block 16, and brought on a stock of general merchandise.
During the summer he moved his family out on his claim. In the fall he sold the two lots with his store building to W. G. Dye, who sold them to V. Simpson, the present owner, and sold his stock of goods to James H. Jacoby, who continued the business in the same locality under the name of Day & Co. The upper part of Blair's building was used as a public hall. Meetings were held here until it was used as a printing-office by Wm. Ashley Jones. This was where the "Winona Argus " was started, with Samuel Melvin as associate editor and foreman in the office. W. G. Dye set the first type for this paper.
Mr. Blair settled on his claim, which has been his permanent home. The vicinity was long known as the Blair settlement. Mr. Wiltse and Mr. Kately made claims in that part of the county, and wintered there in 1853-4.
George Gay made a claim in Burns valley, on what was after- ward known as the Sailsbury Place. He remained here a year or two and moved to Wabasha county. James Worrall settled in Winona, and about two years after went to Wabasha county.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
CHATFIELD SETTLED AND WINONA COUNTY ORGANIZED.
IN the fall of this year, 1853, T. B. Twiford came into this county from Lansing, Iowa. In his prospecting excursions and explorations he discovered the present site of Chatfield, in the northern part of Fillmore county, and conceived the project of making it a town site. At Winona he formed the acquaintance of Grove W. Willis, and a scheme was concocted to form a stock company and make Twiford's newly-discovered town site the county seat of Fillmore county.
The plan proposed was to divide the stock into twelve shares. The shareholders were T. B. Twiford, G. W. Willis, H. C. Gere, Myron Toms, William B. Gere, Harvey Hubbard, John I. Hub- bard, Robert Pike, Jr., James McClellan and W. B. Bunnell. It was designed that each of the members of the board of county commis- sioners should be presented with a share in the new town site- the proposed county seat, but Mr. Luark of the appointed board was absent from the territory, and John C. Laird, of the newly-elected board was too strongly interested in Winona to be utilized. Neither of these men were shareholders in the project.
Twiford and Willis put up a log shanty on the proposed town site, to which they gave the name of Chatfield, and placed a man by the name of Case in the shanty temporarily, to hold the locality for the company. It was generally known that the members of the old board of county commissioners, Gere and Toms, whose term of office expired on January 1, 1854, were in favor of locating the county seat in the locality selected by Mr. Twiford, but it was considered extremely doubtful if they had any authority to act in the matter. The law provided that it should be the duty of the first board of county commissioners elected to locate the county seat. The first board had been appointed by the governor as provided by the act creating Fillmore county.
In furtherance of the plan of Twiford and Willis the appointed board assumed the authority to locate the county seat, although it was generally conceded by everybody that this power belonged to the first elected board.
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CHATFIELD SETTLED.
ʼ The following entry was made on the record of the proceedings of the county commissioners by the clerk :
Pursuant to agreement, the commissioners of Fillmore county, Minnesota · Territory, on December 19, A.D. 1853, at the residence of Mr. Case, in Root River precinct, in the town of Chatfield - present Henry C. Gere and Myron Toms. The object of said meeting was to locate the county seat of said Fillmore county, pursuant to the statute in such case made and provided. It was then and there resolved that the county seat should be located at Chatfield, in the center of section 6, town 104 north, of range 11 west. Then the commissioners adjourned, to meet at the residence of W. B. Bunnell, in Minneowah, on Tues- day, December 27, A.D. 1853.
G. W. WILLIS,
Clerk County Commissioners, pro tem.
The commissioners Gere and Toms met at Bunnell's on the 27th of December, 1853, and appointed C. F. Buck clerk of the board. They here audited the accounts of county officers presented, and issued county orders to the amount of $411.47. This was the last meeting of this board of commissioners.
At the time, the county seat of Fillmore county was located at what is now Chatfield. The nearest settler was at Springer's, now St. Charles. There was not even a claim shanty within ten miles of the log pen designated as "the residence of Mr. Case." It was then considered uncertain whether the county seat was located within the western boundary of Fillmore county.
It was estimated that on January 1, 1854, there were about 800 inhabitants within the present boundaries of Winona county. This is thought to be a liberal estimate and probably a large excess over actual numbers.
The board of county commissioners of Fillmore county elected October 11, 1853, met at the house of Robert Pike, Jr., in Minne- sota City January 2, 1854. Robert Pike, Jr., John C. Laird and W. B. Bunnell were present. The register of deeds, W. B. Gere, clerk of the board, was also present. The board was organized by electing W. B. Bunnell chairman. This session of the board continued two days. It is evident from the records that consider- able business was done.
The following extract was copied from the record : "The board then proceeded to ballot for the location of the county seat, which resulted in one vote for Winona, one vote for Chatfield and one vote for Minnesota City. As the board could not agree upon the loca- tion, they decided that the locating should be postponed until a future meeting."
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
Aside from the stock company, the shareholders, there was not a settler in the county that favored the location of the county seat at Chatfield. Meetings were held at Minnesota City, Winona and Minneowah condemning the action of the appointed board, but each locality instructed its representative commissioner to locate the county seat at his own home or place, and under no circumstances to give it to a rival town.
Mr. Sinclair says in his historical sketch in 1876: "At these meetings the commissioner from Minnesota City, Mr. Pike, was instructed by his constituents to vote for the location of the county seat at that place, and in no event at Winona; but if it became necessary for him to exercise discretionary power in making a second choice, to vote in favor of Chatfield. The reason is obvious : the location at Chatfield, upon the division of the county, would give Minnesota City another chance, whereas locating the county seat at Winona would forever debar Minnesota City from securing the coveted prize. The same reasoning led Bunnell, from his stand- point, to operate in like manner in favor of that other rival of Winona, the much-vaunted Minneowah."
While each of the rival localities was clamorous for the county seat, without a prospect of either securing it, there were conserva- tive men in each locality who favored a division of the county rather than have the county seat located at Chatfield, as indications showed it would be. This was most strongly advocated at Winona. H. D. Huff assumed the leadership of this scheme for the purpose of securing the county seat at his town. It was found that Mr. Lord, the representative in the territorial legislature from this district, although a resident of Minnesota City, was in favor of a division of Fillmore county, and promised his aid. He gave Mr. Huff what he considered the proper boundaries for a new county -the same that are now the boundaries of Winona county.
Every means available was brought to bear to induce commis- sioners Bunnell and Pike to cast their vote for Winona. Friendship and diplomacy failed to win the desired vote. There was no compromise with Bunnell. It was said that a bribe of a block of land was offered to Robert Pike, Jr., from two prominent citizens of Winona, in consideration of his vote, which he indignantly refused to accept.
On January 7 the board met at the office of John C. Laird and accomplished considerable business, but failed to settle the county-
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CHATFIELD SETTLED.
seat question. The following extract from record shows the financial condition of the county : "There being no receipts, the liabilities of the county at this date, by reference to the bills on file, is $536.86."
M. Wheeler Sargent says in his address : "L. H. Springer and myself met H. D. Huff at his residence, where we agreed upon the outlines of a new county, to be called Winona, with exactly its present boundaries. Huff, having the most time and money, agreed to engineer it through the legislature. Upon this mission, armed with a petition having as many names as we thought the population would justify, and the other documents adapted to various sup- posable emergencies, he started for St. Paul.
On January 30, 1854, the board of county commissioners, pursuant to adjournment, met at the house of Robert Pike, Jr., in Minnesota City, at which meeting Robert Pike, Jr., John C. Laird and W. B. Bunnell, the chairman, were present. The register of deeds, W. B. Gere, was clerk of the board. At this meeting vacancies were filled by the following appointments : M. Wheeler Sargent, district attorney, and C. F. Buck, judge of probate. The clerk was ordered to notify them of their appointments. Robert Pike, Jr., had been appointed county surveyor at a previous meeting.
The all-absorbing topic of conversation, the vexed question of location of the county seat, was settled at this meeting. The following copy of the record of their proceedings shows their action in the matter: "In pursuance of and in accordance with the eighteenth section of the eleventh chapter of the session laws of Minnesota Territory, passed by the legislative assembly at the session commencing January 5, A.D. 1853, the county commissioners proceeded to locate the county seat of Fillmore county. It was decided by the board of commissioners that the county seat of said Fillmore county should be at Chatfield, in said county, on section 6, township 104 north, of range 11 west."
It was charged by some of the disappointed Winonians that John C. Laird sold out his constituents for a share in Chatfield. G. W. Willis, now living in the city of Winona, says this was not so; that Mr. Laird never held a share in the Chatfield Land Company. Although Mr. Twiford was the originator, Mr. Willis was the leader and manager, of the scheme to locate the county seat at Chatfield. He says: "Bunnell and Pike located the county seat
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HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.
- a majority of the board could do it. I never knew that Laird voted for it, and doubt that he did so, for he always opposed us. None of the commissioners were bribed to vote for it, although everything else was done to influence them. Bunnell and Pike would have voted for Tophet rather than have given it to Winona."
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