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 4

Author: H.H. Hill and Company. 4n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill & Co.
Number of Pages: 1176

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 4

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A period has now been reached in the early exploration and occupation of the territory of the Dah-ko-tahs, when the traditions relating to that era have been merged in the experiences of the writer. It is not merely the vanity of self-assertion that induces him to give his own personal experiences in early pioneer life, but, to connect the past, with the present mode of life in Minnesota, he thinks, may give a clearer impression of the character of the early pioneers than has generally hitherto obtained.

The writer's father, Dr. Bradly Bunnell, was born in New London, Conneticut, in about 1781, and his mother, Charlotte Houghton, was born in Windsor, Vermont, in about 1785. Soon after their marriage they came to Albany, New York, where the eldest sister of the writer was born, and where also was born her husband, Stephen Van Rensselaer. From Albany his parents moved to Homer, New York, where the eldest son, Willard Bradly Bunnell, was born in 1814. Ten years later, 1824, the writer was born in Rochester, New York.

While living in that beautiful city, his father conceived the idea of visiting the Territory of Michigan, and in 1828 went to Detroit. The writer is made sure of the time, by the date of a diploma of his father's membership in the Detroit Medical Society, signed by Stephen C. Henry, president, and R. S. Rice, secretary, and other papers in his possession.

In the autumn of 1831, Bradley Bunnell started for Detroit, with the intention of establishing himself in the practice of his profession, but, delayed by the inclemency of the season, and lack of secure transportation, was induced to open an office in Buffalo.

His practice grew into importance, and during the season of cholera, 1832, the calls for his services to relieve the distressed and dying were almost constant.

The writer had an attack of Asiatic cholera, and passed into what was supposed by consulting physicians to be a collapsed stage of the disease, but the heroic treatment decided upon caused a rally of

TROUBLES WITH THE INDIANS.

the vital forces, and the grim enemy was routed. Although but, eight years old at the time of the Black Hawk war, that event, and incidents connected with it, he distinctly remembers. The passage through Buffalo of United States troops on their way to the scene of conflict made a vivid impression that years have failed to eradi- cate. In 1833 it was thought advisable by the writer's father to move up to Detroit, but meeting with what he thought a better opportunity to establish himself, after a short delay at Detroit, con- tinued on up to Saginaw. There he purchased forty acres of land, that now forms part of that flourishing city. He also bonght forty acres that forms the site of Carrolton. Soon dissatisfied with his purchase, and the felicity afforded by howling wolves and croaking bullfrogs in their gambols and songs of love, he left in the sweet spring-time for metropolitan life in the French village of Detroit. His family, on the score of economy, and most likely for want of ready funds, were left in Saginaw to care for the household goods and garden, and the children to cultivate their unfolding intellects at a country school. The writer was called "Pet " by his mother, and was allowed to run at large with Chippewa children (whose tongue was soon acquired), visit their camps, sugar-groves, hunt, fish, swim, skate and fight, to his unbounded satisfaction. His pride was to excel his dusky competitors in all things, and this was soon accom- plished, to the admiration of an old Chippewa warrior instructor by his killing two immense bald eagles at the age of eleven. The writer was not then aware of the importance Indians attach to the killing of an eagle.

His mother soon became satisfied that her "Pet" was learning more of the camp than the school, more of the hi-yah, of Indian music, than of that taught by his sisters. After a few written notes received from his teacher (confidential), and a vain attempt to take all of "his hide off," after the most approved methods of that "good old time "(?). It was thought best, upon one of his father's periodical visits, to place the writer in a Detroit "classical school."

At about the age of twelve the misguided boy was placed in the Latin school of Mr. O'Brien, of Detroit, who has for many years taught the young ideas "to shoot," fitting many young men with preparatory instruction for useful lives. Mr. O'Brien had been educated for the Catholic priesthood, but discovering some peculi- arity in his character (it was thought to be his temper) unsuited to so sacred an office, he opened his Latin school in Detroit.

HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.

There can be no doubt of the masterly ability of O'Brien as a teacher ; but his method was the old one he learned in his bible, to "spare not the rod !" So, after a very short term at that school, receiving in the meantime a few extra lessons in the manly art of self-defense, the writer one day with a ty-yah! left the school and his books never to return.

A new method was then tried with the young savage, and his experiences at the " Bacon Select or High School," of Detroit, are cherished in grateful memory. The writer made rapid progress toward the goal of his ambition, a liberal education, but the "wild - cat mania" had seized upon his father, and as a consequence of losses, sickness and deaths in his family, the boy aspirant had to be made self-supporting.

He was placed in the drug store of Benjamin T. Le Britton, opposite Ben Woodworth's hotel, where he boarded for a time npon 'his arrival in Detroit, and with that kind and upright gentleman, and his successor in business, he remained until the fires that raged in the wooden buildings of that period had destroyed them. Before the destruction of the American or Wale's Hotel by fire the writer was boarded at that house by his employer, and while there remembers that Henry R. Schoolcraft boarded there also for some considerable time, engaged, probably, upon his Indian works. A Chippewa maiden in attendance upon his invalid wife (who was of mixed blood), though shy, seemed pleased when spoken to in Chippewa, which, boy like, the writer would do.

For a time. at intervals, though yonng for the work, he was sent by his employer to take orders and make collections in Ohio, Ken- tucky and Virginia.

It was now thought advisable to engage the writer in the study of medicine. This was distasteful to him, but finally, with his ex- perience as a druggist to build on, in 1840 he went into his father's office in Detroit, and in winter, for want of other resources, attended private clinics and demonstrations.

The reading and confinement involved was too great a change from his former and accustomed habits, but nevertheless, in order not to disappoint the fond expectations of his parents; he worked against his inclinations. He had continued his studies, more or less regularly, when a most welcome letter from his brother, Willard B. Bunnell, decided him, in the spring of 1842, to go to Bay-du-Noquet, where Willard was engaged in the fur trade.

CHAPTER V.

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS.

A POINT has now been reached in this paper where it will be more convenient to use the pronoun of the first person singular, and accordingly I will say that my recollections of the passage of Gen. Scott and his troops up the lakes, in 1832 ; my intimacy with Indians, annually renewed by their visits to Detroit and Malden, Canada, to receive payments ; my acquaintance with all the old-time French fur traders and their offspring, at Detroit, and of the traditions told me by the Snelling boys of their father and their grandfather, Col. Snelling, all conspired to imbue me withli a romantic idea of " going out West " into the Indian territory that has never yet been realized. At my father's table I had heard Col. Boyer, the Indian agent at Green Bay, speak in glowing terms of that beautiful sheet of water and its rock-bound islands and harbors ; and I had also heard the Williams, of Pontiac and Saginaw, as well as my mother's cousin, Dr. Houghton, speak in my presence of Indian traditions relating to silver and copper. mines upon Lake Superior. I asked myself then, with boyish fancies, why I could not find one. My dream of the conquest of fortune was at first rather rudely dispelled upon my arrival at my brother's house, but upon mature reflection I decided not to return to Detroit.

I found my brother in very poor' health and about to move to the upper Mississippi. The climate of this lovely region, even at that early day, was extolled by the fur traders for its salubrity, and for persons suffering from any form of lung disease it was thought to be almost a specific. Exposures and excesses frequently incident to frontier life had left their marks upon Willard, and I at once decided to aid in his removal to a dryer atmosphere.

Will bought of the Chippewas and fitted out two of their largest bark canoes, and after selling to Mr. Lacy, of Green Bay, all of his stoek of furs, and loading his sloop, "The Rodolph," with choice maple sugar, he closed ont the remnant of his winter stock of goods to the Indians encamped on the shores of Green Bay, taking in payment their choicest furs and peltries.

HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.

Upon his arrival at the city of Green Bay all of the purchases made from the Iudians were disposed of at enormous profits, includ- ing one of the bark canoes, capable of carrying about four thousand pounds. The other canoe Will loaded with the lighter fabrics of his trade, and, after a few days' delay in procuring a suitable pilot, or guide, started np through the rapids of Fox river.

My brother was accompanied by his wife, née Matilda Des- noyer, who was of the old French stock of Desnoyers, myself, a voyager, and an old Menominee Indian pilot, who spoke Chippewa well, and said he belonged to the band of Osh-kosh. The Indian went with us only to the head of the rapids, or foot of Lake Winne- bago, as agreed upon, but gave us so clear a description of the route to be followed to Fort Winnebago, that we reached that ancient portage without assistance or difficulty.

At the Buttes dn Mort ( the mounds of the dead ), we found a most intelligent mixed-blood trader, named Grignon, a descendant of the celebrated French officer Langlade, who offered us generous hospitality and inducements to remain with him. I think that the maiden name of my brother's wife, Desnoyer, influenced the old trader upon its incidentally becoming known to him, for he spoke in the highest terms of the Desnoyer family as personal friends of his in troubled times. Grignon told us that "the mounds of the dead " had no relation to the battle with the Fox Indians, fought on the opposite side of the stream, but were ancient tumuli, of which none but the most vague traditions existed.

After a day's rest, we pushed on up through the intricate wind- ings of Fox river.

We were not very heavily loaded, our cargo consisting for the most part of calicoes, red, green and blue cloths, blankets, cutlery, beads, and other baubles, so that upon the whole our trip was a very pleasant one. Some of the Winnebagoes encountered on the way were at first inclined to be somewhat surly, and demurred to the prices fixed upon the goods, and no doubt our firm and non- chalant demeanor was all that prevented an attack from one encamp- ment, where it was intimated a tribute would be acceptable. This intimation angered my brother, and in a choice vocabulary of blank Chippewa, which their association with the Menominees of Green Bay enabled them to understand, Will poured into their unwilling ears sounds that utterly silenced them. The Ho-chunk-o-raws, or "Sweet Singers," as some translate their name, changed their

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS.

tune and brought out their remaining furs, and would have loaded our frail bark at our own prices, to the top of the gunnels.

Willard expected to sell the furs collected on this journey at Fort Winnebago, but failed to do so, as the enterprising trader and commercial traveler of the St. Louis, or Choteau Company, had already made his annual rounds, and had started for Prairie Du Chien. However, by some unexpected delay, we met La 'bath after we had started from the Portage, and were assured of a sale at "La Prairie."

At the Portage, our canoe and its bulky cargo were transported by wagon to the Wisconsin, down which, after having been "pocketed" a few times in misleading channels, we journeyed tri- umphantly.

At Prairie Du Chien, we met Charles Le Grave, a merchant, whose family I had known in Detroit, and also the trader La 'bath, both of whom were willing to purchase our furs, but at reduced rates.

We did not quite realize expectations in the final sale of our Indian commodities, for the season had too far advanced for the profitable sale of furs. Consulting with Le Grave, after a long conversation with La 'bath regarding the upper Mississippi, we took their advice and decided to go to the "Soaking Mountain," known now as Trempealeau.

We were told that in the near future the site of the village would be the emporium of trade, and we were assured of a hearty welcome from a hospitable Kentucky pioneer named Reed. By the treaty of November 1, 1837, the Sioux and the Winnebagoes mixed bloods ceded to the United States all their territory on the east side of the Mississippi, and it was supposed by the old traders that town sites would become of great value. Francis La'bath, though a half- breed Sioux, had tlie energy, if not the business capacity, of a railroad magnate, and as a trader and collector of furs for the American Fur Company, he had become familiar with the Indian territory of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers.

In addition to his trips of purchase for the fur company he had personal interests to supervise, for he had established sinall posts and wood-yards at several points for trade on the Mississippi between Prairie du Chien and Lake Pepin. La'bath's first post was at the head of the "Battle Slough," where Black Hawk was defeated, and it was generally managed by La'bath in person. He had another

HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.

small post on the east side of the river, about three miles below La Crosse, that commanded the trade of Root river and vicinity and was an important winter post. Root river was known to the Winne- bagoes as Cah-he-o-mon-ah, or Crow river, and not the Call-he-rah, or Menominee river, as stated by some writers. The Sioux also called Root river Cah-hay Wat-pah, because of the nesting of crows in the large trees of its bottom lands. In the winter of 1838-9 James Douville and Antoine Reed (Canadians) established them- selves at Trempealeau in the interest of La'bath, but more to hold the town site than for the purposes of trading with the Indians. A wood-yard was established on the head of the island opposite Tren- pealeau, and some land cultivated by Douville, but nothing of con- sequence done to induce a settlement at Trempealeau. La'bath was a cousin of the last chief Wah-pa-sha, and as a half-breed was allowed to establish himself where white men were prohibited from settling.

In accordance with La'bath's privileges he was interested in the half-breed tract at what is now Wabasha, and had petty posts estab- lished at every point where trade might be secured. At or near what is now Minnesota City, on the Rolling Stone, Labeth placed his nephew, Joseph Bonette, to trade with the Wah-pa-sha band, and abandoning his lower posts, established one a few miles below the mouth of White-water, at a point known as the Bald Bluff. This post was known to the Winnebagoes as Nees-skas-hay-kay-roh, or White- water Bluff, while his Rolling Stone post was called Nees-skas-hone- none-nig-ger-ah, or Little White-water. The Sioux name for White- water is Minne-ska, and for Rolling Stone E-om-bo-dot-tah. Wat-pah, a river or creek, is sometimes added, thoughi not often, as the creek, like many words in Indian, is to be understood. It should be understood that most of the petty posts established on Indian terri- tory were temporary huts of logs for winter quarters, occupied and again abandoned when no longer serviceable to an ever-changing trade.

A short time previous to the breaking out of the Black Hawk war, a war-party of Sauks attacked an encampment of Dah-ko-tahs on Money creek. The young daughter of the Sioux war-chief Wah-kon-de-o-tah was captured and was being hurried from the camp, when her cries were heard by her father. With a spirit worthy of his name he rushed through the rear guard of the foe, and with his own war-club alone brained three of those who had opposed the rescue of his child. At the sound of his war-whoop his braves

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS.

instantly came to his support, and few of the Sauks were left to tell of their defeat. This attack, though so bravely repulsed, alarmed the Wah-pa-sha band, and after the fight they made their principal encampment in Wisconsin, near the Trempealeau mountain, until after the treaty of 1837. Their spring gatherings and dances were still held, however, at Keoxa. This statement was recently given me by a half-blood Sioux and Winnebago relative of Wah-pa-sha, who was in the fight of over fifty years ago on Money creek.

This statement is confirmed by the Grignons, who inform me that their uncle La Bath vacated many petty posts when threatened, and reoccupied them again when the supposed danger was past.

The post at the Rolling Stone was finally abandoned in about 1840. Joseph Borrette, who was then in charge of La Bath's trading post, built a small cabin near the site of the Green Bay elevator, at East Moor, which served as a winter post until about 1843, when it too was abandoned. During the winter of 1842-3 I attended a pay- ment held in the oak grove below where the elevator now stands, and which, I think, proved to be the last one made individually to the Wa-pa-sha band. Mr. Dousman and others from Prairie du Chien were present to look after their interests, but with all their sagacity and experience there were transient traders enough with "spirit water" to gobble up a liberal share of the five-franc pieces then paid the Indians, to the no sinall disgust of the agent. All after-payments were either paid in goods, or if in coin, the payment was paid in bulk at Fort Snelling. La Bath's relationship to Wah- pa-sha gave him great personal influence, and by his advice James Reed was selected and appointed as their farmer and storekeeper. Soon after Reed's appointment he employed Alexander Chienvere, a son-in-law, to break fifteen acres of land at the Gilmore valley for the band, and Charles H. Perkins, who married Miss Farnam, Reed's stepdaughter, was soon after employed to break ten acres more for Wah-pa-sha on the east side of Burns' creek, on what is now Miss Maggie Burns' farm. When that work was done the chief declared himself well satisfied, and sent the workmen back to Reed.

La Bath himself was employed by the fur company for a number of years, but his nephew, Joseph Borrette, kept up the trade of his uncle, with varying success, until about 1844, when all of the petty posts were abandoned. Those old cabins served as stopping-places in winter for the old mail-carriers, Lewis Stram, Baptist and Alex. Chienvere, and others, and the one on the Prairie island above 4

HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.

Winona was occupied by old Goulah, a French Canadian, who had been for some years in the service of La Bath, but, growing too old for journeyings in the wilderness, was placed in charge of a wood- yard established by La Bath on the island above the Wah-ma-dee bluffs, now Fountain City. But to return. We renewed our sup- plies of provisions and left "La Prairie " buoyant with hope, a south wind wafting our bark up the Me-ze-see-bee, or great river, of the Chippewas. We arrived at La Crosse in the delightful month of June, 1842, and were received by the trading firm of Myrick & Mil- ler in a very courteous manner. They then occupied a mere shanty or small log cabin, but were at work upon the foundation of what afterward grew to a house of fair dimensions, though the archi- tecture was somewhat of the composite order. To their original structure they afterward added a hewn block-house, Indian room, and frame addition, and this building, a warehouse, stable, and other outbuildings belonging to the firm, formed the nuclei of La Crosse. There has been some discussion between Mr. Nathan Myrick, of the old firm of Myrick & Miller, relating to the first settlement of La Crosse ; and while I concede the possibility of a house having been erected on the prairie before that of Mr. Myrick's was built, I do not believe it, as no evidence of the fact was seen, or the event talked of, by any of the old traders. On the contrary, Reed, who as a soldier had camped on the prairie some years before 1842, spoke of Myrick & Miller as the pioneer settlers of La Crosse. Even though a small cabin had been built before Myrick's arrival, running fires or government steamboats, the crews of which had to provide wood while on their voyages, would have removed every vestige of the fact of the building's previous existence ; and besides this, until the ratification of the treaty of November, 1837, the Winnebago Indians would allow no permanent settlement upon their domain east of the Mississippi without a special arrangement with them.

Upon landing at La Crosse, Miller was especially hospitable, and offered to wager us "the skoots " that we would not find another such a chance for settlement as La Crosse afforded, and urged us to remain and help build up a city. We were not then very favorably impressed with the advantages claimed for La Crosse, but thanked Miller for his courtesy and interest in our behalf. Finding us firm in our purpose of visiting the "Rattlesnake hills," as he and Dous- man called the Trempealeau bluffs, he volunteered to aid us in

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS.

locating a claim, and to break up sufficient ground for a potato-patch should we return after seeing how immense the rattlesnakes were up at "Jim Reed's town."

Miller was a man of most generous impulses and strong attach- ment, but crosses rendered him as stubborn as resistance itself, and this quality subsequently marred his happiness.

After renewed assurances of good fellowship between Willard and Miller, mellowed, no doubt, by a few private interviews, we continued on up the broad river, resting in the shade of the forest- clad bluffs, while our light canoe plouglied its course at their base, or stopping at other times where a gushing crystal fountain invited us to blend its limpid waters with our midday Innch.

The Eagle's Nest (the remains of which may still be seen), now known as the "Queen Bluff," because of its surpassing beauty and perpendicular height, had living occupants, as we were informed, that had held possession for many years before. Subsequently they were dispossessed by Reed and some of his Dah-ko-tah friends to celebrate a war-dance. At Catlin's Rocks, now Richmond, we found the red paint discernible that marked Catlin's name; and had it been used to paint one of his savage chiefs, it would have ren- dered the canvas more imperishable than the rocks that still bear his name.

The wind rising up for a vesper breeze, we put on all sail, and in a short half-hour's run landed at Trempealeau.

James Reed, his son-in-law, James Dauville, Joseph Borrette, and others of the family, came down to the river bank to greet us, and after explaining our purpose in coming, and presenting a letter from Le Grave, Reed invited us to his house, and soon had his whole household interested in our welfare. We were invited to supper, and the manner in which it was done precluded a declina- tion of the hospitality. We retired early, but not until a sheltered place for a winter home had been suggested for us by Reed.

Reed was at our camp early next morning, and leading the way to a most refreshing spring in a little valley above the present site of the village, Willard selected it for a temporary residence, until, as he said, he should be able to learn something of the country. We asked Reed in reference to danger from rattlesnakes, and were told that, to annoy him, or retaliate for disparaging remarks he had made about a miserably poor dog having been used in naming the "Dog Prairie" (Prairie du Chien), Dousman had retorted by calling

HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY.

his Trempeleau village site "The Rattle-Snake Hills "; and the worst part of it is, said Reed, " he directs all his letters by steam- boat in that way, and nervous people will scarcely land." It was evident to both Willard and myself that Dousman's name was not entirely a fiction, and we adroitly returned to the subject. Reed finally confessed that though he had been there but two years, having established himself in 1840, he had seen quite a number of rattlesnakes; but his hogs, he said, were fast exterminating them, and he hoped they would soon disappear, for, said he, "old hunter as I am, I step high in going through the ferns and grasses of the bluffs." The Winnebago name of the locality, Wa-kon-ne-shau- alı-ga, means the place of rattlesnakes on the river. We were told by Reed that it was the westernmost peak of the range that was called by Hennepin La Montaigne, qui Trompe-a L'eau, and that the name was a translation (probably understood by signs) of the Winnebago name of Hay-nee-ah-chaw, which signified about the same thing, that is, that the mountain was "getting pretty wet." The Sioux called the mountain Pah-ha-dah, "The Moved Moun- tain." La Crosse was so named by the French, because during peaceful eras the most athletic of the Indian tribes in the surround- ing country assembled to play Indian shinny-ball, called Wah-hin- hin-ah, staking horses, blankets, wampum, and sometimes even their squaw slaves, on the issues of their national game. The lower end of the prairie, near Michel's brewery, was the place of assembly; but the game of ball was so common among all Indians, that the name of their game was never given to a locality. At one time, along the foot of the bluffs, back of the sandy portion of the prairie, within the memory even of white settlers, that locality was famous for strawberries, and for this reason the Sioux called La Crosse Wah-zoos-te-cah, meaning the place of strawberries, when La Crosse was designated, but the Winnebagoes, more given to naming localities from peculiarities in the geological formation of their country, called the La Crosse valley to its junction with the Missis- sippi, E-nook-wah-zee-rah, because of the fancied resemblance of two prominent mound-shaped peaks north of La Crosse to a woman's breasts.

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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 4

Author: H.H. Hill and Company. 4n Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill & Co. Number of Pages: 1176

Author: H.H. Hill and Company. 4n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill & Co.
Number of Pages: 1176