USA > Minnesota > Washington County > History of Washington County and the St. Croix Valley, including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota > Part 36
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been appointed receiver of that property as it was then in dispute.
" He said if we would raise our company he and his clerk would join us, and help open the road, as it would enable him to get below before spring. Our company was composed of Henning, Deni- son, Peter, the surveyor, Burns and his clerk, Walter Mapes and myself. The trip was a very pleasant one although we were caught in a very severe snow storm. Peter was the guide and hunter, Mapes and Denison the choppers, Hen- ning and Burns to pack the wood and build fires, the clerk take care of horses, and I to do the cooking. We had rousing fires and after supper good stories from Henning and the governor. Then we would go for each other on our town sites. Henning having located at Hudson, my- self at the falls, and Burns had got his eye on La Crosse. It would be two against one, first Burns and myself would go for Henning : 'What have you got to build up a town ?' He would fall back on Mapes and me and say here are my far- mer backers. We were camped at or near what is called Rock Elm Center, near a spring among very tall butternut, oak, and rock elm timber, when Burns says : 'Well Foster, what have you got to build a town after Henning steals it all ?" I arose to my feet pointed to the tall timber and said : 'Gentlemen do you see these trees point- ing so high towards the heavens ; do you see this spring, this soil, these are my backers.' I then said to Tim 'What have you got to back your sand-bank ?' He claimed it was the only good point for some distance on the river, and there were some good valleys around it.
"When we returned I found McGregor and his wife hard at work fixing up the house, as winter had set in in earnest. He had hung a door, cut a hole for a six pane window, and things began to look awfully stuck up. Up to this time we had been living in this beautiful valley like Adam in the garden, in a state of perfect innocence, sleeping on prairie feathers, robes and blankets. McGregor introduced women, rocking chairs and feather-beds, and whether he can be justly hield responsible for all the wild extravagances that have spread over this valley from that time to the introduction of the 'pinback' is a question I shall leave for future historians to decide.
"McGregor and myself agreed to work together
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through the winter, getting out rail timber, for fencing for both, and logs for a house for Mc- Gregor, at the rate of one load for him, and two for me. As there was no grain in the country for horse feed but what I had raised from my seven bushels of seed, we concluded to let one pair of horses winter on hay, with a little oats, and keep the other pair in good shape for hard work, and campaigning through the winter. This proved good policy, as we afterwards found.
"During the early part of the winter, four men, afterwards known as the French boys, Jack, Lewey, Jo Bonner, and John D., had gone into camp on Rush river, on the opposite side of the river from Rouche's store, in Martel, for hunting and trapping purposes, As there were no roads, every man made his own track and tried to keep it open for his own use. If you went outside of that, it was a hard fight for men and horses, as the snow was deep, and in places drifted very hard.
"I was forced to make a trip to St. Paul on business in connection with the Goodrich family. At that time there were no roads from opposite Hudson to St. Paul, but there was one from Stillwater. We had heard in the valley of a man stopping at the lake with Esq. Aldridge, making sash and doors for a new house for Aldridge, by the name of Cox, from Ohio, who was talking of building a saw and grist mill on the Kinnickin- nic. The lumbermen thought he must be a fool, and if the farmers did, they kept still about it. I had a little curiosity to look at him, and meant to do so on my trip to St. Paul. I had a favorite horse for such trips that I always used. Being of good blooded stock, and what horsemen call 'game,' I have often felt badly that I parted with him as I did after the great service he had done me. He had a record many an old settler will recollect. I sold him to Horace Taylor, a boy at that time, on credit, to assist in starting the first mail conveyance to our town from Pres- cott. He had managed by the assistance of friends, to get another horse. Two horses, a buggy and harness, and a tin horn completed the outfit. No doubt it was the biggest under- taking of his life. We all felt that it was a big thing, and no doubt you at this time would think so too if you could see him rise the slope coming from Prescott, near the house of John Foster,
slowly until he got on top in view of what we thought our big hotel, and two or four small houses then he would straighten up, pull up his shirt col- lar, pick up his horn, tighten up his reins, give several loud blasts on his horn which would raise the ears of old Jim as well as his own, and the way they would come tearing into our big town over the south fork bridge was very exciting to say the least. and if by chance he had a passen- ger, every one wanted to know if he was going to stop here; if he had money; where he was from; was he married; if it was a woman: who does she belong to, or is she free. 'Hod,' as we called him, was always prepared to inform us. He started early in life in the news and blow business, and is in it yet. From Taylor, old Jim went into the hands of some one in Hudson, I think Douglass, and became the pioneer horse to carry the mail through the big woods on the Prairie du Chien road. At that time he was always on time with the mail, as he was a good three minute horse. The next man that owned him was, I think, a well-digger, rather a hard case. Old Jim at this time had got to be little but skin, bones, and cords, but still this man would charge through our Main street, as we called it, on old Jim that they had now named old rail-splitter, the old horse show- ing all the life he did with Hod and his horn be- hind him. Where his bones lie I cannot say.
"I mounted him early one morning to make my trip to St. Paul through deep and quite hard snow; got to Hudson early, and went into Aldridge's cabin to warm. Aldridge sat close to the stove holding a child about two years old. A stranger sat wedged in behind the stove with one much young- er. Both of them appeared to be hard at work to keep the little ones quiet, whilst Mrs. Aldridge got the breakfast ready. The stranger appeared to understand his business, and the way he fought that baby to keep it quiet, showed me that he re- alized that his breakfast depended in a great measure upon the result of the fight. The fight was getting interesting. He was turning the child every way but the wrong end up, and mak- ing all kinds of faces at it, when Mrs. Aldridge gave her left arm a kind of a scoop which landed the child square on her left hip in good old Illi- nois style whilst with the right she grabbed the coffee pot off the stove and says, 'Sit right up to the table. Come Mr. Foster, you need a hot cup
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of coffee after your ride.' Aldridge appeared to take great pleasure in introducing Mr. Cox and myself to each other on that occasion, it being the first of our meetings. My being the pioneer farmer of this section and he intending to be the pioneer miller, and it may truly be said of us that we have been warm social friends and po- litical enemies from that day to this.
"I broke my track until I struck the trail from Stillwater, got to St. Paul by the middle of the afternoon, and started back the next morning. Old Jim was anxious to get home, and fairly plowed through the snow. I found a team had left this side of the lake and gone in the direction of the falls, found where they had unloaded in a snow bank near the hog-back, turned around and gone back. I got home between two and three in the afternoon. Mrs. McGregor told me that Jock, one of the French boys, had been to Still- water for supplies, and had got kettles and boilers to make sugar with in the spring. They had hired Putman and Aldridge to fetch them to my place. They had hitched up three horses and started with four or five hundred pounds all told; had run into a snow bank and then unloaded. the horses were so weak for want of grain that they could hardly get back to the lake. Jock wanted me when I got home to take my team, get the traps and take them out to them; that one of them would stay in camp to be sure to answer my hail when I struck the Rush, and help me into camp, and they would give me a $4.85 gold piece for doing it. I hitched on to the sled, went back that evening and fetched every- thing to my house.
"It was a debatable question whether I could break through with a team in one day. I started with old Jim and his mate, both strong and long- legged, got off at four in the morning ; never stopped the horses except when they would get into the snow so deep and hard that they could go no further, then they would stop themselves, and old Jim would look around as much as to say, 'Now it is your turn.' I would pull off my coat go in front and tramp and break a track for each one until I thought it was shallow enough for them to go ahead again. In this way I succeeded in coming in sight of the old crossing, between sundown and dark, without stopping to eat or do anything else; gave a loud whoop, got a reply
lower down stream, from the camp on the oppo- site bank. One of the boys, Joe Bonner, had re- mained in camp to cook and watch for me. They had been betting and gambling on my bringing the supplies and kettles. Old Jock, as they called him, was ready to go his pile on my coming to time. I don't think I ever saw so much meat de- voured by five men at one time, as we ate at that meal. It was venison, with just pork enough to season well, cooked in a large kettle and emptied into a large pan, such as is used to wash dishes in ; setting it in the middle of the table, every one helped himself. Next morning I found the mucles of my legs very sore and tender, but made the re- turn trip in time for dinner at Fort Foster.
"In the fall two young men by the name of Bai- ley came to the country, and were stopping with my nearest neighbor toward Prescott, Mr. George Rissue. I made a call on Rissue, stopping over night, and slept with the two Baileys in rather a narrow bed in the loft of Rissue's old log house, got acquainted, talked much of the future hopes and prospects of the country, what experiments would be best to try first to test the country. I found them to be pioneers, for more of the family were to come if things looked favorable to them, and both Dexter and Monroe Bailey haye done much to develop the resources of the country for the country's benefit as well as their own.
"On looking at my old account book at that time, I find quite an increase of names on or about the opening of navigation in the spring of 1860. I find charged March 30th, 1850, Mr. Fish Dr., to one-half day's hauling from town, to one and one-half day's hauling logs. Mr. Fish set- tled near the point of the mound where Mr. Strahl now lives. April Ist, Fish Dr., to moving family one and one-half days. It appears that his house was ready for use.
"April 28th, 1850, Mr.Livingston Dr., to postage paid on letter, fifteen cents. Mr. Livingston had come to the country with Mr. Fish, and they were making claims together, in co-partnership as it were.
"April 28th, 1850, Sam, Dr., to pork, fifty cents. Sam was a Swede. He made claim to all that part of Mann valley called the Burrough's farm, as well as some others. Sam was quite quick tem- pered, got into trouble about his claim, and left the country April 29th, 1860.
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"'Mr. Walstow debtor, to load hay.' Mr. Wal- stow was the first settler on the prairie this side of Hudson, near the mound.
"'May 17th, 1850, Mr. McGregor debtor, to breaking three acres of ground, $9.00.'
"There was little or no money used among us then. It was help for help. May 20th, Mr. Liv- ingston debtor, to breaking ground, $2.50. Creditor, by laying floor, by plowing two days. Mr. Clark Green debtor, to six day's board. Mr. Clark Green settled were Mr. S. Wales now- lives. The country was filling up fast, we thought, and we were going to be a success. Had got a road through the big woods called the Prairie du Chien road, but reported so bad that it was doubtful if any one could get through on it.
"Must have a big Fourth of July celebration, and big dinner in good old fashioned style, with roast pig. The committee reported that it would nearly destroy the hog crop of the country to have pig. What to do we did not know. Peter came to the rescue, said he would get up early on the Fourth, kill a deer in time, and we could have trout and any amount of little fixings. The committee accepted Peter's plan and he killed the deer, and we had a glorious time eating and drinking with the spread eagle all in, but the best part took place whilst we were eating. Some one reported that an emigrant wagon with family and live stock had just arrived through the big woods, on our new road. This created great excitement. A committee was sent at once to fetch every- thing, dogs and all, right to the table and have them feasted.
"Mr. Cox had got to work near the mouth of the river, at what is now Clifton, on his saw mill. Mr. Strahl and Mr. Shaddock, the pioneer farm- ers of that locality, bad commenced work. I had changed some of my horses for cattle. One Sun- day morning was quite tired, and would like rest, but what should I do to feed company through the week. Must try to get some large three pound trout for corning as well as to use fresh. I hitched a yoke of oxen to the wagon, put in hay to ride on, took my rifle and fishing tackle and started the oxen toward what is called Dayton's pond. Arrived at the little bottom at the head of the pond, and bad no trouble in getting a fine string of large trout. I was on the point of start- ing home, when I saw Mr. Cox coming up the
stream at the foot of the little bottom with a large string of trout in his hand. It was very warm. He came slowly up to my wagon and says, 'They say that the way of the transgressor is bard, but I don't see but your way is easy enough.' 'They likely meant the other fellow. How will it be with you by the time you get home with that string of trout?' Mr. Cox at that time had to feed the most of the stragglers at that end of the stream as I was doing at the falls. We compared notes a short time and went home with our sup- plies.
"The question is often asked, 'How did you spend your long winter evenings?' We had some very good books, we talked of the future of the country, Mr. McGregor could sing a good Scotch song, and if anything turned up for fun we made the most of it. One evening after a hard day's work, Mr. McGregor complained of not feeling well, thought he had got a cold some way. Mrs. McGregor had, it appeared, for fear of such times, laid in a quart or two of fine whisky and maple sugar.
"She went at once for her supplies and made two glasses of black strap out of sugar, whisky and hot water, and gave each of us one. It had good effect. It cured McGregor and he sung his song before going to bed. While coming in from work a few evenings after, we concluded we must have more of that whisky. I must play sick. It came. We kept on in that way, until one even- ing it was McGregor's turn to be sick, when Mrs. McGregor says, 'What shall we do. The whis- ky is all gone.' He looked at me and says, ' Well it is no use being sick if the whisky is gone.' We got a lecture upon the meanness of two men taking advantage of a lone woman ten miles from anywhere, to get the last drop of whisky in the house. 'What would we do if we were sick. Didn't care much if we were.' We hung our heads, but got no credit for penitence, but had our regular sing before going to bed, but did not think it sounded as well or that McGregor sung as well as when we had our regular medi- cine, but the result was we had to get along the balance of the winter without sickness or whisky. Society will no doubt excuse us for making the most of our opportunities for pleasure, even though some of them were at the expense of a lady, when they consider that we were debarred
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HISTORY OF THE SAINT CROIX VALLEY.
as it were of all the higher order of pleasures of to-day, such as Sabbath evening theaters and operas, ten cent christian sociables and charities.
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"One Saturday evening some ten or twelve men came to the log house. They were very tired, dusty and hungry. They had been traveling over in Minnesota looking for homes ; were not satisfied, and had crossed over to this side. They were Norwegians. There was a clergyman along with them by the name of Clausen, a very highly educated gentleman, speaking different languages very fluently. He was their spokesman : ‘Can we stop with you to-night ? Can you feed us ? We are very hungry ; have been living on dried meat and crackers for some time. Do you know of any good section of country for a settlement ?' 'What kind of land do you want ! Why did you not like Minnesota ?' 'It is too unlike the country we have left. We want more clay, gravel, timber and water combined, something like the country we have left, but not so hard.'
" 'Do you know of such a section of coun- try?' 'Yes.' 'Will you show it to us?' 'Yes.' 'How far is it?' 'Twelve miles.' I got them up a good meal-trout and pork, cream biscuits, and nearly a half bushel of fine potatoes, and plenty of coffee. I poured the potatoes into a large pan in the centre of the table, and told them to sit up. I don't think any crowd ever enjoyed the exhibition of seeing wild animals fed in a menagerie more than I did to see those men eat. The potatoes were very large and mealy-the skins burst open on them. The first thing done was to reach the right hand and take two and place them beside their plates. Some of the men had been eating cold potatoes whilst I was cook- ing supper; but the clergyman describes the sup- per better, in the following extract from a letter to me, than I can:
"LUTHER VALLEY, September 5th, 1850. J. Foster Esq;
DEAR SIR: I feel really ashamed that I have not written to you before, to thank you again for your friendly hospitality towards me and my fellow travelers, when we were repeatedly at your house, and almost ate up all your provisions. I often laugh heartily when I think of that almost ferocious appetite with which we fell over your cold potatoes first, and then keeping you in con- stant exercise, emptying your pan and eating
your biscuit as fast as you could fry and bake. I assure you such recollections often makes my heart yearn after your country with its fresh and bracing climate, its delicious trout, venison, etc.
"The next morning being the Sabbath they held divine service, the first ever held in this part of the country. The arrangement was that after service I should hitch up my team and take them to the promised land I had told them of. The French boys had built a fine log house in the little pine grove on Jock's claim. The pines were the first you came in sight of and that told you where the stream was. We got there about two in the afternoon, and the clergyman and myself went at once to work to see which could get the most trout in the least possible time, for supper. The crowd scattered in every direction, some to hunt, and some to fish. We soon had an abundance of trout and met again under the pines for supper. I had taken bread, pork and coffee, had a large fire started and went at once to cooking trout in large frying-pans. They de- voured about as fast as I could cook, but they had to stop at last. There were a few trout left, but I put on a fresh pan to fry, and commenced eating. Clausen says: 'What are you frying those for; we are all done?' 'Do you begrudge me a few trout. I guess your men don't know how to eat trout,' and I commenced eating in backwoods style.
"He began making fun at my expense. I kept right on eating as though I had had nothing to eat for a week, when I stopped, leaned forward towards Clausen, drew down my face and said,'Can you see any red specks on my face ?' He leaned forward, took a good look and said 'No.' 'Are you sure ?' He took another good look and says, "I can't see any.' 'I am all right then. I al- ways eat trout till the specks show," and then went to eating again, and he and the French boys took a hearty laugh at his expense. Next morn- ing they all selected places, and some of them are in them yet. This is the start of the large Norwegian settlement that has done so much in this section of country. Had nothing inter- vened to disarrange the plans of myself and Clausen, this place would have been now quite a city. He was to fetch settlers and have an in- terest in the water-power; we were to get an in- terest at Prescott for an outlet. I carried out
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my part. Mr. Clausen was unable to fulfill bis part of the plan owing to the war between Den- mark, Austria, and Prussia. Mr. Prescott the old proprietor of that city, came down from the Fort to lay out his town. He got Mr. J. O. Hen- ning to do the work. I went to Prescott whilst they were laying out the town, took dinner with Prescott in the old log house; the dinner was cooked by a squaw, the wife of an old French- man that lived in the house. I told Mr. Prescott what I would like to do. He was very liberal. He said: 'Mr. Foster, I will sell you lots fair, and will give you one. Take it where you like.' Up to this time I had been popular in Hudson all were very friendly to me, and in directing peo- ple where to go, they would tell them they could not go anywhere without going by Foster's, at the Falls of the Kinnickinnic. After that they would tell them they could not go anywhere and go past Foster's.
"Let us now look at the account book:
"Two new names August 1st, 1850; Mr. Woods debtor, to horse to Big river, credit, by work one day. Mr. Woods, at times known as Capt. Woods, was the first settler on Big river. French Brothers debtors, to one plow $15; by cash $5.00. The same plow broke the first ground on both streams. Mr. Luke Pomeroy had come to the valley that spring but had not at that time located in the valley. The first time I saw him was on this side of the mound this side of Hudson, start- ing a breaking team, breaking the first furrow on the Jones farm. He and others had had a hard time getting through the woods on our new road with his teams and stock. December 15th, 1850, Mr. Bartlett, debtor, to one horse and cow, $75. Mr. Bartlett was quite an old man. He had come over the road with a lot of cows for sale late in fall. He did not stop in the country but several that came with him did. One man by the name of Baker, settled at what was Baker Station. Another by the name of Fuller settled near the mouth of Rush river. The first circuit court was held in the small frame house, built by one of the Nobles and sold to Col. Hughes, by Judge Jack- son of Mineral Point. Two Indians were tried for killing a white man. It took all the settlers to make up a jury. We lacked one man. A man who was in the habit of stopping on either side of
the lake happened over that day and so was made use of to fill up the required number.
"I was selected foreman. This court was a grand thing for us as it gave us a chance to meet and know each other personally, as we had by re- port. It was the most intelligent body of men that I ever met in like associations, and Judge Jackson made the same remark after shaking hands with nearly all present on the occasion.
"It gave us a good chance to post ourselves on what had taken place or was going to take place in the country. Some one from down the river toward Prescott was telling me of some very interesting circumstances that happened, when I asked who was along. He said there were three brothers by the name of 'Thing' in the county, and all wereat court; one had a club foot. My informant answered: 'I was along, and such a one,' pointing to another, and to one of the Things, 'This Thing was along, and that Thing, and the Devil's own Thing, was along,' pointing to the one with the club foot; which remark caused a good deal of merriment. Again refer- ing to the account book we find: 'October 20th, 1850-Mr. Fish, debtor, to trip to town for doc- tor; to cash paid for sugar and candles, 75 cents; and sundries.'
"This was the first occurrence of the kind that had taken place in this section, the arrival of set- tlers by birth, a boy and girl. Mr. Fish had gone below for supplies of lumber, Mr. McGregor was in Hudson at work, I was the only man available on the occasion and did my duty manfully; so much so that Mrs. Fish said if I would wait long enough, I should have the girl. 'Mr. Comstock, debtor, to two meals, 25 cents.' There were two of the Comstocks, and a brother-in-law, Mr. Dud- ley. One of the brothers died at Diamond Bluff. The other and Mr. Dudley are living on a fine farm near Prescott.
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