USA > Minnesota > Wright County > History of Wright County, Minnesota > Part 11
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In September, 1700, Le Sueur and a party of Frenehmen, in a sailing and rowing vessel and two eanoes, came up the Missis- sippi from its month, on his way to a place near the present site of Mankato, where he believed copper was to be found. He spent the ensuing winter on the Blue Earth river, and in the spring of 1701 he started down the river with a part of his followers and with a load of green earth which he believed to be copper. In due time he reached the Gulf of Mexico. The party whom he had left at the garrison on the Blue Earth followed him down the river soon afterward. The fact that seven French traders who had been stripped naked by the Sionx took refuge in Le Suenr's fort on the Blue Earth, and the further fact that those whom he Jeft at the fort, encountered while going down the Mississippi a party of thirty-six Frenehmen from Canada at the month of the Wisconsin, shows that aside from the explorers recorded in his- tory, various Frenehmen, now unknown, penetrated this region from time to time even at that early day.
Carver. By the treaty of 1763 Franee divided its possessions in the Mississippi valley between England and Spain, England taking the land on the east of the river, nearly to the mouth, and Spain the land on the west. This ended French domain in the Mississippi valley, though the French traders still maintained their activities, some unlawfully and some under the pretense of having transferred their allegianee to the British. But the period of French exploration had ended. Jonathan Carver was born in Connectieut in 1732, served in the French and Indian wars and in 1766 was sent by the British government to explore the North- west. He reached Minnesota from the Great Lakes by way of the Fox, Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers. He was probably the first man of English blood to see Wright county. He was aecom- panied by a French Canadian and several Mohawk Indians. He
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spent the winter of 1766-67 among the Sioux of the Northwest. In the fall of 1766 when he reached the mouth of the Minnesota he was compelled to leave his eanoe by reason of the ice. With a young Winnebago chief he continued his trip on foot up the Mis- sissippi river as far as the month of the Elk river, in Sherburne county, opposite Otsego township in Wright county. Ile turned baek November 21. In his travels he calls the Elk river the St. Francis river and confuses it with the Rum river which Hen- nepin had called the St. Francis. He remarks that no other white men but he and Hennepin have ever ascended the Mississippi river so far. In this he was mistaken and the trips of Le Sueur and Charleville were already on record.
After various explorations, Carver, in the spring of 1767 started for Prairie du Chien where he hoped to purchase goods and supplies. Failing in this object he gave up the idea of return- ing to the eentral Minnesota region and reached Lake Superior by way of the Chippewa river and the upper streams of the St. Croix.
He afterward claimed that he made a treaty with the Sioux granting him a traet of land about a hundred miles wide along the east bank of the Mississippi from the Falls of St. Anthony to the southeastern end of Lake Pepin. Before he could get this deed acknowledged in England the Revolutionary war broke out. On the strength of this treaty many claims were from time to time presented to the United States government, but congress has always refused to recognize the claim of Carver's heirs and successors.
Pike. The Revolutionary war coming soon after Carver's trip interrupted English exploration of the Northwest. The Span- ish government during its years of nominal possession of the upper Mississippi sent no explorers to this region. The Louisiana purchase was transferred to the United States in 1803, and efforts were soon made to explore the new possession. Zebulon M. Pike was born in what is now Trenton, N. J., January 5, 1779. entered the army at fifteen, and became a first lieutenant at twenty. In 1805 Pike received orders to conduet an expedition to the upper rivers and lakes for several purposes. Ile was to negotiate treaties with the Indians, to secure a conformity with the laws of the United States by the agents of the Northwest company and others engaged in the fur trade and to extend geo- graphieal exploration. He started from St. Louis, August 9, 1805, with twenty soldiers. September 23, 1805, Pike made a treaty with the Indians ceding traets of land for military purposes at the mouth of the Minnesota and at the mouth of St. Croix. He continued north, reached Pike Rapids in Morrison county, Oeto- ber 16, stayed a part of the winter there, started again December 10, 1805, went as far north as Sandy, Leech and Cass lakes,
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explained the object of his visit to the fur traders and returned to Pike Rapids, March 5, 1806. April 7, he started down the river and reached St. Louis on the last of April, 1806.
Pike kept a diary of his adventures. In writing of the first few days above St. Anthony Falls, which included their trip past Wright county, Pike indites the following particulars :
"October 4, Friday. Rained in the morning but the wind serv- ing, we embarked, though extremely raw and cold. Opposite to the month of the Crow river we found a bark canoe, eut to pieces with tomahawks, and the paddles broken on shore: a short dis- tanee higher up we saw five more, and continued to see the wrecks until we found eight. From the form of the canoes, my inter- preter pronounced them to be Sionx; and some broken arrows to be the Sauteurs. The paddles were also marked with the Indian sign of men and women killed. From all these circumstanees we drew this inference, that the canoes had been the vessels of a party of Sioux who had been attacked and all killed or taken by the Sauters (also spelled Saulters, meaning the Ojibways, likewise ealled the Chippewas). Time may develop this transaction. My interpreter was much alarmed, assuring me that it was probable that at our first encounter with the Chip- pewas they would take us for Sioux traders, and fire on ns before we could come to an explanation ; that they had murdered three Frenchmen whom they found on the shore about this place last spring ; but notwithstanding his information I was on shore all the afternoon in pursuit of elk. Caught a enrions little animal on the prairie which my Frenchman termed a prairie mole (a gopher) but it is very different from the mole of the states. Dis- tanee sixteen miles.
"October 5, Saturday. Hard water and ripples all day. Passed several old Sionx encampments, all fortified. Found five litters in which siek or wounded men have been carried. At this place a hard battle was fought between the Sionx and the Santers in the year 1800. Distance eleven miles.
"October 6, Sunday. Early in the morning discovered four elk, they swam the river, I pursued them, and wounded one who made his escape into a marsh ; saw two droves of elk. I killed some small game, and joined the boats near night. Found a small 'red eapot' hung upon a tree ; this my interpreter informed me was a sacrifice by some Indians to the 'bon Dieu.' I deter- mined to lay by and hunt the next day. Killed three prairie hens and two pheasants. This day saw the first elk. Distance 12 miles.
"October 7, Monday. Lay by in order to dry my corn, clothing, etc., and to have an investigation into the eonduet of my sergeant, against whom some charges were exhibited. Sent several of my men out hunting. I went towards evening and killed some prairie
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hens; the hunters were unsuccessful. Killed three prairie hens and six pheasants.
"October 8, Tuesday. Embarked early, and made a very good day's march, had but three rapids to pass all day. Some wood- land on the west side, oak ; but the whole bottom covered with the priekly ash. I make a practice to oblige every man who com- plains of indisposition to march, by which I had some flankers on both sides of the river who were excellent guards against sur- prise; they also served as hunters. We had but one raccoon killed by all. Distance twenty miles.
"October 9, Wednesday. Embarked early; wind ahead; bar- rens and prairie. Killed one deer and four pheasants. Distance three miles.
"October 10, Thursday. Came to large islands and strong water early in the morning. Passed the place at which Mr. Rein- ville and Mons. Perlier wintered in 1797; passed a cluster of islands, more than twenty in a course of four miles ; these I called Beaver islands, from the immense sign of those animals, for they have dams on every island, and roads from them every two or three rods. Encamped at the foot of the Grand Sank rapids. Dis- tance sixteen and a half miles."
Dr. Coues, in the edition of Pike's Journal, published in 1895, and edited by him, identifies the place of Pike's camp for the night of October 4 as "half way between Elk river and Monti- cello." The camp on the night of October 5 he places in the "vicinity of Monticello;" the camp on the night of October 6 "about one-third of the way from Monticello to Clearwater," the eamp on the night of October 8 in the "vicinity of the Clearwater river," and on October 9 only "three miles" further, between Plum creek and St. Augusta.
In writing of the last few days of his return trip to St. Anthony falls during which he again passed Wright county, Pike says :
"April 7, Monday. Loaded our boats and departed forty minutes past ten o'clock. At one o'clock arrived at Clear river, where we found my canoe and man. Although I had promised the Fols Avoins chief to remain one night, yet time was too precious, and we put off ; passed the Grand (Sank) rapids, arrived at Mr. Diekson's just before sundown ; we were saluted with three rounds, and he treated all my men with a supper and a dram. Mr. Dickson, Mr. Paulier (Porlier) and myself sat up until four o'clock in the morning.
"April 8, Tuesday. Were obliged to remain this day on account of some information to be obtained here. I spent the day in making a rough chart of St. Peters, making notes on the Sionx, etc., settling the affairs of the Indian department with Mr. Dickson, for whose communications, and those of Mr. Panlier,
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HISTORY OF WRIGHIT COUNTY
I am infinitely indebted. Made every necessary preparation for an early embarkation.
"April 9, Wednesday. Rose early in the morning and com- meneed my arrangements. Having observed two Indians drunk, during the night, and finding that the liquor had been furnished them by a Mr. Greignor, or Jeunesse, I sent my interpreter to them to request that they would not sell any strong liquor to the Indians, upon which Mr. Jennesse demanded the restrictions in writing, which were given to him. On demanding his license, it amounted to no more than merely a certificate that he had paid the tax required by law of the Indiana territory on all retailers of merchandise, but it was by no means an Indian license ; how- ever, I did not think proper to go into a more close investigation. Last night it was so cold that the water was covered with floating cakes of ice of a strong consistence. After receiving every mark of attention from Messrs. Diekson and Paulier, I took my depar- ture at eight o'clock. At four p. m. arrived at the house of Mr. Paulier, twenty-five leagues, to whose brother I had a letter. Was received with politeness by him and a Mr. Veau; wintered along side of him on the very island at which we had camped in aseending.
"April 10, Thursday. Sailed at half past five o'cock ; about seven passed Rum river, and at eight were saluted by six or seven lodges of Fols Avoins, amongst whom was a clerk of Mr. Diek- son's. Those people had wintered on Rum river, and were waiting for their chiefs and traders to descend, in order to aecompany them to the Prairie Des Chein. Arrived at the Falls of St. Anthony at ten o'clock.
Ft. Snelling Established. With the establishment of Ft. Snell- ing, the area of Wright county became more widely known, as the soldiers, traders and visitors there made many trips up the river past the county, and also conducted many hunting expedi- ditions in the traets lying between the Crow and the Clearwater rivers.
February 10, 1819, the Fifth Regiment United States Infantry was ordered to concentrate at Detroit preparatory to a trip which was to result in the maintaining of a post at the mouth of the St. Peter's (now Minnesota) river. After establishing varions garrisons at different places, the troops started up the river from Prairie du Chien, Sunday, August 8, 1819. The troops num- bered ninety-eight, rank and file. They were accompanied by twenty hired boatmen. There were fourteen keel boats for the troops, two large boats for stores, and a barge for Lieut .- Col. Harry Leavenworth, the commander, and Maj. Thomas Forsyth, the Indian agent. This expedition established at Mendota the military post now moved aeross the river and now known as Ft. Snelling.
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
May 10, 1823, the "Virginia," the first steamboat to navigate the upper Mississippi, arrived at Ft. Snelling, and thus what is now Wright county was placed in still eloser communication with the outside world. On board, among others, were Maj. Lawrence Taliaferro and James Constanee Beltrami, the Italian explorer.
Cass and Schoolcraft. Cass and Schooleraft and their fol- lowers passed Wright county on July 29 or 30, 1820, on their way down the Mississippi river. On July 23 or 24, 1832, the School- craft expedition, after having explored and named Lake Itasea, passed Wright county in the same direction.
General Lewis Cass was a remarkable man, having been a lawyer, brigadier general of 1812, governor of Michigan territory, minister to Franee, secretary of war in two cabinets, senator, and in 1848 Democratie candidate for the presideney. Henry Rowe Sehooleraft was an explorer, mineralogist, historian, author of some thirty books, and the holder of several Indian offiees under the government. The Cass-Sehooleraft expedition left Detroit, May 26, 1820, accompanied by several distinguished men, and a number of Indians. The party reached the St. Louis river by way of Sault Ste. Marie, and the southern shore of Lake Superior. They made extensive explorations in the northern part of this state, and visited Red Cedar lake, now Cass lake, which they called the "sonree of the Mississippi." It was on their way to Ft. Snelling that the explorers passed Wright county.
When Sehooleraft and his companions explored and named Lake Itasea, July 13, 1832, they had reached northern Minnesota by way of Sault Ste. Marie as before, but, as on the previous journey, they started home by coming down the Mississippi to Ft. Snelling, and thus passed Wright county. It is probable that on the night of July 24 the party camped in Wright county. They embarked at 5 o'clock on the morning of July 25, and reached St. Anthony falls at noon.
Beltrami. Major Stephen H. Long ascended the Mississippi river to the Falls of St. Anthony in a six-oar skiff in 1817. In 1823, Major Long, accompanied by William II. Keating, and others, as well as by a detachment of soldiers, made a trip to Lake Winnipeg under orders from the War Department. Aseending the Mississippi river from Prairie du Chien to Ft. Snelling. At Ft. Snelling the party received reinforcements. It was there that Beltrami joined the expedition. Beltrami, an Italian, was one of the most picturesque of the early Minnesota explorers. Ilis Italian name was Giacomo Constantino Beltrami but this was anglicized into James Constantine Beltrama. He was six feet high, of commanding appearance and high spirits. Ile traveled extensively in Europe, the United States and Mexico, and was the author of numerous books. The party aseended the Minne-
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sota and the Red River of the North. At Pembina there was a change in the make-up of the expedition. The main party went from there to Lake Winnipeg. up Winnipeg river to the Lake of the Woods, along the Rainy river to Rainy lake, and finally to Thunder bay on Lake Superior. Thus they did not pass Wright county. But Beltrami, accompanied by Indian companions, left the party at Pembina and started back to Ft. Snelling. Ile explored the sources of the Mississippi and then descended that river. He passed Wright county on September 29 or 30.
Nicollet. Joseph Nicolas Nicollet was the author of a map published after his death in 1843. Nicollet acting under the United States War Department and Bureau of Engineers, made extensive exploring trips in the Northwest, and in 1836 made a eanoe trip from Ft. Snelling up the Mississippi, and by portages beyond Leeeh lake, to Itasea lake, thenee descending down the whole course of the upper Mississippi to the fort. Ile thus passed Wright county twice. The Crow and Clearwater rivers and minor Wright county streams appear on his map.
Surveys. The Third Guide Meridian is a straight line from the Iowa state line to the Mississippi river near Monticello. It does not cross the river there onto the east side, but starts again on the west side of the Mississippi river at Pine Knoll, about six miles west of Aitkin, and runs thence north to the International boundary erossing the Mississippi river at White Oak Point, about ten miles northwest of Pokegama falls.
This Third Guide Meridian, in its earliest part surveyed, from the state line north to near Monticello, was required to be run during the winter when the lakes and rivers were frozen, so that the distanees could be measured on the ice and not be liable to the errors liable to triangulation.
From near Monticello, the Fifth Meridian surveys were ear- ried north along the west side of the Mississippi by offsets from the Third Guide Meridian past St. Cloud, Little Falls and Crow Wing as far as to the Ninth Standard Parallel.
Hardin Nowlin surveyed five Congressional townships in 1855. They were township 120, ranges 23 and 24; township 121, ranges 23 and 24; township 120, range 24.
John O. Brunius, in 1856, surveyed township 118, ranges 25 and 26; and township 119, ranges 25 and 26. In 1857 he sur- veved township 120, range 26.
Ed. P. Abbott surveyed township 120, range 25, in 1858.
A. H. Runyon in 1856 surveyed township 121, range 25; and township 122, ranges 25, 26 and 27.
Oscar Taylor, in 1856, surveyed township 121, ranges 26 and 27: township 118, range 28; township 119, range 28; township 120, range 28; and township 121, range 28.
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E. N. Darling surveyed township 118, range 27, in 1856; and in 1857 he surveyed township 119, range 27, and township 120, range 27.
Chronology. Following is a summary of the history of Min- nesota during the period of exploration :
1635. Jean Nicollet, an explorer from France, who had win- tered in the neighborhood of Green Bay, brought to Montreal the first mention of the aborigines of Minnesota.
1659-60. Groseilliers and Radisson wintered among the Sioux of the Mille Laes region, Minnesota, being its first white ex- plorers. In a previous expedition, four years earlier, they are thought by some to have come to Prairie island, west of the main channel of the Mississippi, between Red Wing and Hastings.
1661. Father Rene Menard left Kewennaw, on Lake Superior, to visit the Hurons, then in northern Wisconsin, and was lost near the sources of the Black and Chippewa rivers. His breviary and cassoek were said to have been found among the Sioux.
1679. July 2, Daniel Greyselon Du Lhut (Duluth) held a eoun- eil with the Sioux at their principal settlement on the shore of Mille Laes. Du Lhut, in June, 1680, by way of the St. Croix river, reached the Mississippi and met Hennepin.
1680. Louis Hennepin, after captivity in the village of the Mille Laes Sioux, first saw the Falls of St. Anthony.
1689. May 8, Nieolas Perrot, at his Fort St. Antoine, on the Wisconsin shore of Lake Pepin, laid formal elaim to the sur- rounding country for France. He built a fort also on the Min- nesota shore of this lake, near its outlet, as well as other posts.
1690. (?) Le Sueur and Charleville ascended the Mississippi above St. Anthony falls.
1695. Le Sueur built a fort or trading post on Isle Pelee, now called Prairie island, above Lake Pepin.
1700. Le Sueur established Fort L'Huillier, on the Blue Earth river (near the mouth of the Le Sueur), and first supplied the Sioux with firearms.
1727. The French established a fort on the present site of Frontenae on Lake Pepin. Forts were also ereeted on nearly the same site in 1727 and 1750.
1728. Great flood in the Mississippi.
1763. By the treaty of Versailles, France ceded Minnesota, east of the Mississippi, to England, and west of it to Spain.
1766. Captain Jonathan Carver visited St. Anthony falls and Minnesota river. He claimed to have made a treaty with the Indians the following spring, in a eave, afterward ealled "Carver's Cave," within the present limits of St. Paul, at which he said they ceded to him an immense tract of land, long known as "Carver's Claim," but never recognized by government.
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1796. Laws of the Ordinance of 1787 extended over the Northwest territory, including the northeastern third of Mine- sota, east of the Mississippi river.
1798-99. The Northwestern Fur Company established itself in Minnesota.
1800. May 7. that part of Minnesota east of the Mississippi beeame a part of Indiana by the division of Ohio.
1803. April 30, that part of Minnesota west of the Mississippi, for the preceding forty years in possession of Spain as a part of Louisiana, was ceded to the United States by Napoleon Bonaparte, who had just obtained it from Spain.
1803-04. William Morrison, the first known white man to diseover the source of the Mississippi river, visited Elk lake and explored the streams entering into the lake forming the head of the river.
1805. Lient. Z. M. Pike visited Minnesota to establish gov- ernment relations there, and obtained the Fort Snelling reserva- tion from the Dakotas.
1812. The Dakotas, Ojibways, and Winnebagoes, under the lead of hostile traders, joined the British during the war. Red river colony established by Lord Selkirk.
1819. Minnesota, east of the Mississippi river, became a part of Crawford county, Michigan. Fort Snelling established and a post at Mendota occupied by troops, under command of Colonel Leavenworth. Maj. L. Taliaferro appointed Indian agent, arriv- ing April 19.
1820. Corner stone of Fort Snelling laid September 10. Gov- ernor Cass visited Minnesota and made a treaty of peace between the Sionx and Ojibways at Fort Snelling. Col. Josiah Snelling appointed to the command of the latter post.
1823. The first steamboat arrived at Mendota, May 10, Major Taliaferro and Beltrami being passengers. Maj. Stephen H. Long explored Minnesota river, the Red river valley, and the northern frontier. Beltrami explored sources of the Mississippi.
1826. Great flood on the Red river; a part of the colony driven to Minnesota, settling near Fort Snelling.
1832. Schoolcraft explored sources of Mississippi river, and named Lake Itasea (formerly ealled Elk lake).
1833. First mission established at Leech lake by Rev. W. T. Bontwell.
1834. The portion of Minnesota west of the Mississippi at- taehed to Michigan. Gen. H. H. Sibley settled at Mendota.
1835. Catlin and Featherstonhaugh visited Minnesota.
1836. The territory of Wisconsin organized, embracing the part of Minnesota east of the Mississippi, the part on the west being attached to Iowa. Nieollet visited Minnesota.
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1837. Governor Dodge, of Wisconsin, made a treaty, at Fort Snelling, with the Ojibways, by which the latter ceded all their pine lands on the St. Croix and its tributaries; a treaty was also effeeted at Washington with a deputation of Dakotas for their lands east of the Mississippi. These treaties led the way to the first actual settlements within the area of Minnesota.
CHAPTER VI.
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
Civilization Approaches Wright County-Frenchmen Winter on Wright County Islands in 1805-06-Settlements in Adjacent Counties-Edmund Brissett Establishes Trading Post in Wright County-His Historic Trail to Lake Pulaski-Otsego and Monticello Settled-Early Census-Original Assessment Roll-Early Marriages.
Civilization and settlement gradually approached Wright county as the pioneers and fur traders began to scatter to the north and northwest of Ft. Snelling.
As early as 1797, two traders, James Perlier (also written Paulier and Perlier) wintered on the Mississippi river somewhere below the present site of Sauk Rapids.
In 1806, Col. Robert Diekson seems to have had a trading post below the present site of Sauk Rapids. Below him, probably on one of the islands adjoining what is now Wright county, Per- lier had an establishment in the winter of 1805-06, and there Perlier's brother and - - Veau spent the season.
Throughout the period of exploration, traders operated at various times at the month of the Rum river, a few miles below Wright county.
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