USA > Minnesota > Wright County > History of Wright County, Minnesota > Part 12
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In 1819 Ft. Snelling was established at Mendota. May 10, 1823, the "Virginia," the first steamboat to reach Minnesota, arrived at Ft. Snelling. In time, settlements sprang up which have resulted in St. Paul and Minneapolis, and eivilization began to approach still nearer to Wright county.
On the western side of the Mississippi, adventurous souls began to take seattered squatter elaims in Hennepin county out- side of the hamlet at St. Anthony (now a part of Minneapolis).
On the eastern side, in 1846, two brothers, Peter and Franeis Partoille, started a trading post in Anoka county, at the mouth of the Rum river. In 1848 they sold out to Anthony Roberts. Quite a colony arrived in Anoka county in 1850 and settled in what is now Ramsey township.
In Sherburne eounty, across the Mississippi river from Wright county, a number of early settlements were made. In 1848 Pierre
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OLD LOG CABIN
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
Bottineau built a trading post between Orono and Elk river. In 1850 he ereeted the Elk River House, a small tavern. Big Lake township was settled in 1848 by JJames, Eli and Newell Houghton, from Vermont. Joseph Brown settled in the same township in 1849. At an unknown date, probably in the late forties, Nathan Myrick and J. Davis had a trading post in what is now Clear Lake township, on the east side of the river, a mile below what afterward became the Clearwater ferry. In the same township, Isaac Marks and - - White opened a trading post in 1848. It was near what is popularly known as the "Big Bend" in the Mississippi. John H. Stevenson and John Town- send located in the same township in 1850.
Settlements were also made further north, on both sides of the Mississippi, especially about the mouth of the Watab river and at Sauk Rapids.
The first white man to establish himself in what is now Wright county was Edmund Brissett. Brissett was a Canadian who eame to Ft. Snelling in 1832 and engaged in carpenter work and in- terior woodwork. It was in 1839 that Brissett gave to a part of what is now St. Paul the name of "Pig's Eye," by which it was so long known. In time, Brissett became a fur trader. ITis prin- cipal post was near Lake Harriet, in Hennepin county. When the Winnebagoes began to occupy parts of what is now Wright county, Brissett opened a trading post at the west end of Lake Pulaski, in 1850. It is possible that he had also traded here the previous year. In 1851 he and his associates cut a road through the timber from Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun to the present site of Buffalo, and from thence a trail to the west end of Lake Pulaski. After leaving Lake Calhoun the road passed along the west shores of Medicine lake, Independence lake, and Lake Sarah, crossing Crow river at Rockford, then passing north of the pres- ent Rockford and Buffalo road, and crossing the ereek between the marsh and the lake. It was a crooked narrow track, but the traders used it extensively. The carly settlers found this road of much service. The Brissett post was abandoned in 1855 when the Winnebagoes were removed to a reservation on the Blue Earth river.
In 1850 or 1851 Samuel E. Carrick established a trading post on the Mississippi within the limits of Wright county. It was located in Otsego township, on what is still known as Carriek's prairie. In 1852 Carriek located on a claim at the same point. This was the first farm opened in Wright county. After living on the place some ten years Carrick enlisted in the Fourth Min- nesota Volunteer Infantry. He was captured in the advance ou Atlanta, was kept during the winter in the Confederate prison on Belle island, and died at Andersonville in May, 1864.
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
John McDonald settled on section 17, Otsego township, on the site where the hamlet of Otsego was afterward located, July 31, 1852. MeDonald was born in Maine, assisted in building the dam at St. Anthony (now a part of Minneapolis) in 1847; spent a short time in the lumber regions of the Rum and Swan rivers, then went to what is now Hudson, Wis. ; returned to St. Anthony in 1849; assisted in erecting two mills there; was joined by his family : spent the winter of 1849-50 at what is now Little Falls, Minn .; then went back to Minneapolis; and in 1852 came to Otsego township. Ile was a member of the first board of county commissioners in 1855.
David McPherson also settled in Otsego township July 31, 1852. McPherson's residence here was brief. The reputed wealth of the Pike's Peak gold fields indneed his emigration thither, from which locality he afterwards removed to Wisconsin.
While Carrick, MeDonald and McPherson were making their first improvements in Otsego township, and Brissett was main- taining his post in Buffalo township, two young men, Herbert McCrory and Frederick M. Cadwell, settled in what is now Monticello township. They came in the summer of 1852 and located near the present townsite of Monticello.
No beaten track or highway then existed between the Otsego and Monticello settlements-naught save the tortuous Indian trail winding along the margin of the river; and it was not until the spring of 1854 that a wagon road was cut between these points by Mr. MeCrory and others. Five days were required to hew out this rough passage through the forest, which even then was a barely passable ronte.
In 1852 or 1853 Arehie Downie located at the month of Silver creek, in what is now Silver Creek township. He was connected with the Winnebago agency at Long Prairie, and looked after the Indians when they insisted on living in Wright county. In Angust, 1854, he took a elaim in section 15. He was one of the first board of county commissioners in 1855, and in May, 1856, sold his claim to A. G. Descent, and left the country.
All the settlers previous to February 24, 1853, except the traders who held licenses, were squatters. But though the treaty which relinquished the Indian rights was not in force until Feb- ruary 24, 1853, it had been signed August 5, 1851, and in anticipa- tion of the day when it should be proclaimed these pioneers "squatted" on the land and thus made preparations to properly file on the claims when the land should be legally open to occupation.
In 1853 George W. and James A. Carrick settled on Carrick's Prairie in Otsego township. Alva L. Cooley also settled in the same locality.
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HISTORY OF WRIGIIT COUNTY
In 1854 new settlers came to Otsego and Monticello and settle- ments were made in Clearwater and Frankford.
In 1855 Franklin, Rockford, Vietor, Woodland and Chatham received their first settlers, and Buffalo and Silver Creek received their first permanent settlers.
Maple Lake, Middleville, Stockholm, Albion, Marysville, Cokato, French Lake and Corinna were first settled in 1856.
It was not until 1857 that Southside received its first pioneers.
After the influx was started it continued at a rapid rate, and at the time of the Sioux Uprising the county was fairly well settled.
There were 598 people in Wright county when the eensus was taken in 1855, 385 males and 213 females. In Big Bend precinct there were forty-two males and 20 females; in Monticello preeinet there were 146 males and eighty-four females; while in Pleasant Grove precinet there were 197 males and 109 females.
Big Bend Preeinet. (Bounded on the east by the west line of J. O. Haven's elaim, on the south by the south line of the county, on the west by the Clearwater river, on the north by the Mis- sissippi river.) Census taken June 27 and 28, 1855, by II. W. MeCrory. First is given the name of the head of the family, next the number of males in the family, next the number of females in the family, and lastly the total number of inmates in the family.
J. F. Palmer, 1, 0, 1; G. II. Palmer, 1, 0, 1; S. Oakes, 4, 2, 6; J. S. Lowell, 1, 1, 2; Joshua Lowell, 1, 0, 1; Selah Markham, 4, 5, 9; David Perkins, 1, 0, 1; William Vorse, 2, 2, 4; E. Chowan, 1, 0, 1 : Elias Chowan, 1, 0, 1; J. Dow, 2, 2. 4; O. E. Dow, 1, 1, 2; A. Loftis, 1, 0, 1; William MeDonald, 1, 0, 1; John MeDonald, 1, 0, 1: A. MeDonald, 1, 0, 1; Philo McDonald, 1, 0, 1; Newell MeDonald, 1, 0, 1: Harriet MeDonald, 0, 1, 1; John Farwell, 1, 0, 1 ; S. Stevens, 1. 0, 1 ; Orrin Laughton, 3, 3, 6; Imther Laugh- ton, 1, 1, 2; J. Laughton, 1, 0, 1; Nathan Laughton, 1, 0, 1; A. Thrall 1, 1, 2; A. IIulett, 1, 0, 1; James Hebbard, 3, 1, 4; E. Ilebbard, 1, 0, 1 ; JJ. S. Locke, 1, 0, 1; J. W. Sanborn, 1, 0, 1.
Pleasant Grove Preeinet. (Bounded on the east by Crow river, on the south by the north fork of Crow river, on the west by the west line of L. Dimiek's elaim, on the north by the Mis- sissippi river.) Census taken June 23, 25 and 27, 1855, by Hiram Niekerson. First is given the name of the head of the family, next the number of males in the family, next the number of females in the family and lastly the total number of inmates in the family.
Caleb Chase, 3, 1. 4: JJ. Carrick, 3, 3, 6; A. Bartlett, 4, 1, 5; William Mann, 2, 2, 4; C. W. Kelley, 1, 0, 1: William II. Kelley, 1, 0, 1: J. H. Hyds, 1, 3, 4: William Butler, 1, 0. 1 ; S. Bream, 7, 4, 11; E. Mitchell, 8, 1, 9; William Wilmont, 1, 0, 1; A. Steng-
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
bein 3, 3, 6; F. Shrute, 1, 0, 1; II. Edger, 1, 0, 1; William Dean, 1, 0, 1; William Foster, 1, 0, 1; Thomas Dean, 1, 0, 1; John Zaek- man, 2, 2, 4 ; Phoelix Wry, 1, 0, 1 ; B. Haskner, 2, 2, 4; H. Voonea, 2, 2, 4; H. Demler, 2, 1, 3; Anthony Sehaitiler, 1, 0, 1; Zosekey Sohler, 1, 0, 1 ; F. Bailing, 2, 0, 2; Martin Sehooler, 1, 0, 1 ; Zoskey Aydt, 1, 0, 1; P. Schnider, 2, 5, 7; Z. G. Phnisillin, 1, 1, 2; A. Mayier, 1, 0, 1; W. Zisular, 1, 0, 1; F. Sangansomine, 4, 0, 4; E. Canigon, 1, 0, 1 ; Matthias Corole, 1, 0, 1 ; J. Voolbrugkt, 1, 0, 1; August Woolf, 1, 0, 1; Henry Woolf, 1, 0, 1; Christian Woolf, 1, 0, 1 ; Henry Snopaus, 1, 0, 1; Ezra Tubbs, 1, 0, 1 ; Philip Boyden, 1, 0, 1; Henry Bradley, 1, 2, 3; Henry Ileap, 1, 1, 2; William P. Grey, 1, 0, 1; - Calderwood, 1, 0, 1; - Rice, 1, 0, 1;
Chapman, 1, 0, 1; J. Nickerson, 1, 0, 1; Belinda Spencer, 2, 2, 4; J. McDonald, 4, 1, 5; L. Cooley, 5, 2, 7; Alvah Cooley, 2, 3, 5; Charles Lambert, 1, 0, 1; D. P. Chase, 3, 5, 8; L. T. Car- penter, 1, 0, 1; D. W. Carpenter, 1, 0, 1; William Barnard, 1, 0, 1; J. Pipin, 3, 3, 6; William IIeasley, 1, 0, 1; John IIeasley, 1, 0, 1; David Corban, 2, 4, 6; Charles Lapland, 2, 2, 4; J. A. Mallette, 1, 0, 1; David MePherson, 3, 1, 4; William Corey, 1, 2, 3; L. Car- rick, 5, 3, 8; L. Dimiek, 1, 1, 2; William Mabie, 1, 3, 4; O. S. True, 1, 0, 1; O. Lascho, 1, 0, 1 ; D. F. Ingersoll, 5, 4, 9; J. Stamps, 1, 0, 1; E. Il. Davis, 1, 0, 1; W. II. Roekief, 1, 0, 1; C. B. Jordan, 1, 0, 1; W. H. Jordan, 1, 0, 1; - Barnes, 1, 0, 1; - 11am, 1, 0, 1; J. Beckord, 1, 0, 1; L. Tubbs, 1, 0, 1; P. J. Beckord, 1,0,1.
Monticello Precinct. (Bounded on the east by the west line of L. Dimiek's claim, on the south by the south line of the county, on the west by the west line of .I. O. Haven's elaim, on the north by the Mississippi river.) Census taken June 21, 22 and 27, 1855, by D. B. Sutton. First is given the name of the head of the family, next the number of males in the family, next the number of females in the family and lastly the total number of inmates in the family.
Thomas Anderson, 1, 1, 2; Thomas Melrose, 1, 0, 1; Joseph Brooks, 3, 3, 6; J. B. Loeke, 1, 1, 2; J. O. Haven, 1, 1, 2; W. W. Sears, 1, 0, 1; Allen Deseent, 1, 0, 1; Lewis Randall, 1, 0, 1 ; Will- iam Creighton, 1, 0, 1; J. B. Rich, 1, 0, 1; F. J. Barker, 1, 0, 1; William Hamilton, 1, 0, 1; F. W. Lisber, 1, 0, 1; A. L. Chick, 1, 0, 1 ; C. B. Whitcomb, 1, 0, 1 ; J. Whitcomb, 1, 0, 1 ; Frederick Emory, 1, 0, 1 ; B. Emory, 1, 0, 1; Il. W. MeCrory, 1, 0, 1; llenry L. Gla- zier, 1, 1, 2; R. M. Johnson, 1, 0, 1; William G. MeCrory, 4, 5, 9; George W. McCrory, 2, 1, 3; J. C. Beekman, 1, 0, 1; J. Philips. 1, 0, 1 ; J. W. Walker, 1, 0, 1 ; II. Niekerson, 1, 0, 1; J. Snow, 1, 0, 1 ; A. Ball, 1, 0, 1 ; I. Snow, 1, 0, 1; J. Smith 1, 2, 3; J. W. Baker, 1, 0, 1 ; Harrison Perkins, 1, 4, 5; James Perkins, 3, 2, 5; Polly E. Perkins, 0, 1. 1 ; J. Clifford, Jr., 1, 0, 1 ; A. W. Wood, 1, 0. 1 : George Brown, 1, 6, 7; Joseph Brown, 1, 1, 2; C. S. Boyd, 4, 3, 7; II. Per-
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
kins, 3, 2, 5; Ira Hoar, 3, 3, 6; O. W. Slafter, 1, 1, 2; S. Ilateh, 1, 0, 1: A. Stewart, 1, 0, 1; A. Bryant, 1, 0, 1; W. Leonard, 1, 0, 1; Charles Wedgewood, 1, 0, 1; L. F. Flanders, 1, 0, 1 ; A. Mitchell, 1, 2, 3 ; Il. Ilanaford, 1, 0, 1; M. Voorhees, 1, 0, 1 ; R. March, 1, 0, 1 ; R. Voorhees, 1, 0, 1; William Smart, 1, 0, 1 ; JJ. W. Hanaford, 1, 2, 3; A. B. Hanaford, 1, 3, 4 ; D. Hanaford, 1, 1, 2; William Wedge- wood, 1, 1, 2: Ira Bailey, 1, 0, 1 ; Row Brasie, 5, 1, 6: David Mitel- ell, 1, 2, 3: Alexander Mitehell, 5, 3, 8; - Jordan, 1, 0, 1 ; Ira A. Wamsly, 1, 1, 2; George W. Bertram, 3, 3, 6; Andrew Bertram, 2, 1, 3; Silas Caswell, 1, 2, 3; J. D. Taylor, 1, 0, 1 ; Daniel Worth- ing, 1, 0, 1: C. Marshall, 1, 0, 1; W. HI. Van Ness, 1. 1, 2; John Lamb, 1, 0, 1 ; HI. Downer, 1, 0, 1: W. H. Proctor, 1, 1, 2; Carlos Caswell, 3. 3, 6 ; D. B. Sutton, 1, 1, 2; W. H. Mann, 1, 0, 1 ; Wyman Elliott, 1, 0, 1 ; James Elliott, 1, 0, 1 ; F. M. Cadwell, 1, 0, 1 ; Lewis Cadwell, 1, 0, 1; J. W. Waterman, 1, 0, 1; C. Davis, 3. 2, 5; C. C. Savory, 1, 0, 1; Nathaniel Ilolmes, 1, 0, 1; E. Ileath, 1, 0, 1; J. Galery, 1, 0, 1 ; J. A. Tibbetts, 1, 0, 1 ; J. W. Tibbetts, 1, 3, 4 ; B. F. Tibbetts, 1, 0, 1; J. W. Thompson, 4, 3, 7; A. C. Riggs, 1, 0, 1 ; Levi Choate, 1, 0, 1 ; S. J. Mason, 1, 0, 1 ; James Chambers, 1, 0, 1 ; J. W. Locke. 1, 1, 2; J. C. Oakes, 1, 1, 2; J. Given, 1, 0, 1 ; Charles Marples, 1, 0, 1 ; Thomas Shaply, 1, 0, 1 ; W. W. Burritt, 1, 0, 1; C. Blanchard, 2, 1, 3; William Murch, 1, 0, 1 ; Samuel Wilder, 1, 0, 1 ; M. Shelliaveau, 3, 3, 6; J. M. Snow, 1, 0, 1 ; Iliram Crawford, 1, 1, 2; Benjamin Bursley, 3, 3, 6.
The meagre extent to which the county had been improved in 1855 is shown by the original assessment roll which is still pre- served. There was no real estate assessment, as the title to the land was still vested in the government. Land improvements but not the land, were taxed. Taxes were also levied on build- ings, stock, and goods held for sale. In the list published below there will be found under each name and following the enumera- tion, the total assessment, the amount of the tax to be paid for county purposes and the amount of tax to be paid for school purposes :
F. Riley, 2 acres of breaking $12.00, 1 neat eattle $25.00, 1 dwelling house $10.00; total value $47.00, county tax $0.80. school tax $0.12. II. Dimler, 112 aeres of breaking $9.00, 1 neat eattle $25.00, 1 dwelling house $10.00; $44.00, $0.75, $0.11. J. Bingin- ginghimer, 6 neat eattle $337.00, 1 dwelling house $25.00; $362.00, $6.15, $1.91. E. Board, 6 neat eattle $280.00; $280.00. $4.76, $0.70. P. Snyder, S neat cattle $330.00; $330.00, $5.61. $0.83. A. Myer, 2 neat cattle $125.00, 1 dwelling house $25.00: $150.00, $2.55, $0.38. F. Ide, 4 neat cattle $250.00; $250.00, $4.25, $0.63. II. Bradley, 1 aere breaking $6.00, 1 dwelling house $40.00: $46.00, $0.78. $0.12. P. Boyden, 2 acres breaking $12.00; $12.00, $0.20, $0.03. L. S. Carpenter, 3 aeres breaking $18.00; $18.00, $0.31. $0.05. C. Kelley, 1 dwelling honse $100.00; $100.00, $1.70, $0.25.
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
S. Kelley or Uncle, 1 dwelling house $100.00; $100.00, $1.70, $0.25. Charles B. Jordan, 9 acres breaking $54.00, goods on hand, $200.00, 1 dwelling house $10.00; $264.00, $4.49, $0.66. John McDonald, Sr., 54 acres breaking $324.00, 16 neat cattle $425.00, 3 horses $300.00, 8 hogs $50.00, 1 dwelling house, barn and shop, $340.00; $1,439.00, $24.46, $3.59. A. L. Cooley, 20 acres breaking $120.00, 1 neat cattle $62.50, 2 swine $12.00, 1 dwelling house $100.00; $294.50, $5,00, $0.73. D. P. Chase, 10 acres breaking $60,00, 3 neat cattle $150.00, 1 swine $5.00, 1 dwelling house $40.00; $255.00, $4.34, $0.64. David McPherson, 21 acres breaking $126.00, 6 neat cattle $225.00, 5 swine $40.00, 1 dwelling house $100.00; $491.00, $8.35, $1.23. Caleb Chase, 14 acres breaking $84.00, 1 neat cattle $25.00, 1 hog $7.00, 1 dwelling house $150.00 ; $266.00, $4.52, $0.66. Samuel Carrick, 14 acres breaking $84.00; $84.00, $1.43, $0.21. John Mallet, 20 acres breaking $120.00, 1 dwelling house $10.00; $130.00, $2.21, $0.33. William Carsley, 12 acres breaking $72.00, 2 cattle $125.00, 1 dwelling house $10.00; $207, $3.52, $0.52.
The first marriage officially recorded with the clerk of court of Wright county was that of Herbert W. McCrory, of Monti- cello, and Harriet McDonald, of Clearwater. The ceremony was performed at Clearwater May 1, 1856, by Samuel Wilder, a jus- tice of the peace, and the witnesses were William McDonald and Frederick M. Cadwell. The record was entered May 2, 1856, by F. W. Merrill, clerk of court.
Chauncey Wilson, of Meeker county, Minnesota territory, and Eunice Caswell, of Wright county, married September 8, 1856, by Rev. Richard Walker, in the presence of William Randall and William M. Preston.
Charles W. Lambert and Matilda Cooley, married at the home of Luman Cooley, in Pleasant Grove precinct, November 26, 1856, by O. H. Kelley, a justice of the peace.
John W. Dow, of St. Cloud, and W. Elmira Oakes, of Big Bend precinct, this county, were married December 14, 1856, in the presence of John and Jane Oakes, by the Rev. E. H. Whitney.
Abraham Descent and Maranda Chandler, both of Monticello, married April 26, 1856, by Rev. Samuel T. Creighton.
William Stinson and Nancy Harper, married at Monticello, Angust 19, 1856, by Samuel Wilder, justice of the peace.
Lewis McDonald and Caramina E. Spencer, married Decem- ber 17, 1856, by O. H. Kelley, justice of the peace.
Asaliel E. Hulett and Lucy Jane Thrall, both of Silver Creek, married January 1, 1857, by E. II. Whitney.
Joshua Welch and Jemima Record, married at Norwood, March 9, 1857, by O. H. Kelley, a justice of the peace.
Charles W. Clarey and Margaret A. Seely, married at Mon- ticello, April 2, 1857, by Rev. Marcus Hicks, a Presbyterian clergyman.
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
James M. Gilbert and Virginia M. - - -, married at Mon- tieello, April 14, 1857.
Ralph Voorhees and Franees Russell, married October 5, 1857, by the Rev. Mareus Hicks, in the presence of A. C. Russell and J. C. Howe.
Frederick M. Cadwell, of Clearwater, and Elizabeth MeCrory, of Monticello. The ceremony was performed at the home of William G. MeCrory, in the town of Monticello, by Tobias G. Mealey, a justice of the peace, February 11, 1857.
Frederick Barker and Kate A. Lewis, married in the fall of 1857, by Rev. Mareus Ilieks, in the presence of H. C. Coolbaugh and Elizabeth Coolbaugh.
Augustus Merritt and Mary Hoar, married November 19, 1857, by Rev. Noah Lathrop.
Edwin Jenks and Naney Beebe, both of Rockford, married November 24, 1857, by Cyrus C. Jenks, a justice of the peace.
Henry F. Walker, of Forest City, and Betsey A. Bryant, of Wright county, married January 1, 1858, by Rev. Noah Lathrop.
Frederick R. Hettie and Wilhalene Ena (Wilhelmina) Shultz, married February 10, 1858, at the home of Gottlieb Ahl, Monti- cello.
Moses Martin and Olive Cross, married at Monticello, Novem- ber 9, 1858, by Rev. Samuel T. Sterritt, a Methodist Episcopal elergyman, in the presence of Joseph Eaton and Matilda Cross.
CHAPTER VII.
COUNTY REPRESENTATION.
Minnesota Becomes a Territory-Territorial Legislature-Seventh Council District-Fifth Council District-Constitutional Con- vention-State Representation-Various Districts that Have Included Wright County-Men Who Have Represented this County at St. Paul-Reapportionments-Congressional Rep- resentation.
After Wisconsin had been admitted as a state of the Union, May 29, 1848, steps were taken to have that part of the former territory which was left outside the state boundaries organized into a new territory to be ealled Minnesota. This, however, was not the initial movement in that direction. The Wisconsin en- abling aet was passed by congress Angust 6, 1846. On December 23 following a bill was introduced in the lower house by Morgan L. Martin, the delegate from that territory, providing for the or- ganization of the territory of Minnesota. This bill was referred to the committee on territories, of which Stephen A. Douglas, of Illinois, was the chairman, who, January 20, 1847, reported in
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
favor of the passage of the bill, but with the name changed to Itasca. When the matter came up again, February 17, there was mueh diseussion as to the name. Mr. Winthrop, of Massachu- setts, proposed Chippewa ; J. Thompson, of Mississippi, who didn't care for Indian names, wanted Jackson; while Mr. Houston, of Delaware, spoke strongly in favor of giving recognition to the Father of his Country by calling it Washington. The matter ended with the retention of the name originally proposed, Minne- sota, this being the name of the largest tributary of the Missis- sippi river within the borders of the new territory. It is a com- posite Sioux Indian word, and while there is some difference of opinion as to the exact meaning, that most generally accepted is "sky-tinted-water," which is a very satisfying and poetical, even if not accurate, interpretation. The real meaning is cloudy water.
At the so-called "Stillwater convention, " held at Stillwater August 26, 1848, at which sixty-one delegates were present, memo- rials were prepared addressed to the President of the United States and to congress praying for the organization of a new ter- ritory. It had been assumed that the territorial government of Wisconsin still existed over that part of the original territory excluded from the state boundaries, and for this view there was the authority of a letter from James Buchanan, then secretary of state of the United States. John Catlin, the territorial secretary of Wisconsin, who had removed to Stillwater, issued a proclama- tion in his official capacity as acting governor of Wisconsin (Gov- ernor Henry Dodge having been elected United States Senator) calling an election to be held October 30, to seleet a delegate to congress. John H. Tweedy, the territorial delegate from Wiseon- sin, who was in sympathy with the movement, resigned and Henry H. Sibley was elected his successor. Mr. Sibley proceeded to Washington and presented his credentials, but it was not until the fifteenth of the following January that he was admitted to a seat, there having been mueh discussion as to whether excluded territory was entitled to continued political existence and repre- sentation.
Mr. Sibley devoted himself assiduously to securing the passage in the United States senate of the bill for the creation of the ter- ritory of Minnesota which had been introduced at the previous session and met with gratifying suecess. His efforts in the house of representatives were less satisfactory, politieal questions enter- ing largely into the matter, and it was not until March 3, 1849, the very last day of the session-and then only with the aid of Senator Stephen A. Douglas, who having been in the meantime elected to the United States senate from Illinois, was chairman of the committee on territories in that body as he had previously been in the house-that he sueeeeded in securing the passage of the bill. This was finally done under suspension of the rules,
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HISTORY OF WRIGHT COUNTY
the previous opposition having been unexpectedly withdrawn. This being before the days of railroads and telegraphs in the West, the good news did not reach St. Paul until thirty-seven days afterwards, when it was brought by the first steamer coming from the lower river.
At the time of the organization of Minnesota as a territory the country was described as being "little more than a wilder- ness." That which lay west of the Mississippi river, from the Iowa line to Lake Itasca, had not yet been eeded by the Indians and was noeenpied by the whites save in a very few instances. On the east side, in this more immediate vicinity, were trading posts with the cabins of a few employes at Sauk Rapids and Crow Wing. Away up at Pembina was the largest town or settlement within the boundaries of the new territory, where were nearly a thousand people, a large majority of whom were "Metis" or mixed bloods, French Crees or French Chippewas.
In "Minnesota in Three Centuries" attention is called to the fact that at this time the east side of the Mississippi, as far north as Crow Wing, was fast filling up with settlers who had come to the country when it had been announced that the territory was organized. The settlers were almost entirely from the Northern States, many being from New England. The fact that the state which would sneeeed the territory would be a free state, without slavery in any form, made it certain that the first settlers would be non-slaveholders, with but few people from the Southern States interested or in sympathy with the "peculiar institution."
Alexander Ramsey, of Pennsylvania, then only thirty-four years of age, was appointed by President Taylor the first gover- nor of the new territory of Minnesota. His previous public ex- perience had been as a member of the Twenty-eighth and Twenty- ninth congresses, in which he had displayed the sterling qualities and the marked ability which characterized his long after-career. From the time of his eoming to Minnesota until the close of his life he remained one of its most loyal and honored citizens, filling many important positions both in the state and the nation. He arrived in St. Paul, May 27, 1849, and the hotels being full to over- flowing proceeded with his family to Mendota, a fur trading sta- tion at the junetion of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, where he became the guest of Henry II. Sibley, remaining there until June 26.
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