USA > Minnesota > Wright County > History of Wright County, Minnesota > Part 13
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On the first of June he issued a proclamation, said to have been prepared in a small room in Bass's log tavern which stood on the site now occupied by the Merchant's Hotel, making official announcement of the organization of the territory, with the fol- lowing officers: Governor, Alexander Ramsey, of Pennsylvania ; seeretary, C. K. Smith, of Ohio: chief justice, Aaron Goodrich, of Tennessee : associate justices, David Cooper, of Pennsylvania,
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and Bradley B. Meeker, of Kentucky; United States marshal, Joshua L. Taylor; United States attorney, H. L. Moss. Mr. Tay- lor, having declined to accept the office of marshal, A. M. Mitchell, of Ohio, a graduate of West Point and colonel of an Ohio regi- ment in the Mexican war, was appointed to the position and ar- rived in St. Paul in August.
A second proclamation issued by Governor Ramsey June 11 divided the territory into three judicial distriets, to which the three judges who had been appointed by the president were assigned. The present Wright county was included in the Second distriet, which comprised the county of La Pointe (a former Wiseonsin county) and the region north and west of the Mississippi and north of the Minnesota on a line running dne west from the head- waters of the Minnesota to the Missouri river, and over this dis- trict Judge Meeker presided.
The census of the territory taken in 1849 by an order of Gov- ernor Ramsey issued June 1I, although including the soldiers at the fort and pretty much every living soul in the territory except Indians, footed up the disappointing toal of 4,764-of which num- ber 3,058 were males and 1,706 were females. Additional and re- vised returns made the population exactly 5,000-males, 3,253; females, 1,747.
Another proclamation issued July 7, 1849, divided the territory into seven council districts and ordered an election to be held August 1 to choose one delegate to the house of representatives at Washington, and nine councillors and eighteen representatives to constitute the legislative assembly of Minnesota. The election passed off very quietly, politics entering scarcely at all into the contests, which were wholly personal. In all 682 votes were cast for the delegate to congress, Ilenry H. Sibley, who was elected without opposition.
The council distriets were described in Ramsey's proclamation as follows: "No. 1. The St. Croix precinct of St. Croix county, and the settlements on the west bank of the Mississippi south of Crow village to the Iowa line. 2. The Stillwater precinct of the county of St. Croix. 3. The St. Paul preeinet (except Little Canada settlement). 4. Marine Mills, Falls of St. Croix, Rush Lake, Riee River and Snake River preeincts, of St. Croix county and La Pointe county. 5. The Falls of St. Anthony preeinet and the Little Canada settlement. 6. The Sauk Rapids and Crow Wing precinets, of St. Croix county, and all settlements west of the Mississippi and north of the Osakis river, and a line thenee west to the British line. 7. The country and settlements west of the Mississippi, not included in distriets 1 and 6. The territory now embraced in Wright county was included in the seventh dis- triet. The district included, generally speaking, all of the terri- tory south of the Sank river and west of the Mississippi river, but
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none of the settlements on the west bank of the Mississippi except such as might be found north of the settlements near St. Anthony Falls and south of the mouth of Sauk river.
1849 .- The first territorial legislature-called the territorial assembly-met Monday, September 3, in the Central House, St. Paul, a large log building weatherboarded, which served both as a state house and a hotel. It stood on practically the present site of the Mannheimer block. On the first floor of the main building was the secretary's office and the dining room was occupied as the Representatives' chamber. As the hour for dinner or supper approached the House had to adjourn to give the servants an op- portunity to make the necessary preparations for serving the meal. In the ladies' parlor on the second floor the Council con- vened for their deliberations. The legislature halls were not to exceed eighteen feet square. Governor Ramsey, during his entire term of office, had his executive office in his private residence, and the supreme court shifted from place to place as rooms could be rented for its use. Although congress had appropriated $20,000 for the erection of a capitol, the money could not be used as "a permanent seat of government " for the territory had not yet been selected, so the machinery of government had to be carted around in the most undignified manner. The seventh distriet was repre- sented in the eouneil by Martin MeLeod, of Lae qui Parle ; and in the house by Alexis Bailly, of Mendota, and Gideon II. Pond, of Oak Grove.
1851 .- The second territorial legislature met January 1 and adjourned March 31. Martin MeLeod again represented the seventh district in the eouneil; while in the house were Alex- ander Faribault, of Mendota, and B. H. Randall, of Fort Snelling.
The territory, having been divided into counties, it was ap- portioned by the second territorial legislature (1851) into seven districts. The north fork of the Crow river divided the present Wright county. The area south of that fork, as a part of Dakota county, was in the sixth distriet, while the area north as a part of Cass county was included in the fifth district which consisted of Benton and Cass counties.
1852 .- The third territorial legislature assembled January 7 and adjourned March 6. The fifth district was represented in the council by S. B. Lowry, of Watab: in the house by James Beatty, of Itasca, and David Day, of Long Prairie. The sixth distriet was represented in the council by Martin MeLeod, of Oak Grove; and in the house by James MeBoal, of Mendota, and B. H. Randall, of Ft. Snelling.
1853 .- The fourth territorial legislature assembled January 5 and adjourned Mareh 5. The fifth district was represented in the eonneil as in 1852 by S. B. Lowry. David Day was in the house again. The new member from the district was J. MeKee. The
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sixth district was again represented in the council by Martin McCloud. B. H. Randall was again in the house and the new member from the sixth district was A. E. Ames. This legislature changed the boundary lines of certain counties and created cer- tain new counties. The part of what is now Wright county lying north of the north fork of the Crow river still remained in Cass county. The part lying south of it was included in Sibley county. Possibly a small portion in the southwestern part of the present county was included in Nocollet county. In spite of these changes in county lines, the boundaries of the legislative districts remained the same.
Franklin Pierce having been elected president of the United States in the previous November, promptly proceeded after his inauguration, in accordance with the good old Jacksonian doc- trine, to remove the Whig officeholders and distribute the spoils among the victors. The new territorial appointees were: Gov- ernor, Willis A. Gorman, of Indiana; Secretary, J. T. Rosser, of Virginia ; Chief Justice, W. II. Welch, of Minnesota; Asso- ciates, Moses Sherburne, of Maine; and A. G. Chatfield, of Wis- consin. Soon after entering on the duties of his office, Governor Gorman concluded a treaty at Watab with the Winnebago Indians for an exchange of territory. At the election in October Henry M. Rice was elected delegate to Congress.
1854 .- In 1854 the legislature of Minnesota for the first time assembled in a regular capitol building, its previous sessions having been held haphazard wherever accommodations could be had. This building, begun in 1851, but not completed until the summer of 1853, at a cost of something over $40,000, was totally destroyed by fire on the evening of March 1, 1881, while both branches of the legislature were in session. Some of the more valable papers in the various offices were saved, but the law library and many thousands of documents and reports were burned. The total loss was abont $200,000. The present "Old Capitol" was erected on the site of the first building. The fifth session assembled January 4 and adjourned March 4. The fifth district was represented in the council by S. B. Olmsted, of Belle Prairie; and in the house by R. M. Richardson and Peter Roy. The sixth district was represented in the council by Joseph R. Brown; and in the house by Hesekiah Fletcher and William II. Nobles.
1855 .- The sixth territorial legislature assembled January 3 and adjourned March 3. S. B. Olmsted again represented the fifth district in the council, while James Beatty and Fred Andros represented that district in the house. Joseph R. Brown again represented the sixth district in the council, and Henry H. Sibley and D. M. Hanson represented the district in the house. It was this legislature that ereated Wright county.
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By the apportionment of 1855, Wright county was ineluded in the fifth distriet. The other counties in the distriet were Benton, C'ass, Todd and Stearns.
1856 .- The seventh territorial legislature assembled January 2 and adjourned March 1. The fifth distriet was represented in the council by Lewis Stone, of Royalton, Benton county. In the house from this district the representatives were: John L. Wilson, of St. Cloud, Stearns county ; and William Sturgis, of Little Falls, Benton county.
1857 .- The eighth and last territorial legislature assembled January 7 and adjourned March 7. The extra session lasted from April 27 to May 20. The fifth district was represented in the eouneil by Lewis Stone, as on the previous year. Samuel B. Abbe, W. W. Kingsbury and John L. Wilson represented the distriet in the house. At this session was the memorable struggle over the removal of the capitol from St. Paul to St. Peter, when "Jo" Rolette, the member who had charge of the removal bill, mysteriously disappeared with that document in his possession and remained in seclusion until the hour for adjournment arrived, to the great joy and relief of St. Paul, which thereby retained the capitol.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
March 3, 1857, congress passed an aet authorizing the people of Minnesota to form a state constitution. Each council district was to be represented in this convention by two representatives for each councilman and representative to which it was entitled. The ninth distriet, which consisted of Winona, Olmsted, and Wabasha counties, was entitled to eight delegates, but for some reason ten members from this distriet were seated. The constitu- tional convention, consisting of 108 members, was authorized to meet at the capital on the second Monday in July, to frame a state constitution and submit it to the people of the territory. The election was held on the first Monday in June, 1857. July 13 the delegates met, but, a disagreement arising in the organiza- tion, the Republican members organized one body and the Demo- crats another, fifty-nine delegates being given seats in the former and fifty-three in the latter, making 112 in all. Each of these bodies, claiming to be the legally constituted convention, pro- ceeded with the work of formulating an instrument to be sub- mitted to the people. After some days an understanding was effected between them, and by means of a committee of confer- ence, the same constitution was framed and adopted by both bodies. On being submitted to the people, October 13, 1857, it was ratified.
The fifth district was represented on the Democratic wing by David Gilman, of Watab: Henry C. Waite, of St. Cloud;
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William Sturgis, of Little Falls; William W. Kingsbury; R. H. Barrett, J. C. Shepley and J. W. Tenvoorde. Frederick Ayer, a pioneer missionary, sat on the Republican wing as a representa- tive from this district.
The history of this convention is so graphically given by W. H. C. Folsom, who was one of its members, in his interesting volume, "Fifty Years in the Northwest," that we quote it almost entire :
"The state was nearly eqnally divided between the Repub- licans and Democrats, still the question of politics did not enter largely into the contest except as a question of party supremacy. The people were a unit on the question of organizing a state government under the enabling act and in many cases there was but a single ticket in the field. It was a matter, therefore, of some surprise that there should be a separation among the delegates into opposing factions, resulting practically in the formation of two conventions, each claiming to represent the people and each proposing a constitution. The delegates, although but 108 were called, were numbered on the rolls of the two wings as 59 Repub- lican and 53 Democratic, a discrepancy arising from some irreg- ularity of enrollment, by which certain memberships were counted twice. The Republican members, claiming a bare majority, took possession of the hall at midnight, twelve hours before the legal time for opening the convention, the object being to obtain con- trol of the offices and committees of the convention, a manifest advantage in the matter of deciding upon contested seats.
"In obedience to the call of the leaders of the party, issued the day before, the writer, with other Republicans, repaired to the house at the appointed hour, produced his credentials as a delegate, and was conducted into the illuminated hall by Hon. John W. North. The delegates were dispersed variously about the hall, some chatting together, others reading newspapers, smoking or snoring, and here and there one had fallen asleep in his seat. Occasionally a delegate nervously examined his revolver as if he anticipated some necessity for its use.
"The Democratic delegates were elsewhere, probably plotting in secret conclave to capture the hall, and perhaps it might be well enough to be prepared for the worst. Thus the remainder of the night passed and the forenoon of July 13. As soon as the clock struck twelve the Democratic delegates rushed tumultu- ously in, as if with the purpose of capturing the speaker's stand. That, however, was already occupied by the Republican dele- gates and the storming party was obliged to content itself with the lower steps of the stand. Both parties at the moment the clock ceased striking were yelling "order" vociferously, and nominating their officers pro tem. Both parties effected a tem-
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porary organization, although in the uproar and confusion it was difficult to know what was done.
"The Democratie wing adjourned at once to the senate cham- ber and there effected a permanent organization. The Republie- ans, being left in undisturbed possession of the hall, perfected their organization, and the two factions set themselves diligently to work to frame a constitution, each elaiming to be the legally constituted convention, and expecting recognition as such by the people of the state and congress. The debates in each were acri- monions. A few of the more moderate delegates in each reeog- nized the absurdity and illegality of their position and questioned the propriety of remaining and participating in proceedings which they could not sanction.
"The conventions continued their sessions inharmoniously enough. Each framed a constitution, at the completion of which a joint committee was appointed to revise and harmonize the two constitutions, but the members of the committees were as bellig- erent as the conventions they represented. Members grew angry, abusing each other with words and even blows, blood being drawn in an argument with bludgeons between two of the dele- gates. An agreement seemed impossible, when some one whose name has not found its way into history made the happy sugges- tion that alternate artieles of each constitution be adopted. When this was done, and the joint production of the two conven- tions was in presentable shape, another and almost fatal difficulty arose, as to which wing should be accorded the honor of signing officially this remarkable document. One body or the other must acknowledge the paternity of the hybrid. Ingenuity amounting to genius (it is a pity that the possessor should be unknown) found a new expedient, namely, to write out two constitutions in full, exact duplicates except as to signatures, the one to be signed by Democratie officers and members and the other by Republicans. These two constitutions were filed in the archives of the state and one of them, which one will probably never be known, was adopted by the people October 13, 1857."
Mr. Folsom is slightly in error. The enabling act did not specify any hour for the meeting of the convention, nor did it designate any definite place in the capitol where the sessions should be held, both of which omissions contributed to the con- fusion in organization. W. W. Folwell, in his "History of Min- nesota," narrates the preliminaries as follows: "To make sure of being on hand, the Republican delegates repaired to the capitol late on the Sunday night preceding the first Monday in June and remained there, as one of them phrased it, 'to watch and pray for the Democratic brethren.' These did not appear till a few moments before twelve o'clock of the appointed day. Imme- diately upon their entrance in a body into the representatives'
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hall Charles R. Chase, secretary of the territory and a delegate, proceeded to the speaker's desk and called to order. A motion to adjourn was made by Colonel Gorman, and the question was taken by Chase, who declared it carried. The Democrats left the hall to the Republicans, who proceeded to organize the con- vention. Fifty-six delegates presented credentials in proper form and took their oaths to support the constitution of the United States. At noon of Tuesday the Democratie delegates assembled about the door of the hall, and finding it occupied by citizens who refused to give them place, met in the adjacent council chamber and proceeded to organize the convention. Henry H. Sibley was made chairman, on motion of Joseph R. Brown, and later became president of the body."
After the adjournment of the constitutional convention the Republicans and Demoerats held their party conventions, each nominating a full state ticket and three candidates for Congress. The Republican candidate for governor was Alexander Ramsey and the Democratic candidate Henry H. Sibley. The election was held October 13, 1857, the constitution being adopted by an overwhelming vote; H. H. Sibley was elected governor by a majority of only 240 in a total of 35,240 votes, and the Demo- crats had a small majority in the legislature.
STATE REPRESENTATION.
The first Minnesota state legislature assembled December 2, 1857. There was a serious question, however, as to whether it was really a state legislature, as Minnesota had not yet been admitted to the Union. There was a question as to the recog- nition of Samuel Medary, the territorial governor, as governor of the state, but by a vote of 59 to 49 he was so recognized by the legislature, and he, in turn, in his message recognized the law-making body as a state legislature. None of the state officers could take the oath of office, and the Republican members of the legislature entered a formal protest against any business what- ever being done until after the admission of the state as a member of the Union. But the Democrats having a majority, decided to hold a joint convention December 19 for the election of two United States senators. Henry M. Rice was elected for the long term on the first ballot, but it was not until after several ballotings that General James Shields won the short term. He was a new comer from Illinois and his election was a bitter pill for many of the old Democratie war-horses, such as Sibley, Steele, Brown and Gorman.
As a means of relieving the state from the awkward predica- ment in which it was placed the legislature adopted March 1 an amendment to the constitution authorizing the newly-elected offieers to qualify May 1, whether the state was admitted by that
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date or not, this amendment to be submitted to the voters at an election called for April 15. A second amendment, submitted at the same time, provided for the famous $5,000,000 railroad bond loan, which was the eause of great loss and great bitterness to the people. Both amendments were overwhelmingly adopted, but in November, 1860, the bond amendment was expunged from the constitution. after $2,275,000 bonds had been issued. The legislature, March 25, took a reeess until June 2.
In the meantime the steps looking toward the recognition of Minnesota's statehood by Congress had lagged sadly. For some unknown reason President Buchanan had delayed until the middle of January, 1858, transmitting to the United States Senate the constitution adopted by the people. A bill for the admission of Minnesota as a state was introduced by Stephen A. Douglas, chairman of the committee on territories. When this bill eame up February 1 there was a prolonged discussion, a number of the senators being in opposition because it would add another to the number of free states, thus disturbing the "balance of power" between the free and slave states. Among those par- ticipating in the debate were Senators Douglas, Wilson, Gwin, Hale, Mason, Green, Brown and Crittenden, the latter being mneh more moderate in his expressions than most of his fellow senators from the South. The debate continued until April 8, when the Eng- lish bill, which provided for the admission of Kansas as a supposed slave state having passed, the opposition ceased, and Minnesota's bill was adopted by a vote of 49 to 3. The bill then went to the Ilouse, where it met the same kind of objections as had been raised in the Senate, the English bill standing in the way until May 4, when it was passed. One week later, May 11, the bill admitting Minnesota passed the House by a vote of 157 to 38, the following day receiving the approval of the President, and May 12, 1858, Minnesota obtained full recognition as a state in the Union. Informal news of the action of Congress reached St. Paul, by telegraphie information brought from La Crosse, Wis- eonsin, May 13, but the official notice was not received until some days later, and May 24 the state officers eleeted in October, 1857, took their oaths of office.
By the apportionment of 1857 set forth in the state constitu- tion adopted October 13, 1857, Wright and Carver counties were constituted the nineteenth district, with one senator and three representatives.
1857-58 .- The first state legislature, as already noted, assem- bled December 2, 1857. On March 25, 1858, it took a recess until June 2, and finally adjourned August 12. The state was admitted May 11, 1858. It will, therefore, be seen that, although this legislature is called the first state legislature, nevertheless it assembled in territorial times. The nineteenth distriet was rep-
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resented in the senate by Samnel E. Adams. Ernst Heyd and Ebenezer Bray (of Carver county) sat in the house. The distriet was entitled to three representatives, but apparently only two took their seats. Mr. Bray, one of the representatives from this distriet, revealed himself as one of the two members who had sensitive eonseienees. During the adjournment from March 25 to June 2 there were sixty-eight days. The members did not dare to vote themselves pay for this period of idleness, so it was voted that each member could draw $75 from the state treasury "for stationery." Ebenezer Bray, from this district, and Robert C. Masters, from Dakota county, refused to be a party to this raid on the treasury and never drew the $75. All the rest received the money.
1858-59 .- No session was held in the winter of 1858-59, mainly owing to the protracted session of 1857-58, which was believed to render unnecessary another one following so soon, the legislature of that year having so provided by enaetment.
1859-60 .- The second state legislature assembled December 7, 1859, and adjourned March 12, 1860. The nineteenth distriet was represented in the senate by Samuel E. Adams, and in the house by John S. Letford, F. A. Renz and Jackson Taylor.
By the apportionment of 1860, Wright county was placed in the sixth district, which was to have one senator and three repre- sentatives. The other counties in the district were Carver, Meeker, MeCloud, Kandiyohi and Monongalia.
1861 .- The third state legislature assembled January S and adjourned Mareh S. The sixth district was represented in the senate by Samuel Bennett and in the house by I. P. Kennedy, T. D. Smith and William R. Baxter.
1862 .- The fourth state legislature assembled January 7 and adjourned March 4. The sixth distriet was represented in the senate by Charles A. Warner and in the house by W. G. Butler, C. F. Davis and B. G. Lee.
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