USA > Minnesota > Hennepin County > Minneapolis > Personal recollections of Minnesota and its people : and early history of Minneapolis > Part 15
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Good old Father Hennepin was a prisoner on an island in this lake two centuries ago. At that time the Dakotas had possession of it. Large groves of hard-wood maple are found on the borders of the lake, from which the Indians made sugar every spring. The sap flowed into small buckets ingen- iously made of white birch bark.
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MILLE LAC AS A PROBABLE WATER-SUPPLY FOR MINNEAPOLIS.
It is not improbable that Mr. Tuttle's prediction may prove true in regard to the use of water from Mille Lac for the city at the Falls. There are no difficulties in the way that engin- eering cannot easily overcome in conveying the water to this point. The problem of an unlimited supply of pure water for the rapidly-increasing population of our wonderfully fine city must soon be solved, and the sooner the better.
CANADIAN STOVES-WINTER IMPROVEMENTS-SUSPENSION BRIDGE
We were (as on previous winters in traveling through the northwest) surprised to find at every trading outpost that the stoves in use were made at St. Maurce, a suburb of Three Rivers, a little city between Montreal and Quebec, in Canada. These stoves, in the early days, were in universal use in the northwest. The quarters at Fort Snelling had them. The Fur Company used them. They were brought from Canada by way of the great lakes.
Returning on the 7th of February, I was pleased to notice that several new buildings had been commenced in St. Anthony during my absence. Cold as that season was, there were some who were so impatient to make improvements they would not wait until spring but commenced operations in mid-winter. At this time St. Anthony had nine stores, one cabinet-shop, four blacksmith shops, two carriage factories, and other industries. On the 21st of February the legisla- ture passed a bill authorizing the building of a bridge over the Mississippi from Nicollet Island to the western shore of the river. The incorporators were Franklin Steele, Henry H. Sibley, Henry M. Rice, Calvin A. Tuttle, Isaac Atwater, John H. Stevens, John George Lennon, John Rollins, A. E. Ames, and D. E. Moulton, all of Minnesota ; and Robert Smith of Alton, and Buel G. Wheeler, of Rockford, Illinois.
HIGH PRICES THE RULE IN 1852.
Perhaps because tired of living on salt meats, salt fish, venison, and other game, during the winter, when fresh pork from Iowa was placed in the market it readily sold for twelve and a half cents per pound. On the 22d of February a saloon- keeper, wishing to purchase a few eggs to make "tom-and- jerry", so that Washington's birthday could be, as he said, properly celebrated, had to pay forty cents a dozen for them.
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Everything ruled high at the Falls during the winter of 1852. Even hay became scarce. The meadows back of the city in the fall had contained a large amount of hay, which had been properly stacked, but a large portion of it had mysteriously disappeared during the early winter, and when the owners went for it in February it was not to be found, and they never discovered what became of it.
A SOCIETY WEDDING AND CHURCH FESTIVITIES.
Our high-sheriff, Geo. F. Brott, had become convinced that it was not good for man to live alone. Consequently, on the 19th of February he married Miss Mary G. Stearns, the accom- plished daughter of Hon. C. T. Stearns. Rev. Chas. Secombe, of the Congregational church, officiated on the occasion. A marriage in the village, during the early days, was an uncom- mon event, and it was properly observed by what would now be called the society people. Though few were given in mar- riage, the social season at the Falls continued all through the long winter. There were balls, parties, lectures, lyceums, and gatherings of old and young at private residences, all to close for the season, on the second of March, with a grand donation visit to Rev. C. G. Ames and his excellent wife, at the home of Deacon Allen Harmon. The committee to man- age the gathering represented every church in the village. For instance, John W. North, E. P. Mills, Thomas Chambers, and H. Jenkins, were from the Congregational church ; Prof. Merrill, Mrs. Merrill, and Miss Mary Murphy, from the Methodist church ; Wm. H. Townsend, Geo. W. Prescott, Mrs. Prescott, and Miss Nason, the Baptist church ; Dr. V. Fell, Mrs. Fell, and Miss Lucy Harmon, the Free-Will Baptist church ; while Henry Fowler, Mrs. Fowler, George Burrows, H. Rogers, E. R. Ramsdell, Miss North, Mrs. C. D. and Mrs. A. H. Dorr, Miss Dorr, and Miss Adeline Jefferson, represented different churches. As the first donation visit ever held at the Falls of St. Anthony, it was a great success. Every one contributed to the worthy pastor and his wife, and every one was happy.
OTHER EVENTS OF THE WINTER.
Two days after the happy event above described, March 4, the store of Daniel Stanchfield was consumed by fire. This
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was the second serious fire in St. Anthony. Mr. Stanchfield had a heavy stock of goods, and all was consumed.
On the 13th Isaac Atwater was appointed reporter for the supreme court.
On the 20th the mails were only twenty-one days behind time. This fact indicated that spring was near, and that the mail-carrier could not get across the rivers between Prairie du Chien and St. Paul, in consequence of the ice breaking. The uncertainties of the mail were of more anxiety to us than our money, or anything else. On the 22d new ice must have been made, as the thermometer showed ten degrees below zero. Spring not so near as we expected.
OUR OLD COUNTY BOUNDARY.
After the adjournment of the legislature, the few of us.on the west side of the river determined to celebrate, in a quiet way, the passage of the bill for a new county. We found on examination of the records that our new boundaries had at different times been included in the county of Des Moines, county of Dubuque, county of Clayton, and county of Ala- makee, all of the territory and state of Iowa; and the county of Dakota, Minnesota. We were inclined to believe that, could the proper records have been hunted up, we were once included in some of the counties of Missouri.
DISCUSSING A NAME FOR OUR TOWN.
The St. Anthony Express of the 27th of March, just prior to our meeting, strongly advised selecting some other name than All Saints for our embryo village. This matter was considered, but while all rejoiced at the passage of the bill giving us a new county, when the suggestion of the Express was considered we discovered there were "many men of different minds", and a permanent name could not be agreed upon. The Express wanted to know how the name of Hen- nepin would suit our fancy. That paper thought it would be highly proper to name the prospective village after the first white man who witnessed the dancing waters of St. Anthony, and said the "day was not far distant when the west side of the Falls would be the second city in Minnesota, always remembering that St. Anthony will be the first". While we were pleased with the complimentary remarks in regard to our future prospects, the name of Hennepin did not strike us
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favorably, because it was the name of our county. Had that, been called Snelling, as we wanted it, our choice would have been unanimous for adopting the suggestion, and no doubt future letters from the west side would have been dated Hen- nepin, Snelling county, Minnesota, instead of Minneapolis, Hennepin county, Minnesota.
INCIDENTS OF THE SPRING OF 1852.
During the last week in March, most all the teams, with the crews engaged in the lumber business in the pineries, arrived in St. Anthony. Those that were in good working order were fattened for a few weeks, and sent to the shambles. Pinery beef was the subject of funny editorials in the Pioneer.
The steamer Governor Ramsey had been completely over- hauled and put in excellent condition for the navigation of the upper Mississippi for the approaching season. In the early spring Captain Rollins sold the steamer to Captain Parker, Benj. Soule, A. H. and C. D. Dorr, and Dr. C. W. Borup. In the change of the ownership of the boat the same popular officers and crew were retained. The river was free from ice on the second of April, and the steamer resumed its regular trips for the year. Captain Tapper's ferry was put in good order at the same time.
After a slight fall of snow during the first days of April, Hobart Whitson, who resided above the Falls, came upon the tracks of a strange animal. Following them for a few miles, he came near an Indian encampment. He turned over the trail to the Indians, who followed it for over ten miles, when the animal took refuge up a tree, and was killed. It was said that the strange beast was three feet high, and seven feet eleven inches long from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail. It was thought to be the first animal of the kind ever seen in Minnesota. It was probably a panther. Another animal of the same kind was seen a few days afterwards, but escaped from the Indians who were hunting it. About the same time an eagle of tremendous size soared around Cheever's hill, now the site of the University. This particular king of birds was strong enough to carry off a sheep. He was caught in a trap through the ingenuity of one of the pioneers, with- out being much injured. For a while this bird was the winged favorite of the village.
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
On the 14th of April Calvin A. Tuttle and Simon Stevens returned from an exploring expedition immediately south and west of the Falls. They reported the discovery of what is now Lake Minnetonka. The Express said the discovery created a good deal of excitement. Messrs. Tuttle and Stevens gave the lake the name of "Peninsula," from the fact it contained so many arms extending out and in all around its boundaries ; but during the following month Gov. Ramsey and a party visited the new wonder, and the governor christened it Minnetonka, a name it retains to this day. While the existence of so large a body of water was unknown to the new immigrants of 1849 and two subsequent years, the old settlers were well acquainted with its waters ; but the great beauty of the lake had never been described to the new- comers. In fact the lake had been visited by Joseph R. Brown, and a son of Colonel Snelling, as early as 1822. In after years Franklin Steele and Martin McLeod also made a pilgrimage to Minnetonka, and probably many other old residents also visited it.
A sad event occurred in the family of Mr. Fowler. His daughter was accidentally shot by her brother. It was the repetition of so many accidents ever since the introduction of firearms. The youngster did not know the gun was loaded. This was the first accident of the kind that occurred at the Falls. It is to be regretted it was not the last.
The able pen of Rev. T. Rowell, a Presbyterian clergyman of much talent, contributed articles to the Express which, with those of the editor-in-chief, Isaac Atwater, gave the paper an excellent reputation over the whole Union. Mr. Rowell had been a resident of the village since the previous year. Mr. Atwater's increasing professional business rendered it necessary that he should, in a measure, retire from the more active duties of writing editor. In May, Geo. D. Bow- man, from Pennsylvania, visited the Falls on a prospecting tour. He came highly recommended as a newspaper man. Mr. Atwater made an arrangement with Mr. Bowman by which he was relieved from the arduous duties of the paper. Mr. Bowman continued on the Express for many years, and became one of the leading men of the territory and state. Like most every one else, he dealt in real-estate ; for a time
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successfully ; in the end, disastrously. He received an important Federal appointment in New Mexico, which he held for a long period, and it is believed he is still a resident of that territory. With the exception of Charles Hoag, who invented it, we are more indebted to Mr. Bowman than any person for the name our proud city bears.
On April 30th Rev. Lyman Palmer made his home in St. Anthony, and became one of the most useful and respected citizens of the village. For years he occupied the pulpit of the Baptist church, which greatly prospered under his long pastorate. After retiring from active labor in St. Anthony, he preached in different sections in the vicinity of the Falls. He is greatly esteemed by all denominations of Christians, as well as by the public generally.
THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.
The so-called preparatory department of the University of Minnesota, at that time, under the auspices of Prof. Merrill, closed its first term the last week in April. All were proud of the perparatory department. We were extravagant in our expectations ; we dreamed of a mammoth educational institu- tion at the Falls when the plans of the regents should be perfected. The officers were earnest in their work, but had scarcely any money at their command to prepare the way for anything but the preparatory school. They had secured the services of an excellent principal ; the beginning was a success ; but none of us had the least conception that in a generation this small nucleus of 1852 would expand into one of the most successfal seats of learning on the continent, with more pro- fessors and teachers than there were students at the first term of the preparatory department, and with more students within its stately halls than there were inhabitants in St. Anthony, All Saints, and all the immediate country around the Falls. Since that humble beginning, the University of Minnesota has been blessed with able men in the presidential chair, talented professors of a justly world-wide reputation, and teachers who have few equals, yet none of all these were superior as educators to the first principal of the University of Minnesota, Professor E. A. Merrill, A. M.
The tide of immigration for 1852 was in a great measure centered on the banks of the Mississippi, St. Anthony receiv-
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ing its full share. In early spring Ezra Dorman came up from Hazel Green, Wisconsin, and purchased property, and immediately commenced the erection of a large brick building, which was the first structure in the village made of brick. Mr. Dorman's interesting family, his son, and his son-in-law, N. H. Hemiup, with their families, followed.
Dr. C. L. Anderson arrived in May, and commenced a suc- cessful practice. He is a native of Virginia, but came to Minnesota from Indiana. Aside from his practice, he was a geologist, entomologist, and florist, of rare industry and attainments. He loved Nature in all her beautiful and won- derful works. He contributed many able articles to the press of that day. He married an excellent young lady during his stay here. His literary attainments were of a high order. Early in the sixties he removed to the Pacific slope. Tarry- ing a few years in Nevada, he made a very complete catalogue of the Flora of that strangely interesting region. For some twenty years he has been a resident of Santa Cruz, California, where his skill as a physician, and his attainments as a scien- tist, are widely appreciated. His two daughters, born in Minneapolis, are talented in a literary and artistic way.
Mr. J. Peddington also arrived in May, 1852.
A jubilee was held on the 31st of May on the occasion of the landing of the steamer Dr. Franklin No. 2, Captain Smith Harris. The Franklin steamed up almost to the foot of Hennepin Island.
Up to this period there had been only a weekly mail. Fre -. quently, however, several weeks would elapse without mail service. Especially this was so in the fall after navigation had closed, and in the spring before navigation was resumed. On the 24th of May our delegate in congress, Mr. Sibley, obtained an order from the general postoffice department at Washington for three mails per week. The news of increased mail facilities was received by the citizens with great satis- faction. Of course the route was a short one, only from St. Paul, but it added greatly in the delivery of early mail matter at the Falls.
Very many valuable improvements were commenced in the spring of this year. Aside from Mr. Dorman's brick struc- ture, Elmer Tyler commenced building a block on lower
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main street, which was the headquarters of so many merchants for so many years.
It was considered that if an ox, cow, or other animal, jumped overboard from Captain Tapper's ferry-boat, while in transit from one shore to the other, the beast would be carried over the Falls and killed ; and this had always been the case ; but on June 4th, Warren Bristol had a fine yoke of oxen, which Captain Tapper was ferrying over the river. They became restless, and backed off the boat. Strange as it may seem, they came out on the shore without receiving the slightest injury.
A public meeting was held on the 6th for the purpose of adopting measures for a public cemetery. S. Thatcher occu- pied the chair, and Dr. J. H. Murphy was the Secretary. R. W. Cumming's beautiful grounds east of the village were selected and secured for the site. It is in use to this day for that purpose.
On the 11th of June news was received that Franklin Pierce, of New Hampshire, had received the democratic nom- ination for President of the United States. A few days later the proceedings of the Whig national convention that nomin- ated General Winfield Scott for President were received. The members of both parties endeavored to get up ratification meetings, but voters were too busy with other matters, and no meetings of a national political character were held.
June 20th a rousing gathering of the people occurred in relation to securing the landing of steamboats at the Falls. Messrs. Stearns, Bristol, Tapper, Cheever, and E. L. Hall, were appointed a committee to forward the interests of the navigation of the river up to the Falls. A large sum of money was raised for the purpose of removing the boulders said to interfere with the safety of the boats, from Meeker's island up to the landing. The contract for blasting them out was let to Captain John Rollins.
Many citizens were determined to test the new temperance law. On the 22d of June papers were issued from the office of Isaac I. Lewis, then a justice of the peace, for the purpose of bringing Mr. Cloutier before the court to answer for an alleged violation of the law. John W. North appeared for the territory, and E. L. Hall for the defendant. Judgment
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was rendered against Mr. Cloutier, but an appeal was taken to the United States Court, and the judgment reversed.on the ground that the law in question was unconstitutional.
Independence day was not observed in St. Anthony ; not but what the people were patriotic, but they preferred to cele- brate that memorable day by visiting the lakes in a quiet manner. Many of the citizens, headed by Al. Stone, attended a ball at the St. Louis house, near the cold-springs, below Minnehaha Falls.
On the 9th of July news was received of the death of Henry Clay, which occurred at his home in Kentucky on the 20th of the previous month. The Express appeared in deep mourn- ing in consequence, as a token of sorrow.
July 12th the marriage of William H. Townsend and Emily J. Nason occurred. Mr. Townsend represented St. Anthony in the lower house of the first state legislature.
On the 26th of July Dr. J. H. Murphy and wife sustained a great loss in the death of their only child, Litteor Ella, a bright, promising little girl.
August 6th, Simon Stevens and Company commenced the erection of their mill at Minnetonka. At this time Captain Rollins had finished his contract for removing all the boulders, and other obstacles from the river, that interfered with the running of steamboats between Fort Snelling and the landings at the Falls.
On the 6th an exciting election came off in St. Anthony. Lardner Bostwick was elected city-justice by a majority of sixty over all opposition. This was the stepping-stone by which Judge Bostwick subsequently acceptably held for almost a quarter of a century so many different offices.
On the 13th the distinguished American authoress, Mrs. E. F. Ellet, arrived. She was accompanied by Miss Clark, who has since become so widely known as a writer. Mrs. Ellet visited the wilds of the upper country at the instance of M. Y. Beach, editor-in-chief of the New York Sun, a man of great prominence in the literary world in his day. He was a contemporary of Horace Greeley, the elder Bennett, a friend of N. P. Willis, the two Clarks, Willis Gaylord and his distinguished brother. Mr. Beach, in company with his wife, had visited us the year before, and was delighted with the
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new country. In the early fifties his paper had great influ- ence throughout the Union, and had the largest circulation of any political paper on this continent. Mrs. Ellet was a lively little lady, who stood among the foremost female writers in America of that day. She and Miss Clark visited Lake Min- netonka, and were among the first to describe to the world its great extent and beautiful scenery. They camped out several nights on the borders of the lake so, as she said, she might " know just how it was to be 'a pioneer in earnest". Simon Stevens and a crew of mechanics were at that time the only residents in the neighborhood of Minnetonka. Stevens and some of the men who were at work with him accompanied the ladies in his boat around every nook and corner of the lake, making them comfortable and separate camps for the night, and taking them by day to the different points of interest around the lake. They were the first white, ladies that ever visited Minnetonka.
The result of Mrs. Ellet's visit to this territory was the publication of two of her most delightful volumes, one of them on the women of the west, and the other on her western travels. She spent several days under my humble roof. She was greatly interested in the future of this side of the river. For many years she would write to me from her home in New York asking about the progress of Minneapolis.
A social event occurred on the 8th of August, of some moment, especially when we consider that there were only two or three bachelors on this side of the river, and only about the same number of girls ; so when John Tapper mar- ried Miss Matilda Stinson we all took a holiday. Rev. Mr. Rowell, from St. Anthony, officiated at the marriage ceremony.
Our new and valued physician, Dr. A. E. Ames, was appointed surgeon at Fort Snelling, but after a service of a few weeks he resigned the office.
On the 27th of August the sad news was received that Col. James M. Goodhue, of St. Paul, editor of the Pioneer, was dead. He was only forty-two years old. Unquestionably he was the ablest editor in the valley of the Mississippi.
On the 10th of September, under the auspices of Governor Ramsey, superintendent of Indian affairs, all the trouble with the Dakotas in relation to the different interpretations
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
of the Traverse des Sioux treaty was settled to the satisfac- tion of both the whites and the red men who were the chief participants in the treaty.
Tallmage Elwell came over from Wisconsin and established an art gallery in the early fall. Since that period Mr. Elwell has constantly resided in Minnesota, and he is one of our best citizens. He was the first realdaguerreian artist that settled in this neighborhood
Considerable sickness prevailed among the children during the month of September. Several fatal cases occurred, among them Charles Frederic, a son of John and Mary Orth, who died September 17th ; and Lillie, a daughter of Lardner and Eliza Bostwick, who died September 20th.
A change in the pastor of the Methodist church took place on the 25th. Rev. C. A. Newcomb was transferred to Adams, Wisconsin, and Rev. Mr. Jones, from southern Wisconsin, was appointed in his place.
Governor Ramsey appointed Isaac Brown collector and assessor of Hennepin county. This was the first appoint- ment of any office whatever in the county. 'His commission was dated August 27th, 1852. A month later it would not have been necessary for the appointment to have been made, as congress, in the meantime, passed the law reducing the reservation of Fort Snelling.
The organic act passed by the legislature establishing Hennepin county contained the important proviso that upon the reduction of the reserve by congress the citizens of the county should, at the next annual election after the passage of such law, hold an election for all the county officers, and immediately after the election and qualification of such officers, they should, in due form of law, proceed to organize the county -- which was faithfully complied with.
CHAPTER XXVII.
ORGANIZATION OF A CLAIM ASSOCIATION.
Unfortunately the law passed by congress reducing the Fort Snelling reservation contained no provision for the relief of settlers on the land, thus causing us great anxiety in regard to the future titles to our homes. A claim association was instantly organized. Stringent rules were adopted against claim-jumpers, and others who might wish to interfere with our claims. The severe measures taken by the association were of such a character that no one would be sure of his life who should attempt to jump a claim. When there was a claim in dispute in regard to the ownership, the board of arbitration appointed by the association would hear all the evidence in relation to the matter, and decide the dispute according to the facts. The decision was final, and the suc- cessful claimant had the powerful protection of every member of the association, which, as it afterwards proved, was suffi- cient for the entry of his land. In all instances the first one who made a claim to a quarter section of land, with suitable improvements, was recognized by the association as the proper owner of it. A book was opened by the association, and we were all obliged to enter in it the number of acres we claimed, as well as the date of the settlement, and the value of our betterments, and the number of acres cultivated. The officers of the association were Dr. A. E. Ames, president ; Charles Hoag, secretary ; Edwin Hedderly, treasurer ; executive com- mittee, Colonel E. Case, Calvin A. Tuttle, William Dickie, Philander Prescott, and Edward Murphy ; board of arbitra- tion, Major Nathaniel McLean, U. S. Indian agent, Anson
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