USA > Minnesota > Hennepin County > Minneapolis > Personal recollections of Minnesota and its people : and early history of Minneapolis > Part 2
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LITTLE CROW'S VILLAGE-MISSIONARY WILLIAMSON.
Kaposia, or Little Crow's Village, was the next and last landing before we reached St. Paul. This was the residence of Rev. Dr. Williamson, so long a missionary among the Dakotas. A large band of Indians of both sexes came down to the levee to see the strangers on board the boat. Presently the venerable missionary came aboard and took passage for St. Paul. He was warmly greeted by Governor Sibley, Mr. Rice, and other early settlers, who were passengers. On being introduced to him by Governor Sibley, he asked if I was a relative of the missionary, Rev. J. D. Stevens, who arrived at Fort Snelling in September 1829, and who preached to Good Road's division of the Dakotas at Lake Calhoun so long, long ago. Dr. Williamson gave a warm welcome to his
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PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS
new friends who were on the boat. He said the country would not disappoint earnest men who were willing to farm or to follow any other legitimate business. Of course it was new, but it had a rich future, and as soon as its rare resources were known it would become populous. People could not afford to lead an idle life here ; that owing to its peculiar climate and surroundings they would prefer to keep busy. This was the commencement of a life-long friendship between Dr. Williamson and myself, and I consider it one of the fortunate events of my life. The friendship of such a man is worth more than silver or gold.
FIRST SIGHT OF ST. PAUL.
We were soon in sight of the new Wonder of the Western World, as it was before the day of booming Western towns ; and as every place had to stand on its own merit, we had not read or heard very much in regard to it. There was no paper yet printed in St. Paul, nor anywhere in the Territory, though James M. Goodhue had arrived with his printing outfit on the 18th, and ten days from that time the first paper, the Pioneer, made its appearance. On landing, April 24th, we found the town something more than a frontier trading station. I secured a home for the time being, and a good one, too, with J. . W. Bass, a son-in-law of the early Wisconsin pioneer, Rev. Dr. A. Brunson, and a brother-in-law of the lamented Judge Thomas P. Burnett. Mr. Bass assigned me one of the best rooms in his house, which I shared the next day on the arrival of another boat, with a gentleman also from the lead mines in Wisconsin, Dr. David Day, who has since occupied high trusts in the Territory and State. Dr. Day, like myself, was suffering from lung difficulties ; he could scarcely walk up the bluff from the old landing ; so it may be presumed that we made peaceable bedfellows. In any event it made us friends, and the climate-not medicine-made us both strong, healthy men.
OLD ST. PAUL.
I do not suppose St. Paul had, on that 24th day of April, more than thirty-five or forty buildings, and it was claimed that from 1838, when Pierre Parrant, the first settler, followed
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
the same year by Messrs. Abram Perry, Edward Phelan, William Evans, Benj. and Pierre Gervais and a Mr. Johnson, up to the end of December 31, 1848, there had been only about ninety-five heads of families settled within the limits of St. Paul proper. In 1839 Dennis Cherrier and Vital Guerin, with four others, were all the additions received, while in 1840 there were only three, which included that excellent man Rev. A. Ravoux, Rev. Lucian Galtier and Joseph Rondo. In 1841 there was only two-Pierre and Sever Bottineau, of the early explorers-and both of them had moved to St. Anthony in 1849. In 1842, Hon. Henry Jackson, Sergeant Richard W. Mortimer, and four others, were all the additions to the place. In 1843 the village received real, solid, sub- stantial and lasting encouragement by the arrival of such men as Hon. John R. Irvine, William Hartshorn, A. L. Larpen- teur, Hon. D. T. Sloan, James W. Simpson, and fourteen others, many of them men of much merit ; but in 1844 there were only five who made St. Paul their home; yet small as their numbers were, it included such enterprising men as Captain Louis Roberts, Charles Bazelle and Hon. William Dugas. Captain Roberts and Mr. Bazelle were worth scores of common men in building up a new country. The year 1845 did better in numbers, though there were only twelve fresh arrivals, but they included such well known men as Charles Cavileer, Augustus and David B. Freeman, and Jesse H. Pomeroy ; while in 1846 Hon. James M. Boal, William H. Randall, William Randall, Jr., and seven others, selected a residence in St. Paul. In 1847 Hon. William Henry Forbes moved down from Mendota, and J. W. Bass and his brother- in-law Hon. Benj. W. Brunson, Hon. John Banfil, Hon. Parsons K. Johnson, and Hon. Simeon P. Folsom, came up from the lead mines. Miss Harriet E. Bishop, the pioneer school teacher, ex-sheriff C. P. V. Lull, Daniel Hopkins, the merchant, and four others-making thirteen in all, cast their lots in the new village.
PRE-TERRITORIAL SETTLERS.
The next and last year before the organization of the Ter- ritory, the pre-territorial settlers numbered thirty. Among
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them were Hon. Henry M. Rice, A. H. Cavender, Rev. B. F. Hoyt, Hon. William H. Nobles, David Lambert, W. C. Morrison, Nathan Myrick, Major E. A. C. Hatch, Hon. William Freeborn, Lott Moffatt, Hon. B. W. Lott, Hon. David Olmstead-all historical names-with seventeen others, many of them men full of energy and enterprise. It will be seen by the above that St. Paul, at the commencement of 1849, could not have been a very populous city, but there were men, who were residents, of the very best business habits, of strict integrity, and who were capable of surmount- ing every obstacle that came before them. It is true the majority were easy-going, but honest, and in some instances frugal. Many of these early settlers were discharged soldiers from Fort Snelling. Others-especially the French Cana- dians-had been employed for years with the Fur Company. As a general rule the French population were contented, and were not inclined to be over-ambitious in relation to making money ; but it must be remembered that the wants of the people were not what they became at a later period. During the short period that I remained in St. Paul, every boat that arrived was crowded with passengers. The same may be said of the boats during that entire season. The boats of 1850, and for several years thereafter, were full of people coming to make Minnesota their home.
SEEKING CLAIMS.
A colony of some twelve persons from Rock River had preceded me to St. Paul. They were neighbors and acquaint- ances of mine. They could find no desirable claims in the immediate vicinity of the village, and after consultation it was determined to proceed up the Mississippi in search of Government lands. The impression, previous to leaving home, was that the portion of the Territory west of the Mississippi was open to settlers ; but it still belonged to the Indians. The report had gone abroad that this land west of the river was greatly superior to that on the east side-which was true. As only Indian traders and squaw men could get a foothold in the Indian Territory, we concluded to explore the upper Mississippi country.
CHAPTER II.
FIRST VISIT TO ST. ANTHONY.
Leaving St. Paul with plenty of stores and a good camping outfit, we arrived at old St. Anthony about noon on Friday, April 27th, 1849. There was no place where one could get accommodations for man or beast ; but we were told that up the river, a few miles further, we could get a good place to stop over with John Banfil, who kept a hotel at Coon Creek. This we found to be true ; but we did not like to fast until we should get there. Some one told us to try the old mess-house ; it might be by making terms with the cook we could get a dish of pork and beans, and a cup of coffee. We wanted to take a good look at the Falls. We had discovered that a tenderfoot, some way, contracted a pretty good appetite upon, or soon after, his advent into Minnesota ; so we wandered to the old mess-house, which stood on the bank of the river at the east end of the present bridge on Central avenue ; and after the hands engaged in building the mill had finished their meal, we took what was left, with thankful hearts and dimin- ished funds. Little did we think, on that day, that our future home, for many long years, was to be in the vicinity of that old mess-house.
We found that the principal Falls were on the west bank of the river. Messrs. Franklin Steele and Godfrey had their saw mill completed, which had been commenced in the Autumn of 1847. This was a great convenience to the new Canada people, as well as to the new-comers in both St. Paul and St. Anthony. Previously the lumber for building had to be hewn out of tamarac and hard wood, or hauled overland from
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PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS
the St. Croix country. The army officers stationed at Fort Snelling, in an early day, made strenuous efforts to get hold of real estate around the Falls. In most instances the few citizens then residents of the country got the advantage over them, and obtained the prize. At a later period, however, several of the army officers became interested in choice lands on the west bank of the river, which were included in the military reservation. They held the winning cards, from the fact that claims could only be held by their permission.
FIRST PERMANENT CLAIM AT THE FALLS.
At the time of my first visit to the Falls I learned, from unquestionable authority, that Franklin Steele made the first permanent claim in St. Anthony, that was recognized in 1838. At that time he was Sutler at Fort Snelling. Major Plymp- ton, of the Fifth U. S. Infantry, made a claim, in 1836, and built a log house on it. This was the same claim afterwards made by Mr. Steele. The next year, Sergeant Carpenter of Company A of the same regiment, made a claim immediately north of Major Plympton's. As the lands belonged to the Indians, the claims were of no value.
THE CHIPPEWA INDIANS SELL THEIR LANDS.
On the 18th day of June, 1838, it became known at Fort Snelling that the Chippewas had sold to the General Govern- ment all their lands between the Mississippi and the St. Croix, which of course included the east bank of the Falls of St. Anthony. Then Mr. Steele, by dint of great perseverance, obtained his original claim by virtue of making the first settlement after the land was ceded. He accomplished this over all competition, including that of Captain Martin Scott of the Fifth Infantry. Captain Scott was killed at the battle of Molino del Rey, in Mexico, on the 7th of September, 1847. He was born in Vermont, and was considered one of the best officers in the Army. Of course, under the land-laws, officers of the Army could not hold claims, because of their incapacity to pre-empt them. Mr. Steele secured the services of an old voyager, named La Grue, to live on the claim ; but while absent from home, La Grue's cabin was destroyed by fire, and
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
his wife was burned to death in it. He immediately left the country and was never heard from. Mr. Steele then built a commodious log house in place of the one that was destroyed, and placed a well known voyageur, Charles Laundry, in it to hold his claim. During his absence from the house an old dis- charged soldier, James Mink, jumped the claim, got possession of the house, and Mr. Steele was obliged to buy him off at pretty round figures. Then Mr. Steele hired Joseph Reach to occupy his place. He was faithful to the end, and in 1847 Mr. Steele secured a deed from the United States for the claim, paying a dollar and a quarter an acre. At the same time he purchased Nicollet Island at the same cost per acre. Charles Laundry died early in the fifties, near Bottineau Prairie, and Mr. Reach died about the same time at his home in the northern part of St. Anthony. In 1838 Carpenter sold his claim to a soldier by the name of Brown. In May, 1840, Brown disposed of it to Peter Quinn. Mr. Quinn fell a victim to the treachery of the Indians, on the Minnesota river, on the 20th of August, 1862. Mr. Quinn came at a very early day to the St. Peter country from the Coast of Labrador. He was an honest, warm-hearted man and, I think, a native of Ireland. He was for many years employed in the Indian Department of the Territory. His widow and daughter are now residing in St. Paul. He has two sons living. His eldest son, occupying a high position in the Northwestern Territory, was killed during the Riel Rebellion in North- western Canada. In 1845 Mr. Quinn sold his claim to his son-in-law, Mr. Findlay, and. R. P. Russell. The next year, May 9th, they sold it to Pierre Bottineau, who at that time was a resident of St. Paul.
Another claim was made, by Mr. Pettijohn, as early as 1842, on the land now belonging to the University and other parties. Afterwards Mr. Bottineau obtained it, but it eventually fell into the hands of Calvin A. Tuttle, who purchased it from the Government. Joseph Rondo, of St. Paul, partly made and partly jumped Carpenter's old claim near Boom Island, in 1843, but when Bottineau came in possession of the Carpenter land, he soon disposed of Rondo, who went back to St. Paul in disgust. By purchase and otherwise Mr. Steele and Mr.
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Bottineau, in 1845, held all the land from above Boom Island down to near the Tuttle place. I find that one Baptise Turpin, a half-breed from the north, lived on the Pettijohn claim in 1845. He held it for Mr. Bottineau. This year two brothers, Pascal and Sauverre St. Martin, made claims down the river from the Pettijohn claim. The land became the property of William A. Cheever and Judge B. B. Meeker. Here, then, we have all the actual residents of the east bank of the Falls of St. Anthony up to and including the year 1845.
Charles Wilson, a discharged soldier, long employed by Mr. Steele as a teamster, was off and on at St. Anthony after 1845. He died at Fort Snelling the early autumn of 1849. He could hardly, however, be called a resident; and yet, perhaps, he was more than a visitor ; but his home proper was, after his discharge from the Army, always at the Fort.
Mr. Bottineau, his two brothers Severre and Charles, and his brother-in-law Louis Desjarlais, Joseph Reach and family, and their employees, were the occupants of St. Anthony until early in 1847, when operations were commenced for building the mill. The services of Ard Godfrey, a prominent mill- wright from the Penobscot river, Maine, were secured as overseer of the mill. William A. Cheever, of Boston, Calvin A. Tuttle, John Rollins, Luther Patch, Edward Patch, Sumner W. Farnham, Caleb D. Dorr, Robert W. Cummings, Charles W. Stimpson, John McDonald, Samuel Ferrald and David Stanchfield, became identified with the place. W. R. Marshall, J. M. Marshall and R. P. Russell, were also more or less in the village during the year. Mr. Russell had been a resident at Fort Snelling since 1840, and frequently made St. Anthony a semi-home ; and in 1848 he became a resident in earnest by settling down and marrying Miss Marian Patch, and soon after became the pioneer merchant of the village, though he had previously sent a small stock of goods to vari- ous parties in St. Anthony to trade with the Indians and the few whites in that vicinity. The additions to the population in 1848 were Sherman Huse, Edgar Folsom, Elias H. Connor, Joseph Potvin, Silas M. Farnham, Bernard Cloutier, Wash- ington Getchell, A. D. Foster, Charles W. Stinson, and a few others.
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
Many of these gentlemen became permanent residents ; all, and those who came before, have been useful and respected citizens. In looking over the list of the old settlers of pre- Territorial days in Minnesota, it is gratifying to observe the fact that not a single one of them was ever presented on a criminal charge-which shows that they were men of good moral character.
EXPEDITION TO COON CREEK.
About 3 o'clock in the afternoon our expedition left for Coon Creek. The farmers in our ranks objected to the quality of the soil from St. Anthony on the route because of the quantity of sand in it; but as none of it had ever been cultivated, of course we could not judge of its productiveness. Arriving at Banfil's a little after dark, weary after the day's walk, Mrs. Banfil seated us at the supper table, which was filled with wholesome food. One of the party thought it the best meal he had partaken since he had left the old American House in Galena-which was praise indeed when we consider the excellent tables on the upper Mississippi steamers in the old colony days, as well as of mine host, J. W. Bass of the primitive Merchants' Hotel of St. Paul. Mr. Banfil landed in St. Paul in 1847, and made a claim at Coon Creek, which was considered a good place for a hotel, securing all the travel from St. Paul to Fort Gaines, the Indian agencies on the Upper Mississippi, and those engaged in the Indian trade in the Northwest.
AT THE MOUTH OF RUM RIVER.
After a comfortable night's rest and a good breakfast we continued our journey, arriving at Rum river about noon, where we found a solitary cabin occupied by Mr. Dahl, who was holding down the claim for Louis Roberts of St. Paul. In order to make the enterprise pay, Captain Roberts had established a ferry, and Mr. Dahl acted as ferryman. With the exception of the cabin, there was not a house, a chick or child, where the proud city of Anoka stands to-day. Inquiring for a good camping-place where we could remain for a few days, to explore the country, Mr. Dahl directed us to a point a mile or so above the ferry, on the banks of the Mississippi,
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known as the Big Island, which had everything desirable for camping purposes. There was wood, water and, at the proper season of the year, good grass. At Big Island we prepared a temporary home, and commenced keeping bachelors' hall. The next day being Sunday, a portion of the expedition remained in camp. Others followed the margin of the river to the junction of Rum river with the Mississippi, hunting bottom lands and hay meadows, but found none that were satisfactory.
MISSIONARY FRED. AYER.
Observing that a tent had been pitched since we left the previous evening, and seeing a wagon, and a span of horses feeding on the banks of the river, we made a call-Sunday as it was-on the new-comers, and found that the occupants of the tent were the Rev. Fred. Ayer and one of his sons, who were on their way to what is now known as Belle Prairie, to establish a mission for the Chippewa Indians. We were greatly interested in Mr. Ayer's account of his long missionary labors with the Indians.
In 1830 Mr. Ayer, who was then stationed at Mackinaw, was sent to La Pointe to examine the Lake Superior region to report in regard to the propriety of establishing a post for missionary work on or near the great "unsalted sea". He returned to Mackinaw the same year, but the next year, in company with Rev. Sherman Hall, he returned to La Pointe and established a school for Indian children, and was by Mr. Hall selected as its principal teacher. In 1832 he was sent from La Pointe to open a kindred work at Sandy Lake ; and the next year in September, he was transferred to Yellow Lake for the beginning of a mission station. Mr. Ayer was for a time, I think, stationed at Pokegema Lake, a beautiful sheet of water some five miles long by one mile wide ; and also on Snake river some twenty miles from where it empties into the St. Croix. When I saw him his hair had become gray in missionary work. I think in addition to the places I have mentioned, Mr. Ayer had done missionary work in various parts of the Indian country. The next morning we saw him passing our camp at Big Island, and shook hands
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
with him. From that day to his death I heard and read of his good deeds at Belle Prairie and elsewhere. In 1865 he went to Atlanta, Georgia, in the employ of the Freedmen's Bureau, and died and was bunied in that city in 1867. His life was one of great self-sacrifice and usefulness.
THE COLONY SCHEME ABANDONED.
As the explorers came into camp it became evident that we could not establish a colony in the portion of the territory we were visiting, as they all protested against locating where there was such light soil. We had lived in Illinois where there was a deep black soil, and we wanted to find that in Minnesota ; but we looked in vain far it on the east bank of the river. We accidentally discovered that a small piece of land had been cultivated with corn, beans, and potatoes the previous year, just above the camping ground, and looking around we found the product of the land concealed in an old stack which was covered with brush, and were surprised to see such large ears of corn. Upon this discovery I made up my mind that the soil might be light, but if it produced such corn it was good enough for me ; and after returning to St. Paul I hunted up the owner of the claim, William Noot, who resided on the Fort Snelling reservation, and purchased his right for $200 ; but before I got ready to occupy it, some one jumped the claim ; so I lost not only the claim, but my two. hundred dollars. This was my first venture in Min- nesota soil. I found it was necessary to enter land as soon as it was in market ; for mere claims to land could not be depended upon.
. Procuring an old Indian canoe, we crossed the Mississippi and made a journey of several miles into the interior west of the river. Here we found the quality of soil we wanted ; but as all the land west of the river from the Iowa line to the Canadian provinces belonged to the Indians, we could not obtain it ; and the result was that all the members of the party, except myself and one other, determined to abandon the country and seek homes elsewhere. This intention was carried out.
CHAPTER III.
THE PRESENT SITE OF MINNEAPOLIS.
Returning to St. Paul by way of Crow river, Fort Snelling, and Mendota, we had an excellent opportunity to see the new country along the route before its appearance had been changed by the hands of white men. We were all in love with it, and wondered how it was possible there could be such a difference in the quality of the soil from the other side of the river.
We found a band of Winnebagos encamped on Crow river. They came down from Long Prairie to hunt and fish on the neutral lands between the Dakotas and Ojibways. I was acquainted with some of the Winnebagoes when they lived in the lower country. They expressed their dissatisfaction with the Long Prairie country, and their determination to abandon it as soon as possible ; which resolution they carried into execution a year or two afterwards.
At this time the neutral lands were full of game, and the numerous lakes and streams were alive with fish. We followed the old Indian trail from the mouth of Crow River to the western bank of the Falls of St. Anthony. It was an unbroken, beautiful wilderness. With the exception of the old military building on the bank opposite Spirit Island, there was not and, for aught I know, never had been a house or a sign of habitation from Crow river to a mile or two below Minnehaha.
The scenery was picturesque, with woodland, prairie, and oak-openings. Cold springs, silvery lakes, and clear streams abounded. Except the military reservation, from what is now known as Bassett's creek to the mouth of St. Peter river, the
SAINT ANTHONY FALLS OF OLD.
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
land all belonged to the Indians, and we were trespassers in walking over it.
We were particularly charmed with the lay of the land on the west bank of the Falls-which the present site of Minne- apolis includes. A few Indians belonging to Good Road's band had their tepees up, and were living temporarily in them, in the oak-openings on the hill a little west of the landing of' the old ferry. There was an eagle's nest in a tall cedar on Spirit Island, and the birds that occupied it seemed to dispute our right to visit the crags below the Falls.
We started up a number of large timber wolves-old hoary fellows, wandering in the vicinity-that had grown fat, bold, and vicious in feeding for years upon the offal of the old military slaughter-houses that were in the neighborhood.
Many government mule-wagons from Fort Snelling, loaded with supplies for Fort Gaines, were fording the broad, smooth river, near the brink of the trembling Falls, where the dark water turned white, and with a roar leaped into the boiling depth, and gurgled on its rapid way to the Gulf of Mexico.
The banks of the river above the Falls were skirted with a few pines, some white birch, many hard maples, and several elms, with many native grape-vines climbing over them, which formed fine bowers up to the first creek above the Falls. The table-land back from the river was covered with oak. There were some thickets of hazel and prickly pear. On the second bench, a little below the Falls, from a quarter to a half mile back, there was a dense growth of poplar that had escaped the annual prairie fires. These trees were very pretty, on that spring day, with the foliage just bursting from the buds.
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