USA > Minnesota > Hennepin County > Minneapolis > Personal recollections of Minnesota and its people : and early history of Minneapolis > Part 22
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CLERGYMEN OF THE EARLY DAYS.
Rev. Charles Gordon Ames became a resident of Minne- apolis this year. He secured a lot on Fourth street, and built a house. Mr. Ames was the second pastor of a church organ- ization in Minneapolis, that of the Free-Will Baptist. A young man of great perseverance, well educated, a natural orator, an abolitionist, a prohibitionist, he made it interesting to the people in this neighborhood, and undoubtedly accom- plished a good work among the pioneers. Thoroughly honest, he had the confidence of the whole community, whether or not it believed in his peculiar doctrines. Mr. Ames became an editor, and was elected register of deeds. He afterwards went to California. From the golden state he was called to Philadelphia, and is now pastor of one of the most flourishing Unitarian churches on the continent. When he had attained the years of maturity he became satisfied that the orthodox teachings of his early years contained many errors, and under
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this conviction he united with the Unitarian church, and is now one of the most popular pulpit orators of the day.
Rev. A. A. Russell, upon the organization of the Baptist church in Minneapolis this year, was selected as its pastor. He arrived from Illinois in the early summer, and immedi- ately assumed the duties of his sacred calling. This was the third church organization, and Mr. Russell was the third pastor of a church in Minneapolis. He was a man of great worth, and his good works are visible in this city to this day. He ministered here for some five years. He was popular with all denominations.
· Carlos Wilcox, a native of Vermont, selected his home in Minneapolis this year. He entered at once into active busi- ness life. In less than a year after his arrival here, he was appointed postmaster in the place of Dr. H. Fletcher. Mr. Wilcox was the second postmaster in Minneapolis. He mar- ried Miss Burgess, a sister of Mrs. F. R. E. Cornell. He is still a resident of the city.
John M. Anderson, so long a citizen of Minneapolis, dates his residence from this year. In addition to being the first book-merchant in the city, he was also the first to engage in the book-bindery business in Minneapolis.
The first building to be used exclusively for a meeting- house in Minneapolis was commenced and finished this year. This church was built on the corner of Cataract street and Fourth street south. It was owned by the Presbyterians. While it was not a very large church edifice, it was a conven- ient one, and we were all proud of it. Mr. Whitney filled the pulpit in this church for many years.
The different precincts outside of Minneapolis were greatly prospered during the season of 1854. The crops were good, and much of the vacant land in the county was occupied by actual settlers from different parts of the world. Among the new immigrants this year was John S. Harrington, who took a claim just above Wayzata, on the shore of Lake Minnetonka, where he now resides. Mr. Harrington has been a valuable citizen in many ways, but particularly in developing the hor- ticultural products of Minnesota. General R. S. Bartholomew, of the Western Reserve, Ohio, made and occupied a claim on the banks of the Lake of the Woods. General Bartholomew
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
has always been a public-spirited citizen. He was a member of the constitutional convention of Minnesota, and also repre- sented Hennepin county in the state senate. He lives on the land he preempted so long ago.
Cornelius Couillard also selected and moved on his claim this year, near General Bartholomew's, in Richfield, and like his neighbor, is a valuable citizen.
James Hawkes was another excellent citizen who settled in Richfield in 1854. He was killed by being thrown from his wagon in Minneapolis in the fall of 1880. He served through the war in the First Minnesota infantry, and First mounted Battalion.
Bloomington was favored with many additions to her popu- lation. Messrs. T. T. Bazley had selected a claim the previous year, as had Thomas Oxborough. Both of these men made valuable farms, and assisted greatly in developing the agri- cultural industries of this state. Mr. Oxborough had brothers who settled near him who were good farmers and excellent citizens.
Among others who opened farms on Eden prairie this year was Robert Anderson. He followed his brother James, who had made a claim at that place the previous year, as had Wm. V. Bryant. Jonas Staring purchased a claim and moved on it this year. Joseph H. Chowen dates his residence at Min- netonka from this year. His brother, Hon. Wm. S. Chowen, who has been of so much moment to the public, had taken a claim the previous year, and opened the way for several of his old neighbors in Pennsylvania to follow him. Both of these gentlemen were brothers of Geo. W. Chowen, the pio- neer of the Wyoming, Pennsylvania, colony, in Minnesota. Mr. W. S. Chowen has represented Hennepin county in the state house of representatives ; occupied for years the master- ship of the state grange, and has been one of the commission- ers of Hennepin county several terms. W. S. and J. H. Chowen are progressive farmers. Their sister, Mrs. James Shaver, jr., was the first white woman who resided at Minne- tonka, having made her home there with her husband in the fall of 1852. Another sister is the wife of A. N. Gray, also a pioneer, and the millwright of the old Minnetonka mill com- pany. Mrs. Shaver was the mother of the first two children
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born on the borders of Minnetonka-twins-Bayard T. and Bernard G. Shaver, born August 12, 1852. These young men have reached a vigorous manhood, and are prominent citizens. It could hardly be otherwise when we consider the good mother they were blessed with.
The vacant land around the lake was mostly occupied by actual residents this year. Aside from those who settled in the neighborhood of Excelsior, such men as A. P. Beeman, J. H. Clark, and others, we find that Wm. H. Ferguson, a native of Scotland, occupied the long' point of land extending into the lake on the south shore below Excelsior. Mr. Ferguson was a man of much more than ordinary ability. He was drowned in the lake late in the fall of 1857.
William Harvey, also a native of Scotland, made a claim in the fractional township of Excelsior this year. L. P. Samp- son also settled in Excelsior this year. Mr. Sampson was for many years the postmaster in that village. Silas A. Seamans took up a vacant quarter-section of excellent land a little west- of Excelsior, this summer, and soon had, not only an excellent home, but a good farm. Z. D. Spaulding also settled on a. farm this year near Excelsior and, like his neighbors of that. period, endured many hardships.
Minnetrista had, previous to this year, only two settlers, the Merz brothers. During the season Messrs. M. S. Cook, N. H. Sanders, and J. W. Buck, made claims and occupied them. John Carman made a claim on what is known as Carman's Point. He was the father of Mrs. Cook, and of Miss Mary, the first school-teacher at Minnetonka. His son Frank is still a resident of Minnetrista. Cook's bay, on the upper lake, took its name from M. S. Cook. Independence for the first time was settled late this year by Job Moffett, closely followed by Messrs. E. Hoisington, John B. Perkins, Irvin Shrewsbury, and John H. McGary. The first settlers of this town were men of a good deal of enterprise. Medina, too, for the first time received settlers, Messrs. Stephen Bean from Maine, and A. F. French of Ohio, making claims. Two brothers from Germany, by the name of Kassula, also opened farms, this year, in this township ; and most of the vacant land in Brooklyn was taken this year. Among those who settled in the town in 1854, were Otis H. Brown, N. Crooker, C. H.
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
Ward, and John P. Plummer. Osseo village was occupied this year by Warren Sampson, Isaac Labosiniere, Clark Ells- worth, S. Brown, and D. B. Thayer, though the immediate country had been settled before, by Messrs. Bottineau, Potvin, Raiche, and Garvais.
Champlin this year added many settlers to her population ; the most prominent of whom were Rev. W. Hayden, Samuel Colburn, and John G. Howell. Dayton was honored in 1854 with an unusually enterprising immigration, consisting of such men as E. H. Robinson, John Baxter, James Haselton, and George Mosier. In the neighboring town of Hassan Patrick A. Ryan, Alexander Borthwick, Harvey Hicks, Dennis Ford, Alpheus Maserey, and Joseph Green, made claims ; which was a very good commencement when we consider that thore were no roads to reach the town, and that it was in the heart of the big woods.
The first settlement was also made in Greenwood township this year, by Mathias Harff. The only way Mr. Harff had to reach his claim was by an Indian trail. He found it more desirable and cheaper to transport his supplies by the river in a batteau ; that is to say, by following up the Mississippi to Crow river, thence up that river to his claim, which was on its banks. Louis P. Garvais and Wm. M. Ewing were the sole occupants of Maple Grove up to this year, when they were joined by Harvey Abel, A. O. Angell, Wm. E. Evans, Patrick Devery, and O. R. Champlin. Mr. Evans was from Vermont, and was in search of a country where he could plant a colony from his native state. He thoroughly explored the then wild west, and wisely selected the beautiful, fertile wilderness in Maple Grove, where he, and those who came after him, have made the place blossom like the rose. Mr. Evans has been frequently called upon by the citizens of Hennepin county to occupy various offices in their gift. David Marchant, a carpenter, had previously opened a fa.Im in this township, which was probably as much his home as any place, as he was a single man, and had only a temporary residence elsewhere, while working at his trade.
Plymouth township this year made rapid progress in the receptiod of settlers. Francois Huot, G. D. Brawley, David Gorham, James Hughes, Edward Burke, Jonas H. Howe,
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C. W. Farington, and several others, including the three brothers, the Parkers. A more enterprising and better class of citizens could not be added to any new county than that of the immigration to Plymouth in 1884 ; but the same may be said in relation to the immigration of the whole county. Many of them had large families, such as Mr. Hughes of Plymouth, and John P. Plummer of Brooklyn. The last- named gentleman was frequently honored by the citizens of Hennepin county with high offices, which he filled with great fidelity to the interests of the people. He was the father of several boys, four of which he sent to the Union army, some of whom attained high rank.
NAVIGATION OF THE MISSISSIPPI TO ST. ANTHONY FALLS.
The citizens of St. Anthony and Minneapolis determined to secure one or more boats to run from the lower ports to the Falls of St. Anthony. At a meeting at the St. Charles, with John W. North in the chair, and Edward Murphy sec- retary, the sum of fifteen thousand dollars was subscribed by the citizens of the two towns. The capital stock of the St. Anthony steamboat company was placed at thirty thousand dollars. The money in due time was all raised. At this meeting it was determined to call the first boat that should be built or purchased for the trade the "Falls City". It was further determined that it should leave Pittsburg for the Falls about the first of April, 1855. A board of directors consisting of A. M. Fridley, J. B. Gilbert, Z. E. B. Nash, and R. Cutler, of St. Anthony, and Edward Murphy, of Minne- apolis, was selected to carry out the wishes of those who had so liberally subscribed to the enterprise. These gentlemen were instructed to send a competent agent at once to the Ohio river for the purpose of either purchasing or building a boat suitable for the trade. Suffice to say, in due time the instruc- tions were pretty well carried out by the committee. In subsequent years a steamer called the "Falls City", was in. the trade. Regular trips were made from the Falls of St. Anthony to the ports on the lower Mississippi, commanded at different times by Captain Edward Murphy, Captain J. B. Gilbert, and Captain John Martin, all stockholders. Captain John C. Reno was also master of boats that ran regularly between St. Anthony Falls and ports down the river.
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
The first execution in Minnesota, according to the law of the territory took place in St. Paul, on the 27th of December when the Dakota Indian Yuhazee was hung for the murder' of a German woman above Shakopee, in November, 1852.
There were a good many territorial roads laid out this year from St. Anthony and Minneapolis to different parts of the territory ; the most important of which was one from the Falls to the St. Croix, and from Minneapolis to the western boundary of Sibley county. These roads were established by special acts of the legislature. In some instances there was considerable money expended on them. The money was raised by subscription in St. Anthony and Minneapolis.
The suspension bridge spanning the main channel of the Mississippi had, on the 5th of December, received its last floor beam. On that day Mr. Griffith, the engineer, invited the gentlemen of the press at the Falls, and their ladies, to cross the structure upon the first span that ever united the opposite banks of the Mississippi river. Of course the bridge was far from being completed ; it would require months of hard work before it could be used for teams, and for that matter, for foot-passengers. The length of the span was six hundred and twenty feet ; vertical deflection of cables forty- seven feet, which were four in number, and each comprised of five hundred strands of No. 10 charcoal iron wire.
On December 4th the first fire company was organized in St. Anthony. G. B. Hubbard was appointed foreman, R. W. Cummings first-assistant, S. M. Rickers second-assistant, D. S. Moore secretary, and Dr. John H. Murphy treasurer.
Among the prominent professional men who became citizens of St. Anthony were the well-known lawyers, N. H. Hemiup, Geo. A. Nourse, Wm. J. Parsons, and Edwin Smith Jones. In subsequent years Mr. Nourse became much interested in politics. He moved to the Pacific slope, and was elected attorney-general of Nevada. He is now a prominent member of the San Francisco, California, bar. A daughter of General Nourse is the wife of a son of Hon. John W. North, the pioneer lawyer of St. Anthony. They also reside in Califor- nia. Mr. Hemiup has also made St. Anthony, now east Minneapolis, his home. He was for many years judge of probate of Hennepin county. Mr. Jones moved from St.
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Anthony to Minneapolis in the spring of 1855. He was a partner of Judge Atwater, at that time. He also became judge of probate of Hennepin county, and during the war was a commissary with the rank of captain. He has retired from the practice of law, and is now president of the Hennepin country savings bank. Judge Jones was the first person admitted to the bar in Hennepin county, which was on motion of Isaac Atwater, at the April term of the district court Judge Chatfield presiding, in 1855. Mr. Parsons remained in St. Anthony for over a year, when he also removed to Minneapolis, where he continued the practice of the law Subsequently he moved to St. Cloud, and from that place to St. Paul, where he died a few years since.
Chas. L. Chase, a native of Connecticut, settled in St. Anthony this year. He was a brother-in-law of Captain J. B. Gilbert. Mr. Chase established a bank and real-estate office, and was for several years an active business man in that city. He was appointed secretary of the territory by President Buchanan, and after the retiring of Governor Medary, early in 1858, he was, by virtue of his office, Gover- nor of Minnesota, which position he held until May 24th.
Another gentleman who has become prominent in this part of the state who came to St. Anthony this year is W. W. Eastman. In company with Captain Rollins and R. P. Upton he immediately commenced the erection of a large flour mill on Hennepin island. He was also a pioneer in the milling business on the west bank of the Falls. He became the owner of Nicollet Island, and other valuable property in this neigh- borhood. Mr. Eastman is an enterprising citizen, helpful to this city, in which 'he still resides.
Early in the season the name of D. Morrison, Bangor, Maine, appeared on the register of the St. Charles hotel in St. Anthony. A gentleman of exceedingly keen perception, it only required a glance at the almost undeveloped water-power, and other advantages in the neighborhood, to convince him that here was a rare opportunity for investment. Not only Minneapolis and St. Anthony, but the whole state, has been greatly benefit- ted by Mr. Morrison's removal to Minnesota in 1855.
Citizens on both sides of the river were pleased with the outlook at the close of the year 1854.
CHAPTER XXXV.
LOCAL EVENTS OF EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FIVE.
The territorial legislature convened in St. Paul on Monday the third day of January. Joseph R. Brown represented the west side of the river in the council, and Messrs. H. H. Sibley and D. M. Hanson in the house of representatives. The del- egation from St. Anthony was Hon. Chas. T. Stearns in the council, and Major A. M. Fridley and Daniel Stanchfield in the house. M. C. Baker of Minneapolis was elected one of the clerks in the council, and the editor and proprietor of the only newspaper published in Hennepin county, W. Augustus Hotchkiss, was elected one of the territorial printers. This was the first honor of the kind ever paid to a Minneapolis editor. It was worthily bestowed, and when we considered that the paper had been published in the county less than six months, while there was the Pioneer, the Democrat, and the Minnesotian, in St. Paul (the two former dailies ), we felt that the county was coming to the front in influence.
The annual meeting of the territorial agricultural society was held in the hall of the house of representatives on the 10th of January, Governor Gorman, the president, in the chair. The annual address was by Hon. H. H. Sibley. Of the many addresses before the state agricultural society none have been more eloquent and impressive. The following gentlemen were elected officers of the society : John H. Stevens of Hennepin county, president ; J. W. Selby of Ramsey, Capt. Wm. Holcombe of Washington, Hon. H. H. Sibley of Dakota, Hon. S. Baldwin Olmstead of Benton, Sweet W. Case of Hennepin, B. W. Dodd of Nicollet, and Hon. Joseph R.
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Brown of Sibley, vice-presidents ; Edward Murphy of Hen_
nepin, secretary ; C. H. Parker of Ramsey, treasurer. On motion of W. A. Hotchkiss of Hennepin, Major P. B. Furber of Ramsey, A. Larpenteur of Ramsey, Jas. S. Norris of Wash- ington, N. E. Stoddard of Hennepin, and Joseph Haskell of Washington, were appointed the executive committee for the year.
An interesting discussion followed, which was participated in by several members who wished to impress upon the public the fact that Minnesota was not only a grain-producing territory, but afforded superior advantages for stock of every description. Rev. B. F. Hoyt of St. Paul thought the society should declare the self-evident fact that the territory was decidedly a sheep-raising or wool-growing country. In order to show the opinion that was entertained by the society at that early day in regard to the probability of Minnesota becoming a wheat-producing region, I copy the following resolution, which was adopted by the society. It was intro- duced by Mr. Hotchkiss :
"Resolved, That it is the opinion of this society that the " climate and soil of Minnesota are particularly adapted to the " successful growth of wheat."
Here is another introduced by Governor Holcombe of Washington :
" Resolved, That in the opinion of this society Minnesota "is a good stock-growing country, on account of its grasses "being more nutritious, and its climate more healthful, than in " other regions south of it."
It must be admitted that the members of the Minnesota agricultural society had a pretty correct knowledge in regard to the capability of the soil. Since that time the state has become known all over the world for its great productiveness in wheat, stock and wool.
For the first time the citizens of St. Anthony and Minne- apolis, through the enterprise of the butchers in the former place, observed New Years with turkey on their tables. The price of the turkey, in those days, was twenty-five cents per pound. The importation was overland in sleighs from Cen- tral Iowa.
The Carson League, a temperance organization, was started,
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
in Minneapolis, with Rev. J. C. Whitney, president, and A. K. Hartwell, secretary. Nearly every man and woman in the village became members of the organization.
At the annual meeting of Hennepin Lodge No. 4, held in Masonic hall, on St. John's day, the following officers of the lodge were elected for the year 1855 : E. A. Hodsdon, W. M .; J. N. Barber, S. W .; John H. Stevens, J. W .; E. Case, treas- urer ; Charles Hoag, secretary ; S. J. Mason, S. D .; R. Rob- inson, J. D., Calvin Church, Tyler.
The first stage line from Minneapolis and St. Anthony by way of St. Paul and Taylor's Falls to Lake Superior, was established early in January of this year. The proprietor was William Nettleton, now of St. Paul, but then a resident of what is now Duluth.
A brass band, the first organized at the Falls, under the superintendence of Mr. Lawrence, became prominent not only in musical circles, but in festivals and social gatherings, this winter. One can hardly imagine how much enjoyment there was in the presence of this new organization.
Franklin Steele and Isaac Atwater were elected members of the Board of Regents by the legislature in joint conven- tion early in January. Major A. M. Fridley of St. Anthony and M. Black of Stillwater were elected at the same time, making all. the members of the Board in January, 1855, as follows : Franklin Steele, Isaac Atwater, A. M. Fridley, H. M. Rice, S. Nelson, Rev. J. G. Rheildaffer, J. H. Stevens, H. H. Sibley, Alex. Ramsey, B. B. Meeker, A. Van Vorhes, Geo. W. Farrington, and M. Black. Messrs. Steele, Atwater, Fridley, Meeker, and Stevens, were residents or owners of property at the Falls. The other members of the board were all friendly to the University, and aided in every possible way to push it forward to completion.
In the early part of January Mr. J. J. Kennedy of St. Anthony moved over to Minneapolis and opened a boot and shoe store. This was the first establishment of the kind in, Minneapolis.
SUSPENSION BRIDGE OPENED FOR TRAVEL.
Up to this time, during the suspension of navigation, the citizens of the territory had only weekly mail service from the lower country. Through the energy of Hon. H. M. Rice, our
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delegate in congress, a tri-weekly mail from Dubuque to St. Paul was established, commencing January 15th.
The completion for travel of the suspension bridge was observed by a grand celebration of the citizens at the St. Charles hotel in St. Anthony, on the 23d of January. Nearly all the citizens on each side of the river participated in the event. While the bridge was not entirely finished, yet it was thrown home to the traveling public. The toll-house was completed, and the directors selected Captain John Tapper to occupy it and receive toll. The order of exercises in cele- bration of the event was as follows: First, citizens and the mechanics of the work with the invited guests convened at the St. Charles hotel at 1 o'clock, when a procession of over a mile in length was formed and moved from the hotel headed by a band of music, all under the direction of Dr. J. H. Murphy, Marshal of the Day, and Z. E. B. Nash, assistant, and Captain John Martin, standard-bearer, and passed down Main street and crossed over to Nicollet island, where a cannon was stationed to boom forth the peculiar joy of the occasion. From the island the procession crossed over the bridge into Minneapolis, passed down Washington avenue, up Second street to the bridge, recrossed, passed down Main street, St. Anthony, and up Second street to St. Charles, where six long tables were spread with a dinner for the com- pany. The officers of the day were Wm. J. Parsons, president; John G. Lennon, John H. Stevens, R. P. Russell, and J. B. Gilbert, vice-presidents. After dinner toasts were drank, and responses made by L. M. Olds, Captain J. H. Simpson of the corps of U. S. topographical engineers ; T. M. Griffiths, engineer of the bridge ; J. H. Trader, Wm. P. Murray, St. Paul ; Oscar F. Perkins, now of Northfield, Minnesota ; H. H. Sibley; Geo. D. Bowman, editor of the St. Anthony Express ; Geo. F. Brott, John Mc M. Holland of Shakopee, and Captain John Tapper. Probably this was one of the most interesting meetings that had been held in the village.
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