USA > Minnesota > Hennepin County > Minneapolis > Personal recollections of Minnesota and its people : and early history of Minneapolis > Part 24
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
attention of the commanding officer, appeased his wrath at what he considered a misuse of it at the abolition meeting. There was much comment in the papers in relation to the affair. Major Sherman, and Captain Bragg of Buena Vista memory, were stationed at Fort Snelling at this time.
On the 6th of July a meeting of the settlers on the late reservation was held for the purpose of tendering a dinner to Hon. H. M. Rice for his great service in aiding the passage of the law through congress which secured them their homes. A committee of arrangements consisting of R. P. Russell, W. A. Hotchkiss, D. M. Hanson, S. Hidden, Edward Murphy, Thomas McBurney, B. F. Baker, Geo. E. Huy, John Jackins and John H. Stevens, was appointed for the occasion. Mr. Rice declined the invitation in a letter to John H. Stevens, saying that he only performed his duty, and the result was as gratifying to him as it was beneficial to them.
DISTINGUISHED VISITORS.
Hon. Charles Sumner, the distinguished member of the United States senate, visited Minneapolis on the 10th of July. He was surprised at the beauty and growth of the place. From that time, during his long service in the senate, he was a warm friend of Minneapolis, and whenever national legis- lation was required for the benefit of the village or city, he lent a helping hand in securing the favorable action of the senate.
Hon. Edson B. Olds, member of congress from Ohio, the father of our register of the U. S. land-office, also visited Minneapolis early in July.
There was considerable feeling in regard to the non-action of the commissioners appointed by the government for laying out and establishing the military road from the west bank of the Falls of St. Anthony to Fort Ridgely. The govern- ment had granted five thousand dollars to aid in the con- struction of the road after it was established by the commis- sioners. As one of the commissioners I had always been ready to perform the duty assigned me, but there were two others, and their presence could not be obtained to act with me. The chief of the corps of topographical engineers in the territory, Gen. J. H. Simpson, could not apply the money because there had been no legal road established. Determined
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that the money should not be returned to the United States treasury, steps were taken at this time to complete the sur- vey of the road. By this action a pretty good highway was established from the Falls to the east bank of the Minnesota river, upon which Fort Ridgely was built. This was the only road from Minneapolis that ever received aid from the gene- ral government ; all the others were built by the county or by private subscriptions of the people immediately interested in them. Of course in the early days the counties had no money to expend on the public highways, and as a conse- quence they were mostly opened and worked by subscriptions until such times as a poll and property road-tax was author- ized by the legislature. Fortunately, as a general rule, it did not require any very large sums of money to make the roads passable. The big-woods was an exception, however.
It was now evident that the stock in the suspension-bridge would pay a good dividend, for the first month's receipts amounted to fourteen hundred and eighty-two dollars.
A severe storm swept over this part of the territory on August 1st. Several houses in Minneapolis were damaged, and the pioneer merchant of the place, Thomas Chambers, suffered severely.
Dr. C. L. Anderson, of St. Anthony, commenced, August 1st, the erection of a brick residence on Third street south, and Dr. J. S. Elliott's elegant brick building was finished. The latter was by all odds the finest residence in the place.
The whigs in the neighborhood of the Falls of St. Anthony were considerably surprised that the St. Anthony Express, heretofore a strong whig paper, had become a democratic sheet. The announcement was made in the first issue of that paper in August.
FIRST USE OF GOVERNOR STRVEN'S ROUTE.
Malcom Clark, a distinguished trader among the Blackfeet Indians, on the extreme upper Missouri river, utilized Gov. Steven's route through the northwest by leaving Sauk Rapids with a train of carts loaded with merchandise, bound for his trading-post in the Rocky mountains. Mr. Clark was the first man from the Rockies to use the road surveyed by Gov. Stevens, and he found it a good one. He started in August.
Rev. Mr. Creighton, a distinguished divine, from Monti-
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
cello, was engaged with resident ministers at the Falls, in delivering temperance addresses during August. Up to this period, and for more than a year afterwards, there had been no saloons in Minneapolis, and the pastors of the several churches, backed by a large majority of the citizens, were determined there should be none in the future. Mr. Creigh- ton was a brother of Col. Wm. Creighton who, with Prof. E. W. Merrill and others, were the founders of Monticello, and were prominent in the territorial years.
Dr. Geo. H. Keith arrived in Minneapolis during the late summer and made it his permanent home. He became a leading citizen of the place ; represented the county in the legislature ; occupied a high military position during the war, and was postmaster of the city at the time of his death.
At a joint meeting of the executive committee of the Terri- torial and Hennepin county agricultural societies, held in Minneapolis September 8th, it was determined that the two societies should join for the purpose of holding a fair on Wednesday and Thursday, October 17th and 18th.
The first drug-store in Minneapolis, and a good one, was opened on Helen street, in September, by Savory & Horton. BEGINNING OF A REPUBLICAN RULE.
In politics for the first time the issue was between the democrats and republicans. The whigs did not put a ticket in the field. After the election there appeared to have been a Know-Nothing ticket, but it received only eighteen votes in the county. A large majority of the whigs voted the repub- lican ticket. The republicans had a majority of about twenty votes. The whole number of votes polled in the county was nineteen hundred and fifty-five. Two of the republican can- didates for the house of representatives from Hennepin county, Jas. F. Bradley and Thomas Pierce, were elected, as was Arba Cleveland of Carver county. J. B. Bassett was the republican candidate for the council. He carried the county, but his competitor, Hon. D. M. Hanson, received a sufficient majority in Carver county, which belonged to the same legis- lative district, to overcome Mr. Bassett's majority in Henne- pin. Alexander Gould was elected county commissioner. Allen Harmon was elected treasurer by ten votes over J. S. Johnson, democrat; Lewis Harrington, county surveyor ; and
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N. Jenkins and S. Coburn, assessors. There was a tie vote between Horace H. Shepley and J. Bohanan for the same office. From the time of the first organization of the repub- lican party in Hennepin county in 1855 to the present, as a general rule, the county has been republican .-
The second annual fair of Hennepin county was held on the 17th and 18th of October, under the patronage of the territorial society. It was a great success. Many of the counties in the territory were represented. The annual address was delivered by Hon. Martin McLeod. The occa- sion brought the largest concourse of people that had ever gathered in the territory. For the first time in the history of the upper Mississippi valley the dairy was represented by a good display of cheese, the product of Mrs. J. B. Bassett. The chairmen of the different department committees were Governor Ramsey of St. Paul, Mrs. J. W. Selby of St. Paul, Captain Holcombe of Washington county ; N. E. Stoddard, Col. E. Case, Charles Hoag, Franklin Steele, W. A. Hotch- kiss, and Mrs. B. E. Messer, of Hennepin county. At the close of the fair the following officers of the Hennepin county agricultural society were elected for the year : John H. Stevens, president ; Isaac I. Lewis, secretary ; Dr. A. E. Ames, corresponding secretary ; Col. E. Case, treasurer ; N. E. Stoddard, Asa Keith, Allen Harmon, Martin McLeod, and Norman Jenkins, executive committee.
BUSINESS HOUSES IN MINNEAPOLIS AT THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR.
Following is a correct list of the business houses in Min- neapolis in the fall of 1855 : Stores-Thomas Chambers, Lewis & Edwards, Jackins & Wright, S. Hidden, J. H. Spear & Co., Tuffts, Reynolds & Whittemore, Joseph LeDuc, J. E. Fullerton, L. C. Elfelt, A. F. McGhee, Davie & Calef, and T. L. Bibbins. Drug-stores-Savory & Horton, and S. S. Crowell. Book-store-John M. Anderson. Watches and jewelry-E. F. Crain and J. Farrant. Painters-R. A. Smith, B. E. Messer and C. Rummelsburgh. Carriage- and sleigh- makers-J. F. Bradley and James B. Hunt. Blacksmiths- I. L. Penny, E. Jordon and Brown & Co. Boots and shoes- John Wensinger, J. J. Kennedy John French and Mr. Loud. Gun- and locksmith-J. Morrison. Tailor-F. Wilkin- son. Bakery-Berkman & Bickford. Harness-maker-W.
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
G. Murphy. Land-agents-Carlos Wilcox, R. Allison, Sny- der & McFarlane and W. P. Curtis. Bankers-Snyder & McFarlane and C. H. Pettit. Surveyors and civil engineers- Lewis Harrington, C. W. Christmas and H. C. Smith. Law- yers-Cornell & Hanson, Atwater & Jones, W. J. Parsons and H. B. Hancock. Physicians-Drs. Ames, Anderson, Leonard, Wheelock and Rouse. Newspaper-Northwestern Democrat, W. A. Hotchkiss, editor and proprietor. Hotel-Minneapo- lis House, C. Bushnell, proprietor. Livery-stables-DeKay & Bartholomew and J. Kingsbury. Dr. Wheelock only re- mained a short time. He went to Clearwater.
Up to this time there was only one saw-mill on the Minne- apolis side of the river, and no grist-mill. There was, as the winter set in, five organized churches : Presbyterian, Rev. J. C. Whitney, pastor ; Baptist, Rev. A. A. Russell, pastor ; Rev. E. W. Cressey and Rev. T. B. Rogers had occasionally preached before the First Baptist society previous to the arrival of Mr. Russell; Free Baptist,, Rev. C. G. Ames ; Methodist Episcopal, Rev. Mr. Salisbury, pastor ; this gen- tleman was the first settled pastor over the Methodist church in Minneapolis. That denomination had no church building, but the meetings were held over T. L. Bibbin's store on Helen street (now Second avenue south). There were only two associations of a charitable character, the Masonic and Odd Fellow's organizations.
It cannot be doubted, even in these progressive times, that the above was a pretty good exhibit for a one year old village.
ST. ANTHONY IMPROVEMENTS.
The progress made on the St. Anthony side was still more remarkable. Thomas E. Davis, John F. Sanford, and Fred Gebhard of New York, had become interested with Mr. Steele in St. Anthony real estate, and Richard Chute and John S. Prince had also secured a large interest in it.
Hon. D. Morrison had now arrived in St. Anthony and had secured the contract for furnishing all the logs necessary for the mills. The mills had been leased by the proprietors to Messrs. Lovejoy & Brockway for the year. New life and new energy had been given to the city. The home demand for lumber had been so great that the mills were run to their full capacity.
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David Edwards had built a large stone structure, three stories high. The lower story was for stores, the second for offices, and the third was a commodious hall. Mr. Edwards occupied the lower story with a general assortment of goods.
NEW BUSINESS MEN.
Among the new business men for 1855 were Crandall & Co., D. M. Anderson, M. M. Goodwin, Mrs. Sayre, Mrs. Robin- son, Mrs. J. H. Pearl, Mrs. Widdigen, William Harmon & Co., G. F. Cross, W. E. Forster, Charles Fish, J. Pidding- ton, Orrin Curtis, J. J. Monell, Geo. E. H. Day, B. Thomp- . son, J. & G. H. Hawes & Co., Healy & Bohan, J. Good, S. Kohle, House & Bailey, C. Johnson & Co., E. L. Hemple & Co., Geo. Thurber, and J. H. Kelley. Dan Stimson, Moses Hayes, Geo. A. Nash, N. H. Hemiup & Co., L. G. Johnson & Co., Richard Martin, Tracey & Farnham, Dr. C. W. Le Boutillier,, John Bourgeois, Bassett & Leaming, and J. W. Monell, had all got nicely under way in business at the com- mencement of the new year.
John S. Pillsbury selected St. Anthony for his home this year. Not only the citizens of Minneapolis, but the people of the entire state, are greatly indebted to him for services in a public and in a private capacity.
H. G. O. Morrison also settled in St. Anthony in 1855. He too was a valuable acquisition to the place.
SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES.
The greatest blessing to any community, and more espec- ially to all new settlements-churches, schools, and benevolent societies-were unusually prosperous in St. Anthony during 1855. Rev. Mr. Nelson was the resident Methodist minister. There were no changes in the pastors of the other churches. The first officers in the Holy Trinity church, J. S. Chamber- lain, rector, were Henry T. Welles and William Spooner, wardens ; and J. B. Gilbert and Geo. D. Bowman, vestrymen. Seth Barnes became the permanent pastor of the Universalist church. St. Mary's school for young ladies, under the direct superintendency of Rev. and Mrs. Chamberlain, had a large number of scholars. Miss Mary L. Knight, Miss Kennedy, and Miss Thompson, were teachers in the popular institution. There were select schools opened in St. Anthony this year- one of great popularity by Prof. D. S. B. Johnson, in the
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
academy building where the higher branches of mathematics, natural sciences, and ancient and modern languages, were taught. Professor Johnson became one of the most promi- nent citizens in St. Anthony, and for years with great ability edited the Express. He has long been one of the most re- spected citizens of St. Paul.
Miss Lucy D. Holman taught a select school in the base- ment of the Congregational church, .which was well patron- ized. The two district schools were overflowing with scholars. Hon. John B. Gilfillan, our late member of congress, was the principal of one of them. Prosperity delighted to attend upon the after life of most of the early teachers in St. Anthony. The ladies were happy in their married life. Mrs. Thomas Gardiner (then Miss Knight) is now the only resident in Minneapolis of those pioneer female teachers.
The subject of education was a matter of deep concern to the early settlers of Minneapolis, and it was taken hold of by the people in a most commendable way. And like efforts were general throughout Minnesota. The annual accessions to the population were of the most reliable, exterprising and desirable kind. Among them were men of capital and very enlightened views. The foundation of the magnificent sys- tem of union schools for which modern Minneapolis is so celebrated was really laid in 1855, at a school meeting held in the largest hall in the village, on November 28th. Nearly every resident in the village was in attendance. John H. Stevens, F. R. E. Cornell, and J. N. Barber, were elected trustees, and Charles Hoag, R. P. Russell, and Dr. H. Fletcher, were appointed a committee to confer and advise with the trustees in the selection and purchase of a site for a school-house. On motion of Mr. Cornell the legislature was petitioned to authorize the trustees to levy a tax for ten thousand dollars for the purchase of a lot, and to build a house on it. This movement eventually secured the old Washington school-house grounds, which have so recently been transferred to the county, upon which the court-house is being built.
The Royal and Select Masons of the territory received a dispensation, late in November, from the proper authorities in New York, to establish a council in St. Paul. The charter
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members were A. T. C. Pearson, Dr. A. E. Ames, John H. Stevens, Col. E. Case, Geo. A. Camp, Thomas Lombarde, and William Lyon. This was the first charter for a council granted in Minnesota.
The celebrated brothers, the Hutchinson family, consisting of Judson, John, and Asa, visited Minnesota for the first time this late fall. They were anxious to become interested in a new town-site. They were taken through the woods by way of Glencoe, to the Hassan river, by a party of Minneap- olis friends. They were so charmed with the country that, in connection with others, they laid out and platted Hutchin- son. The Hutchinsons became prominent in Central Minne- sota. They are all gone now, except John, but they left a noble work which will perpetuate their memory.
FIRST MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE IN MINNEAPOLIS.
On the 29th day of December the first advertisement appeared for the first mortgage foreclosure in Hennepin county. Levi Brown was the mortgagee; C. H. Elliott, and I. C. Penney, mortgagors. The property to be foreclosed was lot ten in block forty in the original plat of the town of Minneapolis. Atwater & Jones were the attorneys. The whole lot, and all the improvements on it, was sold for two hundred dollars. It is worth to-day more than two hundred thousand, without the buildings. Property has come up some since them.
FIRST SETTLEMENT OF CORCORAN TOWNSHIP.
Every township in Hennepin county had been more or less occupied by settlers previous to 1855, except Corcoran. Up to that year it had remained an unbroken wilderness. Though one of the best agricultural towns in the county, it was the last one settled. In the spring of this year Benj. Pounder, who was prospecting for a claim on government land, ventured into the big-woods and selected a quarter- section near the town-line. He had scarcely secured the logs for the erection of his cabin before he was followed by Pat- rick B. Corcoran and Morris Ryan, who made claims and commenced clearing land for farms. The same season Joseph Dejardins, Isaac Bartlett, John McDonnell, Francis Morin, Fred Reinking, Fred Schuette, and one or two other farmers, occupied land ; so by the time winter set in there was quite
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
a colony in the town. All the towns in Hennepin county were prosperous during 1885. Eden Prairie lost its pioneer this year in the death of N. Abbott.
CHARACTER OF THE FIRST SETTLERS IN HENNEPIN COUNTY.
There were at the time of the completion of the census this year, in Hennepin county, 1,128 families, which made a population of 4,171, less than four persons to each family. The question is often asked me, "By what class of persons was Hennepin county settled ?" I can answer that at the time alluded to, that is, when the census was taken in 1855, the birthplace of the head of each family was ascertained, and there were of American birth among the pioneers 790, and of foreign birth 338, showing 452 more heads of families that were American than there were foreigners ; but we were not unmindful of the fact that the birthplace of a man did not prove or disprove his merit. But it was a matter of interest to all, and served to attract to each settlement like national- ities and kindred spirits, whether they were Irish, French, Germans or Americans ; and it is doubtful if any county could show a more intelligent and industrious people than the first settlers in Hennepin county.
The valuation of taxable property had increased from $54,363 in 1853, to $157,000 in 1854, and $505,781 in 1855 ; showing a wonderful increase of wealth added to the county in a short period.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
EVENTS OF THE YEAR EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SIX.
On Wednesday the second day or January the Minnesota State Agricultural Society held its annual meeting in St. Paul. Governor Ramsey was elected president. The vice-presidents were John H. Stevens of Hennepin, John H. Hartenbower of Olmstead, Clarke W. Thompson of Houston, Samuel Hull of Fillmore, Arba Cleveland of Carver, William Fowler of Washington, General James Shields of Rice, John Wakefield of Scott, Prof. E. W. Merrill of Wright, Lewis Stone of Ben- ton, N. M. Thompson of Dakota, William Freeborn of Good- hue, C. F. Buck of Winona, A. F. De La Vergne of LeSueur, Chas. E. Flandreau of Nicollet, and B. F. Hoyt of Ramsey. Treasurer, J. W. Selby of St. Paul. Secretary, Dr. A. E. Ames of Minneapolis. Executive Committee, Charles Hoag, Henry H. Sibley, N. E. Larpenteur, L. M. Ford, and Wm. H. Nobles. It was voted that the first annual fair be held in Minneapolis in October, at which time the election of officers for 1857 should be had. Judge Norton H. Hemiup was appointed postmaster of St. Anthony early in January, in place of Hon. Lucius C. Walker.
BUFFALOES AT THE HEAD OF SAUK RIVER.
Two very large herds of buffaloes came down from the northwest, late in the fall, and at the beginning of January were grazing near the head of Sauk river, some fifty miles west of St. Cloud, and they remained in that vicinity for several months. This was the last appearance of these ani- mals in the Sauk river country.
The United States land-office was opened in Minneapolis
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OF MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE.
on the 9th of October, 1854. There had been paid into the office by the settlers on the west side of the river for their homes, mostly in Hennepin county, up to January 1st, 1856, the large sum of $199,770 98. The number of acres entered was 150,071. To this should be added 10,760 acres covered with military land-warrants ; making the whole number of acres entered at the office since the establishment of the office up to January 1st, 1856, 160,831. The number of preemp- tions allowed was a little less than 1,000. The parties resid- ing at the Falls who entered the largest amount of land were Carlos Wilcox, who secured about 2,000 acres ; H. G. O. Morrison and Richard Chute, jointly a little over 1,500 acres. All the rest of the land went into the hands of farmers, actual tillers of the soil ; industrious, thrifty, moral and intelligent.
January was exceedingly cold, but this did not prevent the people of St. Anthony and Minneapolis from attending lyceums, dancing-parties, and amusements generally.
ST. ANTHONY ANNEXED TO HENNEPIN COUNTY.
The legislature passed an act annexing St. Anthony to Hennepin county. The same bill contained provisions to locate the county buildings in the lower town. No measures of a public character had ever created so much excitement in this community, and it was many years before the bitterness engendered ceased.
Minneapolis received, during the winter, several citizens who became prominent, in the persons of Hon. Delano T. Smith, and Hon. David Morgan, and others, who added greatly to the industries of the city.
The sad news was received that Dr. F. W. Ripley, a young physician of unusual merit, was frozen to death in a storm while making a journey from Glencoe to Forest City. He was accompanied by Mr. John McClelland of Glencoe, whose feet were frozen so severely as to render amputution neces- sary above the knees. Dr. Ripley had made his home in the family of Hon. D. M. Hanson in this city. The information of Dr. Ripley's fate was received in Minneapolis on the same day that Mr. Hanson died. A citizen of Hutchinson, a Mr. Collier, perished in the same storm.
As spring approached the improvements in St. Anthony and Minneapolis were beyond all precedent. Activity and
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progress characterized both places. Over fifty buildings were in process of erection in Minneapolis, and as many more in St. Anthony. The prosperous season commencing so early, plainly indicated that Minneapolis at least would double in population and improvements before the close of navigation in the fall of 1856.
The municipal election in St. Anthony resulted in the election of Alvaran Allen for Mayor. The contest was a spirited one. Mr. Allen being a thorough business man, made a good Mayor.
The average value of lots in Minneapolis, in the spring of this year, was only five dollars each. There were about two thousand of them, which added ten thousand dollars to the valuation of taxable property in the city.
Among the improvements commenced were those of Col. Cyrus Aldrich, Sidney Smith, and William Garland, each one building fine residences ; while Ivory D. Woodman, and several others, erected fine business blocks.
Minnehaha Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 was organ- ized this spring. A. F. McGhee was elected foreman, and Wm. A. Todd, secretary. This was the first fire organization in Minneapolis, and it was a good one.
Carlos Wilcox resigned the postmastership, and Dr. A. E. Ames was appointed in his stead. Two new saw-mills were added to the industries at the Falls, that of D. W. Marr on the St. Anthony side, and that of Pomeroy, Bates and Co. on the west side. Both were steam mills. J. M. Winslow com- menced the erection of a large hotel in St. Anthony. The Minneapolis Water-power Improvement Company was organ- ized May 20th, Hon. Robert Smith president, D. Morrison ยท treasurer, Geo. E. Huy secretary, with Messrs. R. Smith, D. Morrison, G. K. Swift, Geo. E. Huy, R. P. Russell, Dr. J. S. Elliott, and J. S. Newton, directors. The capital stock was $60,000. From this small beginning the present mighty and well-regulated system of controlling the vast water-power of the Falls has matured. Only one of the original incorpora- tors is now connected with it, Hon. D. Morrison, and he owns much more than his original interest in the property.
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