USA > North Dakota > Early history of North Dakota: essential outlines of American history > Part 62
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80
Logan-For Gen. John A. Logan.
McHenry -- For Hon. James McHenry of Clay County, South Dakota.
McIntosh-For E. H. McIntosh, a member of the council in 1883.
Mckenzie-For Alexander McKenzie of Bismarck, the most prominent and influential citizen of North Dakota in the construction period of its existence. (See the chapter headed, Division of Dakota.) Whatever may be said of him it must be said that he has never used his political powers for his own advantage either financially or politically. For several years he was the national committee- man of the republican party from North Dakota.
McLean-For Hon. John A. McLean, then mayor of Bismarck. He was a contractor for ties and other material on the construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad west from Duluth, and of the firm of McLean & Macnider, general mer- chants and contractors at Bismarck. In January, 1876, a committee sent from Bismarck to the Black Hills, headed by H. N. Ross, who had accompanied the Custer expedition to the Black Hills the preceding summer, returned with many specimens of gold taken from the placer mines of the Black Hills. These speci- mens were regarded as so convincing as to settle the long mooted question as to whether there was any gold in paying quantities in the Black Hills. Mr. McLean and Colonel Lounsberry at once proceeded to Washington, conferring en route with the Chamber of Commerce at St. Paul, resulting in the organiza- tion of the Northwestern Stage & Transportation Company, which established a daily line of stages and means of transportation from Bismarck to the hills, and with the managers of the Northern Pacific, Milwaukee & St. Paul, and the Northwestern railroads relative to through rates for passengers and freight to Vol. 1-32
498
EARLY HISTORY OF NORTH DAKOTA
the hills. At Washington they were received by President Grant, Secretary of War Belknap, and on the floors of both the Senate and House of Representatives. As a result President Grant directed that there should be no further interference with miners then in the Black Hills or en route there, and Congress took early action toward opening a large portion of the great Sioux reservation to settle- ment, including the Black Hills.
Mercer-For William H. H. Mercer, who settled at Painted Woods, Burleigh County, on the Missouri River, in 1869, and remained until his death, identified with the farming and stock growing interests of Burleigh County. He was a member of the First Board of County Commissioners of Burleigh County.
Morton-For Hon. Oliver P. Morton, war governor of Indiana.
Nelson-For Hon. N. E. Nelson, an early settler of Pembina, who entered the first homestead made of record in North Dakota. Collector of customs at Pembina for many years. Member of the Legislature.
Oliver-For Hon. Henry S. Oliver, member of the Legislature of 1885, and thereafter a leading factor in the politics of the territory and state, and post- master at Lisbon.
Pierce-For Hon. Gilbert A. Pierce, governor of Dakota and United States senator. It was changed from Church to Pierce, having been first named for Governor Church.
Ramsey-For Hon. Alexander Ramsey, governor of Minnesota, United States senator, secretary of war. He introduced the first bill in the senate for the Territory of Pembina.
Ransom-On account of Fort Ransom, named for General Ransom, a dis- tinguished soldier.
Richland-For Hon. M. T. Rich, a settler of 1869 at Wahpeton, and because it embraced a land that was rich indeed. Mr. Rich visited the Red River Valley in 1864, in connection with Sully's expedition, passing on west to the gold regions.
Sargent-For H. E. Sargent, general manager of the Northern Pacific Rail- road, interested in the development of the agricultural interests of the Red River Valley.
Stark-For George Stark, general manager of the Northern Pacific Railroad, owner of the Stark farm, near Bismarck, opened to demonstrate the fertility and adaptability of the Missouri River region to general farming.
Steele-For Franklin Steele, an early trader at Fort Snelling, and later a distinguished citizen of Minneapolis, associated with the early promoters of Hope, who made large investments in that vicinity.
Stutsman-For Hon. Enos Stutsman, who was born in Ohio, taught school and studied law at Des Moines, Iowa, settled at Yankton in 1858, a member of the first Legislature in 1862; came to North Dakota as a special agent of the treasury department in 1864, when he was elected to the Legislature from Pem- bina County and thereafter until his death identified with North Dakota, render- ing distinguished service.
Towner-For Hon. O. M. Towner, founder of the Elk Valley farm in Grand Forks County, and a member of the Legislature of 1883.
Traill-For Walter J. S. Traill, an employe of the Hudson's Bay Company,
499
EARLY HISTORY OF NORTH DAKOTA
located in early days at Caledonia and identified with the early development of Traill County.
Walsh-For Hon. George H. Walsh. His father, Thomas Walsh, located at Grand Forks in 1871. George H. was president of the council in the Legis- lature of 1881, and of the council in 1883, 1885 and 1889, and of the North Dakota Senate after statehood.
Wells -- For Hon. E. P. Wells, a member of the Legislature of 1881, identified with the development of Jamestown and the James River Valley.
Ward-For Hon. J. P. Ward, a member of the Legislature of 1885, an active friend of North Dakota at that session, though from South Dakota.
Williams-Changed entirely from its original position. Named for Hon. E. A. Williams, who came to Yankton about 1869, and to Bismarck in 1872 as an employe of Walter A. Burleigh in connection with his contract for the con- struction of fifty miles of the Northern Pacific Railroad east from Bismarck. He was elected a member of the Legislature that fall and from 1873 forward has been identified with North Dakota interests. He has been in the Legislature several times, twice speaker, which position he occupied in 1883, the history- making session, so far as the interests of North Dakota were connected with the affairs of the whole territory. He was a member of the Constitutional Con- vention and surveyor general, and has taken a prominent part in the political conventions of the republican party.
Cavalier, Rolette, Bottineau, McHenry, Ramsey, Foster, Logan, Morton, Mercer, Williams, Grand Forks, Cass, Richland, Burbank (now Barnes), Gin- gras (now Wells), Lamoure, Stutsman, Ransom, Kidder and Burleigh were created by the Legislature of 1873. Benson, Bowman, McLean, McIntosh, Nel- son, Sargent, Steele and Towner by the Legislature of 1883. Walsh was created in 1881. Dickey, Emmons, Hettinger, Billings, Dunn, Stark, Oliver, Ward and Mckenzie were creations incident to other legislative sessions.
The counties created since the Legislature of 1873 and the names are of later date than the conference with Mr. Rich, but the original nomenclature comes from that visit of Stutsman to Rich. Hon. Judson Lamoure was also con- sulted and he, too, had a hand in giving the first as well as the later creations their names. The same is true of E. A. Williams, a member of the Legislature which made the first division.
Mountrail was named for a prominent half-blood family, descendants of Joseph Mountrail, an early voyageur.
Renville was named for Joseph Renville, trader, interpreter, mentioned in connection with the translation of the Bible and other important matters.
Adams County for Hon. R. S. Adams of Lisbon, a prominent financier and distinguished citizen.
Divide County, from the division of Williams County.
Grant County, from a division of Morton County, in November, 1916, for the illustrious Gen. U. S. Grant.
Burke County, for Hon. John Burke, a democrat, three times elected gov- ernor by republican votes, and United States treasurer under President Wood- row Wilson.
Sheridan County, for Gen. Philip Sheridan.
500
EARLY HISTORY OF NORTH DAKOTA
Golden Valley, from the western part of Billings County, for the rich valley and bench lands so well adapted to the growth of golden grain.
Slope County, southern part of Billings, from being on the eastern slope of the Missouri River valley, which rises in altitude from 1644 feet at Mandan to 2830 at the summit in Billings County.
Sioux, embracing that portion of the Great Sioux Reservation in North Dakota.
NORWEGIANS DANCING, NEAR RED RIVER IN ABERCROMBIE
GIRLS IN NORWEGIAN PEASANT DRESS, ABERCROMBIE
CHAPTER XXXII
STORIES OF EARLY DAYS
WINSHIP HOTEL-BUDGE'S TAVERN-AN ENTERTAINING STORY OF YE OLDEN TIMES IN NORTH DAKOTA
When Pembina was little, before Grand Forks, Fargo and Moorhead were born, George B. Winship strayed in from the south via Abercrombie, and Billy Budge from Scotland via Hudson's Bay, and meeting at Pembina in 1871, where George was engaged as a clerk in the sutler's store, they concluded to form a partnership and enter into business. They selected a point on the stage line between Grand Forks and Pembina known as Turtle River, where they erected a log cabin and put in a little stock of those things essential to life for man and beast and opened up a hotel. The old-timers all credit them with having kept an excellent stopping place, one of the best on the line, and both were popular and have since prospered in this world's goods. Winship established the Grand Forks Herald, represented the Grand Forks District in the State Senate several terms, and on his retirement went to California where he enjoys a fortune from the proceeds of well used opportunities in North Dakota.
William Budge was a member of the constitutional convention and also rep- resented his district in the State Senate several terms, was the leading spirit in the establishment of the State University, and was one of its regents for several years, and postmaster at Grand Forks, moving later to Medford, Ore., where he became one of the leading business men of Jackson County, and always the true and noble hearted man he was in the early days of North Dakota.
The following, condensed from Clarence Webster's story in the Chicago Inter Ocean in 1886, will be enjoyed by their friends :
"After erecting their cabin, which was the only human habitation in 1871 between Grand Forks and Pembina, unable to agree on the name for their place, as the story runs, they agreed to label it 'Winship's Hotel,' so as to meet the view of those coming from the south and that 'Budge's Tavern' should be the sign displayed for the observation of those coming from the north. They dis- agreed in many things but united in one, 'We are not here for our helth,' was to be conspicuously printed on a card to be hung on the wall over the fireplace. 'God Bless Our Home,' and others of that nature were not fashionable then. The early settlers were the practical sort of fellows, who believed in informing people just where they were at and what was expected of them.
"Budge was an expert in turning the flapjacks while Winship was equally good as a valet de chambre at both house and barn, Budge assisting however between meals. Both were excellent collectors and usually insisted that there
501
502
EARLY HISTORY OF NORTH DAKOTA
must be an understanding as to the pay before any of the supplies had been con- sumed. It is said they each warned the travelers not to pay the other, resulting in occasional loss on the grounds that it was unsafe to pay either. They had a monopoly and like all monopolists were independent and when there were any objections to paying $2 for flapjacks a la Budge and stable accommodations a la Winship the unfortunate objector was invited to read the card over the fireplace and move on. Sometimes Budge suggested that the man who objected to paying $1 for a white man's meal could fill up on marsh hay at half price.
"It sometimes happened that objections were made to the economical spelling of the word health in the sign upon the wall. If the kick was made to Budge he added a half to the bill for extras. If it was commented on before Winship, with great presence of mind he always remarked that the proofreader must have been drunk as usual when they went to press with it.
"Neither proposed to allow the other to get ahead of him. They made a nightly division of the cash and had a definite understanding as to the division of labor. Each in turn was to build the fires, and in order that there might be no mistake they arranged a calendar and pasted it at the foot of the bed. Com- mencing with B. W. B., alternating with G. B. W., there were thirty sets of initials, representing each day in the month. When Winship had built the fire he rubbed out the last initial and Budge did the same when it came his turn. The crossed letter always settled the question as to who was to get up next time and indicated the day of the month.
"One morning Budge got up and built the fire cancelling the B. It was a roar- ing fire, made especially for a temperature of 30 below. The frail chimney, built of sticks and mud, surmounted by a barrel, caught fire. Soon the fire spread until Winship's end of the building was burning at a lively rate. Winship poked his elbow in Budge's side, he having fallen asleep, who thinking a mule had kicked him, yelled, 'Whoa.' Another nudge partially awakened him, when Winship said, 'Billy, she is afire again.' Budge protested that he had spoiled the slickest dream he had ever had and that he would have had it all fixed in a minute more if he had been left alone, besides he didn't see why he should be disturbed. He wanted to sleep.
"'The fire is spreading,' said Winship. 'Better get up and put it out while you can do it easy. It is your turn to get up.'
" 'It ain't my time to get up,' said Budge. 'The B. is crossed out.'
"'It is your fire,' said Winship, 'you built it, you had better put it out. It's getting too hot.'
"Budge insisted that the fire was Winship's by right of discovery and he must take care of it.
"Higher leaped the flames, closer and closer they came to the Scotchman, who was still insisting upon his rights to sleep undisturbed after building the fire. His own part of the shanty was ablaze. Coals were dropping down on the robes under which they had been sleeping. Winship drew the robe over his head.
"Finally Budge proposed that they both get up. 'That is reasonable,' replied Winship. 'Why didn't you think of that before?'
"They both got out. Some of the bacon and other things were saved.
"By this time Grand Forks had begun to grow. Both went to the Forks and entering on separate lines succeeded in business.
503
EARLY HISTORY OF NORTH DAKOTA
"Winship sometimes undertakes to tell the story and Budge tries to correct the proof, but giving up in despair, simply writes on the margin, 'there are other liars in the valley besides yourself.'"
THE OLD-TIME POSTOFFICE AT PEMBINA
(By Charles Cavileer)
"I came here ( Pembina ) in 1851, in company with N. W. Kittson and others. After being here a few days Mr. Kittson asked me to act as assistant postmaster, he having been appointed postmaster some time in 1849. Joseph R. Brown was contractor to carry the mail from Pembina, Wisconsin Territory, to Crow Wing in the same territory, via Thieving River, at its mouth at Red Lake River, thence by land and canoe to Red Lake Village, making short portages, thence making short portages between small lakes to Cass Lake and then by the same order of travel to Leach Lake and so on to Crow Lake and to the end of the route at Crow Wing Village, which was the headquarters of the North-West Fur Company for all that section of the country claimed by the Chippewas from Crow Wing to Pembina northwest and northeast to Sandy Lake, and Fond du Lac.
The contract was a go-as-you-please, on foot, horse back, cart or canoe, any- way-to-get-there affair. The contract price for carrying it was $1,100 a year. Kittson, being postmaster, could not act as sub-agent. He appointed me as assistant postmaster, and I ran the machine until some time in 1853 or '54. I did all the business of the office, made the quarterly returns and, deposit of funds due the department, attending to every detail of the office, which at that time was no child's play as every letter and package had to be tied up in wrappers, waybilled and addressed to its destination. St. Paul packages contained nearly all of Min- nesota, Chicago, Detroit and east and west exchange.
Letter rates of postage ran 614, 121/2, 183/4, to 25 cents, according to distance, from 614 for short distances to 25 for 500 miles and over. Every letter and package had to be wrapped and addressed. Even single letters had to be wrapped and addressed to their proper offices. All wrappers had to be saved and used as long as they would hold together and an address could be put on without show- ing another.
But when it came to making out the quarterly reports the dance had just commenced. Every letter received and dispatched must be returned from the records kept on bills for that purpose, and it made a package about the size of a family Bible, and the footing up of columns with the amounts running from 61/4, 121/2, 1834 to 25, was a corker. And right here let me tell you, with a feeling of pride, that I never had a quarterly return come back to me for correction.
Let me give you a sketch of the business at that early day, and the hardships and tricks of some of our carriers.
The Hudson's Bay Company, before the establishing of the Crow Wing Route, always sent special messengers or carriers every spring and fall to St. Paul with the mail from their outposts in the North and Northwest, consisting of a thousand or more letters and packages, all mailed at the postoffice in St. Paul for their establishments in Canada and England.
504
EARLY HISTORY OF NORTH DAKOTA
The mail from Fort Garry, now Winnipeg, was generally carried by two men by cart or dog train. Occasionally it was packed by men on their backs, some- times, if in winter, via the Red Lake and Crow Wing route, but generally by the cart route via Ottertail Lake and Crow Wing.
The postoffice having been established, Mr. Kittson appointed postmaster, and contract for carrying the mail let, the governor of the Hudson's Bay Company was notified and postal arrangements were made between the United States postal department and the governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, that all mail matter from the company, Prince Rupert's land, British possessions, should be mailed at Pembina, Wisconsin Territory, with United States postage stamps, prepaid at the rates of our domestic and foreign contract the same as our own mail. The route was established as a monthly mail leaving Pembina the first of every month, with no specified time for arrival at Crow Wing, or return, though it must be within the month, and be made with all possible dispatch and as little delay as circumstances permitted.
Our carriers were all half breeds, the best and most reliable men to be had. Our best man was "Savage" (Joseph) Mountrail. He had the endurance of a blood hound. Tough as an oak knot, fearless and faithful. To verify the above I will relate an instance on one of his trips: It was made in the fall when the rivers and lakes were just freezing over. We started him out on foot with his brother Alex as his assistant. The trip to Crow Wing was made in time but with considerable hardships. The return mail was large and had to be carried on the back. One carried the mail, the other the grub, bedding, etc. They met with no mishaps until arrival at Thieving River. Alex was then taken sick and would have to be carried. A white man would have cached the mail and seen to his brother. Not so with "Savage." He endeavored to pack Alex, the mail, grub and all, but made slow progress. He took the mail and grub, leaving Alex, and making a few miles, would return for him, and then again the mail, and so on until he arrived at Pembina on the sixth day from Thieving River. That is only one instance in many of these voyageurs. I had on the route one Paul Beauvier who was as tough, if that is what to call it, as man can get to be. But he was a voyageur and every inch of him. He never, even in the coldest of weather, wore a cap or hat. A blue cloth capot, without lining, with a capecha or hood attached, which was seldom worn on his head even in the coldest of weather, was his usual dress. He always went with an open breast, with nothing but a cotton shirt no matter if the mercury showed 20 or more degrees below zero. As an equivo- cator he was a success. He would spin out yarn after yarn finer than any gum string could possibly be stretched.
I always gave him provisions sufficient for the round trip, but in Red Lake Village he would lay over two or three days, and in the morning when he wanted to leave for Crow Wing he would apply to the resident missionary, Mr. Wright, for grub to take him to Crow Wing, having played high old revel with the dusky maidens of the village until his supplies were exhausted.
On one occasion, after getting his supplies from the unsuspecting missionary to last him to Crow Wing, before he got to the last wigwam or tepee of the village he hadn't a mouthful left for the trip. He knew they were cutting a road through from Crow Wing to Cass Lake and concocted a plan to euchre the overseer out of grub enough to take him through to Red Lake Village on his return trip. He
505
EARLY HISTORY OF NORTH DAKOTA
struck the contractor or overseer some miles west of their encampment and told him a flowery yarn of how the roaring Red River had robbed him of all his provisions and asked the loan of enough to take him to Crow Wing, and that he would replace it on his return, and succeeded in getting what he wanted. In returning home Paul knew about where they were working the road, and took a straight cut some distance from the dog trail. He therefore kept the old trail and passed without drawing a growl from the dogs, getting home O. K. Those fellows may be looking for him yet.
In 1853 I went into partnership with Forbes & Kittson at Indian trading. In 1854 I moved to St. Joseph, now Walhalla, and took charge of the post. From there I had to make a monthly trip to Pembina to attend to the arrival and departure of the mail. Tiring of that I recommended to the postoffice department at Washington the appointment of Joseph Rolette as postmaster, giving my reasons for it. He was duly appointed and held the office for several years, but failing to make out his regular quarterly returns on August 31, 1861, Joseph Y. Buckman was appointed.
Buckman and Captain Donaldson were elected to the Territorial Legislature that year. They worked through the session at Yankton that winter. Donaldson returned to Pembina in the spring. Buckman never came back. He died the next year, but where I can't, nor is it necessary here to tell how.
Donaldson, I believe, was the next postmaster. John E. Sheals was appointed June 26, 1863. After Major Hatch's battalion left in the spring of 1864, Sheals went to Fort Garry, and left me to run the office as assistant. Collector of Customs Joseph Lemay and Joseph Rolette sculdugged, through Capt. J. B. Todd, the appointment of Charles Murneau, and removed Sheals. I knew nothing about it until I saw Murneau's appointment and bond drop out of the mail pouch. "Now, Mr. Lemay ; after I am through with this mail I'll attend to you." And I most assuredly did-did it without one apology, or cream on the pudding. Joe Rolette came in while we were at it and I soon learned that he had a finger in the pie. I said to Joe, "Now as you took the trouble to write to Captain Todd for the appointment of Mr. Murneau, just sit up to this table and ask Mr. Todd to have the appointment canceled and have Charles Cavileer. appointed." Joe most kindly did as I requested."
April 28, 1865, Charles Cavileer was appointed and held the office for twenty years, when his son, E. K. Cavileer, under appointment of January 15, 1884, succeeded him. James R. Webb was appointed December 26, 1886. His bond never was accepted or completed, and E. K. Cavileer still holds the office.
EARLY HISTORY BISMARCK POSTOFFICE-WHY SECRETARY OF WAR BELKNAP WAS IMPEACHED ORVILLE GRANT AND THE INDIAN TRADERSHIPS
By Linda W. Slaughter
In December, 1872, the people of Edwinton, now Bismarck, tired of uncer- tainties in the military mail service, then carried by the quartermaster at Fort Abraham Lincoln, petitioned for the establishment of a mail route from Fargo to Edwinton and for the establishment of a postoffice. They also petitioned for my appointment as postmaster, which petition was endorsed favorably by the
506
EARLY HISTORY OF NORTH DAKOTA
military authorities at Fort Abraham Lincoln. The postoffice was established February 7, 1873, but Maj. S. A. Dickey, then post trader at Fort A. Lincoln, whose brother was in Congress from Pennsylvania, received the appointment as postmaster. Fort A. Lincoln was then known as Fort McKean, and as a post- office was established at that point soon afterwards Major Dickey could not hold the office at Edwinton as he resided beyond the delivery of the office. He resigned in my favor and I opened the office in March, 1873, as his deputy. It was then held that a married woman could not file a bond, so my husband, Dr. B. F. Slaughter, was appointed in April, and in August I became his assistant in name, but had full charge of the office for him as I had previously had for Major Dickey. The salary was fixed at the munificent sum of $12 per annum. In June, 1873, the office was changed in name from Edwinton to Bismarck, so named in order to attract the attention of German capital to the Northern Pacific Railroad, then under construction. The great chancellor acknowledged the compliment in an autograph letter to Secretary Wilkinson of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.